9 - Travelling One-Shots (1)

Confession time: I suck at writing some of the filler episodes. I want to include them, because I have really good ideas, but I don't want to write out the whole thing. So… I'm doing these instead. Little snippets of episodes where Daniel or Xander heavily intervene. This chapter will cover AJ's 'gym' just before fighting Surge. Each one shot will have its own little title. Admittedly, these are a bit of filler chapters, but I just couldn't transition properly without it feeling strange in my writing. Not every episode will have a filler chapter, but most will. The first one though was a little bunny that decided to nest in my head until I wrote it out, and I find it funny for some reason…

Tsundere?

Daniel POV

"Where's Xander? We're supposed to be leaving now!" Misty whined. I nearly bash my head into the nearest wall. Does this girl know the meaning of shut up!? Seriously! Aside from our battle, she has whined at almost every twist and turn! I'd think all girls are like that in this world, if it were not for the serene and graceful Anabel. The same lovely lady was the saviour of my sanity as she walked out of the Pokemon Center and to where we were meeting up.

"Xander's taking a bit of time to meditate," she explained. "It's something he started doing while in Hoenn. He should be ready in about five minutes."

"Why can't he meditate later?" Misty whined.

"It sounds like Xander is trying to make meditating a routine," Brock speculated, "meaning he needs to do it at certain times during the day." Anabel nodded at this, confirming his thoughts.

"Pika…?" Pikachu asked.

"I think Pikachu wants to ask-" Ash began trying to translate, but to their surprise, Anabel lightly patted Pikachu on his head and answered.

"Sorry Pikachu, that's a bit personal."

"You can speak to Pokemon too?!" Everyone but me exclaimed. Well, Pikachu just cried his name, but I think that's what he was exclaiming too…

Anabel just smiled and nodded. "Yes. As an empath, I can hear what anyone says from their heart… it is honestly quite amusing with Xander, half of the things he says are completely different to what he's really saying…"

"So… he's a tsundere?"

Anabel blinks at my question before breaking out into giggles. "You're right! He really is a tsundere!" Brock chuckles along with her, while Misty and Ash just look at us strangely.

"And what are you all finding humorous…?" Xander drolled as he walked out of the PMC.

"Y-You're a ts-tsundere!" Anabel commented through her giggled.

Instantly, Xander's glare snapped to me. "Daniel…"

Shit.

"Welp, I'm running, bye!" I panic, instantly running off.

"You're not getting away that easily!" Xander roared, sprinting up to me. I forgot! He's an athlete! And a really good one at that!

Meanwhile, Anabel watched the running duo, laughing at the silliness they tried to hide.

Whipped

Daniel POV

"Erm… AJ, I think the whip is a bit much…" I tell the arrogant boy after he beat Ash. Everyone but Xander, Anabel, and I were proclaiming how cruel AJ was as he made his Sandshrew swim in water. I, of course, heartily approve of such methods. No pain, no gain, I say! Xander wasn't entirely approving of the methods, but the theory behind them he was all for.

The kid looked up. "What do you mean the whip is a bit much?"

"The training methods are harsh, but understandable," Xander says tonelessly. "Use of a whip, however, portrays you in a bad light, and makes you look like a Pokemon abuser. That just opens up a whole new can of Wurmples that'll most likely get the authorities involved, and you getting arrested."

"A-Arrested?!" AJ exclaimed in shock.

I nodded my agreement. "In history, using a whip often shows a cruel desire for dominance, most often taking pleasure in inflicting pain. I think we both know that you don't like hurting your Pokemon, but know that it is necessary for them to get stronger."

"Y-Yeah… but… what should I do then to get their attention?" AJ asked.

"Whistle," I shrug. "Xander does it often with his Pokemon."

"Or in Java's case I open up my Hyperdex…" Xander frowned. "He's recently though it'd be funny to mess with the code whenever I'm not looking."

"Pory?" Java questioned, bursting out of his Pokeball.

"Yes, I'm talking about you you mischievous program!"

"Gon pory."

"What do you mean you're updating it? Adding fifty six lines of nonsense does not qualify as updating it!"

I turn to AJ. "Ignore him. He often fights with his Pokemon over the silliest things."

"Pory!/Shut it!"

"Daniel's right in this case," Anabel input as she walked over. "I caught you two arguing on how long to microwave popcorn the other day. The fact that your argument was about a difference of five seconds made it even more ridiculous…"

Xander looked like he bit a lemon as he looked down. "You know… I try the emotionless sulker look, and you come over here and just spout those kinda things just ruins everything…"

"You're a silly person at heart, I don't know why you bother trying to hide it."

"But-"

"But what?"

"Er…" Xander tried, before sighing and shrugging, causing Anabel to shake her head in amusement.

AJ turns to me and whispers. "Are those two… like, uh… what is it called?"

I shrug. "No clue… but it is clear that Xander's the one getting whipped here."

"Daniel, shut up."

Anabel snickered. "Notice how he's not denying it."

Xander groaned and rubbed his temples as if he had a headache. "Why must everyone I deal with enjoy seeing me suffer?"

"Are all teenagers as weird as you people?" AJ asked.

"Yes," we all reply in unison, causing AJ to sweatdrop.

Schooled

Xander POV

It was honestly pathetic how Ash and Brock were drooling over this 'beauty' named Giselle. Note the sarcastic quotations. I had to stroke the paper in my pocket before I lost my temper at the snotty little girl, who utterly demolished Misty. Daniel, guessing by his snarls, was similarly pissed off with the girl. Anabel refused to look at the girl, her own look of disgust on her face.

"My Graveler is level 35!" Giselle proclaimed haughtily. "And since i know the leveling system back to front, logic dictates I will always win!"

"Levels don't mean everything you silly little girl," I sneer. "And I bet I know the leveling system better than you."

"Oh yeah?" She smirked. "And just who are you?"

"Professor Hawthorn. The creator of the darned system, alongside my good friend Assistant Professor Daniel Wood," I glare while gesturing to the ticked teen wearing the red and silver jacket, my own grey lab coat ruffling slightly from the sharp motions.

"Yeah right, you can't be the Great Grey Professor, you're just some imitation!"

"Alright, that's it!" Daniel snarls. "It's time you were put in your place brat, not only do you mock our creation, but you mock my friend as well! Let's go Abra!"

Giselle VS Daniel

"Alright then, Graveler, let's show this phony who is who!"

"Dangit Daniel!" Xander growls at the teen. "I wanted Nightshade to gain some EXP."

"To slow!" Daniel chuckles, before returning his attention to the snotty brat. "Listen closely, girlie, Abra is level 32, and your Graveler is 35. So, judging by the stat level, who will win?"

"Graveler, obviously, he's also an evolved Pokemon, unlike your weak Abra," Giselle scoffed.

"Ra…" Abra growled. I didn't need telepathy to know Graveler just pissed her off.

"Graveler, Tackle!"

"Psyburst."

"Huh?"

"AABBBRAA!" Abra roared (which wasn't very menacing considering she was barely a foot and a half tall and still looked like she was sleeping…). What was menacing was the sudden blast of psychic energy that she shot at Graveler, flinging the sentient rock over Giselle and into the pool.

"Game over."

"W-What?!" Giselle exclaimed in shock as she recalled a heavily weakened and passed out Graveler. "That doesn't make any sense! Abra was unevolved and three levels lower! How did it beat my Graveler!"

"Statistics," Anabel stated, causing everyone to turn to her. "Levels increase a Pokemon's natural stats, sort of like growing. However, every pokemon has a different set of stats. Xander, could you explain the difference between Graveler and Abra's stats?"

"With pleasure," he smirked. "Abra, despite being a lower level, has a naturally high Special Attack, which is used to calculate the damage of Special attacks like Psyburst. Considering it was a psychic attack, there is the Same Type Attack Bonus, or STAB for short, meaning it we boosted in power.

"Graveler, however, has a low Special Defense, which is used to calculate the damage taken from Special attacks. Combine a high powered Special attack with a weak Special defense, logic dictates that Graveler loses."

"But-"

"I told you girl, I am Professor Hawthorn, co-creator of the Leveling System, Stat System, Hyperdex, and strategic genius. Daniel ended your battle easily, I would have drawn out the battle and your suffering, to further your well needed teachings."

Giselle collapsed to her knees. "But I got the best grades and everything…"

Daniel scoffed, "You think grades on theory beat experience? Well, here's a grade for you on your attitude and beliefs: an F!"

"Daniel, Xander, jeez, enough!" Brock stated. "You're going to make her cry!"

"For once, I'm with Daniel, the arrogant brat needs to learn a lesson!" Misty growled.

"Umm… I'm with Brock," Ash said hesitantly, "you've already beaten her, you're a sore winner now…"

Anabel sighed. "She's not actually upset, just disappointed and confused. Though she is starting to get upset.

"Let's just go…" Daniel huffed, the others quickly agreed and made their way back onto the trail to Vermillion City.

Punishment

WARNING: VIOLENCE

Daniel POV

"So… Damien, right?" I ask the son of a bitch as he walked into an alley. Xander and I had been tailing him to… explain, a few things to him.

The cocky bastard turned and sneered at me. "Yeah, what is it loser?"

"You're the one who abandoned the Charmander on the rock, correct?" Xander asked, his tone the temperature of liquid nitrogen. We made sure everyone was away for this… we didn't want them to know about this. As such, both Xander and my 'dark' personalities came to the surface.

"So? It was weak, and I have no time for we- HRP!"

He was cut off by my action of grabbing his neck and slamming him into the wall. "Listen here you piece of shit. You nearly killed him. He was loyal to you, and you repay that loyalty by trying to kill him?!"

"I… don't want… a weak… loyal Pokemon…" Damien gasped out, glaring at me.

I drop him, wiping my hand hoping to get his slimy taint off of me. "You disgust me," I snarl as I kick him back, causing him to yelp in pain. "How could someone care so little about innocent lives? I hope you die alone and friendless you utter bastard."

I turn to Xander. "He's yours. I don't want to touch the shit anymore."

Even I shiver at the cruel grin that formed on Xander's face. "Guess I get to do the dirty work again… heheh…" I almost forgot that Dark Xander was very sadistic. I didn't forget that a Dark Xander is very dangerous. This is especially proven by the immediate actions following Dark Xander's comment.

"Look at me…" he hissed, forcefully grabbing Damien's head and twisting it to meet his eyes. Three seconds later Damien was shivering and began to whimper. This evolved into the brat flailing about and trying to scream, but Xander had a firm hand clamped to his mouth. Several minutes later, Xander backed off before roundhousing Damien right in the temple, knocking him out… but his prone body was still twitching violently

"What the hell did you do to him?"

Dark Xander grinned menacingly, his teeth bared. "Advanced Telepathy. I forced his mind to send signals throughout his body to imitate pain. To be frank, I'm a little surprised it worked. Especially the part where I erased his memories of his meeting of us. He'll never know what happened or who did it, but he'll know why."

"You… erased his memories?" I mutter with wide eyes.

"Erased… fractured… damaged… either way, he'll never know it was us," he chuckled with a shrug.

I couldn't help but shiver at the callous tone. "Please… don't ever use that power on me."

Xander sighed, the Dark aura I felt around him dissipating. "I'd never. I can't hurt a friend." His body began to relax as he began to walk away. "C'mon, I'm getting hungry, let's grab something to eat."

Traps

Xander POV

"HOW ARE YOU NOT DOWN HERE?!" Ash shouted in annoyance as he, Misty, Brock, and Daniel had fallen into the seventh pit trap made by those mischievous Squirtles. Anabel and I just looked down at them with amusement. I knew whenever I was approaching a pit trap: the ground sounded different. Of course, it was far too amusing to just tell them that.

Anabel seemed to have experience with pit traps before, as she stopped about a good foot before each one, and sighed just before the rest fell in. I have a feeling she had some bad memories about them…

"Xander, I swear to Arceus I will kick you up and down this region if you don't tell us how you figure out these traps!"

"When I get out of here I'm hitting you two into the next week with my mallet!" Misty screamed.

I turn to Anabel. "You know, these threats really discourage my willingness to help out…"

The lilac haired girl smirked mischievously. "Funny, I was thinking along the same lines. I mean, Espeon could have used Psychic, or Metagross could have simply lifted them up… but now…"

I shrug. "Personally, all these hijinks have made me hungry. Wanna bet a bite to eat?"

Anabel smiled. "Are you asking me out?"

I yelp in surprise as I jump back.

Unfortunately, I forgot I had turned around to talk to the girl who was now laughing at me. So for those smart ones out there, guess what happened next.

Yep, I fell into the trap. And let me tell you, landing on a bunch of bone-y people hurts. "XANDER WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" The four shouted at me as I slammed into them.

"Oh he just fell for my trap!" Anabel laughed from above us. Oh come on, puns too?

"Squirt!" several squirtle laughed out of nowhere, before suddenly shoving Anabel into the hole. And, as logic dictates, I was the first to feel her impact. She may be thin and light, but the law of acceleration means she just hit with a lot of force… a lot of force that hit me!

"ACK!"

"Sorry…"

"Well *cough* this is a fine mess *cough* we're in," I comment as I try to get some air back in my lungs.

Of course, to make things worse, all the Squirtles used Water Gun on us.

"WATER POKEMON OR NOT, I'M GONNA SMACK THEM INTO THE NEXT CENTURY!" Misty shrieked.

Oh, if only I could get the hang of teleporting…

Alright, I utterly despise Damien. Not only was he clearly older in the anime (I'm guessing around 15), and should have been more responsible, his utter lack of care for Charmander disgusts me. Since Daniel hates him too… we decided to rough him up a bit.

And before anyone comments on Xander becoming an insane anti-hero again, this is somewhat of a one-off deal. Whenever Xander encounters people like Damien… his 'Dark' side comes out. I may refer to him as Dark Xander at those times. He is quite literally a much different person. He is cruel, sadistic, and merciless.

Next chapter is a bit more light-hearted, but a lot more battle centric.