Pokémon Tails: A Journey to the East
DISCLAIMER: I don't own DBZ or Pokémon.
CHAPTER 13: Hidden Village, Many Pokémon
Beneath the gently soft glow of the midday sun, panting and gasping could be heard coming from down below in the forest.
Into the clearing ran Ash, Misty, and Brock, as they struggled and fought to run just another few feet while their legs threatened to fail them and they felt like they were on the verge of a total collapse.
"Man... this... is... crazy..." Brock panted, sounding exhausted from the grueling workout.
"How much... farther... do we... have to... go?" Misty wondered, with her tongue lolling from her mouth.
"Gohan... Gohan... Gohan didn't... say!" Ash managed to gasp out.
"Pika... Pika... Pika..." Pikachu wheezed pathetically as it dragged itself another few steps.
Finally, when it seemed they could take it no more, a voice from up above called down to them.
"Okay, that's far enough!" Gohan said. "You can rest now."
Instantly Misty, Brock, and Ash flopped bonelessly down to the grass underneath them.
"Chu..." Pikachu sighed in relief as it laid back against a tree.
From the skies overhead, a tailed boy with a golden, glowing aura crackling with electrical arcs set himself down just a couple feet away from the now worn out and completely drained Pokémon Trainers.
A few seconds later, a pink bubble soared down next to him and began circling the Super Saiyan 2.
"Mew!" it chirped, twirling around him in a graceful midair exhibition. "Mew! Mew!"
"How... how far... was that?" Brock asked, struggling to slow down his heavy breathing.
"Almost ten miles," Gohan said.
"It felt like a million," Ash moaned pathetically.
"Pika Pika, Pikachu," the yellow rat agreed.
"You're making enormous progress," Gohan told them, flashing them all a proud smile, which was only barely tainted by the intensity of the Super Saiyan 2 form. "At this rate, I'd say you'll be ready to increase the weight of your training clothes in no time flat."
Ash, Brock, and Misty gasped at what he'd said. "But why... why... why on Earth would we want to increase the weight?"
"It's like I told you during your first session, Ash," Gohan explained patiently. "It's all about surpassing normal human limitations. You've been training for nearly two weeks now and I can tell you've begun noticing the effects of my training."
"Yeah, I'll say," Misty said as she slowly sat up, moving her left arm back and forth as she experimented with her growing strength. "I have a lot more energy at the end of the day and all the times I train like this, it feels like I can do a little bit more."
Gohan nodded. "That's very good, Misty. You're just now starting to get slightly comfortable with all those weights and your exercises are starting to seem easier, but you gotta keep breaking past your own limits or you'll never reach my level."
"How are... how are... how are you doing in your training, Gohan?" Brock asked, still completely wiped out.
Gohan held up his hand, clenching and unclenching it. "It's strange, but, the more I practice with this form, the easier it feels to regulate the power strain. I'm slowly developing better emotional control for Super Saiyan 2, and as a result I can now maintain it for mostly two days without feeling as if it's gonna totally overwhelm my senses."
"Mew, Mew!" Mew giggled as it nuzzled up to his face, gently stroking its tail along his back. "MEW!"
Gohan chuckled. "And I guess even Mew can sense the difference."
"MEW!" Mew confirmed as it zoomed upside down and over again, to Gohan's amusement.
"That's great!" Misty stated enthusiastically, and then she frowned. "Hey, Gohan, there's something bothering me."
"Yes, what is it, Misty?" Gohan asked her as he turned his Super Saiyan 2 stare onto her.
Maybe it was her imagination, but the gaze look a bit more refined than it normally did, with a slight loosening of his facial muscles and a smoother aura flowing around the half-Saiyan boy, with seemingly more streamlined electrical arcs.
"Well, if we're training to become as strong as you... are we going to bulk up with muscles?" Misty said, sounding very concerned. "Because you know, that would completely ruin my petite and slender figure!"
"Ha, nothing you could do would change that scrawny shape!" Ash gloated.
WHAM! BAM!
And thus Ash found himself semiconscious on the other side of the meadow.
"Oh boy, he just never learns," Brock sighed wearily, grabbing his face with his right hand.
"Pikachu, Pika Pika," Pikachu said, sighing in exasperation.
"MEW!" Mew squeaked, cheerful like it always was. "Mew, Mew!"
Gohan just stared at them for a while, feeling a bit nonplussed, before he turned to face the fiery redhead again.
"Well, to answer your question, Misty, no," Gohan said patiently. "As you build up muscle and learn to call upon your ki the ki is reabsorbed into your body as it circulates, so while you become toned you won't bulk out insanely unless you deliberately decide to do so."
"Oh, that's good," Misty sighed in relief.
"Well, I have a question too," Brock said curiously.
"Shoot," Gohan told the dark-skinned ex-Gym Leader.
"Where are we going?" he inquired very pointedly.
That question caught Gohan totally off-guard. "Oh, well, um..."
"In all the running, I think we kinda lost track of the path," Brock went on.
"Well, refresh my memory, where were we going again?" Ash said.
Misty sighed exasperatedly. "We told you, Ash, Vermilion City! It's the next city with a Pokémon Gym!"
"Oh, that's right, I think you did mention something like that," Ash laughed awkwardly.
"His head needs to be examined," Misty mumbled angrily.
"Pi Pika, Pikachu," the Electric Rodent agreed.
"Hmm..." Gohan said, pondering what to do as he stroked his chin. "What to do... what to do... well, let me see if there's somebody who lives close by. Maybe they can give us directions to Vermilion City."
"Mew, Mew!" Mew said, tilting its head.
"But how can you find that out?" Ash wondered.
Misty, Brock, and Pikachu all fell over.
"Have you forgotten Gohan can sense where people are?!" Misty yelled.
"Oh, that's true!" Ash said, rubbing the back of his head.
Misty just sweatdropped angrily but said nothing.
"Pika, Pika Pika, Pikachu," Pikachu said, rubbing its own head.
"Mew!" Mew squealed with a spinning midair flip. "Mew!"
Shutting his eyes, Gohan reached out, extending his senses as far as he could feel; the area around him teemed with life, but due to the low levels of many of the inhabitants on this Earth, getting a precise lock was hard.
Finally, after a few minutes, Gohan's eyes shot open. "There we go!"
With a sigh of releasing power, Gohan dropped the Super Saiyan 2 transformation.
"Hey, Gohan, why did you power down?" Brock asked the Saiyan boy.
"I figured it'd be better not to let the person that we're going to ask see me like this," Gohan explained.
"Well, that's true," Brock said amiably. "They might freak out."
Gohan glanced to the side. "I also think we shouldn't let them see you, Mew, or they might try and kidnap you."
"Mew?" Mew said, tilting its head aside as it pierced through his soul with those adorable eyes.
"Please, Mew?" he said pleadingly. "For me? Please?"
"Mew!" Mew exclaimed, nodding eagerly as it began dancing around in the skies. "Mew, Mew!"
"Thank you, Mew," Gohan said gratefully.
With that, the half-Saiyan walked to his friends and glanced down at them.
"I think it'd be best if we all went in one trip," he informed them.
"But how can we do that?" Misty sighed. "We can't use our ki yet, and you're the only one who can use Instant Transmission."
"Well, that's simple," Gohan responded. "All you have to do is grab onto me, and I can transport us all."
"You can do that?" Ash said, sounding stunned.
Gohan grinned, feeling way happier now that he was back in his base form. "Well, sure. But you have to touch me for it to work."
"Okay!" Misty said.
"Sure, that sounds simple enough," Brock added.
"Mew, Mew!" Mew chirped in agreement.
And slowly, the gang worked their way back up to their feet as they each latched onto Gohan in some form or another.
"Ready to go?" Gohan asked them all.
"Yes!" the group said as one, nodding their heads.
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu piped up, throwing up one of its arms.
"Mew!" Mew giggled as it hugged its Trainer. "Mew!"
"All right then, hang on tight!" Gohan said.
And in a surge of energized particles, Misty, Ash, Brock, Gohan, Mew, and Pikachu disappeared.
A dozen kilometers away from where they'd been, the four Trainers and their Pokémon materialized into existence near a clump of bushes behind some trees separating them from a tiny clearing to the side.
"Wow, what a rush!" Ash said as he disengaged from Gohan.
"I'll say!" Misty agreed. "That was a weird experience. It felt like my body was being stretched on a rubber band."
"Chu..." Pikachu said, blinking from the disorientation.
"Mew, Mew!" Mew said, dancing happily in the skies. "Mew, Mew!"
"Like Trainer, like Pokémon," Brock commented amusedly. "Nothing fazes Mew here."
"Mew!" it chirped, twirling about in a wild pattern. "Mew! Mew!"
Just then, Misty caught sight of Gohan's expression; it looked like a mix of regret and longing. She tilted her head to the side.
"Hey, Gohan, are you okay?" she inquired.
Gohan glanced up, seemingly coming to his senses. "Huh? Oh sure, why wouldn't I be?"
"Well, it's just you seemed distracted there for a second," Misty pressed.
"Oh, don't worry, I-I was just daydreaming," Gohan said casually. "Don't worry about me, Misty. I'm fine."
Misty just stared at him for a few minutes, trying to determine whether he was lying.
"Are you sure you're feeling all right?" Misty added. "You know that you can talk to us if you're feeling upset."
Gohan sighed. How can I tell them that if it hadn't been for me, Daddy would still be alive?
"It's nothing," Gohan insisted. "The Instant Transmission technique just takes a lot out of me."
"Well, okay, if you say so, Gohan," Misty said as she shrugged.
If only you knew the truth, Misty, Gohan thought sadly. You wouldn't be my friend anymore. Neither would Brock, Ash, Pikachu, or Mew.
"So, where's the person we were coming out here to meet?" Brock asked Gohan, shielding his eyes as though shading them against the sun, as he turned his head from side to side. "I don't see anyone."
"Over there," Gohan said, pointing to the small clearing.
Ash, Misty, Brock, and their Pokémon all headed over and peeked above the bushes and there in the clearing was a blue-haired young lady tending to many of the Pokémon scattered around the place.
Suddenly, Brock felt heat go to his face as his face went red.
"Oh my lovely lady!" he suddenly shouted as he burst out of the bushes, running towards the girl.
"Hey, wait, Brock!" Ash called after him.
"Where are you going?" the Cerulean Gym Leader demanded.
"Pika Pi?" Pikachu agreed, looking extremely confused.
"Mew?" Mew said, tilting its head aside again.
The girl looked up as the dark-toned boy came rushing towards her, and in an instant, he had grabbed hold of her hands as he stood there in front of her, now gibbering like a lunatic in his furor to talk to the vision of heaven before him.
"Excuse me, miss, hello, but my name's Brock Slate, and I was just wondering whether we could maybe have tea or some dinner together sometime?" he inquired. "You see, I'm not from around here and I'm feeling quite lonely at the moment and I've also found nothing cheers a bachelor up better than the company of an attractive young lady!"
Suddenly, the girl withdrew her hands from Brock.
"But I don't understand, who are you?" she asked, puzzled.
Then Gohan, Ash, and Misty emerged from the bushes.
"You'll have to excuse Mr. Smooth here," Misty said, raising her arms helplessly. "But we're travelers, and we're on our way to Vermilion City so that these two" — she nodded to Gohan and Ash — "can challenge the Vermilion City Gym."
"That's right!" Ash piped in. "But we're lost and so we decided —"
Misty stomped down angrily on his foot, forcing him to shut up.
"We saw your village and we decided to see if you could help us," Gohan said, hoping he was telling the lie convincingly.
"Oh, I see!" the girl said as she now looked considerably relieved at their news. "I thought you may have been robbers who came to steal the Pokémon in the Sanctuary Village. That's been a problem in the past."
Misty laughed lightly. "Nope... we're just a bunch of lost Trainers."
"Well, I don't know how to get to Vermilion City personally, but if you travel that way" — here the girl indicated a direction — "you'll come to a town seven miles to the south, and they should be able to give you some directions."
"Oh, brains and beauty!" Brock laughed. "What a rare combination! Dear lady, what's your name?"
"My name is Melanie, it's nice to meet you!" she said politely.
"Well, it's nice to meet you too!" Gohan said happily. "My name is Son Gohan. That's Gohan, not Son. The family name comes first."
"And my name is Misty!" the redhead exclaimed, winking at Melanie.
"I'm Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town!" Ash chimed in. "And this here's my buddy, Pikachu."
"Pikachu!" the Electric Pokémon said, nodding its head in greeting.
The girl bowed low to them. "Hello. It's truly a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"She's even nice too!" Brock burst out. "So what do you do here?"
But before she could answer, suddenly all of the Pokémon in the tiny village headed toward Gohan, chirping, chittering, squeaking, giggling, and mostly just generally crowding around the pure-hearted Saiyan.
"Oddish, Oddish!" Oddish said, nuzzling up against his legs.
"Paras, Paras!" the Mushroom Pokémon said as it crawled up his body.
"Rattata!" the two mice Pokémon squealed as they danced circles around him.
"Bell, Bell," Weepinbell said as it lovingly wrapped its vines over him.
"Oh, wow..." Melanie said, looking completely stunned as she moved away from Brock. "I've never seen these Pokémon react so strongly to someone from outside the village before. You must have a very pure heart and soul."
Gohan laughed. "Well, I do like animals. I think they're cute."
He glanced down at all of the little critters now crowding around his space, and it was obvious he didn't mind it at all.
"Hi, how are you?" he told them. "Well, do you like me?"
They all responded in the affirmative.
"Thanks!" he grinned. "I like you guys too!"
That seemed to really please them.
"You must be special," Melanie said, sending him a beautiful smile.
Brock fell over from the horror. "Oh my dreams are all crushed..." he whispered in total shock.
"So are all these your Pokémon?" Gohan asked the blue-haired girl, gesturing to all the many creatures now cavorting about energetically near his feet and eagerly crawling up across his body, as the young boy giggled lightly at the tickling sensation on his skin.
"Paras, Paras," Paras said, squeezing its eyes shut in happiness.
"Oh, no," Melanie stated, shaking her head. "This is the place where Pokémon go to rest for a while. Whenever a Pokémon is abandoned by their Trainers or hurt in the wild they can come here to recover for a bit."
"Like a summer camp?" Ash asked, blinking in confusion at this.
"Hm, it sounds more like an unofficial Pokémon Center to me," Gohan added, rubbing his chin.
"And Melanie here is like Nurse Joy!" Misty chimed in helpfully.
"Actually, I think it's more like a Pokémon health spa," Brock added, back on his feet and desperate to impress Melanie.
Melanie nodded. "Brock got it right. You see, the Pokémon who come here to this Sanctuary Village don't battle with one another; they relax and just try and enjoy themselves until they've fully recovered again. Living out here in the countryside, I know which plants can be used as herbs in various medicine brews to improve the Pokémon's condition when they're too weak to even move."
"That's great!" Gohan said enthusiastically. "So it sounds like you and Brock both love to take care of Pokémon."
Brock laughed sheepishly. "Uh, yeah, heh heh heh, I guess we do."
Misty threw a side glance towards the dark-skinned boy. "And I think there's something else Brock may love."
Instantly Brock smashed his fist down across Misty's head.
"Ow!" Misty winced, rubbing the spot.
"Hey, you don't have to get so rough, you know?" Gohan said with clear disapproval.
"Well, thank you, Gohan!" Misty said, throwing him a cute smile.
Now Brock laughed in a superior tone. "Well, looks there might be something Misty loves too!"
Misty and Gohan both blushed instantly at what Brock had said.
"Hey, you, take that back!" Misty said as she began chasing a laughing Brock around the clearing.
"Uh-uh!" Brock said, gleefully avoiding the red-haired tomboy. "Not until you take back what you said about Melanie!"
"That's totally different, and you know it!" Misty retorted angrily. "Just stand still, why don't you?"
"Um, am I missing something here?" Ash wondered, looking very confused.
"Pika, Pika Pika, Pi Pikachu," Pikachu sighed wearily.
Once Misty had stopped chasing Brock, Melanie turned to face them all with an inviting smile.
"Listen, you don't have to take off immediately," she told them. "You can stay a bit and play with all the Pokémon."
"You mean it?" Ash said as he now looked incredibly happy.
"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, feeling like its Trainer.
"Sure!" Melanie said happily. "The Pokémon here could use some loving attention and care and I've never seen them react so strongly to anyone besides me. You have a magical touch, I'm sure of it, and it would be good for them to just be themselves, and have a little fun."
"Awesome!" Ash exclaimed. "Thank you so much!"
With that, the gang started playing with their Pokémon, chasing them around, playing games of tag, hide and seek, and just generally having a great time bringing a little bit of joy to Pokémon which had been so badly hurt, all while Mew watched in the bushes.
"Mew..." it said sadly, feeling very left out. "Mew... Mew..."
As it watched, its Trainer ran laughing away from Rattata, Caterpie, and Staryu.
"Come on, you're too slow!" Gohan laughed. "Catch me if you can! Oh, you missed me! You need to try harder!"
"Rattata! Rattata!" the Rat Pokémon burst out as its buddy, Caterpie, did its best to follow the purple-colored Pokémon.
"Hiyah!" the Staryu said as it shot a blast of water at Gohan which the half-Saiyan dodged with lightning speed.
"Oh, you almost got me!" Gohan said, sounding happy as he kicked back and played with them.
Brock, meanwhile, was examining Weepinbell's disposition.
"Hmm, it looks like your skin tone has lost a lot of its luster," Brock told it. "That could be a lack of iron and protein in your diet. Tell you what, how about I brew you up a special remedy? You can put it in your food and that will give you some more healthy color."
"Bell, Bell," Weepinbell grinned.
Brock patted the Flycatcher Pokémon's head.
"Bell, Bell," the Grass-type answered.
"Paras, Paras," the Bug Pokémon said as it crawled up Brock's body like it had done with Gohan.
Brock laughed. "Well, you're a friendly Pokémon, aren't you?"
"Paras, Paras," Paras said as it tickled his bare skin.
At the same time further off into the clearing, the other Rattata was sniffing at the ground as it appeared to be searching for something. A couple seconds later, its search led it to a bush, where it jumped up with an energetic cry of, "Rattata! Rattata!"
Ash groaned as he emerged from the bush. "Oh man, I can't fool you, can I?"
"Rattata!" the Normal Pokémon said, sounding immensely proud. "Rattata, Rattata!"
"Pi Pika, Pika Pika!" Pikachu said very cheerfully. "Pi Pika, Pikachu!"
"You're right," Ash said, perking up a little bit. "Let's do it again!"
Meanwhile, Melanie was watching all this with total happiness written across her facial features.
"They really love Pokémon," she sighed. "Have I been too selfish in keeping the Pokémon here?"
Suddenly, a pink comet shot out of the far side of the forest as it zoomed towards them all with a high-pitched squeal.
"What's that?" Melanie wondered, blinking in confusion at the sight.
The group turned to face it as the pink comet revealed itself to be Mew, obviously wanting to play with them.
"Oh my goodness!" Melanie exclaimed. "It... it... it's a Mew!"
"Oh, oops, sorry, Mew!" Gohan said as his tail drooped. "I guess we forgot about you!"
"Mew, Mew!" Mew said, as it turned its back on Gohan.
"They have a Mew with them?" Melanie gasped.
"Aww, come on, Mew, I didn't exclude you on purpose," Gohan said, moving to the Legendary Cat with a gentle smile. "You know I'd never do that, not in a million years — so don't you think you can find it in your heart to forgive me?"
And Mew turned back to face Gohan as it flew into his arms with a cry of, "MEW!"
Gohan giggled. "You were just pretending to be mad. I should have known."
"Mew, Mew!" Mew chirped as it wriggled around in his arms.
Gohan looked down at the Pokémon now surrounding his feet, who seemed to be in awe upon meeting the Legendary Pokémon.
"Rattata, Staryu, Caterpie, I'd like you to meet my partner, Mew!" Gohan told them all happily.
"Rattata!" Rattata said, inclining its head.
"Hiyah!" Staryu said like the Star Shape Pokémon always did.
Caterpie just giggled cheerfully as it wriggled in place.
"They have a Mew with them," Melanie said as the information now completely sank in her head and tears shimmered in her eyes. "I was right. They do have very pure hearts... if there is anybody who can care for the Pokémon here, it would be them."
Meanwhile, Misty was patting the Magikarp on the head.
"Karp, Karp," Magikarp said slowly, gaping at her with its slack jaw.
"I know you're not much to look at right now," she said encouragingly, "but someday, you'll evolve."
"Karp, Karp, Magikarp?" the Fish Pokémon said, staring at her with those huge, bulging eyes.
Misty nodded. "You'll change into a Gyarados... one of the strongest Water-type Pokémon there is. Some call it the Dragon of the Sea, and it's only ever heard about in legends and the stories fisherman bring back from the sea."
"Karp, Karp, Magikarp!" Magikarp said enthusiastically, now looking much more cheered up.
"Oddish, Oddish," the little Grass/Poison-type Pokémon stated as it walked up and then jumped into Misty's arms.
"Oh wow, you're quite friendly, aren't you?" she cooed as she stroked the leaves on its head.
"Oddish, Oddish," it said as he snuggled up closer to the redhead.
"Melanie told me that your old Trainer got rid of you," Misty ventured tentatively. "Was it really because he thought you're too weak?"
"Oddish," Oddish said, looking a lot more forlorn as it now recalled memories of its former Trainer.
"You know, some Trainers can really be jerks, but... not all of us are cruel like that," Misty now told the tiny Weed Pokémon. "You're a very sweet and gentle Pokémon... what you need is to find a Trainer who understands you.
"Oddish, Oddish!" Oddish chirped as it tickled Misty with its leaves.
"Oh, you think I'm that way?" Misty said, sounding surprised.
"Oddish!" Oddish confirmed. "Oddish! Oddish!"
Misty felt tears now welling in her eyes. "Oh, Oddish... thank you. Thank you so much. You are a sweet and gentle Pokémon. And... I'm sorry if I'm being too much of a burden to you. I... I've been doubting myself a lot lately. All I think about is winning. When Ash beat me, it was hard to trust myself anymore."
As she began sniffling, Oddish reached up with one of its leaves and tenderly wiped away her tears.
"Oddish, Oddish," the leafy Pokémon said.
"Thanks, Oddish," Misty said, hugging it closer to her.
And suddenly, something slammed into her, knocking Misty away.
"Hey!" she shouted as she felt herself lose her balance.
Gohan, Brock, and Ash turned to look.
"Hey, what was that?" Gohan wondered as he headed over to the redheaded tomboy. "Misty, are you okay?"
"Ohhh, I think so," Misty said, rubbing her sore backside.
And then they all caught sight of a bulbous Pokémon standing there, digging its front paws into the dirt.
"Oh wow, it's a Bulbasaur!" Ash exclaimed, eyes glimmering from pure eagerness.
And he whipped out his Pokédex and aimed it at the Grass Pokémon.
"Bulbasaur," Dexter stated. "It bears the seed of a plant on its back from birth. The seed slowly develops. Researchers are unsure whether to classify Bulbasaur as a plant or animal. Bulbasaur are extremely tough and very difficult to capture in the wild."
"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur growled as it stared down the four Trainers.
"I can't believe it, what's a Bulbasaur doing way out here?!" Ash questioned.
And suddenly Melanie ran up, standing in front of the Trainers as she held out her arms.
"Wait, please wait, Bulbasaur, they're not like other Trainers!" she insisted. "They actually care about Pokémon."
"You mean you know this Bulbasaur?" Misty asked.
"Pika Pika, Pikachu?" the Electric Rodent added.
"Yes... as hard as it may sound, Bulbasaur is only trying to protect Oddish," Melanie answered as she stood between them and the angry Pokémon. "Bulbasaur volunteered to guard the Sanctuary Village."
"Oh, I think I get it now," Gohan said with comprehension dawning.
"It protects all the wounded Pokémon whenever robbers try to attack them," Melanie said and she turned her gaze back onto the Grass-type Pokémon. "Bulbasaur is the bravest, most loyal Pokémon I have ever known."
"So it must have thought I was trying to kidnap Oddish!" Misty deduced.
"Exactly!" Melanie agreed.
And then Ash felt something nudging against him as Bulbasaur pushed up against his leg, clearly telling him to leave.
"Bulbasaur, Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur said as it shoved at Ash's leg.
"Now what?" Ash said, glancing at the obstinate Pokémon.
"Bulbasaur really doesn't like Pokémon Trainers very much..." Melanie explained. "It wants you to leave Sanctuary Village now."
"But we're not here to hurt any of the Pokémon here, Bulbasaur!" Gohan protested. "Honestly!"
"That's right!" Misty said. "We just want to be your friends!"
"Mew!" Mew said as it danced into sight, hovering over Bulbasaur, and it nodded its head. "Mew, Mew!"
"Saur?!" Bulbasaur burst out as it jumped away from Ash, as though shocked to see the Legendary Mew floating there.
"Mew, Mew, Mew Mew, Mew, Mew Mew Mew, MEW!" Mew stated, as it waved its arms wildly. "Mew, Mew Mew Mew, MEW!"
"You see?" Melanie stated while she knelt down next to the bulbous Pokémon, rubbing it on its bulb. "Anyone who can attract a Mew can't be all that bad, right? And if Mew trusts them, then shouldn't you?"
"Yeah!" Gohan chimed in as he knelt down so that he was eye level with Bulbasaur. "You trust in your own feelings, right? Well... do your feelings tell you we've come here to take all the Pokémon from this Sanctuary Village?"
"Bulba?" Bulbasaur said as he stared into those earnest charcoal eyes.
"Come on, I promise, you can trust us," Gohan said, extending his hand towards the Grass-type.
Bulbasaur just stared at it for a while, and then it turned away with a sniff. "Saur!"
And with that Bulbasaur walked away from them.
"What was that all about?" Misty asked as she headed over.
Melanie giggled. "It seems Bulbasaur likes you. He just doesn't want to admit it."
"Bulbasaur's worried about its friends, so it agreed to guard all of the Pokémon here," Ash said with an expression of admiration. "Now that's what I call bravery — it would be great, having a Pokémon like that."
Melanie smiled at all the Trainers. "Well, since you're here now, why not stay the night?"
The four exchanged looks.
"Oh, you think we should, Miss Melanie?" Gohan said.
"Mew!" Mew squealed as it shared its thoughts.
Melanie nodded. "Yes. I can make some dinner, and then you three can tell me more about where you're from."
"Well, sure, that sounds all right with me!" Misty said amiably.
"A chance to get closer to the vision of loveliness before me!" Brock said dramatically. "WHERE DO I SIGN UP?!"
"Sure, I'd love to have some dinner!" Gohan said happily.
"Although you may have to make four dinners if you're gonna feed Gohan!" Ash said, laughing mischievously.
"Pika Pi Pikachu," Pikachu said with a crisp nod.
Gohan chuckled sheepishly at Ash's remark.
"What do you mean by that?" Melanie asked, tilting her head.
Gohan laughed. "It's a long story... we'll tell you about it inside."
And the gang headed in, talking happily amongst themselves.
"Wow, so you're really half-alien?" Melanie said as she munched on some delicious spice cake.
"Yup!" Gohan said while he patted his now-full stomach. "Whoo! Good stuff."
"Mew!" Mew squeaked, nibbling on some of its Pokémon food. "Mew, Mew! MEW!"
"That's amazing," Melanie breathed. "I never knew aliens existed."
"Yeah, that's Gohan for you," Misty said as she sipped on some herbal tea. "Gohan will always surprise you."
"I never knew people like you were out there — such wonderful Trainers who obviously care about Pokémon..." Melanie said with a dreamy sigh. "You have such pure and noble hearts, all of you."
"Oh well, you know, it's all in a day's work!" Brock stated while he laughed enthusiastically. "My lady, now you see how devoted we are to Pokémon, and to each other. I'm sure if you just gave me a chance, we could be great to each other, just like Romeo and Juliet, Anthony and Cleopatra..."
And then Misty grabbed Brock by the ear and dragged him okay.
"Okay, you've had your fun, now let the lady have some peace," she said.
"Oh, ow, ow, not the ear..." Brock protested as the tomboy did so.
"Pika Pika..." Pikachu commented as it sighed wearily. "Cha..."
"Mew!" Mew giggled, as it toyed with its food pellet. "Mew, Mew!"
"So, do you want me to show you all to your rooms?" Melanie asked them.
Ash laughed. "No need! With Gohan's capsule house, we can go anywhere we want!"
"Capsule house?" Melanie said, blinking confusedly.
"Basically, it's an entire house stored within a small capsule," Gohan said, as he held up the capsule in question. "It may seem incredible to you from this Planet Earth, but back in my own world it's a common mode of mass storage."
"Wow, that's unbelievable!" Melanie said. "You mean you have a house stored inside that tiny capsule?"
Gohan nodded. "Hm-hmm!"
They even have a house they can take along with them... Melanie thought. I... I know what I have to do now. It may be hard, but it's for the best. If I really love these Pokémon, I have to let them all go.
Suddenly, the gang noticed her change in expression.
"Hey, what's wrong, Melanie?" Gohan wondered. "You look sad."
"Mew?" Mew questioned, looking up from its dinner. "Mew?"
"I've made a decision," she told them, looking up. "When you leave here... I think you should take the Pokémon with you."
The four Trainers gasped in shock at the unexpected revelation.
"What?" Misty said. "But, Melanie, I thought you cared about these Pokémon."
"Paras Paras?" the Bug Pokémon inquired.
"Hiyah?" Staryu said as it tilted its whole body.
"Bell, Bell, Weepinbell," Weepinbell agreed.
"Bulba, Bulbasaur?" Bulbasaur added.
"I do... which is why I think the best option for them is to travel with compassionate and experienced Trainers like yourselves," Melanie said with tears shimmering in her eyes. "The truth is, the Pokémon aren't meant to stay here forever and ever. But Bulbasaur has protected this village so well and none of the Pokémon want to leave because they feel safe here."
"What's wrong with that?" Gohan asked.
"Take a look at Bulbasaur's back," Melanie said simply.
And the four Trainers now glanced at the bulb on Bulbasaur.
"I don't notice anything different," Misty said, shrugging.
"Me neither," Ash said as he squinted hard at it.
"I think I do," Gohan said.
"Its bulb is too small," Brock noticed. "For a Pokémon in this stage of its development, it should be much bigger."
"Exactly," Melanie stated as silent tears now slid across her cheeks. "Bulbasaur has sacrificed its own growth and health for the sake of the Sanctuary Village. The bulb on its back has stopped growing, and it needs to go out into the world now."
She turned her gaze to Ash.
"Ash... I think you'd make a good Trainer for Bulbasaur," the blue-haired girl said earnestly. "And not just Bulbasaur, either. I saw how well you interacted with Rattata earlier and I think you should take them both."
Ash glanced at his Pikachu, which stared up at him.
"Pika?" the Electric-type ventured forth.
Now Melanie looked over at Misty, who wondered what the Pokémon healer was going to say to her.
"Misty, you told me you like to raise Water-type Pokémon, and I've seen how well Oddish responds to you," she said. "I think they would be excellent Pokémon to take with you on your Pokémon journey."
Misty couldn't say anything, too shocked into silence at this emotional display. And then Melanie turned to Brock.
"You noticed earlier, Brock, that Weepinbell had lost a lot of its skin luster," she told him. "It's been cooped up in this village too long, just like the others. Please take Weepinbell and Paras. I know they'd be great partners for you to have."
"Melanie, I..." Brock said, now overwhelmed by all he was hearing.
Finally, Melanie turned her sad-but-strong gaze upon the half-Saiyan Trainer, who stared back with tears of his own.
"What about me?" he asked the blue-haired young woman.
"A Mew has chosen you as its partner," Melanie said simply. "I don't think you realize how special or extraordinary that is. Mew don't reveal themselves to people, yet one has appeared to you... and seeing how you got along earlier with Staryu, Rattata, and Caterpie, I know you're a kind person with a very clean and pure heart. I'd be honored if you would take them with you."
"Melanie, are you absolutely sure about this?" Misty asked.
"Yeah, I mean, what will you do?" Brock asked her.
"Oh don't worry about me," Melanie told the dark-toned boy. "Caring for hurt Pokémon will always be my mission, but... I know my job isn't done until they've returned where they come from... and after meeting you I realize it's not about holding onto them forever, but rather... it's the day that the Pokémon leaves that is the most rewarding to me."
Gohan turned to face the Pokémon settled near his feet.
"Well, what do you guys think?" he asked them.
Caterpie grunted as it crawled up on top of him, squeezing his eyes shut in happiness.
"Hiyah!" Staryu said, cheerfully nuzzling up against his leg.
"Rattata!" Rattata agreed as it jumped up into his lap.
"Mew Mew!" Mew grinned as it giggled and jumped into his arms as well. "Mew Mew, Mew! MEW!"
"All right, Oddish! It looks like you and Magikarp are coming with me!" Misty said as she picked up the little Weed Pokémon.
"Oddish, Oddish," the Grass/Poison-type stated, sounding happy.
"So, do you guys think you're okay with all this?" Brock questioned.
"Bell, Bell," Weepinbell said, jumping up and down where it stood.
"Paras, Paras!" the Mushroom Pokémon said, closing its eyes.
"How about you, Rattata?" Ash said. "Bulbasaur? Do you feel like coming with me?"
"Rattata, Rattata!" Rattata said, nodding eagerly.
"Bulbasaur," Bulbasaur, turning to Melanie with a searching look.
And then Melanie giggled, placing her hand to her mouth.
"What did Bulbasaur say?" Ash asked her.
"Bulbasaur will only go with you on one condition," Melanie explained. "It wants to battle you in a Pokémon match. Right, Bulbasaur?"
"Saur, Bulbasaur!" the Grass-type Pokémon confirmed.
"All right, if it's a battle you want, it's a battle you'll get!" Ash told it.
"Wait, hold on, Ash!" Misty protested hotly. "It's too late to have a Pokémon battle!"
"Well then, you can spend the night here and tomorrow you can have your match with Bulbasaur," Melanie offered.
"Sure, that sounds fine with me!" Ash said determinedly. "All right, Bulbasaur, tomorrow you're mine!"
"Come on, Ash, let's get going," Brock said and he stood up from the table. "We need to find the right spot to set up camp."
As they stood up, Gohan turned to Melanie as he suddenly had an idea.
"Oh, I know what to do!" he burst out. "Melanie, I can add you to my list of phone numbers!"
"Wait, do you really mean that?" Melanie asked, looking stunned.
"Well, sure!" Gohan laughed happily. "And then we can call you once in a while and tell you how the Pokémon are doing."
Melanie nodded, looking considerably more cheerful than she had a few minutes ago.
"Great!" she said. "That sounds fine with me."
"A chance to get to know Melanie better... YES!" Brock exclaimed, overjoyed. "It's fate, destiny, karma, for me to know this perfect angel better and you, Son Gohan, can help make this happen for me —"
And Misty once again dragged Brock away by his ear.
"Am I gonna have to do this regularly?" she asked with a sigh.
"Please stop, ouch, not the ear... not again..." Brock said.
Ash turned back to face Melanie. "Tomorrow I'll battle Bulbasaur, and I'm gonna win, you wait and see!"
"Pika Pika, Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu vowed as it nodded its head.
With that, he turned and headed away with his friends to settle down for the night...
Professor Oak was late at work in his laboratory, arranging all the Pokémon research materials to their appropriate spots when suddenly a tailed boy popped into existence in the lab, causing him to drop some of the beakers he had been holding.
"Ahhhh!" he shouted. "Son Gohan! Wh-Wh-What are you doing here?"
"Oh, sorry, Professor Oak," Gohan said, scratching his head. "I just needed to talk to you about something."
Professor Oak sighed, though more amusedly than anything else.
"Boy, that Instant Transmission technique sure comes in handy," he said. "So, what brings you to my lab?"
"Well, the others are sleeping, and I was just thinking..." Gohan ventured tentatively.
"Yes, go on," Oak prompted the boy, cleaning up the mess.
"Well, because I'm going on a long adventure I was wondering if you could help me with something," Gohan explained. "See, I read when a Trainer gets six Pokémon, they are automatically sent back to where they got their Pokédex, which would be your lab, am I right?"
"Yes, that's quite correct, young Gohan," Professor Oak said, and a gleam of interest appeared in his eyes, as though he were looking at Gohan... fondly? "My, I must say, you have done your homework."
Gohan laughed, rubbing at his neck. "Yes, I wanna be prepared. Well, you see, I'm wondering if you can set it up so whenever we capture six Pokémon that they can stay with us, instead of coming to this place."
"Ah, I see!" Oak said. "And do you intend to use your capsule house as the place to store any new Pokémon you capture?"
"Yes, I do, and..." Gohan blinked. "Wait a minute, how do you know about my capsule houses?"
Oak jumped at what he had just revealed. "Oh no, don't think anything about it, just a random guess is all!"
And he laughed uneasily. Gohan, being the trusting Saiyan he was, still didn't buy it, but decided not to press him.
"Well, okay," he said with a casual shrug. "But yes, that's what I want to do."
"Well, then, I'd need to see the capsule in question to set up the proper modifications!" Professor Oak informed him.
"And I thought you might say that," Gohan said as he pulled out the capsule. "The others are sleeping in one of the XG-56R models I have and here's the one we all typically use, RZ-98L. It's one of the more reliable capsules out there."
Oak stared closely at it. "Yes, please set it up in the yard, and I'll help you with the modifications."
"Okay!" Gohan said as he turned and ran outside to the meadow in Oak's lab.
The Pokémon Professor wiped a bit of sweat from his brow. "Whew... that was a close one, Sam. You almost gave it away."
As Gohan was heading outside, he was thinking over what Oak had said.
This is a separate reality, he thought. Professor Oak shouldn't know about capsules, unless... did he meet the Saiyan who came here from my home world? Did he bring any capsules with him? This just isn't making any sense!
Once he was outside, Gohan popped the tab on the capsule, threw it out, and the trusty capsule house appeared before him.
Professor Oak suddenly appeared beside him. "Ah, there it is."
Gohan turned to him, not the least bit surprised since he had sensed him coming up behind him.
"Oh, hello there, Professor," he greeted the older man politely.
"Oh man, I at least thought for sure I could scare you a bit, pay you back for how you scared me," Oak complained.
Gohan laughed. "Well, should we get to work?" He gestured to the house.
"Yes, Mr. Son, let's do it," Oak said.
And then the two of them headed inside the capsule house...
The very next day, the four Trainers watched as Ash had set up an impromptu arena for them to have their duel.
"Bulbasaur, you're mine!" Ash told it confidently as he threw a Poké Ball. "Pidgeotto, go, I choose you!"
"Pijojojojo!" Pidgeotto said as it appeared in a burst of white light.
"Go, Pidgeotto, use Gust!" Ash commanded.
"Pijojojojo!" Pidgeotto said as it flapped both its wings, generating a huge gust of wind.
Reacting quickly, Bulbasaur dodged, away from the winds as a bunch of razor-sharp leaves flew out of its bulb.
"Oh wow, that's Bulbasaur's Razor Leaf attack, isn't it?" Gohan said.
"Mew!" Mew giggled, wriggling around as it seemed to be paying little attention to the battle! "Mew, Mew!"
Pidgeotto got struck by the Razor Leaf, causing it to lose its balance.
"Pidgeotto, hang tough!" Ash ordered it.
"Pijojojo!" Pidgeotto answered.
"Now it's time to get serious!" Ash said. "Go, Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!"
"PIJO!" Pidgeotto declared as it went into a diving swoop towards Bulbasaur.
A comet's nose appeared around the Flying-type's beak as Bulbasaur now found itself unable to dodge, and Pidgeotto slammed right into the Seed Pokémon, knocking it back a dozen feet while Pidgeotto took to the skies again.
"Great going!" Ash said. "Now use Quick Attack again!"
Pidgeotto once again entered into a dive as the same comet's nose appeared in front of its beak. Bulbasaur, meanwhile, was working its way back to its feet, as it glanced up at the approaching Pidgeotto. With a very determined look it threw out its vines at the last second before Pidgeotto could hit it, causing it to falter right in its tracks.
"Pijojojojojo!" it said frantically.
"Oh wow... Bulbasaur stopped Pidgeotto before it could hit it!" Gohan remarked, sounding impressed.
"Yeah, it used its Vine Whip as a shield," Brock agreed.
And, with that, Bulbasaur tackled Ash's Pidgeotto, sending it flying and tumbling in the grass.
"Pidgeotto!" Ash cried, concerned for it.
"Can Pidgeotto work its way back up in time?" Misty wondered.
"Pika Pika, Pi Pikachu?" the Electric Rat agreed worriedly.
Pidgeotto came to a complete stop a few meters away, as Bulbasaur now shot something at Pidgeotto.
"Oh no, that's Leech Seed!" Misty pointed out.
"If that hits Pidgeotto, then it's all over!" Brock said.
"Pidgeotto, dodge!" Ash said to the Flying-type.
Reacting with lightning-quick reflexes, at the last moment, Pidgeotto soared up, avoiding the Leech Seed shot.
"Good, Pidgeotto, let's finish this now!" Ash said.
"Pijojojojojo!" Pidgeotto whooped.
"Go now, use Sand-Attack!" Ash ordered.
Diving towards the ground yet again, Pidgeotto leveled off near the dirt floor and began flapping its wings intensely, sending huge clouds of dirt and sand flying at Bulbasaur, obscuring its sight temporarily.
"Bulbasaur... Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur grunted as it withstood the winds and the dirt getting everywhere.
"Now, Pidgeotto, use Quick Attack, GO!" Ash said.
"PIJOJOJOJO!" Pidgeotto said as it soared directly toward Bulbasaur, with a comet's nose appearing before it as the air around it practically shimmered from the intensity of it, and with a loud thud, it smacked straight into Bulbasaur, sending it flying away, and landing with small Xs in its eyes several feet away, Bulbasaur was now finally defeated.
The dust cleared, revealing the downed Bulbasaur.
"All right, Poké Ball, go!" Ash said as he tossed the ball at Bulbasaur.
The ball sucked up Bulbasaur in a flash of red light, and for a couple seconds, it just lay there, shaking fiercely on the ground as Bulbasaur resisted the ball's attempt to capture it until, finally, Ash's ball went still with a "DING!" sound.
"We did it!" Ash shouted cheerfully. "We got Bulbasaur!"
"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu said, flashing a peace sign.
A short time later, the group was ready to head out to the town Melanie had told them about.
"I promise I'll take good care of Bulbasaur, and all the other Pokémon you gave me," Ash vowed with a raised arm.
"I know you will," Melanie said, smiling a bittersweet smile at them.
Brock suddenly stepped forward. "Hey, uh, well, Melanie, you see, I've been thinking..."
"Yes?" she said as she turned to face the ex-Pewter Gym Leader.
"Well, since Bulbasaur's leaving, I wouldn't mind staying and helping you out," Brock offered pleasantly. "I know a lot about Pokémon and if ever there's a Pokémon that needs to be protected I'd love to do my part."
"It's kind of you to say so, but we'll be okay here," Melanie said. "I wouldn't wanna keep you from all your wonderful adventures." Then she smiled. "Besides, you have my number, so, if you ever want to call, you can."
Brock sighed, looking forlorn, but he nodded a second later.
"Yeah, that's true, I suppose," he admitted regretfully.
And a few minutes later, the group was walking away towards their next destination.
"Goodbye, Melanie!" Ash said.
"See you later!" Misty said, waving to her.
"Goodbye! Good luck!" Melanie said.
And then they were out of sight. Brock sighed, still thinking of Melanie.
"Oh well, at least I can call her again," he said, cheering himself up.
"So, what did Melanie say when you told her you loved her?" the fiery redhead piped up as she giggled. "Did you kiss her goodbye?"
Brock panicked for a moment, and then a slow smirk came over his face.
"I don't know, what did Gohan say when you said you loved him?" he retorted haughtily.
Gohan blushed VERY deeply as Misty turned completely red from a combination of anger and embarrassment.
"Why, you...!" Misty growled. "How dare you! Take it back!"
"Nuh-uh, no way!" Brock laughed, as she chased him. "You two have feelings, everyone can see it!"
"YOU!" Misty roared as she kept chasing him.
"Isn't someone going to tell me what's going on?" Ash whined petulantly.
"Maybe when you get older, Ash," Gohan mumbled as he rubbed the back of his head, still blushing deeply.
And so, the two young boys just stood there, watching the antics of Misty and Brock under the rising sun, not knowing when it would end, but knowing with utter certainty that at least one thing was holding true during their journey.
At least it wasn't boring traveling with them.
Whoo, chapter 13's finally out! Sorry, guys, but, I had some real life issues I had to deal with before updating PT. Still working on some of my other fics, especially Intertwined Destinies, so expect an update soon. Now, let's recap.
In The Path to the Pokémon League Gohan's presence meant AJ lost right while he was at 99 victories, so he had to start over while vowing he'd get that far again. In The School of Hard Knocks, Gohan battled with Giselle and won, just like Ash, which means she loosened up with her harsh teaching methods, again, just like in canon, so no real big differences there — which was why I didn't write those episodes.
Some of you might be curious about the canon differences regarding this Ash and the canon Ash — such as choosing Zubat in the Cerulean Gym battle, and Pidgeotto here. Well... my take on it is that Gohan's training has given him more confidence, and he's able to think things through more instead of just bullrushing ahead, like he always does, and well, I think actually winning the Cascade Badge instead of being given it did wonders to help him with his character growth. At least, that's how I see it.
Now, onto the reviews!
Welcome, Kid Goku Forever, to Pokémon Tails!
kitsunelover300: Thanks for your thoughts, as always. Yeah, Phoebe was a bit impulsive there, but she will learn.
ssj3gohan007: Well, thanks for the kind words, buddy, and as I said, you can add any original character you want only as long as it doesn't conflict with what I have planned, and now, I can't wait to get to the one you've already suggested.
JensenDaniels32: Thanks! I really enjoy making this story! It's fun to write and it's really fulfilling for me as an author.
Please review!