Pokémon Tails: A Journey to the East
DISCLAIMER: I don't own DBZ or Pokémon.
CHAPTER 14: Gohan Rescues A Pokémon
In the center of a very large clearing Ash, Misty, and Brock stood on three very tall poles fashioned from three shaved trees, and which had been stuck into the ground, with Gohan down below them, his Super Saiyan 2 aura crackling around him.
"Here we go!" he told them. "Are you ready?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," Misty said uncertainly.
"Let's just get this over with," Brock added.
Instantly, Gohan powered up, his aura extending around him as the earth itself started shaking and quaking from the strength of his rising power and the three poles themselves trembled and quivered under the force of the half-Saiyan's building might.
"Oh man, this is impossible!" Brock commented as he did his utmost not to fall from the pole.
"I don't think I'm ever gonna get used to this!" Ash complained in irritation.
"Oh... oh... oh..." Misty said as she struggled to stay standing on the very thin pole. "Guys, I'm gonna... gonna..."
With that she tipped over, falling directly onto her backside on the hard dirt floor below them all.
"Whoa!" Brock said as he also pitched forward.
And finally, Ash also fell off the pole facefirst into the wet and mushy grass beneath them.
Gohan stepped forward as he examined their progress critically.
"You're doing well, but there's still some room for improvement," he told his friends.
"Gohan, just tell me something," Misty said bitterly as she slowly worked her way upright.
"Sure thing, Misty," Gohan said, turning his eye onto her.
"We've been at this for three days," she whimpered. "How is getting knocked to the ground over and over again good training?!"
"I told you guys," Gohan reiterated. "This is to help your balance and your stamina. You have to be able to remain standing even when your opponent powers up to his maximum no matter how powerful he is."
"I guess so," Ash said, checking his face for bruises and cuts. "Ow, I think that's gonna leave a mark."
"You've managed to accomplish a great deal," Gohan told them encouragingly. "In three days, you average time remaining standing on the logs has jumped from two seconds to 32.7 seconds. You have a lot to be proud of — I can tell you're making a lot of progress, guys."
"You really think so?" Misty said, basking in the praise of Gohan's words.
Gohan nodded. "Hm-hmm. But you can only get stronger by sticking to the training and seeing this through."
"Well, okay, I suppose it's not so bad if you say so," she said coyly, batting an eyelash at him.
Gohan felt his cheeks flush, despite the Super Saiyan 2 form.
"Uh, yeah, sure," he mumbled as his face turned red.
On various sides of the clearing, their Pokémon were hard at work.
"Rattata!" the two Rat Pokémon said as they bit down hard on a nearby boulder, trying to improve their bite strength.
In the lake, Magikarp was struggling to swim faster and faster as it sped through the hazardous waters, not helped by the fact that it was a Magikarp — the weakest Pokémon there was on the entire Earth.
"Karp, Karp, Karp... Magikarp!" it wheezed, gasping pathetically as suddenly, the Fish Pokémon slammed into one of the multiple targets which had been set up by Gohan early in that day, nearly losing its balance and floundering.
"Goldeen, Goldeen Goldeen, Goldeen Goldeen Goldeen, Goldeen," Misty's Goldeen chanted easily as it slammed into Magikarp using its Horn Attack, sending the hapless Pokémon splashing around pitifully in the water before it finally regained control of itself enough in time to dodge the next Horn Attack.
"Karp, Karp, Magikarp!" Magikarp said, sounding determined, or as determined as the Fish Pokémon ever got.
"Saur... Saur... Bulbasaur..." Bulbasaur panted as it swung from tree to tree using its Vine Whip as it strained under its own weight.
"Pika... CHU!" the yellow rodent screamed as it threw wave after wave of electrifying Thunderbolt attacks at Pidgeotto.
"Pijo!" Pidgeotto stated each time it moved aside to avoid the always painful incoming blast of coruscating electrical tendrils.
At the same time, a dozen meters away, Weepinbell, Paras, Caterpie, Oddish, and Clefairy stood with eyes closed in the middle of the grassy clearing, as though they were waiting for something, and then, a few minutes later, they jumped to the side in their efforts to enhance their reflexes, like their Trainers had instructed the five Pokémon to do —
But it turned out to be a nanosecond too late as Brock's Onix crashed out of the ground beneath them with a fierce bellow.
"Grrawwroghh!" the Rock Snake Pokémon roared angrily.
"Bell, Bell," Weepinbell said, rubbing itself with its grassy vines.
"Clefairy, Clef, Clefairy Fairy..." Clefairy sighed. "Fairy..."
Caterpie just giggled as it always did, wriggling its stubby pads.
"Oddish!" Oddish said, hoping to encourage its new friends.
A minute later, a blast of powerful water impacted directly all across the Rock Pokémon's body as it was too slow in returning to the ground to avoid the combined incoming jets of Water Gun from twin Staryu.
"Hiyah!" the two Staryu said as they took aim for two more strikes.
"Grrraaww... Grrawwrogghh!" Onix cried as it burrowed its way back into the ground ahead of the Water Guns.
"Dude! Dude!" Geodude said as it hopped from spot to spot, always dodging the incoming stream of water from Starmie.
"Hroom!" Starmie said as it shot Water Gun after Water Gun towards the Mineral Pokémon.
"Dude! Dude! Geodude!" Geodude said, nonchalant as ever, per its disposition.
And on the far side of the meadow, the two Zubat, Butterfree, and Mew all seemed to be engaged in a game of tag with Pokémon moves being used occasionally as Mew tried to zap them all with its many Psychic moves to disable them.
"Mew!" Mew chirped. "Mew, Mew! MEW!"
"Fweeweeweeweewee!" Butterfree said as it wearily dodged aside.
"Chachichi!" one of the Zubat clicked, as, out of nowhere, it swooped down to tag Butterfree.
"Chachichi!" the other said as it emitted a wave of Supersonic to try and confuse the other three Pokémon.
"Mew!" Mew giggled. "Mew! Mew, Mew! Mew!"
Finally, from across the clearing, a voice stopped them all.
"All right, guys, that's enough!" Gohan said. "Stop!"
As one, the Pokémon halted their activities and in unison they slowly worked their way back to their respective Trainers, looking thoroughly exhausted as they gathered in front of Gohan, Misty, Ash, and Brock, panting deeply and resting against the ground from the last five hours of training each of the twenty Pokémon had just gone through, with the exception of Mew, of course, who looked just as spry as ever.
"Mew!" it giggled, twirling about in the skies. "Mew, Mew!"
"Pika Pika, Pi Pikachu," Pikachu sighed, plopping down on the grass.
"Oddish, Oddish, Oddish," Oddish sighed as it checked its feet.
"Chachachicha!" the Zubat said, fluttering to the dirt.
"Oh, Staryu, Starmie, Oddish, are you all okay?" Misty wondered as she knelt down to examine them.
"Oddish, Oddish," Oddish said.
"Hroom!" Starmie shared with Misty.
"Hiyah!" Staryu said as always.
"Pikachu, Pidgeotto, Rattata, Butterfree, Bulbasaur, Zubat... do you think you're gonna be okay?" Ash asked worriedly.
"Pika, Pika..." Pikachu breathed. "Cha..."
"Chachachi!" Zubat said, flapping its wings.
"Pijojojo!" Pidgeotto said, slumping over.
"Bulba... saur..." Bulbasaur gasped.
"Rat... tata..." Rattata said, its tail drooping.
"Fweeweeweeweewee!" Butterfree said.
Brock patted all of his Pokémon on the head as he gathered them together.
"You did very well," he praised them. "Now get some rest."
"Chachichacha!" the Bat Pokémon said in response.
"Dude, Dude, Geodude!" Geodude answered, looking nonchalant even as it also looked completely worn out.
"Grawwrrgh!" Onix shared, as after repeated attempts to dodge the small, nimble Water Gun attacks, even it was tired.
"Bell, Bell," Weepinbell replied as it swiped sweat off itself.
"Paras... Paras..." the Mushroom Pokémon gasped.
Finally, after checking them all over individually, Gohan smiled at his Pokémon, turning to face his friends' Pokémon as well.
"You all did a great job," Gohan said encouragingly. "I know it was tough, but just training like this every day will pay off down the road. You didn't quit, and that's good. I'm proud of you, all of you. Misty, Brock, Ash, all your Pokémon... everyone."
Despite how tired she was, Misty grinned weakly at Gohan's praise.
"Thanks, Gohan," she said sincerely. "That really means a lot."
Gohan nodded, and then withdrew his Pokémon into their Poké Balls. Brock did the same, and a moment later, so did Misty too. Finally, Ash decided that it was time to recall his beaten and weary Pokémon into their balls for a little rest.
However, when Gohan pointed the red-and-white device at Mew and shot the little beam at it, it dodged to the side.
"What, Mew, what are you doing?" Gohan questioned.
"Mew, Mew!" it giggled, as it dodged still more beams of energy.
"Oh, I get it," Gohan said a minute later. "You want to stay out, don't you?"
"Mew!" Mew nodded as it flipped upside in midair, giggling from its new vantage point.
"Well, okay, sure," Gohan agreed as he placed the ball back onto his belt.
"After that workout, it still has a lot of energy," Ash sighed. "Mew is one powerful Pokémon."
"Well, of course it is, Ash," Misty said, raising her arms. "It's a Legendary Pokémon."
"Misty is right!" Brock chimed in. "The Legendary Pokémon are well-known for being the toughest Pokémon there are."
"Man, I hope I get a Legendary someday," Ash whined as he hung his head.
"Pi Pika, Pi Pikachu," the Electric Rat said, looking as exasperated as its Trainer.
"Mew!" Mew squeaked, spinning now in the skies. "Mew! Mew!"
"Anyway..." Gohan went on, looking back at his friends. "Ash, Misty, Brock, I think we need to get back onto the path. We're heading along Route 24 to Vermilion City, right? Well, when I checked at the town nearby they said Route 24 is right along this way."
"Gohan, we just spent the last five hours training!" the Pallet Town Trainer complained sulkily. "Do we really have to start running all the way to Vermilion City again? I mean, can't we just take a break for one day?"
"Pika, Pikachu," Pikachu agreed, nodding its head.
"I guess it's like he keeps telling us," Misty sighed. "We gotta keep going or we won't get stronger as Trainers or martial artists."
"I suppose so," Ash said, whimpering pathetically as he wearily lifted himself off the dusty ground, patting his pant legs.
"You know, you guys don't really have to keep doing this," Gohan offered. "You can stop the training at any time. I don't want to force you to do this, but it seems foolish to quit after all you've done so far..."
"No, I'm no quitter!" Ash said determinedly. "I said I wanted to get stronger like you, so that's what I'm gonna do, and nothing is gonna stop me, no matter what!" Ash jumped up. "So let's get going right now!"
"Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, pumping its fists up. "Pi Pika!"
"Great, that's the spirit!" Gohan said, then he noticed a troubled look on Ash's face. "What? Is something wrong?"
"Well..." Ash began. "I don't get why you can't just teleport us to Vermilion City and we train later?"
The two humans and Pikachu all fell over.
"Mew!" Mew chirped, cutting pink ribbons through the air. "Mew!"
"There's no time like the present, Ash," the Super Saiyan 2 informed him succinctly. "If you wanna get stronger, then this is the only way to do it, and running builds up muscle and stamina... but it's your call."
"I guess you're right," Ash groaned.
"Pika Pika," Pikachu said as it shook its head.
"Mew!" Mew giggled, the same as always.
"Come on, let's get going, Ash," Misty said wearily as she dragged herself back to her feet.
"Great!" Gohan said. "Now let's GO!"
And the group took off running from the force of his command as Gohan took to the skies to monitor the three humans' progress from an aerial position, with his Mew trailing after him, and leaving the clearing as empty as it had been when they first entered it.
However, an hour miles later, the gang was feeling the effects.
"Gotta... gotta... gotta keep going," Ash breathed.
"Or we'll never... never... never... never get as strong as Gohan," Misty agreed.
"Oh boy!" Brock panted as he dragged himself along the path.
"Pika... Pika... Pika..." Pikachu wheezed desperately.
Up ahead, Gohan set himself down in front of the three humans.
"Okay, you've earned a break," Gohan said. "Sit down, rest for now, and later we'll find the Pokémon Center nearby."
Wearily, the gang flopped bonelessly to the dirt with their arms splayed out around them all.
"Pika... Pika... Pika..." Pikachu said, breathing quickly.
"Gohan... am I gonna die?" Ash whimpered.
"You're not going to die, Ash," Gohan said patiently. "It just takes practice is all."
"But are we really getting stronger, though?" Misty wondered. "We shouldn't be feeling this worn out after almost three weeks of training, right? Shouldn't it be getting easier the more times that we do it?"
"She's right!" Brock concurred. "How are we ever going to get stronger this way?"
"Guys, I don't know if you're really aware of this, but you just spent three days balancing on wood poles, and now you ran twenty minutes in less than one hour," Gohan responded. "I'd say you'd advanced a great deal."
"Twenty miles?" Brock said. "You're kidding!"
"It... it felt like ten!" Ash said, sounding completely amazed.
"Pi, Pika Pika," the Electric Rat agreed, looking up with the others.
"Mew!" Mew squeaked while it zoomed about. "Mew, Mew!"
"That's because your bodies are slowly building up an endurance to this type of training," Gohan explained. "A week ago... you could only run ten miles, now you can run twenty miles even though it greatly wears you out."
"I never noticed that," Brock admitted.
"And while wearing weights too!" Misty said, looking happy.
"Wow, we might just actually do this!" Ash exclaimed.
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu added.
"Hey Gohan, well... is there a way to measure our progress?" Brock inquired. "You know, to put it down to a number?"
"Well, I know one way," Gohan said. "I can use the Scouter Misty and me found back in Pewter City to gauge your fighting strength."
"Oh, is that what that thing's for?" Misty said with a cute eye blink.
"Yup!" Gohan said. "Now let me just see if I can find it here..."
As he rummaged around in his sack, he finally found one of the capsules he'd been looking for.
"Ahh, here it is!" he said, and he tossed it to ground, where it detonated, revealing the glass-like device.
Walking over to it, Gohan grabbed it in his hands, picked it up, and affixed it to his left eye.
"Okay, guys, stand up and let's see how strong you are," Gohan suggested.
Doing as they had been instructed, they assumed poses a few feet apart as Gohan pressed a button on the Scouter as it passed over each one of his friends, helping him to place a number to their strength.
"All right, Ash, your power level is approximately twenty-five," the half-Saiyan boy said, examining them all in turn. "Misty... your power level is seventeen. And Brock, your power level ranks a solid ten."
The gang slumped in disappointment.
"Is that all?" Ash said, sounding utterly crushed.
"That seems kinda low," Brock pointed out.
"Pi Pikachu, Pika Pika," Pikachu said.
"Mew!" Mew said as it soared over them. "Mew! Mew, Mew!"
"Well, it's definitely above the average human, but you just got to stick to it," Gohan said.
"So what's your power level?" Misty asked Gohan shrewdly.
Gohan looked surprised for a minute, then he shrugged. "I don't know. I've given up on power levels long ago."
"Well, then, maybe we can check your power level," Brock offered.
"Sure, why not?" Gohan said as he took off the Scouter and handed it over to Brock.
"So, you just pressed the button, right?" Brock inquired.
Gohan nodded. "Yes, but... please be careful — these little things are extremely fragile around high power levels. However, since I'm already powered up to my maximum strength, there probably shouldn't be a problem because they only malfunction with rising power levels."
"Oh, I see," Misty commented as comprehension dawned.
"Pika Pika," Pikachu said, sounding fascinated at what he said.
"Here we go!" Brock burst out while he pressed the button.
A couple of readings scrolled across the Scouter's lens even while it threatened to overload from the intensity... but then, a solid number was displayed, and Brock, even though he had been prepared for a huge power level, was completely blown away by it.
"WHOA!" Brock exclaimed, jerking back.
"What, what is it?" Ash demanded of him.
"How high is the figure?" Misty pressed.
"Pika Pika, Pikachu?" Pikachu stated.
"It's 1.875 billion!" Brock shouted, sounding overwhelmed.
"WHAT?!" Misty and Ash yelled, looking similarly affected. "OVER A BILLION?!"
"PIKA PIKACHU?" Pikachu said as its eyes bulged out wildly.
Gohan chuckled. "Well... that's probably because I am in my Super Saiyan 2 transformation. In my base form, it's much lower. Speaking of which, I've been holding this state for three days now. I need to power down."
And like they had seen him do so often before, Gohan dropped the transformation, revealing his normal, depowered state.
Without further ado, Brock pressed the button on their Scouter again.
"Now it registers as 1.5 million," he said, sweating from the news.
"Over a million..." Ash sighed, plopping back onto the ground. "Wow, I never knew someone that strong existed."
"We look so tiny next to you," Misty agreed. "Like leaves caught in a big hurricane."
"Well, that may be true, but you're still my friends!" Gohan remarked cheerfully. "In the end, strength doesn't matter to me!"
"You're right, Gohan!" Ash agreed. "Family, friendship, trust and caring... those are what matter most!"
"Yes... and the bonds we forge with our hearts!" Misty said.
"Mew!" Mew chirped in agreement, soaring even higher. "Mew!"
"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu said with a visible gleam in its pupils.
Gohan nodded... and then, suddenly... he caught sight of something nearby.
"Hey, what's that?" Gohan said, pointing at what he'd just seen.
The others turned to follow his gaze, and saw something perched on top of a rock.
Orange skin, a lizard appearance, burning tail... it was obviously a Pokémon.
"It looks like a Pokémon!" Misty pointed out.
"It's a Charmander!" Brock observed.
"Charmander?" Gohan said, turning to face the Pewter Gym Leader.
Ash pointed his Pokédex at the little lizard for more information.
"Charmander," it said. "A flame burns on the tip of its tail from birth. It is said that a Charmander dies if its flame ever goes out."
Following Ash's example, Gohan also aimed his Pokédex at the Fire Pokémon.
"Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon, prefers hot places," it intoned. "Even the newborns have flaming tails; however, unfamiliar with fire, young Charmander are reported to accidentally burn themselves."
"What's a Charmander doing way out here?" Gohan asked Misty, who shrugged.
"When I first went to get my Starter Pokémon from Professor Oak," Ash said nostalgically as he stared at the little Pokémon with gleaming eyes, "I was disappointed because I couldn't get a Charmander then. Gary and the others beat me to it. But now... now I can catch my own Charmander!"
"Wait, Ash!" Gohan said, holding out his arm. "I don't think that's very smart."
Ash blinked, glancing towards the Saiyan hybrid. "But... but why?"
Gohan nodded towards it. "It looks weak. I wonder how long it's been sitting out here."
The other three looked back towards the tiny Charmander.
"I don't know... it seems healthy to me," Ash said cluelessly.
"No, he's right!" Brock said. "Look at the flame on its tail."
Misty and Ash examined Charmander through a critical eye.
"It isn't burning as bright as it usually does," Misty noted.
"Exactly," Brock said. "I don't think it's any shape to battle."
"But... why is out here in the first place?" Gohan wondered, then he started moving forward. "I think I'll ask it."
Charmander glanced up warily as Gohan approached the Fire-type, so the tailed boy held out his hands in a placating gesture.
"I'm not gonna hurt you, Charmander," he cooed. "I'm just trying to help you is all."
"Charmander?" Charmander asked, tilting its head to the side.
Gohan nodded. "That's right. Just trust me, all right?"
Charmander gazed into those deep charcoal eyes, and slowly, the Fire Pokémon felt itself trusting him.
"Char... Char... mander..." it said in response.
Gohan reached out and patted the tiny Pokémon on its head.
"Pika Pika," Pikachu said, looking touched by what it saw.
"Gohan's sure got a way with Pokémon, doesn't he?" Misty sighed.
"Yeah, I don't know how he does it, but he definitely can befriend any type of Pokémon easily," Brock said smartly.
"Well, sure, if you make it sound so great," Ash answered sullenly.
"Pika, Pikachu," Pikachu said, crossing its arms and nodding.
"Now Charmander, why are you out there?" Gohan questioned.
"Mew, Mew!" Mew burst out as it soared towards it, closer to Charmander.
"Char?!" Charmander yelped, looking surprised to see the Legendary Mew there.
"Mew, Mew!" Mew said, nodding once. "Mew! Mew, Mew! MEW!"
"Charmander, Char Char, Mander, Char Char, Charmander!" the Lizard Pokémon replied.
And then Mew turned back to face its friends as it threw its arms to the side.
"Mew, Mew! MEW!" it said frantically. "Mew, Mew!"
"What... what are you trying to tell us, Mew?" Gohan asked it.
And then, Mew closed its eyes, and, suddenly, a sweet, childish girl's voice filled their heads.
"Charmander says his Trainer left him here to wait for him," the childish voice informed them all.
"What...?" Gohan said, sounding surprised. "Mew! Was that you...?"
Mew giggled while it nodded enthusiastically. "Mew, Mew!"
"Wow, I had no idea you could do that!" Gohan said eagerly. "Why didn't you show me before?"
Mew's only response was to flip upside down in midair. "Mew!"
Gohan sighed. "You're right. That would take all the fun out of being a Pokémon Trainer."
Mew nodded in total agreement. "Mew, Mew! MEW! Mew, Mew!"
Brock glanced up at the Charmander again, now pensive.
"If Charmander's waiting for someone to come back, then we better just leave it alone," Brock said simply. He turned to look at his friends again. "It's probably for the best if its own Trainer takes care of it."
"Yeah, I guess you're right, Brock," Gohan said reluctantly, then he reached out and patted the Lizard Pokémon on its snout. "Don't worry, Charmander. If your Trainer said he was gonna come back, then he will. Just keep hope burning in your heart and on your tail."
"Char Char, Mander!" Charmander said happily.
With a seemingly great effort, Gohan pulled himself away.
"Let's get going," Misty said as they resumed their ongoing trek.
"I hope its Trainer comes back soon..." Ash muttered with concern.
"Pika Pika," Pikachu agreed, sparing Charmander one final look.
Meanwhile, Charmander continued its vigil while it raised its head longingly as it awaited the return of the one it had sworn loyalty to even as thoughts of the pure-hearted boy it had now met flashed through its head...
The gang continued on their way, even as Gohan glanced back every so often to the place they had left Charmander.
"Don't worry so much, Gohan," Misty said. "I'm sure Charmander's Trainer came back to get it by now."
"I know, but it's just unusual," Gohan said, his brow furrowed. "Why would a Trainer just leave their Pokémon sitting alone out here?"
"There could be a lot of reasons," Brock added, even as he tried to convince himself. "We don't know the whole story."
"Yeah, yeah," Gohan said, giving himself a good shake. "You're right, Brock."
"Mew, Mew!" Mew said, wriggling its body as it followed them.
"Hey! Hey, guys, look up ahead!" Ash reported. "It's the Pokémon Center! The one Gohan told us about!"
"Oh, wonderful!" Misty said happily. "Route 24 can't be far from here."
Suddenly, the skies above them darkened, and a droplet of water splashed down, hitting Pikachu on the nose.
"Pi?" Pikachu inquired. "Pikachu?"
"Mew?" Mew wondered, glancing up to the ebony sheets over them.
And just like that, thunder rumbled as lightning shot across the steel-gray wool clouds.
"Hurry!" Gohan said, rushing to the Pokémon Center, as his friends followed him.
"Why can't we just use your capsule house...?" Ash whined childishly.
"Our Pokémon have to be treated," Gohan reminded him. "They've been battling a while."
I should get that taken care of one of these days, he mused inside his head as he recalled Mew to its Poké Ball.
"Oh right," Ash said, chuckling rather sheepishly as the group beat down the path towards the warmth of the waiting Center...
For the third time in the space of less than a month the throne room doors burst open as the same Saiyan child, Cabba, hurriedly rushed in to kneel before his emperor, placing a hand before his chest again in the typical military salute.
"You called for me, Lord Frost?" The noble boy asked his master.
"Yes, Cabba! It is most auspicious to see you again, as always!" The little blue overlord uttered, rising from his throne and raising his arms in greeting. "I hope that I find you in high spirits as I always do, my friend, especially on such a fine day!"
Cabba nodded slowly. "I have nothing to complain about... but I take it you didn't invite me here just to talk about the weather, Lord Frost."
Frost sighed theatrically. "Ah, as always, you are correct, my good friend." He slowly worked his way down the throne, coming to stand directly above the Saiyan warrior. "I'm afraid I will have to ask you to gather the rest of your unit and then report to service in the Galactic Peace Forces immediately. I have a new mission for you."
Cabba glanced up, feeling surprised by what he had just heard.
"Is there another war we can help put down?" Cabba asked, a frown of determination crossing his face that wasn't so dissimilar from Gohan.
"Sadly, as a matter of fact, there is..." Frost stated simply, his good cheer fading. "I have learned from my scouts that the deadliest pirate band in the North Quadrant is heading for Earth to launch a military campaign of conquest and then sell it to the highest bidder."
Cabba gasped, a horrified look now crossing his countenance. "You don't mean..."
Frost favored his trusted subordinate with a sympathetic expression. "Yes, Kotaga and the Galaxy Marauders are on their way to Earth."
"Why?" The spiky-haired child inquired. "What makes this world so special? Kotaga isn't one to go for the direct approach."
"I am told that Earth is a beautiful planet with many rich natural resources and a meager resistance," The blue-skinned alien informed him. "That alone may perhaps make it too tempting of a target to pass up. In any probability, it is all for moot to speculate on why Kotaga is doing so, for he is on his way to Earth right now."
"They're going to kill everyone there, aren't they?" Cabba realized.
"That is what they intend to do," Frost confessed reluctantly, before smiling confidently. "We need to stop them, of course, and to do so, I require your help, Cabba, and the rest of the Galactic Peace Forces!"
Cabba stood up, placing his hand in front of his heart.
"I promise you, we will save all the innocent people there from being exterminated or I will die trying!" Cabba said with a fiery passion.
Frost clapped, as though he were legitimately pleased to hear that. "Excellent, superb, simply wonderful! With such a fine fighting spirit I am confident we'll be able to repel the invasion and save everybody on Earth, especially the children! We must think of all the children! They are always the ones to suffer the most during war!"
Cabba nodded again, then he turned and left the throne room, determined to search out the rest of his squad and bring them this news; it was time to show his mettle and prove what he was capable of! Time to be a hero! Cabba thought. I can save everyone on that planet or die trying!
As the throne room doors slid shut, a dark shape materialized out of the shadows of the overlarge chamber, resolving itself into the hulking green form of Captain Argo who sidled up next to Frost with a smirk.
"Bravo, what a splendid performance, Lord Frost!" Argo said haughtily. "For a minute there, I almost truly believed you like that poor fool."
Frost threw his arms to the side carelessly, and it was like a switch had been flipped as his demeanor changed from sincere, earnest, and cheerful to taunting, mischievous, and overall rather cruel-hearted.
"What can I say?" He said with mock humility. "I could have been a playwright in another life, but that life is not this life." And he turned to Captain Argo with a smirk. "By the way, how much did you actually tell Kotaga about this little mission of his? I've heard his services are rather expensive."
Captain Argo bowed low. "As far as Kotaga and his group are aware, they were paid twofold both to clean out a troublesome little planet for us to prepare it for sale on the Galaxies Exchange, and in return the Cold Federation would increase taxes on planets that he feel would best serve his interests and those of his allies."
Here he smirked just as deeply as Frost had, a truly appalling sight.
"Of course, what they don't know is that the Galactic Peace Forces will be there, ready to take them down in the cause of universal peace."
"Splendid work as always, my dear captain," Frost answered, suddenly frowning. "By the way, how does the search go for General Turles?"
"I'm afraid we have no trace of him, my lord." Argo gulped nervously.
Frost sighed, and it seemed clear he had been prepared to hear something like this. "I expected no less; after all, General Turles was my commanding officer for several years. No doubt he had ample time to cover his tracks." He turned to Argo with a scowl. "Do you at least have some hints as to what he was up to?"
Captain Argo nodded. "Yes, it seems General Turles was making several inquiries about your secret project down in the lab."
Frost growled. "So that stupid monkey thinks he can try and alter my plans? Hmph. Just let him try." And with that, Frost began walking out of the throne room. "All the more reason, then, to travel to this Earth planet and find out just what it is he is hiding from me there." Frost smirked again, and this time it was the grin of the devil. "It will make excellent leverage. Oh, Turles will wish he was dead by the time I'm done with him..."
And Argo watched his emperor leave as a brief stab of pity shot through his heart. I almost feel sorry for the monkey. Almost.
And with that, he turned and left.
A short while later, Gohan, Ash, and Brock could be found sitting around a tiny table in the Pokémon Center, which provided a homey comfortable feel being this far into the middle of the countryside.
"So, what you thinking, Brock?" Gohan asked.
Brock sighed, staring out into the pouring rain. "Nothing. I-I just hope Charmander's Trainer picked up in time."
"Here's some nice hot soup," Misty said as she returned to the table.
"Thank you," Gohan said, sending her a grateful expression which left her flustered.
"Um, sure, whatever you say," she muttered, looking embarrassed.
And Gohan dug into his soup with relish, enjoying all the many spices and the home-cooked flavor. It's just like Mom's food!
Brock continued gazing out the window, ignoring his bowl of soup.
"Are you still thinking about that Charmander?" Misty asked, guessing what was bothering him.
"Pi, Pikachu!" Pikachu said, sitting upright as it gazed at the dark-skinned boy.
"Yeah," Brock said. "What if its Trainer just left it there? I don't think it could survive long in a storm like this."
"I don't think Charmander would wait around this long for its Trainer to come back," Ash pointed out reasonably.
"Y-Yeah," Brock said, regaining his confidence. "You're probably right."
Sadly, Gohan put his soup down, his concern for other beings now overriding his Saiyan appetite.
"If you want, I can check on Charmander's location, see if it's still out there," Gohan offered.
"Thank you, Gohan, but I don't think that's necessary," Brock said.
And suddenly, a gaggle of voices caught their attentions.
"Just look at them," a young boy with a thick Australian accent and blue-green hair was saying. "It's a pretty cool collection."
He was obviously referring to the many Poké Balls he had laid out in front of him.
"Way cool!" a brown-haired boy responded, sounding impressed.
"You're the man, Damien," a boy with a headband added.
"Yo, I thought you had a Charmander too," a blue-haired boy piped up.
Gohan gasped. Could it be... oh God, please let me be wrong...
"Yeah, I had one," Damien sneered, "but that puny thing was so weak, it couldn't even beat the weakest opponents."
"Guys, I'm getting a bad feeling about this," Gohan said, feeling his body go numb from shock.
"What do you mean?" Misty said, blinking rather quickly.
But Gohan continued watching the group talking loudly at the other table.
"So what did you do with the Charmander?" the blue-haired boy demanded.
"Eh, I left it on some rock in the woods," Damien scoffed.
Ash, Misty, and Brock gasped as Gohan scowled furiously. "I knew it..."
"That thing is so stupid," Damien said with a round of cruel laughter. "No matter what I did to it it kept on following me. I finally got rid of it by promising I'd come back for it. It fell for it. It's probably still there waiting for me."
Gohan felt his fingers clench together into a fist.
"So he's the jerk who abandoned Charmander!" Ash said hotly.
"And it's still waiting for him on that rock," Misty agreed, sounding just as mad.
"Gohan, is Charmander still out there?" Brock asked desperately.
But Gohan didn't answer him as he could literally feel his teeth gritting and grinding together from the intensity of his building fury.
Misty waved a hand in front of his face. "Yoo-hoo, Earth to Gohan!"
Suddenly, Gohan stood up from the table, having had enough.
"Um, Gohan, where are you going?" Ash questioned the half-Saiyan.
"Oh boy, this could get ugly," Misty said as she grabbed her head.
"I bet it's still out there wagging its tail," the headband-boy laughed.
"It'll probably wag it so long it'll put the flame out," the blue-haired boy sniggered.
"Yeah, for sure," Damien said, with another cruel laugh.
Suddenly, the obnoxious Trainer found a hand on his shoulder, and, without warning, he was yanked upright.
BAM!
Which was how Damien found a fist connecting solidly with his face, sending him flying across the room.
WHAM!
He slammed into the wall, eyes bugging out from the force of the impact, as he slowly slid down the polished wooden surface, gasping and panting for air as he clutched his stomach, looking upward at whatever had attacked him.
"No way!" the brown-haired boy shouted.
"He just knocked Damien across the room!" headband boy added.
"Just who is this punk?" the blue-haired boy said, standing up.
"You," Gohan said angrily as he stalked toward the helpless Damien, "you are despicable... you left your Pokémon out there to DIE? How — could — you? It believed in you, it trusted you, and you betrayed it!"
Reaching downward, Gohan grabbed Damien by the scuff of his collar and effortlessly pulled him directly into his face.
"You left it out there, you abandoned it, NOW GO GET IT!" Gohan growled savagely.
"I-I-I-I don't have to listen to you!" Damien snorted, covering up his fear with bravado. "Who are you to interfere in my business?!"
BAM!
And again, Damien felt the force of a freight train crash into his stomach as the wind was violently expelled from his lungs. Feebly grasping his wounded area, Damien fell like a sack of potatoes.
"What... what... are... you?" Damien whimpered pitifully.
Gohan snarled, gave Damien one last good kick, then turned to face Ash, Misty, and Brock, who were watching with total horror.
"Guys, you make sure they don't get away," he stated, sounding as though he were maintaining a tight rein on his emotions. "I'm gonna go out there and grab Charmander — hopefully its tail flame hasn't gone out yet."
And Misty nodded, determined. "Right! We promise, Gohan!"
"Just go and get Charmander, and quickly!" Brock said urgently.
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu said, nodding its head to urge him on.
With a single nod, Gohan placed two fingertips to his forehead, locked on to Charmander's ki signal, and disappeared in a surge of energy.
"You!" the Trainers from the table stated, seemingly getting past their shock as they moved to encircle Ash, Brock, and Misty.
"Damien's the best!" the headband boy said.
"We're not gonna let you get away with this!" blue-haired boy said.
"Yeah, you'll have to answer to us now!" the brunette replied.
"Oh, wanna bet?" Ash said with a confident smirk as he faced them down.
"Let's do it!" Misty said as she reached for one of her Poké Balls.
But before they could begin throwing them, the sound of clapping reached their ears.
"Break it up!" the pink-haired Nurse Joy of the wood Pokémon Center said as she sauntered over to them. "You know the rules! Pokémon are never to be used in personal fights. It's disrespectful to the Pokémon and their Trainers."
"Nurse Joy, this isn't an ordinary fight!" Ash said insistently.
"They bragged about how they left a Charmander out in the woods to die," Brock added, throwing Damien a glare.
"Yeah, our other friend is out there now trying to get Charmander!" Misty piped up.
Nurse Joy gasped. "What? Oh my goodness, that's horrible!"
"You guys, I think that's our cue to get out of here!" the blue-haired boy said.
"I'm not going to jail for Damien!" headband boy agreed, and the gang turned and fled.
And just then, Gohan reappeared, carrying Charmander in his arms, and Nurse Joy gasped again.
"What...?" she said. "But... he appeared out of nowhere! How?"
"It's in pretty bad shape, but it's still alive," he told his three friends.
"Never mind that now!" Misty pressed. "Damien's gang made a run for it! GET THEM!"
Glancing to the side, he saw the gaggle of Pokémon Trainers rushing for the door to the rustic Pokémon Center.
"Here!" Gohan said as he gently pushed Charmander into Brock's arms.
Then, in a flash of motion, Gohan sped in front of the four bullies with his arms outstretched.
"You're not getting away that easily," he informed them all coldly.
"Well then let's see how you handle us all at once!" the bully with the brown hair shouted.
And they all took out their Poké Balls, as though to battle him...
WHAM! WHAM! WHAM! WHAM!
And four quick punches brought them down as rapidly as their leader.
"No, how could you..." the blue-haired bully whimpered as he fell.
"He's so cool," Misty said with a slightly dreamy stare at Gohan.
"Wow... he got them so fast, I didn't even see him move!" Nurse Joy said.
Brock moved up alongside her. "Nurse Joy, I think you need to tend to Charmander now."
"We'll watch over them to make sure they don't try to make a run for it," Ash suggested helpfully.
Nurse Joy nodded. "Right. I'll do my best!"
And she rushed off into the ER carrying Charmander.
Hours later, a tired group could be found sitting outside the entrance to the ER, huddled together, hoping against hope that the Charmander would be okay, that they wouldn't have to see their first Pokémon die a horrible, pointless death, not knowing what they would do to Damien if it did. Finally, when it seemed they couldn't take it anymore, Gohan appeared at the end of the hallway.
"Well, Officer Jenny just left here," he told them all. "She needs our report before they could charge Damien or his gang with a crime, but for now, she took them down to the police station, so they won't be going anywhere."
"Good, that's good," Misty said, clearly distracted as she stared toward the ER door.
"Has there been any word on Charmander?" Gohan inquired, moving forward with a worried look on his face.
"Not a single thing," Brock said, sounding immensely frustrated.
"Pika Pika," Pikachu muttered as it hung its head forlornly.
"But hey, if something had happened to Charmander then Nurse Joy would have told us about it!" Misty said, trying her best to still remain cheerful. "So, at least, Charmander's managed to survive this long."
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Ash said, looking just as dejected as Gohan felt inside.
Just then, the door to the ER opened and Nurse Joy stepped out of it. Everyone glanced at her in concern.
"So, how is it?" Gohan said fearfully. "Is Charmander gonna be all right?"
Nurse Joy sighed and for a minute they all feared the worst, but then, slowly, a smile lit up her features.
"Yes, Charmander's gonna be okay," she said. "It's still recovering, but, by morning, it should be as good as new."
"Oh, thank goodness," Gohan said, breathing a sigh of relief.
"You did it, Gohan," Brock said, turning a happy stare upon the half-Saiyan. "You saved Charmander."
"Oh no, I really didn't," Gohan said humbly, rubbing the back of his head as he blushed, now deeply embarrassed. "All I did was just track Charmander's location, then bring it back here — that's not special."
"Come on, stop being so modest!" Misty said, sending him a beautiful smile. "That is a big deal!"
"Yeah, if it wasn't for you Charmander wouldn't have made it!" Ash chimed in.
"Pika, Pika, Pi Pikachu!" the Electric Rat agreed as it nodded.
"Well, I guess so..." Gohan said, laughing uncomfortably with all the praise he was receiving.
"Anyway, I think you should all go to get some rest," Nurse Joy said. "Tomorrow, you can give your report to Officer Jenny, and then we can figure out what to do for Charmander now that Damien's abandoned it."
"Oh, that's right, I forgot," Misty said sadly. "Damien doesn't want Charmander anymore."
"What do you guys think we should do with it?" Brock asked.
"I don't know, but anything's gotta be better than letting him stay with that creep," Ash ventured.
"Pika Pika, Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed, sounding rightfully outraged.
Meanwhile, Gohan continued staring at the ER room, where he could just make out the barest silhouette of the little Charmander in the pale rays of moonlight filtering inside through the nearby opened window.
Charmander was very loyal, he thought. Its heart is in the right place and he won't give up on its friends. It's a very strong Pokémon.
Brock yawned deeply. "Well, we can figure that out in the morning. For now, let's rest."
"Yeah..." Misty said, rubbing at her eyes. "I need to get some beauty sleep."
"Come on, you guys, we can sleep on the couches, until the storm lets up, at least," Ash stated as he headed away.
Still Gohan continued staring at the door, and Misty turned back to face him.
"You coming, Gohan?" she asked him curiously.
"Huh?" Gohan said, returning to his senses. "Oh sure. I'm coming."
And he walked after his three friends, sparing one final look at the ER door where Charmander was...
The next morning, Gohan could be found sitting in the chair next to Charmander's bed in the ER with his head hanging over his chest, fast asleep as he snored like a little baby. Suddenly, he winced, with his face twitching as he brought his hand up to his forehead.
With a deep yawn, Gohan roused himself from the groggy depths of troubled slumber he had sunk into.
"Uh..." he groaned as his eyes fluttered open. "Where am I?"
And then one thing immediately caught his complete attention; the Charmander was awake; awake and heading for the window.
"Charmander!" he called, standing up in his seat. "Wait... wait!"
The tiny Fire-type turned back to face him with a gimlet stare.
"Charmander, Char!" it said with its hand now on the windowsill.
"Charmander," Gohan said gently as he moved around the bed, heading towards it. "Charmander, please... don't leave."
"Char, Mander, Char Char, Charmander Char, Char, Mander, Char!" Charmander said passionately.
"I know you want to go back and wait for your Trainer, but the truth is, Charmander, he abandoned you," Gohan said he drew closer.
"Char?" Charmander said, sounding completely shocked.
"I know, it's hard to deal with, but it's true," Gohan explained as he knelt down beside the fire lizard.
"Char..." Charmander said, looking angry while it opened up its mouth with a fierce cry. "CHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"
And blasted Gohan full face with a jet stream of fire, leaving only a pair of eyes to be seen among the flames.
"Gohan, what's the matter?" Ash demanded as they burst into the ER room.
"We heard weird noises!" Misty added. "Is something... wrong...?"
And then they caught sight of Gohan kneeling beside Charmander but now with a burnt and charred complexion.
"Um, is something wrong here?" Misty wondered, tilting her head.
Gohan coughed up a bunch of smoke, and then he turned a grin on the fiery redhead.
"What?" he said. "Aw, nothing. Charmander just can't believe that its Trainer abandoned it."
"What Pokémon would?" Ash said, with a sage nod. "I don't know if I'd wanna believe it if I were Charmander."
"Pi Pika," Pikachu remarked, nodding like its Trainer had just done.
"But it's true, Charmander!" Brock added. "We all heard Damien brag about how he left you behind on that rock!"
"Yeah, he's right!" Misty agreed angrily. "And you shouldn't go around hitting people with Flamethrower either! You could hurt them!"
"Char... Charmander!" Charmander said, looking for a second like it was teetering on the edge of believing them...
... and then it shook its head wildly, shooting Flamethrowers up at the ceiling.
"MANDER!" it cried anxiously. "CHAR! MANDER! CHAR! MANDER!"
"Poor Charmander," Ash replied sadly. "It just doesn't want to believe that Damien abandoned it. It's still loyal to him."
"I bet I know what would help," a voice behind them said.
And they turned to find Nurse Joy standing there.
"Nurse Joy?" Ash inquired.
The Pokémon Nurse stepped into the room.
"If Charmander is having a difficult time believing whether or not its Trainer really abandoned it, then why don't you just take Charmander down to the police station with you when you go give your report to Officer Jenny?" she said sensibly.
"Hey, that's a great idea, Nurse Joy!" Gohan said enthusiastically.
"Well, what do you say, Charmander?" Ash said. "We can prove that Damien abandoned you."
"Pika Pika!" the Electric-type rat said as it moved to Charmander. "Pikachu, Pika Pika, Pi Pikachu, Pika Pi, Pika, Pika Pi Pika!"
Charmander just stared at it for a while, and then, looking back at the Trainers, it nodded its head.
"Charmander!" it said, moving up so that it was standing alongside them.
"Great!" Ash said. "Let's get going, then!"
As they were walking, Gohan reached down and draped a warm hand on Charmander's shoulder, prompting it to look up at him.
"Don't worry, Charmander," he said comfortingly. "No matter what Damien says, you're a very special Pokémon."
"Char," Charmander stated, now sounding very concerned as they all headed out of the ER and towards an uncertain future it was too afraid to imagine as they wall walked out of the country Pokémon Center...
The police station was packed with both male and female Pokémon Officers.
"Oh boy, just look at them all!" Brock chimed, looking overjoyed. "Jennies, Jennies everywhere as far as the eye can see! I think I've died and gone to Jenny Heaven!" he added as he literally floated.
Misty waved a hand in front of Brock's face. "Brock? Brock?" And she sighed. "Here we go again!"
Gohan flagged down one of the passing Officer Jennies. "Excuse me, miss, but we've come to give a report about a Trainer who abandoned his Pokémon, the Charmander right besides us, only... Charmander is having a hard time believing his Trainer abandoned him. Can you take us to see Damien so we can convince Charmander that we are telling the the truth?"
"Oh yes, Damien," the Officer Jenny said with a weary sigh. "He's down in the cellblock. I'll take you there right away."
"Ahhh... as professional as ever, Officer Jenny!" Brock sighed, now afloat in a sea of total bliss. "And beautiful, too! Why, I've never seen a more perfect picture of loveliness! Officer Jenny, would you mind going on a date with me?"
And Misty got up behind Brock, pushing him away. "Okay, you've said enough for now. Time to give the lady some peace."
"Oh, but I barely even met her!" Brock protested mournfully.
"Anyway, come with me, and I'll take you right to Damien," Officer Jenny said.
"Great, thanks a lot!" Ash said, as Pikachu jumped up on his shoulder.
As they walked down a bunch of plain-looking office hallways Gohan tightened his hold on Charmander's shoulder.
"Charmander... I know how much you cared for Damien, and this is probably gonna be very painful, but you gotta believe me when I say that you're a very loyal Pokémon even if he doesn't see it," he said.
"Char... Char... Mander..." Charmander said, basking in the glow of Gohan's praise.
Finally, Officer Jenny led the four of them into a narrow space with a bunch of cells lined up along the wall. In one of those cells sat Damien — who appeared to be more or less recovered from his earlier run-in with Gohan the night before, and he glared up balefully at them as they entered the cellblock.
"So come back to disgrace me one last time, have you?" he said. "It's not enough that you got me thrown in jail along with my pals, now you here to gloat over your little victory? Well, tell it someone who cares."
"Hey, you did it to yourself!" Ash said angrily. "You shouldn't have abandoned Charmander here!"
"Pika Pika, Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu said, raising its arms.
Damien scoffed and turned his head up at the four of them.
"That's right!" Misty chimed in. "And if it hadn't been for Gohan, it would have died!"
"Eh, and so what?" he sneered. "Who cares? It was weak, so I got rid of it! The only problem was when you four came along!"
"Char?!" Charmander said, now looking completely devastated as it discovered Gohan's words to be true.
"What, did you think I still wanted you?" Damien said scornfully. "I just fed you that crock so's you'd stay on the rock and quit pestering me when I told you to just bug off. Maybe now you'll get the point; you're a worthless Pokémon who's not good for anything!"
Charmander could feel its eyes quivering from complete agony.
"You bastard!" Gohan hurled at him passionately as he took a step forward closer to Damien, making the earth shake beneath his heel as he did so, and Damien winced, terrified of incurring the Gohan's fury. "Every living creature on this world, and all the others, has worth, and the Pokémon aren't any different. You're the worthless one here, not Charmander, you cowardly piece of —"
Suddenly, Gohan felt a hand on his shoulder, and he whipped a fierce glare at Misty.
Looking a little unnerved, Misty nevertheless pushed on. "Gohan... please, he's locked up, and he won't be hurting anyone again. Please, don't be like this. Not for him. Don't let him turn you into someone you're not. He's not worth it."
Breathing in and out deeply, Gohan sighed, and he nodded once to show Misty that he understood.
"Yes, you're right," he said softly. "I'm... I'm sorry you had to see me like this, Misty."
"Aw, hey, it's okay," Misty said with steady assurance. "I know how you feel. You're not the only one who this has affected."
Gohan nodded, staring gratefully at Misty with cute charcoal eyes that seemed to disarm her.
Darn it, he's just so cute... she thought. And so brave and kind, and passionate... I've never met anybody like him before... except for Ash, but even then, there's a difference... I can't explain it, b-but I like it.
"Anyway, I think maybe it's time you guys give us your report," Officer Jenny suggested. "I'll take you to fill out the paperwork."
And the gang left the cellblock far behind them, with Gohan glancing down at the Charmander still faithfully following them, even after all it had learned, and he tilted his head while he got to truly pondering...
Hours later, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Gohan could be founding walking along the path to Route 24, having left the police station.
"Boy, that paperwork sure took a long time!" Misty said tiredly.
"I didn't mind..." Brock sighed with a dreamy voice. "Officer Jennies everywhere! It's every boy's dream come true!"
"Right, only for you," Misty said, holding up her arms.
"Pika Pika," Pikachu said with an exasperated sigh.
"I'm just glad they're gonna put Damien away for a long time," Ash put forth, laughing cheerfully as he walked confidently along the path with his three buddies. "Somebody like that doesn't deserve to be a Pokémon Trainer."
"You got that right," Gohan agreed. "They might let his friends off with a warning, but Damien shouldn't be training any other Pokémon."
"You said it!" Misty declared with a nod.
Just then, Gohan glanced back to the side as he noticed Charmander still trotting along behind them, looking like a lost puppy.
"Hey, guys, don't look now, but Charmander is following us," the half-Saiyan told them.
The others turned back to look at what he had just seen.
"Huh?" Misty said. "But I don't get it... Officer Jenny said they should be able to find a new Trainer for Charmander, no problem!"
"Char, Charmander..." Charmander said while it came up bashfully before them.
"Then why is it following us?" Ash asked, blinking shrewdly.
"Oh... I bet I know!" Brock proposed smartly. "Charmander knows Gohan saved its life when Damien left it there to die on that rock, so now it wants to come along with us, as one of Gohan's Pokémon!"
"Huh, is that true, Charmander?" Gohan asked.
The fire lizard nodded eagerly. "Charmander, Char, Char, Mander!"
Misty sent Gohan a happy grin. "Well, looks like you got a new Pokémon!"
Gohan took out one of his Poké Balls, enlarged it, then stepped to Charmander.
"Are you sure about this, Charmander?" he inquired. "You don't have to come with me just because I saved your life."
"Char, Char, Charmander!" Charmander said, looking, if anything, even more eager than before.
Gohan just stared at it for a moment, and then he returned the nod with a smile on his face.
"Okay then!" he said. "Charmander, I promise to do my best at raising you, and that I'll never just abandon you like Damien did!"
"Char, Char!" Charmander said as it jumped into the air toward him.
Gohan tossed the Poké Ball, which smacked into Charmander, sucked him in, and flew back to Gohan, surrendering without a struggle.
"You did a good thing, Gohan," Brock said proudly.
Gohan turned back to face them with a grin appearing on his face. "Nah, we all did it! We all saved Charmander together!"
The others nodded, disagreeing but refusing to argue with the rather stubborn Saiyan hybrid.
"And now... it's back to being on the road to Vermilion City!" Ash announced, pumping his fist.
"Hey, guys, let's get back to training!" Gohan said as he took off flying into the skies. "Let's see if you can catch up with me!"
"Hey, wait, that's not fair, we weren't ready!" Ash complained. "Wait up!"
"Hold on, Gohan!" Brock said as they all took off running after him.
"Haven't we trained enough for today?!" Misty added as they struggled to catch up to the rapidly receding Saiyan.
"There's no time like the present... and you guys are doing great so far!" Gohan said. "We'll run like this for another ten miles, and then we can get back to exercising! You still need to learn proper balance on those logs!"
"Oh boy..." Misty sighed, breathing a deep sigh of exhaustion as they jogged after the flying boy.
"It never ends, does it?" Ash panted as he worked in vain to run his butt off.
"Pika... Pika... Pikachu..." the yellow rodent sighed in agreement.
"Here we go again!" Brock added, looking complete exhausted at the thought of their upcoming workout.
Glancing down at the Poké Ball snuggled safely up against his belt, Gohan patted it happily.
"Welcome to the team," he said softly. And then he turned a pump a fist. "Let's go, Charmander!"
And so their day ended like it always did; with the three Trainers getting the workout of their life under the watchful eye of Son Gohan — only this time, they had a new friend along for the ride as they sped off into the distance under the warm yellow glow of the midday sun...
Yes, I'm back. Sorry this took so long to upload. Trust me, I haven't forgotten it. I've been downloading episodes of Pokémon like crazy to try and remember all the minor details I'd forgotten over the years.
To those who are curious, I envision Mew having the voice of Nanoha from the Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha franchise.
There are two versions to the canon of Pokémon Tails as I see it; the changes that would have been made to the existing Pokémon storyline even if Gohan hadn't appeared there and the changes that now result because of his presence. However, keep in mind, these changes follow the structure of the original Pokémon faithfully, so, it's not much of a difference. For example, because Misty wasn't around when Brock met Melanie, he got all of that lust out of the way, but, since she was now present when he met her, due to this timeline, his insistence led Misty to develop the infamous ear-pull earlier than she did from the canon. Hope this clears that up.
Yes, Gohan getting Damien's Charmander is a huge change to the timeline, since Ash would have gotten it originally. You'll have to see exactly how this is going to play out in future chapters, however...
Now onto the reviews!
Thanks for the constant kind reviews, Kid Goku Forever! It's nice to have a consistent reviewer, you know?
kitsunelover300: Yes, very interesting, and, I hope to convey it in a realistic manner. As to Paras, I might not even go with the game rules for Parasect, since we see it once in the anime, and it doesn't SEEM like a zombie. As to Damien, I hope this chapter was satisfying.
ChaosDestruction: That's part of Gohan's charm! XD
ssj3gohan007: Well, as you see from here, I have NO concerns with removing the Pokémon from Ash's party; it IS an AU, after all, and the presence of this different character shape events from the Pokémon world differently. And I can't wait to get to your OC, too! ^_^
iamzim87: Yup, I've always wanted to do that, and I am considering having Gohan buy a healing machine too, like the kind Nurse Joys use — as you can see from this chapter, that is a major handicap in their quest, though it did lead to Gohan getting Charmander. As to skipping those two, well yeah, some just aren't as important, but I promise to do so only rarely, when I feel it doesn't add anything to the story, and when it just clogs up the other chapters; so in other words, filler, but not ALL filler.
Jawisian: You'll note I'm a grammar nazi, and my Mom was an English teacher, so I hope that explains it. :D
Joey baldwin: Thanks for making the 100th review! As part of my ongoing attempts to generate reader interest, you can now choose to add any idea to Pokémon Tails and I will consider it, and if it clashes with the coming storyline, you can think up a new idea. But I do have a fairly open mind, so I would do my best to incorporate your idea.
TURP: Hope you enjoyed!
Please review!
EDIT (5/8/2017): More edits with Frost, Cabba, and Captain Argo. What do you guys think of the reveal that the trusted general to Lord Frost is actually Turles from Universe 7? I wasn't intending to reveal it to so soon, but it's something that just kind of was inevitable, so why not spoil it a bit early? Trust me, I have big plans for him. XD