Pilot of the Forest
With Ace flying around doing his own thing and Pikachu on my shoulder I walked quietly down the path on my way to the first city, Pewter City. Sadly, I have to walk through a large forest. I have a little repel to keep the bugs away, but I was still attacked by a couple spearow and ratata. Pikachu dispatched the birds and Ace destroyed the rats.
"Ash wait up!" Oh yeah. Misty is with me still. I didn't stop though and just kept walking. This route is full of trainers and bug type pokémon, but I've avoided many of the caterpie I came across.
"Ash there're bugs everywhere and you have the REPEL not me."
And the reason I did is because of her. Last bug type we saw she literally jumped on top of me and forced me to carry her for a quarter of a mile away while yelping bloody murder. She's right about that as well. I'm the only one with the foresight to prepare for a forest trek. Every trainer should read the beginner's guide of the routes and in the guide is says in bold letters to "USE REPEL" but I guess a fair share of trainers, Misty included, don't realize this. It should be common sense to use REPEL if you want to keep most of the pokémon away so not to exhaust yourself or your pokémon fighting through a horde of them every two seconds, but what do I know? I'm just a kid that started his journey like a day ago with Ranger Apprentice and Scout training. It's not like I've been living in the forest or in nature for prolong days and weeks at a time.
"Ash!" I sighed and glanced back at the red head. I stopped and waited for her to catch up with my arms crossed. Now that I think of it I should let meowth have some air too. I have pikachu on my shoulder and Ace flying overhead every three seconds. I pressed the button on my pokéball twice and it popped over.
"Yahh!" Meowth cried as he fell to the ground head first. I thought cats had perfect balance? I picked the cat up by the back of his neck and sat him down on his feet. "Ow," he whined. "Jessie what the heck is wrong with ya? I was sleeping. Don't you know I need my beauty sleep too?"
I smiled at the cat and waited for him to wipe the sleep out of his eyes. Once his eyes opened and rested on me I said, "Jessie isn't here meowth."
"Yahhh!" The meowth leapt up away from me and stuck to a tree. "Y-you. The twerp from before," he insulted me I think. I don't even know what a twerp is supposed to be.
'Well whatever,' I thought to myself. As long as he does what he's told he can call me whatever makes him comfortable. "That's me," I just went with it. "Now get down here," I pointed to the spot in front of me.
"Where's Jessie and James?" Meowth asked in a frantic panic while looking about to the many directions of the world.
"Not here, now get down here," I said again.
"What? What did you…"
"Meowth!" The cat winced and so did my Pikachu. The mouse climbed up on top of my head for some reason and looked around before stopping its sight on the cat. Pikachu's cheeks sparked a bit at the Meowth. "Get down here." The cat hesitated but fell down to the ground after a couple moments. Slowly with a large slouch of his shoulders, Meowth walked up to me then stopped in the spot I pointed at before. I nodded in approval and let my hands drop. "I captured you after I blasted your team away and had you nursed back to health. You are my third pokémon now, do you understand me?"
"But I… I…" The meowth looked down and fell to his knees. Me being fresh out of pity for right now just watched. "I can't be captured. The boss… My plan. The top of the food chain I was at all well," the Meowth spoke as if he just lost all of his dreams in an instead with little to live for now.
"Ah Ash you made your friend cry." Misty panted when she reached me finally. She walked up to the meowth and picked him up then cradled that cat in her arms. "Don't cry kitty Ash can be a jerk but he's a nice guy, I think." That didn't help my disposition at all. Misty though helped with calming the meowth down with soft words and pats. The sort I didn't think to give the pokémon. I was going to wait until he came to terms and tell him the deal, but it seemed I don't have to. Old man is that one of those "uses" when it comes to girls? I guess not seriously ditching her worked in my advantage because I was about to. She was asleep and it would have taken me a moment of me to slip out.
I looked up to the sun. Noon, about time to eat lunch. I walked to the side of a tree and dropped my pack. "Pikachu, if you want you can go hunt for food now."
"Pi." Pikachu jumped off my head and ran away into the bushes. I scratched the top of my head under my hat and fixed it a moment later.
"Ace go get some food for yourself!" I yelled up to him as he rested in his tree. He was glaring down on the Meowth the moment he come out of the pokéball. I guess he's still holding a bit of a grudge. Now that I think of it I haven't scanned Ace with my pokédex.
"Plrrrrp!" Ace flew away out of sight.
'Guess I'll do it later,' I sighed a bit. I sat down under the tree and rummaged through my pack. "Misty do you want to eat?"
"Uh, sure I guess."
I climbed up to my feet and pulled out my knife from my pack. "Fish or bird," I asked no really caring which she chooses.
"Wait, what do you mean by that," she asked with her eyes narrowed. Then they widened when I banished my knife to check the keenness of its edge. "Wait, you're eating pokémon?" She rose her voice at me. Took her long enough to figure that out.
I nodded. "Of course. They're edible last I checked. So, what do you want unless you're one of those synthetic pushers." Basically, they're people that don't resort to eating pokémon and instead eat food created by companies for humans out of non-pokémon ingredients. It's not natural of you ask me. I need meat to survive not blocks of paste hardened to simulate it.
"Naw I'm good," she dismissed my offer and I shrugged. I removed my vest then threw it on top of my bag along with my jacket and shirt. "A-Ash, what are you doing?" Misty stammered with a bit of anxiousness in her tone strangely enough.
"Taking my top garment off," I said evenly I thought this was apparent, but maybe its one of those girl things to ask stupid nonsensical questions. The old man told me about as well. It's interesting that my mom never once acted like that.
"Why?" she asked almost rattled by the sound of it. I glanced back and noticed her face was a bit cherry red and steam I think coming out of her ears. That's interesting.
I read about this sort of reaction in my books I think. Mostly the romance ones and mom's soap opera things. It happens whenever the girl is either aroused or embarrassed. One of the two or a combination of both. I know the only way girls are aroused is when the clothes of both people come off and are touching at the same time. Prof. Oak being a good example same with some parts on momma's shows she tells me not to see sometimes. I still do though because I hate not knowing or understanding something. The girl and the guy have to like each other a lot. Momma said something about love but it's lost on me. Since she has her cloths on still, we're not touching, and I know she doesn't like me by process of elimination that means that she's embarrassed.
"Because," I strapped my knife to my belt once more before facing the flustered girl. "I don't want to get this all over my clothes." I reached into my bag and grabbed a small pouch of cathus."
"What's that," Misty asked and I was more than happy to share what I know.
"This is cathus. It's like paint sort of." I reached into the bag and covered my fingers with the paste. I rubbed my forehead with it and covered the areas around my eyes. "It helps hide your scent from the senses of Pokémon. You cover your face, a bit of you neck, your chest, and your shoulders with it. I normally make spiral designs or stripes. Reason being is because I think it looks cool." Once I felt I had enough on my body I closed the bag by the string and placed it back in my bag.
"Does it come off easy?"
"Yes. It's organic and sort of like lotion. It seeps into the skin and fades away after a time." I pulled looked at the blue cathus off my hands before I tossed my knife up and caught it in my right hand. "I'll be back in no time." I waved to the two before making my way into the forest. I could capture a couple caterpie but that wouldn't be fun. I don't feel like eating bug either. Maybe some…
"Caw!"
I saw about three spearow in a small clearing. I picked up a rock and got and angle on them. I threw the rock in the distance and made my way to them just as their attention when to the rock. I grabbed the first two and ringed their necks then made my way back into the bushes. The third bird looked around for a time before flying away. Too easy. With that I made my way out the bushes slowly plucking off the feathers of my catch. I cut them open and buried the guts then cut off the heads. This all took about ten minutes. I grabbed a stick and stuck it through the two and walked back to the place I set up camp. Misty made me a fire by the looks of it which was nice of her. She looked away from me as I came up with my catch on a stick. I stamped it over the fire before walking back to my clothes. I noticed meowth was out cold in her lap. Cried himself to sleep by the looks of it.
"What was that?" She gestured to the meat.
"Spearow. Two of them I caught by surprise." We sat in silence as my food cooked. My stomach was killing me that much is sure.
"So you really eat pokémon ?" She asked just a bit repulsed from it.
"Yes," I responded.
Misty contemplated my answer. "Why?"
"Because I can," I said dully. I really don't like having this talk with paste eaters.
Misty frowned at the answer I gave. "That's it? Because you can?"
"Of course not," I sighed. "But, I don't really want to explain myself for the hundredth time Misty. You're not the first to ask me this and I'm tired of answering it."
"But these are Pokémon though," she argued, and I rolled my eyes.
"They're animals just like human beings. Pokémon eat people when hungry enough and the same can be said about people. Perfect example would be that murder that tried to eat me a day ago."
"But…"
"In the pokémon world life is primal and savage. The pidgey eats the caterpie and the caterpie liquidates dead pokémon and suck up the insides." Misty paled at this "new" information and gagged. I placed my chin on my hand and leaned forward in my sat down position. "I need you to not judge my choices Misty and I'll do the same. Can you do that?" Misty didn't answer instantly but nodded in the end. I pulled my meat off the stick and took a bite. Bland and slightly raw. I placed it back on the fire and spat the piece into the fire.
"Mm what smells good?" Meowth purred as he climbed sleepily out of Misty's lap. I picked him up and placed him in mine instead. I reached up and tore off a leg and held it in front of him. "Mhm," he groaned and took the leg into his paws. He bit into the meat dreamingly. "Hey meowth you need a name."
"Huh?" His senses came back, and he looked around. "Ah, I'm still here with ya?"
"Yes and I want you to think of a name for yourself meowth."
"Why not just call me 'meowth' kid. I'm just a pokémon to you right?" I pat his head and rubbed behind his ears. "You may be a pokémon, but you're also your own individual. My friend Ace named himself because of this mindset and you're not like any other meowth. You're special." I pat his head again earning a purr.
"Hey wait a minute!" Meowth swiped my hand away. "I know what you're trying to do, and it won't work."
I shrugged. "You don't know that," I said not really denying it. "Anyway, I want you to think of something to call yourself. If its meowth then that's what it will be, but I'd think you'd wish to be set apart from the other thousand meowths out there." I reached for my stick and pulled it away from the fire and bit into the bird.
"Whatever twerp I won't fall for your tricks," the Meowth scoffed.
It's only a matter of time cat. Only a matter of time.
Ace and Pikachu arrived not to long after I was finished eating and each looked satisfied. Ace flew to his pokéball and taped the button. He went inside on his own accord to rest more than likely. By this point, I put my shirt back on and my hat. I buried the fire and grabbed my pack.
"Ready Pikachu." Pikachu climbed up to shoulder. Misty climbed up to her feet as well and nodded with her pack on her back. I turned to meowth and gave him a look He sighed and crossed his arms. "Let's get moving." Back on the road again I looked around for good pokémon to snag. I do want the final evolutions of a caterpie and weedle on my team, but the path to this will be long I'm sure. It's about time and experience. Once these two become cocoons it's a matter of how long it takes from them to come out.
I stopped when I noticed a pretty decently sized caterpie to the side. I walked up to is while it inched up a tree. It caught me coming up and froze. Sometimes you don't have to battle them to catch them and I think this is one of those instances. I reached for the pokémon and placed my hand in front of it. The pokémon still didn't move for a time. Eventually it climbed up to my arm. It was large enough to cover half of my arm so a good size. Close to evolving. "I think you'll do." I reached for my belt and pulled out an empty pokéball. I tapped it to the side of the caterpie and watched the capture process. The pokéball shivered two times before going still. My pokédex came to life. I looked up the attacks… he by the male symbol at the top of the screen, had are basic. String shot and tackle. Low level but useful regardless.
When walked back I saw an amused cat and horrified girl. "What?"
"That was gross! You let it crawl on you?!" she exclaimed. What is she freaking out about? It's a caterpie. It's not even dangerous. If that was a beedrill then I can understand her hesitance, but it's a small bug.
"Your twerp girl is afraid of bugs… Yahhh!" Meowth flew up into the air and hit a tree. A huffing Misty dropped her leg from her revenge kick and stomped it down.
"Shut up you!" Yet again I don't get why she's afraid of a bug like this. Maybe it's another girl thing.
"Well whatever time to train and… Crap!"
"Ptooo!" I dropped to the ground and something swooped from above. Something that pulled up the wind as it shot past me. That was freaking close.
"What was that…!" Misty yelled. I looked up and saw a pidgeotto above.
What the Hebel? Why is it attacking me? I looked at the side of the tree and back to the bird. I put two and two together and groaned. I took his dinner it seems. Yeah, I'd be angry too. I climbed up to my feet and gripped Ace's pokéball. I tossed it into the air and the golden bird flapped his wings glaring at its evolved cousin.
"Plrrp." Ace threatened its evolved cousin.
"Ptoo!" The pidgeotto wasted no time to attack.
"Ace use gust." With this much room the gust will be much more effective. The gust shot towards the pidgetto, but it flowed to the side only veering off course a bit. It was enough to save Ace from a tackle.
"Quick attack!" I ordered next.
"Prrp!" Ace shot towards the pidgeotto and hit its back. The pidgeotto wasn't fazed. It recovered quickly and whirled around. It flew faster than Ace and rammed into him with its own quick attack. Ace felt it and fell back from the blow.
"Ash this is a terrible match," Misty muttered in such a helpful fashion. "That pidgeotto is much stronger than your pidgey," she stated and again she's being very helpful
"Don't count him out," I growled at the girl and went back into the battle. Ace righted himself in the air and stared down the pidgeotto.
"Ptooo!" The pidgeotto flaps its wings fast.
"Ace head up and ride the winds. The gust from pidgeotto ripped towards Ace. He was hit but flew up and spread his wings minimizing the damage. Now higher I gave the command for a quick attack. In a dive Ace rammed into Pidgeotto sending it back. That pidgeotto was stunned from the blow and staggered. It felt that one. The pidgeotto righted itself in the air and bolted forward. "Tackle Ace." Ace met its tackle head on but between these two drastically unbalanced pokémon the pidgeotto, who's twice as large, forced Ace back.
"Plrrp." Ace took some damage but not much as could have happened.
"Gust." Now at point blank range Ace used gust and landed a direct hit on the Pidgeotto. The sharp wings blasted it back but didn't do much damage. "Quick attack. Ace shot towards the pidgeotto. Pidgeotto rose its wings for a gust. "Aim for the wings." Ace veered right just as the gust was at half strength and slammed into its left wing. The pidgeotto cried from the shock of having a wing clipped.
"Nice, hit!" Meowth cheered with his paw up in excitement. I smiled and agreed with the meowth. That was critical hit if I saw one. Ace flew up ward once it passed the stunned pidgeotto.
"Tackle." In a dive Ace shot down and plowed through the pidgeotto forcing the two of them into the ground below. The pidgeotto landed first and Ace next to it. That gust cut into Ace and the attacks before had power that Ace's lacked. Ace though has been through the ringer like myself and stood up strongly ready for more. He flapped his wings and hovered over the pidgeotto. The downed pokémon climbed to its feet next and faced Ace with plenty of fight left in it. This will be close. For an air battle the pidgeotto had the advantage and would have won in the end but this will even it out. This close to the ground a battle like this can go anywhere. Ace is special, because he's a shiny pokémon and that's kept him in this. He has something that a normal pokémon doesn't, and that is what gives him the edge over this pokémon .
"Quick attack." Ace shot towards the pidgeotto. The pidgeotto did the unexpected in the form of using its wing and slap Ace away and off target. Ace flew into tree and fell down. The pidgeotto took advantage and tackled Ace back into the tree. I grit my teeth at my mistake. "Peck." Ace turned its head and peck down on the pidgeotto's head. It cried and reeled back. "Tackle." Ace tackled its breast pushing it back. Pidgeotto tackled back then used a single winged gust forcing Ace back away. Ace fell back to the ground. Ace got up, but I could tell he was on his last leg. "Ace you can do this!" I roared at him.
"Ash you have to pull him out! He'll die."
"He can't die today and he can do this Misty. Have some faith," I stated strongly.
"PRRR!" Ace shot up.
"Tackle," I commanded, and Ace tackled the pidgeotto in the breast with its peak in front. The attack pierced and forced the pidgeotto back.
"Critical hit," Meowth announced once more. "Come on ya got this!"
"He's right come one Ace!" This was good and the pidgeotto is almost down.
The evolved bird shot its head down in some sort of headbutt hurting itself and Ace. The pidgeotto is struggling. That's not good. That makes it unpredictable.
"Ace fly up if you can." Ace shot back and flapped its wings, but nothing happened. Its wings can't hold its weight anymore. I grit my teeth. This isn't good. Ace is staggered and the pidgeotto is struggling. Ace and the pidgeotto are both grounded and unable to fly. This will come down to speed against might and that pidgeotto hits hard. Its injured though. That critical to its wing and breast are weakening having an bleeding effect on it. It's tackle is at half strength without wings same with a quick attack. His gust is weak with his weakened condition. The pidgeotto suddenly charged ahead like a torros. That may be the key.
"Ace head to the tree." Ace made a call to show he understood my order. He trusts my directions and follows them without question. He dodged an attack from the pidgetto in time and took to the tree. "Gust." Ace rose its wings and flapped desperately to make anything akin to a strong gust happen, but it was extremely weak. The pidgeotto forced itself forward despite this gain ground. It pushed closer and closer. "Jump up now!" Ace flapped his wings downward and shot up. He can't fly but he can still push his body up. The larger bird suddenly shot underneath Ace and rammed head first into the tree at full struggling power.
"Tackle down and finish this!" With only a meter or two between them this won't do much damage but on an unprotected back this will hurt a lot. Ace shot down and rammed into the back of the larger bird slamming it back into the trees. The pidgeotto's eyes lost color and it fell to the ground. Ace landed next to the sill pidgeotto and I stood still and waited. Ace weakly climbed up and turned his head to his downed opponeted. Ace pushed out his wings and made a loud and victorious "pllp" and I grinned. It was over.
"Yes!" I ran up to Ace as he struggled to stay standing.
"He did it," Misty stood shocked at my lower level Ace won against its evolved form. That's what I'm talking about. Faith and we did it.
"Ace you did it. You did…" A light surrounded his body suddenly and I stepped. This was new and the first I've seen this. Not an evolution, but to see a pidgey evolve though. I know that certain evolutions come in time and others with experience but Ace is special. He's never evolved in the time I've known him going on three years. He's gotten bigger than the normal pidgey by twice the size, but never evolved; not until now it seems. We've been through so much and fought against the odds many times, but couldn't find the trigger. His fight against that pidgeotto was what he needed to evolve. I stepped back as he grew larger. Larger than the other pidgeotto by half a size. Its wing span was larger than ever. The light faded and Ace finally completed his evolution. Still golden and mystically enchanting in appearance. Though the top of his head is a combination of white and reds.
"Wow," Misty awed. Wow is right because I don't think he'll fit much on my shoulder anymore.
"PTooo!" The newly evolved pidgeotto called to the sky. While I'm proud of his evolution that doesn't mean he's not injured. I walked up to Ace and pat him over the head. He came up to my chest now. "Settle down Ace you're still hurt. Misty," I called back to the girl.
"Uh yeah."
"Can you grab the potion spray from my bag?"
"Yeah I can." Misty walked over to my bag and grabbed the stuff while I examined Ace. His evolution closed his wounds that bled but the bruises are still a factor. I placed my hand on his wing and extended it out. It looked okay. I repeated for the next wing and it looked just as good.
"Here you go," Misty said as she laid the stuff down and dropped down next to me.
"Man, here I thought I saw everything but a pidgey doing that?" Meowth seemed to be in awe and he's right to be. "You good Pid…" Ace shot a glare at the meowth and he winced. "Uh, I mean Ace."
"Ptoo," Ace affirmed and I smiled.
"No your not buddy. You're hurt," I leaned down and picked up the potion Misty sat down on the ground next to me. The wonders of science in one spray bottle. This will clean and heal wounds quick and fast once used. I leaned back and let the spray go. A small cloud covered Ace and seemed to be working. Until it was all gone I sprayed Ace down despite his protest. It's for his own good anyway. I tossed the bottle away behind me and reexamined Ace. His bruises receded, and his cuts closed completely. "You're good but you need to rest some." Ace nodded and walked away from me back to tree and sat down but not before giving Misty a look as well. One she noticed quickly and she looked down.
"I'm sorry I doubted you Ace, you're awesome," she admitted, and I smiled. Ace nodded both accepting the apology as well as her compliment. I think pride was tacked on to his evolution as well because he's never acted like that before.
Now for that pidgeotto. I'm pretty sure the bird is dead or dying if not. It would be a shame to let it go to waste. I could cook it and give it to meowth maybe.
"Ahhh!" I turned around and reached for my knife. I scanned the area when I heard the scream and my eyes stopped on Misty. She pointed at something and I followed her finger to the body of the pidgeotto. I didn't see anything out of place so maybe something is wrong I'm just not seeing it. I walked up to the body and stopped when I saw something move. A worm of sorts. Oh no, it's a weedle. It pokéd pidgeotto with its stinger and killed it for sure. It turned its attention towards me and I didn't move. I've had a bad run in with these things many times over. I've been stung by one and almost died from it. My body might have developed a bit of an immunity but that doesn't mean it won't effect me negatively. I guess it wishes to eat this thing, and I don't want to stop it meal. Best I just slowly move back and…
"Ash what's over there?" Misty asked, and I said nothing. One sudden move and this pokémon will spring at me with its tail and hit me head on with it. I need to move slowly and calmly away. Once it figures out I'm not a tree it will spring and take me down with its poison sting. I'm not for that right now. "Ash." Misty sounded worried right now from my silence and awkward stance I'm taking with my around wide out and slightly slouched over. I can't blame her for being worried about this. I'd be worried too if this was her in this predicament. I can imagine what might be going through her mind right now to see me like this and unmoving isn't good.
I slowly reached down to my belt and pulled my knife out. The flash from the sun hit the bug in the eyes. "Crap!" I shot back and hit the ground with my back. The weedle shot pass me once I hit the ground and I gasped from the impact and close call. Its point almost hit my chin, but I evaded, thank mew for that. I rolled away as fast as I could to my face then shot behind a tree and heard a loud clunk. I noticed it hit the tree with its stinger when I looked back at it. "AH!" I heard then ran around and brought my knife down on top of the weedle, but it wasn't there. I looked around and saw it inching towards Misty.
I don't think I'd reach it in time and pikachu wouldn't be able to. I looked to the side and saw my newest addition. "Meowth scratch!" I commanded as I barreled towards the larva. Meowth jumped and ran away. I knew I couldn't count on him yet. I rose my knife up by the blade and threw it. The blade flew. "Duck Misty!" She dropped down just as the weedle shot out to sting her. Clunk! I breathed out and fell to my hands and knees. "Man," I gasped and panted slowly. My body was awake now.
"Ptoo?" Ace looked up with a tired stare at the situation that just unfolded and I think deduced what happened. His eyes shot at the meowth quickly.
"Pika pi," pikachu asked from my shoulder. I fell back to my butt and then my side as an answer to how alright I am. I watched as Misty fell to her rear as well and crawled back from the weedle. The same one with a knife sticking out of its head. "That was close," I groaned. Too close. If I had been a second slower Misty would probably be dead or dying right now. That stupid meowth! I'm gonna train the crap out of him until every cowardly bone in his body is broken and remade.
"Ptoo!" Ace shot over to meowth and plucked it up by his neck.
"Hey come let me go!"
"Meowth!" The cat froze at my roar I'm not happy right now and this pokémon is going to see what happens when I'm not happy. I stomped over to him as Ace held him up.
"Hey hey wait this isn't my fault!"
I grabbed the cat by the back to the neck stopping his stupid prattle. I carried him past a trembling Misty to the weedle. "Misty has been nothing but nice to you and you can't even defend her in her time of need! No wonder team rocket cast you out you damned cat." I smashed the cat into the weedle. "This almost killed Misty because you ran away and cowered. How dare you claim that you did nothing wrong when you ran away!" I smashed him into the dead weedle again ignoring his cries.
"Ash!" I shot my attention to the voice. Misty reeled back and fell to her rear. She looked afraid almost of me maybe.
I sighed and rubbed my head. The red in my eyes faded away as I tossed the cat away and reached for his pokéball. "Just, return." The meowth disappeared into the pokéball and I placed it in my pocket. I took a long breath.
"Ptoo ptoo."
"I know," I growled at Ace. "You're were right but that doesn't changed the fact it happened." I leaned down and yanked my knife out of the weedle. "You can eat that if you want Ace." I pulled out the pokéball for caterpie and let it fall. I have four pokémon and started my journey only two days ago. Just a few days in and already I have a problem child. That child being in the form of a meowth. I don't regret capturing him, but damn it he's making me curse and its making me very unhappy.
I let caterpie out of his ball and kneeled down in front of him. When the caterpie appeared I leaned over and pat its head. "You hungry buddy." It didn't make a noise or anything. I didn't really expect it to because no all pokémon have a call. I pointed to the dead pidgeotto. "You can eat that." Caterpie looked at me then the carcass then crawled towards the carcass.
"Y-you're gonna let that caterpie eat that pidgeotto?" Misty stuttered.
"Yep. Pokémon gotta eat too but that's not what's important right now. Misty," I walked up to her and looked her over closely. I didn't see anything on her chest or her stomach. I brushed my hand over her navel. "Stop shivering," I muttered to her. She started to shiver when I began to check her stomach. Why she wears clothing that doesn't cover her skin and exposes so much flesh makes no sense to me. "I don't see any marks. I don't think it hit you. Did it hit you?"
"Ah, no. I don't think so."
"Misty," I got into her face now to look into her eyes. "That thing's poison point can kill pokémon and people alike. I need to know if it hit you," I educated her quickly. "Did it get or did I get it in time?" Misty flushed and looked away.
"I-I'm fine." I took her cheek in hand and turned her eyes towards mine. I can't be sure unless I look into her eyes. With my aura there is only so much I can see on the outside but the eyes are the doors to the soul. I can see the truth within them so I sighed in relief.
"Good." I stepped back and rubbed my head. I really don't feel good anymore. I sat down next to my pack.
"Pika." I opened my eyes and saw Pikachu in front of me. I pat his head and smiled.
"Its fine buddy. I'm just tired." With the adrenaline wearing off I can feel my fatigue beginning to him me. With the hunting, the battle, that close encounter, and dealing with meowth I'm just about spent for the next half house. Pikachu examined me quietly before he climbed into my lap and laid down. And thing today started really nice. It's not even two yet. I have seven hours left until the day is gone. I took a couple more breaths. I felt something rest next to me. I touched feathers when I reached for it and smiled. "Hey Ace."
"Ptoo?"
"I'll be fine in a moment once this feeling goes away." That fight or flight chemical in your body released during times of extreme stress upon the body is a pain once you're off it. We learn about it in Ranger academy but since I didn't finish I didn't learn the rest about the body. I need a moment to get my bearing.
"Hey Ash?"
"Yes Misty," I grunted.
"Can you forgive Meowth Ash? I mean he was scared and…"
"That's no excuse Misty. Meowth is a pokémon and has a natural resistance to poison. It's especially true for normal types like meowth. People like you and I on the other hand could die in an hour without the antidote. Something we don't have Misty. I'd say my irritation is rightly placed." I climbed up to my feet. "Return Ace." I placed Ace back into his ball, I placed Pikachu on my shoulder, and I picked up my pack.
"Let's go. Caterpie is finished." I pulled out and checked my pokédex. I expanded the pokéball and held it up. The worm crawled out of the body much fatter than before. I made it return and pocketed my ball.
"Hey Ash."
"Sup Misty," I said in a very Gary Oak fashion. I wonder how the guy is doing with his car and fan girls. It's weird for a guy only a year or two older than myself to have fan girls that are three years older than him. I don't get why he would need those girls with him in the first place. I know I have Misty with me, but she knows how to cook, sew my bag and clothes, and other things that most girls I've seen do. She's been in the wilderness for a while now. She knows herbs and berries better than I do on top of this. I have yet to see her pokémon but as a water pokémon trainer it should be an interesting assortment.
"Did you do ranger apprentice training?" She asked suddenly. Ranger apprentice training is self-explanatory. Basically when you're at the age of ten you're qualified to enlist into the training camp. From what I seen its mostly book learning and minor combat training. I'll admit that I've been to the training camp, but I never completed it. I'm stuck in Hiatus for the moment. I can go back to that academy and renew my status and complete my training, but I'd rather go the trainer route for now instead of becoming a ranger. I don't like their methods and rules against pokémon and people. I was taught by Lucario that when you're in danger or threatened you do what you have to in order to preserve your life. I don't plan on dying any time soon if I can help it. I can't just jump into danger just because I'm told to without a real reason to do it. I'm not insane like Rangers. Back to the question though.
"I took the beginner level trainee course as well as the intermediate but never really graduated into the role of apprentice."
"You never… finished the training?" I shook my head. I learned most of my knife techniques in the academy same with some of my survival techniques. Three months of my time went to that place and another two after that for the intermediate course. "Why didn't you finish?"
"I don't wish to talk about it." I crushed this topic right off the bat. Even I have stuff I don't wish to talk about. "You were born and raised in the city right?" I asked back.
"Yeah at Cerulean City," she answered.
"Why did you leave? My mom tells me that city folk don't normally come out to the country."
"Well I did?" Misty huffed with her arms crossed.
"So why did you leave? I'm sure you have better to do than go fishing and follow me around. You're a trainer of water pokémon so why bother following me and not get on with your journey? You left the city for a reason right?"
"I told you that I want my bike back," she said again like a song on repeat.
"So you left the city just so you could meet someone that would ruin your back and then follow them around until they pay you back. What are you a cartoon character or NPC?"
"Of course not," she yelled at me while angrily swiping her hand across her body. "I had to get away from my sis…" Misty caught herself before she could finish. That sounded like she was about to say 'sister' or something. Misty has a sister that she wanted to get away from so she went to an extreme to get away from her. Well its none of my business.
"Then I hope you make up with your sister then Misty once we get to Cerulean City."
"What!" Misty shot in front of me and spread out her arms to stop me. "N-no we should go there last if we do anything."
"It's the next city after Pewter according to my map so that's not going to happen. If you don't wish to enter your home town then wait at the pokémon center for me. Once I'm done conquering the gym I'll pick you up then we can leave." I walked around Misty.
"But Ash."
"I don't think there's anything that bad to make you this hesitant Misty. If anyone tries to hurt you I got your back."
"Ah…haa. Thanks Ash."
"We're traveling together so its only right I keep you safe right. My master told me that's the role of the man. To keep the girl safe." Misty flushed so I think I said something right.
"S-shut up Ash. Trying to sound cool!" She turned around from me I think giving me the cold shoulder.
Or maybe not. Girls are hard to understand.
A/N: And so begins the trek through the forest. Man this took a moment to release and its still a bit short for my tastes. Next chapter will be coming faster than this one did.
Thanks for reading and please review.