Chapter 2: Not Really a Sobriety Test, but Close
This was quite a discovery. Rushuna Tendo, the Grenadier, emerged in front of Ash, Brock, Dawn and many other creatures while riding a Mamoswine. Here's the problem with this: she's fully unaware of her new surroundings because she's frozen stiff. Here's the 411 on the situation. Rushuna had already visited someone named Lady Tenshi with Mikan and Rearguard Tiger Yajiro and was on her way to spread smiles across the land when they attempted to cross the mountains. Hunkered in a cabin, they were ambushed by rouge gunners who sought a bounty that was stamped on Rushuna, who claimed that the bounty on her was worthless on Lady Tenshi's words. Ignoring the news, the gunners attacked. Rushuna evaded the strikes, only to fall off the mountain and become buried in a huge patch of snow and froze up. The fates of Yajiro and Mikan sounded dim. Rushuna's body remained adjacent to a fire where the yellow mouse and blue penguin watched helplessly about her condition. Ash, Brock and Dawn had feelings that their discovery was nothing more than finding a body. "As interesting as seeing a preserved body is, I don't really see a point in keeping her," Dawn observed. "I mean, she's probably a dead body kept in a freezer somewhere, then dumped where a wild Mamoswine just happened to find it." It was a sad ideal to bring up but considering what they had thawing, holding someone like her shrouded a possible waste.
"I hate to see someone just dissolve like time finally caught up with her," Ash frowned. "I mean, look how young she looks." The other two took note of Rushuna's youthful body and...ahem. Anyway...
"You've got a point there, Ash," Brock justified. He picked up Rushuna's revolver, instantly startling the younger two.
"Watch where you point that thing!" Dawn snapped. "There's no safety mechanism on there!" Brock discharged the cylinder, showing the bullets no in the holes. Brock had unloaded the weapon.
"This six-shooter is in pretty good condition, considering it being about a few hundred years old. Plus the hammer had been adjusted so tightly, I can't pulled it back to fire." It would seem that Rushuna had adjusted the revolver to her own safety measures...and her liking so that there weren't any misfires. Nice. "As for Ash's beliefs and the type of gun used, the fact that the ice managed to preserve her body up to this point is a straight-up miracle. However, it may just be for consolation." The three sighed, already defeated by significant facts.
"I do kinda wish that she was alive so that we get to know her," Ash hoped.
"She's over 300 years old," Dawn grumbled. The two small creatures overheard the talk, feeling useless. That's when the penguin noticed Rushuna's chest moving, then the mouse. Could it be? Could it be that she's alive? The mouse raced to the humans, panicked that Rushuna's not dead.
"What is it, Pikachu?" The mouse frantically pointed to Rushuna. Ash got up and ran over to Rushuna, looking like she's breathing. Quickly, he turned to Dawn. "Dawn, a blanket! She's alive!" Dawn and Brock were in dismay. Ash had his wish come true...yet Rushuna could only breathe. Dawn tossed a blanket to Ash who swiftly wrapped her up. The penguin dashed to Ash with a pillow. Seeing that made Ash feel more comforted that Rushuna would be able to recover her health more cushioned. "Appreciate that, Piplup." Ash gently lifted the head, still freezing cold, allowing Piplup to slide the pillow under her head. After resting the head, Ash forwarded his hands to the fire, warming those up. Finally, he huffed a sigh of relief, knowing that at least Rushuna would be at ease. That's when he shot a look at Brock. What for? "Thanks...all of you." He thanked Dawn, Brock, Pikachu and Piplup. Wait...Brock did nothing. Why thank him?
"Hey, leave me out of this," he chuckled. "You guys did the work." So, why did Ash thank Brock if he didn't lend a hand?
"I think Ash is being generous considering how you taught us first-aid," Dawn may have clarified. Oh...So, Ash thanked Dawn for grabbing the blanket, Piplup for the pillow and Pikachu for the alert, but most of the acknowledgment went to Brock for his teachings. Finally, Brock got the message, still disbelieving the notion that he helped out.
"That was suppose to be in certain situations with your Pokémon." Well, regardless, it helped Rushuna. Night fell. The group was fast asleep with Rushuna still by the fire...just not alone. Pikachu loaded more wood to the fire to help the blond thaw. Her moans were a sign that she'd be alright in the morning.
"Yat...chan..." she mumbled out. "Mi...kan..." Pikachu started to wonder who Rushuna was trying to call, unaware that it was her friends in the past, Yajiro and Mikan.
("Who's Yatchan and Mikan?") he wondered quietly. Not that it was a big deal at the moment, Pikachu snuggled into his sleeping bag to rest. The next morning, the crew packed up, ready to proceed.
"Ash, I've got your stuff," Brock advised. Hearing his big friend, Ash grumbled as if Brock was being a child with the "Keep Away" game. To Ash looking back at the still out Rushuna, he was the one who had to load her onto his back, meaning those hills massaging his pride if that had any consolation. Yikes... "Think of it this way: you need the exercise with what's coming up." Anyone say injury to insult? Ash had to hate the position he was placed in. Dawn came around Rushuna with a red/white ball in her hand. She opened it, releasing a human height purple monkey with two tails with paws at the tips.
"Ambipom, load this girl onto Ash's back," Dawn ordered the monkey. Using the long tails, Ambipom hoisted Rushuna onto his back. Instantly, Ash felt Rushuna's stocky breasts press down on him. Dawn turned to Brock, wanting to know today's agenda. "So, where are we headed to?"
"Nudachea City, home of the best noodles in Sinnoh." A city known for noodles like Wisconsin known for cheese? "We should make it there before noon." On that note of destination, the gang left on their way. Already, Brock, Dawn and Pikachu were in full stride. Ash? Carrying Rushuna slowed him to barely half a step. There was one good thing about this: Rushuna was warm. Dawn carried some of Rushuna's personals like her holstered gun and her hat. Heck, she was sampling the hat on her head and decided to show Brock.
"So, how do I look?" Brock chuckled, amused with some of the Grenadier's items on Dawn.
"Doesn't look good on you." Oh, well. Brock peered back at Ash, who was slipping on some loose grass. Each time, Ash managed to maintain his balance. That's gotta be tough with someone who could break your spine and those breasts aren't helping the matter. "Maybe I was a little harsh on Ash." In a fit of losing the lone perishable, Ash gave up and waived them ahead.
"Is he saying that he'll catch up?"
"Certainly looks like it. He's got what it takes." Brock and Dawn decided to go on ahead with Pikachu. Piplup was a little worried about Ash. It waddled back to Ash as he found a tree to lay Rushuna down. With Rushuna immobile, Ash wiped some of the sweat from his forehead, already exhausted from the escorting travel. This was a bit for Ash to take...and he hasn't been up for long. For some odd reason, Ash reached and brushed the blond hair from her face. Rushuna felt her hair bounce off of her thawed, rewarmed skin. She moaned. Was she waking up? Well, her eyes were slowly opening. Welcome to the new era, Rushuna Tendo. The first thing she peeked at was Ash. His red baseball cap was in Piplup's wings. Her eyes had readjusted enough to see the raven-haired boy.
"Yatchan, is that you?" she groaned weakly. Though a bit confused by the named given, Ash wanted to make sure that Rushuna was okay.
"Take it easy," he softly warned. "You're still recovering from being frozen." However, Rushuna didn't just ignore the warning. She was seeing Ash as Yajiro and lunged forward to hug the boy. Needless to say how surprised Ash...and Piplup were with the dive.
"Yatchan, it's good to see you again." Ash had to wonder who she was mumbling about. He had to say something to peel Rushuna off of him.
"Well, seeing you moving again is a good sign." That's when it suddenly hit. His voice was high and there was no sheath. Quickly, she rose to her feet and reached for her gun...which Ash should be thanking Dawn for keeping on hand. No gun, no bullets...Rushuna was in a corner...should Ash be hostile. Piplup squatted to Ash's side. This became serious.
"What did you do to Yajiro and Mikan?" Neither Ash or Piplup had a clue on who she mentioned. She had no idea that it's been sometime since her fall from grace...well, actually a mountain.
"Listen, a Mamoswine only saw you frozen solid from somewhere and brought you to me and my friends. We thawed you out and tried to get you-"
"Wait, wait, wait. I was...frozen?" Ash nodded and retained his cool despite Rushuna's quick interruption. "When am I?" That was the question that needed to be asked.
"2007." And when was she frozen? Rushuna began to come to terms. She had been encased in ice for such a long time, her friends had died...and she couldn't do a thing about it. She collapsed in dismay and hopelessness.
"Yatchan...Mikan...I'm sorry." Ash and Piplup came over to comfort her with a soft hand on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry about your good friends." Rushuna reacted by putting her hand on his, a friendly gesture none the less. "Listen, I bet after being frozen for so long, you're probably hungry." Rushuna gazed at the young man's eyes, knowing that he's here for help. She smiled in acceptance to the nourishing offer.
"Sounds like a good start, Yatchan." Despite receiving knowledge that her friends had passed on, she was still willing to call Ash, Yatchan? In a snap, she retracted her word. "I'm sorry. You look quite like Yajiro. By the way, I'm Rushuna Tendo." She offer her hand back out. As if to say welcome to the team, Ash shook her hand.
"Ash Ketchum." Piplup climbed up Ash, also wanting to shake the Grenadier's hand. Ash was amused to see this penguin ask for a shake. "This is Piplup, a Pokémon that belongs to a friend up ahead, so it's not mine necessarily." Regardless, Piplup and Rushuna shook.
"Well, it'll take me awhile to get use to the new era, especially for a 16-year-old." She could use a gun at 16? She has to be a prodigy. Surprising enough that Ash wasn't even phased at her age...prior to freezing up. He needed to catch up with the rest.
"My friends are up ahead and so is your equipment." With a nod from Rushuna, the three dashed off, hoping to reunite with Brock and Dawn. As they left, another blond entered the scene. She appeared to be a little older than Rushuna and was wearing, black head to toe literally with miniature maracas sticking out of her long, shimmering hair. Was it the sight of Ash and Rushuna together that brought her here?
"Was that the legendary Grenadier?" she wondered in deep thought. "And why is Ash hanging around her?" Was it jealousy? Was it intrigue? Whatever it was, she trailed behind the two. Was there more to Rushuna that Ash wasn't aware of? And would this other woman be coming for Ash?
TO BE CONTINUED... (Yes, there is no Nudachea City in the world, it was a spur of the moment. Sorry!)