Chapter 3 – A Pokémon Story
Ash, May, Brock, Lurna and Pikachu walk behind the Charizard that giving Max a ride on his shoulders leading them to some place leaving them wondering what it is, Ash turn his looking at the river walking alongside it seeing some pokémon slashing out of the water then back into the water.
Lurna was thinking carefully then spoke softly "If only we can understand him, we know what this Charizard taking us" Lurna stared at the Charizard just ahead feeling she was being taking to somewhere blindly by some sort of strange pokémon that seem to act like a trainers pokémon and seeming to understand them perfectly "I don't like this big guy one bit" Lurna mutters Brock hearing it looking over her a little bit.
"He did save us from Team Rocket and help stop them from taking Max and Pikachu." Brock points out to her "Charizard might be a strange one but what we've seen on our journeys strange mysteries is what fills our world with advantage" Brock explained to Lurna "And I think we can trust him" Lurna looking at him as Brock spoke
"If you say so" Lurna said looking forwards with a unsure look on her face as they carried on.
Max notice something a head looking around the neck of the Charizard "Hey Ash, May, Brock, Lurna! There something a head and look like some sort of plane" Max told them pointing a finger over at it they came past the Charizard seeing it.
May tilt her hand a little putting a finger on her cheek "Wow that quite big and funny looking" May said they walking up to it. It was quite big and plants seem to be grown all over it with it looking quite dirty showing it was there for some time "With those engines on the back it could even fly in space couldn't it?"
Brock opened his mouth and yelled a bit they looking at him "What is it Brock?" Ash asked right away.
"That thing is from out of space! Look at the symbols on the side that nothing like that on Earth and the shape of it is strangely build" Brock spoke out loud as Max got of the Charizard looking at it as well walking up to it. "Must have crashed a bit back"
Ash looked amazed and stood amazed "Wow a real alien space ship!" Ash smile turn to a uncertain look seeing the Charizard walk by him they all watching this pokémon walk over to it climbing onto one of the wings the claw feet touching it the creaking of metal. "This might sound silly but what if this is his ship?"
"Now that is silly and stupid!" May burst out at him "How can a pokémon be that smart?"
Ash went into defence "Pokémon are not dumb! They are just as cleaver and us and have feelings as well!" Max watch the Charizard place a claw hand on a panel spread out against it a light lowers scanning the palm
"Guys" Max spoke
"I know Ash but they just not that smart to build something like that" May points at it
Ash put a fist out putting a foot forwards at her "We can't say that for sure"
"Guys look!" Max spoke still not listening at the door then pull back and slide to into the wall they still auguring "Guys! Look!" they all look to see the Charizard lift his claw hand off Pikachu standing behind him with one ear lower a bit tilting it head "Pika?"
Lurna the spoke "Look like Ash was right. That is Charizard's ship" Lurna then see him point at the door then walk inside. "Should we go in? Might be a trap"
"Team Rocket not that good" Brock said to her
"I say yes!" Max rush up to the wing climbing on it walking into the ship
May slap her head "Look like we have little choice now" May hangs her arms down in front then walk up to the ship they all going inside.
They come into a semi big room with some active computers seeing the Charizard sitting by one on a chair the door behind them closing "This is yours isn't it?" Ash asked the Charizard not expecting a reply but only in Pokémon
Charizard smiled a bit "Yes Ash Ketchem this is" Ash stared with wide eyes everyone looking shocked including Pikachu "Wh…" Pikachu closed it mouth instantly with sweat on it's face just sitting there quietly trying to understand how it was talking Ash and the others words even it understood them it always knew it was speaking in Pokémon and now noticed it wasn't.
"Y-yo-you can speak!" May pointed at the Charizard "That impossible"
Charizard cross he arms and shook his head closing the eyes "Pokémon speak in a language you can't understand but I am still speaking it. You just hearing it in the language you call English through a translator matrix" Charizard replied to them calmly and open his eyes
Brock then asked something "Mr Charizard, why did you bring us here? You must have a reason" Brock's question was looked right at from the eyes of Charizard then he turn the eyes on Max
"This child got me thinking about you humans. I avoided contact and stayed within my crashed ship for over 2 years but when you all came to the human village I saw something about you all that was… trusting" Charizard explained standing up putting a claw hand on his waist then push on something then in a glow a sleeveless jacket on Charizard's top part of the torso appeared that was open showing the front of the torso and the belt around the waist and with a device on the left of it.
"Wow" Max blinked looking at his appearance "You look so cool!" Max gleamed
"Thank you Max" Max blinked looking at him "How did you know our names?" Max asked after Charizard said thank you.
Charizard touch something on a panel a holo image appears in the middle of computer files showing Ash and his ID then May, Brock, Max and Lurna "I accessed the Pokémon centre in the village where you was staying the night there. It was quite simply easy to access" Charizard said to them "I also look on news about you as well and quite surprised to see the name Ash pop up time and time again. You are a rare sort of human among the common humans"
Ash rubbed the back of his head with a sheepish smile "Well I have got into many things before and met lots of rare pokémon"
"But if this is yours then where are you from?" Lurna asked a direct question to Charizard.
"That why I brought you all here. I will get some refreshments for you all to eat. I might not have much power, but you will get to taste the food from where I am from" Charizard turn the holo image off going over to a machine he push on a panel with his claw tips and the 6 plates and glasses with a glass mug shaped of a Charizard appears with food on each plate some of it odd looking nothing like they've seen before. He carry the plate over to the middle of the room he push a set of buttons, the floor opens up with a table raising up and 6 seats two a little higher then the floor close around it. He place the tray down in the middle, "Sit, please and you" Pikachu looked right at him "Stop looking like that, didn't you hear what I said?" Pikachu nods Ash looking down at Pikachu
"Pikachu?" Ash stared at him, Pikachu then lower it paws then spoke "Yes Ash?" Ash fell over in a instant in shock then sits up "You spoke!"
Pikachu look at Charizard "Don't worry once you leave the ship you will hear your own pokémon language again" Charizard said with a reassuring tone "Plus why don't you enjoy this chance to talk to your friend directly"
Pikachu then smiled "I think I am alright with that" Pikachu said with a happy look in it eyes.
"Pikachu you sound different speaking our language. It kind of crazy weird." Ash said to it "But pretty cool" Ash smiled patting Pikachu on the head rubbing it as well Pikachu enjoying it.
"Now would you all like to sit and I tell you my story?" Charizard said putting a claw hand to the table.
"I would like to" Brock said sitting down Charizard moving his chair to the table and sit down with the others "What is this?" Brock took his plate looking at the food "it would ruin the surprise of trying it" Charizard told him "ok I guess your right on that part" Brock replied
"Now first things first, My name is Flare" Charizard spoke to them as they settled down to listen to him. "Now here is how I ended up here and why I am stuck here" Flare about to begin then May asked
"Stuck here?" Flare looked at her with that Charizard look May backed her head back a little with sweat and pupils shrunk "Sorry" Flare nod calmly May sighing in relief.
"I will now tell you my story" Flare spoke and start to tell them his story of events that lend to the crash and Flare being stuck there for 2 years. "Over 3 years ago, a year before crashing here, a rare and deadly virus infected pokémon from where I am from. The virus changed and became harmless but what it infected the virus was still deadly and slowly making those that was ill far worse over the cause of time" Flare talk to them.
"My daughter was infected as well so to try and find a cure for her and the others" Flare took out a photo from a jacket pokémon putting it on the table Brock picking it up and passing it to Ash then so on. "I left my home travelling deeper into space searching for a cure a element of sort that could destroy that virus without killing those that was infected by it" Flare continued
"I came across one a over year search on a small planet quite lucky as well, near by a star was close to going nova" Flare telling them when May brought up a question
"A star going nova? What is that?" May asked him
Flare sighed, "You humans never travel into the stars or look at them?" Flare look over at May the eyes shifting from a Charizard to her made May creep out a little thinking he was about to flamethrower her. "A Super Nova is a collapsing star that starts to expand but then the gravity pulls it in on itself, the core then explodes under the pressure causing Super Nova" Flare explained "That is part of what happened next" Flare then continues telling them.
"I estimated that it would take me too long to get back to Pokélonum to save half a million pokémon under this illness so I flew to the Star with this very craft got right near it and turn to my home. The pinpoint blast the very split second flash I used to push the ship at high speeds faster then light. Took only a few minutes but…" As Flare talking to them Pikachu at the point of the word Pokélonum got side tracked
"Pokélonum." Pikachu whispers quietly then catch on after the but part missing about the Super Nova push part, wondering about the story of the myth Pokélonum a very old story from what Pikachu heard of from the beginning of it own life.
"It was 5 times greater then I thought it was, the blast made my ship go faster, I quickly placed all but this piece of Ore" Flare pull out of a near by draw just behind him turning around to it and taking out with his claw hand a piece of rock on the table "In a escape pod the only one. Then I launched it when passing Pokélonum, I knew they caught it successfully but here is what I learned after crashing. I managed to cross the Great Barrier without even knowing it and kept contact till I slowed right down in Earth's atmosphere" Flare told them and now making them wonder a bit about this Great Barrier.
"My craft crashed in this forest crossing just to the right of the village landing here. I soon repaired the commutations systems and I couldn't breach the Great Barrier like I did before crashing. Since these 2 very long years I've been studying many things about the way your world work and that going into a very long story" Flare said to them finishing off his story.
"Flare. I am wondering what is this Great Barrier?" Brock asked him about the Great Barrier. Flare looked over at him "And don't mean to be rude but that typical Charizard look makes me feel your going to burn me" Brock spoke.
Flare stood up turning his back to them and walking over to one of the control stations placing both claw hands on it with his head hung down a little then start speaking. "The look of a Charizard, cold and fearing, a fire breathing Pokémon, that looking fearing."
They all blinked once then silently looking at each other before Ash getting up walking over to the large fire pokémon putting a hand over the left claw hand placing on top of it Flare turning his head a little looking at Ash. "I gather that some kids rhyme for a Charzard cause of the way you become. I've got a Charizard, which give those looks, but I can tell that it being friendly. Charizard is in a valley at this moment training hard, it my friend and part of my family." Ash told Flare who grins a little the look at Ash can tells was being glad.
"No wonder I could trust you and the others." Flare moved his claw hand after Ash lifts his hand off then place a claw hand on Ash shoulder then removing it "Indeed it a crawl rhyme by schooling Pokémon. I had it spoke at me when I was a young Charizard" Flare told Ash and the others. "The way that we look with this snout and all can't be helped it part of the time of adult evaluation"
"Erm could you rewind there… adult evaluation? Schooling Pokémon?" May spoke out with a confused look on her face "You make it sound like Pokémon evolve over a period of time and go to schools"
"Evolving over a period of time is nature on Pokélonum and schools, well it standard living as well once you've reach the age of 5 you will go to school but before that and during the period of gaps we learn to use our special skills as a self defence or abilities to help us out during the life" Flare answered May Pikachu then jumping up on the table knocking the plate over.
"Pokélonum is just a myth in a story there is no such place on Earth!" Pikachu shouted at Flare "Stop making lies!" sparks fly from Pikachu's cheeks.
"Pokélonum is real. It not on Earth cause it a whole planet in a star system 10 light years away. No pokémon from that side or this side of the Great Barrier can cross it but one time to be believed that there was no barrier" Flare replied calmly making Pikachu anger a bit more
"Pikachu calm down. Lets listen to him" Ash said waving his hands downwards to Pikachu
Pikachu hug it head down with a sigh "Ok Ash. Sorry, it just hard to believe this. All pokémon hear this story of a legendary place called Pokélonum a place that a holy ground for us Pokémon" Pikachu explained the reason it was annoyed.
Flare push a few keys on the panel and a holo image appears above the table showing space and a barrier "This is the Great Barrier, rocks and all sorts can go right through it but when Pokémon from my world tried, the craft just bounce off it or just sit still pushing into a wall of energy. This cuts Pokélonum and Earth off from each other and believed to be made for that purpose"
"You mean someone made it?" Max looked at the image then at Flare who nods softly with closed eyes "But why? What the point? What dangers would there be?" Max asked a set of questions in one go.
Flare open his eyes with arms crossed waving his fiery tail a bit "All questions we asked as well but when you look at this" Flare push some more keys and zooms out to show where Earth and Pokélonum is. "It is placed in some a way that the Great Barrier clearly blocks and cut Pokémon off from each other on either side of the barrier. How I got through still remains a mystery even for me, I ran dozen of salutations all saying even with the increase Super Nova that I should have been dead on impact of the Great Barrier but instant I cross right through it and crash here." Flare told them about his own problems with this Barrier.
"I tried to send a message and it gets block by the Great Barrier so I know that I can't get back through the way I did 2 years ago. That why I am confused and why this gives me a real bad headache!" Flare slams closed claw hands onto the panel not enough to break through it just to let his anger vent through making the guests jump a bit. "Sorry, I just get myself really anger over this stupid Great Barrier" Flare turns the image off. "And that my child is now a Charizard herself and I wasn't there to see her go through it or even they made a cure from that ore and healed her… it all just builds up on me" Flare said with tears falling from his eyes landing on the console.
"Wow you have it bad don't you?" Lurna said sitting back in the chair her hands on the back of her head. "If what you say about this other world is true, your fellow pokémon are sure have cured your kid, but getting anger with yourself not going to chance that you already missed this time of adult evaluation as you call it" Lurna told him in a way of words to hint that it not going to help him getting anger over it.
Flare walk up over Lurna she looked up at him "For a kid you have the right words to cheer up a Charizard like me"
"Sorry to cut in. But is there another reason why you brought us here?" Ash asked Flare leaning against one of the consoles.
Flare turn around "This might sound odd but I had you all come up with me to here cause I am quite alone, you've the first I had a real talk to in the 2 years since I have been here." Flare told them the real reason "and I trust you all" Flare smiled "I wish to be friends with you all"
Brock smiled "We all friends here and nice to make a friend even you're a Charizard" Brock told him "No offence of course"
"None taken. Since I am a Charizard maybe not from your world but still one in form and heart" Flare said to Brock then look down at Pikachu "How about I take you on a tour of Pokélonum History data banks. I can tell you everything or the important things to it or whatever you like to know" Pikachu nod with amazed eyes
"That would be cool!" Pikachu jump up on the table looking over to Ash "Is that alright with you?"
"Sure pal, go ahead, while you do we can set up camp outside" Ash said to Pikachu, "we going to stay here for a little bit if you don't mind Flare" Ash moved his head to view Flare in his vision
Flare put a claw tip on the end of his snout closing his eyes they all looking at the large fire pokémon then he opened his eyes moving the claw away. "Yes you can, but the camp not needed, this craft is suppose to be a craft for 8" Flare explained
"That would explain the size of it from the outside" Lurna said still sitting on her chair "And thank you my fiery friend" Flare looked at Lurna then walk over to another door.
"To open it you push this panel here" Flare push it, the door slide open being big then he walked through Ash, May, Max and Brock walking in with Lurna getting up following in with Pikachu entering they all looked amazed at the 8 beds all pretty big easy for a pokémon as large as Flare.
Ash notice one with the shifts a bit unsettle to the others "I guess you sleep on that one" Ash looked at the bed
"Yes" Flare spoke sitting down on it with the tail tip touching it the fire not even burning the sheets "The sheets are soft and the bed is also all fire proof not even burning a little bit by having the tail under the covers" Flare spoke to them about the bed covers "You all can rest here for the night, the hyper shower unit is in there which has a toilet as well"
"What is a hyper shower?" May asked Flare
Flare then answered looking at May who freaked out from the look but Flare ignores it "Hyper shower is a unit that clears skin deep by circulating around the body, plus fire pokémon like me it don't affect the flame on the tail." Flare explained
"By the way, how did you restart your flame?" Brock asked now interesting in the battle that took place "We all say it was out clear as day"
Flare move his view to Brock "It something that I learned. That the fire on the tail is a weakness to that of a Charizard till one learns to control the fire within and if out bring it back to light" Flare spoke in a set of words that made it confusing for them to hear "The fire I can control at will. I can put it out" Flare spoke the fire going down then disappear "And make it glow again" Flare said the fire coming back.
"That impossible" Ash said seeing what he saw "I know enough that once it out, it out"
Flare shook his head "it takes a bit out of me but I can control it enough to make it seem to go out but it burns within me and that hurts a little bit but enough to endure the pain" Flare told them
"That so cool!" Max said sitting on a bed "the bed is as well, thank you Flare" Max said happily to the Charizard.
Flare gets up looking at each of them"Get settle and I will show Pikachu the history like I said I would. A word of a Charizard is something that is taking to a count and keep" Flare said walking out with Pikachu, Pikachu look at Ash he nods and Pikachu follow the door closing.
"That look might creep me out, but that Charizard is such a kid pokémon" May said with a short smile "Not that I thought a Charizard would be, Flare might be proving that wrong"
Brock stood against a wall near one of the beds crossing his arms "I have to agree, when Ash had his Charizard once it obeyed him, it was a kid pokémon and happy to be with Ash's team" Brock said Ash thinking about it with his head down a bit.
"Charizard… I wonder if I see that big lung. Charizard was one of the toughest to train but it was a great friend and Pikachu enjoyed being around Charizard as well." Ash said remembering about Charizard "How about if I would put on a request to Flare to take me and Pikachu to Charific Valley" Ash suggested
"Up to you Ash" Lurna said looking over at him now lying on a bed back against the wall "I am sure he won't bite and might even accept. Seeing fellow Charizards might make him feel happy as well"
"But his from a world that Charizards that do many different things they all have their own choices, do things and have total free will even schooling. A Charizard from this Pokélonum seem to have brains that equally or even be smarter then us humans" Brock explained pointing out a group of facts and differences.
"Yeah that ture…" Ash said still staring down at the ground then raised his head with a smile "But asking won't harm at all. I will ask tomorrow morning" Ash smiled "We got a whole day with a Charizard from another pokémon world to hang around with" Ash said with Max already very happy with that idea the others nod then putting their stuff down by or on each bed Ash doing the same a new day but better then he thought it would be.
