I have found the cure for writers block! Procrastination! Here I am struggling to write 10,000 words for uni, and I've gone and writen 34,000! about Brock and Sabrina having a baby. Geez!
On a quick note, I'd like to point out that Gary is not gay, he's bi. Just can't bring myself to completely cut Gary off from women, although I'm not sure what difference it makes given that he's in a committed relationship with Tracey. Doesn't really make any difference to Daisy (who is my second choice for Gary). Tracey on the other hand is completely gay - it's practically canon, and by practically I mean not really, but you are not convincing me otherwise.
Ok, three things, and I will remind you at the end of this chapter in case you missed them at the start. Please answer the two questions in your reviews:
1) Do you want more MorningWoodShipping? Or more Forrest generally with no regard to Dawn? I have the power to bring him back (though not forever) if you so desire.
2) Which 'Character/s of the Day' would you like to see make an appearance? Just suggestions for now, and I'll make it into a poll once I see who people are most interested in. Right now I'm considering appearances from Duplica, Ritchie, and the Eevee Brothers (mostly cos I want to see how they cope with eevee's new evolutions - have they opened up their ranks to non-relatives or perhaps even females *gasp* in order to cope with eevee's ever increasing evolutions, or have they abandoned their cause to wallow in fields of self pity?)
3) Was going to pose this as a question, but I've made a decision. I've decided to separate the story into arcs, possibly because it gives me a sense of achievement and makes the task seem more manageable. The good news for you guys is that because an arc is practically its own story and I have in fact finished arc one so there will be consistent update for the rest of this. Yay! The next time you see this story it will be Ash: The Last Stand (Beginnings).
There is a third question, but can't say anything more about that one until this chapter is behind us. And so, without further ado . . .
_Recap_
Episode Title: Ego Altercation
Closest town/landmark: Cerulean City Gym (Ash & Co. Pewter City)
Distance travelled: N/A
Pokemon mentioned: Eleven
Pokemon evolved: One
Gifts received from 'Number One Person': One
Dispelling all rumors about Gary Oak's sexual preferences: Priceless
There are some thing that cannot be quantified . . . but nobody likes maths anyway.
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Pokemon. You guys should all know that by now.
Ash: The Last Stand – Scourge of the Earth
"You mean we have to climb that thing?!" Dawn exclaimed, looking up at the looming rock form with a look of absolute horror.
"Course not," Ash replied with an encouraging smile. "We're going through it."
"Like that's any better," Dawn muttered. "If you boys think that I'm walking through some dank old cave you've got another thing coming. I'd much rather go round the blasted thing."
Brock chuckled at her annoyance, recalling that Misty hadn't been much better at the prospect of entering the tunnels of Mount Moon where the three of them now stood, almost two days after Gary and Misty's battle in Cerulean. "I suppose Dawn has a point," Brock sighed in acquiescence. "I mean, it's only about two extra weeks travel so we might as well . . ."
"TWO WEEKS!" she cried, cutting Brock off midsentence. "I thought it was bad enough that it was gonna take us almost a week to get through that damned mountain, but THREE WEEKS until we see another Pokémon Centre! You have got to be kidding me!"
"Language, Dawn!" Brock scolded. "And I only said it was about two weeks. It's actually more like three extra weeks, but I guess if we walked for an extra two hours everyday for those two weeks we could get it down to about two and a half."
"You win," she sighed. "We'll go through the mountain."
"I'm glad you see it that way," Brock said softly, a smile curling on their lips.
It only took about half a day to get to mouth of the tunnels, and as they got closer to the mountain it only looked more and more imposing. The cold blue sides of mountain made Ash shudder slightly, but he kept that to himself rather than worry his companions.
"Ash, I think we might have to turn back," Brock said as he noticed a sign posted near the cave entrance. "It says they've been monitoring some strange activity and they're warning trainers to find alternative routes to Cerulean."
Ash shook his head, determined to make it to Cerulean City via the fastest available route, and if that meant Mt. Moon, then it meant Mt. Moon. "It's probably just to warn off noob trainers," he told them. "If it was that bad they would have blocked off the entrance. They're just covering their back sides in case something does happen, but it's probably nothing."
Brock sighed, sensing that he wasn't going to be able to win this battle. "Alright, Ash, but we're taking it slowly because of the danger," he commanded. "Even then we'll still be getting to Cerulean two weeks sooner than if we went around."
Ash agreed and the four of them began their trek into the tunnels, all staying close to each other.
It didn't take them long to realize what 'strange activity' the sign was referring to. Every so often the tunnels seemed to be racked with strange tremors causing a few rocks to tumble down around them. Ash briefly lamented the absence of his hat, but instead turned his eyes to the collateral wrapped around his wrist – it was a good luck charm of sorts and excelled all his other treasures as his most prized possession.
In just two days they were deep inside the mountain. Brock looked constantly anxious at even the slightest tremor, and drew them all close at all times like a mother hen, especially Dawn who jumped at every shadow and sound.
"It's alright, Dawn," he told her in a fatherly tone, "there's nothing in here to be scared of."
"I know," the young girl sighed. "But it doesn't make me any less scared."
Ash stopped, bending down to tie his shoelace, which seemed to have come undone at some point. This was strange, as he was sure that he had tied a double knot earlier that morning when he put them on.
He looked up as he tied his laces, surveying the area around him as his companions stopped a few metres ahead of him to wait. It was then that something in the wall caught his eye.
He was surprised he had even noticed it, lying innocuously in a small nook in the wall, less than a metre from the ground, but then, he had had water Pokémon on the brain of late. He had hardly been able to get water off his brain since he started this journey, every step bringing him closer to Cerulean City.
Mt. Moon was famous for holding evolution stones – named of course after the moon stone – so it was no surprise to find one just lying about, although this particular type was certainly a bit strange. What was stranger was perhaps the feeling inside him that he had to have that stone, not for him, but for Misty and for the most obscure reasons.
He knew she probably wouldn't use it for its intended use, at least not unless she got an eevee and even then it was questionable. But he needed for her to have it for the simple fact that it was beautiful and reminded him of her eyes. It was drawing him towards it, blocking any sense that might tell him to leave it for whatever reason.
"Ash, hurry up," Brock called quietly, his eyes narrowing with worry. "You know how dangerous these tunnels can be. We can't leave anyone behind."
"I know, Brock," he replied, not even turning his eyes away from the stone. "Just give me a sec. I think I just spotted an evolution stone."
Brock sighed, shaking his head as he directed Dawn and Pikachu back the direction they had just come from. He really was serious about them not splitting up, especially with these weird tremors going on.
Ash was at the wall instantaneously, reaching into a hole in the wall in order to grasp the object. It was about a whole arms length in, but he was sure it wouldn't take much to dislodge the stone.
Before his companions could get much closer, the cavern began to shake once again. Sensing danger, Brock pulled Dawn back just in time to avoid her being crushed by a jagged rock falling from the ceiling. He let out a soft sigh of relief, grateful that thus far, none of them had been harmed.
"Ash, I don't think we should take any more chances," he commanded sternly, his brow furrowing in concern. "The tremors seem to be worse in this part, and I think we should move on before things get more serious."
"I've almost got it," Ash promised as his fingers wrapped around the sea green object, jiggling it softly. "I'll only be a minute."
"Ash, I-" Brock began to admonish, but his words were cut off as the cavern began to shake even more violently than before. Rocks and rubble were shaken free, and tumbled down around them, building a sturdy wall between Ash and his companions.
He called out to the younger boy, hoping he was all right, but nothing came in return. He exhaled noisily as he caught Pikachu's sad eyes.
"Misty's gonna kill us when she finds out . . ."
Ash opened his eyes hazily, only to find a pair of sea green eyes looking deeply into his own. Her eyes were moistened with tears that were threatening to fall, but wouldn't, at least not while he was around to see them.
He figured this must be one of those moments where your life passes before your eyes. The last thing he remembered was reaching for the water stone as the rocks tumbled down around them – he was sure he had probably been hit by a couple of them – and now he was laying down on a wooden floor with Pikachu beside him, staring up into the eyes of a twelve year old Misty Waterflower whose eyes clouded with tears that she wouldn't dare cry.
He didn't remember seeing those tears the last time he was here. All he really remembered was the way she smiled at him brightly when she was sure he wasn't hurt.
Knowing this wasn't reality, Ash did something he wouldn't have dared to do then, and he wouldn't be brave enough to attempt now. He reached up his hand and gently wiped away the tears.
In the moment she seemed to change. She wasn't a twelve-year-old Misty anymore, crying over a boy she could barely stand. She was beautiful and seventeen and her tears were for her best friend.
"I thought you were . . ." she began, but trailed off, unable to even finish the thought of how terrible things could have been.
"It's ok, Myst," he told her softly, his hand gently caressing the side of her face and weaving it's way through her silky locks. They were softer than he ever imagined, and he wondered why he hadn't thought to run his fingers through them sooner.
Without thinking, he pulled her towards him, letting her rest upon his stomach as tears finally fell unrestrained from her eyes. He stroked her hair, comforting her as best he could.
"Don't worry, Misty," he told her softly. "Everything is going to be all right."
"I know," she told him, her eyes suddenly clear and locked on his. "All you have to do is WAKE UP!"
His eyes shot open on her command and he was back where was supposed to be, lying on the floor of the cavern surrounded by rock and rubble. He could hear voices calling him from the other side of the wall of stone built between them.
"Ash!" he heard Brock's voice call, followed by an anxious cry of "Pikapi".
"I'm ok," he called back them. "I was out for a bit, but I'm ok now. How about you guys?"
"Just a few scratches here and there," Dawn replied for him, "but otherwise good."
"Ash, we've tried to move some of the rocks with our Pokémon from this side, but they're pretty much set in stone," Brock told him. "Do you have anything on your side that might work?"
Ash shook his head despite himself. If Dawn's mamoswine hadn't been able to move them, then he doubted he had anything stronger. He took a careful look at his surroundings for anything that might help.
"There seems to be a tunnel – a smaller tunnel – on this side," he told them. "If I follow it, then maybe it will get back to main tunnels at some point."
"Ash, I'm not so sure that's a good idea," Brock replied, his voice pensive.
"It's the best one we've got," Ash replied. "You guys have no choice but to go forwards, and if I head back out it'll be weeks before I find you guys. We're almost half-way through, we might as well keep going."
"All right, Ash," Brock sighed. "Just be careful."
"You too," Ash replied. "You watch out for everyone, ok, Pikachu? I've got the rest of my Pokémon with me if anything happens. It'll be fine."
At least, he hoped it would.
The small tunnel he entered was much darker than the main routes used in Mt. Moon. Strangely enough, the major chambers in the mountain stayed bright enough that trainers could navigate through them without the need for a flashlight or lantern.
The same could not be said for the path Ash was taking, and sadly he had neither. Although there was one thing he did have.
He swiftly tossed a Pokéball into the air, calling forth its inhabitant. "Out you come, Cyndaquil," he called cheerfully.
"Cyndaquil!" the fire-type cried joyously as she emerged from her Pokéball. Without needing instruction, her back blazed, lighting the way for Ash as he traversed the tunnel.
"Great job, Cyndaquil," he complimented. "Thanks for the hand."
"Cyn-da," she replied.
"Let's keep going," he suggested. "Sooner we get out of this tunnel, sooner we get to –" Whatever sentiment Ash had intended to express was cut off as the walls began to shake violently. He and Cyndaquil braced themselves against the sides of the tunnel and waited out the mini-earthquake.
The vibrations they felt earlier were even more violent in this part of Mt. Moon, and as he cautiously made his way deeper into the mountain, Ash was beginning to suspect that it wasn't exactly natural. The rumble of machinery could be heard faintly from where he was, causing the ground to tremble ever so slightly but in a constant fashion.
Not only that, but the tunnel in which he was travelling was most definitely man made. There was something about its regular shape and smooth walls that conveyed their true nature, and accordingly filled Ash with dread.
Something was very wrong here. There was no reason for people to be building tunnels and running machinery in the bowels of Mt. Moon, but even if there were, his suspicions were peaked by the fact that they were being so secretive about it. The sign outside made it sound like natural activity, not something that was, as far as Ash could tell, undeniably human.
When the tremors finally stopped, Ash and Cyndaquil continued their passage. There was, as he had told Brock, only one way out and so they had to keep moving regardless of any sense of foreboding he felt from his surroundings.
As they got closer to . . . something, Ash could hear distinct voices and pick out pieces of their conversation.
"No keep going you fools," he clearly heard a voice command. "You're not even through the Mesozoic layer."
There was a pause in the conversation and more sounds from the machinery when suddenly the machines stopped and conversation resumed.
"Wait! What's that?" the voice from before asked. "I think we have it!" he called joyously.
"Are you sure?" a female asked. Her voice was familiar, but Ash couldn't quite place it. "You know what the boss will do if it's not," she warned.
"This better not be more junk," a male added. His voice was harsh and scratchy, and Ash winced at the sound that was analogous in every sense to nails on a chalkboard.
"This is it," the first voce replied, their voice pleading as though he would do anything just to stop the other gentleman from speaking. "This is what we're looking for."
"Alright then," the female replied. A cruel smile could be heard in her voice. "I guess we can pack it up boys. You grunts can escort the professor back to the boss. Me and Butch will deal with the rest of them."
Ash suppressed a gasp. Butch. That's why the two voices were so familiar. It was those two goons from Team Rocket, undoubtedly up to no good once again.
"So what's the plan, Cassidy?" Butch's grating voice asked once all the others had faded away. The two were clearly alone now.
"I guess we're going to have to get rid of all this equipment," Cassidy told him. "We can't let anyone know we were here."
"Shall I call back some of the grunts?" Butch offered.
There was a pause, and by her reply Ash assumed that Cassidy was shaking her head. "I had something much simpler in mind."
"Is that dynamite?" Butch asked.
"Well it's certainly not a candle you idiot," she hissed at him. "We'll just blow up the lot and no one will be the wiser."
"No," Ash hissed quietly to himself. A blast to Mt. Moon would be disastrous, and not just to him self. His friends were in no way free from danger, and although they had seen very few Pokémon, it was sure to endanger the various species that inhabited the mountain.
Ash closed his eyes, trying to concentrate on what he could do. He needed to stop Butch and Cassidy – he was the only one – but he had no idea on any of the logistics. He wasn't the plan forming type, and usually that was fine because the Team Rocket he was used to dealing with were a team of bumbling fools, but Butch and Cassidy were something else entirely.
"Get off me," Cassidy screamed, drawing Ash form his thoughts. There was a loud thud before she continued. "Good for nothing creature," she hissed. "How dare you! Go, Tentacruel!"
"It's not worth it, Cas," Butch told her. "It'll be gone in the blast."
Cassidy scoffed. "That's too good for this thing," she muttered cruelly. "I'm teaching that thing a lesson."
And that was the last straw for Ash. Team Rocket were dastardly and despicable and underhanded, but harming an innocent Pokémon was a step too far for Ash Ketchum. And so he stepped out of his hiding place – finding himself now in a huge manmade cavern filled with various drills and heavy machinery – and commanded their attention.
"Don't even think about it," he growled at them, glaring at Cassidy in her slightly torn uniform which was clearly the source of her displeasure.
"Well look who it is," Cassidy said teasingly, a smirk on her face. "Look who's come to play the hero and save this poor defenceless paras from the mean nasty lady."
"I'm not scared of you," he glared back, crossing his arms imposingly over his chest. Cyndaquil was at his side, ready for battle if need be.
"Of course you're not," she replied, a look of disdain flowing across her features. "You've spent too much time with those fools Jesse and James. But you will be, Ash Ketchum. Just wait."
She sent him a sardonic smile before glancing at the paras that was huddled against the wall. "Hit it with acid," she said flippantly, commanding her Pokémon to attack the paras rather than Ash as a means of provoking him.
Ash narrowed his eyes. "Cydanquil, use flamewheel," Ash commanded, nodding his head at Cyndaquil.
Cyndaquil jumped forward as was immediately engulfed in flames. She raced towards the large jellyfish on the other side of the cavern and charged into the invertebrate before it could begin its assault upon the paras.
She jumped away once the Pokémon was hit, standing ready for her master's next call of attack.
"Impressive," Cassidy muttered sarcastically. "But lets see how your little pet takes my hydropump?" she asked, looking towards Tentacruel to confirm the command.
A powerful jet of water was blasted in Cyndaquil's direction as Ash commanded the Pokémon to dodge the attack using agility and follow it with a flamethrower. Cyndaquil did as commanded, narrowly avoiding the water attack and following it with the attack called for. She threw back her head and shot a powerful flamethrower in the tentacruel's direction with a loud cry.
The invertebrate was singed by the attack, but Cyndaquil was at a type disadvantage. As powerful as the attack was, it only did half as much damage as it might on another Pokémon.
Cassidy called for Tentacruel to use wrap and before Ash could call for Cyndaquil to dodge the attack, two tentacles had speedily shot out and wrapped themselves around the fire porcupine. Cyndaquil writhed as it she tried to escape the bind, but Tentacruel's grip just tightened with every movement.
"Now let's see how it likes Tentacruel's poison jab?" Cassidy asked, taking pleasure in the concern that flashed through her opponents eyes.
"Cyndaquil, use firewheel," Ash commanded, hoping that the heat of the flames might be enough to cause Tentacruel to release his friend. It did nothing; Tentacruel was too intent on injuring his Pokémon to release it for a few mild burns. "C'mon, Cyndaquil," Ash called, running his fingers desperately through his hair. "You can do it."
Cyndaquil nodded determinedly, squeezing her eyes tightly as she cried her name, the flame around her bursting back to life and practically engulfing the two Pokémon. Tentacruel squealed and hissed, tossing the ball of flame away from him, and when the flames died down what stood before them not the Pokémon he was prepared to see.
Quilava braced herself as she hit the ground, sliding to a stop. Ash smiled at the sight. "You ready, Quilava?" he asked her, to which he received a determined nod. "Let's make this one count. Use flamethrower!"
Quilava tossed back her head just as she had in her previous form, and a stream of fire burst forth towards her foe even more powerful than the last. The flame seemed to engulf both Team Rocket members and the Pokémon that was fighting on their behalf.
Cassidy coughed as the flames ceased, but continued to smirk proudly. "You'll have to do better than that," she smiled. "Tentacruel use-"
"Uh, Cassidy?" Butch questioned gratingly, cutting off his partners command.
"What, Butch?" she asked moodily, glaring at her partner.
"Uh . . . well . . . it's nothing . . . well, you see . . . it's just . . . um . . . you're still holding that dynamite," he offered painfully.
"So?" she asked, waving the stick of dynamite in his direction nonchalantly.
"Nothing . . . it's just that with the flame . . . it's uh . . . lit," he told her, finishing lamely with a disconsolate sigh.
"What do you mean . . .?" she began, trailing off as her eyes landed on the lit stick of dynamite, hissing away as it fizzled down the charge. Her eyes widened as the wick got smaller and smaller and then . . .
BOOM!
The explosion engulfed the villains and they were blasted much like their friendly counterparts, out of the mountain and into the distance.
"Looks like Team Rocket, is blasting off again!"
"Great job, Quilava," Ash said, congratulating his Pokémon on a great battle. The two moved slowly towards the paras that they had fought to protect.
"Come here," he ushered quietly. "We won't hurt you."
The paras moved towards them, scuttling soundlessly across the ground. As it reached them its body was engulfed in a strange glow. The glow was unlike anything Ash had ever seen before, yet strangely familiar – it wasn't the glow of an evolution, or an attack. It was golden and seemed to shimmer like something that Ash almost didn't believe was real.
Ash gasped at the new form that was before him. Paras had transformed into a bird like creature bathed in shimmering golden light.
"We meet again, Ash Ketchum," a voice spoke in his mind (it helps if you imagine the voice of James Earl Jones as Mufasa). The voice was calm and soothing, filling him with a sense of peace. "You never disappoint me, Chosen One."
Ash attempted to speak, but he could find no words.
"For your selflessness and bravery, I offer you a gift," the voice explained. "You acted in defence of another with no thought to what you might gain, and that is a rare and beautiful thing in your kind."
As the voice spoke in his head, a strange looking Pokémon egg materialized in front of him, and all Ash could do was gape.
"I offer you a gift," the voice continued, "and a warning. The dark forces of man are stirring and it will be up to you, Chosen One, to lead the path to victory. You must remember that courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear."
And with those last words he was gone.
For a moment Ash wondered if maybe he had dreamed Ho-oh into existence, but the egg in his arms was proof if nothing else. He looked to his newly evolved Pokémon and shook his head.
"C'mon Quilava," he suggested as he stood up and started moving towards a tunnel opposite the one they had exited earlier, "I bet this one leads straight out the mountain."
"Qui-qui quilava," she agreed, and the two made their way out of the manmade cavern.
Ash smiled to himself as he fingered the smooth textured stone that lay securely in his pocket. It wouldn't be long now.
Soon he would see her again.
~ to be continued ~
I love the Johto Pokémon – especially the starters – I always thought they were the cutest. Well I think that rounds out the team nicely for now. And I'm sorry if you reckon that Cyndaquil was a he, but the timid nature made me think of it as a girl, but that's just my opinion.
So, in case you didn't read the opening authors note, here it is again . . .
1) Do you want more MorningWoodShipping? And/or more Forrest?
2) Which 'Character/s of the Day' would you like to see make an appearance?
3) Story being separated into arcs. Arc one will be known as Ash: The Last Stand (Beginnings). Arc one IS complete, and it is now just a matter of loading it.
4) The egg. I know what Pokemon I have in mind, but I'd like some opinions on what I can actually get away with without making Ash look like a Sue. The means of acquisition give more freedom than if he were to find it randomly or capture whatever said Pokemon is, but I think there are still limits.
And I think that's all. Hope y'all liked that chapter. There are only four chapters left to the first arc.