A/N: This story is still in working progress but for the most part it is complete, so I feel I should post what I feel is considered completed and get some feedback.
Chapter 2: The Eye of the Storm
Rain. That four letter word sure did not seem like much, but Ash knew better than that. It had done nothing but rain for the past week, he believed it could not possibly rain anymore, and yet Mother Nature seemed to go out of her way to prove him wrong. Ash sighed loudly as he watched the rain pour down from the opening of a cave they had taken shelter in. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen the sun, and was really beginning to miss it.
Pikachu also seemed to pick up his mood perched upon his shoulder, as he too sighed at the depressing scene before him. Ash looked over at the pokémon and affectionately stroked him under his chin. At least it wasn't storming today…yet.
"I just wish it would stop for a little bit." Dawn said from behind him. Deciding it was not going to let up anytime soon Ash turned to join the rest of his friends by the fire now started in the center of the cave in an attempt to dry out their soaked clothing. "Me too," Brock replied as he stoked the fire, "If this keeps up we will have to swim to Sunnyshore." The rain seemed to slap the earth even harder at Brocks last statement, creating a solid wall of water.
"Well it doesn't look like we're going anywhere any time soon." Ash sighed as he sunk his head down in depression. At this rate they would never get to the Sunnyshore gym and his gym match. Sometimes Ash felt as if the universe was working against him.
"Cheer up Ash." Dawn chipped in noticing his mood. "We'll be in Sunnyshore in no time at all." She smiled at him hoping to cheer him up if only a little bit. Ash smiled at Dawn's attempt to cheer him up, but the bleak weather seemed to keep his spirits down. The group sat there in silence as they watched the wall of water cascading down the cave opening. At some point Pikachu climbed off of Ash and curled up by the fire next to Piplup fast asleep.
Time seemed to pass slowly and twilight hours came drifting in. "Well," Brock said breaking the silence of the group "looks like we will be staying here for the night." He promptly stood up looking down at the two trainers, "I'll need someone to go fetch some more firewood so that it can dry out over night, and we will be able to have a fire in the morning." He announced.
Ash and Dawn looked at each other in dismay. They both turned their attention back outside to see the rain hadn't let up at all. "Well I am willing to sacrifice the excitement of searching for firewood to stay here and keep you company." Dawn blurted out before Ash could object.
"What?" Ash cried out realizing this task had just fallen on to him, again.
"Well I guess this means, that-" Brock began but was cut off by Ash, "yeah I 'm going."
He moaned as he glared at his friends. "Come on Pika…" he began but trailed off when he saw how peaceful his friend looked curled up by the fire, all warm and dry. It just didn't seem fair to ask him to come along with him to trudge through the rain looking for more firewood.
"Nevermind" he sighed as he stood up adjusting his hat knowing it wasn't going to keep his head dry for very long. Dawn was beginning to feel a little bad for forcing this task onto Ash, but she certainly did not want to walk around out there in the rain.
Brock and Dawn both watched Ash as he walked out of their warm dry cave, mumbling something about always having to do all the dirty work until he disappeared from sight.
"Come on Dawn." Brock said feeling bad for Ash as well, "Let's having some food prepared for when he gets back, that way he won't be so mad." Dawn nodded in agreement as she helped Brock with dinner preparations.
Ash hadn't been outside for five minutes and he was already soaked to the bone. The rain seemed to even kick in a little harder as if to laugh at him. He had to walk quite a way away from the mouth of the cave to find some firewood. The cave they were currently taking shelter in, or rather Brock and Dawn were currently taking shelter in, was positioned high above the valley floor, showing the northern base of Mount Cornet. It was quite the sight that was for sure. Ash paused in his quest for fire wood and made his way over the ledge, wondering if would be able to see Sunnyshore city. He could see for miles, despite the wall of water blocking his view. He stood there for a moment longer until he began to shiver, realizing that he should probably get back to collecting firewood so he could get out of the rain but turned back when he heard something.
It was definitely a sound that did not belong here out in the middle of the forest, but it was unmistakably there. It almost sounded like a vehicle, but that didn't make sense because there were no roads around. Ash listened closer when he realized it was coming from below. He walked back over to the edge to peer over when his foot slipped in the super saturated ground beneath his feet. Ash cried out in surprise as the arm load of firewood he collected flew out of his arms as he slipped down the side of the cliff. He tried desperately to grab hold of something but nothing would hold due to the excessive rain. He continued to tumble and slide through the mud until he finally hit the bottom, landing with a soft thump in a pool of mud, knocking the breath out of him.
Meanwhile, Back at the cave…
"Pi?" The little mouse pokémon said as its ears twitched, waking from its nap. Pikachu glanced around the cave and was surprised to not find Ash anywhere. "Pikapi?" Pikachu asked confused as he stood up.
"What's wrong Pikachu?" Dawn asked noticing the strange behavior of the electric rodent.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu cried out as he ignored Dawn's question, and dashed out of the cave in search for his trainer.
"Pikachu!" Dawn cried out after it, not quite sure what was going on.
"Dawn, let's go too," Brock replied after witnessing Pikachu's behavior. Together they both dashed out of the cave and into the rain after the little mouse pokémon.
"What could have caused Pikachu to run out like that?" Dawn asked as she ran alongside of Brock.
"Something must have happened to Ash," Brock answered not once breaking his stride determined to get to his friend, hoping it was nothing too serious like the last time this had happened.
Back to our hero…
Ash groaned as he picked himself up out of the mud. He looked up the ledge he had just fallen down and sighed knowing there was no possible way he could climb back up there. "This is just not my day." he said wiping the mud off of his face. He glanced around looking for an alternative path when he heard it again. The noise he had heard from the top of the cliff was much louder down here. With much difficulty Ash crawled out of the mud and followed the noise to its source.
"Come on men; put your backs into it." A voice demanded as the whirling noise droned on. Ash cautiously made his way over behind some bushes. He pulled the branches aside to reveal a group of six men attempting to push a six wheeled vehicle out of the mud. The men pushed against the vehicle in an attempt to break it free but the tires kept spinning failing to get any traction.
"Hunter J's goon squad." Ash whispered to himself as he sank lower into the bushes to make sure they would not spot him. "What are they doing here?" He asked himself.
"I could ask you the same thing." an unfamiliar voice cut in, catching him by surprise as someone grabbed him roughly by the back of his shirt. Ash kicked out against the man, in an attempt to break free, but his grip was solid. The man easily dragged him out of his hiding spot and towards the others.
"Let me go!" He demanded as he continued to drag his feet in the mud resisting every step of the way, drawing the attention of the others by the ATV.
"Commander, look what I found." The man who held Ash captive gloated to the other men, as Ash continued to struggle in his grip holding him out as if to show off. The other men immediately looked at Ash in surprise, when a man, which Ash assumed was the commander stepped forward.
"Hunter J will be most pleased." The commander said, "You have been a thorn in our side for a long time now." he gloated as he continued forward towards Ash, followed by the rest of his men. Ash continued to struggle against his capture, but he refused to let him go. He had to get away from them. In one last attempt Ash stomped his foot down atop the man's foot holding him causing him to cry out in pain, and with a twist of his body slipped out of his vest the man had a hold on, leaving the pain stricken man with only his muddy vest, and unfortunately his hat as well.
"You fool!" Ash heard the commander yell out as he dashed away from them. "You let him get away!" He continued to yell angrily, "after him now!"
"Yes Sir!" The men responded all at once as they ran after the spot Ash had just disappeared from, releasing their crobat from their pokéballs. As the rest of his men disappeared from sight the commander stood by the abandoned ATV. He dug around in his pockets until he found the device he was looking for. "Sir, target has been sighted."
A/N: Love that mud Anime character stay conspicuously clean for all that they do, especially Ash. We will have none of that in this story, it is mud and grim all the way!