Chapter 52, everybody! In which we have a vague reference to The Lone Ranger with Armie Hammer and Johnny Depp…underrated movie. Also referencing Back to the Future: Part III, Kung-Fu Panda 2, and Pixar's Cars.
In other news, there's really no way Ash could learn to ride a horse in three days but I don't think the anime even gave him that long so we're fudging a bit. They definitely didn't need any practice for roasting people, though. ;)
And now for something completely different in the review responses:
I'd like to thank I am vegito, forward-smash, Cyan Quartz, thor94, AverageHiveMind, Urdeadnotbigsurprise, R2-D2106, Johnny Spectre, Guest and second(?) Guest (yup! That's exactly the Shadow I'm talking about, props for knowing about him! :D), Sheaon13, third(?) Guest, and Nereus24, thanks for the reviews! You guys rock. :D
Pokémon © Game Freak; Nintendo
And now, for something completely different:
This broadcast has been brought to you by Magnezone Mechanical Parts. Get in the zone—Mag-ne-zone!
Misty had been postponing calling home anyway, even though she had been meaning to swap some of her Pokémon out. It didn't seem fair to keep Horsea, Goldeen, and Tentacool on her when there was nowhere for them to swim most days. At least in the Cerulean Gym they'd be getting plenty of exercise.
Daisy answered the phone. "Hey sis, what's up?"
"I'm just sending some Pokémon home and picking up one," she said, resolving to keep this short. "You might have just got a Psyduck?"
"Oh yeah—I let him out, he's cute."
Yay. "Well I was hoping to travel with him for a bit—and send Goldeen, Horsea and Tentacool there. You'd better make sure they're taken care of and in the best aquarium!"
Daisy rolled her eyes. "Like, Misty, I know you think we're like the most brainless people ever, but we know how to take care of Pokémon. We were just sick of battling, you know?"
No, she didn't.
"Just do this for me, please?" she asked.
"Sure, sure, don't get your dander up…."
Misty profusely apologized to her Pokémon for sending them to be with her sisters, but assured them they'd like swimming all day better than sitting in a boring little Pokéball for days on end. Decided against letting Psyduck out when she got it.
First, she'd rather get out of this whackjob town.
There were rumors already about them and plans to throw a party in their honor, which did nothing more than convince them to hightail it out of there faster. No one really wanted to spend more time in that town than they needed to, even if it did mean sleeping on the road again.
"Okay," Misty said. "So what did we learn?"
"That towns with weird names are best avoided," Ash volunteered.
"Yes, exactly."
"Live and don't learn, that's us," Brock agreed. "Think we can make it a little farther before nightfall?"
"Yes, I'm motivated."
They pressed on, Darkrai assisting them with finding a spot off the road when it started getting dark finally.
This was a problem when they let out their Pokémon for the night—or at least it was for Brock's new Drowzee, which immediately keeled over in a faint upon spotting Darkrai looming up in the murk.
"Nerves of steel, that one," he sniffed.
"Well you did eat its leader," Misty pointed out. "Which, by the way, ew."
"Too much fat and gristle, by the way."
"And again I say ew," she said, turning her attention to Psyduck. "Ash you said it's always going to be like this?"
"Yeah," Ash said, looking at his Pokédex. "And this seems mean—it says that Psyduck can't use its psychic powers unless its headache worsens. So it has to be in pain to do anything?"
"That'd go away if it evolved into Golduck," Darkrai pointed out as Brock started with dinner.
"But to do that it'd have to be in pain," Misty muttered. "Well that's just great."
Which led to a discussion throughout dinner on just how they could level up Psyduck without hurting it.
"Switching in and out is always the classical method," Brock said. "But there's things like rare candies and EXP shares that give experience as well."
"Never did figure out how eating sweets translates into experience," Darkrai said, grooming his fur.
"If that's the case, I should be like Level 100 by now," Ash declared.
"Either option isn't available to us right now, so for now we're just going to have to work our way up," Brock said—looked when the Drowzee finally revived. "Hello—sleep well?"
"Drow," the Drowzee muttered—froze when it spotted Darkrai.
"Yeah, you're going to have to get used to that," Brock declared, handing it its dinner.
Dinner apparently was enough to convince the Drowzee that Brock was the best, it spent about an hour after that just hugging him and apparently singing his praises, to Darkrai's evident annoyance.
"Yeah, yeah, we get it," he snapped finally. "You like your new boss, he actually feeds you, chill out already."
"It was starving?" Misty asked, massaging Psyduck's head in an attempt to get rid of its headache. It certainly looked more relaxed. "That's awful."
"And now it's not a problem anymore. Funny how that works."
Checking the two 'mons on the Pokédex showed that they were both male, with Drowzee having Insomnia for an ability and Psyduck having Cloud Nine.
"What does Cloud Nine do?" Misty asked.
"It says here that it negates all weather effects," Ash read. "I wonder how that works."
Psyduck also knew Scratch, Tail Whip, Fury Swipes, Disable, and apparently Confusion, although they all agreed that was probably from the headaches.
"He should also know Water Gun and Water Pulse, this says," Ash read.
"Hmm," Misty noised—poked Psyduck in the shoulder. "What do you say about trying one of those?"
"Psai?" Psyduck noised.
"Maybe in the morning when we can see," Brock said. "In the meantime, I don't know about the rest of you, but I had a draining day. No dream-eating," he said, pointing at Drowzee, who nodded frantically. "Also, no Drowzee-eating," he added, pointing at Darkrai.
"No promises," Darkrai said flatly.
Nobody had been messily devoured overnight, and practice while breakfast was being made showed that Psyduck was better at Water Sport than Water Gun.
"Do Psyduck even learn that move?" Misty asked.
"Not according to the Pokédex," Ash said, looking at the device and bonking it on the side. "But then again, I'm never sure if this thing works or not."
"Psai," Psyduck noised, still holding its head.
Examining Drowzee during breakfast showed that it knew Pound, Hypnosis, Disable, Confusion, and Headbutt.
"Hey, you can help Psyduck with some of his moves!" Ash suggested brightly, prompting the Drowzee to shrug. "Maybe."
"It'd be good practice," Brock agreed.
After breakfast they continued to cut across the fields, angling for the mountains in the distance that they could follow to get back on track.
"Ugh," Misty sighed. "Kanto looks a lot smaller on the maps."
"That's one of the reasons people go on these journeys," Brock said. "To get a feel for their native region."
"And find all the dinky little towns that are too small to put on the map."
"True."
"I wonder what kind of Pokémon are in the area," Ash noised, checking his Pokédex. "I haven't caught anything new since Venonat—I need to fix that."
"Good luck catching anything with Darkrai scaring everything off," Misty said.
"Misty, be nice."
"Am I wrong?"
Ash made a face at that. "I'm sure there's something—"
Everyone cut off at a loud boom that carried across the field—looked to see a cloud of smoke far away on the horizon.
"Wonder what that was," Brock mused.
"Blasting for a new route?" Misty guessed.
"Too far to have been in the mountains, though—"
"HELP!"
They all started, spun—
A Ponyta burst over the next hill, galloping at full tilt, someone on its back clinging desperately on—
Darkrai flashed in front of it, causing it to rear and throw its rider—
And then it crashed to the earth, asleep from Hypnosis.
"Overkill, don't you think?" Misty demanded as they ran over.
"No," Darkrai said. "Overkill is using Dark Void. Hypnosis is small potatoes."
"Are you okay?" Brock asked the Ponyta's trainer.
"What is THAT?" she demanded, looking at Darkrai.
"Leaving," Darkrai volunteered, sinking into the earth. "Ta."
They blinked at him vanishing.
"Did I hit my head on my way down?" the girl asked.
"For simplicity's sake, let's go with yes," Brock said. "Are you okay?"
"No," she muttered. "I hurt my arm when I landed—that blast spooked Blaze."
"Blaze being the Ponyta," Misty guessed.
"Yeah," the girl sighed. "We were practicing for the big race."
"What big race?" Ash asked, intrigued.
The girl—who introduced herself as Lara—explained as Brock checked her arm and bandaged it. The race was a longstanding tradition, dating back to when nomads roamed the area, and had been held every year.
"We were training to beat stupid Dario," she muttered. "Couldn't they have started blasting for a new route next week?"
"I think it's just sprained," Brock reported finally. "You'll be wanting a second opinion, though, and I don't think you should ride with it."
"I was afraid of that," she said, returning her Ponyta. "Now Dario's going to win again."
"How bad is this Dario guy anyway?" Misty asked.
"He's like…the worst," Lara said, scowling as Brock helped her up. "His family has been buying up land for years, undermining ranches so they can't pay their bills and then swooping in when they have to foreclose. He's got his eye on our ranch now, and if I don't win this race, I can't pay our bills."
"That is bad," Brock muttered.
"Does it have to be you that races?" Ash asked. "Like, what if someone else raced for you, won, and then gave you the money?"
"That would be amazingly solid of them," Lara said. "But it's a ten-thousand dollar grand prize—I can't imagine anyone walking away from that."
"That is a lot of video games," Ash agreed, rubbing his chin. "But you sound like you need it more—I could race for you."
Ash was very much aware of the other three trainers staring blankly at him. "What?" he asked.
"You'd race for someone else?" Lara asked. "You'd give up ten thousand dollars for someone you just met?"
"Well this kind of seems important."
"Ash, do you even have a Pokémon that could race?" Misty asked. "I think the only one big enough to carry you is Lenny, and he's not winning any land races."
Ah right, that was a problem. "Dang—who else do we have?"
Lara was still watching him carefully…seemed to have come to a decision. "You can borrow Blaze. I mean, I'm going to have to teach you how, but…."
"Great! Problem solved!" Ash said.
Lara looked at Brock. "He has no idea the work we're going to have to cram into like three days, does he?"
"He'll find out," Brock sighed.
The first step once they got back to Lara's ranch and checked out by a doctor was getting Blaze warmed up to Ash—which took most of the first day.
"He's usually not this skittish around new people," she said, catching his reins again and soothing him. "You don't have some sort of predator Pokémon on you, do you? He might be scenting it."
Ash supposed Darkrai might count, but he'd rather not bring him up since she didn't. "I have a Gyarados."
"That might do it," she mused, continuing to rub the Ponyta's nose. "Just keep taking it slow, no fast movements."
By the end of the first day Blaze was okay with Ash touching him. Second day was spent convincing him to let Ash ride him. Which, unfortunately, also led to the main problem of riding the Ponyta line.
"Ow ow ow hot hot hot," Ash yipped, trying to combine no sudden movements with avoiding the open fire coming out of the Ponyta's back.
"He's still nervous," Lara insisted. "Just have to get him used to you."
"Maybe Lenny was the better bet after all," Misty sighed, watching with Brock from the fence. "At this rate, Ash'll be lucky to get into last place."
"Wow, does that look pathetic!"
They all turned at the new voice, saw a guy riding by on a Dodrio.
"Teaching your 'mon's new owner how to ride it?" the guy taunted. "I guess if you're strapped for cash you'll do anything, won't you, Lara?"
"Eat dirt, Dario!" Lara shot back. Her Ponyta snorted, shot an Ember at the rapidly departing Dodrio.
"Save it for the race, you loser!" he yelled.
"Okay," Ash noised. "That helped cement the visual. We're gonna run that guy into the ground."
"Ta," the Ponyta huffed.
Blaze didn't burn Ash after that.
The day of the race dawned bright and clear, which Lara said was good—Blaze wouldn't do well if it was drizzly or outright rainy.
"Okay, remember everything I told you," she said.
"I remember like half," Ash reported.
"You at least remember go and stop and how to steer, right?"
"Yes. And holding on."
"Well yeah, that's important," she acquiesced, leading him up to the start/finish line, next to Misty and Brock. "And are you guys sure about this?"
They saluted from the top of Lenny and Onix, respectively.
"Let's just call us plans B and C," Brock said.
"And I don't trust that Dario," Misty said. "I'm convinced he's going to try something—guys like him don't play fair."
"No, they don't," Lara agreed. Looked at Ash. "Just focus on staying on Blaze, he knows the track."
"Got it," Ash said, nodding.
"Good," she said—gave Blaze one last pat. "You behave for Ash, okay? Be a good boy."
"Ta," Blaze noised, nibbling at her shirt and then watching her go.
"Here's the good news," Ash told him. "The sooner we win this, the sooner you and Lara can go back to just hanging out."
"TA!"
Pikachu watched from the stands near Lara, up on a higher perch where they could see the starting line and the big huge screen. Next to him were several of the other Pokémon, with Squirtle looking through binoculars and Charmander and Drowzee sharing popped-Cornn.
"So this is nice," Drowzee observed.
"I'm with Brock on this," Geodude said. "This feels like it's going to go dirty fast."
"Hmm," Pikachu noised—sniffed, looked around, looked down where the stands cast a shadow. "I know you're watching this—what do you think?"
Blue eyes blinked into existence.
"I'm thinking if this is a clean race, I'd be surprised. I second the 'this is going to go sideways' vote."
"Hmph," Pikachu noised, wrinkling his nose. "Ugh, but we can't interfere."
"We can't?" Drowzee asked. "You mean if that guy fights dirty we can't help our trainers fight dirty back? Ooh, kind of like that phrase."
"I'm with Drowzee," Squirtle said. "You don't fight dirty, you fight to win."
"Right—YEE!" Drowzee squeaked, tumbling back from Darkrai poking his head above the edge.
"I knew there was a reason I didn't eat you lot," he announced.
Ash was focused on getting in the zone (and trying not to think of that one commercial when he did)—Lara said calmness kept a racing Pokémon calm and focused. Inner peace, I am speed, all that good stuff—
"Hey!"
Ignoring jerks, that was important….
"So you're the loser Lara got to race for her?" Dario asked, leaning over. "Can't say I'm impressed."
"The feeling's mutual," Ash told him.
"Ooh, spicy—I like that," Dario sneered. "Hey—you throw this I'll make it worth your while."
Ash glanced at him. "Seriously?"
"Oh yeah—kid like you, I'm sure some moolah would make it worth tripping up, wouldn't it?"
"Well gee, let me think," Ash said. "Ah…no."
Dario blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Pretty sure I said no. You know, the word that's the opposite of yes?"
Dario clenched the reins tighter. "Pretty cheeky for a kid who's gonna lose hard."
Ash smiled at him. "If you thought that you wouldn't be asking me to throw the race."
Misty had been eavesdropping on the conversation, Z-snapped at that—tapped Lenny's horn so he'd dip down enough for them to exchange fist-bumps.
Dario turned an interesting shade of red at that. "Well we'll see who's laughing when I win."
"Whatever."
"Man, where's all this hot air coming from?" Misty asked, fanning herself. "Think there's a Heat Rotom somewhere, or is it some blowhard trying to melt the ice caps?"
Now it was Ash's turn to Z-snap.
"Here," Brock said, tossing something at Dario. He caught it, looked at it—
Held it up, glaring at Brock. "A Burn Heal? Why would I need this?"
"Because you're totally getting roasted."
Ash, Misty, and Lenny both had to take a moment, Onix straightening up a little and snickering as Dario moved away from them.
"We're so gonna pay for that later," Misty observed when she could breathe again.
"Yeah," Ash agreed. "But it was worth it."
"We needed to loosen up," Brock said. "But look sharp—they're getting ready to start the race."
Ash focused, eyes forward, settling in and hugging the saddle and reins, a lot calmer now than he was before.
He could do this—all he had to do was hang on.
The moment the starting buzzer sounded Blaze took off, galloping at speed and leaving Misty and Brock behind—Ash could just barely hear the announcer over the sound of pounding hooves going clean through his body, focus more on hanging on for dear life. Just—hang on, lean with the turns, trust that the Ponyta knew what it was doing.
They could do this.