Discalimer: I do not own Pokemon

Unwanted Captures

Cubone's eyes were not unlike Paul's. They were pitch black. And as Cubone continued to stare at the trainer, Paul couldn't pull away at first. A feeling he felt, a feeling of…loneliness, manifested inside him. But he quickly decided to push that feeling down.

Paul stood as he kept his gaze on the small Cubone, the skull keeping its face hidden as always. Without a word, Paul stepped over Cubone and continued on his way. Cubone didn't know how to react to the purple haired human's action, so for a moment all it could do is stay stiff and frozen.

Ash, Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie kept their distance from Paul and Cubone, not sure what was going on. They watched as Cubone was finally able to react, and ran in front of Paul. It began to call out and Paul stopped and gazed upon the Cubone once more. Cubone continued, and Paul just stood there.

The others finally decided to get closer.

"It's a Cubone" Ash said, his words coming out softer than usual.

"Cubone?" Serena took out her Pokedex and scanned the skull wearing Pokemon when she was close enough,

"Cubone, the lonely Pokemon. It wears the skull of its dead mother on its head. When it becomes lonesome, it is said to cry loudly."

"So the skull is from its mother?" Serena felt her gaze lower, "that's-"

"Stupid" Paul let out, almost hissing, "what a stupid sob story and a pathetic name for a Pokemon."

Paul began to walk ahead again, but Cubone continued to get in the way.

"Get out of the way." Paul practically growled. Cubone responded by lifting its Thick Club, and pointing it towards Paul and shouting what Pikachu would call fighting words.

"Pika-Pika" Cried Ash's partner, perched on his shoulder. Ash took a quick glance at Pikachu before looking ahead,

"I'm not completely sure, but I think Cubone wants a battle."

"Well, it definitely looks energetic" Clemont analyzed the scene, "but why does it want a battle against Paul?"

"Why do you keep following me?" Paul said, his voice becoming more threatening as the Cubone continued to insist.

"Hey Paul" Ash interrupted, cutting off Cubone causing Paul too look over Ash's direction.

"How about you give Cubone a battle?" Paul gave Ash an even look before looking back at Cubone, "who knows you might find something you like."

"This thing?" Paul raised his eyebrow, "I don't need this pathetic thing for anything. Seems like something you would make friends with."

Paul walked past Cubone once again. This time, Cubone didn't try to stop him, as if it were frozen in a block of ice.

Cubone could hear the steps of the trainer he had chased all this time move further and further away. So what? Was it for nothing?

He had followed him all this way, far from home, and he wouldn't even give him a chance to prove himself?

Cubone felt his hand grip his Thick Club as hard as ever. He turned around, standing in the same spot, and raised his Thick Club over his head, bathed in the shade of orange coming from the sunset.

Pokespeak: ON

"Who the hell do you think you are!" Cubone flung his Thick Club without a second thought. His target, Paul or more accurately Paul's head, unaware of the pain that he was about experience.

Cubone's accuracy proved to be excellent as the Thick Club hit the purple haired trainer in the back of the head. The others jumped in reaction, while Cubone looked on with narrow eyes.

Paul's head inched forward from the impact, his walking completely stopped. Cubone's eyes then widened, as if he just realized what he had done.

Paul just stood there in one spot. Was he knocked out? Or was he beside himself with anger? None of them could really make a conclusion. Maybe he was hit in the right spot and he forgot everything that happened recently.

After a moment of complete stillness, even the air decided to die out at this point, Paul slowly turned and began to advance towards Cubone. His intentions were unclear, mostly because his eyes hid behind his hair.

Cubone found itself in a block of ice once again, unable to move, quickly learning the knack of the purple haired trainer to paralyze one with fear.

Cubone suddenly felt smaller, more than usual, as Paul seemed to tower over him. Once Cubone was finally able to see Paul's eyes, he saw a pair that bordered on wild. If the eyes were the windows to the soul, Cubone was in trouble.

"If you're going to do something like that" Paul began, the calmness in his voice somehow making the whole thing even more unsettling, "make sure you knock me out."

Before Cubone realized it, Paul had his hands around Cubone's skull. Cubone struggled, but Paul had a firm grip. He took a few steps back, with Cubone still in his hands, away from his body. "I'm going to punt you into the river." Paul then regained the steps he took back and it looked like Cubone was going to take a free ride to the river.

Cubone was in the air for a moment, Paul's boot only inches away. Cubone suddenly disappeared from Paul's view, and he kicked nothing but air, his momentum sending him to the ground

"Hey buddy, are you okay." Instead of the river as Paul intended, Cubone found itself in Ash's arms.

"Dammit, give me that thing" Paul quickly got up, obviously still pissed, "I was going to punt that."

"You know" Ash began without looking at Paul, "I just realized you and Cubone are similar."

Paul's expression softened for a moment before he regained his composure. "You're not seriously comparing me to that?"

"Not really" Ash turned towards Paul, still holding Cubone in his arms. "But I really think you might find something here. And if this guy really did follow you all this way, then he really must believe that too."

What did he exactly mean? Paul took a long look at Ash, trying to figure out what exactly he was talking about.

Similar? Was he talking about the whole orphan thing? For some reason Paul felt that Ash knew more.

Paul then moved his gaze downward towards Cubone.

"There's nothing here" was what passed through Paul's head. But he couldn't get himself too truly believe that. Why would this Pokemon follow him? He only saw it once, when he sent that pair of clowns flying.

He remembered seeing that same Cubone in Lumiose, but he completely ignored it. And it still followed him.

"Put the Cubone down" Paul said calmly. Ash nodded and let go of the Cubone, who then took a couple of steps forward. Paul then took out a Pokeball and lobbed it high into the air,

"Raichu, stand by for battle." Raichu appeared in a flash of light, a smirk already plastered on its face.

Cubone lifted its Thick Club and took a fighting stance. It seemed to be comfortable, but on the inside Cubone was nervous as can be. Paul took one more, drawn out look at Cubone before shifting gears.

"Raichu, Iron Tail." Raichu closed the space between itself and Cubone in a flash, before sending a hard steel tail towards Cubone's head. Cubone blocked the attack with its Thick Club and with all its strength pushed Raichu back.

Cubone's breathe became heavy quickly, and it didn't take long for it to realize that it was outmatched. It took all its strength to just not get pummeled by that Iron Tail.

Cubone shook its head, trying to push back any doubts or negative thoughts. He then countered by charging at Raichu with Thick Club in hand.

"Iron Tail." Paul ordered. Raichu met Cubone's Thick Club with its hard steel tail. Raichu's smirk remained even through this test of strength.

"Mega Punch" Paul said evenly. All Cubone could do was watch as Raichu punched him in the gut. Cubone's eyes went wide in pain. Its leg became shaky and Cuubone soon dropped onto its knees.

"Pathetic." Paul took out his Pokeball to return Raichu.

"Cu-Bone!" Paul's gaze shifted back to Cubone as it cried out with force. Cubone stood again, still looking like it was in serious pain.

"Don't keep fighting dumbass."

Cubone got back into its fighting stance and a moment later it charged. Raichu was taken off guard and Cubone struck Raichu with its Thick Club. Paul didn't respond to Cubone's sudden attack, instead he kept looking at it.

Cubone decided it needed to go on the offensive again. Cubone raised its Thick Club and lunged at Raichu.

"Iron Tail" Paul said. Next thing Cubone knew, his Thick Club flew out of his hands. Raichu then swung its hard steel tail one more time. Cubone bounced of Raichu's tail like a rubber ball. He then landed next to his Thick Club.

Everybody held their breath for a moment. Cubone didn't move.

Paul returned Raichu and quickly made his way down the path again without a word or any kind of gesture.

Ash ran up to Cubon and kneeled down next to him,

"Hey little guy" Ash began as helped Cubone sit up. Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie followed. "Are you alright."

Cubone looked dazed and didn't seem to acknowledge Ash. But it began look left and right, scanning the area. The group looked worried. He was obviously looking for Paul. But after what just happened, they were wondering why Cubone was still so insistent.

Cubone found who he was looking for and stood. He stumbled after Paul, and when he couldn't reach the elusive trainer, he called out loud, causing Paul to stop in his tracks.

"Cu-Bone!" Paul slowly turned, Cubone a few paces away. Without a word, Paul advanced onto Cubone. Cubone looked up and became fixated on the Pokeball in Paul's hands. Paul hung the Pokeball above Cubone's head. He grounded his teeth before dropping the Pokeball,

"I don't feel comfortable about this" Serena began, "Paul is so demanding, I'm worried Cubone won't be able to meet his expectations."

"I feel the same away Serena" Ash replied, "but I think Cubone followed him for a reason."

"Are you sure Cubone is going to be all right?" Serena responded.

"Sure. That Cubone is tough. I'm not worried at all."

The Pokeball hit Cubone, which activated the capture process. After a couple of shakes, the Pokeball made its signature "ping" signaling a successful capture.

Paul picked up the Pokeball. He looked ahead, towards the others. Nothing else came up, and Paul turned, and began his way down the path again.

Clemont then followed, "We should set up camp soon. It's getting dark."

It definetly was. The last bit of sunlight dwindling, giving was darkness of night and the shine of the moon and the many stars that gave it company in the night sky.