The splatter of vomit against pavement nearly made Daren himself throw up. He had no idea what triggered it. They were walking through Oldale looking for the motel when Sam just leaned over and puked.
"Dude, that is nasty," Pyro said, covering his nose with a single paw, "seriously, I think the smell alone could make me do the same."
"Shut up Pyro, you're not making it any better," Sam groaned and was struck by another wave of nausea. The Charmander flinched as the next wave splashed against the ground. He had been awake for only a few minutes before Sam became sick.
"Are you done?" Daren inquired, standing a safe distance away on the road, "or are you going to continue?"
"I think I'm done," Sam said and spat out a glob of vomit. He repeated the same motion, trying to get the acidic taste out of his mouth, "ugh... the nausea just came out of nowhere."
"It's done now, so let's go find a place to stay for the night," Daren suggested, waiting along the road, "maybe even get a bite to eat," Sam eyes shot open at the mention of food and he threw up again, "okay... scratch the food."
Pyro maneuvered his way around the small puddle. The fluid was clear and thick. Sam was just puking up stomach acid at this point. Whatever got him sick should have been cleared from his system by this point.
Oldale was larger than Littleroot but still a fairly small town. After ten minutes of searching, the group found the motel and rented a single room. It was getting dark outside and Daren left Sam in the room while he went in search of food. Sam was okay with this as a painful headache had started to build, making him even dizzier.
"You want me to get a bucket?" Pyro asked. Sam cracked an eye open at the Charmander, not sure if he was joking or being sincere, "no, seriously, you look like crap. I would prefer if you had a something to hurl in and not get that stuff on me."
"Gee, you are so concerned about me," Sam mumbled with a little sarcasm, "yeah, go get one. I don't want to be responsible for cleaning it out of the carpet."
Pyro left the room, his height allowing for him to open the door easily. As he left, Daren entered watching the Charmander with interest. He turned to Sam, "where's Pyro going?"
"Bucket," Sam only needed that one word to convey his message.
"Still feeling sick?" Daren asked and Sam grunted a yes, "I guess that means more food for us," Pyro re-entered the room, holding a plastic bucket. He plopped it down next to Sam's bed and sniffed curiously, "heh, I think your Charmander might be a little hungry himself."
"Yeah, I am," Pyro said as his stomach grumbled. All Daren heard was 'Char-Charmander' but he got the message. He tossed Pyro a chicken drumstick from across the room and the fire type caught it in his mouth. He crushed the bone easily with his jaws and swallowed the chicken in one gulp.
"Sam, I think you need to feed your Pokémon more often," Daren laughed, "Pyro acts like he hasn't eaten in ages. Right? Sam?"
Sam wasn't listening. Having received barely any sleep from the night before, the weariness of two days and sickness got the better of him. He snored lightly on his bed, one hand hanging over the side and his face against the pillow.
"Ah, we should probably get to bed also," Daren said and finished his meal quickly. He turned off the lights but the room remained fairly dim because of Pyro's tail flame. The Charmander curled into a ball on the floor and Daren crawled under the covers of the other bed. Soon, both of them were fast asleep.
"What do you mean the bridge is out? I used it three days ago!"
"Sorry kid, but an accident made it unfit for pedestrian travel. Just take the long route."
Daren groaned in frustration but turned away. Sam was also upset with the turn of events. That bridge would take them right across the lake to Slateport. Now they had to go all the way around the lake and through multiple routes and cities. All that extra travelling would make for a really hard time of catching the ship before it left.
"Come on, Daren," Sam said softly, "we don't have much time to waste any more. Let's get going."
"I know," he mumbled, "I just really wanted to get to Mauville. They have an awesome arcade there."
"How long do you think it would take for the long way?" Sam asked. Daren looked up, running some mental calculations.
"If we take the paved roads, we can get to Mauville in a week," he finally said but Sam was skeptical.
"Are you sure?" he asked, "It takes months for trainers to get that far, how can we only do it in a week?"
"Trainers aren't the only ones that use those roads," Daren answered, "people who don't have Pokémon need safer paths. The government built the designated paths for civilian use but if you want to train, you can take the old trails. The paved roads are just easier to travel on."
"We have tons of time then," Pyro said from the back, "how 'bout we use some of it to train, right Sam?"
"I guess, if you want to," Sam mumbled, not liking the idea all that much. He turned to Daren, "Pyro wants to train. Why don't you let out your Pokémon, let them get acquainted with us."
"Fine by me, they don't get to meet many friendly Pokémon," Daren said and released all three of his Pokémon at once. The light faded and three shapes emerged. The first one Sam recognized was the Marshtomp, eying Pyro with confusion. The other two were a Mightyena and a Shelgon. He eyed Daren's Pokémon with a little envy.
"From what I've heard, Shelgon are rare," Sam commented, "How'd you manage to catch one?"
"Same way you catch any other Pokémon," Daren said, looking back at his Pokémon with pride, "found him in Meteor Falls as Bagon, caught him and trained him up to a Shelgon."
"Cool," Sam said simply and stayed silent. Their Pokémon had started up a conversation and he began to eavesdrop on them.
"Why are we travelling with you?" the, Marshtomp asked coldly, "Don't we have better things to do than travel with some kid?"
"I dunno, maybe Daren thought he could learn something from us," Pyro said snidely, "you know, 'cause I kicked your ass."
"Whoa, Marla, you lost to this scrub?" the Shelgon exclaimed, "Your game is slipping."
"I didn't lose, Draco, it was a tie," Marla the Marshtomp said, trying to preserve her dignity, "we both fainted. Plus, this guy used a piece of wood to fight, blocking my attacks and even using it as a weapon. A trainer can't use those tactics in a fight."
"Yeah, but you tied to a fire type," the Mightyena said in a mocking tone, "you got type advantage and experience over this chump. That fight should've been a blowout."
"Callum, shut your mouth," Marla snapped, "I was tired from previous battles. Unlike you two, I didn't get the luxury of chilling in my Pokéball."
"Excuses, excuses..." Pyro mumbled, aggravating the water type.
"I can take you any day of the week," she growled, jabbing her webbed finger into Pyro's face, "you holler and I'm down to fight."
"Nah, I think I don't think I need to fight you again to continue being the champ," Pyro raised his claws above his hand, stretching his small arms. Marla called him some swears and Pyro replied with his own choice curses. Soon enough, the four were in a shouting match. Sam and Daren looked back at their Pokémon. To Daren, all he could hear was a cluster of their names but Sam heard every word.
"Pyro, shut up and stop bothering Marla," Sam snapped and all four Pokémon became quiet, "don't piss her off, she can beat you right now if she really wanted."
"Come on, Sam, you gotta back me up on these things," Pyro complained and Marla hit him on the side of the head.
"Yeah Pyro, listen to your trainer," she chided. The Charmander's eye twitched but he kept his cool.
"Who's Marla?" Daren asked Sam, losing interest in his Pokémon's squabble. Sam's face turned pale. He had used the Marshtomp's real name and had forgotten that Daren had no idea what his Pokémon's names were.
"It's you Marshtomp's name," Sam said, deciding to go with what had happened. It might be easier to tell the truth in this case. Daren looked at his companion with suspicion.
"How do you know it's name?" he asked slowly. Sam realized he made a mistake telling the truth and now he had to choose his words carefully. He didn't want Daren to know about his powers just yet.
"Well, I just know Pokémon names," he said, going with one weak lie, "I don't know how, so don't ask me anymore."
"Okay, if you know Pokémon names, then what are the others' names?"
"Your Shegon's name is Draco and the Mightyena is Callum," Sam answered quickly. At the sound of their names, Daren's Pokémon looked up, staring in confusion at Sam.
"Are those your names, guys?" Daren asked his team and they all nodded slowly, "Huh, well that's embarrassing. I didn't even know Marsh- I mean Marla was a girl."
"Well now you know," Sam sighed, relieved that he dodged that bullet. The Pokémon, however, were not convinced. They rounded on Pyro.
"How does your trainer know our names," Callum growled, "even Daren didn't know them, only us and you."
"You better start answering, bub," Draco said. The three Pokémon blocked the Charmander from view of their trainers. Pyro kept his distance from them but the farther he got from the trio, the farther he got from Sam.
"Look, guys, I don't know how to say this but-" he began.
"Spit it out!" Marla yelled, causing Pyro to flinch.
"We don't know exactly how it happened but since Sam got the concussion he could understand Pokémon!" he blurted out in a panic.
"Bullcrap, no human can understand Pokémon," Callum snarled and advanced on Pyro. He lost his cool attitude.
"Sam, turn around!" he yelled for his trainer, "Come on, do something! Anything! Just make them believe that you can understand what I'm saying!"
The human slowly turned towards them and looked Pyro right in the eye. The Charmander was surprised to see anger in them. He guessed it was probably from revealing his biggest secret to unfamiliar Pokémon but despite that, he gave a quick nod and turned his attention elsewhere. Draco snorted loudly.
"I ain't buying it," he said, "let's just whoop this guy's ass 'til we get the truth from him."
"That is the truth, I swear!" Pyro exclaimed. Sweat trickled down his forehead. There was no way he could take all three of them in a fight if they attacked. To his surprise, it was Marla that defended him.
"Guys, drop it," she said sternly, "if the human can understand Pokémon then maybe we shouldn't talk about beating his partner senseless when he can clearly hear us."
Her teammates mumbled an agreement under their breath, accepting the orders of Daren's most senior partner. Pyro mouthed a thank you to her but the Marshtomp didn't react to it. Either she didn't see it or she was ignoring him.
In front, Sam sighed in relief. Of course, he had been listening and really thought that they could have had a serious incident. The sigh had just ended when his brain exploded. It didn't really explode but to Sam, it might as well have. Needles felt like they were trying to burst out of his skull from inside the right side of his brain. The world spun and his legs gave way. Fortunately, Daren had quick enough reflexes to grab his arm and keep him up. Just as suddenly as it happened, he pain faded away and Sam's sight returned to normal.
"What was that?" Daren asked once Sam seemed to recover.
"I got no idea," Sam mumbled and shook his head lightly before continuing, "one second I was fine then it felt like my head was going to split open."
"Are you good now?"
"Yeah, I think so. Thanks for the save."
"No problem," Daren responded and he decided to keep a close eye on Sam from there on in case it should happen again. From the back, Pyro watched with concern. He had a feeling he knew what was wrong with his trainer. Someone smacked his arm lightly.
"Does your trainer do that a lot?" Marla whispered, "Like, should we be worried when he does that?"
"I haven't known him for that long but I'm quite sure that humans don't do that normally," Pyro answered back in an equal voice level, "I think it might have something to do with the concussion."
"You mean the same one that gave him the ability to talk with Pokémon?" Callum asked from behind. Pyro nodded and was about to go into a deeper explanation when a high pitched shriek like a battle cry came from the woods. Something hit him hard from the side and the suddenness of the blow knocked him over into the dirt. He looked up to see a Wurmple at the edge of the path, grinning mischievously at him. It sprayed silk in his face and ran off into the forest.
"You aren't getting away from me that easily!" Pyro roared. He tore the silk off his face and pursued after the bug Pokémon. Sam turned at the sound of the commotion just in time to see the Charmander enter the woods.
"Pyro, wait!" he yelled and started to run after his Pokémon. He stopped and turned back to Daren he started in a stunned silence on the road, "Wait here until I get back," Sam told him and resumed to chase after Pyro.
The Charmander wasn't that fast but he had a head start on his trainer. He crashed through the underbrush, his eyes locked on the Wurmple just ahead of him. In front, patches of sunlight broke through the leaves and soon they burst into the middle of a small clearing. The bug-type stood alone at the far edge of the clearing. If Pyro had been paying attention, he would have noticed a disturbing smile on the Wurmple's face.
"What makes you think you could tackle me and run off unscathed?" Pyro demanded fiercely, stopping into the centre. The bug chuckled softly, enraging the Charmander further, "you're going to pay for that."
"I don't think I'm going to pay for anything," it said softly, its amusement clear in its voice, "As a matter of fact, I think you'd be the one who'll be paying."
"I'm going to squash you like the bug you are," Pyro growled and stepped forward again in hopes of intimidating the smaller Pokémon. However, it didn't even flinch but instead gave a small laugh.
"You may be able to squash me but I hardly think you'd be able to get all of us," it said. Pyro was confused but the bushes behind him rustled and he turned around. He sighed when he saw it was only Sam, who had just caught up. If Sam hadn't come barging in though, Pyro never would have noticed the other Pokémon in the shadows. Dozens of Wurmple, Cascoon and other bug Pokémon hung from the branches of trees.
"Oh, this is not good," Sam mumbled, staring at all the Pokémon. Pyro wasn't all that worried, they were just bug Pokémon after all.
"Don't worry, Sam, I got this," Pyro said, trying to reassure his trainer.
"Boys, get rid of this pesky Charmander first," the Wurmple said. It was becoming clearer that he must have been their leader, "the human will be easy."
"You ain't getting any of us," Pyro growled, confident that he could take them. The leader gave a horribly evil smile for such a small Pokémon.
"Get them," he snarled and as one, the bugs from the trees attacked. The masses of Wurmple rushed Pyro but the few Beautifly and Dustox that were in the ranks got to him first. He batted the first few away but it wasn't long until they started to land hits. After the first one connected, more started to hit him. The Wurmple joined in and soon, Pyro was swamped by the bug-types. Each one he scratched down was replaced by another.
He couldn't hold them off but he wasn't prepared to go down just yet. A burning sensation rose in his chest and he released it, sending out a fireball that took down three of the Wurmple. Knowing how to use a fire attack, he began to lob fireballs everywhere, missing as many times as he hit one. His Ember attacks that missed flew into the forest, causing the underbrush to burst into flames.
Sam just watched, impressed at how the tide of the battle had changed so fast. He regretted thinking that almost instantly. He noticed from the sidelines that the bug Pokémon were beginning to keep their distance from Pyro. The Charmander however, did not see this because he was too busy using his new attack. They were preparing for something big but Sam had no idea what it was.
"Time to use the Cocoon Tactic!" the leader cried to answer Sam's thoughts. The Pokémon circling Pyro and even the immobile ones in the trees started spitting out silk. The white thread covered the Charmander. At first, the bug attack didn't hinder him. Then the silk got into his eyes, which blinded him. He tried to remove it but it had hardened and was stuck to his face like glue. More silk started to cover him and harden, making his movements slower and slower.
Sam felt useless, standing there unable to help. The memory of Team Rocket ganging up on him came to his eyes and he realized something. Just because his Pokémon was fighting didn't mean he couldn't do anything. He could fight. He ran into the fray, knocking aside a group of Wurmple. Bug Pokémon fell as he swung his fists and legs in a wild frenzy.
"Leave the Charmander and attack the boy, you fools!" the ordered and his followers obeyed. Sam barely heard the command and nearly fell when he was struck in the ribs. The next blow was to the head and the world spun as he landed hard on the ground. Pain ripped though his brain but even on the verge of a blackout, Sam struggled to his feet. As he got up, another blow from a Dustox sent him flying into the woods. The rough landing knocked the wind from his lungs.
Sam lay on his back, fighting for breath and consciousness as he struggled to find a way out. His forehead seared in pain and Sam felt something warm flowing from one of his scars. He tried to call for help, to get Daren's attention on the road but his mouth couldn't form the words. Around him, the forest burning and Pyro was helpless in an ever growing cocoon of silk. When they were done with the Charmander, they would most surely finish him off.
The fire roaring around him must have sparked something within him. No, he was not going to let Pyro die at the hands of bug Pokémon. That was not how they were going out. Sam's hand started to grope around behind him and his hands wrapped around a tree branch about two inches thick. Using it as a crutch, he forced himself into a standing position. He looked around the clearing, his eyes searching for the leader. It was literally jumping in excitement on the edge of clearing, closer to Sam than he was to his minions.
With a battle cry, Sam charged the unaware Wurmple, his stick raised above his head. It turned around just in time to see the human swing the club down on the tiny bug's head. With the leader out for the count and probably dead, Sam then proceeded to charge the group attacking Pyro. Solely dependent on their leader for instructions, the bug Pokémon fell into disarray as Sam decimated their numbers. After seeing many of their comrades fall, the ones who hadn't been struck down fled the battle, leaving their injured behind.
Sam was oblivious to the retreating foes and had already cast aside his weapon. He kneeled by Pyro, frantically trying to remove the hardened silk. The stuff was hard as concrete, and no amount of tugging would remove it.
Panic rose in Sam's chest. The only part of the Charmander's body that was free of silk was the tip of his tail, where the flame that represented his life burned feebly. The silk around the small fire was sticky and loose. An idea came to Sam's mind and he grabbed the fire-type's tail. It was stiffened by the rigid silk but he forced the tip to the back of Pyro's head. The flame instantly started to melt his cocoon and Sam kept the flame there until he saw the orange colour of the Charmander's skin. Using that opening, Sam began to pry open the silk until the shell cracked right down the middle, freeing Pyro.
The fire-type removed himself from the confines of the silk, bruised and battered, but alive. Then he did something that surprised both of them. He gave Sam a big hug and the human didn't know what to do, so he just hugged the smaller Pokémon back.
"What the hell happened here?" someone yelled from behind them. Sam turned to see that Daren had joined them with his three Pokémon. For Daren, it was quite a sight. The clearing was on fire, bodies were strewn everywhere, Sam's face was a bloody mess and the Charmander that he believed to be fiercely independent was giving his trainer a bear-hug. It was a lot to take in at once but he regained his composure and ordered Marla to put out the fires as he ran over to Sam.
"We saw the smoke coming from the woods," Daren said as he crouched next to Sam, "We rushed to see what was going on."
"It was a trap," Sam answered in a weak mumble, "they lured Pyro in here for an ambush. Why they did it, I have no idea."
"Maybe they did it for food?" Daren suggested but his Pokémon shot that idea down.
"Nah, this gang wasn't fighting for food," Draco said, observing the carnage around them, "they were fighting for experience. Ganging up to take down a larger foe doesn't do much once or twice but do it enough times and the whole group benefits."
Even though Daren couldn't understand their words, he knew enough from their tones to understand what he said was wrong. He looked back at Sam's face, specifically at his forehead which was pouring blood.
"Don't mean to freak you out or anything, but I think one of scars tore open," Daren told him and Sam instinctively reached for his face.
"Yeah, that was my guess too," he said after his hand came away covered in the crimson liquid, "We should probably get to Petalburg fast, shouldn't we?"
Daren helped Sam to his feet once Pyro let go and Sam nearly fell again when a sudden wave of nausea hit. He would have thrown up if he had eaten anything since breakfast. He ended up having to lean against Daren's shoulder for support.
Marla extinguished the fires and rejoined them, questioning Pyro on what happened. Although he wasn't too keen on recounting the events, he told the three Pokémon what happened. Thankfully, they didn't make fun of him for losing to bug-types and remained silent.
Once they made it back on the path, Sam got off of Daren's shoulder to see if he could walk on his own. He was able and walked unassisted as they headed west for Petalburg. The farther they walked however, they heavier his legs seemed to feel. His eyes began to droop and he fought the strong urge to fall asleep. He couldn't fight it for long and his steps began to falter. He tripped and his vision was overcome by darkness as he slipped into unconsciousness.