Who'd have thought, these things are actually getting fun to write (or rewrite, depending on how fussy you are about dialect) I guess it's the chance to go back and add jokes I missed out, and there are many, many jokes that I could have made during the first few arcs and just plain forgot about. Plus the whole comparing old crap to newer crap, just to go back and improve stuff. I never understood the point of it in school but it actually makes sense now. Anyway, before I get sidetracked and turn this into a rant about how much I've improved in the last year (If you want to know; then ToF's official birthday, which is when I first started sketching out ideas, is May 15) On with the show.
Flame is dragged along after Moron, leaving his old home behind. And, in the process, makes a dangerous nemisis; sort of.
Episode Three: The Realm of Humans (redux)
Unfortunately, for me, the smokescreen had made me a little groggy. That, and the fact that the stupid kid decided to duck, meant that I missed and didn't get to burn his face off. Instead I just torched a very large bush that must have been older than the kid. Luckily, again for me, it was early in the morning so the dew and moisture in the air stopped the bush from igniting under the force of my small fireball (I say small because I didn't make it a big one, I made it small for a reason. Because the burns hurt a hell of a lot worse at the cost of raw power. I can make large fireballs too, just felt like pointing that out.)
I was just about to adjust my aim and blast him again when there was the strange sound that signalled that red and white ball device opening, it was that damn Squirtle thing again. I glared at it as it formed just paces away from me, only a meter stopping me from throttling the blue idiot.
"You know, typically, the Pokémon don't attack their trainers," said git spoke up with a small smile. Definitely male and definitely someone worthy of being killed.
---
The meter vanished as my claws found their way inside the head-hole of his shell and was about to start choking the hell out of him when I spotted Moron pointing a Pokéball at me.
"Oh, hell no," I thought to myself as the human's finger pressed a button on the center before giving an order.
"Flame, return!" And the red beam of light fired towards me, I reacted instantly and used my grip on the Squirtle to hurl him into the beam's path.
---
It worked, no being sucked into a little ball for me. Only the Human moved around the slightly stunned turtle and tried again, this time I dodged via the tried and true method of getting the hell out of the way. It was kind of amusing, watching this Human kid getting more and more frustrated as I avoided being sent back into the ball, the beams missing me each time. Eventually the kid gave up and the ball shrank into a smaller form, which the brat hung on his belt.
"Fine, you can stay out," he grumbled, turning away, "we've got a lot of walking to do if we want to get out of the forest by lunchtime."
"What on earth makes you think I want to leave? This is my home, you retard!" I yelled back, getting ready for another fireball.
The Squirtle stepped in before I could fry Moron, "we're about three miles from where your clearing was; there was a Beedrill nest between here and there. They'll be up and awake soon. If you want to risk it, go ahead. But don't think that we're just going to let you walk into a Twin needle to the face without a fight."
---
My heart sank at that, I knew the Beedrill swarm that the Squirtle was talking about. I'd had a few run-ins with the buggers before; they rarely ended well for me. (The Beedrill came off worse; I believe I took down about twenty of them the last time they decided to have a pop at me. They fly so close to each other when they swarm that a few well placed fireballs will take most of them down as the ignited ones collide with the others. But the swarm learned, mainly to avoid me. The feeling was mutual) There was no way I'd manage to trek through their nest, not if what the Squirtle said was true. And going around would take forever, they have a massive territory. On the other paw, there would be few other Pokémon that would have made their homes so close to the swarm. The Pidgey that I'd flattened and myself were the only two that I knew of.
---
I sighed... I was screwed, all because of one brat. I clenched my fists again, shoulders shaking as I tried as hard as I could not to start crying or yelling.
The Squirtle stepped closer and actually placed his own paws on my shoulders, "you okay? You seem a little out of it."
"I'm out of it?!" I asked, loudly, as I jerked my head up and looked him right in the eye. He was shorter than me, so it wasn't difficult. "You and Moron over there stole me from my home! Do you have any idea how hard it was for me to get a small territory like that? I've been here longer than those Beedrill!"
"Calm down," Squirtle replied, somewhat softly even though his grip on my shoulders tightened a little, "you'll be fine with us. You can tag along and we'll find you a better home, one away from bugs and other Humans. You have my word; and I'm not one who makes promises that I cannot keep."
---
I actually did calm down at that, stunned by the water type's determination. He'd sounded so calm and truthful, even though he could not have had any idea just how hard it would be to find a new home for me.
"Go for it, better than wandering around here like a dope for the next few months. He's trustworthy, and you can always beat the crap out of him if he doesn't stick to his promise," that strange voice in my head told me, with what I swear was a small purr. I was about to start wondering why my inner voice was purring when I remembered what I was supposed to be doing and slowly nodded.
---
"Heh," the Squirtle said, cracking a big grin at me, "I knew you'd be alright once you stopped trying to kill me!"
"Whatever," I brushed his paws off, "the moment I get a chance, I'm out." I meant it too.
"Fair enough, but that'll probably be a few days away. The nearest bug free place is after the city beyond this forest," he didn't seem phased at all by my hostility, which piped my curiosity. Just what were his motives?
---
"You two coming?" Moron called over his shoulder, "unless you want to be left behind, let's get going!"
"Yes, Moron," I grumbled, with a slight mocking tone to my voice. Who the hell did that kid think he was? Ordering me about like that.
"His name isn't Moron," Squirtle rolled his eyes at me, which did little to help my mood, as he started walking after the Human brat.
"Like I care, that's all he is to me. Him and his retarded hat," I replied, catching up and walking alongside the water type.
---
Squirtle laughed at that, a soft laugh that seemed surprisingly fitting for him, "I'll agree with you on that one, he hasn't exactly got the best fashion sense. When I first saw his clothing, I thought he was a Christmas tree."
I blinked, "Christmas tree?" The name sounded familiar but I couldn't think of where I had heard it before. Maybe a relic from before I came to Viridian.
"It's a Human thing; they take these really weedy looking trees and put lots of shiny stuff and whatnot on to decorate them. Very flashy, but no one cares about the tree." Squirtle explained, not bothered by my total lack of knowledge about Human crap.
"Yeah, that sounds like him."
---
And so we kept walking, Moron leading the way while I looked around at the scenery we passed. It had been so long since I'd last visited that part of the forest. There was the small pond near where a Pikachu tribe would live during the colder months. Then was another clearing, this one filled with white and yellow flowers that would be flocked by Butterfree during the sunset hours. Seeing as it was still fairly early in the morning, the only Pokémon that were around was the occasional Metapod that didn't exactly have a choice in the matter. Stupid immobile things, I used to take great pleasure in poking them with a stick from behind just to make them squeal in fright. This time, we walked on past without paying them any attention. They were no threat (unlike their Kakuna counterparts; and those are only dangerous because seeing one meant that there was always Beedrill nearby)
Of course; just as I was getting bored of the endless walking, the Squirtle started talking again. I won't go into what he said, seeing as it was a long explanation of why he was on the whole retarded trip to begin with and I wasn't really paying attention. I didn't care in the least about his reasons, I just wanted to get the damn trip over and done with so I could be on my way again. Who cared about this traveling the world crap anyway? I blinked, that part had actually sounded interesting.
---
"Wait a sec," I interrupted before he could explain some other piece of crap, "you are on this whole thing just to get to see places?"
"See places, win competitions, become stronger. Yeah," he shrugged, "Do a lap of Kanto then maybe head onto a different Region and travel around there too!" He paused and glanced over at me, "why, are you actually interested?"
"Nah, bored," I shrugged him off again, "just wanted to if you really were that stupid." That was a lie, if you hadn't figured it out on your own. I wouldn't want him thinking that I liked the idea, now would I? (Rhetorical question, idiots)
"Okay, what would make you want to travel across the world?" Squirtle asked, not bothered by my insult. His question caused me to look away, off into the brush as we trundled past. I didn't want to think about that, that reason I had moved into the forest in the first place.
"None of your business," I managed to choke out eventually, feeling his stares on the back of my head. I just knew that he'd opened his mouth to ask why, but thought better of it and kept quiet.
---
It must have been another hour before the trees around us started to thin out as Moron came across a small stone path. It was the trail that led Humans though the forest, one that I'd done well to avoid untill just then.
"The border of Viridian Forest," the Human said, glancing back over to us. Squirtle smiled while I just kept an impassive scowl on my face, "and we made better time then I thought we would. Still two hours 'till lunch."
"Whoo-freaking-hoo," I rolled my eyes, Squirtle laughing again and causing me to glare over. "What is your problem?"
"No problem, that just sounded amusing to me," he chuckled before pointing with his paw, "look over there."
---
I followed his gaze, staring at the massive stone structure. I had to admit, Humans were good at building things. Much better than Pokémon, all Pokémon ever really do is adapt existing places like hollows in the ground. A little moss here, a little pebble wall over there to keep the water out, which was about it. These guys would make whole new stuff out of practically nothing. But, I wasn't going to let Squirtle know about my feelings of amazement. So I shrugged.
"I've seen better." I had too but, again, I wasn't going to let him know that.
"Spoilsport," Squirtle sighed as Moron upped his pace, heading for the structure, "hey, race you!" And, with that, he dashed off and overtook the Human.
---
"The hell that I'm losing to a water type," I growled and dashed off after him, dropping to all fours to make use of the added forward speed. I got ahead and headed for an opening in the grey stone walls. Slight problem, it wasn't an opening. I hit this invisible barrier head on, a loud bang sounding out from the very solid material. And a crack coming out of my neck as it was wrenched rather violently to the side. I hit the floor; vision blurred as my dazed brain tried to work out what the hell had just attacked me. Then there was laughter, coming from Moron this time.
"Flame, that's a door. You have to open it first," he laughed, reaching up for a brown thing that jutted out of the invisible barrier (and way, way out of my reach) and Squirtle helped me to the side as the Human pulled.
---
I stared as there was a click, then a glint as sunlight bounced off of the barrier that swung open. Moron glanced back at me, the look in his eyes causing me to snarl. Then he stepped through the opening and held onto the barrier, Squirtle releasing his hold on my shoulders to head after the Human. I stared silently for a few seconds before slowly heading after them, glancing out of the corner of my eye at the confounded Wall Demon.
"Mark my words, you will pay for that," I growled under my breath, the barrier glinting slightly from the light. I growled louder, the damn thing was mocking me. And I was not one who would take being mocked.
---
Squirtle grabbed a hold of my shoulders and started pulling me away before I could lash out with fire and claws, "come on, Flame! There's some apples up on the counter and I'm starved."
A loud rumble in my stomach agreed with the blue idiot and so I allowed myself to be led away. I hadn't had breakfast, so revenge could wait.
"I'll be back, Wall Demon." I vowed as I went, untill the smell that confirmed the location of the fruit reached my nose and all my attention snapped to the more important matter at paw. Namely, snack time.