"Hello, guys? I apologize if this is a silly question, but...does anyone know where we're going...? Brock?" May inquired, causing everyone to perspire.
After a few hours of journey, the crew arrived at the forest that divided Pallet and Viridian. Nothing had hampered their progress thus far, which they hoped would continue. May, on the other hand, was secretly cursing the fact that there were two big forests that might form a part of their journey.
"No, I was only following everyone else." Brock stated this innocently.
"Brock! Aren't you supposed to be the one in charge? How could you have let us depart without knowing where we were going!?" The doctor was shouted at by Paul.
"Hehe... with all that was going on, I guess I just kind of forgot," Brock said innocently, putting his hand behind his head.
Although Paul was still upset, it was difficult to argue with Brock's explanation. After everything that had happened, Paul's head was also a little foggy.
"Unless you wish to go south, the only way out of Pallet is through this forest. So, regardless of where we're heading, we'd have to come this way anyway." Paul was reminded by Ash.
"That's possible, but we're going to enter the forest. We shouldn't go much further without deciding where we're going because if we don't, we'll be wandering around blind." Paul stated emphatically.
"We've been walking for a long, so I wouldn't mind taking a break. While we're resting, we can decide out where we want to go. Maybe eat some lunch as well." May proposed. She tried to sound cheerful, but the tiredness from walking for nearly three hours was audible in her voice.
"I support that." Dawn replied, not bothering to mask her exhaustion.
"Come on, folks, we've got to keep going! We haven't even gotten into the forest yet. We need to get as far as we can today!" Ash yelled loudly.
"It's your fault we're exhausted in the first place! If you hadn't sprinted the first two kilometers, perhaps we wouldn't be so fatigued!" May responded by yelling back.
Misty appeared to be on the verge of exploding, and Ash was no better. Serena stepped in between the two to prevent this from happening.
"We need to take a break, Ash. Everyone is exhausted and hungry after the long walk. We must maintain our strength." Serena pondered.
Ash sighed, a mixture of disappointment and shame, as he gazed about at his fatigued friends.
"I'm sorry, I know I pushed too hard, and I apologize. I'm just so nervous. Something dreadful is about to happen if I don't go to my mum as quickly as possible. But you are correct; we must maintain our strength. We have no idea what awaits us." Ash finished and sat down on a nearby stump, just off the trail that led into the forest.
May and Dawn both appeared to be guilty. They weren't sure if it was their subconscious forcing it out of their brains or if they simply decided to ignore it, but neither seemed to remember the intensity of the journey.
"You are not required to apologize, Ash. After all, this is the most important adventure each of us has ever taken. You just want to aid someone you care about as soon as possible... as always." Dawn finished with a smile that spread like wildfire across Ash's face.
"I apologize for yelling at you, Ash. Because I was afraid, I probably put the gravity of the situation out of my mind. It's just so much easier to look at this as another voyage. Collecting badges, training Pokemon, and all the other things we used to do." May said.
As Brock began laying down the foundation for a fire, everyone had either found a seat on the ground or another stump to sit on.
Dawn laughed softly "Yeah, it felt like I was on another adventure with you guys on the way here. Regardless of the circumstances, I'm thrilled that we'll be able to travel together again. Ash, I really wish I hadn't stopped traveling with you in the first place."
Ash couldn't stop himself from smiling. It felt amazing to have the support of all his friends during such a difficult moment. He was ready to say something, but May beat him to it.
"I've been regretting leaving you since I departed for Johto after the Battle Frontier. Something was constantly lacking after that. Winning a contest did not provide me the same delight that you did. And losing was much more difficult without you to cheer me up. Instead, I had folks like Drew and Harley who were always putting me down. I didn't even make it to the Grand Festival that year because coordinating didn't bring me the same excitement."
May paused to catch her breath.
"But after Johto, I regained my flame. "It felt as if you were genuinely there with me, something, it turns out, I desperately need," May remarked, pulling out the necklace that held the terracotta ribbon from beneath her blouse. I guess what I'm trying to say is that this time I'm not going to abandon you."
"So, I'm pleased to have you all back at my side. Even though our paths had previously diverged, I'm overjoyed that we're all back together." Ash said softly, looking at each of his previous buddies.
Ash's statements couldn't be more accurate. Even though he'd always kept his head held high, he was always devastated when one of his buddies went their separate ways. They would take a piece of him with them when they departed, a piece that could only be filled by their presence. So, despite the circumstances, having everyone back was a wonderful sensation.
"I'm sorry to interrupt this lovely moment, but the stew is almost done." Brock spoke himself happily. Throughout the chat, Brock and Max had been hard at work building the fire and preparing the stew, which was well welcomed by everyone.
May and Ash started drooling after just one look at the stew. May was starving, and Ash was as well; he just hadn't recognized it because his mind was completely focused on the task at hand.
"Is that..." May began.
"How about Brock's no-chew stew?" Ash finished, becoming more content with each word.
Brock offered a thumbs up and smiled "Yes, it most certainly is. It's a fantastic dinner, especially for travelers."
Brock was interrupted when Ash and May dived for the stew and scooped heaping portions into their bowls.
Brock stayed back after seeing the insane look in their eyes. However, he felt compelled to warn them, "Be careful, it's going to be-"
"HOT!"
After almost an hour, everyone had eaten their lunch and felt relaxed enough to continue their journey.
Everyone was prepared to depart. Except for two.
"Guys, please hurry up. I need to go through the jungle before it becomes dark!" Paul screamed angrily.
"Yeah, and we need to get to Saffron as soon as possible, remember?" The two were reminded by James.
During lunch, it was determined that Saffron City would be the first stop. It felt like the perfect site to strive for because the Silph Co. had recently been taken over by Team Rocket, which meant Delia may be there. The towns they would pass through along the journey, such as Pewter and Vermilion, would also be investigated.
Ash and May were both carrying ice cubes on their tongues, courtesy of Glaceon, who was standing next to Pikachu. Pikachu was still chuckling at his trainer's rashness.
"Thank you, Glaceon. You're the greatest, "May was attempting to say something, but with the enormous ice crystal covering her mouth, it was impossible to understand her words.
As she lowered her head and smiled at her trainer, Glaceon must have imagined it was a thank you.
"You've been putting ice in your mouths for about 20 minutes. We need to get started. You were the one who refused to quit in the first place, Ash!" Misty burst out laughing.
Ash allowed his thoughts to drift away from his sore tongue and back to the task at hand. He straightened up, realizing Misty was correct. Rather than responding and seeming stupid like May, he simply nodded his head.
May followed Ash's lead and stood up. "Well gys, lepth's gettin' goin!" Ash said, finally removing the ice from their mouths.
As Ash spoke, everyone burst out laughing. He sounded much worse than May did with the ice still in her mouth. Ash discovered the hard way that his tongue had gone completely numb. And speaking without a tongue proved to be quite difficult.
After the laughter subsided, Brock approached Ash and May, offering them both some lukewarm water to warm up their mouths so they could talk clearly again.
"Better?" Brock asked.
"Better!" Ash and May both replied at the same time, finally sounding like themselves. They exchanged glances after speaking, exchanging a smile over speaking at the same moment.
Dawn became irritated because this must have lasted longer than they expected "Could you maybe stop looking at each other so we can get started? Someone is going to feel my wrath if we're in this woodland at night!"
Dawn's threat went unheard by the two, who were preoccupied with their current disgrace. Both of them were flushed blazing red. To get away from the situation, Ash sprinted ahead of the party, leading them into the forest.
"I know this forest like the back of my hand, folks!" Ash yelled happily.
Ash then marched confidently into the darkness.
Everyone else looked at Ash, knowing full well that his sense of direction was at best mediocre. Brock took out after him, attempting to demonstrate some faith in his friend. The remainder of the group then followed him into what would be their darkest time in that woodland yet.
10 minutes later
Ash collapsed to his knees, all of his confidence gone. All he could do was stare in awe at his surroundings. How could something like this occur? That was a question for which he had no answer. But Ash did know one thing.
He was disoriented.
"Guys, I'm sorry. I've always been bad with directions, and I shouldn't have gotten so far ahead of myself; now we're lost and don't know where we are," Ash sighed.
"Don't worry, Ash, that's why we have Brock with us!" Paul exclaimed.
"Is that all I am to you? Your 'tour guide?'" Brock joked.
"Of course not," Paul said solemnly, prompting Brock to smile. "You're also our chef."
As Paul finished his sentence, Brock's sweat dropped, causing everyone to laugh.
Brock quickly recovered and pulled a map from his backpack, saying, "I'm fairly certain I know where we are, so leave the directions to me!"
Ash had regained his optimism and was ready to follow Brock's lead. However, the others were becoming nervous at this point. Night would fall in a few hours, shrouding them in darkness in a dangerous part of Kanto.
Seeing everyone's concern, Brock reassured them, "Don't worry you guys, I know my way around here pretty well; I'll have us out by dark, no problem!"
Brock's soothing comments provided some solace to the gathering, but there was still a sense of unease.
Without saying anything else, the gang began following Brock's lead. They were extremely fortunate not to have encountered any swarms of Beedrill, as it was widely known that they were both common and deadly here.
Although most pokemon were docile unless provoked, species like Beedrill and Spearow have been known to attack unprovoked, resulting in a number of deaths over the years.
As they walked on, May struck up a conversation with Ash, while Dawn and Serena trailed close behind, looking for any opportunity to join in.
"...Yeah, and then we was chased out of here by a massive swarm of Beedrill," May explained, wide-eyed.
"Thank God you two made it out alive; I've heard too many stories about wild Beedrill..." Ash shook his head.
Serena decided to take in the beauty of the trees that surrounded her instead of simply jumping into the conversation. Although Serena disliked woodlands at first, it was in one that she first met Ash. And that turned out to be one of the most pivotal times in her life. She smiled as she remembered found recollections from the past.
She was startled out of her reverie by the sound of a twig breaking someplace to her left, further in the forest.
Serena was worried despite the fact that it was most likely a Rattata or similar small, harmless pokemon. She decided it was better to be cautious than sorry and expressed her worry.
"Hey folks, I just heard a noise over there," Serena said, pointing to where she heard the twig snap. "It's probably nothing, but I thought it would be best if I said something given the circumstances."
"It's absolutely better you mentioned anything, Serena," Ash replied cheerfully, not giving much thought to the noise that he himself had not heard.
"Just to be sure, everyone remain still and keep quiet, and let's see if we can hear anything," James said, and everyone agreed.
They stood in complete silence for a few minutes without hearing a sound.
"Well, whatever you heard was probably heading in the opposite direction, because I can't hear anything," Paul explained.
To be honest, he felt it would have been weird if no one had heard anything the entire time they were in the forest. After all, this location was home to a variety of pokemon.
"You're probably right, let's just keep going," Serena said, still nervous. She chalked that feeling up to being weary and in a dangerous neighborhood.
The gang then continued on their way.
The sound of snapping branches began again as the gang continued to walk, and this time everyone heard it.
"I hear it," Ash said, and a series of head nods indicated that the others did as well.
"Come on guys, you know it's probably nothing; I'd really like to keep moving so we can get out of this awful forest," Paul grumbled.
"But Paul, what if it's something bad?" Dawn questioned, her voice shaking with worry.
"We didn't hear it when we stopped, but it came back as soon as we started walking again; I'm not sure what that may mean..." Ash trailed off.
"Do you suppose whatever that is is following us?" Brock asked his lifelong friend, understanding what he said. Ash gave him a stern look in answer.
"I'm sick of this, and you know what? I'm going to figure out exactly what's going on right now," Paul said, his wrath and exasperation visible in his tone. He faced the source of the sounds, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Hey! Whoever or whatever you are out there, please show yourselves before we sick our pokemon on you!"
The sound of crunching footsteps running toward their current location could be heard immediately following Paul's threat. Everyone had their hands on their pokeballs, bracing themselves for whatever may emerge out of the tree line, and Pikachu's cheeks were glowing with excitement.
When Ash saw their resolute looks, he remembered that they were all very capable trainers who didn't always require protecting. He realized that, for the time being, they could defend themselves.
The footsteps got closer as each individual hovered their hands over their most trusted pokemon's ball, until something emerged from the treeline.
A slightly obese man dressed in casual travel attire emerged, his hands up in defense. He appeared to be in his late 30s and wore heavy glasses.
When he appeared, everyone felt relieved. He didn't appear to be a threat based on his appearance. He seems afraid at the idea of being attacked.
"Who the heck are you and why were you following us?!" Paul exclaimed as he walked forward in front of the group.
"M-My name is Thomas! I-I was just wandering through the forest when I noticed you guys. I knew you two, you're Paul and Ash from the Kanto league finals this year! I'm a huge fan of the both of you! And Pikachu! You are the all time coolest pokemon!"
"Pika Pi Pikachu," Pikachu muttered embarrassedly, stroking the back of his head.
The man, now known as Thomas, let the dread wash away from his face, and was replaced with total joy.
"And you two! You are two of the best coordinators around right now! I can't believe I'm actually getting to meet you!" Thomas said to May and Dawn.
"And you're Max Maple. I've been watching your career since you started! I knew with who your father is that you were meant for great things, and I believe you'll make it big someday," he finally said to Max.
Max, unlike the others, has never been identified by a fan before. This was an amazing time in his young career for him. When a complete stranger congratulated him, he felt as if he'd accomplished something, no matter how poorly he'd done in his previous leagues.
Thomas moved closer to the gathering, but was stopped by Paul and Ash.
"All right, that's fine, but explain to me why you were following us," Ash stated coldly.
"And why were you trying to be all covert and hide yourself?" Paul scoffed, but their harsh tones went missed by Thomas, who continued to smile cheerfully.
He did, however, appear to understand what they were asking, as he put his hand behind his head in embarrassment and giggled nervously.
"I'm sorry about it. I didn't mean to make you all uncomfortable. The truth is that I was just nervous to meet all of you. I mean, you're all my idols. I was just trying to get the courage to show myself. That's why I followed you and tried to be sneaky, which obviously didn't work." Thomas said with a laugh, which was welcomed with forced giggles from everyone.
Everyone but Paul.
"You don't have to be nervous to meet us, Thomas." "Honestly, we're just like everyone else," May said cheerfully, her ego buoyed by the spectators' applause. Dawn felt the same way.
"Thank you very much; it's a pleasure to meet you all." "I adore all of you," Thomas stated.
"Well, it was good meeting you, Thomas, but we really need to get going now." "We don't want to be in the woods by the time night falls," Brock stated.
"Oh, sure, but...do you think I could tag along?" Just till we can get out of the woods. "You see, I'm a little lost," Thomas said, twiddling his fingers.
Throughout the meeting, Paul never took his gaze away from Thomas; he wasn't sure why, but he just couldn't stand him for some reason.
"I see no reason why not." What do you think, guys? " Max inquired, receiving different head nods and 'yeah's' in response, with only James, Ash, Meowth, and Paul looking dubious. They were on a highly sensitive assignment here, and having Thomas alongside them might surely impede matters.
"Wow, thank you so much!" "You just spared me from being trapped in here forever," Thomas exclaimed, clearly relieved.
"It's not a problem. Max remarked, "I guess you and Ash have something in common, and that's a terrible sense of direction." The company laughed, except for Paul, Ash, Meowth, and James, who only let out chilly, forced laughter.
The four looked to be the only ones afraid that this individual might impede their journey through the forest, but Ash, being a good guy, was prepared to give anyone a chance, so he convinced himself that he would be cordial with the guy. However, Meowth, James, and Paul couldn't say the same.
With that, the company resumed their trip, trusting Brock to lead them out of the woods.
"So, what's the deal with you guys?" Thomas inquired, eager to strike up a discussion.
"It's none of your business!" Paul snapped, earning both Dawn and Serena slaps on the back of his head.
"Paul, please be courteous!" Serena spoke motherly, and Paul grimaced and rubbed the discomfort in the back of his head.
Thomas looked wounded, recognizing that Paul didn't appear to like him, and Ash noted that he still seemed to be seeking for an answer to his inquiry, which he wasn't quite comfortable giving out.
"Um, we're simply going on a relaxing vacation." After all, we've had a long couple of weeks," Ash explained, hoping that Thomas would believe his lie. Fortunately for Ash, not only did Thomas appear to believe it, but his companions picked up on the idea that he didn't want the real truth to be revealed.
"Oh, absolutely!" That's fantastic! So, where are you going? "Thomas wondered.
"Saffron!" All Ash and Brock exclaimed at the same time, and they all gave each other a satisfied look, thanking their fortunate stars that they'd both chosen the same location.
"Yeah, yeah, we have some pals up there that we want to see," Dawn explained.
As they continued, Thomas appeared to accept the answer.
Fortunately for the group, the next 45 minutes of the trip were filled with mediocre talk; but, after that 45-minute jaunt, Thomas was clearly exhausted.
When Brock noticed this, he asked, "Are you going to be okay, Thomas?"
"Yeah, sorry," Thomas said, catching his breath, looking at the pokemon doctor. I had been wandering about for hours before I came across you. I suppose I'm just exhausted. I'm sorry to interrupt, but do you think we could pause for a few moments? "I believe I see a large clearing ahead of us, which should be pretty useful."
"I don't know Thomas, we're in a rush," Serena explained.
Thomas, who hadn't quite recovered his breath, sank on his knees and implored, "I realize this is a hardship, but I just need a little respite." Please! "
"Listen, punk, you're lucky we let you come with us at all—" Paul was cut short by Max's hand.
"We'll take a five-minute break." "I'm sure everyone could use a break," Max said.
Paul was irritated, not only because he had to stop, but also because he had been cut off by Max; Ash and James were also apprehensive, but agreed that such a brief respite wouldn't hurt.
With almost everyone on the same page, the group made its way to the large clearing mentioned by Thomas; it was strange to see a place with no trees in such a dense grove, but the increased amount of sunlight that seeped through the coverless top was warmly welcomed.
Thomas rushed ahead of the group and took a seat directly in the center of the clearing, while the rest of the group chose to stand near the man because they weren't too tired.
"Do you have any Pokemon, Thomas?" Max wondered.
"Of course!" says one. I have a lot, albeit I only have 5 with me right now. Would you like to view them? " Thomas inquired in response.
"Sure!" Max exclaimed excitedly, which was a little unsettling given Max's apparent attachment to this person.
"Come on out, everyone!" Thomas exclaimed as he released his pokemon from his five pokeballs, which included a Nidoking, a Golbat, a Linoone, a Dodrio, and a powerful-looking Aggron.
Pikachu became enraged the moment Thomas' pokemon were unleashed, and he spent no time in glaring at each and every one of them, his cheeks sparking with immense electricity.
"What's the matter, Pikachu?"
" Ash asked his companion, despite the fact that he had a very clear idea why his pokemon were responding this way; these pokemon were most likely emitting an aura that Pikachu did not like.
This notion was only proven when Lucario emerged from her ball and began staring at the pokemon across from him; at this point, Ash's attention was heightened, but he kept his cool, as both Pikachu and Lucario could have scented powerful opponents and want to combat them.
"Wow, those look like some tough pokemon," Brock said, disregarding the other pokemon.
"Thank you; I've been a relatively casual trainer for a long time." "I don't really attend to competitions or anything; I just love bonding with my pokemon and battling on occasion," Thomas replied.
"That's admirable. I know we should have a fight! " declared Max.
"We don't have time for that, Max." "We have to leave shortly," Ash told the youngster.
"Come on Ash, it won't take long," Max said, pouting.
"Actually, Max, I think Ash is right. I don't want to lock us all up for the night. What about the next time we meet? "
While this was going on, Paul, James, and Meowth all relocated to Ash's side away from the females, Max, and Thomas as they watched Lucario and Pikachu continue to growl at Thomas' pokemon.
"Ash, what's going on?" James moved in close and whispered in Ash's ear.
Thomas took hold of the boy's shoulder and turned to face the group of girls, a toothless smile spreading across his face.
"Hello, May, Dawn!" We haven't talked much since we first met. I'm just such a big admirer that I felt you should know what it is about both of you that I adore."
"I don't know, but I don't think I like it," Ash remarked loudly enough for only James, Meowth, and Paul to hear. "It could be nothing, they probably just want to combat," Ash said.
May and Dawn were flattered by what Thomas said, while Misty and Serena appeared to be about to puke, whether from jealousy or something else. Thomas moved closer to the girls until they were only a few feet apart.
"I'm getting an odd sense as well, Ash. "I'm not sure what it is, but it doesn't seem right," Meowth added.
"Perhaps we could start with what I enjoy best about you, why I'm such a great fan..."
"I've never seen your pokemon behave like this when they're ready to combat." Are you certain that's why they're acting this way? "Paul inquired.
"I'm not sure Paul, I've never seen something like this." "I don't think it's just because they want to fight," Ash said uneasily.
"...To begin with, your combinations are outstanding. But it was something else that drew me in..." Thomas' smile became a sneer.
"Are they then...?"
" James began, then their eyes searched their way over to where the ladies and Thomas were standing, and seeing him so near to them made the group of guys concerned. If Ash's pokemon was acting this way towards Thomas', what does that imply about the man behind the pokemon?
They had a feeling.
"...It was your pure and innocent beauty." But I'll tell you what, the TV doesn't do your curves justice, I mean, wow! " Thomas concluded, successfully creeping out not only May, but also the others.
"And Dawn, your a$$ is out of this world. I just want to give you a hug and a squeeze! " Thomas remarked this as he engulfed Dawn in a hug, which she did not respond, and squeezed her backside with both hands.
Dawn panicked, attempting to get free from Thomas' grip. May began punching the man, but he seemed entirely oblivious to the harm she was inflicting.
As Ash and the others stood there watching, Ash rushed as fast as he could over to the other.
"Get off her, son of a b*tch!"
" With all of his strength, he pushed Thomas away from Dawn and hit him in the face as hard as he could.
As Ash shook the agony from his palm, Thomas recoiled significantly; he felt he had landed a powerful punch, but just as he was about to check on Dawn, he heard what sounded like a...laugh?
Thomas gently raised his head, laughing the entire time, despite the fact that his nose was bloodied, with a cruel grin on his face.
All everyone could do was stare in awe and horror as Thomas' laughing slowed.
"Oh, Ketsum... With that, Thomas landed his own punch on Ash, capitalizing on his stunned state by grabbing him around the neck, drawing a revolver from his jacket, and pointing it at his head in one rapid action.
Thomas swiftly shifted his focus to the others, saying, "Reach for anything, and I blow his brains out!"
Everyone was stunned by Thomas' statements.
When Pikachu and Lucario saw what was happening to their trainer, they were about to run to his aid when all of Thomas' pokemon blocked their route, and they knew...
They were in for a battle.
"Ash!" Screamed Serena, May, Dawn, and Misty.
Fortunately for them, Ash wasn't knocked out by the blow; he was merely mildly stunned.
"Why are you doing this, Thomas?" I thought you were a fan of ours! " Max screamed, and Thomas scoffed.
"Please, as if I were a fan of your caliber. I'm only doing this for the money. But what I stated about May and Dawn was true. Simply come and find me whenever you like. Blonde and redheads are welcome as well. "We can all have some fun together," Thomas said, sickening everyone in the room.
"Don't-don't talk to them like that," Ash stammered out, clearly bewildered from the severe knock he endured.
"HA! I was the one with the pistol, last I checked! And I get to determine the rules here because I'm the one with the gun! " Thomas yelled.
Paul was rapidly darting his eyes from place to place, saying to himself, "Major payoff." That means..." Paul looked the madman in the eyes and said, "You're on Team Rocket, aren't you?" ... Answer me, you cretin! "
"Oh, we've got a real Sherlock over here." Okay, so what? Is it really that important at this time whether I am or not? " Rhetorically, Thomas asked.
"However, we read the note!" Giovanni stated that he desired Ash for himself. So, what brings you here with a pistol to his head? " May struggled to finish her sentence.
"I'm not required to tell you anything, but I will. Giovanni doesn't care whether he's the one who murders him. He only wants Ketchum dead. "That's the end of the narrative," Thomas said angrily.
"So then why not just kill me now and let the others go?
" Ash said, his voice hazy.
"Ash!
"Everyone screamed in fear.
"HAHA!" exclaimed Thomas. Bold. That is something I respect. The reason for this is that if I kill you now, what leverage do I have over your tiny pals to keep them from coming after me? That's why, before I end your pathetic life, I'll have my pokemon take care of them."
Everyone turned over to see Lucario and Pikachu suffering against five opponents, and everyone's expressions were filled with anxiety. If only they could send another pokemon to help, but they couldn't risk Ash's life like way.
But that didn't stop Meowth from having an idea: even if he doesn't always act like one, he was still a pokemon, and even one extra pokemon could help level the playing field.
He carefully waited for an opportunity to slip away unobserved and assist Pikachu and Lucario, which he discovered when Thomas ordered everyone to place their pokeballs on the ground.
Pikachu had just received a strong slam from the Aggron, which luckily did little harm due to his low weight, and as he skidded to a halt and regained his feet, he noticed Meowth, poised and ready to battle.
"Come on, we have a friend to save," Meowth said to Pikachu, smirking.
Having said that, Lucario, Meowth, and Pikachu attempted the impossible.
Move with the others, Thomas began to back away from the group in front of him, Ash still in his grip, a pistol to his head.
"We're out of here as soon as my pokemon start attacking you." "You might as well say your goodbyes now, for you'll never see this jerk again," Thomas added, motioning to Ash.
By this point, practically everyone was crying, with only Brock and Paul remaining calm; everyone else, even James, was a terrified wreck. They had almost lost Ash once, and now they were about to lose him again.
As this was going on, Ash was finally breaking out of his haze; he was fully aware of the position he was in, but he was in a state of complete and total tranquility. He looked from his group of broken companions to his pokemon, who appeared to be taking on four of Thomas' pokemon.
These were the things that jolted Ash out of his trance, and he tried to devise a solution without panicking, but it was difficult to do anything with a gun pointing at your head.
He could only think of one thing to do at this point, something he recalled watching on TV when he was younger, albeit without a pistol to the man's head, but it didn't matter... it was his only chance.
Ash made a move, rearing his head back as quickly as he could, effectively smacking Thomas square in the nose with his head as a shot went out, sending a ringing through Ash's ears. He thanked God at that time that Thomas was nearly as tall as himself, or that could have gone badly.
Although Thomas had demonstrated that shots to the face had little effect on him, all Ash needed was a twitch or reaction to slide out of his hands, which he was delighted to announce worked.
He instantly pulled out of Thomas' grip and turned around toward the arm holding the gun, grabbing his wrist and applying pressure, causing the revolver to slip from his grasp, leaving neither man armed.
Ash thought he could hear his buddies yelling at him at this point, but the ringing in his ears and his present laser focus on the task at hand temporarily deafened him.
Without skipping a beat, Ash snatched the arm that had previously contained the weapon and brought it down on his leg, effectively snapping it. Ash imagined the crunching and shattering of the bones in his forearm, as well as what he felt had to be screams of anguish emanating from Thomas, were horrible.
When Paul, Brock, and James regained their ability to move, they rushed to Ash's help, shoving Thomas to the ground.
Once Thomas was on the ground, Ash continued to deform and bend Thomas' fractured arm in the most agonizing manner conceivable.
Paul had also taken it upon himself to ensure that Thomas was completely unconscious, which he accomplished by repeatedly pounding his head on the filthy woodland floor.
Around this point, everyone realized that the pokemon still needed assistance, so May, Serena, and Misty dashed over to the swarm of pokeballs on the ground and collected as many as they could, intending to pitch them.
When they looked over to the battle, just three pokemon remained: a noble Lucario, a smart and strong Pikachu, and a valiant Meowth.
These three pokemon effectively vanquished five opponents at once, and Misty couldn't help but smile at their strength and resolve during the battle.
"Does anyone have a string shot pokemon?" Brock yelled to the crowd.
"Yeah," May said, picking up a certain pokeball. Beautify yourself! Tie up the guy from head to toe! "
James physically had to pull Paul away from Thomas in order for him to stop smashing his head into the ground, allowing Beautify to tie him up, and Ash also made sure that his arm was in the worst possible position so that when he woke up, he would be in a world of pain.
Thomas was soon constrained by the extra strong bindings of string shot, and he wouldn't be able to move unless someone else cut him out. It was around this time that Ash began to feel a hot liquid running into his eye, and knowing what it had to be before he even saw it, he put his head down so as not to worry everyone. He pulled out the portable video phone from his jacket pocket.
He then passed it over to Brock, who appeared to know what he wanted him to do without even looking at him.
Brock pressed the sole button on the device that allowed a dialing tone to be heard, and Professor Oak's face appeared on the little screen.
"Well, Brock. "Nice to see you," Oak remarked.
"Excuse my rudeness for bypassing the pleasantries, but you need to contact Officer Jenny and inform them that there is a criminal in a wide area on the north side of the forest between Pallet Town and Viridian City." He's bound, so he's not going anywhere," Brock remarked immediately.
"Brock, is everything all right?" Oak inquired. What occurred? "
"Professor, I swear I will tell you everything when you call Officer Jenny," Brock groaned, not willing to disclose the entire story at this time. For the time being, I'll simply state that Ash and I were attacked by a member of Team Rocket. Call me back after you've spoken with Officer Jenny."
Brock hung up the phone without waiting for a response, then slowly fell to his knees, releasing a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
At this point, Ash's ears were starting to ring less and less, but blood continued to pour down his face; he knew he'd need to be patched up, but he also knew that this injury would look worse than it was and freak everyone out; it was really just a small cut on his forehead where the bullet grazed him, but foreheads bleed a lot.
His hearing was returning at a faster pace at that time, and he could now hear some of the others' cries, and he was soon rushed into an embrace by what he could only imagine was all of his buddies.
He could tell from their cries that it was most likely only the girls who had been on him, which he couldn't confirm with blood in his eyes.
He quickly realized he couldn't stand the scorching in his eyes any longer and wanted to be cleaned up.
"Could I, oh, please get up?"
" Ash begged as sweetly as he could, and each woman hesitantly let grip of Ash as he prepared to turn around.
"Hey, Brock," Ash remarked as he turned around, his bloodied face showing, "I guess I'm going to need some stitches."
"Oh my goodness, Ash!
"May said as she burst into tears again.
She drew him closer again, ignoring the blood streaming into her clothing, and pushed her away for the time being, saying, "May, I'm OK. The bullet only grazed me; foreheads bleed profusely. Isn't that correct, Brock? "
"He's right," Brock said, nodding. The head contains a large number of blood arteries, resulting in a large amount of blood flow from wounds. Having said that, I still need to double-check to make sure it's not too serious. Come on over here, Ash, and I'll get you cleaned up."
Ash approached Brock, who was grabbing his canteen of water and a washcloth, and beckoned for him to sit, to which he agreed.
After dampening the towel, Brock began cleaning the blood from Ash's face, but quickly realized that one cloth would not suffice; he had effectively removed the blood from the lower half of his face, but he would need a second, and maybe a third, cloth to clean the remainder.
Finally, all that remained of Ash's face was the long, relatively deep incision right below his hairline.
"About 6 cm in length." Brock grumbled to himself as he continued to wipe the small amounts of blood that were still streaming from the wound.
"So...stitches?
" Ash inquired.
"Certainly," Brock said, nodding his head. We need to get this resolved. But as soon as we do that, we should be fine."
"All right, just shoot him with some numbing stuff and get to work." I'm no longer comfortable being around this jerk. I just want to get started! " Misty grumbled, motioning toward Thomas, who was still comatose.
"I don't have any 'numbing substance,' as you described it," Brock grumbled.
"Are you kidding me, Brock?" Ash exclaimed. You're a Pokemon doctor on the road! How can you be without Novocaine?! "
"The only time pokemon physicians use Novocaine or other anesthetics is when a pokemon requires surgery, something I can't do on the move." "I never expected to use it, therefore I don't carry it," Brock explained.
"What happens if I wait till we get to Viridian to finish this?"
" Ash wondered.
"There's no way we'll get there today, therefore I'd say there's a good probability of infection." Something we don't have time to think about right now, especially with everything else going on. I can disinfect it as best I can, but given how much time we'll be outside for the next 24 hours, I'd think we should close it right now."
"Brock, do you even have the appropriate equipment to administer the stitches?"Paul inquired.
"Kind of...I don't have what I would normally use to administer stitches, but I do have a sewing kit," Brock shrugged.
"Fine, just do it," Ash sighed. Serena, could you please get me a small twig from over there? "
Serena went to fetch a pile of little, fallen branches for Ash, but she didn't understand why he wanted a stick in the first place.
"Here you go, Ash," Serena said, handing up the stick, "but why do you need it anyway?"
"Because this is going to hurt like a bitch," Ash explained, and Serena and the others quickly realized what he meant. He then placed the stick between his teeth and bit down while Brock prepared the needle and thread.
Brock grinned, attempting to lighten the situation, and asked, "Any color preference?"
However, Ash only gave Brock a chilly glare in response, assuming that the impending pain had rendered his sense of humour dormant.
"Black it is," Brock said, wiping his brow.
"OK, Ash, here we go. Are you prepared? " Brock inquired, and Ash closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and nodded.
Ash let out a low growl when the needle first broke the sensitive skin around the wound, but he kept it under control from then on.
While the others chose not to, Paul chose to observe, hoping to learn how to do so if the need arose.
Misty noticed Max, his knees to his chest while sitting at the base of a tree, not long after trying to find something else to stare at.
"Max, I know that was scary, but it's over now," she said as she walked over to him and crouched to his level. We're all OK."
"It's not that..." Max merely kept his head down.
"So, what is it?" Misty wondered.
Max kept his head down, whispering quietly enough that Misty couldn't hear him. "Max, what are you saying?"
"It's my fault this happened!" Max exclaimed, tears welling up in his eyes.
To say Misty was perplexed would be an understatement. "What do you mean, Max?" she asked. How could this possibly be your fault? "
Serena and Dawn's attention was drawn to the shouting as Max shed tears. "If I hadn't been so stupid, that guy wouldn't have been with us!"
"Max-"
"NO! Don't attempt to convince me that it's not my fault; it is! I let him come with us only because he knew my name! " Max yelled.
Dawn and Serena had arrived at Max and Misty's location and were listening intently, hoping to assist in some way.
"Listen to me, Max," Misty said as she grasped Max's shoulders. You couldn't possibly have known who the person was. It appeared to be your very first fan! My ego was so swelled when someone first acknowledged me that I thought I could achieve anything. The exact same thing happened to you."
"I guess, but-" Max was interrupted by Dawn, who Misty and Max had only just noticed was with them.
"There are no buts!" She's correct, and you already know it. Even if we hadn't allowed him to accompany us, he would have followed us and assaulted us in this manner. "No matter what happened, the end effect would have been the same." Dawn explained.
"As much as I hate to admit it, this just demonstrated that we're being overly trusting, which I believed would never be a problem in the world we live in." But if we want to aid Ash, we must be cautious about who we trust in the future. So it wasn't your fault, Max. "All we have to do now is keep going ahead and learn from what occurred," Serena concluded.
Max moved his gaze from person to person before cracking a modest smile. "Thanks, folks. Really."
The girls all grinned back until their gaze was drawn to a scream, and they discovered that the source of the sound was May, who was watching Brock finish off Ash's stitches.
"Eww. That's revolting! You can also feel everything! " May said as Brock finished the last stitch.
Ash spat the twig from his mouth and began panting as soon as Brock finished wiping the blood from the newly closed wound.
Ash looked at May, still in pain, "Did you really have to say all that?! It was horrible enough having to go through it, but your talking about it made it even worse! "
"Oh shut up, Ketchum, be a man," May said, infuriating Ash.
"I'm sorry, I forgot that I wasn't the one who was just shot, AGAIN!" Not only that, but I just had stitches without Novocaine, so I don't want to-" Ash was interrupted as May drew him into an embrace.
Ash, surprised by the action, did not immediately return the hug, but did so after hearing May say gently, "I'm glad your okay..."
Some of the other girls were slightly envious, but it was clear that this was merely an embrace between two friends who cared profoundly for one other.
When Ash let go of the hug, he felt a weight on his shoulder and looked over to find a little tired Pikachu, as well as Lucario and Meowth by his side.
"Many thanks to you all. I don't think we would have gotten out of this if you hadn't been able to fight those pokemon." Ash then switched his attention exclusively on Meowth. You improved your chances by going over to help the others. You're a significant reason we made it out alive."
"Pika!" Pikachu concurred, and Lucario gave a cool head nod of approval.
"Ah, it was nothing," Meowth said, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment. "Just doing what a Meowth has to do," Ash explained before returning Lucario to her ball.
"What should we do about Thomas, the other pokemon?" James inquired.
"Don't worry, I put them all back in their balls. Officer Jenny will pick them up when they come for this guy," Tracey informed everyone, and the group nodded.
"Well, let's speak about what happened here and what could happen in the future." We now know that Giovanni isn't the only Rocket to be concerned about. "They're chasing us all now," Paul remarked.
"We'll talk about it on the way," Ash sighed, turning away from the gathering. "All I want to do is get out of this Godforsaken forest."
With that, the group disbanded, leaving Thomas behind to be found by Officer Jenny.