A/N: Good evening. I will be honest, I have forgotten to showcase Yungoos so, instead of just a throwaway comment, I decided to make a chapter Saul/Yungoos Centric. I've always wanted to write a chapter told by a Pokemon's POV but this was a challenge to write. Hope you guys like it because following this chapter, action will be picking up. Have a great weekend!
Pokemon Journey: Indigo League
Chapter 30: Gumshoos
"Mantyke, use tailwind!" Saul commands, riding Mantyke's back.
It's a beautiful sunny afternoon as the group leaves Lavender Town and stops near Lavender River for lunch. Ava, Brandon and their Pokemon (minus Taillow) are helping to set up to eat. Saul, on the other hand, decided to get some training in. Right now, he wants to learn how to master water movement though that's all there is to do at the moment. There are no waves to practice their stunts.
Mantyke manipulates the air stream to move faster as the duo picks up speed. Saul leans to the right, directing Mantyke to steer that way. Saul sharply leans left, indicating to Mantyke to make a sharp left turn. Mantyke gracefully makes a sharp turn. Saul smiles, riding on her back.
"Great job Mantyke," Saul says, leaning down to pet her. "For now, swim to the middle of the river. I want to work on picking up speed before hitting a wave. I think the faster we can go, the higher the jump and the more we can do."
"Man!" Mantyke nods, aiming for the middle of the river.
Pikipek is watching from the sidelines, sitting on a branch. Underneath the branch, she assumed, is Yungoos. However, if anyone actually looked, Yungoos wasn't there. In fact, Yungoos is seen jumping through a bush, with one last look at Pikipek and Saul.
Yungoos trudged through the bush, not really sure where he's going but that thought is furthest from his mind. Stopping to snap up some berries, Yungoos continues walking through the woodlands.
Finally, Yungoos sits down, tired from walking. He lets a yawn escape his mouth as he tries to figure out where he is. His mind is elsewhere though, as he sits there.
Abandonment.
That word pops up in Yungoos mind, making him shiver slightly. His mind goes back to Hau'oli, before meeting Saul.
"What a weak Pokemon," his previous trainer scolded him, aiming a kick at him and striking his side. "Can't even dodge a kick. What a worthless Pokemon."
"Yungoos," Yungoos whimpers on the ground.
"I have no need for a weak Pokemon," his trainer says, bringing out his Pokeball and smashing it on the ground. "Good riddance."
"Yung?" Yungoos cries out, trying to stand up but failing miserably.
"I don't care what you do," the trainer tells him, throwing the remnants of Yungoos Pokeball on the ground, next to Yungoos. "You aren't my problem anymore."
Yungoos sniffles at the memory. Was he really a worthless Pokemon? Is that way Saul seems to have forgotten him? Is this really happening again? That thought tore across his mind before he got up and shook himself. No. He can't go through that again. This time, he will leave on his own. With that thought in his mind, he takes off running through the forest.
"Great job Mantyke," Saul praises his riding Pokemon as they land on the shore. "We will be ready for Fuchsia City."
"Mantyke," Mantyke hums at the praise as Pikipek lands on her head. Saul smiles at the duo before looking for Yungoos. Frowning at not seeing him, he looks at Pikipek.
"Pikipek, have you seen Yungoos?" Saul asks the woodpecker Pokemon.
"Pikipek," she responds, shaking her head and also looking around the surrounding area.
"Maybe he decided to look for food," Saul says, hopping onto the ground. "Yungoos!"
"Everything alright?" Brandon calls out.
"Have you guys seen Yungoos recently?" Saul asks them. They both shook their heads no. He turns to Pikipek. "Can you fly around the area and see if you can find him?"
Pikipek nods and flies into the surrounding woods.
"We can help as well," Brandon says, turning towards Taillow. "Can you help Pikipek please?"
Taillow eyes her trainer for a moment. At first, it looks like she's about to refuse before opening her wings and gliding into the woods after Pikipek.
"Growlithe, can you look as well please?" Ava asks her puppy Pokemon.
"Growl," Growlithe barks, before also disappearing into the woods.
"Mantyke, don't worry. We will find him," Saul says, bending down to pet her before taking out her ball. "Return."
"You guys as well," Ava says, returning her team as well. "What about our bags?"
"Can you guys watch our stuff?" Brandon asks his team. They all agree to it. "We got it covered."
"Thanks guys," Saul says, after quickly changing into dry clothes.
"You would do the same for us," Ava says. "Which way would Yungoos go?"
"Knowing him, my guess would be a berry tree," Saul replies, leading the way into the woods. "He hasn't eaten yet, so he would be hungry."
"Makes sense," Brandon says, following Saul. He keeps his eyes peeled for any sign of Taillow.
"Why would he run off?" Saul asks, racking his brain, trying to come up with a reason.
"Has he done this before?" Ava asks, keeping her eyes peeled for Growlithe.
"No. Not since I caught him at Hau'oli Airport," Saul responds. "Did I accidentally offend him?"
"It might be a good idea not to think about it right now," Brandon suggests, as they come towards a clearing. "Find him, and then try to figure it out later."
"Growlithe!" Growlithe barks excitedly, sniffing the ground. She looks up at the trio, wagging her tail.
"Looks like Growlithe found his scent.," Ava says, kneeling down to scratch Growlithe behind the ears. "Good girl. Which way did he go?"
Growlithe licks Ava's face before trotting down the trail, leading them deeper into the woods.
Yungoos' legs are on fire, forcing him to slow down. He spots part of the river to his right. He walks towards it, lowers his head and begins to drink some of the water. He pauses as he catches his reflection in the water. Another memory surfaces.
"If I catch you stealing food again, I will make sure you will regret it," a store owner shouts, picking up Yungoos and tossing the injured Pokemon to the curb.
Yungoos is thrown outside, landing on his injured side. Whimpering and limping, Yungoos navigates the crowd. His stomach rumbling, he spots a trash can. He sniffs around, smelling leftover food. He quickly eats the scraps before looking for a place to stay for the night. Curling up underneath a bench at the park, Yungoos falls into an uneasy sleep.
He was awakened by a family, who decided to sit on the bench he was sleeping under. The father shooed him away after his daughter screamed in fright. Limping away, Yungoos looks for a new spot to call home…
Yungoos looks at his reflection in the lake, pondering life when the bushes rustle. Lifting his head, he saw a pink Pokemon with an egg in its pouch. They make brief eye contact before Yungoos looks away, pain in his eyes. This catches the attention of the new Pokemon. The new Pokemon walks towards Yungoos, her eyes kind and with a warm smile. For some reason, Yungoos feels relaxed with it.
"Chansey?" Chansey asks, sitting down on a log and patting the seat beside her. It offers Yungoos her egg. Yungoos takes a seat and graciously takes the egg.
"Yungoos," Yungoos answers, eating the egg. He began to feel better, at least physically.
"Chans?" Chansey asks him, almost in a motherly tone.
"Yungoos," Yungoos answers once again, tears forming in the corner of his eyes.
"Chans," Chansey responds in a kind voice, bringing up its hand and wipes away his unshedded tears before wrapping him into a comforting hug.
"Yungoos," Yungoos replies, tears dropping from his eyes.
"Chansey," Chansey responds, holding him.
Yungoos finds himself in front of the airport. He wasn't going to stay but a kind boy gave him a leftover sandwich, in which Yungoos eagerly gobbled up. Looking up, the boy and his family disappeared but Yungoos was able to sniff out the leftover food people threw away. Yungoos found his new home, digging into garbage bin after garbage bin, eating free food, unaware that he's causing a ruckus. It had gotten bad that the airport security was asking trainers to help deal with him. That's when he first saw him…
"Chans?" Chansey asks him. She had let him go during the tale, giving him space.
"Yungoos," Yungoos nods, getting up to pace. "Yung, Yung, Yungoos."
"Chansey?" Chansey asks, pointing to the woods around them.
Yungoos takes a moment to answer, looking back the way he came from before answering. "Yungoos."
Suddenly a tail flings Yungoos into the air and towards the water. Chansey immediately gets up but before she can act, a body rushes past her.
"YUNGOOS!" Saul shouts, diving into the river.
"Are you sure this is the way?" Saul asks, not seeing Yungoos.
"I trust Growlithe," Ava states gently, letting Growlithe lead them down a dirt trail.
"Sorry," Saul immediately apologizes, feeling bad for asking that question. Still, he kept an eye in the sky for Pikipek.
"I understand," Ava says kindly, patting his shoulder. "We will find him."
"I know," Saul replies. "But I can't help but wonder why he decided to leave."
Brandon shares a look with Ava before asking Saul a question. "Tell me the story of how you found Yungoos."
A smile shines on Saul's face, as he recounts that moment.
His father had bought him a ticket for Vermillion City and had sent him to the Hau'oli Airport when he heard security guards asking for help with a problem. Eager to help, Saul agrees to help but when he saw what the problem was, he paused.
His eyes took in Yungoos fur, the fear in its eyes, the way Yungoos' back was arched and trying to back away from him. And the way it was eating the leftover food told Saul how hungry it was. Frowning, he turned towards a security guard, asking him why Yungoos was a problem.
The guard responded that it was causing kids to cry out and it was starting to lose the airport money.
Saul looks back at Yungoos, studying the terrified Pokemon before looking back at the guard. He sighs, and summons Pikipek but he didn't have the heart to battle it.
He, instead, approached it and knelt down in front of Yungoos, who tried to bar his teeth but just had no energy to do so. Saul reached into his jacket and brought out a granola bar, unwrapped it and offered it to the scared Pokemon.
"Hey there," Saul says quietly, holding the granola bar in his hand. "You must be hungry. Here, take it."
Yungoos just blinks at Saul before resting its eyes on the offered bar. Yungoos slowly inched forward before snapping the bar out of Saul's hand and swallowing it in one gulp.
"Yep. You are definitely hungry," Saul says, a grin forming on his face. He pulls out another one and a bottle of water. He unwraps the bar and offers it again to the Yungoos, along with the water bottle. "Eat as much as you want. And here, because I assume you are thirsty as well."
Yungoos gobbles up the second granola bar and gulps down the water before staring at Saul, trying to determine why he was helping.
"I hate seeing Pokemon suffering," Saul tells it, almost like he can read its mind. "Anyone with eyes can tell that you aren't here to cause mischief. You are here because of a necessity."
Yungoos doesn't answer, still looking at Saul. Pikipek lands on Saul's shoulder, looking at Yungoos.
"Why don't I take you to the Pokemon Center and get you all fixed up?" Saul asks, offering his hand.
Yungoos just stares at the offered hand but Saul can see the internal conflict. Finally, Yungoos was about to answer when it faints. Saul bends down to pick up the unconscious Yungoos before sprinting towards the Pokemon Center.
Several hours later (and a missed flight), Yungoos walks into the waiting room beside Nurse Joy. Seeing Saul, Yungoos walks over to him, headbutting him in the leg. Grinning, Saul reaches down and attempts to pet Yungoos on the tail but a swift chomp from Yungoos, he quickly reclines his hand.
"Don't worry about that," Nurse Joy says, chuckling. "This Yungoos doesn't like his tail to be touched by anyone. That's why it took me so long."
"That's fine," Saul says, leaning down. "Yungoos, would you like to join us?"
Yungoos looks up at him and nods.
"Great. Welcome to the family," Saul says, pulling out a Pokeball and tapping Yungoos head…
Saul finishes his story, when his eyes widen in realization. Before he can speak, he spots Yungoos ahead of them. Suddenly, a tail flings Yungoos into the river. Without hesitation, Saul rushes towards the water and dives in after Yungoos.
"Saul!" Brandon shouts, pulling out his Pokeball but Ava stops him. "What are you doing?"
"Saul needs to do this himself," Ava calmly tells him.
Brandon lowers his hand but keeps his Pokeball in it, in case.
Saul swims towards Yungoos but the current sucks Yungoos under water. Saul brings out Mantyke and together they dive after Yungoos. Soon all three friends break the surface, with Yungoos coughing.
"Are you alright?" Saul asks Yungoos, checking him for injuries.
"Yung," Yungoos answers, still coughing.
"You scared me," Saul says gently, still checking him for injuries. "When I saw you weren't around, I thought the worst. I thought you left, but I wouldn't blame you if you did."
"Yungoos?" Yungoos asks.
"I've been a horrible trainer the last few weeks," Saul admits. "I haven't shown you alot of attention lately, which probably caused you to think I've given up on you. Is that right?"
"Yung," Yungoos nods, as Mantyke swims for the shore.
"What was it that I told you when we became friends?" Saul asks him. "We are a family. You, Pikipek, Mantyke. We are a family, and nothing will change that. Will you forgive me?"
Yungoos lays a paw on Saul's hand and begins to glow. Standing where Yungoos was, is now a bigger version of Yungoos, with a longer tail. He brings Saul into a hug as Mantyke reaches the shore.
"Gum," Gumshoos says contently.
"Thank you," Saul says, standing up and scanning his new Pokemon.
"Gumshoos, the Stakeout Pokemon and the evolved form of Yungoos. Normal type. Patient by nature, this Pokémon loses control of itself and pounces when it spots its favorite meal—Rattata!"
"Wow, congratulations Saul," Brandon says, joining his friend. They look around for the Pokemon responsible for flinging Gumshoos but they couldn't find it. However, Chansey approaches Gumshoos, offering him her egg.
Brandon takes out his dex and scans Chansey.
"Chansey, the Egg Pokemon. Normal type. A gentle and kindhearted Pokémon that shares its nutritious eggs if it sees an injured Pokémon."
"Gum," Gumshoos gratefully says, taking the offered egg. He stands next to Chansey, which Ava notices.
"Saul, Gumshoos seems to have a connection," Ava points out.
Saul nods, already noticing it. He approaches Chansey.
"Hello Chansey," Saul says kindly. "Thank you for looking after Gumshoos. I'm not sure what you did but it's clear you did something and for that, you have my gratitude."
"Chansey," Chansey replies with a smile.
"Would you like to join us?" Saul asks the Egg Pokemon.
"Chansey," Chansey nods, much to Gumshoos delight.
"Welcome to the family," Saul says, pulling out a Pokeball and tapping Chansey on the head. The ball shakes a few times before it clicks. Grinning, Saul brings Chansey back out. "What say we go eat lunch?"
Team Listings:
Brandon Adams:
Wartortle - Male, Torrent ability. Knows Water Pulse, Ice Punch, Withdraw, Rapid Spin
Tangrowth - Male, Leaf Guard ability. Knows: Stun Spore, Mega Drain, Growth, Ancient Power
Nidorina – Poison Point ability. Knows Growl, Poison Sting, Double Kick, Fury Swipes
Joltik – Male, Compound Eyes ability. Knows: Shockwave, Electroweb, String Shot, Bug Bite
Taillow - Female, Unknown Ability. Knows: Boomburst, Aerial Ace.
Ava Mcarthur:
Umbreon - Female. Synchronize ability. Knows growl , Quick Attack, Double Kick, Snarl
Omanyte - Male. Weak Armor ability. Knows: Withdraw, Constrict, Rollout
Growlithe – Female. Flash Fire. Knows: Ember, Bite
Saul Raymond:
Gumshoos – Male. Unknown Ability. Knows Tackle, Sand attack, Leer
Pikipek – Female (Shiny). Unknown Ability. Knows Peck, Growl
Mantyke – Female. Water Absorb. Knows: Tailwind, Water Pulse
Chansey - Female. Healer ability. Knows: Unknown moves