Inkaliber: Here we are again! Finally got that Saibamen problem resolved. Apparently "someone" is still their favorite chew toy in spite of everything I gave them.
James: Their tiny teeth were so sharp!
Jessie: They wouldn't stop pulling at my hair!
Meowth: I lost ten lives!
Inkaliber:… Anywho, I fixed the locks on the door and reinforced it so they won't be getting out of the dimension the same way again. In any case, Dragon Ball is not why we're here. It's time to get back to Let's Go Stitch: Kanto!... Right after we answer some guest reviews!
A Guest- In the original series, he was just some kid who was waiting in the forest for the Pallet Town trainers to come by so he could challenge them. I just happened to skip over the part where he mentioned the other trainers by accident.
Inkaliber: Anywho, I don't own Pokémon or Lilo and Stitch. I do own OC characters, concepts, Pokémon, and objects unless stated otherwise.
Route 2
Our heroes find themselves trudging across Route 2 in their quest to reach Pewter City. Ash has been training for hours on end in preparation for his first ever gym battle. Bolt has gotten faster, Fang's been working with his other moves, Butterfree learned different ways to apply his power and Pidgeotto has been practicing evasive maneuvers. With all this, however, the boy still needed one last component for the upcoming match. It's this component that draws the group to their next stop.
Ash kept his focus ahead as he took the lead. Misty and Lilo were right behind him as they were in the middle of a conversation. He wasn't really interested in the topic as his eyes were on the road. The boy didn't want to miss what he was searching for, the objective being an advantage in the upcoming battle and the journey ahead of him. The sound of running water caught Bolt's attention as he pulled softly on his trainer's ear.
"What is it buddy?" asked Ash as he looked to his partner. Bolt made a lot of gestures as he tried to inform his trainer of the nearby sound. In spite of the lack of speech, the trainer from Pallet nodded. "I think Bolt's found something." The girls looked to him as the Pikachu zoomed off in a hurry.
They followed the electric mouse for a bit as they strayed from the path. Soon enough the sound began to reach their ears as well. A small roar could be heard, but it was of no man or beast. Ash's smile widened as he soon ran beside Bolt. The origin of the sound soon came into view, causing the boy to skid to a stop.
A large lake stood before them, proud and expansive. Several small pokémon could be found taking a drink from the mass of water as they stopped to rest. Bolt joined them as the girls and Stitch caught up. A white fish with a horn on its head leapt out of the water as it made itself known. Lilo smiled as she watched the pokémon fall back into the lake.
"That Goldeen was so beautiful." stated the Hawaiian as she walked to Ash's side. Stitch walked over to the water with hesitance as he sat beside Bolt. The small pokémon beside the yellow mouse looked up as they noticed the experiment's presence. He cupped some of the liquid in his paws as he brought it up to his mouth. The little creatures ran at the sight of his teeth.
It didn't take long for the group to set up as they prepared for a day of fishing and fun. Lilo set up the small pot as she hung it over the fire. She quickly grabbed some leftover berries and vegetables, bringing them to the cutting board. Stitch held up a knife in both hands as he brought out his extra limbs. "Go!"
The girl quickly placed the ingredients on the board as the experiment went to town on them. He laughed as he cut up the berries into bits and pieces. Misty sighed as she shook her head.
"If you two could keep it down, that would be appreciated." complained Misty as she looked through a small tackle box. She looked through many different lures as she tried to find the right one for the situation. She smirked as she reached deep into the box. She stood up as she raised a very… interesting lure into the air. "Behold; the best lure in my arsenal!"
"It just looks like you." commented Ash as he held his fishing pole in hand. "I think something they eat would be more effective. This is what my Mom used on her journey." The boy held up a mossy colored lure with a white dot on it. The redhead shook her head as she held up her lure.
"That thing is so bland looking that there's no way anything would grab it. You need something shiny and appealing to look at to catch a water Pokémon." The boy growled as he held up his own lure.
"Since when was food not appealing to Pokémon? I guarantee that I'll catch at least one water Pokémon with this lure." Misty rolled her eyes as she put her hand on her hip.
"Watch and learn Ash. Watch and learn." Lilo groaned as she prepared some pasta for the meal. Misty had to make something as calm as casual fishing a competition. The duo prepped their equipment, Ash having a little trouble getting his lure on the line.
Misty was the first to cast her lure, sending it far into the lake. She stuck her tongue out as she looked to the trainer from Pallet, who finally got his lure ready. He joined her, though he aimed more towards the bank than her. This confused the redhead, but she chose to keep an eye on her own line instead. Bolt ran over to Lilo as she roasted a few more leftover berries while waiting on the food in the pot to finish.
Stitch sat on the table as he wiped off the knives he used. The yellow mouse hopped up beside him as he placed the blades in their sheathes. The Hawaiian smiled as she looked back to the duo. She pulled off a few of the berries as she placed them on some napkins. She brought them over to the furred buddies as she blew on the food.
"It's still kind of hot so don't go eating it too fast." instructed the Hawaiian trainer. Stitch rubbed his paws together as he instantly reached for a cheri berry. The Pokémon went to town on the berries, causing Lilo to chuckle in response. Time rolled on as the fishing duo awaited the first bite. Misty reeled on her line, finding a slight tug on it.
'AHA!' thought the girl in her head. 'Looks like I have the first bite.' Surprisingly, however, that was the only take she got for a while. She growled as she looked over to Ash. How could he be so calm when he was losing the bet?
A whirring sound suddenly ringed through the air, catching the crew by surprise. Ash smirked as he grabbed his pole. Misty watched on in shock as the event transpired. Ash had actually gotten a bite when SHE was the one with the better lure!? A dark spot appeared on the surface as Ash began to fight harder.
"BOLT!" cried the boy. "We've got a lively one!" The Pikachu nodded in response as he rushed to his trainer's side. The creature surfaced, revealing its black swirled stomach. A tadpole pink lips and small legs stood before the group, happily munching on Ash's lure.
"I don't believe this!" Ash ignored the redhead as he pulled out his Pokédex. The screen came to life as the Pokémon opened its eyes.
"Poliwag: The Tadpole Pokémon," announced the device as it analyzed the creature before the group. "Poliwag's slick black skin is thin and damp. Its newly grown legs prevent it from walking well, though it does prefer to swim rather than walk from place to place. A part of its internal organs can be seen through the skin as a spiral pattern." The Poliwag suddenly growled as it spat out the lure, not too pleased by the trick used to lure it in.
"Let's start this off with a Quick Attack Bolt!" commanded Ash as he twisted his cap backwards. The yellow mouse nodded in response as he rushed the enemy. The Poliwag quickly dodged to the side before unleashing a torrent of water at the rodent. Bolt found himself pushed back a bit by the attack but shook it off as he skidded to a stop. "Use Thunderbolt to end this quickly!"
The Pikachu's cheeks came to life as electricity shot off from them. Poliwag moved to dive into the water, but Bolt was too fast as he unleashed a large bolt of lightning. The tadpole screamed as it was hit with the voltage. It fell on its side as it lost its energy. Ash smirked as he pulled out a Pokéball.
He threw the orb at the water type, turning it into a red beam upon contact. The orb hit the ground as it rocked back and forth. The group watched in anticipation as the ball made a whirring sound. The middle glowed green as a jingle ringed through the air. Ash smirked as he ran for the ball.
He held it high in the air as Bolt jumped up to his shoulder. "Yes! I caught the Poliwag!" His smile turned into a devious smirk as he looked to Misty. "And you said my lure wouldn't work."
"It must be like you then. It just can't tell what looks good or not." Ash gave the girl a deadpanned look as Lilo stood between them.
"Who cares which lure worked or not?" asked the girl. "Ash just got a huge advantage for the upcoming gym battle. A water type like Poliwag will definitely change the odds in your favor." The boy chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Guess I've got some planning to do." guessed Ash. His stomach suddenly grumbled as he lowered his arm, bringing about a knowing look to the Hawaiian girl's face. "Maybe after lunch though." Lilo and her partner laughed out loud as Misty grumbled in the background. It didn't take long for lunch to cook as Lilo gave the meal a taste test.
A few bowls into the meal and Ash was found lying on his back. He decided to rest for a bit as to ensure he was in the right mindset for his grand plan. The boy didn't want to go into it too fast and end up forgetting an important detail. He held up Poliwag's Pokéball as he looked it over. Another blue companion came into his mind as he smirked.
"I can't believe he was the only one who caught a water Pokémon today!?" roared Misty for all to hear. Lilo was the poor subject of the redhead's rants as she had roped her into doing dishes with her. "I'm the one who knows more about water type Pokémon, and yet his lure is the one that attracts the Poliwag." The Hawaiian groaned as she looked to her companion.
"Just give it a rest Misty." sighed Lilo in response. "It was the first Pokémon of the day, so it's not like he'll catch all the water types today. There's plenty of Goldeen in the sea." Ash chuckled in memory of the first time he heard Professor Oak tell Gary that line. Misty growled as she pointed an accusing finger at the Hawaiian.
"You're just defending him because he's your boyfriend!" The duo blushed upon this accusation. Stitch almost choked on a berry he was eating as he let out a large laugh. Ash covered his face with his hat as Lilo began to sputter.
"H…he's not… We're not…" A cry of a Pokémon suddenly broke the awkward atmosphere. The group looked down the stream as they saw a new scene unfolding. A young boy and a strange plant like creature with a yellow bell shaped head were battling a Magikarp.
The big difference between this Magikarp and others was plainly obvious, however, as it had bright golden scales where the red ones should be. If one were to glance upon the scene, they'd expect it to be a normal battle over a rare Pokémon. To the nearby crew, however, they could tell it was something crueler than that. The golden fish tried to hop its way back to the river, but the boy threw his arm to the side.
"Don't let it get away Budd!" shouted the boy. "We're not done training on it! Use Vine Whip!" The Pokémon obeyed its trainer as it wrapped vines around its captive. The Magikarp cried out in pain as the vines squeezed around it.
"Hey!" shouted Ash as he and Bolt were the first to approach the scene. "That's enough! Can't you see that Magikarp's had enough!?" The others arrived as the boy waved him off.
"Go away losers! I'm training right now!" Lilo shook her head as she stepped forward.
"There's training, but this is straight up cruel!" denied the Hawaiian trainer. "Do you even know how rare a golden Magikarp is!? If you're not going to catch it then just let it go!" The boy laughed as he put his hands on his hips.
"That just makes it a rare kind of stupid. Magikarp are some of the dumbest Pokémon to ever be found. They're not even worth much." Misty shook her head in response.
"Not worth much!?" cried Misty. "Magikarp evolve into Gyarados! If you can't tell a Pokémon's worth then you're on a new level of stupid." The boy growled as he looked up at the fish.
"It takes way too long to evolve these losers into Gyarados and even then a simple Thunder and it's already down for the count. I don't have time for losers who can't even evolve into something useful. He's got nothing on my Bellsprout, Budd." Ash pulled out his Pokédex as he scanned the cocky kid's Pokémon.
"Bellsprout: The Flower Pokémon." informed the device. "A carnivorous Pokémon that traps and eats bugs. It uses its root feet to soak up needed moisture. Bellsprout is a grass and poison type Pokémon." Lilo tsked as she looked to the kid.
"Having a typing disadvantage doesn't make a Pokémon useless!" roared the Hawaiian. "I've seen Pokémon that beat opponents even under a disadvantage! You're obviously still in trainer school if that's the way you think." The mean kid growled, insulted by the girl's words.
"Just go away so I can finish my training!" roared the boy in response. He threw his arm to the side as he looked to his partner. "Use Razor Leaf!" Budd growled as it reared back its leaves. Lilo threw her arm to the side in response.
"Stitch! Use Bite on Bellsprout's vines!" The experiment growled as it leapt at the opponent. He chomped down on the plant's appendages, causing it to scream as it released its quarry. The boy cried out in anger as Lilo rushed to catch the golden fish.
"Stop interrupting my training with your freaky Pokémon! Budd's almost ready to evolve and I won't have a group of losers ruining my chance of beating Brock in a battle!" Lilo looked over Magikarp as it took deep breaths. Stitch released the vine of the Bellsprout, growling as he ran to his partner's side.
"Are you alright Magikarp?" The mean kid growled as he was ignored in favor of the rare Pokémon. His frown suddenly turned to a devious smirk as he looked over the fish Pokémon. This was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. Lilo turned her head to look at the boy as he rubbed his chin.
"Alright. If you think he's so special, then how about you take a few days to train him up. If he can beat Budd in a battle, I'll leave him alone." The girl narrowed her brow in response.
"What's the catch?" asked Ash in her stead. He wasn't exactly liking where the kid was going. The boy chuckled as he pointed to the group.
"You and your little pals go back to whatever ditch you crawled out of and forget whatever plans you had!" The group was stunned by the boy's demand. He then shifted his finger to Ash with a smirk. "By the look of that hat, you're going to take part in the League. If I win, that means you have to go home empty handed."
"No way!" cried Lilo. "Ash shouldn't have to give up his dream because of your stupid…" Ash raised his arm to cut her off, shocking the girl even further.
"Deal." interrupted Ash. The other boy smiled deviously as he recalled his Pokémon.
"See you tomorrow losers!" laughed the boy as he walked off. Misty grabbed Ash by the shoulder and turned him to face her. Suffice to say, she was not amused.
"What were you thinking!?" cried the redhead. "You're risking your entire journey on that Magikarp's ability to get stronger after a single day! You haven't even made it to the first gym yet!" Ash smirked as he looked to Lilo, yet she also shared Misty's sentiment.
"You shouldn't have made that deal Ash." growled the girl. "We could've just battle him and sent him on his way. You're risking everything we dreamed of." The boy waved her off as he looked down to the semi-conscious Pokémon in his companion's arms.
"I know what I'm doing." reassured the boy. "If anyone can bring out a Pokémon's true potential by tomorrow, it's you Lilo." The girl wasn't sure of the compliment, but Magikarp interrupted her train of thought as it wriggled in her arms. It cried out in pain once more as it tried to escape the Hawaiian's grasp. "We better get him treated quickly!"
The crew wasted no time in getting the fish Pokémon back to camp. It took most of the afternoon to get Magikarp stable, but the fish was soon resting away what remained of its aches. Lilo sighed as she looked over the fish Pokémon. She wasn't entirely sure she could do this, seeing as they had no idea if Magikarp even had any good attacks. The fish Pokémon's eyes slowly opened as it looked up at the girl.
'Looks like another Experiment case.' She smiled as she rubbed the fish's side. "It's okay Magikarp. We'll get through this, somehow." Not exactly reassured by the girl's words, Magikarp hopped up nonetheless.
Ash stood before the group with a smirk on his face. He looked to Magikarp as he pointed to his audience.
"Alright guys. We've got till lunch tomorrow to make Magikarp as tough as he can be. Time to prove that any Pokémon can be strong, with the proper training." He pulled out his Pokédex as he pointed it at Magikarp. "First up, an examination of his skills."
"Magikarp: The Fish Pokémon." began the device. "Magikarp is famous for being very unreliable. In the distant past, it was somewhat stronger than the horribly weak descendants that exist today. It can be found swimming in seas, lakes, rivers, and shallow puddles. This Magikarp knows the moves Splash and Water Gun."
Magikarp sounded off its disappointment at its own description. It turned away as it tried to hide itself. Misty growled as she looked to the boy from Pallet Town.
"The stupid Pokédex isn't helping Ash!" roared Misty as she shook her fist. The boy chuckled in embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Guess a lot of people don't have a good opinion of Magikarp." laughed Ash. "Look on the bright side though. He has Water Gun, which is a move Magikarp can't usually learn. Maybe that can give him a slight edge." Lilo smiled as she looked to the fish Pokémon.
"How about showing us your Water Gun Magikarp?" asked the Hawaiian. Thrilled at the sudden enthusiasm, Magikarp turned around and hopped in excitement. It aimed for the water as it leaned upward slightly. It unleashed it's rare Water Gun… only squirting out a small amount into the water. The others face planted as the move ended.
"We're doomed." sighed Misty as she stood up. "I'm gonna go look over my stuff. I wanna make sure I have everything packed for tomorrow." Magikarp became downtrodden once more as the redhead walked away. Lilo growled as she stood up.
"Well I'm not giving up!" declared the Hawaiian. "I'm not gonna let some jerk take away Ash's dream and bully Magikarp! Come on guys! We've got work to do!" Ash smirked as he watched Lilo and Stitch walk back to where the battle will be taking place.
'There she is.' thought the boy. 'There's the tough girl from Professor Oak's Ranch.' Ash rushed to catch up as Magikarp slinked behind. They soon found themselves near a rockier part of the river, a few nearby Rattata drinking from the water. Magikarp finally came to a stop as the others were looking over the rocks.
The fish looked to the Hawaiian girl as she was counting the amount of rocks in the area. It sighed as it hopped in between Stitch and Weedle. "What's the plan Lilo? Gonna practice Water Gun on the rocks?" The girl in question turned around with a smirk.
"We're gonna help Magikarp become faster." The Pokémon mentioned looked to the girl with wide eyes as she patted the rock behind her. "He may not have the strong attacks to defeat Bellsprout, but if he can outmaneuver him then he'll have the advantage. We can practice his short distance hops on these rocks in order to boost his speed. Who knows, he might learn tackle in the process."
Stitch sounded off his interest as he patted Magikarp on the side. The fish Pokémon looked around at the area as it tried to work up its courage. Sure he was known for his hard exterior, but could he really learn to get faster by jumping off of rocks? Lilo bent down to meet the doubtful carp with a smile. "Ready to get started buddy?"
Magikarp steeled his nerves as his eyes narrowed. If he was going to lose to Bellsprout, then he was gonna go out fighting. He hopped on the ground a bit as a sign of his enthusiasm. He made his way over to the first rock as he looked up at it. The construct was a little daunting at first, but the fish Pokémon hopped up in determination.
He began to bounce off of a few rocks in an attempt to get faster, only to fall back to the ground on the fifth rock. Lilo ran to his side to check on him, a smile on her face. "That was a good start Magikarp. We just need to keep that rhythm going." Motivated to keep going, the fish hopped up once more.
They continued this form of training for several hours as they tried to boost his speed. There were some surprising results as far as Magikarp were concerned. His record went up by one or two every other attempt, save for the odd cases of accidental crashes or the miscalculated hop. He was moving faster than he ever could've dreamed of underwater. His mind would wonder to how fast his swimming speed was in between attempts.
He soon hit a roadblock, however, as night approached. He would get to ten rocks before what little muscles he had gave out on him. It became so frustrating that the fish found itself having more close calls the more it tried to reach that eleventh stone. Magikarp remained on the ground as it tried to catch its breath. Lilo was by his side once more as she sighed.
She watched the sun fall behind the nearby tree line as the sky began to darken. "It's getting pretty late. We should get some sleep and try to get in some more training before the match tomorrow." Magikarp sounded off its sadness as it looked up to the trainer. Lilo could see the confidence leave its eyes at the mercy of doubt.
The girl smiled as she rubbed the rare Pokémon. "It's alright buddy. We just need a little more practice." Magikarp was having none of that, however, as it sadly hobbled back to camp. Lilo followed behind, almost unsure of her own helpfulness in the situation.
That night dinner was eaten in silence. While Ash and Lilo were optimistic, the air brought about by Misty and Magikarp was heavily weighing on the group. Even Stitch was slowly munching on his Cheri berries in the awkward silence. Magikarp just stared down at the food presented to it. Ash finally broke the silence as he looked to the group.
"So, it looks like Magikarp is getting faster." stated the boy. "I'm pretty sure he knows Tackle by now, so he's bound to be strong enough to at least give the kid a run for his money." Misty scoffed as she looked to the boy.
"Are you seriously so clueless?" asked the redhead. The duo looked to the only other human around in confusion. "It's over. Magikarp is toast." Lilo growled as she pointed her spoon at the downer.
"Don't say stuff like that!" roared the Hawaiian. "Magikarp is definitely going to win! I know he will." The fish didn't share her enthusiasm as he looked over his meal.
"See. Magikarp knows I'm right. I'd look into a new career Ash, cause your journey to be a Pokémon master is about to come crashing down." Ash stomped his foot into the ground as he shook his head.
"We can't just abandon our dreams like this!" denied the boy. "Lilo and Magikarp are doing their best to get stronger, and I say they're doing a pretty good job at it. That jerk won't know what hit him tomorrow!" Magikarp tuned the group out as the argument continued on. He wasn't in the mood to hear the back and forth of truth and encouragement.
Soon after dinner most of the group had fallen asleep due to fatigue or just overall boredom. Magikarp laid down near the water as he thought to himself. It'd be so easy to just swim away and forget this ever happened. He'd live his life as far away from trainers as possible, to the point that even Arceus wouldn't be able to find him. He contemplated this further till the sound of footsteps caught his attention.
He hobbled behind a rock as he watched Lilo approach the water. She stopped as she looked into the eyes of her own reflection. Magikarp watched on in fear as the girl slipped her feet into the water. Wasn't it a bad idea for the humans to get cold while wet? Stitch soon approached from behind, rubbing his eyes as he looked to his partner.
"Lilo?" asked the experiment. The Hawaiian turned to her partner in a bit of shock, sighing upon seeing him. "Why yuuga out? Bed time." Lilo sighed as she looked back towards the river.
"I'm just worried about Magikarp is all. That Bellsprout was pretty strong and he's hit a wall in his training. I'm not sure if I've done a good enough job." Magikarp sighed, knowing it was all too good to be true. "In a way, he kinda reminds me of myself."
The fish hesitated as it looked to the duo. What did the girl mean by that? "I have my doubts if I'll ever be a good enough trainer to help Ash meet his goals, let alone our own. I thought, maybe if I could help Magikarp get stronger, then there'd be hope for both of us. I won't let Magikarp lose everything like we did."
Magikarp continued to watch the duo in shock. They really were riding everything on him. The Hawaiian yawned as she stood up. "Let's just get to bed. Tomorrow is the big day."
The fish waited as the duo walked back to their tent. He quickly hid when Stitch decided to take one last scan of the area. Magikarp practically held his breath as he laid on his side. The experiment shrugged as he walked back into the sleeping quarters. The carp hopped up as it looked to the tents.
Its gaze steeled as it looked to the rocky field it's training began on. He quietly hobbled over to the stones as it looked up to the usual starting stone. With a flick of his tail he bounced up to its side. He resumed his exercises as he hopped from rock to rock. He hit the barrier once again, only to hop on his own and start again.
Time after time he missed the mark, sometimes scraping across the ground. He growled as he tried to jump back to the starting rock, only to feel pain in his side. He began to pass out from exhaustion when the memory of Lilo sitting by the river flashed in his mind. Magikarp shook his head as he began to hop in place. He suddenly flipped midair, using his tail as a form of catapult.
He launched himself towards the start rock, instantly turning to bounce off it once more. He soon rocketed towards the next stone, flying faster than previous tries. He repeated the mighty slap that brought about this speed, losing no momentum as he continued to move from rock to rock. He soon reached number ten as he reeled his tail towards his head. His tail began to glow slightly as he bashed it into the stone.
It cracked slightly as he launched himself towards rock number eleven. He turned around as he repeated his action. He finally touched the stone, ricocheting off it as he looked to continue the new streak. He bounced more and more, sometimes repeating recently counted rocks. This training continued till the sun began to rise over the nearby forest.
The crew was abruptly awakened by the sound of smacking. Lilo was the first to leave her tent as she rubbed her eyes. She turned to meet the constant sound, her eyes slowly opening. Imagine her shock when she saw a yellow blur bouncing across the rocky field with ease. Stitch walked up beside her as he tugged on her pajama bottoms.
"Stitch want Cheri berry." groaned the experiment. He soon laid eyes upon the scene, practically yelling his surprise to the world. The blur soon bounced off the ground as it did a flip. Magikarp came to a stop as it rested on a rock, panting from the hard work. It let out a loud scream as it looked up at the sun.
Lilo's shocked expression turned to a large grin as the fish continued to look at the big star. Magikarp began to fall over, quickly supported by Stitch. Misty groaned as she poked her head out of her tent.
"Be quiet!" moaned the redhead. "Can't a girl take a nap before she has to go home!" Lilo rolled her eyes as Ash suddenly came bursting out of his tent with an apple in hand.
"ALRIGHT!" roared the boy. "WHO'S MESSING WITH MAGIKARP, ESPECIALLY AT THIS TIME OF THE MORNING!?" Lilo couldn't help but giggle at the tired boy's determination. He looked to the trio as he lowered his hand.
"I bet an attacker would be more intimidated by that apple if they were a doctor." chuckled Lilo at her friend's expense. The boy gave her a raised brow as he looked to the fruit in his hand. He must've grabbed the apple when Magikarp screamed, thinking it was a Pokéball. He chuckled in embarrassment as he rubbed the back of his head. He took a bite of the fruit as Misty groaned again.
The day wore on as Lilo began to take care of Magikarp once more. The fish seemed to have a whole new air about him as he bounced around the campground. There was no way the mean kid was going to get away with using him as a punching bag again. Speaking of, a chuckle caught the group's attention. The boy walked up to the crew with a Pokéball in hand.
"Ready to run home losers!?" asked the boy. Magikarp growled as Lilo glared at her opponent.
"The only one going home is you!" countered the Hawaiian. "Magikarp won't be beaten so easily!" The kid laughed as he unleashed his Pokémon. Budd the Bellsprout roared out a challenge as it looked to the enemy. Magikarp let out a roar of its own, only furthering the mean boy's laughter.
"Let's show her Budd! Use Razor Leaf!" The plant reared back its leaves in preparation for the commanded attack. He swiped them forward, unleashing a large battalion of sharp leaves. Lilo threw her arm to the side in response.
"Dodge it!" Magikarp showed off his new jumping technique as it leapt out of the way of the attack. The boy sounded off his confusion as he watched the fish turn to face Bellsprout once more. "Now use Tackle!" With another flick of its tail, the rare Pokémon rushed its surprised opponent.
"Dodge it!" The boy's orders may as well have fallen upon deaf ears as Magikarp rammed into its opponent before it could properly move. The fish turned as it positioned its tail at its opponent as they reached a nearby rock. He bounced off of it as they collided with the boulder, after which the boy threw his arm to the side. "Use Vine Whip to catch that stupid thing!"
Budd threw his leaves forward as he tried to ensnare the fish like the previous day. The extremities almost ensnared the golden carp, but it was quick to bounce off of another boulder to escape. Lilo smirked as she looked around.
"Three, Four and Six! Use Tackle!" Magikarp understood as it bounced towards the first of the stones. Budd continued to whip at him, but the fish was as slippery as the stereotype placed on him. Magikarp knew these stones well, meaning it was easy to bounce from the required stones.
He soon made contact yet again with the Bellsprout, this time knocking him over instead of carrying him along. "Again for Two, Five and Seven!" The golden fish obliged as it repeated its assault. He continued to bounce from rock to rock as he capitalized on his own speed, hitting his opponent again and again. The opposing trainer growled as he clenched his fist, determined not to lose at an advantage.
"Use Acid on the rocks! That should catch this bugger off guard!" Budd inhaled as the liquid formed in his large agape mouth. He suddenly spewed the liquid forth, covering some of the rocks in the poisonous gunk. Magikarp's tail slipped as he landed on one of the rocks, a burning sensation hitting him.
"MAGIKARP!" Ash growled as he looked on towards the fight. The opponent laughed as he threw his arm to the side.
"Wrap him up with Vine Whip!" The Bellsprout did as it was told, ensnaring its victim once more. The fish shouted out in pain as it felt the tightening squeeze once more. Lilo looked on helplessly as the golden fish was struggling. "This is what you get for putting your faith in such a weak Pokémon!"
Magikarp started to feel his energy leave him as he slowed down. The pain started to fade as his mind went numb. Was this really how it was supposed to end? Was he nothing more than life's newest fool: a jester laughed upon for trying? His vision began to darken as he closed his eyes.
"YOU CAN DO IT MAGIKARP!" His eyes shot open as he looked to the origin of the voice. Lilo looked to him in determination and hope, something no creature has ever shown him before. Images of last night flashed before his very eyes as he felt a new power surge within him. The boy growled as he looked to his Pokémon partner.
"If that's how you wanna finish this then so be it! Budd, smash this worthless fish against the rocks!" Budd nodded as it swung its vines towards the hard ground. Magikarp wriggled in the plant's grasp as he aimed his tail towards the ground. The extremity glowed brightly as it was smacked upon the stone battlefield.
Magikarp sent itself flying into the air, the vines still enwrapping it. Budd had no control over the situation as it suddenly found the base of its own vines smacking into it. Magikarp repeated this movement as it punished the plant for its attack. Misty finally found her voice as she stepped forward.
"That's Bounce Attack!" declared the water type specialist. "She actually managed to teach it two moves in one day! He might actually have a chance!" The opponent growled at the notion.
"Shut up Carrot Head! Use Acid to finish it Budd!" The plant readied to complete the demand but was distracted as its own vines hit it again. Magikarp suddenly bounced higher as it continued to struggle to free itself. Lilo looked around before laying eyes upon the reason for her crew's arrival.
"Bounce into the water!" cried the Hawaiian trainer. "Show him why they call you the fish Pokémon!" Magikarp sounded off its agreement as it bounced off another rock. The Bellsprout was dazed from the constant hits to the head, unable to comprehend the situation. The fish fell into the water, slightly pulling its opponent towards the lake with him.
Its eyes suddenly shined as it swam forward at a speed unfamiliar to it. It took awhile for Budd to notice the new pull on its vines. The plant looked to its trainer for a brief second before it was pulled across the water's surface by Magikarp. The fish continued to ram the vines wrapped around it into the rocks below, causing more pain to his abusive foe. The boy let out a large groan as he looked to the Bellsprout.
"Let go of him when you reach a shallow area and use Acid!" The plant found trouble with these orders as it had never dealt with this kind of force before. Suddenly, however, it found the shallow bank. The plant rooted itself into the ground as it finally released its prey. Lilo clenched her fist as she looked to the area.
"Now!" Magikarp understood as it suddenly changed course, swimming straight towards Budd. The plant once again inhaled as it prepared to douse its opponent in acid. The fish burst out of the water as the hazardous liquid was unleashed. The boy smiled as he looked upon his brilliant strategy, only to frown as Magikarp seemed to have its own cheeks puffed.
Before the Acid could hit him, the golden carp unleashed a powerful Water Gun. The liquid distilled the acid as it rammed into Budd, sending him flying towards one of the large stones. Lilo threw her arm to the side as she looked to the fish once more. "Finish it with Bounce Attack!" Magikarp's tail glowed once more as it leapt from the ground.
"VINE WHIP!" Budd regained its rooting as it unleashed its long appendages once more. Magikarp put a spin in its attack as it neared the opponent. Time seemed to slow down as the two opposing forces neared. To the shock of everyone, Magikarp's tail cut through the vines as it continued on its path.
He let out a mighty roar as his tail crashed into Budd's head, a resounding smack filling the air. The force was so strong that part of the rock the plant stood in front of broke off. The Bellsprout stumbled for a bit as Magikarp landed before him. He readied to try and wrap the fish again, only to fall over in an unconscious heap. The mean boy cried out in disbelief as he ran for his Pokémon.
"BUDD! WHAT DID THEY DO TO YOU!?" Magikarp was finally able to process the events as the boy grabbed hold of his partner. He had won… He had actually WON!
"Way to go Magikarp!" The fish shared Lilo's excitement as it began to bounce around in joy. Ash raised his fist in excitement.
"Way to go Lilo and.." began the trainer from Pallet Town. He was suddenly shoved to the side as Misty leapt for joy.
"YAY MAGIKARP!" cried the redhead. "I knew you could do it!" She opened her eyes as she found Ash and the Pokémon not part of the celebration giving her deadpanned looks. "What?" The mean trainer growled as he looked to the celebrating group.
"I'll show you losers." growled the boy as he grabbed a rock, intent on using it. He aimed for Lilo as she continued to shout congratulations to Magikarp. Before he could launch his weapon, however, he found himself hit with a small torrent of water currency of the match's victor. He looked down to his soaked clothes as Magikarp stared at him menacingly. The boy began to shake menacingly, as if ready for another attempt.
The group readied for anything as the kid continued to give off low growls. His head suddenly shot up as he began to bawl his eyes out. "WAAH! YOU BEAT UP BUDD AND GOT MY FAVORITE SHIRT WET!" The kid leapt up as he ran away with his Pokémon in his arms.
The crew watched on as the boy ran down the road. "I'M TELLING MY MOMMY!" The boy disappeared over the horizon, a twinkle seeming to indicate his departure. An odd atmosphere hanged in the air as the crew continued to watch the lad's departure. Magikarp broke this silence as he hopped around in celebration, causing the group to laugh nervously at his display.
The next day the group packed up their luggage as they prepared to head out. Misty groaned as she had to live with "I told you so" all night after unpacking her camping gear. She then woke up to repack the equipment AGAIN! She guessed that it would be best if she didn't doubt the strange girl that followed Ash Ketchum everywhere he goes. The crew stood on the road as they looked to the horizon.
"I think I have a strong strategy planned for when I face the Pewter City gym!" declared Ash. "Watching Magikarp fight made me realize that type advantages aren't everything. I plan to win the battle with my strongest Pokémon!" Bolt sounded off his approval as he raised his paw in the air. Lilo laughed as she approached the duo.
"I'm sure you guys will do great." reassured Lilo. "With you two I'd be surprised if you didn't do good." Misty groaned as she rolled her eyes.
"Could we just get going?" asked the annoyed redhead. "I would like to get to Pewter City before we run into more people like that brat." The group nodded in agreement as they began to walk down the road. Before they could get very far, however, a cry caught their attention. The group turned to see Magikarp hopping towards them.
"Magikarp?" asked Ash in confusion. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back at the lake?" The fish sounded off its explanation as Stitch listened in. The experiment sounded off his excitement as he looked to the group.
"Fishy wanna come too!" announced the blue furball. The group looked to the fish Pokémon in pleasant surprise at the news. Magikarp sounded of his declaration as he hopped some more. Misty suddenly got down on one knee as she reached out for the fish.
"Oh Magikarp!" cried the water type specialist. "I'd love for you to come with us. You're always welcome to join my…" Magikarp bounced off of Misty's head as he made way for Lilo. The Hawaiian sounded off her surprise as Misty's brow twitched.
"Are sure you want me as your trainer?" asked Lilo, a little unsure of herself. The golden fish was quick to reassure her as he placed his side against her leg. The girl sighed as a smile formed on her face. "In that case, welcome to the team!" She held an empty pokéball before the golden Magikarp, the fish lightly tapping the button with his tail.
He turned into red energy as he was sucked up into the orb. The ball showed little resistance as it soon chimed a familiar ring. The grin on Lilo's face grew larger as she held the pokéball high into the air. "We just got a Magikarp!" Stitch let out a yeehaw as he lifted his furry fist into the air.
"Congratulations Lilo!" cheered Ash. "It's not every day someone catches a rare Pokémon." The Hawaiian chuckled as she looked to the now occupied orb in her hand.
"Welcome to our Ohana, Pudge Jr." Ash gave the girl a curious brow at the nickname but dismissed it as something from her past. The group began to move on, save for Misty who was still on her knee. The redhead clenched her fist as she fell on both knees. She looked to the sky in rage, shaking both of her fists in the air.
"HOW COME I'M THE ONLY ONE WHO DIDN'T GET A NEW WATER POKÉMON!?" cried the girl in despair. Bolt sounded off his worry as he watched the girl from his trainer's shoulders. Misty was quick to rise as she trudged behind.
And so, our heroes were able to save Magikarp, now dubbed Pudge Jr, and defeat the dastardly brat who did not see the diamond in the rough. With a new Pokémon in her team, Lilo seems more confident than ever. With Ash's gym battle fast approaching, will he really be able to earn his first badge? Is the group ready for the trials ahead? Will Misty ever get the new water Pokémon she desires? Find out next time… as the journey continues.
That's it for this chapter! I really wanted to give Lilo something to remind her of home, and this one story inspired me to give her a Magikarp named after the fish from the first movie. I know it's a little cheesy, but it really felt right at the time of writing this. Anywho, I hoped you…
Jessie: I have a complaint!
Inkaliber: Ugh! Make it quick.
Jessie: We never showed up in this chapter at all! It's demeaning that we, the great Team Rocket, were left out of an entirely original chapter!
Inkaliber: I understand your frustration, but you guys didn't really fit into the chapter at large. It's be a disservice to the gang and you guys to try and fit you all into this chapter. You can't blame me for wanting to make a good chapter can you?
Jessie: But I… We…
James: Just give it a rest Jess and help me stack these papers.
Meowth: Yeah! Just a few more days and we'll be promoted to paid interns.
Inkaliber: I never said anything about…
Jessie: Why didn't you say so! If we really are trapped here then we might as well make some profit during our stay!
Team Rocket: Team Rocket's blasting off to work!
Wobbuffet: WOBBUFFET!
Inkaliber: Ugh. I can't even with those guys. Looks like I'm going to have to straighten them out before things get out of hand. Anywho, remember to leave a review down below and I'll try to respond by the next chapter. This is Inkaliber, signing out.