I know I should have been more careful and not break my cover, but I could not stay still and do nothing as they experimented on that Braviary!
So, when the two henchmen, Schwarz and Weiss, who were holding a Braviary captive as they made their way back to headquarters, I decided to activate my plan! They soon encounter a roadblock—set up by me! I used the distraction to break into their truck and free Braviary, and the two of us escaped—but we were both hurt by the grunts.
Luckily, I found Ash soon and his friends helped me. They even discovered the hidden tracking device attached to Braviary's neck and took it out. Aura is awesome!
Ash later sent some of his Unova Ghost Team to take care of the grunts. Unfortunately, now that my cover was up there was nothing for me to do. Ash did not seem mad about it, even invited me to joing his group while they journeyed.
Even after everything, I still do not understand him. I thought confused. Ash is such a complex character. I prefer dealing with pokemon than with humans ten times over! Like that situation in Virbank Ciity!
On our way to the White Ruins, after we had just arrived in Virbank City we saw smoke and rushed to investigate. But as Ash recruits Samurott to put out the fire, we were stopped by an insistent Watchog wearing a red scarf. It turned out the fire was part of a drill conducted by the Pokemon Harbor Patrol, a team dedicated to dealing with any disasters that happen around Virbank City's extensive harbor. Under the direction of Captain Halsey, Dewott and two Frillish ran the rescue operations and put out fires, while Watchog served as lookout.
But Watchog seemed upset, it was not hard for me to figure out why: he wanted to be involved in the rescues as well. Unfortunately, he had failed the firefighting section of the aptitude tests, so Halsey had asked him to stay as lookout for now. I tried to defend poor Watchog's feelings and try to get the captain to understand. Of course, that resulted in a huge fight that was only interrupted when the captain gets a call about a real emergency. There was a fire at the Virbank Complex, where a local kindergarten class was visiting!
The fight was rapidly forgotten and we all rushed to help.
As Ash, Iris, Cilan, Max, Riley, and I guided the children and workers to safety, Watchog stood guard, while Halsey, Dewott, and the Frillish headed into the complex to put out the fire. But the fire spread our outside, while inside, the fire doors slammed shut automatically, trapping Halsey and his team. Ash and Samurott tried to fight the fire, but they couldn't do it alone. Iris asked Excadrill to dig a tunnel to reach Halsey, but when Excadrill runs up against hard bedrock, I had an idea. I asked Watchog to use his remarkable sensing skills to detect the rocky places in the ground. With some teamwork, Watchog, Iris, Excadrill, and I managed to get Halsey and the others out of the building.
They quickly put out the fire outside, with Halsey admitting that it was time to rethink his decision about keeping Watchog off the rescue team. I wanted to say more and scold the captain for being insensitive about Watchog's feelings, but shut up after seeing how happy the pokemon was. Relationship between trainers and pokemon could be so hard to decipher sometimes.
Was I the only one who never truly understood the bonds between pokemon and their trainers? I wondered sadly.
It kept bothering me until we came across the Kanto Fair: a festival celebrating the sights and sounds of the Kanto region. Of course, since Ash is from Kanto originally, this took him right back to memories of his home. Especially, after we saw Professor Oak's presentation on the three Kanto Pokemon Starters: Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle. Feeling nostalgic Ash told us the story of how he had first met his beloved Charmander. Just like Tepig, Charmander had been abandoned by its original Trainer.
Why would any trainer do that?! I thought with disgust. Human are so cruel, not like pokemon...
"I rescued him, and he soon became part of my family!" Ash continued to tell his story with a wide smile on his lips. "However, when he evolved into Charmeleon, he stopped taking commands from me, doing whatever he wanted." Ash and Piakchu snickered from the memory. "But I never gave up on my beloved pokemon, and soon he evolved into an awesome and fearsome Charizard!" He exclaimed, his face shinning with pride and love.
Maybe not all humans are the same... I questioned internally.
"The two of us traveled together for some time, until our journey took us to the Charicific Valley, where many Charizard engage in intensive training against each other, and I took the opportunity for his Charizard to become stronger. He is now back with us and I could not be happier!" Ash exclaimed. "I truly want to see him again... Professor Oak!" He jumped on his feet and rushed towards the professor.
"As chaotic and impulse as ever," Riley commenting, shaking his head fondly.
"I can't wait to meet him!" Iris exclaimed excitedly. "Last time he was around he was too busy training and sparing to face against Champion Alder." Then her Dragonite escaped from her Poke Ball and flew cockily towards Ash, who was rushing back with his Charizard flying above him. "Dragonite! Come back! He is not an opponent you can battle right now!" That only seem to make Dragonite want to prove himself further, his fist cracking with electricity as he prepared to attack Charizard with a Thunder Punch... but got a Dragon Tail to the face. I winced as he crashed against the trees behind us. It was one-hit knock-out. "Idiot!" Iris sighed, returning her fainted pokemon. "I'll take him to the Pokemon Center."
"Sorry about that," Ash chuckled sheepishly, while Charizard huffed, smirking smugly behind him. "Good news, Charizard agreed to join us!"
Good, I thought. I would love to investigate their relationship, especially after their turbulent beginning. They might be key for me to finally understand human-pokemon interactions.
Of course, I could not be that lucky. After all, Team Plasma has never stopped searching for me.
We tried to cross the brige to the White Ruins, but an Officer Jenny stopped us, warning us that the bridge was closed off because a rampaging Haxorus that was terrorizing the city. I turned to Ash and Riley, exchanging a knowing look. This was Team Plasma evil plan of targeting and controling any pokemon while elevating their rage and attack power to the maximum, thanks to Dr. Colress's diabolical machine. Iris, not knowing this, rushed towards the Haxorus, knowing that a Dragon type wouldn't do such a thing for no reason. We tried to get to her iin time and stop her from making the situation worse, but she had already released her Dragonite.
Team Plasma trained Colress' device on Dragonite, sending him into a rage. While the dragons fought, Team Plasma faced me and demanded my return. Of course, I refused, telling them to leave me alone. However, my concentration was quickly taken by Iris, who had gotten herself in the direct line of a powerful pair of attacks. Doing the only thing I could, I pushed her out of the way and... everything went black.
I gasped as I woke up, feeling cold and soaked.
What had happened?
Right, I pushed Iris out of the way and received the attacks myself.
"Good to have you back, brother," I turned towards Concordia's gentle smile.
"How are you feeling?" Anthea asked me worriedly.
"Good," I gasped. "Much better than I expected. Did you use the lake?"
"We did," Concordia frowned. "You were quite injured."
"Sorry for worrying you," I apologized.
I hated worrying them. They were my only company back then when I was living in that big and lonely mansion. The place where Ghetsis, the leader of Team Plasma, had kept me locked away. He had never allowed me to go outside. Ghetsis who had been like a father to me, had lied to me my whole life, telling me that because of my ability to hear the inner voices of pokemon, I was destined to become the leader of Team Plasma and save the world's pokemon from selfish people.
How foolish I was, I scoffed internally. Ghetsis had only wanted to use me in a ceremony to summon the Legendary Pokemon Reshiram. Not that it worked well for him, I thought with delight. When Reshiram showed up, he was very angry at the deceit and unleashed his fury on Team Plasma! I was truly lucky, that Anthea and Concordia rescued me in time. We made our way to this very hidden house where we live now.
"We know how self-sacrificing you can be," Anthea told me softly. "But try to not worry us this much next time."
"I'll try," I promised my sisters with a smile. "Where are my companions?" Suddenly their expressions closed off. "You still don't like Ash?"
"He dragged you back to Team Plasma!" Concordia shrilled furious. "All because he wanted a spy!"
"And I did a good job!" I snapped at her, fed up of the same fight over and over again. "I got them information that will be useful to finally bring Team Plasma down!"
"People are not to be trusted to protect the well-being of pokemon!" Anthea shouted, making me turn at her in surprise- she had always been so soft-spoken. "That's what we believe! We promised to keep pokemon away from people! What happened to you?!"
"I've changed and realized that things are not so white and blank!" I shouted back. "Can't you see? Neither extreme is right!"
Before I could say anything else, an explosion resounded. We rushed outside in worry and watched in horror as our secret house had been surrounded by Team Plasma.
"N! You are ok!" Max rushed towards me in relief. "Come! We must hurry and get the pokemon in the area to safety! Ash and the rest will take care of the goons!"
Right, the secret house was home to various mistreated pokemon that my sisters and I have saved. I rapidly got to work, while the rest kept Team Plasma at bay.
"How can you say that people and pokemon can coexist after seeing that!" Concordia snapped at me, while Ash's Unova Ghost Team arrested the Team Plasma's goons they had taken down.
I watched in disappointment as my sisters walked away with the mistreated pokemon to look for a new secret house.
I did not know what to do.
"Go," Ash's voice startled me, I turned around in surprise to find him smiling at me gently. "Your sisters need you and do those pokemon. Keep them safe and leave the rest to us."
I wanted to protest, Team Plasma was my duty to defeat them. But something in Ash's eyes stopped me. As with human-pokemon relationships, I did not understand what that look meant. But it made me follow his orders. I waved my companions goodbye and follow my sisters, leaving with more questions than answers.
Especially about Ash Ketchum's mysterious and contradicting character.
Who are you? What are you? Will I ever understand you?
Maybe yes, maybe not.
But I am glad to have met you, Ash Ketchum.
