DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN POKÉMON
|CHAPTER 2|
"This is amazing…"
I stared wide-eyed at the scene before me.
How could I not?
Just hours outside of Pallet Town, wild Pokémon were out in droves. The farther I got away from Pallet, the more and more Pokémon I saw. I had seen it all the time in the anime, and I had raged quite a few times when I got stopped every five seconds in one of the games, but this was different.
Pokémon were living, breathing creatures rather than pixelated images on a screen in the games or anime.
Up ahead, splashing drew my attention. Magikarp flopped about comically as they swam against the river's flow, flinging themselves bodily through the current with no grace whatsoever.
A Rattata suddenly darted from the brush, nearly causing me to trip. It raced around my feet, soon joined by more emerging to curiously inspect me with twitching noses. The furry purple creatures were nothing like what I was used to seeing on screen. Their coats were coarse, greasy, and matted with dirt, and the smell—the pungent, almost skunk-like musk wrinkled my nose. One even nibbled at my shoelace before scurrying off again as a shadow overhead drew my gaze upward.
A small brown bird with a plump belly and sharp beak swooped low, landing cautiously on the path in front of me. Its head bobbed back and forth, beady black eyes scanning for danger.
A Pidgey!
My fingers twitched, just itching to reach for one of the empty Pokéballs on my belt.
The Pidgey hopped closer to me, its feet scratching the dirt as it pecked for food.
I crouched low, the tall grass and wildflowers brushing my arms as I crept slowly forward. Thirty feet away, the Pidgey still pecked at scattered seeds. I unclipped Elekid's Pokéball from my belt.
When I was twenty feet away, I drew back my arm. As I prepared to throw, intent on catching the Tiny Bird Pokémon by surprise, a dry twig snapped under my sneaker.
Pidgey's head shot up.
"Shit!" Cursing under my breath, I lobbed the Pokéball. "Go, Elekid!"
The ball split open in the air. Elekid materialized in a battle-ready crouch, fur sparking with anticipation. Pidgey spread its wings with an alarmed shriek as it prepared to take flight.
"Elekid, use—"
I was cut off when the ground abruptly lurched underneath me. I flailed, the tall grass providing nothing for my hands to grab onto as the violent quake knocked my legs out from under me.
"What was that?" I muttered, pushing myself back to my feet. Elekid pressed close to my leg.
I stroked my Pokémon's head making sure to keep my hand clear of the space between Elekid's horns. Had a Steelix or Onix just passed below ground, stirring up that violent quake?
A prickle ran down my spine. The forest had gone oddly quiet, only the rustling grass and the rushing river breaking the heavy silence.
Instead, a small green figure shot from the underbrush, movements frantic, squeaky cries distressed. Celebi should have soared gracefully on its diaphanous fairy-like wings. But its flight turned stuttered, each sweep of the rounded wings appearing pained, drops of red marring the lower left side.
Behind Celebi, branches cracked as two black-clad figures crashed through the woods—Team Rocket grunts, I realized, seeing red R emblazoned across their uniforms. A Houndoom flanked the woman, black horns gleaming above its long maw. At the man's side, a heavily armored Rhyhorn snorted, gouging furrows through the soil in its eagerness.
My lips parted in dismay as the Rocket Grunts noticed me standing there.
For a moment, surprise registered on their faces too.
Houndoom inhaled deeply, ribs expanding, before unleashing a blistering column of fire from its maw. Celebi trilled in alarm and attempted to dart higher, injured wings beating desperately, but the flames caught its left side. Celebi screeched, thrashing in the air.
"Stone Edge, Rhyhorn!" came the next call.
Rhyhorn reared up and then smashed down with all its bulk. The ground shuddered, gravel and stones exploding upwards from the point of impact. The stones seemed to glow white before shooting forward like bullets.
Celebi tried to evade the razor-edged rocks, movements growing slower and clumsier. One chunk clipped Celebi's shoulder. The mythical Pokémon listed sideways, wobbling badly. Then two more stones slashed its thigh and side.
With a thin, despairing whistle, Celebi's wings folded completely.
"Elekid—Thunder Shock, now!"
Sparks rippled down Elekid's horns, making the air crackle with electricity before it discharged a bolt of electricity at Team Rocket's two Pokémon. The blast glanced harmlessly off Rhyhorn's thick armor-plated hide and Houndoom ignored the attack completely as if it hadn't happened at all.
Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and brought my hands up to my side, cupping them and focusing his energy as I had practiced time and time again over the last few months.
Sam had been the son of Ash Ketchum, which meant I was the son of Ash Ketchum.
The second I learned that little tidbit I'd been planning on taking full advantage of Ash's abilities.
I felt the now-familiar energy growing within his core, flowing down through my shoulders and arms and gathering in my palms. As I opened my eyes, my hands cupped around a glowing Aura Sphere—the culmination of months of dedication to mastering my inherited abilities over aura.
"Kame-hame-HA!"
I thrust my cupped hands forward, launching the Aura Sphere he had conjured at Rhyhorn. The pulsing ball of energy surged toward Rhyhorn with impressive speed and smashed against the Pokémon…only to harmlessly burst like a bubble against the Rhyhorn's armored plates.
Rhyhorn snorted, entirely nonplussed.
The sound of Celebi's pained cry drew my attention again.
Houndoom had fired a beam of black and purple energy from its mouth at Celebi.
The Dark Pulse attack hit Celebi and Celebi hit the ground no longer able to stay in the air. It tumbled tail over wings through the grass, landing in a crumpled heap of singed feathers yards away. It struggled weakly to rise then slumped in defeat, unable to take flight with shredded wings and bleeding wounds.
My eyes darted between Team Rocket and Celebi's helpless form. My hands tightened to fists, nails biting into my palms. I had to do something! But Houndoom and Rhyhorn were powerful evolved Pokémon.
And two against one...
Elekid growled, arms whirling as electricity danced between its horns once more.
"Elekid, return!" I said, holding Elekid's Pokéball up. Instantly, a bright beam of light enveloped the small electric-type Pokémon, pulling it back safely inside.
Jaw set, I turned my back on the two Rocket Grunts and ran for Celebi, scooping the injured Pokémon up like a football. I tucked it to my chest, careful of its injuries, and started running.
I had never run so fast in my life.
My lungs burned as I sprinted down the dirt road of Route 1, my legs threatening to give out from under me at any moment. I jumped over a large tree that only moments ago had been standing. The air around me was sizzling with heat, torching the air on my arms. The exploding rock shards weren't exactly helping either, with tree bark and dirt flying in every imaginable direction.
This is not how today was supposed to go! I thought as I risked a quick glance behind me. The two Rocket grunts were still in hot pursuit, urging their Pokémon—a snarling Houndoom and a Rhyhorn lowering its head to charge—to run faster.
"You can't run forever, kid!" one of the grunts yelled from behind me. "Hand over that Celebi now, and we'll let you leave with your Pokémon!"
I faced forward again, scoffing as I pushed my aching legs to keep pumping. I didn't believe that promise for a second. Maybe if it was Jessie and James from the Pokémon Anime chasing me, I would have believed it, but even then, I wouldn't have handed Celebi over. There was only one reason why Team Rocket would want Celebi—the Mythical Pokémon's time-traveling ability.
"That Pokémon belongs to Team Rocket now," the other grunt sneered. "Houndoom, Flamethrower!"
Without hesitation, the Houndoom nipping at my heels let out an ear-piercing howl as it unleashed a Flamethrower attack. I reacted instinctively, twisting to take the brunt of the blistering stream of fire across my back in order to shield the already Celebi from further harm.
The force of the blast sent me hurtling violently forward, white-hot agony searing through my body. I slammed into the dirt road face first, losing my hold on Celebi as the breath exploded from my lungs on impact. Houndoom sprang forward to press its advantage, its massive form crashing onto me and pinning me to the ground. Its crimson eyes glowed with a feral light, and its sharp fangs glinted in the sunlight as it snarled and drooled, saliva dripping onto my face. The heat of its breath was suffocating, and the smell of sulfur made my eyes water.
Pain exploded from my arm as Houndoom's jaws clamped down, sharp teeth piercing through skin and muscle. The Pokémon's razor-sharp claws scraped down my back, tearing through fabric and flesh. I cried out in pain and fought to push the Pokémon off of me, rolling over and kicking my legs out trying to protect myself. But the Houndoom was relentless, its teeth and claws digging into my chest.
Desperately, I kicked out with one leg, my boot connecting with Houndoom's eye. The Pokémon jumped away, howling in surprise and pain, giving me a brief moment of respite from its brutal assault.
The momentary distraction gave me a chance to push myself away and scramble to safety. I picked Celebi back up, ready to start running again despite the blood flowing from the numerous injuries on my chest and back.
Before I could take a single step, a massive shadow fell over me. It was Rhyhorn, charging towards me like a bull. I felt the weight of its powerful body smash into my side like a battering ram. All the air was knocked out of me, and I found myself airborne, the world spinning as I was flung like a ragdoll.
I closed my eyes and twisted in the air so I would hit the ground first, bracing for impact. When I hit the ground, I gasped at the sudden shock of freezing water against my skin.
My eyes shot open, and I found myself underwater. I hadn't landed on the ground at all, but in a river!
Why am I in the water? I wondered, watching as a school of Magikarp swam by me. I felt myself being pulled downriver after the piscine Pokémon. Holding my breath as long as I could, I let myself be pulled along…farther and farther away from Team Rocket and their vicious Pokémon.
I still couldn't believe I'd met two jackasses like that on my first day as a Pokémon Trainer.
No, I couldn't believe people or Pokémon like that even existed in the world!
I felt my lungs start to burn from the lack of air and forced my tired legs to move. When I finally broke the surface, gasping for air, the sunny afternoon had become a monsoon. The sky was now a menacing shade of grey with dark storm clouds looming overhead, spewing out torrents of rain that pelted my face like tiny needles and pounded against the surface of the water.
What the—
I was confused for a split moment before I remembered which Pokémon I was holding in my arms. Celebi must have sent us through time when I closed my eyes.
The river surged around me like a living thing, icy tendrils trying to drag me under. I tightened my grip on Celebi, holding the small Pokémon close to my chest as the rapids carried us relentlessly downstream. I knew we were being swept toward a waterfall—I could hear the rumble growing louder by the second.
I tried to swim against the force of the river, I could feel my muscles straining and my lungs burning for air. I knew that I had to get out of the water before we reached the waterfall's edge. But as hard as I tried, the current was too strong, and it was pulling me closer and closer.
I looked around desperately, hoping for something to grab onto, but there was nothing, no branches or rocks—nothing!
Celebi had dropped us right in the middle of the river, and there wasn't a thing I could grab to stop the current from pulling us towards the waterfall.
All I could do was curl myself around Celebi and brace for the drop.
As we went over the edge, Celebi and I were thrown into a whirlwind of wind and water. I clamped my eyes shut, bracing for impact.
The plunge into the basin knocked the wind out of me, the impact blasting the air from my lungs as icy black water closed over my head. Spinning uncontrollably, it took all my strength not to lose my grip on Celebi as the current pummeled us from every side. The lack of air made my chest burn, and sparkles of light danced across my vision.
Just when I thought my lungs were going to fail and the last bubbles of air would slip from my lips, the current suddenly weakened and spat us out into a large lake.
For long moments, I simply focused on dragging air into my burning lungs, floating in place. Celebi too gulped at the air, its sides heaving.
Until something huge moved in the depths below. My eyes widened in sudden terror as a leviathan shape circled upward toward us with lazy confidence.
There was only one Pokémon in the rivers around Pallet Town this enormous.
Gyarados.
A massive head full of daggerlike teeth rose out of the water.
To Gyarados, we were nothing but food—tired, battered, and bleeding. Easy pickings.
As Gyarados' giant jaws opened beneath us, I twisted my body, narrowly escaping those snapping jaws by inches. I had avoided being swallowed whole but still slammed brutally into smooth azure scales as Gyarados hit us like a freight train.
Gritting my teeth against the shockwave of pain from the heavy blow, I grabbed onto one of Gyarados's scales, clinging tightly as the Pokémon surged through the water.
I clenched my jaw, refusing to let go of the only thing keeping me and Celebi alive.
If I did, we were quite literally dead in the water.
The ferocious Gyarados violently thrashed through the water in an attempt to dislodge me. It was like trying to hold onto a rampaging Tauros. Its massive body twisted and writhed as it approached the shore, causing the water to churn and foam around its muscular body.
3...2...1…!
I released my grip, allowing myself to be launched towards the bank by Gyarados' powerful momentum.
Hitting the shallows, I skipped like a rock twice before I stopped just a few yards from the shore. The water was only waist-high now, and I stumbled out of the lake and up the muddy bank on hands and knees.
Behind me, there was a deafening splash. I spun around as the massive Gyarados erupted from the water. The colossal Pokémon rose above me, towering at least three times my height. Lightning split the sky as the storm raged on, and thunder boomed, rattling my bones.
I shook myself out of my terrified paralysis. This was no time to panic.
My hand instinctively dropped to the six Pokéballs attached to my belt, fingers quickly finding the only one worth a damn. I unclipped Elekid's pokéball from my belt. The ball burst open and released a bright red burst of energy.
Elekid appeared in front of me, its fur bristling as it faced the towering opponent Gyarados. Despite being only knee-high to me, the electric baby Pokémon puffed itself up and glared at Gyarados.
"Elekid, use Thunder Shock!"
Even though it was raining and Gyarados was half submerged in a lake, I wasn't sure how much Thunder Shock would affect the massive water Pokémon. Elekid was still young and had only been in one real battle up until now.
I don't need much, I thought as sparks flew from Elekid's electric plug-like horns. All I needed was for Gyarados to be stunned for even a brief moment so I could get away from the lake.
Elekid's yellow fur stood on end, and with a surge of energy, a bright bolt of yellow lightning shot from its body. At that exact moment, a jagged bolt of lightning tore through the clouds, meeting Elekid's attack head-on. The air sizzled with electricity as the two bolts collided with a deafening boom. Combined, the two bolts tore through the sky like a golden arrow, slamming into Gyarados like a meteor.
A brilliant explosion of light and electricity lit up the sky, the force of the explosion could be felt in the air, creating a rush of wind that whipped through the nearby trees and brushed against my skin with a tingling sensation.
Gyarados roared in pain and fury as the powerful electricity caused its massive body to seize up in shock, convulsing and spasming uncontrollably in the water. Electricity crackled and sparked along its blue scales like live wires.
Finally, with a resounding crash, Gyarados toppled backward into the lake, creating a massive wave and sending water droplets flying through the air.
I stared wide-eyed between Elekid and Gyarados. The gargantuan creature lay motionless in the water, its once intimidating presence now reduced to a mere bobbing mass.
"Nice work, buddy. Though let's not make a habit of facing enraged Gyarados, okay?"
Elekid preened at the praise in my shocked gaze and bumped its head against my knee, rumbling happily at the attention.
I pulled one of the empty Pokéballs from my belt, thankful I had decided to carry them on my belt instead of in my backpack. My bag had been lost a while ago, probably right after Team Rocket attacked me, but because Pokémon were so important, the magnetic belts made it almost impossible for a trainer to lose their Pokéballs by accident.
When I threw it, the empty Pokéball bounced off Gyarados's horned crest, popping open midair. Red light engulfed Gyarados, converting it to energy and sucking it inside before clicking closed.
The ball splashed down, bobbing on the surface.
I held my breath. The pokéball rocked back and forth a few times. The seconds stretched on, anxiety gnawing at my gut.
After what felt like an eternity, the ball stilled, followed by the successful ding and a shower of sparks.
Wading back out into the shallows, I retrieved the newly occupied pokéball. I rolled the minimized pokéball between my fingers, marveling that I had somehow gone from trying to catch a Pidgey in the grass to capturing a beast like Gyarados.
As the rush of adrenaline subsided, my mind cleared, and I remembered why I was standing knee-deep in a lake instead of on Route 1. I looked down at Celebi, who was limp and unconscious in my arms.
I need to get Celebi to a Pokémon Center! I ran out of the water, scrambling up the muddy bank back onto Route 1. Celebi had been in bad shape before I stepped in to stop Team Rocket.
Almost drowning probably hadn't helped.
I looked south towards Pallet Town. I thought about heading back to Pallet Town, but was that the right choice? After leaving Pallet, I had walked a good few hours before Team Rocket showed up and ruined my day.
Then, the river had swept me even further away!
I'm probably closer to Viridian City by now!
I turned north and started running, Elekid followed at my heels. My body ached, the bruises, claw marks, and bite wounds taking a toll. There was no telling how much blood I'd lost already.
The rain beat down on me, drenching my clothes and stinging my eyes. My vision began to blur, and every step felt like wading through quicksand. Every step sent pain coursing through my body and blood seeped through my torn shirt dripping onto the ground. A constant reminder of the fight I had just escaped. But I couldn't give up. I forced myself to keep moving, each step becoming more difficult as exhaustion overtook me.
Finally, my legs buckled beneath me and I collapsed on the muddy ground, holding Celebi tight in my arms.
As I lay in the mud, struggling to catch my breath and stay conscious, I heard someone shouting over the rain.
"Hang in there! We're almost at Viridian City!"
Straining my neck I managed to turn my head and through blurred vision, I saw a familiar figure riding frantically on a bike toward Viridian City.
It was a younger version of Sam's 'dad'…Ash Ketchum.
He was speeding down Route 1 on Misty's bike. Curled weakly inside the basket was Pikachu, sparks flickering faintly from its cheeks.
"Just hang on, Pikachu, we're almost there!" Ash shouted, pedaling fiercely.
I could barely hear him over the rain. But, louder still was the sound of flapping wings.
A lot of wings.
I already had an idea of what the noise was and looked up to confirm it. Lightning flashed past the mountains in the distance illuminating the dark sky, and I saw a giant flock of small bird-like Pokémon that moved across the sky like a cloud.
Their numbers were...almost uncountable. There were a lot of them. Just the sound of their wings flapping was louder than a biker gang revving their engines. If I were to stick to just comparing it to other flying things, it would probably also be louder than a fleet of helicopters.
Normally, tiny bird Pokémon wouldn't be flying in the rain, but the Spearow were so caught up in chasing Pikachu and Ash that they didn't seem to notice the rain at all. Even when the rain became a fierce downpour, the Spearow wouldn't call off their attack.
Instead, the furious flock of Spearow swooped low, their sharp beaks pecking viciously at Ash's exposed skin as he desperately tried to protect Pikachu.
Still, Ash managed to keep control and blew past me on Misty's bike.
I knew eventually Ash would fall, and maybe it was selfish of me, but I was glad it didn't happen near us. I didn't want Celebi, Elekid and I to be caught up in the Spearow attack, or worse be collateral damage when Pikachu fried them all.
Ash pedaled away as if his life depended on it—because it probably did—and then a second later, the mass of Spearow passed over my head.
I was blown back by the sheer force of the wind generated by their flapping wings, but the flock of Spearow paid me no mind as they pursued the bike.
Their only interest was in Ash and Pikachu.
I landed back in the mud with a thud, and my body finally succumbed to exhaustion. My fingers and toes tingled with numbness, and even the smallest movement felt heavy and sluggish as if my limbs were encased in concrete. My vision blurred as my eyes struggled to stay open, the colors around me blending into a dark, murky haze. The noises around me became muffled and distant as if I were underwater.
This is really not how I imagined today going.
That's right, Sam has Aura!