Ash and Pikachu were drenched in sweat as they sat on grassy ground across from Misty, who towered over the two with her hands on her hips.
"We're not stopping until you get this move down!" Misty shouted with her Staryu at her side. "Swift!"
"Crap!" Ash cursed as he and Pikachu frantically scrambled to their feet in an attempt to dodge the flurry of stars. "I'll be your eyes, Pikachu! Use Quick Attack to sidestep to the left!" Doing as it was told, Pikachu narrowly avoided the barrage of stars that passed him, but they immediately turned around to strike his back. "Duck!" Pikachu winced as the stars grazed the fur on its head, springing off its feet in Staryu's direction. The stars continued to follow it. "Now, jump!" Ash cried, pointing upwards. Pikachu sprung off its tail, launching itself into the air at the last second, causing the barrage of stars to pelt the Star Shape pokémon head-on, enveloping it in a cloud of dust.
"Recover." Staryu's center gem glowed once before a green glow emanated from its body, healing its injuries. Misty tossed the tired boy a purple spray bottle. Pikachu placed itself in his lap and winced as Ash treated its wounds.
"Let's leave," Ash suggested, looking at the sun's position. "It's still morning and I've got to get to Pewter City for my first badge." Standing up and dusting himself off, the trainer didn't notice the uneasy look on his companion's face. Starting down the path with Pikachu on his shoulder, Ash made his way into Viridian Forest with Misty following tepidly behind.
"Misty?"
"Yeah?"
"Could ya let go of my backpack?" Ash asked, annoyed. The redhead complied, albeit reluctantly. She walked stiffly beside him, swiveling her head every which way as if on alert.
A squeal caused Ash to wince, groaning as Misty cowered behind him from the sight of a green worm-like pokémon that stood in front of them. It cutely tilted its head with a coo.
"A Caterpie!" Ash said excitedly, winding up an empty pokéball for a throw.
"Wait, don't!" Misty's cry fell on deaf ears as the ball made contact with the bug type, shaking three times before clicking to signify a successful capture. Ash giddily made his way over to his new pokémon.
"I caught a Caterpie!" he exclaimed, nuzzling the pokéball.
"Why'd you have to catch that disgusting–"
"HEY!" Ash barked, causing Misty to shut up instantly. "I don't know what your deal is, but I will not let you call my Caterpie disgusting. Now, explain."
The redhead sighed before explaining to him how she was deathly afraid of bug-type pokémon.
"They're among the three most disgusting things in the world…" she grumbled under her breath. Ash, however, already had his newest capture out walking beside him and Pikachu as he continued his trek through the forest. "Don't leave me!"
The quartet stopped once Ash noticed a large bird pecking at the dirt beneath it, searching for food. Ash capitalized on its vulnerable state and called for a silent String Shot on the Bird pokémon.
The bird noticed the attack but was too slow to react as it attempted to fly away only to realize it was far too slow to get anywhere.
"Gotcha," Ash grinned, throwing a pokéball that engulfed it in a red light before it fell to the ground, shaking. Upon the third shake, it clicked. "Nice! A Pidgeotto!" Misty rolled her eyes.
"Are you gonna do that every time?"
"Do what?" he asked, already assisting his new capture in removing the String Shot with the help of Caterpie and Pikachu.
"Nothing."
Ash allowed all of his pokémon to roam free of their pokéballs, enjoying each other's company as well as their surroundings. Caterpie had made several attempts to befriend his red-headed companion but she denied the advances with a look of contempt each time. Ash watched his bug-type crawl up his leg before tapping its pokéball and recalling itself. Scowling, he gave the girl a look before continuing to trudge through the thick foliage. Misty looked away, feeling somewhat guilty, but having too much pride to apologize.
Already annoyed, Ash's patience was tested once again as a sword found itself being swung right at him. Sidestepping it, the boy grabbed the wrist of his attacker before commanding his Pikachu to charge a Thunderbolt. Pidgeotto prepared to launch a Gust until the attacker, a boy clad in samurai armor, exclaimed, "I yield! This sword will cause you no harm!"
Taken aback by the display, Ash loosened his grip and Pikachu stopped charging its attack.
"My name is Samurai! I merely wanted to test your skills before challenging you to a battle!"
"Who the hell asks for a battle like that?" Misty asked, perplexed and exasperated at the boy's rash actions. Ignoring her, the boy asked Ash if he 'hailed' from 'the town of Pallet', to which he said yes.
"Then allow me to redeem myself for the three losses I suffered!" he proclaimed, tossing a pokéball that revealed a strong-looking Pinsir. Pidgeotto chirped, signifying its willingness to battle.
"You're on."
"It shall be a two on two with switches allowed. Are these terms acceptable?" Creating some space between the two, Ash nodded in agreement. Misty served as the referee, declaring the battle had begun.
"Vice Grip!" Samurai shouted, attempting to get the first move. The bug charged towards the bird, trying to catch it between its pincers. A Quick Attack allowed the pokémon to dodge and Ash ordered it to strike it in the back of its head, knocking it over.
"Whirlwind!" Flapping its wings, the Bird pokémon created a powerful gust of wind that sent Pinsir crashing into a nearby tree where it fell unconscious.
'He learns slowly, but he acts quick…' Misty thought. "Pinsir is unable to battle, giving the victory to Pidgeotto!"
"Good job, Pidgeotto!" Ash stated, high-fiving his flying-type's wing.
"We'll see if you keep your lead. Metapod, go!" Samurai's next pokémon was a dark-green cocoon pokémon, which Dexter called the evolution of Caterpie.
Acting quickly, Ash called for a Whirlwind that sent Metapod soaring into the air as Samurai cried for a Harden. In quick succession, Ash switched his Pidgeotto for Caterpie, grinning.
"String Shot that Metapod and slam it into the ground, Caterpie!" The Worm pokémon quickly spit out a threat of string that wrapped around the lustrous, hardened exterior of Metapod. Squealing as it pulled the pokémon with its body weight, Caterpie slammed the Cocoon pokémon into the ground with concussive force, causing an instant knockout. Samurai fell to his knees, muttering to himself. Ash walked over to the trainer with an outstretched hand, lifting him with a handshake.
"It was a great battle. Thank you," Ash said with a smile. The 'warrior' was taken aback by Ash's good sportsmanship, and stood up, returning a smile.
"I think you should be thanking your pokémon," he stated, pointing toward Ash's Caterpie that was currently coating itself in String Shot.
"Cater… pie?" Ash said, watching as the string began to sparkle, coating his bug-type in a white glow as it took on a new shape. Growing larger, a mirror image of the pokémon Caterpie had just defeated took its place. Ash grinned ear to ear, diving at his newly evolved Metapod with open arms, enveloping it in a tight hug. The Cocoon pokémon blushed despite its tough exterior.
"I guess that settles it," Misty stated, raising an arm in Ash's direction. "Since both Pinsir and Metapod are unable to battle, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town is declared the winner!" Ash's opponent recalled his fainted pokémon.
"Ash Ketchum…" Samurai began before offering a deep bow, "I was told that you were the least skilled among all the trainers of your hometown, and I am ashamed to say I blindly believed those words! Forgive my insolence!" A sweatdrop formed on Ash's temple as he scratched his cheek. He really didn't care for the apology, but he was a bit annoyed at who he assumed professed his lack of skill.
"It's whatever," he said calmly. Misty and Pikachu cringed upon seeing the boy gnashing his teeth together in obvious anger. Samurai failed to see this and called the boy noble for his kindness.
A buzzing sound halted their activities, and the group felt a chill creep up their spines.
"We've made too much noise," Samurai hissed with a haunted look. Ash and Misty raised an eyebrow in frightened confusion. He answered their pleas with a whisper of "Beedrill."
Around them, the trees' leaves rustled violently, and as the group looked up, the sky was blocked by a wall of yellow and black-striped bees with deadly-looking stingers and even more murderous looks in their eyes.
"RUN!" the kids shouted in unison. Ash scooped his stationary Metapod into his arms and clutched it tight to his chest. The group fell into a mad sprint towards a cabin Samurai said would keep them unharmed. With his heart beating loudly against his chest, Ash's common sense to return his bug-type did not kick in, and because of this, he would suffer a grave error.
"Damnit!" Ash cursed as he tripped, losing his hold on Metapod as it went flying into the air. Unluckily, the swarm of Beedrill were the ones to break its fall, holding it between their stingers without relenting their attack. "Metapod!" Ash cried in desperation.
"Ash!" Misty shouted in concern, turning around to see the boy on the ground holding his now-injured foot. The adrenaline must have broken him from his daze, as he called out for his starter to use a Thunderbolt on an oncoming insect. Ash covered his eyes as the attack struck dead-on, giving him time to get up and regroup with Misty and Samurai.
"Wait!" he said, causing the group to look at him like he was insane. "I need to get Metapod!" Ash frantically tried to charge at the Beedrill, but Misty had far too tight of a hold on him. "Let me go!"
"Don't be stupid!" Misty hissed. "That'll be suicide!" Samurai nodded, agreeing with her sentiments. "And be more quiet, or you'll reveal our location!" She motioned her head to the swarm. Some of them had been stunned by Pikachu's attack and the red-head hoped to use this as a chance to make their escape. She and Samurai slapped a hand over his mouth once he was about to protest again, dragging him through the bushes until they reached their destination. Hurriedly, the group rushed inside as their temporary cover had already been broken.
Slamming the door behind them, the group attempted to catch their breath.
"Is everyone alright?" Misty asked, hands on her knees and out of breath. Samurai nodded but Ash gave no response. He simply sat limp in front of the door, which had a hole created by a Beedrill stinger, leaving an opening for him to see the swarm waiting outside the cabin. What caught his eye the most was how they carried his poor pokémon, almost as though they were taunting him.
Samurai watched as the boy grit his teeth, punching the floor until his knuckles bled.
"Your failure as a trainer today cost you your pokémon's life," Samurai chastised with his arms crossed. Misty shot him a look that he ignored. "You have not only abandoned your pokémon, but you have betrayed it as well. Next time, think more of others rather than yourself."
"Pika…" Pikachu soothed, patting his trainer's shoulder. The boy was hunched over with tears welling up in his eyes and a look of utter defeat.
A vein throbbed on Misty's forehead, as she began seething. Grabbing the faux samurai by his collar, she spat, "Don't you think he knows that?! It was us who made him choose his safety over his pokémon's! Think of it realistically!"
"Misty, it's fine," Ash croaked out, his throat dry. "He's right," he said, covering his eyes with one hand as he sat up. Pikachu sat in his lap, and the trainer rested a hand on one of the two pokémon he managed to escape with.
Samurai was unperturbed by the girl's outburst, breaking free of the hold before adding his two cents once again. "Should the swarm die down, you may be able to rescue your pokémon."
Ash's ears perked up at this.
"However, don't charge in without a plan. If you're going to strike, do it properly and cautiously." Ash nodded, thankful for the sentiment, but keeping his eyes on the skewered door.
'I'll be back for you buddy… I promise…'