Chapter Forty-Six: As the North Wind Blows
Serena joined up with Ash again on the shore of the small lake they'd seen earlier, with Absol still walking next to her.
"Serena! Hey, did you catch a new Pokémon?" Ash asked when he spotted Absol.
("I joined Serena of my own volition,") Absol said. He bowed his head. ("It is good to meet you, Ash from Pallet Town.")
"He's a bit…formal," Serena said with a smile.
"Well, pleased to meet you, Absol," Ash said, also smiling. "I didn't even know there were any Absol in Kanto," he mused.
("I do not hail from this region,") Absol said. ("I have traveled across the land, searching far and wide for a purpose. Now, I believe I may have found it.")
"Absol told me a disaster is coming," Serena said, "and that you and I would play an important role in it."
Pikachu sighed. ("No rest for the wicked, I suppose,") he said.
("I do not believe any of you are wicked,") Absol said. ("If you were, I would not have offered my aid.")
("It's just an expression,") Pikachu said with a sheepish grin.
("I am…not very familiar with human expressions,") Absol said.
"Pikachu just meant that we've been in situations like this before," Ash said. "But if you think that we'll be able to help prevent whatever disaster's in store for us, we're glad to have you along."
("I do not know exactly when it will take place,") Absol said. ("But someone else will come to offer aid as well. I expect he will approach you in the near future.")
"I'm always glad to meet new friends," Ash said with a grin. Then he looked at Serena and said, "Shall we get going again?"
Serena nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
For a while longer, they explored the Safari Zone. Serena occasionally shot a glance at Absol, who kept a keen eye on his surroundings at all times and wasn't very talkative. Still, despite his dire warning, Serena was glad to have him along. She wondered how the rest of her team would react to him, once she was allowed to call them out of their Poké Balls again. Strictly speaking, she supposed that Absol himself wasn't really allowed to be outside of his ball anymore either, now that he officially belonged to her, but she'd simply recall him before leaving the Safari Zone, and he didn't seem like he'd suddenly attack any of the Pokémon anyway.
Pushing away the thought of impending disaster, however, she focused on her upcoming Exposition again. The Safari Zone was clearly the biggest thing in the vicinity of Fuchsia City that was truly unique to it. There was a beach resort some ways south of the city, built to make use of the largest sandy beach in the region, but that didn't speak to the imagination nearly as much as the Safari Zone did. But how would she be able to use anything from the Safari Zone in an appeal? She'd have to come up with a way to reference it symbolically, yet unambiguously, and that was always a challenge. Fortunately, she had more than enough time left to do it. She was certain she'd be able to figure something out.
When they began to get near the exit of Safari Zone again, Serena said, "Alright, Absol, I'll have to recall you for a moment so we can leave the Safari Zone, but you can come back out after if you want to."
("I will remain in the ball for the time being. My presence will draw less attention that way,") he said.
"Okay. We'll call you back out for dinner, then," Serena said, recalling Absol and putting the Safari Ball away.
Pikachu shuddered. ("I still don't get how anyone can allow themselves to be trapped in one of those things,") he said. ("I'd rather die.")
"Yeah, I've noticed that more than once," Ash said with a shake of his head.
"Why do you hate it so much, anyway?" Serena asked.
("Because it's terrifying,") Pikachu said.
"Is it?"
("It's…hard to explain,") Pikachu said. ("You can't really imagine it unless you know the feeling. But basically…your body isn't really…anywhere. It's just energy. All your senses are messed up. You can sort of…hear what's going on outside, but you don't have ears. It's like you hear the sound through your entire body at once, but you're also just imagining it. It's…it feels like how I imagine being dead would feel…") he finished softly. ("And then I see everyone else having no problems with it at all and I just wonder…how?")
"I…never really thought about it that way," Serena admitted.
Pikachu shook his head. ("I don't blame you. Most Pokémon don't even think about it that much. I mean, it doesn't hurt, so it's not that bad. That's how most of them feel about it.") He smiled wryly. ("I'm just weird.")
"I wouldn't have you any other way, buddy," Ash said, scratching Pikachu behind his ears.
("Probably because you're not exactly the most normal guy out there, either,") Pikachu said with a grin. ("But I wouldn't want to be with anyone else, ever.")
Serena smiled, and then thought back to her conversation with Misdreavus again. Pikachu's description of what it was like to be inside a Poké Ball had sounded pretty unsettling to her, but the fact that most Pokémon didn't even really seem to care about it meant that this was just another thing where they looked at things fundamentally different than people did. Okay, so Pikachu was different, but the vast majority of Pokémon she knew were usually inside their balls, and she'd never questioned even once how that would feel for them.
It was still so weird to think that she and her Pokémon were so close as friends and teammates, and yet saw the world in such fundamentally different ways. She wondered if there would be a way to, just once, experience the feelings and thoughts of a Pokémon as they experienced it. But that sort of thing, despite the wide range of powers and abilities Pokémon possessed and the marvels technology had created, seemed to still be beyond anyone's ability to create, just like experiencing the world as a different person was impossible.
Although at least with people, differing viewpoints could be aligned to a degree. She and Ash were even an example of it, with their different ways of looking at love. In the end, they'd still ended up together and Ash certainly seemed to be very happy with that. Of course, they'd only been together for a short while, so it was probably too early to really say anything about it, but still.
Serena and Ash left the Safari Zone and resumed their way south. Their original intention had been to walk all the way to Fuchsia City, but they'd spent more time in the Safari Zone than anticipated, and they decided to make camp roughly an hour's walk from the park north of the city, on the bank of a pond bordered on the other shore by trees.
Once they'd set up the tent and the table, Serena called out her Pokémon. "Alright, everyone. We've got a new teammate with us," she said, indicating Absol, who inclined his head in greeting.
("Pleased to meet you,") Delphox said.
("That blade is so cool,") Pancham said.
Misdreavus and Sylveon simply went for a cheerful, ("Hello!")
("So what kind of disaster is coming?") Pancham asked greedily. ("I heard a bit before but not everything.")
Absol shook his head. ("I am uncertain. My premonition is vague as of now. All I am certain of is that Serena and you all will be of vital importance, and I wish to offer my assistance in any way I can.")
("So will you train with us too? I bet you're really strong,") Pancham said.
("I am…not fond of battling,") Absol said. ("I will therefore refrain from it as much as I can.")
("You don't have to worry,") Sylveon said with a smile. ("The others are really nice. I was scared too, at first.")
("Fear is not the reason for my reluctance. I am simply loath to hurt anyone,") Absol said.
("Dude, you sound so cool!") Pancham said excitedly. ("Can you teach me how to sound like that too?")
Absol blinked in confusion and Serena laughed. "I did warn you," she said with a smile.
("Pancham, don't torment the poor guy,") Misdreavus said with a giggle.
("But he's cool! Don't you think so?") Pancham asked.
Misdreavus glanced at Absol and then smiled. ("He is. But I think he needs a bit of time to get used to us. It's kind of weird to go from being on your own to suddenly belonging to a group, especially when you don't really go near people normally.")
("Yeah, okay, that makes sense,") Pancham conceded. ("But once you're used to us…will you then teach me how to talk like you?") he asked.
("I…do not understand what you mean, but if I can, I shall assist you,") Absol said hesitantly.
("Yes!") Pancham said, eagerly pumping his fist.
Serena smiled and said, "Well, you guys get to know each other a bit, if you want to. I'm going to get started on dinner. Absol, have you ever had Pokémon food before?"
Absol shook his head. ("I stay away from human civilization, and I feed mostly on Berries and other vegetation. I do not hunt, like some of my kind. I vowed only to save lives, never to take them.")
"Don't worry, nothing was hurt in the making of the Pokémon food or my Poké Puffs. I'll bake some for you, too," Serena said.
Leaving the Pokémon to get better acquainted, she went back over to the cooking set and smiled when she saw that Ash had already readied the ingredients and cutlery, and he'd even already set the table before getting started on the first round of his evening training. Not much later, dinner was ready and she called over Ash and the Pokémon.
"Thanks for getting everything ready for me, Ash," Serena said when Ash sat down opposite her.
He grinned. "Of course! You did the hard part, so I might as well help a bit," he said.
"Still, it's very sweet of you," Serena said, and she saw Ash blushing a bit in response.
("Please keep the kissing down a bit tonight,") Pikachu pleaded. ("I'd like to get some sleep, at least.")
"We'll be quiet," Serena said cheerfully, and Ash's blush deepened.
Since she and Ash had gotten together, Serena had had much less trouble admitting to her feelings and openly showing affection, and while her heart still fluttered every time she thought about it, she'd already gotten to a point where she barely even felt the heat in her cheeks when she said things like this. Still, she was sure that once she'd call Mom in Fuchsia City, her face would end up burning brighter than Charizard's tail flame.
Near dinner's end, Serena gave the Pokémon their usual Poké Puffs. Absol curiously regarded his before tentatively taking a bite and closing his eyes to focus on the taste.
A moment later, his eyes flew open again and he said, ("Astonishing! The flavor is so rich!")
"Do you like it?" Serena asked.
("I have never tasted something like this before. Your skills are impressive,") Absol said, before eagerly devouring the rest of the Poké Puffs, finally dropping his dignified posture for a moment.
"I'm glad to hear it! I'll bake more like them for you as we travel," Serena said with a smile.
For the rest of the evening, she and Ash trained with their teams, while Absol lay near the table, watching them. When it got dark, Serena and Ash sat down at the table for one last drink before getting ready for bed, and they'd barely sat down when Absol looked up at the pond, which now had a small cover of mist just above the surface.
("He approaches,") he said, and Serena and Ash followed his gaze to the other bank of the pond, which was already hard to see in the gloom and because of the rising mist, which seemed thicker on that side.
Then, something seemed to move within the fog. Serena could vaguely see that it had four legs and red eyes, and it also seemed to have a flowing mane. The creature moved forward, and to Serena's surprise it walked over the water towards them. As it advanced, so did the mist, which billowed behind and around it like some kind of cloak.
Pikachu jumped off Ash's shoulder and warningly sparked his cheeks, and a voice said, "I mean you no harm."
"Telepathy again? We're running into that lot lately…" Ash muttered.
("Who are you?") Pikachu asked, clearly still not trusting the visitor.
The red eyes momentarily closed, and almost immediately the fog receded. The Pokémon stepped forward, and in the light of the campfire Serena could see that it was blue, with a blue hexagonal crest on its head. Its flowing mane was purple, and alongside its body streamed what seemed to be two tails.
Ash gasped in recognition, and Serena quickly pulled out her Pokédex.
"Suicune, the Aurora Pokémon. It is said to be the embodiment of the north wind, and it can instantly purify murky water."
Absol got up and walked forward, before bowing low before Suicune. ("My lord Suicune,") he said.
"Absol, my friend. There's no need to bow. It's good to see you again," Suicune said.
Suicune now looked at Pikachu, who'd stopped sparking his cheeks. "You have strong protective instincts," he said.
("After the stuff we've seen recently…") Pikachu said with a weary shake of his head.
Suicune nodded gravely. "Indeed. That, in fact, is why I'm here." He looked at Ash and said, "Evil plans are afoot. Plans that will threaten many people, if they're allowed to remain unchecked."
"Is that the same disaster Absol told us about?" Ash asked.
"Yes. Even I don't know exactly what is coming, but I and many others have already encountered worrying signs. Pokémon filled with hatred, who act against their nature, who have strength far beyond what they should have… And the number of incidents is growing."
"We've seen that too," Ash said with a nod. "We've fought against some of those Pokémon, but we have no idea where they came from. That was near Celadon City."
"It's happening all over Kanto, but the mysterious Pokémon never remain for long, and I have been unable to track them down after a brief fight with them."
"But…what does that have to do with us?" Serena asked. "Absol said Ash and I would both play major parts, but he didn't know how."
"Ash from Pallet Town is…Chosen," Suicune said. "And those who are often find themselves caught up in dire situations. There is another Chosen in the region, but her role will be smaller, though it may yet prove to be important in its own right."
He shook his head. "I apologize for not being clearer than this. These matters are hard to keep track of, even for one of my lifespan. But I have fought alongside Chosen before, and I shall do so again…provided you can show me your fortitude."
To Serena's surprise, Suicune gave a bloodthirsty grin. "Ash from Pallet Town…I challenge you! Battle me, and if I deem you worthy I will join you, and fight under your command!"
Sorry for being this late! I got a bit sidetracked, both by trying to solo the Mewtwo Tera Raid and by my own fanfic which I really wanted to reread. I do want to keep this fic going, though, so I'll try to stick to what little schedule I have, at least.
Anyway, couldn't resist the small inclusion of the old theme song in Absol's dialogue. I didn't originally mean to do it, but I wrote the 'traveled across the land' bit without thinking, so yeah.
Then, though, the bigger thing. Suicune. You might wonder why I'd give Ash a legendary (I don't even consider this a spoiler, and if anyone here seriously thought I'd make Ash lose that fight…you really don't know me), and the answer to that is actually to make him less OP than he would otherwise be. Suicune, as far as legendaries go, isn't that powerful. It's mainly very bulky defensively, but its offensive capabilities aren't that spectacular, even allowing for the 'legendary boost' the anime sometimes seems to have. But legendaries have been shown and been defeated on-screen more than once in the anime, so I wanted to give Ash one, too, and I chose Suicune because Ash needed a strong Water-type.
So why not Greninja? Well, Battle Bond Greninja is just…too OP for me. Don't get me wrong, I loved it in the anime, but it was too much of a spotlight-stealing squad for me. Its offensive stats are ridiculously strong, as is its speed. Given anime logic, Battle Bond Greninja could sweep everything with far greater ease than Suicune could. It's for that same reason I'm not giving Ash a Lucario either; Aura would somehow make it way too broken. It also helps that Suicune was never all that relevant in the anime. I learned Goh got one when I checked Bulbapedia, but since I never saw Journeys I'm just ignoring all of that.
Honestly, I can understand if people don't really like this development. I don't intend to have Suicune just sweep everything from now on, although he could (and probably will) annihilate Blaine. I think Ash can fit a legendary in his team without that legendary overshadowing everyone else, far easier than he could fit Greninja in without overshadowing everyone. Ultimately, that's the biggest reason I had for going this route. Feel free to comment and tell me your thoughts on this, if you agree or disagree with my reasoning.
In any case, that's it for my rambling. Next chapter…I'm not sure exactly when it will go up. It should be Friday or Saturday. See you then!