REVIEW as it motivates me to update quicker!
Responses to reviews:
TMNT101107 - I have added some of his cannon Pokemon, but am making an active effort for his team to be fairly different.
RaininNovember - My lips are sealed as to why, though you make a great point! You'll just have to see if its true later! I will say that I made some major hints in the chapter, but some were definitely more subtle than others.
Pixles43 - Thank you! You don't know how motivating and meaningful feedback like this is for me. Ash will have a team of more than six Pokemon each region and will occasionally rotate. Though, I can't imagine he'll have much more than 6, as it would be unrealistic for Ash to have more than about 8 each region.
Pokemon Teams:
Ash's Team: Charmeleon, Nidorino, Pikachu, Hitmonlee, Mystery one this chapter?
Leaf's Team: Ivysaur, Metapod, Sandshrew, Psyduck
Brock's Team: Geodude, Onix
Chapter 24: Poachers and Larvitar
"It has to be a bit more spontaneous, Pikachu. Right after your forms of Double Team complete, I need your Thunderbolt to come off right after."
"Pika pi!" Pikachu seemed to agree determinedly, resuming his position in front of Ash once more.
"Alright, Double Bolt!" Ash commanded, watching the small electric rodent perform the hybrid move.
The two had been working on the use of Double Team and Thunderbolt at the same time, with Ash having the idea while the group traveled through Route 11. They had left Vermilion City a few days ago, making slow progress as a lot of the time spent had been Ash training. He didn't know the idea had come to his head, but it would definitely prove advantageous against future opponents. Not only could he combine moves to perform different combinations, but it would also catch opponents completely off guard with the respective commands.
Pikachu used Double Team, forming three more copies of himself. Just a second later, each fired off their respective Thunderbolt that crashed into the tree in front of them. The ten foot tree crumbled after a moment from the real bolt, falling backwards and forcing dirt to fly upwards upon contact with the ground.
"Great job, buddy." Ash forced a smile, praising the Pokemon. "Keep working on the move, but aim for the sky so we don't clear out this whole forest."
Pikachu continued to work on Double Bolt, although Ash slowly drifted off and was mentally all out of sorts. His encounter with Gary was still on the forefront of his mind. Leaf and Brock had done their best the past few days in attempting to ease his discomfort, but it only did so much.
Ash was brought abc to reality after feeling a nudge against his leg. Looking down, he couldn't help but grin as he saw Charmeleon to his side. Charmeleon looked at Ash worryingly, tilted his head as if asking him if he was alright.
"I'm good, Charmeleon. I promise." Ash rubbed the top of his starter's head, knowing it was his favorite spot. Charmeleon sighed, pleased with the contact as he closed his green eyes. The sight gave Ash a genuine smile, happy the two had a close bond.
"ASH! TELL NIDORINO TO STOP BUGGING ME!" Leaf shouted from a distance, out of sight from Ash as she was training her Psyduck in a separate part of the forest. Leaf was actually training for once, perhaps motivated by her friend due to his own training. He had let out all his Pokemon the past hour, encouraging them to work on either specific moves or combinations like Pikachu currently was doing. It seemed Nidorino was taking a considerable break to take part in some of his favorite endeavors. Unfortunately for Leaf, that included annoying her for Nidorino's amusement.
"Nidorino! Come back here and stop slacking off!" Ash shouted, barely maintaining a strict voice as he tried not to let any laughter leak through. Sure enough, small ripples through large bushes and grass was seen by the trainer and out of it came Nidorino.
Nidorino grunted as he reached Ash's feet, hiding behind his trainer's figure. Before Ash could question his odd behavior, Leaf made herself visible as she chased Nidorino.
"Woah, woah, woah!" Ash held his arms out against the brunette's shoulders, holding her back. The girl's hair was completely disheveled and messy, as well as there being stains of dirt and sand on her usually spotless clothes.
"Let me at him! He tripped me on purpose!" Leaf accused Nidorino, who screeched in response while Ash held back the angry girl. It seemed Leaf came to the conclusion that she wasn't going to be able to get her revenge, with Ash being much stronger than her despite his skinny figure. She continued to glare at Nidorino, allowing Ash to resume petting Charmeleon to his content.
After a few minutes, Ash returned his Pokemon similar to Leaf had. Charmeleon was reluctant to go inside, but eventually agreed once Ash promised to let them out at night again.
"It's strange seeing him like how he usually was as Charmander." Leaf commented.
"What do you mean?"
"Well, he seemed like a completely different Pokemon against Raichu and Lt. Surge after he evolved."
Ash clicked his tongue, thinking back to the battle. He would be lying if he said he hadn't thought of it. Charmeleon had fought viciously, in a way he hadn't seen before. There was a certain rage present in the Pokemon that he used upon evolving.
"I know what you mean, but it was just in the heat of the moment. Since then, Charmeleon has been just like his friendly self." Ash replied honestly.
"And his fear of other Pokemon?"
"So far so good? He's always been fine with my Pokemon, but it's encouraging seeing him get along with them like how he's been recently.
"So he's all good?" Ash nodded happily, though he raised an eyebrow as Leaf appeared uncertain about something. "What about you? You've been quiet ever since battling Gary."
Ash coughed awkwardly, ignoring Leaf's gazing eyes as he looked at anything else but her. "No I haven't."
"Ash, all you've wanted to do since losing to the guy is beat him. You did that but haven't spoken about it at all." Lead pointed out unenthusiastically, not believing his extremely weak lie. Ash finally brough his eyes up, fully turning to her and showing his attention.
"You didn't see it, Leaf. I thought that we could finally get along. Even after I thought he was going to be a jerk, Gary was fine with losing. It was like there was no bad blood."
She remained quiet, listening intently to her best friend. In times like this, it was easier to get all the answers and details from Ash when he was able to speak freely and not push.
"I ruined it by rubbing it in too much. If I didn't-"
"No, you didn't. Please, as much as I like Gary, he's said much worse. There's also no way you could know what could've happened. So don't start doing what ifs." Leaf comforted him, rubbing circles on his shoulder with one hand.
Suddenly, a shrill shriek rang deeper in the forest. Ash and Lead both flinched in surprise, turning their attention to the forest.
Leaning down to touch his toes, Brock attempted to stretch out the crank in his back for what felt like the hundredth time since leaving Ash and Leaf. After deciding as a group to take a short break, Brock left the two to scavenge the nearby forest for any berries. Not only would they prove useful for uses regarding Pokemon, but also for future meal preparations as some were extremely delicious.
Spotting another patch of Oran berries, Brock crouched in front of the bush and began snatching the small blue fruit. After placing what he felt was enough in his small handheld brown basket, the lanky teenager stood up.
"That should be enough for another week or so." Brock said to himself. As he was about to head back to regroup with Ash and Leaf, Brock looked around curiously as a couple of voices became present.
"Where the hell did he go?"
"Does it look like I know? I'm just as lost as you are, idiot."
"It was your fault! You were supposed to be watching him."
Despite scanning around his surroundings, Brock didn't have a hint of where the two people conversing could be. Having suspicions, he began to walk towards the chatter.
As he walked through various bushes and clearings, the argument between the two became much more clear and closer.
"I can't believe you lost him. Do you have any idea what a Pokemon like that could sell for?"
"No shit! I messed up, but you getting on my back isn't helping the situation."
"ARGH! Imbecile! When I catch that stupid Larvitar, it's going to be in for a rude awakening."
"Well, don't hurt it too bad. I doubt a customer would be pleased about a beaten up product."
Brock wrinkled his nose in disgust, having caught wind of the situation. Out of sight behind a large tree, the Gym Leader continued to poke his head out to see the two. All signs pointed to the two being Pokemon poachers, if they're argument was anything to go off of.
They were two older males, appearing to be around their forties or fifties judging by their faces and full beards. Both wore a camouflage attire, appearing moderately expensive due to just how well it blended it to the background.
Brock shook his head quietly in disgust, having no ounce of respect for the two in front of him. Pokemon poachers were not common by any means. So much so that for Gym Leader meetings in the Kanto region, the issue was rarely brought up. It was the first time Brock himself had encountered the dirty profession, but it certainly wasn't the first he had heard of a situation like this.
'I should get back with Ash and Leaf. Who knows what these two guys have, so there's no point in trying to stop them by myself. Even if I wasn't by myself, I'd feel much more comfortable calling law enforcement.'
After contemplating the matter for a few more seconds, Brock grimaced as he made the tough decision to leave the poachers for the time being. As Brock backed away slowly, the teen flinched violent as a branch snapped underneath his foot.
Both men looked at where the sound came from instantly, immediately viewing Brock in the open and caught red handed.
"The hell?"
"Oh, uh, how are you guys doing?" Brock asked poorly, attempting to portray an ignorance to the situation. "Are you two lost? What are you doing out here so deep in the forest?"
The other male who hadn't spoken tilted his head at Brock, not believing a word of what Brock was saying. It shouldn't have come as a surprise, considering he was caught backpedaling in a crouched stance to begin with.
Forcing a fake smile, the bulkier poacher took a step towards Brock. Scratching his bald head awkwardly, he suspiciously attempted to calm the situation.
"How's it going? Nah, not lost. My friend over here lost one of his Pokemon." The poacher stated, lowering his eyes as he saw Brock's hand waver at his Pokeball belt.
"Sorry to hear that. I'd love to help, but I have to get going."
"All good, man." The poacher gladly stated, unaware of Brock's true intentions. Already knowing Brock was skeptical of the two being there, he was more than happy to hear Brock would stay out of their business.
Walking away, Brock stopped suddenly as he spotted a small figure skirting through the forest. The teen wasn't alone in this realization, as one of the poachers shouted behind him.
"There he is, Chuck!"
As Brock narrowed his eyes in concentration, he finally witnessed the small Pseudo Legendary skirting through the terrain.
Despite seeing it firsthand, it still wasn't any less of a surprise. Pseudo Legendaries were extremely rare, regardless of their stages of evolution. Not only was it a stroke of luck seeing one, but it was even more unusual in an environment such as this one. The species were known to live mainly in caves or mountains, but there have been some instances where they are located on hills.
"You little bastard!" The bulkier poacher, Chuck, shouted loudly. Larvitar's eyes widened, fear evident as the Pokemon sped up and ran as fast as it could with its small frame.
Brock grit his teeth, already prepared to break off in a sprint to intervene. Unfortunately, the slim teenager was cut off by a Pokemon emerging.
"GRAHHHHHH." Steelix roared, forcing Brock to stumble backwards and hit the ground. The poacher's rough laugh drew Brock's eyes back towards him, almost making him forget about Chuck and Larvitar now being out of sight.
"I don't think so, pal." The criminal wagged his finger jokingly, staring down menacingly at Brock. With adrenaline coursing through his body, Brock rushed to throw a Pokeball from his pocket, mentally cursing himself for not bringing his entire belt.
Onix appeared in front of his trainer, giving its own roar. It lacked the volume and effect that Steelix had just seconds ago, yet it was still an intimidating sight. While his odds looked bleak at best, Brock couldn't help but be thankful that the poacher appeared more interested in toying with him. While he had a belt with four more Pokeballs, the poacher seemed more than content with letting the one on one battle play out, while his partner in crime chased what they were after.
"Iron Tail!"
"Dragon Breath!"
Chuck gasped for air, resting his hands on his knees as he appeared to catch his breath. He was finally in a clearing, with just a few skinny trees standing alone.
"I know you're here!" Chuck screamed, enraged with the chase. Although it was finally coming to a close, as the Pokemon now had nowhere to run without being spotted again. His eyes flickered to the several trees in the clearing, almost completely certain that Larvitar was behind one of them.
Stalking silently, Chuck was careful to not make any noise and give away his position. Although he was much heavier than the average male, his profession always kept him relatively stealthy and in shape, which proved useful as his footsteps made little to no sound.
Finally reaching the first tree, Chuck peeked across the other side and couldn't hide his content. Larvitar was pressed against the wood, oblivious to its predicament as it peered on the opposite side.
"Gotcha!" Larvitar flinched, looking up too late as it became engulfed in a handheld net. His struggles proved to be futile as Chuck laughed, not daring to let his grip tighten as he pressed the net to the floor. Larvitar continued to shriek and struggle to no avail, finally giving up after a moment.
Making sure there were no openings in the net, Chuck finally loosened his grip and stood to his full height. Patting his hands against his pants, the poacher couldn't help but stare distastefully at the Pokemon. Although he had finally captured Larvitar, he couldn't help but give a swift kick to the Pokemon's body.
"Tar!" Larvitar cried in pain, curling his body and trying to make himself as small as possible.
"That's what you get you little shit." Chuck muttered, picking up the net and throwing it over his shoulder. Fully prepared to head back to his partner, Chuck was about to leave before hearing footsteps closing in.
A young teenager appeared in the clearing, looking absolutely furious as his shoulders rose up and down tensely. Ash grit his teeth forcefully, barely holding his anger in check as he had just witnessed what occurred.
Reaching down to grab Charmeleons Pokeball, Ash's heart jumped as he felt nothing on his waist. Pushing his eyes down, his Pokeball belt was completely absent.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me." Ash cursed softly. The trainer must have dropped it upon running with Leaf through the forest. While it was a major concern having lost it, it was an even bigger one not having it in a dangerous situation such as the one he found themself in. Not only was he worried about saving Larvitar, but now he had his own life to consider.
Chuck deadpanned at the boy, not failing to notice his intention of fighting. Shrugging, he took his attention off Ash, grabbing a Pokeball from his belt.
With only a few feet separating them, Ash took advantage of the moment and let his instincts run wild. Chuck's eyes flicked upwards, widening in surprise as Ash sprinted towards him despite being much smaller.
"The he-" Chuck huffed as Ash crashed into him, barely pushing him back a few inches. Even while holding Larvitar in one hand, Chuck had no worries about being overwhelmed by his attacker. To his surprise, however, the teen hooked his arm behind one of the poacher's knees, taking away his balance and forcing the two to the ground.
Ash landed on top of Chuck, looking around wildly for Larvitar as the older man had dropped it upon crashing to the ground. Seeing the Pokemon just a few feet away, Ash pushed off the man's chest to reach Larvitar and get out of danger.
The teen was barely able to reach his feet before being pulled back by his shirt forcefully. Ash wheezed as his back hit the dirt floor forcefully, knocking the wind out of him. He had no time to recover, though, with Chuck seeming furious. Chuck pressed a knee against the boy's chest, keeping him still on the floor. Meanwhile, his hands curled around Ash's neck and forcefully choked him.
"I was just planning on knocking you out and leaving with my prize. Now, well I'm not feeling so kind." Chuck growled, taking pride in Ash's face turning more blue by the second. Ash's hands pressed against Chuck's own, attempting to rip open his grip. Seeing that he was having no success, Ash swung his right hand and connected with Chuck's chin. Chuck's head swung to the side, giving Ash some momentary relief as he was able to suck in a small breath.
Ash's actions only angered Chuck further, resulting in Chuck punching Ash directly in the face. Ash's head bounced off the floor, vision going white momentarily. Even as he swung wildly, all hope seemed lost as Chuck resumed his effort of choking him unconscious, not appearing bothered by the weak strikes landing as he was now prepared to deal with them.
Black spots appeared in Ash's vision, as the trainer knew had just a few seconds left before he fell unconscious. He couldn't help but be thankful that Leaf and him had split up a few minutes ago. While he was now screwed, he was grateful the brunette wasn't in danger alongside him.
Suddenly, a blur of a brown projectile connected to the poacher's head. Chuck's eyes rolled to the back of his head, falling off Ash's body like a puppet. Meanwhile, Ash rolled to the side as he coughed violently, desperately trying to draw in air. After a few seconds, he was well enough to scan the field to see who his savior was.
Larvitar stood just a foot away from him, not hesitant to display his concern for the teenager. The net that previously held the Pokemon had a small tear, barely large enough for the Pokemon to have gotten out.
"He must have bitten or clawed through slowly." Ash reasoned internally. Finally being relatively okay, Ash pushed himself to rest on his knees.
"Are you okay?"
Larvitar shook his head quickly, appearing relatively unscathed in spite of being attacked by the poacher. The Pokemon then pointed to Ash with his small hand. Appearing confused for just a second, Ash understood what the Pokemon was asking.
"I'm alright. Thank you for the help, Larvitar." Ash replied gratefully, reaching his feet. No longer facing any immediate threats, he now had time to think properly. It felt strange admiring such a rare Pokemon, especially after what had just occured. Pushing the thought to the side, Ash thought of what to do in the present.
Him and Leaf had split up after reaching the middle of the forest. Hearing two opposite altercations and screams, it was Ash's idea to split up. Leaf was hesitant at first, but Ash was finally able to convince her, arguing that Brock could be in trouble at either locations.
He had to meet back up with the two, as they could be in just as much danger. Still, he couldn't leave this poacher alone, even if he was snoring loudly and no longer a threat to Larvitar.
Taking off his small black backpack, Ash pushed through all kinds of material and items he didn't need. Finally seeing something useful, Ash pulled out a long, brown rope made of thick wool. While the rope was mainly used for setting up camp outside, it would have to do.
Larvitar tilted his head curiously at Ash, watching the teen tie the much larger man's hands and legs together. Ash doubted it would hold him for long if he woke up, but he also didn't need the rope to. Assuming everything was well with Leaf and Brock, he could simply return back and deal with the issue then.
Giving a small smile to Larvitar, Ash turned on his heels to find his Pokemon belt, intending to meet up with the group right after. He couldn't have made it ten steps before a small figure appeared to the side of him, walking alongside the teen.
"Larvitar? You don't have to come with me. You're safe now."
Larvitar shook his head, pressing his body against Ash's leg while walking alongside him. Seeing that the Pokemon was reluctant to leave, Ash made no further effort in attempting to persuade him.
Brock shook his head absentmindedly, with his mind racing at his predicament. Steelix was in rough shape, but his own Onix was on his last legs.
"Steelix, finish it with Dragon Breathe."
Onix was in too weak of a condition to avoid the attack, or push through the ranged attack with a move of his own. Only sensing one other option, Brock shouted his order.
"Counter with your own Dragon Breathe!"
Both purple streams connected, battling for superiority. Steelix's attack gained momentum, slowly pushing back Onix's own. The poacher grinned like a feral animal, no doubt sensing the battle reaching its conclusion.
"Water Pulse!" A female voice interrupted the clash, drawing both males' attention. Leaf pointed towards Steelix, with Psyduck on all fours unleashing a ring of water.
Steelix cried in pain, falling backwards and sending debris flying. Onix panted heavily, relaxing as Steelix remained still, no longer a threat.
"Huh?" The criminal raised an eyebrow at Psyduck, completely confused at his posture. It was a crucial mistake for the older male, as he remained unaware of the Kanto starter behind him.
"Vine Whip on his belt." Leaf ordered calmly. The poacher grabbed his belt upon hearing his instructions, but he wasn't near strong enough as it was ripped out of his hands forcefully by two green vines.
Now completely defenseless, the poacher glared at the two teenagers.
"Are you okay?" Leaf asked Brock, not removing her eyes from the other man. Brock hummed in response initially, closing the distance to the poacher cautiously.
"I'm alright, thanks." Brock made eye contact with Leaf, with the female nodding at his words. "Put your hands behind your head and onto the floor. Onix, don't let him out of your sight."
"And what makes you think I'll listen?" The poacher replied dumbly, clearly not caring he was outnumbered heavily and with no other Pokemon.
"Uhh because we'll just knock you out if you refuse?" Leaf answered while raising a skeptical eyebrow. It seemed he got the message, as the criminal grunted while falling to his knees and obeying Brock's orders.
With Leaf and three other Pokemon watching the poacher, Brock felt more than comfortable taking off his backpack and pulling out a small transmitter.
"What's that?"
"It's a pretty outdated communication device, but it gets the job done. It sends a simple call to local law enforcement, notifying them. Although you can't communicate by text or call, they do respond on site very swiftly." Brock answered his friend. "Where's Ash?"
"We split up to cover more ground. We heard two different altercations."
Brock cursed, pocketing the device and picking back up his backpack.
"Then he's in trouble." Brock responded, not bothering to elaborate much.
"I really don't think so." Brock's eyes found Leaf once more as he grew confused a the girl's odd behavior. When it came to Ash, she was concerned about anything the teen did.
Before Brock could inquire further, she flicked her head to the side, motioning for him to look in that direction.
Ash leaned against a tree, exaggerating a wave while smiling happily. Larvitar looked directly upwards at Ash, before mimicking the teen's wave rather accurately. Brock scoffed, not attempting to conceal his own smile.
"Thanks, Brock. Are you sure none of you or Leaf don't require medical assistance?" Officer Jenny asked for what seemed like the hundredth time.
Ash was the only one that was remotely hurt, as his neck was just slightly bruised. Brock peered at the younger teen standing beside a female officer, who continued to apply some sort of ointment on the area. Brock couldn't help but be amused at the sight, since Leaf stood right by Ash and didn't try to hide her glare at her best friend. Ash was well aware of her disapproval, but continued to ignore her as to not be involved in yet another fight.
"Leaf and I weren't touched so we're all set. Just glad that these two are being held responsible." The Pewter City Gym Leader replied. Officer Jenny agreed, before ordering several of her rookies to put the two poachers inside the van.
It had taken less than forty minutes for law enforcement to arrive. From there, it was a smooth process of explaining the situation and handcuffing the two criminals in actual equipment.
"You're all set! The bruising should be completely gone in a few days, so just try not to touch it too much." The black haired officer told Ash, who thanked her kindly.
"This wouldn't have happened if you didn't lose your Pokeballs." Leaf supplied seriously, pointing to the now present belt on Ash's hip. Ash sighed, losing patience and feeling the need to defend himself vigorously. However, the teen suppressed this urge and refused to blow up on her.
He knew that she only got this way because she cared. While Leaf came off as condescending and perhaps slightly arrogant, she only did so because she didn't want it to continue happening to the teen. Or at least, that's what Ash thought.
"I know. It was my mistake. Honestly, it looks worse than it is."
Larvitar still stood directly beside Ash, refusing to leave his side despite Ash continuously telling him it was alright.
Leaf's eyes softened at his words, having expected him to fight back. The brunette sighed, before changing the topic, which Ash was grateful for.
"What are you going to do with this little guy?"
Ash remained silent, opting to crouch down and pet the small Pseudo Legendary on his head. Larvitar leaned his head into the touch, staring up at Ash with affection.
"Well, I keep telling him that he's safe now and he's free to go, but he refuses to listen." Ash finally responded. Leaf groaned, staring up directly at the sky exasperatedly.
"Don't be such a dunce. He clearly wants to be with you. Just offer to be his trainer already."
"What? I'm not going to take advantage of this situation. He was just attacked and chased for who knows how long by poachers. I'm not going to guilt trip Larvitar into joining my team just because we saved him."
"Ash, that's not how it is." Brock interjected, joining the two. The police already drove away, leaving the group by themselves on Route 11. While Officer Jenny offered them a ride to wherever they were going, they insisted that they preferred to walk to Lavender Town, as it wasn't far off.
At Ash's skeptical look, Brock continued. "Larvitar is thankful that you helped him, but this isn't some guilt trip like you think it is. It wants you to be his trainer because it respects you and has found a liking to you. So stop thinking that you're taking advantage of something when you're not."
Brock couldn't help but feel a kind of respect he hadn't felt for many in his life. Ash questioned whether he could even ask Larvitar to be his despite wanting to make this respect only grow more. It was unselfish of the teen when 99% of other trainers would jump at the opportunity.
"Is this true, Larvitar?" Ash asked, after taking in Brock's words for a while. Larvitar nodded firmly. Ash grinned in response, before taking out one of his spare Pokeballs.
"Alright, Larvitar. I choose you!"
Alright, well that took way longer than expected! I apologize for being gone for so long. I was intending to continue with this story consistently over summer, but got completely stuck on this chapter. I don't know if it was just laziness or writers block, but I just hit a dead end in regards to motivation. So sorry if this new update came off as sloppy or rushed. Let me know what you all think in the comments and expect a semi regular updating schedule! REVIEW as it motivates me to update quicker and I'll see you all soon!