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Chapter 9
A Violent Encounter
xxx
Lavender Town was often called Noble Town. The town was a bit small, though it was still far larger than his hometown, Pallet. A town known for its ghost-type Pokemon and the Pokemon Towers. One of the towers held a graveyard solely for Pokemon. Ash stopped and clenched his fists. The other tower was known as the Fog's Tower. It was the home of an incredibly powerful Gengar and the hundreds of ghost-type Pokemon under her control. Fog's Tower was off-limits to all trainers. Even those employed by the League risked time in prison if they entered. Angering the Fog meant risking the people of Lavender, or worse, she could consider it a slight by the League.
Gore snorted and poked him with a hoof. "Sorry, buddy," Ash muttered, giving the boar a half-hearted pat. He ignored the looks of concern he received from all but Vulpix. "Let's try and hurry, we should be at Lavender by nightfall," he shouted over his shoulder at his stationary team. Gore and Bulbasaur squeaked and hurried after him. I wonder if Daisy or Misty could take the Fog if they used their whole teams. Bruno likely could, but even he would need a few members of his team to defeat the legendary Gengar.
If Ash were honest, a part of him wanted to challenge the ghost. Someday, maybe we can face her. But not yet. Definitely not yet. We're probably not ready for a Charizard. "King, make sure Gore doesn't do anything stupid," the boy told the crab as quietly as he could. King gave him a serious look and clicked. The crab seemed to have guessed what he was referencing. They couldn't risk Gore losing his temper in Lavender, not with so many ghosts lurking.
The swine grunted when he caught up to them. "Nothing for you to worry about," Ash said with a yawn. Gore whined and stomped his hooves. "Throwing a tantrum eh? Maybe I should carry you on my shoulder like old times," he said with a sly smirk. The Piloswine's eyes widened in horror when King and Vulpix turned to Ash interested.
"He used to love being carried around, ya know," the raven-haired trainer explained, ignoring the baleful look he received from his partner. Bulbasaur snorted and narrowed her eyes at Gore as though she just couldn't picture him being carried. "Used to love riding on Wave's back," his smirk widening into a grin. Strangely, Gore ignored his teasing in favor of staring at something down the path.
Laying under the shade of a tree was a large, bipedal Pokemon with a cream colored belly, several raised patches on its brown form, and a tail nearly as thick as Ash. A Kangaskhan! He drew a Pokeball before he even finished the thought. Kangaskhan were incredibly rare and skittish Pokemon that could usually only be found near Fuschia. They were the Pokemon that Fuschia revered most, and the symbol of their Gym. According to his grandfather the great Aoife, partner of the mightiest champion the United League had ever seen, had been a Kangaskhan. His heart fell when he saw the small girl curled up next to it.
Ash blinked. Where have I seen her before? He grabbed Gore's ear harshly when the boar growled. Kangaskhan averaged over seven feet tall and weighed nearly three-thousand pounds. They were called the Parent Pokemon for a reason, the normal-types were at their strongest when protecting something. This one still had a few light, purple, spots that indicated childhood, but it was still best to be careful. She could take them approaching her sleeping trainer as a threat after all. "Let's walk around," Ash suggested tugging on his Piloswine's ear.
He grimaced when the kangaroo turned to stare at him. The trainer sighed, his relief when the Kangaskhan only shook her trainer lightly. Gore sniffed the air a couple times, then relaxed. Ash blinked and let the boar's ear go slowly. Is it cause she's a female? He shook his head, the boar had been perfectly willing to charge a Nidoqueen. It must be because she's a herbivore. "Are we going to fight or somethin'?" a familiar feminine voice called.
"Of course!" Ash answered immediately. His opponent was a cute black-haired girl, dressed completely in black with the exception of a long pink scarf. "You're the girl I fought near Viridian forest!"
"Oh yeah! You're the rookie with the spunky pig," Janine said, leaning to stand on one leg.
"You're not a rookie?" Ash asked, raising a brow. He smirked a bit at the spunky pig comment. The smirk faded after a moment. Is she an early graduate like Daisy? He crossed his arms over his chest. If that's the case, then it's best to start at full throttle.
"Sorta," she responded with a shrug. "I won't take it easy on you this time, not now that I know how strong your partner is," Janine added giving an oblivious Gore a pointed look.
"Yeah, he's strong-" his boast was cut off by a thud. Gore had flopped onto his side and was rubbing himself on the soft grass. Ash sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. God damn it, Gore. We're never gonna be cool at this rate. Janine laughed, a silvery sound he would have likely appreciated more if he weren't so annoyed with his partner. "How about two on two?" he asked when her laughter ceased.
"Sure, sure, works for me," the girl replied priming a Pokeball. "Do you remember my Venonat?" she asked as she held the capsule up for him to see. Ash nodded, his mind already preparing for the various new skills a Venonat could have after three months of training. Considering bugs tend to grow quickly, in the worst case scenario, he could be dealing with a Venomoth. Venomoth were tricky opponents with a decent variety of moves. "Well, this isn't her!" Janine chirped, laughing again when Ash gaped. The trainer did his best to ignore the smug look Vulpix sent him and King's amused gurgle.
"Say hey to Crowie," she called, tossing the ball into the air. The Pokemon was a large bat with short blue fur and large ears. The Zubat hissed quietly when the sun's rays hit it. Ash was impressed, usually it took a few minutes for a Zubat to adjust to the sun. "Isn't she adorable?" Janine chirped rubbing the bat between her ears.
"Ye~ah," Ash responded averting his eyes. Adorable wasn't the word he thought of when it came to most blood sucking creatures. Looking at the bat nuzzle her trainer though, he could say she was somewhat cute. Bulbasaur poked him with a vine and used her other vine to point at Crowie. "You wanna try her on," the thirteen-year old stated, glancing between the cow and the bat.
She said she wasn't exactly a rookie - whatever the hell that means - so it might be best to take her seriously and use King or Gore. But I need to save Gore for that Kangaskhan, and King is weak to aerial assaults. Then again so is Bulbasaur…. Weak as it is Sleep Powder might be necessary here. "Sure!" Ash said with a slightly strained smile. Bulbasaur warbled and moved several yards in front of him. "Gore don't interfere," he warned his partner. The swine huffed and shot him a knowing look before returning to rolling in the grass.
Zubat use Supersonic, a move that stuns with odd sound waves then bite them. It's a Flying-type so wind manipulation is a threat too. Gust is the most basic wind attack so that's a definite move. "We're ready!" Ash announced when the girl had stopped fawning over her bat.
"Don't worry, Hopper! You're really cute too!" Janine chirped patting the pouting kangaroo's shoulder. "Air Cutter!" she ordered, pointing at the grass Pokemon. Crowie squawked as her wings were consumed by a blue glow and flapped her wings furiously. Two tiny silver blades of wind raced toward the saurian. She darted around the attacks with ease and raced toward her opponent with the faint white glow of Tackle. "Up!"
"Sleep Powder!" Ash commanded. His heart seemed to stop when she paused and glanced at him uncertainly. Then, Bulbasaur squared herself and shot a spray of dust into the air. Crowie squeaked fearfully and flapped her wings creating a gust of wind that sent the powder back at its master. The saurian blinked as she was surrounded by the powder, then she opened her mouth to charge an Energy Ball. Ash stared at the Zubat. Even with Bulbasaur hesitating she couldn't launch her Supersonic! She mustn't have much practice with wind manipulation.
"Calm down!" Janine snapped at the panicking bat. The girl glanced at the growing green orb with worry. I didn't think a rookie's Bulbasaur would be so strong! "Fly into a tree!" she ordered, pointing at a particularly large tree for emphasis.
"Fire!" At his command, the saurian shot the unfinished Energy Ball at the fleeing bat. Crowie squeaked and dove to avoid the attack. Bulbasaur slapped the poisonous Pokemon with her vines, making the Zubat crash into the earth. She squawked as she shot a spray of purple powder at the downed Crowie. I should have warned her! "It's no good! Use Leech Seed!"
Crowie squeaked confused when the dust hit her and she felt nothing amiss. "Quick, blow it away!" Janine cried as the cow shot a small seed at the bat Pokemon. Sensing her trainer's urgency the bat flapped its blue wings vigorously in a weak Gust attack. Ash cursed as the weak gust of wind stopped the seed several feet ahead of the bat.
"Tackle, it now!" he barked clenching his fists. Bulbasaur charged the grounded bat with a determined bark. Crowie whined and flapped her wings as hard as she could in her desperation. The bat managed to make it out of the Tackle's path only for the saurian's vines to slap it back down. "Tackle!" Ash called, grinning widely. His Pokemon narrowed her eyes and surged Crowie with a faint glow surrounding her.
She lowered her head and the glow strengthened as she neared the prone bat. Then, her opponent was consumed by a scarlet light. Bulbasaur squeaked as she tripped and tumbled, making Ash wince in sympathy. A small spray of snow shot out from behind the trainer and cushioned her landing. Gore snorted, satisfied, when the cow stood on wobbly legs. "You did great!" Ash told his Pokemon as he knelt next to her and rubbed her head lightly.
"She's a lot stronger than I expected her to be too," Janine mumbled with a small pout.
"Did you think I trainer just Gore?" the boy asked, turning to her with a raised brow.
"Yup," she answered with a nod.
"Why would I do that?" Ash asked scowling at her.
"A lot of people do," the girl mumbled her reply and averting her eyes as she patted Hopper's shoulder. The Kangaskhan glared at Ash as though it was his fault her trainer was sad. The boy winced and averted his gaze.
"Well, we should, uh, finish our last round," he suggested avoiding the suddenly fierce kangaroo's glare.
"Yeah, we should," Janine muttered, wiping her eyes. Hopper wrapped a thick arm around her trainer and cooed.
"Ar-are you okay?" Ash asked, taking a hesitant step forward. The boy bit his lip. It was a stupid question. She obviously wasn't okay, but he wasn't sure what to do. He didn't like dealing with distraught people, he didn't even want to deal with things that bothered him most of the time. But if someone's crying, I should do something right?
"I'm good! Some powder got in my eye is all," Janine replied meeting his gaze. She whispered something to Hopper eliciting a reluctant nod from the normal-type. The Kangaskhan walked in front of her trainer and squared herself.
This, this Ash could handle. "Gore," he muttered jerking his head at the girl's Pokemon. The swine stretched and chewed on a hoof before rising. He shook each leg lightly, then turned and glared at his opponent. He pawed the ground and puffed his chest out, gestures that the kangaroo returned without hesitation. Ash blinked, usually the Kangaskhan line was skittish. Maybe she's fired up to fight for her trainer. If I recall these Pokemon can survive in incredibly cold areas without struggle, and have been known to use Ice moves with great skill.
"Powder Snow!" Janine ordered snapping the boy out of his thoughts. Hopper's chest expanded greatly as she inhaled, then she spat a snowy gust at the unmoving boar. The Piloswine responded by blasting a far larger blast of wind that overwhelmed the normal-type's without difficulty. Hopper squeaked before leaping over the attack. "So that's an Icy Wind from a Piloswine," the girl murmured narrowing her eyes.
"Freakin', kangaroo," Ash muttered, his eyes wide. "Take Down!" he cried, shaking himself from his stupor. Gore snarled and charged his opponent. To the duo's frustration, Hopper darted away from the swine's charge with ease. She cocked a white glowing fist back and rushed the Piloswine. Gore squealed, alarmed, before she smashed it into his side and knocked him off his feet. That's a Mega Punch! "Avalanche!" the trainer ordered when she cocked her fist back again.
Hopper punched the boar's exposed belly twice, then hopped out of the snows path. Ash clenched his fists. So this is a Kangaskhan! One of the strongest normals in the world would be deadly even as a young adolescent. He glanced at his rising partner. We've gotta make her fight straightforwardly.
"Wrap this up! We have to deal with her next!" Janine snapped, giving Bulbasaur a look of such intensity that the cow squeaked and hid behind Ash and King. The crab Pokemon shuffled and chirped, glancing at the kangaroo with fire in his eyes.
"Sorry, buddy, not this time," the trainer muttered, giving the Krabby an apologetic glance. "Bury her in Ice Shards!"
"Comet Punch!" the raven-haired girl howled. Hopper's fists glowed faintly as she wove through the chunks of ice with astonishing speed. Gore stomped his hooves and squealed as he began to create another chunk.
"Just shoot it!" Ash snapped, gritting his teeth. The swine growled, his frustration as he shot the premature Ice Shard at the surging kangaroo. The chunk crashed into Hopper's face, making her stumble and lose control of her technique.
"How did you-," Janine began with a flinch.
"Mud Shot!" Ash barked with a grin so wide it nearly split his face. Gore's brown eyes lit up with as he spat a forceful jet of mud at his stunned opponent. Hopper wailed as she was knocked onto her back and moved to rise with impressive speed. Not swift enough to escape the Piloswine's Take Down. She tumbled several yards away from the determined ice-type with a squeak. Gore roared his triumph as he charged the downed kangaroo again.
"Mega Punch!" Janine snapped gulping. Hopper eyes snapped open at her trainer's call. She rolled out of the swine's path and smashed a glowing fist into his side.
"Gore!" the boy cried when his squealing partner was sent rolling into a tree. Hopper pushed herself to her feet with a weak whine.
"That's a girl!" Janine cried pumping a fist. Gore shook himself vigorously and rose quickly, but swayed and stumbled immediately after.
"Don't rush yourself!" Ash ordered tugging on the bill of his hat. "If you want, you can come back," he told his partner. The swine gave him a furious look and stomped his hoof. Gore squeaked and struggled to stay standing after the action.
"How bout a draw on this round?" Janine proposed patting the one of the injured kangaroo's raised patches. Hopper crooned and licked her trainer.
"Nah, you won," Ash said with a sigh. He averted his eyes from his partner's look of betrayal. He strode to the angry boar then he patted his side lightly. The swine squealed and flailed before his legs finally gave out from under him. "Don't feel too bad," the trainer whispered, rubbing his friend behind his ears. "This one's my fault, not yours," he muttered as he turned back to his opponent. Gore grunted a denial and poked him with a hoof. "You really are a big softie," Ash said with a smirk.
He strode away from the boar, who was too stunned to protest, and stood next to Bulbasaur. "You up for this?" he asked, glancing at Bulbasaur. The cow glanced between her trainer and her opponent with trepidation. "I know she's big, but you're small you know," Ash said, giving the dinosaur a reassuring look. Bulbasaur stared at him wide-eyed with horror. "I mean small and quick!" the trainer corrected, giving her a sheepish look.
"If you keep moving she'll tire out, and 'll be weak enough for Sleep Powder to put to sleep," Ash elaborated further in a whisper. One of Hopper's large ears twitched, and she snorted in a manner he couldn't interpret. Bulbasaur looked back at the comparative giant form of the kangaroo warily. Finally, she squeaked and moved several yards away from Ash. "Ready when you are!" the boy announced with a smirk. He glanced back down at his Pokemon with a warm feeling welling up in his chest. She's come so far.
The boy turned back to his face his opponent when something hard rammed his side. He squawked as he fell onto his side. He heard Gore roar furiously, King chirp, and Bulbasaur bark at what hit him. Ash groaned as he forced himself to his feet. Gore had something small and silver trapped under his hoof. The Pokemon, a Magnemite, whirred and discharged volts of electricity into the boar, to no effect. A string of electricity hit Bulbasaur making her twitch slightly. Good thing Grass Pokemon resist Electricity. "King get back!" the trainer barked when the crab snipped his claws threateningly.
The Magnemite shrieked when he neared and struggled to free itself. "Wedge?" Ash asked, raising a brow. The electric-type whirred again. "Let 'em up!" he told his partner. The moment it was free, the magnet rushed to his chest again and shrieked.
"What's wrong with it?" Janine inquired with a blink.
"Dunno," Ash muttered as the magnet continued to shriek and whir. "Where's Gary, Wedge?" The Magnemite stared at him for a moment before racing off into the trees. "C'mon!" the trainer barked at his team as he ran after the electric-type. Ash hadn't known Wedge for very long, in fact Gary had caught the Magnemite only days before they had left on their journey. But, even though he hadn't known the Pokemon for long, he was certain the magnet wouldn't abandon his trainer without reason. Bulbasaur was by his side in an instant, shockingly Vulpix joined them a heartbeat after, then Gore and King caught up. "Don't lose sight of it no matter what!" he ordered as he pushed himself into a sprint.
His team voiced their understanding instantly. It seemed even Vulpix understood and appreciated the gravity of the situation. "Hey, wait up!" Janine cried, racing after him. "C'mon Hopper!" she said as she leaped onto the kangaroo's back.
A man screaming in agony made Ash's heart feel as though it had been squeezed. As they followed the magnet, shouting, shrieks, and chirps made themselves known to the team. Finally, Wedge rounded a large boulder and whirred a battle cry. Ash stumbled to a stop as his team rounded the boulder as well. He peeked beyond his hiding place. The trainer gulped at the sight that greeted him. Many of the small trees surrounding the dirt path were on fire, some had been knocked over, and bodies of Zubat and Rattata were charred nearly beyond recognition. Men in black shirts with a large, red R on them were barking commands at members of the Ekans, Rattata, Sneasel, and Zubat line. The Rocket's Pokemon had been attacking a group of young Nidos.
Righteous fury burned in his chest. The eldest male couldn't have been more than three years old. The Nidorino was entirely pink, and far smaller than Gore had been as a Swinub. Ash narrowed his eyes when he noticed a lone Houndoom among the group. The Houndoom was a young male, so he couldn't fathom why the Nidos would allow him in their herd. The trainer jumped when a large, brown form hopped to a stop next to him. "Don't hurt the Nidos," Ash ordered quietly when Gore nearly hit one with an Icy Wind.
"What's going on?" Janine demanded jumping off Hopper's back. The kangaroo charged into battle the moment her trainer landed. "Be careful!"
"Rockets," Ash muttered the word as though it was a curse as he turned his attention back to the battle. He grimaced when he saw the unmoving cluster of Zubat Gore had frozen. They probably won't be getting up anytime soon. Vulpix was pushing a small Sneasel back with ease. Her ghostly energy may not have harmed the dark-type, but the heat of her Will-O-Wisp was quickly overwhelming the young Pokemon. Gore, and Bulbasaur were fighting three furious Raticate together. The rat Pokemon were having little success with his friends. Gore was too tough to be put down, and Bulbasaur was just too quick to be caught. The trainer grinned when he saw King fighting two Rattata at the same time.
The sound of several Pokeballs being opened made him glance back at Janine. She had released a grinning Haunter, and to Ash's great surprise, an austere looking Ivysaur. The girl's face was pale and her hands shook slightly, but when she spoke her voice was unwavering. "Attack the ones that listen to the Rockets." Ivysaur barked and Haunter cackled as they joined the fray.
"An Ivysaur and a Haunter," Ash muttered, glancing at the other trainer with new respect. He furrowed his brow as he remembered something. "Hey, do you see Wedge?" he asked as he scanned the battle.
"The Magnemite? Nah, I don't," his fellow trainer replied furrowing her brow. "They're going to need our help," she stated glancing at him. Ash clenched his fists as Gore was knocked onto his side. Bulbasaur ran to help him, but was blocked by a Raticate's snapping jaws.
"Sleep Powder!" he barked. The grass Pokemon snarled and slapped her Raticate's eyes with a vine. Then, she shot a green cloud of dust at the Raticate that were rushing Gore. The rats squeaked and stumbled as the dust enveloped them. Ash scowled. Not even trained enough to resist that technique. Gore roared and charged into the dust with his Take Down. The swine's charge sent the rats soaring through the air with squeals of agony. The moment they landed the normal-types were engulfed by a purple cloud of dust. "Go help the others!" Ash snapped with a wince. I hope they didn't kill them.
"They're over there!" a Rocket cried, pointing at the duo's hiding place making them stiffen. The portly man quickly released a Drowzee. "Use Psybeam," he ordered with a vicious smirk. Drowzee snorted at the command and brought its three fingered claws up. Then, the psychic shuddered as a black claw rose from the shadow beneath its feet. The Haunter grinned at the terrified Drowzee as it gathered energy in a claw. The ghost thrust the orb that looked like a shadow, Ash recognized as a Shadow Ball, at its opponent. The orb sent Drowzee tumbling into the boulder, unconscious.
"Put him to sleep then, help, Hopper!" Janine ordered when the ghost approached the prone Psychic with an even wider grin. Haunter pouted petulantly and crossed its arms over chest, but shifted to the Rocket grunt obediently.
"Wait! Please I-I'm sorry! I wouldn't have done it, I swear!" he cried, falling to his knees. The ghost tapped its chin as though it were considering letting the man go.
"Don't play!" Janine snapped so fiercely that the ghost flinched. The Rocket pleaded as the locked eyes with him the young trainers looked away from the specter. "Now go help Hopper!" the girl ordered when the man fell. Ash scoured the area. He still hadn't found Wedge, or Gary for that matter, but his team was easy to locate. Vulpix darted at the Sneasel with a Quick Attack and Scratch combination. Really need a name for that. The weasel shrieked as the vixen's claws cut into its belly.
The ice-type spat powdery snow into the vulpine's eyes, then it raked her side with a glowing claw. Vulpix squeaked and backpedaled still in Quick Attack. Sneasel howled and held its claws in front of its face. Two Ice Punches! It's a long shot, but please work! "Use, Fire Spin Shield!" Ash barked tugging on his hat. Perhaps it was her injury, or maybe the fire Pokemon had come to respect her trainer slightly, either way the vixen obeyed. Vulpix whined as she spat an orb of regular fire that quickly moved to form a half circle around its creator.
Sneasel stumbled to a stop just before it would have a hit the shield. Vulpix barked and spat another orb of flame that hit the weasel in its chest and knocked it onto its back. The bipedal weasel rolled away from the vixen with a wail. "Hammer it!" he howled. The vixen narrowed her eyes and squared herself. She howled, and as if it were alive, the Fire Spin moved at its master's call. The shield became an orb larger than Vulpix herself, and shot toward the Sneasel. Their opponent shrieked and wailed as the flame slammed into him, sending him skidding into a tree. "Good job! Now come back!" Ash called as Vulpix sagged.
"Enough! Find those damned kids!" a tall black-haired man who Ash assumed was in charge barked. The Rocket released an angry looking Pinsir. Ash shuddered at the sight of the gray stag beetle. Images of King broken and near death flooded his mind.
"Petal Dance! Mega Punch, full power!" he heard Janine bark. A storm of sharp, glowing, petals engulfed the beetle making it scream and flail in agony. Hopper burst into view with a glowing arm cocked back. Finally, the leaves fell as the kangaroo neared. She smashed her fist into the beetles face with a roar. Ash blinked as the beetle fell. That was anticlimactic.
"Get up you useless bug!" the Rocket snapped glancing between the Pinsir and Hopper apprehensively. The Rocket shuddered as a grinning Haunter emerged from his shadow. The criminal was hypnotized in an instant.
"Give up," Ash ordered, stepping out from behind the boulder with Janine following a moment after. The three remaining Rockets looked between the glaring Pokemon and the young trainers before rushing to their van. "Ice Shard, Water Pulse, and Acid, stop them no matter what!" he barked. Gore, Bulbasaur, and King voiced their understanding as one and inhaled deeply. The spray of acid grazed one Rockets arm, making him scream and stumble. A large chunk of ice smacked the van's side and bounced off into the men's path. Finally, King chose that moment to fire his Water Pulse, the rippling orb smashed the van's window in with ease.
The men made to escape again, but were quickly surrounded by the members of Janine's team. Haunter cackled when one of the men began to shake and mutter a prayer to the Lord of the Sky. The apparition's grin widened to a maniacal degree. "Gaari," Janine growled, scowling at the ghost. Ivysaur snarled in a manner that reminded Ash a great deal of Pins and took a threatening step toward the specter. Haunter flinched and eyed the saurian warily. The ghost locked its red eyes with the criminals and put them to sleep.
Ash stared at the large Ivysaur. The grass Pokemon was about three feet tall and likely weighed over two-hundred pounds. The flower on its back looked to be elevated slightly as most strong bull's tended to be. The flower of a male Ivysaur grows into a mighty tree. Those trees signified the virility and power the Venasaur possessed. A bull's flower beginning to elevate meant its body was preparing for its final evolution. He glanced at Haunter. "Y'all come here!" Ash ordered eyeing the ghost warily.
Ghost Pokemon were well-known for their dark sense of humor. It was likely the ghost saw the man's pleas as a game. "You definitely aren't a rookie," he remarked to himself patting Gore's side. If Gaari is scared of it then, that Ivysaur is likely on a different level compared to Hopper and Gore. He blinked when the comparatively small girl began to drag the man by his feet. "What are you doing?"
"We have ta make sure they can't get in the way anymore," Janine replied her tone even and her eyes covered by her bangs.
"You're going to kill them?" Ash asked, taking a step back. Gaari cackled evilly and rubbed her claws together.
"No! Gods, no! We're gonna put 'em in the van!" Janine cried dropping the man. Ash sighed, relieved, while Gaari pouted. The boy knelt and lifted the man by his head.
"Think this one could use less donuts," he muttered as they struggled to carry him to the van. Gore squealed and Ivysaur barked, making the young trainer's jump. Something large slammed into Ash and knocked him onto his belly. He gasped as the breath was knocked out of his lungs. He heard a Raticate shriek before small, rough, hands yanked him to his feet. He blinked blearily as Janine steadied him against the van. King chirped furiously and Bulbasaur barked, a heartbeat later the Raticate squeaked in agony.
"One of them must've been smart enough to have it waiting underground," Janine said as she recalled her Pokemon. "You guys were great," she said attaching the balls to her belt.
"Little bit surprising," Ash muttered, rubbing his forehead. The trainer eyed the hole next to the Houndoom warily. It escaped back underground then. He shook his head when the girl offered him a potion. "Are you the one who saved me?" he asked, turning to the Houndoom. The dark-type whuffed. "Thanks," he said, smiling without showing any of his teeth. The dog snorted before striding to him, making Gore stiffen and growl, pawed at his hand. Ash smirked and scratched the fire-type behind his horns.
He frowned its horns were far too small to belong to a Houndoom. The boy inhaled sharply. This Houndour must be one of the special specimen that spring up every so often. Size among the Houndour line could vary greatly. A well taken care of adult Houndoom should weigh over one-hundred fifty pounds, with some gifted dogs reaching Arcanine like size. Then there was Champion Karen's demon of a dog. Ash sighed and moved his hand away, making the dog whine. There's no way it would come without a fight. Right now I need to focus on finding Gary.
"What are you glaring at?" Ash asked, glancing at Gore. His partner huffed and turned away from him. The swine glared at the Houndoom. "Jealous?" he asked, grunting with exertion as he and Janine lifted the Rocket again. The Piloswine snarled and spat a glob of cold mud at a burning tree. "He's totally jealous," the trainer stated with a smirk. King gurgled amusedly and Bulbasaur warbled an agreement. Gore twitched, but ignored them in favor of continuing to put out the flames.
"Completely jealous!" Janine agreed with a sagely nod. They laughed when the boar ignored them again. A furious shriek and a thud made their laughter die in their throats.
"What the hell was that?" Ash demanded scouring the area. He flinched when Houndour bolted as though the devil were on his tail, likely in the direction the Nidos had snuck away in. Little bastards probably left us in the middle of the fight. He shook his head this wasn't the time. The trainer glanced at King. The Krabby's form was tense and his eyes had glazed over.
"Dunno, but there used to be a really big pine over there, on that hill," Janine replied pointing to a hill to their right. King snapped out of his daze, then he sprinted toward a group of flaming trees. The Krabby spat a gust of chilly wind and leaped through the flame without hesitation.
"Wait!" Ash shouted extending an arm toward King. He cursed, the crab didn't seem to have heard him. "Gore! Bulbasaur!" he called. They were by his side in an instant. He lifted Bulbasaur and leaped on Gore's back. "After him!" The Piloswine grunted and spat an Icy Wind at the trees that extinguished the flame with ease.
"Wait up!" Janine cried as Gore charged through the fallen trees. She sighed when he ignored her. "Oh, Sky God, Great One, grant me the patience to deal with stupid boys," she muttered as she released Saur. "Follow the Piloswine from earlier!" the girl ordered hopping onto the Ivysaur's muscular neck.
"Go back! I think ya might have missed one!" Ash snarled after Gore barreled through yet another tiny tree. He appreciated the Piloswine's determination, but he didn't see why they couldn't just go around the small trees. "Didn't know King could run this fast, did you?" he muttered glancing at Bulbasaur. She shook her head and snorted. Ash ground his teeth. What could make him snap like that? Whatever it is, it has to be strong.
He scowled when Gore began to pant. Even the rush of their situation wasn't enough to delay the boar's exhaustion. "Just a bit further and you can go in your ball!" Ash said patting his friend's head. The boy narrowed his eyes at a large tree stump several yards in front of them. The tree that had once been attached to it was a few away. It almost looks like it got cut. That must be the hill! There was another, louder shriek and a cracking sound, then a thud reached his ears. "Gore stop!"
The boar slammed his front hooves down, sending Ash and Bulbasaur flying into a shrub with shrieks. "Is this for earlier?" Ash asked with a groan. He glared when the Piloswine gave him an innocent look. "Anyway, whatever it is, its strong, so we're gonna have to move in more carefully," the raven-haired trainer explained while lifting Bulbasaur out of the shrub. The saurian glared at Gore and hissed. "None of that," Ash said as he rose. The trainer glanced behind them when he heard a rustle. A moment later, a familiar Ivysaur burst into view.
"Why do you keep doing that?" Janine demanded after hopping off her Ivysaur.
"Doesn't matter! We've gotta help King!" Ash stated wincing when he heard another crack. We're really close to it. In fact, I'd wager it's right around the hill.
"Fine!" the girl bit out as she released her Haunter. Gaari grinned evilly at Ash and his team, but a sharp look from Ivysaur made the ghost back down quickly. Gore and Bulbasaur eyed the ghost as one might a coiled snake. "Let's climb up!" Janine suggested when Ash moved to walk around the hill.
The trainer nodded and gestured for his team to follow him. He nearly slipped on the loose dirt, but Gore steadied him with a hoof. "Thanks bud," he whispered receiving a quiet snort as the boar trudged up the hill. Ash frowned and bit his lip. Did I push him too far? A familiar shriek and shout made him stiffen. He trudged up the hill as swiftly as he could. Ash's lungs burned as he climbed, but he pushed on. Finally, he dragged himself to the top.
Several yards away from the hill, a small Magmar and King were glaring at an opponent that was blocked by a tree's leaves. At the moment Ash didn't care about their opponent or the dark-skinned Rocket standing behind it. He scoured the surrounding trees. His shoulders sagged in relief when he spotted a head of brown spiky hair sticking out from behind a large rock. Gore settled next to him his brown eyes intent on their enemy. Bulbasaur hopped off the boar's back and landed on Ash's other side.
"Do you know that guy?" Janine asked making Ash stiffen. He hadn't even heard her approach.
"He's my brother," the boy explained as he checked Gary's form for any injuries. Slowly, his breathing began to steady. Aria had grown tired of waiting. The Magmar howled and spat a shot of flame at her opponent. A large, rippling orb of water seemed to absorb the flame as it raced toward the Magmar. Aria disappeared in a pink light with a popping sound and rematerialized a few feet away.
"Give up, kid, and I swear I won't hurt you," the Rocket said his brow furrowed. King spat a gust of chilly wind at the man that was blocked by a giant red claw. Ash paled as their opponent, a Kingler, revealed itself. The crab stood taller than Ash's five feet, its four white legs were several times thicker than King's, and its crown was elevated several inches from its shell. What truly caught the boy's eye was the massive left claw it had. He had no doubt the claw was what had cut the tree.
Aria and King charged the crab as one with a flaming fist and a glowing claw respectively. Kingler responded by spitting a large spray of bubbles. Aria shrieked and teleported out of the Bubblebeam's range. King quickly deactivated Vice Grip and used Harden to brace himself. The crab squawked as he was thrown off his feet and into a shrub. Ash winced, then narrowed his eyes. A Kingler should have been able to produce a much stronger Bubblebeam. It's just getting warmed up. He ground his teeth. Vine Whip, Icy Wind, and Mega Punch were all but worthless against an adult Kingler's shell. Only Ivysaur could actually hurt the crab king straightforwardly.
"Let's try and hit it with Energy Ball at the same time!" Janine whispered, her voice shaking slightly. The girl was gripping a Pokeball he believed to be Hopper's as though it were a lifeline. "We don't have any strong draining moves, but Gaari should be able to hurt it if its off guard."
"Right," Ash agreed with a nod. He glanced at Gore. The Piloswine wasn't panting anymore, but judging by the way he was leaning against a tree, the summer's heat and the battles they'd fought had clearly taken its toll on the gutsy boar. "You heard her Bulbasaur?" he asked, glancing at the saurian at his side. She snorted noncommittally, her pink eyes focused on the giant crab. The saurian Pokemon squared themselves and began to gather energy in front of their mouths.
"Have it your way, kid," the Rocket muttered with a sigh. "You're a tough one, I'll give you that. "Use-" the dark-skinned man's command was interrupted by Ivysaur's large Energy Ball slamming into the Kingler's side. The crab squawked as it was knocked off its feet. "What the hell?" he demanded, turning to face them. Ivysaur roared a challenge then he surged down the hill.
"Flame Burst, full tilt!" Gary barked pointing at the stunned water-type. Aria inhaled deeply, making her chest expand, and shot a much larger flame at Kingler. The flame exploded on impact drawing a shriek that sound more startled than pained. Bulbasaur blasted the largest Energy Ball she had ever created into the water-type's creamy underbelly. The crab's arm jerked, but it showed no other signs of discomfort. Kingler tried to push itself to its feet, but another Flame Burst knocked it back onto its side.
"Use Shadow Ball!" Janine cried when the Rocket drew a Great ball. The ghost cackled as she gathered a shadowy orb in between her hands. The Rocket's eyes widened, then he quickly released a bull Donphan. The ground-natured elephant trumpeted a challenge before squaring itself and taking Ivysaur's charge. The elephant winced as Gaari's Shadow Ball crashed into its side, but stood its ground.
"Leech Seed!" Ash ordered, before turning to Gore. The exhausted boar met his gaze without hesitation. He pointed at Donphan and Gore rushed down the hill to aid the saurian. Bulbasaur fired two small seeds at the staggering Kingler. The crab grabbed Aria's tail with its shorter claw and threw her into the seeds path. The Magmar flinched when the seeds hit her between her eyes, then she squawked as she hit a tree. The crab monarch narrowed its dark eyes and cocked its dominant arm back in a familiar pose. "Bulbasaur!" the trainer snapped. The saurian surged down the hill with astonishing speed, but as the orb of water grew Ash knew she wouldn't make it.
A small gust of chilly wind consumed the orb. Kingler slung its arm at a still stunned Aria, but couldn't control the now frozen Water Pulse. King chirped and leaped onto the Kingler's back with his dominant claw glowing white. Ash cheered as his Krabby pinched one of Kingler's arms with his Vice Grip. Kingler shrieked and flailed in an attempt to free itself from the smaller crab. After several seconds the Krabby gave up and leaped off the larger crab's back. Kingler turned to the crab with fury in its dark eyes and cocked its arm back. A spray of acid, that was quickly followed by a stream of flame slammed into the water-type's side making it shriek in agony.
"Saur, Petal Dance! Gaari, Shadow Ball!" Janine ordered. Ash glanced at her and then down to the fight. Donphan weathered the ball with only an annoyed grunt as proof that he had felt it. Ivysaur, who had to have been Saur, produced a cluster of glowing petals that raced toward the ground-type with baleful intent. Donphan snorted and jerked its head toward the leaves. A large chunk of stone was torn from the earth and landed in front of the ground-type. The petals crashed into the shield stone, but the rock held strong.
"To think the most basic move a Ground 'r Rock Pokemon can learn is so annoying," Ash, muttered narrowing his eyes. Rock Throw was listed among the least powerful moves by the Pokedex, yet it had just blocked an Ivysaur's Petal Dance. A fairly weak Petal Dance, but the point stood.
Donphan jerked his head again, throwing another impressive chunk of earth at the shocked dinosaur. The bull Ivysaur quickly extended his vines, then he sent them into the earth. "Saur," Janine murmured when the dinosaur took the hit head on. Gaari darted at the bull Donphan like an arrow. The Haunter snarled and cocked her fist back. Donphan turned to her just in time to receive a Shadow Punch to the face. "Confuse Ray, then Shadow Ball!" Janine ordered with a snarl not unlike her ghost's.
Gaari brought her claws in front of her and gathered ghostly energy in her palms. Before the ghost could launch her attack Donphan launched another rock that crashed through her making her shriek so loudly that Ash and Janine covered their ears. The ghost reformed quickly, eyeing her opponent warily.
Gaari like, all other Ghost-types was invulnerable to all non-elemental attacks. They were also incredibly fragile when struck. The Gengar line used the unique abilities ghosts possessed and speed to even the odds. If Gaari gets hit again, she's done. "Good job, Gaari," Janine said as she recalled the agonized ghost.
Gore hobbled into view with blood on his tusks and a limp. Ash frowned, but hid his disapproval when Gore turned to him. Now isn't the time to be worrying about not killing anything. So, why, even knowing this did the boy's heartache. He recalled his partner for a well-earned rest. "I'm gonna leave Donphan to you."
"Right we got this," Janine said, after Saur pushed the boulder off himself. The Ivysaur looked shook his head and stretched his neck, he looked more annoyed than hurt by the attack.
"You did great," Ash murmured to Gore's Pokeball. He smiled when he received a small shake, then he turned to give his full attention to the fight. The Kingler's claws were drooping in the way Ash knew to indicate fatigue. The evolution to Kingler awarded a Krabby with massive increases in size, strength, and greater control of their element. But, Kingler also tended to tire quicker. We just have to outlast it. He furrowed his brow when he noticed Aria was panting. The Magmar line, like nearly all Fire-types, didn't tire quickly unless they used their mental powers up. She couldn't have done that though, I looked away for thirty seconds! The rest of Gary's team had likely been defeated. He couldn't imagine any other explanation for making Aria fight alone.
Ash could vaguely hear Janine barking orders, but was so absorbed in his friend's fight he couldn't make them out. King fired a spray of bubbles that were slapped away as though Kingler was swatting a fly. Aria shrieked a challenge and shot a small Flame Burst. The water-type spat a spray of bubbles that smothered the Burst with ease. A spray of acid hit the Kingler from the right, but it seemed to have barely felt the blow. Ash ground his teeth. I never thought I'd curse the fact that she's grass-natured. "You have to use grass moves, girl!" he shouted.
"Icy Wind!" the Rocket ordered, his face set in a scowl. Kingler shot a gust of chilly wind nearly as powerful as one of Gore's at Aria. The fire-type shrieked and flailed as the gust hit her and her body temperature lowered.
"Aria!" he heard Gary cry horror in his tone.
"Rapid Gun! Leech Seed!" Ash commanded with a snarl. King chirped and shot several small concentrated streams of water at the distracted Kingler. The giant crab winced before giving an irritated click at the smaller crab's persistence. The water-type gargled and shot a large stream of water at the Krabby, who shrieked fearfully and leaped out of the way. King was clipped by the giant Water Gun making him spin into a shrub and ripping off parts of his armor. "King, run!" the trainer cried when the Kingler charged his downed friend with its dominant claw glowing.
Glowing vines emerged from the ground and wrapped around Kingler's white leg. The Pokemon tripped, the brief opening allowing King the time to hobble away. The crab gave the small saurian a thankful gurgle, then he cocked his arm back. Kingler removed the energy draining vines with his lesser claw and sagged for a moment. "Energy Ball, full power!" Ash commanded a vicious gleam in his brown eyes.
Bulbasaur barked, a similar gleam in her eyes, and began to charge energy. King's strongest Water Pulse slammed into their rising opponent's side, knocking it over and exposing its weaker underbelly. The cow fired her green blast into Kingler with a shriek. Kingler chirped and flailed as it rushed to rise. "Finish it!" Ash roared.
Bulbasaur and King chirped and shot a Water gun and Acid into its side. Still the Kingler struggled to its feet. Ash gulped as King slumped and Bulbasaur began to pant heavily. The giant crustacean took a threatening step toward his team. "Don't give up!" he screamed scrambling down the hill.
"Ash come back!" he heard Janine cry.
Then, a large orb of flame crashed into Kingler's side from the right and exploded making Ash flinch. The crab shook and swayed, then finally, its legs gave out. "Hang on, I've got the Secret potion!" Ash called as he rushed to his team. King collapsed the strain of the battle proving to be too great for the crab. Bulbasaur wailed and swayed, but managed to steady herself with her vines. The trainer slid to a stop and hit his knees. "Open your eyes buddy," Ash pleaded of the Krabby as he drew the potion.
The Pokemon twitched when the healing spray hit him. After a moment he opened his eyes slightly. "Great job, pal," Ash told the crab with a small smirk. Bulbasaur bumped his arm with her head. "Yeah, you did great too!" the trainer said with a laugh. The saurian moved his arm out of the way and crawled into his lap. He smiled and rubbed her and King lightly. Rustling grass and a light heat alerted him to something approaching him from behind. "What are you doing messing with Team Rocket?" he demanded without turning around.
"Well, hello to you too," Gary muttered, rolling his eyes and taking a seat next to him. Aria lowered herself with a grunt a moment later. Thoughtfully, the Magmar had lowered her heat output enough not to discomfort the humans. Still, Bulbasaur eyed her suspiciously. Ash frowned, but opted not to say anything. Her reaction was perfectly understandable. The Magby and Charmander lines were the Pokemon grass-types feared most. He drew breath to answer Ash's question, but was interrupted by Janine's approach.
"The Rocket got away," Janine announced as she and Saur strode to them. "He must have somethin' that can fly because Saur can figure out where he went," she finished lowering herself to the ground. "Why were you messing with the Rockets?" the raven-haired girl demanded glaring at Gary.
"I didn't mean too ya know," the brown-haired boy muttered with a weak shrug. He took a moment to wipe some dust off his blue shirt. "I just happened to be in Lavender when they attacked."
"They what?" Janine cried as Ash stiffened.
"What happened there?" Ash asked, forcing himself to keep his tone even.
"Team Rocket has taken over Lavender," Gary told him his gray eyes that so closely resembled their grandfather's meeting Ash's gaze.
xxx
Dexter on the Vulpix line.
Among the various fire-types in Kanto, the Vulpix line is the one with lowest destructive power.
But, it is also one of the most versatile lines in not just Kanto, but the world. A Vulpix usually has one of three secondary natures. These secondary natures are Ghost, Psychic, and Dark.
Most Vulpix are capable of using the mysterious Psychic ability Extrasensory, the Dark attack Payback, and the ghostly flames of Will-O-Wisp.
Psychic-natured Vulpix tend to be smaller, slower, and weaker than their sisters. They make up about thirty percent of the population.
Ghostly-natured Vulpix tend to be faster than the other natures. (With the exception of Dark-types) They make up about thirty percent of the population.
Dark-natured Vulpix tend to be larger, faster, possess greater fire attacks, and are physically stronger than the other vixen. They are by far the rarest of all Vulpix, and the most sought after. They make up about 2 percent of the Vulpix population.
Many have two natures, but require training to match the sheer power of a single natured Vulpix. They make up about thirty percent of the population.
Some Vulpix can use all three with equal proficiency, though this is slightly below their sisters' power. These are the second rarest, making up about eight percent of the population.
A.N.
For the record, our Vulpix is of the two natured sort.
As for the Sleep Powder thing, well, it's part of the whole variations among Pokemon.
Ash has finally realized Bulbasaur's talents are in other areas than Powder attacks and poison! Writing him growing as a trainer is fun. Finally figured out the trick to Ice Shard. Sorta.
Aoife -EE-Fe or EE-fyuh. Means Life, beautiful, or radiant. She was one of the first Pokemon's I came up with when creating a history for the verse.
In an ancient tale Aife or Aoife (however the hell you want to spell it) was the fiercest woman warrior in the world. After the hero of the tale defeated her, she bore him his only son Connia.
To my Guest.
Ash just hit a button with Erika. She's not exaggerating when she said she's been trying to get a Bulbasaur for years. The fact that Ash has a cow only serves to anger her more. The one with the female gets to decide what happens with the calves. It's a very sore point tbh.
In hindsight, I probably should have referred to Bulbasaur as a calf, but too late now.
Misty is kinda weird though.
To
D.C. Hours.
I would love the recommendation! Yes, she was pouting.
Writing a story and a world that makes sense isn't easy. Ash's growth rate is one of those things I have an especially hard time with. Should a talented trainer of a few months stand a chance against one of a couple years? My gut instinct is Hell No! But when you count on his and King's talent, Gore's head start, and the unique abilities Bulbasaur possess, their work ethic etc.… Maybe it isn't so impossible. Especially when you consider the asinine crap I put him through.
Unless the experienced trainer is just as talented and driven. In which case they're pretty much screwed.
Ash's arrogance really doesn't help his cause. I think I face palmed while writing his challenging Misty right after Gore evolved.
Btw, the size for the average Houndoom is somewhere between a big gray wolf and a dire wolf. The big Houndour Ash saw was much smaller than an adult Houndoom would be.