Hey readers - We're finally here! The last chapter of episode one, and not a moment too soon : ) Honestly, I can't believe it took me eight chapters to get through this, but at last I can be done with it and move on to other episodes : ) YAY!
Anyway, on to a more exciting topic - the results of the last vote : )
I am very pleased to say that by landslide majority, Abra was the winner of the vote : ) Not gonna lie, I am so relieved about how that went. I can't wait to add her to this story and start using her in my Nuzlocke : ) I just hope that I can keep her alive until she's an Alakazam because then she'll be awesome : )
Lastly, I want to say a HUGE thank you to everyone that has supported this story by reviewing, following and favouriting it. It means a lot to me, so thank you and please keep it up : )
Please remember that Pokemon is not mine, but my OC is, and I hope you enjoy this chapter : )
Pokemon! I Choose You! - Part 8
Nolan had honestly never felt quite so frightened in his entire life.
The blonde boy was forcing his legs to move with every ounce of strength his body had to offer, just to keep ahead of the murderous flock of Spearow, that was quickly closing in the distance behind him and the rest of the group. He still had Meadow clutched tightly in his arms, the whimpering little grass type cuddling against his body in fear.
At his side, a look of pure and unadulterated terror plastered all over his face, was Ash with Pikachu still in his grasp. Like Nolan, the raven haired boy was also running as fast as humanly possible, knowing that his life might very well depend on it. Pikachu looked sufficiently terrified as well, and for good reason.
The flock was closing in on them.
"Oh Nolan... I'm so sorry!" Ash suddenly wailed as the two boys kept up their impromptu sprinting session, just barely managing to stay ahead of the wild horde.
The blonde boy threw his best friend a thoroughly bewildered glance. Catching the look, Ash elaborated before the blonde boy had the chance to ask what he was talking about.
"If I hadn't have thrown that rock at the first Spearow, none of this would be happening!" Ash exclaimed mournfully.
Nolan barely resisted the urge to slap a hand against his forehead.
Whilst he knew that Ash was technically correct in what he was saying, now really wasn't the time to be assigning blame to anyone. He also didn't like the way that Ash seemed so... scared of his reaction to his apology. For a moment, Nolan had to think about why that might be...
Then the answer hit him, and Nolan suddenly felt sick.
All day he had been criticising and yelling at Ash, constantly voicing his frustrations about how the raven haired boy was messing up their first day as Pokemon trainers and the like. He knew what Ash was like, clumsy and impulsive with a knack for finding trouble, but he also had a heart of solid gold. He wasn't deliberately trying to spoil anything, and Nolan should have seen that. He should have been more understanding and sympathetic, should have realised that Ash was just having a bad day. He shouldn't have called him out on every tiny thing that didn't go quite right. Ash was far from perfect, but so was Nolan. He knew he wanted everything to be perfect, but that just wasn't feasible, so he shouldn't have taken it out on his best friend. A best friend that now seemed positively terrified that he was going to start screaming at him again. Horrible guilt bubbled up in the pit of his stomach as he thought about how harsh he had been on Ash today.
He knew that he owed his best friend an apology.
"Ash..." Nolan took a deep breath as they kept fleeing, knowing that now wasn't the right time to say everything he wanted to but that he had to say something, "This wasn't your fault. You couldn't have known that the Spearow was going to call for backup like it did. You have nothing to apologise for".
Ash looked on the verge of tears, he was so relieved to hear that Nolan wasn't cross with him for this.
He knew that he had let his best friend down badly today, but he had honestly never intended for any of this to happen. He just hoped that nobody got hurt as a result, and that they'd all make it out of this awful situation in one piece.
Despite there being a lot more that both boys wanted to say in that moment, they unfortunately never got the chance to, for at that moment Pikachu suddenly jumped out of Ash's arms and started running ahead of the two humans, his lightning-bolt shaped tail the only part of him visible in the tall grass.
They just kept running, trying desperately to ignore their nerves and panic as the furious caws and shrieks and screams of the flock rang in their ears, getting horribly closer to them. Many wild Pokemon that had made their homes in the area steered clear of the pursuit, which was lucky for Nolan and Ash, as it allowed them to get close to the local river without any obstacles in their path.
"Don't worry Pikachu!" Ash yelled over the thunderous cacophony of the flock to his partner, "No matter what, I'll save you!"
His words did very little to put Pikachu at ease.
In fact, the small yellow Pokemon had such little faith in his trainer's ability to handle this nightmarish situation, that he managed to put on an extra burst of speed and darted off ahead, leaving Ash, Nolan and Meadow in the dust.
"Don't run ahead!" Ash yelled after him, fed up with the electric type Pokemon's antics by this point, "I said I'd protect you!"
"Pikachu! Please wait!" Nolan tried but to no avail. It seemed as though his earlier rejection of the small yellow creature was still too fresh in the Pokemon's mind as he refused to hear Nolan's plea.
"Bulba!" Meadow also tried to reason with the stubborn Pokemon, but likewise, her shouts fell on deaf ears.
So caught up in his annoyance at his partner's persistent uncooperative behaviour, Ash didn't realise just how close the leaders of the flock were behind him and his friends now.
"Ow!" the raven haired boy suddenly yelped in pain.
One of the Spearow had slammed into the back of his head with its full weight behind it. The flock was upon them now, and Ash soon found himself surrounded by sharp and swiping talons. Nolan cried out as he was similarly attacked, closely guarding Meadow against his chest as the Spearow all tried to gorge at her with their lethal beaks. The blonde boy whimpered as some of the flying types drew blood, but despite the scratches to his arms, he kept on shielding his partner as best he could.
He would always protect her, no matter the cost.
Up ahead of the group was Pikachu, and he was in much the same predicament. The small electric type Pokemon was whining in pain as numerous Spearow scratched and nipped and pecked at him. He also couldn't help but feel a little flare of jealousy at how determinedly Nolan was protecting Meadow. He wondered if the boy would have protected him like that, had he accepted Pikachu into his team.
The little electric type Pokemon's musings were interrupted by the sound of his own trainer's voice ringing out.
"Leave Pikachu alone, Spearow!" Ash furiously demanded, but it was useless.
None of the aggressive wild Pokemon heeded his command, and kept on attacking his partner again and again as Ash looked on helplessly. With one final anguished cry, Pikachu fell flat on his face in the dirt, cowering and whimpering in pain and terror.
"Pikachu!" Ash screamed fearfully.
Despite all of his partner's previous bad behaviour and mocking and general disobedience, despite the betrayal and utter rejection he felt prick his heart when Pikachu had begged Nolan to be his trainer instead of him, the very last thing Ash ever wanted was for the little guy to be hurt. Or worse, mauled to death by a flock of furious wild Pokemon.
So it was with renewed strength and bravery that Ash was able to push his way through the Spearow, finally reaching the fallen electric type Pokemon's side and cradling his limp body in his arms. He then glanced over at his best friend, wincing as he saw the blonde boy getting all scratched up as he shielded his own partner.
"Nolan come on!" he yelled urgently to the other new trainer, "We can't fight them! We have to keep running!"
Unable to help but agree with his friend's assessment of the situation, Nolan grit his teeth, before he ducked his head and charged through the Spearow surrounding him, successfully making it to Ash's side with Meadow in his arms.
"Way to go!" Ash cheered his friend on. Nolan smiled at him in response, but made no verbal reply.
Instead, the two boys just took off running again.
The only problem was that they had been so focused on trying to get away that neither Ash nor Nolan had realised just how close they had gotten to the river in their desperate attempt to escape. In fact, they didn't realise it until it was much too late.
SPLASH!
Spluttering in complete and utter shock, Nolan and Ash suddenly found themselves and their Pokemon totally submerged in water. Both of the boys kicked and flailed about wildly for a moment as they struggled to breathe, wondering what on Earth had happened now, before their brains finally caught up to them and realisation set in.
In their desperation to get away from the Spearow flock, Ash and Nolan must have run straight off the cliff ledge, slid down the waterfall, before landing in the deep pool below.
Great... That was just great!
And before either of the boys had the chance to get their bearings, the new trainers' problems only worsened, if that was at all possible at this point. The river they had toppled into was flowing much too fast for them to swim to shore, its rapids too strong to free themselves from. Nolan, Ash, Meadow and Pikachu were all immediately swept away by the current.
They were utterly helpless to stop it.
It felt like an eternity as they were washed away, but in reality it was only a couple of moments before the group found themselves in relatively calmer waters. Or at least they were calm for a grand total of two seconds.
Nolan could have sworn he felt every last breath of air flee his lungs in a panic as he and his friends suddenly drifted into the path of a gigantic blue and yellow underwater Pokemon that immediately had the blonde boy trembling in horror. He recognised the creature straight away, and was right to be utterly terrified of it.
Gyarados.
He and his friends were floating underwater in front of a Gyarados. One of the most powerful but lethal water type Pokemon in the world. Notorious for their viciousness and bad tempers, Gyarados was surely more deadly than that entire flock of Spearow put together.
If that thing decided to come after them, they were screwed.
A large bubble escaped Ash's mouth when he yelped, also having spotted the huge Gyarados coming towards them. Frantic, the two boys began furiously kicking their legs, and just barely managed to escape the monstrous beast's wide gaping jaws before it could swallow them whole.
Miraculously, instead of pursuing the two terrified humans, the Gyarados just swam past them. In all honesty, it barely seemed to even register their presence, and for that Nolan could not have been more grateful. From his position floating next to the blonde boy, Ash felt his heartbeat return to a much more steady and stable rhythm.
That had been far too close for comfort.
Meanwhile, on the bank of that self same river, a young girl was quietly sitting by herself, her bright orange hair tied into a... unique ponytail, a serene smile on her pretty face as she looked out at the beautiful calm and clear water.
Her name... Misty Waterflower.
She had spent much of her day out there, doing one of the things she enjoyed more than anything else in the world. Fishing. Misty hadn't caught anything yet, but it had still been a really enjoyable day.
It had just been so utterly and wonderfully peaceful.
Little did the orange haired girl know that her peace and quiet was about to be shattered, in a way she could never have predicted in a million years. For at that moment, the float on her line bobbing about in the water was pulled beneath the surface. Gasping in surprise, Misty quickly grabbed hold of her fishing rod and pulled with all her might.
"Hey! I got a bite!" the girl cheered happily, her hours of patience finally paying off, "Oh wow! I really think this could be a big one!"
With one final almighty pull, Misty was finally able to haul her catch clean out of the water and up on to the riverbank with a resounding splash. The orange haired girl eagerly turned to see what it was that she had fished up.
Her face immediately fell in disappointment.
Lying in the dirt at her feet, spluttering madly and coughing up buckets of water, wasn't a water type Pokemon like Misty had originally been hoping for. No. Lying in the dirt at her feet, spluttering madly and coughing up buckets of water, were two human boys that looked to be about the same age as Misty.
Two human boys by the names of Ash Ketchum and Nolan Locke.
"Nah, it's just some kids" Misty sighed to herself in disappointment, her shoulders slumping in a dejected fashion, before she noticed the two exhausted Pokemon that were in their respective trainer's arms, "Oh, and Pokemon!"
With that discovery, the orange haired girl hurried over to where the two boys were sprawled in the grass in order to offer them some help. Realising that Pikachu seemed to be in much worse shape than anybody else, Misty hurried over to Ash's side first, peering down at the little yellow creature in concern.
"Oh" she cooed down at the seemingly defenceless Pokemon lying limp in the raven haired boy's arms, "Are you okay?"
Ash, not realising that Misty was speaking to Pikachu and not him, smiled up at her, appreciating the girl's kindness.
"Yeah" he nodded in confirmation, his tone grateful, "I'm okay".
The record was quickly set straight however, and Ash couldn't help but gulp nervously when Misty shot a dark and accusing scowl in his direction.
"Not you!" the orange haired girl snapped angrily, and Ash recoiled slightly in surprise, "oh, look what you've done to that poor little thing!"
Ash swallowed hard in the face of such hostility.
Nolan on the other hand narrowed his eyes in displeasure. He didn't like the way that this total stranger was basically accusing his best friend of harming his partner Pokemon. Okay, sure - Nolan had called Ash out on a lot of things today, and somehow alienating Pikachu had been one of them. He had been pretty harsh, and he intended to apologise for that when the time was right. But he hadn't accused Ash of deliberately hurting his own Pokémon. He knew Ash was far too kind-hearted to even think about doing such a terrible thing. So perhaps he was a hypocrite for calling the girl out, but he wasn't about to let it stand.
"Hey! My friend did not do this to Pikachu" he said in a voice that brooked no argument, "A flock of wild Spearow did. Pikachu only got away from them because of him, so don't you accuse him of trying to deliberately hurt his own partner, because he would never do that!"
Misty looked over at the blonde boy in surprise for a moment, and judging from the sincerity of his tone that he was being truthful, allowed her expression to soften slightly.
"I'm sorry, I thought maybe you were mistreating your Pokemon" she apologised to Ash, who nodded silently in acceptance, though he still looked rather pained by the accusation, "Is it breathing?"
Ash quickly put his own hurt aside, and hastened to check.
Nolan also came closer with Meadow to make sure that the final member of their group was breathing without any kind of difficulty. Whilst he was far from being any kind of expert, his father had taught him some basic first aid, so he was quietly confident he could revive Pikachu if necessary.
Thankfully, it didn't seem like things would come to that.
"I... I think so" Ash said after a few moments.
Misty looked relieved for a moment, but when Ash didn't move or even make to stand up, her temper quickly flared up again.
"Well don't just sit there!" the orange haired girl snapped when she saw Ash fail to take immediate action, "Your Pikachu needs a doctor right away! There's a Pokemon Centre not to far from here. You guys have got to get moving now!"
Nolan had to admit that the girl was right about that.
Pikachu, although definitely breathing without any trouble, still looked to be in terrible shape. Those Spearow had really given him a good going over, and he looked like he was in awful pain. Nolan looked down at the small electric type Pokemon in sympathy for a moment, before turning his gaze on to his own partner Pokemon. To the blonde boy's immense relief, she appeared relatively unharmed. Just a few tiny scratches, which was nothing compared to the state Pikachu was in.
It would appear that Ash also agreed with the assessment that Misty had given them, for the raven haired boy quickly clambered to his feet, being careful not to jostle Pikachu around too much.
"You mean a hospital?" he asked Misty for clarity.
"Yes" the orange haired girl nodded, her tone rather blunt, "For Pokemon".
"Um... Can you tell me..." Ash trailed off nervously, still somewhat thrown by the girl's rather unfriendly demeanour, "Which way do we need to go?"
Misty sighed and shook her head tiredly, but pointed a finger off into the woods. Nolan quickly realised that she was indicating in the direction of Viridian City and grinned. He had always loved it on the rare occasions that his father took him to the city. He couldn't wait to go back there now that he was a real Pokemon trainer.
"That way" Misty told Ash sternly, who nodded his understanding.
"Thanks" he offered the orange haired girl a timid smile, appreciating her help despite her frosty manner.
Before any more words could be exchanged however, the air was suddenly alive with the awfully familiar sound of screeching and rustling feathers. Nolan felt his blood turn to ice in his veins, whilst his face paled to a ghastly shade of white. At his side, Ash was much the same, shivering with dread.
Both trembling, and praying to every legendary Pokemon that they'd ever heard of that they weren't about to see what they so feared they would, Ash and Nolan exchanged a horrified glance, before turning in the direction that the awful shrieks were originating from.
Their hearts both sank in perfect unison.
Filling the sky and closing in on them from the horizon was the Spearow flock; still furious, still hunting them down with a vengeance, still out for blood.
Nolan couldn't help but close his eyes in utter despair, trying to resist the urge to simply start crying out of sheer mental exhaustion.
Was this nightmare ever going to end?!
"They're coming back!" Ash screamed, once again feeling utterly terrified as the flock shot across the sky towards them, closing in at unbelievable speed, "Run!"
Nolan didn't need telling twice.
Pushing his legs so hard that his muscles were burning and screaming in protest, the blonde boy set off sprinting as fast as humanly possible. It wasn't easy, considering that his clothes were still completely waterlogged from his unexpected dip in the river, but he was able to make decent progress, stumbling up the riverbank towards the forest.
"Bulba" Meadow gently urged him on from her spot in Nolan's arms.
The little grass type felt bad that he was having to carry her at a time like this, but knew that it was their fastest way of getting away. Her little legs would only slow them down. Still, she was ready to attack at a moment's notice if need be. Meadow would keep her human safe no matter what.
Ash was about to follow after his best friend, when he noticed that his partner's condition seemed to be deteriorating much more rapidly than before. Pikachu barely even had the energy to hold up his own head anymore, and he seemed to be getting weaker with every passing second. Ash bit his lip anxiously in concern. He had to get Pikachu to the Pokemon Centre as soon as possible, and the raven haired boy had a sinking feeling that trying to get him there on foot wouldn't get him there in time.
Frantically looking around for not only a way to escape the Spearow but to also speed up the journey to the Pokemon Centre, Ash quickly caught sight of a shiny red bicycle, obviously the girl's, lying in the grass not too far from him. The raven haired boy darted over it before he had the chance to second-guess himself. Lifting the bicycle up until it was standing, Ash gently placed Pikachu in the small basket at the front, before he climbed on to the seat.
Unimpressed, Misty ran over, glowering at him in anger.
"Hey! What are you doing?!" she demanded to know, shocked and furious at this stranger touching her property.
Ash barely even spared her a glance as he positioned his feet on the pedals.
"I'm borrowing this" he told her bluntly.
Then the raven haired boy was off and away, pedalling the bike with every ounce of strength his legs possessed.
"But..." Misty could only stare after him, slack jawed, "Hey! That's my bike!"
Ash felt a pang of guilt and remorse prick his heart at her words. He knew that to the girl, he had for all intent and purposes just stolen her bicycle. Still, looking down sadly at the prone form of Pikachu in the basket, Ash couldn't bring himself to regret his actions. Even if the electric type Pokemon still hated his guts, Ash would do anything if it meant saving his partner.
"I'll give it back someday!" Ash promised with a yell over his shoulder to the girl glaring after him.
He didn't hear if she made a response as he zipped up the riverbank, quickly reaching the point that Nolan had reached on foot. When he went flying past, Ash caught the surprised expression on his best friend's face.
"Ash, what are you doing?!" Nolan called after him in utter disbelief.
He had an idea of just how Ash could have obtained that bicycle, and he most certainly did not approve. Stealing was wrong, no matter the reason behind it.
"I'm really sorry Nolan" Ash swallowed hard, feeling awful but knowing that in order to get Pikachu the help he so clearly needed quickly, he was going to have to go on without his best friend for now, "But Pikachu's getting worse - I have to get him to the Pokemon Centre as soon as possible. I'm so sorry!"
For one fleeting moment, Nolan really wanted to be annoyed and hurt that his best friend was willing to desert him in such a crisis.
Then the blonde boy looked down at his own partner, and his heart immediately softened. He knew that if the situation was reversed, he would do the exact same thing if it meant saving Meadow. He couldn't fault Ash for prioritising Pikachu when the little guy's life might be on the line. So shoving aside any feelings of hurt or resentment, Nolan offered his best friend a supportive smile.
"It's okay Ash, I get it" he assured the other boy, who smiled in relief, "Go! Get Pikachu the help he needs! Me and Meadow will be fine, and we'll catch up to you as soon as we can!"
Ash couldn't help but grin, his eyes sparkling with unshed tears, so glad that his best friend understood and wasn't hurt by his actions.
"You're the best Nolan" Ash beamed at the blonde boy, who despite the horrible situation that they were in, couldn't help but smile back, "I'll wait for you at the Pokemon Centre, I promise!"
And without another word, the raven haired boy took off pedalling as fast as he could, quickly disappearing into the Pallet Woods.
"Hey!" an infuriated voice screamed from behind Nolan, "Get back here with my bike!"
Turning around, the blonde boy swallowed nervously as he saw Misty stomping up the riverbank, glaring in the direction Ash had just vanished in. Seething, she immediately rounded on Nolan, who gulped and took a step back from her.
"I can't believe this!" Misty started yelling, outrage lining every syllable, "He took my bike! Your friend just stole my bike!"
Nolan just stared at her, unsure how to respond.
"Well!" the girl snapped after a few moments of silence, "What are you going to do about it?!"
Somewhat taken aback by the rude demand, it wasn't long before Nolan felt his own temper beginning to flare up. He quickly reined it in though, knowing that with how fast the flock was closing in on them, he didn't have the time to waste getting into an argument with this stranger.
"I'm sorry... I know that my friend took your bike without permission, but it was only to save his Pikachu" Nolan urgently tried to defend his best friend's actions, "He isn't a thief, and I'm sure he'll take good care of your bike. I'm just sorry you got dragged into this mess!"
His words did little to soothe the girl's brewing temper.
She opened her mouth, no doubt to fire off some kind of incensed retort, but unfortunately for Misty, she never got the chance to say anything.
For at that exact moment, the Spearow flock was upon them.
Nolan shrieked in horror, shielding his head and curling his body protectively around Meadow, who was whimpering in terror. Misty also cried out in alarm, but by some sort of divine intervention, the flock just harmlessly soared over their heads. The wild flying types didn't seem to even notice them as they stormed across the sky over the Pallet Woods. Nolan was confused for a moment, but groaned when he realised why they had been ignored.
It would appear that Ash and Pikachu were the flock's sole targets now.
Well, wasn't that just perfect?!
Worry and concern for his friends flooding his entire body, Nolan turned back to Misty with a deeply apologetic expression on his face. He really did feel bad about what he was about to say to her, but he couldn't see that he had any other choice.
"I'm really sorry but I've gotta go!" he told her urgently, not surprised in the least when the girl's expression became one of incredulous anger, "I've gotta go help my friend and make sure he's alright!"
He began running again, much to Misty's indignation.
"Hey!" she cried in frustration, "Wait a minute!"
"I can't, I'm sorry!" he called back over his shoulder, genuinely feeling bad but not enough to stop him from going after Ash, who he knew would need his help dealing with the flock, "I'll tell my friend to leave your bike at the Pokemon Centre so you can pick it up later! I'm really sorry you got caught up in all this! Bye!"
And without so much as another word or a backwards glance, Nolan charged into the forest in the direction that the flock had gone in.
He needed to get to Ash. He had to make sure that his friend was okay. That had to be his number one priority right now. So with that thought spurring him on, Nolan picked up the pace, quickly disappearing into the Pallet Woods.
And Misty Waterflower could do nothing but gape after him in sheer astonishment.
Ash's legs felt like they were about to drop off, he was pushing himself so hard to pedal faster. The forest was passing him by in a flash, as he carefully weaved the bicycle in and out of the trees. Only one singular thought was burning through his mind, spurring him on to keep going at the breakneck pace he had achieved.
Get Pikachu to the Pokemon Centre.
That was the only thing that mattered right now.
And speaking of Pikachu, the little electric type Pokemon was finally opening his eyes as consciousness returned to him. The small yellow creature felt awful, like every piece of his body was breaking. After his vision swam for a couple of moments, it eventually cleared, and Pikachu found himself looking up at Ash, who had a look of intense concentration on his face. Pikachu was so tired, and ached so badly, that he didn't even have the energy to scowl up at the raven haired boy.
Suddenly, the sky overhead began to darken, and for a split second, Ash feared that the Spearow flock had already caught up with them. But then the young trainer heard the ominous sound of thunder, and he quickly realised that a storm was moving in.
Ash barely managed to hold back a groan.
Of course, after everything else that had gone wrong so far that day, of course it had to start raining. Gritting his teeth in sheer frustration, Ash pressed on, ignoring the first few raindrops that fell against his face.
"Pikachu..." there came a soft whimper from the basket.
Glancing down, Ash finally noticed that Pikachu was awake again. He couldn't help the relieved smile that lit up his entire face. If Pikachu was awake, then that meant he still had time, that he could still get him to the Pokemon Centre before it was too late.
"Just hang on now, Pikachu!" Ash gently reassured the small yellow creature lying in the basket, "We're almost there!"
Pikachu was stunned.
The electric type Pokemon suddenly found himself looking at Ash in a new light. Here was a boy he had quickly dismissed as an idiot. A clumsy useless moron that he didn't want as his trainer, and had been desperate to get away from. He had even begged that Nolan kid to take him in instead, judging the blonde boy as the lesser of two evils. He had jumped to the conclusion that Ash would be too unreliable to take proper care of him.
And yet here they were.
Pikachu was in dire need of medical help, and despite all the upset and hurt he had tried to inflict on the human he felt trapped by, Ash was still trying his hardest to make sure he got it. All sorts of difficult emotions bubbled up in the pit of Pikachu's stomach, but he knew exactly what the strongest of them all was. Remorse.
For the first time since that day began, Pikachu found himself glad to be in the company of Ash Ketchum. Before the small electric type Pokemon had the opportunity to act upon the abrupt change of heart he was experiencing however, the inevitable finally happened.
As a fork of lightning flashed across the sky, the flock of Spearow finally caught up with them.
They immediately began pecking at Ash's arms and head, but the raven haired boy stubbornly pressed on, desperately trying to get Pikachu to safety. It wasn't long though until their assault on the boy became too much, and the bicycle wobbled before toppling over. With a pair of matching groans, Ash and Pikachu were flung to the ground. His body almost numb with pain, Ash weakly raised his head.
What he saw threatened to split his heart clean in two.
Lying on the dirt just in front of him was Pikachu. The small yellow creature was so weak now that he couldn't even move. He seemed so small, so defenceless, as he stared back at Ash with wide, terrified eyes.
"Pikachu!" the new trainer cried, any earlier frustrations with his unruly partner instantly vanishing upon seeing him in such an awful state.
With the very last of his strength, Ash crawled on his hands and knees to where his prone partner had fallen, tentatively reaching out a hand and gently petting his head once he reached him. To his slight surprise but happy relief, Pikachu didn't seem to mind his touch this time around.
And that's when it clicked.
The hug, when they had first met. That was why Pikachu didn't trust him. It was also why he had jumped out of Ash's arms before they fell in the river. Pikachu didn't like strangers touching him! And looking back on their initial meeting, Ash could understand why. It must have been very frightening for the little guy, to have a complete stranger suddenly pick you up and hug you. Ash certainly wouldn't like it if some random person did that to him, so why should Pikachu? He felt like such an idiot now, but now really wasn't the time to focus on that. He just hoped that they'd both make it out of this nightmare intact.
He owed Pikachu a rather large apology after all.
"Chu..." Pikachu whined softly in fear, finally seeking some kind of comfort from Ash for the very first time ever.
"This can't happen... Just... Just hold on Pikachu! " Ash pleaded desperately.
There was another boom of thunder that made both human and Pokemon jump, before the air was suddenly alive with the sounds of a hundred screaming Spearow again. Ash closed his eyes in despair.
They were never going to stop.
Not until they had their revenge. Maybe the only way to ensure Pikachu's safety, as well as the safety of Nolan and Meadow when they inevitably caught up, was to let the Spearow have it. Trying to summon up the nerve to go through with what was quite frankly a suicidal plan, Ash knew what had to be done. Taking a deep breath, he plucked Pikachu's pokeball off his belt.
"Pikachu, get inside" he gently requested.
And again, Pikachu was rendered speechless. It didn't take a genius to work out what Ash was intending to do after all. The small electric type Pokemon could scarcely believe that Ash was willing to sacrifice himself for him, but the evidence was right in front of him. Even after the horrible way he had treated the boy, Ash really was willing to do anything for him.
Pikachu's eyes sparkled with unshed tears.
He really had misjudged the boy something rotten, but at least there was one silver lining. There was still time to put things right. And so the small yellow Pokemon shook his head, but this time it wasn't out of misplaced disobedience.
It was because after his latest revelation, Pikachu simply couldn't let Ash face this alone.
"I know you're afraid of going in there, but if you're inside maybe I can save you" Ash pleaded desperately, misinterpreting the reason why Pikachu was refusing to obey, "Please Pikachu... Please listen to me and go inside. After that then... After that... Just trust me!
And finally, Pikachu did.
He trusted Ash.
But that was why he just couldn't do it. Not after Ash had finally managed to earn his respect, his trust and even his acceptance. No. Pikachu couldn't just abandon him to save himself after having such a drastic change of heart.
He shook his head, and Ash's face fell.
The boy knew that he didn't have time to argue with his stubborn partner however, that the Spearow weren't going to be that gracious, so he placed the pokeball on the ground besides Pikachu, and prayed that the little guy would soon see reason.
With a bravery he really didn't feel but was willing to fake for his partner's sake, Ash then turned away from Pikachu to what was sure to be his certain doom. He trembled but spread his arms wide, offering himself up to the merciless Spearow that filled the air before him.
"Spearow, do you know who I am?!" Ash yelled at the flock, surprised at how confident his voice sounded when in reality he was actually scared witless, horribly aware that there was a very strong possibility that he might not get out of this alive, that he might never see his mother or his best friend ever again. He prayed that they'd forgive him for what he was about to do, "I'm Ash Ketchum, from the town of Pallet! I'm destined to be the world's number one Pokemon Master! I can't be defeated by the likes of you!"
His choice of words had the desired effect.
The Spearow, if possible, all began screaming and shrieking even louder, their outrage building at what they perceived to be taunts. It was exactly what Ash was hoping for however. Maybe if he got them angry enough at him, they'd leave Pikachu alone and just attack him. Nolan would probably tell him it was a crazy idea, but Nolan wasn't here right now. A small selfish part of him couldn't help but regret that.
He would have liked the opportunity to say a proper goodbye...
Ash was so caught up in the emotion of the moment and all the regrets he was currently carrying with him, that he didn't notice what was going on behind him. Pikachu, genuinely touched by the boy's heartbreakingly brave actions, managed to drag himself to his feet.
"I'm going to defeat and capture every last one of you!" Ash continued to taunt, "You hear me?!"
Without taking his eyes of the furious horde of Spearow all darting about, Ash began addressing Pikachu again, knowing that it might very well be the last he ever spoke to the partner that finally knew he had so harshly misjudged him.
"Pikachu, go inside the pokeball" Ash urged, but didn't turn to check if the little electric type had obeyed him this time, "It's the only way!"
A fork of lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating every single one of the Spearow glaring down at him. Ash took a deep breath to steady himself, trying his hardest to be brave when he was terrified that this would be the end, that his story was over before it had a chance to be told. Still, he kept his nerve, and remained protectively in front of Pikachu as the flock finally descended.
"Come and get me!" he screamed.
'I'm sorry Nolan!'
Those words repeatedly echoed through Ash's mind.
Sorry that he had ruined such a special day for them. Sorry that he had let his friend down time and time again. Sorry that he wouldn't get the chance to put it all right. But most of all - sorry that he wouldn't be around to go on the journey they'd dreamed of going on together.
Clenching his fists, Ash tensed up, his stomach in knots as he waited for the end to be upon him. The Spearow were all closing in on him, their talons prepared to rip the young boy to shreds, and then...
And then, Pikachu could stand it no more.
The little electric type Pokemon knew that he had been wrong about Ash, and now it was time to prove it, to prove that he genuinely appreciated Ash's best efforts to save him over himself. Ash had shown that he would be loyal. It was Pikachu's turn to do the same.
And so it was with the very last of his strength did Pikachu spring into action.
In a stunning turn of events, Pikachu leapt up, bouncing off Ash's shoulder and facing the flock head on, ready to return the favour and protect the boy at all costs. And with what seemed to be divine intervention, a lightning bolt rained down and struck the small yellow Pokemon. Instead of harming the creature however, the burst of energy only served to make his own attack more powerful. With a bright golden light, Pikachu began to glow.
"PIKACHU!"
The Pokemon's scream could be heard from miles around as Pikachu unleashed every last bit of the electricity built up in his body. The resulting burst of energy was so massive and intense that it engulfed every last one of the Spearow, and illuminated the forest as far as the eye could see.
Stunned, Ash was flung backwards by the sheer force of the attack.
He groaned as he landed roughly on the ground, and was forced to shield his eyes as the light was so bright it practically blinded him. When it finally died down, the raven haired boy timidly removed his hands from his eyes, and tried to take in the sight that greeted him.
It certainly wasn't what he had expected.
The rain had stopped. That was the first thing he noticed. The second was that every last one of the Spearow was gone. Whether they had fled, being forced away, or outright destroyed by the sheer force of the blast, Ash had no clue. And right now, he honestly couldn't care less. The sole focus of his attention right now was Pikachu, who was slumped on the ground next to him, barely even conscious at this point.
Ash smiled.
It was finally over.
"Well... We beat them..." Ash managed to groan out, scarcely able to believe that they had actually both survived.
Pikachu gave him a tentative smile, before he reached out with his tiny paw towards Ash's hand. Grinning, Ash returned the gesture, and their fingers met. And that was the moment that Ash knew, and almost teared up out of sheer happiness. Things between him and his partner were going to be alright from now on.
Nolan would be so proud of him.
And speaking of the blonde haired boy...
"ASH!" a frantic scream echoed through the forest, bringing a smile to both Ash's and Pikachu's lips, "PIKACHU!"
Barely having enough energy to raise his head, Ash couldn't help the gigantic grin that lit up his entire face at the sight of his best friend running towards him with Meadow in his arms. Ash tried to call back to him, to reassure him that they were okay, but he just didn't have the strength. That was okay though. Nolan was by his side in seconds.
His blue eyes brimming with terrified tears, Nolan crashed to his knees beside Ash, placing Meadow on the ground next to him before pulling his raven haired friend into his arms.
"Ash!" he managed to choke out through his falling tears as he hugged Ash tightly, so afraid for his friend right now that nothing else mattered to him at all, "You're going to be alright! I'm here, I've got you now!"
"Nolan..." Ash breathed, a tiny smile still on his face.
"I saw everything from a distance, but I was too far away to help!" Nolan babbled, almost hysterical at the sight of his best friend and his partner in such a terrible state, "But I can help now! I'm gonna get you guys to the city, okay?! I'll get you help! Just hang on!"
And Ash just finally let himself relax, taking unimaginable comfort in having his best friend by his side once more. He opened his mouth to reply, but before Ash had the chance to speak, something strange happened.
The air over the forest seemed to ripple and quiver, before an unearthly sound echoed across the sky, almost like a melody or song.
Utterly bewildered, and wondering if he was becoming delirious, Ash glanced upwards, and that was when he saw it. Nolan noticed his best friend's action, and followed his gaze. A gasp of pure and unadulterated awe slipped the blonde boy's lips.
"Pika..."
"Bulba..."
Both of their partners were gazing up at the sky in sheer disbelief as well.
All four of them were struggling to take the sight in properly, their minds all reeling in shock at what they were witnessing. Seeming like it was filling the entire sky was a massive Pokemon unlike anything they had ever seen before.
The god-like creature took on the form of a giant bird that easily would have stood at thirty feet tall had it been on the ground. Its breath-taking wings were a mixture of royal crimson, dazzling white, and emerald green - the majestic colours easily distinguishable even from such a vast distance. A brilliant crest of the purest gold adorned the creature's head, and its shimmering eyes burned with the power of a thousand suns. The being was surrounded by a haze of astonishing light that shone with every colour of the rainbow, so bright it was almost blinding.
It was... stunning.
"What... What is that?" an awestruck Nolan just barely managed to stammer out.
"No... idea" Ash breathed back, so stunned by the indescribable beauty of the creature in the sky that he was struggling to speak, "Po... Pokedex".
Catching just that last word, his friend's prompt managed to get Nolan's frazzled brain to work again. Enough to pull his pokedex out of his back pocket and point it towards the gigantic creature in the sky at least.
"There is no data" Dexi reported, and Nolan's bright blue eyes widened in stunned disbelief, "This Pokemon is not registered in the Kantonian Pokedex".
Nolan could scarcely believe it.
The blonde boy knew that those words meant only one of two things. Either that gorgeous Pokemon had come here from somewhere else, or it had never even been sighted before. A huge grin of pure and unadulterated excitement graced the young boy's face.
Could he and Ash really have just seen an undiscovered Pokemon?!
Keeping his thoughts to himself for the moment however, Nolan just silently watched the glowing marvel of nature soar across the sky and over a rainbow, his friends all doing the same. When it finally vanished out of sight, the small group of travellers couldn't help but wonder what else was out there waiting for them. Only one thing was for certain.
They couldn't wait to find out.
And there we are : )
I cannot tell you how glad I am to be done with this episode now. I'm not even overly thrilled with how this chapter turned out. I dunno... it just feels a little rushed in parts, but there was no way I was splitting this up into two separate chapters! I just wanted to have done with it, so you guys got a slightly longer chapter than normal as a result ; )
On a different note - there's something that was left in a review I'd like to address. I want to thank Danny Jones II for pointing out a mistake I'd made in chapter one. In the battle with Gengar and Nidorino, I wrote that Gengar got hit by Nidorino's Horn Attack - which of course wouldn't work on a ghost type Pokemon. To be fair, that same mistake is in the actual anime episode, but I really should have realised. I've gone back and altered that scene a little bit to correct the mistake, but thank you Danny Jones II for pointing that out to me : )
Anyway, let's move on to the next topic - another new vote : )
Now originally, I was going to hold this back until I got the story parallel with the game again, which would mean writing at least up to the episode 'Clefairy and the Moon Stone' - right before I was about to face Misty in the game.
Then I changed my mind : )
I decided that I at least wanted my full first team of six Pokemon decided by the end of episode one to allow me to plan ahead, so I've brought it forwards by defeating Misty in the game to allow me to progress to new areas. That's right everyone, it's another new encounter vote : D
Pokemon Options -
Route 5: - Meowth - Male - Bold Nature - Pickup Ability
Route 9: - Rattata - Male - Rash Nature - Run Away Ability
Route 10: - Voltorb - Genderless - Relaxed Nature - Static Ability
Now I'm sure some of you are wondering why there's a Rattata here when I'm playing with the duplicates clause and that Pokemon has already been rejected by you guys. Well, Route 9 offered no new encounters, and I wasn't about to just skip it, so for areas like this, I'll just be catching the first thing I find and it can have a shot at redemption : )
Anyway, I know it's really down to you guys in the end, but there is one of these Pokemon I'm really hoping wins, and one I'm praying I don't get : ) I won't say which though ; )
Finally, thank you so much for reading, and even if you don't want to vote on the Pokemon, please consider leaving a review since I love getting feedback. I hope you enjoyed this chapter.
Until the next time, keep on reading : )