Disclaimer: Pokemon and co. doesn't belong to me . . . . blah blah blah . . . Author's Notes: Well, what can I say? There isn't much to tell. At first I wrote Guardian Angel as a one shot, but after a few days of thinking about it I decided to take the next step and write this as a series. My fic Forever is currently on hold, suggestions for that one would be Greatly appreciated! Enjoy! Ketchum: The Journey Continues The Warrior of Air Chapter 22 Our trip to Saffron had been strange to say the least. After all our pokemon had been healed we'd all rushed back to the Gym for an explanation. But it was closed. On our way out of Saffron I had to convince Inferno that it was all right about his jacket, that I didn't blame him. But still he remained in a sort of . . . dazed mood as I recalled him and threw on my rain coat so the coming storm wouldn't soak me to the bone. It was to late for Musashi though. A passing truck had gone through a rain puddle and soaked her. Now I had a Machop on my hands. Meowth and Clefairy were in their pokeballs so they wouldn't get a cold. "Taiki! We have to set up camp!" I shouted to him over the howling wind. He nodded and we ducked into the clearing up ahead. Musashi had been shivering so badly I had to carry her. Once my tent was set up I carried her, her pack and clothes into it. There was no way to build a fire, therefore no way to change her back. Unless . . . I sighed and pulled the kettle from my bag and set it outside so it would collect the rain. Then I splashed myself with my canteen. Taiki was probably already snoring away in his tent, so he wouldn't be much help. The kettle had just enough water to change the two of us back so while Musashi was still a Machop I put her in a dry shirt and pants so that she'd be dressed when she changed back. With a light Flamethrower I heated the water and carefully poured it on her. Then I zipped up the sleeping bag and put on my boxers before changing back. Thump. I looked at the wall of my tent, something had hit it. Hurriedly I put on my clothes and raincoat before going out to see what it was. "Geeeyyyy . . ." I picked up the drenched Pidgey carefully and brought it in with me. Poor little bugger was soaked. I couldn't help but wonder what it was doing out in this weather. It began sneezing while I was drying it off. Oh great, I'm a trainer not a doctor! I supposed if I could keep it warm it would be okay by the time the storm passed, so I wrapped the two of us in a blanket and sat down with my back to Musashi. Pulling out Pigeotto's poke-kibble I began to feed it slowly, hopefully the extra vitamins in it would stave off it's coming cold. I released Musashi's Lupis. "Lupis, keep Musashi warm and tell me if she get's sick. Ok?" "Lup!" She curled in a ball with her head on Musashi's stomach. I turned back to the Pidgey, it was asleep. Not a bad idea . . . I yawned as my chin fell to my chest and drifted off. ~~~~~~Musashi's POV~~~~~~ I shifted, where was I? And what was this weight on my stomach? Last thing I remember is Satoshi carrying me . . . Hold it, this wasn't my tent . . . Lupis jolted awake and began licking my face, how long was I out? And how'd I get human again? It was still pouring, no condition to build a fire. "What's going on Lupis?" (Satoshi told me to keep you warm and to tell him if you got sick.) I blinked and looked in the far corner of Satoshi's tent, there he was. All hunched in the corner wrapped in a blanket. "Satoshi?" "Pidgeeeyy." I blinked and watched as a Pidgey climbed from the blanket and made it's way over to Pidgeotto's pokemon chow. Satoshi didn't move or object, he was asleep. (I think he found the Pidgey outside and brought it in to take care of it.) Lupis supplied helpfully. What had it been doing in the storm in the first place? While it was eating I walked over to Satoshi to check on him. Yup, definitely asleep. Had he taken care of me? I shrugged and unrolled his sleeping bag before carefully moving him into it. I swear he gives new meaning to sleeping like a log! But as soon as he was in it he began to squirm. I could see his eyes moving rapidly behind his eyelids. Wow, it must be a doozy of a nightmare. "Wake up Satoshi, wake up!" I began to shake him. He stilled and slowly opened his eyes. Naturally the first word from his mouth was . . . "Inferno?" "No, it's me, Musashi. You were having a nightmare." He sat up and looked at me, blinking the last traces of sleep from his eyes. "Musashi? How are you feeling?" "I'm fine. Where's Taiki?" "Knowing him he's probably still sleeping in his tent." He looked in the direction of Pidgey. "Good, it's eating on it's own." He picked up his canteen and poured some water in a bowl for Pidgey. It chirped happily before going to get a drink. We stayed awake and talked for awhile, at least till the end of the storm. Pidgey was huddled in Satoshi's lap, I had recalled Lupis since it had been getting a little crowded. "Hey . . . I think the storm's over." Satoshi said as he stuck his head outside. He was dry when he pulled it back in. "Okay Pidgey, you can go back to where ever you came from." "Pidgey!" It chirped as it hopped outside and took flight. Satoshi blinked and looked at me. "Do you know what time it is?" We both looked at our watches. It was one am. "That's it, I'm going back to sleep." He crawled back into his tent and let out Inferno. He had at one point exchanged his first tent for one that was large enough to hold both him and Inferno. I set up my own tent and crawled inside, intent on getting my beauty sleep. ~~~~~~Inferno's POV~~~~~~ He was already half asleep when he let me out of my pokeball. I curled up beside him as he threw his arm over my neck and started to snore softly. I'm sure he would fill me in on what happened in the morning. I yawned widely and settled into a deep sleep. ~~~~~~Satoshi's POV~~~~~~ Mmmm . . . Musashi must be cooking. I'm assuming this because it doesn't smell like anything's burning. Speaking of burning, where's Inferno? Ah, knowing him he's probably eating and feeding the others so I could sleep in. He's such a great friend. I yawned and stepped outside only to be greeted with an unusual sight. Inferno was talking quietly with a Pidgeot that wasn't Musashi's or Taiki's. I blinked and looked again, only to get a face full of feathers. "Piiiidggeeeeyy!" "Hello there, what are you doing back here?" "Geygey pidgey pidg pidg gey!" (Mama wanted to meet you!) "Mama?" I blinked and looked at the Pidgeot approaching me. (So you are the one the other Warriors are so excited about . . .) "Huh?" I asked blankly. "Are you a Warrior too?" She nodded. (I am the Warrior of Air.) "Cool." I stroked Pidgey's head gently. "Soo . . . why are you here? I mean, you gotta have other important stuff to do." (Wow! It's the Warrior of Air Pidgeot!) Fearow grinned as she, Musashi's Pidgeot, and Pidgeotto came up behind me. The Warrior of Air studied the three birds briefly. (You must take very good care of Fearow and Pidgeotto. Their feathers hold the sheen of health.) She nodded approvingly. I shrugged. "I just feed 'em and make sure they get enough exercise." She blinked and gave me a look that seemed to ask 'you're kidding, right?'. "What?" I ask. She shakes her head and seems to chuckle inwardly. Pidgeotto offers her some of his food. She accepts it graciously and takes a bite of the kibble . . . Then her face lights up like a christmas tree. Wow! She likes my food! (I have come to thank you for saving the life of my daughter.) "It was no problem." "Satoshi! Breakfast!" Taiki shouts. As if on cue my stomach rumbles, loudly. I colour slightly in embarrassment. (You must go eat. And I must return to my nest. I hope to meet you again Hatchling.) She nods her head and flies off, Pidgey is right behind her. I could almost see the smile on her face when she said that. As I'm eating, I think about the Fushia Gym. According to mom she and dad had found it totally by accident. I can only hope we're that lucky. "Hey Satoshi, you're awful quiet this morning. What's up?" "Nothing Musashi, I'm just thinking how on earth were going to find Fushia Gym." She blinked. "Oh yeah . . ." Inferno snorted something under his breath, I shot him a look. ~~~~~~Musashi's POV~~~~~~ I sighed, what was Inferno holding against me now? That look Satoshi shot him obviously meant that whatever he'd said wasn't all that nice. Meowth gave me a look that promised he'd talk to him later. I gave him a grateful smile. "Meowth knows where da Gym is. I t'ink we tried ta get da rat dere at one point." "Really Meowth? Cool." Taiki grinned. I could get to like him. But the conversation Ivysaur and I had was still swirling around in my head. How did she put it? Oh yeah, basically she said that Taiki was still immature. I agree with that. He is. However I hadn't stuck around long enough to hear her opinion of Satoshi. Perhaps I should. In my tent later that night I called out Ivysaur. All the others were asleep. (Yes?) "Ivysaur, remember what we were talking about before we got to Lavender? I'd like to continue that conversation." She nodded. (Taiki is immature, yet strong. Satoshi has a heart that could fit all the pokemon in the world in with plenty of room to spare. That's an excellent quality. Granted he's not all that mature yet he is progressing.) You know, behind her rather slow exterior is a very keen mind. "You think Satoshi would be good for me?" (Yes. It is always better to find them early and begin to train them to be a proper mate. Satoshi is most promising of the males I have seen so far. The question is though, do you like him?) "You know Ivysaur, I think I do." She smiled. ~~~~~~Inferno's POV~~~~~~ "Hey fire bug, we gotta talk." *About what Meowth?* "Musashi, what's yer beef with her dis time?" I blinked and looked at him. *I'm not holding anything against her.* "Den what was dat remark at breakfast all about?" Oh yes, now I know what he's talking about. *Look, I don't like the idea of it.* "Of what?" *Of Musashi and Satoshi together!* "What?!" *They're getting too close. I don't like that. Friends are okay but anything beyond that . . . nuh uh.* "Meeooowwth . . . dat ain't really yer decision ya know . . ." I glared at him, fully expecting him to back down. He didn't. Instead he just turned around and went to Musashi's tent to sleep. I slipped into Satoshi's tent, what Meowth had said was still swirling in my mind.