Hi!

 

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics; I only own this story and my own ideas

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics in case a pokemon talks.

Timeline: 3 weeks

Ash – Red

Gary – Blue

 

Chapter 2: Route-hopping – VS Psyduck

 

            Ash became aware of something wet trickling down his hair and pooling in the back of his t-shirt.

            It was not a nice feeling.

            His mind kicked in instantly, as he jumped away from the laughing Psyduck, as Raichu shot out from behind him and took a fighting stance.

            The psyduck waved its arms, sending him flying against the cave wall, but only for the barest of seconds, before Raichu’s Thunder was charged and took its toll.

            Satisfied, Red brushed the dirt off his clothes, gave Raichu a hug, and then tossed a poke ball at the Psyduck.

            Another capture, and another step closer to completing the pokédex, Oak always said.

            Well, Ash wasn’t doing too badly; he had around thirty pokemon before he left on his journey, so now he was nearing sixty.

            The only reason he and Gary had been allowed to keep their captures underage had been their two-year internships at the Viridian Pokemon Center.

            Nurse Joy’s signature had opened a variety of doors, and her recommendation had cleared his name with Oak.

            Trainers weren’t official until age sixteen normally, but again, rules had been bent. It also helped that Gary was Oak’s grandson.

           

            He walked on.

            About a half-mile deeper into the cave, he found the way blocked by a giant boulder.

            “Well, isn’t this something,” Red remarked sarcastically. “None of my pokemon knows Strength yet, so we’ll have to break it.”

            He lowered his voice as Kadabra materialized next to him silently. It was a good thing pokédexes could do exchanges in an instant, especially since the pokédex was wired to his house, where all his pokemon lived.

            “Kadabra, when I give the signal, teleport that rock away.”

            Kadabra held the rock in place with his psychic power, ready for the signal.

            “Raichu, Thunder!”

 

            As what sounded like laughter drifted from the other side, the rock vanished, and Raichu’s thunder as well as Kadabra’s Psychic attack slammed into the people on the other side.

            Two rockets fell over, having taken the full blast, while the eight or so others behind them were in various stages of injury.

            “Damn! We need backup!”

            Rattatas and Zubats swarmed out, but Raichu and Kadabra were doing a good job of picking them off.

            “I’m the best.” Ash boasted, as he dodged a few Supersonic attacks himself.

            “Shut up, kid!”

            Ash smirked cockily, then frowned as one of his poke balls burst open and Star emerged, spitting fury.

            She shifted into Jolteon, helping with the fry-up.

 

            Eleven charred rockets tied up vine whips later…

            “So,” Red said conversationally. “What were you doing in mount moon?”
            “I’ll never tell!”

            “Good point.” The trainer replied blithely. “They never do.” Followed by Star, Venus, Kadabra, and Raichu, he dislodged another giant rock, trapping them there.

            Kadabra dropped a few more rocks every mile, until they reached the exit three miles away.

            Fresh air again!

            Yes! Sunlight! Pretty sunlight! Venus basked in the sun as befitted a plant.

            Kadabra smiled at his teammate’s antics, while Red groomed Raichu’s mussed fur.

            Raichu purred, glad to be at the center of attention.

            It wasn’t as if Red just let his pokemon rot in the PC, but she liked being active. He knew that, and gave his pokemon partial free rein at home.

            As long as they came when he called.

            Star bumped against his leg. Me next!

            “Of course. Are you all right, Star?”

            Yes. I only did Jolteon, not all three.

            “Good, because I have some Advil and Ibuprofen in my backpack.”

            I’m a little tired though. Star yawned, as Raichu finished her brushing and climbed off.

 

            Star jumped onto Ash’s lap, wagging her tail happily as Ash gave her a hug. Then, she accepted a nice, long grooming session.

            Her silky fur was ever silkier by the time it was over.

            The sun is setting. Venus said mournfully.

            Red nodded, he had been observing the lengthening play of shadows as time progressed.

            “Well, looks like we’re camping out tonight.”

 

            Setting up his tent and then building a fire, Red heated pokemon food for his group and some macaroni and cheese for himself.

            Around the fire, the group huddled.

            It wasn’t very cold out in the wild yet, but when winter came, he did not want to be camping then.

 

            No, it was better to wait.

            Jigglypuff kept watch over the assembled group that night after she had put Ash and the other pokemon to bed with a soothing lullaby.

            She was glad that master appreciated her.

            Most people couldn’t stay awake through her song, but he could if he tried, for at least an hour. Most battles didn’t last that long anyway.

            He had not immediately rejected her as being weak; it wasn’t her fault, as she couldn’t pick her genetics.

            Besides, her father had gifted on her some real attacking moves. She always tested prospective trainers with her song first though.

            It had worked, and she had chosen him.

 

End Chapter

I’m going to see if I can write in a bit of a pokemon vignette at the end of each chapter

 

Right now, there is just action/adventure. No love for quite a while.

Review, please, and if you flame, remember you read this of your own free will…