When He Stands Alone Part 3
By: Star Fighter
DISCLAIMER: I don’t own, have never owned, or never will own Pokemon or any of it’s things or rights therein.
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Words in Italics are people’s thoughts.
*~*~*~*~*~*~ denotes a scene change.
(A/N)- It’s the same thing in every story, just felt like putting it down though.
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As we left our heroes last time, Misty had arrived on the island where Ash had gone very early that morning. They started to talk and, as usual, it escalated into a fight. But this time, Misty slapped Ash across the face. Ash, filled with anger and emotional pain, returned to camp and began packing up
his things. Misty’s pleading and Ash’s yelling quickly woke up Brock, Pikachu, and Togepi who were confused as to what was going on. Ash then recalled Pikachu into it’s Pokeball (which he has never done before) and took flight on his Charizard, effectively running away. Misty told Brock everything that had happened and now they have decided to set off in search of Ash.
(A/N: Duh, like they’d do anything else. lol)
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God, I can’t believe I hit him. And what for? He called me Scrawny and implied that I have a big mouth. It always happens but for some reason, I
reacted in the extreme. I don’t know why either. I couldn’t blame Ash if he never spoke to me again..... Misty thought to herself.
Brock and Misty had left as quickly as they could and began walking towards Golden Rod City, their destination before any of this had happened. Brock
had felt that Ash would fly there to get his badge and move on to the next town.
“Misty? You OK?” Brock asked her.
“I was just thinking.” Misty replied, dejectedly, “I wouldn’t blame Ash if he never spoke to me again. I was such a bitch towards him. For some reason, I struck out at him and I can’t figure out why.”
“Just give it some time, Misty. Sure you might have overreacted a little, but so did Ash.” Brock said, placing his hand on her shoulder.
“No. He didn’t. He’s bottled up all the pain, all the remarks, and all the crap I’ve ever given him. Like he has a small room in his mind where he throws all of it, slams the door shut, and braces it. Hoping it’ll never come out.” she replied, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.
“When I slapped him,” she continued, “I saw all
of his resolve crumble under the pressure from that door. And I saw in his eyes that it had all washed over him like a tidal wave.”
Misty finally broke down and cried. Brock, not knowing what to say, held her and tried unsuccessfully to comfort her.
“Misty. Misty look at me.” he said forcefully.
She looked up at him.
“We will find him. I know we will. And he will forgive you. It’s just going to take some time, that’s all.” he continued.
“How do you know he will forgive me? How? I.....wouldn’t blame him if........if he never sp-spoke to me again. I wouldn’t blame him if he....if he hates me right now.” she said, sobbing.
“How do you know he hates you? You don’t. Just like I don’t know if he will forgive you. But you’ll never know if you don’t try, Misty.” he replied softly.
“You’ll never know if you don’t try. Now, come on. We’ve got to get to Golden Rod City as fast as we can. I’m sure he’ll be headed there.”
“OK. Let’s get going.” she agreed.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Meanwhile, Ash had just landed outside the Pokemon Center in Golden Rod City. He hopped off Charizard.
“Thanks Charizard.”
“Char. Char char charizard zard? (Sure. Why did you leave the others Ash?)
“I’m sorry Charizard, but it’s a long story and I don’t really feel like telling you right now. You’re probably tired from the flight. Right now I need to get
you into Nurse Joy and get you healed. Charizard, return.” Ash replied as he held out the Pokeball. Charizard was caught by the beam and was transported back into the ball.
Why did I leave Charizard? He thought to himself as he looked at the Pokeball, I left because I couldn’t take it anymore. Misty went over the
edge and I had to get away. I still can’t believe she slapped me. Who was I kidding. She could never have loved me if she hated me enough to hit me.
Ash put the ball back on his belt and walked into the Pokemon Center.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“By the time we get there Brock, he will be gone. We’re moving too slowly. Isn’t there something you can do?” Misty asked Brock.
“Well...” he thought for a second. “If Ash can use his Pokemon to move, so can we.”
“But Ash flew off on Charizard. If you haven’t noticed, neither of us have a flying pokemon big enough to carry us.”
“No. But we can travel across the ground. Go Onix!” Brock replied as he tossed the pokeball.
“Rrrrooooaaarr!”
“Onix. We need you to take us to Golden Rod City. And hurry because I don’t know how long Ash will be delayed there.”
“Rrrr, rrooaarrr rrrr roarrr.” (Sure, get on and we’ll go.)
Brock and Misty climbed onto Onix’s head and the giant pokemon began to move along the path, picking up speed as he went.
“Rrrrrooarr? Roooarrr grrarrr rrrrr?” (Brock? Where is Ash at?)
“I think he’s headed to Golden Rod City. He...uh....struck out on his own. He and Misty got into another fight and....Misty ended up hitting him. He took off on Charizard. I’m betting he’s in Golden Rod City. We need to get there as fast as possible.”
“Grrrr. Rrroooarr grrr grarrr.” (All right. Hang on everybody.)
Onix began to move faster and faster. Soon, he was moving as fast as he could while trying to stay on the path that led to the city.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ash walked over to the front desk.
“Hello. May I help you?” asked Nurse Joy.
“Yeah, I’d like to have my Pokemon healed please.” Ash replied glumly as he set the balls into the tray and handed them to Nurse Joy.
“OK. It’ll take about 5 minutes.”
“Thanks Joy.” Ash said sadly as he slowly walked over to the couch and sat down.
Nurse Joy watched as the trainer sat there on the couch looking very unhappy. Hmm. It’s such a nice day out. I wonder what’s wrong with him. Maybe he wants to talk about it.
Joy got up and walked around the desk and over to where Ash sat.
“What seems to be the problem young man? You seem depressed.” Joy kindly asked him.
“I am Nurse Joy. I am depressed. And angry. I left my traveling group to strike out on my own. I had to get away from them. One of them hurt me deeply. The really bad part was that I was in love with her. And she and I got into a fight and she slapped me. That’s when I ran away. I called on my Charizard to fly me here. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to go back Nurse Joy.”
“Wow. I’m so sorry. Well, maybe after some time to think you can find it in your heart to forgive her.”
“Maybe...” Ash replied glumly.
“Don’t worry. It’ll all work out.” Nurse Joy said as she slowly rubbed his back.
“I need to get back to work, and your Pokemon should be done here in a little while.” Joy said, standing up after a few moments.
“Thanks Nurse Joy.”
“No problem.” she smiled at him.
She walked away and back to the front desk to continue work. Ash just sat there and stared at the coffee table in front of him, his head in his hands.
In his mind he kept replaying the day he and Misty had first met. How he was underwater and saw the fish hook. How he was yanked out of the water. How he gazed up into two beautiful aqua eyes, knowing that his heart was lost to her forever.
“Ash Ketchum? Your Pokemon are done being healed.” Joy called to him.
He got up and walked towards the front desk. Nurse Joy handed him his Pokeballs and he put each one back in their place on his belt.
“Thanks Nurse Joy.”
“No problem Ash. Good luck.” she replied to him, kindness and caring in her voice.
“Go Pikachu!” Ash said as he released his friend from the ball.
“Pika? Pikapi pikachuuu?” (Hugh? Ash where am I?)
“You’re at the Pokemon Center in Golden Rod City, Pika-pal.”
“Hello Pikachu.” Joy greeted the little electric mouse.
“Pika. Pikapi, pi pi pi-ka-chu pikacha pikachupi pika pi kachu chu?” (Hello. Ash, why did you leave Misty and Brock back at the lake?)
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you on the way to the gym. Goodbye Nurse Joy.”
“Goodbye Ash, goodbye Pikachu. And good luck at the gym.”
Pikachu jumped up onto Ash’s shoulder and they walk out the doors of the Center and head toward the Golden Rod Gym. Ash begins to relay that morning’s events to his best friend. Now, his only friend.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Brock! How long until we’re in Golden Rod City?” Misty called to him as they sped along the path aboard Brock’s Onix.
“We’re about an hour out of the city. That is if Onix can keep up this pace.” Brock said, looking up from the map.
“Rrrrrr rrroarrrr grrrrr.” (Don’t worry about me Brock.)
Please Onix, go faster. We just have to catch Ash before he leaves the city....I love him and I don’t know what I’d do without him.... Misty silently pleaded to the giant rock snake.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Gengar. Teleport and then use Nightshade!” the temporary gym leader told the ghost.
“Gengar geng!” it said as it disappeared.
“Pikachu, Agility!”
“Pika!” it began to move fast as lightning, darting all around the gym.
Nightshade attacks were flying all over the place, some dissipating into the walls, some detonating on contact with the ground. Pikachu was getting tired
from the extended use of it’s agility and Ash could see this.
Time for that new attack I’ve been teaching Pikachu. he thought.
“Pikachu! Stop using your agility!”
“Pika!”
The electric rat stopped dead and a Nightshade attack came flying at it.
“Dodge it Pikachu! And then use Shockwave!”
“Pika!” it said as it jumped out of the way.
“Pikaaaaaaa...” it said as it concentrated. A bubble of electricity formed around it’s body and began to grow thicker and thicker. Suddenly, and violently, it was released and it expanded rapidly as it filled the gym.
“CHUUUUUUUUUU!!!!” (Shockwave!)
The blast of energy hit Gengar, who was floating above a rock in the middle of the arena. It caught Gengar off balance and it became visible again as it
fell to the ground, knocked out.
“Gengar is unable to battle, this match goes to the challenger!” the ref said.
“Gengar return!” the gym leader said, recalling his pokemon. Ash and the gym leader walked to the center of the arena.
“Congratulations Ash, on behalf of the Golden Rod City Gym and the Johto League, I present you with this badge.”
“Thank you.” Ash said as he took the badge. Some how, it didn’t mean as much to him as the other badges had.
“What’s the matter son? You don’t look very happy. Something wrong?”
“It’s nothing sir.”
“It didn’t look like nothing. I noticed that your mind was in the battle, but not your heart. Something is troubling you, Ash.”
“Yeah. But I can figure it out. Thanks anyway.”
“Good luck in your journeys Ash.”
Ash walked out of the gym, staring at the badge. Pikachu hopped up onto his shoulder. It sensed something was amiss with his master.
“Pikapi? Pika pikachu?” (Ash? What’s wrong?)
“I don’t know Pikachu. Some how this badge doesn’t mean as much to me as the others do. And I don’t know why.”
“Chaaa.... Pikachu pi pi pika pi-ka-chu pikapi.” (I see.... I bet I know why Ash.)
“Why?”
“Pikacha.” (Misty.)
Ash stopped walking and froze at the sound of her name. Pikachu kept talking, even though it knew that it was on still-painful ground with it’s trainer.
“Pi pi pikacha. Chu chu pika cha pika pikapi. Pi pi chu pika-chu kachu.” (It is Misty. She was with you at your other battles, Ash. This time she wasn’t.)
Ash didn’t say anything.
“Pikacha pi pi pikachu kachu chu pika.” (Misty cheered for you at your other battles.)
“This time she didn’t.” Ash said quietly. “She wasn’t there. That’s why my heart wasn’t in the battle.”
“Pikacha pika pikaaaa.” (Misty has your heart.)
“No. It’s because she shattered the rest of it.” he said angrily.
“Chuuu...” it began as Ash cut it off.
“Pikachu, stop! End of discussion.” Ash said. “I’m not going back.”
Pikachu stopped talking and Ash started walking a few seconds later.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
“Brock! How far is it to the city?” Misty asked for the second time in five minutes.”
“For the umpteenth time, Misty, half an hour!!!” Brock said.
Then, an unexpected rain shower started up. Onix roared in pain and slowed to a stop.
“Damnit!” Brock said as he hopped off, followed by Misty. “Onix return!”
The weakened rock type pokemon returned to it’s ball.
“Even the weather is against me! Oh why did I do this?” Misty cried as she fell to her knees, fresh tears beginning to well up.
“Misty!” Brock said, as he grabbed her shoulders and shook her once. “Misty! No one is against you. It’s not your fault. You just...lost your temper that’s
all. Now let’s go. We’re now about an hour and a half outside the city since we lost Onix’s speed. Let’s go now or we might lose Ash’s trail.”
They started walking as the light rain continued.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Ash had just left the Pokemon Center after getting Pikachu, Venusaur, and Charizard healed from the gym battle. He was walking out of town on the main route to the next city and the next gym, when something happened. Something very annoying....
“Prepare for trouble!”
“And make it double!”
“To protect the world from devastation.”
“To unite all peoples in every nation.”
“To denounce the evils of truth and love.”
“To extend our reach to the stars above.”
“Jessie!”
“James!”
“Team Rocket blast off at the speed of light!”
“Surrender now or prepare to fight!”
“Meowth that’s right!”
“Look you guys, could you try to steal Pikachu and my other pokemon later. I’m having some problems and unless you want to be severly injured, I’d suggest leaving now while you can still walk.” Ash said angrily.
“Not a chance twerps...” Jessie began as James tapped her on the shoulder.
“What is it James?” she asked him as he whispered in her ear.
“Huh? Hey twerp. Where are the other two twerps you are usually with?”
“Jessie, don’t even start to go there...” Ash began as he curled up his fists, his rage beginning to get the better of him.
“Heh! Looks like da twerp’s havin’ problems with his girlfriend!”
“Pikachuuuu!” Pikachu hit Meowth with a Thundershock.
“AIIEEEEEEE!!!” Meowth cried out as he fell to the ground.
“Jessie, James, Meowth. I’ve said it once. I won’t say it again. Leave now. Or you will live to regret messing with me on a day like this.” Ash said, his head
bowed. His hat hiding his eyes from view as his rage began to win the fight for control of his body.
“Not a chance twerp! We’re not leaving without that Pikachu! Go Arbok!” Jessie said as she threw the ball.
“Charrrrbokk!”
“Arbok! Poison sting!”
“Charrr!”
The attack flew at Ash.
“Go Blastoise! Shield me from that attack using your Withdraw!” he called as he threw the ball.
“Blastoise!”
Blastoise stood up in front of Ash and Pikachu as it withdrew into it’s shell. The stingers bounced harmlessly off Blastoise’s rock-hard shell and fell to
the ground. Blastoise came back out of it’s shell.
“Blast blast toise blast blast blastoise blast toise blastoise!”
“Meowth. What is he saying?” James asked the cat pokemon.
“It said that we never should have attacked it’s trainer because it’s now going to show us what real power is.” Meowth said. He continued. “I think it’s
angry.”
Ash had lost the battle. His rage took over.
“Blastoise! Show them what pain really is! BEAM CANNON ATTACK!”
Sparkles of energy began to fizzle and curl into the water cannon barrels on Blastoise’s back.
“Uh James. What’s that?”
“I don’t know Jessie but I’ve never seen a Blastoise do that before!”
“It looks like.....No! It can’t be! Blastoises don’t know dat attack!” Meowth yelled in fear.
“Meowth! What is it?”
“Blaaaaaasssss.....” it said as it drew in more and more energy. It’s cannon barrels had turned from dark tubes to brightly glowing pipes that looked like
flashlights. It stopped drawing in power and waited for it’s trainer to say the word.
“IT’S GONNA HYPER BEAM US!!!” Meowth yelled.
Ash lifted his head and smirked evilly at Team Rocket.
“Wrong, it's gonna Beam Cannon you. I gave you all fair warning. Now you will pay.” Ash told them.
“Blastoise....target them.” he continued.
“Blast!” (Right!)
Blastoise aimed the glowing cannons directly at Team Rocket, making them cower in fear. There was a slight pause.
“FIRE!!!!” Ash screamed.
“Blaaaast...TOISSSE!!” (BEAM CANNON!!)
It’s eyes glowed red and the twin beams leapt forth from the confines of the cannon barrels, streaking towards Team Rocket in a deafening roar, growing in size with every inch.
“AAAAAAAAHHH!” Team Rocket screamed.
The hot, yellow beams hit them with full force. The resulting explosion shook the ground, blowing a
massive crater into the earth. Team Rocket, all knocked unconscious, blasted off not like they usually do. Ash, Pikachu, and Blastoise, being in close
proximity to the target, were thrown backwards a few yards in the air and landed, unceremoniously, on the ground. Smoke, dust, and dirt were blasted high into the air, creating a mushroom cloud effect. Ash got up and looked at the cloud. He knew that it would be easily seen within a few miles. Certainly everyone in the city would feel the mini-earthquake that resulted from the impact and also see the cloud rising up from the edge of the forest.
“Pikachuuuu....” it said as it gazed at Blastoise in awe.
“Blastoise...” it replied, scratching the back of it’s head and smiling.
“You must have been just as pissed as I was, Blastoise. I’ve never seen hyper beams do that kind of damage before.” Ash said.
They all looked at the crater and the seared black streaks of earth leading to the crater that had resulted from the beams’ heat and close proximity to
the ground.
“Blastoise. Blast blast blastoise toise blast-toise. Blast blastoise blast blast toisse...” (I was. No one messes with you while I’m here. Especially after
what you just went through...)
“Good work Blastoise. You deserve a nice long rest. Return.” Ash told him as he was drawn back into the ball.
“C’mon Pika-pal. Let’s get going again.”
“Pika!” it replied as it jumped up onto Ash’s shoulder. They set off on the path towards the next town.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nurse Joy had heard the beginning of Team Rocket’s song and had watched the entire event unfold from the front door of the Pokemon Center. She watched as Ash warned them to get away. Watched as he called out
Blastoise to protect himself. And watched as he told Blastoise to target Team Rocket. And heard him scream the word ‘Fire!’. She gasped as she saw the streaks of light and energy erupt from Blastoise. She covered her eyes from the light of the detonation and grabbed the door handle as the small shockwave made the Pokemon Center shiver slightly.
“Oh my...” was all she said as she covered her mouth with her hand and looked up at the rising cloud of smoke and dust.
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End Part 3
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Well? How did you like it? Please read and review (if you want to review that is). Thanks for reading and stay tuned for Part 4, coming soon!
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