Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Fall of the PokeMen ❯ Day 1: Fighting ( Chapter 3 )

Day 1: Fighting

"Pikachu, use your Agility!" Ash shouted.

Pikachu dodged Hitmonchan's powerful right hand and delivered a left to his gut.

"Now, Quick Attack!"

Pikachu seemed to disappear for a moment, and Hitmonchan's head snapped up. He stumbled back and collapsed to the mat, stars swimming before his eyes. Pikachu fell beside him, panting heavily.

"That's enough for today." Robert climbed into the ring. "You should be proud, Ash. It takes most Pokémon five hours to get this fast. Pikachu learned in three and a half."

"But is he always going to look this bad afterwards?" Misty asked as Ash carefully scooped up the electric mouse.

"Not half as bad as Ash is going to look," Robert replied. "It's his turn now."

Ash blinked in disbelief. "Huh?"

"Give Pikachu to Misty and put on some gloves."

"What?"

Robert looked at him with a cold expression. "I hate repeating myself."

Ash stared at him for a moment, then slowly handed Pikachu to Misty. "You want me to box with Hitmonchan?"

"Of course not. Hitmonchan's been boxing for years. That would be cruel and unusual punishment."

"Oh." Ash breathed a sigh of relief.

"Your fight's with me."

"What?!" Ash looked up, only to see Robert putting on a pair of gloves.

"This training isn't just for Pikachu, Ash. It's for you, too. No matter how much your Pokémon improve, if you don't, this is all pointless. A good Pokémon would never listen to a trainer that isn't as tough as it is. Now, are you going to fight, or are you going to quit?"

Ash quickly began to pull on some gloves.

"Ash, what are you doing?" Misty whispered in his ear. "You've never boxed a day in your life!"

"But he's right, Misty. After what Pikachu just went through for me, how can I not do the same for him?"

"I understand that, but Pikachu's got electric attacks to back him up. What do YOU have?"

Ash shrugged and gave her a lopsided grin. "You?" He gently patted her cheek with a glove. "Wish me luck!"

Misty started to say something, but Ash was already circling the ring, ready to begin the match. She sighed and looked down at Pikachu. "You've got one crazy trainer, but at least he cares about you."

"Chu," Pikachu agreed weakly before falling asleep in her arms.

Strangely enough, Ash only got thoroughly embarrassed two or three times. He was actually mounting something of a comeback when there was a huge explosion above them. Large pieces of the ceiling rained down all over the ring, and the fighters barely dove aside in time.

"Was that part of the training?" Ash asked, glancing over at Robert.

"No," Robert admitted. "Although it's given me some ideas…"

There was a second explosion, followed by a terrified scream. This time, it was a young boy that fell into the ring. He landed hard on his back, and he wasn't breathing.

"TJ!" Misty screamed, nearly dropping Pikachu.

Forgetting the many wounds Robert had just given him, Ash rushed into the ring and checked TJ's pulse. "He's alive, but…what happened?!"

Seconds later, Sabrina and her newly borrowed Golduck ran into the gym, followed by Richie and Katie.

"It was an accident," Richie explained. "TJ's Vulpix was doing her Psychic training with Sabrina's Kadabra. All of a sudden, Kadabra freaked out and started attacking TJ. Sabrina couldn't control it, so she ordered Golduck to stop it. Kadabra used Confusion, and Golduck's Psybeam hit TJ."

"It took Vulpix's Fire Spin to stop Kadabra," Katie added. "I've never seen anything like it."

"I've never lost control of any Pokémon," Sabrina said quietly. "Kadabra's always obeyed before. This…shouldn't have happened. I couldn't…stop him…" She trailed off, looking at the others helplessly. Then her gaze landed on TJ's still form, and tears brimmed up in her eyes. She broke down and hid her face in her hands, weeping uncontrollably.

Robert quickly but carefully took Sabrina in his arms and comforted her. "Katie, tell the medics we have an emergency. Golduck, get TJ to the Recovery Room at once."

Though it really belonged to Katie, Golduck had been trained to obey the commands of all PokéMen. It nodded and picked up TJ, running out of the room with great speed. Katie was right behind it.

"We'd better postpone the rest of today's training," Robert said. "I know you'll all want to be there for TJ, as soon as he wakes up."

Ash nodded, his eyes traveling back to where his new friend had been lying seconds before. "Does this…happen often?"

Robert looked slightly offended. "No, I assure you it doesn't. Trainers do walk away with injuries, but nothing this severe. That, and no one has ever lost control of a Pokémon here."

"It's all my fault," Sabrina whimpered, sniffling quietly.

Misty began to speak, but Ash touched her arm. "C'mon. Let's go see TJ," he said, already pulling her toward the door.

Misty hesitated, but followed him and Richie out of the gym. Still, she glanced back just before they left.

Sabrina was still sobbing pitifully in Robert's arms, muttering that she wasn't fit to be the new Psychic PokeMan. Robert was saying nothing to support or dispute the claim, only stroking her green hair in silence. And though the scene made Misty want to believe Sabrina's innocence, it was hard to forget the evil person she had been in the past.

* * * * *

"You have to wake up soon," Jewel said quietly. She ran her fingers along TJ's pale arm. "Because I've decided that I like you. So you can't be dead yet."

Of course, TJ didn't answer. Being unconscious usually hindered any real conversation, and exceptional child that he was, TJ was bound by that rule like everyone else. Part of him was, anyway. But the part of him that wasn't bound by that rule could hardly be considered a good conversation partner. Especially since it wasn't very nice…or very human, for that matter. It only talked to TJ, anyway, and he hated it, even when it didn't talk. He especially hated when it did talk, because it did so very loudly and very painfully.

"So, anyway, wake up soon. I miss talking to you. Well, having you talk back, anyway." Jewel sighed and stepped away from the bed as the footsteps outside the room came closer. "I gotta go now. Bye, TJ." She nodded. "Let's go, Pixie."

Pixie landed on her shoulder and blinked. Instantly, trainer and Pokémon faded from sight.

* * * * *

Ash frowned as he leaned forward. "Brock, I thought you'd be on my side."

On the screen of the video-phone, Brock shook his head. "I'm forced to agree with Misty. But I don't expect you to be suspicious of Sabrina, Ash. She didn't turn you into a doll."

"So you think what happened to TJ wasn't an accident?"

Brock hesitated. "I think I'd keep my eyes and ears open, if I were you. Just don't assume she's totally innocent, or you might be unpleasantly surprised."

"Then you think that whole inviting us down to Saffron City thing was just a trick?"

"I don't know. But I do know that TJ is a good kid, and even if he wasn't, nobody deserves that kind of punishment. I'd be surprised if he forgave Sabrina as easily as you did."

Ash sighed heavily. "Maybe you're right. I wanted to believe that she had changed; I just knew Haunter and I had made a difference. Her parents came back, and she opened up that Pokémon organization. I thought she was good again."

"Maybe she was, for a while. Maybe she still is. I'm just telling you to be extra careful, Ash. You don't really know anything about any of these guys. Professor Ivy's never heard of them, that's for sure."

"Well, they're a secret organization. At least, that's what Robert told me."

Brock suddenly ducked, and a Spearow went flying over his head. "I've gotta go, Ash. The birds got loose in the lab again. Call me back if anything else happens, okay? And keep an eye on Misty, too."

"Yeah, sure. Seeya later, Brock." Ash hung up the phone just as Misty walked in.

"Who was that?" she asked.

"Brock. He's gonna call Professor Oak and see if he knows anything about the PokéMen."

Misty sat down on her bed. "I just came back from visiting TJ. He's still not awake." She closed her eyes and sighed. "Ash, what if she really did mean to hurt him?"

"Then I'll make sure she pays for it," he replied. "In the meantime, we should just stay alert." He paused. "Hey, where's Pikachu?"

"Oh, he's in the nursery on the third floor with Togepi. Katie told me there's always a Nurse Joy down there, twenty-four hours a day."

* * * * *

TJ woke up to feel a familiar pressure on his chest. Upon opening his eyes, he found Vulpix asleep on his chest. He was wondering how she'd gotten into the Recovery Room when he spotted Ruff on the floor. The Arcanine was also sleeping, and Jewel was lying face-down on his back. Amazingly enough, Pixie, Jewel's Mew, was resting on Ruff's head.

TJ carefully reached up and rested his hand on Vulpix's head. Her eyes shot open, and she licked his face affectionately. He smiled and hugged her as best he could in his weakened state. "Hi, girl. Miss me?"

"Vul!" she replied, placing her front paws on his shoulders.

"I missed you, too." TJ glanced around the room. "It's no Pokémon Center, but it'll have to do for now. Guess I should try to get some sleep while I have the chance."

Vulpix gently but firmly butted his chest with her head, trying to push him back down.

"Okay, okay! I'll get some rest." TJ fell back onto the bed and closed his eyes.

Vulpix assumed her former position on his chest and curled her tails around his body.

TJ scratched behind her ears. "Thanks for caring, girl," he murmured before falling into a deep sleep.

"Vul," she whispered back, closing her own eyes.