Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ Fall of the PokeMen ❯ Day 2: Grass/Poison/Bug ( Chapter 4 )

Day 2: Grass/Poison

Misty sighed and shook her head as she drew stick figures in the wet sand. "He's gonna lose again."

Ash groaned and covered his face as Charizard lost the tug of war for the third time. "This is NOT happening."

Violet, the Grass/Poison PokeMan, pulled Ash's hands away. "Oh, yes, it is! Ash, my Venusaur is strong, but there's no way it's that much stronger than your Charizard. You have to get him to listen to you, and then he'll accept your advice."

"How do I do that?"

"Normally, I'd say you were supposed to have started that a long time ago. But since it's too late, I'll tell you what I told the last person: Make him listen. Watch what I do." She stood up and started walking down the shoreline.

"What do you think she's gonna do?" Misty asked.

"Get burned," Ash replied. "Badly."

"Pika," Pikachu agreed in a worried tone.

Violet stopped in front of Charizard and promptly slapped him across the snout.

Ash and Misty looked at each other. "Uh oh."

Pikachu covered his eyes.

Charizard reared up and roared in her face. But Violet didn't budge. Instead, she smacked him again, only harder.

"She's crazy," Ash said, lowering his head. "I can't look."

"She's brilliant!" Misty cried. "Look!"

For some reason, Charizard was now nuzzling Violet's neck like some huge, fire-breathing puppy.

Ash and Misty slowly walked over, still unable to believe their eyes.

"Just show him who's boss, and that you're not afraid of him," Violet explained, stroking Charizard's snout. "Flamethrower! Up!"

Charizard lifted his head and spouted a stream of flame high into the air.

"So…you want me to hit him?" Ash asked hesitantly.

"Just do exactly what I did," Violet replied confidently.

"I don't think I want to."

"Ash, there's no difference between controlling Charizard or Pikachu. Just do it with confidence. You're not afraid of Pikachu, so don't be afraid of Charizard." She smiled. "Besides, from what Misty's told me, you've adjusted to being shocked. If you mess up, you'll adjust to being burned before you learn the right way."

"Gee, thanks, Misty," Ash muttered, shooting her a glare.

"Sorry," she chuckled nervously.

Ash stepped in front of Charizard and stared into the fire Pokémon's eyes. "Okay. You don't like me, and I don't like you, but I know we can work together, Charizard. You helped me win a Volcano Badge, and I know we can do even more if you'd just listen me. Do we have a deal?"

Charizard snorted and blew smoke in Ash's face.

Ash sighed and lowered his head. "Okay. That's it!" He suddenly ran around Charizard and stomped on his tail.

Charizard's eyes bulged, and he let out an earth-shaking roar of pain.

Ash stayed right where he was, even when Charizard turned and let loose with a Flamethrower. When the flames died down, Ash stood there, looking a lot like his name. He coughed and glared at Charizard. "See? That was pointless! You've got all that potential, but because you're so lazy, I lost the Pokémon League Games! Why is it you only fight when it matters to you? I raised you from a Charmander, and I always took good care of you. Your trainer abandoned you, and I saved your life! We used to be friends! Ever since you started evolving, you've ignored me and attacked me whenever you felt like it. Well, I'm sick of it!"

Charizard flapped his wings and snorted again, but he was staring at his trainer with an amused look, which meant that he was at least listening.

Ash took off his cap and threw it on the ground. "Either you start listening to me, or I'll…I'll…" He paused and looked around. Misty, Violet, and Pikachu were all staring at him expectantly. Finally, Ash looked back at Charizard. "Or I'll stop being a Pokémon trainer…forever."

"Ash, no!" Misty gasped in shock.

"Pika-pi!" Pikachu cried, tugging on Ash's leg.

Ash shook his head. "Charizard's one of the best Pokémon I have. If he won't listen to me, I'll never be able to call myself a true trainer. I might as well just give up my dream of becoming a Pokémon Master." He reached into his jacket and pulled out the Volcano Badge. "I don't deserve to have this. I'll give it back to Blaine when I pass Cinnabar Island."

Violet frowned. "Ash, I think you're going too far."

"So do we," a voice from behind them added.

Misty turned around and nearly fainted. Somehow, in complete silence, a huge Gyarados had managed to swim up directly behind her. Sitting on its head, in some ways looking more frightening than the dragon itself, was TJ. There was a steely, determined look on his face as he jumped down to the sand.

"TJ, what are doing here?!" Misty exclaimed. "You shouldn't be out of bed! You're still recovering!"

He gave her a slightly annoyed look. "Misty, your concern is appreciated but totally unnecessary. I have been training with Katie all morning. I'm perfectly fine."

"I'd like to see the paperwork on that claim," Violet said. "From what I heard, you were hurt pretty bad, little man."

TJ chose to ignore her. He turned his cold gaze on Ash. "I must insist that you stop right there, Ash. You're making a huge mistake if you're thinking of quitting because of Charizard."

Ash looked skeptical. "TJ, no offense, but when did you start talking like that? And is your voice deeper?"

"My speech isn't the topic of concern. Try to stay focused, my friend. It's you I'm worried about."

Although he had been amazingly quiet since Ash's outburst, Charizard suddenly gained a great interest in TJ. He stepped forward, nearly knocking the trainers out of the way with his wings. He leaned down and sniffed the boy carefully.

TJ frowned, but remained totally still.

When Charizard was done with his inspection, he retrieved Ash's cap and placed it on his trainer's head.

Violet shot Ash a questioning look. Ash only shrugged and said, "Um…Charizard, Ember."

Three palm trees were instantly turned into a pile of ashes.

"Okay, I've missed something," Misty said.

"You're not alone," Ash agreed. "TJ, I don't know what you did, but thanks."

"Thank me by completing your training," TJ replied as he climbed back onto his Gyarados.

"Why are you so interested in Ash succeeding?" Misty asked.

TJ paused. "Simple. If I'm getting into the Pokémon League, I'm taking my friends with me. All my friends." He patted the Gyarados's head. "Let's go, Berry."

Berry turned away and headed down the beach.

"There is definitely something weird about that kid," Violet muttered. "But whatever it is, he's a great trainer."

* * * * *

Robert took a deep breath before knocking on the door. He waited a few moments, then knocked a bit harder. "Sabrina, are you in there? It's me."

There was a long pause before the door opened. Mr. Mime poked his head out and held a finger to his lips, indicating that he should be quiet.

Robert nodded and followed him into the room. Sabrina was sitting on her bed, staring intently at the TV. Her eyes were red from crying, and her normally straight hair was somewhat messy. As he came closer, Robert could see that she was watching a video from the security cameras, the very same that had captured TJ's accident.

"I just can't figure it out," she whispered. "This shouldn't have happened. I was in control."

Robert watched the frightened expression on TJ's face as the Psybeam hit him in the chest. Then he turned off the TV. "You can't keep doing this. It wasn't your fault."

"If I hadn't come here, he'd be okay," she said firmly.

"He IS okay," he insisted. "TJ resumed his training today, and he's doing even better than before."

"But I hurt him, Robert! He's just a boy, and…I could've killed him!" Tears began to spill from her eyes. "Did you see the way they looked at me? I knew what they were thinking! They thought I'd gone back to my old ways, but I haven't! I'm not like that anymore! I'm not!"

Robert squeezed her shoulders. "I know that, Sabrina. You know that. And the other PokéMen know that, too, or they wouldn't have brought you here to be one of them. But you have to get used to the idea that some people might never forget your past. That's why it's important that you stop worrying about it. Other people will do more than enough of that on their own."

"But I want them to trust me. I don't ever want Ash and Misty to look at me like that again. They saved my life, and…I'd hate for them to think it was for nothing."

"Then there's only one thing you can do." He sat down beside her. "You have to talk to TJ. If he can forgive you, Ash and Misty will soon follow."

"I-I can't!" she cried. "He hates me!"

"He does not. He wasn't angry at all when I mentioned you today. In fact, he asked if you were okay."

Sabrina stared at him. "What did you say?"

"I said I'd go check on you, and here I am." He slipped an arm around her waist. "Now, would you like me to tell him you were a sobbing, broken wreck, or that you're trying to put it behind you?"

"You're…right," she said slowly. "I'll talk to him. Tomorrow. When I'm feeling better."

"Tomorrow," Robert agreed. "And then you'll talk to Ash and Misty."

Sabrina stiffened. "No! I'm not…ready yet."

"You are," he said, stroking her hair. "I'll go with you."

She hesitated, but finally nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Will you be okay by yourself tonight?"

"Could you stay with me?" she asked, a slight blush coming to her cheeks. "Just for a little while?"

"I'm afraid not. We can't give people the wrong impression, can we?"

"But…is it really so wrong?" she asked quietly.

"Of course not. But Simon's never liked me much, and he'd use something like that against us both. He's watching you very carefully…and me."

"I see." She lowered her head. "Then…maybe later?"

"It's a date." Robert cupped her face in his hands. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you, and I'll never leave you."

"Promise?"

"I swear it." He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Sleep well, Sabrina."

* * * * *

Nurse Joy was making her usual rounds when she noticed that one other person was still in the nursery. It was TJ. That didn't surprise her, since he seemed to be very close to his Pokémon. He always spent time with them, either playing with them or just talking to them.

Tonight, TJ was talking to his Venonat, Puff. As always, Puff sat in his trainer's lap, while TJ rested his chin on the Pokemon's fuzzy head.

Joy watched them for a while, then slowly walked over. "Need some help?"

TJ looked up at her. "My Vulpix could use a good brushing, but that's not really a job for a nurse, is it?"

Joy smiled. "Consider me off-duty, then."

He smiled up at her. "Okay." TJ released Vulpix. "Be good for Nurse Joy, girl. She's gonna get those tangles out of your fur."

Vulpix obediently sat down and wagged her tails.

Joy took the brush that TJ handed her and gently began to smooth out the fur along Vulpix's back. "She has a very beautiful coat. You must take really good care of her, huh?"

TJ blushed a little. "I do my best," he said quietly.

Joy frowned a bit. She found it hard to believe that this young boy was the one everybody kept talking about. He didn't seem the least bit injured to her, and he wasn't cold or arrogant. In fact, he was polite and even shy. How could he possibly be the same one that had stared down a Charizard earlier?

"Nurse Joy?" he asked suddenly.

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you ever…um…never mind."

"No, what?" she asked.

TJ looked nervous. "Did you ever…well…wish you were a Pokémon?'

"Actually, yes," she replied. "When I was a little girl, I liked to pretend that I was a Clefairy."

TJ smiled a bit. "So…you don't think it's weird?"

"Not at all. I think it's natural to envy Pokémon. They have these strange, wonderful abilities that we can only dream of having." She grinned. "What did you want to be?"

TJ turned bright red. "Well…a Ditto."

"Why's that?"

"So I could be all of them," TJ replied with a grin.

Joy giggled. "That makes sense." She glanced at her watch and sighed. "Oh, dear. Looks like my shift is almost over. I'd better finish checking on the other Pokémon."

"Okay. Thanks for brushing Vulpix."

Joy looked thoughtful. "I'll make a deal with you. If you come down here a little early tomorrow night, you can help me out. Then we can talk some more. Would you like that?"

"Sure!" TJ replied, then blushed. "Um…I mean, okay."

Joy smiled and squeezed his shoulder. "Tomorrow, then."