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Ella E yawned, sitting up in her bed. She looked out the window, and saw dark storm clouds. They were thick and heavy looking, seeming dangerously low. She could almost see them rumbling.
"Figures it would rain today." she thought bitterly to herself, as she slid into some slippers and got up. She stretched and changed. She probably had plenty of time. She looked at her clock. It was 6:30. She did have plenty of time. She grabbed a hat her cousin, Radic, had given her, and placed it snugly on her head. She stared at herself in the mirror.
She was a young, 10 year-old girl with sandy-blond hair and greenish-brown eyes. She was sort of stocky, but she was strong. She pulled on a green vest and some gloves, and pulled on a large coat. It was going to be cold.
"Ella? Ella E! Are you awake?" She could hear her mom calling from downstairs.
"Yeah Mom." Ella E called back. She began searching her room, looking for her guide. She knew she would get a Pokédex today, along with her first Pokémon, but she trusted her guide more. It had pictures of her favourite Pokémon. Growlithe.
She flipped the book open to a worn page, of a Growlithe sitting alert. She hugged it to her happily. Oh, how she loved Growlithe! And that was why she was leaving today...to get herself a Growlithe.
Oh sure, she told her parents she was going to be the "Greatest Pokémon Trainer", but that was just a cover-up. Her cousin's friend Red was champion anyway, and she didn't want to become enemies with him. All she wanted from her Pokémon career was Growlithe.
She had heard stories of it's undying loyalty, it's ability to leap into burning buildings to rescue people, the incredible love it showed it's owners. Oh, how she wanted one of her very own!
She had made the mistake of telling her sister, Atelli that one day.
Atelli was older then she was, and she told her that before Atelli left to go on her Pokémon journey.
"Ella, you are truly obsessed! A Pokémon journey is not just for one Pokémon! You have to catch lots so you can beat other people!"
"I don't want to beat other people..." Ella E had protested, "I just want my Growlithe."
"It's part of training Pokémon, Ella E. I love Dewgong, sure, but I'm not only going out to get one. It's a beautiful day! I'm going to catch them all!"
Ella E had only grumbled to herself. Her sister always got to do things first, always got the better things. At least she was comforted by the fact her sister would never get one of her precious Growlithes. They avoided her. Instead, she got Vulpix. It was a situation that made them both happy.
But now, Ella E could escape the dreariness of their home, the dreariness of the day itself, to find the light of her life. Her Growlithe.
She had already planned out it's name. Growlissa. How she loved the sound of that! Growlissa!
She knew Prof. Oak didn't give out Growlithe's as starting Pokémon, but she didn't care. All she would use it for was to catch her Growlithe.
She ran downstairs, gulped down her breakfast, and headed down the street. She didn't say goodbye to her mother, and she didn't care. Her mother thought Growlithe was annoying and loud, and spent most of her time with her Meowth's and Persians.
Ella E sneezed just thinking about it. Her luck to be stuck in a family obsessed with Meowth's and Persians!
She ran into Prof. Oaks lab, finding only one person ahead of her.
Caleb.
Caleb was her "rival". It had been set up by both their parents, to help their children get a sense of competition as they were training, to help them work harder.
In fact, Caleb wasn't all that bad of a boy. He was fairly decent, and him and Ella E would have probably been friends, if it weren't for the fact they had to be enemies.
Usually, the two children wouldn't find out it was a all a setup until their parents though they were old enough to handle it. But Atelli, after she had almost finished her journey, came back one day and told Ella E. Ella E had in turn told Caleb, but she was pretty sure he knew already.
What gave those parents those crazy ideas to try and CREATE enemies for their children? Ella E frowned. She knew that a little competition was a healthy, but choosing OUT a rival? She almost wished she didn't know. The other kids starting today didn't know. Except Caleb. She sometimes wished she could share in their ignorance. They thought their hatred was their own, but it was just another annoying plan of their parents. Ella E sighed, then smiled. She would be free today!
"What're you gonna get, Caleb?" Ella E asked, smiling. Caleb turned around, flashed a brief smile, then tried to change it to a frown. He didn't get quite there though. It stopped at a halfway point.
"I don't know. It depends on what you pick. Why don't you go first? Mom told me to choose the one that you would be weak against." Caleb said, sounding sort of sad. He told his parents he knew, and now they gave him advice he didn't want. Ella E could relate.
"Alright. I'll go first. Don't worry, I won't pick one that's too hard." Ella E said. She stepped in front of Caleb, noticing some other kids and their "rivals" entering. They seemed glad to be early.
"Why, hello Ella E!" Professor Oak said, smiling. "I haven't seen you since last week when you asked if I had any more Growlithe pictures!"
"Do you?" Ella E asked, her eyes shining.
"Only this one." Prof. Oak reached under his desk and drew out a picture of a Growlithe in mid-leap, about to attack. Ella E looked at, and shoved it in her pocket. She would study it more carefully later. She looked at the three Pokéballs on Prof. Oak's desk.
"Prof. Oak, shouldn't you have more Pokémon to give away?" Ella E asked.
"Oh, I do. This Is Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. I have others, but their not as rare. Staryu, Spearow, Pidgey, Rattata...you get the idea."
"Hmmm..." Ella E said, looking at the three balls. They were each engraved with the Pokémon's name. She knew what the three Pokémon were, because of her guide, and she knew their attacks too. She needed something that wouldn't hurt her Growlithe too much, something that could put it to sleep harmlessly...
"Bulbasaur." She said, picking up the ball. It burst open. Ella E jumped back, a bit frightened. She had never actually seen a Pokéball do that, especially when it was in her hand.
"Bulbasaur!" her new Pokémon said, grinning on the floor.
"Do you want to give it a Nickname?" Prof. Oak asked.
"...Charles. I'm gonna call it Charles."
"Charles?" Prof. Oak said, looking slightly surprised.
"I like that name." Ella E said indignantly. "C'mere Charles!" she called to the Bulbasaur.
"Bulba bulba saur? Saur!" it said, leaping into her arms and licking her face. She laughed. She wondered if her Growlithe would be just as loving.
"It likes it too!" Ella E said, smiling. Prof. Oak laughed.
"Fine, it's name is now Charles. Here's a Pokédex and some Pokéballs. 5, to be exact. I hope you catch your dream Growlithe!"
"Oh, I will." Ella E said confidently, staring into her newly-christened Bulbasaur's eyes. Charles stared back at her, surprised at the determination that shone beyond those glimmering green-brown eyes. "I will.Ella E was walking out of the Pokécenter, down the road she hoped led somewhere where she could catch her precious Growlithe.
"Ella E! Hey, Ella E!" she heard Caleb call from behind her. She turned. She was holding Charles in her arms. She hadn't actually fought anything yet, but she was sure she would soon.
She was right.
"Ella E..." Caleb panted. "My Mom...told me...I needed to...battle you!"
Ella E's mom had told her the same thing, so she nodded.
"You got Charmander, right?"
"Yup!"
"Did you name it anything?"
"Should I have?" Caleb said, blinking. Ella E sighed.
"I suppose not. C'mon, let's go."
She dropped Charles to the ground.
"Bulba!" it said, annoyed.
"Go Charles." She said, without much excitement. Caleb sat down, to regain his breath. He threw the ball weakly.
"Go, Charmander." He wheezed.
"Char char!" it said, in it's sickeningly cute and high voice. Ella E grimaced. She had never heard a Charmander before, and was utterly surprised. She was glad her Growlithe sounded much better, as she had downloaded clips of it barking and howling from the the internet at her computer at home.
"Charles, Tackle." she said, sounding bored. She sat down. Both the Charmander and the Bulbasaur seemed dissapointed at the lack-luster of their trainers when they were battling for the first time. They should be cheering them on!
Charles walked up the Charmander and nudged it, moving it a tiny bit.
"Charles, hit it HARD, you idiot!" Ella E shouted angrily. She wasn't going to be beaten by any other fire Pokémon then Growlithe! She had just realized how humiliating that would be!
"Bulba..." Charles said, wincing. At least it was getting attention. Negative attention, sure, but attention.
"Charmander..scratch..." Caleb panted. The Charmander showed it's tiny claws.
"Mander..." it said, sounding as bored as it's trainer. it barely touched the Bulbasaur.
"Charmander! Do it right!" Caleb said, sounding as angry as Ella E.
"Chaaar..." The Charmander whined, cowering. At least it was getting attention too.
So it went. Each trainer shouted insults and cruel words at each of their Pokémon, until Charles and Charmander were both shaking and weak. They refused to get up.
"Get up! Get up Charles!" Ella E said angrily. "A Growlithe would get up!"
"Charmander, get off your tail! Don't set the grass on fire, you idiot!"
Finally, the two Pokémon closed their eyes, sat absolutely still, and wouldn't move.
Ella E felt like kicking the stupid Bulbasaur! How dare it not listen to her! A Growlithe would have! And this Bulbasaur was a poor replacement.
Ella E reached down and picked Charles up, squeezing it as she did.
"Saur!" it wheezed, surprised.
Caleb grabbed his Charmander's paw tightly, so tightly it squealed, and began dragging it off.
"Don't worry, Ella E! Once I train this weakling into a real Pokémon, it will know how to fight! Then we can finally battle!"
Caleb raised the Charmander by the paw up to eye-level glaring at it. It whimpered as it's arm was pulled painfully tight, and nodded fearfully.
Ella E, likewise, raised her Bulbasaur to eye-level.
"Charles, you WILL fight when I'm through. You WILL."
Something like a glimmer of rebellion shone in the Bulbasaur's eyes, but it was swiftly dampened down by fear.
"Bulba...Bulbasaur..." it said, sounding terrified. Ella E dropped it.
"Saur!" it said, winded. She began walking briskly.
"Keep up, Charles! I will NOT be kept waiting!" she said angrily. "Nothing is going to keep me from my Growlissa! Not even YOU."
Charles limped along after her, wheezing "Saur" after each painful step.
Ella E walked swiftly into Viridian forest, where she promptly ran into a Pidgey nest.
"ACK!" she screamed, as feathers and sticks went flying everywhere.
"Pidgey! PIDGEYAAA!" The Pidgey shrieked, attacking her.
"Charles! Charles, Tackle it!" she shrieked.
"Bulba?" Charles said, unsure of how to reach it.
"Do it now, or you'll regret it!" Ella E shouted, trying to shield her eyes.
"Saaaur..." Charles said. It had no idea it's trainer would be so mean and rough. It wished it had gotten some other trainer. But it was stuck.
"Bulba..." Charles said, backing up. It ran as fast as it could, and leapt in the air, slamming into the pidgey.
"Saaaaur!"
"Pidgeeey..." it said, fainting. Charles panted. That was terrifying...it was scared of the Pidgey. The Pidgey seemed very dangerous.
Ella E ran her hand down her face, and felt blood. The Pidgey had scratched her pretty good.
"Thanks a lot, Charles. A BIT LATE, THOUGH!" she shouted. Charles cowered.
"Saaur?" it whimpered. She raised a hand to slap it. She'd show Charles to be late!
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" she heard a angry voice shout. She felt a hand grab her wrist. She turned angrily, seeing a girl with short grey hair and violet eyes, staring at her with furious energy. Suddenly terribly embarrassed, Ella E blushed bright red.
"What do you think YOU'RE DOING?! Are you a member of Team Rocket?" the girl said with furious anger. Ella E would have ran, but the girl was holding her wrist.
"I......No! Of Course not! I just started today! I got a Pokédex to prove it-" Ella E began fumbling nervously in her pockets. She got it halfway out.
"HOW COULD YOU BE SO CRUEL TO THAT POOR BULBASAUR!?" the girl shrieked. Ella E dropped her Pokédex, where it clicked open on the ground.
"The Pokédex belongs to Ella E. She started with Charles, a Bulbasaur. She is in desperate need of a Growlithe, as it is her favorite Pokémon."
"Who asked you?" Ella E said angrily at the Pokédex.
"Why of all the-" the girl said, seemingly unable to find words to fit her anger,"how...how could you do that to poor Charles? What did it do to you? And it's your first Pokémon too! On your first day!"
"I...I..." Ella E said, staring at her Bulbasaur. Charles was pressed against the ground, in anticipation for the blow that was halted by the girl.
Ella E felt hot tears come to her eyes, but she tried to make them go away by shouting herself.
"You don't understand! It...it's too slow! It didn't save me from the pidgey, and it didn't even fight Caleb!" Ella E shouted. She was stretching the truth a bit. Charles had fought Charmander...a little.
"That's why you TRAIN YOUR POKéMON!" the girl shouted right back. She finally let go of Ella E's wrist, and Ella E was left rubbing it as the girl ran over to Charles. She raised a hand to help it, and Charles squealed.
"Bulba!" Charles ducked from her hand. She turned angrily to Ella E, who was staring at Charles in surprise.
"Look what you did to it!" she accused.
"...I didn't mean too..." Ella E said. What had she been doing? Her want of Growlithe was becoming just what Atelli said it would become...an obsession. She collapsed on the ground.
"I'm sorry Charles." she said, almost crying.
"You better be." The girl with the short grey hair said.
"Who are you?" Ella E said, in awe of the girl. She seemed to radiate confidence.
"My name is Ashstar." the girl said, almost snarling. "What's yours, Pokémon abuser?"
"Don't call me that!" Ella E said, even though she knew she had been excessively hard on Charles. "My name is Ella E."
"Poor Charles..." Ashstar said, trying to pet it. It kept ducking away.
"I bet if Growlissa could see me now...she wouldn't even want to be with me...a Pokémon abuser..." Ella E thought, tears brimming her eyes. "I'm keeping him."
"What?!"
Ashstar had picked up Charles gently, holding him correctly in her arms. She supported his legs and held him with a gentle touch.
"Bulba..." Charles crooned, rubbing against Ashstar's chest.
"You heard me. I won't let you be cruel to him anymore." Ashstar said, stroking Charles softly as she did.
"You can't do that! I need Charles to capture Growlissa! I started with him anyway!"
"Who's Growlissa?"
Ella E struggled with the words.
"Uh...she's the Growlithe I'm going to capture someday."
"Well, you aren't going to capture it with Charles! Charles isn't just a thing with no feelings, you know!"
"Saur!" Charles agreed emphatically.
"But...but...but you can't take him away from me! Who will I battle with? What will I do?"
"Find some other Pokémon. I won't let you be cruel to Charles anymore. He deserves so much more then that."
Ashstar simply walked away, ignoring Ella E's sputtering protests. Ella E watched as Ashstar only became a streak of grey walking through the woods.
"Oh...what am I going to do without Charles?" Ella E lamented to herself. Some Pokémon trainer she was! How could she capture her Growlithe without Charles's Sleeping Powder? She needed to prove to Ashstar that she could take care of her Pokémon and not be harsh with them.
She looked around desperatly, for a Weedle or anything else she could capture.
She heard screams from above her.
"Speeeearow!"
"PIDGEYAAAAA!"
The shriek of a Pidgeotto! It was followed by some anguished cries of the Spearow. Ella E craned her neck upwards, but couldn't see anything, only occasional feathers floating down. She opened her guide, to try and find more information about the two Pokémon, when she heard a thump.
She looked up, and saw that the Spearow was laying, almost dead, on the ground, with long claw marks in it's body. Ella E instantly felt sympathetic towards the poor Spearow. It was probably just protecting it's territory. She walked over to it.
"Spear...?" it said weakly. Ella E suddenly smiled broadly. This was her chance to capture another Pokémon! Afraid of hurting it, she gently rolled the Pokéball towards it. It clicked open, and the Spearow was sucked in in a flash of light. It dinged.
"I caught a Spearow..." Ella E said, rather thoughtfully, which was rather unusual. Usually, when someone captures their first Pokémon, they're overjoyed. But Ella E was thinking hard. She had to give a nickname to the Spearow...
"My gosh...the Pidgeotto had really cut you up like a piece of meat..." She said to her new Spearow, after giving it a potion and letting it sit on her shoulder. Despite the potion, the Spearow had a long scar over one eye that went all the down to it's feathery neck.
"I know! I'll call you Beef!"
"Spear?" the Spearow said, looking confused. What was this "beef?"
"Beeffff..." Ella E said. She liked the sound of that. She loved to give things strange names...she mainly did it to annoy her sister. Now that she was out on her own, she had no reason to do it, but it was a habit she couldn't break.
"Beeefff...Pokémon..." she said outloud. There was one thing missing from the name...
"Row? Spearow?" the Spearow said.
"Beefff PokémonO! There! The perfect name!" Ella E said, taking the Spearow from her shoulder. It raised it's wings in what could be interpreted as a shrug.
Ella E knew she had to care for this Spearow she could get Charles back. But she was slightly confused...she had never much liked birds anyway.
"I need to battle something and show that I care enough to cheer you on while you do it..." Ella E said to Beefff PokémonO.
"Spear?"
"I know! I read in my guide that there are lots of Bug Catchers around here! Birds are good against bugs, I've read, so you should do fine!"
Her Pokédex clicked open from it's position on the ground. She seemed to notice it for the first time. It scanned the Spearow, added the information, then clicked shut. Ella E, not really caring, shoved the machine back in her pocket and walked off. She was sure there would be a Bug Catcher around here somewhere that she could battle. She decided that she would head off in the direction that Ashstar had gone. Then maybe she could catch up to her.
"I think you're level 3, Beef." Ella E said, using a nickname that would later be used a lot.
"Spear!" Beefff PokémonO said happily.
She heard some wild cries from her right. She walked over to invesigate, the Spearow sitting comfortably on her finger. It's sharp claws hurt her a little, but she restrained her anger. She had to appreciate Beef for what it was.
"Go! Scratch now!" she heard a familiar voice say.
"Char char!"
As soon as she heard that, she ducked behind a tree. Caleb! Caleb must be fighting someone! She opened her guide quickly and found the section under Charmander. Apparently, Fire was great against Bugs. Caleb must be fighting a Bug Catcher.
Ella E considered talking to him, but squashed that thought rather quickly. She couldn't say that her Bulbasaur had left her for another trainer! Caleb must of treated his Charmander nicely after they had parted. Her cheeks flooding red with embarrassment, Ella walked off, motioning to her Spearow to be silent.
In Actuality, Caleb was standing by himself in the clearing, with no Charmander in sight. He sighed again, as he mimicked a battle that he wished he could of completed. He had been mimicking it's voice, trying to sound like it would. Charmander...
"I'm sorry Charmander..." he said for the fifteenth time, sitting on a large rock. When he had been fighting some Bug Catcher, he had kicked Charmander hard. Charmander had finally had enough. It sat and closed it's eyes again. Caleb was about to kick it again, but then apparently either Charmander heard it coming, or heard something important, and suddenly dashed off to the left of him. He had been following it ever since. He didn't have any other Pokémon to battle with! When he got Charmander back, he swore to himself, he would treat it right. He saw a flash of grey where Charmander had dissapeared, but after that he hadn't seen anything. He just hoped Ella E wouldn't find him.
Ella E tried to follow Ashstar, but because she had taken the slight detour, Ashstar's traces where completly gone. Well, Ella E was sure she would run into her again.
Ella E, at that very moment, DID run into someone.
But it wasn't Ashstar.
It was a young boy with a butterfly net in his grasp.
"Hey!"
Ella E's eyes were suddenly bright with excitement.
"Oh, you're a bug catcher, aren't you?"
The boy gave her a weird look.
"Yeah..."
"Let's battle, okay?"
"Well...okay." the boy shrugged. Ella E looked for Beef, who had decided to go off and investigate something.
"Beef? BEEEEFFF?! BEEF YOU S-" she stifled herself. She couldn't call it names...that would be cruel.
"Beef PokémonO! Come here, I need you!" she called loudly.
"Spear?" Beef said, hopping back in the clearing.
"Oh good, you're safe!" Ella E said, with almost genuine relief.
"I call...Caterpie!" The Bug Catcher said. He threw a ball and let the little caterpillar out of it's ball. Ella E hurriedly looked through her guide.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spearow!" the bird cried, flying over the Caterpie. It struck it hard over the head. The Caterpie was instantly knocked out. The Bug Catcher grimaced angrily. He threw another one.
"Go, Kakuna!"
The Ball burst open, and a large, cocoon-like creature burst out. It was totally silent, something that frightened Ella E. She had always thought Pokémon said they're names. Even Metapod did!
"It's mute, okay?" The Bug Catcher said, obviously annoyed.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spear!" The Spearow said, pecking it hard. "Row!" it cried, as it's beak shoke violently. That was a hard shell!
"C'mon, Beef! You st...You can do it!" Ella E said, trying to contain her frustration. To make up for it, she clenched her fists hard.
"Spear..." Beef said, it pecked it again.
"Kakuna, Harden!"
The Kakuna shimmered, and it seemed even harder. Ella E stared hard. Beef had hurt it about a third of it's hits. She hoped this wouldn't take so long.
"Beef, Peck again!"
Beef PokémonO tried again, it's beak ringing now as it struck. Even less damage then before! Ella E clenched her fists tight in anger. She couldn't yell at it...she couldn't hurt Beef! She had to prove to Ashstar and herself that she could care for her Pokémon.
"Beef, give it all you got!" Ella E Shouted.
"SpeeeeeAROWWW!" the Spearow cried, closing it's eyes so the scar that ran over one became a solid line. It stabbed as hard as it could with it's sharp beak.
There was a loud crack.
"Kakuna!" The Boy cried, obviously distressed. A Critical hit! There was a long crack running down the Kakuna now, and it seemed to be vibrating...well, something was making a buzzing noise.
"Maybe it's-" Ella E said, but the boy ran off with the Kakuna in his arms.
"Evolving." She finished uselessly. She looked at her Spearow, to see it shimmering brightly. She looked it up in her guide, and found that meant it was gaining levels. It seemed bigger and better then before! Now she understood...
"C'mere, Beef!" she said, smiling. She had won.
"Spearow!" Beef said, sounding just as pleased. She noticed a flash of grey near her.
"Ashstar?" she called out. She ran after the grey as it dashed off. Finally, she was winded, and finally staggered into a clearing, to see Ashstar and Charles, standing together smirking.
"Give...me...back...Charles..." Ella E gasped, trying to get her breath back.
"Why? So you can hurt him some more?" Ashstar said bitterly.
"Saur! Bulbabulbasaur!" Charles agreed.
"No! No, I've changed!" Ella E said, catching her breath. "I care now. Ask Beef!"
"Beef?" Ashstar rasied a silver eyebrow.
"My new Spearow..."
She held her Spearow up, where it puffed up it's chest and seemed to smile in pride.
"Spearow! Spearspearow! Rowrow!" it said.
"A likely story." Ashstar said doubtfully. "What do you think, Charles?"
"Bulba bulba...bulbasaur bulbabulbsaur...."
"Charles thinks that you threatened the Spearow into liking you." Ashstar said. Ella E blinked.
"You understand it?"
"You can understand you're Pokémon when you care enough about them." Ashstar said with a smile. Ella E thought about how she couldn't understand Beef yet, but sometimes it almost made sense.
"That's just it! Charles isn't YOUR Pokémon! You have your own starting Pokémon."
"Squirtle to be exact." Ashstar said, as if it were no importance. "Also, I recently found an abused Charmander. Poor thing."
Could it of been Calebs..? Ella E wondered.
"Charles is mine. I own him."
"I know. Why don't we let Charles decide?" Ashstar said, smiling. She placed Charles gently and carefully at the edge of the grass.
"Charles, come to the person that is your real trainer."
"C'mere Charles!" Ella E begged. Ashstar only stood silently, staring at Charles' eyes. Charles, without hesitation, walked over to Ashstar and rubbed against her leg.
"See?"
Ella E was heartbroken! Charles still didn't trust her! She'd have to prove it.
"If I can prove I care, will you let me have him back?"
"He's not mine to command. It's his decision, not mine." Ashstar said. There was something about the way she said it that made Ella E seem evil. Ella E looked at Beef, sitting on her arm, perched like a bird of prey.
"I care about Beef."
"I have an idea. Why don't you prove you care enough about Beef...by battling me?"
"How would that prove anything?" Ella E said, stroking her Spearow.
"I'll be using Charles." "Y....You can't use Charles! It's mine!"
Ashstar only looked at Charles, who looked up at her adoringly.
"Bulba?"
"Why don't we ask Charles? Do you belong to her?"
Charles shook it's head vigourously No.
"Saur!"
"I'll prove I've changed Charles!" Ella E said, determined.
"Saur." Charles said, skeptically.
"By the way, I've helped Charles reach level 7."
"Wha...How?" Ella E asked, surprised.
"By working and supporting him. What level is your Spearow?"
"Beefff PokémonO is level 5." Ella E said proudly, stroking Beef's headfeathers.
"Spear!" Beef said happily.
"Charles, use your leech seed to start the battle." Ashstar said, sounding almost like a request. Charles nodded.
"Bulba!"
Ella E raised her arm, and Beef flew off, landing in front of the Bulbasaur, studying it. Suddenly, so fast neither of them could see it, a seed flew from Charles' back, flying into the air. It hit Beef in the back, extending it's roots and growing into tiny plants.
"Spear?" Beef said, pecking at the seeds.
"Beef was Seeded!" Ella E's Pokédex said, but she ignored it.
"Okay, Beeffff PokémonO! Peck it!"
"Speeear!"
Beef pecked Charles hard between the ears.
"Saur!" Charles cried. Suddenly, the plants on Beef's back glowed for a moment, and Beef collapsed in pain. Energy collected in them, and then floated over to Charles, whose peck wound healed quickly.
"Wha...?" Ella E said, sounding surprised. While she looked up the attack in her guide, her Pokédex said the definition. She ignored it.
"So Leech Seed can steal energy? No matter! Beef, peck it again!"
Beef stood on it's claws, flapping it's wings and raising into the air.
"Spearoooow!"
It flew as high as it could, then dove down and slammed it's beak into Charles' side.
"BULBA!" Charles cried.
"Charles!" Ashstar said, distressed. "Don't let the Spearow get to you! Remember what Ella E did? Pay her back!"
Charles' eyes narrowed in utter hatred for Ella E. It ran back, then ran as fast as it could, tackling the Spearow and knocking it to the ground.
"Speeear!"
"Beef! Beefff PokémonO! Oh, I hope you're okay! Use Growl!" Ella E said, sounding genuinely concerned. Charles' looked at her quizzically. Beef staggered upwards, then gave a frightening cry.
"SpearrrrrROW!" Beef cried. Suddenly Charles remembered the fact that Spearow was a flying type, and was super-effective against it. It's attack power was affected by this knowledge. The Plantlets on Beef's back again glew, and energy travelled to Charles. Charles looked much better, while Beef was looking tired and beaten.
"Speear..." it wheezed.
"Beef! Keep Pecking it!"
"Spearow!" Beef cried, pecking Charles again. Charles winced. Ashstar looked worried.
"Please keep focused Charles! When we're done, I'll give you a potion, and you'll feel fine."
Charles looked over at Ashstar with a smile. "Bulbasaur!"
"Now, Tackle the Spearow, Charles!" Ashstar cried. Charles backed up a few paces, then ran at full speed, shrieking.
"BULBASAAAAAAUUUUR!"
WHAM!
Charles hit Beef in it's chest, knocking it into the air. Ella E ran out immediately, going under it and catching it. She studied it carefully.
"Oh Beef! Beeffff PokémonO! Please talk to me!" She said, almost close to tears. She had never realized how important Beef was to her. Beef was unconcious. Ella E collapsed, gently stroking her Spearow.
"....You win...You can keep Charles." She said, sounding like she was about to cry.
Ashstar was startled. This was genuine emotion for her Pokémon coming from Ella E! It could be an act...but if it was, why would she give Charles up so willingly?
Ella E ran her fingers gently down the long scar over Beef's eye, caused by it's fight with the Pidgeotto.
"I'm sorry, Beef. I should of worked harder with you." Ella E said. Finally, one glimmering tear fell from her eye, splashing on Beef's feathers.
Charles was utterly confused. Was this real emotion? It's trainer was caring for someone....No! It couldn't return to her! She had treated it so badly...but she hadn't called the Spearow any names...and it seemed to like her genuinely.
"Charles, it's your decision." Ashstar said, seeming close to tears herself. They glimmered on her silver eyelashes.
Charles looked back and forth between Ashstar and Ella E. Ashstar had truly cared...but now Ella E seemed to. And everyone, in it's opinion, needed another chance...
"Bulba...saur..." Charles said, crying, it rubbed up against Ashstar one last time then walked over to Ella E, using it's bulb to wipe away her tears.
"Charles?" Ella E said, wiping her eyes. "Charles, You chose me!" She cried joyfully, hugging the Bulbasaur tightly.
"Saur!" Charles wheezed.
Ashstar watched quietly. Apparently Ella E had learned her lesson. She began walking off, but Ella E had grabbed her arm. "Wait." Ella E said, holding Beef in her arms.
"What do you want?"
"You're pretty experienced, aren't you?"
"Yes...I have two badges."
"Wow!" Ella E said, with genuine admiration. "Maybe...could you come with me?"
"Why would I do that?" Ashstar said. She brushed back her short silver hair, blinking her violet eyes.
"Why not? We could both benefit. And I'm sure you would make sure I didn't hurt any of my Pokémon along the way."
Ashstar had to take any oppurtunity to help prevent Pokémon abuse.
"I suppose so."
The two walked off together. Ella E noticed how quiet Ashstar was, and for the first time noticed how tall she was.
"Why do you hate Pokémon abuse so much?" Ella E asked. Ashstar crossed her arms, seeming distant.
"It's personal, okay?"
Ella E decided the subject was better left alone. Together, the two of them left Viridian Forest. "Beefff PokémonO! Use your leer attack!" Ella E shouted, pointing at the Nidoran Male in front of her.
"Speeeeearow!" Beef cried, glaring at the Nidoran fiercly. It looked in fear, petrified.
"Peck it, Beef!"
"Spear!" Beef said, agreeing. It Spread it's wings, launching itself into the air and pecking the nidoran hard. It fainted instantly.
"Good job, Beef!" She said, patting her Spearow.
"Spear spear!" it said, happily.
"Your Spearow is level 10 now." Ashstar said, where she leaned against a tree.
"How can YOU tell?"
"Look at the glimmer. Isn't it stronger then before?"
Ella E realized that Ashstar was right. She smiled, and let Beef rest on her arm.
She had been training fiercly since she had reached Pewter. She had read in her guide that the leader of the Gym had mainly rock type Pokémon, around level 12. She wanted her Pokémon high in level.
"I'm glad you aren't neglecting your Spearow, even though it will be no help in the coming battle." Ashstar walked over to Charles, who rubbed up against her happily. She rubbed it idly.
"I want my Pokémon even." Ella E said, with a little doubt. Did she? All she wanted was Charles' sleep powder so she could capture Growlissa...
"Well, Charles is level 13 now. He should be more then a match."
"Then lets give it a try!"
She walked the short distance back to the Pokécenter, and healed her Pokémon. Ashstar seemed to be trying to stare in every direction at once, as if she was here for the first time. Ella E wondered why she cared so much about these surrondings. Ashstar walked over to a empty chair, and looked at it, almost looking sad. But then she shook her head and walked back to Ella E, who was ready to go. She had stocked up on potions with some money she had earned, and now she was ready.
The two of them walked to the front of the Pewter Gym, a large boulder with a gym almost looking like it was cut out of the inside. Ella E walked in. It was dark, and she was slightly frightened. She kept a hand on Charles' bulb, so she wouldn't be alone. She would of held Ashstar's hand, but she was walking behind her.
The lights flashed on.
"Whose there?" Ella E said. There was no response. "C'mon out! I just want a badge and some experience."
There was still no response. She looked around wildly, then saw two forms sitting on top of a pedestal on the back wall. They were wearing black cloaks.
"Prepare for trouble.."
"And Make it double!"
"Team Rocket?!" Ella E cried, frightened. The cloaked forms leapt to the floor, and swept off their disguises to reveal...
Two girls, almost identical, except one had black hair and the other had white.
"I love doing that!"
"It's too much fun to scare people!" The two girls said to eachother. They struck dramatic poses.
"I am Kame!" The girl with the light hair said.
"And I am Kotake!" The girl with the dark hair said.
"And we're..." they said at the same time, "leaders of the Pewter Gym!"
"Phew, you're not Team Rocket." Ella E said, obviously worried. "Hey...isn't Br-"
"He isn't here."
"He had to leave."
"Went with some other kid."
"His dad said he'd stay, but he lied."
"He left it to us."
The two girls alternated their statements so fast it was hard to hear where one broke off and the other began.
"So you're the new Gym Leaders?" Ella E said, holding Charles.
"Not exactly."
"Well, the new part anyway."
"We've been here for quite a while."
"It's all official, more then two years!"
Ella E remembered how her guide didn't update automatically with the new changes in the Pokémon world. Ashstar stayed in the shadows, apparently uncomfortable around them.
"Do you have someone with you?"
"Or are you fighting alone?"
"Well, I do have someone with me, but she won't be fighting." Ella E said. She grabbed Ashstar's arm. Ashstar tried to pull away, but Ella E was too strong. Ella E dragged Ashstar into the light.
"This is Ashstar! She helped me out in Viridian Forest!" Ella E said, smiling. She looked at Ashstar, who seemed furious, her silver hair glinting from the light pouring from the ceiling lights. She stared at Kame and Kotake.
"Why...of all the...I never thought I'd see you again, Ashstar!" Kotake said, flipping her dark hair back.
"Ever since what happened! How can you dare show your face around Pokémon again?" Kame said, her eyes flashig angrily.
"Wh...What do they mean, Ashstar?" Ella E said, confused. Ashstar turned to her with a mixture of sadness and hatred, then ripped her arm from Ella's grasp and ran out of the gym. Ella E stood, utterly confused.
"What the...Why'd she do that?" She asked herself.
"Haven't you heard?" Kame said. The two girls were now circling her.
"Of course not! If she hadn't heard of us, why would she of heard of Ashstar?"
"I suppose not. We'll tell you after we battle you!" Kame said, holding out her Pokéball. Her twin held out another one.
"Let's go! Two Pokémon."
"Good, that's all I have!" Ella E said, gratefully. She put Charles down gently.
"Kame calls....Cubone!"
"Kotake calls...Diglett!"
"Diglett? Cubone?" Ella E said, surprised. She then remembered her Guide hadn't been updated in a while. She heard her Pokédex try to tell her something about the two Pokémon, but she flipped open her book to read instead.
"Well, Charles should handle then! Charles, Vine Whip!"
"BulbaSAUR!" Charled cried, lashing out with whips that had come from underneath his bulb.
"Cubone bone!" The Cubone said, dodging the vines quickly.
"Good boy, Cubone!" Kame said encouragingly.
"Diglett, Dig!" Kotake shouted.
"Diglett!" The Diglett dug beneath the floor, dissapearing. Ella E had the urge to say after Kotake "Diglett dig, Trio trio trio!" but stifled it.
"How does your Diglett know Dig?" Ella E asked, surprised.
"It learned it."
A quick glance at her guide told her the Diglett had to at least be level 19. This was going to be tougher then she thought.
"Charles, jump NOW!" She shouted in desperation. Charles, recognizing the urgency in her voice, leapt as high as it could. The Diglett burst below it a second after Charles left the ground, saving Charles from the Diglett's attack.
"Cubone! Bone Club!" Kame shouted.
"CuuuuuuBONE!" the Cubone cried, running fro Charles. Charles had to make a split decision. It leapt off the Cubone's helmet, landing in a ready position at the other side of the ring.
"Charles! Do your VineWhip Again!"
"Bulba! BulbaSAAUUR!" Charles cried, willing the vines to come forward and hit it's opponets. One of the vines hit the Cubone across the chest with a crack.
"BONE!" it shrieked. Cubone rolled over, and tried to will itself forward. It couldn't. It had to rest...Kame recalled it. The vine caught a glancing blow to the Diglett, but that was enough. It was super effective, and the Diglett was badly injured.
"Diglett, Dig!" Kotake shouted.
"Charles, jump again!" Ella E said, a second too late. The Diglett burst from the ground.
"Diglett!" it cried in it's cute voice. Charles went flying.
"Bulba!"
Charles hit the ground hard, and instantly fainted. Ella E looked it up, and found ground very effective against Poison. She recalled Charles.
"Charles was my one chance at beating them....I have to try something else..." Ella E thought. She grabbed her only other Pokéball.
"Go, Beefff PokémonO!" she shouted, letting the ball fly open in a burst of feathers.
"SPEEEEAROW!" Beef cried, flying from the ball.
Kame had her Cubone curled in her lap, but laughed when she heard the name.
"What kind of name is that? Kotake, get your Diglett to annihilate that bird!"
"Diglett, use your Scratch!"
"Dig!" the Diglett cried, moving through the ground at Beef. Beef was quizzical. It had never seen this kind of Pokémon before.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spear!" Beef cried, flapping it's wings. The Diglett lowered itself, then surged upwards, sending sharp painful rocks at Beef.
"ROW!" Beef cried as they struck it's body. It managed to get off the ground, then pecked the diglett on the head.
"Diglett!" The Diglett cried, distressed. it was almost in faint...
"Beef, peck again!"
"Diglett, use your Scratch!'
"C'mon Beef..." Ella E thought fiercly.
Beef had the advantage. It was in the air. The Diglett shot the shards at it again, but Beef dodged them. Beef slammed into the Diglett, knocking it back in it's hole.
"DIGLETT!" Kotake cried, recalling it.
Kame and Kotake both looked at eachother.
"Well, I guess you win."
"Good! One step closer to my Growlithe!" Ella E said happily.
"Growlithe?" Kame and Kotake said at the same time.
"Yes, I'm looking for one! Do you know where I could find one?"
The twins looked at eachother.
"I think they're around Lavender town..."
"On Route 8."
"Thank you!" Ella E said, walking out.
"Where you going?" Kame shouted. She had recalled her Cubone, and was now running for Ella, who had stopped.
"You don't have a badge." Kotake finished.
"Do I need one?" Ella E asked.
"They boost Your Pokémon's defense."
Ella E thought of Growlissa.
"Sure!"
Kame and Kotake both brought out a badge, then the two of them placed one of them ceremoniously in Ella E's hand. Ella E turned to go.
"Wait."
"Don't you want to know about Ashstar?"
Ella E thought for a moment. Why had Ashstar run out like that?
"Of course."
"Here's how it goes." Kame started.
"And it's all absolullulutly true." Kotake said. They both placed a hand on both their hearts. Ella E looked skeptical, but listened. "It started a while ago." Kame said, looking upwards as if trying to remember.
"A LONG while ago." Kotake finished for her.
"You know, Ashstar is a LOT older then you think she is!" Kame said brightly.
"She is?" Ella E said, confused. Ashstar looked maybe 5, or 6 years older then her. How could she be older then that?
"Oh yeah! She's been through the Elite Four, she was even Champion for a period! Until Red kicked her off-"
Kame sighed lovingly. "Oh, he's SO cute! I wish I could meet him some day!"
Kotake gave Kame a weird look, but then returned her attention back to what she was saying.
"I thought she was 16...or maybe lower. Was I off?" Ella E asked, letting Beef rest on her arm. Kotake smiled.
"Oh no no no, she's at LEAST 24."
"24?!" Ella E shrieked, surprised! She should of been taller if she was 24! But then again, maybe some people were short like her. And Ashstar looked young...
"24!" Kotake said, as if she enjoyed surprising Ella E with this.
"Let's get back to the topic, hmm?" Kame said, looking bored. Kotake rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, Ashstar used to travel with someone...I forget her name...what was it?...hmmm..." Kame said, trying to think. The two girls both thought very, very hard, while Ella E watched. She swore she could see their heads smoking.
"y..Y something. It started with Y, anyway." Kame said, scratching her head.
"Hmm....Yaoshi?"
"No...that's not it...keep trying."
"Yavimaya?"
"No..."
The two girls thought again.
"Hmm...Maybe it was..."
The two girls looked at eachother as they got the same thought at the same time.
"I KNOW!"
They turned towards Ella E.
"Her name was Yilani!" Kotake said, smiling. Ella E smiled nervously.
"Anyway, so they were companions." Kame began, "Ashstar was a lot younger back then, just starting. So was Yilani. The two of them fought together and won together and trained together! But, Ashstar began to be dissapointed in her Squirtle."
Ashstar? Dissapointed? With ANYTHING? It sounded hardly believable, considering Ella E's recent experience with Ashstar, but she listened anyway.
"Yilani had choosen a Squirtle too, and hers was stronger and more determined then hers. Ashstar didn't know why, but she felt slightly jealous and inadequate, even though Yilani didn't seem to notice. Ashstar felt like she dragging them both down."
"Both their Squirtles were now Blastoise's at that point." Kotake put in. Kame glared at her, but didn't say anything.
"Yes, they had evolved. Ashstar kept trying harder and harder to keep her Squirtle up to pace with Yilanis. Yilani still didn't notice."
"I heard Ashstar's Squirtle was called Accident!" Kotake broke in again.
"I think you have her confused for Radic." Ella E said. Kotake looked surprised, realizing that Ella E was right, and then shut up.
"Anyway, Ashstar's Squirtle, which I think was named Kindness, was trying it's hardest to win, but Yilani's was always ahead. In desperation, Ashstar went to the Celadon drug store and picked up some of those stat enhancing drugs."
"Aren't those horribly expensive?" Ella E said, trying to remember what it said in her guide. Her Pokédex tried to tell her, but she hit it sharply and it stopped talking.
"Very. She loaded up on Carbos, Iron, Calciums, everything! She spent almost all her money. She forcefeeded them to Kindness, who was startled and tried to resist."
Ella E was sure that at that point Ashstar would stop doing that to Kindness. After all, Ashstar was a adamant protector of-
"She wasn't in the mood to mess around. She made Kindness take the pills, by force. Kindness was sick and dizzy, but Ashstar didn't care. She was now insanely jealous of Yilani's Blastoise, and was determined to beat it." Kame said.
Ella E's mouth fell open. Ashstar? That couldn't be the same person.
"The next day she tried out her new pumped-up Blastoise against the same opponents as Yilani. Yilani's Blastoise defeated them, Kindness didn't." Kame said.
"When she got back to the Pokécenter, she beat Kindness half-stupid, with anything she could get her hands on. The way I heard it, she shouted "You are SO worthless! I don't know why I even WORK WITH YOU! I hate you! I WISH I HAD A BETTER POKémon then you, You worthless piece of weak SCUM!" and she threw a lamp at Kindness. Kindness wasn't sure how to react. The Lamp shattered on it's shell, the shards burying themeselves in it's skin. Ashstar kicked it until it fell over, and beat until it didn't move, and she thought it was unconcious. She then ran to her room and fell asleep in utter exhaustion." Kotake said.
Ella E was horrified! How could Ashstar do something like that? Kotake didn't notice her reaction. She was too into the story.
"The Next morning, Ashstar woke up, and prepared to get Kindness back on it's feet and apologize for last night. Kindness was cold and stiff. Shocked, Ashstar realized that Kindness was dead. She had beat it to death in her fury." Kotake said respectfully, holding a hand over her heart.
Ella E was almost close to tears. Poor Kindness...
"Then Yilani walked in the room, and saw the broken lamp and the whole room trashed, Kindness was dead, and Ashstar looked horrified. Before Yilani could respond, Ashstar got up, adn ran out of the room, leaving behind a trail of tears. After that, Ashstar became depressed and suicidal, but finally she resolved to protect anything like that ever happeneing to another Pokémon again. That's why she fights so hard against Pokémon abusers, because SHE IS ONE HERSELF." Kame finished.
Ella E sat down hard. Ashstar...so that's why she had ran out. She was ashamed of her past. Well, she should be! Ella E was overcome with fury at the unjust death of Kindness, and She ran out of the gym. Kame and Kotake watched her go silently.
"ASHSTAR!" Ella E shouted, running into the woods. She noticed it was night now. She must of stayed in the gym longer then she thought. "ASHSTAR! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
She saw a glimmer of silver from the corner of her eye. Ashstar!
"ASHSTAR, COME BACK HERE!"
Ella E heard a terrified sob, then saw the Silver run to her left. She heard a loud splash, and a scream of surprise. She ran over, seeing a large, fast running river. And she saw the patch of silver trying to cross.
"Ashstar, get out of the river! I want to talk to you!" Ella E said, her fists clenched angrily.
"SPEAR!" Beef said emphatically. Ashstar looked at Ella E with a mixture of fear and shame, but didn't turn around. She crawled onto the other bank, and tried to run. She tripped over a tree root, and landed hard, the breath knocked out of her. Ella E saw no choice. She leapt in the river.
It was COLD! Ella E's skin prickled as the sudden coldness permeated her entire body. Hissing between her teeth, she stroked powerfully for the other shore. She was lucky to be a good swimmer.She reached the other bank, crawling out and shivering wildly. She saw Ashstar struggle to her feet, only to fall again. Ella E leapt at her, pinning her arms behind her back.
Ashstar rolled over, slipping out of Ella E's grasp and standing up. She was unprepared for the fast slap that hit her next. She sat down hard, holding her face and sobbing.
Ella E tried to control her anger.
"WHY? Why did you LIE to me? You Hypocrite!" She shouted.
"I didn't lie! I never did! I...I was sort of a hypocrite, but I was going to tell you!" Ashstar said, rubbing her eyes, trying to get rid of her tears.
"You...You KILLED your own Pokémon through abuse! And you told me to leave CHARLES alone! You took him AWAY from me! How dare...How could You have dared presume you could take better care of him then me, when you've killed your own Pokémon?!" Ella E said angrily.
"I KNOW I DID IT!" Ashstar shrieked violently, startling Ella. "I KNOW it was wrong! I know it NOW. I was going to tell you! I was, really! Charles needed a caring trainer-"
"YOU KILLED SOMETHING BECAUSE IT COULDN'T BATTLE WELL ENOUGH! You don't care about ANYTHING!" Ella E shouted. Ashstar's face contorted in a look of hatred and anger.
"I don't need to take this! Here, give this back to that stupid rival of yours when you see him!" Ashstar shouted, throwing the Pokéball into the river, then running off. This time Ella E didn't chase her.
"Good. Go ahead and leave. I don't need you." Ella E said. She walked back to the river. What did Ashstar mean by rival? Was that...it must be! Caleb's Charmander! But how had she gotten it? Ella E was at first tempted to say stealing, but then remembered that Ashstar had told her that Caleb had been abusing his Pokémon too, and the Charmander had run to her for protection. Ella E could no longer see why.
She saw the Pokéball, stuck in a clump of reeds in the middle of the moon-lit river. She sighed, thinking of how she would have to go back in the river to get it. She waded in, hissing, cursing Ashstar for making her do this, and grabbed the ball. Then she stepped on something that moved.
"EEEEEEK!" She screamed, raising her legs off the ground instinctively. She was lucky she wasn't swept off. She had grabbed the rock. She looked at what she had stepped on, which was now attached to her pantsleg. It looked like a rock, but with eyes and tiny legs. She managed to swim to shore, and tried to remove the Pokémon from her leg. It clung tenaciously. She was going to look it up in her guide, but she had left it at Kame and Kotake's gym. Her Pokédex started, but she ignored it. She didn't need to depend on that thing. With a sigh, and a slight limp from the Pokémon on her leg, she limped back to Pewter. "So what is it?" She asked Nurse Joy. She was holding the rock-thing in her hands, trying to calm it down.
"A Kabuto of course. Though I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it escaped the Cinnabar labs!"
"Cinnabar? Isn't that where all those experiments go on?"
"Yes...if this escaped, there's no telling what will escape next."
Ella E was slightly unnerved. What if she ran into a Mewtwo? She took back the Kabuto, where it stuck like glue to her arm. She sighed.
"Could you heal my Pokémon, please?"
Nurse Joy gladly oblidged.
As Ella E waited, she thought. Was she too hard on Ashstar? No! Ashstar deserved all she got, beating something to death like that! Ashstar was probably waiting to steal one of her Pokémon for her own twisted purposes!
But Ashstar had seemed so nice at the beginning...so thoughtful. Why did Ella E abandon her?...
Ella shoved the thought from her mind. Ashstar was dangerous, and Ella decided that it would be better if they just avoided eachother from now on. She received her Pokéballs from Nurse Joy, and set out of the town in the morning.
While she as walking on route 3, she heard singing in the back of her mind.
"A Jigglypuff!" She said outloud. She searched around for it, and finally saw it. It was standing on a rock, as if waiting to be praised. She ran up to it swiftly and kicked it.
"JIGGLY!" The Jigglypuff shrieked, running off. Ella E laughed. She hated Jigglypuffs. The stupid things were weak and useless, and besides, when she was little she was nearly abducted by one. It sung her to sleep, and then tried to carry her off. Luckily her mom's Persian had scared it off. She was glad the Jigglypuff was gone.
She found herself at the entrance of a cave. She read a sign at the front, reading in big letters "Mt.Moon" and in smaller letters beneath it "Water and Plant Pokémon are not appreciated". Ella E smiled. All she wanted to to was get through this area, and catch a Geodude. They shouldn't be hard to find.
She entered the cave, wishing she had Growlissa to light the way for her. Instead, she blundered around in the dark, tripping over a rock. She fell hard on her hands and knees.
"Ow!" she said, wondering what she had tripped over. She rubbed her hands, finding them scraped, and her knees, finding them bleeding. Ignoring the pain, she stood and kicked the rock hard, then screamed as she hurt her foot.
"GEO!" the rock cried, flying up. Ella E sat down and sucked as well as she could on her foot.
"Geo?Geodude?" the floating Pokémon said curiously, getting closer.
"I hurt my foot..." Ella E said to herself, almost near tears. This was too much! She hurt all over!
"Geogeo..." the Geodude said, touching her wound with surprising softness. "Geodude?"
"Can you help me?" Ella E asked the Geodude. "I can't see in the dark, and I'll keep tripping."
"Geogeo!" The Geodude said, agreeing. "Geogeo...geogeodude!" The Geodude grabbed her with surprising strength and lifted her onto it's back. She was utterly surprised, apparently the Geodude liked her. She held onto it bravely, and shut her eyes. She couldn't see anyway.
"Geodude! Geodude!"
"Eeee!" Ella E screamed as she was suddenly flying through the air! The Geodude was so fast! She held on tight.
"Geo!" The Geodude stopped, alarmed. Ella E opened her eyes, but could only see vague flashes of blue and purple, and darkness. She heard a piercing squeal, hurting her brain.
"Zuuuuuubat!"
"A Zubat"! She cried uselessly.
"Geeoooo...." The Geodude said, curling it's arms together. It began glowing, and the glow spread to Ella E. Ella E experienced the feeling it is when a Pokémon uses a move. Defense Curl. The strength came over her in a wave, making her feel stronger and more resilient. She felt a surge of power. She could withstand anything now! She clung to the Geodude. She hoped that the Geodude wouldn't drop her...she had no idea how high she was up now.
"GeogeoGEODUDE!" the Geodude cried, punching the Zubat. It fluttered weakly and fell from her limited view. She closed her eyes against the rushing wind as the Geodude continued on it's way.
"Clefairy?" She heard a cute voice say, but she couldn't see anything. She kept her eyes shut.
"Grooooonix!" A cry rang out, from high above her. An Onix!
"Geo!" The Geodude said, sounding frightened. It quickly zipped around the Onix...or at least tried to. Ella E hung on tightly. She could hear the ONix slither around her, and hear it's stone coils rushing past her. Luckily The Geodude was pretty nimble, it dodged the coils. She felt stone jaws sink into the back of her shirt, and she screamed.
"EEEEEEEK!"
The Onix had bit her shirt! She tried as hard as she could to hang onto the Geodude.
"DUDE! GEODUDE!" The Geodude shouted, grabbing Ella E's hands. Ella E shrieked as she felt her body beaing stretched from both ends. She hung onto the Geodude's stony wrists as much as she could.
"Ooooonix!" The Rock Snake shouted, pulling hard. She hung on with all her power, trying to hold onto the Geodude.
"Geeooo..." the Geodude said, sounding strained. She hung on, tears flowing from her eyes. She felt like her body was ripping apart! She heard the fabric in her shirt ripping...She felt the Geodude slipping from her grasp. Shrieking, she felt the Geodude fly from her hands, and she was lifted into the air by the rock-solid jaws of the Onix. There was a thudding in the background. Ella E wasn't sure if it was her head or something else. She felt as if she had been crushed by something, she ached all over. The thudding became more and more consistant, pounding into her head and into the floor.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
She groaned and opened her eyes. Blurryness greeted her, and she blinked a few times to clear away the last cobwebs in her mind.
There was the Onix that had abducted her. It was sitting in the middle of a huge cave, thumping the ground at a steady rythym with it's rock tail. That was what the thumping was...not a headache...an Onix. She smiled at the thought for some reason. The thumps became louder.
Echoing cries came near her.
"Groooonix!"
"Oooonix!" loud roars came from all directions. She tensed her muscles, ready to run...
To be continued!!!
"Figures it would rain today." she thought bitterly to herself, as she slid into some slippers and got up. She stretched and changed. She probably had plenty of time. She looked at her clock. It was 6:30. She did have plenty of time. She grabbed a hat her cousin, Radic, had given her, and placed it snugly on her head. She stared at herself in the mirror.
She was a young, 10 year-old girl with sandy-blond hair and greenish-brown eyes. She was sort of stocky, but she was strong. She pulled on a green vest and some gloves, and pulled on a large coat. It was going to be cold.
"Ella? Ella E! Are you awake?" She could hear her mom calling from downstairs.
"Yeah Mom." Ella E called back. She began searching her room, looking for her guide. She knew she would get a Pokédex today, along with her first Pokémon, but she trusted her guide more. It had pictures of her favourite Pokémon. Growlithe.
She flipped the book open to a worn page, of a Growlithe sitting alert. She hugged it to her happily. Oh, how she loved Growlithe! And that was why she was leaving today...to get herself a Growlithe.
Oh sure, she told her parents she was going to be the "Greatest Pokémon Trainer", but that was just a cover-up. Her cousin's friend Red was champion anyway, and she didn't want to become enemies with him. All she wanted from her Pokémon career was Growlithe.
She had heard stories of it's undying loyalty, it's ability to leap into burning buildings to rescue people, the incredible love it showed it's owners. Oh, how she wanted one of her very own!
She had made the mistake of telling her sister, Atelli that one day.
Atelli was older then she was, and she told her that before Atelli left to go on her Pokémon journey.
"Ella, you are truly obsessed! A Pokémon journey is not just for one Pokémon! You have to catch lots so you can beat other people!"
"I don't want to beat other people..." Ella E had protested, "I just want my Growlithe."
"It's part of training Pokémon, Ella E. I love Dewgong, sure, but I'm not only going out to get one. It's a beautiful day! I'm going to catch them all!"
Ella E had only grumbled to herself. Her sister always got to do things first, always got the better things. At least she was comforted by the fact her sister would never get one of her precious Growlithes. They avoided her. Instead, she got Vulpix. It was a situation that made them both happy.
But now, Ella E could escape the dreariness of their home, the dreariness of the day itself, to find the light of her life. Her Growlithe.
She had already planned out it's name. Growlissa. How she loved the sound of that! Growlissa!
She knew Prof. Oak didn't give out Growlithe's as starting Pokémon, but she didn't care. All she would use it for was to catch her Growlithe.
She ran downstairs, gulped down her breakfast, and headed down the street. She didn't say goodbye to her mother, and she didn't care. Her mother thought Growlithe was annoying and loud, and spent most of her time with her Meowth's and Persians.
Ella E sneezed just thinking about it. Her luck to be stuck in a family obsessed with Meowth's and Persians!
She ran into Prof. Oaks lab, finding only one person ahead of her.
Caleb.
Caleb was her "rival". It had been set up by both their parents, to help their children get a sense of competition as they were training, to help them work harder.
In fact, Caleb wasn't all that bad of a boy. He was fairly decent, and him and Ella E would have probably been friends, if it weren't for the fact they had to be enemies.
Usually, the two children wouldn't find out it was a all a setup until their parents though they were old enough to handle it. But Atelli, after she had almost finished her journey, came back one day and told Ella E. Ella E had in turn told Caleb, but she was pretty sure he knew already.
What gave those parents those crazy ideas to try and CREATE enemies for their children? Ella E frowned. She knew that a little competition was a healthy, but choosing OUT a rival? She almost wished she didn't know. The other kids starting today didn't know. Except Caleb. She sometimes wished she could share in their ignorance. They thought their hatred was their own, but it was just another annoying plan of their parents. Ella E sighed, then smiled. She would be free today!
"What're you gonna get, Caleb?" Ella E asked, smiling. Caleb turned around, flashed a brief smile, then tried to change it to a frown. He didn't get quite there though. It stopped at a halfway point.
"I don't know. It depends on what you pick. Why don't you go first? Mom told me to choose the one that you would be weak against." Caleb said, sounding sort of sad. He told his parents he knew, and now they gave him advice he didn't want. Ella E could relate.
"Alright. I'll go first. Don't worry, I won't pick one that's too hard." Ella E said. She stepped in front of Caleb, noticing some other kids and their "rivals" entering. They seemed glad to be early.
"Why, hello Ella E!" Professor Oak said, smiling. "I haven't seen you since last week when you asked if I had any more Growlithe pictures!"
"Do you?" Ella E asked, her eyes shining.
"Only this one." Prof. Oak reached under his desk and drew out a picture of a Growlithe in mid-leap, about to attack. Ella E looked at, and shoved it in her pocket. She would study it more carefully later. She looked at the three Pokéballs on Prof. Oak's desk.
"Prof. Oak, shouldn't you have more Pokémon to give away?" Ella E asked.
"Oh, I do. This Is Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. I have others, but their not as rare. Staryu, Spearow, Pidgey, Rattata...you get the idea."
"Hmmm..." Ella E said, looking at the three balls. They were each engraved with the Pokémon's name. She knew what the three Pokémon were, because of her guide, and she knew their attacks too. She needed something that wouldn't hurt her Growlithe too much, something that could put it to sleep harmlessly...
"Bulbasaur." She said, picking up the ball. It burst open. Ella E jumped back, a bit frightened. She had never actually seen a Pokéball do that, especially when it was in her hand.
"Bulbasaur!" her new Pokémon said, grinning on the floor.
"Do you want to give it a Nickname?" Prof. Oak asked.
"...Charles. I'm gonna call it Charles."
"Charles?" Prof. Oak said, looking slightly surprised.
"I like that name." Ella E said indignantly. "C'mere Charles!" she called to the Bulbasaur.
"Bulba bulba saur? Saur!" it said, leaping into her arms and licking her face. She laughed. She wondered if her Growlithe would be just as loving.
"It likes it too!" Ella E said, smiling. Prof. Oak laughed.
"Fine, it's name is now Charles. Here's a Pokédex and some Pokéballs. 5, to be exact. I hope you catch your dream Growlithe!"
"Oh, I will." Ella E said confidently, staring into her newly-christened Bulbasaur's eyes. Charles stared back at her, surprised at the determination that shone beyond those glimmering green-brown eyes. "I will.Ella E was walking out of the Pokécenter, down the road she hoped led somewhere where she could catch her precious Growlithe.
"Ella E! Hey, Ella E!" she heard Caleb call from behind her. She turned. She was holding Charles in her arms. She hadn't actually fought anything yet, but she was sure she would soon.
She was right.
"Ella E..." Caleb panted. "My Mom...told me...I needed to...battle you!"
Ella E's mom had told her the same thing, so she nodded.
"You got Charmander, right?"
"Yup!"
"Did you name it anything?"
"Should I have?" Caleb said, blinking. Ella E sighed.
"I suppose not. C'mon, let's go."
She dropped Charles to the ground.
"Bulba!" it said, annoyed.
"Go Charles." She said, without much excitement. Caleb sat down, to regain his breath. He threw the ball weakly.
"Go, Charmander." He wheezed.
"Char char!" it said, in it's sickeningly cute and high voice. Ella E grimaced. She had never heard a Charmander before, and was utterly surprised. She was glad her Growlithe sounded much better, as she had downloaded clips of it barking and howling from the the internet at her computer at home.
"Charles, Tackle." she said, sounding bored. She sat down. Both the Charmander and the Bulbasaur seemed dissapointed at the lack-luster of their trainers when they were battling for the first time. They should be cheering them on!
Charles walked up the Charmander and nudged it, moving it a tiny bit.
"Charles, hit it HARD, you idiot!" Ella E shouted angrily. She wasn't going to be beaten by any other fire Pokémon then Growlithe! She had just realized how humiliating that would be!
"Bulba..." Charles said, wincing. At least it was getting attention. Negative attention, sure, but attention.
"Charmander..scratch..." Caleb panted. The Charmander showed it's tiny claws.
"Mander..." it said, sounding as bored as it's trainer. it barely touched the Bulbasaur.
"Charmander! Do it right!" Caleb said, sounding as angry as Ella E.
"Chaaar..." The Charmander whined, cowering. At least it was getting attention too.
So it went. Each trainer shouted insults and cruel words at each of their Pokémon, until Charles and Charmander were both shaking and weak. They refused to get up.
"Get up! Get up Charles!" Ella E said angrily. "A Growlithe would get up!"
"Charmander, get off your tail! Don't set the grass on fire, you idiot!"
Finally, the two Pokémon closed their eyes, sat absolutely still, and wouldn't move.
Ella E felt like kicking the stupid Bulbasaur! How dare it not listen to her! A Growlithe would have! And this Bulbasaur was a poor replacement.
Ella E reached down and picked Charles up, squeezing it as she did.
"Saur!" it wheezed, surprised.
Caleb grabbed his Charmander's paw tightly, so tightly it squealed, and began dragging it off.
"Don't worry, Ella E! Once I train this weakling into a real Pokémon, it will know how to fight! Then we can finally battle!"
Caleb raised the Charmander by the paw up to eye-level glaring at it. It whimpered as it's arm was pulled painfully tight, and nodded fearfully.
Ella E, likewise, raised her Bulbasaur to eye-level.
"Charles, you WILL fight when I'm through. You WILL."
Something like a glimmer of rebellion shone in the Bulbasaur's eyes, but it was swiftly dampened down by fear.
"Bulba...Bulbasaur..." it said, sounding terrified. Ella E dropped it.
"Saur!" it said, winded. She began walking briskly.
"Keep up, Charles! I will NOT be kept waiting!" she said angrily. "Nothing is going to keep me from my Growlissa! Not even YOU."
Charles limped along after her, wheezing "Saur" after each painful step.
Ella E walked swiftly into Viridian forest, where she promptly ran into a Pidgey nest.
"ACK!" she screamed, as feathers and sticks went flying everywhere.
"Pidgey! PIDGEYAAA!" The Pidgey shrieked, attacking her.
"Charles! Charles, Tackle it!" she shrieked.
"Bulba?" Charles said, unsure of how to reach it.
"Do it now, or you'll regret it!" Ella E shouted, trying to shield her eyes.
"Saaaur..." Charles said. It had no idea it's trainer would be so mean and rough. It wished it had gotten some other trainer. But it was stuck.
"Bulba..." Charles said, backing up. It ran as fast as it could, and leapt in the air, slamming into the pidgey.
"Saaaaur!"
"Pidgeeey..." it said, fainting. Charles panted. That was terrifying...it was scared of the Pidgey. The Pidgey seemed very dangerous.
Ella E ran her hand down her face, and felt blood. The Pidgey had scratched her pretty good.
"Thanks a lot, Charles. A BIT LATE, THOUGH!" she shouted. Charles cowered.
"Saaur?" it whimpered. She raised a hand to slap it. She'd show Charles to be late!
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" she heard a angry voice shout. She felt a hand grab her wrist. She turned angrily, seeing a girl with short grey hair and violet eyes, staring at her with furious energy. Suddenly terribly embarrassed, Ella E blushed bright red.
"What do you think YOU'RE DOING?! Are you a member of Team Rocket?" the girl said with furious anger. Ella E would have ran, but the girl was holding her wrist.
"I......No! Of Course not! I just started today! I got a Pokédex to prove it-" Ella E began fumbling nervously in her pockets. She got it halfway out.
"HOW COULD YOU BE SO CRUEL TO THAT POOR BULBASAUR!?" the girl shrieked. Ella E dropped her Pokédex, where it clicked open on the ground.
"The Pokédex belongs to Ella E. She started with Charles, a Bulbasaur. She is in desperate need of a Growlithe, as it is her favorite Pokémon."
"Who asked you?" Ella E said angrily at the Pokédex.
"Why of all the-" the girl said, seemingly unable to find words to fit her anger,"how...how could you do that to poor Charles? What did it do to you? And it's your first Pokémon too! On your first day!"
"I...I..." Ella E said, staring at her Bulbasaur. Charles was pressed against the ground, in anticipation for the blow that was halted by the girl.
Ella E felt hot tears come to her eyes, but she tried to make them go away by shouting herself.
"You don't understand! It...it's too slow! It didn't save me from the pidgey, and it didn't even fight Caleb!" Ella E shouted. She was stretching the truth a bit. Charles had fought Charmander...a little.
"That's why you TRAIN YOUR POKéMON!" the girl shouted right back. She finally let go of Ella E's wrist, and Ella E was left rubbing it as the girl ran over to Charles. She raised a hand to help it, and Charles squealed.
"Bulba!" Charles ducked from her hand. She turned angrily to Ella E, who was staring at Charles in surprise.
"Look what you did to it!" she accused.
"...I didn't mean too..." Ella E said. What had she been doing? Her want of Growlithe was becoming just what Atelli said it would become...an obsession. She collapsed on the ground.
"I'm sorry Charles." she said, almost crying.
"You better be." The girl with the short grey hair said.
"Who are you?" Ella E said, in awe of the girl. She seemed to radiate confidence.
"My name is Ashstar." the girl said, almost snarling. "What's yours, Pokémon abuser?"
"Don't call me that!" Ella E said, even though she knew she had been excessively hard on Charles. "My name is Ella E."
"Poor Charles..." Ashstar said, trying to pet it. It kept ducking away.
"I bet if Growlissa could see me now...she wouldn't even want to be with me...a Pokémon abuser..." Ella E thought, tears brimming her eyes. "I'm keeping him."
"What?!"
Ashstar had picked up Charles gently, holding him correctly in her arms. She supported his legs and held him with a gentle touch.
"Bulba..." Charles crooned, rubbing against Ashstar's chest.
"You heard me. I won't let you be cruel to him anymore." Ashstar said, stroking Charles softly as she did.
"You can't do that! I need Charles to capture Growlissa! I started with him anyway!"
"Who's Growlissa?"
Ella E struggled with the words.
"Uh...she's the Growlithe I'm going to capture someday."
"Well, you aren't going to capture it with Charles! Charles isn't just a thing with no feelings, you know!"
"Saur!" Charles agreed emphatically.
"But...but...but you can't take him away from me! Who will I battle with? What will I do?"
"Find some other Pokémon. I won't let you be cruel to Charles anymore. He deserves so much more then that."
Ashstar simply walked away, ignoring Ella E's sputtering protests. Ella E watched as Ashstar only became a streak of grey walking through the woods.
"Oh...what am I going to do without Charles?" Ella E lamented to herself. Some Pokémon trainer she was! How could she capture her Growlithe without Charles's Sleeping Powder? She needed to prove to Ashstar that she could take care of her Pokémon and not be harsh with them.
She looked around desperatly, for a Weedle or anything else she could capture.
She heard screams from above her.
"Speeeearow!"
"PIDGEYAAAAA!"
The shriek of a Pidgeotto! It was followed by some anguished cries of the Spearow. Ella E craned her neck upwards, but couldn't see anything, only occasional feathers floating down. She opened her guide, to try and find more information about the two Pokémon, when she heard a thump.
She looked up, and saw that the Spearow was laying, almost dead, on the ground, with long claw marks in it's body. Ella E instantly felt sympathetic towards the poor Spearow. It was probably just protecting it's territory. She walked over to it.
"Spear...?" it said weakly. Ella E suddenly smiled broadly. This was her chance to capture another Pokémon! Afraid of hurting it, she gently rolled the Pokéball towards it. It clicked open, and the Spearow was sucked in in a flash of light. It dinged.
"I caught a Spearow..." Ella E said, rather thoughtfully, which was rather unusual. Usually, when someone captures their first Pokémon, they're overjoyed. But Ella E was thinking hard. She had to give a nickname to the Spearow...
"My gosh...the Pidgeotto had really cut you up like a piece of meat..." She said to her new Spearow, after giving it a potion and letting it sit on her shoulder. Despite the potion, the Spearow had a long scar over one eye that went all the down to it's feathery neck.
"I know! I'll call you Beef!"
"Spear?" the Spearow said, looking confused. What was this "beef?"
"Beeffff..." Ella E said. She liked the sound of that. She loved to give things strange names...she mainly did it to annoy her sister. Now that she was out on her own, she had no reason to do it, but it was a habit she couldn't break.
"Beeefff...Pokémon..." she said outloud. There was one thing missing from the name...
"Row? Spearow?" the Spearow said.
"Beefff PokémonO! There! The perfect name!" Ella E said, taking the Spearow from her shoulder. It raised it's wings in what could be interpreted as a shrug.
Ella E knew she had to care for this Spearow she could get Charles back. But she was slightly confused...she had never much liked birds anyway.
"I need to battle something and show that I care enough to cheer you on while you do it..." Ella E said to Beefff PokémonO.
"Spear?"
"I know! I read in my guide that there are lots of Bug Catchers around here! Birds are good against bugs, I've read, so you should do fine!"
Her Pokédex clicked open from it's position on the ground. She seemed to notice it for the first time. It scanned the Spearow, added the information, then clicked shut. Ella E, not really caring, shoved the machine back in her pocket and walked off. She was sure there would be a Bug Catcher around here somewhere that she could battle. She decided that she would head off in the direction that Ashstar had gone. Then maybe she could catch up to her.
"I think you're level 3, Beef." Ella E said, using a nickname that would later be used a lot.
"Spear!" Beefff PokémonO said happily.
She heard some wild cries from her right. She walked over to invesigate, the Spearow sitting comfortably on her finger. It's sharp claws hurt her a little, but she restrained her anger. She had to appreciate Beef for what it was.
"Go! Scratch now!" she heard a familiar voice say.
"Char char!"
As soon as she heard that, she ducked behind a tree. Caleb! Caleb must be fighting someone! She opened her guide quickly and found the section under Charmander. Apparently, Fire was great against Bugs. Caleb must be fighting a Bug Catcher.
Ella E considered talking to him, but squashed that thought rather quickly. She couldn't say that her Bulbasaur had left her for another trainer! Caleb must of treated his Charmander nicely after they had parted. Her cheeks flooding red with embarrassment, Ella walked off, motioning to her Spearow to be silent.
In Actuality, Caleb was standing by himself in the clearing, with no Charmander in sight. He sighed again, as he mimicked a battle that he wished he could of completed. He had been mimicking it's voice, trying to sound like it would. Charmander...
"I'm sorry Charmander..." he said for the fifteenth time, sitting on a large rock. When he had been fighting some Bug Catcher, he had kicked Charmander hard. Charmander had finally had enough. It sat and closed it's eyes again. Caleb was about to kick it again, but then apparently either Charmander heard it coming, or heard something important, and suddenly dashed off to the left of him. He had been following it ever since. He didn't have any other Pokémon to battle with! When he got Charmander back, he swore to himself, he would treat it right. He saw a flash of grey where Charmander had dissapeared, but after that he hadn't seen anything. He just hoped Ella E wouldn't find him.
Ella E tried to follow Ashstar, but because she had taken the slight detour, Ashstar's traces where completly gone. Well, Ella E was sure she would run into her again.
Ella E, at that very moment, DID run into someone.
But it wasn't Ashstar.
It was a young boy with a butterfly net in his grasp.
"Hey!"
Ella E's eyes were suddenly bright with excitement.
"Oh, you're a bug catcher, aren't you?"
The boy gave her a weird look.
"Yeah..."
"Let's battle, okay?"
"Well...okay." the boy shrugged. Ella E looked for Beef, who had decided to go off and investigate something.
"Beef? BEEEEFFF?! BEEF YOU S-" she stifled herself. She couldn't call it names...that would be cruel.
"Beef PokémonO! Come here, I need you!" she called loudly.
"Spear?" Beef said, hopping back in the clearing.
"Oh good, you're safe!" Ella E said, with almost genuine relief.
"I call...Caterpie!" The Bug Catcher said. He threw a ball and let the little caterpillar out of it's ball. Ella E hurriedly looked through her guide.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spearow!" the bird cried, flying over the Caterpie. It struck it hard over the head. The Caterpie was instantly knocked out. The Bug Catcher grimaced angrily. He threw another one.
"Go, Kakuna!"
The Ball burst open, and a large, cocoon-like creature burst out. It was totally silent, something that frightened Ella E. She had always thought Pokémon said they're names. Even Metapod did!
"It's mute, okay?" The Bug Catcher said, obviously annoyed.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spear!" The Spearow said, pecking it hard. "Row!" it cried, as it's beak shoke violently. That was a hard shell!
"C'mon, Beef! You st...You can do it!" Ella E said, trying to contain her frustration. To make up for it, she clenched her fists hard.
"Spear..." Beef said, it pecked it again.
"Kakuna, Harden!"
The Kakuna shimmered, and it seemed even harder. Ella E stared hard. Beef had hurt it about a third of it's hits. She hoped this wouldn't take so long.
"Beef, Peck again!"
Beef PokémonO tried again, it's beak ringing now as it struck. Even less damage then before! Ella E clenched her fists tight in anger. She couldn't yell at it...she couldn't hurt Beef! She had to prove to Ashstar and herself that she could care for her Pokémon.
"Beef, give it all you got!" Ella E Shouted.
"SpeeeeeAROWWW!" the Spearow cried, closing it's eyes so the scar that ran over one became a solid line. It stabbed as hard as it could with it's sharp beak.
There was a loud crack.
"Kakuna!" The Boy cried, obviously distressed. A Critical hit! There was a long crack running down the Kakuna now, and it seemed to be vibrating...well, something was making a buzzing noise.
"Maybe it's-" Ella E said, but the boy ran off with the Kakuna in his arms.
"Evolving." She finished uselessly. She looked at her Spearow, to see it shimmering brightly. She looked it up in her guide, and found that meant it was gaining levels. It seemed bigger and better then before! Now she understood...
"C'mere, Beef!" she said, smiling. She had won.
"Spearow!" Beef said, sounding just as pleased. She noticed a flash of grey near her.
"Ashstar?" she called out. She ran after the grey as it dashed off. Finally, she was winded, and finally staggered into a clearing, to see Ashstar and Charles, standing together smirking.
"Give...me...back...Charles..." Ella E gasped, trying to get her breath back.
"Why? So you can hurt him some more?" Ashstar said bitterly.
"Saur! Bulbabulbasaur!" Charles agreed.
"No! No, I've changed!" Ella E said, catching her breath. "I care now. Ask Beef!"
"Beef?" Ashstar rasied a silver eyebrow.
"My new Spearow..."
She held her Spearow up, where it puffed up it's chest and seemed to smile in pride.
"Spearow! Spearspearow! Rowrow!" it said.
"A likely story." Ashstar said doubtfully. "What do you think, Charles?"
"Bulba bulba...bulbasaur bulbabulbsaur...."
"Charles thinks that you threatened the Spearow into liking you." Ashstar said. Ella E blinked.
"You understand it?"
"You can understand you're Pokémon when you care enough about them." Ashstar said with a smile. Ella E thought about how she couldn't understand Beef yet, but sometimes it almost made sense.
"That's just it! Charles isn't YOUR Pokémon! You have your own starting Pokémon."
"Squirtle to be exact." Ashstar said, as if it were no importance. "Also, I recently found an abused Charmander. Poor thing."
Could it of been Calebs..? Ella E wondered.
"Charles is mine. I own him."
"I know. Why don't we let Charles decide?" Ashstar said, smiling. She placed Charles gently and carefully at the edge of the grass.
"Charles, come to the person that is your real trainer."
"C'mere Charles!" Ella E begged. Ashstar only stood silently, staring at Charles' eyes. Charles, without hesitation, walked over to Ashstar and rubbed against her leg.
"See?"
Ella E was heartbroken! Charles still didn't trust her! She'd have to prove it.
"If I can prove I care, will you let me have him back?"
"He's not mine to command. It's his decision, not mine." Ashstar said. There was something about the way she said it that made Ella E seem evil. Ella E looked at Beef, sitting on her arm, perched like a bird of prey.
"I care about Beef."
"I have an idea. Why don't you prove you care enough about Beef...by battling me?"
"How would that prove anything?" Ella E said, stroking her Spearow.
"I'll be using Charles." "Y....You can't use Charles! It's mine!"
Ashstar only looked at Charles, who looked up at her adoringly.
"Bulba?"
"Why don't we ask Charles? Do you belong to her?"
Charles shook it's head vigourously No.
"Saur!"
"I'll prove I've changed Charles!" Ella E said, determined.
"Saur." Charles said, skeptically.
"By the way, I've helped Charles reach level 7."
"Wha...How?" Ella E asked, surprised.
"By working and supporting him. What level is your Spearow?"
"Beefff PokémonO is level 5." Ella E said proudly, stroking Beef's headfeathers.
"Spear!" Beef said happily.
"Charles, use your leech seed to start the battle." Ashstar said, sounding almost like a request. Charles nodded.
"Bulba!"
Ella E raised her arm, and Beef flew off, landing in front of the Bulbasaur, studying it. Suddenly, so fast neither of them could see it, a seed flew from Charles' back, flying into the air. It hit Beef in the back, extending it's roots and growing into tiny plants.
"Spear?" Beef said, pecking at the seeds.
"Beef was Seeded!" Ella E's Pokédex said, but she ignored it.
"Okay, Beeffff PokémonO! Peck it!"
"Speeear!"
Beef pecked Charles hard between the ears.
"Saur!" Charles cried. Suddenly, the plants on Beef's back glowed for a moment, and Beef collapsed in pain. Energy collected in them, and then floated over to Charles, whose peck wound healed quickly.
"Wha...?" Ella E said, sounding surprised. While she looked up the attack in her guide, her Pokédex said the definition. She ignored it.
"So Leech Seed can steal energy? No matter! Beef, peck it again!"
Beef stood on it's claws, flapping it's wings and raising into the air.
"Spearoooow!"
It flew as high as it could, then dove down and slammed it's beak into Charles' side.
"BULBA!" Charles cried.
"Charles!" Ashstar said, distressed. "Don't let the Spearow get to you! Remember what Ella E did? Pay her back!"
Charles' eyes narrowed in utter hatred for Ella E. It ran back, then ran as fast as it could, tackling the Spearow and knocking it to the ground.
"Speeear!"
"Beef! Beefff PokémonO! Oh, I hope you're okay! Use Growl!" Ella E said, sounding genuinely concerned. Charles' looked at her quizzically. Beef staggered upwards, then gave a frightening cry.
"SpearrrrrROW!" Beef cried. Suddenly Charles remembered the fact that Spearow was a flying type, and was super-effective against it. It's attack power was affected by this knowledge. The Plantlets on Beef's back again glew, and energy travelled to Charles. Charles looked much better, while Beef was looking tired and beaten.
"Speear..." it wheezed.
"Beef! Keep Pecking it!"
"Spearow!" Beef cried, pecking Charles again. Charles winced. Ashstar looked worried.
"Please keep focused Charles! When we're done, I'll give you a potion, and you'll feel fine."
Charles looked over at Ashstar with a smile. "Bulbasaur!"
"Now, Tackle the Spearow, Charles!" Ashstar cried. Charles backed up a few paces, then ran at full speed, shrieking.
"BULBASAAAAAAUUUUR!"
WHAM!
Charles hit Beef in it's chest, knocking it into the air. Ella E ran out immediately, going under it and catching it. She studied it carefully.
"Oh Beef! Beeffff PokémonO! Please talk to me!" She said, almost close to tears. She had never realized how important Beef was to her. Beef was unconcious. Ella E collapsed, gently stroking her Spearow.
"....You win...You can keep Charles." She said, sounding like she was about to cry.
Ashstar was startled. This was genuine emotion for her Pokémon coming from Ella E! It could be an act...but if it was, why would she give Charles up so willingly?
Ella E ran her fingers gently down the long scar over Beef's eye, caused by it's fight with the Pidgeotto.
"I'm sorry, Beef. I should of worked harder with you." Ella E said. Finally, one glimmering tear fell from her eye, splashing on Beef's feathers.
Charles was utterly confused. Was this real emotion? It's trainer was caring for someone....No! It couldn't return to her! She had treated it so badly...but she hadn't called the Spearow any names...and it seemed to like her genuinely.
"Charles, it's your decision." Ashstar said, seeming close to tears herself. They glimmered on her silver eyelashes.
Charles looked back and forth between Ashstar and Ella E. Ashstar had truly cared...but now Ella E seemed to. And everyone, in it's opinion, needed another chance...
"Bulba...saur..." Charles said, crying, it rubbed up against Ashstar one last time then walked over to Ella E, using it's bulb to wipe away her tears.
"Charles?" Ella E said, wiping her eyes. "Charles, You chose me!" She cried joyfully, hugging the Bulbasaur tightly.
"Saur!" Charles wheezed.
Ashstar watched quietly. Apparently Ella E had learned her lesson. She began walking off, but Ella E had grabbed her arm. "Wait." Ella E said, holding Beef in her arms.
"What do you want?"
"You're pretty experienced, aren't you?"
"Yes...I have two badges."
"Wow!" Ella E said, with genuine admiration. "Maybe...could you come with me?"
"Why would I do that?" Ashstar said. She brushed back her short silver hair, blinking her violet eyes.
"Why not? We could both benefit. And I'm sure you would make sure I didn't hurt any of my Pokémon along the way."
Ashstar had to take any oppurtunity to help prevent Pokémon abuse.
"I suppose so."
The two walked off together. Ella E noticed how quiet Ashstar was, and for the first time noticed how tall she was.
"Why do you hate Pokémon abuse so much?" Ella E asked. Ashstar crossed her arms, seeming distant.
"It's personal, okay?"
Ella E decided the subject was better left alone. Together, the two of them left Viridian Forest. "Beefff PokémonO! Use your leer attack!" Ella E shouted, pointing at the Nidoran Male in front of her.
"Speeeeearow!" Beef cried, glaring at the Nidoran fiercly. It looked in fear, petrified.
"Peck it, Beef!"
"Spear!" Beef said, agreeing. It Spread it's wings, launching itself into the air and pecking the nidoran hard. It fainted instantly.
"Good job, Beef!" She said, patting her Spearow.
"Spear spear!" it said, happily.
"Your Spearow is level 10 now." Ashstar said, where she leaned against a tree.
"How can YOU tell?"
"Look at the glimmer. Isn't it stronger then before?"
Ella E realized that Ashstar was right. She smiled, and let Beef rest on her arm.
She had been training fiercly since she had reached Pewter. She had read in her guide that the leader of the Gym had mainly rock type Pokémon, around level 12. She wanted her Pokémon high in level.
"I'm glad you aren't neglecting your Spearow, even though it will be no help in the coming battle." Ashstar walked over to Charles, who rubbed up against her happily. She rubbed it idly.
"I want my Pokémon even." Ella E said, with a little doubt. Did she? All she wanted was Charles' sleep powder so she could capture Growlissa...
"Well, Charles is level 13 now. He should be more then a match."
"Then lets give it a try!"
She walked the short distance back to the Pokécenter, and healed her Pokémon. Ashstar seemed to be trying to stare in every direction at once, as if she was here for the first time. Ella E wondered why she cared so much about these surrondings. Ashstar walked over to a empty chair, and looked at it, almost looking sad. But then she shook her head and walked back to Ella E, who was ready to go. She had stocked up on potions with some money she had earned, and now she was ready.
The two of them walked to the front of the Pewter Gym, a large boulder with a gym almost looking like it was cut out of the inside. Ella E walked in. It was dark, and she was slightly frightened. She kept a hand on Charles' bulb, so she wouldn't be alone. She would of held Ashstar's hand, but she was walking behind her.
The lights flashed on.
"Whose there?" Ella E said. There was no response. "C'mon out! I just want a badge and some experience."
There was still no response. She looked around wildly, then saw two forms sitting on top of a pedestal on the back wall. They were wearing black cloaks.
"Prepare for trouble.."
"And Make it double!"
"Team Rocket?!" Ella E cried, frightened. The cloaked forms leapt to the floor, and swept off their disguises to reveal...
Two girls, almost identical, except one had black hair and the other had white.
"I love doing that!"
"It's too much fun to scare people!" The two girls said to eachother. They struck dramatic poses.
"I am Kame!" The girl with the light hair said.
"And I am Kotake!" The girl with the dark hair said.
"And we're..." they said at the same time, "leaders of the Pewter Gym!"
"Phew, you're not Team Rocket." Ella E said, obviously worried. "Hey...isn't Br-"
"He isn't here."
"He had to leave."
"Went with some other kid."
"His dad said he'd stay, but he lied."
"He left it to us."
The two girls alternated their statements so fast it was hard to hear where one broke off and the other began.
"So you're the new Gym Leaders?" Ella E said, holding Charles.
"Not exactly."
"Well, the new part anyway."
"We've been here for quite a while."
"It's all official, more then two years!"
Ella E remembered how her guide didn't update automatically with the new changes in the Pokémon world. Ashstar stayed in the shadows, apparently uncomfortable around them.
"Do you have someone with you?"
"Or are you fighting alone?"
"Well, I do have someone with me, but she won't be fighting." Ella E said. She grabbed Ashstar's arm. Ashstar tried to pull away, but Ella E was too strong. Ella E dragged Ashstar into the light.
"This is Ashstar! She helped me out in Viridian Forest!" Ella E said, smiling. She looked at Ashstar, who seemed furious, her silver hair glinting from the light pouring from the ceiling lights. She stared at Kame and Kotake.
"Why...of all the...I never thought I'd see you again, Ashstar!" Kotake said, flipping her dark hair back.
"Ever since what happened! How can you dare show your face around Pokémon again?" Kame said, her eyes flashig angrily.
"Wh...What do they mean, Ashstar?" Ella E said, confused. Ashstar turned to her with a mixture of sadness and hatred, then ripped her arm from Ella's grasp and ran out of the gym. Ella E stood, utterly confused.
"What the...Why'd she do that?" She asked herself.
"Haven't you heard?" Kame said. The two girls were now circling her.
"Of course not! If she hadn't heard of us, why would she of heard of Ashstar?"
"I suppose not. We'll tell you after we battle you!" Kame said, holding out her Pokéball. Her twin held out another one.
"Let's go! Two Pokémon."
"Good, that's all I have!" Ella E said, gratefully. She put Charles down gently.
"Kame calls....Cubone!"
"Kotake calls...Diglett!"
"Diglett? Cubone?" Ella E said, surprised. She then remembered her Guide hadn't been updated in a while. She heard her Pokédex try to tell her something about the two Pokémon, but she flipped open her book to read instead.
"Well, Charles should handle then! Charles, Vine Whip!"
"BulbaSAUR!" Charled cried, lashing out with whips that had come from underneath his bulb.
"Cubone bone!" The Cubone said, dodging the vines quickly.
"Good boy, Cubone!" Kame said encouragingly.
"Diglett, Dig!" Kotake shouted.
"Diglett!" The Diglett dug beneath the floor, dissapearing. Ella E had the urge to say after Kotake "Diglett dig, Trio trio trio!" but stifled it.
"How does your Diglett know Dig?" Ella E asked, surprised.
"It learned it."
A quick glance at her guide told her the Diglett had to at least be level 19. This was going to be tougher then she thought.
"Charles, jump NOW!" She shouted in desperation. Charles, recognizing the urgency in her voice, leapt as high as it could. The Diglett burst below it a second after Charles left the ground, saving Charles from the Diglett's attack.
"Cubone! Bone Club!" Kame shouted.
"CuuuuuuBONE!" the Cubone cried, running fro Charles. Charles had to make a split decision. It leapt off the Cubone's helmet, landing in a ready position at the other side of the ring.
"Charles! Do your VineWhip Again!"
"Bulba! BulbaSAAUUR!" Charles cried, willing the vines to come forward and hit it's opponets. One of the vines hit the Cubone across the chest with a crack.
"BONE!" it shrieked. Cubone rolled over, and tried to will itself forward. It couldn't. It had to rest...Kame recalled it. The vine caught a glancing blow to the Diglett, but that was enough. It was super effective, and the Diglett was badly injured.
"Diglett, Dig!" Kotake shouted.
"Charles, jump again!" Ella E said, a second too late. The Diglett burst from the ground.
"Diglett!" it cried in it's cute voice. Charles went flying.
"Bulba!"
Charles hit the ground hard, and instantly fainted. Ella E looked it up, and found ground very effective against Poison. She recalled Charles.
"Charles was my one chance at beating them....I have to try something else..." Ella E thought. She grabbed her only other Pokéball.
"Go, Beefff PokémonO!" she shouted, letting the ball fly open in a burst of feathers.
"SPEEEEAROW!" Beef cried, flying from the ball.
Kame had her Cubone curled in her lap, but laughed when she heard the name.
"What kind of name is that? Kotake, get your Diglett to annihilate that bird!"
"Diglett, use your Scratch!"
"Dig!" the Diglett cried, moving through the ground at Beef. Beef was quizzical. It had never seen this kind of Pokémon before.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spear!" Beef cried, flapping it's wings. The Diglett lowered itself, then surged upwards, sending sharp painful rocks at Beef.
"ROW!" Beef cried as they struck it's body. It managed to get off the ground, then pecked the diglett on the head.
"Diglett!" The Diglett cried, distressed. it was almost in faint...
"Beef, peck again!"
"Diglett, use your Scratch!'
"C'mon Beef..." Ella E thought fiercly.
Beef had the advantage. It was in the air. The Diglett shot the shards at it again, but Beef dodged them. Beef slammed into the Diglett, knocking it back in it's hole.
"DIGLETT!" Kotake cried, recalling it.
Kame and Kotake both looked at eachother.
"Well, I guess you win."
"Good! One step closer to my Growlithe!" Ella E said happily.
"Growlithe?" Kame and Kotake said at the same time.
"Yes, I'm looking for one! Do you know where I could find one?"
The twins looked at eachother.
"I think they're around Lavender town..."
"On Route 8."
"Thank you!" Ella E said, walking out.
"Where you going?" Kame shouted. She had recalled her Cubone, and was now running for Ella, who had stopped.
"You don't have a badge." Kotake finished.
"Do I need one?" Ella E asked.
"They boost Your Pokémon's defense."
Ella E thought of Growlissa.
"Sure!"
Kame and Kotake both brought out a badge, then the two of them placed one of them ceremoniously in Ella E's hand. Ella E turned to go.
"Wait."
"Don't you want to know about Ashstar?"
Ella E thought for a moment. Why had Ashstar run out like that?
"Of course."
"Here's how it goes." Kame started.
"And it's all absolullulutly true." Kotake said. They both placed a hand on both their hearts. Ella E looked skeptical, but listened. "It started a while ago." Kame said, looking upwards as if trying to remember.
"A LONG while ago." Kotake finished for her.
"You know, Ashstar is a LOT older then you think she is!" Kame said brightly.
"She is?" Ella E said, confused. Ashstar looked maybe 5, or 6 years older then her. How could she be older then that?
"Oh yeah! She's been through the Elite Four, she was even Champion for a period! Until Red kicked her off-"
Kame sighed lovingly. "Oh, he's SO cute! I wish I could meet him some day!"
Kotake gave Kame a weird look, but then returned her attention back to what she was saying.
"I thought she was 16...or maybe lower. Was I off?" Ella E asked, letting Beef rest on her arm. Kotake smiled.
"Oh no no no, she's at LEAST 24."
"24?!" Ella E shrieked, surprised! She should of been taller if she was 24! But then again, maybe some people were short like her. And Ashstar looked young...
"24!" Kotake said, as if she enjoyed surprising Ella E with this.
"Let's get back to the topic, hmm?" Kame said, looking bored. Kotake rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, Ashstar used to travel with someone...I forget her name...what was it?...hmmm..." Kame said, trying to think. The two girls both thought very, very hard, while Ella E watched. She swore she could see their heads smoking.
"y..Y something. It started with Y, anyway." Kame said, scratching her head.
"Hmm....Yaoshi?"
"No...that's not it...keep trying."
"Yavimaya?"
"No..."
The two girls thought again.
"Hmm...Maybe it was..."
The two girls looked at eachother as they got the same thought at the same time.
"I KNOW!"
They turned towards Ella E.
"Her name was Yilani!" Kotake said, smiling. Ella E smiled nervously.
"Anyway, so they were companions." Kame began, "Ashstar was a lot younger back then, just starting. So was Yilani. The two of them fought together and won together and trained together! But, Ashstar began to be dissapointed in her Squirtle."
Ashstar? Dissapointed? With ANYTHING? It sounded hardly believable, considering Ella E's recent experience with Ashstar, but she listened anyway.
"Yilani had choosen a Squirtle too, and hers was stronger and more determined then hers. Ashstar didn't know why, but she felt slightly jealous and inadequate, even though Yilani didn't seem to notice. Ashstar felt like she dragging them both down."
"Both their Squirtles were now Blastoise's at that point." Kotake put in. Kame glared at her, but didn't say anything.
"Yes, they had evolved. Ashstar kept trying harder and harder to keep her Squirtle up to pace with Yilanis. Yilani still didn't notice."
"I heard Ashstar's Squirtle was called Accident!" Kotake broke in again.
"I think you have her confused for Radic." Ella E said. Kotake looked surprised, realizing that Ella E was right, and then shut up.
"Anyway, Ashstar's Squirtle, which I think was named Kindness, was trying it's hardest to win, but Yilani's was always ahead. In desperation, Ashstar went to the Celadon drug store and picked up some of those stat enhancing drugs."
"Aren't those horribly expensive?" Ella E said, trying to remember what it said in her guide. Her Pokédex tried to tell her, but she hit it sharply and it stopped talking.
"Very. She loaded up on Carbos, Iron, Calciums, everything! She spent almost all her money. She forcefeeded them to Kindness, who was startled and tried to resist."
Ella E was sure that at that point Ashstar would stop doing that to Kindness. After all, Ashstar was a adamant protector of-
"She wasn't in the mood to mess around. She made Kindness take the pills, by force. Kindness was sick and dizzy, but Ashstar didn't care. She was now insanely jealous of Yilani's Blastoise, and was determined to beat it." Kame said.
Ella E's mouth fell open. Ashstar? That couldn't be the same person.
"The next day she tried out her new pumped-up Blastoise against the same opponents as Yilani. Yilani's Blastoise defeated them, Kindness didn't." Kame said.
"When she got back to the Pokécenter, she beat Kindness half-stupid, with anything she could get her hands on. The way I heard it, she shouted "You are SO worthless! I don't know why I even WORK WITH YOU! I hate you! I WISH I HAD A BETTER POKémon then you, You worthless piece of weak SCUM!" and she threw a lamp at Kindness. Kindness wasn't sure how to react. The Lamp shattered on it's shell, the shards burying themeselves in it's skin. Ashstar kicked it until it fell over, and beat until it didn't move, and she thought it was unconcious. She then ran to her room and fell asleep in utter exhaustion." Kotake said.
Ella E was horrified! How could Ashstar do something like that? Kotake didn't notice her reaction. She was too into the story.
"The Next morning, Ashstar woke up, and prepared to get Kindness back on it's feet and apologize for last night. Kindness was cold and stiff. Shocked, Ashstar realized that Kindness was dead. She had beat it to death in her fury." Kotake said respectfully, holding a hand over her heart.
Ella E was almost close to tears. Poor Kindness...
"Then Yilani walked in the room, and saw the broken lamp and the whole room trashed, Kindness was dead, and Ashstar looked horrified. Before Yilani could respond, Ashstar got up, adn ran out of the room, leaving behind a trail of tears. After that, Ashstar became depressed and suicidal, but finally she resolved to protect anything like that ever happeneing to another Pokémon again. That's why she fights so hard against Pokémon abusers, because SHE IS ONE HERSELF." Kame finished.
Ella E sat down hard. Ashstar...so that's why she had ran out. She was ashamed of her past. Well, she should be! Ella E was overcome with fury at the unjust death of Kindness, and She ran out of the gym. Kame and Kotake watched her go silently.
"ASHSTAR!" Ella E shouted, running into the woods. She noticed it was night now. She must of stayed in the gym longer then she thought. "ASHSTAR! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
She saw a glimmer of silver from the corner of her eye. Ashstar!
"ASHSTAR, COME BACK HERE!"
Ella E heard a terrified sob, then saw the Silver run to her left. She heard a loud splash, and a scream of surprise. She ran over, seeing a large, fast running river. And she saw the patch of silver trying to cross.
"Ashstar, get out of the river! I want to talk to you!" Ella E said, her fists clenched angrily.
"SPEAR!" Beef said emphatically. Ashstar looked at Ella E with a mixture of fear and shame, but didn't turn around. She crawled onto the other bank, and tried to run. She tripped over a tree root, and landed hard, the breath knocked out of her. Ella E saw no choice. She leapt in the river.
It was COLD! Ella E's skin prickled as the sudden coldness permeated her entire body. Hissing between her teeth, she stroked powerfully for the other shore. She was lucky to be a good swimmer.She reached the other bank, crawling out and shivering wildly. She saw Ashstar struggle to her feet, only to fall again. Ella E leapt at her, pinning her arms behind her back.
Ashstar rolled over, slipping out of Ella E's grasp and standing up. She was unprepared for the fast slap that hit her next. She sat down hard, holding her face and sobbing.
Ella E tried to control her anger.
"WHY? Why did you LIE to me? You Hypocrite!" She shouted.
"I didn't lie! I never did! I...I was sort of a hypocrite, but I was going to tell you!" Ashstar said, rubbing her eyes, trying to get rid of her tears.
"You...You KILLED your own Pokémon through abuse! And you told me to leave CHARLES alone! You took him AWAY from me! How dare...How could You have dared presume you could take better care of him then me, when you've killed your own Pokémon?!" Ella E said angrily.
"I KNOW I DID IT!" Ashstar shrieked violently, startling Ella. "I KNOW it was wrong! I know it NOW. I was going to tell you! I was, really! Charles needed a caring trainer-"
"YOU KILLED SOMETHING BECAUSE IT COULDN'T BATTLE WELL ENOUGH! You don't care about ANYTHING!" Ella E shouted. Ashstar's face contorted in a look of hatred and anger.
"I don't need to take this! Here, give this back to that stupid rival of yours when you see him!" Ashstar shouted, throwing the Pokéball into the river, then running off. This time Ella E didn't chase her.
"Good. Go ahead and leave. I don't need you." Ella E said. She walked back to the river. What did Ashstar mean by rival? Was that...it must be! Caleb's Charmander! But how had she gotten it? Ella E was at first tempted to say stealing, but then remembered that Ashstar had told her that Caleb had been abusing his Pokémon too, and the Charmander had run to her for protection. Ella E could no longer see why.
She saw the Pokéball, stuck in a clump of reeds in the middle of the moon-lit river. She sighed, thinking of how she would have to go back in the river to get it. She waded in, hissing, cursing Ashstar for making her do this, and grabbed the ball. Then she stepped on something that moved.
"EEEEEEK!" She screamed, raising her legs off the ground instinctively. She was lucky she wasn't swept off. She had grabbed the rock. She looked at what she had stepped on, which was now attached to her pantsleg. It looked like a rock, but with eyes and tiny legs. She managed to swim to shore, and tried to remove the Pokémon from her leg. It clung tenaciously. She was going to look it up in her guide, but she had left it at Kame and Kotake's gym. Her Pokédex started, but she ignored it. She didn't need to depend on that thing. With a sigh, and a slight limp from the Pokémon on her leg, she limped back to Pewter. "So what is it?" She asked Nurse Joy. She was holding the rock-thing in her hands, trying to calm it down.
"A Kabuto of course. Though I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it escaped the Cinnabar labs!"
"Cinnabar? Isn't that where all those experiments go on?"
"Yes...if this escaped, there's no telling what will escape next."
Ella E was slightly unnerved. What if she ran into a Mewtwo? She took back the Kabuto, where it stuck like glue to her arm. She sighed.
"Could you heal my Pokémon, please?"
Nurse Joy gladly oblidged.
As Ella E waited, she thought. Was she too hard on Ashstar? No! Ashstar deserved all she got, beating something to death like that! Ashstar was probably waiting to steal one of her Pokémon for her own twisted purposes!
But Ashstar had seemed so nice at the beginning...so thoughtful. Why did Ella E abandon her?...
Ella shoved the thought from her mind. Ashstar was dangerous, and Ella decided that it would be better if they just avoided eachother from now on. She received her Pokéballs from Nurse Joy, and set out of the town in the morning.
While she as walking on route 3, she heard singing in the back of her mind.
"A Jigglypuff!" She said outloud. She searched around for it, and finally saw it. It was standing on a rock, as if waiting to be praised. She ran up to it swiftly and kicked it.
"JIGGLY!" The Jigglypuff shrieked, running off. Ella E laughed. She hated Jigglypuffs. The stupid things were weak and useless, and besides, when she was little she was nearly abducted by one. It sung her to sleep, and then tried to carry her off. Luckily her mom's Persian had scared it off. She was glad the Jigglypuff was gone.
She found herself at the entrance of a cave. She read a sign at the front, reading in big letters "Mt.Moon" and in smaller letters beneath it "Water and Plant Pokémon are not appreciated". Ella E smiled. All she wanted to to was get through this area, and catch a Geodude. They shouldn't be hard to find.
She entered the cave, wishing she had Growlissa to light the way for her. Instead, she blundered around in the dark, tripping over a rock. She fell hard on her hands and knees.
"Ow!" she said, wondering what she had tripped over. She rubbed her hands, finding them scraped, and her knees, finding them bleeding. Ignoring the pain, she stood and kicked the rock hard, then screamed as she hurt her foot.
"GEO!" the rock cried, flying up. Ella E sat down and sucked as well as she could on her foot.
"Geo?Geodude?" the floating Pokémon said curiously, getting closer.
"I hurt my foot..." Ella E said to herself, almost near tears. This was too much! She hurt all over!
"Geogeo..." the Geodude said, touching her wound with surprising softness. "Geodude?"
"Can you help me?" Ella E asked the Geodude. "I can't see in the dark, and I'll keep tripping."
"Geogeo!" The Geodude said, agreeing. "Geogeo...geogeodude!" The Geodude grabbed her with surprising strength and lifted her onto it's back. She was utterly surprised, apparently the Geodude liked her. She held onto it bravely, and shut her eyes. She couldn't see anyway.
"Geodude! Geodude!"
"Eeee!" Ella E screamed as she was suddenly flying through the air! The Geodude was so fast! She held on tight.
"Geo!" The Geodude stopped, alarmed. Ella E opened her eyes, but could only see vague flashes of blue and purple, and darkness. She heard a piercing squeal, hurting her brain.
"Zuuuuuubat!"
"A Zubat"! She cried uselessly.
"Geeoooo...." The Geodude said, curling it's arms together. It began glowing, and the glow spread to Ella E. Ella E experienced the feeling it is when a Pokémon uses a move. Defense Curl. The strength came over her in a wave, making her feel stronger and more resilient. She felt a surge of power. She could withstand anything now! She clung to the Geodude. She hoped that the Geodude wouldn't drop her...she had no idea how high she was up now.
"GeogeoGEODUDE!" the Geodude cried, punching the Zubat. It fluttered weakly and fell from her limited view. She closed her eyes against the rushing wind as the Geodude continued on it's way.
"Clefairy?" She heard a cute voice say, but she couldn't see anything. She kept her eyes shut.
"Grooooonix!" A cry rang out, from high above her. An Onix!
"Geo!" The Geodude said, sounding frightened. It quickly zipped around the Onix...or at least tried to. Ella E hung on tightly. She could hear the ONix slither around her, and hear it's stone coils rushing past her. Luckily The Geodude was pretty nimble, it dodged the coils. She felt stone jaws sink into the back of her shirt, and she screamed.
"EEEEEEEK!"
The Onix had bit her shirt! She tried as hard as she could to hang onto the Geodude.
"DUDE! GEODUDE!" The Geodude shouted, grabbing Ella E's hands. Ella E shrieked as she felt her body beaing stretched from both ends. She hung onto the Geodude's stony wrists as much as she could.
"Ooooonix!" The Rock Snake shouted, pulling hard. She hung on with all her power, trying to hold onto the Geodude.
"Geeooo..." the Geodude said, sounding strained. She hung on, tears flowing from her eyes. She felt like her body was ripping apart! She heard the fabric in her shirt ripping...She felt the Geodude slipping from her grasp. Shrieking, she felt the Geodude fly from her hands, and she was lifted into the air by the rock-solid jaws of the Onix. There was a thudding in the background. Ella E wasn't sure if it was her head or something else. She felt as if she had been crushed by something, she ached all over. The thudding became more and more consistant, pounding into her head and into the floor.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
She groaned and opened her eyes. Blurryness greeted her, and she blinked a few times to clear away the last cobwebs in her mind.
There was the Onix that had abducted her. It was sitting in the middle of a huge cave, thumping the ground at a steady rythym with it's rock tail. That was what the thumping was...not a headache...an Onix. She smiled at the thought for some reason. The thumps became louder.
Echoing cries came near her.
"Groooonix!"
"Oooonix!" loud roars came from all directions. She tensed her muscles, ready to run...
To be continued!!!
Whatsort of idiot would actually read that. It ins't particularily presented either which makes it even harder to read.
(;o|
(;o|
Well, if you did write it, it's good if not highly unoriginal!
slik !_!
slik !_!
who knows !!
Where did you copy that from?
Ella E yawned, sitting up in her bed. She looked out the window, and saw dark storm clouds. They were thick and heavy looking, seeming dangerously low. She could almost see them rumbling.
"Figures it would rain today." she thought bitterly to herself, as she slid into some slippers and got up. She stretched and changed. She probably had plenty of time. She looked at her clock. It was 6:30. She did have plenty of time. She grabbed a hat her cousin, Radic, had given her, and placed it snugly on her head. She stared at herself in the mirror.
She was a young, 10 year-old girl with sandy-blond hair and greenish-brown eyes. She was sort of stocky, but she was strong. She pulled on a green vest and some gloves, and pulled on a large coat. It was going to be cold.
"Ella? Ella E! Are you awake?" She could hear her mom calling from downstairs.
"Yeah Mom." Ella E called back. She began searching her room, looking for her guide. She knew she would get a Pokédex today, along with her first Pokémon, but she trusted her guide more. It had pictures of her favourite Pokémon. Growlithe.
She flipped the book open to a worn page, of a Growlithe sitting alert. She hugged it to her happily. Oh, how she loved Growlithe! And that was why she was leaving today...to get herself a Growlithe.
Oh sure, she told her parents she was going to be the "Greatest Pokémon Trainer", but that was just a cover-up. Her cousin's friend Red was champion anyway, and she didn't want to become enemies with him. All she wanted from her Pokémon career was Growlithe.
She had heard stories of it's undying loyalty, it's ability to leap into burning buildings to rescue people, the incredible love it showed it's owners. Oh, how she wanted one of her very own!
She had made the mistake of telling her sister, Atelli that one day.
Atelli was older then she was, and she told her that before Atelli left to go on her Pokémon journey.
"Ella, you are truly obsessed! A Pokémon journey is not just for one Pokémon! You have to catch lots so you can beat other people!"
"I don't want to beat other people..." Ella E had protested, "I just want my Growlithe."
"It's part of training Pokémon, Ella E. I love Dewgong, sure, but I'm not only going out to get one. It's a beautiful day! I'm going to catch them all!"
Ella E had only grumbled to herself. Her sister always got to do things first, always got the better things. At least she was comforted by the fact her sister would never get one of her precious Growlithes. They avoided her. Instead, she got Vulpix. It was a situation that made them both happy.
But now, Ella E could escape the dreariness of their home, the dreariness of the day itself, to find the light of her life. Her Growlithe.
She had already planned out it's name. Growlissa. How she loved the sound of that! Growlissa!
She knew Prof. Oak didn't give out Growlithe's as starting Pokémon, but she didn't care. All she would use it for was to catch her Growlithe.
She ran downstairs, gulped down her breakfast, and headed down the street. She didn't say goodbye to her mother, and she didn't care. Her mother thought Growlithe was annoying and loud, and spent most of her time with her Meowth's and Persians.
Ella E sneezed just thinking about it. Her luck to be stuck in a family obsessed with Meowth's and Persians!
She ran into Prof. Oaks lab, finding only one person ahead of her.
Caleb.
Caleb was her "rival". It had been set up by both their parents, to help their children get a sense of competition as they were training, to help them work harder.
In fact, Caleb wasn't all that bad of a boy. He was fairly decent, and him and Ella E would have probably been friends, if it weren't for the fact they had to be enemies.
Usually, the two children wouldn't find out it was a all a setup until their parents though they were old enough to handle it. But Atelli, after she had almost finished her journey, came back one day and told Ella E. Ella E had in turn told Caleb, but she was pretty sure he knew already.
What gave those parents those crazy ideas to try and CREATE enemies for their children? Ella E frowned. She knew that a little competition was a healthy, but choosing OUT a rival? She almost wished she didn't know. The other kids starting today didn't know. Except Caleb. She sometimes wished she could share in their ignorance. They thought their hatred was their own, but it was just another annoying plan of their parents. Ella E sighed, then smiled. She would be free today!
"What're you gonna get, Caleb?" Ella E asked, smiling. Caleb turned around, flashed a brief smile, then tried to change it to a frown. He didn't get quite there though. It stopped at a halfway point.
"I don't know. It depends on what you pick. Why don't you go first? Mom told me to choose the one that you would be weak against." Caleb said, sounding sort of sad. He told his parents he knew, and now they gave him advice he didn't want. Ella E could relate.
"Alright. I'll go first. Don't worry, I won't pick one that's too hard." Ella E said. She stepped in front of Caleb, noticing some other kids and their "rivals" entering. They seemed glad to be early.
"Why, hello Ella E!" Professor Oak said, smiling. "I haven't seen you since last week when you asked if I had any more Growlithe pictures!"
"Do you?" Ella E asked, her eyes shining.
"Only this one." Prof. Oak reached under his desk and drew out a picture of a Growlithe in mid-leap, about to attack. Ella E looked at, and shoved it in her pocket. She would study it more carefully later. She looked at the three Pokéballs on Prof. Oak's desk.
"Prof. Oak, shouldn't you have more Pokémon to give away?" Ella E asked.
"Oh, I do. This Is Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. I have others, but their not as rare. Staryu, Spearow, Pidgey, Rattata...you get the idea."
"Hmmm..." Ella E said, looking at the three balls. They were each engraved with the Pokémon's name. She knew what the three Pokémon were, because of her guide, and she knew their attacks too. She needed something that wouldn't hurt her Growlithe too much, something that could put it to sleep harmlessly...
"Bulbasaur." She said, picking up the ball. It burst open. Ella E jumped back, a bit frightened. She had never actually seen a Pokéball do that, especially when it was in her hand.
"Bulbasaur!" her new Pokémon said, grinning on the floor.
"Do you want to give it a Nickname?" Prof. Oak asked.
"...Charles. I'm gonna call it Charles."
"Charles?" Prof. Oak said, looking slightly surprised.
"I like that name." Ella E said indignantly. "C'mere Charles!" she called to the Bulbasaur.
"Bulba bulba saur? Saur!" it said, leaping into her arms and licking her face. She laughed. She wondered if her Growlithe would be just as loving.
"It likes it too!" Ella E said, smiling. Prof. Oak laughed.
"Fine, it's name is now Charles. Here's a Pokédex and some Pokéballs. 5, to be exact. I hope you catch your dream Growlithe!"
"Oh, I will." Ella E said confidently, staring into her newly-christened Bulbasaur's eyes. Charles stared back at her, surprised at the determination that shone beyond those glimmering green-brown eyes. "I will.Ella E was walking out of the Pokécenter, down the road she hoped led somewhere where she could catch her precious Growlithe.
"Ella E! Hey, Ella E!" she heard Caleb call from behind her. She turned. She was holding Charles in her arms. She hadn't actually fought anything yet, but she was sure she would soon.
She was right.
"Ella E..." Caleb panted. "My Mom...told me...I needed to...battle you!"
Ella E's mom had told her the same thing, so she nodded.
"You got Charmander, right?"
"Yup!"
"Did you name it anything?"
"Should I have?" Caleb said, blinking. Ella E sighed.
"I suppose not. C'mon, let's go."
She dropped Charles to the ground.
"Bulba!" it said, annoyed.
"Go Charles." She said, without much excitement. Caleb sat down, to regain his breath. He threw the ball weakly.
"Go, Charmander." He wheezed.
"Char char!" it said, in it's sickeningly cute and high voice. Ella E grimaced. She had never heard a Charmander before, and was utterly surprised. She was glad her Growlithe sounded much better, as she had downloaded clips of it barking and howling from the the internet at her computer at home.
"Charles, Tackle." she said, sounding bored. She sat down. Both the Charmander and the Bulbasaur seemed dissapointed at the lack-luster of their trainers when they were battling for the first time. They should be cheering them on!
Charles walked up the Charmander and nudged it, moving it a tiny bit.
"Charles, hit it HARD, you idiot!" Ella E shouted angrily. She wasn't going to be beaten by any other fire Pokémon then Growlithe! She had just realized how humiliating that would be!
"Bulba..." Charles said, wincing. At least it was getting attention. Negative attention, sure, but attention.
"Charmander..scratch..." Caleb panted. The Charmander showed it's tiny claws.
"Mander..." it said, sounding as bored as it's trainer. it barely touched the Bulbasaur.
"Charmander! Do it right!" Caleb said, sounding as angry as Ella E.
"Chaaar..." The Charmander whined, cowering. At least it was getting attention too.
So it went. Each trainer shouted insults and cruel words at each of their Pokémon, until Charles and Charmander were both shaking and weak. They refused to get up.
"Get up! Get up Charles!" Ella E said angrily. "A Growlithe would get up!"
"Charmander, get off your tail! Don't set the grass on fire, you idiot!"
Finally, the two Pokémon closed their eyes, sat absolutely still, and wouldn't move.
Ella E felt like kicking the stupid Bulbasaur! How dare it not listen to her! A Growlithe would have! And this Bulbasaur was a poor replacement.
Ella E reached down and picked Charles up, squeezing it as she did.
"Saur!" it wheezed, surprised.
Caleb grabbed his Charmander's paw tightly, so tightly it squealed, and began dragging it off.
"Don't worry, Ella E! Once I train this weakling into a real Pokémon, it will know how to fight! Then we can finally battle!"
Caleb raised the Charmander by the paw up to eye-level glaring at it. It whimpered as it's arm was pulled painfully tight, and nodded fearfully.
Ella E, likewise, raised her Bulbasaur to eye-level.
"Charles, you WILL fight when I'm through. You WILL."
Something like a glimmer of rebellion shone in the Bulbasaur's eyes, but it was swiftly dampened down by fear.
"Bulba...Bulbasaur..." it said, sounding terrified. Ella E dropped it.
"Saur!" it said, winded. She began walking briskly.
"Keep up, Charles! I will NOT be kept waiting!" she said angrily. "Nothing is going to keep me from my Growlissa! Not even YOU."
Charles limped along after her, wheezing "Saur" after each painful step.
Ella E walked swiftly into Viridian forest, where she promptly ran into a Pidgey nest.
"ACK!" she screamed, as feathers and sticks went flying everywhere.
"Pidgey! PIDGEYAAA!" The Pidgey shrieked, attacking her.
"Charles! Charles, Tackle it!" she shrieked.
"Bulba?" Charles said, unsure of how to reach it.
"Do it now, or you'll regret it!" Ella E shouted, trying to shield her eyes.
"Saaaur..." Charles said. It had no idea it's trainer would be so mean and rough. It wished it had gotten some other trainer. But it was stuck.
"Bulba..." Charles said, backing up. It ran as fast as it could, and leapt in the air, slamming into the pidgey.
"Saaaaur!"
"Pidgeeey..." it said, fainting. Charles panted. That was terrifying...it was scared of the Pidgey. The Pidgey seemed very dangerous.
Ella E ran her hand down her face, and felt blood. The Pidgey had scratched her pretty good.
"Thanks a lot, Charles. A BIT LATE, THOUGH!" she shouted. Charles cowered.
"Saaur?" it whimpered. She raised a hand to slap it. She'd show Charles to be late!
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" she heard a angry voice shout. She felt a hand grab her wrist. She turned angrily, seeing a girl with short grey hair and violet eyes, staring at her with furious energy. Suddenly terribly embarrassed, Ella E blushed bright red.
"What do you think YOU'RE DOING?! Are you a member of Team Rocket?" the girl said with furious anger. Ella E would have ran, but the girl was holding her wrist.
"I......No! Of Course not! I just started today! I got a Pokédex to prove it-" Ella E began fumbling nervously in her pockets. She got it halfway out.
"HOW COULD YOU BE SO CRUEL TO THAT POOR BULBASAUR!?" the girl shrieked. Ella E dropped her Pokédex, where it clicked open on the ground.
"The Pokédex belongs to Ella E. She started with Charles, a Bulbasaur. She is in desperate need of a Growlithe, as it is her favorite Pokémon."
"Who asked you?" Ella E said angrily at the Pokédex.
"Why of all the-" the girl said, seemingly unable to find words to fit her anger,"how...how could you do that to poor Charles? What did it do to you? And it's your first Pokémon too! On your first day!"
"I...I..." Ella E said, staring at her Bulbasaur. Charles was pressed against the ground, in anticipation for the blow that was halted by the girl.
Ella E felt hot tears come to her eyes, but she tried to make them go away by shouting herself.
"You don't understand! It...it's too slow! It didn't save me from the pidgey, and it didn't even fight Caleb!" Ella E shouted. She was stretching the truth a bit. Charles had fought Charmander...a little.
"That's why you TRAIN YOUR POKéMON!" the girl shouted right back. She finally let go of Ella E's wrist, and Ella E was left rubbing it as the girl ran over to Charles. She raised a hand to help it, and Charles squealed.
"Bulba!" Charles ducked from her hand. She turned angrily to Ella E, who was staring at Charles in surprise.
"Look what you did to it!" she accused.
"...I didn't mean too..." Ella E said. What had she been doing? Her want of Growlithe was becoming just what Atelli said it would become...an obsession. She collapsed on the ground.
"I'm sorry Charles." she said, almost crying.
"You better be." The girl with the short grey hair said.
"Who are you?" Ella E said, in awe of the girl. She seemed to radiate confidence.
"My name is Ashstar." the girl said, almost snarling. "What's yours, Pokémon abuser?"
"Don't call me that!" Ella E said, even though she knew she had been excessively hard on Charles. "My name is Ella E."
"Poor Charles..." Ashstar said, trying to pet it. It kept ducking away.
"I bet if Growlissa could see me now...she wouldn't even want to be with me...a Pokémon abuser..." Ella E thought, tears brimming her eyes. "I'm keeping him."
"What?!"
Ashstar had picked up Charles gently, holding him correctly in her arms. She supported his legs and held him with a gentle touch.
"Bulba..." Charles crooned, rubbing against Ashstar's chest.
"You heard me. I won't let you be cruel to him anymore." Ashstar said, stroking Charles softly as she did.
"You can't do that! I need Charles to capture Growlissa! I started with him anyway!"
"Who's Growlissa?"
Ella E struggled with the words.
"Uh...she's the Growlithe I'm going to capture someday."
"Well, you aren't going to capture it with Charles! Charles isn't just a thing with no feelings, you know!"
"Saur!" Charles agreed emphatically.
"But...but...but you can't take him away from me! Who will I battle with? What will I do?"
"Find some other Pokémon. I won't let you be cruel to Charles anymore. He deserves so much more then that."
Ashstar simply walked away, ignoring Ella E's sputtering protests. Ella E watched as Ashstar only became a streak of grey walking through the woods.
"Oh...what am I going to do without Charles?" Ella E lamented to herself. Some Pokémon trainer she was! How could she capture her Growlithe without Charles's Sleeping Powder? She needed to prove to Ashstar that she could take care of her Pokémon and not be harsh with them.
She looked around desperatly, for a Weedle or anything else she could capture.
She heard screams from above her.
"Speeeearow!"
"PIDGEYAAAAA!"
The shriek of a Pidgeotto! It was followed by some anguished cries of the Spearow. Ella E craned her neck upwards, but couldn't see anything, only occasional feathers floating down. She opened her guide, to try and find more information about the two Pokémon, when she heard a thump.
She looked up, and saw that the Spearow was laying, almost dead, on the ground, with long claw marks in it's body. Ella E instantly felt sympathetic towards the poor Spearow. It was probably just protecting it's territory. She walked over to it.
"Spear...?" it said weakly. Ella E suddenly smiled broadly. This was her chance to capture another Pokémon! Afraid of hurting it, she gently rolled the Pokéball towards it. It clicked open, and the Spearow was sucked in in a flash of light. It dinged.
"I caught a Spearow..." Ella E said, rather thoughtfully, which was rather unusual. Usually, when someone captures their first Pokémon, they're overjoyed. But Ella E was thinking hard. She had to give a nickname to the Spearow...
"My gosh...the Pidgeotto had really cut you up like a piece of meat..." She said to her new Spearow, after giving it a potion and letting it sit on her shoulder. Despite the potion, the Spearow had a long scar over one eye that went all the down to it's feathery neck.
"I know! I'll call you Beef!"
"Spear?" the Spearow said, looking confused. What was this "beef?"
"Beeffff..." Ella E said. She liked the sound of that. She loved to give things strange names...she mainly did it to annoy her sister. Now that she was out on her own, she had no reason to do it, but it was a habit she couldn't break.
"Beeefff...Pokémon..." she said outloud. There was one thing missing from the name...
"Row? Spearow?" the Spearow said.
"Beefff PokémonO! There! The perfect name!" Ella E said, taking the Spearow from her shoulder. It raised it's wings in what could be interpreted as a shrug.
Ella E knew she had to care for this Spearow she could get Charles back. But she was slightly confused...she had never much liked birds anyway.
"I need to battle something and show that I care enough to cheer you on while you do it..." Ella E said to Beefff PokémonO.
"Spear?"
"I know! I read in my guide that there are lots of Bug Catchers around here! Birds are good against bugs, I've read, so you should do fine!"
Her Pokédex clicked open from it's position on the ground. She seemed to notice it for the first time. It scanned the Spearow, added the information, then clicked shut. Ella E, not really caring, shoved the machine back in her pocket and walked off. She was sure there would be a Bug Catcher around here somewhere that she could battle. She decided that she would head off in the direction that Ashstar had gone. Then maybe she could catch up to her.
"I think you're level 3, Beef." Ella E said, using a nickname that would later be used a lot.
"Spear!" Beefff PokémonO said happily.
She heard some wild cries from her right. She walked over to invesigate, the Spearow sitting comfortably on her finger. It's sharp claws hurt her a little, but she restrained her anger. She had to appreciate Beef for what it was.
"Go! Scratch now!" she heard a familiar voice say.
"Char char!"
As soon as she heard that, she ducked behind a tree. Caleb! Caleb must be fighting someone! She opened her guide quickly and found the section under Charmander. Apparently, Fire was great against Bugs. Caleb must be fighting a Bug Catcher.
Ella E considered talking to him, but squashed that thought rather quickly. She couldn't say that her Bulbasaur had left her for another trainer! Caleb must of treated his Charmander nicely after they had parted. Her cheeks flooding red with embarrassment, Ella walked off, motioning to her Spearow to be silent.
In Actuality, Caleb was standing by himself in the clearing, with no Charmander in sight. He sighed again, as he mimicked a battle that he wished he could of completed. He had been mimicking it's voice, trying to sound like it would. Charmander...
"I'm sorry Charmander..." he said for the fifteenth time, sitting on a large rock. When he had been fighting some Bug Catcher, he had kicked Charmander hard. Charmander had finally had enough. It sat and closed it's eyes again. Caleb was about to kick it again, but then apparently either Charmander heard it coming, or heard something important, and suddenly dashed off to the left of him. He had been following it ever since. He didn't have any other Pokémon to battle with! When he got Charmander back, he swore to himself, he would treat it right. He saw a flash of grey where Charmander had dissapeared, but after that he hadn't seen anything. He just hoped Ella E wouldn't find him.
Ella E tried to follow Ashstar, but because she had taken the slight detour, Ashstar's traces where completly gone. Well, Ella E was sure she would run into her again.
Ella E, at that very moment, DID run into someone.
But it wasn't Ashstar.
It was a young boy with a butterfly net in his grasp.
"Hey!"
Ella E's eyes were suddenly bright with excitement.
"Oh, you're a bug catcher, aren't you?"
The boy gave her a weird look.
"Yeah..."
"Let's battle, okay?"
"Well...okay." the boy shrugged. Ella E looked for Beef, who had decided to go off and investigate something.
"Beef? BEEEEFFF?! BEEF YOU S-" she stifled herself. She couldn't call it names...that would be cruel.
"Beef PokémonO! Come here, I need you!" she called loudly.
"Spear?" Beef said, hopping back in the clearing.
"Oh good, you're safe!" Ella E said, with almost genuine relief.
"I call...Caterpie!" The Bug Catcher said. He threw a ball and let the little caterpillar out of it's ball. Ella E hurriedly looked through her guide.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spearow!" the bird cried, flying over the Caterpie. It struck it hard over the head. The Caterpie was instantly knocked out. The Bug Catcher grimaced angrily. He threw another one.
"Go, Kakuna!"
The Ball burst open, and a large, cocoon-like creature burst out. It was totally silent, something that frightened Ella E. She had always thought Pokémon said they're names. Even Metapod did!
"It's mute, okay?" The Bug Catcher said, obviously annoyed.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spear!" The Spearow said, pecking it hard. "Row!" it cried, as it's beak shoke violently. That was a hard shell!
"C'mon, Beef! You st...You can do it!" Ella E said, trying to contain her frustration. To make up for it, she clenched her fists hard.
"Spear..." Beef said, it pecked it again.
"Kakuna, Harden!"
The Kakuna shimmered, and it seemed even harder. Ella E stared hard. Beef had hurt it about a third of it's hits. She hoped this wouldn't take so long.
"Beef, Peck again!"
Beef PokémonO tried again, it's beak ringing now as it struck. Even less damage then before! Ella E clenched her fists tight in anger. She couldn't yell at it...she couldn't hurt Beef! She had to prove to Ashstar and herself that she could care for her Pokémon.
"Beef, give it all you got!" Ella E Shouted.
"SpeeeeeAROWWW!" the Spearow cried, closing it's eyes so the scar that ran over one became a solid line. It stabbed as hard as it could with it's sharp beak.
There was a loud crack.
"Kakuna!" The Boy cried, obviously distressed. A Critical hit! There was a long crack running down the Kakuna now, and it seemed to be vibrating...well, something was making a buzzing noise.
"Maybe it's-" Ella E said, but the boy ran off with the Kakuna in his arms.
"Evolving." She finished uselessly. She looked at her Spearow, to see it shimmering brightly. She looked it up in her guide, and found that meant it was gaining levels. It seemed bigger and better then before! Now she understood...
"C'mere, Beef!" she said, smiling. She had won.
"Spearow!" Beef said, sounding just as pleased. She noticed a flash of grey near her.
"Ashstar?" she called out. She ran after the grey as it dashed off. Finally, she was winded, and finally staggered into a clearing, to see Ashstar and Charles, standing together smirking.
"Give...me...back...Charles..." Ella E gasped, trying to get her breath back.
"Why? So you can hurt him some more?" Ashstar said bitterly.
"Saur! Bulbabulbasaur!" Charles agreed.
"No! No, I've changed!" Ella E said, catching her breath. "I care now. Ask Beef!"
"Beef?" Ashstar rasied a silver eyebrow.
"My new Spearow..."
She held her Spearow up, where it puffed up it's chest and seemed to smile in pride.
"Spearow! Spearspearow! Rowrow!" it said.
"A likely story." Ashstar said doubtfully. "What do you think, Charles?"
"Bulba bulba...bulbasaur bulbabulbsaur...."
"Charles thinks that you threatened the Spearow into liking you." Ashstar said. Ella E blinked.
"You understand it?"
"You can understand you're Pokémon when you care enough about them." Ashstar said with a smile. Ella E thought about how she couldn't understand Beef yet, but sometimes it almost made sense.
"That's just it! Charles isn't YOUR Pokémon! You have your own starting Pokémon."
"Squirtle to be exact." Ashstar said, as if it were no importance. "Also, I recently found an abused Charmander. Poor thing."
Could it of been Calebs..? Ella E wondered.
"Charles is mine. I own him."
"I know. Why don't we let Charles decide?" Ashstar said, smiling. She placed Charles gently and carefully at the edge of the grass.
"Charles, come to the person that is your real trainer."
"C'mere Charles!" Ella E begged. Ashstar only stood silently, staring at Charles' eyes. Charles, without hesitation, walked over to Ashstar and rubbed against her leg.
"See?"
Ella E was heartbroken! Charles still didn't trust her! She'd have to prove it.
"If I can prove I care, will you let me have him back?"
"He's not mine to command. It's his decision, not mine." Ashstar said. There was something about the way she said it that made Ella E seem evil. Ella E looked at Beef, sitting on her arm, perched like a bird of prey.
"I care about Beef."
"I have an idea. Why don't you prove you care enough about Beef...by battling me?"
"How would that prove anything?" Ella E said, stroking her Spearow.
"I'll be using Charles." "Y....You can't use Charles! It's mine!"
Ashstar only looked at Charles, who looked up at her adoringly.
"Bulba?"
"Why don't we ask Charles? Do you belong to her?"
Charles shook it's head vigourously No.
"Saur!"
"I'll prove I've changed Charles!" Ella E said, determined.
"Saur." Charles said, skeptically.
"By the way, I've helped Charles reach level 7."
"Wha...How?" Ella E asked, surprised.
"By working and supporting him. What level is your Spearow?"
"Beefff PokémonO is level 5." Ella E said proudly, stroking Beef's headfeathers.
"Spear!" Beef said happily.
"Charles, use your leech seed to start the battle." Ashstar said, sounding almost like a request. Charles nodded.
"Bulba!"
Ella E raised her arm, and Beef flew off, landing in front of the Bulbasaur, studying it. Suddenly, so fast neither of them could see it, a seed flew from Charles' back, flying into the air. It hit Beef in the back, extending it's roots and growing into tiny plants.
"Spear?" Beef said, pecking at the seeds.
"Beef was Seeded!" Ella E's Pokédex said, but she ignored it.
"Okay, Beeffff PokémonO! Peck it!"
"Speeear!"
Beef pecked Charles hard between the ears.
"Saur!" Charles cried. Suddenly, the plants on Beef's back glowed for a moment, and Beef collapsed in pain. Energy collected in them, and then floated over to Charles, whose peck wound healed quickly.
"Wha...?" Ella E said, sounding surprised. While she looked up the attack in her guide, her Pokédex said the definition. She ignored it.
"So Leech Seed can steal energy? No matter! Beef, peck it again!"
Beef stood on it's claws, flapping it's wings and raising into the air.
"Spearoooow!"
It flew as high as it could, then dove down and slammed it's beak into Charles' side.
"BULBA!" Charles cried.
"Charles!" Ashstar said, distressed. "Don't let the Spearow get to you! Remember what Ella E did? Pay her back!"
Charles' eyes narrowed in utter hatred for Ella E. It ran back, then ran as fast as it could, tackling the Spearow and knocking it to the ground.
"Speeear!"
"Beef! Beefff PokémonO! Oh, I hope you're okay! Use Growl!" Ella E said, sounding genuinely concerned. Charles' looked at her quizzically. Beef staggered upwards, then gave a frightening cry.
"SpearrrrrROW!" Beef cried. Suddenly Charles remembered the fact that Spearow was a flying type, and was super-effective against it. It's attack power was affected by this knowledge. The Plantlets on Beef's back again glew, and energy travelled to Charles. Charles looked much better, while Beef was looking tired and beaten.
"Speear..." it wheezed.
"Beef! Keep Pecking it!"
"Spearow!" Beef cried, pecking Charles again. Charles winced. Ashstar looked worried.
"Please keep focused Charles! When we're done, I'll give you a potion, and you'll feel fine."
Charles looked over at Ashstar with a smile. "Bulbasaur!"
"Now, Tackle the Spearow, Charles!" Ashstar cried. Charles backed up a few paces, then ran at full speed, shrieking.
"BULBASAAAAAAUUUUR!"
WHAM!
Charles hit Beef in it's chest, knocking it into the air. Ella E ran out immediately, going under it and catching it. She studied it carefully.
"Oh Beef! Beeffff PokémonO! Please talk to me!" She said, almost close to tears. She had never realized how important Beef was to her. Beef was unconcious. Ella E collapsed, gently stroking her Spearow.
"....You win...You can keep Charles." She said, sounding like she was about to cry.
Ashstar was startled. This was genuine emotion for her Pokémon coming from Ella E! It could be an act...but if it was, why would she give Charles up so willingly?
Ella E ran her fingers gently down the long scar over Beef's eye, caused by it's fight with the Pidgeotto.
"I'm sorry, Beef. I should of worked harder with you." Ella E said. Finally, one glimmering tear fell from her eye, splashing on Beef's feathers.
Charles was utterly confused. Was this real emotion? It's trainer was caring for someone....No! It couldn't return to her! She had treated it so badly...but she hadn't called the Spearow any names...and it seemed to like her genuinely.
"Charles, it's your decision." Ashstar said, seeming close to tears herself. They glimmered on her silver eyelashes.
Charles looked back and forth between Ashstar and Ella E. Ashstar had truly cared...but now Ella E seemed to. And everyone, in it's opinion, needed another chance...
"Bulba...saur..." Charles said, crying, it rubbed up against Ashstar one last time then walked over to Ella E, using it's bulb to wipe away her tears.
"Charles?" Ella E said, wiping her eyes. "Charles, You chose me!" She cried joyfully, hugging the Bulbasaur tightly.
"Saur!" Charles wheezed.
Ashstar watched quietly. Apparently Ella E had learned her lesson. She began walking off, but Ella E had grabbed her arm. "Wait." Ella E said, holding Beef in her arms.
"What do you want?"
"You're pretty experienced, aren't you?"
"Yes...I have two badges."
"Wow!" Ella E said, with genuine admiration. "Maybe...could you come with me?"
"Why would I do that?" Ashstar said. She brushed back her short silver hair, blinking her violet eyes.
"Why not? We could both benefit. And I'm sure you would make sure I didn't hurt any of my Pokémon along the way."
Ashstar had to take any oppurtunity to help prevent Pokémon abuse.
"I suppose so."
The two walked off together. Ella E noticed how quiet Ashstar was, and for the first time noticed how tall she was.
"Why do you hate Pokémon abuse so much?" Ella E asked. Ashstar crossed her arms, seeming distant.
"It's personal, okay?"
Ella E decided the subject was better left alone. Together, the two of them left Viridian Forest. "Beefff PokémonO! Use your leer attack!" Ella E shouted, pointing at the Nidoran Male in front of her.
"Speeeeearow!" Beef cried, glaring at the Nidoran fiercly. It looked in fear, petrified.
"Peck it, Beef!"
"Spear!" Beef said, agreeing. It Spread it's wings, launching itself into the air and pecking the nidoran hard. It fainted instantly.
"Good job, Beef!" She said, patting her Spearow.
"Spear spear!" it said, happily.
"Your Spearow is level 10 now." Ashstar said, where she leaned against a tree.
"How can YOU tell?"
"Look at the glimmer. Isn't it stronger then before?"
Ella E realized that Ashstar was right. She smiled, and let Beef rest on her arm.
She had been training fiercly since she had reached Pewter. She had read in her guide that the leader of the Gym had mainly rock type Pokémon, around level 12. She wanted her Pokémon high in level.
"I'm glad you aren't neglecting your Spearow, even though it will be no help in the coming battle." Ashstar walked over to Charles, who rubbed up against her happily. She rubbed it idly.
"I want my Pokémon even." Ella E said, with a little doubt. Did she? All she wanted was Charles' sleep powder so she could capture Growlissa...
"Well, Charles is level 13 now. He should be more then a match."
"Then lets give it a try!"
She walked the short distance back to the Pokécenter, and healed her Pokémon. Ashstar seemed to be trying to stare in every direction at once, as if she was here for the first time. Ella E wondered why she cared so much about these surrondings. Ashstar walked over to a empty chair, and looked at it, almost looking sad. But then she shook her head and walked back to Ella E, who was ready to go. She had stocked up on potions with some money she had earned, and now she was ready.
The two of them walked to the front of the Pewter Gym, a large boulder with a gym almost looking like it was cut out of the inside. Ella E walked in. It was dark, and she was slightly frightened. She kept a hand on Charles' bulb, so she wouldn't be alone. She would of held Ashstar's hand, but she was walking behind her.
The lights flashed on.
"Whose there?" Ella E said. There was no response. "C'mon out! I just want a badge and some experience."
There was still no response. She looked around wildly, then saw two forms sitting on top of a pedestal on the back wall. They were wearing black cloaks.
"Prepare for trouble.."
"And Make it double!"
"Team Rocket?!" Ella E cried, frightened. The cloaked forms leapt to the floor, and swept off their disguises to reveal...
Two girls, almost identical, except one had black hair and the other had white.
"I love doing that!"
"It's too much fun to scare people!" The two girls said to eachother. They struck dramatic poses.
"I am Kame!" The girl with the light hair said.
"And I am Kotake!" The girl with the dark hair said.
"And we're..." they said at the same time, "leaders of the Pewter Gym!"
"Phew, you're not Team Rocket." Ella E said, obviously worried. "Hey...isn't Br-"
"He isn't here."
"He had to leave."
"Went with some other kid."
"His dad said he'd stay, but he lied."
"He left it to us."
The two girls alternated their statements so fast it was hard to hear where one broke off and the other began.
"So you're the new Gym Leaders?" Ella E said, holding Charles.
"Not exactly."
"Well, the new part anyway."
"We've been here for quite a while."
"It's all official, more then two years!"
Ella E remembered how her guide didn't update automatically with the new changes in the Pokémon world. Ashstar stayed in the shadows, apparently uncomfortable around them.
"Do you have someone with you?"
"Or are you fighting alone?"
"Well, I do have someone with me, but she won't be fighting." Ella E said. She grabbed Ashstar's arm. Ashstar tried to pull away, but Ella E was too strong. Ella E dragged Ashstar into the light.
"This is Ashstar! She helped me out in Viridian Forest!" Ella E said, smiling. She looked at Ashstar, who seemed furious, her silver hair glinting from the light pouring from the ceiling lights. She stared at Kame and Kotake.
"Why...of all the...I never thought I'd see you again, Ashstar!" Kotake said, flipping her dark hair back.
"Ever since what happened! How can you dare show your face around Pokémon again?" Kame said, her eyes flashig angrily.
"Wh...What do they mean, Ashstar?" Ella E said, confused. Ashstar turned to her with a mixture of sadness and hatred, then ripped her arm from Ella's grasp and ran out of the gym. Ella E stood, utterly confused.
"What the...Why'd she do that?" She asked herself.
"Haven't you heard?" Kame said. The two girls were now circling her.
"Of course not! If she hadn't heard of us, why would she of heard of Ashstar?"
"I suppose not. We'll tell you after we battle you!" Kame said, holding out her Pokéball. Her twin held out another one.
"Let's go! Two Pokémon."
"Good, that's all I have!" Ella E said, gratefully. She put Charles down gently.
"Kame calls....Cubone!"
"Kotake calls...Diglett!"
"Diglett? Cubone?" Ella E said, surprised. She then remembered her Guide hadn't been updated in a while. She heard her Pokédex try to tell her something about the two Pokémon, but she flipped open her book to read instead.
"Well, Charles should handle then! Charles, Vine Whip!"
"BulbaSAUR!" Charled cried, lashing out with whips that had come from underneath his bulb.
"Cubone bone!" The Cubone said, dodging the vines quickly.
"Good boy, Cubone!" Kame said encouragingly.
"Diglett, Dig!" Kotake shouted.
"Diglett!" The Diglett dug beneath the floor, dissapearing. Ella E had the urge to say after Kotake "Diglett dig, Trio trio trio!" but stifled it.
"How does your Diglett know Dig?" Ella E asked, surprised.
"It learned it."
A quick glance at her guide told her the Diglett had to at least be level 19. This was going to be tougher then she thought.
"Charles, jump NOW!" She shouted in desperation. Charles, recognizing the urgency in her voice, leapt as high as it could. The Diglett burst below it a second after Charles left the ground, saving Charles from the Diglett's attack.
"Cubone! Bone Club!" Kame shouted.
"CuuuuuuBONE!" the Cubone cried, running fro Charles. Charles had to make a split decision. It leapt off the Cubone's helmet, landing in a ready position at the other side of the ring.
"Charles! Do your VineWhip Again!"
"Bulba! BulbaSAAUUR!" Charles cried, willing the vines to come forward and hit it's opponets. One of the vines hit the Cubone across the chest with a crack.
"BONE!" it shrieked. Cubone rolled over, and tried to will itself forward. It couldn't. It had to rest...Kame recalled it. The vine caught a glancing blow to the Diglett, but that was enough. It was super effective, and the Diglett was badly injured.
"Diglett, Dig!" Kotake shouted.
"Charles, jump again!" Ella E said, a second too late. The Diglett burst from the ground.
"Diglett!" it cried in it's cute voice. Charles went flying.
"Bulba!"
Charles hit the ground hard, and instantly fainted. Ella E looked it up, and found ground very effective against Poison. She recalled Charles.
"Charles was my one chance at beating them....I have to try something else..." Ella E thought. She grabbed her only other Pokéball.
"Go, Beefff PokémonO!" she shouted, letting the ball fly open in a burst of feathers.
"SPEEEEAROW!" Beef cried, flying from the ball.
Kame had her Cubone curled in her lap, but laughed when she heard the name.
"What kind of name is that? Kotake, get your Diglett to annihilate that bird!"
"Diglett, use your Scratch!"
"Dig!" the Diglett cried, moving through the ground at Beef. Beef was quizzical. It had never seen this kind of Pokémon before.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spear!" Beef cried, flapping it's wings. The Diglett lowered itself, then surged upwards, sending sharp painful rocks at Beef.
"ROW!" Beef cried as they struck it's body. It managed to get off the ground, then pecked the diglett on the head.
"Diglett!" The Diglett cried, distressed. it was almost in faint...
"Beef, peck again!"
"Diglett, use your Scratch!'
"C'mon Beef..." Ella E thought fiercly.
Beef had the advantage. It was in the air. The Diglett shot the shards at it again, but Beef dodged them. Beef slammed into the Diglett, knocking it back in it's hole.
"DIGLETT!" Kotake cried, recalling it.
Kame and Kotake both looked at eachother.
"Well, I guess you win."
"Good! One step closer to my Growlithe!" Ella E said happily.
"Growlithe?" Kame and Kotake said at the same time.
"Yes, I'm looking for one! Do you know where I could find one?"
The twins looked at eachother.
"I think they're around Lavender town..."
"On Route 8."
"Thank you!" Ella E said, walking out.
"Where you going?" Kame shouted. She had recalled her Cubone, and was now running for Ella, who had stopped.
"You don't have a badge." Kotake finished.
"Do I need one?" Ella E asked.
"They boost Your Pokémon's defense."
Ella E thought of Growlissa.
"Sure!"
Kame and Kotake both brought out a badge, then the two of them placed one of them ceremoniously in Ella E's hand. Ella E turned to go.
"Wait."
"Don't you want to know about Ashstar?"
Ella E thought for a moment. Why had Ashstar run out like that?
"Of course."
"Here's how it goes." Kame started.
"And it's all absolullulutly true." Kotake said. They both placed a hand on both their hearts. Ella E looked skeptical, but listened. "It started a while ago." Kame said, looking upwards as if trying to remember.
"A LONG while ago." Kotake finished for her.
"You know, Ashstar is a LOT older then you think she is!" Kame said brightly.
"She is?" Ella E said, confused. Ashstar looked maybe 5, or 6 years older then her. How could she be older then that?
"Oh yeah! She's been through the Elite Four, she was even Champion for a period! Until Red kicked her off-"
Kame sighed lovingly. "Oh, he's SO cute! I wish I could meet him some day!"
Kotake gave Kame a weird look, but then returned her attention back to what she was saying.
"I thought she was 16...or maybe lower. Was I off?" Ella E asked, letting Beef rest on her arm. Kotake smiled.
"Oh no no no, she's at LEAST 24."
"24?!" Ella E shrieked, surprised! She should of been taller if she was 24! But then again, maybe some people were short like her. And Ashstar looked young...
"24!" Kotake said, as if she enjoyed surprising Ella E with this.
"Let's get back to the topic, hmm?" Kame said, looking bored. Kotake rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, Ashstar used to travel with someone...I forget her name...what was it?...hmmm..." Kame said, trying to think. The two girls both thought very, very hard, while Ella E watched. She swore she could see their heads smoking.
"y..Y something. It started with Y, anyway." Kame said, scratching her head.
"Hmm....Yaoshi?"
"No...that's not it...keep trying."
"Yavimaya?"
"No..."
The two girls thought again.
"Hmm...Maybe it was..."
The two girls looked at eachother as they got the same thought at the same time.
"I KNOW!"
They turned towards Ella E.
"Her name was Yilani!" Kotake said, smiling. Ella E smiled nervously.
"Anyway, so they were companions." Kame began, "Ashstar was a lot younger back then, just starting. So was Yilani. The two of them fought together and won together and trained together! But, Ashstar began to be dissapointed in her Squirtle."
Ashstar? Dissapointed? With ANYTHING? It sounded hardly believable, considering Ella E's recent experience with Ashstar, but she listened anyway.
"Yilani had choosen a Squirtle too, and hers was stronger and more determined then hers. Ashstar didn't know why, but she felt slightly jealous and inadequate, even though Yilani didn't seem to notice. Ashstar felt like she dragging them both down."
"Both their Squirtles were now Blastoise's at that point." Kotake put in. Kame glared at her, but didn't say anything.
"Yes, they had evolved. Ashstar kept trying harder and harder to keep her Squirtle up to pace with Yilanis. Yilani still didn't notice."
"I heard Ashstar's Squirtle was called Accident!" Kotake broke in again.
"I think you have her confused for Radic." Ella E said. Kotake looked surprised, realizing that Ella E was right, and then shut up.
"Anyway, Ashstar's Squirtle, which I think was named Kindness, was trying it's hardest to win, but Yilani's was always ahead. In desperation, Ashstar went to the Celadon drug store and picked up some of those stat enhancing drugs."
"Aren't those horribly expensive?" Ella E said, trying to remember what it said in her guide. Her Pokédex tried to tell her, but she hit it sharply and it stopped talking.
"Very. She loaded up on Carbos, Iron, Calciums, everything! She spent almost all her money. She forcefeeded them to Kindness, who was startled and tried to resist."
Ella E was sure that at that point Ashstar would stop doing that to Kindness. After all, Ashstar was a adamant protector of-
"She wasn't in the mood to mess around. She made Kindness take the pills, by force. Kindness was sick and dizzy, but Ashstar didn't care. She was now insanely jealous of Yilani's Blastoise, and was determined to beat it." Kame said.
Ella E's mouth fell open. Ashstar? That couldn't be the same person.
"The next day she tried out her new pumped-up Blastoise against the same opponents as Yilani. Yilani's Blastoise defeated them, Kindness didn't." Kame said.
"When she got back to the Pokécenter, she beat Kindness half-stupid, with anything she could get her hands on. The way I heard it, she shouted "You are SO worthless! I don't know why I even WORK WITH YOU! I hate you! I WISH I HAD A BETTER POKémon then you, You worthless piece of weak SCUM!" and she threw a lamp at Kindness. Kindness wasn't sure how to react. The Lamp shattered on it's shell, the shards burying themeselves in it's skin. Ashstar kicked it until it fell over, and beat until it didn't move, and she thought it was unconcious. She then ran to her room and fell asleep in utter exhaustion." Kotake said.
Ella E was horrified! How could Ashstar do something like that? Kotake didn't notice her reaction. She was too into the story.
"The Next morning, Ashstar woke up, and prepared to get Kindness back on it's feet and apologize for last night. Kindness was cold and stiff. Shocked, Ashstar realized that Kindness was dead. She had beat it to death in her fury." Kotake said respectfully, holding a hand over her heart.
Ella E was almost close to tears. Poor Kindness...
"Then Yilani walked in the room, and saw the broken lamp and the whole room trashed, Kindness was dead, and Ashstar looked horrified. Before Yilani could respond, Ashstar got up, adn ran out of the room, leaving behind a trail of tears. After that, Ashstar became depressed and suicidal, but finally she resolved to protect anything like that ever happeneing to another Pokémon again. That's why she fights so hard against Pokémon abusers, because SHE IS ONE HERSELF." Kame finished.
Ella E sat down hard. Ashstar...so that's why she had ran out. She was ashamed of her past. Well, she should be! Ella E was overcome with fury at the unjust death of Kindness, and She ran out of the gym. Kame and Kotake watched her go silently.
"ASHSTAR!" Ella E shouted, running into the woods. She noticed it was night now. She must of stayed in the gym longer then she thought. "ASHSTAR! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
She saw a glimmer of silver from the corner of her eye. Ashstar!
"ASHSTAR, COME BACK HERE!"
Ella E heard a terrified sob, then saw the Silver run to her left. She heard a loud splash, and a scream of surprise. She ran over, seeing a large, fast running river. And she saw the patch of silver trying to cross.
"Ashstar, get out of the river! I want to talk to you!" Ella E said, her fists clenched angrily.
"SPEAR!" Beef said emphatically. Ashstar looked at Ella E with a mixture of fear and shame, but didn't turn around. She crawled onto the other bank, and tried to run. She tripped over a tree root, and landed hard, the breath knocked out of her. Ella E saw no choice. She leapt in the river.
It was COLD! Ella E's skin prickled as the sudden coldness permeated her entire body. Hissing between her teeth, she stroked powerfully for the other shore. She was lucky to be a good swimmer.She reached the other bank, crawling out and shivering wildly. She saw Ashstar struggle to her feet, only to fall again. Ella E leapt at her, pinning her arms behind her back.
Ashstar rolled over, slipping out of Ella E's grasp and standing up. She was unprepared for the fast slap that hit her next. She sat down hard, holding her face and sobbing.
Ella E tried to control her anger.
"WHY? Why did you LIE to me? You Hypocrite!" She shouted.
"I didn't lie! I never did! I...I was sort of a hypocrite, but I was going to tell you!" Ashstar said, rubbing her eyes, trying to get rid of her tears.
"You...You KILLED your own Pokémon through abuse! And you told me to leave CHARLES alone! You took him AWAY from me! How dare...How could You have dared presume you could take better care of him then me, when you've killed your own Pokémon?!" Ella E said angrily.
"I KNOW I DID IT!" Ashstar shrieked violently, startling Ella. "I KNOW it was wrong! I know it NOW. I was going to tell you! I was, really! Charles needed a caring trainer-"
"YOU KILLED SOMETHING BECAUSE IT COULDN'T BATTLE WELL ENOUGH! You don't care about ANYTHING!" Ella E shouted. Ashstar's face contorted in a look of hatred and anger.
"I don't need to take this! Here, give this back to that stupid rival of yours when you see him!" Ashstar shouted, throwing the Pokéball into the river, then running off. This time Ella E didn't chase her.
"Good. Go ahead and leave. I don't need you." Ella E said. She walked back to the river. What did Ashstar mean by rival? Was that...it must be! Caleb's Charmander! But how had she gotten it? Ella E was at first tempted to say stealing, but then remembered that Ashstar had told her that Caleb had been abusing his Pokémon too, and the Charmander had run to her for protection. Ella E could no longer see why.
She saw the Pokéball, stuck in a clump of reeds in the middle of the moon-lit river. She sighed, thinking of how she would have to go back in the river to get it. She waded in, hissing, cursing Ashstar for making her do this, and grabbed the ball. Then she stepped on something that moved.
"EEEEEEK!" She screamed, raising her legs off the ground instinctively. She was lucky she wasn't swept off. She had grabbed the rock. She looked at what she had stepped on, which was now attached to her pantsleg. It looked like a rock, but with eyes and tiny legs. She managed to swim to shore, and tried to remove the Pokémon from her leg. It clung tenaciously. She was going to look it up in her guide, but she had left it at Kame and Kotake's gym. Her Pokédex started, but she ignored it. She didn't need to depend on that thing. With a sigh, and a slight limp from the Pokémon on her leg, she limped back to Pewter. "So what is it?" She asked Nurse Joy. She was holding the rock-thing in her hands, trying to calm it down.
"A Kabuto of course. Though I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it escaped the Cinnabar labs!"
"Cinnabar? Isn't that where all those experiments go on?"
"Yes...if this escaped, there's no telling what will escape next."
Ella E was slightly unnerved. What if she ran into a Mewtwo? She took back the Kabuto, where it stuck like glue to her arm. She sighed.
"Could you heal my Pokémon, please?"
Nurse Joy gladly oblidged.
As Ella E waited, she thought. Was she too hard on Ashstar? No! Ashstar deserved all she got, beating something to death like that! Ashstar was probably waiting to steal one of her Pokémon for her own twisted purposes!
But Ashstar had seemed so nice at the beginning...so thoughtful. Why did Ella E abandon her?...
Ella shoved the thought from her mind. Ashstar was dangerous, and Ella decided that it would be better if they just avoided eachother from now on. She received her Pokéballs from Nurse Joy, and set out of the town in the morning.
While she as walking on route 3, she heard singing in the back of her mind.
"A Jigglypuff!" She said outloud. She searched around for it, and finally saw it. It was standing on a rock, as if waiting to be praised. She ran up to it swiftly and kicked it.
"JIGGLY!" The Jigglypuff shrieked, running off. Ella E laughed. She hated Jigglypuffs. The stupid things were weak and useless, and besides, when she was little she was nearly abducted by one. It sung her to sleep, and then tried to carry her off. Luckily her mom's Persian had scared it off. She was glad the Jigglypuff was gone.
She found herself at the entrance of a cave. She read a sign at the front, reading in big letters "Mt.Moon" and in smaller letters beneath it "Water and Plant Pokémon are not appreciated". Ella E smiled. All she wanted to to was get through this area, and catch a Geodude. They shouldn't be hard to find.
She entered the cave, wishing she had Growlissa to light the way for her. Instead, she blundered around in the dark, tripping over a rock. She fell hard on her hands and knees.
"Ow!" she said, wondering what she had tripped over. She rubbed her hands, finding them scraped, and her knees, finding them bleeding. Ignoring the pain, she stood and kicked the rock hard, then screamed as she hurt her foot.
"GEO!" the rock cried, flying up. Ella E sat down and sucked as well as she could on her foot.
"Geo?Geodude?" the floating Pokémon said curiously, getting closer.
"I hurt my foot..." Ella E said to herself, almost near tears. This was too much! She hurt all over!
"Geogeo..." the Geodude said, touching her wound with surprising softness. "Geodude?"
"Can you help me?" Ella E asked the Geodude. "I can't see in the dark, and I'll keep tripping."
"Geogeo!" The Geodude said, agreeing. "Geogeo...geogeodude!" The Geodude grabbed her with surprising strength and lifted her onto it's back. She was utterly surprised, apparently the Geodude liked her. She held onto it bravely, and shut her eyes. She couldn't see anyway.
"Geodude! Geodude!"
"Eeee!" Ella E screamed as she was suddenly flying through the air! The Geodude was so fast! She held on tight.
"Geo!" The Geodude stopped, alarmed. Ella E opened her eyes, but could only see vague flashes of blue and purple, and darkness. She heard a piercing squeal, hurting her brain.
"Zuuuuuubat!"
"A Zubat"! She cried uselessly.
"Geeoooo...." The Geodude said, curling it's arms together. It began glowing, and the glow spread to Ella E. Ella E experienced the feeling it is when a Pokémon uses a move. Defense Curl. The strength came over her in a wave, making her feel stronger and more resilient. She felt a surge of power. She could withstand anything now! She clung to the Geodude. She hoped that the Geodude wouldn't drop her...she had no idea how high she was up now.
"GeogeoGEODUDE!" the Geodude cried, punching the Zubat. It fluttered weakly and fell from her limited view. She closed her eyes against the rushing wind as the Geodude continued on it's way.
"Clefairy?" She heard a cute voice say, but she couldn't see anything. She kept her eyes shut.
"Grooooonix!" A cry rang out, from high above her. An Onix!
"Geo!" The Geodude said, sounding frightened. It quickly zipped around the Onix...or at least tried to. Ella E hung on tightly. She could hear the ONix slither around her, and hear it's stone coils rushing past her. Luckily The Geodude was pretty nimble, it dodged the coils. She felt stone jaws sink into the back of her shirt, and she screamed.
"EEEEEEEK!"
The Onix had bit her shirt! She tried as hard as she could to hang onto the Geodude.
"DUDE! GEODUDE!" The Geodude shouted, grabbing Ella E's hands. Ella E shrieked as she felt her body beaing stretched from both ends. She hung onto the Geodude's stony wrists as much as she could.
"Ooooonix!" The Rock Snake shouted, pulling hard. She hung on with all her power, trying to hold onto the Geodude.
"Geeooo..." the Geodude said, sounding strained. She hung on, tears flowing from her eyes. She felt like her body was ripping apart! She heard the fabric in her shirt ripping...She felt the Geodude slipping from her grasp. Shrieking, she felt the Geodude fly from her hands, and she was lifted into the air by the rock-solid jaws of the Onix. There was a thudding in the background. Ella E wasn't sure if it was her head or something else. She felt as if she had been crushed by something, she ached all over. The thudding became more and more consistant, pounding into her head and into the floor.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
She groaned and opened her eyes. Blurryness greeted her, and she blinked a few times to clear away the last cobwebs in her mind.
There was the Onix that had abducted her. It was sitting in the middle of a huge cave, thumping the ground at a steady rythym with it's rock tail. That was what the thumping was...not a headache...an Onix. She smiled at the thought for some reason. The thumps became louder.
Echoing cries came near her.
"Groooonix!"
"Oooonix!" loud roars came from all directions. She tensed her muscles, ready to run...
To be continued!!!
"Figures it would rain today." she thought bitterly to herself, as she slid into some slippers and got up. She stretched and changed. She probably had plenty of time. She looked at her clock. It was 6:30. She did have plenty of time. She grabbed a hat her cousin, Radic, had given her, and placed it snugly on her head. She stared at herself in the mirror.
She was a young, 10 year-old girl with sandy-blond hair and greenish-brown eyes. She was sort of stocky, but she was strong. She pulled on a green vest and some gloves, and pulled on a large coat. It was going to be cold.
"Ella? Ella E! Are you awake?" She could hear her mom calling from downstairs.
"Yeah Mom." Ella E called back. She began searching her room, looking for her guide. She knew she would get a Pokédex today, along with her first Pokémon, but she trusted her guide more. It had pictures of her favourite Pokémon. Growlithe.
She flipped the book open to a worn page, of a Growlithe sitting alert. She hugged it to her happily. Oh, how she loved Growlithe! And that was why she was leaving today...to get herself a Growlithe.
Oh sure, she told her parents she was going to be the "Greatest Pokémon Trainer", but that was just a cover-up. Her cousin's friend Red was champion anyway, and she didn't want to become enemies with him. All she wanted from her Pokémon career was Growlithe.
She had heard stories of it's undying loyalty, it's ability to leap into burning buildings to rescue people, the incredible love it showed it's owners. Oh, how she wanted one of her very own!
She had made the mistake of telling her sister, Atelli that one day.
Atelli was older then she was, and she told her that before Atelli left to go on her Pokémon journey.
"Ella, you are truly obsessed! A Pokémon journey is not just for one Pokémon! You have to catch lots so you can beat other people!"
"I don't want to beat other people..." Ella E had protested, "I just want my Growlithe."
"It's part of training Pokémon, Ella E. I love Dewgong, sure, but I'm not only going out to get one. It's a beautiful day! I'm going to catch them all!"
Ella E had only grumbled to herself. Her sister always got to do things first, always got the better things. At least she was comforted by the fact her sister would never get one of her precious Growlithes. They avoided her. Instead, she got Vulpix. It was a situation that made them both happy.
But now, Ella E could escape the dreariness of their home, the dreariness of the day itself, to find the light of her life. Her Growlithe.
She had already planned out it's name. Growlissa. How she loved the sound of that! Growlissa!
She knew Prof. Oak didn't give out Growlithe's as starting Pokémon, but she didn't care. All she would use it for was to catch her Growlithe.
She ran downstairs, gulped down her breakfast, and headed down the street. She didn't say goodbye to her mother, and she didn't care. Her mother thought Growlithe was annoying and loud, and spent most of her time with her Meowth's and Persians.
Ella E sneezed just thinking about it. Her luck to be stuck in a family obsessed with Meowth's and Persians!
She ran into Prof. Oaks lab, finding only one person ahead of her.
Caleb.
Caleb was her "rival". It had been set up by both their parents, to help their children get a sense of competition as they were training, to help them work harder.
In fact, Caleb wasn't all that bad of a boy. He was fairly decent, and him and Ella E would have probably been friends, if it weren't for the fact they had to be enemies.
Usually, the two children wouldn't find out it was a all a setup until their parents though they were old enough to handle it. But Atelli, after she had almost finished her journey, came back one day and told Ella E. Ella E had in turn told Caleb, but she was pretty sure he knew already.
What gave those parents those crazy ideas to try and CREATE enemies for their children? Ella E frowned. She knew that a little competition was a healthy, but choosing OUT a rival? She almost wished she didn't know. The other kids starting today didn't know. Except Caleb. She sometimes wished she could share in their ignorance. They thought their hatred was their own, but it was just another annoying plan of their parents. Ella E sighed, then smiled. She would be free today!
"What're you gonna get, Caleb?" Ella E asked, smiling. Caleb turned around, flashed a brief smile, then tried to change it to a frown. He didn't get quite there though. It stopped at a halfway point.
"I don't know. It depends on what you pick. Why don't you go first? Mom told me to choose the one that you would be weak against." Caleb said, sounding sort of sad. He told his parents he knew, and now they gave him advice he didn't want. Ella E could relate.
"Alright. I'll go first. Don't worry, I won't pick one that's too hard." Ella E said. She stepped in front of Caleb, noticing some other kids and their "rivals" entering. They seemed glad to be early.
"Why, hello Ella E!" Professor Oak said, smiling. "I haven't seen you since last week when you asked if I had any more Growlithe pictures!"
"Do you?" Ella E asked, her eyes shining.
"Only this one." Prof. Oak reached under his desk and drew out a picture of a Growlithe in mid-leap, about to attack. Ella E looked at, and shoved it in her pocket. She would study it more carefully later. She looked at the three Pokéballs on Prof. Oak's desk.
"Prof. Oak, shouldn't you have more Pokémon to give away?" Ella E asked.
"Oh, I do. This Is Bulbasaur, Squirtle, and Charmander. I have others, but their not as rare. Staryu, Spearow, Pidgey, Rattata...you get the idea."
"Hmmm..." Ella E said, looking at the three balls. They were each engraved with the Pokémon's name. She knew what the three Pokémon were, because of her guide, and she knew their attacks too. She needed something that wouldn't hurt her Growlithe too much, something that could put it to sleep harmlessly...
"Bulbasaur." She said, picking up the ball. It burst open. Ella E jumped back, a bit frightened. She had never actually seen a Pokéball do that, especially when it was in her hand.
"Bulbasaur!" her new Pokémon said, grinning on the floor.
"Do you want to give it a Nickname?" Prof. Oak asked.
"...Charles. I'm gonna call it Charles."
"Charles?" Prof. Oak said, looking slightly surprised.
"I like that name." Ella E said indignantly. "C'mere Charles!" she called to the Bulbasaur.
"Bulba bulba saur? Saur!" it said, leaping into her arms and licking her face. She laughed. She wondered if her Growlithe would be just as loving.
"It likes it too!" Ella E said, smiling. Prof. Oak laughed.
"Fine, it's name is now Charles. Here's a Pokédex and some Pokéballs. 5, to be exact. I hope you catch your dream Growlithe!"
"Oh, I will." Ella E said confidently, staring into her newly-christened Bulbasaur's eyes. Charles stared back at her, surprised at the determination that shone beyond those glimmering green-brown eyes. "I will.Ella E was walking out of the Pokécenter, down the road she hoped led somewhere where she could catch her precious Growlithe.
"Ella E! Hey, Ella E!" she heard Caleb call from behind her. She turned. She was holding Charles in her arms. She hadn't actually fought anything yet, but she was sure she would soon.
She was right.
"Ella E..." Caleb panted. "My Mom...told me...I needed to...battle you!"
Ella E's mom had told her the same thing, so she nodded.
"You got Charmander, right?"
"Yup!"
"Did you name it anything?"
"Should I have?" Caleb said, blinking. Ella E sighed.
"I suppose not. C'mon, let's go."
She dropped Charles to the ground.
"Bulba!" it said, annoyed.
"Go Charles." She said, without much excitement. Caleb sat down, to regain his breath. He threw the ball weakly.
"Go, Charmander." He wheezed.
"Char char!" it said, in it's sickeningly cute and high voice. Ella E grimaced. She had never heard a Charmander before, and was utterly surprised. She was glad her Growlithe sounded much better, as she had downloaded clips of it barking and howling from the the internet at her computer at home.
"Charles, Tackle." she said, sounding bored. She sat down. Both the Charmander and the Bulbasaur seemed dissapointed at the lack-luster of their trainers when they were battling for the first time. They should be cheering them on!
Charles walked up the Charmander and nudged it, moving it a tiny bit.
"Charles, hit it HARD, you idiot!" Ella E shouted angrily. She wasn't going to be beaten by any other fire Pokémon then Growlithe! She had just realized how humiliating that would be!
"Bulba..." Charles said, wincing. At least it was getting attention. Negative attention, sure, but attention.
"Charmander..scratch..." Caleb panted. The Charmander showed it's tiny claws.
"Mander..." it said, sounding as bored as it's trainer. it barely touched the Bulbasaur.
"Charmander! Do it right!" Caleb said, sounding as angry as Ella E.
"Chaaar..." The Charmander whined, cowering. At least it was getting attention too.
So it went. Each trainer shouted insults and cruel words at each of their Pokémon, until Charles and Charmander were both shaking and weak. They refused to get up.
"Get up! Get up Charles!" Ella E said angrily. "A Growlithe would get up!"
"Charmander, get off your tail! Don't set the grass on fire, you idiot!"
Finally, the two Pokémon closed their eyes, sat absolutely still, and wouldn't move.
Ella E felt like kicking the stupid Bulbasaur! How dare it not listen to her! A Growlithe would have! And this Bulbasaur was a poor replacement.
Ella E reached down and picked Charles up, squeezing it as she did.
"Saur!" it wheezed, surprised.
Caleb grabbed his Charmander's paw tightly, so tightly it squealed, and began dragging it off.
"Don't worry, Ella E! Once I train this weakling into a real Pokémon, it will know how to fight! Then we can finally battle!"
Caleb raised the Charmander by the paw up to eye-level glaring at it. It whimpered as it's arm was pulled painfully tight, and nodded fearfully.
Ella E, likewise, raised her Bulbasaur to eye-level.
"Charles, you WILL fight when I'm through. You WILL."
Something like a glimmer of rebellion shone in the Bulbasaur's eyes, but it was swiftly dampened down by fear.
"Bulba...Bulbasaur..." it said, sounding terrified. Ella E dropped it.
"Saur!" it said, winded. She began walking briskly.
"Keep up, Charles! I will NOT be kept waiting!" she said angrily. "Nothing is going to keep me from my Growlissa! Not even YOU."
Charles limped along after her, wheezing "Saur" after each painful step.
Ella E walked swiftly into Viridian forest, where she promptly ran into a Pidgey nest.
"ACK!" she screamed, as feathers and sticks went flying everywhere.
"Pidgey! PIDGEYAAA!" The Pidgey shrieked, attacking her.
"Charles! Charles, Tackle it!" she shrieked.
"Bulba?" Charles said, unsure of how to reach it.
"Do it now, or you'll regret it!" Ella E shouted, trying to shield her eyes.
"Saaaur..." Charles said. It had no idea it's trainer would be so mean and rough. It wished it had gotten some other trainer. But it was stuck.
"Bulba..." Charles said, backing up. It ran as fast as it could, and leapt in the air, slamming into the pidgey.
"Saaaaur!"
"Pidgeeey..." it said, fainting. Charles panted. That was terrifying...it was scared of the Pidgey. The Pidgey seemed very dangerous.
Ella E ran her hand down her face, and felt blood. The Pidgey had scratched her pretty good.
"Thanks a lot, Charles. A BIT LATE, THOUGH!" she shouted. Charles cowered.
"Saaur?" it whimpered. She raised a hand to slap it. She'd show Charles to be late!
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" she heard a angry voice shout. She felt a hand grab her wrist. She turned angrily, seeing a girl with short grey hair and violet eyes, staring at her with furious energy. Suddenly terribly embarrassed, Ella E blushed bright red.
"What do you think YOU'RE DOING?! Are you a member of Team Rocket?" the girl said with furious anger. Ella E would have ran, but the girl was holding her wrist.
"I......No! Of Course not! I just started today! I got a Pokédex to prove it-" Ella E began fumbling nervously in her pockets. She got it halfway out.
"HOW COULD YOU BE SO CRUEL TO THAT POOR BULBASAUR!?" the girl shrieked. Ella E dropped her Pokédex, where it clicked open on the ground.
"The Pokédex belongs to Ella E. She started with Charles, a Bulbasaur. She is in desperate need of a Growlithe, as it is her favorite Pokémon."
"Who asked you?" Ella E said angrily at the Pokédex.
"Why of all the-" the girl said, seemingly unable to find words to fit her anger,"how...how could you do that to poor Charles? What did it do to you? And it's your first Pokémon too! On your first day!"
"I...I..." Ella E said, staring at her Bulbasaur. Charles was pressed against the ground, in anticipation for the blow that was halted by the girl.
Ella E felt hot tears come to her eyes, but she tried to make them go away by shouting herself.
"You don't understand! It...it's too slow! It didn't save me from the pidgey, and it didn't even fight Caleb!" Ella E shouted. She was stretching the truth a bit. Charles had fought Charmander...a little.
"That's why you TRAIN YOUR POKéMON!" the girl shouted right back. She finally let go of Ella E's wrist, and Ella E was left rubbing it as the girl ran over to Charles. She raised a hand to help it, and Charles squealed.
"Bulba!" Charles ducked from her hand. She turned angrily to Ella E, who was staring at Charles in surprise.
"Look what you did to it!" she accused.
"...I didn't mean too..." Ella E said. What had she been doing? Her want of Growlithe was becoming just what Atelli said it would become...an obsession. She collapsed on the ground.
"I'm sorry Charles." she said, almost crying.
"You better be." The girl with the short grey hair said.
"Who are you?" Ella E said, in awe of the girl. She seemed to radiate confidence.
"My name is Ashstar." the girl said, almost snarling. "What's yours, Pokémon abuser?"
"Don't call me that!" Ella E said, even though she knew she had been excessively hard on Charles. "My name is Ella E."
"Poor Charles..." Ashstar said, trying to pet it. It kept ducking away.
"I bet if Growlissa could see me now...she wouldn't even want to be with me...a Pokémon abuser..." Ella E thought, tears brimming her eyes. "I'm keeping him."
"What?!"
Ashstar had picked up Charles gently, holding him correctly in her arms. She supported his legs and held him with a gentle touch.
"Bulba..." Charles crooned, rubbing against Ashstar's chest.
"You heard me. I won't let you be cruel to him anymore." Ashstar said, stroking Charles softly as she did.
"You can't do that! I need Charles to capture Growlissa! I started with him anyway!"
"Who's Growlissa?"
Ella E struggled with the words.
"Uh...she's the Growlithe I'm going to capture someday."
"Well, you aren't going to capture it with Charles! Charles isn't just a thing with no feelings, you know!"
"Saur!" Charles agreed emphatically.
"But...but...but you can't take him away from me! Who will I battle with? What will I do?"
"Find some other Pokémon. I won't let you be cruel to Charles anymore. He deserves so much more then that."
Ashstar simply walked away, ignoring Ella E's sputtering protests. Ella E watched as Ashstar only became a streak of grey walking through the woods.
"Oh...what am I going to do without Charles?" Ella E lamented to herself. Some Pokémon trainer she was! How could she capture her Growlithe without Charles's Sleeping Powder? She needed to prove to Ashstar that she could take care of her Pokémon and not be harsh with them.
She looked around desperatly, for a Weedle or anything else she could capture.
She heard screams from above her.
"Speeeearow!"
"PIDGEYAAAAA!"
The shriek of a Pidgeotto! It was followed by some anguished cries of the Spearow. Ella E craned her neck upwards, but couldn't see anything, only occasional feathers floating down. She opened her guide, to try and find more information about the two Pokémon, when she heard a thump.
She looked up, and saw that the Spearow was laying, almost dead, on the ground, with long claw marks in it's body. Ella E instantly felt sympathetic towards the poor Spearow. It was probably just protecting it's territory. She walked over to it.
"Spear...?" it said weakly. Ella E suddenly smiled broadly. This was her chance to capture another Pokémon! Afraid of hurting it, she gently rolled the Pokéball towards it. It clicked open, and the Spearow was sucked in in a flash of light. It dinged.
"I caught a Spearow..." Ella E said, rather thoughtfully, which was rather unusual. Usually, when someone captures their first Pokémon, they're overjoyed. But Ella E was thinking hard. She had to give a nickname to the Spearow...
"My gosh...the Pidgeotto had really cut you up like a piece of meat..." She said to her new Spearow, after giving it a potion and letting it sit on her shoulder. Despite the potion, the Spearow had a long scar over one eye that went all the down to it's feathery neck.
"I know! I'll call you Beef!"
"Spear?" the Spearow said, looking confused. What was this "beef?"
"Beeffff..." Ella E said. She liked the sound of that. She loved to give things strange names...she mainly did it to annoy her sister. Now that she was out on her own, she had no reason to do it, but it was a habit she couldn't break.
"Beeefff...Pokémon..." she said outloud. There was one thing missing from the name...
"Row? Spearow?" the Spearow said.
"Beefff PokémonO! There! The perfect name!" Ella E said, taking the Spearow from her shoulder. It raised it's wings in what could be interpreted as a shrug.
Ella E knew she had to care for this Spearow she could get Charles back. But she was slightly confused...she had never much liked birds anyway.
"I need to battle something and show that I care enough to cheer you on while you do it..." Ella E said to Beefff PokémonO.
"Spear?"
"I know! I read in my guide that there are lots of Bug Catchers around here! Birds are good against bugs, I've read, so you should do fine!"
Her Pokédex clicked open from it's position on the ground. She seemed to notice it for the first time. It scanned the Spearow, added the information, then clicked shut. Ella E, not really caring, shoved the machine back in her pocket and walked off. She was sure there would be a Bug Catcher around here somewhere that she could battle. She decided that she would head off in the direction that Ashstar had gone. Then maybe she could catch up to her.
"I think you're level 3, Beef." Ella E said, using a nickname that would later be used a lot.
"Spear!" Beefff PokémonO said happily.
She heard some wild cries from her right. She walked over to invesigate, the Spearow sitting comfortably on her finger. It's sharp claws hurt her a little, but she restrained her anger. She had to appreciate Beef for what it was.
"Go! Scratch now!" she heard a familiar voice say.
"Char char!"
As soon as she heard that, she ducked behind a tree. Caleb! Caleb must be fighting someone! She opened her guide quickly and found the section under Charmander. Apparently, Fire was great against Bugs. Caleb must be fighting a Bug Catcher.
Ella E considered talking to him, but squashed that thought rather quickly. She couldn't say that her Bulbasaur had left her for another trainer! Caleb must of treated his Charmander nicely after they had parted. Her cheeks flooding red with embarrassment, Ella walked off, motioning to her Spearow to be silent.
In Actuality, Caleb was standing by himself in the clearing, with no Charmander in sight. He sighed again, as he mimicked a battle that he wished he could of completed. He had been mimicking it's voice, trying to sound like it would. Charmander...
"I'm sorry Charmander..." he said for the fifteenth time, sitting on a large rock. When he had been fighting some Bug Catcher, he had kicked Charmander hard. Charmander had finally had enough. It sat and closed it's eyes again. Caleb was about to kick it again, but then apparently either Charmander heard it coming, or heard something important, and suddenly dashed off to the left of him. He had been following it ever since. He didn't have any other Pokémon to battle with! When he got Charmander back, he swore to himself, he would treat it right. He saw a flash of grey where Charmander had dissapeared, but after that he hadn't seen anything. He just hoped Ella E wouldn't find him.
Ella E tried to follow Ashstar, but because she had taken the slight detour, Ashstar's traces where completly gone. Well, Ella E was sure she would run into her again.
Ella E, at that very moment, DID run into someone.
But it wasn't Ashstar.
It was a young boy with a butterfly net in his grasp.
"Hey!"
Ella E's eyes were suddenly bright with excitement.
"Oh, you're a bug catcher, aren't you?"
The boy gave her a weird look.
"Yeah..."
"Let's battle, okay?"
"Well...okay." the boy shrugged. Ella E looked for Beef, who had decided to go off and investigate something.
"Beef? BEEEEFFF?! BEEF YOU S-" she stifled herself. She couldn't call it names...that would be cruel.
"Beef PokémonO! Come here, I need you!" she called loudly.
"Spear?" Beef said, hopping back in the clearing.
"Oh good, you're safe!" Ella E said, with almost genuine relief.
"I call...Caterpie!" The Bug Catcher said. He threw a ball and let the little caterpillar out of it's ball. Ella E hurriedly looked through her guide.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spearow!" the bird cried, flying over the Caterpie. It struck it hard over the head. The Caterpie was instantly knocked out. The Bug Catcher grimaced angrily. He threw another one.
"Go, Kakuna!"
The Ball burst open, and a large, cocoon-like creature burst out. It was totally silent, something that frightened Ella E. She had always thought Pokémon said they're names. Even Metapod did!
"It's mute, okay?" The Bug Catcher said, obviously annoyed.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spear!" The Spearow said, pecking it hard. "Row!" it cried, as it's beak shoke violently. That was a hard shell!
"C'mon, Beef! You st...You can do it!" Ella E said, trying to contain her frustration. To make up for it, she clenched her fists hard.
"Spear..." Beef said, it pecked it again.
"Kakuna, Harden!"
The Kakuna shimmered, and it seemed even harder. Ella E stared hard. Beef had hurt it about a third of it's hits. She hoped this wouldn't take so long.
"Beef, Peck again!"
Beef PokémonO tried again, it's beak ringing now as it struck. Even less damage then before! Ella E clenched her fists tight in anger. She couldn't yell at it...she couldn't hurt Beef! She had to prove to Ashstar and herself that she could care for her Pokémon.
"Beef, give it all you got!" Ella E Shouted.
"SpeeeeeAROWWW!" the Spearow cried, closing it's eyes so the scar that ran over one became a solid line. It stabbed as hard as it could with it's sharp beak.
There was a loud crack.
"Kakuna!" The Boy cried, obviously distressed. A Critical hit! There was a long crack running down the Kakuna now, and it seemed to be vibrating...well, something was making a buzzing noise.
"Maybe it's-" Ella E said, but the boy ran off with the Kakuna in his arms.
"Evolving." She finished uselessly. She looked at her Spearow, to see it shimmering brightly. She looked it up in her guide, and found that meant it was gaining levels. It seemed bigger and better then before! Now she understood...
"C'mere, Beef!" she said, smiling. She had won.
"Spearow!" Beef said, sounding just as pleased. She noticed a flash of grey near her.
"Ashstar?" she called out. She ran after the grey as it dashed off. Finally, she was winded, and finally staggered into a clearing, to see Ashstar and Charles, standing together smirking.
"Give...me...back...Charles..." Ella E gasped, trying to get her breath back.
"Why? So you can hurt him some more?" Ashstar said bitterly.
"Saur! Bulbabulbasaur!" Charles agreed.
"No! No, I've changed!" Ella E said, catching her breath. "I care now. Ask Beef!"
"Beef?" Ashstar rasied a silver eyebrow.
"My new Spearow..."
She held her Spearow up, where it puffed up it's chest and seemed to smile in pride.
"Spearow! Spearspearow! Rowrow!" it said.
"A likely story." Ashstar said doubtfully. "What do you think, Charles?"
"Bulba bulba...bulbasaur bulbabulbsaur...."
"Charles thinks that you threatened the Spearow into liking you." Ashstar said. Ella E blinked.
"You understand it?"
"You can understand you're Pokémon when you care enough about them." Ashstar said with a smile. Ella E thought about how she couldn't understand Beef yet, but sometimes it almost made sense.
"That's just it! Charles isn't YOUR Pokémon! You have your own starting Pokémon."
"Squirtle to be exact." Ashstar said, as if it were no importance. "Also, I recently found an abused Charmander. Poor thing."
Could it of been Calebs..? Ella E wondered.
"Charles is mine. I own him."
"I know. Why don't we let Charles decide?" Ashstar said, smiling. She placed Charles gently and carefully at the edge of the grass.
"Charles, come to the person that is your real trainer."
"C'mere Charles!" Ella E begged. Ashstar only stood silently, staring at Charles' eyes. Charles, without hesitation, walked over to Ashstar and rubbed against her leg.
"See?"
Ella E was heartbroken! Charles still didn't trust her! She'd have to prove it.
"If I can prove I care, will you let me have him back?"
"He's not mine to command. It's his decision, not mine." Ashstar said. There was something about the way she said it that made Ella E seem evil. Ella E looked at Beef, sitting on her arm, perched like a bird of prey.
"I care about Beef."
"I have an idea. Why don't you prove you care enough about Beef...by battling me?"
"How would that prove anything?" Ella E said, stroking her Spearow.
"I'll be using Charles." "Y....You can't use Charles! It's mine!"
Ashstar only looked at Charles, who looked up at her adoringly.
"Bulba?"
"Why don't we ask Charles? Do you belong to her?"
Charles shook it's head vigourously No.
"Saur!"
"I'll prove I've changed Charles!" Ella E said, determined.
"Saur." Charles said, skeptically.
"By the way, I've helped Charles reach level 7."
"Wha...How?" Ella E asked, surprised.
"By working and supporting him. What level is your Spearow?"
"Beefff PokémonO is level 5." Ella E said proudly, stroking Beef's headfeathers.
"Spear!" Beef said happily.
"Charles, use your leech seed to start the battle." Ashstar said, sounding almost like a request. Charles nodded.
"Bulba!"
Ella E raised her arm, and Beef flew off, landing in front of the Bulbasaur, studying it. Suddenly, so fast neither of them could see it, a seed flew from Charles' back, flying into the air. It hit Beef in the back, extending it's roots and growing into tiny plants.
"Spear?" Beef said, pecking at the seeds.
"Beef was Seeded!" Ella E's Pokédex said, but she ignored it.
"Okay, Beeffff PokémonO! Peck it!"
"Speeear!"
Beef pecked Charles hard between the ears.
"Saur!" Charles cried. Suddenly, the plants on Beef's back glowed for a moment, and Beef collapsed in pain. Energy collected in them, and then floated over to Charles, whose peck wound healed quickly.
"Wha...?" Ella E said, sounding surprised. While she looked up the attack in her guide, her Pokédex said the definition. She ignored it.
"So Leech Seed can steal energy? No matter! Beef, peck it again!"
Beef stood on it's claws, flapping it's wings and raising into the air.
"Spearoooow!"
It flew as high as it could, then dove down and slammed it's beak into Charles' side.
"BULBA!" Charles cried.
"Charles!" Ashstar said, distressed. "Don't let the Spearow get to you! Remember what Ella E did? Pay her back!"
Charles' eyes narrowed in utter hatred for Ella E. It ran back, then ran as fast as it could, tackling the Spearow and knocking it to the ground.
"Speeear!"
"Beef! Beefff PokémonO! Oh, I hope you're okay! Use Growl!" Ella E said, sounding genuinely concerned. Charles' looked at her quizzically. Beef staggered upwards, then gave a frightening cry.
"SpearrrrrROW!" Beef cried. Suddenly Charles remembered the fact that Spearow was a flying type, and was super-effective against it. It's attack power was affected by this knowledge. The Plantlets on Beef's back again glew, and energy travelled to Charles. Charles looked much better, while Beef was looking tired and beaten.
"Speear..." it wheezed.
"Beef! Keep Pecking it!"
"Spearow!" Beef cried, pecking Charles again. Charles winced. Ashstar looked worried.
"Please keep focused Charles! When we're done, I'll give you a potion, and you'll feel fine."
Charles looked over at Ashstar with a smile. "Bulbasaur!"
"Now, Tackle the Spearow, Charles!" Ashstar cried. Charles backed up a few paces, then ran at full speed, shrieking.
"BULBASAAAAAAUUUUR!"
WHAM!
Charles hit Beef in it's chest, knocking it into the air. Ella E ran out immediately, going under it and catching it. She studied it carefully.
"Oh Beef! Beeffff PokémonO! Please talk to me!" She said, almost close to tears. She had never realized how important Beef was to her. Beef was unconcious. Ella E collapsed, gently stroking her Spearow.
"....You win...You can keep Charles." She said, sounding like she was about to cry.
Ashstar was startled. This was genuine emotion for her Pokémon coming from Ella E! It could be an act...but if it was, why would she give Charles up so willingly?
Ella E ran her fingers gently down the long scar over Beef's eye, caused by it's fight with the Pidgeotto.
"I'm sorry, Beef. I should of worked harder with you." Ella E said. Finally, one glimmering tear fell from her eye, splashing on Beef's feathers.
Charles was utterly confused. Was this real emotion? It's trainer was caring for someone....No! It couldn't return to her! She had treated it so badly...but she hadn't called the Spearow any names...and it seemed to like her genuinely.
"Charles, it's your decision." Ashstar said, seeming close to tears herself. They glimmered on her silver eyelashes.
Charles looked back and forth between Ashstar and Ella E. Ashstar had truly cared...but now Ella E seemed to. And everyone, in it's opinion, needed another chance...
"Bulba...saur..." Charles said, crying, it rubbed up against Ashstar one last time then walked over to Ella E, using it's bulb to wipe away her tears.
"Charles?" Ella E said, wiping her eyes. "Charles, You chose me!" She cried joyfully, hugging the Bulbasaur tightly.
"Saur!" Charles wheezed.
Ashstar watched quietly. Apparently Ella E had learned her lesson. She began walking off, but Ella E had grabbed her arm. "Wait." Ella E said, holding Beef in her arms.
"What do you want?"
"You're pretty experienced, aren't you?"
"Yes...I have two badges."
"Wow!" Ella E said, with genuine admiration. "Maybe...could you come with me?"
"Why would I do that?" Ashstar said. She brushed back her short silver hair, blinking her violet eyes.
"Why not? We could both benefit. And I'm sure you would make sure I didn't hurt any of my Pokémon along the way."
Ashstar had to take any oppurtunity to help prevent Pokémon abuse.
"I suppose so."
The two walked off together. Ella E noticed how quiet Ashstar was, and for the first time noticed how tall she was.
"Why do you hate Pokémon abuse so much?" Ella E asked. Ashstar crossed her arms, seeming distant.
"It's personal, okay?"
Ella E decided the subject was better left alone. Together, the two of them left Viridian Forest. "Beefff PokémonO! Use your leer attack!" Ella E shouted, pointing at the Nidoran Male in front of her.
"Speeeeearow!" Beef cried, glaring at the Nidoran fiercly. It looked in fear, petrified.
"Peck it, Beef!"
"Spear!" Beef said, agreeing. It Spread it's wings, launching itself into the air and pecking the nidoran hard. It fainted instantly.
"Good job, Beef!" She said, patting her Spearow.
"Spear spear!" it said, happily.
"Your Spearow is level 10 now." Ashstar said, where she leaned against a tree.
"How can YOU tell?"
"Look at the glimmer. Isn't it stronger then before?"
Ella E realized that Ashstar was right. She smiled, and let Beef rest on her arm.
She had been training fiercly since she had reached Pewter. She had read in her guide that the leader of the Gym had mainly rock type Pokémon, around level 12. She wanted her Pokémon high in level.
"I'm glad you aren't neglecting your Spearow, even though it will be no help in the coming battle." Ashstar walked over to Charles, who rubbed up against her happily. She rubbed it idly.
"I want my Pokémon even." Ella E said, with a little doubt. Did she? All she wanted was Charles' sleep powder so she could capture Growlissa...
"Well, Charles is level 13 now. He should be more then a match."
"Then lets give it a try!"
She walked the short distance back to the Pokécenter, and healed her Pokémon. Ashstar seemed to be trying to stare in every direction at once, as if she was here for the first time. Ella E wondered why she cared so much about these surrondings. Ashstar walked over to a empty chair, and looked at it, almost looking sad. But then she shook her head and walked back to Ella E, who was ready to go. She had stocked up on potions with some money she had earned, and now she was ready.
The two of them walked to the front of the Pewter Gym, a large boulder with a gym almost looking like it was cut out of the inside. Ella E walked in. It was dark, and she was slightly frightened. She kept a hand on Charles' bulb, so she wouldn't be alone. She would of held Ashstar's hand, but she was walking behind her.
The lights flashed on.
"Whose there?" Ella E said. There was no response. "C'mon out! I just want a badge and some experience."
There was still no response. She looked around wildly, then saw two forms sitting on top of a pedestal on the back wall. They were wearing black cloaks.
"Prepare for trouble.."
"And Make it double!"
"Team Rocket?!" Ella E cried, frightened. The cloaked forms leapt to the floor, and swept off their disguises to reveal...
Two girls, almost identical, except one had black hair and the other had white.
"I love doing that!"
"It's too much fun to scare people!" The two girls said to eachother. They struck dramatic poses.
"I am Kame!" The girl with the light hair said.
"And I am Kotake!" The girl with the dark hair said.
"And we're..." they said at the same time, "leaders of the Pewter Gym!"
"Phew, you're not Team Rocket." Ella E said, obviously worried. "Hey...isn't Br-"
"He isn't here."
"He had to leave."
"Went with some other kid."
"His dad said he'd stay, but he lied."
"He left it to us."
The two girls alternated their statements so fast it was hard to hear where one broke off and the other began.
"So you're the new Gym Leaders?" Ella E said, holding Charles.
"Not exactly."
"Well, the new part anyway."
"We've been here for quite a while."
"It's all official, more then two years!"
Ella E remembered how her guide didn't update automatically with the new changes in the Pokémon world. Ashstar stayed in the shadows, apparently uncomfortable around them.
"Do you have someone with you?"
"Or are you fighting alone?"
"Well, I do have someone with me, but she won't be fighting." Ella E said. She grabbed Ashstar's arm. Ashstar tried to pull away, but Ella E was too strong. Ella E dragged Ashstar into the light.
"This is Ashstar! She helped me out in Viridian Forest!" Ella E said, smiling. She looked at Ashstar, who seemed furious, her silver hair glinting from the light pouring from the ceiling lights. She stared at Kame and Kotake.
"Why...of all the...I never thought I'd see you again, Ashstar!" Kotake said, flipping her dark hair back.
"Ever since what happened! How can you dare show your face around Pokémon again?" Kame said, her eyes flashig angrily.
"Wh...What do they mean, Ashstar?" Ella E said, confused. Ashstar turned to her with a mixture of sadness and hatred, then ripped her arm from Ella's grasp and ran out of the gym. Ella E stood, utterly confused.
"What the...Why'd she do that?" She asked herself.
"Haven't you heard?" Kame said. The two girls were now circling her.
"Of course not! If she hadn't heard of us, why would she of heard of Ashstar?"
"I suppose not. We'll tell you after we battle you!" Kame said, holding out her Pokéball. Her twin held out another one.
"Let's go! Two Pokémon."
"Good, that's all I have!" Ella E said, gratefully. She put Charles down gently.
"Kame calls....Cubone!"
"Kotake calls...Diglett!"
"Diglett? Cubone?" Ella E said, surprised. She then remembered her Guide hadn't been updated in a while. She heard her Pokédex try to tell her something about the two Pokémon, but she flipped open her book to read instead.
"Well, Charles should handle then! Charles, Vine Whip!"
"BulbaSAUR!" Charled cried, lashing out with whips that had come from underneath his bulb.
"Cubone bone!" The Cubone said, dodging the vines quickly.
"Good boy, Cubone!" Kame said encouragingly.
"Diglett, Dig!" Kotake shouted.
"Diglett!" The Diglett dug beneath the floor, dissapearing. Ella E had the urge to say after Kotake "Diglett dig, Trio trio trio!" but stifled it.
"How does your Diglett know Dig?" Ella E asked, surprised.
"It learned it."
A quick glance at her guide told her the Diglett had to at least be level 19. This was going to be tougher then she thought.
"Charles, jump NOW!" She shouted in desperation. Charles, recognizing the urgency in her voice, leapt as high as it could. The Diglett burst below it a second after Charles left the ground, saving Charles from the Diglett's attack.
"Cubone! Bone Club!" Kame shouted.
"CuuuuuuBONE!" the Cubone cried, running fro Charles. Charles had to make a split decision. It leapt off the Cubone's helmet, landing in a ready position at the other side of the ring.
"Charles! Do your VineWhip Again!"
"Bulba! BulbaSAAUUR!" Charles cried, willing the vines to come forward and hit it's opponets. One of the vines hit the Cubone across the chest with a crack.
"BONE!" it shrieked. Cubone rolled over, and tried to will itself forward. It couldn't. It had to rest...Kame recalled it. The vine caught a glancing blow to the Diglett, but that was enough. It was super effective, and the Diglett was badly injured.
"Diglett, Dig!" Kotake shouted.
"Charles, jump again!" Ella E said, a second too late. The Diglett burst from the ground.
"Diglett!" it cried in it's cute voice. Charles went flying.
"Bulba!"
Charles hit the ground hard, and instantly fainted. Ella E looked it up, and found ground very effective against Poison. She recalled Charles.
"Charles was my one chance at beating them....I have to try something else..." Ella E thought. She grabbed her only other Pokéball.
"Go, Beefff PokémonO!" she shouted, letting the ball fly open in a burst of feathers.
"SPEEEEAROW!" Beef cried, flying from the ball.
Kame had her Cubone curled in her lap, but laughed when she heard the name.
"What kind of name is that? Kotake, get your Diglett to annihilate that bird!"
"Diglett, use your Scratch!"
"Dig!" the Diglett cried, moving through the ground at Beef. Beef was quizzical. It had never seen this kind of Pokémon before.
"Beef, Peck!"
"Spear!" Beef cried, flapping it's wings. The Diglett lowered itself, then surged upwards, sending sharp painful rocks at Beef.
"ROW!" Beef cried as they struck it's body. It managed to get off the ground, then pecked the diglett on the head.
"Diglett!" The Diglett cried, distressed. it was almost in faint...
"Beef, peck again!"
"Diglett, use your Scratch!'
"C'mon Beef..." Ella E thought fiercly.
Beef had the advantage. It was in the air. The Diglett shot the shards at it again, but Beef dodged them. Beef slammed into the Diglett, knocking it back in it's hole.
"DIGLETT!" Kotake cried, recalling it.
Kame and Kotake both looked at eachother.
"Well, I guess you win."
"Good! One step closer to my Growlithe!" Ella E said happily.
"Growlithe?" Kame and Kotake said at the same time.
"Yes, I'm looking for one! Do you know where I could find one?"
The twins looked at eachother.
"I think they're around Lavender town..."
"On Route 8."
"Thank you!" Ella E said, walking out.
"Where you going?" Kame shouted. She had recalled her Cubone, and was now running for Ella, who had stopped.
"You don't have a badge." Kotake finished.
"Do I need one?" Ella E asked.
"They boost Your Pokémon's defense."
Ella E thought of Growlissa.
"Sure!"
Kame and Kotake both brought out a badge, then the two of them placed one of them ceremoniously in Ella E's hand. Ella E turned to go.
"Wait."
"Don't you want to know about Ashstar?"
Ella E thought for a moment. Why had Ashstar run out like that?
"Of course."
"Here's how it goes." Kame started.
"And it's all absolullulutly true." Kotake said. They both placed a hand on both their hearts. Ella E looked skeptical, but listened. "It started a while ago." Kame said, looking upwards as if trying to remember.
"A LONG while ago." Kotake finished for her.
"You know, Ashstar is a LOT older then you think she is!" Kame said brightly.
"She is?" Ella E said, confused. Ashstar looked maybe 5, or 6 years older then her. How could she be older then that?
"Oh yeah! She's been through the Elite Four, she was even Champion for a period! Until Red kicked her off-"
Kame sighed lovingly. "Oh, he's SO cute! I wish I could meet him some day!"
Kotake gave Kame a weird look, but then returned her attention back to what she was saying.
"I thought she was 16...or maybe lower. Was I off?" Ella E asked, letting Beef rest on her arm. Kotake smiled.
"Oh no no no, she's at LEAST 24."
"24?!" Ella E shrieked, surprised! She should of been taller if she was 24! But then again, maybe some people were short like her. And Ashstar looked young...
"24!" Kotake said, as if she enjoyed surprising Ella E with this.
"Let's get back to the topic, hmm?" Kame said, looking bored. Kotake rolled her eyes.
"Anyway, Ashstar used to travel with someone...I forget her name...what was it?...hmmm..." Kame said, trying to think. The two girls both thought very, very hard, while Ella E watched. She swore she could see their heads smoking.
"y..Y something. It started with Y, anyway." Kame said, scratching her head.
"Hmm....Yaoshi?"
"No...that's not it...keep trying."
"Yavimaya?"
"No..."
The two girls thought again.
"Hmm...Maybe it was..."
The two girls looked at eachother as they got the same thought at the same time.
"I KNOW!"
They turned towards Ella E.
"Her name was Yilani!" Kotake said, smiling. Ella E smiled nervously.
"Anyway, so they were companions." Kame began, "Ashstar was a lot younger back then, just starting. So was Yilani. The two of them fought together and won together and trained together! But, Ashstar began to be dissapointed in her Squirtle."
Ashstar? Dissapointed? With ANYTHING? It sounded hardly believable, considering Ella E's recent experience with Ashstar, but she listened anyway.
"Yilani had choosen a Squirtle too, and hers was stronger and more determined then hers. Ashstar didn't know why, but she felt slightly jealous and inadequate, even though Yilani didn't seem to notice. Ashstar felt like she dragging them both down."
"Both their Squirtles were now Blastoise's at that point." Kotake put in. Kame glared at her, but didn't say anything.
"Yes, they had evolved. Ashstar kept trying harder and harder to keep her Squirtle up to pace with Yilanis. Yilani still didn't notice."
"I heard Ashstar's Squirtle was called Accident!" Kotake broke in again.
"I think you have her confused for Radic." Ella E said. Kotake looked surprised, realizing that Ella E was right, and then shut up.
"Anyway, Ashstar's Squirtle, which I think was named Kindness, was trying it's hardest to win, but Yilani's was always ahead. In desperation, Ashstar went to the Celadon drug store and picked up some of those stat enhancing drugs."
"Aren't those horribly expensive?" Ella E said, trying to remember what it said in her guide. Her Pokédex tried to tell her, but she hit it sharply and it stopped talking.
"Very. She loaded up on Carbos, Iron, Calciums, everything! She spent almost all her money. She forcefeeded them to Kindness, who was startled and tried to resist."
Ella E was sure that at that point Ashstar would stop doing that to Kindness. After all, Ashstar was a adamant protector of-
"She wasn't in the mood to mess around. She made Kindness take the pills, by force. Kindness was sick and dizzy, but Ashstar didn't care. She was now insanely jealous of Yilani's Blastoise, and was determined to beat it." Kame said.
Ella E's mouth fell open. Ashstar? That couldn't be the same person.
"The next day she tried out her new pumped-up Blastoise against the same opponents as Yilani. Yilani's Blastoise defeated them, Kindness didn't." Kame said.
"When she got back to the Pokécenter, she beat Kindness half-stupid, with anything she could get her hands on. The way I heard it, she shouted "You are SO worthless! I don't know why I even WORK WITH YOU! I hate you! I WISH I HAD A BETTER POKémon then you, You worthless piece of weak SCUM!" and she threw a lamp at Kindness. Kindness wasn't sure how to react. The Lamp shattered on it's shell, the shards burying themeselves in it's skin. Ashstar kicked it until it fell over, and beat until it didn't move, and she thought it was unconcious. She then ran to her room and fell asleep in utter exhaustion." Kotake said.
Ella E was horrified! How could Ashstar do something like that? Kotake didn't notice her reaction. She was too into the story.
"The Next morning, Ashstar woke up, and prepared to get Kindness back on it's feet and apologize for last night. Kindness was cold and stiff. Shocked, Ashstar realized that Kindness was dead. She had beat it to death in her fury." Kotake said respectfully, holding a hand over her heart.
Ella E was almost close to tears. Poor Kindness...
"Then Yilani walked in the room, and saw the broken lamp and the whole room trashed, Kindness was dead, and Ashstar looked horrified. Before Yilani could respond, Ashstar got up, adn ran out of the room, leaving behind a trail of tears. After that, Ashstar became depressed and suicidal, but finally she resolved to protect anything like that ever happeneing to another Pokémon again. That's why she fights so hard against Pokémon abusers, because SHE IS ONE HERSELF." Kame finished.
Ella E sat down hard. Ashstar...so that's why she had ran out. She was ashamed of her past. Well, she should be! Ella E was overcome with fury at the unjust death of Kindness, and She ran out of the gym. Kame and Kotake watched her go silently.
"ASHSTAR!" Ella E shouted, running into the woods. She noticed it was night now. She must of stayed in the gym longer then she thought. "ASHSTAR! WHERE ARE YOU?!"
She saw a glimmer of silver from the corner of her eye. Ashstar!
"ASHSTAR, COME BACK HERE!"
Ella E heard a terrified sob, then saw the Silver run to her left. She heard a loud splash, and a scream of surprise. She ran over, seeing a large, fast running river. And she saw the patch of silver trying to cross.
"Ashstar, get out of the river! I want to talk to you!" Ella E said, her fists clenched angrily.
"SPEAR!" Beef said emphatically. Ashstar looked at Ella E with a mixture of fear and shame, but didn't turn around. She crawled onto the other bank, and tried to run. She tripped over a tree root, and landed hard, the breath knocked out of her. Ella E saw no choice. She leapt in the river.
It was COLD! Ella E's skin prickled as the sudden coldness permeated her entire body. Hissing between her teeth, she stroked powerfully for the other shore. She was lucky to be a good swimmer.She reached the other bank, crawling out and shivering wildly. She saw Ashstar struggle to her feet, only to fall again. Ella E leapt at her, pinning her arms behind her back.
Ashstar rolled over, slipping out of Ella E's grasp and standing up. She was unprepared for the fast slap that hit her next. She sat down hard, holding her face and sobbing.
Ella E tried to control her anger.
"WHY? Why did you LIE to me? You Hypocrite!" She shouted.
"I didn't lie! I never did! I...I was sort of a hypocrite, but I was going to tell you!" Ashstar said, rubbing her eyes, trying to get rid of her tears.
"You...You KILLED your own Pokémon through abuse! And you told me to leave CHARLES alone! You took him AWAY from me! How dare...How could You have dared presume you could take better care of him then me, when you've killed your own Pokémon?!" Ella E said angrily.
"I KNOW I DID IT!" Ashstar shrieked violently, startling Ella. "I KNOW it was wrong! I know it NOW. I was going to tell you! I was, really! Charles needed a caring trainer-"
"YOU KILLED SOMETHING BECAUSE IT COULDN'T BATTLE WELL ENOUGH! You don't care about ANYTHING!" Ella E shouted. Ashstar's face contorted in a look of hatred and anger.
"I don't need to take this! Here, give this back to that stupid rival of yours when you see him!" Ashstar shouted, throwing the Pokéball into the river, then running off. This time Ella E didn't chase her.
"Good. Go ahead and leave. I don't need you." Ella E said. She walked back to the river. What did Ashstar mean by rival? Was that...it must be! Caleb's Charmander! But how had she gotten it? Ella E was at first tempted to say stealing, but then remembered that Ashstar had told her that Caleb had been abusing his Pokémon too, and the Charmander had run to her for protection. Ella E could no longer see why.
She saw the Pokéball, stuck in a clump of reeds in the middle of the moon-lit river. She sighed, thinking of how she would have to go back in the river to get it. She waded in, hissing, cursing Ashstar for making her do this, and grabbed the ball. Then she stepped on something that moved.
"EEEEEEK!" She screamed, raising her legs off the ground instinctively. She was lucky she wasn't swept off. She had grabbed the rock. She looked at what she had stepped on, which was now attached to her pantsleg. It looked like a rock, but with eyes and tiny legs. She managed to swim to shore, and tried to remove the Pokémon from her leg. It clung tenaciously. She was going to look it up in her guide, but she had left it at Kame and Kotake's gym. Her Pokédex started, but she ignored it. She didn't need to depend on that thing. With a sigh, and a slight limp from the Pokémon on her leg, she limped back to Pewter. "So what is it?" She asked Nurse Joy. She was holding the rock-thing in her hands, trying to calm it down.
"A Kabuto of course. Though I have no idea where it came from. Maybe it escaped the Cinnabar labs!"
"Cinnabar? Isn't that where all those experiments go on?"
"Yes...if this escaped, there's no telling what will escape next."
Ella E was slightly unnerved. What if she ran into a Mewtwo? She took back the Kabuto, where it stuck like glue to her arm. She sighed.
"Could you heal my Pokémon, please?"
Nurse Joy gladly oblidged.
As Ella E waited, she thought. Was she too hard on Ashstar? No! Ashstar deserved all she got, beating something to death like that! Ashstar was probably waiting to steal one of her Pokémon for her own twisted purposes!
But Ashstar had seemed so nice at the beginning...so thoughtful. Why did Ella E abandon her?...
Ella shoved the thought from her mind. Ashstar was dangerous, and Ella decided that it would be better if they just avoided eachother from now on. She received her Pokéballs from Nurse Joy, and set out of the town in the morning.
While she as walking on route 3, she heard singing in the back of her mind.
"A Jigglypuff!" She said outloud. She searched around for it, and finally saw it. It was standing on a rock, as if waiting to be praised. She ran up to it swiftly and kicked it.
"JIGGLY!" The Jigglypuff shrieked, running off. Ella E laughed. She hated Jigglypuffs. The stupid things were weak and useless, and besides, when she was little she was nearly abducted by one. It sung her to sleep, and then tried to carry her off. Luckily her mom's Persian had scared it off. She was glad the Jigglypuff was gone.
She found herself at the entrance of a cave. She read a sign at the front, reading in big letters "Mt.Moon" and in smaller letters beneath it "Water and Plant Pokémon are not appreciated". Ella E smiled. All she wanted to to was get through this area, and catch a Geodude. They shouldn't be hard to find.
She entered the cave, wishing she had Growlissa to light the way for her. Instead, she blundered around in the dark, tripping over a rock. She fell hard on her hands and knees.
"Ow!" she said, wondering what she had tripped over. She rubbed her hands, finding them scraped, and her knees, finding them bleeding. Ignoring the pain, she stood and kicked the rock hard, then screamed as she hurt her foot.
"GEO!" the rock cried, flying up. Ella E sat down and sucked as well as she could on her foot.
"Geo?Geodude?" the floating Pokémon said curiously, getting closer.
"I hurt my foot..." Ella E said to herself, almost near tears. This was too much! She hurt all over!
"Geogeo..." the Geodude said, touching her wound with surprising softness. "Geodude?"
"Can you help me?" Ella E asked the Geodude. "I can't see in the dark, and I'll keep tripping."
"Geogeo!" The Geodude said, agreeing. "Geogeo...geogeodude!" The Geodude grabbed her with surprising strength and lifted her onto it's back. She was utterly surprised, apparently the Geodude liked her. She held onto it bravely, and shut her eyes. She couldn't see anyway.
"Geodude! Geodude!"
"Eeee!" Ella E screamed as she was suddenly flying through the air! The Geodude was so fast! She held on tight.
"Geo!" The Geodude stopped, alarmed. Ella E opened her eyes, but could only see vague flashes of blue and purple, and darkness. She heard a piercing squeal, hurting her brain.
"Zuuuuuubat!"
"A Zubat"! She cried uselessly.
"Geeoooo...." The Geodude said, curling it's arms together. It began glowing, and the glow spread to Ella E. Ella E experienced the feeling it is when a Pokémon uses a move. Defense Curl. The strength came over her in a wave, making her feel stronger and more resilient. She felt a surge of power. She could withstand anything now! She clung to the Geodude. She hoped that the Geodude wouldn't drop her...she had no idea how high she was up now.
"GeogeoGEODUDE!" the Geodude cried, punching the Zubat. It fluttered weakly and fell from her limited view. She closed her eyes against the rushing wind as the Geodude continued on it's way.
"Clefairy?" She heard a cute voice say, but she couldn't see anything. She kept her eyes shut.
"Grooooonix!" A cry rang out, from high above her. An Onix!
"Geo!" The Geodude said, sounding frightened. It quickly zipped around the Onix...or at least tried to. Ella E hung on tightly. She could hear the ONix slither around her, and hear it's stone coils rushing past her. Luckily The Geodude was pretty nimble, it dodged the coils. She felt stone jaws sink into the back of her shirt, and she screamed.
"EEEEEEEK!"
The Onix had bit her shirt! She tried as hard as she could to hang onto the Geodude.
"DUDE! GEODUDE!" The Geodude shouted, grabbing Ella E's hands. Ella E shrieked as she felt her body beaing stretched from both ends. She hung onto the Geodude's stony wrists as much as she could.
"Ooooonix!" The Rock Snake shouted, pulling hard. She hung on with all her power, trying to hold onto the Geodude.
"Geeooo..." the Geodude said, sounding strained. She hung on, tears flowing from her eyes. She felt like her body was ripping apart! She heard the fabric in her shirt ripping...She felt the Geodude slipping from her grasp. Shrieking, she felt the Geodude fly from her hands, and she was lifted into the air by the rock-solid jaws of the Onix. There was a thudding in the background. Ella E wasn't sure if it was her head or something else. She felt as if she had been crushed by something, she ached all over. The thudding became more and more consistant, pounding into her head and into the floor.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
She groaned and opened her eyes. Blurryness greeted her, and she blinked a few times to clear away the last cobwebs in her mind.
There was the Onix that had abducted her. It was sitting in the middle of a huge cave, thumping the ground at a steady rythym with it's rock tail. That was what the thumping was...not a headache...an Onix. She smiled at the thought for some reason. The thumps became louder.
Echoing cries came near her.
"Groooonix!"
"Oooonix!" loud roars came from all directions. She tensed her muscles, ready to run...
To be continued!!!