Chapter Two - First Words "A...Ho-oh?" Misty said in disbelief. "Wow, thats amazing" The little Ho-oh smiled brightly up at Ash, spreading it's tiny, rainbow- coloured wings and stretching them, kicking off the rest of the eggshell. It folded them and looked around at Brock, Misty, Togepi and Pikachu, a little nervous. "Sure is" Ash said, who was still slightly stunned at the amazing Pokémon sitting before him. He slowly sat the little Pokémon down on the ground and knelt down in front of it. The Ho-oh looked up at Ash for a second before hopping forward and onto his lap, rubbing it's head against his chest and letting out a low cooing noise. "Well, at least it likes you" Misty comented. "Well maybe it's like Togepi" Brock said. "The first thing Togepi saw was Misty, so it thought she was it's mother. Your the first this Ho-oh saw, so it makes sence if it thinks your it's father" "It's father?" Ash asked, looking down at the little bird. Pikachu walked over beside Ash and extended his paw to Ho-oh. "Pika" He said brightly. Ho-oh looked at Pikachu and shuffled as far away from Pikachu, without leaving Ash, as it could. "Pika?" Pikachu asked confused. "Looks like its going to take a while for Ho-oh to warm up to the rest of us" Brock said. Ho-oh looked nervously over at Brock and the others and jumped up into Ash's arms. It looked up at him again and smiled, letting out a little happy chirp. ----------- About an hour later the Pokémon and their trainers set down to eat. Pikachu and Ash's other Pokémon were sitting in a circle eating their Pokéfood, Misty was sitting sitting on a rock nearby feeding Togepi, who accepted it's food happily. Unfortunately, Ash wasn't having as much luck with Ho-oh. "Come on Ho-oh" He said holding a bit of Pokéfood up to it, but Ho-oh just closed it eyes, turned it's head away and kept it's beak sealed. "It's no good you guys, I don't think it likes the Pokéfood" He sighed, putting the Pokéfood back in the small bowl beside him. Ho-oh opened it's eyes and looked sadly up at him as it's stomach rumbled. Ash was getting worried now. Ho-oh was only a baby, and if it wasn't going to eat it's food it wasn't going to last. "Theres gotta be something it'll eat" "Maybe Brocks Pokémon food it to tough for it. It needs baby Pokémon food" Misty advised. "But I don't have any, Togepi grew out of that stuff a long time ago" "Baby Pokémon food?" Ash said curiously, looking down at Ho-oh, who had fallen asleep in his arms. He stood up slowly and walked over to Misty. "Take care of Ho-oh 'til I get back" He whispered handing the sleeping Pokémon to her. Misty carefully held the little Pokémon and nodded. "I'll be back as soon as I can" He added before sigalling Pikachu to follow, picking up his back-pack and heading in the direction of the nearest Pokémart. ----------- Ho-oh yawned and opened it's eyes wearily and when it looked up it noticed it was sitting on Misty's lap. It's eyes widened and it stood up quickly, jumping off her lap and falling with a little 'bump' on the ground. Ho-oh looked around furiously for any sign of Ash. When it couldn't see him anywere, it did the only thing it could...it cried. For only being a few hours old, Ho-oh could cry pretty loudly, and the others had to block there ears. Misty picked it up and tried to comfort it, but that just made it cry harder and to flap it's tiny wings crazily to try and escape from her. Misty paniced, trying to keep a hold on Ho-oh, but eventually it broke away from her. Before she or any of the others had a chance to stop it, Ho-oh turned and ran as fast as it's feet could carry it into the surronding forest and out of sight. "Ho-oh! Come back!" ----------- Ho-oh continued to run through the forest, until it couldn't run anymore. It stopped and leaned against a tree, panting heavily. It's stomach grumbled again and Ho-oh frowned. Under the roots there was a clear area, and Ho-oh crawled in wearily. All the running had made it tired again. It settled down and sadly looked up at the sky before lying it's head down on the ground and slowly falling asleep. ----------- "You sure Ho-oh'll like this stuff Pikachu?" Ash asked Pikachu as he looked at the Pokéfood Pikachu had helped him pick out. [Ya, just wait] Pikachu said as he trotted beside his trainer. Ash smiled down at Pikachu and soon the campsite came into view. Brock and Misty had their backs to him as he arrived and seemed to be in a very quiet but nervous conversation. "Hey guys" Ash said, causing the others to jump. Misty and Brock spun around quickly. "Ash, Ho-oh's gone!" Misty said. Ash's stomach lurch when he heard this. "Gone? What do you mean gone?" He asked in a worried tone. "It woke up and, starting crying for some reason, then it just ran off" Brock said. Ash was frozen for a second. "Well which way did it go?!" He asked in a urgent tone. Brock raised his hand and pointed towards to forest and without another word, Ash took off into the forest. "Ash, were are you going!?" Misty called after him, but Ash paid no attention to what she was saying. The sky was turning from firey red to navy black as the sun began to dissapear below the horizon. A strong wind was blowing through the forest and it began to become cold. "Hang in there Ho-oh..." ----------- Ho-oh's eyes shot open, full of fear, as it heard an errie sound coming from around it. It looked around fearfully for the source of the sound. It may have just been the wind in the trees, but the creaking branches and scary shadows created by them along with the light of the moon made Ho-oh think there was some sort of monster around. Ho-oh shivered and closed it's eyes tightly, trying to ignore the sounds, but the wind made a ghostly sound through the branches and caused Ho-oh to jumped up. Ho-oh whimpered and looked around, tears welling up in it's eyes. All of a sudden, Ho-oh heard a branch crack, and footsteps. Ho-oh cowered back as far as it could and peered out through the tree roots. A dark figure walked in front of the tree, and Ho-oh stepped forward to get a better look. "Ho-oh, were are you?" Ash called through the dark forest. Ho-oh's head jerked up as it released who Ash was. It smiled and jumped out between two tree roots. "Daddy!" It said hopping over to him. "Daddy?" Ash thought turning around just as Ho-oh jumped up into his arms. "Ho- oh, your ok!" Ho-oh looked up at him and tilted it's head. "O...k?" It said curiously. Ash smiled. "And your learning how to talk already" "Talk awready!" Ho-oh said happily. Ash hugged the little Pokémon. "I'm glad your ok. Now how about that food, I bet your hungry huh?" "Hungie?" Ho-oh said as its stomach rumbled. Ash laughed. "Come on, lets get back to the camp, your not the only hungry one around here" He said as he started walking back in the direction he had come from. "Hungie, hungie, hungie!" Ho-oh said proudly, flapping it's wings slightly. ----------- To Be Continued ----------- Cutie Ho-oh! Heehee, like it? Ho-oh learn fast don't they? Well, please review and see yaz! Or as we say here in Irleand, Slán gó foil! Bay Bay! Bayleef adorable_chickorita@hotmail.com