I’m having trouble thinking up names, so why bother?

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic belongs to me. Do not take my work.

Summary: We’ve seen Ash as water, dragon master before, that I’ve written. Let’s try something else!

Notes: <> for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks

Started 9/19/04

Chapter 1

“You’re what?” Ash asked in tears.

“Sorry,” Professor Oak apologized. “But you’re so late that I have no more starter pokemon.” The three starters had all been given away, and there was no Pikachu left.

“Don’t you have any pokemon I can have?” Ash pleaded.

Oak hesitated. “Well, I do have a Caterpie…”

“I’ll take that!”

“It’s not a good fighter or anything…”

“I don’t care! Please, just give me that pokemon!”

“Here you go, then.” Oak said, taking out a poke ball. Ash hugged his new pokemon to his chest – Caterpie was rather surprised, but glad she had a trainer – and took the pokédex, poke balls, and 2 potions from Oak.

“Thank you Professor Oak!” Ash called as he dashed back home.

“Did you get a pokemon?” Delia asked. She had been worried that ash might have missed his opportunity, but seeing the small green bug perched on Ash’s red-and-white league hat, decided she had overreacted.

“Yes, mom, isn’t she cute?”

“Well, it’s certainly different.” Delia said. “Now sit down and have breakfast.” She had set out blueberry pancakes and syrup. Ash stacked four pancakes one atop the other, poured maple syrup over the stack, and began eating.

“Caterpie, you want a bite?”

The bug pokemon blinked large black eyes. “Pi?”

Ash proffered a bite of pancake on the end of his fork. Caterpie took a bite, chewed, swallowed, and smiled. “Pi!”

“Great!”

Ash took another blueberry pancake, covered it with syrup, and cut it into bite-sized pieces of Caterpie.

Delia smiled. Her son had such a good heart…

But was it proper for pokemon to eat human food? Well, the bug was suffering no ill effects…

Yummy… Caterpie said. She ate the entire pancake. Thank you master.

Ash blinked. “Did you like that, girl?”

Caterpie nodded.

“That’s great! My mom’s a really good cook, you know.”

“Oh Ash, you’re embarrassing me.” But Delia loved being hospitable, even if it were for pokemon…

After breakfast, Ash went upstairs and packed his backpack with clothes, a sleeping bag, a tent, some canned food and pokemon food, a flashlight, ten bottles of drinking water, a water purifier, and other camp necessities. He changed into comfortable jeans and his blue-and-white long-sleeved jacket. “Well, mom, I’m off!”

“Good-bye, dear!” Delia waved. “Good luck to you.”

“Thank you!”

Ash and Caterpie set out through the grasslands of Pallet. As it was, a Rattata appeared!

“Well, time to test you out in a battle.” Ash grinned; just glad it wasn’t a Pidgey who might have considered his Caterpie food.

Rattata sat there, studying them.

Caterpie slid down Ash’s arm onto the ground. Ok!

Deciding that this was a battle phase, the Rattata attacked with Tail Whip. Caterpie’s defense fell.

“Caterpie, use String Shot and tie Rattata up!” The bug nodded as she spat a mouthful of sticky string out, wrapping Rattata’s face up first. The blinded rat staggered around, confused, before Caterpie used Tackle.

When Rattata charged her again, she spat out another String Shot, tripping it and tying up a front leg.

Then she tackled again.

This time, Rattata was smarter and used another tail whip, but that attack did no damage. Caterpie used one last Tackle and that cinched the deal.

Caterpie grew to Level 6!

Ash hugged Caterpie and they walked on. Three more Rattata were dispatched, before trouble brewed.

A Pidgey!

“CAW!” The bird screamed, diving at them. Ash did not bother tempting fate, so he grabbed Caterpie and ran.

Unfortunately, the bird did not want to lose what it had decided was food. It started chasing them.

“Here goes.” Ash said, as he jumped into a stream. * Maybe that will make Pidgey leave us alone. *

Not all ideas work, this for one. They surfaced for air, to find not only Pidgey still there, circling above, but also a Pidgeot.

Oh. Shoot.

“I’m too young to die!” Ash cried as he dove underwater again and started paddling. * Maybe if I swim far away, they’ll leave me alone! *

It was a good thought, but no. Pidgeot have sharp eyes, very sharp eyes. Ash was forced to give up after half an hour of swimming and breathing in frigid water had not deterred the pursuers.

Pidgeot scooped him up and began flying away.

“HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Maybe thin air causes stress! Then, stress causes the brain to flip and turn in unexpected ways.

Either that, or Ash did have somewhat of a grip on reality.

“Caterpie, I have an idea.”

Caterpie nodded. A few minutes later, Pidgeot fell, because her wings had been completely tied up in string shot. Gumming the works…

Wait, so this meant Caterpie had an inexhaustible supply of thread? Didn’t look it, because Caterpie looked ready to faint from exhaustion – or fright.

They were still falling though.

*WHUMP*

A bed of poison oak was not the best landing spot, but it was better than hitting the rocks, right?

Ash groaned. His ankle felt funny, but it didn’t seem broken. He carefully got up, wincing, and began walking to the nearest pokemon center, limping all the way.

Ow…

End Chapter

Completed 9/19/04

Ash: Hmm. Interesting

Lance: A bug master?

Phantomness: Why not? ^-^ Plus it’ll keep Misty away.

Kairo: No misty reduces the chance of darkfic, right?

Shoyko: *nods fervently*

Pika-chan: No fluff! *Eating a giant bowl of mango-banana swirl ice cream*

Phantomness: *bonks Pika-chan on the head* I wish you’d work harder!