Perhaps a secondary plot will arise later? So the title will make sense? That would be nice…

Disclaimer: Pokemon belongs to Nintendo. I own this non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfic under international copyright laws. Don’t take my work!

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

Started 9/19/04

Recap: Ash started out with a starting pokemon – Caterpie

Chapter 2

 

            There tend to be two types of luck, bad and good. To tell the truth, Ash was currently facing the former.

            “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”

            Yes, not only was he limping with an injured/exhausted Caterpie, there was now a Beedrill chasing him. Great. How did that happen?

            He didn’t ever remember passing or hurting a Beedrill! And if that wasn’t bad enough, the poison oak had kicked in and he was getting red, itchy spots all over his body. That was when he tripped and fell in the stream again. It was the same stream; only he was running in the opposite direction.

            Luckily, lady luck kicked in and decided to be nice, so the Beedrill began fighting the Pidgeot that had been chasing Ash and Caterpie earlier.

            Ash ran for the Center. He went in the right direction – yay! It did take almost another hour, though, and Nurse Joy had to bandage his ankle, but he had made it. Then, he healed Caterpie and after showering, hit the bed for a well-deserved sleep.

            Luckily, cold water is the best remedy against the itchy oil in poison oak, so he only had one or two irritated spots – well, okay, his arms were covered in a coat of pink calamine lotion the next morning. It looked like his stream dunking had done him some good. He went downstairs carefully not wanting to injure his ankle farther, and took Caterpie from Joy.

            Caterpie looked healthy and bursting with energy.

            Hi!

            “Caterpie! You’re okay!”

            Ash hugged his pokemon as Caterpie nodded. I’m fine now!

            The pokemon center provided a free brunch, so Ash ate heartily, before he went and called his mom.

 

            “Mom, I made it to Viridian City.”

            “That’s very nice, Ash. I remember it took your father three days…did you remember to change your underwear?”

            “Yes mom.” Ash sighed. Why must she ask him something so… basic? Oh well… it was better than forgetting.

            “Well, take care of yourself, all right honey?”

            “I will.” Ash promised, before hanging up. There wasn’t really anything else to talk about, as the bird experience was too embarrassing for conversation as of now.

            They left the Center behind and were walking along when a bug catcher challenged Ash.

            “Well, okay.”

            Joey grinned. “I choose you, Caterpie!”

            Caterpie against Caterpie was not a very good training tactic, but Ash hadn’t caught any other pokemon, so…

            “Caterpie, let’s do it, girl!”

            Caterpie smiled as she attacked quickly with String Shot. The other Caterpie squeaked in surprise, but was instantly cocooned and unable to battle. Then, Caterpie kept tackling it until it fainted.

            Checking his pokédex, Ash was surprised to see that his Caterpie was already levels above evolving into Metapod. However, considering the stressful situation they had been in with the bird and all, it hadn’t exactly been a good time to evolve.

            But now the coast was clear. Caterpie began to glow, and there was a Metapod! Ash looked slightly forlorn, as Metapods were not cute, but brushed it off. It was still the same pokemon!
            The Metapod seemed to smile at him.

            “Hmm… better use this then.” Joey said. “Weedle, I choose you!”

            Weedle used Poison Sting!
            Poison Sting just bounced off Metapod’s hard shell. Joey blinked, then told Weedle to just charge and tackle.

            “Metapod, use Harden.” Ash motioned. Metapod’s shell glowed, becoming even stronger, and Weedle smacked into it and fainted.

            Too much velocity suddenly stopped, so the energy has to go somewhere, right? And it went right back into Weedle, who was unprepared to handle it.

            Joey sighed. “I guess I lose…”

            Ash took the $5 he had won. “Good match, kid.”

            “My name’s Joey!”

            “Interesting.”

            “So you’re a bug catcher too?” Joey asked. “Do you have a net?”

            Ash blushed. “Actually, I’m a beginning trainer…”

            “Hmm? Then why don’t you have one of Professor Oak’s three starters, like a Charmander?”

            “I’d rather not talk about that.” Ash blushed.

            “… Well, okay. I’ll see you around.” Joey said. Ash picked up Metapod and walked on.

            Then, another bug catcher appeared. And… another. By the time he was out of Viridian City and into Viridian Forest, Ash had fought five more bug catchers.

            They seemed to be the prevailing type here. Still, he was 34 dollars richer, and that was very nice.

 

            The next day, a crack split in her green shell, and Metapod began to glow…

            “You’ll be such a pretty Butterfree.” Ash smiled, as he watched the evolution. All the experience must have added up to enough for the final evolution.

            Butterfree stretched out her wings as she appeared, smiling. “Free!”

            “How do you feel, girl?”

            Strong and powerful!

            She flew around Ash’s head for a few minutes, relishing the feel of flight after being cocooned for a day.

            It was nice to move again!

            Her wings fluttered as she landed on Ash’s shoulder. The boy adjusted his league cap and did a ‘V’ for Victory. “You’re the best – Butterfree!”

            Yes I am! How nice of you to say it. The near-death experience had only made her appreciate her trainer more.

            What a nice boy.

            Caterpie were common pokemon, and she had not expected him to treat her well. She had expected him to trade her for a ‘better’ pokemon.

            However, it looked like she had miscalculated for the better.

            Faint flakes of white fell off from her, the last of the protein strands inside that had helped her change form.

            Ah…

 

            “Maybe I’ll become a bug master.” Ash mused. * After all, my first pokemon is a bug. Plus, has anyone done it before? I don’t think so… *

            I like the idea!

            He still couldn’t understand her, but from her waving motions and bobbing antennae, she was happy. And at this moment, so was he.

 

End Chapter

Completed 9/19/04

Pika-chan: See? That’s fluff!
Phantomness: Yep, but not romance

Lance: You’re going to make this championshipping aren’t you?
Ash: ^-^

Kairo: Methinks the author has not decided yet, from her confused face…