Started 1/17/04

Disclaimer/Notes: This is fanfic written by me, and pokemon belongs to Nintendo. If I made any profit off my fanfic I’d spend it on pokemon merchandise anyways… but I don’t. No copyright infringement is intended.

We have ** for thoughts, italics for pokemon talking, and <> for telepathy! Yeah!

Chapter 3

Of course, before the badge, there was the cave. It was… a cave. Not a particularly interesting cave, the few hikers inside were quickly taken care of. Then, Ash had to swim across a river to reach Violet City.

Odd… the bridge was gone?

Shrugging, Ash made it to the other side, and changed into dry clothes while he left his wet t-shirt and shorts on a branch to dry.

A fisherman spotted him. “Hey!”

“What’s wrong? I thought there was a bridge here.” Ash inquired.

“You must be a traveler. The bridge was destroyed last week.”

“Really!”

“Yes.”

“That’s bad…” Ash sighed. “I swam here.”

“You didn’t!”

“Huh?”

“The water is full of pokemon that eat people! I can’t believe you’re alive!”

Ash blinked. “… Really?”

“You didn’t know about them? Oh, you’re lucky!”

Pikachu did not look convinced either. I think he’s lying, but no use arguing. Let’s go to the gym.

Ash nodded. * Sounds good to me. *

He was about to leave when the Fisherman stopped him. “How about a battle, kid?”

“Sure.”

“Go! Qwilfish!”

“Water-types don’t scare me… Pikachu, could you please?”

Pikachu fried Qwilfish and the two Goldeen that followed with swift movements. That was when the fisherman tried to sell Ash a slowpoketail.

“EWW!”

“What? It tastes great.”

You butcher! How dare you hurt innocent slowpoke!!! Pikachu screamed, before he fried the man as well.

The fisherman tumbled into the water.

Ash watched, but no man-eating pokemon surfaced. * Well, I’ll just leave him here I guess… *

Pikachu was still huffy. He deserves it! He’s killed pokemon!

“How can you tell?”

How do you think they get slowpoketails? Pikachu queried. They cut them off living slowpoke.

“That is horrible…” Ash said.

He searched the man’s dropped bag and found some cash but no poke balls, so he took the money and walked on.

After all, he had won the battle so it was fair.

He kept walking to Violet.

A few hours later, Ryan regained consciousness. * Grr, that kid took my stuff… I’ll get my revenge! *

Then, he screamed. True, there were no man-eating pokemon, but in muddy water, there were leeches.

It took an awful long time to pick them off, and then he was so tired from blood loss that he collapsed after he dragged himself out of the water.

Oh well. Nothing good comes out of evil normally.

Ash spent some money at the poke mart, getting Apricorn-constructed balls that had been shipped over from Azalea. He mainly just got Friend balls though.

How cool! It made pokemon like you more.

That was nice.

Ash finished his purchases, and decided to stop by Sprout tower just to see what might be going on there.

Inside, he found a lot of monks… and a lot of bellsprouts.

“Welcome, young one. Would you like to join us in meditation and dedication to all pokemon?”

“I’m Graceful.”

“I’m Peaceful.”

“I’m Prideful.”

“And I’m Joyful.” The head monk said proudly. “You seem to be a sensible young man. We shall christen you Thoughtful!”

“Wait a minute!” Ash said, backing up. “I don’t want to be a monk.”

“No? Then why are you here?”

“I thought this was a museum.” Ash said, before he began backing out of the door.

“Nonsense! It was the will of Ho-oh that led you here!” Peaceful proclaimed. “Can you deny that?”

Ash blinked. * What? *

Then, he jumped. “Ah! My hair! What are you-?”

A few wisps drifted down.

Pikachu sparked his cheeks in anger. Stop!

“You must shave your head to join us. Do not deny your true calling!”

“I’m not agreeing to that!” Ash cried. “Charmander, use Flamethrower!”

All the Bellsprouts were decimated.

Ash ran for the door, leaving four monks staring after him.

“He is stubborn and still young.”

“It will take time to convert him.”

“Yes, yes.”

Ash hid behind a dumpster, wheezing for breath. “Woah… talk about crazy pokemon trainers.”

I wholeheartedly agree. Charmander nodded.

“Charmander, you don’t’ want to evolve either, right?”

The pokemon nodded. Ash smiled. “I’m glad.”

For some reason, he had nightmares about a Charizard torching him nonstop, so he didn’t want Charmander to evolve either.

The little pokemon was very powerful.

Well, since Sprout Tower wasn’t safe, he decided to head off to the gym.

End Chapter

Completed 1/22/04