The Path of Aya: Kanto

Part 2

“Misty, use Water Gun!”

The Squirtle appeared to be sucking in a huge breath, and then she exhaled in a blast of water, which flew across the small distance and impacted upon the Pidgey’s chest. The Flying Pokemon squawked angrily as it was blasted backwards, and with a shrill, “Pi-gew!” it soared upwards, then darted back towards the small blue Water Turtle.

“Watch out, Mist,” Aya yelled, her fists clenched in anticipation. “Use Withdraw!”

Mist instantly fled back inside its shell. The Pidgey continued on with its attack, and moments later, it slammed into the Squirtle at full speed. The results were devastating. There was a loud thunk, and the Pidgey bounced off the hard shell and landed on the ground. It stood up, and wobbled around, apparently disorientated. Mist poked its head out of its shell, looking for some sign it was safe to come out.

“Now’s our chance! Mist, finish it with tackle!” a triumphant Aya yelled.

Mist, launched itself out of its shell, and threw itself into the Pidgey. It put up no resistance, and the bird fell backwards, no energy left.

Here we go, Aya thought. She snatched an empty Pokeball from her belt, and threw it as hard as she could at the Pidgey, shouting, “Pokeball, go!”

The Ball impacted on the Pidgey, and with a flash of red light, the Pokemon vanished. The Pokeball snapped shut, and landed on the ground with a soft thump. It began to quiver. She had been waiting for this moment for so long. Come on, she thought, watching the little Ball continue its shivering and twitching, stop. I’ve caught you. Give up, you dang Pidgey.

Then, with a soft beep, the Pokeball stopped twitching, and lay still.

“YES!” Aya’s ecstatic shout echoed over the wide, open plains of Pallet, startling flocks of Pidgey and packs of Rattatta. She didn’t care. She sprinted forward, and snatched the ball up; she wheeled around, and displayed her catch proudly to the onlookers.

“Oh my god, honey, you were so good!” her mother squealed, rushing forward and giving her oldest daughter a one-armed hug, shifting Bri to other side so she could fully squeeze the life out of Aya.

“Mom” Aya gasped, struggling to gain breath, as her Squirtle had chosen that moment to leap onto her with a delighted shout, and the flying tackle had knocked the remaining air in her lungs out. “Air…”

“Oh. Sorry,” Misty released Aya, and stood back, brining both of her arms to hold little Bri once again.

“Great job, Mist,” Aya addressed her Pokemon. “You deserve a good rest.” She brought out a Pokeball, and again, with a flash of red light, a Pokemon vanished.

“Yeah, great job Mist!” Aya’s father said, a grin lighting up his features, “Nearly strangling our daughter right before she leaves. Nice going away present.”

Misty turned, and her right hand dropped to her belt, which on it hung an assortment of Pokeballs, which Aya saw with a twinge of annoyance. Didn’t they have enough faith in her abilities to catch one Pidgey without needing help?

“Do you want a present, Ash Ketchum?” her mother said in a deadly tone, “And not the kind you get at Christmas?”

Ash grinned. “Only if you’re prepared to get a stocking full of lightning! Pikachu!” he shouted, flamboyantly striking a pose, “Go!”

There was a long silence, before Ash said, “Uh…Pikachu?”

Pikachu, who had been sitting, observing the fight with amusement, merely shrugged. “Pika pi?”

“What do you get out of it? The satisfaction of helping out your best friend, maybe?”

Pikachu pretended to consider, then shook his head. “Pikachu.”

“Not good enough?!?!” Ash said disbelievingly over the riotous laughter coming from Aya and Misty. “You little traitor!”

Pikachu ignored his friend, and turned back to Kai, who he had been playing tag with a second ago.

“Come on Dad, would you really battle Mom over something so stupid?” Aya asked, knowing full well the answer she would get.

Ash acted insulted. “Of course! The great Pokemon Master Ash Ketchum never backs down…” He said, before he noticed the look in Misty’s eyes. “…but, um, of course…” Ashe coughed weakly, “If that Master happened to, uh, be deathly sick, he would have no choice but to surrender…”

“Yeah, sickly my butt,” Misty said, grabbing her husband and kissing him lightly on the lips.

Aya moaned. “Aw, come on. I just captured my first Pokemon, and all you guys can do is flirt and suck face like you always do.”

“Get used to it,” her parents said at the same time.

The sun had finally given up, and darkness started to descend over Pallet Town. Shopkeepers closed their stores, couples retreated home, and worried mothers called out to their children, who were milking the last rays of light for all they were worth.

But Aya couldn’t sleep. She would officially leave on her journey, and fear was gnawing away at her stomach. Voices crawled through her head, whispering that she would never make it, and that she would make a horrible trainer. Unable to bear it any longer, Aya got out of bed, donned a grey sweater, and a light pair of sweatpants, and headed outside. She quickly collected a dozen dented, worn cans that lay in a heap next to the garage door, and lined them up next to each other on the backyard fence. She grabbed her Pokeballs, and threw them into the air. Mist and Pidgey appeared, and they both looked to their trainer for instruction.

“Squirtle, see if you can knock those,” Aya indicted the cans with her arm, “cans off with your Water Gun. Pidgey, use a controlled Gust and take care of the rest.”

“Squir!” “Pigey!” were the replies, and both Pokemon set to work.

Mist carefully aimed, and a torrent of water sprang from her mouth. The first can was knocked off the fence with a clang, and before it had hit the ground, the Squirtle had moved on to the next can.

Aya watched her starter with a feeling of pride. Barely two weeks had gone by, and Mist had improved so much, Aya could scarcely believe it. Her Water Gun had gone from a weak splash of water, to a powerful blast that gushed out over 30 feet. Aya remembered the memorable day when Mist had missed the can she was aiming for and had broken the window of her Mom’s car. She winced as she remembered the stern lecture that had followed.

Pidgey was having a bit more trouble than Mist. While Pidgey could produce a Gust, he couldn’t control it or focus it, and as a result, more than cans were being propelled around, including grass, a rake, even a trashcan lid.

“Ok, Pidgey, hold up!” Aya said over the rushing of the wind. Pidgey stopped flapping his wings, and flew over to land on Aya’s shoulder.

“Try making tighter, quicker flaps to focus the gust,” Aya suggested, trying to remember what her father had said. “And try to, at least, knock them off one at a time.”

Pidgey cooed softly, and returned to the air. With a squawk, he started flapping his wings at an increased rater, and once again, a gust filled the yard. But this time, Aya could see the focused air currents as they sliced through the air and collided with the first can. It fell off the fence with little noise, and fell to the ground.

“Yeah!” Aya squealed happily, and leapt into the air. Squirtle burble happily, and even Pidgey chirped in satisfaction.

“You guys put in a good night. Return,” said Aya, retrieving her ‘Balls. The Pokemon vanished. Aya smiled happily, thankful that, at least for a while, that the voices had shut up.

“Good work.”

Aya shrieked, and bolted several feet into the air. She spun around, to see her father propped against the back door frame.

“Dad!” Aya breathed, trying to calm her pulse. “You nearly gave me a heart attack!”

Ash smiled. “Sorry, sweetie.”

Aya nodded, and walked over to the patio next to the door. She sat down, and Ash followed her example.

“So, getting in some more training?”

“Yeah. I’m going off in a week, you know.”

Her father’s smile flickered slightly. “Don’t remind me.”

“Aw, come on, Dad,” Aya scolded, “You can’t possibly be worried about me? After all, I’m the daughter of the great Pokemon Master Ash Ketchum, and the amazing Water Master sensation, Misty Williams!”

Ash abandoned his smile completely, and frowned. “That’s not funny. Aya, I’m worried. A real crook won’t stop to hurt you because you throw a fancy title in their face. You’re only 10, and it’s awfully dangerous out in the world, beyond our nice, safe haven of Pallet Town.”

Aya pouted, pretending to be sulky. “You too were only ten when YOU set out. Whatever happened to the guy that Mom said was “a little obnoxious, rash, idiotic brat who never paid her back for her bike?”

Ash’s eyes widened, and he stood in mock horror, “She said that?!?!”

Both father and daughter laughed quietly for a moment, and Ash sat down. They remained silent for a while, just staring out at the sky.

“You know, your Mom and I just used to come out here and watch the stars on night’s like this. Even before we were together, when we were traveling, we- me, her, and Brock- would spend almost every night under the stars.”

Aya sighed. “What’s it like, Dad? Going from town to town, battling?”

He sat there for a few moments, contemplating his answer. He simply said, “I miss it.”

Aya opened her mouth, then thought the better of speaking and closed it. Perhaps Ash saw her movements, or maybe he picked up on the mood, but he said, “What’s up?”

“Did you….I mean, did you ever have doubts? I mean, like you feared you couldn’t do it?” Aya said hesitantly.

Ash turned to look her daughter straight in the eyes. “Of course I did. I felt it every second of the day. But I also grew and became stronger and faster every day. That little voice that whispers, the one in the back of you head, becomes quieter and slower with every victory.”

“Really?”

Ash gave his daughter a lopsided grin. “I guarantee it.”

Aya smiled, and then remembered that Aya Ketchum was never afraid. Aya Ketchum was strong. “Not that I’m afraid, Dad. Just asking.”

Ash laughed. “Of course.”

He looked down at his wristwatch. “Ah, look at the time. I better be getting to bed. Plenty of thrilling paperwork to do tomorrow,” he added with a slight sneer.

“Good night, Dad,” Aya said.

“Night, honey,” her father said, and he slipped into the house. Aya wasn’t sure, but she thought she heard her father distinctly mutter, “Exactly like her mother…”

Yes, I know, I said that a Battle and a stranger would appear in this chapter, but my life choose this week to throw up a bunch of things in my life, so I gotta deal with those first (Or so the parental units say ><)

Please, please review; it’s what keeps me going!

And I promise, next chapter, an exciting Battle and a stranger will occur. (And it’ll be longer!)

Smell ya’ later!

-Vyynn