The Creator: Chapter Two

"And then this big, mean bird-thing tried to get me!"

"A bird thing?"

They had been talking with each other for the past six hours while making their way through Route 1. It was already dark outside and his companion was tiredly sitting on his shoulder, but despite the time of day, Pikachu was eagerly telling stories and talking about his past as if they had been friends since the dawn of time.

"Oh, some big guy with feathers flying around, you get what I mean," the mouse added quickly. "Anyway, he tries to swoop at me, but then zap! I hit him with a Thunder Shock, and it smashed right into a tree trying to dodge it!" The little mouse rolled with laughter on Ash's shoulder, while his new trainer just chuckled lightly at the tale.

But listening to Pikachu's stories reminded him of the next part of their journey. "Hey, Pikachu?" The mouse's ears perked in response. "What do you know about battling?" When Pikachu only answered with a head-tilt, he continued, "I don't have any experience battling as a trainer. I don't even know how to go about commanding you."

"Shouldn't you...you know, know all of that stuff?" Pikachu asked hesitantly. "I figured since you're, uh...t-that you'd have all the skills you'd need...?"

Ash looked at Pikachu with a small frown. "I didn't search too deeply into trainers when they first started coming into existence. As long as it was peaceful, there was no need to put a stop to it. I didn't need any knowledge beyond the basics."

'So, you don't know anything?' Pikachu asked with an incredulous look.

Ash gave the mouse a small, apologetic smile."Well, learning is always fun."

Pikachu thought for a moment, then held up three tiny fingers. "Well, I know three moves right now: Thunder Shock, Thunder Wave, and Quick Attack."

"Thunder Wave? I imagine that will come in handy." Suddenly, he was struck with an idea. "You know, I told the professor I would take on the Gym Leaders. Something about battling them all and competing in some league? How about we start training for that?"

"What do you have in mind?"

"Well, what kind of battles take place in these gyms?"

"Each one specializes in a different type of pokémon," Pikachu explained. He pointed down at the pocket where Ash kept his PokéDex. "You might be able to find something about it in that computer-thing the professor gave you."

Ash fished for the device and, with a little help from his companion, managed to find an entry about Pewter City:

The Pewter City Gym is one of the official gyms in the Indigo League, currently run by Rock-type specialist Brock. Each trainer enters the battle with two pokémon, and the trainer with the last pokémon standing will be crowned the winner. Brock's most commonly-used pokémon are Ground-types, Rock-types and Steel-types. Novice, Intermediate and Experienced catergories apply to all Indigo League gyms. Trainers who can defeat Brock in battle will earn the Boulder Badge.

"Sounds like you've gotta catch another pokémon before we can challenge him," Pikachu noted.

"I suppose I have to. We'll just take that part as it comes." Ash turned to look at his companion. "Are you up to the challenge of battling a Rock-type?"

Pikachu rolled his eyes. "As if a pile of pebbles can stop me," he huffed, clearly offended at his trainer's words.

Ash chuckled and patted the mouse's head. "Well, your Thunder Shock won't be very effective against those Rock-types, so you'll have to learn another move." He thought about it for a moment, then decided, "Iron Tail would do the job nicely. Could you learn that?" Pikachu nodded under his hand. "And I'm assuming you want to get these moves through your own hard work, without me influencing your energy and the like?"

"While it'd be nice and all to magically learn these moves... it would be wrong. Besides, you're gonna train me on how to use them anyway," Pikachu answered with a shrug and a small smile. "It wouldn't be fair to other Pokémon, so let's do this like everyone else, alright?"

It was the answer he had expected to be given, and it made him proud over his companion. They were gonna do this the right way: no shortcuts, no cheating.

"Alright," he answered with his own smile, obviously pleased how this conversation had turned out, but then he remembered. "So about that training..." he trailed off, knowing his Pikachu would get the hint.

The electric mouse groaned. "It's night out! Spare me until tomorrow, please?"

Ash chuckled as he knelt down, taking the electric rodent off of his shoulder. "Sorry, Pikachu, but if you're going to learn Iron Tail, that means putting that tail through some serious training."

Pikachu looked at his trainer with mouth agape. "Oh, come on!"

Ash ignored his pokémon's outbursts. He picked up a rather sizable rock (that Pikachu was sure had NOT been there a moment ago) and grabbed the rodent's brown-tipped tail. "Here's what we'll do. I'm going to make sure that this rock..." he paused to balance the rock on the flat part of Pikachu's tail, "...will not fall off your tail. It'll be stuck, no matter how hard you try to get it off."

Pikachu's tail immediately crashed to the ground under the rock's weight. As promised, no matter how hard he struggled, the rock would not budge. "And I'm supposed to lift this thing with my tail?!" the mouse gawked.

"No, you're going to carry it on your tail," Ash corrected, "and you have to make sure it doesn't touch the ground until we stop for the night."

"That's even worse!" Pikachu had imagined that training would involve things like running around and shooting Thunder Shocks at unsuspecting birds. This wasn't what he had in mind.

"Is the high and mighty Pikachu backing down from a challenge?" Ash asked with a chuckle.

Pikachu grumbled. Obviously, he wasn't a fan of being taunted by his trainer (and, of course, the God Pokémon). "Okay, fine. But I want a reward!"

"How about all of the berries you can eat when we stop?"

"Pecha berries or no deal."

"Okay, deal." Ash held out a few loose fingers, which Pikachu took in a handshake to seal their 'deal.'

With a deal sealed and a rock properly stuck to Pikachu's tail, they started their training and in a sense, their journey.

"You just watch, this'll be nothing for me!" Pikachu announced confidently, ego flaring up once again.

"I'll believe you when you're done, Pikachu," Ash said with a small smile.

Two days had gone by and Pikachu's training was in full swing. With more time to bond, they had made quite the progress in their journey.

True to his word, Pikachu had been able to get the basics of Iron Tail down to perfection. However, he still struggled with mustering the right amount of energy that gave Iron Tail its offensive potential; this frustrated Pikachu to no end, and had for almost the whole day. Ash had noted that Pikachu struggled with attacks that required more finésse, such as his Thunder Shock. In some moments, even his Thunder Wave was lacking. He assumed it was from lack of experience. The rodent even admitted himself that he tended to rely too much on his Quick Attack in the wild.

One thing he had been pleasantly surprised by was that Pikachu's physical abilities were unnaturally sharp for his age. How this came about, he had no idea. But it seemed that his companion didn't want to share the reason why, so he decided not to pry. He would share the stories when he was ready.

Granted, they hadn't been tested in a real battle yet. Both of them were hoping to run across a trainer, but it hadn't happened yet. Ash could sense plenty of trainers on Route 1, but they were all too far away. It wouldn't be worth the effort to track them down or force them in his direction. The route was simply too big for trainers to cross paths. In a way, though, that was rather relaxing. It gave them the chance to focus solely on training without any interruptions.

Regardless, Pikachu was doing well. Watching the rodent continue to train and grow gave Ash a strange sort of feeling. Is this what it meant to be proud of another being's accomplishments?

He watched as his companion walked ahead of him. The rock Pikachu carried on his tail was now slightly larger, but didn't seem to bother him in the slightest. He seemed happy, and Ash was happy that things had worked out so well for them, especially given their...confusing situation.

But one thought continued to pester him: the two-on-two battle in Pewter City. He would need a second pokémon to face the gym leader.

It wasn't the thought of having another companion to worry about. Quite the contrary, he loved the idea of having more pokémon on this journey. What had him worried about it was actually capturing a pokémon. Forcing a sentient creature into a ball against its will. While it had been done for several generations now and had been openly accepted by the elemental creatures of this world... It didn't sit just quite right with him to do that to any creature. He would never force another creature who had done no harm to the world through such a horrible fate.

A small but sharp tug in the right leg of his pants was felt as he was walking. Looking down at his companion, curious and concerned black eyes looked back at him. "Worried about something?" Pikachu asked, head tilted and ear drooped.

"Just thinking," Ash answered. "I'm thinking about that Pewter City gym. What if nobody wants to join our team? I couldn't force a pokémon into this."

Pikachu looked at him as if he had gone crazy. "That's what you're worried about?" he asked with an incredulous shake of his head. His new trainer was truly an idiot. (Ash picked up that last part of his companion's thoughts and stifled a laugh.) "Look, most pokémon aren't against being captured. Having a trainer is great for us. It means someone's there to feed you, protect you, take care of you...even if it's just having someone there with you, that's better than being on your own in the wild, you know?"

"So it wouldn't really be as cruel as I had originally thought?" Ash asked.

"Would I really be here talking to you right now if I thought this was cruel?"

Ash smiled at his companion's words. "No, I suppose you wouldn't." Perhaps he was more out of touch with the world longer than he had thought. Still, he felt obliged to ensure that all pokémon, especially his travelling companions, were happy and cared for properly.

He would just have to actually ask them if they wanted to come along with him. If Pikachu were correct, they would certainly say yes to the offer. And if they responded with an affirmative, he would capture them - with their consent.

Ash just hoped it wouldn't come back to bite him.

Viridian City was near now. The quiet sound of the surrounding greenery was slowly replaced by the rumbling sounds of mechanical transportations and humans going about their everyday lives. The rock stuck on Pikachu's tail dropped and the rodent jumped up on his trainer's shoulder, bracing himself for their first journey together into the city. As they continued forward, the sounds got louder and more distinguishable. Finally, they left the trees behind them, until all that separated them from the city was a small patch of tall grass.

Ash looked at his companion sitting comfortably on his shoulder. "Ready?"

His companion only shrugged. "As ready as you are."

"Alright, let's say hello to Viridian City then," he mused as he stepped through the tall grass in front of him.

Was it wrong for one to be disappointed by his own creations?

Ash could only sigh as he was met with cheery salesmen and women trying to coax them into buying this and that as they wandered through the busy streets of Viridian City's center. They had been on him since the moment he stepped into the city, pestering him about clothing, food and even medicine in some rare occasions. One could only imagine the social horrors if he'd actually accepted their offers to show him around in their stores. One woman had even tried to claim that his partner's fur wasn't shiny enough. Before she could start describing her beauty procedures, Pikachu answered her with a quick bolt of electricity. "She insulted me," was all he said afterwards.

City life, as they called it, was...odd. Not odd as in unnatural or weird, just.. confusing. It had all been much simpler decades before. What happened?

Going around the city and taking in all the new sounds and sceenery quickly tired out his companion, who was now lazily resting on his shoulder. He had considered stopping at one of the 'Pokémon Centers' but had ultimately decided against it. There would be no need for such a thing during his journey; he had already looked into them long ago, and while they seemed safe enough for the trainers, he and his pokémon would not require their services.

They had been walking around for the better part of two hours, checking out what Viridian had to offer. They couldn't explore much; he learned very quickly that his lack of "currency" barred them from doing lots of things from picking up food and items to even entering some restricted areas. Even medicines, things designed to cure illnesses, were put up for sale at high prices. And yet, he couldn't help but be impressed by how far the humans had come in their relatively-short time on the planet. They created towering buildings even larger than his true form, and used the world's resources to create food and medicine, both for them and their pokémon, strengthening their bond with the elemental creatures of the world.

Even in the noise of the city, the thought brought him some peace.

Although Viridian City had been interesting, particularly the PokéMart and Gym he would certainly visit later, it was time to end their short stay in Viridian City. The sun had left its overhead position; if they left right away, it would give them just enough time to reach the outskirts of Viridian Forest by nightfall.

They set out for Route 2, despite Pikachu's protests that they stop at every food cart in the city before they left. Shortly after they left the city limits, though, the electric rodent leapt from Ash's shoulder, bouncing off towards a house off the side of the path.

As he stepped closer, he found an old woman outside of the house, surrounded by baby pokémon that couldn't have been hatched more than a few weeks ago. In her hand, she held a bucket, and she doled out scoops of pokémon food to the crowd. After the babies were fed, she looked down at Pikachu, who was sniffing at her bucket. "Oh, hello there," she greeted. "Are you hungry, too?"

"Actually, miss, that's..." Ash tried to speak up, but what did he say? Was it right to say 'my pokémon'? Could he lay claim to Pikachu like he was more object than companion? But that's what trainers said, wasn't it?

"Oh, is this your Pikachu, then?" The old woman hardly seemed fazed. She gently pet the top of Pikachu's head, then gave him a healthy scoop of pokémon food (which the rodent gratefully dug into). "That's okay, there's plenty for everyone. What about you? If you wouldn't mind sitting for a while, I can make something for you, too."

"No, that's okay, but thank you for your offer."

The old woman bid him good day and headed back inside. After she was out of earshot, Ash asked, "What is this place?"

"It's a breeding center," Pikachu explained between bites of food. "They take care of pokémon in the area. Trainers can leave their pokémon here while they go adventuring, and the old couple here takes in eggs that have been abandoned and raise baby pokémon until they can go back into the wild."

Ash couldn't help but notice the fond smile on his partner's face as he talked. "Do you know the old couple here?"

"No, they just, uh...they took care of a lot of eggs that came from my pack if the parents couldn't, that's all. I-I just really...respect the breeding centers, that's all."

Ash gave him a gentle smile and pat his head. The humans continued to surprise him with their connections to the elemental world, and he couldn't be happier for it. "Well, they're doing the right thing, that's for sure."

Pikachu finished his meal and they moved on. They spent the entire afternoon out on Route 2, continuing their conversations about anything and everything that came up. When they reached the outside edge of Viridian Forest, they stopped to camp for the night. They could enter tomorrow when they had the whole day ahead of them to meet their future companion.

Ash sighed with a smile as he sat down and leaned back against a tree, with Pikachu sound asleep in his lap. It was an odd feeling, but he was actually...excited for the day ahead. They would meet new pokémon, maybe engage in their first battle, hopefully find their newest companion...

He knew that tomorrow would be a good day.

A good day indeed.

Viridian Forest was interesting, to say the least. In just one hour of walking, they had already encountered many of the pokémon types that called the forest home. Caterpies and Weedles poked their heads out from behind the trees and shrubbery. He could hear the Pidgeys and Spearows chirping up in the sky and trees around them, fighting over their territory in the forest. While fighting wasn't something he encouraged, listening to it as a background noise was oddly comfortable during their trek through Viridian Forest. They had even stumbled across a Kakuna nest on their way in.

It was a big forest, that was for sure, several times larger then Route 1 had been. Despite that, Ash figured they would have a much better chance of seeing trainers out here. Not only was it in close proximity to Pewter City and the first gym they'll face on their journey, but its wide selection of pokémon would make it attractive to newly-started trainers looking to build their teams.

They were currently walking through a large area of tall grass. Even though Ash insisted they were in no rush, Pikachu was insistent that they took the most direct path. Not to mention, the tall grass made the perfect hiding place for pokémon - if they wanted to find as many as they could, disturbing the tall grass was their best bet.

CRUNCH!

Ash stumbled backwards after feeling something hard, almost shell-like, crunch and bend under the weight of his foot. A sickly groan of pain followed close behind. "Please..." the voice let out, strained and begging.

Pikachu almost jumped out of his skin at the voice coming from below them, barely keeping his balance on Ash's shoulder with the help of his untamed locks.

He frowned at the sight. Despite their helpless appearances, Metapods were by no means immoble. They moved very slowly and preferred to live out their cocooned stages high up in the trees, away from predators where they could soak up the sunlight and store energy for evolution in peace. But this Metapod wasn't in the trees; it was here, under a mess of leaves in a patch of large, bushy grass. It was hiding - but why?

"I apologize for not seeing you there. Are you hurt?" Ash tried to ask soothingly as he brushed away the leaves and dirt to get a better look at the now-exposed Metapod. He could now clearly see the dent in the pokémon's shell - the one that he had just caused - and his heart sank with regret and shame.

He was also met with the Metapod's pleading, drooping eyes. "Please, don't..."His voice was slow and weak, more so than a typical Metapod. It seemed the dent in his shell was the least of the creature's worries.

"It's okay, I'm just going to fix your injury." He felt terrible for stepping on the Metapod's shell; fixing his mistake was the least he could do.

Ash placed his hand flat against the shell. The breeze circled them as he began to channel his magical energies. A soft, warm glow emanated from his hands and soaked into the Metapod's form, mending and repairing the fibers of shell that had been broken. Both Pikachu and Metapod gazed at Ash with incredulous eyes, but the boy kept his stare trained on the pleading Bug-type with focus as he worked his way through the injuries he had caused, making sure not an inch of the cocoon's body was left untended.

While his body healed, Ash tried to influence the Bug-type's mind with a sense of comfort and calm. He tried to make a connection with the Metapod and learn his story. He was still quite curious over the hard-shelled pokémon's idea to hide beneath leaves, and not high up in the trees where he could recieve the nourishment he needed. Sunlight was a Metapod's only form of sustenance; to avoid it for any length of time was damaging, and could easily prove fatal.

It was then that the reluctant thoughts of the Metapod came through his short touch, the laid dormant psychic powers of a Butterfree springing to life briefly through Ash's connection and allowing the unrestrained thoughts of the Metapod.

"Please, I don't wish to evolve."

His gaze moved up to the Bug-type's droopy eyes at the words flowing freely through their touch: the fear of evolution, the sting of betrayal, the burden of responsibility, all of this pain and anxiety drove the Metapod into hiding. Death, the Metapod decided, was a better option than confronting evolution. But he also felt something else behind the negative emotion - the desire to grow stronger in this restrained form, battling and training under the guidance of someone accepting and tolerating, someone who wouldn't throw him away or force him to evolve.

Ash's heart flooded with pity for the sickly Metapod. He couldn't walk away from this and allow the creature to continue starving itself to death. No, there was only one thing he could do now: he just hoped he wouldn't come to regret it later.

"Metapod, would you listen for just a moment?" He spoke the words in a soft and soothing tone, much like the one he used when reassuring Pikachu he hadn't done anything wrong.

He could see the already-growing confuson in the Metapod's eyes as he moved his hand to his back pocket, taking out a tiny shrunken ball. Every pokémon these days knew just what these contraptions were and what they could do. The cocoon's eyes went wide at the action.

Ash ignored the looks - a confused look from Pikachu on top of the frightened one from Metapod - and tapped the button in the pokéball's center, causing it to enlarge to the full size of the trainer's palm. Then he simply laid the ball down in front of the crumpled leaves the Bug-type were hiding beneath.

"I'll give you a choice."

The now-fearful eyes of the cocoon were staring back at him, tracking his every movement.

"If you press the button on the pokéball and enter it without hesitation, I'll promise that you won't have to evolve." For a brief moment, he could see the fear moving out of the way for a tiny bit of hope. "Or," he continued, taking a quick glance at Pikachu, only to find his first companion smiling at him with some goofy grin, "We'll simply leave you here. But since you're actively avoiding the sun, you won't make it more then a day or two here alone."

Was he being too harsh with the truth? Forcing a Metapod to choose between joining them and death in a sense? It was not a forgiving world; Ash knew that better then anyone. He could only hope that the bug would agree to this chance he was giving him, despite how harsh he was being.

Doubt and hope were struggling in the small bug's eyes, looking between both him and Pikachu as if they would continue talking before gazing upon the now full-sized Pokéball before him.

"You're welcome to join us, you know," Pikachu added. The Electric-type took a few steps forward and took a seat in the grass next to Metapod, ignoring the bug's questioning eyes. "You see that guy over there?" Pikachu gestured behind him with a nod of his head, recieving a blink from the bug as confirmation. "If not evolving is what you really want, he's the only one that can help you."

That was true in a way, Ash conceded. Perhaps the only one that would be capable of such a feat. However there were a rare type of stone that could provide similar effects if exposed enough, sadly it was quite the distance from Viridian and Pewter to a cave with these potent rocks. Granite Cave, as it was called, was the largest host of Everstones. Far out into Hoenn's archipelago, it would require large quanities to completely halt any creature's natural evolutionary progress permanently. Large quantities that would be missed by the local population of Dewford City.

The Bug-type's eyes darted back and forth between them and the pokéball, still doubting. "You won't throw me away...?" came his voice, muffled and strained beneath the hard exterior that was his shell.

Ash almost felt offended that the bug would even ask such a thing, but then he remembered that perhaps a Metapod wasn't the most ideal battling Pokémon or even travelling companion.

It was a reasonable fear to have in this scenario, and Ash didn't like it one bit.

He felt confident now, kneeling down and moving his arm to place a gentle hand on the cocoon's hard shell, giving him his reassurances and sincerity through just touch once more. "I don't throw away my friends."

The sound of a pokéball opening was heard, its light forcing Pikachu to look away for just a second before it died down. It was rocking back and forth, its button flashing between white and red as if the Metapod was now truly choosing between inevitable demise or long-lasting friendships.

Ash was confident in which choice was going to be made. The motivation inside the bug to grow stronger had almost taken him by surprise when he had touched him. He wouldn't lie to him, though: a Metapod was not a good battler by any means. However, as they all would be learning with experience...

The ball stopped rocking back and forth, signifying its capture with a satisfying ding.

Nothing, and he truly meant nothing, was useless in a battle.

"So... you're the..."

They had set up a small camp amongst a few trees here in Viridian Forest, taking it easy now that the day was coming to an end and night was just beginning.

"The one and only!" Pikachu boasted proudly, obviously proud of his trainer's actual identity. Ash rolled his eyes good-naturedly at his partner's words.

The three had settled down now that it was dark outside. Pikachu had been fed and now the three were getting to know each other. They had learned a lot in the short time they had been together with the Metapod, at least about his fears and goals. The good news was that while the Bug-type lacked confidence, especially with his most recent decisions made in his life, he was looking forward to be fully commited to battling.

The bad news, well...

Ash and Pikachu learned that Metapod never intended to evolve from a Caterpie. He had a group of fellow Caterpies alongside him, and they would work together to look for food and keep each other safe. They were a tight-knit group, he said, like brothers and sisters.

He had evolved defending them, and as thanks they abandoned him. They said he would have only slowed them down in his new evolved form. The betrayal stung more than several Beedrills injecting him with poison at once.

"What's so bad about being a Butterfree, though?" Pikachu asked. "I mean, don't all Metapod want to break out of their cocoons someday?"

Metapod explained that while a Butterfree was not something that was scary or even foriegn to him, he could feel the budding sprout of a Butterfree's psychic abilities poking at his mind. Empathy, it drove him mad in his current form. In the cocoon stage he had no reign over his future powers, they run wild, filling his senses with delusions and ideas. Metapod added that this fear might be one of them.

"So you'll evolve and you can control it, what's wrong with that?" Pikachu asked.

"It's not so simple-"Metapod's strained voice paused, "I- I'm not sure if you understand, but the sky- it frightens me."

Ash gave Metapod a brief look of consideration. "I do." The sky is vast, endless; free in the most true sense of the word. A beautiful comparison for Psychic-types, haunting to the creatures themselves. "Your psychic abilities are sharp, but you lack the control a Butterfree would have. You fear what will happen when you evolve and spread your wings to fly above this forest."

"I would feel everything, everyone, right? I don't want that, I don't want- this."

There's no reason to lie for Metapod's sake. "You would."

"I want to be a Caterpie again, I really do." Ash could feel tired resignation in Metapod's words. As if he had truly given up on his wishes, on thinking that this mistake of an evolution is a mere dream. "But if I can't be, I don't want to evolve anymore. I want to stay as Metapod."

A placating hand pressed upon the sturdy exterior of Metapod, reassuring him. "I understand, I won't force you. It's your decision alone, I will never have any influence over what you can and can't do." A sliver of a smile present, Ash lightly rubs his hand along the shell. "You're free, not bound to my will."

"Then-" Metapod begins, haste in his voice. "Could you really stop me from evolving if I asked you to?" the Bug-type questioned, still slightly reeling from the discovery of his new trainer. He didn't want to request something so selfish from a god, especially when there were so many other pokémon who would have ended another's life for the very same chance.

Ash paused before giving his answer. Of course he could, but before meeting this Metapod, he never would have considered it. He had a very strict rule about interfering with the progress of pokémon. Nature needed to run its course. But at the same time, he knew it needed to be done. He simply couldn't leave this Metapod to suffer like this, and wouldn't wish any other pokémon to suffer in the same way.

Then he smiled at a thought. Perhaps the old man had given him more then he'd imagined: a chance to test himself to his limit regarding his kindness and will?

His pokémon would not be given the chance to reverse this change, he decided. He had to make it clear that he was not some blessing-machine that performed miracles at one's beck and call. There was a satisfied nudge from the Metapod at his side, making him hesitate just slightly in giving the Bug-type his answer, "If you don't want to evolve, I need you to be completely sure of your decision." He lifted the slow-moving cocoon up to his lap, being careful with the already there Pikachu resting in his lap before he continued, "It will be permanent, I will not budge even if you would beg several years after this."

Both Pikachu and Metapod perked up at his choice of words. This wasn't just some one-time thing where they would be released back into the wild after some time testing to be a trainer? It was.. years. They would be the Original Ones pokémon for years to come.

Pikachu snuggled deeper into the warmth of the boy's body while Metapod stared at Ash with pure adoration in his eyes.

"So what's it going to be, Metapod?" There was no room for thinking it over; he wanted to be able to set up a nice training schedule, should he want to stay as a second-stage evolution.

The bug-type blinked at his words, staring back into his eyes from his lap. "Will you allow me to battle if I stay as a Metapod?" The uncertainty was still there despite their short time getting to get to know each other, but this was also a good sign. Would the bug-type ask this if he wasn't very sure he was going to do whatever it took to fight for Ash?

There was only one answer to this question. "You'll be the opening Pokémon in our first gym battle no matter what you choose. It's entirely up to you, Metapod."

"I wish to stay as I am." The pure happiness pouring from the Bug-type was truly beautiful in his eyes.

He gave the bug a short nod, placing his hand on the Metapod's shell and closing his eyes, taking a deep breath. Pikachu swore that when his trainer opened his eyes once more to focus on the task, it was the same smoldering mess of red and green of Arceus that was staring down at their newest companion. It was short and quick: a blue sheen of pure Aura briefly coated the hard-shelled Pokémon at Ash's touch before crashing down like water onto the ground and vanishing into the grass below them.

If there was any doubt from Metapod about his trainer's true identity left, it had been erased.

Ash gave both of his Pokémon a bright smile afterwards, Pikachu returning the favor and Metapod trying as best he could with what he had.

"So, who's up for some training?" he commented, seeing their cheerful expressions drop in an instant. It was quite pleasing.

A loud groan of protest came from the yellow rodent. "Really? It's already dark out!"

"And?" Ash questioned with a smile. He knew it was quite late already, but he simply wanted to hear his partner fuss over the idea.

"It's nap time, not fight time!"

He had to fight an even larger smile at the mouse's complaints. He'd give them some rest before Metapod's first training session. Now he could even make sure Pikachu got some much needed battle experience, since they had no luck running into trainers and tracking them down was merely time consuming.

He had some nice ideas for both Pikachu and Metapod, but they could wait.

His hands went up in surrender. "Alright, just get a good nights sleep and we'll do some training tomorrow." He wasn't so sure if the smug 'I was right' look from Pikachu was worth relenting for, but he'd make sure the mouse got his payback tomorrow. "Good night, you two. Get some well deserved rest."

He truly meant it.

They each gave their goodnights, not knowing that tomorrow was going to be the day of all training days.

The next day, Ash took some time to toy around with the Pokédex and what other features it offered. Despite the fact he knew little about technology, he could still tell that the machine was an incredibly fine piece of work, likely costing the professor who made it plenty of blood, sweat, and tears.

Most of the information it held was knowledge he already had, but for a trainer who was just starting their journey, he could already imagine how valuable the simple device could be. (Even he wouldn't have been able to guess what Pikachu's favorite food would be, but the professor's machine predicted it perfectly.)

Was this too much? Could the humans be trusted with this much power? What would the world look like if it continued to evolve alongside humanity, who was rapidly learning about everything and finding new ways to share their wealth of knowledge? The idea was almost overwhelming, even for him.

A frustrated 'chaa~' caused him to look up from the red device in his hands. While Ash browsed, his Pikachu was in heated combat with a rock, repeatedly swinging his tail over and over again until the construct shattered. Even though Pikachu seemed stumped, Ash could tell the practice was paying off. He could both see and feel the energy trying to burst out of the tail with each strike against the large rock.

They were focused, only paying attention to him correcting their form or giving them advice. He realised they wanted to make him proud, putting their all into giving him the best possible journey - both companion and battle-wise - he could ever have.

It was heart-warming to see the creatures under his large wings flourish and evolve within themselves.

Metapod had been tricky to start training though. First of all, the species itself had no real way to move unassisted, making it a very stationary target, which could be deadly in a proper battle. A single long-ranged attack could take advantage of the weakness and finish Metapod off in seconds.

However, Ash knew that there were ways a Metapod could become mobile, and even learn to fight. He would never have let a defenseless Pokémon into the world.

The secret lied with his String Shot ability. An underused attack, the Pokédex told him. It gave him an unfortunate taste of how blind trainers could be to their pokémon's greatest strengths. The move itself was weak - likely why many young trainers sacrificed it in exchange for more powerful moves like Bug Bite or Tackle. But for Ash and his Metapod, it would be the key to their strategy. Metapod would fire String Shots until he couldn't shoot anymore, when his String Shots would become accurate, quick, and powerful.

Many Caterpie and Weedle learn to release their String Shot after the attack hits; it slows the opponent down and allows them to retreat into shelter. Metapod, however, would learn to hold onto his web, and later would learn to recoil it.

The result would be a powerful rip-cord effect that would send Metapod flying towards his opponent, creating a powerful improvised Headbutt. Between the increased speed and Metapod's hardened shell, few opponents would be able to withstand the blow.

When Ash explained the training to Metapod, he was met with an intense fire in the Bug-type's eyes. The regiment was strict, but Metapod was up for the challenge. The bug had been firing String Shots for hours now, continuing to test and perfect his methods with Ash's guidance.

It was a surprise that the hard-shelled cocoon had taken so well to training, but it was a welcome change of pace from the stubborn but growing physical power that was his Pikachu.

They had taken a break from Iron Tail training to work on Pikachu's special attacks, Thunder Wave and Thunder Shock, but Pikachu continued to struggle with any move that didn't require him to hit something. It made him wonder, would it be worth sacrificing the special attacks later? Would Pikachu completely abandon Thunderbolt and Thunder down the line because it simply wasn't his preference?

Pikachu wasn't a bad front-line pokémon. He was incredibly fast, as the Pichu line tended to be. But what if that wasn't enough? How would Pikachu manage against an equally-agile threat that couldn't be handled with brute force at melee range?

It was an odd feeling, worrying over such simple things. He couldn't remember the last time when "worry" had been a recognizable feeling. Trainers without the benefits that he possesed surely deserved more credit then he had given them before. Creating bonds despite the obvious language barriers and still maintaining a healthy beneficial relationship was something to be proud of.

Rustle-rustle!

Pikachu and Metapod paused their training. Ash turned towards the bushes with a bemused look. They might have been more empathic than he thought, but they still weren't very subtle creatures.

A young boy, a few years shy of his human persona, stepped out of the bushes with a Pokéball in hand and a determined look adorning his features. He wasn't sure how long the boy watched them training; he had been too absorbed with his own thoughts to sense the boys aura moving closer.

"You!" the boy exclaimed passionately, pointing a skinny finger at Ash, his straw hat almost leaving its place with the rather forceful pose.

Ash tilted his head at the boy's rather rude actions, but acknowledged him anyway. "Yes?" he questioned, trying to sound calm and not in the least flustered by the intruder in their clearing.

"I challenge you to a pokémon battle!"

Well, at least the boy got right to the point. Truth be told, he had expected to leave Viridian Forest with at least one battle under their belts. It seemed that the sounds of their training had done the work of finding a willing trainer for them.

Then again, it wouldn't hurt to test out how he fared under the pressure of battle. It had been a slight worry, given how easily it would be for him to merely react with commands before the opponent could even begin to form the words. He didn't want to cheat or have any unfair advantages, this would be a test of his own skills in holding himself back.

He rose from his comfortable position next to the tree, taking a few calm steps towards the intruder. It was best to be civil, after all. He extended his hand in a friendly gesture. "Sure thing. The name's Ash."

The boy met him with an eager smile, using his free hand to take Ash's in a vigorous shake. "And I'm Ned! Now let's get started!"

"This'll be a one-on-one battle! First pokémon to knock out the other one wins!"

Pikachu stood next to him, looking quite confident about this battle. While he would've gladly encouraged the small rodent, it was best to keep a cool head about this first battle they were about to have. It would be a learning experience, after all.

He gave the boy a silent nod of confirmation.

"I'll go first then! Beedrill, your time to shine!" Ned exclaimed as he threw the red and white sphere onto their makeshift battlefield. The ball opened and released the Pokémon inside in a nearly-blinding bright light. The white sheen died down and the full visage of Beedrill was presented to him, its customary battlecry following its release before it met Pikachu with a menacing glare. Its spike-like stingers made an eerie noise as they sharpened against each other - probably a pre-battle ritual the Pokémon had picked up.

He took another second to appreciate that their first battle was about to commence, taking a deep breath to calm himself. He had faith that Pikachu would do his best; Metapod was simply not suited for this match-up.

"Go out there and do your best, Pikachu." His yellow rodent responded in kind, jumping out on the battlefield with his own battlecry.

Ned didn't seem too keen on making the first move. His mistake.

"Pikachu, use Quick Attack and fire off a Thunder Wave!" he commanded, having fate in his mousey friend to heed it.

And he sure did. Pikachu was a blur of speed as he took off in the direction ordered, almost crashing into the bushes of the clearing as he came to a skidding stop, electriciy crackling around him before a wave of paralyzing energy made its rapid way to his target.

"Dodge it Beedrill!"

The Bug-type opponent was not to be underestimated. It dodged the Thunder Wave with ease using a quick twirl to the left, its many wings shifting amongst the wind and dust that the sudden breeze picked up in the clearing. It was an impressive show of aerial control.

"Nice work! Now use Pursuit! Don't let that Pikachu get away!"

A sheen of energy covered the Beedrills stingers before a dark aura took its place. With speeds only a Flying-type could rival, the bug took off towards the electric mouse, its now-darkened silhouette gaining on Pikachu quickly.

Pursuit was a move that would simply not stop until it hit its target. Ash narrowed his eyes at the Beedrill chasing his Pikachu. He had to come up with something fast to counter this. Pikachu didn't have a diverse arsenal of moves to counter anything that could be thrown at them effectively.

He would have to chance it with this.

"Pikachu, turn around and use Iron Tail with a Quick Attack to counter it!" He desperately hoped his mousey friend could manage to get it right this time. It would be a real test of his partner's growth.

His Pikachu reacted instantly. It was quite the sight, seeing the energy build up as his partner did a full turn without barely losing any speed. The bright metallic sheen coating Pikachu's tail flickered just barely before it solidified, Quick Attack taking him to a new height of speed as the two forces crashed together.

The sharp sound of two steel objects bashing and grinding against each other was both heard and seen. The Bug-type responded to each pivotal swing brought out by his yellow rodent's tail, countering it with a slash or stab of his deadly stingers.

However his partner's barely-perfected Iron Tail hits were beginning to tire Pikachu out. Such foolish use of a minimally trained pokémon's energy should've been obvious to him. And it was Ash's own fault. It was a stupid tactic they had employed to even try to counter a Pursuit. Desperately trying to counter the ever-seeking Dark-type move was not a good choice.

A slip-up was all it required for Ned to take control of the battle. Beedrill managed to graze a barely-metallic part of Pikachu's tail, envoking a cry of pain at the hit. Pikachu's control over the move failed instantly and put him off-balance as he now had to fight to avoid the consecutive strikes of Beedrill's deadly stingers.

The Pursuit move counted the small graze as a hit and gave Beedrill the chance to counter with another order from his trainer: "Use Fury Attack while Pikachu's disoriented and don't let up!"

Now it was a dance between dodging and defeat. The vicious attack brought out the Beedrill's natural abilities with blinding speed. Fury Attack filled the bug's stingers with energy and flurried them at a frightening pace, aiming for any minor or major damage it could achieve with each strike.

Iron Tail was out of the question. A Quick Attack would only buy them so much time; Beedrill would be quick to initiate another Pursuit attack. There was only one shot left at victory.

"Pikachu, get close and hit Beedrill with a Thunder Wave!"

Pikachu barely dodged a stinger aiming for his hind legs, giving him just enough time to gain some minor distance between him and the Bug-type. He could see the frustration on his partner's features, readying himself for the inevitable chance he would have to take. The paralyzing electricy started crackling around the rodent again, more focused and controlled than the bastardized potshot they had taken at the start of the battle.

Pikachu was calm, focused.

With a battlecry, the yellow rodent let loose a fearsome barrage of Thunder Waves, more then Ash had even asked him to perform. He was exhausted but he would atleast go down fighting. No battle would be worth training for if he didn't try his utmost best. Strings of electricity crackled as they made their way to their grounded target, lighting up the clearing as if a natural thunder strike had just struck down amongst them.

Then the unexpected happend, something that very quickly showed them their inexperience as battlers.

"Quick, Beedrill! Stab the ground with your stingers!"

The Thunder Waves hit the Beedrill completely, leaving no part of the Bug-type's body not crackling with the paralyzing electricity thrown around almost carelessly by the yellow rodent. It was hard to look at the scene of a Beedrill receiving the full brunt of a Thunder Wave point-blank. Its already yellow and black form practically shone from the light emitting from the waves crackling around its body.

Then, as if the light had merely been a passing nuisance, the wild electricity made its way down the Beedrill's body, coursing straight to the stingers, which conducted it down into the earth. The flashing lights faded with a soft crackle. The Bug-type swiftly withdrew its stingers from the ground, entirely unscathed by the brutal attack.

An eerie sharpening sound of the stingers was heard again before the boy standing behind Beedrill delivered his final command: "Finish it with X-Scissor!"

Ash could only close his eyes as he heard the cries of Pikachu being hit, his prior exhaustion being as clear as a day to his trainer.

There was no point in an order to dodge. It was over. They had been bested.

This is the beta'd version of The Creator's second chapter, courtesy of the ever-patient Lady Mayflower /u/826624/.