Pokemon: Best Wishes

Howdy, y'all. DM445, back again for another chapter of Best Wishes. This chapter takes place a few days after the boys left Opelucid City. With the Legend Badge in tow, our heroes are making their way toward Vertress City and the League. Things from Team Plasma have been quiet lately, but the three are still on edge. Soon, everything they've been journeying for will come to a head. It's almost time to see if their training will be enough to see them through.

Chapter Twenty-Three: Mienshao Madness!

The third day after leaving Opelucid City found our heroes camping out in the forests that separated Opelucid City and Vertress City. The three were sitting around the fire as the sun set. Buki was stirring a stew he was cooking over the fire with his collapsible pot.

"You know," Ash began, checking the guidebook, "Vertress City shouldn't be more than another couple days away." Buki nodded. "That sounds about right. We'll have some time to get settled in before we have to crack down on our training." Masuku was shaking excitedly on the log he was sitting on.

"I can't wait!" He exclaimed. "I'm gonna make my League debut, and take everyone by storm!" Ash chuckled as Buki rolled his eyes. "You're gonna have to beat me and Pikachu before you get the glory." The hat-wearing trainer joked. His partner cheered, little sparks flickering from his cheeks. Ash looked at the older brother, stirring the stew sullenly.

"How're you feeling about the whole thing, Buki?" The swordsman cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" "I mean you have a lot riding on this." Buki scoffed. "That's a light way of putting it. I've got a feeling this fight with N isn't going to get resolved in the first round. We're going to have to get through a lot of battles before N and I face off."

The mood turned somber for a moment, but it was interrupted by Masuku. "Isn't that the point though?" Buki frowned. "What do you mean?" Masuku smiled. "The point of the League. To be the very best, like no one ever was. If it was me, I'd want the entire tournament coming down to me vs. N. It'd be like an epic story finally reaching its climax." The boy was almost vibrating with excitement.

"It wouldn't do for the main antagonist to get knocked out of the tournament in the first round." Buki shook his head. "This isn't some book or some story people read for enjoyment. This is serious. I want the problem to be solved as quickly as possible, but I don't think it will be."

"Guys, maybe we should all calm down a little. There's still time before the League starts." Ash said. "We'll figure this out." Buki didn't answer, instead opting to ladle out bowls of stew to his companions.

In the morning the three trainers broke camp and made their way further toward Vertress City. It was still midmorning when they heard muffled sounds coming from a clearing just off the main path through the forest.

"What's that noise?" Masuku asked, beginning to pick through the bushes toward the sound. "Wait up." Buki commanded. The two older boys nodded to each other before moving through the bushes behind Masuku.

As they got closer they were able to see the clearing, and they were shocked. In the center of the clearing a wooden stake had been pegged into the ground. A rope was tied from the stake around the arms and body of a Pokemon.

"That's a Mienshao." Buki muttered as he watched the Pokemon struggling against the rope around its neck. Further inspection from afar revealed that the Martial Arts Pokemon had another rope tied around its muzzle, and its wrists were also tied together.

"We've got to help that Pokemon!" Masuku cried out, crashing through the bushes and into the clearing. When the younger boy got close, Mienshao lashed out with the long fur that extended past its hands. Masuku recoiled in pain as the fur slapped against his face.

"Ow! Damn it!" He cried. "I'm just trying to help!" The Mienshao tried speaking, but its mouth was tied too tightly to let out enough noise. Buki came into the clearing too, drawing his sword. He sliced cleanly through the rope that connected Mienshao to the post, freeing the Fighting-type.

The rope around Mienshao had loosened a smidge. This small extra space was enough for the Martial Arts Pokemon to extend its arms, ripping the rope apart. In another second the rope around its muzzle had been discarded as well.

"Excellent." Buki remarked, sheathing his sword again. Masuku crept closer to the Fighting-type, holding a hand over his nose. "Cool." He muttered, sizing the Pokemon up. Mienshao kept the boy in view with narrowed eyes. The boy took a step too close and the Fighting-type whirled around, whipping both arms at him. Masuku leaped back as the tips of fur cracked against him.

"Masuku, calm down." Ash said. "Mienshao's obviously been through some pretty rough stuff, so we need to be careful and not make it uncomfortable." Masuku nodded. "Right."

Buki stood back, watching the Mienshao. It looked as though the Fighting-type had been tied up for a little while. At least a day or so. The Martial Arts Pokemon looked a little too thin, like it hadn't eaten, and the ropes had rubbed away some of the fur around its muzzle.

He looked around the clearing, not seeing anything that would let him know how the Mienshao had come to be there. "I wonder what happened." He said quietly. Buki reached into his bag, grabbing for some Pokemon food. Approaching the Fighting-type slowly, he held out his hand filled with the nutritious pellets.

The Mienshao looked at Buki distrustfully, backing away just as slowly. "Let me try." Masuku said, grabbing for the food. Buki stepped back skeptically but allowed his brother an attempt. Masuku moved forward a little quicker than Buki had, causing Mienshao's eyes to widen as it lashed out again.

The Pokemon food fell to the ground as Masuku brought his hand back, rubbing his reddened skin. The Mienshao turned tail and ran into the trees with surprising speed. "Wait!" Ash called after it. He turned to the other teens.

"We need to go after it!" He said. "That Mienshao is in no condition to be running around the woods!" Buki nodded. "Right." He looked at his brother. "You alright, Masuku." The boy frowned. "I don't understand. Why couldn't it see we were trying to help?"

"Well, it obviously didn't tie itself to the pole, Masuku." Buki pointed out. "It has to have some negative feelings toward humans. You just spooked it a little. Ash is right though. We need to find it and make sure it gets treated properly."

Only a few miles away from our heroes a couple of Team Plasma Grunts were also travelling. They walked through the woods without a care in the world, on their way to Vertress City also.

"I'm glad we freed that Mienshao." The male said. "I had it locked away in that Pokeball for far too long." "Indeed." The female agreed. "It's a shame that we had to tie it up. The poor thing was inside the ball for so long it was brainwashed." The male frowned.

"I never would've guessed just keeping a Pokemon inside a Pokeball would be so detrimental to its health." The female laughed. "You're a new recruit. You've just begun to see things the way Lord N does. Now that you do, we have another brother who understands the cause!" She handed him a Pokeball.

"What's this?" He asked. "It's a temporary Pokemon. Some trainers refuse to listen to reason, and we have to battle to free the Pokemon they've enslaved." The male Grunt cocked his head. "Why do we have to fight to free the Pokemon? Why can't the trainers see that they're hurting their Pokemon?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. I doubt even Lord N knows. What we do know is that we must free the Pokemon by any means necessary. Now that you think like we do, you'll realize not to get attached to that Pokemon. It knows it will be released as soon as we've accomplished our goals, so we can utilize its power without guilt."

"Did you find Mienshao?" Ash asked as his Tranquill alighted onto his outstretched arm. The Wild Pigeon Pokemon cooed, but shook her head. "Damn." Buki muttered. "Mienshao could be anywhere by now. Any ideas?" Ash shook his head.

"I don't know what to do. But we have to help Mienshao. It looked pretty roughed up." Masuku nodded. "That's right! We've got to find out where it is!" The three walked along the trail through the woods, looking for any sign of the Martial Arts Pokemon.

"Keep looking, Tranquill. Let us know what you find." Ash ordered. Tranquill flapped her wings to rise back into the air and flew off above the trees." They kept walking, coming upon a side path that lead to another clearing. Masuku walked down the trail to check it out.

"Guys, looks like a camp broke here earlier today." Ash and Buki followed the younger boy, emerging from the trees into the clearing. Masuku was right. There was a fire pit that had dirt piled in it, probably to put out a fire that morning. They noticed holes from pegs where a tent had been set up a few feet away from the fire. Two halves of a Pokeball lay by a tree where someone had carved a 'P' at chest level into the bark.

"Add all that together, and what do you get?" Buki asked, drawing his sword. "Looks like Team Plasma's been through here." Ash said. Pikachu was perched on his hat, looking around. "This camp's been broken for a couple hours." Masuku noted.

"Check out the Pokeball." Ash pointed at the pieces at the tree's base. "Think it could belong to Mienshao?" The younger boy asked. Buki nodded. "I'd almost put money on it." He sheathed his sword and brought a hand to his chin to think.

"So either Team Plasma convinced the trainer to let Mienshao go, they defeated the owner of the Mienshao and tied it up to keep it from its trainer, or one of the Grunts is the trainer." "But if the Grunts beat Mienshao's trainer, why didn't the trainer come back for it?" Ash wondered.

"Good point." Buki said. "We've got to find Team Plasma." "Something tells me if we find them, we'll find Mienshao." Ash said. "Then what are we waiting for?!" Masuku exclaimed, grabbing the two broken halves of the Pokeball. "Let's go!"

The two Grunts were getting close to the Route Gate that would take them out of the forest and into the next town. "We're getting closer." The female Grunt said. "Once we're through this next town, we'll be nearly to Vertress City." "Great." The male responded. "I can't wait to meet up with the rest of Team Plasma."

"You'll fit in well." She promised. "We won't have to worry about a thing after this tournament is over. Lord N will defeat the swordsman, and all the Pokemon will be freed." The male nodded. "I'm sure we'll be finished with all this fighting soon." The two came upon the gate to the next town.

"We'll meet up with more of Team Plasma here, and we'll continue on our way." With that they walked through the doors, totally unaware of the eyes upon them. Mienshao leaped from the tree it was perched in, landed on top of the gate, and made its way into the town.

"Where is it?!" Masuku cried as he ran down the path. Ash's Tranquill had flown back and was now leading them to the place she'd seen Mienshao last. "Calm down, Masuku." Buki ordered. "We'll find it." "That's right!" Ash called out from ahead of them.

Finally, the three stopped in front of a tall tree close to the Route Gate to the next town. "I wonder why Mienshao was here." Ash wondered. "Probably found Team Plasma and followed them here." Buki said. "Then it probably went into town." Masuku decided.

"There's no way it would've gotten through the gate." Buki said. Ash looked up at the tree and back to the gate. "You're right." He said. "Mienshao went over." The three looked at one another before rushing to the gate.

The doors opened for them and they moved past a few people to the desk where a lady in a blue uniform sat. There was a uniformed lady inside each gate who greeted travelers and gave them information.

"You didn't happen to see any guys in armor pass through here, did you?" Masuku asked. She nodded. "There were two of them that passed through probably thirty minutes ago." Buki groaned. "We need to find them." "I heard them mention something about meeting up with others and leaving town. They said they'd only be here for an hour."

"That's good!" Ash said. "We can still find them. They'll be in town for another half hour!" Buki nodded. "Probably, but we can't take our chances. We need to move through the town quickly so we can find them. We can't engage them. We're only here to find Mienshao." He looked at Masuku. "Ok?"

Masuku frowned. "Why're you looking at me like that? I won't cause any trouble." Ash smirked as Buki rolled his eyes. "Just come on!" The three left the counter and passed through the doors on the other side of the gate. They entered into a small town that didn't even have a Pokemon Center.

"Split up!" Ash called out as he took off into the town, Pikachu rushing after him. Buki nodded to his brother, breaking off in another direction. Masuku grinned and went another way. He hadn't been running for long when he heard sounds of a battle. Excited, he pulled out a Pokeball and ran in the direction of the noises.

He rounded a corner and nearly ran smack dab into a group of Plasma Grunts attempting to do battle with Mienshao in a small park. There were a few Grunts on their asses with defeated Pokemon laying nearby. The remaining Grunts were in the middle of trying to beat the Mienshao, and only one noticed him.

"Damn! It's the kid!" He turned to try and engage Masuku, but was promptly kicked in the head by Mienshao. Masuku chuckled as one Grunt backpedaled from the Fighting-type at top speed. "Get away!" He cried. "I released you for a reason! Be free!" Masuku's eyes narrowed as the Grunt got closer to him. He lashed out at the armored man, grabbing him in a full nelson. The boy grunted with effort as he turned and bodily threw the Grunt to the ground a few feet away.

The Grunt hollered in pain as he hit the ground. Masuku looked back as Mienshao whirled around and knocked several Grunts away from it. The Martial Arts Pokemon leveled a harsh glare at him and charged. Masuku cursed, throwing his Pokeball.

"Go, Throh!" The ball opened and stars flashed all around as the Shiny Throh appeared grappling the other Fighting-type Pokemon. "Damn it, what's the problem?!" The Mienshao growled. "I get that he was your trainer, but he released you." Masuku said. The Grunt behind him got to his feet pulling out a Pokeball.

"It was wrong for me to exploit you." The Grunt said. Mienshao made no noise, continuing to struggle with the Judo Pokemon. "I need to handle this situation so we Grunts can make our escape." He threw the Pokeball. "Amoonguss, I choose you!"

The Mushroom Pokemon appeared, shield-like arms out protectively. "Let me get this straight." Masuku growled. "You don't want to exploit Pokemon, so you try and force people to think like you by exploiting Pokemon?"

The Grunt's eyes went wide. "No!" He protested vehemently. "That's not what I'm doing at all!" Masuku scoffed. "That's what all you idiots are doing. Your entire group thinks it's ok to push your ideas off on other people by the force of Pokemon battle, which is exactly what you say you want to stop." He threw up his hands.

"It makes no sense!" The Grunt's face reddened. "Don't you dare mock our goals! Amoonguss, Spore!" The large mushroom groaned as the shields on its arms released a storm of sparkling green powder that began to fall all around.

Throh began to slump, grip on the Martial Arts Pokemon weakening. Mienshao took the chance to leap at the Amoonguss, intent on unleashing its anger. The spores still fell thickly, causing the Fighting-type to drop out of the air in front of Amoonguss and glare up weakly.

The dual-type looked down at Mienshao before beginning to glow. A starburst of orange energy appeared in front of it as it let itself fall forward onto the prone Fighting-type. Mienshao cried out as purple energy flared around the Amoonguss upon impact.

The Grunt cursed, pulling out the Amoonguss' Pokeball again. "That was too far." He moved past Masuku, who was struggling to stay on his feet, and helped the other Grunts to their feet. They fled for the other side of the city as Masuku staggered toward Mienshao.

"Giga Impact." He muttered, stifling a yawn. He dropped to his knees a few feet from the Fighting-type and began to reach out. Mienshao stared at his hand through half-lidded eyes. "I'm gonna help you." Masuku promised.

The boy looked past Mienshao and saw Ash and Buki rushing toward them. "Help's on the way…" He whispered as he fell forward, totally asleep. Mienshao tried to move but found itself sinking into unconsciousness, Spore finally taking effect.

Masuku woke up propped against a tree. Mienshao was laying against another tree across from him, with Ash and Buki kneeled beside it. "You got the Awakening?" Buki asked. Ash nodded. "Yeah. Grabbed it from the Pokemon Center. Nurse Joy was glad to help." The hat-wearing trainer pulled out a bottle filled with bright blue medicine and sprayed it lightly above Mienshao's head.

The Martial Arts Pokemon breathed in the spray and began to stir. Ash and Buki grinned to one another as Mienshao woke fully. They backed away as it shook its head to clear away the grogginess. Masuku climbed back to his feet and joined the other two trainers.

"How long were we out?" Buki looked at his brother. "About fifteen minutes. We got you two to the trees and I sent Ash off after the Awakenings." He handed Masuku a Pokeball. "We already used one on Throh." Masuku slid the ball back under his stomach band with his others. "I also got a Super Potion." Ash mentioned, pulling out the red and orange bottle and offering it to Mienshao.

The Fighting-type took it and walked toward Masuku. It offered the Potion to Masuku, looking away from him. "You want me to do it?" He asked, surprised. "I guess Mienshao's got a different opinion of you since you tried to help it." Ash said as Masuku took the Potion.

"I guess so…" He muttered. "Careful, this could sting." Masuku sprayed Mienshao with the Potion. The Martial Arts Pokemon hissed lightly as the spray made contact with its wounds, but stood still and let the young trainer continue to spray until the Potion had fully healed it.

After Masuku disposed of the Potion bottle in the nearest trashcan, he found Mienshao standing ten feet from him in a fighting stance. "What's going on, Mienshao?" He asked. Mienshao brought a hand up in a 'come on' motion.

"I think Mienshao wants to battle. Maybe it wants to come with us." Buki said. Masuku looked confused. "Is that right?" Mienshao nodded. "Are you sure you want to give up on your old trainer?" Mienshao narrowed its eyes, obviously remembering its old trainer's new Pokemon. The Fighting-type nodded again.

"Alright then!" Masuku declared, brandishing a Pokeball from under his stomach band. "Throh, I choose you!" The Judo Pokemon appeared with a burst of stars from his Pokeball. "Attack! Body Slam!" Throh lunged forward, leaping up to come down on the Martial Arts Pokemon. Mienshao smirked, stepping deftly to the side. Throh flopped onto the ground, groaning.

"Storm Throw!" Throh's arm snapped out from his side, grabbing onto the extra length of fur that extended past Mienshao's hand. The Judo Pokemon flipped over onto his back, using the momentum to fling Mienshao across the small clearing they were in and into a tree. Mienshao landed deftly on one of the branches and brought its hands together. Blue energy began to glow between the Fighting-type's paws.

"What's it doing?!" Masuku called out. "It's gathering Aura." Ash answered. As Masuku watched an orb of blue energy formed between Mienshao's paws, growing steadily. "Throh, use Bide!" The rocky Judo Pokemon brought his arms up and crossed them over his chest. Mienshao leaped from the tree, throwing the orb at Throh at high speed.

"Aura Sphere." Buki said as the attack collided with Masuku's Pokemon. The Aura Sphere detonated, throwing up a cloud of smoke. Mienshao dropped into the smoke. As the smoke dispersed the boys noticed Throh had only moved a few inches from the powerful blast.

Mienshao lunged forward, whirling around and striking at Throh repeatedly with the tips of its furry whips. "Double Slap." Ash mentioned. Throh didn't move, taking each attack without a flinch. The Martial Arts Pokemon moved back a step only to launch itself back at Throh with a knee raised.

"That's Jump Kick!" Masuku shouted. Mienshao delivered the Jump Kick without resistance, driving its knee into Throh's face. The nimble Fighting-type flipped back and jumped up higher than before, spinning around and bringing another knee attack down at Throh.

"Throh!" The Judo Pokemon's arms snapped out. One large hand grabbed Mienshao's knee, keeping the High Jump Kick from landing. As he began to glow bright and as gravity brought Mienshao's body down, Throh threw his other fist out and unleashed the Bide. The Martial Arts Pokemon arched high into the air before crashing back to the ground.

"Now's my chance." Masuku declared, grabbing for an empty Pokeball. "You're mine now, Mienshao!" Masuku threw the ball at the prone Mienshao, holding his breath until a burst of sparks signified his successful capture. Masuku threw a fist in the air.

"Mienshao's mine!" Throh rumbled over grinning and slapped his trainer high five. Buki and Ash stepped up to the younger trainer as he crossed to pick up the Pokeball lying in the dirt. He wiped it off on his pants and slid it under his stomach band.

"Good capture, little brother." Buki praised. "You've finally got your sixth teammate." Masuku's eyes widened. "I do don't I?!" He jumped up, excited. Ash grinned. "Now you're definitely ready for the League." He looked around. "Might as well make camp here for tonight." He said. "We'll head for Vertress City tomorrow." Buki smiled. "That's when the real training begins." He vowed.

"You bet." Masuku's eyes glinted with determination. "We're gonna take Vertress City by storm!"

This chapter's been a long time coming. I've been trying to write this for months, and it just hasn't been coming together for me. I think I'm finally happy with the chapter though, and soon this story will be finished. We're quickly approaching the climax, and I hope you all are as excited as I am. Next time the boys will be in Vertress City. I think a short training montage will be in order, and the tournament might start then. Until then, Ja Nae.

P.S. Masuku's mocking of Team Plasma's goals is exactly how I think about them. They preached that humans and Pokemon couldn't be together because it exploited them, and they chose to make people come to their way of thinking by...exploiting Pokemon? That doesn't make sense, does it? XD