Disclaimer: Pokemon and co. doesn't belong to me . . . . blah blah blah . .
.
Author's Notes: Well, what can I say? There isn't much to tell. At first I
wrote Guardian Angel as a one shot, but after a few days of thinking
about it I decided to take the next step and write this as a series.
My fic Forever is currently on hold, suggestions for that one would be
Greatly appreciated!
Enjoy!
Ketchum: The Journey Continues
The Warrior of Air
Chapter 22
Our trip to Saffron had been strange to say the least. After all our
pokemon had been healed we'd all rushed back to the Gym for an
explanation.
But it was closed.
On our way out of Saffron I had to convince Inferno that it was all right
about his jacket, that I didn't blame him.
But still he remained in a sort of . . . dazed mood as I recalled him and
threw on my rain coat so the coming storm wouldn't soak me to the
bone.
It was to late for Musashi though. A passing truck had gone through a
rain puddle and soaked her. Now I had a Machop on my hands. Meowth
and Clefairy were in their pokeballs so they wouldn't get a cold.
"Taiki! We have to set up camp!" I shouted to him over the howling
wind. He nodded and we ducked into the clearing up ahead. Musashi
had been shivering so badly I had to carry her.
Once my tent was set up I carried her, her pack and clothes into it. There
was no way to build a fire, therefore no way to change her back. Unless .
. .
I sighed and pulled the kettle from my bag and set it outside so it would
collect the rain. Then I splashed myself with my canteen.
Taiki was probably already snoring away in his tent, so he wouldn't be
much help.
The kettle had just enough water to change the two of us back so while
Musashi was still a Machop I put her in a dry shirt and pants so that she'd
be dressed when she changed back. With a light Flamethrower I heated
the water and carefully poured it on her. Then I zipped up the sleeping
bag and put on my boxers before changing back.
Thump.
I looked at the wall of my tent, something had hit it. Hurriedly I put on
my clothes and raincoat before going out to see what it was.
"Geeeyyyy . . ."
I picked up the drenched Pidgey carefully and brought it in with me.
Poor little bugger was soaked. I couldn't help but wonder what it was
doing out in this weather.
It began sneezing while I was drying it off. Oh great, I'm a trainer not a
doctor!
I supposed if I could keep it warm it would be okay by the time the storm
passed, so I wrapped the two of us in a blanket and sat down with my
back to Musashi. Pulling out Pigeotto's poke-kibble I began to feed it
slowly, hopefully the extra vitamins in it would stave off it's coming cold.
I released Musashi's Lupis.
"Lupis, keep Musashi warm and tell me if she get's sick. Ok?"
"Lup!"
She curled in a ball with her head on Musashi's stomach. I turned back to
the Pidgey, it was asleep. Not a bad idea . . .
I yawned as my chin fell to my chest and drifted off.
~~~~~~Musashi's POV~~~~~~
I shifted, where was I? And what was this weight on my stomach? Last
thing I remember is Satoshi carrying me . . .
Hold it, this wasn't my tent . . .
Lupis jolted awake and began licking my face, how long was I out? And
how'd I get human again? It was still pouring, no condition to build a
fire.
"What's going on Lupis?"
(Satoshi told me to keep you warm and to tell him if you got sick.)
I blinked and looked in the far corner of Satoshi's tent, there he was. All
hunched in the corner wrapped in a blanket.
"Satoshi?"
"Pidgeeeyy."
I blinked and watched as a Pidgey climbed from the blanket and made it's
way over to Pidgeotto's pokemon chow. Satoshi didn't move or object,
he was asleep.
(I think he found the Pidgey outside and brought it in to take care of it.)
Lupis supplied helpfully.
What had it been doing in the storm in the first place?
While it was eating I walked over to Satoshi to check on him. Yup,
definitely asleep.
Had he taken care of me?
I shrugged and unrolled his sleeping bag before carefully moving him into
it. I swear he gives new meaning to sleeping like a log! But as soon as
he was in it he began to squirm. I could see his eyes moving rapidly
behind his eyelids.
Wow, it must be a doozy of a nightmare.
"Wake up Satoshi, wake up!" I began to shake him. He stilled and
slowly opened his eyes. Naturally the first word from his mouth was . . .
"Inferno?"
"No, it's me, Musashi. You were having a nightmare." He sat up and
looked at me, blinking the last traces of sleep from his eyes.
"Musashi? How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine. Where's Taiki?"
"Knowing him he's probably still sleeping in his tent." He looked in the
direction of Pidgey. "Good, it's eating on it's own." He picked up his
canteen and poured some water in a bowl for Pidgey. It chirped happily
before going to get a drink.
We stayed awake and talked for awhile, at least till the end of the storm.
Pidgey was huddled in Satoshi's lap, I had recalled Lupis since it had been
getting a little crowded.
"Hey . . . I think the storm's over." Satoshi said as he stuck his head
outside. He was dry when he pulled it back in. "Okay Pidgey, you can
go back to where ever you came from."
"Pidgey!" It chirped as it hopped outside and took flight.
Satoshi blinked and looked at me.
"Do you know what time it is?"
We both looked at our watches. It was one am.
"That's it, I'm going back to sleep." He crawled back into his tent and let
out Inferno. He had at one point exchanged his first tent for one that was
large enough to hold both him and Inferno.
I set up my own tent and crawled inside, intent on getting my beauty
sleep.
~~~~~~Inferno's POV~~~~~~
He was already half asleep when he let me out of my pokeball. I curled
up beside him as he threw his arm over my neck and started to snore
softly. I'm sure he would fill me in on what happened in the morning. I
yawned widely and settled into a deep sleep.
~~~~~~Satoshi's POV~~~~~~
Mmmm . . . Musashi must be cooking. I'm assuming this because it
doesn't smell like anything's burning.
Speaking of burning, where's Inferno?
Ah, knowing him he's probably eating and feeding the others so I could
sleep in. He's such a great friend. I yawned and stepped outside only to
be greeted with an unusual sight. Inferno was talking quietly with a
Pidgeot that wasn't Musashi's or Taiki's.
I blinked and looked again, only to get a face full of feathers.
"Piiiidggeeeeyy!"
"Hello there, what are you doing back here?"
"Geygey pidgey pidg pidg gey!" (Mama wanted to meet you!)
"Mama?" I blinked and looked at the Pidgeot approaching me.
(So you are the one the other Warriors are so excited about . . .)
"Huh?" I asked blankly. "Are you a Warrior too?"
She nodded.
(I am the Warrior of Air.)
"Cool." I stroked Pidgey's head gently. "Soo . . . why are you here? I
mean, you gotta have other important stuff to do."
(Wow! It's the Warrior of Air Pidgeot!) Fearow grinned as she,
Musashi's Pidgeot, and Pidgeotto came up behind me. The Warrior of
Air studied the three birds briefly.
(You must take very good care of Fearow and Pidgeotto. Their feathers
hold the sheen of health.) She nodded approvingly. I shrugged.
"I just feed 'em and make sure they get enough exercise."
She blinked and gave me a look that seemed to ask 'you're kidding,
right?'.
"What?" I ask. She shakes her head and seems to chuckle inwardly.
Pidgeotto offers her some of his food. She accepts it graciously and takes
a bite of the kibble . . .
Then her face lights up like a christmas tree.
Wow! She likes my food!
(I have come to thank you for saving the life of my daughter.)
"It was no problem."
"Satoshi! Breakfast!" Taiki shouts. As if on cue my stomach rumbles,
loudly.
I colour slightly in embarrassment.
(You must go eat. And I must return to my nest. I hope to meet you
again Hatchling.) She nods her head and flies off, Pidgey is right behind
her.
I could almost see the smile on her face when she said that.
As I'm eating, I think about the Fushia Gym. According to mom she and
dad had found it totally by accident.
I can only hope we're that lucky.
"Hey Satoshi, you're awful quiet this morning. What's up?"
"Nothing Musashi, I'm just thinking how on earth were going to find
Fushia Gym."
She blinked.
"Oh yeah . . ."
Inferno snorted something under his breath, I shot him a look.
~~~~~~Musashi's POV~~~~~~
I sighed, what was Inferno holding against me now?
That look Satoshi shot him obviously meant that whatever he'd said
wasn't all that nice.
Meowth gave me a look that promised he'd talk to him later. I gave him
a grateful smile.
"Meowth knows where da Gym is. I t'ink we tried ta get da rat dere at
one point."
"Really Meowth? Cool." Taiki grinned. I could get to like him.
But the conversation Ivysaur and I had was still swirling around in my
head.
How did she put it? Oh yeah, basically she said that Taiki was still
immature. I agree with that. He is. However I hadn't stuck around long
enough to hear her opinion of Satoshi.
Perhaps I should.
In my tent later that night I called out Ivysaur. All the others were asleep.
(Yes?)
"Ivysaur, remember what we were talking about before we got to
Lavender? I'd like to continue that conversation."
She nodded.
(Taiki is immature, yet strong. Satoshi has a heart that could fit all the
pokemon in the world in with plenty of room to spare. That's an
excellent quality. Granted he's not all that mature yet he is progressing.)
You know, behind her rather slow exterior is a very keen mind.
"You think Satoshi would be good for me?"
(Yes. It is always better to find them early and begin to train them to be a
proper mate. Satoshi is most promising of the males I have seen so far.
The question is though, do you like him?)
"You know Ivysaur, I think I do."
She smiled.
~~~~~~Inferno's POV~~~~~~
"Hey fire bug, we gotta talk."
*About what Meowth?*
"Musashi, what's yer beef with her dis time?"
I blinked and looked at him.
*I'm not holding anything against her.*
"Den what was dat remark at breakfast all about?"
Oh yes, now I know what he's talking about.
*Look, I don't like the idea of it.*
"Of what?"
*Of Musashi and Satoshi together!*
"What?!"
*They're getting too close. I don't like that. Friends are okay but
anything beyond that . . . nuh uh.*
"Meeooowwth . . . dat ain't really yer decision ya know . . ."
I glared at him, fully expecting him to back down. He didn't. Instead he
just turned around and went to Musashi's tent to sleep.
I slipped into Satoshi's tent, what Meowth had said was still swirling in
my mind.
(
geocities.com/televisioncity/Taping) (
geocities.com/televisioncity)