Disclaimer: Pokemon and co. doesn't belong to me . . . . blah blah blah . .
.


Authors Notes: Here I am again and all ready for season 2 of this fic for
the few of you that'll probably come banging on my door to demand I
finish this already.
As usual, Feedback would be greatly appreciated!  And so would
suggestions for the final chapter of my fic Forever.  I kinda got writers
block on that one.



Ketchum: The Journey Continues
Season 2

Raptor: The Rare Pokemon
Chapter 3


Musashi and I are finally alone, no Inferno and no Meowth horning in on
our privacy.
Besides, they couldn't find this place if they tried.  Taiki might find us
though, he and I built this little tree house.  But I gave him strict orders, if
he bugged us for anything less than an absolute emergency we'd hurt him.
"Nice little place you've got here."
"Thanks."
We just sat beside each other and enjoyed the other's company until
Musashi wrinkled her nose.
"What's that smell?"
I smelled it too now and nearly gagged.  Geez!  What was that?!  I stood
up and looked around the tree house.

It was a sheep, or what was left of one that is.
<"I think in your absence something made this it's lair.  It would be wise
to leave."> Charmeleon advised.

<"It is, you should go before the mother gets here.">
"SATOSHIII!"  Musashi suddenly screamed as she scrambled over to me. 
What jumped through the doorway looked like something out of that
movie Jurassic Park.
Bang!
Whatever it had been suddenly fell to the ground.  Hurriedly I stuffed the
egg in my pack.
"We got it!"
<"Such disregard for life."> Charmeleon growled.  I held him down and
looked out the door.
"Mr. Yamaga?  Mr. Keero?"  They were two of my neighbors.
"Satoshi?!  Is that you?  Are you okay kid?"  Mr. Keero asked.
"Yeah, we're fine.  What was that?"
"A dangerous pokemon we've been hunting for weeks.  It was killing our
livestock."
I bit my lip, should I give them the egg?  No, whatever hatched from it
could be tamed with proper care.
Right?
"Come on Musashi, I don't want to stick around here anymore."  She
echoed my statement and we left the hunters to their kill.

<"No, I didn't get a good look.  Sorry.">
I waved it off, no big deal.
"Did you know them Satoshi?"
"Yeah, they're two farmers who live down the road."  I shook my head. 
"They should've called Pokemon Control to handle that.  It might have
been a new species."
We approached a waterfall.
"Come on, there's a cave behind it."
We crawled through the small cave opening.  I used to come here just to
be alone sometimes.
"This is beautiful Satoshi . . . and no bad smells either.  Hey, what's this?" 
I turned and saw Musashi open a huge trunk.  
"That was my secret treasure."  I told as I began to look through it with
her.  "When I was about nine years old I found this old trunk and lugged
it here.  Then I began stashing things I found on the road in here.  Sort of
like a pirate treasure."
"Oh."  Was all she said before she paused and pulled out something. 
"What on earth is this thing?"  I looked at what she was holding and
scratched my head.  
"You know, I never figured out what that was.  Still can't."
It was about the size of a pokeball, black with silver ridges and a red
button in the middle.  Come to think of it, maybe it was a pokeball.
"You found this on the road?"
"No . . . in the attic back home.  Mom didn't know what it was, she said
my dad just found it in his pack one day after a nasty storm near Old Port. 
They could never get the thing open.  Neither could I so I just stashed it
here."  I told her as I looked at it.
Suddenly there was a cracking noise coming from my pack.  I picked it up
and pulled out the egg I'd found.
"Where did you get that?!"
"Found it in the tree house."
A small nose poked out of the shell.  Musashi got nervous and took a few
steps back.
Three claws emerged and pushed away more of the shell, it emerged and
cried out softly.  I put the shell aside and held the little pokemon.  It cried
out again and I saw that it's mouth was lined with tiny sharp looking
teeth.  
Suddenly it's eyes snapped open and locked with mine.
Oh man.
<"You are in big trouble now Satoshi, I recognize that pokemon.">

<"Raptor.  In my day they were rare, but they were vicious.">

<"And Psychic type.">
Oh joy.
It blinked its dark violet eyes and gave what I hoped was a smile.
<"Too late now to get rid of it.">
 I asked, fearing the answer.
<"Welcome to motherhood.">
I was afraid of that.


~~~~~~Inferno's POV~~~~~~

Satoshi?!  A mother?
Oh it is to laugh!
But seriously though, how's he going to take care of a pokemon no one
knows anything about?  At least with the Pirows Satoshi had an idea what
vitamins they needed.
And Raptor had made it clear he'd tolerate no one holding him except
Satoshi.
My hand still hurt where he'd sunk those tiny teeth in.  Professor Oaks
hand probably hurt as much as mine did.
I glanced at Satoshi and the various bowls of kibble he had prepared to
feed Raptor.  He had accepted my food when he hatched.  But only to get
over the hatching trauma.  Now he was being so picky he made a
Sandshrew look like a glutton.
Actually, Satoshi has been up most of the night with his mother trying to
find a recipe he'd accept.  I looked at the clock and yawned, one am.
Nodoka began to cry, Misty grabbed the prepared bottle of milk and went
upstairs.
One by one, Raptor rejected the various bowls of kibble.
Satoshi put the last bowl of kibble in front of Raptor and sank into the
kitchen chair.  He was asleep instantly.  Poor Satoshi.
I heard crunching and drowsily turned my head.  Raptor was eating!  He
liked it!
Finally.
My eyes closed and I was asleep before I knew it.

*Rrrr . . . Brother Inferno . . .*
*Who's there?!* I whirled and saw no one.
*Satoshi is very devoted.  No one else would persist like he has.*
I saw a Charmeleon and Machop emerge from the shadows.  I blinked.
*You're . . .*
*Satoshi's and Musashi's other forms, yes.* Machop answered.
*Like me, Machop can speak to Musashi as I speak to Satoshi.*
*Really?  She never mentioned it.*
*I know, she prefers not to in fear Satoshi will think her . . . umm, what's
the word for it?  Loco?*
*Close enough.* I shrugged.
*Yes . . . anyway, we're here in your dream because Machop knows
more about Raptor than I do.  She needs you to relay the information to
Satoshi.*
*Can't you do it?*
*Unfortunately, no.* She answered. *As pokemon spirits we can't enter
the mind of a different human, only a pokemon.*
*Okay.* I nodded.
*Raptor is a Psychic type like Charmeleon has said.  However vicious the
only thing they'll trust in the first few months of their life is the first thing
they see when they hatch.*
*Yeah, Professor Oak and I learned that the hard way.* I remarked dryly.
Machop cleared her throat.
*Yes, I know.  They need certain nutrients to survive.  Mostly the ones
found in meat.  Others are optional.  At six months old they get to full
growth and are deadly.*
My eyes widened, six months?!
*Our time is short Brother, we must leave.*
*Will I talk to you again?*
*No, we are only allowed to do this once.  Bye Brother.* They faded into
the shadows.
I snapped awake.


~~~~~~Musashi's POV~~~~~~

I jolted awake, oh my what a dream!  Or was it?
<"No dream my friend, Charmeleon and I were really talking to Inferno in
his dream.">

Well, I couldn't go back to sleep now.  So I went down to the kitchen for
a snack, we'd be leaving tomorrow, I looked at the clock.  Errr, make
that today, in a few hours.
When I walked in I was greeted with a very cute picture that made me
wish I had a camera.  Satoshi was slumped in the chair deeply asleep,
Raptor was curled up in his lap.  I knew the danger of trying to pick up
Raptor so I let him be.  Satoshi however was too cute to resist with his
messy black hair just begging to be touched and his slightly pouted virgin
lips begging to be kissed.
This would be my first time too.  Maybe the sleeping prince will wake up
with a kiss from the princess.  I checked the room, everyone was asleep
and Satoshi's mom was upstairs.
I leaned toward him and tilted my head slightly.  I was so close . . .
(What are you doing?)  I snapped my head up and looked at Embrana's
slightly smiling face.
"You have the worst timing."
(Yeah, I've been told that many times.  I just thought you might want to
know that Inferno's starting to stir.  Another second and he's the one
who would've caught you.)  I grimaced.  (It's your lives.  I don't really
care if you're together or not.  I'll try to talk to him, God of Fire knows
Meowth has tried.)
She was right, Meowth has tried to tell him that our lives are our
business.  He's had no luck.
"Thanks Embrana, he might listen to you.  I just wish he'd let Satoshi live
his own life and not influence his decisions."
(Correction, he will listen to me.  I have that overprotective male
wrapped around my little claw.  See you later Musashi.)


~~~~~~Inferno's POV~~~~~~

I'd heard the whole conversation.
Was I really like that?  Do I influence Satoshi like that?  I waited until
they left before I opened my eyes and did some serious thinking.
I knew I was a big part of Satoshi's life, the question is, how big a part
am I to influence him like Musashi had said?
He's always looked up to me, not only as his Brother but also a friend. 
Then I thought about Satoshi's life, the only real male influence he's had
in his life was the Warrior of Fire and the male pokemon around the
house.
Oh Fire God, I understand now.
He sees me as some sort of father.  Not consciously, and I don't think he
realizes it. Why didn't I realize this before?!  I am acting like an
overprotective father, always hovering around him, teaching him while he
teaches me on the road.
I closed my eyes and rubbed my head.
Oh God of Fire, what do I do now?
I looked at Satoshi, he was still asleep.  Raptor however was awake and
looking at me.
In a way, Satoshi's in the same position I just discovered myself to be in.
*You're a little too young to know what I'm going through.* I
commented at his questioning chirp.

On the way out of Pallet Satoshi made sure to hide Raptor as he passed
the farm houses of the two men that killed Raptors mother.
"Hey Satoshi!  Good luck on your eighth badge!"
"Thanks Mr. Keero!"  He waved as we walked into the forest that would
lead to Viridian.

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