@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 81b: The Heartbreak of Brock (part 2)

The next morning...

"Here is our Pokemon preserve, where many of our family's Pokemon have space to run, play, and just be themselves in a safe environment." Temacu explained, making a grand gesture to the yard.

"Wow..." Ash was impressed by what seemed like thousands of Nidorinas, Nidorinos and other Pokémon romping in the morning sun. "You caught and raised these all by yourself?"

"Not all of them--Dad and other family members caught a few here and there." Temacu replied, before the whoosh of a net caught her attention. "What in the--!"

"Team Rocket!" Ash gasped.

[No, it's worse than that!] Tintri cried from the net. [It's Kamon!]

"You seemed to have all these Pokemon here, so I was just taking a few of them off your hands." Kamon smirked as he tied the net containing some of the Nidorina, Nidorino, Tintri and the other Pokémon into a bag shape, so he could easily carry it.

"River, go save Tintri and the others!" Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

"Nightwing, let's go!" Kamon also heaved a Poke Ball, summoning his Golbat before the Marill.

Everyone braced themselves as the Golbat's Venoshock met the Marill's Water Pulse in a toxic watery explosion...with River emerging victorious! "Where did Kamon get to?" Misty wondered, piqued in the cloud of Haze that Nightwing had sprayed before using Venoshock.

She grinned as she readied a Poke Ball. "Only one way to answer that question! Pearl, use some Mist to clear the air!"

As the whitish blue cloud dispelled the Haze, Ash spotted the net with the Pokemon near the bush. "The stolen Pokémon are here, but Temacu's gone." he reported.

"Come on! We have to find her!" Brock led the way into the forest...

---------

"My hero! Where are you?" Temacu called as she looked for Brock in the brush near the preserve. "I hope you didn't get l-WHOA!"

Kamon snapped to attention as he felt his rope go slack. "Okay...let's see what we got here." he smiled as he pulled up the rope. "It must be a dragon Pokemon, cause it's heavy!"

He balked when he found Temacu snagged in the rope, and dangerously close to slipping out! "Hang on!" he called as he caught Temacu seconds before she could fall from the tree. "There we go..." he smiled as he guided Temacu back to a sturdier part of the tree.

"Oh, my crimson haired samurai! Will you let me be your little Beautifly?" Temacu asked Kamon, much to his surprise as her eyes shone with hope.

Kamon, meanwhile, winced at the thought of romance. Is she asking me to be her boyfriend? I'm not one for all that mushy stuff, but I'll just play along, in hopes I can have a chance to steal some more Pokémon!

---------

Back at the forest edge, Temacu's father, the group, and a half dozen other people checked bushes, behind trees, and in piles of leaves for any signs of Temacu. "Anything?" Ash asked as Mina flew back some moments later.

[I found Kamon walking back with her to the house, sweet talking her like he was in love.] Mina reported.

Brock gasped, more out of surprise that Kamon had any romantic interest than the fact that Temacu had fallen for someone else. "Kamon, in love? THIS I have to see!"

Ash led Misty and Brock back to the house, where they could overhear Kamon talking to someone inside. "...the thieves were tough, and they put up a good fight, but I know a thing or two about kung fu myself! So with a hi-ya here...and a woo-hah there, I fought them off easily."

"What a brave young man..." he heard Temacu's father say as he motioned for the group to follow him to the front door, which was cracked open just enough to see Temacu put a plate of something before Kamon. "Please, join us for lunch--I've already informed the search party Temacu was found safe.

"Hold it!" Ash stormed into the house. "That's no ordinary red haired boy, it's just a punk--!"

"With standards..." Misty interjected.

"...named Kamon, who's given us all trouble, and tried to take your Pokemon before!" Ash breathlessly explained.

"Who, me?" Kamon shot back. "I'm just a traveler, that's all."

"Don't play dumb with me, Kamon!" Misty warned. "What kind of traveler badmouths every trainer they find, treats their Pokemon like tools instead of the living beings they are, tries to take a a baby Pokemon that is no way ready to leave its mother, and constantly steals Pokemon that very clearly belong to others, including yours?"

Kamon froze for a moment, surprised Misty had exposed the truth. "I hate to dine and dash, but I gotta go!" he yelped before dashing out the door.

"After him!" Brock called as he led the others out.

Ash quickly heaved a Poke Ball skyward as he tried to keep Kamon in view. "Luce, I need you!"

"Nightwing, let's go!" The Flaaffy stopped in her tracks when she saw Kamon's Golbat before her.

"Focus, Luce! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash's call snapped Luce to reality.

[You're not getting away, you punk!] Luce screamed as she fired a Thunderbolt at the Golbat, knocking it out.

Kamon was unfazed by losing Nightwing. "Helena, showtime!" he called as he summoned his Gastly. "Use Shadow Ball!"

He did not, however, expect Misty to summon Pearl. "Pearl, let's cool down the ghostie with Star Freeze!"

[YAH!!!!] Pearl sent a bevy of star shaped icicles at Helena, freezing her solid. "Okay, now use a Water Gun!" Misty commanded.

She gasped as Kamon steeped into the path of the Water Gun, but suddenly, she heard Temacu yell "My samurai!" and leap in the path, taking Pearl's attack as she shoved Kamon out of the way.

"Temacu!" Brock hurried by Temacu's side. "Are you okay?"

"I think so..." was all Temacu could say before closing her eyes.

Ash, meanwhile, spotted Kamon dashing for a hill. "Luce, use Thunder Wave to bind Nightwing and Helena!"

Misty smiled as the Thunder Wave tangled both the Golbat and the Gastly, sending them back on top of Kamon. "And now, for the coupe de grace!"

[We've got this!] Michelle reported as she prepared a Water Gun and Tintri charged a Thunderbolt...

---------

"Mm...where am I..." Temacu asked as she came to in her room some time later.

"You were trying to push that red haired punk away from a Starmie's Water Gun, and took the attack meant for his Gastly." Temacu's father explained. "I saw you were unconscious, so I called the doctor."

"Luckily, the Water Gun only knocked the wind out of your daughter...she's going to be all right." the doctor assured Temacu's father.

"I am so sorry...if I'd have known that Temacu was going to push Kamon away, I never would have told my Starmie to attack." Misty apologized to Temacu's father. "I would never live with myself if I hurt someone with my Pokemon...even if it was an accident."

"It's okay, miss--all it was was a freak accident, so I forgive you." Temacu's father assured Misty. "Although next time, make sure you have a clear path to your target before attacking."

Temacu, meanwhile, looked up with starry eyes at the doctor. "Oh, my hero! Restoring me to life after a brush with danger!"

"Again?" Ash gasped as he watched Temacu and the doctor exchange sweet nothings with each other.

Brock, however, was devastated. No way! Even after I sang for her and everything, she's fallen in love with someone else???

"Temacu's elder cousin was married to a fine young man earlier this year, so that's why she is so obsessed with getting married herself." Temacu's father explained. "I think we've found a good match for her."

But I wanted to be that match... Brock silently grumbled before excusing himself to another room...

---------

"Are you okay?" Misty asked as the group departed later that evening. Brock had not said a word since that afternoon, when the doctor had arrived to help Temacu.

"Well, I'm still trying to process what just happened back there." Brock explained. "I really thought that Temacu and me had a chance--she was the first girl that willingly let me sing to her that I can remember. That, and we really seemed to click last night."

"Well, if you need to cry, then go ahead." Misty assured Brock as the group stopped to make camp on a hill overlooking the road. "If you'd rather write down your feelings, that's fine. If you just want us to listen, we'll do that too."

"I mean, now that I know why Temacu was being romantic to every guy that passed her, her behavior does make some sort of sense." Brock explained. "I'm still trying to figure out what the doctor had that I don't..."

"But you have plenty of good qualities that any girl would love." Ash interjected. "Brave, kind, wise, very talented..."

"A way with words and song." Misty agreed.

[A great cook!] Tintri suggested.

A smile formed on Brock's face as one by one, Ash, Misty, and the Pokemon listed his good qualities. "Thanks, you guys...maybe the doctor was just a better fit for Temacu. In what way, I don't know, but they did seem to have better chemistry."

"At any rate, it does always hurt to lose someone in any way." Misty assured Brock. "If you need to stay here for a while to process everything, we're fine with staying here in camp for a few days."

"I'm at least glad that I met her, and hope that maybe we can still be friends if we ever see each other again." Brock smiled, relieved that he had his friends and his Pokemon supporting him.

"Besides, there's still a lady you can love and sing to forever out there somewhere!" Ash grinned.

"Yeah, there's plenty of other Magikarp in the sea." Misty agreed.

"Thanks again, everyone..." Brock smiled as he started the group's dinner for the evening. "Whoever this lady is, I'm sure I'll find her one day!"

With that, he reached for his guitar, tuned up, and started a gentle melody.

Floating in the sky, just like the silver moon
Although I try to reach you, I can't hold you, and you slip away...
From within the darkness, I reach for the future
Although I call out for you, my voice only fades away...

I wish that the words I sing for you
Would chase the wind and fly to your heart!

Ash gawked as a shooting star streaked over the campsite, as if in response to Brock's song. Soaring across the sky, and winging past the stars
Delivering to you this one message... Brock continued the song.

Soaring through sands of time, flying through a bright light
I sing this song for you,
This star story...

To Be Continued...