Pokemon Shine Diamond

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 18: Twice Smitten, Once Shy!

"Aw!" Dawn smiled as she spotted a pale blue and white squirrel-like Pokemon. "Pachirisu live in this forest!"

Ash decided to read up on the squirrel Pokemon that was brushing its tail on a stump:

"Pachirisu, the EleSquirrel Pokemon. It makes fur balls that crackle with static electricity. It stores them with berries in tree holes."

"I'm gonna take a crack at catching this little cutie!" Dawn smiled. She heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Kori, Peck the Pachirisu!"

She balked as the Pachirisu kissed Kori on the cheek, sending her stumbling about the field. "Okay, new plan..." Dawn mused as she recalled Kori. "Lola, use Dizzy Punch!" she called as she heaved her other Poke Ball skyward.

[Hah!!!] Lola screeched as she charged at the electric squirrel in a flurry of fists. But she didn't expect to be meat by a shower of sparks!

[I think you need to chill!] Lola taunted before firing an array of Ice Beams in an attempt to freeze the Pachirisu. The Pachirisu cartwheeled away from all the beams and discharged a massive thunderbolt! "Talk about a shocking personality..." Ash wheezed as the others coughed up char from the attack.

"I'll say..." Brock agreed.

Dawn noticed the Pachirisu heaving with exhaustion. "Kori, use Bubblebeam!"

She smiled as the wave of rainbow bubbles knocked over the tired Pachirisu. "Poke Ball, go!" she commanded as she heaved a Poke Ball at her target.

"One...two...three..." Brock counted the wiggles before seeing the light at the Poke Ball's center dim. "You got it, Dawn."

"YESSSSSSSSS!!!" Dawn cried as she ran to retrieve her Poke Ball.

"Nicely done." Ash agreed as he looked over Pachirisu's Pokedex info some more. "Now you have an opportunity for both Cool and Cute appeals, since a lot of Electric moves are Cool themed."

"Would it be safe to argue Dawn is a cute themed coordinator?" Brock interjected. "Think about it. Piplup can have Beautiful and Cute appeals. Buneary has mainly Cute appeals, and now this Pachirisu with both Cool and Cute appeals."

"It doesn't matter if I specialize in one type of appeal type or not. All that matters is that my team makes people happy and they win contests, right?" Dawn interjected.

She looked at the Poke Ball in her hands. "I think I'll name you...Stormy."

The group did not notice Mars skipping down the forest path near their camp. Over the river and through the woods, to Pokemon hunt I go...

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"Stormy...use Thunderbolt..." Dawn mumbled as she slept, lost in a dream of winning a contest with Stormy. "Thank you...it is indeed an honor to earn this ribbon..."

She woke up with a yawn to find Stormy sleeping on a nearby stump. "Sweet dreams, Stormy--you and I are gonna win a lot of Contests together."

Stormy gave a contented squeak in reply. Dawn decided to lie awake for a few moments, savoring the twinkling stars above her. I wish I was a Grand Coordinator... she thought as a shooting star streaked by.

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...Come with me and we will see the wonders of the world! All of the glory, is in our story! Dawn heard Ash singing as she woke up the next morning.

"I'm glad my rendition of your favorite song inspired you..." Dawn smiled as she emerged from her tent brushing her hair.

"Oh, it did!" Ash smiled as he continued doing martial arts poses in time with a melody only he seemed to hear. "In fact, I'm eager to find where the next Gym is and take on its Leader too!"

"Well, you do that; and I'll train for my first ribbon." Dawn replied as she finished getting ready.

She hurried into an open part of the field and heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Come on out, Stormy!"

She giggled as Stormy darted away from her, then came running back. "You're cute, you know that?" Dawn smiled as she reached out to pet Stormy.

Just then, Stormy started to spark--a warning sign it was about to discharge! "Oh no..." was all Dawn could say as Stormy fired a massive electric blast! She then dashed away, laughing at the sight of Dawn's hair sticking out in fifteen different directions.

Ash tried oh-so-hard not to laugh at Dawn's sparking hair. "If it's any consolation, the Pikachu family does that too." Dawn grumbled in reply.

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Back in her tent, Dawn thought about what had happened some hours earlier. 'Why did Stormy do that to me?" she mused as she finished combing out the last static mat. "All I wanted to do was pet her...is she not used to me yet? Is she one of those strong willed Pokemon?"

She sighed. "Or maybe Stormy wasn't meant to be owned by a human at all?"

After putting away her brush, she noticed Stormy standing by the tent entrance "Can we talk, Stormy?" she asked.

The Pachirisu nodded as Dawn lead it to a bushy grove. "As much as I love you, and want to see you grow up to be the best you can be..."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued "I think...the best place...for that...to happen...is..."

Emotion finally overcame Dawn. She hurried back to the camp with tears streaming down her face, leaving Stormy confused.

"What happened?" Brock noticed Dawn crying as he continued packing up his camp gear.

"Is everything okay?" Ash was also concerned. "Whatever happened, you can vent to us."

Dawn wiped away a few tears, then took a few deep breaths to compose herself. "I...tried to let Stormy go..."

"What?" Ash gasped. "You just caught her yesterday!"

"I don't know...she zapped me earlier, when I wanted to pet her." Dawn explained. "That, and I'm not sure if I could control something that's so high energy."

"You have to remember that Pokemon are a little bit like people--they have different personalities too." Brock began. This means that yes, some of them are strong willed. It also means that some of them are naturally high energy."

"The Pikachu family's very energetic too." Ash agreed. "So while a Pikachu and a Pachirisu are two different Pokemon, they do share a few similarities."

"Believe it or not, some Pokemon are also very much like human kids." Brock added. "In my experience, I've learned that almost all unwanted behavior is because of a want. Sometimes they want more control over their lives. Sometimes they want to do more for themselves. Sometimes they want your full and undivided attention."

"Hm..." Dawn contemplated what the boys had said. "You both make great points. Maybe I should have asked one of you for help..."

Meanwhile, Mars spotted Stormy dancing around the field. "Well well, what have we here? I'll claim this little guy for myself."

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Power...experience...connection...which one of those was Stormy wanting? Dawn thought. What could Ash have offered if I asked him for advice earlier? Could some of his experience in caring for Tintri also have helped Stormy?

She sighed as she looked out at the sky, where one of the clouds got her attention. Even that cloud looks like a Pachirisu. Maybe Arceus is telling me Stormy needs to be with me?

Inspired, she hurried back down the road to meet the boys. "Guys...I thought about what each of you said, and I realized I was a bit rash to let Stormy go after one zap. So even though I didn't technically release her, I'm ready and willing to take her back."

Brock smiled. "Well, if you wanna find her, I think I know where she is..."

"Huh?" Dawn looked a little farther down the road, where she spotted Mars battling Stormy with Purugly. "Stormy!"

"Come on!" Ash led the way down the road, just in time to see Stormy whack away Mars' Poke Ball with her tail.

Brock's whistle snapped Mars and Jupiter to attention. "I believe the Pachirisu you are battling is actually owned..."

"Yeah--my friend named it Stormy." Ash added.

"Really?" Mars grinned. "Your friend must've released it, because it went inside the Poké Ball I threw earlier."

"If you're so sure this Pachirisu is named, let's see who it really wants to go with." Jupiter suggested. She knelt down before Stormy. "Okay, little guy--who do you want to go with?"

Ash noticed Jupiter had hidden a pile of nuts and berries behind her back in an attempt to sway Stormy. "Hey, Brock...maybe we could sway Stormy to our side with some of your homemade Pokechow..."

"No--I'm not stooping to Galactic's level." Brock replied.

"Besides, a food bribe won't prove anything." Dawn agreed.

Both sides watched to see what Stormy would do. Stormy proceeded to fire a huge electric blast, knocking out both admins. "I guess she wants to go with me?" Dawn asked as Stormy pilfered all the food.

[Yeah...I still choose you.] Stormy chittered.

"Aw..." Ash smiled as Dawn hugged Stormy, never mind her hair was sticking up a little.

Dawn offered a Poké Ball to Stormy. "If you touch this, you can come."

Stormy nodded, and touched the ball; going in in a flash of light. "Thanks, Stormy--now we can shock the Contest world." Dawn grinned. "Starting with the one in Floaroma Town!"

To Be Continued...