@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 5: Feelin' a Jungle Beat!


"Have you heard of this Global Storyteller's Association before?" Ash asked Brock as the group continued down the path some days later. "After what Nando said a few days ago, I was floored to find out that a governing body of storytellers exists."

"I heard whispers about it back on our Houen trip and on our second trip through Kanto." Brock replied. "While Nando wasn't able to answer all my questions about it, he did answer a good number of them. It may be worth my while to learn more about it as I compete in the Fantasy Stage.

Ash was about to answer when he saw Tintri dart off. "Hey, wait! Tintri!"

He did not expect a Chimchar to leap between him and Tintri. [Hold it! Don't you dare lay a finger on this Pikachu!]

"Goku?" Ash gasped. He shuddered a little, silently hoping Paul wasn't anywhere nearby.

[I don't know of this Goku you speak of, expect that superpowered warrior on TV.] the Chimchar mused. [Now, are you backing off, or what?]

"I'm not gonna back off!" Dawn shot back. "Kori, douse this Chimchar's fire!"

Kori tried pecking the Chimchar, only to duck out of the way of an Ember. After scrambling behind a rock by the side of the path, she heaved a relieved sigh. [That was close...]

She gasped as the flames from the Chimchar's attack to hit a nearby bush, injuring a wild Oddish. Angry from being burned, the Oddish unleashed a cloud of blue-green spores into the air.

"I gotcha, Tintri..." Ash sleepily smiled as the Sleep Powder took effect on him.

The Chimchar watched as Ash fell asleep with a plop on the ground. [Come on...I'll take you somewhere safe.] it assured the sleeping Pikachu as it leaped off into the bushes.

"Follow that Chimchar!" Brock called, motioning for Dawn to follow him into the brush.

"But we can't leave Ash here!" Dawn protested.

Gentle laughter got both Dawn and Brock's attention. "You need not worry, you two--let's get your friend somewhere safe."

"Thanks." Dawn smiled as the woman gently picked up Ash...

---------

"Mm...where am I?" Ash yawned when he woke up some time later. "The last thing I remember was a Chamchar running off with Tintri..."

"Tintri is my friend's Pikachu, miss..." It occurred to Dawn she had not asked the old woman's name.

"Clara, please." the old woman smiled. "The Chimchar you three ran into is actually a friend and a protector of the community."

"No wonder it thought I was an intruder..." Ash mused as he climbed out of the bed he had been lying in and stretched. "How did you find that Chimchar?"

"I found it lost and injured on the path leading into this valley." Clara explained. "After working night and day to nurse it back to health, it seemed to bond with me. So it has stayed here ever since. As you can see, he is very much a leader in the community."

In the yard, the Chimchar returned to the tree Tintri was resting under. [Want an apple?] it asked, offering Tintri an apple from the large bag of fruit it carried.

[Sure.] Tintri replied. He bit into the apple, watching as the Chimchar swung off to go help and assist the other Pokemon residents.

[What seems to be the trouble?] he asked as he landed before a Geodude and a Mankey arguing over a pile of fruit.

[Rocky says he got more fruit than me!] the Mankey protested.

After studying the pile of fruit for a moment, the Chimchar added some of his own fruit to the pile. After a few moments, he found that he could give the Mankey and the Geodude four fruits each. [There...now you each have an even share.]

[Thanks!] the Geodude smiled as the Chimchar bounded off somewhere else.

Ash emerged from the house, where he found Tintri munching on the apple. "Where'd you find that, bud?"

Tintri was about to answer when he saw the Chimchar knock Ash to the ground! [Wait! Stop! This human is my master, not an intruder! He wouldn't hurt any of the Pokemon here!]

[Oh, so you're an owned Pokemon?] the Chimchar asked. [Well, why didn't you say so before?]

He watched Ash ease himself to his feet. [I'm sorry I attacked you--I didn't know the Pikachu was yours.]

"No hard feelings--you didn't know any better." Ash assured the Chimchar.

A rustle of a bush got his attention as a slender striped raccoon-like Pokemon limped into the valley. "Been a while since I've seen a Linoone..." he mused as he noticed the Pokemon's wounded left front foot. "Must've tangled with something huge to have its foot battered like that..."

Dawn decided to read up on the wounded Pokemon as the boys and Clara rushed to help the hurt Linoone:

"Linoone, the rushing Pokemon. It charges prey at speeds over 60 miles per hour. Because it can only run in a straight line, it often fails."

The Linoone yipped in pain as Brock gently pressed a leaf to its wounded foot. "Sh, it's okay..." he assured it as Ash prepared to help with cleaning and dressing the wound.

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"And on today's menu, we have homestyle meatloaf with all the trimmings." Brock explained as he delivered plates to both the humans and the Pokemon. "I even made a separate mini-loaf with Pokemon safe ingredients for the Pokemon to enjoy."

"This is wonderful...you have real skill." Clara raved as she savored the blend of beef, onions, spices, and a ketchup-based glaze. "It was very thoughtful of you to keep the resident Pokemon in mind as you were cooking. A lot of spices and ingredients humans enjoy are not safe for many Pokemon."

[You want mine?] the Chimchar asked as the Linoone finished its share of the Pokemon loaf. [I'm not really hungry right now...]

Ash smiled as the Linoone accepted the Chimchar's plate. "That was very nice of you to share your food, but just to make sure you don't go hungry later, have some more!"

[You really care about me as much as I do everyone?] the Chimchar gasped, starry eyed.

Ash nodded. "Every Pokemon is special, and worthy to be loved."

He balked as the Chimchar clambored onto his head. "I think that Chimchar likes you, young man." Clara smiled. "He was fond of jumping on my head too, but I managed to train him to climb onto a stick."

"We'll be takin' these off your hands, grandma!" a voice snickered as two punks in old T-shirts and leather vests hurried in the room. All Clara and the others could do was watch as they snatched the Chimchar and Tintri from the table.

"How on earth did those rogues get here?" Clara grumbled as she watched the punks dash off towards a river.

"Judging from how they're making off with the Chimchar and Tintri, they swam here." Dawn mused as she watched the two punks swim away.

"I'm going after them!" Ash removed his cap and his shoes and socks, and hurried off towards the river.

"Kori, go with Ash--we'll chase from the shore." Dawn instructed her Piplup.

[Okay!] Kori smiled before hurrying off after Ash.

"If there's one thing I hate more than Team Rocket, it's punks with nothing better to do besides cause trouble." Brock grumbled. "Just like the last time this happened on our first trip in Kanto."

"What happened there?" Dawn asked as she watched Kori paddle behind Ash.

"See, a couple of punks tried to mess up a Pokemon sanctuary, and Ash tried to stop them." Brock explained. "It took some help from the sanctuary's guardian, a Bulbasaur, to save the day. In the end, the Bulbasaur wanted to go with Ash."

"Sounds exciting!" Dawn smiled. "You can tell me more after we're done with this rescue mission."

Meanwhile, Ash had caught up to the punks, but he did not expect them to try and shake him off. "Whoa!"

[No go--I don't have enough power to break the glass.] the Chimchar told Tintri. He slammed against the glass in a desperate attempt to break the capsules. [Besides, I would be toast in the water!]

[Watch and learn.] Tintri smiled. After shattering the glass with an Iron Tail, he called. [Okay, get to the shore!]

[Right!] the Chimchar replied as it paddled to the shore, where Dawn was waiting.

Once sure the Chimchar was safe, Tintri unleashed a massive Thunderbolt, sending the delinquents flying into the sky...

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"Just like old times, bud..." Ash smiled as he emerged from the water. his clothing a little charred from Tintri's attack.

"I can't thank you enough for scaring off those rogues." Clara smiled.

"No need for thanks--we've dealt with a few punks on our travels." Ash replied.

[Wait!] the Chimchar gasped as he hurried to Ash. [After you and your Pikachu companion saved my bacon back there, I wanna come with you!]

"Really?" Ash smiled before fumbling for an empty Poke Ball. "Just touch this, and you can come."

Clara smiled as the Chimchar went inside the Poke Ball. "Come to think of it, I never thought to give that Chimchar a name. So what are you going to name him, now that he is yours?"

"His name will be Diddy!" Ash replied.

"Whatever you do, don't leave him unattended around a jetpack." Brock grinned, hoping Ash would get the reference.

"Where would he even find a--!" Dawn started before she realized the reference Brock was making. "Oh, 'Donkey Kong 64'! I loved Diddy, but I hated the jetpack challenges!"

"You're not the only one." Ash smiled as Brock, Clara, and the Pokemon laughed, glad that things had ended well...

To Be Continued...