Chapter 17: Puppy Pokémon
~Third POV~
[Kanto Region, Next Day, Route 3]
Azure, a young trainer, adjusted his cap. The familiar weight of Pikachu nuzzling his cheek was a comforting presence. He pedaled harder, his Mach Bike eating up the ground of the route north of Pewter City.
Dratini, still a bit wobbly in the bike's basket, craned its serpentine neck, its large, inquisitive eyes absorbing the lush green scenery of the lake encircling an island. They were on a mission: to become a Pokémon Master, a journey paved with Gym Badges and the bonds of friendship.
They had just secured the Boulder Badge from Brock, a hard-fought victory using Dratini's strength, and now the next gym awaited them. But today, Pewter City was just a stopping point.
Azure's real destination shimmered on the horizon to Route 3 as he stopped his Mach Bike from proceeding further. Route 3 is where many rocks have fallen from the sky to create craters.
Azure Sky, his blue eyes reflecting the determined spirit within, clutched the newly acquired Boulder Badge. Partner Pikachu, perched comfortably on his shoulder, crackled with excitement, while Dratini, its sleek body shimmering, nuzzled Azure's leg.
Their victory over Brock had been exhilarating, but the real journey was beginning. Following the dusty track that led out of Pewter City, Azure set his sights on Route 3.
He'd heard whispers of Charmander's inhabiting the rocky terrain, and the thought of adding a Fire-type to his team thrilled him. He envisioned a powerful Charizard soaring through the sky, a loyal companion by his side.
However, the reality of Route 3 proved far more jarring than his hopeful imaginings. The air, thick with the scent of pine and wildflowers, suddenly reeked of something acrid and metallic.
*Rmbl*
As they rounded a bend, the source of the stench became tragically clear. A large, rust-pitted truck blocked the road, its engine idling roughly.
From within, a cacophony of whimpers, cries, and fearful barks rose above the engine's sputter. Approaching cautiously, Azure's stomach clenched.
Caged Pokémon, a horrifying variety of species, were crammed into the back of the truck. Mankey's peeked out nervously from behind bars, a terrified Pidgey huddled in a corner, and a whimpering Sandshrew burrowed in the straw.
The sight was sickening. His initial thought of a potential Charmander recruit evaporated quickly as he thought, 'This was no ordinary encounter; this was trafficking.'
His jaw tightened. He knew exactly what he had to do.
"Bark!"
As he reached for the latch of the truck bed, a furious bark erupted from within. A small, orange Pokémon with coal-black eyes and a bushy tail strained against the bars of its cage and barked.
Azure recognized this Pokémon as a Growlithe, and its barks were punctuated with frantic gestures toward the path ahead. The Growlithe yipped, its eyes wide with urgency, "Grrr! Bark! Arf!"
Azure hesitated, his hand hovering over the latch. He asked, his voice low and soothing, "What is it, Growlithe? What's wrong?"
The Growlithe continued to bark, its gaze fixed on the approaching sound of footsteps. Then, in a frantic display of pantomime, it used its paws to mimic firing a rocket.
Azure muttered, his eyes narrowing, "Team Rocket?"
He understood. This wasn't some isolated incident of poaching; this was the work of the notorious criminal organization.
He'd heard stories of their ruthless Pokémon theft and their twisted experiments, but witnessing it firsthand ignited a burning rage within him. He glanced at Pikachu and Dratini. They both looked equally determined.
Knowing time was of the essence, Azure grabbed a small rock from the ground as he whispered, "Alright, team. We're not going to let Team Rocket get away with this."
With a swift, practiced motion, he hurled the rock at the padlock securing the truck's gate. The lock snapped open with a satisfying clang.
*CLANG*
He threw open the doors, the hinges groaning in protest. Azure shouted, his voice ringing with authority, "Quick, everyone! Get out of here! Run and hide! Don't let them see you!"
*Wooosh*
The Pokémon, hesitant at first, began to pour out of the truck, their whimpers of fear slowly turning into cries of relief. Pikachu and Dratini helped guide them, Pikachu using its electric powers to create a brief diversion, and Dratini using its abilities to calm the more frightened Pokémon.
As the last of the Pokémon scattered into the undergrowth, Azure turned, ready to face his adversaries. He heard the familiar, grating voices of Team Rocket goons approaching, their laughter echoing through the trees as one said in a gruff voice, "Alright, who thinks they're being a hero?"
Azure stood his ground, his eyes blazing with righteous fury. He coldly replied, "You're not going anywhere. This ends now."
He knew it would be a difficult fight. Team Rocket was known for its dirty tactics and powerful Pokémon. But he wasn't afraid as the Growlithe from before came to his side, growling at the Team Rocket members, "Grrr… Bark!"
He had Pikachu, Dratini, and maybe even a brave little Growlithe on his side. He would protect these Pokémon, even if it meant facing the full force of Team Rocket.
One of the Team Rocket grunts showed up as he spoke in an annoyed tone, "Whatcha thinkin' of doin', kid?"
Two figures emerged from the forest, their faces obscured by shadow. They wore the telltale 'R' insignia, unmistakable symbols of Team Rocket.
Pikachu crackled with electricity, its fur standing on end. Dratini hissed, coiling protectively in front of Azure as he yelled, his voice trembling with fury, "We can't let you get away with this! These Pokémon deserve to be free!"
The Team Rocket grunts and smirks. They brought their Poke Balls out as one said confidentially, "Free? They're going to be making us a lot of money. Now scram, kid, before you get hurt."
Azure stood his ground. Putting his hat down in a serious tone, he said, "I won't let you exploit these Pokémon!"
*Pop*
Without hesitation, one of the grunts tossed a Poké Ball into the air. A Koffing materialized, its eyes swirling with malevolent intent.
The Growlithe barked again, this time a call to action. It launched itself towards the Koffing, dodging its poisonous fumes with surprising agility.
Azure understood. He wouldn't be fighting alone as he commanded, "Alright, Pikachu! Electro Ball!"
*KABOOM*
Pikachu unleashed a blinding surge of electricity, striking the Koffing head-on with an Electro Ball, exploding. Stunned, the Koffing wobbled, giving Growlithe an opening.
*CHOMP*
The little Puppy Pokémon lunged, sinking its teeth into the Koffing's bulbous form using the Bite Move. The other grunt tossed his second Poke Ball, assisting the other grunt.
*Pop*
The second Pokémon was revealed to be an Arbok. Arbok is a serpentine Pokémon that resembles a cobra. It has narrow eyes and several sharp teeth. Just below its head is a large hood with a face-like pattern.
This pattern has over 20 possible variations. The pattern typically has two red and yellow eyespots outlined in black, a wide black streak resembling an upturned mouth, and a black V-shaped stripe above the eyespots.
Upon seeing the Arbok level, Azure sighed a breath of relief, seeing it recently evolved in Lv.22 using [Observe]. Azure commanded Dratini, "Extreme Speed. Iron Tail."
*SWOOOSH*
Instantly, Dratini appeared in blinding speed as a green aura shrouded it. And struck the Arbok on the head with an effective Iron Tail to blow away the other grunt's Arbok.
*THUD*
The other grunt growled in frustration, recalling his stunned Arbok. Realizing they were outmatched, the Team Rocket grunts exchanged a nervous glance as they snarled, "Fine! We'll get you next time!"
They scrambled back into the truck and screeched away, leaving a cloud of dust in their wake. Azure watched the truck disappear, his heart pounding, scoffing, "Tch. Good riddance, I say. Couldn't do their jobs right if they lost to a kid."
He turned to Growlithe, who was panting slightly but still standing guard. Azure exclaimed, kneeling as he held out his hand, a gesture of friendship, "You were amazing! Thank you for helping us."
Growlithe looked at Azure for a long moment, its intelligent eyes assessing him, giving him a quick sniff of his emotions. Then, it nudged its head against his hand, a low rumble of contentment vibrating in its chest.
Azure smiled as he said curiously, assessing the Growlithe in front of him, "Would you... Would you like to join our team?"
Growlithe barked happily, wagging its tail. It bounded over to Pikachu and Dratini, engaging in a flurry of excited yips and happy chirps.
Azure retrieved a Poké Ball from his belt. He extended it as he said happily, "Welcome to the team, Growlithe!"
With a gentle tap, the Poké Ball opened, enveloping Growlithe in a beam of red light. The ball shook once, twice, then clicked shut.
*BON*
Azure retrieved the Poké Ball, a triumphant grin spreading across his face. He had not found a Charmander on Route 3, but he had found something even more valuable: a loyal friend and a courageous companion.
He had also struck a blow, however small, against the insidious operations of Team Rocket. With Growlithe by his side, he felt even more determined to protect the innocent and achieve his inner dream of becoming a Pokémon Master.
Smirking, he used his Arc Phone to gather data. And he had to admit the fire type was right at home for him to join his team.
|Name: Growlithe (Puppy Pokémon)
|Type: Fire
|Level: 20
|Held Item: None
|Gender: Male
|Ability: Flash Fire
|Nature: Jolly
|Moves: Ember, Leer, Howl, Bite, Flame Wheel, Helping Hand, Agility, Raging Fury (IM), Morning Sun (EM) (8 Moves left to learn)
[Growlithe the Puppy Pokémon. Growlithe is a friendly and loyal Pokémon that will fearlessly defend its Trainer and territory from harm, even against larger, stronger enemies. It has been known to fight with Rockruff over territory. It will fiercely bark at, bite, and chase away any perceived threat.
Otherwise, this obedient Pokémon will wait motionlessly until given an order. It has a long history with people, as its bones have been found in Stone Age ruins. In the wild, Growlithe can be commonly found in grassy plains.
Growlithe also has a powerful olfactory sense. If it detects an unknown smell in its territory, it roars to flush out the intruder. It can smell the emotions of others and never forgets a scent. However, strong, unpleasant smells can disable Growlithe's sense of smell for short periods. Growlithe is known to bark at anyone who approaches it while sleeping.]
*Pop*
Growlithe came out as he greeted the others, happily welcoming the newcomer into Azure's team. Azure, on the other hand, prepared healing items as he thought in a confused tone, 'I know I must be seeing things if I see Raging Fury in Growlithe's move set. Is this another one of the experimental Pokémon that Team Rocket tried to set into Viridian Forest?'
Shaking his head, though, he smiled, gaining a new team member as the journey to the top just got a whole lot hotter. As he healed Growlithe…
"RAWAR!!!"
Everyone jolted, hearing a roar. Azure's eyes narrowed as he thought in a serious tone, 'That cannot be a good sign… better check it out.'