c6: First Battle
"A talking Meowth?" Austin asked, forcing his voice to sound surprised. "That's awesome."
He felt Misty's eyes burning into the side of his head, and he glanced at her. The look of pure disbelief on her face almost made him crack up. "That's all you have to say about this?!" she hissed. "They're Team Rocket!"
"I know, but how can I not think a talking Pokémon is awesome?" Austin said, shrugging a little. Meowth chuckled, probably thinking he'd impressed him.
Before Misty could explode, James interrupted with a dismissive wave. "We're here for the Pokémon, not your silly squabble."
"So hand them over!" Jessie snapped.
Austin glanced over at Nurse Joy, feeling a knot in his stomach. There were so many Pokémon here, all helpless. "You're wasting your time," she said, standing her ground. "This is a place for only sick and injured Pokémon."
Jessie's smile twisted into something sinister. "Well, I wouldn't be surprised if we found a few gems among all the junk," she said, almost too casually, her voice echoing the manipulative tone she used in Pokémon Adventures when stealing Pokémon in Pewter City.
Austin felt his hand inch toward Spearow's Pokéball, his heart thudding against his chest. His mind screamed at him. What are you doing? You don't know how to battle! But he had to do something. He couldn't just stand there.
James saw him and laughed, his voice dripping with mockery. "The little boy thinks he can fight us?"
"Then let's show him the power of Team Rocket," Jessie sneered, tossing out Ekans and Koffing. In Adventures, Koffing's gas was acidic, and Ekans's strikes were lethal. He couldn't afford to underestimate them.
Everything inside Austin screamed to run, but he couldn't. He threw Spearow's Pokéball. "Spearow, come on out!"
The bird materialized, giving a loud cry before turning to glare at Pikachu. Austin could feel his hostility. Just like Red's Pikachu and Green's Pidgey in the manga, Spearow had no loyalty yet. "Turn around!" he ordered, his voice shaky. Spearow didn't like his tone, but thankfully, he listened.
Suddenly, Ekans lunged at him, fangs bared. Spearow barely dodged, flapping frantically.
Crap, I have no idea what I'm doing. Panic surged through Austin. His hand fumbled for the Pokédex, flipping it open and scanning Spearow. Moves, I need to know his moves.
The screen blinked. Focus Energy, Peck. Peck was basic, but against Ekans? Not the best. His mind raced. In The Electric Tale of Pikachu, Ash had moments where he just told Pikachu to dodge until an opening appeared. Maybe… maybe that was the way.
"Spe—dodge and use Peck!" Austin shouted, desperation giving his voice weight. Spearow banked hard as Ekans lunged again, its fangs snapping air. The bird twisted and jabbed its sharp beak at Ekans's hood, earning a hiss.
Koffing bellowed, spraying thick, purple gas. Austin coughed violently, feeling his head swim. Pikachu squeaked and leapt off his shoulder, sparking with static. His ears were ringing. Pikachu was still recovering from earlier… but he wasn't backing down.
"Chu, Pika CHUUU!"
A jolt of electricity ripped through the fog, momentarily dispersing it. Koffing shrieked and spun back, thick smoke trailing from its surface. Misty was covering her mouth, struggling to breathe. Ekans recoiled, giving Spearow a moment to regain balance.
Austin forced himself to stay upright, legs wobbling. "Spearow, Peck again! Pikachu, ThunderShock Koffing!"
Pikachu hesitated—this wasn't his trainer, not really but then his cheeks sparked, and electricity danced across his fur. ThunderShock lanced out, striking Koffing square in the face. The spherical Poison Pokémon shrieked and collapsed into the swirling smoke.
Spearow shrieked its challenge and jabbed Ekans again, wings blurring. Ekans hissed and slithered back, eyeing its partner's defeat.
Jessie cursed, her face twisted in rage. "You little brat!"
James grabbed her arm. "This isn't worth it! Let's go!"
"MEOWTH!" Meowth yowled. "You heard 'em! Retreat!"
Smoke bombs exploded around them, and Austin staggered, coughing again as the silhouettes of Team Rocket vanished. The remaining smoke began to clear, revealing the battered but still-standing Pokémon Center.
Austin dropped to one knee, panting. His heart was hammering. "That... was my first battle."
Pikachu limped over, looking up at him, and this time his eyes weren't guarded. He gave a soft "Pika," before rubbing his head against Austin's side.
Misty approached, eyes wide. "You… actually fought them off." Her voice was disbelieving, but there was a thread of respect there, too.
Austin exhaled shakily. "I just… didn't want them to hurt anyone."
Nurse Joy knelt by the injured Koffing and Ekans left behind, gently scanning them with her equipment. "These poor things… abandoned when they lost," she murmured, echoing the bitter reality often shown in the manga's Team Rocket arcs.
Austin stood slowly, brushing himself off. His first battle wasn't perfect, but he'd protected the Center. He glanced at Pikachu and Spearow. Not bad… for a newbie.
"Focus Energy, then Peck!" Austin shouted, trying to sound confident. Spearow glanced at him, still eyeing the exit. He knew Spearow wanted out. Me too, buddy. But then, Spearow gathered energy, his feathers ruffling in that distinct glow Red's Spearow had in Pokémon Adventures before an attack. With a fierce dive, he nailed Ekans with his beak, sending it crashing to the floor.
Jessie scowled. "Show that bird not to mess with us. Bite!"
Austin felt his stomach drop. Ekans slithered forward, teeth bared like the deadly Ekans that once bit Misty's Psyduck in The Electric Tale of Pikachu, but Spearow darted away just in time. His relief was short-lived as Koffing barreled into Spearow, sending him tumbling through the air with a splatter of sludge.
"Spearow!" Austin called out, cursing under his breath. Focus, focus! I'm screwing this up. "Fly back and stay out of reach!" he shouted, recalling how Red's Charmander would dodge attacks in Adventures. Spearow didn't like his tone, but flapped high into the thick air.
Jessie's voice cut through the chaos. "Koffing, Smog!"
Thick clouds of sludge spewed from Koffing, filling the air with a smell reminiscent of Lavender Town's Gastly scenes in Adventures. Spearow flapped hard, dodging as best as he could, but he was slowing down. That last hit must've hurt him more than I thought.
"Pikachu, Thundershock on Koffing!" Austin yelled, his mind racing. Pikachu nodded, sprinting forward like when he shocked Samurai's Pinsir in The Electric Tale of Pikachu. Sparks flew as he unleashed a bolt of electricity. It connected with Koffing, sending him crashing into Ekans. Both of them were momentarily stunned.
I'm… winning? How the hell am I winning? For a split second, Austin felt a strange sense of déjà vu. Like he had been here before, in a fight just like this.
But then, it hit him. His heart sank. "Pikachu, use your tail to launch yourself!" Austin shouted. Pikachu leapt just in time, narrowly avoiding another attack from Ekans. He spun in the air, sparks flying from his cheeks.
"Spearow, Leer! Pikachu, Thundershock!"
Spearow's eyes glowed an eerie red, his gaze freezing Ekans and Koffing like the time Red's Bulbasaur used Leech Seed on Giovanni's Rhydon. Pikachu seized the moment, letting loose another jolt of electricity. The two Pokémon collapsed, fainted.
Jessie's voice was thick with disbelief. "We were beaten… by a kid?"
Austin blinked, still processing what had just happened. "Well, alright," he muttered, feeling a mix of shock and relief as Pikachu flashed a victory sign just like he did for Ash in The Electric Tale of Pikachu. Spearow, though, was still watching him with those cautious eyes. He wasn't happy, but… he had fought for him.
Team Rocket retreated, their voices fading into the smoke. "You haven't seen the last of us!" Jessie's voice echoed, just like their dramatic exits in Adventures and the anime.
Austin finally let out a breath. "Thundershock," he said quietly as Meowth approached, trying to act tough. Pikachu didn't hesitate, sending Meowth flying before he could finish his sentence, echoing his fate from the anime's earliest episodes.
Austin chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Nice job, you two." His eyes met Spearow's. He still looked like he wanted to bolt, but… he hadn't. Maybe that meant something.
Nurse Joy approached, her smile soft, like her counterpart in Adventures who nursed Yellow's Pikachu. "Thank you for saving the Pokémon Center."
"Uh, no problem," Austin muttered, still feeling a bit awkward. He glanced at Spearow, then back at her. "Sorry for throwing you into the fight like that, Spearow. I meant to, you know, ease you into the team."
Austin extended his hand toward Spearow, but he just turned his back on him stubbornly. He couldn't help but laugh. He doesn't hate me… he would've flown away by now if he did, just like Pidgeotto did to Red when they first met.
That night, lying in bed at the Pokémon Center, Austin stared at the ceiling, his mind racing. Spearow was perched near the window, a mirror of how Yellow's Doduo kept watch. Pikachu slept soundly beside him.
What a weird day, he thought, feeling the weight of everything that had happened. But… it was a good day.
Austin sighed, rolling over. The guilt of pretending to be Ash gnawed at him, and he couldn't stop thinking about his parents. What were they going through right now? Were they looking for him?
But still… there was this strange sense of… excitement. Like maybe, just maybe, he could enjoy this.
Sleep finally started to take him, but not before one last thought crossed his mind: Should I nickname Pikachu and Spearow?
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