Pokemon : An Unexpected Journey

"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.

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.

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. "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.

"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, clearly realizing it was his best shot at survival. 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, but Spearow darted away just in time. His relief was short-lived as Koffing barreled into Spearow, sending him tumbling through the air.

"Spearow!" Austin called out, cursing under his breath. Focus, focus! I’m screwing this up. "Fly back and stay out of reach!" he shouted, trying to make sense of everything.

Jessie’s voice cut through the chaos. "Koffing, Smog!"

Thick clouds of sludge spewed from Koffing, filling the air. 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. 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, freezing both Ekans and Koffing in their tracks. 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. Spearow, though, was still watching him with those cautious eyes. He wasn’t happy, but… he had fought for him.

Team Rocket retreated, and 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.

"You haven’t seen the last of us!" Jessie’s voice echoed as they disappeared.

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. "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.

That night, lying in bed at the Pokémon Center, Austin stared at the ceiling, his mind racing. Spearow was perched near the window, and 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?