[INTRO]
***
The gang was still making their way to Vermilion City. Yuki had battled a few trainers along the way and made sure to use her newly acquired Jarlylo and Flora to test their battle strength.
"Where are we?" Willow yawned.
"According to my Nav, we're in the middle of nowhere. But Route 24 will take us to Vermilion City and we're on the right path for it," Yuki said, looking at her PokéNav Plus.
"That's good to know," Willow smiled.
"Pika," Raiden tapped on Yuki's shoulder.
"What's up, Raiden?" Yuki asked.
Raiden pointed to a big rock and on top of it was a yellow Growlithe
"A Growlithe," Yuki said as scanned Growlithe
Growlithe, the Puppy Pokémon. These Pokémon are incredibly loyal to their trainers and will defend them no matter what.
Note: The different coloration indicates that this is a Shiny Pokémon
"It looks sad," Willow commented.
"Raiden go talk to Growlithe," Yuki said.
"Pika," Raiden nodded and walked up to Growlithe. "Pika Chu Pikachu?"
"Growl Growlithe," Growlithe spoke.
"Chu," Raiden said as he walked back to Yuki. "Pika Chu Pikachu. (Growlithe is waiting for his trainer to come back.)"
"Raiden says that Growlithe is waiting for his trainer to come back," Yuki translated.
"So it belongs to someone. How long has it been here?" Willow asked.
"Growlithe. (Two days.)" Growlithe answered.
"Two days?!" Yuki gasped.
"That's how long Growlithe has been out here? Poor thing," Willow said. "And it doesn't look to be in good shape."
"I guess it won't leave until its trainer comes back," Brock said.
"I hope your trainer comes back soon," Yuki said as she handed Growlithe an Oran Berry which it ate gratefully.
Then the gang headed off.
"Growl," Growlithe looks up into the sky, which was beginning to darken.
***
While walking along the way, Willow saw the building they were looking for.
"Look the Pokémon Center is just ahead," Willow said.
"Then that means we're not too far," Yuki said, happily.
Suddenly, it began to pour with rain.
"Pika!" Raiden whined as he got wet.
"Seriously? Let's hurry," Yuki said.
They rushed into the Pokémon Center before they got soaking wet.
There was a nice blazing fire in the Pokémon Center.
The gang was sitting next to the fire & they all had some soup.
"I wonder if Growlithe's trainer picked Growlithe up yet," Willow said.
"I'm certain that the trainer has picked Growlithe up by now," Brock said.
'Oh, Growlithe, I hope you're okay,' Yuki thought, feeling worried.
"AHAHAHAHAH!!" Laughter interrupted the gang's thoughts.
They blinked and turned toward the source of the laughter, "Huh?"
A blue-haired boy that nearly looked like a cowboy was sitting with six other boys.
They were admiring the blue-haired boy's Pokémon.
"Wow, you're the man Damian," a boy with dark brown hair said.
"Hey, didn't you have a Growlithe too?" A boy with spiky hair asked.
Yuki perked up at that, 'Growlithe.'
"Yeah I had one, but that thing was so weak it couldn't even beat the weakest opponents," Damian replied in a British accent.
By now, Yuki, Brock & Willow were frowning.
"I don't like his attitude," Willow said.
"Yeah, it's not the fault of the Pokémon. It's the fault of the trainer," Brock stated.
"Exactly," Yuki nodded.
"So what did you do to it?" The spiky-haired boy asked.
"I left it on a big rock in the woods," Damian replied with a laugh.
"What?" Yuki gasped.
"That thing is so gullible, it believed me when I said I would come back for it. It kept following me, no matter what I did. It's probably still waiting for me," Damian laughed, his friends laughing with him.
"How dare he!" Brock growled.
"I can't believe that guy!" Willow said, angrily.
Yuki slammed her fist on the table, she got up from her seat and stomped over to where Damian was sitting. She grabbed him by his shirt collar and punched him so hard, giving him a nosebleed.
"What's your problem, you little brat?!" Damian asked, holding his bleeding nose.
"What's my problem? How dare you? You pathetic excuse for a Pokémon trainer. It's raining out there and Growlithe could get seriously sick or worst die. Yet here you are laughing like you did nothing wrong," Yuki glared at him as her eyes unconsciously glowed blue.
Damian whimpers.
Yuki tossed Damian into his friends, knocking them down like bowling pins.
"Willow, Brock tell Nurse Joy what happened, call Officer Jenny & don't let Damian leave," Yuki instructed as she grabbed an umbrella and quickly ran outside with Raiden.
"Wow, Yuki's cool," Willow said.
"And scary when mad," Brock nodded.
***
Meanwhile, Growlithe was still on the rock curled in a ball as the rain pelted his skin. He was hoping the rain would stop soon.
A flock of Spearow had appeared and started scratching Growlithe with their claws. Suddenly, they heard a voice; "Raiden use Swift!"
It was Yuki, who arrived just in time.
Raiden's tail glowed yellow and fired multiple yellow stars from them, chasing the Spearow away.
Yuki held her umbrella over Growlithe, "Growlithe I know I'm not your trainer, but I'm going to get you out of the rain."
Growlithe hesitated for a moment, "Growl..." It agreed.
Yuki gently picked up Growlithe, held the umbrella over all of them & ran as fast as she could to the Pokémon Center.
***
Nurse Joy was waiting for Yuki, along with Willow and Brock.
"I'm back with Growlithe," Yuki said as she bust through the door.
Nurse Joy ran over to her. "I'll take Growlithe while you rest," she said, taking Growlithe from Yuki's arms.
Yuki took off her raincoat and sat down by the fire with Raiden. She told her friends what happened.
"It's a good thing you got there in time," Willow said.
"Yeah, or those Spearow would've caused bigger damage to Growlithe," Brock agreed.
"Where is he?" Yuki asked, looking around.
"We have him tied in the back. I used my Weepinbell and Willow used her Butterfree to paralyze him with Stun Spore," Brock answered.
"And Officer Jenny?"
"She will be arriving soon," Willow said.
"That's good," Yuki said, "I bet he treats his other Pokémon badly too."
***
Nurse Joy kept all of Damian's Pokémon & he had 15 Pokémon! Not to mention that all his Pokémon showed signs of forced battling, which made Nurse Joy furious. Soon Officer Jenny arrived, but she wasn't alone. Prof. Oak and Lance of the Elite Four had also arrived.
"Prof. Oak and Uncle Lance?" Yuki said as she hugged Lance, who hugged back. "What are you two doing here?"
"Uncle Lance?" Willow blinked.
"Uncle Lance is a good friend of my Dad. That's why I call him Uncle," Yuki explained.
"Nurse Joy called me and said that it was an emergency," Prof. Oak replied.
"Officer Jenny notified me about Damian Daisuke. The G-Men has been looking for him for quite a while," Lance glared at Damian who flinched from his cold, hard glare that rivaled Yuki's, "But he never stayed in one place."
"G-Men?" Willow asked.
"G-Men is a detective unit. Our main purpose is to travel around, investigate and arrest anyone mistreating Pokémon," Lance explained.
"Thank you all for coming & I hope I'm not inconveniencing you," Nurse Joy bowed a bit.
Officer Jenny waved her hand dismissively, "Don't even worry about it."
"Thank you once more, I'm about to release all the Pokémon now," Nurse Joy informed them.
Nodding their heads, Nurse Joy released all the Pokémon.
Damian has caught some interesting Pokémon; Eevee, regular Growlithe, Rhyhorn, Machoke, Magnemite, Sandslash, Shiny Vulpix, Seel, Hibitrix, Jerblitz, Ditto, Aipom, non-shny Vulpix, Ledyba & Buneary.
"... Wow," Willow's eyes widen, "He caught all these Pokémon?"
"Some of them are from different Regions," Yuki said as she pulled out her Pokédex.
Hibitrix, the Flower Witch Pokémon.
Jerblitz, the Mouse Pokémon. With their pronged tails, they drain electricity from outlets to store in their cheek pouches.
Aipom, the Long Tail Pokémon. Aipom's tail ends in a hand-like appendage that can be cleverly manipulated. However, because the Pokémon uses its tail so much, its real hands have become rather clumsy.
Ledyba, the Five Star Pokémon. Ledyba secretes an aromatic fluid from where its legs join its body. This fluid is used for communicating with others. This Pokémon conveys its feelings to others by altering the fluid's scent.
Buneary, the Rabbit Pokémon. When it senses danger, it perks up its ears. On cold nights, it sleeps with its head tucked into its fur.
"I'm very curious about how you've obtained these Pokémon," Nurse Joy glared at Damian.
Damian scoffed, "As I'd tell you!"
Growlithe growled and shot a stream of fire from his mouth at Damian, surprising him.
"Pika. (He deserved that.)" Raiden said.
"That was Flamethrower. Good job," Yuki complimented.
"Growl. (Thanks.)" Growlithe smiled.
"Alright, I'll talk! I got most of them from a trade, okay!" Damian confessed. "And ... I got Buneary, Aipom, Hibitrix, Shiny Vulpix & Jerblitz from a guy who was selling them for a high price. And since I got a lot of money from winning tournaments, I had enough to buy them off him."
"How could you do such a thing!" Nurse Joy exclaimed.
"Disgraceful," Brock scowled at the boy in anger.
"Unbelievable," Willow muttered.
"You have got to be kidding me. Pokémon are living creatures that are to be raised with love and care, not to be used as punching bags or weapons to be bought and sold!" Yuki shouted, angrily.
"You bought them for a Pokémon Poacher who probably stole them!" Prof. Oak added.
"Damian Daisuke! You are hereby under arrest! The charges are Pokémon abuse, neglect, and stealing!" Officer Jenny announced.
"Your trainer's license is hereby revoked and you will serve jail time for buying Pokémon from a Pokémon Poacher!" Lance continued.
Damian paled.
"It was a pleasure meeting you, Willow and Brock. And good seeing you again, Yukihimie," Lance said before he and Officer Jenny left with Damian.
"Bye," the gang waved.
"Couldn't have happened to a nicer person," Willow commented.
"Agreed," Yuki and Brock said.
"Now..." Nurse Joy faced all the Pokémon and smiled, "You all have nothing to fear."
All the Pokémon looked at Nurse Joy confused.
"These trainers will be taking care of you from now on," Nurse Joy continued.
All the Pokémon looked at the trainers and noticed Growlithe standing loyally next to Yuki. The look in her eyes told them that this trainer was responsible for saving the Fire Type.
"You can trust them. Growlithe has already made it clear that Yuki will be his new trainer, so that means the rest of you can choose who you want to be with," Nurse Joy finished.
Rhyhorn, Magnemite, Machoke, Growlithe, and Sandslash went to Brock & he immediately checked them which truly touch them. Rhyhorn tackled the breeder to the ground nuzzling him, which made Brock and the others smile.
Eevee, Ditto, Apiom, Vulpix, Ledyba, and Buneary went to Willow & they immediately hugged and nuzzled her.
Shiny Vulpix, Seel, Hibitrix, and Jerblitz went to Yuki & they cuddled her.
"I trust all these Pokémon with you," Nurse Joy smiled.
The three trainers smiled and nodded. With the new Pokémon in tow, the journey continues.
***
Yuki's Pokémon:
Pikachu (Raiden) (M)
Shiny Charmeleon (Adeen) (F)
Pidgeotto (Skye) (F)
Shiny Magikarp (Triton) (M)
Meowth (Meowzie) (F)
Happiny (Galen) (F)
Butterfree (Hesper) (M)
Shiny Beedrill (Vespa) (F)
Nuiluna (Aruna) (F)
Sandshrew (Tarrin) (M)
Clefairy (Stella) (F)
Nidoran (Lin) (M)
Nidoran (Reina) (F)
Skitty (Tsuki) (F)
Bulbasaur (Jarylo) (M)
Shiny Oddish (Flora) (F)
Shiny Growlithe (Aiden) (M)
Shiny Vulpix (Wisp) (F)
Seel (Mesi) (F)
Hibitrix (Posy) (F)
Jerblitz (Corin) (F)
Brock's Pokémon:
Onix (M)
Geodude (M)
Zubat (M)
Weepinbell (M)
Rhyhorn (M)
Magnemite
Machoke (M)
Growlithe (M)
Sandslash (M)
Willow's Pokémon:
Marill (F)
Butterfree (F)
Staryu
Eevee (F)
Ditto
Apiom (M)
Vulpix (F)
Ledyba (F)
Buneary (F)