"I've had it with you!" Ash raged, his voice being a mixture of anger and frustration. His eyes burned with an intensity that mirrored Ladon's and Nephele's protective stance between Paul, his pokemon, and the flock of Gliscor along with numerous Gligar. "Have you even thought about the consequences of your selfish actions?!"
Paul's face contorted with annoyance, a blend of irritation at the intrusion and vexation from his defeat. His strongest pokemon lay subdued by the strength before him, a fact that didn't sit well with his pride. "What in the world are you blabbering about now?"
"You were attempting to catch Gliscor, weren't you?!" Ash's accusation rang out like a sharp echo in the clearing.
Paul's glare deepened, his own anger flaring in response. "So what if I was? Is there a law against catching pokemon now?"
Ash's grip tightened on his Key Stone pendant, an unconscious response to his rising indignation. Simultaneously, the air around Nephele shimmered, the first tendrils of Mega Evolution stirring in the wake of Ash's escalating emotions. A wave of apprehension washed over Paul, a stark realization of the dangerous territory he had unwittingly gotten into. Taking a cautious step back, his eyes widened in a mix of surprise and trepidation.
"Gligar don't just exist on their own, Paul!" Ash's words cut through the tension, filled with a sense of urgency. "Gliscor, their leader, guides and protects them. It's their guardian, providing food and safeguarding their habitat. If you take Gliscor away, you're pushing an entire ecosystem out of balance. The Gligar would be vulnerable to predators, and even among themselves, chaos would reign as they fight for the role of the new leader. They'd be exposed to danger, hunted down by stronger foes. By capturing the leader, you'd be condemning them all to death!"
The weight of Ash's words hung in the air, a moment of realization for Paul, a glimpse into the broader impact of his actions, one he had never truly contemplated. As the seconds ticked by, the gravity of his impulsive act settled in, mingling with the echo of Ash's passion.
"Ash, calm down," Celeste finally spoke up.
"But Cel!" Ash swung around to face her, his eyes wide with disbelief. He hadn't anticipated his best friend, ally against the opression of pokemon, to stop him. How could Celeste side with someone like Paul, after all they had stood for together?
The forest around them seemed to hold its breath, the pokemon watching the unfolding drama with quiet intensity. Even Ladon and Nephele, in their ready stances, paused as Celeste stepped between the two opposing sides.
"Gliscor and his flock are already gone," Celeste calmly stated, her words diffusing the charged atmosphere. Both Ash and Paul blinked, momentarily surprised by her pragmatic observation. "You need to calm down before your pokemon do something, driven by your anger, that you might regret later." Her eyes flickered pointedly towards Ash's glowing Key Stone and Mega Stone, the silent reproach in her gaze cutting through his rage. He involuntarily took a step back, a flush of embarrassment tinging his cheeks. As Ash's fiery emotions settled, he looked back at Celeste, who now continued composed. "And regarding Paul, there's a truth in his defense. Capturing wild pokemon isn't illegal. It's just that he, like so many other young trainers, likely never considered the broader implications."
"He should have thought about it!" Ash retorted, his indignation still palpable.
A flicker of something passed over Celeste's features, a mixture of wistfulness and self-awareness. "But would you have thought about it when you met Nephele?" Her words sliced through Ash's defenses, hitting home with the precision of a practiced blade. She wasn't sparing herself either, holding her own actions up to scrutiny. "Or should I have thought about it when I befriended Dolos and Nyx?" She offered a humorless smile, a glint of rueful irony in her eyes. "The reality is, most young trainers, us included, are blissfully unaware of how much our actions can disrupt. The ecosystems we impact, the chaos we potentially sow. Remember, you've volunteered at Unova's Nature Reserve and you've seen firsthand the consequences of upending a delicate balance. Which is why you are so careful when it comes to capturing pokemon. And I, too, raise Eevees born from eggs or raised in captivity only. But regular trainers, the majority out there, they just haven't been taught better."
YOU ARE READING
Ash the Dragon Specialist
Fanfiction"Tell me Ash, would you like me to teach you about pokemon? About how to take care of them? Cure them when they get hurt? Would you like to learn about becoming a trainer?" Professor Oak asked the speechless boy, making a decision that would change...
