Level Up - Chapter 2 Preview

“Dis is cruel and unusual punishment!” Meowth shouted, rolling to the side and just narrowly avoiding the large Pidgeotto that tore through his previous position with Quick attack.

“Suck it up,” Ash replied with a smirk, standing off to the side with Pikachu, “And stop running away, it's at a similar level to you!”

Meowth cast an eye over the forest floor, particularly a rough grove that had been torn through by one of the Pidgeotto's Twister attacks. “You gotta be kiddin' me...” the feline pokemon grumbled.

Ash rolled his eyes, “Fine then how about this?” he began as the Pidgeotto flew itself high up into the air again, “You try battling without running away just this once and I promise, that if I'm wrong I won't make you battle again.”

The Pidgeotto reached an apex and then swivelled around, throwing itself into a steep dive, almost rocketing downwards as the white sheen of quick attack exploded outwards from its rear.

Meowth growled, “Fine!” he shouted, “What'ya want me to do!?” he cast an eye towards the Pidgeotto, mere seconds had passed yet it got closer and closer. Forty feet, a moment later twenty and only picking up speed.

It took almost every ounce of willpower Meowth had to not just dive out of the way and make a run for it.

“Jump now!” Ash ordered.

At a mere five feet away, Meowth didn't think, he just obeyed. He jumped up, just high enough for the Pidgeotto to swerve in underneath him, swinging a glowing white wing. While he was above it, Meowth couldn't let the opportunity get away and pushed downwards, making sure to land squarely on the large avians back.

It squawked angrily, attempting to fling Meowth from its back by taking off into the air, but by then it was already too late, “Bite!” Ash shouted quickly, “Then Fury Swipes!”

Fangs glowing white, Meowth sunk his powered up teeth straight into the flying types neck. It shrieked loudly, and the sudden attack forced the avian to fall from the minor few feet it had managed to flap up to with its wings even with Meowth on its back.

Almost savagely, Meowth tore his fangs from the birds neck and rolled off its back, landing beside the downed bird. His claws erupted with bright white energy, and he almost marvelled in that moment at how much more powerful his attacks seemed after he applied the same advice Ash gave for using iron tail to his other attacks.

But, despite believing himself not to be a fighter, in this moment with him having the advantage over a large Pidgeotto, he couldn't allow it to go to waste.

The Pidgeotto screeched in pain again s his claws tore into its side, once, then a second time with his other paw, only to follow up with the first paw and begin clawing at the avian pokemon with a barrage of slashes.

Pidgeotto's wings exploded with power, throwing Meowth off balance and slightly away from the flying type. “Iron Tail!” Ash's voice rang out through the haze of combat in his mind.

On instinct, Meowth spun with the momentum of Pidgeotto pushing him back, streaming his energy into his tail, condensing it, making his tail as hard as possible.

He struck the Pidgeotto across the face with his now slightly glowing tail before it could make another move. Eyes rolling up into the back of its head, the bright energy left its wings and the large bird pokemon collapsed, unable to continue.

Meowth collapsed himself on his rear, breathing deeply and eyes wide, “I...won?” he said to himself blankly, barely even reacting, even as a slight white glow surrounded his form before dying away.

It hit him all at once and a jubilant cry left the feline pokemon's lips, jumping up instantly and pumping his paw in celebration, “I beat it!” he shouted with a laugh, “Oh geez I actually won a battle!”

He was swept up into his new trainers arms, both him and Pikachu laughing alongside him happily, “Damn right you did!” Ash cheered with him, “I told you didn't I?”

“Ya did!” Meowth agreed with a laugh, “Wow I can't believe it!”

About a minute later their celebrating died down and Meowth turned his eyes towards the downed Pidgeotto, taking in its ravaged and rather bloody side, injury caused by his own claws. “What about dis thing?” the cat scratch pokemon asked, his voice almost sounding worried.

For some weird reason, he didn't like the idea of leaving his opponent unconscious and injured like that.

Ash smiled, patting him on the head, “Don't worry about Pidgeotto,” the trainer said, unclasping an empty pokeball from his belt. Letting go of Meowth, he walked over and crouched beside the flyinhg type before gently bumping the pokeball against the downed bird.

Clicking open, the pokeball sucked the wild pokemon within. Once, twice and finally three times the pokeball shook in his grip before letting loose a loud ping and coming to a stop.

“Oh wow….” Meowth breathed. It just fully hit him. He defeated a wild and rather strong Pidgeotto, weakened it enough for his trainer to capture it.

That was actually pretty amazing. Maybe, just maybe he wasn't such a useless weakling after all.