The day after saying goodbye to Casey, Ash and his friends were traveling through a forest when they noticed something strange.
"What's going on? Why does it look so desolate all of a sudden?"
"It was a beautiful green forest just a moment ago."
Ash closed his eyes and spread his Aura Power. He confirmed that only this specific area was barren; the trees here had completely withered. He soon sensed something unusual nearby.
"This way!"
Ash opened his eyes and signaled the other two to follow him as he hurried forward.
They reached a massive, thick tree, easily as wide as five or six people holding hands. Several Heracross, each about 1.5 meters tall, were clinging to the trunk, contentedly drinking tree sap.
"Eek! What are those? Are they all bugs?"
Bugs were Misty's greatest fear. Back when Ash caught Caterpie in Viridian Forest, they had practically sprinted through the woods just to keep her from panicking.
"Those are Heracross, Misty. They're beetle-like Bug Pokémon, not fuzzy crawlies. There's nothing to be afraid of," Ash comforted her with a smile.
Misty took a closer look and nodded. "When you put it that way, I guess they're okay. They actually look kind of sleek."
Heracross, the Single Horn Pokémon. They are known for their gentle nature and incredible strength, specializing in thrusting their horn under an opponent's belly to toss them into the air.
As they watched, several Butterfree flew over. The Heracross not only allowed the Butterfree to feed alongside them but even moved over to give them the best spots.
"They really are gentle. That's sweet," Misty said. She wasn't afraid of Butterfree, as Ash had owned one before.
"So, why did this part of the forest become so desolate?" Brock wondered.
"We'll have our answer soon enough," Ash replied.
As if on cue, several Pinsir emerged from the shadows of the forest. Compared to the Heracross, Pinsir looked far more aggressive and fierce. Their arrival immediately frightened the Butterfree away. The Pinsir climbed into the canopy of the great tree, glaring down menacingly at the Heracross below.
"Heracross, don't just run away! You have to do something!" Misty shouted as she watched the Heracross retreat before the Pinsir's bullying.
However, the Heracross took flight, and just when Misty thought they were going to counterattack, they simply fled the area.
They just... left?
"I get it now," Brock said, realizing the situation. "The Pinsir moved in and drove the Heracross away. Because they lost their tree, the Heracross were forced to feed on the smaller surrounding trees. That's what caused them to wither."
"That's terrible! The Heracross are being such cowards!" Misty said, glaring at the Pinsir that had usurped the great tree.
"You're wrong, Misty," Ash said. "Being gentle doesn't mean being a coward. When the world is being destroyed, a hero will always rise."
Misty looked at him, confused. She didn't know that years ago, when a flock of Pidgeotto was threatened in Viridian Forest, Ash's Pidgeotto had evolved into Pidgeot to save them.
Pikachu suddenly noticed something. One of the Heracross that had fled was flying back toward the tree. This particular Heracross was noticeably larger than the others, and its eyes held a sharp, determined glint.
"That's him... the hero," Misty whispered.
The Heracross glanced at Ash before flying straight toward the tree.
Ash gave a soft smile. "Pikachu!"
"Pika!"
Ash and Pikachu followed right behind the beetle!
The Heracross beat its wings, and a white light began to glow from its massive horn.
"Wait, that's a Flying-type move... Aerial Ace!" Ash recognized the move instantly.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack!"
Flying-type moves were super effective against Bug-types. With Heracross's attack combined with Pikachu's blinding speed, the Pinsir were quickly driven off.
"Not bad!" Ash praised. He looked at the Heracross as it landed in front of him. "Here, have some of this."
Ash produced some Bug-type fodder he had just exchanged from the system mall. It was far more delicious than mere tree sap. The Heracross clearly enjoyed the treat.
With the Pinsir gone, the other Heracross and the Butterfree returned to the great tree. The "hero" Heracross looked at Ash for a moment, then began walking toward the depths of the forest, in the direction the Pinsir had fled.
"Is it going to settle the score with the Pinsir?" Misty murmured as she returned to Ash's side. "It really is a hero."
"I don't think it's looking for a fight," Ash said, signaling for Brock and Misty to follow. Pikachu hopped back onto his shoulder.
As they followed the beetle, Brock gave it some thought and agreed with Ash. "Misty, think about it. Why would those Pinsir come over here to steal sap in the first place?"
"Because Pinsir are aggressive Pokémon?" Misty guessed.
"Not necessarily," Ash said, shaking his head. "Pinsir look fierce and are certainly more aggressive than Heracross, but they are territorial. They wouldn't just invade another group's territory without a reason."
"If that's the case..." Brock followed the logic. "That means something must have driven the Pinsir out of their own territory first."
"Exactly," Ash confirmed.
With the heroic Heracross clearing the path, their hike was smooth until they reached a wide canyon. Heracross stopped at the edge and looked back at Ash.
Ash looked across the gap. "It looks like the Pinsir's territory is on the other side of this canyon."
"But how are we supposed to get across?" Brock asked, scratching his head. Charizard wasn't yet large or strong enough to carry people through the air.
Ash looked around. "Heracross, can you knock that large tree over? I bet you could do it."
"Heracross!" the beetle chirped, its eyes brightening. It stepped behind a tall tree.
Boom!
With seemingly effortless strength, the tree was pushed over, spanning the canyon and creating a perfect log bridge.
"That's amazing strength," Ash praised. He and Pikachu were the first to walk across.
Having mastered the basics of Aura Power, Ash's physical coordination already legendary among "True Pallet Townians" had been further enhanced. Walking across a log was child's play for him.
However, Misty, who was at the back of the group, hesitated.
"Hey! Don't go so fast!"
Ash looked back. Misty looked terrified. The log was round and slippery; one wrong step meant a lethal fall into the canyon.
Ash shook his head and walked back to her.
"Ash? What are you doing?"
Ash crouched down with his back to her. "Get on."
*Pikachu: 185/255*
🚨 Note: Consider supporting this story on Patreon.com/kleinmoretti to access 100+ advance chapters and 2 new chapters daily! (Full story bundles also available without a subscription).