My Pokémon Anime Journey | BOOK ONE: KANTO

Psyduck's Perplexing Adventure!

Ari, Misty, and Brock ran into unexpected trouble on Route 16.
The verdant location was marred by a ravine. Spearow and Fearow flew above the ravine, indifferent to the steep drop and raging river, but for Ari and friends, it posed a greater problem.
Ari watched the restless water slap against the walls of rock, as if angered by the enviroment which contained it. "I'm not anxious to get closer to there," she gulped.
"Eh-vee," Eevee agreed, scampering onto her Trainer's head.
"According to my map, there should be a bridge nearby," said Brock.
Misty pointed a little further down the ravine. "There!"
Upon closer inspection, the group realised the bridge was a wreck of crumbling wooden planks, strung together by worn ropes.
Ari whistled. "Age has not been kind."
"I've seen bridges just like this in a dozen movies," Misty said. "If that doesn't crumble the second we step on it, I'll become a Bug-type Trainer."
"Let's not test that theory." Brock consulted his map again. "It says here there's another bridge towards the other end of the ravine. It's right by a town, so it'll be better maintained."
"Let's not waste time here." Ari went to leave, but a yellow Pokémon emerged from the brush.

The Pokémon stared up at the three humans, its wide eyes perpetually baffled.
Ari used her Pokédex. Psyduck, the Duck Pokémon. A Water-type. Psyduck constantly suffers from a headache, which can grant it odd powers.
Psyduck waddled aimlessly, then, to the group's collective horror, started to walk straight across the bridge.
"How oblivious can you get?" Misty was flabbergasted.
Ari could see the mouldered bridge deteriorate with Psyduck's every step. "It's not safe! We have to help it."
Ari stepped onto the bridge. It swayed as if trying to throw her off. She could hear the feeble creak of the plank's final breath.
Psyduck was halfway across the bridge. Eevee shouted to the Duck Pokémon from atop Ari's head, but failed to catch Psyduck's attention.
Ari crept foward.
"Are we just supposed to watch her get herself killed?" Misty asked Brock.
"We can't put any more weight on that bridge," Brock replied. Even from a distance, Ari could discern that it was a struggle for him to keep his voice level.
Ari had almost reached Psyduck when she heard, as if amplified tenfold, the strained rope beginning to unravel.
"Ari!" Misty, her face dyed red, sprinted across the bridge. Ari picked Psyduck up, and passed him to Misty. As Misty grabbed hold of Ari's wrist, the bridge trembled, thrashed, and then-
SNAP!
The bridge broke clearly in two. Ari grabbed tight hold of a plank; splinters bit into her fingers, but inflicted no wound upon her resolve. Misty retained her grip on Ari, and inserted her feet between two planks. The two girls and two Pokémon dangled dangerously, their breaths loud, as if determined to be heard clearly one last time.
"Girls!" Brock called out.
"We're ok," Ari assured him. "For now... we need to go slowly." After making sure Misty was secure, Ari began to climb. Eventually, Eevee was able to hop onto the ravine's edge, and help pull her Trainer up.
Misty followed Ari up - but then Misty slipped, and everything happened almost too quickly to keep track of.
As Misty's foot missed the next plank, she was unsupported in the air for one terrible moment, letting out a shriek to match the gravity of her circumstance. Ari lunged, barely succeeding in grabbing Misty's wrist. But Psyduck slipped from Misty's grip, and as she looked down, a Poké Ball dropped from her bed, bonking Psyduck on the head. The Poké Ball bounced up, absorbing Psyduck as it rose. Misty grabbed it with her free hand; the ball quivered between her fingers before emitting the recognisable click.
"Come on!" Ari urged. Misty passed Ari the Poké Ball, then Ari pulled her up with both arms.

Everybody was safe and sound, but the girls were on one side of the ravine, and Brock the other. Brock tried using Onix as a bridge, the Rock Snake Pokémon couldn't stretch far enough- well, perhaps he could have, but Onix was clearly hyperventilating inside everytime he spotted the raging river below. So, shouting to be heard, everybody agreed to meet up at the other bridge, which would likely take another day's journey.
As Ari and Misty set off, Misty huffed. "Now I'm stuck with you."
"Meaning you weren't before?" Ari responded. "Oh, right, you weren't stuck with me - you just decided to endure this torture of your own free will."
"Did you just call yourself torture?" Misty asked smugly.
"Maybe I should clarify. I meant that it must be torture for you to stay in the shadow of someone far more talented."
As Misty's face boiled, Ari pressed Psyduck's Poké Ball into her hand. When Ari strode ahead, Eevee looked back with a sympathetic glance. Misty's grip tightened on Psyduck's Poké Ball.