The day after parting with Nana, Ash and his friends passed through a forest. Very quickly, they noticed something unusual.
"What's going on here? Why does it suddenly look so desolate?"
"Yeah, just a moment ago it was all lush and green."
Ash closed his eyes, letting his Aura spread outward. Sure enough, only this section of the forest had withered away, the trees all dried and dead.
Soon, he noticed something odd.
"This way!"
Ash's eyes snapped open. He called to the others and hurried forward.
They came upon a massive tree, so thick it would take five or six people to encircle it. Several Heracross, each nearly a meter and a half tall, clung to its trunk, drinking its sap.
"Ugh, what are those? Don't tell me they're all bugs!" Misty squeaked.
Of all things, she feared bugs the most. Back in Viridian Forest, when Ash had caught Caterpie, it was because of her phobia that they had rushed straight through.
"Those are Heracross, Misty. They're Bug-types, yeah—but not the fuzzy kind. They're beetle Pokémon. Don't be afraid." Ash smiled to reassure her.
Misty hesitated, then nodded. "When you put it like that… they actually don't look so bad. Kind of… neat, even."
Heracross. The Single Horn Pokémon. Gentle-natured but tremendously strong, they specialize in driving their horn under an enemy's belly and flipping it into the air.
As they spoke, a few Butterfree fluttered down. The Heracross not only let them join in sipping the tree sap, but even gave up the best spots for them.
"They really are gentle," Misty said, her fondness clear—Butterfree didn't scare her at all, especially since Ash had once raised one himself.
"But then, why has this part of the forest become so barren?" Brock frowned in thought.
"Let's wait and see," Ash said.
No sooner had he spoken than the answer arrived.
Several Pinsir emerged from the trees.
Compared to Heracross, they looked far more savage, their appearance fierce and menacing.
The Butterfree scattered in fright as the Pinsir climbed into the treetop, glaring down at the Heracross below.
"Heracross, don't just run away—fight back!" Misty shouted as the beetles retreated step by step.
But instead of attacking, the Heracross beat their wings—and fled.
"They ran…?!"
Brock's eyes lit up in realization. "Now it makes sense. The Pinsir drove the Heracross away from this big tree. That's why they were forced to sap the smaller ones around it—killing the trees and leaving this whole area barren."
"Ugh, so the Heracross are just cowards?" Misty said bitterly, glaring at the Pinsir lording over the tree.
"No, Misty," Ash shook his head. "Being gentle doesn't mean being weak. When the world is in peril, a hero will rise."
Misty blinked, startled by the conviction in his words.
Back in Viridian Forest, when a flock of Pidgeotto had been threatened, Ash's Pidgeotto had evolved into Pidgeot to protect them…
"Pika!"
Pikachu suddenly pointed. From the retreating Heracross swarm, one had turned back.
This one was larger than the others, with a sharper, keener gaze.
"A hero…" Misty whispered as she watched it.
The Heracross glanced briefly at Ash, then surged forward.
Ash smiled faintly. "Pikachu!"
"Pika!"
The two charged after it.
The Heracross flapped its wings, its horn glowing white.
"That's… Aerial Ace!" Ash immediately recognized the move.
"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"
Flying moves had the advantage against Bugs. Coordinating with Pikachu's speed, they swiftly drove the Pinsir away.
"Not bad," Ash praised as the Heracross landed before him.
"Here—this is for you."
From his system's exchange store, Ash produced Bug-type feed, just as flavorful as tree sap.
The Heracross clearly loved it.
With the Pinsir gone, the rest of the Heracross and Butterfree soon returned.
Ash's companion Heracross gave him one last look, then started walking deeper into the forest—toward where the Pinsir had fled.
Misty murmured, "Is it going after them? Really is a 'hero,' huh…"
"No—I don't think it's for revenge," Ash said, motioning for them to follow. Pikachu had already hopped back onto his shoulder.
Brock quickly pieced it together. "Misty, think about it. Why would Pinsir come all the way here for sap?"
"Isn't it because Pinsir are violent Pokémon?" she guessed.
"Of course not," Ash said firmly. "They may look fierce, and their temper is rougher than Heracross's, but they're territorial too. They wouldn't normally invade another's grounds without reason."
"Which means…"
Brock nodded in realization. "Something must've driven the Pinsir out of their territory, forcing them here."
"Exactly," Ash said.
Led by the Heracross, the group made good progress. Soon, they reached a canyon.
The Heracross halted at the edge, glancing at Ash.
"Looks like Pinsir's territory is across this gorge," Ash concluded.
"But how do we get over there?" Brock muttered.
Ash's Charizard still wasn't capable of carrying passengers in flight.
Scanning their surroundings, Ash's eyes landed on a giant tree nearby. "Heracross, knock that tree down. You should be strong enough."
"Heracro!"
With a gleam in its eyes, the beetle strode up to the tree.
BOOM!
With casual ease, it toppled the giant trunk, bridging the canyon as a log bridge.
"Incredible…" Brock breathed.
Ash praised the Heracross with a smile and led Pikachu across first.
With his Aura now partially mastered, Ash's physical abilities as the "Strongest Rookie" had been enhanced even further. Balancing across a log bridge was no trouble for him.
But Misty, trailing behind, froze up.
"H-hey, slow down, you guys!" she called nervously.
Ash turned back. Misty looked terrified—the log was round, and one slip meant plunging into the canyon below.
He sighed, walked back, and crouched in front of her.
"Misty, get on."
Pikachu: 185 / 255