ã€ŠPokemon: Radical Redux - Johto Arcã€‹


 Finally in Johto

    They were all on the ship, they left mainland Kanto a few hours ago and boarded a ship, it wasn''t as large as the S.S.Anne obviously but it was big enough for them to all stay on comfortably, especially since this would only take a few hours.

    They spent most of those hours just relaxing and enjoying the sea. Ash also found out that during the break Misty managed to get at least understanding with her Lapras, so he''ll at least train and battle for food sometimes when he feels like it, which just makes him feel like the new Charizard with that level of disobedience.

    But at least it''s not as bad as with Brock and Aerodactyl, unlike with Lapras, Aerodactyl is actively trying to hurt Brock at any given moment, the only reason it cooled down is because over the break they had, Brock beat the bricks of this thing.

    Other than that not much else, they allegedly did some extra training but other than Yellow he doesn''t really believe them, and that''s more or less how the trip went, along the way Ash introduced them to Lapras which everyone not named Brock and Yellow looked jealous about that he just found one.

    Misty also let out hers so that they could meet, but told Pikachu to be ready and shock him if anything happened.

    As soon as Lapras came out of his Pokeball, he looked around frowning with a scowl on his face as he saw Misty and other humans, then his visions was caught by another Lapras, it wasn''t clear if this was love, finally being able to see one of his own, or just surprised, but Lapras'' expression lightened when he saw her.

    ¡ª

    {a few hours later}

    The captain called out as they finally docked on land, "We are now here, welcome to Cherrygrove City, and welcome to Johto,"

    Everyone walked off and stretched finally, at that moment as soon as they were out Abra appeared again with Scizor and Scyther now that they didn''t have an Egg.

    Ash nodded, "Got everything you wanted to do?"

    They nodded so Ash returned them to their Pokeballs and strapped them back to his belt before turning over to Green and Gary, "So I guess we''re all getting hotels and going our separate ways,"

    "Probably," Gary said, "I''m going to go further ahead and both of you need to go to New Bark right, Green for Silver and you to go ask about Kurt,"

    "Seems about right," Green said crossing her arms, "But I was planning on just going now, I think I should be able to make it before midnight,"

    "I mean probably, New Bark town isn''t that far of a walk, if you fly over you should get there in like 3 hours I guess, maybe less," Gary said.

    Green smiled as she sent out Wigglytuff and grabbed her foot as she became a balloon and started flying away, "Alright then boys, I''ll be seeing ya, don''t have too much fun without me!"

    As she flew away Ash and Gary stood side by side, "you think she switched shorts because wearing a skirt was a bad idea while she flys like that,"

    "Oh almost definitely," Gary said, "But we both know she''ll never admit it, we''ll never let her live it down,"

    Ash chuckled agave a light punch at Gary''s shoulder, "By the way I''ve been meaning to ask, what''s up with you being alone, where are your cheerleaders, don''t tell me they left after you became number 2,"

    Gary rolled his eyes, "Uhh, don''t remind me, turns out I found out that they were hired to ''protect'' me by the mayor, Gramps'' brother,"

    Ash nodded, one thing he was surprised to learn when he got here was that Oak had 2 brothers, the town mayor and the postmaster. Which was wild to him, because that didn''t include Samson who was his cousin, not a brother, these were 2 completely different People.

    Thankfully when he did see them as a kid they weren''t monsters like the Professor, in terms of battling the mayor was worthless in a battle and the postmaster only had 1 Pokemon he could beat by the time he was at the third Gym.

    Probably for the best that they weren''t champion-ranked trainers like their brother. Kanto was already the one that produced the most and didn''t need more reason for other regions to think something was up with the water here.

    Ash nodded and smirked, "So in the end, remember what I said way back, golddiggers~"

    "Uhhh, I hate it when your right, but they didn''t stop because they didn''t get paid anymore, I told them to stop, if they weren''t genuine I didn''t need them," Gary said

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    Ash elbowed him again, "And you have a girlfriend now~"

    "You shut up you, Grace, and I haven''t made anything official," Gary said blushing

    "Come on, you like her and she likes you, it''s so painfully obvious, more than Pink," Ash said as Pikachu nodded laughing at Gary trying to deny it.

    "I hate you," Gary said as he walked off.

    Ash chuckled and waved him goodbye, "I know and I''m your best friend," then he walked back to his friends to sleep through the night, but first he had to call his mom since he made that promise.

    ¡ª-

    {The next day}

    Green arrived at New Bark first during the night and met with Silver, of which he was happy to see her since she was like an older sister, both figuratively and literally since she encouraged him to call her big sis.

    But that didn''t matter at the moment as after that she went over to his hotel and grabbed a room and got some much-needed sleep.

    The next morning when they got ready they checked out since Silver would be starting and according to what he told her, 2 other kids were also getting one today, but he didn''t know anything about them.

    As they were walking he explained everything, Green sighed, "Silver I swear you need to learn to be more sociable, you can''t just have us as friends, we aren''t always going to be around,"

    Silver sighed, "I know I should, but I''m just not used to it, talking to people I mean¡­"

    "But I mean you talk just fine with me, or Ash, or a lot of people we know, and I''m still not convinced you and Paul don''t have a psychic connection," Green jokes.

    "Those are different, they approached me, I pushed them out, and then they gave me a second chance¡­ even though I know that''s not a healthy way to start a friendship,"

    "Yeah, you do have a point," Green said bluntly

    Silver waited for a bit, "...And?"

    "And what, you''re right, that''s not a way to form relationships, the best thing other than us you had was those guys who called you ''boss'' and I''m not convinced all of them weren''t there just because you paid them,"

    "Err..well they chose to do that on their own¡­so I gave them some money...it''s not a big deal"

    "No, 5, the first 5, were there on their own, the next ones were there because you paid the first 5," Green said

    Silver sighed, "You know aren''t you supposed to make me feel better and encourage me I''m going to do better,"

    "Why?" Green said with a smile, "Besides, we both know that doesn''t work on you, besides isn''t it better if you learn like this,"

    Silver shook his head, and gave up, "Fine, I get it, but still some advice would be better than whatever you''re doing right now¡­I mean at least Ash would,"

    Green laughed, "Psssh, Ash, yeah right, he would do much worse, those little speeches he did when we were kids, they were good but they aren''t the norm, most of the time he takes nothing seriously, I think I only ever saw him serious 1 time, maybe 2 if you count the League."

    "Really is that bad?" Silver asked

    "Oh yeah, compared to how I''m treating you¡­. actually no it would be about the same, only I bully you like an older sister, he''d bully you as an older brother even though you''re older than him."

    Silver shook his head, "I see, well then c-" Then he stopped as he saw something in the corner of his eye, something blue.

    Green noticed Silver stop, and also stopped, "Hey what''s up?"

    Silver walked over and went into an alleyway where he saw something ruffling in the trash, as he got closer he looked down and saw a small blue crocodile munching on whatever food there was, it was a Totodile.

    Silver looked confused and went down to grab it, it tried to bite him but he dodged and grabbed it by the back of its neck and held it out, Totodile looked up at him curiously.

    Green walked over, "Wow a Totodile? And out here, good catch, those are crazy rare in the wild."

    Silver nodded but looked confused, "What''s it doing out here, does it have an owner or something, was it abandoned?"

    Green shrugged and handed Silver a Pokeball, "Check,"

    Silver took it and tried pressing it on Totodile, but the defense system that captured Pokemon had activated and a thin forcefield appeared around Totodile, preventing him from being caught.

    Silver shook his head, "Seems like it belongs to someone," as he did Totodile got a good sniff of him and stopped trying to struggle now just looking at him expectantly.

    Green looked cursorily, "Aww, looks like he likes you,"

    Silver rolled his eyes as he now held the Totodile closer ready to pull back if it tried to chomp, but it didn''t instead it just looked up at him.

    As they walked out of the alley, Green held her hands behind her head looking at the Totodile curiously, "Well what should we do with it, should we take it with us to the Lab?"

    Silver was still holding the Totodile, and nodded, "Seems like we should, what if we-"

    "Stop Thieves!" another voice called out,

    When Green and Silver looked over they saw a boy on a skateboard, he had a red jacket and a yellow and black hat on his head as he approached them, this was Ethan, or just Gold if you knew him from the Manga.

    Ethan stopped in front of them and pointed at them, "Stop right there, that Totodile doesn''t belong to you!"

    "Aibo!" Then he threw out a Pokeball releasing an Ambipom that clenched his tail fists ready for an order.

    "Hey, we aren''t th- we aren''t Pokemon Thieves, we found this Totodile in the alley!" Green said positioning herself in front of Silver as a hand went to a Pokeball

    "A likely story, just because you have a pretty face doesn''t mean you''ll get away that easily, now hand over the Totodile and come with me or we''ll have to do things the hard way!"

    Green frowned at how he was acting, she was willing to just hand over the crocodile but now she was annoyed, "Listen, we didn''t steal this Totodile, and besides that, we found this Totodile in the alley so you can either let us go or we can do things the hard way,"

    "Is that a threat, i know it that pretty face of yours hides a nasty personality, Aibo get ready!" Ethan said as the Ambipom got ready.

    Green frowned and pulled out a Pokeball, "Silver watch closely I''m going to give you a crash course in schooling overconfident narcissists," she said as she threw out Nidoqueen.

    "Aibo use [Low Kick]" Ethan called out as the Ambipom ran forward, his two tail arms charging red as he aimed for Nidoqueen''s feet.

    Green smiled, "Too easy, [Ice Punch] on the ground!"

    Ethan was surprised by the sudden attack and as Nidoqueen punched the ground the floor around her was covered in a thin sheet of ice making Aibo slip and unable to continue as he flew passed.

    "Now [Earth Power]!" Green commanded, taking advantage.

    Nidoqueen stomped her foot on the ground as the sheet of ice cracked and shattered. A surge of energy flowed through the ground and exploded under Aibo sending it flying high.

    Ethan was surprised, "Aibo no!"

    As Aibo fell to the ground and got back up, Green looked at them, "I can see, both of you are strong, infact you might be as strong as me in terms of raw power, but I can see it, you have no creativity."

    Ethan flinched at that, "H-hey, is this a lecture or a battle!"

    "Tell me, have you ever been in a serious battle," Green said

    "Y-yeah, plenty, I battle my friends all the time!" Ethen defended himself

    "Really, and is that it, no wonder, you''ve been fighting comfortably, you haven''t had to change how you fight for more than just your friends," Green said crossing her arms

    Green looked back at Silver, "Silver remember, battles aren''t about who has the strongest Pokemon, they are much more complicated than that, if you fight with brute force you''ll never reach your full potential,"

    Silver and Totodile looked at each other then back at Green and nodded in unison.

    Ethan felt like he was being ignored, and as much as he didn''t want to admit it he was a bit of a show-off, "Hey don''t ignore me, Aibo use [Return]!"

    Aibo used one of his handtips to throw himself into the air and then got close to Nidoqueen sending a double punch at her, and even though they connected and Ethan celebrated, Nidoqueen took it and showed no reaction.

    Green frowned as she swiped her arm, "Nidoqueen let''s finish this, use-"

    But before she could say something a web came out of nowhere and wrapped Nidoqueen''s hands together and tied Aibo up before picking him up and gently taking him back to Ethen

    Then as they looked up they saw Ash sitting there on a rooftop with Abra on one shoulder, Pickchu on another, and Beedrill flying over,

    He looked down and frowned at them like a father, "I think that''s enough, both of you stop fighting."

 3 Johto kids

    [You are probably wondering how Ash was here, welll¡­.]

    Last night, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Yellow went to get a hotel and had a good night''s sleep, then Ash woke up and had Abra teleport to where Green was to mark a place, then she went back for Ash, and that''s it, that''s how one gets in this situation.

    Anyway, Ash was now breaking up the fight that quite literally happened for no reason, he jumped down from his spot and walked to the center of their battle.

    "You two are acting like children, why did you decide to fight in the middle of town," Ash said

    Green immediately spoke up, "Hey, it was self-defense, he attacked us first!"

    "And that was a reason to [Earth Power] the ground," Ash said, pointing to the new cracks on the road caused by her attack.

    Ethan spoke up, "Well, I was trying to stop these Pokemon thieves from getting away, they stole that Totodile that was supposed to go to one of the trainers leaving today!"

    Ash listened, then looked back at Green and Silver, seeing the Totodile, and sighed, "Now, what''s your side,"

    "We found this Totodile here in the alley," Silver said, "We didn''t steal anything,"

    "A likely story! That seems like something a Pokemon thief would say!" Ethan said, "And who are you, why did you get in the way!"

    "I got in the way because you idiots were doing a lot of property damage for fighting in the middle of the road. You''re lucky it''s so early, or some people would be out, and best case, you guys get reported."

    "W-well, it doesn''t matter, I''m on a mission, I need to recover that Totodile!!"

    "You know we said we were going to take the Totodile to the lab, right!" Green yelled out, but Ethan was dead set at the moment.

    "So, who are you, and are you going to help me or stand in my way from completing the mission the Professor gave me!" Ethan said, holding out a new Pokeball.

    Before Ash could say something, Green came up and grabbed Ash, pulling him to her side, "Isn''t it obvious he''s my boyfriend, and he''s here to protect me~"

    Ash just looked down at her, doing the disgusted Tanjiro face as she mouthed the words, ''Sorry''

    Ethan frowned, "I see, then that means you''re going to stop me, which means you''re an Accomplice as well, oh then," Ethan said as he spun the Pokeball in his hand, "Then let''s b- Gah!"

    Suddenly, before Ethan could throw out that Pokeball, a small stone came up and hit him on the head, and a girl''s voice called out, "Ethan! Stop being an idiot!"

    Over where it came from, a blue-haired girl was bouncing another rock on her foot like it was a soccer ball, ready to kick it again, it was Kris,

    "W-wha, but Kris, I''m trying to get the stolen Pokemon!" Ethan tried explaining himself as Kris kicked the other small rock, hitting him on the head again.

    "You ran out before the Professor told you, you idiot, that Pokemon wasn''t stolen it ran away!" Kris said as she started walking up, seeing everyone else and the destruction caused by the earlier battle.

    "*sigh* you got yourself into a fight, didn''t you, you idiot," Kris said as she came up and punched Ethan on the head.

    "OW ok, ok, yeah I did, but in my defense, I thought I was doing the right thing I''m sorry," Ethan said, rubbing his head.

    Kris sighed and then saw that Silver had the Totodile she walked up to him and smiled at him, "Hello there,"

    Silver was momentarily stunned, but he managed to speak still, "Uh, hi¡­ I''m Silver,"

    "Kris, it''s a pleasure to meet you, unfortunately, that idiot behind me is my friend, and he was coming after that Totodile you have, you see it''s supposed to go to one of the new trainers that are going to come today to start their journey, so do you mind if I can get it back?"

    Silver nodded and held out Totodile, but Totodile seemed to not want to let go and was holding onto Silver''s arms as Kris grabbed it by the feet. It took some pulling, but eventually, Kris managed to pull the crocodile off Silver as it started chomping.

    Kris frowned as Totodile tried chomping her, so she threw the crocodile at Ethan, "Here you carry it, Mr Hero,"

    Ethan barely caught it but immediately got chomped on the arm, "YOWCH!"

    As that was happening in the background, Kris looked at everyone, "Again, sorry for the trouble he caused, he has a good heart, just a stupid brain,"

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    "I hear that, I have a friend who is the same," Green said, smirking at Ash.

    Ash rolled his eyes, "I know you''re not talking about me because last time I checked, I had better grades than you when we were in school, or do I need to remind you how you begged to help you cheat so you could pass,"

    "Hey, it''s not my fault I knew you would help me out. Besides, I made it up to you,"

    Ash sighed and looked back at Kris, "Whatever, anyway, it''s fine, but you better go that Totodile is trying to eat your friend''s head,"

    As Kris looked back, she saw that Ethan was jumping around, trying to pull off the Totodile from his head as he was also running into objects.

    She sighed, "Yeah, sorry again, I have to get these two back to the lab and don''t worry about the property damage, I''ll tell the Professor he''ll take care of it after probably not scolding Ethan as he should."

    With that, she came over and, grabbed Ethan''s wrist and dragged him away as she waved goodbye, and they all waved her bye as well.

    As she did, Ash and Green looked back and saw that Silver was still waving her bye for a few seconds longer, both Ash and Green looked at each other and smiled.

    Green sneaked next to Silver, "Ohh, what''s up you, you''re acting differently,"

    Silver flinched, "Uhh, no, I''m just thankful that she cleared up that situation with that guy,"

    "But you never act so, let''s say, nervous like that infact this is the first time I''ve seen you nervous," Ash added fuel to the fire.

    "That-"

    Green gasped overdramaticly, "Don''t tell me you like her!"

    Silver''s eye twitched, but he didn''t deny it, so Ash continued, "Oh, You totally do, never thought the day would come where our Edge lord would have a crush,"

    Green''s eyes sparkled, "Oh, the pain an older sister feels when her little brother will be taken by another girl, but I''ll accept it, just be sure to make me an Aunt soon~"

    Silver started walking away, as a faint blush could be seen on his cheeks, Ash and Green laughed as they held onto each other for support.

    After a moment, Green looked over at Ash, "Hey, by the way, I just realized you''re here didn''t you plan on staying at the other town,"

    "Oh, while you were traveling, I got a good night''s sleep, and I sent Abra over once you got here," Ash said smugly as they walked after Silver.

    "That''s just cheating, you bully," Green said with a deadpan face

    "Hey, don''t hate the player hate the game,"

    Green pouted at him, frowning, "I demand compensation for my suffering,"

    Ash waved her off, "Sure, fine, I''ll buy everyone lunch if you want, but I''m gonna go get everyone else, you wanna meet up at the lab?"

    Green''s eyes lit up, "I''ll hold you to that, and sure,"

    ¡ª-

    A while later, Ash got Abra to bring the other 3, Misty and Brock chose to go explore the town since this was their first time outside of Kanto, for the most part anyway. Brock did come to Johto once, but that was more for gym leader duties,

    Meanwhile, Yellow decided to go with Ash to go see Silver since she remembered him, and what they had can almost be called a friendship, it was more of two introverts in the middle of a school of extroverts.

    As they got to the lab, they walked in since Ash also needed to talk to Elm, not just see Silver off, and as he did inside, he saw seven people already inside, there were the People he knew: Green, Silver, and Professor Elm.

    But then there were also the people he knew about but didn''t know personally. Like Kris, Ethan, Vincent, and then there was Lyra.

    As soon as they walked in, the attention was on them, and Yellow reflexively hid behind Ash as they walked in, they each had their own reactions: confusion, shock, and interest from a certain girl,

    Elm''s eyes lightened up, "Oh, Ash! It''s you. I hardly recognized you, and Yellow is behind you, too,"

    Ethan looked at the Professor, "You know them too?"

    "Yeah, I met them all once back when they were kids, it''s a shame you 3 were just barely older otherwise, I would have recommended you all go to Kanto as well to study with them."

    Ash walked in and smiled as he came closer to the Professor, "Yeah, it''s great to see you, you seem to be doing well, I heard from the Professor you''re married now,"

    Elm smiled, "And with a kid on the way!"

    With that, everyone except Ash looked shocked and collectively said, "EHHHH!!!"

    Ash and Elm looked at everyone, Ash looked at them, "What did you expect, he studied Pok¨¦mon breeding, did you think he didn''t know how to have kids? I''m more surprised it took so long,"

    Elm chuckled, "Well, I think that''s enough of that for now, but right now, we only have 2 of the three kids that will receive their Pokemon,"

    Ethan scratched his head and looked at Silver again, "Sorry again, I didn''t know you were one of the people getting a Pokemon today."

    Ash noticed him say that, "Why do you say that did something else happen,"

    Ethan looked embarrassed, but Lyra spoke up this time, "Oh, it''s nothing, it''s just as soon as he came in, Ethan there may or may not have tried to kick him out because he thought he came to Steal a Pokemon,"

    Kris elbowed Lyra in the side, "Not the time to be cheeky,"

    Lyra rubbed her side, "Ow, sorry, but it''s true, sis, your boyfriend tried kicking him out,"

    "First, he''s not my boyfriend. I''m not dating anyone, and you know that second, just because he did something stupid doesn''t mean you have to call it out,"

    Elm chuckled, seeing those antics he''s all too familiar with, "Don''t mind them, that''s how they bond, siblings sure are wired like that,"

    Ash shrugged, "I wouldn''t know, only child here,"

    "Right, anyway, while we wait for the last new trainer, the Professor said you had some business for me, we can st-"

    Suddenly, the door to the lab was kicked open, and from it, an energetic girl with purple hair came marching in wearing baseball clothes and a jacket that was about two sizes too big for her, she came in chanting a chant from a baseball team.

    "If you think you''ll win the game You are in for quite a shock, Electabuzz will electrify And then will rule and rock..."

    As she came in, she finally noticed she wasn''t the first like she thought, she was the last, "W-what! I came in last¡­.no, this can''t be," it was Casey.

    Lyra elbowed her friend and teased her like she always does, "Yep, in last, just like the Electabuzz~"

    Casey shook her head and slapped her cheeks, "It doesn''t matter! I won''t give up then; I''ll just have to be better, just like the Electabuzz!"

    Yellow leaned over to Ash and Green, Chuchu still on her shoulder, looking strangely, too, "Do you guys know what she''s talking about,"

    "I think it has to do with Baseball, but I never really got into it that much," Ash said as Pikachu nodded, still on Ash''s shoulder, as he considered going back in the backpack.

    "Pika¡­."

    As soon as he said that, Casey''s ears perked up as she looked over and saw Ash and Yellow with their Pikachus, without a word, she ran up and grabbed them, looking excited,

    "Oh my gosh! Pikachus! And there are 2 of them, oh look at their soft fur and that beautiful color *gasp* don''t tell me are these two together are they gonna make a Pichu soon, ohh I want to see that!!"

    Pikachu and Chuchu blushed at the mention of that as their cheeks started sparking from embarrassment.

    Elm recognized that they got stimulated, which meant they were about to shock Casey, "Casey, no quick, put them down!"

    But Casey didn''t listen as she was too amazed by the mice then, as they were about to shock her, Ash came over and grabbed them both as they released their electricity at Ash.

    Everyone was worried, but after seeing Ash was fine, they calmed down, Ash put Chuchu back in Yellow''s arms and showed his gloves, "Electric proof gloves, don''t think too much about it, you should be careful, I''ve gotten shocked enough to get used to it, your not."

    Casey scratched her cheek in embarrassment, "Sorry, I was just so excited seeing a Yellow and black Pokemon,"

    After Elm calmed his own nerves, he looked up, "Well then, after that minor heart attack, how about we start? There are 3 of you that need your first Pokemon."

    Elm went to a shelf and, brought out a tray and pressed the buttons on each, releasing a Cyndaquil, Totodile, and a Chikorita.

    But as soon as they did and before Elm could call on someone to choose, Totodile saw Silver and immediately jumped at him, he still remembered him, and he was snuggling against him.

    Silver was surprised as the Totodile showed affection as everyone chuckled, and Elm spoke, "Well, it seems like Totodile likes you, why don''t you take him then,"

    Silver pulled Totodile off his face and looked at the croc, "Fine, I don''t hate this¡­"

    Kris walked over and grabbed the Pokeball before leaning down to Silver and handing it to him, "That means we started with the same Pokemon then,"

    Silver took it but didn''t quite look Kris in the eyes he just nodded. Meanwhile, Lyra and Casey looked over the last 2, and after a moment, they decided

    "I chose Chikorita! X2," they said in unison, only after did they realized they wanted the grass type.

    "So I was here first, you should get to choose last!" Lyra said

    "Hey, I should get the Chikorita! You have your sister to help you. I need all the help I can get!" Casey responded

    As they argued, Elm chuckled and put Cyndaquil back in its Pokeball, "Both of you relax,"

    He went back on the shelf and grabbed another Pokeball, releasing a second Chikorita, "You can both get it, I''m more than prepared for all of you,"

    they immediately stopped arguing and instead talked about who should get which. Chikorita, Ash and Green looked at each other, then back at Elm.

    "Can you be our Professor instead!"

 The After Party

    After it was decided who got what Chikorita, they all looked at their new partners happily, Ethan, Kris, and Vincent were watching everyone intently; it reminded them of last year when they tried going on their journey.

    They did cut it short because Kris needed a reality check after¡­.''The incident, but after a few kind words from her friends, a few slaps from her mother to knock some sense into her, and going back into the Mountains to train, she was good to get back and catch Pokemon, getting her spirit back.

    Ash stood next to Yellow as Elm gave out the Johto model Pok¨¦dex to the newbies. Lyra went back to her sister Kris, looking excited, and she smirked, "Hey, sis, now that I have my Pokemon, be careful, or I might be able to beat you closer than you''d expect."

    Kris rolled her eyes and took Lyra''s hat to ruffle her head, "Come on, you idiot, you know I''m not battling, no duh, you''re gonna catch up to me eventually, but just because you are don''t mean I plan to make it easy for you,"

    As they chuckled at that, Green came over and grabbed Silver in a headlock, "Hey, I hope you don''t plan on acting that way towards me~"

    "Gah- ok, ok, I won''t talk like that to you, come on, let me go," Silver said as he was getting held by Green, and Totodile was literally in his face.

    As they chuckled, Ethan shuffled over to Ash, "Hey dude, I don''t mean to judge, but are you ok with your girlfriend being so ''friendly'' with another guy?"

    Ash rolled his eyes as Green stopped and started laughing, "I see she didn''t clear things up, ok first, she isn''t my girlfriend, I don''t have a girlfriend, she said that so I would step in to take care of you because I''m stronger than her and she beat you pretty easily,"

    "Second, even if I was dating her, why would I be insecure about that? Besides, they have a more brother-sister relationship," Ash said

    "...Huh¡­ So she''s single, is what you''re saying?"

    Silver glared at him, "Don''t you dare even think about it going after my sister!"

    Ash shook his head and just let them argue, ''I guess even here, Silver is gonna hate him,''

    After a while, Kris stepped in and pulled the two apart; she suggested they should all go celebrate since three more trainers were going on their journey, which they agreed to, and Ash, Green, and Yellow were also invited.

    Lyra was the one to suggest Ash join them, she came over and stood next to Ash, "So what do you say? Up for a party!" she said, giving a wink.

    "Sure, but I''ll have to catch up, I have some business with Elm," Ash explained as he walked over to Green and Yellow.

    He pulled out his card and was about to hand it to Green, "Here you ca-" but he stopped himself and then changed his mind, giving it to Yellow instead, "Here, Yellow, and find Brock and Misty to see if they''ll join you guys."

    Yellow took it and nodded, holding the card close, "Alright!"

    With that, Ash walked back over to Elm while everyone else left the Lab, as they left, Vincent went over and grabbed Ethen on the shoulder, "So you like the new girl, right, ok then, I''ll support you, and don''t worry I''ll take care of Kris~"

    Ethan rolled his eyes and elbowed Vincent in the stomach, "You wish, dude, I ain''t giving up, besides you heard Lyra, she thinks I''m Kris'' boyfriend, so I''m better,"

    As that started a back and forth between them, Yellow was trying to text Misty and Brock so that they could meet up, while she was distracted, Green turned to everyone, "So, do any of you know a good place?" she held up the card Ash gave to Yellow, "Its Ash''s treat~"

    Yellow flinched, realizing that Green had the card, and panicked, "W-wha, Green, but Ash gave me that. I was only supposed to pay for you and me and Misty and Brock!"This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "Well, technical, he didn''t say that, he gave it to you to pay, right~" Green said, nudging Yellow.

    "W-well¡­I guess, but we know what he meant."

    "Hey, I can''t read minds, besides he said he was going to pay for my lunch, so I''m inviting everyone, and he''s Paying for it~"

    "B-but-"

    "Come on, Yellow, in all seriousness, do you really think Ash didn''t think this would happen when he gave you his card instead of Cash," Green said

    "... ok, but still, it seems wrong," Yellow said, rubbing her arm nervously.

    "So just make it up to him for letting the evil Green steal the card he gave you," Green laughed.

    "So it''s decided, let''s go find someplace nice!" Green announced.

    ¡ª-

    Back with Ash, he sat down across from Elm as they finally got a moment to talk, Elm came back with a kettle as if offering to make tea, Ash shook his head, "No thanks, this won''t take that long, and you know it,"

    Elm chuckled and still put the water to boil, "I suppose you have a point, though I have to ask, you gave your card away, aren''t you scared they''ll spend more than you think,"

    "Oh, I know they will, Green probably already stole it from Yellow and is announcing she''ll invite everyone, but I don''t care, not like I''m short on money, winning the Indigo League gave me a lot of Cash," Ash said

    "Yes, I suppose it would, although a little tidbit: none of them know you are this year''s winner, most people in Johto don''t, and most people don''t watch another League other than their own unless someone they know is in it,"

    "That''s what I''m hopping on; I''m tired of wearing a mask every time I want to get lunch over in Kanto, tho thankfully, by the time I''m done here, that should die down,"

    "I suppose, but you caused quite a storm with your performance, you and Gary both, I don''t think there ever been a case where the entire arena has been destroyed as a side effect of the battle."

    "Maybe, but no point in calling it out now. Besides, I''m here to win the Silver Conference, you know my trophy shelf is looking pretty lonely with just one," Ash chuckled.

    "Well, I suppose with your strength, you should be able to do it easily, although the Professor told me about how you are planning on restarting for this,"

    "Yeah, what''s the point, it''s no fun if I know I can just win, maybe I''ll call them out once I''m there, but I left a few of them back with Oak for the time being,"

    "Well, in that case, do you want a new starter," Elm said, pointing at his shelf of Pokeballs, "I have plenty, you can have one since you''re restarting,"

    "Thanks, but no, I''d rather find my own Pokemon for now, besides I already have plans on having all 3,"

    "Oh, you did your research, that''s impressive, most people still think that the Pokemon we Professors give out are not found in the wild, which technically is true since we specifically breed the starters to give every kid an equal chance."

    "Yeah, I get that, as a kid, I used to think they were like legendary Pokemon and that having 2 of them was already a show of how special you are. Color me surprised when I ran onto a clan of Squirtle chilling in my backyard when I was 5,"

    Elm chuckled "Sounds like a fun story, but I think we''re off topic a bit, you said you had some stuff to talk to me about,"

    "Right, well, I assume that Professor Oak already informed you more or less about most of it, so I''ll cut to the chase," Ash said, to which Elm nodded.

    "I''ll start with the start, you see¡­."

    ¡ª-

    {About an hour later}

    Everyone was at a nice restaurant; Yellow managed to meet up with Brock and Misty, so now ten people were sitting at a table enjoying themselves.

    Although Yellow was the least enthusiastic of them since she still felt guilty that she let Green take Ash''s card and paid for everyone''s meal with it,

    As they were eating, they were talking about stuff, and it eventually led to their Kanto Adventure and, eventually, Ash.

    "Wait, so you''re telling me that cute guy not only participated in the Indigo League but also won it?" Lyra asked

    "Yep," Green confirmed, leaving everyone more shocked, "He won, and I only ended up getting 3rd place of all things,"

    "Jeez, no wonder you''re so strong," Ethan said, "How much stronger is he than you if you don''t mind me asking,"

    "Well, that''s pretty tough to say in terms of training. I''m only a little bit better than him, but he makes up for it in battles and how creative he gets. The main thing, though, is that he is smart, really smart, but he acts like he isn''t."

    "Wow, really, it seems like he is a walking cheat code, I wouldn''t have ever guessed, he doesn''t look like the serious type, I thought he was a slacker like my two friends here," Kris said, pointing at Ethan and Vincent.

    "That''s how he gets you. He pretends that he never pays attention and that he never takes anything seriously, but when he does, you don''t want to be the one that made him go serious," Misty said

    "Yeah, he made plans specifically to counter each of the Gyms weeks before he actually took them down, he actually has a notebook with ideas and plans he always keeps with him," Brock added.

    "Yesh, sounds like he''s either overly cautious or completely crazy about that," Vincent said

    Casey was too busy trying to feed Chuchu something, so she wasn''t paying attention. Meanwhile, Yellow still had a complex expression until she felt her hat fall in front of her face.

    When she fixed it, she saw that Ash snuck up without any of them noticing and pushed her hat down, "Hey, why the long face, Yellow, you know you''re never fully dressed without a smile,"

    Ash hopped over the booth and sat in the center, grabbing a menu, then he held his hand out to Green as he looked at the Menu.

    Green tried playing it off, "Oh, you know, if you wanted to hold my hand, you could just ask~"

    "No, my card, give it," Ash said, not looking away from the menu.

    "Whaaaatttt, but you gave it to Yellow why would I have it," Green said, feigning incident.

    "Because I know you, and I know you paid for everyone with my card, I don''t really care, so can you just give it so I can get something," Ash said

    Green sighed and gave Ash his card back, "You know it''s no fun when you always know exactly what I''m going to do,"

    "And you''re no fun when you try to steal my stuff, so your point?" Ash said, putting in his order, "Besides, I let you buy everyone lunch with my card, didn''t I,"

    Green mumbled, "I can never get a rise out of you,"

    "Why do you people want to see me angry so much? I promise it''s not as good as it sounds,"

    "I dunno, why do people want to see the pyramids, cuz you don''t see it every day why else," Misty added.

    "Please, if you guys want to see me angry, you''re going to have to do more than just use my money,"

    "Well anyway, what did you and the Professor talk about?" Kris asked, trying to change the topic, "Not much, just some¡­let''s say business I had with him, we had to exchange some notes per say."

    "....well that''s not ominous at all,"

 Strange Change

    {With AshTwo}

    Ash was back in the town where Akihabara lived in; he sat at the table reading through research papers Akihabara had lying around while Akihabara was getting ready putting on a suit.

    "You know you could have called ahead of time, you caught me just as I was getting ready to go on a date with Joy," Akihabara said as his robot fixed his tie.

    "Oh, you and Joy are officially going steady, congrats," Ash said as Meowth was napping on his lap, "But in my defense, you never pick up my calls."

    "Hey, maybe you have a point, but after everything that''s happened, I hate to say it, but I trust you now," Akihabara said begrudgingly.

    Ash chuckled. "Aww, are you admitting I''m your best friend, Aki~,"

    Akihabara sighed, "Don''t push it, but I''ll say we are friends, afterall I got you, Porygon, and you helped me out with the Aster situation,"

    "Don''t forget I gave you a lot of money, like a lot lot," Ash added

    "Right, well, that too, but still, thanks, it''s a shame our operation is over now that our deal is done,"

    Ash chuckled and walked up to him, "Yeah, shame, but you still got a lot, and now that you have the Porygon plans, you''ll get it back and more soon enough, besides you still got one more," Ash said as he gave him a card.

    "Thanks, and yeah, probably, but I hate to admit it, but this has been a fun experience," Akihabara said as he finished getting ready and took the card, "Also, do you want the upgrade we talked about?"

    "Yeah, sure, why not," Ash said as Meowth jumped up on his shoulders, "What is it anyway?"

    Akihabara went to his computer and pulled up a model it was Porygon, but not one Ash was familiar with, "This is the upgrade for Porygon those eggheads over in Sinnoh have been working on, they call it Porygon3,"

    "But it is purely in theory. They haven''t used their own Porygon to test it, so there''s no way to know if it would work, so do you want to try it?"

    Ash took a moment to think, but after a moment, he opened his eyes and nodded, "Alright, let''s do it, Aki,"

    Akihabara pressed a few buttons on his computer, and then, after a moment, a purple disk came fresh off the press, and he held it out.

    Ash let out Porygon2 as Akihabara inserted the disk in the place where its mouth was after some processing, the Windows XP loading sound played for a bit, and then Porygon2 started glowing.

    Porygon2 started changing as it began to grow and stretch, but then, about halfway through the windows, an XP crash sound played as the glowing started shifting the body back, leaving it only halfway.

    As the glowing disappeared, there was not Porygon2 or this so-called Porygon3, now floating in front of them was Porygon-Z.

    Akihabara blinked in surprise as he looked over at Porygon-Z, "This is...I don''t even know what to say¡­"

    Ash was also slightly confused but less than Akihabara, "What happened? It looks like it crashed, or maybe there was a virus on it,"

    "That''s not a bad theory," Akihabara said thoughtfully, "This was never tested, so there''s no telling this version of Porygon it looks like... a glitch¡­ May I?"

    Ash nodded as Porygon-Z jumped into Akihabara''s computer and he pulled up its code to look it over, "It''s strange; it looks like Porygon is fine, but something happened,"

    Ash leaned over Akihabara, looking at the computer, "What do you mean, will Porygon still be able to hack into Team Rocket''s computers?"

    Akihabara put his hand on his chin, "It looks like everything is fine. It should still be able to do that, and it seems like it is stronger, but it''s strange I don''t know how to describe it, whatever this is, this is not what Porygon3 was meant to be."

    "Hmm, well, do you think there would be a way to find out what happened, I''m not a scientist, but from what I can see, it looks like that up-grade your grave, Porygon might have been corrupted in some way."

    "That is a good theory," Akihabara said as he started typing things into his computer, then he put a USB into it, taking a fragment of Porygon-Z, "I''ll take this. I''ll get in contact with the researchers and see if we can find out what went wrong,"This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    Ash rubbed his chin; this was always one thing he was always curious about what happened with the original Porygon3, what did it glitch into Z, "Ok, then I''ll take Porygon and keep doing what I''m doing, I''ll contact you if I see anything strange or if it is unable to even function anymore."

    Akihabara nodded, "That''s good. I''ll try to find an anti-virus to potentially see if we can fix Porygon-. Well, I guess we can''t call it 3,"

    Ash smiled under his scarf, "Then how about Z, Porygon-Z,"

    "Hmm¡­I like it, alright then, let''s see if we can find the secrets of Porygon-Z!" Akihabara said excitedly as suddenly he heard a knock at his door, and he froze.

    He could hear one of his robots approaching the door as he started frantically fixing himself again, "ShootShootShootShoot, well, research can wait, I have my date!"

    Ash shook his head and helped Akihabara fix his tie, "Alright then, I''m off. I got deployed to Johto, but don''t worry, I can always get back,"

    Akihabara nodded as he looked at himself in the mirror, "I guess our cooperation isn''t over, huh D."

    "Nah, it isn''t Aki, now go get her tiger," Ash said, patting Akihabara on the back as he walked towards the back.

    ¡ª

    {In Kalos}

    Calem was a young boy; he liked Pokemon a lot, he especially loved his Kanga and Li''l Kanga, the Kangaskhan mother-and-son duo. Although he was too young to get his League license, he did have a trainer license, which are two separate things.

    Thanks to that, he entered the Kalos Junior Tournament, and despite having no formal training, he won, he beat people who were considered prodigies even if he was literally a no one, he had no connections to the professor, and his parents were almost always out on business trips.

    Call it luck, natural talent, or whatever, but he did it, and that made Calem excited, little did he know that was the worst mistake in his life.

    Since he had no connections to special people or parents around to advise him, adults saw their opportunity to exploit him in his innocence the press constantly followed him for interviews, the paparazzi took pictures of him everywhere he went, and recruitment agencies followed him every day.

    At first, Calem thought nothing of it and let them do what they did, posing and doing interviews, but that made things worse and attracted more, Adults started swarming him, using his status to exploit him to make money,

    It got bad every day he couldn''t go out, and what''s worse, his friends, Tierno, Trevor, and Shauna, were gone most of the time in another region, but during weekends and breaks a Alakazam would appear to drop them off and pick them up, it became a cycle.

    Calem asked them about their experiences, and they told him all about it, but as they did, he only thought one thing, ''I wish I got to go¡­''

    Then there was Serena; things were complicated; they were neighbors and friends along with everyone else, but a few years ago, something happened, it wasn''t big enough to say they had a falling out; they were still friends, and Serena''s mother Grace would regularly make him dinner since his parents were never around¡­but things were complicated¡­

    Then, one day, another Adult had him go to Lumiose City for a gig, since he was a kid and he was tricked into signing a contract, he couldn''t do anything thankfully, after this one, the contract would expire, and Calem knew better now, and he wouldn''t sign anything else.

    He powered through this last gig, after this, he was free and would go do his own thing. Maybe he would prepare for when he goes on his journey, or maybe he would do these jobs on his own terms, the thoughts excited him.

    But as soon as he finished, he was free, which wasn''t good because a lot of adults heard about it, now that he was done with that contract and wasn''t planning on renewing his old one, so many people wanted to try and take advantage.

    This led to Calem being chased by a mob of fans, press, and other agencies wanting to use him; he was running like his life depended on it because, in a way, it did, eventually, all that running led him to a building, he had no idea what it was he just saw there was no one inside so he ran in and immediately went to hide in the second floor.

    As soon as he was there, he could hear the mob outside. He sat down in one of the dark corners and, curled into a ball, and was barely holding back tears.

    "Why me¡­" was the only thing he could mumble over and over again as he waited, but he thought to himself that things would get better, he''d stay positive, and once he got home, he''d work on himself going outside every day.

    As he got his new resolve suddenly he heard something, the sounds of an eerie whine, he was scared as he looked around, finding nothing at every side then when he finally looked back in front of him, there was a Haunter that had a scary face and laughed.

    Calem''s face turned pale; he wanted to scream, but the wind left his mouth a long time ago, he was paralyzed in fear as he could fear tears flowing from his eyes.

    As he was paralyzed, the sound of a girl spoke up, "Stephen¡­ stop that, your troublemaker¡­."

    From the side, a girl with long, purple, messy hair and a black dress came up and grabbed the Haunter; Haunter scratched his cheek as the girl stared at him.

    Then the girl looked at Calem, she had heard about him. She came here specifically to see him in hopes he was the one she was looking for, and at the moment, she was¡­ disappointed, no, that''s not the right word.

    Calem, on the other hand, could not see the girl; the room was dark, and in combination with Haunter, he could only see a creepy silhouette staring down at him.

    Then the girl frowned and looked down at him, ".. No, you''re not the one. ... *SIgh*¡­"

    She turned around and started walking away as she went into the shadows, in one moment, she was there, and the next, like she never existed, leaving Calem shivering on the floor.

    Whatever semblance of a plan he had left to try and improve his situation was gone, he only thought of one thing, ''The world is Scary¡­ I want to go home¡­''

    ¨C

    Meanwhile, with the girl, she appeared in another area with her Haunter, sighing sadly, "Another fail Stephen¡­"

    Haunter came up and bumped her shoulder, "Jei Jei,"

    "Yeah, I know I have you¡­but you know I want something more¡­I want real friends..people who aren''t scared of me¡­that we can have fun," the Hex Maniac said

    "So this one was also a failure. Any other ideas?"

    Haunter thought for a moment, then he smiled mischievously and started turning his own gas body into shapes as he explained, "Jei Jei, Jei Jei, Jei Jei!"

    She heard everything and could understand him, but her face darkened hearing his suggestion, "What! Are you crazy, you stupid Ghost, how is that a good idea?"

    "Jei Jei," Haunter said, trying to explain himself.

    "No, I will not hear you out, that''s insane, chaotic, the most stupid idea I''ve ever heard¡­I love it let''s do it!"

    ¡ª--

    {Unknown location}

    A hooded figure, the same one as before, was holding the same piece of parchment, now it was much more clear what those two figures were, the one shadowy figure that had no real details was Giratina, and the other that seemed to look like a black figure with white smoke that looked very similar to his own robes, was Darkrai.

    He still smiled as he took off his hood, revealing his long blue hair, and smiled, he was Tobias, "It''s almost time," he mumbled.

    "Hey, Tobias!" a voice called out

    When he looked, there was a girl with white hair; she wore a hoody that seemed even more inspired by Darkrai, "Sister Persephone,"

    Persephone frowned, seeing Tobias here, "What are you doing here, the ritual is about to start, you are needed," she said coldly.

    "Of course, I was just reminding myself what we are after," Tobias said as he followed Persephone.

    After a short walk, they arrived in a large circular room with a sigil on the floor, Many of her people wearing similar robes as Tobias were lying on the ground, Tobias walked up and also laid down,

    Persephone walked up to the altar, "It is time, all of you will be sent to the Dream realm! What is your goal!"

    "To find the fragments of Darkrai!" all the people on the floor said

    "Yes, we will obtain Darkrai for our goals. We may not be able to get the original for now, but if we get at least 1, we will succeed!" Persephone said as the others shouted.

    "And if you can''t find or acquire Darkrai, then don''t bother coming out of the Dream Realm, or I will kill you myself!" she said coldly.

    In unison, all the people yelled out, "Right!"

    "Good, we will succeed, and do you know why!"

    "Because we are the Cult of Darkrai!" they said in unison as the ritual began, and soon they all fell into a deep sleep.

 Crystal what?

    A while later, Ash and the gang went their separate ways from the other gang; Green went off with Silver. Kris and Lyra went together since they were sisters, and Casey went off on her own, marching in victory as she kept singing her team''s song.

    Then there were Ethan and Vincent; they went on their own to race to try and qualify for the league first. They both already had two badges, and they wanted to beat the other one, although there was a subtle hint that Vincent was going to follow along with Kris while Ethan was more serious, even if he was also a goofball.

    Brock, Misty, Yellow, and Ash went their own way, mainly led by Ash since he knew where he wanted to go to get what, so they traveled through the day, and it''s worth noting that as of now, no one knows what Pokemon Ash caught in the Orange Islands.

    Once they finally stopped for camp and set everything up, Brock started bottle feeding Bonsly as he put his Egg safely in his bag next to him. Yellow let all her Pokemon out, and it looked like her Omanyte evolved into an Omastar over the break.

    Meanwhile, Brock and Misty''s teams didn''t change, but it looked like Misty got a Poliwag. But other than that, everything stayed the same.

    As for Ash, when they stopped for camp, he finally threw out his Pokemon, besides the ones he saved from Kanto to use now: Oddish, Zubat, Growlithe, and Vulpix.

    There was the Pokemon that caught them by surprise: Lapras, Snorlax, Togepi, and Fuecoco for obvious reasons, but with just that, it didn''t knock their socks off.

    Brock walked up next to Ash, "Looks like you got some good Pokemon, but a Snorlax? Are you sure we have the supplies for that?"

    "Yeah, don''t worry about it, still got that Oak Black card, we don''t have to worry about feeding this big guy," Ash said, patting Snorlax''s stomach as he was sleeping peacefully, as he did, his hand sunk inside, it was almost like memory foam.

    Obviously, they saw how soft it looked, so Yellow walked over and leaned on Snorlax, almost falling inside, "Wow, he''s so warm and soft¡­"

    Misty, upon seeing Yellow do that, went over and got on his stomach and relaxed, "Hey, you''re right, this feels nice¡­like a teddy bear¡­I could take a nap right here,"

    Ash and Brock looked at each other looking, concerned, "Well, that''s fine, but we''re going to make dinner. I don''t think you''ll want to be next to him then¡­"

    "Mhhh, I''ll deal with that later¡­just let me take a nap here¡­" Misty said as she started dozing off.

    Brock wanted to say something but stopped when Ash put his hand on his shoulder, "Don''t bother, let her live with what''s going to happen, anyway, I have one more Pokemon I wanted to show you." Ash said as Fuecoco was riding in his hood.

    Brock sighed helplessly but nodded, "Alright, what Pokemon is it? Can''t be any more impressive than a Pokemon from all the way from Paldea,"

    Ash smiled as he held up one more Pokeball, "Well, it''s an Onix,"

    Brock''s non-existent eyes lit up, "Oh really, an Onix, that''s great I can help you train it too, bring it out I want to see what we''re looking with!"

    Ash smiled and tossed it out as the light from the Pokeball released a large snake-like creature, but instead of the grey, rough, rocky skin it usually has, it had a light blue, shiny, and smooth crystal body.

    Immediately, Brock''s eyes opened in shock, his actual eyes, this is something he''s never seen, heard, or even dreamed of, "A-a-a-a-sh, that''s the Onix you''re talking about?"

    Ash smiled innocently, acting like nothing was wrong as he pat the big snake, "Yep, caught this big guy over in the Orange Islands, real interesting place, and this guy also loves water like yours,"

    Brock looked like his brain was about to fry, he only snapped out of it when Bonsly headbutted him because the bottle ran out, "Oof¡­ right thanks Bonsly¡­ so, Ash this Onix¡­ it¡­"

    "Yeah, it''s entirely made of crystal," Ash said casually, "Don''t know if it''s a new species or something, but that''s just how I found it,"

    Brock got Bonsly on his lap and just decided to sit down for a bit, Onix looked at Ash confused, thinking he did something wrong, Ash just shrugged back, "I dunno, he''s acting kinda weird, I guess I''m cooking for everyone alone,"

    Fuecoco looked excited, "Coco!"

    "Oh, you wanna help?" Ash asked, to which he nodded happily, "Alright, let''s get started," he said as he rolled up his sleevesThe narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡ª

    Later, as Ash was starting to prepare food, he set apart a big pot where he was making a large curry specifically only for Snorlax; you see, Snorlax train in a strange way..they don''t.

    The way they get stronger is entirely dependent on two things: the quality of food they eat and how much they have to eat. In the wild, they have to eat more, which you''d think would be better, but it''s not because it gives them less time to process the food.

    So, to train a Snorlax, it needs to eat and then sleep, and it will naturally get stronger, in fact, training it actually makes things worse, which also means the only real way to Ev train them is with Pokeblocks.

    As he was thinking that, Fuecoco lit up the fire to start cooking it, and Ash put a lid on it to not let the aroma get to Snorlax too soon as he went back to cooking for everyone else.

    As he started cooking, he saw his Pokemon starting to get ready seeing him cook, and eventually, Brock accepted the reality that a new Onix was here and went over to help with the cooking as well, but Misty and Yellow were napping on Snorlax still along with a bunch of other Pokemon.

    As time went on, he eventually went back to the pot and opened it to stir and add more ingredients at that point, the fragrance came out and flew over to Snorlax, as soon as he smelled the aroma of good food, his eyes lit up, and he got up knocking all the Pokemon and Misty and Yellow off from him.

    "Waaaa!!!" everyone that was thrown off by Snorlax yelled as they hit the floor.

    Snorlax didn''t bother looking at them as he rushed forward to Ash and Brock cooking. He was about to reach down to take the food Brock was preparing since that was the first thing he could see, but before that, Ash slapped his hand.

    "Hey, Snorlax, that one isn''t for you, that one is," Ash said, pointing to the large pot where the delicious smell was coming from,

    Snorlax didn''t complain at all as he smelled the food and walked over, seeing it was a delicious Curry. He was about to grab it, but Ash stopped him again.

    "Snorlax, it''s not ready yet, give it a few more minutes!" Ash said, putting some Aura into his hand as he patted Snorlax

    Snorlax calmed down and nodded happily like a kid before sitting down. Waiting over by Brock, Misty and Yellow walked over, holding their backs after falling off Snorlax.

    Misty grunted, "Oh come on, he made a Snorlax wait for food, this is just getting ridiculous."

    Brock sighed, "But if anyone could do it, it is probably Ash, right," at this point, after seeing the Crystal Onix, if Ash said he could fly, he might believe him.

    Yellow nodded but was starting to heal Misty, "Still, I wished he woke us up so we didn''t fall,"

    A moment later, once Misty''s back was better, she sighed happily, "Still, it was comfy sleeping on Snorlax,"

    Ash, they discussed that Ash had Fuecoco stop shooting fire, and he put handles on the side of the pot, "Alright, Snorlax, here''s yours,"

    As soon as he said that, Snorlax grabbed the pot, not even caring about the heat since he did have Thick Fat, and he started guzzling it down happily. It took a few seconds, but eventually, Snorlax put the pot down, giving a satisfied sigh.

    "Snorrrrr¡­(©¤??©¤)," he said, rubbing his stomach.

    Then Snorlax grabbed Ash and hugged him tightly; Ash didn''t fight back, enjoying the sensation even if he could feel that he was getting crushed and probably got a broken rib.

    After he was put down, Ash had to take a moment to steady himself as he patted Snorlax, "Alright, bud, go get some sleep,"

    Snorlax smiled as he walked over to a nice, comfy tree and laid down, falling asleep immediately.

    Ash stumbled over to the table set up and sat down, almost falling, everyone looked over at him as Yellow asked, "Are you ok?"

    Ash waved his hand, "Yeah, I''m fine, Snorlax just is a tight hugger, I think he broke a rib, but it''s fine, it''s only the 3rd most painful hug I''ve ever had,"

    They were about to panic, but they realized Ash said that last part with full seriousness, so they dropped it, but Yellow did still walk over and put a hand on Ash to heal him.

    ¡ª-

    After they all ate, they started relaxing. There was still sun, but not for much longer. But as they relaxed, suddenly, they heard some ruffling from the forest, they weren''t worried since they still had their Pokemon out.

    And from there, Rattata jumped out, looking around as if in a panic, and the reason why was made clear as beyond it came a Chikorita wearing a yellow headband and a purple-haired girl that was wearing her yellow uniform, Casey.

    "Rattata is trying to steal, but star hitter Chikorita won''t let that happen!" Casey said, "Chikorita, decide the outcome with a straight shot! That''s it, use [Tackle]!"

    Chikorita started running, but because Casey spent so much time talking, Rattata easily dodged,

    But Casey didn''t give up, "The first throw was a bad one, but Chikorita still has a second chance! Chikorita, use another [Tackle]!"

    Chikorita didn''t waste time and rushed forward, hitting the rat and knocking it out, finally.

    "Success! Rattata was defeated by Chikorita''s direct attack! It''s time to be captured now!"Casey said as she threw the ball and caught Rattata easily.

    From the side, everyone was watching as Casey started singing the Electabuzz theme song, Yellow was looking especially¡­.let''s say, concerned.

    She leaned over to Ash, "Was that how I was when I caught Ratty?"

    "Less singing and more acting like a Headless Chicken, but yeah pretty much," Ash said bluntly, making Yellow blush in embarrassment seeing how different things became after she learned, she couldn''t even imagine acting like that anymore.

    Then Casey stopped singing and finally noticed them as her eyes lit up, and she ran towards them, specifically Ash and Yellow, who both had their Pikachu out, "It''s you two! The guys who have those super cute and fluffy Pikachu!"

    Ash and Yellow sweated helplessly since it hadn''t even been 5 hours since they saw each other, but she only remembered them as trainers with Pikachu.

    As Casey was fangirling over Pikachu and Chuchu, Casey felt a lightbulb go off in her head.

    "Hey, battle me!" Casey said confidently

    Everyone: "..."

    Casey scoffed and nodded confidently, "Yeah, I want to battle an experienced trainer, this is a Pokemon battle there is no difference between a Rookie and an experienced trainer! So I will beat you!"

    Ash had to hold back a laugh, and he could see Misty glaring at him as if telling him not to do it, but behind her, Brock was also holding back a laugh, and when she noticed, she pulled on his ear.

    Ash took a breath, "Ok, but first, do you want me to use new Pokemon or-"

    "No way, don''t underestimate me, use your strong Pokemon!" Casey said with full confidence.

    Ash was really trying his best not to laugh, so he looked at Pikachu, "Hey bud, take care of this one and go easy on her she doesn''t know what she''s doing,"

    Pikachu sighed and walked up on two legs, not four like he usually does. Casey seemed happy and pulled out a Pokeball, "Don''t think because your Pikachu is adorable, I''ll go easy on you!"

    "Sure, let''s do this," Ash said, finally getting his Composure back

    {1 minute later}

    Casey was on her knees, almost having an existential crisis; she was beaten so easily Ash didn''t even call out on Pikachu to use attacks.

    Ash walked over and leaned down close to her, "What''s wrong, You crying?"

    Misty was about to go over and yell at Ash, but Brock stopped her, knowing what Ash was doing.

    Casey flinched and looked like she was about to run away, but Ash stopped her, "What''s wrong, you lost once, and your''re torn up about it, that''s stupid,"

    "S-shut up, you don''t know I have more than just myself I''m fighting for, my family there cheering me on, and I-" Casey said, her voice shaky.

    Ash flicked her on the head, "And what are you gonna give up? What about the Electabuzz they come in last every year, but they don''t give up, there''s no such thing as starting strong, everyone becomes strong their own way, and losing is something that helps us grow,"

    Casey looked up at Ash, "B-but¡­I''m the only other thing they''re rooting for, how can I-"

    "Casey, you''re not listening. Losing is natural, and being weak is ok, staying weak isn''t, you want to prove them right in believing in you, then get stronger, learn from your loss, and just like the Electabuzz, don''t give up,"

    Casey wiped her nose. She didn''t even realize she was crying; she looked over at Chikorita, who was shakily getting up and nodded at her encouragingly, "You''re right. I shouldn''t give up, and I won''t!"

    Casey got up, "I''ll get better, and next time, Ash, I''ll beat you!"

    Ash gave a smile, "I look forward to seeing you try,"

 Heracross and Pinsir

    The day after they saw Casey, the gang started moving again, led by Ash since before he could even get to the first Gym, there were 2 Pokemon he was going after, the current target, Heracross.

    Now, from what he knows from his other side, he knows that Jesse, James, and Meowth are on a ship on their way to Johto, so he can''t use that to abuse it, He''s probably going to have to do it the old-fashioned way.

    Speaking of which, as he was walking, he thought about them: Jesse, James, and Meowth. It always made him wonder why they kept trying to be Pokemon thieves when they were so bad at it; it was even revealed that they don''t actually enjoy being bad like that.

    Jesse wanted to be a nurse, and James wanted to be literally anything as long as he made that choice himself, and Meowth just wanted love. We knew that from the anime and even some data books, they were doing this because they have nothing else, but they aren''t bad people, let''s be honest.

    Especially in the new seasons when they are just making money by selling food or doing other stuff, but even back during the beginning, sure, sometimes they try to steal Pokemon, but most of the time, they just try to legally catch wild Pokemon, but Ash ends up stopping them.

    The thing is, they are horrible criminals, but they are good at almost everything else they do, they were great battlers and at raising Pokemon since they were always able to keep up with Ash more or less, and sometimes they even get the upper hand on him.

    And then there was the random stuff they were great miners, actors, cooks, cleaners, hackers, builders, gardeners, infiltrators, and probably a lot more he can''t remember.

    And there was probably the most impressive thing they were great mechanics since it has been said that they build all their own robots, they don''t buy them, with what money would they? The fact they can make fully functioning robots that can do everything they do it is a miracle that they aren''t millionaires just on that.

    The point is, it makes you wonder why they don''t get the confidence to do their own thing, he doesn''t really know, but it''s not like he can do anything for them right now, but maybe later.

    As Ash was thinking, they kept walking, and they got to the part of the forest Ash recognized the part that was supposed to be sucked dry, but unsurprisingly it was completely normal, and looking at some of the small trees, young Heracross and Pinsir were eating in harmony.

    They were young enough so that they didn''t do anything harmful to the environment like adults would, and they were too young to care about anything else, even though Heracross and Pinsir are natural enemies, these ones haven''t been filled with hatred yet.

    Of course, Ash started scanning all of them just to see if there was one that caught his interest. But of course, there were a few, but none that made him drop everything and go take it, so he kept walking.

    All the while, Misty was pale in the face seeing so many bug Pokemon she was too scared to even speak, if it wasn''t for Ash quite literally pushing her, they would have stopped.

    Brock and Yellow were much more relaxed seeing the baby bugs. Brock looked them over, checking all of them and taking notes for later use, and Yellow just liked bug Pokemon.

    As they kept walking, they eventually got to a bridge, in the anime, this one was destroyed because Team Rocket came, but now they weren''t here yet, so it was fine. However, it didn''t look stable nor where they were over the last time they tried crossing a bridge.

    And as soon as they got there, a familiar voice yelled out, "Yo, Ash, I wouldn''t if I were you,"

    Looking back, it was Gary who walked up to them, behind him his Blastoise was carrying a log that was broken off a tree, "Sup,"

    Ash smiled and walked up to him, giving each other their usual handshake, "Gary, you got a lot of nerve showing your face round here, what are you doing,"

    Gary shrugged with a smile on his face, "What else, exploring, same as you, trying to build a new team and all that, and filling up the Pokedex for gramps,"

    "You would, you researcher," Ash teased, getting a punch to the arm from Gary.

    "Shut up, you anyway, that bridge looks older than Gramps, so I wouldn''t that why I went over and got this tree," Gary said as Blastoise flexed by picking it up and taking it over the ledge and making a makeshift bridge, then shooting an [Ice beam] at the base to 1 make some makeshift steps and 2 to make sure the log doesn''t roll while they''re walking on it.

    "All aboard," Gary said as he started walking, "You can follow me if you want, but I don''t know if the so-called number 1 wants to follow the number 2," Gary teased back.

    Ash chuckled and rolled his eyes as he also climbed up, "Keep telling yourself that I just wanted to give you some small victories when I inevitably beat you again,"

    All the while, Brock, Misty, and Yellow looked at each other as the two bantered, but they were pretty used to this dynamic by now and followed behind, some more scared than others, but they did make it across.

    Once they got to the other side, Gary joined them as a temporary companion, and they made their way deeper into the forest, Misty was still scared, but by this point, she knew that asking to go back wouldn''t do anything and as much as she was scared of bugs, she was scared of being alone with bugs more, so she followed beyond keeping her head low.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    As they walked, Gary looked over at Ash, "So tell me the truth, why are you really around here, this isn''t exactly a well-known spot,"

    "I could ask you the same thing, this place isn''t exactly put on a map, you''d have to know, especially since we''re going so deep in their territory," Ash said, putting his hands beyond his head.

    "I asked first, but if you must know, I am actually here to look at the clan. The Rangers contacted me, and Gramps asked me to check this place out to make sure none of the Pinsir or Heracross are taking too much territory." Gary said, impressing everyone.

    Ash chuckled, "Classic Gary, only a true Professor in training would think of that," he said, getting another punch in the arm, this one slightly harder, "But my goal isn''t as noble. I''m bored, and I wanted a new Pokemon, so why not,"

    That got a chuckle out of Gary, "Why am I not surprised? I swear sometimes I forget out of all of us, you''re the strongest for now; I also forget that you''re even capable of being serious,"

    "I don''t know what you mean. I''m always super serious," Ash said purposefully, acting as childish as he could, getting a sigh out of everyone.

    As they kept going, they entered a clearing and that was really open other than two large trees that were each covered by Heracross and Pinsir, respectively.

    "What''s going on?" Brock asked, taking a better look, "I thought the adults hated each other, why are they so calm here,"

    "Isn''t it obvious this place is neutral ground," Gary said, continuing to walk,

    They all looked confused, so Misty asked, "What do you mean by that,"

    This time, Ash spoke up, "They must have some kind of agreement so that as long as they keep their tree with sap, the other gets their''s, as long as the other doesn''t do anything, the others won''t retaliate, it''s like a case of will they won''t they."

    Yellow looked at all of them, "So then why don''t they live together if they''re doing just fine like that, shouldn''t that mean that they can live in harmony?"

    "Not how it works, they can''t really help it, Heracross and Pinsir just naturally don''t like each other," Ash said, "It isn''t evil, nor is it personal, just the way they are you can''t really blame them,"

    But seeing Yellow''s face turn onto a frown, Ash continued, "But that doesn''t mean they are enemies or that they can''t be friends, it just means that they have a bad impression of one another,"

    Yellow nodded her smile slightly, coming back with a little hope, as she did, they got closer, and observing this, they suddenly heard 2 Pokemon crys

    "Herooo!"

    "Pinsss!"

    In the center, a single Heracross and Pinsir, while most of the ones eating the sap were normal, these were obviously warrior versions.

    They glared at each other and started arguing before they ran in and head-butted each other, trying to take the other one down in the tree. Some of them were yelling to break up the fight, some were cheering on their respective warrior, and some were just watching.

    Over with everyone, they were watching from a safe distance, wondering why they started fighting even though this place was supposedly neutral ground.

    "What''s going on," Misty asked, seeing two big bugs starting to be aggressive as she hid behind a tree.

    Gary clicked his tongue, "This is what the Rangers told me about, every now and then, sometimes, there is one that wants to take over these trees,"

    "Wait, but didn''t you say they had an understanding?" Brock asked

    "Yeah, the same as with me and Ash. We have a vague deal going on, but we aren''t actively punishing each other if we break it," Gary said as he looked around, checking the tree in case anyone else was going to start fighting

    Ash was already ahead of it, "None of those look like they are going to jump in yet, but if those two keep fighting, then that might change,"

    "Right, we need to stop those big guys," Gary said as he smirked and looked at Ash, "You thinking what I''m thinking?"

    Ash smiled back, "I call the Heracross," Pikachu got a shocked expression looking up at Ash but then was immediately reminded that this was Ash, so he jumped down over to Yellow and Chuchu.

    Ash and Gary got up and started walking forward as they gave each other a fistbump and ran in opposing directions, leaving the other three sitting there confused and shocked.

    As the warrior Heracross and the warrior Pinsir continued battling, sending a [Megahorn] and [X-Scissor] respectively at the other, the battle continued on, showing no signs of wanting to give up.

    Just as they were knocked back and sled into the dirt, they fixed themselves to reposition and where started charging again, just as they were about to meet each other, suddenly, a voice called out.

    "Venusaur [Grass Knot]!"

    From the ground, vines extended that wrapped around the two bug types'' legs and stopped them in their place as the vines extended, catching their arms, then another voice yelled out.

    "Electivire [Dual Chop]!"

    From the side, Electivire ran up with his two arms glowing purple The two couldn''t run, so Electivire hit them with a close line and knocked them back.

    As they went flying, the vines were still on their legs, so Ash and Gary continued,

    "Venusaur [Power Whip]!"

    "Electivire [Thunder Punch]!"

    As Venusaur still had their feet stuck in vines, he pulled back, slamming them onto the ground then, as he came up, he brought them up and threw them back, only to be met by a [Thunder Punch] from Electivire.

    Heracross and Pinsir took heavy damage as they got thrown off the vines and fell to the floor, all the other Heracross and Pinsir were watching from the trees.

    Heracross and Pinsir struggled to get up as they faced the two new opponents, for a moment, they looked at each other, agreeing on something: they would postpone this match for the moment.

    Venusaur and Electivire stood strong as they walked circles around the two bug types, and Heracross and Pinsir were now back to back, seeing a much more dangerous threat.

    Heracross and Pinsir shot a [Rock Blast] and a [Rock Slide], respectively, sending stones flying at the 2 Pokemon.

    Ash called out, "Venusaur"

    Venusaur stomped on the ground as two walls of vines rose from the ground, backing both him and Electivire, and as soon as the attacks crashed against the vines, Electivire jumped out from behind and clapped his hands together, causing static to charge between it.

    Gary pointed at the two and snapped his fingers, "[Thunderbolt]"

    From Electivire''s clasped hands, a blast of electricity was shot out and covered the two bug types with bright electricity, leaving them both barely even standing.

    Ash and Gary smiled as they stood across from each other and each threw a Pokeball, Heracross and Pinsir saw the Pokeballs, so they moved their heads, dodging the ball.

    However, as the balls kept going, they hit each other and bounced off, going back and hitting the Heracross and Pinsir in the back of the head, making them go inside.

    1 Roll, 2 Roll, 3 Roll, Ding

    Ash and Gary caught Heracross and Pinsir, meaning that the mission was a success.

    Ash and Gary walked up and grabbed their respective new catches they gave each other a fist bump as now they stood in the center of the clearing between the two large trees.

    "Nice work, my dude, I didn''t think you had it in you," Ash said, teasing Gary.

    Gary rolled his eyes, "Please, let''s be honest, Electivire would today beat your Venusaur,"

    Ash didn''t give him the satisfaction, "You''re probably right; you''ve been training, and Venusaur went on a break,"

    As they laughed, Brock and Yellow walked up with Misty slightly further back, "So, is it over?"

    "Yeah, with these two gone, the Heracross and Pinsir won''t have people that want to try to take over the territories," Gary said, looking at the trees with all the bugs looking at them, none of them looked particularly keen on trying to fight them.

    Ash shook his head, "Yeah, it''ll probably be fine for a few months until another rando gets strong enough. Honestly, the fact that there were two at the same time is genuinely wild to me, knowing the nature of these guys,"

    "Yeah, might need to go talk to some Rangers about that just to make sure there isn''t anything pushing these guys, probably going to increase surveillance on this area," Gary agreed.

    As Ash was looking at the trees, a glint was caught in his eye at the base of the trees, one on each, "Yo, Gary, you see that?"

    Gary wasn''t as naturally perceptive as Ash, so he had to take a few steps forward, but he eventually saw it shine, "I dunno,"

    Their curiosity peaked, and Ash went to the Heracross tree and Gary to the Pinsir tree to look at what it was. And looking at it, embedded in the tree were Mega stones, it didn''t take a genius to know what they were for

    Ash took the one in the tree. None of the Bugs did anything other than watch him, and it was the same on Gary''s side.

    Then they walked back to meet with each other, it was a Heracronite and a Pinsirite, they looked at it in awe, everyone did, other than Ash no one knew this is how Mega stones were found or if they even looked like that when they were found.

    This time, it was Ash''s turn as he looked at Gary, "Hey, you thinking what I''m thinking,"

    Gary gave a knowing smile, "Bet I can make this Pinsir stronger than you can make that Heracross before the Silver Conference!"

    "You''re on!" Ash said back, accepting the challenge

    Everyone, including Pikachu, looked at each other and sighed helplessly, but at the same time, they were also used to it by this point.

 Stantler

    {Ashtwo}

    It took a bit, but currently, Ash was standing at the tip of a ship holding a bunch of Team Rocket Operatives, including him, Jay, Enid, Jesse, James, and Meowth. Sayoko was also on the ship, as she had said she''d be.

    It took a few days since they left, and now they are arriving at the cover of night approaching Goldenrod City.

    As they docked in the night, they didn''t land at the dock; they went around in a secret entrance around from the back where the rocky area went into, as their captain approached the rocks, a secret button was pressed, and the rocks split apart revealing an entrance that they went into.

    Going inside, they saw that this place looked like it was probably the main base in Johto, and they could see that they were located under the radio tower, speaking of the base.

    After Aster was captured, Giovanni ordered an evacuation of the Celadon branch, the only reason they could previously be there with no fear was because of Aster, with him out of the picture, it was best if they left it behind for a while.

    They abandoned the Celadon branch for the time being until they were sure that they could guarantee their safety or they were sure no one would go after that base, although they kept the game corner running, that is a good source of income for them.

    As they went inside, they were greeted by the sight of a bunch of grunts looking at them and cheering that the new transfers were here, and as they landed and they started getting off the ship, they were led to a larger room.

    As they went in, they stood and saw a man wearing a black cloak and a mask walking up, and next to him were two people Ash recognized as Carl and Sham, walking next to him.

    The masked man looked over at them, and his face was unreadable, but Ash could see he had the emotion¡­ numbness..he wasn''t feeling any emotions like he barely even wanted to be alive levels.

    "Well, what do you all want," he said coldly, "A welcome party with cake¡­."

    He walked to the side as the mask seemed to make some of them uneasy, "This is our base in Johto, we do things differently here in Johto here I have jurisdiction, I say what goes, these two next to me are my Executive,"

    The man walked up first, "Carl,"

    Then the woman, "Sham¡­"

    Then the masked man looked back, "You all can call me leader, you do not have the right to know my name¡­"

    As he said that, suddenly, two more men walked up, one with a black hat, Proton, and another with light blue hair and a white suit, Archer.

    Archer walked up and put his arm on the masked man''s head, "Now, now, you know that''s no way to talk to our new members, and what''s this about you being in authority here, last I checked since the last time you messed up I''m the one over you~"

    The Masked man showed no reaction, but Ash didn''t even need Aura to tell he was gritting his teeth angrily, but he said nothing.

    Carl and Sham looked at Archer angrily, but they knew they couldn''t do anything to him, he was stronger than them and even stronger than the Masked man, behind Giovanni, Archer was the strongest, and after that, it could be debated if the Masked man or Ariana were stronger.

    Archer chuckled and gave the masked man a slap on the mask slightly, after all, he knew who was behind the mask, "Don''t forget yourself~"

    Then he walked up to see the grunts that arrived, "Very well, everyone get to know this base, you will receive a map later detailing where other Team Rocket bases are, for now, have fun; you will be called upon when it is time, but I do have some missions for a select few of you."

    With that, Proton walked up holding a paper, "Will Agent D., Jay, Enid, Jesse, and James wait after,"

    Other than surprised mumbling, no one said anything, and Archer dismissed them, letting them stay behind, Meowth tried to walk out too but was stopped by Jesse grabbing him by the back of the neck, and of course, Sayoko also stayed.

    After it was empty, the masked man still stood on the stage as Archer and Proton walked up to them, first, he went to Jesse, James, and Meowth and gave them a paper, "This is your assignment, your task is to go to Violet City first¡­"

    All 3 of them gave a salute, "Right!" x3, and then they ran out of the room with a nod.

    Then he went up to them as Sayoko walked up and stood next to Archer, "So you 3 are the newest spies, I must say for 2 of you, you don''t look like anything impressive, just some kids¡­"

    Obviously, he was saying D looked like he was the most interesting, considering he covered his face and there was little to no background on him, but Enid immediately thought he was talking about her.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Archer continued, "But results don''t lie, you three have made yourselves useful, some more than others," he said, sending a side eye to Enid and Jay, "But useful nonetheless,"

    He then walked over and gathered some papers, "Agent Jay and Enid, these are your personal assignments. You will work individually, and I expect a report,"

    Then he turned to Ash, "As for you, Agent D., there is a special circumstance, seeing as you got a promotion, you will now need a grunt to be your partner, someone under you you command but someone you can use,"

    "Thankfully, we are receiving a new batch of recruits, and so you will be going over there to oversee it, and after that, you will select anyone that catches your interest."

    Ash nodded and didn''t say anything, Enid obviously looked smug to her, while Ash stayed here in the base waiting on some dumb newbies she''ll be out getting stronger and more renowned in team Rocket, soon she''ll take a promotion too and overtake him after.

    "Very well dismissed, Proton why don''t you show them around? I have some business here," Archer said, receiving a nod from Proton.

    Proton walked up, "This way," then he started walking out, the three following. Meanwhile, Archer turned to Sayoko, but before that, he sent a glare to the stands where the Masked man was looking over,

    The Masked man scoffed as he walked out of the room finally,

    Sayoko looked mischievously at Archer, "You know if you wanted me alone and defenseless, there were easier ways~"

    Archer paid no attention to that, "Not the time, the Boss informed me about your situation, how are things with ''that''?"

    Sayoko''s smile didn''t falter, "Oh, they seem to last less and less as time goes on, but it doesn''t matter. I''m doing all this work, so the boss is more than happy to supply them for me,"

    Archer nodded, but he didn''t have a smile, "Very well, just know here I take a more hands-on approach, if I see you abusing ''that'' or wasting it, I''ll cut it myself, and there will be consequences for you,"

    Sayoko nodded but kept her smile as her left eye shined, "Loud and clear~"

    ¡ª-

    {Back with Ash}

    After going their separate ways from Gary, they kept going further while Gary went off to do his own thing. They passed through a certain valley, but Ash had no reason to go there, so he went around, and eventually, they got to the dark forest.

    Maybe if he didn''t have Aura, this would be a problem with the ghost-types that live here, but with Aura, Ash had no problems and even found and knocked out the random Gengar trying to scare them, so they got past with no problems.

    On their way, they got to the Pok¨¦mon Exhibition and stopped to watch it, but nothing more than that, well, Brock tried hitting on girls, but nothing out of the ordinary. Then they kept walking, going past Catallia City and Palm Hills, but because Jesse, James, and Meowth weren''t there, they had no reason to stay in either.

    As it was a new day, Ash walked, keeping his arms over his head, thinking he really had been able to skip a lot. He has trained on the road, but still, he''s been able to get through most of this with a combination of him planning ahead and just Jesse, James, and Meowth not being around every 5 minutes.

    Speaking of which, when was the last time he, himself, saw them¡­well, not counting when he saw them at the League, probably way back when he was at Fuchsia¡­no, no, he met them back in Vermilion City right before he left for the Orange islands!

    Admittedly, without them, things seem to get a bit more boring, which makes him wonder how much of the events from the Manga, he doubts the events of HeartGold & SoulSilver will happen since Groudon and Kyogre haven''t been awoken yet, so Arceus isn''t planning to destroy all of humanity.

    But then again, things are different here, he doesn''t know if the Masked man will try to take Celebi, and if he does¡­

    Ash looked down at the GS ball, this Pokeball was the key to Celebi, if the Masked man got it, he would get Celebi, but even if he didn''t want to risk it, he couldn''t just ignore Oak and keep the ball, especially with no good reason, it''s not like he could tell him about the GS ball, there is no way he would believe him.

    His best bet is to monitor it after he gives it to Kurt and have Abra mark it so he can try to take it back in case the Masked man gets it.

    As he was thinking about his future plans, suddenly he was taken out by a cry, "Chhhh ~"

    When they looked around in surprise, they saw a horn peeking from a nearby bush, as they took a moment to process that, the horn went up and reveling attached to it was a little Baby Stantler looking at them scared.

    "Aww, look at that little guy¡­" Misty said, looking at the cute, Deer

    "Yeah, it''s so small, and it looks scared," Brock said as he approached slowly

    Yellow, who understood what that Stantler said, was slightly surprised when Brock started approaching, she whispered quietly, "Brock¡­wait, why are you getting close? Stantler is afraid¡­"

    "Don''t worry, Yellow, I know, so I''m going to get close to Stantler and make sure it isn''t afraid," Brock said as he got on all fours.

    "That''s¡­not how that works¡­ Stantler is-" Yellow tried to explain as Brock started trying to act like a Stantler by doing every animal except a Deer, bold strategy we''ll see how it plays out.

    Needless to say, Stantler was just confused and scared now, if it could, it would have run away, but it couldn''t, something Brock realized when he got closer and saw a bruise on the baby Stantler''s leg.

    Brock focused his nonexistent eyes on that, and Stantler noticed and was scared, thinking Brock would take advantage now that he knew that it couldn''t run, so then its horns started shooting out a sweet, relaxing smell that entered everyone''s noses.

    As they enjoyed the smell, Ash, for once, closed his nose with his hand. He knew what was coming, once the smell stopped coming, Brock was about to take another step, but then they heard the sound of hooves on the ground.

    Looking up, everyone saw a herd of angry-looking Stantler. Brock''s face went pale as he took a step back, Misty, Yellow, and every Pokemon they had out, including the Pikachus, were also scared at the sudden appearance of probably hundreds of Stantler.

    Then the Stantler started charging and grunting towards them; Brock started running, yelling, "Stampede!!!"

    Misty and Yellow followed behind quickly, but Ash didn''t move, much to Pikachu''s surprise, as he started pulling his hair, trying to convince him to start running.

    "Pika Pika!!!"

    But Ash ignored it as he walked forward, finally making everyone review what he was doing and making them yell out for him.

    "ASH WHAT ARE YOU DOING!!!"

    Ash didn''t answer yet as the Stantler got closer. Pikachu was about to shoot a [Thunderbolt], but Ash raised his hand and stopped him as the Stantler finally reached him.

    Everyone expected Ash to have gotten gored, but as the first Stantler hit him¡­ nothing as the Stantler kept running, Ash was still standing as they went through him, and because of that, when they got to everyone else, they didn''t move as it went passed them too.

    Ash kept going and reached the baby Stantler and used Aura as he gave it a pat on the head, "Calm down, I know it''s scary, but I''m not going to hurt you,"

    As Stantler received the head pat, the Army of Stantler started to dissipate like they were ghosts, leaving only Ash crouching next to the baby Stantler.

    "Let''s see what we can do about this," Ash said as his palm glowed blue and he took it down to the baby Stantler''s leg, at first, Stantler was scared, but when he realized Ash was helping him, he tried to relax.

    It took a moment, but Stantler felt a warm feeling spread through its leg and over its body, when Ash removed it, the bruise was gone, and Stantler was back to normal.

    Stantler gave a happy noise as it started nuzzling against Ash. Pikachu was still on his shoulder, trying to process what just happened, and the other three walked up, wondering the same thing.

    Ash looked over at them and smiled, "What you can''t see through illusions~"

    Misty''s face twitched in annoyance, but Yellow looked embarrassed since she could, she just forgot she could,

    Brock walked up next to Ash and tried to pat Stantler, which was only allowed when Ash assured him it was ok.

    Brock felt the Stantler''s soft fur, "I guess this little guy must have gotten lost, most Stantler live up that mountain way up there, it''s not likely that this Stantler could have ever gotten back on its own,"

    Yellow walked over and patted Stantler, much easier without Ash''s help, "Aww, Stantler must have been so scared, it must miss its mom¡­"

    "Yeah, but unfortunately, that''s the way nature works, it''s sad, but Stantler migrate this time of the year to colder weather, in closer places, it''s not likely most Stantler would waste the energy to find one fawn when they have more, so this little one was probably left behind."

    "That''s very sad," Yellow said as the Baby Stantler looked down, still scared to be alone, "Can''t we do something¡­"

    Stantler never stopped nuzzling against Ash, the more they talked they could see tears forming in Stantler''s eyes and falling on Ash''s shirt,

    "We probably can''t get this one back to his family, unfortunately." Brock said, rubbing his chin, then he saw how attached Stantler seemed to Ash, "Why don''t you catch it then, it seems to really like you,"

    Ash looked at the Stantler, "Well, you wanna come with me then, you won''t have to be alone anymore,"

    Stantler didn''t hesitate and nodded happily, so Ash took a ball and booped Stantler on the nose, and it closed and ''dinged'' immediately, meaning Stantler was caught.

 Chikorita

    After Stantler was caught, they kept going on their journey after stopping to rest in town they kept going, along the way, Stantler didn''t want to go back in his Pokeball yet, so he would be out walking next to them, and since Stantler was still a baby Ash could just put the deer over his shoulders when he got tired.

    And along the way, he checked it in the Pokedex.

    ¡ª-

    [Stantler(M)]

    [Nature: Lonely (+Atk, -Def)]

    [Ability: Intimidate, Hidden Ability: Sap Sipper,]

    ¡ª

    He also checked Heracross since he never looked at him earlier.

    ¡ª

    [Heracross(M)]

    [Nature: Relaxed (+Def, -Spe)]

    [Ability: Guts, Hidden ability: Moxie]

    ¡ª

    Overall, both were not bad, and he could work with this, the natures were¡­fine, they weren''t the best, but not the worst, nothing the mints can''t fix, although the good ones like Jolly, Timid, Adamant, and Modest where still growing, which explains why they where so hard to get, such big effort for 1 or 2 if he didn''t have his cheat then he wouldn''t bother.

    Anyway, the point is he had some ready, but it wasn''t urgent, so he was saving them and planting more so he never had to worry about it later, even if some of his Pokemon *cough**cough* Abra *cough**cough* needed it.

    Besides that, he started more serious training, Falkner was his first target, so even though he was training all his Pokemon, he pulled some select few out,

    First, there was obviously Crystal Onix, who he trained in HP, not defense, just HP and Attack, the reason being that Onix already has high defense, and he liked a meat shield over a rock also. Remember that thing about preserving the Mints, yeah, forget about that because Ash gave this thing a Jolly Mint.

    Its nature was Calm, which isn''t the worst, but it is the most useless nature due to Onix''s laughable special defense, although due to this being Crystal Onix, it did get an extra 50 in its stats, so its attack and special defense aren''t as bad anymore, but it''s still not good.

    Anyway, next, he was taking in Lapras, who was much simpler, just Special Attack and Speed, there was not much to say after that.

    Now, the last pick was a curveball; he was bringing in Fuecoco, yes, a fire type, but there is a reason for this. Anyway, he trained Fuecoco in specifically HP and special defense, with a little in regular defense, mainly since once he evolves, then Attack won''t be a problem at all.

    Also, you may notice that Ash was only preparing 3 Pokemon back when he battled Brock it was a 4v4, it''s not that he was planning to 3v4, but something Brock told him a while ago.

    {Flashback}

    This was during the time Ash and Brock were on the ship heading toward the Orange Islands; Ash was watching the vids of the Gym Battles over in Johto to get ready. Currently, he was watching the ones for Violet Gym.

    Although it was interesting, Falkner wasn''t the Gym leader in these; it was Falkner''s father, Walker, a man who looked to be in his 30s and wore a pilot uniform with his ace Skarmory.

    The battle he was watching was Walker''s official last battle before he retires and passes it on to Falkner, something he only knows happened because Walker posted on Pidgey way too much and leaked he was retiring.

    But there is something else; Ash vaguely remembers that in the Manga, this wasn''t how it happened; Walker disappeared, and so Falkner took over. He wasn''t sure because, in the Manga, he was attacked by Suicune and presumed dead, but that wouldn''t make sense now because- GAH¡­this is all so confusing.

    But that''s beside the point, what Ash found interesting was that in every 1st gym battle team, it was a three-on-three, and they had items, unlike how it was back with Brock, where it was a four-on-four without items he looked through most of the Kanto leaders and most of them their first battle was a three on three.

    Ash looked at Brock, "Hey dude, I gotta ask, why did you use 4 Pokemon instead of 3 with items? From looking at other 1st Gym battles, they almost always do it that way"

    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    Brock scratched his cheek, "Well, you see¡­hehe, per League rules, Gym leaders are allowed to add another Pokemon in exchange for the challenger to get to do the same as long as neither uses held items, and well¡­let''s just say Pewter doesn''t have many shipments of Held items I can use."

    "The person selling them was a girl, and you hit on them, so she refused to do business with you, right," Ash said bluntly.

    "Yeah, pretty much, but hey, it was harder, right," Brock said, trying to defend himself.

    "No, dude, it would have been way harder if it was a 3 on 3 and you used items, I didn''t have any back then, the only thing making it a 4 on 4 did was make it easier for me!"

    Brock scratched his head, "Well, I admit, it may be an easter challenge, but it does force any trainer to get past me to have to train up more Pokemon to get strong, if they only had 3 Pokemon that were strong, they would lose since they wouldn''t have a 4th,"

    Ash shook his head and rubbed his temple, "Dude, don''t defend yourself like this, seriously I love you, man, no homo, you''re like the brother I never had, but I can''t defend you for that, Misty I get she wasn''t a gym leader she just didn''t have items, you were the official one you don''t have an excuse,"

    {End of flashback}

    ¡ª-

    So yeah, Brock was in the minority with how he did his gym, it''s not likely most other Gym Leaders will do the same, so Falkner would probably only use 3 Pokemon with Items. But if he doesn''t, he''s always like Snorlax or something.

    As they kept walking, they eventually reached a Mountain near the outskirts of Violet City, the path split, going right would lead them to town, and to the left was up the Mountain, where they could see it was snowy due to the high altitude.

    As they were walking, Ash kept his eyes peeled for any sign of what he wanted when suddenly Misty called out to him, "Hey, why don''t we go skiing! I''ve always wanted to, but Kanto doesn''t have big mountains like this!"

    Brock smiled as his imagination started going wild, "Great idea, Misty, Maybe there are many beautiful ladies in the ski resort on vacation! So Many¡­beautiful¡­ladies ...."

    Misty closed his mouth and was too excited to be annoyed, "Careful there, Brock you''re starting to drool,"

    Yellow looked like she wanted to nod and try having fun, but she also knew Ash was kind of leading the way, so she held her mouth shut for now.

    Ash saw her struggling and chucked, "You don''t have to ask me for permission, half of the journey is having fun, I think we need that after what happened over in Kanto,"

    Misty sighed, "Oh yeah, S.S. Anne, the Black something, Cinnabar island, and whatever happened in Viridian, not to mention Team Rocket, I want my vacation,"

    Ash chuckled as they made their plan to go skiing, "Didn''t I take you to the Island of Squirtle as your reward for dealing with that, or did you forget because you went feral,"

    "Hey, I wasn''t that bad¡­." Misty said before looking at Yellow, "Right?"

    "I had to carry you out. I put you on my back," Ash said, testing Misty, "And not to mention what you said, and I quote, ''Being normal, who needs it? I have Squirtles; while you were being normal, I was catching Squirtles!''"

    Misty blushed into her hands, remembering how she acted, "Ok, I get it, just stop bringing it up, and you better not have told my sister about that, they''d never let me live it down¡­"

    Ash gave an evil smile, "You know I didn''t even think of that, not a bad idea,"

    Misty ran over, grabbed him by the collar, and started shaking him, "No! Don''t you dare! Please, anything but that!"

    As Ash was constantly being shaken¡­.again, he tried talking, but it was hard with the back and forth motion, "Oh¡­k¡­just¡­.sto¡­.shaking¡­.me!"

    But Misty only stopped when they heard a squeal of a Pokemon, which is when Misty stopped shaking Ash, and they looked around for the source of the noise.

    Up ahead, there was a Chikorita resting on the grass, napping. She knew they were there, but she didn''t do anything yet. She was lying lazily on the grass, spreading the big leaves above her head and basking in the sun.

    At this moment, Pikachu climbed out of Ash''s backpack after he got woken up from his nap and jumped out, stumbling over to a tree and throwing up from being shaken so violently.

    "Hey, look at that, it''s another Chikorita!" Brock said, "This one seems different though,"

    Ash pulled Misty''s hand off him and walked over to Brock, "Yeah, around these parts, there is a clan of warrior Chikorita, and they''re protected by the league, you''re not allowed to go in the woods to go get them, you can only try to capture them by waiting for them to exit the forest."

    Yellow, who was taking a picture with a Pokedex, smiled, seeing it, "It''s so cute, hey Ash, are you going to catch it!"

    Ash smiled back, "You know me so well, yep, I call dibs," Ash said as Brock and Misty were considering trying their luck, but since Ash had done a lot for them, they stood down.

    Ash looked over at Pikachu, who was still throwing up, and sighed, "Well, he''s out, what a drama queen, he can run at the speed of sound but can''t handle a little brain trauma,"

    Ash grabbed another Pokeball, "Alright then, let''s do this, Fuecoco!"

    From the Pokeball, Fuecoco stomped out, jumping around happily, "Coco!"

    "Alright, Fuecoco, let''s have your first battle!" Ash said, giving a thumbs up, and Fuecoco nodded happily and waddled forward, seeing Chikorita.

    Chikorita saw this and got up and was ready for a fight, even if she knew she had the type disadvantage, she wasn''t backing down as she dragged her foot in the dirt.

    Ash waved his hand, "Alright, let''s start this, [Ember]"

    Fuecoco''s cheeks puffed as he spit out a small fire, throwing it at Chikorita, Chikorita saw this and waved her leaf and dragged it across the ground before using that momentum to swipe away at the fire.

    Chikorita then shot a [Razor Leaf] at Fuecoco, sending out three leaves.

    Ash smiled, seeing this was getting interesting, "Alright then, counter with [Round]!"

    Fuecoco took a breath and then started singing loudly, creating a sound wave that collided with the leaves, making them lose momentum, and then it hit Chikorita, making her stagger.

    Ash continued the attack, "Now get in close and [Bite]!"

    Fuecoco took a running start and jumped up, only then did Chikorita look up to see the fire croc falling on her. She tried to dodge, but it was too late, and Fuecoco bit down on her leg as she tried to jump out of the way.

    Chikorita grunted in pain but raised her head as a [Energy Ball] was formed in her mouth, and she shot it out, hitting Fuecoco point blank, but Fuecoco tanked it and didn''t let go.

    Ash flipped his thumb down, "Alright then, let''s end this, Fuecoco [Ember]"

    Fuecoco, while he was still holding Chikorita in his mouth, charged up the fire and shot it point blank at Chikorita, making her fall back and out of his mouth.

    Ash smirked as he grabbed an empty Pokeball and threw a curveball. Chikorita saw it coming and tried to use her leaf to block it, but Ash was prepared for that as the ball curved in mid-air due to the spin Ash put on it, hitting Chikorita in the side of the head instead and making her go in.

    1 Roll, 2 Roll, 3 Roll, *Ding*

    Chikorita was captured.

    As Ash went over to take the Pokeball and his friends were congratulating him, from the sky, a boy riding a Skarmory came down and landed in front of Ash. He had blue eyes and blue hair, which covered his right eye, and wore a blue jacket. Ash recognized him as Falkner.

    Falkner jumped off Skarmory and looked at Ash, "Wait right there, I need to ask a few questions¡­"

    They all blinked in surprise, Misty was the first to walk up, and in her aggressive tone, "Hey, who are you to tell us what to do!"

    Falkner didn''t seem to be annoyed, in fact, he expected this, "I am Falkner," he pulled back his jacket, revealing a Police uniform underneath, "And I am with the Police,"

    He looked back at Ash as Misty froze she just opened her big mouth to a Police officer, "There have been reports about Pokemon poachers, I need to ask you a few questions about that Chikorita you captured and your trainer license,"

 Legendary beasts

    {Jessie, James, Meowth}

    The trio finally arrived in Violet City after a few days of non-stop travel; they walked in.

    James and Meowth were almost falling over from how hungry and tired they were since they didn''t stop to eat or sleep, so they were looking forward to finally getting a rest.

    Jessie, however, looked fine as she walked casually behind them, holding her Cubone in her arms as they were both snacking.

    Meowth smelled the food and turned back, and only then did he see that Jessie was eating, "Hey, what gives Jessie!"

    James finally turned back and also saw Jessie and Cubone eating casualty, "Hey, why are you eating, you told us we couldn''t eat to get here faster!"

    Jessie rolled her eyes as she took another bite, "I said we couldn''t stop to eat, I never said you couldn''t eat, the fact that you weren''t smart enough to eat as we walked is your fault."

    "Why I odda-" Meowth said as he was about to walk towards Jessie, but James stopped him and shook his head.

    "We both know there''s no point,"

    Meowth sighed, "You''re right, whatever we''re here, so let''s go and find something to eat, I''m about to lose one of my nine lives,"

    Jessie looked through her standard-issue phone, looking at a map of the town, "Sure, we can get something. We could always find a restaurant, or if we don''t want to pay, we could always go to the Poke-" Jessie stopped as she saw something.

    James and Meowth didn''t notice that Jessie stopped, "I think we should go to a restaurant. I want a burger, here in Johto, they use more meat!"

    Meowth nodded happily, "Yeah, yeah, that sounds great!"

    As the boys were planning, Jessie looked into the Pokemon center more, "Hey¡­guys, you go on ahead, I have something I want to do¡­"

    Even if they were hungry, they could see that something was up with Jessie, "You need to do something? We can go with you if you want,"

    Jessie shook her head, "No, it''s fine, i-i think I just need to go¡­meet an old friend, come on you guys go eat, get me a veggie burger, by the way," then she walked away, leaving James and Meowth looking at each other.

    "...Should we follow her?" Meowth asked

    James looked at Jessie''s beck as she was walking away, "No, I think this is something she wants to do by herself, come on, let''s go get burgers." Meowth nodded as they walked in another direction.

    Jessie kept walking to the Pokemon center and took a deep breath, walking inside. Currently, it was more or less empty with a few people around but no one specific, the Joy wasn''t around and probably went on a break.

    But on the counter, there was the person or rather Pokemon, she was looking for, a Blissey who had a broken Egg necklace.

    Jessie walked up and smiled, "Hello there,"

    Blissey didn''t recognize Jessie at first, so she just smiled, "Blissey~!"

    "That''s a nice necklace you have," Jessie said

    Blissey''s smile grew as she nodded and held it like it was a precious gift, "Bliss-Blissey~!"

    "That''s just like you, isn''t it¡­"

    Blissey looked slightly confused as she tired her head,

    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Jessie pulled out another piece of a broken egg, "It''s good to see you, I knew you would always end up evolving into a Blissey, my best friend¡­"

    Blissey looked shocked, but then a smile grew on her face as she jumped over the counter and started hugging Jessie and nuzzling into her shirt, "BlisseyBlissey!"

    "I know, it''s good to see you, how have you been¡­"

    ¡ª--

    Ash had to let Chikorita out of the Pokeball and showed Falkner his trainer ID he also showed a record of the battle. After pulling everyone aside and making them give individual statements, Ash was declared innocent.

    Falkner rubbed his head as he put on his jacket again, "Sorry for this, it''s just the area beyond those trees is a protected area, we don''t have rangers, so it''s my responsibility to look out for them,"

    "Nah, it''s fine," Ash said, trying to pet Chikorita, but she rejected it, it''s probably because he didn''t save her like OG Ash did, but maybe that will be better in the long run, "You said it yourself, poachers have been seen in the area."

    Falkner sighed and rubbed his head, "I know, but I really should be able to see it easier, I just stopped you and your friends when you did nothing wrong."

    Brock walked up and put a hand on Falkner''s shoulder, "It''s fine, everyone makes mistakes, you look like you''re not even older than me, so you''re going to make mistakes what''s important is that you learn,"

    Falkner took a breath, "Yeah, you''re right, it''s just that I''m trying harder since I''m the new g-"

    Suddenly, Falkner was interrupted by the voice of an older man loudly interrupted, "Yo, Bro, you guys find any rare Pokemon!"

    From a distance, a short man with a mohawk walked up with a Hoothoot on his shoulder and what looked like an ice box on his side,

    Everyone except Ash looked confused at what he was talking about,

    The man chuckled, "Don''t give me that ''I don''t know what you''re talking about'' look like you''re all not doing the same thing thing as me"

    "Same?" Falkner mumbled,

    "Other than capturing wild Pokemon, what else can you do when you''re right next to the protected zone for wild Pokemon?" He said, opening his case where tons of Pokeballs were held, "Look at all these!"

    Falkner frowned and started reaching into his jacket while Yellow looked sheepishly at the man, "Does that mean you''re a Pokemon poacher,"

    He chuckled and looked proud, "But of course, I know you kids must be aspiring to be great poachers like me," then he looked at Ash, who had a struggling Chikorita in his arms, "Ah, a Chikorita! Good catch. It''s impossible to separate them from the group, but you did it, you did good work, bro, that will be worth a pretty penny!"

    Falkner was walking forward about to pull out his badge when suddenly storm clouds formed in the sky above them,

    The man looked up, "Huh, a sudden storm, I guess we should all come back another day-"

    But he was interrupted as suddenly a bolt of lightning struck a tree and united it in a bright light, surprising everyone, then, at the top, there was a four-legged Pokemon.

    "What a Pokemon¡­?" Falkner mumbled

    As the smoke dispersed on the top of the tree, Raikou was standing there and looking down at them; the surprise gave Chikorita the chance to jump out of Ash''s arms.

    "Raikou!!" the man said excitedly.

    "Hey, there''s another one!" Brock yelled out as they looked, and beyond them was Entei, walking on a stone and looking down at them.

    "Make that three!" Misty called out as she over by the lake Suicune looked at them as well

    "The Legendary Beasts¡­." Falkner said as they were surrounded

    The man looked greedily, "Must be my lucky day! If I catch them, I''ll be on easy street forever!"

    As he was about to try to pull out a Pokeball, suddenly Falkner grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him back as Entei almost stomped on him.

    Chikorita was focused on Raikou as this happened she was interested in fighting the strong-looking Pokemon, so she started shouting out in Pokemon things that were probably not family-friendly,

    Raikou looked annoyed as she suddenly charged up a bolt of electricity and shot it through Chikorita, the bolt came from the sky, creating a [Thunder] only in that split moment did she realize something: she messed up.

    As the [Thunder] came down, she tried bracing herself, but now that she saw it coming, she knew she wouldn''t be able to take it, she braced her legs and closed her eyes

    Suddenly, though, she felt an arm grab her, then the sound of a shout, "Pikachu [Iron tail]!"

    As Chikorita opened her eyes, she saw Ash holding her, protecting her from the top. Pikachu jumped up and made his tail silver, hitting the [Thunder] and starting to absorb it as he backflipped back down

    Usually, Ash wouldn''t try this because, in most cases, he knows even Pikachu couldn''t handle electricity from a legendary, but as soon as these three arrived, he noticed something with Aura, these are not the same trio he met with Ho-Oh.

    Meaning these three are weaker, so even though he can''t beat them, he can fight them,

    Chikorita looked up at Ash, who was holding her in a hug as he got ready to start fighting back, "Chikorita, this isn''t safe go back in the ball," Ash said, holding her Pokeball.

    This time, she looked at Ash and nodded. As she pressed the button going in again, Ash put her away and pulled out another Pokeball.

    The whole time, Suicune was just watching and not doing anything yet.

    "Looks like we can''t run, we''re surrounded!" Ash said, "So we need to fight them off at least!"

    Falkner nodded as he made the man hop on Skarmory with him, "I can deal with Entei!"

    Brock jumped on as well, "I''m going with you,"

    Misty looked over at Suicune, "I call Suicune. Yellow, you''re with me!"

    "R-right!" Yellow said, then looking back at Ash, who looked up at Raikou.

    "I''ll take care of Raikou then," Ash said, but between everyone, there was an unspoken truth they all knew: none of them could beat these beasts.

    Skarmory took to the sky, and Misty grabbed Yellow''s hand and ran to the lake while Ash stayed in place and looked up at Raikou, still holding onto the Pokeball he grabbed from his bag earlier.

    "Let''s do this, Nidoking!" Ash yelled out as the familiar purple Pokemon came out and punched his hands together, sending a roar in the air. Pikachu climbed up Nidoking and was perched on his shoulder now as it was time to try their luck.

    -

    In the Sky Falkner, the Poacher and Brock flew over as Entei started chasing them, Brock pulled out a Pokeball and looked at it, taking a deep breath, "Please listen¡­"

    He pushed the button, releasing Aerodactyl, as Aerodactyl came out and flapped his wings, he looked around and glared at Brock it looked like he was about to lash out at Brock, but then he saw Entei,"

    Brock had a bit of hope, "Aerodactyl! Listen, that Pokemon is really powerful, let''s fight it together!"

    Aerodactyl didn''t like Brock that much, but he did like the sound of that fighting someone strong, someone worthy that would be nice, so for just right now, he would cooperate with Brock.

    Brock smiled, "Right then, let''s do this," he said as Aerodactyl flew over, and he jumped on his back, all while still in the air.

    ¨C

    By the lake, Misty and Yellow looked out and saw Suicune, even though they were both running here to fight off Suicune enough so that Suicune would at least leave them alone, but as they grabbed their Pokeballs, they both saw Suicune as it just looked at them.

    For some reason, they didn''t feel like they should, this wasn''t some mind control because if it was, Yellow would be immune to it, this was more like they felt a connection with it.

    For Yellow, it was easy because of her power she had a connection to every Pokemon, but there was also something more faint, and with Misty, well, it was hard to say what it was.

    But one thing was clear: Suicune wasn''t planning on fighting them, and they didn''t want to fight Suicune.

 Vs. the Legendary beasts

    Brock and Falkner were flying in the air, dodging the constant fire blasts from Entei. The Poacher was still holding onto Skarmory for dear life as they were barely dodging the blasts.

    "Hey, are you trying to get us killed?! What is your plan!" he said as he was putting out an ember that fell on his pants.

    Falkner, not even looking at him, "We can''t risk it, we need to get to an opening, it''s too comfortable with the current environment!"

    Brock nodded as he looked up at a perch above the ground with nothing nearby, "There, that will work!"

    Falkner saw it and nodded, "Good eye, let''s go," he said as he pulled Skarmory up as Aerodactyl followed behind, dodging another blast of fire.

    "Ahhh, move this bird faster, I don''t want to be sauteed!" the Poacher panicked as his pants lit on fire, and he smothered them to extinguish it.

    "Relax, just wait¡­" Falkner said as Skarmory made evasive maneuvers, "Brock now!"

    "Got it, Aerodactyl [Ancient power]!" Brock commanded

    Aerodactyl grunted as he spun around, and stones gathered around him, and he started shooting them like a machine gun.

    Entei saw the stones coming and narrowed its eyes as it easily started dodging all of them, jumping from the ground and up as he started using them as platforms and climbed up in the sky, meeting Skarmory as his jaw ignited as he was about to use [Fire fang]

    The poacher screamed in terror, but Falkner wasn''t scared this was part of the plan, and it was good to see Brock was smart enough to understand this was the best-case scenario.

    As Entei was coming down, ready to bite, Falkner called out, "[Agility]"

    Skarmory''s figure faded into an afterimage as Entei bit down on nothing, and Skarmory appeared behind him, this time, due to the momentum, Entei could not turn around, so Falkner and Brock took advantage.

    "[Steel Wing!]" x 2

    Skarmory and Aerodactyl rushed in and delivered a duo slash at the lion''s back, although it was resisted. The point of this was not to deal damage, but instead, they knocked Entei back onto the perch with no trees or other rocks around or places to run,

    As Skarmory and Aerodactyl flew around the rock, Entei couldn''t move around as much as it used to since it didn''t have a place to run to, though that did not mean they were safe, they knew full well Entei was still a big threat.

    And almost if on cue, Entei began splitting apart as it started creating after images of itself as they all started charging blasts of fire that started shooting at them,

    They couldn''t tell which one was the real one, so they had to switch to defense, moving around in panicked ways, even Aerodactyl got his right wing singed as he barely dodged the real one.

    "Not good!" Brock said, "We can''t fight like this, we don''t even know what we''re fighting!"

    Falkner grit his teeth, "Dang it, I left my Noctowl at home!"

    The poacher heard this and saw that they were panicking. He was useless right now, and he was in the middle, he couldn''t just stay here and wait to be fridge as he went to his belt, "Then let me, bro!"

    As he took everyone, even Entei, by surprise, he threw out his Hoothoot, which flew into the air, and he yelled with everything he had, "Use [Foresight]!!!!"

    Hoothoot''s eyes released a red beam as the light came down like a spotlight, and as soon as it covered the area Entei was standing, the after images disappeared, leaving Entei standing alone.

    Brock and Falkner looked at each other and nodded. Falkner pulled out another Pokeball and released his next Pokemon, a Pidgeot, and he hopped off Skarmory and onto Pidgeot, taking the poacher with him.

    "Alright then, let''s do this, let''s beat Entei!" Falkner said as he opened his jacket, revealing a Keystone embroidered in his jacket like a button.

    He pressed on it as it began glowing, "Pidgeot, Mega Evolve!"

    Pidgeot grew as his feathers plumed out, creating a beautiful blue and red pattern flowing against the air, now there was Mega-Pidgeot.

    Brock nodded as he swiped his arm, "Aerodactyl [Stone Edge] on the ground under Entei!"

    "Pidgeot follow up with [Hurricane]"

    Aerodactyl''s eyes glowed as he slammed his wings, and the ground under Entei began spiking up, Entei tried jumping around and dodged most of them until a stream of strong air came down on him and slammed him onto the stone where a spike came up and stabbed it.

    Falkner didn''t give Entei any chance to get up, "Skarmory use [House of Murder!](Double Team + Brave Bird)!"

    Skarmory split apart into multiple clones that surrounded the area in its metal feathers, Entei got up, but then he received a stab from the back, he turned around and saw another coming in, he swiped only to see it was a clone, then he got another stab from behind.

    This kept going as the Murder of Skarmory was surrounding and blocking the sky with their sheer number each time Entei didn''t know if a clone or the real thing was coming, and Aerodactyl using [Stone Edge] and Pidgeot using [Hurricane] didn''t help, and due to Hoothoot, he couldn''t confuse them.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    It seemed against all odds, they were winning.

    ¡ª

    Ash was pulling off the 1v1 against Raikou with Nidoking and Pikachu. The Pressure that Raikou was giving off was almost suffocating, but Ash could resist it with Aura, and Nidoking just said no.

    "Nidoking [Earth Power]!" Ash commanded

    Nidoking''s fist glowed as he punched the ground as golden energy started cracking through the ground and shooting through the tree and shattering it as it went towards Raikou.

    Raikou glared down, seeing this, and jumped off the tree while in the air, it charged up an orb and shot a [Aura Sphere] at Nidoking.

    As the bright blue orb came towards Nidoking, Pikachu was at the ready and threw himself off, hitting the orb with a [Iron tail], hitting it like a baseball bat and making it crash into the ground in an explosion, covering them in the dust.

    As Raikou landed on the ground, it looked around. The dust affected his vision, so it shifted to seeing the bioelectric field around living creatures, just like how all living things have Aura, their bodies also produce a small amount of electricity that Raikou can see.

    As Raikou switched, it immediately saw something charging and aiming a fist at it, so it jumped back as the first punch missed, revealing the Pokemon was a Machamp, and it was smiling as it looked at Raikou directly in the eyes.

    Another hand came and grabbed Raikou by the foot and pulled it back into a second punch, hitting the sabertooth in the stomach before the force sent it flying to a tree.

    As Raikou hit the tree and as opened its eyes, it saw Nidoking shooting another [Earth Power], shattering the ground and shooting toward it.

    Raikou tried to jump but was immediately caught when, behind the tree, Pikachu jumped out and hit it with an [Electroweb], tangling its feet. The electricity didn''t hurt Raikou, but that wasn''t the purpose because now Raikou was trapped, and he lost his legendary resistance due to Pikachu''s thing, so he got hit with a hard [Earth Power].

    As the blast sent Raikou flying in the air, it also gave it enough leverage to rip the webs holding its feet and landed back safely, but Raikou was starting to show signs of damage, and he was still good to go.

    Raikou''s eyes glowed bright yellow as it roared in the air, creating a [Electric Terrain], and started Charging back down towards Machamp with a [Wild Charge]

    Ash didn''t let it happen, although it looked like Ash was overwhelming the sabertooth. In reality, he is playing this safe as hell, Raikou only needed three good hits, so Ash didn''t want to let it have that chance.

    "Pikachu [Extreme Speed] then [Volt Tackle]!"

    Pikachu jumped from the tree and, with extreme speed, ran up and passed Raikou, reaching Machamp and jumping in his hand where Machamp was ready and like he was a baseball. Machamp threw Pikachu at Raikou.

    Pikachu ignited in electricity as he met Raikou head-on, and the thing was, while Raikou was resistant, he was not immune, and Pikachu was beginning to steal the electricity from its [Wild Charge] so slowly Pikachu was starting to push Raikou back.

    Ash saw this and didn''t want to waste it, "Nidoking, use [Thunderbolt] at Pikachu!"

    Nidoking slammed his fists together as electricity charged, then from his horn, he shot out a blast of bright yellow electricity that hit Pikachu from behind, and Pikachu started to absorb it as well as Raikou was getting pushed back.

    Raikou began to try harder, but the more electricity he released, the more Pikachu absorbed, his original plan was to overload Pikachu; after all, even Pokemon with Lightning Rod have a limit before they self destruct on themselves, but Pikachu didn''t even look like he was anywhere close to his limit.

    Machamp didn''t want to be left out, so even though it would hurt him, he ran up and charged at least 4 [Thunder Punch] and pushed forward the pressure made it hard to move, but he didn''t stop as he got behind and put his arm behind Pikachu and started to push hard giving Pikachu all the electricity he had even if the pain was searing his skin.

    With the combination, Raikou couldn''t help but start to feel something, fear, he was being pushed back, no, he was being overpowered he tried to find something, but it was too late as with one final push, Pikachu broke through, and hit Raikou in an explosion that shook the forest.

    Raikou was sent crashing into a tree, and the force broke it, making it fall over and burying it under.

    Pikachu fell down and was breathing heavily as he looked up at Machamp, whose hand was now visibly scarred, but even still, he gave a cheeky smile and a thumbs up.

    But before they could celebrate, the tree that fell over Raikou exploded in electricity as Raikou stopped out, looking tired but still able to go because now he wouldn''t underestimate them like he was.

    ¡ª-

    Yellow and Misty were face to face with Suicune, and none of them wanted to fight as they saw each other, it was almost like something was making them connected with this version of Suicune.

    For Yellow, it was obvious, but for Misty, it was different as she felt something specific that she couldn''t explain, it seemed like they had an entire conversation in their minds without ever saying a word, sometime between them, Psyduck jumped out of his ball, but Misty didn''t scold him, that''s how far gone she was.

    Suicune gave them a nod as it seemed like it saw something it liked or maybe their Presence matched something it was looking for, it wasn''t clear, even when Yellow tried to read Suicune''s mind, she could only hear nothing, Suicune''s mind was completely clear.

    Suicune then looked up in the air, and even though Misty and Yellow couldn''t hear anything, Suicune heard the pained grunts from its two companions.

    Suicune gave the girls one final look and jumped up to a tree, releasing a loud roar that contacted its comrades.

    ¨C

    Entei was breathing heavily as it continued getting assaulted by the constant attack of Pidgeot and Aerodactyl as Skarmory kept hitting him with constant [Brave bird], never benign able to hit the real one, and because of Hoothoot, he couldn''t use his own afterimages.

    Whenever he tried jumping off the rock he was on, he got hit and knocked right back. If he tried attacking Hoothoot, the other Pokemon would defend it.

    Entei was considering using something he didn''t expect to use for something like this as the fire began to exit from every corner of its skin.

    But before that, Entei heard a roar from Suicune and stopped, instead, he stopped and, with all his stretch, released a roar that created such strong changes to the air it made Hoothoot fall back, meaning for a moment, Entei had a chance and created countless afterimages that ran everywhere, Brock and Falkner tried to stop them, but they couldn''t get the real one as it escaped.

    ¨C

    Ash was staring down Raikou. He was weakened, but he didn''t think he could get a chance like that again, as he looked at it, he noticed after everything, he might have a glimmer of a chance to do better than he thought.

    He came here thinking he wouldn''t stand a chance, but looking at Raikou now, he just might, he just needed to use one move.

    Ash looked at Pikachu and looked at him seriously, "Do you think you have enough to use ''that''?"

    Pikachu had to stop for a moment; he knew what he was thinking, and Pikachu also knew that if he did, they might be able to win, but the cost would be great since he wasn''t sure if his own body could handle it.

    This move is the very definition of a crash out. Ash could tell if they could pull it off; they could take Raikou down, but he didn''t want to risk it if he didn''t have to.

    Pikachu took a breath and felt the electricity that he stole from Raikou, with it, he was confident he could at least pull it off, but what would happen after is the question.

    Pikachu looked at Ash and nodded, "Pika!"

    Ash took a breath as his hand reached up to the brim of his hat, "Alright then, let''s do this"

    As Ash was about to turn his hat backward, he started, "Pikachu use-"

    But before he could say the next thing or finally turn his hat back, the sound of a roar came from the trees, and over by the trees, Suicune was standing proud as soon Entei jumped next to it, looking beat up, and Raikou also jumped away.

    As soon as they were together, a soothing energy came out of Suicune, healing its comrades, and then they jumped away.

    As Ash was looking at them, they jumped away, meanwhile, Misty and Yellow came running over to watch them, and Brock and Falkner came back, by this point, seeing them jump away, Pidgeot went back to base.

    "Looks like we lost them¡­" Falkner said as he jumped off Pidgeot, helping the poacher get off, too.

    "Yeah, it seems like it," Ash said, he was definitely more stressed about this since he was fighting Raikou alone, and Nidoking, Machamp, and Pikachu were all tired.

    "You guys, ok?" Yellow asked as she walked up to the boys

    "I''m fine," Brock said

    Falkner nodded, "Yeah, just a bit tired"

    "Same here," Ash said as he put Nidoking and Machamp in their balls and grabbed Pikachu to put him inside his bag so he could nap.

    "What was that about, I know there the legendary beasts, but why did they show up and attack us?" the poacher said

    "I dunno, I guess they might have been testing us¡­" Misty said thoughtfully, "I mean, Suicune didn''t fight Yellow or me, it just looked at us approvingly about.. something¡­"

    "Well, whatever the reason, I''ll need to report this," Falkner said, reaching into his jacket and walking up to the poacher, "By the way, before I forget,"

    Falkner pulled out a pair of handcuffs and put one on his arm, taking him by surprise, "Hey, what are you doing!"

    Falkner pulled out his badge, "Sorry, I am part of the Police and also the Violet City Gym leader, so for illegal poaching, I have to take you in,"

    "W-what h-hey come on bro can''t you let this one go, I mean, we''re comrades in battle now, right? I helped out!"

    "Now, now I can''t say I didn''t appreciate your help. You were useful, so I might be able to put in a good word for you and get you a comfy cell along with a reduced sentence, as long as you help us, you must know where poachers sell their Pokemon, right."

    The man thought to himself, "You know what, that doesn''t sound too bad, yeah sure, why not, I''ll help you out,"

    As Falkner put the man on his bird, he looked back at the gang, "You guys, too, you were a huge help here, I hope to see you again, come around to the Gym sometime, and I''ll be ready for you," he said specifically looking at Ash.

    Then he flew away, leaving them on the ground; they stayed silent for a moment before Ash turned around and looked at all of them, "So, you guys still up for skiing?"

    Immediately, their moods changed as they looked excited, almost as if the entire battle had never happened.

    Ash was taken from each side on his left, Brock took his arm, and on the right, Misty took his other one, "Let''s go!"

    They picked Ash up and started dragging him along, leaving Yellow to follow along, chuckling at how Ash looked unamused at being picked up.

 Sprout Tower

    {Ashtwo}

    Ash was walking through the halls of this Team Rocket base; he was looking around at the locations and taking a look at the Egg stuff, too. He did his usual thing, but he didn''t find one that specifically caught his eye. But he found a few that, maybe with a bit of work, would be good,

    Either way, he took the rotten/unfertilized/dead Eggs, took their genetic points, and then fed them to Muk, and kept a few for himself for future switching.

    But right now, he was walking into the base where he was instructed to go, today was the tryouts for those who would become grunts, he sighed as he thought this was literally pointless, this wasn''t him being edgy or anything like that, this genuinely served no purpose.

    He stepped up to a station and showed his card; then, he was given a crate of Pokeballs to go take over to the recruits. Obviously, he took his Pokedax and checked them all, but nothing special.

    As he sighed, he felt a tug at his back, but he didn''t look back he knew who it was, as two red eyes opened in his shadow, it was Gengar, the same one he had caught since he was going to train up Gastly, he might as well give Gengar to his other half.

    Now, something interesting: remember how he could now tell the status of Pokemon when he scanned them well, when he checked Gengar, he saw something interesting.

    ¡ª

    [Gengar (M)]

    [Nature: Naughty (+Atk, -SpD))]

    [Ability: Cursed Body]

    [Moves: Confuse Ray, Lick, Hypnosis, Hex, Curse, Ominous Wind, Night Shade, Psychic, Ice Punch, Shadow Ball]

    [Condition - Emotionally unstable: Gengar has abandonment issues, and his pranks are a coping mechanism; until it is resolved, he will have a permanent -1 to all stats]

    [Solution: Just be there for him]

    ¡ª

    He didn''t realize that the seemingly useless thing he got could detect this, nor did he think it would affect his stats, but it''s a good thing he did at least, he can at least solve it relatively easily, maybe, it''s tough to say and remains to be seen.

    Anyway, Ash doesn''t put Gengar in his Pokeball and lets him follow around in his shadow, which surprisingly, even though he can''t travel through his shadow to get to his other body, he can see Gengar in her side, and they can hand out.

    He thought about it and thought that this one reward wasn''t as useless, but not completely. It''s not like something like this will come up again anytime soon.

    Anyway, for now, he went to the room he was directed to, and as he walked in, he saw a good few People. He got a report that because Kantoians are much more¡­.let''s say¡­. unrespectful¡­.to Johtonians, more of them join.

    He looked over and saw that some of them weren''t from Johto, It was no surprise to him, Enid was from Hoenn, and ''D'' was supposedly from Unova, and no one even batted an eye.

    He stepped up and put the crate down in front of a table, "Hello, everyone. I don''t care about your names, nor do I want to tell you mine, everyone just calls me D."

    He opened the crate, "All of you take a ball, each one of these has a freshly caught and untrained Pokemon. There are no takebacks, and there is no regret, what you get is what you keep."

    People started coming up and taking one, one by one the crate started to empty out, and People had standard Rocket Pokemon, at one point, a strange long purple hair and a black dress, but he didn''t pay too much attention to it, but he did make a mental note.

    Some people were excited, and some were ready to run out of the room, but Ash stopped them, "All of you wait, you may all think you are part of Team Rocket now, but not yet, first you must claim that Pokemon you have gotten, once you do that you will be given an official place, those of you who don''t will still have a chance you will just work as suppliers and porters until you prove yourself."

    "You will all recive rooms and a place to train along with Rockets looking over you, tomorrow those of you that prove yourself will be placed in a tournament, and you will battle, those of you that get high will receive a personal reward from me, that is all you are dismissed."

    ¡ª

    After a day of going up to the Ski lounge and skiing well, they came down and finally checked in for the night in a hotel at Violet Cty. Ash healed his Pokemon with Yellow, but they still took them to the Pokemon center specifically for Machamp since his hand was still scared.

    Machamp was fine, but he had to wear a glove on his hand for a while and probably couldn''t fight for a bit. But he was fine it''s not like he was fighting like he used to, now that he''s strong, he isn''t training every day, so Ash sent him over to Oak for a few days.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    When the next morning came around, Ash was more or less confident that he could stand a chance against Falkner since now that he had actual Pokemon to train his weaker ones, he wasn''t worried about that, but still, he preferred to have one more day of training.

    And what better place than the Sprout Tower, he could go train there and beat up a bunch of Bellsprout.

    As he was planning to go, he checked on Pikachu; he looked ok-ish, he didn''t look like he was going to die. The important part was that it seemed like all the electricity he stole from Raikou was starting to do something to him.

    He used the Pokedex on him to check

    --

    [Pikachu(M)]

    [Condition: Overflowing with new electricity- until Pikachu integrates the new electricity into himself, or releases the electricity, he will be unable to do most normal things]

    [Solution- Rest, stay away from electronics]

    ---

    So Ash let him stay in the hotel to rest and integrate all that electricity into himself if he gains something, he might be able to do something he''s been looking forward to trying, but that''s a big if.

    There was the chance that Pikachu''s body rejected the electricity and he just got rid of it, either way, he''d be fine after today.

    Once he put Pikachu in bed and tucked him in, he walked out to the common room where Brock, Misty, and Yellow were already eating breakfast, he walked over and joined them, "Pikachu will be fine,"

    Yellow took a sigh of relief with Chuchu, "Thank Mew¡­"

    "Pika¡­" Chuchu nodded

    Brock was bottle feeding Bonsly as he held his Egg incubator on his lap, "So what''s the plan for today, you gonna go challenge the Gym?"

    "Nah, I wanted to go check out that tower we saw on our way here," Ash said casually as he ate a piece of toast.

    "Really, huh, you don''t want us to go with you, right? I wanted to do some sightseeing," Misty asked.

    "Nah, I''m more than fine on going on my own. I''m probably going to train there with all the monks, so if you don''t want to come, you''re more than welcome,"

    Misty nodded, and Yellow thought for a moment, thinking about what she wanted to do, "Ok, I guess¡­I''ll stay then¡­"

    Misty put her arm around Yellow, "Alright, girls trip!"

    Brock chuckled and looked back at Ash, "You want me to go? I''m fine either way."

    "Nah, besides, there aren''t any girls¡­.at least I don''t think I could be wrong," Ash said, thinking but pushing that out of his head, "Anyway, the point is go ahead and do what you want, I''m sure you wanna go look at more girls,"

    Brock smiled and slapped Ash on the back, "Alright, you got me there, but seriously, if you want me to, I''ll go, so I''m just a call away,"

    "Alright, I''ll keep that in mind," Ash said, giving a light punch on Brock''s shoulder,

    ¡ª-

    A while later, Ash walked up to the tower alone. The tower was moving side to side, looking like it was going to fall any moment, but it never did or would, he knew this was a choice and not an accident, the consistent swaying helped with training and prevented it from being affected by natural disasters.

    According to the game''s lore, the legend is that the pillar was made from the stem of a giant Bellsprout. And since we know that there is at least one giant Gengar and Alakazam in the anime, it might be possible.

    He started going up and entered the large tower and started climbing up, as he went up the stairs, six monks jumped out and landed in front of him, all with Bellsprout behind them.

    "WE WELCOME YOU! I AM CHOW." the first said, followed by the rest

    "NICO!"

    "EDMONO!"

    "JIN!"

    "NEAL!"

    "TROY!"

    Chow walked up to Ash, "We accept all new monks, you shall from now on be called NANYANEN!"

    "YES" x 5

    "We shall start by shaving your hair, and we can commence your training!" Chow said as the Bellsprout behind him sharpened its leaf to shave Ash''s head

    "There is no need for that. I am here to train, but I have no intention of joining you all as a monk, and I like my hair and name as is,"

    They all looked at each other and nodded, "If that is what you say, then we have no choice,"

    They all got in a stance with their Bellsprout, "We will train you, and once you see how powerful our techniques are, you will join us as well, NANYANEN!"

    In unison, they all commanded, "BELLSPROUT AERIAL FORMATION! [SWORDS DANCE!]"

    The Bellsprout clasped their leaves together and started dancing around the area in a formation that mirrored a dance, and then their momentum caused them to start to fly into the air and circle the air.

    All the while, the monks continued, "Now, Circle Attack ring! One and Two and Three and Four!"

    They began flying through the air in a cyclone, ready to start the training.

    Ash took off his jacket, grabbing a Pokeball, "Alright, let the training begin!"

    ¡ª-

    A while later, all the Bellsprout were defeated, and Ash returned his tired Pokemon after that training, "Not bad, you all certainly gave me a workout."

    The monks didn''t look shamed at all; this was something they honed themselves to be used to. Failure was part of their training, and they by no means regret what happened.

    "I see you were quite the powerful trainer in your own right, dear NANYANEN. We accept your choice not to join us, but you are welcome to train with us as much as you like," Chow said

    Ash smiled and pointed at himself with his thumb, "Thanks, and I''ll take you up on that, but the name''s Ash!"

    "Very well, Ash, you may go farther up, there is another trainer there as well who came not long before you did,"

    "Alright," Ash said as Chow led him up, "By the way, you wouldn''t happen to know anyone named Jeanette?"

    "Oh, you mean our pride and joy, Fisher! Yes, we are quite aware of her she is the heir of the Sprout Tower. However, she hasn''t returned home since she left for her trip to Kanto, but I am certain she is doing something that makes her happy,"

    "Yeah, me too¡­" Ash nodded along,

    As they reached the top, Chow gave Ash a final warning that this was a place to train himself, not just his Pokemon, and he went back down.

    Ash went to the last floor of the tower, when he entered, he saw that it was dimly lit and there were spots where traps were placed, as he started walking, a stick was shot out like a dart at him, but he caught it with his hand not even looking at it.

    "Annoying place¡­" he mumbled as he kept dodging and blocking traps that came at him.

    As he went higher up, he saw someone he recognized, with long red hair, two sharp, almost consistent, angry-looking eyes, and with a Totodile next to him. It was Silver.

    Ash ran up and, with a jump, got behind him and slapped his back, "Yo Silver!"

    Silver stumbled forward from the sudden slap on the back and almost fell over as he fixed himself, "Ash? What the heck are you doing here,"

    "Same thing as you, my dude, training, and look at you, that Totodile looks about ready to evolve, Green would certainly be proud of how fast you are moving,"

    Silver''s face contorted into something that could almost be called a smirk, "Yeah, she helped me out a lot,"

    "Where is she, by the way," Ash said as they started walking and talking

    "Back in town, she didn''t feel like coming since the monks didn''t value worldly positions. Seems like a good repel for her," Silver tried joking

    "Seems about right, that''s just like her," Ash said as they reached the top suddenly, they felt a shift from each of their sides, spikes came out of the walls, they both dodged the spikes as they were now back to back before they could react a trap door opened up from above.

    A large ball started rolling down, going straight for them, immediately, Ash went forward and grabbed it, stopping it, but was pushed back, "Sliver a little help!"

    "On it!" Silver said as he pointed at the orb, "Totodile, use [Ice Punch]"

    Totodile jumped into the air as his fist glowed and came down, punching the ball and cracking it as the bell gathered glowing cracks from the cold. Totodile began to glow as he grew bigger and became a Croconaw as with one final Push, he shattered the ball.

    They took a breath as Ash rubbed his hands, Congrats my dude, you got your first evolution, and in less than a month, you really are an evolution expert like her,"

 Vs Falkner Part 1

    After that, Ash and Silver started training on the top floor together and went down to battle the random Bellsprout. Eventually, when the sun was going down, Ash and Silver walked out of the tower and went back to town.

    As soon as they returned, it did not take long to find Green doing Green things.

    As Green looked back and saw them, she smiled and walked over and grabbed the 2 in her arms, pulling them down to her, "Well, what do we have here~ my two favorite boys hanging out, without me, I almost feel betrayed~"

    Of course, Ash didn''t buy that for a minute, but Silver kind of believed it, he flicked Silver on the head, "She''s joking, you really need to learn humor, you''re as stale as a three-month piece of bread."

    Green giggled, "Yeah, you really do. I swear I''ve been trying, but you can''t take a joke."

    "Sorry, I''m still not used to this¡­" Silver sheepishly scratched his head

    Green ruffled Silver''s hair, "Come on, you don''t need to apologize, you idiot,"

    Ash chuckled and looked at his phone, "By the way, since you''re both here, I assume you''re here for Silver to take on the Gym, right,"

    Silver nodded, "Yeah, I wanted to challenge it now, but Green told me I wasn''t ready,"

    "Dang right, I did. You have 2 Pokemon, and you''re barely trained, you''re just going to lose and make me look bad," Green said, half serious, half joking.

    "I still don''t see how, I''m much stronger than I was, Totodile even evolved, aren''t I ready yet."

    "Ha, how naive thinking they are ready for any challenge, I remember back when we were as inexperienced and naive as him," Ash said, looking like he was in deep thought.

    "Wha! We''re the same age!" Silver argued

    "Actually, Ash is younger than you," Green added in her usual teasing tone

    "Right, but even still, you only have one year of experience, how can you say that!" Silver said, letting a bit of his counterpart show.

    Ash smiled, "Alright, you want to know, I''m planning on taking on the Gym tomorrow you''re more than welcome to come to see it~"

    Silver was going to say something, but Green jumped in, "Ohh really, it''s been a while since I saw you battle, who are you gonna use, do you have a new team, or are you just going to cheat and use Pikachu,"

    "You''ll just have to see that for yourself," Ash said, returning her smile

    Green grabbed Silver around her arm and brought him into a headlock, "Alright then, Silver, this is perfect for you, we''re going to go watch!"

    "Okay, but can you let my head go¡­." Silver said, his voice slightly muffled by Green''s arm

    Ash chuckled and gave them a pat on their shoulders, "Alright, I''m a go prepare you guys can do whatever you do together, see ya around"

    ¡ª--

    {Next morning}

    Ash, Brock, Misty, and Yellow met up and had dinner last night, and in the morning, they were walking to the Gym.

    Ash checked on Pikachu, but he was still not up, so he put him in a lighting-resistant blanket and, wrapped him like a burrito, and carried him while everyone was looking concerned since he even refused to eat Ketchup last night.

    As they got to the Gym, they saw a familiar blue-haired boy with a Hoothoot on his shoulder tending to some other birds, as they got close, he turned and finally noticed them.

    Falkner waved at them, "Oh hey, you guys are here, good to see you again how''s things been since ''that''?"

    Ash raised his electric mouse, "It''s been better, but other than that, everything has been fine,"

    "Yesh, that seems bad¡­" Falkner said, looking over the electric mouse

    "Yeah, he just needs some rest," Ash said as he got a baby bottle filled with Ketchup and started feeding Pikachu.

    Then another voice called out, "That is both adorable and disgusting,"

    From the road, Green and Silver came walking up as Green walked up next to Ash, looking at Pikachu. "So what happened?"

    "Don''t worry about it," x4, Ash, Brock, Misty, and Falkner said in unison.

    Falkner then cleared his throat, "Friends of yours, I assume,"

    Ash chuckled, "Wellllll," then getting an elbow in the chest from Green, "*cough*Yeah we''re friends,"

    "Uhh¡­ok, well, I suppose I owe you that battle, don''t I," Falkner said, brushing past that, "How many badges do you have?"

    "None, this is my first battle here in Johto," Ash said, rubbing his chest and handing Pikachu over to Yellow.

    "Really? I''m going to assume you''re using a new team instead of those other powerful Pokemon. Otherwise, I''m afraid this won''t be fair," Falkner said, scratching his cheek and looking sheepish.

    "Don''t worry about it, yeah, I''m using Pokemon I just started training, so it''s going to be fair," Ash said, waving his hand.

    Falkner took a sigh of relief, "Ok, that''s good, I wanted to give you a truly worthy battle after all your help with ''that.'' I''ll need a second to get my team ready since I was expecting to use my 7 or 8-badge team,"

    Ash nodded, "Alright, go on ahead I''ll meet you there,"

    As Falkner went in, everyone else was starting to go up to the bleachers to watch the battle, but Ash stopped Misty, grabbing her shoulder, "Hey, Misty, you mind if I borrow something~"

    ¡ª-

    A bit later, the field was set, and everyone was in the bleachers. Yellow had Pikachu and Ash and Falkner standing across from each other as a ref walked into the center.

    "This is an official Gym battle for the Violet City Gym. This is a 3 on 3 battle between Falkner and the the challenger, Ash Ketchum. Only the challenger is allowed to switch, and the battle is over when one trainer has no more Pokemon able to battle. Are both sides ready,"

    "Yes!" x2 Ash and Falkner said in unison

    The ref raised a flag, "Then release your Pokemon and begin!"

    Falkner threw out his first Pokemon, a Murkrow, with specifically Super Luck and a Scope Lens as the crow flew up in the air.

    Ash released his first Pokemon, being Lapras, as she had specifically Misty''s Mystic Water around her neck, but more importantly, she countered Murkrow because of Shell Armor, so its gimmick in this battle was useless.

    The battle began as Falkner pointed at Lapras, slightly surprised and slightly frustrated that the Scope Lens was now just dead weight, "Murkrow, so what if we can''t crit, [Nasty Plot] then [Dark Pulse]!"

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Murkrow''s eyes gleamed an evil red color as it shot out a blast of dark energy in the shape of an orb, hitting Lapras in her shell, but she took it just fine.

    "Good work now right back at them with a [Ice Beam]!" Ash commanded

    Falkner waved his arm and pointed to the sky, "Murkrow evasive maneuvers, don''t let it touch you!"

    Murkrow began to spin in the air as the beam of Ice was shot into the air, the beam shot in an elegant light show as Murkrow was flying around for its life.

    After a moment, Murkrow''s right wing had a few frozen feathers, but Murkrow was fine as it shifted its body, flapping its wings and breaking the ice.

    Falkner then followed up, "Murkrow now [Air Cutter]!"

    Murkrow flapped in the air as Lapras kept shooting around, sending blades of air into Lapras''s side, if she didn''t have her ability, that would have been a crit.

    Lapras took it, and it forced her to look down as the beam of ice froze some of the ground in places as her beam flickered out, making Murkrow have a moment to take a breath, but it was a trap, "[Confuse Ray]!"

    Lapras looked back up as a hypnotic beam shot from her and hit the crow by surprise, making It confused.

    "Now [Ice Beam] again," Ash said with a smirk

    Falkner, in a panic, tried again, "Murkrow evasive maneuvers! Fly!"

    As the [Ice beam] came at Murkrow, Murkrow had a confident face ready to dodge as it swiftly moved its wings into a pattern and started its flight¡­..directly into the [Ice Beam]

    Murkrow had its right wing frozen along with taking hard damage, and it was still confused.

    Ash extended his arm and looked at Murkrow, "Lapras now [Surf]!"

    Water began to be summoned around the ground and stadium as it started adding up,

    Murkrow was trying to break out of its ice cast, but it was doing it by literally slamming its head at it.

    Meanwhile, the water coiled under Lapras as she began to ride it, getting some air and approaching the crow.

    Falkner was yelling commands at Murkrow, but in its confusion, it wasn''t paying attention as it kept slamming its head into the Ice. Eventually, it did break, and the headbutt that did it knocked the confusion out of him,

    It was about to turn to Falkner for its next move, only to be greeted by a wave of water slamming into his side and sanding him in the wave, spinning like a washing machine. Eventually, it was spit out, but now its feathers were now also wet.

    Falkner grit his teeth as Murkrow was in a bad state, but he was still up, which is an important part. He might not be able to take Lapras down, but he can do something.

    As Lapras was falling down and landed from the [Surf], Falkner pointed at her, "Murkrow use [Thunder Wave]"

    Murkrow ran over and, using the water left on the ground, sent a weak shock at Lapras, as it hit her, it made her body tense up, and she was suddenly paralyzed.

    Falkner didn''t give them any chance to think, "Murkrow now [Dark Pulse] again!"

    Murkrow struggled to get up, but this time, its eyes shined red as it created multiple small spheres of darkness and started hurling them at Lapras one after the other.

    Lapras let out a small cry as it got bombarded one after the other, if it wasn''t for her ability to negate crits, most of these would have been one, and she probably would have gotten knocked out.

    Lapras took the damage, and while she struggled, starting to have her fatigue catch up with her and the paralysis, she was still up and wanted to finish this 1v1,

    Ash saw Lapras wasn''t willing to go down yet, so with a smile, he clapped his hands together, "Let''s end this with a [Brine]!"

    Lapras'' cute cheeks puffed up with boiling water as she shot it at Murkrow, Murkrow was definitely below half, so this would double.

    Murkrow began flying up, trying to dodge the hot water, but with the added weight from the water in his wings, it was a losing battle, so it chose to try and take Lapras down with it,

    Murkrow shifted its body as it went into a [Brave Bird] going directly down the center of the hot water as it forced its way down, burning its own wings.

    Murkrow struggled to push down harder as Lapras was trying to shoot a stronger blast of water so that Murkrow wouldn''t, but then the paralysis from before caused the Muscles in her neck to tense up making her stop for just a moment.

    That moment was what Murkrow needed as it shot down, breaking past as its wings were covered in a bright orange Aura and slammed into Lapras. However, Murkrow was already so low that the recoil knocked it out finally.

    As Murkrow''s body was sent back from the dust from the collision, Lapras was still up, but she was barely up, she was breathing heavily, paralyzed, and hurt, that last attack would have been a crit is the worst part, too.

    Falkner returned Murkrow, and Ash did the same with Lapras, she was in no position to keep fighting; if she was out, all she would be was a punching bag since most flying types are fast.

    Falkner put Murkrow''s ball away and grabbed another, "I must say, this is certainly much more interesting, I thought one of us was going to be overwhelmed,"

    Ash also got a new Pokeball, "Please, using my real team would just be boring, it''s much more fun to start training up a new team,"

    "I can agree to that. However, I''m not going to go down that easily, here''s my next," Falkner said, throwing out his Pokeball and releasing a Pidgeotto.

    Ash smiled, "Alright, I won''t either, but just a warning, this Pokemon is something you''ve never seen before,"

    "How bad could it be?" Falkner said as in the stands, Brock, Misty, and Yellow gave each other a knowing look

    "Sssssss¡­." x 3, they said as Green and Silver looked at them strangely, wondering what the big secret was.

    Ash''s smile turned into a grin, "Alright then, Onix, show your stuff!"

    Falkner, Green, and Silver didn''t think much of it; they thought, ''Oh a, Onix, good Pokemon for this,''

    But as the Pokeball opened, Onix''s shiny body simmered as it glared down at Pidgeotto.

    Falkner, Green, Silver: "Ehhh!" ¦²(¡ã¡÷¡ã|||)

 Vs Falkner Part 2

    It took a moment, and everyone who didn''t know just stayed silent. Also, as usual, this was being live-streamed and recorded to be put on the League website like all battles, so other people were seeing this with different reactions.

    Pidgeotto was standing there with a stoic face. For a moment, everyone thought it was because he wasn''t afraid, but a close look made everyone realize that Pidgeotto was just frozen in fear, sweating bullets.

    Ash smiled and pushed his hat up, "Well, let''s keep this party going!"

    Falkner still had his mouth agape, but he shook his head and took a breath, "U-um, that''s quite the Pokemon you got there,"

    "Oh, this guy, yeah, he''s kinda special," Ash said as Onix flexed his shimmering body, "Anyway, we can talk after this is a battle,"

    "O-ok, yeah, you''re right, Pidgeotto, let''s do our best¡­." Falkner said as Pidgeotto was still frozen, but as he heard Falkner, he took a gulp and nodded, flapping higher into the sky and making Onix face to face.

    Pidgeotto had a Silk Scarf, and Onix had an Eviolite

    Falkner took a breath and got serious again, "Pidgeotto [Air Slash!]"

    Pidgeotto gulped and started flapping his wings, shooting blades of air, even though it was resisted, Falkner knew Onix had notoriously bad special defense, so it would at least hurt.

    As the blades came, Onix didn''t try to dodge, and Ash didn''t try it either as it clashed and did¡­.nothing, well almost nothing, but far less than an Onix should take. Brock, specifically, who was an expert in Onix, was surprised with how well Onix took that attack.

    Brock knows from experience that an Onix around Ash''s level should at least get staggered a little, but it looked like Onix didn''t even feel it.

    Ash smiled, "Alright then, [Curse] then let''s go in for a [Bind]!"

    Onix''s Body simmered a purple color as he started sliding across the ground, approaching Pidgeotto like a serpent.

    "Pidgeotto! Fly into the sky then [Twister]!" Falkner commanded quickly

    Pidgeotto spun around in the air and flew up as Onix jumped up and tried to catch him, as he flew up, he flipped around as his wings glowed purple and shot out a purple twister, sending it into the side of Onix.

    Onix took it to his side but didn''t flinch as Ash called out, "Let''s give them something new, [Crystal Throw]"

    Onix roared into the air as debris and rocks on the ground began turning into Crystal and floated as, with a slam of his tail, he sent the chunks of Crystal at Pidgeotto, which was by surprise.

    Pidgeotto took multiple stones at his body and wing as he struggled to stay up, but he did and fixed his own position even with the pain in his wing.

    Falkner took a breath and analyzed the area, looking for a way he might be able to win, Pidgeotto was not in good shape, one or two more of those and Pidgeotto would be out, so he had to think, and that''s when he got an idea, " Pidgeotto [Whirlwind] on the ground!"

    While people were confused by the change in strategy, Pidgeotto didn''t hesitate and created a strong gust of air into the ground, creating strong winds around the battlefield.

    Ash was looking around to see what Falkner''s game plan was; this wasn''t one of the strategies he was familiar with, so he gave a rare frown, "Onix, stop them now, [Crystal Throw] again!"

    Onix slammed his tail on the ground again, shooting up small chunks at Pidgeotto. However, Pidgeotto didn''t stop flapping his wings, creating strong wings, as he did it, the pieces of Crystal stopped flying and joined in the momentum of the winds in the area.

    "Now or never, Pidgeotto, get close now!" Falkner commanded as Pidgeotto road the winds and quickly appeared around and behind Onix at a speed they didn''t expect as Falkner made his do or die, "[Toxic]"

    As Ash''s eyes widened, he couldn''t even tell Onix to run, and the [Curse] made it nearly impossible, Pidgeotto flapped his wings, shooting out toxic spores from his body that hit Onix and poisoned him.

    Onix coughed as the spore came into his body. He tried to swing his tail to swipe at the bird, but he used the strong winds to move out of the way quickly and flew away.

    Falkner didn''t give them a moment to relax, "Pidgeotto hit and run! [Return]"

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    Pidgeotto began riding the wind and going in and out, swiping at Onix from each side, running if Onix tried to retaliate, all the while, the poison was doing most of the work.

    Ash sighed and shook his head, "Oh, you have to be kidding me, stall, really,"

    "Gotta do what you gotta do," Falkner said

    "You know I have a friend who always said there''s a special place in hell for Stall strategies, but I guess I can scold you for that later,"

    "You''re saying that like you''re planning on winning right now. You can''t even hit my Pidgeotto," Falkner said, smiling.

    But Ash only smiled back, "I don''t need to,"

    Before anyone could question what he meant, Ash called out, "Onix [Crystal Edge] right¡­..now!"

    The reason Ash wanted for a moment was so that Pidgeotto would be in the perfect position, so as Onix got the command, he slammed his tail into the ground as a hunk of Crystal shot out and made a pillar,

    Due to the position Pidgeotto was in and the wind pushing him along, he could not move as he crashed directly into the Crystal, making Falkner''s face fall.

    Ash smirked back, "Now let''s end this, Onix, [Crystal Tomb]"

    Onix slammed his Tail into the pillar of Crystal as it broke off chunks, Pidgeotto tried to run, but crashing onto the wall made him dizzy. As the Crystal came, he was buried under them.

    It took a moment, and the ref ran over and checked, confirming Pidgeotto was knocked out, Onix helped move the Crystal, and Falkner returned him back to his ball.

    "Not bad, actually scratch that, really good, I didn''t see that coming; you''ve got me down to my last Pokemon, and you know what, I''m excited!" Falkner said, holding his last Pokeball

    "Well, come on, bring it out, or do you want the poison to knock out Onix first,"

    Falkner chuckled, "No, here we go," he said as he threw out his last Pokemon, a Skarmory, but it wasn''t the one he had from before. This was a different one, and it had a, ??Leftovers.

    "Alright, Onix, let''s do as much as we can, [Crystal Throw]," Ash commanded

    Falkner followed up, "Let''s do this, [Steel Wing]!"

    As Onix slammed his tail into the round, shooting up chunks of Crystal, Skarmory''s wings glowed brightly as it dive-bombed down, as it did, Skarmory began slicing into the Crystal, cutting some, slicing others. It managed to avoid most, but it did take some damage.

    Then it arrived next to Onix and sliced across Onix''s face, making him grunt in pain, as the poison was still doing most of the work.

    Ash quickly commanded, "[Bind]!"

    Onix''s tail came by surprise and grabbed Skarmory and began to squeeze as he stared down at the metal bird.

    Ash made one last command, "Now use [Dragon Pulse]"

    Onix raised Skarmory close to his face as a purple energy formed in his mouth, then, at that moment, the poison finally took Onix down, but at a last moment, he shot out the beam, hitting Skarmory as Onix fell over.

    Both Onix and Skarmory fell onto the ground, but Skarmory got back up, all be it a bit extra crispy, but it was fine.

    Ash returned Onix and quickly put an Antidote on the rock snake, then put him away, getting his last Pokeball, "Alright then, you like surprises, let''s give you everything we got,"

    Ash threw out his Pokeball, and out of it came Fuecoco with another Eviolite, who stretched his little body and looked around.

    "Coco?" Fuecoco said as he looked back, seeing Ash and another Pokemon. He realized that this was the battle Ash told him about and started bouncing and singing.

    Yet again, those who didn''t know were surprised to see another Pokemon they hadn''t seen, but right now was no time to ask questions that could come later,

    "Alright, Fuecoco, use [Ember]!" Ash commanded

    Fuecoco bounced around and started spitting out small flames at the metal bird,

    "Skarmory, take to the sky and use [Aerial Ace]!"

    Skarmory spun around and dodged the flames and then shot down again, taking into Fuecoco''s side.

    As Fuecoco took it, he didn''t stagger back. Instead, he bit down on the wing that hit him and didn''t let go, even when Skarmory went into the sky.

    "Get him off of you, [Peck]" Falkner commanded

    Skarmory began to start pecking at Fuecoco, but he took all of it and didn''t let go, even when they flew higher.

    Ash yelled out as they were in the sky, "Fuecoco [Fire Fang] and spin!"

    Fuecoco''s mouth ignited in flames as he bit down harder, causing Skarmory pain, then Fuecoco hushed his small legs and momentum from the small shock of pain to hold Skarmory''s wing behind him and spin to the ground.

    Skarmory came crashing down, and Fuecoco rode on its back laughing as they crashed, Fuecoco''s used Skarmory to take the damage as he jumped off completely fine, laughing and treating this as a game.

    Skarmory struggled but managed to get up and was understandably annoyed.

    Falkner saw that this was much more complicated than they thought, such a small Pokemon causing a big problem Ash had the advantage, so he had to change his strategy, "Skarmory use [House of Murder!]"

    Skarmory spread into multiple afterimage clones that flew up and surrounded the sky, blocking the glass ceiling''s light, as Fuecoco looked around, a Skarmory came down and hit him with a strong hit, and then another came down when Fuecoco bit it it was nothing more than a clone.

    Brock was the only one who knew about this move since he was there and saw how effective it was against even Entei. He wanted to say something, but one, he didn''t see a weakness with this attack, and another, Ash was Ash he didn''t want advice in the middle of battle, even if it meant he would win or lose. He could give it, but if Ash even listened, it was a different story.

    Ash was looking around, analyzing the scene before him. He could cheat with Aura, but that would be too easy, he wanted to find another way, as Skarmory kept coming down, hitting Fuecoco, then more came down that was just fake, a thought came to Ash''s head.

    They were fake, that''s how he could do it, Ash smiled, "This is a nice move, but I''ve just mastered it,"

    Falkner''s eyes widened at Ash''s words; this was an attack his father taught him; he himself said that no one has ever been able to break out of it, yet Ash says he found a way.

    Ash smirked, "Fuecoco use [Stomping Tantrum]"

    Now, People were confused, that wouldn''t deal any damage, even though flying types and Levitate weren''t perfect, Skarmory was in the sky, so this seemed useless.

    But while they thought that they didn''t realize the point of this wasn''t to do damage, as Fuecoco began stomping on the ground, rocks, and dirt were spread everywhere, and dust began floating everywhere in something that resembled a smoke screen.

    As he did that, another clone came in, but Ash and Fuecoco didn''t make a move as that one fizzled out as it was another clone, then another one and another clone, and again and again, when suddenly another Skarmory came down, and this time it was different.

    Every time one of the clones came down, the dust wouldn''t move, but as this one came down, the dust started to split, meaning this one was real. At that point, everyone realized the actual point of the attack was to expose which one was real because the clones were just fake things, they never existed.

    "Now!" Ash commanded as Fuecoco turned around and shot a [Incinerate] point blank at Skarmory.

    Skarmory''s eyes were covered, and the leftovers were destroyed, Fuecoco jumped to the side as Skarmory crashed into the ground.

    "Now, end this!"

    Fuecoco jumped up and shot another [Incinerate] at Skarmory''s back, causing the bird to Screech in pain before finally falling over unconscious.

    Once the battle was over, Fuecoco began jumping and singing, "Co~coco~co ~!" he ran up to Ash and jumped into his arms.

    Everyone was silent after that battle; they saw a lot of things they didn''t expect, and now, after that, Ash was being silly with Fuecoco¡­.. classic Ash.

    Falkner walked up to Skarmory and kneeled, putting Skarmory back in his ball, "You did good,"

    Then he walked up to Ash, who was chuckling as Fuecoco was dancing on his shoulder, he got in front of Ash and gave a smile.

    "I have to say, I knew you were a good battler, but this was something else, I didn''t think I''d ever see what you showed me here, you more than earned this," Falkner said as he held out the Zephyr Badge.

    Ash took it and smiled as it shined, "Alright, first badge here in Johto,"

    As he was looking at it from the bleachers where everyone was watching, Yellow was clapping as Chuchu was taking care of Pikachu, and Brock and Misty were also clapping.

    As this was happening, Green looked over at Silver, "So, think you''re ready, if you are, we can go right now~" she said teasingly.

    Silver coughed and looked away, "Well, I guess¡­I could use a little more training, but not much, ok?"

    Green chuckled and patted Silver''s head, "Sure, keep telling yourself that little bro,"

 Test? For Gym Leaders!?

    After everything was said and done, Ash did explain by not explaining anything about the Onix. He was already getting spammed in Pidgey with people sliding in his DMs, and a certain shameless Professor may have called Ash to ask for the Onix.

    Ash sighed and sent Oak the Onix since he was still sponsoring him, and besides, not having Onix for a Gym wasn''t going to kill him.

    After the Gym, Falkner stopped them to have a bit of a chat about ''that,'' so Green and Silver went their separate ways, going off to prepare Silver for the Gym fight now that he knew what he was up against.

    Back inside, Falkner sat them down and skipped the formalities, "So, I Spoke to the other Gym Leaders about the legendary beasts to see if I could find out anything from them,"

    "Well, did you find anything interesting?" Misty asked

    "Yeah, well, yes and no. First off, most of them understandably were just as surprised as I was, but from Gym leader Chuck he said that he encountered Suicune,"

    "Huh, Really? But that was only one, we faced all 3 of them¡­." Brock asked, crossing his arms with his Egg in between them, "How long ago was this?"

    "About a month ago, which I found concerning¡­" Falkner said, crossing his arms

    "Why Is that,"

    "Well, my father went missing around that time too," Falkner said, catching them by surprise, "About a month ago, he was flying to meet with Chuck, but then he just vanished, and when I asked Chuck, he told me my father never arrived."

    "Oh, I''m sorry to hear that¡­" Yellow said sadly; she knew firsthand how that felt.

    "I''m not going to say it''s ok because it''s really not, but I can''t help but wonder if this has some connection,"

    "Well, I might have an idea¡­" Ash said, getting everyone''s attention, "Your father was the previous Gym leader, so that might mean they''re going after the other Gym leaders¡­ "

    Falkner thought to himself, "That would be a good theory, but why would have all three come to me this time when, if this is to be believed, only one went to Chuck and my father,"

    As he said this, Misty and Brock stiffened and shakily looked at each other, "You d-d-don''t think¡­" Misty stuttered

    "It might be¡­" Brock answered back

    Falkner looked confused, "What are you two talking about?"

    Misty and Brock looked back at him, and Brock was the first to speak, "I''m the former Pewter City Gym leader,"

    Then Misty continued, "And I''m in training to become the next Cerulean City Gym leader¡­"

    Falkner froze, "So both of you are¡­so that means¡­"

    Ash cut in, "3 Gym leaders, 3 beasts, seems cut and dry if you ask me,"

    They all nodded solemnly, Falkner took a breath, "So these beasts are going after the Gym leaders, but why¡­"

    Misty thought for a second as she stopped and looked at Yellow, who seemed to have the same thought as her, "Maybe it''s to test us¡­"

    "What do you mean?" Brock asked

    "Well¡­" Yellow said, speaking up, "When we saw Suicune¡­it didn''t want to fight us, it just looked at us like it was looking for something ....so maybe Suicune saw what it was looking for in Misty¡­."

    "That''s definitely an interesting theory," Brock said, "So they best go after Gym leaders to test them, for what we don''t know, yeah this is concerning¡­"

    "I need to call the Gym leaders and the League to inform them about this," Falkner said, getting up, "Again, thanks for your help, everyone, I''d wish you luck, but seeing how you handle yourself, I''d better give that luck to the others instead for when you challenge them,"

    Ash smiled, "You bet, and I have a lot more in store, you haven''t seen anything yet."

    ¡ª-

    {Jessie, James, and Meowth}

    The gang were wearing casual clothes and eating some lunch after doing what they had to,If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    As Jessie was eating her burger, she looked around, "Hey guys, you ever feel like we''re forgetting something¡­"

    James was feeding Mime Jr. "What do you mean, Jessie?"

    "I just realized something¡­.we were never given an actual assignment, we were just told to come here¡­"

    James and Meowth froze in place as they realized she had a point, "Wait then¡­.what are we supposed to do?"

    Meowth, in a rare moment of seriousness, "Usually, in any other circumstance, I''d say we enjoy our paid vacation, but Boss Archer isn''t as nice as the big Boss¡­."

    "Umm¡­so what now, should we look to steal Pokemon?"

    As they were thinking, four kids walked on the road and almost bumped into them. "Oh, sorry, excuse us," the kid in the front wearing a red cap said.

    "Oh, sorry, go ahead, that''s our fault," James said, stepping out of the way.

    A girl with a straw hat and blond hair smiled at them, "Thank you!"

    The other 2, a boy with brown hair and a girl with orange, gave them a nod as the four walked away out of town.

    "Right, so anyway, what do you think we should do-" Jessie started as they all realized something.

    "Wait ... .those were the twerps, weren''t they¡­" Meowth said¡­

    "Yeah, it was¡­." James said.

    They all looked at each other, "After them!!!" x3

    ¡ª-

    Shortly after they finished up, the Gang went back on the road to start walking to the next town, with Ash training his Pokemon on the road.

    Eventually, they made a stop by a lakeside town where Ash pulled out his phone and was making a call to someone or rather 2 People. Meanwhile, Brock, Misty, and Yellow were by the lake enjoying the scenery.

    Although Brock was looking and across the water, he saw a pretty girl with a pink dress looking out into the water, while Yellow and Misty saw a cute little Marill with a bow playing around, it didn''t take a genius to see these two were related.

    As they were lost in thought, Ash walked over, "Uh hey guys, I have to go do some stuff back in Kanto, are you guys fine waiting for me here for, like, I dunno, 3-5 hours?"

    "Really? I mean, I''m fine with it were by a lake, and that''s all I need, but I don''t know about Brock-"

    "I''m completely fine with this, in fact, Ash, take your time, take 8, no, go ahead and stay overnight, I''ll be just fine!" Brock said with heart in his non-existent eyes as he stared out at the girl across the water

    Misty pulled his ear, "Just what are you playing at, lover boy,"

    Ash shook his head and looked at Yellow, "How about you, are you ok with staying here?"

    Yellow nodded, "Yeah, I''m ok, but what are you going to do?"

    "It''s complicated, if you want, after I come back, I''ll give you the full breakdown, but for now, I need you to take care of Pikachu for me, he hasn''t recovered fully yet," Ash said as he handed her the Pikachu roll.

    "Ok, leave it to me, Ash!" Yellow said

    Ash nodded as Abra appeared on his shoulder, "Alright, well, everyone, try not to get lost in the forest,"

    Then Ash teleported out with Abra, leaving the three alone, Misty let go of Brock to go find and play with the cute Marill. Meanwhile, Brock ran over and found the girl to introduce himself to her, and surprisingly, the girl, who was named Wilhomena, had a small blush on her face.

    Yellow didn''t know what to do, so she went over to the edge of the forest where there was a nice tree to go and draw in her notebook and maybe fish a little.

    As she got to a nice spot next to the lake and a nice shade from a tree, suddenly, from the forest, a big robot-looking thing came out and broke the nice tree she was going to sit at.

    From the top, it opened, and a platform raised up two people and a cat, it was Jessie, James, and Meowth.

    Jessie: Prepare for trouble

    James: And make it double

    Jessie: To protect the world from dev-

    Meowth: Wait! Cut the music!

    Meowth interrupted the chant mid-way, making Jessie and James fall over, "Hey, what''s the big idea, Meowth we always do the chant!" James yelled

    "Yeah, you better have a good reason or so to help me I''m going to-," Jessie started but again was interrupted.

    "Look, it''s just the smallest twerpette!" Meowth pointed at Yellow

    Jessie and James stopped and saw that, indeed, there was only Yellow

    They looked at each other, and James called over, "Hey, twerpette!"

    "I have a name, it''s Yellow!" Yellow said, holding her ground but was worried because this wasn''t the first time Team Rocket had appeared, but this was the first time she was alone.

    "....FIne, Yellow," James corrected himself, "Whers the Twerp with the Pikachu, red hat, and all that,"

    Yellow blinked owlishly, "Oh Ash, he left, he said he needed to go do some stuff,"

    "....so he isn''t here¡­" Jessie asked as if wanting to confirm, and Yellow nodded her head.

    *sigh* "This was a waste of time," Jessie said.

    James nodded and looked down, seeing the Pikachu roll, "Hey twe- Yellow, what''s that?"

    Yellow flinched, "Ohhh¡­it''s..a¡­Plushie!"

    They all stared at each other for a moment, then looked back at Yellow, "I believe her," James shrugged.

    "Umm¡­so are you guys¡­going to like to do something evil again?"

    "But of course we are Evil¡­we just need to find out what we''re going to do¡­" Jessie announced, and James posed behind her

    Suddenly, Cubone and Mime Jr. jumped out from behind them and nuzzled into them.

    "Mime~ Mime~"

    "Bone~ Bone~"

    "H-hey, you two, not right now, not in front of the twerpette!" Jessie said.

    Yellow saw this and chuckled; she could understand what they were saying, both the little babies were disagreeing with them, saying they weren''t evil.

    "Uhh, well, I guess this is a waste, I guess we should go and see if we can find something else¡­" Jessie said.

    "I think there was a herd of wild Sentret over by the mountains," James said, looking at his book.

    Yellow saw this and smiled, "Hey, you guys aren''t that bad¡­"

    Jessie, James, and Meowth froze in shock, "W-what!"

    "Y-you don''t know what you''re talking about, twerpette!"

    Meowth nodded, "Y-yeah, we''re going to let you off the hook this time, but next time, we won''t be so nice," he said as he went inside and, turned the robot around, and started moving away.

    Yellow smiled and waved at them, "Bye! Take care!"

    James unconsciously returned the wave, "Bye Yello- wha, no, I mean not goodbye, I mean-" he was cut off when Jessie pulled him into the robot, and they ran away.

    Yellow chuckled, thinking that maybe those guys weren''t as bad as she thought.

 To save Cinnabar Island

    {Ashtwo}

    It was later Ash returned to check in all the recruits. Not all of them were able to tame the Pokemon they were given, but those that did, moved on to the next side in the tournament-style battles.

    Ash was leaning against the railing at the top, watching the battles, and unsurprisingly, it was disappointing, the battles were slow and uninteresting, they were slower than back when he started.

    As he was on the railing, two people walked up for their first battle. One was a man who looked like he was in his 30s, and the other was that weird girl with purple hair, she called herself Helena.

    As the battle started, suddenly, from behind him, Sayoko walked up and stood next to Ash, chucking as she watched the battles, "So then, D. What are your thoughts?"

    "If I''m being honest, this is just sad. My expectations were low, but this is another level,"

    "Spoken like a true member," Sayoko chuckled, "So, any of them catch your eye to become your personal lackey~"

    "If I''m honest, not really, are you sure I can''t just keep working alone, I do my best when I am on my own, so I''d just rather be alone," Ash responded.

    "Well, unfortunately not, this is something that''s been required when a grunt ''ranks up'' to commander. Obviously, your rank is Spy, but we can''t let other grunts know about that position, so we have to get you one to avoid anyone asking any questions." Sayoko shrugged.

    "But how long can I just say I have the grunt and then dismiss them?"

    Sayoko smirked "Not really, you''re required to have that person as an assistant for at least a year; I remember the grunt I had to have, as soon as the year was up, I dismissed him,"

    "*sigh* Fine, I guess if I don''t have a choice, then I might as well try to make the most of it¡­.I guess,"

    Sayoko gave her usual smirk, "Now you''re getting it now does anyone here catch your eye~, maybe that one purple-haired girl~"

    Sayoko pushed his attention to the purple-haired girl, "From what I heard, she''s named Helena, and she''s from Kalos, she''s also quite pretty, she catch your eye?"

    Ash didn''t acknowledge her teasing words, "I read her report too, but I doubt I should choose someone based on their looks,"

    "Well, you can do what you want, if you want to choose someone for their looks, you can do it, you can even tell them to do stuff for you, and they can''t say anything or risk punishment~" Sayoko chuckled.

    Ash raised his eyebrow, "From the way you say that whoever I choose will be little more than a slave,"

    "And?" Sayoko responded, acting like it was the most casual thing she ever said.

    "I''m not going to honor that with a response," Ash said as suddenly the battle ended¡­.and Helena lost, she lost in the first round.

    On the field, Helena''s face fell as the Pokemon she had been given fell unconscious. "I lost¡­"

    Sayoko looked amused, "Oh, well it seems I was wrong about her, i expected her to at least go farther, but to lose on the first round, she seems to actually be worthless in that department."

    As Helena returned the Pokemon to the Pokeball, something in her shadow started to shift, something that it seemed like Helena looked more annoyed about than anything as she went stomping out to find someplace private to do something about that.

    Ash could see what it was thanks to Aura, but Sayoko could as well because of that ''thing'' she has with her eye, but neither of them said anything with the idea that the other couldn''t see it.

    Ash stayed silent and kept watching because now that he saw what was in the shadow, he recognized what that girl was meant to be, and he was more surprised, why was she here¡­.

    ¡ª-

    {Ash}

    Ash was back in Kanto, right now, he was sitting down with Damian back on the island to discuss the business with the Tauros.

    Damian sighed as he put some tea on and sat down on a chair, "So, yeah, it''s just like you said, this is going much better than I imagined¡­"

    Ash smiled, "I always know what I''m doing, you didn''t think this would fail, and how are the two I recommended you to hire working out for you~"You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    "*Sigh* I hate to say it, but they''re doing great, I expected them to do bad considering they aren''t breeders, they were just a couple that just started a business, ''Plusle and Minun All Service'' never would I have thought to even hire them to even clean my sink yet here we are,"

    "Yeah, but you need to remember we don''t need breeders. I trained my main Tauros to train the herd in specifically what they need to be, and I send Pokeblocks every month, hiring the best would be a waste of money; what we needed were loyalty and competence," Ash responded to take a sip of the tea.

    "Well, those two, Devi and Multa,....well, Devi sure is competent, not so sure about Multa¡­"

    "Give her a chance," Ash said, "Not everyone is naturally good at everything, everyone has their own strengths. I mean, look at you, quite bad at being a trainer and coming up with ideas, but you''re a genius when it comes to business,"

    "I guess you have a point, and yeah, her heart is in the right place," Damian sighed, "But you''re right, when I offered them enough so they can officially start their ''Plusle and Minun All Service'' company, they happily agreed to come and help out, especially since all they need to do is feed them and groom them to take their fur."

    "Speaking of which, have you found a buyer from Paldea for the fur and also a chance to get some of the Paldea Tauros?" Ash asked

    "Well, I spoke to my father, and as you said, I took all the credit, he was impressed by this operation, and he told me he would contact his people from Paldea, he also gave me credit if things go well apparently, he''ll gather connections in Paldea,"

    "Good, remember I don''t need anything right now, we can do that later. What''s important is that your father sees you as a genius, and speaking of which, I saw that some of my Tauros aren''t here, I assume you managed to get our first buyers?"

    "Yes, as of now, we have 3 of our fastest Tauros sent to Fuchsia City to a ranch there for breeding purposes, we have three more to the same place for manual labor, then in the orange island, we sent 7 for both breeding and work, and finally we have 5 of the strongest Tauros sent to Johto to the ranch that gym leader Whitney runs."

    "I see, a decent amount, is there any time frame?"

    "About 30¨C90 days," Damian responded, "All in all, although the prices are different for each, we gain about 30,000 pokedollars per month per Tauros, this is just the rough average, some cost more, some less,"

    Ash nodded, "I see, well, that''s good to hear you negotiated a good price, I''m sure your father was impressed to hear this was our first commission."

    "Yes, he was, he never thought about this even though the market was available. However, I admit I feel like if we were more well known and trustworthy; I could have gone 50,000 pokedollars per Tauros, maybe more, after all the training and food you give them are all the highest quality,"

    "That''s fine, you can re-make the prices later, for now, we need to get this up and running. Anyway, I put in more Pokeblocks needed in storage that should last you about two months,"

    Damian nodded, "Very well, I''ll send you a message when we can get into contact with Paldean Ranches,"

    Ash nodded as he finished his tea, and Abra sat on his shoulder, "Alright, I have some more business to do, see you around," Ash said as he teleported out.

    Damian sighed, as he was about to relax, suddenly he heard a stampede, when he looked out of his window, and in the front, Multa was running for her life while Devi was running behind the herd, trying to calm them down.

    Damian''s eye twitched. If Ash hadn''t recommended them, he would have fired Multa, but he bit his tongue and took a breath, "Give her a chance¡­just give her a chase, Damian," he closed the blinds and went back to sit down.

    ¡ª

    {Cinnabar Island}

    Blaine was rubbing his bandaged arm, every day it seemed to hurt more, but now it seemed like the pain was starting to calm down, when he heard that Giovanni''s Gym collapsed, he knew it wasn''t an accident.

    The growing pain that made him collapse the entire time made him realize exactly what Giovanni did, but now that it was over, he felt that the pain was starting to get better. That''s not to say it didn''t hurt, but now he isn''t considering cutting off his arm from the pain.

    Right now, he was evacuating people from the south side of Cinnabar, after the ideas that Ash gave him, he contacted other trainers with Pokemon and rangers, each with Ground, Rock, Fire, and psychic types.

    As he was looking over the town to his side, Ash teleported in with Abra. Blaine was about to say something, but no, this was actually what he had come to expect from Ash.

    Ash smiled, "Blaine, my man, how''s things going here?"

    Blaine sighed, "Fine, more or less anyway, I''m evacuating the people, this volcano will erupt in less than a year, so we''re going to take care of it now,"

    "Really, huh, and here I thought we had more time," Ash said, even though he sounded silly, there was an underlying serious hint to his voice.

    Blaine nodded, "It won''t be easy. For starters, we can''t dump it all in at one time due to the risk of an explosion, and we can''t have anyone near the edge due to the toxic haze that will be released. I made preparations for months, but even still, I don''t know if everything will go well,"

    Ash sat down next to Blaine, "Well, you can think of it like this: you either hope that your preparations were enough and you expand Cinnabar Island to potentially make it thrive, or you can wait for when the volcano erupts after all we don''t have any pokemon that can just stop eruptions."

    Blaine nodded grimly, "Your right, I have to go through with this for the People that live here,"

    He took a deep breath and nodded as he walked out to go speak to the trainers and rangers.

    A few moments later, an army of Ground, Rock, Fire, and Psychic. Started moving, the Psychic types worked together, moving the lava out in a stream as the fire and Rock types jumped into the volcano to work from the inside.

    As the lava moved, the Ground types created an elevated platform to guide the lava and lessen the strain from the psychic types,

    Then eventually, the Lava finally hit the water, causing the entire coast to start boiling, and toxic steam was Released that some flying Pokemon came in and started dispersing, it was a combined effort, and more than a few Pokemon had to tap out to rest while another took their place.

    But after hours of nonstop working and continued support, they eventually got the ok from Blain, who was monitoring the Lava in the volcano, and once it got to a stable amount where it no longer was at the risk of erupting, nearly all the Pokemon collapsed looking tired and breathing heavily as they cheered.

    They did it; they saved Cinnabar Island. It would take some time for that area to be livable again due to the new land that was being created and the residual toxic gas, but it would be safe, and they could help rebuild.

    Ash, especially since he already spoke with Blaine about this and sent him a lot of money to sponsor a few hotels to be built in the new land under his name, this was perfect, exactly the result Ash wanted,

    ¡ª

    {Back to the Gang}

    Ash arrived back at the place where he left Brock, Misty, and Yellow.

    As soon as he stepped, not even a second later, he heard screaming and running, looking at where it came from, he saw Misty, Brock, and a blue-haired girl Ash recognized as Wilhomena and holding a Marill in her arms while running from a swarm of Beedrill.

    When they saw him, Misty yelled out, "Ash! Help us!!!"

    Ash debated actually just turning around, but he knew he couldn''t do it, with a heavy sigh, he pulled out his Pokeball and threw out Beedrill; he didn''t even say anything he just pointed, and she nodded.

    Beedrill flew over casually and shot her web out in multiple directions, catching each Beedrill and tying them up, then Beedril pulled her arms back, causing the Beedrill to fall face first into the ground.

    Beedrill nodded at Ash as she flew away, dragging the Beedrill behind her, as Ash looked at the 3, "I leave for a few hours, what is wrong with you guys¡­"

    Brock and Misty looked away, but the girl Wilhomena stepped up, "I''m sorry, my name is Wilhomena, and this is Marill. Don''t blame them it''s my fault. Brock only wanted to help me, and I made things worse."

    Brock jumped in front of her, "No, Wilhomena, you did nothing wrong, I''m the one to blame, I let it get this far if anyone should be scolded, it''s me!"

    "Oh Brock¡­" Wilhomena said, a small blush creeping onto her cheek.

    Ash sighed and looked towards Misty, "So where''s Yellow?"

    "Oh, she is still by the river¡­I don''t think she ever left,"

    "Ok, fine, I won''t scold you guys even if you were idiots. I need to go see Pikachu, so you''re off the hook for now," Ash said

    Then he grabbed Misty and pulled her close, whispering in her ear, "And between you and me, am I the only one that thinks that this girl is actually interested in Brock?"

    "I know," She said, whispering, "I didn''t want to say something, but it''s so weird like this girl genuinely looks like she likes Brock, what dark magic is this,"

    "I dunno, but I''m going to keep an eye on him," Ash said as he pulled back.

    "Alright, leave it to me, even if I''m tempted to pull his ear, I''m invested now I want to see how this ends."

 Fully integrated

    When Ash walked away from Misty and Brock, he could hear Brock going on and on, but he ignored that and let Misty deal with it. Meanwhile, he went over to Yellow.

    Once he got to the tree he was pointed to, he saw Yellow napping with all her Pokemon, and there in a cradle was the Pikachu Burrito, still sleeping and wrapped up.

    He could only sigh as he thought about the best way to do this, part of him wanted to let Yellow finish her nap, and another kinda really needed to check on Pikachu since if Pikachu had not recovered, then he needed to have Pikachu get rid of Raikou''s electricity before it causes permanent damage.

    Thankfully, he didn''t need to make that choice as from behind him, Dody, who he hadn''t even noticed before, poked one of his heads on Ash, almost making him fall on top of Yellow before he caught himself.

    He looked back, and Dody was giving a knowing smirk, which made Ash''s eye twitch in annoyance at the bird, as he pushed himself back up, Dody walked around and pushed himself under Yellow''s arm where he usually sleeps, which also moved Yellow enough to wake her up, but she was still groggy.

    "Hmm¡­ Dody?" Yellow said, her eyes half opened as she looked up at Ash, "Oh hey Ash¡­."

    Ash rubbed his head and sighed, "Sorry, Yellow, I''ll let you get back to your nap, but can I have Pikachu?"

    Yellow yawned, "Sure¡­" she raised Pikachu, which Ash quickly took, "Are we going yet?" She asked with a yawn

    "It''s fine, you can sleep more, I''ll tell you when we leave," Ash said as Yellow didn''t try to argue as she just went back to sleep.

    Ash walked away from Yellow so she could get her nap and put Pikachu down as he got his dex out to check on him.

    -

    [Pikachu (M)]

    [Condition - Fully integrated Raikou''s electricity into his own electric core, once again able to be normal, currently faking it to keep being spoiled.]

    [Solution: Wake this lazy bum up]

    ¡ª

    Ash''s eye twitched seeing the last part, so Pikachu was good to go, but he was faking still being unconscious well, there is an easy way to deal with this.

    Ash put his dex away and sighed heavily, "Oh well, I guess if Pikachu is like this, I need to throw away his limited edition ketchup that is imported all the way from Alola~" Ash said, looking away from Pikachu.

    Pikachu''s eyes shot open, looking bloodshot. He tried to escape the burrito to go save his ketchup, but he was wrapped too tightly, and he knew that this blanket was shockproof,

    He trugelsd and tryed calling out, "Pika pika! [Wait, no, I''m up, you don''t need to do that!]"

    But Ash didn''t look at Pikachu, "It''s almost like I can hear his Pikas¡­.oh how it is a shame, I was going to go buy him a jumbo bottle, I guess there''s no point now¡­"

    Pikachu struggled, trying to free himself frantically and calling out, ''Pika! [No Ash, wait, I''m sorry, I won''t do it again, just please, no!]"

    Ash kept ignoring him, "I guess I''ll go dump this in the river¡­" he said as he grabbed his bag and started walking, leaving Pikachu on the hill wrapped up, he could only do one thing.

    "PIKAAAAA!!!!!"

    ¡ª¡ª¡ª

    A few hours later, they were back on the road. Eventually, Ash let Pikachu out, and he was crying tears of joy when he found out Ash didn''t actually dump his Ketchup.

    Brock and Wilhomena hit it off, somehow and obviously, Brock offered to stay with her, she responded with a blush and thanked him but told him that she didn''t want to break up their friend group since, in her view Ash was his best friend, I mean she wasn''t wrong but still.This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    So before she left, they exchanged numbers, and Wilhomena asked that they meet again one day before hopping into her Limousine, which was just a surprise because it seemed like the buttler driving it came out of nowhere.

    She drove off holding her Marill in her arms, waving at them. Brock stood strong, waving back, but as soon as she was out of sight, he fell and leaned against a tree, "So close¡­"

    Ash gave him a pat on the back, "That''s rough, my dude, but hey, at least you got her number,"

    "Yeah, I guess you''re right¡­" Brock mumbled

    Misty gave a light elbow to his side, "And hey, this is the first number you got without Ash''s help, you did it all on your own"

    Brock lit up a bit more, "You know what, yeah¡­I guess you''re right¡­"

    Brock stood up, "Yeah, I have her number! So that means I have a chance!" Brock said as he held his phone and opened it, "I''ll call her right now!"

    "NO!" x2, Ash and Misty yelled as they pulled his phone out of his hands.

    "Wait, no, come on guys, I just want to call her, and tell her she''s beautiful, and ask about her day, and ask about how many children she wants! And-" Brock started but was stopped when Misty''s shoe pressed against his face, pushing.

    "This is what we talked about, Brock!" Misty said, trying to push him back to take away his phone, "If you talk to her now, you''re just being desperate!"

    Ash was also trying to make Brock drop his grip, but the simp strength was too strong even for him, "Brock, let go of the phone, at least just wait a day!"

    "But what if she loses interest? I need to do this; it''s the only way I know how!" Brock said, not even caring that Misty''s foot was pushing against his face and was starting to actually pull his phone back.

    "Brock, I''m sorry about this, but it''s for your own good, I''ll make it up to you later," Ash said as he let go and ran up, sending a punch into Brock''s stomach and knocking the wind out of him and making him go unconscious.

    Misty finally ripped his phone out of his hand, "I''d say that was a bit extreme, but this is Brock we''re talking about I''m surprised that was enough,"

    Ash went around and grabbed a Pokeball on Brock''s belt, "Yeah, but it''s for his own good, we don''t want another Ivy situation, whatever that was,"

    As he said that, even though Brock was unconscious, his eyes darkened, and he mumbled, "do¡­th¡­name¡­"

    "Yiks¡­what did she do to him¡­" Misty asked, "This is just sad at this point. He''s unconscious, and he still doesn''t want to hear it."

    Ash shrugged and threw out the Pokeball, which was Brock''s Rhydon, he took Brock''s bag, which had his egg, off Brock and put it on Rhydon, then told Rhydon to pick Brock up¡­.again¡­this was not the first time, so Rhydon didn''t even say anything.

    As he did that, he looked over at Misty, who Copied Wilhomena''s number and then deleted it from Brock''s phone, "I''ll give him this back after tomorrow,"

    Ash took Brock''s phone and put it in Brock''s bag, "Alright, anyway, I got Brock secured on Rhydon, you wanna go get Yellow, or should I?"

    "I''ll get her, so you know where we''re going next?" Misty asked

    "Always,"

    ¨C

    {Time skip}

    A few days later of traveling, Brock was up, and yes, eventually, Misty did give him back Wilhomena''s number, and immediately he went out to call her, under heavy supervision from Misty.

    The next stop Ash planned to go to was to go to Charicific Valley; he wanted to check how strong Charizard was since undoubtedly he was stronger than OG, and he was confident he could probably at least take down most Charizard in a 1 on 1 fight except for like the strongest of the strong.

    He wasn''t sure if he''d drop off Charizard for a while there since he was already strong, and the only reason Charizard was left there originally was to become strong, so it seemed redundant. So is a maybe, if Charizard wants to stay, he has no problem dropping him off, after all, he has Abra, and he can just come back anytime.

    Speaking of which, Charizard, he hasn''t talked about this because he still needed to analyze it himself, but that thing that happened to the battle bond they had, its strange. Ash and Charizard haven''t been able to access it again.

    From what he saw back when it happened, it was imperfect it only lasted about 2-3 minutes, and from what he could tell when it happened, he also saw that he was wasting unnecessary energy and movements,

    The point is was that he could tell that Battle Bond was stronger than normal mega evolution, but it had its own drawbacks, including the fact that it is currently incomplete.

    And sometimes at night, Ash would wake up to go do something only to find that Charizard was doing some secret training to try and unlock that form again, trying to forcibly access Battle bond, for a moment, Ash thought about checking him, but thought against it, he was probably on a power high because of how that felt.

    Even what he was saying confirmed it,

    "Char¡­Char...Char... [That feeling¡­I need to find it again¡­I need to master it¡­]"

    So with that, Ash didn''t press it, since from Charizard''s point of view back then, he unlocked that form by himself, he''ll try to explain it was a combination of their bond after Charicific Valley since they would get there tomorrow.

    ¡ª-

    {Ashtwo}

    Ash stood in front of the grunts after the tournament was over, Sayoko was next to him, mainly because she was curious and she had nothing better to do, or more accurately, because she didn''t want to do anything else.

    Ash gave out their uniforms to everyone and pulled back the top 3, telling them about the secret Spy rank, getting their custom outfits and their credits before sending them off.

    Well, all except one as Helena, the familiar girl from before, came running in since she lost track of time and stood in front of the two, "I''m so sorry! I got distracted and lost track of time, then took a nap and, please tell me I didn''t fail!"

    Sayoko was genuinely speechless; this was the first time something so¡­.ridiculous like this had happened, "Um, sorry, but no, we gave out the uniforms, and we already told another grunt to take them away,"

    Helena''s face palled, "No, no, no, please tell me there has to be another way, come on, please, I need to join!"

    Sayoko was annoyed, confused, somehow sympathetic a bit looking at her being so pitiful, "Um¡­" she was genuinely stupid here this was something that had never happened before

    She looked at Ash, and she realized there was something, so she got a mischievous smile, "Alright then, in that case, you can join as Commander D.''s underling!"

    Helena looked hopeful, and Ash had to take a spit take that passed through his scarf, "Wait just a minute, don''t I get a say in this!"

    Before Sayoko could say anything, Helena ran up and grabbed Ash''s hands, shaking them, "Thank you for having me I''ll be sure to be the best underling I can be, so can we be friends!"

    Sayoko chuckled, "Aww, see, she likes you. Be sure to take good care of her D. I''ll leave you 2 to get to know each other ~"

    Before Ash could complain, Sayoko was already walking out, leaving him to have to take Helena as his underling for at least a year before he could dismiss her,

    Ash sighed, knowing that this girl wasn''t a random girl, she was the Hex maniac from X and Y, the one that said ''you are not the one'' to the player character, which just made him ask, what is she doing here, at best she should be a random girl and at worse a ghost.

    He took a breath and knew he just had to deal with this, especially her extra friend, the one in her shadow, Gengar was already getting ready to attack it as soon as it tried something.

    Ash shook his head, "Fine, I guess if we''re stuck together, then you might as well give me your ideas for your custom uniform, and I''ll get it for you,"

 Charicific Valley

    Ash was sitting down, lying against Charizard, who was resting and about to take a nap, everyone else was doing their own thing, he had a spoon in his mouth from breakfast as he looked at the map on his dex.

    Then he finally found what he was looking for; he leaned his head back, the spoon still in his mouth, "Hey, Charizard,"

    "Char?" Charizard said, opening one eye and yawning

    "You wanna go check out this place where there are a bunch of Charizards?" Ash asked, showing Charizard his map

    Charizard froze for a moment, a place with a bunch of Charizard, he was Curious, he had never actually seen another Charizard personally, now that he thought about it, he also was interested to see how he compared, that this might be his shot to prove himself.

    "Char!" Charizard gave a nod and puffed out a small ember of flames from his nose,

    Ash nodded as he took the spoon out of his mouth and pulled his Pokeball out, "Alright then, you get some rest then. I''ll let you out when we get there, alright"

    Charizard nodded and went back into his ball, barely hiding his excitement. Ash got up and stretched his back. Once he did, he felt something squishy holding onto him.

    Turning around, he saw that Chikorita was holding onto his back, nuzzling the crook of his neck. He couldn''t help but sigh. He hoped that because Chikorita didn''t almost freeze to death, she wouldn''t have that major crush on him, but it seemed like saving her from Raikou also did the trick.

    Ash sighed as he pulled Chikorita off him but that only made her cling to his wrist instead, he tried a few more things and tried to put her in her ball and failed, only to get a few chuckles from his friends.

    "Looks like Chikorita likes you very, very, very much~," Brock said, teasing.

    Misty nodded, "I''ll say, I thought if anyone was going to get a Pokemon to like them like that, it would be Yellow,"

    Ash sighed as he managed to rip Chikorita off his face, and he gave a deadpan look at them, "You''re enjoying this too much, aren''t you,"

    "Noooo~" x2, they said in unison

    Ash sighed as he put Chikorita over his shoulder instead, "Well, I guess it''s the consequences of my own actions, any way you guys ready to move, we''re taking a detour,"

    Yellow looked over from where she was sitting, "Really? Where are we going?"

    Ash smiled and pointed up, "We are going to Charicific Valley!"

    ".....Eh?" x2 Brock and Misty said

    ¡ª------

    A bit later, the gang was climbing the mountain. Ash was leading the way, and Yellow was equally as excited, walking next to him.

    However, Brock and Misty both knew about the news about Charicific Valley that normal people weren''t allowed to go there sure, Ash had a Charizard, but there was no reason to believe they would give them special treatment just because Ash has a Charizard.

    They were trying to talk Ash out of continuing, half knowing it wasn''t going to work and the other half hoping, "Ash, come on, there are better things to do, I mean, don''t you want to get all your badges, and also go see Kurt!" Misty said

    "Azalea Town''s Gym is closed down for a bit, and Kurt is probably helping find the problem," Ash said, not even stopping.

    Brock came up too, "Well, what about training, you could use that extra time to train your other Pokemon, maybe find one you like and catch?"

    "I have a training schedule for all my Pokemon, and they''re all on track. Besides, I only plan on catching maybe 4 more Pokemon here in Johto, maybe not even that, honestly." Ash said nonchalantly.

    "Well¡­." Brock was trying to figure out a way he could stop Ash, "What if I challenge you to a Pokemon battle, if you win, we can go, but if I-"

    "You know I hear the ranger stationed here is pretty hot," Ash interrupted Brock.

    Brock''s face hardened as he stood next to Ash, putting his arm around his shoulder, "You''re right we need to go forward to see just what this Valley has in store!"

    Misty slapped her face and dragged her hand; she didn''t even know why she tried at this point, "You guys are going to be the death of me, I swear¡­"

    As soon as she said that, a woman with long green hair, wearing a red crop top and shorts that seemed to look like a modified version of the standard uniform the rangers wear, jumped down from the side of the mountain, sliding down and stood in front of them blocking their path

    "Stop right there, this area is a protected area, normal people are not allowed to enter!" she said, furrowing as if getting ready for the worst,

    Brock ran up and fell to his knees, grabbing her hand in a flash that was even faster than Pikachu could move, "Hello, my lady! You see, I came here because I require someone as beautiful as you to protect my heart instead!"

    Misty walked over, grabbed his ear, and pulled him away, "Some things never change, I swear¡­"If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    The girl looked confused, "Uhh¡­" she didn''t know how to proceed, "So you lot wouldn''t happen to be poachers, right?"

    Ash walked up this time, "No, we aren''t, we came here because I have a Charizard, and I would like to test him against the other Charizard in this valley, rumors say this is where the strongest Charizard come from,"

    The girl smirked and put her hands on her waist, pointing her nose up, "Well, you''ve got that right, the Charizard here became some of the strongest, infact some of our proudest Charizard went on to become Champion Lance''s Charizard!"

    "Wow, really?" Yellow asked, "Mr. Lance got his Charizard here."

    "Yep, along with any Eggs the Blackthorn clan uses, they all come from here. We have a partnership with their clan, and we breed the best Charizard right here!"

    "Speaking of which, sorry I got carried away I just take pride in my work," she said, scratching her head, "I''m Liza, the ranger stationed to protect this area and a proud Charizard Trainer!"

    "I''m Ash, and lover boy over there is Brock, the girl pulling his ear off is Misty, and Yellow is right here,"

    "Nice to meet you all, and I knew I smelled the unmistakable scent of a Charizard on you," Liza said as she leaned in and took a sniff.

    That made most of them stop in their tracks seeing Liza just so casually lean into Ash, Brock was let go by Misty, and he fell to the ground in despair,

    "It should have been me, not him; it''s not fair¡­" Brock said, which he was promptly ignored

    Liza took a step back, "I see, this is the smell of a young Charizard, if I had to guess, probably not even 3 years out of the Egg,"

    "Yep, so then can we enter the valley as long as we promise we aren''t here to poach?" Ash asked

    Liza sighed, "Well, usually no, but since you have a Charizard, I suppose I can allow it... very well,"

    Misty could not believe it was that easy; she was here expecting that they were going to get arrested, going to go and have to plead their case, but nope, Here''s Ash with a few nice words just winning her over, life isn''t fair.

    "So how do we get there," Yellow asked as they looked to where the road cut off. They couldn''t keep going on foot.

    "It''s simple," Liza said as she took a step away from them and walked up to the edge of the cliff before yelling into the Valley, "Charla!!!"

    It took a few moments, but then, from the sky, another Charizard flew down, it was bigger than Ash''s Charizard because she was older, she had long lashes and a pink bow on her head, and she had a basket attached to her filled with rocks.

    Liza nodded at Charla as she started dumping out the rocks from the basket and turned to the rest of them, "We''ll be flying up, you guys can hop in, but Ash, how about you fly on your own,"

    Ash smiled and pulled out Charizard''s Pokeball, throwing him out, as soon as he stamped out, he stretched his arms and let out a puff of fire from his nostrils.

    Liza walked up and started inspecting him, living one wing, then his left arm, then opening his jaw, inspecting everything about him, "Oh yeah, based on the size of his teeth, I can tell this is a young Charizard just like I thought,"

    Liza jumped down and inspected him some more, "Though I got to say this is impressive, his scales are a nice glossy, almost metallic color, and they have a very nice color, I can tell this guy is pretty strong, especially for his age,"

    Charizard was more confused about the sudden girl inspecting him that literally forced his mouth open, but didn''t say anything since he was promised more Charizard. And right now, he saw the first Charizard other than him, and it was a girl looking at him with curiosity.

    Liza stopped and nodded, "Alright, on my first glance, you impressed me!" she said, giving a thumbs up,

    The three hopped in the basket already as Ash was mounting Charizard, "Alright lead the way then if you''re so impressed,"

    Liza nodded and hoped on Charla, "Alright then, follow me!" With that, Charla flapped into the air, and Charizard followed behind,

    Brock, Misty, and Yellow were in the basket when they saw a radio attached to the basket that connected with Liza, and out of it, Liza spoke, "Alright then, so can you 3 tell me about your friend there? Don''t want to find out he just bought a Charizard from some poachers."

    "No, Ash has had Charizard since forever," Yellow said,

    "He showed us a picture of when he found the poor thing abandoned by its previous trainer," Brock said more seriously

    "That''s awful; I''m glad to see that he''s fine. I hope they worked out any problems Charizard may have gotten; it would have been really bad if being abandoned caused Charizard some trauma," Liza said

    "Wait, that can happen?" Misty asked

    "Well, not with fully evolved Charizard, so your friend should be fine, as long as he treats him well and helps him become strong, it should be good,"

    "Oh, definitely. Ash treats Charizard super well, and he''s really strong, too!" Yellow said, nodding happily even though Liza couldn''t see them

    "That''s good, speaking of which, how strong do you think he is?"

    "Well, he won the Indigo League, and Charizard is definitely his strongest," Brock said

    "Wait, really, man, I have to stay up to date on these things I wanted to watch that even live," Liza grunted, "I guess I''ll go watch the Vod later, anyway, hold on, we''re almost here!"

    With that, Liza put the radio down, and Charla began to descend, landing on the edge of another cliff, soon after, Ash and Charizard came in and landed next to them.

    Liza smiled as she sent a signal with Charla, and as soon as she did, the large doors started opening, from the side 2, Charizard were pushing on some levers to open the door for them.

    There, when the door opened, they saw tons of Charizards, some battling, some sleeping, some preparing some food or trading with other Charizards, it was like an entire village.

    Liza smiled and looked back at them, "Charicific Valley is home to lots of Charizards, and although all of them are strong, not all of them are battlers,"

    She pointed to a group of Charizards that weren''t using their wings and had sashes around them, "Those are hunter and gatherer Charizards, they go out and collect all the food for the Charizard,"

    Then she pointed to another squad of Charizards with a pink sash, "And those over there are part of the nursery, they tend to the Eggs and baby Charmander when they hatch,"

    She stood in front of them with her hands behind her back, "There are more roles, but all you need to know right now is that the Charizard with no sash at all are the warrior Charizard, they''re the ones you''re looking for,"

    Charizard looked excited; this was his chance he was waiting for, he looked at Charla and Liza and spoke, "Charizard! [Who is the strongest I want to challenge that one!]"

    Liza knew how to speak the Charizard language, so Charla and Liza looked at each other, "Well, no, the strongest Charizard here is the king Charizard, but you can''t just challenge him he needs to challenge you, and you''re new here so he probably doesn''t even know about you,"

    "Besides, even if he did, the king Charizard can probably be easily put in the top 10 strongest Charizard in the world," Liza continued, "How about we find an opponent you can actually fight,"

    Charizard puffed out the flames as he looked frustrated, he knew that is what he needed to do: beat the king, and then he would prove himself, it was perfect, he just needed to find out how,

    As they walked, another bigger Charizard with a cocky expression walked up, shooting Charla a flirty wink which she did not appreciate, then his eyes landed on Charizard, and he heard everything.

    The big Charizard walked up looking cocky, "Char-Charizard~ [Oh so little baby wants to fight the king, well keep dreaming, I''m going to be the future king that is my title to take~]"

    Charla rolled her eyes, "Char¡­[Stop it you''re not impressing anyone especially not me¡­]"

    "Char~ [Charla baby, come on, you know you want me, you can be my first of many mates for when I become the king~]"

    "Char-Char, [Yeah, I told you once, and I''ll tell you a thousand more, I''m not interested]"

    This whole time, Ash and Yellow were eating popcorn and watching the drama going on, this was getting good, Liza looked at them, reached out, grabbed some, and joined them in watching this, Brock and Misty were left out since they were the only ones who couldn''t understand them.

    The big Charizard rolled his eyes, clearly not getting the hint, "Charizard, [Come on babe, you know you''ll be mine soon enough~]"

    "Char¡­[Yeah, try saying that when you can beat me]" Charla jabbed back

    Charizard looked annoyed, less about the big Charizard trying to get with Charla, more that he was being annoyed,

    The big Charizard looked annoyed and saw Charizard as a smaller Charizard that he could use to alleviate some anger and probe himself, "Charizard~[Well, looks like the little baby is angry, is he your boyfriend~]"

    Charla didn''t even flinch, "Char, [Just met the guy, but even I can tell from the 10 minutes I''ve known him, he''s better than you]"

    The big Charizard looked annoyed, "Char! [Altight then, little baby, I challenge you to a match let''s see what you''re really made of!]"

    Charla looked like she was going to step in, but Charizard beat her to it, "Charizard! [I accept, how are we doing this?]"

    The big Charizard smirked, "Char! [Alright, regular battle, no special tricks, I''ll even let you have the first hit~]"

    The big Charizard leaned his head down, smirking, and closed his eyes, he was known as the Charizard with the toughest scales in all the valley, and he was confident Charizard couldn''t even hurt him

    Charizard didn''t even try to stop him; he just woke up and winded up his fist, and as soon as he shot, it glowed with purple and yellow energy using a move he made with Ash, [Lightning Dragon''s Iron Fist (Thunder Punch + Iron Dragon''s Claw)].

    Charizard shot it forward and hit the big Charizard across the face so hard that after the first punch, the big Charizard was out cold, crashing into a stone behind him.

    The Valley was silent that Charizard was known for being cocky with the strength to back it up, but here a young Charizard they never met took him out in one shot.

    Charizard looked back at Charla, "Char¡­[You said if I want to fight the king, I need to get his attention and interest, right?]"

    Charla nodded, still surprised that Charizard had just done that, but she didn''t realize what he was implying.

    Charizard flew up and stomped down on one of the extended rocks and roared into the valley, "Charizard!!! [From this point forward, I declare war on Charicific Valley!!!]"

    From the bottom, Ash, Yellow, and Liza looked at each other, "Ehh?"x3

 Vs. King Charizard

    Charizard flew into the air after roaring out his challenge, those that saw him one-shot the cocky Charizard didn''t take it as a joke, after all, that, other Charizard may have been cocky, but it was for a good reason he was at the top 10 of the entire valley, and Charizard just took him out like it was nothing.

    Suddenly, five warrior Charizard flew up and confronted Charizard. The largest of the group flew close, trying to defuse this since they could tell Charizard wasn''t lying he was serious, he wanted to declare war on Charicific Valley.

    "Char! Charizard! [Young one, don''t do this you proved your power with the other Charizard you took down, you don''t have to fight us this won''t end up good for you you shall only bring trouble to yourself.]"

    Charizard put on a grin, "Charizard! [Try to stop me. I said that I''m not stopping until I fight the king, and if you stand in my way, I''ll take you down!]"

    The older Charizard sighed as the 4 other Charizard got in formation behind him, "Char [Very well then, I have no choice I will take you down!]"

    Charizard smiled, "Charizard! [5 against 1, that''s not very fair]"

    "Char¡­[you declared war, we will not play fair]" the old Charizard said

    Charizard smirked, "Charizard~[I meant it wasn''t fair for you~]"

    In a swift movement, Charizard was replaced with an afterimage as he appeared behind the 5 Charizard and sent a [Dragon Tail] directly at the one in the back, sending it plummeting and crashing into the ground.

    The remaining 4 rushed forward, each charging their own attack, the one in the back shooting a [Ancient Power] as the 3 rushing at him charged up there [Metal Claws]

    Charizard retaliated by extending his own claws. First, they grew a greenish color as he created his [Dragon Claw] and flew forward with the first 2 slashes he parried the first 2 Charizard''s claws, also slicing 2 of the rocks, then when the 3rd came, his tail glowed as he spun using another [Dragon Tail] to block it.

    Charizard then used the momentum of his tail hitting the Charizard and forced it to become its Pokemon shield, blocking the incoming [Ancient Power] with the Charizard''s body, and when the rocks stopped coming that, Charizard fell out of the sky as well.

    Charizard smiled as he could feel his blood starting to pump, his extended claws then grew longer as he switched to [Shadow Dragon''s Claw], his long claws a dark purple as he rushed forward and, with 2 slashes, came down on the 2 Charizard in front of him.

    They raised their own claws up, blocking Charizard''s claws as sparks started flying. The old Charizard in the back started charging another attack to retaliate, but Charizard didn''t let it happen.

    Charizard moved his claws, intertwining them with the claws of the other Charizards then, once they were clasped, he swung his body around and threw them to the ground in a double [Seismic Toss].

    Then, as the old Charizard was about to throw his attack, Charizard appeared in front of him and grabbed the old Charizard by the jaw before spinning and diving into the ground with the old Charizard in his hand, crashing into the stone ground.

    As the collision shook the mountains, the old Charizard was still up, so Charizard picked him up and threw him face first into the stone mountain, then started running, dragging the Charizard''s face across the mountain before he threw him back on the ground leaving a crack on the stone floor knocking the wind out of the older Charizard.

    That Charizard struggled to get the wind back in him, but one stomp to the chest from Charizard knocked the old Charizard out.

    Charizard stood there, staring down the shocked faces of many Charizards that watched him take down a team of 5 experienced Charizards by himself, Charizard flew up and roared, demanding his next challenge.

    The Charizard in the valley weren''t cowards they knew they needed to fight, but then Charizard saw something: one of the non-warriors Charizard was about to fly up, so with anger in his eyes, he roared.

    "RAAAARRR [ALL OF YOU, IF YOU ARE NOT A WARRIOR, DON''T EVEN THINK ABOUT COMING UP HERE OR SO HELP ME, I WILL KILL YOU!]"

    The anger and authority in Charizard''s roar shook the valley, and the non-warrior Charizard immediately took a step back involuntarily it was like there was something forcing them to do as he said.

    Now that the non-fighters were backing down to protect the valley their own way instead of fighting, all the warrior Charizards started flying up, surrounding the lone Charizard.

    But Charizard wasn''t scared; he smiled. He knew this was it, and after this, he would undoubtedly prove himself.

    Charizard roared again, popping a [Dragon Dance] and flying up to meet the small army head-on.

    ¡ª

    Back on the ground, the gang, Liza and Charla, were watching in shock, especially Ash. He did not expect this to happen; he didn''t know why this was happening.

    "Ash, what''s going on!" Yellow asked, grabbing onto Chuchu in a tight hug

    "Yeah, you didn''t put him up to this, did you?" Misty asked, looking at Ash up and down

    Pikachu also looked at him, squinting at Ash as if trying to stare through him and read his mind, slowly leaning in closer to Ash as he did

    Ash shook his head, pushing Pikachu away, "No way, I didn''t do anything I don''t know why he''s doing this,"

    "Then why is Charizard trying to fight all the other Charizard?" Brock asked

    "It''s not just fighting, Ash''s Charizard has declared war on Charicific Valley!" Liza said, looking up to see Charizard grabbing two other Charizard and throwing them before flipping and slashing at another with his wings.

    "W-war!?" Misty and Brock said in unison

    Liza came up to Ash, grabbed his shirt, and started shaking him, "Can''t you stop this! Stop things at once you''re his trainer do something about it!

    "I-want-to-but-i-can''t-like-this!" Ash said as he was being shaken back and forth

    Pikachu was still on his shoulder. He tried to hold on, but Pikachu was sent flying away with a "Pikaaaa!!!"

    Pikachu flying away was promptly ignored as Misty came up and put a hand on Liza, pulling her back, "Hey, calm down, calm down!"

    Liza took a breath, letting go of Ash''s shirt, "You''re right¡­" She let go of Ash, and as soon as she did, Misty took her spot.

    "Because it''s my turn!" Misty said as she came up and grabbed Ash''s shirt and started shaking him, "What did you do?!"

    Ash was getting violently shaken again, "I-didn''t-do-any-thing!"

    Brock got in the center and Pushed Misty away from Ash, "Stop that, giving Ash more brain damage isn''t going to do anything!"This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    Misty crossed her arms and looked away, "It feels like it is,"

    Ash held his head and shakily took a step forward, trying to clear his head, as he did, he could feel his heartbeat, and for some reason, his chest started Hurting on the place where he had his scar

    *Bum**Bum**Bum*

    Yellow looked at Ash, "Ash, are you ok¡­?"

    Ash nodded and took a breath, yelling as loud as he could, "CHARIZARD!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!"

    From the sky, Charizard threw another Charizard, using him as a weapon, spinning his body around and crashing it into more, he heard Ash''s shout and looked over to see Ash down there yelling at him.

    Charizard wanted to go now, but he couldn''t, he wanted to do this, he HAD to do this, it was all for him, all for Ash.

    *Bum**Bum**Bum*

    Charizard could feel it, that feeling was coming back he just needed to grab it, to force it out, his blood was pumping,

    Charizard looked around, seeing that he was being surrounded by multiple Charizard, he grinned and raised his fist, "Charizard. Char¡­ [Fine, come as close as you want. However¡­. This will be the last time!]"

    The Charizard started flying down to hit Charizard; some shooting ranged attacks and a bunch running to close courtesy combat,

    Charizard caught the fist of one Charizard and sent a punch at the one''s arm before throwing it down, he spun around and sent an uppercut to another before spinning his body and sending a kick to send him plummeting down and using the momentum to kick another in the face.

    One was coming behind, so he hushed his tail, grabbing its food and spinning it, making it fall upsidedown as he turned around and sent a punch to its stomach, then he turned and grabbed another, using it as a shield, blocking the ranged attack and throwing it into another Charizard.

    Two more came at him from both sides, so he jumped and kicked both of them in the face, as he did, one Charizard surprised him, grabbing him from being, the 2 Charizard that he kicked looked up and sent a combined punch attack into Charizard''s stomach.

    Charizard coughed some spit but clenched his jaw as he grabbed the one behind him and threw him at the 2 Charizard before spinning around and hitting all 3 with a [Thunder Punch], sending them falling.

    Another came and tried to punch him, but Charizard dodged left then right before grabbing its head and using his knee to kick it in the face.

    Charizard was fighting hard, and he could feel it, his heart pumping, his blood boiling, this was it, this was that feeling he just needed to force it out!

    *Bum**Bum**Bum*

    As everyone was on the ground watching Charizard fight, Ash felt a sharp pain in his chest. His heart started beating fast as he clenched his shirt in the palace where his heart was.

    *Bum**Bum**Bum*

    Ash was breathing heavily as he clenched his chest, the pain hurt; every time his heart would beat, he would feel that pain.

    Everyone was surprised when Ash started to grab his shirt and leaned over his face, showing he was holding back a grunt of pain.

    Brock ran over and caught Ash supporting him, "Ash, what''s wrong!"

    Yellow quickly ran over and hesitated as she was about to heal Ash, "Ash, should I¡­"

    Ash took a breath, "I''m fine¡­but this is getting more¡­ complicated.."

    "What do you mean by that?" Liza said she could see something was happening with Charizard, as an expert, she saw something, and seeing Ash, she could tell the same thing was happening to him.

    Ash knew what was going on, Charizard was trying to force the battle bond; it''s supposed to be a combination of a person and their Pokemon, but Charizard doesn''t know that, so he''s forcing the transformation, not knowing what he''s doing.

    Ash Ash could feel their hearts since he could start feeling something: adrenalin, excitement, and a lingering fear and doubt in the back of his head, like something was holding him back.

    Ash decided to finally check Charizard in his dex; he hadn''t checked on him using it since way back when he first evolved, so he never used the condition upgrade on him.

    ¡ª

    [Charizard(M)]

    [Condition - Broken emotional state: Charizard''s fear of being useless is causing him to act out and unconsciously hold himself back. He doesn''t want to lose in fear he will be abandoned again, until this is resolved, Charizard will suffer a permanent -1 to all stats]

    [Solution - Help him emotionally!]

    ¨C

    Ash''s eyes widened, why didn''t he see it before, it all made sense now, the way Charizard acted, he distanced himself, he was the first to comfort someone after a loss and always said that he would carry their burden.

    "I''m an Idiot¡­" Ash mumbled. They heard it, but they didn''t realize what he was talking about

    How did he not see this, why didn''t he say something, no this isn''t Charizard''s fault it''s his fault he''s his trainer and friend he should have seen it this sooner, he should have helped Charizard more.

    Charizard was surrounded by all sides he could see all the Charizard rushing at him, ready to pile on him to take him down,

    A Charizard grabbed his arm, then another his leg. He tried to push it back, but another came and another and another, until where Charizard stood, there was a ball of Charizard.

    They were about to ask what he was talking about, but Ash stepped up to the edge of the cliff and yelled as loud as he could, "CHARIZARD!!!"

    *Bum**Bum**Bum*

    Charizard was in the dark. The Charizard surrounding him covered every entrance, and the only light was from his tail flame, but he heard something: Ash yelling his name

    *Bum**Bum**Bum*

    He grit his teeth as the fire on his tail burned, his eyes shined a bright blue, he wasn''t fighting for himself!

    *Bum**Bum**Bum*

    As the Charizard ball was starting to try to move from the cracks between their bodies, a bright light shined through, and then the light started to flow like it was a bright white fire, and it began dancing like smoke.

    From the ball, more smoke and fire started exiting, being Charizard. They all were used to heat, but this heat was starting to make them sweat.

    Ash clenched his chest and fell to his knee. Everyone quickly ran over to try and help Ash, but Ash looked up, "It''s back¡­"

    They looked confused as they looked up, seeing the smoke start to move as if it was fire and spin in a spiral.

    "What are you talking about, what is going on?" Liza asked

    Ash took a breath, "Battle bond¡­"

    From their ball of Charizard, suddenly, a force from the inside exploded in a bright show of flame, the blue fire flowed, sending all the Charizards flying around in all directions, knocking out some and weakening others.

    There flapping his wings, his fire shooting from his mouth, his fire brighter than ever and a deep blue, his wings longer, his claws sharper, Ash-Charizard was back, this was his semi-perfect form.

    Charizard roared loudly as everyone was looking at him, especially everyone on the ground.

    Some of the Charizard were starting to hesitate, Charizard already took down about half of all of the Charizard in the valley, and not all of the remaining Charizard were warriors.

    The remaining Charizard were about to fly up to protect what little they could when suddenly a louder roar came from deep in the valley.

    From the valley, a powerful force stomped out. There was a Charizard, but this one was much bigger; he had many signs showing he was old but powerful, and he had many scars, but the thing of note was there was a single slash on his chest.

    No one had to say anything; this was obvious: this was the king Charizard.

    The King roared, looking at all his warriors, Charizard either hurt or unconscious, those who were still up took a knee, except for one, a strange young Charizard, he heard everything from his cave he didn''t need to ask.

    The King walked up his stomp shook the entire valley as he looked to one of the remaining warrior, Charizard, "Char¡­[It''s been a while since I stretched my legs; this young one is interesting,]"

    Charizard looked down and smiled, "Charizard! [You''re the king, right? Then I challenge you!]"

    The king looked up every Charizard was shocked hearing this, expecting the king to glare at the young Charizard, but he only laughed, "Char! [Oh, a feisty one, I like it very well, young one I accept your challenge; show me what that strength you have can do.]"

    Charizard flawed his wings, and in a flash, he appeared next to the king, ready to deliver a [Dragon Claw], but as it came down, the king raised his hand, easily stopping it with his own [Dragon Claw]

    "Char..[Good strength, but you''re using too many useless movements, and you''re not fighting with everything I can tell, your scared,]" the king said as sparks flowed from their claws

    "Charizard! [Who''s scared of an old man like you!]"

    "Charizard¡­[I never said that fear was directed at me¡­]" the kind said as he looked at Charizard''s eyes, seeing Ash there.

    Charizard''s eyes widened that the king was seeing through him. He grit his teeth and spun around, aiming to hit a [Dragon Tail], but the king caught that with his other hand

    "Chariza- [I told you your movements ar-]" the king started but was stopped when suddenly Charizard sent a surprise [Fire Dragon''s Roar] to the king''s face.

    The king took it and smiled, "Charizard! [I''ll give you that one, alright then get ready let''s let the real fight begin!]"

    The King sent a single punch at Charizard. Charizard raised his arms, blocking it, but the force still sent him flying back and crashing into a rock.

    Charizard struggled to get back up but was immediately greeted when the king appeared in front of him and stomped on his head, sending them both down, breaking and splitting the rock with Charizard''s body.

    Charizard had the wind knocked out of him, but he grit his teeth and, grabbed the king''s foot, and spun around, causing the king to fall to the ground as he spun around, charging up his [Lightning Dragon''s Iron Fist] and flying down, sending it down at the kind making the ground shake.

    The king was standing there with a smile on his face as Charizard''s fist was there hitting his chest, but he didn''t even look like it affected him as much as Charizard would have liked.

    The King grabbed his arm, pulling it back and pointing at his chest, "Charizard~ [This is a real scar; only one Charizard was able to give me this, and you are nothing like him~]"

    Charizard glared down as he angrily shot his strongest [Dragon Breath] into the king''s face. It hurt a bit, but the king reached his arm forward through the purple flame and closed Charizard''s mouth.

    He smirked, "Char [My turn]"

    The king shot his own [Dragon Breath], which was much stronger than Charizard, and he was sent flying back into the air, Charizard was breathing heavily as the king appeared then, grabbed Charizard by the neck, and held him up

    "Charizard, [is this all, I expected more,]" the king said, smirking

    Charizard looked at him weakly; he was hurt and was barely still able to fight, and his chest hurt.

    Down below, Ash was breathing heavily his heart was hurting, and the pain Charizard was feeling, he was sharing it with Ash. He fell down to both knees, and he clenched his shirt,

    Charizard looked down and saw Ash clenching his chest; it seemed like his chest hurt, it''s strange, his chest also hurt. Specifically, his heart¡­wait a minute¡­

    Something occurred to Charizard: whenever he went into this form, he felt his heart sync, but he just assumed it was nothing, maybe something random. But now, seeing this, he realized something: he was in sync with Ash, meaning he was causing Ash that pain,

    Charizard felt something snap in him as he raised up and caught the king''s fist that was about to send him flying back down, unlike before Charizard was starting to push the king back,

    The King was surprised, but before he could say anything, Charizard charged a new move he had created just now, and he flipped his body in a switch as he slashed into the king''s chest with a [Fire Dragon''s Claw (Iron Dragon''s Claw + Fire Punch)]

    The slash caught the king by surprise as he stumbled back, and what surprised him more was no on his chest the slash was now an X scar, Charizard managed to leave a scar on his hard chest, it was far less deep than the first, but it was still a scar, that left evry Charizard in the valley stunned.

    Charizard flew back as he started charging his final attack. The king, still shocked that he was pushed like this, smiled as he also flew back, "Charizard! [Yes, this is what I want! Give me the battle I crave!]"

    The king charged his own [Flamethrower], a move that he already mastered from years of training. This was his perfect attack: no unnecessary wasted energy, no spread, just a pure blast.

    Charizard charged up a move he hadn''t used in a while, as his mouth charged up, a purple beam of energy started to spiral, and flashes of electricity started sparking as he was ready to shoot his [Eternabeam]

    Everyone was watching this: the people, the Charizard, and even the air seemed to be quite ready to see this.

    The 2 blasts shot out and met in the middle, clashing against each other. The king looked like he was laughing, but Charizard was scared. He didn''t want to lose; he never wanted to lose, not ever again, he hated it.

    As he shot it, he could feel he was losing the clash, he was scared, and he could only think of one thing, ''nononononnononono''

    Charizard closed his eyes tightly, ''Arceus, I have never once asked you for anything, but I''m asking now. Please let me win... Please help me!''

    The beams clashed, and a bright flash that created an explosion in the air covered the sky and shook the Valley.

    The King and Charizard were flying in the air, for a moment, it looked like nothing had happened; they were flying, catching their breaths, but then Charizard fell out of his battle bond form, and his wings stopped flapping.

    He fell back and started falling to the ground head first, and there was only one thought on his mind, ''I lost¡­''

 Charizard lore

    {Flashback about 11 years ago}

    Oak was sitting in his lab, not long ago, Ash was born, and he wanted to prepare something for him.

    Then he got a call on his computer. He was surprised someone was calling at this hour, so he spun his chair and rolled over to answer it, and from it, he got a blurry image of someone.

    "Bzzz- Professor! Can you-Bzzz- me?" The person said the line was cutting in and out from the weak signal.

    "Sorry, what?" Oak said this was before he aged like milk, but it was still hard to hear with the line turning in and out.

    "It''s me- Bzzz-Ketchum!" The person said, revealing himself as Ash''s father

    Oak''s eyes widen, "Oh, it''s you, it''s good to hear from you finally. We''ve been trying to get in contact with you, but the signal there is horrible,"

    His static screen shifted a little, "Don''t-Bzzz- worry about it, so I he-Biz- my son was born,"

    Oak felt a sweat drop fall helplessly from his head, "Yeah, and I''m sorry you should have told me you and Delia were expecting, I would have asked my son Blue to do it instead,"

    "What''s done-Bzzz-is done, Professor," the person said, his voice cutting in and out as Oak could hear strong winds pick up, "Besides, I called Delia fir-Bzzz- and I got to see him, though I don''t th-Bzzz- he knows what his old man looks like,"

    "If you want, you can call the mission off, I can just call someone else to do it," Oak responded.

    "Please, who else can do this, the only one that could is Blue, and he isn''t even in Kanto, I think la-Bzzz- I talked to him, and he was making plans to go to-Bzzz-"

    "I suppose you''re right, however, I just wish he would, after all, he also has his own son and daughter, he only came for Gary''s birth, then he went out again,"

    "Well, that''s just him, you can''t even be su-Bzzz- but in the end, he''s just Blue," he said, "Though have you found out about who the-Bzzz- person is?"

    Oak shrugged helplessly, "Unfortunately, no, he just said that there was one person he fought that he didn''t beat, and he wanted to get a rematch, but he''s been looking for a there no sign of him,"

    "Shame, but enough about that there a re-Bzzz- I called," he said as Oak then heard a little roar from his partner, a Charizard, the one he gave to him personally.

    "Oh? Is that your Charizard, he sounds as energetic as ever, has your special training finally pushed you further," Oak asked with enthusiasm.

    "You bet. We''ve been training hard and finally broke through our bottleneck, and we''re going to keep getting stronger!" He said the Charizard on the other side roared excitedly.

    "But that''s not why I wanted to talk to you," he said, stopping the excited sounds, "I have something, I''m sending it through the teleporter you should get it soon,"

    Oak nodded and rolled his chair over to the teleporter on his desk as it flared to life and started to spin, then, as the light particles began to form there, an Egg was left.

    As Oak grabbed it, he felt it was warm, probably born a few days ago at most, as he inspected it, he heard Ash''s father speak again.

    "You see, that Egg is Charizard''s," he revealed, making Oak almost stumble over, but he grabbed the Egg and quickly understood, throwing some papers off his desk, he grabbed a nearby incubator and put it in safely.

    "You could have started with that," Oak mumbled.

    "Well, it''s kinda obvious if you think about it," he said, chuckling as the sounds of his Charizard laughing were also heard.

    "Well, ok, I get it in hindsight, it makes sense, however, what is the reason you''re sending me this?" Oak said he could guess what it was for, but he wanted to hear it from him.

    "You sure you''re not starting to get dementia?" He joked, "I want you to give it to my son as his starter,"

    Oak nodded he didn''t even look surprised, Blue said once Gary turned 8 or 9, he would get his Blastoise to make an Egg, but this was different.

    "You do realize that it''s going to take 10 years before Ash can go on a journey," Oak said, placing the Egg on a shelf.

    Ash''s father chuckled, "Trust me when I say this: it''s going to work out, you''ll see,"

    Oak didn''t know how to respond to that, so he sighed helplessly, "Very well, I''ll see what I can do, and if it hatches, I suppose I''ll keep it in reserves, but I think having a 10-year-old Charmander will be strange,"

    "It''s fine, Like I said, it will work out, speaking of which, this Charmander and Ash were born around the same time, so in a way, I guess you could call them brothers~"

    ¡ª-

    {4 years later}

    Oak was walking back from the library, at this point, Ash went in, and he said that he was getting some books for a surprise for Delia, not knowing the real reason.

    This was the time when Ash got the Aura book, and at this point, he was reading it and got to the end looking at it, and he started using his Aura in the book, as he did, the Book gave him the hidden information left by Sir Aaron.

    However, what Ash didn''t notice was that when he did this, his Aura also pulsed and was sent out all through Pallet. No one noticed it since no one in pallet town could sense Aura, but as the energy went out, it hit the Egg, which had been lying dormant for all those years.

    This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    As Oak walked into his lab, he walked past the Egg, which he started to believe was a dud, After 4 years and no movement, it was hard to stay hopeful.

    But this time, when he walked by, he saw the Egg, shaking a little, Oak was about to dismiss it until he remembered this was the Egg Ash''s father gave to him 4 years ago.

    He ran back and looked at it. At this point, his memory was starting to deteriorate, but he could still remember things such as the importance of this Egg. He stayed there for a bit, but it didn''t shake again, but he at least knew it was alive.

    Oak sighed and placed the Egg back on the shelf. He sat down to work, but he was conflicted about it, but he decided to put that thought to the back of his head, right now he had something important to do: prepare his school for the next batch of kids, this was the one where Ash and Gary would be joining.

    But as he sat on his desk his brother, the mailman of Pallet town, delivered a letter for him, he looked at it as soon as his brother left and immediately fell silent seeing who it was from, his old ''friend'' Giovanni.

    Saying he wanted to talk, he didn''t know what he wanted, but he grabbed his coat and Dragonite''s Pokeball to go and see him,

    ¡ª-

    {3 more years later}

    Oak was sitting at his desk; he was in his lab after a day of teaching all the kids. He wouldn''t ever say this in front of them, but at first, integrating so many kids from different places made him nervous, especially on the first day, but things were working out.

    Admittedly, his speech when he said this might become a normal back when he let the first wave in was a lie. He wasn''t planning on doing this again, but now, seeing it, he was starting to consider it.

    Especially considering how well they were all getting along, especially Ash, that kid was special somehow, it was strange, he was easy to get along with; infact he was probably more popular in Pallet than Gary at this point,

    As he thought about Ash, his eyes drifted over to an Egg he had for a while, he was using as a paperweight over the years, and his memory was getting worse, he didn''t remember how he got this Egg, he just remembered it had something to do with Ash.

    Oak shrugged as he didn''t think about it right now, infact all the kids were going off to their end-of-year celebration, and they were planning on doing karaoke,

    Oak shook his head and thought about how nice it would be to have his youth again, he brought his cup of coffee to his mouth and took a sip, as he did, suddenly, out of his window, he saw the sky light up as he saw three beams of energy crashing,

    Oak''s face fell as he put his coffee down and ran out of his lab, slamming the door behind him and running to the scene, as he closed the door, he didn''t see that the energy from the clash hit the lab and suddenly the Egg started to shake again, this time more than once, a lot more, but still didn''t crack.

    ¡ª

    {1 year later}

    Oak was sitting in his lab, it was the day Ash returned from Alola, somehow he felt that Ash was more confident, but he didn''t pay any mind to it he was just happy the exchange went off without a hitch, from what his cousin said Ash was Ash unsurprisingly.

    But as he sat down, he looked at the Egg, and something different was happening, ever since Ash returned to Pallet town, the Egg started moving again. Oak had forgotten a lot about this Egg; it''s been 8 years, and his memory has been going downhill.

    And after the incident with Lugiatwo and Ho-Ohtwo, the league has been on him, trying to make him figure out what was going on with those things.

    At this point, all he remembered was that this Egg had something to do with Ash, infact he forgot what kind of Egg it was,

    As he thought that, suddenly, a crack appeared on the Egg. Finally, Oak''s eyes lit up, and he got closer, watching the Egg hatch, as he did, the cracks grew more and more on the shell until, finally, a small orange lizard opened its little head out and let out a little growl.

    Oak was pleasantly surprised. He went over to the nursery, where there were more Eggs, and grabbed a formula for Charmander as he gave it to the little lizard, and he happily started eating it.

    As soon as Charmander finished it, Charmander got tired and curled up to take a little nap, Oak took that chase and finally grabbed a Pokeball and pressed it against the Charmander, catching it.

    Oak didn''t remember why this Charmander was so important and what it had to do with Ash, but he shrugged, grabbing a notecard, saying that this Charmander was related to Ash, and put it under the Pokeball for later.

    As he did that, he finally put the Pokeball on the shelf where he kept the other starters, and he left it there, eventually forgetting completely as the day before Ash started his journey, he ended up giving it away to someone else.

    ¡ª-

    {Present day}

    Charizard was falling to the floor of the Valley, after the clash, no other Charizard dared to move, but as they all thought Charizard was just going to fall, the king reached out his hand and grabbed Charizard by the hand as he fell back, stopping him from falling to the floor.

    "Char¡­Charizard, [Very impressive... I might even say you''re a rare genius, ....Hmph, what a fascinating fellow]" the King said as he flew down and brought Charizard down to where Ash and the others were.

    Charizard was still conscious he could move his arms, just not any other part of his body, he didn''t want to be here, he didn''t think he deserved it, he failed, he lost, he didn''t want to look at Ash.

    As Charizard was left on the ground, Ash started walking forward, still clutching his chest. Charizard wanted to run, he didn''t want to see Ash mad at him, at his failures, he wanted to fly away, but his body didn''t listen to him.

    Charizard felt tears welling up in his eyes as Ash was closer, with what little strength he had, he raised his hand and covered his eyes as tears started to fall.

    Charizard spoke up in a shaky voice, "Char¡­.Charizard[I''m sorry¡­..for disappointing you. I know you need nothing less than the strongest. I''ve let you down. Please forgive me!]"

    Charizard felt his tears flowing; he thought he must look so pathetic, he kept talking as if pleading, "Char¡­Char¡­Char¡­[Please, I promise, I''ll never lose again¡­.Just please don''t abandon me¡­please don''t leave me alone¡­]"

    Charizard was shaking he was bracing himself for Ash to yell at him, thoughts of what happened with Cross flashed in his head, he would take anything: if Ash punched him, if he spit on him, if he called him a failure, he would take it as long as he didn''t get abandoned.

    But that never came. Instead, he felt a hand go on his stomach, and a soothing feeling flow through his body,

    As Charizard moved his hand from his eyes, he saw Ash smiling at him as there was a faint blue energy coming from his hand, as he was using Aura to heal him.

    "Come on, bud, everyone loses sometimes. It''s ok to lose, and it''s ok to cry," Ash said as he fell down as next to Charizard,

    Charizard looked at Ash, accepting him. He felt tears coming from his eyes, but he didn''t get his hopes up yet, "Char¡­.Charizard¡­[Please, don''t abandon me...I''ll be better¡­ I''ll train every day, no I''ll skip food and sleep to keep training¡­]"

    Ash put a hand on his chest, "Come on, I''m not going to abandon you, and you don''t need to do any of that, you''re perfect just the way you are, so go ahead and let it out, bud, I''ll be right here when you''re done."

    Charizard couldn''t hold them back as the tears started to flow. He was so scared, but he didn''t have to be anymore, he didn''t know what to say, so he just kept crying.

    From over to the side, everyone was watching the scene. Misty was about to ask something, but Liza put her hand on her lip, stopping her from crying as she was wiping her eyes with some tissues.

    Yellow was also watching with tears in her eyes at the beautiful moment, as she was Chuchu was in the back dragging Pikachu''s body from the water after he was thrown away from Misty''s shaking.

    ¡ª-

    A while later, after everything calmed down, it was a few hours later, the Gang was invited by Liza to stay at her house here in the Valley since it was late, Charizard stayed out thinking about stuff, as he was sitting on a ledge, Ash walked out holding a bowl of food for him.

    He offered it to Charizard, and he took it and started to slowly eat it. Ash sat down next to him as they looked out to the Valley, for a moment, they didn''t say anything.

    Then Ash looked at Charizard, "You want to stay here in the Valley for a bit, don''t you,"

    Charizard didn''t even try to defend himself; he was talking all that about not wanting to be abandoned, and yet here he was suggesting that Ash leave him for a bit, but he wanted to. King Charizard told him that he would teach him some stuff, and Charizard wanted to beat the king more than anything.

    Ash gave Charizard a pat on the back, "You can think about it, if you want to stay, of course, I''ll let you, and hey, I have Abra, so it''s not like I''m leaving you behind,"

    With that, Ash walked back in, letting Charizard think about what he wanted, he never really thought about that, he always did what he thought Ash wanted, but now he knows what Ash wants is for Charizard to do what he wants.

    ¡ª-

    The next morning, Ash, Misty, Brock, and Yellow were standing at the gate, ready to head out, Liza and Charla were there, ready to see them off, they were just waiting on Charizard.

    After a moment, Charizard flew down, behind him, the King Charizard flew down and stood back, waiting for his decision.

    Charizard walked up to Ash and took a breath, giving Ash a bow, "Char... Char-Charizard [Ash¡­I''m sorry, I want to stay here, at least for a little, I want to become stronger. I know you said I don''t have to, but I want to, I want to be the strongest to thank you because you saved me.]"

    Ash patted his head, "Dude, I told you, it''s alright, of course you can stay here, after all, i think you might have some fangirls now~"

    Ash gave a cheeky smirk as he pointed to the side, as Charizard looked over to the other side of the mountain, some female Charizard were giggling and waving at him.

    "I guess running the pockets of most of the Charizard in this valley gave you some still credit, my guy~," Ash said as he gave him a pat on the shoulder.

    Charla somehow felt jealous, as she stood next to Charizard and shot a small glare at the female Charizard, she tried to justify it, thinking it was because Charizard was here for training, and then he didn''t need distractions.

    Ash smiled as he gave another pat to Charizard, "Good luck, and no matter what, just remember I''m proud of you,"

    Charizard felt a lump in his throat when he heard that, he gave a quiet nod as he fought back the urge to cry.

    Ash gave a smile, going back to his goofy personality, "Besides, it seems like you''re going to have quite a lot of company," he said, his eyes drifting to Charla and then quickly shifting to the other Charizard.

    Charizard gave a small blush, and Ash smirked as he walked away, "I expect a shiny when I come back~"

    That made Charizard blush deep red, as he looked back with slight fear and saw most of the female Charizard looking at him like a predator looking at their prey.

    Ash walked up to Liza, "Take care of him, alright, I''ll be back to get him soon,"

    Liza smiled as she gave him a pat on his shoulder, "Don''t worry, I will, and you know, if I do say so myself, you''re one damn good Charizard trainer."

    Ash smiled, "Thanks, but right now, I''m just a trainer,"

    Then he looked back at his friends, grabbing Pikachu on his shoulder, "You guys ready for our next journey,"

    Brock looked a little defeated since he tried hitting on Liza a few more times and failed. He nodded, "Yeah, let''s go,"

    Misty and Yellow also nodded as they all started to walk down, and Abra appeared on Ash''s shoulder, with a final look back, they saw Charizard waving at them,

    They gave a wave back as Abra finally teleported out,

 Bloomingvale

    After the Gang left Charicific Valley a few days ago, we''re back on the road, although, with Charizard gone and the weird thing that happened with Ash, where he was holding his chest in pain, they were worried about him.

    They tried asking, but Ash assured them he was fine. Obviously, that wasn''t good enough. For a bit, they tried to ask Ash to take off his shirt so they could see if something was wrong, but he insisted not to.

    Eventually, they dropped it since Ash seemed to be fine, but they couldn''t help but wonder what ''that'' was and why he was so insistent on not taking off his shirt.

    Along the road, Ash started training his Pokemon, especially the new guys. Right now, they stopped to set up camp. Ash was sitting by a tree as Misty, Brock, and Yellow were off doing their own thing.

    But then something interesting happened: Abra finally returned with Scizor and Scyther, and next to them, they had another Scyther,

    Scizor walked up to Ash, nodding to him, taking a breath, "Scizor! [Sir. We have returned, and we have a request to make of you!]"

    Ash nodded as Dratini was around his body, and Chikorita was on his lap. He didn''t see it, but there was tension between the two as they glared at each other, fighting for Ash''s attention.

    Scyther mom walked up, "Scyth-Scyther, [We know you were planning on helping me get strong, but I have seen that my own talent isn''t as good as everyone else, I will only be a liability in the future]"

    Scizor put a claw on Scyther, "Scy- [So that is why we wanted to ask, could you train our son instead, he has shown more potential than either of us, and if it''s with you, I know he''ll be strong,]"

    "Uh huh¡­" Ash said as he put Dratini and Chikorita down and as he got up to approach behind them, the two small Pokemon started to rumble with each other and roll away.

    Ash walked up and looked at the child Scyther up and down, he just stood there, although Scyther reached maturity quickly because they enjoy fighting and they are usually aggressive to everything, even other Scyther, this one was told by his parents who Ash was and that he could become strong.

    Ash looked back at Scizor and Scyther mom, "I mean, I can train him, that isn''t a problem, but are you sure you want to be left out, I can easily train both of you you don''t have to give up,"

    But Scyther mom shook her head, "Scyth¡­ [No, it''s okay, I accepted the fact that my talent isn''t as great. I can still provide my support, but I do not think I can be as strong as you will need me to be,]"

    Ash sighed. He didn''t care about that stuff, but if Scyther made up her mind, then he couldn''t really stop her, he couldn''t force her to train, maybe later she might come around, but for now, it seems like it''s a no.

    Ash looked at the child Scyther, unlike Dratini, Scyther mature quickly because bugs mature the quickest out of any Pokemon, and Scyther are inherently made for battle, so they spend a short time before reaching maturity.

    Ash held out a Pokeball and taped the Scyther, and it closed immediately, he caught yet another Scyther, which makes 3. He pulled out his Pokedex to check if it had something interesting

    ¡ª

    [Scyther(M)]

    [Nature: Jolly (+Spe, -SpA)]

    [Ability: Technician, Hidden ability: Steadfast]

    [Egg moves: Night Slash, Steel Wing, Quick Guard, First Impression]

    ¡ª-

    ''Huh, not bad at all,'' Ash thought. He was going to make Scyther''s mom evolve into Kleavor, but it seemed like there had been a change in plans, and what''s more, this thing has [First Impression] that is a surprise

    After that, Ash let him back out and started his training, since he was planning on going down the Kleavor path, his training was focused on attack and speed.

    And that''s how it continued, the next Gym was Bug, so it was pretty obvious who he was bringing in, but that all depends on if he can get Cyndaquil and fix his problem now, otherwise, he''ll work with the fire types he has now.

    As he sat back down, he looked around and finally noticed that Dratini and Chikorita were gone, he looked around and then saw Chikorita struggling to walk and Dratini sliding on the ground, Chikorita looked victoriously at Ash and sat back down on his lap while Dratini curled up next to Ash looking grumpy swearing revenge.

    Ash looked curiously but shrugged as he started patting both of them gently, and then he felt a tug on his hair, as he looked back, Clefairy and Togepi were demanding Ash''s attention, too.

    In the corner watching this, Pikachu was sitting next to Fuecoco. Fuecoco looked like he was about to jump in, but Pikachu put his hand up and pushed the croc back down,

    Pikachu looked to Ash''s bag, where he saw the 2 Eggs that were yet to hatch in Ash''s bag, he couldn''t help but start pitying Ash, he was being pulled around in every direction by these toddlers in every direction.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    ¡ª

    A few days later, they were back on the road, as they did, they looked at the map and saw that the next town closest to them where they could resupply was Bloomingvale, and they were also lucky since today was also the Sunflora Festival.

    Looking at pictures, the girls were immediately enamored, "Wow, all the Sunflora are so beautiful!" Misty said with sparkles in her eyes

    Yellow nodded, "There are so many other pretty Pokemon too! I want to meet them all!"

    Ash was about to say they could make the detour, but Brock immediately took the dex and looked at it because in one of the pictures, there was last year''s winner, a green-haired girl named Sonrisa, along with that, there were plenty of other pretty girls.

    "This place looks amazing! We definitely have to go for all the beautiful sights and Girls!"

    Ash leaned over, "You mean Poke-"

    Brock immediately pushed him away, not letting him finish, "I know what I said!"

    So these three were dead set on going, and since Ash both didn''t mind, nor did he care because he was not short on time, he also didn''t fight it.

    As they started walking, Brock, Misty, and Yellow were basically dancing to get there, but soon, a quick gist of wind almost knocked them over, when they caught their footing, they looked around and saw a pink Pokemon flying through the sky.

    It was a Hoppip, and it was happily floating through the sky, it was flying towards the direction of Bloomingvale. Curiosity got the best of them, and they started running after the Pokemon,

    As they ran, they were so focused on the Hoppip that they didn''t see a long pipe going through the ground, making them trip. Brock fell over first, then on top of him, Misty fell down, and finally Yellow, with her sunhat falling off her head, then gently floating down and falling on her back.

    Ash caught up to them and saw the scene, "You guys need help?"

    Brock''s muffled voice that was in the mud mumbled, "Mm-mm-mm¡­"

    From the side, a familiar green-haired woman holding a large wrench and walking up to them it was the girl from the picture, Sonrisa. She was presumably out here to check for leaks on the pipe and stumbled across them, and it didn''t take a genius to tell they tripped over the pipe.

    Sonrisa walked up looking worried, "Oh no, are you all ok! I''m sorry, this is my fault. I knew I should have put up a sign to warn people,"

    Upon hearing the voice of a woman, Brock suddenly gained strength and pulled himself out of the mud with Yellow and Misty still on his back as they fell back, but Ash caught the two this time. Meanwhile, Brock ran up mud still on his face, looking at the Sonrisa.

    "It''s you; I recognize you''re the woman I see in my dreams! I know you I walked with you once upon a dream-" Brock said as suddenly a blast of water came out and hit him in the face, making him fall back down.

    The source was Misty, who was holding a Poliwag like a water gun under her arm and blasting Brock, "Get that mud off your face first, you look like a swamp monster!"

    Ash looked curiously at Misty, "When did you catch a Poliwag?"

    Misty gave a triumphant look, "When you left us to go to your errands, I went fishing and found this girl, You''re not the only one allowed to catch Pokemon, you know~"

    "I never said I was, but whatever," Ash said, turning back to Sonrisa. "Anyway, as my friend was trying to say, it''s okay. It was their fault they were running like madmen looking for a Hoppip that was flying through here."

    "Did I hear someone talking about my Hoppip~?" another female voice said from the side, a blue-haired girl with a pink bandana walked up holding the Hoppip from earlier under her arm

    Sonrisa looked excited, "Oh Mariah! How is everything, does the weather look good for today!"

    Mariah nodded and smirked, "You bet the festival should go on without any problem,"

    "That''s great, you and your Hoppip are the best, Mariah!" Sonrisa said

    "Umm, so are you talking about the Sunflora Festival?" Yellow asked after she fixed herself and put her sunhat back on

    "Oh right, I guess I got carried away, sorry," Sonrisa said helplessly, "Yes, we''re talking about the Sunflora Festival you see, Mariah sent her Hoppip out to check to see if the weather was good, you probably saw one of hers and followed it here,"

    "Oh, I see," Mariah said as she finally acknowledged the group, "Yep, what she said, I am a meteorologist, and I use my precious Hoppip to do it!"

    "Wow, that''s so cool!" Yellow said, looking excited

    Brock got up from the ground after getting blasted by water, "Oh, another beautiful and gentle lady-" but he was cut off again by another blast of water.

    "No bad, Brock bad, we talked about this!" Misty said as she kept having Poliwag blast, Brock

    The two girls didn''t know if they were allowed to laugh at this, but Ash just shook his head and shrugged, "It''s fine this happens more times than you think,"

    Sonrisa sighed, "I see, well, whatever the case, once again, I am sorry you tripped over my pipe. I use it to bring fresh water to my garden, but I couldn''t build it underground,"

    Sonrisa''s eyes lit up, "Oh, I know, you said you were coming to the Sunflora Festival, right, how about I show you guys around then as an apology!"

    Brock heard that and suddenly gained a surge of strength and started to get up, pushing against the water and eventually getting close enough to cover Poliwag''s mouth and looked at Sonrisa, "We would love to!"

    "That''s great, then follow me!" Sonrisa said with a smile as she led the way to the town. Meanwhile, Mariah walked in the other direction to go get the rest of her Hoppip and double-check the incoming weather.

    A few minutes later, they all arrived at Bloomingvale, the town was a large and beautiful green town, at every corner, there was a Sunflora doing their own kind of special training, some with exercise, some with dancing, etc.

    Sonrisa started to give them a tour of the town where the festival would be taking place; she showed the stadium with the solar panels above in the sky and all sorts of people who had stalls and were selling and buying stuff.

    As they looked around, suddenly, they heard a voice that they recognized, "Hey, it''s you, Ash, right!"

    When they turned around, they saw Ethan moving up to them on his skateboard with a Sunflora walking up behind him.

    "Oh, hey, you''re Ethan, right," Ash said as he stepped up to greet the dark-haired boy.

    Ethan stopped his skateboard right in front of them, smiling, "It''s good to see you, you come to watch the Sunflora?"

    "Yeah, we wanna see all the pretty Sunflora. There are so many, and their smiles are so big!" Yellow said with a smile that could rival the strongest Sunflora

    Ethan smirked, "Well then, you better look at Sunbo because she''s the one that''s going to win this year!" he said as he put his hand on his Sunflora''s shoulder.

    Sonrisa smiled and walked up as well, "Well, I hope you don''t think I''m going to let you win after all. I''m last year''s winner, but I welcome your challenge,"

    Ethan gave a coy smile, "Well, I figured a pretty lady like you is the only one that could make Equally as beautiful Sunflora~"

    As he said that, Brock was in the corner and looked like there were tears in his eyes as he gave a thumbs up, "He Just Like Me, Fr,"

    Misty sighed, "Oh no, it''s another Brock¡­"

    As Ethan was about to flirt with Sonrisa some more, from behind, Kris appeared and pulled Ethan''s head back, "Enough with the flirting, you idiot; I swear you do this every time¡­"

    "Come on, Kris, can''t you let a guy have his fun¡­" Ethan said, his voice slightly muffled.

    Kris sighed and looked at Sonrisa and the gang, "Sorry about him, this is a stupid habit of his¡­"

    Misty walked up and put a hand on her shoulder, "I know your pain¡­"

    As the two girls were sympathizing with each other, Yellow looked around, "Hey¡­um Kris¡­where''s your sister Lyra?"

    As soon as Yellow said that, Ash felt some hands reach up and cover his eyes, "Hey there, handsome. Fancy seeing you here~"

    Ash didn''t need to look, and everyone else who did look saw Lyra there with a cheeky smirk.

    "Hello Lyra, can I ask why you''re covering my face, and can I ask you to stop," Ash said as Pikachu was considering shocking the girl just because she came out of nowhere.

    "Hmmm, well, I did it because I wanted to surprise you, but finnnee~," Lyea said overdramatically as she let go and stood in front of Ash.

    Kris sighed, "Lyra, don''t do this, you barely know him¡­."

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about, Kris," Lyra said with an innocent face before she looked back to Ash, "Hey, so tell me, are these two girls, Misty and Yellow, was it? Are either of them your girlfriend?"

    Just saying that made Misty and Yellow go red in the face and look away, Ash sighed, "No, I''m not dating anyone, and I''m not planning to,"

    Lyra seemed to pout a little, but she put up another smile, "Well, in that case, remember back in New Bark, you invited everyone to dinner, so how about I make it up to you now~ do you like ice cream?"

    Ash raised an eyebrow, "I mean, yeah, everyone likes ice cream,"

    Lyra smiled as she took Ash''s hand, "Alright, let''s go get some, my treat, it''s a date~"

    Before anyone or even Ash could say anything, Lyra began to run, pulling Ash behind her.

    Back with everyone else, they had a variety of expressions, Kris was exhausted seeing her sister literally drag Ash away, Misty was still red, and Yellow was too, but there was a bit more of something else.

    And Brock and Ethan looked at Ash being taken away and thought the same thing, ''Why is it so easy for him¡­.''

 Tornado Time

    The festival had started already, Sonrisa and Ethan went their own way to prepare for the competition, leaving Misty, Brock, and Yellow alone with Kris, while Ash was alone with Lyra.

    Speaking of which, Ash and Lyra were walking in town with ice cream in their hands, Pikachu was on Ash''s shoulder, also enjoying an Ice Cream since he was easily bribed,

    As they walked, they looked around and looked at the festivities; there were all sorts of games and such, and people were really into this festival.

    As they walked side by side, Lyra was subtly scooting over closer to Ash as she ''accidentally'' bumped shoulders with him.

    Ash was not dense he never was, he just always acts like he is, even if he didn''t know from the Anime that Lyra has a thing for Ash it wasn''t rocket science to tell it was the same here.

    So right now, he''s acting dense to avoid this situation getting out of hand. Lyra stood on his left side so he held the ice cream in his left hand, but from the look on Lyra''s face, it seemed like she thought him being dense was cute,

    Ash sighed as they got to the games, he saw that as his way out, so he looked over at Lyra, "Hey, is there a prize you like?"

    Lyra''s eyes lit up at the thought that Ash was going to win her a prize, "Oh, I''m not picky or anything, let''s just have fun while we do it!"

    Ash chuckled helplessly, that''s not what he wanted to hear, "Uhh, ok, let''s look around,"

    Ash and Lyra went into the game section, from behind them, there were 3 People peeking from another stall: Misty, Yellow, and Kris.

    Brock, upon seeing Ash go with Lyra, went into maximum overdrive and went to flirt with some other girls.

    But Misty, Yellow, and Kris were here to watch the situation since Lyra literally dragged Ash away. And they were watching the ''date'' play out, Misty was mostly, of course, even if there was something else, and Yellow was in the same boat even if that something was stronger.

    Kris just wanted to watch her sister make sure she didn''t take things too far; Ash already said he wasn''t planning on dating anyone, and she knows that Lyra isn''t well known for listening to people when she wants something.

    Ash and Lyra started playing the stall games. Ash wasn''t trying with everything since Lyra wasn''t greedy like a certain orange-haired girl who made him clean out the stalls before, but in the end, even though he wasn''t trying, he still won a life-size plushie of a Marill.

    After he stopped trying to be bad, since the damage has been done, he might as well embrace it.

    ¡ª

    Over by one of the stalls, Jessie, James, and Meowth were selling snacks to people to make some extra money, but they also came here to scout out the area to find Pokemon to steal.

    This place was known for Sunflora, so Meowth was preparing something while Jessie and James were left to man the snack booth.

    After a bit, James took his break to take a breather; Mime Jr. obviously followed him as they went and sat down on a bench.

    As he sat down, he could hear some people showing off their Sunflora to tourists, although to most tourists, Sunflora looked the same. As James looked at the people who were brushing off all the Sunflora, he couldn''t help but sigh.

    As James was distracted, suddenly, the voice of a man rang out next to him, "Excuse me, is the seat taken?"

    When James looked back, he saw an older gentleman holding what looked to be a lunch box, "Uhh, sure, go ahead,"

    He smiled and nodded as he took a seat, "Thank you," then his eyes drifted to all the Sunflora and people looking at them, just thinking they all looked the same.

    "Those Sunflora, huh," the man said

    "Yeah, they are quite nice," James mumbled

    The man nodded. He saw the look in James'' eyes earlier, and he wanted to test that, "So they all look the same, right, why do you think they would dedicate a whole festival to flowers,"

    "That''s not true," James said, looking back at the man

    The man nodded, that''s what he wanted to hear, "Oh really, you can tell the difference?"

    "Yes, all of these Sunflora are different in their own way, like that one, it has a nice color, but its leaves are a different shade of green," James said as he pointed to another, "That one has a nice face and smile, but it looked ungenuine, and that one over there looks far too tired, and¡­"

    James didn''t even realize it, but he started listing out all the differences he could see with different Sunflora, so much so that other people started listening in and crowding around them.

    It wasn''t until there were too many people to see any other Sunflora that he realized people were gathered, the man, however, was sitting and chuckled, "I see, you sure know a lot, don''t you,"This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    James gulped, "W-well, my dear grandmama taught me a lot. She has a very nice garden, and she tends to sick and injured Pokemon, she taught me a lot about Pokemon, Sunflora included¡­"

    The man nodded, "I see, so I was right, you really are quite talented in observing all these Sunflora, well then¡­"

    The man got up and walked up to James, holding his hand out, "I am the mayor of this town and one of the judges, how would you like to be a judge in the Sunflora competition."

    James and Mime Jr. looked at each other for a second, saying nothing, then, "Eh?"

    ¡ª-

    Mariah was in her lab after she collected all 7 of her Hoppip, when she collected the first few, she saw that all air seemed normal and the weather would be fine.

    But once she got her last Hoppip, it took longer. Hoppip didn''t drop off at its usual spot; she had to look around for a bit and eventually found it, but it was blown away about 30 meters away from the landing spot.

    That may not seem like much on paper when you account for the distance it traveled, but that means that there is an irregularity in the weather.

    So she took the machine and started to double-check her work using this new information she gathered as she sent out her Hoppip again, she found that the irregularity seemed to move; the last Hoppip landed in its spot, but another Hoppip landed in a different place.

    She did a few more tests and found that the irregularity was moving and heading towards the town. She didn''t need another test since she realized what it was¡ªa tornado and a large one was heading towards the town.

    Mariah''s face paled as she looked outside, and she could already see it approaching, she started to run; she had to get to the town and warn everybody before the Twister got there, and she didn''t have much time,

    ¡ª¡ª

    Ash and Lyra walked back to the central area of the plaza after their ''date.'' They met back up there with Misty, Yellow, and Kris, and a dejected Brock sat in a corner.

    Ash waved them over as they walked up, "Hey guys," he said, looking somehow tired even though it had been like 2 hours.

    "Oh, Ash, I''m surprised you came back, weren''t you enjoying your little date with Lyra there," Misty said sarcastically.

    "Not a date," Ash said, but he was promptly ignored

    Lyra snickered, "You bet it was great Ash here even won me a plushy~," she said, showing off her Marill plush

    Misty crossed her arms and looked away meanwhile, Yellow looked a bit grumpy, so Ash did the only thing he could do: continue to act dense

    "So I guess it must have been really nice if you got her a plushie, huh," Misty said, looking at Ash as he put a hand on his face

    "Misty, don''t you start this, I have literally won you an entire festival worth of plushies, TWICE, I''m pretty sure I am on a watchlist in Kanto because of you for these things, don''t you start with me," Ash said pointing and poking at Misty''s head

    "And what''s more, since I can not seem to be able to do that," Ash said as he reached into his bag and pulled out two plushys, he handed a Doduo plush to Yellow, "Here because you don''t complain."

    Yellow was surprised for a moment, but she slowly reached out and took it, burying her head in the bird and mumbling, "Thanks, Ash¡­"

    Then he held out the second plush he had, a Totodile plush, and he held it out to Kris, "You want it?"

    Kris shrugged and took it, "Sure, why not,"

    Misty stood there for a moment. Ash had brought two more plushy, and one was supposed to go to her, but she opened her big mouth, she shakily held her hands out, "W-w-w-wait, I-"

    Lyra was enjoying this too much, so she joined in, "Hey, why are we all standing here let''s go sit down the contest is about to begin!"

    "You know what good point let''s find some seats," Ash said as he went over and grabbed the slumped-over Brock and started dragging him along,

    Everyone followed as Misty was there, still shaking at the surprise that just happened,

    Misty: {Crying Aqua face}

    ¡ª

    Eventually, when they sat down, and Misty stopped crying to join them, they sat down as they watched the curtains rise and a row of many Sunflora standing, and they could also see Ethan and Sonrisa.

    Then the judges walked out; there were 3 in total, and one stood out to him, a man with periwinkle hair, James. However, it looked like he was the only one who noticed, which made him really wonder what BS disguise power they have if they can cover everything except their face and be unrecognizable.

    He made a quick look around for Jessie or Meowth, but he didn''t see them, which was concerning, he knew from the anime that since Mariah was here, there should be a tornado not far behind, so he had Abra go get two special friends.

    Ash reached into his pocket and pulled out the two shrunken Pokeballs, spinning them in his hands, ready, just in case.

    As the competition started, he was waiting, and nothing happened, the competition went on with no problems, James even seemed to actually be invested in it, even calling out that someone used Plant Steroids on one, disqualifying them.

    The competition was down to Ethan and Sonrisa, as the judges were talking to make a decision, suddenly Mariah ran in and jumped on stage, out of breath but looking urgent.

    "Everyone! Listen, there is a tornado coming we all need to get to safety!" she said, spreading surprise, some panic,

    The main judge grabbed a mic, "Let us postpone this match for the moment everyone get to-," but his mic got cut off.

    From the top of the stage, Jessie and Meowth rose from a platform laughing, "No one is leaving just yet, Meow~" Meowth said as he pressed a button as the mirrors turned down, shooting sunlight into all of them and the Sunflora''s heads became too big to move, then around the plaza making it so people can''t get out.

    James did not know about this plan, after he told them he was going to be a judge, they said it was ok, and they would take care of the rest, he yelled, "What are you doing this isn''t the time for this! There''s a tornado!!!"

    But they were too high up they didn''t hear James''s warning, "Now then, if you want to leave, surrender all your Pokemon, and then we wi-" Jessie started but was interrupted.

    Suddenly, the tornado came up from behind them. They didn''t see it, but when they did, it was too late, and it picked them up inside of it,

    The tornado didn''t stop as it started tearing through the town; people were holding on, and some were going under the stage to take shelter.

    The Sunflora were still too big to move, but as the tornado approached one of the towers, it sucked it in, breaking it, and started sending a shower of broken glass inside the tornado.

    As it came down, the gang was about to run under the stage like everyone else, but when they reached out to grab Ash''s arm, they saw that he was already gone and running toward where the glass was falling and where the tower was starting to fall.

    He took the 2 Pokeballs out, throwing them out and another from his belt, releasing Fearow, Pidgeot, and Nidoking.

    As they came out, he yelled out, "Nidoking, take care of the tower with [Stone Edge], Fearow, take down the other ones, and Pidgeot, take care of the tornado!"

    They all nodded as they went their separate directions, Nidoking stomped on the ground as he created a tower of rock that blocked the incoming glass and shot up, creating a structure to catch the incoming tower. It crashed down, cracking the stone, but it stood as the tower didn''t fall on anyone.

    Fearow flew up to the other mirrors as he went and slammed his talons, pulling them away from the ground, he wasn''t stupid even if he was aggressive, if he broke them, he would make more glass shards, and that would make things worse.

    As Pidgeot flew up, Ash pulled up his bracelet and pressed it, "Pidgeot Mega evolve!"

    Pidgeot''s form glowed brightly as his hair grew, and his body extended, revealing a majestic set of feathers that left those down below in awe.

    Ash yelled out, "Pidgeot, use [Hurricane] clockwise rotation!"

    Pidgeot''s wings glowed bright white as he flapped, and strong winds started to generate as another tornado came out of him and crashed into the first tornado, most tornadoes spin counter-clockwise, so to get rid of it, this one needs to spin clockwise.

    Fearow finished taking care of the last of the Mirrors, so all the Sunflora began to go back to normal,

    As the tornados clashed, the spinning caused the debris from inside the tornado to start falling out of it and getting thrown everywhere as one large piece started flying toward the crowd of people. Nidoking was too far to save them, so people began to panic,

    Suddenly, they heard someone yell, "Sunbo, use [Solar Beam]!"

    A bright green blast shot up and hit the falling piece of debris, when they looked at where it came from, they saw Ethan holding his hand out as Sunbo''s petals were glowing.

    Ethan smiled, "We can''t let him do all of the work!"

    As the tornados clashed and slowed down, more debris came, and people were inspired and started calling out their Pokemon as well to shoot it down, all the Sunflora that were under the harsh sun used that energy and started shooting it at the falling debris as more came falling down.

    Brock, Misty, Yellow, Kris, and Lyra joined in with their own Pokemon, as the debris kept falling, it started slowing down as finally, Pidgeot did one final push, and the tornados dispersed back into the air,

    From the remnants, Jessie and Meowth fell out, landing next to James'' feet.

    People started cheering since now they were safe and the danger of the tornado was gone, James leaned down and grabbed Jessie and Meowth under each arm and looked at the people looking at him.

    "Well, I will take these 2 to the police station, as for the competition, uhhm, Ethan, for showing bravery!" James said as he ran away

    The man who chose James looked around, "Uhh¡­well, I guess you heard him the winner is Ethan!"

    People started Cheering as Ash walked back over after returning his Pokemon, and Pidgeot flew down and retired to base. He walked up to everyone and waved as he smiled, acting like what he just did was completely normal.

    Ash walked up and grabbed Ethan''s arm to raise it up, "The winner!"

 An actual Young Master

    "The winner!" Ash said, holding up Ethan''s arm

    For a moment, People didn''t say anything, but then there was a collective, "We are not going to pretend that didn''t happen!" From every one of the civilians watching on

    Misty pointed an accusatory finger at Ash, "You always do this you-!"

    "We," Ash interrupted

    Misty glared, "YOU literally stopped a tornado!"

    "Yeah, what was that, and why was it kinda hot," Lyra said

    Kris pushed her away, "Ok, ignore her. Her opinion doesn''t count here, but still, you stopped a tornado I didn''t even know that was possible."

    People started mumbling and nodding and then looked at Ash, "I mean yeah, my dude, you kinda stole the show, and think of all the ladies you''ll get!"

    "You be quiet you''re supposed to be on my side here," Ash said, letting go of Ethan''s arm.

    "You still stopped a tornado, young man," a man, one of the judges said,

    "Ok, ok, I get it, but counterpoint," Ash said, stopping them, then he gestured to Ethan, "He''s the winner,"

    "What does that have to do with anything!" Misty yelled

    Ash reached into his bag and pulled out a Poliwag plush, and threw it at Misty, "By the way, I was joking. I did get you one,"

    Misty''s eyes lit up, and like a cat, she jumped and caught it, holding it close. "You know what, you''re right. This is more relevant right now," she said as she gestured at Ethan. "The Winner!"

    ¡ª¡ª

    After the whole incident with the tornado, Ash couldn''t get the attention away from him, so he was also celebrated in a different way.

    As for Ethan, Kris, and Lyra, apparently, Ethan was with the other two by coincidence they aren''t traveling together. Meanwhile, Lyra is getting trained by Kris while she is also catching Pokemon.

    Also, Lyra may or may not have tried to get Ash''s number. After Ash didn''t directly give it to her, she went to Yellow, who has a terrible problem ... of being unable to say no, so Yellow ended up giving away Ash''s number.

    Anyway, after that, they all went their separate ways, and the gang started walking, Ash started training more, even though the next Gym he was going after was Bug, he was training his Pokemon, specifically focusing on Scyther and Stantler,

    For Stantler, he was trying to develop [Psyshield Bash]. He knew of the move, and he knew the basic concept of what he needed to do, however, that was about it. He needed to create it like how he created [Rage Fist] from nothing, but he was making some progress since he managed to teach the little deer [Zen Headbutt], so he was getting somewhere.

    And for Scyther, since Kleavor used the same concept for his training, he was considering just evolving him right away, but he chose not to, well, not yet, he would train him up a little more, maybe go into a battle.

    Anyway, he trained others, especially the little ones like Togepi and Dratini, Plus some of the other ones he had, he hadn''t forgotten about any of them, he was just waiting for when they would be good to use.

    Right now, Scyther was training slashing at a tree with weights on his blades to build up speed, also to prepare his muscles for when his blades were replaced by stone axes,

    Meanwhile, everyone else was resting. It was early in the morning today, and it''s been a few days since they left the town. They were finishing up breakfast and cleaning up, as Ash was putting the plates again, he noticed someone approaching, thanks to his Aura.

    Then, as he turned to a bush in the forest, suddenly, some small and quiet ruffling came from it, Ash called out, "Hey, you there, I know you''re there,"

    Brock, Misty, and Yellow were surprised. They didn''t hear anything for a moment. They thought Ash was seeing things, but then they remembered this was Ash, and then when they looked at the bush, they saw it start to move again as a middle-aged man wearing samurai clothes walked out. Then next to him, a Scizor walked out next to him.

    "I apologize. I understand how my approach may have seemed like a threat of some sort, but I assure you I mean you no harm," The man gave a small bow, "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Muramasa, and this is my partner Masamune,"

    "Ash," Ash said, introducing himself, "These guys are Brock, Misty, and Yellow,"

    "It is a pleasure, and may I say your perception abilities are quite impressive, you were able to see us before we even arrived," Muramasa said

    "Yeah, well, it''s a gift, and let''s leave it at that," Ash said as he looked at Scyther, who was eying up the Scizor.

    "So, is there a reason you wanted to speak with us," Brock asked, walking forward

    Misty leaned forward, looking annoyed, "Yeah, it''s rude to sneak up on people you know,"Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    "My apologies, but I wanted to ask for a battle. I noticed that Scyther and wished to do some special training with my partner," Muramasa said

    Ash knew full well Scyther wanted to fight Masamune, but there was a problem: he was outclassed in the highest order. Ash actually did some research in history when he was in Oak''s school, and Muramasa isn''t just an old man, he is the former Steel-type Elite 4 member.

    Ash sighed, "Are you sure this will hardly be a fight? Scyther here was only born a few months ago, and I only started training him a few days ago,"

    Muramasa nodded in approval, "I see, so you can tell that I am overwhelmingly more powerful, I commend you, most people your age would go head first, it is foolish to battle a fight you can not win."

    Over in the corner, Brock, Misty, and Yellow were watching the exchange, Yellow leaned over, "Is Ash really saying no to a battle?"

    "Looks like it," Misty whispered back.

    Scyther looked annoyed, but deep down, he knew what Ash was saying made sense even if he wanted to fight, he was told by his father that he should always listen to Ash, he would make him strong, so he had to swallow his pride.

    Muramasa nodded and looked at Ash. He could tell he was a strong trainer from looking at his Scyther, and it seemed like he was wise for his age, he smiled, "Actually, if you don''t mind, I may have something else that you may be more interested in,"

    "I''m listening," Ash said as Scyther walked up, weights still on his hand blades.

    ¡ª

    Muramasa led them through the forest until they arrived at a clearing in the center of the forest with a dojo where tons of students were training with their Pokemon, on the way, when they were walking, he explained the situation with his son, Shingo, he wanted him to see Ash and try to get motivation,

    Shingo was the son of Muramasa, and he had a database of every trainer that registered for the league at any moment, any official league battle that was recorded would be put in his database, of course, if he was a normal kid. This would be illegal and a breach of privacy, but seeing as his father is Muramasa, a former Elite 4 member, they had some leeway as long as it wasn''t used for official league battles unless given consent by his opponent and isn''t distributed then he can keep it.

    Since he couldn''t use it for league matches, which included the Gyms, he had no motivation to challenge the league; he already believed he could win any battle given the right information and time.

    As they walked in, Muramasa was greeted with a bow from each of the disciples, greeting him, "We greet the master!!!"

    Muramasa waved his hand, telling them to stand, "Where is Shingo? I have someone he would like to meet."

    "Of Course, master, " one disciple said, "Young master Shingo is in the main house, he is researching again,"

    Muramasa nodded and gestured for the gang to follow him, as they walked, Ash couldn''t help but think, ''Young master, what is this a wuxia story, what''s next is there a single female in this dojo who happens to be childhood friends with Shingo,''

    __

    {Meanwhile}

    Abra was sitting in a recliner back in Kanto; she was relaxing, drinking some juice, when suddenly she looked up into the sky, "[I sense a young master is courting death]"

    ¡ª

    "What is it, father," a boy with purple hair said as soon as they entered the door, he wasn''t even looking at them, this was Shingo.

    "Shingo, there is someone here I would like you to meet," Muramasa said, stepping out of the way so Ash could step forward,

    Shingo sighed, "Seriously, father, another trainer, it isn''t going to work, I al-" Shingo said as he turned around, ready to dismiss his father when suddenly there the trainer in question was Ash.

    Shingo obviously knew about Ash, after all, he was the winner of the Indigo League, so he was obviously in his database.

    Shingo: (._.) "..."

    Muramasa introduced Ash, "This young man is-"

    "Father, do you seriously not know who this is!" Shingo snapped, looking annoyed at his father, "I told you you need to pay more attention and stay in touch with the League news!!"

    "Err..what, do you already know him?" Muramasa asked

    "Of Course I do! This is Ash Ketchum! He is the winner of the last Indigo league!" Shingo said, "We literally watched the VOD of where his Scizor battled!"

    "Oh¡­I guess I didn''t pay attention," Muramasa said sheepishly, scratching his cheek.

    Shingo sighed into his hand, "So why did you bring him here,"

    "Well, I wanted to show you someone around your age who is capable of battling without your database to show you you do not need to rely on it,"

    "Well, don''t bother, my database is the biggest formula to win, he may be more powerful, but if I am given enough time, I will surpass him soon enough," Shingo said dismissively

    "What, so what is this database you talk so much about?" Brock asked, leaning in

    Shingo smirked with pride, "Well, let me show you with this I am able to look through every team strategy and trainer of anyone who registers with the league,"

    He pressed some buttons and pulled up Ash''s starts, revealing a deep dive in all of his Pokemon he used, "You see here, this shows every strength and weakness Ash has, albeit I have been stumped into finding a reliable way of winning due to his unpredictable nature and his ability to mega evolve his Poekmon, but given enough time I will be able to find one and surpass him!"

    "What if he has Pokemon that he hasn''t used in a league battle yet?" Yellow asked

    Shingo froze, "Err¡­well, I suppose that might be a small¡­flaw¡­but no matter, as long as I can find a pattern in the trainers'' battle style, I can create a strategy to beat them!"

    "Oh really, what do I fall under then?" Ash asked, smirking as he leaned over,

    "Er¡­.well," Shingo said, looking away, Ash was really an anomaly, he had no clear style he seemed to have a different one for each of his Pokemon, which just made analyzing him even harder,

    Ash chuckled, "So you can''t say you can beat me, can you, you rely on your database too much that you can''t think outside the box like I do~"

    "S-shut up; my database is only equipment. I am just a good trainer with or without it; it just helps me guarantee victory!" Shingo tried to defend himself

    Ash smiled, "Really, so when was the last time you won without that thing because it looks to me like what started as training wheels became a crutch,"

    Shingo looked flustered, Ash was right; he couldn''t remember the last time he battled without his database, but he didn''t want to admit it, "What do you know, I bet I could still beat you, why don''t we battle then I''ll show you just how strong I am!"

    People in the Dojo and Muramasa were surprised, Shingo never challenged anyone to a battle; he just accepted them and then won, but this time, things seemed different.

    Ash smiled as Scyther came running, looking at Ash as if demanding to be the one to battle, "Alright then, how about it I''ll use Scyther here to make it fair, and you can use your database along with any prep time you need,"

    Shingo grit his teeth, "Fine, if you want to be humiliated, I''ll use every tool I have, and I''ll beat you!"

    A few minutes later, Shingo was getting ready using every tool in his disposal, as he was about to leave the dojo, he looked over to a shrine room. He opened it, and there was a Mega stone and a Keystone, his father''s mega stone, he was alone in the Dojo, and his father was outside waiting for him, he thought about it and grabbed it, putting it in his pocket, and he walked out.

    Out there, Ash took off Scyther''s weights and gave him a massage, putting some Aura into it to let his muscles relax and recover from his training.

    As Shingo stepped out, he held his Pokeball in one hand and his computer in the other, "Very well, let''s do this," he threw out his Pokemon, another Scizor, this one looked younger, in fact, it looked to be around the same age as Ash''s Scyther.

    "Blade is my strongest Pok¨¦mon! He was bred specifically for me from my father''s Masamune. His speed, strength, stamina, and potential surpass any other Scizor, He is the most perfect Scizor in the world!" Shingo said

    Ash and Scyther stayed quiet as they looked at each other, and they both thought the same thing but didn''t say anything.

    ¡ª

    {Meanwhile}

    Abra was being held down; she wanted to teleport away, but Alakazam was holding her with Drowzee, "[Release me, there is a young master that is a frog in a well. I must go and explain how shameless he is!]"

    ¡ª

    Ash and Scyther shook their heads as Scyther stepped forward, brandishing his blades, "You ready for this,"

    Shingo sat down, putting his computer on his lap, "I''ll show you let''s get this started!"

    "Blade use [Metal Claw]!" Shingo called out

    Blade smashed forward, his claws growing and turning into silver claws as he approached Scyther, ready to slash at him.

    "Not bad, but how about no, [First Impression]!" Ash said calmly

    Scyther dashed forward so fast he seemed to disappear; then he reappeared in front of Blade. Blade was surprised as he tried to slash down, but Scyther ducked then, as he did, his own blade glowed green, and he stabbed it forward into Blade''s stomach.

    Blade was sent sliding back, clutching at his stomach. He had never been hit that hard before in one hit, and Shingo felt a cold sweat drip down his head, he was frantically using the camera on his computer to try and form an analysis of Scyther before it was too late.

    From the side, Muramasa was sitting next to Misty, Brock, and Yellow; Yellow specifically had Pikachu with her as she had him on her lap along with Chuchu,

    "Who do you think will win?" Brock asked Muramasa,

    "Well, putting all my biases aside," Muramasa said, crossing his arms, "Although Shingo''s Blade seems to be a little older and physically stronger, it seems like Ash and his Scyther have the advantage,"

    Yellow nodded happily, "Yeah, Ash is the very best, I know he can win!"

    Pikachu + Chuchu: "Pika pi!©c(^o^)¥Î"

    Misty was a bit farther back, seeing two big bugs fighting was making her uncomfortable, but she was still watching, "I just hope the battle will be over soon,"

    Muramasa looked around. All the students in the dojo were watching this battle. They were all speechless. After all, Shingo had already beaten every person in this dojo, and it was never even close, but he couldn''t help but think that something interesting would happen.

 Kleavor

    Blade and Scyther clashed again, sparks flying from the claw and blade. Although Blade was stronger, Scyther was faster. Blade could tank Scyther''s hits, but Scyther dodged his.

    Shingo frantically was typing away on his computer, trying to complete the analysis of Scyther, as he did, he saw Scyther send another slash at Blade''s chest.

    "Blade use [Fury Cutter!]," Shingo called out, his frustration evident

    "Scyther spin around and [Night Slash!]"

    As the last clash between the 2 happened, Blade''s claws glowed green as it extended into a blade, and he pushed Scyther back, but as Scyther flew into the air, he spun around, quickly coming back down with a purple blade crashing back into Blade.

    People could visibly see Blade clenching his teeth, trying to push back Scyther as sparks started flying, Scyther had a smirk on his face in excitement.

    Ash smiled as it tipped his hat a little, "Alright, Scyther, use [Lunge] then [Pounce]!"

    "Blade, stop him!"

    Scyther''s body glowed green as he jumped back, dodging a counterattack from Blade, as Blade tried but failed to stop him, Scyther jumped forward, sending a kick into Blade''s stomach, while Blade keeled over, he spun his body around, sending a second kick to the back of his head making him eat dirt.

    The point of it wasn''t to do damage, since Blade resists Bug type, the main point was the secondary effect, along with the damage, Blade also went -1 on his Attack and Speed.

    Shingo looked panicked, "Blade!"

    Blade punched the ground as he forced himself to get up, wiping his red face and ready to keep fighting.

    Shingo looked at Ash; he could tell Ash wasn''t taking this 100% seriously, and what''s worse, he was still dominating this battle, Blade hadn''t even been able to land a hit on Scyther yet.

    Shingo finished a superficial analysis on Scyther, so quickly gave it a look over, then smiled back, "Alright, this is where it changes, Blade, [Bullet Punch]!"

    Blade''s claws glowed silver as he dashed forward at breakneck speeds, appearing right there in front of Scyther, but neither he nor Ash looked scared as his claw came in to punch the bug.

    Ash smirked as he looked down, barely mumbling, "[Quick Guard]"

    As Blade''s claw came in quickly, the force behind it stirred up the dust from the dirt below them everyone watched closely, and then there was a connection as the dust shot up, but Scyther didn''t go flying like most people expected.

    As the dust settled there, Blade''s Claw was shaking as it tried to push forward, but looking further up showed that Scyther''s blade was glowing red and blocking his claw.

    "What!?" Shingo''s eyes flashed with surprise, according to his analysis, that should have been the perfect chance

    Ash gave a little smile, "I never said I was going to make it easy, did I now send him to the ground with [Brick Break],"

    Scyther spun his body around, making Blade stumble since he was still trying to hit Scyther, then, as Blade was catching his balance, Scyther sent a hit to Blade''s back, sending him right back down to the ground.

    Shingo clenched his teeth; he realized Ash had much more of an advantage here, not just in experience but also in tactics, that last attack was a completely different style that focused more on Strength over speed over the one that is optimal for Scyther, which is the exact opposite.

    Scyther jumped back over to Ash''s side while Blade struggled to get up as he was next to Shingo, Shingo looked at his computer and thought back to what Ash said, ''What started as training wheels became a crutch''

    Deep down, Shingo knew Ash was right, he looked at his computer, showing the data he just collected. It sure helps, but looking at this situation, he took a breath and stood up, "Think outside the box¡­"

    Ash''s amused smile slightly went into an interested one as he watched what Shingo was doing, "Finally admitting I''m right,"

    Shingo closed his eyes and sighed, "Yeah, you are right, I tried to deny it, but I know it''s true, but you know what screw it, time to get crazy,"

    Shingo reached into his pocket and looked over to his father, "Sorry, Dad, I''m borrowing this,"

    Muramasa looked confused for a moment, wondering what he was talking about, but then he saw Shingo pull out a red and silver stone and a smaller stone.

    "Blade catch!" Shingo said as he threw the mega stone, Blade looked back and saw it coming as he reached out his claw and grabbed it.

    Ash also looked surprised; there was no way he could have seen this coming, "What you''re not-"

    "I am!" Shingo interrupted as he pushed the Keystone in his hand and held it up, "Blade, Mega evolve!"

    Blade''s form burst into light; his claws grew as his body gained more armor, there was now Mega-Scizor, people were watching, looking speechless this is something no one even dreamed would happen.This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Ash frowned and clenched his hand as Scyther glared at Blade, "Scyther [Acrobatics]!"

    Scyther dashed quickly and dashed around Blade quickly, but Blade didn''t move he just stood there, as Scyther finally stopped, he delivered a strike directly at Blade''s face, but Blade just tanked it.

    Blade stood there he didn''t even move back a little, Shingo smiled, "Let''s try this out, [Hard Press]!"

    Blade''s body released some steam as he quickly raised his arms and then slammed them together with Scyther''s head in the middle, and since Scyther was at max HP, this dealt the maximum damage.

    Scyther felt the pain as he felt the ringing pain in his head, only to open his eyes to be greeted by a punch to the face, knocking him back to the ground over to Ash''s side.

    Shingo''s eyes shined with joy, "I can''t believe it, Blade is brimming with power, this is amazing, with this power and my data, we can''t lose!"

    On the side, the gang and Muramasa were watching, Muramasa was still in shock to think that Shingo had taken his old mega stone, he never thought this would be how it happened, he always planned on giving Shingo his mega stone, but not like this.

    Brock crossed his arms as he watched, "This isn''t good¡­"

    "But Ash can still win¡­right?" Yellow asked, looking up at Brock

    Brock couldn''t confidently answer, "I don''t know, although Ash is more experienced, there is a point where brute strength is better than strategy."

    Misty looked down and yelled, "Hey, Ash, you better not lose! Wipe that frown off your face, I''ve seen you come back from way worse, so drop the Act!"

    Yellow and Brock were taken aback by that, and so were Pikachu and Chuchu. Misty never acts like this, but they had to admit, she had a point.

    Yellow took a breath and tried yelling, "A-Ash! You can do it! I know you can!"

    "Now I feel like a jerk," Brock mumbled as he got up, too, "Ash, you have something saved, don''t you!"

    Pikachu + Chuchu: "Pika! (??¥î?)?"

    Ash heard his friends, his frown turned into a smile as he chuckled, "You idiots know me so well~"

    Ash reached into his bag and gripped something, "Hey, Scyther, you ready to knock their socks off!"

    Scyther looked back as his eyes lit up, he knew exactly what Ash was talking about and nodded, "Scythe!"

    {Flashback}

    Ash used the Pokedex and chose the Hisui dex, pulling up a picture of Kleavor and showing it to his Scizor and 2 Scyther.

    "This is the form I want him to take, that is if he wants it," Ash explained when he was explaining how he was going to train Scyther.

    Scyther mom and Scizor looked at each other. They were both fine with it if that was what their son wanted, but they needed his opinion first, which they didn''t even need to ask for as they saw Scyther''s eyes sparkling.

    Ash smiled, "Good to hear you''re on board, so let''s get Crazy."

    {End of flashback}

    Shingo and everyone were watching Ash, confused as to what he was planning. They looked at his hand, and it looked like he grabbed a stone, no, it was shinier it looked more like obsidian.

    But in fact, both were wrong; this was one of the pieces of Black Augurite he had, Ash smiled, "Only fair if I even the odds! Scyther, take this!"

    Ash threw the sharp stone through the air as it went at Scyther, people were confused, obviously, what should they think Ash was throwing a sharp rock at his Pokemon, was he telling him to use it as a weapon?

    Scyther smiled as he ran, and with his blades, he slashed at the stone, as he did, both the stone and Scyther started to glow in a bright light as he grew, his smooth body gained a new craggy exoskeleton, his wings shrank, and a mask grew over his face.

    Then his blades became arms, and his two spindly front limbs ended in large axe-like appendages made of heavy black rock, standing there now towering over everyone, even Blade, stood Kleavor.

    Everyone stood stunned, why wouldn''t they this is a Pokemon no one has ever seen before, this is the first time one has appeared in over a hundred years, not since the last one used by the legendary Lucius,

    Shingo''s eyes widened, this was crazy, it was illogical, it was¡­incredible, this was beyond his expectations. He had analyzed and had tons of battles, but this, THIS, was the first time he could feel his blood pumping, his heart pounding. It was a feeling he never felt before, and it was intoxicating.

    Ash smiled, seeing people''s reactions as he raised his arm, "You''re not the only one that can change forms, meet the legendary formerly extinct evolution, Kleavor,"

    Then, as Kleavor raised his axe arm and pointed it at Blade, Ash, and Kleavor smiled, "And I''m going to make you wish he stayed gone,"

    Shingo snapped out of his trance as he looked at his computer, hoping for anything, even a type, would be good, but nothing the only thing he got was the legends and findings of professors who found a Kleavor claw preserved.

    Shingo shook his head, "It doesn''t matter, Blade quick use [Metal Claw]!"

    Blade formed a ball of energy in his claw as he then crushed it, coating his claw in energy, forming an energy claw, and he rushed forward and jumped, sending the slash at Kleavor''s face.

    Even though it was super effective, and it looked like he did feel that, Kleavor didn''t move; he just looked down as Blade watched him shrug off his attack.

    "Alright, let''s test this power out, [Counter]," Ash commanded

    "Dodge it quick, Blade!" Shingo said in a panic

    Kleavor''s eyes shined as he brought his new axe down. Blade tried to jump back, but he still got slashed in the arm, sending sparks then, as the rest of the Axe fell down, the force immediately was so strong it left an imprint into the ground, and the force sent Blade a literal 275-pound bug, to be sent flying back.

    Ash smiled, seeing Kleavor looking so excited, "Alright, bud, let''s try something new, [Stone Axe],"

    Shingo looked frightened that this was it, "Block it!"

    Kleavor dashed forward and raised his axe hands into the sky, Blade looked up, seeing that the Axe was coming down on him; he raised his big claws in an attempt to defend himself, but it was no use.

    Kleavor sent the Axe down and crashed into his claws, easily overpowering him because this attack used Kleavor''s new abilities, this was boosted by Sheer Force, then some more with Sharpness, and not only that, it was a crit.

    The resulting attack created a small explosion that kicked up the dirt and air, forcing anyone close by to close their eyes, after a moment, when everyone opened their eyes, they looked on in awe.

    Blade was sprawled out on the ground as he was forced out of mega form. His metal armor was scratched, and the ground under him had a big slash mark, it seemed like Kleavor held back just enough not to cut the metal on Blade''s body.

    Kleavor stepped back and turned around, raising his Axe hand in victory and awe, marveling at his new power.

    Ash walked up and slapped him on the back, "I think you overdid it, bud,"

    Kleavor scratched his head sheepishly with his axe his now tiny wings fluttered a little

    "Kleav¡­" he mumbled a half-hearted apology

    People were still processing this, to them, Ash had just brought out a Pokemon that people didn''t even know existed, the only people who knew a little were Brock and Muramasa, but those were from stories and legends they didn''t think were true.

    They walked up, Brock, Misty, and Yellow walked up to Ash, who just gave a casual wave pretending nothing happened, "Sup guys, thanks for believing in me~"

    Yellow walked up, handing Pikachu back to Ash, "Hey, um, that was amazing, Ash, I knew you could do it," Yellow was the one that probably had the least knowledge of Pokemon, to her, this was probably just another evolution, not an extinct form.

    But the same couldn''t be said for Brock, who walked up looking at Kleavor, "This is¡­incredible, I don''t know what to say, so this is Kleavor, that''s its name. I only ever heard stories from the books I read my siblings, but to think it''s real¡­"

    "So you gonna spill the beans how you knew about this? Because you can not convince me this was an accident," Misty said bluntly.

    "Well, you know there is this researcher, and I am working with him," Ash said, hiding the truth of his knowledge,

    "Uh huh¡­" Misty said, squinting her eyes, "Ok then, care to tell us more, like a name,"

    "Uhh, Misty, as close as I am, I don''t think this is the time," Brock interrupted, pointing at people looking at them.

    Misty rolled her eyes, "Fine, but this isn''t over, I want an actual answer, that''s two now, this is not a coincidence,"

    "Fine, I''ll tell you more later. Just can you all keep this a secret for now," Ash said, getting a nod from the spectators.

    Meanwhile, Muramasa walked up to Shingo, who was helping Blade up, when he saw his father approaching, he lowered his head, "Father¡­"

    "Shingo¡­" Muramasa said looking at his son

    "I''m sorry I took your Mega stone without permission, I don''t have an excuse, I''ll take any punishment¡­"

    Muramasa looked at his son and sighed, putting his hand on his shoulder, "Very well, your punishment is that I want you to leave the Dojo and go on your own journey, and you are not allowed to come back until I can see you have grown,"

    Shingo looked up at his father with surprise, but there was a hint of happiness to it. He expected to get Blade taken away for a while, maybe just being forbidden from coming to the Dojo forever, but this was perfect.

    "Ok, father! I''ll do it, the next time you see me, it will be in this year''s Silver Conference!" Shingo said, bowing,

    "Also, this is yours," Shingo said as he held out his father''s mega stone and Keystone.

    Muramasa looked at his son and held his hand out over his, closing it, "No, they are yours now, this is your journey now, so use them wisely, they served me well for years, so I know they will do the same for you,"

    Shingo looked up at his dad with tears in his eyes, "Ok, father, I''ll do my best. I won''t let you down, and I''ll make you proud!"

    Muramasa put a hand on his son''s shoulder, "You already have,"

    Shingo wiped his eye as he looked at Ash, "Well then, thank you, but I expect a rematch one day, and next time, Blade and I will win,"

    Ash smiled and held a hand out, "Then, see you at the Silver Conference,"

    "Yeah, the Silver Conference," Shingo said as he took Ash''s hand in a handshake

 Cyndaquil

    As the Gang started moving again, Ash took the lead this time, and he started moving them slightly in a different direction, where the next town was North, Ash was leading them North-West, The reason was obvious.

    As they set up camp for lunch in Route 33, it was Brock''s turn this time, so as he was cooking, Ash was letting out his Pokemon, eventually letting Kleavor out again, which just made everyone else look at the big bug again.

    Misty yelled at Ash¡­from a safe distance since she didn''t want to be close to such a big and scary bug, "Ash, so are you going to tell us or not, how the heck do you find out and get that thing!"

    "It''s not a thing, he''s called Kleavor," Ash said

    "I don''t care if it has the same name as my dad, what it is, and how did you find out how to get it!" Misty yelled back, somehow even farther than before

    Ash whispered something into Kleavor''s ear and pointed at the mountain before showing him a picture. Kleavor nodded and jumped, which surprised everyone because they didn''t expect such a bug creature to jump so high,

    As Kleavor was jumping away to the mountain, Ash looked back, "Well, you see, I know this guy, he''s called Professor Fraxinus,"

    ¡ª-

    {Ashtwo}

    It''s been a few days since the little tournament, and since then, he has had to take responsibility for Helena, seeing as she was forced to become his, well, servant is a harsh word even though it is the correct one, let''s say, sidekick.

    Speaking of which, as he was walking, Helena was walking next to him, looking eager and far more happy than he was. She''s been glued to Ash''s side ever since she was assigned under him, even when he told her she could go do her own thing.

    Her custom Team Rocket uniform she got was pretty similar to the regular one, she just replaced the red with purple and had a white belt.

    So even though Ash had more options, he had less time since Helena would be stuck to him most of the time, and he still didn''t know why she was here, she was the Hex Maniac that you see in the X and Y games.

    He did ask her a little, but she just said she wants to be more assertive and grow as a person. Most of all, she wants actual friends.

    As they were walking, Ash wanted to check out the Egg station to see if he could get any good Pokemon, but the problem was that he couldn''t be sneaky like he usually is with Helena here.

    He turned to Helena, "Hey, I want to go check out the Eggs,"

    "Ok," Helena said, holding her hands behind her back, still smiling

    "Umm¡­so I will go,"

    "I''ll go with you," Helena said

    "Why¡­"

    "I want to see what''s there," Helena said, making up an excuse

    Ash sighed, "Do you have credits to buy an Egg if you want one?"

    "Errr¡­" Helena said, looking away slightly, "I mean, do I need to have them?"

    "Yeah, kinda. Besides what happened to the Pokemon you got at the beginning of the tournament?"

    Helena looked sheepishly and whistled as she looked away, "W-well, I may¡­or may not have, released it¡­"

    Ash put his hand together and put it on his face, taking a breath, "Why¡­"

    "It wasn''t a ghost type¡­ and I do already have a Pokemon." she said playing with her fingers

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Ash sighed, releasing there was only one way he could go and steal some more Eggs, "If I give you something, will you please let me go alone? I need to order a few things urgently before the next assignment,"

    Helena looked surprised, but she was curious, "Uhh ok¡­"

    Ash grabbed his ''bag'' and reached in, making sure she didn''t see what was in there, as Ash was scuffling in his bag, Helena''s shadow grew some eyes and started slithering around, slightly chuckling.

    Ash pulled out an Egg and handed it to her, "Here, it''s an Egg, it has a Ghost Pokemon, take it. I don''t care what you do with it, but I have some important things I need to do alone,"

    Helena was taken aback as she reached out and gently grabbed the Egg, hugging it close, "I, um... ok, but you didn''t have to give me anything, w-we, are ... f-friends after all," she said, even unsure of herself.

    As she was holding the Egg, she suddenly saw her shadow extend towards Ash, and then it rose as behind Ash, her Haunter, Stephen, he extended, smiling mischievously as he changed his shape, becoming a more scary version of himself.

    Helena immediately feared that her annoying Haunter was going to be himself again, as Ash started to turn around, Helena wanted to run up and stop him or yell at Stephen, but she knew both were pointless, so she could only watch on in horror getting ready to lose the closest she had.

    As Ash turned around, Stephen immediately showed his scary face, trying to scare Ash, but even as he did, Ash''s face remained neutral and unamused, as Stephen was surprised that he wasn''t scaring Ash, suddenly he felt a tap on his back.

    When Stephen looked back, he was greeted by a Gengar who raised his fist and sent a [Shadow Punch] to Stephen''s face, knocking him out cold

    Ash walked over, grabbed Stephen by the scruff of his neck, and held him out to Helena, "This yours?"

    "Uhh, yeah," Helena said, somewhat surprised about what happened, as she took Stephen, she saw Gengar go back into Ash''s shadow, "Sorry about him, I don''t know what goes through his head,"

    "It''s fine, but just keep him on a leash or something, like I said, I need to go fix some stuff, so I don''t know, go find something to do, maybe meet someone," Ash said as he turned back around and started walking towards the Egg room.

    Helena was left there standing, holding her unconscious Stephen and the Egg Ash gave her, she held onto them a bit tighter as she watched him leave, thinking how he wasn''t scared.

    ¡ª¡ª

    {Back to the Gang}

    "And that''s the story," Ash finished explaining his made-up explanation. It just boils down to Professor Fraxinus finding out about this, and he asked Ash for some field research, of course, he didn''t say anything about them being the same person.

    "Huh, well, I guess that kinda makes sense if you think about it," Brock said as he served lunch to everyone.

    Misty sighed as she took a Bowl, "But why do I feel like you''re still holding something out on us,"

    "Oh, I am, I''m keeping a lot of things secret. I like you guys, but there are some things I''m not going to say," Ash said

    "Come on, you can''t just say that kind of stuff and expect us not to want answers!" Misty exclaimed,

    "Nope, sorry. I guess you could say it''s some secret family technique¡ªonly people in my family can know about it. It''s classified. I could tell you, but then I''d have to do something," Ash said, closing his eyes and nodding to himself.

    Misty and Yellow took a moment to process that: his family, the "something" he''d have to do if he told them... Their minds wandered to a different place, and both started blushing deeply, imagining Ash meant they could only know if they had become part of his family.

    "I, er¡ªwait, I¡ª" Misty stuttered.

    Yellow was bright red. "N-no, A-Ash, I... I mean, I g-guess I wouldn''t... hate it¡­"

    As the girls were flustered, Brock snapped his fingers. "Oh hey, I know this one! It''s ''It''s classified. I could tell you, but then I''d have to kill you,'' right?" Brock cut in.

    Ash snapped his fingers and pointed at Brock. "Correct, my dude! I love that movie."

    Misty and Yellow immediately froze. "Wait, you were quoting a movie?"

    "Yeah, Top Gun! Love that movie," Ash said. "Why, what did you think I meant?"

    Misty and Yellow blushed harder and looked away. "N-nothing," they muttered in unison.

    Just as Ash was about to tease them some more, they heard the sound of leaves crunching nearby.

    Turning toward the forest, they saw a boy with a Sandslash beside him. He looked a few years older than Ash, probably around Brock''s age, maybe a year younger.

    The boy caught sight of them and approached. "Hey, you there!"

    Everyone was surprised by the rude tone in the boy''s voice; Brock was the first to speak up, "Yeah, can I help you?"

    He pulled out a photo and showed it to them, "The name''s Koji, I''ve been looking for this Cyndaquil for over a week, have you seen it if so, tell me now if you know what''s good for you,"

    Misty immediately broke out of her earlier embarrassment and got her usual angry look as she stomped up, "Excuse me! Isn''t that quite rude, Do you not have any manners!"

    Koji scoffed and turned away from her, "Shut up, I''m not here to make friends, so just tell me and make yourself useful for something, have you or have you not seen this Cyndaquil,"

    Misty was about to lose her temper. She raised her fist, ready to hit the boy on the head, but Ash stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder.

    "Now, now," Ash said calmly. "He''s been searching here for a week. Even if he''s rude, maybe we should tell him¡­ something~."

    Ash gently pushed Misty back and pointed away from the mountains. "Yeah, I saw a little blue thing run over there. I think something might have scared it away from here."

    Koji glanced in the direction Ash indicated and started walking, not even bothering with a thank-you or a nod. Still, without turning back, he spoke.

    "Good. One of you has some use. Now, if you know what''s good for you, you''ll stay out of my way. This Cyndaquil is mine." With that, he walked off.

    The group watched him leave, then collectively sighed.

    "That guy sure was rude, wasn''t he?" Brock said.

    "Yeah, he was really mean. We didn''t even do anything to him," Yellow added.

    "But Ash, you said you saw a Cyndaquil? I didn''t see anything," Yellow said, looking puzzled.

    "Yeah, why did you even help him? People like that don''t deserve anything from us," Misty said, irritation creeping into her voice.

    "Hm? What do you mean?" Ash said with a smug smile. "I didn''t tell him I saw a Cyndaquil~."

    "Eh? But you said you did¡­" Misty said, confused.

    "Nope," Ash replied, smirking. "I said I think I saw a blue thing. I never mentioned any names."

    "But why?" Misty asked.

    Ash leaned back against his sleeping Snorlax, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Why would I give up something I want~?"

    "Wait¡­" Brock said, realization dawning. "You mean you want the Cyndaquil? And you knew there was one here this whole time?"

    "Exactly," Ash said, casually folding his arms. "By the time he realizes he was an idiot, we''ll be long gone¡ªand I''ll have my new fire boy."

    "But¡­don''t you have to go, I don''t know, actually go looking for it if you want it," Misty said, "I mean, it''s not like someone is going to come and give you Cyndaquil on a silver platter,"

    As soon as she said that, Kleavor jumped back from his mission, and he landed behind Misty with a loud stomp, making her freeze in surprise and fear as she shakily looked up to see the bug type so close to her, her face went pale as she started to fall over.

    Ash caught her then tossed her back, making her land on Snorlax''s stomach, "Good, you''re back," Ash said, turning his attention to Kleavor. "You got what I asked for?"

    Kleavor nodded and lowered one of his axe-like arms. On the flat side of the blade lay an unconscious Cyndaquil, its small body limp but unharmed.

    Ash nodded in approval and pulled out a Pok¨¦ball. Pressing it against the little Fire-type, he caught it instantly. With a satisfied grin, he tapped Kleavor on the shoulder. "Alright, bud, great job. Go grab something to eat, and then I''ll teach you something extra special afterward, okay?"

    Kleavor nodded, clicking his claws in excitement before heading off to eat in preparation for training. The rest of the group stared in stunned silence as Ash casually spun Cyndaquil''s Pok¨¦ball on his finger.

    "See? Easy," Ash said with a cocky smirk.

 Azalea Town

    It was a new day; they left Route 33 as quickly as they arrived, making sure to make distance from that annoying guy. After a day of traveling, they finally saw Azalea Town in the distance,

    As they were walking, Ash held the little Cyndaquil in his arms as he checked it with his dex to check it, and he was surprised.

    ¡ª

    [Cyndaquil{M}]

    [Nature: Quiet (+SpA, -Spe)]

    [Ability: Ability: Blaze, Hidden Ability: Flamingsoul]

    (Flamingsoul - Gives +1 priority to Fire moves at full HP)

    [Mutation detected: Tera force]

    [Condition - Young and untrained: Cyndaquil is recently hatched, so he needs a real teacher to learn to fire up.]

    [Solution - analyzing proper path¡­. downloading {training doc.}, please stand by]

    ¡ª-

    Ash put it away as it downloaded and looked at the little weasel. He was surprised¡ªnot only did it have its Radical Red ability, but it was also the first Pok¨¦mon he''d caught in Johto with a mutation. In fact, not counting the Crystal Onix, this was the first one he''d caught in quite a while. The last time he''d caught a Pok¨¦mon with a mutation was when Dratini hatched.

    It made him realize just how stupidly lucky he had been back then. But now, seeing how rare these occurrences were, it really made him wonder: had he used up all his luck in the early game?

    Ash shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. If he had used up all his luck, then so be it¡ªhe''d make do. Besides, it wasn''t like he was short on strong hitters.

    He could figure it all out later, but for now, he realized he had quite a few Pok¨¦mon. He hadn''t even been trying to do that; it all genuinely happened by accident. He''d have to make it work¡ªbut not right now. He''d sort it out once he got into town.

    ¨C

    A few days later, they eventually arrived in town. Immediately, they saw tons of Slowpoke lying everywhere, just relaxing.

    Azalea Town was relatively small compared to larger towns. Its main charm was that it was nestled in the forest and mountains, far from big cities. Walking through the town, they saw Slowpoke after Slowpoke¡ªthey were everywhere.

    Of course, Misty was loving it. So many Slowpoke! Even though they were derpy, they had that cute derpy vibe compared to Psyduck''s derpy, which, in her opinion, was just plain stupid.

    She was so excited that as she walked, she almost stepped on a Slowpoke. Ash pulled her back just in time. "Misty, be careful! You were about to step on one."

    Misty stumbled slightly but caught herself. "What?" She looked down and saw a little Slowpoke looking up at her.

    Although she didn''t yet know how crazy the people in this town were about Slowpoke, they were still Water-types. Because of that, she cared about them a lot.

    Misty leaned down and looked apologetically at the Slowpoke. "I''m sorry, I wasn''t watching where I was going. I''m just happy you''re not hurt."

    Slowpoke gave a slow blink. "Slooooooooowwww¡­" Misty took that as acceptance¡ªwhich it was, as Yellow could confirm.

    Once Misty stood up, the group continued through the town, eventually stopping at a park to recuperate. They also wanted to address the elephant in the room, besides the GS Ball, as they all glanced at Brock.

    Brock leaned back, unaware of what the others were thinking. "So, Ash, what''s the plan? Are you planning to give Mr. Kurt the GS Ball and then challenge the Gym?"

    "Well, maybe, but not right now. There''s something more important we need to discuss," Ash said as Misty and Yellow exchanged knowing smirks.

    Brock sat up, curious. "Hm? What is it, then? Do you need to get some more training done?"

    "No, not quite," Misty chimed in.

    Yellow added, "Yeah, there''s something more important."

    Brock looked confused¡ªand somehow a little nervous. "Uh, okay, what are you guys not telling me?"

    The three of them exchanged a glance and smiled before pulling out gift boxes. "Happy Birthday, Brock!" they cheered.

    "Eh?" Brock blinked, utterly confused. Today was indeed June 14¡ªhis birthday. But he''d been so caught up in everything else that it hadn''t even crossed his mind. Growing up, he''d always been the one preparing his siblings'' birthday celebrations, so he''d never felt the need to focus on his own.

    "Y-You guys¡­ actually¡­" Brock trailed off, too stunned to speak.

    At that moment, Bonsly burst out of his Pok¨¦ball and tackled Brock square in the chest, snapping him out of his daze. "Oof! Thanks, Bonsly¡­ I needed that," Brock said with a warm smile, cradling the little Pok¨¦mon in his arms.

    Ash walked up and gave Brock a pat on the back as Abra appeared on his shoulder. "Come on, dude, you''re 16 now, and you have your family. I may or may not have told them I was sending you back, so they''ve got something prepared for you."

    Yellow nodded happily. "Yeah, you should go have fun and celebrate."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "We''d go with you, but we figured this is something you''d want to celebrate with your family," Misty added with a smile. "So don''t even try to argue¡ªwe already told your siblings, and they''re expecting you."

    Brock didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. "You guys really are the best¡­" he mumbled, taking the gifts they''d gotten him. "Okay, I guess I don''t have a choice. Hahaha, alright, I''ll go back. See you guys tomorrow, then."

    The group nodded, and Ash gave him a salute as Abra teleported Brock away. Once he was gone, Ash stretched his arms behind his head. "So, what do you girls want to do? I was going to train, but I doubt you''d want to come with me."

    The girls, still flustered from the incident a few days ago, clearly didn''t want to be alone with Ash. Misty quickly spoke up. "Uhh, well, actually, me and Yellow were planning a little girls'' trip, so, you know, it''s fine."

    Yellow looked away slightly, lowering her sunhat to cover her face. "Y-yeah, s-sorry, Ash. We made some plans¡­" Her voice was shaky, and it was so obviously a lie that Ash didn''t even need Aura to tell. Still, he didn''t push it.

    "Yeah, sure. I''m not your nanny; you can do whatever you want," Ash said with a shrug as he stretched his back. "So, do you want to borrow Abra for your oh-so-gracious girls'' trip?" he added sarcastically, though the offer was genuine.

    "I mean, if you wouldn''t mind¡­" Misty said cautiously.

    Ash shook his head helplessly and sighed. "Yeah, sure. I''ll send her to you once she gets back. See you tomorrow as well?"

    Misty and Yellow nodded frantically before Misty grabbed Yellow''s hand and started speed-walking away. "Yeah, see you tomorrow!"

    And just like that, they were gone, leaving Ash alone. He sighed and made his way to the Pok¨¦mon Center to sort things out.

    He gave a quick call to his mom to check up on her, as per tradition, that he agreed to do after the incident, she was doing well as always, also Mimey was a big help with the chores.

    Anyway, after that, he pulled out 2 Pokeballs and threw them out in the lobby, in from them came his Vulpix and Growlithe, it''s been a few days, and obviously, he has bonded with them a little and given them some training, but it''s time to address something.

    Ash knelt down, Pikachu hopping off his shoulder and stepping aside. Vulpix still looked defensive and aggressive, his fiery gaze fixed on Ash, while Growlithe was much more relaxed. She seemed content, especially after being well-fed, and had no complaints.

    Looking at both Pok¨¦mon, Ash spoke softly. "Alright, I need to ask you both something. I know we''ve been training together, but¡­ do you actually like fighting?"

    Vulpix and Growlithe exchanged glances before turning back to Ash.

    Vulpix kept his wary expression, narrowing his eyes. "Vul-vulpix¡­ {Honestly, no. I only fight because I''m strong, and I want to protect my friend.}"

    Growlithe hesitated, taking a moment to think before responding. "Grow¡­ {I¡­ well, I don''t hate it, but I''m scared to fight. B-but if I could get stronger¡­ yeah, I''d love to keep fighting. But I''m weak¡­}"

    Ash nodded. He expected these answers but not in front of the ones that gave it to him, but that''s fine because his plan was to train both of them, then give Brock Vulpix when Suzie asks for her Vulpix back, this actually made things easier.

    Ash put his hands down, catching the two and rubbing their heads. Growlithe nuzzled into Ash''s hand, and Vulpix, even though he looked angry, he did enjoy getting taken care of, even if he''ll never admit it.

    "Alright, if that''s what you both want, I''ll make sure you get what you want," Ash said with a small smile and returned them to their Pokeballs.

    Ash put them away then, he went to the PC and sat down, he decided to call Oak to finally do his duties.

    After a few rings, Professor Oak answered the call. He was in the middle of eating dango, holding one of the skewers in hand. "Hello, my boy! I was actually planning on calling you soon."

    Ash sighed, leaning on the desk as he saw Oak chewing. ''Do you only eat when I call you?'' he thought but shook his head and replied, "Oh really? What for?"

    Oak finished one of the dango balls and grinned. "Well, you see, the research paper we worked on about Annihilape''s evolution was validated and accepted. It''s been shared with researchers in other regions. Now, about your share of the funds¡ªwhere should I send it?"

    Ash smiled and shook his head, "For now, give it to my mom, we both know she''ll try to just save it for me, but tell her I insist she uses it,"

    Oak nodded as he wrote something down on a note, then handed it to one of his assistants, "Ok, so now that I have that, what can I do for you?"

    Ash smiled, "Well, let''s just say I found something else~"

    Oak nearly choked on the stick of the Dango, "*cough* A-are you serious? But so soon, it hasn''t even been a year since the last one?"

    "Apapapa, remember, right now, I''m not Ash; I''m Professor Fraxinus, and yes, I have found one, and not only that, I have it ready," Ash said with a smirk.

    Oak swallowed the Dango in his mouth, "C-can you show me, or at least tell me about it, o-or-"

    "Well, if you want to hear it~," Ash said, resting his head on his hand, "I want you to bring in two other people for this: Professor Rowan and Professor Juniper."

    "May I ask why?" Oak said, not dismissing the idea since he knew if Ash wanted them to see it, he had a good reason.

    Ash''s smile grew into a grin. "Remember when you brought them in to do a guest lecture, and they showed you and us the axe hand they found?"

    "Yes, they said it wasn''t an ancient Pok¨¦mon but a new, unknown evolution. They mentioned they were researching it, but they haven''t¡ªwait¡­" Oak said as he realized something.

    "Wow, I''m surprised you remembered that much. I half-expected you to forget already," Ash said jokingly. "But yes, I found it."

    Oak''s eyes widened. "A-Are you serious?" He rubbed his temples and shook his head. "Sorry, forgive me. It''s just a little hard to believe. It''s not that I don''t want to believe you, my boy, but Professors Rowan and Juniper have been unable to find it. I need a little more than your word."

    Ash nodded and used his phone to send a picture to Oak. "Yeah, I get it. I just sent all the evidence you need. Check your computer."

    Oak did as Ash said, pulling up the message he''d received. When he opened it, he saw Ash with his arm over Kleavor. The very sight of Kleavor sent a shiver of excitement through his body.

    "Okay, I believe you. I''ll contact them and arrange a time to get on a call. It might take a while; they''re still busy with their own research projects. I''ll send you a message once we agree on a time."

    Ash nodded. "Alright. I have some stuff I need to do. Talk to you later," he said, then hung up.

    Pikachu walked back into the room with another bottle of ketchup¡ªlikely stolen from the kitchen in the Pok¨¦mon Center. He hopped up to sit on Ash''s shoulder again and started licking it up.

    Ash stretched his arms behind his head. He might as well go train. Cyndaquil wasn''t at a level where he could fight the Gym yet, so he should work on that.

    As Ash got up and started walking towards the door, he overheard two people wearing archaeology equipment.

    "Hey, did you hear Bugsy went to the ruins?"

    "Really? What do you think he''s doing? I mean, usually, he isn''t researching Bug Pok¨¦mon. Why would he go there? Do you think there''s a new Ground/Bug type?"

    "First, obviously, there are already Ground/Bug types. But also, he''s not there for research. Apparently, there was a cave-in, and we lost contact with some archaeologists. He went there to see if they''re okay."

    "Wow, Bugsy sure is the coolest. We really lucked out having someone like him as our Gym Leader!"

    "Yeah, Bugsy is super cool! I want to work harder, so maybe he''ll notice me and praise me!"

    The conversation went on in a cycle of praising Bugsy. Ash''s eye twitched as he heard them idolize Bugsy so much. He walked out, shaking his head. "What is this Krispy Kreme glazing? They better zip up his pants when they''re done."

    Even as he said that he was curious, he pulled out his phone and checked the map. The ruins weren''t far from town. He could get there in a few hours. Then he had an idea.

    Ash released Stantler. Stantler had been growing rapidly with all the training and food Ash had been giving him and was now slightly taller than Ash. Ash reached up and patted Stantler on the head.

    "Hey, Stantler, let''s try a new kind of training, okay?" Ash said, and Stantler nodded happily.

    Ash climbed up onto Stantler. It took a moment, and Stantler almost stumbled, but he quickly got used to it and stood up straight. "Stantler, you good?"

    "Stant! Stantler!" Stantler nodded.

    "Okay, let''s go. If you feel tired, just tell me, alright? I don''t want you collapsing on me," Ash said as Stantler started running into the forest. Their destination: the Ruins of Alph.

 Ruin Adventure?

    Ash was riding his Stantler through the forest. Despite being so young, Stantler was surprisingly fast, cutting what should have been a multi-hour trip down to just 30¨C45 minutes.

    Pikachu clung tightly to Ash''s hood, trying not to fly off, though he had already lost his beloved ketchup bottle somewhere about 100 miles back.

    As Stantler continued running, they eventually reached a point where the dense forest gave way to an open area filled with ancient stone structures. Some of the stones were engraved with strange markings. Ash examined them as they passed, noting they weren''t Unown symbols. Any good Pok¨¦mon Trainer worth their salt knew the Unown language, and this definitely wasn''t it.

    Stantler began to slow down, partly from fatigue but mostly because Ash instructed him to. They needed to start exploring the ruins carefully to see if anyone was nearby.

    Sliding off Stantler''s back, Ash began walking alongside him. He took a closer look at the stone formations, trying to make sense of them, but came up blank. He shook his head. He is a doctor, not an archaeologist, after all.

    As he continued walking, a familiar voice called out. "Oh, Ash!"

    Ash turned and saw Ethan waving as he jogged over. "Hey! Didn''t think I''d see you so soon."

    "Ethan? What are you doing here?" Ash asked, tilting his head.

    "Well, I want to say I''m looking for something, but if I''m being honest... I''m lost. I was on my way to Azalea Town for the Gym."

    "Huh. How many badges do you have anyway? You said you started last year but took a break for personal reasons."

    "Yeah, that''s right," Ethan said with a proud grin. "Once I get the badge in Azalea, I''ll have four¡ªhalfway there already!"

    "By the way," Ethan added, "where are your friends? Weren''t they traveling with you?"

    "They''re off doing their own thing," Ash replied with a shrug. "They can make their own decisions, and I don''t really care. I needed to train anyway. But I came here because I heard the Gym Leader wasn''t in town."

    "Oh, I see," Ethan said, slamming a fist into his palm. "Okay, it''s decided¡ªI''m coming with you!"

    "Err¡­ really? Don''t you want to keep trying to get to Azalea Town? It''s just going to be us," Ash said.

    "Yeah, nothing wrong with two strong dudes traveling together," Ethan replied, walking beside him. "So, have you found anything yet?"

    "No, I just got here. What about you?"

    "Nah, same here," Ethan admitted. "I was trying to make lunch, but one thing led to another, and, well... let''s just say I haven''t eaten yet."

    Ash sighed, reaching into his bag and pulling out a sandwich. He handed half to Ethan. "Here. You can''t work on an empty stomach."

    Ethan took it happily. "Thanks, man! Tell you what¡ªnext time, lunch is on me."

    As they walked through the ruins, Ash''s sandwich quickly became a shared meal for Pikachu and Stantler. He didn''t complain¡ªhe wasn''t that hungry. And if he ever did get hungry, he could sustain himself using his Aura.

    Eventually, the two spotted someone up ahead: a figure with purple hair and a strikingly pretty face. Ethan''s eyes turned into cartoonish hearts. "YOW! She''s cute!" He completely forgot about his sandwich, tossing it behind him. Pikachu caught it mid-air and started munching.

    Ethan ran ahead, leaning casually against one of the large stone pillars, trying to look cool. "Well, hello, miss~"

    The purple-haired person¡ªwho was actually Bugsy¡ªlooked up in confusion. "Huh? Are you talking to me?"

    "But of course! A pretty lady like you shouldn''t be wandering these boring ruins alone. How about we grab some tea or something?" Ethan asked, flashing a sparkling grin.

    "Um¡­"

    "Oh, the name''s Ethan, by the way! I''m from New Bark Town," he said, holding out his hand.

    Bugsy sweat-dropped, clearly uncomfortable. "I''m Bugsy. From Azalea Town. And¡­ you do realize, don''t you¡­ that I''m a guy?"

    Ethan froze, looking like he''d just been punched in the gut. After a moment, he straightened up and stammered, "D-duh! O-of course I knew that!"

    Bugsy awkwardly wiped his forehead as Ash finally caught up, thoroughly enjoying the show. "So, you''re Bugsy¡ªthe Gym Leader of Azalea Town," Ash said with a smirk.

    Ethan froze again. "Wait¡ªGym Leader? And wait¡ªyou knew?! Why''d you let me go through that?!"

    Bugsy laughed nervously. "Uhh, y-yeah, I''m the Gym Leader. And really, it''s alright¡ªI get it. People often confuse me for my sister."

    That took Ash by surprise. "Sister? I''ve never heard anything about you having a sister."

    Bugsy nodded. "Yeah, well, you wouldn''t have. But I do have one. Her name''s Shelly and I''m trying to help her take over my place as Gym Leader so I can become a Pok¨¦mon Professor. That''s my real dream."

    Ethan was about to start asking more about Shelly¡ªprobably with plans to see if Bugsy could set him up with her¡ªbut stopped, his tone becoming more serious. "Wait, you don''t want to be the Gym Leader? Then why did you accept the position?"

    "Well, I don''t, but Shelly does. The thing is, she was too young to take the position. And ever since the old Gym Leader¡ªthe great Kurt¡ªretired, our town needed someone to step in. Without a Gym Leader, we''d lose the League funding we need to keep the town going."

    "I see," Ethan said, nodding thoughtfully. "So, you''re putting your own dreams aside to help everyone else." He smiled and gave Bugsy a pat on the back. "I can tell you''re a good person."Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    "Thanks," Bugsy replied, scratching the back of his head. Then, he snapped back to attention as something struck him. "Wait, I can''t get distracted!"

    "What''s up?" Ethan asked, noticing Bugsy''s sudden urgency. "Why are you panicking?"

    "I came here to look for my archaeologist friends. They were exploring these ruins, and we suddenly lost contact with them. And worst of all¡ªShelly was with them!"

    "Why didn''t you start with that?!" Ethan exclaimed. "We need to find them! We''ll help you too, right, Ash?"

    Ash, however, was lost in thought. Shelly, that''s the girl from Pok¨¦mon Reborn. She should''ve just been fan-made, but she''s really here. Does that mean more things from Pok¨¦mon Reborn are here? And if they are, he might be screwed.

    "Ash!" Ethan said again, snapping Ash out of his thoughts.

    "What? Oh, right¡ªyeah, we''ll help," Ash said quickly. He then felt a gentle nudge at his side. Looking over, he saw Stantler poking him, trying to get his attention. The Pok¨¦mon pointed with its nose toward a pile of rocks.

    Ash walked over and ran his hand over them, studying the formation. He frowned. "Hey, check this out. These rocks aren''t part of the ruins."

    Ethan tilted his head, not seeing it, but Bugsy, with his archaeological background, quickly noticed what Ash meant. "Yeah, you''re right. And look here¡ªthey''re broken in an unusual way. This wasn''t from erosion; someone attacked the stones and caused this."

    Ethan''s ears perked up. "Then that must be where they are! We need to get in there."

    Bugsy nodded. "Right. We''ll start by carefully moving each of these pieces to preserve as much of the structure as we¡ª"

    "Nope, that''ll take too long. Aibo, come on out!" Ethan interrupted, tossing a Pok¨¦ball. Out came Aibo the Ambipom. "Use [Dig] to get us in!"

    Aibo jumped up, spinning and using its tail-hands like a drill. It tore through the blockage, clearing a path to a deeper section of the ruins that not even Bugsy had known about.

    Bugsy was shaking. "T-t-that was a c-c-cultural treasure¡­"

    "Not anymore, it wasn''t," Ethan countered. "Remember, someone else already destroyed the stone to cave it in. Besides, isn''t finding your friends and sister more important?" Without waiting for a reply, Ethan jumped through the opening and disappeared into the darkness below.

    "I-I guess... but this still doesn''t feel right¡­" Bugsy muttered before reluctantly following him.

    Ash looked at Pikachu and Stantler, sighed, and jumped in after them, his two Pok¨¦mon close behind.

    As they fell, they landed in complete darkness. None of them could see a thing until Ash gave a sharp whistle, signaling Pikachu to use [Flash]. The area lit up, revealing that they were inside a hidden chamber. On the walls, symbols of Unown were etched in intricate patterns.

    "Woah¡­" Bugsy murmured, staring in awe. "This is incredible. I''ve only ever heard rumors about this, but it turns out they''re true¡­"

    "What do you mean? What rumors are you talking about?" Ethan asked, glancing at Bugsy.

    "There was a theory that this place held ancient secrets no one had ever been able to uncover. But this proves it''s real! I wonder what else this means. If this is true, what other legends might be real?"

    "Hey, snap out of it," Ethan interrupted, snapping his fingers in front of Bugsy''s face. "We''re here to find out if your friends and sister are okay."

    "Y-yeah, you''re right. I can come back and study this later." Bugsy slapped his cheeks lightly to refocus. "Let''s get moving."

    Ash and Ethan nodded, and they began running, with Pikachu lighting the way. As they moved through the chamber, muffled noises echoed through the walls. It quickly became apparent that the place was a labyrinth.

    Ethan turned to Bugsy and Ash. "Why don''t we just bust down these walls? We could get through this so much faster¡ª"

    "NO!" Bugsy exclaimed immediately. "Absolutely not! These are sacred treasures! Besides, you have no idea what would happen. If we break these walls, the whole place might collapse on us!"

    "Well¡­ that''s actually a really good point¡­" Ethan mumbled, his voice trailing off.

    Ash, meanwhile, was examining the walls closely. Among the etched symbols, he noticed that some were drawings, but a significant number were actual Unown Pok¨¦mon.

    As he studied them, Ash recalled how he had memorized the Unown alphabet while playing Legends: Arceus for that one puzzle¡ªonly for it to not matter because of that annoying old woman. Still, thanks to his photographic memory, he remembered it perfectly.

    Most of the Unown symbols appeared to spell gibberish, but as Ash continued observing, he noticed something strange. Some of the Unown began to stir, their forms shifting subtly. They turned their gaze toward him, unmoving at first. Then, without warning, they started rearranging themselves, spelling out something new.

    Ethan and Bugsy, still caught up in their debate, hadn''t noticed the silent transformation happening before them.

    RIGHT

    Ash realized they were helping them, he looked at Ethan and Bugsy, "Hey, I found the way follow me,"

    Ethan and Bugsy looked confused. They wanted to ask what Ash meant, but Ash was already starting to run, so they followed behind.

    As he made the turn, he saw another group

    LEFT

    So he followed, and as he did, there were many more, so he followed their direction.

    STRAIGHT

    LEFT

    STRAIGHT

    RIGHT

    RIGHT

    And as he made the last turn, he was caught off guard as someone bumped into him, causing him to fall over since he was too focused on reading the Unown.

    "Oof!"

    Ash fell onto his back as he closed his eyes, and Pikachu fell off his shoulder. It was a good thing his bag was actually empty; otherwise, anything inside would have gotten crushed. As he lay a bit disoriented, he heard a soft whimper on top of him.

    When he opened his eyes, he saw a girl who looked to be around the same age as him, maybe a bit older. She had long purple hair that covered one of her eyes and a nervous expression, her face turning red as she realized she had just fallen on top of a boy. Ash recognized her from back when he played Pok¨¦mon Reborn¡ªit was Shelly.

    As Shelly blushed from embarrassment, likely wishing she could disappear, Ethan and Bugsy caught up. Behind where Shelly had come from, the archaeologists were also running toward them.

    When everyone eventually met in the center, all they saw was an Ash who looked utterly done with life and a Shelly who seemed like she wanted to curl into a ball and vanish.

    As they were trying to process the situation, Ash narrowed his eyes, sensing something. He grabbed Shelly, pulling her close as he rolled to his feet, jumping up and extending his hand just in time to intercept an Elekid that leaped out of nowhere, aiming a [Thunder Punch] at them.

    Ash held one hand protecting Shelly while his other hand caught the electrified fist. Thankfully, his shockproof gloves allowed him to stop it.

    Bugsy was the first to rush over. "Everyone! Shelly! What''s going on?"

    Shelly, still blushing¡ªprobably even harder now¡ªstammered, "B-big bro! W-we got attacked!"

    "Attacked by who?" Ethan asked as he finally caught up.

    From behind the archaeologists, a trio began approaching. They wore Team Rocket uniforms, walking slowly and chuckling. But this wasn''t Jessie, James, and Meowth like usual; this was another group.

    There were three men, each wearing a bandana. As they walked forward, Ash''s eyes widened in recognition. They were from the Pok¨¦mon manga¡ªthe Team Rocket Elite Trio: Ken, Al, and Harry.

    Bugsy stepped in front of the archaeologists. "You there, you''re part of Team Rocket, aren''t you? Identify yourselves!"

    They laughed, and Ken, the leader, stepped forward. "You hear that? They don''t know who we are. I think we should introduce ourselves, don''t you agree, boys?"

    The other two nodded as they all got into formation. But instead of preparing for battle, they struck a pose and did the unthinkable¡ªthey began a chant.

    Ken: From the shadows, we scheme and plot!

    Al: With strength and might, we''ll take the lot!

    Harry: Deception''s our game, we''ll never be caught!

    Ken: We''re the brains!

    Al: We''re the brawn!

    Harry: We''re the twist of dawn!

    All: Team Rocket Elite, we''re the top of the chain! Team Rocket''s dream, is our ultimate gain!

    Ash fell silent; he felt like he needed to punch these guys in the throat just for the principle of the matter.

 Collapse

    As the trio finished their chant, they smirked and stood up, walking in different directions menacingly with smirks on their faces.

    Here is the thing: Thanks to Ashtwo, Ash knew about these guys, so he knows two things: 1. They all have a full team of 6 each, and 2. Even though they are grunts, they each have the strength of an admin.

    Ash was confident he could beat them one-on-one, but he also knew they wouldn''t fight fair. They''d gang up on him, and their years of teamwork made them experts in coordinated assaults. Facing them head-on was impossible, especially in the cramped, crumbling ruins.

    And none of that even mentioned the Elekid Ash was holding with his bare hands while everyone else was too preoccupied to help. The only one who even noticed Ash struggling with the Elekid was Shelly, who was standing behind him as he held her back, shielding her from the Pok¨¦mon''s attacks.

    The Team Rocket Elite Trio smirked as they focused on the newcomers.

    "So, you kids made it in," Ken said with a sly grin. "But here''s the thing: we''ve got the entrance blocked off~."

    "Which means," Harry added, "you must''ve gotten in from somewhere else."

    Ai stepped forward with a knowing smirk. "In other words, you broke open the secret chamber for us."

    Bugsy flinched and shot a side-eye at Ethan, who scratched his cheek sheepishly before shaking his head. "Hold on! I only broke through some debris, and I''d bet anything you''re the ones who caused that debris in the first place! How could I have opened anything with that?" he said defensively.

    The trio laughed mockingly.

    "Oh, kid, you don''t even know," Ai said, snapping his fingers.

    At his signal, a web shot out, wrapping around Ethan and Bugsy, binding their arms.

    "W-What?!" Ethan exclaimed, struggling against the sticky bindings. Bugsy did the same, but to no avail.

    "You''ll never find out," Ai said with a smirk. "All you need to know is that you helped us out¡ªa lot."

    "Big bro!" Shelly cried, trying to run toward her brother. Ash stopped her, holding her back for her own safety while still grappling with the Elekid. He couldn''t act carelessly. He needed to pick the right moment to strike, so for now, he was pretending to struggle.

    The trio continued laughing as Ken walked forward with a smug expression. "Now we can just walk in and take the Symbol Pok¨¦mon. Our boss is going to be very pleased when we deliver them to him."

    Just as Ken turned to walk past them, Ash''s struggling expression turned into a confident smirk.

    "Hey! You forgot something!" Ash called.

    The trio turned just in time to see Ash not only overpowering the Elekid but also using it as a weapon, pointing its head directly at Ken. The prongs on Elekid''s head made contact, and all its built-up electricity discharged straight into Ken.

    "What the¡ªGAAAAAAHH!!!" Ken screamed as volts of electricity coursed through him.

    While holding the Elekid, Ash whistled sharply, signaling Pikachu. Pikachu, who had stayed behind earlier, leaped into action. With its tail glowing brightly, it used [Iron Tail] like a blade, slashing through the webs, binding Bugsy and Ethan.

    As they broke free, Ash kicked Ken''s leg to unbalance him and hurled the Elekid straight at Ai, who was commanding his Spinarak to shoot more webs.

    Ash grabbed Shelly, who was clearly too shaken to run on her own and turned to the group. "What are you waiting for? Get moving, NOW!"

    The archaeologists nodded and began running back the way Ash and the others had come. Meanwhile, Ash dragged Shelly alongside him as he ran next to Ethan and Bugsy. Behind them, the Team Rocket Elite Trio was recovering and preparing to give chase.

    As they ran, Ethan glanced at Ash. "Hey, why are we running? We can take them, can''t we?"

    Ash nodded. "I think we could, but the problem is those archaeologists. I don''t know if you noticed, but they have no way to defend themselves. Plus, if we fight in these ruins, they might collapse on us."

    Bugsy nodded in agreement. "Ash is right. Even if we''re confident we can take them, it''s not worth the risk."

    Ethan sighed but nodded. "I get it. So, what''s the plan? We can''t just keep running¡ªthese ruins are like a maze. I don''t even know how you managed to navigate this place."

    "I don''t have time to explain," Ash said, his eyes scanning ahead. "But if you really want to know, I''ll give you an in-depth explanation once we''re out of here!"

    Suddenly, Ash noticed something and stopped in his tracks. He pushed Shelly forward. "Keep running!" he commanded before spinning around.

    "Pikachu, [Counter Shield]!"

    Pikachu leaped off Ash''s shoulder, flipping through the air. Its tail sparked with electricity as it swiped down, blocking an incoming [Psywave] from the Girafarig Henry was riding to catch up with them.

    Ash gritted his teeth. "These guys are persistent," he muttered, spotting Ken and Ai not far behind.

    "W-What do we do¡­?" Shelly asked, still shaking.

    Ash glanced around, trying to form a plan. Just then, he felt a familiar weight on his shoulder. Turning, he saw Abra finally back.

    "It''s about time!" Ash exclaimed.

    He grabbed the fox and handed it to Shelly. "Get out of here with the archaeologists. I can hold them off for a bit."

    Shelly froze. "W-Wait, n-no! We can''t just abandon you here¡ªyou matter too!"

    Bugsy placed a hand on her shoulder and gently pushed her back. "He won''t. I''ll stay, too."

    "Well, if you two are staying, then I guess I have no choice either," Ethan said with a smile, stepping next to Ash.

    Shelly gulped. She wanted to say something¡ªmaybe even declare she wanted to stay and fight with them. But she was scared nervous, and didn''t want to disobey her brother or let him down.

    "O-Okay¡­" Shelly said reluctantly, looking down. "But promise me you''ll all be safe¡­ Please."

    "Don''t worry about it, we''ll be fine," Ash said confidently as he stepped into the center, holding out a Pok¨¦ball and facing the charging Henry. "Because I''ll protect you!"

    He threw the Pok¨¦ball, and out came Blastoise, who stomped on the ground, catching Girafarig mid-charge with a smirk. With a swift motion, Blastoise hurled Girafarig backward, sending Henry sprawling along with it.

    Henry and Girafarig skidded across the floor of the ruins, landing at the feet of Ken and Ai. "Gah! Damn you, kid! You''ll pay for that!" Henry snarled.

    As Henry stood, his Girafarig staggered upright beside him. Ken released his Machamp, and Ai let out his Gengar.

    Bugsy and Ethan ran up to Ash, each gripping a Pok¨¦ball. "Don''t forget about us!" Ethan said with a grin.Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

    They threw their Pok¨¦balls at the same time, revealing a Yanmega and Aibo the Ambipom as they stood next to Blastoise.

    As they moved forward, the current matchups were Machamp vs. Blastoise, Yanmega vs. Gengar, and Aibo vs. Girafarig.

    Machamp and Blastoise ran forward first, grabbing each other''s hands and trying to overpower the other with brute strength.

    Behind them, Yanmega and Gengar flew up to confront each other, while Aibo and Girafarig clashed on the side.

    "Gengar, use [Shadow Ball]!" Ai commanded.

    But Bugsy didn''t let it happen. "I don''t think so. [Protect], then [Psychic], Yanmega!"

    As the ball of shadow approached, Yanmega created a light blue shield, blocking the attack. Its ability, Speed Boost, activated, making it faster. Its eyes glowed purple as Gengar was enveloped in a purple light, sending it crashing onto the floor.

    Meanwhile, Aibo and Girafarig were clashing in the center, with Girafarig headbutting an incoming tail fist from Aibo.

    "Now, [Return]!" Ethan and Henry shouted in unison.

    Aibo and Girafarig started clashing over and over again, but Aibo had the advantage with two ways to attack, using both of its tails. Girafarig, on the other hand, could only rely on its head. Moreover, Aibo liked Ethan way more than Girafarig liked Ai.

    With a spin, Aibo clashed with Girafarig one more time before bringing down another fist and striking the back of its head, sending the giraffe to the ground. However, as it fell, the back part of Girafarig''s tail came up and bit one of Aibo''s tails.

    As this battle was going on, Shelly was running as fast as she could with Abra in her arms, hugging her tightly as she tried to catch up with the archaeologists.

    When she reached them, she found the group catching their breath after so much running. She ran up to them. "E-Everybody!"

    "Shelly? Where''s Bugsy and those other two?" the expedition team leader asked.

    "T-They''re holding off those bad people. U-Um¡­" Shelly said, looking down at Abra and holding it out. "T-They told me to use this to get us out of here."

    "What? But we can''t just leave Bugsy!" another member said, his voice slightly raised¡ªnot out of anger, but from surprise and shock.

    "B-But¡­ h-he told me to," Shelly stammered, starting to shake as her nerves caught up with her. "T-They told me when we get out, th-"

    She was cut off as the walls suddenly shook, vibrations coming from the ongoing battle.

    Shelly looked at them pleadingly. "Please, just trust me. The sooner we get out, the sooner they can come out with us!"

    The archaeologists looked at each other. Even though they were die-hard Bugsy fans, they couldn''t say no to the desperate look on Shelly''s face. Sighing, they nodded and formed a circle, each holding onto Abra.

    Once everyone was in place, Abra teleported them out. What they didn''t see, however, was that the clash had started waking the Unown. Slowly, the Unown began detaching themselves from the walls.

    ¡ª

    The battle was fiercely contested. Girafarig was on its last legs while Gengar was struggling, its attacks repeatedly failing to connect with the nimble Yanmega. The real problem was Machamp, trading heavy blows with Blastoise. Ash could take him down easily, but the problem is if he went all out, this whole place would collapse on them.

    Ash took charge, pointing sharply at Machamp, "Blastoise, use [Ice Punch]!"

    Ken smirked, barking his own order. "Machamp, counter with [Brick Break]! End this brat!"

    Both Pok¨¦mon charged their attacks, their fists glowing with opposing energy¡ªicy blue for Blastoise, fiery red for Machamp. The blows collided midair with a deafening crack, the impact shaking the unstable ruins. Dust rained from above, and the dormant Unown along the walls stirred faintly in response to the vibrations.

    Neither side relented. Machamp used its lower arms to grip Blastoise''s forelimbs, trapping the water type in place. With its upper arms, it delivered a barrage of punches to Blastoise''s sturdy shell. Each blow echoed through the chamber like a drumbeat.

    Blastoise grunted under the assault but stayed steady. Seizing a momentary opening, it lowered its head and delivered a powerful headbutt, knocking Machamp slightly off balance. Without hesitation, its shoulder-mounted cannons locked onto Machamp''s face.

    "Now, [Hydro Pump]!" Ash commanded.

    Twin jets of water surged from the cannons with incredible force, slamming directly into Machamp''s head. The impact sent the fighting type flying backward into a stone wall, creating a deep crater upon impact. The force of the attack sent tremors rippling through the ruins once more, further rousing the slumbering Unown.

    Ken grit his teeth, frustration etched across his face. "Machamp, get back up! Don''t let that overgrown turtle show you up!"

    Ash stood firm, his gaze unwavering. "Blastoise, stay on guard. We can''t let them gain any ground!"

    The ruins groaned ominously, cracks spidering along the walls and ceiling. The dormant Unown began to blink to life, their eyes glowing faintly as the vibrations of the battle disturbed their centuries-long slumber.

    As the trio struggled to hold their ground, the mysterious symbols on the walls suddenly sprang to life. The figures opened their eyes, pulling themselves free from the stone and beginning to hover in an eerie, synchronized dance.

    The group froze in shock. "T-the symbols¡­ they''re not just about the Pok¨¦mon," Bugsy stammered. "They are the Pok¨¦mon!"

    Ken grinned smugly. "Well, that makes things easier. No need to go looking for them anymore."

    The Unown began to move, forming a swarm that filtered toward the entrance Ethan had created. Their intent was clear¡ªthey were trying to escape into the world.

    "Ai, stop them!" Ken barked.

    Ai pointed toward the swarm. "Gengar, don''t let them get away! [Shadow Ball]!"

    Gengar darted forward, but before it could act, Yanmega emerged from the shadows and delivered a powerful [Crunch], sending the ghostly Pok¨¦mon crashing back to the ground.

    Meanwhile, Ash glanced back and saw Abra reappear, safely tucked into his jacket. He turned to his companions. "Abra got everyone out! Let''s move!"

    Blastoise quickly erected an ice wall to slow down their pursuers, giving Ash just enough time to recall him. Ethan and Bugsy nodded, sprinting ahead with their Pok¨¦mon following close behind.

    Behind them, Ken''s Machamp shattered the ice barrier with a single punch. "After them! We can''t let the Unown escape!" he bellowed.

    The trio fled through the crumbling ruins as attacks whizzed past them, deflected by Pikachu and Yanmega. With every step, the sound of the ancient structure groaning under stress grew louder.

    Abra teleported into Ash''s jacket, its small form trembling slightly from exertion. Ash glanced at the others. "Abra''s ready¡ªwe can teleport out. What''s the plan?"

    Bugsy''s face hardened. "We can''t let them get the Unown, no matter what! If those guys get their hands on them, who knows what kind of damage they''ll cause!"

    "So what do we do?" Ethan asked, glancing back at the approaching enemies. "If we don''t stop them here, they''ll get to the Unown. But this place is coming down!"

    Bugsy clenched his fists. "If it means protecting the Unown, we''ll have to collapse this part of the ruins. Go ahead, I''ll take the heat for it!"

    Ash and Ethan nodded as Ash turned to them "Leave it to me."

    He stopped running, Pikachu leaping from his shoulder and landing in front of him. Sparks danced along the electric mouse''s cheeks, Ever since he stole all that electricity from Raikou, Pikachu got stronger and got a new move.

    "Alright, bud," Ash said, clapping his hands together. "Let''s show them what we''ve been working on. Ready?"

    Pikachu nodded, electricity surging around him with an intense blue glow.

    The trio of grunts appeared around the corner, sending more Pok¨¦mon after them. Pikachu''s electricity pulsed dangerously as Ash gave the command.

    "Pikachu, [Thunderclap]!"

    Pikachu unleashed a bolt of lightning that struck the ground with incredible force. The impact released a deafening bang, a blinding flash of light, and a shockwave that sent their enemies reeling. The sheer force caused the already fragile walls to crack and groan under pressure.

    The trio of grunts shielded their eyes, disoriented. But their relief turned to horror as they noticed the walls around them starting to collapse. Stone by stone, the ancient structure began to give way, sealing them inside.

    "Ash, the cracks are spreading!" Bugsy yelled, pointing toward the growing fissures creeping toward them.

    Ash didn''t hesitate. "Grab on!" he shouted, dashing over to Bugsy and Ethan. He pulled them close, and in one swift motion, Abra teleported them out.

    Behind them, the ruins crumbled entirely, burying the area in a massive cloud of dust and stone.

    When they reappeared, they found themselves back in town. Ash quickly steadied himself while Ethan and Bugsy tumbled to the ground. As they opened their eyes, they were greeted by the team and Shelly, happy to see them safe.

    The first to rush forward was Shelly. She ran straight to Bugsy, throwing her arms around him. "Big bro, I''m so happy you''re okay!"

    Bugsy patted her gently on the back. "Hey, it''s alright, Shelly."

    But Shelly shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes. "I''m sorry for being such a useless sister. I just¡­ I just wanted you to notice me. But I messed up again¡ªjust like I always do."

    Bugsy knelt slightly, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Shelly, don''t say that about yourself. You''re not useless, and you''re not a burden. I''ve never thought that¡ªnot even once. You''re great, just the way you are. You don''t have to prove anything to me or anyone else."

    Shelly''s throat tightened as his words sank in. She had always been self-conscious, haunted by a nagging fear that she wasn''t enough¡ªthat she was the source of Bugsy''s problems. But hearing his reassurance now¡­ it was more than she ever thought she deserved. A small, shaky smile formed on her face.

    Bugsy smiled back, then motioned toward Ash. "But there''s someone else you should thank."

    Ethan slid into view, grinning. "Well, hello¡ª"

    Before he could finish, Bugsy calmly placed a hand on Ethan''s face and shoved him aside. "Not you."

    Ethan stumbled backward with a muffled protest as Bugsy continued, "I meant Ash. He''s the one who protected Shelly from that Elekid, and we wouldn''t have made it out without him."

    Shelly''s cheeks flushed as she remembered how Ash had pulled her close to shield her during the attack. She glanced at him shyly, fiddling with her fingers. "U-um¡­ Ash¡­ t-thank you for everything. W-would you, maybe¡­ want to be¡­ f-friends?"

    One of the archaeologists teased from the side. "Friends, huh? Is that all?"

    Shelly''s blush deepened. "Y-yeah! I-I don''t have many friends¡­ so if you don''t want to, that''s okay¡­"

    Ash chuckled softly, stepping forward and resting a hand on her shoulder. "Of course. Let''s be friends."

    Shelly''s face lit up with a radiant smile. But before the moment could get too sentimental, Ethan''s stomach let out a loud growl.

    "Uh, sorry about that," Ethan said, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I guess I never did finish my lunch."

    The group erupted into laughter as Bugsy shook his head. "Well, I suppose lunch wouldn''t be the worst idea. What do you all think? You''ve been trapped down there for a while¡ªyou must be starving."

    "Yeah, I could eat."

    "Kinda."

    "I''m starving!"

    The archaeologists chimed in, one after another.

    Bugsy grinned and clapped his hands together. "Alright, then. Lunch is on me!"

    The group cheered¡ªEthan loudest of all¡ªas they headed off to enjoy a well-earned meal together.

 Larvitar brothers

    In a restaurant, as everyone was eating, Ash was sitting down, writing something. Next to him, Shelly was eating a salad, and across from him, Bugsy was eating a sandwich. Next to Bugsy, Ethan was stuffing his face.

    Under the table, Pikachu was enjoying a new bottle of ketchup as all the archaeologists sat around the restaurant, eating happily.

    After a moment, Ash finished and put the note he was working on in the center of their table. It was a full cipher for the Unown language, with a drawing of each Unown next to its corresponding letter.

    "Here, I studied Unown back when I was younger. You can use this to decipher any of the writing with them," Ash said as the siblings looked amazed, and Shelly took a particular interest.

    "I can''t believe all this time people already translated what the Unown mean," Bugsy said. "We really need to get more contact with other cities to expand Azalea Town."

    Then Bugsy realized something. "So this is how you navigated the maze¡ªyou could read the Unown on the walls?"

    "Exactly," Ash said, snapping his fingers. "I could read them, and they told me how to get to everyone, and you know the rest."

    "I see, but my only question is why the Unown look like that. I know they have a secret power, but does it have something to do with them?"

    "Well, it''s only speculation. I have no way to confirm this is true, but I''ve read that when the Unown spell something, whatever it is becomes reality," Ash said as he pulled out another piece of paper.

    "What do you mean by anything?" Shelly asked, interested.

    "Well, let''s say it like this," Ash said, starting to write things down. "If the Unown spell NIGHT, then it will become night permanently. And if they spell FAINT, then whatever their opponent is will faint. And if they spell DIE, well, you get the point," Ash said.

    "I see," Shelly said, looking at everything excitedly. "It all makes sense now. So that''s the odd power that people speak of in legends!"

    "It''s also disturbing, in a way," Bugsy said, rubbing his chin. "Team Rocket was after them, which means they knew about their power. I dread to think about what they wanted to use it for¡­"

    Ash shook his head. "Well, you don''t have to worry about it. We stopped them, and the Unown escaped into the world. Maybe they got one or two, but they''ll never be able to gather enough to do whatever their plan was."

    "You''re right," Bugsy said, feeling a little better, knowing that they had stopped their plans. "All we can do now is learn more. After all, we have more than just those ruins; we have lots of other scriptures full of these that we can learn from."

    "Yeah, there are so many books we couldn''t read before, but with this, we can read them all. I can''t wait," Shelly said excitedly.

    Ethan swallowed a mouthful of food. "That''s the happiest I''ve seen you look. Do you like books that much?"

    Shelly blushed in embarrassment. "W-well, I like books, so I spend a lot of time reading and in the library¡­"

    "Really?" Ash said, thinking about something. "Have you read anything about the legend of Ransei?"

    Shelly''s eyes lit up. "Oh yes! It''s one of my favorite stories, actually." She reached into her bag, pulled out a book, and handed it to Ash.

    "I always keep it with me. And you know, they say that Bugsy and I are descendants of the great hero of Ransei, Lord Yoshimoto!" Shelly then realized what she had said and lowered her head. "I-I mean, they say Bugsy is, and you know, since I''m his sister, t-then t-that means I should be too¡­"

    Ash didn''t pay much attention to that, as he was processing what Shelly said about the hero of Ransei. He quickly flipped through the book, looking for something, and then he found it. Indeed, there it was.

    It said that long ago, Ransei was divided and at war, but then Lord Yoshimoto took the Johto royal starters and united Ransei.

    Ash immediately realized this was different from the story in Kanto. Instead of Nobunaga, they spoke of Yoshimoto, which confirmed what he had suspected: the legends were not telling the whole truth.

    Ash swallowed and looked at Shelly. "This... this is different. In Kanto, we have this same story, but the hero isn''t Yoshimoto¡ªit''s Nobunaga."

    Shelly and Bugsy looked shocked. "W-what do you mean? This story has been passed down for so long; how can there be another version?" Bugsy said.

    "Yeah, give me a second." Ash reached down and caught Abra just as she was about to steal someone''s food. He handed her a note. "Give this to Bill and bring it back."

    Abra teleported out, and a few moments later, she returned with a thick purple book. Ash took it, giving her his sandwich as she teleported away.

    Ash gave the book to Shelly. "See, this is the one we have in Kanto."

    Shelly took it and started looking over it. After a few moments, she looked up at Bugsy. "H-he''s right¡ªit''s different. It barely mentions Lord Yoshimoto at all."

    "What could this mean?" Bugsy said. "I don''t want to say that you''re a liar, but at the same time, this legend is the one we were raised with."

    Ash nodded. "I know, but that just means these legends aren''t telling us the whole truth. And it might also mean that other regions have completely different legends."

    "But why? Why would anyone need to change history? And if it is a lie, what was the real story?" Shelly mumbled as she compared the two books in front of her.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

    "I don''t know, but if you''re going to look into it, then I''m rooting for you. I want to know, too," Ash said as Shelly grew a bit nervous and nodded.

    "M-maybe we should ask other regions for their versions. Who knows? Bugsy, this could be your thesis to become a Professor like you''ve always wanted¡ªto find the real story behind the legend of Ransei!"

    Bugsy''s eyes lit up. "That''s a good idea. It will take some time, though, but I can see it working out."

    Ash shrugged and smiled. "Well, good luck with that, then. I''d like to know what actually happened. I''ll be rooting for you."

    Then, before anyone could say anything else, Ethan suddenly burped after finishing his food. He rubbed his stomach, satisfied. "That was good. Anyway, what were we talking about?"

    Ash and Bugsy looked at each other and burst out laughing, "Dude, that''s gross, hahaha,"

    One of the archaeologists, an older gentleman, leaned back, "And weak, let me show you how a real man burps," He said as he let out a loud burp, making the restaurant bust out into laughter,

    ¡ª

    {Pewter City}

    "??Happy birthday to youuu??"

    Brock''s family sang, with Brock at the center of the table. The cake was obviously store-bought; Brock was the only one with any skill in cooking, and they weren''t going to make him cook on his own birthday.

    The day was full of laughter as they caught up. Let''s just say that when Flint asked about what happened in the Orange Islands, things didn''t go too smoothly.

    After the cake was cut and laughs were shared, they sat down. Brock was sitting with Flint and Forrest as the others had tuckered out and were asleep in the living room.

    Brock held the egg on his lap, rubbing it soothingly. He could tell it was just about to hatch¡ªit was probably just waiting for something. Based on everything he''d read about eggs, it had shown all the signs of readiness, as though waiting for a specific catalyst.

    Flint took a sip of coffee. "So that egg of yours hasn''t hatched, huh? I have to ask, are you sure it''s even alive?"

    "Of course it is! I can feel it. Besides, Ash gave it to me; he wouldn''t give me a dud," Brock said as he wrapped the egg in a blanket. By this point, there was no reason to keep it in the incubator anymore.

    "Man, you were always the domestic type, but I never thought you''d be the ''mama'' kind," Forrest teased his brother.

    Brock chuckled. "Yeah. Speaking of which, any word on Mom?"

    Flint lowered his cup. "Ahh, well¡­*sigh*  I''d be lying if I said I knew. She said a while ago she''d try to be here, but I tried calling her and...nothing."

    "I see¡­" Brock said. He was used to his parents missing birthdays, but this time, with Flint here, he had hoped that maybe, just maybe, they could celebrate his birthday as a family.

    "What''s with you two?" Forrest asked, looking at Flint, who seemed more upset. "You and Mom just dump everything on Brock. I know Brock said he forgave you, but I can''t help but feel like he just said that for the sake of our siblings."

    "Forrest!" Brock said. "I-I don''t know what you mean! I said I already forgave Father, and Mom had her reasons too¡ª"

    "No, Brock," Flint said, looking down. "Forrest has a point. Even when you left, I felt like you were holding back. I fully expected you to hit me, yell at me, even cuss me out. But I think you didn''t...for the sake of your siblings."

    Brock wanted to deny it, to say he didn''t mind, but in reality, he couldn''t. He knew that if his siblings hadn''t been watching when Flint came back, that''s exactly what he would have done.

    Forrest leaned on the table, looking annoyed. "And Mom... I can''t believe her. She''s been gone¡ªshe said she was looking for you, but now I feel like she just left because she wanted something else. I mean, you''re back. If that''s what she was really doing, why wouldn''t she come back immediately? It''s been a year now since you came back. Where is she?"

    "You have a point, Forrest¡­ I don''t know, I can''t defend her on this," Flint said. "I just wonder what she''s doing. She said she''d be back for Brock''s birthday, yet she''s not here."

    Forrest put on his angry face. "Yeah, she has no excuse¡ªjust like how you don''t, Dad!"

    But Brock could see right through his brother. He put his hand out and placed it on Forrest''s shoulder. "I miss Mom too."

    The corner of Forrest''s mouth twitched with emotion as he stayed silent, and Brock continued, "I just hope she''s okay¡ª"

    Then suddenly, the door to their house opened, and a bright light projector shot into the room, playing music that woke up all of Brock''s siblings. Through the door, their mother, Lola, came marching in, waving her hands.

    "Who said I''d miss my boy''s birthday!" Lola exclaimed flamboyantly, carrying boxes behind her. "I''m back¡ªwho missed me!"

    Everyone stayed silent for a moment. This was exactly how she always acted, but now, with the surprise, they could only say one thing.

    "Mom!" "Mom!" "Lola!" "Mom!" x 8

    Everyone in the house said in unison.

    ¡ª

    {The Next Morning}

    After a night of sleep, Ash was sitting in the center of the room. He had sent Abra to go pick everyone up. Last night had been pretty crazy¡ªthey went out celebrating. It was too bad he was a minor and couldn''t drink, but then again, he''d never loved alcohol that much, even in his old life.

    As he sat down, recovering from the previous night, he looked at his two eggs. The Aerodactyl egg seemed like it needed more time, but the Larvitar egg looked ready to hatch at any moment, so he kept it with him on his lap as he read the book Shelly had given him.

    While he was reading and drinking some tea, Pikachu was resting on his lap, and Dratini was wrapped around him. Abra returned with everyone after picking up Misty and Yellow, then going for Brock, and now they were all gathered in front of him.

    Ash gave them a wave, put his book down, and finished his tea. As he did, Pikachu jumped from his lap back onto his shoulder, and Ash picked up his egg, walking over. "Hey guys, good to see you. How was your trip?"

    Misty scratched her cheek, her bag noticeably bigger. "Well, Yellow and I¡­ admittedly, we might have overdone it with our trip. But we''re good!"

    Yellow nodded, looking notably more relaxed. "Yeah, and it''s good to see you too! I hope you had fun without us."

    "You could say I certainly had my share of fun," Ash said with a smile. "Anyway, that''s beside the point. How about you, Brock? You''re the birthday boy. How was it?"

    "It was¡­ interesting, to say the least," Brock said, holding his egg close to his chest just like Ash was. "You could say some¡­ family situations came up. But everything''s fine now¡­ I hope."

    As Brock said this, he moved closer to Ash, and they gave each other a fist bump like they usually did to greet each other. As they did, the eggs they were both holding touched.

    The moment they did, cracks started forming on both eggs, and light began to shine through them. As they looked on in wonder, the brightness made them close their eyes for a moment. When they opened them, sitting in each of their hands were two baby Larvitar.

    The Larvitar looked around and, upon seeing each other, instinctively recognized they were brothers. They reached out with their little hands to clasp each other''s for a moment of connection.

    "Wow, this is fascinating," Brock said, looking at the two newly hatched babies in amazement. "A Larvitar... I never thought I''d get one of these."

    Yellow walked over and leaned in to look at the babies. "I think they might be brothers. They look like twins."

    "Well, I did get them together, but I never even thought they might be related. I didn''t even know what they were," Ash lied, "Looks like we''ve got twin Larvitar on our hands!"

    Misty leaned in next to Yellow. "Aww, they''re pretty cute."

    Dratini slithered down Ash''s arm to look at the new baby Larvitar in his hands. Ash tilted his arm up and smiled. "So, Dratini looks like you''re a big sister now~"

    Dratini tilted her head, curious. "Tini~?"

    "Yeah, this little guy is kind of like your brother. Be sure to be a good big sister from now on~" Ash teased as Dratini''s eyes shined with excitement, and she nodded enthusiastically.

    Ash chuckled and looked over at Brock as he grabbed a Pok¨¦ball from his belt. "Shall we, my dude?"

    Brock understood and reached into his bag, pulling out an empty Pok¨¦ball. "Let''s do it."

    Together, they pressed their Pok¨¦balls against the Larvitar brothers. Almost immediately, the Pok¨¦balls closed with a *ding*

    Ash and Brock clinked their Pok¨¦balls together, they now officially caught the Larvitar brothers.

 Kurt, the Pokeball maker

    {The Abra Show}

    "[Welcome back, junior brothers and sisters, to the greatest show in all the world: Are You Courting Death?!]" Abra said.

    "[I feel like I need another cup every day,]" Alakazam said, floating three cups of coffee behind him as he sipped from one.

    Abra continued, "[For those of you just joining us after the break, our fellow sister Abratwo has left on a journey for her breakthrough tribulation.]"

    Psyduck held his head in pain. "[Psyduck still doesn''t understand. Psyduck''s head hurts even more.]"

    Alakazam gave the duck a cup of coffee. "[Just be glad we''re only dealing with one of them this time.]"

    "[Don''t worry, silly senior brother,]" Abra said. "[Your junior sister will return next week, but for now, we have an exciting topic to discuss!]"

    Drowzee was sitting in the corner, just trying to enjoy his book. "[It doesn''t involve that time we had to hold you down, does it?]"

    Alakazam let out a rare laugh. "[Haha! I hope it does¡ªthat was one of the better moments in this experience!]"

    "[No, it doesn''t, and I stand by what I said. There was a young master who needed to be put in his place, but you mean, fellow sect members didn''t allow me to. How am I supposed to expand our sect like this?]"

    "[Let''s not and say we did]," Alakazam said, pointing his cup at Abra and taking another long sip.

    "[So, what are we talking about? Can we get this over with quickly so I can finish my book?]" Drowzee asked.

    "[Very, very wise junior brother. You must go back to reading the sect techniques, but for now, let''s talk about it. There seems to be a mystery in the legendary Azalea realm!]"

    "[Oh really? Noooo, what could it beeee?]" Alakazam said, not taking Abra''s words seriously and fully expecting another made-up story.

    "[You see, the Azalea realm has the legendary beast, Slowpoke, whose yawns can cause tsunamis! Just one bite of their tails could allow you to jump into the breakthrough immortal realm!]"

    "[Literally no one says that. You say that. No normal person or Pokemon says that]," Alakazam said, pointing a finger at Abra.

    "[Yeah, I''ve read a book on Azalea Town and the legends of the Slowpoke, but there''s nothing on that,]" Drowzee added.

    "[Silly brothers, that just means you''re all frogs in a well, unable to see the world as it is. Allow me to educate you,]" Abra said, pulling out a book half as thick as she was tall.

    They all looked at each other.

    "[Psyduck feels like Psyduck would actually rather die.]"

    "[I''m right there with you]," Alakazam agreed.

    ¡ª--

    {Back with the Gang}

    After the gang caught up, they decided to head out to find Kurt and finally hand over the GS Ball. Finding Kurt wasn''t hard¡ªhe was well-known as the Pok¨¦ball maker and also the former Gym Leader of Azalea Town before Bugsy took over.

    As they walked out of town, they took the path leading just outside of Azalea. The main issue was that it took a few minutes since Kurt''s property was far from town, so he could be close to the mountains where the Apricorns grew.

    As they walked, they saw a house in the middle of a field. Approaching, they heard the sound of hammering, like metal being struck. Following the noise, they made their way around to the back.

    The first thing they noticed was a Shuckle lounging around on the porch. Looking further to the left, they spotted two figures. The first was a familiar face with red hair¡ªSilver, only this time he was alone. The second was an old man with slicked-back hair in a blue kimono, hammering away at a small, glowing-red disk on an anvil. He was intensely focused, so much so that he didn''t notice the gang approaching.

    Silver noticed them, raising his eyebrows and giving a slightly awkward wave. "Uh¡­ hey, Ash¡­ and, uh¡­ Yellow¡­"

    They walked up, and Ash gave him a thumbs-up. "5/10, but you''re getting better. Green would be proud," he said, looking around. "By the way, where is she? Don''t tell me she went off to steal something?"

    Silver shook his head. "No, after I won the badge, Green told me I knew enough to go on my own. But she did mention wanting to meet up in Goldenrod City."

    "I see. Yep, that''s just like her," Ash said while Yellow nodded tiredly.

    "So, Silver, how have you been?" Yellow asked, changing the subject. "And what are you doing here at Mr. Kurt''s house?"

    "Isn''t it obvious?" Silver replied, his tone slipping back into its old, sharp edge. "I''m here to get a Pok¨¦ball and catch a strong Pok¨¦mon. What other reason is there?"

    Ash put a hand on his shoulder. "Easy there, you''re going full edge, lord. She was just asking a question."This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    "Right, sorry," Silver mumbled, bowing his head slightly. "I''m still not used to this¡­ uh¡­"

    "Having friends?" Ash asked.

    "Yeah, that."

    Yellow smiled at him. "It''s okay, don''t worry about it. I don''t mind."

    As Silver was about to say something else, Kurt put down his hammer and wiped his forehead, cooling the hot metal plates in water. "By the way, young man¡­"

    Kurt pulled out the pieces, now revealed to be two parts of a Pok¨¦ball, and began assembling them. "What are you planning on doing with this Pok¨¦ball you''re having me make?" he asked, adjusting the button. "Some special Pok¨¦mon you''re after?"

    Silver nodded. "Strong Pok¨¦mon are the only ones I really want."

    Kurt gave an approving nod. "Hahaha¡­ Such intensity you have!"

    As he added the finishing touches, Kurt said, "Well, I don''t care, as long as I know the Great Pok¨¦balls I forge go to trainers who truly know how to use them."

    Kurt placed the gray and dark blue Pok¨¦ball on the table, presenting it to Silver. "Here you are¡ªthe Heavy Ball."

    As Silver took the Heavy Ball, Kurt finally noticed Ash and the others. "Oh, I see there are more of you. Very well then¡ªwhat do you want?" Kurt said, his face becoming slightly more stern as he studied them.

    Ash took the lead and sat down across from Kurt respectfully. "Hello, I''m Ash, and I was sent by Professor Oak to give you something."

    At that, Kurt''s expression softened. "Oh, Sam sent you, did he? Alright, let''s see¡ªwhat did he give you?"

    Ash reached into his bag and pulled out a golden Pok¨¦ball, catching even Silver''s attention. "Here, this is the Pok¨¦ball he wants you to look at. We named it the GS Ball for obvious reasons," Ash explained as he placed the ball on the table.

    Kurt took it and examined it closely. "Hmm, interesting. For one, I can tell it''s not made from any Apricorn I know of, and it''s definitely not that cheap material they use to mass-produce Pok¨¦balls nowadays."

    "So, can you see anything at all?" Misty asked, leaning forward to get a closer look.

    "Yeah, like any secret functions or something?" Brock added, leaning in just as eagerly.

    "Nope. I have no idea," Kurt said bluntly, causing Brock and Misty to lose their balance and stumble to the ground.

    "Really? Nothing at all? That''s disappointing¡­" Misty mumbled.

    "Forgive me, but it''s impossible to learn much with just a glance. One thing I can tell is that this Pok¨¦ball is flawed¡ªit''s missing the mechanism to open, so there''s likely no Pok¨¦mon inside. But beyond that, I''ll need more time to investigate."

    "Anyway, thank you for delivering this to me. I''ll be sure to look into it, and as soon as I find something, I''ll¡ª" Kurt started but stopped abruptly as they all heard a voice outside.

    "Ha! Pok¨¦balls made out of fruit? I''d love to see what kind of trashy Pok¨¦balls those are!"

    Kurt''s expression shifted to annoyance as a tick mark seemed to appear on his forehead. He rushed outside, shouting, "WHAT ARE YOU CALLING TRASHY, BOY?!"

    Everyone else tilted their heads out the door and saw that the speaker was Ethan, who was standing beside a young girl with pigtails¡ªKurt''s granddaughter, Maizie.

    "Wh-who?!" Ethan stammered.

    Maizie peeked her head out and laughed helplessly. "Remember that grandpa I was telling you about?"

    Kurt eyed Ethan sternly. "Listen here, boy, this method is the original way Pok¨¦balls were crafted. The ones mass-produced and handed out nowadays are inferior in every way. I should know¡ªI helped create the modern Pok¨¦ball, and I can tell you the quality, strength, and overall aerodynamic structure are lacking."

    He turned around, still looking annoyed. "The only thing they''re good for is being given to beginners and talentless trainers like you."

    Ethan frowned at that. "Hey, if you''re gonna talk smack, you better see what I''ve got first." He tapped his arm and pointed at himself. "Try me¡ªI''ll master your Pok¨¦ball in no time!"

    Kurt grunted, his annoyance only slightly tempered. "You''ve got spirit, I''ll give you that. Fine. Maizie, take him to the trees so he can pick one out."

    "No need for that, old-timer!" Ethan said, reaching into his bag and pulling out an Apricorn, which clearly had a bite mark on its hard skin. "I already have one right here!"

    Kurt''s eye twitched. "Kid, did you¡­ try to eat an Apricorn without knowing how?"

    "Hey, that doesn''t matter! All that matters is I have one of these fruits!" Ethan argued as Kurt sighed and took it from him.

    Meanwhile, Silver was watching the interaction, cringing slightly. He got up and looked at Ash. "Sorry, but I''ll be heading out first. I want to go catch that Pok¨¦mon now rather than later."

    "That''s fine. I might head up to the mountains later, but if not, see you around," Ash replied.

    Silver walked off, and only then did Ethan notice Ash and the others were there. He walked over and slapped Ash on the back. "Hey, Ash! Didn''t think I''d see you so soon¡ªand in a place like this! I see your friends are back, too!"

    "Uh, hey, Ethan," Ash said, glancing over as Kurt started crafting the Pok¨¦ball. "Yeah, I was sent here to deliver something to Kurt."

    "Man, that''s cool. Alright, hey, you wanna¡ª" Ethan began, but Maizie quickly shushed him.

    "Shh, be quiet. Grandpa''s working. You can''t be too loud, or you''ll disturb him."

    "Oh, sorry, hehe," Ethan muttered, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.

    After a few minutes, Kurt finished crafting and began assembling the Pok¨¦ball. "As much as I don''t like your attitude, I suppose that doesn''t matter as long as you can prove you''re a worthy trainer."

    Kurt placed a green Pok¨¦ball on the table. "Here, this is the Friend Ball. Would you like any modifications, like a change of color?"

    "No need," Ethan replied. "I''ll take it as is."

    Kurt sighed and turned back to Ash and his friends. "As for you four, sorry for the wait. I''ll start examining the GS Ball now. In the meantime, why don''t you head up the mountain with Maizie and gather some Apricorns? I''ll make them into Pok¨¦balls for you."

    "Wow, really? You''ll make Pok¨¦balls for us?" Misty said excitedly.

    "As a breeder, I''m very interested in the Friend Ball," Brock said, folding his arms and nodding with a grin.

    Only Yellow looked somewhat indifferent, smiling softly but staying quiet. She already cherished her Pok¨¦mon and wasn''t particularly in the mood to catch more.

    Maizie giggled. "Alright, follow me! I''ll guide you to all the Apricorn trees!"

    As Maizie led them off Kurt''s property, suddenly Ethan jogged up to join them. "Hold up! I''m coming with you. I need to head up to the mountain too¡ªgotta put this to use," he said, holding up his Friend Ball.

    Maizie tilted her head curiously. "Oh, have you decided what Pok¨¦mon you''re going to catch with it?"

    "You said the Friend Ball is supposed to make Pok¨¦mon like you more, right? I''m gonna catch that Pok¨¦mon you mentioned wanting and give it to you!" Ethan said confidently, balancing the ball on his finger.

    "Really?!" Maizie''s eyes lit up, sparkling with excitement. "Thank you so much!"

    Ethan rubbed his nose proudly. "It''s no problem! So, which Pok¨¦mon did you say you wanted?"

    "It''s up in the mountains, usually near the Black Apricorn tree. So it''s on the way," Maizie explained. "We can make some stops to collect Apricorns for everyone if you all don''t mind."

    "I don''t mind," Brock said. "Gives me some time to appreciate the scenery."

    Misty nodded. "Yeah, it''s been a while since we''ve done something this relaxing. You''d be surprised by some of the stories we''ve got."

    "Yeah, and I want to see all the Pok¨¦mon that live up there," Yellow added enthusiastically.

    They all turned to Ash, who shrugged. "Sure, why not? I don''t mind a detour. Let''s go, then."

    Ethan grinned and threw an arm around Ash''s shoulders. "Looks like we''re off on another adventure, you and me¡ªtwo strong dudes. Let''s just hope this one isn''t as crazy as our last one."

    "Wait, what happened last time?" Yellow asked, intrigued.

    "Well, it''s a great story, you see¡ª" Ethan began as they all started their journey up the mountain.

 Apricorns and Pokeballs

    The group started climbing the mountain once they reached the forest area, the place where the Apricorn trees grew. All the while, Ethan was recounting their side adventure in the ruins.

    "And that''s about it," Ethan said as they carefully avoided a random cliff.

    "So, you and Ash, and not only that¡ªthe Gym Leader himself¡ªall went and did all that?" Misty said, giving a side-eye to Ash. "And why didn''t you tell us anything about this?"

    Ash shrugged. "I guess it just never came up."

    Ethan shook his head. "Dude, seriously, you''re way too humble. If I were in your place, I''d make a song about myself. It would go, ''??Gold the hero~ he''s good as gold??~''... Well, you get it; I''m not the best at singing."

    "...You know, I''m suddenly grateful Ash keeps things to himself now," Misty said, imagining the alternative.

    "Agreed," Brock added. He didn''t dislike the way Ethan was; it''s just that after everything he and Ash had been through, it would be strange if Ash acted so goofy. Can you even imagine that?

    Maizie caught their attention. "Hey guys, we''re here. Look around¡ªthis is where all the trees are."

    As everyone looked back at the young girl, she pointed to the different trees. "Okay, listen up. The Apricorns come in Black, Blue, Green, Pink, Red, White, and Yellow, and each of them can be made into one type of Pok¨¦ball: Heavy, Lure, Friend, Love, Level, Fast, and Moon."

    She smirked. "That is, as long as you use only one. But if you mix and match, you can make even more options. For example, if you mix Blue and Red Apricorns, you get Great Balls, and if you mix Black and Yellow, you get Ultra Balls. And obviously, they''re far better than the ones you can buy."

    Everyone looked amazed at Maizie''s knowledge, and Ash was taking notes since he was already growing Apricorn trees in his dimension. He''d bought the saplings in Celadon City as a special order through Erika, who had gotten him one of each. They were already bearing fruit.

    As they continued walking and looking around, most of the Apricorns didn''t catch anyone''s interest. When they got to the Pink Apricorns, Brock wanted to run up to them¡ªLove Balls were interesting to him for all the wrong reasons. Needless to say, one spray from Poliwag later, and they moved on.

    As they kept going, they saw some Blue and Black Apricorns, but on their way to the Yellow Apricorns, Maizie stopped them. "Wait, we can''t go any further. Look," she said, pointing at a tree.

    Looking closer, they saw a bunch of Pineco hanging on the branches, resting with their eyes closed.

    "Wow, those look pretty scary," Yellow said as she checked her Pok¨¦dex, which showed their tendency to explode at the slightest provocation.

    "Yeah, they look like grenades," Misty said, peeking over Yellow''s shoulder. Then, noticing their typing, she added, "Yuck, and they''re Bug types. Even worse!"

    "Hey, what''s wrong with Bug-types? Bugs are cool," Ethan said, resting his hands behind his head. "Even the Gym Leader here uses Bug types."

    Misty shivered¡ªthat was not something she expected. "T-The Gym Leader uses Bug types? B-But I thought they''d be Water or Psychic specialists with all the Slowpoke around¡­"

    "Nope, Bug specialist," Ash confirmed. "And yeah, they''re pretty cool."

    "I know, right?" Brock said, stepping in front of them. "I want one!"

    "How are you going to make sure it doesn''t blow up on you?" Ethan asked.

    "That''s the fun part about being a breeder-in-training! It''s a challenge I need to pass, and I''m looking forward to it!" Brock said excitedly.

    "..." Ash stayed silent as he pulled out a Pok¨¦ball. "You wanna borrow Venusaur to use [Sleep Powder]?"

    "Yes, please," Brock replied shamelessly, taking the Pok¨¦ball and completely ignoring his earlier speech.

    Needless to say, one quick [Sleep Powder] from Venusaur and the Pineco were out like a light, so Brock easily took his pick and caught one. This time, he didn''t waste a Fast Ball on a Pok¨¦mon with a speed of 15.

    After they gathered the Apricorns they wanted for Pok¨¦ Balls, the group regrouped to discuss their next steps.

    "Alright," Ethan said enthusiastically, "Now that we''ve got what we need, Maizie, take me to where that Pok¨¦mon you want is!"

    Maizie looked slightly conflicted. "Uhh, I know... but shouldn''t I help everyone get off the mountain first? I mean, they don''t have to get involved in this, right?"

    "We don''t mind, right?" Brock said, looking around at everyone. "And it''s not like it''s hard to see where we came from¡ªI can see Kurt''s house from here."

    "Yeah, besides, you helped us get these Apricorns. The least we can do is be here for you when you get your first Pok¨¦mon!" Misty said, clapping her hands.

    Maizie''s face lit up with a bright smile. "Aww, thank you! Okay, let''s go then. I''ll show you the way, but be careful¡ªit might get dangerous."

    Ethan grinned, walking beside Maizie and holding a Friend Ball. "Don''t worry about us. We''re all strong enough to take care of ourselves."

    As they climbed further up the mountain, they started to see steep rocky cliffs. Ethan almost slipped down one when Ash grabbed him by the collar of his jacket just in time.

    "Gaa! Thanks, Ash¡­" Ethan said, catching his breath.

    "Don''t mention it," Ash replied, helping him steady himself.

    "So, Maizie, what''s this Pok¨¦mon you''re looking for anyway?" Ash asked.

    "Oh, she''s called Teddiursa. She''s this round, cute Pok¨¦mon with adorable little ears," Maizie said, smiling and holding her cheeks as she pictured the cute cub.

    "Kinda like that?" Yellow asked, pointing toward the cliff. As they all looked over, they saw a little Teddiursa nearby.

    Maizie''s eyes widened with excitement. "*Gasp* Yeah, that''s her! That''s the Pok¨¦mon I want to be my friend!"

    "Okay, stand back and watch," Ethan said, holding up the Friend Ball and sneaking up on Teddiursa. But just as he got within throwing range, a massive Ursaring emerged from behind a large rock, roaring at him.

    "YAAAAA! An Ursaring!" Ethan yelled, jumping back and almost bumping into Maizie. "You didn''t tell me about the evolved form!"

    Just as Ethan was about to grab Maizie and start running, a Sneasel suddenly appeared and slashed at the Ursaring''s claws, freezing them solid.

    While everyone was processing what just happened, Silver walked out from behind a rock where he''d been hiding. "Way to ruin my capture. I was just about to surprise this thing."

    "Hey, it''s you!" Ethan said, recognizing Silver from the lab when he''d started his journey. "Thanks for the help¡ªyou saved me there."

    Silver scoffed. "I wasn''t aiming to save you; I saved the girl," he said, referring to Maizie.

    "Are you still hung up on that? I said I was sorry!" Ethan tried to argue. Suddenly, they noticed Ursaring melting the ice on its hand with a fiery [Fire Punch].

    "Grrr, this thing''s smarter than it looks. Croconaw, Sneasel¡ªattack!" Silver commanded as Croconaw jumped out from the rocks, joining Sneasel in their attack on the Ursaring.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    "S-should we help?" Yellow asked as Chuchu prepared to jump in. Brock and Misty were already reaching for their Pok¨¦Balls.

    But Ethan held out his hand and smiled. "No need, I''ve got this. Just sit back and enjoy the show. Aibo, let''s do this!" he said, tossing a Pok¨¦ Ball and releasing Aibo.

    "Aibo, help him out! Let''s take down that Ursaring!" Ethan commanded as Aibo leaped forward, slapping Ursaring across the face.

    "Are you trying to poach it off me?!" Silver''s face darkened. "Weren''t you after the Teddiursa?"

    "No, I''m trying to help you here! Can''t you just accept my help?" Ethan argued, momentarily distracted. "Oh, right¡ªTeddiursa! Where is she¡ª" He turned just in time to see Teddiursa charging straight toward him, ready to headbutt, but he was too slow to dodge.

    "Pikachu!" Ash''s voice rang out as Pikachu jumped in, blocking the cub''s attack with a swift [Iron Tail], sending it tumbling back toward its papa bear.

    Ash stood behind them. "How about you two stop arguing and focus on taking down this Ursaring first?"

    "Grr, fine," Silver muttered, still irritated. "But only because I have to."

    "Wow, okay, edgelord..." Ethan replied dryly.

    Once they stopped bickering, their Pok¨¦mon began working together to beat down Ursaring. Realizing it was being pushed back, Ursaring glanced around and spotted a new target: the defenseless Maizie.

    With a furious roar, Ursaring dashed forward. At first, it looked like an attack on the group, so they dodged easily. But then they saw its real target¡ªMaizie. Just as they were about to shout a warning, Ash sprinted forward, grabbed Maizie, and slid underneath Ursaring, causing the bear to plunge its claw into the ground.

    "Looks like I have to do this myself. Pikachu, use¡ª" Ash started, but then he noticed something alarming. Ursaring smirked, pressing its claw deeper into the rock, causing the cliff they were standing on to crack.

    They tried to scramble out of the way, but it happened too fast. Only Brock, Misty, and Yellow managed to escape safely; Ash, Silver, Ethan, and Maizie started to plummet down the cliff along with the two bears.

    "Ash!" Brock, Misty, and Yellow cried out in unison, horrified as they watched their friend fall.

    As they fell, Ash called out, "Don''t worry about us! Get back to Kurt¡ªwe''ll meet you there!" They lost sight of him as he and the others disappeared below. Despite their concern, they took a breath. It was Ash, after all; he''d handled worse¡­right?

    Meanwhile, Ash held Maizie protectively as they plummeted toward the ground. He glanced at Silver and Ethan. "Get close to me, NOW!"

    They nodded and pulled themselves and their Pok¨¦mon closer to Ash, who reached for a Pok¨¦ Ball on his belt and threw it toward the ground below.

    As the Pok¨¦Ball opened, releasing Snorlax, who landed with a soft thud and continued snoozing, allowing them all to land safely on his soft belly. The same couldn''t be said for Ursaring.

    Ursaring fell hard, clutching Teddiursa close to shield her from the impact. It hit the ground with a loud thud but, being a powerful Pok¨¦mon, still managed to get up.

    As they all stood, Silver clenched his teeth. "Even after all that, this thing is still up."

    Ash jumped down, returning Snorlax to its Pok¨¦ Ball while still holding Maizie. "Can you guys handle this, or do I need to step in?"

    Ethan stretched his arm behind his head, smirking. "Don''t worry about it. Just focus on protecting Maizie¡ªwe''ve got this."

    Silver grunted but gave a nod of agreement. "Fine. Let''s do this. Croconaw, Sneasel¡ªdual [Ice Punch]!"

    Croconaw and Sneasel leaped forward, their fists glowing a frosty blue. Ursaring raised its claws to block, but when the punches landed, Ursaring''s hands froze together in an icy grip.

    "My turn! Aibo, [Return]!" Ethan commanded.

    Aibo charged forward, flipping into the air and bringing down a powerful tail-fist directly onto Ursaring''s face, toppling the bear over.

    The little Teddiursa hurried over, anxiously shaking her father. After a moment, Ursaring struggled, breaking free of the ice with brute strength.

    Ethan raised a Friend Ball, and Silver readied a Heavy Ball. "So, I''m guessing you want big, bad, and stubborn," Ethan said.

    "And you''re after the little one," Silver replied.

    They nodded in unison. "Right!" they said together.

    They tossed their Pok¨¦Balls through the air. Ursaring, noticing the incoming balls, rose up and swiped at them. A normal Pok¨¦Ball might have shattered, but these were reinforced, merely bouncing back.

    Ethan and Silver were about to look for another approach when Ash called out, "Don''t worry about it¡ªI''ve got this!"

    Near Ash, Pikachu suddenly appeared, holding a thin thread. Unbeknownst to them, Pikachu had been busy setting up a [Electroweb] the entire time they''d been down there.

    The Pok¨¦ Balls landed in the web, and Pikachu pulled the strands tight, sending the balls flying back. They ricocheted off each other in midair, catching Ursaring and Teddiursa off guard and forcing them into the Pok¨¦ Balls.

    After a few rolls, the balls settled with a *ding*, signaling the capture. Ethan and Silver approached, each grabbing their respective Pok¨¦ Ball.

    "Hey, we did it! Nice job, dude!" Ethan said, holding out a hand for a high five from Silver.

    But Silver was already walking away, giving a nod of acknowledgment to Ash as he headed toward the forest.

    Ethan''s eye twitched. "I said I was sorry! He''s still upset about that?"

    Ash shrugged, setting Maizie down. "I mean, you did accuse him of stealing and, on top of that, tried to flirt with what''s essentially his sister. So yeah, he''s not exactly a fan."

    Ethan sighed and looked down at Maizie, handing her the Friend Ball. "Here''s your Teddiursa. I think you two will get along great."

    Maizie took the ball, releasing Teddiursa. As the little cub appeared, she knelt down, eyes sparkling. "Will you be my friend?"

    Teddiursa tilted her head, then nodded happily, prompting Maizie to scoop her up and hug her tightly.

    Ash sighed, looking up the path they''d come down. "So, how about we get off this mountain?"

    Ethan tapped Ash''s chest lightly with the back of his hand. "I''m out¡ªyou take it from here. I did my part," he said, waving as he walked away. "See ya, Maizie! Bye, Teddiursa!"

    Maizie looked up at Ash. "So¡­ how do we get out of here?"

    Right on cue, Abra appeared on Ash''s shoulder. "We take the Abra Express, of course," he said, picking up Maizie and her new Teddiursa. In a flash, they teleported out.

    ---

    {Meanwhile}

    "And¡­ that''s what happened," Brock finished explaining to Kurt why Ash and Maizie hadn''t returned with the rest of them.

    Kurt looked stern, though his worry was clear. "So¡­ where are they now?"

    "I don''t k¡ª" Brock started, but suddenly, Ash and Maizie appeared in the middle of the room, Maizie holding a delighted Teddiursa.

    "Oh, hey, everyone! Hi, Gran¡ªoh¡­" Maizie''s voice trailed off as she saw her grandpa''s expression, and she shrank back.

    "BAD GIRL!!! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU THAT DOING THAT ISN''T SAFE!" Kurt said angrily

    Maizie shrunk down, making herself small, "I''m s-sorry¡­"

    Kurt took a breath and put a hand on Maizie''s head, "Well¡­it''s alright," Kurt said, putting on a big smile, "I''m just glad you''re safe, you''ll take good care of that Pokemon, won''t you."

    Then he turned to Ash, Brock, Misty, and Yellow. "As for you four, I''m sorry things didn''t go exactly as planned. But my offer still stands¡ªhand over the Apricorns you collected, and I''ll turn them into Pok¨¦ Balls."

    As they gave the Apricorns to Kurt, a low rumble sounded. They turned to see it was coming from Maizie''s stomach. She blushed, embarrassed. "Sorry¡­ I guess I still haven''t had lunch."

    Everyone chuckled, and Brock stepped up. "How about I whip something up? I''m kind of hungry, too."

    Maizie''s face brightened. "Okay! Follow me, I''ll show you the kitchen!"

    They started to follow her but noticed Ash sitting down. "Hey, Ash, you coming?" Yellow asked, holding Chuchu in her arms.

    "Nah, I already ate before we met back up," Ash replied, then nodded toward Pikachu. "But feel free to take this guy¡ªhe''s always hungry."

    Pikachu opened his mouth to protest, but his stomach betrayed him with a loud grumble. Grumbling, he hopped over to Yellow, accepting his fate.

    "Oh, alright then!" Yellow said, turning to follow the others to the kitchen.

    Once everyone else had left, Kurt got to work, lighting the furnace and preparing the Apricorns. Ash stepped closer, watching intently. "Hey, Kurt, could I ask you something?"

    Kurt looked over, curious. "Sure, what do you need?"

    "Would you teach me how to make Pok¨¦ Balls?"

    Kurt paused, halfway through handling an Apricorn. "What¡­?"

    Ash anticipated his reaction. "I know it''s not easy, and I don''t expect to master it. But I''ve already taken some classes in Pok¨¦ Ball crafting with Professor Oak. You could ask him."

    Kurt''s gaze softened a little, though he still looked doubtful. "You really think a few classes can prepare you for this? I''ve spent my whole life studying and crafting Pok¨¦ Balls."

    "I''m not saying I''ll be a pro," Ash replied. "I just want a chance to prove myself."

    Kurt considered this. Given everything Ash had done recently¡ªfrom saving Maizie to bringing him the GS Ball¡ªhe decided to give him a chance. "Alright, but on one condition."

    Kurt placed a box of Apricorns in front of Ash. "One of these Apricorns is ripe enough to make a Pok¨¦ Ball. The rest aren''t. Pick the right one, and I''ll teach you."

    Ash looked over the Apricorns. At first glance, they all looked the same, but he''d learned some tricks from his farming experience and knew how to tell which were ripe.

    "Actually, trick question¡ªthese are all ripe," Ash said confidently. "But they''re not meant for Pok¨¦ Balls, are they?"

    Kurt gave a rare chuckle. "Sharp eye. These are edible Apricorns, picked just before their skin becomes too hard. Well, a deal''s a deal¡ªI''ll show you, but you''ll only get a few tries."

    "That''s fine," Ash said with a grin. "I''m a quick study."

    Ash watched intently as Kurt demonstrated. First, Kurt heated the Apricorns in the furnace to soften them. Then, he carefully cut through the hard skin with a specialized knife, scooping out the fruit inside, which he gave to his Shuckle to make juice. Once the Apricorn was empty, he shocked it in cold water, making the outer shell harden like iron.

    After that, he placed the Apricorn back in the furnace until it was glowing hot, then hammered it to shape the top of the Pok¨¦ Ball. Once that was done, he set it aside to cool while he worked on the bottom, which could be crafted from iron, plastic, or another Apricorn shell, which is what Kurt preferred. Finally, he assembled the pieces, adding a button mechanism to complete the ball.

    Ash paid close attention, following every step and listening to Kurt''s instructions. When it was his turn, he mirrored Kurt''s techniques, and after the final assembly, he presented his finished Pok¨¦ Ball to Kurt.

    Kurt examined it closely, then nodded. "Not bad. For your first try, that''s impressive. You''re a natural. You wouldn''t happen to want to stick around and be my apprentice, would you?"

    Ash smiled, shaking his head. "Thanks, but I''m a trainer first and foremost. Still, I appreciate the offer."

    Kurt nodded in understanding. "Alright, then. Let''s keep going¡ªthere are more Apricorns left. And if we finish up, I''ll show you how to mix Apricorns to make different types of Pok¨¦ Balls."

    With that, Ash and Kurt continued working side by side.

 Vs Bugsy Part 1

    The next day, the gang was resting in their rooms at the Pok¨¦mon Center after visiting Kurt. From him, they received a few Lure Balls and Heavy Balls¡ªthe most useful of the standard balls that could be made¡ªwhich were distributed among Brock, Misty, and Ash, as Yellow wasn''t looking to catch any new Pok¨¦mon.

    Ash had also learned how to make Pok¨¦ Balls. Obviously, he wasn''t as skilled as Kurt¡ªthat was a given¡ªbut he didn''t need to be. Kurt even shared the recipes for each kind of Pok¨¦ Ball, standard or otherwise, though Ash figured he''d try making them later.

    Today was the day Ash would challenge the Gym. He already knew what his two-badge team would be, and needless to say, he wasn''t thrilled about it. His current game plan was simple: he''d bring Growlithe, Zubat, and Fuecoco.

    He hadn''t had the time to properly train Cyndaquil, so bringing him along felt more like a liability. As for Zubat, he''d been bonding with her through Aura, and if she wasn''t at max friendship yet, she was close. He''d trained her to be a fast physical attacker, and she even had Heavy-Duty Boots.

    Now, you might be wondering how Zubat could use Heavy-Duty Boots. Well, the term ''boots'' is deceptive¡ªas are many things in the Pok¨¦mon world. Instead of actual boots, Ash had fashioned them into harnesses and wing straps to protect her.

    Other than that, there wasn''t much more preparation Ash had done for the Gym. So, when the next day came, they headed to the Gym. Misty, who had initially been excited at the thought of meeting another Water-type specialist, was now shivering in discomfort after learning it was a Bug-type Gym.

    As they entered, they found Shelly sitting at the front desk, reading a book. Her face lit up when she saw Ash.

    "Hey, Ash, it''s good to see you," Shelly said, still a little nervous but clearly happy to see a friend.

    "Hey, Shelly. Is Bugsy around for a battle?" Ash asked. Everyone else stood behind him, unfamiliar with the girl.

    "Oh, Bugsy is battling Ethan right now. He got here early and challenged Bugsy a few minutes ago. They might be done soon¡ªyou''re welcome to check," Shelly replied. Then, her expression brightened further. "Oh, did you like the book I gave you? It''s one of my favorites. I hope you liked it."

    Before she could continue, Misty cleared her throat loudly. "Ahem. We''re here, you know."

    Shelly''s cheerful demeanor shifted back to her nervous one under Misty''s annoyed gaze. "O-oh, I-I''m sorry¡­"

    Ash waved dismissively. "Don''t mind her, Shelly. She''s just annoyed that this is a Bug-type Gym."

    "Hey, just because it''s true doesn''t mean you have to say it," Misty shot back, crossing her arms and looking away.

    "So, care to introduce us?" Brock asked.

    "Right," Ash said. "Well, this is Shelly, a friend I made while you guys were gone. And, Shelly, these are my friends: Brock, Yellow, and the grumpy one is Misty."

    "N-nice to meet you," Shelly said, awkwardly holding out her hand.

    "Oh, uh, hi! Nice to meet you too," Yellow replied, returning the handshake with her own equally awkward one.

    As the two introverts stared at each other, unsure how to proceed, Brock leaned closer to Ash. "Is it just me, or do they act alike?"

    "Oh, thank goodness," Ash said with a sigh. "I was thinking that, but I didn''t want to be rude."

    Shelly and Yellow exchanged awkward glances before speaking up at the same time:

    "Do y¡ª Oh, s¡ª you first¡ª" They both cut each other off, trying to be polite, only to end up mirroring each other''s words.

    Misty, having recovered from her bad mood, stood beside the boys, watching the scene. "Oh yeah, this is uncanny¡­"

    Just as it seemed like someone was about to speak, the doors to the battlefield opened, and Ethan and Bugsy emerged, both laughing despite a visible fire smoldering in the background. Ethan held the Hive Badge in his hand, and the two finally noticed Ash and his group.

    "Oh, hey, Ash!" Bugsy greeted, walking up to him with a grin and offering a dap. "Did you come to challenge me too?"

    "You know it. I guess Ethan already beat you. Well, I''m sorry you''ll have to take two losses on the same day," Ash replied confidently.

    "Oh, confident, huh? Well, I can''t say you don''t have a reason after how you''ve handled yourself so far," Bugsy said, smirking back. "But don''t think I''ll make it easy for you. So, tell me, how many badges?"

    "Only one. This will be my second badge here in Johto," Ash answered.

    Bugsy let out a whistle as he unhooked the Pok¨¦ Balls from his belt and walked over to the desk. "Wow, I sure hope you''re using different Pok¨¦mon. I don''t think I could even beat that Pikachu of yours with this team," he admitted, swapping out three Pok¨¦ Balls to prepare for the match.

    "Yeah, I''m using a different team. I just started training them," Ash said, casually scratching the back of his head.

    Ethan smirked. "Oh, this is going to be good. I think I''ll stick around to watch if you don''t mind."

    Bugsy glanced at the rest of Ash''s group and gave a friendly wave. "Hey there! You must be Ash''s friends. Well, I hope you enjoy the match. I''ll try not to beat him too hard in front of you all."

    Shelly hesitated but raised her hand. "U-um, follow me. I-I''ll take you to the bleachers."

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    The group followed Shelly as Ash and Bugsy entered the battlefield. The arena had a forest-like setup, with dense foliage and a canopy that gave the place a wild, natural atmosphere. Ash and Bugsy walked to opposite ends of the field, holding their Pok¨¦ Balls at the ready.

    "Alright," Bugsy called out. "Standard rules: three-on-three, you can switch out, but I can''t. Everything else is as usual. You ready?"

    "Ready when you are," Ash replied, his confidence unwavering.

    "Then let''s go! Shuckle, you''re up!" Bugsy said, throwing out his Pok¨¦ Ball.

    "Growlithe, come on out!" Ash said at the same time.

    On the field, Growlithe appeared, looking focused with something in her mouth. Opposite her, Shuckle emerged, holding a Lum Berry.

    The battle began instantly, with Ash taking the first move. "Alright, Growlithe, let''s start by getting rid of that Berry with [Incinerate]!"

    Growlithe''s fur bristled as she charged up energy, then spat out a small wave of flames. The fire hit Shuckle, who was far too slow to dodge. The attack dealt minimal damage but succeeded in burning up the Lum Berry.

    Bugsy frowned. "Okay, that''s kind of annoying. But we can be annoying, too! Shuckle set up with [Stealth Rock]!"

    Shuckle retracted its head into its shell, then launched multiple small stones around the battlefield, creating a hazardous trap for later.

    Ash smirked, ready to execute his plan to bring down Shuckle. "Alright, Growlithe, you know the plan¡ª[Will-O-Wisp]!"

    Growlithe''s body glowed as five small, ghostly flames formed around her, spinning rapidly. With a howl, she launched the flames at Shuckle, striking it directly and leaving the Pok¨¦mon burned.

    "Oh no, you''re going to chip away at me," Bugsy groaned, looking exasperated.

    "You''re the one using stall tactics. You don''t get to complain," Ash shot back as Shuckle took damage from the burn.

    "Fair enough," Bugsy admitted. "And I''m going to keep stalling! Shuckle, use [Sticky Web]!"

    Shuckle retreated into its shell again, launching a sticky, glistening web that spread across the battlefield, creating a hazard for Ash''s team.

    "Alright, Growlithe, let''s do as much damage as we can! [Fire Spin]¡ªand keep moving!" Ash called out.

    Growlithe barked in acknowledgment and began sprinting around the field, skillfully dodging the Sticky Web and Stealth Rocks. Flames swirled in her mouth before she unleashed a spiraling inferno that engulfed Shuckle, adding more chip damage on top of the burn.

    Bugsy frowned, realizing Ash''s strategy. "Two can play that game! Shuckle, use [Toxic], rapid fire!"

    Ash countered immediately. "Growlithe, keep running! Don''t let it touch you!"

    Shuckle began launching deep purple globs of poison across the battlefield, aiming to catch Growlithe. The agile dog zigzagged and leaped, dodging glob after glob. Meanwhile, Shuckle continued to suffer from the burn and Fire Spin''s lingering damage.

    But then, as Growlithe''s paw caught on the Sticky Web, she stumbled for just a moment. Seizing the opportunity, Shuckle landed a direct hit with [Toxic]. Bugsy''s face lit up with victory.

    However, as the others braced for Growlithe to take the poison, she got back up, and everyone noticed she had a Lum Berry in her mouth. She bit down, instantly curing herself of the poison. Growlithe grinned smugly while Ash pointed dramatically at Shuckle.

    "Did you think we''d make it that easy? Now, [Swagger]!"

    Growlithe winked as Shuckle''s eyes turned red from the confusion, and it started looking around, confused, taking some more chip damage, of course, it did raise Shuckle''s Attack, but what''s it going to do, attack back?

    Shuckle tried to launch another [Toxic] but instead tripped over its own shell and smacked itself, taking even more damage from the burn and Fire Spin.

    "Shuckle! Are you okay?" Bugsy called out, but it was clear the Pok¨¦mon was weakening rapidly, chipped down by the burn, confusion, and residual Fire Spin damage. Meanwhile, Growlithe stood proudly, still untouched since Bugsy didn''t bother to attack with Shuckle''s laughable attack stat.

    "Shuckle, can you keep going?" Bugsy yelled. Shuckle nodded weakly, shaking its head in an attempt to snap out of confusion.

    "Alright then¡ª[Infestation]!" Bugsy commanded.

    Shuckle weakly looked up, barely conscious. Its eyes glowed green, and from beneath Growlithe, tiny black dots began to emerge, crawling up her legs and moving erratically around her paws.

    Growlithe barked and scratched at herself, desperate to shake off the tiny invaders as they nipped at her fur. Now, it was a war of attrition, with both Pok¨¦mon slowly succumbing to chip damage. Shuckle attempted a few more [Toxic] shots, but Growlithe, despite the irritation of the infestation, was too fast and dodged them all.

    The stalemate continued until Shuckle, finally overwhelmed by the persistent burn damage, collapsed. As it fainted, the [Infestation] immediately ceased.

    Bugsy returned Shuckle to its Pok¨¦ Ball with a smile. "Not bad. I can''t say I''ve ever been beaten like that before. But now, the real fun starts." He reached for the second Pok¨¦ Ball on his belt and threw it onto the field.

    "Heracross, come on out!"

    From the Pok¨¦ Ball emerged a familiar blue bug-type. Heracross landed with a loud stomp, cracking the ground beneath it. Around its neck hung a Flame Orb, glowing faintly.

    Ash frowned. He knew this would be the real challenge. "Growlithe, [Flare Blitz], now!"

    Growlithe barked as her fur ignited into a fiery aura. She launched herself forward like a blazing missile, speeding toward Heracross. The bug raised its muscular arms to brace itself, sliding back from the sheer force of the attack as flames licked at its exoskeleton, leaving scorch marks. Growlithe pushed harder, breaking through its guard and slamming into its chest with a fiery explosion.

    Growlithe leaped back, panting heavily and taking recoil damage. Heracross, however, stood firm, breathing heavily but with a determined glint in its eyes. The Flame Orb activated, burning Heracross, but instead of wincing in pain, it smiled.

    Steam began to rise from Heracross''s body, and its exoskeleton took on a faint red glow. Its Guts ability had activated.

    Bugsy grinned. "Alright, Heracross, it''s our turn¡ª[Counter]!"

    Heracross surged forward, steam hissing off its body. Growlithe attempted to jump back, but Heracross stomped down hard, trapping her paw under its massive foot. Growlithe yelped, and Heracross seized the opportunity. It grabbed Growlithe by the jaw, tossing her into the air before delivering a devastating uppercut that sent her flying. As Growlithe plummeted back to the ground, Heracross waited, ready to strike again.

    Bugsy waved his hand with a confident smile. "Now finish this with [Megahorn]!"

    Ash clenched his fist. "If we''re going down, we''re going down swinging! Growlithe, [Flare Blitz]¡ªagain!"

    Heracross''s horn began glowing a vibrant green, the energy building as it prepared to deliver its final blow. Meanwhile, Growlithe spun midair, igniting herself once more. She rocketed downward, aiming to meet Heracross head-on.

    The two attacks collided in a thunderous explosion. The shockwave sent loose rocks and debris flying across the battlefield. At the center of the chaos, Heracross and Growlithe pushed against each other, their attacks locked in a fierce struggle.

    For a moment, it seemed like Growlithe might overpower Heracross. But then, more steam erupted from Heracross''s body as it tapped into its boosted strength. With a mighty roar, Heracross surged forward, throwing its head upward to send Growlithe flying. Before Growlithe could recover, Heracross followed through, slamming her into the ground with its glowing horn.

    As the dust settled, Growlithe lay still, her eyes replaced by swirls. She was out cold. The battle was now tied, with both trainers down to two Pok¨¦mon each.

    Bugsy smirked at Ash. "I told you I wasn''t just going to let you win. We might be friends, but here on the battlefield, we''re enemies."

    Ash returned Growlithe to her Pok¨¦ Ball, a small smirk forming on his face as he pulled out his next choice. "Did you really think I wouldn''t prepare for this situation?" He threw the Pok¨¦ Ball into the field.

 Vs Bugsy Part 2

    As Ash threw out his next Pok¨¦ball, it opened, revealing Zubat. When she emerged, the ''Heavy-Duty Boots'' she wore protected her from the hazards already set up on the battlefield, so she was fine.

    What wasn''t fine was that after Heracross took down Growlithe, he received both the Moxie boost and the Guts power boost, making this an uphill battle. However, Heracross was hurt and still taking chip damage from the burn.

    "Alright then, Heracross, let''s end this quickly! [Rock Blast]!" Bugsy commanded, pointing to the sky.

    Ash quickly countered, "[Agility], then [Wing Attack]!"

    Heracross dug his arms into the ground, pulling out chunks of earth and launching them into the air, aiming to knock Zubat down. However, Zubat''s form blurred into afterimages as she speed-blitzed around. She suddenly reappeared behind Heracross, landing an x4 super-effective [Wing Attack] that made the big bug stumble forward in surprise.

    "Alright, Zubat''s back in the air!" Ash said confidently.

    Bugsy smirked. "You''re not the only one who can take to the skies. Heracross, after her!"

    As Zubat zoomed upward, Heracross opened his back, revealing wings that began flapping furiously. The two Pok¨¦mon took their battle to the skies. Zubat darted and weaved, dodging most of Heracross''s attacks as he hurled the remaining rocks from his earlier move. Despite her agility, Zubat failed to notice when Heracross closed the gap.

    Bugsy grinned. "Told you you wouldn''t get far. Now, Heracross, take her down with [Smack Down]!"

    Heracross''s fists glowed brown as he raised them and slammed down on Zubat''s wings, making her lose strength and plummet to the ground. If not for her Heavy-Duty Boots, she would''ve also taken additional damage from the rocks below.

    Zubat took heavy damage¡ªshe was already frail, and the super-effective, boosted hit dealt a massive blow. Struggling to get back up, she watched as Heracross soared above her and began dive-bombing toward her position.

    Bugsy''s grin widened. "Now, while she''s down, Heracross, use [Earthquake]!"

    Heracross came down feet-first, ready to crush Zubat. As he descended, his foot started glowing with a bright orange-brown light.

    Ash waited, biding his time, until the perfect moment. "[Agility]!"

    Zubat''s body blurred again into an afterimage, and Heracross''s foot slammed into the ground, causing a powerful quake that would have been more than enough to finish her off.

    Everyone looked around, searching for Zubat, but she was nowhere to be seen. Instead, all they saw was a fast blur zipping around the battlefield, moving far too quickly for anyone to track¡ªa result of her +4 speed boost.

    "Oh, so you did ''that,''" Ash said with a grin, referring to Zubat. He smiled confidently. "Alright, let''s let the fun begin. [Dual Wingbeat]!"

    The blur darted around the battlefield, striking Heracross in the back of the head before looping back to hit the center of its head, causing it to stumble. The audience watched in amazement¡ªno one could see Zubat''s movements.

    Bugsy squinted at the blur, realizing Heracross couldn''t keep up. He waited, and as the blur came around for another strike, he shouted, "Heracross, use [Stone Edge]!"

    Heracross stomped the ground, summoning a jagged stone structure in front of it, hoping to shield itself¡ªor better yet, hit the blur outright. But just as it seemed the blur would collide with the stones, Ash commanded, "[Acrobatics]!"

    The blur vanished, reappearing behind Heracross. Except this time, it wasn''t Zubat. It was a Golbat, and Golbat struck Heracross with a devastating blow.

    "Grab her now!" Bugsy ordered.

    "Nope. Dodge, then another [Wing Attack]!" Ash said calmly.

    Heracross lunged to grab Golbat, but she spun gracefully, her back brushing against Heracross before darting to the opposite side. As she moved, Golbat began to glow, her form shifting again. With all the aura Ash had poured into her and their bond at maximum friendship, Golbat evolved once more.

    Her wings separated into four segments, her body grew larger, and her skin turned a deep purple. In the span of this battle, Zubat had evolved twice, now becoming a Crobat. The audience gasped in disbelief at the incredible transformation.

    The evolution didn''t slow her down¡ªCrobat appeared on Heracross''s other side and struck with another powerful [Wing Attack], sending Heracross stumbling. Heracross was already weakened, and the burn continued to sap its strength.

    Bugsy gritted his teeth, desperate to regain the upper hand. "Use [Facade]!"

    "Meet them head-on with [Cross Poison]!" Ash countered.

    Heracross and Crobat charged at each other, their attacks glowing with energy. On paper, Heracross had the advantage with its +1 Moxie boost and the Guts power-up. But the accumulated damage and burn were taking their toll.

    Crobat began gaining ground in the clash, her glowing wings pushing back Heracross''s powerful limbs. Both Pok¨¦mon gave it their all, locking eyes as they unleashed everything they had left.

    Finally, Crobat pierced through Heracross''s defenses, landing a decisive blow and appearing on the opposite side of the battlefield. For a moment, Heracross remained standing¡ªbut then it collapsed. Meaning Crobat won.

    Everyone was watching, stunned. For a good reason, a Pokemon evolved twice in a battle, while it isn''t unheard of, it isn''t easy to do, especially because most of the time, that only works for stone evolutions.

    Bugsy returned Heracross to its Pok¨¦ball with a smile. "Alright, you got me there. I didn''t expect that. But I''ve still got my strongest Pok¨¦mon left. I hope you''re ready."

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    With that, Bugsy threw out his next Pok¨¦ball. A Scyther emerged, brandishing its blade-like arms with a confident smirk, as it also had an Eviolite. It locked eyes with Crobat, eager for a fierce battle.

    Crobat, while not at 100%, hovered in the air, determined and ready to fight. And Scyther was just itching to fight.

    Ash took the first move. "Alright, Crobat, [Aerial Ace] attack now!"

    Crobat''s wings glowed white as she dashed forward, ready to attack the large bug. However, Scyther raised its blades, meeting Crobat''s wings head-on and clashing.

    "Scyther, let''s do this! Knock her back, then use [Swords Dance]!" Bugsy commanded.

    Scyther used its blade to push back, causing Crobat to stumble and catch herself before she fell. In those few seconds, Scyther''s blades glowed as spectral swords appeared around it, spun, and then disappeared.

    "Now, Scyther, rush up and use [Dual Wingbeat]!" Bugsy commanded.

    Ash held his hand out, pointing towards the incoming bug. "Stop it with [Poison Fang]!"

    Scyther rushed forward, its wings glowing as they freed themselves from its back. Meanwhile, Crobat''s fangs glowed purple. As they met, Scyther landed the first wing strike, but Crobat dodged the second and bit down hard.

    Both Pok¨¦mon took damage. Scyther glanced at the bat biting it and raised its blade, which glowed red, using [Brick Break] over and over. Though the move was resisted, Scyther focused solely on getting Crobat off.

    The tactic worked. Crobat let go and flew back quickly. While Scyther hadn''t done much damage overall, Crobat was already badly hurt from her earlier fight with Heracross and couldn''t go blow for blow.

    Bugsy seized the moment. "Scyther, quick, use another [Swords Dance]!"

    As Scyther prepared the move, Ash shouted, "Oh no, you don''t! Use [Taunt]!"

    Crobat made a face and stuck her tongue out at Scyther, irritating it and stopping the [Swords Dance] halfway through.

    "Scyther, what are you doing?" Bugsy asked his annoyed Pok¨¦mon. Before he could say anything else, Scyther ran forward in a frenzy.

    Scyther began using [Fury Cutter] wildly, aiming for Crobat. Although Crobat was fast enough to dodge most of the random attacks, she was still chipped by a few. Despite being resisted, the hits inflicted damage¡ªdamage Crobat couldn''t afford to take.

    Ash clenched his fists. "Crobat, hang in there! Use [Cross Poison]!"

    Crobat''s wings glowed purple as she flew at Scyther with everything she had, leaving streaks of poison in her wake. Scyther didn''t back down.

    "Counter with [Psycho Cut]!" Bugsy commanded.

    Scyther''s blades began glowing purple as its wings flapped, lifting it into the air to meet Crobat head-on. The two Pok¨¦mon clashed in midair, their attacks colliding in a brilliant flash of light. The force of the impact sent shockwaves across the battlefield.

    As their attacks ended, both Pok¨¦mon fell toward the ground. Scyther had taken more damage, but Crobat was in worse shape. She weakly flapped her wings, fatigue finally catching up to her.

    "Alright, let''s finish this with one more [Psycho Cut]!" Bugsy commanded.

    Ash took a deep breath and pointed toward the incoming bug. "Let''s take it down with us¡ª[Brave Bird]!"

    Scyther soared into the skies again, its wings glowing purple. Crobat, diving down with her body seemingly igniting into flames, prepared to meet it head-on. When they clashed midair, the force of their collision sent debris flying from the ground below.

    For a moment, they seemed evenly matched, but there was a clear difference: Scyther was fresher, with more stamina left, and it looked like it was winning.

    However, Crobat had already accepted that she was going down. As Scyther''s blade descended, instead of clashing, she dodged to the left. Her wing took the full force of the hit, causing her to falter, but she pushed forward with sheer determination.

    She completed her [Brave Bird] attack, slamming into Scyther''s side and rendering its wings useless for the remainder of the battle. The hit dealt massive damage, sending Scyther flying to the right.

    As Scyther struggled to get up, the crowd watched Crobat collapse face-first onto the ground, completely spent.

    Ash exhaled and returned Crobat to her Pok¨¦ball. "Guess that means we''re tied up."

    "Yeah, looks like it. But Scyther''s still good to go," Bugsy replied, watching as Scyther, though heavily injured, shook its head and stepped forward, ready for round two.

    Ash smirked and held out his last Pok¨¦ball. "But I''m not planning on losing. Come on out, Fuecoco!"

    He tossed his Pok¨¦ball, and the fire croc leaped out, a faint gleam from an Eviolite around his neck. As Fuecoco entered the battlefield, he stepped on the [Stealth Rock] and [Sticky Web], taking some damage and slowing down slightly. It didn''t faze him; Fuecoco was built to handle situations like this.

    Bugsy''s eyes widened. "Huh, not a Pok¨¦mon I''m familiar with."

    "He''s from all the way in Paldea," Ash explained with a grin. "Got my hands on this little guy, so let''s have some fun!"

    Bugsy wasted no time. "Alright, Scyther, [Brick Break]!"

    Scyther charged forward, its blades glowing red as it struck down on Fuecoco. The little fire croc didn''t even flinch, tanking the hit like a champ.

    Ash smiled. "Now jump back and use [Will-O-Wisp]!"

    Fuecoco raised his head, summoning five purple flames that hovered around him. With a small roar, he sent the flames forward. They struck Scyther, knocking it back slightly and leaving it with a burn.

    "Not again! Scyther, [Psycho Cut]!" Bugsy commanded.

    Scyther charged forward, its blades glowing as it brought them down onto Fuecoco. Once again, Fuecoco didn''t dodge¡ªit was tanky enough to handle the hit. Fuecoco didn''t even look hurt, though his goofy expression might have been masking the damage.

    Bugsy clenched his fists. "Scyther, [Psycho Cut] again!"

    Scyther struck again and again, but with the burn reducing its attack power and Fuecoco''s natural bulk, the moves barely scratched the fire croc.

    Ash swiped his hand confidently. "Alright, my turn¡ª[Incinerate]!"

    Fuecoco spat out a wave of fire, and when it hit Scyther, the flames burned off its Eviolite. Without the item''s boost, Scyther suddenly looked far more fragile.

    Bugsy grit his teeth. "No, Scyther! Alright then... we''ve got no choice¡ª[Close Combat]!"

    In a desperate move, Scyther lunged forward. Its blade-like arms glowed orange and extended as it unleashed a flurry of slashes, punches, and kicks. Fuecoco took the hits. Even with his tankiness, the relentless assault began to take its toll.

    But just as Scyther''s punches started to slow, Fuecoco began to glow. His body grew larger, the small flame on his head extended into a fiery nest, and a tiny egg appeared atop it¡ªhe had evolved into Crocalor.

    As Scyther''s attacks weakened, Crocalor bit down with [Fire Fang] on one of its blades, stopping the assault and preventing Scyther from escaping to use its speed.

    Ash smirked. "Let''s try something new. Crocalor, Death Roll!"

    Crocalor spun his body rapidly, dragging Scyther down with him. As they rolled, Scyther was slammed into the [Stealth Rock], still scattered on the battlefield. Crocalor could handle the minor damage, but Scyther, with its quadruple weakness to Rock, took devastating hits.

    Scyther struggled to break free, but Ash tilted his head, tapping the brim of his hat. "Alright, it''s been fun, but all good things must come to an end. [Flamethrower]!"

    Still biting down on Scyther, Crocalor unleashed a point-blank [Flamethrower]. The flames erupted brightly, engulfing the bug in a fiery blast.

    When the flames died down, Scyther was motionless, spirals in its eyes signaling that it was unable to battle. Crocalor, still chewing on Scyther''s blade, seemed satisfied.

    For a moment, the battlefield was silent. Then, Ethan broke the tension with loud applause. "Hah! Man, that was great!"

    The rest of the audience followed suit, nodding and cheering. Even Shelly offered a quiet clap.

    Bugsy sighed helplessly, then smiled as he returned Scyther to its Pok¨¦ball and approached Ash. "You don''t disappoint. I''ve never been beaten like that before, but I guess I shouldn''t be surprised anymore."

    Ash chuckled as he picked up Crocalor, who looked ready to cause more trouble, tucking the fire croc under his arm. "You''re not so bad yourself¡ªthat was a blast. But I still hate you for trying to stall."

    "Fair," Bugsy admitted with a grin. "But we''re even since you used chip damage."

    Ash laughed, shaking Bugsy''s outstretched hand. "Fine, I guess we''re both the worst."

    Bugsy unpinned the badge from his shirt and handed it to Ash. "Here. You''ve earned this¡ªthe Hive Badge."

    Ash took it, watching it glint in his hand, and smiled as he showed it to Crocalor. "Look at that! This makes two badges."

    Crocalor stared at the badge. He didn''t understand what it meant, but seeing Ash happy made him happy. To show it, he began singing. "Cro-or-or~!"

    Ash chuckled, holding the badge up for the crowd to see. "We''re just getting started!"

 Important talk

    As Ash and Bugsy walked out of the field, laughing behind them, everyone met them back at the entrance where they had separated. Ethan came up behind them and put his arms around their shoulders. "Man, that was awesome! Makes me want a rematch against you, Bugsy."

    "Well, unless you want me to use my seven-badge team to make it fair with that Typhlosion you have, I think I''ll pass," Bugsy said, chuckling.

    "Alright, you got me there. But next time, I want that battle," Ethan said, then turned to Ash. "As for you, we haven''t battled before, so I''m curious."

    "Well, you''re going to stay curious. I don''t have my full good team; most of them are just new Pok¨¦mon I''m training up to go through Johto with," Ash said, pulling away from Bugsy''s arm.

    "Alright, fine, I guess I''ll wait for now. But mark my words¡ªone day, we''ll have that battle," Ethan declared.

    Misty cut in, "Okay, that''s enough. Battle this, battle that¡ªenough with the battle talk! Can we talk about something else?"

    "Sure. How about we celebrate? And yes, my treat," Ash said. "You guys can go ahead. I want to ask Bugsy something."

    Ethan, catching Ash''s subtle hint, smiled. "Yeah, that reminds me¡ªI also need to ask him something."

    "Really? Do you want us to wait?" Yellow asked.

    Shelly fidgeted nervously with her fingers. "Y-yeah, w-we don''t mind waiting, r-right guys?"

    "Nah, it''s fine. You guys will probably get bored waiting on us," Ash replied.

    "He''s probably right. We were just going to talk about how, for some reason, this piece of work here got three evolutions in ONE battle," Bugsy said, sounding a little salty.

    Ash raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Yeah, right. So how about it? Just choose a place, and we''ll meet you there. And if you order me something, I''ll pay for lunch, too."

    Yellow and Shelly seemed like they wanted to insist on waiting for the boys, but Brock spoke up. "Alright, if you guys really want to talk about something, I guess we won''t stop you. You know best. We''ll text you the spot we choose."

    Misty nodded, then walked over and grabbed Shelly by the arm with a smile. "Yep, so, Shelly, lead the way! Give us the grand tour. I''m sure you know all the best spots~"

    "W-wait, I''m not ready! No¡ª" Shelly whimpered slightly as Misty dragged her away.

    Brock and Yellow quickly followed, but Brock turned back to Bugsy. "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure Misty doesn''t break Shelly," he said before running after the girls.

    As soon as they were alone, their smiles faded back into serious expressions. "So, what did you want to ask? Does it have something to do with the ruins?"

    "Yeah. Did you get any news? I know you contacted the police to try and get them. Did they succeed?"

    "Unfortunately, no. I asked. They took an excavation team, and the ruins were empty. Looks like they got out their own way," Bugsy said, looking down and clenching his fists.

    "This sucks. We can''t do anything, and the one thing we did do slipped out of our hands somehow," Ethan said, frustrated. "And we don''t know anything about what Team Rocket wants with the Unown."

    "You''re right," Ash admitted, then turned to Bugsy. "What about the ruins themselves? Or at least the part that I collapsed to stop them. Have they found anything interesting?"

    By this point, they had left the Gym and were walking through the outskirts of town. "I talked to my friends and gave them the cipher you handed me. They found some writing, but none of it has been of any value yet."

    "What about the part you told Ash to destroy?" Ethan asked.

    Bugsy sighed, not even wanting to think about it. "Don''t even mention it. We did what we had to. I told them it collapsed in the middle of an attack from Team Rocket."

    "Ohh, smart. Technically, it''s not a lie since it did happen while we were being attacked," Ethan smiled.

    "Still lying by omission, so technically still a crime," Ash cut in. "But I won''t tell anyone if you don''t."

    "Thanks. I know I said I''d take the heat, but I''d rather not tarnish my reputation as the guy who destroyed ancient ruins," Bugsy said, sighing.

    As they continued talking about the incident in the ruins, the trio walked along the edge of town. Soon, they noticed Officer Jenny with other officers standing nearby, appearing busy as they brought something in.

    As the Gym Leader, Bugsy had a duty to oversee situations like this. He quickly approached the group, catching Officer Jenny''s attention. She saluted him.

    "Bugsy, good to see you! We were about to contact your Gym to call you, but this makes things easier," she said.

    She stepped aside to reveal Slowpoke Well. At the entrance, a few dozen Team Rocket members lay unconscious and tied up. Beside them were several sad-looking Slowpoke with their tails cut off, and next to the Slowpoke was a pile of their severed tails.

    "We got an anonymous tip to come to the well. When we arrived, this was the scene," Officer Jenny explained.

    "They were just like this?" Bugsy asked, inspecting the scene before turning to Ash and Ethan. "Do you guys know anything about this?"

    "Wasn''t me!" Ethan said, waving his hands defensively.

    "Nah, I wasn''t around here either," Ash added.

    "Then who could have done this?" Bugsy muttered as he walked over to the well. Running his hand across some claw marks etched into the stone, he took note of the unusual scratches.

    Meanwhile, Ash and Ethan exchanged glances, both thinking the same name: Silver.

    Bugsy continued speaking with the officers while Ash received a text on his phone from their group chat. They had chosen a spot to meet, but Ash replied that they might be late¡ªsomething had come up.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡ª-

    At the restaurant, Shelly led Brock, Misty, and Yellow to the group to get seated. Since Shelly was Bugsy''s sister, they received some special treatment; most people in town were D1 Bugsy meat riders.

    However, Shelly felt embarrassed being known only as Bugsy''s sister. Too timid to speak up, she kept her head down as she sat in their private booth.

    Her nervousness was apparent. She avoided eye contact with anyone, her gaze fixed downward. Misty noticed and glanced at Brock, motioning with her eyes for him to comfort Shelly. As the oldest in the group and a big brother figure, it seemed like a natural fit.

    But her plan immediately backfired¡ªBrock''s chair was empty. Somehow, he was now wearing a waiter uniform, flitting between tables, delivering plates, and flirting with various patrons.

    Misty''s eye twitched as she reached under the table and pulled out Poliwag. She turned to Shelly and Yellow. "I''ll be back in a minute," she said with a forced smile.

    Marching over to Brock with Poliwag ready to blast, she left Yellow and Shelly alone at the table.

    Needless to say, the atmosphere grew awkward. The two introverts sat silently, each looking anywhere but at each other. Shelly''s eyes darted around the room while Yellow stared down at Chuchu, gently petting her to ease the tension.

    Finally, they both spoke at the same time: "Hey¡ªoh, sor¡ªno, you first¡ª" Their voices overlapped, and they immediately closed their mouths, making the situation even more awkward.

    Yellow, being slightly less socially awkward, took a deep breath and tried again. "Umm, so hey, are you okay?"

    "Y-yeah¡­ I''m fine," Shelly stammered.

    "I don''t think you''re fine," Yellow said gently. "Why didn''t you let me, Brock, or Misty talk to you? Are you nervous?"

    "U-um¡­ well¡­" Shelly fidgeted, her legs shifting nervously under the table. "I¡­ I''m nervous. I don''t have many friends, and I don''t want to mess things up like I always do," she admitted, her tone filled with self-doubt.

    "No, why do you say that? You''re not messing things up," Yellow reassured her. As she looked at Shelly, she saw a reflection of her younger self¡ªthe same insecurities and self-doubt she''d struggled with before her journey with the group.

    "No, I''m useless. I''m no good at anything other than books," Shelly said. "Most people in town don''t even know my name. I''m just ''Bugsy''s sister'' to them. I don''t even feel like I''m good enough to be his sister."

    Silence hung between them for a moment. Then Yellow finally spoke, her voice soft but steady. "You know, I used to think like that too."

    Shelly looked up at Yellow, seeing the bright girl in a new light. "R-really?"

    "Yeah," Yellow said, her voice soft but firm. "I used to feel nervous, lost, unworthy. I didn''t know what I wanted to do. I was just like that."

    "H-how''d you stop?" Shelly asked, leaning closer, hoping for a magical cure.

    "I didn''t," Yellow admitted. "I still feel like that sometimes. How can I not? Ash, Brock, Misty¡ªthey''re all amazing. They know what they want and are working toward it. I''m just tagging along, trying to figure out what I want to do."

    "Oh¡­" Shelly said, looking down.

    "But," Yellow continued, her voice brighter, "I did gain confidence. They pushed me to step out of my comfort zone, and that made a difference. I still feel lost sometimes, but it''s better because I know I''m trying."

    Shelly looked up to see Yellow smiling warmly. "And I think you can do it too."

    "R-really? Someone like me?" Shelly asked hesitantly.

    "Yeah. But I''m not going to tell you what to do¡ªthat''s something you need to find out for yourself, okay?" Yellow said, her smile unwavering. "I believe in you."

    Shelly felt a lump rise in her throat. "I-I¡ª"

    Yellow stopped her with a gentle hand. "It''s okay. There''s no need for that. So, how about it?" She held out her hand. "Do you want to be friends?"

    Shelly reached out with a shaky hand, half-expecting Yellow to pull away at any moment. But Yellow didn''t. Their hands met in a firm, warm handshake.

    "F-f-friends¡­" Shelly mumbled.

    Almost as if on cue, Misty returned with a soaking wet Brock in tow, forcing him to sit down while Poliwag looked slightly dehydrated.

    "Hey, we''re back," Misty said cheerfully. "So, what did we miss?"

    Shelly looked embarrassed. She wanted to say something¡ªanything¡ªbut couldn''t find the words. Thankfully, she didn''t need to, as the boys walked in just then. Ash pulled a towel from his bag and handed it to Brock.

    "Hey, we''re back!" Ethan announced, plopping down into his seat.

    "Sorry, we''re late. Some things came up," Bugsy said as he slid into the booth beside Shelly.

    Ethan smirked, rubbing his hands together. "Yeah, we''re late, but we''re here now! Let''s order!"

    The group put in their orders, and the evening went by smoothly. They shared laughs, stories, and plenty of fun. Even Shelly grew brave enough to crack a few smiles, though, throughout the evening, she couldn''t stop thinking about Yellow''s words.

    As Shelly glanced at Ash, she thought about how confident he always seemed. In the few interactions she''d had with him, she''d never seen him lose his cool. It was how she wanted to be¡ªcalm, composed, and strong.

    By the time the evening ended, she had made up her mind. She would prove to herself that she wasn''t useless, that she was capable, and that she could be strong.

    As they said their farewells¡ªsince everyone would be leaving town tomorrow¡ªBugsy and Shelly waved goodbye to the group. But deep down, Shelly knew this goodbye marked a new beginning. For the first time in a long time, she had a goal of her own.

    She would prove her worth¡ªnot just to others, but to herself.

    ¡ª------

    {Late at Night}

    Shelly was in her room, quietly packing her bag. Five Pok¨¦balls hung from her belt as she carefully folded clothes and tucked away all the equipment she thought she''d need. She paused for a moment, looking at her reflection in the darkened window, before zipping the bag shut with a determined nod.

    Tiptoeing through the quiet house, she crept to the front desk and pulled out a piece of paper. Shelly began to write, pouring her feelings into the note, but halfway through, the soft click of a light switch startled her. She spun around to see Bugsy standing there, looking surprised but not upset.

    "O-oh, big bro! I didn''t think you''d be up this late," she stammered, quickly moving the note behind her back.

    "I could say the same to you," Bugsy said, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "What are you doing up? And what''s with the bag?"

    Shelly froze, unsure of what to say. She opened her mouth to make up an excuse but stopped herself. Bugsy wasn''t stupid¡ªhe''d see right through her. Finally, with a deep sigh, she admitted, "I... I wanted to leave. I was going to leave a note so you''d know."

    Bugsy''s expression softened, and he walked closer to glance at the half-written letter on the desk. "Hmm, I see. Are you going to tell me why?"

    Shelly hesitated, gripping the edge of the desk. "W-well... after seeing you, Ethan, and Ash do everything you all did, I just¡ª" She paused to take a steadying breath. "I don''t think I''m worthy of being the Gym Leader. Or your sister. Not yet."

    Bugsy''s brows furrowed in concern, but he stayed quiet, letting her continue.

    "That''s why I want to leave¡ªgo on my own adventure. I''m going to collect badges and make it to the League. A-and then... then everyone will see I''m not useless! That I can be strong, just like you!"

    Shelly''s words hung heavy in the air, but Bugsy''s expression softened further as he took a step closer. "You know," he began gently, "I''ve already told you¡ªyou don''t need to prove yourself to anyone. Not to me, not to this town, not to anyone."

    Shelly''s eyes widened in surprise, but Bugsy wasn''t finished.

    "But..." he added with a small smile, "if this is what you feel you need to do to believe in yourself, then I think you should go for it."

    Shelly blinked, startled by how easy this was going. She''d expected an argument¡ªor at least some hesitation¡ªbut instead, Bugsy''s approval came so freely that it felt unreal. "R-really?"

    Bugsy nodded. "Yeah. And hey, since you''re going, I''ve got something for you." He reached under the desk and pulled out two items¡ªa Pok¨¦ball and a Hive Badge.

    "You''ll need this," he said, handing over the badge. "Consider it your first one. And as for the Pok¨¦ball... well, I noticed you only have five Pok¨¦mon. You''ll need six, won''t you?"

    Shelly felt her throat tighten, her eyes glistening as she slowly reached out and took the badge and Pok¨¦ball from his hands. She stared at them for a moment before pressing the button on the Pok¨¦ball. A bright light flashed, and out came a small Sewaddle.

    The little Pok¨¦mon looked up at Shelly with curious eyes, then scuttled over to her, climbing up her arm and nuzzling into her shoulder while making soft, happy chirps.

    "Aww, he''s so cute," Shelly said, her voice trembling with emotion. She looked up at Bugsy, smiling brighter than she had in days. "Thank you, Bugsy. Really. You''re the coolest big brother ever."

    Bugsy chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "Don''t mention it. But I know you like to name your Pok¨¦mon sometimes. Are you going to name this little guy?"

    Shelly held Sewaddle out in front of her, thinking for a moment. Then, with a smile, she said, "Yeah... I have the perfect name for him. I''m going to call him..."

    {End Scene}

    ---

    So Yeah, Shelly is going to be a part of the Johto Arc. Votes came in, but she is not going to join the gang, she''s going to do her own thing

 Ilex Forest

    The group was back on the move, their next destination looming ahead. Much to Misty''s dismay, they had to traverse Ilex Forest¡ªa sprawling, bug-filled expanse of wilderness.

    Ash led the way, his Rotom Phone displaying a detailed map of the area. He seemed unusually focused, glancing occasionally at the device.

    As they walked, Misty peered over Ash''s shoulder. "Are you sure this is the fastest route?" she asked skeptically, she wanted to get out of this place as soon as she could.

    Ash gave her a deadpan look. "Well, we could cut straight through the forest... but that''d mean running into a lot more Bug Pok¨¦mon¡ª"

    Before Ash could finish, Misty darted to the front of the group. "You know what? Extra walking is great for cardio! I''ve got to hit my step goal for the day!" she said, forcing a grin.

    Ash sighed, shaking his head helplessly. "Alright, lead the way," he said, as he followed, Brock and Yellow exchanged wary glances. Having Misty as the one leading them just seemed like they were begging to get lost, but they sighed and followed behind, too.

    Yellow, on the other hand, seemed happy. Ilex Forest reminded her of Viridian Forest. She took in the scenery with a small smile as they followed Misty deeper into the woods.

    ¡ª

    {Deeper in the Forest}

    "Farfetch''d use [Cut]!" a boy said.

    In the next moment, a Farfetch''d ran up and used its leek to cut down a tree perfectly, then cut it further into smaller planks.

    "Great job, Farfetch''d!" the boy, whose name was Sylvester, said. "Father will be happy¡ªwe can make lots of charcoal with this!" he praised Farfetch''d, who tilted its head up proudly.

    Sylvester was the son of the renowned charcoal maker. He had Farfetch''d to help him; sure, at first, things were rocky, but eventually, they learned to work together, and now they were a great team.

    As Sylvester wrapped up the wood, he suddenly noticed a mist starting to appear, making him frustrated. "Again? The darn mist comes so often now¡­" he mumbled.

    The mist was something strange. Originally, it appeared once or twice a month, but recently, it had been happening more and more often. Now, it was nearly a daily occurrence. Sylvester had no idea what caused it; he just knew it was apparently bad news and a sign he should get out as soon as possible.

    "Come on, Farfetch''d, let''s go home," Sylvester said as he carried the wood on his back. But then Farfetch''d''s eyes changed. It dropped its leek and started running deeper into the forest.

    Sylvester''s eyes widened as he dropped the wood and grabbed the leek. "Farfetch''d! Wait! Where are you going?" he shouted, starting to chase after his Pok¨¦mon.

    But as he ran, he eventually lost sight of it and had to stop. Only then did he realize he had run all the way to the sacred shrine of the forest? Catching his breath, he was about to resume his search when suddenly a voice came from nowhere.

    "Leave¡­ this¡­ forest¡­" the voice said.

    Sylvester froze in fear. Then, as he turned around, he saw something leap at him, and he couldn''t react in time.

    "YAAAAAAA!!!"

    ¡ª-

    The gang was walking, and, unsurprisingly, they got lost. They decided to sit down and rest while Ash and Brock examined the map.

    Ash was carefully keeping track of their route. It was very important to him that they visit the shrine, so he was determined to find the most direct path without unnecessary detours.

    As they studied the map, Ash spotted a path to the shrine, but it involved cutting through rough terrain.

    Just as Ash was about to look for another route, the gang suddenly heard a scream.

    "YAAAAAAA!!!"

    They all looked up in surprise.

    "What was that?" Brock asked immediately.

    "It sounded like someone screaming," Yellow said, glancing around. "And it sounded like they were in pain."

    "Where did it come from?" Misty asked as she got up and stood next to Yellow.

    Ash heard where it came from; it was near the shrine, he pointed to the north. "I think I heard it coming from there,"

    "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s go!" Brock said, quickly leading the way, with everyone following close behind.

    As they moved through the forest, the terrain became increasingly dense. Along the way, they passed several Bug-types, which caused Misty to squeal and run faster, eager to escape that part of the forest as quickly as possible.

    In her haste, Misty stopped paying attention to where she was going. As she barreled ahead, she suddenly tripped over something and fell face-first into the dirt.

    "Gah! What the heck was that?!" Misty exclaimed in frustration, rubbing her head.

    When the rest of the group caught up, they saw what Misty had tripped over¡ªa beaten and unconscious Farfetch''d lying on the ground.

    "A Farfetch''d?" Yellow said, kneeling beside it.

    Not far away, they noticed a young boy lying unconscious as well.

    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    "Hey, are you okay?" Brock called as he ran over to the boy. He carefully flipped him onto his back.

    Ash crouched beside Brock and checked for a pulse. "He''s alive, at least. But what could have done this to him?"

    "I don''t know," Brock said, shaking his head, "but we need to get him somewhere safe to rest." He hoisted the boy onto his back with practiced ease.

    Meanwhile, Yellow had placed her hands over the injured Farfetch''d, using her power to try to heal its injuries as much as possible.

    Ash gently picked up the Farfetch''d and turned to her. "Come on, it''s okay. We need to get them somewhere safe. No matter how much you heal them, they''re not waking up right now," he explained gently.

    "O-oh, I see," Yellow said, looking sheepish. She wasn''t used to her power being limited. Normally, it solved problems like this easily, so this situation felt strange and frustrating.

    "Let''s go," Brock cut in. "We need to find a safe place first. Then we can figure out what happened."

    They nodded and started moving through the forest. As they did, they noticed a strange mist beginning to flow around them. At first, they didn''t pay it much attention, assuming it was just something natural about the forest.

    As they continued running, Ash noticed something odd. Even though they were heading east, they somehow kept moving north¡ªdirectly toward the shrine. This was strange for many reasons, but most of all, because, while reaching the shrine was important, the injured boy required immediate attention.

    Ash tried changing direction, but no matter what he did, they kept veering north. Eventually, they emerged into an opening where the shrine stood, its structure covered in vines¡ªthough some vines appeared to have been recently torn away.

    As they reached the clearing, they prepared to keep moving, but suddenly, the boy and Farfetch''d began to grow heavier, unnaturally so.

    Brock struggled to keep the boy on his back while the mist thickened, swirling ominously around them.

    "I-is he getting heavier?" Brock asked, his steps faltering under the unexpected weight.

    Ash''s eyes widened in realization. He recognized what this meant¡ªand what the mist signified.

    "Brock, get him off your shoulders!" Ash shouted, throwing Farfetch''d off his own arms without hesitation.

    Before anyone could react to Ash''s warning¡ªor the fact that he had just tossed a Farfetch''d¡ªthe boy flipped off Brock''s shoulders, using Brock''s head as leverage to launch himself. He landed gracefully next to Farfetch''d, who also recovered and landed perfectly on its feet.

    As they stood, mist poured out from their bodies, and a Gengar materialized behind them, grinning wickedly.

    "A Gengar! So it was a Gengar making him heavier," Brock said, reaching to his side to grab a Pok¨¦ball. He pulled out Kabutops'' Pok¨¦ball and prepared to battle.

    Gengar let out a chilling laugh, holding out its arm. Farfetch''d, its broken leek in hand, leaped forward to attack.

    Brock released Kabutops, who raised its sharp blades just in time to block the strike. However, this Farfetch''d was far stronger than it should have been¡ªit was clear Gengar was enhancing its strength.

    As Brock struggled to hold the bird off, Ash caught something moving in the corner of his eye. He darted forward, covering his arm in Aura just as a Houndoom lunged from the bushes, jaws aimed at Brock. Ash intercepted the firehound, holding it back by its mouth.

    "It''s not just Gengar¡ªwe''ve got more company!" Ash shouted as he wrestled the Houndoom.

    From the side, a sticky web shot out and wrapped around Misty''s ankle, pulling her into the air. She screamed as she was yanked up into a tree, where an Ariados stood on a branch, its red eyes gleaming.

    Behind Yellow, a small bird poked its head out¡ªa Delibird. Yellow turned, and her expression softened.

    "Hey, you need to go! This place isn''t safe," she said gently, trying to shoo it away.

    The Delibird tilted its head cutely, then reached into its tail, pulling out a gift.

    "Bird!"

    "For me? Oh, thank you," Yellow said, reaching out innocently.

    But before she could take it, Chuchu, the Pikachu perched on her shoulder, narrowed her eyes and dashed down Yellow''s arm. She swiped the present with her tail and threw it to the ground.

    The moment the gift hit the dirt, it exploded. Yellow froze, staring at the Delibird, which now chuckled mischievously.

    "Yellow, get away from that thing!" Ash yelled. He hurled Houndoom to the side as Pikachu leaped from his shoulder, winding its arm for a powerful [Brick Break] that struck the firehound squarely.

    Ash grabbed a stick from the ground and infused it with Aura before throwing it like a dart at Ariados. Though it wouldn''t cause serious harm, Ash aimed for its eye. The stick struck true, making the bug recoil in discomfort and release its grip on Misty''s webbed-up body.

    Misty fell headfirst, screaming, "Ahhh! Ash, grab me! Grab me, grab me, grab me!"

    She shut her eyes tight, bracing for impact, but Ash managed to catch her just in time.

    Usually, Ash would have made a cheeky joke about Misty ''falling for him,'' but now wasn''t the time. These four Pok¨¦mon weren''t just random threats. Ash recognized what their presence meant¡ªand it wasn''t good.

    "Ash?" Misty said, looking at his face. His expression was one of deep frustration¡ªsomething she had never seen, even during his most intense battles. It was so unlike his usual carefree attitude that it unnerved her.

    Ash set Misty down gently and tore the sticky webbing off her. "Not the time, Misty. We need a plan. Now!"

    "What do you mean, we need a plan? Do you know something?" Misty asked as she stumbled to her feet.

    Before Ash could answer, the Pok¨¦mon on the battlefield suddenly jumped aside. From their positions, a man emerged from the mist. At the same moment, Gengar released its hold on the boy, causing him and Farfetch''d to collapse limply onto the ground.

    The man stepped forward, his appearance both ominous and surreal. He wore a black cloak and a strange white mask, his long white hair flowing like smoke around him as the mist spiraled unnaturally at his feet. His voice, when he spoke, was chilling¡ªeerie and almost otherworldly.

    "Stay away¡­ from this forest¡­"

    Ash, Misty, Brock, and Yellow regrouped quickly into a protective line as they stared down the man.

    Ash''s fists clenched as he focused on the man. He recognized him instantly¡ªthe Masked Man. But something felt off. Ash focused Aura into his eyes and confirmed his suspicion: this wasn''t the real Masked Man. It was one of the clones the Masked Man could create; he could tell because this¡­thing didn''t have any aura coming from it.

    Even so, the presence of the Pok¨¦mon made one thing clear¡ªthey were overwhelmingly strong. Ash could tell from their movements and presence alone that they were at least high Gym Leader level, possibly even scraping Elite Four territory. A fair fight was hopeless.

    The masked figure had given them an out. They could retreat, but that would mean leaving the boy and Farfetch''d behind¡ªa choice none of them were willing to make.

    Ash lowered his hat, avoiding eye contact with the man as he slowly stepped forward.

    "I guess you''re right," he said, his voice measured. "You''re way stronger than us... I guess the only thing we can do is save ourselves." He turned away, his head tilted down.

    Misty gasped, her lips parting to protest, but before she could, Ash tilted his head just slightly back and smirked.

    "Is what I''d say if I was a liar." His voice shifted sharply. "Pikachu¡ªnow!"

    From the shadows, Pikachu sprang into action, having circled around unnoticed. It launched down with an [Iron Tail], the glowing tail aimed directly at the masked man.

    The attack caught the man completely off guard. He tried to dodge, but it was too late¡ªPikachu''s tail struck his arm with full force.

    Now, what would you expect, a bruise, maybe breaking a bone or 2? All normal things to getting hit, but no, instead of simply breaking the arm, the blow severed it entirely. The dismembered arm fell to the ground with a sickening thud.

    For a brief moment, Misty, Brock, and Yellow froze in shock, their expressions stricken. But then they noticed something strange¡ªthere was no blood. The severed arm began melting into the mist, and the stump where the arm had been rapidly regenerated into a new limb.

    "You brat," the masked man growled, flexing his newly formed hand. "I''ll make you pay for that."

    "I''d like to see you try," Ash retorted, his voice steady as Pikachu returned to his side, sparking with readiness.

    Ash knew the odds were stacked against them. A victory wasn''t realistic, but that wasn''t the goal. If they could be annoying enough, make it more trouble than it was worth, maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªthey could survive.

    And who knows? If they worked together and used every Pok¨¦mon they had, maybe¡ªjust maybe¡ªthey could pull off the impossible.

    For now, though, there was only one priority: survive.

 Masked mans plan: failure

    Houndoom, Gengar, Ariados, and Delibird stood across from Ash, Brock, Misty, and Yellow, respectively.

    The Masked Man looked down with a darkened expression. Even though his face was covered, it was clear he was furious. Misty, the only one without a Pok¨¦mon out, quickly reached into her bag and threw out Starmie, knowing it had an advantage against the bug.

    The Masked Man scanned them and let out a cold sigh. "Ignorant brats. I was being generous¡ªI offered you a way out. But now, the time for pleasantries is over," he said, raising his hand.

    He gripped at what appeared to be nothing and then lifted his hand. Ariados shot out a thick but non-sticky web, striking them and pulling them apart. A room of webs formed in the center of the forest, separating Ash, Brock, Misty, and Yellow.

    Brock had Kabutops next to him, and Misty had Starmie in front of her. Pikachu, however, was not with Ash when they were separated¡ªit was closer to Yellow. This left Yellow with both Pikachu and Chuchu, while Ash was left with no Pok¨¦mon at his side.

    This was bad, as the Masked Man now confronted Ash directly, with Delibird standing menacingly next to him. The air grew colder.

    The Masked Man approached, staring Ash down like he was scolding a child, though there was no intention of being gentle or kind. This was the gaze of a villain eager to eliminate an annoyance.

    "Boy, you should have taken the chance I extended. Now, you''ll pay," the Masked Man growled. He pointed at Ash, and Delibird smiled wickedly as it began charging forward to attack.

    Ash grit his teeth and reached for his belt, grabbing two Pok¨¦ Balls.

    ¡ª-

    {Brock}

    Brock and Kabutops found themselves isolated by the web, unable to see anyone else. Brock wanted to call out but was cut short as one of the enemy Pok¨¦mon, Gengar, approached menacingly.

    Gengar cackled, its eerie laughter filling the space as it prepared for battle. Brock and Kabutops exchanged uneasy glances before bracing themselves.

    With a mischievous grin, Gengar formed a dark, pulsing [Shadow Ball] between its hands and hurled it at the duo.

    Brock grimaced and raised his arm, "Kabutops, [Night Slash]!" he commanded.

    Kabutops''s scythe-like blades extended as it rushed forward to intercept the attack. Despite having a type advantage, Gengar''s sheer power overwhelmed Kabutops, causing it to struggle.

    Brock saw this and knew he had to do something, so he went back on his belt, grabbed another Pokeball, and rolled it under, catching Gengar by surprise when it opened, Golem jumped out and grabbed the ghost.

    Gengar was previously concentrating on pushing the [Shadow Ball] more but with it now being distracted by Golem. Kabutops made one final push, and with a lot of effort, he cut the [Shadow Ball] in half and was already feeling tired after that.

    Gengar grits its teeth in annoyance as it went intangible, making Golem fall he then reappears behind them and slams its body on the ground, making a wave of dark purple sludge start heading towards them as he uses [Sludge Wave].

    But as the large wave was coming, Brock didn''t look scared as he pulled out another Pokeball and threw it down, "Steelix, save us!"

    Steelix came out of the Pokeball and immediately wrapped its metal body around them as the sludge hit him, doing nothing, much to Gengar''s annoyance.

    Gengar flew up, ready to hit Steelix with a [Dazzling Gleam] to abuse the fact that it has low Special defense, but as it released the pink light extended and shot at Steelix like shards of Glass, Golem jumped up and took the hit instead.

    Now, usually, if this was a regular Golem, that would be fine. They also have low Special defense, but Brock''s Golem didn''t remember it had the mutation, Tempered Body, so it shared Physical and Special defense,

    All that to say, it didn''t do much damage, much to the surprise of Gengar, but he shook his head as his eyes glowed as he prepared to shoot a [Night Shade], something that ignored his defenses.

    But as it aimed at Golem, Golem retreated into his shell and rolled as he revealed that Kabutops was hiding behind Golem, much to Gengar''s surprise as Kabutops sent another [Night Slash] at the ghost, getting a direct hit and a crit.

    Gengar opened its eyes only to see a large metal tail from Steelix come down and hit it across the face, sending it slamming down to the ground.

    Gengar fell and clenched his chest as he looked angry at the 3 Pokemon and boy that he was facing.

    Brock looked at Gengar, and for a moment, he believed that this battle wasn''t as hopeless as they thought.

    ¡ª-

    {Yellow}

    Yellow was with Pikachu and Chuchu, they looked at the web wall and looked around, finally seeing that the boy and his Farfetch''d were on her side. She wanted to run up to them to help them get to safety, but then, at that moment, Pikachu and Chuchu started behind them, stopping Yellow.

    From behind, Houndoom marched up with fire, leaving his nose as he stared them all down, especially Pikachu after that elbow drop he gave it.

    Houndoom bit as his teeth started glowing red with flames as he started running towards them to use [Fire Fang]

    Yellow looked panicked as she scrambled to find her Pokeballs, but Pikachu and Chuchu looked at each other and nodded.

    Pikachu dashed to the side while Chuchu stepped in front of Yellow, raising her tiny hands to her face, squishing her cheeks together to make a cute expression as she used [Charm], hearts radiating around her and hitting Houndoom.

    Houndoom hesitated, momentarily disarmed by the display, willingly taking a -2 Attack drop. At that moment, Pikachu returned with a charged [Volt Tackle], slamming into the dog''s face.

    Houndoom staggered but remained standing. However, he didn''t expect Chuchu to dart in with a quick [Quick Attack], leaping onto his back and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck to use [Submission].

    Thrashing wildly, Houndoom tried to shake Chuchu off, but she held firm. Pikachu then charged in again, this time channeling his [Volt Tackle] into a powerful punch, lightning crackling as it struck Houndoom square in the face.

    Yellow was stunned by how well Pikachu and Chuchu worked together without her giving any orders. Shaking off her surprise, she finally grabbed the Pok¨¦balls she had been searching for.

    She threw them down, releasing Omny the Omastar and Gravvy the Golem. Extending her arm, she called out, "Omny, Gravvy, please help Pikachu and Chuchu!"

    Omny and Gravvy exchanged a nod. Omny leaped onto Gravvy''s arm, and Gravvy hurled Omny with all his strength toward the fire dog.

    Houndoom was just about to launch a blast of fire to get the two electric rats off of it, but then, out of nowhere, Omny came in flying and wrapped his tentacles around Houndoom''s maw, forcing it open as he launched a [Hydro Pump] point blank in Houndoom''s mouth.

    That not only extinguished the fire, but the pressure and smoke left behind caused Houndoom to start choking and coughing all the while, Chuchu didn''t let go and kept using [Submission]

    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

    As Houndoom looked up, it saw Omny release its grip and fall, only to reveal that behind him, Gravvy ran up and was now face to face with Houndoom, too close for Houndoom to react.

    Gravvy''s arm glowed red as he sent a [Hammer Arm] directly to Houndoom''s throat, making Houndoom feel the pain and cough some more.

    Yellow stood by. She took a breath and decided to trust her friends to take care of Houndoom as she ran to the side to get the boy and his Farfetch''d, but things didn''t seem hopeless.

    ¡ª

    {Misty}

    Misty and Starmie were separated, and there weren''t any other Pok¨¦mon around, so they started walking slowly, trying to navigate the maze.

    Misty was creeped out of her mind, looking around. She didn''t know what to do, especially with the possibility of a Bug-type nearby. Just the thought made her shiver.

    As she walked, a figure scurried across the webs behind her. She quickly turned around, only to see nothing. Misty gulped as she grew even more unsettled. She kept moving, yelling out, "Ash! Yellow! Brock!"

    But her voice was muffled, almost as if the web was specifically designed to prevent those trapped in it from calling out to others. She could hear muffled sounds in the distance, but she couldn''t make out what they were.

    Misty took a deep breath, stepped back, and pointed at the wall of the web. "Starmie, use [Rapid Spin]!"

    Starmie spun its body and flew through the air, crashing into the web, trying to break through or cut it. But nothing happened, as Starmie was bounced back.

    Misty watched Starmie fall to the ground and sighed. "Well, it was worth a shot¡­" she mumbled.

    As she looked around to find another way, the sound of skittering came again. She turned, only to see nothing once more. Gulping, she resumed walking with Starmie close by.

    As they moved deeper into the maze, they stopped to assess their surroundings. While their backs were turned, a large spider slowly lowered itself on a web hanging behind Misty and Starmie.

    Misty and Starmie froze as they felt something breathing down their backs. They glanced at each other, then slowly looked behind them¡ªonly to be greeted by the face and chelicerae of Ariados.

    Misty screamed, jumping back and falling onto the ground, scurrying to crawl away. "Starmie, do something!"

    Starmie responded immediately. Its gem glowed as it shot a [Power Gem] at the bug. Ariados was hit directly, but it shrugged off the attack, releasing the web it clung to and flipping gracefully onto the ground. It stared them down.

    Misty gulped. "Starmie, use [Power Gem] again and again! Get rid of that thing!"

    Starmie obliged, firing multiple beams one after the other from its gem, all aimed at Ariados.

    Ariados, now that it was ready, wasn''t as easily hit as it web siped around, dodged, and scurried around the area, even though Ariados would be considered the weakest Pokemon, the Masked man''s Pokemon, it made up for it with this web prison.

    In this Domain of webs, Ariados could control the momentum of any battle. Its webs were nearly unbreakable, and it could maneuver this domain easily and no one could even hide since it had such good control over these webs that it could even feel when someone breathed on one of its webs.

    Ariados flipped around and swung. As it reached the top of a tree, it charged up and spit out a [Sludge Bomb], shooting it at Starmie, getting a direct hit and knocking Starmie down, but still struggling to get up.

    Misty saw that Starmie went down and was struggling, and Ariados was now climbing down the tree to go get her, so she frantically went to her belt and grabbed Gyarados'' Pokeball, "Lets see how you like this, go Gya-"

    Before she could throw out Gyarados, a Pok¨¦ball at her side popped open, and Psyduck emerged. Misty stared at Psyduck for a moment, more surprised than angry. It had been so long since Psyduck had done that she had almost forgotten it was even a habit.

    Shaking her head, she threw Gyarados''s Pok¨¦ball anyway. The large blue sea serpent roared as it appeared. Ariados, however, didn''t flinch as it advanced.

    Misty stood up and took a deep breath, lightly slapping her cheeks to focus. "Alright, let''s do this! Starmie, use [Power Gem]! Gyarados, use [Waterfall]! And Psyduck¡­ well¡­ make yourself useful."

    Starmie''s gem glowed as Gyarados''s tail did the same. As Gyarados slammed its tail onto the ground, a wave of water erupted, obscuring Starmie''s bright beam. Ariados was caught off guard since the beam came from behind the water, so it was hit by both attacks.

    Psyduck, meanwhile, looked around nervously. Holding its head, Psyduck managed to finally have some control over his power, so as he concentrated, his eyes glowed as he used [Confusion], lifting a rock and flinging it at Ariados''s back.

    But that did little more than irritate Ariados. The spider scurried faster, shooting a stream of webs that ensnared Misty and her Pok¨¦mon. Gyarados''s mouth and tail were bound, Starmie''s gem was tightly wrapped, and even Misty''s arms were immobilized. Ariados began pulling them in.

    The only one spared was Psyduck, whom Ariados didn''t even consider a threat. Misty glanced back at Psyduck, who was panicking.

    "Psyduck, do something!" she yelled, then silently crying as she realized her only hope was put on this duck, ''I''m doomed'' was the only thought going through her head as she shook her head, she couldn''t give up hope yet.

    "Psyduck, get your biggest headache!" Misty yelled as they were trying to resist Ariados, "Come on, what makes your head hurt, what don''t you like the most!!!"

    Psyduck thought for a moment. A certain yellow fox crossed its mind. Psyduck shook its head in terror. "Psy-y-y! [No, please, anything but her! Psyduck will do anything!]"

    Misty saw Psyduck holding its head, and hope sparked in her eyes. "Yes, Psyduck, think about that! If you don''t get us out, I''ll find out what it is and make sure you face it as punishment every single day!"

    Psyduck''s mind snapped. Every day,¡­ having to deal with Abra every day. Psyduck had once jumped off a building to escape her, and she had still dragged it back. No¡ªit was too much. Psyduck''s head throbbed, and it began to scream. "PSSSYYYY!!!"

    Psyduck slammed its head against a tree repeatedly. "PSY-SY-SY-SY! {NO, NO, NO, NO!!!}"

    Its eyes glowed a dark purple as psychic energy erupted around it. Ariados was hit the hardest, suspended midair by Psyduck''s [Psyshock] as needles of energy stabbed into it.

    Nearby trees were ripped from their roots, broken into pieces, and turned toward Ariados, surrounding it completely. Misty and her Pok¨¦mon watched in stunned silence as Psyduck let out another cry. The wooden fragments slammed together, trying to crush Ariados like a wood hammer.

    The crash echoed as wood splintered from the force. Psyduck collapsed to its knees, breathing heavily. In a rare moment, Misty scooped Psyduck into her arms, nuzzling the duck. "Oh, Psyduck! I was so wrong about you. I''ll never take you for granted again!"

    But as Misty celebrated, the wood pile shifted. Ariados crawled out, battered and bruised but still standing. For the first time, Misty smiled at a Bug-type.

    She gently set Psyduck down to rest. "Leave the rest to us, Psyduck," Misty said as Gyarados and Starmie nodded, ready to finish the fight.

    ¡ª-

    {Ash}

    Ash was breathing heavily as Venusaur and Blastoise battled fiercely against Delibird. Despite appearances, Delibird was the strongest of the Masked Man''s Pok¨¦mon at low Elite Four level.

    If it weren''t for Venusaur''s Thick Fat ability, the battle would have ended long ago. As for Ash, he was in no better condition. The Masked Man had taken a direct approach¡ªhis arm had transformed into a long, sharp spike, and he was relentlessly trying to cut Ash down.

    Ash dodged attack after attack. He had tried blocking once, but the blade melted through his defenses, reforming instantly and nearly impaling him. Now, his sole focus was evasion.

    Ash was the one in the most trouble, and that wasn''t even a question, he couldn''t hit the masked man because this body wasn''t even real, it was a copy that the real one controlled remotely.

    And with Venusaur and Blastoise, they were holding Delibird back; they couldn''t exactly say they were winning, but they could say they could hold it off enough so that Ash didn''t have to worry about it.

    Why hadn''t Ash thrown another Pok¨¦mon into the fight? Well, funny story actually, he tried, but when he reached the Masked Man, he left a deep slash on his hand whenever he tried; he wasn''t giving Ash the chance to call another Pokemon. All Ash could do now was dodge, bide his time, and wait for the opportunity he knew was coming.

    All he could do was dodge as he waited. He was waiting for something he knew was coming; he just needed a few more seconds.

    The Masked Man''s spike arm extended suddenly, grazing Ash''s cheek and leaving a thin line of blood.

    "You''re persistent, I''ll give you that, brat," the Masked Man sneered as his arm retracted. "But face it¡ªyou can''t beat me. Not you, and not your worthless Pok¨¦mon."

    As he spoke, Delibird ascended into the air and unleashed another Icy Wind, freezing Venusaur and Blastoise feet to the ground as the ice crept upward. The Masked Man smirked, his arm transforming into another blade.

    "It''s over," he declared, raising his arm. "You''ve lost, and now you''ll lose much more."

    Despite the threat, Ash didn''t flinch. His eyes darted to a faint light glowing in the distance. The moment he had been waiting for had arrived.

    Just as the blade was about to come down, a bright light illuminated the forest, causing the Masked Man to pause mid-swing. He turned his head toward the source of the glow, his mask concealing any reaction.

    Pulling his arm back, he muttered to Delibird, "Leave them. It''s here¡ªwe need to move quickly."

    He signaled Delibird, which immediately abandoned its efforts to encase Venusaur and Blastoise in ice. Together, they approached the shrine, emitting the radiant light. The thing he came for was his ultimate goal.

    But Ash was ready as he smiled, raising his wrist, and he revealed his Keystone. "Time to get serious," he said, his voice steady.

    Both Venusaur and Blastoise nodded. Their Mega Stones glimmered, one hidden within Venusaur''s flower, the other tucked inside Blastoise''s shell. Ash activated the Keystone. "Mega Evolve!"

    Mega Evolution energy surged as Venusaur''s flower glowed brilliantly, and Blastoise''s cannons extended and gleamed. As the Masked man and Delibird were walking, they saw the bright light illuminating the forest as they turned back, they saw a vine come out and grab Delibird by the foot, pulling it back fast, and when they looked back, they saw Mega Venusaur pulling Delibird back.

    And right next to him, Mega Blastoise held his hand cannons out, charging a [Flash Cannon] as Venusaur swung the bird to him so he shot a point-blank [Flash Cannon], sending the birt into a tree as Blastoise and Venusaur went after it

    Ash took advantage of the chaos, charging toward the Masked Man. With a powerful kick, he struck the mask, leaving a crack across its surface. The Masked man stumbled back, out of all the things, if Ash destroyed the mask, then he would win because, without the mask, the real one couldn''t give orders to this clone, but as much as the Masked man wanted to retaliate, he couldn''t, not with this chance.

    Knowing the stakes, the Masked Man ignored Ash''s assault and sprinted toward the shrine. But Ash was faster. But as he ran, suddenly he saw Ash''s hand pierced through his chest.

    Ash smirked as his eyes glowed blue, and with a swift motion, he severed its torso from its legs. The legs melted and began reforming at the stump, but Ash''s Aura slowed the process.

    The Masked Man collapsed but continued crawling, clawing at the dirt. Desperation fueled him as he neared the shrine,

    "Everyone to me now!" the Masked man called. He could waste time, but if his Pokemon could take care of Ash, it would be better.

    But no one came, he didn''t know why, but he could only guess one thing: they were being subdued by these kids, he grit his teeth; he severely underestimated these kids, and now he was paying the price, but he couldn''t stop not yet.

    He crawled, he crawled like his life depended on it, as he dug his hands into the dirt, he was so close to the shrine that he raised his hand to reach for it, but before he could, Ash stomped down on his hand. There was no pain, but he couldn''t move he tried pulling, but he couldn''t.

    He looked up at the shrine as the light started dimming down. He struggled to get his hand out, but he couldn''t reform his hand for some reason, he was truly stuck, "NOO!"

    But it was no use, as the light dimmed down, and then the light was gone,

 Masked man....defeated?

    As the light faded, the masked man''s expression darkened. The crack on his mask seemed to grow a little bigger, with a chip falling off where his eye should be, revealing that there was truly nothing behind the mask¡ªjust a husk being controlled.

    The masked man''s hand, which was being stepped on by Ash, began to morph. Ash quickly moved his foot as the hand transformed into a spike that tried to puncture his foot.

    Ash jumped back suddenly, and the masked man lunged at him more violently than before, no longer caring about restraint, as he yelled, "All of you, back to me, NOW!"

    Gengar was breathing heavily, struggling to keep up. Thanks to its intangibility, it managed to escape some dangerous situations that could have meant its doom, but it was still standing.

    On the other side, Brock and his Pok¨¦mon were also getting tired. Even though it seemed like they were winning, it was taking everything they had, and it was a toss-up whether they or Gengar would go down first.

    Just as they prepared to attack again, Gengar heard something¡ªa muffled yell. Frowning, it stared at Brock before going intangible and phasing through the webs, leaving Brock alone. Was this a victory¡­ or something else?

    ¡ª-

    Yellow was helping the boy, and his Farfetch''d lean against a tree. Meanwhile, Houndoom was being tag-teamed, choking on its own smoke from Chuchu''s [Submission], or being drenched with water from Omny.

    The constant hard hits from Pikachu and Gravvy were taking their toll on the fire dog. Just as it seemed overwhelmed, Houndoom suddenly heard a muffled yell.

    Houndoom glared at the Pok¨¦mon around it. Though it couldn''t shoot fire, it had another plan. Gathering the smoke it had accumulated, it unleashed a thick Smokescreen.

    As the team struggled to see through the smoke, a sudden cry from Chuchu came from the left. They turned to see Houndoom tackling a tree, using Chuchu as a cushion. The force loosened her grip, allowing Houndoom to escape.

    Without wasting time, it bit down on one of Omny''s tentacles, ripping it off and slamming the Pok¨¦mon down. The group braced for an attack, but none came. When the smoke cleared, Houndoom was gone.

    Yellow quickly ran over after securing the boy, and Farfetch''d, healing her team as she looked around. "So¡­ did we win?" she asked.

    ¡ª-

    Misty could feel the momentum shifting. Ariados was getting thrashed around by Gyarados and Starmie while Psyduck rested nearby, nursing its massive headache.

    When Gyarados sent Ariados crashing into the ground, Starmie followed up with a [Power Gem], hitting it hard in the chest then the bug was greeted by another tail slam from Gyarados, leaving its movements shaky and slow. Its exoskeleton was cracked, and it could barely zip away.

    Misty smiled at the sight, and Ariados felt a shiver run down its spine. It wanted to run, but its orders were to hold the line. A saving grace arrived when vibrations in its web signaled an order from the masked man: retreat.

    Ariados didn''t hesitate. It zipped to the web, loosening parts of it to fall on its pursuers, creating a distraction before escaping into the walls.

    Misty watched the bug retreat and, for the first time, left an encounter with a bug feeling victorious. "I''m counting that as a win," she said with a smile. Picking up Psyduck, she returned her other two Pok¨¦mon to their Pok¨¦ Balls. "Now, let''s find everyone else."

    ¡ª

    Delibird was being pushed back by Mega Venusaur and Blastoise. Earlier, it had held them off, but now it was taking damage¡ªeven if it was just chip damage.

    As Delibird tried to shoot a [Freeze-Dry], Venusaur launched a [Drug Seed - (Model stun)] that wrapped around its beak, releasing a paralyzing spore. Before it could react, Blastoise charged in, cannons glowing, and delivered a solid [Double Iron Bash], slamming Delibird into the ground.

    Before they could finish it off, a [Shadow Ball] hit Blastoise, sending it sliding back. Gengar floated over, tired but grinning.

    Meanwhile, Houndoom fired a weakened [Fire Blast] at Venusaur. While it didn''t do much, it forced Venusaur to turn and see its attacker.

    Ariados dropped down from the trees, pulling webs to lay sticky threads along the ground, immobilizing Venusaur and jamming Blastoise''s cannon.

    Now, four Pok¨¦mon faced off against the two Megas. Instead of attacking, they clung to Gengar, turning intangible, and retreated toward the masked man''s location.

    Venusaur and Blastoise exchanged a worried glance. They had to get to Ash. If they didn''t, who knows what would happen? Desperately, they began forcing their way through the webbing. Even Blastoise''s [Rapid Spin] couldn''t break the sticky threads. Progress was slow, but they had no choice.

    ¡ª-

    Ash dodged one frenzied attack after another from the masked man. His cheek and right hand were already bleeding, but the masked man didn''t let up. Each strike was more aggressive than the last.

    Despite his injuries, Ash wasn''t retreating aimlessly. He was leading the masked man somewhere. As he glanced around, he noticed the webs were starting to loosen, a clear sign that Ariados was no longer actively maintaining them. This meant the webs would soon collapse¡ªbut it also meant Ariados was likely returning. Time was running out.

    Ash''s back hit a tree as he dodged another slash. When the masked man lunged at him, Ash rolled away just in time, causing the blade to stab into the tree. The masked man ripped his arm out of the trunk with ease, the force splitting the wood.

    Ash''s biggest challenge was his lack of a way to fight back. He needed the masked man to stop moving, even briefly. He knew what he had to do, but it would hurt. Leading the masked man to a specific tree, Ash pretended to stumble over a rock and fell backward against it.

    As he looked up, the masked man''s blade was already descending toward his face. At the last moment, Ash shifted his head, but the blade plunged into his shoulder instead.

    "GAAAH!" Ash cried out.

    "Finally, you brat!" the masked man spat venomously, twisting the blade to cause even more pain. "I wanted to make this quick, but that''s too good for you. Instead, I''ll do this."

    Ice began to form where the blade entered Ash''s shoulder, spreading rapidly across his arm. The cold was unbearable, far worse than any winter Ash had endured. He summoned his aura to slow the frostbite, but the freezing grip still immobilized him.

    The masked man glared down at Ash through the hole in his mask. His voice dripped with malice. "You should have taken my offer when you had the chance. Now look at you."

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Ash gritted his teeth through the pain. "Heh¡­ too bad I''ve never been good at¡ªGAAH!" He winced as the masked man twisted the blade again. "You know, you could at least pick one¡ªtwisting or freezing. Doing both is overkill."

    "You insufferable pest!" the masked man snapped, his voice laced with fury. "I guess it''s true what they say¡ªget rid of pests before they grow."

    Ash let out a weak laugh. "Heh, you''re right. If I get out of here, I''m dedicating every hour to figuring out new ways to annoy you. I''m going to hate you like it''s my full-time job."

    The masked man''s grip tightened. "Enough! This is farewell. Maybe in the next life, you''ll learn."

    Ash chuckled softly, his voice barely a whisper. "Sorry, been there, done that." Then, louder, he added, "But you forgot one thing."

    The masked man froze as Ash gave a weak snap of his fingers. "I have more Pok¨¦mon out."

    From the top of the tree, Abra appeared, her fist blazing with fire. She leaped down toward the masked man, who turned in shock to see the small Pok¨¦mon.

    "ABBRAAA!!! [Take this, my Infernal Sun-Devouring Fist of the Eternal Abyss'' Wrath!]" Abra cried dramatically.

    But as she punched the air, the air itself seemed to heat up as when she punched down, it looked like her fist created a dome-shaped blast of energy, a shockwave erupted outward of pure heat and fire.

    The Masked man saw this and was taken by surprise even more from the attack, previously he didn''t try to dodge, but now this was a problem, he was in danger, he tried to move, but it was too late.

    He was caught in the dome created by Abra''s impact, the heat and flame starting to actually melt him, or at least this clone''s body, as he fell over.

    Ash got up as he spread some aura, breaking his shoulder free from the ice, but he was still bleeding, as he got up and stumbled, as the Masked man was struggling with the heat, Abra finally fell and punched him directly in the mask, sending him falling back down.

    It looked like he was trying to reform, but the heat was stopping him from doing it, at this point, the webs fell as his Pokemon finally reappeared, shocked at the situation,

    At the same time, as the webs fell down, Brock, Misty, and Yellow were reunited, but before they could celebrate, they saw Ash clutching his bleeding shoulder as his hand and cheek were also bleeding, and the Pokemon they were fighting were also there.

    Brock, Misty, and Yellow immediately called out their Pok¨¦mon to hold off the masked man''s team and protect Ash. Just as they charged forward, a sudden [Flash Cannon] blasted near the Masked man''s Pokemon, forcing them to halt.

    Turning toward the source, they saw Venusaur and Blastoise finally arriving, stepping forward to block the way to Ash, adding their strength to the fray. With their imposing presence, the battle shifted.

    As the clash escalated, Gengar turned intangible, weaving through the chaos in a direct line toward Ash. But just before it could reach him, a [Shadow Ball] came out of nowhere, striking Gengar and forcing it back into its tangible form.

    Everyone turned toward the source of the attack. Emerging from the shadows was Gastly, laughing mischievously as she joined the fight. She had been hiding, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. With her arrival, the tide began to turn.

    What had seemed like a hopeless situation moments ago was finally shifting in their favor.

    ¡ª

    Ash stumbled forward, Abra teleporting onto his shoulder as they approached the masked man. The man now slumped on the ground, looked like he was struggling to maintain form. In a final desperate attempt, he raised his hand, reshaping it into a jagged spike that extended toward Ash''s head.

    "Pika!" Pikachu cried out, dashing in with [Extreme Speed] and intercepting the attack. His tail gleamed silver as he used [Iron Tail] to smash through the spike, severing the arm once more.

    Ash gave a weak smile as he crouched down, gripping the mask in his hand. "What was that? Didn''t you say I lost? Looks like you''re the one losing now."

    "You brat!" The masked man''s voice echoed from the mask, full of rage. "This isn''t over! This isn''t even the real me. Next time, I''ll make sure you suffer slowly!"

    Ash scoffed. "Maybe. But you wouldn''t be the first, and you probably won''t be the last." He dropped the mask to the ground and stomped on it, crushing the hidden camera and speaker inside.

    The moment the mask shattered, the masked man''s Pok¨¦mon stopped fighting. They exchanged glances before nodding to each other. Gengar conjured a mist, enveloping the team. One by one, they stepped into it, becoming intangible and vanishing through the ground. The enemy had escaped.

    With the battle finally over, Brock, Misty, and Yellow let out sighs of relief. But their calm quickly turned to alarm when they saw Ash collapse against a tree. They ran to him, finding him slumped and bleeding, already using his Aura to try and heal himself.

    "Hey, guys," Ash said weakly, a faint grin on his face. "Guess we technically won, huh? Heh¡­" His trembling hand rose to press against his injured shoulder to try to heal it with Aura.

    Misty''s eyes filled with frustration and worry. "Ash, why do you always have to do this, you idiot? If you weren''t so hurt, I''d shake you by the collar right now!"

    "Not the time, Misty," Brock said, kneeling down and pulling out medical supplies. "Ash, how bad is it? Can you heal yourself enough to stabilize?"

    "I should be fine, as long as I¡ª" Ash''s voice faltered as Yellow knelt beside him, grabbing his hand.

    "Ash, please," Yellow said softly, her hands glowing with healing energy, Unshed tears brimming in her eyes. "Let me help you."

    Ash froze, his mouth opening to protest, but he stopped when he saw the raw emotion on her face. She gently touched his shoulder, then his cheek, channeling her energy into his wounds.

    "Why do you always act like you have to do everything alone?" Yellow''s voice trembled as she worked. "We''re here. We can help you, I can help you, Please stop pushing yourself to this point."

    Ash looked at her, then closed his eyes. "It''s not like I wanted to fight him by myself," he murmured. He met her pleading gaze and sighed. "Alright. I''ll try to let you help more next time¡­ but I can''t promise anything. All I can promise is I''ll try."

    Yellow let out a small, shaky smile, seemingly satisfied with his response. Once she finished healing him, she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "Thank you. Please¡­ I don''t want to see you hurt like this again."

    Ash hesitated for a moment before leaning into the embrace as Pikachu also walked over and nuzzled into him, "I''ll try, that''s the best I can do," he whispered.

    "Yellow is right¡ªyou do this a lot, you know," Brock said, crossing his arms. "Look, I get it. You''re not out there looking for trouble, but when it shows up, you always try to fix it yourself."

    "Yeah, it''s something noble and stupid about you," Misty added, noticing Ash still had blood smeared across his face. She rummaged through her bag and pulled out a handkerchief, holding it out to him without meeting his eyes. "Here. At least clean yourself up."

    Ash sighed, taking it with a faint smile. "Thanks, but I''m not sure how much good that''ll do," he said, gesturing to the gaping hole in his jacket before wiping the blood off his face.

    "I''ll patch up your jacket for you," Brock offered. "But you should take off your shirt too so I can¡ª"

    "No, it''s fine!" Ash cut in quickly, his tone unusually firm as he began to stand, albeit unsteadily. "I''ve got another shirt. One shirt isn''t that big of a deal, but I''ll take you up on the jacket. I''ve only got two of these left."

    "Didn''t you say you had three?" Brock asked, narrowing his eyes. He couldn''t help but notice Ash''s odd reluctance to remove the shirt.

    "Yeah, well, I left the third one at home and forgot about it," Ash said, brushing the question aside. "Doesn''t matter. Anyway, we should get that boy back to his home, right? Where is he?"

    "I-I left him over there," Yellow said, letting go of Ash and pointing to a nearby tree.

    "Alright," Ash said, patting Brock''s shoulder. "Looks like you''re on carry duty for both of them."

    "Wait, why can''t I take the boy, and you carry Farfetch''d?" Brock asked, raising an eyebrow.

    "Well, my arm''s hurt," Ash replied, giving him a cheeky grin. "And you guys told me I should rely on you more, right? Consider this my first act of generosity. Aren''t I great?"

    Before Brock could respond, a rustling sound came from the bushes. Everyone immediately tensed, preparing for another fight in case it was one of the masked man''s Pok¨¦mon. But instead, a boy with white hair and light green eyes stepped out, holding what appeared to be offerings for the shrine.

    He blinked, looking surprised to see them. "Uh, hi?"

    "Who are you?" Misty demanded her guard still up. Her posture was defensive, but she didn''t reach for a Pok¨¦ Ball¡ªyet.

    The boy raised his hands in a panic. "Uh, just wait a second!" he said, quickly running to the shrine. He placed the offering down, clasped his hands as if in prayer, and then turned back to them with a polite bow.

    "Hello! My name''s Horace. Nice to meet you," he said, trying to appear friendly despite Misty''s glare.

    "Well, Horace," Misty said sharply, "You''ve done what you came to do. Now leave us alone."

    "Wait, Misty," Brock interjected, stepping in front of her. "Sorry about that. Our friend just got hurt, and we''re all a little on edge."

    "Oh, really? I''m sorry to hear that," Horace said, looking genuinely concerned. "Hey, how about I take you to the nearby town? Oh, but first, can you help me with something?"

    Brock raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

    "I''m looking for someone," Horace explained. "The son of a charcoal maker went missing a few hours ago. His name''s Sylvester. He has black hair, a blue shirt, and a Farfetch''d with him. Have you seen him?"

    Yellow hesitated, glancing toward the tree where the unconscious boy lay. "Um, actually¡­ he''s right over there."

    Horace''s eyes widened as he spotted Sylvester. "Oh. Well¡­ mission complete, I guess," he said, looking both relieved and a little helpless. "Alright, let''s get going. Seems like both your friend and Sylvester need help. Give me a hand carrying him, will you?"

 PokèŒ…mon Swap Meet

    Horace led the group out of the woods carefully. As they reached a town, which was called Palmpona, he immediately guided them to a house at the edge of the woods and the city. As soon as they approached, a man ran out.

    "Sylvester!" he yelled, rushing to take his son into his arms from Brock. "What happened?"

    "He was¡­" Brock hesitated and looked at Ash, who nodded. "A Gengar possessed him¡ªboth him and his Farfetch''d."

    The man''s face darkened in horror as he gently shook his son. "Sylvester¡­ please wake up¡­"

    Sylvester''s eyes fluttered open slightly. "Dad¡­?"

    "Oh, thank Arceus, you''re okay," the man said, barely holding back tears.

    Sylvester closed his eyes again. "Sorry, Dad¡­ I didn''t get the wood you needed¡­"

    "Forget the wood, boy. All that matters is that you''re okay," he said, hugging Sylvester tightly.

    Then, he looked up at the group with gratitude. "Thank you so much. Is there anything I can do to ever repay you? My son means more to me than anything."

    The group was about to decline the offer, but he spoke again. "Don''t give me that look. If there was a Gengar, that means you must have fought it off. I can only imagine what it took. I can see your friend there is hurt too," he said, gesturing at Ash. "Please, let me give you something."

    They sighed. They couldn''t exactly say no now that he had pointed out Ash''s injuries. Even though the Gengar wasn''t responsible for them, they couldn''t tell him the truth.

    "Okay, how about some Charcoal?" Brock suggested.

    "Of course. How much do you want? No, scratch that¡ªyou can have as much as you need for as long as I live."

    "Wait, let''s not get too generous," Brock immediately said. "H-how about a discount on it instead?"

    "But that doesn''t sit right with me," the man replied. "I mean, to express my gratitude, a discount doesn''t seem like nearly enough¡ªespecially since you all don''t live here¡­" He crossed his arms, thinking.

    Ash snapped his fingers. "Oh, I have an idea! You ship this Charcoal across more than just Johto, right,"

    "Well, of course! This Charcoal is sent all across the world," the man said, curious to hear what Ash had in mind.

    "Okay, how about this? My mom runs a restaurant in Pallet Town, and she uses your Charcoal exclusively. How about giving her the discount too on all her shipments?" Ash proposed.

    The man''s eyes lit up. "It''s a deal! And the next shipment is on the house. So, what''s your mother''s name, the location of her restaurant, and when and where she picks up the orders?"

    ¡ª

    A while later, after Ash provided the information for Pallet House, they left, with Horace leading them into town. Their main priority now was to get Ash to a hospital. Even though Yellow had healed him, how could they explain that to Horace? He insisted Ash needed medical attention.

    Along the way, they noticed people with Pok¨¦mon out, participating in trade matches under a banner that read Pok¨¦mon Swap Meet.

    "Yeah, it''s the annual Pok¨¦mon Swap Meet," Horace said, noticing their gazes. "It''s one of the reasons I came all the way here from Cianwood City."

    "Wait, Cianwood City?" Brock asked. "That''s really far away! You''d need to come by boat. You did all that just for this?"

    "Well, not exactly," Horace admitted sheepishly. "I also came here to visit the shrine again."

    "Really? What''s so important about that shrine?" Misty asked. Only Ash knew that the Masked Man was there for the shrine, but the others were curious about what the shrine was for.

    "Well, they say it has something to do with the legendary Celebi, and I want to see Celebi one day. I want to ask it a favor," Horace said shyly.

    "Really? Celebi?" Misty asked. "You think Celebi is there? There''s no way¡ªit''s just an old, broken shrine."

    "Yeah, I get that a lot," Horace chuckled helplessly.

    "What''s the favor you want to ask Celebi?" Yellow asked. "Do you want to catch it?"

    "No, no, no, I don''t want to catch Celebi. I just want to meet it and ask if it can take me back one year. Ever since I read that there might be a chance Celebi lives at that shrine, I''ve come back every chance I get to pray and beg."

    They wanted to press Horace for more details, but they had arrived at the hospital. "Okay, enough about me. Let''s get your friend checked out."

    Ash sighed, taking off his jacket and handing it to Brock to mend. "You guys go ahead without me. I''ll get checked out and meet up with you afterward, alright?" He handed his hat to Pikachu, who hopped over to Yellow, already eager to explore the festival for its famously good ketchup.

    The group hesitated, remembering their talk with Ash not even thirty minutes ago. Then they realized the hospital was probably the safest place possible.

    "Alright, fine," Misty relented, pointing at Ash with Psyduck still in her arms. "But you better not go off by yourself. You come straight back to us as soon as you''re let out. Got it?"

    "Alright, fine. I promise, as soon as I''m done, I''ll find you guys," Ash replied, heading into the hospital.

    However, once inside, he didn''t check in. Instead, he went to a bathroom, changed his shirt, and used Abra to teleport away. His goal: back to Pallet Town.

    ¡ª-

    The festival was in full swing, with all kinds of people from all over Johto coming to trade Pok¨¦mon.

    Among them, a young boy was walking nervously with a blue punching bag¡ªit was Wobbuffet. The boy had come to try and trade Wobbuffet.

    He did like Wobbuffet, but he just wanted something else. The Swap Meet was all about trading, but he was having trouble. After all, Wobbuffet didn''t exactly have the best reputation.

    He sighed. "Come on, Wobbuffet, I promise we''ll find someone to trade you with."

    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Woooobbbbuffet!"

    As they kept walking, a trio was sitting on a nearby bench, dressed in casual clothes, reading. They had come after hearing about the Pok¨¦mon Swap Meet and were already thinking about how they could take advantage of the event.

    Of course, it was Jessie, James, and Meowth. Meowth smirked. "So, are we ready to start our plan to get as many Pok¨¦mon as we can?"

    "But of course," James said. "We''ll be in and out, and no one will suspect anything."

    "Yes, I can''t wait. Maybe with this one, we can cheer up the boss. He''s been in such a bad mood¡­ I think¡­"

    "Eh, I can never tell with him," Meowth admitted. "He always has that ''you''re dirt'' look, but sometimes he''s¡­ actually nice to us¡­ I think."

    "Yeah, me and a few others are working on seeing if we can translate his cold glares, but it''s been a failure since no one can really tell. Well, experts like the Executives, but no one''s stupid enough to ask them for help. But alas, it''s just a dream," James said, shaking his head.

    "Well, whatever the dream is, my point still stands," Jessie announced, leaning in. "Let''s get ready. Fill me in on everything. We can''t fail this time."

    Just then, a wild Venonat appeared out of nowhere and started sniffing Jessie, who was sitting at the edge of the bench.

    Jessie noticed and immediately freaked out by the bug that had appeared out of nowhere. She jumped, and as she did, an empty Pok¨¦ Ball fell out of her pocket, tapping the bug on the head and catching it instantly.

    They all blinked in surprise, and Jessie leaned down to grab the Pok¨¦ Ball. "Well, that was easy¡­"

    "Huh, I kinda wish stealing Pok¨¦mon was that easy," James admitted.

    "So, Jess, what are you going to do with that?" Meowth asked.

    "I dunno, I don''t really want a Venonat. Maybe we can just give it to the boss?" she asked.

    James shook his head and crossed his arms. "No, with all the Pok¨¦mon we''ll have, why would he want a common Venonat?"

    "Then what do I do with this Venonat?" Jessie questioned.

    As she said that, the boy from earlier turned around. "Did you say you have a Venonat you don''t know what to do with?"

    "Uhh¡­ yeah, that''s right, kid. Who are you?" Jessie asked, eyeing the Wobbuffet behind him.

    "Oh, sorry. I''m Benny, and this is Wobbuffet," the boy said.

    Wobbuffet saluted them. "Woobbbbuffet!"

    "And if you don''t know what to do with that Venonat, then please trade with me. I promise I''ll take super good care of it, and Wobbuffet is strong, I promise!" Benny said, bowing.

    They looked at each other and shrugged. "I mean, sure, not like I care about this Venonat," Jessie admitted, leading Benny to a trading station.

    Benny looked excited as he held out Wobbuffet''s Pok¨¦ Ball. "Did you hear that? You''re going to have a new trainer!"

    "Woobbbbuffet!" Wobbuffet said as he went into the Pok¨¦ Ball.

    They placed their Pok¨¦ Balls on the trading machine, and the trade was completed. Jessie now had a Wobbuffet.

    Benny held Venonat''s Pok¨¦ Ball and thanked Jessie again before running off happily, leaving the trio behind, still confused.

    James looked at the Pok¨¦ Ball. "I guess you have a Wobbuffet now. That''s pretty rare, I guess."

    Jessie sighed and clipped the Pok¨¦ Ball to her belt. "Whatever, we can deal with that later. For now, let''s start."

    "Yeah, and nothing will get in our way! Hahaha!" Meowth laughed as they joined in.

    As they laughed, Misty, Brock, Yellow, and Horace walked past. Brock was looking around as they walked.

    "Do you ever feel like someone is about to do something stupid?" Brock asked.

    "Only most of the time with Ash and all the time with you and pretty girls," Misty said, holding Psyduck in her arms.

    "Uh, hey, Misty, was it?" Horace said. "He left after you said Ash," he added, pointing to Brock, who was flirting with a bunch of girls.

    Misty''s eyes twitched. "Of course," she muttered, looking at Psyduck. "Can you do [Water Gun]?"

    Psyduck shrugged, and Misty shrugged too. "Fair enough. Grab him with [Confusion] and bring him along."

    Small attacks like that didn''t hurt Psyduck anymore. His eyes glowed, and Brock was lifted into the air with psychic energy and pulled along with them as they continued to look around.

    ¡ª-

    {Ash}

    Ash had returned to Pallet Town, intending to visit his mom. However, it was the lunch rush at her house, and he didn''t want to get in her way. Instead, he decided to take care of something else first.

    He walked through town and arrived at Professor Oak''s lab. As he entered, he was greeted by Professor Oak, who had been expecting him. Oak had already set up a video call with Professors Rowan and Juniper and prepared the additional Scyther Ash had requested.

    Ash nodded, slinging off his bag and pulling out a lab coat. He donned it, placing goggles around his neck, as he transformed into his researcher persona: Professor Fraxinus.

    He carefully placed two pieces of dark rock, resembling black glass, on the table and began setting up his workstation. Oak approached, examining the rocks closely.

    "Hmm¡­ is this Black Augurite?" Oak asked, narrowing his eyes. He was a scientist, but geology wasn''t his specialty.

    "Yeah, it''s Black Augurite," Ash confirmed. "But it only works at this size. If you try to chip it, it loses its properties."

    "I see. If what you''re saying is true, it''s no wonder no one discovered this earlier. Black Augurite is incredibly rare outside of volcanic regions. How did you manage to find it?" Oak asked, he didn''t think Ash was lying at all, even though Ash jokes sometimes, he does know when to get serious.

    "I''ll explain everything once we''re all connected. It''ll save time," Ash replied as he finalized his setup. Oak nodded and initiated the video call.

    The screens flickered on, revealing Professors Rowan and Juniper. Their gazes quickly locked onto Ash.

    "Hmm¡­ Ash? So you''re Professor Fraxinus," Rowan remarked, recognizing the young trainer from years ago.

    "Good to see you again, Professor Rowan," Ash said with a nod. "Yeah, I''ve been doing some independent research. You''ve already seen some of the results."

    Juniper grinned. "Look at you, all grown up! So, you''re a researcher now, huh? I thought you wanted to be a trainer~," she teased.

    "Don''t worry, I''m still a trainer first and a researcher second¡­ or third," Ash admitted with a sheepish smile. "But enough about me. We all know why we''re here."

    Rowan nodded "Yes, Professor Oak informed us that you''ve found the evolution path Professor Juniper and I have been researching"

    Juniper held up a familiar fossilized axe. "Yeah, it''s been years, and we''ve come up with nothing concrete about this artifact. Now we hear you''ve cracked it in a year? Forgive me, but that''s hard to believe."

    Ash chuckled. "I get it. And, of course, no research is complete without solid evidence."

    The two professors nodded, their interest piqued. "So," Rowan asked, "Will you be sharing your research paper with us? We''ll need to test your hypothesis properly."

    Ash smirked. He had asked Oak not to reveal the whole story yet¡ªphotos alone weren''t enough to convince the skeptical professors. "I''ll do you one better," Ash said, reaching for a Pok¨¦ Ball.

    He stepped into the cleared area of the lab and grinned confidently.

    "Kleavor, come on out!"

    As soon as the Pok¨¦ Ball hit the ground, it opened, releasing a large, mantis-like bug Pok¨¦mon. Its jagged mask gleamed, and its axe-shaped arms were razor-sharp. Small wings flapped on its back, giving it an air of primal elegance. The three professors watched in stunned silence.

    "This," Ash said, gesturing to the Pok¨¦mon, "is Kleavor, the ancient evolution of Scyther."

    He walked over and raised one of Kleavor''s axe-like arms to the camera. "As you can see, its arms match the fossilized descriptions perfectly."

    The professors nodded slowly. Juniper quickly pulled out her fossilized axe, comparing the details side-by-side, while Rowan examined the Pok¨¦mon intently.

    "I see," Rowan said after a moment. "This is remarkable. But if you want us to accept this as an evolution, you''ll need to demonstrate the process. Otherwise, we''d have to classify Kleavor as a separate species."

    "Fair point," Ash replied confidently. "And I believe that seeing is far more convincing than hearing. Let me show you."

    Oak handed him the spare Scyther he''d prepared earlier. Ash released it from its Pok¨¦ Ball, and the Scyther appeared beside Kleavor, looking both curious and slightly intimidated.

    Ash moved to the table and picked up a piece of Black Augurite. He held it up to the camera. "This is Black Augurite. Through trial and error, I discovered that it only works in pieces about the size of my palm. Any smaller, and the evolution doesn''t occur, probably why Black Augurite used in jewelry never activated any evolution."

    He turned to the camera. "Make sure you''re recording this."

    Ash handed the Black Augurite to Scyther. As soon as the Pok¨¦mon touched it, its body began to glow. A brilliant transformation followed, and when the light faded, another Kleavor stood tall beside the first.

    Juniper and Rowan were speechless, their skepticism melting into astonished excitement. For years, they were looking for this, enduring dead ends and inconclusive results. Yet, here was Ash, well Professor Fraxinus, demonstrating the evolution after only 1 year,

    "This¡­" Juniper began, her voice barely above a whisper. "This is incredible."

    Rowan nodded, his tone more resolute. "Remarkable work."

    Ash smiled but remained composed. "I trust this is sufficient?"

    "More than sufficient," Rowan replied firmly.

    Satisfied, Ash held up the last piece of Black Augurite. "I''m leaving this one with you. You can research it further and explore why it causes evolution. Or if there''s an alternative, after all, Black Augurite is pretty rare."

    They nodded, Juniper understood, especially since she had some Jewelry that was made out of Black Augurite, to think the answer was always so close to her it was just like when people found out the evolution method for Milotic.

    Ash folded his arms behind his back. "Now that I''ve provided replicable evidence with a clear conclusion, are there any questions? I''m happy to answer them."

 ...Nope

    Ash was sitting in Pallet House across from Professor Oak. After the questions and the showing of Kleavor, Oak and Ash had come to the restaurant to talk a bit more since the lunch rush was over.

    Of course, Ash had told Delia the good news: from now on, she gets a discount whenever she buys Ilex Charcoal. She was extremely happy, so much so that she insisted Ash stay so she could cook him something¡ªand she didn''t take no for an answer.

    So that''s how he ended up sitting across from Oak. It was a weekday, so most of Ash''s classmates had just taken Oak''s Alakazam to go home, leaving the two of them alone in the restaurant.

    As Oak drank some tea, he looked at Ash. "Well, I must say, I didn''t expect you to do all of that, but I won''t lie¡ªI''m not disappointed in the outcome."

    "Yeah, well, what can I say? I did tell you I''d find more if I was given some time. And I have one, and I think I might be close to another," Ash said casually.

    Oak sighed and shook his head helplessly. "While I admit, the first time seeing you find the evolution method for Annihilape was impressive, this was far more. To find the extinct evolution path for Kleavor would be enough to make you an official professor and get you your own lab and funding."

    "Thanks, but no. I like doing things my way. Besides, I found two might have one more soon¡ªI think, I dunno¡ªand I don''t want to be a professor as my full-time job. I''ve seen what it did to you. No wonder Gary doesn''t want to either."

    Oak felt sweat drip down his face as he quickly changed the topic. "Speaking of which, I have some news. After the report for Annihilape was published, my contact in Paldea, Director Clavell, contacted me asking if it was true that the evolution methods were still a mystery outside of Paldea. Once I confirmed it, he shared all of them with me."

    Oak pulled out photos of Dunsparce, Bisharp, and Girafarig, along with their new evolutions. "You see, so unfortunately, if you do find these evolutions on your own, while it will be impressive, you won''t be able to get the same credit as you did with Annihilape. I''m sorry to say."

    "Huh¡­ I see," Ash said, studying the pictures. "Meh, oh well. It was bound to happen eventually. Besides, I''m sure I''ll find a different one, like I did with Kleavor."

    Oak gave a helpless sigh at Ash''s dismissal of this. If he were in Ash''s shoes, seeing his research be rendered obsolete would definitely upset him. In his mind, he didn''t believe Ash could find something as impressive again. Sure, Ash had proven himself before, but this seemed impossible even for him. How could Ash possibly find a new evolution? It just seemed all too improbable.

    But before Oak could say anything, Delia walked over carrying several plates filled with all of Ash''s favorite dishes and set them in front of him. "Here you go, Ashy. And don''t worry¡ªthere''s plenty more~"

    "Thanks, Mom. It looks delicious as always," Ash said as he started to dig in. He didn''t have the heart to tell his mom he was supposed to get lunch with his friends at the festival, so he just ate and thought of a way to get out of his lunch plans with them.

    ¡ª-

    (Back with the gang)

    Misty, Brock, Yellow, and Horace were sitting in the stadium, watching the Tauros battle royal at the festival.

    The winner was a boy with a Combat Breed, Paldean Tauros. There was no rule stating it had to be a Kantonian Tauros, so it was fine.

    As the participation medals and the first-place award were being handed out, Yellow leaned back in her seat and sighed. "Hey guys, do you think Ash is okay?"

    "He has to be, right? I mean, we dropped him off at a hospital," Horace said, slouching in his seat.

    "Wellll¡­" Misty started, moving her hand uncertainly in front of her. Pikachu, sitting nearby, mimicked her skepticism.

    "Probably. We can just say probably," Brock finished. "He did get a stab wound in his shoulder. There''s no way he was fine after that, even after Yellow he¡ª" He stopped himself, realizing he shouldn''t say that.

    "Uhh, wrapped up his shoulder," Misty quickly interrupted, shooting Brock a look. "Yeah, she got some bandages and used them to wrap his shoulder up, Brock!" Misty added through gritted teeth.

    Before they could continue their conversation, a net suddenly dropped from the top of the stadium, grabbing and separating the Tauros from their trainers. Just as people were trying to process what was happening, a robot descended into the center of the stadium.

    Voices echoed from the robot.

    "Prepare for trouble!"

    "And make it double!"

    "To protect the world from devastation!"

    "To unite all peoples within our nation!"

    "To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

    "To extend our reach to the stars¡ªGah!"

    "WOBBUFFET!"

    "Hey, what are you doing? I didn''t send you out! You may be part of the family now, but you can''t interrupt us!"

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    "WOBBUFFET?"

    "Don''t give me that! I''m the only Pok¨¦mon that gets to be part of the motto!"

    "WOBBUFFET!"

    As the chant devolved into bickering, the crowd grew even more confused. But Misty, Brock, and Yellow immediately recognized the culprits as Team Rocket. Without hesitation, they jumped over the railing into the stadium and released their Pok¨¦mon: Gyarados, Steelix, and Chuchu. Pikachu, of course, was with them too.

    Horace looked down at them, startled. "H-Hey, what are you guys doing?!" Several nearby spectators turned to look as well.

    Misty pointed accusingly at the robot. "That is Team Rocket! They''re here to steal all of the Pok¨¦mon! We need to fight back!"

    Horace and the people around him looked shocked, but after glancing back at the net full of trapped Tauros, they quickly believed her.

    "I''m helping you out, then!" Horace declared, jumping down into the stadium and sending out his Chikorita.

    One by one, other onlookers saw their initiative and decided to join in, throwing their Pok¨¦mon into the stadium as well. One after another, trainers sent out Pok¨¦mon until a small army was assembled.

    Jessie, James, and Meowth, who had been too busy arguing to notice at first, suddenly turned and stared wide-eyed at the field full of ready-to-battle Pok¨¦mon.

    "...Is it too late to just go?" James asked nervously.

    He got a collective head shake in response.

    ¡ª

    {Team Rocket Base}

    The Masked Man walked through the halls. Even though his expression was unreadable, he radiated an aura of anger and frustration. The reason was obvious¡ªhe had been so close to finally fulfilling his plan.

    What plan, you may ask? Well, it should be obvious: to capture Celebi. Why does he want that? To that, he would say, none of your damn business. And if you were to ask why, if this operation was so important, he didn''t send anyone else with him¡ªlike, say, Archer¡ªwell, that answer is far more complicated.

    You see, ever since the incident nearly four years ago, the Masked Man had lost quite a bit of influence in Team Rocket. That isn''t to say he was powerless¡ªfar from it. In fact, if Archer weren''t in Johto, he would undoubtedly be in control of the Johto branch.

    But the problem was this: he was now on a much tighter leash. He still hadn''t regained the Big Boss''s trust after wasting so many resources back then. As a result, any plans he wanted to pursue needed to be run by Giovanni or Archer first.

    So, the reason he didn''t tell anyone? Simple. He couldn''t risk it. No one else in Team Rocket¡ªnot even his right and left hands, Carl and Sham¡ªknew. Even though Carl and Sham had been brainwashed into complete loyalty, he couldn''t risk anyone discovering he was using mind control. Giovanni was strictly against it.

    The Masked Man, however, saw it as a means to an end. Why risk disobedience? There had been people before Carl and Sham who dared to defy him. But they only frustrated and disappointed him. Once¡ªjust once!¡ªhe would like to see those under him, with free will intact, fill him with pride instead of failure.

    That was why he had privately created a way to use mind control without anyone''s knowledge. It was so effective even Carl and Sham didn''t know. If he could have moved forward without interruption, he would have mind-controlled the entire Johto branch by now. But once again, the incident from four years ago haunted him for a different reason.

    Karen and Will. When they had been captured, the masks containing the mind-control technology were taken. Their capture itself was fine¡ªhe wasn''t attached to them, and he had never mentioned them to Giovanni¡ªbut the problem was if Giovanni ever found out.

    The Masked Man had to admit that Karen and Will had been sent by him. But their identities were kept secret, even from Giovanni, thanks to Professor Oak¡ªpersonally. Oak, worried that Giovanni might have been behind the mind control kept it hidden. If Giovanni was responsible, Oak didn''t want him to know they were prepared. And if Giovanni wasn''t involved, Oak didn''t want him getting his hands on the technology.

    That overthinking had, ironically, allowed the Masked Man to get away with using mind-control devices right under Giovanni''s nose. The Masked Man would have loved to thank Oak personally¡ªif he could.

    But it also meant he had to lay low. Which brings us back to the current moment: he didn''t tell anyone about his mission. He slightly regretted not bringing Carl and Sham with him. If he had, he might already have Celebi in his grasp.

    But it was too late to curse his luck and choices now. He had to convince himself it was the right thing to do. After all, he couldn''t let anyone find out about Celebi. If they did, it would jeopardize everything.

    The Masked Man took a deep breath and continued walking through the base. He needed to calm down. If Archer saw him, he might start asking questions.

    Almost as if on cue, a hand landed on the Masked Man''s shoulder, and Archer''s voice rang mockingly in his ear.

    "Well, well, hey there. How you doing, sir~?" Archer said in a condescending tone. "Or maybe I should call you by your name, Mr.¡ª"

    "DON''T¡­ you dare," the Masked Man growled, his voice low and dangerous. He couldn''t risk his real name being revealed so casually. That would cause far too many complications¡ªtoo many loose ends if someone betrayed Team Rocket or was captured and interrogated.

    Archer smirked, clearly unfazed. "Well, someone''s in a sour mood. How meaningless. You hide behind that mask all day, and yet you still find time to scowl."

    "Don''t test me, Archer¡­" the Masked Man hissed. But both of them knew the threat was empty. When it came to battling, Archer could overpower him in more ways than one. His strength was second only to Giovanni himself, a champion-level trainer.

    In fact, Archer could probably qualify as an Elite Four member or even a regional Champion in some areas.

    Archer smiled and gave him an exaggerated pat on the back. "Sorry to ruin your good mood, but we''ve got some real work to do¡ªnot whatever it is you do when you sit back all day twiddling your thumbs."

    The Masked Man gritted his teeth under the mask but ultimately relented. "Fine. Just send me what you want me to do, and leave me alone."

    "See? I knew you''d come around," Archer replied in a sickeningly cheery voice, patting him on the back once more. As he turned to leave, he tossed one last parting remark over his shoulder. "Oh, and the Boss said he needs you to fill out some reports. I hope you don''t mind~."

    The Masked Man''s anger simmered as Archer disappeared down the hallway, leaving him alone with his growing frustration.

    ¡ª-

    {At the Hospital}

    Ash teleported back to Palmpona, standing in place for a moment as he processed his surroundings. His arm was completely fine¡ªhe''d used Aura to ensure there was no lingering scar or damage. A trip to the doctor wasn''t necessary.

    Just as he started to think about where he should go next or whether he should find his friends, a loud BOOM erupted in the distance.

    Ash turned sharply, looking toward the stadium. A massive explosion rattled the air, and in the distance, he saw a giant robot being pelted by a storm of Pok¨¦mon attacks. Sparks flew, and energy beams crackled as the scene unfolded like something out of a movie.

    Ash stood there, watching for a long moment. He took a deep, slow breath¡­ then exhaled.

    ".....Nope... They got this one," he said to himself, turning on his heel and walking the other way without a second thought.

 Trade

    {In the Stadium}

    Brock, Misty, Yellow, and Horace were battling alongside at least 15 or so different Pok¨¦mon against the Team Rocket Robot.

    It was not hard to see who was winning. If most of the time, these robots couldn''t even survive three of them; then with over 15, the robot was being reduced to a training dummy for all the Pok¨¦mon.

    As Gyarados and Steelix slithered and grabbed the robot''s arms, its exposed chest was bombarded with blasts from all the Pok¨¦mon, causing Jessie, James, Wobbuffet, and Meowth to go spinning inside.

    As they were being held down, Horace looked over at Yellow. "Hey, I have a plan, but I need some help. Can you cover me?"

    Yellow seemed slightly surprised that he was asking her for help, but she nodded. "O-okay, leave it to me. Chuchu, Pikachu, get ready!"

    Horace nodded gratefully as he looked forward and waved in front of him. "Okay, Chikorita, you know the plan¡ªcharge!"

    Horace''s Chikorita nodded as it started running as fast as its little legs could take it, darting by the robot. But it didn''t go unnoticed.

    "Hey, where''s that Chikorita going?" James asked.

    As Jessie got up and looked out of the window, Meowth jumped over her and pushed her out of the way. "Hey! That Chikorita is going for the Tauros!"

    Jessie got up again and grabbed Meowth by the coin on his head, throwing him into a corner of the cockpit. "Well, what are you waiting for? Stop it!"

    As soon as she said that, Wobbuffet jumped out and saluted. "WOBBUFFET!"

    "No, not you, you¡­ Actually, what are you? How can I insult you if I don''t know what you are?" Meowth said, looking at the blue Pok¨¦mon.

    "NOT THE TIME!" Jessie yelled.

    Meowth snapped out of his thoughts. "Right, sorry! Engaging defense protocol!"

    As he pressed a button, the robot gained strength. A compartment opened on its chest, and all the attacks entered it, converting to energy. It then used that energy to overpower Gyarados and Steelix, using them like a whip and slamming them on the ground.

    As it did, the robot turned, and a robotic hand came down, aiming to grab Horace''s Chikorita. Suddenly, they heard someone shout.

    "Do it now!" Yellow screamed with as much energy as she could muster.

    Chuchu and Pikachu rushed forward in front of Chikorita, then jumped up, flipping. They landed a duo [Iron Tail], clashing with the robotic arm, making it stumble back a step before it caught itself.

    Horace gave a thumbs-up to Yellow. "Good work! Now leave the rest to me." Then he looked back at Chikorita. "Now use your [Razor Leaf] and cut the net!"

    Chikorita jumped into the air and, with a flip of its leaf, shot out a large glowing leaf that slashed through the net, holding all the Tauros.

    As they started tunneling out, Yellow looked over at them and called out, "Hey, Tauros! There are the ones that put you in the net!"

    The Tauros all looked at Yellow and immediately believed her due to her power. Then they looked at the robot, digging their hooves into the dirt as they began to charge recklessly at it.

    As this happened, Jessie, James, Wobbuffet, and Meowth looked at all the Tauros charging at them from one side. Then, on the other side, they saw all the different Pok¨¦mon, including Gyarados and Steelix, who were starting to get up, looking annoyed.

    James took a breath and clasped his hands together. "Again¡­ is it too late to surrender?"

    ¡ª-

    Ash watched the battle from a good distance. Around 30 different Pok¨¦mon were attacking Team Rocket''s Pok¨¦mon. Needless to say, it didn''t take much for the robot and the trio inside to go blasting off.

    He sat on a bench with Chikorita on his lap, feeding her. He could tell Chikorita was close to evolving, which was good since she would play a crucial role in the next Gym battle.

    As he heard the celebrations coming from the stadium, he debated whether he should go meet up with the others now or wait for them while squeezing in some training. After all, his next battle was against Whitney, and her team was pretty stacked.

    He wasn''t too worried, though. He still believed he could beat her, especially with several Pok¨¦mon on his team that could likely solo her. Pikachu, for instance¡ªor even Victreebel or Vileplume, which he considered the weakest members of his Kanto team¡ªcould probably handle it.

    But that was beside the point. He stood up and looked around, deciding to explore the festival instead. If his friends found him, he could just pretend he was lost¡ªno big deal.

    Just as he was about to leave, someone called out to him.

    "Excuse me, would you be interested in trading?"

    Ash turned around to see a girl with red hair and violet eyes dressed in overalls. Although they''d never officially met, Ash recognized her from Brock''s first breeder competition¡ªit was Yui Shiori, Brock''s unofficial rival.

    Standing next to Yui was a small, yellow sheep Pok¨¦mon.

    "Maree-e-eep," it bleated, looking up at Ash.

    Ash glanced at her and then at Chikorita, who had climbed onto his shoulder. He shook his head. "Sorry, I''m not in the market to trade Chikorita here."

    Upon hearing that, Chikorita looked at Ash with stars in her eyes and nuzzled into the crook of his neck. "Ita~"

    Yui watched the interaction, her expression softening. "I see. That''s fair enough. But I''m not looking for a specific Pok¨¦mon. You see, I''m a breeder¡ªwell, in training¡ªbut I want to raise any and all Pok¨¦mon I can."

    "So, are there any Pok¨¦mon you might want to trade? The one I''m offering is this Mareep. He''s really interested in battling, but I''m not a trainer, I''m a breeder, so I''m scared that he''ll be unhappy with me," Yui explained, looking at Ash with a hopeful expression.

    Ash looked at the Mareep and sighed. He didn''t want to trade any of his Pok¨¦mon, but he was interested in getting a Mareep, afterall he did get an Ampharosite way back in Mega island.

    Then he had an idea. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out one of the random Eggs he ''confiscated'' from Team Rocket, and by that, he meant stolen.

    "Would you be willing to trade for this Egg?" he asked.

    Yui''s eyes widened at the sight of the Egg. She stepped closer to inspect it. "May I?" she asked, holding out her hands.

    "Sure, why not?" Ash said, handing her the Egg. She carefully examined it, holding it up to the sunlight to confirm that a Pok¨¦mon was indeed inside.

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    "Do you want to know what kind of Pok¨¦mon it is?" Ash offered, a small grin forming. Of course, he already knew, thanks to his Pok¨¦dex.

    Yui nodded excitedly. "Yeah, seems only fair if I know."

    "It''s an Igglybuff Egg," Ash said, "So, what do you think? Is this what you''re looking for?"

    Yui nodded and handed the Egg back to Ash. "Yeah, it''s a deal. Let''s head to a trade machine."

    One thing Ash had learned after dealing with so many Eggs was that Eggs could be caught in Pok¨¦balls. However, any time spent inside the ball meant less bonding time with the trainer before the Pok¨¦mon hatched.

    Ash quickly caught the Egg in a Pok¨¦ball while Yui returned Mareep to its ball. They placed the Pok¨¦balls on the machine, and the trade was completed.

    Yui smiled as she let out the Egg, hugging it close to her. "It''s a pleasure! And hey, you know the Breeding Competition Nationals are coming up soon. I hope you can make it. Maybe by then, this little one will have hatched!"

    Ash smiled helplessly. "Yeah, I''ll definitely be there," he said. Of course, he was planning to go¡ªfor Brock, who Yui didn''t know was his friend, "I''m Ash, by the way. I just realized we never introduced ourselves."

    "Oh, right! I''m Yui," she said, sounding slightly embarrassed that she hadn''t asked for his name earlier. She quickly pushed the thought aside.

    "Alright, it was nice to meet you, but I guess I need to go find my friends," Ash said, noticing Chikorita tugging on his hood.

    Yui seemed a little disappointed but nodded. "Alright, I understand. Thanks for trading with me, and maybe we''ll see each other again. Bye," she said, waving as she walked off.

    Ash waved back, then looked at his new Pok¨¦mon and sighed. Not what he was planning, but who was he to complain? For now, he''d go meet up with everyone.

    Ash made his way toward the stadium, where he saw a crowd of people walking out, cheering. In the center, he spotted Brock, Misty, Yellow, and Horace. The people around them were patting them on the back and offering words of encouragement.

    As they walked, they looked around until they made eye contact with Ash, who was casually waving at them.

    "Yo, what did I miss?"

    ¡ª¡ª-

    {Ashtwo}

    Ash went to the Egg station and bought more rotten eggs under the excuse that he was feeding them to his Muk. It wasn''t technically a lie, but it still felt a little shady. While there, he also checked out the Egg chamber and ensured there were no cameras around. Thankfully, there weren''t any.

    He did a quick scan using his Pok¨¦dex to see if anything interesting was there, but nothing caught his eye. So, he ended up stealing a few random Eggs and replacing them with rotten ones before leaving.

    With that done, he planned to head straight to his room to extract as many genetic points as possible from them. However, before he could, the Team Rocket phone he''d been given started ringing.

    Pulling it out, he saw that he had a new mission. This one was from the Masked Man, instructing him to report to Executive Proton for a mission. He was also tasked with gathering the people who''d be joining him. Unfortunately, the details of the mission were not provided.

    Ash sighed. He couldn''t refuse a direct order from an Executive or the Masked man, so he opened up the list he was sent. Scanning over the list of names, he immediately realized one thing¡ªhe had to bring Helena along since she was his lackey for the next year. However, there were others, too.

    As he continued reading, his mood soured. Among the group were Enid and Jay.

    "Dang¡­" Ash mumbled, pinching the bridge of his nose. "*Sigh* I really hope they don''t mess this one up like last time," he muttered, recalling their disastrous stealth mission.

    He walked down the hall, skimming through the mission details. While there was no full rundown of the objectives, the briefing stressed that they should be prepared for battle, just in case.

    Reaching the cafeteria, Ash scanned the room. His eyes twitched when he spotted the three people he needed to talk to¡ªJay, Enid, and Helena¡ªsitting together at a corner table.

    For a moment, he wondered if maintaining this persona was even worth it. Steeling himself, he clapped his cheeks lightly, took a deep breath, and approached them.

    As he got closer, he overheard their conversation.

    "¡ªYou see, that is why I am the superior one, and you should help me get close to D.," Enid said confidently, gesturing dramatically. She was trying to convince Helena of something, probably because of her position as Ash''s direct underling.

    ''A side character is a side character through and through, but sometimes, they can be useful to the main character, such as myself.'' Enid nodded to herself as she crossed her arms and nodded.

    Jay sat there quietly, eating a salad. "You sure? I mean, isn''t D our friend? Why do you want to do all that?"

    "Of course, you don''t get it," Enid scoffed, rolling her eyes before turning back to Helena. "So, what do you say?"

    Helena, clutching an Egg in her hands, looked utterly confused. "I-I don''t¡­" she stammered. She hadn''t even realized how she ended up here. One moment, she''d been getting lunch, and the next, these two were beside her.

    "Come on, Enid," Jay chimed in. "You can''t seriously expect her to agree. I''ve known you for like six months, and I can hardly understand you half the time."

    Enid clutched her chest as though wounded. "You be quiet! You don''t understand the true integrity of my plan."

    "Not sure that''s the right context to use that word," Helena muttered under her breath. "Giving off major wannabe main character vibes here¡­"

    "What was that?" Enid snapped, narrowing her eyes.

    "Uhh, I said you give off the aura of a main character¡­ If you were in a story, you''d be the protagonist," Helena quickly corrected herself.

    Enid''s expression brightened as she smiled and nodded. "Now you see it. Finally, someone recognizes my greatness!"

    Jay rolled his eyes. He was used to this. He''d walked in on Enid, declaring herself the main character more times than he could count.

    Enid pointed dramatically at Helena. "It''s decided! You shall now be my friend. You should feel honored¡ªno one else has this privilege!"

    Jay and Helena sighed helplessly. ''Don''t think that''s something you should be proud of,'' they both thought in unison.

    Helena, still clutching the Egg, decided why not. "Okay, I don''t mind being friends," she said with a small smile.

    But Jay cleared his throat. "What about me or D.? Aren''t we your friends?"

    "Please," Enid scoffed, rolling her eyes dramatically. "How could I possibly call either of you my friends? You''re one thing, but D.? He''s another story. How can I possibly call someone like him my honored friend?"

    As Enid began her rant, Ash walked up behind her. Jay and Helena, noticing his arrival, widened their eyes and started making frantic gestures for Enid to stop. Oblivious, she kept going.

    "And another thing¡ªhis whole mysterious persona, hiding his face all the time. I mean, sure, I get covering up his face after what we saw under there, but I swear he''s so cringy. He tries way too hard!" she said, waving her arms dramatically for emphasis.

    "''Look at me, I''m D.! I don''t even want to tell anyone my name. Don''t mess with me¡ªyou wouldn''t understand my dark backstory. I''m so edgy because I was experimented on, and I don''t even have a face!''" Enid added, mocking Ash''s voice and mimicking his mannerisms as she tugged at her uniform in mock imitation.

    Jay and Helena exchanged worried glances, trying one last time to signal Enid, but it was too late. A throat cleared loudly behind her.

    Enid froze, her expression going pale. "¡­He''s right behind me, isn''t he?"

    Jay and Helena both nodded silently.

    Turning slowly, Enid saw Ash standing there, holding some papers in his hand. His expression was unreadable, but the weight of his gaze made her stomach drop.

    "D., I¡ª" Enid began, her voice faltering. She didn''t know what to say. An apology would feel pointless now.

    Ash set the papers down on the table with an audible thunk. "We''ve been assigned a mission," he said coldly, his voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Prepare to head out soon. And Enid?" His tone dropped further, the chill in it unmistakable. "Try not to mess it up like last time."

    Without waiting for a response, Ash turned and walked away, heading off to find the other grunts.

    Enid sat there in stunned silence, her thoughts racing. "W-wait, I-I¡­" she stammered, but the words refused to come out. She clenched her fists on the table as she watched Ash''s retreating figure disappear down the hallway.

    Jay let out a low whistle. "Yeah, no. This one''s all on you. You really shouldn''t have said all that stuff."

    "I-I didn''t know¡­" Enid tried to explain, but the excuse felt hollow even to her.

    Jay shook his head, his usual laid-back demeanor replaced with uncharacteristic seriousness. "Why does it matter if he was here or not? You shouldn''t have said it at all. We both know how much D. hates wearing that scarf all the time. Whenever he doesn''t, people treat him like a freak¡ªand you just made fun of that."

    "I get it if you''re annoyed with me. Heck, maybe I am annoying sometimes, but D.? He hasn''t done anything to deserve that. So, seriously, what''s your problem with him?"

    Enid''s shoulders slumped as Jay''s words hit home. Jay might be an idiot in most situations, but when it came to understanding people, he could be surprisingly smart.

    "And what was that about experiments?" Helena asked, breaking the silence. "What did you mean by that? D. never said anything about being experimented on."

    "Yeah, good point," Jay added, leaning forward. "Where did that even come from?"

    "It''s¡­ nothing," Enid muttered, avoiding their gazes. "I was just saying something stupid without thinking," she added, her hands tightening into fists beneath the table, grasping at the fabric of her uniform.

    But the truth was, Enid still thought that the memories Natu read were Ash''s when, in reality, Natu accidentally read Drowzee''s mind. The memories Natu glimpsed; the trauma, the experiments, everything was burned into his mind, and when he explained that to Enid, she thought he was referring to Ash, and Natu had been too shaken to ever mention it again

    Enid sighed and stood up abruptly. "I should go. We need to get ready for the mission." Without waiting for a reply, she turned and walked away, leaving Jay and Helena at the table to process everything that had just happened.

    Jay leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. "Well¡­ that was a mess."

    Helena nodded silently, her thoughts mirroring his.

 Wooper School

    {In the Festival}

    After the incident in the stadium, the festival continued, and Ash joined up with the group, reuniting with Pikachu and everyone else. They bombarded him with questions about whether his shoulder was okay.

    Ash responded with practiced lines, reassuring them that he was fine and had already had it checked out. With that settled, they decided to enjoy the festival. Now, it was dark, and they were watching the fireworks while sitting at a table. Ash forced himself to eat since they had all gotten him dinner, and it would''ve been rude to refuse.

    As they watched the fireworks, Ash glanced over at Horace. He knew of Horace from Journeys and, honestly, liked his character for the most part. The main thing he didn''t like was that Horace was a Goh simp, like actually,

    They met once and made a promise to meet up again, but Horace was sick, and he still wanted to apologize TO GOH, like that is some next-level glazing, especially since he was willing to use the legendary Celebi to go back in time just to apologize.

    Ash shook his head. It was a shame, really. But he hoped Goh wouldn''t show up here. He really didn''t want that. Goh might have his trainer''s license, but a trainer''s license and a League license were two entirely different things.

    A trainer''s license was akin to a driver''s license; everyone got one when they turned 10 or graduated from school, whichever came first. However, a League license varied by region. In Kanto, you could apply for one at 10; in Johto, at 11; and so on. The only exceptions Ash knew of were Alola, Galar, and Paldea. Alola didn''t have a League; in Galar, you need a recommendation from someone in power, and in Paldea, you needed permission from Naranja Academy.

    This meant that since Goh wasn''t pursuing Gym battles like Ash was, he could, unfortunately, appear during Ash''s adventures. And Ash really didn''t want to deal with Goh¡ªat all.

    Still, what did it matter? If it happened, what could he do about it? The best he could do was walk in the opposite direction and ask Abra to teleport him far away.

    "So, what are you going to do after this festival is over? Are you taking on the Gyms too?" Brock asked, Bonsly and Larvitar sitting on his lap.

    Horace shook his head and chuckled. "No, no, no. I''m not a trainer. I couldn''t possibly be one. After this, I''m heading back to Cianwood City to continue my studies."

    "Yeah, but I think he means, do you have any goals you''re working toward?" Misty asked, holding Psyduck on her lap.

    "Hmm, I guess I want to discover every Psychic-type Pok¨¦mon in the world," Horace said, gazing up at the night sky.

    "Wow, that''s really ambitious, right?" Ash said, leaning back in his seat. "I mean, we''ve only scratched the surface of Pok¨¦mon. There could be tons of psychic types we''ve never discovered, and maybe some of them are closer than we think."

    "Hehe, yeah, maybe it is a bit strange. But you know what? It''s what I want to do, so I''ll do my best," Horace replied.

    "Yeah, that sounds really cool," Yellow said, nodding along, "And we believe in you, right, guys?"

    "Sure. I''m curious to see it," Misty said.

    Brock nodded. "I believe you can do it."

    "Yeah, go for it, man," Ash added. "It''s your dream, so you shouldn''t let anyone else tell you what to do."

    "Thanks, everyone," Horace said, then turned to Ash. "By the way, are you sure you''re fine? I mean, I know you said you were, but still, you were kind of bleeding out when I saw you."

    Ash rolled up his sleeve, revealing his shoulder wrapped in a few bandages to maintain the lie. "Yeah, the doctors checked me out. I told them I had my Clefairy heal me, but they still examined it and said as long as I don''t move it too much, I''ll be fine in a few days."

    "Oh, that reminds me," Brock said, pulling out Ash''s neatly folded jacket. "I fixed this for you while you were gone."

    Ash took the jacket and slipped it back on. "Thanks, man. I like this thing."

    As the fireworks wrapped up, Horace turned to the group. "Well, this is where we say goodbye. It was nice to meet you all. Be sure to come see me when you get to Cianwood."

    "We will, and thanks for your help," Brock said.

    "No need¡ªit was my pleasure," Horace replied as he waved and walked away.

    Once he was gone, Misty laid her head down on the table. "I''m tired. Can we go find a hotel now?"

    "Sure, but that reminds me of something I wanted to do," Ash said, standing up. "Hey, Brock, I''m gonna need you for this one."

    "Really? What do you need?" Brock asked.

    "Let''s call Officer Jenny," Ash said with a grin, referring to the one with the former Squirtle Squad. Brock''s eyes immediately lit up.

    Misty and Yellow stood off to the side, both sighing as Misty spoke. "Nope, we''re sitting this one out. We''re going to find a hotel."

    "Yeah, see you tomorrow then," Yellow said, waving as she ran after Misty. Meanwhile, Brock and Ash made their way to the Pok¨¦mon Center.

    ¡ª-

    After a few rings, the computer lit up, revealing Officer Jenny. "Hey there! You caught me just as I was about to head out. What can I do for you?"

    Brock was about to swoon, but Ash quickly pushed him out of the way. "Hey, Officer Jenny¡ª"

    "Please, just call me Amalia," she interrupted with a smile. "I mean, I already gave you guys my personal number, so I think we''re a bit past formalities."

    Brock''s muffled voice could be heard from the side of the screen. "Oh, Amalia, such a beautiful name for a bea¡ªGah!" His words were cut off as Ash shoved him harder.

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "Right then, Amalia," Ash continued, "you''re coming to the Fire and Rescue Grand Prix here in Johto, right?"

    "Yes¡­ How did you know? That''s actually why I''m picking up here," Amalia replied curiously.

    "Blastoise told me," Ash explained, holding up Blastoise''s Pok¨¦ball. "He also said he wanted to participate with his squad. So, what do you say? Can your team use one more?"

    Amalia''s eyes lit up. "Oh yes, definitely! With Blastoise, we''ll have a great chance of winning. And I''m sure he''d love to spend more time with his friends, too."

    Ash nodded as he placed the Pok¨¦ball on the teleporter. "Alright, I''m sending him over." With a push of a button, the Pok¨¦ball disappeared and reappeared on Amalia''s side of the screen.

    "I got it, thanks! I''ll be sure to surprise them. I''ll call you guys when we win," Amalia said with a confident smile.

    Only then did Ash finally release Brock, who shot up like a slingshot, knocking Ash out of his chair and taking his place in front of the screen to start flirting.

    Ash picked himself up and glanced over at Pikachu, who was sitting on a table, trying to stifle his laughter. Ash gave him a deadpan stare. "Well, I guess we can leave without restocking the ketchup."

    Pikachu''s laughter immediately stopped as his eyes widened in shock. Realizing Ash was serious, Pikachu quickly jumped off the table and followed him out, protesting, "Pika-pika pi, Pikachu¡­"

    As they exited the Pok¨¦mon Center, Brock stayed behind to continue talking to Amalia.

    ¡ª-

    {A Few Days Later}

    They were back on the road, resuming their usual routine of traveling, eating, training, more traveling, and eventually setting up camp.

    One day, as they walked along the edge of a 20-foot drop, they noticed a pink house at the bottom of the ravine, complete with a small pool beside it.

    Yellow tilted her head as they stopped to look at the building. "What do you think that place is?"

    Brock leaned over the edge. "It kinda looks like a daycare to me. What about y¡ª" He was abruptly cut off.

    Misty, who had been standing at the back, suddenly felt something cold and slimy touch her back. She screamed, "AHHH! Get it off! Get it off! Get it off!" and started scrambling around in a panic.

    In her frantic state, she bumped into Ash, sending him teetering backward over the cliff edge. Pikachu, as always, was perched on his shoulder.

    As Ash realized he had nothing under him, he looked up at Misty and, for a brief moment before falling, gave her a deadpan look. "If I die, I''m haunting you¡ªAHHH!" he yelled as he plummeted.

    Pikachu left momentarily suspended in mid-air, glanced down, sighed, and muttered, "Pika¡­. Pik-AAAAA!" before following Ash.

    "Ash!" Brock and Yellow shouted in unison.

    Meanwhile, Misty finally managed to identify and remove the slimy culprit¡ªa little Wooper. She held it up sheepishly as Brock and Yellow glared at her. "Oh¡­" she chuckled nervously, giving them a helpless smile. "W-well¡­ at least it''s pretty cute, right?"

    At the bottom of the ravine, Ash landed headfirst, tumbling onto his face, while Pikachu crashed next to him, his head stuck in the ground. Ash flipped over and pulled Pikachu out by his tail. Both lay on their backs for a moment, staring at the sky.

    As they caught their breath, a girl with blue hair leaned over them from above. "Oh my goodness! That was quite the fall. Are you alright?"

    "I''ll be fine¡­" Ash groaned.

    "Pika pi¡­" Pikachu mumbled in agreement.

    Before they could get up, they saw Brock leap from the top of the cliff. Realizing what was about to happen, Ash grabbed Pikachu and rolled to the side just in time.

    Brock landed with a heavy thud right where they had been moments before. The shock from the impact rippled through his body, but he didn''t care.

    Brock approached the girl enthusiastically. "Hello there! I''m Brock, and I''m so happy you showed such concern for my friend. You must be a very kind person. May I have the honor of knowing your name?"

    "Uhh¡­ I''m Olesia. It''s nice to meet you, Brock," she replied hesitantly.

    Brock took her hand and shook it, "We should get to know each other more, don''t you think? I mean, it seems like destiny brought us together."

    "Err¡­ not really," Olesia said awkwardly. "What about your friend? Shouldn''t you check on him?"

    "He''ll be fine. Anyway, I think we should talk abo¡ªGah!" Brock started but was abruptly cut off by a blast of water from the Wooper Misty was holding.

    "Huh, good work, little buddy," Misty said, giving Wooper a pat on the head before walking over.

    Olesia saw this and smiled warmly. "Oh, Wooper, there you are!" She ran over, took Wooper from Misty, and nuzzled it affectionately.

    "Oh¡­ so it''s your Wooper," Misty said, her voice tinged with disappointment.

    Olesia stopped nuzzling Wooper and shook her head. "Well, technically, no. I didn''t catch Wooper¡ªor any of the other ones, for that matter."

    "Other ones?" Yellow asked, glancing over as she helped Ash and Pikachu to their feet to make sure they were okay.

    "Yeah, other ones," Olesia said with a clap of her hands. "Come on out, everyone~!"

    From the water, nine more Wooper emerged, looking up curiously. Olesia set her Wooper down, and it immediately ran back to the water to rejoin its friends.

    "Wow, you weren''t kidding," Misty said as she leaned closer to get a better look. "So, is this a daycare just for Wooper?"

    "You got it! Well, it wasn''t originally, but Wooper just kept coming, so I turned it into a Wooper-only daycare. It''s for wild Wooper to learn how to survive or, if the opportunity arises, to find good trainers for them."

    Misty''s eyes lit up with excitement. "Oh, so you give them out? Well, in that case, can I¡ª"

    But before she could finish, Olesia''s phone rang.

    "Sorry, give me a second," Olesia said, walking over to pick up her phone. "Hello~?"

    Her cheerful expression quickly turned somber. "Oh no¡­ that''s terrible. Do you need me to come over and take care of anything for you?"

    After a pause, she continued, "Well¡­ okay, if you say so. But call me if you need anything, alright? Yeah¡­ love you. Bye." She hung up the phone and lowered her head with a sigh.

    When she noticed everyone staring at her, she explained, "My poor mom¡­ she fell down the stairs and broke her leg."

    Brock immediately dropped his flirty demeanor and looked concerned. "Oh no! Is she going to be okay? Did she see a doctor?"

    "We don''t have many doctors in the town where she lives, so she''s on a waitlist," Olesia said, her worry evident. "She said she''ll be fine, but I think she''s just saying that, so I don''t worry. It''s not working."

    "Why don''t you go see her then?" Yellow asked.

    Olesia shook her head, her expression troubled. "I can''t. The Wooper¡­ I can''t just leave them alone. I don''t know what to do¡­"

    Brock stepped forward and took her hands confidently. "You''re going to go to her. Don''t worry, we''ll take care of the Wooper until you get back!"

    Olesia shook her head again. "No, I can''t ask you guys to take care of the Wooper."

    Misty crossed her arms with a firm look. "You don''t have to ask us."

    "Yeah, we want to do it," Yellow added with a reassuring smile.

    "And if you want, I can go with you," Ash offered. "I may not look like it, but I am a doctor by trade."

    "Really?" Olesia said, her face lighting up with hope. "If you all insist, then I''ll accept. Thank you so much! Let me write everything down."

    She hurried back into the house, grabbed a pen and notepad, and started writing quickly. Once finished, she handed the notepad to Brock. "This has their entire schedule and the specific diets you need to follow. I''ll try to get back as soon as I can," she said before dashing toward her garage.

    Brock held the notepad, flipping through the pages. "Well, it can''t be that bad¡ª" His sentence cut off as his jaw dropped. The notes were long and painstakingly detailed, with diagrams and meticulous instructions.

    The color drained from his face, but Olesia didn''t seem to notice. She wheeled out a moped scooter with two helmets, handing one to Ash. "Come on, let''s go! And everyone, good luck," she said, starting the engine.

    Ash put on the helmet, and Pikachu secured himself snugly inside Ash''s bag. "Yeah, good luck. From what I see, you''re going to need it," Ash added as he climbed onto the back of the scooter.

    With a wave, Olesia drove off with Ash, leaving Brock, Misty, and Yellow alone with the Wooper.

    Misty sighed, her confidence steady. "Let''s not be ridiculous. What bad things could such cute little Wooper possibly do?"

    "Yeah, you''re right. We''re just being paranoid," Brock agreed with a nod. "Let''s do this!"

    The three turned around, their resolve firm. But the moment they laid eyes on the scene before them, their confidence shattered.

    The area had devolved into chaos. Somehow, a fire pit had appeared in the middle of the yard, one Wooper was tied up and hanging from a tree, a few others were perched precariously on the roof of the house, and several more were gleefully playing in a mud pit that was rapidly spreading.

    The three stood frozen in silence. Finally, Yellow turned to Brock and Misty. "We''re in over our heads, aren''t we?"

    They both nodded wordlessly, bracing themselves for what was bound to be a long and chaotic next few hours.

 What ever happened to Spencer Hale?

    [Abra Show]

    {Welcome back to the greatest show in all the realms, ''Are you courting death!''} Abra announced excitedly, with her usual victims sitting around the table. {Tonight is special, you see, a valuable fellow cultivator has come back from her breakthrough tribulations.}

    {It''s me, the senior Abratwo!} Abratwo said, teleporting back, earning a groan from everyone else. {Did you all miss me? There''s no need for that; we don''t need to announce how much my absence affected you all.}

    {No, it was actually can you go away again,} Alakazam said, sipping yet another cup of coffee.

    {The extra quiet time was nice. I got to read my book more¡­} Drowzee said, shifting nervously in his chair.

    And Psyduck just stayed quiet, burying his face in his arms. The exertion took a lot out of him, and he''s still feeling the effects.

    {Don''t be silly, brothers. We know you missed your fellow sister,} Abra said.

    Abratwo nodded along next to Abra. {But I think we should get to the proper talk, like how junior brother Psyduck''s breakthrough.}

    {Oh boy, this can''t be good,} Alakazam said. {What did you do to him?}

    {Nonsense, Senior Brother. You see, Junior Brother Psyduck went berserk and awakened his inner demon, which is the first step towards becoming a demonic cultivator¡ªtruly a brave path to follow. But don''t worry, your Senior Sister will still support you!} Abra said.

    Alakazam and Drowzee looked at each other, then at Psyduck. Psyduck raised his head. {Psyduck lost control of Psyduck''s powers. Psyduck was thinking about how much listening to Abra hurts Psyduck, and Psyduck lost control.}

    Alakazam and Drowzee immediately understood and nodded solemnly. {That makes sense. I feel sorry for you,} Alakazam said as he gave Psyduck some coffee.

    {But enough about that. There is a more interesting topic, for I have finally revealed my first named attack,} Abra announced as she lit up her fist in fire. {This is my Sun-Devouring Fist of the Eternal Abyss'' Wrath. Aren''t I amazing!}

    Abratwo scoffed as she also stood up and lit her fist on fire. {Impressive, but it is no match for my Blazing Inferno Fist of the Nine Realms'' Eternal Conflagration. It seems like, as always, I am the superior senior.}

    {What! Are you courting death, sister?} Abra said. {You dare say you are better? I''ll cripple your mana core for that.}

    {Try it! You dare defy the heavens? I''ll show you!} Abratwo said as they both teleported away.

    Alakazam and Drowzee looked at each other, then at Psyduck. Then Drowzee walked over to the center seat and put his book on his lap. {Since we''re here now, I''d like to share my book with all of you. Ahem, Chapter 1, Dream Theory¡­.}

    ¡ª-

    {Back with Ash}

    Ash was sitting in a nice rustic home, he took off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves as he was inspecting Olesia''s mother.

    Olesia and Pikachu were sitting on the nearby couch, with Pikachu sitting on Olesia''s lap as he was munching on a cookie.

    Meanwhile, Olesia''s mother looked rather embarrassed, "You know, dear, I said it would be fine, you didn''t have to come here, much less with someone to check on my leg."

    "No, Mom, you can''t just say that and expect me not to worry about you. Besides, some nice people are taking care of the Wooper, so it''s fine, and Ash is a Doctor."

    "I mean, are you sure? He''s just so¡­young," Olesia''s mother said. "No offense, of course."

    "None taken," Ash said as he rummaged in his bag and pulled out some equipment. "But I do have medical training, even if I don''t have my diploma on me."

    Ash also reached to his belt and pulled out Clefairy, who stood on the other side of her leg. "If you don''t trust me, surely you at least trust a Clefairy."

    As Ash did one final check, "Alright, you''re lucky, it''s only a minor fracture with some swelling. Yeah, this is nothing. Clefairy, help me out."

    Clefairy nodded and began using [Heal Pulse] on her leg as Ash started wrapping a cast on her leg, wrapping it as Clefairy did her magic.

    "Alright, with that, Clefairy fixed most of the problem. You''ll be fine, but try not to put too much pressure on that leg for the rest of the day, and in a few days, the swelling will go away too," Ash said as Clefairy jumped back to his shoulder.

    Olesia''s mother nodded as she already felt the relief as she slowly got up, putting most of her weight on her good leg but testing out her other one. "Yeah, that feels much better, thank you, and sorry I doubted you," she apologized.

    "It''s fine," Ash said, putting his supplies back in his bag. "But this has reminded me I wanted to get my license to practice surgery one of these days."

    Olesia got up, still holding Pikachu, as she gently lent a hand for her mother to hold. "Are you sure you''re ok, like no pain or anything?"

    Stolen novel; please report.

    Olesia''s mom took the hand for support. "No, the pain is gone, but it kinda feels uncomfortable when I put pressure on it."

    "Yeah, that''s the swelling. Don''t worry it will go down, but keep the cast on for the rest of the day. You can take it off tomorrow," Ash said as he put his bag on again. "So I guess this means we should go, right?"

    Olesia was about to agree, but her mother shook her head. "Nonsense, you came all this way, and you helped me. At least let me whip something up."

    "Mom, no, you can''t, you shouldn''t put pressure on your leg," Olesia said.

    "It''s fine; I''ll just put a chair and rest my leg on that. That way, my leg will be fine. Come on, I insist, stay for a little while," Olesia''s mother said.

    Olesia sighed as she looked at her watch and then at Ash. "How do you think everyone is doing? Do you think they''re ok?"

    "Errrr¡­" Ash thought about it.

    {Meanwhile}

    Brock was tied to a tree as Wooper danced around it. Misty was on the ground next to the pond as Wooper danced around her, with the Wooper she met earlier sitting on her head, and Yellow¡­.was actually fine. They were sleeping on her, and that''s it.

    {Back to Ash}

    Ash thought about it, "...yeah they''re probably fine, sure I guess we can stay a little," he said, seeing that Olesia wanted to stay a little longer for her mother.

    Olesia''s mom smiled. "Then it''s decided. Come on, Olesia, if you''re so worried, you can help me."

    sigh. "Ok, Mom, but just because I need to," but even though Olesia said that, she had a relieved smile on her face as the two women went to the kitchen.

    Ash sat back on his seat and sighed. Seeing Olesia and her mother made him remember his own mom. As he reminisced about the past, suddenly, a realization hit him like a bag of bricks.

    He sat up as he remembered. Here in this world, the movies were canon, which means the 3rd movie is going to happen soon, but he doesn''t know when.

    Ash sat there thinking as he pulled out his Rotom phone and checked for information from his world about the 3rd movie. He needs to be prepared for anything. He doesn''t know what''s going to happen. Every time he''s faced one of the movie plots, they''ve been different.

    In the first movie, Mewtwo led all the trainers to the island, which gave him a larger army. In the second movie, Lawrence III shot him through the chest. Even in the I Choose You movie, he had to face a darkness-boosted Cross with an army of Pok¨¦mon.

    There''s no telling what''s going to happen, what''s different, he doesn''t know. All he could do was prepare for the worst-case scenario, but as he saw Olesia and her mom come back into the living room, he put the phone away for later.

    But even as they ate a little, Ash couldn''t help but wonder what''s going on with them.

    ¡ª--

    Spencer Hale was a researcher and a good one, too. He was top of his class, second only to his good friend Delia. They were both students of Professor Oak, but their lives took different turns.

    Spencer admits that at one point, he had feelings for Delia, but it wouldn''t have worked out. Delia was content with her life, while Spencer wanted more and more. He traveled the world and became rich before getting ready to get married.

    Originally, he wanted to return to Pallet and see if Delia would marry him, but when he returned, he saw that she was already married and had a 4-year-old son named Ash. He still remembers that boy; he had eyes that almost saw right through him.

    So instead, Spencer left, calling him and Delia nothing more than friends, and eventually fell in love with someone else. One year later, he had his daughter Molly. It was the happiest he''d ever been. He even took little Molly to Pallet Town to meet everyone and that one boy, Ash.

    Unfortunately, things don''t always stay happy because 3 years later, his wife passed away, and Spencer took on more work to drown out his sorrows as a way to cope. But that means he neglected Molly.

    He felt bad about it. He knows he shouldn''t have. Even if Molly has the servants in the class to take care of her, he knows he should be with her. But every time she said those words, it made his heart sink.

    "I want a mama too."

    She was gone, and she wasn''t coming back, but he didn''t know how to tell her. He didn''t have the heart to look at his precious daughter and tell her, so he just drowned his problems in his work.

    Tonight, however, Spencer took a moment to finally sit with Molly. She asked him for a story, so he picked the storybook he knew she liked. It was more of a picture book on legendary Pok¨¦mon.

    As he flipped the page, he reached the one with Unown. Molly looked with sparkles in her eyes. "Papa, that''s the one you''re looking for, right?"

    "That''s right, the Unown. Not much is known about them, but it is said that together, they can do anything," Spencer said. "I''ve been looking for them ever since¡ª" but he stopped himself.

    The truth is, part of the reason he looked for the Unown was their rumored power to do anything. He didn''t know if it was even true, but if it was, he had one wish¡ªto revive his wife. But his research had yielded no results. No one had seen Unown in centuries. Some people even believed they were extinct.

    Changing the subject, he flipped the page to a picture of Entei with a girl riding on top of it. "Ohh, Entei!" Molly said. Out of all the Pok¨¦mon in the book, Entei was her favorite.

    "Really? But I think Entei is kinda scary~" Spencer teased, feigning fear. "But you like Entei, you''re so much braver than Papa."

    Molly looked proud. "Of course! Entei is big and strong, but he''s also really nice. And he reminds me a lot of you, Papa!"

    Spencer smiled. "Well, in that case, I am Entei," he said, growling playfully. "How could you have seen past my disguise?"

    "Ahh, haha, Papa, no," Molly said happily as Spencer picked her up and carried her around. "You''re so silly, Papa. There''s no way you''re Entei."

    "But I am Entei. See? Rawwrrr!" Spencer said playfully as he laughed with Molly. But the moment was cut short when suddenly the computer rang with another email notification.

    Molly''s face lowered. "No¡­ it''s always him¡­"

    Spencer patted Molly as he placed her on the bed. "Don''t worry. I promised I would stay here with you tonight, didn''t I?" he said with a smile, making Molly brighten.

    "Yeah, you did!"

    Spencer smiled and opened up the email, revealing a video from his assistant, Schuyler. He pressed play, and the recording began. "Professor! We have some news! We have sightings of the Unown! Finally, after everything, we found them!"

    Spencer''s eyes widened. He could hardly believe it. He had almost lost hope, but now, the Unown were here. He had to see them. Just as he stood up, he felt a tug on his shirt. Molly was holding on.

    "But Papa, you promised you''d stay with me," she said, her voice low as she kept her head down.

    Spencer''s heart shattered seeing Molly like this. "P-please, Molly, this is different. The Unown are here. There''s no telling if they''ll disappear again. I have to do this."

    Molly looked like she wanted to cry. "You always say that, Papa. Why do you always put work over me? Do you not love me anymore, Papa?"

    Spencer''s heart broke even more. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into a hug and tell her everything would be okay, but he couldn''t¡­ not yet. "Molly, no, listen to me. I love you more than anything in the world, and I promise you¡ªafter this, I''ll tell you everything. Everything I''ve been hiding from you, and I''ll make it up tenfold."

    Molly still didn''t look up, but with a trembling voice, she asked, "Do you pinky promise, Papa? This is the last time?"

    Spencer nodded as he held his pinky out. "Yeah. Once I get back, regardless of whether I succeed, you''ll get the whole truth. Nothing less."

    Molly clasped her tiny pinky with Spencer''s, then hugged him. "Okay. I believe you, Papa. I love you."

    Spencer smiled and hugged her back. "I love you too, Molly. More than anything. And I''m sorry, but this will be the last time."

    As he tucked Molly into bed and walked out of the room, no one could have known how right those words were¡­

 Shy Wartortle

    Spencer and his team arrived on location, where they met with Schuyler. As he led Spencer into the place and handed him a tablet, he said, "Thanks for coming, professor!"

    "Yes. Now tell me everything," Spencer said. He wanted to do this as fast as he could.

    "Well, you see, recently, Gym Leader Bugsy announced that he saw the Unown reemerge into the world, and shortly after, there were sightings of groups all over the world," Schuyler said as he showed him pictures on the tablet.

    "Fascinating¡­" Spencer said. "And what about this place? If they''ve seen Unown in other places, why are we wasting time here?"

    "Well, you see, that''s another thing¡ªit''s easier for you to see," Schuyler said as they passed through a stone wall that moved, revealing a hidden chamber. Inside, the walls were covered in symbols, and as Spencer looked at them, he saw they were identical to the Unown in the pictures.

    "What is this?" Spencer asked.

    "It seems like this place has something to do with the Unown, but I don''t know what," Schuyler said. "That is why I called you, and I think we should send this to Gym Leader Bugsy as well. He may know more."

    Spencer nodded. "I agree." Then, he started taking pictures of the walls, taking note of each symbol. But as they stood there, he couldn''t help but feel like he was being watched.

    As he took another step, he saw something that looked like a box. He crouched down and opened it, revealing a stack of stone chips.

    When he picked one up, he saw there was a picture of a Unown on the stone chip. He noticed more scattered around, so he decided to pick them up one by one. In total, there were 28.

    As he touched the last one, the carvings on the chips started glowing, and then Unown appeared around Spencer.

    Spencer looked around in shock. "W-what?" But then he saw them spell something out:

    DISAPPEAR

    Spencer''s eyes widened, and before he could say anything¡ªpoof¡ªhe was gone. Spencer Hale was gone like the wind. When Schuyler looked back, he saw Spencer''s belongings were all that remained.

    He looked around. "Professor? Professor! PROFESSOR!!!"

    ¡ª-

    {Back with Ash}

    Olesia and Ash rode back after about an hour. Pikachu and Clefairy were both spoiled and round after being fed tons of snacks by the two women.

    Olesia glanced back at Ash while still driving. "So, do you think things are okay back at the daycare?"

    "Errr¡­" Ash thought about it.

    {Meanwhile}

    Brock, Misty, and Yellow were running across the field, being followed by the Wooper, who were hopping happily behind them.

    One Wooper shot a blast of water, hitting Brock''s foot and turning the ground beneath him into mud. He slipped and fell face-first into the muck.

    "Brock!" Yellow yelled out, but Misty grabbed her hand.

    "It''s too late for him! Let''s keep going!" Misty said, pulling her along.

    Brock flipped around and saw the little Wooper bouncing happily toward him. He tried to scramble to his feet, but he slipped again. Looking up, he saw Misty and Yellow running off.

    He turned back to the Wooper, who were still hopping toward him. Quickly, he reached down to his belt and grabbed a Pok¨¦ball. "Looks like there''s only one way out of this. Bring it on!"

    {Back with Ash}

    "Probably¡­I know my friends¡ªBrock wants to be a breeder, Misty loves Water Pok¨¦mon and Yellow¡­ well, it''s hard not to like Yellow," Ash said, shaking his head.

    "Well, that''s good. I was worried. The Wooper can sometimes get rowdy, but as long as they get exercise and sometimes get to battle, they''ll be fi¡ªoh my Mew!" Olesia exclaimed, realizing something.

    "What''s wrong?"

    "I forgot to put on the list that they like battling! If they don''t battle, they become mischievous. Oh, I hope they figured it out on their own," Olesia said, holding her head down.

    "I''m sure they did. Now, can you please look at the road? I may be a lot of things, but a mechanic isn''t one of them, so I''d rather not see you crash this thing," Ash said helplessly.

    "Oh, right!" Olesia said as she readjusted herself. "We should get there in about 10 minutes."

    ¡ª--

    Once Ash and Olesia pulled up to her house in the middle of the small valley, the first thing they noticed was that the grounds were thrashed like a wild animal had run through the place. The house, however, was relatively untouched.

    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    There seemed to be smoke rising from nowhere, and over in the corner, Brock was lying in the mud, breathing heavily. About six Wooper were sitting on top of him¡ªbeaten and dirty but happy¡ªand now napping on him.

    The rest of the Wooper were gathered around Yellow and Misty, who were sitting on a bench. The Wooper hopped happily, looking slightly dirty but satisfied, while Misty and Yellow caught their breaths.

    Ash and Olesia walked up. While Ash stared at what almost looked like a war zone, Olesia seemed unfazed¡ªlike this was completely normal.

    "Ohh, thank goodness everything seems okay," Olesia said as she ran up and picked a few Wooper off Brock''s body. "How do you do it? All the Wooper look so happy!"

    "Uhh, well¡­" Brock said. He wanted to get up and start flirting, but he was too tired to move. Instead, he lay back down in the nice, soft dirt. "Uhh, I guess¡­ it just came naturally."

    Meanwhile, Ash walked over to Misty and Yellow and leaned down. "Soooo, what happened here? You guys look half-dead, and Brock isn''t simping."

    Misty tilted her head slightly as the Wooper on her lap started nuzzling her. "Trust me, it''s better if you don''t know¡­"

    Before Ash could ask any more questions, Olesia clapped her hands happily. "Thank you all so much for everything! I hope taking care of all my Wooper wasn''t too much of a problem."

    "Err, no, it was no problem at all, Olesia¡­" Brock said, still face-first in the mud. "They were¡­ interesting. Little angels, really."

    Olesia smiled. "Oh, that''s wonderful! Well, thank you again. If you''d like, I''d love it if you st¡ª"

    "NO!" Brock and Misty shouted in unison.

    Brock quickly cleared his throat as he got up. "Sorry! What we mean is that we need to go. You know, I have the breeding competition nationals coming up, so we can''t stay."

    "Oh, I understand," Olesia said with a smile. "Then I won''t stop you, but you''re welcome back here anytime at the Wooper Daycare!"

    Ash walked over. "So, we''ll probably have to do something about you, Brock. You''re covered in mud, and I really don''t want to have to explain that this is not how a mud bath works. You need a bath-bath."

    "I got it¡­" Misty said, forcing herself to her feet as the Wooper jumped onto her head. She walked over and pulled out a Pok¨¦ball, but before she could throw it, one of the Wooper shot a [Water Gun] at Brock, drenching him from head to toe.

    "...Huh¡­" Misty said, still holding the Pok¨¦ball as Wooper jumped down to her shoulder and nuzzled her cheek.

    Olesia clapped her hands together. "Aww, it looks like this Wooper likes you! Hey, why don''t you take Wooper with you?"

    "Err¡­ well, is that okay? I mean, I don''t want to take Wooper away from his friends," Misty said. After what she''d experienced¡ªthe horrors that lay behind those eyes¡ªshe wasn''t sure.

    "It''s fine! After all, all the Wooper here have to leave eventually. Just remember to give him plenty of battling and training. Otherwise, I''m afraid they get restless and can get a little wild."

    "WAIT, SO THAT''S WHY¡ª" Misty started but quickly covered her mouth. "I mean, I guess I don''t see a reason why not. If Wooper wants to come with me, and I have your permission, then¡­ why not, I guess."

    Wooper nodded happily as Misty brought out a Pok¨¦ball and pressed the button. Wooper went inside with a ding.

    Misty held the Pok¨¦ball tightly, but before she could say anything, Ash slapped her back with a smirk.

    "Hey, nice catch! At least now you aren''t worthless when fighting an Electric-type," Ash teased.

    Misty felt slightly annoyed but also knew he was right. "Yeah, I guess. I guess now I don''t have to be scared when we do our little battles. With this bad boy, I don''t have to be scared about Pikachu~"

    "Easy there, tiger. Pikachu can still wreck you¡ªeven without Electric moves," Ash said with a grin.

    "Oh yeah? You wanna bet?" Misty said, throwing him a challenge.

    Ash smirked. "Alright then. You wanna go? Any time, any place, any Pok¨¦mon¡ªPikachu can still beat anything you throw at us."

    Meanwhile, as Ash and Misty were butting heads, Olesia looked on in amusement. "So¡­ does this happen often?"

    "I mean, I guess," Yellow said, shrugging her arms. "Ash... he pushes Misty''s buttons the most, just because she gives the biggest reaction."

    "And don''t forget¡ªbecause Misty has lost to Ash the most out of all of us, with only about a handful of wins for herself," Brock added.

    "I mean, I haven''t battled Ash yet," Yellow reminded Brock.

    Brock raised an eyebrow. "Wow, really? How? You''ve battled both me and Misty, but not Ash?"

    "I-I dunno. I guess it never came up. Ash asked me once, and I said I didn''t want to at the time¡ªand then never again," Yellow explained.

    Meanwhile, Olesia watched everything from the side and chuckled. "You all seem like really good friends."

    ¡ª-

    It was a few days later after they hit the road, they traveled more, and eventually, the Group decided to stop for lunch near a stream. It was Brock''s turn to cook, so Ash was free to do what he wanted¡ªwhich was exactly what he planned.

    He walked over to Misty and Yellow, who both held fishing rods and were getting ready to fish¡ªnot so much to catch anything, but more to pass the time.

    "Hey, do you mind if I join in on this one?" Ash asked.

    Misty blinked owlishly. "Oh, I mean, sure. I have an extra one."

    She reached into her bag and pulled out another shrunken rod, handing it to Ash.

    Ash took it and sat down at the edge of the lake. "Thanks. It''s been a while since I''ve done some fishing."

    Yellow sat a healthy distance away from Ash, not wanting to get too close. "U-um, so¡­ are you looking for a Pok¨¦mon to catch?"

    "Maybe. I guess it depends. I don''t have a good Water-type to use here in Johto, and reusing my old ones would be too easy," Ash said.

    Misty sat on the other side and threw her line out. "Only you can complain about things being too easy."

    "Aww, thank you," Ash replied, throwing his own line out. "By the way, I wanted to ask something."

    "Shoot," Misty said.

    "Well, remember how you went feral at the island of Squirtle?" Ash asked with a teasing smirk.

    "You''re not going to let me live that down! I already said I was sorry," Misty replied, looking embarrassed.

    "Right. Well, besides that¡ªyou caught a bunch to give to your gym, but you said you were keeping one. Whatever happened to it? I haven''t seen you use it¡ªlike, ever."

    "Oh yeah, I guess you never found out. Here, let me show you," Misty said as she pulled out a Pok¨¦ball and opened it. From it, a little Wartortle emerged, but as soon as she saw Ash and Yellow, she quickly ran to hide behind Misty.

    "Yeah, you see, I got her to evolve, but she''s extremely shy. I barely got her comfortable around me," Misty said, scratching the little turtle on the head.

    Ash and Yellow looked at each other.

    "Should we tell her?" Yellow asked.

    Ash shook his head. "Nah, let''s let her find out by herself."

    "Wait, what are you talking about? What do you want to tell me?" Misty asked, crossing her arms.

    "I wanted to show her something," Ash said as his Rotom Phone flew out of his pocket. It scrolled through videos until it pulled up the live stream of the Fire and Rescue Grand Prix, where Blastoise was competing.

    He then had his Rotom Phone hover over to the little Wartortle.

    "There. Let her watch that, maybe it''ll help her," Ash said with a smile more directed at Misty than anything else.

    "How is that supposed to help her? Isn''t that entire thing involving burning stuff, isn''t that going to freak her out more?" Misty said, not seeing Wartortle hold the phone and watching the scream

    "Uhh, Misty¡­" Yellow said, pointing behind her.

    Misty''s eye twitched. "There''s no way¡­" She looked down to see Wartortle completely engrossed in the video, sitting by a tree and forgetting to stay hidden.

    Misty sighed and looked at Ash. "You''re not going to let me live this down, are you?"

    "Oh, you have no idea of half of what we''re going to do, but for now, let''s just keep fishing~," Ash said, smirking at Misty.

    "Fine¡­" Misty said, squinting at Ash

    "Alright!" Ash responded

    Yellow looked between her friends, "Uhhh, okey dokey,"

 Totodile

    Misty, Yellow, and Ash had been sitting along the edge of the water for a while. Yellow had Chuchu sleeping in her lap with Ratty snoozing on her back. Meanwhile, Ash had Crocalor happily dozing behind him.

    And then there was the little Wartortle, who was still on Ash''s phone watching the firefighter competition. Her favorites were the newcomers¡ªthe Blastoise brigade¡ªled by a super cool Blastoise with sunglasses.

    Yellow was just enjoying time with her friends, but she was slightly struggling to stay awake. Ratty was pretty soft, so it was comfy to lay against him.

    Meanwhile, Ash and Misty were having a heated discussion that had been going on for a while.

    "Look, I''m just saying¡ªif we just get rid of all Bug types, then we can-"

    "No, no, no, no, no," Ash said, shaking his head. "I am not hearing you out. And you know what? Bug type is my favorite type."

    Misty gasped. "How could you?"

    "Oh, please. You''re looking at me like I just insulted your mother''s honor. And you know what? You wanna know my favorite Bug-type? It''s Golisopod."

    "That''s¡­" Misty stopped halfway through. "The only acceptable answer. At least it''s a Water type, so I''ll forgive you for now."

    Ash gave a deadpan look. "I didn''t ask for your forgiveness."

    But before he could say anything else, he felt a strong tug on his fishing line that almost pulled him in since he wasn''t ready for it.

    "Hey, we got one!"

    Misty looked smugly at Ash. "If you apologize, I''ll help you pull it out~"

    "It''s not happening," Ash said as he sunk his shoe into the dirt. Then he swung his arm around, pushed it with Aura, and started pulling the line back.

    "That can''t be fair! Here I am, all-natural talent, and you can just do that stupid Aura thing. How am I supposed to compete with that?" Misty grumbled.

    "That''s the fun part. You''re not!" Ash said. With one final pull, the line was yanked out of the water, and the Pok¨¦mon on the end jumped off, landing on the ground and immediately starting to dance.

    This Pok¨¦mon was, of course, none other than Totodile, who didn''t have a care in the world and just began to dance happily.

    The commotion and shift when Ash got up woke Crocalor, who looked over at the water croc that was dancing.

    "No way. How? Actually, how?!" Misty said, frustrated. The last thing she caught was a Magikarp. "How do you get all the good luck? It''s not fair!"

    "Hey, you get stabbed in the shoulder, then you can have all the luck. I''ll give it to you," Ash said as Misty sat back down, still frustrated but keeping her mouth closed.

    "Alright, Crocalor, you''re already out¡ªgo get him!" Ash pointed at his own fire croc.

    Crocalor walked up to Totodile as Totodile stopped dancing and looked at the fire croc. Crocalor did the same.

    For a moment, neither of them moved. They just stood there, staring into each other''s eyes.

    Ash and Misty looked at each other in confusion.

    "I-is¡­ is there supposed to-no¡­ we¡­ shouldn''t they be fighting? Are they¡­ broken?"

    "I dunno. I''m just as surprised as you," Ash said as he called out, "Crocalor, use Bite or something."

    Crocalor blinked, then stepped forward and chomped on Totodile. But Totodile didn''t really react¡ªhe just let it happen. Then, when Crocalor let go, Totodile looked at him and chomped back.

    Once Totodile released him, they looked at each other again¡ªthen started celebrating.

    "Croc~ Croc~ calor~! {New friend!}" Crocalor sang cheerfully.

    "Dile! {New friend!}" Totodile replied, dancing along to Crocalor''s singing.

    Ash and Misty watched in silence. Meanwhile, over in the corner, Yellow had fallen asleep. Chuchu took over the fishing rod while Ratty adjusted himself to make her more comfortable.

    Misty pointed at the two crocs. "Sooo¡­ you got an explanation for this one, Mr. Expert?"

    "I dunno," Ash admitted. "If anything, I would''ve thought they''d be rivals since, well, you know¡ªfire and water. But it looks like they just like each other, huh?"

    He walked over and crouched next to Totodile.

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    "Hey there, bud. You know, why don''t you come with us? I can make you strong, and you can hang out with your new friend."

    Totodile''s eyes lit up, and he nodded excitedly.

    "Totodile! {You had me at friend!}"

    Ash''s eye twitched. "But that''s the last thi¡ªoh, never mind," he mumbled as he grabbed a Lure Ball and tapped Totodile with it.

    Totodile went in, and after three rolls, there was a Ding!¡ªmeaning he was caught.

    Ash let Totodile back out, and the little croc immediately started dancing again, happily jumping around Crocalor as the fire croc kept singing his tune.

    Ash sat back down next to Misty.

    "Huh. This is¡­ interesting. If you gave me 100 guesses, this would not be one of them."

    As they watched the dance, Brock finally walked out from the side, holding a ladle.

    "Hey, guys! Lunch is ready." Then he spotted the Totodile and shook his head helplessly. "I''ll set up another bowl."

    "Thanks, my dude," Ash said, handing the rod back to Misty before noticing Yellow still asleep.

    "Should we wake her up?" Misty asked as she packed the rods back into her bag.

    "Probably. She should eat something," Ash replied as he walked over and gently poked Yellow on the cheek.

    "Hey, hey, Yellow. Wake up."

    "Mmm?" Yellow murmured, slowly opening her eyes. Seeing Ash standing over her, she immediately sat up, blushing.

    "S-sorry. I guess I fell asleep!"

    "It''s fine," Ash chuckled. "Lunch is ready, by the way."

    "R-right," Yellow said quietly as she picked up Ratty and Chuchu and quickly walked over to the table.

    Misty followed along shortly after, but Ash stayed behind, thinking. With Totodile, that meant there was really only one more Pok¨¦mon he was planning on catching.

    He also thought about whether he should catch Girafarig and Dunsparce. Originally, he''d planned to do it to show more discoveries, but Oak had already told him the evolution methods from Paldea had been leaked.

    He did want to use them at some point, but he wasn''t sure if he''d do it here in Johto. Maybe some other time. Sinnoh, perhaps? Or Hoenn?

    Questions for later.

    Right now, he had more important things to worry about¡ªlike when the heck the events of the third movie would take place.

    He had an idea, but nothing was set yet. The only thing he knew was that it''d happen sometime after he got his next target, That Shiny Noctowl.

    As Ash finally got up, he noticed the little Wartortle still sitting under the tree, holding his phone and watching the video. He walked over and leaned down, seeing that the new Blastoise brigade had won.

    On-screen, the leader, Blastoise, with sunglasses, was holding up the trophy triumphantly. Wartortle was completely enthralled, stars practically sparkling in her eyes.

    Sensing her shyness, Ash released a bit of Aura to create a soothing effect and leaned closer.

    "Hey, that''s pretty cool, right?"

    "Tortle¡­," Wartortle nodded absentmindedly, barely registering his presence.

    Ash reached down and scratched her gently behind the ears. "You know, if you want, you can meet the leader Blastoise."

    Wartortle froze and looked up. "War¡­to..?"

    When Ash nodded, her eyes lit up even brighter, and she nodded back eagerly.

    Ash smiled, taking his phone back and scooping Wartortle up into his arms. She let him, despite her usual shyness. Aura is great, isn''t it?

    As Ash walked over to the table, Misty immediately noticed him holding her Wartortle. Her eye twitched in annoyance. She slapped her hand down on the table and pointed an accusing finger at him.

    "That is not fair! How do you just get her to be like that? It took me, like, a week before she even let me eat in the same room as her!"

    Ash shrugged. "Beats me. But I bet Yellow could''ve done it faster than me."

    He pointed behind him, where Yellow, surprised to be called out, shyly waved.

    "Don''t patronize me," Misty grumbled.

    "Sounds to me like you''re just mad ''cause bad," Ash teased.

    ¡ª--

    {A few days later¡­}

    Brock, Misty, Yellow, and Ash were walking through yet another forest.

    "Ughhh, why are there so many forests in Johto?" Misty grumbled. "Why did we have to go through here?"

    Brock looked down at his map.

    "I mean, it''s not that bad. This is only, like, the third forest we''ve been in."

    "Yeah, but it''s been less than a week since the last one¡­" Misty muttered.

    Ash trailed behind them with his arms behind his head.

    "How about you get to complain after you get stabbed in the shoulder?"

    "You''re not going to let that go, are you?" Misty said, side-eyeing him.

    "Oh, sorry. I guess the fact that I got STABBED. IN. THE. SHOULDER. Must not be a big deal. Sorry for bringing it up," Ash said sarcastically.

    "Okay, okay! I get it," Misty relented.

    As the bantering continued, Yellow wandered off slightly to the side, looking at the trees. Suddenly, she noticed something.

    "Hey, guys! Look at that!"

    The others turned and followed her gaze, spotting a large box mounted on a tree.

    "It looks like a bird''s nest box," Brock said as he examined it. "But it''s too big for a Pidgey or Hoothoot nest box and too small for a Pidgeot, Pidgeotto, or Noctowl."

    As he said that, a Noctowl landed in front of the nest box, tilted its head, and inspected it. It quickly realized the box seemed a bit too small for it.

    Curious, the Noctowl leaned in to peek inside. But just as it put its head near the hole, a branch suddenly shifted and smacked the bird on the back of the head, forcing it to fly away in surprise.

    "What was that¡­? Did that tree just move?" Yellow asked, staring wide-eyed as the branch calmly returned to its original position.

    "Oh, don''t tell me we''re about to fight another ghost Pok¨¦mon," Misty groaned, already reaching for a Pok¨¦ball on her belt.

    Ash pushed her hand away. "No, look closer, it''s someone hiding. Probably the same person who set up the bird box."

    "But wait," Brock interjected. "Aren''t wild Noctowl supposed to be nocturnal?"

    "It''s the forest," Ash explained with a shrug. "It''s so dark in here that the Pok¨¦mon don''t really know if it''s day or night. They just sleep and wake up whenever they feel like it. Same idea as changing a sleep schedule."

    Just then, another Noctowl flapped down to land beside the bird box. This one was smaller than the previous one, and instead of brown feathers, it shimmered with golden ones, it was a Shiny.

    As the Shiny Noctowl landed, the branch shook excitedly, waving berries toward it as if offering a snack. However, the Shiny Noctowl tilted its head, kicked the berries away, and then promptly rammed its head into the tree trunk with a headbutt.

    The entire tree shook violently. Suddenly, a blanket fell from the branch, revealing a man clinging desperately to the trunk. As the shaking continued, his grip slipped. He tumbled down, hitting a branch on the way before landing face-first on the ground with a thud.

    Misty gasped. "He just fell, like, 20 feet on his head!"

    Ash walked over and crouched beside the man, quickly checking his condition.

    "He''s breathing, just knocked out," Ash confirmed as he stood up.

    Looking up, Ash locked eyes with the Shiny Noctowl, who tilted its head mockingly at the unconscious man. Then its gaze shifted to Ash, eyes narrowing as if issuing a silent challenge.

    Ash sighed, stretching his arms behind his head.

    "Alright then," he said with a grin. "Time for me to put my hat in the ring."

 Noctowl

    Ash approached a clearer spot, leaving the man with Brock, Misty, and Yellow. Yellow was already starting to heal his head.

    Ash looked up at Noctowl, who was watching him curiously, wanting to see what he would do. Ash just smiled back.

    "Hey, Noctowl, you hated all that trickery that guy was doing, right? It was like an insult to your intelligence, wasn''t it?" Ash said.

    Noctowl looked curious but nodded his head. "Nooot! [Obviously, one of my intelligence could never be caught by such primitive traps. It is insulting,]"

    Ash smiled as Noctowl confirmed his thoughts. "I knew it. So I''m not going to try to trick you. Instead," he said, pointing a finger at the Noctowl, "I challenge you, and when I beat you, I''ll capture you."

    Noctowl blinked owlishly and tilted his head, trying to gauge Ash''s intentions.

    From the sidelines, Brock and Misty watched while Yellow continued healing the man. Misty looked at Brock. "What the heck is he doing?"

    "Looks like Ash is trying to convince that Noctowl to a fair battle, and from what I saw, that Noctowl is especially smart."

    "Ok, but there''s no way that''s working. I mean, Ash just said if he won, he would catch him. There''s no way that Noctowl will agree to it."

    Almost as if on cue, the Noctowl nodded his head. "Noot [Very well]."

    Misty fell over. "How did that work!?"

    Ash stretched his arm and thought for a moment, then pulled out his new Pok¨¦ball. "Alright, let''s see what you can do."

    He threw out the Pok¨¦ball, and out from it came the Mareep. The little sheep jumped, looked up, and, seeing Noctowl, got into a battle stance.

    "Huh¡­ when did you get a Mareep?" Brock asked.

    "I''ll tell you later. I need to focus on this," Ash said immediately.

    Ash clenched his fists and got into position. Mareep sparked faint arcs of electricity across his wool. Noctowl was still sitting on the branch, but once he saw the battle was about to start, he jumped off, flapped his wings, and hovered slightly above the ground.

    "Alright, Mareep, let''s start with [Thunder Shock]!" Ash commanded.

    The little Mareep let out a soft bleat as his wool started lighting up with static electricity before shooting it in thin streams, aiming at Noctowl.

    But Noctowl wasn''t scared. His eyes flashed, glowing with a soft, hypnotic light as he used [Light Screen]. The electricity crashed against the shield and fizzled out.

    "Not bad," Ash muttered. "But we''re just getting started! Mareep, use [Charge] on your legs."

    Mareep dug its hooves into the ground, gathering energy as its wool flared brighter. Sparks danced around its body, then focused down at his feet.

    Noctowl tilted its head in curiosity but remained unimpressed. Then it swooped low, its wings glowing a bright light blue as it prepared to use [Wing Attack].

    "Now, jump over it!" Ash shouted.

    Mareep used the charge he stored in his legs and performed an explosive jump over Noctowl, making him miss completely.

    "Now, [Thunder Shock]!"

    Mareep turned mid-air and shot another stream of electricity down at Noctowl''s back, making it coo as it spun sharply, flying back up while Mareep landed on the ground.

    Noctowl did what could only be explained as a scoff and circled back, glowing faintly as it prepared a [Confusion].

    Ash waved his arm. "Meet it halfway! Use [Thunder Shock] again!"

    Mareep shot out his electricity, and Noctowl released the psychic blast. The electricity collided with the psychic energy, scattering light across the clearing. Noctowl flinched¡ªbeing nocturnal, the bright light hurt his eyes.

    Ash saw this and smiled. "So that''s your weakness? Alright, I understand it now¡ª[Cotton Spore]!"

    Mareep puffed up his wool and scattered cotton spores at the blinded Noctowl. By the time Noctowl opened his eyes, it was too late¡ªthe spores stuck to both wings, slowing him down and making him less aerodynamic.

    Noctowl shook his feathers and glared at Ash, realizing he had been playing around too much. It was time to take this battle more seriously.

    Noctowl flapped his wings, which began glowing as he fired an [Air Cutter] towards the sheep.

    It was coming too fast for Mareep to dodge, so instead, Ash called out, "[Charge] again!"

    Mareep''s wool lit up with electricity, raising his special defense. When the slashes struck, Mareep was already comfortably at +2, allowing him to tank the hits well.

    "Now get in close with a [Tackle]!" Ash commanded as Mareep charged forward toward the flying owl.

    Noctowl saw him coming and began preparing another [Confusion] to stop him, but as he aimed, Mareep suddenly jumped¡ªnot at Noctowl, but at a nearby tree. Using the tree as leverage, Mareep rebounded and struck Noctowl from the side, breaking his concentration.

    Mareep held on as he bit down on the wool stuck to Noctowl''s wings, causing the owl to lose balance and struggle to stay airborne. In desperation, Noctowl twisted his head a full 105 degrees and started to [Peck] at Mareep repeatedly.

    Mareep endured the attacks and didn''t let go, and it paid off. After the third [Peck], sparks from Mareep''s wool jumped onto Noctowl. Mareep''s ability, Static, activated, paralyzing Noctowl.

    Ash grinned. "Alright, you did your job! Now jump off with another [Thunder Shock]!"

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    Mareep let go and used his small legs to leap into the air. He turned mid-jump and shot another burst of electricity, hitting Noctowl point-blank.

    Mareep landed back on the ground as Noctowl struggled to keep flapping his wings. But the owl didn''t give up; his eyes glowed as he cast [Hypnosis], creating an illusion.

    Mareep was caught in the move and saw multiple Noctowl surrounding him, all preparing to unleash powerful blasts. But Ash wasn''t worried.

    "Not bad. Too bad it''s useless."

    Ash could see through the illusion easily, but he didn''t even need to. He had the perfect counter.

    When Ash checked Mareep in the Pok¨¦dex earlier, he found something surprising. Pok¨¦mon in this world sometimes had altered move sets¡ªand Mareep was no exception.

    ¡ª

    [Mareep{M}]

    [Nature: Rash (+SpA, -SpD)]

    [Ability: Ability: Static, Hidden Ability: Electromorphosis]

    [Current moves: Parabolic Charge, Tail Glow]

    ¡ª

    Not only did Mareep have Electromorphosis, giving him an extra charge boost, but he also knew [Parabolic Charge], that overpowered attack. How? Ash had no idea, but he wasn''t about to complain. This Mareep was a true battle prodigy.

    Ash raised his arm. "Now, finish this¡ª[Parabolic Charge]!"

    Mareep opened his mouth and formed a glowing sphere of electricity. Instead of firing at one of the illusions, he launched it into the air.

    The orb hovered for a moment before releasing multiple lightning bolts, targeting all the illusionary Noctowl¡ªand the real one.

    When the attack struck, it electrocuted Noctowl, draining his energy. Mareep absorbed the electricity back, healing himself completely.

    With Mareep now fully recovered, Noctowl fell to the ground, looking extra crispy but still twitching.

    Ash walked over and tapped the bird with a Pok¨¦ball.

    One roll¡­ two rolls¡­ three rolls¡­

    Ding!

    Noctowl was caught.

    Ash picked up the Pokeball and gave Mareep a pat, "Pretty good for your first battle with me; you''ll fit right in"

    "Ma-re-e-ep!" Mareep said happily as a little leftover electricity went to Ash, but he was fine.

    Ash pulled out his dex and checked Noctowl.

    ¡ª-

    [?Noctowl?(M)]

    [Nature: Quiet (+SpA, -Spe)]

    [Ability: Ability: Tinted Lens, Hidden Ability: Aerilate]

    [Clairvoyance - gain Psychic STAB, can learn any Psychic type move]]

    ¡ª-

    Ash whistled. "Pretty good. And that mutation''s going to be very useful."

    It always bothered him that Noctowl wasn''t a Psychic type, but now he had some ideas about what techniques to teach him.

    Lost in thought, Ash barely noticed Brock calling his name.

    "Hey, Ash!"

    Ash snapped out of it. "Sorry, I got lost in thought. What''s up, man?"

    "Well, first off¡ªwhat was that? I never knew Mareep could do that," Brock said.

    "And," Misty cut in, "the old guy''s waking up."

    Ash looked over and saw Yellow helping the man to his feet. The man groaned, grabbing his head.

    "I''m not old! I''m in my twenties! And my name is Dr. Wiseman," he said defensively.

    "Right, so wise," Misty muttered sarcastically under her breath. "Is that why you got knocked out of a tree?"

    Dr. Wiseman stood with Yellow''s help, then glanced up at the tree he''d fallen from.

    "Drat! That Noctowl is gone. I suppose this is another failure. I''m afraid no one will ever catch that elusive Noctowl."

    "Well, about that¡ª" Yellow tried to interject.

    "You see, that Noctowl is a rare Shiny! And although it''s small, it makes up for it with intelligence. But I''ve been unable to outsmart it."

    "Actually¡ª"

    "If only I could! But it seems impossible. I''ve been at this for months! If only¡ª"

    "Oh, I caught him," Ash said, casually spinning the Pok¨¦ball on his finger.

    "Yes, l¡ªwait, what?" Dr. Wiseman froze.

    "Yep, caught Noctowl. Just asked him to battle, beat him, and caught him. Really easy, actually."

    "It¡­it couldn''t have been that easy¡­" Dr. Wiseman stammered, looking around for confirmation.

    But everyone nodded.

    Dr. Wiseman fell to his knees. "All this wasted time¡­ and it was that easy?"

    He began to tremble, and Yellow stepped forward, about to comfort him.

    Suddenly, Dr. Wiseman threw his arms into the air.

    "Finally! I''m free! No more effort, no more plans¡ªit''s over! I can leave this stupid forest!"

    Jumping to his feet, he grabbed Ash''s hands and shook them furiously.

    "Thank you for freeing me! Keep that blasted thing! It taunted me long enough!"

    With that, he took off running into the woods, shouting celebrations as he went.

    Everyone stared after him in stunned silence.

    "Huh¡­ that was weird," Misty said at last. "I was expecting him to be kinda salty or something. But no, guess he did go crazy in this forest."

    "Oh, that reminds me," Brock said, turning to Ash. "So earlier, you said you''d tell us where you got that Mareep. Well¡­ now is later. So spill."

    Ash grinned. "Sure! You see, it all started when I met Yui¡ªyou know, the girl you met before, remember~?"

    ¡ª---

    {Ashtwo}

    Ash stepped into the meeting room, immediately spotting a handful of grunts and a few team leaders scattered around. Standing in the center was someone he recognized¡ªExecutive Proton.

    Being the second-highest-ranking officer in the room, Ash made his way toward Proton. As he passed, his eyes briefly locked with Enid, Jay, and Helena, who were seated together. Without breaking stride, Ash gave them a single look before continuing forward.

    "Yup, he''s mad today," Jay muttered, scratching the back of his head.

    "M-maybe he just needs to talk to Mr. Proton?" Helena offered, though her tone betrayed her lack of confidence.

    Enid groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Ugh, I''ve been trying to talk to him¡ªto maybe make things right, but I can never catch him alone. It''s like he''s avoiding me."

    "Maybe because he is," came a fourth voice.

    The group turned to see a short girl with bright yellow hair tied into pigtails. She wore a Team Rocket uniform and flashed an innocent smile.

    "Sorry to butt in¡ªoopsie!" She knocked on her head playfully. "Name''s Domino. Couldn''t help but overhear¡­ so, what''s the juicy gossip?"

    Enid scoffed. "I hardly think that''s any of your-"

    But Jay interrupted. "Well, long story short, Enid here made fun of our friend D. Now she''s trying to figure out if he''s mad at her."

    Domino chuckled. "Seems kind of obvious, doesn''t it? She made fun of someone she''s supposed to be friends with. I don''t know what she said, but it sounds pretty stupid to hope he''s not mad at her."

    "Right? That''s what I said." Jay nodded. "Now she wants to try and apologize to him¡ª"

    "Wait just a minute!" Enid snapped. "I said I wanted to make it up to him, not apologize!"

    "¡­which is basically the same thing," Jay finished.

    Domino smirked. "Yeah, sounds like you''re out of luck. You''re not getting your boyfriend''s attention anytime soon."

    "He''s not my boyfriend!" Enid huffed, turning her nose up. "And for the record, he should feel honored that I even want to talk to him. Instead, he''s being immature¡ªholding onto some petty grudge. But what do you expect from someone like him?"

    Unbeknownst to her, Ash had returned and was now standing right behind her.

    Everyone''s eyes darted between Ash and Enid, who froze as she noticed the change in atmosphere.

    "Oh, you''ve got to be fu-"

    "Well," Ash interrupted, pushing a chair back under the table. "I was going to ask if I could sit down, but whatever. I''ll find somewhere else."

    He walked away without looking back, heading toward Proton.

    Domino shook her head. "Yeah¡­ you''re really not making this easier for yourself."

    "I-I just-" Enid started to explain but was cut off as Proton began speaking.

    "Alright, everyone. I need your attention," Proton said, silencing the room. "We''ve uncovered an old underground lab formerly owned by Silph Co. Our primary objective is to determine why it was abandoned. The secondary objective is to recover any leftover data or materials we can use. Any questions?"

    No one spoke.

    "Good," Proton continued. "Prepare to move out in a few minutes. Agent D, I need to speak with you privately."

    Ash nodded and followed Proton into another room.

    Meanwhile, Jay grinned. "Wow! This mission sounds awesome. What do you think, Helena? It''s your first one. Excited?"

    "I-I guess," Helena replied nervously. Her expression shifted to a slightly wide smile. "I just hope it''s haunted. The occult is my specialty."

    Domino, however, seemed lost in her own world, staring after Proton like a lovestruck schoolgirl.

    "Wow¡­ Proton is so cool! Oh, I wish I could talk to him instead of that D guy¡­" she sighed dreamily.

    Jay groaned. "Oh boy¡­ not good. We''ve lost her."

    "Great¡­ now we have two crazy girls coming with us¡­" Helena muttered.

    "What was that?!" Enid snapped.

    "Nothing!" Helena quickly backpedaled. "Let''s just¡­ get ready for the mission."

 Spell Of The Unown - 1

    {Back at the mansion}

    When Molly heard from the servants that someone had come, she thought it was her father. Excitedly, she put on her dress and ran down the stairs, getting ready to see him. But when she entered the room, she only saw the butler and Schuyler, with a box in the center of the table.

    "This is terrible news¡­ now the young lady is all alone," the butler said sadly as Schuyler looked down, clenching his pants.

    Molly looked confused and walked up. "Where''s Papa?"

    Schuyler felt a knot in his throat as the butler stood up. "I think I should be the one to break the news to the young lady¡­."

    Molly had a bad feeling as she took a step back. "What are you talking about? Where''s Papa? I want Papa!"

    The butler looked down and took a deep breath. "I''m afraid your father¡­ he''s gone, and he''s not coming back."

    Molly felt like her world had shattered. "No¡­ no, no! You''re lying! Papa promised me!"

    "Please, Molly¡­" Schuyler said, standing up.

    "No! This is all your fault! If you didn''t call Papa, none of this would have happened!" Molly said, stomping her little feet angrily.

    "I¡­ Molly¡­" Schuyler tried to say something, but Molly went running and slammed the door to her room, locking it.

    Schuyler was about to get up, but the butler stopped him. "Give her some time. She needs time."

    Schuyler nodded as they left, leaving the box on the table.

    {Later that night}

    Molly walked out of her room when she knew no one was around. She sneaked up to the box on the table, grabbed her computer, and opened it, looking through it. "Papa¡­ where are you?"

    As she did, her elbow knocked the box, making it fall over. The top opened, and the stone chips fell out across the floor.

    Molly looked at it as she went to the ground, examining them. "Hey¡­ they kinda look like letters¡­."

    Molly rearranged the pieces, making them spell many things. It was strange. Even though all the pieces had different figures on them, as she grabbed them, they seemed to change into what she needed. She spelled out three words¡ª''Papa,'' ''Mama,'' and ''Me''¡ªout of the Unown tiles.

    "Mama¡­ Papa¡­." As she said this, she closed her eyes tightly, and a tear fell onto the pieces. As it did, they began to glow.

    Around the world, Unown felt an energy drawing them in. They called upon their power, creating portals and going through them, appearing next to Molly and spiraling around her.

    Molly looked around in surprise. "Unown?" She looked at the tiles as they seemed to get picked up in the small spiral of Unown. She looked up with a hopeful look. "Do you want to play with me?"

    As she looked around in wonder, she felt like someone spoke to her, but there were many small voices she couldn''t see, and they asked, ''What is it you wish?''

    Molly didn''t understand, but she looked down. "I want¡­ my family."

    The Unown listened as 6 different Unown came to the center and spelled something out: FAMILY.

    As they did, the Unown glowed as they read through Molly''s head¡ªevery thought, every fantasy, every dream.

    From underneath Molly, the ground turned to crystal, then began to spread and shoot out in jagged edges throughout the room, spiraling and reflecting all around. It began spreading across the ceiling, the walls, and into other rooms.

    As the servants and Schuyler were outside, they saw it and immediately rushed to find the source of whatever was happening. Then, they saw a door being covered with crystal, and it was spreading from there.

    Schuyler and the butler nodded at each other and tackled the door at the same time, breaking through. As they did, they saw Molly being surrounded by all the Unown.

    "Those are the Unown!" Schuyler said, his eyes widening in surprise. "What are they doing here?!"

    The butler yelled out, "Young miss!" trying to get Molly''s attention. "Quick, come to us before it''s too late!"

    But Molly didn''t listen as the crystals shot up, pushing them all back, then slammed the door and created more crystals to barricade it.

    Molly then heard something fall from the table. It was the book her father had read to her, and it fell open to the page with Entei on it.

    As she picked it up, she started tearing up, remembering her dad''s words:

    ''These are legendary Pokemon, Molly. And in this book, the artist imagined what some of them might look like.''

    If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "Papa¡­" Molly mumbled as unshed tears covered her eyes.

    ''I''m like Entei, am I? Well, then I am Entei!''

    His words echoed in her mind. She fell to her knees, falling into an even bigger depression, making the tears finally start flowing out of her eyes. "Papa... please come back!"

    The Unown heard her cries as the word they created, ''FAMILY,'' began to glow. They saw Molly call the picture her father, so that is what they''ll do.

    The crystals formed, and then one giant crystal shattered. From out of it came an Entei, who walked out and looked around before his eyes landed on Molly. "Are you the one who has called me here?"

    Molly heard the new voice and turned back to see Entei walk up to her. "Are you my...?"

    Entei cut her off. "I am Entei."

    But Molly just smiled. "Papa, it''s you! You look just like the Entei in the storybook, but it''s you! Papa! Papa."

    "Papa?" Entei asked. He was about to correct her, but Molly jumped on him and started nuzzling into his fur, making him change his mind. "If that is what you wish."

    As soon as Entei said those words, more crystals began shooting out, spreading and covering everything.

    Outside of the mansion, Schuyler, the butler, and the maids all watched in shock and worry as the mansion was completely covered in crystal, blocking them out, unable to do anything.

    "YOUNG LADY!!!!" they called, but it was too late.

    ¡ª-

    {With the gang}

    After the Noctowl incident, they all went back onto the road. Goldenrod City was a few days away, but as they got back on the trail, they met a girl named Lisa, who challenged Ash to a battle. The outcome was just what you''d expect.

    "Alright, Cyndaquil, let''s end this! Cyndaquil, [Flamethrower]!" Ash commanded.

    Lisa panicked. "Aipom, no! Quick, dodge!"

    But it was no use. As Cyndaquil''s back flames lit up, Ash had already fixed the problem where it took a bit for Cyndaquil to get warmed up, and now he had nothing holding him back. Cyndaquil shot out a large flame, hitting the small monkey and knocking it out.

    "And that makes Ash the winner!" Misty announced. Usually, it would be Brock refereeing these kinds of things¡­ but he was a bit¡­ preoccupied.

    And by that, I mean he tried flirting with Lisa, and Bonsly and Larvitar teamed up and knocked him out with a double headbutt.

    So, while they waited for Brock to get up, Ash went ahead and made lunch. Misty and Yellow invited Lisa to join them, and by the time Ash made lunch for everyone, Brock finally woke up. He silently ate since he wouldn''t be able to impress Lisa with his cooking.

    As the five people and all the Pok¨¦mon (- Snorlax because he already ate on his own) were eating, Brock still wanted to try to win over Lisa, so he attempted to make some small talk.

    "Hey Lisa, you know we''ve been on the road for a while. Do you know what the nearest town is?"

    Lisa nodded and quickly swallowed her sandwich. "Yeah, there''s one just over the mountains. It''s called Greenfield!"

    Before Brock could try to keep the conversation going, Misty cut in. "Wow, really? Greenfield! Everyone''s heard of Greenfield. I''ve wanted to see it ever since I was a little girl," she said, looking into the sky with shining eyes.

    Lisa smiled and put on a cheeky smirk. "Same here, and guess what? I know a shortcut. We can get there in less than an hour~"

    "Wow, really? Oh, that''s amazing! We have to go. Let''s travel together and get there!" Misty announced.

    "Is that Greenfield place really that special?" Yellow asked. Since she was not familiar with much of anything outside of Kanto¡ªheck, she barely knew about stuff in Kanto¡ªshe was just that sheltered.

    "Oh yeah, Greenfield''s supposed to be a beautiful little town with beautiful gardens and a beautiful mountain with a beautiful mansion right at the top!" Misty said, taking Yellow''s hands and clasping them between hers.

    Brock then looked like he had an idea. "Hey, if everything is beautiful in Greenfield, then I can''t wait to see all the girls!"

    "You know, I''ve been to Greenfield once, back when I was like 6 years old, but I wasn''t that enamored by it," Ash said, dropping a piece of lore casually.

    "What¡­" Misty, Brock, and Lisa said in unison, looking at Ash with a deadpan expression.

    "Oh yeah, I remember now. You told me about it, and you and Ms. Delia showed us pictures. It was really pretty. I remember now," Yellow said innocently as if this revelation wasn''t causing the other three mental distress.

    Misty let go of Yellow and was about to grab Ash by the shoulders, but he said with a deadpan expression, "If you shake me again, I''m going to say no."

    Misty stopped herself since she was planning on shaking Ash again. She put her hands to her sides and cleared her throat. "Hey Ash, we have to go, right? I''m sure you''d want to at least go to the Pok¨¦mon center, and I mean, if you''ve been there, I''m sure your mom will like some pictures of what''s new, right?"

    "Wow, that''s your idea of trying to convince me? Well, it''s not working," Ash chuckled. "Also, how many times do I have to say this? I''m your friend, not your babysitter. You don''t have to ask for my permission for stuff."

    "Sooooo, does that mean¡­" Misty said with a hopeful expression.

    Ash clenched the bridge of his nose. "Yes, for crying out loud! If all of you want to go, then we can go. Jeez."

    "Yes!" x2. Brock and Misty high-fived each other.

    Ash rolled his eyes as Yellow was still somewhat lost, but she saw everyone was happy, so she was happy. But little did she know Ash wasn''t happy. He was livid. Not because of anything they did or are doing.

    No, it''s because he knows this is how the movie starts, the 3rd movie, and he can''t do anything about what''s going to happen next. But that doesn''t mean he''s not going to try.

    ¡ª-

    After cleaning up, they packed up and hit the road, led by Lisa, who happily was leading the way as she talked about how she was coming to town to get all sorts of things, and Misty was happily walking next to her.

    Lisa went ahead and looked at them as she walked backward and stood at the top of the mountain. "And this is it, are you ready!"

    "Of course we are!" Brock and Misty said in unison, like they were responding to an idol at a concert.

    Lisa spun around dramatically. "Then welcome to Greenf¡ªwhat?" she said as she finally saw what was actually on the other side of the mountain.

    The place that was supposed to be a place of peace and tranquility was covered in patches of purple crystals. The beautiful flowers on the green grasslands were getting crystallized. And at the top of the hill and looking out, in the center of the crystallization, stands a crystal tower. It was originally supposed to be the big mansion in the center of town, but now it is gone.

    As they looked, they heard a truck rush past them going to town. Looking over, they saw the Goldenrod City news team rushing out and setting up cameras, with an Officer Jenny to escort them.

    While everyone else was wondering what was happening, Ash clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, and he grit his teeth. He knew this was it. This was the beginning to all the problems he was going to have to deal with.

    But he knows one thing, he''ll be damned if he lets the only family he''s ever known get taken away from him, and he won''t let anyone stand in his way.

    As everyone was looking away from Ash, no one, not even Ash or Pikachu, who was on his shoulder, noticed that his brown eyes were turning a shade of red.

 Spell Of The Unown - 2

    The news broadcasting the incident played all across the world. After all, this involved Professor Oak''s student, the famous Pok¨¦mon researcher Professor Spencer Hale. With a scandal of this magnitude, how could people not rush to report it?

    The reporter stood in front of the camera as she broadcast to the world:

    "Behind me lies the normally peaceful town of Greenfield. But these green fields have suddenly undergone a disturbing transformation. Officials are baffled by this shocking phenomenon, which appears to have originated from the hilltop mansion of renowned Pok¨¦mon researcher Spencer Hale."

    In Pallet Town, as Professor Oak and Tracey watched the news, they couldn''t help but stare wide-eyed in shock at the crystal landscape displayed on the TV.

    Tracey looked down at Professor Oak. "Hey, wasn''t Spencer Hale one of your top students, Professor?"

    "One of my very best," Professor Oak confirmed. "But I lost contact with him recently, and now this¡­ What is going on¡­"

    As they continued watching, they heard the door to the lab open, followed by the sound of feet running up the stairs. Delia burst into the lab, out of breath from running all the way from her house after closing up her shop early.

    "Professor Oak! Have you seen the news about Greenfield?" Delia asked, panting as she caught her breath.

    "I have, and I''ll be going there shortly," Oak replied as he donned his lab coat and reached for the shelf holding his Pok¨¦balls, grabbing his Alakazam''s ball.

    "I''m going with you," Delia announced. Oak didn''t seem surprised, but Tracey was completely stunned.

    Tracey stammered, "M-Ms. Ketchum, you can''t be serious! It''s¡ª"

    "Very well. Do you have everything you need?" Oak interrupted, completely cutting off the shocked Tracey.

    "W-what? B-but, Professor, forgive me, but you can''t be serious!" Tracey exclaimed in disbelief.

    Oak shook his head. "No, I am serious. Delia has just as much¡ªif not more¡ªreason to go than I do. Besides, she isn''t defenseless. She can handle herself."

    "Wait, what?" Tracey blinked. "Say that last part again?"

    Delia giggled as she flexed her arm playfully. "I may not look it, but I was a tough trainer before I had Ash. I participated in the Pok¨¦mon League and almost won¡ªplaced in the top four my first year!"

    "Indeed," Oak said seriously. "So, will you be bringing any of your Pok¨¦mon with you?"

    "I don''t think so," Delia replied. "It''s just crystals, right? I don''t think I''ll need to battle. Besides, I''m a bit rusty." She scratched the back of her head.

    Oak sighed, typing into his computer. A Pok¨¦ball materialized before him. He picked it up and held it out to Delia. "I''d feel more comfortable if you at least took one."

    Delia had caught quite a few Pok¨¦mon during her time as a trainer, but she knew exactly which one Oak was offering her. It was undoubtedly her strongest Pok¨¦mon, but just thinking about it brought up complicated feelings.

    "U-uh, how about you hang onto her," Delia said hesitantly. "And if I need her, you can give her to me."

    Oak frowned but understood. That Pok¨¦mon was a sensitive topic for Delia. He nodded, securing the Pok¨¦ball on his belt. His Alakazam let out a relieved sigh.

    "Then let''s go," Oak said firmly. "We can''t enter the mansion because we don''t know what''s inside, but Alakazam can teleport us to the Pok¨¦mon Center."

    ¡ª-

    {With the gang}

    "Here you are," Nurse Joy said as she handed back everyone''s tired Pok¨¦mon.

    After seeing the news crew, the group had gone to the Pok¨¦mon Center to wait and see if anything new would be reported. While waiting, a man named Schuyler had rushed in and was anxiously pacing, waiting for someone.

    As they sat down, Brock peered out the window. "What do you think is going on out there?"

    "No idea," Lisa replied. "How about you guys?"

    "Nope."

    "Nah."

    "Na-da."

    "Yeah, that''s what I thought," Lisa sighed. "What was up with that guy, though? You know, the one walking around like a madman?"

    "Probably waiting for someone," Misty suggested. "Or maybe someone he knows is trapped in the crystals."

    Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    "Oh, I hope not! That would be sad," Yellow murmured, clutching Chuchu tighter in her arms. "What would happen if we got caught in that?"

    "I don''t know, but don''t worry. I don''t think we''ll have to find out," Ash said, trying to comfort Yellow, though he tapped his foot nervously while staring at the ceiling.

    Misty was about to question Ash''s strange behavior when Schuyler suddenly shouted, "He''s here! Finally!" and ran outside.

    As the gang watched him dash through the glass doors, Pikachu''s ears twitched. He sniffed the air, then leaped off Ash''s shoulder and bolted after Schuyler.

    "Huh? Pikachu?" Yellow asked, watching him run out as she stood up.

    Misty followed suit. "Where''s he going?"

    "No idea, but I''m going after him," Ash lied, quickly running out the door. Moments later, everyone else followed.

    Outside, Schuyler raced to greet Professor Oak while Pikachu hurried past them, drawn by a familiar scent. He stopped in front of someone wearing familiar shoes.

    "Oh, hello, Pikachu!" Delia greeted warmly as she knelt down and scooped him into her arms.

    "Pika, pika!" Pikachu chirped happily.

    Ash stepped outside and saw his mom. He lowered his gaze, pulling his hat down to cover his eyes before putting on a smile. "Oh¡­ Mom!"

    "Oh, hi, honey!" Delia exclaimed, walking up to hug Ash. "It''s so good to see you!"

    Professor Oak, noticing them, raised his eyebrows in surprise. "What a coincidence! I didn''t expect to see you here. Did you come to Greenfield to visit Professor Hale?"

    "No," Yellow answered hesitantly. "We were just passing by and¡­ well¡­ all of this. Do you know what''s going on?"

    "I''m afraid not," Oak replied gravely. "That''s what I''m here to find out¡ªand to discover what happened to Spencer and his daughter." He clenched his fist with a sense of purpose.

    "Yes, I know," Delia said softly, hugging Ash tighter. "I wonder how Molly is¡­ She''s so young. I hope she''s okay."

    Ash endured the hug as Misty slyly pulled out her phone, aiming to take a picture. He shot her a glare and pulled his hat lower to cover his eyes.

    "Hey, Mom, can you let me go? This is kinda embarrassing¡­" Ash muttered, though his real concern wasn''t the hug¡ªit was the TV cameras catching his mom on screen.

    Delia pouted. "Ash, how could you? I missed you so much! Can''t I hug my own son?"

    "We saw each other last week¡­" Ash mumbled sheepishly, gently trying to pry himself free as he noticed a cameraman focusing on them.

    "And that''s a week too long! You''re not escaping my cuddles this time, mister!" Delia declared, squeezing him even tighter.

    Ash''s frustration wasn''t from the hug or being on TV¡ªhe didn''t mind either. The real issue was that he knew someone was watching. Someone dangerous. What could he do? Demand his mom leave? Pull her away? Warn her about the looming threat of a fake Legendary Pok¨¦mon?

    He was just her son. Without a reason, he couldn''t justify dragging her away. And how could he explain that he knew what was coming?

    All he could do was hope that his plan B would work.

    ¡ª-

    {Meanwhile, inside the mansion}

    Molly and Entei sat together on a crystal bed, Molly nuzzling into his warm fur as they watched the same news broadcast on TV. Her eyes widened when Delia appeared on the screen. She heard Delia say she was there for Molly.

    Her small hand clutched a family picture she always carried. In the photo, Delia stood apart from her papa beside a boy Molly only vaguely remembered. But none of that mattered. This was her real mama¡ªshe was sure of it. After all, her mama had come for her. Spencer had never told Molly the truth about what happened to her mother.

    Molly turned to Entei, her eyes shining with excitement. "Papa, look! Mama came back! I want my mama!"

    "If that is your wish," Entei said solemnly. Rising to his full height, he took one last glance at her before the crystals split open, and he leaped out. Whatever Molly wished for, he would fulfill¡ªno matter the cost.

    ¡ª

    After persistent urging from Ash, Delia finally agreed to move out of the camera''s view. They found a quiet place to sit while Professor Oak went with Schuyler to discuss the growing crisis. Camera crews continued to film the looming crystal castle.

    Delia explained how she knew Professor Hale and their shared history.

    "We grew up together," she said. "He helped me with homework when I was busy modeling for my part-time job. He was always so helpful, never asking for anything in return."

    As Delia reminisced, Brock, Misty, Lisa, and Ash shared the same thought: Yep, he had a crush on her.

    Ash buried his face in his hands. He didn''t need to hear about his mother''s love life.

    Delia continued, smiling wistfully. "He left for nearly ten years. It''s a shame¡ªI would''ve invited him to my wedding, but I couldn''t find him. That was about the time Ash came along."

    She sighed. "He visited Pallet Town a few times after that, bringing his daughter, Molly. But I haven''t spoken to him much lately. Something happened to his wife¡­ and after that, he grew distant."

    Misty leaned forward, curious. "Really? What happened?"

    Delia''s smile faded. "I don''t know. He never said. I just know he didn''t want to talk about it."

    The group fell silent, and Delia''s eyes wandered to the crystal tower. A deep worry settled over her. "That''s Spencer''s home. I''m really concerned¡­"

    Brock''s eyes narrowed as he studied the tower. "If those crystals are coming from there, that means both he and Molly are probably inside."

    "That''s awful¡­ I hope they''re okay," Yellow whispered, hugging Chuchu tighter.

    As the others continued to talk, Ash''s focus remained fixed on the tower. He could feel an Aura rushing toward them. It was coming soon¡ªbut he had prepared for this. Earlier, he had let one of his Pok¨¦mon out for his backup plan.

    Meanwhile, Pikachu sat contentedly on Delia''s lap. His ears twitched suddenly, and his body tensed as sparks danced along his cheeks.

    "Pikachu?" Delia asked, concerned, as he leaped from her lap to the ground.

    "Pikachu, what''s wrong?" Yellow asked. She noticed his tension right away. Though Ash''s Aura always shielded his thoughts from her, Pikachu''s emotions were clear.

    The others turned to look.

    "Pika¡­" Pikachu growled, eyes fixed on the crystals. Ash stood beside him, staring ahead.

    "You see it too, buddy," Ash muttered, eyes narrowing as he tracked the movement approaching from the crystal landscape.

    "See what''s coming? What''s going on?" Misty asked, standing up alongside Brock.

    From within the crystal formations, a massive figure moved with powerful bounds. Each step left crystallized flowers in its wake.

    Finally, the creature leaped into view.

    "Entei!" Brock was the first to speak. He still remembered when he fought one with Falkner, and he wondered if it was the same one coming after him again, his hand instinctively went to his Pokeballs

    The towering orange beast ignored everyone but Delia. His deep, commanding voice broke the silence. "You are the one. Come with me willingly; it will be better for everyone."

    Delia blinked, frozen in shock. A talking Entei?

    Before she could respond, Ash stepped forward, placing himself between Entei and his mother. Pikachu growled low, sparks flying.

    Ash''s red eyes locked with Entei''s. His voice was calm, as they slowly started going blue, "Over my dead body."

 Spell Of The Unown - 3

    Entei furrowed his brow as he stomped on the ground and roared, "Don''t get in my way!" The shockwave sent strong gusts of air everywhere, forcing everyone to grab onto something for support¡ªbut Ash and Pikachu didn''t move.

    "I won''t let you. You can walk away, or I''ll walk on your face," Ash said, glaring angrily at Entei, even though he knew it was a fake.

    "Insolent! You won''t stand in the way of what Molly wants," Entei growled as his eyes began glowing purple, preparing to hypnotize Delia.

    Ash looked unimpressed as his own eyes glowed blue, activating his Aura. "Pikachu, take care of it, [Thunderbolt]!"

    Pikachu jumped into the air, slapped his cheeks, and unleashed a bolt of electricity at Entei.

    Entei didn''t take it seriously, trying to use his psychic ability to dissipate the attack before hypnotizing Delia and leaving. That was his plan, anyway.

    But as the bolt approached, Entei suddenly felt something restraining him. His psychic ability temporarily faltered, it was Ash, already using his Aura. Yet, Entei remained unconcerned. In his mind, Molly''s belief that he couldn''t fail made it so. A little Thunderbolt shouldn''t hurt him.

    Fake or not, Entei still qualified as a legendary, but Pikachu was the ultimate counter to all legendaries. As the bolt struck, Entei was engulfed in electricity that actually caused him pain.

    "Gahh! What is this?!" Entei roared as the electricity pushed him back. He shook his head, feeling the electric current weaken him slightly.

    "Burns, doesn''t it? Want more? Then choke on it. Pikachu, double the voltage!" Ash commanded with a snap of his fingers.

    Pikachu, still discharging a steady stream of electricity, tapped his cheek pouches and unleashed an even larger burst of power. Entei roared in pain. Despite being created only hours ago, this was his first experience of true pain.

    Everyone around watched in shock. Entei, who had arrived so confidently, was now overwhelmed by Pikachu''s relentless attack.

    Eventually, Pikachu stopped, though he wasn''t exhausted. He stood ready to strike again at Ash''s command.

    Smoke wafted off Entei''s body as he glared at Ash and Pikachu. "Grr... Don''t get in my way!" Entei growled, rushing forward with his teeth igniting in a fiery Fire Fang.

    As Entei charged, a blast of water shot past Ash and struck him in the face. Ash turned to see Misty with Starmie and Yellow with Omny, both using [Hydro Pump] to soak the fire legendary.

    At the same time, Brock sent out Golem, who launched a volley of [Rock Blast] attacks at Entei.

    Entei absorbed all the hits and shrugged them off, continuing his charge. But Ash was ready.

    "Pikachu, [Iron Tail] now!"

    Pikachu leaped into the air, somersaulted, and slammed his glowing silver tail into Entei''s head. Entei resisted, pushing back with brute strength.

    As the clash continued, Ash touched his ear as if speaking into a radio. In reality, he was using his Aura to connect with a certain Pok¨¦mon he''d sent out earlier. His command was simple:

    "Drop the tactical nuke."

    ¡ª

    [In the Sky]

    Noctowl soared high above, clutching a Pok¨¦ball tightly in his talons. Earlier, Ash had instructed him to fly up with the Pok¨¦ball and wait for his command. Now, he had heard it.

    With a decisive release, Noctowl let the Pok¨¦ball fall, its arc aimed directly at Entei below.

    Ash glanced urgently at his friends. "Guys, put your Pok¨¦mon back and brace yourselves!"

    "Wait, what? What are you going to do?" Yellow asked, holding tightly to Omny.

    "We don''t have time! You''ll see, just do it! Put your Pok¨¦mon back now!" Ash shouted, his expression deadly serious.

    Delia, alarmed but trusting her son, recognized his tone. If Ash was acting this way, he meant business. She grabbed Misty and Yellow, tugging at them insistently. "Come on!"

    Misty, Yellow, and Brock exchanged uncertain glances, but they nodded. They recalled their Pok¨¦mon and ducked behind the table.

    Meanwhile, Pikachu was still clashing fiercely with Entei.

    Ash kept his eyes on the sky, watching... waiting... Then, just as a flash of red appeared in the clouds, he whistled sharply.

    "Pikachu, now!"

    Pikachu understood instantly. While his glowing [Iron Tail] clashed with Entei''s head, he summoned an [Electro Ball], which detonated at point-blank range. The explosion sent Pikachu flipping backward in midair. He landed perfectly on Ash''s shoulder.

    Without wasting a second, Ash extended his arm. Pikachu sprinted down it to his hand.

    "[Electroweb!]"

    Pikachu charged a sphere of electricity in his tail, spun his body, and hurled it. The attack expanded into a net, ensnaring Entei and shocking him violently. More importantly, the net held Entei in place.

    Ash grabbed Pikachu protectively, cradling him in his arm as he braced himself.

    Above them, the falling Pok¨¦ball became visible to everyone.

    It opened.

    From the Pok¨¦ball emerged Snorlax was already prepared. Ash''s earlier command echoed in the big Pok¨¦mon''s mind.

    Snorlax''s arm drew back as it charged with glowing orange energy. Purple Aura surged around his massive fist.

    With a roar of power and the promise of a delicious reward later, Snorlax unleashed a devastating [Giga Impact], slamming down with titanic force.

    The force of Snorlax''s punch sent a shockwave rippling through the air, bending it visibly around Entei. Held immobile by Pikachu''s Electroweb, Entei could do nothing but endure the full brunt of the attack. The impact resembled an explosion, with Snorlax driving his fist downward like a hammer of destruction.

    It was simple physics¡ªmomentum transfer. Snorlax had reached terminal velocity during his descent, and his massive punch delivered all that momentum into a single point of contact. Mass times velocity. The result was a catastrophic force, enough to crack the very ground beneath them.

    Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    The onlookers were stunned. Camera operators struggled to keep their equipment steady, while others clung to tables or buildings as the sheer air pressure rippled outward, shaking everything around them.

    When the attack finally ended, Snorlax slumped forward, rolling into the center of the newly formed crater. A heavy silence followed, broken only by the unmistakable sound of snoring.

    And Entei... was nowhere to be seen.

    Ash exhaled slowly, releasing Pikachu, who climbed back onto his shoulder.

    People began peeking out cautiously. As they approached the crater, Ash stood still, calculating. Even a real Entei wouldn''t have walked away from that attack unscathed. This one, a crystal creation, should have been more vulnerable.

    Delia reached Ash first, concern etched on her face. "Ash... what was that?"

    Ash opened his mouth, catching his breath. "Well, you see, it wa¡ª"

    Before he could finish, Snorlax suddenly flew out of the crater, hurtling backward and slamming into Ash with full force. Ash was pinned flat beneath the sleeping Pok¨¦mon''s enormous weight.

    "What the heck?!" he wheezed, struggling.

    "Ash!" Brock rushed over, pressing against Snorlax with all his might.

    "What just happened?" Misty gasped, joining in as she pushed. Yellow hovered nearby, offering moral support.

    From within the crater, heavy footsteps echoed.

    Then, rising from the depths, Entei reappeared.

    His face was half-shattered, revealing jagged crystal beneath the fractured surface. Cracks ran down his body, exposing his artificial core¡ªhe was made of the same material as the crystal castle itself.

    To everyone''s horror, the broken crystal began to regenerate before their eyes. Fragments reassembled, cracks sealed, and soon, Entei stood as though nothing had happened.

    "Useless," Entei growled, his voice as cold and imperious as ever. "It is all in vain. Now, I offer you one final chance, relinquish her mother, and I will spare your lives."

    Ash gritted his teeth. With a burst of Aura flowing through his legs, he strained against Snorlax''s bulk, leg-pressing the sleeping giant just high enough to reach his Pok¨¦ball. With a sharp click, Snorlax was recalled.

    He dropped to his knees for a moment, catching his breath, then rose to his feet with a glare of pure defiance. Pain radiated through his body, but his resolve was unshaken.

    "Never."

    Silence hung in the air as his words reverberated with finality.

    No one could fault Ash''s determination. Entei had come for Delia, his mother. What child wouldn''t fight tooth and nail to protect a parent? His actions were¡­. Completely justified.

    But Delia saw things differently. She felt her heart twist painfully as she watched her son stand, bruised and battered, refusing to back down. No mother could bear to see her child suffer, just as no child could bear to lose a parent.

    Ash reached for another Pok¨¦ball on his belt, his Aura still pulsing, but a gentle hand caught his wrist, It was Delia.

    She held his hand firmly, her expression calm yet filled with realization. Entei had referred to her as ''her'' mother. Since Ash was obviously her son, that left only one person, Molly.

    When Ash looked back to see Delia holding his head, he stopped using Aura and his eyes stopped glowing Blue, and for the first time someone saw Ash''s eyes, which were red instead of their usual brown, Delia looked surprised, but she had a smile like it was familiar to her as she gently rubbed Ash''s cheek.

    "Ash," she said quietly, her voice tender, "Entei is here for me, isn''t he?"

    Ash hesitated, then gave a reluctant nod.

    "Then, please," she whispered, "Stop fighting. He isn''t going to hurt me, is he?"

    Ash''s silence spoke volumes. He clenched his teeth but did not answer, but silence is its own answer,

    Delia caressed his cheek one last time before stepping forward, her gaze never wavering as she walked toward Entei. Her movements were slow and deliberate,

    She stopped just a few steps away from the towering beast and looked directly into his eyes.

    "Did Molly send you?"

    "Yes," Entei rumbled. "You are her mother. She wishes for you."

    A ripple of shock passed through the gathered onlookers.

    Delia''s eyes softened with understanding. "And... Spencer? Is he with her too?"

    "I am Spencer Hale," Entei replied without hesitation. His tone was matter-of-fact, as though it were the simplest truth in the world. "I am her father because that is what she wishes. If she wishes me to be Spencer Hale, then I am Spencer Hale."

    Delia''s gaze darkened slightly. "I see..."

    Just then, the Pok¨¦mon Center doors burst open as Professor Oak and Schuyler rushed outside. The tremors from Snorlax''s impact had drawn them to the scene, and they froze in alarm at the sight of Delia standing before Entei.

    "Delia!" Oak shouted, yanking a Pok¨¦ball from his belt. "Get away from her, Entei!" He pulled his arm back, ready to throw out Alakazam

    "Professor, no!" Delia''s sharp command cut through the air, stopping him mid-throw.

    Oak blinked, confused. He watched as Delia turned, her eyes calm but resolute.

    "I''m going," she said simply, her voice firm. "I have to go and make sure Molly is safe."

    "What?!" Oak''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Delia, you can''t be serious! It''s too dangerous!" and like reasonable people with more than 3 brain cells, everyone else agreed telling Delia that she should go with Entei.

    But Delia shook her head. "This is my choice. I''m doing this for Molly." She turned back to Ash, her smile soft but unwavering. "And Ash... I know you''ll come for me. Don''t keep us waiting too long, okay?"

    Ash''s chest tightened. He clenched his fists but remained silent as Delia gave him one last, loving look.

    Entei, who had stood silently until now, turned as Delia approached. Without a word, he knelt slightly, gripping her gently in his jaws by her shirt before tossing her onto his back. In a fluid motion, he bounded away, his powerful legs propelling him toward the crystal castle.

    The earth trembled beneath each step as he disappeared into the distance.

    Ash watched him go, unmoving. Dust clung to his clothes, and the air was still thick with tension. He stood in silence, the wind tugging at his hair, the weight of the moment heavy on his shoulders.

    Then, with unsettling calmness, he dusted his pants off and began to walk forward.

    "Pikachu... let''s go," he muttered, his voice low, quiet, and deadly serious.

    Pikachu nodded and leaped onto Ash''s shoulder, eyes narrowed and cheeks sparking. Delia was family to him too. And seeing Ash without his usual smile, even after everything they''d endured together, was unsettling. The Ash who grinned through injuries and impossible odds had gone silent, even when he got stabbed in the shoulder he had a smile.

    "Ash, wait!" Oak called out, running after him. He grabbed Ash''s shoulder, his grip firm. "You can''t go! It''s too dangerous!"

    Ash remained silent as Oak tightened his hold. "My boy, I know you''re upset, but think about this. You gave it everything you had, and it wasn''t enough. You can''t win like this¡ª"

    Ash turned his head just enough for Oak to see his eyes, deep red and burning with intensity.

    "Then why don''t you go?"

    The sharp words hit Oak like a slap across the face. His grip faltered as guilt flickered in his expression. He sighed heavily. "That''s... complicated," he muttered. "I have to stay here, to stop the crystals from spreading..."

    Ash furrowed his brows, his voice calm but laced with steel. "Professor, in all the years we''ve known each other, I''ve never once disobeyed you. But now, I''m asking, don''t make this the first time. Because right now, I''m mad."

    He emphasized the word and a shiver passed through Brock and Misty as they exchanged uneasy glances. This was the moment they had once wondered about what Ash was like when he truly lost his temper. Now they wished they hadn''t asked.

    Oak sighed in defeat, the weight of Ash''s words undeniable. No force could keep a child from fighting for his mother. He knew if he said no, Ash would go anyway, with or without his permission or support.

    "Fine..." He reluctantly released Ash''s shoulder. "But take this." Oak unclipped a Pok¨¦ball from his belt and handed it to Ash.

    "Give it to your mother when you find her," Oak said gravely. "And whatever you do, don''t open it."

    Ash took the ball without a word and added it to his belt.

    "Fine," he muttered, walking past Oak without another glance, his eyes fixed on the crystalline path ahead.

    Misty and Brock exchanged worried looks as if silently debating whether to follow. But before they could act, Yellow sprinted forward, her determination clear.

    "We''re going with you!" she declared, falling into step beside Ash.

    Misty and Brock blinked in surprise, but the way Yellow looked at them with a hopeful look, made them unable to say no.

    "Yeah, I''m going too," Misty said quickly.

    "You''re not leaving me behind," Brock added, stepping forward.

    Ash glanced back at them, his expression still grim, but a flicker of gratitude softened his tone. "Thanks..."

    "So... any plan?" Misty asked, her voice hesitant.

    Ash kept walking, his eyes fixed ahead. "I have one. It''s just for me." His voice was calm but distant as his Aura stretched outward, sending a message to someone.

    Before he could take another step, a voice called out behind him.

    "Wait! Take this!"

    Ash turned just in time to catch something small and metallic. He opened his hand to find a Pok¨¦Gear. Looking up, he saw Lisa standing a few feet away, a confident smile on her face.

    "If you''re doing something this stupid," she said, her eyes sharp with both fondness and exasperation, "At least stay in touch. You can use that to contact the Pok¨¦mon Center."

    Ash gave a small nod, strapping the device onto his wrist. "Thanks. I''ll bring it back."

    With nothing more to say, Ash and his friends began their journey, walking toward the ominous crystal fortress.

    Oak watched them from the hilltop, his heart heavy with worry. He sighed, then unclipped another Pok¨¦ball from his belt. "Come on, old friend. We''ve got work to do."

    With a flash of light, Alakazam appeared and nodded, the psychic Pok¨¦mon brought its spoons together, glowing with power.

    The crystals around the edge of the hill shimmered as Alakazam exerted his energy, slowing the spread and clearing a narrow, and creating a small path that stretched toward the castle.

    The battle wasn''t over, not by a long shot.

 Spell Of The Unown - 4

    The message Ash sent through Aura flowed through the air and traveled all the way back to Charicific Valley, where Charizard was training with the King Charizard.

    Charizard was breathing heavily as the King smirked at him. "Charizard! [Better, but still not good enough. Though it''s interesting you managed to learn ''that'' technique.]"

    Charizard wiped the sweat from his brow. "Char-izard¡­ [Yeah, well, you know if I could transform, I could beat you.]"

    The King laughed. "Char! [I know you could, but the fact that you need a transformation to beat me only proves my point. Don''t you want to be strong enough to defeat me with your own power?]"

    Charla flew up, holding two big bowls of water, and handed one to each of them. "Char. [Oh, both of you, stop it! You nearly destroyed the valley the last time you pulled that stunt. Can''t you take a break for one day?]"

    The King chuckled as he took the bowl. "Char-izard~ [Oh, sorry. I didn''t realize you were upset that I was beating up your boyfriend~.]"

    "Char! [We are not dating, you big oaf!]" Charla snapped, looking annoyed, as Charizard took his bowl and started sipping as well.

    "Charizard~ [Well, sorry. I just assumed that since you keep all the other girls away, it was because you already claimed him. But I can go tell them he''s available¡ªI''m sure they''d be thrilled~.]" The King gestured behind Charizard, where a group of female Charizard was watching him with admiration in their eyes.

    As Charla argued further with the King, who continued teasing her, you might be wondering why she could do so casually, without any fear, while every other Charizard quivered in his presence. The answer is simple: Charla is his daughter, the princess.

    Charizard, meanwhile, sipped his water and watched the scene with amusement. He chuckled and took another sip when suddenly a message shot into his mind. It was Ash''s voice: "I need you here."

    Charizard didn''t hesitate. His grip tightened, and he crushed the stone bowl in his hands, startling everyone. They stared at him in confusion as his expression grew serious and his red eyes glowed with determination. "Charizard! [I need to go.]"

    As he flapped his wings and shot into the air, the King blocked his way. "Charizard. [Where do you think you''re going? You''re still far too weak.]"

    Charizard glared at the King with an intensity the elder had not seen since their first battle. "Char¡­ [I''m going, and you''re not going to stop me¡­]" he said dangerously.

    The King smirked, clearly enjoying the challenge. "Char. [Then show me.]"

    Charizard clenched his fists as blue flames ignited around them, forming blade-like shapes. With a roar, he launched himself at the King.

    ¡ª--

    Entei ran back into the room, and when he arrived, Molly was there, holding a little broom and sweeping. "Yoisho, yoisho..." she mumbled under her breath. When she saw Entei and Delia, she immediately dropped the broom, ran over, and jumped into Delia''s arms.

    "Mom! It''s me, Molly, your daughter! I knew you would come back!"

    Delia felt a knot form in her throat. She had wanted to see Molly again, but not like this. It was clear that Molly wasn''t in her right mind, but Delia couldn''t bring herself to shatter her dreams. Instead, she gently placed her hand on Molly''s head and began to pat her softly.

    "Yes, I''m here. Don''t worry, Molly. I''ll protect you no matter what," Delia said with a warm smile.

    As they sat on the bed, Delia cradled Molly, resting the little girl''s head on her lap. Molly quickly fell asleep, looking peaceful and content for the first time in a while. Entei stood silently in the corner, waiting patiently for Molly to tell him what to do.

    Delia gazed at the child in her lap, her heart heavy with worry. She couldn''t stop thinking about Ash. She knew he wouldn''t sit idly by; that wasn''t who he was. She only hoped he was safe.

    Her attention turned back to Molly. The poor girl was traumatized, her mind clouded by confusion and pain. On the side table, Delia noticed a photo. It was of Molly''s real mother. Yet in her current state, Molly didn''t even seem to remember her.

    Delia meant every word she had said. She would protect Molly and find a way to get her out of there. But deep down, she worried about the toll this was taking on Molly''s fragile mind. Whatever was coming, Delia hoped it wouldn''t break her further.

    ¡ª-

    Ash walked down the crystalline road alongside Misty, Brock, and Yellow. They came across a stream as it hadn''t been turned into crystal-like everything else. Misty, the group''s water expert, looked up and confirmed her thoughts.

    "At least the water didn''t change to crystal. If we follow this stream, we should be able to get to the mansion."

    Ash, however, didn''t wait. He grabbed a Pok¨¦ball and tossed it into the air.

    "Not good enough. Lapras, take care of this," he said flatly.

    Lapras emerged from the Pok¨¦ball, nodded, and fired an [Ice Beam], freezing the water and even the waterfall. When the task was done, Ash gave Lapras a brief pat before returning her to her Pok¨¦ball. Without a word, he began walking across the frozen stream.

    Misty, Brock, and Yellow exchanged uneasy glances. They couldn''t help but notice how different Ash seemed. Normally, he would''ve cracked a joke like "See? Easy," or "Modern problems need modern solutions." But now, he walked in silence, his face set with a grim determination.

    They couldn''t even blame him or ask him what''s wrong, since well it was obvious what''s wrong, his mom got kidnapped, and he was mad, and he stopped smiling. So they could only follow quickly trying to keep up since Ash showed no interest in waiting for them, it was completely different to the Ash they knew.

    As they hurried to keep up with him, the ground beneath them began to shift. The crystals started to spread, and suddenly, a sharp, spiked crystal shot toward Ash at incredible speed.

    Before anyone could shout a warning, Ash reached out, caught the crystal with his bare hand, and crushed it without even stopping. Then, he kept walking.

    When they reached the frozen waterfall, before anyone could offer a suggestion, Ash grabbed a Pok¨¦ball and threw it in a high arc. It landed at the top of the waterfall and opened, revealing Venusaur.

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    Ash gave a sharp whistle, and Venusaur extended a thick vine down toward the group. Ash grabbed it, and then looked at the others.

    "You coming or not?" he asked, his tone firm.

    "Uhh, right!" they said in unison, quickly running to grab the vine. Venusaur began pulling them up, one by one, with ease.

    ¡ª

    Back in the mansion, Molly was sitting on Delia''s lap, watching TV. The channels continued to broadcast the situation outside, including the news reporter covering the crystallization spreading through the area.

    "Look, Mama! They''re showing our house on television! It looks nice," Molly said happily, still snuggling into Delia''s lap.

    "Y-yeah, it''s really pretty," Delia replied, holding Molly protectively by the waist.

    Then, as the camera zoomed in, they saw Ash and his friends being pulled up the frozen waterfall by Venusaur''s vine. The group then continued their determined march forward.

    Molly tilted her head and looked up at Delia. "I don''t understand, Mama. Why is that boy trying to get into our house?"

    Entei, who had been sitting silently, finally opened his eyes and growled at the screen. "It''s that boy again. Shall I go take care of him, Molly? I''ll make sure he never bothers us again," he said, a flicker of anger in his voice as he remembered the previous encounter.

    Delia panicked slightly, her eyes darting around the room until they landed on a picture frame. She grabbed it and showed it to Molly, pointing at the young Ash in the photo.

    "No, see? That''s Ash, your brother. Look, he''s right here in this picture!"

    "Brother?" Molly repeated, tilting her head as if the word sounded unfamiliar. "I have a brother?"

    "Yes, don''t you remember? Ash used to carry you and give you piggyback rides," Delia said, her voice soft and nostalgic. She hoped that at least some of those memories would come back to Molly.

    Molly''s hazy eyes lit up with recognition. "Wow, now I remember! I always wanted a brother! I remember him carrying me and giving me yummy candy!"

    Delia nodded with relief. "That''s right. And those people with him are his friends. I''m sure they''d love to play with you, too."

    Molly clapped her hands, looking excited. "Play! Do they want to play with me? That sounds so fun! What do they like playing, Mama?"

    "Well," Delia began, trying to think quickly, "Ash is a Pok¨¦mon Trainer." She held up a finger as if making an important point.

    "Wow, Pok¨¦mon! I know a lot about Pok¨¦mon, Papa showed me so many of them!" Molly said, beaming. Then her expression shifted to a thoughtful pout. "But I don''t have any Pok¨¦mon. I''m too young... How can I play with my Onii-chan?"

    Entei stepped closer and lowered his head. "If that is what you wish, then simply believe you can," he said, his voice deep and soothing.

    He gently pressed his nose to Molly''s forehead. Her eyelids drooped, and she fell asleep in Delia''s lap. To Delia''s shock, another version of Molly appeared¡ªthis one sitting on Entei''s back.

    Delia instinctively tightened her protective hold on the sleeping Molly, her heart racing as she watched the surreal scene unfold.

    The version of Molly on Entei''s back clapped her hands, her expression amused. "Yes, Papa, I believe!" she declared. As she spoke, her body began to transform, growing taller and more mature until she appeared as a 16-year-old version of herself.

    Entei gave a low growl of approval, then leaped into the ground, disappearing into the crystalline floor with the older Molly on his back.

    ¡ª-

    Ash and his friends reached the base of the tower, where a door should have been, but it was completely covered in crystal. As they approached, Ash''s Pok¨¦Gear suddenly began to ring. He answered it quickly.

    "Hello, is this thing on?" Professor Oak''s voice crackled through.

    Yellow leaned closer to the Pok¨¦Gear and responded, "Yeah, we can hear you, Professor."

    "Ah, good," Oak said. "Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is we''ve likely figured out the source of the crystals. Schuyler informed me that he saw Unown."

    "Unown?" Brock repeated, surprised. "I think I read about them in a storybook for my siblings once, but I never thought they were real."

    Schuyler''s voice came over the line next. "Oh, they''re very real. Professor Hale and I spent years researching them, and we recently discovered their location. Their powers, as the stories say, are mysterious, but we have some theories."

    "Yes," Oak continued. "Since they''re Psychic Pok¨¦mon, we believe they have the ability to read people''s minds. Not just that they may also have the power to alter reality. We think all of this the crystals, the tower was created by Molly''s imagination."

    "What?" Misty exclaimed. "Are you sure? Why would a little girl want all of this? And what does Entei and Ash''s mom have to do with it?"

    "That''s something we''re not certain about," Oak admitted. "Wishes and imagination are complex things. There are countless reasons why this might have happened, but we don''t have time to delve into that right now."

    "You''re right, Professor," Ash said, his voice calm but firm. "But cut to the chase. Why are you telling us this specifically?"

    Everyone was slightly surprised by Ash''s bluntness, but no one said anything as Oak cleared his throat.

    "Right, yes. The reason is this: if you want to stop all of this, you need to take down the Unown. That''s your win condition. Capture them, defeat them, drive them out¡ªI don''t care how, but they must be removed!"

    "Got it," Ash said curtly as he hung up the Pok¨¦Gear and turned his attention to the crystal-covered door.

    "So, how should we get inside?" Misty asked. "Should we look for another way in?"

    Brock nodded, examining the structure. "Yeah, if we climb up this side, there''s a window to the left we might be able to use."

    "Not good enough," Ash said, his tone final. He cracked his knuckles, and a blue glow began to form around his fists as his aura became visible. "I''m going to break this door off its hinges."

    Ash stepped forward, his fists glowing with concentrated energy. Just as he was about to strike, the crystal began to retract on its own, and the door swung open silently.

    Ash extinguished the energy in his fists, narrowing his eyes at the now-open entrance. "Well," he said, his voice low, "looks like they know we''re here. Good."

    "Uh, should we be worried about that? This is screaming ominous boss fight," Misty said, glancing warily at the now-open door.

    "Why?" Ash asked, continuing to walk forward. "It''s not like we''re trying to be sneaky."

    Misty groaned and hurried to catch up as they entered the tower and reached a spiral staircase. "That''s not the point! If they know we''re coming, what if there are traps or¡ªor some kind of ambush? This is way too suspicious!"

    "Not really," Ash replied casually as he ascended the staircase. "Sounds like you''re just being paranoid."

    Brock nodded in agreement. "Yeah, while it''s definitely strange that they''re letting us walk in, I don''t think we need to worry too much about traps. They probably know we''d get in one way or another."

    "How am I the only one who''s scared for us? Yellow, you agree with me, right?" Misty asked, turning to Yellow with a flicker of hope.

    Yellow had been too distracted by the castle''s shimmering crystal outlines to follow the conversation. Startled by Misty''s question, she jumped slightly. "W-what? I¡ªI''m sorry, what did you say?"

    Misty groaned, rubbing her temples. "I''m going to die here. You people are going to be the death of me."

    "Don''t be dramatic," Ash said flatly, his tone devoid of its usual teasing playfulness. It felt more like he was shutting her down than trying to reassure her.

    "Ugh, fine," Misty huffed. "But if there''s a trap, I get to say, ''I told you so.'' I mean, it''s not like we''re going to walk up there and find Entei waiting for us or something."

    As soon as they reached the next floor, Misty''s words died in her throat. Sitting in the middle of the room was Entei, regal and imposing, with a grown woman perched on his back. And Ash immediately knew that was Molly.

    Misty muttered a curse under her breath.

    Molly waved her hand playfully that almost didn''t match the grown body she had, she looked like she was the oldest one there yet was acting like the youngest, and to people who didn''t know this was confusing to them, she jumped off Entei and ran up to Ash jumping at him in a hug.

    Molly leaped gracefully off Entei and ran straight toward Ash. Before anyone could react, she flung herself at him, wrapping him in a tight hug.

    "Onii-chan! You''re here! It''s so good to see you! Do you remember me? It''s me, Molly!" she said, nuzzling her cheek against his.

    "Ehh?" Ash managed to sputter. This was... not one of the outcomes he''d prepared for. Sure, Molly had called him "brother" when they were younger, but he could tell this was different. Now, she genuinely believed they were siblings.

    Behind him, Misty, Brock, and Yellow looked equally stunned. They knew Ash was an only child, and now this grown woman who claimed to be Molly was calling him "Onii-chan"? They needed a moment to process it all.

    Ash cleared his throat awkwardly and patted Molly''s head. "Uh, hey, Molly. Long time no see. You''ve, uh, definitely grown. How are you?"

    Molly pulled back with a bright smile, leaning into his head pats, "I''m great! I have Mama and Papa, and now I have you! We can all be a family again!"

    She grabbed Ash''s hand, her eyes lighting up as she noticed Pikachu perched on his shoulder. "Let''s play! I was too little before, but now that I''m big, I challenge you to a Pok¨¦mon battle!" she said confidently, her smirk brimming with excitement.

 Spell Of The Unown - 5

    "You want to have a Pok¨¦mon battle with me?" Ash asked.

    Molly nodded happily. "Yep! Not just you, your friends too. I want to play with all of you, lots and lots!"

    They all looked at each other, and Ash held up a finger as he reached into his bag. "Uh, give us a second here." Ash grabbed a random lollipop that he usually gave to Clefairy and handed it to Molly before the gang went into a huddle.

    Molly took the lollipop and happily put it in her mouth, completely ignoring how they were having a conversation just five feet away from her. She was still a child, after all.

    Entei just watched, unmoving. If Molly didn''t want him to attack, he wouldn''t. If Molly didn''t want him to listen to their plan, he wouldn''t. He existed only to make Molly happy.

    In the huddle, they were talking among themselves about the situation and what they should do. After some whispered discussions and a few nods of agreement, they looked up to see Molly happily waiting for them.

    Brock was the first to stand up. "I think we should be the ones to battle you first. After all, you want to save the best for last, right?"

    Misty nodded and joined in. "Yeah, and I''m sure you want your battle with your brother to be the bestest one ever, right~?"

    "So, we''ll play with you first, if that''s okay," Yellow added.

    No, they weren''t admitting Ash was the strongest among them, even though they could win their battles against him sometimes when they train together. But right now their goal was to divert Molly''s attention away from Ash so he could move on, and it was working.

    Molly clapped her hands. "Wow, you''re all right! You''re all so smart! Yeah, let''s play! Then I''ll have the bestest battle with my Onii-chan!"

    They all nodded, and Ash went to the stairs. "And Molly, I''ll be waiting with Mom, okay? But don''t rush have as much fun as you want," he said with a forced smile as he started running up the stairs.

    Brock and Misty gulped but figured they should at least be able to stall. If Ash could get to the so-called Unown, then this whole nightmare dream world would be over.

    Misty stepped forward confidently. "Okay, so which one of us will you battle first? You have to fight us one at a time; there''s only one of you, after all."

    Molly thought for a moment, putting her finger to her chin. "Hmm, good point. Who do I play with first? Ugh, the choice is so hard! If only I could play with all three of you. Oh, wait!"

    Molly smiled and suddenly began performing what could only be described as mitosis. She split, and standing next to the 16-year-old Molly was now an adult 18-year-old Molly and a 10-year-old Molly.

    The three Mollys laughed. "Now we can battle all three of you!" they said in unison.

    Brock gave a side-eye to Misty but said nothing as he looked forward. Misty slapped her face. "Why do I talk¡­"

    Misty pointed at Yellow. "Yellow, once we get out of this, I want you to slap me."

    "W-w-what? N-no, I can''t slap you. You''re my friend!" Yellow stammered.

    Misty put her hands on Yellow''s shoulders. "No, I deserve it. I opened my mouth, and this happened. So you need to slap me. Promise me you''ll do it."

    "C-can''t you ask Ash to do it?" Yellow said quietly.

    "Are you crazy? Ash will slap me so hard he''ll kill me," Misty said, slightly shaking Yellow. "But I trust you, so promise me. Promise me!"

    "Okay, okay, I promise," Yellow managed to stammer out. "Just please stop shaking me."

    "Thank you. Now let''s do this," Misty said as she looked back at Molly, who was patiently waiting for them.

    "Okay, you''re done? Okay, okay! Let''s play!" the three Mollys said in unison.

    Misty, Brock, and Yellow grabbed Pok¨¦balls and got ready.

    Meanwhile, Entei looked up, his eyes glowing blue as he prepared something for Ash.

    ¡ª-

    Ash was running up the stairs. Even though the battle his friends were having wouldn''t change a thing, he didn''t have much confidence in their chances.

    It wasn''t that they were weak¡ªthey were strong. Every now and then, when they sparred, they would overpower him. The problem was Molly. In this world, she controlled everything. If she didn''t want to lose, she wouldn''t. She could be as strong as she wanted and keep getting stronger.

    Basically, imagine those kids on the playground who, when you played with them, would give themselves overpowered abilities. Like, you hit them with your laser eyes, but suddenly they had laser-proof underwear¡ªplayground levels of BS, but only this time it''s not pretend.

    Her Pok¨¦mon had a type disadvantage? No, they didn''t fire has always resisted water. Her Pok¨¦mon were weaker? Nope, they were just holding back. A child''s imagination could conjure up countless ways to ensure they always win.

    The only one Ash had any faith in was Yellow. Her powers were similar in nature to Molly''s dream power: as long as Yellow wanted to get stronger, she would. The problem was, that Yellow couldn''t control it. It just happened when it happened.

    Ash shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it. He put his hand to his temple and sent a message through his Aura to Abra.

    "[Abra, you there?]"

    "[I''m right here, Sect Master!]" Abra responded.

    Ash was genuinely taken aback. This was the first time he''d heard Abra talk like this. He had no idea she was a chunibyo, "[Why are you talking like that?]"

    "[Talking like what, Master? I am simply speaking as I always have. By the way, I am nearing my breakthrough tribulation¡ªit is only to be expected of the jade beauty of our sect!]"

    Ash rubbed his eyes and was about to send another message when he felt something incoming. He jumped back just in time as a burst of fire scorched the spot where he''d been standing. Looking up, he saw a Houndoom, Mantine, and Bellossom approaching him, all made of crystal.

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    He knew that this was probably Entei''s doing to stall him, he clenched his teeth but he realized that if these were made by Entei, not Molly, it meant they could be beaten.

    Ash grabbed three Pok¨¦balls from his belt and tossed them into the air, releasing Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile. "Guys, take care of those three!"

    Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile nodded and got into position, or at least tried to. Cyndaquil took a few seconds before finally igniting his flames. Chikorita nuzzled against Ash''s leg instead of focusing. Meanwhile, Totodile... was dancing.

    Ash resisted the urge to slap his face. You might wonder why Ash sent out these weaker Pok¨¦mon instead of a heavy hitter like Venusaur, who could probably take down all three of them. The reason was stamina. Ash knew these three wouldn''t be much help against Entei or even the Unown, so it was better to use them to handle the smaller threats and save the stamina of his heavy hitters.

    Ash waved his arm and pointed at the three Pok¨¦mon. "Focus! This is a battle¡ªget serious!"

    At the sound of Ash''s commanding tone, his Pok¨¦mon instinctively straightened their backs. They nodded in unison, turned to face their crystalline opponents, and prepared themselves for the fight.

    As the battle began, Ash reconnected with Abra through Aura, "[I don''t have time for this right now. We''ll talk later. Can you get to me yet?]"

    "[Forgive me, Sect Master, but I cannot. There is a Heavenly Demon Sacred Barrier of the Earth Realm covering everything. I cannot teleport to you,]" Abra replied.

    Ash sighed. "[Fine. Be ready at any moment. I might be able to help you breakthrough. And get him down here when I give the signal.]"

    As Ash spoke, a stray [Razor Leaf] from the crystalline Bellossom ricocheted toward him. He ducked just in time. Chikorita punished the Bellossom immediately with a decisive [Take Down].

    "[Understood, Sect Master. I''ll stand by. Until then, I will continue to cultivate!]" Abra said.

    Ash cut off the communication and shifted his stance, focusing on the battle in front of him. "Let''s do this, you crystal clones," he said under his breath.

    ¡ª-

    {Meanwhile}

    Brock and Misty were locked in a losing battle. Brock was up against the adult Molly, while Misty faced the 16-year-old version of her. Molly had sent out a crystal Teddiursa and a Phanpy to battle their weaker Pok¨¦mon: Brock''s Zubat and Misty''s Poliwag.

    At first, they thought it would be an easy fight, but they couldn''t have been more wrong. The crystal Pok¨¦mon were far stronger than they anticipated, overwhelming their team at every turn.

    Meanwhile, Yellow... was in a different kind of predicament. Molly, with the Unown''s help, had sensed Yellow''s hesitance. Yellow didn''t see Pok¨¦mon battles as "fun," especially with someone like Molly, who treated her Pok¨¦mon like toys rather than friends. To Yellow, battling only made sense when her Pok¨¦mon needed or wanted to fight.

    As soon as the battle began, the room shifted. The crystalline walls moved, separating Yellow from Misty and Brock. The child Molly phased through the wall to join her, leaving Yellow isolated.

    Back in the main battle, Brock was bracing himself as Zubat was hurled into a crystal wall. Though still standing, it was clearly hurting.

    "This is ridiculous! What are we supposed to do?!" Brock shouted.

    Misty clenched her fists as Poliwag took a devastating hit from Rollout, sending it spiraling across the room and nearly out a window. "It''s like nothing we do works! Every attack either gets shrugged off or healed with some random power-up!"

    The two Mollys laughed gleefully, clearly unaware of the frustration they were causing Brock and Misty, "This is fun! Let''s keep playing lots and lots!" one Molly cheered, as the crystal Teddiursa and Phanpy giggled in sync.

    Brock gritted his teeth. "If this is what''s happening to us, I don''t even want to imagine what''s happening to Yellow."

    "Yeah," Misty agreed. "She must be having an even worse time than us. I just hope she''s okay..."

    ¡ª-

    {Meanwhile, with Yellow}

    Yellow sat stiffly in a chair, wide-eyed and shocked. The 10-year-old Molly stood beside her, carefully pouring her a cup of tea. All of Yellow''s Pok¨¦mon were either playing around the room or happily munching on snacks Molly had provided.

    Molly handed Yellow the tea with a bright smile. "Soooo, come on! Let''s keep playing tea time!"

    "E-eh, o-oh, thank you!" Yellow stammered, taking the tea cautiously. She glanced down at the toy teacup, which somehow refilled itself magically. "U-um, you know, when I used to play this, we just imagined the tea..."

    Molly giggled. "That''s silly! Why pretend when we can have real tea? So let''s play lots more!"

    "U-uh, o-okay," Yellow stammered again, taking a small sip. She was wondering if everyone else was having as easy of a time as she is.

    ¡ª--

    Brock and Misty shuddered at the thought of what could be happening to Yellow without them there to protect her.

    "We need to do something soon," Brock said, his voice firm as he waved his arm to give a command. "Zubat, [Supersonic]!"

    "But what''s the point?!" Misty countered, her frustration boiling over. "We aren''t doing anything to them, and this is just a game¡ªa game we''re stuck playing!" Still, she gave her own command. "Poliwag, [Bubble Beam]!"

    Zubat''s [Supersonic] hit both Teddiursa and Phanpy, leaving them momentarily dazed. The opening allowed Poliwag''s [Bubble Beam] to strike, the burst of bubbles catching both opponents and sending them flying.

    For a brief moment, it felt like a victory, until the crystalline Pok¨¦mon landed. The 16-year-old Molly clapped her hands and giggled. "That was so fun! Too bad it didn''t really do much."

    Misty''s patience snapped. She pointed an accusatory finger at the teenage Molly. "No! That was a Water-type move! At least that Phanpy should''ve taken serious damage, it''s Ground-type!"

    The adult Molly chuckled, wagging a finger as though scolding a child. "Nope! Don''t be silly. Ground types have always resisted Water. See?"

    As if on cue, the Phanpy stood up, shook its crystalline body like a dog shaking off water, and looked no worse for wear.

    Misty''s face turned red with frustration, a vein visibly pulsing on her temple. Before she could erupt, Brock placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Hey, Misty. I think I know how we can win," he said.

    "What?" Misty asked, her tone incredulous. Even Entei, who had been lounging indifferently, seemed mildly intrigued by Brock''s words.

    "I''ve figured out how this place works," Brock whispered, pulling Misty in closer. "If I''m right, I have a plan," he said as he whispered his plan into her ear.

    Misty''s eyes widened as she listened. "You really think that''ll work?"

    "Do you have a better idea?" Brock replied, his voice tinged with hopelessness.

    Misty sighed, placing her hands on her knees as she steadied herself. "I guess not. Let''s do this... I just hope Ash and Yellow are okay on their side."

    The pair steeled themselves as the two Mollys beamed with excitement, sensing the game was far from over. Their enthusiasm, however, was lost on Entei, who seemed preoccupied, staring at something unseen in the distance.

    The battle was far from over, and the stakes¡ªreal or imagined¡ªfelt heavier with every passing second.

    ¡ª-

    {Back with Ash}

    Under Ash''s command, Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile began pushing back against the crystalline Houndoom, Mantine, and Bellossom. The opponents'' wild, uncoordinated attacks gave Ash''s team the upper hand.

    "This is it!" Ash shouted, seizing the momentum. "Chikorita, Cyndaquil, Totodile, get ready to use-"

    Before he could finish, another voice rang out, calm and commanding, cutting through the chaos.

    "Houndoom, [Fire Spin]. Mantine, [Whirlpool]. Bellossom, [Petal Dance]."

    The shift was immediate. The once-chaotic Pok¨¦mon suddenly moved in perfect unison. Houndoom and Mantine unleashed their moves, fire, and water swirling together to form a dangerous vortex that caged Ash and his Pok¨¦mon. Bellossom spun gracefully at the center, her glowing petals cutting through the air, striking like a relentless storm of knives.

    Ash grimaced as the relentless barrage forced him to shield his face. "What the? Who gave that command?!" he shouted.

    Ash furrowed his brow as he looked around to see who did it, then walking through the water and fire, came someone very familiar, him, or at least it looked like him.

    The crystalline doppelg?nger smirked, his every movement unnervingly familiar.

    The Crystal Ash looked at him and smiled, as Ash frowned, "So what, are you Entei too, or is this one the Unown?"

    The fake Ash tilted his head, his smile widening mockingly. "Entei? There is no Entei. I am whatever Molly wishes me to be. If she wants a brother, I am her brother. If she desires a father, then I will be her father. And you?" He sneered. "She doesn''t need you anymore."

    Ash''s Pikachu bristled with electricity, ready to jump into the fray, but Ash held up a hand to stop him. "Not yet, buddy. We need to figure this out first."

    The fake Ash chuckled, his expression darkening. "You''re nothing but a pest. Molly has no use for you. And now, I''ll make sure she never has to see you again."

    Ash narrowed his eyes, and gave a mocking smile "What''s the matter? Still hurting from the beating I gave you earlier?" he taunted with a smirk.

    The doppelg?nger''s grin faltered, his brows knitting into a scowl. "You''ll regret those words," he spat, raising his hand. Crystals surged and twisted, gathering like a storm around him.

    Ash''s own eyes began to glow faintly blue as he steadied himself, his Aura sparking to life. "You can try," he said, his voice calm but laced with defiance. "But now that you''re here, I''ll prove to you that you''re not as invincible as you think."