Author's note: I've been rooting through all my old tapes recently and discovered all of my old tapes, featuring lots of Pokémon episodes, which has rekindled my love for the series. I guess I just kinda wrote this fic on the spur of the moment. It's not brilliant, but there we go.
It will have Ash/Misty stuff, but not too much, as I prefer the subtle style the cartoon used. Anyway, this fic takes a few liberties. It pretty much just ignores the Johto series and onwards, as I really do not like the new Pokémon much at all. So therefore Ash still has his Charizard, etc.
This takes place a few years after the first Indigo Plateau League Ash entered. So Ash is 14, Misty is 16. Brock is…well, good question. Anyway, it begins with Ash in his first battle in the League.
Ash stood stock still in the stadium as the crowd around him cheered and yelled. Sweat was pouring off his palms, and his eyes were firmly closed. At his side, Pikachu looked up at him, concerned. It had been years since they had last been here, in the Indigo Plateau Pokémon League Arena. It was the first round, and Ash was nervous.
Across the field of rock and jagged stones stood his opponent, a middle-aged man who looked just as tense. The announcer was introducing the trainers to the excited crowd. Ash knew that somewhere in the mass of cheering people were his friends Brock and Misty.
The referee lifted his green flag, and instantly Ash sprang to life. He hurled a Pokéball into the rock arena, and the familiar sight of his loyal Squirtle sprang into view.
His opponent unleashed his first Pokémon too. A large, spiny Sandshrew glowered at his Squirtle, then charged headlong, slashing with its huge claws.
"Squirtle! Withdraw!" Ash yelled anxiously.
His water Pokémon withdrew its limbs and head safely into its shell. Sandslash's claws bounced harmlessly off the thick protection. Taken aback for a moment, the Pokémon was suddenly blasted back into a vertical rock by a jet of water fired from Squirtle's mouth.
"Sandlash! Don't give up! Use seismic toss!" Ash's rival ordered.
The tenacious Sandlash leapt back to its feet and seized the withdrawn Squirtle in its massive paws, then leapt high into the air, intending to hurl the little creature to the floor with punishing force.
"Use hydro pump!" Ash's hands were gripping tightly onto the handrail of the platform he was standing on.
In the hands of the astonished Sandslash, the withdrawn Squirtle began rotating at high speed, unleashing massive blasts of water at the enemy. The battered creature fell to the floor, overwhelmed and out of the fight. Ash's faithful friend's fall was slowed by the jets of water, and it landed easily and its limbs and head popped out of the shell.
And so the battle went on. Sandslash was withdrawn, and replaced by Magneton who overcame Squirtle with mighty jolts of electricity. But Pikachu soon took that out, and finally faced off with a Fearow.
As the crowd cheered, the huge bird crashed to the floor, severely shocked by Pikachu's jolts of electricity. Ash watched unflinching, hoping that the Fearow would not be able to rise again.
At last, it gave one final squawk and slumped on the floor, exhausted. The referee raised his red flag and announced Ash as the winner. The crowd cheered in a deafening roar as the other trainer recalled his Fearow, with a shocked look on his face.
As grim and tense as Ash had been before, he was excited and pleased now. He yelled out happily and rushed out to greet Pikachu, lifting him into the air and swinging him around happily, much to the amusement of the crowd.
From the crowd, Misty and Brock joined in the cheering. Ash had won his first victory in the League.
"You were great out there, Ash!" Brock enthused warmly, clapping Ash on the shoulder as they headed back towards their lodge in the Pokémon League Village.
"Thanks Brock", Ash grinned at him, as they made their way down the dark streets that were illuminated by the streetlights.
"I have to admit, your Pokémon really came through for you then. Despite your poor planning", Misty said, then winked to show she was joking.
"Pika! Pikachu!" Ash's friend squeaked, clambering over his shoulder.
As Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu and Togepi entered their comfortable lodge, the phone rang. Ash walked over and lifted it off its receiver. The image of Professor Oak appeared.
"Ah, hi there Ash. Congratulations on your first victory!" he smiled warmly, "It's been years, but you're finally making your presence in the League known again!"
"Thanks Professor," the young trainer replied, "If the League came around more often, I would have entered every year. But all the training I've done has really helped".
There was a commotion behind the scientist, and Ash could just make out his mother leaping up and down, ordering her son to go to bed at once, and congratulating him, and to make sure he changed his clothes ever day…
Ash laughed and hung up. He was convinced that his mother would continue to treat him like a five year old for the rest of his life.
"She's got a point, Ash", Brock intoned, "Your next match is in two days, and you're going to need to do some serious training to be ready for it".
As if to prove Brock right, Ash found himself yawning, "I guess you're right. In the morning I'll find out where and who I'm battling. And wherever and whoever it is, we'll be ready for them, right Pikachu?"
Misty woke just as sunlight creeped in through the window. She yawned and shook herself alert, then sat up, hitting her head on the bunk bed above her. She groaned and looked around. Brock was fast asleep, breathing heavily in the bed across the other side of the room from her.
Climbing out of bed, she looked up to the top bunk and saw Ash and Pikachu were gone. She smiled, impressed, and picked up the snoozing Togepi and headed into the kitchen to get breakfast for herself.
Ash wasn't in the kitchen either. She raised one eyebrow. If he wasn't eating, where was he?
She crossed over to the window facing the back garden and flung it open, "Ash! Where are you?"
A huge, fearsome head with large fangs was thrust into her face. She shrieked and jumped, then regained herself and looked closer.
"Oh, it's just you Charizard", she sighed, "What are you doing out there? Where's Ash?"
The flame-skinned, powerful Charizard grunted and pointed out the back garden. Misty could see Ash standing with Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Snorlax. Lapras was sitting in a pool provided by the Pokémon League for the trainers. Ash was talking to all of them, and they were listening intently. Evidently, he was training with them.
"Why aren't you training with him, Charizard?" Misty asked.
The huge dragon shrugged and yawned, then curled up and lay down on the ground. Misty cast her eyes skyward. Although he was tamer now, Charizard still had a seemingly constant desire for rest and an occasional hint of arrogance about him.
Ash was just telling all of his Pokémon about how much he wanted to thank them for coming so far with him when his red-headed friend joined him.
"Hi, Misty", he smiled, "It's a nice morning, huh?"
"Uh-huh. You're up early", she commented.
"Yeah, I thought me and the guys would get an early start and be ready for the big match tommorow. Right guys?"
His Pokémon voiced their approval and nodded.
"And what about him?" Misty jerked her thumb over her shoulder at the snoozing Charizard.
"Huh? Hey Charizard! What are you doing?"
Charizard opened one eye, then yawned lazily and climbed to his feet and walked over. He smiled a slow smile at Ash, which was about as affectionate as he could be.
"That's the spirit", Ash grinned, "Now let's get training".
After a few hours of training , Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu and Togepi were at the Control Centre for the Pokémon League. Ash was using the random selector for the arena he would be in for his next match.
The young, pretty girl at the console, who was predictably having to hold off Brock's intense affections, looked up at Ash and said, "Congratulations. You're in the ice arena. And you're battling…", she looked at the console, "A new trainer to the Indigo Plateau League. He's called Tad".
"Thank you, miss", Ash replied, and led the way out of the building into the busy streets.
"Tad...", Misty murmured, "That name sounds familiar…"
"Tad…" Ash mulled the name over thoughtfully.
"I don't remember it", Brock said.
Misty clicked her fingers, "Ah! I remember! We met him in the Orange Islands! Do you remember, Ash?"
Ash blinked, then a look of enlightement crossed his face, "Oh yeah! He was that guy with the Poliwrath!"
"What are you guys talking about?" wondered Brock.
"He challenged me to a match", the memories were flooding back to Ash now, "He said he liked using Pokémon with real power over subtlety".
"Ooh, big word", Misty teased.
Ash glared at her, "He had a Poliwrath that was the toughest I've ever seen. It took out Pikachu and then Charizard with an ice beam attack. We managed to keep Charizard warm and looked after it all night. That was when Charizard started listening to me. We managed to defeat him and his Poliwrath eventually".
"He was a tough guy, but really nice", Misty remembered.
"Heh, thanks for the compliment".
Ash, Misty and Brock jumped in surprise at the voice. They turned and saw a tall young man standing there, arms folded across his chest. He had dark rugged hair, a red shirt and a black jacket. He might have been imposing, but for a friendly twinkle in his eyes that invited conversation and his handsome, pleasant face.
"Tad! It's been a while!" Ash smiled and extended his hand.
Tad took it and shook it warmly, "Well, I found out that you're my next opponent. I had no idea you competed in the Indigo Plateau League".
"Well, it's where I first started out. What about you? I thought you lived in the Orange Islands".
"I do. But I contend in Pokémon competitions wherever I can. Me", he flashed a grin at Ash, "and old Poliwrath. Well, look I gotta go and get ready for our match tomorrow. Good luck, and let's try to keep it a good one".
"Okay! You got a deal!"
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu added merrily.
"I'll see you later, and you especially", Tad looked at Misty and took her hand and kissed it briefly. Then he turned around and walked off.
The trio stared after him. Misty was blushing and smiling slightly. Ash looked confused.
"You're right, he's a nice guy", Brock said.
"He's very charming", Misty smiled.
"Uh…yeah. I guess he is", Ash said slowly.
"Oh? And what would you know about charming?" Misty smirked, "You're about as charming as a Weezing".
"Ah please, Mist. You're not exactly very girl-like, are you?"
"What's that supposed to mean!" Misty raged.
"Hey, guys, calm down", Brock intervened, "Come on, let's get home so Ash can get some more training done"