Disclaimer: Pokemon and all related characters, places, animals, and situations are not mine. (hey, that sounded slightly professional! ^^;;) HOWEVER! I DO own Lyonesse, Ivan (sort of... can you say "Golden Sun rip-off?"), and Alexander. And how they look, and some of their Pokemon's "uniquenesses". *grins* Hehehe...
AN: Now, here's what's really gonna be fun about this fic: my Pokemon expertise. Ask me a Clefairy's weight or what Pokemon appear in every version of the Pokemon games, I can tell you. Ask me what Gary Oak actually does in the anime, and I'm lost. See, I've only seen most of the first season, random snippets of Johto and the Orange Islands, and of course "Mewtwo Strikes Back". I've read (and own) three editions of the Pokemon manga, and have so thoroughly beaten every version of the game that there is that if Pokemon could go above level 100, my Venusaur from the first-time-through red game would be some really scary number. So if I screw up on Pokemon that people have, or things that people know, tell me (nicely, please) and I will try to figure out some way to fix it. (and if I ever mention a "Hyper Ball" instead of an "Ultra Ball", just shoot me. I'm an idiot that way)
However, if you put up with my oddities and the million-mile-long author's note, you will discover what I think is a damn good fic. Enjoy!
By Lioness Blackfire
Chapter One
Extremespeed
Hello, I'm Carmel Herzeloyd on the 11-o'clock news. Today, all over the world, Pokemon Gyms have been shutting down for no particular reason. The only ones not affected are the Orange League Gyms and Our very own Viridian Gym. What could the reason be for this peculiar behavior?
The sixteen-year-old boy sitting on the bed in the guest room at Oak Laboratories set his teeth together and stared venomously at the television screen.
'Tell me if they've found my sister yet!' he mentally shouted, light violet eyes narrowing dangerously.
On the screen, the news announcer began to look uncomfortable. In... other news... missing persons Champion Lance of the Elite Four and Pokemon Trainer Lyonesse Blackfire of Celadon City have not yet been found. Reports, however, of a strange black-haired man-
The violet-eyed boy pounded a fist into the mattress and the TV turned off on it's own. A Hypno's cry erupted into the night. There was a knock on the door of the room.
"Ivan? Are you all right in there?" Professor Oak asked from the other side of the door. Ivan blinked, the Hypno stopped calling.
"Go-gomen nasai, Professor. Daijobu des."
"Quite all right. Could I come in?"
"Hai."
The gray-haired professor stepped into the room and walked over to sit at the desk near the bed. For a moment, he studied Ivan. The boy had come to him a few days previous, explaining that his twin sister, Lyonesse, had gone missing, and that he wished to see her "spare" Pokemon, which were kept at the Oak Lab.
Since then, he had been staying in a guest room there. It was always easy to tell if Lyonesse had been found when the news came on - Jade, Lyonesse's Hypno, seemed to be as connected to her twin as she herself, and would announce the news plainly.
As for Ivan himself, he seemed to be a normal 16-year-old boy. A bit short, with floppy blonde hair and perfectly fair skin to go with his usually soft light violet eyes. His usual outfit consisted of a purple tunic with long sleeves and a turtleneck, henna-brown breeches, a leather belt fastened with an odd-looking golden buckle, an apple green hooded half-length cape, and simple brown leather boots. In fact, that was even what he was wearing then.
"No sign of her?" Oak asked carefully.
"No." Ivan replied, staring at the ground as if it was his own mortal enemy. "Nobody's even seen her, so it's not like she's in a hospital somewhere or her Murkrow broke a wing and just can't deliver messages. Besides, she'd call if something like that happened. She has one of those Pokegear things from Johto, and those have built-in cell phones." He scowled, and Oak could swear the floorboards he was staring at creaked.
"Have you considered going after her yourself?" He asked, going right out on a limb. Ivan looked up at him, startled, and the floorboards creaked again.
"I'm not exactly the world's greatest detective." he replied sarcastically after a moment. "And if it's really what I think is going on, there's no way I'd survive a second out there."
"Do you have a Pokemon License?"
"Yes... I got it with Lyonesse the day we turned ten."
"Well then, why don't I give you a beginner's Pokemon? It can protect you if you train it, and from there on you can catch other Pokemon, who can do the same."
"Still, it would take more time than I've got to raise a Pokemon from the ground up. I'd need help."
Professor Oak looked thoughtful. "Hmm..."
"Hey, Professor!" the cheerful fifteen-year-old Ash Ketchum greeted. "Say hi, Pikachu!"
"PI-ka!"
"Hello Ash, Pikachu. Brock and Misty are already here. Come inside." Ash and his small yellow Pokemon followed the Professor's lead and soon found themselves in a sunny sitting room where Brock, Misty, and an unfamiliar boy waited.
"Ash!" Misty exclaimed. "We were coming here together! How did you manage to be late?!"
"Ketchup." Ash mouthed to her, and she replied with,
"Ohhh... nevermind."
He grinned flirtatiously at her and sat on the floor in front of the couch, Pikachu beside him. He had grown in the five years of his Pokemon training - he was about 5'11" tall with an extra two inches of unruly spiky black hair when he wasn't wearing his baseball cap. His face had become less childlike as well, though by no means did he look to be an adult.
"Now that everyone is here," Oak began, "I would like to introduce you to Ivan Blackfire." he motioned toward the blonde boy on the other side of the room, who fidgeted under the three teens' gazes. Professor Oak had mentioned the three Pokemon trainers the night before, but had failed to mention how tall Ash and Brock were, and that Misty apparently tended to be a bit snappish.
"Umm..." he mumbled after a moment's silence. "Konnichi wa." Ash smiled at him in a companionable manner that would have startled him if Lyonesse had not been one to do the same.
"Hey. I'm Ash, and this is Pikachu."
"I'm Misty."
"And I'm Brock."
"Hajimemashite, minna." He glanced at Professor Oak. "I... um..."
"I've called you three here-"
"Ka-chuuuuu?"
"Excuse me, you four here, to ask for your assistance in... what would you call this?"
"Search and rescue?"
"Maybe. Ah, an extended search and rescue mission. Lyonesse Blackfire, Ivan's twin, has been missing for nearly two weeks. She was supposed to be in Saffron City, or at least somewhere close-by there. Despite his twin being on a Pokemon Journey, Ivan is not an active trainer. However, it seems the only way to find Lyonesse is through Pokemon, and seeing as he just received his first Pokemon not a full day ago... you see the situation." All four nodded seriously, Pikachu punctuating it with a sharp,
"Chu!"
"So what you're asking is that one or all of us travel with Ivan in search of his sister?" Brock asked for verification.
"Exactly." he paused. "Now, you don't have to answer right away. We're still evaluating the full situation as it is."
Ash put his hands behind his head and locked eyes with the pale Ivan. "Well, I'm in in any case. Things have been far too quiet concerning the whole of Team Rocket, and all of my Pokemon are kind of restless. Right, Pikachu?"
"Pika."
There was a long moment's silence, and then Professor Oak grinned. "I told you he'd say that. Alright then Ash, I'm keeping you to your word on that."
"No problem, Professor. What do you two think?"
Misty, holding Togepi, looked thoughtful. She had been traveling with Ash most of the time between the present moment and when she was twelve. Now seventeen, she was well on her way to becoming the world's greatest Master of Water Pokemon.
"Well, I don't exactly have anything else to do..." she replied after she had finished thinking. "And things have been pretty dull since you finished the Hoenn League." she grinned and looked up at Ivan as well. "I'm in."
Brock could feel himself turning slightly red, suddenly being the center of attention. Of the three companions, he was the one who had changed the least. Sure, he had grown between the ages of sixteen and twenty, and he was a bit broader in the shoulder, but it didn't seem to him that he'd grown up very much.
Oh well.
"Eh, why not?" he looked at Ivan (or at least Ivan thought he did... kinda hard to tell with those squinty eyes of his). "I'll do it."
Ash grinned from his place on the floor. "Alright! The team is back together! Now all we need is for our personal Team Rocket to show up and we're set!" Everybody except Ivan laughed and Misty threw a pillow at him.
"Well, now that that's settled, how would you like to stay for lunch?" The Professor asked.
"Yeah!" was the chorused reply.
As the three young trainers conversed animatedly over lunch held in the "backyard" of Oak Laboratories, Ivan took the opportunity to give them a thorough look-over.
Ash seemed to talk the most, occasionally exchanging a few words with his Pikachu as well. His black, spiky hair stuck out in all directions from underneath a league cap that he didn't recognize. It was mostly red with an inch-wide black stripe down the middle, and a goldenrod yellow Pokeball pattern right over it all in the front. The rest of the teenage boy's outfit consisted of comfortably loose blue jeans, a black t-shirt, black fingerless gloves with goldenrod yellow cuffs, and black boots.
Misty, despite being slightly less talkative than Ash, seemed to dominate the conversation. Her orange-red hair was in a simple ponytail that fell to the middle of her back. Bluegreen eyes surveyed everyone carefully from her vantage point, he noticed. Her outfit was made up of roomy jeans, a red chinese-style top with black embroidery and goldenrod accents, and red gym shoes.
Brock was the quietest of the three, watching and taking in the information being thrown between Ash, Misty, and Professor Oak. His dark, spiky hair, squinty eyes, and tan skin seemed to be the way they had been in the photograph of the three trainers Oak had shown him the previous night. His outfit even was similar: khaki pants, a green t-shirt, a brown short-sleeved jacket with orange collar and hem, and navy blue gym shoes.
However, apart from all these lively energies, Ivan felt as if there was another. One who, much as he himself did, watched secretly, from the shadows. And it was watching HIM.
"Nan des ka?" he whispered irritatedly looking behind himself in an effort to spot the other watcher.
"What did you say, Ivan?" Misty asked. "Is somebody there?" He turned back to the table, looking slightly disturbed.
"I thought there was, but I don't see anybody..."
"Well," Oak commented thoughtfully, "My grandson Gary is supposed to arrive today or tomorrow. Maybe he's here." At the mention of 'Gary', Ash's eyes narrowed. Ivan found himself unable to tell whether that was a good or bad sign.
Momentarily, a figure came around the side of the house dressed in a brown, hooded cloak. Immediately, the hood was pushed back and he handsome young man walked over to Professor Oak and clapped him on the shoulder warmly.
"Gramps! Great to see you."
"Ah! Gary! Wonderful to see you too! I had just mentioned that you might show up soon."
Gary smiled with one side of his mouth and Ivan looked at him curiously. It was apparent to him at least that Gary new perfectly well that his grandfather had just said what he had, and chose that moment to reveal his presence because of that.
"Ashy-boy! What brings you here?" the strange young Gary Oak had asked the leader of the band of friends. Ash smiled smugly.
"Professor Oak invited me, Brock, and Misty over to see if we would undertake an extended search and rescue mission with Ivan, here."
Gary looked at Oak sharply, then searchingly at Ivan. "Blackfire? I ran into someone who was looking for you on the way here."
"Daystar?"
"That mighta been his last name. Alexander somethin'."
"Mm-hm. Daystar. He's not a very good trainer, but I think he has something against my sister. Or me. He was always trying to best her in Pokemon." There was a silence where Ivan seemed to mull over something, Gary watched him do so, and Ash, Misty, Brock, and Professor Oak exchanged glances and confused shrugs.
Finally, the Professor loudly cleared his throat. "Ah, well, it's good to see that you two get along nicely. Perhaps you would like to join this quest of theirs, Gary?" Gary looked a bit startled.
"Well..." he looked the small group over. "Just who are they looking for?"
"Lyonesse Blackfire, Ivan's twin sister." Oak replied.
"Lyonesse... she was mentioned on the news last night." Gary half-asked. Ivan nodded. "Then you're from Celadon, too?" Another nod. "Was Erika doing alright when you left? Any annual Gym maintenance scheduled?"
"You're referring to all the Pokemon Gyms closing down yesterday." Ash said, meeting and pinning Gary's brown eyes with his own amber pair.
"Exactly." he stepped back and motioned at the empty chair between Ash and Ivan. "May I?"
"Be my guest." Ash replied. Ivan found it hard to understand how such simple words, delivered so normally, could convey so large a dare.
"It is my belief that the Pokemon Gym system has been invaded by Team Rocket, possibly with the assistance of another group like them." He stated flatly after he sat down.
"Yes... that would make sense, except that the Gym leaders and the trainers belonging to each gym are strong." Brock said. "I was a gym leader for quite a while, and few trainers defeated me."
"Same here." Misty agreed.
"There are many more strong trainers than most believe. Team Rocket is a powerful organization that has control of various underground research facilities, recently including Silph Company of Saffron, and a Pokemon Gym." Though he was facing Ash as he spoke, when Ivan blanched he automatically turned in the other boy's direction. "Which was she close to?"
"She was in Saffron for Sabrina's Marsh Badge."
Gary nodded sagely, something he seemed to have inherited from his grandfather. "Challenging Sabrina generally means you're a competent trainer. Was she publicly anti-Rocket?"
"No..." Ivan said, and seemed to think about something momentarily. "Actually... at one point she even considered joining Team Rocket, but decided she would rather follow her dream of-" he cut himself off. "Oh god. Duh. She wanted to make her own Gym. And the thing with the Gyms... god I'm an idiot."
Gary's mouth drew into a thin line. "Nah, sometimes you just need more than one mind to come up with the best answers." He leaned back and gave another quick glance at each of the table's occupants. "Anyway, I'd just love to join this crazy pack." he smirked at Ash. "If you were a Growlithe, your hackles would be up. Would you rather I earned my way in?" Ash just clenched his teeth. "How about a battle? If I win, I can join. If I lose, you choose whether I do or don't."
"Fine." Ash stated calmly and stood. "One Pokemon each okay?"
"Wonderful." They walked about twelve feet away, parted, and stood at the ready. Pikachu and Ash conversed for a moment and then the younger trainer looked up at Gary. "Ready, Ashy-boy?"
"Anytime you are."
"Great. Nidoking, Go!"
"And I choose, Muk!" Both Pokemon came out of their Pokeballs and faced off. Gary smiled a warrior's smile - the kind of smile that says 'I know exactly what you just did'.
"Nidoking, your horn attack!"
"Muk, harden now!" Ash yelled very quickly. The lunging Nidoking smashed into a substancially harder Muk, who smiled about as cockily as his trainer did. "Screech!"
"COVER YOUR EARS!!!" Misty shouted to Ivan, whose eyes had crossed from the insane noise. "This is a serious Pokemon battle." she said to him when the screech subsided. "Both of them have been training for five years, and Gary is even the runner-up for Viridian City Gym Leader." Ivan looked at her and nodded.
Meanwhile, on the feild, Nidoking had been affected by the screech in much the same way Ivan had.
"Jump in there quick, Muk! Harden and pound!" It hit the Nidoking, who lay dazed on the ground for a moment before pulling itself to it's feet.
"You'll be fine, Nidoking!" Gary yelled. "Charge at it!" Nidoking began running. "Horn drill as fury attack!" Ash looked like he just about died as Nidoking rapidly horn drilled Muk the trademark five times of fury attack.
"Muk!" said Pokemon slumped over in a dead faint. "Return!" it zapped back into it's Pokeball in a beam of red light. "I shouldn't underestimate you." Ash walked over to his rival as he recalled Nidoking. "It was a fair fight. You win. Again." They shook hands. "Welcome to the group, I guess."
"Thanks."
"For what?" Ash asked as they walked back toward the rest of the group.
"Welcoming me. I was half expecting for there to be tacks between your fingers." Gary replied and grinned.
Ash raised an eyebrow but smiled. "You've been watching Ranma 1/2, haven't you?" It was more of a statement than a question. Gary's grin turned mareepish.
"Heh... aren't secret base TVs great?"
"Pfhhh, you psycho!" He paused, the whispered, "Have the DVDs with you?"
"Wanna watch em?"
"Heh heh..." They entered the lab after obliviously walking right past the others. Everybody sweatdropped.
"Well... I suppose it's nice to see that Gary and Ash are finally getting along again." The Professor said.
"From a Pokemon death-match to discussing generally dirty animes." Misty muttered, shaking her head.
"You know... Ranma sounds interesting..." Brock said and went in the direction Gary and Ash had.
"Ahhh... wait for me... I've been curious about this anime..." Professor Oak said lamely and followed. Misty and Ivan exchanged glances.
"You like anime?" she asked.
"Dunno. Never seen any."
"Want to?"
"Why not?"
"Sounds good to me."
And they went in. Pikachu, who had been standing right behind them, stood there for a moment longer.
"Pika KAchu? Pi-pikachu chuuu..." ("What the frick? This is going to be a tradition, I just know it...") He looked around, shrugged, and followed.
AN: Heh... heh... I'm actually going to go watch Ranma now. =P
Just so you know (seeing as I didn't mention this at the top) this is probably going to be Pokeshippy, Rocketshippy (sorry they weren't in this chapter), and possibly Eldershippy. Plus Lyonesse will be paired with someone (Brock, Gary, or Alexander... who knows?).
Hypno says oyu like the review button.
You feel compelled to press the review button.
Come on, you know you want to...
=D