Welcome Back, Old Friends
Chapter 1
"Go! Frogadier!" Ash yelled, tossing a Pokeball ahead of him. A thin, wiry blue frog-like Pokemon emerged from the capsule.
"Frog!" it exclaimed, crouching into a ninja pose. The enemy's Scizor stared confidently at the Frogadier.
Ash was battling a fellow Trainer, and Ash refused to lose. Unfortunately, his opponent wasn't showing signs of backing down either.
Twisting his cap backwards, Ash commanded "Frogadier! Use Aerial Ace!"
Frogadier obediently nodded and leapt up, soaring above the Scizor. Then Frogadier's arms grew a bluish aura around them with needle-like points on the ends.
Ash's Kalos Water-type dove down slashing repeatedly at the Scizor. Scizor blocked the slashes with its pincer-like claws, but eventually grew weak for just a second, allowing Frogadier to land a hit.
Scizor was knocked back, but was ready again in an instant. Scizor's Trainer-a teen with shaggy blond hair and a gray hoodie-turned and pointed at Ash's Frogadier.
"Hit 'em with an X-Scissor!" he said. Scizor crossed its claws around its chest, forming an "X". Then Scizor slashed its arms downward, shooting off a cross of slicing energy.
Frogadier's agile traits allowed it to easily dodge and counter with a Quick Attack; buzzing by Scizor and knocking it down.
"Yeah!" Ash said triumphantly. "Finish it with Frubbles!" he called. The Bubble Frog Pokemon clutched its neck-bubbles and flung several of them at the Scizor.
As the Scizor was recovering from Quick Attack, it had no time to dodge the incoming Frubbles.
They exploded against Scizor: two in the face, four to the chest, and one to the leg. No amount of skills could get Scizor back up.
The Trainer called Scizor back and shook Ash's hand.
"Good fight!" Ash said.
"Same to you." the guy replied.
Chapter 2
"Did you see me?!" Ash exclaimed to his friends as they travelled to Laverre City to battle the eccentric Gym Leader Valerie.
Clemont chuckled.
"Sure did. You're going to need that kind of effort to go against Valerie." the blond inventor said.
"Any ideas on how to beat her?" Ash questioned. Clemont immediately reached into his backpack and pulled out a thin tablet, tapping a few buttons and sliding his finger across the screen.
Without looking up, Clemont replied,"I've done some research, and created this. A GymNav."
Ash took the device out of Clemont's withheld hand and examined it.
"Cool! Er… What does it do?" Ash asked sheepishly. Clemont grinned.
"It gives you information on Gym Leaders. I dug really deep to make it!" the frizzy-haired Trainer replied.
"What's it say about Valerie?" Serena asked.
"Let me see…" Ash said, tapping and swiping until he came to Valerie's page.
"Aha! It says here that Valerie is Laverre City's Gym Leader, and she specializes in Fairy-types." the raven-haired boy read.
"Ooh! Fairies!" Bonnie shrieked, to the amusement of her friends.
"So that means Goodra won't do you much good. Dragon-types are weak to Fairy-types." Clemont calculated. Ash groaned. He wanted to use Goodra!
Ash continued reading. "Valerie is very…eccentric. She isn't seen much, and is very obsessed with fairies. Her eyes have no actual eyeballs, only sparkling irises.
"She has been known to use what's called a 'hideaway strategy.' That means she defends strongly while using status moves, and then will pop out of nowhere with a knockout attack." Ash concluded.
Ash began to worry. Valerie sounded tough to beat! But Ash gritted his teeth and his fear gave way to determination. He will win.
Chapter 3
Then Serena heard a rustling in the bushes.
"What was that?" she asked.
"What?" Clemont questioned. Serena shrugged and said it was just her imagination. But then she heard it again.
Bonnie heard, too. "I heard it!" she said. Ash and Clemont just gave each other a look that said, It's a girl thing.
Finally a Beedrill burst from the bushes, followed by a swarm of them. The buzzing rang through the forest. Ash and friends looked around, surrounded.
"What is it with me and Beedrill?" Ash muttered. The Beedrill advanced, ever so slowly, as if toying with their prey.
"Go, Swampert!" a slightly familiar voice called.
"Go, Blaziken!" another familiar voice, this one female, called.
The aforementioned Swampert and Blaziken flashed out from their Pokeballs. Swampert raised its mighty fists and swatted down three Beedrill. Its mighty Hydro Pump shot down several others.
On the other side, Blaziken was throwing flames from its wrists and kicking several Beedrill down.
Just as soon as it had started, the Beedrill-and hero Pokemon-retreated.
"Hey! Come back!" Ash yelled at the Pokemon, searching for their owners. Two shadowy figures sprinted off. Ash followed them but tripped on a branch and lost them.
Serena walked over and helped Ash up.
"Who was that?" Clemont asked. Dusting off his pants, Ash honestly replied, "I don't know. But they sure were familiar."
Chapter 4
Continuing their journey, Ash pondered over who it was that had saved them. He knew their voices, but couldn't put a finger on their owners. Ash dismissed it and carried on.
Finally the group arrived at Laverre City. It was a little dark, and autumnal trees were growing all around. That didn't make sense; it was summer!
Clemont seemed a little uneasy. Bonnie was unhappy; she thought it was 'Fairy Town' and was all pink and sparkly and happy.
Serena appeared scared and clutched Ash's hand. Ash smiled a little and didn't let go.
Bonnie then stopped and tugged on her older brother's shoulder.
"Hm?" Clemont inquired, leaning down for Bonnie to say something. The blond girl whispered something, and Clemont nodded.
"Bonnie…wants to stop." Clemont said. Ash stopped walking.
"Why?" he asked, slightly disappointed at being so close to the Gym.
"She loves Dedenne, but it seems lonely. I'm going to catch a Pokemon for her." Clemont said. Ash's heart softened and nodded.
Clemont tapped his waist, making sure he had Pokemon ready. Then Clemont spotted something pale-blue and glowing.
The source of the light emerged, revealing a smallish orange Pokemon with blue plasma around it. A Rotom!
Clemont grabbed a Pokeball and hurled it out.
"I choose you! Heliolisk!" he said, adjusting his thick glasses. The Rotom appeared a bit startled.
"Heliolisk! Use Thunderbolt!" Clemont commanded. The Generator Pokemon bent its knees and shot out a bolt of crackling electricity. The Rotom swiftly dodged it.
Heliolisk fired again, and missed again. Heliolisk missed a third time and looked at Clemont.
"Uh, uh… Use Dragon Tail!" Clemont commanded uneasily. Heliolisk ran up to Rotom, spinning, preparing to slam Rotom with its tail.
The Plasma Pokemon dodged the attack and floated up to Clemont. It nudged an empty Pokeball on the young Gym Leader's belt, bathing Rotom in a white light.
Then Rotom was sucked into the Pokeball. Clemont had effortlessly caught Rotom for Bonnie!
Clemont sheepishly grinned and said, "Well, that worked." Ash just laughed.
Chapter 5
Continuing to the gym once more, Ash put on his game face, prepared to earn his 6th Gym Badge. As they approached the Gym Valerie had created into a tree, Ash swore he saw a flash of red and grey. Next was a blur of brown and orange. Ash shrugged it off and continued.
Clemont panted to keep up with the group as they climbed the small flight of stairs. The unathletic Gym Leader sweated and huffed, but attempted to keep it in.
As the group reached the Gym's door, it mysteriously swung open by itself. At the far end of the room was Valerie, starry-eyed and all, and her Mr. Mime using its Psychic powers to open the door.
The fairy-dress-clad woman held out her arms.
"Welcome to the Laverre City Gym." she said, almost singing. Ash tipped his cap, not much for pre-Gym Battle small talk.
Valerie then appeared confused.
"Uhm… To battle me, it is a Triple Battle. Who will your partners be?" she inquired. Ash sheepishly rubbed his neck. Guess I didn't read that part of GymNav, he thought.
Ash looked to Clemont and Serena; Bonnie wasn't old enough to be a Pokemon Trainer.
Serena sadly said, "Braixen and Pancham are too tired."
Ash looked dismayed. He was so ready for this! He needed two more Trainers because Serena couldn't and Clemont was a Gym Leader, so he couldn't earn badges.
Then that voice that Ash heard earlier spoke, "I'll battle with him." Shocked, the raven-haired boy turned to the voice's owner.
Ash's eyes were dinner plates; his mouth dropped out of proportion. In front of him was a girl Ash's age with brown hair and a red bandana on her head.
"M-M-Mayyyy?" Ash stuttered. His friend nodded and smiled.
"I'm with him, too." another familiar voice declared. To Ash's right was a spiky-haired young adult in an orange vest and brown pants.
"Brock?" Ash once again questioned, unable to believe his eyes.
"In the flesh, old buddy." Brock said affirmatively. Ash was dumbstruck. Pikachu was happy, jumping onto May's head, who gave him an affectionate tummy rub.
Valerie smiled and said, "So, are you ready to battle?"
Ash nodded with a grin and replied, "Heck yeah we are." He then turned his cap backward in his dramatic fashion, and yelled, "Go, Pikachu!"
Pikachu chirped in agreement and jumped off of May's head into a combat stance.
Brock and May followed likewise by sending out their respective Swampert and Blaziken.
Valerie's unblinking eyes glimmered as she threw out two Pokeballs opposite her Mr. Mime. An Aromatisse and a Sylveon emerged from their capsules.
Ash, arrogant as ever, went on the offensive with a strongly-told "Pikachu, use Thundershock!" Pikachu responded by calling down a colossal pillar of electricity on Mr. Mime.
Mr. Mime, surprisingly agile, leapt to the side, dodging the attack.
He avoided that? This is gonna be tough, Ash thought.
Chapter 7
May followed Ash by ordering Blaziken to use Flamethrower. The bird-like Pokemon flicked its wrists, spurting twin flame streams at Sylveon. The Intertwining Pokemon dodged with the agility and grace of an acrobat.
Brock held back, knowing what the result of his Swampert attacking would be.
Valerie giggled and called, "Aromatisse! Sylveon! Use Moonblast; Mr. Mime, follow up with Tackle."
The two pure Fairy-types nodded and called forth brilliant beams of energy down from above, which damaged Blaziken and Swampert. At the same time, Mr. Mime lunged forward at Ash's faithful Mouse Pokemon.
Pikachu narrowly dodged the attack and countered by using the same move.
"No, Blaziken!" May cried. Brock gritted his teeth and narrowed his never-open eyes.
"Swampert, use Hammer Arm!" Brock ordered. The large Water-Ground-type covered its massive right arm in energy. Then the huge Pokemon bounded to Aromatisse, unleashing a fearsome yell.
"Aromatisse, use-" Valerie trailed off as the Fragrance Pokemon was slammed by the huge starter's arm.
Swampert retreated back to Brock. Valerie confidently said, "Aromatisse, use Heal Pulse." The pink Pokemon closed its eyes and spread its arms.
Purplish aura emerged from Aromatisse, then reentered it. Aromatisse was healed back to perfect health.
May called for Blaziken to use Double Kick on Sylveon. In a classic karate pose, Blaziken kicked out at Eevee's Fairy evolution twice.
Sylveon used Protect at the last moment, guarding it from a fatal blow.
Ash was angry, but an idea burst through.
"Okay, Pikachu! You, Blaziken, and Swampert hold 'em off! We've got to talk." he said.
"Pika." the Electric-type confirmed. May was confused. Why would Ash want to talk in the battle? The group huddled up anyway.
"I've got a plan." Ash said.
"Nothing's working on Valerie. But I noticed the most effective thing she did to us is use all of her Pokemon at once. So, here's how it goes…" Ash explained. He whispered to his teammates, who nodded.
Turning back to a vigorously fighting trio, Ash said, "Alright Pikachu! Use… the move." Brock and May did the same to their partner Pokemon.
The gang had discussed this move in case a Triple Battle ever occurred. The three Pokemon nodded in agreement.
Pikachu, Swampert, and Blaziken all jumped high into the air. Pikachu then used Thundershock three times to blind the opponent.
The enemy were still rubbing their eyes when the trio dove down. All three pulled back their arms, still plummeting at their opponents.
Pikachu's arm was covered in lightning; Blaziken's in flames; and Swampert's in ice. Roaring intimidatingly, the group threw amazing punchers at the still-blinded foes.
A Thunder Punch, Fire Punch, and Ice Punch followed by a Thunder. Ash had dubbed it 'Triple Punch of Power".
Valerie gasped as her loss unfolded before her eyes. Calling back her Fairy-types, she handed all three a badge.
"Congratulations. You have officially earned the Fairy Badge." she said. Ash said thanks, and the group headed on.
Epilogue
"So, guys." Ash said, swallowing down a lump of his double cheeseburger with the works. The gang had stopped at the nearest food joint, a fast food chain-restaurant called "Burger Palace".
"Why are you here?" he asked, wiping his mouth with a paper napkin.
"Well…" Brock trailed off, gulping down a swig of Dragonite Cola.
"You see, when you left off to Unova, I returned to Pewter City for a while, and May went back to Hoenn to help out Professor Birch.
"Eventually, I called her and we met up in Johto. We hung out, went shopping, fought Pokemon Trainers…you know. And then Kalos called to us." Brock explained.
"We hung around Lumiose City for a while, having all that fun." May continued.
"Then the news had reported that the Lumiose Gym had been taken over by a cyborg. The Gym Leader, his younger sister, and a young Trainer had been kicked out of the Gym." she said.
Clemont groaned.
"Don't remind me." he muttered.
"Anyway, we saw you on the TV and went looking for you. When we finally found you, you were surrounded by Beedrill." Brock said.
"So why didn't you come out then?" Ash questioned.
"Well…" May said sheepishly, rubbing her neck.
"We wanted it to be a surprise." she replied.
Ash smiled at this.
"It was an awesome surprise! Thanks for coming to travel with us." Ash said. Clemont nodded, Serena smiled, and Bonnie giggled.
And so, Ash's two best friends, Brock and May, have returned to travel with Ash through Kalos. Many adventures together await. New Pokemon, new friends, new rivalries.
Who knows what will happen? Only time can tell.