Chapter 4: The Search In Different Paths!
Last time on "Pokémon Sinnoh Journey", Dawn and Piplup were going separate ways from Hikaru and Chimchar. Dawn had some attempts to catch a wild Buneary and the wild Burmy, but failed by the lack of skills.
Hikaru, however successed on catching a female Shinx, the Flash Pokémon! Later, to Dawn, she met Pikachu, who belonged to Ash, but confronted Team Rocket, who was trying to capture Pikachu!
They made an attempt to steal Dawn's Piplup, too. But, with the help from Hikaru and his two Pokémon, Team Rocket was sent blasting off. Unfortunately, Pikachu was very weak from the explosion and dodging it had with Team Rocket.
So, that resulted Hikaru and Dawn taking it to the Pokémon Center, where Pikachu was being recovered. Dawn then decided to call her mom, and Prof. Rowan to tell what "progress" she and Hikaru made.
"That's wonderful! You made a good choice with Piplup! Smart and cute, too!" Johanna chuckled. "Piplup!" Piplup bragged, putting its beak high into the air. "So, have you been able to catch any new Pokémon yet?" Johanna asked.
"I tried, but so far, no luck. Only Hikaru managed to catch one." Dawn sighed with disappointment. "Well, it takes a while until you get the hang of it! But once you do, you're going to have so much fun! Nothing's more exciting than looking for new Pokémon friends!" Johanna assured.
Piplup stood with pride, until Dawn told him to chill out! That ticked Piplup off as it complained to Dawn! "Well, you had some things on why we didn't manage to catch one Pokémon!" Dawn retorted.
"Piplup! Piplup! Piplup!" Piplup argued as he pecked Dawn! With that, Johanna watched as her daughter and her Pokémon fight with pecks and pointing! "You know, I think those two were made for each other, don't you think?" Johanna asked her Glameow. "Meow..." Glameow agreed, purring.
Meanwhile, Hikaru was calling his mother, who felt happy to see her son in action! "Oh, what a cutie! I heard that Chimchar can be cute and tough at the same time!" Hinata, Hikaru's mother squealed.
That made Chimchar blush as he rubbed his face onto Hikaru's cheek! "Well, yeah, I suppose. Guess what, Mom! I've caught a new Pokémon friend while in Route 202!" Hikaru exclaimed. "Oh really!? What is it?" Hinata asked.
"Heh heh heh... you'll find out in the Jublife Pokémon Contest, Mom!" Hikaru snickered. "Y-You're really going to participate in Contests!?" Hinata gasped. "Sure thing! If Dawn is able to enter, so can I!" Hikaru answered, smiling at his mother.
"Oh son... I'm so proud of you. Your father would've been proud if he was here." Hinata sniffled as she wiped the tears out of her eyes. That made Hikaru blush a bit.
"Mom, you don't have to cry! I promise you that I'll enter the Grand Festival and I'll try to win it! Just like you and Dawn's Mom did!" Hikaru exclaimed, scratching his head. "Alright then. I'll see you soon, my son!" Hinata cried as she blinked off the phone screen. "See you... Mom." Hikaru replied, smiling sadly.
Meanwhile, somewhere around the route, Ash and Aipom was still looking for Pikachu. Aipom searched high up in the trees, but had no luck. When Ash called her down, Aipom sadly shook his head.
"Oh man. When you want to find those guys, all they do is disappear. I sure hope that Pikachu's okay." Ash sighed as he and Aipom sadly walked down the road. Ash and Aipom laid on a grassy area, where they were called by the Sinnoh's Officer Jenny!
"Is everything alright over there?" Officer Jenny asked. "Huh? Hey, it's Jenny!" Ash gasped as he and Aipom turned. Officer Jenny offered Ash a ride to Prof. Rowan's research lab as Ash explained of what happened to his Pikachu.
"So, Team Rocket's in Sinnoh, huh?" Jenny asked. "Yeah! I gotta find those crooks quick! They took my Pikachu!" Ash explained. "Ash, Sinnoh is a big place. Instead of trying to find them all by yourself, why don't you leave that to me. And I'll drop you off at Prof. Rowan's place." Jenny suggested.
Ash reluctantly agreed, but knew he had to see the Sinnoh Professor to get Aipom's Pokéball. "So... you're Ash, from Pallet Town. Professor Oak said a great deal about you. He send your Aipom's Pokéball for you and it just arrived." Prof. Rowan explained, handing Ash Aipom's Pokéball.
"That's great! Thanks, Professor!" Ash thanked. " I wouldn't worry too much about Pikachu. I've heard from two of my new trainers this morning that they've protected a lost Pikachu from a strange group that calls themselves, Team Rocket." Rowan explained.
"You're kidding! Wow!" Ash gasped. "Aipom!" Aipom cried out, hanging onto Ash's shoulder.
So, they called the Pokémon Center where Nurse Joy picked up the call. "Oh... Hikaru and Dawn? I'm sorry... But, the two of them left the Pokémon Center just as you called." Nurse Joy apologized.
"Did those two say anything about where they were going, Nurse Joy?" Ash asked. "Not in so many words, but I believe that Hikaru said something about going to Jublife City to find Pikachu's trainer." Nurse Joy answered.
When the call was over, Ash ran out of the Lab! "Wait! Where are you going!?" Rowan called out. "I've gotta find Dawn and Hikaru! I know the Pokémon Center is closely, right? So that means that the two of them should be close by! C'mon, Aipom! Let's move!"
Ash called to his Normal Type Pokémon. Aipom nodded in response and followed. All Prof. Rowan could think of was being worried about Ash, Dawn, and Hikaru.
Later, Hikaru, Chimchar, Dawn, Piplup, and Pikachu were receiving a call from Prof. Rowan, who tried to call them for a while! "I've been trying to reach the two of you!" Rowan grunted.
"What's the rush, Professor?" Hikaru asked. "Pikachu's trainer is named Ash. He's on his way to meet the two of you. He was here, but he left." Rowan explained.
"Understood, Prof. Rowan! We'll be there to see him if possible!" Hikaru replied, shutting down the phone as he nodded with understanding. "No problem, then! We'll re-trace back, and then we'll be sure to meet the guy!" Dawn exclaimed.
"Alright then! Let's not waste any more time, then! Let's go!" Hikaru cried out as he and Chimchar began to run. Dawn sighed as she followed. "I wish my bike wasn't very crispy right now..." Dawn sighed as she followed her childhood friend.
Back to Ash...
Meanwhile, Ash and Aipom were running along in Route 202 to meet up with both Hikaru and Dawn! That way, he could see his best pal again. Just as the two were running, they heard a truck horn, honking by!
Ash stopped to see who was in the truck. "Ash!" A familiar friend called out to him. "Hey, Brock!" Ash replied, glad to see one of his best friend and companion. "I guess great minds think alike!" Brock joked.
"Great to see you, but what are you doing here?" Ash asked, smiling. Brock used to be a Kanto Gym Leader in Pewter City, but he wanted to become a Pokémon Breeder instead. So, he traveled with Ash once in Kanto, Johto, and in Hoenn, too!
"Do you two know each other or are you too friendly, Brock?" A woman asked Brock. "Oh. You see, this is my old buddy, Ash! I've been traveling with him for a long time!" Brock explained to the woman.
"The name's Claudina! And in case you haven't noticed, I'm a pride driver in this big rig!" Claudina explained. "Hi! Nice to meet you!" Ash said politely. Then, all of a sudden, Brock hung his arm around Ash, explaining on what he and Claudina were doing.
"Yeah! Claudina and I were on the road! The road to happiness and true love!" Brock exclaimed. "Yeah... But, in a truck?" Ash asked, , Brock was now talking about the love to the light.
"Ash, it's a long and complicated journey when you want to become the very best! I was hitchiking for Pewter City when we hooked up! It was fate!" Brock chuckled with a happy sigh.
Ash sweat dropped at the tone that his friend was in at the moment. Brock always says these things to the ladies he thinks are cute and pretty!
Just as Brock was about to say farewell to Ash again, there was a phone ringing on Claudina's pocket! She picked it up, and realized that it was her boyfriend!
"Hi there, honey! I've been waiting for your sweet voice for calling!" Claudina giggled. That flipped Brock out as the word, "honey", was mentioned! "HONEY!?" Brock yelped in shock.
"Sure, I'll be right there, just as I get these eighteen wheels of mine can carry me!" Claudina promised. She put the phone away, explaining the situation for the Kanto breeder in training.
"I'm sorry for the interruption, Brock! But, that was my boyfriend on the horn, and I have to high tail it to meet him, faster than a Volt Tackle! But, I know that you all will be fine! After all! You've got your bud!" Claudina apologized.
Brock had his mouth wide open, knowing that his thought of future love was going to leave him now. "Well, I'll leave the two of you going along!... See ya later, Brock! And thanks for the great lunch and dinner!" Claudina thanked.
She then drove off, as the Kanto trainer watched, with Brock still having his mouth opened. After for a few moments when she was gone, Brock was still silent, then grew determined!
"Alright, Ash! A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do! And these men gotta do it whether a woman or not in their size!" Brock yelled out, shaking up. "Yeah! That's what I like to hear!" Ash chuckled with Brock's determination.
Then, Brock seeing that his friend was missing his Electric Type partner. "Huh? But hey... Where's Pikachu, Ash?" Brock asked. "Who knows..." Ash sighed, remembering that he was searching for his partner.
With that, Ash sighed, and explained of what happened when he had arrived in Sinnoh, and how Pikachu was rescued by Dawn and Hikaru from Team Rocket. The Kanto breeder in training understood the current situation.
"That Team Rocket won't quit, will they?" Brock asked. "Here it is! There's a Pokémon Center up ahead where that guy and girl found Pikachu! So, that way, we can ask Nurse Joy to see where she went!" Ash exclaimed, finding the Pokémon Center on the map.
Again, at the mention of Nurse Joy, Brock started to glow in love a bit. "When it comes to Nurse Joy, let me handle it!" Brock said smoothly. Suddenly, the two Kanto trainers saw Aipom fighting with another Pokémon!
The two boys ran to where Aipom was fighting. "Knock it off, Aipom! This is no time for you to be picking in a fight! Stop!" Ash yelled. Just then, Brock noticed the oe that was fighting Aipom.
"Hey, who's that Pokémon?" Brock asked. Ash took out his Pokédex to see who was attacking his female Normal Type!
"Starly, the Starling Pokémon. Starly normally travels in a flock, but when it is alone, it is hard to notice one." Ash's Pokédex buzzed. "A Normal and Flying Type! Alright!" Ash cried out.
"Maybe we should catch it." Brock suggested. "I think so, too. That way, we could look for Pikachu in the air! Aipom! I want to catch that Starly! So, I need your help!" Ash called out.
He took out a Pokéball as he got ready for the catch. Aipom nodded and leapt toward the air! "Aipom, use Swift!" Ash ordered. Aipom obeyed by sending stars at Starly, which exploded!
Suddenly, Starly uses a powerful Whirlwind attack, blinding not just Aipom, but Ash and Brock, too! "That's Whirlwind! And a really strong one, too!" Brock grunted, resisting the attack.
"Aipom! Hang in there, and use Focus Punch!" Ash yelled. Aipom made an attempt to use Focus Punch, but it was interrupted by wild Starly's Quick Attack! Now, Starly used Wing Attack, giving Aipom some more damage!
"Now Starly is using Wing Attack!" Brock called, seeing the Flying Type move."I know that you can do it, Aipom!" Ash yelled out. Aipom finally punched Starly toward the air! "That's more like it!" Brock chuckled.
This gave the Kanto trainer the chance to throw his Pokéball! The ball sucked Starly inside. It shook for a while, then stopped! "Alright! I've caught a Starly!" Ash started, then stopped.
"What's wrong?" Brock asked, running over. "You know, Brock. When something like this happens, Pikachu's usually here with me." Ash sighed, looking at Starly's Pokéball.
Brock put a hand over Ash's shoulder with a reassuring smile. "I know... But, don't forget the reason that you caught Starly is to help find Pikachu!" Brock reminded. Ash smiled at that and nodded.
"You're right, Brock... Starly, come on out!" Ash called. The Flying Type appeared, ready to help out his new trainer. With the request of find Pikachu, the Flying Type flew off as the two boys followed him!
Meanwhile, Dawn, Piplup, Hikaru, Chimchar, and Pikachu ran to find Ash, to reunite the Electric Type with the Kanto trainer.
As everyone ran for the search, there was one boy who stood on a grassy hill, grinning an evil grin. He had seen the capture of Ash's new Starly as his Elekid stood beside him. "Hmph. Well, if it was that easy, then who needs that thing?" the boy sneered.
To be continued...
Hikaru's Team:
Chimchar: (M): (Ember, Scratch, Leer, Taunt)
Shinx: (F): (Spark, Tackle, Leer, Bite)
Next chapters:
Chapter 5: The Reunion!
Chapter 6: Ash VS Paul! The New Rivalry!
Chapter 7: An Argument to Settle!
Chapter 8: Nando VS Hikaru! Hikaru's First Battle!
Chapter 9: Turtwig to Bash On!
Next chapter preview:
Ash: Is that Pikachu's Thunderbolt... Wait a second... It's Elekid! Hey, have you seen a Pikachu around here?
Paul: No, I haven't. And it's not any of my concern, see.
Dawn: Why are you after Pikachu!? Don't you creeps ever give up!?
Jessie: When it comes to poaching the powerful Pikachu, we never rest until we get it!
Hikaru: If you think you're going to capture Pikachu with us in the way, think again!
Ash: Hang on, Pikachu! I'm here for you!