To prove your might
So many times, it happens to fast:
You trade your passion for glory.
Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past!
You must fight to keep them alive.
It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight,
Rising up to the challenge of our rival.
And the last known survivor stalks his pray in the night,
And he's watching us all in the eye of the tiger …
Eye of the tiger, Survivor
After leaving Pewter City, the group headed to Cerulean City. The shortest way was going through Mt. Moon, a mysterious place in Kanto. While Misty was finding the place romantic, Brock was talking about the rumors going.
"There used to be a meteor that felt here long ago and became the Moon Stone. I like to go there and dig fossils. It's interesting."
Ash turned to Silver.
"You knew it?"
The man grinned.
"Of course, I do. I have even seen that so-called Moon Stone. It is indeed a meteor that crashed here during the prehistoric era. The Clefairy of this place have established a kind of ritual I saw once. With a little chance, we might be able to see it too."
"That would be great!"
Misty squealed.
"You have seen Clefairy? What do they look like?"
"You'll see, if we are lucky."
They were cut by the screams of a man. Surprised, the group ran and found a scientist harassed by a group of Zubat. Silver raised a brow.
"Zubat? What are they doing in broad daylight?"
Ash didn't think twice.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
The attack wasn't enough to harm them, but it wasn't the kid's goal. All he wanted as for the bat Pokémon to leave and that's what they did. The Zubat quickly escaped in their cave. Silver looked at it.
"Zubat usually go out at night. I wonder what caused them to attack during daytime."
The group came to the man.
"Are you alright?"
The man suddenly jumped on his feet and hugged Ash.
"It was wonderful! No, seriously, I have never seen a Pokémon so awesome!"
Pikachu was trapped between the two and slowly being crushed. Naturally, in such a situation, he retaliated with the simplest attack he had: Thunderbolt. Needless to say Ash and the man were down for the count. Silver knelt to him.
"What happened to you? What did you do to those Zubat to earn their wrath?"
The scientist rose to his feet.
"My name is Seymour the Scientist. Knowledge and Research are my virtues!"
He took the group to the cave.
"Look at this. The cave is fully lit by those lamps some people set in all the tunnels. But the Pokémon living here need obscurity and this light perturbs them a lot."
Brock frowned.
"This is why the Zubat got out of the grotto and attacked you."
Seymour nodded.
"Look: those Paras are planting their mushroom hosts and some lamps are drying Sandshrew out. This is why I'm here. I must protect the mountain against the conspirator who are threatening those caves."
Misty raised a brow.
"Why would people try to do such a thing?"
Seymour turned to them, worry in his eyes.
"I'm afraid they are after the Moon Stone."
The group gasped.
"You're kidding, right?"
Silver shook his head.
"I'm afraid not. A Moon Stone is an evolutionary stone that can serve to forcefully evolve a Pokémon. A Skitty exposed to it will evolve into a Delcatty and an Eevee will evolve into a different pokémon depending what stone he is exposed to. Problem is, it just happens that a giant Moon Stone is hidden in this mountain and worshiped by a tribe of Clefairy. I know it because I've seen them both."
Seymour gave the man a weird look.
"And what are you, my dear friend, to know that much on this matter? Are you yet another Trainer who set his sight on this wonder?"
Silver chuckled at the scientist's poetry.
"A Trainer! This I am no more. I'm a simple adventurer and of this young boy, the mentor."
Misty was surprised when the man answered in verses. Ash smirked.
"He's just having fun."
Seymour was surprised too but laughed.
"Alright, I trust you. You see, I have come to this place and studied fragments of the Moon Stone. I always knew Pokémon came from space using it as their star ship. But because of its power, those fiends want to get their hands on the Stone, and I intent to stop them!"
Silver raised a brow.
"Pokémon coming from space? Sorry, but I heard a different story."
The group turned to him.
"Really?" Seymour cocked his head. "And please, tell me where do you think the Pokémon come from?"
The retired adventurer closed his eyes.
"During my journey across the world, I came to learn several myths from Johto, Hoenn and Sinnoh. They say that, at the beginning of time was the Cosmic Egg, and from it was born Arceus, the supreme god of the Pokémon world. Arceus created the trio that is Paklia, Dialga and Giratina, who stand for Space, Time and Antimatter. Giratina was banished in the Reverse World because of his bad behavior while Dialga and Palkia set the bases of the world. Arceus also created Azelf, Uxie and Mesprit, the Lake Guardians of Sinnoh who stand for willpower, knowledge and emotions. The earth was, at this time, in his most basic state. From the pressure of the earth, in a magma pit, Groudon was born who is known as the Continent Pokémon. The Sea Basin Pokémon Kyogre was born in deep sea trenches through the same process and the Sky High Pokémon Rayquaza was born from the crystallization of the minerals in the ozone layer. Thus the Weather Trio came into existence. While Rayquaza watched from the sky, Groudon and Kyogre expended the land and the sea, until a chance encounter turned them into mortal enemies. Disaster was stopped in time by Rayquaza. Also, Regigigas moved the continents to create the regions as we know it and Heatran was born from a lava pool in Stark Mountain. This is how the world came into being. As for the Pokémon, they are said to come from one single species that has passed into legend: Mew."
Ash nodded in admiration.
"That's incredible! You never told me those tales before."
Silver had a wry smirk.
"If there's something I learned during my journeys, it is that every legend is an historic truth, all rumors are facts and every prophecy will occur, and not in a nearby future. Right now. So, until I've been proved right or wrong, I consider every myth I hear as true. This way, I'm not surprised or caught off guards when things happen."
Misty raised a brow.
"That's weird."
"That's how I'm still alive."
Seymour nodded.
"That's an interesting theory, but what about the Moon Stone? Surely, you're not going to deny it belongs to Pokémon?"
"No, you're right. I've seen it once, and I sleep better knowing it doesn't lie in evil hands."
A sound was heard and the group turned to see a Clefairy walking with a small Moon Stone in her hands. Silver smirked and turned to the others.
"Who wanted to see a Clefairy already?"
Misty squealed.
"It's so lovely!"
Ash grinned.
"So this is a Clefairy. It's funny!" He turned to his mentor. "Do we follow it?"
"Yeah. It had a Moon Stone in its hands. If we go after it, we'll most likely end up in the cave where the giant Moon Stone is stored and we'll be able to witness the Clefairy's ritual."
"Yeah!"
"Clefairyyyyyy!"
The group gasped.
"Clefairy's in troubles!" Brock frowned.
Indeed, the pink Pokémon was cornered in the corner of a cave by none others than a Meowth.
"Team Rocket." Ash sighed. "I thought we blasted them away at Viridian City."
"Looks like we didn't hit hard enough." Silver growled. "This time, I'm using Lya."
Pikachu came to the Fairy Pokémon.
"Pikachu?" (You're alright?)
"Cle. Clefairy ..." (Yes. But I'm scared …)
The evil trio started to spell its motto but Lya cut them.
"Oh, stop it already. You're annoying to say the same stupid things all the time. What the heck do you want?"
Meowth sniggered.
"All we want is to take the Moon Stone to make our Pokémon stronger."
(Play Saber's Edge, from Final Fantasy XIII Soundtrack)
Jessie smiled.
"Once we'll have it, nothing will stand in our way."
"Try getting it first." Silver retorted. "You may find it harder than you think. Right guys?"
In an instant, Lya, Riyo, Pikachu and Butterfree were out. Ash turned to Misty.
"Take care of Clefairy, it may become dangerous."
Brock had gotten a Zubat before entering. He used it alongside Geodude. Ash smiled.
"You're outnumbered!"
But the duo wouldn't give up.
"Smogo, Smog!"
The poison creature generated a thick cloud of smoke, much to Ash's delight.
"Butterfree, Gust!"
The purple butterfly flapped his wings and sent the cloud back to its caster. Misty and Seymour used the distraction to run. Jessie growled.
"Ekans, Bite!"
"Riyo, Low Kick!"
The snake pokémon jumped to Butterfree, only for Riyo to kick its jaw. Brock nodded.
"Zubat, Supersonic!"
The bat emitted sound waves that confused Ekans and Smogo. Silver turned to Ash.
"You finish it or I take care of them?"
"I'll do it! Butterfree, Confusion! Throw them away!"
Butterfree nodded and used its psychic powers to lift the Rockets. A simple impulse was enough to blast them deep in the caves. The three fighters gave each others high-fives.
(End music.)
"Great teamwork!" Brock smiled. "But I get the feeling we forgot someone ..."
Lya looked at a tunnel.
"Meowth. He used the battle to escape."
"Which means Misty is in troubles!" Ash gasped.
Silver placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry, she'll make it. Misty may not look like it, but she has a temper to match. Meowth is in for quite a surprise."
Misty and Seymour had followed Clefairy outside the caves and further up the mountain. Unfortunately, Meowth was faster and reached the Fairy Pokémon before them.
"Come on, Meowth is going to catch you!"
Scared, the Clefairy fell from the cliff it was climbing ... and landed on Misty, who took Seymour in her fall. The three ended in a small river. The speaking cat grinned and landed on a rock.
"Great. Now give me the Moon Stone!"
"Cleffa?"
The group turned … and saw a Pokémon that looked like a mini-Clefairy watching them from a rock.
"Cleffa?"
The Clefairy saw it and screamed.
"Clecle! Clefairy fairy-ry! Clefairy!" (Clecle! Please, run away quickly! Don't stay here!)
Meowth turned and saw the little creature.
"What is that? It seems you care a lot for that pup. How about you give me the Moon Stone and I spare her life?"
The little Pokémon joined its evolved form before Meowth reached it. Clefairy growled.
"Clefairy fairy-cle, cle clefairy-ry, clefairy fairy!" (I don't like to fight, but if you force my hand like that, I'm going to!)
"So be it, then!"
The white cat unsheathed its claws, only for Misty to jump before him.
"Not so fast! Staryu, go!"
Staryu was a star-shaped Pokémon that seemed to be made of cooper or bronze, with a pink gem serving as its core and protected by a gold piece.
"Staryu, Swift!"
Staryu's core shone and hundreds of glowing stars flew to Meowth who barely dodged them.
"Now, Water Gun!"
The head appendage bend and sent a burst of pressurized water that hit its opponent dead on. Meowth flew far away just as the group arrived.
"Are you alright?" Ash asked.
"Yeah. We're fine."
Silver noticed the little Pokémon at Clefairy's side and his eyes widened.
"A Cleffa! It's the first time I see one here."
Brock frowned.
"What's a Cleffa?"
"Clefairy's primary form. Cleffa evolve into Clefairy when their friendship with someone is strong enough." He knelt to the Clefairy. "Is it your child?"
The Clefairy nodded. Misty frowned.
"Meowth tried to obtain the Moon Stone by threatening Clefairy with it. That's so low!"
"But now, they're gone."
Dusk came and the group settled on the slopes of Mt. Moon. Brock and Silver were cooking dinner and it was smelling awfully good. Brock had made Pokémon food from a recipe he thought of while Silver was making human meals. Ash tried Brock's food and found it totally disgusting, earning a soft chuckle from his mentor.
"Looks like not everyone can eat Pokémon food. Come on, dinner's ready."
The man had made Tauros steaks with vegetables and, for dessert, a recipe of omelet with honey and Miltank milk. Ash took his time to savor it.
"Mom owns the only restaurant of Pallet Town. Ever since he settled with us, Silver has been helping her. Mom couldn't believe it when he first cooked for her. It smelled so good … So, when there were lots of customers, Silver helped Mom with the orders."
"Your Mom owns a restaurant?"
"Yep."
"And yet he can't even bake an egg to save his life." Silver chuckled. "Ash has no talents in cooking whatsoever. Not that he didn't try. It's just that he isn't good at it."
Pikachu, Lya, Clefairy and Cleffa were talking. To what Lya was saying, it was most likely about the ritual that was about to occur. Finally, everyone finished eating and followed Clefairy and Cleffa to a grotto. Silver smiled.
"Here we go ..."
The two Fairy Pokémons led the group to a circular cave in the middle of which was a giant Moon Stone. Misty had stars in her eyes while everyone was impressed by the sight. Silver turned to the group.
"I don't know many people who witnessed the Clefairy's moon ritual, and even less who were offered to watch it by the Clefairy themselves. We can consider ourselves honored."
Clefairy placed its stone on a free space in a ring of similar stones. The circle, once complete, began to glow and dozen of other Clefairy appeared. One of them, apparently the leader, came to them and spoke a few words Lya translated.
"The leader wants to thank us for saving one of them and her child from Team Rocket. This is why he is leaving us see tonight's ceremony."
The Clefairy started to dance in rhythm around the Moon Stone. Lya translated Clefairy's explanation.
"They are honoring the Moon Stone and thank it for giving them the power of the stars. They wish that one of them will receive the blessing of evolution only it can grant."
Seymour looked deceived.
"So … it has nothing to do with outer space?"
"No. Not really. The Clefairy just have a special relationship with the moon and the stars and can draw their strength from them. The mysteries of evolution are a secret to most. All people know are some of its mechanisms such as why it occurs. But how it does works and why Pokémon can do that, no one knows."
"How interesting!"
The group turned in one swift move to see Team Rocket standing at the cave entrance.
"Again?" Ash growled.
Silver snarled.
"This time, I'm definitely using Lya ..."
The Ninetales had a toothy grin. Seymour stepped before them.
"No ways! I won't let you take the Moon Stone! It belongs to the Clefairy!"
Problem is, when your knees play maracas, your credibility takes one heck of a blow. Needless to say Team Rocket wasn't impressed that much.
"Is he threatening us?" Jessie asked.
"He doesn't look scary at all." James smirked.
"That's because he has no guts." Meowth added.
Not taking the insult well, Seymour ran at the team … and was mowed by the cat pokémon.
"Oops. What did he want to to exactly?"
The poor scientist had lost his glasses in the fall. Seeing their friend powerless, the rest of the group jumped into action.
"Onix, go!"
"Pikachu, attack!"
"Lya, get ready!"
The stone snake, electric mouse and fire fox found themselves against Ekans and Smogo.
"Ekans, use Dig!"
"Smogo, Smokescreen!"
A thick cloud of smoke soon filled the place. Ash coughed.
"This won't do! I need to get rid of it! Pidgeotto, Whirlwind!"
"It's too late." Silver growled.
Ash turned to him. The man had his eyes closed.
"The Moon Stone and Team Rocket are gone."
"How can you tell?" Misty asked.
The toxic cloud cleared and Silver explained.
"Since I am an Ice Aura Master, I can use a skill called Aura Vision. With it, I can see through the thickest fog and the deepest night, but I cannot see through walls. Also, it gives me a kind of foresight."
There was a hole in the ground. Brock quickly ordered Onix to follow them while they got outside. Left alone, Seymour was still looking for his glasses but a Clefairy was kind enough to give them back. The scientist was surprised.
"Why aren't you after those evil men? They stole your stone. Isn't it sacred to you? You have to protect it!"
The Clefairy were reluctant but the little Cleffa didn't think the same. She looked at the path the group had taken.
"Cleffa!"
She jumped through the tunnel, much to the surprise of her elders. They looked at one another.
"Clefa-clefairy?" (What do we do now?)
"Clefafa. Fairy-fairy fa. Clefairy!" (We have no choice. This human is right. Let's go!)
(Play Conflict at the entrance, from Prince of Persia Warrior Within)
Team Rocket was sliding down the slopes on a sled, the Moon Stone carefully wrapped.
"The good guys never win!"
"But we always do because nice guys are stupid!"
Really? Well, not here. Onix emerged from the ground straight in front of them. The sled collided with the monster, leaving both sides stunned. The group arrived at that moment.
"Here they are!"
Onix roared and dived at the evil trio but Koffing, reacting on instinct, shot at him. The strenght of the hit was enough to knock them both out. Brock gasped.
"Onix!"
Silver turned.
"Hey, look!"
The little Cleffa had followed them and was standing before them, ready to fight. Jessie growled.
"Looking for trouble? Ekans, Poison Sting!"
The little Cleffa jumped out of the way and ran at the purple snake.
"It's using Pound!" Silver noticed.
Indeed, Cleffa landed on Ekans's head and leaped back, growling. Ash smiled.
"She's tenacious!"
"And quite aggressive for her kind." Brock noticed.
From the tunnel dug by Onix appeared Seymour and the Clefairy. The Pokémon stood before Team Rocket and began singing while moving their hands. Silver's eyes widened.
"Metronome! It's going to hurt!"
Indeed, if the dance was fascinating, the attack that followed was akin to Hyper Beam. The area was blasted, sending Team Rocket away and shattering the Moon Stone. Silver breathed.
"Metronome's effects are kinda random. One can never predict what's going to happen, but I heard it could be influenced by strong desires. I guess this Hyper Beam-like effect was born from the Clefairy's desire to get rid of those guys … and the Moon Stone."
(End music)
Suddenly, shards of the jewel started to rain on the Pokémon, causing those touched to evolve into Clefable.
"It is as Silver said." Ash smiled. "The Moon Stone can cause some Pokémon to evolve."
They helped the Clefairy and Clefable gather the shards that remained from the giant stone and placed them back in the cave. Here, the ritual started, but it was different. Some Clefairy had received the favor of evolving and the dance was no more a prayer but a thanks. Seymour smiled.
"That's it. I'm staying here with the Clefairy and Clefable. Those creatures are truly fascinating and I want to learn more about their bond with the moon and stars."
Ash smiled.
"I hope your researches prove to be successful!"
They spent the night in Mt. Moon, taking their time to rest from the adventure that occurred. When he woke up, Ash was surprised to see the little Cleffa sleeping against his stomach. The others were surprised too, until a Clefairy came to them.
"Clefa, clefairy ry. Clefairy fairy clecle."
Lya explained.
"She wants you to take her daughter with you. The girl has always been more battle-ready than the others. Traveling with you should do her good."
Ash couldn't believe it.
"Is that true? You want to come along?"
"Cleffa!"
Silver chuckled.
"Clefairy and their kind are rare. With some training, this little girl should become a valuable ally."
Ash nodded and took a poké-ball. The Cleffa tapped it and let herself be trapped in it. Soon, the group left Mt. Moon after bidding goodbye to Seymour and the Pokémon colony. They soon reached a crossroad where a signpost gave them the path to Cerulean City. However, there was something written in a corner. Ash's eyes widened when he read it.
Gary was here. Ash is a loser.
The boy's fists clenched out of reflex and his head slowly turned to the town. Silver immediately sensed the kid's anger and pressed a hand on his shoulder.
"Ash, calm down."
Ash glared away.
"I hate him."
Silver smiled kindly and massaged the shoulder to ease the tension.
"I know. I hate him too." He knelt at his level. "Listen, carefully. It isn't because Gary was here and has done most likely more than you did that you must feel jealous. A lot of things happened to you that I'm sure didn't happen to him. Look at what happened so far: you've seen Ho-Oh, protected the Pokémon Center of Viridian City, won your first badge, caught three Pokémon, one of them being extremely rare and you helped protecting a colony of Clefairy. I don't care if Gary caught more Pokémon than you or obtained more badges than you did. To me, it matters less than the fact you saved people and Pokémon. These are the things that matter, the things that make a great man. Gary won badges and caught Pokémon, he is a Trainer. Ash saved people and made precious friends, he is a savior. What do you want to be? A Trainer or a savior?"
The trio of kids looked at Silver. Those were were words of wisdom, there were no doubts about it. Ash looked away, ashamed to have left his anger take the best of him. Silver caressed his cheek.
"Not everyone give the same meaning to the term Trainer. There are over six hundred different Pokémon in the world, Legendaries included. Catching them all would take a lifetime, and you only live once. Tell me, Ash, what it it to be a Trainer to you?"
Ash looked away.
"Until now, I thought it was someone who went and caught Pokémon to train them, like most people do. But, hearing you, It feels like there is something more to it."
Silver nodded.
"You're right. Everyone has its own interpretation of the word. To some, it is to catch and train powerful Pokémon, to others it is to challenge the Leagues and defeat the Champion … Every Trainer is different. It isn't because Gary wins badges and catches a lot of Pokémon that you must do the same."
Ash looked down and got all of his Pokémon out. There was Pikachu, of course, and Cleffa, Butterfree and Pidgeotto. The kid looked at them deeply, in a way he had never done before. His hand ran on Pidgeotto's head, scratching Pikachu's fur, stroking Butterfree's stomach, caressing Cleffa. He closed his eyes.
"You're right. There is more to being a Trainer than simply catching and training Pokémon." He looked at his team. "You guys are more than simple creatures I train to fight. I care for you a lot, and every one of you is special to me. You're not simple pets. You're my friends, and I value your friendship, just like I value the friendship I share with Brock and Misty." He turned to Silver. "I will keep on challenging the Leagues. But instead of trying to catch a lot of Pokémon, I will only catch those who really interest me or want to come with me."
Silver nodded.
"Here you go, champion."
The group headed to Cerulean City but, strangely enough, Misty was more than reluctant to follow.
"What is wrong?" Ash asked. "Do you have a problem with the town?"
Misty didn't answer right away. Silver closed his eyes and smiled.
"Not really, it's more with the people who live here, especially a trio of performers."
The girl's eyes widened.
"How do you know?"
"Espera read your mind and sent the info to me. That's the good side of having a Psychic-type in your team. Sorry."
Misty sighed.
"Well, I guess, since you know it, there's no use hiding it. I'm the last of the Sensational Sisters of Cerulean City. The four of us are in charge of the Gym here but I really can't stand them so I left and went to train to become a stronger Water Trainer." The girl sighed. "I never got along with them. I was too boyish to their taste. But at least I cared for the Gym while they never did, always preferring to perform with our Pokémon. So no, I don't want to go to Cerulean City. I don't want to meet up with them."
Silver rolled his eyes.
"Hearing that makes me happy I never had siblings … That doesn't change the fact Ash still needs eight badges to enter the League Tournament. Listen, I just got an idea. You're in charge of the Gym, right?"
"Yes, alongside those pests."
Silver grinned.
"Then that meant you are technically a Gym Leader. If Ash fights you and defeats you, he would have to receive the Cascade badge, right?"
"Right."
Ash grinned.
"Then all we have to go is reach the Gym. We fight, I win, I get the badge and we leave. No need to stay too long if you don't want to see your sisters. All I want is the Cascade badge. Once I got it, we're off. And we won't have to see your sisters since you can take their place as the Gym Leader."
Brock's eyes shone.
"That's a well-thought plan. Let's do it!"
Misty, after thinking a little, nodded.
"Alright, I'll guide you. Cerulean City is my town, I know my way around. We'll have to sneak into the Gym if we don't want to be caught by my sis."
They followed the girl around her hometown but were lured away by a mob gathering in front of a building. It appeared that thieves stole a giant vacuum cleaner. Why? No one knew. So they kept heading for the Gym. Silver turned to Ash.
"Do you know what Pokémon you'll use against Misty?"
The boy frowned.
"Misty said she wants to become a Water specialist. Pikachu sounds perfect since it has a type advantage. For the rest, I'll just improvise. Maybe I'll use Cleffa."
They quickly reached the building. It was tall, circular and with a Dewgong decorating the entrance. Misty led them to the back door and unlocked it. Sound and music reached their ears.
"Damn, they're performing. We'll have to wait till they leave."
The show lasted half an hour. Once it was over, the group sneaked in the battle area. It was a giant pool perfect for water fights. Silver and Brock sat on the sidelines while Ash and Misty faced one another. They had decided to make it a fair fight despite the threat of the girl's sisters noticing. A badge was a badge and Ash wanted to earn each one of his.
"Staryu, I choose you!"
(Play The walk of life, from Rayman 2)
"Go, Cleffa!"
The little fairy Pokémon jumped happily at the prospect of a battle. She faced Staryu fearlessly, awaiting orders. Misty grinned.
"Staryu, Water Gun!"
"Cleffa, Protect and retaliate with Pound!"
The little creature nodded and summoned a dome of light that protected her from the Water attack. She then used her jumping powers to land straight on Staryu's jewel.
"Chain with Return!"
Guessing Staryu's weak point was his core was an easy guess. Cleffa punched the jewel with strength, causing it to crack. Misty shivered. The little pokémon was indeed a warrior-born. Silver smiled at the sight of the star-shape pokémon being mistreated by a small pink ball.
"You know, it makes me wonder who's her father. Clefairy aren't that aggressive, most of times."
Brock nodded.
"It's true. Cleffa has a battle instinct you don't find among her species."
Misty was set on not losing so easily.
"Staryu, use Swift!"
Cleffa quickly jumped out of the way and landed before her Trainer. Ash grinned. He didn't know why, but he was totally loving his new friend.
"Cleffa, Psyshock!"
The Pokémon generated a blob of psychic power and sent it to Staryu who dived. Ash didn't order his friend to follow, knowing the sea star creature had the advantage underwater. Misty grinned.
"Staryu, Water Gun!"
The surprise attack took the little fairy totally off guard. She was sent straight into the pool, soon followed by her opponent. No Trainer knew what happened underwater, except Cleffa didn't look like she would lose easily, even with ground disadvantage. After a few minutes, the two emerged in a burst of water. Cleffa's tiny fist could clearly be seen piercing Staryu's core. The Water Pokémon landed on a platform, defeated. Ash cheered.
"Well done, Cleffa!"
"Cleffa!"
Silver nodded.
"Once more, it was a heated fight. It seems Ash is good at putting up fights in the toughest situations. At the same time, I don't think Cleffa can be considered 'normal'. She's too different from her kind, nature-wise."
Cleffa looked away.
"Cleffa. Cleffaffa cleffa facleffa. Facle cleffacleffa cleffa." (I know. That's why I always stayed away from the others. My father wasn't from there.)
Lya raised a brow.
"Really? Where did he come from?"
"Faffacle. Cleffacle, cleffacleffa facleffacle. Cleffaffacle ..." (I don't know. But I know he looked like a walking mushroom. He was weird …)
The Ninetales frowned.
"A walking mushroom … Silver, looking in the fairy egg group, do you know of a Pokémon that is somewhat mushroom-looking?"
The man thought for a moment.
"The only thing that comes into my mind is either Shroomish or Breloom. Any precision, Cleffa?"
"Cleffa cleffa-cle … clecleffa." (He had a green body … and a tail.)
"Breloom."
Brock turned to Silver.
"What's a Breloom?"
"It's a dual-type Pokémon that is half-Grass, half-Fighting. Its fighting style is similar to that of a boxer and it is very protective toward its family."
Ash looked at the little Cleffa.
"No wonder she fights so hard. If her father is a half-Fighting ..."
Staryu being out of shape, Misty called Starmie. Ash nodded.
"Alright. Cleffa, you did great for today. Now is your turn, Pikachu!"
Although Pikachu was a little reluctant to face a friend, he knew Ash needed the badge. And besides, if he had it too hard, he just had to believe it was a friendly fight.
"Starmie, Water Gun!"
"Pikachu, dodge and Thunderbolt!"
As planned, Pikachu had a type advantage. He jumped out of Water Gun's way and retaliated by a somewhat weak Thunderbolt. Sure, he wanted to win the battle, but he didn't have to go all out on that one, right? The bolt of lightning crippled Starmie who backed up. Misty growled.
"Starmie, Tackle!"
Pikachu answered by using the spinning purple star Pokémon as a jumping platform and answer by yet another Thunderbolt. Starmie fell on the ground, its core jewel twinkling several times. Pikachu was about to give the finishing strike when the wall broke, revealing a somewhat modified giant vacuum cleaner. On it was none other than Team Rocket.
(Switch to Derezzed, from Daft Punk)
"Them again? They're annoying!"
Silver totally agreed.
"Please, spare us your motto and let's get to the point. We were about to conclude a fight here."
"Easy." James explained. "We are going to suck the water of this pool, and the Pokémon inside along."
The began absorbing the water with the vacuum. Misty growled.
"Not so fast! Goldeen, Horn Attack!"
The fish Pokémon jumped at the machine, only for Meowth to retaliate by a jet of water that threw it on the ground. Ash suddenly had an idea.
"Pikachu, jump in the water and use Thunderbolt!"
The yellow mouse nodded and unleashed his strongest attack. Those guys were his enemies, so no mercy. Cleffa cheered as the machine was fried and its owners along. The trio fell in the water and the vacuum threw them far away once again. Silver shook his head.
"Why did they attack now instead of waiting we were finished with the fight? Shall we do this and get over with it?"
Misty eagerly nodded. With the ruckus, her sisters were most likely on their way and she didn't want to be around them, really. Ash nodded.
"Pikachu, Tackle!"
Launched by surprise, the move was enough to finish Starmie. Misty nodded.
(End music)
"Alright, you earned the Cascade badge." She gave him a blue teardrop-shaped item. "Let's be off ..."
The team quickly ran outside the building the same way they came. Silver looked at the girl.
"You really hate them that much?"
"Yeah. I also promised I wouldn't come back until I became the greatest Water Master of the world."
"Start being the best in Kanto. Water specialists are quite common around the world ..."
The man had a point. Ash looked at him.
"What's our next stop?"
"Vermillion City. There's a Gym here and a luxury cruise ship that is quite a sight."
The kid nodded.
"Alright! Let's get going."
Brock nodded.
"It will take us several days to reach Vermilion City."
"We have time."
So they left Cerulean City as they had come, without anyone notice them. As Brock had planned, it would take them two weeks to reach Vermilion City. The journey went well until the group heard about a man called A. J., who was said to be a powerful Pokémon Trainer no one had ever defeated. Ash and Silver had a common point: when they heard about someone who said he was invincible, the two would often go and see if it was true. So they headed to A. J.'s arena. It wasn't really a Gym and hadn't been recognized as such, but it looked pretty much like one. As if the rumors weren't enough, an electric panel showed high and clear that the Trainer had ninety-eight victories and no losses. At all. Silver grinned.
"Undefeated, huh? Let's see about it."
Ash couldn't help but grin. Undefeated? As far as he knew, so was his mentor.
"Who wants to be my next victim?"
The group turned to see a teen with green hairs spiked in the front and wearing orange and black clothes. Silver looked at his student.
"You take him first?"
"Yeah, otherwise his Pokémon will be to weak for my fight."
"Alright, here you go. But remember. We're only here to test our skills. If yo lose, don't get mad. There will be other fights."
Ash nodded. A. J. led them to his arena. It was encircled by a high wooden fence and the ground was made with red trodden earth. A training dome was nearby. Misty was surprised.
"That's quite an arena."
A Butterfree picked the teen's bag, which contained all the wild Pokémon he had captured. At Silver's request, the teen agreed to let them see them after the fight. Ash and him stepped on the battlefield.
"Ready to become my ninety-ninth victory? Be warned, my fighting style is nothing like what you'll meet in the Pokémon League."
He drew a whip and swung it near his opponent. Reacting on instinct, Silver stepped between and wrapped the rope around his arm. His blue eyes were stuck in A. J.'s .
"Don't use that thing before me, got it?"
His tone was as cold as his eyes. The kid stepped a few feet away. Brock frowned but Ash explained.
"Silver is my father by heart. Whether he feels something's threatening me, he tends to react violently. And believe me, you wouldn't be around."
Silver stepped back.
"You two better start fighting now. You remind me of another kid I hate with quite a passion ..."
He was serious on that one. Even Ash wasn't fully reassured, so he came to the man and placed a hand on his forearm, his eyes asking for some kindness. Silver softened, a little. The two boys resumed facing each other.
(Play Fight your way, from Final Fantasy VIII Soundtrack)
"Sandshrew, go!"
"Pidgeotto, I choose you!"
The armadillo-like Pokémon faced Ash's Flying friend.
"Sandshrew, attack!"
"Pidgeotto, dodge and Feather Dance!"
The bird evaded Sandshrew's charge and spread downs on it, sharply decreasing his attack. Silver nodded.
"Jam-up and strike, eh?"
Ash nodded.
"Now, Wing Attack!"
Pidgeotto had practiced the technique with Odin for days. His training had been simple: Ash or Silver threw him things and he had to break them with his wings. From times to times, Silver would launch Aura Spheres to him or it would be Gaya who sent him a handful of leafs. The bird hardly missed. He flew to Sandshrew and hit it with all of his strength. The Pokémon was knocked away but quickly came back on his feet. Too quickly.
"Sandshrew, Tackle!"
Pidgeotto was still surprised that his opponent took his Wing Attack and got up so quickly. It was his downfall. The armadillo Pokémon hit him with such strength that he was thrown down the ground and knocked out cold. Ash gasped and Silver frowned.
"Pidgeotto, return! You did great enough. Butterfree, go!"
The butterfly Pokémon appeared.
"Butterfree, Stun Spore!"
"Sandshrew, Dig!"
The spores didn't reach underground. Ash frowned. Sandshrew could jump quite high and that's partially why Pidgeotto lost. He had to get Sandshrew out of his hole if he wanted to avoid another defeat.
"Butterfree, use Psychic to get it out!"
The pokémon nodded and his eyes glowed lightly. Sandshrew emerged from the ground, struggling against the mental grasp of its enemy.
"Now, use Whirlwind and chain with Tackle!"
"Sandshrew, Defense Curl!"
Butterfree did as ordered, but the armadillo Pokémon had curled into a ball and the offense was in vain. Its answer was a furious Fury Swipes that defeated the purple butterfly. Ash growled and Silver's frown deepened.
"He's good, that's a thing. But I hate how he taunts his opponent and uses his whip to order his pokémon."
Ash called for Cleffa, earning a surprised grin from A. J.
"What? Where's the other half? Are you so desperate that you resort to shrimps to defeat me? Are you kidding?"
"Facleffa clecle facle?" (Does he look like he's kidding?) Cleffa retorted.
Silver couldn't help but smile at the sight. A tiny Cleffa against a Sandshrew that took down a Butterfree and a Pidgeotto. There was no contest. Normally. But Cleffa wasn't exactly normal. He looked at A. J.
"Just to tell you, Cleffa's father is a Breloom, a half-Grass, half-Fighting type. If the girl inherited her mother's species, the rest definitely comes from her father."
Cleffa took her fighting stance and Ash grinned. He and the pink ball had a lot in common.
"Cleffa, Psyshock!"
The girl hurled a blob of psychic power, only for Sandshrew to dig underground. Ash growled.
"That trick again ..."
Cleffa had seen the fight from her poké-ball. She had also trained alongside the other Pokémon, especially Espera. The Espeon had sensed early her affinity for Psychic moves and started teaching her. Pikachu with Blitz, Butterfree with Gaya, Pidgeotto with Odin, Cleffa with Espera, just like Ash learned from Silver, his Pokémon learned from their elders. Cleffa focused on her enemy and managed to sense him. Here, a little to the right … There he came! She jumped out of the way before Sandshrew could Tackle her.
"Cleffa, use Return!"
Cleffa sent her punch hard in Sandshrew's exposed stomach, sending it reeling. A. J. growled.
"That was a strong attack. You two must be close for it to be efficient."
Ash nodded. For Return to really work, the Pokémon had to be very friendly with his Trainer. The more they got along, the more powerful the attack. And Cleffa was on par with Pikachu in Ash's friendship scale.
"But it ends here! Sandshrew, Rollout!"
Sandshrew curled into a ball and rammed into Cleffa, who was thrown away. Ash snarled, angry at his loss. He took Cleffa in his arms.
"You did great, Cleffa. Take some rest."
(End music)
Silver came to the kid.
"You fought well, Ash. Your skills aren't to blame in this battle. Now is my turn, but before, I want to see how you train your Pokémon."
So A. J. took them under the dome. A Butterfree was sparing with a Beedrill, several Rattata were going through trials such as jumping in a ring of fire or playing ball using another Sandshrew and the Sandshrew he used diving into a pool using a strength intensifier. Silver glared hardly at the scene and turned to his Ninetales.
"Lya, comparing my way to train and his, which do you prefer?"
Lya grinned.
"Yours goes all the way over his. Seriously, how could one have the idea to force a Ground pokémon into water? At least your routines are fun."
A. J. turned.
"What? Your Ninetales can talk?"
"Any of my Pokémon can. I taught them myself. And Lya isn't just 'my' Ninetales. She's my partner, just like Pikachu is Ash's partner. We work together, train together and fight together. Ready to lose, kiddo?"
A. J. didn't like the man's tone.
"You, be ready to lose."
Silver's eyes were icy cold. The two headed to the battlefield while Ash and his friends sat away.
"I have never seen Silver fight." Brock commented. "I wonder what his fighting style looks like."
Misty smiled.
"He's strong. At Viridian City, he used his Riolu alongside Ash's Pidgey to get rid of Team Rocket and he stopped a swarm of Beedrill with only his Articuno."
Ash looked at them and smiled.
"In Pallet Town, Silver is absolutely undefeated. I have seen him fight a few times. He won some of his battles with Lya using just a single attack."
(Play Axel F, from Crazy Frog)
A. J. called for Sandshrew, Butterfree, Beedrill and Rattata.
"I'll start with Rattata. Are you ready?"
Silver turned to Lya.
"You want to beat them all or I keep you for his armadillo?"
"Sandshrew is mine alone. The others can take care of the kid's buggers."
"Alright. Riyo, here you go!"
The little Riolu smiled.
"At last some action! What? That's all?"
He gave the Rattata a weird look before looking at his master.
"You're kidding, right?"
"No. The kid's Pokémon are stronger than they look."
"We'll see about it."
A. J. gave the Pokémon a weird look.
"What is that?"
"A Riolu I raised and trained myself. Don't underestimate him."
The teen grinned.
"Really? You seem pretty confident. Rattata, Super Fang!"
Riyo looked at the blow coming and dodged at the last second.
"Riyo, Spinning Whip Kick!"
The Riolu landed on his hand and span so that his feet collided with the rat Pokémon's jaw.
"Chain with Iron Tail!"
Using his momentum, the Pokémon hardened his tail and slammed it in Rattata. Ash flinched when he thought he heard bones crack.
"Finish with Focus Punch!"
Riyo's fists glowed white and he punched his opponent hard. Even with his hard training, the Rattata was completely K-O. A. J. couldn't believe it.
"What the heck was that?"
"My way to fight when I want to win. You see, there's something I totally dislike about you. Your arrogance for one, and then the way you threat your Pokémon. If I were alone, your whip would have been sliced to pieces and you would have received a good beating. But I'll settle for a humiliation on that one."
Alright … Said like this, the teen understood Silver wasn't kidding. The man recalled Riyo.
"You did a perfect job, boy. You can rest."
Riyo merely stretched. A. J. turned to Butterfree.
"Butterfree, go!"
"Espera, here you come!"
The Espeon got out and faced the purple Butterfree. Ash, Misty and Brock frowned. Riyo had defeated Rattata very easily and, according to Ash, it was Silver's weakest Pokémon. If this was true, they would hate to see his strongest at work … Espera glared at the butterfly Pokémon.
"Butterfree, Poison Powder!"
Silver just nodded and Espera summoned a psychic barrier that kept the powder away. A. J. grinned. In this fight, he had the advantage … or so he thought.
"Butterfree, Bug Buzz!"
Silver frowned.
"Espera, withstand it and use Morning Sun."
The pink cat nodded and let the sound waves affect us. The kids were surprised at the tactic.
"Espera is a Psychic-type. An attack the power of Bug Buzz should be devastating!"
"For a regular Espeon, maybe." Espera retorted. "But Lya, Blitz and I have been with Silver for ages." She glared at her opponent. "I challenged a Salamence and defeated him single-handily. A Butterfree is nothing to me."
She used Morning Sun to restore her health and lit her jewel. Silver grinned.
"Psychic and finish it with your special attack."
"Gladly."
The Butterfree never saw the blow coming. He was shaken like a plum tree and the dizziness that resulted caused him to see Espera's final attack way too late.
"Psychic Whip-Tail!"
The Espeon's tail glowed white and was surrounded by psychic power. The result was an attack that made the butterfly Pokémon crash into the ground. A. J. was stunned.
"What the heck was that attack?"
"An Iron Tail attack powered by psychic power to make it more powerful. As you can see, I have the habit of making my own attacks."
Ash grinned. Inventing his own attacks … That wasn't a bad idea at all. Brock whistled.
"Now I see who Ash takes his fighting style from. He and Silver are exactly the same. Charge in like a Tauros and don't stop till one is down."
A. J. snarled and sent out Beedrill. Silver nodded and sent out Gaya. Here again, he was at a disadvantage, but it seemed advantage and disadvantage meant nothing to the man. The Meganium stretched.
"At last some action!"
A. J. ordered a Poison Jab Gaya easily caught and threw down.
"Is that all? My turn! Petal Dance!"
She emitted a cloud of pink petals as sharp as razors that trapped and slashed Beedril.
"Now! Solar Beam!"
Take that. The blast of focused light burnt the bee's chitin very badly. One whip vine later, It had lost. Now A. J. was furious.
"What did you give to your Pokémon to make them that strong? That's inhuman!"
"No more than what you do to yours. Get your Sandshrew ready, Lya's getting impatient."
The teen was furious. Who did that guy think he was to trash his hard-trained Pokémon like they were nothing but wimps?
"Alright, Sandshrew! Let's show him how strong we are!"
Silver shook his head.
"Lya, let him do his thing. I want to teach that brat what real strength is."
Lya nodded and stepped before her friend. Sandshrew unleashed its strongest attack, but Rollout, Fury Swipes, Dig and even Tackle were useless. It was as if the Ninetales was made of tempered steel. Silver nodded.
"Alright, my turn."
Ash narrowed his eyes, tense. He knew the fox Pokémon was insanely strong. He just didn't know how much.
"Lya, start with Fire Blast."
A. J.'s eyes widened when he saw the amount of flame the Ninetales gathered in her mouth.
"Sandshrew, Dig quickly!"
The armadillo Pokémon obeyed and dug a hole the moment a geyser of fire was launched from Lya's mouth. The kid himself had to jump aside to avoid incineration. Silver shook his head.
"Dig, huh? Lya, Flamethrower in the hole."
Lya obeyed. Two seconds later, Sandshrew was jumping out in emergency. The man grinned.
"Now! Lya, Vulcan Hammer!"
The four kids raised a brow.
"Vulcan Hammer? What's this attack?" Brock asked.
Silver had a victorious smile.
"A variation of the Iron Tail attack. As you know, Ninetales have nine tails instead of one, which means they can use more than one tail for Iron Tail. When using Vulcan Hammer, Lya uses Iron Tail with her nine tails and cloaks them with fire, just like Espera cloaks her tail with psychic power to perform Psychic Whip-Tail."
Misty gulped.
"Must be painful ..."
"Lya can break thick steel slates in a single strike with it."
"Ouch ..."
Indeed, Protect wasn't enough to save Sandshrew from the nine steel-sharp, blazing appendages. It was thrown to the wooden fence, the force of the strike digging a nice hole in it. Was it needed to say the Pokémon was unable to battle? Silver looked at A. J., who was totally disgusted.
(End music)
"Invincible, eh? Remember this, kiddo: 'invincible' is just a word. There's always someone stronger than you out there. For now, I've yet to meet mine. I guess I'm just lucky ..."
He turned to the trio.
"Let's go."
After such a display of power, no one had the heart to say no. No one wanted to do so either when you look at it. On the way, Ash breathed.
"I knew he was strong, but that much ..."
Misty shook her head.
"This is insane! I've watched tournaments before. This guy is at least the level of an Elite Four, no joking!"
"And you say he never told you where he came from." Brock frowned.
"Never. He's a real mystery, even to me."
They later learned that A. J. finally got his one hundredth victory against the Team Rocket trio after they tried to steal his Pokémon. Sweet revenge is sweet, even if it wasn't against the man who had humiliated him to badly. But for now, the group had other problems. After seeing Lya's signature move, Pikachu and Cleffa harassed the Ninetales until she finally surrendered and taught them Iron Tail. One morning he woke up earlier than usual, Ash saw Silver dancing bare-chested in the grass, his two swords in hand. The moves were perfectly controlled and chained in a dance that had no beginning or end. The boy didn't immediately notice he was following the man's moves until he turned to him. Awoken for awoken, the kid came to his mentor.
"That was impressive. What was it?"
"An old form of swordsmanship called Blade Dancing. I always practice in the morning to remain in shape."
Ash looked at Silver, a soft smile on his face.
"It sounds great."
"Interested?"
The kid held his hands in his back and smiled sheepishly.
"A little ..."
Silver shook his head.
"I'm reluctant about teaching you to use a sword. It's kinda out of vogue. But I can teach you martial arts."
Ash's eyes lit up.
"Really?"
"Yep. One can practice sport alongside being a Trainer. Even more, it will make you able to train alongside your Pokémon during our sessions.
Ash eagerly nodded. His adoptive father grinned.
"Alright, let's start with some running. You need to increase your stamina. And besides, it will make you feel better."
Since he was young and untrained, they only ran for ten minutes so not to get too exhausted. After this, Silver showed his student some stretching and limbering exercises. Ash gladly obliged in them. His mentor was right. It made him feel better. Then, the man started teaching him. The first thing he taught the kid was Taichi. This form of martial art was the base he wanted to give him, as it taught Ash to control both his body and his breath. It was slow and soft, a little like a mean to relax after an effort. This became the two's morning routine.
Misty and Brock would often wake up to see them train silently together, like a master and his apprentice. And it was what the two were. Once their training was over, they would take their breakfast with their friends and help with the daily chores, then they would start walking again and, once midday was reached and lunch was eaten, they would train their Pokémon. Misty joined them at that moment. Her only Pokémon were Goldeen, Staryu and Starmie, but it wasn't a problem. Using his powers, Silver could easily create a pool of water where the fish pokémon could work at ease. Those were great times.
One day, the group has lost itself in the fog and had most likely gone astray. Ash suddenly saw something.
"Here, there's light this way!"
The group turned. It was true. Something shining across the mist. They headed this way, only to see a boy in a suit running on a treadmill. There were other people asking him questions about Pidgey and its evolutions. The boy managed to answer most of them but one failure made him trip and he fell from the machine. When looking closer, it appeared the other persons were teens a little older than the boy, and all of them were holding candles, hence the light. When the boys started to bully their comrades, Silver sent Lya among them. The Ninetales jumped and growled, scaring the boys. Ash joined Lya.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing?"
The boys glared at him.
"Hey, get outta here! This is a private training session! Punks like you have nothing to do in out Private Pokémon School!"
Silver joined Ash's side.
"Private Pokémon School? Oh, you mean this stupid Pokémon Technical Institute. I heard about it. This school forms Trainers and guarantee them an entry in the League without having to collect badges. It has quite a reputation but, since it's quite expensive, only rich kids can get here. No wonder you guys are just a bunch of arrogant empty-headed brats ..."
The students choked.
"What did you just call us!-?"
Silver just glared at them and the air seemed to lose a few degrees. Adding with Lya's toothy grin and Ash's hard eyes, they quickly understood the two were not in a good mood and challenging them would be a bad idea.
"You're lucky we don't want to fight."
They left on this, a hateful glare sent to the two. Silver sent them back this glare.
"You, be happy I'm no more angry than that."
Ash helped the bullied kid rise to his feet. The fog faded to reveal the school in all of his splendor. It was a huge Victorian-style manor with a park, a pool and a forest. The kid looked at the two.
"Thanks. My name is Joe."
"I'm Ash and this is my mentor, Silver. The two over here are my friends, Brock and Misty."
Silver frowned.
"What were you doing with these guys?"
"Training. I was learning how Pidgey evolves into Pidgeotto at lv.18 and that it learns Whirlwind at lv.17 and Wing Attack at lv.33 ..."
"Level and so on don't matter when you're training Pokémon." Silver retorted. "A good Trainer can very well have a Cleffa learn Iron Tail at a very early stage while a bad Trainer will never manage to teach a Rattata Quick Attack. I speak from experience, and this is something you don't learn in schools."
Brock nodded.
"Silver is right. Studying is good, but practice is something no Trainer can do without. I've seen Ash, Misty and Silver train together during afternoons and I even joined them. They don't need to go to school to be strong."
Silver frowned.
"What level are you, Joe? You look like you know a lot more than you let people think."
"That's right. But if I let the others know about it, the tests will become harder and I'll fail, so I fake my strength. Actually, I'm in beginner class, which is the equivalent of a Trainer with two badges."
Ash turned to Misty and suddenly grinned.
"Really? I got an idea. Misty used to be the Gym Leader of Cerulean City. Since you've studied a lot, why don't you try a real battle for once?"
Joe looked at the girl.
"Misty? I beat her on a daily basis on the simulator with my Weepinbell. Alright, challenge accepted!"
Silver turned to Misty.
"Go easy on him, girl."
The red head simply grinned. The two faced each other.
(Play Dragon boy, from Joe Hisaishi)
"Weepinbell, go!"
"Staryu, I choose you!"
The Star-Shape Pokémon faced its rival. Weepinbell looked like a yellow flycatcher with red 'lips' and two round eyes. Silver turned to Joe and nodded, signaling him to start the hostilities.
"Weepinbell, Acid!"
"Staryu, Water Gun!"
The corrosive attack was countered by the burst of water. Worst, it gave Staryu's attack a power boost by merging with it. Weepinbell was blasted away so fast only Ash and Silver saw it flying. The man turned to the young student.
"Trainer Rule Number 2: never trust type advantages. Pokémon type is nothing compared to battle experience."
(End music)
"He is right."
The group turned to see a very pretty girl with long brown hairs and a soft face. Ash and Brock immediately started blushing … until Lya gave then a sharp slap in the head with her tails. The girl looked at the junior student.
"My poor Joe, you really are the shame of this school. You are totally helpless."
Silver frowned, not phased at all by the girl's charm.
"Who are you, miss?"
The girl gave her most shining smile.
"I am the best student of the beginner's class of the most prestigious school in the world. I know everyone envies my beauty, my talent, my charm and my intelligence, and especially my modesty. But what can I do? I am Giselle."
Silver's eyes widened at the show before setting on Lya. The Ninetales twisted one of her toes on the side of her head, a gesture usually meaning "She's crazy ...". The man turned to Ash who looked at him with a brow raised in confusion. Giselle went to Joe.
"My friends and I are doing out best to tutor the younger students of this school and make them even better Trainers, but you, my pour Joe, are a failure. You better make some progress unless you want your friends to turn their back on you and you find yourself alone."
Joe gasped. Ash looked at his friends and mentor and came to the boy's side.
"Don't cry. If that happens, it simply means those guys weren't your real friends and you're better off without them."
Misty nodded.
"You're right. When I see this girl, I remember a saying: never judge a book by its cover. This girl may look pretty outside, but inside, she's all rotten."
Giselle flinched.
"Are you insulting me?"
"What if she is?" Silver asked. "Besides, as ugly as it is, truth can never be an insult, only a statement."
The girl turned slowly to the two.
"I see. Then this calls for a duel."
Silver stepped back.
"I have no time to lose with people like you. Misty, want to take that challenge on?"
"Hell yes ..."
Giselle giggled.
"So be it. To fight against your water Pokémon, I choose Graveler!"
Misty frowned. For having trained with Silver and Ash, she knew very well the rule Silver had mentioned. It was why Staryu trained with Gaya while Starmie worked with Lya. So far, she had never managed to beat the Grass or Fire Pokémon.
"Graveler, attack!"
"Staryu, dodge and use Swift!"
The huge moving boulder jumped at the Water creature but Staryu jumped and unleashed a flurry of glowing stars. Unfortunately, the attack was useless against the Rock-type's Rollout attack. The shock was so hard Staryu's core was broken and thrown into the pool. Misty was stunned. Once she regained her senses, she ran at the pool and retrieved her fallen Pokémon. Silver glared at Giselle. Ash's eyes were just as angry. No one humiliated his friends and got out with it. He turned to Silver who nodded.
"Giselle!" He stepped. "I challenge you!"
"What? And who are you exactly, young man?"
"My name is Ash Ketchum, from Pallet Town. Misty is my friend and no one insults her without going through me!"
"Really? Let me ask you, how long has it been since you started your journey?"
"Roughly a month."
"A month and you still leave your Pikachu outside? Is it because you cannot train him or he is the one who trains you?"
Ash snarled. That's official, he hated this girl.
"None of that. Pikachu just doesn't like to stay inside and I respect his choice. He is my friend, just like Butterfree, Pidgeotto and Cleffa are!"
"What? You only have four Pokémon? Usually, people like you with two badges have six Pokémon already. I suppose you got lucky. And besides, Pikachu is a very poor choice of a starter. It's very hard to tame, everybody knows that. They are better as girls' pets."
She started berating about her knowledge of Pikachu and her evolution, Raichu, but Silver stopped her.
"Will you just shut up? Your voice is annoying. Besides, Pikachu is the evolved for of another pokémon. Do you know it?"
Giselle looked at the man, surprised.
"What? Pikachu is an evolved form? Who told you such nonsense?"
Silver had a half-grin and turned to Ash who closed his eyes.
"Pichu, the Tiny Mouse pokémon. A baby Pokémon, it evolves into Pikachu when leveled up with high friendship. They are unskilled at controlling their electric power and releases them often by accident, shocking people around or, even at times, themselves."
"Exactly."
Brock was surprised.
"Wow, I didn't think you had such knowledge."
Silver grinned.
"I was the one who taught it to Ash. He was curious about Pikachu and its evolution line, just like he is curious about each of his Pokémon friends. So I told him. He is a better student than he let think."
Giselle was speechless. She growled.
"Alright, enough talk. Time for a battle! Cubone!"
(Play The man with the machine gun, from Final Fantasy VIII)
Ash turned to Pikachu who nodded and jumped. Being Electric-type, the mouse was in troubles. But after hard training sessions with Lya and the others, the yellow mouse had mastered several non-electric attacks he kept specially for situations like that.
"Cubone, Leer!"
"Pikachu, close your eyes!"
The mouse obeyed and the attack failed. It was the best counter the two had found so far and it was a little risky, but Pikachu was fast, especially after Gaya spent half an hour launching Razor Leafs at him everyday. Giselle smiled.
"What a stupid move. Cubone, Bonemerang!"
The little Pokémon threw his bone to Pikachu who jumped.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail on the bone club!"
The bone club was making its way back. Pikachu turned his tail iron-hard and hit the weapon, giving it even more strength than Cubone expected. The little pokémon was hit in the face by its own weapon and it turned its mask, blocking its vision. This is why it didn't see Pikachu coming with a Quick Attack. Giselle was stunned. This weak yellow mouse defeated her Cubone without taking any hit! Silver nodded at his student.
(End music)
"Well done, boy."
"Thanks!"
Joe was impressed.
"Your Pikachu knows some amazing attacks! I have never seen one win otherwise than with an electric attack!"
Ash grinned.
"You can win against a Rock or Ground Pokémon with a lightning attack. All you have to do is weaken it with water. This is how I won my first badge."
The group smiled as they remembered Ash's lightning-fast victory against Brock and his Onix. Silver smiled.
"Ash let Pikachu learn those attacks for situations like this where Pikachu couldn't use his electric powers. Looks like it worked."
It seemed the fight had given Giselle some sense of modesty. Joe left the Pokémon School and decided to collect badges while the group followed its own path. Silver was quite proud of his student. Ash was getting stronger everyday. If things kept going, he would become a Champion in no time.
Here is the new chapter. I just finished the next one. Yes. And only two reviews? There's something wrong somewhere ... Well, at least a lot of people follow and like this story, that's good. Thank you all. I'm definitely not going to delete it if I ever give up on it.
- to Ultima Owner: it was. Silver recorded it for later use ... and show that one just doesn't simply mess with Ash unless he's looking for troubles.
- to Shin'en: Aggron and Larvitar are definitely going to be part of the team. As for Ash being a motherly figure and receiving Pokémon eggs, Silver will give a lesson about 'Trainer Categories' in the next chapter. You may find it very interesting. I'm glad you like the story, really.
Man, finding battle themes was a real trouble. It's hard to find good and fitting music without being too repetitive ... Anyway, Ash gets a Pokémon he didn't get in the anime. What? You're going to complain because it's a Cleffa? Wait 'till it becomes a Clefairy and a Clefable! The girl has a temper just like her Trainer. And Ash is growing stronger.
See you soon!