Pokemon Restart

Chapter 4

Showdown at Diglett's Cave!

Ash took in a deep breath as he arrived at Vermilion City, having traveled through an underground tunnel for hours he was glad to finally get a bit of fresh air. He was currently on the outskirts of the city which was filled with trees and a few ponds. Pikachu yawned as he emerged from Ash's backpack, rubbing his eyes before climbing up and taking his spot on the trainer's shoulder.

"How was your nap buddy?" He chuckled as he scratched Pikachu's head fondly, receiving an approving cry.

The trip to Cerulean had been cut short after his encounter with Silver. Apparently there had been some commotion on the Nugget Bridge that involved Team Rocket. He wasn't entirely sure of what happened but he had heard that a kid with red hair had dispatched of them. There was no doubt in his mind that it had been Silver but he couldn't understand why he would go through the trouble of running them out of town when he didn't seem to be the kind of person to help others.

"Hey you over there!"

He was broken out of his thoughts by a loud voice. Turning to the source, he was met with a girl dressed casually in a blue sleeveless blouse, a red skirt, and a white hat on top of her long brown hair.

"I had to meet you again," she spoke with a smile on her face, "My name's Green. I watched your battle back at Cerulean the other day. You really showed that guy what a great trainer you are."

Ash appeared confused but took the compliment regardless, "Um… thanks."

"Don't mention it. You have to be the strongest trainer I've ever met, not to mention handsome," she went on.

The young trainer exchanged a look with Pikachu, both utterly confused.

"Anyway," she reached into the bag she carried on her shoulder and pulled out a plastic bag, "A great trainer like you cannot go without one of these." Green waved the bag, its contents rustling, "All of the items here are guaranteed to make your pokemon a lot stronger. Just imagine they're effect on pokemon that are already amazing."

Ash looked at the bag wearily, "I don't have a lot of money on me right now…"

"No problem!" Green beamed as she pushed the bag onto his chest, "Just give me whatever you feel is alright. I promise that you won't be disappointed."

He reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet, wanting to count his money but it was snatched before he could do much else. Green pulled out a bit of cash, returned the wallet, gave him a smile, and ran off.

"D-Did I just get duped?" Ash stammered as he pocketed his wallet and looked at the contents of the bag, finding only used cans and empty cartons. His right eye twitched as he reached for a pokeball and threw it in the air, Swellow appearing before him. "Take the skies and follow after a girl wearing a white hat and blue shirt. Don't let her get away."

"Swell!"

"Let's go Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed as he ran after Swellow, keen on getting his money back.

"Another successful escape," Green smiled to herself as she counted the money she had taken from the trainer. "What? This guy's poor, he barely had anything," she groaned and pocketed the money, figuring that she might as well buy herself something to eat.

"Stop right there!"

Her eyes widened in surprise as she whirled around to meet the trainer she had just taken the money from. His pikachu emitted sparks as a threat, obviously mad at her stealing from his trainer.

"How did you find me?" she couldn't help but ask.

Ash pointed upwards, where a swellow descended next to him and flapped its wings to stay afloat. She scowled, wondering what to do in order to get away since it looked like the guy would be persistent. It was her fault, she decided, since trying to dupe someone with strong pokemon was not one of her smartest moves.

"Now give me my money back," the young trainer demanded with a glare.

Green looked down, shoulders slouching. "I-I'm very sorry…" she trailed off as she raised her face to meet the eyes of the trainer's. A few tears gathered in her eyes as she bit her lower lip to stop its trembling, "I just really wanted to meet you. Y-You didn't like the stuff I gave you?"

"You gave me empty cans and cartons, I'm not falling for your act again," Ash spoke in a bit of annoyance, making Green drop her act and cross her arms.

"Fine then," she reached into the bag she carried over her shoulder and pulled out a poke ball. "Blasty, come on out!" A wartortle emerged from the pokeball, standing before Ash in defense of its trainer.

"If you wanna battle then it's fine by me," Ash reached into his belt and took out a pokeball before throwing it in the air, "Bayleef, I choose you!"

"Bay!" Bayleef cried out as she appeared before Blasty.

Green frowned, knowing she was at a disadvantage. "Blasty use Hydro Pump!"

"Bayleef dodge it!"

The grass type easily moved away from the attack before charging in at the opponent. "Now use Razor Leaf!" Bayleef complied and sent a set of sharp leaves at the wartortle.

"Use your shell to take cover!" Green cried out in slight panic as her pokemon did as instructed, effectively protecting itself from the attack.

Ash was not one to give up easily and quickly gave another command to Bayleef, "Use Vine Whip to send it flying!"

"Bay!" The grass type cried out as it produced a pair of strong vines that wrapped around the water pokemon's shell before hurling up high.

"Good job now use Razor Leaf!"

"Blasty, knock them away with a Hydro Pump!"

The wartortle emerged from its shell and let loose a powerful stream of water that knocked aside the incoming leaves.

Ash grinned, "Now that its unprotected use Vine Whip on its feet!"

Green could only look in confusion as the vines wrapped around her pokemon's ankles. "Use Hydro Pump!"

"Slam it on the ground before it can attack!" Ash ordered as his pokemon slammed the water type on the ground, kicking up a cloud of debris. "Now use Razor Leaf!"

"Bay!" Bayleef cried out as she hurled sharp leaves at the wartortle, all of them making contact before the pokemon was knocked out.

"Blasty!" Green cried out in worry as she ran over to her pokemon to make sure it was okay.

"T-Tortle…" the pokemon attempted to smile at its trainer to keep her from worrying. Green smiled and returned her pokemon, touched by his tough act.

"Thanks for your help, you should take a rest," she pocketed her ball and approached Ash. "Here," she began as she pulled out his cash and handed it to him, "I know when I'm outmatched so here's your money back. You're a really strong trainer."

Ash grinned as he pulled out his wallet to put the money back before placing it back in his back pocket, "Thanks, you're pretty good too. I didn't expect your wartortle to use its shell like that. Except for my Squirtle, I've never seen another do it."

"You have a squirtle?" she asked, receiving a nod. "That makes us friends then," she giggled and threw her arms around him, pulling him into a hug.

"W-What?" Ash let out in panic while Pikachu watched from the ground while shaking his head.

Green pulled away and gave him another smile, a blush adorning her cheeks, "I'll see you later… um, what's your name?"

"Oh, it's Ash," he replied a bit awkwardly.

The girl giggled once more, while pulling back a strand of hair that got on her face, "I hope we meet again Ashy!"

"Girls are strange…" Ash muttered to himself as he watched Green leave. He turned to Pikachu and gave him a glare, "Why were you just standing there shaking your head?"

"Pika…" Pikachu replied with another shake of his head.

"What do you mean dense?"

Pikachu said nothing, instead climbed up his trainers arm and made himself comfortable on his shoulder.

"You're gonna have to answer sooner or later," Ash grumbled as he and Pikachu made their way to Vermilion City.

The sun stung Ash's eyes as he and Pikachu exited the Pokemon Center, feeling refreshed after a good night of sleep. He was still mad at himself for just playing into Green's game, he should've known that she would swipe his wallet while hugging him like that. But for now he pushed those thoughts aside, instead focusing on the rumors he had heard in the Pokemon Center.

Apparently there was something shady going on around Diglett's Cave. He decided to check it out since he had nothing better to do and it would give him a chance to train some of his pokemon.

"Pikapi pika," Pikachu called his attention while pointing to a large cave that wasn't that far from the shore.

"That's it, huh?" He couldn't help but let out uncertainly since he had thought the cave would be further away from the city. It really hadn't taken that long to go from the Pokemon Center to the cave. "Let's go then."

It didn't take long for Ash and Pikachu to arrive at the cave, the young trainer entering without a second thought. He and Pikachu walked for a few minutes before it became harder to see so he pulled out a pokeball, "Quilava, come on out."

"Quilava!" The pokemon cried out happily.

"Hey buddy, I need you to light the way."

"Lava!"

The cave became lit as Quilava emerged fire from its head and tail. Ash smiled as he, Pikachu and Quilava continued to make their way through the cave. He would occasionally hear odd sounds but they disappeared as soon as he heard them.

"I don't think there's anything here…" he muttered to himself after having walked for a good while. He was tempted to leave until he saw light emitting from deeper in the cave. Confused, he pressed on to see many lamps set up around the place. "Return," he recalled Quilava to his ball and looked around the place in wonder.

It looked like a lot of excavating had been done but there didn't appear to be any people around. He would have thought that the diglett were responsible but the presence of the many lamps told him otherwise. The sounds of footsteps suddenly echoed in the area and Ash quickly hid behind a large boulder before peeking out of it, Pikachu doing the same.

Alarm shot through his being when he noticed who they were. A handful of Team Rocket grunts carrying cloth bags that were slung over their shoulders. Part of him wanted to leave but the other was sure that he could take them. He had defeated a lot more of them in Mt. Moon and it was pretty much the same environment, making him wonder why exactly Team Rocket was looking around caves, but he shook his head to focus on the task at hand.

He finally decided to spring into action but stopped when he noticed another person walking behind the Team Rocket members. His large build and spiky blond hair made Ash recall the man instantly. It was the same man that had given him his third Kanto badge. It was Lt. Surge and he was sure that the gym leader was there to take down Team Rocket.

Feeling confident with an ally, Ash emerged from his hiding place, instantly gaining the attention of the Team Rocket members. "Go, Croconaw!" he called out his pokemon, grinning when seeing Lt. Surge call out his raichu. It looked like the Team Rocket members hadn't taken notice of him yet.

They had their attention fixed on him as they called out a couple of golbat.

"Croconaw, use Hydro P-"

"Thunderbolt!"

Completely blindsided, Ash could only look in terror as the raichu attacked his pokemon, hitting the water type dead on. Croconaw cried out in pain before falling on the ground unconscious, "W-What?"

"I never thought anyone would find us here," Lt. Surge began with a smirk before taking a good look at the trainer and his pokemon. He let out a chuckle when seeing his shocked expression, "If it isn't the little baby that challenged me a few years ago. You don't look that different, still a scrawny brat."

"Croconaw return," Ash returned his pokemon to its ball before fixing the gym leader with a glare. "I don't know what's going on but you'll pay for attacking my friend like a coward," he emerged a pokeball and threw it in the air, "Gible, I choose you!"

Surge smirked and turned to the two Team Rocket members, "I'll humor the kid. You two get out of here, we're done."

Ash paid no attention to the two Rocket members as he called out an attack, "Gible, use Dragon Pulse!"

"Raichu, counter with Thunderbolt!"

The two attacks met in a powerful collision that shot debris everywhere, making the young trainer shield his eyes. When the attack's aftereffects died down it revealed the two pokemon still ready to fight.

"Gible use Dig!"

The dragon type dug into the ground, making the gym leader frown. "Raichu, jump high in the air to avoid being hit!"

"Rai Rai!" The opponent pokemon leapt off the ground, almost hitting the cave's ceiling.

"Gible jump out and use Draco Meteor!" Ash exclaimed as his pokemon jumped out of the ground and shot out a powerful blast of energy that struck the raichu in the stomach, sending it crashing to the cave's ceiling before the attack scattered in different directions.

The end result was the raichu falling towards the ground, followed by a few rocks that crashed into its body. "Raichu return," Lt. Surge returned his pokemon after noticing that it was unconscious. "Magneton, time to fight!"

"Gible, use Dig!"

The pokemon dug into the ground, infuriating the gym leader. Not many of his pokemon's attacks could hit the ground type so he had to improvise, "Magneton use Tri Attack in one of the holes."

The steel type did as instructed, approaching one of the holes before Gible erupted from the ground to deliver a harsh blow to the magneton's body, knocking it back several feet.

"Follow it up with Dragon Pulse!"

"Gible!" The pokemon let loose a blue blast of energy that hit the magneton dead on and knocked it out.

Lt. Surge was livid as he recalled his pokemon. Things were just not going his way. First they were discovered then the kid that had barely beaten him before was making quick work of him. He couldn't allow that to happen, "Electrode, get out here!"

The electrode emerged from the ball with a sneer, rolling back and forth to show it was ready. "Use Magnet Rise!"

"Gible quick, use Dragon Pulse!"

"Gible!" The pokemon let loose it's attack but the faster electrode easily floated past it, sparks emitting between it and the ground.

Lt. Surge smirked when seeing his pokemon get close to the gible, "Now use Explosion!"

"Electrode!" The pokemon shone in a blinding light before causing a powerful explosion that kicked up a massive cloud of smoke.

"Gible are you okay?" Ash called out in panic as he shielded his eyes from the debris and smoke. Dread filled his being when not seeing a sign of Gible anywhere when the smoke died down.

Lt. Surge took out another pokeball, having returned his fainted electrode, and smirked, "Focus on the fight kid, your pokemon is probably dead anyway."

Ash glared, fists tightening as he looked around for any sign of his pokemon.

"Electabuzz, time to fight!" Lt. Surge called out his pokemon, which took its place before Ash with a glare.

"Gible…" Ash muttered in worry before feeling a nudge on his leg, he looked down to see Pikachu pointing as the battlefield, "What is it?"

He didn't have to wait long for an answer as a figure erupted from the ground revealing not Gible, but Gabite, swinging his arms as a show that he was ready.

"What? I took that thing out, I'm sure of it!" Lt. Surge let out in surprise.

Ash smirked, "Awesome. Now, Gabite use Dig!"

"Bite!" The newly evolved dragon type cried out as it dug underground, its fins still visible as it burrowed through.

"Electabuzz use Ice Punch on the ground!"

"Buzz!" The electric type struck the ground in front of it, covering the ground in ice but Gabite quickly emerged from the ground, shooting past the ice and bringing down both claws, covered in a blue aura, on the electabuzz, making a direct hit on its chest.

"Wow you learned Dragon Claw," Ash grinned before pointing at the electabuzz, "Finish this with a Draco Meteor!"

"Gabite!" The pokemon let out happily before sending the attack up in the air, before it came down on the electric type.

"Use Thunderbolt to-" Lt. Surge began but was cut off as the attack engulfed his electabuzz, instantly knocking it out. "D-Dammit!" he cursed before returning his pokemon and glaring at the young trainer.

"Now tell me what's going on here," Ash returned the glare, Pikachu and Gabite doing the same, "Why'd you attack me? Are you part of Team Rocket?"

The older man scoffed before crossing his arms. "I've been with Team Rocket for a while now. I agree with several of their goals and decided to assist them," he turned his back on the trainer, "Let me leave you with this piece of advice. Do not think you can beat Team Rocket. You might be strong but you haven't seen anything yet."

"Wait!" Ash called out before the man suddenly disappeared. "What the?" He ran after the gym leader and found a large hole in the ground. He tried to follow after the gym leader but the large hold suddenly became encased in smoke, followed by it caving in and blocking the way. "He got away…" he muttered, knowing that trying to follow after the gym leader would most likely not end well since he had no idea what was down there.

"We should go to the Pokemon Center again, Croconaw needs it," he spoke to Pikachu as the two left Diglett's Tunnel, the trainer wondering if what Lt. Surge said about Team Rocket had been true.

Current Team:

Pikachu

Quilava

Croconaw

Bayleef

Gabite

Swellow