Zanoz here with the next chapter, its in a different format, tried not to keep them all in big paragraphs. Let me know if you prefer this format over the old one, i find this would be easier to read. Enjoy!
It had been 3 days since Ash found out that May was going to join her father in the journey to Kanto, and it was a grueling 3 days for the future Pokemon master.
"Alright sceptile let's try it again, watch Krookodile do it first" Ash was trying to get some new moves down for his pokemon
"Alright krookodile use dragon claw" Ash said, the Croc pokemon charged at the nearby rock full speed, claws glowing green.
With one swipe, the dragon claw shattered the rock into bits, "Krookodile!" Exclaimed the unova Pokemon in success.
"Alright sceptile, your turn" Ash told sceptile, who was ready to strike, he'd tried this move all morning and even had help from krookodile, but it wasn't going good.
He charged the target krookodile, who was ready to defend against his comrade, The gecko raised his arm up as he ran and it began to flicker a glow, but it didn't last long. Sceptiles claw died out and failed to make successful contact with his training partner.
The grass type banged his arms to the ground in frustration, "kroo krookidile" said krookodile, trying to cheer up a fellow pokemon.
"Its improving but I don't know whats wrong, you almost had it that time" Ash was puzzled by the fact that sceptile couldn't do it.
"It will come in time I guess, why don't you take a break for a bit you two?" The 2 powerhouses nodded in agreement, sceptile dashed to the nearby forest while krookodile used dig to tunnel his way underground.
"I wonder what Pikachu and the others are doing?" Ash said to himself as he made his way through the forest to the clearing.
When he emerged Ash saw 4 people standing around his Pokemon, along with there Pokemon. He recognized them immediately.
"Hey guys, what's up" He shouted as he moved towards the group. The first person he saw was his rival and future professor Gary Oak. The second man was wearing a white coat like Gary's but had a vest on underneath, Ash knew that was none other then future Pokemon doctor and his longest traveling friend Brock. The 3rd was a women with red hair Ash knew that was misty waterflower but she looked different with her hair now reaching her shoulders and no longer had the side tail.
And the forth was the closest to Ash who was playing with Pikachu when he heard his call, "hey Ash, longtime no see" said the man.
"Hey Richie, its been a while has in it?" Richie was Ash's first rival after Gary, he had a new look that Ash didn't recognize, he wore a blue and black cap with 2 split pokeball symbols on it, A blue short sleeve vest with a white t-shirt underneath, a pair of gray cargo pants, and black canvas shoes.
"Ya it has. Haven't seen you in forever" said Richie as he extended a hand to ash who accepted it gladly. Just then a pair of pikachu's appeared on Richies shoulder, with one leaping to Ash's shoulder. "Pika pi" "pi pi Pikachu" said the 2 pikachu's. "We came to see how your doing, Brock hadn't heard from you in 3 days" said misty as the group formed up on Ash.
"Sorry bout that been training too much I guess" Ash said sheepishly, he'd practically lived at the oak ranch for the last 3 days spending all his time there, he once slept the night with his pokemon out in the field, not that they didn't mind though.
The group began walking back to the main building, they continued their conversation, "so did you hear about the viridian city gym leader?" Said Brock to Ash and Gary. "ya we met James and meowth, he came here 3 days ago to apologize to Ash for there past deeds" said Gary to Brock, not surprised at all by Gary's answer. "James never did seem bad, just bad choices he made, I'm glad to see he's making something of himself, Meowth too" said Misty
Brock nodded in agreement, "to bad about Jessie thou, I went to see her and she was not looking to good, her Pokemon were asleep at the time except wobbuffet, he's just waiting", "Well wobbuffet is the patience Pokemon." said Gary, cocky with his Pokemon knowledge. Suddenly an aroma came into the groups nostrils, Ash immediately knew what it was.
"On a more positive note, let's eat!" Ash sprinted to the door with a hungry look in his eyes. "Does he ever not know about food?" Said Misty as the group sweatdropped except Richie and sparky who looked Puzzled. As Ash made his way inside he saw his mother and Tracy carrying food outside, "come get it everyone, lunches ready" said Mrs Ketchum.
Before the group could act Ash had a plate and was ready to chow down with Pikachu when his mother stopped him.
"You have to tell the Pokemon to come eat too first mister" Delia told her son who was being held back from the food.
"Alright, one sec" ash looked at pikachu who knew what his trainer wanted him to do. He jumped off his shoulder and moved away from the group.
"PikaaaaCHUUUU!" bam! A thunderbolt was sent into the sky by the electric mouse.
Within seconds a hoard of Pokemon were charging at the group ready to feast. "That didn't take long" said Richie "pika" said sparky.
"They take after their trainer" said misty, just then they saw a truck full of food be dropped off and a running snorlax come at it. "Especially that one" said Brock with a laugh.
The group was sitting down enjoying their meal, talking amongst the feast. "So Ash I don't see your name on any of the entries for the multi-region tourney, couldn't make the cut?" Said misty with a sly look on her face.
Ash just swallowed his 3rd plate of food when he turned his attention to misty, "who did you pick misty?"
Misty turned to her left of the table and put her arm on his shoulder, "Richie of course." Richie just smiled in glee that misty picked him as her entry.
"Good choice" that was all Ash said as he ate another plate of food.
"Looks like your gonna need to find somebody and soon" said misty to the pallet town Boy. Ash just smirked
"I've already got an entry misty, I ain't worried one bit, well at least not till the tournament draws near" Ash stated as he ate some more.
"WHAT?" said in unison by misty and Richie. "Who's your entry selector?" Said Misty in shock.
Brock wasn't surprised since he knew who picked Ash. Gary was the first to know so he just keep on listening.
"I got picked by Norman maple, so I'll be representing the Petalburg gym." Ash said as he finished his 8th plate finally.
"Don't you mean asked to be picked ashy boy?" Said Gary, flashing his trademark smirk.
"Whatever, point is I get to participate in the tourney" ash stated, annoyed by what Gary said.
"Who's Norman maple?" Asked Richie, not having been in the hoenn league yet.
"Norman maple is the Petalburg gym leader, Me and Ash met him and got to know him since we traveled with his kids May and Max through hoenn and kanto" said Brock as he was taking peoples plates.
"How strong is he?" Asked richie, curious to who this gym leader was.
"He's one of the strongest normal type trainers in the world, and he's rank 3 in the hoenn gym leaders, plus Ash barely best him for the gym badge, on his second try too" Brock stated.
"HEY, first time was because I didn't have enough Pokemon for an official battle, so we had Pikachu vs vigoroth and we lost." Ash said to clarify what Brock had been saying.
"If it wasn't for meeting may when you went to the hoenn region, you might not have been in the tournament" said misty.
Richie was becoming more and more curious by the sentence. "Who's may?"
Ash spoke this time "you'd know her in coordinators magazine as the princess of hoenn, May Maple. Shes won 2 grand festivals in sinnoh and her second try in hoenn. We met up in littleroot town when she went to get her first Pokemon, and I was on my way to professor birches lab"
Misty intervened "she's also vice president of the 'victims of Ash Ketchum bike scorching club' as her being the second victim"
Ash began to sulk, "don't remind me of how you celebrate the anniversary of that day. I can't enjoy the memory of my first day of my journey if it's also that day." Pikachu tried to comfort his trainer and friend, so did sparky, "pika pika" said with condolences.
"So anyway, how did may become a coordinator? Was it her dream?" Said Richie trying to ignore what ash was doing.
"No, she wanted to travel and unlike her brother max, didn't like Pokemon that much. But she saw coordinators when we traveled and wanted to try it herself. She learned to love Pokemon thanks to a certain trainer over here" said Brock as he used his head to point to ash.
"So Ash was like her mentor?" Said Richie intrigued by what Ash had been doing over the years. 'He not the same rival from when we were ten I'll give him that much' he thought
Ash desulked and answered Richie's inquiry, "yep, I helped her see how great Pokemon are and what joy it has in being a trainer. Shes my best friend and is one of the best coordinators I know, I'm proud to call her a friend"
'Never seen ash so worked up over someone, not even Pokemon get him like this. I wonder...' Misty was eager to find out why Ash was like this.
"Anyway its time to get back to it" ash said as he got up from his seat.
"How about a battle ash, gotta sharpen my skills for the tourney if your in it" brock said as he too got up.
"Alright Brock, your on. Gary can you ref the match?" Ash asked his fellow trainer and friend
"Sure no problem" the group moved to the clearing in a grassy field.
"This match will be a 3 on 3 match between Ash of pallet town and Brock of pewter city, substitutions are allowed, are the trainers ready?"
"ready!" The trainers said in unison.
"Let the match...begin!" Gary said as he raised his arms.
"Go sudowoodo" said Brock as he threw a pokeball.
Emerging from that ball was a tree looking Pokemon, ready to go. "Sudowoodo"
"Alright, I chose...wait where are my pokeballs?" Ash panicked as he looked around for them. He turned to see his Pokemon all asleep after eating with pikachu as the exception.
"Ugh we have a problem" ash said, everyone sweatdropped.
"Just like there trainer" misty stated.
"Who am I gon-" just then a giant pokemon dropped in front of Ash with a thwomp, ready to go. "Sceptile? You wanna battle?" "Scep" the tree gecko took his signature twig out and was battle ready. "Alright I guess i chose sceptile". Ash said
Gary smiled "then let the round begin!"
Misty's feminine intuition is tingling, wonder what her thoughts are? Those of you who play Pokemon might know why I'm giving sceptile dragon claw and it will be revealed all in good time, But first we ride to Battle, in the next chapter "Brock vs Ash! The true pewter gym battle!"
Until next time!
See ya!
