Yawning as he stretched his arms, Ash looked up at the entrance to Mount Moon: After easily getting the Boulder Badge, Ash had left the city and made his way towards the huge mountain, ready to make his way to Cerulean City for his next badge. Ash smiled as he gently placed his left hand on his belt, gently moving his fingers over his poke'balls - during his venture to the mountain, he had caught a few new pokemon: Four in total.
The first pokemon Ash had caught was a female Ekans - she challenged Ash to a battle whilst he was walking through the forest towards Mount Moon: she was extremely fast, but Ash adabted, using his Scrafty and everually tiring the purple snake to the point that Ash could catch her. The second pokemon was a Sandshrew - which Ash decided to catch since he associated the pokemon with A.J: using Kingler to quickly weaken the ground type before catching the male shrew pokemon with ease.
His third & fourth pokemon came together, a female and a male Nidoran - from what Ash could tell the two were brother and sister: he had always wanted a Nidoking to train, but he was all to happy to take them both since they didn't want to be separated - plus both showed high interest in battling and becoming stronger, which was a bonus for Ash, "Whilst I'm here, I will have to look around for a couple moon stones" Ash told himself as he entered the cave - which was lined with dim lights throughout the cave walls. Ash walked down the cave path, the sounds of the caves echoing around him: somewhere he could here the faint dripping of water, along side the flapping of Zubat wings and a soft, distant melody which he recognised as the Clefairy's song.
Ash stopped with a smile, closing his eyes as he listened to the Clefairy's singing, his whole body relaxing from the soothing tone: but soon he began to feel drowsy, making him open his eyes in surprise and realisation when a pokemon he hadn't seen in a long time jumped in front of him, sending a small amount of dread up his spine.
"~Jigglypuff, jigg-al-llyyyy puff" the round pink pokemon began to sing, making Ash and Pikachu - who was stood by Ash's side with Riolu - cover their ears, whilst Riolu began closing his eyes, falling down, now asleep from the lullaby. Ash watched in horror as the pokemon in front of him puffed up, taking the lid of the marker pen in her hand as she began to approach the three, "Pikachu, use Thunder Wave" Pikachu quickly nodded, sending the weak line of electricity towards the round pink pokemon, who cried out slightly as the paralysing electricity struck her, making her drop her marker - which Ash picked up as it rolled towards him before he addressed the now paralyzed pokemon.
"Jigglypuff," Ash started, making the Jigglypuff look at Ash with an annoyed, but desperate look as she sore her marker in his hands, "This whole drawing on people needs to stop - you need to understand that the song you sing is a lullaby, its supposed to make people and pokemon fall asleep - you can't be punishing them for falling asleep when they are supposed to" Ash scolded the pink pokemon, who frowned and looked down sadly, "I know you want people to listen to your song so I have a proposition for you," Jigglypuff blinked, looking up at Ash as he knelt down besides her, offering her Cheri Berry - which she ate, making her sigh in relief as the electricity faded from her body.
"I want you to join me," Ash told the pink pokemon, who looked at Ash as if he was crazy, but Ash just smiled, "I'm serious, join me and I can teach you how to sing without others falling asleep - I know you want people to listen and enjoy your music, so I am offering mw and my pokemon as an audience for you to practice with until you perfect a song that people can listen to and stay awake"
Jigglypuff listened to the boy, contemplating whether to trust the boys words or not, "I have a berry with me called a Chesto Berry, it helps to keep pokemon and people to stay awake - that way we can listen toy our song without falling asleep: so then we can help you work on learning to sing a song that won't be a lullaby - what do you say?" Ash explained, waiting a few seconds as Jigglypuff thought to herself before slowly nodding, "Alright, I'll give you your mark back, but you have to promise not to draw on anyone again, deal?" Jigglypuff huffed but nodded, taking the marker back with a relieved face as Ash raised a poke'ball, tapping it against her head and capturing her easily.
Ash reached forwards and picked up the dropped marker pen and slipped it into his pocket before turning to Riolu with a sweat drop, "Guess I'll have to carry him..." Pikachu chuckled at Ash's words, watching as the raven haired boy picked up the sleeping jackal pokemon, before the two continued to walk through the cave.
Ash blinked, shielding his eyes from the glare of the sun as he walked out of Mount Moon, a half smile on his face when he sore the top of the Cerulean Gym not far from where he stood, "Should be their before the day is over..." Ash thought out loud to himself, lowering his arm as his eyes adjusted to the brightness of the sun, "What do you think buddy? think we could get the badge before the day is done? Riolu, what about you?" Ash asked the two pokemon on either side of him - the two had decided to walk for a while instead of riding on Ash's shoulder.
"Hell yeah we can! We got this! Pikachu replied confidently, making Ash and Riolu chuckle softly, "I think we can, but not if stand here chatting! Lets go!" Riolu exclaimed as he ran ahead od the two, "Come on you two Slowpokes! Bet I can beat you both their!" Ash and Pikachu looked at each before grinning, quickly racing after Riolu who kept running, "Your going to eat those words!" Both trainer and pokemon shouted as they ran after a now laughing Riolu.
A short chapter this time - but the next chapter will be longer don't worry!
I wanted to ask you guys if their are any side quests you would like Ash to do whilst he re-explores Kanto, like the ones he did in the sow - let me know!
For the record he will be revisiting the other regions, just later on once Kanto is done