What's going on, everyone? I'm back with another update, and this one's a bit of a doozy. Last chapter focused on Ashley, Torchic, and Rufflet getting ready to train, but that was derailed when Torchic challenged a girl and her Infernape to a battle. He was destroyed and critically injured, thus leading to the reveal of Ashley's softer side. Lastly, she met Thomas at the Pokemon Center for a brief moment before basically telling him to buzz off.
This chapter, as mentioned above, is going to be a bit crazy because there'll be a few scene switches. It's also a continuation of the previous one, meaning y'all will get to see some more interaction between Thomas and Ashley! Now, let's get going!
The Phantom Starfish: You're like Nostradamus, man! I can't get enough of how fun it is to write Fletchling's dialogue - I actually have a document filled with insults for him to use. Ashley's soft side has been exposed to the people! Her battling tactics are far different from Thomas', yet very similar at the same time. Keep this in mind every time they battle. The meeting was shorter than... wait, that joke's inappropriate xD The Swablu trainer is Lisia (he's right again, folks), and I like the prediction for the battle, specifically how Rufflet would do :D
dragonplayer18: Even more gasp! She does! Torchic's a fool, plain and simple, though I agree that Carla's (in my words) a bigger fool for actually accepting the challenge. Thanks for the kind words!
ShadowDragon9000: Sustained! Lol, I kid. Good word choice to describe the scene (that means I did my job!), and her relationship with Torchic will continue to develop whenever they're featured in chapters. Thomas meeting her was crazy, and decided on at the very last second, but you're right that their dynamic will be interesting. Get better soon, Torchic! And random Swablu (plus a possible battle) hype!
Rales Mckoy: Lol, I was really thinking about having him evolve in a rematch with Infernape, but that seemed really stupid to me since he'd obviously lose. Thomas most certainly did make a bad first impression, and things will only get worse the more they interact
Blaze Falcon: The stones are going to be the main focus of the antagonists, though I don't think there'll be a lot of information about them or their power (at least not now). Tyson, Blade, and Molly will definitely make for a more interesting plot, especially when the final confrontation comes and they're all involved. Also, I agree with you about Torchic needing to be healthy for a battle to happen, and I can't wait to see how the relationship between Thomas and Lisia unfolds!
MCMXCV: You can say that again (the chapter not being thrilling, that is). Every time Ashley's the center of attention in a chapter, you'll usually get to see a new side to her. As for Carla, that's not her. I just auto generated a name and that was the first one to come up, so I picked it xD
Warrior of Hope: She kinda did! Ashley becoming the Hoenn League Champion... lol. It could've been a possibility if Blade weren't already in that spot (shoutout to Blade, btw), though she's most definitely going to be a contender to win the League. If Torchic were to put everything together he'd be the comeback story of the century!
3-E Student: Torchic will be fine. And Thomas' traveling companion(s) should provide an interesting spark to the group
Thomas' Team
Treecko, (f), level 12, Pound, Leer, Bullet Seed, Quick Attack
Fletchling, (m), level 13, Growl, Flail, Quick Attack, Peck, Steel Wing*
Slowpoke, (f), level 12, Curse, Yawn, Tackle, Growl, Water Gun*, Confusion*
"Whaddya mean we still ain't trainin', Boss?!"
The explosive scream from Fletchling bounced off the walls and right into Thomas' ears where they rang and rang, causing the seventeen-year-old to wince. He then shot an agitated look towards the Flying-type and muttered a series of expletives under his breath. Slowpoke, who had been napping in the corner of the room, chuckled at Thomas' reaction before making her way over to the rookie.
"He means we still ain't trainin', Boss," she said mockingly.
In less than a fraction of a second, Fletchling pressed his head up against Slowpoke's and growled, but the Water-type smacked his legs out from underneath him just as quickly with her tail. Slowpoke's laughter continued as Fletchling struggled to his feet, but before he could retaliate, Treecko stepped in front of him.
No words were needed, as the look in her eyes was more than enough to keep the robin in check. She then did the same thing to Slowpoke when she laughed, putting a smile on Thomas' face.
"All right, let's get a move on it. I don't want to be left without a spot."
On that note, Thomas grabbed a bag full of beach supplies and headed out the door with the trio of Pokemon following close behind. Once they walked down the hall and entered the lobby, Slowpoke and Fletchling butted heads over some comment made by one of them. Thomas, however, ignored the feuding Pokemon and turned around to face the emergency room windows.
He peered inside and saw the Torchic from the day before was conscious and talking to another Pokemon, one that looked like an eaglet. Upon further investigation, Thomas saw the girl - Ashley - that had shooed him away standing off to the side. Although she didn't speak, her body language said otherwise, or so Thomas opined.
"Ay! Boss!" Fletchling bellowed from across the lobby.
Thomas turned and followed his Pokemon when they waved him over. Still, he couldn't help but take one last look back at the emergency room. The black-haired girl, having been unaware of Thomas' watchful eye, turned and glared right at him with her fierce, ruby eyes. With that, the Alolan exited the Pokemon Center and Ashley turned her attention back to Torchic and Rufflet.
After he stepped foot outside, Thomas exhaled and picked up his pace so he could catch up with his team. When he finally did, Treecko glanced back and smiled. Slowpoke, however, spun around and backpedaled while staring her trainer square in the eyes.
"Thomas?" she called. "What were you looking at for so long back in the Pokemon Center?"
Silence fell over the quartet Thomas turned away from Slowpoke, though that didn't stop her staring. Somehow she managed to backpedal the entire way to the beach, refusing to let her trainer out of her sight for even a second.
"It's almost li-like he zoned out," Treecko opined, generating a nod from the Alolan.
Slowpoke wasn't having any of it, as she shook her head wildly.
"C'mon. Answer the question," she insisted.
The Alolan elected not to respond and focused his sights on the road ahead. Slowpoke rolled her eyes at not only that, but the constant blabbering from Fletchling, provoking the Flying-type. Both Pokemon butted heads despite Treecko standing between them, causing her to jump and let out a startled cry.
Thomas immediately snapped out of his trance as Treecko climbed up his shoulder, causing him to look down at the feuding creatures standing near his feet.
"Why can't you guys just cut it out for once?" Thomas asked rhetorically. He sighed and walked away to the sounds of Wingull squawking overhead. They were headed out to the ocean, and Thomas watched as the flock of Pokemon kept together.
The sound of footsteps behind him caused the Alolan to turn away from all of the Wingull and towards his Pokemon. Fletchling was the first to make himself comfortable, as he was sitting on a chair with both wings tucked behind his head. Slowpoke, on the other hand, rushed towards the water and jumped in while Thomas mimicked Fletchling in laying down. Treecko sat by them and kept to herself like usual.
It had been a little over a week since their victory over Roxanne - and not to mention their last battle. Treecko leaned back, putting most of her weight on her hands that sank in the sand. She remembered exactly what Thomas had said the moment they hit Dewford Town.
"Look, we're gonna take a break off for the next week or so. That means no training, no battling, nothing."
To his credit, Thomas kept his word. He hadn't accepted a single challenge from other trainers, nor did he organize a time to train. Whether or not that was a good thing was debatable, to say the least.
"Thomas?"
The aforementioned trainer turned to face Treecko, who twisted to hold his gaze.
"What's da mattuh, Dollface?" Fletchling quizzed.
Treecko spun around so that her shoulders were squared up to the males before inhaling. After doing so, the gecko cleared her throat for a few seconds and spoke.
"Shou-shouldn't we be tr-training? There are s-s-still a lot of badges to get."
Fletchling shot out of his chair in a heartbeat, exclaiming, "Ay, don't worry bout dat, we's gonna get all of 'em! Ain't dat right, Boss?"
Thomas nodded with a yawn and leaned back in his chair, placing both arms behind his head to the sound of the waves crashing and sweeping over the sand. Fletchling sent a smile Treecko's way. The Grass-type cracked a grin at her teammate then rose to her feet and looked out at the water. She must have made some sort of face afterwards, because Thomas' voice rang in Treecko's ears.
"Don't stress out about it, okay? We'll go back to training tomorrow if you want."
Once again, a smile formed on the gecko's face, and she nodded about a million times while Slowpoke waddled her way up the beach. Her eyes darted from Fletchling, to Thomas, to Treecko, then back to her trainer.
"Ay, it looks like ya brain's boutta explode!" the Kalosian Pokemon shrieked, pointing both of his wings at Slowpoke. The pink creature paid her teammate's comment no attention, instead turning her gaze back to Treecko as she continued to beam at the idea of resuming training.
"What's got her so happy?" Slowpoke questioned. Thomas didn't answer the question, and because he had his eyes closed, he was unaware of the enraged expression on his Pokemon's face. "Did you tell her what you were looking at in the Pokemon Center?!"
A groan was the rookie trainer's initial response, but when he had sand slapped onto his face, he sat upright and glared daggers at Slowpoke. The Water-type flashed an innocent smile despite knowing Thomas was aware it was her. Treecko and Fletchling stared at the two, rapidly shifting their focus from one to the other until settling their sights on the human.
He reached into the pocket of his jacket, which he draped over the top of his chair, and pulled out a Poke Ball with the water insignia.
Slowpoke's face dropped in an instant and she started to bow over and over again, iterating, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"
Why does it always have to come to this with them? Thomas thought to himself with a mental sigh after glancing at Slowpoke, Treecko, and Fletchling. Check that. Treecko never causes trouble for me when we're in public.
Ending his mental conversation, Thomas opened his eyes to see each of the three Pokemon leaning forward with their eyes opened as wide as they could be. As soon as the Poke Ball was put away, both females breathed a sigh of relief - Slowpoke because she wasn't losing her outdoors privilege, and Treecko because a confrontation had been avoided.
"You should really go back to enjoying your day off."
The trio of creatures stared at Thomas once again as he slowly scooted down to the end of his chair.
"Because it's the last one you're getting for at least a month."
With Slowpoke letting out a deafening scream and Treecko continuing to beam, Thomas face-palmed. He soon joined Slowpoke in screaming, however, when Fletchling suddenly shot into the air, creating a gust that knocked everyone on their backs.
"Hell yeah! Dat's what I'm talkin' bout!" he hollered for everyone at the beach to hear. "Boss is finally puttin' his foot down!"
The moment his feet hit the sand, Fletchling found himself at the mercy of Slowpoke's scolding, as well as a death stare from Thomas. Sitting off to the side of the ruckus, Treecko giggled quietly before making her way down the beach. She ambled by the waves that rolled in with one eye on her friends' location, at least until she heard someone running and panting.
Taking her eye off Thomas and her teammates, the Hoennian starter spotted the culprit, a young woman with turquoise hair. She had a blue, two-piece bikini on, showcasing her flawless, cream-colored skin. Soon enough, Treecko found she wasn't the only one staring at the beautiful girl, who drew both creepy and dirty looks from teenage boys to elderly men.
After shivering at the sight of the men drooling, Treecko turned her attention away from the girl and towards Thomas. Of course he was asleep while Slowpoke and Fletchling beat the crap out of each other, causing the Grass-type to sweat-drop.
"Look out!"
SMACK!
000
Ashley waited by Nurse Joy's desk in the Pokemon Center. She tapped her fingers frantically while scanning the room, only to return her gaze to the empty chair a few feet away. Rufflet, who was perched on the desk, eyed Ashley and cocked his head. Even though he had only traveled with the blackette a short while, he had never seen her acting in such a way.
Ever since Torchic's battle with Infernape, which ended with him being hospitalized, Ashley had acted... differently. Her hatred of speaking remained, but something about her was just off. At least, that's what Rufflet had noticed. And who was to say he was right, given his lack of knowledge about his trainer?
"Miss Baker?" a soothing voice called, causing Ashley's neck to snap towards it. The first thing she spotted wasn't Nurse Joy's pink hair - no matter how many times anyone visited the Pokemon Center, the woman's odd hair color was always a sight to see - rather, it was an orange-haired chick she was holding.
"Ashley!" Torchic cried, forcing his way out of Nurse Joy's arms.
"Torchic!" the young woman yelled.
The Fire-type leaped on to the top of the desk and then into his trainer's outstretched arms. Laughter ensued as they embraced, but it was short-lived, as a wave of heat rushed through Ashley's face. She immediately placed Torchic by her feet, prompting Rufflet to descend and greet his teammate.
"Rufflet!" the chick shrieked, jumping up and down as usual.
The Flying-type smiled and sweat-dropped at Torchic's quirk, opting to keep his mouth shut since they hadn't spoken for a few days. During the conversation between both of her Pokemon, Ashley headed for the exit, prompting the birds to follow.
"Hey, are we gonna get to battle some people today?" Torchic quizzed as the automatic doors slid open.
Rufflet and Ashley stopped dead in their tracks, turned to the Hoennian starter, and gave him a pair of deadpan expressions. They maintained their blank looks for a minute or so until Torchic blinked and broke the silence.
"So is that a yes?"
Ashley threw her hands up to her face and groaned loudly while Rufflet shook his head and took flight.
"Come on! I've been in that dang building for three days, so why can't I at least have one battle?" Torchic watched the girl in front of him uncover her face, and as he waited for a response, she hung her head. "I promise I won't get hurt like last time. You can even pick who I face!"
"I don't know any trainers on the island, so no."
"Well, that's not entirely true," Rufflet chimed in as he descended slowly, making sure he stayed out of Ashley's reach but close enough for both her and Torchic to hear. "Remember that guy with the Treecko? You two could always battle them."
A sudden fire burned in Ashley's eyes, but she kept herself composed and turned to face her starter. Torchic stared right back at her, and they looked at each other for a moment until Ashley made her decision.
"Fine. Let's find that guy and beat him down."
000
SMACK!
Thomas' ears perked up at the sound of a collision in the distance just like Slowpoke's and Fletchling's, and the three looked around for the result. Suddenly, Slowpoke gasped and took off towards the water, prompting her trainer and teammate to follow. Halfway there, Thomas spotted Treecko laying on the sand with her eyes closed and a stupid grin.
Clenching his fists as tight as he could, the Alolan turned and prepared to scream at whoever injured Treecko. When his eyes fell on the culprit, Thomas' anger vanished into thin air and his heart skipped a beat. A turquoise-haired beauty leaned over Treecko and called the creature's name over and over again.
Fletchling and Slowpoke waited for their trainer's explosion, but it never came. In fact, the complete opposite happened. Sweat began to run down Thomas' head and his mouth was dryer than a desert. To his Pokemon, Thomas seemed much more tense than usual.
"Oh why does this have to happen of all times?" the bluenette cried, rocking back so that she was sitting on the sand. Running her hands through her hair, she added, "I can't leave this Pokemon here, but I need to find Ali!"
"Ali?" Fletchling muttered to himself as he picked his brain. When the identity of the Pokemon didn't come to him, he shook his head and looked at the unfamiliar girl. "What da fu-"
Before he could cuss, the robin was smacked upside the head by Slowpoke's tail, gifting Thomas the opportunity to speak on behalf of his loudmouthed Pokemon.
"E-excuse me?" he stuttered, drawing the young woman's attention. A pair of piercing turquoise eyes locked onto him, sending chills down the seventeen-year-old's spine. The girl held her stare and didn't move a muscle, all of her focus being directed at Thomas.
A sheepish smile graced her face, yet the stranger didn't rise to her feet. "If I'm bothering you, sorry about that. I just ran into this Treecko and I guess I..."
"Knocked 'er out cold!"
"Shut up, you bumbling idiot!"
The bluenette's gaze fell on Fletchling and Slowpoke, who continued to trade insults one after another. Thomas sweat-dropped and rubbed the back of his head once the young woman returned to looking at him.
"Are you... o-okay?" Thomas asked, his face growing hotter with each word that left his lips. He received a single nod from the stranger, and when she attempted to get up on her own, he offered a hand.
The girl flinched at the gesture and blinked several times. Ultimately, she accepted the assistance and found herself standing upright in a flash. Once she was on her feet, she wiped the sand off the backs off her legs.
"Thanks."
Thomas turned away from the young woman and nodded, shifting his focus to Treecko. A gasp escaped the bluenette's mouth, startling Thomas to the point where he jumped.
"Sorry!" the attractive girl, who looked no older than eighteen, shrieked. "I have to take that Treecko to the Pokemon Cen-"
Not only did the sight of a Potion in Thomas' hand quiet the girl down, it also eased her nerves, resulting in a sigh of relief. She then lifted her hand from her heart and squatted near the Alolan with a smile.
"Is she going to be okay?"
Fletchling laughed at the question, drawing a glare from Slowpoke while the bluenette turned to face him. Between her mouth quivering and tears forming in the girl's eyes, Fletchling found himself at a loss for words. But then a brilliant idea popped in his head.
"Ay, Boss! Do ya know how I can make dis broad stop cryin'?"
WHACK!
"Shit! That hurt, you pink tub o' lard!"
Slowpoke delivered another vicious blow with her tail, knocking Fletchling's head straight into the sand. The Psychic-type proceeded to walk by him and sat down next to the emotional girl.
"Sorry about him, he's an idiot." The bluenette sniffled and wiped the tears from her eyes as Thomas continued to spray Treecko with the Potion. "Treecko will be fine. She's tough, way tougher than me or Fletchling could ever be."
Thomas felt the urge to call Slowpoke out on her lie, but just one look at the girl next to his Pokemon kept him from doing so. Instead, he played along and nodded emphatically, much more emphatically than he wanted to. The violent swing of momentum nearly made him fall over, eliciting laughter from the bluenette.
"Hahaha. So you're this Treecko's trainer?" she asked Thomas, whose face was as red as the flame on a Charizard's tail. Because of his inability to form words, all Thomas could do was nod repeatedly. Slowpoke rolled her eyes at the teen's awkwardness but attempted to keep him from looking like even more of a fool.
"We're all his Pokemon," the Kantonian creature added as she extended her tail. "That's Thomas, and I'm Slowpoke. Who are you?"
Tucking both long strands of hair behind her ears, the bluenette smiled and took Slowpoke's tail, saying, "My name is Lisia. It's nice to meet you."
Fletchling squawked as he yanked his head out of the dirt and fell on his back, generating another series of giggles from Lisia. The Flying-type hurried over to her side and extended a wing as he flashed a toothy grin.
"Da name's Fletchling."
Lisia reintroduced herself and stared at Fletchling, who cocked his head in confusion. The bluenette's stare grew more intense with every passing second until she lowered her head and apologized. "Sorry. I didn't mean to freak you out."
"Too late," was the robin's reply, which resulted in Thomas smacking his Pokemon upside the head.
Silence fell over the group as Lisia continued to look at the sand, refusing to say so much as another word. Slowpoke glanced at her trainer and motioned for him to break the ice with a question, but Thomas responded with a blank stare.
After sighing, the Kantonian Pokemon turned to face Lisia, asking, "Did Fletchling do something to bother you? Because I'll knock some sense into him if he did."
Lisia shook her head and gazed at Thomas, Slowpoke, and Fletchling. When she began to whisper something to herself, the bluenette stood up and stated, "I don't know where Ali went. Have any of you seen her?"
Thomas, having emptied the Potion, scratched his head and attempted to remember if he had seen Ali. The Alolan deadpanned a second later, thinking, How the hell are we supposed to know what Pokemon Ali is?
"She's a Swablu," Lisia added as if she read Thomas' mind. "Please tell me at least one of you has seen her!"
The trainer and both of his conscious Pokemon shook their heads with accompanying frowns as people walked by them to go into the water. Each time people passed, they'd lock eyes with Thomas and mutter something as they shook their heads. Clearly, people had an idea of Ali's whereabouts.
We have to lend Lisia a hand, especially if no one else is going to do it, Thomas thought as he rose from his seat in the sand.
While the Alolan did so, Treecko regained consciousness and opened her eyes. She scanned her immediate surroundings quietly until she saw Thomas, who gave a quick smile. "Fletchling and Slowpoke," he began, "I want you both to go ask that group of people if they've seen Ali anywhere."
The two Pokemon nodded and then glared at one another, causing Lisia to laugh sheepishly as she back-pedaled her way over to Thomas' side. The young man's facial expression hardened at the sight of his Pokemon exchanging headbutts, which attracted quite a bit of attention from anyone nearby.
"I'll let you guys battle," Thomas said, grabbing the attention of both Fletchling and Slowpoke. "But that's only if you can get something out of them."
Lisia turned to the Alolan with her hands on her hips and asked, "How are they supposed to do that?"
"By any means necessary."
Fletchling's eyes lit up like stars in the night sky, but Slowpoke tempered his excitement when she stepped forward and asked, "What exactly do you mean by-"
"I said any means necessary," Thomas replied, cutting his Pokemon's question short. "Now go before I regret this." The seventeen-year-old turned his back to the Pokemon and ran a hand through his hair, listening to the sounds of Slowpoke's feet sinking into the sand and Fletchling's wings flapping wildly.
Once Thomas heard the splash from Slowpoke's dive into the water, he sighed and shifted his attention to Treecko. Right when he was about to speak to Treecko, the Alolan felt Lisia tap him on the shoulder, so he turned to face the pretty girl.
Her cheeks gained a red shade upon locking eyes with Thomas.
"You... really don't have to help me."
The young man raised an eyebrow at the comment from Lisia, but he kept his mouth shut and turned away from her. Thomas looked out into the ocean where he saw Fletchling stabbing a man in the head with his beak while Slowpoke slapped him with her tail. The Alolan's skin turned as a ghost while Lisia gasped and covered her mouth. Both trainers turned so their backs faced the water, and they stood in silence.
Before they knew it, Treecko, Lisia, and Thomas heard footsteps that grew louder and louder. It was Fletchling and Slowpoke, who were walking and laughing together. The two were far too caught up in conversing to notice their trainer's jaw drop at the same time as Treecko's, which drew Lisia's gaze.
"But your idea of going for his eyes was perfect! That's what made him talk!" Slowpoke exclaimed, foaming at the mouth. Treecko shivered at the sight, but Fletchling puffed his chest out and laughed heartily.
"Thanks. But if ya hadn't trapped his friends in a whirlpool, there ain't no way I could'a said dat!"
With that, Fletchling and Slowpoke high-fived, once again unaware of Thomas' reaction: falling on his back without bracing for impact. A loud thud followed his collision with the sand, ending his Pokemon's conversation and starting a new one. While Treecko and Lisia helped Thomas up, Fletchling waved for the brunette, speaking once the pair of emerald eyes fell on him.
"Dat guy said some thugs come around and try ta take peoples' Pokemon, so dat's probably what happened to Allen."
"Her name's Ali," Lisia muttered, causing Fletchling to rub the back of his head and force a laugh.
"Anyways, the guy told us where those thugs hang out, so let's hurry over there!" Slowpoke shouted.
Everyone nodded and took off, kicking tons of sand onto anyone unfortunate enough to be near by. Fletchling led the group down the coast until they spotted their destination, and they set up camp behind a large rock. The robin then landed on Thomas' shoulder, ignoring his trainer's glare like he always did, and said, "All'a dem should be in dat cave."
Lisia poked her head out from behind the boulder so she could get a better look at the cave's exterior. Thomas and Treecko focused intently on the bluenette's facial expression, which hardened, as she inhaled deeply. "I'm going in there!" she proclaimed before attempting to take off.
Much to her surprise, Lisia was pulled behind the boulder by her wrist before she could take a step. Lisia tried to break free from Thomas' grasp, but it only grew stronger with each attempt she made.
"Let go of me! I need to save Ali!" the young woman screamed inches from Thomas' face. Even though Lisia had - unintentionally - spit on him and his Pokemon were waiting for an equally emotional outburst, Thomas maintained a calm expression.
He sighed a second later, released his grip on Lisia's wrist, and declared, "We are getting Ali."
Treecko, Slowpoke, and Fletchling exchanged glances, their eyes wide open. They were going to storm a gang's hideout and take back some Pokemon that belonged to a girl they had just met?
"You can wait here or at the Pokemon Center," Thomas added, having already walked by the attractive girl. "Let's go, guys."
Lisia gaped as there wasn't any hesitation from Thomas' team despite the fear in their eyes. Once the Pokemon caught up to their trainer, they looked at him for a moment until he muttered something. It was too low for Lisia to hear, but she didn't seem to mind being out of the loop. In fact, a smile formed on the bluenette's face.
"Stop right there!"
Flinching at the command that had come from thin air, Lisia grabbed a Poke Ball in her beach bag and scanned the area. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps in sand entered her ears, prompting the bluenette to come out of hiding. When Lisia spotted the Alolan she noticed he and his Pokemon stopped walking, so she bounded towards them. After reaching Thomas' side, Lisia saw a black-haired girl standing with a Torchic and Rufflet.
Thomas examined the girl's attire, features, and Pokemon before stroking his chin. He could've sworn he'd seen her before, but nothing came to mind. Or so was the case until the seventeen-year-old's gaze was drawn to a pair of ruby-colored eyes that sent chills down his spine.
Like Thomas, Lisia flinched as a memory of the girl played in her mind.
"You're the girl that released her Taillow after it lost a battle!" The bluenette pointed her index finger in disgust, but Ashley remained unfazed by it despite Slowpoke, Treecko, and Fletchling mirroring Lisia's hostility.
Ashley then focused on Thomas and said, "I came here for a battle."
Torchic let out an amped up scream as he hopped on one leg and then the other, drawing deadpan reactions from not only his trainer and teammate, but also Thomas, his Pokemon, and Lisia. True to form, Torchic continued his hopping and the awkwardness of the situation flew right over his head.
"No thanks. We're in the middle of something important." Thomas resumed his walk towards the entrance of the cave as if Ashley had never appeared, and Lisia was quick to give chase once she saw Ashley's scowl.
"Well guess what?!" the aforementioned girl shouted after cupping her hands around her mouth. Thomas looked over his shoulder but continued to walk, further angering Ashley. "I'm coming with you two, and when you're done with this errand, we're battling!"
Torchic cheered in support of his trainer's declaration while Rufflet analyzed the young woman's body language and tone. It certainly didn't seem like she was challenging this guy because Torchic wanted to battle. No, she wanted to battle him. The eaglet kept that thought in mind as he flew towards the cave entrance where the two strangers and Pokemon were waiting.
The moment Ashley reached them, both Thomas and Lisia headed inside without a word. Torchic rushed ahead without even looking his trainer's way while Rufflet stayed back with Ashley, who was steaming. Her rage continued to build as Torchic caught up to the others and introduced himself.
Great. He's going to be all cheery and smiling and he'll get along with them. And then when it's all said and done, he's gonna ask to hang out with them!
"Hi! I'm Torchic!"
Ashley rolled her eyes but quickly went back to looking at the cave's walls, which consisted of white rocks with black dots. The ruby-eyed trainer continued to walk as she took in the incredible sight, though that changed when she ran into something.
Upon looking straight ahead, Ashley found Thomas glaring at her while his Pokemon and Lisia trudged on ahead, unaware of the intense staring contest. Both trainers narrowed their eyes, maintaining their ground despite Rufflet flying by with a quick glance.
"What are you looking at, tough guy?"
Thomas let the question bounce off the cave's walls as his glare remained constant. Ashley's did too, though she shook her head when his response was walking away. The black-haired girl muttered and then sighed, rubbing her head as she did so.
"So what's your name?" Torchic asked loudly, further aggravating Ashley. Once she picked her head up, the young woman saw Thomas glance down for a brief moment. His silence reverberated around the room, putting everyone's attention on the Alolan.
He answered simply, saying, "Thomas," at a tone that was almost inaudible. Torchic beamed at the young man and turned to the bluenette on his right side.
"And what's yours? I remember our battle in Rustboro City - it was so awesome, by the way - but I can't remember your name!"
"I'm Lisia," she said with a giggle. "And thanks! I never got the chance to tell you about how well you did afterwards, but at least now's better than never."
Torchic gave an emphatic nod of approval before looking over at Treecko, Slowpoke, and Fletchling. The three kept close to one another since Thomas was further behind and they were much more familiar with Lisia - relative to Ashley. Even so, they kept a sizable distance between themselves and the bluenette.
Chills ran down Treecko's spine all of a sudden, and she stopped dead in her tracks. Both of her teammates shared the feeling, so they mimicked Treecko. Each of the three sets of eyes fell on Torchic, who had been staring for quite a while. Fletchling stepped forward with his wings stretched out in front of Slowpoke and Treecko.
The robin raised his head and squawked at Torchic. In response, Hoennian Pokemon blinked once and tilted his head, dumbfounded. Suddenly, Treecko's and Slowpoke's eyes shot wide open when Fletchling zipped towards Torchic with a white streak of light trailing his body. The robin braced for impact, but his momentum stopped cold when something grabbed ahold of him. Fletchling was slammed into the ground a tenth of a second later, the impact of which caused all three trainers to hurry over.
Rufflet stood in front of Torchic before looking up from Fletchling and at Slowpoke, who had hopped in front of the Flying-type while Treecko knelt by his side.
Thomas and Ashley jumped in-between both parties and immediately shut down a potential brawl. Despite that, there was ever-growing tension between the Pokemon. At least there was until everyone heard a foreign voice.
"What was that sound just now?"
"No clue."
"Oh don't tell me the stupid Swablu made it! I swear I'll ring that bird's neck if it did!"
"You're scaring the poor thing, so relax. We can bring her with us while we check out what the sound was, okay?"
Thomas watched Lisia recoil, and before he knew it, she broke into a sprint. The Alolan attempted to call out for the girl, but he stepped back for a moment and inhaled. Thomas knew he had to weigh his options, and that's just what he did. Calling out to Lisia would alert the thugs of their presence, but doing nothing would set the bluenette up for failure.
Before he could so much as think about his response to the situation, Thomas watched everyone - Ashley included - pursue Lisia, prompting him to do the same. Fletchling and Rufflet led the pack through the air while Slowpoke, Torchic, and Treecko stayed in-between them and their trainers, masking any weaknesses in their formation.
Within moments, the group turned a corner and found Lisia squared off with two people dressed in jumpsuits. The one on the left was a giant of a man who had tattoos of tears running down his eyes which, coupled with the ripped sleeves of his silver jumpsuit, left the group cowering in fear. Standing next to him was a woman maybe a fraction of his size with a design tattooed along her lips that made them look as if they had been sewed shut. Both adults wore a glove that was the same color as their suits with an odd stone implanted in the middle, capturing everyone's attention.
Slowly looking away from the thugs, Thomas spotted a bird cage at their feet containing a Swablu.
So that must be Ali, he reflected as Treecko and Slowpoke stood by his side. Even though we have the numbers we need to be careful. These guys don't seem like they're lightweights.
A wicked smirk formed on the tiny woman's face, sending chills down Thomas' spine. She then reached for a Poke Ball and began tossing it to herself without even tracking the device with her eye. Her male counterpart glanced over and silently reached for the cage Ali was in.
Lisia stepped forward, Poke Ball in-hand, and shouted, "Let go of her now, or else we'll attack!"
The man looked back and forth between Ali and Lisia for about ten seconds before shaking his head defiantly. "I'd love to avoid confrontation with everyone walking away a winner, but that isn't plausible. I'm afraid I can not release this Swablu."
"Don't think I'd let that happen, you idiot," the woman hissed as she punched her partner's shredded arm. "Now why don't we rewind for a second, shall we? I believe I heard someone threaten us with an attack if we failed to comply, right?"
The woman raised an arm and smacked one of her two pigtails with one finger while licking her lips slowly. The lack of a response from Lisia caused the woman to cackle, but the man by her side kept his mouth shut, opting to let his partner handle the talking.
"I've been itching for a battle, so go ahead and make a move!" She leaned back and cackled shortly thereafter, keeping the trainers frozen.
It seemed as if the maniacal laughter would never end, but the sound of boots hitting the ground ended it in a flash. Everyone found themselves staring as Ashley sauntered by Lisia and Thomas all by herself - Torchic and Rufflet stayed back with Thomas and his Pokemon.
"It's funny how the weakest ones talk the loudest, don't you think?" The blackette folded her arms and smirked when Torchic and Rufflet hurried to her sides and nodded. "Let's see just how strong this freak really is. And when I'm done with you," she said, pointing at the tattooed woman, "your buddy's next."
Thomas and Lisia gaped as they turned to one another and stared blankly. They quickly went back to watching Ashley crack her knuckles, but something else caught Thomas' attention: the man holding Ali's cage had started shaking the moment Ashley opened her mouth. He wasn't alone, however, as his female counterpart was trembling too, though Thomas kept his guard up despite the thugs' appearances.
They can't really be scared of her, can they? Unless their Pokemon are weaker than ours - that's highly unlikely, now that I think about it - but if that were the case, why would they try taking Ali?
"Now!" the man roared.
A slender figure dropped from the ceiling and landed in-between Thomas, Lisia, and Ashley, each of whom turned and gasped while the gigantic man handed Ali's cage to his partner.
"I'll catch up with you in a moment. Get going," he ordered with a tone so sharp it cut the air in the cave. The woman's face shrunk as she nodded, and she took off once she grabbed the cage. Lisia attempted to run after her, but after taking just one step, the creature that had dropped from the ceiling knocked her back with its tail.
Both Ashley and Thomas took out their Pokedex to scan the unfamiliar creature. It was covered with yellow and auburn scales and had a pair of club-like arms. Its tail was extremely long and, like its body, had scales all over.
"Kommo-o, the Scaly Pokemon, and the final form of Jangmo-o. When it spots enemies, it threatens them by jingling the scales on its tail. Weak opponents will crack and flee in panic."
Slowpoke ran towards the young woman tumbling along the ground and dove, halting the bluenette's momentum in the nick of time. "Are you okay?" the Water-type asked as she and Lisia lifted their heads from the ground.
Lisia nodded with a smile and stated, "I owe you one. Thanks." Then, rising to her feet, she turned to Ashley and Thomas, both of whom had their eyes locked on the odd creature and its titan of a trainer. Rufflet and Treecko made their way over to the beautiful girl's side after seeing her rise, generating an order from Thomas.
"What are you waiting for? Go get Ali back!" the Alolan barked, throwing his right arm forwards. "Treecko and Slowpoke, stay by her side at all times and protect her!"
While the aforementioned Pokemon grunted in response, Lisia's eyes widened a bit and her hand fell over her chest. Her heart was beating faster, but why? It must have been the adrenaline, because she took off at the speed of light during Ashley's command for Rufflet.
Lisia and her bodyguards took off after the thug that had Ali, but Kommo-o and his trainer reacted in a flash, cutting the bluenette off.
"Torchic, use Sand Attack on both of them!"
"Help 'em out by whipping up some sand too, Fletchling!"
The tattooed man's eyes shot wide open when Torchic hopped in front of Lisia and kicked sand in Kommo-o's eyes. Fletchling joined the Fire-type in blinding his opponent, thus providing the others with an opportunity to get by. They took it in a heartbeat and didn't look back, leaving Thomas and Ashley to battle the man and his mighty Pokemon.
"You two just made the biggest mistakes of your lives," the hulking man proclaimed. "Kommo-o, use Headbutt!"
"Fletchling, counter with Quick Attack and Steel Wing!"
Both Kommo-o and Fletchling obeyed without hesitation, closing in on each other at a blistering pace. While the former lowered his head, Fletchling squawked as his wings turned silver and a streak of white light trailed his body. The two clashed for no more than a nanosecond, with Kommo-o overpowering his tiny opponent and delivering a wicked blow. Fletchling flipped through the air and then hit the ground. Thomas hurried over to his Pokemon's side, prompting Ashley and Torchic to take the lead.
"Use Ember on the parts of Kommo-o's legs that don't have scales!" the blackette hollered.
Torchic jumped and spun like a top before shooting flurries of fire bullets from his beak. The scorching attack hit its puny target, causing the opposing trainer to raise an eyebrow, but that was the extent of his reaction. Even though Kommo-o grunted and took the attack head on, his trainer kept as still - and silent - as a statue, at least until the attack ceased.
"Deliver a Sky Uppercut!" he screamed right afterwards.
Kommo-o dashed across the room and, as his fist began to surge with light blue energy, lowered himself to the ground. The Dragon-type then threw his hips open and swung upwards, sending Torchic straight into the ceiling so forcefully he nearly broke through. Once the Hoennian starter made contact with the ground, a loud crack bounced off the cave's walls and into Ashley's and Thomas' ears.
Both of the rookie trainers stared at their Pokemon in disbelief. Neither Fletchling nor Torchic were conscious, and their teammates were with Lisia, leaving both trainers defenseless. For as short at the battle was - it only took Kommo-o and his trainer two moves to win - it felt like an eternity before the man spoke once again. And when he did, all of the air in the room was sucked out.
"Use Clanging Scales and kill them all."
The two trainers looked up from their fainted Pokemon and at Kommo-o, who had begun to shake so that his scales clanged against one another. Deafening clanks swallowed the room whole, generating pained screams from both Ashley and Thomas. Then, everything went silent, and Kommo-o pointed his arms at the two trainers and their Pokemon.
"Fire."
Just like that, Ashley watched a ring of purple light surge across the room, closing in on her and Torchic at mach speed. The light from the attack grew so bright Ashley had to cover her eyes. When she did, the seventeen-year-old saw a glimpse of something diving in front of her, and an explosion followed.
Upon opening her ruby eyes, the young woman spotted Thomas stretched out in front of her, Fletchling, and Torchic, but based off the condition of his clothes, it didn't seem as if he had been struck by the attack. As Ashley's eyes remained locked onto the Alolan, she watched him turn around meet her gaze, though the moment was cut short.
"Fancy seeing you here in Dewford, Thomas."
The aforementioned trainer watched Ashley's eyes widen, prompting him to turn and eventually do the same. Standing before Thomas were none other than Louise and Gengar, though neither trainer nor Pokemon turned to greet him. Then again, it was understandable considering the situation they were in.
"I take it you beat Roxanne," Louise continued as if the bulky man and his Kommo-o weren't around. "Congratulations."
Thomas blinked several times as he racked his brain for a response. Nothing came to mind, however, as he was too fixated on what was playing out before him.
Ashley, on the other hand, shot up from the ground and pointed at her purple-hair elder, shouting, "Just who the hell are you?! And how do you two know each other?!"
Louise slowly turned her neck away from her enemies so that she could give Ashley the ultimate death stare, which silenced her immediately. Once she returned her gaze to the tattooed man, Louise pounded her chest while clearing her throat, saying, "I'm Louise Strause, and I guess you could say I've seen Thomas in a similar situation before."
The Alolan sweat-dropped in response as memories of his encounter with Fletchling's family came one after another, unaware of Ashley's disgusted expression.
"Why are you here?" Thomas quizzed, leaning forward while snapping out of his embarrassment. Louise didn't say a word, nor did Gengar. Their focus had shifted to the enemy after that question, leaving Thomas and Ashley to their thoughts as they sat off to the side.
"You should offer much more of a challenge than those two did." Both rookies stared daggers at the jumpsuit-wearing man, but Louise's expression didn't change. "After all, it takes quite a powerful Pokemon to destroy Kommo-o's Clanging Scales attack."
Kommo-o roared upon hearing his name, yet Gengar, just like her trainer, remained unfazed. Thomas made note of the similarities between the two, only to snap out of his thoughts when Kommo-o charged.
"Let's see if you can handle this! Kommo-o, Outrage!"
Kommo-o lowered his head and took off sprinting. Orange particles swirled around the Alolan Pokemon's body before engulfing him, leaving Thomas slack-jawed in utter disbelief while Ashley scowled and turned away from the battle.
"Gengar," Louise called quietly, eliciting a grunt and nod from her Pokemon.
In the blink of an eye a forcefield appeared around Gengar, preventing Kommo-o's ferocious attack from dealing even the slightest bit of damage. The Fighting-type slammed his head against the barrier once more, but he was launched backwards by his own strength.
Louise immediately threw her hands forward, switching from defense to offense at the drop of a hat. "Now use Hex!"
Gengar slammed her hands together and let out a cry as she fired a wave of purple energy towards Kommo-o. As soon as the powerful creature was on his feet, Gengar's counterattack struck him. Kommo-o cried bloody murder before hitting the ground face first with both eyes shut, leaving his trainer in shock. Things only became worse for the man, however, when a loud rumbling sound echoed in the cave. After everything calmed down, Lisia reappeared alongside Rufflet, Treecko, Slowpoke, and a massive, golem-like creature, which Thomas scanned with his Pokedex.
"Golurk, the Automaton Pokemon, and the evolved form of Golett. It is said that Golurk were ordered to protect people and Pokémon by the ancient people who made them."
"The mission was a success, ma'am," Golurk informed his trainer with a bow.
Louise gave her friend a thumbs up and smile. "Great job as always, buddy," she replied, elating the massive creature standing before her.
"But I didn't capture the source of the commotion. I failed," the Ghost-type muttered, its eyes dimming dramatically while it slouched over and sighed. "Please forgive me."
"Would you cut that out already, Golurk? You and I both know Louise isn't going to punish you or anything, so just stop apologizing all the time," Gengar ordered.
Golurk bowed and muttered, "My apologies."
Gengar rolled her eyes at the massive creature, but she set her sights back on Kommo-o and his trainer. Much to her horror, they were gone without so much as a trace, though that didn't seem to ruin Louise's good mood.
"Well, at least everyone's safe. That's the most important thing," the purple-haired trainer opined. "Thanks for being so helpful, Golurk."
"It was my pleasure."
With that, the massive Pokemon disappeared inside his Poke Ball, causing everyone to stare at Louise. She sweat-dropped as she glanced around, meeting each intense look for less than a second. Thomas proceeded to clear his throat as he prepared to ask the question that had been ignored.
"So, what are you doing he-"
"Thomas!"
Treecko's cry diverted Thomas' attention from asking Louise the question he so badly wanted answered, as he squatted to embrace his starter and Slowpoke. After pulling away from the pair of Pokemon, Thomas let out a sigh of relief and sat down.
"We found Ali!" Treecko exclaimed, throwing her arms up for emphasis.
"Really?" the young man inquired.
Lisia nodded and held up a Poke Ball, beaming as she did so. "It's all thanks to you, too, Thomas. Had you and your Pokemon not offered to help me, I... I don't even want to think about what would've happened to Ali!"
Thomas simply nodded and forced himself back onto his feet with a grunt. Shortly thereafter, Lisia and Louise began walking out of the cave along with Thomas, leaving Ashley scowling by her lonesome.
I can't be weak like those two; I have to be stronger than everyone! And I'll do it on my own.
Wow, it's been a while, hasn't it? Between school destroying me and entertaining the idea of changing this story so that it took place in Alola, I'm finally back. Don't worry, I won't change the region (or, in other words, delete this story) since I've done so much new planning that I'm excited about. I hope you'll love it when those future chapters are posted. Anyways...
Thomas met Lisia and helped get her Swablu, Ali, back from some thugs. Ashley also helped out, but that was after Thomas declined her battle.
Next chapter will (kind of) pick up where this left off, with the focus of it being on Lisia and Tom. Till next time, peace out.
1. Thoughts on Lisia?
2. Thoughts on Tom and Ashley's first bits of interaction?
3. When do you think Thomas and Ashley will battle? When do you want them to?
Next Chapter: "Hurricane Season"
Lisia returns to the Pokemon Center in search of Thomas, and when she finds him, she offers to take him out as a token of thanks for finding Ali. What exactly lies in store for the two?
Beginning Arc: Dewford Town
Chapter 13: Tough Tides of Teamwork
Chapter 14: Search the Sand and Sea!
Chapter 15: The Sage of Synchro: Enter Tyson!
Chapter 16: Head Over Heels
Chapter 17: Beachside Brawl