Summary:
After Ash's loss, against Bianca's father, the young trainer returns to Pallet town. Afterwards he disappeared for three years without a trace, yet a mysterious Aura-Guardian appears and takes down Team Rocket by himself. After this, he comes to Unova, trying to enter the league. What adventures will Kanto's Guardian face until he can take on the league-battles.
Pokémon doesn't belong to me.
R&R please.
"Braviary use Wing Attack!"
"Scolipede stop it with Screech!"
A large explosion was the last Ash heard from Paul's Gym Battle with Roxie. The Virbank City gym-leader was specialised on Poison-Types and had interesting rules for her gym battles. She would use three Pokémon, while he challenger would be allowed to use six. Right now she and Paul both had their second Pokémon out already. Honchkrow had fallen to Roxie's Koffing, which had been beaten by Braviary.
Ash would've stayed longer, but he'd sensed a flare of many familiar, yet not very welcome Auras.
He hissed when he stepped out of the underground room and into the bright sun of the mid-afternoon. Blinking he pulled his hat lower and started a swift pace in the direction his Aura pulled him. "Pika Pikachu?", asked Pikachu with a tilted head.
"As much as I wish to end this buddy, I so hope I'm wrong right now. Paul's finally….in a good mood I guess. And now this starts up again."
"Pikachu Pi Pika Pikachu Pi", argued Pikachu.
"Yeah, I know it's his right and I won't stop him from acting…but still…" Ash snorted. "If he could hear me worry about him like this, he'd take my head off."
"Pi-ka", agreed Pikachu with a giggle, then became serious again and asked: "Pikachu? Pika Pikapi. Chu Pikachu!"
"For now, we'll try to find out what they're planning. I really don't want to rush into anything right now or act too fast." Ash frowned. "Not after what happened to Mom. Had I waited longer…" He broke off. His throat had tightened at the memory of his mother and tears started to gather in his eyes.
"Pikapi", whispered Pikachu and rubbed his red cheek against Ash's. With a sigh Ash raised his arm and scratched the yellow rodent's chin.
"Thanks buddy", whispered the young Aura guardian, then froze. A new flare of the familiar Aura had passed right by him. With the speed that came only from training with a fighting-type, Ash dived into an alley and pressed himself into the shadows.
Just in time too.
A woman rushed around the corner he'd been about to round. She wore simply grey pants and a white T-Shirt, but Ash recognized her no less. It was Jay, the Team Plasma member they'd battled on Milos Island. Ash narrowed his eyes at her, then pulled a Pokéball out of his bag. It snapped open, releasing Swellow.
Sending a Pokémon that wasn't native to Unova after her was risky, but the air-currents around the outer-regions of Unova made it a realistic possibility for a Pokémon that wasn't native to show up in Virbank City. Why? Because those air currents created a certain connection to Undella Town, one of the few places in Unova that flourished with Pokémon of all regions.
"Listen Swellow, I need you to follow this Jay. If anything very suspicious happens, flare your Aura like I taught you. And make sure she won't realise your following her, okay?"
"Swell-ow", asked the bird and tilted his head.
Ash shook his head and explained: "The whole situation is suspicious to no end. You'll know what I mean and when to contact me when you see it." Swellow nodded at that and gave him an affectionate peck on the head, before he shot off. The young Aura Guardian looked after him for a while, before he readjusted Pikachu's position on his shoulder and said: "Well, let's check out what the rest of Team Plasma is up to, huh?"
"Pika", answered Pikachu strongly.
Ash glanced at his first Pokémon while he rounded the corner. Pikachu ears laid back, his eyes focused straight ahead. He only looked like that in urgent situations. Although Ash wouldn't dub this urgent yet, he wasn't about to speak to Pikachu about it. Who was he to tell the mouse when to be focused solely on this and when not.
They walked for a few more minutes, Ash carefully following the path his Aura led him on, trying to stick to the shadows. He reached the warehouses near the train-station and narrowed his eyes. What could they want here?
Inching forward, Ash suddenly froze. He stood in between two warehouses and Plasma grunts came from both directions. Acting quick Ash released Leavanny and ordered: "Leavanny use String Shot! Get us atop that warehouse, now!" He took hold of the Pokémon, who nodded and shot into the air already. They sailed a bit over the warehouse, flipping onto it in process, just in time. The two Plasma groups passed where they'd been standing not a second later. Ash breathed out. "Thanks Leavanny." Leavanny nodded and disappeared in red light. Once he'd put the Pokéball away again, Ash scanned their surroundings and frowned.
There were only four possible warehouses Team Plasma could be using or something. That and some backrooms in the station. Making a decision, Ash sent three other Pokémon out.
"Master?", asked Lucario one he, Gallade and Gardevoir had appeared.
As quickly and quietly as possible Ash explained to the Pokémon what was going one. "I need you three to split up and find out what they're planning. You three can contact me mentally and I can contact you." All three Pokémon nodded in understanding and Ash said: "If no one calls the others to him within the next hour, we'll meet up again back here."
"Master", answered the Pokémon at once, then already leaped away.
"Do you think they'll ever stop calling me that? It doesn't exactly help with Team Plasma." Pikachu shrugged and with a soft sigh Ash ran off as well.
He had searched through two warehouses, which held nothing of interest aside of empty Pokéballs and a lot of vitamins, obviously that was how they boosted their Pokémon to the limit, when Gallade's called reached him. "Master, you need to see this!" Quickly Ash left the warehouse and sprinted to where he sensed Gallade was.
A warehouse away Gardevoir and Lucario caught up to him and together the four of them reached the Psychic-Fighting-Type. Gallade looked visibly shaken and gestured them to follow him. Ash exchanged glances with his other Pokémon before he moved to follow. Gallade didn't get shaken easily. The white and green Pokémon slid through a door and sprinted down between two rows of crates. Ash and the others followed quickly, to duck out of sight when he saw quite the amount of higher ranked Plasma Grunts, two to Ash unfamiliar Plasma sages and a few scientists.
"Gallade?", asked Ash while he watched the people in the room buzz around and work on different things.
"I do not know what they're planning", explained the Pokémon. "They constantly used the names Ghetsis, Colress and N. The last I've heard the most of already. But apparently N is not aware of quite a few things that are happening in his own organisation. They also said they want to make a new base in Roshan City, wherever that is, since it had some laboratories that could come in useful for whatever they're planning."
Ash frowned at that and said: "This is bad. The next train to Roshan City leaves tomorrow. If they're gone then…but we can't take them on here either."
"And not alone", added Gardevoir.
Ash nodded again and said: "Let's go back to the Pokémon centre and talk to the others. I don't like getting them into this, but Paul would hunt me down and kill me if I leave him out. You guys were great, return." The three Pokémon disappeared and Ash was about to leave, when he felt Swellow's Aura reaching out to him. Quickly he checked the Pokémon's position, then sprinted off already. The second he was out of the house, he released Unfezant and climbed onto the bird. "To the docks, Swellow is there."
Unfezant gave a nod and shot into the air, circling so no one would see Ash during her rise. Once Ash deemed them high enough, Unfezant evened her flight out, before she shot forward. Ash concentrated and sent a burst of Aura to Swellow. A swift check revealed that the Hoenn-Pokémon had started to fly towards them.
In no time he saw his friend coming. Yet something was wrong. Swellow looked worried like hell and Ash asked: "What is it?"
And so Swellow recounted his tale, making Ash pale. Apparently Jay had been an escort. And not only an escort, an escort for N. Swellow had heard how she'd greeted him and told him that they were almost done. The last two wagons of the train leaving tomorrow were reserved for Team Plasma and some of their stuff.
Once Swellow was done, Ash thanked him and petted his head. The Pokémon, normally quite distanced, leaned into the touch. They all knew things could get dangerous soon. Finally Ash recalled Swellow and instructed Unfezant to fly towards the Pokémon centre.
"So, why exactly are you only taking twelve Pokémon with you right now, although we're going to do this?", asked Iris.
Ash smirked bitterly and answered: "Remember when I told you yesterday? Lucario found some plans that showed that they'll be scanning the whole train during the whole ride. Apparently more than twelve Pokémon on one person will make some alert go off."
"But…why twelve?", asked Cilan.
Ash shrugged. "Beats me."
"Most likely at least some of their people have around twelve Pokémon too", stated Paul. "They wouldn't want to set off their own alarms, would they?" Ash raised an impressed eyebrow. Paul had gotten really good at keeping himself in check since they started their journey. He knew, had they found this information only shortly into their journey, Paul would've rushed off immediately, destroying one Plasma Grunt after the other. But so, the group simply searched themselves a compartment in the train and sat down.
The second they did, Ash leaned back and closed his eyes, casting his aura out. The other three remained silent, letting him concentrate. They were two wagons in front of the wagons Team Plasma had to themselves. Frowning slightly, Ash realised that aside from four guards, no one was in the first wagon. It was only filled with a lot of crates. The second wagon was more interesting. Each compartment held as many Plasma grunts as it could and in the last one he sensed Jay. And next to her…
Ash's frown deepened slightly.
Strange.
The Aura of the man next to her was unusually bright for someone in a criminal organisation.
Could this be N?, wondered the teen. Swellow did say he appeared quite gentle for someone in Giovanni's position. Could it be…that N really believes the nonsense his Team is sprouting? But how much does he really know about what they're doing? An aura spike in the Engine of the train caught his attention and Ash refocused there, to gasp.
His friends Auras flared slightly, alerted by his gasp, but Ash remained in his half-way meditation. A few Plasma grunts had taken control of the Engine, boosting its speed to the limit. Ash opened his eyes and looked at the others. They all looked back anxiously and quickly he told the everything. "We need to slow the train down", exclaimed Iris.
"Shhh!", hissed Paul and glanced out onto the aisle. "Those grunts are all over the train, remember."
Iris paled, but nodded and whispered: "Well?"
"Iris is right, we need to slow the train down", agreed Cilan. "The problem is, the moment we do, they will realise someone caught on with what they're doing."
Ash nodded and added: "It's only three Grunts in the engine-cart and I can't sense anyone with a similar Aura nearby but…" He hesitated.
"I'll do it!" Three pairs of eyes focused on the gym-leader who had spoken.
"What?!", asked Iris.
"Why not. I am a Subway Connoisseur after all! I can handle a train."
"But-", tried Ash, when Cilan placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling.
"I can handle this Ash. We're friends. You don't had to do everything on your own." Ash looked at Cilan. The young man's green eyes shone with determination and finally the teen nodded.
"Alright. The rest of us will go and confront Team Plasma in their cards. But we'll have to try to keep it as silent as possible. Anyone got a Pokémon with Hypnosis or Sleep Powder or anything along those lines."
"I haven't", answered Iris.
"Me neither", answered Paul and shook his head. "What about you?"
"I got Noctowl with Hypnosis", answered Ash. "That'll have to do."
"I'm sure it will", said Iris.
Ash looked at his friends determined expressions and took a deep breath. "Alright, let's do this. We'll give you a minute head-start Cilan." Cilan nodded and got up. He left the compartment and walked off. Ash tightened his grip around his staff nervously while he counter till sixty. "Now", whispered the three teens together and got up.
They walked out of the compartment slowly, Iris striking up a conversation about Dragon-Types with Ash, Paul occasionally throwing in a comment. Inside Ash prayed to Arceus that they really didn't seem like anything but a group of Pokémon trainers on a journey. They left their wagon and walked through the next one. They exited this one as well and Ash cursed under his breath.
"What?", asked Iris.
"Two Plasma grunts behind us. They came out of one of the compartments. Don't act suspicious." Paul shrugged and leaned against the wall, closing his eyes. Ash and Iris watched the landscape flying by, still talking about Dragon-Types. The grunts hid near the door, close enough to still hear their conversation. After a while Ash turned to Paul and asked: "Feeling better now?"
He got a withering glare from the purple-haired trainer, but Paul answered: "Better, yeah. Good enough, no."
Iris tilted her head and asked: "And you sure you don't know why you suddenly felt sick."
"I told you, I just need some fresh air!", snapped the Sinnoh-Native. "So finally le-What?"
Both looked at Ash, who'd cut Paul of with a hand-gesture. "They're gone", muttered the Kanto-Native and walked forward. He placed his hand onto the door of the first Plasma Wagon and sent out his Aura again. "If we're quick, we can get in and hide behind some crates before we're seen. But we have to leap right the second we're in, or we'll run directly into a grunt." His friends nodded and walked closer.
After one last deep breath, Ash pulled the door open and rushed in. Iris and Paul followed suit, Paul stopping for only a heartbeat to close the door again. Not one second to soon, since a grunt suddenly marched up and looked around. The three ducked behind the crates and held their breaths. After a while he walked off and Ash pulled out Noctowl's Pokéball. He released the Shiny Pokémon and moved to whisper instructions to him.
"Alright Noctowl, here is what I need you to do. You need to knock out the four Plasma Grunts in here with your Hypnosis so we can move on. Make sure you're not seen till it's too late for them. They're positions are: one only a few crates to our right, two at the door we need to go through and one between some creates on their left. You got everything."
"Noc-Towl", answered Noctowl with a nod and flew up.
"Good Luck Noctowl", whispered Iris.
Ash leaned back now and closed his eyes. A smirk tugged on his lips when he focused on the engine-cart. Cilan seemed to handle himself pretty well.
"Now Simisage, Energy Ball Barrage!"
"Simi-SAGE!"
The green monkey fired a mass of green spheres at their opponents, knocking two of the opposing Pokémon out. The two Plasma Grunts growled frustrated while they recalled their Liepard. Cilan threw a worried glance at Simisage. His trusted Partner was covered in bruises over and over. Understandable considering those two Liepard were the third and fourth Plasma Pokémon he beat, but he still worried. Then the two grunts already called out new Pokémon.
"Seviper end this! Poison Tail!"
"Zangoose destroy them! Slash!"
"Liepard finish this with Night Slash!"
The three Pokémon rushed forward and Cilan gulped. How the heck was Simisage supposed to hold his own now! He looked around frantically in the coal-cart they battled in, but there was nothing but coal. "Wait a second…coal, that's it! Simisage dig to dodge!" Simisage reacted just in time and dug into the coal, successfully dodged the advance. "Now come up and use Leaf Storm, give it all you got!"
Simisage burst out of the coals behind his attackers, his whole body covered in soot, but no more injured than before. Simisage landed atop the roof of the engine-cart and energy gathered around him. The Plasma Pokémon just turned to face him, when Leaf Storm shot forward, effectively rendering Liepard unconscious as well. Simisage fell onto one knee the next second and clenched his eyes shut.
Frowning Cilan grabbed Simisage's Pokéball and called: "You did great Simisage. Return now!" The Pokémon disappeared in his Pokéball and Cilan quickly threw another one, the third grunt doing the same. "Crustle I need you here!"
"Scrafty come out here and finish them." Scrafty huh?, thought Cilan. Well I know how to handle that one. "Crustle use Rock Slide!"
Crustle raised its claws into the air and rocks started raining down on the other Pokémon. "Scrafty destroy the with High Jump Kick and Focus Punch."
Perfect, thought Cilan while he watched how Seviper and Zangoose retreated to their trainers and Scrafty went to destroy the stones. "Now Crustle, use Shell Smash followed by X-Scissor." Crustle cried out and glowed red, before the Pokémon shot from its shell. Crustle's claws glowed and it shot forward, delivering a volley of attacks against Scrafty. The Pokémon staggered and missed its next High-Jump-Kick, causing a lot of pain. "Now use Rock Slide again!" The stones started to rain down and hit all three of his opponents. Cilan smirked, when he suddenly saw it. "Crustle on your left."
Crustle turned there, but too late. Seviper's Poison Tail and Zangoose Iron-Tail came down on Crustle. The Pokémon clenched its eyes shut and prepared for the hit, when one of Cilan's Pokéballs burst open. The Pokémon rushed forward, leaped between Crustle and his opponents and took the hits, getting flung back. It hit the coals and skidded backwards, crying out.
Smoke and soot shot up and it took a while till everyone could see again. Yet what Cilan saw caused his heart to skip a beat.
Treecko lay in the coals, his face scrunched up in pain.
Quickly Cilan rushed over to his Pokémon and picked the kid up, holding him close. "Why did you do that?", asked Cilan. Treecko looked at Crustle fondly, then at him, before he winced and Cilan pailed. "You're poisoned", gasped the Gym Leader.
"Anyhow", interrupted one of the grunts. "Scrafty blast them off this train with Giga Impact!" Cilan gasped in shock and clutched Treecko close, when he heard the tell-tale sound of opening Pokéballs. A great explosion shook the cart and he found himself pushed down onto the coals completely, smoke surrounding him. It seemed to take ages for the smoke to fade, but when it did, the grunts gasped in shock.
Confused Cilan glanced up, to gasp as well.
In front of him, snarling angrily at the grunts, stood the rest of his Pokémon Team. Crustle had been joined by Stunfisk, Sawsbuck, his newest Pansage and Simisage, who'd taken the lead and shouted at the Plasma Pokémon. Suddenly Sawsbuck stepped back and crouched down next to him, gently prying Treecko from his arms. Cilan looked up at his Pokémon confused und the deer pointed its nose at the engine cart.
"You'll distract them for me?", asked Cilan. Sawsbuck nodded and nudged Treecko closer to himself. Cilan smiled at his Pokémon thankfully, before he got up, just in time to see his Pokémon attacking their opponents with all they had.
He couldn't be prouder of them.
