51. Leadership Issues


Kanto: Viridian Forest

In the Viridian Forest, Ben, in the form of Fasttrack, chasing the poachers who caught the Pokémon.

"Stop right there!" Fasttrack said.

"Never!" The first poacher said and sent out Victreebell. "Use Razor Leaf!"

Victreebell throws multiple sharp leaves at Fasttrack.

Fasttrack dodges and jumps on the jeep.

"There's no way you can escape from my hands!" Fasttrack said and tries to punch the poachers.

"Vileplume, use Stun Spore!" Vileplume releases the orange powder from its head, paralyzing Fasttrack after beating poachers.

Fasttrack is now sick and returned to its original form.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Do you think you can stop us?" A first poacher asked and the poachers inhaled the Stun Spore that they were stopped, becoming sick.

The other heroes arrived.

"There they are!" Ash said.

"Looks like Ben has finished the job." Kevin said.

The heroes saw Ben paralyzed and sick.

"Ben!" Serena shouted.

"Ben-san!" Julie said and the heroes ran to see Ben.

"What's wrong with him?" Goh asked.

Gwen touched Ben's forehead and she knew that he got sick.

"Oh no! Ben got fever!" Gwen said.

"We gotta bring him to the hospital!" Clemont said.

Vermilion City: Hospital

In the hospital, Ben was taken to medication and resting.

"Ben has suffered from Vileplume's Stun Spore." Nurse Joy said.

"How much time he'll get recovered?" Dawn asked.

"Maybe... 2 days." Nurse Joy said.

"Oh man!" Goh said and hits his head with the palm.

"It takes a lot of time." Serena said.

"Shall we see him now?' Bonnie asked.

"Yes." Nurse Joy said and the heroes went to room for seeing their leader.

In the room, Ben is resting.

"Guys?" Ben asked in deep voice. "Are you here to scold me?"

"No. You are good in rescuing Pokémon, doofus. Then why didn't you evade Stun Spore?" Gwen asked.

"Because I was focused on rescuing the Pokémon rather than my life." Ben said.

"A good leader value everyone's life rather than his life." Julie said. "Just like Ben."

Ben smiled about Julie's comment.

"So, who'll going to lead us?" Ash asked.

Ben pointed his finger at Ash.

Ash's friends look at Ash.

"Me?!" Ash asked. "Look. I'm not a good leader."

"Because you lack one thing: confidence. Without confidence, you will not be able to lead the team." Rook said to Ash.

"It's your responsibility." Gwen said.

"Okay." Ash said as he took a long breath. "And I... as your leader, suddenly have this huge responsibility..."

Ash has a phobia of a word called responsibility which he is stood like a statue.

"Responsibility?! Responsibility?!" Ash said and he fainted.

"Ash!" Ash's friends said.

"Get water! Get water!" Goh said.

Serena has the water and poured on Ash.

"Ash? Are you alright?" Serena asked.

"I'm okay. I hate to say the word called 'responsibility'. And don't even mention the word!" Ash said and he left the hospital.

"I think Ash is afraid to be leader." Bonnie said.

Serena worried about Ash.

"Let's train him!" Kevin said.

Vermilion City: Cerise Park

In the Cerise Park, Ash was being forced to be trained by Rook and Kevin while friends watching him.

"Rook? Kevin?" Ash asked.

"Training you to be leader." Rook said.

"If you don't listen to me... Ship!" Kevin said and Ship converted into a laser rocket cannon.

Ash was horrified to see Kevin having Ship in laser rocket cannon.

"Or else, Zed." Rook said and Zed barks at Ash.

"Start!" Kevin announced and Ash is being chased by Zed.

"AAHHHH! Stop! Stop! Zed, please!" Ash said but, Zed didn't listen. It kept on chasing Ash, biting him.

"Fire!" Kevin fires the green rockets at Ash, forcing him to run continuously.

"Enough!" Ash sent out Dragonite and rides him, fleeing from Cerise Park.

"Hey! Ash, Come back!" Kevin shouted.

"See! Ash has run away!" Goh said. "I knew he is not a good leader!"

"Ash will lead the team, Goh!" Serena said.

"Oh yeah?! Ben's got sick and Ash has some... leadership issues." Goh said.

"I don't think Ash will lead us." Dawn said.

Vermilion City: Hospital

In the hospital, Ash came to Ben.

"Ash, what's up?" Ben asked.

"Actually... I don't want to be leader." Ash said.

"Why? Because you value your life more?" Ben asked.

"No. I haven't decided yet." Ash said.

"Are you scared?" Ben asked.

"I'm disinterested." Ash said. "Why don't you lead us?"

"Sorry but, you have to be the leader." Ben said. "Shall I tell you my story how I become leader?"

"Yeah." Ash said.

Ben explained his life as leader and the downfall of his title. Also, Ben explained the weaknesses he shed to become leader again.

"So, you must shed those weaknesses and things you have addicted with." Ben said. "Are you ready to be leader?"

"Yep! Thanks for the tip." Ash said and he left.

Cerise Park

In the Cerise Park, the heroes waited for Ash. Serena worried much about Ash as she sat on outside. Then Gwen came to Serena and sat beside her.

"Serena, you're worried about Ash, right?" Gwen said.

"Yeah." Serena said.

"You worried Ash because you like him." Gwen said.

"Like him?!" Serena asked. "No. Ash's my friend. I have faith on him for becoming leader."

"Because you look at Ash all the time." Gwen said.

Serena's face was all red.

"Well, I wonder when Ash will come!" Serena said.

"I'm back!" Ash's voice said and Ash came here.

"Ash!" Serena said as she ran to him. "I know you'll come back."

"I am ready." Ash said with courage.

"Ready for what?" Gwen said.

"I will be your leader." Ash said.

"Yes!" Serena said as she hugged Ash tightly.

"Is this true that Ash is your boyfriend?" Gwen asked and she giggled.

"HEY, WILL YOU PLAESE STOP THAT!" Serena shouted as her face became red.

Cerise Laboratory (Next day)

In the Cerise Laboratory at morning, an alarm rang that made heroes (except Ben) woke up.

"What's going on?" Chloe asked as she woke up.

"We are having an emergency! There's a villain activity in Eterna Forest of Sinnoh region!" Ash said.

"I'm surprised that Ash woke up earlier." Rook said.

"Yeah. That's not kind of Ash I've never seen." Goh said.

"What are you waiting for?! Follow Ash's lead!" Gwen said and the heroes agreed then they made themselves tidy and ready for the rescue mission.

"Leader Ash, what's up?" Goh asked.

"In Eterna Forest, Charmcaster is capturing all the Bug Pokémon for potions and powders. We must stop her immediately." Ash said as he showed the images through computer. "And remember during missions, we should call ourselves by the colors. Goh, you are red."

"I'm on it!" Goh said.

"Chloe, you are green." Ash said.

"Green's my favourite!" Chloe said.

"Clemont, you are yellow." Ash said.

"Ah, my yellow!" Clemont said.

"Dawn, you're blue." Ash said.

"I'm ready to bust those villains off." Dawn said.

"Serena, you are pink." Ash said.

"Pink! My favourite!" Serena said with excitement.

"You will call me silver." Ash said.

"Roger that!" The heroes said.

"Let's go!" Ash said and the heroes boarded to Proto TRUK 2.O.

Sinnoh: Eterna Forest

In the Eterna Forest, the heroes arrived and fights Charmcaster.

"Charmcaster, stop this activity, right now!" Ash said.

"Those kids are irritating me! Stone Knights, surround them!" Charmacster said as she summoned Stone Knights, surround the heroes.

"Okay. So, what's the plan?" Goh asked.

"Follow my lead!" Ash said as he sent out Greninja and Lucario.

"Greninja, use Water Shuriken! Lucario, use Close Combat!" Greninja threw 10 water shurikens at Stone Knights.

Lucario punches and kicks rapidly on Stone Knights, destroying them and making the way for kids.

Charmacaster uses Psychic against kids.

"Pink!" Ash said.

"Delphox, use Light Screen!" Delphox created a glass like shield that it blocked the Charmcaster's attack.

"Red! Yellow!" Ash said.

"Ok! Cinderace, use Pyro Ball!" Cinderace juggles the pebble with its feet then it kicks the pebble, setting it on fire as it flew towards Charmcaster before exploding.

"Dedenne, use Nuzzle!" Dedenne rubs its cheeks then it sparks off electricity that zapped Charmacaster, knocking her out.

"Mission success!" Goh said.

"Nice work, Silver." Gwen said to Ash.

Then, a call from Ben came here.

"Good teamwork." Ben said.

"Ben, aren't you got sick?" Kevin asked.

"I feel better now." Ben said. "By the way, Ash. You are promoted to the sub leader category."

"Really? For sure?" Ash asked and Ben nodded.

Ash's friends were happy about Ash's promotion to sub leader by Ben.

"Ash, congratulations!" Rook said.

"How did you become motivated?" Goh asked.

"Long story, Red." Ash said.


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