Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or the Pokemon Theme by Billy Crawford. I own only my OCs.
Recap: "If Charcoal is in there, then who is that?"
"Hey, look who's here!"
"UNCLE ASH!"
"It's been 13 years, hasn't it?"
"ITS NA-TA-SHAAAAAAAAA!"
"I don't care if you're the Pokemon Master's son! I'm not putting up with an attitude like yours!"
"She wanted a battle alright but not with Pokemon. She wanted to do it herself."
Amber Wisteria Rose Ketchum: twin daughter of Ash and Misty, age 7.
Pokemon: Pika, a female Pichu and daughter of Pikachu and Marill.
Aster Malcolm Aaron Ketchum: twin son of Ash and Misty, age 7.
Pokemon: Rill, a male Azurill and son of Pikachu and Marill.
Chapter 4: When Generations Meet
~PKM~
The Pokemon Battle tournament started with every trainer paired up in a one-on-one per round until one is left standing without a single loss. So many were determined to win.
Especially Auri.
"The first trainer's Pokemon to lose is out. Begin!" The referee announced, beginning the battle.
Auri held out her PokeBall with a determined stare before throwing up and calling out her Pokemon.
"Go, Bellossom!"
I want to be the very best
Like no one ever was
To catch them is my real test
To train them is my cause
(Ooh)
Auri's Bellossom popped out the white beam. Bellossom was caught as an Oddish and one of her earliest captures.
Matched against a Golem, Auri had her Bellossom use her dancing ability to avoid Tackle and Rollout. And while the Grass-type was jumping high in mid-air, the sunrays enhanced her, making her red flowers sparkle from the inside.
Once Bellossom landed, it waited for the charging Golem and delivered a powerful Solar Beam from the red flowers on her head.
Wipe-out!
I will travel across the land
Searchin' far and wide
Each Pokemon to understand
The power that's inside
(Power inside)
Auri pumped her fists, cheering at her success. Bellossom danced happily, performed a loop-de-loop or two and then jumped over to Auri, right into her arms. Pokemon and Trainer hugged. Then Auri returned Bellossom and threw a new PokeBall.
A Psyduck appeared on the field. It tilt its head confusedly. "Psy…"
The other trainer scoffed, arrogantly believing it to be an easy win.
His Primape leapt and sent a Karate Chop to the head of Psyduck.
Right. On. The. Head.
Hard.
The harder the hit, the stronger the headache and that was exactly what Auri wanted.
Psyduck chanted 'psy' over and over again, picking up speed as its headache grew, its eyes glowing bright blue.
Pokemon
It's you and me
I know it's my destiny
Pokemon
The severe headache gave Psyduck the power to use Confusion and send Primape flying and out of the match, winning the round.
Psyduck immediately turned and ran back to Auri, cuddling and hugging her legs while she rubbed its head.
Ooh, you're my best friend
In a world we must defend
Pokemon
A heart so true
Next she released a Houndoom that snarled with ferocity and an extremely strong Pokemon, attacking a Scyther with Bite and Headbutt, and then finished with a hot Flamethrower.
Our courage will pull us through
You teach me and I'll teach you
Pokemon
With the Scyther burnt and defeated, Houndoom turned tail and leapt at Auri, pinning her down and ravished her with licks.
"Ok, boy, stop it! Come on! That tickles!" Auri laughed.
(Gotta catch 'em)
Gotta catch 'em
Gotta catch 'em all
From the sidelines (and in a tree), Savy filmed and took snapshots of the tournament. And mostly Auri.
Ever since the event started, Auri was capturing everyone's attention.
Even the Pokemon Master.
Every challenge along the way
With courage I will face
I will battle everyday
To claim my rightful place
Auri was so excited over her winning streak, she failed to notice little Faye wandering onto the field until the referee announced the next round.
Facing a Aggron.
Auri yelped, hands grasping her head in a panic.
But the adorable Togepi innocently waved her tiny, little arms back and forth, beginning to glow white and suddenly teleported out of the way of Aggron's giant foot before it could stomp on her. She appeared right behind Aggron, quickly hitting it with Ancient Power.
What luck!
Come with me, the time is right
There's no better team
Arm and arm, we'll win the fight
It's always been a dream
The small Pokemon won. Instead of cheering, Auri ran right over and swept her baby Pokemon up to cradle her protectively. Faye chirped away innocently.
Her next opponent was shaking in his boots. He had every reason to fear her abilities and undefeatable reputation.
Pokemon
It's you and me
I know it's my destiny
Pokemon
Desperate to win, he threw not one but THREE PokeBalls out, releasing a Crawdaunt, a Hitmonchan and a Dodrio respectively.
"Hey, you can't do that!"
"That's against the rules!"
"Battle like a man, not a coward!"
"Get off the field!"
Not listening at all to the protests, the trio charged at Auri.
Ooh, you're my best friend
In a world, we must defend
Pokemon
A heart so true
Pokemon
Leo leapt from his trainer's shoulder and used Vacuum Wave, spinning around and gathering yellow air, then punched it into the shape of a thunderbolt, striking the three Pokemon, sending them flying and knocked out.
The disgraced Trainer roared in frustration and ran off in a childish huff.
Leo ran straight back to Auri, jumping right into her open arms, the two of them laughing happily together.
Our courage will pull us through
You teach me and I'll teach you
Then those happy faces dropped and got serious.
Owen was standing at the opposite end.
(Gotta catch 'em)
Gotta catch 'em
(Pokemon)
Auri and Owen faced off intensely in a long, hard stare.
(Instrumental)
"Leo, let's go!"
"Bullet, stand by for battle!"
The Pokemon ran from their trainer's sides and started battling.
"Leo, use Drain Punch!"
"Bullet, Dragon Claw now!"
Leo was smaller, faster and more agile. But Bullet was no slower. Pokemon and Pokemon battled it out, using all their best moves to knock the other out and using all their strength to keep on fighting. Their trainers felt their eagerness to win.
Pokemon
It's you and me
I know it's my destiny
Pokemon
"Come on, Owen!" Corey cried.
"Go, Auri!" Natasha cheered.
Ooh, you're my best friend
In a world we must defend
Pokemon
A heart so true
Within the battle, Leo ended up clinging onto Bullet's back, the Gabite spinning wildly trying to get him off.
"Bullet, Aerial Ace!"
Bullet glowed with white streaks and flew around, trying to force Leo off his back.
Our courage will pull us through
You teach me and I'll teach you
Pokemon
"Leo, Force Palm, go!"
Leo raised his left paw, then brought it down on Bullet's feathered back, and fired a huge yellow blast. The close impact of the blast forced Bullet straight down to battleground, landing with a huge CRASH!
(I'll catch you)
Gotta catch 'em
Gotta catch 'em
Gotta catch 'em all
Pokemon
Smoke and dirt exploded from the hit. Spectators coughed as the thick dark fog lightened until it finally cleared up…
…showing Leo standing on top of an unconscious Bullet.
"Gabite is defeated! Auri Mewn of Belita is the winner of the Pallet Town Tournament!"
Auri didn't pay any mind to her victory. All she did was run out and caught her Pokemon when he fainted.
"Oh buddy…" She hugged him close.
"Auri…"
Owen stroked Bullet, whispering. "You did great. Thank you."
He returned his Gabite to his PokeBall, intending on treating him. But not before turning to Auri and walking towards her.
Auri, noticing Owen coming over, stood up, cradling Leo, and glared, still feeling the sting from their earlier fight.
But then Owen stuck out his hand.
She stared at him, quirking an eyebrow in suspicion.
Nonetheless, he offered a small smile.
"I've been on my journey for four years and you just gave me the toughest battle from a trainer yet." He said honestly.
She glanced to his hand and to him, and then smiled and too his hand, locking in a firm shake.
"Way a go, Auri!" Natasha cheered.
Auri's hand slipped away from Owen's grip to curl back around Leo. She raised him up, smiling, then brought him down for a hug, a wide happy smile on both faces.
"That was one of your toughest battles yet." Natasha was saying later on, wearing a pretty pale-pink frilly apron for cooking Pokemon Food.
"For some reason, I felt like I was back against Brandon." Auri replied, feeding Faye with a bottle of milk.
The girls were sitting at a bench and table, among others. Auri had darted from the battlefield right away to get Leo to heal and eat.
"He does kinda look like him with the thick eyebrows and the frown."
Auri snorted at that. She turned to Leo. "You feeling better, buddy?"
Leo, after slurping ketchup through a straw, smiled. "Yeah!"
"Alright! Let's go." She stood up from her seat, taking Faye with her, grabbed Leo and Charcoal's PokeBall, and ran off into the woods. "I'm gonna train Leo and Charcoal for later!"
"Ok!" Natasha called after her as the younger girl disappeared beyond the trees.
Auri found a good, secluded spot and Leo jumped out of her arms.
"We'll start off with you, Leo. We need to perfect your Aura Sphere and we need to make sure you won't use your electrical ability by accident. Now, use Aura Sphere!"
While Auri and Leo secretly train, Natasha tended to her Pokemon. After healing Psyduck, Houndoom and Bellossom, Natasha decided to cook some Pokemon food. She had just finished cooking when she heard a yell. Or a scream. Either way, it was loud.
"Hey you!"
Natasha looked up and saw a young girl wearing a frown, pigtails and a baseball cap, a cute Chikorita wearing a black and yellow headband with the Electabuzz baseball team logo on it riding on her shoulder.
Rachie came up to her, demanding something. "Where's Auri Mewn from Belita Town?"
"You just missed her, she left some time ago."
"WHAT?!" Rachie burst out in outrage. "I came to get Auri on behalf of the Pokemon Master, my uncle Ash Ketchum himself!"
Natasha froze, taken aback by the little girl's big personality. "Um… was Auri expecting him?"
"YES! She's supposed to be on the field, waiting to battle the Pokemon Master! Not frolicking about in the woods!"
"Chika!" Rita, her Chikorita and partner, chirped in agreement. Rita was energetic and competitive, just like her trainer but cheerful, sweet and loves to play as well.
Natasha bent down to place bowls of hers and Auri's Pokemon food for the Pokemon. They wasted no time in chowing down. "She wanted her Pokemon to heal first. Auri may love winning but she loves her Pokemon even more."
But Rachie wasn't happy with that answer. "This is an outrage! We looked all over the place for her after she took off without saying anything and now, you're telling me she took off again!?"
"Auri is very energetic and kinda dense to certain things, like staying after a battle…"
"Why I oughta-!"
"Rachel Agatha Richardson! Stop being so rude!"
"GAH! MOM! DAD!" Rachie jumped in surprise and sprung around, blushing sheepishly.
Standing right behind her were her parents, brother and their friends.
"We wanted to ask her where Auri is, not interrogate her, Rachie!" Corey pulled her away and bowed low to Natasha in apology. "I'm really sorry about my little sister, Natasha! She can be so rude!"
"Oh, it's no problem." Natasha replied, though while nervously with a sweatdrop on her head. "I have 5 younger siblings myself, I know the feeling."
Her hand, which was waving, was suddenly grasped in a firm hold, along with her other one. She knew those hands anywhere.
"Oh, dear Natasha, I'm so sorry for Rachie's rude behavior, one can be way too blunt for their own good. I'm just so glad to see you again, so happy after so long since our time in Johto. Your beauty and kindness never faded over time, only richen. Oh, how I- gah!"
Ross pulled Bruce away by the ear while dryly saying, "Oh how I get sick of listening this junk."
"Ow! Ow, ow!"
However, he left Natasha standing with a blush adorning her face.
"Hey, are you ok?" Brock asked.
"…Yes, I'm fine. Just…overwhelmed a little."
Lucy noticed her blush.
But all attention went to the little Eevee hopping onto the table and helped himself to Natasha's leftover Pokemon food.
"Shadow!"
Said Pokemon paid no mind to the cry of his name, leaping away when his owners made a grab at him. He laid on the grass when his beady eyes glinted mischievously. Shadow crouched…then pounced.
"!"
Maneki ran around in a tight circle, tears stemming from his eyes, with Shadow chomped on firmly on his tail.
"N-No! Bad Shadow! Bad Eevee!"
"Hey, hey, hey!" Natasha quickly yanked Shadow off Maneki's poor tail, handed him to May and soothingly rubbed her Persian, speaking softly. "Shh, Manny, it's okay. I got you."
Maneki meowed in a low sound as if he was moaning, then rubbed against his beloved's trainer's leg.
"Wow, I'm impressed." Cilan commented. "Persians are usually difficult to manage. Maneki is as docile as a Chansey."
Natasha blushed bashfully at the complement. "Ah, thanks."
"Hey Dad! Natasha's from Viridian City too!" Corey mentioned.
Ritchie raised an eyebrow. "Really?"
He looked at Natasha, big aqua-blue hair. Which reminded him of the Viridian Gym Leader's wife. He remembered Garth Harrison's five children.
"Oh, that's right. You're Gath's eldest."
"Yeah, I left home to be a Pokemon breeder and doctor-"
"Look out!" Max suddenly screamed.
A blue glowing sphere barreled out from the trees at near light's speed, flying straight at the group. Luckily, they all ducked. But more spheres flying in different directions and sparks shooting above treetops.
"What was that?"
"Uh…" Natasha knew exactly what those weird sightings were. Leo must be off-course again. But she couldn't tell the others. She promised Auri to keep Leo's special abilities a secret.
But Ash knew that kind of energy anywhere.
"Aura Sphere!"
And he knew those sparks anywhere as well.
"And Thunderbolt!"
Each and every time, Leo sent Aura Spheres and Thunderbolts off course, causing the poor Riolu to whine at his failure.
"Its ok, Leo. Just keep trying. We'll get it right." Auri reassured, patting his back.
"Toge toge togepi!" Faye squealed.
"You can do it, big brother!"
Leo felt his confidence soar thanks to their encouragement…only to sunk again when he repeated the same failure.
Auri rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Oh boy."
"Now remember," Cassidy whispered to a giddy Daugherty. "While the boys handle getting the Riolu, we pretend we're a Pokemon grooming service and get as many Pokemon as we can. We'll say it'll take an hour to groom their Pokemon…only they'll never get them back."
"That's so brilliant, Cassidy!"
"Shh!"
"Sorry."
Gastly rolled his eyed while groaning. He and the girls were inside a truck as a 'grooming service' while the boys were off after the girl.
"This better be worth it."
"This is so worth it."
The boys spied on the unsuspecting girl in her training, spying from the highest tree branches with a set of binoculars. Butch marveled the sight before him, in total and complete awe.
Now he understood why one Pokemon can be worth the humiliation.
"Wow!" Butch gasped. "Gastly was right. That Riolu is something else."
"Told ya." Roy said smugly.
"Aura Sphere and Lightning-type moves? The perfect Pokemon for the boss."
"One thing, Riolu is never in its PokeBall so we usually had to nab him or convince the girl to hand him over."
"No problem. She won the little competition, so I have the perfect plan."
"We tried every trick in the book and nothing worked! I have the scars to prove it."
"You just need to be more careful, be sneakier. Just watch my lead, I'll show you how it's done."
Roy eagerly nodded with stars in his eyes.
"Again!" Auri commanded. But as Leo was about ready to launch another Aura Sphere, she shouted. "Wait!" She turned her head to the right, staring sharply at the bushes and trees. "Who's there?"
The green bushes rustled, tiny leaves falling off as two figures emerged. Both male, one tall and old, one short and young, both wearing attractive official uniforms, consisting of red blazers, white suits, black shoes and matching ties and sunglasses.
"Hello, young lady!" The old man greeted all too cheery. "The Pokemon Master himself sent us, as his officials, to prep you for your battle with him. But first, he requires your Pokemon for a pre-battle pump-up exercise."
The young boy with him, grinning broadly, held out a square-shaped container.
One of Auri's eyebrows rose in skepticism.
Something wasn't right. This seemed oddly familiar…
Total Déjà vu.
"Why isn't he here for that himself?" She questioned. "Too lazy or too old to walk?"
Faye giggled adorably.
"He's busy preparing the field for your battle later. Now, if you kindly please place your Riolu in-"
"Have I seen you before?" Auri just blurted it out as she got right up in the boy's face. "You look familiar."
Roy sweated profusely under his disguise.
"Miss, you need your Pokemon pumped up if you really wish to battle the Pokemon Master!" The man said, trying to take her attention off his young colleague.
Unfortunately for him, Auri was smarter than she looked.
"Hold on a minute, buddy! I've been offered too many times to hand over my Pokemon and it always end up getting them stolen! So, no! Unless the Pokemon Master is standing right here, confirming I have to go through this exercise, I'm not giving you anything!"
Leo folded his short arms in equal agreement. "Yeah!"
The males froze at this. Her rebellion was predicted but they were hoping to coax her out of it.
Dammit, the brat got a brain after all!
"That's it!"
With a roar, the man lunged, throwing off his costume in the process, and made a grab for Leo.
"Leo!"
Auri took a dive for her best friends, her Togepi safely tucked under one arm. Man, girl and Pokemon wrestled in a cloud of dust.
"Roy, the net! The net!"
"Right!"
Roy shifted the container to one arm and took out a bazooka.
"Aim like I told ya!"
Roy tried to steady the heavy gun on his shoulder before he pressed a button and a brown-grey net blasted out, catching Auri in its grasp and leaving Butch to grab Leo.
"Gotcha!"
"Hey!"
"Aha!"
Butch quickly shoved Leo into the container before the Pokemon could shock him and closed the lid, making sure it was tightly shut.
"We got him, now let's go!"
Butch pulled on Roy's scarf, dragging him along, distancing trainer and Pokemon.
"Why you-?!" Auri growled before yelling her head off. "COME BACK HERE WITH MY POKEMON! LEO!"
"Auri!"
"LEO!"
Auri laid tangled in the net, fraying her arms and long legs about. She grew frustrated by the second she was unable to spring free. Beside her entrapped body, little Faye tugged on the net string, cutely squeaking away.
Ultimately Auri sighed. "Faye, don't worry about me. I'll just use Charcoal."
However, just as she enlarged her Charizard's PokeBall, her Togepi waved her little arms, glowing white as she did on the battlefield and once again teleported, she and Auri appearing outside the net.
Auri blinked. "Ok. That's works. Good girl, Faye!"
Auri hopped up onto her feet, scooped up Faye and brought her Baby Pokemon close to her face, bringing her in for a rub, making Faye giggle out of delight and out of control. Then Auri tucked Faye safely under her arm and put on her most fearsome face, staring hard at the trees.
She took a deep breath, crouched, and took off running.
"I'm pretty sure it came from this direction…" Ash murmured to himself thoughtfully. "Is Auri training down here?"
Natasha thought fast and grabbed his arm that was thicker than her Manny's waist, trying in vain to pull him back, get him away from the trees.
"With all due respect sir, Auri really doesn't like people disturbing her training." She pleaded.
"Don't worry, this is all part of his strategy. He does this to all his competitors." Paul said, remembering his teen years in Sinnoh, the annoyance he would bear when that lovable dunce crashed in the middle of his activities.
"I just want to see where those Aura Spheres and Thunderbolts coming fr-"
"WHEN I GET MY HAND ON YOU TWO!"
Auri burst out of the trees, barreling the Pokemon Master over, yelling her head off, sprinting past the bystanders.
"MOVE IT!"
"Excuse you, young lady!" Serena yelped.
"Auri!" Natasha cried.
"Can't talk right now, Tash! COME BACK HERE!"
While Auri thundered off, Ash was left on his back with arms and legs flailing like an upside-down Torkoal, feeling slightly dazed. "So that was Auri…"
Natasha helped him up. "I'm so sorry, sir! I don't understand why she is acting like this now-"
"YOU NO-GOOD ROTTON CROOKS!"
Natasha paused, realisation sinking in. "Oh no! Leo must have been stolen again!"
"Leo?"
"Stolen?"
"Again?"
"Does this scenario seem familiar to anyone?"
Roy and Butch ran for their lives, away from the raven-haired girl.
"We have to get out of here before she thinks of calling out her Charizard again!"
"She has a Charizard?!"
They made to the truck, jumping right in whichever way they can. Roy hopped into the back with Leo in the case in hand while Butch got into the front seat beside Cassidy.
"Go, go, go!"
"What happened?" Cassidy asked.
"The brat with the powerful Pokemon wouldn't give in. Now floor it!"
Cassidy gripped the wheel and stomped down on the gear. The truck, bearing a Pigeot logo, zoomed off, leaving a trail of dust and upset trainers.
"Hey!"
"Where are they going?"
"That truck is driving off with my Pokemon!"
"Those aren't your Pokemon!"
"Crooks!"
"Thieves!"
Auri skidded onto the road, watching the truck ride on.
"Leo!"
"Auri!"
Leo tried to Thunder his way free but screamed instead when painful sparks backfired on him.
Gastly snickered. "I love these anti-electrical gadgets!"
"And the boss is gonna love the Pokémon we got him!" Daugherty cheered.
"Finally, we're up to our necks in success!" Roy hailed.
"Don't get cocky, let's get away first!" Butch scolded.
"Hasta-la-bye-bye!" Cassidy cried as she drove.
"NO!" Auri screamed. She took out Charcoal's PokeBall, her arm back to throw it out and fast.
But she never let it go.
She didn't throw it because of something that caught her attention in the corner of her eye. Whatever it was, Pokémon or person or machine, it was white and yellow, fast, and big.
"Togekiss, use Sky Attack!"
The white part became surrounded by a layer of more white that seemed to be flowing as elegant as ocean waves, a white trail left behind as it flew straight at the truck, colliding into the vehicle, sending the vehicle spinning off course.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail!"
Auri skidded to a halt and, with wide eyes, watched the Pikachu and Togekiss double team perform in perfect union. The yellow mouse Pokemon swung its glowing lightning bolt-shaped tail at the back doors of the truck, ripping through the metal sheet, unleashing a tide of freed Pokemon running straight into the arms of their trainers.
Team Rocket came flying out of the truck and promptly crashed onto the ground, groaning. All eyes darted to the fallen figures. All unhappy. Angry.
"Don't you crooks ever give up?!" Brock roared, outraged.
"Gah! The twerps!" Butch yelped.
"And they're all grown up!" Cassidy cried, shaking in her white boots. "We're supposed to steer clear of them!"
Obviously, she and her partner were terribly scared of the 'twerps' they wrestled with 20 years ago. Obviously because the 'twerps' had grown up since.
"Cassidy and Bolly!" Ritchie shouted.
The green-haired older man huffed in annoyance at the constant misnaming. "For the last time, it's BUTCH!"
"Yeah, its Butch!" Roy added.
"I didn't work day and night to make this festival perfect just for you crooks to ruin it!" Dawn yelled.
"That's it! Time for Plan B!" Daugherty ordered.
"What's Plan B?" Butch asked.
"Grab Riolu and call it a day!" Gastly barked.
"Right!"
Butch quickly grabbed the container holding Leo inside and Team Rocket tried to make a run for it.
"Leo!" Auri screamed.
"Oh no, you don't! Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"
"Togekiss, Sky Attack!"
Togekiss glowed bright silver and flew straight for Team Rocket, allowing Pikachu to get close enough to deliver a Thunderbolt at them, barely missing Leo stuck in his cage, separating the Riolu from the crooks.
"Pika…CHHHUUUUUU!"
"Looks like we're blasting off already…..!"
Pikachu's Thunderbolt hit Team Rocket right on the dot, shooting the villainous group off like a rocket into the day's sky, disappearing into a star in the end.
Leo's container laid abandoned on the ground until Pikachu came over, poking at the exterior and peering through the glass. Leo stared right back at Pikachu. Ash picked up the container and picked at the lid, opening it up.
"Out you go, little guy."
The Riolu immediately jumped out, only to cower slightly in front of Pikachu, Ash and those surrounding them.
"Leo!"
All attentions turned to Auri running toward them.
"Auri!"
Trainer and Pokemon dashed towards each other. Leo made a long jump, leaping right into Auri's awaiting arms. She held him close in a secured hug, afraid to let him go. That was the second time today they were torn apart and she was NOT gonna to take any more chances.
"You're ok, Auri?"
The girl lifted her head up at the man towering over her, a Pikachu perched on his shoulder.
"Yeah, we're fine. Thanks for saving him." She smiled up at him. Interestingly, their smiles were almost identical. "Who are you?"
Everyone fell on their backs at Auri's inquiry.
"You don't know who he is?" Ethan gawked, sitting up.
He couldn't believe it. The girl who wanted to be the Pokemon Master doesn't recognize the current Pokemon Master?
Auri blinked. "Uh, no."
"Oh, come on! You have no clue?"
"Would I be asking if I know who he is? Just who is this guy anyway?"
"You're hunting his title!"
She blinked again. "I am?"
"You even look like him!"
"I do?"
"Seriously? You're wanna be the Pokemon Master and you don't know the guy who already has the job?"
Finally, she understood the situation, her eyes widening as a result.
"He's the Pokemon Master!?" She turned to Ash, now bubbling with amazement. "You're the Pokemon Master!?"
He stroked the back of his head in a somewhat nervous gesture. "Uh, yeah."
Corey slapped a hand to his forehead. "Man Auri, you really are dense."
"I can't believe you're that clueless." Bruce gawked.
"Oy vey, what an airhead." Ethan sighed with a sweatdrop on his head.
WHACK!
In one swipe, the three boys were lying on the grass, 'Xs' for eyes, bumps forming on his heads, and one angry girl standing over them, legs spread across, back hunched over, her face twisted in a fierce glower.
"So, I grew up in a small town with a strict rule on watching television, ok?!"
"Geez, Auri! Did you battle Brandon with your own fists?" Ethan groaned, slowly sitting up.
"Hey, that's the Riolu we found earlier!" Jimmy exclaimed, pointing at Leo.
All eyes set on Leo, the hurt Riolu that Mrs Ketchum's Lucario found, the baby Pokemon they healed and it returned the favour by bizarrely ThunderShocking them and ran off the Oak property.
Leo buried himself as close as possible in Auri's embrace, almost returning to his former terrified self. Seeing the stares on her best friend, Auri put on her sternest glower. It was enough to send some of them cowering back and some staring back at her, perplexed. And only grew more interest in the young girl.
"Auri, Mr Ketchum and his family came to escort you to the battlefield for your match." Natasha explained, hoping to cool her friend's fire.
"We can wait an hour. Auri and Leo had just got out of a tight spot." Ash suggested, smiling. He had been in their mess many times at Auri's age and he understood the shock and fear that comes with it.
"Leo!" Faye wiggled under her trainer's arm, moving up to Leo with her little arms waving out to him.
"Faye!" Leo reached out and took her in a hug.
"Aw, what a cutie!" Chloe gushed, seeing Faye.
"I gotta check this out." Briar said as she took out her PokeDex.
PokeDex: Togepi, the Spike Ball Pokemon. Togepi is a Baby Pokemon filled with happiness and shares that happiness with those who treat it well. Because of its joyful nature and adorableness, Togepi is seen as a sign of good luck amongst trainers.
"Aw…" All the girls (and some boys) fawned.
Watching as well, Misty smiled as she fondly remembered her Togekiss as a little Togepi, always nestled in her cradling arms.
Auri set her two Pokemon down, allowing Faye to toddle free and Leo to shyly hug her leg. Then Pikachu trotted over to the blue baby Pokemon.
"Hello there." Auri heard Pikachu said softly.
Leo hid himself behind Auri's leg.
"Don't be scared, Leo. Come on."
Auri gently nudged him out of his hiding place, getting him closer to Pikachu. The yellow mouse-like Pokemon stuck out his tiny paw, offering it to Leo who looked at it, silently deciding whatever to take it or not. After a moment, Leo timidly reached out and placed his paw on top of Pikachu's. Pikachu cooed in delight and Leo's shy face brightened up with eyes wide of newfound admiration for Pikachu.
SWOOSH!
In the blink of an eye, the Riolu was gone.
"Pika?"
"Hey!" Auri shrieked as her best friend found himself in the clutches of two young children, same in age yet different in looks and gender.
"Oh, how cute! He's so soft and cuddly!" The girl squealed, squeezing the life out of poor Leo in what was supposed to be a hug. She appeared to be 7 years old, small and young, with short dark-orange hair with choppy messy layers and short spunky pigtails on top of her head, amber eyes, and tanned skin with zigzag marks on her cheeks. Two hairclips, one in the design of a red rose and another as a purple wisteria, pinned to the left of her hair. She was wearing a yellow dress with short puffy sleeves, a red long-sleeved, high-collared shirt underneath, tall red socks and blue shoes.
"I wanna hold him!" The boy cried, grabbing Leo's ears hard and tight. Just like the girl, he looked to be 7 years old, with sky-blue eyes, tanned skin with wavy marks on his cheeks, and thick messily spiked dark-brown hair with an orangey-red shine to it, hidden under a worn, old, red/white hat with a green 'L' emblazoned on the front two sizes too big. He was wearing a shirt that was green on one side and yellow on the other, blue shorts, and red sneakers with yellow socks.
"Hey, let go, Aster! He's mine first!"
"No, it's my turn!"
The young children each pulled on Leo's arms as they argued, engaging in a tug-a-war of sibling rivalry.
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"Is not!"
"Is too!"
"IS NOT!"
"IS TOO!"
"Amber, Aster, stop that right now!" Misty ordered.
"But mom!" The twins whined. They stopped trying to rip Leo apart and were now rubbing him in the face.
"Kids, listen to your mother." Ash chimed.
"Excuse me, if you're gonna play with my Pokemon, be careful with him! He's not a toy!" Auri scolded, wearing a frown and narrowed green-blue eyes just like the mother of the twins.
The twins glanced to Auri and started at her.
And then turned to Ethan.
"Is she your girlfriend?" They asked in unison when they began stretching Leo's face, much to his discomfort.
"A-A-Auri, h-h-help m-me…"
Unfortunately, his plead fell unnoticed.
Auri blinked at the twins' question whereas Ethan freaked out. His face exploded into a red-hot blush.
"What!? N-No! Definitely not! No way, no way! She's not!" He denied it all too quickly, making the twins more intrigued.
"Really, really, really?" Amber and Aster teased, both wearing matching smirks, their hands patting Leo too hard.
"Ow!"
"Yes, really, really, really! If you don't believe me, ask her!"
Auri tilted her head, her face of confusion mirroring a Psyduck. "Huh?"
"Ross and Bruce said she is." Aster said.
"Yeah, and Corey too." Amber added.
Ethan twisted his burning head, sporting a furious glare directed to the three boys he considered 'friends.' Bruce and Corey turned away sheepishly, scared of his reaction. On the other hand, Ross smirked as he was pleased with himself.
"What? It's the truth." Ross smirked, shrugging.
"Like Auri said so, I am not a toy! Go easy on me!"
"What's the big deal?" Auri asked, totally clueless. Then she finally notices small sparks flying off Leo's cheeks. "Look, you two, you need to get off of him right now."
"Let go of me!"
The twins didn't cease their torture on the Riolu. "Why?"
"BECAUSE YOU'RE HURTING HIM!" Auri screamed, finally losing her patience, uttering whimpers out of the twins.
"Look, calm down, young lady." Marina scolded. "They're only 7."
"I can't take it anymore. Sorry, Auri."
"I don't care about that right now! Leo, don't-"
"RIO…"
Leo, now pressed down by the twins, couldn't contain his power any longer. His sparks frazzled wildly.
"LUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!"
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Just like before, Leo's secret power electrocuted the people nearest to him, which included the poor twins sitting on him. Once done, he left them burnt to a crisp.
"Here's the electrocution…" Gary moaned as he fell down.
Ash shook off the shock before staring at Leo. Two and two clicked in his mind, the electricity and Aura Spheres…
"It's him, isn't it?"
Auri switched her state of electrified to surprise. Once realizing what the Pokemon Master was saying about her Riolu, she snatched Leo from the twins' clutches, hugging him close like a teddy bear.
"I-I-I don't what you're talking about!"
"Auri, you're choking me." Leo croaked out.
"The Aura Spheres was him, right? Not to mention the ThunderShock."
"We all felt that." Drew commented, arching his charred back.
"Must be something else! A Lucario or Pikachu did it, like yours running loose!"
"Pikachu hasn't left my side and my Lucario is at the lab, and my dad's Lucario stays with my mom."
Oops.
Auri felt the hot whip-lashes of panic. All eyes were on her and Leo. Fear for Leo's secret to be discovered ate her up, devouring her and her partner together.
Auri, in all of her quick thinking and deep intellect, fled.
"Hey, wait!"
The man gave chase after the girl, his longer and stronger legs catching up to the smaller girl.
"Wait a minute!"
"Leave us alone!"
"I just want to talk to you!"
"You just want my Leo! Well, you can't have him, not if I have anything to say about it!"
"I don't want him, I want to train him!"
She stopped her running and turned around, staggered.
"What?"
"I want to train him. He has moves Pikachu has and uses Aura. He's OK now, but he and you don't know how to handle that and soon he'll be out of control."
"I take care of him very well, for your information!"
"No one is saying that!"
"How can you help? It was your kids who were manhandling him!"
"They get that from their mother."
"Hey!" Ash's wife snapped in retaliation, greeted by those words as she and the rest of the gang caught up to him, watching him yell back and forth with the young girl.
"Leo is more important than a battle!"
"I'm not saying that!"
"You implied it!"
"Oh boy." Bruce uttered.
"He's attacking her weakspot." Corey palmed his face.
"Arceus knows how much she loves that Riolu." Ethan moaned. Memories of girl and Pokemon hugging ran through his eyes, followed by evidence of Auri's rather protectiveness.
The bump on his head still hurt…
"Is it me or does it look like Ash is arguing with himself?" Clemont asked while watching Auri and Ash raged on, oblivious to their audience.
"More like arguing with a girl just like his wife." Brock corrected.
"I said NO and I mean it!" Auri yelled her lungs out, her arms tightening more and more around Leo against her chest. He squirmed in her tight grip, sparks flying, the tightness suffocating him, knowing the squeezing was by accident, but he can't breathe! "Leo and I are doing just fine-AAAAHHHHH!"
Auri was engulfed in Leo's yellow electricity. After a minute of shocking her, Leo stopped and panted from the shocks he delivered today. His trainer stood in a burned mess.
"…Ok, maybe a little help could be helpful."
Ash grinned at her, ignoring what happened to her. The Riolu had just proved his point and finally convinced his bullheaded trainer.
"And after we train, we'll have our battle."
Auri shook out her burned state to stare questioning at him. "This sounds like a trick to learn my battle style."
"Smart but I just want to help. You don't want Leo to Thundershock the crowd by accident or send Aura Spheres their way."
She looked down on her feet. "I guess not."
"But what about the festival?" Dawn demanded.
"We still have an hour before the match don't worry."
Then he stuck out his hand to Auri, making her jump at the action. She hesitated, just staring at the hand offering help. Her eyes moved slowly up, up to the Pokemon Master himself, his kind smile bringing her mind to his choice. His twins peeped from behind his legs, smiling and grinning, a baby Pokemon mirroring them on each side, a Pichu beside Amber and an Azurill beside Aster. Pikachu even hopped on his trainer's shoulder, a hopeful face reaching towards Leo who peered admiringly.
Auri still wasn't sure whatever to accept. A part of her wanted to say, 'yes please' and the other pined to say, 'no means NO, mister!'.
Hands gently touched her shoulders. Auri glanced and saw Natasha towering over her.
"You can trust him, Aur." Natasha encouraged.
Auri looked uncertain still. But then she sighed and took the man's hand. He smiled and gently tugged her, the two of them, followed by his family, their friends and Pokemon to the Oak lab.
