Hello everyone, here is the start of a story that's been in my head for a while now. I hope you all enjoy how it's starting off! This is the first story I'll have written in a long while, so I hope I'm not too rusty! This is being cross-posted to AO3 under a different username in case you would rather read it over there instead.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
What was it that made a Pokémon Master?
It was a question that Ash had been asking himself a lot lately. Was it the close bond between the trainer and their Pokémon? Was it the strength they had after years of training? Did they hold the title of Champion in every region? Or did they simply capture every Pokémon species in the world?
Ever since his victory in the Alolan league, Ash had been doing some thinking about his dream. The dream that he had pursued ever since he was a child. Seven years of traveling, beating gyms, capturing Pokémon, and entering Leagues in what seemed like a never-ending cycle. Getting so close to victory - taking a momentous step towards achieving his dream at last - only to have it snatched away from him in the end was frustrating. First due to his own incompetence as a trainer and then against trainers more skilled or experienced than him. Once, it had even been against a trainer who used legendaries. In that instance, he had been proud of how far he had made it and the accomplishment of being the only one to defeat two of that trainers Pokémon.
Finally, however, he had won a league. He had battled against numerous skilled trainers who could all have gone on to potentially win the tournament and come out on top. Yet after finally winning, he felt… empty.
What was he supposed to do now? Journey to another region to participate in their league? Did he really want to go through same cycle again? Wasn't there something better he could do?
Ash blinked when he felt a small, furry paw poke his cheek. "Pi?"
He smiled at the small yellow rodent on his shoulder. "I'm alright, Pikachu. Just thinking."
Pikachu tilted its head in confusion. "Pika?"
He reached up and scratched his partner behind the ears. "Just about what I want to do with my life is all. Don't worry, it's nothing you need to worry about."
Pikachu eyed him warily for a moment, then sighed in acceptance.
"What about you, Pikachu? Anything on your mind?"
Pikachu tapped his paw against his chin. Then he nodded and shot Ash a smile. "Cha! Pi pika Pikachu!"
"You want ketchup when we get back home?"
Pikachu nodded. "Pikachu!"
Ash chuckled and stroked his partner's head. Pikachu had a one-track mind whenever it came to food, just like his trainer. Unlike him, Pikachu had an unhealthy love of ketchup though. All these years and he had never once come close to learning why.
The two traveled in comfortable silence after a bit more mindless banter. Or as much as a Human and Pokémon could have anyway. He may not have able to completely understand his partner, but Ash and Pikachu had been together so long that he could understand the meaning behind Pikachu's words from his body language.
Ash looked towards the sun. It wasn't noon yet, so there was no reason to stop. Besides, he was close enough to Pallet Town that he could skip lunch for an early dinner. Though, why his mom had told him to be out of the house for most of the day had been strange. More so because of the reason than her not doing it. She'd said that she was busy prepping the house for some reason and that she couldn't have him around, even when he offered to help.
His mom could be so weird sometimes.
His trainer could be so weird sometimes.
For the last few days, Ash had been trying to hide the conflict raging inside his mind. To Pikachu, it was as clear as day what was going on though. He did this every time they lost at the League. He was always doubting himself when they lost, no matter how much he tried to hide it. It usually only lasted a week or so before he bounced back to his usual, charmingly oblivious self.
This was different though.
Not just because they had won the last league. Not just because it had lasted longer. Ash seemed to be thinking more than usual and every time Pikachu looked at him, he could see these forlorn looks on his face. At night – when everyone else had gone asleep – he'd seen Ash leaving the house to go do… something. He never came back until early in the morning before everyone was awake. It showed too – his eyes were bloodshot and baggy. He moved sluggishly most of the day and missed things he normally never would. He'd nearly seen him walk into a tree multiple times today alone!
The rest of the team hadn't noticed yet, and he was determined not to tell them. He'd enlist their help if he needed them, but Pikachu was determined to help Ash himself for the time being. Now he just needed a strategy beyond giving his trainer space since that hadn't worked so far.
Now that he thought about it... the team might be the perfect way to lighten Ash's mood. Spending time with all their old friends was always fun. It always seemed to cheer Ash up when he saw everyone getting along. Perhaps Ash's mom could even help. She no doubt saw the change in Ash as well and would be doing everything she could to lighten his mood. Together, Pikachu was certain they could help his trainer.
"There it is Pikachu. Pallet Town." His best friend declared. "Beautiful, isn't it? Every time we're home, I just can't help but smile. I think we'll stay a while before we leave again."
Pikachu smiled. It was as if the legendaries who controlled the skies had decided to offer them a nice, clear day. He knew it was only going to get better after that when he went to see the other Pokémon at the ranch. He wondered what kind of surprise they'd have for Ash and him when they arrived.
When people thought of the police, the images that came to mind were rarely flattering for those that swore to serve and protect. After the numerous eras in policing of corruption and incompetence - all of which ended in the suffering of the average folk - it was understandable they weren't held in the highest regard. Even with years of trying to make up for that at this point, the police just didn't have the trusting relationship they needed with those they were supposed to serve. Of course, given that the latest string of criminal gangs in recent years had all been felled by children or Champions, it didn't help to refute the belief that the police were incompetent.
Which made questioning victims difficult for Officer Jenny when they were traumatized and afraid of the police at the same time.
"Ok, let's go over this one more time." Jenny tried to sooth the young trainer – who couldn't be any older than 10 years old - sobbing in front of her. "You were heading to Mauville City when three men ambushed you roughly a mile from the city gates. Can you tell me what they looked like?"
The boy sniffled pathetically. "T-they were wearing these black uniforms with big, red R's on the front of them. They had these big, black caps that blocked their faces. I'm sorry... I don't know what they look like beyond that."
Red R's? That presented a problem. "Did they by any chance happen to spout off a motto before they attacked? A flamboyant one that mentioned rockets and used an abundance of poses?"
The boy shook his head. "N-no. They just appeared out of nowhere while I was breaking camp and then attacked me with Pokémon I've never seen before." He shivered and suddenly looked up with frantic eyes. "I-I tried to fight back, I promise! But they were just so strong and no matter what me or my Pokémon did, they weren't even hurt. They took my Kirlia and they... they..." Tears gathered in the edge of the boy's eyes and he buried his head in his arms.
Jenny had to suppress a grimace. The boy had been found just outside the city limits on the back of his Mightyena - battered and bruised as though he had done the fighting instead of his Pokémon. Problem was that his Pokémon looked in worse shape than he had - broken bones, internal bleeding, and severe cases of poison in all cases. It was only recently that he'd been declared well enough to talk about what had done this to him.
Even so... the trauma of being attacked and left for dead by those you had no hope of defending against wasn't something you could ever truly get over.
She needed to tread carefully if she wanted to prevent him from having a break down.
"Shh, it's alright. There was nothing you could have done. All that matters is you survived and managed to reach the city." She tried to smile reassuringly for the young man. "I can promise you this: once I'm done here, me and all the other police in the city won't rest until we've found those who attacked you and get your Kirlia back to you."
"You promise?" Despite the situation at hand and the grim reality that justice might not be served, hope blossomed in the young trainer's eyes.
She hated that she had to lie to not crush that hope. "I promise. We've been tracking these thieves for years now and are close to catching them. With all the help you've given us with this interview, I can tell we'll catch them in no time." The words tasted like ash in her mouth.
Catching them was nearly impossible, even after all these years of trying.
Jenny glanced out the window of the small room and saw her captain standing outside.
"Now, I have to go give this report to my captain. Would you like to call your parents and let them know you're ok?"
The boy nodded hesitantly. "C-can I call them alone?"
Jenny smiled. "Sure, honey. Just let us know when you're done, and we'll take you wherever you need to go."
The moment Jenny shut the door behind her and left the young trainer to his privacy, her captain beckoned her to follow him.
"Alright, Jenny, tell me what we've got." Her captain was a gruff, experienced man with years of police work under his belt. Years working under him had taught Jenney that giving him the straight facts was the best option, regardless of what they were.
"Another case of stolen Pokémon, sir. He says that he was ambushed not far from the city by men in Team Rocket uniforms, beaten down completely, and then had his Kirlia stolen from him." She explained.
He sent her a searching look. "And he said that what he saw was Team Rocket uniforms? That it was only a Kirlia that was stolen?"
Jenny shook her head. "No, sir. He said they black uniforms with large red R's on them alongside a black cap that concealed their face. It wasn't much of a leap from that description to Team Rocket, sir. As for his Pokémon... I don't think a kid would lie about having his Pokémon stolen."
Her captain sighed. "No, I suppose he wouldn't. Damn it. That's the twelfth time this week alone. What does Team Rocket want with all these Psychic types?"
That was the question on every officer's mind across the region. Everywhere, reports of trainers being attacked by Team Rocket members and having their Pokémon stolen was becoming the norm in every police department. What made this strange, though, was that the only Pokémon they targeted were Psychic types. They left all other types alone, even those that they had beaten to capture those Psychics. It was so unlike their usual MO that the police had assumed it was a copycat gang attempting to shift the blame for their crimes onto Team Rocket.
The fact their usual motto was never used during any of these attacks made classifying the assailants as Team Rocket difficult, but no investigation had been able to say that it wasn't.
"Sir, if I can make a suggestion." A quick nod from her captain implored her to go on. "We should have patrols at least a few miles around the city limits to search for these criminals and escort trainers into the city so they can't be attacked."
"That will be harder than you think to do, Jenny. We're already stretched thin in the city searching for Team Rocket and responding to other crimes as it is. We don't have the manpower to do routine checks outside the city as well." The captain shook his head ruefully. "We could always call the Rangers, but they're more focused on the problems of poachers and Pokémon environments than trainer attacks. Until we can find a reason to call them in, we're on our own."
Jenny couldn't help but sigh. She wasn't surprised, even if she was disappointed. The Rangers dealt with the Pokémon related problems while the regular police dealt with the human ones. It seemed like such a good idea in theory. Each force trained to deal with different kinds of problem while allowing the other to handle the kinds you couldn't. Now if only that theory had worked out in practice.
"So, it's all on us to handle the problem, sir?" Jenny shook her head. "Of course. I'll wait until the kid is done calling his parents and then take him wherever he needs to go."
"Once you're done, report back here. We can't have any idle hands nowadays. Not with the state the region's in."
"Mom, I'm home!"
"I'm out back, Ash! Come here, there's something I want you to see!"
He blinked. What was so important he had to go see it right now? A quick glance towards Pikachu showed he didn't know either. "I wonder what's going on. You know anything about this, Pikachu?"
"Pika." The shake of his partners head confirmed that he didn't know either. Well, it couldn't be a bad surprise, right?
When he pushed open the door, Ash expected to find his mom out back with Mr. Mime preparing lunch or gardening. Maybe even Professor Oak and Gary out back too if they were both in town.
"SURPRISE!"
He hadn't expected to find a crowd of nearly all his friends here in his backyard alongside nearly all the Pokémon he had ever captured. Picnic tables had been stacked full of food from all kinds of regions, streamers and various other party ornaments were decorating the trees and garden, and his friends were all holding up a large 'Congratulations, Ash' banner. Confetti and party blowers were even in the mouths of his Pokémon.
The only ones not there were his friends from Alola.
He waved confetti out of his face and smiled. Pikachu hopped off his shoulder and dashed towards the other Pokémon in the back. His friends almost immediately swarmed him to offer him their congratulations and bury him with questions. He laughed. "It's great to see you guys again!"
It was honestly a little much to keep up with since they were all talking at the same time. Seeing them all again had filled him with… warmth? Joy? Regardless of what exactly he was feeling, seeing all his friends again was overwhelming. He tried to answer all the questions that he could, but they all seemed to blend together. Say what you would about his friends, but they were always the kind of people who wanted to know how he was doing.
Mercifully, he felt two pairs of hands grab his arms and pull him from the crowd of people. Glancing up, he smiled at the sight of Dawn and May. Out of all his traveling companions, they had to be the two he was closest to… not that he would ever tell the others. He wasn't prepared to see their hurt faces or deal with Misty's mallet.
"Thanks for that. I was getting a little overwhelmed before." Ash laughed and rubbed the back of his head. "What are you all doing here? Shouldn't you all be on your own journey's?"
Not that he didn't appreciate them coming to see him. If anything, seeing everyone here made him forget all his troubles, even if only for a moment.
"Your mom called us all after you won the league. She arranged for us all to come visit you." May pulled him towards the table of food. His mouth was already watering from the smell and sight of it all.
Speaking of May, she looked different than the last time he'd seen her. While she was still sporting her orange vest and tight black shorts as he'd last seen her, he had a green bow in her hair instead of her old bandana. Even then, she had an air of confidence about her that she hadn't had before. Like she was more confident in herself and what she was capable of.
"We all came as soon as we heard to celebrate you winning the League!" Dawn laughed and pulled him into a tight hug, disrupting his musings. "You were so great this year, Ash. I knew you'd win from the beginning."
He smiled at her confidence in him and wrapped his arms around his friend. "Thanks. It's great to see you again, Dawn. You too, May. I've missed you both. How've you been doing recently?"
Dawn for her part was different as well. Unlike the last time he'd seen her, she'd added a nice ruby red winter coat and a long, winding white scarf to her attire. It actually made a lot of sense now that he was looking at it. Sinnoh was the coldest region in the world. It was pretty strange looking back that she hadn't been wearing that stuff when they travelled together. The magic of hindsight and all that….
May smiled. "It's been going good. Me and Dawn got to have a rematch in our last contest. Now we're tied for wins after I won this time."
Dawn rolled her eyes and disentangled herself from him. "Maybe this time, but don't think I'll let it happen again. I plan on winning the next time we compete against each other."
"I'd be disappointed if you didn't, Dawn."
Ash snickered at their behavior and piled the food onto his plate. The rivalry between May and Dawn had been something he hadn't expected. In a way, it was like seeing two of his students facing off to prove who was better. Not that he'd ever call them his students. Really, all he'd taught them was the basics of being a trainer. At least their rivalry was better than his and Gary's had been – or worse, his and Paul's.
He looked up and smiled when he saw his mom and the others all approaching him. He set his plate down and pulled her into a warm hug. She'd gone through all the trouble of getting his friends to come visit. She was the perfect mom.
"Thanks for doing this, mom. It's so great to see everyone again."
His mom nodded and rubbed his back. "I thought you'd enjoy the chance to see all your friends again, so I called them all. Your friends from Alola couldn't come though. They were all busy, but they said you should call them soon. They want to make sure you're settling in back home."
"It's alright. I'll call them as soon as I get a chance." His eyes slipped past her and to the group of people behind her. At least they had decided to leave his Pokémon alone for the moment.
Almost everyone being here like this to congratulate him on his victory - every one of his former traveling companions putting their own journeys on hold to come here and celebrate with him warmed his heart. People that he hadn't seen or spoken to in years were here and now he had to chance to reconnect with them. He could even see his Pokémon all getting along again and welcoming Pikachu back. It was a shame that he'd left his Alolan Pokemon back in Alola, but he was certain he'd get them all to meet one day.
Though the diabolical looks on many of their faces - and the look of utter regret on Pikachu's - told him they were planning something he probably wouldn't like. He really hoped it wasn't like the last time they had gotten those looks on their faces.
He suddenly didn't feel very safe anymore. He felt he should warn the others, but for what… he didn't know.
The criminal underworld wasn't nearly as unorganized or violent as many liked to believe it to be. People liked to believe that it was chaotic and primal; people giving into base instincts and killing over simple desire. The reality was that it was all business. Supply and demand; real estate; pest control; every service provided in normal society was provided in one way or another by the criminal underworld as well.
It was this same principle that made manipulating the criminals so easy.
The sound of shuffling papers drew Domino's attention to a man - a sniveling, overweight man in a suit two sizes too small for him with a greedy look in his eyes - sitting across from her.
"It was a pleasure doing business with you, Ms. Domino." The perverse grin on the man's face made her skin crawl. "I can already tell the partnership between my family and Team Rocket will benefit us all."
Domino had never failed any task that Giovanni had given her. When she had finally managed to gain enough renown within the organization - when she had done the grunt work of stealing mediocre Pokémon and helping out the admins - she had been approached by the Boss himself. He had given her a mission meant to prove herself. When she had finally completed it, she had been made one of his personal agents. The highest honor of any Rocket agent.
So, she had to force a smile onto her face. "You've made a wise decision, Mr. Algilani. Team Rocket always makes sure its friends are well taken care of." Her voice was filled with such false, saccharine kindness that she almost worried he'd call her out on it.
Luckily, he was dense enough to think it was genuine.
"Now about what you owe us..."
Mr. Algilani nodded. "Of course, Ms. Domino. We can't be partners if we aren't both fulfilling our duties." He slid a thin yellow folder across the table towards her. "Mrs. Burk will be staying in room 314 of The Bisharp and The Gardevoir for the entire weekend. She should be arriving in Viridian City within the next few hours. I don't know why you people are interested in an art connoisseur of all people, but far be it from me to tell Team Rocket of all people what to do."
Domino only half listened to him as her eyes scanned the contents of the folder. Everything was here. Up to date photos of what the woman looked like; her usual habits; her schedule; the layout of the event she would be attending.
Despite being in a room with people she detested, a genuine smile spread across her face. Giovanni would be pleased to hear that their new allies were more than incompetent mobsters clinging to the past. Even if their leader was a fool, they knew how to get the job they were assigned done. They'd make excellent cannon fodder for taking over Saffron.
"I take it you're pleased?"
Domino nodded and closed the folder. "Very. The Boss will be pleased to see he made the right choice. I'll be sure to contact our people and have the money transferred to your accounts."
Mr. Algilani's grin seemed to split his face in half with a set of pearly white teeth. "Wonderful. Before you go, Ms. Domino, would you like something to drink? I have a fine selection of wines that the rich and famous could only dream of."
Domino chuckled. "Well, I guess since the Boss isn't here, I should celebrate our alliance. Alright, pour me a glass. Red wine, please."
Mr. Algilani snapped his fingers. "Get to it, boys! Let's show Ms. Domino that her boss made the best choice allying with us instead of the other fools in this city!"
Domino rolled her eyes. Truly, mob bosses were such easy people to fool. They were either overly cautious patriarchs or narcissistic fools waiting for a knife in the back. Both were so predictable and easily manipulated, if in different ways. Both kinds were complete fools for believing they were partners with Team Rocket.
Domino looked forward to the day they could do away with them all.
"You were so cool this last tournament, Ash! That battle with Pikachu and Tapu Koko was amazing!"
Hearing Max's excitement at his battle was enough to warm Ash's heart. It'd been too long since he'd seen Max and his enthusiasm when it came to Pokémon was infectious. His pure joy for battling and raising Pokémon was able to make him forget about his troubles.
Was this what it was like to be around him when he was excited?
"I would have had Pikachu focus on dodging instead of trying to meet Tapu Koko's attack head on, but that's just me." Max boasted.
Ash couldn't help but laugh and ruffle his smaller friends' hair. Max never meant anything when he said he could do things better. It was his way of helping you improve, even if it wasn't ways so obvious.
Max had grown in the years the two had been apart. While he still wore the same kinds of clothes, he was much taller now, almost as tall as Ash himself. He wore a large backpack no doubt filled with all the survival supplies one could ever need and had a pair of white fingerless gloves.
"Pikachu didn't have enough energy to dodge it, Max. Its battle with Tapu Koko had tired it out and I thought the best way to end it would be with one full power attack." He laughed sheepishly. "And in the end it worked."
"Speaking of your battle, Ash, where are the other Pokemon you used?" Brock inquired.
To his credit, Ash thought he managed to hide the surge of bittersweet emotions he got when he thought about his Alolan Pokemon. "They're back in Alola with the Professor. I thought it'd be best to leave them there. I figured they deserved a break after everything they did."
"Speaking of that, we heard from your Mom that you spent a lot of time there helping people. Always the selfless trainer, huh?" Misty complimented.
Serena giggled. "He's always rushing off to help people. It's his first instinct. He can't help it."
"Yeah. If he weren't such a kid and a little more mature, he'd be a genuine superhero with how much he rushes off to help others." Iris teased.
Everyone - Ash included - laughed. "Well, it is one of his best qualities. If someone needs help, Ash will always be the first person there to help them. It's what makes him so endearing." Cilan added.
Ash blinked as an idea came to him. "Hey Max, you've started your journey now, right?"
Max nodded, bobbing his head up and down curiously. "Yeah, I have. I decided to start my journey here in the Kanto region before I tried to compete in the Hoenn League. Why?"
Ash smiled. "Well, I promised to battle you when became a trainer, didn't I?"
Max's eyes widened. "You did! I can't believe I forgot that." Max groaned and pulled on his hair, shaking his head. Ash just smiled at the childish display of frustration. "Alright then! Can we battle now?"
Ash glanced at his mother. He didn't want to ruin any plans she had.
She just giggled and waved off his worries. "It's fine, sweetie. Just don't damage the house or the garden and it'll be fine."
"Alright then. Who do you wanna battle against, Max?"
The answer was immediate and unsurprising. "Pikachu!"
"Alright then, let's get started!"
Ash couldn't suppress the wild grin on his face as he prepared for the battle ahead of him. Max had been a student of his - someone that he had taught just as much as Brock had. The ability to not just see Max begin his journey but be the one he had his first official battle as a Pokémon trainer with was enough to make him almost more excited than a battle with a rival would have.
"Alright Pikachu, you ready? Let's give Max everything we've got."
Pikachu nodded and pumped his tiny fist in the air. "Pika!" He hopped off his shoulder and towards the battlefield. Static electricity was dancing in his round red cheeks, and the fierce determination that always lingered in his body language was shown off the everyone.
Max raised a miniature Poké ball before he enlarged it. "Alright! Ralts, come on out!"
Before everyone's eyes materialized small, white humanoid a white gown with two large red horns protruding from its green head. It looked around the battlefield for moment, exuding an aura of curiosity. When its eyes landed on Ash and Pikachu, though, that curiosity changed to fierce determination. It looked back at Max and nodded.
Well, at least Ash knew that Max had been talking about him to his Pokémon now.
"Hey, Max, this is that same Ralts that you helped out back when we were traveling together, isn't it?"
Max nodded. "I promised her that she'd be my partner when I became a trainer."
"Alright then, I hope you and Ralts are ready!" Ash tipped his hat to his beginner friend. "I'll give you the first move."
Max flashed a smile his way. "Thanks. Ralts, use Hypnosis!"
Ralts nodded in compliance with her trainer's orders. Though her eyes were unseen, she glowed as the latent psychic energy it held engulfed its body and focused its attention squarely on Pikachu with the hopes of sending Ash's partner into a forced sleep.
"Pikachu, dodge with Quick Attack then close in with Iron Tail."
Not a moment passed between the end of Ash's command and Pikachu's execution. One moment Pikachu stood there while the psychic energy of Ralts closed in on it, the next it was a flurry of motion too fast for the eye to see. He zigzagged around the battlefield, too fast for the inexperienced Ralts to keep up with. He then leapt into the air and his tail glowed brightly as it took on a metallic coating. With a battle cry, it spun down towards the earth with the intent of slamming into Ralts.
"Ralts, use Teleport!"
On que, Ralts dematerialized before everyone's eyes mere moments before Pikachu slammed his tail into where it she was used to be, kicking up a cloud of dust and debris.
"Ralts, try and sense where it is psychically and then use Psychic!"
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack so it can't sense where you are!"
A white blur sped out of the dust cloud towards Ralts. Despite her best efforts, Ralts couldn't get a bead on Pikachu and suffered for it when he slammed into her headfirst. Ralts was sent flying backwards, tumbling along the ground before stopping in front of Max.
"Ralts!" He cried out in alarm. "Are you alright? Can you keep going?"
Slowly, Ralts struggled to push herself to her feet. Once she managed to, she looked back towards Max and nodded reassuringly at him.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash ordered when he knew Ralts was alright to kept battling.
For a brief moment, Ash saw panic shoot through Max's eyes before it was replaced by a realization. "Ralts, teleport around the battlefield randomly! Don't stop until I tell you too!"
Lighting surged across Pikachu's body and he was enveloped in an all-too-familiar electric yellow glow. With battle cry, the Thunderbolt surged from Pikachu towards the Ralts on the opposite side of the battlefield. Before it could strike, though, Ralts teleported out of the way.
"Pikachu, keep using Thunderbolt until she gets tired from teleporting, then use Iron Tail!"
What followed was a battle to see who could outsmart the other. Ralts would always rematerialize in the most unexpected of places but would only have a fraction of a second to teleport away again before Pikachu would launch off another powerful Thunderbolt. Every time, dust was kicked up and new, small patches of scorched earth were left in the previously serene grassy field.
It had turned from a standard battle into a competition of endurance. Unfortunately for the Ralts, its inexperience as a battler was its downfall as it rematerialized behind Pikachu - noticeably exhausted with a flushed face. It couldn't teleport away anymore. The same Thunderbolt that had struck down pseudo-legendaries, contended with actual legendaries, and even managed to take down a Rhyhorn by aiming for its horn made complete contact with Ralts.
With a cry of pain, Ralts collapsed when the Thunderbolt ended and fell backwards, swirls in its eyes.
"Ralts!" Max rushed towards his fainted Pokémon and cradled her in his arms.
Ash approached him with a smile plastered across his face and a purple bottle in one hand. "You did great for a first battle, Max! You're definitely better than I was when I first started out." He extended the Potion in his hand towards Max.
Granted, that wasn't exactly hard to accomplish. Pikachu wouldn't even listen to him in the beginning. To think that they'd come so far from the rookie trainer and his arrogant Pikachu they used to be.
Max graciously accepted and sprayed his fallen partner. "You really think so, Ash?"
He nodded. "I know so. You're just inexperienced. Once you've gone a bit farther with your Ralts and manage to beat a few gyms, I know that you'll be an amazing trainer."
Max blushed and scratched the back of his head. "Thanks, Ash. It was really fun battling you. I learned a lot from this. Next time we battle, I'll have a strategy to help me and Ralts win!"
Despite being sore from her recent battle, Ralts let out a little cheer and raised her fist in agreement. The gesture threw Max into a fit of laughter.
Ash chuckled and turned to his own partner. "You did great, Pikachu. Why don't you go enjoy the ketchup over-"?
"Buneary!"
"Glaceon!"
"Pika-!"
Sadly, the cries of two Pokémon desperate for a reunion with his starter and the two blindingly fast forms tackling Pikachu to the ground interrupted Ash. The result though... that was anything but sad.
Pikachu - deathly pale and stiff as a board - was pinned to the ground beneath two Pokémon. Buneary, the small bunny Pokémon that Dawn had captured and was known to have a crush on his partner had wrapped her arms around his sides and was nuzzling his cheek with her own. Glaceon meanwhile - the Eevee that they had once travelled with and helped May raise - had pinned him beneath her and was staring down at him with a teasing glint in her eyes.
The look Pikachu sent him was pleading and had a message clear as day. A moment of silence passed as the two partners shared a silent message with only their eyes. Only partners who trusted each other completely could do that successfully, and Ash was certain he had gotten the message.
If that was what his little buddy wanted, that's what he'd do.
"Alright, Pikachu, I'll leave you three alone."
Ash had thankfully already turned around, otherwise he would have seen the look of utter betrayal on Pikachu's face as he was condemned to his fate.
He had no idea why everyone else was laughing though.
"That's him? The kid in the hat is our target?"
"Yeah. Boss says the kid can't be allowed to keep going as he is. Thinks he's a threat."
"That kid? He's barely even seventeen!"
"That kid took down all of our major competition. Don't underestimate him."
"Jessie and James were at least told to stay away, right? We can't have them screwing this up."
"Ha! Don't worry, the boss made sure they knew what would happen if they went anywhere near the kid in the next few days. Now it's all on us whether we succeed or fail."
"No pressure, then."
"Hey, he's just a kid like you said. He won't even know what's going on until it's too late."
Viridian city was the great green gem of the Kanto region. While Saffron may have been the capital and connection between Kanto and Johto, and Celadon city was the economic heart of the entire region, Viridian city simply had a natural charm to it. Its streets were filled with people from all over the world who had come to visit the lush green forests of Kanto.
It was also the nerve center of a multi-regional threat that had grown exponentially in a period of only a few years. While the average citizen or tourist went about their day with smiles and Pokémon battles, Team Rocket grew in strength in the shadows, and no one suspected a thing.
Well... except for the International Police anyway.
For Anabel – a rookie within the International Police – it was an honor to be selected to accompany a veteran agent to an incredibly important operation. Not only would it allow her to learn the ropes from a professional, but it also let her visit other regions and experience what they had to offer in a way being a frontier brain couldn't.
She wouldn't let sight seeing get in the way of her job here though.
"Uhm... sir? Could you remind me where we're going?"
Looker hadn't been what she'd expected when she heard she'd be getting on the job training with one of the agency's most infamous members. She'd expected a dark, brooding man with a past shrouded in black ink. Or a woman who could beguile anyone with her charm and had the resourcefulness to take out any enemy. When she'd met Looker, he'd completely defied every expectation she'd had. To think that she'd spent sleepless nights worrying about making a fool of herself.
When Looker glanced at her, it was with the patience of a teacher. "The Bisharp and The Gardevoir hotel. You remember why we're here, Anabel?"
Anabel nodded sharply. "Yes sir! To investigate the rumors of corruption within Viridian city, root out Team Rockets agents, and establish a foothold within the city. To do that, we're meeting one of our largest supporters in the city."
She'd stayed up reviewing the parameters of their mission for the past few nights. Any agent worth their salt knew that the better you understood what it was you had to do, the better you could prepare. She didn't want to mess up this assignment – her first real one that wasn't simulated or done in support with a full team of agents. It was just her and Looker here.
"Good. Just remember to act naturally so you don't alert Team Rocket to our presence in the city. Remember the training we gave you and everything should go smoothly." Looker gave her a mock glare. "And I told you not to call me sir! Looker will do just fine. 'Sir' makes me feel old."
She'd never understand his aversion to being called sir. It was a sign of respect that he had earned the right to lead others. "Of course, sir."
Calling him Looker just didn't feel right to her, but she wasn't going to argue. Maybe once they were more comfortable around each other she'd be better at being less formal.
She shifted anxiously in her seat and stared out the window of the cab. For all the strangeness of Kanto, no one could deny that it had a natural beauty that you just couldn't find anywhere else in the world. "Sir. Are you sure we can trust our contact in the city?"
Looker gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm positive. Our contact is someone we've worked with before. He's helped us apprehend dozens of criminals and corrupt officials before. Not too long ago he helped us catch an entire Team Rocket cell here in the city."
Anabel gained a hesitant look on her face. "If you say so, sir. If he's supported us before and disrupted Team Rockets operations before though, doesn't that mean he's a target?"
Team Rocket never had tolerated those who interfered in their business. It actually followed a formula and varied in terms of how brutal their retaliation was. If it was relatively minor – inadvertently interfering or providing help to the ones who really interfered – it was usually a simple case of murder or blackmail. Those who destroyed their facilities or captured entire cells… the horror stories that survivors would tell was enough to explain how Team Rocket handled people who opposed them.
That was one thing that assured her that Team Rocket was among the worst criminals in the world. Even as a rookie, she had access to files and reports about the stuff they did. She'd read far too many about young trainers thinking they could be heroes and ending up dead or broken for their troubles. It was what made their smoke and mirrors routine so infuriating. All the public ever thought of when it came to them was morons dressed in black who flew around in balloons and shouted horrible mottos.
If only the truth about them was more widespread… maybe then the methods the International Police used wouldn't be necessary.
Looker's laugh broke Anabel from her thoughts. "Most likely, but he's more than capable of defending himself against whoever they send against him."
She tilted her head to the side. "You seem to have a high opinion of him, sir. Have you met him before?"
"I have. We may not agree on some things, but he's a skilled trainer. He's taught many young, inexperienced trainers important lessons. When we meet him, I'm sure you'll understand right away why I do." He eyed her for a moment. "You're asking a lot of questions."
Anabel blushed and attempted to hide her face in her shoulder. This was so embarrassing! "I-I'm sorry, sir!"
Looker held up a hand. "No need to apologize." He assured her with a kind smile. "It's good that you're asking questions. The more you ask and talk to people, the more you'll learn. In our line of work, knowing even the most inconsequential of details could end up saving your life."
Feeling much less embarrassed now that she hadn't made herself look like a fool in front of her partner, Anabel nodded. "Of course, sir. I'll be sure to remember that." She said. "Then if it's alright, can I ask what the plan is? How are we supposed to even start our investigation?"
"That's what our contact is going to help us with. The general plan though is to start from the most likely to have been turned and work our way up. Without him giving us a list of suspects to start with, we wouldn't be able to establish a safe-house here at the same time."
The cab came to a stop. "Alright you two, we're here. Enjoy your stay in Viridian city."
Looker nodded and pushed open the door. "Thank you. Anabel, pay the man and grab our bags."
Anabel sent him the most confused look she could. "What?"
"Rookies always carry the bags and pay the bills. Don't worry, you'll get to do it to when you mentor a rookie. Now no complaining."
Anabel sighed. Lazy bastard. "Of course, sir. Right away, sir."
With a resigned sigh, she grabbed the bags from the trunk. Despite their deceptively large size, they were actually fairly light. With a frown, she walked towards the cab driver and handed him a roll of cash. Far more than the drive to the hotel should have cost.
"We were never in your car."
The driver grinned. "I'm sorry, who are you?"
With an accepting nod, she walked onto the sidewalk next to Looker and took her first look at 'The Bisharp and The Gardevoir' and it… was a sight to behold. A statue out front of a Bisharp and Gardevoir crossing arms above the entrance with stylish gardens tended to constantly by gardeners and their Pokémon.
"This place looks nice." Anabel had only the barest traces of awe in her voice. For a strange region like Kanto, it sure did know how to build some impressive buildings. "When will we be meeting our contact?"
Looker glanced towards the lobby doors and saw them slide. "Right now. Here he comes."
Out stepped a tall, older man in a stylish black suit and tie that must have been one of a kind and worth more than all the money she'd earn in a lifetime. Despite his age, he had a soft facial expression and a confident, commanding aura around himself that made him seem far younger than he really was. Perhaps most impressively, a regal looking Persian walked at his side.
"Giovanni. So good to see you again." Looker plastered a smile on his face and stuck his hand out towards him. Seeing Looker smile was nothing new, but that one was genuine. Not like all of the other half-hearted ones he gave out on a daily basis.
Giovanni returned the smile and returned his handshake. "You as well, Looker. I see the agency decided to finally give you a protege after all these years. Tell me, what's your name, young lady?"
"Anabel, sir." She curtly responded. She could feel Looker rolling his eyes behind her back, but she didn't look. That would be disrespectful.
"Charmed. Come then, let me and Persian show you inside. I've set up your temporary headquarters on the 20th floor. Once we're there, I'll fill you in on everything you need to know about the city."
"Thank you, Giovanni. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't even have any information to go off of." Looker told him.
Giovanni's grin turned oddly predatory. It was… unsettling. "Believe me. It's my pleasure to help you."
The next day, Ash found himself in Viridian city with the others. Despite him wanting to stay home, they had insisted that he come to the city for a big celebration. Apparently they had planned even more ways of celebrating beyond just having his friends visit.
What followed was a hectic trip to the city. His friends took him to see rare Pokemon from far off regions. They'd entered him in a local tournament – which he'd won, much to his joy. Clemont had even shown some of his new inventions and allowed Ash to test them out for him. All of it had been fun. He'd been able to spend more time with friends he hadn't seen in so long.
Unfortunately, it also left him drained. Staring up at the night sky, he frowned. The day had been good, but with nothing left to occupy him, his mind wandered back to thoughts of the future.
Maybe a nighttime stroll would help clear his head and give him some clue about what to do. He told his group that he'd be going for a walk for a few minutes before returning.
The walk… didn't help. All it did was make him more uncertain about what he was supposed to do now. To continue on the path laid out before him was one that promised an adventure to exotic places, meetings with new people, and battles with exotic Pokemon. To choose a different one, though… he'd need to give some thought to what he would even do instead of continuing his journey.
"Sir? Sir, can you help me?"
Ash was distracted from his thoughts by a blonde girl. Something about her seemed familiar, but he couldn't figure out why. She looked distressed. "Is something wrong?"
The girl nodded quickly. "My Pokemon was hurt from a battle recently. Please, can you help? It's too heavy for me to move on its own and it hates going in its Poke ball."
His nodded, eyes filling with determination. "Of course! Lead the way!" As it turned out, it wasn't far at all. She led him to a small alley near a large hotel. He glanced around the alley. "Where's your Pokemon?"
The sound of a Poke ball opening drew his attention behind him. "Right here."
Before he could say or do anything, his eyes were drawn to the small pendulum the Pokemon was carrying. His eyes glazed over, and his posture went slack. The last thing he heard was the mysterious girl giving orders to her Pokemon.
"Nice work, Hypno. Now, let's have Ash here pay a visit to poor Mrs. Burk."
And there we go. I hope you've all enjoyed the first chapter. Let me know what you think and about any speculation you have! My plan for this story is to keep it light with a few serious elements thrown in to keep the adventure exciting. I'll see you all in chapter 2!