Chapter 2.
Ash woke before the sun peeked over the horizon. He went about his morning routine before checking his messages. Professor Oak had sent him two, one from the Pokémon League and one from his mother. The first was about the little zubat. She was a little small for her age, but in good health. Her wing would heal and be as good as new in a few weeks. The next was about seel nearly destroying the lab as soon as he was let out. The League message was a congratulations on upgrading in rank to full Field Researcher, with a list of all his privileges and duties. His mother's was gushing about how cute and sweet his new pokémon were.
He sat back as he pulled up his pokémon list. With his ability to carry 12 pokémon he registered as 6 as his fighting team, which would lock the others during trainer battles. Ash stood he was burning daylight. He wore his black sweater that he wore the other day over a dark red t-shirt with black jean leggings tucked into his boots. Around his waist was a leather belt that had his 6 poké balls that were not registered as his fighting team and around his thighs were straps that held 3 poké balls each right at his finger tips. His hair was pulled into a braded high pony tail with his bangs framing his face. The last pieces that were added were his bolt choker, was the Ho-oh feather that he attached to his hair so it dangled along the right side of his face and last was a triple looped chain. Dexter was held in the center of his chest on the lowest loop, Pikachu's poké ball on the middle loop and a broken half poké ball on the upper.
With his backpack in place both pikachus jumped on his shoulders. As he left he picked up his special order package. The low light and cool air on his skin felt great. Not many people were up this early so the peaceful silence was broken as soon as he stepped out of the City onto the eastern route.
"Well, well. Look who I found." A voice that made both pikachus to growl. Turned toward the boy from the Cooking center.
"What do you want?"
"You got me in a lot of trouble with my mother." He glared as he stepped away from the tree he was leaning against. "So how about a battle? If I win you'll go on a date with me."
"What do I get if I win?" The boy laughed like that was a joke.
"A date with me."
"Yeah, d that isn't a win for me." The boy glared.
"Alright, I'll leave you alone."
"I could just call your mother and you'll leave me alone anyway." Ash turned to walk away.
"Fine double the prize money."
"Ok." Both of their pokédexs beeped. Looking down at Dexter Ash saw that the boy's name was David. David threw out his first pokémon. He grabbed a poké ball off his right thigh.
"Go Pidgeotto." The bird was a little on the small side but healthy.
"Go Sapphire." A deep metallic blue scyther was released from the metallic blue painted luxury ball.
"What?" David pulled up his basic pokédex and scan the scyther. A female voice called out.
"The mantis pokémon, bug/flying type. Scyther is blindingly fast. It's blazing speed enhances the effectiveness of the twin scythes on its forearms. This pokémon's scythes are so effective, they can slice through thick logs in one wicked stroke. (From the Ruby pokédex found on .) This scyther is a foot shorter than is normal and is of abnormal coloring."
"Are we going to fight or are you going to stare?" Ash asked watching as Sapphire was bouncing in it's spot with it's wings fluttering in mock flapping. David glared, but Ash's traced over his scyther noticing the imperfections, leftovers form the damage done by beedrills.
"Wing attack." Pidgeotto launched itself forward only to go through an after shadow. Scyther had her back toward the bird type with her head turn to look over her shoulder. The pidgeotto glared only to get hit by a steel wing being dropped on his head. "What?"
"Steel wing." Ash called out and watched as Sapphire vanished in the a burst of speed. Pidgeotto looked around after picking himself off the ground. Only to be sent into the ground by a steel wing. "So slow."
"What the?"
"Sapphire was build for speed."
"Return." David called his pidgeotto back only for it to take a viscous attack. "Huh?" as the bird was knocked unconscious.
"Pursuit."
"Gr. Go Cloyster." The purple shelled pokémon was released. He snapped his shell at the bug/flying type, who glared at the ice/water type.
"Ice beam." With a creepy smile the ice attack hit the crossed scythes. "Your going down." The ice kept going so he didn't notice the Scyther had a faint glow until.
"SYCTHER," Sapphire screamed as a it released the energy she built up. the cloyster was shot back into the tree. It didn't get back up. She was worse for wear as well. Ice clung to her wings and her legs and she was out of breath.
"What the hell."
"Bide." Ash raised an eyebrow at him like he should have known. "Your cloyster is fast using that ice beam."
"That bug should be a popsicle right now."
"Well. As you can clearly see she is still standing, but I can see ice resistance training in the future will be good idea." She looked at her trainer as Ash handed her an Aspear berry. When she eat it the ice melted off her. Sapphire leaned against her trainer as exhaustion set in. "Do you have another?"
"No." He growled out as he glared.
"I had not expected cloyster to be knocked out by the bide." Dexter beeped with the notification that the money has been added. "Well this is goodbye." Ash turned and walked off with Sapphire right beside him. Pikachu grumbled about not being the one to knock that cloyster in the dirt. As they made their way away from the city he returned Sapphire, once he was sure all the water was off her wings. Ash's thoughts turned to how he found her.
[Flashback.]
Viridian Forest was known for its' bug population, but with Misty making so much noise. It was near impossible to spot the more skittish bug types. So with careful movements he left his tent. Spotting caterpie looking at the bright moon with pikachu he made his way over. Misty was snoring away in her sleeping bag.
"What are you guy's talking about?"
"Caterpie" The small pokémon looked at his trainer. Ash looked at the butterfree dancing in the moonlight in the tree tops.
"Well before you know that will be you flying." Ash smiled as he was almost tackled by the caterpie and pikachu. "Shh. We need to be quiet if we want to explore. Well tour guide were to first." He looked down at caterpie as he settled him in his arms. Pikachu lay across his shoulders.
Caterpie talked as he used his nose to point. The forest was health and well groomed by the local hives of beedrills. Several hives were spread out across the forest, each was lead by their own queen. As they moved the started to notice the rapid decline in the health of the area. Ash stopped as the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Both pokémon sniffed the air.
"Cater. Caterpie."
"Pikachu." Caterpie shook his head.
"Okay a new sent so a new hive. A young hive." He noticed some of the trees was almost bear of all leaves with deep cuts in the bark. Ash bit his lip as he took pictures of the marks, the state of the trees and tracks. Dexter marked its location on a map. "They are encroaching on other hives' territory. A dispute could be building." His ears picked up a sound that had him moving.
Not far from them was a clearing with a badly poisoned deep metallic blue scyther. Her body had cuts and scratches all over. Many of the cuts where from beedrills as a purple hue surrounded them. The others he could only guess as other scythers or pincers. Moving forward he cursed himself about not having a heal ball on him. Pulling out a bottle as he leaned over. With carful movements he turned her head and poured the pecha juice into her mouth. Watching closely to male sure she doesn't choke with each swallow. Blurry eyes watched his movements.
With her stabilizing, he touched a poke ball to her forehead catching her. Ash was not liking this one bit so he moved back to his campo. Once back in the tent he released her and began working on her wounds. It was an up hill battle. It got better as the wounds were flushed out. It took most of the night, and when he did wake up. It was to Misty screaming her head off as caterpie had curled up next her. Scyther who had been watching him, now looked bewilder.
[Flashback end.]
A lick to his cheek snapped him back. He looked to Honey before facing forward as a hiker stepped out from behind a boulder. "Well, hello there." He boomed out. "I see you are a trainer, so how about a fight?"
"Sure." The two pokédexs beeped, Ash looked at Dexter and saw his name was Mike.
"Go Onyx." The onyx was huge almost twice the size of Brock's. gulping slightly Ash grabbed the red luxury ball with black lines.
"Go Obsidian." His graveler just smiled at the hulking rock snake.
"Not afraid of anything, huh?"
"Not really."
"What interesting coloring." He rubbed his beard. "Tackle."
"Magnitude." His luck didn't really hold out it seemed as it was a 2. The weak waves did send the onyx off course just a bit. Though not for long. "Hammer arm." The onyx went head first in to the hammer arm, knocking it backwards. "Now Rock polish"
"Constrict its' movement." The onyx wrapped around the black Graveler. Obsidian curled into a ball.
"Rollout." The hiker raised an eyebrow.
"Grav." Obsidian grunted as he started to rotate his body. It was slow at first but gained speed. Smoke started to rise from the around the graveler. Onyx roared in pain. He let go dropping the spinning pokémon to the ground. Hitting the ground Obsidian took off going in a circle to strike the onyx.
"Ho-ho." The hiker laughed as the onyx shook off the hit, only to flinch as pain sparked from where Obsidian had spin in his grasp. "Smart." Ash smiled.
"Graveler." Obsidian smirked at the glaring onyx.
"Earthquake."
"Magnet rise." Obsidian started to spin in the opposite direction and lifted himself over the quaking ground. Mike's eyes widen. Ash was looking the large onyx over and noticed it flinched. Was it burned? "Hammer arm." Obsidian launched himself at the opponent striking it's body.
"Body slam."
"Counter." The attacks connected and both pokémon were stopped in their tracks. Onyx groaned as it fell to his side as obsidian fell on his butt. Obsidian was barely awake, while onyx was unconscious.
"Well, looks like I lost." Mike said with a laugh. He pushed a spiky 'candy' into the onyx's mouth, waking it up. Ash was handing a bottle of oran juice. "Now, what type is he?"
"Normal rock/ground typing." Obsidian gave a thumbs up. The man nodded as he climbed up on Onyx's back.
"Well, we will be off. Good luck." Mike waved before onyx went up the mountain path. Ash leaned down to check Obsidian. As his hands moved over the graveler, brushing off the rough black sand to reveal a rough glassy black hide. He looked more like the real chunk of uncut obsidian he saw in the Pewter museum.
As he sat down to rest and allow Obsidian to recover his mind drifted to finding Obsidian. It was an interesting find. He had been poking around the mountain range that cut the forest from Pewter city's city western side, when he spotted a high ledge. So after tying a rope around his waist he released Pidgeotto and Sparta to hold onto the rope as he climbed.
With carful hand placement he made his way up, under the watchful eye of the flying types. Upon reaching the ledge he found a cave just behind the lip. So; after the rope was removed; he made his way inside. Not far into the cave he found jagged spires of red crystal and rubies coming out of the cave's walls, vaulting ceiling and floor. Near a rough twisting mass of black stone, crystal and ruby that stretched up to the ceiling, was a strange round ruby mass with cracks of obsidian through it that was taller than him.
A deep rumble echoed off the cave walls as the ground trembled, causing him to fall on his butt. Ash watched in horror, as the jagged sphere slowly stood up. Deep red eyes glaring down at him from a Golem. Another rumble had him looking up to see strange looking golem peering down from high up on the wall. Before pulling itself close to the wall and going back to sleep. Tons of black geodude and graveler where gathering along the high rises watching him.
Except for one who got right in his face with an excited greeting. He screamed out in surprise. Ash held his cheat as his heart raced. The golem rolled her eyes as she picked up the geodude. It had been terrifying, but he got Obsidian, the young geodude who was super excited. Ash was still confused about the strange looking golem. He looked down at Obsidian who looks better.
Ash stood getting obsidian to stand as well. Looking up at the rock wall, before he pulled up Dexter. Seeing the mountain range he moved to climb up to get a look around, Obsidian climb behind him. Reaching the top he found a decent landing with an overhang. Looking out didn't show much but forest, but the sun was setting. He sat with his back against the wall as the got the fire going. His mind went to Rin. Rin was had been a small gray weedle, that he had ran into right after he left the samurai's hut.
He had been on his way to find the hive that had his metapod. Ash had been walking through the forest listening for the buzz of beedrill. Only he almost stepped on the little weedle. She was a chatty little thing wondering who he was, why he was in the wood, why he was so close to the nest, and any other questions that popped into her mind, as she lead him through the nest. The hive queen was a deep forest green with brown in place of the normal black and stood 5'08," making her very intimidating. The queen laughed as the weedle explain everything and didn't let him talk much. It had been a mind blowing experience.
He had learned that the reason that they took metapod was to protect him from the noisy aggressors. With the knowledge of the younger hive he understood. even telling them where he found the sightings. Which she was grateful for. Ash sat beside metapod under the tree and spoke to him about what happened. It wasn't long before Misty showed up and Team Rocket attacked. Much to the hives annoyance. It was hectic so he hadn't notice the gray weedle sneaking into his backpack.
With a groan he released all his pokémon. The luxury balls on his thighs held Obsidian, Pikachu's lightning ball, Rin's Black and gold ball, Sparta's a red and black feathers, Pidgeotto's tornado ball and Sapphire's metallic blue ball. The luxury balls on his waist were Butterfree's green and blue ball, a deep purple with aqua green spots ball, Honey's storm ball, Nova's golden ball, a white ball, and a jade green ball. Out of the Purple and aqua green ball came Spore an aqua green paras with deep purple mushroom caps with light aqua green spots and stems. The white released the small white frostbite the zubat, and the jade green one released Jade a green sandshrew.
Ash found Spore when exploring Pewter city. He was around the old watermill on the east side of town that Flint had shown him. The river was carved by the melting winter snows from the north mountain. The lake it emptied into was clear and warm making it a good place to swim. Looking in the build he saw several deep purple cap mushrooms with light aqua green spots and stems growing inside.
Blinking he looked around area and found several more in the underbrush and dead leaves in the younger tree patch. Following them lead him to a darken overhang where he found several aqua green paras with the purple cap mushrooms on their back. A large parasect with a deep aqua green mushroom with a light purple spots and legs was laying in the back. Their claws dug into the forgotten logs that had been swept in there a long time ago. It was a cool sight. What he had not expected was to be followed by a young paras.
Ash woke up to see her siting on his chest talking to pikachu, who looked to amused. Returning to the overhang he found nothing. Both pokémon had laughed at the silly trainer. He was not really amused by their actions but he got attached to her by the end of the day.
Jade was a different story he was found in Mt. Moon. He had been buried in the rubble from the metronome explosion. Ash woke to the sound of his cry and followed it. The little one had been curled into a ball when he was trapped. After sandshrew ate and drank he clung to Ash for the rest of the night.
Ash seat back as his fingers worked the little zubat's wing. "How about the name Frostbite?"
"Zu," the zubat cried happily at his trainer. He snuggled into the boy's lap. As gentle fingers worked out the stiffness in his healing wing. Setting Frostbite down by Honey he moved to make food for them.
The next morning he set up a training routine. He pulled out what looked to be 12 black band sets. The bands where specially decided to be weighted without the bulk of weights. The weight is digitally adjustable by pokédex. He slipped each set on their wings, arms tails, legs, and across their chest and then himself. Ash started his own exercise. Nova, Rin, Honey, Sapphire, Spore, and pidgeotto were chatting away amongst them selves. Pikachu groaned to himself, but kept his work out. Frostbite was the only one not exercise with the bands. With his wing still recovering he was only able to do light stretches to help loosen the muscles.
Ash and his team made their was through the forest. With Sparta, Butterfree, Pidgeotto, Sapphire, and Rin were flying over head; Honey, Pikachu, Spore, Nova ran along the path as Obsidian and Jade rolled. He was jogging along with Frostbite in his arms keeping a close ear on the younger members of his team. It has been a few days since they left the city but they where making progress. The panting group only stopped as their stomachs growled as they entered a common camping site.
It was a nice clearing with a fresh water stream pouring from the cracks in the rock face. A stone lined fire pit was in the center and stone seats and a stone table where relatively close to the pit. Setting his backpack on the table with Frostbit, he began digging through it pulling out three cases. The first was like a metal briefcase which expanded when he pushed the button on the front. Inside was a cutting board, a cast iron skillet and a collapsible hanging stewpot in the bottom; with several cooking knifes and other utensils were snapped into the lid. The Stewpot was hung over the fire once it was halfway filled with water. After starting the fire he removed the cutting board, a small knife, a wooden spoon and a ladle. Along with several collapsible bowls that where inside the pot.
The next was a vacuum berry case that also expanded before he opened it. It had kept all the berries separated in shrunken cases. The last was similar to the berry case that held many different filled food containers organized, separated and ready to eat. Snapped in the lid were the pokémon food canisters, on the right was dozens of different bottles filled with handmade juice and on the left were food containers.
Frostbite watched as his trainer pulled out several pecha and oran berries as the others were cooling down. he got a piece of oran berry to munch on. Ash diced the berries and put most of the pecha slices into the boiling water. The rest where mixed with the oran slices in a bowl with a little boiling water. He pulled out and unshrunk several pokéfood canisters. Pouring the food into the bowls. Dry leafy food topped with the berry mix for Sapphire, Rin, Butterfree and Spore. Honey's food was shaped into balls with honey drizzled over top, and Pikachu's where sticks with ketchup. Jade's and Obsidian's where mostly dry mineral heavy with a few oran slices. Frostbite's Pidgeotto's and Sparta's food was an even mix of meat, eggs and topped with fruit. Nova's was mostly meat with veggies and topped with fruit. With them taken care of, he pulled out some sandwiches and a spoon in the remaining slices.
Ash used the wooden spoon to stir the boiling water, before adding a few oran slices and another pecha. He sit down to start eating when he heard something walking toward them. Sighing he bit into his sandwich. The pleased sounds his team was making was a good sign. He turned to look at Sparta. Sparta was bigger than yesterday and his brown feathers had gained a red hue and his red wings had darkened to look almost like blood.
He did not have to wait long for a tired trainer to enter the clearing. When the trainer breached the tree line; he stopped spotting the large group of pokémon. With a gulp to clear his throat. "Hello. I. I. I challenge you to a fight,"
"Spear." Sparta clicked his beak with a glare. He was clearly annoyed at this trainer for distracting his trainer from his meal. Flock mothers, especially young flock mothers, need to eat to grow strong.
"Um," Ash eyes shifted toward Sparta with a tilt of his head, "can I eat first?"
"Yeah, sure." He squeaked out under that glare. His eyes shifted nervously to and from te gathered pokémon. The sweet smell of pecha berries filled the air. Ash finished his sandwich as he stood up. With a quick check of the pot, he made sure the pecha and oran berries had boiled down. The boy's stomach growled Ash looked at him before sliding a sandwich to him. "Thanks." Ash stood as he finished off the berries. He began to bottle the juice. With two cups placed on the table. He put the bottles in a net and dropped them into the stream to chill, staking it into the ground.
Taking a drink of the pecha juice he turned to the other kid. The other took a drink of his as he relaxed a bit. He looked around at the different colored pokémon and trying to placed their typing as Ash started to clean up. "So you wanted to fight?" As he slipped the last case into his backpack.
"Yes." The kid stood up looking ready. They moved to the other side of the clearing.
"Okay, Sparta," the spearow launched himself to his trainer's side. Ash took off the weighted bands. Flying just over his trainer's head he glared at the other trainer.
"Go Rattata." Their pokédex beeped. Showing the other's name to be Tristin. "you know just cause you're a girl doesn't make this a contest battle."
"Quick attack." Ash glared as he spoke Sparta vanished from the other trainer's sight. The impact sent the rattata flying back in a blink. The rattata was unconscious.
"What just happened?"
"We have been training his speed and power. He is a little salty that Obsidian evolved before him." The spearow snapped his beak at his trainer and hissed at the laughing graveler.
"Go rattata." This one was bigger than the last. He stood on his back legs. "Agility." The rattata glowed red as he flexed his muscles."
"Sand attack." Ash called out and spearow basically caused a sandstorm with his wings. Everyone, but Pidgeotto and Spearow had to cover their eyes.
"Quick attack," both trainers screamed over the wind. The rattata was launched out of the sand vortex. It was knocked out. Sparta stayed air born as the wind dyed down. None of his feathers were out of place. Tristian glared at them, as spearow cawed in victory.
"Spearow can't learn sand attack."
"Pidgeotto does though and she has been showing him how to do it." Ash shock sand out of his hair, "he apparently still needs to work on it."
"I lost," he whined as he kept his eyes on the spearow. It was the largest one he has ever seen.
"We all lose from time to time." He thought about Hiker Kyle whipped his team with an onyx and a golem yesterday. He held up his arm for spearow to land. With nimble fingers he slipped the bands back onto his wings, across his chest, and on his ankles. After making sure that they weren't causing him pain he launched Sparta back into the air.
"Maybe you could beat AJ at his gym."
"A gym?" At the nod Ash pulled up the map on Dexter. "I don't see any official gym around here."
"Um, he is around our age."
"Then he runs a training camp."
"Huh?"
"A gym has to be made official through the league and is shown up on all available maps. A training camp can be opened by anyone. This allows for a balanced training with larger courses and fields." The boy's eyes widened.
"How do you know that?"
"How do you not? It was covered at any Poké-academy."
"Must have missed that class," rolling his eyes. Ash pulled the reusable bottles out of the water and dried them off before dropping them into his pack.
"Okay, lets go check it out." He returned all his pokémon to let them rest. Pikachu and Honey jumped on his shoulder after he put on his backpack. With the luxury balls where in place he turned toward the boy. "Well lead the way." The boy nodded and off they went. Every now and then Ash's fingers would rub the electric sacks in either pikachu's face.
"Do they have a name?"
"Some do have nicknames, but some don't." Ash surrounding forest. "This is Honey, I've had her since I was seven. Pikachu is my official starter."
"Oh nice. They look great."
"Thanks." Ash's eyes caught a hallow space under the thick underbrush. "Wait a moment please." With that he ducked into the space. Thorns tugged at his sweater, hat and hair. He slid under a log as Honey and Pikachu jumped on the log. Entering the grotto sun filtered through the tree tops down on the soft clovers that blanketed the ground. A small brook bubbled under an oran berry tree. Before he could move forward a teal caterpie dropped down in front of his face. It blinked at him in confusion.
"My aren't you pretty." With a beaming smile, he watched as it moved a bit closer. He gently rubbed his hand down it's back. Getting a coo from her.
Cat." Big purple eyes looked at the dual pikachu.
"Pikapi, pikachu." Pikachu nodded causing caterpie to look at the trainer, before nodding. Turning toward the trainer who shook his head laughing.
"So you want to come to me?" at her nod he held out a poké ball, "Do you want a nickname?" she tilted her head a moment before nodding. The caterpie gave a happy cry. "How about Breeze?" The caterpie tilted her head in thought; before giving a shy nod.
"Okay, girl you will be going to see Professor Oak and my mother. As I have a full team, ok?" she nodded and touched the poké ball. Once she was caught the ball teleported away. With the help of Honey and Pikachu he picked a few ripe oran berries. He did find an dirty sturdy disk buried in the dirt at the base of the tree.
Returning he handed one to Tristin as the resumed their walk. He acted like the front of his clothes wasn't caked in mud. While Tristin kept glancing at the strange girl beside him. Ash just ignored the looks he was getting.
When they walked out of the trees they saw a log perimeter fence. The top of nice large tent was peeking over the top. The sound of rustling caught their attention. Ash rolled his eyes as Misty and Brock came out.
"Good luck, I'll be heading to the Pokécenter."
"Thanks and goodbye. Travel safely." Ash waved as Tristin took off with a wave of his own. Ignoring the other two trainers he pushed opened the gate. A trainer stood in the center of the training field.
"Welcome to my undefeated gym."
"Training camp." Ash said absent mindedly as he looked around. Dexter was floating just over his right shoulder. A notepad and pen had appeared in his hands.
"What?"
"Are you a registered trainer with an official starter?"
"Yes and sandshrew is my official starter. Look just he isn't one of the three." Ash held up his hand looking confused.
"Let me stop you for a moment." Ash shoved the pen behind his ear; like he saw The Professor due time and time again. "Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander are given to the top three students in all of Kanto. Trainers can obtain them through the finding the in the wild which is rare, pay a breeder for one; which is expensive; or have a parent breed theirs, but theses are not registered as starters. So most new trainers start with a more commonly found pokémon. I started with Pikachu here." AJ looked thoughtful, but nodded. "Now," taking his pen, "have you been here since the start of your journey?"
"Yes, but we will be leaving once we have 100 wins."
"Well you are close." Ash made a few notes. "Have you excepted every challenger that has came through those gates?"
"Yes," AJ watched the pretty omega pick up his sandshrew and give him a full health check and jot down on his notepad. "Has someone accused me of something?" Ash looked up from were he was gently using the pen to open sandshrew's mouth to look at his teeth and blinked.
"My sister asked me to check out a report of a trainer using a whip on his pokemon." Misty said glaring at the duo. AJ looked at her confused. Before his eyes trailed back to the omega, who was looking at Misty confused.
"Misty should have said, 'Daisy, the acting Gym leader of Cerulean City.'" Ash said rubbing his hand over the Sandshrew's back. "There are no signs of mistreatment. He looks to be in perfect health, Nurse Joy would need to do a true physical for an official clean bill of health.
"What do you know?" Misty snapped, glaring at the younger trainer. AJ gave a small growl, before blinking in shock. Ash just rooled his eyes at the young Alpha's growl.
"A lot. I am a field researcher for the regional Professor, Samuel Oak." Misty gapped at him.
"What, you're only ten." Brock looked shocked at Ash.
"It is a perk of being tied with the top three for the top spot of our region. We spent four months learn and being tested over everything a researcher needs to know. Then passing the final trail given by the Professor." Ash turned to look at AJ. "Now trainer AJ, do you have any more pokémon?"
"Well of course."
"Well that makes this a training camp instead of a gym." Ash said as he grabbed Dexter, who had been typing the information in a League form with pictures. He made sure the needed fields were filled in correctly; before he sent it to AJ's pokédex.
AJ pulled out a basic sandy colored pokédex. He read, signed, and sent it to the League. Refreshing his map allowed him to see a tent icon with AJ on it where he was standing. "That was fast."
"It's early in the season so not many are making training camps. It is mostly older trainers who have teams that they have already caught." Ash rubbed his temples trying to think of anything he might have forgot. Gary would have no problem explaining this. "Remember," he pointed at AJ, "that when you continue your journey, pick 6 pokémon and send the rest to your designated location. Many send the to their Regional Professor. Some send them to a trusted parent/parents, grandparents or a trusted local professor."
"My setup is with Professor Oak." AJ looked amused. Ash nodded.
"Then send a notice to the League and they will remove the map marker." Ash stood straight and stretched; popping his back. Honey snickered at him, as Pikachu looked amused. Making his way to the opposite side of the field to AJ. "Now that is done. I challenge you to a Battle." AJ beamed and snapped his whip on the ground. Sandshrew to jump onto the field at the silent command
"You use a whip?" Misty shirked, but was ignored.
"Silent commands, impressive." Ash said and watched AJ puff up and sandshrew released a squeaky laugh at his trainer. "Go, Sparta." The Spearow appeared, circling once before landing on Ash's shoulder. He was fully rested.
"He is bigger than last time." Brock had his right hand on his chin in thought as he looked at the bird.
"Did you dye his feathers to make him more intimidating?" AJ ask have seen a few who did dye and style their pokémon.
"No. all my pokémon are all natural." Ash ran his fingers through Sparta's chest feathers. "He has a higher level of testosterone than is the recorded average." (Did you know: male lions with high testosterone levels have darker manes.) Sparta glared at the orange haired girl. As if he would ever allow his feathers to be dyed. "Ready." He undid the weighted bands.
"Spearow," Sparta launched himself off his trainer's shoulder.
"Hey man." AJ looked over at Brock. "You know how to referee?" Ash had to bite his lip to keep from laughing.
"Yes, I am a gym leader." Brock said stepping toward the referee's position. "Both trainers ready?"
"Ready," they said the same time.
"Begin."
"Rock Throw." AJ called with a snap of the whip. Sandshrew hurled a huge chunk of the field at the normal/flying type. A shrill whistle had his wings coated in silver, shattering the rock. "Steel Wing?" even though AJ groaned, he looked impressed. With a crack of his whip another rock was thrown and shattered. Ash's next whistle was softer and had Sparta vanishing from sight.
He appeared just as he struck Sandshrew. Sending flying back and rolling to a stop at AJ's feet. Both trainers and pokémon blinked in shock.
"Battle over. Winner the challenger." Brock called out. They moved toward each other. Sandshrew was sulking as he followed AJ.
"What just happened?"
"You did not remove his training harness. It slowed him and gave him more weight. That he had to try to stop when he was thrown." AJ groaned, but nodded. "My name is Satoshi Ketchum, but friends call me Ash." He said just loud enough for AJ to hear, as they shook hands.
"Spearow." Ash turned to look at Sparta only to look away from the brilliant white light that radiated from the evolving spearow.
Once the light died down Ash got a clear look at Sparta, the Fearow. He blinked in shock. The normal brown feathers that cover fearow's body was a blood red for Sparta. Instead of the light patch in between his wing on his back was a darker red. The crest on his head and tip of his wings, was a deep black. While his beak and feet where bone white. Crimson eyes glared down at them.
"Fearow!" The battle cry had Ash moving. He jumped on fearow's back with his arm around his neck. Using his momentum and weight to flip the larger; but not fully grown or use to his new height; fearow onto his back. Sitting on his chest with his hands on Fearow's neck. Keeping Sparta's head up and keeping his head down as Sparta started to fail. Sparta's wings kicked up dust, small stones and chalk, as his talons clawed at the air to flip himself over. Those sharp talons cut Ash's hair-band sending it flying loose in the flailing. His sharp beak was snapping as he squawked and swung around. Both Pikachu were waiting for the command.
"Sparta!" Ash yelled into fearow's chest causing the bird to freeze. He turned his head so his crimson eyes could locked with Honey brown. Sparta suddenly had his wings wrapped around as he cooed at his glaring training. His large beak began to groom its way through loose black hair. With a groan Ash pushed at the wings, so he could stand.
Reluctantly Sparta released his trainer and was helped onto his own feet. Ash brushed back the loose black strains oh his hair that wanted to cling to his face. Only to blink as right in front of his nose was his hat being held to him by AJ. "Thanks."
"You're welcome." AJ looked a bit flushed.
"You ok?"
"Yes, but I am not the one to tackle an angry Fearow. Are you ok?"
"I'm fine. Sparta was ready to fight something. Anything that got in his way." Ash began grooming the Sparta's feathers to remove the debris.
"I had heard fearows can be a handful and hard to work with."
"There are Pokémon that you need to show who is still in charge and it didn't change just because they did." AJ laughter but nodded his agreement.
"What the hell," Misty said unable to look away from the gleaming blood red feathers that darkened at their base. She watched in growing horror as the bird was gently encouraged to spread his massive wings. "No Fearow should look like that." That got Sparta to snap his beak at her.
"Well you saw him evolve." Ash rolled his eyes as he measured his wingspan. "You are going to be bigger than the average fearow once you grow into your wings." Sparta chirped at him. Ash noted that Sparta went from 2'04" spearow to a 3'09" fearow. So he had to be wiped out. "Get some rest. Tomorrow will be a long day for you." As both pikachu cheered about his evolution when a boy busted in.
"Finally I found it." He cheered. He had short brown hair with light blue eyes and about a year older than them. "AJ, I've." He stopped at the sight of fearow. "What did you do to that pokémon?"
"What?" Everyone looked at the boy confused as the boy started to rant about pokémon abuse.
"I'll avenge your pokémon, my lady." The boy yelled. Ash was ignoring him in favor of the fearow, who was enjoying His fingers were gently plucking the remaining spearow feathers from between the larger fearow feathers. AJ smirked at the disgruntled boy.
"I except your challenge." The battle was a one-sided sweep. AJ's sandshrew dominated over the boy's Rattata and Butterfree.
"Inconceivable. How did I lose," he whined.
"AJ has been training longer than you."
"What did you just say?" This caused Ash to sigh.
"AJ has a training camp and so has longer training periods than a traveling trainer. Looks like you only need one more win."
"I do." AJ nodded as he beamed.
"Also AJ has never abused his pokémon. The whip is a training tool and it causes trainers to lose focus." Ash held a red feather up to the sun. "Besides Sparta just evolved and this is just his natural appearance now." He caught the sight of a beedrill and butterfree buzzed in with a backpack. "More pokémon."
"Yes."
"May I see inside?"
"Sure." All four people ended up going inside the training tent, as a bell rung. All of AJ's pokémon slumped from their rigorous training. "It is time for a break. Take a seat it time for lunch." AJ walked to the mini fridge. As Ash dug into his backpack; pulling out 3 bowl, two canisters and three small bottles. Sparta shoved his head beside his trainer trying to smell his food.
"Sparta, I know your hungry, but please. Give me a moment." Ash giggled at his silly bird. He put some of Sparta's food into a bowl and poured a little bit of oran juice over it. Sparta almost knocked it from his hands; as he tried to dig into it before it was placed down. Shaking his head Ash moved to fixing Honey's and Pikachu's.
"So, do you make your own food," Brock asked looking at the containers.
"Yes. They are made with special diets in mind."
"I make my own as well." As they were talking Honey and pikachu were talking with sandshrew, who had taken off his training harness. Pikachu slipped off his training bands, while Honey asked about his training routine. She blinked in shock as suddenly Pikachu looked like a yellow marble being struck by a lightning bolt. She giggled.
"Chu." She ran to drag Ash to save pikachu from looking like a lightning rod.
"Oh my." Ash said sounding like his mother; much to Honey's amusement; when he saw pikachu. "Can you remove the harness?"
"Yeah, sure." AJ sounded amused. "Hey, Where is Sandshrew?" He looked around as he undid the harness.
"Maybe," Ash started as he scooped up Pikachu.
"He ran away." The other boy called out looking board.
"He would never do that. We made a pact to get stronger together." AJ growled as he moved forward. Ash grabbed his arm.
"Maybe he went to the bathroom." AJ relaxed. "Um, that wasn't there before, was it?" he nodded to the tent.
"No, it wasn't." AJ rushed to the tent and picked it up. Under it was three set of tracks, two sets of crawling and a set of meowth prints. A strain of long red hair was caught in the zipper. "What the hell?"
"I think I might know who took him." Ash groaned as he pulled the red hair loose. "Team Rocket."
The sound of the ground cracking had them turning to the center of the tent. The ground opened up as Sandshrew unhappily pushed his way out of the hole. Meowth was still 'biting' his tail. "Sandshrew." AJ hugged his pokémon knocking the meowth off. "Now what were you doing on my pokémon's tail?"
"That is Meowth, he works with Team Rocket." Misty said getting a gulp from the scratch cat.
"Jessie, James where are you?"
"He talks." The other boy squeaked.
"Prepare for trouble." As Ash locked eyes with the older blue haired Omega of Team Rocket. He tilted his head at the knowing look the other was giving him. Humming as he was pulled back as a fissure ripped the ground apart. Looking up he saw AJ looking down at him with a smirk on his face. Pikachu was glaring and Honey was on Sparta's back with Dexter taking picture.
"Well. That is your 100th win, isn't it?"
"It is." AJ beamed, "We can finally start our journey.
"Sandshrew." Sandshrew cheered with his trainer.
"Pika-chu." Honey and Pikachu cheered for their new friends. AJ cupped Ash's face and placed a kiss on his forehead. "Chu." Pikachu gave him the stink eye and Honey cooed.
"Travel safely and I'll see you at the tournament." AJ said looking at Ash, who nodded with a shy smile. They went their separate ways.
1. Honey (Pikachu)- Female.
· Height: 1'01" / average: 1'04"
· Weight: 12.6lbs / average: 13.2lbs
· Color: Golden honey color with jet black markings.
· Luxury poké ball: Storm.
2. Pikachu - Male.
· Height: 1'08" / average: 1'04"
· Weight: 14.6lbs / average: 13.2lbs
· Color: Normal.
· Luxury ball: Lightning.
3. Sparta (Spearow/Fearow)- Male.
· Height: 2'04" (F: 3'09") / average: 1'00" (F: 3'11")
· Weight: 5lbs (F: 80.7lbs.) / average: 4.4lbs (F: 83.8lbs.)
· Color: Darker red wings.
· Luxury ball: Red and black feather.
4. Butterfree - Male.
· Height: 3'05" / average: 3'07"
· Weight: 69.5lbs / average: 70.5lbs
· Color: Normal.
· Luxury ball: green and blue.
5. Pidgeotto - Female.
· Height: 3'10" / average: 3'07"
· Weight: 69.8lbs / average: 66.1lbs
· Color: Normal.
· Luxury ball: Tornado.
6. Sapphire (scyther)- Female.
· Height: 3'05" / average: 4'11"
· Weight: 126.5lbs / average: 123.5lbs
· Color: Deep metallic blue.
· Luxury ball: Deep metallic blue.
7. Obsidian (graveler)- Male.
· Height: 3'06" / average: 3'03"
· Weight: 244.7lbs / average: 231,5lbs-242.5lbs
· Color: Black glassy body.
· Luxury ball: Ruby with obsidian lines
8. Rin (Beedrill)- Female.
· Height: 3'08" / average: 3'03"
· Weight: 68.5lbs / average: 65lbs
· Color: Black with gold markings and bands
· Luxury ball: Black and gold lines
9. Spore (paras)- Female.
· Height: 1'03" / average: 1'00"
· Weight: 12.9lbs / average: 11.9lbs
· Color: light aqua green body with a deep purple cap mushrooms with light aqua green spots and stems.
· Luxury ball: Deep purple with light aqua spots
10. Jade (sandshrew)- Male.
· Height: / average: 2'00"-2'04"
· Weight: / average: 26.5lbs-88.2lbs
· Color: Green
· Luxury ball: Jade Green.
11. Frostbite (Zubat)- Male.
· Height: 1'03" / average: 2'07"
· Weight: 10lbs / average: 16.5lbs
· Color: White
· Luxury ball: Frost.
12. Blackice (seel)- Male.
· Height: 4'08" / average: 3' 07"
· Weight: 210lbs / average:198.4lbs
· Color: Dark gray
· Luxury ball: Black ice.
13. Nova (Charmander)- Female.
· Height: 1'05" / average: 2'00"
· Weight: 15lbs / average: 18.7lbs
· Color: Golden
· Luxury ball: Golden.