Viridian Battle Chateau
Hennessy led Ash and Serena over to a desk where a smartly dressed women was stood next to a computer. "Madame, I have one Serena Yvonne here, and she will be competing for her first time."
The women smiled and pulled out a clip board. "Very good, Hennessy." She then gave it to Serena. "Young madame, if you'd be so kind, please fill this out."
"Of course." Serena stated.
Once she completed the form, she gave it to the woman. "Thank you, madame." The women entered the information into the computer and hit enter producing a card which she gave to the blond. "Here you are. You'll need this card as it will permit you entry and track your rank."
Serena tilted her head in confusion. "Rank?"
"At the Battle Chateau, you don't receive gym badges, frontier symbols, or anything like that." The women smiled. "Here, you compete in four person tournaments and raise your rank by coming out on top.
Baron/Baroness, Viscount/Viscountesses, Earl/Countess, Marquise/Marchioness, and Duke/Duchesses. Once you become a Duke or Duchess, you earn the right to challenge the Grand Duke/Grand Duchess of the region you participate in for their rank."
"Imagine if I could become the Grand Duchess of Kanto." Serena smiled. "It would be amazing." She looked at Ash and blushed. "I'd get the trophy and Ash would be there beside me."
"Since you are registered, I would like you to head over to those maids." Hennessy stated snapping Serena out of her thoughts. "They shall take you to the Baroness' changing rooms." He then looked at Ash. "If the sir would follow me, I will take you to the spectator area."
"Right." Ash gave Serena a thumbs up. "Good luck out there Serena!"
"Thanks Ash." Serena stated gratefully before joining the maids.
Baroness Changing Room
Serena's eyes lit up upon seeing all the clothes available. To her, this was fashion heaven. The girl sped about the room putting together the 'perfect' outfit. Once she had it, Serena spent the remaining time working on her hair.
When the girl was done, she was wearing a long pink dress with short sleeves, pantyhose on her legs with elegant pink flats to match, and on her head is a sparkling pink headband. Not to long after finishing, they were calling for her over the intercoms.
"Baroness Serena, please make your way to battle room one."
"Alright." Serena took a deep breath. "Time to get out there."
Battle Room 1
"Welcome everyone to the first match of an official Battle Chateau Tournament." The announcer spoke to the gathered spectators. "Our participants are Baroness Serena and Baron Calem."
The two trainers came out with Serena being shocked as she was facing her cousin. Calem had medium length black hair with matching eyes. He wore a dark red cap; however, his usual attire was switched for a blue suit with white lining.
"May our participants curtsy and bow, respectively." The announcer declared.
Calem bowed with a genuine smile. "I'm excited to see what you can do as a trainer, cousin."
Serena suddenly realized where she was and quickly curtsied. "Uh… y-yeah. You to."
"Now both participants may choose one pokemon to battle." The announcer declared.
Serena and Calem grabbed a pokeball.
"It's battle time Chespin!" Calem declared.
He threw his pokeball releasing the pokemon, and Serena took out her pokedex:
Chespin, the Spiny Nut Pokémon. Chespin can flex the soft spikes on its head, making them so stiff and sharp, they can even pierce through stone.
Serena took a deep breath. "Eevee, I choose you!"
She threw out the evolution pokemon. Although she was a little intimidated in front of so many people, Eevee stood her ground and took a battle position.
"Begin!" The ref declared.
Baroness Serena VS Baron Calem
"Alright Eeevee, let's start with tackle." Serena instructed.
Eevee charged Chespin intending to hit him.
"Dodge Chespin." Calem declared. "Then, attack our opponent with vine whip."
Chespin was easily able to dodge the charging pokemon. Before she could turn around, Chespin shot out vines which slammed into Eevee hard.
"Eevee!" Serena shouted in shock.
The evolution pokemon hit the ground hard, but she was determined to rise back to her feat.
"Let's wrap this up with a rollout!" Calem declared.
Chespin tucked and rolled fast at Eevee.
"Oh no." Serena shouted. "Get out of there Eevee!"
The evolution pokemon had just recovered and couldn't dodged the rolling pokemon resulting in her being knocked back. When she hit the ground, Eevee had swirls in her eyes.
"Eevee is unable to battle, so the winner is Baron Calem." The ref declared.
Calem returned Chespin and bowed to his cousin before exiting the room. Serena made her way over to Eevee and picked her up, cradling the little pokemon in her arms. She just stared at the unconscious normal type wondering what went wrong.
"Calem and I are the same age and rank." Serena thought troubled. "So, why did Eevee lose?" Her thoughts were cut off as Eevee grunted in pain. "I can't think about this now. Eevee needs medical attention."
Serena took off while returning Eevee to her pokeball. She quickly changed back into her normal clothes and ran back to the pokemon center.
Pokemon Center
Serena ran into the medical building and handed Eevee to Nurse Joy who left to heal her. She then moved to sit in a booth and stare out the window.
The battle kept playing through her mind. "It was my first official battle, and I lost bad."
She only snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a familiar voice. "Serena."
It was Calem who didn't sound like the kind cousin she knew. If anything, he sounded stern.
"Oh, hey Calem." Serena stated sadly.
"You were pretty naive, ya know?" Calem stated firmly.
"What do you mean?" Serena asked.
"What I mean is that I know you haven't been a trainer for long." Calem took a seat across from her. "That means you haven't done much in the way of proper training with Eevee." Serena tried to come up with something, but she couldn't deny her it.
"Every facility, made for trainers, is not meant to be taken lightly. Like me, I bet every trainer who signed up has been preparing for this tournament. I personally knew my Chespin and how best to make use of him."
Serena sighed as she was beginning to understand where she failed. "So, what should I do?"
"First, you got to apologize to Eevee." Calem replied. "Then, you should spend time catching more, spending time with, and training pokemon. Do that, and you may be prepared the next time you participate in a Battle Chateau."
Serena was silent for about a minute before nodding. "You're right Calem." She gave him a slight smile. "I forgot how good you are at telling me what I need to hear."
"Now, I need to get back before I lose my place in the tournament." Calem stood. "I'll be back to catch up once I'm done."
Ash ran into the lobby, past Calem, and over to Serena. "Serena, are you alright?"
While Serena liked Ash being concerned for her, she wasn't going to let him stay that way. "Don't worry, I'm fine." She smiled. "I'm still down to have lost, but my cousin helped me understand why."
"Your cousin?" Ash looked back towards the entrance. "Oh, come to think of it, he came to visit you in Pallet town a couple of times, right? So, Calem decided to journey through Kanto, huh?"
"That appears to be the case." Serena nodded.
As they were talking, their attention was drawn by an explosion coming from the entrance. Ash immediately moved over there with Serena following. They noticed two teens were stood in the entrance. It was Butch and Cassidy from the wanted posters.
Cassidy: Prepare for trouble...
Butch: ...and make it double!
Both: Here's our mission, so you better listen!
Cassidy: To infect the world with devastation!
Butch: To blight all people in every nation!
Cassidy: To denounce the goodness of truth and love!
Butch: To extend our wrath to the stars above!
Cassidy: Cassidy!
Butch: And Butch, of course!
Cassidy: We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day and night.
Butch: Surrender to us now or you will surely lose the fight!
"Team Rocket?" Ash crossed his arms before looking at his friend "Hey Serena, why does that name sound familiar?"
"Ash, they're two of those people we saw on the wanted posters." Serena replied. "Botch and Cassidy."
"It's Butch you brat!" Butch exclaimed angrily.
"At least one of you knows who we are." Cassidy commented. "Listen up boy. We are Team Rocket, and we're here to steel all your rare and valuable pokemon."
Nurse Joy had come to see what the commotion was, and she had Serena's pokeball with her.
When she saw Team Rocket, Nurse Joy was terrified. "Well, you're out of luck because this is a place for injured pokemon."
"We'll be the judge of that." Cassidy declared.
"It doesn't matter what pokemon you decide you want because you're not taking any of them!" Ash shouted protectively. "Go catch your own!"
"That's not your choice." Butch smirked evilly as he took out a pokeball. "Go Mankey!"
Cassidy threw her pokemon into the mix. "Join in Tentacool."
Ash and Serena brought out their pokedex's:
Mankey, a Pig Monkey Pokémon of the Fighting type. Known for its superior footwork, it packs a powerful punch.
Tentacool, a Jellyfish Pokémon. 99% of its body is made of water.
"Serena, you wanna battle these guys with me?" Ash asked.
Serena blushed lightly. Her crush had seen how poorly she battled before, yet he was still one hundred percent serious in asking for her help. Even though she wasn't sure she'd be much help, Serena couldn't let Ash be the only one battling.
"Sure." Serena ran over and grabbed her pokeball before throwing it out. "I choose you Eevee!""
Eevee barked with determination as she came to stand before the opponents.
"Let's show them they can't take pokemon while we're around Pikachu." Ash declared.
Pikachu lept off Ash's arm and landed next to Eevee with electricity sparking from his cheeks.
"Mankey, that Eevee's the rare one, so hit it with karate chop." Butch declared.
Mankey lunged forward ready to chop the normal type.
"Dodge Eevee!" Serena shouted.
The evolution pokemon jumped to the left avoiding the attack.
Cassidy quickly called out an attack. "Tentacool, nail that runt with water pulse!"
A powerful stream of water hit the evolution pokemon slamming her into a wall.
"Eevee!" Serena cried.
"What easy pickings." Butch stated. "Cassidy, what's say we just finish the Eevee off?"
"You were reading my mind Butch." Cassidy declared.
"Mankey, hit the runt with toxic!" Butch declared.
"Pikachu take over and nail Mankey with thunder shock!" Ash declared.
Mankey glowed purple while Pikachu stepped in the way charging his electricity. Pikachu fired just as he too started to radiate purple. The attack connected shocking the monkey while Pikachu suddenly felt sick.
"Alright Pi…" Ash declared.
"Pi-Pika." Pikachu stated in pain.
"Pikachu!" Ash shouted. "What's wrong?"
"Your mouse has been poisoned kid." Butch stated. "Unlike common poison, toxic is a move that only gets worse as time wears on."
"Oh no." Ash stated. "Pikachu."
"You won't have to be sad for long." Cassidy smirked. "Tentacool, use hex on Pikachu."
Tentacool glowed an ethereal black and Pikachu did the same causing him to cry out in pain. "Pika!"
"Pikachu!" Ash shouted in concern.
"Keep up the attack Tentacool." Cassidy declared. "Don't stop until the mouse faints."
"Eevee." Serena looked to her pokemon, but she was in bad shape. "This is turning out bad, but we still have to try." She didn't want to put her pokemon through this, especially after failing before, but there wasn't much of a choice. "Eevee, I'm sorry for failing you as a trainer, but Pikachu needs us. Please, help him by tackling Tentacool."
Eevee now stood tall with a determined expression. "Eevee!"
She charged at the Tentacool.
"Not happening girly." Butch declared. "Mankey, use sesmic toss on that little fox."
Before Serena could issue a command, she heard her cousin's voice. "Chespin, lend them a hand with vine whip!"
Vines shot through the entrance and ensnared the Mankey before throwing him to the right.
Calem ran into the room. "Keep going cus!"
"Calem." Serena smiled. "Eevee full speed ahead!"
"Eevee!" Eevee declared.
She slammed into the Tentacool knocking it away and halting its attack on Pikachu. The electric mouse was panting clearly in pain.
Ashe ran forward and scoped his buddy into his arms.
"Pika… chu." Pikachu stated clearly in pain.
The electric mouse then fainted.
At this point, Calem came to stand beside his cousin and looked at Ash. "Hey man, take your Pikachu to safety." At this point, Mankey and Tentcool were recovering. "I'll help Serena deal with them."
Ash looked from Pikachu to the battle before coming to a decision.
He ran back to Nurse Joy, who was cowering behind the counter, and passed her Pikachu. "Take Pikachu and help him." He took out Nidoran 's pokeball. "I'm not finished yet."
"R-Right." Nurse joy nodded before running off with the mouse pokemon.
"Looks like another trainer appeared." Cassidy stated. "Lucky for you."
"Luck has nothing to do with it." Calem declared. "I saw your explosion from miles away and just happened to get here before the authorities."
"Cassidy, that brat just said something crucial." Butch stated. "This job's taking longer than we intended."
Ash came to stand alongside Calem and Serena.
"You're right Butch." Cassidy retrieved a smoke bomb. "You three got lucky."
At that moment, Officer Jenny entered the building. "Nobody moves!"
Cassidy threw the smoke bomb down and it exploded creating a screen.
"Mankey Return!"
"Tentacool Return!"
"Hey stop you criminals!" Jenny declared.
Once the smoke cleared, it was revealed that Jenny, Ash, Serena, and Calem were the only people left in the room.
Later…
With Team Rocket having gotten away, Officer Jenny collected testimonies from Ash, Serena, Calem, and Nurse Joy before taking her leave.
The three trainers now stood Nurse Joy who was extremely grateful. "Oh, thank you all so much. If it wasn't for you, those thieves could've taken any of the pokemon here."
"We're just sorry we couldn't have caught them." Ash apologized.
"Don't worry about it." Nurse Joy assured. "No one expected that of you three to begin with. Again, I'm glad you three even stood up to them to begin with." She nodded her head to Ash. "Don't worry about your Pikachu for he will make a full recovery."
"Thank goodness for that." Ash stated relieved.
"Calem, thank you for coming to help us." Serena stated. "I know it caused you to lose your place at the Battle Chateau's tournament."
"No problem, and no need for thanks cus." Calem stated good naturedly. "There'll be more tournaments to come."
"Still, we appreciate what you did for us." Ash held out his hand. "If you hadn't come along, there no guarantee those two would have left, and I may have lost my partner."
Calem smiled and shook the offered hand.
Recovery Room
Ash entered the room alone to see Pikachu laying on the bed, and the pokemon looked up at his trainer. "Pika. Pikachu."
Ash sat beside his bed and bowed his head. "Pikachu, I'm sorry you got hurt because of my bad call. If I had told you to use…" Pikachu approached Ash and gave his chin a lick as if to assure him that it was alright. "You mean, you don't blame me for my mistake?"
"Pika." Pikachu nodded.
"Thanks buddy. You're the best." Ash smiled. "Still, I…" He shook his head. "No, we'll get better together, right?"
Pikachu smiled. "Pika!"
Lobby
Serena was sitting at a booth with her Eevee already out. "Eevee, I'm sorry I've asked so much of you. I asked you to compete with trainers who've spent far longer raising their pokemon for battle before asking you to fight shortly after being healed.
If you can find it in your heart to forgive me, I promise I'll try to be a better trainer." Eevee tilted her head and studied her trainer before climbing onto her lap and nuzing against her. "You really forgive me?"
"Eev. Eevee." Eevee happily stated.
Serena pet her pokemon. "Thank you, Eevee."
Calem was leaning against a wall nearby with his arms crossed and a smile on his face. He stayed the night at the center with Ash and Serena catching up with the pair. Come the next day, they decided to part ways intent on continuing their journey.