Chapter 9 Virima Trail
While they are at the gate of Virima City and Virima Trail, Ash decides to call his mother in the telephone area.
Delia: So you said you beat Jim for his first badge, I am actually very proud of you.
Ash: Thanks, Mom. I couldn't have done it without my Pokemon's help. I am sure that Emily might be in front of me, right?
Delia: That might be true, the last time she called me is a few hours ago, and she also got her first gym badge.
Ash nods, when she notices Lillie is brushing Snowy's fur while Pikachu is by her side, he knows that it is time to ask her a question.
Ash: And Mom, I think I have something that I want to talk about.
Delia: (Giving a curious face) And what is it? Honey?
Then Ash starts to talk about how he feels nervous around Lillie, and how he also tells her everything about Lillie as well.
Delia: (Smiling) Ash, what you are feeling towards Lillie...I think that is love.
Ash: Love? I mean, every time Pikachu told me about it...I just feel like he was just teasing me...What does that mean?
Delia can only sigh at Ash's denseness, which is something that he needs to break out of.
Delia: Love is a desire to be with that person. From what you have told me, you care about Lillie, right?
Ash: (Nods) I do, I care about her a lot.
Delia: And what will you do if Lillie is in danger?
Ash: Then I'll try to protect her! I am not going to let her suffer.
Delia: (Smiles) And what will you feel if Lillie is close to other boys except for her brother Gladion?
Ash: (Thinks for a while) I think...I will be sad...but why?
Delia: That feeling is the best definition of you falling in love with Lillie, Ash. And the for why you are sad is because you are jealous. It is natural since I used to be jealous as well.
Ash: You too, Mom?
Delia: (Nods.) Everyone does. But everything I told you about is just my point of view. I think you should take your time before you try telling her that you love her.
Ash: But what if she doesn't like me back? What should I do?
Delia: There are some circumstances that it will happen, all I can tell you is that if she doesn't love you back, then you should try to remain friends.
Ash: (Understands everything) Okay...I'll try. Thank you for everything, Mom. I'll call you later.
After that, Ash ends the call with his mother.
Ash: (Walks towards Lillie) Sorry I took some time talking.
Lillie: (Shakes her head with a smile.) It's fine, how is the call? Did you make your mother worry?
Ash: Relax, she is doing fine back in Kanto. I'm relieved that I had a conversation with Mom. Since I have some things that don't understand.
Lillie: Like what?
Ash: About that, I should remain a secret.
Lillie pouts, but she knows that she can't pry into family matters as it is not her business.
And before they arrive at the gate to Virima Trail, they find a ranger with Furret behind him. Lillie can't help but be attracted to the cuteness of Furret, and Ash is surprised to see a lot of them in the same place.
Ranger: Hello! Would you like to have a walk with Furret through Virima Trail?
Lillie: Those Furret are cute...I think I'll walk with them. What about you, Ash?
Ash: I'll ride a bike, I want to see the difference.
Ranger: (Nods and takes a leash from the hooks on the wall) Great, I'll get you settled right away.
Ash takes out his bike while Pikachu just hops into the basket. And for Lillie, she is given a leash and the Ranger is telling her the safety rules. After they are done, they are now at the beginning of Virima Trail.
In Virima Trail, Ash and Lillie are marveling at the sight of the trees and a lot of Pokemon, it gives them an Autumn feeling.
Lillie: This place is amazing...I mean, just look at all the trees and Pokemon...
Ash: I know what you mean...is that a Virizion Statue?
Ash and Lillie are now in front of the statue, as they see some words underneath the statue, "This statue was made in honor of Virizion, guardian of Virima."
Lillie: Guardian of Virima? I wonder why Virizion is said to be like that...
Ash: I'm not sure, maybe we should read about the history more when we come to this region.
Lillie: I agree. But do you want to capture some Pokemon here?
Ash: Let's see...(Looking at the Pokemon under the statue.) There are Hoppip, Sunkern, Caterpie, Weedle, Wurmple, Yungoos, Budew, Sentret, and Skwovet...I think I might want to capture a Beedrill.
Lillie: (Confused) Why Beedrill? I mean, it has three poison barbs. The barb on its tail secretes the most powerful poison.
Ash: But I want to make it a challenge to me, since I lived in Kanto.
Ash then finds a Weedle who is eating leaves, and then he throws a Pokeball without having a battle. And after three shakes, Weedle is captured.
Ash: Now I should train some Pokemon as well, I want to make sure that they evolve into their second stage.
Lillie: Looks like you are eager. (Chuckles)
Ash then starts his training, as he trains his Weedle and Scatterbug. Weedle is using its Poison Sting to poison Sunkern, and then it goes with another Poison Sting to knock it out.
Ash: Good work, Weedle. (Pets the Pokemon, as it starts to glow, meaning that it is evolving)
Lillie: Looks like it is evolving...
After the glow fades, in front of them is a Kakuna, and it learns how to use Harden. It continues to fight other Pokemon, and after defeating a Caterpie, which is its third Pokemon to beat in a row as a Kakuna, it also glows as it evolves into a Beedrill.
Ash: Nice work, Beedrill. Take a long rest.
Ash recalls his Beedrill, and then he turns to see Scatterbug scampering around.
Lillie: What is it doing?
Ash: This is something I learned when I was in Sinnoh. When it is doing this, it means it is going to evolve.
Then Scatterbug glows and it becomes a Spewpa, also learning Harden as well.
Lillie: Metapod, Kakuna, Silcoon, Cascoon, and even Spewpa...they are the easiest Pokemon to evolve into, right?
Ash: You're right about that. And they are very fast to evolve as well.
After defeating a Skwovet, Spewpa is acting strange, and is running around in circles. Just then, it also glows, and it becomes a Vivillon with a grey colored pattern.
Lillie: I know that Vivillon has 20 different patterns, but what kind of pattern is that?
Ash: (Looking at the Poke Gear.) I think that this is a Monsoon Pattern, considering this place has monsoons.
Lillie: Should we continue on the road? I mean, we are still at the beginning of Virima Trail.
Ash: Of course, let's go. Maybe there are different Pokemon as well.
But as they continue their walk, they find Plusle, Minun, and Pachirisu, as they are running around the trees for berries.
Ash: I guess not only this place is good for Bug and Grass Type Pokemon, but there are also Electric Type Pokemon as well.
Lillie: Perhaps it is related to the bikes? I mean...I wonder why?
After leaving the forest area, they can see the ocean as they move upwards, and they find some Electrike on the road and some Yanper as well.
Lillie: Is that a Yamper? It is so cute! (Yamper suddenly lies down and Lillie pets it, and the Electrike besides Yamper is jealous)
Ash: And Electrike is a little jealous that you show affection to Yamper.
Lillie: (Turns to Electrike, who is also doing the same thing as Yamper.) Don't be jealous, Electrike. How about you join my team so that I can train with you?
Electrike is happy, and Lillie takes out a Pokeball and captures the Electrike.
Ash: Manectric is also one of the Pokemon that can Mega Evolve. I remember that some of the Officer Jennys in Kalos have Mega Manectric to help them out.
Lillie: But then again, we talk about how many Pokemon we can Mega Evolve, but we don't have the Key Stone or Mega Stone to evolve them.
Ash: That is for sure...
Just then, they also see a Pokemon walking past them, and it is a Falinks.
Lillie: Is that Falinks? I remember that it is a kind of Pokemon with six individuals.
Ash: It is, and the first one is the brass while the last five are troops. The brass's orders are absolute, and I can't forget how Pikachu was forced to be brass.
Pikachu groans as he remembers the time when he was forced to become the brass while the real is being trained by Goh.
Lillie: And I heard that it is the only Pokemon capable of using a move called No Retreat.
Ash: I know, No Retreat is a move that raises all the stats, but the Pokemon can't run away. Maybe I should battle this Pokemon with my Mareep.
Ash sends out the yellow sheep Pokemon, and then it goes for a Thunder Shock on Falinks, but the Falinks troopers and brass stand on top of each other in a pyramid formation, and a green force field forms in front of them, protecting Falinks from attacks.
Lillie: So that is how it uses Protect... That is very interesting.
Ash: I know, but I don't think I need to capture them. I mean, I already have a bunch of Fighting Type Pokemon in my team.
Lillie: I see.
After defeating Falinks with the Thunder Shock once more, Mareep also glows as it is evolving, and after the light dies down, it becomes a Flaaffy.
Ash: I guess that is enough for the training on this route. Let's go to the city before the sunsets.
Lillie: I agree, we really delayed a lot of time.
While Ash and Lillie are training their Pokemon, Gladion and Emily are sitting at the tree while continuing to talk to each other.
Gladion: So how come I never heard Ash talk about you?
Emily: To tell the truth, I didn't live with my mother and my Brother until Team Rocket is finished. I just knew that I had a brother recently.
Gladion: Team Rocket...I think I have heard of them when Ash was in Alola. Your family seems to be targeted by Team Rocket a lot, right?"
Emily: That's right...somehow the boss of the team has hatred with our father, but we don't know the reason, as we have never seen him.
Gladion realizes that they have found their father, but Ash and Emily haven't. Suddenly, he feels bad for her.
Gladion: I'm sorry. It must be hard for you.
Emily: (Shakes her head) It's fine. (Then she notices Ash and Lillie) I think I saw my brother over there, along with your sister, right?
Gladion: (Also notices Ash and Lillie) You're right. Let's go. (Then the two of them pack their things and take their Furrets to find them)
Here is a new chapter, I know that a lot of you haven't played this game before, and in Virima Trail, you can choose either way to travel, and there will be different wild encounters and different trainers to battle. You can just do both to get more experience, and I hope you like this chapter.
Ash's Main Pokemon: Snorlax, Noctowl, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Heracross, Lucario, ?, Hawlucha, Sirfetch'd, Pidgeot, ?, ?, ?, Noivern, ?, Beedrill, ?, ?, ?, ?, Naganadel, ?, Donphan, ?, Krookodile, ?, ?, ?, Tyranitar, ?, Gigalith, Lycanroc, ?, Butterfree, ?, ?, Leavanny, Vivillon, ?, Gengar, Shedinja, ?, ?, ?, ?, Diglett (A), ?, ?, ?, ?, Melmetal, Charizard, ?, Infernape, ?, Talonflame, ?, ?, Mantyke, Feebas, Samurott, Greninja, ?, Exeggcute, Sceptile, Budew, ?, Decidueye, ?, Pikachu, Mareep, ?, Rotom, Tynamo, ?, Mr. Mime, ?, ?, ?, Espurr, Dottler, Lapras, ?, Glalie, ?, ?, ?, Dragonite, ?, Garchomp, ?, Goodra, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Pheromosa
Lillie's Main Pokemon: ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Scrafty, ?,?, ?, Xatu, ?, Gliscor, ?, ?, Muk, Dustox, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Torterra, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Carbink, ?, ?, Ninjask, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Forretress, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Torkoal, ?, Incineroar, ?, Slowpoke, Feraligatr, Floatzel, Seismitoad, ?, ?, Venusaur, Meganium, ?, Serperior, ?, ?, ?,?, Electrike, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Ninetales (A), ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Exeggutor (A), ?, Altaria, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Cufant, Clefable, ?, Whimsicott, Florges, ?, ?