Chapter 7 Mossy Forest
Ash groans awake as he hears the noises from the Budcheep outside the window, he wants to move his body to sit up, but he fails as he feels like his body is being trapped by something. He remembers last night that Alice has a nightmare and he offers to cuddle her for the rest of the night, he sees her hugging him like a teddy bear, not wanting to let go. Ash sees her face and he finds that it is a smile instead of fear, and just by thinking that makes Ash blush a little.
Pikachu yawns as he is about to wake up, but he widens his eyes as he sees how Ash and Alice are close to each other. Pikachu thinks of an idea as he decides to show some kissy faces at the two of them, of course, Alice is still sleeping, so she didn't see it, but Ash sees it and he glares at the mouse. He can't yell at him because it will wake Alice up.
Ash: (Whispers) Please stop it, Pikachu...
Pikachu: (Teases) Nope. Ash and Alice are sleeping in the same bed...
Ash rolls his eyes as he notices that Alice is moving, she must have heard Pikachu and she starts to wake up.
After a cute yawn in Ash's opinion, she sees Ash smile at him.
Alice: Good morning, Ash.
Before Ash can answer, Alice notices that she is hugging Ash so tight, she quickly pushes him off the bed as Ash crashes onto the floor.
Ash: (Feels pain from the crash) Oww...
Alice: (Panicks at what she has done) I am sorry, Ash, I didn't mean to hurt you...
Ash: (Grabs Alice's hands to get up from the floor) I'm fine, Alice...
Once they are both up, they are still blushing at each other for what happened yesterday.
Ash: Morning to you as well, Alice. Do you sleep well?
Alice: (Turns from embarrassment to smile) I was having a terrible nightmare, but thanks to you and the song, I feel better. So are you ready to go into the Mossy Forest?
Ash: Sure. But first, we have to get some breakfast, and because of what that mouse did in the morning, I might have to throw all my ketchup bottles into the trash can.
Pikachu: (Freezes and rolling around on the floor) No! My ketchup is going to slip away from me! Don't do this, please!
Ash: (Laughs at Pikachu's reaction) You'll have to beg for more if you want me to keep it)
Alice feels weird at Pikachu's affection with ketchup as she slightly giggles. In the end, they dress up and head downstairs for breakfast.
Once they are done, they are now inside the forest. After a long trek, they decide to take some rest as they sit down near a tree. Just then, they see under a tree in front of them, there is a Pokemon who is sleeping. The Pokemon is brown colored and it has a sapling branch out of its head. Not only that, it has a hard shell as well.
Alice: Will you look at that, it is a Stickit. And it is sleeping as well.
Ash: You're right, we shouldn't disturb him.
They decide to leave the Bug Type Pokemon alone, but then Ash accidentally steps on a twig, causing the Pokemon to wake up from the loud noise.
Ash: Uh oh... (Sweating) I guess we woke it up...
Alice: Don't worry. He is a defense type of Pokemon. We just need to be careful.
The Stickit is looking around for the source of the noise, and he notices the two humans and Pikachu. He freezes as he knows who the Pikachu is, so he quickly goes to the group.
Stickit: Pikachu, is that you? Then is that Ash?
Ash+Pikachu: What? (Surprised)
The Pokemon seem to know both of them, Ash realizes that it must be one of his missing Pokemon, but he is not sure who the Pokemon is.
Ash: Does that mean you are also one of my Pokemon that got revived?
Stickit: (Jumps into Ash's arms and nods) How can you forget me, maybe it would be better if I am a Heracross now...
Ash: Wait, so you are my Heracross? No way...
Alice: Heracross...I remember that it is gentle and docile, it also possesses great strength and power and their favorite food is the fresh sap of leafy trees.
Ash: Well, he really likes to sap on Bulbasaur's bulbs ever since I caught him in the Johto Region, but it is a good Pokemon as it knows a lot of great moves. (Hugs the Pokemon) I am glad you are safe as well. That makes the fifth one...
Alice: (Smiles) That is great. I am glad that you get your friend back to your side.
As they laugh a little, Ash notices that she understands what he and Stickit are talking about.
Ash: Alice, I noticed that you can understand what my Pokemon and I are talking about.
Alice: (Freezes as her secret has gone out, and then she frowns) To be honest, this is one of the reasons that I get bullied. Because I was treated as a freak because I can talk to Pokemon and also know their feelings, I don't care what they actually think of me, but I have been miserable because of them...
Ash: I see... (Still hugging Stickit) Do you know about Aura?
Alice: I have heard of it, it is a form of energy that goes with our senses... In fact, I also read some books back at Kalos about the Aura.
Ash: Wow...and why were you reading about it?
Alice: My mom is also an aura user. I guess she can also talk to Pokemon just like I did.
Ash: You see, Aura can be linked, which means that if we link our auras, we can also link our minds. (Turns to Alice) Maybe I can teach you some Aura techniques.
Alice: (Smiles) Really? That will be great.
They decide to have some lessons about the aura while taking a rest. As for the Stickit, Ash captures him since he is originally his Pokemon from the beginning.
Stickit: The Beetle Pokemon: Bug and Grass Type. Stickit will burrow themselves underground near the roots of trees to sleep. Their tough backs assist in defending against predators.
Ash has been teaching her about the Aura Weapons, each weapon contains a type and when using them, they form Pokemon moves instead of the real injuries and blood. Alice has been teaching how to perform self-defense so that she can be braver. In return, Alice tells Ash about the history of Aura.
Ash: So three families are known with Aura, one is the Ketchum Family, which is me, and one is the Masho Family, which is you?
Alice: Yes. I am from the Masho Family. And also my mom. You know she is a great fashion designer.
Ash: I have met a lot of fashion designers on my journeys, but you seem to speak so highly about your mother. May I ask who is she so I can know if I met her before?
Alice: I heard that you have challenged the gyms in the Kalos Region, you must know Valerie, the Laverre City Gym Leader, right?
Ash: (Gasps) Wait, Valerie is your mother? No way...
Alice: (Giggles) Yeah, her Trick Room is also her strongest strategy. I heard that someone manage to break it using X Scissors, that is you, right?
Ash: (Nods) Wow...So you are a gym leader whose mother is a gym leader, this is interesting.
Alice: I can say the same thing to you, you are a champion whose mother is also a champion.
Ash: I know. But what about the third one?
Alice: Well, it is the Sakaki Family, but I heard that this family trains mostly with the dark aura, and they are destroyed by the Ketchum family and the Masho family working together.
Ash: Then I don't think we need to be worried about that family using dark aura to do evil stuff. (Hears his tummy rumbles, and takes out a chocolate bar) All that training is making us hungry, do you want some?
Alice nods, but before she can get it, a bird appears and snatches it.
Alice: Hey! That's mine!
They see the bird just eats the chocolate like it is his treat, Ash looks at the Pokemon, it is green colored and it has a leaf for a tail and a leaf-like feather on its head.
Ash: What is that Pokemon? I have never seen it before.
Alice: It's a Cheepip. It has a move called Squall Blow, and we have to be careful about it.
But when Ash sees the chocolate on the beak, it reminds him of a certain Pokemon that he owned.
Ash: Pikachu, I have an experiment to try out, will you help me?
Pikachu nods as Ash calls him to use Thunderbolt, he shoots out electricity and the Cheepip gets hit and then falls, but slowly gets back up.
Cheepip: You want a battle? Then I'll give you one!
But every time that Pikachu defeats him, he goes back up immediately.
Ash: (Stops Pikachu) Enough of it.
Pikachu nods and he goes behind Ash, and the bird Pokemon is still wary about the human in front of him.
Cheepip: Now you want to fight me?
Ash: Relax, I am not going to fight you, Swellow.
Cheepip freezes as he wonders why this human knows about his past life.
Alice: Swellow? I heard that it uses its impressive dive bomber speed and its large talons to capture its prey.
Ash: Yeah, and he is also tough as well, I remembered back when Pikachu and he performed a great golden armor that helps me win the Mossdeep Gym. He is also my first capture in the Hoenn Region.
Cheepip then recognizes the Pikachu and he remembers how many times he has been shocked by the same electricity. The golden armor is also one of his best moves when he and Pikachu are working together.
Cheepip: Ash...is that you?
Cheepip then flies towards him, resting on his shoulder.
Ash: (Smiles) Welcome back to the group, Swellow, or now it is Cheepip.
Cheepip: (Nods and looks at Alice) Who is she? Is she your travel companion?
Alice: Hello there, Cheepip, I am Alice, I am traveling with Ash with his mother's permission. Don't worry. I know what those guys have done to you, I promise that I won't be like them.
Ash: She is right, she is also an Aura User. Aura users have sworn to take good care of Pokemon.
Cheepip nods and then he rests on her shoulder for a while, at the same time, he looks at the Pokedex to see about this Pokemon.
Cheepip: The Chirping Pokemon: Grass and Flying Type. Cheepip travel in large flocks. Sometimes there are such large amounts of them together that, when resting, they make can make entire rock faces look covered in grass.
Ash: (Smiles) That is so cool. We sure get two more companions back to our team.
Alice: Good for you. Let's get out of the forest.
Ash nods as they continue to walk on the forest, on the way, they have battled some trainers who are blocking the path, but they can't wait to get to Serpentine City so Ash can get his first badge.
Here is a new chapter, and this time Ash gets his Heracross and Swellow back into his team. And Alice is like the Darker Version, she is an Aura user in training. And it is also one of the reason she gets betrayed by his classmates. I hope you enjoy it and the next chapter will be the Serpentine Gardens.
New Pokemon or evolution: Stickit (Heracross), Cheepip (Swellow)