"Shouldn't we have waited for Megan?" Cassie asked.
"The Vermillion Gym specializes in electric type Pokemon, we need different training if we want to catch upto Gilbert." Ash reminded.
"I like her, she tells Gilbert the reality of things." Cassie commented.
"Yeah, she's fun like that." Ash agreed. "Anyways Nurse Joy said trainers gather out here to train together."
"So that's your big plan? Fight a bunch of trainers, what if they don't have electric types?" Cassie asked.
"My plan isn't to train against electric Pokemon, it's to train up Oddish and Jigglypuff so they stand a fighting chance." Ash admitted.
"Umm, Ash…" Cassie said.
"Look, maybe tomorrow I'll train with her, okay?" Ash offered. "Oh, that." Ash said, seeing the field of knocked out trainers.
"What could have done this?" Cassie wondered, stepping around one trainer and their Pokemon. "Jigglypuff?"
"No, she's right here." Ash said, holding out Jigglypuff's Pokeball. "Wait, not everything is knocked out!"
"Good to see you weren't hit by whatever this is either." Megan said. "Unfortunately I showed up after they were all asleep."
"Megan! You're okay?" Ash said.
"Thanks for noticing, but then what were you talking about?" Megan asked.
"Them." Ash said pointing throughout the field, a Paras, Gloom, and Exeggcute looking worridley over their trainers.
"Grass types." Megan said.
"Maybe it was a Sleep Powder that did this. Oddish's didn't seem to phase Bellsprout yesterday, maybe the same is here." Ash pointed out.
"But what could have caused all of them to fall asleep for this long." Cassie asked.
"Whatever had to have done this must be dangerous." Megan said.
"Maybe I could call for backup." Ash said looking at his watch, only to not see Kazor anywhere nearby. "Maybe not."
"Well we know grass types are immune to this for some reason. Oddish should be useful for this." Megan said.
"Keep Butterfree ready too, they might be able to help as well." Ash said.
With their two Pokémon sent out, the trainers set out to find whatever caused this.
"Okay, I just checked back in town, no one has seen anything come through, and there are no passed out people lying around." Megan said.
"I just checked with the guard at the gate, they haven't seen anything either." Ash said.
"Ash, look over there!" Cassie exclaimed.
"What is that?" Ash said, seeing some grass rustle off in the distance. "Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
"Ash, that could have been someone waking up!" Megan scolded.
"Or it could be the culprit." Ash reminded.
"And you're willing to take that chance, what happened to you?" Megan asked, rushing over to see a recovering Bulbasaur, the top of it's bud covered in a greenish powder. "Are you okay?" Megan asked, grabbing a handkerchief to clean off the bulb, when the grass type turned angrily towards her.
"Look out!" Ash exclaimed, diving between the two of them, getting a full blast of the Sleep Powder.
"Ash!" Cassie and Megan exclaimed, seeing his body go limp.
"You're just asleep, okay, I can do this." Megan said, holding her handkerchief against her mouth and nose as a precaution. "Butterfree use Tackle!"
The Bulbasaur charged at her Butterfree, the two colliding as the less experienced bug was launched backwards.
"Let's try something else, Butterfree use Confusion!"
The psychic blast launched Bulbasaur back, tumbling onto its side. After a few moments of struggling, it got back up and released a Sleep Powder.
"Butterfree blow it away with your wings!" Megan commanded.
Butterfree flapped their wings sending the pollen back at Bulbasaur, while it didn't affect the grass type, they weren't asleep so that was a plus.
"Butterfree use String Shot!"
Silk shot out from Butterfree's mouth wrapping up Bulbasaur in a sticky web.
"Okay, uhh, No! I don't have any Pokeballs!" Megan exclaimed.
"Ash usually has some spares in his bag." Cassie said.
"Please have some." Megan said, rushing to his bag. "And sorry about this."
Opening Ash's bag, she saw several potions, his change of clothes, some Pokeballs and a teddy bear?
"Cute." Megan commented before grabbing a Pokeball. "Alright Pokeball, go!"
A few hours later
Ash groaned as he woke up, he shouldn't have dove like that in front of the Bulbasaur. The Bulbasaur! Ash looked around to see it and Megan were nowhere to be seen. Before he could panic, a note fell from his head to his lap.
'Ash, if you're reading this then it's likely Bulbasaur and I are already gone. I ended up catching him, but seeing you today made me realize I need to take my training to another level if I want to keep up, don't worry, you haven't seen the last of me, and next time we meet, I owe you one Pokeball, and a rescue.'
-Megan
At the bottom of the note was a glittery smudge.
"See you around Megan." Ash said.
"Ash has a girlfriend, Ash has a girlfriend." Cassie laughed at the smudge that was clearly supposed to be a kiss.
"I do not! She's just a friend!" Ash said playfully chasing after her.
Character of the day: Megan
Megan is a beginning trainer just like Ash in this story is. If it isn't obvious, battling Ash isn't the reason she decided to go on her own journey. There will not be a major love interest or harem style in this story, it's just a simple crush.