Chapter 9 Finding a Legend
A new morning, Ash is training with Lugia and Serena rushes to Ash, she says, "Ash! We have big news!"
Ash and Lugia are confused and Ash asks, "What is it?"
"It's Ho-oh! Ho-oh has appeared!" Serena says, and this causes the two of them to get interested.
Back in the lab, Professor Cerise says, "I see...there were Ho-oh sightings, huh?"
"Yeah...people are talking about it online." Serena says.
"Ho-oh is deeply connected with the ancient folklore of the Johto Region. Much like Lugia." Professor Cerise says.
Ash says, "Yeah...it's supposed to be really hard to find as well."
"Yeah, very few records of it remain. It's a Legendary Pokemon shrouded in mystery. And the Legend has finally shown itself." Professor Cerise says.
Ren and Chrysa are typing on the computer and they find that the sightings were all reported around Ecruteak City in Johto. Ash says, "Ecruteak City...if we go there, we can meet Ho-Oh...ever since I started my journey, I have always wanted to battle Ho-oh..."
"So you have seen one before? Ash?" Serena asks, and Ash takes out a Rainbow Feather. Cerise says, "Is that..."
"Yes, this is the Rainbow Feather." Ash says, "Much like Silver Feather from Lugia, I got this from Ho-oh ever since I started my journey."
"Amazing..." Serena says. And Lugia says, "So you were the Rainbow Hero that Ho-Oh speaks highly about..."
"Rainbow Hero?" Serena asks, and Ash says, "That is another story, let's go find Ho-Oh first."
Serena can only nod as they head over to the Johto Region. As they arrive at Ecruteak City, Serena asks, "This City has a Gym as well, right?"
"Yeah, a Ghost Type Gym with the Leader being Morty, the Mystic Seer of the Future." This causes Serena to flinch and Ash says, "Are you okay? Serena?"
"I was just surprised when you said that the gym is a Ghost Type..." Serena says, she tries to change the topic and she says, "Wow, this place is really historical..."
"I know, and that is the Bell Tower, which is said to have the most sightings of Ho-Oh!" Ash says.
"I know I can count on you, Ash." Serena says with a smile.
As they are walking on the road, Serena says, "I was looking into it, and Ho-oh has a peculiar legend about it..."
But they are interrupted as a Sentret appears in front of them. "Sentret, the Scout Pokémon. A Normal type. Sentret can lift itself upon its tail so it can see things far away."
"It's so cute!" Serena says as she pets the Pokemon. Ash coughs and says, "Serena...isn't finding Ho-oh more important?"
"Sorry, but Sentret is so cute I can't resist..." Serena says, and Ash can only sigh at his girlfriend.
Just as they see a shadow in the sky, Ash says, "Is that Ho-oh?"
"Let's go check it out!" Serena says as they try to chase after the shadow. The shadow notices them and it fires a Fire Attack, and Ash says, "Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu fires the attack, and it lands at the shadow as it starts to fall, but the sound causing them to be confused. Serena says, "How strong is your Pikachu? Why does it feel easy to knock it out..."
"Because it is super effective? I don't know." Ash says as they try to rush towards the shadow, only to find that it is actually a Fearow and a Cyndaquill.
"Are you guys alright?" A boy rushes towards the two Pokemon, and Serena says, "That explains why it is easy."
"How could you do that?" The boy angrily yells at them, and Ash apologizes, "Sorry, I thought it was Ho-oh..."
"Don't tell me the Ho-oh sightings were..." Serena says. The boy is speechless and then they hear a man yell, "Chad!"
"Grandpa..." The boy named Chad says as he tries to recall the Pokemon, and the grandfather says, "I thought it as well. You seeing Ho-oh the other day was a lie, too, I suppose?"
As Chad lowers his head, the grandfather says, "I told you, Ho-oh doesn't exist." As he tries to walk away, Ash says, "No, Ho-oh exists."
This causes the others to look at him with surprise, and the grandfather says, "You must have been tricked by Chad's fake, too."
"That's not it!" Ash says as he recalls the day when he becomes the trainer, and he says, "The first day on my journey, I saw it flying past me. I saw it with my own eyes."
"You just thought you did, didn't you?" The grandfather asks.
Before Ash can say anything, it starts to rain down and they decide to seek shelter. "That's what he says now, but Grandpa used to say he'd met Ho-oh."
Chad reveals that his grandfather had shown Chad a Rainbow Wing from his encounter with Ho-Oh, even traveling around to find the Legendary again. Though his grandfather grew disheartened one day and began to believe finding Ho-Oh was a thankless task.
"And that's why I want Grandpa to look for Ho-oh again, and to cheer up." Chad says.
Serena says, "That's why you had Fearow and Cyndaquill pretend to be Ho-oh?"
Chad nods, and Ash asks, "But isn't that lying to him?"
"I guess it is..." Chad frowns, Ash says, "Then let's find the real Ho-oh."
"That is a great idea." Serena adds, but Chad is hesitating and he asks, "But how? Grandpa tried for decades and he couldn't find it."
"But I have met it a lot of times, you see, according to the legend of Ho-oh, if you climb to the top of the Bell Tower and wave the Rainbow Feather in the wind, Ho-oh will appear."
"Grandpa says that he tried that several times, but that didn't work." Chad says.
"But anyway, we can't just leave now." Ash says, "Let's try it again."
As they enter the tower, they see the golden mural depicting Ho-oh flying with a Rainbow behind it. Serena says, "Come to think of it, when Professor Cerise gave us the data, we saw rainbows in Ho-oh's murals, right?"
"And I also saw a rainbow with Ho-oh when I met him as well." Ash says. "Maybe Ho-oh has some connections with the rainbow."
As they check their Rotom Phone, they find that the moving clouds will pass the Johto Region, with the rapid shift from rain to clear skies, and the low sun exposure, there is a high chance that a rainbow will appear.
"Then we wait for the rainbow at the top of the tower, and wave the feather?" Ash asks. Chad rushes out and says that he is going to get the feather, but Ash decides to stop him, but it is too late.
"I was just about to tell him that I have a feather..." Ash mutters as Serena can only sigh.
But much to their surprise, he also brings his grandfather back to the tower, and Chad's grandfather says, "Will you please let go of me?"
"Just please come with us, Grandpa!" Chad says.
"Even if you climb the tower now, Ho-oh won't appear." Chad's grandfather says. "You're just wasting your time."
"Don't say that!" Chad says.
"For starters, you don't even have the Rainbow Feather, do you?" Chad's grandfather asks.
"Actually, it is right here." Chad takes out a Rainbow Wing, and his grandfather is surprised, "I thought I threw it away..."
"I kept it safe! It's your treasure, after all!" Chad says. "C'mon, let's give it a try!"
After Ash and Serena's persuasion, Chad's grandfather finally agrees to come with them, but he tells them not to get their hopes up.
Together, they start to ascend the many stairs to the top of the Bell Tower, but unknown to them, two wild Pokemon are watching at them and one is a Stantler and one is a Misdreavus.
Misdreavus starts to play tricks, with its disorientating illusion, it makes the stairs very soft and wobbly.
"What the-" Ash says as they find it difficult to stand upright. "What is going on?" Serena asks.
Just then, the stairs are turning into a steep ramp, and everyone is sent back to the first floor. Then a Stantler appears in front of them and Chad says, "Look over there!"
The Stantler induces another illusion using the waves emitted from its antlers, and they suddenly find themselves hanging on the edge of a very steep cliff.
"Weren't we climbing the Bell Tower?" Serena asks, and Ash says, "I am going to check what is going on..."
After much difficulty, they finally conquer the cliff climb, only to find themselves now surrounded by a desert. Serena turns to his Phone for answers, but the screen is only showing static, and saying that it's unable to pinpoint their location.
"Hoothoot, use Foresight." Chad's grandfather says, and they are now back to the tower, and they find the culprits, a Misdreavus and a Stantler on top of the stairs.
"It was all their illusions." Chad's grandfather says. And they scan the Pokemon. "Misdreavus, the Screech Pokémon. A Ghost type. Misdreavus scares people and gathers up their emotions, which it uses as energy. Stantler, the Big Horn Pokémon. A Normal type. If you look too deeply into the rings on Stantler's horns, you will feel quite strange."
As Stantler prepares to put everyone under an illusion again, Ash says, "Not going to happen, ready, Serena?"
"Of course." Serena says as Pikachu and Sylveoen use Thunderbolt and Moonblast at the same time, knocking out the two Pokemon. Chad says, "Amazing..."
"We have been trainers for years, so it is nothing." Ash says.
Ash and the others eventually reach the outdoors. They pause momentarily after coming across a fleet of worn stairs, helping each other up to the top floor.
"The rain has now stopped!" Serena says.
"Now all we need is the rainbow!" Ash says.
Chad takes out the rainbow as he yells, "Ho-oh! Show yourself!" He starts to wave the wing, and moments pass when suddenly a rainbow appears in the sky.
"The rainbow..." Serena says in awe.
"Ho-oh! Come forth!" Chad starts to yell again, and then the wind blows the feather away, only to be grabbed by Chad's grandfather.
"Thank you, all of you taught me..." Chad's grandfather says with a smile as he starts to wave his wing as well. Ash, Serena, and Chad are all greatly encouraged by the grandfather's regained hope, and chirp in to call for Ho-Oh.
However, they soon stop, as their calls go unanswered. "I guess we should stop for today, we can come next time."
This causes Chad to get excited, and suddenly, the wing begins to glow in all the colors of the rainbow. Just then, Chad's stomach growls and he says, "All that shouting made me hungry...how about eating at our place, then?"
Ash and Serena are surprised as they are welcomed. But before they are leaving, Ash's feather glows and he notices Ho-Oh flying towards them. The others are also stopped as they see Ho-oh in front of them.
"No way..." Chad says in shock. "That's Ho-oh..."
"So it did come." Serena says in awe.
Ho-oh lands in front of them and he gives a large squawk, and Chad's grandfather says, "So Ho-oh really does exist..."
"Yeah...we have told you so." Ash says as Ho-oh suddenly turns to Ash, saying, "It has been a while, Ash."
"Ho-oh...did you remember me?" Ash gasps as he hears Ho-oh talking for the first time.
"Your Rainbow Feather called me, and thus I have come. I remembered the battle I had with you, and it was enjoyable."
"I am glad to hear it." Ash says with a smile. Ho-oh says, "I also sensed Lugia with you, perhaps I should come with you on your special journey as well."
"Really? You are coming with us?" Ash asks in surprise as Ho-oh nods, so Ash tosses a Pokeball, and eventually, Ho-oh is captured.
"No way...you have captured Ho-oh..." Chad says, and Ash says, "Yeah..."
Back at the Lab, Ho-oh and Lugia are now flying in the park, while Professor Cerise says, "I can't believe you also captured Ho-oh as well. It is really surprising."
"I know." Ash says as he pets Stantler. "But I won't give up on my dream of being a Pokemon Master."
"Same here." Serena says, "We'll definitely do it." Then they laugh little as they see Ho-oh and Lugia passing them.
Here is another new chapter, and I decide to have Ash and Serena capture Ho-oh in this chapter, and I also put the I choose you movie inside this story as well. I hope you like it.
New Pokemon: Ho-oh