Hello again , and welcome back to A promise Kept Ash's, Johto Journey. I hope that my writing in this format works for you still getting used to it though I have experienced it late. Oh well, let's get this chapter on the way. Only one more chapter after this is left.

Chapter 3: Enter the Pokemon fan Ash vs. Casey

" For human speech

' for Pokespeech

We join our heroes as they have lunch on their Journey to Violet city and Ash's first gym battle site. As Pikachu and the others were getting to know their new teammate Totodile.

'So, Totodile, what made you really want to join our team? From what I've heard, the trainer that you were going to was not great?" Pikachu asked Totodile, which caught the attention of Ash's other Pokemon of the team, to which Totodile sighed and looked down at this.

'The truth is I really didn't want to be someone's pet,' Totodile says and looks up at the sky. 'My family has been through many trainers. We never prefer being pets. Nothing's wrong with it, trust me, but Totodile's are battler's, not pet's. Chikorita's or even other canine-based Pokemon are more in that department.'

'I can concur even my evolutionary line can be both, but you wouldn't catch me dead as one,' Charizard says, siding with Totodile. 'Yes, Charmander are cute, especially when young, but like you, we are born to battle and get stronger so we can lead and show off at the time,' Charizard says, gloating to Pidgeot's annoyance.

'Just like what you're doing now, Charizard,' Pidgeot says while eating her food, to which Charizard scratched the back of his head.

'Heh, you got me there, Pidgeot, but you know me since I was a Charmander, and I love to be a bit prideful and all that,' To which he could hear Totodile snicker at hearing this. 'What's so funny?'

Totodile shook his head, 'Nothing, it just sees you like this definitely brought up what I've heard about Charizard given that they originated from her,' Totodile said, which caught Charizard off guard he knew that which made Pidgeot curious about this.

'You mean the Charizific Valley. How'd you know about that place,' Charizard said, a bit confused.

'It's something that I've heard the Professor talk about when he isn't giving his boring speeches or goes deep into his studies. All I know is that many Charizard was born there, that's all,' Totodile says to Charizard.

'I don't get it. Why are you surprised that he knows about that place, Charizard? I mean, it just sounds like a regular place for Charizard?' Pidgeot asked, a bit puzzled by this.

'Because the Charizific Valley is a protected area not known by many. You either have: to have a Charizard, meet or known the owner of the place, know the gym leader who is connected to the place, or in my case was born in the Valley,' Charizard explained to which the group was surprised by this. 'My family was indeed born here in Johto two sisters, and a brother who've I haven't seen since I came to Kanto to become a starter,' Charizard explained.

'You definitely have it rough, Charizard. I think there's more than you're letting on judging by the way you said that.' Pikachu says to which Charizard humphs at that statement.

'If we ever go there, you will know the whole story until then. My past is not your priority. I will give you one thing you are not wrong. I have connections to the Valley, not just growing up there or being born there,' Charizard retorted.

Pidgeot was about to say something. But was interrupted by the sound of cheering, to which Totodile groans at this. 'Oh great, I know that cheering anywhere. It seems that we'll be running into Chikorita's trainer sooner than I thought,' Totodile says in annoyance. This cheering also had caught the attention of Ash and the gang, to which the cheering sounded familiar, but they couldn't put their finger on it.

The group went to where the noise was coming from and noticed a young female trainer in a baseball uniform commanding a small grass Pokemon that looked like the Chikorita that the group saw back at Professor Elms lab, battling a Pidgey. As she just managed to win the battle and captured the young Pidgey too, Pidgeot was surprised, but this Pidgey wanted to be caught and be with a trainer from the looks of it.

"Well, that's four Pokemon added to the team. Nicely done, Chikorita, that Pidgey definitely put up a good fight," The young girl said and praised both the Chikorita and the Pidgey. The Chikorita cheers as he flaps his leaf. The Chikorita noticed Ash and the others watching them and pointed the group out. "Huh? Excuse me, do you three need something?" The young lady asked the trio.

"Hi, my name is Ash, and these are my friends Misty and Brock. We just heard your cheering and noticed that you must be the trainer who picked Chikorita?" Ash introduced himself, which actually made the young girl smile meeting another fellow trainer.

"Thank you. My name is Casey. I'm from New Bark Town, and yes, this is my partner Chikorita," Casey introduced herself happily, to which the Chikorita raised his paw in acknowledgment as Chikorita noticed Totodile from the lab was with the group.

'Hey, Totodile, nice seeing you again. I thought that you were going with a human to be her pet?' Chikorita asked Totodile while walking over to him just as Casey noticed the said Totodile and recognized him.

'Hey, Chikarita, Yeah, my so-called soon-to-be trainer agreed to let me go with my new trainer, with the permission of the Professor of course after all they saved me from thieves,' Totodile explained to Chikorita, who nods in understanding. Given that he too didn't want to be a pet as well so he could relate.

Before Chikorita could say anything, Casey spoke upcoming to the wrong conclusion about Totodile after seeing Totodile with the group. "Say, where did you get that Totodile? I remember seeing him at the lab. I also remember the Professor telling me that the Totodile here was going to be a pet to another trainer." Casey said, getting angry and hyped up about something illegal.

'Uh-oh, seems like your trainer jumped to the wrong conclusion about Ash?' Totodile said to Chikorita, who sighed at this, 'Don't worry, Totodile, I don't plan on being in this mess. She has three other Pokemon she can drag into this misunderstanding.' Chikorita said as Totodile nodded in agreement, given that out of the three starters, Chikorita was the rational one of the group.

"I bet you stole that Pokemon and then ran away. You didn't think that I didn't hear about Totodile being stolen a few days ago, huh? Ash? Well, if you really aren't a thief, then why don't you battle me," Casey said as she was trying to get Chikorita to come in and help, but he just shook his head and sat out of it. "Fine, Chikorita, if you want to be that way, then I'll use my other Pokemon some starter you are?"

"Woah, easy there, you may be a new trainer, but Chikorita has feelings too and is not a battle tool for your purpose Casey?" Ash tries to calm Casey down, which actually did as Casey realized she jumped to the wrong conclusion without thinking and lashed out on her first Pokemon.

"As for Totodile, yes, he was stolen from thieves, but me and my friends here actually stopped them and saved Totodile. As for him coming with me, he wanted to be with me as thanks, not the other way around," Ash said to which Casey was skeptical at first, but just by looking over at the Totodile who was nodding as well as Chikorita, she started to believe Ash.

"But, what about his other Trainer who was going to take him as a pet?" Casey asked, still not understanding why Totodile didn't want to go with his chosen trainer.

"Well, from the way he was acting, Totodile didn't want to go with that said owner. The Professor asked her if she was okay with this. Surprisingly, the selected trainer was OK with this. Like Chikorita demonstrated earlier, Pokemon can choose what type of trainer they want to be with or not. If they don't want to be pets, it's not our decision not to go against their wishes," Ash explains to the new trainer, who was grasping at what Ash was saying and understood what Ash was saying.

"Wow, I didn't think it like that...about that asking for a battle Ash?" Casey said to Ash, who smiled at this.

"It's okay. I'm willing to have a battle against you, Casey, given that I haven't had a battle ever since I left Kanto to Johto." Ash said to Casey, who smiled at this.

"How about a 3v3 battle? Chikorita here does need some rest after battling three Pokemon in a row not long ago." Casey suggested to Ash, who agreed to this terms of battle.

Ash and Casey got into battle position as Brock was the ref as always. As Casey sent out a Sentret and Ash sent out Squirtle for the first Pokemon of the battle. "I'll let you start, Casey," Ash suggested to Casey, who nodded in agreement.

"Will do Sentret used headbutt," Casey commanded the normal-type Pokemon who was charging towards Squirtle. "Withdrawl Squirtle," Ash commanded the turtle Pokemon who went into his shell and took a small brunt of the attack.

"Now use Water gun Squirtle," Ash commanded Squirtle, who blasted a water gun towards the Sentret. "Use dig now Sentret to dodge," As it barely dodges by digging underground, "Use water gun in the hole now," Ash commanded as Squirtle launched it at the hole, hitting the Sentret. "Finish it with Skull Bash," Ash commanded Squirtle as it landed a finishing blow knocking the Sentret out.

"Sentret is unable to battle Squirtle wins," Brock says as Casey returns the Sentret, giving it praise for the battle. "Not bad, Casey. A few more battles with it, and you might be able to get better in battle," Ash commended Casey, who smiled at this. "Thanks, Ash Sentret was actually my first capture. We will be working on exactly that," Casey said as she pulled out her next ball.

"Pidgey, come on out," As said, Pidgey from before came out of its ball ready to fight. "Alright, Totodile, would you like to take part in this battle," Ash asked his new starter, who nodded at this and joined the fight.

"Pidgey, use Gust," Casey commanded the flying type, which launched a big whirlwind towards the water starter. "Use water gun, Totodile," Ash commanded the Crocodile Pokemon who used said the move, which clashed the moves against each other.

"Use steel wing, "Casey commands the flying type whose wings glowed a silver-like color. Ash noticed and recognized the move that Pidgeot used back in her battle against Fearow, and Pidgeot saw that as well and finally knew what that move was now.

Ash was about to command Totodile to use another water gun, but it had some sort of glow and stomped on the ground, which caused some rocks towards the flying type Ash first thought it was a Rockslide given the way it was launched but not the case, as it hits the said flying type knocking it out.

"Uh...that happened. I don't recognize that move anywhere?" Ash said with a Sweatdrop before looking it up as he also noticed that Totodile was getting stronger from it after one launch. Ash was impressed and looked the said move up. "So it's called Ancient power. I didn't expect a water type to know a rock move Gyrados maybe, but not anyone else must be a new thing here in Johto?" Ash said aloud. Which the Totodile puffed his chest at this, and Ash chuckled at this.

"I think I'll call it a match Ash, sorry, but I don't think that I can catch up after losing two Pokemon in a 3v3 battle," Casey said to Ash, who nodded in agreement. "Knowing when you're beaten is the best move for a new trainer Casey you'll get there soon enough," Ash said to Casey, who took what Ash said to heart.

"You know I was thinking about what you said about that move Totodile used Ancient Power? I heard stories about Pokemon who has moves that can only be learned from when they're born." Casey said Ash was listening and was curious about this but knew that maybe more Pokemon he would encounter would have some unique moves outside of their normal moves. As Chikorita was curious about this as well, not even he has a new move outside of his standard moveset at the moment.

"Aside from that, I guess we should be heading back to New bark town to get healed before continuing our Journey. But the next time we meet Ash, we should have another battle?" Casey suggested to Ash.

"You bet, Casey, and I do hope that we will also meet at the league as well. I'm hoping to see how far you've come since our battle today and any other battles we come across," Ash said as he held out a hand for a handshake which Casey accepted. "Deal, Ash, you better watch out because I'm not gonna give up as a trainer, nor will I let this loss get to me. Our rivalry has just begun," Casey said with a fire in her eyes. This battle has sparked her spirit for being a Pokemon trainer as Chikorita had the same feeling.

'Same with me, Totodile. Next time we meet, I want to face you as well," Chikorita said holding out a vine which Totodile held and shook. 'Deal, don't think what you saw today means that I'm going easy on you either just because you have the type advantage against me,' Totodile said, grinning.

As the gang waved goodby to Casey as she went in the opposite direction as the group.

A new rival for Ash is just how he wanted to start off the Journey, but while Ash is still new to this region, Ash will learn as much as he can to master anything new coming his way as the Journey continues.

Stay tuned

Done, man, did this take forever to finish. For those who noticed, yes, that's an Egg move that Totodile knows. It's not new to my writing as Sandile/Krokodile in my Unova story has Thunder fang as his egg moves. As for the move itself, I haven't seen it used as much in the anime outside of Dawn's Mamoswine. If anyone else thinks of a way to write it in, let me know. I would give it Rock Slide or Crunch, but I wanted it to be unique to Totodile. Trust me, this isn't the only Pokemon in this story with Egg moves from this point onwards. With that said, the Heracross episode is next. See you next time.