Things were pretty hot on the last episode of Pokemon Super: Black & White! After finally arriving in Striaton City, our heroes reached the Gym for Ash and Cabba's first Unova Region Gym Battle. First up was Cabba against Chili, both using Fire-Type Pokemon, Chimchar and Pansear. It was quite a struggle, but Cabba and Chimchar proved that their bond is hotter than Chili and Pansear's bond. Cabba won his first ever Gym Badge, the Trio Badge, thanks to Chimchar and his newly learned Flame Wheel. Now, it's Ash's turn against the Striaton Gym Leaders, best two out of three! Good luck, Ash!
Dreams by the Yard Full
As the Gym Battles were going on, Team Rocket made their way through Striaton City.
"You will contact headquarters upon your arrival." Jessie quoted what they heard from their boss. "Let me think, those were the Boss's orders, right?"
Meowth nodded. "Right. We go to the specified location and transmit at the specified time."
The three of them looked around and saw that there was nothing to worry about. In the clear, they walked down an alleyway.
"And we're right on track." James said.
Soon after Cabba's fiery Gym Battle against Chili, Ash was at the battlefield, facing off against Cress and Panpour. Cabba, Chimchar, Iris, Axew, and Sandy watched.
"For your first match, you'll be facing Cress, and that's me!" Cress told Ash with a cool smile. "Alright! Ready when you are!" Ash replied.
"Attention! For our next battle today, we have Ash the challenger facing Cress the Gym Leader! Only one Pokemon each! When either side is unable to battle, the match is over!" Cilan announced. The cheerleaders began to cheer for Cress. "C'mon, Cress, victory! Show us what we need to see!"
Ash looked over at Pikachu. "I bet Cress is tough, but I totally believe in you, Pikachu." Pikachu thanked his trainer. "Pikachu!" After that, Pikachu ran to the battlefield to face off against Panpour.
Sandy smiled. "Awesome! Ash's gonna use Pikachu against Cress and Panpour!" Cabba turned to the girls. "Does that give him the advantage?" Iris smiled and nodded. "It does. Water-Types are weak against Electric-Type attacks." Cabba smiled and turned back to the battle. "Well, either way, I wish Ash the best of luck in this battle." "Chimchar Chim Char!/Axew Ew Ew!" Both Chimchar and Axew cheered for Pikachu.
"And begin!" Cilan declared.
"Alright, Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" Ash called. Pikachu began the battle by dashing towards Panpour.
Cress chuckled. "Panpour, Double Team, go!" Panpour glowed a bit before multiple clones appeared. One of the clones disappeared when Pikachu hit it. The Mouse Pokemon looked back surprised. "Now, Panpour! Use Scratch!" The clones attacked Pikachu with Scratch, smacking the Mouse Pokemon to the ground.
Ash gasped. "Pikachu!" "Pikachu is an Electric-Type, of course. So, there's definitely an advantage there... Even so, it's still no match for my Panpour! Alright, Panpour, use Water Gun!" Cress shouted. The Spray Pokemon shot a Water Gun attack in Pikachu's direction.
"Dodge it, Pikachu!" At Ash's call, Pikachu was able to dodge Water Gun multiple times. "Alright! Thunderbolt, go!" Pikachu began to charge up his Electric-Type attack, but...
"Panpour, aim at Pikachu's feet!" Cress called. Panpour fired one more Water Gun, this one got Pikachu by the feet. Pikachu didn't see that coming, so he lost concentration and slipped. "I saw through your attack pattern. Such an obvious move." Cress chuckled. The cheerleaders cheered more for Cress and Panpour.
"Now, we'll take turns at attacking and defending! Start off with Water Gun!" Cress called. Panpour fired Water Gun at Pikachu again, but Ash was not gonna let that hit again. "I don't think so! Pikachu, spin on your back while using Thunderbolt!" Hearing Ash's call, Pikachu got on his back, spun around and used Thunderbolt to deflect Panpour's Water Gun.
This surprised everyone in the Gym, they never saw that coming. "Whoa! What was that?" Chili asked. "What did Pikachu just do?" Iris blinked a couple of times. "It looks like Pikachu made his Thunderbolt attack into some sort of barrier to protect himself against Panpour's Water Gun." Cabba answered. Sandy grinned. "Well, I'll be. They used an attack like Thunderbolt to protect themselves, that's pretty cool!" Chimchar and Axew looked on in awe.
Cress couldn't help but smile at the technique. "Well played, Ash. I must admit, I've never seen a Thunderbolt attack used like that before."
Ash smirked. "Thanks, it's a little something I came up with while I was in the Sinnoh Region. It's called the Counter Shield strategy!" "Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu smirked and got back on his feet.
Cilan was pretty amazed by this strategy. "Using an attack in order to defend yourself? Pretty interesting, adding an unexpected twist to a savory recipe to give it a more rich and memorable flavor."
"Okay, let's try this! Panpour, it's time to put our Anti-Electric-Type strategy into motion! Use Mud Sport!" Panpour slammed his hands on the ground, creating a shake on the ground with mud. Pikachu was surprised, but he managed to stay on his feet.
"Mud Sport? What does that do?" Cabba asked. "It's a Ground-Type move that weakens Electric-Type attacks while the user is in the battle. Looks like Cress was prepared for facing off against Electric-Type Pokemon like Pikachu." Sandy explained. Iris frowned. "Things are looking pretty rough for both Ash and Pikachu." "Axew." Axew agreed.
Ash gritted his teeth. "Pikachu, use Quick attack!" Pikachu charged at Panpour.
"Now, Panpour! Use Double Team once more!" Cress shouted. Pikachu stopped and saw that he was surrounded by more Panpour clones. "Now, Scratch!" The multiple Panpours went in for a Scratch attack.
Rather than being surprised...Ash and Pikachu just smirked. "That's what I thought you'd do." Ash said. Cress blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
"Pikachu, NOW!" Ash shouted. "Pika..." Pikachu once again got on his back and spun around. "...CHUUUU!" As he was spinning, Pikachu used his Thunderbolt attack! The electricity quickly got rid of the attacking clones, then zapped the real deal Panpour.
Cabba was amazed. "They used that Counter Shield again!" Iris smiled. "Even with the effects of Mud Sport, Electric-Type attacks can still do damage." "Way to go, Ash! Keep it up!" Sandy cheered. "Chimchar Char Chim!/Axew Ax Ew!" Chimchar and Axew happily cheered for Pikachu.
"Pikachu, use Quick Attack while Panpour's still recovering!" Ash called. Pikachu finally got Panpour with Quick attack. Cress gritted a bit. "I can't believe I didn't see that coming." He managed to calm down just as Panpour got back on his feet. "Even so, they can't keep that up forever. Alright, Panpour, use Scratch!" Panpour charged at Pikachu with Scratch.
"Pikachu, use Iron Tail!" Ash yelled. Pikachu was able to block Scratch with his Iron Tail, but Panpour used his other hand to quickly slash Pikachu, making the Mouse Pokemon skid back a bit in the mud.
"Panpour, Water Gun!" Cress quickly called. Panpour was about to fire, but he suddenly stopped and grunted. Cress looked worried. "Panpour, what's wrong?" Everyone saw that small sparks of electricity were dancing around Panpour's body.
"What happened?" Cabba asked. Sandy placed her hand under her chin and began to think. "Hmm...If I had to guess, I'd say Panpour got paralyzed when he used that Scratch attack on Pikachu." Both Cabba and Iris turned to Sandy. Sandy turned to them to explain further. "Think about it, Pikachu has the ability known as Static. It's an ability that has a 30% chance of paralyzing the opponent that manages to hit a physical attack."
Iris smiled. "I see. Pikachu unknowingly gave them the upper hand!" "Keep going, Ash!" Cabba cheered. "Axew Ew!/Chim Chimchar Chim!" Axew and Chimchar cheered.
Ash smiled. "Okay, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" While Panpour stayed in place due to paralysis, Pikachu was able to hit him with Thunderbolt.
Cress gasped. "Panpour! Can you get up?" Panpour was getting up, but since he was paralyzed, he was getting up much slower.
Ash knew that now's his chance. "Let's finish this, Pikachu! Use Volt Tackle!" Pikachu ran after Panpour with Volt Tackle. With a fierce shout, Pikachu slammed against Panpour with Volt Tackle, slamming the Spray Pokemon against a nearby wall.
Everyone looked on in silence, once the smoke cleared, Panpour was on the ground, groaning in defeat. "Panpour's unable to battle, Pikachu wins! So, the winner of this match is Ash!" Cilan declared. The cheerleaders were upset that Cress lost.
Cabba smiled happily. "He did it, he won the match!" "Char Chimchar Chim!" Chimchar happily exclaimed Iris sighed in relief. "Even though Ash had the type advantage, that was still cutting it a bit too close." "Ew Axew." Axew agreed. "He's only begun. Don't forget, this is still best two out of three. Let's see if Ash can win this one and get his badge." Sandy mentioned.
Meanwhile, Team Rocket was at a dark place, getting some new orders from their boss, Giovanni.
"The Dreamyard, Sir?" James asked.
"Correct." Giovanni replied. "It is what's left of a giant research facility somewhere near Striaton City. It seems they were conducting research on dream energy."
"Dream energy?" Jessie inquired.
"My top-secret sources tell me that the dream energy has the power to turn our wildest dreams into reality." Giovanni explained.
"Dreams into reality? That's some energy!" Meowth commented.
"So I will ask you once again! What is Team Rocket's primary mission?" Giovanni asked.
"Our mission is...to create the most powerful Pokemon army, of course, and use it to conquer the world." James answered.
"And what then, if we can gain control of that energy?" Giovanni inquired.
"We turn our dreams...into reality. Which is to say, we will achieve Team Rocket's purpose, its reason for existence." Jessie answered.
"Good. Investigate the Dreamyard and gain complete control of that energy! That is your new mission." Giovanni ordered.
"Sir!" Jessie, James, and Meowth exclaimed. "Count on us for a job well done!" Meowth added.
"Excellent. I'll transmit plans for your new robotic weaponry." Giovanni wasted no time in transmitting the plans to the trio. "Alright. Transmission out."
"The future of Team Rocket will be determined by our new mission." James said.
"Yes, it's now all up to us. Success is ours at last." Jessie said.
"And turning the dream of world conquest into reality is our claim to fame." Just after Meowth said that, the three of them put their hats on and ran through the sewer pipes. The transmission of robotic plans was finished.
"You did great, Pikachu!" Ash happily commented. Pikachu looked pretty happy that he won. "Pi Pikachu!"
Cilan walked over and took Cress's place on the battlefield. ""Both you and Cabba have truly showed the bond between trainer and Pokemon. We're very impressed. But, we won't give up our badge that easily!"
Ash smirked. "Just the way I wanted it! I'm gonna give it everything I've got to earn the Trio Badge!" He proclaimed.
Cilan chuckled at the promise. "Pansage, I'd like to engage them in a refined battle with flavor that's in depth with taste. Sound good?" "Pansage." Pansage replied with a smile.
Chili took Cilan's place on the referee box. "This is it! The next battle is between Ash and Cilan! And...begin!"
Ash held out one of his Poke Balls. "We'll win this one as well! Oshawott, I choose you!" The Sea Otter Pokemon appeared with his arms crossed.
Iris, Cabba, and Sandy's eyes widened at Ash's Pokemon choice. "Oshawott!? Wouldn't a Flying-Type like Pidove had been a better choice against a Grass-Type like Pansage?" Iris asked. "I can understand wanting to challenge yourself, but this is just plain crazy." Sandy muttered. Cabba laughed a little nervously. "I'm sure Ash has his reasons for choosing Oshawott."
Cress was amused by Ash's choice. "Intentionally choosing a Pokemon that's at a disadvantage? That doesn't taste right."
Oshawott opened his eyes, and saw who his enemy was. Pansage smirked at his frightened opponent. Oshawott hid behind Ash. Ash sweat dropped and scratched the back of his head. "Oh man...here we go." "Pika..." Pikachu sighed.
Ash and Pikachu pushed Oshawott on to the battlefield. "Come on, Oshawott... I need you to be strong. You're the only Pokemon that can get the job done. You're one of my strongest Pokemon. It's up to you. Don't you remember helping Cabba rescue Pikachu, Chimchar, and Axew when they were in trouble?" Ash explained. "Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed.
With those words said, Oshawott finally agreed to battle Pansage. "Oshawott!" "So, show me that strength now! Let's win that Gym Badge!" Ash called.
Oshawott nodded and turned to face Cilan and Pansage. Cilan smiled at the relationship. "You have the first attack. From anywhere you'd like."
"Oshawott, Tackle!" Ash called to start the battle. Oshawott charged towards Pansage.
"Pansage, dodge!" Cilan called. Pansage stepped out of the way, causing Oshawott to stumble a little. "Pansage, Bullet Seed!" Cilan called again. Pansage fired seeds from his mouth at Oshawott. The Sea Otter Pokemon ran around the field with seeds hitting him on the butt.
Iris sweat dropped. "Oshawott's bark may be a bit stronger than its bite." "Axew." Axew agreed.
Sandy turned to Cabba. "Oh yeah, he has good reasons for bringing Oshawott out against Pansage." She said in sarcasm.
Cabba turned back to the match. "The match has just begun, I'm sure Ash will find a way to turn it around." Chimchar wasn't entirely sure, but he just sighed and shrugged. "Char."
"Oshawott!" Ash gasped. Oshawott groaned and rubbed his sore bottom.
"Looks like you two could grow up a bit. You know, mature." Cilan teased.
"What did you say!?" Ash angrily snapped.
"Need proof? I'll show you proof. Pansage, get close to Oshawott!" Cilan called. Pansage was getting closer to Oshawott with an evil smirk on his face. Te Water-Type yelped in fear. "And now, use Bite!" At Cilan's call, Pansage chomped on Oshawott's head. Oshawott flailed and tried to get Pansage off of him.
Iris laughed nervously. Sandy found this to be pretty funny and laughed a little. Cabba sweat dropped at the scene. Axew laughed a little with the girls. Chimchar just groaned and face palmed himself.
Pansage finally let go of Oshawott...just as the Water-Type smacked face first against a rock. The Water-Type tried to recover, but his Grass-Type was ready for some more. "Oshawott, use Water Gun!" Ash called. Oshawott tried to hit Pansage with Water Gun, but the Grass Monkey Pokemon easily dodged it.
Oshawott panted, he was getting annoyed by Pansage evasive abilities. "You've got to aim better, Oshawott!" Ash called. At those words, Oshawott nodded and fired another Water Gun. Pansage was able to dodge it as well. "Okay, one more time!" Ash called. Oshawott fired another Water Gun, this time it hits Pansage. Oshawott was proud at that. "Yes! That was a great attack!" Ash complimented. "Pikachu!" Pikachu agreed.
Pansage grinned and recovered from the attack. "New flavors...almost like a secret ingredient. But, you'll never defeat me with a simple taste like that." Cilan chuckled.
"Pansage, I think it's time to convert the power of the sun." Cilan told his Grass-Type. Pansage posed and the tuft on his head began to glow.
Sandy and Iris knew what attack Pansage was gonna use next and they gasped. "Uh-oh, not that!" Iris yelped. "If that hits, Ash will lose the match!" Sandy added.
Cabba turned to the girls. "What do you mean? What's Pansage going to use?" Sandy's eyes never left the battlefield, but she still answered the Saiyan's question. "Pansage is getting ready to use one of the most powerful Grass-Type attacks known: Solar Beam."
Cabba began to understand as he turned back to the battle. "I get it. Pansage is gathering light from the sun and plans to fire the energy at Oshawott." Now the Saiyan was getting worried.
"Pansage, Pansage! Let's go!" the cheerleaders cheered.
"Pansage, use Solar Beam, now!" Cilan called. Pansage fired his Solar Beam attack in Oshawott's direction. Oshawott's face was pretty pale at the sight of the attack. Ash gasped. "Oshawott!"
As the beam was getting closer to Oshawott, Ash suddenly came up with an idea. "Oshawott, deflect it!" Oshawott quickly held his scalchop in front of him and managed to deflect the Solar Beam into the air. The move shined out of the Gym, rendered useless. The three Gym Leaders were surprised by this.
"Oshawott, that was awesome!" Ash complimented with a grin. Both Cilan and Chili were speechless. "No way!" Cress gasped.
"Wow! Way to go, Oshawott! Cool!" Iris complimented. "Great thinking, Ash! That was awesome!" Sandy cheered.
Cabba smiled. "Incredible, Oshawott deflected Pansage's Solar Beam by using his scalchop as a shield. Boy, I remember something similar to that back on the Sadala Defense Force."
Sandy turned to the Saiyan in confusion. "The what?"
Just the thought of Sadala and his fellow Saiyans made Cabba sigh in sadness. "It's...nothing." Chimchar looked up at his trainer, looking worried about the Saiyan again. Even Axew looked at Cabba with sad eyes.
The cheerleaders groaned because Cilan didn't win yet. Oshawott jumped on top of a rock, cheering for himself for deflecting the Solar Beam.
Cilan chuckled at the shocking situation. "Now, that was truly a fascinating defense move! Oshawott deflected our Solar Beam with its scalchop! I've seen many Oshawott in my time, but that was a first!" He admitted.
Oshawott just kept adoring his scalchop. "You just wait! You'll see that my Oshawott's a cut above the rest!" Ash promised.
Cilan smiled at that. "Impressive. Then, there's no holding back! Alright, Pansage, Bullet Seed!" Pansage fired his Bullet Seed attack.
"Quick, block it with your scalchop!" Ash called. Oshawott was able to deflect the Bullet Seed attacks with his scalchop. "Yes! Now, use Razor Shell!" Ash called. Oshawott nodded and got ready to use his next attack.
"Use Bullet Seed once more!" Cilan called. Pansage shot the Grass-Type attack once again. Oshawott managed to dodge it, but one of the seeds knocked the scalchop out of his hand. Both Ash and Pikachu gasped.
Iris sighed. "That's what happens when you get overconfident..." Sandy crossed her arms and shook her head. "Now they're in a bit of a situation."
"Oshawott, get your scalchop, hurry!" Ash called. Oshawott tried to get it back. "Use Bullet Seed!" Cilan called. Oshawott barely dodged the attacks from Pansage, but one seed hit him on the head. The Water-Type staggered and tried to regain his balance. "Oshawott!" Ash gasped.
"Hm! Alright, let's begin! The time for the battle to be served is here!" Cilan called. The cheerleaders happily squealed after hearing this.
Iris looked confused. "Whoa! What's going on?" "I've met up with other Pokemon Connoisseurs when I was still travelling by myself, so I think I know what's about to happen. Cilan's about to make some evaluations in this battle." Sandy explained.
"Evaluations? You mean like what he did back when I was battling Chili?" Cabba asked. Sandy nodded. "That's what Pokemon Connoisseurs do in situations like this one."
True to her word, Cilan began to make an evaluation between Ash and Oshawott. "Ha...Hm...I'm afraid that you and Oshawott aren't as tight as I thought you would be." Ash looked confused, but Cilan kept going. "Your battle style has no spice, and your attacks are rather bland. Sorry, but what a letdown."
Ash glared at the Connoisseur. "A letdown!?" "Well, take a look at Oshawott." Cilan pointed out. Ash looked to see that his Water-Type looked exhausted. "Come on, Oshawott!" Ash pleaded.
"Now, let's compare! Just look at my Pansage. Its crisp attacks give off a fragrant aroma of a freshly mowed lawn! The star of the battlefield! Dare I say it, Pansage is the most brilliant battler ever!" Cilan explained. "Pan!" Pansage happily exclaimed to Cilan's words. The cheerleaders happily cheered.
Cabba, Iris, and Sandy sweat dropped. "A Pokemon Connoisseur Gym Leader can sure be a bit much..." Iris muttered. "That's why I stick to being both a Pokemon Trainer and a martial artist." Sandy added. "Even though I've been to other planets before, I still need to get used to the stuff here on Earth." Cabba muttered to himself.
Cilan smiled and gave his opponent a teasing look. "And the fact that you've challenged my Grass-Type with a Water-Type tells me that you're far from refined! Your taste buds sure don't appreciate the gourmet things in life."
Ash chuckled. "There's more to Pokemon than what type they are! So, don't sell my Oshawott short!" Cilan kept his smile. "Now you sound desperate. With that kind of sour attitude, you'll just spoil the flavor of Oshawott's battle."
Ash grinned. "Oh yeah? We'll see about that! Oshawott, use Water Gun and aim for that wall!" The call left Cilan, Cress, Chili, and Oshawott bewildered.
Cabba, Chimchar, Iris, Axew, and Sandy were surprised by this as well. "Towards the wall?" Iris repeated. "What good will that do?" Sandy asked. Cabba looked at the battlefield carefully, then he smiled and nodded. "I think I know. Do it, Ash! Earn that badge!" "Chim!" Chimchar cheered.
Ash smiled at his Saiyan friend and nodded before he turned back to his Sea Otter Pokemon. "Do it, Oshawott! Just trust me on this one!" Oshawott nodded and fired his Water Gun at the wall. The Water Gun bounced off the wall, off the rocks, until it finally hit the scalchop, sending it into the air.
"Huh!? No way!" Iris exclaimed. "Ew!" Axew added. Cabba smiled. "I knew it!" "Chimchar Chim!" Chimchar cheered. Sandy grinned. "So, that's what he had in mind all along! Awesome thinking, Ash!"
Even Cilan was amazed. "Well well! You do have some surprising flavors!" Ash was just getting started though. "Catch it, Oshawott! Then, use Razor Shell!" Oshawott ran and managed to catch his scalchop. After that, he slashed Pansage with a blade of water. The Grass Monkey Pokemon grunted and resisted the attack.
"That was great, Oshawott!" Ash complimented. Even Cilan was amazed by the comeback. "Wow! That was great! Alright then, Pansage, use Bite!" Pansage ran towards Oshawott with Bite. "Now, use Razor Shell!" Ash called. The two Pokemon clashed. After the two passed each other, there was a moment of silence.
A few moments later...Pansage groaned and fell to the ground. "Oh no..." Cilan replied.
The cheerleaders were upset that the Grass-Type Gym Leader lost the battle. "Pansage is unable to battle, Oshawott wins! And, with two wins, the victor is Ash, the challenger!" Chili declared.
"Yeah!" Ash exclaimed. "Pikachu!" Pikachu added. Oshawott fell to the ground in relief that he won a tough battle.
"Ash won! He really won!" Iris was surprised when she said that. Sandy laughed. "That Ash, he's just full of surprises! That's what I call a battle!" Cabba nodded with a smile. "I knew he'd do it. He won his own badge."
Ash walked over to the three Gym Leaders, Pikachu and Oshawott were by his side. "Here, Ash. This is for you." Cress said. "This badge here is proof that you beat the Striaton Gym." Chili added. "It's called the Trio Badge." Cilan concluded.
Ash took the badge with thanks. "Thanks! I got the Trio Badge! My first Badge in the Unova Region!" He held his badge up for his Pokemon to see. Pikachu and Oshawott happily cheered with their trainer.
Iris and Axew stayed where she was standing, but Cabba, Chimchar, and Sandy walked over to Ash. "What'd you think, guys? I won you know." Ash bragged.
"Even though you only battled two of the Gym Leaders, you didn't have to challenge all three of them you know. You could've just followed Cabba's lead and battled only one of them. Do you have the foggiest idea how uncool it would have looked if you had been defeated after you chose to make it more difficult?" Iris mentioned.
"Man, oh man. You could've said something nice, you know." Ash muttered.
Sandy smiled and patted Ash on the back. "Don't let her get to you, Ash. I thought the battles were amazing." Cabba nodded in agreement. "Yeah, you helped me understand Pokemon Battles a lot better with your battles."
"You're lucky that even though your Pokemon had a type disadvantage, you still came through. Maybe you should forget luck and put a little thought into strategy and better moves." Iris then remembered Ash's match with Cress. "But, I'll admit, that Counter Shield of yours was pretty impressive."
Ash, however, took that as a challenge. "You think so? Then I think I'll battle you next." "That's fine with me..." Iris replied. Cabba couldn't help but notice the hint of nervousness in Iris's tone.
Before the Saiyan could say anything, Cilan stepped up. "Now now, save it for later. Although, the combination of the four of you does conjure up a certain bouquet."
"Bouquet?" Ash repeated. "He means aroma." Cabba explained.
Iris suddenly turned to walk away. Sandy noticed her beginning to walk away. "Where are you going?" Iris turned to answer her. "Axew and I are outta here." Axew nodded in agreement.
"Hold on, I thought the four of you were travelling together." Cilan guessed in confusion. "No, we're not! Good job, you two. See ya!" Iris called out to Ash and Cabba. She and Axew left the Gym.
Ash pouted. "But what about our battle?" Cabba sighed. "Oh well, I guess it's just us for now." Sandy smiled at the two of them. "Cheer up. I'm sure she'll come back before you know it."
Cilan looked at the three of them, smiled and looked like he was thinking about something.
Team Rocket made it to the Dreamyard and are now ready to put their plan into action.
"So this is the Dreamyard." James looked around at the area they were in.
"The site where researchers were developing future energy." Jessie added.
"Well, now it's nothing more than a pile of rubble." After he said that, Meowth noticed something shiny in the rubble. Curious, he walked over and picked up what was shining in the rubble. "Well, look what we have here."
"What is it?" James asked the Scratch Cat Pokemon.
Meowth showed Jessie and James what he found. "I don't know, but it sure looks nice and valuable." What they didn't know was that Meowth actually found the Four-Star Dragon Ball.
Jessie looked at the Dragon Ball and smirked. "You're right, it does. Let's take it with us." She focused on the main mission again. "Let's get down to business!"
"Right!" James opened up the briefcase they had with them, containing parts needed for a machine.
Once they assembled the machine, they got to work right away. "System launched. Detecting all residual energy, transferring data back to headquarters." Jessie said.
Meowth pushed a button on the machine. It turned on and began to rove around the area.
James was surprised by this. "It's responding already!"
"And you can feel the power growing!" Meowth added. He kept a firm grip on the Four-Star Dragon Ball.
Just then, a pink ring of smoke blasted above them. In fact, the entire Dreamyard started to glow pink.
Somewhere in Striaton City, the eyes of a pink Pokemon glowed as well. The Pokemon looked worried. "Munna!" The Pokemon, Munna, cried out.
A woman that's with the Pokemon rushed over to Munna in concern. "Munna, what's wrong?"
"Munna..." Munna replied, growing even more worried.
Ash, Cabba, and Sandy entered the Pokemon Center so Ash and Cabba can get their Pokemon healed up from the battles at the Gym.
Ash placed Oshawott's Poke Ball on the tray and Pikachu and Chimchar got on the front desk. "Okay! Ready, please!" Ash called.
A familiar looking nurse walked over. "Hi there!"
Ash and Cabba blinked in confusion. "Nurse Joy? Didn't we meet back in Accumula Town?" Cabba asked in confusion.
Nurse Joy giggled. "Of course. You must be talking about my younger sister. See?" She showed them a picture of a family of Nurse Joys. "She's the Accumula nurse, and that's me."
Ash, Cabba, and Sandy sweat dropped at the picture. "Yeah...Right...You and all your sisters look alike." Ash chuckled. "I've seen twins and triplets back home, but this is something else. How can you tell them apart?" Cabba quietly asked that last part. "Pay close attention to the color of the nurse signs on their hats, I guess." Sandy answered. Pikachu and Chimchar looked at the picture as well.
"How unusual to see a Pikachu and a Chimchar. Gym Battle today?" Nurse Joy asked.
"Already done." Another voice answered. Ash, Cabba, and Sandy turned around and saw Cilan. "Hey, Cilan. What's up?" Ash asked. "Hi, Ash. I'd like to chat with both you and Cabba, if you don't mind." Cilan explained.
With that, the three boys and Sandy waited for Ash and Cabba's Pokemon to be healed. The four of them were sitting at a table. "Our battle today, along with Cabba's battle with Chili, were fruitful ones. What struck me was the amazing pairing possibilities between trainer and Pokemon!" Cilan explained.
"Aw, come on..." Ash felt a little shy. Cabba said nothing but still smiled nervously. Sandy giggled at the nervous looks on the two boys faces. "There are things I'd like to ask you two for your future references, as a Pokemon Connoisseur." Cilan told them.
"What is it?" Cabba asked. Then, Cilan took out a notebook and began to ask the boys multiple questions. "So, how do you two bring out a Pokemon's hidden nature like you do? Also, Ash, won't you fill me in on that secret recipe of yours that allows you to turn type disadvantages into a win? Please, Ash! Cabba! I'm dying to know!"
Both Ash and Cabba were getting pretty nervous about the many questions being asked at once. That, and the fact that Cilan was getting kinda closer and looking more excited to find out the answers to the questions.
"Uh...I guess I never really thought about it." Ash stammered.
"Um...I'm not really sure how to answer that." Cabba stammered as well.
Sandy decided to save the boys by pulling Cilan back a bit. "Easy there, Cilan. Let them take a breather. They've had a busy day."
All of a sudden, there was some sort of beeping sound coming from Sandy's pocket. "What was that?" Ash asked.
Sandy suddenly grinned and pulled something out of her pocket. Ash, Cabba, and Cilan saw that she was holding what looks like a Pokedex in her hand.
"Sandy, why's your Pokedex beeping like that?" Cabba asked.
Sandy grinned at the boys. "Looks like a Pokedex, doesn't it?" That only confused the three of them more. "It's not a Pokedex?" Ash asked.
"This is a handy device I've made to make finding the Dragon Balls a lot easier. It's called the Dragon Radar." Sandy proudly showed the boys the readings on her radar.
While Ash and Cabba were pretty amazed, Cilan just looked even more confused. "Dragon Balls? What are they?" the Connoisseur asked.
Just before Ash, Cabba, or Sandy could answer that question, there was a call from Nurse Joy. "Excuse me, Ash? Cabba? Your Pokemon have made a full recovery!"
"Coming!" Ash called. He and Cabba walked over. Sandy and Cilan followed them with Sandy putting her Dragon Radar away. They saw a different Pokemon walking over with Pikachu, Chimchar, and Ash's Poke Ball on a cart.
"Pikachu!/Chimchar!" Ash and Cabba called out to their Pokemon. The two of them happily got on their trainers's shoulders. "Audino." the Pokemon, Audino happily replied to them. "Who's that Pokemon?" Ash asked. "An Audino. Audino here is an assistant to Nurse Joy at the Pokemon Center." Cilan explained.
Cabba took his Pokedex out to find out more about Audino. "Audino, the Hearing Pokemon. Audino can assess a Pokemon's overall physical condition and mood using its ears."
Just after the Pokedex explained that, Iris came dashing in with Axew in her arms. "Nurse Joy! Help, please!" "Iris?" Sandy replied, sounding surprised.
"What's wrong?" Nurse got a good look at Axew. "...Oh my, your Axew..." They all saw that Axew was asleep and glowing pink.
"Iris, what happened?" Sandy asked. "Axew started to fall asleep as soon as a pink light hit him from the sky!" Iris answered. "Pink light?" Cabba repeated. Iris nodded. "Yeah! And whatever it is, there's more outside!" She looked outside as she explained that.
Just then, the woman from earlier and Munna came running in. The woman saw the glowing Axew. "Ah! Just as I feared! Munna, please wake up Axew, quickly!" Munna nodded and began to suck the pink aura off of Axew. Everyone looked on with concerned looks.
Ash looked at the Pokemon trying to help Axew. "Who's that Pokemon?" "It's a Munna. I've heard they're connected to many dreams." Sandy answered. Since he still had his Pokedex out, Cabba decided to scan Munna. "Munna, the Dream Eater Pokemon. Munna can eat the dreams of people and Pokemon alike, and then project those dreams by emitting Dream Mist from its body."
After Munna finished sucking the aura from Axew, the flower designs on her body began to glow pink. Then, some Dream Mist came out of her body to show the dream Axew was having.
"Oh, wow..." Ash was amazed by the mist. Iris blinked while the mist began to show them the dream. "What's that?" Cabba raised an eyebrow. "Is that...a dream?"
The woman nodded. "That's right. That's the dream that Axew was having." Everyone looked at the mist just as Axew woke up. "Axew!" Iris was relieved that her Pokemon was awake and safe.
Turning back to the dream, they saw that Axew was happily running around a field. Suddenly, the Axew in the dream glowed and began to change. The glowing stopped and in Axew's place was a different, yet sorta similar, Pokemon. "It evolved?" Ash asked. "Oh, wow, you're right...It evolves into Fraxure." Iris answered. Axew looked at the Fraxure in the dream happily.
"Fraxure?" Cabba looked at his Pokedex for more answers. "Fraxure, the Axe Jaw Pokemon, and the evolved form of Axew. Their tusks can shatter rocks. Territory battles between Fraxure can be intensely violent."
Right after the Pokedex explained that, the Fraxure in the dream glowed again. It was now a different Pokemon that growled in a deep voice. "Hey, that was quick! This time, Fraxure evolved into Haxorus!" Sandy exclaimed.
Cabba scanned the new Pokemon in the dream too. "Haxorus, the Axe Jaw Pokemon, and the final evolved form of Axew. Their sturdy tusks will stay sharp even if used to cut steel beams. These Pokemon are covered in hard armor." The Saiyan's Pokedex explained.
Just as the dream ended, Iris turned to her Dragon-Type Pokemon. "So, you were dreaming that you were evolving." She giggled. "Axew!" Axew happily exclaimed.
"Hi, everybody! I'm Dr. Fennel, a scientist that is specializing in dreams and other special powers which so many Pokemon possess." Dr. Fennel introduced herself.
After the introduction was made, everyone went outside to see what was going on. Pink mist was covering Striaton City. "The entire city's surrounded by...pink mist?" Sandy raised a confused eyebrow.
"Yeah...those pink lights must be why Axew fell asleep." Iris guessed. Not wanting to fall asleep like earlier, Axew hid in Iris's hair in fear.
"What's happening?" Cabba asked. "All of this must be created by Musharna's Dream Mist." Dr. Fennel guessed. Ash turned to the scientist in confusion. "Musharna?" "Musharna evolves from Munna." Cilan explained. "Correct..." Dr. Fennel added.
Cabba still had his Pokedex out, so he decided to find out more about Musharna. "Musharna, the Drowsing Pokemon and the evolved form of Munna. The mist from its forehead takes the form of things present in the dreams it has eaten."
"Musharna eats dreams, just as Munna does, and can project those dreams in a Dream Mist." Dr. Fennel explained. Just after that, a police car came by and stopped in front of them.
"Attention!" A female officer got out. "Officer Jenny?" Cilan asked in surprise. Officer Jenny walked up to Ash and Cabba. "You two must return your Pokemon to their Poke Balls, immediately." Both Ash and Cabba were surprised, but Officer Jenny quickly explained. "Pokemon are falling asleep, all after being exposed to the mysterious pink light. You must hurry!"
Cabba nodded and got Chimchar's Poke Ball out. "You'll be safe from the light in here, Chimchar. As soon as this is over, I'll bring you back out." The Saiyan assured. Chimchar knew that going in his Poke Ball is a good idea to keep him safe from the light, so he nodded before he got sucked into his own Poke Ball.
Ash, however, frowned. "The thing is, my Pikachu doesn't like being in his Poke Ball one bit." Cabba, Iris, Sandy, and Cilan were surprised to hear that.
"Whoa...I had no idea." Iris admitted. Dr. Fennel smiled and made a suggestion. "If I may?" She took Ash's hat and placed it on Pikachu's head. "There, that should work for now." A little light hit the hat, but Pikachu was still wide awake.
"So, will Munna be alright?" Cilan asked in concern for the Dream Eater Pokemon. "Yes. Munna and the lights are attracted to each other." Dr. Fennel explained. The five trainers looked back at Munna. The Dream Eater Pokemon didn't fall asleep after the lights hit her.
Dr. Fennel then made a guess. "I think the key to solve this mystery is to be found in the Dreamyard." "What's the Dreamyard?" Ash asked in confusion. "Pika?" Pikachu asked.
Shortly after the question was asked, Officer Jenny asked everyone to get inside her car, and then she began to drive them in the direction of the Dreamyard. Meanwhile, Nurse Joy was giving out warnings to the people. "Citizens of Striaton City, a state of emergency has been declared! Keep your Pokemon indoors at all times! I repeat: Keep your Pokemon indoors at all times!"
As they were on the road to the Dreamyard, Cilan decided to answer Ash's earlier question. "The Dreamyard is an abandoned site, located right outside of the city. Everybody was talking about the huge explosion that occurred there a few years back."
Dr. Fennel nodded and added to the explanation. "That's right. It's what's left of the Pokemon Energy Research Facility, a place to discover a way to utilize Musharna's Dream Mist...That is, turn it into a form of energy that people could benefit from, and I was one of the scientists on the project."
"Turning dreams...into energy?" Cabba asked. Dr. Fennel nodded. "Once our research had been finalized, we would've created the ultimate clean energy." As Dr. Fennel went on, she remembered when the research facility in the Dreamyard was still in one piece. "After all, its source would've been nothing but the dreams of people and Pokemon. But then..."
"Then what? What happened?" Ash inquired.
"People came trying to gain control of this new energy, even some martial artists who wanted to get stronger faster tried to gain control of this energy. And since their ambitions were, in a sense, dreams...Musharna absorbed their greedy dreams, which became so overwhelming that Musharna could no longer process them. Musharna disappeared and the research facility was destroyed." Dr. Fennel answered.
"And the research?" Officer Jenny asked. Dr. Fennel looked down in sadness. "I gave up. With Musharna gone, I became fed up with it all and left the city."
"So, why did you come back now?" Sandy asked. "Because Munna sensed something...and with the discovery of the pink lights, Musharna must be here...somewhere. I know it!" Dr. Fennel assured. Ash, Cabba, Iris, Sandy, and Cilan were confused and worried. The five of them didn't know what to do at the moment.
Just then, something caught Officer Jenny's eye. "Huh? What's that?"
Suddenly, Sandy's Dragon Radar beeped again. She took it out and checked the radar. The other four looked at the radar as well. "What's up?" Iris asked. "Looks like another Dragon Ball is straight ahead...in the Dreamyard." Sandy answered with a serious look on her face.
In the Dreamyard, Jessie, James, and Meowth were smirking as they looked around them.
"This is incredible!" Jessie said. "Beyond our wildest dreams!" James added. "Success, we've done it! And we also got a little bonus prize to go with it!" Meowth looked at the Four-Star Dragon Ball in his paw.
Then all three of them saw a police car driving by. "The police?"
Out of the car came Officer Jenny, Dr. Fennel, Ash, Cabba, Iris, Sandy, and Cilan. The Unova officer was suspicious of the trio. "Alright, what are you doing here?"
The trio sneered. "We're searching for any residual traces of dreams." James replied.
Dr. Fennel looked at the machine that the trio's using and made another guess. "I think that machine is elevating the energy levels left here!"
Jessie smirked. "Very good!"
Sandy glared at the trio. "Just who are you three anyway?" Cabba sensed something familiar with the three of them. "Hold on, aren't they...?"
Before the Saiyan could continue, Jessie spoke up. "Exacting questions are good, indeed!"
"The answer to come, as we feel the need!" James added. Team Rocket took off their disguises and Ash, Cabba, Iris, and Sandy glared at the three of them. "Team Rocket!" Ash exclaimed angrily. "I knew it!" Cabba said in anger. "No, not those guys again!" Iris growled. "They just don't know when to quit." Sandy said.
Team Rocket kept going with their motto. "Bringing...the white light of evil into the future!" Jessie said.
"And thrusting...the Hammer of Justice on the black universe!" James added.
"Carving our names...in the Rock of Eternity!" Meowth added.
"The fiery destroyer, I'm Jessie!" Jessie introduced.
"And with thunderous emotion, I am James!" James introduced.
"Wisest of the wise, I'm Meowth!" Meowth introduced.
"And now, we call all to gather under the name of Team Rocket!" Team Rocket finished their motto together.
"Team Rocket? What's a Kanto Region based organization doing in Unova!?" Officer Jenny demanded. "Setting in motion our takeover of Unova, of course." Jessie replied.
"The sleeping energy lingering here at the Dreamyard will be fully awakened at the hands of Team Rocket!" James explained. "And we won't let some sleepwalkers stand in our way!" Meowth added.
Dr. Fennel's eyes widened. "I can't believe there are people who still want to take advantage of our dreams." She said with a sad face.
Cilan turned to the scientist. "Dr. Fennel, is it possible that Musharna was trying to warn you all about this through Munna?" Cilan asked. "I hadn't thought about that..." Dr. Fennel admitted.
Munna nodded her head and Dr. Fennel's eyes widened again. "Munna...?" The ground began to shake all of a sudden. A dream field spread across the Dreamyard.
"What's this!?" Meowth yelped. "Looks like some kind of force field!" Cabba answered. Suddenly, Chimchar popped out of his Poke Ball by himself to find out what was going on.
Just then, they heard the shriek of another Pokemon, and it sounded like it was in pain. "I think that was Musharna's cry!" Dr. Fennel mentioned. Team Rocket grew curious. "Musharna?" Jessie asked in confusion. "Musharna is the Pokemon that helped the experiments at the laboratory." James explained. Meowth sneered. "Hey, then that means we could gather up the remaining energy and we could also catch the Pokemon that's the source of that energy at the same time!"
Both Cabba and Sandy glared at Team Rocket. "Think again! We're not gonna let you capture Musharna for you evil plot!" Cabba told Team Rocket. "Chim Char Char Char!" Chimchar growled.
Sandy then noticed a familiar shiny blue ball in Meowth's paw. She knew what it was right away and gasped. "They've got the Dragon Ball!"
That only confused Team Rocket. "Dragon Ball?" Jessie asked. Even James didn't know. "This is the first I've heard of something called a Dragon Ball." Meowth looked at the Dragon Ball in his paw. "So, this thing has a name?"
While Cabba and Sandy were speaking to Team Rocket about the Dragon Ball, Ash and the others were calling out to the Psychic-Type. "Musharna, where are you!?" Dr. Fennel called. "Munna!" Munna called out to her evolved form. "Come on! Answer us!" Ash called out. "Pika Pika!" Pikachu called out. "Musharna!" Cilan and Iris called out. "Ax Ew Ew!" Axew even called out as well.
Just then, a ball of pink light appeared, taking form of a Pokemon familiar to Dr. Fennel. "It's Musharna!" "Munna!" Munna was happy to see her evolved form. The five trainers were amazed as well when the ball of light formed into Musharna.
Dr. Fennel and Munna began to run over to Musharna in happiness, but they stopped when a laser shot at them and barely missed. "Dr. Fennel!" Ash gasped. The Kanto Trainer ran over and almost got hit by another laser.
"We'll be taking possession of Musharna, thank you!" James said. A green light shot from Team Rocket's machine and trapped Musharna in a cage of green light.
"Hey, what are you doing?" Cabba asked in anger. "What does it look like, Saiyan Twerp? Musharna's now a proud member of Team Rocket!" Jessie said. "A lifetime member..." James added.
Cabba growled angrily. "You're not taking Musharna away from Dr. Fennel!" Chimchar got off Cabba's shoulder just before the Saiyan quickly charged at Team Rocket's machine.
Cilan gasped a bit. "Cabba, come back!" Ash, however, looked determined. "Pikachu, quick! Let's help Cabba free Musharna! Use Volt Tackle, now!" Pikachu ran with Cabba. The Mouse Pokemon was using his most powerful Electric-Type attack. The machine fired some more lasers at the two of them, but they managed to dodge them.
Dr. Fennel looked at Munna with a serious look. "Alright, Munna! Use Psychic!" With her eyes glowing blue, Munna used her psychic powers to crush the machine before it was destroyed by Pikachu's Volt Tackle and a powerful punch from Cabba.
With the machine broken, Musharna was freed and the area turned back to normal. Meowth growled angrily. "Not again!" Just then, something shot up from underground, knocking Meowth off his feet. The Dragon Ball fell out of Meowth's hand and the figure snatched it.
Everyone was surprised to see that a Pokemon that looks like a metal ant now has the Dragon Ball in its grasp. Meowth quickly got to his feet to glare at the Pokemon. "Hey, what's the big idea!? That's my ball, I found it first!" Jessie raised an eyebrow at the Pokemon. "What kind of Pokemon is that?" James looked it up through a device. "Says here that it's a Pokemon called Durant."
"Durant?" Ash pulled his Pokedex out to find out more. "Durant, the Iron Ant Pokemon. Durant dig nests in mountains. They build their complicated, interconnected tunnels into mazes."
Meowth still glared at Durant. "Still, that's mine! I found it first and I'm claiming it for Team Rocket!" Meowth jumped up to grab Durant.
Sandy pulled out a Poke Ball. "Oh no, you don't! Jaws, get the Dragon Ball!" She brought her Sandile out to get the Dragon Ball from Durant. Now both Meowth and Jaws grabbed on to Durant. The Iron Ant Pokemon struggled against Meowth's paws and Jaws's jaws.
As it was struggling, Durant suddenly glowed and thrashed against Meowth and Jaws. Cilan knew what move it was and gasped. "Careful! Durant's using Struggle Bug!" It was too late, Struggle Bug knocked Meowth and Jaws off of Durant.
"Dur Durant!" Satisfied, Durant quickly dug underground to make his escape with the Dragon Ball.
Jessie growled and took out her Poke Ball. "Woobat, use Gust!" She brought her Woobat out. The Bat Pokemon used his Gust attack, but as a distraction so Team Rocket could escape. "They're gone!" Cilan gasped.
Seeing that Team Rocket and the Durant that took the Dragon Ball were gone, Sandy growled in anger. "Dammit! They got away and Durant escaped with the Dragon Ball! I was so close to adding another Dragon Ball to our collection!" She slammed her fist on the ground hard, and it cracked a bit, startling the others.
Ash walked over and patted Sandy on the back. "It's okay. I mean, Dr. Fennel and Musharna are back together." He assured her. The five trainers looked at the reunion as Dr. Fennel gave Musharna a hug. "Oh, Musharna...I'm so sorry that I didn't feel your presence in such a long time." Dr. Fennel apologized, tears in her eyes. "Musharna." The Drowsing Pokemon admitted that she missed the scientist. "From now on, we'll never be apart." Dr. Fennel promised.
Dr. Fennel turned her attention to the five trainers...mainly Ash and Cabba. "I can't thank you enough, Ash, Cabba." Ash smiled. "I'm really happy for you, Dr. Fennel." Cabba nodded. "So am I." "Pika!/Chim!" Both Pikachu and Chimchar agreed that it was a great reunion.
"Oh, what a beautiful reunion to behold! Dr. Fennel and Musharna's twin hearts reunited once again! Such exquisite harmony!" Cilan exclaimed.
"Well...I would say that this case is closed." Officer Jenny pointed out. Everyone else agreed with the sun beginning to set.
Later that day, the Durant who took the Four-Star Dragon Ball popped out of the ground after so much digging. He was now walking over to the waiting trio of Judy, Roger, and Mienfoo.
Durant then placed the Dragon Ball in Roger's hand. Roger smiled an evil smile. "The Four-Star Dragon Ball. Good job, Durant." Roger complimented and petted his Bug/Steel-Type. "Ant!" Durant thanked his trainer.
Judy smirked and held up the One-Star Ball. "Now we've got two of the Dragon Balls, we just need to find the remaining five."
Mienfoo nodded with his arms crossed. "It's only a matter of time until all seven of the balls are ours."
Roger returned Durant to his Poke Ball. "Well, it's getting late. There's no use trying to the Dragon Balls at dark." Judy and Mienfoo watched as Roger walked past them. There was a little pause before Roger turned his head to them. "Come on, let's have some supper and then rest up for tomorrow's search."
Judy and Mienfoo raised an eyebrow, but then noticed that Roger's legs were shaking a little. Mienfoo sighed in annoyance. "He just doesn't want to go out and find them at night because he's still scared of the dark. I'm sure he still sleeps with a nightlight on."
"One of these days, I'm gonna help him get over his silly fear of the dark as well as Dark-Type Pokemon." But Judy shrugged and decided to follow her brother's lead. "But that's for another time. Supper sounds pretty good."
Mienfoo quickly agreed and walked alongside Judy to follow Roger. "Not gonna argue with that. So...What's on the menu?"
The next day, Ash, Cabba, and Sandy were waiting in front of the Striaton Gym...where Cilan was telling his brothers something.
"You're going on a journey?" Chili asked in shock. "Are you sure?" Cress asked, unsure. "I'm as serious as I can be. After Ash and I had our battle, and after watching Cabba's battle with Chili, our talk has convinced me that I just couldn't resist the urge anymore!" Cilan looked back at Ash and Cabba as he explained. Ash seemed dazed as to what's going on and Cabba just smiled and waved a little. Sandy still looked a little about Durant stealing a Dragon Ball yesterday, but she'll be fine. "It's so clear, there's more to the pairing of Pokemon and trainer than I originally thought. Much more! I know this will help me become an even better Pokemon Connoisseur." Cilan continued.
Chili gave his brother a smirk. "If that's the case, we won't stop you." Cress smiled as well. "We want you to become the best...The best Pokemon Connoisseur in the world!"
"Thank you both!" Cilan thanked. "You just leave the Striaton Gym to us." Chili replied. "Yes...and best wishes on your journey, Cilan." Cress said. Cilan nodded and said his farewells to his brothers.
Cilan joined up with Ash, Cabba, and Sandy and they walked together, heading out of the city. "So, Cilan. Where are you headed?" Ash asked the Grass-Type Gym Leader. Cilan smiled with an obvious answer. "Wherever you, Cabba, and Sandy are headed. I want to go on the journey with the three of you. Plus, remember, Ash. You and Cabba haven't answered my questions yet." Cilan reminded with a wink.
"You want to come with us so you can get some answers?" Cabba asked with a raised eyebrow. "That's not the only reason. One of my other reasons is that I'd like to help you guys look for these Dragon Balls, the rest are for you to find out." Cilan chuckled.
Sandy smiled and shook her head. "Well, I'm just glad we're getting some extra help to search for the Dragon Balls."
"If we go on a journey together, I'm sure there's no doubt that the journey will be full of flavor!" Cilan explained. With that said, both boys and Sandy smiled in agreement. "Okay then, let's travel together!" Ash exclaimed. "I'd like that. Back then, my fellow Saiyans agreed that no one should travel alone." Cabba added. Sandy shrugged. "I still don't understand what you mean by Saiyans, but I'm up for us travelling through the Unova Region as a group." "Pika Pika Pika Pi!/Chim Chim Chimchar!" Both Pikachu and Chimchar happily agreed.
Cilan took out a digital Town Map. "Let's see where the next Gym will be." He looked on the map where the nearest Gym is located. "Looks like...Nacrene City. That's the Nacrene Gym."
Sandy looked at her Dragon Radar again, what she saw made her smile. "Hey, we're in luck. Looks like the nearest Dragon Ball is somewhere along the way to Nacrene City."
Cabba smiled and nodded. "Well, looks like our next stop is Nacrene City." "Okay then!" Ash agreed with a grin.
"By the way, where's Iris?" Cilan suddenly asked. Ash shrugged. "Don't know." Both Cabba and Sandy sensed something in the tree behind Ash. They smiled and knew who it was.
"Boo!" Iris jumped out of the tree and surprised Ash and Cilan. "Did I scare you?"
"Of course you did!" Ash answered in annoyance. Sandy giggled a bit. "Nice try, Iris, but Cabba and I knew you were there."
Cilan suddenly made another suggestion. "Why don't all five of us go together?" The suggestion left the four of them bewildered. "It seems to me the way we compliment each other as a winning team makes for a great recipe." Cilan explained.
"You think so?" Ash asked, but then he smiled and nodded. "Yeah, that's a great idea." Iris turned to the Kanto Trainer with a bored look on her face. "Oh, so you're Mr. Decision Maker?"
Ash ignored the teasing and made up his mind. "Let's make our dreams come true together! Come on!" He looked back at his four friends before continuing. "I want to become the world's greatest Pokemon Master, Cilan wants to be the world's greatest Pokemon Connoisseur, and..." He stopped when he turned to Cabba. The Saiyan smiled at his friend. Ash knew Cabba didn't want anything to get in the way of a fun Unova adventure, so he kept the Saiyan's dream of avenging his people to himself for now. "Well...I wish Cabba good luck with his own dream as well."
Ash turned his head to Sandy. "What about you? Is your dream to find the Dragon Balls?" Sandy giggled and shook her head. "No, silly, that's not it. I want to be Unova's best Tectonic Trainer."
"What's a Tectonic Trainer?" Cabba asked in confusion. "A Tectonic Trainer is a Pokemon Trainer that specializes in mainly Ground-Type Pokemon." Cilan explained.
Sandy smiled and nodded. "Yep, I'm a big fan of Ground-Type Pokemon, so I want to be the greatest Tectonic Trainer that Unova has ever known!"
Ash smiled and nodded before he turned to Iris. "And Iris...What did you want to be again?"
"It's a secret!" Iris giggled and began to run ahead. Axew agreed with his trainer. Sandy and the three boys grew confused, but then they laughed and ran after Iris.
Not only did Ash win the Trio Badge, but now he's a new friend and travelling companion in Cilan. Even though they missed on getting another Dragon Ball, our heroes will surely find another one on their way to Nacrene City for Ash and Cabba's second Unova Region Gym Badge. The journey truly begins next time on Pokemon Super: Black & White!
Cabba's Pokemon Team (So far):
1. Chimchar (M) (Scratch, Leer, Ember, Flame Wheel)
2. Deerling (M) (Tackle, Growl, Double Kick)
