The sun's brilliant rays shone down on Pallet, coupled with a gentle breeze that welcome to brush over Ash's skin, ruffling his bangs as it went. His eyes scanned over his impressive collection of Pokemon, spanning from the tiny rookie, Gible, to his cool and stoic Sceptile, and everyone else in between. Professor Oak had shown him out back to the ranch behind his famous laboratory, electing to assist Ash in his coming decisions that would prepare him for the adventure that drew ever closer.
"I know I want everyone to get in on this training... But first, I guess I gotta pick out a main team to head out with. I've gotta start somewhere, right?" Ash turned his head toward his yellow companion, scratching him behind the ear. "Of course, you're coming with me, buddy!"
Pikachu cooed, nodding his head in agreement. "Chaaa~!"
Meanwhile, his pokemon frolicked and bathed in the sun all across the ranch, each of them catching the trainer's eye. Ash stared, puzzled, until the elderly man interjected.
"Well, you're right about that. A hasty Slowpoke who ruffles a calm river catches no Shellder." An attempt at a solemn expression turned to a cheery smile that raised his bushy brows. "It's good advice, but also makes nice poetry, don't you think?"
"Ahaha… I don't get it, but I see your point." Ash ruffled his hair, turning back to the ranch. "I guess you've got a point there... But, I really don't wanna leave anyone out." His brows furrowed in frustration, no clear solution coming to mind. "Maybe I should think on this a lil' longer…"
Turning his head back towards Professor Oak, Ash gave a brief wave before running off, once more jumping the fence. "I'll be back soon, Professor! I promise!"
"Pika!? Pikapi!" Pikachu scolded, dashing after his trainer. What was he up to, this time!?
"A-ash!" The elder called out, a hand raised before falling limp in its futility. "It may have been my suggestion, but I can't help but worry that he'll be too excitable for that mountain."
A steep climb up Pallet's ascending hills brought Ash and Pikachu to the open fields of Route 1. The duo's sprinting pace had slowed to a leisurely walk, giving them a reprieve from the strenuous climb that had gotten them there. Each had the time to soak in the sun and take in the sights around them.
A glance to the left gave view of several Oddish running in a single-file line behind a Vileplume. The occasional tree cropping up from the dirt was peppered with Kakuna and Metapod patiently awaiting evolution. "Man, this really brings me back." Ash mused aloud, only to be interrupted by a loud shriek. It could be heard throughout the forest, not only catching Ash's attention, but scattering many of the nearby Pokemon who quickly slipped into obscurity.
Ash's gaze was turned towards the source of the cry, his eyes meeting the fearsome glare of a fully evolved Fearow - one that was closing in on the two at a frightening pace.
"Hey Pikachu, watch out!" The duo just barely avoided the assault by the skin of their teeth, turning just in time to watch it return for a second attack. A sharp turn brought it back towards its target, and Fearow's fearsome beak began to glow as it prepared its Drill Peck attack.
"Of all the rotten luck…" Ash groaned, regaining his composure for fear of being skewered. "Pikachu! Chase it off with your Thunderbolt attack!"
Short but powerful legs launched the mouse off of Ash's shoulder, followed by a powerful Thunderbolt that cut through the air towards its target.
The Beak Pokemon slipped under the bolt, swooping in to land a direct hit on Pikachu's belly, scoring a critical hit on the electric mouse.
"Pikachu!" Ash didn't waste a second in leaping to catch the mouse, feeling a pang in his shoulder as Pikachu's momentum sent him crashing into a tree behind him.
Fearow didn't relent, homing in on the disoriented duo with an intent to injure, or possibly worse.
"What the heck is this Fearow's problem!?" Ash barely had time to question, turning on his side to hug Pikachu to his chest. "When I said I might not make it past fifteen, I didn't mean it…!"
The duo had shut their eyes tight, bracing for the worst, when a pained shriek assaulted their eardrums.
Still clutching Pikachu for dear life, Ash slowly opened his eyes, his hues turning toward the clear skies. Gentle blue was peppered with countless brown and tan hides, taking Fearow's place above the trees. Pidgey and Pidgeotto cawed, vigilant for what Ash could assume was the Drill pokemon who'd nearly turned him and his companion into an Ash-kebab.
"Looks like the cavalry came to save our tails." Ash stared at his saviors, doe-eyed.
But, why? They couldn't have gathered that quickly just over territory. The trainer squinted at the flock, some of quick were already making a bee-line for the squawking, livid Fearow. Among the flock, one much larger specimen stood out. A bright, arching mane crested its head, and Ash could swear that for a moment, they'd made eye contact.
"No way…" Could it be...? The stunned trainer rubbed his eyes, taking another look at the Pokemon to confirm his suspicion. It must have been his Pidgeot that he'd released all of those years ago! The trainer's heart swelled up in his chest, tears threatening his eyes until the lightbulb went off.
"If that's her… Then that Fearow has to be the same one from last time!" This deduction explained Fearow's rage and animosity. No wonder he was under attack!
But, the danger didn't stop there. Fearow beat its wings with an ear-splitting cry, summoning a horde of Spearow and Fearow to oppose the would-be rescue team.
The aggressive flock began to peck at and pester the Pidgey and Pidgeotto, engaging them in a massive dogfight that would strike worry into even the hardiest trainer.
The leader, however, swept down along the pale green path, wings kicking up dust as it neared its messy-haired target; that pesky, arrogant, idiot kid and his freak of a Pikachu. Were it not colorblind, it would be seeing red as it charged the duo. The mouse now stood in his way, guarding the boy who it'd once laughed in the face of.
That might have evoked some sentimentality, if Fearow didn't simply see them as pray.
A furious gust mercilessly beating its narrow, craned body though, was not what it'd expected. Ruffled and furious, Fearow reluctantly pulled up, giving itself a reprieve.
A bracing Ash looked up to see gigantic, flapping wings guarding him, kicking up quite the dust that kicked up sand and dust every which way. When the debris settled, the avian before him became visible.
"Pidgoo." The pokemon craned her neck, staring directly at Ash and Pikachu. Her majestic head feather was particularly long and colorful, and several knicks in her body, along with a strong build were enough evidence that she was significantly more battle hardened than the rest of the flock.
She lowered her neck, spreading her wings to gesture for Ash to mount her back-just as she had done many years before.
"Pidgeot…!" Ash's lower lip quivered, sentimentality spilling over. He was at a loss for words. In their current predicament, though, he couldn't argue, climbing aboard with Pikachu cradled carefully in his arms. "Alright. Ready when you are!"
"Djooo!" Pidgeot cried, flapping her wings to take to the skies. This was done just in time to witness an enclosing Fearow, whose beak spun violently for another coming Drill Peck.
"Pidgo!" Pidgeot squawked back to her companions, warning them to hold on tight. Thankfully, it was heeded when she swerved off to the right, flying well out of Drill Peck's range. The violent turn was followed by a nosedive, forcing the trainer atop her back to cling to his cap.
A silver streak surrounded her, prefacing a speedy climb that sent her beak crashing brutally into Fearow's belly. Quick Attack had hit its mark, sending the stunned flying type tumbling.
Ash exhaled, his heart pounding against his ribcage. "What kinda speed…? Pidgeot, that's incredible! If we can just keep this up…" A gloved hand dug into the pocket of Ash's jacket, pulling out the trainer's Pokedex. A quick scan of Pidgeot's moves followed.
Ash did a double-take at what he saw.
"I've missed a lot, huh?" He suddenly winced at his own question, leading the hurt Pikachu to pat his trainer's arm. Bad choice of words. "…Well, let's settle this, so these Spearow and Fearow leave us alone, once and for all!" The trainer pointed towards their hovering opponent.
"Hurricane!"
"Djo, djo, djo! Pidgeoooot!" Long, sturdy, battle-tested wings began to beat ferociously, kicking up a nasty wind that rustled the forest below. Errant Pidgey, Pidgeotto, and Spearow panicked, doing their best to maintain their flight amidst the storm.
Fearow, meanwhile, grew furious as he was battered with the unforgiving gust. A nasty, red gleam flickered in its predatory eyes, his hatred for that skinny twig of a human and that overgrown pigeon surfacing in a reckless charge towards them both. Purple flickers of malice trailed its tail feathers.
"What kinda move is that?" Ash questioned aloud, holding his Pokedex outward.
"Payback: A dark type attack, channeling a pokemon's anger after being hit. When used after a pokemon takes damage, the power of this move doubles."
"That ain't good… Pidgeot, Hyper Beam!" Ash ordered, clinging tightly to Pidgeot's back.
A low, rumbling cry built in the avian's throat, most of its raw power channeling into a flickering orb that looked very much like a miniature sun. The guttural growl turned to an ear-splitting shriek, and the attack was fired in the form of a terribly powerful beam.
Even Pidgeot herself couldn't help but recoil.
Fearow, on the other hand, got the worse end of the deal by far. It realized this a tad too late when it found itself charging head-on into the blast. The ensuing explosion left it breathless.
The Drill pokemon's descending body was trailed by wisps of smoke, fizzling out when it made contact with the ground. Charred and exhausted, the defeated pokemon lay unconscious.
Watching their leader succumb to defeat, the remaining Spearow and Fearow squawked in panic, abandoning their grudge match to flock off shamefully in defeat. Their retreating forms disappeared into every corner of the forest.
Pidgeot huffed, making a slow descent for solid ground after a Hyper Beam that left her heaving. Meanwhile, she found herself surrounded in a celebratory chorus of chirps and squawks offered by her flock, praising her triumph over their winged agitators.
With Ash and Pikachu's safety in mind, Pidgeot allowed an incoming breeze to deliver her to solid ground with only mild difficulty, where she skidded along the dirt. Her talons stopped their drift and held her steady, at which point she lowered her wings to allow Ash and Pikachu relief.
Ash dismounted with clumsy steps, his head still spinning from the commotion. "Ah, man… I get the feeling I'm gonna end up with a major headache from this… What about you, Pikachu? You hanging in there, alright?"
"Pika… Chu!" The electric mouse shook his head, trying to regain his bearings. His belly still felt sore from Drill Peck, but he was otherwise healthy. "Pika-Pika."
"Happy to hear it." Ash let out a breath of relief, smiling as he scratched his companion under the chin. "You gave me a scare out there."
His attention turned to his larger former companion, who had now settled before him. "And, I owe you big time, Pidgeot. We were in real trouble and you came through for us, like you always do." Ash flashed a smile that he soon discovered felt forced. He was putting effort into the stretch of his lips. A tense silence floated in the air before Ash spoke again.
"It's really great to see you again."
"Pidgoo." An unenthusiastic coo accompanied a nod of Pidigeot's head. Lidded eyes scanned her former trainer up and down. His stature had only changed marginally, only a couple inches in height gained, at most. But, beyond that, the difference cold be seen in Ash's eyes. There was a worldliness about them. The immature, doe-eyed boy she'd grown alongside had probably seen the world. The two had grown separately. Reality turned out to be quite different from the promise Ash had made.
When he was met with relative silence, Ash shifted his feet. His lips dropped into a frown, and his stomach dropped in guilt. Rubbing the back of his head, he did his best to come up with an apology to string together. "Look, Pidgeot... I know I slipped up in coming back for you... I guess I just... Thought you were doin' well out here."
Even he sounded unconvinced. Sure, it was true, but... Long ago, Ash had promised not to make excuses for his mistakes as a trainer. When he'd failed to protect his Metapod, who was now a Butterfree.
"Pidg." Ash's unsure eyes were met with a scrutinizing gaze. How long had it even been since that promise was made? After a while, she'd stopped keeping track. Later still, she'd given up. If he hadn't shown up in years, then clearly she'd put too much stock in his word.
She wasn't about to let him become a Fearow's dinner, but trusting him wasn't easy, either. She turned her head away from the trainer. Maybe it'd be for the best if she left.
"Pi-chu-ka!" Pikachu tried his hand at earning his former companion's favor. Ash had his share of mistakes, but surely, he deserved a second chance?
"Djoo." The bird ruffled her feathers, beak pointing up towards the sky. Perhaps it was time she took her leave.
Ash could feel his face heating up with shame. His shoulders clenched and his fists shook. "I'm sorry, Pidgeot!"
His words likely echoed throughout the fields of Route 1.
"...I screwed up. I was just a kid, and I guess I caught up in seeing the world… I swear I thought about you, but… I was stupid. I'm sorry, alright!?" A sniffle held back tears that built up in his ducts, obstructed by the brim of his cap that hung over his eyes.
Releasing a pokemon was painful enough. Losing one to his own incompetence struck far deeper.
"I came out here because I thought about seeing you again… But if you're still upset, I understand." Ash exhaled, turning on his heels back towards Pallet Town. "I hope you're happy with your flock, at least. I can tell you've gotten really strong protecting them."
His voice had lost its upbeat energy, dropping to a defeated drone. He began to walk, crunching the occasional twig under his feat.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu asserted, climbing back up to his trainer's shoulder to nudge his cheek. "Pika-Pika!" Didn't he remember what they'd said the other day? About turning things around, no matter how difficult? Walking away wasn't the answer here.
"I'm sorry buddy, but- eh?"
A feathery limb brushed his shoulder, stopping the trainer in his tracks. Ash peered back over his shoulder, a breath caught in his throat when he found large, charcoal eyes staring back at him.
Her large beak gripped the brim of his cap, a flick of her neck flinging it around to the back of his head. Ash's guilt was evident. Parting with his pokemon clearly still hurt him. He'd gotten the message.
But, there was still one thing missing.
"Pidgooo." If there was one thing she knew about Ash, he never gave up.
Ash's bottom lip began to quiver, tears spilling down his cheeks that he'd been holding back. "Pidgeot!" He threw his arms around the large avian, clinging to her for dear life. "You're the best… Well, if you're up to giving me another chance, I've got a special mission for you."
Curious, Pidgeot tilted her head.
"No long from now, we were planning on getting real serious about winning our next league conference. So, we're planning on some intense training up in the mountains out west. Everyone's gonna be there… You've got a lot of new teammates you'll get the chance to meet. So, we're all gonna make a group effort to come out on top! Whaddya say?"
Pidgeot clicked her beak, considering the proposition. This would mean more time with Ash, Pikachu, and the other pokemon… It would also be nice to battle some more alongside Ash. And she'd headed her flock for quite a while. By now, they'd grown into their own.
They could surely handle whatever mess was left here.
A loud shriek of approval with spanned wings answered Ash.
Recovering from the near-heart attack Pidgeot had given him, Ash buried his face in the pokemon's feathers once more. "I'll make sure you don't regret it! We're gonna be the best, just you wait."
"Pika-Pika~!" Pikachu cooed, grateful their issues had been resolved. He climbed up to sit atop Pidgeot's colorful feather crests. Now, they'd get to be a family again!
A spare pokeball was grabbed from Ash's belt, and held up to the flying type.
Pidgeot pecked at the button in the center, capturing herself in a red flash of light.
Amber eyes watched closely as the ball shook. Once, twice, thrice.
That familiar 'ding' brought a wide smile to Ash's face.
"Welcome home, Pidgeot."
With the briskness of the evening quickly approaching the small town of Pallet, a more chipper than usual Ash was approaching Professor Oak's lab. Upon being greeted at the front door, Ash and Pikachu face the Professor with wide, prideful grins.
"My, you two are looking bright! What has you in such a good mood, Ash?" The Professor rose a bushy brow, an amused smile present on the corners of his lips.
Ash removed his cap, showing his unruly raven colored hair as he reached to his belt and unclipped a single pokeball. "I caught a Pokemon while I was in the forest! Try and guess what it is, Professor!"
A small snicker was heard from Professor Oak as the elder man looked upon the smug duo. "You forget that whenever you catch a Pokemon I get a notification in my system."
Upon hearing those words, Ash and Pikachu fall into a slump, and Ash responded in a whine. "C'mon, professor, you could have at least guessed."
Oak chuckled briefly before regaining his more serious demeanor. "I am very pleased to see that Pidgeot not only forgave you for leaving it behind for so long, but also agreed to join back into the fold. Will it be training with you?"
Ash gave the question a moment's thought before responding. "I wanna work with everyone, but I still don't know who to use first."
Oak was about to open his mouth when a familiar voice could be heard from another room.
Tracey appeared from around the corner, his eyes set on Oak. "Professor Sycamore is on the phone for you, sir!"
Oak nodded his head, excusing himself from the room. "Sorry Ash, but I have to take this call! I'll speak with you later!"
"Sure thing, Professor!" Ash gave the elder a wave, turning back towards Pallet Town. "C'mon, Pikachu!"
"Pika!"
Ash and Pikachu took that chance to take their leave, making their way back to the Ketchum household. Upon walking in the door, Ash caught the scent of a heavenly aroma of delectable dishes being prepared in the kitchen. It proved so intoxicating that Ash was just shy of walking into a case in the living room. Pikachu, however, managed to save the day by tugging on his trainer's ear, regaining his attention.
Ash's senses soon returned to him, and he found himself face to face with a glass trophy case that held not only Delia's honors for her culinary work, but Ash's badges and trophies as well. The case was looked upon with nostalgic fondness, every medal and award he'd won bearing memories of amazing battles, and the Pokemon he'd fought alongside to win them.
He gazed at his Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh badges, as well as the placement plaques from each respective league. One particular award caught his attention, though. The Orange League Championship trophy.
Sitting beside it was a small framed photo, one that had been taken only minutes after he had claimed victory over the previously undefeated Champion, Drake. The cheery light in his eyes was unmistakable. He remembered that very moment like it was yesterday. The euphoria of victory made Ash feel like he was on top of the world. And with him stood each of his companions that had brought him that win. Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Charizard, Tauros, and Lapras... The last of which whom had departed from his team shortly after.
"Hey, Pikachu, d'ya ever think about how Lapras is doing?" They hadn't seen it, after all, since their reunion in Johto.
Pikachu instantly perked up and nodded his head, thoughtful of Lapras just as he was of his other departed teammates. "Pika-Pika!"
"I wonder if Lapras is ever upset I let him go... I wonder if he misses us." The trainer pondered the thought, the familiar feeling of guilt returning to him.
The mood was quickly broken, though, as Delia popped her head into the room. "It's good to have you home, honey! Dinner's ready!"
Once again, any looming thoughts were pushed to the back of his mind as he and Pikachu rushed into the kitchen in such a fury that Delia couldn't help but shake her head and smile.
After dinner, the duo went to bed with full stomachs and happy hearts, dreaming dreams of victory and glory that were sure to come.
Not before long, morning came, but the raven-haired boy still lay asleep, arms sprawled across the bed carelessly, mouth hanging wide open in a manner that was all but flattering.
Pikachu began to stir under the warmth of the sun's rays shining in through the window, wiggling his way out from under the covers. He stretched his stubby arms over his head, letting out a high-pitched squeak of a yawn, ears twitching to welcome a brand new day!
Unfortunately, his 'partner in crime' was still sleeping sound. Frowning, Pikachu leaned over to nudge Ash's shoulder. No response. Once more he reached forward, tapping Ash on the cheek. Nothing, still.
He crossed his arms over his chest in frustration, thinking briefly before the lightbulb went off on his head. He raised his paws over his head, shrieking before setting off his own built-in 'alarm clock.'
"Pikaaa... Chuuu!"
A brilliant Thunderbolt was sent coursing through Ash's body, causing him to let out a yelp, flailing and falling out of his bed.
The roused boy uttered a pained groan from the floor, leering at the mouse sitting above. "Dawn and Mom have been a bad influence on you, ya know that?"
Pikachu couldn't help but laugh, reaching for Ash's dresser to grab his signature cap, placing it atop his trainer's head. The message was clear. They had things to do and Pokemon to see!
After breakfast, the two departed for Professor Oak's laboratory, where they had left Pidgeot overnight, so her condition could be checked on and verified. By time the two had arrived, the check-up had just been concluded.
"Well, Ash, it seems Pidgeot's in ideal shape! Pardon a few battle scars that had long since healed, she's doing just fine!" The elderly man held the Bird Pokemon's Pokeball out to its rightful owner.
Ash lit up, thrilled with the news. "That's great! Thanks a lot, Professor!" He accepted the capsule, snapping it onto his belt.
Oak nodded, speaking once more out of curiosity. "So, what do you have planned for today? Are you still working on deciding your departing team?"
"Pidgeot, Pikachu, and I were hoping to track down Lapras, to see if we could reunite with him the same way we did with Pidgeot!"
Ash was met with a thoughtful gaze that was followed up with a nod.
"I see. Well, if you want to meet up with Lapras, then your best bet would be in the Seafoam Islands; they fall right in the line of their migration pattern! It shouldn't be that long a flight on Pidgeot. Do you have any clues as to how you are going to find your Lapras?"
He was met with a sheepish smile from the boy, who scratched the back of his head. "Uh... Not really!"
"I could have guessed as much, Ash." The elderly man resisted rolling his eyes, moving over to one of his computers to type and click diligently in a seemingly random fashion.
Curious as always, Ash followed to observe the computer screen, which displayed an image that seemed to be some type of map, with a dotted line crossing over the seas of Kanto.
"This is a map of Lapras' typical migration patterns! With this, there's no doubt that you should have an easier time tracking down your released Lapras, assuming that he's still part of the herd!" The geriatric announced with a smile, a finger pointing upward in a matter-of-fact manner. "Now I'll just have to download this onto your Pokedex, if you'd please?"
"That's awesome!" Ash's face lit up as he handed over the Pokedex, and he was practically bouncing on his heels. The thought of getting to see his long lost friend again was just too exciting!
The bright red device was inserted into an open port beside the monitor, allowing the data transfer to take place, signaled by a number of flashes and notifications on screen. The download was quickly completed, and Oak withdrew the device before handing it back to Ash. "There you are, Ash. This information is sure to be your best shot at hunting down your friend. If you want to be back before sundown, though, you'd better get going!"
"Thanks so much, Professor! Let's go, Pikachu!" In a flash they were out the doors, heading for the shores off the edge of Pallet.
Soon, the duo made their way to the docks, stepping onto the wood boarded platform overlooking the southern seas. A single Pokeball was grabbed off of his belt, retracted behind his head before being thrown into the air. "Pidgeot, come on out!"
In a flash of white light, the silhouette of Pidgeot began to take shape before fully taking form. The flying type let out a loud cry, stretching out her wings under the brilliant sun.
"Pidgeot," Ash started, addressing the large Pokemon beside him. "We're heading to the biggest of the Seafoam Islands to find Lapras. It should be a little to the south out west from here. Do you think you could take us out there?"
The feather-crowned Pokemon nodded its head, bowing her head and spanning its wings in a gesture for the two to climb aboard. She'd never met any Lapras Ash had owned, herself, but knowing that Ash was on a roll with meeting old companions put her heart at ease.
Ash sat atop Pidgeot's back, Pikachu included, before flashing a thumbs up to the bird carrying him. "Alright, we're set!"
Without a second thought, Pidgeot took off, entering the skyscape above with a loud cry, announcing its presence to other flyers and ocean-dwellers alike.
"Woah!" Ash let out a yelp, holding his red cap down upon his head just as it was beginning to slip off from the strong winds. Childish laughter left the youth as they soared above, eyes fixated on the glimmering ocean below which, right now, seemed like little more than a blur. "Man, Pidgeot! I forgot how fast you were!" His eyes were glimmering with amazement, a hand gently rubbing the back of Pidgeot's head. "But I guess you're probably a lot stronger and faster after all these years now, huh? With this sort of speed, we should be there in no time!"
The flight seemed to drag on for quite a while, maybe an hour or so. The sky above was practically clear, merely a few clouds lingering overhead that hardly interfered with the image of a perfect sunny day. The salty smell of sea water wafted by, setting quite the relaxing atmosphere for Ash and Pikachu that made boredom hardly a factor.
A grey landmass then began to surface over the horizon. "Hey, look at that... I think it's the first island!" Ash pointed a finger towards the sight that grew larger and larger as they neared.
He reached to grab his Pokedex from his coat pocket, checking the interactive map that Oak had given him. "Yup, this is it, alright! Lucky for us that the Professor helped us out!" He pocketed the device, more eager than ever to reach his destination. "Alright, Pidgeot. Come on down once we get to the island! With any luck, we'll find Lapras there!"
They soon dove down to land upon the shores, where Ash was eager to hop on down and stretch his legs. "Ahh… I was starting to get cramps from sitting so long!"
Pidgeot let out a huff, just a tiny bit tired from the trip. It hadn't escaped Ash, who returned to place a hand upon his Pokemon, lightly massaging her wing. "It's been a pretty long ride, huh? You did a great job getting us here quick." The trainer smiled, focusing on putting his Pokemon at ease. "But, I'm sure just one more trip won't be so bad, right?"
While Ash was preoccupied, Pikachu couldn't help but feel as if something was off. His long ears twitched, identifying a familiar sound. He nudged Ash on the shoulder, immediately narrowing his eyes towards the source.
Ash turned his head, and at that moment, he spotted something completely unexpected. A chilling Ice Beam was shooting through the air right towards them! Ash was quick to react, pointing toward the projectile. "Pikachu, keep that away from Pidgeot with a Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu launched off of his trainer's shoulders, drawing his limbs in, shrieking as he unleashed a brilliant Thunderbolt. The two attacks collided, pushing against one another before exploding between Pikachu and the attacker. Before the electric mouse could react, he was met by a barrage of Water Pulse and Ice Ball attacks that threatened to rain down upon the duo.
A few of the Ice Balls collided with each other, showering the area in shards of ice; a few of the Water Pulses also collided, soaking the beach. Not all of the attacks were stopped, though; the blasts hit the beach, sending shockwaves blowing past Ash and his Pokémon. A few rumbling noises came from the water, but Ash didn't pay that much mind; he was a bit more preoccupied with the imminent threat to his and his partners' lives.
"Pikachu, we've gotta make a break for it! You too, Pidgeot!" Ash announced before running for the dense foliage just off the beach, but stopped short when a barrage of Ice Beams showered the area, forming a solid wall of ice. "Oh man... Looks like we're trapped! I really didn't come here to become an Ash-sicle… I guess we'll have to face this head-on, huh Pikachu?"
Pikachu nodded his head, and they turned to face their attackers.
About a dozen Lapras were gathered just on shore. Some of them were glaring down at the trio on the beach with a hard gaze. A few were eyeing those threatening the boy and his companions, looking equally unhappy. Tension hung in the air like a Thunder attack ready to strike.
Before chaos could erupt, one of the Lapras made its way to the front of the pack. Though its appearance matched the rest, soft eyes void of any sort of malice easily stood out.
It made its way towards Ash through the sand, moving surely, as if he weren't a stranger.
Ash stared at the creature, letting his mind wander momentarily before putting the pieces together. "Lapras... Is that... Is that you?"
The Transport Pokemon didn't hesitate to dive forward, nuzzling its face against Ash's, eyes alight with joy.
Ash couldn't help but laugh, throwing his arms around the creature's neck as he returned the affectionate gesture, rubbing cheeks with Lapras. Pulling back, he got another good look at Lapras, as well as the herd. "It's so great to see you again! You guys have really gotten stronger since I saw you last time, haven't you?"
While trainer and former Pokemon alike reunited, Pikachu was busy playing with the younger members of the group, who had seemingly accepted Ash and his teammates.
The rest of the pack had seemed to ease when Ash was greeted by their leader, dismissing him as a threat. The trainer felt his heart beginning to sink as he watched the scene, a familiar sense of guilt washing over him.
"I know it was the right thing to do to leave you here with your friends, and I know you wanted to... But, I still feel kinda bad about leaving you... You've done a great job taking care of the rest of them... They all look big and strong now." He watched the other Pokemon playing and enjoying themselves. Along with his shame, Ash felt a sense of pride. The same Lapras he'd rescued and trained had taken care of its brethren, just as Pidgeot had.
Maybe it was time for it to leave them to fend for themselves, too. "To tell ya the truth, Lapras... I came back here to see you. I wanted to know if you'd come with me and train together again. Think you'd be up to helping us be the best out there?" He pulled back to make eye contact with the sea creature, a hopeful smile spread across his features.
Lapras paused, pondering the proposal for a moment. Suddenly, her mouth parted to unleash a chilling Ice Beam, firing the attack just past Ash's head.
"WAH!" Ash yelped, ducking away from the freezing projectile. "What the heck was that for!?" Ash returned his attention to Lapras, who craned her neck upwards, looking down at him with a gesture that seemed to signal only one thing. He would have to battle her first.
A smirk found its way across Ash's lips, a fire building in his heart as he ran a good distance away from the creature, turning on his heels back towards it. "Alright, Lapras! You're on! Let's go, Pikachu!" He pointed to the electric mouse, who quickly dashed over to stand beside his trainer.
Lapras readied herself as well, gleaming eyes staring Pikachu down.
"Okay, let's start with Iron Tail!"
Pikachu didn't waste a moment, leaping above the shore towards his opponent. His tail became shrouded in light, covering itself in a sturdy layer of steel as it was swung down towards Lapras.
The Transport Pokemon wasn't going to take that sitting, though, as her mouth parted to unleash a condensed blast of water, firing back at Pikachu with Water Pulse.
Hardly expecting the retaliation, Pikachu was thrown back by the gushing waters, landing on all fours in front of his opponent.
"That was a pretty strong Water Pulse... Alright, Pikachu! Quick Attack!"
Shaking the water out of his fur, Pikachu shot forward like a rocket, silver light trailing his form. He went on to crash into Lapras' stomach.
The larger Pokemon winced, recoiling in pain before parting her jaws to fire a freezing beam towards the mouse.
Quick feet and stubby, but powerful legs sprang Pikachu out of the way, who let out an exasperated sigh as he landed on his bottom, mere inches away from a frozen patch of ice on the beach.
But, Lapras' assault was relentless. Another Ice Beam came, just barely skimming Pikachu's side, causing the mouse to hiss in pain. A third beam came after that, and then a fourth, as Pikachu hopped between unfrozen patches of land before landing steady on all fours once more.
Ash watched with genuine interest as Pikachu was kept on his toes, legitimately challenged by his old friend. And, she hadn't had proper training in battles for years-at least as far as he knew. This left him legitimately impressed.
Soon, though, he was brought out of his musings when Lapras let out a loud, melodious cry. A small tidal wave rose from the seas to enclose upon Pikachu.
"Looks like Pikachu's out of the frying pan and into the freezer... Or, out of the freezer and into the… water...?" Ash placed a hand to his chin, pondering the botched expression before realizing just how close Pikachu was to being swept away. "Pikachu, jump above it and get grab onto Lapras, quick!"
Unlike his trainer, Pikachu had no plans to waste time, opting instead to leap high over the cresting wave. Stubby paws came closer by the second to grabbing onto Lapras' horn. Pikachu, without a doubt, had figured out Ash's strategy. If they could get clean contact with it, a full-fledged Thunderbolt would decide the match for sure.
Lapras had other plans. Just as the mouse came within range, she ducked, bowing her head in a move that caught Pikachu completely off-guard. Taking advantage of the mouse's surprise, the water type threw her head upward to slam her horn into Pikachu's stomach, sending the hurting Pokemon soaring higher into the air.
"Ah, Pikachu!" Ash shouted out in concern, eyes wide as he watched the mouse ascend. That was definitely unexpected... But they weren't out yet! "Pikachu! Hang in there, and come down with Volt Tackle!"
Ash's command left a smirk on Pikachu's lips, and the mouse began to tumble in mid-air, heading down towards Lapras. The spin ended in Pikachu's body lighting up with a brilliant golden aura, electricity dancing along his entire form. He dropped into a free-fall towards his target.
Lapras was motionless, completely awestruck by the counter attack. Before she could think to move, Pikachu crashed into her head, lighting up the beach with a booming explosion!
Soon the smoke cleared, revealing a Pikachu none the worse for wear and a recoiling Lapras, who appeared to be paralyzed.
"Alright... This is it!" Ash declared, grabbing one of the metallic capsules off of his belt before throwing it overhand towards the Pokemon with so much dramatic flair. "Pokeball, go!"
The ball bounced off Lapras' forehead without a hitch, drawing her form inside in a red flash of light. It fell to the sand below, beginning to shake and rattle from Lapras's resistance.
It shook once.
Twice.
"Ping!"
That all too familiar sound sent Ash's spirits through the roof. The boy ran towards the Pokeball, barely able to content the excitement that ran through him. He grabbed the ball out of the sand, a smile running across his face from cheek to cheek. Charcoal eyes stared down at the shining capsule held in his palms, bright with pride.
"Thanks a lot for wanting to travel with me again. Now, let's all become the best in the world, together!"
He was promptly joined by Pikachu, who hopped upon his shoulder with a cheer. "Pika Pika!" The excitement wasn't just theirs, clearly, as another voice chirped in approval.
"Pidgoooo!" Pidgeot cried from across the shore, raising one of its wings to congratulate the two.
Ash chuckled before turning his gaze to the remaining Lapras, a somber air hanging about them. "I'm sorry I'm taking Lapras from you guys... I know she was your leader and all, but I'm sure you could make it on your own, right? You all seem pretty strong, now."
The remaining flock of Transport Pokemon nodded along, some seeming to take the news better than others. It was obvious that their leader wanted to be with Ash, and he was plenty fit to take care of her in his own right, judging by their match.
"And hey, who knows? Maybe we'll visit again someday! But right now, we gotta get going. Let's go, Pidgeot!" Ash called out to the flying type, who lowered her back and spread out her wings for Ash and Pikachu to climb aboard. As soon as the two sat atop her back, the flying type Pokemon took off into the sky. Ash waved his hand above his head, giving his last farewell to the Pokemon below. "Goodbye, guys! Good luck with your migration! See ya later!"
What seemed like another hour passed as Pidgeot soared over Kanto's southern seas, and soon, Ash found himself back on the shores of Pallet Town. Hopping off the flying Pokemon, Ash gently massaged Pidgeot's beak before tapping her lightly with her Pokeball. "Thanks again for the ride back, Pidgeot! Now, take a good long rest!"
The capsule was placed along the others strapped to Ash's belt. "Alright, I guess we should head over to Professor Oak's place to choose my starting team!"
"Pika pika!" Pikachu chirped, raising his paw in agreement.
Ash rushed back to the laboratory, hopping over the hillside fence that separated the ranch from the rest of Pallet Town. Most of his Pokemon could be seen going about their own business, not having noticed their trainer just yet. "Alright, I guess I should start thinking about who's coming with me..." While Ash mused to himself aloud, two familiar faces made their way out to the backyard. Professor Oak, along with his assistant Tracey.
"Well, hello there, Ash! I see you were too impatient to use the front door?" The elderly man playfully chided, the smile on his face betraying any facade of irritation with the trainer.
Ash let out a yelp of surprise, turning on his heels to find himself face to face with the authority figure and older friend of his alike. "Ah, Professor! Tracey! I didn't know you guys were here!" He reached to rub the back of his head, wearing an apologetic smile. "Sorry, after I got Lapras back, I guess I just got a lil' too excited!"
Tracey could only let out a good-natured laugh, waving a hand dismissively. "Don't worry about it, Ash. I understand completely! So, have you decided which Pokemon you're going to take with you?"
Ash put a hand to his chin, closing his eyes in thought. "Well, Pikachu, of course. Hmm…" Memories from the recent Sinnoh League tournament came to mind first and foremost, and he nodded, opening his eyes. "Well, Sceptile's got speed and power to spare; he did take down Tobias' Darkrai, after all. I think he'd be a good fit."
As Ash mused over his choices, Professor Oak's eyes seemed to light up a bit. "Pardon me a moment, you two. I'll be right back." The professor turned, heading back towards his lab, leaving the two younger men out in the ranch area.
Tracey had been thinking as well and the Pokémon Watcher nodded as well. "Well, you just went and got Pidgeot and Lapras back, yeah? Why not them?"
"Great idea!" Ash grinned and nodded once. "Alright, two more…" Ash turned, pacing a little bit. So lost was he in his thoughts that he didn't notice a shifting in the ground nearby… or Gible leaping out from underground and chomping on his head.
"Wh-Whaaa!" The young man yelped in pain, flailing his arms a moment before he recognized that set of fangs. "Gible?" Maybe it was just the dragon's jaws clamping onto his head, but an idea clicked in his mind. "Hey, you did really well a while back, Gible, and we haven't had much time to train together… want to be a part of my first team?"
Gible let go, hopping happily in place with a big toothy smile that took up most of his body. The little land shark jumped for joy, launching a Draco Meteor skyward. The orb split into many, which began crashing down, prompting yelps from Ash and Tracey as they dove for safety amongst the debris.
"Hehehe, well, there's five… just one more." Ash frowned. He had so many Pokémon… it was tough to choose. He didn't think it over for long, though, as Professor Oak's voice broke him out of his musing.
"Ash, could you come here for a moment? I have something you might want to see." The professor had a mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he went back inside, grinning.
Ash hadn't paid it much mind… though when he went inside and was engulfed in a friendly Flamethrower, the reality of the situation struck him as swiftly as the scorching blast of heat.
"Charizard!"
The fiery Pokémon thumped his chest, grinning as he was pulled into a hug by his trainer.
Pikachu waved with both arms as well, giving the fire lizard a high-five.
Professor Oak laughed softly at the scene. "Considering that you're going to the most dangerous part of the joint regions for training, I only felt it appropriate that you have one of your strongest Pokémon with you. To that end, I made a call over to the Charicific Valley and had Liza send Charizard over here. Did you enjoy your surprise?"
"Did I ever!" Ash grinned widely, stepping back. "Alright! Pikachu, Sceptile, Pidgeot, Lapras, Gible, and Charizard. We're heading out tomorrow… and we're gonna get a lot tougher. You ready?!"
Pikachu was quick to announce his support, pumping his little fist in the air, and Charizard joined in with a booming loud roar.
Ash pumped a fist as well. "I thought so!" He could feel excitement welling up in his chest. The young trainer from Pallet knew that this was the start of something great.
