"Ahahaha! Hey, quit it!" Joyous laughter filled the air, accompanied by many overlapping cries of pokemon.
Morning had come in Pallet Town, and Ash had woken bright and early, making his way to Professor Oak's ranch after a very filling breakfast, there to say his goodbyes to all of his Pokemon companions.
Now, he found himself floored, surrounded by plenty of affectionate creatures that clearly didn't want the boy to leave. "I'm gonna miss you too, Bayleef, but if I can't get up, I'm never gonna be able to get outta here!" Ash managed between laughs, receiving a heartfelt goodbye from the second stage grass type, who was nuzzling her face against his.
Finally, Bayleef pulled back, allowing Ash to stand up amongst the crowd of Pokemon. All were bidding him a tearful farewell.
"Alright, guys. Today I start on my brand new journey to become the world's greatest Pokemon Master! And, don't worry about getting your fill of training, 'cause all of you are gonna get a turn!" Ash pumped his fist in the air, his words being met with plenty of cheers and cries of support from his various Pokemon surrounding him.
Buizel stood with his arms crossed in the back of the crowd, flashing his trainer a 'thumbs up.' Torkoal was, of course, a sobbing mess, discharging black smoke from his shell, much to his companions' dismay. Standing at the front of the group was none other than Bulbasaur, who stared up at Ash with cool, collected red eyes, extending one of his vines up to Ash's level.
The trainer couldn't help but smile, reaching to 'shake hands' with the extended vine. "Bulbasaur, I'm counting on you to watch out for everyone here. You think you can handle it?"
"Bulba!" The Seed Pokemon barked back with conviction, nodding to his trainer. As always, he would be the one to keep things in order on the ranch, as he'd always done. Guarding the Hidden Village in the days before Ash had captured him had prepared him well for the self-appointed position, and it was something he took pride in.
"I knew it! Alright, guys! Take care! I'll see ya later!" Ash made his way to the fence blocking off the edge of the ranch, hopping over the side before turning to his large ensemble of Pokemon. He was smiling from cheek to cheek, doing his best to contain any further emotions. If he kept looking back, he'd never want to leave! It was just hard not to look...
It was hard not to when he couldn't be more proud of the team he'd gathered. With one last wave he ran down the grassy hill, sliding just barely to a stop at the road below. And, not a moment too soon, as he found himself face to face with none other than Professor Oak, and Delia!
Ash let out a yelp, coming to a halt just in time, as the two had already braced for impact.
Thankfully, it never came.
After a few moments, the two adults eased and Professor Oak couldn't resist to let out a chuckle.
"Goodness, Ash, do try to be a bit more careful! My old heart can't take as many surprises as it used to!" The professor gave Ash a smile, holding a letter in an envelope out. "Be sure not to forget this letter! This will get you into Mt. Silver. It wouldn't do for you to make that trip, only to be barred from entry, am I right?"
Ash laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. That's right… he hadn't gotten the letter that granted him permission yet. Oops… "Eheh... Yeah, I guess you got me there."
Delia shook her head with a bemused smile on her face. "Heheh, I guess some things don't change. You're every bit the reckless young man your father was at your age…" She suddenly pulled Ash into a tight hug. "I'm so proud of you… You've come a long way from your first day! I know that you have good judgment, but I'm going to say this anyway, because I'm your mother: Be careful, okay? And… Don't forget to keep your clothes clean. It can get cold around Mt. Silver."
The hug brought a feeling of embarrassment to the boy, a blush burning on his cheeks and ears. But, of course, he returned the hug anyway. That was a mother for you. "Of course, Mom. I promise I'll be careful… and I'll keep my clothes clean." He let out an inward sigh of relief, grateful she had avoided one particular topic. 'At least she didn't tell me to remember to change my underwear.'
Pulling back, he fixed his backpack onto his back, petting Pikachu on top of his head. "So, I guess that's it, Mom! I'd love to stick around, but if I'm ever gonna get started, I have to get going!" He waved to the two before beginning to run off towards the exit to town, shouting out to both of them. "I love you, Mom! Take care, Professor! See you later!"
Delia had held up until now, surprisingly, but finally the dams broke. Tears stained her cheeks as she waved frantically to her son, watching the center of her world run off into the distance until he was out of sight. "I love you too, Honey! Good luck out there! Oh, and don't forget to change your underwear!"
The last request earned a visible flinch out of the boy as he ran off, but he continued on without fail.
"My baby boy... Oh, you've grown up so much." The young woman held a hand to her heart, letting out a sigh as Ash ran off once more towards another adventure. It was difficult, letting him go. The light of her life, always disappearing to somewhere new. But, that was the price of letting her child follow his dreams. Something that she would never trade away.
The path to Mt. Silver brought Ash through the vibrant Viridian City, which was just a step on the way towards the Pokemon League Reception Gate. The walk through Route 26 didn't take long at all, and the aspiring trainer quickly made his way to the gateway, which completely blocked off the path to the Indigo League itself.
A deep breath left Ash's lungs, the boy's fists closing tightly at his side. It would be a lie to say he wasn't the least bit nervous, but hardened black hues betrayed his thoughts of hesitation. Ash made his way inside the sliding double doors, entering a short hallway that led directly to the Indigo League. A single desk stood near the entrance with a receptionist sitting still, and two rather large guards in police uniforms stood further ahead, each blocking off a single door.
"Excuse me?" Ash approached the desk, holding letter in his gloved hand. "I need to get to Mt. Silver. Could you tell me which way to go?"
Despite his polite plea, the man's stoic expression didn't soften a bit. An eyebrow raised, in fact, in disbelief. "Sorry kid, but that route is strictly off limits! Access is only allowed to those with expressed approval; certainly not to a kid your age."
"Well you see, I kinda already have it!" Ash answered, handing the envelope over to the man.
Still incredulous, the attendant opened the slip to take a look at the letter inside. It read as followed;
To Whom It Regards:
I am writing to express my formal consent for Ash Ketchum, a Pokemon Trainer from Pallet Town, to be allowed to enter Route 28 and continue to Mt. Silver beyond it, where I have given him approval to hone his skills as a Pokemon Trainer. I'm aware this may seem like a bit of a bizarre request, given his age, but I would like to add that he has quite the list of accomplishments, including being a former Champion of the Orange League and the Kanto Battle Frontier, as well as a number of high placements in official Pokemon League competitions. I would stake my name in confidence of Ash's ability to take care of himself and implore that you accept my request.
Sincerely,
Professor Samuel Oak
The man pursed his lips as he read the letter over, still skeptical as ever. "Well, I'll be darned... I don't know how a kid your age could get permission to go to a place like that, but if Professor Oak's authorized it, I have no choice but to let you through." The letter was set down on the table, and the attendant turned to the guards down the hall. "Allow this trainer access to Route 28 immediately!"
The man on the left stared, equally skeptical, but stepped aside promptly, showing Ash the way out. "Right this way, young man."
The door was held open, cueing a wide smile to spread across the trainer's face, his eyes positively lit with excitement. "Thank you!" Ash parted with a slight bow of his head, rushing off towards the exit to the next route. "Alright! Here goes nothing!"
He stepped out of the building after clearing the checkpoint, reflexively reaching to hold his cap down over his eyes as the bright sun shone down from above. Once his eyes had adjusted to the outdoors, Ash found himself face to face with a small wilderness, closed together between looming rock walls that hung over either side of the area. Gritty colors and appearance contrasted strongly with the fields and woods ahead that were lush and green with vitality.
All of that, though, absolutely paled in comparison to what laid ahead. Over the trees and land masses before him was a sight that was truly breathtaking. Emerald hills over the landscape towered atop one another, scaling higher and higher to transition into purely rocky cliff sides and caverns, topped off by solid white snowcaps topping off the treacherous, monolithic mountain that was Mt. Silver.
Just the sight was enough to make Ash feel tiny, evidenced by the teen's fists that were closed tightly at his side, slightly shaking in disbelief. "You've gotta be kidding me... That's Mt. Silver!? Man, it's even bigger than I remember!" The trainer exclaimed in awe, accompanied by an agreeing utterance of disbelief by the Pikachu holding onto the back of his head. Neither had gotten this close to the peaks the last time they'd visited it.
"Well, I guess we better get started, Pikachu! We've got a whole bunch of Pokemon to see!" Ash announced, making his way into the woods that led to the summit. He marched onward with a spring in his step, just barely containing his excitement that was just too much for words.
A huge mountain for him to explore that he had all to himself, tons of powerful Pokemon, and all the time in the world to train and learn more about his own teammates. It could hardly get any better than this! The journey hadn't even begun, but it didn't stop a big goofy grin from spreading across the trainer's face.
Charcoal eyes darted left and right to observe the area, taking in the sights of wild Pokemon that were, frankly, rather unusual. One would expect an area like this to be populated with bug Pokemon, Rattata, or Pidgey. Instead, there were Ponyta and Rapidash drinking from a small nearby pond where Poliwag and Poliwhirl splashed about. An Ursaring striking a nearby tree which bore an assortment of berries that soon fell from the branches. A Heracross that was sucking the sap from the very tree fled to another, wings buzzing loudly as if to warn against conflict. Even two Donphan were butting heads with one another, each struggling for superiority.
A few inhabitants gave Ash and Pikachu wary stares, putting their daily routine on hold in suspicion of the odd sight of a human venturing into the area. Others ignored him, going about their business.
"This is weird," Ash voiced aloud to his partner, intently observing his surroundings. "I've never seen a wild area without people that had so many different types of Pokemon!"
A rustling in the bushes went unnoticed by the eager trainer, though the subtle sound hadn't slipped past the ever sensitive ears of his electric typed companion. Both perked up, narrowed eyes scanning left and right. It quickly faded into obscurity amongst the chirps, rustles, and various sounds of Pokemon going about their day, leaving Pikachu to drop his guard. It was probably nothing worth concerning himself with.
Another rustle, this time a good deal louder, came from above. Ash stopped in his tracks, his eyes and Pikachu's alike darting towards the trees above. "You heard that, right...?" He turned his attention to the mouse atop his shoulder, who nodded. Alert eyes scanned the canopy above, just barely catching sight of a grey blur.
"Well, it's probably just a wild Pokemon... I'm sure it's just shy because we're ar-WAH!" The trainer let out a startled yelp, stopping dead in his tracks as he found himself face to face with the stealthy culprit.
A slender Pokemon stood before him, baring blueish-grey fur, a red feather upon its left ear, piercing fuchsia eyes, and short, sharp claws on the end of each of its arms. Staring down the duo, the creature let out a fierce cry of its own name in warning. "Sneaselll!" Its claws clashed together several times in a threatening motion, slender legs bringing it closer to Ash and Pikachu. Neither were familiar around here, and far as it was concerned, neither were welcome. This route had done just fine without any human interference, and that wasn't about to change.
"Now that's weird... Sneasel usually aren't out in the middle of the day." The trainer mused, puzzled by its appearance. "This place is even weirder than I thought it'd be... But, anyway, I guess we're not getting through here without a battle, huh?" Ash's eyes lit up, his words clearly betraying his attitude. That familiar fire was beginning to burn up in him-the thrill for a good battle. A smile spread across the boy's lips as he adjusted the cap upon his head, raising a fist to shoulder height in a dramatic gesture. "Alright, Sneasel, I'll accept your challenge! I wanna see just how strong the Pokemon around this place are! Let's go, Pikachu!"
Pikachu hopped off of his perch, landing on all fours opposite of Sneasel. Both of his cheeks discharged electricity, casting a bravado from the small unassuming mouse.
The dark type didn't budge, waiting patiently for Ash and Pikachu to make their first move.
"Alright, Pikachu! Start this off with a Thunderbolt attack!" Ash began the battle with his usual introduction and Pikachu took the cue right away.
His ears stood up on end, electricity dancing along his body before launching in an explosive bolt towards the Sharp Claw Pokemon. It tore through the air in jagged patterns, sure to hit its target.
Or, at least that's what Ash would have thought, but the blast hit thin air - Sneasel had disappeared and taken the form of a grey blur. Before either of the two could process what had happened, the dark type had crossed the field in mere moments before striking Pikachu with one of its claws, passing it by with a Quick Attack-an attack that lived very much up to its name.
"Huh? You gotta be kidding me! That's one fast Sneasel!" Ash stared in disbelief, plainly gawking before he finally managed to collect himself. "Alright, Pikachu! Try to hit it with Iron Tail!"
Pikachu was temporarily stunned, but quick to recover from the sneaky hit, his strong legs allowing him to jump high into the air. "Chuaaaa...!" He chanted from above, gathering strength in his tail to cover it in a shining layer of steel.
"PIKA!" The limb came down like a ton of bricks, striking down into the ground where Sneasel had stood. But once more, it had sprang away at the last second, leaving Pikachu to create a large explosion of dust in the collision's wake.
The debris cleared to reveal the mouse standing in a small crater, turning his head every which way in confusion. He'd barely seen it move... It left the mouse flustered. It was very rare that another Pokemon outclassed him so sharply in speed.
"Pikachu! Look above you! Up in the trees, it's moving around on top of the branches!" Ash called out, his own eyes following the speedy Pokemon in place of Pikachu's.
When the latter looked upward, he found Ash's call to be right. Sneasel had already made it into the trees, leaping from branch to branch with remarkable athletic prowess.
"Now, give it your best shot! Knock it outta the trees with every Thunderbolt you've got!"
Pikachu's eyes narrowed upon its target, letting out a loud cry that was followed by a stunning bolt of electricity. The bolt didn't take long at all to reach its would-be target, scorching the bark of the tree as Sneasel had swiftly swung to another branch. Pikachu narrowed his eyes, becoming somewhat frustrated with his opponent. Not one to give up, though, he prepared himself or another bolt.
"Chu!"
Another bolt was launched, breaking straight through a branch as it barely missed its target.
"Chu!"
A third was fired, scorching a number of leaves above, and Sneasel had abandoned the canopy to jump in from above, eyes dead set on Pikachu as he approached the land bound electric mouse. "Pikachu, it's coming right for you! Go and give it an Iron Tail!"
This time, Pikachu would hit it. Beady eyes narrowed, focusing intently on its adversary, as his tail once again was covered in metal. A mighty jump launched him towards Sneasel as Pikachu twisted his body around, ready to smash his tail into the typically nocturnal Pokemon.
Sneasel promptly opened its mouth wide, greeting the electric mouse with an ear-splitting shriek, barraging Pikachu with a painful Screech attack.
Pikachu recoiled immediately, tumbling to the ground, his sensitive ears overwhelmed.
His opponent didn't waste a second to take advantage of this, lunging down towards Pikachu with its razor-sharp claws drawn.
"Pikachu! Quick, look out!"
The mouse was holding his head with both paws, doing his best to regain his composure when Ash called out a warning. By time he looked up, though, the sly Pokemon was right in his face, challenging Pikachu's gaze with a snide smirk. That was the last thing Pikachu saw before two painful slices sent him rolling across the dirt, reeling from the damage amplified by Screech.
While Sneasel rose to its feet unharmed, its opponent lay face down in the dirt, struggling to stand.
"Pikachu!" Ash shouted, each of his fists closing tightly enough to scratch his palms. This was no good... Sneasel was running circles around Pikachu, and it hadn't taken the slightest bit of damage yet. 'Things are gonna get bad if I don't come up with a plan, quick...' Ash lamented in silence, eyes narrowing as he pondered the situation. 'That's it...' The teen came to a conclusion, shouting out to the electric mouse once more. "Pikachu! Do you think you can keep going, buddy?"
Stubby paws pushed Pikachu back onto all fours, tiny beady eyes trembling while Pikachu did his best to ignore the stinging pain. "Pika Pika!" He was still in the game, and had no intention of giving up! As soon as Ash gave him an order, he was ready to follow, and there wasn't any long wait before that order came.
"Use Quick Attack to speed yourself up, and start climbing the trees like Sneasel did!"
The vigor behind Ash's words gave Pikachu a second wind of vitality, allowing him to dash off in a speedy yellow blur that climbed up the bark of the nearest tree, immediately hopping to the next tree with speed that would make an Arcanine jealous.
Sneasel, with all of its pride in craftiness and agility, wasn't going to take that sitting down. A grey blur followed, quickly scaling the bark before leaping after its fleeing target.
"Keep it up, Pikachu! Just keep on running!" The trainer watched on with a budding smirk, putting all of his hopes in his strategy succeeding.
Pikachu didn't relent, hopping swiftly from one tree branch to the next. Sneasel wasn't far behind, though, getting closer to its target with every leap. Its silver claws were bared, ready to strike down Pikachu as soon as it got the chance.
Ash, however, had no intention of letting that happen. "Now, Pikachu! Stop right where you are and use Iron Tail!"
Pikachu took heed in the midst of a leap, grabbing a hanging branch with both paws to stop his descent.
Sneasel had already made its latest jump, coming closer and closer to the mouse with no means of stopping. There was nothing it could do as it watched Pikachu swing back, using the momentum to bring on a full-fledged Iron Tail.
"Chuaaa... Pika!"
The metal limb struck home, knocking the wind out of a very stunned Sneasel as it was sent flying into the nearest tree, dealing it another sharp pain as it slid down the bark to the ground below. Pikachu got off easy, swinging down from the branch to land on all fours.
"Alright! We did it!" Ash pumped a fist in the air, already celebrating their success.
He had spoken too soon though, it seemed, as the dark type slowly pulled itself to its feet, huffing in a haggard attempt to regain its breath.
If Ash didn't know any better, he would say that his jaw had dropped past his knees. "What? Iron Tail didn't work!?You've gotta be kidding me..." Sweat rolled down his forehead, eyes narrowed upon the recovering opponent. "If they keep going like this, there's no way of knowing who's really gonna come out on top..." He reached to adjust the brim of his cap, determined to stay in control-of his own emotions as well as the battle. "You can do it, Pikachu! I believe in you! Finish it off with Volt Tackle! Full power!"
Pikachu took off, his entire body bursting into a brilliant glow of electricity as he closed in on his opponent, intent on hitting it with every volt of electricity he had.
Sneasel stood like a Stantler in headlights, knowing full well the consequences of standing still and taking the hit. Instead, it leapt clear over its opponent, soaring airborne from behind a very confused Pikachu, who had skidded to a stop when his opponent was nowhere to be found.
The other Pokemon's small mouth parted wide, charging an icy blue, chilling sphere of energy.
"Pikachu, look out behind you! Use a Thunderbolt as fast as you can!"
The mouse swiftly turned his head, looking just in time to see Sneasel fire off a fearsome Ice Beam attack. A shriek followed, along with a brilliant electric shock that met the beam halfway.
Freezing winds and hot electric bolts sprawled off every which way, creating a dangerous tempest in the wake of the clash. Though, the power struggle quickly began to turn one-sided with Sneasel's Ice Beam losing ground, soon being overwhelmed completely by Pikachu's more powerful Thunderbolt.
The creature shrieked loudly, its entire body lit by the powerful electric shock, before falling to the ground below. Thin wisps of black smoke trailed from its singed body... But, its skinny arms were still pushing it back to its feet, and Sneasel was looking angrier than ever.
"Man... I can't believe this. It still won't give in!" Ash sputtered, once again amazed by the wild Pokemon. This time, however, his confidence didn't waver. 'I know that Pikachu's more powerful than Sneasel now... That's my way to win! If I could just get one more good hit on it, we'll have this in the bag!'
Once again standing on its hind legs, Sneasel launched itself at Pikachu with a blinding Quick Attack, closing the gap between the two in mere moments. And as quickly as it came, it was gone, soaring far over Pikachu's head into the air.
Beady eyes frantically looked left and right, but the crafty Pokemon was nowhere to be found. He had expected a swift attack from the front, or even from the back. A subtle sound caught his attention, though, no sooner than Ash would call out in warning.
"Pikachu! Look out behind you!" Ash shouted, having a clear visual of Sneasel, who had jumped above and behind Pikachu, preparing a chilling orb between its jaws before firing another Ice Beam.
This one came in faster than Pikachu could think to respond, striking the mouse directly in the back. A pained hiss left him through clenched teeth, and Pikachu was hardly able to move as a chilling sensation ran through his every nerve, leaving the entire backside of his body feeling numb... And, watching on, Ash would be able to see why.
Pikachu's entire back had been frozen solid, covered cleanly in a blocky layer of ice. Try as he might, the electric mouse was unable to move much at all, encumbered by the weight of the ice, and half of his body felt rather numb to boot. Pikachu winced, thoroughly irritated to find himself defenseless against Sneasel.
Who, speak of the devil, was swooping in from above, both claws glowing and extended for a particularly devastating Slash attack. Ash could only watch on in horror, unable to act as his partner stood defenseless in the wake of a potentially finishing blow. 'C'mon, Ash, think... There's gotta be some way to break outta that ice...'
Then, realization dawned on the trainer, just in the nick of time. "Pikachu! Break out of that ice and finish it with Iron Tail!"
A mischievous smirk formed on the rodent's face, every bit of vigor in his system doing its best to overcome the numbness to unleash a full-scale Iron Tail. Luckily, only moments passed before the metal-coated extremity burst out of the ice, shattering it all into a million pieces!
Much to Sneasel's dismay, who was already closing in on Pikachu in mid-leap. The creature's eyes widened to the size of saucers as it found itself unable to stop its descent, making it the ideal target for Pikachu's retaliation.
"Chuaaaa..." Pikachu growled, readying his hips before throwing them around in a spin, slamming the limb directly into the dark type's chin. With the strike came a hearty scream of his own name. "Pika!"
The jarring hit sent the unconscious Sneasel flying, sliding across the dirt before landing in a slump. Pikachu landed on his hind legs, one foot placed before the other in a dramatic, battle-ready stance. Huffs and puffs left the exhausted Pokemon, though, showing that the intense battle had clearly taken its toll.
His beaming trainer didn't hesitate for a moment, running over before scooping Pikachu into his arms, cradling the fatigued victor with care. "Oh, Pikachu, you were awesome! That was a really tough match, but I just knew you could pull it off!" Whether Ash knew it or not, he was smiling cheek to cheek, irises positively glowing over the awesomeness of that battle. A tough struggle from the moment he stepped foot into the area was not what Ash had been expecting.
"I guess this place really is gonna be a handful, huh...? Just think, if all the Pokemon are super strong like that... Ohhh, I can't wait! Let's go, buddy!" The Pokemon Trainer gushed, reaching for the brim of his cap before turning it backwards, running off into the woods towards their destination. But, of course, not without a hearty cheer from his smaller companion first.
Ash and Pikachu continued their trek through the lively path that was Route 28, battling their way through the forests and ponds that blocked them from their true destination. Every challenge they were met with was more titanic than the last, and the variety of Pokemon running about gave Ash and his team a run for their money.
Soon, the sun began to set, basking the entire horizon in a brilliant orange glow. Diurnal Pokemon began to retreat to their hidden homes, bug types crawling into the trees above.
The enthusiastic teen was just making his way out of the forest now... Not looking quite so enthusiastic, after all. He held Pikachu in his arms, who was marked with quite a few scratches, and tired dulled eyes showed the fatigue of a long day of traveling, with plenty of battles to boot.
"Oh, man..." Ash exhaled, his eyes turning up towards the colossal mountain before them. Its green and grassy plateaus reached about as high as the clouds above, and the snowy peaks reaching about as high as the eye could see. Ash was sure his jaw would have dropped to the ground had he not already seen it from a distance. "Up close, it looks even bigger... I sure hope we don't run into anything tough in there tonight, huh, Pikachu? I'm already beat."
Ash's complaints were quickly met with an answer in the form of a call of his nickname, along with a stubby paw pointing forward.
"Pikapi!"
Lo and behold, not far down the path was a sight for sore eyes; a Pokemon Center, not at all far from the entrance to the cave.
"Ahah... There's a Pokemon Center here? Alright! Talk about luck, huh, Pikachu?" The trainer made a dash for the building before him, all prior exhaustion momentarily slipping away. The glass double doors slid open, allowing Ash to enter the building.
The center, eerily enough, was almost entirely empty. There was a video phone and PC off to the side, couches and a coffee table, and most notably, a desk facing the entrance. Behind it stood a single Nurse Joy, hands clasped together in front of her beneath the desk. She greeted the trainer with a signature Joy smile, innocent and maternal in nature. "It's good to see you, Ash. Welcome to the Pokemon Center!"
Both of the boy's brows raised, his head tilting slightly in confusion. "Huh? Uh... Thanks, Nurse Joy, but how in the world did you know my name?" Ash questioned, approaching the counter in slow, cautious steps.
"Well that's simple, Ash!" The woman chimed. "Professor Oak had already let me know that you'd be arriving and coming to Mt. Silver to train! Given where I'm stationed, it's my duty to care for and look out for the rare trainer that comes into this area! With such a dangerous wilderness up ahead, you could imagine that a trainer's well-being is my first priority, as well as their Pokemon's!"
It was in the midst of her explanation that Joy noted the scratched up Pikachu lying in the boy's arms, who looked positively exhausted. "Oh, and it looks like your Pikachu is in the kind of shape to require that kind of attention, immediately! Perhaps you should leave the rest of your Pokemon in my care, as well?"
Ash glanced down to his weakened partner, nodding his head before setting Pikachu on the counter. "Yeah, that's a good idea. The Pokemon are really tough out there!" His remaining five Pokeballs were withdrawn as well, placed into the tray sitting on the counter.
"That's certainly true, so I would hope that you're very careful out there. The Pokemon inside the mountain only get stronger! I wouldn't want you to come back down here hurt, or possibly worse, so try not to get ahead of yourself. I was told how hot-headed you could be." The young woman quipped with a coy smile.
Not that there was any absence of truth in her teasing.
"So, I suggest you fill up on dinner before heading to bed, so you can get started bright and early tomorrow at your best! There's some soup prepared for you in the guest room provided. Now, don't stay up too late!"
"Hot headed, huh?" The male's face fell, marked cheeks flushing in embarrassment. It figured that would have to be thrown in with everything else. "Well, that sounds good to me! Trust me, Nurse Joy, you won't have to worry about a thing!" He reached to pat Pikachu on the head, earning a coo from the mouse.
"I'm going to leave you with Nurse Joy for the night, alright Pikachu? You get some rest, too!"
"Cha~!" Pikachu promptly answered, ready to be taken into care. With that, Ash made his way for the hallway towards the back of the center, waving to the two. "Awesome. Good night, guys! See ya in the morning!"
Not before long, the stars were the only lights in the sky, save for the moonlight that shone in through Ash's window, basking the messy-haired adolescent in a faint, pleasant glow. He'd already made his way into bed, staring out the window with both arms folded behind his head.
"Man... So, this is it, huh?" He spoke aloud, to no one in particular. "I am excited and all... But, looking at that mountain, it's kinda hard not to feel a little scared." An unusual thing for him to admit, he felt. It was the sort of thing that he would only tell Pikachu. But, his little yellow companion wasn't here right now.
It felt odd without him, really. Even in times when he was away from just about everyone else, the electric rodent was always a constant. "At least Pikachu'll be with me..." Hazel tinted eyes turned off to the side, eyeing his league cap that hung on one of the bedposts.
"...Yes. We'll get out there and be the best Pokemon Masters in the... Whole world..." He declared drowsily, interrupted by a yawn. Ordinarily, sleeping at a time like this would be very difficult for the boy from Pallet. But, the fatigue of a long day's work hard worn on him and he drifted soundly off to sleep. A slumber that would lead into tomorrow; the beginning of a brand new adventure!
