Note: I don't own Pokemon

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Key

Bold text = Location in chapter/Pokedex entries/Pokemon moves

Italic text = Flashbacks / Emphasis

'Italic text' = Thoughts

"Italic text" = Telepathy

***** = Curse word (insert whatever) (though if it has a letter before the * then there's already a curse word in place)

"(text)." = Meowth translates Pokespeech

Ash's team(ON HAND):

- Pikachu

- Croagunk

- Pidgeot

- Buizel

- Meowth

- Gible

- Teddiursa

+ 3 slots for new Pokemon

Paul's team(ON HAND):

- Torterra

- Honchkrow

- Magmortor

- Electivire

- Gastrodon

- Drapion

- Ninjask

+ 3 slots for new Pokemon

Ash decided to make a last minute team switch up, but the two managed to have made it halfway in the forest route before the sun began to set.

They set up camp, having not much between the two, but enough to get some food for them and their Pokemon.

Afterwards doing some training and mini battles that nearly kept Ash up all night then for he couldn't stop smiling.

The next morning they pack up, Pikachu and Meowth on their usual spots on Ash's shoulders, only Gible decided to stay out...whether it was to chomp on Ash's head the teen didn't know.

"So Paul, what kind of Pokemon are you looking for here?" Ash was scanning a usual Pidove or Patrat around the pathway as they kept walking to the next gym.

Paul shrugged, "I'm open I guess, just gotta be strong."

Ash nods, as he could tell from Paul it wasn't necessarily a bad thing like he thought in the past.

Strength is good on a team, but in Paul's case it's more the strongest survive his training, and since Sinnoh, isn't going to bash any weak Pokemon, but more just pass by to the next Pokemon.

"Axew!" Suddenly out of one of the bushes next to Paul, a bipedal, greenish-gray Pokemon appeared and tackled Gible in what seemed enjoyment? Ash took out his pokedex and scanned the creature.

Axew, the tusk Pokemon. They mark their territory by leaving gashes in trees with their tusks. If a tusk breaks, a new one grows in quickly. (Pokemon Black)

Gender: Male

Ability:

Moves: Scratch, Dragon rage, +4 moves TBD

"Aw great, another version of your Gliscor twerp." Ash rolls his eyes as Meowth mentions the lovable, but kind of clumsy bat.

"Axew! What are you doin-is that a Gible?!" Out from the bushes like said Pokemon, a tan skinned girl pops out. Her dark purple, knee length as she stood up and walked over to Axew, bobbled a bit as she looked from between Ash and Paul, "Which of you are it's trainer?"

Ash mentally sighs as he raises his hand slightly, "Um he's mine, why you ask?"

"Well as you can tell, I'm a dragon master in training!"

Paul looked at the girl confused, "A what in training?"

The girl turned from Ash and glared at similarly purple haired teen, "A dragon master! Only the best to train and use dragon type Pokemon!"

Ash frowns, "Uh I don't know about dragon masters, did you Paul?"

Paul shook his head, "Only dragon type trainers I know are gym leaders."

Ash nods in agreement, "Yeah same here, though there is the champions like Lance and Cynthia."

Paul nods, remembering the Sinnoh champion.

"So um anyway what's your name is I might ask? I'm Ash, and that's my partner Pikachu, my Meowth….Meowth, and my Paul-I mean rival Paul!"

Ash flustered as he embarrassingly ignored said Pokemon teasing him, which in turn freaked the girl out with, "IS THAT POKEMON TALKING?!"

Meowth sighs and looks at the girl, "No I'm just a hallucination of your imagination."

Paul could be heard slightly chuckling, if he wasn't already slightly red.

The girl backs up a bit, the Axew from before goes into the girl's hair, which Ash assumed must be super thick if it can hold a Pokemon.

"I'm Iris, future dragon master."

Ash nods, "Um okay nice to meet you then, we best be going if we're gonna make to Straiton City before dark."

Paul shakes out of his state, nodding before hurriedly following the raven haired teen as said teen returns Gible and heads down the path once more.

"Wait!"

Paul groaned, turning to the teen before Ash could say a word, "What? As you can see we're in a rush here."

Iris frowned and glared at him, "Excuse me! Listen emo kid I just want to battle Ash here. I mean how can this kid possibly have a docile dragon type with little training at this point?"

"Kid?! Little training?! I'm fifth-teen! Do I really look that young you guys?" Ash grumbles as he turns to his Pokemon.

"Eh, I mean why did you think Jessie, James, and I kept calling you twerp all these years?"

"Pika pika…"

"Okay fine that too, but really you do kinda have the young kid look."

"Okay...wait what did Pikachu say?"

"I ain't telling."

Ash sighs, "Gible and Croagunk, come out please." Out came the dragon and the poison frog in front of the teen, the latter croaking as usual.

"Wait, I get if your battling with Gible, but why Croagunk?"

"Paul, your going to be refereeing this match...plus Croagunk can handle these two, right?"

Crogunk just croaks as Ash looks at him, then silently goes and sits on a tree stump, dragging the mouse and cat behind him before waiting for the match in front of him to begin.

Paul shrugs, "Well let's get this over with..." He secretly wanted to battle this dragon newbie, but he knew Ash had this(not that he was going to admit it or anything). Plus he remembered the dragon's pokedex entry, if anything the only thing the girl was right about was this battle was going to be a quick win...for Ash.

Iris smirked as she commanded Axew a few feet in front of her, "Please, with your age, this is going to be easy. Axew start off with Scratch!"

Axew roared loudly, before rushing over to the other bipedal dragon with a swing of his left arm, his claws glowing in a white light.

Ash mentally facepalmed, while Meowth literally facepalmed, "Gible dodge and use Metal claw."

The tiny dragon dodges the attack in an instance, and before Iris could command another attack, Gible unleashes a duel metal claw attack knocking out Axew in seconds.

"Ash goes over to Gible and pets his armored head, "Nice work buddy."

Gible smiles, for while it was a lame, short battle, it was worth it to him if Ash smiled.

Paul smirks, "Well there you go," He then gestures to Ash, "so we heading out or what?"

Ash nods, returning Gible before calling Meowth, Croagunk, and Pikachu over to him.

When suddenly, a blue blur tackles Meowth to the ground.

"Hey! What you do th-oh it's you." Meowth grumbles slightly before looking up from the ground to see the familiar otter.

"Osha osha!"

Meowth gets up and nods as he turns to Ash, "Well looks like the starter of the region has chosen you, imagine that."

Pikachu chuckles as Paul shakes his head, "Well how am I not surprised?"

Ash blushes a bit at Paul before heading to the water type, ignoring Iris who huffs in envy and anger and disappears into the forest with her dragon type.

"Hey there Oshawott, what you doing out here?"

Meowth and the others anime fell before Ash starts laughing at them, "Relax I'm kidding!" He then turns back to the starter, "So wanna join us?"

The otter's bright eyes glowed in awe, already touching an empty Pokeball, making the familiar ding in capture before anyone could reply.

Ash smiles softly as he looks at the new addition's pokeball on his belt, "Well that clears up that, gotta make sure Professor Juniper knows, so lets head to the city!"

Paul shakes his head again, but underneath the purple hair is smiling slightly, his face a bit red as he follows the energetic teen, "So things never change."