Alright here is chapter two! I know a lot of you probably have questions about why Steven is a character in this story. Have no fear I'm not trying to rip-off Traveler or any other OP Ash adventure, I just really love Steven. Gen 3 is my favorite generation, and I just feel that Steven should have been featured more than he was in the Advanced series. I know the XY specials with Alain featured him, but I still feel he deserves more. I'm glad that stories like Traveler showcase how great Steven is, and I hope my story can do the same. When I posted this story originally like five or six years ago, Steven was a character then as well. Similarly, any pokemon that Ash catches are done because I have a close relation and association to those pokemon. They're pokemon I love from the anime, or that I have used throughout my travels and think Ash could benefit from.
Anyway, onto the story.
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon or any other worldly reference that may be mentioned.
****(*)****
Ash woke up slowly, feeling sore all over as he tried to move in his bed. Wait, he shouldn't be in his bed. Jolting up, Ash winced as pain coursed all over him and he looked around. The white room had a few pictures here and there, and flowers at his bedside. He looked down at the soft blue sheets and noticed his arms were bandaged. Flexing his fingers, he somehow felt more soreness and just how tired his body was. It felt as if he lifted wailords for a living.
"You're very lucky," a new voice said, and Ash looked up towards the doorway where a man in a purple suit stood. The man walked in and sat in the seat next to Ash, looking very tired.
"I was conducting research in the forest along the route, when I saw the lightning and an explosion," he explained.
"I quickly made my way to the area where I found you and your pikachu unconscious. From there I had my Metagross transport all of us to the Pokemon Center and both of you were immediately taken to emergency rooms," the man finished, smiling at Ash.
Ash for his part was silent for a long while, taking it all in. It seemed so surreal that any of the events had happened and things had spiraled so out of control. Then the most important thought occurred to him; where was Pikachu?
"Your pikachu is resting, and all your stuff is in the drawer here," the man said, as if knowing what Ash's concerns were.
Pointing towards the drawer where the flowers were kept, the man told Ash his stuff was safely secured there. Once again silence reigned. Ash wasn't sure what to say and the man knew he didn't want to push things too soon. Ash blinked his eyes rapidly, finally processing everything and smiling softly.
"Thank you so much, Pikachu and I thought we were goners," Ash said as he leaned back. The man smiled and expressed he was just happy that Ash was alright. Leaving to let Ash change and get ready, he made a mental note to talk to the boy later.
Ash got up and dressed himself slowly, knowing that quick movements would only hurt. Checking to make sure he had everything, Ash paused at the newest item in his bag. The rainbow-colored wing from the giant bird that had flown overhead. Only one word could describe it, legendary. Ash still wasn't sure what exactly it was he saw. His pokedex had apparently recorded an image, and that man had called it Ho-Oh. It had saved him and Pikachu as well, but unlike the man, he could not thank it.
Once he was ready, he left the room with his bag and wandered around a bit, before finally lucking out and finding a desk. He talked to Nurse Joy, and she told him he was free to leave and go eat, but Pikachu still needed to rest for a few more hours. Wishing to see him, Nurse Joy took him to Pikachu's room, and Ash saw the small mouse deep asleep and looking peaceful. Thanking the nurse, Ash left for the cafeteria.
Grabbing multiple items from the buffet and sitting down at a table, one thing hadn't changed in Ash. His hunger. Wolfing everything down, there was a lot on Ash's mind. For one, he very well could've died. He also wasn't sure how Pikachu would feel towards him and that scared Ash. While Pikachu did seem to like Ash after the whole incident, he couldn't help but be scared that it was all in his mind. Before he knew it, the same man from earlier sat opposite Ash causing him to slow down and eventually stop eating. Looking closely, Ash couldn't help but feel some calm flow through him. The man held sincerity in his eyes, but also a steely gaze.
"I didn't introduce myself earlier. My name is Steven Stone," Steven said, holding his hand out and smiling towards Ash. Ash took the man's hand and shook it firmly, wondering what the man could want with him. The man looked important, and if he was conducting research in the forest than he had to be very intelligent.
"Do you mind telling me just what happened? How you two ended up in the situation you had?" Steven asked, bringing Ash from his thoughts. Ash was hesitant at first, but as he thought over the matter, the man had helped him. Nodding, Ash told the story of the first day of his journey. Steven was very intrigued and listened carefully to every detail of Ash's story. Ash for his part didn't exaggerate or change anything, and Steven noticed that. After Ash had finished, the two sat in an uncomfortable silence, well uncomfortable for Ash. Steven was merely going over Ash's story and looking at Ash critically.
"I would like to iterate once again that you are very lucky. Not many people get chased by hundreds of spearow and live to tell the day," Steven said seriously. He also reprimanded Ash for being foolish enough to challenge a pokemon without Pikachu.
"While the pokemon found on Route 1 are typically weaker, even a weak pokemon can be dangerous to us," Steven told Ash, looking him directly in the eye.
"That being said…" Steven paused, causing Ash's attention to peak. "You clearly are very passionate, and your dream is admirable."
"You also hold much love and respect for pokemon, as evident by your treatment of Pikachu," Steven said. He smiled, allowing Ash to relax and feel more comfortable around Steven.
"Therefore, I have a proposition for you, but I need you to answer one question. What is your purpose?" Steven asked, looking intently at Ash.
Ash stayed quiet, knowing instantly the one goal he had in mind, but there needed to be more to it. He carefully thought out his answer, something he rarely did. Ash knew that the question wasn't one to be taken lightly.
"At first I wanted to just say becoming a Pokemon Master. While that's not an official title, I still want to pursue that goal," Ash explained.
"I know I want to battle, but beyond that I want to experience and learn all about pokemon. Not necessarily for research, but to see and enjoy pokemon for what they are," Ash said, a small smile beginning to blossom on his face, "our friends."
Steven continued to gaze at Ash critically, making the young boy anxious. The young man was clearly passionate about pokemon. Though Ash initially came across as short sighted, Steven now could see that a more mature mind lay beneath the brash exterior. It wouldn't be long before Ash would learn how to balance foresight with instinct.
"Then I would like to help you out on your journey," Steven said pulling out two items. One is clearly a pokeball, but the other is a device Ash hadn't seen before.
"This is the pokenav," Steven said, pointing to the device as he placed it and the pokeball on the table. "It's a multipurpose electronic from the Hoenn region, where I'm from. With it, you can make calls, upload maps of your current location, and best of all, this is a special prototype that was made to be compatible with pokedexes."
Holding out his hand, Steven smiled reassuringly so Ash handed over Dexter. After fiddling a bit, and plugging some wires into the pokedex, Steven turned on the pokedex. Checking to make sure everything was working properly, Steven smiled before showing Ash the new combination.
"As I said, it connects to your pokedex, allowing the pokenav to then use the pokedex's data to upgrade certain functions for other uses. Your maps will now show the availability of pokemon in the area more clearly than your pokedex had, as well as identifying any wild pokemon hiding close to you," Steven said.
Ash merely stared in wonder, as he took in all the amazing things the pokenav could do. Steven chuckled lightly, knocking Ash out of his stupor, and prompting the teen to exclaim in joy over how amazing science was.
Next Steven held out the Pokeball, waiting for Ash to take it. Hesitantly, the teen did, and immediately released whatever mon had been held inside. When the light died down, a small blue pokemon that looked to be made of metal floated in front of Ash.
"It's a beldum, a very rare pokemon from Hoenn," Steven explained, as he seemingly "scratched" the pokemon's head. Ash for his part was just too amazed to say anything. At Steven's urging though, he used his new Dexnav to register and scan Beldum.
"Beldum, the Iron Ball Pokemon,"Dexter began. "Beldum keeps itself floating by generating a magnetic force that repels earth's natural magnetism."
Giving off more biographical information, Ash went ahead and investigated Beldum's moveset and typing.
"This Beldum has moves it normally can't learn," Ash pointed out as he saw the moves Beldum could use. Dexter labeled them as egg moves.
"This Beldum is one of two that were bred from my Metagross. The other was used as a reward in a tournament back in Hoenn, but I would prefer if this one went to a trainer who could dedicate the time I can't," Steven explained. Ash took the information in but frowned after a minute looking intensely at Steven.
"Shouldn't Beldum go to someone with more experience?" Ash asked seriously, wondering why Steven would let him have it. "I only just started yesterday, and already I've messed up. I thank you Mr. Stone, but I don't think I'm the right person to give this pokemon to."
Steven had to admire the boy's honor. Other trainers, of any level would jump at the chance to receive a gift pokemon, and a this was a rare one to boot. Smiling softly, he recalled Beldum and then rehanded the ball to Ash.
"I admire you Ash, but I know that you will be nothing but the best trainer for Beldum. Your selflessness and kindness as evident just now are why I know I can trust you to raise this pokemon," Steven explained. His eyes were soft, but they dared Ash to challenge him on the subject anymore. Ash nodded and thanked the man greatly for the trust he placed in him.
"You're very welcome," Steven replied before becoming serious once more.
"Now as I said, I have a proposition for you. I want you to be the tester of the Dexnav. It hasn't been tested much outside of Hoenn, so we need to see how well it works in other regions. All you must do is go on your journey and use it as needed. All the data of its performance is automatically received as it is being used," Steven paused letting Ash take it all in. When the boy nodded his head, Steven smiled and continued.
"As thanks for your work, you will receive around 2,000 dollars every two weeks. I will periodically check in on you and when we believe we've gathered enough data, I'll meet up with you one final time," Steven finished explaining.
The two sat in silence for a moment, before Ash decided to fidget with the device. Occasionally he would ask a question about certain functions, and Steven would happily answer them. Some time had flown by and at some point, Ash had released Beldum and started to get to know it. Steven told Ash a lot about how to care for Beldum, explaining that Beldum's evolutionary line grew slowly.
"As I said before, beldum are quite rare," Steven began to explain. "They are considered by some to be pseudo-legendary because of how powerful and rare their final evolution is."
This once again made Ash doubt himself. How was he supposed to care for such a special and potentially powerful pokemon? His concerned were apparently evident as Steven placed a hand on Ash's shoulder, squeezing reassuringly
"I know that you feel unqualified to train Beldum, but from your story, I wouldn't choose anyone else," Steven said, giving Ash a warm smile. Ash looked down as Steven continued to speak about the positive traits he sees in Ash that make Steven so sure about this decision. To Steven, Ash's compassion and kindness will ensure that Beldum is well cared for. After a moment of silence, Steven was surprised to be hugged by Ash. He could also hear sniffles and snorts, signifying that Ash was crying. When Ash finally pulled back, he had a warm smile on his face.
"Thank you for believing in me," Ash said, wiping away at his tears. "It means a lot and helps give me confidence to continue my journey after such a bad experience on my first day."
Steven smiled, reassuring Ash that he meant every word of it. The duo soon decided to check up on Pikachu once again, and Ash really hoped Pikachu was awake. Nurse Joy led them to Pikachu's room, stating that even if he was awake, Pikachu would still need to remain here to be examined before being released. Ash decided that was okay and for the best. They entered the room and to Ash's great joy and relief, Pikachu was indeed awake.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu exclaimed as he jumped out of bed into Ash's arms. Though Nurse Joy wasn't particularly ecstatic about such movement, she understands the joy a pokemon must feel when it sees its trainer.
Pikachu indeed was overjoyed to see Ash. It had treated Ash horribly and despite it all, Ash had protected and tried to save him.
"Okay! While I understand the bonds you two have are clearly deep you have some questions to answer young man," Nurse Joy said, giving Ash an expectant look.
After answering her questions, Ash quickly began retelling the story of his first day. Nurse Joy waited patiently till the end of Ash's story, making notes here and there. She let Ash catch his breath before she began her lecture.
"While I am glad that you and Pikachu were not seriously injured, I am very disappointed in you young man," Nurse Joy said, her voice serious but soft.
"It is your job to ensure that no harm comes to you and your pokemon, so deciding to provoke a pokemon without Pikachu was a very poor decision," Nurse Joy said, before continuing.
"That being said after such a situation blew out of proportion, I'm sure that you will not make the same mistake," Nurse Joy said, looking towards Ash with an expectant look. Ash quickly nodded his head, and Joy gave him a small smile. She walked out stating that Ash could talk to Pikachu for a bit longer but then he would have to go away for at least two hours so Nurse Joy could perform some tests. Even though the mysterious pokemon Ash described had healed their more serious injuries, Nurse Joy still wanted to ensure that Pikachu was in "tippy top" shape after the events of the previous day.
Once Joy had left, Pikachu suddenly retracted from Ash and looked down sadly. It had been thinking over what the nurse had said and realized that even though Ash should have been more responsible when dealing with wild pokemon, none of this would have happened if he had just listened to Ash. Ash had done nothing but show it kindness and yet Pikachu was mean and disrespected Ash quite a bit.
"What's wrong Pikachu?" Ash asked. Noticing that Pikachu wouldn't answer, Steven noted that Pikachu looked to be upset over something. After some probing, Ash finally figured out what had Pikachu so upset.
"So, you're upset with how you treated me yesterday?" Ash asked, hoping to confirm his suspicions. After a soft "chu" from Pikachu, Ash fell quiet for a moment. Not much later though, he smiled and brought Pikachu into his arms. The little mouse was shocked to see Ash so happy with it, but Ash quickly reassured Pikachu that he held no ill will towards the mouse.
"Besides, if we hadn't gone through that adventure then I doubt our relationship would be the same," Ash said.
"After yesterday, I feel like we'll be the best team in the world," Ash exclaimed, before looking back down at Pikachu with a smile. "Don't you?"
The little mouse was surprised to say the least, but without a moment to lose it nodded and gave a cry of its name. Ash and Pikachu then high-fived each other, and Steven couldn't help but smile and chuckle at their antics. Before long though, Nurse Joy returned to perform her tests, so Ash and Steven were quickly shooed out of the room and back to the lobby.
"Aw man. Well at least Pikachu is feeling much better," Ash said looking towards Steven. The man nodded, glad to see that everything was now working out for the pair. It was now that Ash was stumped. He wasn't sure what to do at all for the next two hours. Turning to Steven, he asked the man for any suggestions. Steven said that after making a call, they could go train Beldum for a bit. Who knows, they could even catch a pokemon.
Ash agreed and thought it was a wonderful idea, so Steven made off towards the phones. Ash sat on an armchair in the lobby, wondering who Steven would be calling. Ash then wondered why he cared so much before realizing exactly why he was so interested. He had to make a call of his own.
With a quick mutter of "shit," Ash made his way over to the video phones and took a phone one over from Steven. He dialed the number quickly, berating himself for forgetting to make this call. After a few obnoxious rings, his mom finally answered. She looked as if she was slightly winded but then realized she must've just finished some errands given the time. With a smile and wave, he greeted his mom in a cheery manner to hide his nervousness.
"Oh Ash honey, I'm so happy to hear from you!" Delia exclaimed, clasping her hands together with stars shining in her eyes.
"The caller ID says you're calling from the Viridian Pokemon Center. That's so great it took your father four days to reach Viridian when he left on his journey, and your grandfather longer!" Delia gushed, truly happy for her son. Ash just smiled, though inwardly he was a little saddened at the mention of his father. The man was never around so Ash's relationship with his father wasn't the best.
Delia then asked Ash when he had arrived in Viridian, and how his first two days as a trainer went. Ash stiffened, realizing he would have to tell his mom about all the details of his journey thus far. He apparently was silent too long though, because a concerned Delia asked if everything was alright. Deciding that the truth be his best option, Ash for the third time that day recounted the tale of his first day. He was getting tired of doing so, but his mom deserved to know the truth.
"And that's all that's happened so far," Ash finished explaining. He looked at Delia half expecting her to berate him as Steven and Nurse Joy did. He was only mildly shocked to see tears in his mother's eyes.
"Mom what's wrong? Why are you crying?" Ash asked, not understanding the emotions his mother must be feeling. Delia just waved him off, stating that finding out a mother could've lost her son is a very emotional experience. After a few moments though, she smiled softly at Ash, her eyes shining with some pride.
"While part of me is disappointed in your recklessness, a majority of me is just proud of man you're becoming," Delia said, tearing up once more. Ash smiled softly, wishing he could hug his mother and Delia vice versa. It was a nice tender moment before the two broke out of their trance. They talked some more, Delia reminded Ash to change his underwear, and before long Delia was signing off. She told Ash how proud she was of him and to thank Mr. Stone for her.
Sitting back, Ash had a small smile on his face. It may have been a bit nerve-wracking at first, but Ash was glad he had called his mother and told her about his journey. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Steven smiling at him. At the mention of training Ash jumped out of his seat and ran for the door. He couldn't wait to begin working with Steven and Beldum. He quickly left the doors, and then fell back hard as a throbbing pain coursed through his forehead. The stars clearing from his eyes, Ash looked forward to see a girl with red hair covering her nose and muttering.
"I'm so sorry! I wasn't looking where I was going and I just ran forward without thinking," Ash said, very worried about the girl.
"Are you okay?" Ash asked, his voice quieting down as he reached forward slightly to help the girl up. The girl though only batted his hand away, a fury in her eyes that Ash had never seen.
"YOU!" she yelled, getting up and looming over Ash menacingly. Ash fell back down, looking up scared out of his mind as the girl proceeded to yell and scream her head off. Ash was quite disturbed, but then he noticed that the girl was bleeding from her nose and immediately stood back.
"Look! I'm sorry for all this trouble I've cause you, but you're injured right now. Can we please talk after you've gotten help?" Ash asked, hoping the girl would see reason and calm down.
For a second it looked like she wouldn't, as she almost went back on her tirade. After a moment though she huffed and agreed, pushing past Ash to walk into the Center. Turning around, Ash saw Steven give him a questioning look and Ash just mouthed that he would explain later.
****(*)****
Ash was very nervous. The girl, Misty, had been staring at him for the past twenty minutes. It wasn't a glare, but she also wasn't without any negative feelings towards him. Ash had tried to converse multiple times, but in the end no sound would leave his body. Steven for his part just watched. Despite his desire to learn more about the situation, Steven knew that this altercation needed to be only between Ash and Misty. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity more for Ash, Misty spoke.
"Do you know why I'm upset?" Misty asked, fixing Ash with a questioning gaze.
"Because I almost broke your nose?" Ash asked, very unsure of what Misty wanted. Misty sighed, massaging the crook of her nose. She looked up, looking deep into Ash's eyes. Noticing no recognition, she huffed and fixed Ash with a glare.
"You don't even recognize me, do you?" Misty asked. Ash's silence was all the answer she needed. Her anger flaring, Ash got very nervous. Misty though took a deep breath, regaining her composure. The silence remained thick, and Steven wondered if he should step in to mediate whatever was about to happen.
"Look. In the past I would've been livid about this, kind of still am," Misty began, letting Ash relax just a bit, and intriguing Steven.
"But I've had a day to think over everything and I don't hold it against you," Misty finished. Ash was silent for a second before daring to ask what exactly Misty wasn't holding against him.
"Right, so you don't recognize me apparently, but I'm the girl whose bike you stole yesterday," Misty said, her explanation causing the gears in Ash's mind to turn. Misty couldn't help but give a small chuckle as realization hit Ash's face, and then fear and worry.
"Look I'm really sorry, but it was an emergency! I had to save my Pikachu, and to be completely honest I don't know where your bike is now," Ash explained softly.
"I know, which is why I said I won't hold what happened to my bike against you," Misty said. Ash was almost afraid to ask but ended up doing so anyway.
"Glad you asked. Well somehow my bike ended up burnt and broken to pieces," Misty explained, pulling out the handlebars to back up her claim. Ash swallowed nervously, having an idea of what happened to the bike.
"Okay, like I said I'm really sorry," Ash began to say, "but I don't know how to repay you. I don't have any money."
Misty stayed silent, staring straight into what felt like Ash's soul. After a minute, she huffed and looked away.
"I already said I won't hold it against you. A younger me would've yelled at you until my face turned blue, threatening you to pay me back, but that isn't necessary," Misty said, her voice dipping at the end. An uncomfortable silence, for Ash, settled. He prayed something would happen that could break up the moment, and Arceus answered.
"Ash Ketchum, your Pikachu is ready to be checked out," Nurse Joy said over the intercom. Ash thanked whatever god heard him and excused himself. Both Steven and Misty got up to follow and were happy to see the interaction between Ash and his partner.
"Well it looks like he's all better," Misty said, smiling softly as Pikachu climbed onto Ash's shoulder. Ash still nervous around Misty merely smiled and nodded. Now that Pikachu was all cleared to go, he could continue his journey and move on.
"Well, it's only noon, so how about we go train for a bit?" Steven asked earning a vigorous nod from Ash.
Misty, as it turned out, was a good training partner. She had asked to join them, much to Steven and Ash's surprise. This worked out though, as Steven could coach each of them much better by observing on the side. It was also found out, that Misty aspired to be a water pokemon master. Thus, her only two pokemon were Staryu, and Goldeen. Despite not having water readily available, her Staryu moved on land just as well as it might underwater. Misty's Goldeen on the other hand… let's just say it still had a bit to go.
And hour after all the sparring, Steven suggested they do some individual training. Misty agreed, leaving to find a river or pond. This let Ash have some personal training from Steven.
"So, now that you and Beldum have gotten to work together, what do you think?" the man asked. Said pokemon butted Ash lightly at the mention of his name, and Ash couldn't help but laugh.
"He's great! I really hope to live up to the expectations that you've given me," Ash said, as Pikachu and Beldum both cried out in agreement. Steven merely smiled and reassured him that everything would be fine.
"Alright, so what should we do now?" Ash asked, looking at Steven expectantly. Steven paused for a second, thinking about what he wanted to say.
"How about you lead this, and I'll jump in occasionally. After all, I won't be with you during all of your journey," Steven said, getting a nod from Ash. And so, Ash began to work. His first instinct was that his pokemon should work on their endurance. During their battles with Misty, Ash's pokemon tired more easily than her Staryu, even though it was battling constantly and not being switched out.
"Alright guys let's work on some endurance," Ash said, and everyone got to work. Ash had Pikachu start by running back and forth across the field multiple times. Once it began to tire, Ash set a two-minute timer for a break, and then had Pikachu discharge his Thundershocks repeatedly. Rinse, and repeat. For Beldum, Ash had it use it's attacks on nearby boulders. Although it could use Iron Head and Zen Headbutt as they were egg moves, each move was more a glorified headbutt. Steven would step in occasionally to suggest something, but overall, he was impressed with Ash. Ash seemed very intuitive when it came to analyzing his battles, and knew what he needed to improve on with his training. Steven also reminded Ash that his DexNav was a good tool to use for planning out future training sessions. He could look up moves he wanted his pokemon to learn, and there was a notepad function to write out tasks or reminders.
After what seemed like ages, though it had only been roughly an hour, Ash's pokemon collapsed. Beldum couldn't even keep itself up with its electromagnetic powers. Ash smiled softly, recalling Beldum before picking up Pikachu. Both pokemon worked hard, but their inexperience meant they tired quickly.
Steven and Ash walked back inside, Ash handing over his pokemon to Nurse Joy, who said that his pokemon would be returned shortly. With that, Ash nodded and walked towards the cafeteria where Steven was waiting for him. Ash was quite hungry, so he scarfed as much food as he possibly could, putting Steven slightly off. After realizing how atrocious he must look, Ash slowed down and ate his food at much more normal pace. After another bowl of ramen, Ash set his dish on top of a very high pile and burped. He quickly apologized and turned red from embarrassment. Steven merely eyed Ash strangely, not having expected the boy to eat like a snorlax. After another awkward moment for the boy, he tried to spark conversation.
"So, Steven, how do you know so much about training?" Ash asked. He had been very intrigued with how expertly Steven could dissect and correct his training decisions, as well as coaching both him and Misty in their mock battles. Steven was caught a bit off guard but smiled slightly at the question.
"Let's just say I've done my fair share of adventuring," Steven said, hoping this explanation would suffice. Ash stared at the man for a moment, before nodding and seemingly accepting the answer. Ash thought there was more to it, but he wasn't going to push. When Nurse Joy paged for his pokemon, a sudden thought occurred to Ash. Quickly thanking the Nurse, Pikachu hopped on Ash as the trainer returned to Steven, eyes holding much excitement.
"Steven, could I meet Metagross?" Ash asked, becoming nervous towards the end of his question. Steven gazed at Ash critically, before nodding and motioning for Ash to follow. Once outside the Pokemon Center and in the designated training fields, Steven released Metagross.
Ash could only gape in wonder at the four-legged behemoth. Metagross exuded power. Not just physical prowess from its size and bulk, but an intense psychic presence as well. Ash momentarily flinched as his mind felt a strong presence push its way inside. He was a little off put by the invasion, but figured it wasn't done on purpose. After recovering from his shock, Ash looked at the titan of a pokemon and stared intently into its eyes.
"Thank you for saving Pikachu and me Metagross," Ash said sincerely, not breaking eye contact. The trainer felt another mental push, though this one was more subtle, and understood that Metagross had accepted his thanks. Ash smiled as he released Beldum, who made a sound that was far from its usual robotic cry. It floated over to Metagross, touching the "X" marking across its face for a few moments before moving back towards Ash. Metagross then looked at Ash and once again the trainer felt a push of psychic energy into his mind. This one was a little more forceful, but nothing like the original wave that had been unleashed when Metagross materialized. He caught glimpses of his life, both good and bad, before coming back to reality. He stared at Metagross in shock, and a little anger. The great pokemon finally nodded, sounding off a deep mechanical rumble that made Ash think it was evaluating him.
"I'm sorry," Steven spoke, reminding the trainer that the man was there.
"Beldum wanted to pass on its new experiences and information to Metagross," Steven began to explain. "So once Metagross learned of what had passed to come, it wanted to get to know you."
Ash stared back at the metal giant, still unsure of how to feel. On one hand Ash could understand since his Beldum was apparently this Metagross' child, but still. The invasion of his mind and memories wasn't something he had enjoyed. Finally sighing, Ash gave the pokemon a small nod. Ash felt Steven's hand on his shoulder as the man returned his pokemon.
"Again, I'm sorry. The metagross line are very hive minded, so they tend to be protective of one another. Though there are exceptions and sometimes powerful Metagross go off to live on their own. Despite this they will always have a mental link to others of its kind," Steven said as he squeezed Ash's shoulder reassuringly. The young trainer nodded as he looked at Beldum who had begun to play with Pikachu.
"It's still a decent hour, how about we go test out the PokeNav in one of the routes surrounding Viridian?" Steven asked, hoping this would take Ash's mind off the slightly uneasy encounter. Ash nodded, smiling as the prospects of catching a new pokemon excited the teenager.
****(*)****
The duo and Pikachu had been out on Route 22 for nearly twenty minutes now. Even with the use of the DexNav, they hadn't encountered a single pokemon yet. Ash was beginning to fear that it wasn't working properly. Steven on the other hand, merely hummed in thought.
"It's strange. The preliminary tests I did on Route 1 had worked fine," Steven said as they continued to look around. The knee-high grass did well to hide pokemon in general, but the DexNav should have found something by now.
Time flew by before a small beep gained both trainers attention. There was a small blip to the left of them on the DexNav's radar. As Ash turned and made his way, the blip became more defined, until finally the DexNav got a scan of the mysterious pokemon.
"Nidoran, the Poison Pin pokemon," Dexter began to say. "Its large ears are always kept upright. If it senses danger, it will attack with a poisonous sting." Ash began to wonder what Dexter meant before Steven pulled him aside.
Ash barely got a glimpse of purple pins that flew past the spot he had just been standing in. He gulped and turned back towards where Dexter was taking him, finally seeing the Nidoran in question. It's larger horn, purple skin, and deadly, poison dripping spikes told Ash all he needed to know. This was a male Nidoran, and it clearly thought it was in danger.
Pikachu hopped down and sparked his cheeks, very upset that this rabbit had tried to harm Ash. The Nidoran became wary, not wanting to make the first move just yet. It took Ash a moment before he finally realized what he needed to do. The trainer smiled, a determined look setting his face as he turned his cap backwards for better visibility.
"No Pikachu back off," Ash said, hoping Pikachu would understand. The mouse however cried in indignation, wanting to make the other pokemon pay for attempting to hurt Ash.
"I understand, but Nidoran is very poisonous, and if you touch one of its spikes, you'll get very sick. Let Beldum handle this," Ash said as he released the Iron Ball pokemon. Pikachu growled, but ultimately agreed reluctantly. It let Beldum take over, ensuring that Beldum stood in between it and Nidoran before running to protect Ash. It sparked its cheeks menacingly once more and looked onward to the battle. Beldum made its hollow robotic cry, as the Nidoran tried to make its spikes look more deadly.
"Beldum go in with Zen Headbutt!" Ash cried, deciding to break the tension. Beldum rushed forward, a faint pink glow surrounding its head as it charged towards its opponent.
Nidoran though deftly dodged to the side, before closing its eyes and concentrating its body. When it opened its eyes back up, it pulsed with energy and charged at Beldum. Nidoran's horn leaked some nasty looking poison, but thanks to Beldum's steel typing, the poison was ineffective. The charge itself though had hurt as Beldum was sent back from the force. Nidoran kicked up sand with its feet, daring Beldum to face it again. Ash smiled, this pokemon had a lot of fight.
"Alright Beldum this time hit him with an Iron Head, let him know just what he's dealing with," Ash said, prompting Beldum to charge forward. The metal making up Beldum's body shined, as it neared the Nidoran once more. Nidoran, not wanting to be outdone, charged forward as well. The two clashed and held their ground. For a moment, the two looked to be in a stalemate, neither pokemon giving an inch. In a split second though Beldum gave a metallic cry and pushed Nidoran straight into the ground. It was a bit surprising, but Ash didn't waste the opportunity.
"Go pokeball!" Ash exclaimed as he threw the ball and hit his mark. Nidoran was quickly sucked in, becoming the red energy many recognized before the ball shut. It shook only for a moment before a small ding signaled success. Ash walked over and picked the ball up gingerly. He couldn't believe it; he had just caught his first pokemon!
"I caught a Nidoran!" Ash cried out, as he and his two pokemon posed dramatically. The trainer rushed over to Steven, wanting to talk about the experience but stopped when he heard a slow, drawn out clap.
"Well, well, nice job there Ashy-boy," Ash heard, making his blood boil as he turned around and saw the one person he really would rather not.
"Though to be honest, I don't think you would have been successful if you didn't have that Beldum there," Gary remarked as he walked towards Ash and Steven from a boulder he had been leaning on. Ash wasn't sure when Gary had arrived, but he wasn't going to let his rival make a remark like that.
"What do you know?" Ash asked, wanting to make a cruder remark, but reminding himself that Steven was right here. Steven for his part, just observed. He wasn't sure what Ash's relationship to this other boy was, but he didn't like him so far. Gary just smirked as he took a pokeball out and twirled it on his finger.
"Well I've just so happened to have already caught every pokemon from here to Pallet, Ashy-boy," Gary explained, making sure his nickname for Ash was stressed out.
"How many pokemon have you caught, hmm? For that matter how did you get a Beldum?" the spiky haired trainer asked, as he continued to spin a pokeball on his finger.
"I gave him the pokemon," Steven explained. Gary looked over at Steven, finding him familiar for some reason. The teen couldn't help but feel as if he knew the man somehow, or from somewhere. It frustrated him to not know, and after he couldn't quite figure out why, he huffed and tossed his pokeball in the air.
"Well I actually work for my pokemon. I don't take charity like you seem to do," Gary said, each word causing Ash to anger more and more. The two stared each other down, Gary smirking at Ash as he continued to push the teen's buttons.
"It's no use going further west. You can't get past the pokemon league gates without a badge and I bet you don't even have the Boulder Badge yet," the other trainer said, biting into Ash's insecurities. Did Gary really have a badge already? He apparently had caught every species from here to Pallet so was it hard to believe that his rival was that far ahead. Gary smiled haughtily, knowing that he had Ash right where he wanted him.
"How about this," Gary began to say, "I'll give you a potion to heal your Nidoran, and we'll have ourselves a three-on-three pokemon battle."
He took out a small potion from his pocket and tossed it to Ash. The trainer caught it easily but was unsure of what to do. On one hand, he wanted nothing more than to pummel Gary and show him how strong he was. On the other hand, what if Gary was so much stronger and did have a badge? Ash would just put his pokemon in an unnecessary risk.
"What's the matter Ashy-boy? Trust me, I'm still going to beat your pokemon senseless," Gary taunted. That was the last straw for Ash, as he quickly sent out Nidoran and healed it with the potion. After a moment, the pokemon woke up and looked around, feeling a heavy weight in the air. It looked towards Ash and saw the glare its trainer was sending towards another boy. It quickly growled and released several spikes, each dripping with poison. Ash may have only just caught it, but Nidoran had lost fair and square. Nidoran respected strength, so it meant he would respect and listen to Ash.
"Alright Gare-bear," Ash said, his voice serious but with a sharpness to it. Ash returned Beldum and sent Nidoran forward, the small pokemon more than happy to fight. It growled once more, pushing its spikes as far out as it could to make it appear more menacing.
Gary merely smirked, throwing a pokeball forward in a fluid motion. When the light died down, Ash was surprised to see a small plant pokemon. Its main body consisted of thin, but sturdy roots and two large leaves for hands. The root body led to its bell-shaped head. Its mouth was open, and its small, barely noticeable eyes looked blank.
"I'll think I'll start things off. Bellsprout use Growth," Gary said, his voice confident and smug.
Bellsprout cried out, absorbing sunlight into its body before it became enveloped in a white glow, its body becoming thicker and longer. Ash frowned, knowing that if Gary continued to power-up his pokemon it wouldn't bode well for him.
"Nidoran use Poison Sting," Ash said confidently. The small rodent concentrated, and several pins were released from the spikes on its body. Although most flew past Bellsprout, Ash had to smile when some landed not far from Gary, causing the boy to flinch. Focusing back on the battle, Ash smiled as his strategy had worked. Bellsprout's thin body had caused most of the pins to fly past it, but its rather large head and leaves were easy targets. Many pins seemed to have stuck in its face, causing the normally blank eyes to be narrowed in anger. It shook as it tried to get rid of the pins in its face and leaves. The poison in them wouldn't be much of a bother to Bellsprout, who like many of Kanto's grass types had a natural affinity to toxins and poison, but the pins still hurt its fragile body.
"Good now Focus Energy, then keep it on its toes with Poison Sting," Ash commanded, confident that his pokemon would beat Gary's in no time.
The Pin pokemon growled as its body stiffened and flexed, its muscles becoming primed for use. Focus Energy was a very simple move, hence its normal typing. It required the user to focus its body, allowing energy to build and fill it with power. Untrained users like Ash's Nidoran would just let the power flow into their bodies, but skilled and more experienced mons could focus that energy into a single area, maximizing the damage done from an attack.
The next moment Nidoran carried out Ash's second command, as many poisonous pins were ejected from its body. These flew faster and were more precise, causing Gary to command Bellsprout to dodge. The small plant seemed to almost blow in the wind as its body twisted and turned to try and dodge many of the pins. Try as it might have, several of the pins still managed to strike their mark as they hit the plant's face and leaves. It cried from being pierced and tried to shake the pins of its body fruitlessly.
"Great now finish this off, Nidoran! Charge at it with your horn," Ash said confidently once more. Nidoran cried as it charged forward, a small aura enveloping its horn. Most Nidoran had a natural affinity for the move Horn Attack, although at this point it was less focused energy and more blunt force.
"Heh, amateur. Bellsprout quit crying and use Vine Whip! Show these two they've made a mistake," Gary said, flicking his hair to side as Bellsprout suddenly snapped to attention. With speed that Ash couldn't believe, two vines extended from below Bellsprout's leaves and caught Nidoran with a snap. Neither Ash nor Nidoran reacted as Bellsprout raised Nidoran up and slammed him hard to the ground.
"Now squeeze. Show them your Wrap," Gary said, no longer interested in the match. Bellsprout listened intently, tightening its hold on Nidoran, causing the rodent to squeak in pain. Ash grinded his teeth, unable to see a way out of the situation. After a few more seconds, Bellsprout tossed Nidoran towards Ash. The small rodent was clearly knocked unconscious, probably from a lack of oxygen.
Ash silently returned his friend, apologizing for the grave mistake he had made. Gary knew his pokemon well and knew what technique to best use in a situation. Not to mention Bellsprout had received an increase in its stats from Growth. He had gotten overconfident, but he now knew to be more cautious of his rival. Even as Ash released Beldum once more, Gary couldn't help but taunt Ash.
"Am I great or what? I guess you just don't know enough about Pokemon do you Ashy-boy?" Gary asked as he spun Bellsprout's pokeball on his finger.
"I mean, if you really knew anything about pokemon, you would know a grass types vines are its most versatile weapons," Gary continued to say. Gary's remark certainly held true for most of Kanto's plants. Half of the grass types native to Kanto had vines at their disposal since birth. Their control over said vines only increased with age and experience, meaning Gary had found a rather strong bellsprout. It probably wouldn't be long before the pokemon evolved into a weepinbell, and Ash shuddered to think how things would turn out for him then if he didn't have an appropriate counter to that pokemon. Shaking his head, Ash needed to focus on the now rather than the later. For now, he needed to command Beldum and avenge Nidoran.
"You know what, Gary? You might talk a lot, but I guarantee I'll beat all three of your pokemon without losing Beldum or Pikachu," Ash said, hoping to antagonize Gary for once. His rival huffed in annoyance, clenching the pokeball tight in his hand.
"You wish! Bellsprout, use Vine Whip to wrap that stupid paper weight," Gary yelled, thrusting an arm forward and pointing straight at Beldum. Bellsprout quickly obeyed, and its two vines struck quickly, snapping against the steel type's body. Both Gary and Bellsprout were quickly confused though, as Beldum wasn't brought to the ground no matter how much Bellsprout struggled to do so.
Beldum's natural affinity to levitate using electromagnetic propulsion meant that the force keeping Beldum aloft had to be greater than the force gravity had on the pokemon. In simple terms, Beldum wouldn't be moving anywhere. Bellsprout had great strength in its vines, but it couldn't hope to bring the Iron Ball pokemon down with its small frame. Ash had planned that, and now he would take full advantage.
"Into the air, take Bellsprout with you using Zen Headbutt," Ash said, as Beldum gave a robotic cry and shot off. The slight pink aura around its head allowed it to zoom through the air undeterred, and Bellsprout was quickly lifted high into the air before it finally had the sense to let go. Its landing was not so graceful though, and the plant crashed into the ground. Bellsprout's roots smacked hard into the ground, though thankfully for Gary, not in a way that would incapacitate the pokemon. Even then, the impact knocked Bellsprout out easily, as Beldum floated back down in front of Ash. Gary recalled Beldum, being silenced for once by the unexpected loss. Ash simply smiled, congratulating Beldum on a job well done. Without hesitation Gary released his next pokemon.
As the light died down Ash only frowned as he saw the turtle that could have been his had he been more selfish back at the lab. Ash wasn't upset to see it, rather, he was upset about having to battle a pokemon that could have been his friend. Hearing Gary's voice though, brought him out of his thoughts.
"Let's see how you deal with Squirtle. This is my starter and strongest pokemon, more than enough for you Ashy-boy," Gary said, as he flicked his hair once more. The tiny, or more not so tiny, turtle grunted in agreement. It crossed its arms and smirked at Ash and Beldum, causing any sympathetic thoughts to leave Ash's mind. What little time it had spent with Gary meant that it had already adopted parts of Gary's personality. Ash would not feel sorry for beating it.
"Beldum charge in with Iron Head," Ash said as he stared intently across the field. Beldum followed Ash's command and rushed forward, its head glinting in the sun inadvertently blinding Squirtle. Beldum crashed into the turtle's underbelly, driving it into the ground. Squirtle struggled on its back, wiggling its limbs helplessly, causing Ash to sort of pity the creature.
"Squirtle stop messing around. Withdraw and then Water Gun," Gary said to the small reptile. It took a moment before Squirtle stopped flailing, popping into its shell as a blue glow surrounded its body. Ash frowned, knowing the increase defense would make it harder to take out.
What surprised Ash though, was the lone stream of water that suddenly started from where Squirtle's head retracted. The jet of water propelled it forward, turning it into something akin of a small canon ball. Smart. Gary presumed that with the raised defenses, Squirtle would be more than a match for Beldum's hard, iron body. Gary presumed wrong.
"Alright Beldum, meet them head on with Zen Headbutt," Ash commanded, confident in his pokemon's strength. They had worked for quite a while earlier today, so Beldum would be more than a match for Gary's Squirtle. Even now the pokemon's move was becoming stronger and more focused with each consecutive use.
The two pokemon met in the middle with a resounding bang, as Beldum's iron body resonated from the impact. Interesting Ash thought, even as the two struggled against each other. While Ash had no doubt that Beldum wasn't very hurt from the attack, it seemed Gary's Squirtle hadn't a scratch either. This would be harder than he thought.
"To the sky Beldum," Ash said to his robotic friend. The Iron Ball pokemon pushed with all its might, sending Squirtle rolling back and out of its shell in surprise, and immediately took to the sky.
"That's fine. Use this chance to Withdraw once more," Gary said confidently, a smirk creeping onto his face. Squirtle popped back into his shell, his body glowing blue as the carapace hardened once more. It shined brightly, from the energy Squirtle has been focusing into it. Ash analyzed the turtle quickly, trying to find some weakness in Gary's strategy.
"Stop playing chicken Ashy-boy, or I'll shoot you down," Gary taunted, as his Squirtle unleashed a powerful blast of water towards Beldum. It struck Beldum but did little more than to annoy him. Still, Squirtle had ranged attacks whereas Beldum had to rely on close combat. Ash could easily switch out to Pikachu, but he knew that Beldum would only be disappointed, or even angry, with being recalled.
"Fine, I can wait. Withdraw again," Gary said as Squirtle heedlessly followed Gary's command. The glow of concentrated energy once again focused on its shell, making it shine even brighter than before. Ash instinctively look down to avoid the bright light, though he soon found it strange that the light seemed to dim as he looked downward. Facing his opponents, Ash found the crack he needed to slip into Gary's fortress.
"Beldum, full speed Iron Head," Ash cried. Gary merely smirked, as he commanded Squirtle to propel itself with Water Gun, powering up its Tackle attack. When the two collided, a resounding clang was heard as Squirtle's hard shell clashed against the cold metal of Beldum's body. Each opponent pushed fiercely, not wanting to give an inch in this battle of wills.
Ash smiled, not able to believe Gary had taken the bait. While Squirtle's shell may have had its defensive capabilities exponentially, in this head-to-head battle, Ash's Beldum relied purely on its own strength. Squirtle meanwhile was continuously using Water Gun to match Beldum, and as soon as Ash saw Squirtle's fatigue settle in, Ash went for the kill.
"Now Beldum! Flip Squirtle onto its back," Ash said, his eyes fierce with determination. Beldum gave a loud groan as it pushed as hard as it could. Squirtle, unable to match Beldum's force, was pushed back and continued to flip until it landed on its back not far from Gary. With Ash's final command, Beldum dove in with Zen Headbutt straight onto Squirtle's underside.
The tiny turtle was forced out of its shell, a resounding pop as its limbs came out and quickly fell. Squirtle had been defeated. Gary could only stare in shock, gritting his teeth as he recalled his fallen starter. Ash cheered and congratulated Beldum on a job well done.
"I forfeit the battle. Even if my third pokemon could defeat Beldum, you still have Pikachu," Gary said, angrily admitting he can't defeat Ash. This came as quite the shock to Ash.
"Make no mistake Ashy-boy! I may have underestimated you this time, but now I know better. There will be tons of tough trainers at the Indigo League Tournament and I will get past them, and you," Gary vowed. He shoved past Ash and before long, he had disappeared from their sight.
"If he has caught every pokemon from here to Pallet Town, why did he forfeit?" Ash asked, continuing to stare into the distance where Gary had gone. His rival was a pain, but he just couldn't understand him sometimes.
"There are multiple reasons," Steven said, causing Ash to break away from his trance.
"For one, many trainers catch as many pokemon as they can, but they really only train a select few," Steven began to explain. "Another reason could be that he was just exaggerating and goading you for that battle."
Ash stayed silent while he contemplated this. Gary had said that he had been underestimated. This meant that Gary had thought he would be an easy victory. Ash frowned as he continued to think over everything else Gary had said. While he may have won this match, Ash would have to train even harder to ensure victory in the future. Gary was right, the road to the top of Indigo would be a tough one. Feeling Steven's hand on his shoulder he looked towards the man and smiled.
"Let's go back to the Pokemon Center and get your pokemon healed," Steven said, and the two headed back to Viridian. The sun was slowly setting behind them as Ash took one last look towards the Indigo Plateau.
****(*)****
Well this is it. I have started working on a third chapter, and although it's been a slow process, I am halfway done with it. This does not mean I will be updating any time soon. As I said in the first chapter, this is just for me to post basically find peace with the story. I will continue to work on the next chapters, but I only have a rough idea of where I want the story to progress.