Today we join our heroes, taking a break for lunch at a nearby pond on their way back to Mauville City.
"Okay, here you are Wally." Ash said, handing Wally a cup of instant noodles.
"Sensei, are you okay?" Wally asked.
"Fine, why?" Ash asked, noodles hanging from his mouth.
"Is this how you two eat when you're not in a city or town?" Wally asked with concern.
"Well, we found out neither of us can cook, so yeah." Brendan said. "Unless you count Pokeblocks from Ash that is."
"Okay, you guys just go elsewhere, I'll handle lunch." Wally urged. "No more noodles, Sensei." Wally said, taking the noodles from Ash.
"Fine." Ash said, setting his chopsticks back into the cup. "Come on Brendan, I need to work on a new appeal, and you need to work on new battle strategies."
"Don't go too far!" Wally said, as he brought out a few pots from his bag.
"So, this is where we last trained, isn't it?" Brendan asked, as they approached the pond.
"Yeah, more of a coincidence than anything." Ash pointed out, grabbing a Pokeball.
"Pika!" Pikachu argued, stepping forward.
"Pikachu, okay. Let's work on a new combination." Ash said.
"Well, if you're using Pikachu, mind if I train with Aron?" Brendan asked.
"Go for it." Ash said.
"Alright Aron, come on out!"
"What we need is a new move." Ash said thinking.
"What's wrong with Pikachu's current moves?" Brendan asked.
"Nothing, but I can't make a new appeal with the same four moves, there's only so much I can do to change Agility and Quick Attack, or Thunderbolt and Thunder." Ash said.
"So, why not use a new type?" Brendan asked.
"What, you think a new move is just going to fall out of the sky?" Ash asked.
"Well no, but there has to be a way to learn one." Brendan said thinking.
"Well, we can figure that out later, for now, let's train Aron's endurance." Ash said. "Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
"Aron use Rock Tomb!"
Pikachu shot a bolt of electricity forward at Aron as the defensive Pokemon tried stopping it with a series of rocks.
"Pikachu use Quick Attack!"
"Aron use Tackle!"
Pikachu sped forward, only to be met by Aron's hard head, sending the electric type flying back into the shallow part of the pond.
"Pi." Pikachu said, dazedly walking back onto dry land, soon sparks shooting out from beneath him.
"Wait, what was that." Brendan said.
"That happened last time too." Ash said, rushing over to Pikachu. "What is this?" Ash said, seeing a yellow shard.
"Let me see." Brendan said, grabbing the shard, feeling a spark of electricity from it.
"What do you think it is? Part of a Thunderstone?" Ash asked worriedly, picking up Pikachu.
"No, it's too yellow." Brendan said. "Plus I think a piece of one no matter the size would cause an evolution."
"Well it definitely caused something when Pikachu made contact with it." Ash said, looking at the shard. "So what do we do with it?"
"For now, hold onto it, you found it." Brendan said, handing it back to Ash.
"Brendan! Sensei!" Wally called out. "Lunch is ready!"
"Well, let's see what he made." Ash said.
Ash and Brendan made it back to where Wally was to find a table set up with several dishes laid out.
"Lunch is served." Wally said.
"What'd you make?" Brendan asked.
"Nothing special, but this is what I was able to do with what I had." Wally said, revealing a platter of sandwiches, and a bowl of fruit.
"Well, he's far better than either of us." Ash commented.
"He also didn't cook anything." Brendan said.
"Again, I worked with what I had, if we want more, then we might need to set aside more funds for food." Wally admitted.
"If that's okay with you, I'm sure we can manage that." Ash said, already finishing his first sandwich.
Later after lunch
"So, we can definitely make Wally the group cook." Brendan said with a smile.
"Thanks Brendan." Wally said. "Did you two have a good training session?"
"We didn't accomplish much, but I feel we made progress." Ash said.
"Hey Ashton, I just had an idea." Brendan said. "For teaching Pikachu new moves, what about Wattson?"
"Wattson?" Wally asked.
"He's an expert on electric type Pokemon, and Mauville City's gym leader." Ash said. "He might be able to help if he's willing to."
"Isn't it the job of a gym leader to help trainers become stronger?" Wally asked.
"Maybe, but I kind of mopped the floor with him last time we were in Mauville." Brendan admitted.
"Then I go alone." Ash said.
"Wait, this isn't some sort of challenge, why would you need to go alone Sensei?" Wally asked.
"Seriously Ashton, I doubt he'd turn you away if we were with you." Brendan said.
"I'm the only one with a n electric type, and in case he holds some ill will it might be better if it's just me." Ash said. "I've known gym leaders that can hold a grudge." Ash said, shuddering at the memories of a burnt bike and an orange dress.
"No, if he's holding a grudge for that, then me being there won't change it, Wally and I are coming whether you like it or not." Brendan said.
"Right, we're a team. Right?" Wally said, still new to all of this.
"Okay, then let's pack up and get a move on." Ash said.
