Ash's Pokemon:
Pikachu (Male)
Nebula-Staravia (Female)
Valiant-Ralts (Male)
Eevee (Female)
Egg (Unhatched)
Ash and Misty had come to Mt. Moon with the simple goal of traveling through the caverns to reach the other side and move on to Cerulean City.
Things rarely go as planned, especially for trainers, but neither rookie could have predicted the extent to which their travels had blatantly gone off the rails.
The "setback" that they had been faced with wasn't a simple detour, an injury suffered by a teammate, or even just getting lost normally.
They HAD gotten lost, but it was because of the real setback: Team Rocket.
And in the chaos, they had both found themselves in the makeshift hideout that the terrorists had set up within the caverns of the mountain.
Things almost never go as planned, but in this case, no plan in the world could have prepared the duo for today's current events.
Nebula ducked under Golbat's Steel Wing as Cyan and the rest of the soldiers barked orders at the numerous bats flying through the air in the room.
Things had devolved into chaos the moment the battle had begun, with Nebula's Whirlwind doing well to keep the bats at bay, while Piplup's Icy Wind provided additional backup that took advantage of their inherent weakness to Ice Type moves.
Unfortunately, the bats weren't all that needed to be contended with. The soldiers had taken to releasing multiple Poochyena to cleverly duck under the aerial combat, leaving Pikachu, Eevee, Valiant, and Staryu to defend their trainers, with Piplup pitching in whenever he wasn't providing additional backup for Nebula (who was contending with at least a dozen foes at once).
Cyan, despite the blatant advantage in numbers, was getting frustrated with the lack of progress. Ash wasn't counting on that continuing, however. Nebula could only use Whirlwind for so long, after all.
The Zubat were hardly an individual threat to her or Piplup, nor were the Poochyena to the rest of the team. However, there was a very large number of each. Nebula still fared great despite that, and the rest of the team was able to successfully split their efforts, but Cyan's Golbat was a completely different story. It was keeping pace with Nebula, and Nebula couldn't focus all of her efforts solely on it in order to give it the attention that she needed to be able to give it, due to the rest of the Zubat constantly preoccupying her.
A change in strategy would be a blatant necessity in making it out in one piece. But it was hard to come up with any sort of plans in the current state of the battle that Ash and Misty found themselves in, and the constant screeches of the bats certainly wasn't helping either rookie's inner concentration.
Ash let out a startled yelp as a Poochyena tried to slip through and leap at him, only for an angry Pikachu to smash it aside with a powerful Zap Tail to the jaw. Above them, A Zubat made its way down towards Misty, only to be met with an Icy Wind from an equally pissed off Piplup.
Team Rocket was not backing down on their offensive, and so far, all they could do in response was defend.
While watching Valiant blast away another Poochyena with Dazzling Gleam, Ash did his absolute best to tune out the chaotic noise of the battle, confident that his and Misty's Pokemon would be able to keep them safe while he attempted to come up with a plan.
But he still found it to be next to impossible, because even with his attempts to drown out the noise with his inner thoughts, his fear still dominated his brain. There was practically no escape from it.
No matter what he did, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop himself from remembering that he and Misty were both being targeted by a terrorist organization.
It was why he had to focus. Because of the sheer stakes in a battle that they could not afford to lose. But the knowledge of those same exact stakes prevented him from being able to focus on the exact focus that he so desperately needed in order for them to win.
He needed to fous, or else they'll all probably die. But that same exact fear of death prevented him from thinking. Prevented him from-
"ASH!"
Ash screamed out of his thoughts as he suddenly ducked under a leaping Poochyena that nearly sunk its teeth into his face. His canine assailant was immediately smacked away by a powerful Brick Break from an enraged Pikachu.
Misty's terrified scream had saved his life.
Above them, Nebula swatted away a trio of Zubat with a series of powerful Steel Wings that sent the now unconscious bats crashing down to the ground.
Cyan grumbled. "Stubborn brats."
"Get used to it, thug!" Misty fired back pettily.
Unfazed, Cyan turned his attention to Golbat. "Golbat, Air Cutter!"
Golbat complied.
The boy grimaced at the mention of the move. Now Team Rocket was the one changing up their tactics, before they had a chance to do so themselves.
Nebula glared at her attacker as Golbat executed the move immediately.
Smacking away yet another Poochyena with iron Tail, Piakchu's attention was briefly turned upwards, Nebula springing into action, hoping to avoid the attack that was currently coming after her.
Meanwhile, the Zubat in front of Nebula parted in an effort to not get hit.
Golbat had taken aim at Ash's powerful feathered friend with noticeable speed.
The wind that Nebula was suddenly finding traveling towards her was weaponized, but not in the same way as her signature Wind Blast technique. Air Cutter was something different.
When this move was used, the wind itself that the technique produced was sharp. Quite literally like blades made out of wind. Ash had no idea how the move actually worked or functioned, but he knew that much about the move.
While Wind Blast was a good move to use for blunt force, Air Cutter was designed to slice through opponents to take them out.
Golbat was howling viciously as it flapped its wings with vigor, sending as much sharp, blade-like wind towards Nebula as possible.
The Staravia immediately took action in avoiding the technique, maneuvering through the air.
One blade like gust nearly hit Ash, who sidestepped away in a frenzy to avoid being sliced. Another nearly hit Valiant, who had erected Light Screen to defend himself with. Yet another still almost hit Misty, who, much like Ash, avoided it frantically.
Nebula cried out angrily, launching a Wind Blast in Golbat's direction in retaliation. Golbat sailed upwards to avoid the attack, but suddenly found Nebula's beak meeting with its body as she charged upwards into him with Aerial Ace.
The remaining Zubat that had previously moved to avoid Golbat's Air Cutter were now charging towards Nebula at once, the majority of them opening their mouths wide as their teeth glowed purple.
With her assailants coming from all directions, Nebula had no means of counter attacking them all at once. But the Staravia's attackers were all left bewildered as she suddenly split into four.
Taking advantage of the brief confusion, the Staravia bolted upwards, her three clones not being able to move along with her, and slammed a metallic wing into one of the shocked Zubat in her path. As the bat was sent into free fall, knocked out on impact from the forceful blow, Golbat attempted to pursue Nebula, only to be forced to dodge to the side as a bolt of lightning from Pikachu nearly hit it.
Although Pikachu had just enough time to fire the Thunder Shock, the Poochyena immediately made themselves known again, but to the young mouse's luck, Valiant had teleported in front of him and erected a glass barrier to intercept them.
As a few of the soldiers released more Zubat, Nebula attempted to take advantage of Golbat's distraction with a Steel Wing, but as she charged forward, Golbat raised a metallic wing of its own. The Staravia's momentum sent Golbat flying through the air before the opponent righted itself, but no harm was done by either side.
"Ash." the boy turned to Misty as Nebula fired another Wind Blast, which Golbat dodged. The orange haired girl was glancing at him from the corner of her eye, but did not turn her head, her vision divided between him and the two Poochyena advancing towards her.
Suddenly realizing that he needed to be paying attention himself, Ash turned his head away from Misty, looking at her from the corner of his eye as well.
"I think I might have a plan." she said as Piplup and Staryu blasted away her attackers. "They seem to be running low on Poochyena, but there's still more Zubat up there." she gestured towards the reinforcements that the soldiers had sent out. Ash assumed tha tthey hadn't sent them all out at once because they feared that crowding the room too much would limit their flight ability. "We need to get Piplup on Nebula's back. His Icy Wind can be aimed better up there."
Ash nodded in understanding. Looking up at his feathered friend, he cupped his hands. "Nebula! Pull back and use Whirlwind! Then come down here quickly!"
Somewhat surprised by the order, Nebula complied nonetheless. Backing away to ensure that all of her opponents were in the blast zone, she flapped her wings with all of the fury that she could muster, the powerful gale of wind forcing her adversaries backwards.
Golbat responded with an Air Cutter aimed solely for the Staravia, but the bird was already headed downwards, staying on the ground just long enough for Piplup to climb onto her back, before returning to the air.
"Icy Wind, Piplup!" Misty shouted upwards with cupped hands.
Complying, Piplup opened his beak and allowed the frozen wind to flow freely. Feeling the cold air up close made Nebula wince unpleasantly, but she powered through the pain to allow Piplup to continue.
Multiple blasts of cold air were fired as the bats circled around Nebula and Piplup with perfect coordination. Although some were hit, and sent falling to the ground, many still eluded the penguin's attacks, dodging the icy gusts that were fired in their direction.
Golbat made a bold move and charged head on towards the duo of birds, cloaked in Aerial Ace as it took aim at the Staravia with a Steel Wing. Although nebula blocked the fast approaching assailant with a Steel Wing of her own, the momentum from Aerial Ace carried Golbat forward still, knocking Nebula off balance and leaving a shrieking Piplup to hold on for dear life as the bird began to fall.
Ash was about to cry out when Nebula suddenly let loose a series of small, but powerful, gusts of wind, flapping her wings towards the ground to push herself upwards with the gales that she created. Golbat and the squadron of Zubat all descended downwards towards the duo with purple teeth ready to sink into their targets, but were all forced to scatter as an upwards icy Wind from Piplup threatened to collide with them.
Ash inwardly grunted. They were elusive, but…
This gave him an idea.
He couldn't bring himself to grin in such a dire situation, but a surge of confidence suddenly found its way to his chest.
"Nebula!" his hands were cupped as he shouted upwards. "Combine Piplup's Icy Wind with your Wind Blast! And rotate while you use it!"
Nebula shot herself upwards yet again, this time positioning herself in the middle of her adversaries deliberately as she began to flap her wings madly, taking aim at Golbat.
As Piplup's Icy Wind escaped his beak yet again, the wind from Wind Blast immediately carried the icy air forward. Although Icy Wind already traveled at a fairly decent pace when Piplup was using it, the extra momentum from the concentrated blast of air that Nebula had let loose carried the Ice Type move forward far more quickly, and therefore, forcefully, than normal. Although Golbat just barely avoided the attack, the two Zubat behind it weren't so lucky, shrieking in agony as the fast moving air assaulted their bodies. It could have been the brute force of the wind blast pounding against their bodies, or it could have been the freezing cold air from the Icy Wind that the Wind Blast was carrying along with it, enveloping them and painfully coating parts of their bodies with a thin layer of ice. Either way, both Zubat fell to the ground, unconscious, and down for the count.
And the rest of the group soon followed. Although Golbat had initially evaded the attack, it was immediately hit full force as Nebula spun around in midair, rotating several times as the brutish, icy combination of Wind Blast and Icy Wind collided with every bat in the air. The Staravia was spinning around as fast as she could, rotating herself, and, by extension, the combination attack that she and Piplup were both using together, at high speeds and leaving their opponents with very little time to adapt.
Soon every Zubat was coated in ice, falling to the ground in unceremonious defeat.
Only Golbat remained. Weakly but defiantly all the same, the larger bat continued to flap its wings as it struggled to maintain its aerial balance. Ice layered several parts of its skin, and it was very clearly bruised from the repeated rounds of getting assaulted by the brutish force of Wind Blast, which had smacked it into the rocky walls at least twice, if not more.
Nebula and Piplup glared at their mutual rival's tenacity, but showed no signs of pessimism. It was very clear who was in control now.
"Steel Wing, Nebula!" And Ash took quick advantage of that as he gave the final order. Letting out a brief, but triumphant shriek, Nebula blitzed towards her opponent as Piplup gripped her feathers tightly. Carried by the momentum of Quick Attack, Nebula slammed her metallic wing into the large bat's face with all of the muscle that she could muster.
The solid, blazingly fast moving metal was overkill for the already wounded bat. Sent flying through the air at a record pace, the Golbat was unconscious mere moments before colliding head first with the stony walls, and had no chance of changing that as it dropped to the ground.
Nebula and Staravia remained in the air as Cyan blanched pathetically. Looking around him, Ash saw that all of the Poochyena had been defeated.
But neither he, nor Misty and the Pokemon allowed themselves to smile.
"Damn this!" the agent backed away a hit as he eyed the victorious team. Snarling with anxiety, he raised his voice across the room. "Everyone! Send out another wave!"
Ash and Misty braced themselves as their respective Pokemon all remained in their fighting stances, but no such reinforcements came.
"I'm… out!" announced one of the soldiers.
"Me too!" another one.
To Ash's relief, a chorus of announcements erupted from the enemy soldiers, none having any Pokemon left to send out.
The boy still didn't smile, though. Not when Team Rocket was still active, and certainly not while Cyan enlarged one, final Poke Ball.
"You've gotta be kidding me…" the agent moaned in displeasure. "I'm really starting to hate children…"
Misty dared to speak up. "Yeah, well you're the ones causing us trouble! Quit whining about losing fights that you started!" she was trying to sound intimidating, and was very clearly angry, but the color had not yet completely returned to her face.
"Can it, brat." Cyan snarled as his finger shot out at the blunt toned girl. "You must really not want to leave these caverns alive, if you have a mouth like that."
Before another word could be said, they were greeted with the sight of the large, hulking figure that escaped the Poke Ball's flash of light.
Ash's eyes widened at the sight of the creature.
It was very clearly a dragon. Blue skinned. With red in the middle, and a light blue underside. On both sides of its head were appendages that looked like they could pass off as engines for planes. Each arm had a fin, as did its back and tail. Near both of its knees were spikes, and sharp claws occupied its feet.
A Gabite.
A quite intimidating Dragon-Ground Type Pokemon native to the Sinnoh Region. They were famous (or was that infamous?) for evolving into one of the most powerful and near-universally feared species of Pokemon in the world: Garchomp.
"Say your prayers while you still can, children." Cyan leered nastily at the dup, having lost all of his patience with them. "Bet you haven't gone up against a dragon before, huh? Well, he'll be your last opponent."
As Gabite snarled ferociously, a horrible, monstrous sound escaping from his throat as Pikachu, Eevee, Valiant, and Staryu all backed away in caution under his dreadful gaze, a startled Ash felt a firm hand clasp his arm, and he dared to turn his head to see a tense Misty shivering ever so slightly.
The color was completely gone from her face once again, her previous facade of bravado finally gone.
"I'm… scared." her voice was weak, quiet. Terrified.
Hearing the horror in her voice certainly wasn't doing any favors for his own morale. She was a much bolder person than he was, and the look of terror on her face, as she spoke in the quivering voice that accompanied it, would have been more than enough to sell him on the sheer weight of their current situation, had Gabite's mere presence not already been able to do so.
He knew the frown on his face wasn't helping her mood. It was just vindicating her fear. But despite his best efforts, he couldn't put on a brave face.
She was a lot better at that than he was.
Looking forward, and inclining her head upwards towards Nebula and Piplup, Misty practically screamed.
"Piplup! Nebula! Use your combo from before!"
There was desperation in her voice. All of her hot headedness had been replaced by a desperate tone of despair as she attempted to end the fight as fast as possible. The only thing that she wanted being for all of this to end. Without them dying.
Icy Wind would be tremendously effective against Gabite. No doubt the mighty dragon was far stronger than any of their teammates, and Ash wasn't sure if Reckless would be quite enough for Nebula to match the behemoth's brute strength. Dragon's were famous for their raw power.
The Ice Type move would practically be a necessity. And with Wind Blast greatly bolstering the force behind it…
Unfortunately, Cyan had other ideas as he quickly responded to the order.
The boy felt a pit in his stomach as the agent let out a counter command. Whatever he had planned wouldn't be good for them.
The rest of the team seemed to realise this just as much as he did, as did Misty. Everyone began to brace themselves.
Gabite continued to leer. His fighting stance conveying its huge and menacing appearance.
"Use Flamethrower!" he called out to the dragon as Nebula and Piplup fired their combo downward.
Gabite responded to the order by inclining his head upwards, a surging stream of fire escaping from his open maw. The powerful blast of frozen wind was met with the scorching flames, intercepted in an explosion as the shockwaves pulsed through the air.
Ash snarled in frustration. Of course it wouldn't be that easy. It was only natural to teach a Dragon-Ground Type how to use fire so that it could counter ice.
Looking around him, the battlefield was filled with the unconscious bodies of the Poochyena and Zubat, with the Golbat lying down at the far end of the room.
It suddenly occurred to him why the Rockets hadn't recalled their defeated Pokemon. The unconscious bodies throughout the room would force his and Misty's Pokemon to avoid tripping over them as they moved throughout the battlefield.
The far larger Gabite had no such worries.
No doubt those unconscious Pokemon could suffer serious injuries (or worse!) if they were to be hit by a stray attack or stomped on by Gabite… Was Team Rocket really going to leave them out and risk their well being just for a tactical advantage?
That answer, of course, was obvious. It was far from the worst thing they had ever done.
Instinctively, Ash and Misty backed further away from the fray. At the same time, Cyan gestured for his crew to move behind him, the group of Rockets all gathering in front of the entrance to the tunnel at the back of the room they were in. The towering adults fixated their stern gazes onto the two children, as though they were attempting to intimidate them to make up for not being participants in the upcoming battle.
Ash felt himself shrink under their gaze, forcing himself to look at Gabite instead.
It didn't help his mood in the slightest, but it was a lot more practical.
A flash of light briefly appeared in front of him and Misty. On edge, the two children were startled in the moment, but a split second later, Valiant was in front of them, ready to erect a barrier at a moment's notice.
An anxious smile made its way to Ash's lips. Even with everything going on, Valiant was concerned for their safety. Two humans who had no Moves or special powers to defend themselves with.
"Thank you… Valiant."
A nod. Ash would have seen the stern, determined glare on Valiant's face if the young Ralts was facing towards him.
Instead, Valiant's eyes were locked fiercely onto Gabite, who was now inching his way towards Pikachu and Eevee, both of whom backed away cautiously.
A nudge from Misty's elbow quickly brought Ash's attention to his new friend.
"Don't even consider close-up combat for now." she stated firmly. "That behemoth would crush our Pokemon in an instant."
Ash nodded in understanding, but winced.
Pikachu had no ranged attacks that would work on Gabite. His Ground Typing granted him absolute immunity to all electricity.
It mattered not. Misty was right, after all. Getting in close would just make things worse.
"Keep your distance, everyone!" he called out quickly, as Cyan finally got tired of playing the waiting game and ordered Gabite to move.
The dragon was fast. Thankfully not too fast for Pikachu and Eevee to avoid him with Quick Attack, but his speed was far greater than his bulk would make things seem.
Not that Ash was surprised, at this point. Plenty of large Pokemon moved a hell of a lot faster than one would ever realistically expect them too. He himself had even seen it firsthand with Brock's Onix.
The dragon raised a large claw, glowing a powerful pinkish-purple as he brought it down towards his two targets. The Dragon Claw collided with the stone floors as Pikachu and Eevee yelped in fright and leapt aside in opposite directions, small rocks being kicked up by the impact of Gabite's mighty blow.
A distressed Ash was suddenly having flashbacks to the fight with Meowth, all the way back at Viridian City's Pokemon Center back on Opening Day.
And just like with Meowth, just one strike from that Gabite's mighty claws could be the end of it.
The image of Pikachu and Eevee's bodies being torn through like tissue paper filled Ash's mind, and he could have sworn that his heart stopped for just the briefest of moments.
Eevee was responding, however, having already begun charging up a Shadow Ball prior to Gabite's attack. She fired it at him while she retreated, the ball of distorted energy colliding with the dragon's face just as the Evolution Pokemon's feet hit the ground.
The small explosion from the impact sent Gabite staggering back with a pained grunt, but there wasn't much visible damage done to the dragon's body from what Ash could see.
Maybe if he was a bit closer to the action, but Ash doubted that they'd be able to dish out all that much lasting damage with just once attack.
Thankfully, Misty was following up. "Staryu! Dazzling Gleam!"
Her Staryu wasn't very skilled with Icy Wind yet, so she was going with the next best thing.
The gem in the middle of Staryu's body glowed brightly as a bright beam of pink light fired off from it. However, Gabite righted himself and lowered his head. Ash winced as the dragon's head suddenly glowed and became coated in metal, Staryu's Dazzling Gleam bouncing harmlessly off of Gabite's Iron Head.
Turning his gaze towards the Water Type now, Gabite kept his head lowered and charged forward. Staryu was caught off guard by the sudden offense, but Gabite was suddenly forced to change direction to avoid Nebula's Wind Blast, carrying Piplup's Icy Wind.
As the powerful blast of frozen wind collided with the ground (and the unconscious bodies of a Zubat and Poochyena), Cyan called out a followup order.
"Dragon Pulse!"
Ash's eyes widened at that. Dragon Pulse was a strong Move. So was Dragon Claw, but unlike that Move from before, this wasn't being aimed at the agile Pikachu and Eevee.
Gabite roared with great ferocity as a glowing, pinkish-red orb appeared in his mouth. Growing in size, it suddenly expanded into a large blast of light with dragon-like jaws at its front. The attack sailed over towards Staryu at great speeds.
But at the last second, Staryu surrounded itself in a golden cube. With a large explosion, the Light Screen immediately shattered on impact, and Staryu was sent flying away a few feet, struggling to maintain its balance as it landed.
Ash couldn't see it from where he was, but the whiplash alone had left Staryu with bruises on its body. A direct hit from the attack would have spelt doom.
Gabite was about to pursue his prey, but suddenly stopped as he felt a series of golden stars pelting his back. Only slightly fazed, he turned his attention towards Eevee, who was attempting to put on a brave face as a Shadow Ball charged up in her jaws.
Valiant considered firing a Dazzling Gleam of his own while Gabite was distracted, but quickly decided against it.
That would just draw the dragon's attention to him, while he was trying to protect Ash and Misty from harm. And after what had just happened with Staryu, the young Ralts' confidence in his barriers being able to properly defend against the Gabite's attacks was suddenly beginning to dwindle.
Thankfully, Ash took the initiative as Gabite began to run forward, his foot stomping down on an unconscious Poochyena's skull with a sickening CRUNCHING noise as he raised his glowing claws.
"Move backwards while you fire, Eevee!"
"Mud Shot!" Cyan called out.
As Eevee began to run backwards, her Shadow Ball firing out of her mouth and towards her target, Gabite opened his maw, allowing a large ball of mud to escape from his throat, firing towards Eevee with staggering speeds as it collided with the Shadow Ball.
Although it was somewhat weakened by the explosion, the Mud Shot easily overpowered the Shadow Ball, continuing on its course, only slightly smaller than before.
Eevee bolted to the side with Quick Attack, without thinking as she desperately avoided the ball of mud. The attack nearly clipped her in the side, but missed its mark and collided with the nearby wall.
Before Ash and Misty could breathe a sigh of relief, however, their eyes widened in horror as Eevee, moving too quickly to stop, tripped over the unconscious body of a Zubat.
Eevee yelped in shock as she flew through the air, her momentum carrying her forward as she collided head first with the ground, rolling painfully along the stone floor of the room. Once she stopped, she lifted her head, lying on her stomach as her eyes suddenly bulged, a weak, fearful gasp escaping her throat as Gabite loomed a few meters away, eyes locked murderously on his target.
"Eevee!" Ash and Misty shouted in horror as a grinning Cyan took advantage of the situation.
"Dragon Pulse again!"
The bruised Evolution Pokemon worked her way up to her feet, but Gabite was already charging up his attack, ready to fire at a moment's notice.
Strong enough to shatter a Light Screen, the powerful blast would surely destroy her body. Eevee was left with no time to react as the dragon-jawed blast escaped from the roaring Gabite's mouth, speedily flying towards its vulnerable target.
Ash was thinking a million thoughts at once.
One of his Pokemon was about to die. Right in front of him. And the rest of the team.
And he had no way to stop it. No Moves that he could use to save her. No command that he could give her would help, there was no time for her to react.
Eevee had joined the team just two days ago. And he had already failed her. And now-
The explosion happened before the blast could reach its target.
In a split second, Ash and Misty realised that Valiant was no longer in front of them anymore.
In a flash of light, the young Ralts was standing about halfway between the Evolution Pokemon and the blast's current position.
But with the swift speed of the blast, there was no time for Valiant to fully erect a barrier. His Light Screen was incomplete, only half finished, when the Dragon Pulse smashed into him.
The shockwaves of the explosion generated a strong gust of wind that sent a yelping Eevee rolling a few feet backwards, but she was spared from her fatal fate.
Valiant was part Fairy Type. That granted him absolute immunity to all Dragon Type Moves. But he wasn't immune to the explosion that was generated from the impact of the blast.
The Light Screen that he had erected cushioned the blow a little bit, but as it was half finished, it was annihilated even more easily than Staryu's had been. Some blood sprayed from the young Ralts' body as he was catapulted into the air.
The brief moment of surprise that Gabite felt from Valiant's sudden intrusion was just the distraction that Nebula and Piplup needed. The next moment, before Gabite could act, the dragon wa suddenly howling in pain as the combination attack scored a direct hit on him.
:Pushed backwards by the force of Nebula's Wind Blast, carrying with it the merciless, frozen might of Piplup's Icy Wind. The dragon let out a deafening roar of rage and agony as the ice from the attack assaulted his skin, the impact being all the more strengthened by the force and momentum of Nebula's powerful attack. He felt his skin grow cold, his back covering with ice…
Ash took a brief moment to turn his attention to Valiant, sighing with relief as the young Ralts, while bleeding in the head a bit, made his way to his feet, having been caught by a fast moving Pikachu before his body could hit the rocky floors of the caverns. He was still in fighting condition, despite being hurt.
And looking over to Eevee, she was now on her feet as well, an awed gaze directed towards the Psychic-Fairy Type Pokemon that had saved her life.
Turning his attention back to Gabite, the dragon was still reeling from the powerful combination attack, doubled over in pain as he desperately gripped at his agonizing back.
Misty took a step forward. "Staryu, Dazzling Gleam!"
"You too, Valiant!" Ash quickly called out in turn.
A spinning Staryu flew over Gabite's head as it directed its pink beam towards the dragon's already agonized and frozen back. At the same time, Valiant took aim at the behemoth's face.
Both attacks landed, inciting more roars of rage and agony from the bulky dragon as Ash gave a follow-up order.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail! Eevee, Shadow Ball!"
Now reeling from multiple hits that his Typing was vulnerable too, Gabite saw no reprieve as the young mouse bolted his way towards him, metallic tail at the ready. At the same time, Eevee bolted as well, quickly advancing towards her opponent as a Shadow Ball appeared in her jaws.
Both Pokemon were enhancing their speed with Quick Attack, as per usual. Pikachu leapt upwards, preparing to strike down on the dragon that had nearly taken the life of one of his teammates, while Eevee fired her Shadow Ball at the behemoth that had nearly been her killer.
Both attacks landed at once, Eevee's Shadow Ball colliding with Gabite's chest while Pikachu's Iron Tail was brought cleanly down on his head.
Gabite wheezed from the impact on the Shadow Ball, while the metal tail from Pikachu smashed down onto his skull. The next thing Ash, Misty, and their respective teams knew, the large dragon was lying face first on the rocky ground of the caverns, motionless.
The Rockets were left stunned, backing away slightly as Nebula and Piplup returned to the ground, Valiant teleporting back in front of Ash and Misty while Eevee and Staryu made their way back to their respective Trainers. Eevee's eyes were locked on Valiant, who, despite his bleeding head, greeted the flabbergasted Evolution Pokemon with a raised hand and a smile.
Only Pikachu chose not to return to everyone else, his feet instead slowly carrying him forward towards the Rockets, his angry gaze fixated on them as his cheeks sparked madly.
Cyan's fists were clenched as his knuckles began to turn pale white.
"I… I lost… to these brats?!" he shrieked pathetically as Pikachu began to charge.
Ash didn't even need to give the order.
The young mouse already knew.
The dashing rodent raised his tail as his cheeks crackled with lightning, ready to incapacitate the Rockets-
The Rockets suddenly parted with a collective yelp as a silver beam with a metallic aura came flying out of the tunnel, aimed right at the charging Pikachu.
Crying out in surprise, Pikachu fought against his own momentum to take a leap backwards. The beam struck the ground from where he once was, but the young mouse cried out loudly as the windforce from the collision sent him flying across the room.
Ash, Misty, and their teams all yelped out loud with startled expressions as the kicked up wind reached all the way towards them, fighting against the shockwaves that threatened to bowl them over. Valiant raised a Light Screen to help protect himself, Eevee hiding behind him while Staryu erected its own Light Screen, while Nebula jabbed two Steel Wings into the ground, Piplup holding onto her for dear life.
The unconscious bodies, however, were currently capable of no such resistance, flying across the room, with only Gabite not being lifted too highly off of the ground, instead rolling a few feet away in comparison.
Ash and Misty had their arms crossed protectively in front of their faces as they stumbled backwards, each of them thankfully pressing a hand against the wall before they could fall over completely. Ash looked to see Pikachu catching himself with iron Tail, but couldn't sigh with relief as he and his friends took in the newcomers.
Cyan's face was pale as a masked man made his way out of the shadows. Flanking him was four other men in Team Rocket uniforms, and a Pokemon that Ash recognized as a Scizor.
The mask hid much of his facial expressions, but it didn't hide the Iron-Masked Marauder's snarl.
"So… this is what's gotten all of you in such a bind? When I heard that a couple of children were doing this, I was already disappointed, but it's even worse than I thought." His glowering face, hidden beneath his mask, turned its attention to Cyan and the rest of the soldiers, all of whom were miniscule under his brutal gaze. "How are you bumbling cretins so incompetent at managing affairs that this is supposed to be an emergency?!"
Ash let out an audible gulp as he felt the pit in his stomach growing ever deeper.
Whoever this guy was, he already wasn't liking the aura that he gave off. And that Scizor must have been the one who fired the blast. It was strong. Much stronger than even any of the attacks that that Gabite had just used.
He inched closer to Misty, practically involuntarily. She seemed to be doing the same. It was as though they were both desperate to make the close physical contact make them feel more secure, and less vulnerable.
Despite knowing that it would not.
Fear worked in strange ways, sometimes, and it almost felt as though Ash's own feeling of fright was mocking him with the situation that he was in right now. Any sense of comfort that he might have felt from being close to someone else would just be an illusion of safety that these newcomers could shatter easily, with just a single attack from Scizor.
What's more, Ash knew that he wouldn't even feel the illusion anyway, that getting close to another was just a desperate attempt to try to feel it. So why was he so desperate to try to make the attempt, knowing that it was hopeless? Why even try to get rid of this feeling, when you already know that your methods will never yield any results? Was that, in and of itself, an illusion of comfort?
Cyan staggered backwards as the Marauder's gaze pierced into him.
"What are you doing here?" He stammered out in panic. "Weren't you-"
"Someone from your group sent a distress signal saying that a couple of kids were giving you guys trouble. Sounded pretty mundane, but his tone of voice seemed to imply that you were losing control of the situation. I had most of the squad continue while I rushed up with a few people."
Cyan was about to demand just who had sent the signal, when he suddenly felt fearful vomit in his throat as Marauder pulled him in with one arm, locked around the man's head as he grinned sadistically."
"You know, Agent Cyan? I think I owe you an apology." Marauder's voice was laced with cruel sarcasm. And a lot of mockery. "When I gave you this mission, I figured it would be a simple on. After all, I was only instructing you and the others to look after the base and keep the rest of the mountain under control while we retrieved the Moon Stone. I guess I thought the assignment would be an easy one for you. Something that you can handle. Stress free, my friend, you know?" he pulled the agent in closer, and Cyan could almost feel his heart ceasing to beat forever as the Marauder's deadly grin came into full view. "But I must have made a massive oversight. How could I ever forget about the possibility of something like this happening? How could it slip my mind that you and your group would be faced with something as terrifying, horrific, and daunting, as two rookie children?!" the sarcasm in his tone of voice was beginning to give out, the true fury behind his words slowly leaking through his condescending demeanor.
Ash wanted to grab Misty and run. He could feel the anger creeping through this man's voice, and all he wanted was for them and their teams to be as far away from Team Rocket as possible.
But he knew that he couldn't. Scizor's sharp eyes hadn't left them, and the powerful Bug-Steel Type looked ready to eviscerate them all at a moment's notice. That blast that it had fired would have surely obliterated Pikachu if it had made contact, too.
Their Pokemon all had their eyes locked onto the powerful bug, expressions ranging from either outright fear, or a mixture of fright and anger. Even Staryu, despite seemingly being faceless, trembled in a manner that conveyed genuine concern for the current situation. Valiant was the least fearful of the group, eyes locked onto Scizor with grinding teeth. Even then, however, the sweat flowing down his head was quite visible.
Daring to spare a glance at Misty, if only for a moment, he could see her face was frozen. She was barely even blinking, not taking her gaze off of Team Rocket. It was like she wanted to gulp, but couldn't.
Quickly returning his own gaze to Team Rocket, Ash felt his fists clenched. Taking his eyes off of them would be a bad idea, but it's not like paying attention to them would suddenly change the situation that they were currently in in any way, shape, or form.
Perhaps, that too, was an illusion of comfort.
Marauder released Cyan, roughly shoving him backwards, leaving the terrified man to be caught by a couple of comrades before he could topple over. The force behind Marauder's push was strong, conveying a great deal of muscle and strength, without much effort needed to speak of it.
Walking forward a bit, eliciting Ash and his friends to take a small step back, while also not trying to move too much, so as to not provoke Scizor into retaliating, Marauder turned his head to look around the room, surveying the end results of the battle that had just taken place.
"Honestly, it's quite the spectacle to see all of these Pokemon from our side out like a light! It's almost as though you weren't even able to pin down a couple of children with such a huge numbers advantage!"
One soldier dared to speak up. "Most of your stronger Pokemon are tired after-" a stern look from Scizor stopped whatever remaining words that there were from exiting his throat, leaving Marauder to continue.
Ash and Misty suddenly felt sickly as his eyes finally found their way to them. His mask hid his face, leaving them unable to deduce how he felt towards them.
All that they could see was his malicious grin.
"Children shouldn't be meddling in our affairs like this. Although, I suppose Cyan and the others probably said something similarly. Perhaps words don't work on you now that you already proved most of this squad wrong?"
No response. Ash didn't know what he could say that wouldn't piss this man off. COmpletely unsure of what a safe response would be.
That Scizor was right there.
A slight chuckle from the masked man. Not a good natured one, but one that only furthered the sinister aura surrounding him.
"Well, someone's going to pay for wasting my time." his face slowly turned serious. "So, I'll just skip the dialogue for now-"
"NEBULA! Reckless, and Steel Wing!" Ash's tongue moved faster than his brain.
Apparently, Nebula's body moved faster than her brain as well. CLoaking herself in the blood-red aura that accompanied her Ability, shrieking madly in a manner that didn't even make Marauder flinch, she rocketed forward towards Scizor, moving at untrackable speeds, metallic wings at the ready-
THUNK!
Scizor didn't even budge as his raised claw, now glowing blue with a metallic aura, was struck by Nebula's wing.
Misty's hands shot up to her mouth as the uselessness of Nebula's offense became known to everyone else in the room.
Marauder simply chuckled again.
"Metal Claw, Scizor."
In a flash, Scizor had shoved Nebula away, catapulting her into the air, where, with an amount of sheer flight speed that was far greater than even her own flight speed, the bug was suddenly above her. Ash didn't have time to register the armored bug's actions as its glowing claw was smashed into Nebula's stomach. Nebula didn't even have time to wheeze in pain as she was rocketed towards the ground, landing on the unconscious body of a Zubat, the impact kicking up a great deal of dust as she immediately lost consciousness.
Before Ash could even react by shouting out his feathered friend's name, Pikachu acted.
The mouse's voice was filled with fury. By the time Scizor returned to the ground, Pikachu's body was crackling with electricity. Ash and Misty could feel the heat of the sparks as the lightning cloaked Pikachu's fur, surrounding him as he rushed madly towards his best friend's assailant.
It was his first time using Volt Tackle.
Ash didn't even have time to shout at Pikachu to stop as the young mouse leapt forward. His cry was animalistic as he shot headfirst towards Scizor's body, only to be intercepted by another Metal Claw.
Much like when it had stopped Nebula's Steel Wing, Scizor made no offensive moves. Simply raising a claw to block the attack, not moving an inch from the force of the impact. Pikachu angrily grinded against Scizor's defenses, desperately trying to get his opponent to even budge with his attack, but it was to no avail, and he was quickly shoved away.
As Pikachu was sent flying through the air, Ash threw his arms out to catch his Starter Pokemon. His eyes widened as he took in Pikachu's unconscious form.
The young mouse was not yet strong enough to handle Volt Tackle. Not that it mattered, because Scizor likely would have retaliated again if he had remained conscious.
His eyes darting towards Nebula's body, Ash could feel the vomit building up within him. Two teammates down already. And that armored bug would take care of the rest with no effort.
A snarl turned his attention towards Valiant, who was holding his head in pain, the emotions radiating throughout the room overwhelming him.
Tears brimming in his eyes, the young Ralts glowered at Marauder and Scizor, both of whom practically bore holes through Ash and his friends with their merciless gazes. Walking forward, the Feeling Pokemon spread his arms out defiantly, doing his best to remain steadfast despite his shaking legs, and Eevee's attempts to pull him back.
Marauder's gze was dangerous as he turned his focus to the Ralts. "Heh, another hero in the group,huh? Well Scizor and I don't have time for those. So if you would be so kind as to just drop dead-"
Marauder was cut off as Valiant let out a battle cry that carried across the room.
And then, his body was glowing a pure, bright white.
Ash's mind felt jumbled as the Ralts began to grow in height, suddenly replaced with a Kirlia as the light around him dissipated.
Had it not been for the circumstances, he would hae expressed his surprise and shock wholeheartedly.
It was as though Valiant had called upon the strength of the Evolution to power through the bombardment of overwhelmingly painful emotions that he had been detecting.
If anything, however, it was a moment that they were robbed of. No joy came out of the Evolution. Not when they were all about to die, and Ash knew for a fact that Valiant's sudden Evolution wouldn't turn the tables in their favor, and so did Misty.
Scizor had already proved its strength against Pikachu and Nebula.
Marauder's laughter grew ever so crueler as Valiant continued to stand defiantly between Scizor and his friends, eyes locked dangerously onto the armored bug, as though he was attempting for his glare to split the opposing Pokemon in two.
It was a nonverbal form of empty words, however, for both Pokemon involved in the nonverbal exchange knew exactly who the far stronger of the two was.
"I suppose Evolving is a pretty good way to spend your final moments." Marauder pointed out dismissively. "I;ll give you an A for effort, Kirlia."
Ash finally found his voice.
"Please…" he said. "We just-"
"So now you're willing to negotiate?" Marauder cut him off crudely. His fists pressed against his hips as he turned his gaze to the boy, who's face remained colorless along with Misty's. "Not exactly the time for that, kid, not when you were so quick to spring into action before." Scizor tensed up as it prepared to launch itself forward, claws beginning to glow again.
"Ash…" Misty's voice practically cut itself off as Ash suddenly felt her hands squeezing his arm. He would have winced in pain from how hard she was gripping him had his senses not been jumbled. And the panic in her voice was too great to even register. The fact that they were all about to die hitting her full force, with no more beating around the bush.
"Scizor," Marauder's voice was perfectly even, and even uncaring, as he spoke the words. "Go for their hearts."
Ash finally allowed the scream to escape his throat as Scizor rocketed forward towards them.
Suddenly, however, he felt a blast of cold air surge by him, a figure rocketing past him and Misty, with an icy fist colliding with Scizor's skull.
It was now Marauder's turn to have difficulty registering things, as Scizor was sent sailing through the air, skidding across the ground and struggling to return to its feet, the armored creature's face dented and icy from the blow.
Marauder's face was twisted beneath his mask as he snarled out in response.
"Who dares-"
"Me. No more questions."
Ash and Misty perked up at the voice, suddenly whirling around at the figures behind them exiting the shadows.
Ash immediately recognized the silvery-blue haired woman in front of the two men that stepped into the room, and Misty seemed to as well.
With wide eyes, Ash Ketchum gazed at Karen, of the Indigo Elite Four.
The young woman was known for being lively, even on camera. She exhibited an aura that was much more casual compared to what you would expect from somebody of her position. Despite being Indigo's third highest ranked Trainer, and one of the world's most revered Dark Type Trainers, her personality was said to be completely dissonant from the indescribable strength that she possessed.
None of that was visible today, however.
Karen's face was stoic as she strode forward, stopping in between Ash and Misty, both of whom's gazes followed her movements. She stood a good deal taller than both of them, her hair falling behind her as her eyes locked onto Marauder.
Ash briefly found himself lost in gazing at the woman, before his focus suddenly came back, returning his own gaze to Marauder as well.
Standing in front of the masked commander was a Pokemon that Ash quickly identified as a Weavile. Karen's Weavile was as infamous as the rest of her team, known for his unbelievable speed and dexterity, and the sheer precision behind each and every one of his attacks. Ash had seen him battle alongside Karen a good number of times on television, and it was always a spectacle to watch him blur about the battlefield, striking his opponents from nowhere as though his speed made him invisible.
Behind Marauder, Cyan and the rest of the Rockets were petrified at the site of the woman. Some Rockets made pitiful attempts to stammer out their words, only to come up short of anything to say.
Although Marauder seemed to keep it together better than his subordinates, he took a couple steps back, sweat piling up behind his mask.
"How… how did you get here?!" he did his best to ensure that his anger masked his growing fear as he stammered his words out. "The League shouldn't have known about-"
"One of your goons leaked your plans." Karen interrupted cooly. Ash wasn't sure how to place her voice. Was it elegant? Brash? A mix of both? "You came here to steal the Moon Stone, and you've placed the entire mountain on lockdown to secure your mission." she crossed her arms. "Unfortunately for you, you did not take the fastest route to your target. Our men have already gone ahead to intercept yours. We have the entire mountain mapped out, including secret routes that not even any Gym Leader is aware of, let alone you thugs." She strode a few more steps forward, the two men following her. Ash and Misty froze as her gaze turned back to them. Her presence was dominating, and Ash's breath caught in his throat as her eyes briefly met his. "Stay put, you two. We'll get you and everyone else out of here."
Up until now, Ash and Misty's Pokemon had their gazes locked on the Weavile that had just saved their lives from Scizor, but upon the woman's declaration, they immediately retreated back to their Trainers.
A tug on the leg from Valiant finally snapped Ash out of his stupor, the boy taking the moment to quickly return the unconscious Pikachu and Nebula to their Poke Balls.
The boy felt Misty grip his arm again. It was much less tight this time, her muscles relaxing as the new circumstances behind their situation slowly began to sink in.
Ash felt it, too. Before, they were alone. Trapped inside of the caverns with Indigo's worst terrorist organization, the masked man's Scizor about to tear through all of them as though they were made of crumpling paper.
But now, the League was here. Their soldiers were here. She was here. The one and only Karen, who's prowess on the battlefield was rivaled, let alone exceeded, by few trainers in existence.
It didn't matter how many Rockets there were to deal with or how strong their Pokemon were. A member of the Indigo Elite Four was here.
Her gaze was steel as her eyes never left the masked man.
"Iron-Masked Marauder." her voice oozed confidence, and professionalism, despite her usual casual demeanor. "One of the most infamous Pokemon Hunters known throughout the world. Your wanted in three major territories for crimes that stretch to mass poaching and murder, and have one of the highest bounties ever put on a criminal." her gaze sharpened, the look in her eyes forming into a glare as she bore a hole through all of the Rockets standing behind their masked superior. "I had no idea you had thrown your lot in with Team Rocket, but I suppose I should have expected as much from the likes of you."
Ash blinked rapidly, his eyes turning to the now significantly calmer Misty to see if she had any knowledge of this information. The look on her face told him she did not.
Returning his gaze to the confrontation in front of them, Ash inwardly gulped. No wonder this man's Scizor was so strong. No wonder just his mere presence was so terrifying. He wasn't anything like any of the other Rockets that he and his friends had encountered up to this point. This one was in a class of criminal reserved for only the world's most elite evildoers.
And a Pokemon Hunter, nonetheless. Ash didn't know much about the occupation outside of the barebones basics. It was an inherently criminal job to have, and often involved poaching illegal Pokemon, or even outright stealing Pokemon from others, and auctioning them off at the black market. Most Hunters, particularly the notably successful ones, were infamous for using especially cruel methods at obtaining the Pokemon that they planned to sell. Apparently the most wanted Pokemon Hunter on the planet had access to horrifying technology that allowed her to quite literally turn Pokemon into stone temporarily as a means of capturing them.
The fact that he had crossed paths with such a man even once made Ash's legs feel as though they would turn to jelly. He was sharing this room with a man that had probably killed more people than years he and his mother had been alive combined. And that was likely putting it lightly.
As though his confidence was starting to return, Marauder's lips curved upward.
"Heh. It's nice to see the League is proactive enough to keep track of what's going on elsewhere in the world. I would be flattered if you hadn't just botched our entire operation." Despite everything, he put his arms to his chest and performed a mock bow. "Yes, I am the famed Iron-Masked Marauder, butcher of many unbearable souls and one of the most accomplished Pokemon Hunters who hold the world of the black market in the palm of their hand." his head lifted upward as his eyes blazed with rage from behind his mask. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance, Karen, Princess Of The Shadows."
Ash had always loved Karen's moniker, an enigmatic title that she had voluntarily dubbed herself as to the public before even winning the Conference. But hearing such a horrific man snarling it through his teeth with the seething hatred of a provoked Gyarados made his stomach churn.
One of Karen's men glared dangerously at the masked hunter as Marauder righted himself, eyes not leaving the Weavile that was currently clicking his claws together in preparation.
"It's over, Marauder. Your operation has been thwarted, and you and your squad will be behind bars before you can blink."
"And as for you, specifically." Karen's glare would have terrified Ash and Misty if she was facing them. "Once we're done getting whatever information that we can out of you, we'll either ensure that you never see the sun again, or ship you off to one of the other places that you have wronged with your demonic presence. I hear that one particular Region that you are wanted in has even considered giving you the death penalty."
Marauder's teeth grinded with livid ferocity as he glared lasers into Karen's eyes, as though he was trying to kill her with his own gaze as the sweat behind his mask drenched his face.
Behind him, Cyan and the other Rockets were faring even worse.
They knew that this wasn't a fight that they could win. Any victory that they may have hoped for was immediately dashed the moment the Indigo League Elite Four had come knocking.
"Ummm… Sir-"Cyan began to stutter.
"QUIET!" Marauder roared, only to flinch as Weavile made a motion in response to his raised voice. Behind him, Cyan and the Rockets whimpered at their impending doom.
"Enough, Marauder." said Karen sternly. Her tone of voice was inspiring, Ash's eyes and ears enamored with the way that she carried herself, and how she spoke to such a dangerous man. "You're coming with us." she gestured to Weavile, who sneered demandingly at the Rockets and their masked leader. "Now, stand down."
Relief continued to wash over Ash for the briefest of moments, only to abruptly be replaced with apprehension as the masked man began to chuckle.
His laughter was dark. Deep. Hollow. A thoughtless, uncaring noise that rumbled from his throat.
Suddenly a Poke Ball was in the man's hand.
"Sorry, Princess," Marauder snarled in defiance as he raised the ball in front of his face. "But there are ways out of situations even like this!"
He chucked the orb into the air.
First there was a bright flash of light.
And then there was terror.
Crashing down to the ground was a Pokemon that could not simply be described as a behemoth. The towering figure that loomed over the two groups was a Pokemon that struck fear into the hearts of nearly every human in the world.
It stood several feet tall. Was bipedal. Its hide was like a suit of armor.
Its towering appearance, the monstrous aura that its presence gave off, it all immediately did away with any sense of relief that had previously overcome Ash, Misty, and their teams.
Ash's eyes were filled with agonizing fright as the creature rose to its full height. He and Mkisty helplessly gazed upward towards the monstrosity of a Pokemon that had been let loose by the Iron-Masked Marauder. Its eyes were filled with murder.
And above all else, the roar that it let out was a horrific, deafening, mind numbing noise that had Ash, Misty, and their Pokemon all screaming in pain, fright, and panic as their hands desperately shot up to their ears.
There were many dangerous Pokemon in the world. Some were more feared than others. Other Pokemon still may have been placed in a special tier of dangerous beasts that all trainers in the world needed to be wary of at all costs.
But there were very few pokemon in the world with the murderous bloodlust, and consistent reputation, as Tyranitar.
Classed as a "Grade S Threat" by analysts who were known for examining the wild, Tyranitar were notorious for their absurd raw power, even among completely untrained members of their species, astronomical durability credited to the thickness of their armor-esque hide, along with their infamous, animalistic rage. Taming such a creature was considered one of the greatest feats that any trainer could ever accomplish, and they were among the most rare Pokemon to ever be seen in battle as a result.
Marauder didn't waste any time.
"Tyranitar, Hyper Beam! Upwards!"
Ash and Misty's eyes practically bulged out of their skulls.
"WHAT?!" Karen's composure was suddenly gone.
"THAT MADMAN!" A League soldier screeched.
Weavile was about to spring into action, but it had already been done.
Tyranitar's head craned upwards towards the ceiling of the caverns. An orb of bright, orange, white, and purple energy forming in its maw.
And then it fired.
The beam of light soared in a straight, vertical line as it tore through the rocky ceiling of the room. It continued onwards, barreling through the levels of the mountain above them, and suddenly, the cavern began to shake.
It started out as a light tremble. An instant later, it grew in intensity. Soon, the cavern and the very earth around them had become the site of a terrifying tremor.
Rocks were falling from the ceiling. Ash was struggling to maintain his footing as what felt like an earthquake shook the room around all of them.
The rocks were falling at a faster and faster rate. And they were increasing in size, too. Ash covered his head with his hands as an involuntary shriek escaped from his lips.
"KAREN!" one of the soldiers shouted. "EVERYTHING IS COLLAPSING!"
"Valiant! Eevee! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Ash's mind was beginning to stop working again.
"Staryu, Piplup!" He could hear Misty's cries.
"HOLD ON, EVERYBODY!" Karen's voice echoed over the chaos as Ash, Misty, and their teams finally lost their composure.
Suddenly, everything was black.
/
The darkness slowly began to give out to light as Ash's eyes fluttered open.
Where was he?
He wasn't in the caverns anymore. He was gazing up at a pure, white ceiling with an overhead light. The room was very bright and comfortably lit all around. Nothing like the dim, darkness of the caverns of Mt. Moon.
Looking off to his side, he saw a window at the end of the room. Raindrops rolled down the glass.
What had happened?
The memories.
They all came rushing to the surface at once, against his will. The Rockets that had chased him and Misty throughout the mountain, Valiant's Evolution, the cave in-
Ash suddenly jolted upwards in his bed as panic filled his mind.
What had happened to them?! Where were they?! Where-
He felt something brush against his arm, and turned to see Valiant at his side, Eevee slightly behind the newly Evolved Kirlia.
Valiant was looking at him with relief, as though a great deal of stress had been lifted off of his chest. Looking over at Eevee, her face seemed very troubled. Shaken.
Ash couldn't let the relief flow through him for too long, however.
Valiant and Eevee were okay, but where was Misty? And what about the Egg in his backpack? And-
"Good, you're awake." Ash, Valiant, and Eevee turned to see Nurse Joy entering the room. "Your friend Misty woke up a little while ago. She's speaking to Karen and Officer Jenny right now."
Ash nodded. He was slightly less panicked now.
"Is all of my stuff intact?" he asked nervously. "I had a couple teammates still in their Poke Balls, and an Egg-"
"They're all fine." she quickly cut him off with a raised hand. Her face was neutral, but her tone of voice carried its signature, soothing vibe. "Your Pikachu and Staravia are recovering from their injuries. Misty says that they got knocked out by a Scizor. Your Egg isn't damaged. You were teleported out of the cave before any of the rocks could damage it. I looked it over and its actually due to hatch soon."
It was Valiant's Evolution all over again. Ash normally would have been over the moon to hear that the mysterious Egg of theirs was going to be hatching soon, but with everything that had happened today…
Still, Ash finally allowed the sense of relief to overcome him as Nurse Joy filled him in.
According to her, he and Misty had passed out from a panic attack when the cave in started. That Iron-Masked Marauder guy had caused the entire cavern to collapse so that he could teleport away in the chaos while Karen and the League were preoccupied. Karen and her soldiers had managed to teleport all of them to safety, but apparently several Rockets had already been discovered in the rubble. Not all of them had been able to escape.
Right now, they were at the Pokemon Center in between Mt. Moon and Cerulean City. He had been out for about three hours now.
What still made him feel stressed was Nurse Joy revealing that most of the trainers that had been held hostage by the Rockets were still unaccounted for. No confirmed deaths or serious injuries, thankfully, as the cave in hadn't reached them, but it also made it more difficult for the League to get to them. The soldiers were currently in the middle of rescuing and retrieving them, while keeping an eye out for any remaining Rockets. Karen was planning to join them soon.
Team Rocket's reason for taking over the mountain was to steal the Moon Stone. Ash had heard of it before. It was said to be the origin of the Evolutionary Stone of the same name, and was also fabled in legend to be made of magical, and one of a kind material that could power up Pokemon. Team Rocket's plan was probably to try and harness the power of the legendary rock, and potentially sell it on the black market to make money off of the material if the rumors turned out to be false.
The terrorists had apparently gained access to what was supposed to be secret information regarding the mountain's layout, taking what they thought was the quickest path to the Moon Stone. Nobody had any idea how they had gotten ahold of such vital info, but thankfully, there was even more advanced information that they didn't have access to. Additional secret paths that only people of Karen's rank even knew existed. The League's forces had made use of this info to reach the Moon Stone before the Rockets could, although the squad that had been sent to steal the legendary rock had apparently retreated after Marauder did.
Now it was the League's turn to place the mountain under lockdown, and Karen's squad hadn't been the only one to pursue the Rockets, either. Apparently Brock had led a team of his own on the other entrance to the caverns. The entire mountain had been placed under siege to trap the Rockets in, forcing them to teleport away. But since only a select few of them had the means to do so, the majority were sitting ducks.
"Do you have any other questions, Mr. Ketchum?" Nurse Joy's voice was gentle and sincere.
Ash gave her a grateful smile, trying to mask his sadness but not quite succeeding, and shook his head.
"I'm fine for now. Thank you."
She still seemed to be concerned, but gave him a kind smile nonetheless.
"I'm glad. I'll go tell them you're awake. Misty wasn't happy about having to leave you while you were still unconscious. Your Kirlia needed to persuade her."
Ash gave Valiant a curious glance, and simply received a shrug in response. He patted the Kirlia's head in thanks as Nurse Joy exited the room.
"Thanks for everything you did today, pal." he did his best to put on a kind smile as he looked between his two friends. Valiant was now a decent deal taller than Eevee, standing at about a foot taller than he previously had been as a Ralts. "You even saved Eevee."
Eevee brushed against the Kirlia a bit at that. If Valiant wasn't the teammate that she trusted the most before, he certainly was now.
Ash flinched suddenly as the image of Eevee nearly getting pulverized by Gabite's Dragon Pulse entered his mind. And his face paled as he remembered the image of that Tyranitar…
He felt Valiant brushing against his arm again, and even Eevee made a gesture of her own, lightly licking at his skin. He offered them a grateful smile.
They weren't at Mt. Moon anymore. And Ash didn't plan on going back anytime soon. He'd take the Viridian Forest over that any day.
"Congratulations on Evolving, Valiant." Ash attempted to ease himself further by bringing up something good. "I'll bet you're a lot stronger, now, but you're probably hungry, right?"
Valiant pointed to a desk besides the bed. An empty bag of Pokemon food was sitting there. So Nurse Joy had already fed him.
Now doubt the Evolution had upped his appetite considerably for the moment. He'd have to feed Valiant extra food for a while.
Not to mention the food that they would need for the baby Pokemon when it hatched. Would it be a big eater?
"Ash?!" the door flew open, and the trio turned to see Misty bolting into the room. She appeared unscathed, to his relief, and her face lit up upon seeing him awake.
"Hey, Misty." he raised a hand to wave to her, hoping to quell any remaining concerns that his new friend might have. "I'm glad you're okay."
"Whew, likewise." She took a seat next to his bed. "Karen just got done questioning me when Nurse Joy told us you were awake. You sure you're okay?" her face was a frown now.
Ash smiled at her. "Misty, i'm fine, really." her concern was rather touching. Knowing Gary, he probably would have been disappointed that Tyranitar hadn't devoured him.
The two friends turned their heads to the door as it opened again, and Ash gawked at the figure that entered the room.
It was Karen.
"Hey, kiddo. Good to see you're alright. Had to borrow your friend for a moment."
Ash felt the largest gulp of his life in his throat as his face suddenly grew hot.
The Karen was right in front of him. This was one of the five people that he had practically worshipped as everything that he ever wanted to be. She was the third strongest Trainer across Indigo's entire Empire. One of the Pokemon world's most famous prodigies. Not to mention she was not exactly ugly…
"K-Karen of the Elite Four…" he choked out weakly as he suddenly felt the sweat rolling down his cheeks. Valiant and Eeee looked at him with mild concern while Misty just snorted. Although, there was a little bit of empathy in the orange-haired girl's eyes.
Brushing a strand of silvery-blue hair aside, the young woman smiled cheekily at Ash's expression. "Settle down there, kid. I could do without the formalities. The old hag's always trying to shove them down my throat. Your name is Ash, wasn't it?"
Old hag? Was she talking about Agatha?
Trying to straighten himself a bit, Ash nodded nervously. "Y-Yeah. That's me."
Karen nodded. Her expression was fairly friendly. Although it completely clashed with the aura radiating off of her…
"Nurse Joy said she filled you in on anything while I was talking to your friend here." she glanced at Misty. "I was going to check on you anyway before I left. Sorry about… Well, everything, really." Her face was apologetic and sincere.
"It… wasn't because of you." Ash was starting to find it a bit easier to talk. Although, the heat in his face hadn't fully died down yet.
"I know it wasn't." the woman responded. "But you kids shouldn't have to go through crap like this. Team Rocket has been surprisingly active this Season, but this was definitely one of their more large scale operations. I never thought they'd try to seize an entire mountain like that." her face suddenly darkened, losing some of its elegance. "And I definitely didn't expect them to have hired that piece of human filth into their ranks."
She was talking about the masked man that had led the raid, Ash quickly realized.
"You… know a lot about him?" Ash asked uneasily.
"Never met the guy until today." she admitted. "But you can't be someone of my position and not have heard of such a high profile criminal. We receive updated lists of the most wanted people out there fairly frequently. And out of all of the Pokemon Hunters specifically, he's currently second to the top."
Ash winced at that.
So this day really had been a close call. He was that serious then?
"He escaped, right?" he asked nervously.
"Yeah." said Misty with a frown. Suddenly, her face was dark as well. "Karen told me everything. Apparently that bastard caused the entire cave in just so he could flee while we were all distracted. He didn't even care whether or not his own men were able to make it out with him. And all of those Pokemon over theirs were still scattered across the room after our fight. He just left them all to die there, when they weren't even awake to even try and escape."
A sense of fear suddenly surged through Ash's chest. Someone like that who held their own "comrades" in so little value certainly wouldn't be the type to lose any amount of sleep over killing anyone else. He almost pitied the rest of the Rockets for being stuck under the command of such a man. Was it selfish that his own relief for being alive overtook that pity, however?
The Rockets had tried to kill him, Misty, and their friends. Many would say that they had gotten their own due karma, killed and backstabbed by their own superior in the middle of a full blown operation the very moment that things got tough for them. But even thinking along those lines disgusted Ash.
An evil human was still a human. A Pokemon being commanded by a terrorist organization was still a Pokemon. Were all of those Rockets truly evil people? Were some not evil, but still somehow roped into participating? And what about the Pokemon? They could very easily range from taking after their own trainers, to just being loyal and following orders.
How much evil could somebody commit before it was appropriate for their death to be celebrated? Where was that line drawn? Could taking joy in somebody else's demise ever, truly, be justified?
Ash felt his head start to hurt.
"You alright?" he heard Misty ask him gently. Turning to her, her expression was fairly soft. Still not what he was used to from her more usual behavior.
Ash tried to smile reassuringly. "Sorry, zoned out for a moment."
"You do that a lot." Misty pointed out. She sounded more sympathetic than exasperated.
"It's understandable." the two turned their attention to Karen again. "I recommend that you two take it easy for a couple of days. Cerulean City is a day or less away from here if you walk, so it won't be a long trip, but you really should get everything together before you get back on the road." her expression darkened again for a moment. "And don't worry about that damned Hunter. He's just added another territory on his list of places where he's wanted. Now that we know that he's here, the Indigo Empire's entire government is coming down on him."
"Good." Misty's tone of voice was fierce, and Ash felt a few chills going down his spine as he took note of her aggressive expression. "Throw him in a cell for all I care. Or a coffin. Whichever one's more convenient for you."
"Easy there, kiddo." Karen's expression softened. "I get that you're angry, but you shouldn't have to be the one to think such things." She looked between the two kids, along with Valiant and Eevee. "Your journeys are supposed to be an experience you'll never forget. Memories that will be carried with you forever. I'm sorry Team Rocket has tainted those memories today." she sighed. "The best advice that I can give is to stay as far away from them as possible. And do everything that you can to notify the authorities if they ever do strike. I know today, that wasn't possible for you, but just advice for the future. For now, just get some rest, and once you're situated, try to focus on making memories that are worth remembering. I'll do everything in my power to ensure that those who try to ruin those memories won't get away with it."
Ash looked at the Elite Four member in awe, the red returning to his cheeks.
'She's just as amazing as she is on television.' He thought to himself. 'I'll bet the others are, too.'
He had certainly picked the right people to idolize.
He agreed with her too. Not only would staying here a couple of days or so give them time to recuperate, but Valiant will have a chance to break in his Evolution. And the Egg was about to hatch, too.
Karen nodded at him. "Ash, the police and I have already spoken to Misty, so we won't have to pull you away. You two just hang tight. I gotta get back to the mountain and get to work. See you around." she flashed them a smile, before bidding farewell with a casual wave. "For the record, you were fairly impressive to hold out for as long as you did. Keep on growing stronger, okay?"
"Thanks for helping us!" Ash quickly called out as the door closed behind her.
Misty sighed as she turned back to the boy. "Well, that's one way to meet one of the greatest trainers in the world."
"Yeah…" Ash trailed off absentmindedly as he continued to stare at the door.
He had actually met Karen… The circumstances were awful but… he had actually spoken to her face to face. She had even said his name! He wondered what she thought of him. Should he tell his mother about this? Wait, but then she'd know about the Rockets. Should he change the story or-
"You're spacing out again, aren't you?" he jolted in the hospital bed at Misty's deadpan declaration.
"S-Sorry about that!" his face felt like it was on fire. Hearing a couple of giggles off to his side, he frowned in defeat as he saw Valiant and Eevee gazing up at him in amusement.
Misty rolled her eyes in mild annoyance, but offered a friendly grin to her new friend. "Whatever, I'll give you a pass for now." she rose from her seat. "Anyway, you still tired? Nurse Joy said she'll register a room for us when we're ready."
Ash slowly made his way out of the hospital bed, but felt a light rumbling in his stomach.
"Actually…" he started as Valiant and Eevee both made their way behind him. "I think I could go for something to eat. What time is it?"
"Early evening." said Misty thoughtfully. Her smile returned. "Alright, cafeteria it is, then. Let's get going." she gestured towards the door as she made her way out of the room, Ash, Valiant, and Eevee in tow.
Yes… some food would do all of them quite well, right now.
/
In an unknown location, the Iron-Masked Marauder sat on top of a hill, a few of the other Rockets down at the bottom. In this area, there was no rain, although it was still mostly cloudy. A few, occasional holes in the clouds made way for the stars in the night sky. The soldiers at the bottom of the hill were currently keeping themselves entertained with a game of cards while they awaited further instructions.
The masked man was currently gazing at a laptop, conversing with the very angry and frustrated figure that was speaking to him from on the other end.
"So this is what I have to expect from the legendary Hunter himself?" Archer snarled at the fairly unintimidated Pokemon Hunter. "Several of my men dead because of your own worthless actions, and no Moon Stone to even speak of it?!" he leaned back in his chair, a look of disgust on his face. "Honestly, I don't even know what to say. Your first mission ended in failure, and first impressions mean a lot when you're a part of Team Rocket. Yours isn't exactly… ideal, I'll have you know."
Marauder snorted, fairly unimpressed. "And what were you expecting, commander? That things would go off without a hitch once that Dark Type bitch showed up? You of all people would know that there isn't a soul within this group of yours that could stand against the likes of Karen. Most people in the world would have better luck trying to touch the roof of a skyscraper than win against someone like her. The mission was over the moment she showed up." he crossed his arms dismissively. "You run a large scale terrorist organization, for crying out loud. You're one of the smart ones, right? So there's no way you're ignorant enough to deny something like that. Escaping was the only success that we could expect from ourselves at that point."
"That may be true…" Archer's face remained sharp. "But your little escape method sacrificed almost every soldier in the room with you. And now the rest of our members in the mountain will get rounded up by the League in no time." his glare turned dangerous. "That woman better not have been overselling you, Iron-Masked Marauder."
A confident grin spread across Marauder's masked face. "Tch, as if, Commander. You've seen the rankings for yourself, haven't you? Besides…" he leaned forward towards the screen. Archer was not intimidated, or even responsive. "The President is a perfectionist. Flaws of any kind are a sinful blemish to her." his grin widened. "So… knowing that, do you really think that I would be in her good graces if my reputation was even remotely exaggerated?
"I suppose not." Archer admitted, although his stern facial expression did not change.
A satisfied Marauder leaned back away from the screen. "Really, I'd say that it speaks for itself, so wouldn't you too? Besides, Cyan, and most of the other soldiers at the mountain, at that, were expendable. The majority of the troops that we lost to the League and the cave in are all far from irreplaceable. As were the Pokemon that died or were taken by the League's forces. You haven't really been that affected by this defeat. It's just an inconvenience to you. Most of the worthwhile soldiers made it out in one piece, and sometimes, a few sacrifices here and there are necessary to ensure that."
"There's no need to lecture me about sacrifice, Hunter." Archer's tone was serious. "I've made more sacrifices in my life than someone in your own line of work could ever hope to comprehend in order to get to where I currently am today. And I will continue to make those sacrifices tenfold, in order to tear down the Empire and put this era to an end."
Marauder smirked, although a small part of his smile was actually surprisingly genuine. "Heh, looking forward to that, Commander. Truth be told, I'm actually quite excited for the show that's to come."
"Only because you have minimal personal stakes in it." Archer snorted. "As long as you just keep on looking out for yourselves and are never caught, you, that clown, and everyone else who was loaned to us could just go running right back over to your usual employer if our cause ends up failing. It's not all or nothing for you guys like it is for the rest of us."
Behind the mask, Marauder rolled his eyes. "Perhaps you have a point, but that doesn't mean I'm not dedicated. I chose to come here, did I not? She only recommended me to you. You were the one who took her up on the offer, and I was the one who took you up on yours. And the same goes for everyone else." he crossed his arms with confidence. "We are here to lend our strength to Team Rocket until an outcome is decided. I promise you."
Archer's eyes narrowed. "Very well, but remember that I've got my eye on you. All of you. But for now, report to the nearest base, along with the rest of the soldiers that are currently with you, and remain there until further orders are given to all of you."
Marauder nodded. "Understood, Commander."
The connection cut off.
/
The rain continued to fall outside of the Pokemon Center. It was now late in the night, and the dark clouds along with the absence of daylight made the area outside practically pitch black as the once modest rain turned into a downpour.
As it was meant for two people, Ash and Misty's room was quite spacious, with two beds roughly a couple of meters apart from one another. Misty had picked the bed that was closer to the window, which provided a somber view of the rain falling outside. They were on the second floor of the Pokemon Center, so the view was fairly good.
The two friends had finished eating before getting their room key from Nurse Joy. Pikachu and Nebula had also finished recovering. Once they had settled into their new room, they had each taken turns taking showers and changing into their pajamas.
The two friends were seated a couple of feet apart on Ash's bed, Ash on the very end and Misty on the side, looking off towards the window. Her orange hair was down, and she looked quite different without her usual side ponytail.
Their respective teams were currently spread out across the room as well. Each with their own selected spots to spend the night at.
Misty's Eevee had selected Misty's bed as her resting spot, while Nebula was at the windowsill as usual. Pikachu was lying down next to Ash on his bed. Valiant sat next to the young mouse, looking off at the Pokemon Egg that was currently resting in a blanket on the desk ahead of them.
Ash's own Eevee had curled up on a pillow near Ash's bed, with Jigglypuff choosing to accompany her on a pillow of her own. Piplup and Staryu each had their own respective pillows nearby Misty's own bed.
Despite the sleeping arrangements for the group being in place, everyone was still awake, albeit fairly relaxed for the most part. Misty's Eevee and Jigglypuff, having not been part of the incident from today, had the easiest time settling down, and Pikachu and Nebula were rejuvenated from their treatment. Nevertheless, Ash's mouse and bird duo were far from mentally relaxed. The healed muscles in their bodies certainly gave them a soothing feeling, but their brains kept flashing back to the ordeal from today.
But it was Ash, Misty, Valiant, Staryu, Piplup, and Ash's Eevee who were the most affected. All had been present for the cave collapse, which kept replaying through their minds on occasion.
Ash and Misty would often remind themselves (and occasionally each other) that they weren't in Mt Moon's caverns anymore. That it was over. They were no longer seemingly trapped within endless caves, with only limited sources of light that almost ironically reminded them of how dark that it actually was, and with rocks surrounding them from every direction, including above and below them. That they were not dealing with Team Rocket anymore. That they were within the safety of the Pokemon Center, with hospitality and luxury to soothe them and help them recover from their traumatic ordeal.
But every now and then, images of the cave in would fill their minds. Even within the security of the Pokemon Center, the trauma of the falling rocks, pursuing Team Rocket soldiers, and towering Tyranitar would constantly make itself known. It heightened their appreciation for the Pokemon Center's comfort, while simultaneously making it much more difficult for them to actually enjoy it. Every now and then, even during their casual interactions with one another, there was a lingering fear in the back of both trainers' minds that the sound of the raindrops outside would be replaced with shouting Team Rocket soldiers and a roaring Tyranitar, and that the perfectly normal ceiling above their heads would suddenly be replaced with falling rocks that threatened to end them.
Valiant's absentminded expression told Ash that he was having the same thoughts, and the young boy wouldn't be too surprised if the rest of the Pokemon that were present for the cave in were too.
But the growing fatigue thankfully made it a bit more difficult to dwell on such fear and paranoia, although neither trainer was ready to go to sleep just yet. Settling into the Pokemon Center had certainly relaxed their nerves, but their minds still dwelled on the traumatic events of the day, and in general, they still weren't tired enough to hurry under the covers of their respective beds.
They weren't really doing anything at the moment. The television wasn't on, and neither of the young trainers were distracting themselves with any tasks of sorts.
Just enjoying the fact that they were in the Pokemon Center's hotel room, and not the deep caverns of Mt. Moon.
Still, neither of them were quite enjoying the silence anymore, and Misty broke the ice.
"You know." she said, looking up at the ceiling thoughtfully. "We really are lucky that they apparently used up most of their stronger Pokemon on all of the other Trainers. Can you imagine what would have happened if…" she trailed off knowingly.
"Yeah…" Ash responded. "Speaking of which… How do you think it's going for the League? Rescuing the other Trainers, I mean?"
"We can always ask Nurse Joy tomorrow, I suppose." Misty nodded. "I was thinking too, anyway. I'm sure they're all fine, though. The worst is over, right?" it almost sounded like she was trying to convince herself of such. "Besides, I'm sure the League has done this plenty of times before, and now they have a member of the Elite Four with them. It should be a piece of cake."
Ash nodded in response. He really shouldn't be worrying, right? Karen and the rest of the Elite Four were all perfect. And so was Champion Lance. They had never failed before. Retrieving the trainers trapped in the caverns would be effortless for them. Right?
Deciding to change the subject, Ash turned his head towards his friend. "So… are you happy to go back to Cerulean?" he certainly found himself missing Pallet Town, even with the constant calls with his mom. He honestly felt just a little bit jealous that Misty would already be able to pay a visit to her own home city. He would really love to see his mother in person.
To his surprise, however, Misty was wearing a conflicted frown. "Eh… it's no big deal. Personally I wouldn't mind if it took a little bit longer."
Ash raised a brow. "But… aren't you happy to be going back to somewhere that you know? To see your family or-"
Misty laughed a bit. "That kind of stuff can wait. My family isn't really anything to get excited about. If anything, I was glad to be off on my own."
Now Ash was REALLY confused. He couldn't imagine being glad to leave any family behind. Throughout his childhood, Delia was mostly all that he had. Trucy was the main outlier, but he would have never been able to become a Pokemon Trainer without the support from his mom.
But... Misty probably didn't have the kind of life that he did. She was a confident and pretty girl, who likely wasn't targeted by her own peers, and, given her mannerisms, probably wouldn't have taken half the crap that Gary and his cronies had thrown at Ash himself. She likely had a far better social life than he did. Or, at the very least, a much less antagonistic one.
Ash couldn't really fathom why she wouldn't think highly of her own family, but, regardless of whatever issues she might have had with her family, maybe she didn't need them. But then… wouldn't she have any close friends that she was looking forward to seeing again?
"What about… friends?" Ash asked carefully. 'I'm sure you-"
"I have friends." she confirmed casually. "But seeing them again means seeing my folks again, and I can do without that." she crossed her arms. "Obviously, I need to get that badge from the Gym, but that's all that I'm really excited about. I'll be in and out of the Gym and off on my journey again. Beides, my friends won't really need anything more than a quick hello."
Ash wanted to ask her exactly what problems that she had with her family, but he didn't want to pry. He'd known her for two days. It wasn't his place. That didn't stop his curiosity, however, but he did his best to push that away.
Misty's personal life was her own. He had no reason to try and barge in. So he would not.
"You know," he perked up at her voice. "A couple of my friends might like to see you. They're both pretty big fans of foreign Pokemon, and one of them is also a pretty big Pikachu fan. Meeting your team would practically guarantee a good day for them."
Ash turned himself to face the same direction as Misty so that he could look at her more easily during their conversion. He was no longer looking a the Egg, which Valiant remained focused on, albeit absentmindedly.
A small smile made its way to his face as he looked over at her. "Heh, I guess I could do that. Wouldn't hurt. Are they planning to be Pokemon Trainers?"
"Coordinators, specifically." Misty responded.
Coordinators. They were a different class of Pokemon Trainer who competed in Pokemon Contests. Although not as big as the Conference, they were easily, far and away the second most popular form of Pokemon Training. The world of Pokemon Contests was still fairly young compared to the traditional form of Pokemon Training, but it had quickly become a tradition in its own right.
Although the Sinnoh Region was still very easily the Pokemon Contest Capital of the world (some aspiring Coordinators even heading over to Sinnoh at the start of their respective journeys even if they were not actually from the Region), Kanto and Hoenn had saw great traction over the past decade or so, and Johto was beginning to build a fairly sizable Pokemon Contest scene for itself. Apparently Kalos had also adopted its own profession that had its own similarities to the traditional Pokemon Coordinator sport.
Sometimes, Ash had entertained the idea of entering a Contest for himself, just to try it out. He wasn't too sure if he would or not, yet, though. It could be an enjoyable distraction to do for fun, but he would need to find the appropriate time to do so. Not to mention, he had never been in front of a very large crowd before, but this was something that he would already need to get used to for the Conference if he wanted to make it to the Indigo Plateau this Season. Perhaps, in that sense, it would be great practice for it?
"That sounds like a fun goal to have." the young boy said. "Probably not as stressful as what traditional Pokemon Training has to offer. But still equally involved and committed."
"Yeah, it has its appeal." Misty admitted. "But if I'm going to become the greatest Water Type Pokemon Trainer ever, then I need to focus on the stressful stuff. Those two particular friends of mine are a bit more interested in the flashy, performance-like nature of Pokemon Contests, but I'm planning on mastering the Typing." she looked up towards the ceiling in thought. "Obviously I'm not just restricting myself to it, but it's definitely what I want to focus on."
Ash giggled a bit. "I'm surprised your delving into it so early. It's not usual for a beginner. Because they-"
"Need to have prior experience to cover the weaknesses of the Typing?" Misty finished for him. She snorted. "Heard that before, buster. Maybe it's the safer option to take, but head starts have their own benefits. You can't reach the top without being fearless."
Ash blinked. It was… certainly not an incorrect ideology to have.
"You're bold." he blurted out. He chuckled a bit. "It's honestly kind of scary."
Misty shot him a dirty look. "Oh? So now I'm scary because I have agency? You've got a long way to go if you get intimidated that easily."
Ash raised his hands defensively. "That's not what I meant! I'm just a bit surprised at how bold you're being. It's not what I'd expect."
Her lips curved upwards slyly. "Well at least my face doesn't turn into a tomato like yours did when you saw Karen."
Ash froze at the comment, and suddenly, he could practically feel the exaggerated redness on his cheeks as his face grew hot.
Misty's smirk turned to a grin as she pointed forward a thim. "Hey, look, it's doing it again! You'll hold still for the camera, right?"
In shame, Ash's hands shot up to his face, as though it was in a desperate attempt to hide it. A moan escaped from his lips.
Misty pouted. "Hey! You can't cover your face up like that! That's cheating!" She turned over to Valiant. "Hey, Valiant! Could you use your powers real quick to pry off your Trainer's arms-" she paused upon noticing the look on his face. It was a lot more intent than before.
Curious, she followed his gaze. Her eyes widened as they landed upon the Egg.
It was glowing a deep, whitish blue. She turned to Ash.
"Ash! Quickly! The Egg!"
Perking up, Ash uncovered his face and gasped as she saw the Egg. Racing over to it with Misty in tow, he was quickly joined by Pikachu, who leapt up onto the desk to observe the Egg more closely, and Valiant, who teleported onto the desk for the same exact reasons. The rest of the team stayed put, but took notice.
All eyes were on the Egg.
What felt like millions of thoughts were flowing through Ash's mind at once for the moment. It hadn't been too long ago that Elacia had given him the Egg, but it almost felt like an eternity. He had been so excited to find out what it would be hatching into, and finally-
The glow brightened as Ash and Misty squinted, covering their eyes with their hands as the first few signs of cracks began to form on the outer shell. The glow continued to grow brighter until it eventually started to fade, more and more cracks outlining the Egg's surface.
Finally, the top opened up.
The Egg shell fell onto the desk as everybody looked on in simultaneous suspense and excitement.
First, a snout found its way out of the Egg. The lower part of the creature's jaw, still within the Egg shell, began gnawing away at it, causing the front en d of the Egg shell to fall over as the creature stumbled its way out, quickly caught and held upright by a concerned Valiant, who was quickly joined by Pikachu.
Now in full view, and still covered in Egg shards, the whimpering infant raised its head as it took in the sights of Ash and Misty.
It wasn't a creature that either Trainer ever recognized.
Bipedal and dinosaur-like. Quite small due to its newborn age. A grayish-brown body with a back that had a small hump. A belly and lower jaw that both were a lighter gray. It's head was quite large when considered in proportion to the rest of its body. In particular, its jaw was a standout. Even at a newborn age, its jaw looked to be quite powerful, leaving everyone present to wonder just how dangerous that same exact jaw would be once the new, mysterious creature had developed and matured. The lower jaw had two visible teeth, which were quite tiny, likely due to its age.
Although the Pokemon whimpered and cooed, it took in its surroundings with curiosity. It stopped, however, as Ash leaned down to get at eye level with it.
"Hi…" the boy said gently. "Are you okay?"
Still holding the creature from the side, Valiant gave the mysterious creature a nice, warm smile of welcome. Beside him, Pikachu did the same, putting on his signature, cheerful grin that Nebula adored so much.
"It's cute." said Misty with a kind smile. She tapped Ash's shoulder. "See what it is."
With a nod, Ash took out his crimson Pokedex and allowed it to scan.
"Tyrunt, the Royal Heir Pokemon of the Rock-Dragon Type. Originating from ancient times, they have incredibly powerful jaws, said to be capable of chewing up an automobile.
This Tyrunt is Male and knows the Moves Tackle, Roar, Bite, Dragon Tail, and Poison Fang. Its Ability is Strong Jaw, which greatly enhances the jaw strength of a Pokemon, consequently giving their biting Moves an enormous boost of power."
With widened eyes, a speechless Ash lowered the device, taking in the sight of his latest team member, while Misty's own eyes bulged from behind him.
The newborn infant allowed Pikachu and Valiant to continue holding him upright, trying to maintain focus and balance on his feet as he waddled forward a bit, raising his head a bit more towards Ash and letting out a content moan, eyes adjusting to the light of the room as his new Trainer looked on in awe.
'I HAVE A DRAGON TYPE NOW?!'
