Chapter 3: It's a Brand New World
A/N: Hello everyone! Chapter 3 is finally here! Sorry about the long wait, I was just taking a little break that's all. Without further ado, let us go ahead with the story….
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Waking up early in the morning was never Ingrid's thing. Whether it be for waking up early to head to the airport or worse, waking up early for school. Unlike her family, she always liked sleeping in late as on some weekends when she did not have school, she would sleep in until 2:00 pm. Today however was not her lucky day as Delia came busting into the room, yelling for Ash and her to wake up. Which at least woke up their pokemon.
Pikachu and Bulbasaur both tried to wake up their trainers but to no avail. So, the two pokemon turned to more extreme measures. "Pikaaaaaa-chuuuuuu!" Pikachu exclaimed as it used thunder on Ash, causing him to wake up. "Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur exclaimed as it used vine whip on Ingrid, eliciting a yelp of pain from the young adult. "Hey Pikachu, what was that all about?" Ash asked, rubbing his eyes. "Hey Bulbasaur, you should know better than to attack people" Ingrid scolded.
"Haven't you two both forgotten? You both have a flight to catch this morning" Delia said. "Oh yeah right, almost forgot," Ash said as he immediately got out of bed and ran out of the room to brush his teeth, with his pikachu following suit. "Well I guess we should get ready as well. Even though it is not like that we have much to pack" Ingrid said to her bulbasaur as it let out a sound of agreement, before the two both got down from their bunk and began making their way downstairs, after Ingrid put on her shoes.
Right when Ingrid and her bulbasaur got downstairs, she thought she could smell breakfast food.
"Wow, that smells so good!" Ingrid thought as she and her pokemon both entered the kitchen.
Once there, Ingrid saw Alexa who was sipping out of a cup of coffee and she was watching her helioptile eat its pokemon food. Alexa then turned to face Ingrid.
"Good morning Ingrid, how did you sleep?" Alexa asked. "Oh I slept okay, I guess" Ingrid replied before sitting down and noticing all the food in front of her.
"I feel like I am in breakfast heaven right now!" Ingrid thought.
Ingrid saw many waffles in front of her as her mouth instantly started watering from the sight of her favorite breakfast food sitting untouched right in front of her. She also saw toast, eggs and even bacon as well. She was however confused by the latter two foods considering how animals most likely well at least to Ingrid's knowledge, do not exist in the Pokemon World.
"So are you excited to return to the Kalos Region?" Ingrid asked as she turned back to face Alexa. "Yes I am, I am most especially excited to see my little sister again. It has been so long ever since I've last seen her" Alexa replied before she began digging into her toast with butter on it.
Pretty soon, Ash entered the kitchen in his Kalos outfit. "Oh Ash I love how the outfit looks on you!" Delia happily says as she happily walks over to her son."Thanks mom" Ash blushed.
"Here is some money to help you find your way in Kalos" Delia said as she handed Ash a few dollar bills. "Oh and you too Ingrid" Delia said as she handed Ingrid a few more bills. "Thank you Mrs. Ketchum," Ingrid replied. "Oh and these are for you too, Alexa" Delia said, trying to hand Alexa a few dollar bills but she denied them, insisting that Delia can find better use for them.
"Hey Ingrid, I almost forgot! I have a special gift for you" Ash said as he walked into the living room. Pretty soon, Ash came back into the kitchen carrying something behind him. Suddenly he pulled out what Ingrid recognized as his old green backpack from the early seasons of the anime. "I want you to have this. I mean it will surely be useful for you during our time in Kalos" Ash said to Ingrid as she took the bag from him. "Thank you Ash" Ingrid happily thanked Ash. "No problem, always happy to help" Ash replied as he sat down to begin eating.
Ingrid then took this as her cue to begin eating as she instantly began digging into one of the waffles.
"Wow I never thought that you two would both be so alike" Delia said as Alexa just chuckled.
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At around 6:50 am, Professor Oak had arrived at Ash's house in a fancy yellow old school looking car without a roof.
"Wow, I never thought that the professor would have such a good looking ride" Ingrid thought as she picked her bulbasaur up off the ground and began to carry it into the car.
Ingrid entered the back row meanwhile, Ash sat next to her, carrying his pikachu. Finally, Alexa sat next to Professor Oak, carrying her helioptile.
"Alright Ash, good luck in Kalos and I will be here when you get back" Delia said before turning to face Professor Oak. "Professor, thank you so much for agreeing to do this for my little Ashy" Delia thanked the good professor. "It is no problem Delia, really" Professor Oak replied, before shifting the car's gears to drive and beginning to drive off.
Ash looked behind him to see Delia happily waving him off as he happily waved back.
Pretty soon, the car left Pallet Town as it began driving through what appeared to be a forestry area.
Ingrid looked around her to take in her surroundings. She saw all different kinds of pokemon such as pidgey, caterpie, diglett, rattata and she even saw a goldeen swimming in the nearby river.
Alexa and Professor Oak both began to participate in some small talk, as Ash turned to face Ingrid. "So Ingrid, when we arrive at the airport. Do you want to have a little battle with me just to test your bulbasaur's strength?" Ash asked.
"Oh crap! How can I exist in the Pokemon World without even having a single battle. Especially with someone like Ash Ketchum?" Ingrid thought.
"Of course," Ingrid replied. "But from my understanding, the only move in which my bulbasaur knows is vine whip" Ingrid added.
"Oh don't worry because we can just use this," Ash said, pulling his Unova pokedex out of his backpack. "To see what kind of moves your bulbasaur knows" Ash added as he then pointed the pokedex at Bulbasaur.
"Bulbasaur, the seed pokemon:
-A grass and poison type.
-For some time after its birth, it grows by gaining nourishment from the seed on its back.
-This bulbasaur is male, it is two feet and seven inches. And it weighs about 15.2 lbs.
-Finally, its known moves are vine whip, growl, tackle and poison powder" The pokedex said.
"Wow so for a bulbasaur like yours, it has a pretty cool moveset" Ash commented. "Thank you Ash," Ingrid replied. "You hear that Bulbasaur?" Ingrid asked as her pokemon perked up out of joy.
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Eventually, the group arrived at the airport as Ingrid could not believe just how big it was.
"Wow Viridian City International Airport rivals some airports back on Earth" Ingrid thought to herself as she saw the many different terminals.
Pretty soon, the group arrived at the airport's Noivern Airlines terminal in which Ash, Ingrid and Alexa all got out of the car.
"Good luck on the journalism, Alexa," Professor Oak said to Alexa. "Thank you, professor" Alexa thanked the good professor before he turned to face Ingrid. "And Ingrid, have fun with Ash in Kalos oh and good luck for finding a solution to your situation" Professor Oak said to Ingrid. "Thank you professor" Ingrid thanked him. Finally Professor Oak turned to face Ash. "Ash. Good luck in the Kalos League, your mother and I will both make sure to root you on via tv. But hopefully in person" Professor Oak said to Ash. "Thank you Professor Oak" Ash thanked the good professor. "Alright, well I have to go now. So, safe travels to all of you and I hope that we can all meet again" Professor Oak said as he began to drive off away from the spot which he was previously just at.
"Bye" Ash, Ingrid and Alexa all said, waving in the direction in which Professor Oak left. Pretty soon, he was out of eyesight entirely.
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The interior of the airport looked nice. It was not too different from LAX or JFK but it still looked nice. Checking in was no big problem since Alexa had digital tickets installed on her smart tablet. Airport security surprisingly was not as big of a problem as it was back on Earth. All the security agents did was check the bags for any weapons and that was it.
But when Ingrid got past the security checkpoint, she could not help but look all around her. The Noivern Airlines terminal had many restaurants such as a burger restaurant, to even many shops as well such as a Poke Mart which was located right next to a Pokemon Center. Standing in the Pokemon Center was Nurse Joy who was accompanied by her chansey.
"At least this airport has a Pokemon Center so at least, I know where to go after my battle with Ash" Ingrid thought.
While walking to the gate, Ingrid saw all different kinds of pokemon from all around the world such as a mightyena, an audino and even a gumshoos as well.
Eventually, the group arrived at the gate as it appeared to be numbered 6 and it wasn't scheduled to board passengers until 8:30.
"So Ingrid, we still have time before our flight so do you want to maybe get a little battling in?" Ash asked. "Yes, of course!" Ingrid happily replied as her and Ash both began walking to the battlefield. "Alright you two, if either of you need anything then I will just be here" Alexa said as she took a seat with her helioptile sitting in the chair right next to her. "Just try to be back here by 8:25" Alexa said as she then pulled out herself a book to read. "Don't worry, it will just be a quick battle. That's all" Ash said reassuringly before he and Ingrid both began making their way to one of the airport's many battlefields.
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Eventually, Ash and Ingrid arrived at the closest battlefield.
They arrived at the perfect time as two trainers had both just finished having a battle.
Ash and Ingrid both got on two opposite sides of the battlefield. "Alright Pikachu, I choose you!" Ash shouted as his pikachu stepped onto the battlefield. "Pika Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, getting into its battle stance. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!" Ingrid shouted as her bulbasaur stepped onto the battlefield. "Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur exclaimed.
"Alright Ingrid, since this is your first pokemon battle. I will let you have the first move" Ash said. Ingrid thought to herself, trying to decide on which move to use first. After a while of thinking, she decided on a move that she thought would be perfect. "Alright Bulbasaur, use poison powder!" Ingrid shouted as the grass pokemon shot a wave of purple gas out of the bulb on its back and towards Pikachu, eventually striking it.
"Oh no Pikachu!" Ash shouted. "Alright Bulbasaur, now use vine whip let's go!" Ingrid shouted as her pokemon unleashed one of its long vines and hit Pikachu with it. "Pikachu, please try to hang in there!" Ash said as he needed to come up with a strategy and fast. A lightbulb then popped up inside Ash's head as he came up with a good idea.
"Pikachu, dodge and use electro ball!" Ash shouted as his pikachu dodged another vine whip from Bulbasaur and prepared to charge up an electro ball. Pikachu then unleashed the electro ball in Bulbasaur's direction as the pokemon and its trainer both had no time to react to the incoming attack. "Bulbasaur! Are you alright?" Ingrid asked her bulbasaur as it looked a little beaten up from Pikachu's electro ball. "Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur exclaimed, which was a sign that it was still in battling condition.
"Alright Bulbasaur, use vine whip from both directions!" Ingrid shouted as her bulbasaur unleashed two vines from its bulb.
"Pikachu, use thunderbolt on the vines!" Ash shouted as his pikachu appeared to still be getting pretty weak from Bulbasaur's poison powder, but it was still in battling condition. Pikachu then unleashed a massive two way thunderbolt that traveled through Bulbasaur's vines and all the way to its body. Bulbasaur then screamed out of pain before falling limply on the ground. "Bulbasaur!" Ingrid shouted as she ran over to her pokemon.
"Ingrid, it looks like your pokemon fainted! But don't worry, because it is common for a pokemon to faint in battle so your bulbasaur will be just fine" Ash reassuringly said from the other side of the battlefield as he scooped up Pikachu in his arms.
Ingrid then pulled out her bulbasaur's pokeball and returned her pokemon into it. "You battled well, Bulbasaur. Please take a nice long rest" Ingrid said to Bulbasaur before putting its pokeball away.
"That was some nice battling back there Ingrid" Ash happily said. "You too Ash" Ingrid replied as the two both made their way back into the airport.
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After heading to the Pokemon Center, to heal Pikachu and Bulbasaur there, Ash and Ingrid both headed back to their gate to continue waiting for their flight.
Eventually the flight was ready to board and everyone got on. Ash and Alexa sat together but Ingrid sat only two rows down from them.
When the plane took off, Ingrid's bulbasaur got a little frightened by the plane's loud engines but Ingrid assured it that everything would be okay.
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After a long flight, the plane finally landed at Lumiose City International Airport in the Kalos Region.
"Ah great! Now I finally get to stretch my legs!" Ingrid thought as she began to unbuckle her seatbelt.
Pretty soon, after a staircase was attached to the plane, all the passengers began to get up and walk out of the aircraft. Ash, Alexa and Ingrid all then followed suit as their pokemon were following them.
Once Ash stepped out of the door, his pikachu jumped onto his shoulder and he then adjusted his cap. "Hey Kalos Region! Ash from Pallet Town is finally here!" Ash happily shouted at the top of his lungs. "Piiiiikaaaachuuuuu!" His pikachu happily shouted soon after.
"Well, that's Ash for you" Ingrid thought.
"What's with all the yelling?" Alexa asked. "Just saying hiya to the Kalos Region. And as soon as I walk down these steps, we'll finally be here" Ash replied as a happy sound elicited from his pikachu.
"Sprixie!" An unfamiliar voice shouts as everyone looks up to see two sprixie flying overhead. "Never seen those pokemon before" Ash said as he observed the sprixie.
But then, Ingrid noticed that Ash was about to lose his balance and tumble down the stairs, just like he did in the first episode of the X anime. So Ingrid did the right thing and grabbed Ash, keeping him from falling. "Thank you Ingrid" Ash thanked as he soon regained his balance. "You're welcome Ash but you need to be more careful next time. Geez, you are just like my little bro-" Ingrid immediately cut herself off right when her brain fully registered what she was about to say.
"Shit! I have given away who I really am, haven't I?" Ingrid thought to herself.
"Huh!? Is something wrong?" Ash asked. "Oh no it's nothing. It is just nothing at all" Ingrid replied. Ash furrowed his brow but then he just shrugged it off like nothing ever happened. Ingrid then breathed a heavy sigh of relief that she just stopped herself from revealing who she really was to Ash.
"I need to make sure to be more careful over what I say in the future" Ingrid thought to herself.
"Alexa, who are those pokemon?" Ash asked as he looked back up to the sky to still see the sprixie flying overhead. "Oh, those are sprixie" Alexa replied. "Sprixie. Awesome!" Ash excitedly said.
Ash then ran down the stairs with Ingrid following suit and finally, Alexa.
"First thing I want to do is have a gym battle," Ash excitedly said. "Just a minute!" Alexa said. "So where do you plan to go for a gym battle?" Alexa asked. "Oh that's an easy one, your younger sister's a gym leader right? At her gym" Ash replied.
"Wait. I'm sorry to disappoint you… but her gym isn't here in Lumiose City. I'm afraid it's located in Santalune City" Alexa replied. "Whaaat? What do I do now?" Ash disappointedly asked. "Hold on, I'll go and give her a call right away. I'll see you two in the lobby" Alexa said before she began to run in the direction of the main airport building. "Thanks," Ash said.
Pretty soon, Alexa was completely gone.
Ash then looked around before beginning to walk off with Ingrid walking close to him. "Hey Ash, aren't there other gyms that you can challenge other than just the Santalune City Gym?" Ingrid asked. "Yes but, I have been really looking forward to battling Alexa's younger sister. I wonder what type of pokemon her sister uses" Ash said as he began to think about the possible types he could face off at the Santalune Gym.
While walking, Ash and Ingrid both looked over as they saw what appeared to be a silhouette in which Ingrid remembered this moment from the episode. As she remembered how a mega blaziken would appear here. The two then both looked up at one of the nearby buildings and before they knew it, Mega Blaziken jumped over their heads. Once it landed on the ground, it disappeared as if it was never there to begin with.
"Hey Ingrid, did you see what I just saw?" Ash asked. "Yes I did Ash" Ingrid just replied before an awkward moment of silence occurred between the two. "Oh yeah!" Ash suddenly broke the silence which startled Ingrid but Pikachu and Bulbasaur both seemed to be amused by it.
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Once Ash and Ingrid both arrived inside the airport's main lobby, they both saw Helioptile laying on a nearby bench.
Ash immediately ran up to Helioptile while shouting its name. Ash then asked the helioptile a question which as a response, it nodded its head in the direction that Alexa was in. Alexa was at what looked like a telephone as she appeared to have just finished a call.
"Alexa!" Ash said as he ran to Alexa with Helioptile running beside him and Ingrid trailing behind. "What's with all the excitement?" Alexa asked.
"We just got a look at another new pokemon. It was so amazing! It made this jump and flew right over our heads!" Ash excitedly replied. "I see. I guarantee you are going to meet lots and lots of new pokemon" Alexa replied as she bent down to be at eye level with Ash.
"So cool! I'm glad we're finally in the Kalos Region. I can't wait to win that gym battle too" Ash excitedly said. "Eh! You see… I managed to get through to that sister of mine. And she let me know she's away from her gym right now" Alexa said. "She's away!? So when is she going to be back?" Ash asked.
"Once my sister goes on a trip, she's usually away for quite a while," Alexa replied. "Oh man," Ash disappointedly said.
Alexa then notices the disappointed look on Ash's face so she immediately bends over and puts her hands together. "Sorry Ash, I know you must be disappointed after coming all this way" Alexa apologized. "Aw, no way! This is bad! I want to win the league this time and I want to become a pokemon master!" Ash disappointedly said before just slumping over with a defeated look on his face.
Alexa then clapped her hands together as a lightbulb had popped up in her head. "I know, why don't you channel that energy into challenging the gym here in Lumiose City" Alexa suggested. "So there's a gym in this city too?" Ash asked.
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After the group leaves the airport. They head straight for a map of the Lumiose City.
"See, it's right there" Alexa said as she pointed her index finger at a square inside a circle, which was situated in the center of the map. "The Lumiose Gym is located just inside of Prism Tower." "Prism Tower, got it" Ash replied. "We'll just have our first battle here in Lumiose City," Ash said to Pikachu.
"I'm afraid this is where we'll have to part ways. Are you two gonna be alright?" Alexa asked Ingrid and Ash. "Don't worry we'll be just fine" Ingrid replied, reassuringly. "Yeah, just like what Ingrid said. We will be just fine" Ash added as Bulbasaur and Pikachu both let out sounds of agreement as well. "That's great! Well then once again, welcome to the Kalos Region!" Alexa replied. "You've really been a big help. Thanks a lot!" Ash thanked. "Yeah, thank you for everything!" Ingrid thanked. "No thank you two, it's been great fun!" Alexa replied. "It sure has!" Ash replied. "See you later, Alexa," Ash said. "Right, see you Ash. Oh and you too Ingrid" Alexa replied. "See you," Ingrid said.
Ash then began running in the opposite direction, as Ingrid began trying to catch up with Ash. After a while of running as though Ash enjoyed this exercise, and Ingrid did not. The two reached what appeared to be a tunnel leading into the main city area. Once they both passed through the tunnel and onto the other side, Ash happily jumped in the air while shouting, "yeah!".
Ingrid could not help but look around her as she saw all different kinds of pokemon. Lumiose City now began to remind Ingrid of her trip to Paris with a few friends of hers that they took only two weeks after they graduated from the same high school together. It all made sense to her considering that Lumiose City and the Kalos Region as a whole, was based on France after all. Ash then continued running through the city, marveling at how big it was and how many pokemon there were. Both new and old.
"Hey Ash, can you please slow down! It is not like that we are in a rush after all" Ingrid pleaded. "Oh sorry, Ingrid" Ash apologized as he slowed down his pace.
Just like Ash, Ingrid too couldn't help but look around at her surroundings. She saw all different kinds of shops and cafés. "Wow Bulbasaur, isn't this place amazing?" Ingrid asked. "Bulbasaur!" Her pokemon happily replied as it looked in delight at all the new kinds of pokemon that it was surrounded by.
While walking, Ingrid noticed what appeared to be a blue building with a pokeball symbol in front of it. She then noticed the electronic sign underneath the pokeball symbol that read, PokeMart.
Ingrid realized that she could use her money here to buy useful items for herself and her bulbasaur.
"Hey Ash!" Ingrid called as Ash then turned around to face her. "I am just going to do a little shopping here with my bulbasaur," Ingrid said. "Oh okay Ingrid" Ash happily replied. "If you need anything then I will be at the Lumiose City Gym, having my gym battle" Ash added before he began continuing his way over to the Lumiose Gym. "Alright Bulbasaur, are you ready to do a little shopping?" Ingrid asked her bulbasaur as it let out a sound of agreement.
Once Ingrid stepped foot into the store, she could not help but admire just how clean it was. She saw many shelves all stocked with items from repels to even revives as well.
Ingrid decided to purchase two potions, one super potion and one repel since she thought those items would come in handy sometime in the near future.
After she left the store, she looked over to see a clothing store just across the street from the PokeMart. The store appeared to be called Boutique Couture. Ingrid decided to head straight to the store since she did need a new set of clothes after all.
Once Ingrid entered the store, she could not help but look around as to her, this place's clothing selection was absolutely beautiful.
But much to Ingrid's disappointment, she looked down at her money and she realized she would not be able to buy most of the clothes. So instead she turned to the section that had the clothes that she could afford. She eventually decided on buying a black cap with a pokeball logo on it, a long sleeve t-shirt with a lucario on it, and long black pants.
She went to the woman's dressing room to try on the clothes. She was happy that the clothes fit her as her bulbasaur let out a happy sound as to how it liked the way the clothes looked on Ingrid. "I'm glad that you too like these clothes, Bulbasaur" Ingrid happily said to her pokemon as she then changed back into her regular clothes and then left the locker room to head straight over to the checkout area.
Once Ingrid finished paying for her new clothes, she left the store to go and find Ash. After a long time of running, Ingrid finally arrived at Prism Tower but Ash was nowhere to be found which could mean that he already met Clemont and Bonnie.
Ingrid then thought to herself as she tried to jog her memory from the anime.
If I recall correctly, then at this moment Ash would be battling against Clemont on a battlefield. But where?
Ingrid was not about to go running around Lumiose City in search of Ash so she decided to just try to find directions to a place where she knew she would reunite with Ash later on.
Professor Sycamore's Pokemon Lab.
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A/N: Well, I hope that you all enjoyed this chapter. It took a very long time to write but I am just glad how all that time finally paid off. I hope that you are all looking forward to the next chapter as that one will be based on episode 2 of the X anime. And it will be exciting so please stay tuned. Have a gpod day!