Chapter 6: The Bug Demon
It had been four days ever since the mysterious disappearance of twenty year old Ingrid Belle Blanchet and both the police and Ingrid's family had been shocked by the circumstances. The Blanchet family was in complete hysteria, meanwhile the police were doing everything that they could to find Ingrid's whereabouts. What made this investigation so strange was that when campus security checked Ingrid's room, they found no sign of the missing university student anywhere. But she left behind all her personal belongings including her wallet, her smartphone, her computer, her Nintendo switch, her 3DS and her clothes. Campus security then checked the security cameras set up around the dorm and to their surprise, they did not see Ingrid anywhere on the footage. Since Ingrid's roommate was not around during the incident as she was visiting family in Spain, the police questioned Ingrid's next door neighbor about her disappearance. She reported last hearing Ingrid shouting at something on tv the night before her disappearance. Truly, Ingrid's disappearance was very quickly made a huge conversation topic among university students as many were debating that something supernatural was at work and little did they know that they were right. It also made pretty major headlines in local news outlets. All in all, despite this very strange case and without a lead so far, both the police and the university would both continue trying their hardest to find the missing twenty year old.
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After eating a breakfast consisting of a croissant and a cup of coffee, Ingrid gathered her belongings and headed into the Pokemon Center's lobby. There, she saw Ash, Bonnie and Clemont all there waiting for her in the lobby.
Ingrid's bulbasaur happily ran over to Ash's pikachu once they both saw each other and Bonnie's dedenne then joined in on the fun as Bulbasaur befriended it very quickly. "Hey Ingrid, how has it been?" Ash asked. "Oh it has been good. I caught my very first pokemon" Ingrid replied as she then pulled out her pokeball and sent out her ralts for Ash to see. "Woah is that a ralts!?" Clemont exclaimed as he adjusted his glasses to get a better look at the psychic type pokemon standing right in front of him. "Aw it is so cute!" Bonnie cheerfully exclaimed. "Wow, a ralts. Now that is a cool first pokemon to catch" Ash said before pulling out his own pokeball. "In truth I actually caught my own pokemon" Ash said as he then sent out his fletchling. "Say Ingrid" Ash began. "Would you care to have a little battle as that could be a great training session for our upcoming gym battle?" Ash asked. "Sure Ash" Ingrid replied as she, Ash, Bonnie, Clemont and their pokemon all began to head over to the battlefield set up behind the Pokemon Center.
Once there, Ash and Ingrid both got on opposite sides of the battlefield with their pokemon following suit. Clemont then got to the middle of the battlefield. "The pokemon battle between Ash and Ingrid is about to begin. Each trainer is only allowed to use one pokemon! Now, begin!" Clemont announced as Ash sent out his froakie meanwhile Ingrid sent out her bulbasaur.
"Bulbasaur use poison powder!" Ingrid ordered as a wave of purple gas shot from the bulb on Bulbasaur's back. "Froakie! Dodge and use water pulse!" Ash ordered as his pokemon escaped from the path of Bulbasaur's poison powder with only a few seconds to spare. It then jumped into the air and created a ball of blue liquid energy in its hands. Then it threw the ball in Bulbasaur's direction. "Bulbasaur! Look out!" Ingrid called out to her pokemon but it was too late as the move struck Bulbasaur. Luckily, due to water pulse being a water-type move, it did not inflict much damage on Bulbasaur.
"Now Bulbasaur! Use solar beam!" Ingrid ordered as a lot of light gathered in Bulbasaur's bulb. Bulbasaur then let out a giant beam of energy in Froakie's direction which dealt extreme damage to the water type. "Woah! Ingrid, since when did your Bulbasaur learn solar beam?!" Ash asked. "Oh we were just battling some random trainer in the woods and Bulbasaur just learned solar beam out of the blue I guess" Ingrid replied. "Bulbasaur, use vine whip!" Ingrid once again ordered as her pokemon shot two vines from its bulb. "Froakie! Use bubble!" Ash ordered as his pokemon shot many bubbles in Bulbasaur's direction, dealing some damage to the grass type.
"Bulbasaur! Use vine whip once more!" Ingrid ordered as her pokemon once again shot two vines from its bulb and towards Froakie. Bulbasaur then began to whip Froakie repeatedly. "Froakie! No!" Ash shouted as his froakie soon fainted. "Froakie is unable to battle! That means that Ingrid and Bulbasaur are the winner!" Clemont announced.
Ash then pulled out his pokeball and returned Froakie. "You did great, Froakie. Get a good rest" Ash said to his froakie before putting its pokeball away. "You did some great battling back there Ingrid. I can only see that you and your bulbasaur's bond is only beginning to grow stronger" Ash said. "Why thank you Ash, I am going to have to admit, you too battled well back there" Ingrid replied before the group all then left the battlefield and headed back into the Pokemon Center to heal Bulbasaur and Froakie.
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Ash was excitedly running to the Santalune Gym as it was clear to the whole group that the ten year old was looking forward to his gym battle with Viola. Occasionally the group got lost along the way due to Ash's poor directions but luckily, talking to the townspeople was enough to eventually bring them to the gym.
Right when Ash approached the gym's main entrance, the doors opened as an excited helioptile bursted out of the doors and towards Ash. Helioptile then landed on Ash, causing him to fall right then and there. "It's Helioptile" Ash exclaimed. "Welcome, Ash, Pikachu. You too Ingrid and Bulbasaur" an awfully familiar voice greeted from the gym's main entrance as the group all turned to face the direction of the voice.
There they saw Alexa standing near the gym's main entrance as her helioptile instantly ran towards Alexa and climbed up onto her left shoulder once it saw her. "It's nice to see the four of you again," Alexa happily said. "Hey, Alexa. I didn't know you were here" Ash happily said. "Uh-huh I finished up my reporting and thought you and Ingrid would both be here soon, so I waited. So, are these your new friends?" Alexa asked. "Yup. We met them in Lumiose City" Ash replied. "Hi, Alexa. My name's Bonnie, and this is Dedenne" Bonnie introduced herself as Dedenne let out a happy sound. "And this is my brother," Bonnie said as she turned to face her older brother. "I'm Clemont. It's nice to meet you. That's quite amazing. You two already knew the gym leader" Clemont said to Ash and Ingrid. "She's not the leader. See, Alexa's actually a pokemon journalist" Ash replied. "That's right. The gym leader's my younger sister, Viola" Alexa replied. "Viola?" Bonnie asked.
"That's me" an unfamiliar voice said from behind as the group stared surprised and stunned at the source of the new voice that just cut in. There Ingrid saw a blonde haired woman who looked around her age. She was equipped with a camera, had green eyes, wore long pants and wore a white tank top.
"Alexa said you wanted to challenge me while I was gone" Viola said to Ash. "Yes, oh and my companion Ingrid over here was also looking to challenge you as well" Ash replied. "Yes I do too want to challenge you" Ingrid said. "Okay well then, which one of you would like to challenge me first?" Viola asked. "Um Ash do you mind if I-." "Of course not Ingrid you can go first" Ash replied. "Well I guess I will be challenging you first" Ingrid said. "Great well then, please come inside" Viola said as the group all then headed into the building.
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Right when the group entered the gym, they saw a huge photo gallery of many different pictures all of different bug type pokemon in their natural habitats. Ingrid was just now looking at the many different pictures all in front of her as she could not believe just how many different pictures there were.
"Wow. You took all of these pictures, Viola?" Ash asked. "Uh-huh. Although, these are just a few of the pictures I've taken" Viola replied. "She's got quite a talent for photographing bug types. She even helps me with my reporting from time to time" Alexa added. "This is great work. It really captures the love you have for your subjects" Clemont happily said as he and Bonnie observed a few pictures themselves. "Sure does. You can see how much you care about bug types!" Bonnie chimed in.
"I know! Viola, you're a keeper!" Bonnie happily exclaimed as she kneeled down in front of Viola, extending an outstretched arm. "I mean, please take care of my brother," Bonnie happily said. "Ah, we're a little bit confused" Viola just simply said as an embarrassed look formed over Clemont's facial features as he moved towards Bonnie. "Bonnie, I told you to stop this a million times," Clemont said to his younger sister. "You know you need somebody to take care of you. I think Viola would make you a nice wife" Bonnie replied. "A nice wife?" Viola asked out of pure shock. "Ah! No, this is so embarrassing. Activate Aipom arm!" Clemont exclaimed as his aipom arm extended from his backpack and towards Bonnie and soon, grabbing her and beginning to drag her across the gym floor. "Would you please just mind your own business?" Clemont asked. "I hope you'll think about it, Viola!" Bonnie exclaimed from halfway across the room.
"Such a unique little girl" Alexa just simply said. "So, shall we, Ingrid? How about that battle?" Viola asked. "Sure! I'm so ready!" Ingrid replied before the group began to make their way over to the gym's main battlefield.
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The battlefield room was very nice as it was decorated with many plants and trees. The roof was also completely made of glass which allowed sunlight to enter the room. Ingrid and Viola both got on opposite sides of the battlefield meanwhile Ash, Alexa, Bonnie and Clemont all moved over to the sidelines.
"The gym battle between Ingrid, the challenger and Viola, the Santalune City Gym Leader, will now begin. Each side will have the use of two pokemon and the battle will be over when either trainer's pokemon are unable to continue. Only the challenger may substitute pokemon" the referee announced. "My lens is always focused on victory no matter what. Surskit, go!" Viola said as she sent out her surskit.
Well even though my bulbasaur has a type advantage over Surskit, I want to save him for last so I am instead going to have Ralts battle for now. Ingrid thought.
"Ralts! I choose you!" Ingrid shouted as she sent out her ralts.
"Now, battle begin!" The referee announced.
"Now Ralts! Let's start this battle off with disarming voice!" Ingrid ordered. Once the move hit Surskit, the bug type pokemon was trying its best to resist it. "Surskit! Try to break through the disarming voice with ice beam!" Viola ordered as her surskit unleashed one powerful ice beam aimed towards Ralts. Once the move struck its intended target, Ralts was frozen solid inside a block of ice.
"Ralts, no!" Ingrid exclaimed.
"Hm… now Surskit, bubble beam let's go!" Viola ordered as Surskit shot many bubbles towards Ralts, freeing it from the ice but badly damaging it.
"Ralts use confusion!" Ingrid ordered as her ralts began to take control over Surskit's body. Ralts then lifted Surskit up into the air slamming it back to the ground. "Now Ralts, use growl!" Ingrid exclaimed as the move caused Surskit's attack power to be lowered. "Now Surskit, move all around Ralts to try and confuse it!" Viola ordered as her pokemon began to rapidly move around Ralts, confusing the psychic type. "Hey Ralts behind yo-" the signal beam from Surskit struck without warning. Ralts now looked very badly beaten but it was still in fighting condition.
"Ralts! Now use double team then disarming voice!" Ingrid ordered as Ralts began to create multiple copies of itself before it along with all its copies all used disarming voice on Surskit at the same time. "Quick Surskit! Use your picture perfect bubble beam on all the copies!" Viola ordered as Surskit then began to fire many bubbles that ended destroying all the copies and hurting the real Ralts. "Ralts no!" Ingrid exclaimed.
"Now Surskit! Finish it off with one picture perfect signal beam!" Viola ordered as Surskit let out a beam of energy, knocking out Ralts.
"Ralts is unable to battle, Surskit wins!" The referee announced as Ingrid pulled out her pokeball to return Ralts. "You did well Ralts, please take a nice long rest" Ingrid said before putting her ball away. "I have to admit, your Ralts battled quite well out there. But it still has a long way to go before it can beat my surskit" Viola said. "You may have taken out my ralts" Ingrid began. "But this next pokemon of mine will most likely make short work of your surskit" Ingrid finished. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!" She exclaimed as her bulbasaur ran onto the battlefield.
"Now Bulbasaur, use poison powder!" Ingrid ordered as her pokemon let out a purple gas in Surskit's direction. The pokemon now became very weak as Ingrid now felt a little cocky so she decided to go straight for the move that she was sure would finish off Surskit. "Bulbasaur! Solar beam let's go!" Ingrid ordered as her bulbasaur gathered a lot of energy from the sun in its bulb then unleashed that energy towards Surskit, eventually striking the pokemon causing it to faint.
"Surskit is unable to battle, Bulbasaur wins!" The referee announced. Viola then pulled out her pokeball as she returned her surskit. "Surskit, you were great. You deserve a good rest" Viola said before putting her ball away. "Let's do this, Vivillon!" Viola exclaimed as she sent out her second pokemon.
"Bulbasaur use poison powder!" Ingrid ordered but apparently Viola had plans of her own. "Vivillon, dodge and use solar beam!" Viola ordered as her pokemon shot a powerful beam of energy towards the unsuspecting grass type.
"Bulbasaur, use vine whip!" Ingrid ordered as her pokemon shot two vines towards Vivillon. "Now Vivillon use psychic on the vines!" Viola ordered as her pokemon took control of Bulbasaur's vines. "Huh!? What the-." "Now Vivillon use the vines to repeatedly smack Bulbasaur!" Viola ordered as her pokemon began to attack Bulbasaur with its own vines. "Bulbasaur! Please try to hang in there!" Ingrid said as pretty soon, the attack stopped.
"Bulbasaur! Use poison powder!" Ingrid ordered but just like the previous attempt, Vivillon dodged the move with only a few seconds to spare and it used gust, knocking Bulbasaur into a nearby wall causing it to faint.
"Bulbasaur is unable to battle, Vivillon wins which means the victory goes to Viola the gym leader!" The referee announced as Viola then returned her pokemon. "Bulbasaur!" Ingrid exclaimed as she ran towards her fainted pokemon. She then pulled out her pokeball and returned her bulbasaur. "You did well Bulbasaur, please take a nice long rest" Ingrid said before putting her ball away. She then saw Ash, Bonnie, Clemont and a honey haired girl in a black shirt, a pink hat with a black ribbon on it and a red skirt. Ingrid immediately recognized the girl as Serena as she almost forgot about how Serena meets Ash and the others at this point in the anime. "Ingrid! You should take Bulbasaur and Ralts to the Pokemon Center! We will meet you there!" Ash said as Ingrid then nodded before running towards the nearby exit then eventually out of the gym entirely.
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Ingrid is no perfect person as she has lost many times in her life. Whether it be in one of those little league soccer games she played as a kid or in the Thanksgiving annual Uno tournament that her family loved to hold every Thanksgiving. Of course, losing to Viola had to be one of the worst times that she has experienced defeat but this should've come as expected considering how Ingrid has so far only won two battles in her life.
Ingrid was now just sitting in the Pokemon Center's lobby, watching the semifinals of the Indigo League on tv that showed a charizard battling a venusaur.
Pretty soon, Ash and co entered the Pokemon Center.
"Hey there Ash" Ingrid greeted as she got up from where she was sitting. "Hey Ingrid" Ash returned the greeting. "So how did your gym battle with Viola go?" Ingrid asked. "Oh it went great! See I won my very first Kalos gym badge!" Ash happily replied.
Wait! Ash won against Viola on his first try!? I mean wasn't he supposed to lose to her in the original episode? Ingrid thought.
"Oh Ingrid, I want to introduce you to Serena over here. Serena this is Ingrid" Ash said as the two ladies both turned to face one another. "Hey there, my name is Ingrid" Ingrid introduced herself. "Why hello Ingrid, I am Serena" Serena replied.
"So Ingrid, how are Bulbasaur and Ralts?" Ash asked. "Oh they are both just fine, I'll say Nurse Joy is a miracle worker" Ingrid replied. "That she is" Ash replied. "But" Ingrid said. "I don't know how I will defeat Viola. I mean she is a damn bug type powerhouse" Ingrid said. "At this rate I don't think I will ever beat her" she finished. "Hey, don't say that about yourself. You know… I still remember the day of my first ever gym battle. That was all the way back when I was still starting out on my pokemon journey. I remember when I lost that battle but even though I lost, I got back up and I began to train, eventually gaining enough strength to win that gym battle and earn my very first gym badge. So if I could do it then you could do" Ash said. "Wow thank you for those kind words Ash" Ingrid said. "You're welcome. Now are you ready to go train for your rematch with Viola?" Ash asked. "You bet" Ingrid replied.
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A/N: Hello everybody, I am sorry if this chapter may have been a little rushed. It is just that I was too excited to upload it. We finally got to see how the people of Earth reacted to Ingrid's disappearance as I have been wanting to write a scene like that for a long time. Also I plan on writing a Fire Emblem Three Houses self insert fanfic to coincide with this story as even though the story hasn't come through fruition yet I do plan on writing for it. So please be on the lookout in case I decide to write that story. But don't worry, even if I do write that other story, I will not be abandoning this one as if that story does end up getting made then I plan on uploading at least one chapter a month for both stories. I hope that you are all looking forward to the next chapter as that one will contain the rematch with Ingrid vs Viola. See ya!