It was like any other day for Chloe Cerise, walking along the sidewalk to her father's laboratory, holding Eevee in her arms. It was quite a tiring day of school, not helping with the fact that she had to do a somewhat huge project to present next week. Luckily she had enough time to prepare for it.
As she enters the building, she is instantly greeted by Yamper, giving her a smile on her face.
"Hi, Yamper! Did you have a good day today?" She asked as she bent down to pet the Puppy Pokemon.
"Eevui!!" Eevee said excitingly.
She suddenly heard footsteps run down the stairs, seeing her friend Goh.
"Oh, Chloe! Didn't hear you get back!" He said surprised.
Chloe gave him a light smile and waved her hand. "It's fine. I just got here." The maroon-haired girl sat her backpack on the table and took out a notebook.
Goh leaned against the table, looking at what she was doing. "So? What are you working on?" He asked curiously.
Chloe sighed, her smile fading to a frown. "It's some project I need to do. I have to write an essay on some of the Pokemon of Kanto." She explains.
Goh's expression showed confusion. "What's so bad about that? Seems easy enough to me!" He says.
"It's just, I'm not used to the wild. I'm not like you and Ash, just running out there and adventuring." She said as she grabbed a bottle of water from a nearby fridge.
Goh was seemingly in thought, as he put his index finger across his chin, with his thumb on the side of his cheek. He then snaps his fingers and gives a big smile.
"Why not ask Ash to help? He's used to that kind of stuff! Plus, he's done it a lot longer than me!" Goh suggests, a hint of excitement in his voice.
Chloe ponders the thought. She didn't really know Ash all that well, although, he did seem rather knowledgeable, outside of his goofy side. Maybe she could use this as an excuse to get to know him better.
"Eevui!" Eevee said with excitement. It seems like she wanted to see Ash's Pikachu. Chloe gives off a smile as she looked at Eevee, before nodding.
"Alright. I'll try and ask him!" She quickly grabs her backpack off the table, zips it up, and puts it back on her back. "Any idea where he is?" She asks.
"He should be in Cerise Park!" Goh tells her.
"Thanks!" Chloe said as she walks down the hall.
In Cerise Park was Ash, wearing a blue vest with yellow outlines, a white short sleeve undershirt with a Poké Ball on it, white and blue shoes with yellow accents, dark gray shorts with yellow accents, fingerless gloves that are black with a blue line across the cuff, and finally his classic red and white cap, with a lightning bolt symbol in the middle of it.
"Pikachu! Use Iron Tail!" Ash commands his partner.
"Chu! Pika!" Pikachu jumped high into the air, his target being Dragonite. He raises his tail, focusing his power, and encases iron around it. He then uses all his force and swings his tail at the Dragon Pokémon.
"Counter with Dragon Claw!" Ash tells his Dragonite.
Dragonite raises her arms and hands in the air, as long sharp claws of green energy surround her hands. She flies at the incoming Electric Mouse Pokémon, swinging both claws.
Chloe had entered just in time to see the two attacks collide. It caught her off guard, but it was quite the spectacle. The two are sent back a few feet, skidding on the ground, and leaving marks in the dirt.
"Woah..." Chloe spoke audibly. Ash turns around and sees her. However, he just gave his usual smile, which made Chloe smile. It was kinda contagious.
"Hey, Chloe! How are ya doing?" Ash asked, adjusting his cap.
Chloe was a little nervous. She wasn't that acquainted with Ash, let alone didn't make the best impression when they first met. But suddenly, Eevee jumped out of her arms.
"Eevui!" Eevee cheerfully chirps as she runs around Ash's Pikachu. The Electric Mouse smiled, as she chases Eevee in circles.
"Oh, uh, I'm fine." She answers back. "I was wondering if you could maybe help me with something."
Ash quickly nodded as he gave his usual cheeky smile. He then turned around to Dragonite.
"I think that's enough training for now!" He said, as he grabs his Pokeball and taps the button, retrieving her back into the device.
He then turned back to Chloe. "Sure thing! Anything to help a friend!" He tells her.
Chloe gave a light smile, a little surprised they were considered friends, despite not hanging out all that often.
"So, what is it you need help with?" Ash smiled as he sat down on one of the logs in the park.
"Well, I have this essay I have to do. I'm supposed to study some Pokémon and give a detailed explanation about their behavior, eating habits, stuff like that." She explains.
"And I was wondering if you could help me?" She asked, although a hint of nervousness in her tone.
Immediately, Ash's eyes lit up and he sprung up from the log. "Of course! I love exploring and getting to see Pokémon!"
He then looked to the right, seeing Pikachu and Eevee still playing with each other. "Ain't that right, buddy?" He asked his trusty partner.
Pikachu immediately turned to him and gave a light smile. "Pika! Pika!" He responded ecstatically.
Chloe's eyes widened, completely dumbfounded at how easily he accepted her request. But, at least she had some guidance.
Pikachu jumps on Ash's shoulder, who immediately runs over to Chloe and lightly grabs her hand.
"Cmon! Let's get started!" Ash said grinning.
Without a second to process, the two began running out of Cerise Park and by extension Cerise Laboratory, with Chloe's Eevee following behind them.
"H-Hey! Slow down a little bit!" Chloe exclaims.
The two trainers had arrived at a rather familiar location. Vermillion Forest, where Goh caught some of his first-ever Pokémon.
"Oh yeah. I think I remember Goh telling me about this. That's when he started getting a grip on battling, right?" Chloe asked curiously.
Ash nodded at her. "Yep! Catching Pokémon is not just about throwing the Pokeball. You usually have to battle it!" He says.
Chloe looked a bit confused. "What do you mean by usually?"
She noticed Ash gained a huge grin, as he begins talking. "Battling Pokémon to catch them is fun and all, but, I kind of like it better to bond with them as well. Like what happened with you and Eevee." He says.
Chloe thought it over as she looked down at the Eevee in her arms. She did see what he was saying. As the two walk further into the forest, they hear multiple rustles in the bushes.
"Hey, Chloe! Over here!" Ash says.
Chloe nods, as the two rush over and hide behind a tree, but peak out to see what the Pokémon was. Turns out, it was a bunch of Rattata playing with one another. Around 5 or 6.
"Rattatas?" Chloe questioned, as she held up her Pink Rotom Phone.
"Rattata. The Mouse Pokémon. A Normal Type. It will chew on anything with its fangs. If you see one, you can be certain that 40 more live in the area." It said, although quietly.
"They're so cute!" Ash said in an exciting, but quiet tone. Although Chloe sort of questioned Ash's definition of cute. Regardless, she took out a notepad and began to write down what she saw.
"Hmm. I think maybe we should try to watch them some more. What do you think Ash?" She asked the boy, but when she turns, he and Pikachu are gone.
She immediately gets confused. "Ash? Where did you—" She then stared back at the Rattatas, noticing that Ash was with them and playing along with them all casually.
"A-Ash! Shouldn't we stay hidden? Wouldn't this affect their behavior?" Chloe asks him.
Ash simply stares back at her and grins gleefully. "From my experience, to find out the true nature of Pokémon is to bond and have fun with them!" He says excitingly. "Pikachu!" Pikachu responds in agreement.
Chloe didn't really understand it, but Eevee ran up and joined in playing with the Rattata, Ash, and Pikachu, who was running around and just having fun.
"... Oh well. What's the worse that could happen?" Chloe thought to herself before she ran over and played with the others.
Even though they were just very simple activities, it was somehow very fun. Chloe was running around with Eevee and some of the Rattata, while Ash let some of the Ratatta climbs on him. Chloe guessed this is what Ash meant. And if she had to be honest, it felt very refreshing compared to what she usually did in her everyday life.
The two trainers eventually sat down and took a breather. Chloe didn't realize it, but she was audibly giggling.
"That was a lot of fun!" Chloe said to Ash.
"I know right? Pokémon are the best!" Ash replies ecstatically. "Oh! Shouldn't you write all that stuff down?"
Chloe looks at her notepad and simply puts it in her pocket, before standing up.
"I mean, experiencing something is better than just writing it down, right? So, why don't I experience it more?" She suggests.
Ash doesn't say anything, staring at her for a few seconds, but afterward gained a huge smile, as he stands up as well.
"Sounds good to me!" He replies, with Pikachu cheering, as well as Eevee.
The two Pokémon jump on their respective trainer's shoulders, as Ash and Chloe wave goodbye to the Rattatas.
"Well, no time to waste! Let's go!" Chloe said as it was her turn to grab Ash's hand and run through the forest.
The two had fun discovering other kinds of Pokémon. Such as a troublesome Butterfree who kept putting other Pokémon to sleep, some Poliwags learning to swim, and other kinds of shenanigans. Although this next one was one they weren't expecting.
Ash and Chloe, looking rather exhausted, just giggled as they continued walking.
"Man, seeing all these Pokémon, it's such a breath of fresh air!" Chloe says.
Ash smiled at her comment. "Honestly! The outdoors and traveling are the best!"
Chloe just smiled, as she thinks over what else they went through. "Let's see... Sandslash rivalry's, a prankster Butterfree, a singing Jigglypuff that writes marker on your face?"
Ash scratched the back of his head, seemingly embarrassed. "I DID wash all of the marks off my face, right?"
Chloe just giggled. "Yes, Ash. I've tripled checked." She tells him. "Honestly, I think that's almost anything."
"Yeah! You got plenty of material for your school essay!" Ash said, seemingly excited. "Can't wait to see how it turns out!"
Ash lifted his left hand and clenched it into a fist. This caught Chloe's attention, as she saw a stone on his clove, as well as a ring. She noticed these before but didn't question them.
"Hey Ash, I've been meaning to ask. What are those? I see them on you all the time." She asked.
Ash looked at his wrists and gloves and smiled. "Well, this one right here is my Z-Ring!" He tells her, pointing at the bracelet on his left wrist.
"Z-Ring?" Chloe asked. He had never heard of this thing before.
"Yeah! These are items in the Alola Region that allow you to use Z-Crystals, which allow you to use Z-Moves!" Ash explains excitingly.
"Z-Crystals? Z-Moves?" This was a lot of info for Chloe to take in and although confused, she was rather interested.
"Oh yeah! So—" Before Ash could begin to explain, there was a sudden gust of wind, that hits both trainers and knocks them over, along with their partner Pokemon.
"Eevui!" Eevee got the worst of it, as she tumbled over and landed on her left front paw, as she winced loudly.
"Eevee!" Chloe quickly gets up, and she picks up the Evolution Pokemon.
Before the group knew it, it began to snow and hail very heavily. Without hesitation, Ash immediately grabbed Chloe by one of her hands as the two ran to try and find some shelter.
Eventually, the two find a large tree trunk, that was large enough to fit them inside. The two ducked and headed in, as they tried to stay in the very far corner of the trunk, to not get cold or hit by the hail.
"Eevee! Don't worry!" Chloe said worried, as she grabbed her bag and went through it.
She finally grabs a potion, along with some bandages, as she then lightly takes Eevee's damaged paw.
"This might sting a little." Chloe tells her partner, as she pushes the level, spraying out the medicine and onto her paw. Eevee winced a little, but stayed strong, as Chloe then grabbed the bandages and wrapped them around her leg.
"Are you feeling better at all Eevee?" Chloe asked, with the Evolution Pokemon nodding. "Why is it snowing this hard in the spring?"
"Chloe..." Ash was about to say something, before hearing light screams from multiple things in the distance.
"W-What was that?" Chloe asked.
"It sounded like some people in trouble." Ash speaks seriously.
Chloe then saw Ash stand up and walk towards the outside. "Are you crazy?! You can't be out there! Especially with how heavy the hail is!"
Ash simply looks back at Chloe. "If Pokémon are in trouble and I can do something, I can't sit by!"
Chloe just sits there, her eyes widening a little, as Ash then takes off, with Pikachu yelling, "Pika! Pika!", before instantly running after Ash.
It took her a few seconds to regain her senses. "Ah! Eevee! I'm going to find Ash! Please stay here and be safe!" She said as she attempts to run out to find him, but Eevee stepped in front, although having trouble due to her hurt leg.
"Don't stop me Eevee, please! He can't be out there alone!" Chloe says to her. But Eevee wasn't trying to stop her.
"Eevui! Ee! Ee! Vui, Eevui!" Eevee speaks to her.
Chloe crouches down, as she listens to Eevee's words. "You want to come with me? But you're hurt! If you get hurt more—" She was interrupted.
"Eevui! Vui Vui Vui! Eevui!" Eevee shouts.
Chloe's eyes are left staring at her partner. "You... don't care. You just want to help..." Chloe instantly got what Eevee was saying.
Chloe just stared, seemingly into nothingness, but in reality, she was feeling a sense of revelation.
"I... I feel the same way!" Chloe exclaims. "Let's go, Eevee!"
The Eevee jumps to her trainer's arm, with Chloe holding her bag over her head to cover her and Eevee from the hail.
"Phew! It's cold!" Chloe complained while Eevee didn't seem to mind.
"Ash! Pikachu!" Chloe calls out. They've been walking for a solid 5 or so minutes, not able to find Ash.
"I'm getting worried. What if Ash and Pikachu are hurt?!" She thinks to herself.
"Eevui..." Eevee whimpers.
As Chloe walks, he suddenly bumps into something.
"Huh?" She looks and... just sees a rock. She sighs heavily, thinking it was Ash.
"You too, huh?" A joking voice said.
"AHHH!!" Chloe screamed as she jumped back from the voice. And, of course, the voice that scared her was Ash's.
"Oop! Sorry! I didn't mean to scare ya!" Ash apologies.
"Pika..." Pikachu apologies as well.
Chloe just lightly smiles and moves forward. "I'm just glad you're okay! Come on! We need to get back and take cover until the storm blows over!"
"Sorry Chloe, but—" Before Ash could finish, they once again heard screeches nearby.
Without hesitation, Ash grabbed Chloe's hand and run towards the noise. When they finally arrived, they saw some of the Rattata they played with earlier, beaten up and laying on the ground.
Chloe was at a loss for words. "W-What happened to them?" She said as she looked at Ash.
But his focus was on something else. There, were a few Rattata left standing and facing the attacker, that being an Arbok.
"Pikachu! Iron Tail!" Ash immediately shouts.
Pikachu jumps from Ash's left shoulder, as he raises his tail, focusing and encasing iron around it.
"Chu~! Pika!" Pikachu then swung his tail and smacks it against the Arbok's face, knocking it a good few feet away.
The Arbok stood back up, looking very irritated, as Ash and Pikachu ran to the Rattata's aid, as he raises his arms as if he was guarding the hurt Mouse Pokemon.
"Ash! Please be careful!" Chloe shouts in worry.
"I don't get what your problem is, but you better leave them alone!" Ash reprimands the Cobra Pokemon.
This just made Arbok even angrier, as it begins to charge up, what seems like legitimate poisoned garbage in its mouth.
"Chloe! Please try to get the Rattata to safety!" Ash asks of her.
Chloe pauses for a moment, a little bit of sweat dripping down her face. But, her expression gains signs of seriousness and she nods.
"Come on Eevee! Let's try our best!" Chloe says.
Eevee nods, as she runs over to some of the Rattata, with Chloe putting one or two on her back, with Chloe carrying the rest. Any remaining Rattata left behind were the ones that were conscious and battling.
Afterward, the two began running back towards the tree trunk to get them somewhere warm. However, before she fully left, she looked back at Ash.
"Ash! Come back safe, okay?!" Chloe shouts.
Ash looks back at her and smiles. "Don't worry! I got this!" He tells her.
Chloe couldn't help but smile back before she runs off after Eevee.
"Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash commands.
Pikachu jumps into the air, as he was surrounded by a large yellow aura.
"Pika~! Chuuu!!" The Electric Mouse Pokemon then unleashed the powerful electric attack.
The Arbok then fires the Poison-type attack, Gunk Shot. Both attacks collide and neither Pokémon was backing down.
As Chloe ran, she heard a large explosion from behind her. She wanted to run back, but, she needed to trust Ash. And she needed to help these Rattata.
Eventually, she and Eevee arrived at the tree trunk and they book it there. As they rested the Rattata on the ground, Chloe took out some of the Potions and Bandages she brought.
"Don't worry you guys! It will be alright!" Chloe said as she sprayed the five Rattata's with the potion.
She then wrapped the bandages around parts of their body where there was major damage.
"I hope this works..." She spoke softly, although with sadness behind her tone.
The Rattata then wakes up a few seconds later and looks up at Chloe and smiles, before nuzzling against her legs as an act of thanks. The girl couldn't help but smile.
She heard footsteps, and she then looks and sees two shadows. As they got closer, it was clear they were Ash and Pikachu.
"Ash! Pikachu!" Chloe said, as she runs and grabs the two, pulling them in.
"Oof!" Ash fell over but quickly got back up. "Heh! Glad to see you too, Chloe! Don't worry, I'm fine!"
Chloe didn't notice it at first, but she saw that the other two Rattata from before, Ash were holding them. She then scooted aside, as she left room for the two to sit down.
"I'll help you guys get better! You can trust me!" She said as the two Rattata looked at her.
They smiled and jumped out of Ash's arms, as they land in front of the young girl. Chloe then takes one of the potions and sprays it on the Mouse Pokemon.
"You know Chloe, I'm impressed!" Ash says.
Chloe gets a little confused. "With what?"
Ash just grins. "With this! You were able to help these Rattata's to their full strength! That's not something anyone can do!" He explains.
Chloe thought over what he said. She guessed he had a point, although she thought it most of the medicine's doing than her work.
"Hey, that's not true." Ash said, which freaked Chloe out.
"D-Did you just...?" Chloe asked confused, to which Ash nodded.
"Yeah! You learn a few things when you train up a Lucario."
Ash stands up and looks down at Chloe. "If you didn't try your best to rush these Rattata to safety, they would probably be dead." He put it bluntly.
"Ash..." Chloe said before Ash continued.
"Chloe, please do me one favor." He said as he extends out his fist.
"Have faith in yourself! You and Eevee are trying to discover your dream, right? Well, that dream will be your strength. Just like my dream and my Pokémon are my strength!"
Chloe didn't know what to say. She couldn't even process any thoughts. But, she soon smiled.
"I promise, Ash." She said as she put her fist against his.
The next day came around, as the Rattata, Pikachu, Eevee, Ash, and Chloe were all sleeping rather soundly.
"Hhhnnn..." Chloe groans as she wakes up, along with Eevee. She looks out and sees the sunlight.
"Haaaaaaaa~" Ash yawns, as he wakes up, along with Pikachu. "Oh! Morning Chloe!" He said smiling.
Chloe smiled, but then remembered that they were still in the woods. "AHHHH! Mom and Dad must be so worried about me!"
Ash gained a serious expression. "Don't worry! We'll get back." He assured her.
As Ash steps outside to get a good view of the area, suddenly, the sides of him spur up ice pillars.
"What the?!" Chloe said. "Eevui?" Eevee looked rather confused but interested.
The pillars kept rising along, creating a sort of set path for the group to follow. Where would this lead them?
"D-Do we follow it?" Chloe asks.
Ash study's the situation and tries something. "Pikachu! Iron Tail!"
Pikachu encased his tail in a coat of iron, and he then swings it, slicing one of the pillars, which then immediately regenerated.
"Looks like we have to follow it." Ash tells Chloe.
Chloe gulps nervously. This wasn't how she expected her weekend to go. The four begin to walk along the forced path, taking multiple turns. Rights and left. They had no idea where they were going.
"So Ash... You said something about a Lucario?" Chloe asked, curious about some of his adventures
Ash stared at her, before grinning. "Yep! I got one in my trip in the Sinnoh Region."
"And training that Pokemon gave you the ability to read minds?" Chloe questioned.
Ash put his hand to his chin. "Well, it's a little more than that! Lucario has this power called Aura, hence why it's called the aura Pokemon. The power is kinda like *BSSSSSSHHH*!" He explains.
"Like... what?" She was rather confused about what *BSSSSSSHH* meant.
However, Ash continued. "It was difficult to master, but I was able to do it! And not just with Lucario, it helped me be able to understand my other Pokémon even better."
As Ash kept explaining, Chloe couldn't help but be caught up in what he was saying.
"... I'm feeling something." Ash said, interrupting his explanation.
The two looked forward, seeing a large mist before it faded. The pillars of ice then break into hundreds of pieces, as they are then carried by a gust of wind, surrounding themselves in a large sphere.
"Ash! Is this normal?!" Chloe shouts.
Ash didn't say a word as he... smirked? Chloe looked even more confused than she already was, as she looked back at the ball of wind and shards of ice.
"Arrrrrrrrrr..." A voice came from the huge sphere, as the wind then dispersed and shot the shards of ice everywhere, although were purposefully kept away from Chloe, Ash, Pikachu, and Eevee.
"ARTICUNO!" As everything settled, the figure was revealed to be the Legendary Pokemon, Articuno!
Chloe was stunned in place. It was an ACTUAL Legendary Pokemon! Right in front of her!
"W... Wow..." These were the only words she could speak at that moment. "Eevui..." Her Eevee spoke softly.
Ash steps up, with Pikachu on his shoulder. "I knew I sensed something here." He said.
Chloe just looked at the boy, before the soon-to-be Pokemon Master spoke once more. "I can sense something in ya. You led us here for a battle, am I right?"
Chloe's eyes widened. "WHAAAAT?!" She shouts.
She looks back at the Freeze Pokémon, with the Articuno nodding.
"Cuno!" The Articuno said as it spins around, before spreading its wings, screeching at Ash and Pikachu.
"Cuuuuuuuuu!!" It then begins to set up Hail!
"Alright! Let's do this, Pikachu!" Ash says confidently, with Pikachu jumping off of his shoulder and onto the snow in front of Articuno.
Chloe immediately begins to object. "A-Ash! Are you sure this is safe?! This is a legendary Pokémon!"
Ash just looks back at her with a big grin. "Don't worry! We'll do our best! Right, buddy?" Ash said, his last sentence directed at Pikachu.
"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu responded confidently.
"Eevui!" Eevee shouted in excitement, really excited to see how this battle will play out.
Outvoted three to one, she just stood back and watched. "Okay fine! Just please be careful!" She said. Although, she was also curious to see Ash's battling ability.
"We'll start this off! Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Ash commands, throwing his fist forward.
"Pika!" Pikachu shouts. "Chuuu~ PIKA!" Pikachu jumps into the air, as his tail is surrounded by the hard steel material. Pikachu then proceeds to swing his tail.
However, Articuno simply flies up and out of the way of the attack. Not only that, but Pikachu is then lightly damaged by the hail.
"Arti!!" The Articuno then rapidly flaps its wings, as it sends a dangerous blizzard attack at Pikachu.
"Pikachu! You won't be able to dodge it in the Hail! Counter it with Thunderbolt!" Ash shouts.
Pikachu nods, as he is surrounded by a yellow aura.
"Pikaaaa~ CHUUU!!" Pikachu then unleashes his Thunderbolt, which then clashed with the Blizzard.
"Ah!" Chloe covered herself and Eevee, as the pressure of the two attacks was a bit much for them.
After a little bit, there was an explosion, with both attacks being canceled out.
Ash then makes a quick swing motion with his right arm. "Use Quick Attack!"
"Pika!" Pikachu regains composure, as he speeds off at the Articuno, leaving afterimages behind himself. He appears right in front of the legendary, before landing a clean blow to its stomach, knocking it back a few inches.
"Alright!" Ash said proudly. "Keep up the pressure with Electroweb!"
Chloe regained her senses, as she looked, watching Pikachu create a ball of electricity, which when thrown turned into a web of said electric energy.
"Wow... Are these what Pokémon battles can really be like?" She asked herself.
Articuno was too late as the Electroweb landed and not only damaged it but also slowed it down.
"Good job, Pikachu!" Ash said.
Articuno wasn't about to give up yet, as it then flapped its wings once more. This time it produced a large swirl of wind, which slowly moved towards Pikachu.
"That's Hurricane! Pikachu, dodge it with Quick Attack!" Ash called out.
Pikachu created more afterimages as he sped off, the Hurricane getting faster and faster, but he was barely able to ignore it.
"CUUUUNO!!" Articuno roars as it fires off another Blizzard. This time it actually hits Pikachu.
"PIKA!!" Pikachu winced in pain, as he was sent flying back. Luckily enough he wasn't frozen, but the damage was nothing to sneeze at.
"Pikachu!" Chloe shouted. "Eevui!" Eevee said worriedly.
Pikachu opened his eyes, as he jumps back to his feet, however, he does stagger a little bit when hit by the hail. However afterward, the Hail finally stopped.
Ash smirks as he then commands Pikachu once more. "Let's keep this up! Use Quick Attack and speed around Articuno!"
"Pika!" Pikachu takes off at blistering speeds once more. Articuno looks around for Pikachu once more.
Pikachu jumps from behind, but Articuno sees this and attempts to use Blizzard.
"Use Thunderbolt on the ground!" Ash calls out.
Pikachu nods, as he charges up large amounts of electrical energy in his body.
"Pikaaa~ CHUUU!!" Pikachu shoots the Thunderbolt right down below him, which produces enough force to push Pikachu up into the air, dodging the Blizzard.
Chloe looked on surprised. "I didn't know moves could be used like that."
"Eevui..." Eevee was rather shocked too.
"Now! Use Iron Tail!" Ash shouts.
"Chu~ PIKA!" Pikachu's tail is coated in steel, and he then produces a large swing that hits Articuno.
However, the Legendary Pokémon quickly recovers and flaps its wings, firing off a Hurricane, which smashes against Pikachu.
"Ah! Pikachu!" Ash shouts.
"Piiikaaa...!" Pikachu groans, struggling to take the damage of the attack, as it then fully explodes, knocking Pikachu far back.
"Articuno is no Pokémon to sneeze at." Ash thinks. "But that just means we need to push ourselves even further!"
"Alright! Pikachu, jump through the trees using Quick Attack! Get some high ground!" Ash tells his partner.
"Pi... KA!" Pikachu dashes through the forest and jumps from tree branch to tree branch, gaining a higher elevation. He then lands in a very tall tree, only slightly above Articuno.
Ash then cups his hand around his mouth. "Iron Tail!" He shouts.
Pikachu then jumps from the tree, as the Articuno looks behind itself.
"Chuuu! PIKA!" Pikachu's tail gains an iron coating, as he then swings it.
Articuno squints its eyes, as it then opens its beak wide.
"P-PIKA?!" Pikachu shouts confused, as his tail is then grabbed by Articuno.
"It caught him!" Chloe said.
Ash smirks. "Right there! Electroweb!"
Pikachu's tail glows, a large yellow ball forming on it, as Articuno's eyes widened, before seeing the ball extending out and turning into a web. It wrapped around the legendary Pokémon, as it is sent crashing into the ground.
"Now! Use Thunderbolt!"
As Pikachu charges up, Articuno breaks through the Electroweb. But then, suddenly, a large net is thrown and traps Articuno in it. It is then pulled and taken, then traps Articuno in a large cage.
"What the?!" Chloe says audibly.
"Arti? Arti!!" Articuno tries to escape from the net, but it then shocks it to stop it from doing so. From atop a cliff, four figures were unrecognizable.
"Who are you guys?!" Ash shouts in anger.
"Prepare for Trouble, if you're that easily shocked!" A magenta-haired woman turns as she grins.
"And make it double, as Articuno stays locked!" Says a purple-haired man, before he throws the rose he was holding.
The four figures jump down and strike dynamic poses, the man to the left of the woman.
"To protect the world from devastation!" The lady shouts.
The man does the same by saying, "To unite all people within our nation!"
The woman then backflips and strikes yet another pose, with the man doing the same yet again. The woman yet again speaks.
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!" She says.
The man speaks up afterward. "To extend our reach to the stars above!"
They finally announce their names. "Jessie!" The woman says. "James!" The man asserts.
James and Jessie grab each other's hands with their left and right respectively, before raising them into the air.
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!" Jessie says. "Surrender now or prepare for a fight!" James asserts.
Finally, the other two figures come into vision, as Meowth backflips in front of the two humans and jump into the air proudly, while the Wobbuffet simply appears behind the man and woman.
"Meowth! Dat's right!" Meowth shouts.
"Wobbuffet!" The Wobbuffet says proudly, as an R appears behind the four, signifying their alliance with Team Rocket.
"Team Rocket, again..." Chloe sighed.
Ash and Pikachu run up towards the evildoers.
"Hey! Let go of Articuno!" Ash shouts. "Pika pika!" Pikachu says.
The trio just laughs. "And pass up the chance for a rare capture for the boss? No way!" James responds.
"This capture of Articuno will give us the respect from the boss we've wanted for so long!" Jessie says.
"Dat's exactly right! Get in our way and yuh'll pay!!" Meowth yells.
James then grabbed a remote and pressed it, which sent a... Pelipper call? A Pelipper then came swooping down and dropping the Rocket Prize Master.
"Alright, Meowth. You know what happens next." Jessie said.
Meowth sighs, as he is then picked up, with his coin being placed into the slot, with Jessie and James turning the knob, which gave them two Team Rocket-themed Pokeball, with cards detailing the Pokémon and their moves.
"Heh! I got the Stakeout Pokémon, Gunshoos!" Jessie says.
"And I got the Ogre Darner Pokémon, Yanmega!" James says.
The two Pokémon get ready for battle, growling at Pikachu and Ash.
"Alright, Pikachu! You ready to save Articuno?" Ash asks his partner. And of course, the electric mouse nods.
Ash was about to send out another Pokémon, however, Chloe and Eevee run up next to the two.
"We're going to help too, Ash!" Chloe says.
Ash stared at her for a second, with Chloe giving a smile in confidence. Ash simply smiled back.
"Alright! Let's do it together!" Ash responded.
Chloe nods at him. "Thank you, Ash! Ready, Eevee?" Chloe asks her partner.
"Eevui!" Eevee nods.
"Enough chatter! Gumshoos, use Super Fang!" Jessie shouts.
"Yanmega! Use Bug Buzz!" James commands.
Gumshoos open its mouth, as it gains two large white fangs of energy. Yanmega begins to vibrate its wings as it sends a large shockwave at Pikachu and Eevee.
"Dodge it, then use Quick Attack!" Ash and Chloe said in unison.
"Piika!/Eeevui!" Pikachu and Eevee take off running, as they dodge around the attacks.
The two Pokémon then speed off quickly with Quick Attack, with Pikachu and Eevee smashing themselves against Gumshoos and Yanmega respectively.
Jessie and James are caught off guard. "Don't just stand dere gawkin'! Keep up de pressure!" Meowth shouts at the two.
"Alright, Gumshoos! Use Stomping Tantrum on Pikachu!" Jessie commands.
Gumshoos begins to rapidly stomp their feet, generating the Ground Type attack, aiming it at the Electric Mouse Pokemon.
"Eevee! Use Quick Attack and stop Gumshoos!" Chloe shouts. Eevee nods, as she takes off at high speeds.
"Yanmega! Stop Eevee using Air Slash!" James says.
Yanmega flies right in front of Eevee, as it flaps its wings and sends slashes of Air at Eevee, hitting her with big damage.
"Ah! Eevee!" Chloe exclaimed.
As Eevee was hit, Gumshoos finished its Stomping Tantrum, which was sent towards Pikachu.
"Pikachu! Jump and dodge!" Ash shouts.
Pikachu nods, as he jumps into the air. However, rubble from the ground was shot into the air when the attack was fully complete, which hit Pikachu for super effective damage.
"Don't worry, Chloe! We're still in the game!" Ash tells her.
Chloe looks to Ash and nods. She then begins to quickly think. "Ah! I have an idea!" She says. This catches Ash's attention.
"I don't know if it will work, but, I have to at least try!" She tells him.
Ash just smiles again. "Whatever your plan is, I'll follow!" He tells her.
They talk amongst one another, as Jessie and James are getting angry at them for ignoring the current battle.
"Yanmega! Air Slash, again!" James says.
"Gumshoos! Use Crunch!" Jessie exclaims.
The two Pokémon nod, as Gumshoos generates a black pair of top and bottom rows of sharp teeth, and Yanmega flaps its wings to shoot slashes of air.
"Dodge it!" Ash and Chloe call out.
Pikachu and Eevee roll to the side to dodge the attacks.
"Pikachu! Jump up!" Ash commands. Pikachu nods, as he takes a big leap.
Chloe smirks. "Eevee! Copy that Air Slash and send a couple at Pikachu!"
This catches Team Rocket completely off guard. "Why the heck are the twerps attacking each other?" Jessie questioned.
Eevee nods, as she gains a sky blue glow around her, before shooting multiple slashes of air at Pikachu.
"Heh! Now Pikachu! Use Iron Tail and bounce off of those attacks!" Ash commands.
"Chu~ PIKA! PiiKA! Pika!" Pikachu shouts, as he hits his tail against the slashes of air, which sends him more and more into the air, gaining a great amount of height.
"Now! Use Electroweb!" Ash says.
"Pika, Pika, Piika! PI!" Pikachu then generated an electric ball on his tail, before shooting it at Team Rocket's Pokémon, having it turn into a large web.
"That's easy to counter! Jump and use Hyper Fang!" Jessie commands Gumshoos, smirking.
"Yanmega! Add a Bug Buzz for extra measure!" James shouts.
Gumshoos gains even larger fangs, as it jumps and bites the electric web. Yanmega helps its partner by vibrating its wings and sending a shockwave that clashes against the web, causing an explosion and destroying it.
"It's good you destroyed it! But, now you left yourselves wide open!" Ash tells the trio.
Team Rocket look at Ash and then look at Chloe's Eevee, who had a slight yellow glow to it.
"AHHH!!" The trio scream in realization.
"Eevee! Electroweb!" Chloe commands confidently.
Eevee smirks, as her yellow glow gets bigger from Copycat. Her tail then gains a webbed ball, as she then spins and throws it toward Team Rocket's Pokemon, with it extending out as an actual web. This time it actually connected, landing heavy damage. The two Pokémon then fall to the ground, with swirls for eyes.
"Alright! Time for the grand finale! Pikachu/Eevee! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash and Chloe say in unison.
Pikachu and Eevee both gain an electrical glow, as Eevee copies Pikachu's move. The two then jump into the air as they charge their electric energy.
"Pika~! CHUUU!!" Pikachu shouts as he fires off his Thunderbolt.
"Eevui!!" Eevee roars, as she does the exact same as her partner.
The two Thunderbolts combine together and crash against Team Rocket, causing the group to fly high into the air.
"Why d'ja not attack de twerpette's Eevee?!" Meowth furiously asked James.
"I didn't think it would be an issue! Pikachu's the strong one!" James justified.
"Would you two shut up?! We just lost a legendary Pokémon for the boss!!" Jessie points out.
"Ahhh!! Yet anudder loss?!" Meowth shouts.
"We're blasting off again!!" The trio shouts into the skies beyond. "Wobbuffet!" A single twinkle in the sky signifies their temporary departure.
Chloe sat down on the ground, taking in some breaths. "Wow..." She said.
Ash looked at her, a little worried. "Hey, Chloe. Are you okay?" He asked.
Chloe looked up at Ash, smiling, before instantly jumping up. "I'm fine! It's just, I've never felt that excited before!" She tells him.
Ash couldn't help but grin. "I'm glad it was! Battling always gets me fired up!" He said.
The two trainers quickly turn their attention to the cage with Articuno. Ash was quick to think. "Pikachu! Use Iron Tail across the top and bottom of the bars!"
Pikachu nods, as his tail was covered in steel, before swinging it across the top and bottom of the large steel poles. This caused them to fall out easily.
"Eevee! Use Iron Tail as well to destroy that net!" Chloe tells her sidekick.
Eevee glows a white aura, as her tail is then encased in iron as well. She then jumps and swings it across the jet, cutting it in half.
"Ar... Articuno?" Articuno looks around, seeing itself free. As it exits the cage, it looks down at Ash and Chloe.
"... Cuno!" It said, as it then flaps its swings, beginning to fly away.
Ash smiled as he waved goodbye. "Glad you're okay, Articuno! Stay safe!" He said.
Chloe looked at Ash, before looking at Articuno. She began to wave as well. "Like Ash said! Stay out of harms way!"
As they waved goodbye, they noticed something falling from Articuno's direction. It was a blue-colored feather, and it landed right in Chloe's hands.
"Woooah!! Maybe that's Articuno's way of saying 'thank you'!" Ash told her.
Chloe looked at it for a bit and smiled. "I think you're right!" She said.
"Eevui!" Eevee jumped up on Chloe's shoulder happily, nuzzling her cheek.
"Pika!" Pikachu jumped on Ash's shoulder and did the same to Ash.
The two trainers giggle as they then looked at one another.
"I think about time we head back. We did stay here overnight, so we should assure everyone that we are alright." Chloe suggested.
"Great idea, Chloe!" Ash replied happily.
Goh was outside the lab, looking around for Ash and Chloe. "They've been gone forever! Where could—"
He suddenly pauses, as he sees them on the horizon, just as the sun was setting. He instantly runs up to the two.
"Where have you two been?! You guys never came back to the lab!" Goh asks, with a more worried tone than an angry one.
Chloe and Ash scratch the back of their heads. "Well, we'll explain inside. It is getting late." Chloe says.
Goh sighs and smiles. "Alright fine. But I better hear every detail!" He demands.
The trio then walks inside, before being bombarded with questions from Chloe's family. "Where were you?!" Her mom asked. "Are you hurt?!" Her dad asked. When everything steeled down, Chloe and Ash sat down and explained everything.
"You guys WHAT?!" Parker, Chloe's little brother, exclaimed.
"Yeah! Ash fought against Articuno!" Chloe said in a chipper tone of voice, even showing the feather to prove it.
Professor Cerise takes the feather, examining it for a little bit. "I doubt you two would lie about this. Wow..." He was rather shocked, before giving the feather back to Chloe.
Ash giggled. "It was an awesome battle! Too bad Team Rocket had to interrupt it. I felt like I had it on the ropes!" He said, clutching his hand into a fist excitingly.
Talia smiled. "I'm just glad you are alright." She said to Chloe.
"Speaking of that, you came up with that strategy? The whole Electroweb stuff?" Goh asked Chloe.
Chloe sweat a bit, before answering confidently. "Yeah! I thought that having Ash distract them with Pikachu, while Eevee used the same move from below, we could guarantee victory."
Goh smirked. "And you said you weren't like us." He teased.
"Chloe sure is amazing!" Ash said cheerfully as he grinned.
Chloe looked at Ash, before grinning as well. She then looked toward her father and mother.
"Hey, Dad. Mom." She said. "Is it alright, if I travel around with Ash and Goh more?" She asked.
Her parents were a little taken aback. This never seemed like something she wanted to do. "Why's that?" Professor Cerise asked.
"That whole experience, with the Pokémon and actually battling for once. It was exciting! And, I guess I want to experience more of that excitement! Especially with Eevee!" Chloe spoke joyfully.
Professor Cerise and Talia looked at one another, giving off a light smile. "If that's what you want to do, then we won't stop you!" Talia said.
Chloe's eyes sparkled as she hugged her mom and dad. "Thank you!" She said.
"Eevui!" Eevee said happily, nuzzling both Professor Cerise and Talia.
Suddenly, Ash's Rotom Phone beeped, as he then looked at it. It was a notification from the World Coronation Series.
"Oh yeah, Ash. How has World Coronation Series been going?" Professor Cerise asked.
Ash lightly smiled. "It's been good! I just recently got into Ultra Class! Rank 99!" He said as he checked to see what this notification was about.
"So? Who's your next opponent?" Goh asked curiously.
When the opponent popped up, Ash had a gleaming smile. It was a picture of Winona, who was ranked 64. "It's Winona!" Ash said.
"Huh? Who's Winona?" Chloe and Goh asked.
"She's a Hoenn Region Gym Leader! We had an awesome battle a while back when I was aiming my way towards the Hoenn Pokemon League!" Ash explains to them.
"When's the battle gonna happen?" Goh asked.
Ash scrolls through the information. "According to this, it's going to be 3 on 3, Single Battle. And the battle takes place at a stadium in Ever Grande City!" Ash says.
Professor Cerise thinks for a moment, before turning to Chloe. "Well, since you want to travel more, why don't you go with Ash and Goh to the Hoenn Region. I'm sure there are lots of activities you can do after Ash's battle." He suggests.
Chloe looks to Ash, who smiled brightly. She smiled as well, before nodding. "Sounds like a good idea!" She accepted.
The evening came and went, as Chloe, her family, Ash, and Goh ate dinner and talked. Ash, of course, was deciding what Pokémon he should use for the battle, while Goh was trying to decide on how to approach his Project Mew missions. And then, it was time to rest.
"I've never really asked, but what is Project Mew like?" Chloe asks as she gets ready for bed.
Goh just shrugs. "I haven't had an official mission yet, but I did do a qualification mission. I'm just trying to decide what my first mission should be." He explains.
"Sounds like a challenge," Chloe says. "Hey, have you seen Ash?"
Goh shrugs again. Chloe steps out of the room and hears something. It was coming from Cerise Park. She slowly walks toward the park, as she peeks in.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail! Lucario, Aura Sphere! Dragonite, Hurricane!" Ash commands all three.
The three Pokémon all do their attacks at once. With Pikachu slashing his Iron Tail against Lucario's Aura Sphere, which was then hit into Dragonite's Hurricane, canceling it out.
"Alright, I think that's enough late-night training. We got a big day tomorrow you guys!" Ash said as he returned Dragonite and Lucario to their Pokeball.
Chloe couldn't help but giggle audibly, which caused Ash to turn around and see her. "I'm guessing you're excited?" She asked.
Ash grinned. "Yep! I'm really fired up! It's honestly hard to think about sleeping." Ash said, as he yawned and laid back.
Chloe came over and sat down next to the excited trainer.
"Hey, Ash. I never got to thank you for today. You really helped me! Not just with my silly essay, but when I saw you protect those Ratatta. When you battled Articuno and Team Rocket. I want to do more than just school. I want to see the world and find my way, just like you and Goh." Chloe explained.
Ash springs up and looks at her. "Glad I could help in some way! Honestly, when we battled Team Rocket, we felt pretty in sync!" He said excitingly.
Chloe blinked. "In sync?" She asked.
"Yeah! Our first attacks were right on the dime, our execution of your strategy was perfect too! And our final attack was like *BLAM!*" Ash explained.
Chloe didn't realize it until Ash just explained it to her. "Yeah, you're right. If I have to be honest, I never felt so excited in my life!" She said smiling.
"I'm hoping my battle tomorrow will be even more exciting!" Ash said as he stands up, raising his fist in the air.
"And I'll win it, for sure!" He shouts as Pikachu jumps on his shoulder. "Pika, Pikachu!" His partner says proudly.
Chloe giggled, as she stood up as well. "Well, I'm excited to see what you have in store! This is the first battle of yours I'm watching after all."
Ash grinned as he puts his fist toward her for a fist bump. "You can count on me!"
Chloe looked at his fist and smiled, as she returned the fist bump back.