Hey guys, I'm finally back with a new chapter with this fic. Once again I apologize for the very long wait for this chapter, but the usual things have been taking up a lot of my time; college, work, and life in general, you all know the drill. Plus, I just haven't had a ton of motivation to write anything lately and I keep on procrastinating. Well I've finished updating my other two fics, so now I can focus on this one. This chapter will pick up right where the previous chapter left off, and will have Ash and his group investigating the mysterious Pokemon Rowlet and then move on to their next destination. This fic has passed now officially 1,700 followers and is almost at 1,700 favorites and 1,200 reviews. So, thank you all for your continued support and patience with me.

P.S. Have you guys been keeping up with any of the anime this season? There are so many great series going on at once! Renai Boukun (Probably my favorite anime this season, because I love the manga), Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata Flat, Boku no Hero Academia Season 2, Eromanga Sensei, Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteriu Darou ka Gaiden: Sword Oratoria, and Rokudenashi Majutsu Koushi to Akashic Records, just to name a few of my favorites. So, if you haven't been keeping up with this season's anime, I highly recommend you check them out, because there are some real gems. Also I'm really late telling you guys this, but I do have a myanimelist account now. My username on there is the same one as my pen name on this site, so check out my profile if you want to see all the anime/manga I've read/watched, am reading/watching, how I rate them, and some of my favorite characters and series.

Well that's enough of me talking, let's get to the fic!

"Speech"

"Thoughts"

Pokemon Attack

"Telepathy/Aura Speech"

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon, or any of its characters.

"What the hell is a Rowlet?" Ash asked in a confused tone, staring down at the small, owl-like Pokemon in his lap. "There's no info on him in my Pokedex either."

"That's odd." Cilan muttered, as he crouched down next to Ash and began to carefully inspect Rowlet. "Perhaps he's from a new region?"

"Well wherever he's from he's adorable!" May squealed, picking up Rowlet and hugging him tightly. However, Rowlet wasn't pleased with this and quickly wriggled free of May's grasp. The owl-like Pokemon quickly darted behind Ash and hid behind him.

"You should probably take it easy May..." Ash said in a soft voice, as he turned around and gently picked up Rowlet. "This little guy just fell from the sky. He's probably really scared right now, and he could be hurt. But first..." Setting Rowlet back onto the ground, Ash rummaged through his bag and eventually took of a container full of Pokemon food. Ash smiled as he set the food down in front of Rowlet. The owl-like Pokemon titled his head in curiosity, before he slowly approached. Taking a few cautious sniffs, Rowlet ate one of the food pellets. Rowlet's eyes instantly widened and he began to devour the food. "Heh, I thought you might be hungry. That's Cilan's special blend of Pokemon food, eat as much as you want."

"What are we gonna do with him?" Dawn asked, walking up next to Ash and watching Rowlet happily eat. "We can't really just leave him here."

"We're already on our way to the Pokemon Center, so let's take him with us." Ash said, as he crouched down in front of Rowlet. Seeing that the small Pokemon was finished with the food, and appeared to be quite full, Ash put the container back into his pack and picked Rowlet up. "We can have Nurse Joy give him a check up, then I'll call Professor Juniper."

"That's sounds like a plan to me." Cynthia said, nodding her head in agreement. With a sweet smile Cynthia walked up to Rowlet and gently patted the Pokemon on the head. "After fall like that this little guy probably got banged up." Humming softly in content, Rowlet leaned into Cynthia's touch. "Heh, he really is cute."

"Alright, alright enough gawking at the little owl." Burgundy huffed, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "You can all dot on him when we get to the Pokemon Center. I'm seriously tired and I want to get to bed."

"If you want to pet him go right ahead Burgundy." Ash said with a grin, extending Rowlet towards the scowling purple-haired woman. "He won't bite."

"I-I don't want to p-pet him!" Burgundy stuttered out, as her entire face burned bright red in embarassment. "I r-really am tired!"

"Sure, sure. Whatever you say." Ash said, chuckling lightly as he watched Burgundy turn her head to hide her blush. Turning Rowlet around, Ash locked eyes with the owl-like Pokemon. "So Rowlet, what do you say? Do you wanna come to the Pokemon Center with us? Nurse Joy will give you a quick check up, then I can give you some more of Cilan's Pokemon food." Rowlet's eyes instantly lit up and he nodded his head eagerly. Ash was surprised when Rowlet suddenly jumped out of his arms and hopped up onto his shoulder, eventually worming his way inside of Ash's pack. Turning his head, Ash couldn't help but chuckle when he saw Rowlet's head poking out of his bag. "Ha! I'll take that as a yes!"

(One Hour Later: Celadon City's Pokemon Center)

"Well it appears that Rowlet is just fine now." Nurse Joy said with a smile, as she handed Rowlet back to Ash. "He did have a few minor scrapes, but I was able to patch those up quite easily. After a little rest Rowlet will be just fine."

"Thanks a lot Nurse Joy." Ash said, setting Rowlet down on the ground so that he could go mingle with the other Pokemon. Watching Rowlet walk over towards Chesnaught and Leavanny, Ash smiled when he saw the owl-like Pokemon stare at the fully evolved grass-types in awe.

"That's quite the interesting Pokemon you have there." Nurse Joy said, as she stared at Rowlet, her eyes full of curiosity. "I've never seen one like that before."

"Yeah, we have no idea where he came from either." Ash said, causing Nurse Joy to quirk an eyebrow. "I had just finished my gym battle, and when I walked outside that little guy fell out of the sky and hit me in the head."

"Goodness!" Nurse Joy exclaimed, as her eyes shot open in shock. "Are you okay?!"

"Don't worry about me..." Ash said, chuckling as he tapped his temple with his fist. "I've got a real thick head." Ash's little joke had the desired effect, as Nurse Joy began to laugh as well. Spotting a nearby video phone, Ash remembered that he had to call Professor Juniper. "Well I have to go make a call Nurse Joy, thanks again for taking care of Rowlet."

"It was my pleasure." Nurse Joy said with a smile, as she waved to Ash. "Oh Ash, one last thing..." Stopping for a moment, Ash turned to face Nurse Joy. "Try not get hit by any more falling Pokemon."

"I'll do my best." Ash laughed, before walking over to where Rowlet was. The owl-like Pokemon appeared to talking with Leavanny and Chesnaught, and it seemed like they were all getting along quite well. Spotting Hilda reading a magazine on a nearby couch, Ash walked over to her. "Hey Hilda."

"What is it Ash?" Hilda asked, as she perked up slightly at her lover's presence. "Do you need anything?"

"I'm gonna call Professor Juniper, so could you keep on eye on Rowlet?" Ash requested, gesturing to the small, owl-like Pokemon. "Just make sure he doesn't wander off, and bring him over when I call for you."

"No problem Ash." Hilda said with a smile, as she set down her magazine. "I've been wanting to play with that little guy."

"Thanks Hilda, I'll call you when I'm ready." Ash said, making his way over to the video phone. Taking a seat, Ash quickly punched in Professor Juniper's numbers. The phone rang for several moments, before a rather disheveled looking Professor Juniper appeared on the screen.

"Hello!?" Professor Juniper exclaimed, as she took a moment to adjust her monitor. "Who's calling me at this ungodly hour?! I was in the middle of an important experiment!"

"You really need to hire some more assistants." Ash said with a light chuckle, waving to the exhausted Professor. "How ya doing Professor Juniper?"

"Ash! Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to get so upset!" Professor Juniper squeaked, as her face tinted pink in embarassment. "It's really late at night, and I didn't recognize your number at first."

"It's fine Professor, sorry for calling you so late." Ash apologized, briefly bowing his head. "I just had a question I wanted to ask you."

"It's fine dear." Professor Juniper said with a smile, as she waved dismissively. "So what did you want to ask me?"

"Have you heard of a Pokemon called Rowlet?" Ash asked, causing Juniper to quirk an eyebrow in intrigue.

"Rowlet? Why do you ask?" Professor Juniper questioned, as she leaned towards the screen. "Did you find something interesting?"

"You could say that." Ash replied, briefly turning away from monitor and gesturing to someone off screen. A few moments later an attractive brunette girl Juniper had never seen before momentarily appeared on screen and handed Ash something. When Ash turned back to the monitor, Juniper was surprised to see a strange Pokemon in his arms. "This little guy fell on my head earlier and I was wondering if you could tell me anything about him."

"Oh my, that really is a Rowlet." Professor Juniper said in a surprised tone, as she put on a pair of glasses. "I've only seen pictures of this Pokemon."

"So you do know more about Rowlet?" Ash inquired, causing Professor Juniper to shake her head.

"I don't know too much, only the basics really. Give me one moment..." Professor Juniper said, as she turned her attention to a separate monitor. Ash watched as Professor Juniper scrolled through a series of files on her computer. "Ah! Here it is!" Adjusting her glasses, Juniper began to read the information in the file. "Rowlet...The Grass Quill Pokemon...it appears to be a grass-flying type Pokemon...and it's native to the Alola region...I can keep searching and maybe scrounge up a list of moves Rowlet can use, but that will take some time..." Professor Juniper paused for a few moments, as she continued to quickly read through the file. "From what I'm seeing here this may be the first wild Rowlet ever encountered outside of the Alola region."

"The Alola region?" Ash parroted in a confused tone, quirking an eyebrow. "I've never heard of it."

"I'm not surprised." Professor Juniper said, as she turned her attention away from the file on Rowlet. "Alola is a very isolated region and has only recently started communicating with the outside world. The various Pokemon that live there are known by very few outside of the region." Leaning towards the monitor, Professor Juniper spoke in a hushed tone. "Based on some of the rumors I've heard, apparently there are special variants of various Kanto Pokemon that have adapted to Alola's unique environment and taken on unique forms. The craziest one I've heard about, is that Exeggutor in Alola grow to be as tall as palm trees!"

"That sounds awesome." Ash said, stroking his chin. Glancing down at Rowlet, Ash began to imagine all the other amazing Pokemon Alola could contain. "The Alola region, eh? Maybe when I'm finished conquering all the leagues..." Looking back at the screen, Ash saw that Professor Juniper was giving him a strange look. "Oh! Sorry about that Professor! I kinda spaced out there for a minute." Chuckling in embarassment, Ash rubbed the back of his head. "Well thanks for all the info Professor Juniper, you really helped out."

"Oh, it was my pleasure Ash." Professor Juniper said with a bright smile, as she took off her glasses. "I'm always happy to help you whenever you need it."

"Well I better get going Professor, it's getting pretty late." Ash said, pushing away from the video phone. "I'll talk to you later."

"Bye Ash!" Professor Juniper said, as she waved to the camera. "And if you end up catching that Rowlet, make sure to send him back here right away! I'd love to study him!"

"That woman...always so energetic when it comes to her research." Ash chuckled, cutting off the call. Setting Rowlet down, Ash crouched down in front of the owl-like Pokemon. "Well I know a little bit more about you now...but now what are we gonna do with you?" Rowlet cocked his head as he stared back at Ash. "Since you're not hurt anymore, I guess we could let you go into the forest before we leave town." Rowlet aggressively shook his head, hopping over to Ash and nuzzling his leg. Ash chuckled lightly as he picked Rowlet up. "Don't worry buddy, I was just messing with you." Rowlet didn't appear to be very amused by Ash's joke. "Actually after learning more about you from Professor Juniper, I have to admit you've really intrigued me..." Reaching into his pocket, Ash pulled out an unfilled Pokeball. Enlarging the Pokeball, Ash presented it to Rowlet. "Well, what do you say Rowlet, want to come with me? I promise we'll have lots of fun together and I'll help you become really strong." Rowlet stared at the Pokeball for several moments, seeming unsure of what decision to make. "If you come with us you'll be able to eat more of Cilan's Pokemon food." That seemed to do the trick, because Rowlet instantly pressed his head against the Pokeball. In a flash of red light the Grass Quill Pokemon was sucked into the Pokeball. Ash stared at the Pokeball in his hand, as it began to shake and vibrate. But after only two shakes the Pokeball pinged, signifying a successful capture. Feeling a rush of excitement, Ash held the Pokeball up into the air. "Alright! I caught a Rowlet!" Releasing Rowlet from his Pokeball, Ash ruffled the Grass Quill Pokemon's head. "Welcome to the team buddy!"

"Great job Ash!" Turning around, Ash saw that the rest of his group had watched the whole scene. Roxie grinned as she walked over and petted Rowlet on the head. "Looks like we've got a new addition to our family."

"He's no fire-type, but I gotta admit that he's pretty adorable." Flannery said, as she scratched Rowlet's sides, causing the Grass Quill Pokemon to hum in pleasure. The rest of Ash's girls gathered around Rowlet and took turns holding and petting the Grass Quill Pokemon. "It's gonna be interesting to see what this little guy evolves into."

"Yes, I'm curious about that as well." Anabel said, stroking her chin as she stared intently at Rowlet. "It's strange, I can sense a very faint aura similar to ghost-types emanating off Rowlet."

"Ghost-type?" Ash parroted in a confused tone, as he quirked an eyebrow. "But Professor Juniper said that Rowlet was a grass and flying-type Pokemon."

"Perhaps he'll evolve into a form that is part ghost-type." Anabel said, gently picking up Rowlet and locking eyes with the Grass Quill Pokemon; a faint smile gracing her lips. "Well whatever Rowlet evolves into, I can tell that he's a fantastic Pokemon who has great potential and that the two of you will get along excellently."

"I can't deny that." Burgundy said in a somewhat annoyed tone, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I hate to admit it, but you and that Rowlet seem to be almost a perfect match. I'm honestly amazed you two managed to form such a strong bond so quickly."

"Is our bond really that strong?" Ash asked, taking Rowlet back from Anabel and staring at the owl-like Pokemon. "We've barely known each other a day."

"Well as a Pokemon Connoisseur it's my job to judge the bonds between Pokemon and trainer." Burgundy explained, as she released a light sigh. "From the interactions I've seen between you and Rowlet, and the way he acts around you, it's obvious to me that you two have a great bond already."

"I must agree with Burgundy." Cilan said with a smile, wrapping an arm around his girlfriend's waist; much to her embarassment. "You and Rowlet have quite the connection, despite only being together for a short while."

"Is that true Rowlet?" Ash asked, as he placed the Grass Quill Pokemon up on his shoulder. "Do we really have a strong bond?" Rowlet cooed happily in response and nuzzled against Ash's head. "I think that means yes." Ash said with a grin, as he petted Rowlet. "I knew you'd be a great addition to the team."

"So Ash, where are we heading to next?" Dawn asked, clasping her hands behind her back.

"Yeah, I've been wondering that too." May added, as she rested her hands on her hips.

"Well, I was thinking we could hit up Vermillion City next." Ash replied with a toothy grin. "It's about time that I paid Lt. Surge a visit."

(One Week Later: Vermillion City's Docks)

"Ah, that was a relaxing boat ride." Cynthia said, as raised her arms over her head and stretched her stiff muscles. "It sure beats walking all the way here."

"Sure it was nice not having to walk..." Hilda said, hopping off the boat and onto the dock. "But nothing really beats traveling on the open road, especially if you have friends to keep you company."

"Can't argue with that." Dawn said with a smile, as she walked down the gangplank. "It's always more fun to travel with your friends, but it's nice to relax every once in a while."

"I'm just glad that we're finally here." May said, following right behind Dawn. "I've been dying to see Ash's gym battle."

"Speaking of that dunce, where is he?" Burgundy asked, as she walked off the boat; with Cilan following close behind her.

"You know, I don't see Roxie either." Anabel said, scanning over everyone that was there, and not spotting the white-haired rocker. "Where could she be?"

"Ash and Roxie will be here in a few minutes." Flannery replied, as she slowly trudged down the gangplank, suppressing a yawn. The normally fiery and energetic redhead now looked dead tired, her eyes drooping and her shoulders slouched.

"Arceus Flannery, what's up with you?" Hilda asked in concerned tone, placing a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "It looks like you didn't get any sleep."

"That's because I didn't." Flannery shot back in a slightly irritated tone, as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "I was up most of the night."

"Why weren't you able to sleep?" Dawn asked, quirking an eyebrow in confusion. "Were the waves to rough or something?"

"I wish." Flannery said, as she ran her hand down her face. "My room was right next to Ash's."

"Huh? What does that..." May said in a confused tone, stopping mid-sentence as she began to put the pieces together. "Oooooh! I get it now!"

"For hours I had to listen to those two fu-"

"Hey guys!" Ash cheered, as he vaulted over the boat's guardrail onto the dock. "Is everyone ready to go?"

"Morning everyone." Roxie said with a content smile, following Ash over the guardrail. Landing on the dock, Roxie quickly fixed her disheveled hair and messy clothing. However, the white-haired rocker stopped when she saw that Flannery was glaring at her. "Yo, what's up Flannery? You look like a mess."

"Oh, I wonder why?" Flannery asked in a sarcastic tone, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "It's not like I heard you and Ash banging all night!"

"Oh my Arceus, you heard us?!" Roxie exclaimed, her face burning bright red in embarassment. "I thought we were being quite."

"That was your idea of quite!?" Flannery chortled, as she pointed at Roxie. "I've never heard someone moan so loud in my entire life."

"What can I say..." Roxie muttered, avoiding Flannery's piercing gaze. "Ash was making me feel so good...so my inner rocker came out."

"Shit, I'm sorry about that Flannery." Ash said in an apologetic tone, as he rubbed the back of his in embarassment. "If we were keeping you up, you could have said something. We're all a family now, so you don't have to feel bad about talking with any of us."

"It's fine Ash, really." Flannery said with a weak smile, planting a quick kiss on the raven-haired trainer's cheek. "I didn't want to interrupt you two during your special time together, besides I can catch some sleep before your gym battle starts. Just...try to keep it down next time, especially if there's someone in the room next to you."

"*Sigh* That won't do." Ash said, as he turned his back to Flannery and got down on one knee. "Alright, get on."

"H-Huh?" Flannery said in a surprised tone, her eyes widening slightly. "What are you doing Ash."

"I'll carry you while we're walking to the gym. That way you can get some extra rest before we get there." Ash explained, as he turned to look at Flannery. "So hop on." A toothy grin suddenly spread across Ash's face. "I promise I won't drop you."

"If you dropped me I'd kick your ass." Flannery teased, getting onto Ash's back. The red-haired trainer smiled as she wrapped her arms around Ash's neck, and felt his strong hands grip her thighs. Almost immediately Flannery's eyes began to droop as she was encompassed by a comforting warmth. Inhaling Ash's scent, Flannery nuzzled her head into the crook of her lover's neck. Moments later the fiery redhead was fast asleep. "So warm..."

"I want to be carried too..." The rest of Ash's girls thought simultaneously, as they stared at Flannery in jealously.

(45 Minutes Later: Vermillion City Gym)

"Man Ash you carried Flannery all the way here and didn't even break a sweat." Hilda said in an impressed tone, following Ash into the gym along with the rest of the group. "You must be really strong."

"Well I did a lot of training during the three years I was off the grid. That included quite a bit of strength training." Ash said, as he crouched and gently set Flannery down on a chair in the gym's lobby. "Besides, Flannery isn't that heavy."

"Good answer." Flannery muttered, cracking one eye open. "Because if you had said that I was heavy, I would have kicked you in the balls."

"I'm surprised that those big tits weren't weighing her down." Hilda teased, which earned her a fierce glare from Flannery. "Oh, looks like I touched a nerve there."

"Alright you two that's enough." Ash said, stepping in between both girls. "Let's not fight, please."

"Whatever." Flannery huffed, as she turned her head away indignantly.

"Ah, I was just having a little fun with her." Hilda said with grin, clasping her hands behind her head. "But I don't want to be starting any grudges either."

"Good, I'd rather all us get along." Cynthia said, as she walked up, arms crossed over her chest. "We're nearing the final leg of our journey in Kanto and I'd like everything to go smoothly."

"Man, it's hard to believe we're already almost done in the Kanto region." Ash said, unconsciously reaching up and petting Pikachu. "After this gym battle I'll only have three more left, then it's on to the Indigo Plateau. Man, time sure does fly."

"Well you've-" Dawn was almost immediately cut off after she began to speak.

"OI!" A boisterous yell echoed out from down the hall. "What the hell is all this ruckus in my gym!?" Thundering footsteps rushed towards Ash's group, and a few moments later a behemoth of a man rounded the corner into the gym's lobby. Lt. Surge towered over most of Ash's group, standing over seven feet tall and being built like a Aagron. The muscular blonde-haired man looked Ash's large group over for several moments, before barking at them. "Alright! What the hell are you hooligans doing in my gym!? Are you looking for a gym battle, or something?!"

"C'mon Lt. Surge, is that any way to treat a returning trainer?" Ash asked, earning him a confused look from Surge.

"Who the Sam hell are you?" Surge questioned, his eyes narrowed as he scanned Ash up and down. After a few moments Surge nodded his head and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "Nah, I've never met you before."

"It's me! Ash Ketchum! My Pikachu beat your Raichu when I re-challenged your gym!" Ash exclaimed, pointing to the yellow mouse Pokemon sitting on his shoulder. "I lost my first battle against you, but won my rematch and earned your respect!"

"Ash Ketchum..." Surge muttered, as he stroked his chin. Ash could see the gears beginning to turn in Surge's head. However, Ash was disheartened once Surge spoke again. "Yeah, I remember Ash Ketchum, but there's no fucking way you're him." Surge put his hand out and hovered it just above his waist. "Ash Ketchum was a little fucking shrimp when he challenged my gym."

"Well it's been eleven years since I was last here." Ash said, nearly face faulting at Surge's typical blunt nature. "I've obviously grown since then."

"You know...now that you mention it..." Surge said, as he leaned closer to Ash; closely inspecting his face. "You really do look like Ash Ketchum. You've even got those marks on your face."

"That's because I am Ash Ketchum." Ash said in a slightly annoyed tone, resisting the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. "Haven't you been reading the news lately? I've been making a lot of waves lately. I just recently won the Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova league's, and became the champion of those three regions."

"Okay, now I know you're bullshitting me." Surge said, as he slowly shook his head. "Ash Ketchum may have been a decent trainer, but there's no way in hell he's good enough to win three different leagues and become their champion."

"Ow, that hurts a little." Ash said, releasing a heavy sigh before he walked over to Lt. Surge and showed him his Xtransceiver. "Here look at this."

"The hell is this thing?" Surge asked, intrigued by the small device on Ash's wrist.

"It's called an Xtransceiver, I got it when I was in Unova. It's like a mini computer on your wrist." Ash explained, turning on the device and quickly scrolling through the menus. Finding his trainer profile, Ash showed the screen to Surge. "As you can see this device is registered to me, Ash Ketchum."

"Huh, I guess you really are Ash Ketchum...damn man you really hit a growth spurt." Surge said, as he looked Ash over once again. "Okay, I believe that you're Ketchum, but there is no way in hell you really won three different leagues."

"Man you really don't read the news." Ash said underneath his breath, scrolling through his Xtransceiver until he found the photos he stored on his device. Running through the numerous pictures of his friends and Pokemon, Ash eventually found the images he was looking for. The first image on the screen was of Ash receiving his trophy for winning the Ever Grande Conference from Mr. Goodshow. "Here's me receiving my trophy for winning the Hoenn League." Seeing the surprised look on Surge's face, Ash flicked to the next picture. "He's one of me after I defeated Wallace and became Hoenn's champion." Ash couldn't help but feel a rush of pride when he saw the dumbfounded look on Surge's face. "And here's some pics from the Sinnoh league...now from the Unova league..." Once Ash was satisfied he turned off his Xtransceiver. "So do you believe me now?"

"Shit...I guess I really should start watching the news more." Surge joked half-heartedly, as he rubbed the back of his head in embarassment. "I can't believe I missed all of this, it's crazy really." Releasing a light sigh, Sure rested his hands on his hips. "Well I guess there's no denying it now...so how have you been Ash? It's been quite a while since I last saw you."

"Ah you know, there's been some ups and downs the past few years." Ash said, turning briefly to smile at his group. "But things have been going great recently."

"Well that's good to hear." Surge said, as he nodded his head. "So if you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here?"

"Well since I'm currently taking on the Kanto league again..." Ash said, a wicked grin spreading across his face. "I was thinking we could have another rematch."

"Alright Ketchum, you're on!" Surge exclaimed with a smirk of his own, before he let out a boisterous laugh that seemed to shake the walls. "I've always wanted to battle against a champion!"

(Five Minutes Later: Vermillion City Gym's Battlefield)

"This will be an official one-on-one battle between the challenger Ash Ketchum, and the gym leader Lt. Surge! Both trainers are only allowed to use one Pokemon, with absolutely no substitutions!"

"Hey Flannery wake up." Hilda said, gently shaking the dozing redhead. "Ash's battle is about to start."

"Whazzup?" Flannery asked in a slightly groggy tone, as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. "Why the hell did you wake me up?"

"Because you told me to wake you up when Ash's battle started." Hilda said, playfully smacking Flannery upside the head, much to the redhead's irritation. "Now are you awake, or do I need to dump some cold water on you?"

"I'm up, I'm up." Flannery said, as she sat up straight in her seat, rubbing the side of her head. "Arceus, a girl can't catch any decent sleep around here."

"Oh quit your whining and focus on the battle." Hilda said, turning back to look at the battlefield.

"So Ash, are you ready to do this?" Surge asked, as he grabbed a Pokeball off his belt.

"Hell yeah I am." Ash said with a smirk, grabbing a Pokeball of his own. "I've been looking forward to this battle."

"Oh?" Surge muttered, as he watched Ash enlarge his Pokeball. "You're not going to battle with Pikachu?"

"Not this time. I just caught a special Pokemon recently and he's been training very hard to prepare for this gym battle. I'm not quite sure if he's completely ready for this battle, but he's a tough little guy and I know that he'll give it his all! Rowlet I choose you!" Ash exclaimed, throwing the Pokeball into the air. The Pokeball flew high into the air before it popped open. In a flash of bright white light, a small owl-like Pokemon materialized in front of Ash. "Alright Rowlet, let's show Lt. Surge the results of all your training!" Raising his wings into the air, Rowlet cawed in agreement.

"Rowlet? I've never heard of that Pokemon before..." Surge grumbled, as he scratched his head. Shrugging his shoulders, Surge punched his fist into his palm. "Well it doesn't matter! Let's see what that Pokemon do! Let's go Raichu, time to light Rowlet's world up!" Surge tossed his Pokeball onto the field and the Mouse Pokemon emerged in a hail of sparks and white light.

"This one-on-one battle will be between Raichu and Rowlet!" The official announced, raising his arm into the air. "Are both trainers ready!?" Seeing Ash and Lt. Surge nod their heads, the official threw his hand down. "Then let the battle between Raichu and Rowlet begin!"

"Let's start things off strong Raichu, use Thunderbolt!" The mouse Pokemon quickly gathered electricity in the sacs on its cheeks, before unleashing a powerful stream of electricity directed at Rowlet.

"Dodge it Rowlet!" Leaping up into the air, the Grass Quill Pokemon barely managed to dodge Raichu's attack. "I guess that speed training with Sceptile really payed off." As Rowlet fell back to the ground, he flapped his wings to slow his descent. "It's time for us to go on the offensive! Use Leafage Rowlet!" Rapidly flapping his wings, Rowlet summoned a small barrage of leaves that flew towards Raichu.

"Dodge it Raichu and use Quick Attack!" Quickly leaping to the right, Raichu managed to dodge the stream of leaves. Raichu then began to faintly glow white, as it rocketed towards Rowlet.

"Counter with Sucker Punch!" Surge's eyes widened as he watched Rowlet's right wing begin to emit a dark aura. A split second later Rowlet launched forward and hit Raichu in the stomach with a powerful strike. The attack caught Raichu completely off guard and all the wind was knocked from Raichu's lungs, as it was sent skidding backwards. Breathing heavily, Raichu clutched its aching stomach. "Keep up the pressure Rowlet, use Leaf Blade!"

"That thing knows Leaf Blade!" Surge thought in shock, as he watched one of Rowlet's wings become covered in a green glow and transform into a razor-sharp leaf sword. "Didn't Ash say that he caught that thing recently!? Damn, that Rowlet must be a fast learner!" Briefly, digging his claws into the ground, Rowlet launched towards the still recovering Raichu. "You have to dodge it Raichu!" Mustering up some strength, Raichu barely managed to avoid Rowlet's attack; the Leaf Blade managing to graze Raichu's arm.

"Rowlet, don't give Raichu a chance to recover, use Razor Leaf!" Flapping his wings once again, Rowlet fired several sharp leaves at Raichu. Not having enough time to rest, Raichu didn't have the strength to dodge another successive attack. Raichu closed its eyes and braced itself for the attack. A moment later Razor Leaf hit, causing Raichu to yell out in pain. "Now follow it up with Tackle!"

"Pull yourself together Raichu and use Wild Charge!" Rapidly shaking its head, Raichu got down all fours; its entire body encased in flowing electricity. Raichu let out a fierce cry, then charged towards Rowlet. Both Pokemon slammed into each other in the center of the battlefield, sending out a small shockwave. For a moment both Rowlet and Raichu seemed evenly matched, but it didn't take long for Raichu to overpower the smaller Pokemon. Surging forward, Raichu sent Rowlet tumbling backwards on the ground. "Great job Raichu! Attack again with Thunderbolt!" However, Raichu didn't listen to Surge's command. "What's up Raichu?! Why aren't you attacking?!" It was then that Lt. Surge noticed that Raichu had collapsed down onto one knee. The Mouse Pokemon was panting heavily, covered in sweat, and had several injuries on its body. "I guess the recoil from Wild Charge hit much harder than I anticipated."

"Rowlet, are you okay?" The Grass Quill Pokemon nodded his head, as he slowly got back onto his feet; a few stray sparks of electricity coursing through his body. "If you're still able to battle then use Energy-"

"Hold it Ash!" Surge exclaimed, as he raised his hand into the air. "I forfeit this battle!" This action surprised both Ash and Raichu.

"Are you serious?" Ash asked, completely caught off guard by Surge's actions. "I thought you were the type of guy to fight until their last breath."

"Normally you'd be right..." Surge said with a small smile, as he walked over to Raichu and crouched down next to the exhausted Pokemon. "But a good soldier must know when it's time to retreat. With Raichu this tired and beat up, it probably wouldn't last another attack. There's no point in it getting injured any further."

"Huh, I guess I misjudged him." Ash thought, watching as Lt. Surge gently picked Raichu up. "He really does care about his Pokemon."

"You gave it your all out their soldier and that's all I can ask for." Surge said, as he returned Raichu to its Pokeball. "You fought valiantly against a strong opponent."

"Lt. Surge has forfeited the battle, which means the winner is the challenger, Ash Ketchum!"

"Yeah! We did it!" Ash cheered, rushing onto the field and scooping up Rowlet. The raven-haired trainer smiled brightly, as he held Rowlet up into the air. "You did so awesome in your first gym battle Rowlet! You've come such a long way in such a short time!" Rowlet let out his own victory cheer, before doing something that shocked everyone. Still in Ash's arms, Rowlet's entire body began to glow bright white. "No way!"

"Is Rowlet doing what I think he's doing!?" May exclaimed, as she stood up from her seat in excitement.

"He's evolving!" Dawn said in shock, cupping a hand over her mouth. "I can't believe it."

"This will be interesting." Cynthia said with a smirk, as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Let's see what surprises this little Rowlet has in store."

"Whoa! This is so awesome!" Ash cheered, feeling Rowlet begin to change forms in his hands. When the white light died down, Ash holding a completely different Pokemon. The new Pokemon in Ash's hands was double the size of Rowlet, which wasn't saying much considering how small the Grass Quill Pokemon. Most of his plumage was white, but it had dark brown feathers covering its head, shoulders, and back. Its heart-shaped, facial disc was also white, and his eyes appeared to be closed, a stubby beak that has a white upper jaw and orange-brown lower jaw, and two short tufts of feathers on the back of his head. Two green leaves curve around its face, resembling an asymmetric cut; the leaf on his right was longer than the one on the left. Under his chin were two smaller leaves that resembled a bowtie, and there were two pointed ones on his rear that formed his tail. His wings had two tan spots on the upper side and leafy plumage close to the body on the underside. Within the leaves under its wings were two orange-brown objects similar to seeds. The new Pokemon also had orange-brown talons with two toes facing forward and one facing backward. "You look so cool now!" Taking out his Pokedex, Ash scanned Rowlet's new form. "I know this won't give me much info, but I can at least learn what you're called. Huh, looks like you're called Dartrix now."

"Well that's not something you see everyday." Surge said, as he walked up to Ash. "That's quite the special Pokemon you have there Ash..." Surge grinned as he extended his hand for Ash to shake. " Make sure to take good care of him."

"Of course, all my Pokemon are like family to me." Ash said, shaking Lt. Surge's hand. "I'll treat Dartrix right and make sure he gets even stronger."

"That's something I'd like to see." Surge said, as he released Ash's hand. "Make sure you stop by again, I'd love to have another battle."

"Sure thing." Ash said, before turning to leave the gym.

"Good luck at the Indigo Plateau!" Surge called out, as he waved to the retreating raven-haired trainer. "I'll be rooting for you soldier!"

(Two Minutes Later: Outside Vermillion City's Gym)

"That was a great battle Ash!" Hilda exclaimed, playfully slapping the raven-haired trainer on the back. "That Rowlet really is awesome!"

"Thanks Hilda..." Ash said, as he rubbed his now sore back. "I had a lot of fun."

"So where are we going now Ash?" Anabel asked, gazing at the map that Cilan was holding. "Because we only have three gyms left in Kanto."

"I was thinking we could go to Fuchsia city next." Ash said, as he shrugged his shoulders. "I was thinking we could check out the Pokemon Zoo while we're there."

"Oh that sounds like fun." Cilan said, clapping his hands together. "That'll give me a chance to observe more of Kanto's Pokemon."

"Well let's get a move on everyone." Ash said, as he broke out into a light jog. "We have to hurry up and get back to the Pokemon Center. After we rest for the night we have a ferry to catch in the morning."

As the rest of Ash's group sped up to keep up with the raven-haired trainer, none of them seemed to notice the slight vibrations of the ground below them.

And done! Damn, I'm really sorry this chapter took so long to get out. I've just been so busy lately with school, especially since I'll be transferring to a four year college next semester, so I haven't had any energy or motivation to do any serious writing. But I finally managed to finish this chapter. Well Ash has learned more about Rowlet, defeated Lt. Surge, and is now heading to Fuchsia city. It also appears that Ash's group is being followed underground by some mysterious creature, what could it be? Well remember to follow/favorite if you enjoyed this chapter, PLEASE REVIEW (I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK), PM me any ideas you have for any of my fics, and check my profile and other fics if you haven't already. So, until next time I'm outta here!