Chapter 5
Hey Everyone! How's it goin'? Sorry it took so long for me to post this chapter, but I got it up! I got some reviews and DMs saying they wanted Ash to have a certain pokemon, and while I am having Ash capture Pokemon outside of canon, I don't want him being OP. Yes, I think he should be strong, but I'm not going to give Ash crazystrong Pokemon. I want his Pokemon to grow with him. But a strong Pokemon here and there won't hurt.
A special thanks to my Beta: Chibiusa
Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.
Ash and Leaf left Pewter City the next morning after gathering some supplies. Their journey through Route 3 was pretty uneventful, considering Leaf had already traveled part of the route. It was a boring journey; rolling hills, trees were few and far between, and the occasional Pokemon. Most of the Pokemon were typical: Rattata, Pidgey, and Spearow. Not bothering with the weak Pokemon, they left them alone, continuing on their excursion.
As they walked along Route 3, Ash battled several trainers that were on their way back to Pewter City. There was even a trainer that used a Magikarp against him.
"I felt so bad for that little Magikarp." Leaf said, concerned for the poor water type.
"Yeah, me too. I mean, I understand that he wanted to train it, but its only known move is Splash, and there was no water. It was kinda cruel." Ash said, looking just as worried as Leaf.
"His Magikarp's nickname was rather cute though. I mean, when it evolves into Gyarados, its nickname will fit really well." Leaf giggled.
"I know. When I heard the kid yell out "Thrasher," I was really worried. I was expecting something like a Gyarados or Ursaring. I definitely wasn't expecting a Magikarp." Ash laughed, linking his hands together behind his head. "Speaking of nicknames, I wonder if any of our Pokemon want any. I haven't thought about it, so I haven't asked mine." Ash said, offhandedly.
Leaf nodded. "Same here. Maybe I should ask them when we stop later."
By the last third of the route, the landscape had changed. Trees were more common, the rolling hills changed to grassy flatlands, and the Pokemon were more scarce.
"This route is longer than I expected." Ash said, pulling out his Pokegear to check the time. "It's later than I thought."
Leaf nodded. "Yeah. I made it a little further than this when I found Jigglypuff. I didn't want to camp out, so I went back to the Pokemon Center." She recalled. "But we will have to camp out tonight."
"Why?" Ash blinked. "I thought there was a Pokemon Center near the entrance to Mt. Moon."
"There is, but it'll take a half-a-day to get there." She sighed. "We have to do a small trek up the mountain to get to the entrance." She said, pointing towards the large mountain. "The route to the entrance is windy and all up-hill, so it'll take us a good part of the day tomorrow to walk it."
Ash nodded, though he wasn't happy about having to deal with that climb tomorrow. "Well then, let's camp at the base of the mountain, and start in the morning."
Leaf agreed, and the duo continued on the finally reached the base of the mountain, finding a clear spot to camp. They dropped their packs, sitting next to them to rest.
"Man...I'm tired." Leaf sighed, grabbing her water bottle for a drink.
"Me too. But we need to set up camp soon, or we'll be pitching our tents in the dark." He teased. "I'm gonna go find some firewood. Why don't you clear the campsite and start pitching the tents."
Leaf sighed, stand up with a stretch. "Fine. Don't be gone too long."
Ash nodded, venturing into the trees to grab some wood.
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After setting up camp and getting a fire started, the two trainers settled in around the fire, making dinner. Leaf sat stirring together the instant stew with water. Ash was with all of their Pokemon, who were let out of their Pokeballs, giving them their dinner.
Leaf looked up at Ash, watching him feed their Pokemon with a smile. His smile was contagious, and one crept onto her face. "So Ash...what's the plan for Mt. Moon?"
Ash looked up, thinking for a moment. "Hmm..." He placed the last two bowls of Pokechow in front of Jigglypuff and Pidgeotto, moving to sit next to Leaf. "Well...We should hit the Pokemon Center tomorrow afternoon. I think it would be best to stay there for the night, then take on Mt. Moon in the morning. While we're there, we could train our Pokemon and make sure they're ready for the mountain."
Leaf nodded. "Alright. Do you think we'll have enough supplies?" She asked, looking towards their packs.
"Well...I think we'll be okay on potions, antidotes, and all those things. But food might be a different story. We'll probably need to stock up on a lot of water." He said, rubbing his chin in thought. "Also, I think we should get those insta-logs."
Leaf gave Ash a funny look. "Insta-logs?"
"You know...those logs that you only need one to burn? You know...the ones that last through the night?" He said, trying his best to explain it.
"They aren't called insta-logs!" She laughed. Leaf clutched her sides and laughed harder, seeing Ash pout. "They're called Duraflame Logs." She corrected. "They provide a fire that burns for several hours. Is that what you're talking about?"
"Yeah...those." He pouted, sticking his tongue out at Leaf. "But we should get some of those. Mt. Moon can get pretty cold." He nodded. "We should also get non-perishable foods, like canned foods and insta-stews. They'll be easier to carry than some of the fresher foods."
Leaf nodded. "Speaking of fresh foods, can you get the bread and apples out? I think this stew is almost done."
Ash nodded, getting the requested items, as well as some bowls and spoons. "Here." He smiled, handing the bowls to Leaf.
After serving their food, the two dug into their meal with fervor. They talked about possible training regimes they would do as they traveled up the mountain.
"I'm thinking I'm going to have Pidgeotto teach Spearow Steal Wing." He said after swallowing a mouthful of food. "It would be a good move for her to learn. After that, I'm going to see if they can learn Aerial Ace. While they're doing that, I'll probably work on some new moves for the others, as well. They need a little diversity."
Leaf nodded. "I'll probably do that, too. I can't wait to go into Mt. Moon, though. I want to try and capture a Clefairy. They're so cute!" She gushed.
Jigglypuff overheard her trainer, and puffed up in a pout.
Ash laughed, getting Leaf's attention. "I don't think Jigglypuff appreciates your comment."
Leaf looked at Jigglypuff, and laughed at her puffed up friend. "Oh, Jigglypuff! Don't worry. No one is as cute as you." She teased her pink Pokemon.
Jigglypuff nodded, forgiving her trainer for thinking otherwise.
Leaf smiled, stroking the top of the pink ball's head. "So, I've been thinking...do you guys want nicknames?" She asked, looking at Jigglypuff, though her question was directed at all her Pokemon.
Her Pokemon looked at her, confused by the sudden question.
"I know it's kind of late in asking, but...do any of you want one?" Leaf asked again, she asked, looking up at her other Pokemon.
She saw Bulbasaur shrug and go back to his food, figuring he was okay without one. Beedrill contemplated, but also turned back to his food.
However, her Pikachu approached with a smile. Leaf looked down and saw Jigglypuff nod, as well.
"Okay, I'll start with you, Pikachu." She beamed. "How about Elektra?"
Pikachu shook her head, not caring for the name.
"Okay, how about Storm? No? Jupiter? Chi Chi?" She listed names, hoping to see a reaction from the yellow mouse.
Pikachu's ears perked up, and she smiled at her trainer.
"Chi Chi? Okay. Chi Chi it is." Leaf smiled. "Now for you, Jigglypuff. You remind me of a popular singer from a famous band."
Jigglypuff blink, tilting her head to the side.
"She has long pink hair, and a beautiful voice. Her name is Luka." Leaf explained.
Jigglypuff gasped, smiling brightly. "Jiggly! Jigglypuff!"
"You like that, huh? Okay, I'll name you Luka." Leaf laughed.
Spearow hopped over to Ash, looking up at him expectantly.
"What?" He smirked down at the little bird. He saw the bird pout a little, making him laugh. "Okay, okay. You want a nickname, too?"
The bird nodded, a gleam in her eyes.
"Hmmm…" He thought, placing his forefinger and thumb on his chin. He looked up towards the sky, seeing the darkness and the brightest of the stars shining. "How about Aquila? It's supposed to be a constellation of a magnificent bird."
Spearow's eyes seemed to sparkle slightly, hearing the boy's explanation. "Spear Spearow!"
"Alright then." He chuckled, scratching behind the girl's wing joints. Ash looked towards the sky, seeing the sun had just set. "Well...we should get ready for bed, I guess. Why don't you get ready, and I'll wash the dishes." He suggested, standing up with a stretch.
Leaf nodded, placing Luka on the ground and going into her tent. She changed out of her travel clothes and into her pajamas. She came outside wearing her sweatpants and a tank top. "You almost done, Ash?"
Ash, who was scrubbing out the pot they used to make the stew, turned and looked at Leaf. His face flushed slightly. His eyes roamed Leaf's body for a moment, before quickly turning back to the pot. "Y-Yeah. I'm almost done."
Ash swallowed hard, willing himself to not turn around and look at the girl again. He had noticed she wasn't wearing a bra... He shook his head slightly, desperately trying to get the image out of his brain. He was fourteen...he was noticing things about girls, lately. While he was still retained a sense of his innocence, thanks to his mother, he wasn't stupid when it came to the opposite sex.
Pikachu looked at his trainer, confused. "Pikapi?"
"It's nothing, Pikachu." He smiled, a blush still present on his cheeks. He finished scrubbing the pot, and rinsed it off with a new bottle of water. He dried it, and put all the clean dishes in their respective packs. He kept his eyes averted from Leaf, walking towards his tent.
"I'm going to change and go to sleep. See you in the morning, Leaf." He said softly. He looked at his Pokemon, with a smile. "Who ever wants to sleep in my tent, go ahead and follow me."
Poliwag jumped up and waddled over to his trainer. Pikachu followed, as well. The flying types decided to stay out of the tent, preferring to sleep in the trees.
Leaf nodded. "Goodnight, Ash..." She blinked, staring at him with confusion. 'What's with him?' She shrugged, looking at her Pokemon. "Okay guys, I don't have a lot of room in my tent. Bulbasaur, Pikachu, Jigglypuff...you're with me. Beedrill...I think it's a little too cramped. Are you okay sleeping outside?"
Beedrill buzzed, flying next to Ash's Butterfree, settling in for the night.
The two teens wiggled into their sleeping bags in their separate tents, falling asleep rather quickly.
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The next morning, Ash and Leaf got up early and had a quick breakfast. They got dressed, broke camp, and made their way up the mountain. They didn't talk much during the hike, walking in comfortable silence. After a long trek up the mountain, Ash and Leaf finally made it to the Pokemon Center near the entrance to the mountain. It was nearly sunset, and both trainers and Pikachu looked exhausted. The climb up the mountain, and the trainers they faced along the way, were definitely tougher than they had expected.
Ash had lost two battles during his climb up the mountain. He was pretty proud of the fact that he hadn't lost a single trainer battle so far, unless you counted the tie with Gary in Viridian City a loss. But those two battles were a humbling experience; you couldn't win them all.
Ash and Leaf stepped into the Pokemon Center, making a bee-line to the Nurse Joy at the front counter.
"Hello, and welcome to Route 3's Pokemon Center. How can I help you?" The Joy behind the desk smiled.
Ash smiled, unclipping his Pokeballs from his belt. "Hey, Nurse Joy. Can you heal our Pokemon?" He asked, politely.
"Of course. Place your balls on the tray, and I'll take them to the back." She nodded, pulling two pokeball carrying trays from below the counter.
"Also," Leaf started, placing her Pokeballs on a tray. "Can we have a room for the night? We're not going to be going through the mountain until tomorrow."
Joy nodded, rummaging through a drawer under the desk. "Here you are." She smiled, handing Leaf a room key. "Alright, just give me your names, and I'll call you when your Pokemon are ready."
The two trainers left their names with the Nurse, as she put the trays on a gurney.
"Go with her, Pikachu. You need a check up, too." He smiled, rubbing the top of the mouse's head.
Pikachu gave a happy reply, jumping off of Ash's shoulder and onto Joy's. He waved goodbye to his trainer and his friend.
Ash and Leaf walked to the lodging quarters, where they quickly found their room. Ash and Leaf walked into the room, and set their packs down. Ash flopped down against his bed, letting out a sigh of relief.
"Oh bed...I love you, bed." He smiled, snuggling further into the plush pillow.
Leaf chuckled. "I'm going to take a shower." She said, disappearing into the bathroom.
Ash hoped Leaf would finish her shower quick; he wanted one too, but it looked like she would be in there a while.
He laid back on his bed, opening up his Pokedex. He began reading information on all the Pokemon that he and Leaf could possibly encounter in the large mountain. The one that most interested him, like many other trainers, was the especially rare Clefairy.
Clefairy used to solely be a normal type in the Kanto Region. That was until new typing had been discovered in the Kalos Region. The Clefairy in Kalos had a gene that coincided with the Fairy Type. When the scientific community discovered the mutation, they began their research on the Clefairy not only in Kanto, but in all the other regions as well. All the clefairy had shown the same gene, and Clefairy was reclassified as a Fairy Type.
Ash wasn't particularly determined to capture one, considering that many people spent years looking for the little fairy. But that wouldn't stop him from capturing one if any crossed his path. He continued to play with his Pokedex, looking up moves that he could teach his Pokemon, and if there were any other possible encounters in Mt. Moon.
Ash was so engrossed in his Pokedex, he didn't hear the shower turn off. He turned towards the bathroom when he heard the door open.
Leaf stepped out, in a clean change of clothes, towel drying her hair.
"Shower's free." She smiled, feeling rejuvenated.
Ash sat up, closing his Pokedex. "Took you long enough." He teased, walking into the bathroom.
"My clothes are in the washing machine. You can put yours in when they're done." Leaf called.
Ashed shouted his acknowledgment, turning the shower back on. He stepped into the warm spray, sighing in content. He quickly cleaned himself up, not wanting to be in there too long. He dried himself off and changed into his new set of clean clothes. He would have to remind himself to put his dirty clothes in the washer when Leaf's clothes were done.
Walking into the bedroom, Ash saw Leaf resting on her bed.
"Wanna grab some food? I'm starving." he smirked, finishing drying his hair.
Leaf nodded, sitting up in bed. "Oh Arceus, yes! I'm so hungry! I feel like I haven't eaten-"
"Will Leaf Green and Ash Ketchum please report to the front desk? Your Pokemon are ready for pick up."
"Well...I guess we better pick up our Pokemon first, then go eat." Leaf chuckled.
The two trainers walked up to the front desk, picking up their Pokemon.
Joy handed the trainers their trays of Pokeballs, smiling at them. "Here you are. Your Pokemon are all perfectly healthy."
"Pika Pi!" Pikachu cried, leaping onto Ash's shoulder, nuzzling his trainer's face.
"Hello to you, too." He laughed, rubbing Pikachu's head. "You hungry, buddy?"
"Chaa!"
"Awesome. We're going to-"
"Excuse me children, but may I ask for a few minutes of your time?" The two teens turned, seeing an elderly gentleman behind them. He had gray hair, and wore a brown suit with a white button shirt, and black dress shoes.
Ash blinked, staring at the man. "Why?"
"I'm with the international police." The man said, pulling out his badge and identification. "I'm investigating some criminal activity that has been going on in Mt. Moon. It appears thieves are entering the mountain to dig up fossils, and steal precious Moonstones." He explained. "Have you seen anyone suspicious around here lately?"
The two teens shook their heads. "We've only arrived here a few hours ago. Sorry." Leaf apologized.
The man nodded. "I see. Thank you for your time. Here's my card, call me if you see anything suspicious." The man said with a nod, walking out of the Pokemon Center.
Ash pocketed the card, and he and Leaf went to the cafeteria to eat, releasing their Pokemon so they could eat as well.
"Do you think we'll run into those thieves in Mt. Moon?" Leaf asked, taking a bite of her dinner.
"I don't know, but we need to be vigilant. If we do, there is a possibility they could be stronger than us." Ash said, poking at his dinner. He looked at the Pokemon, who were all gathered on the floor, eating their own dinner. His eyes lingered over Leaf's Pokemon, then rested on his own.
"Ash?"
"Huh? Sorry. We just need to be prepared for anything, okay?" He nodded, flashing her a smile.
Leaf nodded slowly, seeing the serious look on the boy's face. The two finished dinner in relative silence.
After dinner, the two teens retired to their bedroom, where they hung out with their Pokemon before going to sleep.
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"Alright...Mt. Moon." Ash said, staring at the entrance to the cave.
"Pikachu." Pikachu said quietly, looking at the dark entrance as well. The yellow mouse cooed as Ash scratched under his chin.
"It won't be that bad, guys. Stay positive. We might even find a Clefairy!" She gushed, excited at the thought. "Do you think we'll make it through the cave today? I don't want to do a lot of exploring if there are thieves in there." Leaf shivered.
Ash nodded. "I think we should just go straight through. It'd be unsafe to try and explore with thieves lurking around. Kinda wish we didn't get all those supplies, though." He sighed, his shoulders slumping a little bit.
Leaf chuckled. "They'll come in handy once we're out of the cave. It's still a day's journey to Cerulean City once we get out."
Ash nodded. "That's true. Come on, let's go."
Once inside the cave, the teens were met with some rather surprising sights. There were rather bright lights strung up along the walls of the cave, and Pokemon were running around, trying to escape the bright lights. They watched Zubat fly about, hissing and screeching in pain, Geodude lying along the path, looking lethargic. The only Pokemon that looked relatively okay were the Paras. Paras lived in both caves and fields, so light didn't bother them too much.
"Who could have done something like this?" Leaf asked, looking at the poor Pokemon. She went over and knelt down next to a Geodude, who was too weak to protest. She gently laid a hand on it's rocky skull. "This geodude is too warm. This light is causing them to overheat." She frowned.
Ash nodded. "Pikachu. Use thundershock on these lights to short circuit them!"
Pikachu nodded, jumping off of the boy's shoulder. He fired his attack with a soft cry, the bolt of electricity hitting the wiring. The bulbs flashed violently for a few moments, causing the light bulbs to explode.
The cave became noticeably darker, but lights could be still seen further in the cave. Ash turned to Leaf with a frown.
"Those thieves that man was talking about must be responsible for this. They would need light if they were trying to steal something." Ash said firmly. "Come on. We need to get these lights out."
Leaf nodded, pulling out one of her pokeballs. She tossed the Pokeball up, releasing her Pikachu.
"Pika!" She cried happily.
"Hey, Chi Chi. We need your help, okay?" Leaf instructed.
The two Pikachu's turned to each other, nodding.
Ash looked at Leaf with a nod, as well. "Let's go."
The two teens and their Pikachu ran further into the cave. As they ran, the Pikachu would shoot their electricity at the lights, causing them to short out or the bulbs to burst.
They ran along for a small portion of the cave, seeing a ladder going down a cut out of the cave.
"What do you think is down there?" Leaf asked, staring down the ladder. They could see the bottom, where it was lit up.
"I don't know. All I know is there are more lights down there, and we need to get rid of them. Let me and Pikachu go first, and if it's safe, then you can come down." Ash instructed. Ash held out his hand for Pikachu to climb up, and grabbed the ladder. He slowly went down the ladder, until he reached the bottom.
Once his feet were firmly on the ground, he looked around him, his eyes wide. Inside the room, there were several different kinds of tools: shovels, pick axes, drills, jack hammers, and buckets of all different sizes were littered all around the room. In the far corner, Ash saw a large steel cage of Pokemon huddled together, looking lethargic.
"Leaf get down here!" Ash called out, rushing over to the steel cage.
Leaf jumped in surprise when Ash called out. She had Chi Chi jump onto her shoulders, climbing down the stairs. Once at the bottom as well, she saw all the tools and Pokemon, gasping.
"What's going on here?!" She gasped, running over to Ash.
Ash was fiddling with the lock on the steel cage. "I don't know. But we've got to get these Pokemon out!" Ash pulled out Pidgeotto's Pokeball, releasing him. "Pidgeotto, use Steel Wing on the cage! We need to free these Pokemon."
Pidgeotto nodded and kicked up off the ground. His wings hardened up, glowing a shiny silver. He dove at the cage, crashing into it. He repeated this multiple times until one of the walls of the cage caved in on itself.
Ash and Leaf pulled out potions, spraying each individual Pokemon.
The Pokemon perked up, looking grateful for the care. After their care, the Pokemon all scurried out of the room, trying to escape the bright lights and the trauma they had endured.
One Pokemon stayed behind, a small, battered Paras. Ash crawled towards it, placing a gentle hand on the Pokemon's head.
"P-Par-ras…." It whined.
"It's okay...don't worry. We'll get you healed up." Ash said softly. He sprayed the Paras with the potion. He could see results almost instantly, but Paras still looked in pretty bad shape. He frowned, looking up at Leaf. "I can't just leave it here." He pulled out a Pokeball, looking at the Paras. "Listen, Paras. I'm going to capture you, okay? That way I can get you to a Pokemon Center to get better."
Paras gave a soft whine, nodding slowly. It felt itself be pulled into the Pokeball after Ash tapped it with the sphere.
After a few moments, the ball clicked. Ash shrunk the ball, clipping to his belt as he stood. "Come on, let's go."
Leaf and Ash climbed back up the stairs, running further into the cave, destroying lights as they looked for the culprits.
The two trainers ran until they reached the heart of the mountain, a large open room where an enormous rock was up on some sort of stone pedestal. The roof of the cave was open, and the moon shining down on the large rock.
Ash and Leaf stayed hidden, looking around the corner of a stone wall. They saw the large stone in the center of the room, covered with ropes and chains. There were men attempting to push and pull the rock onto the back of a large pad. Around them, other men and women were using shovels and pick axes to dig around the rock. Different Pokemon were gathered around the workers.
"What do you think they're doing?" Leaf whispered.
"I dunno. But it must be impor-" Ash's eyes widened seeing one of the men's shirt. "Crap...this is bad."
"What?" Leaf asked, obvious fear in her eyes.
"Team Rocket." He whispered with a growl. Hearing Leaf gasp, he moved his hand over her mouth, seeing a Raticate look towards their direction. He pushed them back a little bit, still peering around the bend to see if the Raticate was coming after them.
The Raticate sat there, sniffing the air with a twitching ear. Ash held his breath. The Raticate turned away, walking back towards its trainer. Ash slowly and quietly released his breath, looking towards Leaf. He pulled out his Pokegear and the policeman's card, handing it to Leaf.
"Call that detective. Tell them Team Rocket's here." He whispered.
Leaf nodded, looking nervous. "What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to see if I can get a look around. They might have other Pokemon locked up." He said, gently lifting Pikachu off his shoulder, setting him next to Chi Chi. "Pikachu, stay with Leaf and make sure she's safe." Seeing Pikachu nod, he snuck around the bend.
"A-Ash wait-" Leaf tried to say, but it was too late. She sighed, opening up the Pokegear to call the detective.
Ash crept along the walls, trying to stay as much in the shadows as he could. He managed to bypass most of the rockets, coming to a small part of the cave where he saw more caged Pokemon. He gasped seeing a large steel cage full of Cleffa, Clefairy, and Clefable. They were all resting against each other in the center of cage, burn marks, scratches, and bruises all marred their slick pink bodies.
Ash quickly, but quietly walked up to the cage, kneeling in front of it. One Clefable, who had many burns and bruises, stood on shaky legs, glaring at Ash.
"It's okay, Clefable. I'm here to help you." He whispered with a smile. He looked behind him to make sure no one was approaching the cage.
"F-Fable…?" It said with a hushed tone. "Cle Clefable…" All the Pokemon stared at Ash, relief and hope in their eyes.
"It's okay, don't worry. I'm going to get you out of this cage, alright?" Ash stood up, and reached for the bars.
"Fable!" Clefable cried, but its cry was in vain.
Ash grabbed the cage bars, electricity coursing through him. Ash screamed in pain as his whole body seized.
When he finally released the bars, his body fell over, twitching.
"Well well well, it seems we have a hero." A feminine voice rang out over the downed boy.
Ash could see through half-lidded eyes a woman with long crimson hair, and blue eyes. She wore a white long sleeve, crop top shirt with a large "R" on the front, and a white miniskirt to match. She also wore black gloves that ran up to her forearm, and thigh high black boots.
"It appears so, Jessie. And you know what we do to heros." A cocky, masculine voice echoed.
The man had shoulder length, rich lavender hair with green eyes. He was wearing a uniform similar to the woman's, a white longsleeved shirt with a large, red "R" on the front, with white pants. He also wore black gloves that reached his forearm and black boots that reached mid-shin.
"I do indeed, James." Jessie smirked, kneeling down by Ash's head. She chuckled, seeing his eyes close. "Oh look, James. The delicate baby passed out."
"What's going on here?" Came a sinister, cold voice.
A man with neon green hair, and seafoam green eyes approached Jessie and James. He wore a similar uniform to James, only in black. His hair was slicked back, almost coming to a point at the back of his head, and a black Gatsby hat covered his head.
"Proton, Sir." Jessie said, standing at attention. "We found this boy trying to rescue the Pokemon. Though he got the shock of his life when he grabbed the cage." She chuckled.
"He's unconscious, Sir." James added.
Proton walked over, nudging the boy's face with his boot. "Do we know who he is?"
"No, Sir." James answered. "He must be a trainer trying to get through the mountain."
"I see. Put him with the others. And take his Pokemon. He won't be needing them anymore." Proton's smirk grew dark.
Jessie and James nodded, dragging Ash towards a large tent that was on the opposite end of the room.
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"Pikapi!" Pikachu whispered in fear, seeing Ash being dragged away.
"Oh no…" Leaf gasped. She turned to the Pikachu, nervously. "What do we do?" She whispered.
"Pika Pi Pikachu Pi Pikapi." Pikachu announced, looking at Leaf with determination.
"Pika! Pika Pi Pikachu!" Chi Chi replied.
Leaf looked around the corner, taking a deep breath. "Alright...we'll go rescue Ash. Stay close, and be very quiet." She instructed. Seeing the Pikachu nod, she slowly crept around the wall, imitating what Ash did when he snuck around.
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Ash groaned, his eyes fluttering open. He blinked a few times, trying to move, but finding himself restricted. His hands were cuffed behind him, with a chain locked to a post. He frowned, yanking on the chain trying to get free, but to no avail.
"Hey, you're awake!" A girl cried.
Ash turned to his left, seeing four other people chained up like he was. "Yeah...where am I? What happened?"
"You were brought in by some Rockets. You were unconscious when they brought you in." The same girl said. Ash took in her appearance; she had long white hair that was pulled back into a French braid and violet eyes. She had on black pants, a white top, and a pink leather jacket.
"I remember…I was trying to free the Clefairy, Cleffa, and Clefable when the cage electrocuted me…" Ash said softly.
"The shocks must've made you pass out." One boy said. He had messy black hair with his bangs covering his forehead, and blue eyes. He was wearing a white hoodie with blue jeans. "So yeah, welcome to the chained life my friend."
The boy gave Ash a sympathetic smile. "I'm Evan, by the way. What's your name?"
"I'm Ash." He smiled.
"I'm Kat. I would say it's nice to meet you if we were in better circumstances." She chuckled.
"No kidding." He chuckled. "What a way to make new friends, right?" Ash's eyes widened in realization. "Leaf!"
"Maple!" Evan yelled.
Ash and Kat looked at the other boy with raised eyebrows.
"Sorry, are we not calling out random types of leaves?" Evan asked.
Ash rolled his eyes. "No, Leaf is my friend. She was with me when we came into Mt. Moon." He smiled. "She's still out there."
"So what you're saying is...we might be rescued?" Kat asked, her eyes shining with hope.
Ash nodded with a smile. "Before we separated, I told her to call the police. Hopefully they'll be here soon."
"Pika Pi?" Came Pikachu's soft whisper.
"Pikachu?" Ash gasped. "Pikachu! What are you doing here?"
"Pika Pikachu Pi Pika." Pikachu whispered with a smile, pointing to the entrance of the tent.
Ash looked up, seeing Leaf entering the tent. "Leaf!" He cried happily.
Leaf smiled, walking over to Ash. "Hey, are you okay?" She asked, kneeling in front of the boy. "Are all of you okay?" She asked again, looking at the other trainers.
"I'm alright, now that you're here." Evan said, giving Leaf a dazzling smile.
Everyone turned to Evan, raising their eyebrows at him.
"Really, dude? Now is SO not the time." Kat reprimanded.
Evan chuckled. "Sorry. Just trying to lighten the mood."
Ash shook his head. "Can you get us out of here, Leaf?" He asked, looking up at the girl.
Leaf smirked, pulling out a small ring of keys. "Bulbasaur took some rockets out with Sleep Powder." She boasted, kneeling down behind Ash and unlocking his handcuffs.
After everyone was freed, they stood up and began talking.
"Leaf, did you see where they are keeping our Pokemon?" Ash asked, feeling Pikachu run up to his shoulder.
Leaf shook her head. "No, sorry. But I did call the police. The Pewter City Police Department are on their way. They should be here soon."
"So then...what do we do until then?" Kat asked,feeling Leaf unlocking her cuffs.
"I say we try and get our Pokemon back." Evan said confidently.
"I agree, but we need a plan. There are too many Rockets around." Kat frowned.
Ash stood up a little straighter, one hand on Pikachu's head. "Listen, I still have Pikachu, and Leaf has her Pokemon. We're going to try and find our Pokemon."
"It's the only way, Leaf. We can try to put them all to sleep, like you did earlier." He explained. "Speaking of which, we should probably bring them in here and tie them up. You guys should try and get to safety until we get the Pokemon back."
Evan and Kat nodded, walking out and grabbing the two sleeping grunts, and handcuffed them to the posts.
"Okay Leaf, let's go get our Pokemon." Ash said.
Leaf sighed, calling out Bulbasaur. "Alright...let's go."
Ash smiled, turning to Kat and Evan. "Gag them, and make sure they don't go anywhere."
Kat and Evan nodded, doing as they were told as Ash and Leaf left the safety of the tent.
Ash and Leaf slowly crept along the cave walls, trying to sneak into a different tent. As they crept along a wall, Pikachu's ears twitched. Pikachu tapped Ash's shoulder, pointing towards his right.
Ash blinked, turning to his right. It was the two grunts he saw before he passed out earlier. "Oh no…"
"Huh?" Jessie hummed, turning to her left. "Ah! It's that brat from earlier!" She exclaimed. She grabbed a Pokeball from her belt, throwing it in the air. "Ekans!"
"Koffing, go!" James called, throwing his own Pokeball.
"Pikachu, go!" Ash exclaimed, pointing towards Jessie and James.
"Go, Chi Chi!" Leaf cried out.
The two Pikachus lept off their trainer's shoulders, taking their battle positions.
"Koffing! Use Sludge!" James commanded.
"Ekans, use Poison Sting!"
"Pikachu! Dodge and use Thundershock!" Ash yelled out.
"You too, Chi Chi!"
The two yellow rodents dodged the onslaught of poison, firing off electricity at their opponents with a shout of their names. The electricity flew through the air, connecting with the opposing Pokemon.
The Ekans and Koffing cried out in pain. Once the attack ended, but poison types glared at the two Pikachus.
"Ekans! Use Acid!"
"Koffing, Smog attack!"
"Pikachu! Use Charge!" Ash yelled out.
Pikachu stared down the two poison types, electricity enveloping his body.
"Chi Chi! Cover Pikachu and use Thundershock, again!" Leaf shouted, her arm extending out towards the enemy Pokemon.
Chi Chi jumped in front of Pikachu, firing off a Thundershock at the Smog. The electricity hit the combustible toxins, causing an explosion in the middle of the battlefield.
As the smoke lingered, Ekans shot through the black cloud, using Wrap on Pikachu.
"Ah! Pikachu!" Ash cried out, seeing his partner being squeezed by the purple snake. "Hurry, and use Thundershock!"
Pikachu wheezed out his name, the electricity emerging from his body and surrounding his captor. The Ekans' scream echoed through the cave, slumping to the ground in a heap. The snake's body unconstricted, and Pikachu jumped out from its grasp.
"Yeah! Way to go Pikachu!" Ash cheered.
"You damn brat!" Jessie growled, her teeth clenched. She recalled her Ekans, turning to James. "Hurry up and finish them!"
James nodded. "Koffing! Use-" The man was cut off, hearing yelling and explosions behind him. "What's going on?"
Leaf smiled. "That must be the police!"
Jessie and James turned to the children, glaring at them. Before James could call out an attack for his Pokemon, a cold and merciless voice spoke.
"You imbeciles!" Proton growled. "Leave these brats, and try and save whatever loot you can."
"Proton, Sir." Jessie and James stood up straight, running to the nearest bounty of fossils and moon stones.
"How pathetic, being beaten by two rookie trainers." The green-haired man said, his eyes focused on Ash and Leaf.
"Ash….this guy's tough. We should get the police." Leaf said, grabbing a hold of Chi Chi's Pokeball.
"You're not going anywhere, girlie." Proton chuckled, the sound sending chills down the children's spines. He tossed a Pokeball out on the field, the light revealing a strong looking Weezing.
Ash frowned, standing in front of Leaf. "Your opponent is me." His eyes remained firmly on Proton, his fists clenched at his sides. "Leaf, go and find Officer Jenny. I'll take care of this."
"But Ash-" She wanted to fight him on the issue, but there was a look in the boy's eyes that left no room for arguments. She hesitantly returned her Pikachu, taking off to find Officer Jenny.
"You're not going anywhere, Missy." Proton smirked. " Go Weezing. Selfdestruct."
"Leaf! Look out!" Ash yelled, running after her.
"Pika Pi!" Pikachu yelled, running after his trainer.
Leaf turned, seeing Weezing behind her, energy building up inside the Pokemon. She stared at the brightly glowing Pokemon, paralyzed with fear.
"Leaf!" Ash yelled again, barely making it in time to push the frozen girl away from the initial blast.
Leaf fell to the floor, covering her head as the explosion went off behind her. After the blast went off, she turned seeing the Weezing on the ground, unconscious. Turning towards a wall of the cave, she saw two figures.
"Ash! Pikachu!" She scrambled to her feet, running over to them. Her eyes scanned over them, taking in every injury on their bodies.
"You're lucky, girlie. If it wasn't for your boyfriend, you'd be dead." Proton gave her a predatory smirk, recalling his fainted Weezing. "Be grateful the police are here, or else I'd make you my personal plaything." With a dark chuckle, he turned, disappearing into the shadows.
Leaf turned to Ash and Pikachu, tears freely falling down her cheeks. "A-Ash..please wake up. Wake up. Wake up!" She pleaded, continuing to scream at the boy.
She felt an arm on her shoulder as she continued to cry. With blurry eyes, she saw police officers and EMT's surrounding them. Looking behind her, she saw Officer Jenny holding onto her shoulders. With a sob, she stood and hugged the female officer, crying into her chest as Ash and Pikachu were whisked away.
~End Chapter
What did you guys think? Sorry it took so long for me to put this chapter out. I was hit with a major road block and it took me forever to finish it. I'm sorry. Please review and leave me comments on anything you would like to see in future chapters.