Chapter 3-Hardship on the Horizon

"What's this about, Professor?" Ash asked.

Red, Leaf and Gary had already left and set out on Route 1. Ash would have left as well, but Professor Oak had asked him to stay behind to talk.

"It's about your Froakie," Oak said seriously.

Ash's hand reflexively moved to cup Froakie's pokeball, which was clipped to the back of Ash's belt under his jacket.

"What about him?" Ash asked nervously. He didn't think this would be a very enjoyable conversation.

"Well, when I got Froakie, Chespin, and Fennekin from Professor Sycamore, the regional professor of the Kalos region, warned me that your Froakie has been looking for a skilled trainer for a long time now, several years, in fact," Oak said.

"Years?.." Ash breathed. "So… what you're saying is that I have to convince Froakie that I'm a strong trainer?" Ash asked slowly.

"Yes, but I'm afraid that will be much easier said than done," Oak sighed.

"What do you mean?" Ash asked.

"Um, well…" Oak wrung his hands nervously.. His eyes dodged around the lab. He didn't seem to want to answer.

Ash's brows furrowed in worry. "Professor?"

Oak looked back to Ash and saw the apprehension on his face. Oak sighed.

"Professor Sycamore warned me that Froakie is very particular about what kind of trainer he wants to have. So much so that he has abandoned numerous trainers he deemed inadequate."

Ash froze. He could lose Froakie?

He had been so excited for his journey, but now, any enthusiasm had completely disappeared.

"So… if I'm not a good enough trainer… Froakie might abandon me," Ash all but whispered.

"I'm afraid so…" Oak confirmed.

Ash's gaze fell as he tried to process his unsavory situation.

Professor Oak looked at Ash remorsefully. He forced a cheery smile onto his face and put his hand on Ash's shoulder supportively.

"But don't worry, my boy! I'm sure everything will work out just fine! Even if Froakie doesn't find you suitable, I'm sure you'll catch many other Pokémon who would love for you to be their trainer," Oak said reassuringly.

It sounded like Oak was trying to convince himself. Thankfully, Ash appeared to be convinced, as well.

"You're right, Professor! I'm sure I'll get Froakie to trust me. And if not, I'll find someone who will!" Ash declared, his bright, confident smile back in place.

Oak blinked in surprise. He wasn't at all surprised that Ash would accept the challenge of earning Froakie's trust. But him promising to help Froakie find his ideal trainer was definitely unexpected, but oh so very Ash.

A proud grin threatened to split Oak's face in two.

"That's the spirit!" Oak patted Ash on the back appraisingly. The two shared a laugh and the somber mood took a complete u-turn.

"Well, I've kept you long enough. Good luck on your journey, Ash, and with Froakie, too. If anyone can earn his trust, it's you," Oak said proudly.

"Thanks Professor! See you around!" Ash dashed out the door in high spirits, determined to earn Froakie's trust. Oak smiled fondly after him.


Ash walked through a field on Route 1 as he ruminated on everything that had happened.

After his talk with Professor Oak, Ash had gone home to get his backpack and all the supplies he'd need on his journey. He'd forgotten to grab them because he woke up late. While Ash was doing his last-minute packing his mother was fawning over Froakie.

Ash chuckled at the memory of his reserved starter turning to putty in his mother's arms. The frog had tried to struggle his way out of Delia's hug, but he completely melted when Delia found a sweet spot underneath his chin and gave it a good scratch. Ash would have to remember that in the future.

A rustling in the tall grass made Ash stop. A bird with a yellow belly and a brown back walked out of the grass.

Ash quickly pulled out his Pokédex and aimed the camera at the Pokémon, and it quickly pulled up the bird's Pokédex entry.

"Pidgey, tiny bird Pokémon, a normal and flying type. Does not like to fight. It hides in tall grass foraging for food such as small bugs," the Pokédex said in its robotic voice.

Ash remembered one of Professor Oak's infomercials covering the basics of catching wild Pokémon. He'd have to weaken the Pokémon in battle before trying to catch it with a pokeball.

Ash grabbed Froakie's pokeball and threw it at the Pidgey. "Go Froakie!"

Froakie popped out of its pokeball and its gaze fell on Pidgey. Its legs tensed, ready to pounce.

"Alright, Froakie, use… wait, what moves do you know?" Ash faltered.

Froakie tripped mid-leap. He looked back at Ash incredulously and shouted, "Fro, froakie kie fro!"

"Wait, what? I can't understand what you're-" Ash faltered. While Froakie was yelling at him, the Pidgey took to the air and started flying away.

"No, wait!" Ash panicked. "Froakie, stop that Pidgey!"

Froakie was already acting. In fact, he didn't seem to have heard Ash at all.

A ball of water formed in between Froakie's hands. He reeled back and threw the ball at the Pidgey.

The Pidgey easily dodged the ball and flew away. The ball soared past it and began to fall towards the ground.

Ash sighed in disappointment. Froakie gave Ash a stink eye.

"H-hey, how was I supposed to know your moves? I just got you!" Ash stammered.

As Ash and Froakie squabbled, the ball of water fell into the grass. An indignant squawk pulled them from their argument.

A small bird with brown and red feathers and a hooked beak emerged from the grass, and it looked none too pleased.

Going by its wet feathers and angry glare, Ash realized it must have been hit by Froakie's ball of water.

As the bird circled them, Ash scanned it with his Pokédex.

"Spearow, tiny bird Pokémon, a normal and flying type. Eats bugs in grassy areas. It has to flap its short wings at high speed to stay airborne," the Pokédex said.

Froakie rotated slowly, keeping the Spearow in his sight.

"Wait, Froakie, I still don't know your moves!" Ash called. Ash's Pokédex piped up.

"To view a captured Pokémon's moves, please select the box marked 'Pokémon.'"

Ash looked at his Pokédex in surprise. On the screen were six boxes labeled Pokémon, Pokédex, Trainer ID, Map, Camera, and Options.

Saving his questions for later, Ash used the buttons below the screen to select the Pokémon box. The screen changed to show six bars, five of which were empty. The first one had an eight-bit image of Froakie and the frog's name next to it.

"Select the Pokémon you wish to view," the Pokédex instructed.

Ash selected Froakie, and a tab appeared below the bar with several links.

"Spearow!"

Ash looked up in surprise. Spearow had lost its patience and dive bombed Froakie.

"Look out, Froakie!" Ash shouted fearfully.

Froakie jumped over Spearow and threw his frubbles at the bird.

Spearow dodged the frubbles and looped around for another attack.

Ash looked down at his Pokédex, and in a panic, selected the link labeled 'Summary.'

An image of Froakie and lots of data that Ash didn't understand appeared on the screen. His eyes snapped to the list of Froakie's moves.

Froakie knew the water type move Water Pulse, the normal type move Pound, and the normal type move Growl.

The Spearow swooped in for another attack. As Ash began to panic, he remembered the ball of water Froakie had made earlier.

"Froakie, use Water Pulse!"

Froakie ignored Ash and crouched, preparing to jump.

The Spearow dove towards Froakie and its beak gained a white sheen as it used the normal type move Peck. The same glow encompassed Froakie's hand.

Froakie leapt at the Spearow head on and slapped it out of the air using Pound. The Spearow fell into the tall grass.

"Froakie…" Ash muttered weakly. He would have tried to catch the Spearow, but he was reeling in shock at Froakie completely ignoring him.

Did this mean Froakie didn't want Ash as his trainer? Would Froakie abandon him?

Froakie cast Ash a dirty look. "Kie fro kie kie, froakie," he said sarcastically. It sounded like he'd said, 'Thanks for the help, dumbass.'

Ash's gloom quickly turned to anger.

"Hey, it's not my fault you didn't listen to me!"

Froakie's glare hardened and he opened his mouth to argue.

"SPEAROOOOOW!"

Ash and Froakie jumped in surprise. They saw the Spearow that Froakie had just beaten sitting in the grass. Its head was held high as a long angry cry rang from its beak.

It turned to them with a smug look as storm clouds rolled over the field ominously.

In the distance, Ash saw countless birds emerge from a large tree's branches. Ash paled as the giant flock of angry Spearow flew towards them.

"Froakie…" Ash whispered fearfully.

"RUN!"