Pallet Town Oak Pokemon Lab (1 month into Training)
Laying there on the grass, exhausted by the heat, his tutor, and just sheer routine, Ash had to make a troubling admission. For the first time he could think of on his journey, Ash Red Ketchum was bored and frustrated with training. That's right! The same Ash Red Ketchum who wants to be the very best like no one ever was wanted to stop. It's not like he was complaining, at least on the outside, and he was giving 110% along with his Pokemon. It's just, one month of pure freaking routine. One month of little to no change.
The first two weeks of Ash's training had been purely with his Pokemon, his tutor having not yet arrived. One of the first things he did after his inspiring speech, and a nice evening run with his Pokemon, was to chat with a certain group of powerful Pokemon now staying at the ranch. These were of course his father's Pokemon. Ash and his mom had already come to a decision that they deserved a peaceful retirement, especially after the ordeal they had been through. Professor Oak was more than happy to let them roam the ranch. Red's Pikachu did enjoy spending time with Delia from time to time though, serving as a sort of guardian for the woman, and she did enjoy the company. In any case, just because they were retired, didn't mean Ash wouldn't use a viable resource. Thus, Ash had politely asked the powerful group of Pokemon if they wouldn't mind assisting him in training up his own. They had accepted without hesitation, smelling their old master on the boy, and sensing his pure spirit.
Ash's Pikachu paired off with Red's, showing the younger mouse the finer points of battling. Of course, he had also begun to teach Ash's Pikachu a move called Volt Tackle as well. From what Ash had seen, it was a powerful, but risky play, which could be useful in the right situation.
Ivysaur took to Venasaur like a moth to a flame. Ash didn't exactly understand his Pokemon completely, but from what Espeon had told him, Venasaur was explaining how Ivysaur's battle strategy would need to shift once he evolved, due to the decrease in speed he would experience. Considering Ivysaur's level of experience, the day of his evolution was likely near.
Charizard and Charizard also went off together, which was again not exactly surprising. The two draconic Fire Pokemon could often be seen racing around the ranch skies, battling in open fields, and firing off attacks into the air. Ash's Charizard lost every time of course, but he was improving. Currently, they were working on a move called Dragon Pulse.
Blastoise and Lapras took Kingler and Shellder to train off in a corner of the ranch with plenty of Water. Blastoise tended to focus on Kingler, since Blastoise himself was more aggressive and Kingler had plenty of experience, while the more patient Lapras dealt with Shellder. Kingler's endurance had improved dramatically from fighting the powerful Water Pokemon. Meanwhile, Shellder gained some much-needed confidence from the patient Lapras after being slaughtered by Blaine's Houndoom back on Cinnabar Island. If Ash could just get her to win a few live battles, he would feel confident in giving Shellder his Water Stone to induce evolution.
Finally, there was Snorlax. To Ash's surprise, Tyrogue immediately went up to Snorlax and asked for personal training. Back on New Island, Tyrogue had assisted Bruno's Pokemon in fighting the behemoth when it was under Giovanni's control. Perhaps Tyrogue had gained some respect for it? Regardless, Snorlax obliged the tiny Pokemon. His large size and neve-ending energy served as the perfect punching bag. He had also started instructed the little fighter on the use of Dynamic Punch.
Most of Ash's other veteran Pokemon had also paired off to expedite their training. Pidgeot and Butterfree naturally gravitated towards one another being flyers. Their moves were already large and diverse for the most part, so they tended to focus on mock battles, speed training, and other useful exercises. Likewise, Espeon and Clefable also opted to train together. Their shared usage of long-ranged special attacks made for some interesting battles. Gengar also joined the two from time to time, helping Espeon to master Shadow Ball, and launching Shadow Balls at the two to help with their dodging.
This left Ash plenty of time to focus on three Pokemon he had been neglecting for far too long; the Safari Zone Pokemon. Ryhorn at the very least had gotten some exposure and training, but Scyther and Tauros had been relegated to the lab, never getting any field experience. Ash felt bad about the situation, but he couldn't exactly change the past, so instead he focused on making them better here and now.
Ryhorn's previous training allowed him to master Rock Blast, giving him much needed range. Now Ash wanted him to focus on building speed, or at least as much as possible given his size. To that end, Ash had shown Ryhorn some videos of a move called Drill Run. The move involved running at full speed, rotating your body like a drill, and crashing into an opponent. Mastering this new move would serve to accomplish the speed goal in addition to adding to Ryhorn's repertoire. Ash added a saddle with some rocks to Ryhorn's back, increasing the resistance, hoping to build speed. It was somewhat similar to what he had done with Pikachu and Iron Tail way back when, so he figured it could work out again.
Dexter informed Ash that Tauros knew Work Up, Payback, Take Down, and Horn Attack. Not the worst move set, but there was room for improvement. First, Ash wanted Tauros to cover her glaring weakness, which was against Fighting Pokemon. Luckily, there was a convenient move she could learn to assist. Zen Headbutt with a powerful psychic move that would fit the charging bull's nature well, while dealing with the threat of Fighting Pokemon that got too close. From time to time, Ash would have Espeon help out and project her psychic powers on the bull, trying to help Tauros get a feel for the attack while she was charging. Steady progress had been made. Otherwise, Ash had Tauros working on a second move called Swagger. It was designed to enrage opponents, while causing confusion. Mastery of this move could allow for opponents to make critical mistakes, though the risk of their increased attack power was present. Ryhorn and Tauros also enjoyed sparing with one another, which gave both some decent experience in battle.
Then there was Scyther. The rebellious Bug-Flying Pokemon was not being the most cooperative. Sure, he participated in the group runs, eating the healthy meals Oak and Ash prepared, and endurance training, but when it came time to work with Ash, that is when things were getting difficult. Scyther preferred to train on his own, practicing his attacks against trees and some poor unsuspecting Pokemon. That second hobby was quickly stopped when Professor Oak's Dragonite convinced him it was a bad idea. Still, Scyther couldn't be bullied to work with his trainer, and Ash didn't want to do that either. He needed a way to gain his respect. Ash just didn't know how.
That was how things had been for the first two weeks, with everyone steadily gaining strength, even if the training was exhausting. The truth is though, Ash had no idea what exhausting really meant. Not until he met his tutor.
Pallet Town Oak Pokemon Lab (Two weeks ago)
The sun had not yet risen, but Ash and his Pokemon were on yet another of their morning runs. They had steadily been increasing the difficulty, opting to venture across more difficult terrains on the ranch and to cover longer distances. It was tiring, but everyone was getting stronger, so it was worth it. Normally, no one bothered the group while they were moving out and about, as all the other Pokemon and Professor Oak were sleeping. Today was different. In almost a flash, a glowing blue humanoid figure zoomed by the group at a speed far from normal. The figure literally left Ash and his Pokemon in the dust, as its feet had kicked up quite a bit due to the velocity at which it ran. Stopping to cough and rub the dust away, Ash peered ahead, trying to spy what had run by them, but it was already gone.
"Well, that was weird. Can't stop now though. Let's finish strong guys!" Ash called to his friends, resuming his pace. They followed along and the gang found themselves finishing up by the back entrance to Professor Oak's lab in 30 minutes. Everyone collapsed immediately, panting from the long run, and Ash was no different.
"Not too bad for a human I suppose, but I expected more from you Ash Red Ketchum." Ash whipped his head up at that. There, leaning against a beam by Professor Oak's back door, was a blue humanoid Pokemon. Ash thought it looked similar to a jackal. The Pokemon had a chest spike, black patterns around his body, and a cream-colored chest. It had also just spoken…
"Did you just speak to me?" Ash asked.
"I did. Does this shock you?" responded the figure, his lips not moving at all. Still on the ground and recovering, Ash shook his head.
"No. Espeon here can speak with telepathy as well," Ash gestured to his exhausted Princess.
"I see. Bold of you to assume that I communicate through telepathy though," neutrally responded the Pokemon.
"Then… wait you were glowing earlier when you ran past us. Did… are you using aura?" Ash asked hopefully.
"Perhaps you are not as hopeless as I had first assumed. It is through the noble art of aura that I speak yes," nodded the Pokemon. Ash ignored the backhanded insult, focusing on the aura aspect of the Pokemon.
"Then, are you going to be my tutor?" Ash asked, forcing himself up. The Pokemon was at his side in an instant, grabbing Ash's hands, prodding him, and looking at the boy close.
"Hey! What are you—"
"Hmm. I can sense the potential within you. It was as the champion said, you do have the gift," dryly commented the Pokemon. Ash shook himself away with a growl, not appreciating the invasion of his personal space.
"Well, I could have told you that. So, when do we start?
"Who said I agreed to train you?" responded the amused Pokemon with his arms crossed.
"But… then why are you here if you're not going to train me?" blurted out Ash, now thoroughly confused.
"You have potential boy, but nothing in this world is free. There is a price to be paid should you wish me to train you."
"Stop calling me boy, and what kind of price," the annoyed Ash asked with narrowed eyes.
"I, and all other known Aura Guardians, are sworn servants of Cameran Palace, and its ruler Lady Ilene. There is more to it then that, but should you wish to learn to wield your gift, you must make a vow to render aid to the lady and her Kingdom should the need arise," explained Lucario. Ash took a moment to think about it. It didn't sound too bad, but he wanted to clarify a few things.
"Just to be clear, I wouldn't be expected to live there, or stop my Pokemon journey, right?" Ash hesitantly asked.
"Correct. Only in emergency would you be summoned, and such a call has not gone out for hundreds of years," answered the Pokemon. Ash nodded and stuck his hand out.
"Deal!" The Pokemon ignored the hand, looking at the boy appraisingly.
"Kneel and repeat after me," ordered the Pokemon.
"Uh… ok," Ash said, retracting his hand and kneeling.
"I, Ash Red Ketchum, do solemnly swear myself to the service of her majesty the Lady Ilene and her descendants, and to the defense of Cameran Palace. Should I be called to duty, I will arrive with haste, ready to defend the lady and her kingdom with my life. I also vow to keep the training and powers of aura secret, never to be shared without permission from her majesty or her representatives. Should I fail in my vow, may Arceus strike me down. So I swear, so it shall be done."
Ash repeated the vow word for word, never breaking eye contact with the Pokemon, while he did so, and his own Pokemon watched on.
"Rise Aura Apprentice Ash. I greet you as your teacher. You may refer to me as Lucario," said the Pokemon, content with the vow his student had given.
"Awesome! Let's rock!" cheered the pumped-up boy, ready to get going.
"Your enthusiasm is encouraging, but before we begin, there is more to discuss. First, I am sure you are curious as to why your body turned to stone yes?" Lucario threw out there with a knowing smirk. That certainly took the wind out of Ash's sails as he was indeed curious.
"Yeah, actually why did that happen?"
"It was a power called Aura Absorption, which you must have subconsciously used to defend yourself. It is the complete opposite of another technique, known as Aura Transfer. Sir Aaron famously used Aura Transfer to save the Cameran Palace thousands of years ago, but in doing so, he gave up too much of himself and perished in the process," solemnly explained the Pokemon, looking far off in the distance for a moment.
"Sorry to heart that, but what does that have to do with me using… Aura Absorption right?" Ash gingerly asked, snapping Lucario back to the present.
"Everything! Sir Aaron gave too much of himself, while you took in too much energy from the attack sent your way. Even though you sent it back, more than enough seeped into your being and overloaded your system. Without the training to fully redirect such attacks, the absorption resulted in you turning to stone. You were lucky a mythical being was on hand to save your life apprentice," lectured Lucario.
"Then you can teach me to redirect powerful attacks!" the excited boy responded. Lucario sighed.
"That and more. But before we run, we must learn to walk. What is aura Ash?"
"Some kind of mystical energy that Aura Guardians have, right?" tried the boy.
"Incorrect. All living beings possess aura. Aura Guardians merely have the means to sense and wield it. That is what you will be learning to do."
"Then enough chatting! Let's get to it!" exclaimed Ash, getting frustrated at all of this talking.
"So be it," chuckled the creature.
Pallet Town Oak Pokemon Lab (Present)
Aura training, contrary to Ash's initial thoughts, sucked! Every morning after their run, which Lucario joined in on, pushing his apprentice to move faster, Ash would be dragged away by the jackal-like Pokemon for "training." This involved two things. One was hours of meditation, which was nothing but pure boredom. Ash was supposed to be reaching out with his senses and trying to feel the aura of the Pokemon around him, but all he got was a whole pile of nothing there. The other training method was pure pain. Ash would be blindfolded, handed a staff, and commanded to strike Lucario, who had his own staff. Lucario wore a blindfold as well in the spirit of fairness, but only one of them ended up bruised and battered on the ground over and over. Here's a hint… it wasn't Lucario. Two weeks of this repetitive boring abuse had come and gone, and the boy felt like he had made no progress whatsoever. At least his Pokemon seemed to be getting better, even if Scyther was still being a tool.
Sitting up from the grass, Ash decided to mix things up a bit. He hadn't spoken much with Professor Oak since he had gotten back. Maybe he would have an idea on how to snap Ash out of his funk? It was better than staying on the ground and doing nothing during this merciful break. Now knowing his course, Ash headed on into the lab.
Cerulean City Gym
"Seadra is unable to battle!" called out Daisy from the referee position. Misty sighed, summoning her fallen Pokemon back to its Pokeball. Ever since she had returned to the Cerulean City Gym, she had immediately taken over all responsibilities regarding being the Gym Leader, which her sisters were more than happy to hoist on her. All they had to do was referee every once in a while. As for Misty, this allowed the girl to get plenty of training in against challengers. Most of the time she won. The only exceptions were when she had to hold back against opponents who did not already have seven Gym Badges. Luckily, today's opponent did.
Misty was in the midst of a 6 on 6 Pokemon battle, and she now only had two Pokemon remaining. Her opponent was down to a single Vileplume, so even then she was ahead. Seadra had done admirable, taking down one opponent, and dealing some damage to the Grass Pokemon in front of her. Misty really wanted to bring out Gyarados to finish this. She had tried letting him out a few times already. Before she could get a word in though, he would start in with the Hyper Beams. This was really starting to be a problem. Maybe Lorelei could help, but that would have to wait. For now, Misty chose another reliable option.
"Misty calls, Dewgong!" cried the redhead, releasing the newly evolved Sea Lion Pokemon into the water. Its evolution was evidence of Misty's training during this past month. Being back at the gym had allowed her to focus in on Pokemon like Dewgong, who she had sent back.
"Razor Leaf Vileplume!" yelled out her opponent, some random teenage boy.
"Vie!" Vileplume fired off leaves at a great speed, but Misty's Dewgong easily evaded the attack, diving under the water.
"Great work! Now start off with Hail and then get close," confidently called the girl. Dewgong didn't even rise from the surface. Instead, clouds formed inside the enclosed stadium and ice started to pelt the vulnerable Grass Pokemon, chipping away at its already compromised health.
"Send that Hail away with Sunny day!" shot back her opponent. Vileplume immediately cried out, dispersing the clouds, and revealing a miniature sun overhead. Misty merely smirked.
Dewgong should be in position now. "Ice Beam straight up."
"Protect!" yelled the boy, anticipating the attack. No attack came though. What did come was growing ice on the platform on which Vileplume stood, and in mere seconds it was completely covered, causing the Grass Pokemon to lose its balance and slip into the water.
"NO!" cried the teen, realizing his Pokemon's compromise position.
"FINISH WITH ICE BEAM NOW!" yelled Misty, victory within her grasp. Dewgong dove into the air from the water, revealing himself and firing a powerful icy blast at the helpless Vileplume. The results were predictable. Vileplume was frozen solid in moments.
"Vileplume is unable to battle! As all of the challenger's Pokemon are unable to battle, the Gym Leader is the winner!" declared Daisy with a small smile. Her little sister was certainly coming into her own, even if she wasn't as pretty as herself or the others.
"Dang it man! Return Vileplume," sighed the boy, calling back his Pokemon, and looking over to the Gym Leader. Misty was kneeling by the water, petting, and thanking Dewgong for his efforts, before calling him back. The two trainers met near Daisy at the end.
"I have to say, I underestimated you Misty. You're a powerful trainer," smiled the boy.
"Thank Dan. You did pretty well yourself. My Water Pokemon have a natural advantage here, so in order for you to come back and win, try to develop some strategies to counter that," offered the girl.
"I think I will. Take care," said the boy, quickly leaving to head out to the Pokemon Center.
"Not bad Misty. Like, you're kicking some serious butt," complimented Daisy.
"Thanks sis! My Pokemon are doing most of the work though," smiled the girl.
"Sure, but you've been doing pretty good too. That last combination was a new strategy. Keep it up and you might be as popular as we are… even if you're an ugly runt," sniggered the older girl, who also took her leave. Misty might have responded heatedly in the past, but she was more than used to this by now. Maybe she was actually growing up? If she was, she had to credit her journey. The months of traveling with Ash and Brock were amazing. Pokemon, danger, shopping, exploring, battles, and just so much more. She was a better person for it.
"To think that I might have to give that all up for my dream," softly spoke the girl aloud. Try as she might, Misty couldn't stop thinking about Lorelei's offer. It was everything she wanted, and the quickest path to becoming a Water Pokemon Master… but her friends. She would have to give up her best friends. No more adventures. No more cooking from Brock. No more positivity and drive from Ash. No more exploring the world together. No more of Brock's antics. No more of Ash's surprisingly sweet reflection. It would be all gone. Sure, they would probably see each other from time to time, but their journey would come to an end.
"What to do," groaned the girl. Procrastinate! Yes, that was the answer. She still had four months to make up her mind. No need to worry. With that cowardly, er wise, decision made, Misty prepared for some additional training.
"Misty, one of your boyfriends is on the line!" yelled out Daisy, who had briefly walked back in to inform her and quickly walked back out.
"THEY'RE NOT MY BOYFRIENDS!" screamed the now irate and flushing girl. Some things just never changed.
Pewter City Gym
Brock's reconnection with his family went well for the most part. All of his siblings rushed outside to greet the teen after he had arrived by helicopter nearly tackling him. He had spent many days and nights regaling them with tales from his journey, providing stories from his adventures. He may have exaggerated a bit on his success with the ladies, but the kids were entertained and that's what counts right? That said, it did only go well for the most part. The other part was of course his father.
Flint had taken to the housework and taking care of the kids with much gusto, succeeding where he had failed as a Pokemon Trainer. That was the problem though. The man couldn't train Pokemon for his life and the Pewter City Gym was suffering. Brock came home to find that his father had lost the overwhelming majority of his battles to challengers, shattering the gym's previous reputation. There was even a notice from the Pokemon League that an inspector would be sent to review the gym's suitability to give out badges! It was only dumb luck that they were tied up with Team Rocket, forcing them to delay that date. Needless to say, Brock took control back immediately, defeating most of his challengers with prejudice and preemptively writing to the Pokemon League regarding his presence and desire to fix the situation. Hopefully his connections with Lance and the Elite Four would pay some dividends. This was only a temporary solution though. Brock was still very much interested in being a Pokemon Breeder and was looking forward to seeing more of the world with Ash and Misty. Luckily, there was a solution, which was yet another thing he had been working on for the past month.
Brock's brother Forrest conveyed to the teen that he wanted to be a Rock Pokemon Master and eventually take over the Pewter City Gym. Forrest had a Ryhorn, which Flint had gifted the boy during Brock's time away. He had also caught a Sandshrew from a nearby route, giving him the makings of a promising team. After a quick assessment of the boy's knowledge and battle skills, Brock determined that Forrest had potential, and so he dove headfirst into training his brother up. Each day the duo would experience at least 1 battle with one another, while Forrest carefully watched every battle Brock had against challengers from the stands. In fact, the two of them were currently engaged in a fight right now.
"Ryhorn, use your horn attack!" yelled the enthusiastic youth. The Rock Pokemon charged, blazing straight ahead.
Too predictable. Time to teach him another lesson, Brock internally sighed.
"Confuse Ray Zubat," calmly ordered the teenager.
"GET OUT OF THERE!" cried Forrest in response. It was far too late for all that though. Zubat sent a glowing ray at the Pokemon that tried to slow its charge, making easy contact. Ryhorn immediately swerved to the left and ran straight into the gym wall, dealing massive damage to himself.
"Finish with Steel Wing," called Brock, surprising his brother with a move he had not used throughout the month. Zubat's wings glinted a bright white and he slammed into Ryhorn, dealing super-effective damage, and knocking Ryhorn out.
"Return Ryhorn," said the boy with blatant disappointment, while Brock did the same.
"What did you do wrong Forrest?" the teen asked, approaching his sullen brother.
"You mean besides agreeing to battle you daily?" the boy cheekily responded.
"Yes, besides that," chuckled Brock. Forrest furrowed his brow in concentration, his Slate family squinty eyes getting even more squinty.
"Was it that I charged in too early with Ryhorn?"
"That's part of it, but there's more. Remember what I said about a Gym Leader's purpose?" Forrest rolled his eyes, having heard this lecture several times already.
"Yes Brock. A Gym Leader is supposed to test the bonds between a trainer and their Pokemon by pushing them to their limits," recited the boy.
"That's right. How can a Gym Leader test a challenger's bond when their own bond needs work? How can a Gym Leader push a challenger to the limit when they haven't analyzed all that a challenger is capable of?" Brock paused here, trying to let his brother think about it.
"Forrest, you really are getting better, but you can't be so impatient. You need to wait and see more, observing what your opponent is capable of. In this battle, I saw right away that Zubat would be far faster than Ryhorn. That means my Pokemon would be able to counter any direct attacks with ease by dodging or sending out a trick attack like Confuse Ray. I also let you charge in a few times earlier to see what moves and strategies you could employ with Ryhorn. Once that was done, it was easy to come up with a strategy to defeat you with something that I was holding back, which was Steel Wing. Do you understand the point I'm trying to make?" gently finished Brock.
"Yes…" sighed the boy, head hung low.
"Chin up Forrest! You lasted a few minutes longer than usual today," Brock smiled, clapping his brother on the back, and bringing out a smile from the younger boy. The brotherly bonding was interrupted by the city's worst battler.
"Hey Brock, someone is ringing the phone for you. I think it's somebody you know," said Flint from the doorway. Shrugging his shoulders, Brock went to see what it was all about, his brother following close behind him.
Pallet Town Oak Pokemon Lab
Sipping his third cup of coffee of the day, Professor Oak finished analyzing the dilemma the young man had brought to him. Boredom and frustration indeed. Oh, to be young again. Professor Oak had his own issue that he had been having difficulties resolving. Perhaps Ash could be of assistance. It would certainly take care of his the boy's problem.
"I think I have a solution for you Ash."
"Really?" the boy asked, voice full of relief.
"It so happens that one of my latest research projects has got me plain stumped. One of my colleagues has agreed to assist with the endeavor and I need someone to deliver a package to her," explained the man, pulling out a box from under the table.
"You want me to be a delivery boy?" frowned Ash.
"It's more than that Ash. I'm asking you to take what's inside this box to the Orange Islands, an archipelago south of Kanto. There would be plenty for you to do there besides being a delivery boy. The islands have a small regional league of their own, which I am sure you could compete in within the few short months until the Indigo League Conference. After all, there are only four Gym Badges you need to obtain and from there you simply make an appointment to challenge the local champion. In addition, there are plenty of rare Pokemon you would have a hard time finding in Kanto. Perhaps you might engage in some unique training as well?" Professor Oak explained, hoping to tempt the boy.
"That does sound pretty good. Didn't Lance say I had to stay here though?" Ash asked, remembering the champions request.
"There's also the fact that I'm not sure Lucario would go for it," muttered the boy. Professor Oak waved those concerns away, shaking his head.
"Let me take care of Lance. You would be traveling out of Kanto anyway, so I'm sure that it will be fine as long as you are discreet. As for Lucario, if he was willing to travel here to teach you, perhaps he would be willing to teach you on the road as well? If we can resolve those issues, would you be game?" Professor Oak asked again. Ash didn't have to think twice about that.
"Heck yes I would be! Could you possibly call Brock and Misty for me too? I'm still not allowed to contact anyone, and I'd love for them to come along for the ride."
"Of course my boy, but we are getting ahead of ourselves. Allow me to show you what you will be transporting and to whom you will be delivering it to." With that, Professor Oak opened up the box, pulling out a Pokeball with a gold top half. The letters G S were carved into the golden half.
"I recently came into possession of this mysterious Pokeball. I have come to refer to it as the GS ball for obvious reasons. The mystery about it is that no matter what I try, I can't seem to open the thing to see if a Pokemon, or anything else is inside. Nobody else I have spoken to has heard of this phenomenon either. I am hoping that Professor Ivy, my colleague in the Orange Islands, might have more luck than I do figuring out this mystery. She is headquartered on Volencia Island. Assuming we run into no issues with Lance and your instructor, I can have you kids on a Blimp there within the next few days," smiled the old man.
"It does look pretty cool. Sounds like a plan Professor Oak! I'm going to and chat with Lucario right away!" declared the boy, sprinting off and leaving the man in his dust.
"I suppose I should start contacting people as well then," laughed the professor aloud, never getting tired of the antics of one of his favorite local trainers.
Pallet Town Ketchum Residence (The Next Day)
It was a very familiar scene in the room of one Ash Red Ketchum. The sun had not yet risen and the Dodrio had not yet crowed, but Ash was in his room awake, packing his supplies and looking things over. Things had gone surprisingly well yesterday. Not only did Lance and Lucario give their approval, but the latter even had a Helicopter coming to Pallet Town to pick Ash up and take him to the Orange Islands! Really, it was just perfect! Well, it would have been.
Ash frowned at the one piece of bad news he had heard through Professor Oak. Misty, for whatever reason, would not be joining them. She hadn't really given any specifics either, just saying it wasn't a good time or something. Things just wouldn't be the same without her. On the other hand, it would be he and Brock against the world again, kind of like earlier on in his journey. That would be pretty cool, as long as Brock could control himself around pretty women that is.
There was another minor downside to leaving Pallet Town, and that was the fact that he had to leave some Pokemon behind. Thanks to Lance's authorization, he could at least bring more though. Yet, there were some surprises from this, and Ash really didn't know how to feel about it. Pikachu and Charizard, two of his longest companions, wanted to actually stay back in Pallet Town, focusing on training with their counterparts. As much as it saddened Ash to do it, the boy respected their wishes. Their goal was always to be strong, and training with his father's Pokemon would help them get stronger. At least they promised to assist in any Gym Battles and the match with the Champion. As a result, Ash's team of nine would consist of Espeon, Tyrogue, Ryhorn, Scyther, Tauros, Gengar, Ivysaur, Shellder, and Butterfree. His veterans would be sent back first and replaced with any new Pokemon he managed to catch in the Orange Islands.
Satisfied that everything was in order and snapping out of his little funk, Ash made his way downstairs. His mom already had food on the table for him, just like she always did when he woke up early to train. Ash really was a lucky kid. Sitting down, he enjoyed a nice and peaceful breakfast with Delia. The two of them chatted about random things, enjoying each other's company until the sounds of a Helicopter reached their ears.
"I guess it's time for you to head out again then Ashy," sadly smiled Delia.
"It's only for a few months mom. I'll be back again soon," reassured the boy.
"I know dear, but I just can't help but miss you already," teared up the woman.
"Mom… don't cry," tried Ash, bringing her into a hug.
"I'll be back before you know it," whispered the boy.
"Stay safe and know that I love you."
"I love you too." The two separated and Ash made his way outside, not wanting to look back to see his mother shedding tears. There waiting for him in front of the helicopter was a welcome and familiar sight.
"Hey Ash!" called out Brock.
"Brock-O, good to see you again!" cheerily responded the boy, giving the teen a firm handshake and man hug.
"That aura teacher of yours is already inside the helicopter. Boy does he have some personality," chuckled Brock.
"Yeah, you're telling me," grumbled Ash
"Ready for some more adventure?"
"You bet I am Brock! You bet!" smiled the boy, ready to experience something new in the vast world of Pokemon.
END CHAPTER
As I said, I finished my work for the month, so I spent the entire workday writing this chapter out. Bet you didn't expect we were heading to the Orange Islands early, and without Misty as well. Like Kanto, I will be cutting out some episodes here and there, focusing on some key events and plot progression.
Next Time – Ash and Brock arrive on Volencia Island, the GS ball gets handed over, and they quickly head to Tangello Island. On Tangello island, some familiar and welcome things happen.
Ultron0901 – Thanks for the review! Considering we are doing the Orange Islands now, Ash will in fact be catching some Pokemon. Not sure of any Rock or Ground Pokemon though. Ryhorn currently has that covered. As you saw above, Red's Pokemon will be useful.
Espeon860 – Thanks for the review! Training montage is officially complete. I just couldn't figure out how to do it for 5 months in a satisfying way, hence Orange Islands now, which we are not skipping.
Johnathan-Mandrake – Thanks for the review! Lucario is Ash's teacher, so good call there. As for joining him, that will probably not happen. Ash won't be left empty handed though.
CaptainSammyAngel – Thanks for the review! Misty really did need something to help her grow. Good call on Lucario as well.
Reader – Thanks for the review! I love the Battle Frontier crew if it is not already obvious.
Guest - Thanks for the review! Here are Red's Pokemon ;)
Remember to review with your thoughts and critique : )
Smell ya later!
