Grapefruit Islands
Ash was feeling pretty good right about now. A few days ago, he won his second badge in the Orange League, Pikachu was back traveling with him full time, and still no weird dreams or visions! Sure, things were a bit rocky with Scyther, but you couldn't have everything in life.
"Are you even paying attention Ash?" Tracey asked with a raised eyebrow. The boy shook his head, bringing him back to the present moment, sitting on Lapras, as they approached a group of islands.
"Heh. Sorry about that Tracey. Just have a lot on my mind. What were you saying again?" Ash asked apologetically. Brock chuckled, Lucario continued his meditation in silence, while Tracey merely sighed before repeating himself.
"I was saying that we are approaching the Grapefruit Islands. Everyone in the Orange Archipelago knows the best grapefruit comes from here, and we're lucky because this is the time of year when the fruit is supposed to be ripe." Ash's stomached growled at that.
"Guess my stomach is in the mood for some Grapefruit." Lucky for Ash, Lapras made it to the beach within the next few minutes. Thanking his Pokemon for yet another ride, Ash called her back, released Espeon, and the gang took in their surroundings. Even on the beach, trees full of Grapefruit covered the landscape. More than that, the fruit itself was…
"Massive! Those Grapefruit are huge!" exclaimed Ash.
"I bet I could make a mean fruit smoothie with a few of those," added Brock.
"Told you the fruit was ripe," beamed Tracey. Ash didn't waste anytime testing the ripeness for himself, walking up to a tree near the edge of the beach next to some thick bushes and other greenery. The boy tore off a large piece of grapefruit near the front rather easily. At the very least, he was considerate enough to break off some pieces for Pikachu and Espeon before he started to chow down himself.
"So good!"
"It's Delicious!" chimed Espeon.
"Pika! Pikachu!" fervently agreed Pikachu. Ash was in the middle of another bite himself when he felt a spiking aura quickly coming from the direction of the bushes. Sensing it flair, Ash rolled to the right, holding onto Pikachu carefully, and avoiding an irate woman who had swung a piece of wood down like a baseball bat where Ash previously stood. She had short green hair, a pink buttoned up shirt, and long pink pants. Her face revealed she was quite livid.
"Nice dodge thief, but I'm not through with you yet!" snarled the girl, holding the piece of wood aggressively once more.
"Woah. Hold on. What are you talking about?" Ash asked, his hands out in front of him in a sign of non-aggression. The woman rolled her eyes.
"Don't be an idiot! The evidence is in your hands, on your face, and on the faces of your Pokemon. You're stealing our Grapefruit!"
"We didn't know this Grapefruit belonged to anyone miss. Honestly," spoke Tracey.
"It's true! We literally just arrived on this island on the back of my Lapras. I can call her out as proof ma'am," Ash blurted out. The girl stared at the group with scrutiny for a few moments more, but eventually she lowered the wood and her eyes softened.
"I believe you. Sorry for attacking you and accusing you of stealing our fruit. We've just been having some trouble with thieves lately. Anyway, my name is Ruby, and I'm one of the people who works the Grapefruit Islands. Who are you?"
"I'm Ash!"
"Pika!"
"Call me Espeon, or Princess if you prefer."
"I'm Tracey. Nice to meet you." While the others were making their introductions, Brock had silently been whispering into Lucario's ear. Seeing the Pokemon give him a nod, accompanied by a scoff, Brock pumped his fist, before jumping into the fray himself.
"And I'm Brock, but you can call me hubby if you'd like? What do you say to a late nigh stroll on the beach? I cook," offered the man with wagging eyebrows.
"Sorry kid, but I don't have time for hormonal teenagers. I told you we have much bigger problems right now," Ruby said dismissively, completely shattering Brock and his oh so fragile ego.
"You said you were dealing with thieves?" Ash asked, ignoring the sobbing teen.
"That's right. Lately we've been finding several trees completely stripped of Grapefruit. The people on this island dedicate their lives to this work and if this keeps up, the workers and their families will quite literally starve from all the lost product," sadly explained the girl.
"Miss Ruby! Miss Ruby!" yelled a quickly approaching man, huffing, and puffing.
"What it is Fred?" Ruby asked the recovering worker.
"More trees found completely stripped of fruit, and it gets better. We've finally found the culprit!" said the man.
"Lead the way!" urged Ruby, causing the man to take off from whence he came. Ruby followed, and Ash, Pikachu, Espeon, and Tracey stayed on her heels. Lucario was kind enough to drag the pathetic heap that was Brock along as well. They all passed several trees full or grapefruit, some absent of grapefruit, and then some that were absent of greenery all together. A few trees were even ripped from the ground, scattered about like a mess. Past all of that they found something worthy of eating gigantic fruit. A humongous Snorlax stood with a tree in one of his arms held in the air. The rotund Pokemon was shaking it and causing fruit to fall into his mouth, which he easily gobbled down.
"Lax," sighed Snorlax, finishing up with the tree and careless tossing it to the side, forcing some personnel to dive out of the way. Unconcerned, Snorlax moved onto another tree.
"Everyone, start picking fruit and take it back to the warehouse!" ordered Ruby.
"But ma'am, not all of the fruit is ripe yet," countered one of the workers.
"It won't get the chance to be ripe if it stays here. Now move man!" That got everyone going as people rushed all around, picking fruit as fast as they could. Amidst the chaos, Ash calmly watched the Snorlax gobble down fruit, thinking up a strategy, and placing his hand on a Pokeball.
One of my own Pokemon has a pretty good amount of experience fighting Snorlax. I think it's time he came out.
"Tyrogue, let's go!" yelled the boy, releasing his little fighter.
"Snorlax, we challenge you to a battle!" declared Ash with steel in his voice.
"Lax?" questioned the large Pokemon momentarily, before going back in for more with his current tree and causing Ash to face-fault.
"I don't think he's interested," a now recovered Brock observed.
"Yeah, well he's causing trouble, so he isn't going to get a choice. I hate to attack a defenseless Pokemon, but families are at stake here. Tyrogue, use Low Kick!"
"Rogue!" affirmed the fighter, pumping his arms and sprinting to Snorlax. The Fighting Pokemon slid under the large belly, sweeping his leg against Snorlax's feet, and coming out the other side.
"Lax!" roared Snorlax in pain, instantly collapsing onto his back as his head hit the floor hard. The Pokemon showed a surprising amount of agility, righting himself and glaring at Tyrogue.
"Lax!" roared Snorlax again, falling forward belly first towards the little fighter. Tyrogue smirked, and then he was gone, easily avoiding the Body Slam as Snorlax crashed to the ground again.
"Mach Punch Barrage!" sounded Ash. Snorlax roared again as he felt the sting of rapid punches dig into his side, dealing super-effective damage. Snorlax attempted to swipe Tyrogue away, but he jumped up onto Snorlax's back, continuing his brutal punches into the back of Snorlax's head.
"SNOR!" Snorlax leapt up, forcing Tyrogue to flip away and land near Ash. Snorlax turned towards the duo, forming his body into a ball, and launching a Rollout, heading straight for them both.
"Dodge!" yelled Ash, diving to the side himself. Human and trainer alike avoided the rolling Snorlax, much to their relief. The thing is though, Snorlax didn't stop rolling.
"He's trying to flee! After him!" Ash yelled, taking off with his Pokemon, friends, and Ruby close behind. Snorlax's path of destruction was simple to follow. The group rushed past downed trees, stripped of fruit that the glutenous Pokemon must have gone through earlier. Ash broke through to the beach first, expecting to see Snorlax cornered. Instead, the boy was dumbstruck.
"He's… he's swimming," Ash muttered, standing there watching Snorlax paddle like an Olympic pro off towards another Grapefruit Island.
"Ash! Did you catch up to him?" Tracey asked, coming up to him along with everyone else. The boy merely pointed to the water and everyone else was equally surprised. After the slowly disappearing speck of Snorlax swimming sunk in, Ash's surprise turned to a grudging respect.
"That's actually pretty impressive for a Pokemon Snorlax's size. He also showed some pretty good movement during the battle too. You know, I think I'm going to catch it!" abruptly decided the boy.
"You want to catch Snorlax? Think about it Ash. That things eats like there's no tomorrow. Remember our discussion about budgeting? There's no way we could afford to feed Snorlax and keep up our journey," frowned Brock.
"My dad figured out how to raise a Snorlax and so can I! Besides, I'm sure Professor Oak probably has some kind of advice that could help," the determine Ash countered. Ruby interrupted any further arguing by walking up to Ash to add her own two cents in.
"Ash, thank you so much. You and Tyrogue saved a heck of a lot of fruit on the island, and well it means a lot. For what it's worth, I'm happy to offer whatever help you need in catching that thing."
"Guess it's settled then. You're outvoted Brock," laughed Tracey, making the other teen twitch.
"This is going to end in disaster. I know it," surrendered Brock.
"This is island three. Over."
"This is Island one. Please respond. Over," answered Ruby into her walkie talkie.
"A Snorlax just sprang up on the beach here and is going through Grapefruit trees fast. Please advise! Over," a now clearly panicked voice sounded.
"Steady! Have the fruit picked and stored on the island warehouse. We're on our way. Over and out," Ruby finished, placing her device back into it's holster.
"I know where Snorlax is. We have a speedboat nearby to get us from island to island. Ready guys?"
"Let's bag us a Snorlax," grinned Ash with a thumbs up.
Grapefruit Island Three
The first thing Ash did when he stepped off the speedboat with his Pokemon, including Tyrogue who remained out, was to talk to Lucario.
"Master, I have a favor to ask."
"What would you ask of me apprentice?"
"I know we can beat Snorlax, but if it gets the chance, he'll probably try to run again. If that happens, I'd like you to step in and stop him." Lucario's demeanor got more serious with a tint of anger.
"I am not one of your Pokemon to command Apprentice Ketchum!"
"I never said you were," calmly answered Ash.
"These people are suffering, and I need your help to stop it. I don't expect you to listen to any command, mine, or anyone else's. I'm asking you as a friend for help," pleaded the boy. Lucario processed the words, relaxing his body and giving the boy a nod.
"Forgive me apprentice. I should know by now that you are not one to make such presumptions. For the sake of these islanders, I will render you aid in this manner, but nothing more than to prevent an escape," warned Lucario. Ash accepted the response with a grateful nod, turning back to Ruby who was looking at her walkie talkie with distress.
"Any idea on Snorlax's location?" Ash asked with some concern.
"Yes… he's trying to batter down the storehouse doors. They just called in to say they don't think they will hold for much longer," gravely answered the woman.
"Then move!" affirmed Ash. The chase was on with the caravan of people and Pokemon moving like the wind to stop Snorlax. Like the previous island, Ash and company passed by fallen trees stripped of any and all grapefruit. A distant banging noise echoed in the distance, only getting louder as they covered more ground. Flying through the tree line, the group found the gargantuan Pokemon, winding back his fist covered in energy, and aiming towards a clearly weakened metal door on a large warehouse.
"Dynamic Punch!" Brock called out.
WHAM! Snorlax's fist slammed the metal door inward, revealing several terrified workers, shakily standing in front of a large pile of Grapefruit. Snorlax licked his lips, slowly waddling forward.
"STOP HIM WITH ANOTHER LOW KICK!" roared Ash. Tyrogue flashed forward, sliding beneath the munchy Pokemon again and delivering a swift kick to both legs.
"Lax!" grumbled the Pokemon, feeling himself fall backwards towards the outside and hitting his head like before.
"Back away from the warehouse Snorlax," Ash coolly ordered, looking the beast in the eyes, though Snorlax himself was looking at the boy upside down from his vantage point. When he did focus in on the boy and spot Tyrogue, the Pokemon's eyes widened and he instantly formed into a ball, trying to roll away in the opposite direction.
"Not so fast fiend. Taste my Aura Sphere!" sounded Lucario, stepping into Snorlax's path and firing a blue ball into the rolling Pokemon, spiraling the Pokemon backwards.
"Are you going to keep running like a coward, or will you actually stay and fight?" taunted Ash. Brushing himself off, Snorlax got up and sent a fierce growl towards Ash and Tyrogue, smacking two fists together.
Perfect.
Snorlax made the first move, shooting his tongue out at the nearby Tyrogue in an attempted Lick attack. Dancing away from the blow with the grace of a well-trained fighter, Tyrogue positioned himself behind him.
"Mach Punch barrage!" Ash's fighter's fists blurred, pounding Snorlax's back in mid-air. Snorlax took the attack well, opting to fall backwards in an attempt to crush the irritation.
"DOUBLE TEAM!" Ash cried out. THUD. Snorlax hit the ground hard. A dozen Tyrogues stood in front of the downed Pokemon, each wearing a satisfied grin, though sweating a bit from the close call.
"Brick Break!"
"Rogue!" Twelve Tyrogues leaped into the air, and all twelve fell fast, delivering a brutal super-effective chop to the stomach.
"SNOR!" cried out Snorlax, this time swiping with both hands, and connecting. All of Tyrogue's copies dissipated and the fighter flew back, tumbling near Ash, adjusting his stance to slide back on a knee. Snorlax stood back up, still primed for battle.
Between earlier and now, that Snorlax has taken a ton of super-effective punishment, but he just won't stop. We're going to need a massive blow to win this thing. Time to pull out an old strategy.
"Tyrogue, head in for another Mach Punch," ordered Ash. Tyrogue showed no hesitation, sprinting back into action with his fists glowing. Then, Ash saw Snorlax start to fall forward in anticipation, and he made his move.
"STOP AND ENDURE!" Tyrogue froze, bracing his body with crossed arms and glowing with a strange energy.
"SNOR!" victoriously cried the mammoth, seeing the little Pokemon about to be crushed, and indeed he was. THUD! Snorlax laid there, content on top of the thing that dared to stop his enjoyment of the fine fruit, almost like a nap. He was in for a rude awakening.
"COUNTER ATTACK!"
"ROUGE!" screamed Tyrogue, punching up with all his might with violent reddish-orange energy and sending Snorlax airborne.
"LAX!" screamed Snorlax in pain, hitting his peak at nearly twenty feet in the air. What goes up most go down though. BOOM! Snorlax hit the ground, forming a huge crater, and shaking a large portion of the island. Snorlax made no movements and Ash wasted no time.
"Pokeball, go!" The sphere left his hand in one second and in the next it tapped Snorlax, turning the Pokemon into energy and sucking him inside. The Pokeball rolled once… twice… DING! Ash had himself a new Pokemon, and for the first time in a while, it was achieved through battle. Satisfied with himself and seeing the Pokeball disappear in a white flash, Ash's focus turned to his battler.
"Tyrogue?" Ash sputtered. He had been so focused on Snorlax, he hadn't even noticed. Tyrogue was no longer Tyrogue. The new Pokemon sported a light purple armor of sorts, had matching purple feet, and two red boxing gloves. He also nearly doubled in height, and his skin became a light brown.
"Chan!" smirked the Pokemon, holding a fist, or rather glove, victoriously in the air.
"Tyrogue evolved into Hitmonchan!" exclaimed Tracey.
"According to what I've read, that tends to happen when it is trained with a focus on defense as opposed to offense. Given Ash's reoccurring use of speed, Endure, and Counter with Tyrogue, I'm not too surprised," added Brock. Ash himself walked up to his new fighter.
"Doing ok their champ?" Ash chuckled. Hitmonchan lowered his glove, blinking for a moment, and then extended it out to his trainer.
"I get ya. Glad to see we're still pals," smiled Ash, giving his number one fighter a fist bump.
Indigo Plateau
A certain conference room high within a building of the Indigo Plateau had not seen much use lately. It had been a few months actually since anyone had gathered there. Today, that changed. For the first time since the events on New Island, the Elite Four was gathered, joined by their newest member. Said man relaxed next to the bulking form of Bruno, sitting at the table, enjoying a nice cup of tea. He was garbed in his typical ninja attire, reflecting on his short time in the group.
Agatha's passing was not the way Koga envisioned joining the prestigious group of trainers. It made him wonder if he was truly worthy to sit among them. At the very least, he was inducted in a private ceremony. Too much pomp and circumstance would have been disrespectful to his predecessor in his eyes. Koga also thought back to Janine. His daughter was alone now in Fuchsia City, running the Gym as its Gym Leader. Could she handle the burden of such a thing on her own?
Wherever his thoughts would be heading next, they would have to wait. The doors opened and Champion Lance strode through them.
"Good Afternoon everyone. I hope you have all been doing well," Lance greeted the group warmly, sitting at the head of the table.
"Much better, thank you Champion. My Pokemon and I are back in tip top shape," beamed Will.
"Cut to the chase Champion. Some of us have things to be doing," added Lorelei, frank as always. Bruno remained silent, though a small smile appeared on his face, while Koga as the newest of the bunch merely observed the others.
"Very well then. We'll talk about the serious stuff first. I can now confidently say that every Rocket base in Kanto has been thoroughgoingly searched and excavated. Any documents or other evidence has been reviewed, and captured Rockets interrogated," started Lance.
"But?" said Lorelei, sensing bad news. Lance sighed and shook his head in confirmation.
"We've got nothing. There's no sign of any Rockets in Kanto. Nobody has a clue where they've gone. Worst of all, Giovanni himself remains a complete mystery. There's not a single shred of evidence on his whereabouts since the night of the raid on the Viridian City Gym. I can't help but think they're planning something, and whatever it is, it can't be good."
"Perhaps Champion. However, we can't control when or how the Rockets and Giovanni act. All we can do is prepare and react when they show themselves. Wasting time worrying will do us no good," sagely advised Bruno.
"Agreed," added Koga.
"You're right of course. That's why resources are being diverted back to their original uses prior to the Rocket emergency declaration. The hotline will remain open in the case anyone does come across anything. On a more positive, note we are now only 9 weeks away from this year's Indigo League Conference!" brightly declared Lance.
"And we all know who's going to win it," dryly said Lorelei.
"I don't know what you're talking about," sincerely denied Lance.
"Ash Red Ketchum, Mr. Champion. I may be new around here, but even I can see the boy has the talent. I wouldn't be surprised to see him take home the trophy, even if it is his first official league competition.
"His father did the same thing if I remember correctly," mused Lorelei.
"Now others still have a chance," tried Lance.
"Me thinks the Champion protests too much," teased Will.
"All right, that's enough. We're not here to talk about Ash or any other trainer. This year's conference will be dedicated to our fallen comrade Agatha, which is why I am proud to say that the winner will be taking home the newly christened Agatha Memorial Cup," explained Lance. A round of smiles were shared around the table. It was certainly a nice way to honor her memory.
"You will all be expected to maintain a permanent residence at the Indigo Plateau throughout the competition and a month prior to it to aid in preparations. That is why for the next 5 weeks, you are officially on vacation."
"Brilliant!" exclaimed the enthusiastic Psychic Pokemon master.
"Indeed. Anyone else have anything to add?" Lance asked, looking to wrap things up.
"Well, I certainly do," smirked Mr. Goodshow from the open conference room doors. He had a large stack of papers in his arms, bringing a look of terror to Lance's features. The champion gave a visible gulp, swiftly dismissing the Elite Four, so he could accept his fate with dignity alone.
"So, what's everyone going to use their vacation for?" Will inquisitively asked the others as they walked through the building.
"I plan on camping out in the mountains south of Pallet Town. I have heard stories of a beastly Onix who makes the land his home, and I plan to catch it," answered Bruno.
"Fascinating! As for me, my Pokemon and I are going to enjoy a month-long cruise! We may or may not getup on stage as well for a few performances here and there," dreamily sighed Will.
"I shall return to Fuchsia City and spend time with my daughter. She may yet need aid with her new responsibilities as a Gym Leader. I know I am still adapting to the life as a member of the Elite Four," answered Koga.
Well Lorelei?" demanded Will.
"If you must know, I'm going home. I haven't been to the Orange Islands in who knows how long and chilling out on the beach sounds divine," slightly smirked the girl.
…
…
…
"That pun was awful," muttered Will, while the other three normally more reserved members shared a good laugh. Things were on the up for Kanto's best.
Mirka Island Beach
Block! Sidestep. Roll. Attack. Kick. Block. Jump. Attack. Block! Ash sweated profusely, slashing with his staff, and parrying his master's attacks, despite the blindfold. The boy was surprisingly unbruised for the most part, managing to successfully avoid the vast majority of Lucario's strikes. Now if only he could actually hit him.
"Enough!" called Lucario, ceasing his onslaught on his apprentice, who did not collapse to the ground as normal, but instead stood, using his staff as a support.
"You are improving," observed Lucario. Ash removed his blindfold and said nothing, trying to be more respectful during such things and to restrain his childish desire of fishing for compliments.
"You are faster, have more endurance, and your strikes are more precise. We shall move onto our daily drilling of the Energy Redirection technique. Assume your position apprentice." Ash tossed the blindfold to the side and widened his feet. He extended one hand forward, while the other was extended behind him. His body faced Lucario's from a sideward angle, exposing less of himself. A light blue energy tingled on Ash's skin. Lucario walked around his student for a good five minutes, scrutinizing the form, muttering under his breath, and nodding from time to time. Eventually, the Aura Pokemon settled ten feet in front of Ash.
"Aura Sphere," abruptly said Lucario, launching a small blue orb at Ash. The boy didn't event think. His forward hand opened, catching the attack that seemed to sink into his skin. It visibly passed down his arm, into his stomach, and up the other. This all happened in the span of less than two seconds. Aura Sphere emerged from Ash's backward hand, flying off harmlessly into the air. Now, Ash collapsed. At first, he found it hard to breath, feeling like lead was in his lungs, and he took huge gasping breaths. His master was at his side in a second, assessing his condition with his aura infused hands.
"You will be fine apprentice. That was a valiant first attempt. However, you must let the energy come to you and travel on its own accord. Your first instinct was to draw it in by sticking your hand out farther, and then you pushed it along fast. It must travel on its own accord to fully escape your body, lest you suffer the side effects of residual energy dispersing within your core," lectured Lucario.
"I would have been fine if you told me you were going to attack me," snarked Ash, struggling to stand up.
"You think an enemy would give you fair warning? Don't be foolish apprentice!" scolded the Pokemon. Ash grumbled a bit more, but the boy still gave his master a bow of respect, and his master dismissed him. Finally, lunch time! Ash made like a Beedrill and found himself in at a makeshift table with Brock and Tracey, gobbling down some delicious sandwiches.
"Hungry Ash?" joked Brock.
"Less talk. More eat," responded the exhausted boy, taking another big bite.
"Well, then you can listen to me explain why we're on this island Ash," brightly said Tracey.
"This is known as Mirka Island. It's famous for its thriving Bug Pokemon population. Pinsir, Venonat, Beedrill, Butterfree, Scyther, and on rare occasion, some Johto Bug Pokemon have been known to frequent the island at large."
"Maybe it's a good thing Misty is back in Cerulean City after all," chuckled Brock.
"Fr Sur!" exclaimed Ash with a half-laugh through his chewing.
"Anyway, I was hoping we could go do something exploring. Maybe we'll spot something interesting?" suggested Tracey.
"Well then what are we waiting for?" the suddenly standing up Ash said, the food on his plate now gone elsewhere.
"To adventure!" exclaimed Ash.
Mirka Island Woods
Espeon, Marill, and Venonat led the procession, chattering amongst themselves and enjoying the fresh air. Pikachu sat on his human's shoulder, as was his right. All the Pokemon were having a great time. Speaking of Pokemon, Ash and his friends passed plenty of cool Bug Pokemon. Multiple Metapod peacefully sleeping on a tree, Weedle slithering on the ground, and even a Pinsir that was sucking sap from a tree. All of them were pretty cool, but nobody felt like they were worth catching. Well, Ash was tempted to catch the Pinsir, but they had a reputation for being aggressive and he already had a Scyther problem, so he let it go by. An hour into their venture, and plenty of sketches later from Tracey, they came into a clearing.
A severely injured Pokemon was strewn on the grass, completely alone. It was an old grizzly Scyther, and it had been through the grinder. Bruises, cuts, and more covered the entirety of its body. Brock the doc immediately started running, wanting to render aid as soon as possible. Kneeling next to him, Brock turned his back to dig into his backpack. One of Scyther's eyes opened, and Ash could feel the aura flair from where he stood.
"BROCK, LOOK OU—"
"SCYTHER!"
"AAGH!" Brock cried, crawling back from the slash that Scyther had delivered into his arm. Blood spurted out, and Ash saw red, his eyes narrowing and his face filling with fury.
"Pikachu… use Thunderbol—"
"No Ash!" gasped Brock from where he was.
"The cut's not that bad and Scyther is too hurt to take another attack." Tracey stepped forward to act himself.
"Venonat, use Sleep Powder." Venonat waved his body, releasing green spores that Scyther was far too weak to dodge. The Bug Pokemon fought to stay awake, stabbing his claws to the ground in an effort to remain standing, but eventually he collapsed. Tracey tossed a Pokeball at the downed Scyther, while Ash ran over to Brock.
"Are you ok?" Ash asked, trying to get a good look at the wound.
"Relax Ash. It's really not that deep. I already wrapped it up with gauze and can get it looked at later. Besides, Scyther needs to be the priority," Brock said firmly.
"If you're sure…"
"I am."
"Good, because Scyther is ready for transport," Tracey chimed in, showing the Pokeball in his hand with Scyther.
"Time for another run," sighed Brock.
"We do seem to be doing a lot of that lately," agreed Ash, looking pensive.
"Snap out of it you two and let's get to the Pokemon Center!" demanded Tracey. Off to the races the trio and their Pokemon went yet again.
Mirka Island Pokemon Center
Everyone stood vigil in front of a glass window, looking through to see Nurse Joy and Chansey operating on Scyther, restrained to a gurney. Said Pokemon was ignoring Nurse Joy, staring back at Tracey through the glass with a look of pure loathing. Tracey refused to look away though, trying to convey his hopes for Scyther with his positive demeanor.
Another half an hour passed, and finally Nurse Joy ceased her ministrations, taking a moment to stretch out. Gesturing to Chansey to get behind the gurney, Nurse Joy exited the room followed by her Pokemon and Scyther.
"It was a close call, but Scyther's going to be just fine. All he needs Is rest," calmly explained the Nurse with a yawn. Ash had to admit he was a bit confused at her lax nature. The last time he had brought a severely injured Pokemon into a Pokemon Center, tempers were much higher, and the law had gotten involved.
"Uh Nurse Joy, not that I'm complaining or anything, but why aren't you berating us for Scyther's condition?" Ash asked.
"I know you three didn't cause it Ash. I'm afraid I've seen something like this more than once and by now I can recognize the signs. This Scyther is a fierce warrior, but he lost a fight for supremacy over a local swarm of other Scyther that live nearby. Probably to one much younger and agile given his age," sadly pondered the woman.
"How can you be so certain that happened?" Brock questioned with some skepticism.
"You said you found him abandoned alone right? That's common among Scyther. The loser is cast out and abandoned until they are able to win a fight, or well, the other option is best left unsaid."
"Poor Scyther. He must feel awful," commented Tracey, looking at the poor Pokemon with pity. Scyther's eyes held nothing but anger still, his pride refusing to let himself go there.
"Please call your Pokemon back into its Pokeball. I think it will lash out if we release it from the gurney," Nurse Joy asked. Tracey did so and the woman and her Chansey left to get some rest.
"Say Tracey, I think I might have an idea on how to help Scyther," started Ash.
"You do? Well fire away," retorted the youth with some hope.
"Scyther's pride is clearly wounded. If he can beat this other Scyther Nurse Joy mentioned though, I bet that would set it right."
"Well thanks for the obvious solution Ash, but how could Scyther possibly win if he ended up like this in the first place," scoffed Tracey. Ash winked at the boy.
"I have a plan, and it's one that will kill two Pidgey with one stone."
Mirka Island Woods
Back in the clearing where the gang first found Scyther, two Scyther stood, heads inches apart from one another. One was young and arrogant, while the other was old and stubborn. Both glared, sparks seeming to flair from their eyes. Then came the screaming match.
"Scyther!"
"Scy! Scy!"
"Scyther! Scyther!"
"SCYTHER!"
"SCY!"
"I'm not so sure this was a good idea As—"
"QUIET!" belted out Ash, all business in his demeanor. Everyone shut up, staring at the boy. Ash turned to Tracey's Scyther first.
"You're old, ornery, and thirsting for revenge. Well guess what? It doesn't change the fact that you got your butt kicked and the same thing will happen again if you charge in recklessly. Think about that!" scolded the boy. Scyther looked down, ashamed of own natural reaction, while Ash's seemed to grin.
"And you!" Ash whirled around to his own.
"Wipe that smirk off your face. He might be old and onery, but you've been acting young and stupid. It's time to grow up! If you truly want to take it to the next level, you need to learn to work with others. The time is now Scyther. This Pokemon needs a sparring partner and so do you. Train! Fight! Get better! Get stronger! Do it together!" the boy passionately exclaimed. Ash's Scyther's eyes widened at the verbal lashing he received, but he also knew there was some truth in there. Scyther had gotten stronger with Ash, but he was nowhere near as strong as some of Ash's other Pokemon. They seemed to have gotten pretty good training together, so maybe it was time he did the same.
Scyther turned to his older counterpart to see a bladed hand held out to him.
"Scy," spoke the older Scyther, calmly but with an underlying fire.
"Scyther," replied Ash's tapping his own bladed hand against the other. It was time to push it to the limit, and based on the smile on his face, Ash couldn't have been more pleased.
Mirka Island Montage
For three days the two Scyther worked long and hard. Running and gliding through the beach tired out the old timer, but the younger one refused to let his elder quit, pushing him to keep going, and building his endurance.
If they weren't running, then they were slashing trees, increasing their power and the accuracy of their strikes. Oh, what the environmentalists would say if they could see the amount of havoc the two reeked on the local greenery.
"If they weren't running or training, they were sparring. It was through this method that Tracey's Scyther had shown Ash's the secret to Sword's Dance. The two were getting better, and they were doing it together. Ash even helped out from time to time, teaching the elder Scyther to be sly and deceptive, helping him to compensate for his old age.
It was the end of the third day and the two were at it again, deep into a fight.
"Scyther!" slashed the elder Scyther.
"Scy!" blocked the younger. Tracey's released his attack, allowing Ash's Scyther's attack to carry forward his momentum and trip to the floor.
"Scyther!" A slash came dangerously close to Ash's fallen Scyther's throat, but it stopped there. Both Scyther grinned at one another.
"Well done you two. Well done!" jubilantly exclaimed Tracey. Ash walked up to Tracey's Scyther, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"You're ready."
Mirka Island Forrest
It was late in the evening, the full moon shined down on the gang, and they traveled through the forest, led by an old grizzly Scyther. Pushing through the tree line, they came to an open field with a small pond in the center. It was there that Scyther's old swarm lied. Some relaxed, some fought, other chatted, but they all got along fine, not seeming to care about the old member they had abandoned.
"You can do it Scyther," Tracey said, encouraging his Pokemon. Scyther stepped forward.
"Scyther!" cried the Pokemon, pointing a single blade at one Scyther in particular, drawing the attention to him. This Scyther looked young and strong, and had two slashes crisscrossing his face, likely from a previous battle.
"Scyther! Scyther!" Aggressively yelled the swarm, approaching Tracey's. The scared Scyther raised his own claw and stopped them.
"Scy," smirked the scarred Scyther, beckoning Tracey's forward with his claw. The worn veteran accepted, joining his rival in the pool. It was time for a duel.
"Scyther!" cried the younger Pokemon and clan leader, moving in fast for a Slash Attack. The elder Scyther countered that right away with a Swords Dance. The spinning motion battered away the more youthful Pokemon, while having the added benefit of boosting Tracey's Scyther's attack power.
"Scy!" growled the younger Pokemon, getting back up, and charging in again.
"There's no strategy. He's just attacking," commented Ash.
"From what I've seen, this is how most wild Pokemon do battle Ash. They just fight and fight hard. It's instinct. Good thing you showed our old guy the benefit of strategy," Tracey answered, not taking his eyes off the fight. Tracey's Scyther managed to avoid that Slash with a Double Team, followed by a Swords Dance, which looked like eight Scyther spinning around a lone one, dizzying the younger creature.
"SCYTHER!" Tracey's gave a battle cry, finally going in for his own attack. The younger Scyther's confused state allowed no room to dodge. Eight images of Scyther converged and Slash came down hard.
"SCY!" screamed the young Scyther in pain, falling to the ground from that single blow. He didn't move, or even twitch. He was out cold.
"YES!" YOU DID IT!" YOU DID IT!" whooped Tracey, pulling Ash into an awkward side hug. Brock was impressed himself, appreciating the skillful take down as a former Gym Leader.
"Let go of me you loon!" cried Ash.
"Scy… Scy… Scyther," chattered the swarm amongst one another. Slowly, they approached Tracey's, and the humans stopped goofing off to see what would happen. Tracey's Scyther spit in their direction, turning his head away. They seemed to get the message, because they too turned back, leaving the clearing, but at least dragging their leader along with them.
"Scy," Ash's Scyther praised, patting his elder Scyther pal on the back. Tracey's Scyther now looked back at Tracey. This time, his look was not filled with loathing or hate. It was a smile, and Tracey returned it.
Sinnoh Region Unknown Location
Deep in the famous underground of the Sinnoh Region, in parts unknown to most, a woman with silver hair, a crisp black uniform, and a silver gauntlet walked a long corridor with a suitcase. She was joined by a green haired man who was garbed in strange clothing. He himself had a device shielding one of his eyes. It was a lens of sorts.
"I hope you have delivered on what was promised," curtly spoked the man. The woman scoffed, as if insulted that anyone would criticize her work.
"Believe me, you will get your money's worth, even if the product is not my typical modus operandi."
"I better." The two walked through double doors, automatically opening for the approaching duo. Through the doors was revealed to be a large hanger. Dozens of workers were scattered about, working on one thing or another. Most were occupied with putting the finishing touches on the product.
"I'm impressed," admitted the man.
"Just like you wanted. Looks like giant flying palace, even if it is pretentious," mocked the woman. The man shrugged, pulling out a cellular device and clicking a few buttons.
"The other half of the money has been transferred. I will have what's mine now," said the man, holding out a hand. The woman pulled out her own phone, checking for a confirmation and nodded, handing the suitcase over to the man.
"Inside is everything you will need to operate the aircraft."
"Then our business is concluded," said the man, turning to walk to his new acquisition.
"I still don't know what you plan on doing with that thing, but damn if I'm not curious. It will be interesting to see your plan's come to life Mr. Harmonia," the woman called after him. He stopped and gave a low dark chuckle, still eyeing his new prize.
"You will see soon enough Hunter J. You and the rest of the world."
END CHAPTER
The evilest man in Pokemon enters the stage officially! Why have a one-off villain when you can have a fun villain instead? Other than that, Ash and Co. made some good progress today. Tyrogue finally, Snorlax joined the gang, and the Scyther drama is in the past.
Please see my response to Ultron's review as it is quite important to myself and other Fanfiction writers for that matter.
Next Time – Ash and pals meet a member of the Elite Four, Ash and Lucario have a heart to heart, and Ash and friends come to a town plagued by a mysterious Pokemon and a perhaps a corrupt politician? Maybe there will be another character cameo as well?
Reader 2 – Thanks for the review! I appreciate your request, but to be honest it would take way too long, or I'm just lazy. I will probably include the Pokemon abilities, but the move set is not going to happen.
Guest 44 – Thanks for the review! Per an earlier chapter, Brock was knocked out by Lucario and never met Professor Ivy. No worries though because he was still rejected in this chapter lol.
Kiri TheFrenchReader – Thanks for all of your reviews! Once you catch up, feel free to contribute with ideas and suggestions. A few reviewers have significantly impacted this story already.
Reader – Thanks for the review! We will see what happens in Johto. Haven't decided about the valley yet. Scyther is now going to be obedient per this chapter, well for the most part. I felt like it would be nice to tie in his story with Tracey's. As for Mahri, you are giving me devious ideas, and I love it!
Espeon860 – Thanks for the review! Scyther drama solved lol. Also, nice future projection with Tyrogue. I planned his evolution here for a while. Are you sure you're not an actual Espeon?
Ultron0901 – Thank you so much for the review! As I said in the PM, I am not that Youtuber. He has taken this story and at least one other and converted it into a Youtube format. Initially he passed it off as his own work, but he is now crediting this story, so I am dropping the issue. Thanks for pointing it out. It doesn't feel good to have your work stolen.
Remember to review with your thoughts and critique : )
Smell ya later!
