Chapter 38 Inactive PULSE

While continuing to explore the place, Ash finds a Field Note for the place where they are, the Wasteland.

Field Note 19 Wasteland:

"The waste is watching…" Entry hazards are consumed and the hazards return at the end of the turn, returning a special effect to the side they were on: Stealth Rocks deal type - scaling Rock damage double the normal effect to Pokemon. Spikes deal 33% max HP to grounded Pokemon. Toxic Spikes deal 12.5% max HP to grounded non Poison/Steel types and inflict Poison. Sticky Web severely lowers Pokemon's Speed. Certain attacks like Gunk Shot, Octazooka, Sludge, Sludge Bomb, and Sludge Wave boosts x1.2. Certain attacks like Mud Bomb, Mud Shot, Mud-Slap, Power Whip, and Vine Whip boost x1.5. Certain attacks like Bulldoze, Earthquake, and Magnitude decrease by x0.25. Mud Bomb, Mud Shot, Mud-Slap gain Poison Type. Certain moves like Acid Downpour, Gunk Shot, Octazooka, Sludge, Sludge Bomb, Sludge Wave inflict a random status unless the target has Poison or Steel Type, or one of these abilities: Immunity, Poison Heal, Toxic Boost. Effect Spore, Poison Point, and Stentch's chance boost x2. Liquid Ooze damage x2. Activate Poison Heal, Toxic Boost, Merciless. Gooey effect + Poison Type. Activates Venom Drench and Venoshock. Spit Up boosts x2. Swallow boosts x2 and cure when max stack. Leech Seed effect doubles. Corrosion effect plus 1 of the following status: Burn, Paralysis, Ice, and Poison. Nature Power becomes Gunk Shot. Camouflage becomes Poison Type. Secret Power activates 1 of the following status: Burn, Paralysis, Ice, and Poison. The Telluric Seed boosts Attack and Special Attack, but applies a random status to the user.

Once Ash activates all 5 of the gas machines, he hears a voice and a door opens. Ash decides to check out the door and finds that it goes underground.

Ash: So this is the Byxbysion Tunnels...I just hope nothing is going on here.

The underground is very complicated as Ash needs Flash to navigate the way, and he also captures some Pokemon lurking inside.

Ash's New Capture in Byxbysion Tunnels: Solosis (Cave)

After running for a while, he gets out of the tunnels and finds a grove, in front of him are fourth paths.

Ash: Which way can I go? (Looks around) Maybe I should try each of them...

The first route is a dead end with a Sun Stone, so Ash goes towards the second route, but when he goes to the second route, he finds a stone structure that Ash pales.

Ash: Pikachu...do you remember this...this is a Spiritomb's grave...

Pikachu nods, and he also finds an Odd Keystone beside them. Ash decides to put the stone into the structure, and they see how the spirits fly into the Odd Keystone and become a Spiritomb. Ash decides to capture it after defeating it with Pikachu's help.

Ash's New Capture in Byxbysion Grotto: Spiritomb (Event)

The third path is also a dead end, but when he goes towards the fourth one, he gasps as he sees a lot of Trubbish and a giant Garbodor rushing towards them.

Garbodor: AH AM MR. BIGGLESWORTH! LAHV ME!

Ash notices that, unlike the normal Garbodor, this Garbodor has more garbage in its body and it is also screaming in pain.

Ash: This is the PULSE Garbodor? That's why Corey said that there is one in the Byxbysion Wasteland?

Ash has Pikachu and Reuniclus battle both Pokemon, in the end, Garbodor goes for a Self-Destruct, which knocks out all the Pokemon the end, and the Garbodor's trash is scattered everywhere.

Garbodor: I JUST WANTED A HUG...

Ash: Geez...I just hope that the gym provides the bathroom for me to take a shower..."

Ash also spots a machine and a PULSE Dex on the ground and picks them up.

PULSE 00 Garbodor: Poison Type. Ability: Gooey. Produced by a curious stray Pokemon finding an abandoned machine. Its function is to make wasteful byproducts. Anything it touches sticks to it and will eventually be turned into Toxic Waste.

Ash: Now the PULSE is gone, I guess both Cain and his family are safe now...though I can't believe Team Meteor wouldn't care about this PULSE...

When he walks out of the grotto, he navigates his way to find Cain in front of the house, which seems to be the fifth gym Ash has to challenge.

Cain: So... They should be right in there... But nothing bad is happening, right...? Part of me is dreading the chance that one of them might come outside and see me. The other part of me is kind of hoping they will. But I don't know what I'd do. I don't think I want them to. They never really approved of my actions. It's not like that'd be different now, right? I just... don't know.

Ash: I already destroy the PULSE, so your family is safe now. Turns out that I found Ace and he told me that

Cain: You already found Team Meteor? And the PULSE was inactive from the start. So, there was no need to come here after all... Well... Then... I guess... I should just get going.

Much to Ash's surprise, Cain just leaves the house without saying anything, and Ash feels concerned if Cain rushes away from home just like that. Ash decides to walk into the house and he finds a woman greeting him.

Cain's Mother: Oh, hello. Just come right on in, why don't you? (Turns away from Ash) No, sorry... I suppose I should be used to this. Just, have the entire living room be a Gym- why not. Those contractors did a rush job in the first place and didn't even bother coming out for seconds! Not like we needed the work or anything...Bet they took one look at the place and begged for mercy from the Lord almighty on the spot.

Ash realizes the woman is Cain's mother, and she doesn't seem to get used to this place being the gym or other things.

Cain's Mother: Sorry, you here for a League challenge? The Gym Leader, Aya, is my daughter. My name is Lana, and my husband is Tez. Nice to meet you, I guess.

Ash is a little sad that the woman has the same name as a girl from Alola, the same one who betrayed her with others. Cain's mother is now seen in front of a door as she is yelling at her.

Cain's Mother: AYA, YOU HAVE ANOTHER VISITOR!

Aya: OKAY, I'M A LITTLE BUSY RIGHT NOW.

Cain's Mother: Well, it's been a busy day. She's currently in a battle with a different Trainer. I suppose you're free to go and watch if you'd like.

Before Ash decides to go inside, he decides to call out to Ame.

Ame: Ash? You're in the Wasteland, right? We just installed this machine there and the signal's a little wonky. Oh well. Aya's new as a Leader, as you know. Unfortunately, that means I don't know a whole lot about her. What I can tell you is that I know she favors Double Battles, and she fights using the Wasteland itself. You might have noticed when getting there, but that area can be a little unpredictable. Wasteland attacks can inflict random statuses or have other effects. So be careful, or else you'll get wasted.

Ash just stares at the joke Ame just made, and she just waves her hands with a sigh.

Ame: Sorry, couldn't resist. Anyway, the gunk that coats Byxbysion is kind of squishy and jello-like. Because of that, it eats up some Ground-type attacks, which helps her a lot. Try focusing on one target at a time with an emphasis on her Pokémon's secondary types. If you play your match-ups well, you can definitely win.

Before Ash can ask for more, he notices that Cain's mother is watching them.

Cain's Mother: Um, excuse me, was this machine installed for the sole purpose of telling people how to beat my daughter? How is that fair? Turn that thing off at once! Now!

Ame: Um, hahaha... Busted. Good luck, Ash!

Ash sighs as he ends the call, and he heals his Pokemon before getting to the gym field, he already heard from the woman that there is another challenger already here, and Ash doesn't need to think to know who it is, the same one that gets Shelly into a breakdown, and the same one who tried to stop him from challenging his sister...Fern.

Aya: (Glares at Fern and throws the badge at him) Fine, you win.

Fern: I know. (Notices Ash glaring at him) Oh look, it's Ash, late to the party as usual. Hey, don't worry! This Gym Leader? Total noob.

Ash: Do you really need to insult every gym leader you met on the way?

Aya: Excuse you? I beat you once before.

Ash feels a little relieved that Aya has beat Fern before, and Fern just shrugs it off like it is nothing.

Fern: Yeah, I was caught off guard by you fighting in Doubles. Isn't that just a cheap way to cover for your lack of skill?

Ash: Insulting gym leaders while battling is also the same.

Aya: I can fight in whatever format I want. Besides, it was my brother who-

Cain's Mother: AYA, YOU HAVE ANOTHER VISITOR!

Aya: (Groans) REALLY, another one?

Fern: Can't blame people for wanting a free Badge.

Ash: Would you shut up, please? Leave her alone.

As the door opens, it turns out to be the Rock Type Leader Ash met back in Onyx Ward School, Hardy.

Hardy: Did I come at a bad time?

Fern: Oh, it's you.

Hardy: Yea, it's me. What're you doin' here?

Fern: Sweepin' scrubs. You?

Hardy: Heard we got a new Gym Leader recently, so I'd been meaning to come down and welcome her to the club. (Turns to Aya) You're Aya, yeah?

Aya: Um, yeah.

Hardy: Name's Hardy. Reborn's Rock Leader, at your service! Yanno, the plan was to give you a warm welcome, but...(Turns to Fern with a sigh) Looks like you kinda already got a sour one, huh, mate?

Fern: You can keep the snide comments to yourself, thanks.

Aya: So you two know each other?

Hardy: 'Fraid so. I had the misfortune of being stuck in the same class as Fern in the Onyx Trainers' School.

Fern: In short, Hardy's jealous because I was the top dog and he was just another loser.

Hardy: Keep tellin' yourself that, mate.

Fern: Plus our sisters used to be close friends, so we happened to get dragged to places together sometimes.

Hardy: Aye. That's all in the past though.

Ash: Wait, you have a sister?

Hardy: Yeah, good to see you again, Ash.

Aya: Yeah, okay, you guys keep chit-chatting. I'm gonna go heal up my Pokémon with the machine in the other room.

Fern: So, Ash, you thinking of fighting Aya already? Like I said, total pushover. But it would be a shame if you came all the way down here and didn't have at least one good battle. Lemme help you out there, huh?

Ash really doesn't want to battle Fern, but he has to do so as he already sends out Rhydon. Ash goes for Sceptile, hoping to use this Pokemon to beat Fern. He goes for Stone Edge, but Sceptile dodges the attack and goes for Leaf Blade, which strikes the Pokemon with a lot of damage. Rhydon goes for Fire Fang, but Sceptile jumps out of the way before the attack hits, and Rhydon goes for Drill Run, but Sceptile uses Leaf Storm to knock it out of the battle.

The second Pokemon is Roserade, and Ash decides to continue with Sceptile. Roserade goes for Hidden Power, which seems to deal the Ice Type damage, and then it goes for Sleep Powder, trying to get Sceptile to sleep, but Sceptile dodges the attack and goes for X Scissor, which deals some damage, and with the quick speed, Roserade is defeated by Dual Chop.

The third Pokemon is Krookodile, and Ash goes for Alolan Sandslash to battle. Sandslash goes for Icicle Crash, which deals a lot of damage to Krookodile. Fern is annoyed as he has Krookodile go for Crunch, but Sandslash dodges the way by using Gyro Ball, but it gets hit by Krookodile's Fire Fang. Fern thought he won, but Sandslash is still standing and Ash commands it to use Ice Ball, to finish Krookodile.

The fourth Pokemon is Fraxure, and it goes for Stomping Tantrum, but Sandslash goes for Rapid Spin to dodge the attack, and then it goes for Icicle Crash again, and this time it hits Fraxure. Fraxure goes for Dragon Dance and uses Dual Chop, but Sandslash goes for Flash Cannon to knock the Pokemon out of the battle.

The fifth Pokemon is Scyther, and Ash switches to Charizard to battle. Charizard goes for Fire Pledge, which damages Scyther a lot, and then it goes for Rock Slide to knock it out of the battle.

Fern: Pfft, picking on you is way too easy. (Sends Decidueye)

Decidueye goes for Spirit Shackle, causing Charizard to stay on the field. But Ash doesn't mind as he has Charizard goes for Wing Attack, and then finishes the Pokemon with Flamethrower.

Ash: Looks like I beat you for the fourth time.

Fern: You know I let you win, right?

Ash: You always say that every time you lose to me.

Hardy: I think seein' Fern get beat is worth the trip out here in itself.

Fern: Stow it, Rocky. I was going easy on Ash. After all, I wouldn't want to make anyone cry.

Ash: You already made someone cry, so I doubt that.

Aya: (Walks into the room) Okay. Ash, right? If you're ready for your battle, let's get started.

Fern: Oh, I wanna see this. Popcorn all the way, baby.

Hardy: I'll referee the match. Someone's gotta keep Fern in check, an' I know the ropes from my own gym.

Ash groans a little as Fern is not going to let them go, but he doesn't say anything as he decides to heal his Pokemon.


And here is the new chapter, and as you can see, Ash has defeated the inactive PULSE, and also beat Fern again. I hope you like this chapter and the next chapter will be the gym battle.