An Oasis of Hope
Alec's POV
After leaving Coumarine City, the group found themselves in the Lumiose Wastelands that stood between the two cities and stopped for a water break. Besides Ethan, Pikachu, and Dedenne, the only other Pokémon out was Goomy since he needed almost constant hydration.
"How long do these rocks go on for?" Bonnie wondered.
"Yeah, that bare ground goes on forever," Serena commented.
"There's an oasis in this area that's inhabited by a bunch of Spoink, though I don't remember where it is exactly," Alec stated.
"Well we can at least refill our water there," Clement said.
Goomy then let out what sounded like a cough. "Are you okay?" Bonnie asked.
[I'm alright,] Goomy answered.
"I don't think it's sick. I think Goomy's starting to learn a new move," Clemont theorized.
"Wow! That would be so awesome," Ash said excitedly. "Though if you're going to learn new moves, we're going to have to train," he added.
"How about a battle against Inferno then. He could use some training as well," Alec offered.
"Sure," Ash agreed.
The two went to separate sides and Alec threw out Inferno. "Alright Inferno, this is our first battle together so let's win it," Alec encouraged him.
[Yeah!] Inferno shouted enthusiastically.
"Okay Goomy, use Rain Dance!" Ash ordered. Goomy formed a small cloud above Inferno which started raining on him. Inferno immediately jumped out from underneath and shock himself to get the water off.
"Suppose I should have expected that," Alec muttered to himself. "Inferno, use Scratch!" Alec commanded. Inferno ran up to Goomy and hit him with his claws.
"You alright Goomy?" Ash asked.
[I'm… I'm good,] Goomy answered.
"Alright. Goomy, use-" Ash started when a Spoink hopped into the middle of the battle, causing both trainers to stop. Spoink hopped up to Ash but fell before he could reach him.
[Help…] was all Spoink said before he lost consciousness.
"Clemont! Look!" Bonnie shouted.
"I'm on it," Clemont said as he ran up to Ash.
"What did this to him?" Alec wondered, looking at the bruise on Spoink's head.
Clemont was able to heal the bruise in no time and it wasn't long before Spoink regained consciousness. [Thank you so much!] Spoink shouted once he was up.
"What happened? How did you get hurt anyway?" Ash asked.
[A Grumpig came into the oasis where me and my friends live. I tried to fight back, but I was hit with a Shadow Ball and was sent flying out of the oasis. I'm looking for someone to help me,] Spoink said and Alec translated for the group.
[Wait, what?!] Spoink suddenly asked.
[Don't worry about it,] Ethan told Spoink. Alec then realized that Spoink was probably reacting to Alec translating for him.
"Well we can't let someone bully the Spoink out of there home," Ash said determinedly.
"Agreed. Can you lead us to the oasis?" Serena asked Spoink. Spoink nodded and started hopping in a direction.
The group followed and it didn't take long for them to arrive at the oasis but what made Alec nervous was the fact that they walked in unopposed. "You'd think someone who recently conquered an area would be defending it pretty fiercely," Alec stated.
"Who cares, this place is amazing!" Bonnie commented, looking around at all the trees that had berries on them.
"I can't believe there's all this green in the middle of the Badlands," Serena added.
[Hold up, get down,] Spoink said, motioning the group to lower themselves.
Spoink quietly hopped up to one of the springs and hid by some brush. Looking on the other side, the group saw Grumpig laying on a rock eating some food while a bunch of Spoinks were holding food as others were gathering more.
[Delicious,] Grumpig said as he finished and tossed an apple. A Spoink joined the line and slipped on a peal that had been thrown which caused the Spoink to hit the ones in front of it sending all the food flying.
Some of the food hit Grumpig. [What do you fools think you're doing?!] Grumpig demanded.
[Apologies sire, we didn't mean it,] the Spoinks that tripped said quickly.
[You idiots deserve punishment!] Grumpig shouted as he used Shadow Ball on the Spoinks that tripped. [And let that be a lesson to the rest of you fools. I won't tolerate something like this!] Grumpig shouted.
"What are we going to do?" Serena asked.
"It's quite simple. Grumpig took control of the Spoink's home, so we'll just take it back," Alec answered.
"Yeah, let's do this," Ash said. The group stepped out and went around the spring.
"Hey Grumpig! You're causing trouble for the Spoink and it's not appreciated," Ash shouted, getting Grumpig's attention. But he didn't look interested.
[I'm not even going to bother with you people,] Grumpig muttered. The orbs on his body then glowed. [Take care of them,] Grumpig ordered.
The Spoink, except for the one with the group, turned on the trainers, their eyes glowing purple. "What are they doing?" Serena asked.
"Grumpig must be controlling them," Clemont stated.
[Use Psybeam,] Grumpig ordered. Some of the Spoink fired and the group dodged them with Ethan absorbing a few hits. The Spoink then started using Hidden Power and Shadow Ball and they once again missed.
[Oh no you don't!] Pikachu shouted as he jumped off Ash's shoulder, cheeks sparking.
"Pikachu, no! The Spoink aren't responsible for this!" Ash told his buddy.
[But what do we do?] Pikachu asked.
"We aim for the big one. Ethan, Dark Pulse!" Alec shouted. Ethan fired the black rings at Grumpig but some of the Spoink jumped in front of the attack. "Crap," Alec muttered in frustration.
"Let's withdraw until we can figure out a plan," Clemont advised.
"Good idea," Ash agreed. The group started running with Pikachu picking up Goomy with moves being sent at them.
"Over there!" Serena shouted, pointing to a cave. The group ran into it as attacks landed behind them.
It didn't take them long to realize that the cave they chose was a bad one as they ran into a dead-end not far from the entrance. Before they could run out, bars fell from the roof of the cave, trapping the group.
"Oh you've got to be kidding me!" Alec shouted annoyed, already knowing who was behind this.
[Man, if you all were going to be that easy to beat I wouldn't have sent my servants after you,] Grumpig mocked. Team Rocket then appeared beside Grumpig and said their motto.
"Let us out of here!" Ash demanded.
"Now why would we do that?" Jessie asked mockingly. She and James then noticed Serena's new look. "Hey Twerpette, a haircut."
"Perhaps nursing a broken heart?" James asked.
"YOU TWO SHUT UP!" Alec shouted in anger as he ran into the bars, shocking everyone.
"Oh, did we hit a nerve?" Jessie asked mockingly.
"Maybe he's so disappointed in the twerpette that he wants to diss her himself," Meowth theorized.
That really did it for Alec. "WHY YOU LITTLE-" Alec shouted as he ran into the bars again, harder this time, and surprised everyone by knocking a few of them down. "Tank, use Earthquake!" Alec shouted as he threw the Poké Ball holding his Torterra. Tank appeared and hit the ground causing the cave and ground to shake and fracture.
Tank then suddenly stopped. "Why did you stop?! Earthquake!" Alec ordered.
Tank turned to face Alec. [No,] he answered.
"Excuse me? I gave you an order! Now use Earthquake!" Alec shouted.
"Let's get out of here before the twerp gets control of his Pokémon!" Meowth shouted. Team Rocket and Grumpig turned to flee, but the cave roof let off some rocks that landed in front of them. They were still able to slip out somehow though.
"You know what, forget Earthquake. Leaf Storm, now!" Alec commanded. But Tank still didn't listen.
[I will not follow you if you intend to fight out of anger,] Tank stated.
Alec growled in frustration. "Ethan, Dark Pulse!" Alec ordered.
[Not. Happening,] Ethan answered sternly.
"Alec stop!" Serena shouted as she grabbed Alec's shoulder. "You have to stop this," she told him, a pleading look in her eyes.
Alec looked back to see Tanks attack had almost caused the cave to collapse with them in it. "Tank, take down those rocks with Leaf Storm," Alec said. The tree on Tank's back fired the leaves at the rocks, sending them out of the cave.
[Alright, you all want to fight, I'll give you one,] Grumpig said. Alec responded by returning Tank.
"You can have this one. Team Rocket's mine," Alec said as he headed into the trees to search for Team Rocket.
Serena's POV
After Alec ran into the trees, the rest of the group turned to face Grumpig, who looked ready to battle. "Alright Goomy, let's do this," Ash said.
Grumpig prepared to use Psybeam on Goomy. "Goomy, use Bide!" Ash commanded. Grumpig fired and Goomy took the attack, his body having a red outline. Grumpig then fired off a Shadow Ball and Goomy took that as well.
Goomy let loose a white beam that hit Grumpig that didn't appear to do much. Grumpig then let out Hidden Power. "Use Bide again!" Ash ordered. Goomy took the Hidden Power and another Psybeam before firing again, but Grumpig dodged this time.
Grumpig fired more attacks at Goomy, who absorbed them with Bide. Getting irritated, Grumpig prepared to use Iron Tail. "Goomy! Look out!" Ash shouted as he ran in front of Grumpig's attack.
"Ash!" Serena called out. Ash managed to get up and faced Grumpig.
"You did Goomy, I'll protect you now," Ash told him.
Goomy then started glowing. "I think Goomy's evolving!" Clemont shouted. Goomy's body shifted and when the light died down, Goomy was now a Sliggoo.
Grumpig looked even more irritated and prepared to fire Hidden Power. "Dodge it!" Ash shouted. Sliggoo jumped up and hung from the ceiling of the cave. Wind then started swirling around Sliggoo as a blue orb appeared in his mouth.
"That's Dragon Breath," Clemont realized.
"Awesome! You've learned a new move!" Ash celebrated before turning to Grumpig. "Use Dragon Breath!" Ash ordered. Sliggoo fired what looked like blue fire that sent Grumpig flying out of the cave. That also freed all the Spoink from his control.
"Now we have to find Alec," Serena said. The group nodded and headed in the direction they last saw Alec go.
Alec's POV
After getting out of the cave, Alec found Team Rocket's balloon with Team Rocket loading some of the oasis' fruit into the balloon.
Grumpig then suddenly fell out of the sky and landed on some of the fruit that hadn't been loaded yet. "Hey, who invited you?" Jessie asked in surprise.
[You've got to help, those trainers are too strong!] Grumpig pleaded.
"No thanks, showtimes over," Jessie answered after getting the translation from Meowth. "Our business with you is done."
"But not with me," Alec said as he stepped out of the trees.
"Uh oh! Strong Twerp incoming!" James shouted in panic.
"Let's just take what we have while we can!" Meowth suggested in panic as well.
"Alright gang, come on out!" Alec shouted as he let out Super, Samurai, Soar, and Tank.
[Let's deal with these honorless Malamars,] Samurai stated.
"Let's move it!" Jessie shouted as Team Rocket ran to the balloon where Wobbuffet already was.
"Samurai, Tank, Hydro Pump and Leaf Storm on the balloon!" Alec ordered. The two fired with Tank's Leaf Storm swirling around Samurai's Hydro Pump. The combined attack hit the balloon, destroying it and sending all the fruit flying.
[You're all responsible for this!] Grumpig shouted as he prepared to use Psybeam.
"Take him Ethan," Alec said. Ethan ran up to Grumpig and fired Night Shade into his side before sending Grumpig into a tree with Iron Tail, knocking him out.
"We won't stand for this, come on out Pumpkaboo!" Jessie shouted.
"Show them what we mean Inkay!" James shouted, both throwing their Poké Balls.
"Soar, Brave Bird!" Alec commanded. Soar swooped down from above with blue flame around him and slammed into Team Rocket's Pokémon, knocking them out.
"I sense a blastoff in our immediate future!" Meowth shouted, seeing both what happened.
"Super, use Psychic then Meteor Mash!" Alec shouted. Super threw Team Rocket up then hitting them with the steel-type move, sending Team Rocket into a blastoff once again.
"Alec!" Ash shouted as he and the group ran up with a Sliggoo, which Alec assumed had evolved from Goomy.
"Team Rocket's gone, they won't be bothering us for a while," Alec told them as he returned his Pokémon. "So Goomy evolved?" Alec asked, looking at Sliggoo.
"Yeah, and learned how to use Dragon Breath," Ash answered.
"You alright though?" Serena asked Alec.
"I'm good now. Sorry for scaring you all like that," Alec apologized.
"It's fine, just try not to make something like that a habit," Serena said. Alec nodded as all the Spoink appeared and encircled Grumpig, looking angry.
Grumpig regained consciousness and saw the angry glares the Spoink were giving him. [Hey… about the whole 'taking over' thing, can we let bygones be bygones? I'll even give the food back,] Grumpig said as he started pushing some of the food towards the Spoink.
The Spoink they meet earlier then hopped up to Grumpig. [You know if you had just asked for food we would have gladly given you some,] Spoink said, giving Grumpig a fruit.
[And someone as powerful as you would really help defend this place against others,] another Spoink added.
[You mean I can stay?] Grumpig asked.
[As long as you promise to no longer cause any trouble,] a third Spoink answered.
[Thank you so much,] Grumpig said through tears of joy.
The group got some food from the oasis before saying goodbye to Grumpig and the Spoink and continuing on their journey. Though Alec looked forward to getting some sleep. He was exhausted.