So, I got one of those reviews, and if anyone has read reviews from Farla or St Elmo's Fire, they would know what Colossal Trolls "they are" (they're), and don't seem to add anything of worth during their reviews. Personally, I hate people who talk down to you in reviews like they know any better, or are, in some way, better than you. My favourite part of the review was when they commented about the differences of "your" and "you're", like I didn't already know, and then used an example of a SINGLE typo to justify their claim. I'm an engineering student that must write 10 thousand-word essays on a regular basis, I am quite fluent in the English language and just because I missed a typo doesn't mean I can't write. I know I write a lot of typos, and I cringe when I re-read my story and find them, when I'm trying to understand somethings I'd already written. Unfortunately, I don't have the time to edit my stories at the moment.

When I review with criticism, I add where the mistake is, but also talk about what they are doing well. I want to see them achieve, not bring them down because of my own insecurities. Believe me, I took nothing to heart, and I want others to know that they don't have to listen to reviewers like them.

RANT OVER!

Here's the next chapter!

Enjoy!


Chapter 3 – Unexpected Company

Misty yawned, stretching, before she rose from her hotel bed. It'd been a day since she said goodbye to Brock, and while she was upset about seeing him go, she also couldn't help but smile when she thought it would be just like the first few days of their journey together; just her and Ash.

Changing into her usual yellow tank top and blue jean shorts, she made her way towards the hotel's foyer. Arriving at the hotel's café to claim her complimentary breakfast, she noticed Ash was already up. He, however, wasn't as happy as she was.

"Good morning, Ash," she greeted, taking the seat opposite him. For the first time she noticed the scowl on his face. "What's wrong?"

"I had a look at our finances today," he explained.

"And what's wrong?"

"We've spent over twenty grand in the last three weeks."

Had Misty been drinking anything, she probably would have spat it out right then. "Really! How?"

"It costs a lot to have three separate rooms at a luxury resort," he explained. "That, plus the tours we've been on, adds up to quite a lot. I can only access twenty-five grand, so we're going to have to start living within our means from now on, especially if you want to enter the Water Tournaments around here."

"That means…" Misty paused; she was too afraid to say it.

"Yep." Ash nodded. "No more hotels for us, we're going to be sharing a room at the Pokémon Centre again."

"I don't mind," Misty said, leaning back in her chair as she received a menu. "We did that for a long time before we found out we could spend the money we won."


Ash and Misty walked along the beach of Tangelo Island, heading for the ferry that would take them to their next destination, when Pikachu's ears suddenly perked up.

"What is it, Pikachu?" Ash asked, concerned.

"Pika." Pikachu's ears continued to twitch as he frantically searched for the source cry he heard.

Suddenly, a wail was loud enough for all of them to hear. Turning, Ash and Misty noticed the cry came from a Pokémon further down the beach. Breaking into a run, Ash and Misty paled at the sight before them. Three men were currently abusing a defenceless Lapras, with one hitting it in the head with a stick.

"Come on!" one man yelled.

"Get up and start moving, you stupid lump," another added.

"You better listen, or else," the man with the stick warned, raising his stick threateningly. The Lapras didn't respond, and the man swung his stick, hitting the defenceless Pokémon.

Rage rose within Ash as he listened to the Pokémon cry out in pain once again. "Hey, you guys, quite hitting it! Why don't you leave that Lapras alone!"

"I bet it never did anything to hurt you!" Misty added.

"Pika! Pika!" Hatred seeped from Pikachu's voice.

Lapras looked at Ash and Misty before giving another wail.

"Who asked your opinion?" the leader asked, jumping from atop Lapras' back.

"Yeah! This is none of your business," his friend added.

"We don't need any brats like you telling us how to handle our Pokémon!" the man with the stick finished.

"Yeah! We're getting ready for our big Pokémon battle against the Orange Crew, so get lost!"

"I can't believe you three are Pokémon Trainers," Misty muttered.

"They're not really, Misty," Ash stated, earning an angry growl from the three men. "For if they were, they would know that they need to capture Lapras inside a Poké Ball to claim it as one of their Pokémon."

"This will teach you to but into our business, kid!" the leader declared as the three men released their Pokémon.

Three glows faded to reveal Hitmonchan, Spearow, and Beedrill. "I don't even need to battle you," Ash stated as Pikachu lunged onto the sand, ready to fight. "My Pikachu will be fine on his own. It appears that you've really pissed him off."

The three men ordered their Pokémon to attack, as Pikachu raced across the sand. "Hold it!" Everyone froze, staring at the new comer as he approached. "This should only take a second." The strange man, wearing a red bandana, approached the three Pokémon on the opposite side, pulling out a tape measure. His green shirt bunched as he leaned in front of Spearow. "The feathers on your Spearow indicate it's not getting enough vitamins, and it could stand to lose a few pounds." He sketched something in his book before moving onto Beedrill. "The colouring on this Beedrill is pretty poor." He moved onto Hitmonchan. "And it's obvious this Hitmonchan isn't getting enough exercise."

"Uhh…" Ash was confused. What was going on?

"Hmm, it's just as I suspected," the man stated, rising to his feet. "It's easy to see that these Pokémon are pitifully underdeveloped."

"What do you mean, underdeveloped?" the leader asked.

"But this Pikachu," the man continued, ignoring the three men. "Looks just perfect! You can tell because its coat is so shiny." He picked up Pikachu without a second thought.

"Uhh, I wouldn't do that if I were you," Ash warned.

"I just want to make a quick sketch," he explained, placing Pikachu down on a rock and pulling out his book again. "Now hold still."

"Pika?" Pikachu's ears twitched in confusion.

"It looks like your Pikachu's electric sacs are in super shape! Really strong!" the man declared. "Hey, why don't I measure Pikachu's power levels with my voltage meter right now!" He quickly reached into his large bag, pulling out the measuring device. He placed the two prongs onto either of Pikachu's sacs as the three men behind him grew impatient. "Ok, now show me a Thunder Shock!"

"That's not a good idea," Ash warned, but it fell on deaf ears.

"We can't let these creeps ignore us," one of the men declared.

"Let's go guys!" the leader ordered, pointing towards Pikachu. The three Pokémon charged.

"Watch out!" Ash yelled.

"Pika… Chu!" Pikachu yelled as he unleashed a powerful Thunder Shock that ignited everyone except Ash, Misty and Lapras.

"That was pretty good," the man with the bandana stated, slumping over in pain.

Fear ran through the three men when they realised the power of a single attack from the small Pikachu. Deciding to cut their losses, they returned their Pokémon and fled.

"Are you ok?" Ash asked, approaching the young man that was still on the ground.

The man jumped up before Ash could even survey the damage, racing towards the injured Lapras. "We've got to get help!" he stated, leaning in front of the Pokémon's head. "I think this Lapras may be really hurt."

"Ahh," Ash gasped as he raced towards the Pokémon, stopping when the young man gave him a potion.

"Here, it's medicine!" He ran off, running further down the beach.

"What're you doing?" Ash yelled.

"You get Lapras to take it," the man explained as he disappeared. "I'll find Nurse Joy!"

Ash stared at the medicine before approaching Lapras, trying to get the defenceless Pokémon to open its mouth to accept the vial's nozzle. "Here, drink this, Lapras, it'll help."

Lapras didn't budge, instead swinging its head and knocking the vial out of Ash's hands. "That man better hurry," he muttered. "I don't know how long Lapras has."


A long time ago…

Misty Williams dived out of the way of the stampeding Rhydon. She couldn't understand why the Pokémon was acting the way it was, or why it seemed to be unimaginably powerful. In her ten years of life she had learned many things; one of them being that Pokémon like these were found on Mount Silver, not in the docile Mount Moon. She would know; she'd travelled many times through this mountain with her father.

"Bulbasaur, Grab it with your vines! Pikachu, Iron Tail!" Both Pokémon followed Red's command. Bulbasaur threw out its vines and wrapped them around the raging Rhydon, while Pikachu raced towards Rhydon with its tail glowing.

Tied down, the Rhyhorn was unable to avoid the incoming attack, and as Pikachu's tail smashed into the Pokémon, Misty had her own idea. "Staryu, Water Gun!" The combined effect of the Steel-type attack and the barrage of water were too much for Rhydon as he slumped down, unconscious.

Red approached Rhydon cautiously wile pulling out a device Misty had never seen before.

"What is that?"

"It's my Pokédex," Red cryptically replied, placing the device near Rhydon's head. He waved it over the left side, waiting for any kind of signal, and stopped when the device beeped. He pulled out Poké Ball silently, tapping the Pokémon on the head with it, and watched as another Pokémon was caught.

"Why'd you catch it?" Misty asked curiously, leaning over Red to look at the Poké Ball.

"I'll send it to Professor Oak to be tested," Red explained. "This device was a gift from him." He waved his Pokédex in front of her. "It allows me to do many things, and one of them is scan for implants."

"Implants?" Misty had never heard of such a thing.

"This Pokémon has a microchip in its ear," Red continued. "This isn't just some wild Pokémon, it's a rescue Pokémon."

"Rescue Pokémon?"


"Rescue Pokémon?" Ash asked. Nurse Joy nodded. "As in, it helps rescue people when they're in trouble?"

"No, you're thinking of Emergency Rescue," Nurse Joy explained. "The term 'Rescue Pokémon' means that this Pokémon was rescued after being found injured. Most times it's a Pokémon that's been abandoned by its trainer, but sometimes it can also mean wild Pokémon who are so badly injured that they can't survive on their own."

"If it's a rescue Pokémon, how did it end up on the beach?" the man, asked, looking out the large wooden cabin towards the pool outside, where Lapras was swimming. For a Pokémon Centre the place was quite quaint; a simple one-story, wooden, building to be precise, with very little room inside. Sure, it over looked the whole island, but it was clear that the place wasn't known for its Pokémon battles; if a tournament was ever to be held on the island, the Pokémon centre would be swamped.

"The nearest Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre is an island over," Nurse Joy explained. "At the Reeve's Breeding Company Headquarters'. She may have been displaced after the attack I heard happened there yesterday."

"Wait, don't you look after Pokémon like that?" Misty asked, confusingly scrunching her brow. She knew Pokémon Centres helped wild Pokémon as well, so what was different about this one?

"I can, but she is different," Nurse Joy agreed. "I have wild Pokémon here all the time, but most of them only need standard healing and can depart within a few days."

"She?" Ash asked.

"Yes, Lapras is female, and very young," Nurse Joy explained. "Based on the information I was able to find thanks to her microchip, she was found a few weeks ago, alone and barely able to swim; she required more than a standard treatment. She was sent to a Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre to be healed, but because she was weak, with a prolonged stay in care, and very young, she can't be released back out into the wild because she wouldn't be able to survive on her own."

"Could anyone catch her?" Ash asked, concerned.

"They could." Nurse Joy nodded. "She would most likely have been given to a volunteer trainer after she was fully healed. But it seems she doesn't trust humans very much; I struggled to help her."

"Will she be alright?"

"Yes, she'll be just fine." Nurse Joy smiled. "The injuries caused on the beach were very minimal, and I've managed to heal her. I've called the Rescue Centre to come and pick her up."

"That's good news," Misty said as they all looked out the large glass windows.

"Hey, I would like to thank you for helping us protect Lapras," Ash said, sticking out his hand to the older man. "I'm Ash."

"Tracey." The man, now known as Tracey, grabbed the hand enthusiastically.

"And I'm Misty." Misty quickly shot out her hand to shake his as well.

"It's nice to meet both of you."


"I knew she was an infant the moment I saw her," Tracey quietly explained, glancing towards the now sleeping Lapras. "Nurse Joy said they'd found her a few weeks ago. Big schools of Lapras pass by these islands this time of year, so it's possible she got separated from her group during the freak storm we had a while back." he added, drawing the two Pokémon in front of him into his book. A few hours had passed, with Ash and Misty playing with Riolu and Togepi to pass the time.

"You sure know a lot about Pokémon," Ash noted, allowing his young Pokémon to jump over him.

"Well, you learn a lot from being a Pokémon Watcher," Tracey explained.

"A Pokémon Watcher? What's that?" Misty asked.

"Pokémon Watchers travel the world, looking for all kinds of Pokémon to watch and study," Tracey explained. "I observe and study their characteristics and abilities and write them down in my note book." He raised the book he was drawing Riolu and Togepi in. "Sometimes, if you're lucky, a Pokémon Watcher may in fact discover new Pokémon that have never been seen before, but I haven't had such luck."

"That sounds an awful lot like a Pokémon Researcher," Misty muttered.

"In a way, we are," Tracey agreed. "But I don't go as in depth as researchers do. I simply write a brief few notes and then draw the Pokémon."

"So that's what you were doing on the beach," Ash realised. "You were studying the Pokémon in the battle."

"Yep!" Tracey smiled. "And can I say that your Pokémon are in such better health than those three idiots'."

"Thanks." Ash smiled. "But it wasn't just us. We had a friend who's trying to become a breeder who helped us feed and take care of our Pokémon."

"Oh, really? He sounds nice."

"Yeah, Brock's cool," Ash muttered. "But he had to leave to continue his dreams, it's just Misty and I now."

"Nurse Joy!" Their conversation was interrupted when three kids suddenly burst into the Pokémon Centre, each carrying an injured Pokémon.

"Nurse Joy, my Sandshrew got scratched, when we were training, by accident." The young boy held up his little Pokémon.

"And my Voltorb's a little tired, so maybe it could stay here for a day, maybe?" the girl in the middle frantically added.

"Please miss, my Starmie needs a check-up because I want to challenge the Orange Crew," the last boy added.

"Well, let's have a good look at them," Nurse Joy politely agreed.

"The Orange Crew?" Ash muttered, never realising he'd spoken aloud.

"Don't you remember, Ash?" Misty questioned. "Those three guys on the beach mentioned something about battling the Orange Crew too."

"That's right." Ash nodded. "I wonder what it's all about?"

"The Orange Crew is what everyone here calls this group of Gym Leaders from the islands of the Orange Archipelago," Tracey explained.

"Gym Leaders?" Misty questioned. "I didn't know the Orange Islands had its own League."

"It's not like the Pokémon Leagues in the main regions," Tracey added. "As a 'Minor League,' it serves as a testing ground for trainers who don't have a high enough League Ranking to enter straight into the Pokémon League. If you defeat the Orange Crew, you get to face the Orange Champion. Your League Ranking will go up whether you defeat the champion or not."

"Professor Oak said something similar when I first returned to Pallet Town," Ash mused. "I'll give him a call to find out more. Excuse me."


A long time ago…

Red and Misty Williams found themselves in the middle of Mount Moon, looking around at the large natural chamber that opened into the night sky. "We're at the centre of the tunnel network," Misty mused. "I didn't come through here when I passed through last time."

"I thought this was the only way," Red said, making his way towards the centre of the chamber.

"It's not," Misty explained following him. "My father showed me a few secluded tunnels where you're less likely to run into wild Pokémon looking for a fight, they skip right around the main chamber."

"You were lucky then." Red crouched down as he neared a large table at the centre, that was completely out of place. They were alone, but it felt like this place had been regularly occupied recently.

The table wasn't the only one, with several strewn throughout the chamber, with dozens of electric and scientific equipment placed upon them. Next to the table near the centre of the chamber was a large grey bolder that looked completely different from the rocky caves they'd been in.

"How so?" Misty asked as they stopped next to the boulder.

"Because if you did, I imagine you would have run into the people causing this," Red explained. "This looks like a set up for some kind of experiment, and Rhydon aren't naturally found here. I think whoever set this up was experimenting with Pokémon."

"You might be right, I've never seen this rock before," Misty agreed, shivering. "Can you feel that? I feel like I'm gaining strength from it."

"You're right." Red didn't want to explain his aura abilities. He was still a trainee, and he hadn't even been able to build an empathy link with his Pokémon, let alone use his aura sense or even create an aura bond, but even he could feel the strength he was gaining from this stone. Whatever it was, it strengthened aura like he'd never seen before.

"Do you think this may have been what sooped up Rhydon and made it more powerful than ever?" Misty asked.

"Possibly," Red agreed, studying the rock from his crouched position. He noticed a large hole in one side, where it looked like the rock had been drilled through. "They were certainly looking for something inside it." He rose back up, quickly walking towards the table where he noticed a pick-axe.

"What're you doing?" Misty asked, concerned as he returned with what she considered to be a weapon.

"We have no idea what this rock is," Red answered, smashing the pick into the rock. A large piece shattered off, and he quickly picked it up. "I can't carry the rock with me, so I'll send this piece and Rhydon to Professor Oak for some testing, he'll know what's going on."

"Hey? Did you here that?" Red and Misty turned their heads towards the tunnel they'd entered from. They weren't the ones who'd asked the question, and they were sure they didn't want to find out who did.

"Yeah, sounded like somethings going on in the lab," another mused. "Maybe that Rhydon, Boss had us experiment on, has returned."

"Perhaps it was that Gyarados we found," the first voice argued. "It'll be good to document how it affects Pokémon like that. Maybe the rage kicks in more."

"Will you two shut up and get moving!" a third barked, clearly feminine, but also authoritative. "I want the area secured again now!"

"Yes, mam." the other two quickly sped up, their footsteps rising as they neared the chamber.

Misty was furious. How could they've done something to her Pokémon? She was damn well ready to give them a piece of her mind, but when Red grabbed her arm, she glanced at him. Red shook his head, telling her they needed to run.

Deciding he was right, Misty followed Red towards the other side of the chamber where there was another tunnel that led towards Cerulean City. As they made it to the tunnels entrance, they quickly glanced back at the chamber, gazing at the two figures that entered. The only defining feature of note was the big, red, 'R' on their black jumpers, right where the breast pocket would be.

"Hey! Look over there! Intruders!" Red and Misty knew they had to run.


"Hey, Ash! Hey, Misty!" Professor Oak greeted as the screen came to life. "How's your vacation going? I haven't heard much since you left."

"It's been going great, Professor!" Ash answered.

Tracey wandered behind them, gasping when he noticed who'd answered the call.

"So, what's the meaning of this call, Ash?" Professor Oak asked. "Is it about your Pokémon here?"

"No, Professor." Ash shook his head. "Although, if you could please tell them I said 'hi,' it would be much appreciated."

"Will do."

"The reason I'm calling is to ask about my League Ranking," Ash added, explaining his thoughts. "I don't know what my League Ranking is."

"I can look that up for you if you'd like," Professor Oak said.

"If you could, that would be great!" Ash smiled.

"Sure!" He quickly typed something into his computer. "Here we are. Your current League Ranking is eight thousand two hundred and thirty-four. Would you like to know your Trainer Rank?"

"I'm that low?" Ash groaned, slouching in his chair.

"I'm afraid so." Professor Oak solemnly smiled. "But you should do what Gary and Leaf are doing."

"What are they doing?"

"They're entering smaller tournaments that they're allowed to enter based on their Trainer Rank," Professor Oak explained.

"Trainer Rank? How's that different from my League Ranking?" Ash asked.

"You're Trainer Rank determines what kind of tournaments you're allowed to enter," Oak continued. "While any ranked trainer can enter the Pokémon League based on their League Ranking, smaller tournaments only allow trainers of a certain Trainer Rank and above. It's to prevent trainers, who aren't ready for stronger opponents, from facing them."

"What's my Trainer Rank, Professor?"

"It says here your Trainer Rank is 'Beginner,'" Oak explained. "Yours too, Misty. I suggest both of you begin entering some smaller tournaments to get your League and Trainer Rankings up."

"How do I get my Trainer Rank up?" Misty asked.

"Win a few Beginner Ranked tournaments," Professor Oak explained. "Once you win a few tournaments of a certain rank, your rank is usually upgraded."

"So we gain League points by battling in tournaments, and increase our Trainer Rank if we win them?" Ash mused.

"Yep!" Professor Oak nodded. "So, if you want to enter the Pokémon League, you're going to have to start entering smaller tournaments."

"Thanks, Professor!" Ash smiled. "I promise to call soon, ok?"

"I'll look forward to it!" Oak smiled, ending the call.

"Wow!" Tracey exclaimed as the video call ended, startling the two younger trainers. "I can't believe I know two people who know my hero, Professor Oak!" He looked quickly between Ash and Misty.

"What's the big deal about knowing Professor Oak?" Ash asked, confused.

"Yeah, he's a really nice guy, but-" Misty was cut off as Tracey fronted her angrily.

"Every Watcher knows Professor Oak is one of the greatest Pokémon experts on the whole entire planet!" Tracey yelled.

"I knew Professor Oak was smart, but I didn't know he was famous too," Ash muttered.

"That's it!" Tracey took a step back, calming himself. "Ok, you've just got yourself a new traveling buddy!" Ash and Misty looked at him, both concerned and confused. "See, if I travel with you, I'll finally get the chance to meet my hero, Professor Oak."

"Hey, you just can't invite yourself along!" Misty argued; she was enjoying it just being her and Ash

"Excuse me," Nurse Joy interrupted. "But, if I may help, I received this memo yesterday, and it says that the Pokémon League are changing a few things on the League Charter regarding Pokémon Trainers under a certain age."

"What changes?" Ash asked. "And how come we haven't heard of them?"

"The League hasn't announced them yet," Nurse Joy explained. "All I know is a memo went out to all Pokémon Centres with the explanation of the changes to the charter and too expect an influx of trainers to each Pokémon Centre when the changes are announced at a press conference before the 'Tournament of Masters' that begins next week."

"So, what're the changes," Misty asked, annoyed that Nurse Joy hadn't fully answered Ash's question.

"I shouldn't be telling you this, the memo was really only for officials at each Pokémon Centre," Nurse Joy muttered. "But, the League has changed the charter so that any Pokémon Trainer under the age of thirteen has to be accompanied by a Trainer sixteen years, or older."

"It's not the end of the world." Ash shrugged. "I guess that means you can join us," he quickly added, glancing at Tracey.

"Thanks!" Tracey smiled. "But I assume there is something more official to this than just being with them."

"There is." Nurse Joy nodded. "Along with the memo was a bunch of papers you'll all need to fill out and sign. I can print them out for you and you can fill them out before you leave, and I can send them on."

"Great!" Misty groaned, slouching. "More paperwork."


A long time ago…

Red and Misty Williams slouched down, gasping for air as they made it to the exit of Mount Moon. All their Pokémon were unconscious, and they'd been running since they were discovered.

"You… think… we… lost… them?" Misty asked between breaths.

"Possibly," Red gasped. "But… they'll… find… us… if we… remain… here."

"My parents… have a… house near… Cerulean… City," Misty explained. "We can… hide there."

"Lead… the way." Red and Misty rose to their feet, still gasping for air. Quickly, they moved on, leaving the horrors of Mount Moon behind.


"Thank you." Nurse Joy smiled as she gathered the papers. "I'll send these off once they announce the changes." She quickly glanced up, noticing a large green truck, with a 'Rescue and Rehabilitation' logo on it, back up the driveway, reversing towards the pool. "Strange, they said they would be here to pick up Lapras tomorrow, not today."

Hearing this, Ash, Misty, and Tracey followed the nurse out the back. What they saw shocked them. Three figures were trying to coax Lapras towards the truck, and when it wouldn't work, they launched a net over the Pokémon.

"Hey! This isn't standard procedure!" Nurse Joy glared. "If a Pokémon is reluctant you're supposed to tranquilise it and slowly move it, not use brute force!"

"Shove off, lady," the female of the trio yelled. "We know what we're doing!"

"Ash? Does that voice sound familiar?" Misty asked.

"Yeah," Ash agreed, nodding his head. He didn't need to here the voice, he'd recognise the aura of those three anywhere. "You're not here to help, so what're you doing with Lapras?"

The three individuals dragged Lapras onto the truck before tying her down. Suddenly, smoke filled the air, shrouding everyone.

"Oh, no," Misty coughed.

"What's happening?" Tracey asked as they heard a maniacal laugh.

"Prepare for trouble," Jesse chanted, appearing in her standard grey tank top and skirt, with a big Red 'R' over her chest.

"And make it double," James declared, appearing in his usual grey outfit.

"To protect the world from devastation," Jesse continued.

"To unite all people within our nation," James added.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above."

"Jessie."

"James."

"Team Rocket blasting off at the speed of light."

"Surrender now or prepare to fight."

"Meowth, that's right," Meowth said, jumping in front of Jesse and James. As the smoke cleared, they appeared atop Lapras in their signature stance.

"Did they just recite a motto instead of escaping with Lapras while we were blinded by smoke?" Tracey asked incredulously.

"Yep." Ash nodded. "These three are Jesse, James, and Meowth, the three dumbest criminals I have ever met. Seriously, I haven't seen you in six months, and you turn up now?"

"Hey, we're not dumb!" Jesse retorted.

"Then why are you still here?" Misty asked. "I would be halfway down the hill by now!"

"Ya know, dey do have a point," Meowth muttered.

"Shut it, Meowth," Jesse grabbed the Pokémon roughly before turning towards Ash and his friends. "Now if you'll excuse us, we'll be on our way!"

"You're not going anywhere with Lapras!" Ash angrily declared.

"Like you have any say in it," James replied. "Weezing, Smog Attack!" He released his Pokémon, who immediately covered the area in thick black smog. Ash, Misty, Tracey, and Nurse Joy struggled to breathe as Team Rocket got away.

Rushing to the front of the Pokémon Centre, Ash and Misty watched as Team Rocket sped down the hill. "Ash, we can't let them get away!"

"We can't catch them on foot!" Ash replied. "We'd need something faster." He searched the area around the Pokémon Centre, looking for anything that could carry them quickly, when he noticed three bikes the young trainers from earlier must of come in on. "Like those bikes!"

"But, Ash, how do we know where they are?" Misty questioned as she followed him.

"There's only one road from here to the city, and if we don't find them by then, we can use my Venonat's sensors to help," Tracey explained.

"We better get a move on if we want to catch them!"


"Da Boss ain't expecting dis!" Meowth declared happily as they sped away.

"Just wait until we drop this Lapras in his lap," James added, steering the vehicle.

Outside, Lapras struggled with her bonds, trying everything to break free while she wailed in pain and fear. "Hey, keep it down, you big baby!" Jesse warned, leaning over the passenger side window.

"There they go! Come on!"

"Huh?" Glancing up, Jesse watched in shock horror as Ash, Misty, and Tracy cut through the forest, shortening their trip down the hill. "The… Twerp!" Lapras wailed when she saw them, happy to see a familiar and friendly face. "Step on it, James, and fast!"

"Hang on," James warned as he pressed the accelerator. The truck sped up, drawing away from Ash and his friends.

Ash put extra strength into his pedalling, relieved that Team Rocket were driving one of the slowest forms of transport when it came to vehicles; a truck. He slowly gained on them. "Don't worry, Lapras, I'll save ya!"

Lapras wailed fearfully, encouraging Ash to push harder, until he was able to lunge onto the truck. "You'll be fine, Lapras!" He moved towards the front of the truck slowly, clinging onto the ropes that held Lapras to the truck for dear life. When he made it to the front, he ordered Pikachu to his them with a Thunder Shock.

The burst of electricity that followed surprised Jesse, James and Meowth, causing James to accidentally press the release button for the trailer. "Uh-oh," he muttered, realising what he'd done. Before long, the trailer smashed into the front of the truck, clearly showing it was heavier. "We have to bail!"

It was too late for them though, as they were sent flying over the next cliff while the trailer continued along the road. "Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!"

Lapras was now safe from Team Rocket, but they had another dilemma; how to stop the trailer before they died. As they neared another bend, Ash tried to manoeuvre the truck by leaning on one side, but it was no hope.

They were launched over the cliff, and Ash and Pikachu clung to Lapras for dear life. The force of the launch broke Lapras' bonds, and she was able to stretch her four fin-like limbs as they dove towards the water below. "If we stick together, I'm sure we'll be alright." They plunged into the ocean below.


"Ash? Pikachu?" Misty called as Tracey, Nurse Joy, and herself searched for the missing boy. They'd looked all over the island and were now down on the beach in the setting sun.

"Ash!" Tracey added, before looking at his purple, fluffy, Bug-type Pokémon. "You're positive they're around here, Venonat?"

"Veno nat, veno nat." Venonat nodded with its own body, its giant red eyes sparkling as it scanned for them. It turned towards the ocean before jumping up and down while chanting its name happily.

Tracey followed his Pokémon's gaze, his eyes landing on a strange silhouette out at sea. "What's that?" he asked, trying to get a better look. All the while, Venonat continued to chant its name robotically.

"Aha!" Misty exclaimed, recognising the silhouette. "It's Ash, Pikachu, and Lapras!" Ash and Pikachu were happily seated atop Lapras' hard shell back as they swam over.

"They're alright!" Nurse Joy added, relieved.

"Pika!" Pikachu happily declared as they rode into shore.

"Hey!" Ash waved.

Misty, Tracey, and Nurse Joy raced over to the young boy as his feet hit the sand. "What happened, Ash?"

"I was knocked unconscious," Ash explained. "And when I awoke I was on Lapras' back. We were floating not too far from shore."

"You had us really worried," Misty said, resisting the urge to punch him in the arm. "Don't do something foolish like that again."

"I can't make any promises," Ash joked, showing her a glimpse of his pearly white teeth as he smiled nervously. "Oh, and Nurse Joy! Lapras wants to come with me, is it possible I could catch her?"

"It sure is, Ash." Nurse Joy smiled. "I can just call the Rescue Centre and explain that Lapras now has a trainer… I would, however, like to keep you both overnight in the Pokémon Centre for observation. I just need to make sure there aren't any lasting effects from your concussion."

"Thank you." Ash smiled. He turned towards his new and old travelling companions. "So, where're we going tomorrow?"

"Well there's a Water Tournament on Mikan Island soon, so I thought we'd head there," Misty explained.

"And that's where the first Orange League Gym is!" Tracey added.

"Sure!" Ash smiled, following his friends as they headed for the Pokémon Centre. "Let the adventure begin!"


How will Misty go in the Water Tournament? What happened to Red and Misty Williams? And will Ash enter the Orange League? Find Out Next Time!

Based on the rant above, I'm looking for Beta Readers to read and correct my story. I don't have the time this year as I'm writing my thesis on how vibrations affect structure, to edit and update each chapter. If someone would like to become a Beta Reader for this story, just PM me. But please be serious about it, as I had a bad experience with Beta Readers from the Reign of Mewtwo. I would upload the chapter for them, and they wouldn't read it, or they would and then they wouldn't reply with anything.

This chapter just kept going and going. I originally thought it would be 2500-3500 words tops, and it just kept growing. It went for so long, that I moved one piece from this chapter into the next one.

Review Reply:

Review (Guest): Some time ago, in TPMJ, you were saying that Jesse & James would get some Pokémon in this fanfic. The reason I asked about this was because I felt kind of sorry for those two, because they hardly catch any Pokémon. So, I'm thinking that you have plans for which Pokémon they will catch. If you can't say them now, you could at least say which one of the Pokémon they won't catch will be.

Reply: They will, and by their appearance here, it shows that they will be reappearing again. In fact, I saw no better way for Ash and Lapras to bond than him rescuing her from Team Rocket the way he does in the episode the chapter was based off. Jesse and James will also become less incompetent over time. They won't be the main villains, but they will get better at stealing Pokémon.

Review (Miss Geek): Maybe when they meet Rudy, could Misty not be so into him as much as she was, only because I think this story is kinda swaying to a mature misty and ash, which I love btw, it's not really like the anime if u get me, so yeah. Maybe u can use that idea if u can call it that lol. Good luck with the rest of the arc.

Reply: Thank you. However, Misty will be acting the exact same way she does in the episodes with both Danny and Rudy. And the reason she will be is quite simple; to me, this is what legitimises Pokeshipping over other ships. Correct me if I'm wrong, but Ash has never gotten jealous of his other female companions when they have had other males interested in them. But with Misty, he gets so distracted when she's either flirting, or being flirted with, that he can't even focus on the task at hand. And to people reading this, don't say it's because he wants attention during the Gym Battles, because he gets jealous in the first season when he thinks that Misty only wants to win a competition to get her photo taken with a famous male actor, and drops his jealousy when she explains its about a doll set instead. It's quite clear to me that Ash has only ever been jealous of one female companion when she receives male attention.

Review (Miss Geek): Omg omg OMG omg Misty's mum and dad are alive ahhhhhhh omg this could be great for her potentially knowing how to control aura like her dad if she finds him always wanted to see a parent relationship with Misty's real parents they have not really been in fanfics.

Reply: Don't assume Ethan is alive. I know what I have planned for the character, and right now he is only being used to introduce a new enemy far worse than Legion, which will be explored further in the coming chapters. On another note, does anyone have a problem with witnessing death in this story? If they do, I'll trying not to show it, but will explain lifeless bodies.

Review (Fox): Please give Ash a Larvitar. It would be fun to see him take care of a baby, a shell and command the respect of the Tyranitar.

Reply: Ash gets a Larvitar in Johto if I'm not mistaken. You'll have to wait until then to see what I do with the Pokémon.

Review Reply End.

I'll be adding a Pokémon list for Tracey soon.

Any questions, Pokémon suggestions, ideas for the story, or OC's you have that you would like to see in the story, just PM me or send it in a review! All are welcome!

Ash's Pokémon:

On Hand:

Pikachu (Electric) (Male)
Lapras (Water/Ice) (Female)
Ivysaur (Grass/Poison) (Male)

Charizard (Fire/Flying) (Male)
Wartortle (Water) (Male)
Rhydon (Ground/Rock) (Female)
Riolu (Fighting) (Male)
Dragonair (Dragon) (Female)
Ralts (Psychic/Fairy) (Male) (Shiny)
Grubbin (Bug) (Female) (Shiny)
Egg

At Oak's Ranch:

Pidgeotto (Normal/Flying) (Male)
Arcanine (Fire) (Male)
Nidorino (Poison) (Male) (Shiny)
Umbreon (Dark) (Male) (Shiny)
Raticate (Normal) (Female)
Butterfree (Bug/Flying) (Male)
Kingler (Water) (Female)
Absol (Dark) (Male)
Gengar (Ghost/Poison) (Male)
Primeape (Fighting) (Female)
Muk (Poison) (Male)
Tauros (Normal) (Male) (x23)
Sandslash (Ground) (Male)
Gyarados (Water/Flying) (Male)

Departed:

Mew

Misty's Pokémon:

On Hand:

Starmie (Water/Psychic)
Seel (Water) (Male)
Feebas (Water) (Female)
Vaporeon (Water) (Female)
Psyduck (Water) (Male)
Togepi (Fairy) (Male)
Egg

At Oak's Ranch:

Kabutops (Rock/Water) (Male) (Shiny)
Seaking (Water) (Female)
Staryu
Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)
Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)
Seadra (Water) (Female)

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Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!