Hey, everyone, it's been a long time, but I've finally completed Uni! But that means works amped up. But it also means that I will have more time to write during the week as I don't have any homework anymore!
I've completed my plan for this Arc and will be explaining how things will change from here on out at the bottom of this chapter.
Also, I know they go to Mandarin Island North long before when this chapter takes place, but I decided to move the episodes around, so it would fit better.
I'm also changing the way the past is set up with the present after several conversations. The first half of the chapter's will now be in the present, and if there is a past section, it will be in the second half of the chapter.
Enjoy!
Chapter 7 – A Duck's Day
The sun shinned brightly on the beaches of Kinnow Island where Ash, Misty and Tracey were spending the day training. They'd spent a couple of weeks traveling around the lower islands of the Orange Archipelago before heading for Mandarin Island North, encountering many wonderous things, including the various environments Pokémon evolved in. Learning of these unique differences was important for them, especially when they met a traveling nurse Joy who looked after Pokémon without the usual equipment found at a Pokémon Centre.
But now, as Psyduck, Riolu, Togepi, and Pikachu, who was acting as babysitter for the two younger Pokémon, rested on Lapras' back, Ash and Misty were focused on practicing for the up and coming tournament.
"Ok, Seel, let's see what you've got!" Misty declared as the bluish-white furred pinniped Pokémon materialised on the beach.
"You too, Grubbin!" Ash summed, releasing his insectoid Pokémon. Clicking her two yellow mandibles together, she was happy to finally be battling. "Ladies first," Ash mocked, knowing Misty would say something similar.
"Why, thank you," Misty sarcastically replied, imitating flattery. "Seel, start off with an Ice Shard!" The shard of bluish ice formed in front of Seel's large red tongue and white tusks. But something was off, the attack wasn't building quickly, and appeared to almost be falling apart. "Launch it when you're ready!"
"Grubbin, when Seel launches the attack, move to your left and retaliate with String Shot to slow Seel down." This was training after all, Ash wouldn't order his Pokémon to attack until Misty's had attacked first, and vice versa.
"Launch!" Misty finally ordered. Seel did as she was commanded, launching the shard of ice, but as it rose from the ground, Misty could tell it would never reach its intended target.
Dropping short, the shard landed harmlessly a metre from Grubbin, who surprisingly hadn't moved. "Grubbin, String Shot!" Ash tried again, but nothing. Instead, Grubbin stood still as if she was still waiting for her first command.
Walking up to Grubbin in concern, Ash became worried that the little Larva Pokémon had a similar attitude problem as Rhydon. "What's wrong Grubbin?" Ash questioned. "Do you not want to fight?" But the determined look Grubbin had said otherwise. "I don't get it," Ash said to Misty and Tracey. "She looks like she wants to fight but isn't following my commands.
"Maybe it's something else," Tracey suggested. "Try ordering Grubbin in front of her."
Ash shrugged, turning back towards his Pokémon where he knew she would be able to see him. He pointed towards Seel. "String Shot!"
A length of silky string immediately shot forth towards Seel, who effortlessly dodged the attack at Misty's command.
"Alright! Now use Water Sport!" Misty ordered. Seel released a wave of water around herself, but again the power of the wave was weak, barely reaching halfway into the makeshift battlefield. Misty frowned at this, growing concerned.
"Electroweb!" Ash tried, but again Grubbin didn't move. Walking up in front of Grubbin again, Ash pointed towards Seel before mouthing his next command. "Electroweb!"
This time Grubbin did what she was asked, firing an electrified silk web at Seel, who failed to dodge the attack ensnared her.
Meanwhile, Tracey watched the battle with a thoughtful expression. "Interesting," he muttered, drawing the attention of Ash, who was celebrating the successful attack, and Misty, who was more concerned about her Pokémon.
"Huh? What's interesting?" Ash questioned, confused.
"You haven't noticed it, Ash, but as a Pokémon Watcher, I have," Tracey replied.
"Haven't noticed what?" Ash asked.
"That Grubbin only listens to your commands when she see you say them," Tracey explained, rising to his feet. He walked over to Ash and Grubbin, pulling out a tuning fork from his backpack. "I use this to test a Pokémon's hearing sensitivity when I'm studying them as a watcher."
Grabbing another piece of metal, he clanged the tuning fork against it right next to Grubbin. Ash, who was further away covered his ears slightly from the ringing sound, but Grubbin, who was much closer, didn't move.
"Just as I thought," Tracey declared, placing the tuning fork back in his back.
"Just as you thought what?" Ash asked, concerned.
"Grubbin's deaf, Ash," Tracey bluntly explained. "And Misty, Seel is physically strong, but she can't gather enough power for her special attacks."
"I know," Misty acknowledged, her face growing in concern.
"What do you mean, deaf?" Ash questioned.
"As in, Grubbin can't hear you, Ash," Tracey replied. "She seems to know what attack you're asking for, but she only followed your commands when she could see what you were asking her to do."
"Great! How am I supposed to battle with a Pokémon that can't hear my commands?"
"You'll just have to figure out a way." Tracey shrugged. "Perhaps if you train her well enough you could use gestures, or hand signals."
"But then she'd have to have one eye on me all the time." Ash groaned.
"It's a challenge, Ash, and maybe can you figure out a way to overcome it." Misty knew just which buttons to push; Ash would never back down from a challenge, especially one involving his Pokémon.
"I guess." Ash sighed. "This is going to take a while."
"PICACHU!" They were suddenly drawn from their conversation when Pikachu, atop Lapras' back with Riolu and Togepi arrived frantically on the beach.
"What's the matter, Pikachu?" Ash questioned as the three Pokémon trainers raced over.
"Pika, Pikachu!" Pikachu replied, pointing towards the empty part of Lapras' shell.
"Seems like something is missing, doesn't it," Tracey observed.
"Psyduck?" Misty suddenly questioned. "Oh no! My Psyduck is GONE!"
On the other end of the beach, just over a seawall, sat a young girl fishing in her boat. Her pick dress and blue hair flowing in the wind. Nearby, her Tentacruel searched the depths of the water. "It's awfully quiet today," she muttered, having had zero bites.
A series of bubbles rising from beneath the surface of the water suddenly drew her and her Pokémon's attention. Intrigue turned to confusion as Psyduck suddenly burst from the water flailing around in desperate panic. "Psy yi yi yi!" the poor duck-like Pokémon pleaded.
After searching far and wide, Lapras, Squirtle, Starmie, Seel, Feebas, and Tracey's Marill returned to shore, having failed to find the missing Pokémon. "No sign of Psyduck?" Misty questioned. The Pokémon shook their heads in response. Misty moaned sadly, looking down at the sand.
"Don't feel bad, you all did the best you could," Ash encouraged. "Lapras, take a rest." He returned his Pokémon, focusing on the situation at hand. "Besides, it can't be this easy to get rid of Psyduck."
Suddenly, Misty stormed angrily up to Ash. "What! We can't stop looking for Psyduck! We have to find him!"
"Geez, Misty, this sure is a big switch," Ash noted. "Since when did you start worrying so much about Psyduck?"
"What!" Misty retracted, trying to cover her true feelings. "I'm not worried, so-"
"It's love," Tracey cut in, smirking.
"Love?" Ash and Misty questioned, shocked.
"I think you hide your feelings through your anger," Tracey continued. "I think Psyduck is your favourite Pokémon."
"Fav-Favourite Pokémon?" Misty stammered, flustered. "No way!"
"Excuse me?" Tracey and Misty turned towards the voice, finding a young girl with blue hair rowing her boat into shore. "You wouldn't be looking for this?" She presented Psyduck to them as her Tentacruel held the Pokémon above the water.
"Psyduck!" Misty excitedly declared, noticing the Pokémon's tail was glowing.
"Thanks for rescuing my Psyduck for me," Misty thanked after the girl rowed to shore, patting her Pokémon once he was in her arms. "My names Misty, and these are my friends, Ash and Tracey."
"My name's Marina," the girl replied, leaning down to study Psyduck's tail. "I'm not sure, but from the way its tail's glowing, I'd say your Psyduck's getting ready to evolve."
"Evolve?" Ash question.
"A Pokémon trainer told me," Marina elaborated. "She said, sometimes before they evolve, a Psyduck's tail starts to glow pink."
"So, are you ready to evolve, Psyduck?" Misty asked.
"Duck?" Psyduck looked confused; he didn't know if he was ready to evolve.
"I guess Psyduck would evolve into a Golduck," Ash muttered, pulling out his Pokédex.
Golduck, the Duck Pokémon, and the evolved form of Psyduck. Golduck is very adept at using its webbed hands and feet, making it one of the fastest swimming Pokémon.
"Wow, Golduck sounds like a really cool Pokémon, huh Misty?" Ash continued.
"Golduck is one of my very favourite Pokémon!" Misty and Marina declared, rushing right up to Ash.
"You sound like you really know a lot about water Pokémon, Marina," Misty noted.
"Well, that's because I'm a trainer and I specialise in water Pokémon," Marina admitted.
"Really? So am I!" Misty excitedly declared.
"No way, why didn't you say so!" Marina excitedly replied. "I just love the way water Pokémon and float and swim and dive and…" So, on and on they went, discussing every aspect they loved about Water-type Pokémon, while Ash and Tracey found themselves lulling in the back ground.
After a while, Ash grew restless of their continuous chatter. "Hey!" he interrupted. "Instead of showing off your personal lures, why don't you battle each other?"
"That's not a bad idea, Ash!" Misty agreed, packing away her lure, which had her head on it. "We can stand on the rocks and command our Pokémon in the water."
"Sure!" Marina smiled, making her way towards one of the rocks. "We can see which one of us is the better trainer!"
"That sure shut them up," Ash muttered.
"Thank you," Tracey joked.
"So, how about a three-on-three battle?" Marina asked.
"Ok!" Misty agreed. "It's time to let another Pokémon shine! Go Feebas!" Feebas' light-brown body shown in stark contrast to the blue ocean, with her blue fins the only part of her body barely visible.
"Oh, a Feebas!" Marina squealed. "I've always wanted one, so I could evolve it into a Milotic!"
"Well this one's mine!" Misty declared. "So, come on, show me what you got!"
"Well, I want to win this match, so I'm going to start off with something really cool! So, I choose you Tentacruel!" Marina pointed towards the battlefield, where her hulking jellyfish-like Pokémon jumped into from behind her.
"Begin!" Tracey quickly declared.
"Start off with a Tackle, Feebas!" Feebas swam towards the larger opponent, but Marina was way ahead of the young red-head.
"Tentacruel, Wrap attack!" Feebas was fast, but not fast enough for Tentacruel, who wrapped up the fish-like Pokémon in its tentacles. "I must admit, I may specialise in Water-type Pokémon, but I also specialise in non-water-type moves! Tentacruel, Giga Drain!"
"Feebas!" Misty squealed in concern. Her mind was racing, every possible outcome playing over and over in her head as Tentacruel's tentacles glowed, sucking Feebas strength from her. She knew Feebas wouldn't be able to continue, and Marina's comment played in her mind over and over again until she suddenly conjured a plan. "You're right, Marina, but my Pokémon know different type moves as well! Feebas, quick, Confuse Ray!"
With Feebas' last ounce of strength she opened her grimacing eyes, allowing them to glow. A sudden pulsating wave of energy hit Tentacruel, and while it didn't do any damage, it was enough to confuse Tentacruel to the degree that it let go of the young fish-like Pokémon.
Floating on her side, Feebas lied unconscious on top of the ocean's surface. "Return," Misty said, recalling her Pokémon. Without waiting, she pulled out her next Poké Ball and threw it into the air. "Starmie, Swift! Hit Tentacruel while it's confused!" Tiny little stars flew from Starmie's red gem, hitting Tentacruel in the head before it could react.
With a splash, Tentacruel collapsed into the water. "Nice work, Tentacruel, but you better take a rest." The red beam shot forth and encompassed the jellyfish-like Pokémon. "If you're using Starmie, then I guess I should use mine!" A similar looking purple starfish-like Pokémon with a red gem appeared in the water. "Starmie, Rapid Spin!"
Marina's Pokémon wasted no time going on the offensive; spinning rapidly as it flew towards Misty's Starmie. "Counter with Water Gun!"
"Into the Water, Starmie," Marina ordered before even Misty's Pokémon could react to its trainer's orders. Misty's Starmie's attack had no chance of hitting as Marina's Pokémon used its momentum from its attack to carve a path underwater towards Misty's Pokémon.
In shock, Misty's Starmie, who stood half outside the water, was suddenly knocked back into the rockface Misty stood on. "Starmie!" she yelled in concern.
But her Pokémon seemed only slightly fazed as it jumped back into the water with a mighty, "Hiya!"
Marina smirked as her own Pokémon appeared back next to her. "Our Starmie's are evenly matched, Misty, so this battle is going to come down to who knows how to use their Pokémon better."
Misty knew it was a dig at her battling skills, but she wasn't about to let herself be affected by it; she'd let too many people do it to her in the past. "Ok, then, show me what you've got!" Misty had an idea, but she had to let Marina's Pokémon get close again.
"One more Rapid Spin should do it!" Marina commanded as her Pokémon followed her orders, repeating the same attack again.
Misty didn't do anything as she waited for Marina's Pokémon to get close. Marina's Pokémon disappeared under the water again, but this time Misty noticed the ripple it left as it span underwater. "Now," Misty ordered as Marina's Pokémon drew near. "Rapid Spin into the air!"
Misty's Starmie rapidly spun into the air, avoiding the attack. But Marina's Pokémon was un able to stop again as it collided with the rockface. Taking her chance, Misty ordered a Swift attack followed by a Water Gun that both injured Marina's Pokémon and smashed it against the rockface again.
The resultant was Marina's Starmie's gem began to flash, indicating that it was unconscious. "Return," Marina muttered.
"You were overconfident, Marina!" Misty teased. "You assumed that I would figure out how to stop your Pokémon when it moved so fast through the water.
"I won't make that mistake again!" Marina retorted. "Now I think I'll use one of my strongest Pokémon!"
The light faded to reveal a duck-like Pokémon with a large pale bill and three hairs on its head. "Psyduck!" Marina's Pokémon declared as its yellow blubbery form appeared on the rockface next to its trainer.
"A Psyduck?" Misty questioned.
"Wow, that sure doesn't look like yours, Misty," Ash stated.
"Yeah, I forgot how tough a Psyduck can be," Tracey added. Quickly, they both realised their mistake when they earned the eerie from Misty. "That being said…" Tracey nervously added, before being cut off my Marina.
"I don't know how you raised that rubbery Psyduck of yours Misty, but now I'll show you how powerful a Psyduck can be if you train it the right way."
Misty growled, gritting her teeth to muffle her own anger. "Starmie, Water Gun!" she ordered without even waiting.
But Marina was onto this; with Misty having fallen straight into her trap. The strong burst of water flew towards her Pokémon, but she waited until the last moment to make her move. "Psyduck, Confusion!"
Psyduck didn't even respond, instead its eyes glowed blue as suddenly the gush of water changed direction above it head. Turning around, the rush of water raced towards its sender, smashing Starmie into the rockface before Misty could even react.
"Starmie," Misty groaned as she returned her unconscious Pokémon. "I guess you better have a rest."
"I guess Starmie isn't shining so brightly now," Marina stated as the red light engulfed Misty's Pokémon.
Marina was really starting to get on Misty's nerves, and if she didn't know any better, she would say Marina was really acting like a bitch.
"Hey," Marina continued, completely changing her demeanour back to her cheerful self. "Why don't we let our Psyduck battle?"
"Our Psyduck?" Misty questioned.
"A battle might be enough to make your Psyduck evolve," Tracey suggested.
"Tracey's right," Ash agreed.
"And Psyduck would become a Golduck," Misty added, looking at the last Poké Ball she had. "Yeah!" She excited exclaimed, throwing her Poké Ball into the air. "Go Psyduck!" But as the Poké Ball opened, nothing came out. Realising her mistake of throwing an empty Poké Ball, Misty rubbed her head nervously. "ahh, I guess that one was empty." Everyone nearly fell over, except for Misty, who continued to scratch her head. "Even great trainer's make mistakes."
"I don't think they make that kind," Ash muttered under his breath.
"Hey, Ash!" A moment of nervousness washed over Ash as he thought he'd been caught by Misty. "Hurry up and throw me Psyduck's Poké Ball!"
"Alright, alright!" Ash moaned, wandering over to where their bags were. "Always bossing me around!" But as he looked, he couldn't identify which Poké Ball was Psyduck's. "Which one's Psyduck's?"
"If you can't tell, just throw me my back pack and I'll find it!" Misty replied, annoyed.
"Fine!" Ash said, picking up her back. "Not like it will help that much! You couldn't identify which Poké was Psyduck's in first place!" He flung the bag, but it dropped short of Misty, who missed it as it splashed into the water.
"ASH!" Misty exclaimed. "THAT HAD ALL MY STUFF IN THERE!"
"Sorry," Ash apologised. "But you asked me to throw it."
"Yeah, to me! Not into the water!" Misty groaned, leaning down to pick up her bag. "Great, now I don't have a change of clothes," she muttered as she searched for her bag. "Hope I can find it." She latched onto her bag after feeling the blue strings. Pulling it, she felt it was heavier than before. As she pulled it out of the water, the blue form of Pokémon followed, with its head inside the bag. "Wah!"
"Is that?" Marina didn't even have a chance to continue as the head of the blue Pokémon sprung free from the bag, revealing a pale bill with a red gem on its forehead.
"It's a Golduck!" Misty and Marina exclaimed at the same time.
"That's weird, it evolved fast," Tracey observed.
Before anyone could react, Golduck jumped onto the edge of the rockface. "Golduck!" It signalled to Misty, who just gushed in response.
"What a cutie!" Misty ran towards Golduck, assuming that her Pokémon had evolved. "I can't believe you're mine!" she exclaimed, hugging the Pokémon.
"What a great Golduck!" Marina gushed. "I've never seen a Golduck as fine as that one!"
"Everyone used to say all kinds of bad things about Psyduck, but no one is going to say bad things now," Misty said. "Right, Golduck?"
"Golduck!" the Pokémon agreed, signalling a thumb up.
"The one that said most of those things was Misty," Ash noted.
"I told you, it's love," Tracey explained. "And Psyduck must have loved Misty back, which is why it evolved for her."
"Hmm," Ash mumbled, not too sure; something just felt off, like its aura was different.
"I just know we're going to make a great team!" Misty continued to hug Golduck enthusiastically. "Golducky…"
"Hey!" Marina interrupted. "How about we see what Golduck can do?"
"Yeah!" Misty agreed. "Let's see which one is stronger, your Psyduck, or my Golduck."
"This should be interesting," Marina added. "Go Psyduck, Confusion!" Psyduck's eyes glowed blue as it formed a large wave that raced towards Golduck.
"Go Golduck, ride that wave!" Golduck jumped into the air and took control of the wave using its own Confusion, turning it towards Psyduck. "Golduck listens to me!" Misty gushed.
Before the Pokémon could react, Psyduck had a huge wave crashing down on it. As the wave cleared, it revealed Marina's Psyduck was unconscious.
"Psyduck is unable to battle," Tracey declared. "Golduck is the winner!"
"Yay! You did it, Golduck!" Misty exclaimed as Golduck landed on the rockface, before continuing to show off with several poses.
"That was a great match, Misty," Marina complemented. "I can't wait to face you in a Water Tournament sometime soon."
"Thanks, Marina!" Misty replied. "But I was really lucky that Psyduck evolved when it did. Without Golduck I think you would have won."
"Not bad, Misty," Ash clapped. "Now how about you return your Pokémon and we have some dinner?"
"Ok, Golduck, why don't you take a rest in your Poké Ball." Misty grabbed her Poké Ball ready to return her Pokémon when suddenly the Poké Ball burst open, revealing Misty's dim-witted duck in all its glory. "Psyduck?"
"Psy?" Psyduck yawned, stretching out his tired limbs.
"Golduck." Golduck saluted Psyduck with a thumb up as Misty frantically approached the two Pokémon.
"But my Psyduck is a Golduck now!" she exclaimed, her head swivelling between the two Pokémon.
Suddenly, the group heard a group of young girls giggle off in the distance. Following the sound, Golduck raced off without a second thought, quickly jumping in front of the group with its various poses. The girls seemed very enamoured by the duck, who continued to show boat.
"That Golduck isn't yours," Marina stated. "It just likes to show off… for girls."
Misty looked down, depressed, and with a completely dejected voice, muttered. "It's just a Pokémon version of Brock."
Some time past before Misty would finally talk to the others, having sulked on the rocks for an hour. But she finally came to when Ash asked where Psyduck had been.
"Psyduck." The Pokémon imitated sleeping.
"Sounds like Psyduck was resting," Tracey noted. "In his Poké Ball."
"Psy!" the Pokémon nodded.
"But maybe now I'll get a Golduck anyway!" Misty interrupted, trying desperately to draw optimism and hope where there was none. "You said Psyduck's glowing tail meant it was going to evolve!"
"Ahh!" Marina nervously exclaimed. She turned away, hoping to avoid a confrontation as Tracey approached a now furious Misty, who directed her anger towards the older boy.
"Golduck sure had you fooled, huh Misty?"
Misty tried desperately to yell at Tracey but couldn't bring herself to do it as she sighed in defeat. "I guess so."
"You should be happy, Misty," Marina injected. "This proves you really are a great trainer."
"You're just saying that," Misty muttered dejectedly.
"You managed to command a fully evolved wild Pokémon, something very few people have been able to do," Marina continued.
"Yeah?" Misty smiled, realising she was right. "And if I can do that, imagine what I'll be able to do with my own Pokémon in the future!"
"Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Misty," Ash warned.
"And what's that supposed to mean?" Misty directed towards Ash.
"Nothing." Ash nervously back up. "So, how about we have dinner." At that moment, his stomached growled. "As you can see, I'm starving!" he embarrassingly added.
Misty was about to retort when her own stomach growled. "I guess you're right. Hey, Marina, would you like to join us for dinner."
"Sure!" Marina nodded as the sun began to dip over the horizon. They quickly watched it disappear into the water from the beach. "It's been a long day."
"Well, it's been a long day for a certain duck."
A long time ago…
Red collapsed onto his bed inside the Pokémon Centre, his legs hanging over the edge. Sighing in boredom, he stared at the ceiling as Green returned, clutching her bag.
"Lunch!" She emptied the contents, allowing the fruit and snacks to scatter across the bed.
Red picked up an apple before looking sceptically at Green. "How'd you afford all this?"
"I couldn't." Green shrugged carelessly. "There's an open market towards the edge of town. No one ever pays attention to a girl like me."
"You stole the food!" Red looked incredulously at Green. "You shouldn't steal anything! I could've paid for it if you'd just as…"
"No!" Green determinedly declared. "I've lived on the streets my entire life, I don't need charity. I don't need someone buying things for me, especially not a man, or a boy in this case. I can look after myself."
"Fine!" Red threw his hands up in defeat; there was no point in arguing the same thing they'd gone backwards and forwards on for the past three weeks. Three weeks, Red realised, they'd been in Saffron City for three weeks without even a sniff of the man they encountered on Route Seven.
Day in, day out, they watched Silph Co., waiting for any sign of the criminals, but so far there was nothing. So long, they'd waited, that Red even had enough time to go and challenge the Gym in the city. "How much longer are we going to wait?" he asked.
"If you have somewhere more important to be, you can go," Green offered, gesturing towards the door. "No one's forcing you to stay."
Red sighed in response; they both knew he wasn't going to leave, especially after what they went through. "Alright." He rose to his feet. "I'm going down to the cafeteria for lunch. You can enjoy the proceeds of crime in peace."
"Will do!" Green smiled as Red left, unfazed by the snide remark.
The cafeteria was surprisingly deserted for noon, midday, and Red waded easily past the many choices the Pokémon Centre had to offer. After he paid for his lunch, he sat at one of the many empty tables. Still, the uneasiness of the eerily quiet cafeteria didn't faze him as he took his first bite.
He was halfway through his lunch when someone else finally entered. He gave the person no bother, not even looking as they collected their own lunch. It wasn't until the person walked up to him that he got a good look at them. The red hair immediately clouded his mind as the person exclaimed his name.
"Red!" Misty Williams sat down next to him. "I didn't expect to see you here! How have you been?"
"Good," Red replied, smiling. "How are you? How's Gyarados?"
"I'm good, and Gyarados is doing better, but he's grown a bit weak because I haven't been battling with him since Mount Moon," Misty explained.
"I could train him if you'd like?" Red offered. "I have a Kingler that I've been meaning to teach Surf, so I can continue my travels."
"Gyarados knows Surf!" Misty explained. "How about a trade? I teach Kingler how to surf and you train my Gyarados?"
"Sounds like a plan!" Red agreed. "I'll just contact Professor Oak to have my Pokémon transferred here." Red rose quietly after finishing his lunch, heading for the video phones.
"Hello, Red!" Professor Oak happily exclaimed. "How have you been?"
"Gee, you seem awfully happy, Professor," Red observed.
"Well, Blue was released from hospital," Professor Oak explained. "He's been given a clean bill of health and is free to continue on in his Pokémon journey!"
"That's great!" Red smiled. "I'm glad he's ok. If you don't mind me asking, where is he heading?"
"He's heading to Saffron City to meet up with you, I believe," Oak explained. "He said something about wanting to talk to you personally."
"Oh, ok." Red hadn't expected that. "I guess I'll see him when he gets here… Anyway, I'm calling to see if I can get one of my Pokémon transferred to me."
"Sure, which one would you like?"
"Could you please send me Kingler?"
"Done!" The transfer device whizzed as the Poké Ball Red placed in the device disappeared, replaced by a similar looking Poké Ball. "Is there anything else you need?"
"Actually," Red continued, placing Kingler's Poké Ball onto his belt. "I ran into Misty here. She said Gyarados was better. I'm wondering what you found about the rock I sent you?"
"Oh, yes, I had a good long talk with Misty about that a week ago," Oak eluded. "It appears that the rock contains properties that were giving off some kind of energy that would increase a Pokémon's power when they came into contact with it, resulting in increased strength, stamina, speed, attack and defence. But if a Pokémon encountered to much of it, it would go into a state of psychosis, which is what happened to the Rhydon and Misty's Gyarados."
"Is there a cure?"
"You don't need to worry about that," Oak explained. "The properties inside the rock have broken down over time, eliminating the effects."
"So, you're saying that Gyarados and Rhydon will return to normal over time?"
"Yes." Oak nodded. "I detected the same decay rate of the energy inside Rhydon, and she has since come down from her heightened state."
"That's good." Red sighed.
"But what's most perplexing," Oak continued. "Is that the decay rate happened so fast I can't figure out how any such material would be able to hold the properties for such a long time."
"What are you talking about, Professor?"
"The rock, it's consistent with archaeological digs of ancient ruins," Oak explained. "The rock is most likely from a collapsed wall or roof from one of Kanto's ancient cities."
"The core of the boulder we found had been removed," Red explained. "The rock is from that boulder."
"Then perhaps whatever was in the core is what caused the change," Oak concluded. "There appeared to be a distinct pattern in the way the energy decayed. If you ever find this core, I would love to examine it."
"Will do." Red nodded. "Thank you for transferring my Pokémon. Bye!"
"Good bye, Red!"
Red returned to Misty, who was waiting patiently at the transfer station. "So, you get Kingler?"
"Yep!" Red nodded. "You ready to trade?"
"Your Kingler, for my Gyarados," Misty replied. "This is only temporary, until I teach Kingler Surf."
"Yep." Red nodded again. They placed their Poké Ball onto the machine and traded their Pokémon. "So," Red continued after the trade was done. "What are doing in Saffron City?"
"My father works here," Misty explained. "I was just coming to visit him. His job takes most of his time, so he's really busy and doesn't have time to return to Cerulean City to visit my sister and I all that often."
"Oh." Red could relate; his mother barely had time for him as he was growing up. "Do you want to hang out or…"
"I'm sorry," Misty cut him off. "I would love to, but I have to meet my father soon."
"Ok, I guess I'll be seeing you around?"
"Sure! If you're here tomorrow, I should be available," Misty explained.
"I'll keep a note of it."
Giovanni was a patient man. He'd wait months without making a single move if he was ordered to, but something just didn't feel right about the current situation. Following his orders after Red and Green escaped, he tracked down the van in Saffron City, abandoned, and with no sight of the two kids.
His mother wasn't pleased that he'd let them escape, yet, when was ever pleased. Now he'd been ordered to wait for what his mother called "the ideal image of Team Rocket." Giovanni knew who she was referring to, but he yet wasn't ready to confront them.
Suddenly, the door to their operations based opened, and in walked the most beautiful woman he knew he would ever lay eyes on but knew they could never be together; his mother would make sure of that.
"Giovanni," the woman spoke calmly, placing the small metallic case on the table in front of them. "It's been too long."
"Too long indeed," Giovanni remained calm. "I presume you know why you're here?"
"I know why I'm here," the woman shot back, opening the case, revealing a multi-coloured stone. "You just keep them distracted."
"It is pretty." Giovanni extended his hand towards the stone. "I wonder if it can do what they say-" The woman slammed the case shut before Giovanni could touch it.
"I spent a year in the ocean looking for this thing," she said. "Only I can touch the stone, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, you certainly do."
"Good," the woman smiled, brushing her long purple hair from her face. "Madam Boss wants an update on the 'kid' situation."
"She will get an update when I have one," Giovanni angrily replied.
"So, I presume you haven't found them?" She quirked an eyebrow, smirking.
"We located the van, but they'd abandoned it," Giovanni explained. "Saffron is too large to locate two kids in."
"No matter," she shrugged it off. "We have more important business to deal with."
"Then why did you ask?"
"To see you squirm," she replied. "Madam Boss is more concerned with this stone and Silph Co. than the two kids who escaped."
"So, we move out soon," Giovanni concluded. "Shall we go over the details?"
"We shall, if only to make sure you know what to do," she quipped.
"You love making my life hell, don't you, Miyamoto?"
"Only for you, Giovanni, only for you."
What will Happen at Silph Co.? How will Ash and Misty fare in the Tournament? Find Out Next Time!
So, as I said above, I've completed the plan for this Arc, and have already started on the plan for the next one. With that, will come some changes. I will no longer being doing direct episodes, kind of like how this one was, but will be doing my own story once this Arc is through. I will still keep the main episodes (Movies, Gym Battles, Major Story Arcs with my own twist, etc,) but I want to focus on the world I'm developing instead of the world that has already been created. This Arc will act largely as a set up to that. If this is not what some of you wanted, I apologise, but I feel my best work is when I'm writing my own ideas within this.
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 (Water/Psychic)
Tentacruel (Water/Poison) (Male)
Pelipper (Water/Flying) (Female)
Seadra (Water) (Female)
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Until Next Time, AshleyH30 Out!
