Chapter 7: Next Stop! Hoenn!

It was another beautiful day in the Cerise Laboratory, and Ash, Goh, and Chloe were eating breakfast with Cerise, Chrysa, and Ren. A couple of days ago, the trio went to Kalos to research Mega Evolution, and they brought back almost no new information. While Ash and Pikachu quickly devoured their food, Goh was barely eating and looking at his Rotom Phone.

"Goh?" Chloe asked as she looked over to her friend. "Are you alright? You're barely eating!"

However, Goh didn't hear what Chloe was saying. He was still researching on his phone, until something caught his eye. The more he read, the more excited he was. Once he finished reading, he realized that there was another place to learn more about Mega Evolution. "Ash and Chloe," Goh exclaimed as he turned to face his friends. "Pack your bags! Cause we're going to Hoenn!"

"Hoenn?" Ash asked as he was holding a glass of milk. "Why?"

Goh shoved his phone near Ash's face and explained, "Hoenn is another site of Mega Evolution, and I believe we might learn something new if we go there. According to my research, there's a company there that uses energy that is similar to Mega Evolution energy!"

Hearing this, Cerise became interested and leaned toward the trio. "Really?" he asked as he stared at Goh's phone. "This could be huge! We know that the Sundial is the source of Mega Evolution energy in Kalos, but we don't know anything about the origin of Mega Evolution in Hoenn."

"Exactly!" Goh responded as he faced the professor. "If we could find it and connected the dots with the Sundial, we might what exactly causes Pokémon to Mega Evolve! The legends say that Rayquaza had a connection with Mega Evolution and that it was first observed in the Sky Pillar!"

"Sky Pillar?" Chloe questioned while she wiped her face with a napkin. "That sounds like an interesting place."

Goh nodded at Chloe's remark. "Professor, we could check out the company and make our way to the Sky Pillar. It'll take time, but I believe it might be worth it!" Goh eagerly spoke as he looked at Cerise.

Cerise appeared to be deep in thought. Goh's idea was a good one, and there seemed no harm in trying to research Mega Evolution in Hoenn. He eventually smiled and said, "I believe that is a great idea! Knowing how Mega Evolution works in Hoenn will surely help us understand it more. I'll purchase the tickets, and the three of you will go today."

"Three of us?" Chloe repeated. Was her father suggesting that she go too even though she had school today?

Cerise nodded. "Yes, Chloe. You'll go too. Your teacher called me and said that she was satisfied with your report and your makeup work. I believe that you're responsible enough to go to Hoenn with the boys," he responded with a smile on his face.

"Thank you, dad!" Chloe shouted as she grinned. She was excited to go to another region and learn more about Pokémon.

"Eevee!" Eevee shouted as she snuggled near her trainer. She was also happy with the idea of going to Hoenn.

"Goh?" Cerise spoke while he wiped his glasses with a cloth. "What's the company called, and where is it in Hoenn?"

"It's called Devon Corporation, and it's in Rustboro City," Goh responded as he read the information off his phone.

"Alright!" Ash suddenly said as he stood up. "Let's go to Hoenn, Pikachu!"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu happily squealed as he was licking ketchup.

"It's settled then," Goh spoke as he began to leave his chair. "I'll pack my backpack and bring my Pokémon. I'm going to take Aerodactyl again!" He ran off to the adjacent Cerise Park to tell the Fossil Pokémon the good news.

"Aerodactyl!" Goh shouted as he ran toward him. Aerodactyl was currently sleeping underneath a tree, and he had a steel necklace around his neck that held the Aerodactylite Goh found. The necklace was created by Goh and Chloe, and Aerodactyl proudly wore it as a display of his potential to become stronger. Aerodactyl opened his eyes and looked at Goh who was standing in front of him.

"We're going to Hoenn," Goh enthusiastically stated as he pulled out Aerodactyl's Pokéball. "We're going to continue on our research in Mega Evolution, and we might find a Key Stone there!"

"Aero!" Aerodactyl joyfully yelled before he was recalled back into his Pokéball.

By the time he returned to the lab, he saw Ash and Chloe waiting for him. "Are you ready?" Ash asked as he raised his fist in the air. "I can't wait to return to Hoenn!" Chloe was a little nervous. This was her first time going to Hoenn, but she already went to Kalos and Galar with the boys.

"I am!" Goh cheerfully replied as he raised his hand as well. "Let's go!" The trio waved goodbye to Cerise and left the lab for the Vermilion Airport.

Unfortunately, their conversion was not private. Two people and a certain Pokémon were listening nearby behind a bush, and they heard everything the trio said.

"The twerps are going to Hoenn!" the boy quietly said to his partners. "They also recently went to Kalos. That explains why we couldn't find them!"

"This is outrageous!" the girl began to shout, but the boy quickly covered her mouth.

"Quiet, Jessie!" a Pokémon spoke as he glared at his accomplice. "We can't let them hear us!"

After Jessie removed James's mouth, she turned to Meowth and angrily said, "You're the one who's been speaking so loud!"

"Me!?" Meowth furiously exclaimed as he faced Jessie. "You are the one who talks too much! I rarely said anything until you began to speak!"

James sighed and covered both of their mouths. "Let's quickly buy ourselves a ticket too! Unless you want to stay in Kanto with nothing to do!" he calmly whispered.

Jessie and Meowth eyes became wide open, and the three hastily crawled away to prepare to go to Hoenn. They were going to follow the twerps, and they were going to catch Pikachu once and for all.

"Awesome!" Ash spoke as he stepped out of the airport and looked around. They were now in Rustboro City, and they were planning on going to Devon Corporation to check out the company and its connection with Mega Evolution energy. Goh pulled out a map on his phone and led them toward the company. Rustboro City was a large city, but it was only the fourth-largest city in Hoenn. As they made their way to the company, Ash and Pikachu suddenly stopped outside of a building.

"Ash?" Goh asked as he saw Ash and Pikachu staring at the building. "Are you okay?"

Ash chuckled and turned toward Goh. "Sorry. I was thinking of the time I spent in Hoenn before. This building is the Rustboro Gym, and it was the first gym I challenged in Hoenn."

"Really?" Chloe spoke as she looked at the building. "How did the battle go?"

"I won! Thanks to Pikachu and Sceptile." Ash responded with a smile on his face. "It was a great battle, and we have a lot of fun."

"Sceptile?" Goh inquired as he heard Ash mention the Pokémon's name. "You have more Pokémon?"

"Of course!" Ash laughed as he scratched his nose. "I couldn't have won that many Gym badges with just Pikachu!"

Ash, Goh, and Chloe were about to leave and continue on their way to Devon Corporation, until Ash's Rotom Phone suddenly shouted:

"A Pokémon World Championships participant is nearby! This is an official battle announcement! Do you accept?"

Ash turned around to see a familiar face approach him. It was a young girl, and there were younger kids following her. Despite her young age, she appeared to be a teacher, and she stopped near Ash. "It has been a long time, Ketchum," she spoke as she looked at the raven-haired boy. "I see that your Pikachu is still the same as ever."

"Roxanne!" Ash replied with a huge grin. "You're in the Pokémon World Championships too!?"

She nodded. "I still remember your Gym battle with me," she spoke with a smirk. "I may have lost, but I have gotten a lot stronger now. Do you wish for a rematch?"

Ash pumped his fist in the air. "I accept!" he eagerly said. "I have gotten stronger too!"

A Drone Rotom appeared and looked at Ash and Roxanne. It announced:

"This is a Pokémon World Championships match between Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town and Roxanne, the Rock-type Gym Leader of Rustboro City. The battle will be 2 vs 2. Please send out your Pokémon!"

"Golem!" Roxanne called as she threw out a Pokéball.

"I choose you! Farfetch'd!" Ash declared.

Drone Rotom looked at both Pokémon and stated, "Battle, begin!"

"Golem?" Chloe said as she looked at the huge Pokémon. She pulled out her Rotom Phone and scanned the Pokémon:

"Golem, a Megaton Pokémon. A Rock and Ground type. Once a year it sheds its bedrock shell and grows larger."

"Ash has the type advantage," Goh noted as he looked at Golem. "Roxanne guessed that he would send out Pikachu, but she was wrong."

"Interesting," Roxanne spoke as she looked at Ash's Farfetch'd. "Golem, start this off with an Earthquake!"

The ground beneath Farfetch'd began to violently shake, and cracks started to appear. "Farfetch'd! Don't be afraid! Charge toward Golem with Fury Cutter!" Ash shouted.

Fafetch'd roared, "Farr!" as he charged toward Golem. The ground underneath began to explode as Farfetch'd ran, but Farfetch'd was faster. He slammed into Golem with a powerful Fury Cutter, causing the Pokémon to tumble backward. However, the Earthquake attack caught up to Farfetch'd, and Farfetch'd received the damage.

"Farfetch'd!" Farfetch'd exclaimed as he fell onto the ground. He slowly got up and glared at Golem who was already up.

"Heavy Slam!" Roxanne quickly ordered, and Golem glowed white as it charged toward Farfetch'd.

"Counter it with Brutal Swing!" Ash said as he pointed to the incoming Golem.

Farfetch'd's leek came in contact with Golem, who was still charging. Both Pokémon were straining, but neither side gave in. Ash sweated as he viewed the apparent stalemate, but Roxanne simply smiled.

"Use Self-Destruct," she calmy said as she looked how close Farfetch'd was to her Pokémon.

Ash gasped as he heard the command. "Get out of there, Farfetch'd!" he yelled, but Golem began glowing white, and it exploded. Farfetch'd was swung backward by the explosion and crashed into the ground. "Farfetch'd," he wailed, but he managed to get up. Golem was knocked out, and Roxanne recalled it.

"Your Farfetch'd is tough, but I wonder if it can take on my Tyranitar," she spoke as she tossed a Pokéball onto the field.

"Tyranitar!" Tyrantiar roared as it appeared onto the battlefield. Roxanne's students began cheering, and Goh and Chloe looked worried. Soon, a sandstorm appeared, and it became hard to see.

"What's going on?" Chloe exclaimed as she shielded her eyes from the sand. "Where did this storm come from!?"

"It's Tyranitar's Sand Stream ability!" Goh exclaimed as he grabbed a pair of goggles from his backpack. "When it battles, a sandstorm appears! This is really bad for Ash."

Ash grimaced as he saw the sandstorm. Farfetch'd was already weak, and he was in no condition to fight against such a powerful Pokémon in unfavorable weather. "Farfetch'd! Return!" Ash shouted as he recalled the Wild Duck Pokémon. "Thank you for your hard work."

He then pulled out another Pokéball and threw it. "Lucario! I choose you!" he shouted as Lucario appeared on the battlefield.

Roxanne pointed toward Lucario and ordered, "Use Fire Fang! Make sure you hit!"

Tyranitar's mouth became engulfed in flames, and it lunged toward Lucario.

"Use the sandstorm to your advantage! Double Team!" Ash commanded. Lucario began to create many fake copies and ran around in the sandstorm, confusing Tyranitar. Tyranitar stopped and looked around, attempting to find the real one, but it was too hard to see.

"Aura Sphere!" Ash yelled. "Aim for its head!"

"Quick! Use Earthquake to eliminate the clones!" Roxanne responded, but the Lucarios already summoned a large blue Aura Sphere and blasted it toward Tyranitar.

"Tyran!" Tyranitar roared as the spheres hit. It was super effective against the dual Rock and Dark type Pokémon.

"Alright!" Goh shouted as he saw the attack hit. "Fighting-type moves deal four times as much damage as normal against a Pokémon like Tyranitar. Ash could win this!"

Tyranitar got up and glared at the Lucarios. The ground began to shake once more as it used Earthquake, and the explosions beneath the ground caused the fake Lucarios to disappear and the real Lucario to crash into the ground.

"Luca!" Lucario groaned as he looked at Tyranitar. Ground-type moves dealt twice as much damage to a Pokémon like himself.

"Reversal, Lucario!" Ash yelled as he pointed toward Tyranitar.

"I don't think so," Roxanne replied as she looked at Lucario. "Use Giga Impact!"

Tyranitar became surrounded in a purple aura with golden stripes and charged toward Lucario. Ash nodded at Lucario, and Lucario held his ground. He waited and waited, until he jumped to the side and spun, allowing him to dodge the approaching Giga Impact.

"How?" Roxanne exclaimed as she saw Lucario's dodge.

Ash smiled and thrust his hand forward. "An old strategy from a friend in Sinnoh," he explained. "Now, Lucario! Reversal!"

Lucario charged forward and slammed its fist at Tyranitar's back, causing Tyranitar to collapse forward onto the ground. "Tyranitar!" Tyranitar panted as it got up. It was clear that the attacks were tiring Tyranitar.

Roxanne began to clap. "You really are a worthy opponent, Ash," she said as she showed off a necklace. "I haven't used this in a while!"

Goh gasped as he saw the necklace. "It's a Key Stone!" he yelled as he stood up. "She's going to Mega Evolve Tyranitar!"

"Tyranitar, hear me and Mega Evolve!" Roxanne shouted as she touched the stone. A Mega Stone hidden on Tyranitar's body began to glow, and Tyranitar became enveloped in a bright white light. "Tyrantiar!" it roared as the transformation finished.

Ash frowned as he saw the newly Mega Evolved Pokémon. Tyranitar was still tired, but it was now more powerful than before. "Aura Sphere!" he ordered.

"Blast it apart with Hyper Beam," Roxanne confidently shouted.

The Hyper Beam collided with Lucario's Aura Sphere, and it broke through. "Lucario!" Ash yelled as he saw the beam directly hit his Pokémon. Lucario was swung backward and crashed into the ground.

"Lucario," it groaned before finally collapsing onto the ground. It was knocked out.

"Lucario," Ash stuttered as he recalled his Pokémon. "Thank you." He looked at Mega Tyranitar and thought through his options. He had Farfetch'd, but he was tired and injured from the last battle. Ash had no choice, but to try. "Farfetch'd!" he shouted as he summoned Farfetch'd once more. He knew that Tyranitar couldn't move right after it used Hyper Beam, so he quickly ordered, "Fury Cutter on Tyranitar!"

Farfetch'd's leek turned green, and he slammed the leek into Tyranitar. "Tyranitar!" Tyranitar groaned from the impact, but it began to glare angrily at Farfetch'd.

"Earthquake," Roxanne commanded as she gestured toward Farfetch'd. "It's over for you."

The ground began to shake once more, and cracks started to appear. "Farfetch'd!" Ash stated with a serious expression. "Thrust your leek into the cracks on the ground and climb it to the very top!"

"What's Ash doing?" Chloe asked with a shocked expression as Farfetch'd listened to Ash.

Goh grinned as he saw what Ash was doing. "Here comes Ash's craziness!" he eagerly spoke.

The ground exploded, causing Farfetch'd and the leek to fly into the air, but the attack did little damage to the Wild Duck Pokémon. "Farfetch'd! Now's your chance! Fury Cutter on Tyranitar!" Ash shouted as he pointed to Tyranitar's head.

"Quick! Fire Fang!" Roxanne ordered as she looked up.

Farfetch'd grabbed his leek and smashed it onto Tyranitar's face, preventing the Armor Pokémon from using Fire Fang. Tyranitar fell onto the ground from the impact and groaned, but it wasn't done yet. It glared at Farfetch'd who was on top of it.

Seeing this, Roxanne smirked and ruffled her hair, "Grab him!" Tyranitar grabbed Farfetch'd with one of its hands. Its other hand grabbed Farfetch'd's leek and tossed it onto the ground.

"Farfetch'd!" Farfetch'd yelled. He was separated from his leek and began straining against Tyranitar's grip. He was panicking, and he was struggling very hard.

"Farfetch'd!" Ash encouraged with a grim expression. "Don't be reckless! Calm down!"

Farfetch'd suddenly stopped moving. He began to remember his battles against Rinto and Wikstrom and how he lost. He took deep breathes and calmy stared at Tyranitar's face.

"You fought well, but it's over," Roxanne taunted. "Aim your mouth at Farfetch'd and use Hyper Beam."

Tyranitar opened its mouth and white energy slowly gathered in its mouth. Ash was sweating as he watched the ball of energy became larger and larger, until he had an idea. "Farfetch'd! You don't need your leek to battle all the time! Use your beak and hit Tyranitar!" he shouted.

"Far?" Farfetch'd yelled in surprise, but he raised his beak and repeatedly hit its beek as hard as he could on Tyranitar's hand. "Tyran!" Tyranitar shrieked in pain as it released Farfetch'd from its grasp. The ball of energy disappeared, and Farfetch'd ran over to his leek.

"Hyper Beam once more!" Roxanne shouted.

"Counter it with Brutal Swing and prepare to charge!" Ash exclaimed as he looked at Farfetch'd with a grin.

Farfetch'd screamed "Farrrrr!" as it swung his leek in a circle. The beam blasted at the leek, and smoke appeared as a result. There was silence as everyone watched the smoke cloud. They were all wondering what happened to Farfetch'd. Goh and Chloe had a worried expression on their faces, but Ash was smiling. He believed in Farfetch'd, and when he saw movement in the smoke, he quickly ordered, "Nigh Slash!"

Farfetch'd charged out of the smoke with its leek and rushed toward Tyranitar who was now immobilized from the previous attack. The leek began glowing, but it was a different color. It was orange. "Could it be?" Ash muttered as he looked at the leek. Farfetch'd slammed the leek into Tyranitar's head, and Tyranitar groaned, "Tyranitar" as it collapsed onto the ground.

"It is!" Ash exclaimed as he saw how effective the attack was. "You learned Brick Break, Farfetch'd!"

Tyranitar was laying on the ground, unmoving. It shimmered and reverted to its original form. Drone Rotom hovered over Tyranitar and announced:

"Golem and Tyranitar are both unable to battle! The winners are Ash Ketchum, Farfetch'd, and Lucario. Based on this battle, Pokémon World Championships ranking will be updated!"

"We did it!" Ash shouted as he rushed toward Farfetch'd. He pulled out his phone and saw that his rank jumped from 335 to 227! "That was awesome!" he continued saying as he hugged Farfetch'd.

"Ash, you beaten me once more," Roxanne said as she approached him and Farfetch'd. "Your Farfetch'd is truly special, and so is your Lucario. I thank you for such an amazing battle!"

Ash shook Roxanne's hand and smiled back. "I hope we meet and battle again!"

After Ash and Roxanne said their goodbyes, the trio continued walking toward Devon Corporation. They were all talking about Ash's recent battle.

"That was amazing!" Chloe cried out in excitement. "I didn't know battles required such interesting strategies. Your Lucario's spin to dodge the Giga Impact and making Farfetch'd climb on his leek to avoid being too close to the ground were amazing!"

"Don't forget using Farfetch'd's sharp beak as an attack and the smoke as a distraction!" Goh chimed in. "I told you Ash was a great battler!"

"Thanks guys!" Ash sheepishly responded. "My Pokémon did all the hard work. I just told them what to do. Without their spirit, we wouldn't have won."

The trio were now standing outside of Devon Corporation, and they were admiring how large the building was. "Should we just walk in?" Ash asked as he approached the door. He was about to touch it, until he heard a man's voice behind him:

"Ash? Is that you?"

Farfetch'd is learning that having a calm mind is important in battling. He also learned a Fighting type move in his battle against Mega Tyranitar. Night Slash has been replaced with Brick Break. The Hoenn mini-arc will be more interesting than the Kalos mini-arc, and Chloe will also receive development. The Team Rocket Trio will also play an important role.

Will any of Ash's old Pokémon return?

Yes.

Now that u said amourshipping I'm not interested in the story anymore lmao

I never confirmed to do Amourshipping in the story. I'm only considering it, and I don't think it'll work well with the story. Shipping isn't going to help Ash battle Leon.