Chapter 16
Saturday, November 12th
5:00am.
The blare of his digital alarm clock assaulted Ash's eardrums to mark the start of his day. He responded hastily and shut off the alarm to silence the racket before it could awaken the girls down the hall.
"Pi-kaaaa," Pikachu groaned, his tiny paws raised to cover his ears as protection.
"Sorry buddy, I'm not a fan of how it sounds either. But I need it to wake me up in the morning," Ash reasoned with his partner.
Pikachu released the hold on his ears and they stood upright. "Pika-Pikachu," Pikachu suggested with a smirk and a glint in his eyes. His cheeks crackled as though he was ready to demonstrate his suggestion.
"How about no," Ash declined the offer. "Now come on, let's finish warming up."
They returned to their morning routine of stretches. They twisted their sides, stretched out their arms, and performed a few lunges to get their blood circulating. Once complete, the duo shared a glance and a nod of agreement. It was time to get going.
Ash stopped by his bedroom window and peered out of it. The skies were still in a darkened state, awaiting the sun to grace it with its presence. There was still about an hour and a half before sunrise, which gave them plenty of time to reach the outskirts of Vermilion City. That still wasn't an excuse to dilly-dally. Ash grabbed the sweater from his bed and threw it over his body. Then he snatched up his backpack and hat, and along with Pikachu, they crept down to the kitchen.
Once there, Ash obtained a pen and paper to write a note for Shauna, who was still sound asleep in the living room.
Dear Shauna,
Pikachu and I will be out for the day. We should be back sometime this evening. Thanks for watching the girls for me, and you're free to help yourself to anything you see in the fridge or pantry.
Ash.
After signing his name, Ash also had Pikachu place his paw on the bottom of the page and Ash traced an outline of it. They shared one more nod and posted the note on the fridge.
"Let's get moving, Pikachu," Ash said as they made their way to the front door. Ash checked the living room for Shauna one more time. She was splayed out on the couch and her covers concealed the rug on the floor rather than Shauna herself. Ash rolled his eyes but waved anyway.
He jumped into his sneakers, opened the front door for Pikachu to dart out onto the sidewalk, and Ash followed suit. The roads were almost empty in their neighborhood considering the time of day, not to mention it was the start of the weekend. It was unlikely that anyone would see Pikachu, and darkness worked in their favor. Together, they jogged along the sidewalk from one block to the next. The mid-rise apartment buildings and two-story homes thinned out as they slowly left the residential area.
In time, the on-ramp to the freeway that was used to exit the city came into view. The roadway was elevated, so Ash and Pikachu ran underneath it. Eventually, the freeway met with the ground, but by then, there was more forest than anything else as their surroundings. What was once a three-lane highway that connect to the other major roadways of Vermilion City, was now one lane each way. Ash and Pikachu ran alongside it, not a car in sight.
As they entered Route 6, the road started up a steady incline. The duo huffed and puffed as they worked their way up the hill. They maintained the pace they set, and their muscles burned. But at the top of the hill was a small parking area that overlooked the northern districts of Vermilion City. Ash pumped his fist triumphantly as they arrived at their destination, then he and Pikachu flopped over and gasped for air.
Their run was seven miles in total, and it only took them about an hour to complete it. This was the same location that they demonstrated Pikachu's abilities for Brock over a month ago. Ash loved it for the view that it provided of the city in one direction, and if you turned in the other, you could see the sprawling woodlands of Route 6.
"Come here, Pikachu," Ash said as they approached the grassy area to take a seat. Ash removed his backpack to retrieve one of the water bottles that he packed. They shared a quick drink as they relaxed.
The past week was easy-going, something that Ash welcomed warmly. He was plagued by questions of how, how would he support the girls? How would he take care of himself? What about the house and the bills…? They spiraled around him, and his life spiraled as well. Even now, he still lacked answers…but he could breathe. There was an idea of what he could do, thanks to Brock. And he could relax because his friends were helping him watch the girls.
All of them went through the trouble of twisting their work and school schedules to help him watch Macy during the day. This allowed Ash to return to school and his normal routine. He was grateful to return to what he knew, not to mention, he was sorely missed by some of his classmates such as Dawn, May, and Nando. Of course, upon his return, Ash was immediately sent to the principal's office to explain his absence during the past week. He avoided going into detail about the events since Ash's preference was to keep the school from snooping around his personal life.
In the afternoons and sometimes into the night, any one of his friends would be there to watch the girls while Ash was at work. Even when he didn't have to work, at least two or three would be there to keep them company. It was fun having so many people around the house, it served as a good distraction for Casey and especially for Macy. The littlest of his sisters still asked about Cassidy, but no effort was spared to entertain Macy to make up for the absence of her mother. She was adored by the entire group of visitors, and the new social interactions were enough to keep Cassidy off her mind.
While everyone was helping and Ash was thankful for all of his friends, Shauna was a standout. She came to his house every evening to help out, even when there were many hands already available. Plus, Macy took a liking to Shauna's bubbly persona. The two of them were practically inseparable whenever Shauna was there.
As he looked back on it, Ash had no idea where he would be without the help of his friends. He was descending to a very dark place as he attempted to handle the situation on his own. If not for his friends who forced him to take a step back and be objective…Ash could've been headed for a disaster. With a shake of his head, Ash knew that he needed to think of a way to thank them all properly. What could possibly be the equivalent of all the time and effort that they devoted to supporting him? What could give them in exchange for the life that they opened up for him?
"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed. Ash blinked, and his vision focused on his partner. Pikachu stood on his hind legs, pointing out to the horizon as the sun began to peek over it. The sky brightened considerably in response to the full appearance of the light source, and Ash raised a hand to shield his eyes.
"This is the beginning, Pikachu," Ash stated as they admired the sunrise. Then he cupped his hands together around his mouth and hollered at the top of his lungs. "The journey starts today…and we're gonna take the world by storm!"
"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu added, his cheeks crackling.
The rumble of a car engine earned their attention, and as they looked to the empty parking lot further up the hill, Ash and Pikachu spotted a familiar vehicle. Once it was parked, the driver stepped out and Ash grinned.
"Was that the two of you screaming?" Brock asked as he approached them with his hands in his jacket pockets.
"Who is it going to be, Brock?" Ash asked in return.
"I wasn't expecting you guys to beat me here," Brock commented. "But I'm glad you're here already. We've got a lot to cover today, so I hope you're ready."
"This is what we were born to do," Ash proclaimed before he looked to Pikachu. "Ain't that right, Pikachu?"
As Ash and Pikachu exchanged nods, Brock could feel the excitement radiating from them. He donned a smile of approval, eager to get the day started. This was going to be great!
Now that Brock arrived, the trio piled into his car and ventured further into Route 6. This time, their destination was another familiar location, the clearing where Ash first met and battled against Giselle and Cubone. The area was teeming with wild Pokemon, many of which observed them carefully from the canopy as they moved through the area on foot. Ash assumed that the Pokemon would be asleep at this hour, just like most of Vermilion City, but that was hardly the case. Nidoran, Rattata, Caterpie, and many more Pokemon watching them. Considering that his exposure to wild Pokemon was minimal at best, Ash didn't know what sort of rules they followed out here in the wild.
Once they were settled in the clearing the skies were well-lit, Ash got the ball rolling. "So, what are we starting with, Brock?" Ash asked he pulled off his sweater. The air was getting warm, and Ash wasn't anxious to start sweating so early in the morning. "Are we going to battle some of the wild Pokemon out here?"
"Slow down there, Ash," Brock replied with a motion for Ash and Pikachu to take a seat on the grass. "There's some stuff I want to talk to you about first. I'm pretty sure you'll want to practice these before you try to use it in a battle."
"Spill it!" Ash exclaimed.
"How do new moves sound to you and Pikachu?" Brock inquired and Pikachu's ears perked up.
"New moves?" Ash parroted Brock with sparkling eyes.
"Yeah," Brock answered. "When you and Pikachu did that little demonstration for me two months ago, I started to think about some things that the two of you could work on. Especially now that you're really starting to commit some time to practice, I thought some new moves would be a good place to start."
"Well stop holding out on us!" Ash said as he motioned for Brock to proceed. Pikachu mirrored Ash's actions. "Show us! Show us!"
"Pikachu, I need you to show me your Agility again," Brock requested. Pikachu gave a nod and separated himself from Ash and Brock. Once he was settled on all four of his paws, Pikachu tensed his body and sparks sputtered from his fur. A faint white glow could be seen around his form before he tore off in a dash across the clearing and quickly returned to Brock. "Man, you've actually gotten a bit faster too."
"So, what did you need to see?" Ash asked eagerly. A new move for Pikachu was the most exciting thing to happen since their battles against Giselle last month. If they added a new move to their arsenal, they would surely be able to challenge the upper echelon of trainers in Vermilion City.
"With his current speed, I've got two moves in mind that I'm pretty sure Pikachu can handle," Brock revealed. After years of watching Pokemon battles all over the city, the little tidbits and tricks he picked up from various trainers finally paid off. He could function as a mentor to Ash and Pikachu, at least for the time being. "The first move is called Double Team. Have you guys seen it before?"
"No, but it sounds awesome!" Ash replied.
"You got that right. With this move, Pikachu can create duplicates of himself on the battlefield to confuse his opponents," Brock explained and Ash's eyes widened at the thought of a mob of Pikachu's cluttering the battlefield.
"Dude, why doesn't everyone use this move?" Ash asked incredulously. "If you could have like ten copies of a Pokemon on the battlefield, it shouldn't be a problem to overwhelm your opponent."
"Well…there are different ways to use Double Team and not all Pokemon are capable of using Double Team," Brock continued. "In Pikachu's case, he's using his speed. Or really, his ability to accelerate and deaccelerate to create after-images on the field."
It took a moment for the idea to make some sense in Ash's mind. He nodded once the lightbulb went off, and then he began to formulate how he could put that into use. "So then, with Pikachu appearing all over the battlefield, we can use that like it's one giant distraction! Oh man, that's going to be awesome! Pikachu, let's start practicing right now!"
"Pika-chu!" Pikachu shouted in agreement as they jumped back to their feet.
"Hold on!" Brock interjected before the two of them could get started. "Double Team is the second stage of what I wanted to show you guys today."
"Why would do it out of order?" Ash frowned as he posed his question.
"To give you a goal. Double Team is going to be great, but it's not something you can just do at the drop of a hat," Brock reminded him. Ash and Pikachu deflated as they sat back down, but once they calmed themselves, Brock saw their gaze become steely.
"What do we have to do to use Double Team?" Ash asked and Brock wanted to roll his eyes. Ash's behavior was like two sides of a coin when it came to Pokemon. He was as naïve and gung-ho as a ten-year-old one minute, and as cool as a cucumber the next.
"The starting point is Quick Attack. Pretty self-explanatory, right?" Brock asked and Ash nodded. It didn't take a genius to guess that this attack revolved around using speed as a weapon. "Quick Attack is all about using your speed to strike first. You can use it for breaking stalemates and knocking your opponent off balance for a moment."
"Are you saying that all Pikachu has to do is run fast?" Ash asked, his brow furrowed. This was such as basic attack. How was it connected to using Double Team?
"There's more to it than that, Ash," Brock replied with a gesture to Pikachu. "For example, Pikachu needs to know how to strike an opponent properly."
"What do you mean? Hitting an opponent is easy, right Pikachu?" Ash asked as he looked at his partner. Pikachu shrugged his shoulders in reply.
"Think about it like this, Quick Attack is like an opening move. It's not going to do a lot of damage, but you can use it to get in a rhythm and control the tempo of the battle. But to make the full use of Quick Attack, you've got to hit your opponent in a way that keeps them off balance," Brock explained as he motioned for Pikachu to get back on his feet. "Pikachu, if you were going to attack me, where would you try to hit me?"
"Pika," Pikachu muttered with a frown.
"Just do it lightly, Pikachu," Ash said and Pikachu complied. He approached Brock slowly and then leaped into his chest. As he made contact, he pushed off of Brock's torso with his hind legs and landed softly on his feet.
"Yeah, I thought you might be a little too direct with your attacks," Brock noted.
"Would it be better if we attacked from the side…is that what you mean?" Ash asked but Brock shook his head.
"That's just a start. With Quick Attack, he'll be moving faster than the average opponent can track, so the goal is to create opportunities to land a stronger attack as a follow-up. You want to make your opponent stumble, so if you were going to hit me, you'd probably want to go for the back of my knee," Brock suggested as an example. Pikachu did as he was told and Brock's knee buckled in response. Brock caught himself with one hand before he tumbled to the ground and then he looked back at Pikachu proudly. "See?"
"Yeah," Ash exclaimed. "If we master Quick Attack, then we can make all sorts of combinations to work with it, right?"
"Now you're catching on," Brock said as he nodded.
"Alright then, let's get started!" Ash jumped to his feet. "Pikachu, you can use me as your training dummy!"
Pikachu tilted his head and furrowed his brow in dismay. However, Ash waved off his concern.
"Come on, if you don't practice then you won't get the hang of it," Ash reasoned with him and Pikachu shrugged.
"Pi…Pika-chu," Pikachu warned him before he went down on all fours. Brock took this as a signal to get some distance from the two of them so that Pikachu had all the space he needed.
"I wouldn't want you to hold back," Ash retorted as he hit his chest. Pikachu smirked at the invitation and darted off. His was nothing more than a blur as he circled around Ash until he finally pounced at his trainer. Pikachu met with the back of Ash's knee, just like he had done to Brock, and Ash yelp as he crumbled to the ground.
Pikachu rushed to his side to check on him, but Ash assured Pikachu that he was alright and insisted that they do it again. Brock watched as they resumed their practice, and he took note of Ash's efforts to track Pikachu's movements. Ash was constantly looking back and forth, trying to keep up with Pikachu's movements. That was a tall task, but not out of the realm of possibilities. In fact, Brock was planning to put Ash in this exact situation, though his friend volunteered to do it. This was no surprise, though Brock felt like this should have been his expectation going in.
After several attempts, Pikachu was finally caught by Ash. Ash's eyes darted back and forth and he spotted the brief pause in Pikachu's actions. Pikachu planted his feet to accelerate in a different direction, and that was the moment that Ash was looking for. As Pikachu lunged at Ash's leg, a hand was placed on his back and he was pressed down to the ground by Ash. With his brow raised, Pikachu looked up at Ash.
"Not that this time, buddy," Ash grinned at him.
Brock smirked, pleased that this hunch about Ash was correct. Some of the compliments that Giselle gave about Ash would usually apply to more experienced trainers. But what Ash lacked in terms of experience was made up for through some of his other qualities. His battle sense was impeccable and he used it to read the situation and react quickly with the appropriate countermove. But this skill stemmed from his vision, his ability to read the battlefield. Seeing Ash react in time to stop Pikachu's further confirmed Giselle's opinion of Ash.
He was going to be a special Pokemon trainer…and Brock would stop at nothing to make sure he achieved this.
Ash caught Pikachu three times in a row, and this caused Pikachu to verbally question how Ash was reacting so quickly. "It's because you take a moment to decide when you're going to attack, Pikachu," Ash explained. "That gives me enough time to figure out where you're attacking from."
"Pika?" Pikachu asked in return.
"Well, I think you just need to practice until you don't need to think to land this attack," Ash went on. Quick Attack was brand new to Pikachu, so it only made sense that Pikachu was hesitating as he took the time to check his target and accelerate properly. "Just keep coming at me, alright?"
"Pi!" Pikachu declared with a nod.
Their training continued, and just as Ash said, as Pikachu grew more comfortable, his hesitation began to fade. Brock admired them from afar, impressed with Ash as he barked out words of encouragement for Pikachu. The two of them practiced Quick Attack for two hours straight, and it became clear to Brock that the two of them were content to spend the whole day working on it.
"Come on Pikachu, you gotta be faster than that," Ash called out to his partner. While he could no longer stop Pikachu's attack outright, Ash could still react quickly enough to avoid them with a sidestep. He knew Pikachu could move faster than this. "Accelerate like you mean it!"
Pikachu circled around Ash again, and at Ash's command, he accelerated like 'he meant to.' He glowed white before he burst forward, and an after image trailed behind him before he collided with his trainer. Ash was startled as he was suddenly airborne and gasped as he landed on his side with a thud.
"Pika pi!" Pikachu exclaimed as he and Brock rushed to check on Ash. Pikachu apologized profusely as Ash groaned and slowly sat upright. But Ash grinned from ear to ear.
"Now that's more like it, Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed as he gave Pikachu a pat on the head.
"He right Pikachu," Brock added. "That was a real Quick Attack. A sudden acceleration to hit your opponent before they react. Great job!"
"I agree," A new voice commented. The trio look to the edge of the clearing, and they saw none other than Giselle and her Cubone entering their training ground. How long was she watching them?
"Giselle?" Ash exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"
"This is where I always train with Cubone. I think the real question is what are you doing here?" She asked in return.
"Well, Brock brought us here to train…" Ash trailed off as he looked at his friend and saw a smirk on Brock's face. Then it donned on him why Brock selected this area specifically. A planned reunion with Giselle…and maybe even a rematch.
"I see you've been adding some new moves. Care to see what Cubone and I have been working on?" Giselle offered and Ash felt a smile creep up on his face.
Raising his bone club to block a tail swipe from Pikachu, Cubone grunted and threw his opponent backward. Pikachu rotated in the air and landed on his feet, his cheeks crackling and a smirk on his face.
Giselle frowned as the most recent exchange of attacks ended in a stalemate. In fact, the rematch between them was nothing more than a prolonged stalemate. Neither of the participating Pokemon could land a solid hit.
For such a fast Pokemon, Pikachu wasn't very skilled when it came to close-quarters combat. Cubone could predict Pikachu's attacks in their previous battles and turn the tables on the electric Pokemon with a few golden opportunities. However, Pikachu's training was starting to show during their battle. Cubone was stuck playing defense. Unlike prior battles where Pikachu was trying to do significant physical damage, he was more focused on trying to keep Cubone off balance and guessing where he would attack from. So rather than planning counterattacks to get the upper hand, Giselle was trying to break even with each exchange. It was simply a matter of time before Ash and Pikachu created the opening they were looking for.
"Use Agility again, Pikachu!" Ash called out. Pikachu raced around Cubone who grasped his bone tightly and prepared to defend himself again. "Now use Quick Attack!"
"Pika!" Pikachu glowed white and rushed at Cubone. With just enough time to raise his bone club and block Pikachu's initial attack, Cubone was startled when Pikachu got one foot on the ground and darted off as a blur. Pikachu ran a half-circle around him and attacked from the opposite side, a strategy he showed once already this battle. Cubone whirled around to meet him and lashed out with his club to counter, however, he fell for a feint. A half-second of hesitation allowed Pikachu to avoid Cubone's counterattack and now he was completely exposed for Pikachu's Quick Attack. Cubone was sent tumbling across the ground and Ash pumped his fist proudly.
"That was awesome! We're definitely going to use that one!" Ash exclaimed, impressed by Pikachu's idea to disguise his attack behind a feint. A brief touch of misdirection was a powerful tool that could create so many openings for them! Ash bit down on his lower lip, unable to fight off his smile.
Pokemon battles were so deep and layered! He was now starting to dig beneath the surface, and it amazed him how much that he had to learn. He could wait to practice more!
"Come on Cubone, let's show them what we're made of," Giselle said as Cubone got back to his feet. Cubone raised his club proudly and hit his chest with a shout. He then returned his gaze to Pikachu, a glint in his narrow eyes, and he motioned for Pikachu to attack again.
"You want some more?" Ash hollered. "Alright then, go Pikachu, give em' another taste of your Quick Attack!"
"Cubone, use Bone Club and don't give them a chance to attack!" Giselle called out as an answer.
Pikachu nodded and burst forward, but to his surprise, Cubone charged to meet him. They met halfway and Cubone came out swinging. Pikachu was immediately forced off his path to avoid taking an inadvertent hit, and he circled to attack Cubone from behind. However, Cubone continued to attack wildly without a target, closing off the angles Pikachu wanted to attack from him. He kept his distance from Cubone and came to a stop.
"What the heck?" Ash exclaimed. "Is Cubone just swinging his club to keep Pikachu away?"
"Sometimes the best defense, is a good offense," Giselle replied and Ash raised his brow at the statement.
So rather than waste his time trying to anticipate Pikachu's attack, they were actively looking to punish Pikachu for battling at close range. Even getting grazed by Cubone's weapon would've been painful, and if Pikachu was staggered from a glancing blow, Cubone would make sure that his follow attack hit its mark. With a sigh, Ash knew that it was their turn to make an adjustment and Pikachu backed away to create some additional separation.
"Pikachu, use Charge!" Ash commanded. If they were going to keep their distance, they might as well make full use of it. Pikachu's cheeks began to crackle with electricity and a halo of lightning formed around him.
"Cubone, this is our chance, get Pikachu with your Bone Rush!" Giselle said immediately. Despite all the respect she gained for Ash, the teenager still found a way to remind Giselle that he was only a novice as a trainer. An electrical attack from Pikachu was useless against Cubone, and unfortunately, he would learn this lesson the hard way. Cubone pounded the ground with his club and it shined before he rushed at Pikachu.
"Use your Thunderbolt as soon as you can, Pikachu!" Ash shouted as he heard the crackle of the lightning around Pikachu. Pikachu mustered up a roar and unleashed a lightning bolt that bounced across the field toward the approaching Cubone. It punched sizeable holes into the crowd at each point of contact before it met with Cubone.
There wasn't even so much as a flinch from Cubone. He pressed forward with the full weight of Pikachu's Thunderbolt assaulting him. Pikachu's eyes grew wide as Cubone came close, completely unaffected by the ranged attack and he lashed out at Pikachu with his bone club. The first hit disrupted Pikachu's Thunderbolt, and several more blows came in rapid succession. Each connected with an audible thwack before Cubone spun around to hit Pikachu with all his might, which sent Pikachu across the field and skidding back to Ash's feet.
"Pikachu!" Ash exclaimed as he kneeled down to examine Pikachu. His partner remained motionless on the grass with discolorations appearing on the spots where he was hit. "Ouch, those were some knockout punches you took."
"Hey Ash, catch!" Brock called out as he tossed a Potion to Ash. Once the item landed in his hands, Ash used it to treat Pikachu's bruises while Giselle and Cubone approached them.
"Man, Cubone really packs a punch when he's ready," Ash commented as he sent a nod to the Pokemon he mentioned. Cubone returned the gesture and twirled his club with one hand, proud that their newly developed Bone Rush was a success. "And you're really tough to take Pikachu's Thunderbolt like it was nothing."
"Up until this point, I didn't see Pikachu use any electric type attacks so I was wondering if he knew any," Giselle noted.
"Oh yeah, we keep Thunderbolt in our back pocket because we have to use Charge first, and the time to do that usually gets us into trouble," Ash explained. "Since we couldn't get close to you, it seemed like a safer option for a change."
Giselle resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was obvious Ash didn't know how ridiculous he sounded. Battle a Cubone with Thunderbolt…? She chuckled inwardly before she returned to the issue at hand.
"Ash, do you know about type advantages?" She inquired as Ash scooped up Pikachu in one arm.
"Mhmm," He replied. "Fire beats grass, grass beats water, water beats fire," He listened to some examples and Giselle nodded. "I know there are some others, but I haven't seen them all yet."
"Here's one you should know considering that you're partnered with an electric type," Giselle pointed out. "Electric type attacks have no effect on ground type Pokemon like Cubone."
Ash's jaw dropped. "Aww, you gotta be kidding me!"
"Actually, that's my bad," Brock admitted as he joined them. "I've been trying to be a mentor to Ash, but as I look back on it all, I've done a terrible job of showing you the basics."
Brock bit down on his lip as he considered all of the poor choices that he made to develop Ash as a trainer. The first one that came to mind was his suggestion of using the Red Skulls to get more battle experience. That aside, the biggest mistake he made was not covering the fundamentals with Ash and Pikachu. Basic strategies, type advantages, and the like. Brock tried to show Ash all the glitz and glamour of being a trainer, and there was no denying that Ash learned a few tricks. But Brock did little to nothing to establish what Ash needed to do the surpass the best trainers. Hopefully, that could be corrected quickly now that Ash planned to join the underground circuit.
As always, Ash left Giselle at a loss for words. He was definitely unpolished, lacking knowledge on even the most basic aspects of Pokemon battles. But without this, he was still able to compete. That fact made him a tantalizing prospect of a trainer. What would he look like once he had a solid foundation?
The best trainer in Vermilion City? Perhaps the best trainer in the world…or maybe, the best ever?
"Geez, I'm sorry Pikachu," Ash apologized to his unconscious partner. "If I knew better, I wouldn't have set up to get clobbered by Cubone. It looks like we still have a lot to learn."
The sun was overhead and it glared down at them. The heat of noontime forced them all to seek refuge beneath the shade of the trees at the edge of the clearing. It was roughly two hours since their battle against Giselle and that gave Pikachu the time to recover, this process being accelerated by the Potion they used. Despite Pikachu's improved condition, Ash decided that it would be more appropriate to let him rest.
This gave Brock and Giselle and opportunity to introduce him to the mental aspects of Pokemon battling and training. Giselle had a truckload of information, which she was prepared to dump onto Ash all at once. It was a lot, but Ash was prepared himself for it.
"Alright Ash, how many types are you familiar with?" Giselle asked as they all sat at the base of a tree.
Ash looked up briefly before he gave his answer. "Eight."
"Which eight?"
"Fire, water, grass, electric, poison, flying, dark, and fighting…oh, and ground types from today," Ash added.
"Sheesh, so we have a lot to cover," Giselle muttered with a sigh. She pulled out her smartphone from her back pocket and glanced at the lock screen. She opened a web browser on her phone and continued to speak. "My service doesn't have great coverage out here, but it will have to do."
"What are you going to show me?" Ash asked.
"You have to keep quick about this," Giselle warned him and Brock raised his brow.
"This is the site for the underground circuit, right? The PokeHub?" Brock interjected and Giselle nodded.
Brock heard whispers of the PokeHub in passing as he watched street battles all over Vermilion City. No one really knew who designed and maintained this website, but it was an invaluable resource to trainers all over Kanto, but especially in Vermilion City. It started off as a means for fans of the underground circuit to track the trainers that took part in battles, featuring profiles for established trainers with footage of all their battles. As the website evolved, any trainer could create an account and provide live broadcasts of their battles on the streets of Vermilion City.
The PokeHub's ability to track the underground circuit wasn't what earned the website its name. The PokeHub was a 'hub' providing users with information about almost any Pokemon. Active users could provide data they gathered concerning specific Pokemon and share it with their colleagues. The exchange of information there allowed researchers and average trainers to share their findings and learn from each other.
However, the PokeHub had to be kept under lock and key. With the identity of tens of thousands of trainers stored on it, the site was well protected to ensure their safety. A nine-digit access code was required to enter the PokeHub that was changed on a bi-weekly basis. As the code was refreshed, it would be shared among a trusted group of people which started a trickle-down effect as it quickly spread to frequent users. Any time the code was shared with new users of the PokeHub, the security of the site was heavily discussed to make sure the site remained secure. After all, the PokeHub was a place where trainers could gather, free of any and all scrutiny.
"Giselle, would you be willing to share the access code with us?" Brock asked. He was tempted to get down on his knees, but he would save begging as a last resort.
Giselle pursed her lips as she studied him for a moment. Then she looked to Ash and took a breath. The PokeHub would be a valuable resource for Ash, and Brock was clearly an active member of the community. She saw no harm in sharing it with them.
"When we're done, I'll add you guys to the group chat where I get the access code," She replied and Brock pumped his fist.
At long last, she was inside the PokeHub and she gave her phone to Ash. The home page was decorated with images of Pokemon and a variety of drop-down menus. Giselle opened a list of the known Pokemon types, and Ash saw that he failed to list even half of them earlier.
"So, this is a list of all the types so far," Giselle explained as she expanded the list. "And this is all of their advantages and disadvantages."
Ash was in awe. Dark types had a huge advantage over psychic types. Normal types didn't affect ghost types.
Under each type listing, Ash could see a few images of Pokemon that fell into these categories. With some Pokemon, it was obvious what type they were, while others were harder, and some were surprising. But one type, in particular, caught his attention.
"Why aren't there any pictures of a dragon type Pokemon," Ash asked after he saw that the photo gallery was empty.
"Dragon types?" Giselle repeated. "Uh, well I haven't researched them that much. Based on what I heard, they're extremely rare, although some researchers believe that the whole type is battling extinction so there isn't much information to go by."
"Really, Pokemon can go extinct?" The notion sounded so foreign to Ash. He never imagined Pokemon…dying.
"Don't take my word for it. What I said is based on what I know, which is next to nothing," Giselle explained as she crossed her arms. "And all of that is beside the point. Let's focus on what you need to know. Pikachu is an electric type, so tell me what types will have the advantage against Pikachu."
"Ground types, like Cubone," Ash said with a glance toward the Pokemon that sat beside Pikachu at the next tree over. "And that's because Pikachu's electric type moves don't affect ground types."
Giselle gave a nod of approval. "Good Ash, it's important to keep track of the trainers that use ground types so that you can avoid a bad match for Pikachu," Giselle stated as she opened a roster page on the PokeHub for Ash to view some of the top trainers in Vermilion City and what Pokemon they battled with. "Fortunately, there aren't that many trainers that use ground type Pokemon, so you and Pikachu won't have to think too much about it."
"Well, I guess that's one thing that's working out in our favor," Ash noted.
Ash swayed, anxious to move around a bit. He was grateful for everything that Giselle showed him so far, but he wanted to start putting these things into practice.
"You know what, I think it's time to move around a little bit," Ash said as he rose to his feet and rolled his shoulders. "Pikachu, you want to go for a quick run?"
"Pika!" Pikachu declared as he jumped to his feet to join Ash. Together, they jogged around the perimeter of the clearing.
While Ash and Pikachu were occupied, a new trainer entered the clearing. He looked around before he spotted a familiar face in Giselle. "Excuse me!" He called out with a wave. They approached Giselle and Brock who remained in the shade of the trees. "If I'm not mistaken, you're Giselle, right?"
"Yup, that would be me," She answered.
"Great, I'd like to battle you if you have some time," He continued as he raised a Pokeball. Giselle raised a hand to stop him.
"Sorry, but I'm not accepting challenges today," She stated and he furrowed his brow.
"Are you serious? It took me practically two hours to get out here," He exclaimed, but Giselle pointed to Ash at the other end of the clearing.
"If you really want to battle someone, that kid is looking for an opponent," She suggested and the newcomer looked to Ash again. He frowned at the sight of Ash and shook his head. He didn't recognize Ash.
"Who is he?" He asked Giselle.
"That's Ash Ketchum," Brock cut in.
"Who?"
"He's on the rise. It'll be a good battle, but I wouldn't underestimate him if I were you," Brock warned him with a smirk.
"On the rise…alright then, let's see what he's got," He cupped his hands around his mouth before he hollered at Ash. "Hey, Ash! My name is Ken and I challenge you to a Pokemon battle!"
Ash and Pikachu came skidding to a halt as they heard the challenge. They could hardly believe their ears! This was the first time that someone challenged them to a Pokemon battle!
"Uh, w-w-we accept!" Ash bumbled out his response before and Pikachu rushed to the center of the clearing to take their place on the battlefield. "Alright Pikachu, this is the first time someone challenged us, so let's give this everything we've got!"
"Pi-pikapi!" Pikachu said with a nod of agreement.
"Aipom, we've got ourselves a battle," Ken shouted as he hurled a Pokeball into the air. The device cracked open to release a small purple-furred Pokemon who balanced himself on his tail. Ash and Pikachu marveled at the sight of Aipom, who chirped with a salute toward them.
"Whoa, I've never seen that Pokemon before," Ash admitted and Ken shot him a smirk.
"Then you're in for a treat," Ken remarked as he and Aipom joined them at the center of the clearing.
"Since you challenged us, we'll let you have the first move," Ash said as a form of courtesy.
"Alright then, Aipom let's start off with Fury Swipes!" Ken shouted and Aipom chittered as his front paws glowed. The newly acquired light then gathered together to form three lengthy claws. Aipom then propelled himself forward using his tail and dashed at Pikachu.
"Pikachu, use your Agility and keep your distance," Ash called out. Pikachu backed away from Aipom to avoid his initial attack, and all eyes widened as Aipom closed the distance between Pikachu just as quickly as Pikachu created it. Aipom was keeping up with Pikachu. Pikachu ducked beneath another attack and jumped away, but Aipom stubbornly kept the battle at close range.
Ash was shocked. In their admittedly, very few battles, their opponents could never match Pikachu's speed. But Aipom turned this battle into a game of cat and mouse. Ash tilted his head, observing them closely as Pikachu sidestepped another attack and jumped away. However, Aipom didn't need to set his feet to pursue Pikachu. His tail was doing that for him!
Aipom wasn't actually as fast as Pikachu, he just eliminated a step in the process of trying to keep up with Pikachu. Whenever Pikachu dodged, Aipom would use his tail to quickly regain his momentum and rush at Pikachu again. Their advantage of speed was neutralized and the battle quickly fell into a stalemate.
"If they really want to fight, let's give it to them! Stay at close range and use Quick Attack!" Ash commanded. Pikachu halted his movements and tightened his stance. There was a faint glow around him before he sprung forward to meet Aipom halfway, and they met in a dual exchange. Aipom was sent tumbling away, but not before he swiped at Pikachu's body which left a trio of visible gashes. Pikachu winced but shook off the pain as he pursued Aipom for a follow-up attack.
"Aipom, Pikachu is coming after you. Use your tail!" Ken called out quickly.
Even while disoriented, Aipom followed Ken's instructions and used his tail to latch onto the field. The elasticity of his tail was on full display as it stretched to bring Aipom's tumble to a stop, and then it became a slingshot that fired Aipom towards the approaching Pikachu. Pikachu's eyes widened before he met with Aipom's forehead with a thud, and now he was sent skidding back to his trainer.
"Pikachu, are you okay?" Ash asked as Pikachu caught back onto his feet with one of his front paws on his head. There was sure to be some swelling from that headbutt later.
"Fury Swipes!" Ken barked, and Aipom's assault continued. Aipom seized the opportunity to attack Pikachu who was still dazed, and he landed consecutive attacks. Pikachu's skin was shredded by the attacks, and Aipom concluded his onslaught with a punch delivered by his tail. With a shout, Pikachu tumbled away from Aipom and groaned once he came to a stop.
"Man, Aipom's pretty strong," Ash exclaimed as he studied Aipom who bounced his toes. "We can't fight them up close unless we find a way to slow Aipom down."
Pikachu returned to his feet and rubbed his chin with his forearm. The cuts on his body stung and Aipom socked him right on the jaw with that last punch, but Pikachu ignored the pain. He grinned and went back down onto tall fours, much to Ash's delight.
"Alright Pikachu, no more defense!" Ash called out. "Use your Agility to search for an opening, then let em' have it!"
"Aipom, let's keep up our momentum going with Fury Swipes!" Ken shouted in return. Up until this point, Aipom controlled the battle at close range, but now Pikachu was equally as aggressive. Pikachu tested Aipom with his quick movements, jumping side to side as he tried to see what Aipom would do. Aipom wouldn't budge, so Pikachu recalled the lessons he learned from Brock.
"To make the full use of Quick Attack, you've got to hit your opponent in a way that keeps them off balance," Brock explained.
But to knock Aipom off-balance, Pikachu needed something extra…a feint. Pikachu rushed at Aipom, and his direct approach caused Aipom to lunge forward to meet him with his Fury Swipes. Aipom took the bait, and with a quick backstep, Pikachu avoided the initial attack. Aipom's forward momentum and lack of a target should've left him off balance and open for Pikachu to strike back, but Aipom had an ace up his sleeve. His tail…and with it, he was never off balance.
Aipom grabbed the field with his tail to reset his posture, and he was able to meet Pikachu on his second attempt. They traded hits and Pikachu was forced away once again. Even with their new tricks, Aipom was a tough customer.
"Alright Pikachu, get some extra space," Ash called out and Pikachu backed away from Aipom. "And then I want you to use Charge!"
Pikachu now stood across from Aipom on their makeshift battlefield, and his cheeks began to crackle. Electricity sputtered from the tips of his fur and Ken recognized that Pikachu was now an easy target.
"Aipom, they're wide open! Get Pikachu with your Double Hit!" Ken shouted with a gesture toward their target. Aipom charged at Pikachu on his hands and feet, his tail raised and sparkling in preparation for the attack.
Ash bit down on his lower lip as Aipom closed in. There definitely wasn't enough time for Pikachu to gather enough electricity Thunderbolt, but whatever he got would have to do. "Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted hastily. The lack of prep time led to a premature Thunderbolt, or really a Thundershock. Aipom was hit, but he powered through it as he closed the distance and punched Pikachu right in the gut.
Pikachu was tossed up in the air, but the blow wasn't particularly strong. Not like the first one he took. He rotated to land on his feet, and he need a moment to grimace as he felt the damage from earlier. However, he wasn't the only one in pain. Aipom was twitching as he stood in place, electricity crackling around his fur. A clear sign of paralysis.
"Oh crap," Ken muttered. Fortune smiled upon Pikachu during that last exchange.
"Pikachu, can you keep going?" Ash asked his partner. Pikachu raised one paw to give him a thumbs up. Despite Pikachu's response, Ash knew he was in pain. Another hit would probably end the battle, but with Aipom experiencing paralysis, this was their chance to turn the tables. "Use Quick Attack!"
"Aipom, keep them away with Swift!" Ken yelled. He just needed to prolong the battle so that Aipom could shake off the paralysis.
Pikachu took a deep breath and charged once more. Aipom bit down on his lip and forced his tail to obey as it glowed white again. He swung it through the air in front of him to unleash a barrage of golden stars to impede Pikachu's approach. It worked and Pikachu backed away the first time to avoid the attack, but Ash quickly realized what they needed to do.
"Don't get forced away, Pikachu," Ash said with a grin. "This is just like we've been practicing. Make them guess what you're going to do!"
Pikachu summoned his strength once more and dove in. Aipom launched another Swift to cut off his path, but Pikachu accelerated with a sidestep. He flickered, and an after image separated from his body which became the target of the Swift. The barrage of stars passed through the image of Pikachu and left him to close the distance on Aipom. Pikachu glowed white as he saw the opportunity to attack, and he burst forward with all his might.
Aipom's eyes grew wide as Pikachu came barreling into him headfirst. Pikachu crashed into his body, and the force of the blow sent Aipom flying across the field. He hit the ground with a thud and rolled a few times before he came to a stop. Ken rushed to his side and kneeled down to check on Aipom. There was still electricity that fizzled around his fur, and while he laid on his side, Aipom's arms, legs, or tail would twitch. Even so, Aipom still fought to get back to his feet.
"Aipom, that's enough for now," Ken said with a motion for his partner to relax. "They got us with that last-second Double Team, plus that paralysis isn't going to go away, you don't need to force yourself to fight through it."
Aipom took Ken's word to heart and flopped back down onto the field with a sigh. Ken raised his Pokeball to recall Aipom so that he could treat him later. Then he looked back to Ash and Pikachu.
"We're going to forfeit," Ken hollered to Ash.
"That's it, we did it?" Ash asked and Ken raised his hand to concede the battle. Ash beamed as he ran over to Pikachu and raised his Pokemon into the air. "We did it Pikachu, we won!"
"Pika-Pikachu!" Pikachu added as they celebrated.
"I was hoping to keep Pikachu at a distance to see if Aipom could work through that paralysis, but I didn't expect you to start using Double Team to close the distance," Ken explained as he approached them to shake hands. "Most Pokemon don't use that attack with only one copy. Did Pikachu just learn it?"
"Kind of. We talked about the theory today, but we didn't really practice it," Ash explained as he looked at Pikachu. "I think one copy is all we can manage at the moment."
"Not bad. Your Pikachu is pretty tough considering how many times he got hit," Ken went on. "I was expecting him to fall over at some point, but he hung in there," Pikachu saluted proudly. "So, are you aiming for the underground circuit?"
"You bet!" Ash answered. "Isn't that what you're aiming for too?"
"Uh…" Ken squinted as he thought about his answer. "I'm not really sure. I like Pokemon battles, but Aipom and I aren't that strong. I'm not sure if we're really cut out to battle with the elite trainers there…that's why I came to battle Giselle today since I've heard she would be a pretty highly ranked trainer if the circuit if she ever joined it. I was trying to figure out where I would fit into the whole hierarchy in the circuit," Ken scratched at the back of his head with a chuckle. "I guess getting beat by you means we should practice a lot more."
Ash took a glance at Giselle. He battled her so many times that he forgot how she measured up against other trainers. If Giselle was regarded as a respectable trainer…then that meant Ash was at least at that level as well. Ash struggled to keep a smile down at the thought, anxious to return to his practice with Pikachu.
"So, is Giselle training you or something?" Ken inquired as he looked toward the young woman that stood at the edge of the clearing.
"Maybe," Ash said with a shrug. "We crossed paths this morning and she's been helping me since then."
"Nice," Ken said before he offered his hand to Ash once more. "Best of luck to ya, I'm sure you'll go far."
Ken approached Giselle to thank her for suggesting Ash as an opponent. They spoke for a few moments before Ken went on his way. Ash spent that time treating Pikachu with a Potion that was delivered by Brock to ease the pain, although Pikachu winced as the spray hit his open wounds.
"Great work out there, Pikachu," Ash grinned at his little buddy. "And that Double Team you used at the end was awesome!"
There was a clap, and they all looked to Giselle as she joined them at the center of the clearing.
"Okay, I think this is a good opportunity for you to analyze your battle," Giselle began and Brock gave a nod of agreement.
"I won…so what exactly do I need to analyze?" Ash questioned her.
"You did win," She agreed. "But you need to consider the cost of winning. Pikachu is pretty beat up, so I'm pretty sure there were a few hits you could've avoided taking. And there were likely better choices you could've made as well."
"Oh, I get what we're doing," Ash nodded as their review session commence. Giselle discussed his battle in detail from beginning to end.
"Just keep in mind, this is constructive criticism," Giselle reminded him. Quite frankly, Ash didn't care about the criticism. He wanted to hear her thoughts about the battle, and what he could've done better. "So, to start, you made a good decision in choosing to battle defensively. It allowed you to observe Aipom's tendencies, though you got hasty once you realized Aipom could keep up with Pikachu and tried to battle them at their best range."
"Running wasn't really going to get us anyway. I felt like fighting back was the right call," Ash reasoned.
"I can understand your line of thinking, but Pikachu's that great fighting at close range yet. Sending Pikachu to fight an Aipom who basically has three hands wasn't a great idea," Giselle explained, and in hindsight, it did sound like a bad decision. "Pikachu took a lot of hits, which isn't a good trade-off since Pikachu doesn't strike as a particularly resilient Pokemon."
Pikachu huffed in reply and turned up his nose. Ash chuckled as placed a hand on Pikachu's head.
"It's not an insult, Pikachu," Giselle said as she offered a smile to Pikachu. "Aipom is the type to land lots of attacks and wear you down. If Aipom could hit as hard as Cubone does, you guys would've lost."
Ash pursed his lips as he recalled some of their losses against Giselle and Cubone. She had a point. Whenever Cubone landed a clean attack on Pikachu, it was enough to end the battle. Pikachu could take a hit or two, but he wasn't bulk or a bruiser. His main strength was his speed, something they would take full advantage of from this day forward.
"Now the call for Charge was horrible," Giselle said bluntly. "You clearly didn't have much time, and while he did try to create some distance, that's not a move that you just use without any setup," Giselle explained and Ash agreed with her. He was forced to call for a Thunderbolt well before Pikachu was ready. "In all honesty, you should just battle without using Thunderbolt right now. It should only be a last resort when you consider the amount of time you have to invest to use it effectively."
"Yeah, it worked out in your favor this time since Aipom was paralyzed, but that was a really lucky break," Brock added.
"Good point," Giselle noted. "And to wrap up the battle, I'll admit that you and Pikachu use misdirection flawlessly. Intentional or not, backing away from that first Swift attack implied that you couldn't get past it. So, when you used Double Team to accomplish that, they weren't prepared for it."
"Yup, you got him good, Ash!" Brock exclaimed as he slapped Ash's back.
"That was all Pikachu," Ash said to credit his partner. "Even that Double Team at the end was Pikachu's thinking on his feet."
"Then I have to admit, you've got a capable partner," Giselle remarked as she stooped down to past Pikachu. The Pokemon blushed a bit at the compliment.
"We still have a lot to work on though," Ash went on. "I have to learn all of the type advantages and disadvantages, and we've got to work on our speed and endurance so that Pikachu can master Double Team. Plus, we've got to practice battling at close range…wow, this is going to be so much fun Pikachu!"
The prospect of sinking hours each day into practice excited Ash. He could wait to devote time regularly to improve alongside Pikachu.
Ash and Pikachu stood at the top of the hill where they started their day. The sun was setting which decorated the sky with vibrant orange and blue hues.
"Can you believe it, Pikachu?" Ash asked as he looked at Pikachu who was perched on his shoulder.
"Pi-ka?" Pikachu asked as he returned the glance.
"I mean, that we're actually doing this?" Ash clarified and Pikachu gave him a nod.
"Pikapi, pi-ka!" Pikachu declared and Ash agreed wholeheartedly. This was everything that they dreamed about for years. Now, they were finally getting a chance to live their dream!
Giselle taught them so much in just one day that Ash was overwhelmed despite his enthusiasm. The strategies, the different types of Pokemon, the battling styles…Ash had no idea that there was so much depth to being a Pokemon trainer and participating in battles.
Based on her observations, Giselle suggested a style of battle for him and Pikachu to focus on. It emphasized the use of Pikachu's speed in combination with misdirection to control the tempo of the battle. Moves such as Agility and Double Team would be their bread and butter, allowing them to mislead their opponent then capitalize on any mistakes. It sounded incredible in theory, but it would all come down to their execution of it in battle. Today they got to test out this style against Ken and Aipom, but the next step was to use it consistently.
Giselle also shared some of the other styles that they would likely face. With a budding style of their own, it was also important for Ash and Pikachu to understand what their opponent was trying to do.
One of the most popular styles she brought up was the 'grit and grind.' This style was typically used by tank-like, powerhouse Pokemon, but any fairly durable Pokemon also found a lot of us success with this style. The whole plan was to take hits and dish out more damage than their opponent could handle. Some trainers referred to this style as mud-fighting. No skill, not decision making…just grit, determination, and raw power. This was probably the worst match-up for Pikachu, but Giselle was quick to point out every style had its flaws, and she was sure with time they would understand how to effectively counter this style of battle.
Then there were trainers like Giselle, who focused more on defense and observation. It was a style of battle that was more nuanced, requiring the trainer to understand the tendencies of their opponent and how to counter them. According to Giselle, this style of battle was popularized in Kalos a few decades ago, and it was typically used by high-caliber trainers that could snatch the momentum in the battle with one decisive move. It took great patience to use this style correctly, and Ash wasn't too keen on that aspect of it. However, Giselle stressed that even if he wasn't going to use this style, it was still important for him to take the time to understand his opponents.
Finally, there was the seven seconds or less strategy. This was sounded like so much fun to Ash. It involved battling at a very high pace. It was straightforward, if you failed to an attack in seven seconds, it was time to call for a new one. The trainer would have to think on the fly and jump at every opportunity to pile on more damage. While it seemed like fun, it was exhausting for both the Pokemon and the trainer, especially in a prolonged battle. Nonetheless, Ash hoped to one day have this style in his arsenal as well.
It was late by the time Giselle finished covering these different styles of battle, and she promised to go over close-range combat with them the next time they met. Everyone exchanged contact information, and Ash and Brock also received the access code to the PokeHub. Brock offered to take Ash back to his house, but on their way back home, Ash still found himself with some energy that he wanted to expend. He requested that Brock drop them off at the hill where they met this morning and they parted ways from there.
Now, as he stared out Vermilion City as it glistened under the evening sun, Ash grinned heartily.
"We're gonna do it, Pikachu! We're gonna be the best in the whole damn city!" Ash hollered.
"Pika-pi!" Pikachu added.
Ash broke out in a sprint, racing down the hillside. He placed a hand on top of his cap to prevent it from flying off, and Pikachu gave a shout of delight as he felt the breeze against his cheeks. Ash raised a hand into the air, reaching out toward the sun ahead of them.
They were going to be the best there ever was!
A/N
So, as I said before, a lot of subjects took the backseat for the last few chapters, but believe me the next few are going to be something special, at least in my opinion. I can't wait for you all to see what I have in store!
Inspiration for this chapter goes out to 'Glorious' by Macklemore feat. Skylar Grey. If you haven't heard that song, well I don't know how you haven't since it's been all over the radio, anyway just check it out. Easily one of my favorite songs from 2017.
This chapter also had a little something tucked into it that's going to resurface quite a few times in the future. The PokeHub is basically a collection of all the social media we use in real life, though it's specifically for trainers. I won't go into too much detail about what else the PokeHub is used for, but just keep an eye out for it in future chapters.
My battles are still a work in progress. I think I've got the basics down, but now I'm trying to weave in the finer details to take them to another level. My first significant battle will be coming up in a few chapters, so I'm trying to get in a lot of practice before we reach it.
A big thanks to all those who have been following this story, it's so nice talking to you guys from time to time. Feel free to give me any feedback if you feel the need.
Once again, I gotta give my beta reader MjrGenMatt a thanks for his help and support!
The next chapter has just been shipped off to my beta, so it'll be up in the coming weeks. In the meantime, stay cool and drink lots of water kids, it's too freakin' hot!