A/N: I'm glad to hear that Dusknoir is a big hit for you all. I can't wait for when Ash finds the Reaper Cloth.
Starting on October 12th, Ash and Dawn were snoozing in their respective rooms at the gym that had a couple of guest rooms when they heard a gong ring outside their rooms, abruptly waking up their sleep with a startling yelp.
"Wakey Wakey, eggs and bakey!" Maylene called out to them. "Day one of your training begins now!" Checking their Poketch's, they saw it was 4:50 AM. Just enough time to put on their clothes and get ready for the day. Looking out the window to see that the sun hasn't even peaked over the horizon yet, Ash groaned, even though they both went to bed plenty early to get enough sleep, he was not used to waking up this early. "This is going to be a long day.
Day 1
Ash and Dawn, both somewhat tired and Dawn still having bed hair because she only had 10 minutes, were in the gym battle field room where Maylene stood before them. The reason that Dawn was there as well was because she asked Maylene to train her Pokémon so that she could still be in the same ballpark as him since her mission was just as long and hard as Ash's, catching every Pokémon, Maylene accepted her too, but only for this week, for she won't help train any Pokémon Dawn may catch further down the line. Unless it was a fighting type.
"Alright, my little grasshoppers..." Maylene began to speak.
("What does grasshopper have to do with being a novice? I know a praying mantis is a form of kung fu but where does grasshoppers fit in?") Ash thought to himself.
"...Well, let me tell you..." His focus resumed on what the gym leader was saying. "...it isn't easy. Becoming the strongest takes a lot of work. There's a reason hundreds apply for the Pokémon champion, but only one claims the title. You just cruise on through and hope for the best. It requires strategy, discipline, patience, and working with what you got the best. Now, show me your Pokémon." She ordered. Getting out their Pokémon, Maylene saw in order what she had to work with. In order she saw a Grotle, Staravia, Bibarel, Luxio, Floatzel and Duskull, which made her pause. "How come you didn't use the duskull?" She asked Ash.
"I just recently caught him a few days ago so I don't have much experience with him yet." Ash shrugged.
"Oh, I see. Understandable." She agreed, resuming to walk. With Dawn, it was Prinplup, Sparky, Lopunny, Kirlia and Crystal. As for Spike, he was pulled out of Dawn's bag and yawned from waking up so early.
"Togiiii." He chirped with a yawn.
"Aww! He's so adorable!" Maylene gushed as she dropped to her knees and hands to look at Spike more closely. "May I hold it?"
"Yeah." Dawn obliged as she handed over the baby Spike Ball Pokémon to the gym leader and she snuggled with the baby, whom laughed from the positive energy she was producing. Krilia giggled from seeing this. After regaining her composure and putting Spike down so that he walked to Kirlia, Maylene stood back up and became excitedly serious again.
"Well, I can certainly say one group looks strong but typical of a Sinnoh trainer, but the other looks quite unique. Where did you come from, Dawn?"
"Sandgem Town." She answered. This surprised Maylene.
"Wow. I already figured Ash was from the SouthWest of Sinnoh from his line up and badge number but you? How is your Pokémon so diverse?"
"Well, I found Buneary in Eterna Forest, I found Ralts before entering Hearthome City, and a woman gave me Crystal in Hearthome." Dawn proceeded to scratch the eevee's head, causing her to bark her name with happiness. "And Spike was given to me by the champion herself, Cynthia." Maylene's jaw would've hit the floor if it could.
"You two met Cynthia?!"
"Twice actually. Crazy world, huh?" Ash snickered.
"I guess." Shaking her head the gym leader looked determined. "Okay, no more side tracking! It's time to get to work. Come with me." Maylene led the two humans and 12 Pokémon outside where the sun was just barely able to peak over the horizen, the sunlight hitting the higher peaks of Mt. Coronet in the distance. "Right, so what we're going to do for the next week is determine what your Pokemon are best at. Are they glass cannons? Fragile speedsters? Lightning bruisers? Most people think they know, but they don't really see the connection they have on a very fundamental level between Pokémon and trainer. Ash..." The gym leader called out, attracting his attention.
"Yes?"
"What is your Grotle best at? Offensively and defensively?"
"Uh, he tackles things head on and braces for impact on his head since he can't dodge very well."
"And how does he do so?"
"Well, from our interactions, he's quite brave, as there was never a challenge he backed down from."
"How about your Staravia? Explain."
"Well, he strikes hard and fast, and in a fight, he's very adamant about winning, though that's something all of the starly line act, right?"
"For the most part, yes, but you're highly unlikely that you find two starly back to back with the same personality. Dawn." She then turned her attention to the researcher. "Piplup's are known for being quite the confident penguins, aren't they?"
"Yes."
"Has your piplup always acted like that?"
"No. When she was in Prof. Rowan's lab, she was very shy around Turtwig and Chimchar. She's always been shy and quiet. Ever since evolving into Prinplup though, she has grown in confidence, but doesn't really flaunt it either."
"And your Lopunny? What was it like as a Buneary?"
"Based from the fact she knew the move frustration, she wasn't a people person, but only soon after I caught her, she wasn't all that bad. In fact, it seems like once she evolved into Lopunny, she's really accepted a real jolly nature." Lopunny giggled while hopping from one foot to the other for a few seconds.
"And that's the thing there we keep coming to." Maylene grinned, reaching her point. "It's personality. Even if a Pokémon is best known for a physical or move based trait, depending on their personality, they may really excel, or not commit as much to what they can do. Take my two Pokémon for example. Meditite may like meditating for hours, but that doesn't stop her from enjoying things with as you described, a jolly nature. And Machoke is very brave as he doesn't prefer to out-speed his opponent, more like pummel them to defeat. But here's the thing. Meditite wouldn't be as fast or hard hitting if she were more quiet with her personality and Machoke wouldn't be as hard hitting if he were calm or timid. Now, that wouldn't mean Meditite isn't fast or Machoke not strong, but just not as much as they could be. Of the gym leaders, only Candice and I know this trick.
"So, how do we utilize our Pokémon's personalities to their best potential?" Ash asked. All of the Pokémon were also quite interested.
"Well, just regular training and good choosing is all it takes for most people, but if you want to really squeeze out the potential of a Pokémon's abilities by their personalities, then you need vitamins."
"Vitamins?" Dawn questioned, confused.
"Yes. You know, the stuff that's in your milk and cereal, the carrots and oranges you eat for lunch and the breadsticks you may have with your dinner, along with any water you drink. And for Pokémon, there's five sources of vitamins that really help out; protein, iron, calcium, zinc, and carbohydrates. Trust me, you change their diets, you'll see success where otherwise would be failure."
"I didn't think food had such a impact on a Pokémon's performance." Ash remarked, his mind blown.
"Sure it does. Look at me. You think I have this..." Maylene paused to do a crane kick. "...because I was just eating whatever? No. I'm on a strict diet of fish, whole grain breads, eggs, chicken, spinach, low sugar yogurt, oysters and whatever vitamin water I need. I also make sure to eat foods with vitamins A-K and minerals, but we're not focusing on those right now."
"That's quite a diet, but I'm not sure how much of that can be preserved for long journeys." Ash pointed out.
"That's why we're going to have your Pokémon eat as much as they can for the next week. Every breakfast, lunch and dinner they'll eat what they'll need. However, given the size of your parties, I can only give each Pokémon two of the five vitamins. I may be a gym leader, but trying to super charge all of their strengths is beyond even my family and business budget. Especially with my dad's constant gambling." She scoffed with annoyance as she rolled her eyes. "Luckily, we don't need a whole lot of variance for your team Ash. Most of your Pokemon look like they're the up close and personal kind of team, so you'll only need protein and carbs. However..." She looked at Grotle and Duskull. "... Given these two, they'll work more with iron and zinc in their diets. Boost their defenses. Now for your team." Maylene gave careful for Dawn's team. "Hmm, your team is actually quite diverse. Prinplup will need calcium and zinc, Lopunny will need iron and carbs, if your Togepi grows up how I think it will, calcium and zinc, your Kirlia will likely need protein and carbs and finally... well... what do you plan on evolving your Eevee into?" She asked, not sure what to enhance. Dawn thought about it, and then paled.
"I don't know. They're all so great and unique." She complained.
"Well, just in case, I think it'd be safe to put in investment of calcium and carbs. Special attacks and speed are their greater strength considering what all they can do."
"Uh, how do you know exactly what they need when you don't know what their personalities are?" Ash inquired, blown away by how much she knew.
"Years of studying. That's what happens when you're raised as a fighting type gym leader. You have to be prepared for anything. Well, with that out of the way, time for breakfast. Prepare to get supercharged." She proclaimed with an excited grin.
After eating all the necessary foods, the three humans and twelve Pokémon stepped outside where all sorts of fighting types were mingling. Dawn was caught off guard by all the various fighting Pokémon. "Alright, we're going to do some practicing. This is where we'll put your Pokémon to the test. Machop!" Maylene called out. Coming to her was a smaller version of machoke with no chiseled muscles. "Machop, you're going to karate chop against Grotle's head to improve his pain tolerance. You ready Grotle?" She asked the grass starter, wanting his permission first.
"Grotle!" He growled, not intimidated.
"Great. Machop, use Karate Chop!" Jumping into the air, he bashed his hand against the Grove Pokémon, dealing some amount of damage, but nothing Grotle couldn't handle. Moving on, they soon walked up to a hitmontop, a short humanoid that was mostly brown and blue with flat curved extensions on the side of its head and a spike on the top of its head to spin on. It also had a tail that had a spiky round end. "Hitmontop here will practice with all the physical attackers. Although, I have something else for Staravia, so we'll just need Bibarel, Luxio, Sparky, Floatzel, Duskull and Lopunny."
"Six to one? Won't that be unfair?" Ash asked, unsure about the numbers.
"Fighting types love a challenge, and Hitmontop is an eighth degree difficulty Pokémon, to compensate for Floatzel's speed. He won't be beaten." Leaving the majority of Pokémon with Hitmontop, whom started spinning around to keep them on their toes, that left Ash's Staravia, and Dawn's Prinplup, Spike, Kirlia and Crystal. The third Pokémon was Medicham which was colored red, grey and yellow and generally looked like a yoga instructor with its red legs and headpiece. "Here, Medicham will train both speed, and ranged offense and defense if capable. She'll use her psychic type moves to prompt your Pokémon to dodge and properly block or counter from a distance. Spike will be the only one not participating. I've got something very special for him." Looking down at the Spike Ball Pokémon baby in the researcher's arms, Dawn and Ash wondered what Maylene could have planned. Going back into the dojo, it was then that the two teens saw something that they didn't know what to make. It was one of those things inflatable punching bags, but only about a foot tall, like it was meant for a toddler. The same height as the Spike Ball. "Well, let him have at it." Figuring it out now, Dawn walked up to the miniature bag, placed Spike down on the ground, and told him,
"Okay, Spike. You know how Ash battles others? Do the same to this bag. Just... go at it." She mumbled the words, not used to saying that to her baby Pokémon. Togepi looked at Dawn, and then the punching bag, and soon walked up to it. With some effort, he 'punched' the bag so that it went back before returning forward with enough force to push Togepi onto its butt, crying from getting pushed.
"Ooo, let-" Dawn was just about to comfort Spike, but the girl was held back by Maylene, staring intensely at the little Spike Ball. After his initial spout of crying, he sniffed before standing back up and simply ran at the thing, wildly wailing his tiny little arms like it was one half of a slap fight.
"Awwww!" All of the humans gushed as they saw this baby trying to go all gung ho over an inflated bag. Eventually, he did tire himself out, but perked up when he sensed the utter joy and proudness from his imprinted mother.
"Togepi, I'm so proud of you!" Dawn squealed as she went and picked up her baby, snuggling with him. "My little fighting spike ball."
"Togepi!" He chirped in happiness before yawning from the exertion and went to sleep.
"This... is going to be the cutest Pokémon I've ever helped train." Maylene said to herself.
Day 3
After three straight days of training and eating vitamin rich foods, a drastic change happened with the two Luxios, as they began to brighten up from the process of evolution. They went from looking like lynxes to full grown lions with big, black manes covering much of their blue bodies. Not only that, their eyes changed from black pupils in white eyes, to gold pupils surrounded by red sclerae. The humans came out of the dojo to witness their two new Luxrays.
"Whoa, they evolved!" Dawn exclaimed. Ash took out his Pokedex to scan them.
"Luxray, the Gleam Eyes Pokémon; It can clearly see through walls to track down its prey and seek its lost young."
"Cool! X-ray vision!" Ash cheered as he held a hand up to his partner, whom responded with a wide smile and a high five back.
Day 5: At this point, even the strongest machop of the place wasn't having much luck hurting Grotle, even with swift karate chop after karate chop to the head in rapid succession while Ash watched, impressed by his starter's progress. It even came to the point that Grotle got bored and roared his name, raising his head up and forward to push away the small fighting type while he growled his name before a bright light was being emitted from the Pokémon.
"Oh man. Hey guys, check this out!" Ash called out to his friends as he marveled at this phenomenon. Grotle started growing much bigger, the left bush on his body morphing into a tree while the right turned into three spikes. When the glowing stopped, his color scheme no longer had any yellow on his shell, more like green up top and brown brown below with his shell looking like a patch of grass and earth. The tree looked like a small oak, and his wide cheeks now looked like spikes. His toes looked like stones.
"Torterrrraaaa!"He roared, his voice much deeper. The girls came out to see the much larger Pokémon, and marveled at it.
"Whoa, he's reached his final form!" Dawn exclaimed. Ash took out his Pokedex to scan his starter.
"Torterra, the Continent Pokémon; Some Pokemon are born on Torterra and spend their entire life there."
"Cool." Ash said as he walked to his starter and went to one knee, putting a hand on Torterra's much harder head. "How do you feel buddy?"
"Torterra." He growled with a much gruffier, but no less friendlier greeting as he nuzzled his head against Ash, making him laugh. The two girls smiled from this.
Day 8
And here they were again, Ash and Maylene, about to have their rematch to see if all that effort paid off.
"Before we start, I'd like to thank you for all the help you gave me and Dawn. It really helped out." Ash spoke to the gym leader, expressing his gratitude. Dawn was ready in her costume again to cheer Ash on, along with her Lopunny and Kirlia as support.
"You're welcome. It was a nice week being the master. Not it's time to see if the student surpassed the master." Maylene stated while popping her knuckles. Colby started things off.
"The gym battle between Ash the challenger and Maylene the gym leader is about to begin with forth degree difficulty. Each side will use three Pokémon until all of one side are knocked out. Only the challenger may substitute Pokémon. Kaishi!" Trainer and gym leader threw out their Pokeballs, releasing their Pokémon.
A/N: Whew, this one took a bit of effort from research but I think this did well. What do you think of me using natures and vitamins in this? Also, something I have been thinking about for a while now is after 'Ash Platinum' is done, I'm doing this kind of thing again but Ash starts his journey in Kalos, called Ash XYZ. And something that I've considered is giving almost all of the Pokémon who have stats at absolute minimum 500 Mega Evolutions for more inclusive awesomeness. Like for example, Golduck. I took a look at it and thought of giving it these ME stats. Atk: 80 Def: 90 Spa: 135 Spd: 90 Spe: 125. That's like having a Golduck as good as an Alakazam. What do you think? I triple checked the math. Let me know of both this chapter and my idea for my next Pokemon story.