Pokémon: Pallet Town Heroes
Edited and Revised. All atmosphere mentions having been removed. Added something to supplant it.
Chapter 9: Jewel City part 1
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"Dang it." Ash looked around, weaving through the crowds, and peering between them. Ash huffed and put his arms on his waist. When Sabrina and he finally got to Jewel City, they were separated from each other due to the people. There were just, so many of them!
He had never seen so many people at the same time. That was to say, he was overwhelmed. He also…maybe have wandered off…
"Heeeyyy! Staravia! Do you see her!" Ash ignored the stares he got as he yelled upward toward his friend. Staravia flew lazily as he scanned the city for Sabrina. He and the others got used to her psychic presence.
"Staravia! Star!" Ash got a negative, he bit his lip. She would be so mad right now. He swallowed his nervousness before trudging onwards, into this beautiful, colorful city.
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"Dang it, Ash." Sabrina tapped her foot impatiently, having a deep scowl plastered on her features. It made people scurry by and pay no attention to her. She looked miffed and going by the faint glow of her hair, it would be a disaster if anyone bothered her further.
She sighed, this was a blessing in disguise, she didn't have to worry about Ash when she was going to take out the Treasure Famiglia. This was a good thing, a positive thing.
Without hesitation and making sure no one was looking, she silently stepped into an alleyway, which was much dirtier than the normal walkways.
There, she opened up her mind to the city, reading the minds of passersby. Her eyes widened at the thoughts of many of them, who seemed to know of the Treasure Famiglia, yet weren't frightened by them.
She stopped, putting on her thinking pose, and she bit her lip. Did the family have a much stronger hold on this city than they thought? This worried her, they may not be dealing with just a family, but a family that has monopolized the city itself.
Walking a bit further in, she let out her frustrations on a trashcan, she heard a few steps come closer to her, these steps harsh and callous, with a purpose of maliciousness in them.
She didn't turn towards them because she didn't need to. Common thugs.
"So, you're Sabrina of Team Rocket." Their voices had a stereotypical accent, yet it sounded like he was playing it as a joke. Her eyes widened at what he had said. She thought of Ash and what might happen to him. Her cover was blown as well.
"I knew it, so our intel was right. Damn that Giovanni! Of course, he had Gym leaders in his pocket. You ain't getting away!" The man prepared to send out his Pokémon, but psychic energy forcefully kept it shut.
"Wha! Vi, help me!" Before his ally could, she was slammed into a wall by the same trashcan, knocking her out cold.
"Damnit! Vi!" The man yelled before his mouth was shut, too. His head was forcefully yanked to look upwards at Sabrina, who seemed to tower above him, her eyes glowed violently.
"Just my luck, two idiots who know something." The man yelped as his body shot down to the ground once, twice, thrice.
"I ain't tell'in you nothin'!"
"Don't worry, you don't need to, I already have my information."
The man's eyes bulged before his body yanked into the ground again and again. She already knew what was in his head, so what she was putting him through…!
Sabrina smiled.
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Ash let gravity take his head as he sat down on the bench in the park. Staravia perched on the tree behind him. The park wasn't anything spectacular, with a few battle spots, hotdog stands, and trees. He should be trying to find Sabrina, not on a bench.
But he also wanted to battle, really bad.
Looking at the battle spots, he looked around, finding people walking by watching the battles, man. He needed a battle soon, traveling on foot and then getting lost wasn't doing it for him.
The journey was 'fun' to get here. Sabrina was a merciless teaser.
As Ash relived not-so-far memories that he made, he did not hear the loud foot stomps coming his way, nor the murmuring, nor the people getting out of the short person's way.
Staravia screeched as the person approached, bringing Ash out of his stupor, he perked up as he found a girl near his age walk up to him, well not walk up, more stomping to him to choke him ohmygod she's scary.
She had a black eyepatch over her right eye. Skinned that tanned from the sun healthily, dirty blonde bangs that parted in a heart shape, a ponytail. A green eye that tried to pierce him. A black leather jacket, white short shorts, and a belt with Pokeballs attached. She was about Green's height.
Staravia already didn't like her.
The girl pointed her finger accusingly at Ash, "You!" Her tone forceful and rude.
Ash looked around, people were watching them, "Me?"
"You!"
"Me?"
"Yes you, fight me!" Ash's eyes widened. Her accent was what you'd expect from a high-end city. Totally different from someone in the countryside like him.
"Fight? As in, like this?" Ash stood up and did a pretty bad boxer pose. The girl raised an eyebrow before glaring at him again.
"No, a Pokémon battle!" Kendra grabbed Ash's right arm before yanking and pulling him towards a battle arena. People that were muttering and watching began to follow, wanting to see what was going to happen.
"H-hey! You don't have to pull me! I wanted a battle anyways."
"Then pick up the pace!"
"I'm doing it right now, lady!" Ash was getting angry, and the mood quickly got tense around them. Unlike most other trainers, this one didn't feel like a friendly challenge.
"Then do it, faster!"
Ash grits his teeth. Alright, fine. He pulled his arm from out of her grip, walking with a purpose to the other side of the field.
Reaching the other side, there was a stand that wanted his license. Taking out his wallet, he put in his license in the machine as told, seeing the girl do the same. Soon an opening from the ground appeared just the outside of the field.
A giant TV screen left the opening before turning on, showing the basic knowledge of each trainer.
Ash Ketchum
Age: 10-years-old
Grade: 65
Ash ignored the murmurs from the people watching, they didn't know him, and they will never get to know him if they keep on talking. Perking up, he looked at the girl's information.
Kendra Bhavishya
Age: 11-years-old
Grade: 85
"Alright, I'm ready!"
"You sure? Your grade says otherwise." Mocking. She was mocking him.
Re-adjusting his cap, his eyes focused more and more, he steadied his heart, before looking straight at Kendra. She seemed caught off guard by it. That wasn't the only surprise in store for her.
"Staravia, get ready."
"Caw! Star!" Staravia dove into the battlefield before flying in loops, excited for the first battle outside of Cerulean thanks to those goons.
The girl clicked her tongue, "Fine, then. Breloom, bury them!" As she roughly threw her Pokeball, the familiar bright flash burst out of it, forming into a biped green and beige creature with red hands and claws for feet.
Its eyes were angry, probably from the pressure put out by the emotions of the two trainers.
A robotic voice called out, "The battle between Ash Ketchum and Kendra Bhavishya is about to commence, may all viewers leave the perimeters for safe viewing."
Ash didn't know what Kendra was thinking, but that hard stare she kept giving reminded him of something, something that he couldn't put his finger on. All he knew was to win, he had to give his all, just like all the other times he did.
The Robotic voice continued, "The battle shall commence, are both trainers ready?"
"I've always been ready." Ash bounced on the balls of his feet.
"Of course!" Kendra called out to the machine. Her hands were on her hips.
"The battle begins in 3…2…"
Ash stopped bouncing.
Kendra cracked her back.
"1! Begin!"
And the battlefield exploded.
"Staravia, Agility! Close the gap." Ash stretched his hand out in a swift motion. Staravia followed suit, making an insane dash toward the fighting Pokémon.
"Breloom, Bullet Seed!" Kendra crossed her arms, unimpressed. Breloom jumped into the air before taking a deep breath and letting out a rain of bullet-speed seeds.
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Her daughter was always the feisty one. Almeta Bhavishya leaned back in her comfy chair, in her cozy and organized office. Filled with clean and classy furbished cushions and books. Lots and lots of books, that she purposely read through. All of them.
Grabbing her black fedora, she placed it on her desk, combing through all the documents on her desk. Grabbing some of the black hair that fell in front of her, she placed it at the back of her ear. She made sure that her suit was smoothed and ironed out before her day.
Less she had someone 'fired.'
Her daughter always complained that she was uptight. She complained that her daughter was too gung-ho.
Almeta looked upon her symbol, her family's symbol. A crown in a treasure chest filled with gold and jewels. It wasn't very threatening, but then again, it wasn't supposed to be. It was never supposed to be a symbol of power, but something that Almeta could call upon when her family was in danger.
It was one of protection, something that people that she cared for to hide under, from the league and most importantly, Team Rocket.
Those days, those days of her childhood. Pure, clean, nostalgic. Now, it only brings pain from that one swift night, where her life was taken from her…
Almeta stewed in her chair, she spun and spun without care.
Knock knock
"You may enter." Her business voice took over, but she didn't stop spinning. She trusted her people. Mostly. It wasn't like she could destroy them in a few seconds, totally not that.
"Boss, the lady, she appears to know that we know who she is."
"I see, and what's she doing right now."
"She is ducking in the alleyways, trying to find our location."
"Well, all the luck to her. We'll meet her soon enough, with the advantage of course."
"One more thing, she was traveling with a young boy when she entered the city." Almeta raised her head, a Team rocket admin traveling with a young trainer? Interesting.
"Leverage, for us to use, I presume?" The thug tugged at his collar nervously. It wasn't from her question, it wasn't threatening, at least she hoped so.
"Well, the boy…"
"Spit it out. I'm an impatient woman."
"He's currently battling your daughter." What. Almeta sat straight up.
"And he appears to be winning…" Almeta didn't move a muscle for a good minute. The thug squirmed.
She slammed her black-gloved fist down on her desk and tilted her head upwards. Breathing in deeply through her nose before exhaling. Her gung-ho daughter.
"Have someone keep an eye on them."
"Ma'am, the city is our eyes."
"Right, and?"
"…Right away ma'am."
She wanted a drink, but first, she had to deal with their psychic problem.
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"Move Dang it! Breloom, dodge!"
"Don't let up, Steel wing!"
Breloom weaved under the wings of Staravia. Again, ducking and jumping over Staravia, desperately trying not to get hit. The sweat and hunched figure were all Ash needed to know the Pokémon's condition.
Ash couldn't help but break into a smile, this battle was going his way, it'd be over in a cinch. "Alright, Double Team!" Staravia looped to recover from his attack before steadily flying out of Breloom's reach.
"Bullet Seed, Breloom!" Breloom took its chance as he reared his head back, only to choke upon seeing the mass of birds in the sky. There were so many. Staravia cawed and screeched, each noise he made mocking Breloom and Kendra.
Breloom growled as his feet started to form cracks in the ground. Anger was welling up inside him.
Kendra was gobsmacked, "Oh crap." Her green eye, while showing panic, also showed a deep frustration. Breloom was out of sync with her. As Ash looked upon that frustration, something welled up inside him.
He knows that look; he knew better than anyone else. It was a look that people built up from days to months, to years of doubt from people, and yourself.
This victory would be easy for him, a victory that he would have cleanly won. He clenched his fist, wondering if this was the best option.
A Pokémon master isn't just winning battles. Improving yourself was a key part of becoming one. But… another part was to help others become better as well. Whether that be at battling, bonding, or educating, it didn't matter as long as they became better.
He couldn't educate someone, but he could help someone bond with their Pokémon. And he could do that through battling.
The battle seemed to be at a standstill, but instead of it being because of a fierce battle, was because of the hesitation between the two. One was out of it, beating herself up on the missteps she took. The other, contemplating on what he should do.
However, that only lasted for a brief moment.
Then…It changed. A moment in time that would be minuscule in their lifespan. A brief moment that if you blink, you'll miss it.
That moment, that second in time changed the outcome of the battle and their lives.
The atmosphere changed, and Kendra heard bumps on the ground, she could feel them. Kendra looked up at her opponent.
He was bouncing on the balls of his feet. Smiling as he did so.
"What the hell are you doing?" Kendra glared at the boy, her face filled with confusion. He just kept on bouncing.
"C'mon, battles are supposed to be fun, aren't they?" Ash smiled wider. It was infectious, it didn't feel mocking, nor did it feel pressuring.
"Yeah, and?"
"Then let's have fun!" The current of the battle changed, even if it was still dark and cloudy. It was somehow happier than it should be. Ash wanted something more.
"Staravia, Steel wing!" With that command, Staravia dove. Catching Kendra and Breloom off guard.
"Hey…"
"C'mon, aren't you gonna do something?" Ash teased.
"…Breloom, Mach Punch!" A wildly ineffective move that she yelled, but if she couldn't shoot down the bird Pokémon, then she'd meet him halfway.
Breloom powered up his right fist before meeting the bird at his lowest, Steel meeting fist. The flock of fake birds swarming him and trying to get his attention, were for nothing as Breloom focused on the real one.
The clash ended quickly, and once that ended, another started just as fast.
Ka-clang! Bang! Bap! Shing!
The two Pokémon traded blows with each other, pumping themselves full of adrenaline and dopamine at the excitement.
"Don't let up, Staravia!"
"Dig him into the ground!"
"Duck and use Agility!"
"Jump up and use Headbutt!"
"Pick him up and drop him!"
"Bullet Seed!"
"Steel Wing!"
"Mach Punch!"
"Volt Tackle!"
Kendra felt it, the energy that Ash put out, what was once an angry and frustrated trainer attacking another changed into something healthier. It was jovial and exciting. Kendra couldn't stop smiling as she commanded her partner on the field.
Neither of them noticed that it started to rain, the audience that was once there quickly left, but not without recording some of it or taking photos.
Someone, unbeknownst to the two, even had the giant screen record the footage and send it online, but that was another time for many people to see it.
The two trainers were in their own little world, created by Ash, with Kendra embracing it instead of rejecting it. Further boosting her skill and passing her limits.
More importantly, she was having fun, without any care for the outside world or its troubles. Not of the future nor of the boy in front of her.
Ash's ability was strong. And soon, Kendra would realize that.
After the clash of Volt Tackle and Mach Punch, Kendra wanted to end this, she had a chance to win, and that attack gave Staravia recoil damage that she could take advantage of.
"Breloom, finish it! Mach Punch again!" Breloom made a mad dash toward the flying Pokémon before he lowered and then launched himself into the air, his fist gathering energy and swelling.
Ash only gave her a grin, before pointing up into the air and violently sending it down, "Agility!" Staravia tucked and dived, allowing gravity to take hold of him, making him faster than he already was.
There would be a collision in 3…2…1!
"Staravia, under!"
"What!"
Breloom could only squirm as his Mach Punch hit the air, Staravia was now under the fighting type Pokémon, leaving Breloom at a massive disadvantage.
Kendra wasn't going down without a fight. Thanks to the atmosphere that Ash put out, she wasn't thinking about powering through this problem. She was willing to experiment this late in the battle thanks to him.
"Bullet Seed, Breloom! Let it carry you away!" She could see her Pokémon's brain turn before he lit up.
Ash wasn't having any of it, "Staravia, Steel wing!" Staravia, diving closely to the ground, finally spread his wings, picking up air and flying back up. His wings turn to steel, and with extra speed, he went straight for Breloom.
Breloom, with added confidence from his trainer, let loose a controlled spray of Bullet Seed. He was suspended in the air, betting letting go of his strained muscles allowed him to be carried by the attack. He distanced himself from Staravia as Bullet Seed tried to pin down the bird.
Staravia weaved and barrel rolled out of the attacks, and he closed the distance.
"Breloom, turn!" Heeded the command, Breloom turned his head before continuing the Bullet Seed, driving him into a different angle, forcing Staravia to loop to keep up his speed.
"Faster Staravia! Faster!"
"Keep him close, Breloom!" Kendra hasn't been more focused than she is now. She didn't move a muscle, wanting to have absolute control of where this battle was headed.
Ash screamed at Staravia, "End it!" Staravia dived small and picked up more speed, finally reaching Breloom.
"Headbutt!" There was no turning back now. Rearing back his head, Breloom launched it at Staravia! The bird Pokémon launched his wings in X-formation. Breloom's head met Staravia's, and Staravia's wings met Breloom's body.
They both exploded, leaving dust and massive winds in their wake. The rain and wind howled in unison as Kendra and Ash had to cover themselves with their arms. The cloud was sent careening down into the battlefield.
And the battle was over.
The winds had settled, but the rain and energy in the air had not. It was still going. Both trainers were breathing hard, finally gaining the attention of their surroundings The TV screen did not change, so that had to wait as the cloud settled onto the ground…And cleared.
…
…
…
"The battle between Ash Ketchum and Kendra Bhavishya has ended…And the winner is…"
The dust cleared as rain poked holes into it.
Breloom had swirls in its eyes…
"Reconfiguring…Reconfiguring…The battle resulted in a double knockout…Meaning both trainers are unable to battle. The conclusion is the battle is a tie."
Staravia's face was on the ground, with his eyes poking out, showing the swirls in his eyes.
Ash breathed in and out, as he let his hands and arms settle to his side. As he settled down, he ran towards Staravia. Kendra did the same with Breloom.
"Staravia, return. You did well."
"You too, Breloom. You were wonderful."
As they finished returning their partners, silence overtook the scene, with only the rain pelting the ground and their bodies being the only noise they heard. Ash looked towards Kendra, and she put her hands in the pockets of her jacket.
The energy-filled air finally began to dissipate, as they finally noticed the world around them.
"…Ah!"
"Crap! We're gonna get sick!"
Kendra put her arms over her head and began to panic. Ash began to move his legs rapidly while looking for somewhere with a roof.
Kendra shouted at him, "I know where the Pokémon Center is! Hurry!" Without warning, she ran in the direction of it.
"Hey, wait for me!" Ash ran after her. Quickly catching up to her, he wanted to say something else.
"That was fun," Ash said to her. Kendra looked back at him, still holding her arms over her head, and running. Kendra couldn't help but break a smile.
"Yeah, it was." Her tone was upbeat and kind, not rude and forceful like it once was.
"Would you like to battle me again, sometime?"
"You're on!" Kendra smiled as she said those words before realizing what just had happened. Kendra had a not-so-good reason for challenging him at first. She couldn't believe she made friends with her supposed enemy.
Well, the boy wasn't bad in her books. Maybe she was wrong.
"Quickly, just turn this corner and you'll see it."
Ash picked up the pace, which made Kendra do the same. "Alright!"
Ash hoped that Sabrina wasn't in any trouble. She would relentlessly tease him if she saw the battle, too. So, maybe their getting separated was a blessing in disguise. He could only guess if Sabrina was fine without him.
Who was he kidding, of course she was fine, she was the older one. Though, by only 6 years.
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"*Hack* *Cough* D-damnit!" One thug fell after the other. Sabrina walked cleanly away from the pile of knocked-out thugs. She stretched and yawned, having already gotten the information that she wanted. All she had to do was create an opening for Team Rocket to assemble a base here, and they could take care of the rest in the future.
She had other problems to take care of. It was her job to deliver a warning, not the warning itself. Though this was a good stress reliever she admitted.
Though, the more information she gathered on Almeta, the tenser she got. Gathering all that power, yet the only thing discovered was that the woman only wanted to protect her family was annoying.
It couldn't be just that. They were a mafia group, it was in their DNA to expand their territory, gather power and run over everyone else.
She couldn't understand what Almeta was doing.
Rustle, Rustle
She quickly turned to the noise, alert, as it was behind her with the pile of thugs.
Sh-SHING
"Damnit!" The thug yelled. Sabrina quickly dodged a blow to her skull. Damn, that was annoying. Well, she didn't begin to worry, as this was just a simple thug. But it did annoy her that he got the drop on her.
This was extremely annoying.
"You scu-Hrjak!"
With her eyes glowing and her arm stretched out, she plummeted the ma into the ground. Clapping her hand as someone would after a long day of menial work, she left the alleyway and made her way down the street.
She was headed for the docks, where all the warehouses should be. There was business to be done there. The rain didn't bother her, so she quickly passed people with umbrellas and raincoats.
In her fast pace and rush, she did not see flashes of whites on phones, nor how people turned to her and turn back.
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Almeta chugged the last of her drink, a 4-year-old Johto sake. It wasn't exactly a good idea, but she wanted to do it anyway. She kept on losing more and more of her members, no thanks to that psychic bug.
Damn Team Rocket.
She would show them. Force them to leave her and her family alone. She would dirty her hands if she had to. She wo…
She would…She…
Almeta's heart started to beat rapidly, she began to shake and tremble. The lady grabbed her left wrist with her right hand. The shaking and trembling continued, no matter how she struggled. She let go and started to breathe in from her fist since there was no brown bag.
She grabbed the side of the desk to stabilize her stance. She couldn't stop the sense of impending doom. She couldn't stop the fear that overtook her senses. The fear of losing her control, the fear of death.
The lady in black began sweating hard. Chills on her back, and her breathing began to shorten. Her throat tightened, hot flashes on her skin. The lady threw her hat. The lady looked around the room, nothing was there to hurt her.
The lady closed her eyes. The lady was having a panic attack. Deep breaths…Deep breaths…Deep breaths.
She was fine, she was fine.
Opening her eyes, Almeta let go of the desk and walked to her fedora, picking it up and dusting it off. After placing it back onto her head, she looked back at her large mirror, making sure everything on her was fit and form. Perfect, without mistakes.
Ding!
Picking up her phone she saw an interesting video. The video of her daughter and that boy. It was marked as a tie. Did that mean Kendra was able to pull something? That didn't sound like her daughter, she would always have power through things.
She pocketed her phone, that was for another time.
