Before we begin the next chapter. I'd like to reply to the following guest reviews:
a.)This is AU. As in alternate universe! This fic's Sceptile is different from canon Sceptile. I thought I made this clear with the summary alone. I already made a couple of tweaks that were obvious that this was effin AU. I'm only using canon as a template but try not to compare canonical feats too much.
Here are some blatant examples that the events in this story takes place in a different universe. Ash in the finals. Ash with a keystone. Ash winning against Tobias. It goes without saying that his Pokemon will receive the same treatment as well.
Next I am aware of how type advantage works. I am simply going by Anime rules and some real world logic with how I approach the battles.
The anime has shown us that type advantage isn't always everything in a battle. Circumstances will happen and both combatants have a fair chance of winning.
For example Swellow's aerial ace. Now I'm pretty sure when you momentarily disappear with speed alone and then ram someone, it goes without saying that it is going to fucking hurt. The move itself says the user travels at incredible speeds before reappearing to strike. It's also not like Zapdos has any thick fat or armor to absorb the blows. (Snorlax, Golem, Aggron, etc.)
b.)The next review made a compelling argument despite its simple nature. It's about my decision with having only mega evolution restricted to the trainer's ace Pokemon.
I'm on the mends with this one. My reason is that I'm using the anime's template with trainers only having one Pokemon that could mega evolve. On the other hand, having more than one mega evolution has its own advantages for future battles.
Like the first round it could be Charizard Y then the next round will be mega Sceptile.
Anyway I'd like to hear more of your thoughts (yes, you the readers) on this particular topic.
Also a little shout-out to you other readers who have shown their support so far. I appreciate that all the hard work so far has been worth it and well received.
P.S. sorry that I can't give out names right now but I don't wanna abuse the word count any further. This author's note is dragging on a little.
CHAPTER IV: A new journey begins!
Last time: "Then it's settled! Kalos here we come! How about it Pikachu? Are you ready to take on the Kalos region by storm?"
"Pi-Pikachu!"
And now:
"Okay guys, gather around! I have an announcement to make!"
Ash's words rang throughout the entire clearing and it wasn't long before all of his Pokemon answered the call. The raven haired youth then began to pale when certain members of his squad kept on charging to his location with happy smiles on their faces. "Wait guys! That's enough! Sto-Gah!"
Pikachu couldn't help but wince when his trainer was promptly crushed under the combined weight of Bayleef, Muk, and one of his overly-affectionate Tauros.
"Gak! Choking…not breathing! Urg. A little help here guys…!"
The Pallet town trainer then let out a breath of relief when his other Pokemon got to work on saving him. It was considerably easy thanks to Bulbasaur's Vine whip and Noctowl's Confusion. "Hehe. Thanks you two. I owe you one!"
Both mentioned Pokemon returned the gesture with a happy nod towards their friend-slash-master. Bulbasaur then began to chew out his fellow Pokemon with a stern and reprimanding look engraved on his small face.
In response, the culprits had the decency to look both ashamed and somewhat sheepish for accidently causing harm to their trainer.
Their kicked puppy expressions was more than enough to tug Ash's heart strings. "Ahaha. It's okay Bulbasaur, I think they've learned their lesson for now."
Said seed Pokemon then let out an exasperated breath towards his trainer and couldn't help the bemused grin from showing on his face when Bayleef and the rest were practically beaming at the raven haired youth.
Ash then cleared his throat and clapped his palms once in order to get everyone's attention. "Okay now that the ice is officially broken, I think it's time we get down to business."
Seeing that everyone was more than glad to quiet down and listen, the pallet town trainer continued on for the sake of the meeting. "It's about our upcoming match with Cynthia and the elite four…" All his Pokemon couldn't help but gasp and began murmuring to each other with their respective tongues. Ash then waited for everybody to quiet down before continuing his piece. "Yeah, the big one. Our toughest battle yet. The league already notified me that we have all the time we need to train and prepare."
The rest of Ash's Pokemon began grinning in excitement as they caught on to their trainer's words.
Returning the gesture, the raven haired youth was eager to confirm his Pokemon's suspicions. "Yup, you guessed it. By 'we', I meant us. As in all of us. There's no other way I'd have it! I owe it to you guys for sharing the same dream as me so for our next journey, I'll be rotating between all of you weekly for training over at the Kalos region."
Every one of his Pokemon then let out a resounding cheer after hearing the news. Their excitement was understandable considering a majority of them haven't battled in a long time. Each and every one of them were more than ready to prove their worth once more.
All the excitement and energy was more than enough to pump up Ash even further. "Ahaha. Okay guys, for now I'll be picking three of you to take with me to Kalos. The extra two slots are for any new Pokemon we might meet along the way. So any volunteers?"
Before any of the assembled Pokemon had their chance to voice out any of their opinions, a resounding roar cut through everyone's voices as a familiar orange dragon made his presence known by dramatically landing in the middle of the clearing where they were currently meeting.
Ash's brown eyes lit up when he confirmed it was his very own ace Pokemon. "No way! Charizard is that yo-"
The raven haired youth was then cut off via a flamethrower to the face.
The pride of Pallet town then gave the flame Pokemon a half-hearted glare before wiping the soot off of him. "What are you doing here Charizard? I thought you were heading back to Charicific valley?"
Said fire type just rolled his eyes in response and was quick to point a Pokeball on Ash's belt before gesturing to himself in an arrogant fashion.
Getting the gist of it, Ash plucked the Pokeball off his belt and looked at the orange dragon curiously. "Are you saying you want to come with me Charizard? You sure buddy?"
Another weakened flamethrower to his face was the answer he got.
Spluttering, Ash then coughed from the soot before raising his hands in defeat. "Ahaha. Okay pal, I hear you loud and clear! It'll be a blast travelling with you again!"
Charizard grinned in satisfaction as the orange dragon then made his way towards Ash's side. The fire type then gave Pikachu a nod of acknowledgement which the electric rodent returned.
Returning to the matter at hand, the raven haired youth then shifted his focus back to his assembled Pokemon with a good natured grin on his face. "So who's next?"
-(scene change/time skip: two days later)-
Ash then adjusted his brand new hat as he absentmindedly felt the weight of the three Pokeballs on his belt. It was a tough choice to narrow down but he was content with the team he assembled for now.
Charizard. Alongside his starter, the orange dragon is now officially a constant party member. The fire type didn't want to miss a single thing while travelling over the Kalos region and swore he'd use overheat on the raven haired youth if he even thought about sending him back to the lab.
Ash can't help but shiver at the memory.
The remaining slots were Bulbasaur and Totodile. At first, Ash was worried about Bulbasaur's job on the ranch but they were able to work out a system whenever the seed Pokemon wasn't present then it was up to Noctowl to fill in.
As for Totodile, the small water type is one of the raven haired youth's least used Pokemon. Something which he planned to rectify soon. That goes the same for the rest of his squad back home at the ranch.
"Flight 104 to Kalos is about to depart soon. I repeat, flight 104 to Kalos is about to depart. Please head to gate four."
Grabbing his green backpack, Ash then pumped his fist in excitement before rushing off with Pikachu in tow. "Alright! You ready Pikachu? Let's get things in gear already! I can't wait to start our new journey!"
"Pi-Pikachu!"
-(scene change: Kalos)-
"Hello! Professor Sycamore? It's me, Serena! I've come here to pick out my starter Pokemon!"
The honey colored blonde felt herself flush a little when an admittedly attractive older man emerged from the hallway to her left. The male had wavy black hair and he was wearing a white lab coat.
The mysterious male then waved his one hand towards her as a greeting."Ah you must be the new trainer. Serena Yvonne right? It's a pleasure to meet you! I'm Professor Sycamore."
Serena acknowledged the gesture and gave a small bow in response. "Yup, that's me! I'm more than ready to start professor!"
Seemingly pleased with her enthusiasm, professor Sycamore then clasped his hands together before beckoning someone over. "Magnificent! Oh Sophie! The new trainer is here! Could you bring over the starter Pokemon for me please!"
"I'm on my way professor!"
Serena felt her jaw drop when a beautiful woman wearing a lab coat came from the same hallway the professor used. She had dark blue hair as her notifying features and she was also carrying a tray that held three Pokeballs. 'No way! Is this a research lab or a modeling agency?! Everybody looks like they belong in show-business for crying out loud!'
Professor Sycamore then cleared his throat as he picked up a Pokeball from his assistant's tray. "Okay first up, we have the grass Pokemon-Chespin!"
After tossing the sphere towards the air, it soon released a brown otter-like Pokemon with some sort of green shell that covered the back of his head to halfway his tail. The small grass type then gave a happy wave towards the blonde girl in which Serena gladly returned.
The much older male grinned at the interaction between human and Pokemon as he began petting the spiny nut Pokemon's head out of affection. "Ahaha. As you can see, grass types are very easy to raise for beginners. These Pokemon tend to be pretty easygoing."
Serena couldn't help but giggle as Chespin began lazing about by laying on the floor with a lopsided grin on his face. "Yeah I can see that. He seems pretty okay to me!"
Smiling, professor Sycamore then moved onto the next Pokeball before tossing it into the air. "Next up, we have the water type-Froakie!"
Materializing on the floor, the small lightshow soon revealed a small blue frog which oddly had a mane of bubbles surrounding his upper torso. The water type then looked at Serena and rolled his yellow eyes before turning his head away from the blonde girl.
Serena felt her one eye twitch at the somewhat arrogant attitude and couldn't help but glare at the small water type. "I don't think I like this Pokemon too much professor."
A bead of sweat then rolled down the back of his head as professor Sycamore sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Ehehe. Sorry about that Serena. Froakie is actually very picky of what his trainer will be. I guess you could say that he's an example that some trainers will have to work for their Pokemon's respect and cooperation."
Said blonde girl felt her eyes widen at that particular info. "Really?! So does that mean a Pokemon can even choose to disobey their trainers if they want to?"
The professor's mouth was set into a thin line as he grimly nodded. "Well it is rare but not entirely impossible to happen either. The most common cause is a difference of goals or just plain incompatibility with the trainer's mindset. Like for example, a Pokemon who prefers battling will often ignore his or her trainer who happens to be a coordinator."
Serena can't help but feel slightly cowed at the news and began looking at Chespin and Froakie at a new light. "Wow, Pokemon sure are something else! I never really thought about how they can be this unique!"
The much older male nodded in satisfaction at the young girl's answer as he sent her a small smile. "Yup! As a rookie trainer, I would like you to keep in mind that all Pokemon are special in their own way. They all have their own dreams and goals. Just like us humans. Incredible right?"
Seeing Serena nod in agreement, professor Sycamore was quick to grab another Pokeball from the tray. "Okay back on track! Last but not least, we have the fire type-Fennekin!"
From the sphere, a small yellow fox with red tuffs of fur emerged. The fire type then let out a cute yip as it blew small embers into the air.
Serena couldn't help but gush at the sheer cuteness of the last Kalos starter. "Oh my God! She is just absolutely adorable!"
Said fire type then began to blush at the praise and let out another yip of approval.
Professor Sycamore can't help the ear-splitting grin form on his face at the two female's interaction. "Ahaha. Fennekin over here is a new addition to the lab. She's the youngest out of the three here with Froakie being the eldest among them. As you can see, she's got a lot of spunk for her age."
The much older male then waved his hand in an elegant manner as he gestured to the three Pokemon behind him. "Now that introduction is over, who are you going to pick as your starter Pokemon, huh Serena?"
The honey colored blonde then let out a small hum as she switched her gaze between all three starters. Serena then grinned once she met Fennekin's large orange eyes. "No offense to Chespin and Froakie, professor but I think there's something special about Fennekin that I just like!"
Yipping in excitement, the small yellow fox then eagerly jumped into her new trainer's waiting arms.
In response, Serena involuntarily giggled as she felt the fire type's soft fur tickle her skin. "Ehehe. I think we're going to make a great team! You and me Fennekin!"
Professor Sycamore then beamed a proud smile towards the newly formed duo as he pulled out a rectangular device from another desk, alongside it was some spare Pokeballs. "Ahaha. I'm sure both of you will go far in the Pokemon world! Now here are some important tools of the trade that I'm sure you'll find useful on your journey!"
The professor then showed off the red device with a wave of his hand. "This handy little gadget is called the Pokedex! It's an electronic encyclopedia that tells you anything you need to know about Pokemon! Just point the camera towards any Pokemon and like so-"
"Fennekin, the Fox Pokémon. Fennekin expels hot air that can reach nearly 400 degrees. It likes to snack on twigs."
"This Pokemon knows the following moves: Scratch, Tail whip, Ember."
Awed at the technological marvel, Serena began carefully looking it over after the much older male handed it over. "Whoa! This is amazing, professor!-" The honey colored blonde then began fidgeting as she sent the male researcher an apprehensive look. "Uumm… Is it really alright for a rookie like me to have this?"
Professor Sycamore was quick to wave off the young girl's concern with a boisterous laugh of his own. "Ahaha. It's no trouble at all Serena! It's actually standard procedure for any trainer that is sponsored by their region's researcher! After all, it'd be terribly irresponsible of me and my colleagues to send newbies like you out into the world without having some sort of guide to educate you on Pokemon. "
Smiling thankfully, Serena then put away her brand new Pokedex inside her bag before giving a bow of gratitude. "Well then thanks a lot professor Sycamore! I promise to put it to good use!"
The male researcher couldn't help but smile softly at the younger girl before him. Being appreciated by trainers never really did get old. Whether they were rookies or veterans, it was a nice gesture all the same. "You're welcome Serena. Now here are some spare Pokeballs for your journey as well. Like all the other starting trainers, I can only give you five to hopefully fill out your party but if you happen to ran out due to circumstances then I'm afraid you're going to have to buy your own from the local Poke-mart."
Serena nodded in understanding as she accepted the small spheres before safely tucking them away into her bag as well. "Thanks again professor, I appreciate it!"
The young blonde then beamed at her new partner as she squatted down in order to meet the fire type's eager gaze. "Alright Fennekin! Are you ready to start our journey together?"
A resounding yip was her answer and on some level, Serena just knew that the small fox was saying yes in her own special way.
Letting out a small cheer, Serena wasted no time in standing up and pointed dramatically towards the door. "Okay then! Let's go Fennekin!"
Agreeing with her new trainer, the small fox like Pokemon charged straight for the door with great zeal but immediately stopped when the fire type noticed Serena standing still with an inquisitive look on her features.
"Uuuh…Just where would be a great place to start exactly?"
Both Fennekin and professor Sycamore promptly face-planted towards the ground.
Said male researcher was the first one to recover and was more than glad to help. "Well a good place to start for rookie trainers like you would be Santalune city! The Pokemon over there aren't all that tough so you could either get some experience or add them to your party if you want. If that's not enough then the city also has a trainer school that's sponsored by the league."
In response, Serena couldn't help but clasp both her hands in excitement. "That's perfect for me and Fennekin! Thanks professor!"
This time, the honey colored blonde finally made it to the door before giving her final goodbyes to the much older man. Right behind her was an equally excited Fennekin.
"Okay! Santalune city here we come!"
-(scene change)-
A certain raven haired youth was the last one to leave the airplane as he began to stretch out the small kinks in his body due to the infamous jetlag. The young man then took a deep breath in before loudly proclaiming his existence to the world.
"Alright! Get ready Kalos, Ash Ketchum of Pallet town is finally here!"
This was proven to be a very bad thing when the majority of the entire Kalos airport, all stopped like clockwork and settled for staring in utter disbelief towards the pride of Pallet town.
"No way! Ash Ketchum?! He's here in Kalos?!"
"Whoa! Didn't he win the Sinnoh league a few days ago? That match against Tobias was freakin' amazing!"
A small bead of sweat then rolled down the back of Ash's head as he listened to the crowd's murmuring. 'Okay this is new…I'm pretty sure this never happened to me before…'
"OhmyGod! OhmyGod! It's Ash ketchum! It's a dream come true!"
"No way, you're right! I have to get his autograph! He is just sooo cute!"
Said raven haired youth began to pale when some of the females in the crowd, started to develop a hungry look in their eyes as each and every one of them slowly stalked towards his presence. Literally stalked. There are no other words to describe it. 'Alright now I'm definitely scared!'
Deciding he didn't want to stick around anymore, Ash immediately made a break for it by making a mad dash towards the gates before anyone else. As for Pikachu, the small rodent was doing his best in hanging for dear life on his trainer's hat.
"Pi-Pikachu!"
"Just hang on for now Pikachu! We just need to get a cab outside the airport and we're home-free!"
Clearly not understanding the peril his friend was in, the electric type sent his trainer a disbelieving look. "Pi-Pika! Pikachu!"
"What?! There's no way I'm slowing down! Or even think about stopping! All my instincts as a trainer are practically screaming to run!"
Ash then made the mistake of looking back and swore there were hearts in the female mob's eyes.
"Wait, don't go! At least, let me touch your Pokeballs!"
The pallet town trainer couldn't help but blanch and subconsciously willed his legs to go even faster than before. 'Yup. Definitely not stopping no matter what!'
Once finally outside, the raven haired youth thanked his lucky stars as he instantly managed to get a cab from the usually busy terminals.
"So where to sir? Whoa, hey! Aren't you the champion of the Sinnoh league?!"
Ash then let out a small groan and couldn't help but pinch the bridge of his nose. The young man then panicked once he saw his rabid fans reappear from the side of the windows. "Gah! Just take me to professor Sycamore's lab and step on it!"
The driver, who's simply a blonde man with no other notifying features was quick to snap back into reality and understood the situation with a grim look on his face. "Ah fans, I got ya. Don't worry kid, you're not the first celebrity I chauffeured on this airport. I know a thing or two about losing them so you better hang on tight to those seatbelts!"
The raven haired youth then released a small breath of relief while he made sure that his starter was safely buckled up as well. "Thanks! You're a real live save-"
Whatever Ash had to say was then cut off when the much older man simply pushed the pedal to the mettle as the small blue cab rocketed off towards the highway at a relatively fast pace.
"Aaaaa-"
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot! After I get you to professor Sycamore's place, can I get your autograph? I've got a kid and he's a huge fan of yours!"
"-Aaaaahhh!"
"I'll take that as a yes then!"
-(scene change)-
Professor Sycamore was just making himself busy when he heard the doors opening and began mentally preparing himself for greeting a new trainer. "Welcome to my lab! I'm sure you already know but for formality's sake, my name is-Ash?! What on earth happened to you?!"
The so-called new trainer was actually none other than the Pallet town native himself. Although the reason for the shock is because of the raven haired youth's unusual sickly complexion. "No offense young man but you look horrible! I hope your flight wasn't that bad!"
Resisting the urge to puke on the older man's floor, Ash just settled for a weak thumbs up in response. Behind him, Pikachu's head was poking out of the raven haired youth's backpack. The small rodent was unfortunately passed out. "Urp. The flight was fine actually. I can't say the same for some of my fans at the airport though…"
Nodding in understanding, the much older male sent the young trainer before him a sympathetic look to his current plight. "Ah yes, fame indeed is a heavy burden Ash. I know how you feel. Even now that I have Sophie with me, some fans just don't know when to give up."
Coughing a bit, the raven haired youth just wanted to get some things over with. "No offense professor Sycamore, I just want to get down to business. This day has been crazy enough."
Letting out at a jovial laugh, said researcher couldn't help but wipe a single tear away from his eye. Seeing Ash's disheveled state sure brought back memories. Only now he understood how funny it was when he's not the victim for once. "None taken Ash. I can only imagine what you've went through. Anyway, I'd be more than glad to update your Pokedex!"
Ash then sent a small smile of gratitude to the professor as he handed over the Sinnohdex. "Thanks professor, I appreciate this."
-(scene change)-
A few keystrokes later by said researcher, the complicated looking machine in Sycamore's lab was finally done with its duties and presented the new and improved piece of machinery to the raven haired youth. "Aaand done! One Kalos Pokedex to go! Here you go Ash!"
Seemingly recovered for now, Ash beamed in excitement as he started inspecting the latest upgrade to his electronic encyclopedia. "Sweet! Now all that's left for me to do is register for the Kalos league and challenge the nearest gym leader here! I can't wait!"
The much older male then scratched his chin in a pondering manner before suddenly raising one finger up into the air. "Then how about the Santalune gym for starters? I'm afraid the Lumiose gym has a strict four gym badges and above rule. Champion or not, it'd be pretty hard to convince him otherwise."
Raising a single eyebrow, the raven haired youth couldn't help but scratch his head in confusion and slight disappointment. "Well it's not like I don't understand. Every gym has their own rules but what's his reason?"
Smiling a bit, professor Sycamore was more than glad to elaborate. "Clemont made this rule since he's usually so busy inventing for the city. A lot of people rely on his technical know-how so it makes sense he's also the head of the technological innovations department. With a position like that, he can't unfortunately answer gym battles that often hence the rule he made."
Ash couldn't help but gasp in awe as he switched his gaze to an open window that showed the Lumiose tower in the distance. "Woah…So he's like Volkner from Sinnoh then? But not as lazy!"
The male researcher laughed a bit from the young man's somewhat accurate comparison. "Ahaha. Yes I suppose so. Although he's not as old as Volkner, Clemont is just as passionate about battling and inventing as well."
Hearing this, the raven haired youth can't help but pump his fist in excitement at the prospect of a challenging opponent in the near future. "Wow, he sounds pretty cool! I can't wait to fight him in the future!"
The pride of Pallet town then shouldered his green backpack as he sent another grin to the older male before making his exit. Right behind him was a recovered Pikachu, eager to start as well. "Well thanks for everything professor Sycamore! I promise to keep in touch, after all, there's more stuff I wanna ask about mega evolution in the future!"
The much older man was more than glad to return the same gesture as he bade goodbye as well. "No problem Ash! It was my pleasure! Good luck out there!"
Unbeknownst to the two males, Ash was actually being watched and later followed by something with large yellow eyes as he exited the lab.
"Fro-Froakie…"
CHAPTER IV: END
To be continued in: An unexpected reunion!
And end scene! And come on guys, keep the reviews coming. I need some feedback here if you want to continue this story. Whether you admit it or not, reviews are currency. No payment means no updates. It's that simple.
Don't let laziness conquer you and think about the amount I write and compare it to a simple review and how long are those suppose to be? I'm not even asking for long ass essay's detailing your reaction to every chapter, I just need to know if this story is worth investing any more effort into it cause I could just jump shift to some of my other fics that need fixing up too y'know.
Anyway some usual notes before I wrap it up:
a.)Ash's temporary team for now is revealed and feel free to help me decide for future rotations.
b.)Like in any AU fic, Ash will be catching non-canon Pokemon. Some are already planned but I'm open minded to some suggestions providing you can back it up with a good reason.
For example I don't want to hear 'I want Ash to have a Salamance cause it's so cool!'
c.)Yes some Pokemon Like Squirtle are scheduled to have their return to Ash's squad.
d.)The scene with Professor Sycamore is just to emulate some female fans reactions. The majority claims he is one fine looking man. Serena's next reaction is based on that online joke how Pokemon X/Y has a huge cast of very attractive looking NPC's. Both Male and female.
You've got Sycamore, Siebold, Diantha, Alexa, Viola, player's mom, etc.
e.)Clemont is more like his game counterpart rather than his anime self here. So yeah, he's more competent since I'm pretty sure he's responsible for a lot of other inventions in the X/Y games.