A New Beginning Chapter 4
Ash rolled out of bed the next morning at 7. He splashed his face with water and woke up Riolu. He then walked to the couch where Lugia was sleeping and gently shook her awake.
"Lugia, come on, get up." Ash said softly.
"Lugia!" the baby whined.
"I know but today you get to see a real gym battle."
"Lugia?"
"No I can't use you. You're too young, too precious and inexperienced."
"Lu! Ia! Ia!" the baby Pokémon puffed out her chest indignantly.
Ash sigh, bemused. Trainer and Pokémon grabbed their belongings and checked out of the Pokémon Center. Lugia rode on Ash's left shoulder while Riolu sat on Ash's backpack.
"Well Riolu, this is it. Today we get our first gym badge. You excited?"Ash asked as he walked out of the Pokemon Center.
Riolu's fur bristled and rose. Ash smirked.
"Then let's go."
The trio walked till they reached a massive dome made purely of rock. The giant caption read, "Pewter City Gym"
Ash calmed his nerves and gathered his wits. Riolu sent a mental image of triumph in his head. Pokémon and trainer walked inside readied to face whatever the gym held for them. As he walked in, Ash noticed the room was completely dark, with dim lights on the bleachers. He also noticed faint outlines of sprinklers on the roof.
"I challenge the leader of this gym to a Pokémon battle." Ash shouted into the darkness.
Suddenly the lights turned on. A man with a green vest and brown skin stood on a platform.
In a soft voice, he said, "I accept your challenge."
The man (aka Brock) leapt down and stood on the other side. He grabbed a remote from his pockets and pressed a button. The battle ground slid in from either side of Ash. It was made of soft soil, with rocks here and there.
"I assume you know the rules of this gym?" the leader asked.
Ash nodded and thought, "Riolu, you're up first."
Before Riolu had a chance to jump down, Brock pulled out a Poke ball and called out, "Goooo Geodude!"
A Pokémon with a spherical head and two arms attached to the side sprang forth from the Poke ball. Lugia's head sprang forth in interest. Riolu jumped off Ash's shoulder and nodded at him.
"Finally, a smart trainer, one who uses advantages." the man smirked. "But it won't' be enough."
Ash smirked back, "We'll see."
"Geodude, use Rock Smash!" Brock called out.
The said Pokémon grabbed a rock 2 times bigger than him and threw it at Riolu.
"Riolu dodge!" Ash yelled. Riolu spun to the side. Even though he was at advantage, he could not afford for his Pokémon to get hurt.
"Riolu, go on the offensive. Go for Close Combat!"
"Geodude, harden!"
Riolu hopped close to Geodude with one step and was on him like a tiger. He managed to land 3 punches on him before Brock called out another attack.
"Hidden Power!"
"Riolu, dodge by hiding behind a rock. Then get in for Close Combat again!"
Riolu jumped behind a rock just as the blast of energy hit the scapegoat. The rock shattered but Riolu was unhurt. He pounced towards Geodude.
"Riolu, use Growl and hit him with a low kick!"
Riolu growled and kicked the Geodude in the face.
"Geodude!" Brock shouted.
Geodude stood up shakily.
"Good. Geodude, pick up two rocks and throw the first one!"
"Riolu, jump in the air to avoid him and use Karate chop on Geodude!"
"Geodude! Throw the second one!"
The attack hit Riolu in midair and sent him reeling to the ground.
"Geodude! Don't let up, use Earthquake."
"Riolu jump on a rock and focus!"
The earthquake ended as soon as it began."
"Riolu now! Jump on the stones over to Geodude ad use a Karate Chop!"
Riolu, hopped three steps before unleashing a blow that smashed Geodude to the ground. Geodude landed on a spike and fainted.
"Geodude is unable to battle. This round goes to challenger and his Riolu." A ref shouted. Ash didn't even see him get there.
Lugia cocked her head at the ref then stared at the battle. She thought this was a fun game she might try some day.
"Geodude return."
A red beam of light hit the fallen Pokemon and sucked it up."
"Gooooooo Onix!"
A giant rock snake Pokémon appeared before him. Riolu and Ash both gulped.
Ash shook his head, 'Riolu climb up on its head and use Karate Chop!"
The jackal Pokémon agreed and started to climb up the snake's body.
"Onix shake him off and use Earthquake when he's on the ground!"
Riolu was shaken off and fell to the ground, winded. Suddeny the ground started to shake. Riolu was covered by a large cloud of dust and when the dust cleared, Riolu was knocked out.
"Riolu!" Ash shouted. he ran on the field and carried him away.
"I won't let you go away with that!"
Ash pulled out Charmeleon's Pokeball, Goooo Charmeleon!"
The red dragon appeared in all its haughtiness and looked smug.
"Charmeleon, use ember on Onix!" Ash cried.
What came out of charmeleon was not ember but a full torrent of blue flames.
"Charmeleon, you learned Dragon Rage!" Ash cried, not believing it.
The blue fire hit Onix and it roared with fury.
"Onix, use Rock Throw on it!"
"Charmeleon dodge!"
Onix picked up a rock with its tail and threw it at the dragon. Charmeleon tried to dodge but it was too happy with itself learning Dragon rage.
Boooom!
"Charmeleon is unable to battle!" The winner of this match is Brock!" Ash heard a ref shout.
Ash didn't care. He ran to Charmeleon and returned him to his Poke got up, and with a determined glare, he walked out of the gym.
Ash ran to the Pokémon Center immediately after that. The Nures Joy at the healing center took a glance at Ashand without a word grabbed Riolu and Charmeleon. Ash was so overwhelmed in worry and sadness; he sat down heavily, jostling Lugia, who had somehow managed to find a way into Ash's backpack.
"Lugia" the little Pokémon cried out, unable to do anything top help its trainer's grief.
"Thanks Lugia. But even with all my training I couldn't beat Brock. I need a new stradegy."
"I'll beat him for you Ashy!" the baby cried. "I'll avenge Riolu and Sir Charmeleon."
Ash sighed. "You know why I can't let you do that, you're too young."
Lugia lowered her head, sniffing. Thunder suddenly rumbled in the distance. A few raindrops were heard outside and suddenly, it was a storm outside.
"This must be one of Lugia's abilities. When she's overly depressed or sad, she can cause storms." Ash thought, eyes wide.
"Lugia, calm down. After I beat Brock, I'll let Storm teach you how to fly." Ash said.
The little Pokémon looked up adoringly. The weather outside cleared up immediately. Everyone was confused except for Ash and Lugia.
"Ash Ketchum, your Pokemon are ready." the announcer yelled.
Ash wearily got up and asked, "Lugia, I'll need you to start staying in your Poke ball for now. Some baddies are going to try tosteal you away when they find out you're a legendary. And you don't know how to defend yourself. So please, will you go in?" Ash asked.
Lugia cocked her head. "Lugia."
Ash smiled. "Thanks Lugia."
Ash put Lugia inside of her Poke ball and went to retrieve Charmeleon and Riolu. Who both looked very healthy.
"Ash! I have failed you!" Riolu cried as soon as he saw his trainer.
Ash shook his head, "No Riolu. I have failed you. I should've come up with a better strategy. And I think I have one now."
"Are we going to try again Ash?" the little jackal asked.
Ash nodded." I promised Lugia I would teach her to fly so let's get this over with. Here's what we'll do. "Ash leaned in to the Pokemon on the tray and whispered a few words to him. Riolu nodded and smiled. His trainer was truly a prodigy to recover from such a brutal put down.
Ash and co. appeared at the gym a few moments later. Without a word, he walked in. Riolu jumped off his shoulder and waited. The lights turned on and Brock appeared. He knew what Ash want. Brock took out a Poke ball and called out Geodude. Riolu stepped forward and raised his paws.
Suddenly Ash shouted. "Riolu, use Quick attack to get close! Hit him with a Karate Chop and a Low Kick at the same time."
Before Brock could call out an attack, Riolu was already up in Geodude's face and landed two successful blows on him. Geodude was weakened drastically. Riolu remained neutral, readied to attack if ash had called it. In truth there was no need; Geodude simply fell because of the two powerful attacks.
Brock gritted his teeth but smiled at the thought of Onix. "Onix!" he cried out as he threw its poke ball.
Riolu growled. The time was now.
"Riolu now!" ash cried. Riolu sprinted towards Onix with Quick Attack. He hopped on the giant snake's head and jumped onto a sprinkler. He used Karate Chop and broke the sprinkler. Water started leaking onto the Onix. Riolu immediately moved to the next one. Ash didn't know why Brock was standing there, not worried for his Pokémon.
By the time Riolu was done, water was dripping everywhere, yet Onix was unaffected.
"Good idea Ash.' he complimented, "But it won't do anything against a high leveled Onix."
Ash smirked. Brock was a little uneased by that but he let it pass.
"Who says this water is little? 3…. 2…..1." Suddenly, the sprinklers burst to life and Onix roared with frustration as it felt itself weaken at the water's touch.
"Riolu, hit the snake with a Karate chop, follow with close combat!" Ash shouted gleefully, seeing his plan work.
Riolu ran in and when Onix was distracted by the water, he leapt up on onix's head and slammed him with a bone crushing Karate Chop. Then, he grabbed onto Onix's head and pulled up, forcing the snake to turn and fall in order to prevent back damage. Onix glared at Riolu for a second, and then fainted.
Brock was shocked; he had not had time to call out a single attack because of the way the boy in front of him maneuvered the field. This boy was truly a prodigy.
"Onix is unable to battle! The match goes to the challenger!" A ref shouted. "Seriously," Ash thought, "Where do these refs come from?"
"Congratulations Ash, you are a great trainer and should be proud for defeating Onix without losing any of your Pokémon. All the other challengers from Pallet simply charged at me with their starters but you worked with the terrain to weaken my Pokémon. Good job. I gave you, a Stone Badge!"
Ash nodded and accepted it with its head bowed, Riolu had climbed up Ash's backpack since then and he was almost asleep from all the battling. He had built up his endurance, sure, but Onix had still worn him down.
"Say Ash, you are from Pallet aren't you?"
Ash nodded, barely keeping in his excitement at winning his first badge.
Brock digested this information then proceeded to saying, "What are your dreams or the future? With that kind of battling, you could get a first place in almost any competition."
"Well, my dream is to become the world's greatest Pokémon Master. " Ash said.
Brock nodded, THUMP.
Ash slammed into a man as hard as steel. He looked down at Brock and gave him a rueful grin. Brock seemed to know this man and glared at him.
"Ash, leave us alone for a second."
Ash stepped to the side focused on his new Stone Badge. It was octagonal, silver and gleaming in the morning sun. Ash looked up at the two men. The stranger pointed at him and said something to Brock. It made Brock smile. The stranger ruffled Brock's hair before stepping in the gym.
Brock seemed to hesitate when he came over. "CanIcomewithyouonyourjourney ?" Brock asked really fast."Sincemyfatherdecidedtoreturn asgymleader,hetoldmetogofollowmydreamsas aPokemonbreeder!"
"Of course it's okay." Ash said, the more the merrier. He could really use a human friend.
Brock seemed surprised; he thought Ash would at least think about it. Not that he was complaining or anything. He then shrugged it off and beamed. He started talking about his dreams as they walked towards the Pokémon Center.
Riolu's eyes widened when he remembered a certain baby. His trainer obviously forgot about Lugia. This was going to end up bad if he didn't do anything.
"Ash!" Riolu shouted frantically, "What about Lugia?"
Ash looked like he just hit a wall.
"Ash you aright there?" Brock asked.
"Uh…yeah. Why don't we meet at 1 on Route 3?" Ash asked after some quick thinking, "It'll give you time to pack."
"Great idea Ash." the former gym leader yelled. He ran the other way and gave a silent see you later sign.
Ash put his face in his hands, "I hope Brock can keep secrets."
Ash healed his Pokémon and at 1, he met Brock at Route 3.
"Oh man, you cannot know how much I thank you right now," he said.
Ash nodded and lead them to a clearing before stopping.
He turned around, "If you want to travel with me, you need to keep a secret. Can you do it?"
Brock nodded, confused and peculiar at the same time. Ash sighed and popped out 2 Poke balls. He let the Pokémon inside out, the first one was normal, a magnificent bird with a red v on top of her head.
"Pidgeotto." it cried. She and Lugia were already briefed about this so she knew what was going to happen.
The second Pokémon, however, was interesting. It was a baby. The Pokémon looked as big as Storm, which was pretty impressive at her age. She was silver, with blue plates folded on her back and a crescent around her eyes.
It gave off a cry, "Lugia!"
Brock gasped in recognition. Here was the Pokémon that was on Ash's shoulder the first time.
"What's so special about this Pokémon Ash?" Brock asked, utterly confused.
"This Brock is Lugia, a beast of the sea. She is one of the famed legendary Pokémon of the world. She is the daughter to the original guardian of the seas because she can use telepathy as well. You must've known only the original legendary Pokémon and their offspring can use telepathy. " Ash said, hoping to catch Brock if he fainted.
Brock jaw dropped and he gaped like a fish. Moments later, he was out.
Well this is it. I realize I am going wayyy to fast. I'm going to slow down and train the Pokémon very slowly. The reason I gave Ash all his Pokémon really fast is b/c he will be doing a lot more in the future and will have less time to catch Pokémon. You know that another two of his Pokemon are Dratini, and Pikachu. Don't worry though, they will not all appear in the next fw chapters. Dratini appears in chapter 10 or so. But anyway, who is his last Pokémon? Read and find out.
-Orion-