Day 16 — May 18th
Battle Island
Jessie hung up the phone in the main household. It was approaching evening in Kanto, and the sun was just beginning to descend into the horizon. She let out a light sigh; a romantic at heart, Jessie loved the sunset and the mood it created.
The magenta-haired woman and her two teammates, James and Meowth, had honestly never felt more at ease than on the island they currently resided on. After following Ash, Brock, and whichever female they had encountered in each region for years, having a permanent home – and more importantly, three square meals a day! – was a gift from the heavens.
There had been the initial suspicions of their motives, which all three former Team Rocket members had expected; after all, going from villain to roommate was a strange and abrupt transition. But when they proved that they weren't on another ploy to steal Pikachu, Ash and Brock had opened up to them a bit more. Eventually, all of the twerps' Pokémon – almost all of which, at one time or another, had been the target of Team Rocket's kidnapping schemes – warmed up to the trio, and they found themselves enjoying the honest work.
It was nice to have found a calling besides being failed Pokémon thieves.
Jessie headed for the door, exiting to the outdoors where James stood next to a sandy-haired boy in his mid-teens. He was rather plain-looking, slightly tanned and dressed in blue jeans and an orange t-shirt with darker sleeve and collar hems. Hazel eyes looked curiously at Jessie, as if awaiting some great proclamation. "Well, I've just been in contact with the Frontier Brain, and he says that he'll be back soon," she informed the boy. Then she muttered, "Though I have no idea what that means." The boy nodded his head in acceptance of this fact as James raised an eyebrow in silent question.
Four human figures appeared in the middle of the yard.
Jessie screamed.
"More warning next time, please," spoke a voice she recognized as Ash's. The raven-haired trainer stumbled forward a step, hand to his head as if trying to stave off a headache. Recovering from the shock of people materializing out of thin air, Jessie realized that Brock was also present, standing next to an orange-haired female that she belatedly recognized as the original twerpette (as she, James, and Meowth had affectionately dubbed her).
The last figure was not a human at all, but rather the tall, graceful form of Mewtwo, the protector of the cloned Pokémon from Mt. Quena. He looked around, noting the surprised expressions on Jessie and James, as well as the confused one on the challenging trainer. [Perhaps I misjudged my timing] he noted. [I will disappear for now. If you could free me at your convenience so I can associate myself with my new home, I would be most appreciative] He then walked up to Ash and held one three-fingered hand up to the black Pokéball clutched in the trainer's hand, vanishing within it without another word.
"Right," Ash stated absently. He turned around and spotted the sandy-haired boy. "Ah, you must be the challenger Jessie told me about."
The younger male nodded. "Yes sir. My name's Joey, and I'm from Celadon City. Palace Maven Spenser said that I should come here next."
"Spenser sent you here, huh? I'm surprised he hasn't retired yet."
Joey's brows furrowed in confusion, unsure whether Ash was actually talking to him or not. "So far I've beaten the Battle Arena, Battle Dome, Battle Pike, and Battle Palace," he said, pulling out his Frontier Pass and displaying the four symbols from Greta, Tucker, Lucy, and Spenser. "They've all been really tough opponents, sir."
Ash laughed. "Yeah, I remember how difficult fighting them was. You must be pretty strong to have gotten through all of that. Oh, and you don't have to call me 'sir', I'm not that old. Anyway, I'm Island Expert Ash, and I'm the Frontier Brain of the Battle Island! Would you mind if we put this off 'til tomorrow? It's getting dark out, and I've had one hell of a day, so I could really use a good night's rest."
"And some of us would like to change!" Misty added.
"We have a guest room for you to stay in, if you'd like," he told Joey.
The boy nodded again. "That's fine. Thanks for accommodating me."
Ash waved it off. "No problem! Someone will come grab you when dinner is ready. James, can you show him to his room?"
"Sure thing," agreed James. "Follow me."
As Joey followed James to the guest bedroom in the lab, Jessie looked over the trio. "I don't suppose you'll tell us what's going on here," she said.
"Later," Ash promised. He looked to make sure Joey had disappeared into the house before pulling out five Pokéballs. With a quick toss, all five were suspended in midair, bursting open with flashes of light to form into Zapdos, Articuno, Moltres, Mew, and Mewtwo. With the exception of Mewtwo, they all looked around curiously before turning their attention to Ash. "Make yourselves at home, guys."
Cawing in understanding, both Zapdos and Articuno took flight, heading for the mountainous region of the island; Ash assumed the icy bird would roost in the snow-capped peaks while Zapdos would find a perch close to any potential thunderclouds, though far from Articuno. Mew giggled and floated off in the direction of the lake, while Mewtwo teleported away without a word. Moltres remained, one wing bent at an awkward angle, clicking its beak in agitation. "Sorry," Ash apologized to the fiery bird, "but I never got the chance to get you healed." He recalled the Flame Pokémon, promising to get it fixed up the next day.
"Whoa," Jessie managed.
"Yeah," responded the Frontier Brain, "we've been on a bit of an adventure. But questions later. I need a shower." Brock and Misty nodded their agreement, and all four headed into the house.
-l-l-l-
Ash yawned and stretched, waiting for the telltale pop of his vertebrae. The previous night, he, Misty, and Brock had sat down with Jessie, James, and Meowth and described the journey they had embarked upon. It had taken a couple of hours to retell, what with the ex-Rockets' interruptions and demands for Ash's plans for the other regions, but everyone had eventually retired to bed around midnight.
Now, at just past eight in the morning, Ash was ready to take up his responsibility as a Frontier Brain. He quickly showered, dressed, and went downstairs to get breakfast. Misty was seated at the table, spreading jam on a piece of toast, while Brock was at the stove, frying bacon. Ash grabbed a bowl and spoon, setting them on the table and then rooting around the pantry for cereal. "Where's Joey?" he asked, mixing his cereal and the milk already sitting on the table into his bowl.
"You just missed him," Misty replied, putting down her knife and taking a bite of her toast. She swallowed and then grabbed her glass to take a swig of milk. "He's really excited for this match, put to shame how fast you used to eat."
Ash ignored the barb at his appetite. "Alright."
They finished eating in silence, Ash getting up and putting his bowl in the sink just as Joey walked into the kitchen. He waited patiently by the door for Ash to turn around and notice his presence. The researcher smiled and asked, "Ready?" Joey nodded, following Ash outside as a disheveled-looking James walked in with a yawn.
The purple-haired man stared after them, turning to the two remaining occupants in the kitchen. "What's going on?"
"Ash and Joey are preparing to battle," Brock explained. He placed the bacon on a plate and handed it to James, adding, "I suppose I should get out there and referee."
He walked outside to find Ash and Joey standing in front of a post which stuck up three feet from the ground. Attached to the post was a large circle, two feet in diameter and split into eight equal sections. Each section was artistically designed with a different picture, designating the different habitats of the island: forest, savannah, lake, ocean, rough terrain, mountains, caves, and volcano. Splitting each ecosystem around the circumference was a small metal peg, with a clicker placed at the top of the wheel to help slow down the spinning. Brock looked to Ash. "Did you explain the rules yet?"
"I was just about to start," Ash told him. The Frontier Brain returned his attention to Joey. "The rules of the Battle Island are pretty simple. We're gonna have a four-on-four battle in two different locations. The wheel," he continued, gesturing to the device, "will randomly choose which fields the battles take place on. When one of us loses two Pokémon, we'll switch fields and resume the battle. Got all that?" Joey nodded. "Well, let's see where we're goin'." Ash grabbed the wheel and spun it, all three men temporarily mesmerized by the rotation.
"Volcano," Brock noted when the circle stopped. "Your turn," he informed Joey. The younger boy stepped forward and spun, watching as the device landed on the drawing of several trees. "Forest."
"Alright, I'll be right back," promised Ash. "If you'd like to exchange Pokémon, we have a transfer machine in the breeding center you can use." He went back into the house and took the stairs down to the basement. The room was simple: two desks – one for Ash, the other for Brock – were placed on opposite sides of the entryway (Ash's notably more cluttered than Brock's); a handful of bookcases sat on the wall facing the doorway, Pokéballs resting in small grooves of a couple; books, research notes, and maps littered the shelves of the others. Large maps of the four regions Ash had ventured to in his younger years – Kanto and Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh – were hung on the walls.
Ash approached the shelves with his Pokéballs, letting his eyes roam over all of the capture devices. Most of the time, his Pokémon lived in the wilderness of the island, but sometimes it was more prudent to keep them within the spheres. He grabbed several belonging to his forest Pokémon; they were all already out in their natural habitat, but when they moved to the volcano area of the island, he would need to carry them somehow.
The Frontier Brain had gone down to the basement the previous night to return the Pokéballs to storage after releasing Pidgeot, Primeape, Bulbasaur, and Snorlax to the outdoors (since their habitats were closest to the lab). Now he stared at the other five Pokéballs he had placed down there at that time, those which had captured the five Legendary Pokémon of Kanto. After a moment's thought, he grabbed one of them and seemed to weigh it in his hand before placing it in his lab coat. He went back through his mental checklist of Pokémon once more before collecting the Pokéballs of his Johto-native companions as well.
Ash turned around and made his way back outside, giving Brock a nod as he reappeared. "Alright, let's get going," Brock prompted.
Thanks to the fact that the forest ecosystem partially surrounded the lab, it only a couple of minutes to reach the tree line. Parked just on the fringe was the former Team Rocket's hot air balloon; Ash led the way past it and navigated a well-worn path deep into the thick canopy. Every once in a while, the Frontier Brain would whistle; the sound went from high to low, and Ash alternated which direction he called in.
Joey opened his mouth to ask why the other male kept repeating the action when Brock, walking beside the younger boy (behind Ash), answered the curiosity displayed clearly on his face. "Ash comes in here all the time as part of his research, so most of the wild Pokémon are used to his presence. Mine, too, a little bit," he added. The Battle Frontier challenger looked around, taking notice of how several of the native creatures – Spinarak, Oddish, Rattata – ducked away to further hide their presence.
"On the other hand, strangers—" here he gestured to Joey "—tend to unnerve them. Ash whistles to let them know that he's bringing someone they're not used to into their home. Plus, it lets any of his own Pokémon in the vicinity know that he has a challenger."
Joey nodded. "Makes sense." They lapsed into silence as Ash led them through the foliage, finally arriving at a clearing in the middle of a copse of trees large enough to hold a battle. The sandy-haired boy gazed around the area in wonder, taking notice of all the different wild Pokémon half-hidden in the surroundings, a plethora of Bug-, Normal-, Flying-, Grass-, and Fighting-types. He gazed in awe at several of the oddities in the bunch – a tall Sceptile with a twig in its mouth, leaning against a tree; a slumbering Torterra; an energetic Primeape, bouncing from leg to leg and punching his gloves together – and wondered if their status as fully-evolved Pokémon meant that they were Ash's.
Brock took his place off to the side as Ash walked to the opposite end of the clearing, standing where a beam of sunlight shone through the canopy and illuminated his face. Joey was momentarily startled by the effect, the man's expression thrown into professional seriousness by the light in the shadowed forest. The sandy-haired boy snapped back to attention as Brock started talking.
"This will be a four-versus-four match, with Joey of Celadon City facing Island Expert Ash. Only the challenger can use substitutions, and after one trainer has lost two Pokémon, we will switch fields. There is no time limit, and the Frontier Brain will reveal his Pokémon first," he announced. "Begin when ready."
Ash glanced behind him at the gathering of evolved Pokémon. His opponent watched as the Sceptile stepped forward, rolling the twig around in its mouth. "Sceptile," muttered the Grass-type coolly, and its tone told Joey the lizard-like creature was male.
"Alright," said the Celadon resident, "you're on, Pinsir." The five-foot tall, brown Bug-type appeared in a flash of light, his spiked, curved, white horns clacking together menacingly. Brock looked between the two battle-ready Pokémon before announcing that the match could begin. "Swords Dance." Pinsir tapped his namesakes together, making them gleam silver before they seemed to become more pronounced.
"Bullet Seed," said Ash. Sceptile opened his mouth, releasing a cascade of glowing yellow pellets at Pinsir. At his trainer's command, Pinsir flashed white, the limited sunlight in the forest reflecting his Harden. The seeds struck and were dispersed against his reinforced carapace. "Leaf Blade," he ordered, realizing that the distance attack was doing nothing.
The two leaf-like extensions on each of Sceptile's forearms glowed green, elongated, and merged into one. With a cry, the Forest Pokémon leapt towards the bipedal insect.
"Pinsir, catch it with Vicegrip!" shouted Joey. The Stag Beetle Pokémon bowed his head, using his pincers to catch one of the blades; his spindly arms shot forward and caught Sceptile's other arm at the hand and elbow. Sceptile's red-rimmed, yellow eyes widened in surprise. "Toss him away with Vital Throw!" The Bug-type gave a mighty heave, throwing his opponent at a tree diagonally to his left. Sceptile righted himself in midair before striking the tree, embedding his sharp claws into the bark and glaring at the insect from his upside-down perch.
Impressive. His Sceptile was a powerful, stubborn Pokémon, agile and strong. As a whole, the species were known for being the 'King of the Forest', and the Grass-type oversaw the inner workings of the island's forest ecosystem almost single-handedly. His fighting prowess – especially when in his natural habitat – was not so easily bested.
But it was more than just the effectiveness of Pinsir's moves to Sceptile's own that the Frontier Brain was affected by. Where most trainers would either have had their Pokémon dodge or overpower Ash's own, Joey had rather strategically used Pinsir's abilities to completely counter Sceptile's attack. It was strangely reminiscent of Ash's own battling style, which had always used unorthodox attack combinations and counterattack tactics.
Ash felt a grin rise to his lips as he told Sceptile to use Bullet Seed again; the green lizard – still clinging to the tree – raised his head and shot yellow pellets at Pinsir. After the past two weeks of traveling and battling with a competitor's mindset – for the journey he had embarked on was nothing if not a challenge – having a Pokémon battle with no high stakes was a huge relief. He could feel the blood thrumming through his body with the usual vigor an exciting match elicited.
"Pinsir, use Brick Break!"
Pinsir's hand turned white before he rushed forward and slammed the appendage into the base of the tree Sceptile was in. The Forest Pokémon jumped to the bough of the next hardwood, continuing to keep ahead of the Bug-type as one Brick Break after another followed him, shaking the trees with the force of each impact. Ash followed the path of his Pokémon as Sceptile maintained the higher ground, leaping from limb to limb just beneath the canopy.
With surprising speed, Pinsir ran to the tree Sceptile was moving to, striking it with his hand just as the Forest Pokémon grasped the nearest branch. The power of the blow shook the tree, destabilizing the Grass-type. As Sceptile plummeted to the ground, Ash shouted, "Sceptile, use Slam!"
Simultaneously, Joey yelled, "Pinsir, try your X-Scissor!"
Pinsir's arms adopted a light blue color, and he crossed them into an 'X' shape. He tackled the falling Sceptile, who turned his palm-frond tail to take the brunt of the attack. As the pair struggled in a momentary stalemate, Ash wondered how to turn the match in his favor; Pinsir had already compensated for the terrain and Sceptile's speed with sheer power.
"Vice Grip!"
Sceptile cried out in mixed pain and anger as Pinsir's sharp horns grabbed him around the middle and squeezed tightly. "Sceptile, break free with Leaf Storm!" The six yellow seeds on the Grass-type's back glowed yellow-green, a plethora of similarly colored leaves swirling around the interlocked Pokémon and hitting the Bug-type. Pinsir rasped something incomprehensible but didn't release his grip. Joey commanded a Seismic Toss, and the Stag Beetle Pokémon jumped into the air, tossing his head back and releasing Sceptile at the ground.
With the Leaf Storm dispersed by the throw, Pinsir landed safely on the ground and clacked his horns together. Sceptile hit the earth on his back, rebounding with a grimace and firing another Bullet Seed at the beetle. At Joey's behest, Pinsir activated another X-Scissor, running through the energy pellets with his arms crossed and striking the Grass-type squarely in the chest.
The King of the Forest flew back and hit a tree opposite Brock's position. He slumped to the ground, and after a moment Brock called the match in Joey's favor.
Sceptile groaned a moment later, coming to with one tri-clawed hand held to his head. "You're out of practice," Ash teased. The Grass-type snorted at the jibe, leaping into the tree he had been hit into and moving towards Torterra's slumbering form. He alit lightly on the Continent Pokémon's broad back, leaning easily against the tree protruding from his fellow Pokémon's shell and rolling the ever-present twig around in his mouth.
"Uh…"
"Oh, don't worry about Sceptile," Ash assured Joey, "he's a sore loser, the big baby." Sceptile shot his trainer a dark look from his reclined position, protesting the teasing with a sharp cry the raven-haired trainer ignored. "Apparently someone needs to get back to training and stop snacking on berries." A single Bullet Seed pegged Ash in the back of his head, prompting a laugh.
Joey couldn't help but admire the relationship Ash had with his Pokémon. Waiting for the Frontier Brain to return his attention to the battle, his wandering eyes spotted a Noctowl – its gold and orange-red plumage causing it to stand out – whose head was tilted almost 90 degrees on its neck. The bird's intelligent eyes stared unflinchingly at the boy, who quickly became unnerved.
Ash's voice lured the challenger's attention away from the oddly colored bird. "Sorry about that. Your Pinsir is really well-trained. Sceptile doesn't usually get outmaneuvered so easily. Now," he muttered more to himself, "who next…?" The Primeape in the tree above Torterra (who had cracked open one lazy eye) looked ready to jump down to the forest floor, but the sudden appearance of a Heracross gave the remaining audience pause. "Heracross, you want to battle?"
"Hera-crah!"
Ash blinked at Heracross' sudden spirit, used to the Single Horn Pokémon's more lax nature. Maybe it's the Pinsir. After all, it had been a group of the Stag Beetle Pokémon that had initially set the Bug/Fighting hybrid on his path with Ash. Whatever the reason, he wasn't going to discourage the insectoid. "Alright, you're on. Let's show that Pinsir what you're made of with a Horn Attack." Heracross' trademark horn – shape like a double-bladed ax head – took on a silvery sheen as he charged forward with a raspy call of his name.
"Pinsir, catch him with Vice Grip!"
The Bug-type made a scratchy noise of assent, bringing his pincers forward to capture Heracross' horn. Ash, expecting that countermeasure, called for the surprised Single Horn Pokémon to use Focus Punch. Heracross' eyes hardened as a bluish-white aura overtook his right forearm before it was slammed into his opponent's abdomen. Pinsir grunted, digging his feet into the soft earth as the force behind his opponent's Focus Punch pushed him backwards several inches. "Use Swords Dance and then Vital Throw!" shouted Joey.
As the insectoid's pincers turned silvery and squeezed Heracross' horn, Ash ordered the Bug/Fighting hybrid to use Endure. Heracross hunkered down in preparation for Pinsir to toss him over his head and into a tree. Just like Sceptile had, Heracross latched onto the trunk after using his wings to stabilize himself; he took a quick moment to break through the bark and suck some sap before returning to the battle at his trainer's commanded Fury Attack.
Heracross attacked Pinsir with impressive ferocity, using his horn and arms to continuously assault the Stag Beetle Pokémon. In desperation, Joey cried for Pinsir to use Submission; the beetle grabbed Heracross mid-strike and rolled over the ground, eventually heaving the Single Horn Pokémon into the air. Ash took advantage of Submission's recoil by yelling, "Hyper Beam, now!"
"Hera-crah!" He righted himself again, forming and firing an orange beam at the grounded Pinsir. The Bug-type couldn't do anything as he was struck head-on, the impact kicking up a smokescreen of dirt. When the debris cleared, Pinsir could be seen in the center of a small crater, unconscious.
"Good job, Heracross." Both trainer and Pokémon watched as Pinsir was replaced by the small form of a grinning, purple monkey with a large, three-fingered hand for a tail – an Aipom.
Brock announced the beginning of the round, and Joey immediately told his Aipom to take to the trees. Ash grimaced; he'd owned an Aipom for a short period of time while journeying through Sinnoh, and they were agile, playful creatures. Contrarily, Heracross was the epitome of 'clunky' and wouldn't be able to maneuver around the forest as easily as the primate.
"Double Team," ordered Joey, and soon one Aipom had multiplied into a dozen, perched across a multitude of tree branches. Heracross cast a nervous glance around him, unsure what to do. He was saved the trouble when Joey followed up the evasive tactic by commanding for the Long Tail Pokémon to use Swift.
All of the Aipom opened their mouths and fired yellow stars at the Bug/Fighting hybrid. The Single Horn Pokémon covered his head as he was bombarded from all angles by the Normal-type attack. "Fight it off, Heracross!" Ash encouraged. Heracross' eyes acquired a determined look, and he quickly began countering the Swift attack with his horn.
Heracross won't be able to keep this up for long. Remembering the first battle, the Frontier Brain was struck by inspiration. "Heracross, try to dislodge the real Aipom by attacking the trees," he ordered. The insectoid made a noise of assent, approaching the nearest tree and ramming it violently with his glowing horn.
The tree shook under the force of the attack, and the Aipom in the branches above teetered momentarily before fading away. With the continuing Swift attack striking his carapace, Heracross repeated his move on the next three trees, finding only images in those, too.
Ash knew they had hit home on the fifth hardwood when the Long Tail Pokémon cut off his offense and jumped to the next tree upon impact, causing all the copies to fade. Heracross tried to follow the movement of the primate but quickly became confused when Joey ordered for Aipom to use Agility. Soon enough, the smaller creature could barely be seen flitting around beneath the canopy.
"Hera…hera…" muttered the Single Horn Pokémon, looking around nervously.
"Relax, Heracross, let him come to you," Ash soothed. The Bug- and Fighting-type nodded, relaxing his stance slightly and closing his eyes.
"Aipom, Focus Punch!"
"Use your own Focus Punch, Heracross!"
Aipom shot down from the trees in a blur, tailing burning a bright blue and curled into a fist. Heracross' forearm adopted the same aura, and he threw the limb into the primate's attacking appendage. The two Pokémon froze in that position, Focus Punches delicately balanced against each other. Both trainers heard a crackle of energy, and Joey flinched at the sound.
Ash retained his calm, used to the results of such an unbroken stalemate.
So he broke it. "Double it up! Focus Punch!"
Heracross' second forearm took on the same color as the first. Before Joey could shout for his Pokémon to react, the Bug/Fighting hybrid punched, striking the Long Tail Pokémon dead-on. There was a squeal of pain as Aipom flipped end over end in midair. The primate used his namesake tail to grab the nearest tree bough, jerking to an abrupt halt and hanging upside down.
Aipom's tail-hand glowed pink. I thought only I had that much luck, Ash groused halfheartedly, aware that he had to end the battle quickly or else face the potential of the primate evolving. On the opposite side of the battlefield, Joey breathed, "Whoa…" in an awestruck voice. Snapping out of his amazement, he quickly shouted, "Aipom, Double Hit!"
The Long Tail Pokémon chattered something unintelligible and leapt dexterously towards Heracross. The primate's glowing pink tail struck Heracross across the face before the insectoid could react; Ash yelled for his Pokémon to use Megahorn as the second hit came around. Heracross ducked the attack and then rose, plowing his glowing white, trademark horn into Aipom from below and sending the smaller creature straight up. "Hyper Beam!" yelled Ash, knowing he only had the one shot before Aipom recovered.
"Hera-crah!" This time, the Pokémon's horn turned gold before the powerful beam of energy was fired vertically, engulfing Aipom and sending the monkey-like creature even further skyward, through the canopy.
Silence reigned for a solid five seconds as Joey, Ash, Brock, and Heracross stared at the hole made in the treetops by the latter's attack. "Uh, whoops?" offered Ash, scratching his head as Heracross imitated his trainer. Before he could say more, a figure came plummeting back through the canopy, and Ash directed Heracross to catch him. The Single Horn Pokémon did as he was bade, grunting as a larger, two-tailed purple primate landed in his arms. "Looks like your Aipom still evolved into Ambipom," Ash observed.
Joey could only nod. "Ambipom is unable to battle, so this round goes to Ash," Brock announced after a moment. "We will now move to the volcano field for the second part of the match."
As Joey returned his newly evolved Ambipom to his Pokéball, Ash did the same for Heracross. He put the sphere away in his lab coat before pulling out a second one, pointing it at the strange-colored Noctowl and calling him back as well. "Alright, let's go," he said.
-l-l-l-
Misty stared across the still water of the lake, watching Staryu enjoy the clear water as Psyduck floated by in his inner tube; her recently caught Shellder rested nearby, as did Pikachu, whom Ash had left behind that morning. Mew floated just above the surface of the lake, giggling as Ash's Buizel squirted water at it. Bare feet dipped in the water, Misty was forced to admit that the tranquility of the island's natural beauty was almost therapeutic.
Of course, good things couldn't last forever. Although Daisy had taken temporary charge of the Cerulean Gym, the Indigo League had begun a couple of weeks before Ash had started his journey, meaning that the older woman didn't have as much to do. The beginning of the competition at Indigo Plateau signaled a break period for the Kanto Gym Leaders until the new season began.
So Misty gave herself until the end of July – the gyms would officially reopen on the first of August – to follow through with her plan: work up the nerve to tell Ash Ketchum how she felt.
Brock's advice and, more importantly, confidence regarding Ash and Misty's relationship swam through the redhead's mind. It helped a little that Misty had caught Ash acting a little peculiar since the incident at Seafoam Island, not to mention that it definitely seemed like the Frontier Brain had been checking her out on Mt. Ember. Then there was the gesture with his lab coat during the battle against Mewtwo's clones…
Hope – previously forbidden, yet not wholly unwanted – blossomed within her chest. There was a chance.
Misty sighed as a wild Poliwag accidentally disrupted her Psyduck's flotation device, sending the duck toppling into the lake to flail around in a failed attempt at treading water. Two months, she thought, counting down the time she had with Ash and Brock before the Indigo Plateau announced the new season of its competition. Staryu deposited a water-logged and melancholy Psyduck on the bank of the lake.
Two months to show Ash how I truly feel.
-l-l-l-
The ride to the volcano ecosystem was much quicker than Joey thought it would be. The (strange) Meowth-shaped hot air balloon parked on the outskirts of the forest took him, Ash, and Brock over a large part of the island, eventually settling down on an expansive, uneven stretch of hardened lava. Ash jumped out of the balloon basket and led the other two males over a small ridge.
Before them were several pools of hot water, steam rising and coiling from them in wispy tendrils. A couple of caves were carved out of the short cliff face, and Joey once again marveled at the wild Pokémon. Two Teddiursa were splashing around in one of the hot springs as a powerful-looking Infernape (which Joey automatically assumed to be Ash's) meditated in another spa. A Golem, flanked on either side by Graveler, stared down over the cliff side as a trio of Slugma slithered across the black, igneous rock of the terrain.
Joey pulled at the collar of his shirt, using the back of his hand to wipe away the sweat accumulating on his brow. Looming in the background of the small cliff was a large volcano, which he assumed to be both dormant and the source of the heat wave he was suddenly experiencing. "Sorry about the temperature," Ash offered, rolling up the sleeves of his lab coat, "can't really be helped, all things considered. Now, if you'll just stand over there, we can continue this match," he continued, gesturing to a slightly raised slab of rock across from his own position atop another rock.
Joey nodded and moved to the indicated spot, catching Brock mutter, "It's not as bad as Mt. Ember." The breeder waited until both trainers had taken their spots before announcing, "Release your Pokémon and begin the next round."
Ash called upon Heracross, who took form upon the battlefield and immediately began to look around nervously. Joey felt a twinge of sympathy for the Single Horn Pokémon, who looked to be so uncomfortable in the hot environment and tired from his previous matches that he appeared ready to keel over at any moment. Still, a battle was a battle…"Marowak, I choose you."
The Bone Keeper Pokémon appeared in a flash of light. She expertly tossed the large bone she held from one hand to another. "Marowak, Bonemerang!"
"Maro-wak." The Ground-type threw her bone like a boomerang at Heracross, and Ash shouted for his Pokémon to dodge. Heracross, too tired and succumbing to the heat of his surroundings, took the bone right between the eyes. The Bug/Fighting hybrid fell backwards to the ground, unconscious, as the weapon returned to its user.
"You fought well, Heracross," complimented Ash as the bug disappeared into his Pokéball, "take a nice long rest." He paused for a moment, as if to consider his options, before calling out, "Hey, Quilava, I need you!"
Out of one of the ground-level caves rushed a three-foot long quadruped, top half colored denim blue, underside colored cream. "Quilava!" cried the Pokémon, the voice high-pitched and a tad squeaky; Joey guessed that, despite the rarity in gender, Ash's Quilava was a female. The Volcano Pokémon skidded to a halt in front of her trainer, firing up the crests of flames on her head and rear with another cry.
Ash laughed. "Looks like you're ready to go, huh, buddy?" His Pokémon released a confirmatory squeak, and Brock announced the beginning of the battle. "Start things off with a Flamethrower!" The fiery crest on Quilava's head grew a little larger as an impressive stream of red and yellow flame spewed from her mouth.
"Block it!" shouted Joey. Marowak deftly twirled her bone like a baton, dispersing the flames upon contact. Ash ordered Quilava to use Smokescreen, and thick black smoke engulfed the area. "Blow away all the smoke!"
In short order, the smoke was blown in Ash's direction, and when it was finally blown away, he could see that Marowak had increased the rotation of her bone to create a rudimentary whirlwind. Quilava was nowhere to be seen. "Keep your guard up, Marowak," Joey warned.
Almost a minute of tension built in the stillness before Ash decided to end the suspense. "Quilava, Flame Wheel!"
The Fire-type burst out of one of the small hot springs, the flames on her body instantly reigniting as she rolled into a ball of fire. As the Volcano Pokémon wheeled forward, Marowak clutched the ends of her weapon with both hands. Quilava struck the bone, pushing the Ground-type backwards with the sheer force of her attack. "Marowak, Headbutt!"
Using her protective skull covering, Marowak rammed her head into the fiery ball that was Quilava, and the Fire-type squealed in pain as she flew backwards. Quilava landed on all fours and shook her head, powering up the flames on her body. "Alright Quilava, let's get things started again," Ash shouted. "Aerial Ace!"
Streaks of white light surrounded the Volcano Pokémon as she soared through the air, landing two quick hits on her opponent. As she came around again, Joey yelled, "Bone Club!" Marowak took her bone and bludgeoned the incoming Pokémon on the head. Quilava reeled back with another squeal, but recovered and unleashed a Swift attack at her trainer's command. Surprised, Marowak was struck by the yellow stars, but seemed unshaken by the assault.
Marowak and Quilava stared each other down until Joey ordered another Bonemerang. Quilava jumped aside to avoid the weapon, firing off another Flamethrower at the weaponless Marowak. "Marowak, jump and then use Bone Club from the air!" The Bone Keeper Pokémon leapt into the air, catching her returning weapon and angling down for an overhead assault on Quilava.
An opening! "Quilava, use Eruption! Put everything you've got into it!"
"Quiii-lava!" cried the Fire-type. The flames on her body grew larger, until a pillar of red-orange fire erupted from the crest on her head, engulfing the airborne Marowak in an inferno. When the smoke from the attack cleared, Quilava could be seen standing on her hind legs, looking around curiously while Marowak lay in a singed heap upon the ground, scorch marks decorating her skull helmet.
Joey grimaced. Quilava's strong if she can take down Marowak with one Eruption. Fortunately, with all the damage from Marowak's attacks, as well as the energy exerted in producing the impressive Fire-type attack, Quilava probably didn't have much fight left in her. "One Pokémon left," he muttered. "It's all on you!"
Ash tried not to flinch as Joey's last Pokémon materialized. Standing across from Quilava was the large, portly form of a Magmortar. The Pokémon pumped his arms – thick yellow cylinders tipped with sharp claws – into the air and muttered something in a deep voice. Experience with Paul – as well as the long-recalled memory of fighting Blaine's Magmar – had taught the Island Expert to be wary about battling any of the Magby evolutionary line. "Quilava, Flamethower!"
The conflagration that blasted from Quilava's mouth consumed Magmortar. Ash remained hopeful that the attack had done something, but soon enough, the Blast Pokémon was revealed to be unharmed. Figures, what with them living in volcanoes.
"Magmortar, Fire Spin." A stream of fire shaped in a spiral pattern spewed from the bigger Pokémon's mouth and wrapped around Quilava, caging her in a spinning vortex of heat. "Now, finish this with Thunder Punch."
The Blast Pokémon burst through the flames surrounding Quilava and loomed over her, completely unaffected by the heat of his own attack. Sparks crackled along his glowing yellow arm, and Quilava cried out as the Electric-type attack connected with her body. She was propelled out of the Fire Spin and rolled along the ground, electricity dancing along her body. The Volcano Pokémon struggled to rise, but the paralysis from Magmortar's punch combined with her previous exhaustion caused the Fire-type to faint. Brock announced the round's victory to Joey as Ash recalled Quilava, thanking her for a job well done and promising her a good rest before they left for Johto.
"Your Magmortar's strong," he told Joey. "Your whole team is, actually."
"Thanks. We've trained hard."
"But let's see if you have what it takes to defeat one of my strongest Pokémon. Infernape, let's go!" From the hot bath bounded the lanky monkey, who barked his name in response to Ash's call. "Alright, Infernape, let's see if your Flamethrower can do something!" Ash shouted immediately upon the start of the final round. The blaze expelled from the Flame Pokémon's mouth hit Magmortar and encased him in a fiery aura.
Magmortar stomped the ground and spread his arms wide, his body taking on a white outline; the fire disappeared, though Ash was pleased to see that Magmortar looked disgruntled at the power behind the assault. "Show him your Flamethrower, Magmortar!" called Joey.
Instead of the usual red-, orange-, and yellow-colored flames, the conflagration that came from Magmortar's bill-like mouth was red and white. Ash ordered Infernape to dodge, flinching from the heat of the attack even at his distance. "Well, doesn't look like fire's gonna work too well here," he muttered, "so we'll just have to get creative. Try using Mach Punch!"
Infernape's fist glowed light blue as he darted forward with alacrity, striking Magmortar before the Blast Pokémon could properly defend himself. The Flame Pokémon struck again, but this time Magmortar retaliated, soaking the Fighting-type attack and slamming both fists – one yellow with the power of electricity, the second covered in a fiery aura – into Infernape. The primate cried out as both the Thunder Punch and Fire Punch hit him, but he righted himself with a back flip.
Ash tried to take a moment to consider his next move, but Joey shouted for a Smokescreen, and the haste to protect Infernape overrode any of his plans. "Go underground!" he shouted as Joey yelled, "Lava Plume!"
Small explosions sounded from around Magmortar as fire and even more smoke billowed forth at the attack. It seemed to take forever for the soot to clear, but when it did, Joey's Pokémon could be seen standing in the middle of the battlefield, quite alone. A hole marked the spot where Infernape had dug underground in a hasty retreat from the impressive barrage. "Alright Magmortar, send a Fire Blast down that hole!" yelled Joey.
The Blast Pokémon moved forward, his claws on both hands disappearing inside his arms, creating yellow cannons. An orb of fire formed in front of the appendages, directed into the opening.
Ash reacted almost instantly. "Infernape, Close Combat!" The Fire/Fighting hybrid popped up from the ground behind Magmortar and began to combo punches and kicks in quick succession. With the other Pokémon's bulk and concentration focused upon his attack, Infernape was able to pull off a dozen hits before Magmortar turned around and exuded an ash-gray gas in the form of a Smog attack.
The haze obscured enough of the Blast Pokémon that Ash decided to wait until it had dissipated enough to take up the offense again. While Fire-type attacks (understandably) seemed to have little to no effect on Joey's Pokémon – which severely limited his move-set – it appeared that in close quarters, Infernape possessed the advantage.
Let's keep pressing that avenue then, he decided, noticing the Smog thinning. "Infernape, Mach Punch!" The primate darted forward, getting inside Magmortar's guard—
"Magmortar, Hyper Beam!"
Quicker than Ash expected, the Fire-type loosed the powerful attack at point-blank range, sending Infernape screaming backwards. He lay on the ground, signs of fatigue decorating his body as Magmortar panted with exertion. "Infernape, please get up!" Ash encouraged, and the primate found the will to slowly climb to his feet.
The Flame Pokémon's Blaze ability activated upon the motion, though Ash didn't think it would really help against his foe. He knew that Infernape only had so much energy left in him, so the last couple of moves would be critical. Gotta get close to use more Fighting-type moves.
Joey called for another Fire Blast, and Magmortar's cannons spewed white-hot fire. "Dodge it!" cried Ash as the tremendous blaze came his Pokémon's way. More conflagration followed in the form of a Flamethrower, and at his trainer's behest, Infernape used Dig.
Magmortar looked around, trying to pinpoint where Infernape would come up next. "Mach Punch!" shouted Ash, and the ground beneath Magmortar's feet cracked to reveal the primate, hand encased in a light blue aura. The force behind the attack threw the heavy Fire-type into the air, prompting Ash to yell, "Follow up with Close Combat!"
Another series of lightning-fast kicks, jabs, and punches struck true. Magmortar – bulky and awkward without his feet on solid ground – was forced to take all of them, the last of which was a downward Mach Punch aimed to send him straight into the ground.
The hardened magma splintered under the impact as Infernape landed on one knee in front of Ash, breathing labored. When Magmortar could be seen clearly, it was obvious that he was unconscious. "Magmortar is unable to battle," announced Brock, "the winner of the match is Island Expert Ash!"
Ash wiped his brow, where sweat from the volcano's heat and the intensity of the battle had accumulated. "Great job, Infernape," he told the Flame Pokémon, "you deserve a break."
"Infernape," mumbled the Pokémon wearily, walking back to the hot spring he had originally been sitting in.
Across the way, Joey was frowning. "Well done, Magmortar, take a long rest."
Ash approached the younger boy and smiled. "Hey, why the long face? You did a great job. I thought for sure you had me with that Hyper Beam."
The sandy-haired boy sighed. "It would've been nice to win."
"It's always nice to win," the Frontier Brain chuckled, "but you've done an excellent job raising your Pokémon. I can see why you already have four Frontier Symbols. Why don't you try the Battle Factory next? It's near Cerulean City, and when you get another Symbol or two, feel free to come back and have a rematch with me."
Joey nodded as he, Ash, and Brock walked toward the hot air balloon. "Alright, but don't think that the next time will be easy," he warned, and Ash recognized the spirit and determination burning in the boy just as they had in him at that age.
"Oh," he realized, "that reminds me." From his lab coat, he produced and expanded a Pokéball. He threw the device in a high, overhead arc towards the volcano, and a stream of white light exited the sphere and entered its mouth. Five seconds later, Moltres burst forth from the caldera with a shrill trill, globules of gleaming magma dripping from its wings, both of which, Ash noted, were now functional. The phoenix-like creature perched on the lip of the volcano, staring down its long beak at Ash before inclining its head in a semblance of a bow and disappearing back into its new home. "Well, looks like that worked out nicely," commented Ash, turning and climbing into the balloon basket. He raised an eyebrow at Joey's lack of movement, even as Brock was firing up the gas. "Coming?"
Slack-jawed, the Celadon native barely registered getting into the hot air balloon. He had a Moltres at his disposal, but didn't use it? He stared at Ash in a mixture of awe, admiration, respect, and fear. Just how strong is he?
-l-l-l-
That night, Ash dreamed of a set of craggy islands surrounded by whirlpools in the middle of the ocean, and a disembodied voice that seemed familiar, though he couldn't place why.
"The Guardian of the Seas waits to be awakened by the Chosen's hand," intoned the female voice. "He slumbers in the depths, awaiting the sign of his own power.
"Remember Shamouti Island," echoed the voice before it faded away, Rai's sky blue eyes disappearing with it.
Ash woke up with a tiny silver feather in his hand and no memory of how it got there. He arrived at the breakfast table, musing in silent awe at the majesty of the small item between his fingers. Pulling out a chair, he noticed Misty and Brock already eating, and grabbed some pancakes from a stack in the middle of the table.
There was silence for several minutes until Brock spoke. "I'm not going with you guys to Johto."
Both Ash and Misty's heads shot up. "What?" they chorused.
"Not right away, anyway," Brock shrugged. "I've got some other business to deal with first. Once I'm done, I'll catch up with you where you are."
Ash nodded and returned to his meal. He was used to Brock disappearing for days at a time; the breeder always returned looking noticeably cheery, so Ash didn't pry into his friend's secret escapades. With the Frontier Brain again preoccupied by food, Brock shot Misty a small wink and smirked, mouthing, 'he's all yours' to the redhead.
-l-l-l-
Giovanni was displeased.
As the underground leader of a villainous organization with the size and reputation of Team Rocket, an unsatisfied Giovanni did not bode well for his underlings. He ran a hand over his Persian's fur coat, allowing the motion to calm his annoyance.
Several hours ago, a grunt had entered his office with an (apparently urgent) disc from their Five Isle Meadow base in the Sevii Islands. Giovanni had watched the contents of the disc in full, his expression slowly morphing into a scowl as the video played. What he had witnessed portrayed ill omens of things to come for his employer.
Said employer – for Giovanni knew only that the man was rich and powerful, but nothing else – had approached Team Rocket's leader three months before (via a shadowy video conference) with an interesting prospect: if Giovanni would help him capture several Pokémon he desired, Giovanni would be handsomely rewarded. Part of that reward included regaining control of Mewtwo, a Pokémon which Giovanni knew nothing about at the time.
Upon recognizing Giovanni's skepticism, the man had explained that such a creature did, in fact, exist, and that the reason Giovanni couldn't remember was that Mewtwo had forcibly blocked any and all memories of himself from the former Gym Leader's mind. Giovanni had been given a way to contact the man if he was interested in discussing terms after looking into the incident leading to his targeted amnesia.
So he had. Careful evaluation of expense reports, travel logs, and activities around the supposed time the event had occurred forced Giovanni to conclude that something didn't add up. Three intense weeks of psychic probing and mental manipulation with a Hypno eventually unlocked the hidden memories like a dam bursting.
The crime boss had immediately contacted the other man, demanding to know what he knew, how he knew it, and what he wanted. No answers had been forthcoming, though the man had recommended surreptitiously hacking some of the technology present in the abandoned laboratory upon New Island.
Giovanni had only been mildly surprised to find the place in relatively good shape, assuming that there had to be a reason his employer wanted him to hack the cameras. The bigger shock was discovering that Mewtwo had made the facility his current home. Team Rocket's leader had immediately wanted to reclaim the Pokémon for his own purposes, but he had been assured that it would happen in due time, when everything else was ready. In the meantime, he was to keep an eye on Mewtwo, as both a precaution and a study.
Up until the arrival of this most recent video, things had been pretty dull. But now…
Now, some punk trainer – Giovanni had identified the people in the video as Ash Ketchum, Misty Waterflower, and Brock Slate by their reputations – had captured Mewtwo and Mew.
This interference by the three humans did not bode well for his employer's plans. Giovanni pressed a button on his desk. A cabinet door across from his desk slid away to reveal a television screen, which flickered on to reveal a shadowed room with three more screens in the background. Seated in a large chair in front of the screens was his current boss, completely shrouded in darkness. Giovanni folded his hands together and placed them underneath his chin. "We have a problem," he said.
Without warning, the other three screens flickered to life, revealing the faces of Giovanni's coworkers. Maxie, leader of Hoenn's Team Magma, was standing in front of a large volcano, heavy machinery working tirelessly – if slowly – to excavate the rock behind him. Archie, leader of Hoenn's other criminal organization Team Aqua, could be seen tinkering on a submarine with several Team Aqua members. The last screen depicted a squat, older man wearing glasses; this was Charon, current leader of Sinnoh's Team Galactic following the disappearance of Cyrus. He was sitting in a plain room surrounded by computers and other technological innovations. "Giovanni," greeted their employer, and suddenly the other three syndicate leaders were paying attention, "what do you have to report?"
"Mew and Mewtwo have been captured by a young man named Ash Ketchum." All three other team leaders showed varying amounts of displeasure at the name, having trifled with the boy in the past. "According to my information," he continued, typing on his computer and pulling up numerous screens depicting Ash's recent activities, "he has recently traveled to the Sevii Islands, and he currently has tickets to travel from Vermillion City to Olivine City. Given his status as a Pokémon Researcher and that his field of study is Legendary Pokémon, I suspect that he aims to capture the ones within at least Johto, if not Hoenn and Sinnoh as well."
"Hmm," the shadowed man mused. "Maxie, Archie, Charon, what is your status?"
"We'll be ready to go in a week," Archie answered. "All the preparations are in order."
"Progress is slow on this front," said Maxie, "but I would estimate that we have about two weeks until our objective is acquired."
"Research and search for the necessary relics are taking longer than expected," Charon admitted reluctantly. "I hesitate to put a time stamp on our progress, but we are putting forth every effort to complete our assignment."
"Good, good."
"Would you like me to remove Ketchum as an obstacle?" inquired Giovanni.
The man in the chair held up a hand. "No, that will be unnecessary. How much progress have you made with your targets, Giovanni?"
"Limited," he grunted, "Johto mythology is an unfortunately broad subject, and I can find no clear indication of a way to achieve what you intend."
"We shall use Ketchum then," the employer decided. "Focus your attention on Johto, and make sure you know where he is at all times. When an opportunity arises to fulfill your objective, strike without mercy. Mewtwo will be yours after my plans come to fruition. Understood?"
"Yes."
"Good. Report back when you have more information." Then the screen went black.
Giovanni scowled at the blank monitor. He would admit that he was grateful to the man for revealing Mewtwo's existence to him, but Team Rocket's leader disliked working for other people. Persian yelped as Giovanni's hand stroked a bit too roughly in his agitation. He would only have to deal with his employer for a short while longer. Then, what was his before would be his once again.
He stared at his computer, scrutinizing Ash's face. Nobody would get in the way of his goal; and if Ash Ketchum interfered, then the consequences would be on his head.