Chapter 19: A New Move and A new Friend
"Alright Brock where we off too next?", asked Ash.
"Well it seems we are off to a town called Florence town", Brock replied.
"Florence town?", Dawn asked
"Yes, it's a small town about 2 days walk from here", Brock answered.
"2 days?", May complained
"Yes, 2 days and we should arrive in time for their annual festivities", Brock replied.
"A festival? Yeah!", Misty shouted.
"Just remember we are not there to party", Brock lectured.
"Yeah, yeah I know, but it won't hurt to have a little relaxation", Ash retorted.
"Yeah but a little relaxation can turn into a vacation that you can't afford right now. You may have a slight lead right now due to your win, but don't let it go to your head like you usually do because that rank could be lost at any…", Brock said as he looked at the pokénav.
"Oh wait there it goes you just dropped from 10th to 70th", Brock continued.
"What? Let me see that", Ash says as he grabs the pokénav out of Brocks' hands
"Easy Ash", Brock replies.
"Alright let's get movin'…right after breakfast", Ash says suddenly.
An awkward silence befalls the group.
"Same old Ash…his stomach always comes first", says Misty as she sigh's
"Let's just hope that his kids don't inherit his bottomless pit of an appetite", Brock thinks.
About 20 minutes later the gang leaves with stomachs full and are on route to the next gym.
After about a day and a half of walking the gang finally arrives at another Pokémon center.
"Yes, Florence town is just ahead, but all of the stores, the gym, and recreation facilities are closed due to the festival at the end of the week", Nurse Joy replies as Ash and company enter the center asking about the town and its gym leader.
"Aww…ok, but at least the festival is at the end of the week and we can battle real soon", Ash replies
"Of course my friend…just be ready or I'll crush you", says a voice as it enters the main lobby overhearing their conversation.
"Huh? Crush me? Please, not only will I beat you, but I'll even figure out your battle style before your second Pokémon or I'll concede defeat, but if I do you will double my score when I win", Ash replies confidently.
"…Alright, Mr.…", asks the voice
"Ketchum, Ash Ketchum",
"Alright Mr. Ketchum you have a deal, oh and by the way no one has been able to figure it out except…", the man says before Ash cuts him off.
"Let me guess the champ?", Ash finishes
"…Yeah…how did you?", questions the man.
"The last gym leader said the same thing", replies Ash.
"Oh so you're the guy who beat Alto, well I look forward to our match Mr. Ketchum. By the way the names Leon and oh and I'll tell you this now…don't come at me with speed or I'll crush you faster than you ever thought possible…", replies Leon confidently.
Ash stands in shock as the gym leader walks away laughing.
Soon after Ash and company arrive at the Florence town Pokémon center. Ash heads for the nearest video phone to contact Professor Oak. Moments later he appears on screen.
"Hey Professor", Ash says.
"Well Ash, how are you?", questions oak.
"I'm fine, as well as everyone else; the reason for my call is I need a Poké swap, can you get ready to receive", replied Ash.
"Sure thing Ash, why the sudden switch?", asked Oak.
"Well Pidgeot, and Fearow need a rest, and I feel they need a good open field for recovery not a Pokéball on a league Pokémon trainer plus Noctowl and Staraptor will be there to help them. So I'm sending Staraptor, Pidgeot and Fearow and I would like in return Totodile, Bayleef, and Bulbasaur", Ash explained.
"Alright Ash I'm sure they will be thrilled to rejoin you let me just go grab them", Oak replied.
"Wait…Professor before you do that let me inform you that Fearow is a little troublesome, around everyone, but I'm sure he will warm up eventually. But just in case, be ready for anything. The only thing I've been able to do so far is gain some trust from him, but otherwise try to keep an eye on him just in case", Ash explained with a little fear in his voice.
"Well Ash there is an old saying when one tries to prevent something it happens anyway so if it happens you will be the first to know", Oak replied.
"Thanks, Professor", said Ash.
"Now if you will excuse me", Oak replied.
Ash pulled out three pokéballs and places them on the teleporter.
Moments later…
"Alright Ash we're ready on this end", Oak replied
"Same here Professor", replied Ash.
"Alright beginning trade", oak said.
The pokéballs disappear and three more reappear; "Alright guys come on out!", Ash declared.
Ash throws the pokéballs and Totodile, Bulbasaur, and Bayleef appear.
Ash steps over to pet them and welcome them back.
"Alright Professor we're good on this end, how 'bout you?", asked Ash.
"Yes Ash, although Fearow seems to be adjusting rather quickly…", oak said concerned.
"Well that's because he's originally from there so it's really not that surprising", replied Ash.
"Oh, from where exactly?", asked the now puzzled Professor.
"Route 1", replied Ash.
"Wow that's surprisingly close", replied the now deeply thinking Professor.
"Talk to you later Professor", replied Ash.
"See ya Ash", said oak thankfully.
The screen goes black and Ash turns around deep in thought, then suddenly a rather large grin appears on his face.
"Alright Ash I'll bite what are you grinning about?", asked May.
"Oh nothing…", replied Ash.
…(May gave a serious look while crossing her arms)…
"Well ok, I got to thinking about some of our past adventures and remembered something that I thought would be worth trying", said Ash.
"What?", asked May partially unfolding her arms.
"Remember when we saw that Lucario for the first time at the palace, well the staff we brought him out of I thought would be good for Rilou to use, but since we can't have it I thought we could make it, replied Ash while a hint of doubt in his voice.
"Make it? Ash you can really do that here", May asked.
"Oh but there is a way, it just may take some time and a whole truckload of elbow grease", Ash replied.
"Alright Ash if you say so", May says.
"Well you won't know 'til we try so why don't we do some training to try it", Misty said walking in on the two.
"Sure Misty, once it's ready for field testing I'll let you know", Ash replied with some relief in his voice.
The next day…(Monday)
"Thank you madam I really do appreciate it", thanked Ash.
The screen goes blank.
"Ash who were you talking to?", Misty asked.
"We'll I thought I might get into contact with the princess and see if she could send the staff to us, but to start just give me a picture to go by", Ash said.
"Why would you need…oh ok", Misty said then thought about it for a second then responded again.
"I surprised they let you have it Ash", May said as she walked in.
"Well it took a little convincing, but it all paid off at the end and also as a bonus they are even going to send us the outfits we wore to the competition", Ash replied.
"What they are, yay!", May said with an ecstatic tone.
"Alright May calm down there's no need to get excited", Misty said trying to calm the brunette down.
"But that was a really pretty dress I'm just so happy that I'll be able to keep it", May said still jumping around.
"Anyway…", Ash said with a sigh.
"Alright Rilou, today we are working on a new attack for you so I need you to be ready for anything", Ash said seriously.
"Rilou ri."
"Ok, first I need you to make two aura sphere's one in each paw", Ash ordered.
Rilou nodes in understanding and complies with the command.
"Alright now…", Ash said.
The training goes through the day as they are walking with still no results.
"Alright guys we are on the outskirts of town and due to Rilou still trying to perfect this new move Ash has come up with until he can do it without an explosion, I'm afraid that Ash and him will have to stay, here at camp", Brock says.
"What…awww…ok", Ash replied.
"Well Ash we are going to head into town for some groceries, so we shall be back in about an hour", Brock said.
"Alright gotcha…", replied Ash.
About 30 minutes later…(Monday afternoon)
"Alright Rilou I know you can do this just concentrate and release!", Ash influenced.
"That's it, just a little more and…"
Rilou had it down, what had been taking place over the past 2 days was that Rilou takes two aura sphere's one in each hand and slams them together across one another in a horizontal fashion, then grabbing the spheres and molding them into a staff.
Then suddenly the staff dissipated.
"What happened?", asked Ash.
Rilou just stood there clutching his fist.
"Oh well I guess all we can do is keep trying, till you get the flow down", said Ash.
"Rilou ri."
"!" (Rilou pumps himself with a battle cry)
"Wow, he's really determined to get this down, it may actually work", Ash thought.
A few hours later…as Brock and company had already returned from the store and had already begun to make dinner.
A bright light followed by an explosion constantly emanates from the direction of Ash and Rilou.
"Wow, they must really be training hard if light is still emanating from them", Misty says as she sets the table.
"Alright everyone let's eat!", Brock shouts.
"Coming Brock…", Ash yells back.
"That's it, just a little more and…that's it!", Ash says with excitement.
"The staff isn't dissipating and its appears to be stable enough to hit something with it, now hold still and…", Ash says as he attempts to hit the staff in a vertical motion.
Rilou braces himself to withstand the impact but Ash's hand passes through and hits the ground.
"Damn it!", Ash declares.
"So close…oh well let's keep trying tomorrow and hopefully we shall come up with something, now Rilou lets go eat!", Ash says.
"Rilou!"
Both run over in the direction of the table and begin to chow down as if there food would disappear if they didn't eat it in time.
"Seconds please!", says Ash shoving his bowl into brocks face.
"Alright Ash slow down or you'll get heartburn or choke on your…food", Misty said.
Before Misty could finish her sentence Ash was already choking on his second bowl of food. As she quickly handed him water to loosen the substance in his throat he began to guzzle his food again.
"Alright Ash calm down or no more food for you!", Misty declares as she takes the bowl away for Ash ninja like.
"What? Alright darling I'll slow down", Ash says apologetically
"Thank you", Misty replies.
She hands the bowl back to him and begins to properly eat (for once in his life) the bowl of rice and steak that lay before him.
Approximately 15 minutes later…
"Thank you for the food", everyone says simultaneously.
"Alright now that that's done let's…", Ash said.
"Ash aren't you forgetting something?" Misty asked.
"Oh yeah I'm sorry, alright everyone let's get these dishes done and get back to training", Ash declares with all his Pokémon cheering along with him while giving Misty a kiss on the cheek.
After the dishes were cleaned and everyone was relaxing Misty was watching Ash and Rilou continue their training.
"Alright let's try it again", Ash said.
Rilou simply nodes and prepares the attack, but this time it looks stronger than it did before.
"Wow that's look good; I think we should try something…", Ash thought.
"Alright Rilou that looks pretty stable let's try something, now I want you to hit me with it", Ash said seriously.
"Ri?"
"Huh?"
"Eh?"
"What?"
"Pika?"
Everyone says looking at Ash with their petrified looks.
"You heard me, hit me with that staff…", Ash said again seriously.
Rilou nodes and proceeds with the order and just at the point of contact the staff passes through Ash's arm and the whole staff disappears.
"Damn, alright try it again", Ash declares.
Soon after trying multiple times…
It repeats as the last had done.
"Ok, let's try something different", Ash says.
Rilou creates the staff almost naturally.
"Now use psychic in the form of a rod around the aura energy", Ash orders.
"Ri?"
"Go ahead just visualize it and go for it, if my theory is correct that should stabilize the attack", Ash says (almost!) soundly like Gary.
"Theory?…stabilize?... Just who are you and what have you done with my Ash?", Misty declares as she gets up in a fury.
"Huh, what are you talking about I'm right here I just thought I'd talk a little more mature like instead of like a kid, I'm going to be a father soon and I thought I should act more like it", Ash says again seriously.
"Oh Ash", Misty says as she walks over to him and kisses him gently and hugs him.
"Alright now back to the training", Ash says with him still hugging Misty around the waist.
"Wait let me get out of the way before he does anything", Misty says dashing back to the safety of her chair.
"Now strike the ground in front of you", Ash says.
Rilou obeys and attacks the ground and the staff doesn't disappear.
"Alright! Good job!", Ash praises.
"Now we need to change up the routine now that we know that the staff is now stable, ah Pikachu how would you like to give our little friend here a little sparring partner?", Ash says.
"Pika, pika!" Replies Pikachu charging its cheeks,
"No, no, no; no electric attacks just, punching, kicking and whacking with your tail; no iron tail, no thunder bolt, just pure attacks and start off slow then we shall start to pick up the pace a little after he gets the hang of it", Ash says.
"Rilou?", Ash asks.
"Ri? "
"It now your job to concentrate on dodging, or blocking all of Pikachu's attacks, and when I say block I mean with the staff not your hands, feet or arms", Ash orders.
Rilou simply nodes.
"Alright now Rilou when I say go, Pikachu will come at you it's up to you whether to block or dodge the attack, then after each attack I want you to strike the ground after each attack Pikachu throws at you to show that the staff is still stable, understood?", Ash commands.
"Rilou ri."
"And…go!", Ash orders jumping out of the way.
Over the next couple of hours Pikachu and Rilou continue to spar until Rilou could maintain the staff and dodge or defend with it.
"Alright now we shall add attacks, Pikachu? You now have full attack capabilities', attack as much as you like with whatever you like", Ash commands.
"Rilou it's still your job to either block or dodge with the staff", Ash orders.
"Rilou ri."
After several more hours…
"Rilou, Pikachu you two have done well lets go ahead and take a break for a little bit then we can try something else", Ash commands.
About 20 minutes later…
"Alright, now that you have the dodging part down, let's try to fight back. Either strike back or defend no dodging", Ash orders
"Ri."
"Ok everyone let's eat!", Brock yelled.
"Ok, Rilou…everyone take an additional 5 minutes while we all eat supper", Ash says.
All of the Pokémon charge for their bowls nearly crushing Ash beneath their feet in the process.
Rilou jumps into the air throws his staff next to his bowl and it firmly plants itself into the ground, as he lands next to his bowl he begins to chow down.
As everyone is eating their food Ash and Misty both look at the Pokémon who are still eating very quietly, then they see Rilou still woofing his food down.
"Hey Ash look…", Misty says.
"Yeah I see it too…", Ash replies.
"Hey Rilou come here would ya?", Ash asks.
"Ri?"
Rilou complies, places both hands behind him on the ground and shoots a force palm into the ground pushing himself into the air and nearly lands next to Ash and company.
Everyone drops their chopsticks in amazement and stare at Rilou.
"Rilou…that's…that's…awesome!", Ash praises.
"Ri?"
"The way you came over here and the way your staff is still stuck into the ground even though you are away from it", Ash commends.
"Hey wait there's another idea…", "Rilou use psychic to grab your…" (Rilou does task before Ash can finish what he was saying)"…good boy", Ash says rubbing him on the head, "ok you can go finish now."
Rilou chunks his staff back at the bowl and it firmly implants itself into the ground and then leaps for his bowl and continues to eat.
Ash turns back to everyone and says, "I think we are gonna have fun at the next gym…"
Soon after supper the group had decided to get a little more traveling done before the sun set.
"Alright, I think we are going to win with what Rilou can do, I just know it", Ash says.
*Rustle, Rustle*
Everyone stops at the sight of the bush in front of them.
"What's that?", Ash asks.
A dark figure dashes from one bush to the next across the path they were traveling.
"Over there Rilou, go from extreme speed into force palm", Ash commands.
Rilou complies as he disappears.
"Ri…lou!"
Rilou charges after the figure and makes contact knocking it onto the ground in front of them, kicking up a dust cloud. After it settles the gang runs up to the now displayed figure and stares.
"It's a substitute"; Brock declares as it vanishes into a poof of smoke, almost a second later a fire ball suddenly explodes from beneath the smoke with everyone still around it.
Everyone blows a smoke ball with their faces darkened and hairs all distraught by the explosion.
After the smoke disappears, out from the bushes jumps a little black fox with a grin on his face and then it begins laughing while wagging its tail in everyone's faces.
Everyone unconsciously makes a fist before realizing anything.
"Hey what's that?", Misty asks.
"Well let's see"; Ash, May, and Dawn say as they pull out their respective Pokédexes.
Pokédex: "no data", all three say at once.
"What?"
"Eh?"
"No freaking way?"
"No data? It must be a new Pokémon; if only Tracy were here he might be able to get a sketch of it", Ash states.
"Hey what about Todd, he would love to get a snapshot of it just as much as he got Articuno all those years ago", Misty comments.
"Tracy, Todd? Who are they?", asks Dawn.
"Yeah just who is Todd, I mean I know who Tracy is, he's Professor Oak's assistant right, but I've never heard of Todd before?", May asks as well.
"Two other guys we traveled with a while back, don't worry we shall introduce you to them later", Misty replies.
"Alright!", Dawn replies.
"Anyway speaking of snapshot's, instead of drawing it why don't we take a picture?", May suggests.
"Picture? Don't tell me you actually brought a camera with you", Ash says sarcastically.
"Actually yes, for all the times I've traveled with you Ash, I thought it might actually benefit us if I did, and technically speaking I'm glad I did", May replied.
"Well, where is it?", Misty asks.
"It's right here!", May says ecstatically.
May pulls out a silhouette of a camera.
"Wow, that's some camera", Misty says sarcastically.
"Huh? Wha…where did it go?", May exclaims while beginning to panic.
May starts to panic as she checks through her pack around her waist.
Moments later…
"Oh no, I must have left it in my bag at the hotel…", she says after she had pulled out everything in her bag and even stripped down to search her person
"Don't worry May, I've got your back", Dawn says as she pulls out her own Piplup designed camera out of her bag, "but please put your clothes back on, seriously…" Dawn replies.
"Oh Dawn you're a lifesaver", May says getting dressed quickly.
"Thanks", Dawn replies with a smile and playfully sticks out her tongue.
"Alright Dawn if you would please…", Ash says.
"I most certainly shall"; and just as she was ready the little fox had disappeared from where it was standing.
"Wait…what…where did it go?", Ash and Dawn say together.
"Damn, must have escaped while we were talking", Ash finishes.
"Oh well, I guess it should reappear again eventually I mean it not like it can fly or anything", May says.
Suddenly a flying black bird appears over their heads.
"You and your big mouth", Misty snaps.
"Well it not my fault, but wait we didn't see any light from anywhere so that couldn't have been it", May snaps back.
"May is right, it was a Starly", Brock replies.
"Are you sure?", Misty asks.
"Yes, the outline of its body says as such", Brock replies dropping his binoculars back onto his chest.
Suddenly, the black fox bursts out of a nearby tree and steals Ash's hat. (Just as Aipom did long ago).
"What? Hey! Gimme back my hat!", Ash exclaims.
"Kekeekee", the black fox mutters.
"Alright, I guess we'll fight fire with fire, Quilava let's go!", Ash orders.
"Quilava!"
"Alright, use flamethrower", Ash commands.
"Lava!", he replies and launches a rather narrow but powerful and speedy flamethrower. The attack misses and Rilou quickly responds and redirects the attack with psychic to avoid torching the hat. Pikachu recovers the hat before it meets a tragic fate.
The redirected attack impacts the back of the black fox.
Suddenly the little fox lets out a loud cry for help that more than likely could be heard from across the island and within moments a much larger fox creature appears.
The large black creature lets out a loud screech forcing everyone to cover their ears.
Ash tries to pull out his Pokédex to try and get an entry, but to no avail.
Quickly Brock pulls out a pair of earplugs from in his pocket and shoves them into his ears. Then he makes a break for his bag to remove his other pair.
He dashes to all the Pokémon and trainers to give them a pair to block the sound. Dawn starts taking pictures while Ash prepares Pikachu with instructions to take down the fox by using hand signs.
Pikachu nodes and launches a thunderbolt at the new Pokémon to shut it up.
With its eyes closed, it senses the thunderbolt, picks up the baby fox and stops its screech to dash into the bushes nearby and escape.
Everyone pulls their earplugs out and breathes a sigh of relief.
"Hey is everyone alright?", Ash asks.
"Other than a headache and a bunch of kicking kids I'm fine", Misty replies.
"Yeah same here, except for the punching and kicking kids that is", May replied.
"Well at least I got pictures", Dawn said holding up here camera.
"Great Dawn let's see 'em", Ash replies.
Everyone gathers round Dawn to see the pictures of the unknown Pokémon that she had taken.
"Wow, they are pretty good considering the conditions", Brock says.
"Thanks, huh?", Dawn replies rubbing her head just as she notices Alex walking up from a nearby path.
"Alex!", May declares
At the sound of May's voice Alex begins to run to Ash and company.
"Hey guys what's all the ruckus?", Alex asks.
"Alex you'll never believe this, but we just saw a Pokémon the Pokédex didn't recognize", Dawn says at once.
"Wow that is something, how would you describe it?", Alex asks.
"Well first, we saw two Pokémon; Second, instead of describing them how about we show you pictures?", Dawn replies.
"Well little missy let's take a look at them", Alex responds.
"Sure here you go", Dawn says.
Alex stands in shock as he looks at the photos Dawn had taken.
"What's wrong Alex?", Misty asks.
"This is…this is…you got…", Alex stutters to get a word out.
"What is it, a rare Pokémon?", Ash asks.
"I can't believe you guys managed to get him on film, I've been trying but he just seems to run away every time", Alex comments.
"Him? Him who, just what was that Alex?", Brock asks.
"Well the little one here is Zorua and this other one is Zoroark. Now those name are just their code names not their official ones, but Ash, Misty, everyone you are one of the first few to actually see and battle with it anywhere outside the Isshu region, because usually they just appear before small groups of people and never come ever close to a city or town, because of their playfulness as for you guys would have been normally screeched at by the adult until you passed out, but since you managed to act so quickly, it had to flee before more people showed up", Alex explains.
Suddenly, the little fox bursts out of the tree above them onto Ash's head steals his hat again.
"Hey!", Ash exclaims.
"Ahh! Again? Come here you little thief!"
"What do you mean again?", Alex asks.
"This is what it did last time after it substituted a fireball in our faces, and when we fought back and hurt it, the adult ran out and well…you know…", Brock explained.
"Wow, well you get a second look at it, well Ash my-boy you are a lucky one", Alex states humorously.
"Lucky? You call this lucky? I've seen just about if not every legendary there is most if not all of them more than once, I've participated four championships and I've beaten the orange islands league along with the Kanto battle frontier, I don't call this lucky", Ash exclaims back.
"No, that's not…wait every legendary?", Alex tries to apologize but then asks.
"Yes, every single know one at least once", Ash replies.
"Mew?"
"Yes, on new island."
"Zapdos?"
"Yes, orange islands."
"Lugia?"
"Yes, also the orange islands."
"Ho-oh?"
"Yes, first day of my journey route 1."
"Latias?"
"Yes and Latios, in Alto Mare."
"Rayquaza?"
"Yes, at á La Rousse City along with Kyogre and Groundon between Lilycove & Mossdeep."
"Arceus?"
"Yes, yes, yes, I've seen them all!"
"What about?"
"Yes!"
" You didn't let me finish!"
"Doesn't matter!"
"Mewtwo, the Regi's, the 3 dogs of legend, Celebi, the beings of time, space and darkness, and even a Pokémon that only comes around once a millennia, and the prince of the sea", Ash finishes almost out of breath.
"I've seen them so many times we could write a book about each adventure", he continues.
"Alright, alright I believe you. Anyway that's not what I mean, I mean the little one over there may have taken a liking to you and might possibly want to join you", Alex states.
"What?"
"Hey Zorua come here my little friend", Alex says.
The little fox runs and leaps into Alex's open arms cheerfully as if seeing a friend you haven't in a long time.
"That's a good boy", Alex says cheerfully while petting the little fox as he knaws on the hat as if it were a chew toy.
"Wow it's kinda cute…", the girls say almost giggling.
"What? Cute? That little thing? He's gonna chew a hole in my hat for ho-oh's sake", Ash exclaims.
"Ash, darling you can always get a new one in the next town it won't kill you", Misty says.
"Ok fine keep it, I'll just buy a new one then", Ash replies in defeat.
"Come on everyone let's go"
The little fox stops chewing as it notices as Ash company leaving and begins to whimper.
"So Ash before you leave you still wanna leave him here or do you want to take him with you?", Alex asks.
Ash looks back at Alex then he looks down at the fox whimpering in his arms.
"I…"
"Now before you say anything I just want to you know there is no catch or strings attached to this one, nothing will be affected, and oh what the hell I'll even give you a Pokéball to put him in", Alex states.
Ash thinks for a moment, and looks into Zorua's eyes.
"Alright Alex, hand him over I'll take him, but I won't be able to use him in battle at least until I learn more about him", Ash states.
Ash steps closer to allow the small fox to jump onto his head (though not intentional), as Alex then reaches into his bag to retrieve a Pokéball for Ash.
"Ah…here it is, Ash here you go a special pokéball to commemorate the occasion a luxury ball", Alex says pulling the ball from deep within the near bottomless bag of stuff.
"A whosit whatsit now?"
"A luxury ball!", Misty says angrily whacking him over the head with her mallet as she walks over to Alex to take the item and put Zorua into it.
"I'm sorry I'd thought I'd try saying that for once to see everyone's reaction", Ash says apologetically.
"Well anyway that's a luxury ball, and it's supposed to help you make keeping friendships easier", Alex explains.
"So they say", Brock says under his breath
"Plus it's on a necklace so you won't have to carry on your belt", Alex says.
"Wow thanks a lot Alex he will be a fine new addition to the team and he will have the time of his life", Ash says sarcastically as he puts the Pokéball necklace around Misty's neck.
"…wait then why are you giving him to your wife?", Alex asks.
"Does it look like I have room I mean I can't just walk around the entire gym challenge with five Pokémon and one that I don't have any experience with, I may use him in the final tournament though, but he needs training and I'm not giving him to her for two reasons; one she's a water type gym leader, and two she just holding him for me until I need him so that way he doesn't spend his entire time at oak's lab away from me in an unknown place with a bunch of people and Pokémon he's never even encountered before", Ash yells back.
"Wow Ash, I never thought he'd think that way", Misty thought as Ash finished placing the necklace on her and pecking her on the check.
"Oh and don't forget we are always watching you so don't cause any more trouble now ya hear?", Alex states.
"Yes, I understand", Ash replies.
"Good lad, take care of yourselves everyone", Alex says waving to the group as he parts for the other direction.
"See ya later Alex", everyone says.
…
"Wow that was interesting, to say the least", May says.
"Yeah it was, but it's over for now", Misty says sarcastically.
"Yeah, but we still have a long ways to go", Ash replies.
Suddenly another rustle appears at the bushes and Zoroark appears, ready to do some damage.
Zorua pops out of his pokéball on Misty's neck to confront the elder Pokémon to explain, but it won't listen.
As it begins to attack a hyper beam impact's right in front of them pushing everyone back.
"Ash move! That's the rouge Zoroark I've been searching for", Alex says charging up behind them.
"Huh? Zorua come here, Quilava let's go and use flamethrower to distract Zoroark", Ash orders.
"Lava!"
Quilava appears and shoots out a widespread flamethrower just as Misty takes the Pokéball off her neck and throws it to Ash to return Zorua and Zoroark jumps to dodge it the attack.
"He's one of their strongest, so step back and let me handle this!", Alex commands.
"No Alex, any Pokémon that threatens' my friends or my Pokémon will receive punishment from ME! Quilava flamethrower as narrow as you can!", Ash orders back.
"Lava!"
Quilava launches a flamethrower that was quicker than he had ever done before as it impacted the elder Pokémon.
"Alright now, Quilava return, Rilou let's go and see the results of your training!", Ash commands.
"Rilou ri."
Rilou appears and before he even reaches the ground his psychic staff is already in his hands.
"Now Rilou drop your weights and go into extreme speed and give that Pokémon a good whack with your new attack", Ash orders.
"Rilou ri Riiilou!"
Rilou taps each weight belt then disappears (with the weights lying on the ground where he was standing) and swings the staff like a baseball bat at Zoroark.
The staff makes contact and shoves the elder Pokémon into a nearby tree with such a force that the tree is broken in half causing the few bird Pokémon in it to fly away.
"Such power! Way to go Rilou!", Ash commends.
"Rilou ri!", He replies making a fist back at Ash with a smile on his face
Alex stands in shock.
"Wow! Ash just how did you do that?", Alex asks.
"I'll explain later Alex, but first we need to calm him down before he hurts himself, and judging from that impact he's probably badly injured", Ash replies.
"Don't worry about it Ash, I'll take care of him", Alex says.
"You sure…alright then Alex we shall be on our way", Ash replies as he picks up Rilou's weights to replace them back onto his arms and legs.
Ash and company continue on the path as Alex approaches the injured Pokémon.
"Hey, are you okay?", Alex asks.
The Pokémon simply gruffs.
"Well what did you think? Strong enough for you?", Alex asks the injured Pokémon.
The Pokémon simply nodes.
And Alex pulls out a pokéball, but instead of catching him he recalls him.
"Don't you worry my friend I'll get Nurse Joy on your injuries", Alex says to the Pokéball as he looks at Ash and company as they depart for the next town, just as the sun begins to set.
What new mysteries await our friends beyond that next horizon stay tuned to Events Unexpected.