Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon at all.
Ash was quite chuffed with himself, as even though Gary wasn't one of the so called "friends", it felt nice to humiliate him in some way; especially in Ash's most preferred way. However, he knew that he couldn't stay in Viridian for too long, as word would spread that the mighty Gary had been beaten, so everyone would want to battle Ash now.
Sighing at this thought, Ash made his way to the Pokémon centre, before going up to his room to collect his belongings. Just as he was about to leave, he decided to make some changes for the journey ahead, so he walked over to the nearest phone. The phone rang for a brief couple of seconds before Professor Oak picked up the phone, and Ash could see from the man's eyes that something had happened.
"Oh Ash, I'm so glad you called; I've needed to speak with you."
"You ok Professor; you look a bit shaken up?"
"Well Ash I'm not ok to be honest." The professor said, before retelling Ash of the events that had taken place just after he had left. The actual visit had left the professor shaken up, although when Ash asked if he should come back, the professor adamantly said no without explaining why.
"Well if you're sure professor. Anyway, I'd like to make a change of Pokémon please for the journey up ahead please. So this is what I want you to do…." Ash said before telling Oak which Pokémon he wanted. Oak gave a perplexed look before shrugging. He briefly went off the screen where sounds of pokeballs being used to return some Pokémon back, when Oak appeared suddenly with the six pokeballs in hand. With Ash giving a short and curt nod, he placed his balls into the transceiver at the same time as Oak, where shortly electric sparks were floating around the balls, and in a flash of white they disappeared. Nothing happened for about a minute, until sparks were once seen again, and in another flash of white 5 new balls appeared.
Thanking Oak for his time, Ash collected the balls and placed them on his belt, before ending the call. He had noticed that a few trainers were looking around for him already, so he made a hasty exit out of the poke-centre.
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Meanwhile, a group of people were in deep thought looking at a pile of papers between them, when 2 large black oak doors were opened, and in walked Proton, walking from a slight limp from his meeting with Ash's Pokémon. Even though he was hurt, he still had a grin on his face, for he knew he had completed his mission.
"Leaders, I have done what you have asked for. I went to Oak's to test the strength of Ash's Pokémon, and I must say just from his newest additions, they are very strong indeed." He said with a grin, before placing a sheet on the table, sliding it down to them. "I made an estimated guess on a scale of 1 to 10 on the strength of his Pokémon, so I hope this is all in order for you."
"Thank you Proton, a job well done indeed. Now if you would excuse us, we have to go over these readings with the scientists." A figure said from then top, when all 4 stood up and headed towards a door at the end of them room.
However one figure stayed behind and waited for the others to go before he turned around. "Proton, well done on the mission, however I was wondering if you completed my mission as well…?" the figure said, holding onto a cane as he walked toward the young man.
"Sir, I took the Pokémon you gave to me and I placed them up against one of the Pokémon. I'm hoping that these will help towards your studies now I hope?" Proton said with a serious face as he unclipped 2 pokeballs from his waist before passing them to the man. Without another single word, he headed out the same way he came. As soon as he had left, the man gave a short cackle as he grasped onto the balls. Soon his plans would come into effect, but for them moment more research was needed to be conducted. He walked out of the door, thinking how to experiment on the Pokémon he had in his grasps now, especially with projects beginning to develop fully now.
Walking through Viridian Forest was bringing some old memories back into Ash's mind; he missed the good old days when everything was all care free and friendly, but that was before everything had changed. He remembered when he came rushing through the forest on that fateful day, only for the past to catch up on him with all the spearows attacking him with revenge for what Pikachu did to them on his first day. It was only by chance that Pidgeot was still around and had scared them off that Ash had survived.
It was now that Ash decided to keep to his promise he made a while ago, so he grabbed one of his balls and called out his first ever flying type. He was silent for a minute as he waited for Pidgeot to remember where he was; he gave a squawk of recollection as he remembered which was when Ash spoke.
"Pidgeot, you've been with me for a while now, and I know you have missed this place so much." Ash said as he grasped his hands together, staring at the ground whilst he debated the next choice of words that he was going to say. Even though he never wanted to do this at all, he felt that for the moment it would be the next course of action. "Pidgeot, I want you to stay here in the forest and go look for your flock. Look after them and care for them." Ash said with a thin smile, not wanting any of the emotions take over his body. He was stronger than this, but it was never easy to say goodbye to a dear friend.
Pidgeot just stared at Ash as if he was a crazy fool, wondering what on earth could have made him decide to suddenly come out with this decision, but the realization came crashing down to earth when he too remembered the promise that his trainer made to him as well. Tears pricked at the bird's eye as he came to grips with what was said, before he lot out a mighty sound from his beak as he started flapping his wings in the air. It only took a matter of seconds before he was above the trees, looking down at his master, trainer…friend. He waved with one wing to Ash before setting off into the sun, looking into the forest for his flock so that once again, he would be able to look after them. For Ash, it was a hard thing for him to do, but nevertheless he was proud that at least he kept to a promise he had made so long ago. He looked up into the sky and smiled, happy that for a moment in time, there was something that he had done right.
However, there were other pressing matters that he had to do in his short amount of time, and Pewter city was not that far ahead.
Beware Forrest. Your time as a cocky gym leader has come to a halt. Now the time for the light to shine a way through you has arrived. Prepare to be crushed. Ash clenched a fist as he punched his other hand as the thought went running through his mind, before he started walking in the direction of the rock gym town, ready to start his mission at last.
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It was just after six in the evening when Ash had finally made his way into Pewter city; not much had changed since he had last been here. The houses were the same as he walked around although it did look much cleaner than before. Even the pokecenter was in the same place when he last came here all those many years ago. It seemed like such a short time ago as he could remember the events clearly in his head, but he pushed them aside when he remembered the task that was at hand.
He signed in pretty quickly and managed to get one of the few remaining rooms left over; he figured that seeing as it was still quite early, there was time to kill so he was going to have a little snoop around the area. He stepped out of the pokecenter and took in a deep breath of the air of the city, where the sounds of battling caught his attention.
It seemed like they were behind the pokecenter, and with his curiosity being picked it he walked behind, and was surprised to see so many trainers battling it out with such advanced Pokémon. Intrigued by this, he took a seat upon a bench and watched the trainers battling it out. Most of them were perfecting moves and techniques, with just under a quarter were sparring against other trainers.
He wasn't trying to be mean or anything, but most of the trainers there were ok. There was no special talent emerging at all in anything, causing his hopes to slowly dimmer as his chances of getting a good battle were now out of arms distance. Sighing, he decided to go visit the house of the gym leader.
It didn't take too long to get there at all, but he was surprised to see a metal fence surrounding the gym and the house that was attached to it. Chuckling slightly, he grasped the metal lock in his left hand before looking around. Content that he was alone, a blue light dimmed slowly, before a clink was heard as the lock came undone. Slipping in quietly, Ash crouched his way over to the window in which he had first seen the double life in which his true friend Brock was living.
Once again, he wasn't surprised to see his friend rushing around with his siblings, cooking and looking after him. A small smile crept onto his face as he saw this, but he frowned when he saw Forrest waltz into the room with the aroma of arrogance surrounding him. Ash couldn't make out what was being said, but it seemed as if Forrest was belittling Brock in front of his sibling, who all seemed to be giggling. Brock on the other hand wasn't doing much apart from nodding with what was being said, before rushing back to doing his duties.
He wasn't going to lie. Ash was pissed off that his friend was being taken advantage off. He had seen enough to know that this was the case. Well, that wasn't going to happen anymore. Tomorrow Forrest would get his sweet deserts and a taste of humiliation as well. Standing up, Ash made his way out of the area, locking the fence shut before making his way back to the pokecenter, smiling knowing that everything had all begun.
Author's Note: So, there we go, another chapter in the system. I already have what the "experiments" are going to be in my mind, so probably in a couple of chapter's I'll start revealing it a bit more maybe. Next chapter is another battle, as well as the introduction of 2 new characters, who I'm still debating on whether to make them a regular team. But apart from that, exams start for me tomorrow (woop woop...) so I'll be gone for the nect couple of weeks. Next update will be 2 weeks today though, so I'll see you all then!
~sheep261