Chapter 6: Pitching the Training
Ash and Pikachu were up early again as the sun rose over the countryside, among Luna Nova Academy. "Let's hit the track!" encouraged Ash.
("Let's go!") cheered Pikachu. The pair jogged before reaching the track like they did yesterday. Starting from the leaf that stemmed outside the oval, the two began to run. As they hit the turn, someone flew in on a broomstick.
"Early morning exercise?" sounded Amanda. Ash and Pikachu stopped their run and turned to the American wearing a white t-shirt and blue sweatpants.
"We are, Amanda," Ash replied. "It's how we stay in shape." Amanda giggled to Ash's claim.
"Here I am, thinking you're training for the next Summer Olympics," she joked. "But hey, I'm actually glad that we're alone for the moment. I was wanting to ask about the technique you had Oshawott do that his Aqua Jet knocked away Pikachu's Thunderbolt." Ash huffed a snicker.
"The Counter Shield," he named. "What about it?" Amanda giggled to the name of the technique.
"Counter Shield…" she repeated. "Nice name. Pikachu can do it as well, right?"
("I can!") confirmed Pikachu. Amanda giggled in humor.
"Nice!" she praised. "Can any Pokémon move be used to do Counter Shield?"
"There are plenty of them, but you'd have to experiment with attacks and some other abilities," Ash warned. "Also, you need to train Pokémon in the spinning technique and try to reduce dizziness." The extra advice had Amanda cup her chin.
"I see… It does make me wonder if there's a way to do your technique with our magic." Closing his eyes, Ash seemed interested while crossing his arms.
"It's possible, but there is that risk."
"Let me guess: Dizziness?" Amanda's guess had Ash nodding.
"There's a limit to how much someone can freely spin before they can't stay balanced."
"True that, it's like some of my sleepovers with friends who used their dad's swivel chairs for fun." Ash had a giggle but lofted a sigh. Amanda heard the sighing. "Don't tell me… no dad?" Ash shook his head. "Hey, no big deal… besides, it would be nice to have a wiccan as part of Luna Nova Academy." Ash blinked to the title Amanda gave.
"Wiccan? Not wizard?"
"Wiccans are male witches. Wizards are, like, stronger than witches. I doubt you're even close to being there."
"Yeah, I'm just a normal kid with pretty powerful creatures." That's when Amanda cupped Ash's chin, lifting his face.
"I do prefer you that way." In front of Pikachu, Amanda kissed Ash between his eyes as Ursula flew in to see the occasion.
"I think I know why Anne's been rather finicky about Ash remaining here," she giggled. Turning, Ash, Amanda and Pikachu saw Ursula dismounting her broomstick. "I doubt you're doing anything that got you that kiss." Ash's reddened and embarrassed face squinted as he frantically wove his hands in front of him.
"I'm not!" he denied. Amanda laughed to the reaction.
"We're just having a good time with Ash," she simplified. Ursula shared in the giggling.
"I can understand that," she agreed. "Anyway, how about something to eat? It's ready to go!" Ash accepted before they headed back to the tower. After breakfast, Ash and Pikachu were on Miranda's shift with some new items to deliver. Ash knocked on a door with some fish food.
"Enter!" a young woman called. Ash opened the door with a fishbowl on a desk. Inside was an orange-yellow goldfish with some green on top. The fish, having numerous turquoise fins with orange tips, turned to Ash and Pikachu. "Ash! Pikachu!"
("Hi, Pisces!") greeted Pikachu.
"How are you doing?" asked Ash.
"A bit spry, but what do you expect?" joked Pisces. "I already told Miranda what day it is, but I should know better than to doubt the Headmistress." Pikachu held a pouch and sprinkled in some fish food. "Thanks, dear."
("No problem!") squeaked Pikachu.
"You know, it still gets me that you're a talking goldfish, let alone a teacher for this school," Ash admitted.
"I know, right?" laughed Pisces. "I still remember the first day and how your eyes just about exited your head when you heard me. Sure, it wasn't as exciting as when Akko poured bottled water into my fishbowl before she picked me up and I escaped down the drain."
"Yikes, the kind of adventure you had," Ash awed.
"Yeah, not exactly a proud moment of anyone," Pisces sighed. "Hey, beats staying in the fishbowl all day. Anyway, after seeing those Pokémon, there were a couple of bivalves that I wouldn't mind with a bigger tank like that blue one with the pearl inside." Ash brought his PokéDex out and found a blue bivalve shell opened and a face on a pink pearl was in the middle of blue extensions.
CLAMPERL – WATER – HT: 1' 4" – WT: 115.7 LBS. - ABILITY: SHELL ARMOR
"CLAMPERL, THE BIVALVE POKÉMON," it computed. "CLAMPERL'S PEARL, MADE ONCE IN ITS LIFETIME, IS SAID TO AMPLIFY A POKÉMON'S PSYCHIC POWER." Pisces awed the detail.
"It's one I can say I'd enjoy," she favored. Ash nodded to Pisces's enjoyment.
"Why, you want to be inside one?" wondered Ash.
"Like I said, beats all day in this," Pisces compared. Ash continued to nod, agreeing with the fishy professor. After some more of his rounds were made, Ash and Pikachu set themselves outside setting several targets in shapes of several animals.
"Not this again!" groaned Anne. Ash and Pikachu turned to Anne, the tone of displeasure on the rise. "It's bad enough that you had Diana participate in that 'battle,' but now this?"
"Okay, first off," Ash began to argue. "The battle between me and Diana was controlled. No one was getting hurt from it."
"Humph, like no one said they'd be hurt by the venom of Cupid Bees, but it almost ended up a disaster. One of these days, you'll regret stepping foot on the campus!"
"Maybe you can find and punish Team Rocket that brought us here in the first place!" The argument was going nowhere and Anne sensed it.
"If we become friends, it'll be too soon." She walked off, not wanting to be involved anymore than she was.
"Cupid Bees again? Does she think I haven't been stung before?"
("It might be deeper than that,") Pikachu suspected. Half an hour later, the Pokémon were set with the wooden targets, baseballs, softballs and a Pokéball as the students and teachers came out. The next lesson was on.
"Professor Ketchum!" teased Sucy. Ash and Pikachu snickered to her tease.
"A little soon for me to be a professor," Ash corrected. "Anyway, this is a practice in catching Pokémon. I learned and trained myself with these." Seeing the balls and the cutout animals made everyone awe the idea.
"Did you not once tell us zat Pokémon can join you at ze will?" asked Jasminka.
"I did, but not every Pokémon is like that," Ash clarified. "I've had a few that really tested me. One thing I had to learn before I became a trainer was learning how to throw Pokéballs. That's today's lesson." Akko came to the table to view the balls on display.
"Okay, so why do I see these balls?" she questioned as she picked the Pokéball up. "And this?" Lotte also seemed confused.
"This is about catching Pokémon," she reminded. "Not playing baseball!"
"Like I said, I learned this when I wanted to be a Pokémon Trainer," Ash clarified before pointing to the softball. "Feel the weight of the Pokéball and softball." Complying, Lotte lifted the softball with her right hand and the Pokéball with her left. Quickly, she felt a weight differential.
"Wait, these two balls are the same size," she gasped. "But the softball's heavier than the Pokéball!" Akko gulped before grabbing at the balls Lotte held with open hands.
"Lemme see!" she wanted as she held the Pokéball with her right hand and the softball with her left and shook them, gasping in the discovery. "Hey, she's right!" She put the softball down and picked the baseball up, feeling a similarity. "These feel the same in weight, but the Pokéball's bigger!"
"That is unique!" nodded Diana. "Could it be that without a Pokémon inside, it's like an empty ball?"
"Yeah, pretty much," Ash replied. "And when you have a Pokémon in a Pokéball, it'll feel like the softball."
"I can understand that," Lotte nodded. Akko looked at the targets as Leavanny stitched a hem that was damaged on Hannah's robe.
"So, about these targets…" wondered Akko.
"You've noticed some of the targets are in the air, right?" pointed Ash. "Flying-Type Pokémon don't stay on the ground when battling." The girls snickered at Ash's point.
"Obviously…" shrugged Sucy. Lotte picked up a softball, her target being one on the ground.
"Let me aim this at that 'Pokémon'," she wished as she threw it as hard as she could. The softball fell short and bounced off the ground before it hit the target. Lotte seemed thrilled at the effort.
"Not bad, but Pokéballs tend to break if you miss," Ash warned. "So, a one-hopper like that is likely not gonna work." Lotte gulped at the added information. Akko picked up a baseball with a tall and narrow target in her sight.
"Let me try with this," she wished as she took a stance, her free arm and same side leg in front with the baseball-held arm behind her. She took a stomp forward before throwing the baseball. The ball flew but it missed to the right of the target.
"Ball one," Amanda teased. Akko grabbed another baseball and threw it, missing the target to the left. "Ball two…" Akko grabbed another ball and hurled it, but over the target by a foot. "Ball three…" Ash came forward and stood by Akko who had one more baseball in hand.
"Try holding the baseball like you're throwing a fastball," he instructed. Akko blinked to what Ash said.
"Fastball?" she repeated. Ash stood in front of Akko and worked on positioning her fingers. Akko's eyes began to bulge out of her head, feeling Ash's hand on hers.
'Ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh, ohmygosh!' she minded as her face began glowing red. 'Ash is touching my hand! I never had this when I had Andrew be that close, but Ash isn't as pushy! I mean, he wasn't stung by that Cupid Bee… but his hands are soft and smooth… Oh, if I'm not careful, I'm about to orgasm!' As Ash fixed Akko's hold, Diana gasped. She began to feel upset, saddened by Ash helping Akko instead of herself. She mulled, but kept her face from being seen.
"Okay, try it now!" offered Ash. Akko faced her target. She took a deep breath before she hurled the baseball, this one having a huge velocity on release. It struck the target with great impact. The baseball wedged in the target, stuck. Everyone gasped in shock and some horror to Akko's fastball and damage.
"Strike one…" gulped Amanda as she aimlessly pointed away.
"You did it!" cheered Ash. Akko, excited by the direct hit, reached Ash and wrapping her arms around him. The collision and hug brought the two to the ground. Even though Akko landed on him, Ash wasn't hurt.
"Thank you!" she cried in joy. "Oh, thank you!" She leaned to Ash's face, her lips aiming for the cheek. Ash turned in a split second to say something to Akko. His timing was perfect as Akko locked lips with him. Not moving, Ash and Akko realized their situation and froze in a bit of panic. 'Oh… my.. god! I'm… kissing… him! HELP!' Everyone watched on at the kiss, some excited for the two. In her panic, Akko's eyes began to swirl, steam emitted from her ears and developed into a cloud forming around them. Lotte became petrified at the sight, backing away before she ran off. 'I'm… having it! Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!' Akko collapsed, her eyes rolled in the back of her head with her lips still touching Ash who looked bewildered.
"Did I… deserve that?" he wondered. "That's… my first lip-to-lip kiss… and I didn't think it was that exciting. Now what?" After the two recovered, others showed skills in hitting their targets. When Amanda asked Ash on his throw, Ash obliged as he held a softball in his hand. Eyeing a target in the middle of the air aided by Ursula's magic.
"Ash, it's getting away!" she teased. Ash cocked his arm back before throwing the ball in one motion, a quick release that the ball turned to the target, breaking some bark off. The girls cheered at that.
"Future MLB all-star pitcher!" joked Amanda. Ash shrugged off the praise.
"Keep in mind that Pokémon will fight back," he advised. "Even if they're tired out, and they may break out of the Pokéball." The women listened to the advice. Before long, classes ended. Hannah and Barbara reached Ash, none too happy about the events.
"I hope you're happy about what happened," Hannah scowled.
"We hoped that it could be the four of us!" snapped Barbara. The Pokémon watched, tension building.
"Four?" repeated Ash. "You two, me and Diana?"
"That's right!" snapped Hannah. "But apparently, you're after the First Gen witch, not the long line!" Ash gawked, thinking the girls were overreacting.
"Now, time out!" he irked. "I get it, Akko has been after me since I got here. You two have been as well! It's still too soon for me to even think about who I should go after!" Hannah and Barbara weren't satisfied with the answer.
"I bet you're waiting for the right moment to be bewitched by someone," Barbara murmured. They walked out with Ash and the Pokémon watching.
"I'm not sure I can handle all of that love," he doubted. As night fell, Akko joined Ursula, Ash and Pikachu back in the tower. Ash told Akko a story which the Japanese apprentice awed with the teacher.
"Wait, so Pikachu can't evolve by normal means?" asked Akko.
"No, there are Pokémon that evolve by unique methods," Ash informed. "There are Evolutionary Stones like a Thunder Stone that can evolve Pikachu into a Raichu or a Moon Stone that can evolve a Munna into a Musharna."
"That's rather interesting for a Pokémon to evolve by a stone," Ursula shrugged. "Speaking of which, did you find a Thunder Stone for Pikachu?"
"Well, one Nurse Joy in Vermilion City gave one to me," Ash confirmed. "It came after Pikachu's loss to Lieutenant Surge's Raichu. The last thing I wanted to do was force my Pokémon to evolve, so I gave Pikachu a choice… and he said no." The women awed Pikachu's choice.
"Sounds to me like you wanted to prove what kind of Pikachu you are," Akko teased to Pikachu.
("I sure did!") he squeaked. Akko petted Pikachu in response.
"Brock told me that Pikachu's the speedy of its evolutionary line as Raichu's powerful since Raichu emits more electricity on average," Ash added.
"You say average, but that tells me that you've trained Pikachu to be as powerful as Raichu," Ursula guessed.
"Pretty much," Ash chuckled. "By the way, I heard about 'Cupid Bee' around. Do you know what that is?" Akko sighed, not sure what to say.
"A Cupid Bee is a bee that releases a toxin when you're stung," Ursula started. "Normally, a bee sting is a pain and the toxin it releases is ineffective unless the person is allergic and go into Anaphylaxis. They swell in the skin, their airways get blocked, and they can die." Ash and Pikachu gulped to the thought of a bee sting being lethal. "However, a Cupid Bee's toxin works as a love potion per say. When someone's stung by it, they fall for the first person they see." Ash irked to the thought.
"But it's not like the sting is deadly, right?" he questioned.
"There haven't been any information that a sting from a Cupid Bee has killed someone," Ursula pondered. "After all, it's a different toxin that messes with the libido, not the cardiovascular."
("That's not exactly healthy,") Pikachu irked.
"There was a guy named Andrew Hanbridge and a few of us sneaked into a party for him," Akko started. "He attends Appleton Academy, thus a viscount and the family Earl's son. Anyway, Sucy had a Cupid Bee when she meant to have a Poison Bee since she has a grudge on that school. The Cupid Bee got Andrew and Diana and I was the first they saw after the sting. They fell in love with me at first sight. Then, a few other boys were stung and they were after Lotte. When we killed the Cupid Bee, it undid the spell, and it allowed us to escape." Ash and Pikachu gawked to the effects and how strong the sting was.
"Unlike normal bees, Cupid Bees can sting as many times while they still have the toxin," Ursula added.
"Wow, I never thought one magical bee could do so much damage," Ash awed.
"That's for sure," Akko giggled. "Still, I wasn't stung by a Cupid Bee to have you around!" She pounced on Ash and hugged him. Ash giggled to the gesture. The lights went out. Akko stayed in the tower and had Pikachu in her sleeping bag. However, in the middle of the night, she crawled out of her bag and sneaked into Ash's bed, putting Pikachu by Ash's head and her wrapping her arms around Ash's body while resting her head by his. "I wish for you to be my wizard." She fell back to sleep after she kissed his lips. It was a quiet night but for Akko, it was the first that she expressed her love.
TO BE CONTINUED...