Waking up to an Adventure - Indigo League

by pigeonsaurus

Ten year old Ash Ketchum is starting his Pokémon journey in the town of Pallet. Determined to beat his rival, Gary Oak, his less-than-stellar sleeping schedule and overexcitement makes it so he doesn't end up sleeping at all the night before. Exhausted but exhilarated, his journey to become a Pokémon Master starts here! Updates on Tuesdays.

52. Mewtwo Strikes Back

Chapter 52

The smell of the sea enticed them to run across the flowery meadow. The heavy salt in the air covered over the sweet smell of the flowers at their feet, giving way to a joyous aroma that could bring a smile to the saddest of lips. Luckily for Ash and Brock, neither of them were sad, and as they ran with the grass under their shoes, it seemed as though their smiles couldn't fade no matter what.

Ash was, of course, in the lead and excited as always. Brock followed close behind, however, clutching his backpack straps so they wouldn't slide off his shoulders. Both were panting, but as they climbed to the top of a small knoll, they skidded to a stop and marveled at the scene before them. The source of the salty air took the form of the ocean, glittering like a sapphire in the sun and stretching out as far as the eye could see. The waves could be barely heard splashing against the cliff below, and it was only cut off by the equally blue sky. A collection of puffy clouds looking as delicate as cotton candy scattered through the blue backdrop, and they all looked as friendly as could be.

"Wow!" Ash breathed quietly as Brock caught up beside him and took in a deep breath, filling his lungs with the fresh air and letting it caress his spiky brown locks.

"The view is great here!" Brock stated, then turned to Ash and turned his hand upward with a suggestion. "Why don't we have lunch?"

"All right!" Ash cheered, jumping into the air and pumping a fist even higher at the prospect of food. He giggled, and as if his hunger had finally caught up to his speed, his fingers clutched at his stomach through his shirt and he hunched over slightly. "Man, am I starving..."

"Starving?" Brock repeated with an eyebrow raised from doubt. "You had extra helpings at the Pokémon Center this morning."

"That was breakfast. This is lunch!"

His traveling companion's words didn't surprise him in the slightest, and the Pokémon Breeder chuckled and raised a finger to the sky. "You can't battle on an empty stomach, right? Eating is part of training."

"Oh, yeah! You said it!" Ash agreed with an ear-to-ear smile. "That's our Brock!"

Brock laughed again and began to unzip his backpack to get his supplies out. "Then, while I'm cooking, you be sure to set the table."

"Sure! I'm all over it!"

o 0 o

In addition to the sound of waves crashing against the cliffside, the fire underneath Brock's cooking pail was crackling steadily. Steam was just beginning to rise from the contents inside as the Pokémon Breeder stirred the thick stew that he had made for lunch. At his side, Ash had unfolded the folding table that the Pokémon Breeder carried in his bag, and was now putting down the paper plates and utensils they quite often ate from. He did this as he had done about a million times in the time that him and Brock had been traveling together through Kanto, and as usual, he was trying to get out of doing it and rush mealtime.

With a sigh escaping his mouth, the Pokémon Trainer collapsed onto a small portable seat. "Ugh, I'm out of gas..." he murmured, laying his chin dramatically on the plastic table. When Brock ignored him, he let out another sigh and stretched an arm out on it. "I'm so hungry I can't move another muscle..."

"Ash, you have to let it simmer slowly until it's just right..." Brock told him, knowing that he was just trying to get him to serve faster. He took a ladle full of the meal and covered it up to let it simmer before standing up. "You can't rush stew, or Pokémon for that matter." He sipped the juice he had scooped and licked his lips at the taste.

Ash once again listened to the sound of his stomach growling, and he let out another sigh. His efforts had failed, so he lay his head on the table and closed his eyes, wishing that time would pass by more quickly somehow.

The Pallet Town Trainer's wish was quickly granted, as they both heard someone walking through the grass just below the small plateau they had set up camp at. Both Ash and Brock looked down to see a man with dreads up to his shoulder underneath a red bandana that featured a skull and crossbones on its face smirking up at them. Pointing a gloved hand at them, he spoke up. "Hey, you! Little boy! Are you Ash from Pallet Town?" A look of confusion crossed the black-haired boy's face as he looked at the man dressed similarly to a pirate.

"Yeah, that's right..."

To his surprise, the pirate chuckled and spun on his boot, and then extended his gloved hand again, but this time he had a Poké Ball in it that he had drawn from underneath his yellow overcoat. "Okay! Does that mean we can have... a Pokémon battle?"

"Okay!" Ash hastily agreed, jumping up onto his feet with a newfound energy and stepping forward with a pep in his step. "If somebody wants to battle, why not? I could have a Pokémon battle before breakfast – maybe two!"

"You're forgetting one thing: you're battling before lunch..." Brock murmured quietly with a knowing smirk on his face as he dipped his ladle back in the stew to stir it.

If Ash heard him, he didn't show it – or was too excited – and pulled a Poké Ball from his belt. Eyebrows drawing together in determination, he smirked at it. "Okay! Bulbasaur, I choose you!" He threw the red and white Poké Ball high into the air, which released an azure light into the grass, and within seconds, it came together to form into his reliable Grass Pokémon.

"Bulba!" it growled as it appeared.

The pirate Trainer reared his own throwing arm back and threw the Poké Ball he had drawn out. "Donphan, go!" he announced. Like Ash's, the Poké Ball spun high into the air and released a waterfall of light, but this time, what formed was a gray quadruped Pokémon with a pair of ivory tusks underneath its dark trunk.

"Do, Do-pha!" it trumpeted as it skidded its front paw into the ground. Ash had never seen that Pokémon before, but before he could fish out his Pokédex to get more information, his opponent was already declaring his first attack.

"Rollout!" he called excitedly. As enthusiastically as its Trainer, Donphan let out another trumpet call and curled its body and spun. Resembling a tire, it descended to the ground and rolled toward Bulbasaur.

"Bulbasaur, go! Stop it in its tracks!" Ash instructed, and as he did, Bulbasaur rushed forward on all four legs. It didn't take any time at all for the two to collide, but the Rollout attack was much more powerful than anticipated, and Bulbasaur went flying over Donphan and hit the ground hard. As it skidded, it jumped to its feet and whipped its head back at the Ground-type Pokémon just as it curled on the incline right at Ash's feet. This time, Ash needed a little more strategy. "Throw it into the air with Vine Whip!"

"Bulba!" it responded, and immediately, two vines poked out from the bulb on its back and stretched towards the barreling Donphan. As it reached the Armor Pokémon, it dug the heads of the vines into the ground, and it rolled onto the vines and into the air like they were a road. Finally, with a flick of both vines, Donphan flew high into the air.

"Donphan, use Hyper Beam!" the pirate Trainer commanded. It was almost as if he had been anticipating Donphan going into the air. The gray Pokémon quickly uncurled itself in midair and faced down at Bulbasaur before opening its mouth. A sparkling orange and white ball formed in front of it, and it fired forth a beam from it straight at Bulbasaur. The blue Pokémon had panic in its eyes as it ran back to its own side of the field, and explosions followed as Donphan tried to follow it with the powerful Normal-type attack. The attack finally exploded powerfully as it ended and took Bulbasaur off its feet, but it quickly turned in the air and skidded to a stop back on its own side of the battlefield.

"SolarBeam, now!" Ash cried with a wave of his arm. Bulbasaur lowered its head and began to take in sunlight into its bulb's opening before running forward at its opponent, who had just landed on the ground in front of its own Trainer.

"Bulbabulbabulbabulbabulbabulba...!" it chanted as it gathered energy.

"Use Hidden Power before it can attack!" Ash's opponent called. Silver sparkles of energy began to glitter in front of its open maw between its tusks, and they quickly gathered together to form a glistening silver ball of energy, though this didn't take nearly as long to charge up as Hyper Beam. Soon enough, it sent the silver ball at Bulbasaur, and it burned with a similar colored aura as it shot at the Seed Pokémon like a meteor. Just as it was about to hit the Grass Pokémon, Bulbasaur leapt high into the air, and it exploded at the ground right where it had been.

With enough time to charge up on this beautiful, sunny day, Bulbasaur leaned forward and its bulb began to glow brightly, and finally a blast of bright lime energy soared down at Donphan. "Dopha?!" the Armor Pokémon exclaimed before the powerful Grass-type enveloped it. Smoke and debris kicked up as the attack hit the ground, and when it faded, Donphan's Trainer looked stupefied as it stumbled for a bit before falling onto its stomach with swirls in its eyes.

"Noooo!" the older Trainer howled, falling onto its knees and clasping his head dramatically. As Bulbasaur landed on the ground, Ash had the opposite reaction, and jumped high into the air with his fist in the lead.

"YES!" he cheered, and jumped off the higher ground as Bulbasaur turned around and smiled back at him. He quickly closed the distance between them, and as he leaned down, Bulbasaur leapt into its Trainer's arms to receive its congratulatory hug. "You did such a great job, Bulbasaur!" he said to it, rubbing the top of its scaly head and put it back on the ground.

He stood back on his feet and didn't waste any time in taking out another Poké Ball, and he threw it high into the air. "Charmeleon, I choose you!" he shouted. A pop echoed through the meadow as the red and white of the Poké Ball parted, and when the azure light came together on the ground, the red Flame Pokémon appeared.

"Chaaarrr... meleon!" it announced, stomping on the ground and waving its claws telling the opponent to come get it. The Trainer frowned at Charmeleon's cocky attitude and he replaced Donphan's Poké Ball with another one before pitching it.

"Machamp, go!" This Pokémon Ash had seen many times during his year of traveling, and the gray Superpower Pokémon flexed its four arms to show off its powerful biceps.

"Go, Charmeleon! Slash attack!" the Pallet Town native commanded.

"Machamp, Karate Chop!" his opponent countered. Both Pokémon closed in to attack, and as Machamp extended its fingers on one of its right hands and swiped forward, Charmeleon leapt over it and flipped beautifully. Its claws were glowing a brilliant white, and it raked them over the top of Machamp's head as it flipped, though it only managed to graze its head ridges. "Low Kick!" As Charmeleon went to go land, Machamp's head whipped around and it bucked its leg backward, striking the Fire-type in the spine and sending it skidding on its back.

"Charmeleon!" Ash cried out, but his Pokémon quickly recovered and flipped back onto its feet.

"Don't let it get away!" Machamp's Trainer urged, and as Charmeleon swiveled its body to face its opponent, Machamp dove to the ground feet first to strike at the Fire-type's ankles. Luckily, Charmeleon saw it just in time and jumped into the air just in time to see Machamp skid through the grass. As if to rub salt in the wound, Charmeleon stomped on Machamp's head and used it as a springboard to gain some distance between them and go back to its original location in front of Ash.

There, the black-haired Trainer was already rearing his arm back with another attack on the tip of his tongue. "Flamethrower!" Pulling in a lungful of air through its lungs, Charmeleon opened its maw and let out a powerful stream of flames from its throat. Machamp raised its arms in front of it to block the Fire-type attack, but it was too powerful, and it knocked the Fighting-type Pokémon onto its back. It struggled to get up, but the swirls in its eyes showed that it couldn't muster the energy, and it fell back down.

"Yes!" Ash cried again, swinging his fist excitedly. Before him, Charmeleon smirked and turned back to its Trainer just in time to see him rushing up to it as well. It met him with open arms and the two embraced, and Ash patted the back of its head. "I'm so proud of you, Charmeleon!"

"Char!"

Anger now consumed the pirate Trainer as he recalled Machamp into its Poké Ball, and he bared his teeth and hissed. Instead of pulling out one Poké Ball, he retrieved four and piled them in his hands. "You think you're so tough?! Let's see you take on the rest of my team!" he yelled, throwing the four Poké Balls into the air. One by one, they all popped open and released a Pinsir, a Venomoth, a Drowzee, and a Golem. The four Pokémon all cried out at once and ran at Ash.

Instead of a mask of worry, however, Ash only smirked as he put Charmeleon on the ground and retrieved a third Poké Ball. Stepping back, he tossed it high into the air. "Blastoise! Hydro Pump!" A shadow quickly appeared over the Pallet Town Trainer as his starter Pokémon emerged from the plasma, and it too wore a smirk similar to its Trainer's before it lowered its head and fired a powerful blast of water from each of its hydro cannons.

"BLAAAST!"

The pirate's Pokémon were all taken off their feet and enveloped by water, and when Blastoise stopped the attack, the older Trainer looked down with a horrified look as his Pokémon lay twitching and drenched on the ground. As he had when Donphan was defeated, he fell to his knees, and this time, he burst into tears. "Yeah! We did it!" Ash cheered, hopping from foot to foot while Bulbasaur and Charmeleon join him in his cheers, and Blastoise smiled back at its Trainer, and up on the small plateau, Brock had long finished the preparation of lunch and was sipping at a mug of coffee as he watched the pirate Trainer recall his Pokémon back into their Poké Balls and disappear with his tail between his legs.

"Who didn't know you can't rush a Pokémon," he muttered with a smile as his vision danced from the other Trainer to Ash dancing around with his Pokémon.

o 0 o

Now that the battle was over, Ash's hunger was back tenfold, and he quickly ate his fill of Brock's amazing stew. Having a head start over him, Brock sat back with his empty plate and sipped his coffee as he looked out at the edge of the view where the sky and water met. At his side, his Vulpix and Psyduck ate from a bowl of Pokémon food, and on the other side of the table where Ash was devouring his second bowl of food, Charmeleon, Bulbasaur, and Blastoise were all eating from a bowl colored in their elemental abilities.

Just as Ash was considering his third helping, something coming down from the sky caught his eye. But as he looked up, he realized that it was coming at them at a blinding speed, and before they knew it, a shadow rushed over them, blocking out the sun for just a millisecond. This was followed by a powerful rush of wind that knocked them from their seated positions and on the ground. Food and silverware was spread everywhere, and Ash sputtered as a piece of Pokémon chow from one of the many bowls fell into his mouth.

Ash and Brock groaned as they slowly stood up, but they didn't have time to assess the damage when instead, they saw a large tan-colored dragon Pokémon fly up to them. It had a pair of antennae over innocent looking eyes, and carried a messenger bag over its torso. "Hey, who are you?" Ash asked it while his and Brock's Pokémon slowly recovered as well and looked at the newcomer.

"Hm, it's a Dragonite..." Brock murmured, but the Dragon-type Pokémon didn't bother with introductions as it reached a stubby paw into its bag and rummaged through it for a moment. It didn't take long for it to find what it was looking for, and it held out a dark envelope.

"Aroo," it said, and Ash took it and looked at it with furrowed eyebrows.

"This is for me?"

"Aroo," it repeated, this time with a nod.

Brock moved closer as Ash took out the electronic message inside and held it up. The holographic projector installed in the card lit up as a pink circle appeared over it, and soon, a small woman wearing a maroon dress with her hands folded up in front of it materialized. "Please forgive this surprise message from a stranger," the holographic woman said.

"She's so beautiful I can't believe it!" Brock squealed, folding his fingers together and laying his cheek against the backside of one hand as he stared at her.

"You two have been acknowledged as up-and-coming Trainers. As such, you are invited to a party held by my master – the world's greatest Pokémon Trainer. The location?" The young woman disappeared, and in her place a map showed up with a blue diamond appearing in the center. "Pokémon Palace, on New Island. We ask that you RSVP whether attending or not, by checking the box on the return card. The greatest Pokémon Trainer alive invites you. We beg you to accept." And with one final bow, the woman disappeared and the card deactivated, much to Brock's disappointment.

"Woah, that pretty lady just..." Brock blinked as reality came back to him, and his nostrils flared in determination. "I think we should go! I know we should!"

"She called us 'up-and-coming'," Ash said smugly while wiping the underside of his nose with his thumb. "I don't think that sounds bad at all." The message was already getting to his head as he found the RSVP card that electronic note had mentioned, and he pressed the 'yes' button on it before placing it back in the envelope and giving it to the messenger Dragonite.

The Dragon Pokémon put the card back in its bag and patted it, and with one last, "Baroo...", it flapped its wings to hover off the ground before taking off into the sky just as quickly as it had showed up. The two watched it turn into a speck before Ash spoke up excitedly.

"Well, what are we waiting for?! Let's go to New Island!" he urged excitedly. "Do you know how to get there, Brock?" But the Pokémon Breeder shook his head.

"No, I've never even heard of it," he responded. "But the map on the invitation looked familiar. I think we can get there by Old Shore Wharf, which isn't too far from here."

"Great! I can't wait!"

o 0 o

One moment, it had been a beautiful, bright day. But, it seemed like in the time it took to even blink, there were dark clouds upon them and it was raining in sheets. Their feet slapping against the pavement, they ran as fast as they could to get to the harbor at the edge of the city. But the rains and winds were so terrible that the sea water was crashing against the gates and splashing up onto the streets. Normally, the pair of traveling Trainers would have questioned this, but they were too soaked and exhausted to do so, so they kept running with the harbor in their vision.

Finally, with their legs burning and breath gasping, they rushed through the automatic glass doors that welcomed them with open arms, and immediately, water rushed down in small rivers off their bodies and onto the polished linoleum floor. Ash's shirt made a suction sound as he pulled the watered down fabric off his skin, and he shook his hands of droplets as Brock spoke up. "Seaside weather can change in an instant," he stated, dragging his wet forearm across his hairline to cut off any free droplets from his face.

"Yeah..." Ash murmured, looking around. The lobby was packed to the brim with people, and they all seemed to be Pokémon Trainers of some kind. At least, that's what they looked like with their backpacks. Some of them even had their Pokémon out, and were talking amongst each other. Some had even looked like they had been here for a while, since they weren't nearly as soaked as Ash and Brock.

Outside, the massive thunderstorm was muffled, but the sound of the heavy rain could still be heard pattering on the roof of the harbor's lobby. Finding a spare bench to rest their weary legs, they sat and let the air slowly dry them off. "I wonder why all these people are here..." Ash wondered aloud, his brown eyes scanning the area as a Kingler and a Raticate began to clash, much to their Trainers' dismay.

"Not sure, but I can imagine that the storm is stopping a lot of boats from running."

Ash's mouth dropped and he jumped up from his seat. "But what if the ferry to New Island gets delayed?!"

Brock opened his mouth to answer, but he didn't have time to do so before the door opened, and a pair of women with blue hair both entered through from another room. One of them Ash didn't recognize, but the other one, he did. Apparently, so did Brock. "It's Officer Jenny!" he exclaimed with his voice going up an octave.

"Everyone, gather round!" they heard the police officer announce, and before long, a whole flood of people that mirrored the one outside pooled in front of the two women. Ash and Brock were at the back, so he could only hear bits and pieces through the constant murmuring.

"What?! The ferry's grounded?"

"So we can't go to New Island?!"

"After getting an invitation!"

It seemed that Ash's prediction had come true, and wanting to be able to hear more, he started to push his way through the crowd of people. "Please, quiet, everyone! We have the harbor manager right here." Officer Jenny urged. When she gestured to the other blue-haired woman, she stepped forward and donned a serious look on her face.

"I'm Miranda," she introduced. "If you want to hear the will of the sea, listen to the harbor Wingull." She then threw a look over her shoulder where the outside couldn't even be seen through the rain tapping against the glass. "But there's no need; listen to these winds. I've never seen a hurricane like this in my life."

"Is it really that bad?" Officer Jenny asked.

"I grew up near this harbor and I've never experienced a storm like this," she answered. "And not only that, the storm is directly over New Island, far out to sea." It was at this point that Ash finally made his way to the front. "I cannot in good conscience allow you to wander into such obvious danger. I beg you, as one sworn to protect the harbor."

"You heard her," Jenny said, looking out at the sea of Trainers. "The ferry for today is canceled."

"Well I'm going to New Island anyway!" a bulky boy to Ash's right spoke up confidently. "My Pokémon are great swimmers! We'll make it to that palace, no problem!"

"No!" Miranda demanded, holding her hand out as if to stop him. "I know the sea, and I am telling you no!"

"She's right," Jenny agreed. "And if one of your Pokémon is wounded, the Pokémon Center here won't be able to help it!" Small gasps could be heard, and Ash stepped forward.

"What does that mean?" he asked, and the police officer's milk chocolate eyes fell on him and gained a sad tone.

"Nurse Joy from the Pokémon Center, she disappeared a week ago," she answered. "And with Nurse Joy missing, your Pokémon won't be treated." She then gestured a gloved hand to her left. "Look, there's the missing persons poster." All eyes followed the electronic display that featured the pink-haired nurse's picture and the date. Brock was already in front of it, staring at it like a zombie.

"So pretty..." Ash could hear him moan even from here. But suddenly, something strange crossed Brock's face, and his eyebrows furrowed as he looked more closely at the picture.

Ash's eyes lingered on Brock for a moment, and the Trainers behind him whispered among themselves as Miranda and Officer Jenny exchanged a glance and walked away. A frown couldn't help but nestle itself on the Pallet Town Trainer's face, and he walked over to Brock with disappointment weighing down his shoulders. "What's the matter, Brock?"

"I just... feel like I've seen this Nurse Joy around someplace," the Pokémon Breeder answered.

"Um, did you think maybe because they all look the same?" If Brock heard him, he didn't have time to answer, as a fierce wind escaped inside and nearly blew off Ash's hat. The two whipped around to see some Trainers darting outside to the harbor anyway, and some of them followed flashes of light that could have been lightning, but upon closer observation, Ash realized that they were sending out Pokémon! Flying Pokémon large enough to carry someone took off into the air, while Water Pokémon dove into the raging waters.

The brisk wind was a hint for what was happening for Miranda and Officer Jenny as well, and seconds later, the two women went rushing by to try and stop those brave enough to take on the storm, and ran out onto the pier and into the rain.

What had been disappointment before became a burning desire for Ash. If other Trainers could cross the storm, he could as well. His eyebrows drew together in determination, and he took off toward the door as well. "C'mon, Brock!"

"W-wait, Ash!" Brock protested, but followed his friend nevertheless.

The fierce rains and winds were more powerful than they had, and seemed to be getting stronger by the minute. Ash had to hold onto his hat as they stepped outside, and he could see Miranda and Officer Jenny looking out at the skies at the end of one pier, and soon, his eyes fell upon another pier not yet occupied just parallel of the one they were on. Waves crashed up and sprayed them with sea salt, but from their brief time outside, they were already soaked as could be. "The greatest Trainer in the world is out there across the sea!" Ash declared, clutching his fists together at his sides. "We've just gotta get over there!" He didn't wait for a response from Brock before pulling out a Poké Ball and tossing it high into the air. "Blastoise, I choose you!"

The azure light lit up the darkness momentarily, and this was followed by a mighty splash as Ash's starter Pokémon submerged itself in the sea. Seconds later, the Shellfish Pokémon rose with its shell up. "C'mon, Brock! We'll cross the sea on Blastoise!"

"But Ash, you heard what Officer Jenny and Miranda said!" the Pokémon Breeder argued, but Ash stopped him with a smile.

"We just have to get across to New Island, Brock. And I believe in Blastoise." Brock knew how stubborn his traveling companion could be, and he nodded in defeat. Making sure their bags were secured tightly around their shoulders, Ash twisted his cap around and they both dove headfirst into the water. The sea water was freezing, and the waves pushed them at all directions to the point that Ash felt like he was never going to know up from down, but before he knew it, he was taking another gasp of air, and he swam over to Blastoise. Brock did the same after emerging from under water, and both took a side of the Water-type Pokémon.

Opening its hydro cannons so they each had something to cling onto, Blastoise looked at both of them to make sure they were secure before pushing onward. "Blaaaast!" it declared, and their heads kicked back as Blastoise took off.

To say the ride was rough would be a complete understatement. At Blastoise's speed, the rain was pelting their faces and stinging every inch of their faces like little needles. Between that and the winds that were threatening to blow them off at every point it could, it was hard to open their eyes. Not only that, but it seemed like the further out to sea they got, the more powerful the waves became. The numbing cold water was relentless, and pushed in every direction. Sometimes the waves would push them faster. Sometimes, Blastoise would have to kick its legs as hard as it could in order to get over a small hump of water. Ash's heart went out for his starter Pokémon, as it was hard enough to just simply hold onto his Pokémon, let alone swim across the angry waters. But determination was fueling them both.

The minutes felt like hours, and it felt like they had already been traveling for a whole day. It was hard to gauge how long they had actually been out on the water between the adrenaline running through their veins and fighting to not fill their lungs with salt water with every wave that crashed down on them. But soon, the waves were getting so high that whichever one didn't force them underwater was now throwing them through the air. One wave in particular sent them shooting through the air, and the drop was so high that Ash's grip slipped upon descent, and he let out a cry of horror as he fell down into the darkness before being swallowed into the sea.

"Ash!"

"Blast!"

Brock's and Blastoise's voice were the last thing he heard before water filled his ears and he was sinking deeper and deeper into the blackness underneath him. He tried to swim up, but the current was far too powerful out here. Before too long, he felt an arm wrap around his waist, and he was hoisted up. A moment of sweet fresh air was all he got before a wave crashed down upon them once again, and when they surfaced again, Blastoise quickly guided Ash to the hydro cannon that wasn't claimed by Brock and looked back. "Blastoise-Blast!"

"What did it say, Ash?" Brock asked, having to yell in order to be heard over the storm.

"I think it said hold our breaths!" Ash translated. "Take a big breath." Brock nodded, or at least Ash hoped he did, and the Pallet Town Trainer did the same. With a push from the water behind them, they soared into the air, and this time, Blastoise did a dive to go further down below.

The underwater current was tough for Ash to navigate, but for a Water-type like Blastoise, it was easier to guide than the ragged surface comprised of waves above them. But the starter Pokémon knew of the weaknesses of humans, and in order to gather speed, it shot to the top and leapt through the water in arcs, giving time for Ash and Brock to release their breath and hold it again as they felt the cold water rush around them again. "Blast!" the Shellfish Pokémon instructed after the third time of this when they were gaining momentum. Instantly, Ash and Brock understood that it was telling them to take an extra deep breath, and they took in as much air into their lungs as they could.

Diving further down than before, Ash could barely see anything aside from even darker spots of rocks reaching for the surface far above them, but Blastoise was easily able to swivel its way through them even at a great speed. They traveled at this speed for a minute or two, but soon Ash's cheeks began to puff out and his lungs were shriveling inside his chest. As if Blastoise could read his mind, he felt the Water-type turn upward toward the surface. And for the last time, the group broke through the waters and flew through the air.

Instead of gasping for breath, they found their mouths turning into 'o's at the scene before them. They had reached New Island, and a large palace was built over the entire island. But that wasn't the most impressive part. The storm clouds that had caused the ferry to be canceled were stopped in a complete circle around it. It was almost as if a barrier had been set up around the perimeter of the island, preventing even a single drop of rain past it. Above the castle, the clouds were swirling around it, but left an opening where the moonlight and a clear sky above was pouring down over it, illuminating it in a mysterious blue glow.

Even as they crashed through the surface of the water once again and came up with their hearts pounding against their chests, Ash had a hard time believing his own eyes.

The entrance to the palace was found underneath the island itself in a cavern. Blastoise moved slowly through the water, as all three of them were fatigued from the journey through the hurricane. Inside, at the center of the cavern, a set of lights beckoned them, and they could see someone holding a lantern and standing as if expecting their arrival underneath a golden constructed dock. As they got closer, Ash could see that it was the woman that appeared in the electronic invitation.

Finally climbing out of the water and stepping onto solid land once again, the pair of Trainers let out a sigh of relief. "Blastoise, you were great!" Ash complimented as he held out his Pokémon's Poké Ball.

"Blast-Blastoise!" The Shellfish Pokémon happily accepted the praise as it disappeared inside its Poké Ball in a flash of red light. The woman was quiet as Ash clipped the ball back onto his belt, but spoke up once he did.

"My compliments on your arrival," she said with a flat tone. "Present your invitation, if you would, please."

Half of Ash was scared that it had been swept away during the storm, but when he reached into his jacket pocket, he could feel it just next to his Pokédex, and a small breath of relief silently escaped his lips as he held it forward. The gem on its face lit up as it activated, and the holographic version of the woman before them appeared. "These two are the recipients of the invitation."

"I knew it! So it was you, after all!" Brock spoke up, folding his hands together with a big grin.

"What?" the woman responded, though her face didn't show the slightest bit of confusion.

"You're Nurse Joy, from the harbor poster."

"I... don't understand. I have been a servant here at this palace ever since the beginning." She disregarded Brock's observation and turned her back to them. "Now, if you would follow me. The other invited guests have already arrived." The two exchanged a silent glance between each other, but didn't say another word and let the servant lead the way.

Metal structure turned into stone, and she followed the path to a set of stairs carved out of the rock. The stairs spun upward and around the perimeter of the cave, behind a waterfall and as far as they could see. Every ten feet or so was marked by a light to illuminate the path ever so slightly, and though the stairs weren't exactly helping their already burning and exhausted legs, they pushed forward so as to not lose their guide. The whole time they walked, she didn't speak up or turn around once, leaving Ash and Brock to silently ponder their thoughts quietly as they took in the view.

Finally, the stairs stopped and they were emptied out into a huge balcony. No artificial lights gave it light, and the only way they could see was from the moonlight peering in through the open side of the building – as well as the occasional bolt of lightning that would flash at the edge of the barrier where the storm was still going on.

Though Ash and Brock tried to take in as much of the view as they could, the servant who must have seen this about a thousand times didn't peer up from her destination at hand: a huge door that was taller than Ash's house. Between that and the weird design of the building, a gasp escaped Ash's mouth, cutting through the silence like a knife. "Woah..."

The woman stopped, and at first, Ash thought it was because he had finally spoken up, but soon, the door parted in three and immediately, light from the other side of it poured in, causing their pupils to dilate. Once they had gotten used to the bright lights, the servant led them inside, assuming that they were behind her.

The room itself was huge, and pools of water dropped down from waterfalls and spotted throughout the area. Past a set of double spiral staircases that spun around each other similar to a DNA double helix structure, they could see the first sign of people since they had left the harbor, aside from the servant and themselves. The three sat at the table set up in the exact middle of the room. There were Pokémon on either side of them, and they all looked curiously at the newcomers as Ash and Brock soaked in the view.

"These are the other guests I was telling you about," the servant spoke up finally, holding her free hand out as they approached the table, and Ash and Brock looked upon them. Closest to them with a cocky smirk on his face was a young man with navy blue hair and an orange tracksuit. As the Pokémon fan that he was, Ash instantly recognized him as someone who he had seen battle in the finals in the Indigo Plateau Conference the year before, but couldn't remember his name nor the outcome of the battle.

Across from him was the bulky boy Ash remembered talking to Officer Jenny back at the harbor. It seemed as though his boasts about his Pokémon being great swimmers weren't false at all.

The last one was a young girl about Brock's age wearing a white and purple jacket and a matching beanie over her dirty blonde hair, that was tied into four ponytails that peeked out from the underside of the beanie and down her neck.

"Wait, just three of them?" Ash questioned. He swore he could see more than just three take off the dock.

"If a Trainer couldn't make it here through the storm, then they wouldn't have been invited," she replied, throwing an ominous sideways glance over her shoulder. Something clicked inside Ash's mind at her words, but he couldn't find how to say it aloud. Luckily, Brock was able to.

"Are you saying that the storm was a test...?"

Instead of answering him, she stopped and turned around before passing the double helix stairs. "Please release your Pokémon from their Poké Balls and take a seat," she instructed as the door closed behind them slowly. "The five of you who have gathered, you are all chosen Trainers."

A bad feeling formed in the pit of their stomachs, and Ash and Brock once again exchanged a nervous glance. They did what they were told, though, and while they released their Pokémon, they only released a few. Ash let out his Bulbasaur and Charmeleon, while Brock let out his Psyduck and Vulpix. Ash's Pokémon were thrilled to be out of their balls, and seeing the wide open space, they smiled and chased each other into the room with Ash walking close in tow. Brock followed as well, but his Pokémon walked on either side of him. Vulpix's amber eyes glanced around, taking in the view as they had before, but Psyduck simply waddled ahead with its hands on its head.

"So you made it here, too?" the Pokémon Trainer wearing the orange tracksuit said as they approached the table.

"So did you. But how?" Brock asked.

"We simply took to the skies," he replied, and smiled back at the bird Pokémon that was sitting loyally beside him before stroking its feathers. "A little hurricane means nothing to Pidgeot, does it?"

"Pigeott-toh!" his Pokémon happily accepted the praise and leaned into his touch. He then turned back to the other shoulder.

"Everyone, say hello," he instructed. Ash's eyes followed the other Trainer's, and a collection of sound pinpointed where he was looking at. A collection of five Pokémon in total all greeted them with their own cries. There was a Sandslash, a Venusaur, a Hitmonlee, a Rhyhorn, and a Scyther. Ash and Brock marveled at the variety of Pokémon.

"I just rode over here on Gyarados' back," the bulky Trainer from the harbor said, jabbing a thumb to the fountain behind him. Though he didn't see a Gyarados, Ash could see a collection of blue Pokémon. The Pokémon in the fountain were a Tentacruel and a Seadra, and sitting outside but just near it was a Vaporeon, a Golduck, and a Nidoqueen.

"Isn't Gyarados known as the Atrocious Pokémon?"

"Uh-huh," the older boy nodded, and as he did, the water in the fountain burst up and the giant Water-type rose from the surface and gave a roar that echoed throughout the empty room.

"I'm Thea," the third Trainer introduced. "I took to the skies as well, but I rode across on my Fearow." She reached out and petted the brown bird Pokémon that was laying on her right, and it gave a small caw of happiness, raising its head from its sleeping position at the mention of its name. "And those are my Pokémon back there." In addition to Fearow, Thea's team consisted of Charizard, Kingler, Jolteon, Cloyster, and Dodrio. But as she turned back to gauge their reactions, she found that Brock's hand was slapped down on the marble table in front of her.

"Just lovely. Charizard, Kingler, Jolteon, Cloyster, Dodrio, and your Fearow, too!" He reached out and stroked the confused Pokémon's neck before taking a step back and holding his arms wide open. "And yet... nothing can compare... do their lovely Trainer!" He jumped directly in front of her and laid his open hand on his chest. "Your boundless beauty. My queen, my lady. Once this storm passes, let's gaze upon sun-drenched seas and eat my famous jelly donuts made with love-" As he said this last word, he made a heart with his thumbs and index fingers, but Thea's Fearow had heard enough, and it rose its neck up and jabbed Brock's hands with its sharp beak. The love-struck Pokémon Breeder let out a cry of pain, while Psyduck peered up with its head cocked at the scene. Meanwhile, Thea let out a nervous chuckle.

"Sorry about that. Fearow is pretty protective of me..."

Ash giggled at the antics and then turned to Thea. "I'm Ash, and that's Brock. And the Bulbasaur and Charmeleon over there are my Pokémon."

"I'm Fergus," the boy with the team mostly comprised of Water Pokémon spoke up.

"And I'm Corey." Ash smiled and opened his mouth to talk to Corey about the Pokémon League match, but suddenly, the chandelier hanging from the ceiling flickered, and when they all looked up, the artificial light turned off completely. They were only in the darkness for a few moments however, before a bright beam of light shining from the floor that the double helix staircase led to. This light drew all eyes toward it, eyebrows conveying the confusion they were all thinking.

"Thank you all," the servant said. They peeled their eyes away from the light to see her standing at the bottom of the staircase. In all of the introductions, they had almost forgotten her existence. "I'd now like to present... the world's strongest Pokémon Trainer. Who will now join you." Fergus's Pokémon all growled with an uneasy tension, and Thea's Charizard also clenched its fists with a growl. Brock's Vulpix moved closer to its Trainer, and its tails were raised while it bore its teeth in a way that Ash rarely saw on the prissy Fire-type. Even his own Pokémon seemed tense, and they couldn't seem to peel their eyes away from the second floor.

But, strangely enough, what descended down the stairs wasn't a human. The... creature was humanoid in shape, roughly, but had a thick tail that started between its cat-like legs. And it didn't walk down the steps – instead it descended down slowly as if defying gravity itself. "What is that..." Ash questioned. With the light directly beaming upon it, it was hard to tell from the shadows that fell over its form just exactly what it was. The only thing that stuck out was the faint purple glow coming from its irises.

When it got close to the ground, the lights turned back on, and it floated forward ever so slightly before planting its feet onto the floor. It was clear from that small action that it wasn't defying gravity, but using psychic powers. Now able to see its full form, everyone who was sitting stood up. Its skin was pearl white, and stood a whole head above the servant's own form, while its tail swished through the air mindlessly back and forth. "So, my master is not only the strongest Pokémon Trainer, but also the strongest Pokémon in existence... Mewtwo."

"Mew...two?" Ash quietly repeated. He had heard of Mew – the Mythical Pokémon that was supposedly just a legend, but never a Mewtwo.

"A Pokémon can't be a Pokémon Trainer! No way!" Fergus shouted.

"Are you sure?" the servant asked, and strangely enough, at the same time, they could hear a masculine voice say the exact same thing in their minds.

"It's telepathy..." Brock realized through the serious look on his face, and Ash gasped at the revelation.

"I am the one who chooses my own rules," they both said once again.

"If this is a bad joke, I'm going home!" Fergus persisted. Mewtwo seemed to have had enough of his back talk, and without a word, held forward his three-fingered hand and a light blue aura appeared around it. Seconds later, the same colored hue appeared around Fergus, and he looked as though he were being squeezed by rope around his arms when Mewtwo closed its fingers. Without taking eye contact away from Fergus, Mewtwo raised its extended arm above its head, and Fergus rose high into the air to the point where his face almost touched the ceiling, and everyone let out a horrified gasp as they watched him struggle helplessly in the air. Mewtwo moved its arm slightly to the right, and Fergus followed with it, and with a flick of its wrist, the aura disappeared around its hand and Fergus, and the blue-clad Pokémon Trainer was thrown into the fountain that his Pokémon resided in and disappeared below the surface with a splash that sent water everywhere.

Everyone watched Fergus disappear, and then looked back at Mewtwo with hardened looks, but the Genetic Pokémon held out a threatening hand.

Seconds later, Fergus appeared out of the water once again and leaned against the side to catch his breath, and then, with fire burning in his eyes, looked up at his Water and Flying Pokémon. "Get it, Gyarados!" Gyarados looked down at its Trainer and let out a snarl before slithering out of the fountain and roaring threateningly at Mewtwo. Its Trainer crawled out of the fountain and shook his body of water before pointing forward. "Gyarados, use Hyper Beam!" Though its mouth was already open, it seemed to open it wider, and an orange ball of energy began to gather and grow over its tongue. Finally, the ball flashed brightly, and Gyarados leaned forward and blasted an orange beam at its mouth straight at Mewtwo.

The Psychic Pokémon said nothing and simply moved its raised hand over to the oncoming attack. Suddenly, an indigo barrier appeared in front of it, and as the Hyper Beam attack made contact with it, it suddenly curled upward and was shot back at Gyarados at double the speed. So, of course, the Atrocious Pokémon hardly had any time to react before the attack struck it square in the face. The explosion that followed seemed to shake the whole palace, and then a huge splash followed suit, though this couldn't be seen from the smoke that had kicked up. When the smoke cleared, Gyarados was leaning with its head against the fountain's side, and it groaned in pain.

"Gyarados!" Fergus cried in horror, clutching his hands against the cement.

"That was trivial," both master and servant said again, and again, they both nodded their heads the same way. But Mewtwo's eyes soon began to glow purple as they had when it had descended, and it looked at the servant with them glowing brightly. The servant gave a loud gasp – the most emotion she had shown all evening – and her eyes began to glow brightly as well.

"I have no more use for you," Mewtwo said, his voice now on his own, and with a wave of his hand, both of their eyes stopped glowing. But the servant's eyes reverted to a blue color, and she stumbled forward a few steps as if sleepwalking. Seeing what was coming, Brock quickly swooped in and skidded forward as she fell, and she landed safely in his arms. As he placed her down gently on her back, the crown on her head fell off, which made her hood fall off as well, and revealed familiar pink hair that was curled at the forehead and in two pigtails at the base of her neck.

The woman's eyes scrunched together, and she opened them wide before looking around at her surroundings. "I knew it! Nurse Joy!" Brock said happily.

"Where am I? What am I doing here?" she asked, looking down at the maroon dress she was wearing with a strange face, and pulling her arms closer to her automatically in fright.

"I brought you here from the Pokémon Center; to look after me," Mewtwo explained to her. "It is convenient to have an expert well-versed in the physiology of a Pokémon's body. You were quite useful. I suppose you remember nothing, correct?"

"What did you say?!" Brock queried.

"With my power, it is easy to control something as simple as the human brain." Mewtwo spoke simple with a tone that sounded as if it were speaking about something disgusting. "At one point, I thought I'd work alongside humans, but I was disappointed. Humans are a dangerous species, inferior even to Pokémon. If cruel, weak humans are allowed to govern the planet, the world is headed for ruin."

"Then who will rule the world?" Brock asked rhetorically, helping the dazed Pokémon nurse stand up. "I suppose a Pokémon like you?"

"Pokémon are unfit as well," Mewtwo responded with a brief shake of its head. "After all, they allowed humans to rule in the first place. For some Pokémon, the purpose of their lives is to serve humans." Once again, it spoke the word human with absolute disgust. So much so that Charmeleon rushed forward and glared angrily.

"Char Char! Char-mel-eon!" it spat, and whatever it said made Mewtwo narrow its eyes.

"What's this? You say you do not serve this human? That you are with him because you like this Trainer?"

"Char!"

"You are as pathetic as the rest." Suddenly, Mewtwo's eyes began to glow purple, and the same blue aura had appeared around Fergus's body appeared around Charmeleon's, and the Flame Pokémon let out a cry of surprise as it floated off the ground. With a nod of its head, Charmeleon was sent flying backwards, past Ash and Brock. But its Trainer reacted quickly, seeing the blue aura and knowing what was coming, and jumped to intercept Charmeleon's descent. Wrapping his arms around his Pokémon, he held it tightly as he landed on his back and slid across the polished floor.

"Charmeleon..." Charmeleon murmured with worry in its voice as Ash let out an exhale of breath.

"Charmeleon!" he said with a smile, and his Pokémon returned it.

"Charmele!"

"Weak Pokémon nestle under a human's wing," Mewtwo continued. As Charmeleon crawled off Ash, Bulbasaur and Vulpix rushed up to him to make sure that he was all right as well. He smiled down at the pair warmly, but then his face became icy cold and he glared at Mewtwo.

"How dare you do that to Charmeleon!"

"No matter the Pokémon, there shouldn't be any Pokémon that can't be caught!" Corey spoke up, having had enough of sitting on the sidelines. Throwing his head back to his team, his gaze fell upon one Pokémon. "Go, Rhyhorn! I choose you!" It seemed that Rhyhorn also shared its Trainer's eagerness, and as he called upon it, it let out a roar and charged forward on all fours. With a mighty lunge, the Spikes Pokémon jumped at Mewtwo as it got close to hit it with a powerful Take Down attack, but as with the other time it was attacked, Mewtwo simply stuck out its hand, and it became coated in light blue. Suddenly, Rhyhorn froze in midair, and it struggled to get out of the unseen grasp of the Psychic attack. Slowly, it raised into the air following Mewtwo's palm while Corey looked on in horror. And, with a flick of Mewtwo's wrist, Rhyhorn was sent flying back, past its Trainer and missing him by a hair and landing on the table. The empty silverware banged and clattered to the ground in pieces upon impact, and Rhyhorn skidded off the table and against the floor a few more feet before stopping. The Ground and Rock Pokémon struggled to stand up, but couldn't summon the strength and fell onto its stomach once again. "Rhyhorn!"

As Corey ran to help his injured Pokémon, Thea and her Fearow glared at Mewtwo. "A waste of time. Since my creation, I've been far stronger than any Pokémon alive!"

"You sure? You never know until you try!" Ash retorted confidently, and his Pokémon barked in agreement.

For the first time since it appeared, the faintest form of a smile formed on Mewtwo's mouth, and they could hear it chuckle in their heads. "You... want to try?"

-end-

Ash:

Party:

Blastoise (Poké Ball)

Moves: Skull Bash, Dig, Hydro Pump, BubbleBeam

Pidgeotto (Poké Ball)

Moves: Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Double-Edge

Bulbasaur (Poké Ball)

Moves: SolarBeam, Vine Whip, Razor Leaf, Leech Seed

Charmeleon (Poké Ball)

Moves: Flamethrower, Fire Spin, Skull Bash, Slash

Tauros (Safari Ball)

Moves: Fissure, Horn Attack, Take Down

Primeape (Poké Ball)

Moves: Thrash, Mega Kick, Scratch, Seismic Toss

At Professor Oak's Lab:

Muk (Poké Ball)

Moves:

Tauros (Safari Ball)

Moves:

Krabby (Poké Ball)

Moves: ViceGrip

Badges:

Boulder Badge

Cascade Badge

Thunder Badge

Marsh Badge

Rainbow Badge

Soul Badge

Volcano Badge

Earth Badge

Brock:

Party:

Onix (Poké Ball)

Moves: Tackle, Bind, Dig

Geodude (Poké Ball)

Moves: Seismic Toss, Tackle

Zubat (Poké Ball)

Moves: Whirlwind, Supersonic

Psyduck (Poké Ball)

Moves: Tail Whip, Water Gun, Disable, Confusion

Vulpix (Poké Ball)

Moves: Fire Spin, Flamethrower, Agility