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.

55. Bad to the Bone

Chapter 55

Now that the Pokémon League competition was just around the corner, the vast reality of how much training Ash had actually done in preparation for it was rearing its ugly head. As panic set in, he hastily asked Brock for a practice battle. So now, they stood in a wooded area by a small spring on the outskirts of Pallet Town in the middle of a heated battle.

"Charmeleon, Slash attack!"

"Vulpix, Quick Attack!"

The two Trainers shouted out their commands, and the two Fire-types quickly closed in on each other. While Charmeleon's claws glowed white, Vulpix moved quickly and jumped. They crossed each other and immediately whipped around, countering the other again and again before parting and leaping backwards to once again put distance between each other.

"Charmeleon, Flamethrower attack!" Ash commanded.

"Charrr... meleon!" the Flame Pokémon growled, and after taking in a deep breath sent out a stream of orange flames from its mouth at Vulpix. Without command, Vulpix jumped into the air, and as the flames licked uselessly at the dirt and gravel that the Fox Pokémon once stood, it landed on a rock some distance away and looked down at its opponent.

"Then we'll use a Flamethrower attack, too! Vulpix, go!" Immediately, Vulpix's eyes began to glow white and it opened its mouth wide. Flames flickered in the back of its throat, lighting up the cavern of its mouth. Not wanting to back down from the challenge, Charmeleon stomped closer to Vulpix and drew in another breath. Both Pokémon let out a Flamethrower at each other, and the flames clashed together in midair, the heat distorting the air around it only slightly. When both Pokémon realized neither flames were going to overpower the other, they stopped their attacks and glared at each other.

"Oh, Brock, it's pointless," Ash whined, letting his head fall as if the weight of his shame was too much for his neck. "I don't think we're gonna get in enough training for the Pokémon League..."

"What if we asked Professor Oak for any tips?" Brock suggested. "He's seen many Pokémon Leagues in his time; I'm sure he has some advice he could give you before the competition."

"That's a great idea, Brock!" Ash perked up as gravity seemed to instantly rise around him once again.

"We'll go and visit first thing tomorrow morning."

"Right! Let's keep going until then!"

o 0 o

They found Professor Oak in his laboratory the next morning. The gray-haired professor was completely enthralled in an experiment that had to do with a water tank, but he barely even bothered to look up from his clipboard at all as Ash explained his reason for visiting.

"Professor Oak, please tell me: what should I do?" Ash begged.

"You see, we planned on training a whole lot, but we seem to get sidetracked a whole lot more," Brock explained further with a slight smile.

"I could sure use a little coaching, Professor!"

The Pokémon professor finally pulled his eyes off the clipboard in his hand and glared at Ash with his hands on his hips. "It's too late for pointers, young man! If you're not ready for the Pokémon League now, you should quit and go home."

"Whaaaa?!" Ash physically stumbled back from the harsh and unexpected scolding he got from the professor. Those certainly hadn't been the words he had been expecting out of the man's mouth. But, the man's face lightened slightly and he folded his hands behind his back.

"But, if you want to compete, I suggest you leave right now."

Ash's legs moved so fast and so soon that his brain barely had time to catch up, and he was running in place on the polished linoleum of the lab. "Right! Thanks for the advice!" he yelped – though it all came out in one garbled utterance – and shot out of the lab without even waiting for Brock.

Similarly like he had done at the start of his Pokémon journey but in reverse, Ash ran all the way home with a fire under the seat of his pants. If he had the thought to look behind him, he would see that Brock was not running in time with him, but the only thought that was running through his mind was getting home in enough time to pack.

Bursting through the front door and startling poor Mimey to the point that it dropped its broom in mid-sweep, Ash hurried into the kitchen where he found his mother washing the dishes. "Mom! Mom! Where's my backpack! I need to get packing so I can leave for the Pokémon League conference now!"

Mrs. Ketchum turned back to her son and smiled her honey-sweet smile at him before turning off the faucet and wiping her hands on her apron. "Oh, hello, honey," she greeted, ignoring the fact that her son was running in place in the middle of the kitchen.

"Mom! Where's my backpack?!" he whined with impatience in his voice, though her face didn't falter in the slightest upon his tone.

"Oh, don't worry, Ash. I knew the Pokémon League conference was coming up, so I took the liberty of packing a bag for you," she told him. "Why don't you wait outside and I'll get it for you." The youngest Ketchum didn't even bother to reply, and spun on his heel like a top before charging back outside. Again, he didn't even notice that he rushed through a pile of dust that poor Mr. Mime had swept into a pile, and was already past his mother's Pokémon so he couldn't even see the dirty look the Psychic Pokémon was giving him.

Instead, he ran out from the front porch to see Professor Oak and Brock pulling up in the older man's jeep. The pair only looked on with amused faces from the needless rush that Ash was in, but didn't voice anything that was on their mind.

Not that Ash would have heard them anyways.

"C'mon, Mom! We've got to go!" he ushered, meeting Brock and Professor Oak by the mailbox and jogging in place as though his legs couldn't stand still.

"Coming!" she sang, holding Ash's green backpack close to her chest as she followed her son out the door. Mimey looked out the door and shed its annoyance upon seeing that it would have the house to itself once again.

"Mime!"

"Don't worry, Ash," Delia said, helping him slip the backpack straps up his arms and onto his back. "I think you've trained more than you think." Her encouragement was enough to help ease some of the anxiety in his stomach, and he let out a small laugh.

"No matter what, Ash, always do your best," Professor Oak added cheerfully.

"Right!" the young Trainer replied with a nod.

"Thanks for letting me stay with you, Mrs. Ketchum," Brock thanked the auburn-haired woman. "You helped us a lot."

"I enjoyed having you," she responded. "Bye, boys."

"C'mon Brock." And the pair parted ways from Delia and Professor Oak to begin their path away from Pallet Town while Ash's mother waved to them as they departed.

"Good luck, honey! Be careful! Have a good time!"

Even Mr. Mime found time out of its busy schedule of sweeping to come out and watch them leave, and gave a cry of farewell, and Ash and Brock threw one last wave over their shoulder as they grew too small to see.

"Good bye!"

"Thank you!"

o 0 o

As usual, Professor Oak was indeed correct about sending them out. The Indigo Plateau – where the Pokémon League competition was being held – was outside of Viridian. It had taken them almost a week to get across Route 1, and the rest of the time through Route 22. And while it was a bit of a journey, it was nice to not feel so rushed, since they still had some time to spare.

With Brock in the lead and his handy map unfolded in his hands, the two traveling Trainers waded through grass that tickled their belly buttons through their shirts. The grassy meadow reached out as far as the eye could see like a green lake, though a few trees scattered here and there. But otherwise, it was devoid of life aside from the pair. "This looks like a shortcut to the Indigo Plateau," he said.

But suddenly, a flash of movement to their left made Ash stop in his tracks and turn his head. He could have sworn that he imagined it from how quickly it came and went, but Brock also stopped and turned. "What was that?" the black-haired Trainer asked, but then a black figure jumped from the grass and high into the sky. Both boys gasped and looked up, though the sun behind the figure blocked out any distinguishing characteristics. One thing was for sure: the figure was diving straight at them.

Completely out of reflex, Ash and Brock jumped to both sides as the mysterious silhouette descended upon them, and they dove to the ground as the grass parted from the wind that followed suit. The initial shock of the surprise guest wore off, and Ash looked ahead as it jumped back, and he could look upon its features more closely. It was a young man with long black hair tied up into a high ponytail wearing a green hakama. In his extended hand, he held a wooden katana. "Who's he?" Ash questioned rhetorically, and blinked in confusion.

"Forgive me, I was simply testing you," the young man responded, standing up straight and tucking his carved sword into his sash. "You appear to be traveling to the Pokémon League competition; am I correct in saying so?"

"Well... what if we are?"

"Well then, I – Otoshi – challenge you," he said with a small smirk. "I've trained for a long time; all alone here in the mountains. But I seek one last battle to test my strength before the Pokémon League. Do you accept my challenge?"

"Sure, I'll battle you," Ash accepted with his own smirk, and stepped forward confidently.

"And whoever loses this battle must turn over all his Pokémon Badges to the one who triumphs."

Ash's smirk faded fast. "All my Badges?!" he exclaimed, and his fingertips cut through the air. "You must be crazy! I need those Badges!" The Pokémon Trainer placed his hands on his hips and frowned deeply. "C'mon, Brock. We gotta go." Without a second glance at the older boy, he walked past him.

"If that is your attitude, you need not hurry to the Pokémon League," Otoshi stated, closing his eyes as Ash passed by him.

"Uh, what did you say?" Ash asked, freezing in place.

"If you are so afraid of losing to me in a private match, then what chance do you have of winning in a Pokémon League match." Ash slowly turned his head and stared at Otoshi through the corner of his eye. "Lose your Badges now... or lose them later."

Ash's teeth peeled back in annoyance as he whipped around and held a fist up threateningly. "I'm no loser! I accept your challenge!" Though unseen to the Pallet Town Trainer, the Trainer known as Otoshi smirked knowing that he had him hook, line and sinker, and snickered quietly.

"What if you lose your Badges?!" Brock reasoned, but Ash only gave him an overconfident smirk.

"Don't worry; I'm gonna win." Otoshi led the travelers to a field where the grass was a bit more kempt just outside the forest that bordered Route 23, and the two stood across from each other with a wide space between them.

They stared at each other for some time, sizing each other up. Finally, they both drew their Poké Balls at the same time and threw them forward. "I choose Marowak!" Otoshi declared, swinging his arm left and then right and tossing the Poké Ball in front of him.

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!" Twisting his hat backwards, he threw the Poké Ball he had selected. Seconds later, Bulbasaur emerged from the Poké Ball already standing on all fours.

"Bulba-zaur!"

On the other side of it, a Pokémon that stood on two legs appeared. A thick skull covered its head, and it held a bone in its hand similar to how Otoshi had been holding his wooden katana earlier. "Marowak," it uttered upon appearing.

"What's that?" Ash questioned, and pulled out Dexter to analyze the new Pokémon.

"Marowak, a Bone Keeper Pokémon. Despite its small size, its offensive and defensive strength is impressive."

"Better watch out, Ash!" Brock warned from the sidelines, "Marowak is bad to the bone!"

"That's fine with me, cause I could use a warm-up for the Pokémon League!" Ash smirked, and pointed forward. "Bulbasaur, attack now!" Bulbasaur charged at the Ground Pokémon and leapt at it, but Marowak lunged to the side with impressive speed. The Seed Pokémon flipped around and its mouth opened in shock at how quickly its opponent had dodged. "Bulbasaur, Vine Whip attack, now!"

"Marowak, Focus Energy attack!" Otoshi countered. And as Bulbasaur shot straight up into the air and extended a pair of vines from underneath its bulb, Otoshi's Pokémon instead tucked its bone at its hip like it was about to draw a sword from its sheath and a faint blue aura shimmered like sapphire all around it. The vines seemed to inch toward it, and finally, at the last second, Otoshi called for his follow-up command. "Bone Club now!" Its aim was precise, and when it waved its Thick Club, it not only batted away the pair of vines that were shooting toward it, but also managed to shock Bulbasaur.

"Saur?!" the Grass Pokémon gasped, its red eyes widening as it landed on the ground. But Marowak wasn't done yet, and it sped forward with great speed, dashing from side to side as it gripped its bone tightly with both hands. The bone began to glow sapphire, the same color as the Focus Energy attack that had surrounded it moments before, and it soon swung it as it passed by Bulbasaur.

Bulbasaur stood frozen in place while the wind blew, and Marowak lowered its arm and closed its eyes with its back still at its opponent, and finally, Bulbasaur let out a groan and fell forward. "Saur..."

"This is bad!" Brock exclaimed.

He wasn't the only one who was concerned. A bead of sweat fell down the side of Ash's face as he pulled out Bulbasaur's Poké Ball and pointed it at the Grass and Poison Pokémon. "Bulbasaur, return now!" The red recall beam shot out and enveloped Bulbasaur before drawing it in. It seemed he had slightly underestimated how well his opponent had trained his Pokémon. But he wasn't going to make that mistake again.

Replacing Bulbasaur's with another, he tossed this one forward. "It's your turn, Blastoise!" The burst of light that emerged from this Poké Ball was much larger, and it faded into the large Shellfish Pokémon. Seeing the much larger opponent, Marowak threw a glance over its shoulder and tucked its Thick Club at its hip.

Turning around fully, Marowak rushed at Blastoise. "Blastoise, here comes Marowak's Bone Club!" Instead of looking to dodge, Blastoise instead stood its ground and puffed itself up. Loud thunks could be heard as Marowak struck at the Water Pokémon at multiple different angles with its bone, but it seemed that Blastoise's defenses were a lot more sturdier than Bulbasaur's. It struck repeatedly, wielding the Thick Club like a sword and slashing at the starter Pokémon's shell over and over again, but Blastoise stayed strong and powered through them. Eventually, the Bone Keeper Pokémon leapt back, trying to hide the fact that it was breathing heavily. Here, Ash saw his opportunity. "All right, Blastoise! Hydro Pump!"

"Blaaaassttt!" A powerful jet of water blasted out of Blastoise's cannons, and the Ground Pokémon only had time to gasp before the water knocked it off its feet and sprawling backwards. It slid in the wet grass and skidded to a stop on its back.

"Marowak!" Otoshi cried in horror.

"All right!" Ash cheered, and Blastoise smirked a toothy grin. Folded fists planted on his hips, Ash chuckled and walked past Blastoise. "Looks like I win the Badges!"

But as Marowak clambered to its feet, Otoshi fell to his knees, and his whole body shook. "I can't believe it... You defeated Marowak... My strongest Pokémon..." Even his voice was quivering, almost as if he were crying. And when he looked up at Ash, the boy was surprised to see that he really was crying. "But... but I have no Badges to give to you."

"Marowak..." his Pokémon muttered faintly beside him, its shoulders falling in shame.

"Huh?" Ash questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, you see..."

"You acted like you had Badges when you never did," Ash realized, narrowing his eyes. "But your little scheme to get my Badges backfired, didn't it?"

"That's not so; please let me explain," the warrior begged, turning his watery brown eyes up at Ash pleadingly. "My eight Badges have been taken from me. I battled my way from one Gym to the next; Marowak at my side. It was a difficult journey... We struggled and battled and never lost hope." He took a deep breath and went on. "We finally won eight Badges. We were on our way to the Pokémon League..."

"So, where are they... now?" Now Ash wasn't quite as angry, only confused.

"Marowak and I had just earned our eighth Badge, and were coming out of the mountains heading toward the Indigo Plateau when it happened," Otoshi continued sadly. "In the road just ahead was the most delicious-looking fruit. We were so hungry from our battles we rushed to taste it. But then suddenly, we fell into a hole. When we emerged, my satchel holding my Badges had been emptied out." He sobbed again, as if the memory was hurting him and lowered his eyes to the ground. "All our struggles and sacrifices were for nothing. And we were so close to being in the Pokémon League..."

"Marowak..."

"They stole your Badges and your dream," Brock said with a hardened frown.

"Our dream stolen by a talking Meowth..." Otoshi muttered.

"A... talking Meowth?" Ash repeated, his eyebrows shooting up into his forehead.

"We only know of one talking Meowth," Brock stated. "From that gang back on Mt. Moon!"

"Without those Badges, I'll never get into the Pokémon League," the warrior groveled.

"Don't you worry, Otoshi," Ash assured him, a small smile spreading across his face. "We'll get those Badges back for 'ya." Ash's kindhearted words grabbed Otoshi's attention, and his chin jerked up like it had been pulled with a string.

"Huh?!"

"Ash, we have to get going," Brock reminded his traveling companion, but Ash only looked back at him with a stone-cold face.

"No; we have to get those Badges back." Pulling back his jacket, he looked down at the eight Badges that were pinned to the inside of it. "I worked hard to earn my Badges, too." Memories flashed through his brain – each one representing the Gym Battles he had earned them from. Sabrina and her Kadabra for the Marsh Badge, Brock and Onix for his Boulder Badge, the Sensational Sisters for his Cascade Badge, defeating Surge against all odds with his Wartortle, Koga's newly evolved Venomoth with the Soul Badge, Charmander smashing its head into Weepinbell to earn the Rainbow Badge, Bulbasaur suffering through Archer's Kingler's Bubble attack and defeating his Rhydon with Pidgeotto when their backs were against the wall. And how could he forget Blastoise evolving to defeat Blaine's Magmar deep in the volcano on Cinnabar Island?

Opening his eyes back up, he gave a determined look to Brock and looked deep in the Pokémon Breeder's narrow eyes. "I know how I'd feel if somebody stole all my Gym Badges."

"You're right..." Brock admitted.

"Stealing from one Trainer's like stealing from them all!"

"Blast!" Blastoise agreed with a nod. It seemed it was unanimous. Turning back to Otoshi, Ash gave him a smile and extended a warm hand at the kneeling Trainer.

"Let's get those Badges back."

"I will never forget your kindness," Otoshi replied, wiping the tears with the sleeve of his hakama and accepting Ash's hand. "But how will we find the group that stole them? This field is huge, and they could be anywhere."

"Don't worry, I have a way of getting a bird's eye view," Ash stated with a smirk, and pulled out a Poké Ball. Pressing the control button, he tossed it high into the air as it grew. "Pidgeotto, I choose you!"

The ball opened and Ash's bird Pokémon shot high into the air with a loud cry. "Pigeeeoooooo!"

"Pidgeotto, look around for anything unusual in the area! We're looking for a talking Meowth!" he called up to his Pokémon. Pidgeotto gave a response of understanding and flapped its wings. It flew in a circle around the field, keeping its eye peeled for anything strange. Ash pulled Blastoise back into its Poké Ball, and afterward, the group watched with bated breath as Pidgeotto expanded its perimeter outward, and finally, a distant cry grabbed their attention. The sound of feathers cutting through wind filled their ears and Pidgeotto darted off in a single direction. "Sounds like Pidgeotto's spotted something! Hurry, let's follow her!"

"Right!" Otoshi and Brock agreed, and they all ran with their eyes to the skies after the Bird Pokémon.

The Flying Pokémon flew some distance where the field and forest began to merge, and flapped in circles as it waited for them to catch up. "Pigeoooo!" it shrilled loudly.

"Pidgeotto! You see anything?" Ash called with a cupped hand around his mouth. The Bird Pokémon let out another high-pitched cry and took off toward the trees.

"Pijo-Pigeooo!"

"Let's go see!" Making sure to stay close behind to Pidgeotto, they soon saw what the Normal and Flying-type Pokémon had seen: a large hot-air balloon floating above the treeline in the shape of a Meowth's head. "Hold it right there! You robbers!" The group all ran down a path that the balloon was floating down, and Ash's cry had grabbed the attention of the passengers of the basket. "Pidgeotto, don't let them get away!"

"Pigeooo!" his Pokémon screeched, and shot straight into the air like a rocket. Opening its wings and curling in the air, it dove down at the fake Meowth's face and pierced through it like an arrow. The balloon quickly deflated, letting out the hot air that made it float, and a pair of screams erupted as the basket quickly descended and landed on the ground with a crash. Ash, Brock, Otoshi and his Marowak caught up just as the dust cleared, and the familiar talking Meowth from the beginning of Ash's journey crawled out of the basket's top.

"Shot down again..." it moaned.

"They burst our bubble..." the blue-haired young man Ash remembered as James groaned, and both looked at the group in defeat.

Immediately, Otoshi took a threatening stance with his fingers curling around the hilt of his katana and glared at the pair. "Return the Badges you stole from me!" he demanded.

"Marowak!" his Pokémon mirrored.

"We can't do that..." James replied with a depressed and defeated look on his face.

"You ain't the only victim around here, pal," Meowth added.

Otoshi didn't like the response, and his eyebrows only drew closer together as he now pulled the sword from his sash and pointed the tip at Meowth. "What are you saying?!"

"Marowak!" The Bone Keeper Pokémon raised its Thick Club as if it were prepared to strike as well. The intimidation method worked, and James and Meowth quickly wrapped their arms around each other and their colors paled.

"We were robbed, too! We don't have the Badges!" James sputtered.

"He's bein' honest for once!" Meowth assured them.

The hardened look on Ash's face melted, and it turned out the day kept getting weirder and weirder. "Then we shall make sure that is true! Take out all of your belongings and place them down on the ground," Otoshi ordered. "I shall determine if my Badges are among them." The two Team Rocket members shared a glance, but knew they had no choice, and simply obeyed.

Placing down two blankets on the ground, they collected their belongings from inside the hot air balloon's basket and the group all watched as they quietly spread everything out. Finally, they stopped, and each of them kneeled in front of their own stuff. Ash and Brock took each side of a tarp and inspected the objects carefully. "Uh, let's see..." Ash murmured. "A couple of cookies, a slingshot, some cans of Pokémon chow, a hairbru- Hey, what's this wax for?"

"I like 'ta keep my charm nice and shiny!" Meowth answered proudly, pointing to the gold coin that was embedded on its forehead.

Adjusting his position, Ash came to the conclusion that Meowth didn't have the Badges in its belongings, and looked at Brock. "You see any Badges?"

"Well, I see binoculars, a notepad, some makeup, broken sunglasses and... photos of yourself?"

"Uh, well, y'see, I like to look at myself in my spare time," James admitted bashfully, scratching the back of his head.

Ash stepped around and continued listing off the items. "A bunch of bottle caps, some Pogs... some tabs from soda cans?"

"This is just a pile of junk!" Brock exclaimed, and James jumped over the tarp and used his body to cover his belongings like he was protecting it.

"Yes! But it's got sentimental value!" he cried, tears forming on his lower lids. For a Team Rocket member, he sure was quite sensitive, it seemed.

"Looks like the Badges are gone," Ash determined.

"We already told 'ya 'dat; Jessie took all of 'da Badges," Meowth said to Ash with a shrug.

"Jessie?!" the black-haired Trainer repeated, shooting to his feet. Now that Meowth mentioned it, they were indeed missing the redheaded member of the group of three.

The situation was indeed frustration, but none was more frustrated than Otoshi's Marowak, who closed its eyes and began swiping erratically in the air with its bone and slamming it into the ground. "Marowak, marowak maro-wak!"

"What's wrong, Marowak?" its Trainer asked him, and Meowth approached with its front paws folded behind its back as it listened.

"Oh, I see..." it murmured, and looked up at Otoshi. "I've got some bad new for 'ya, kid; 'da little bonehead here says it doesn't want 'ta be your Pokémon no more."

"What?! Is this true, Marowak?!" Marowak's fiery eyes glared up at Otoshi and it waved its bone back and forth.

"Marowak! Maro, maro marowak!"

"Skull-boy says 'dat it was willing 'ta put up wit' all the hard trainin'... and tough battles... cause it was dreamin' o' gettin' inta' the Pokémon League competition," Meowth translated as Marowak continued spouting angry cries. The Scratch Cat Pokémon let Marowak go on a bit before continuing. "Now, just a coupla' days before 'da competition, 'dis happens! And all 'dat hard work and suffering was 'fer nutin'!" Otoshi seemed to crumble more with each word that Meowth translated for Marowak, looking in disbelief at the Ground Pokémon as it snapped angrily at its Trainer. "Marowak-y says it's best if if you two just say good-bye."

Marowak finally ended its rant by turning its head away from Otoshi and propping its bone on its shoulder. "Don't go, Marowak-" Otoshi began, putting his hand on his Pokémon's free shoulder, but Meowth's translation seemed to be correct, since the Ground Pokémon batted its Trainer's hand away. Otoshi seemed to crumble, and let out a cry of horror, recoiling as if he had just been stung by a Beedrill. Frozen in place, he didn't even watch as Marowak walked away without a second glance at its Trainer and slowly walked away. Snapping back into reality, Otoshi held his hand out to the Bone Keeper Pokémon. "Wait!" But his Pokémon ignored him, and its tail waved with each step as it got further and further from the group.

Otoshi's eyelids pinched together and his fist pulled tightly in his grip. "And we were... so close... Going to the Pokémon League..."

"'Ya still might be able 'ta buy yer ticket!" Meowth said with a sneaky smile, but Otoshi immediately wrapped his fingers around the Normal Pokémon's throat and lifted it up into the air.

"THIS IS ALL BECAUSE OF YOUUUU!" he screamed, shaking the Team Rocket member back and forth in the air.

"Marowak's only gonna come back if we find Jessie and get those Badges," Ash realized.

"You're right," Brock agreed, clutching the straps of his backpack with seriousness.

"But how will we find her?" Otoshi questioned, still staring out in the direction where Marowak disappeared to. It was as though he were too scared to move or he would just crumble right there. "This area is huge..."

"Our original plan was to sell them, so she might be already gone from here," James whined with a frown as him and Meowth collected their belongings with heavy shoulders." The group was quiet for a moment, and then Brock spoke up.

"Think about it," the Pokémon Breeder began. "If she went as far as betraying her teammates to steal the Badges out from under their noses, there's only one possible explanation to where she's going." James and Meowth perked up slightly and turned their eyes to the tanned Trainer, though this went unnoticed by Ash. Right away, the gears clicked together in his head.

"She's going to try and compete in the Pokémon League!"

"Right," Brock nodded. "So if we head in the direction of the Indigo Plateau, we'll eventually find her."

"And get my Badges back!" Otoshi concluded, pulling himself together with a furrow of his brow.

"Let's go!" Ash said, and after recalling Pidgeotto back into its Poké Ball, the three left two-thirds of the Team Rocket trio behind and hurried off to get back onto the main path toward the Indigo Plateau.

o 0 o

Assuming that Jessie hadn't already figured out that her team members had found out about her deception, they decided that she couldn't have gotten very far on foot, and so once the group of three found the main path once again, they ran west as fast as their feet could take them. Otoshi kept the lead, as he was the most motivated out of them to get his Badges back, and for good reason too. Ash couldn't help but feel sorry for the samurai Trainer; if Blastoise had done the same thing to him, he would be absolutely crushed.

Without any breaks at all, the group finally came across other people ahead on the path, and relief washed over them. Clad in white were the pair of Team Rocket members, and at their feet was the talking Meowth that they were now quite familiar with. Somehow, James and Meowth had patched up their balloon and gotten ahead of them in all the confusion, but they had been reunited with the red-haired member of their team, who was standing with her hands folded behind her head and leg crossed behind her. It seemed as though they were in the middle of confronting their teammate when they interrupted.

"Hold it!" Ash yelled, announcing their presence to the Team Rocket trio. The three all turned slowly to them, and despite being found out, didn't seem the least bit worried.

"Those are the three who stole my Badges, all right!" Otoshi said, his eyes glaring daggers as they stopped some distance away from them. "Give them back – right now!"

"Ha!" Jessie scoffed, placing a gloved hand on her hip and one of the corners of her mouth curling upward in a lipstick-covered smirk. "If you want them back, you'll have to challenge me to a Pokémon battle."

Ash let out a growl and stepped forward, but Otoshi held out his arm to stop him. "Those Badges are mine! I accept your challenge to battle!"

"But, you don't have your Marowak," Ash said quietly to the long-haired boy, but he simply smiled at Ash though the corner of his eye.

"I will use a different Pokémon for this battle," he replied.

Jessie seemed confident that she could beat him, and stepped ahead of James and Meowth with a Poké Ball already in hand. "All right, Arbok! Go!" She chuckled as she threw her Poké Ball forward, and it burst open in the air. From the light that emerged, a large purple cobra-like Pokémon appeared, baring a row of sharp fangs.

"Chaaaaa!"

"Doduo, go!" Otoshi retrieved a Poké Ball from inside his hakama and threw it forward as well. Seconds later, a brown double-headed Pokémon with a pair of long necks connecting the two heads to its round body appeared.

"I don't know about this..." Ash murmured. Based on Jessie's confidence and the looks of her Arbok, it wouldn't be an easy battle.

"Go Doduo! Use your Fury Attack!" Otoshi commanded. Though Doduo had no wings, its feet pattered on the ground as it rushed forward, closing the distance between it and Arbok.

"Chaaa!" Arbok hissed, and without the slightest bit of hesitation, it swung its lower body around and slammed its tail hard into Doduo's stomach. Both heads cried out as the wind was knocked out of their lungs and they were taken off their feet.

"Go, Arbok! Beat those bird-brains!" Jessie ordered. With Doduo still in the air, Arbok lowered its head and slammed it into the Twin Bird Pokémon to send it back more. The Normal and Flying Pokémon skidded across the gravel, but it barely had time to settle before Arbok struck out with its tail again and planted it into Doduo's chest. A pair of cries erupted from each of its heads, and Doduo skidded backwards but stayed on its feet.

"Doduo, what's happening?!" The two heads glared at each other as it settled, and it jumped from foot to foot as they began to peck at the other's neck. Otoshi reeled back in shock. "Oh no! It's confused, and the two heads are fighting each other!"

Ash's mouth was at his chin as he looked at the scene, and having never seen this Pokémon in action before, he pulled out Dexter to learn more. "What?"

"Doduo, a Twin Bird Pokémon. Once its heads begin to fight each other, Doduo becomes incapacitated." Otoshi's Pokémon was too busy fighting each other that they didn't even see as its opponent slithered toward it, and, baring its fangs, it quickly twisted its long body around Doduo and squeezed tightly.

"Chaaa!" Arbok cried as it used its Wrap attack, though it was barely heard through Doduo's calls of pain.

"It's over!" Otoshi said nervously. Across the makeshift battlefield, Jessie threw her head back and cackled with the back of her hand pressed against her cheek.

"Looks like I win again!" she smirked, and pulled out a Poké Ball and held it forward. "I'll just take your Doduo, too! Poké Ball, go!" Otoshi gasped as the Team Rocket grunt threw the empty red and white sphere at his helpless Pokémon, and time seemed to sit still for a moment. But as the Poké Ball spiraled through the air, something came out of the woods beside Team Rocket's patched up hot air balloon and spun out like a Frisbee. With precise aim, the object collided with the Poké Ball, and as the capture device landed uselessly on the ground, everyone gasped, both in confusion and surprise. The object was a Thick Club.

The bone spiraled back like a boomerang to its original location, and into the waiting hand of Otoshi's Marowak. Everyone smiled on the good guy's side, but no one's grin was wider than Otoshi's. A laugh erupted from his throat, and he rushed up to his Pokémon. "Marowak!" he greeted happily, and the Bone Keeper Pokémon looked back and nodded at its Trainer.

"Maro." The small gesture made Otoshi tear up, and his lips quivered as tears threatened to escape his eyes.

Wiping his face with the sleeve of his hakama, he fished inside it and pulled out a Poké Ball before pointing it at his trapped Pokémon. "All right, return Doduo!" The red recall beam reached out and hit Doduo's feathers, successfully pulling it from Arbok's Wrap attack. As the Twin Bird Pokémon was retrieved back into the safety of its ball, Jessie's Pokémon dropped to the ground and coiled intimidatingly. But Jessie wasn't thrown off by the new appearance of Marowak, and simply pasted her smirk on her face once again.

"All right, Arbok! Go ahead and beat that little skele-twerp!" At her command, Arbok sprang forward as fast as lightning, and bared its teeth once again as it lunged.

"Marowak, Focus Energy!" Otoshi countered. As it had in its battle with Ash, Marowak lowered its bone at its side and began to concentrate, and a shimmering blue outline glowed around it.

"Marowak..."

"Arbok, Double-Edge attack!" Jessie ordered as her Arbok got closer, and the Cobra Pokémon gave a horrifying hiss in response.

"Marowak, Bone Club!" Otoshi commanded, and as the Poison Pokémon was within feet of Marowak, the Bone Keeper Pokémon let out a cry and swung its Thick Club from left to right, scoring a direct hit on Arbok. The Pokémon reeled backwards and threw its head back in pain. "All right Marowak; time for your Bonemerang attack!" The Ground-type Pokémon bounced into the air and reeled its arm back before tossing its bone as it had before to block Jessie's Poké Ball.

"Maro.. wak!" The heavy club spiraled through the air, and Jessie's Arbok recovered only to cry out as it realized the attack was coming straight for it. But it had no time to dodge, and the Ground-type attack smashed straight into its skull and sent it flying backward. Jessie quickly lost her confidence, and her hands slammed onto the sides of her head like a Psyduck as she cried out in horror.

Stepping in front of her, James pulled out his own Poké Ball. "I'll handle this! Weezing, go!" The blue-haired Team Rocket grunt threw the ball, and seconds later, a double-headed Pokémon with craters covering its body appeared in the air.

"Weezing!"

Since Team Rocket wanted to use two Pokémon, Ash jumped in to help, and immediately retrieved his own Poké Ball. "Blastoise, gooo!" he called. The flash of light that poured out of his own Poké Ball gave way to his Blastoise, who promptly pulled out its rocket cannons and fired a powerful Hydro Pump at the two Poison Pokémon. The two were pushed backwards by the blast, and into their Trainers, who all let out a grunt of pain as they were forced onto their backs.

But they quickly jumped to their feet and retreated into the basket of their nearby balloon, and sparking it to life, they started to float into the air. "The Badges!" Otoshi screamed, and Marowak was on top of it straight away.

Leaping into the air once again, and reared its arm back and threw its Thick Club at the balloon for another Bonemerang. "Marowak!" the Ground Pokémon uttered, and everyone watched as the spinning bone flew with precise aim not at the balloon to pop it, but at the burner. The bone collided when it got higher in the air, and a powerful explosion soon followed. As the case containing Otoshi's Badges fell to the ground, the Team Rocket trio and their Pokémon were sent into the air.

"Oh! My chance at stardom was taken from me!" Jessie sobbed.

"Please don't mention stealing," James huffed with his arms crossed.

"I should'a grabbed a banana for 'da trip!" Meowth uttered, and they finally all shrank from distance, only to disappear with all three of them screaming out.

"TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

Peeling their eyes away from the remains of the hot air balloon, Otoshi picked up the box containing his Badges, and then approached his Marowak. "Marowak, thank you for returning and getting our Badges back."

"Marowak," his Pokémon nodded in response.

"Will you battle by my side in the Pokémon League?"

"Marowak." His Pokémon nodded once again, but this time it was grinning widely.

"I'm glad you two are back together," Ash said with a smile after recalling his starter Pokémon back into its Poké Ball.

"Thanks to you," the samurai Trainer thanked, and opened the Badge case to make sure that all of his Badges in there. Among them were the Thunder Badge, the Cascade Badge, the Volcano Badge, the Marsh Badge, the Soul Badge, the Boulder Badge, and two other ones that Ash didn't recognize, bringing the grand total to all eight being accounted for. His brown eyes sparkled as he looked down at them, and then turned his vision on Ash. "I will be forever in your debt. Now our dream of competing in the Pokémon League will come true! Isn't that right, Marowak?"

"Marowak!" His Pokémon smiled and nodded up at him.

Ash chuckled at the scene, and then felt a hand on his shoulder. "You know something, Ash," Brock said, and the Pallet Town boy turned back to see his traveling companion was smiling at him, "even if we are late for the start of the Pokémon League competition, you did the right thing by stopping and helping somebody who really needed help."

"Thanks, Brock," the dark-haired boy smiled back. "I hope we do the right thing at the Pokémon League, too!"

o 0 o

Having long since parted ways with Otoshi and Marowak, the group of two continued down the path without rest, and as the sun was turning the sky brilliant shades of amber, they reached the peak of a large hill. The setting sun reflecting off a glorious lake alongside the path below caught Ash's eye, but Brock smiled and pointed forward.

"Hey, look!" he pointed out, and Ash followed his finger to a collection of high mountains not far from their location. "There's the Indigo Plateau! We're almost there!"

"Yeah!" Ash cheered, and unable to hold back his excitement with their destination finally in view, he erupted in a happy cry and took off, his feet feeling like they were floating above the ground as he tirelessly hurried down the hill. Tomorrow, they would finally reach the site of the Pokémon League competition.

-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, Quick Attack