Chapter 32: Rough Rapidsd
Still being around Area One of the West Province, they decided to follow the river trail towards their next destination. They did this ever since they defeated the Titan Bombirdier, and they still did it.
They then noticed that the river that they were following was very rapid and strong, it could easily pull someone who isn't careful enough into the current.
But Ash isn't what you would call 'careful'.
"This will be a great spot for water type training!" Ash declared while sending his Finizen out into the river. "Professor Ash, are you insane?!" Penny shouted, most surprised "That river is sure to wash Finizen away!" Thomas exclaimed, thinking that Ash has gone the deep end.
"That's what I'm counting on, swimming against the current will help build Finizen's stamina and endurance" Ash reasoned, and that's what Finizen was doing right now, swimming against the harsh current, which could at any moment pull him across the water and down the streams.
"While I'm at it, you all should get your water types and join in, it may help you" Ash invited. While the others seemed hesitant at first, Arven's Quaxly decided to give it a shot and dip his webbed feet and into the rapids. Soon enough, he was kicking against the currents and holding up really well.
"Well if Quaxly can do it, we can all do it" Carla exclaimed while sending out her water types, who without missing so much as a beat, began swimming against the harsh current. Because Shellder can't really swim, he decided to just endure the waves while Vaporeon is also seen swimming.
Finizen was leaping in and out of the river, jumping over large rocks that got in his way, until he felt a sharp pain in his tailfin "FINI!" He hopped out of the water, with some sort of fish attached to his tail.
"What is it Finizen?" Ash said in shock, "Fini Fini FINIZEN!" It was revealed that the culprit was a Basculin, and soon enough, the other water types were all bitten in the hind quarters by Basculin.
"Quick, Pikachu, send them flying with Thunderbolt!" Ash ordered "Pika...CHUUUUUUUU!" Pikachu let loose his iconic blast of lightning, which proceeds to sends all of the bass-like Pokemon. Ash then noticed something odd about some of the Pokemon, while some were of the usual blue and red striped variants, there were also some that were coated in white stripes, something that he had never seen before.
"Bellibolt, use Spark!" "Sprigatito, use Magical Leaf!" "Capsakid, use Razor Leaf!" Everyone was soon shouting attacks at the aggressive bass, whom dove into the water for cover. "After them Quaxly!" Arven ordered, to which the duck followed. He then dove into the river and faced off against the hostile Pokemon, smacking them away with Wing Attack and sending them down the river dazed and beaten.
"Nice work Quaxly!" "Qua qua" Arven then gave Quaxly a treat for his performance, but Ash was more focused on what the Basculin were doing attacking random Pokemon like that.
"What's worse is that we could be using that river for drinking water, and they may bite our tongues" Felia said "We gotta do something about this" Thomas declared. "Well, that shouldn't be an issue, we just follow the river" Penny stated while getting a move on.
The group was now following the river trail, wanting to know what was going on. It was then that one of them decided to break the silence. "Don't you think those Basculin attacking us was a bit off?" Carla piped up. "Not really, they are known as Hostile Pokemon" Vanny replied "Yes but usually they're only hostile to each other, they decided to attack us for a change, that's just weird" Carla countered. "Hopefully we'll get the answer soon" Ash interjected.
Eventually, they made it towards a lake where they saw a large whirlpool in the center. "The heck is that?" Gus asked incredulously.
Just then, a bunch of Basculin surrounded the whirlpool, and from it, a giant fish-like Pokemon emerged. it was primarily grey and red, with its bottom half ending in a wispy section, other red markings.
"What's that Pokemon?" Ash said to himself as he brought out his Rotom Phone.
Basculegion, the Big Fish Pokemon, a water and ghost type. They were first seen in ancient Sinnoh, until they made a ressurgence in recent times. They are said to contain the spirits of other water types.
"That must be the ringleader" Vanny said, feeling her blood rush for a fight.
"Don't get too ahead of yourself, we don't know much about this Basculegion" Nemona said while holding her back "Wait, I see someone, get down" Arven said, and everyone hid in the bush to see Team Rocket with a net launcher. It didn't take much to figure out what they were gonna do.
"All these Basculin will fetch a pretty penny for the boss" Jessie said while aiming her launcher at the Basculegion. Just as she was about to pull the trigger, the launcher was knocked out of her hands by Pikachu's Iron Tail. "Oh goodie, we have the twerps to interrupt us" James bemoaned while sending out his Varoom.
Varoom then made a very large sound which startled the Basculin into attacking Ash and the gang. "So they plan on using Basculin as a weapon by scaring them? That's just cruel!" Carla said enraged, and sent out her Veluza to dash through the large swarm of bass and attack Varoom with Aqua Jet.
Angered, Varoom stepped on the gas and covered the area with smoke, but Veluza cleared the smoke away by using the spinning motions of Fillet Away to blowing it. Varoom then smashes into the merluza Pokemon with Iron Head, sending him into the water and attempts to pollute the water with Sludge, so Veluza couldn't see well.
"Oh no!" Carla said in a panic, "Well looks like this fishy will get filthy" James taunted. That was a mistake, as Carla then ordered her next move.
"USE FILLET AWAY!"
Gathering up his remaining strength, he then spun in the water, which suddenly created a whirlpool of sorts, and then proceeds to suck up Varoom and Team Rocket.
"Why did you have to taunt her James?!"
"It was your idea to catch all of those Basculin"
"How could I know that the twerps are going to be here!"
Eventually, the crooks were thrwon out of the water all drenched and wet, and they were down, and the Basculin were now glaring at Team Rocket for scaring them.
"Uhh, do you think we should sink or swim?" Meowth said with a twinge of fear in his voice. Basculegion then used Wave Crash on the crooks, and they were sent blasting off again like always.
"That should calm down the Basculin now" Nemona said as the bass swam away into the river.
"Do you think we should continue following the river? I mean the Basculin aren't that hostile anymore" Gus wondered "I think I had enough water for now" Zeke mused "Yeah me too" Penny agreed.
Soon enough, everyone was back on the route to their next destination, where the next big challenge is awaiting them.
End of Chapter