Chapter 8: No Need for Switching
The new morning arose as those in the Masaki household was ready to spend another day. Ash awoke in his virtual room provided by Washu. He emerged with Pikachu in his arms as they prepared for a special day: Ash and Sasami were switching their partners. Sasami and Ryo-Ohki came down the stairs for breakfast. Ash and Pikachu exited Washu's lab and they met. "Ash!" she gasped. "Pikachu!"
"Sasami!" gasped Ash. "Ryo-Ohki!" They laughed at the meeting. "Well, we did say first thing." Sasami and Pikachu giggled to the reality.
"We did!" she laughed. Calming down, she turned to the cabbit. "Ryo-Ohki, are you going to behave for Ash?" Ryo-Ohki mewed to promise Sasami as Ash turned to Pikachu.
"I doubt you're going to give Sasami a hard time, Pikachu," he reminded.
("I'll be good,") Pikachu allowed. He and Ryo-Ohki hopped off Ash and Sasami while Nobuyuki watched as he emerged from his room. Pikachu and Ryo-Ohki gave each other a clap to the paws before joining their assigned partners for 24 hours: Pikachu jumping into Sasami's arms and Ryo-Ohki leaping onto Ash's shoulder.
"Wait, I don't understand," Nobuyuki gulped. Everyone turned to Tenchi's father.
"Morning, Nobuyuki," Ash greeted. "Sasami and I wanted to switch our main partners for a day." Nobuyuki seemed interested to the turnout.
"A fascinating experiment," he awed. "This might be something Washu might have an interest in." The kids laughed at the thought. After breakfast, Sasami and Pikachu helped clean the living room while Ash and Ryo-Ohki walked around outside. The other women woke up. Ayeka came to the laundry room where she saw Pikachu with Sasami, not Ryo-Ohki.
"Sasami?" she spoke up. "Pikachu?" Sasami and Pikachu turned to Ayeka. "Where's Ryo-Ohki?"
"She's with Ash for the day," Sasami replied. This made Ayeka's eyelid rise.
"With… Ash?" she repeated.
("We wanted this,") Pikachu squeaked. Sasami briefed her big sister about the switching.
"Oh, that's an interesting experience to try," Ayeka awed before she had a giggle. "24 hours… It could also mean that you'll be sleeping with us tonight. It's probably going to fulfill our wish to have at least one of you to cuddle." Pikachu giggled to the thought.
"The futons should be done washing," Sasami believed. "Should we get ready to hang them on the lines?"
("Of course!") agreed Pikachu. Meanwhile, Ash and Ryo-Ohki checked on the garden. Ryo-Ohki studied the carrots still growing.
"Any of them ready for a lift?" he asked. Ryo-Ohki mewed while shaking her head. "I know you're anxious to have some of those carrots." The cabbit nodded, understanding the boy. Ash had an idea about what to do. "I haven't done much training since coming here. Why not see what I do to train?" Ryo-Ohki liked the idea. They traveled up the mountain before Ash released his Pokémon. Bayleef reached and nuzzled Ash's face.
("Darling!") she greeted.
"Okay, Bayleef…" giggled Ash. "We have to start training for when we get back home. After all, we have a mountain to climb before we take on the Johto League." Ryo-Ohki mewed to Ash's ideas as Cyndaquil became concerned.
("No Pikachu?") he squeaked. Ash came to Cyndaquil before petting his head.
"Sasami has Pikachu for the day," he clarified. "Ryo-Ohki's with us to watch." Bayleef became curious to the occurence. She wasn't alone.
"Sasami has Pikachu?" repeated Mihoshi. She emerged with a peeler. "I'm sorry, I just got done with some inspections and I overheard that you're doing some training." Ash believed Mihoshi was curious about Ash as a trainer.
"Yeah, I know we'll be back home soon," Ash started. "And when we do, we'll be in shape for it." Mihoshi seemed intrigued to the plan.
"Oh, could I try?" That made the Pokémon wonder about Mihoshi trying Pokémon Training. Pikachu helped hang sheets and futons with Sasami. Pikachu hung on the line and used his toes to pull a sheet down. Sasami giggled to his antic.
"Hey, be careful!" she laughed.
("I'll try!") squeaked Pikachu. He pulled the sheets down while Sasami straightened them. Mihoshi looked over the Pokémon as Ryo-Ohki played with Ash's cap. She came to and picked up Cyndaquil.
"I'll choose Cyndaquil for this!" she decided. Cyndaquil squeaked curiously to the decision. Ryo-Ohki mewed to Ash in the same curiosity.
"Okay, let me get you Cyndaquil's moveset," Ash offered. He quickly wrote a list before giving it to Mihoshi.
"Smokescreen, Flamethrower, Swift and Tackle?"
"Yep, and it should be easy to remember. I'll be using…
("Darling!") cried Bayleef. ("I can battle!") Ash seemed startled to Bayleef's interest.
"Bayleef?" he gasped. Quickly, Ash smiled. "Okay!" Ryo-Ohki mewed, ready to watch. Katsuhito reached the two and the Pokémon.
"What seems to be going on here?" he voiced. Everyone turned to Tenchi's grandfather.
"Ash just wanted to come up here and do training," Mihoshi briefed. "But I also wanted to see what his training contains." Katsuhito pondered to the idea.
"Pokémon Training, huh?" he repeated. "Allow me to understand by watching." Accepting, Ash, Ryo-Ohki and Bayleef stood on one side while Mihoshi and Cyndaquil stood far from the trio. Noctowl, Bulbasaur and Totodile were on the side with Katsuhito.
"Ready, Mihoshi?" asked Ash.
"I am!" replied Mihoshi.
"You have the first move!"
"Okay! Cyndaquil, you use Tackle!" The command given, Cyndaquil raced after Bayleef who stood her ground.
"Bayleef, use Body Slam!" Hearing, Bayleef jumped up to a stand on her hind legs. Cyndaquil barreled into Bayleef's body, but bounced off and fell back. Bayleef fell onto all fours, but Cyndaquil escaped. "Now, use Vine Whip!" Bayleef summoned vines from her neck and reached for Cyndaquil. Mihoshi looked to panic but soon wanted to try another move.
"Use Swift to escape!" His back aflame, Cyndaquil spat stars that slashed at the vines, causing Bayleef to reel before more stars struck her. She dropped back. "That was Swift? That was more of a star gun attack, or something like it."
"Hey, pretty good defensive move!" Hearing the praise, Mihoshi laughed.
"Beware, Mihoshi," Katsuhito warned. "Just because you scored a hit, it's only a start." Mihoshi nodded before preparing her next command.
"I'll go ahead and use Smokescreen!" she ordered. Cyndaquil spat out a thick black smoke which started to envelop Bayleef.
"Use Razor Leaf!" suggested Ash. Bayleef flung leaves into the smoke cloud. No sound and no word of if the attack struck anything but ground.
"Use Flamethrower!" Suddenly, a stream of flames emerged and struck Bayleef, knocking her out of the smoke. She stood but looked surprised to the strike.
"Are you okay?" Turning, Bayleef bobbed a nod. "Alright, keep using Razor Leaf to clear the Smokescreen!" Bayleef flung a torrent of leaves that struck the smoke cloud. One leaf struck Cyndaquil, knocking him out of smoke before it dissipated. Reacting, Mihoshi had some giggling.
"This is rather fun! This is my first battle and I can feel the adrenaline in these!" A sight Katsuhito seemed to acknowledge.
"It seems as though battles like this is akin to a game of Shogi," he compared. Ash and Mihoshi blinked to the elder's claim.
"Shogi?" repeated Mihoshi.
"What's Shogi?" asked Ash.
"It's a game where you have fleets to 'Capture the King' and put him in checkmate," Katsuhito started. "There are many methods to send your pawns and other pieces out to conquer the other army. The reason I bring it up is that Shogi and Pokémon Battles share an idealistic relationship in strategies from an offensive to a defensive stand. One to rush into a battle and one to trap. Battles never play the same way." Ash awed Katsuhito's words, sensing the wisdom from the elder.
"I get it!" he appreciated. "And you're right. I have been in many battles where I could use the same strategy, but I would lose when other trainers figure me out." Mihoshi became admiring after the clarification.
"That makes sense," she smiled. "I might talk to Kiyone about using new methods to catch the galaxy's worst criminals." Bayleef hummed in acknowledgment.
"What's this about new methods, Mihoshi?" voiced Kiyone. Everyone turned to Kiyone arriving. "I'm pretty sure that we can get the criminals just fine without any extra effort." Mihoshi understood Kiyone, but wanted to say a few things.
"I was just thinking of how we could use some training to work as a unit to keep the galaxy safe and work with other units," she explained. Kiyone's eye twitched.
"Not that I don't agree," she muttered. "It's just so sudden and that something like this sparks your interest is worrying." Ryo-Ohki mewed profusely to Kiyone's point.
"Ryo-Ohki?" wondered Ash. Ryo-Ohki jumped down to meet with Noctowl, possibly to play with him. Noctowl hooted back.
"I think Ryo-Ohki became enthralled with the battle and wonders if there's a way she could help the others," Katsuhito believed. Kiyone scoffed while Mihoshi cooed in awe.
"Ryo-Ohki wants to be a Pokémon!" she teased.
"Or maybe she wants to be a Pokémon Trainer like Ash," Kiyone pondered. "She could take the form of a girl and be around Ash's age." Ryo-Ohki demonstrated her ability to transform into the girl form again. She allowed Noctowl to rest on her arm.
"Apparently, the latter," Katsuhito pointed out. The women giggled to the bonding. As Ryo-Ohki played with the Pokémon with Ash watching, Sasami and Pikachu swept the walkway with Ryoko watching.
"I'm surprised I found a broom Pikachu's size," she chuckled.
"I know, right?" snickered Sasami. Tenchi came out and saw the activity.
"Looking good, you guys!" he praised. "Anyway, I'm going to cook tonight." This made everyone wonder the occasion.
"You?" gasped Sasami.
"Well, after hearing from Princess Ayeka about the switching for the day," Tenchi offered. "I thought you and Ash could do an evaluation of being with different creatures." Ryoko awed the thought.
"It's funny that we see how trusting Pikachu and Ryo-Ohki have been," she teased.
("Why wouldn't I trust you?") questioned Pikachu. Evening soon fell before everyone gathered. They soon learned what Pikachu and Ryo-Ohki were involved in.
"Ryo-Ohki, a Pokémon Trainer?" gasped Sasami.
"After my brief battle with Mihoshi," Ash started. "Ryo-Ohki wanted to learn how to train and Katsuhito tried to give some advice." Sasami and Pikachu shared laughs to the thought.
("I would like to see that happen,") Pikachu giggled. Ryo-Ohki shyly itched her head.
"I also heard that Pikachu was a big help around the household," Ash added.
"He was!" confirmed Sasami. "I can also see what he could do with some free time." She giggled some more. "To think, we still have tonight with this switch before we switch back."
"Right, and Pikachu'll be with you and Ayeka," Ash realized. Pikachu's excitement couldn't be ignored. The moon was high in the sky as Pikachu nestled with Sasami while Ayeka watched.
"So, Ryo-Ohki is happy with Ash that I heard," Ayeka studied.
"She is, but it's not like she's going with Ash back to his world," Sasami sighed. "It does make me wonder, though: What Pokémon would best be for me? I know Ash said his take."
"Right now, it's possibly best to not think about it right now." The idea made Pikachu agree.
"Sure… I can do that. Goodnight, Ayeka."
"Goodnight, Sasami… and Pikachu." It didn't take long for Sasami and Pikachu to fall asleep. In the virtual room, Ash lied comfortably with Ryo-Ohki on his chest. However, they wouldn't be alone as someone sneaked into Ash's bed, raking stock of the trainer. She crawled in bed with Ash and Ryo-Ohki However, something was going on about the wall Ash and Pikachu came from. What could be going on there? Would Misty and Brock have found a way though for Ash?
TO BE CONTINUED...