Hello, everyone! First time I'm not greeting you all with an 'Alola', since now, we're heading to Unova for this next little arc of the story! Honestly, I've never gotten to tell the story behind Leslie's upbringing as one of my main OCs for a while now.
She's actually based off of a Nuzlocke Challenge I did for Pokémon Black 2. And that was probably one of my best ones, since I didn't lose anyone! But that aside, it was a memorable experience for me to accomplish that. And now, I want to bring that story to life for my character.
So, for the next five chapters, it's gonna be Leslie Ketchum's story about she started out her journey! Hope you're ready, because it's gonna be quite a ride into one of my favorite regions of the series! Enjoy!
POKÉMON SUN & MOON
THE CHALLENGE OF A LIFETIME
"Are you sure you're ready?" a worried Mirajane asked as she was holding onto a large, salmon pink-and-white handbag with a black strap.
"Mom, for the fifth time, I'm fine," Leslie assured. She wore a pink-and-white visor on her head, as well as a salmon pink tank top tied with a bow around her neck like a bikini top under a white, quarter-length, slim fit top with ice blue sleeves, and a fully salmon pink semi-Poké Ball printed on the chest area. On her bottom half, she donned frilly flared mustard yellow shorts over black lycra leggings with salmon pink socks. Her hi-top shoes were ice blue and white with mustard yellow laces. "I know Unova's quite the trip, but it's not like I'm gonna be gone forever…" she pointed out.
"Oh, I know…" her mother retorted with a smile, handing her the bag, "Huh…" she sighed, "We've been holding you back from getting to go on your own adventures for a while now," she noted.
"I wanted to stick around with you guys before figuring out where I should start," her daughter told her, "It took longer than expected, but…" she continued, giving off a little smile, "I'm glad Unova's the place I'll be going," she admitted.
"Snii, vee!" her Snivy exclaimed in agreement as he leapt onto her left shoulder.
"Hm," Mirajane giggled, "Remember, you can always call me and your father at any time," she pointed out, "Pokémon Centers will always be extremely helpful," she mentioned.
"I know, I know…" Leslie repeated in reply, "Love you, Mom," she said, embracing the Take-Over wizard warmly.
"Love you too, Leslie…" she responded, hugging her back. A few moments later, she watched as her daughter entered the airport, going through security and heading to her flight gate. Mirajane could see the huge plane take off into the sky, letting her white hair breeze throughout the wind. "Huh…" she exhaled, "You already said your goodbye this morning?" she assumed, glancing over to her husband, who was standing beside her with Pikachu perched upon his head.
"Yeah," he replied, "Figured the twins would be a little rowdy about going to the airport this early…" he pointed out, putting his hands onto his hips.
"Peekah pee…" the Mouse Pokémon mumbled in agreement.
"I never thought it'd be this hard to see our own daughter go off into the unknown…" Mirajane admitted, trembling a little, "But I really shouldn't worry, should I?" she inferred.
"Nah," Ash responded with a shake of his head, "She's our daughter," he pointed out, "And she's gonna be as strong as she can be," he mentioned firmly. In the plane up in the skies above, Leslie smiled as she looked out the window to see the sights of Kanto from the air.
"We're finally about to start our journey together, Serpence…" she noted aloud to her Snivy, "You nervous?" she asked him.
"Vee!" he responded with a shake of his head and a smile.
"Yeah, me too," she agreed, "We're gonna get really strong, enough to even beat Dad in a battle one day!" she declared.
"Sny vee!" the Grass Snake Pokémon squeaked excitedly. They were ready to embark on an unforgettable journey together…
OPENING
Insert "Empathy" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation
Opens with a young Leslie sitting at home in Pallet Town, watching as a Pokémon Egg is slowly starting to hatch. When it finally does, it reveals a Snivy. He looks up at the curious face of Leslie, who's instantly excited about the Grass Snake Pokémon. Soon enough, she names him Serpence, taking a family picture with him in her arms.
The years go by with Leslie and Serpence playing with each other around Pallet Town, eating together, training, and every other activity they can do. Finally, it's to the point where they're about to embark on their journey together to the Unova Region. Leslie waves goodbye to her parents after boarding the plane to fly off.
We cut to Aspertia City, where we get to meet Hugh and his little sister. Later, we see him and Leslie at the lookout, with Bianca acting as a referee as a battle between them is about to begin. His Tepig goes up her Snivy as they both collide with each other.
The scene changes to Leslie traveling to Floccesy Town, only to suddenly wind up ambushed as Alder hops down from a cliff just beside her, much to her surprise. We go through several shots of him, Cheren, Roxie, Burgh, Elesa, Clay, Skyla, Drayden, Marlon, and Iris. The area darkens around Leslie as she turns around to see Neo Team Plasma there, with Zinzolin and Colress included.
Their Pokémon lunge out to attack her, but six bright lights shoot out from her belt, taking form and dissipating to reveal each of her own Pokémon: Serpence the Serperior, Lucarus the Lucario, Zoniac the Magnezone, Mortalius the Magmortar, Krookaro the Krookodile, and Reinardio the Walrein. We see Serpence use Leaf Blade to take down a pair of Krokorok, followed by Lucarus using Psychic to blow back some Trubbish. Zoniac takes out a Golbat with a Discharge, and Mortalius uses Flamethrower to take down a Drapion. Krookaro's Earthquake hits several Pokémon, followed by Reinardio finishing them off with Surf.
Afterwards, we cut to the Giant Chasm, where Leslie confronts Ghetsis as he has Kyurem under his control beside him. He attempts to have her completely frozen, but the ice is melted away as N arrives with Reshiram, prepared to confront his father. The two have a brief standoff before commanding their respective Legendary Pokémon to attack.
The opening concludes with Leslie arriving at the Unova Pokémon League. There, she meets up with her family, along with her twin siblings, who are excited to see her in action.
END OPENING
REFLECTIONS
PART I
Stepping out from the airport, Leslie had Serpence hop onto her right shoulder as they ventured into Aspertia City. It wasn't especially large as her father had described, but it was a nice place to see. She and her partner Pokémon wandered about the city streets, checking out some of the local stores and scenery.
"We are gonna need to get ourselves a Pokédex before we can register for the league…" she realized, getting her Snivy's attention, "Fortunately, Dad made sure we know where to find someone for that," she pointed out with a grin. Moments later, she was climbing up the stairs to the outlook at the edge of the city. Upon arriving, she spotted a few people there marveling the horizon. Some were taking pictures, but there was one person in particular who was just gazing.
She was a young lady with short blonde hair, fair skin, and bright green eyes. She was also of medium height and was slim, though she had very wide and well-defined hips. She sported red glasses, a low white V-neck top with a black top underneath, knee-length green jogging bottoms, a green shoulder bag, orange boots with black soles and bows, green beret with a white bow and orange puffy coat.
"Miss Bianca?" Leslie said, getting her attention as she blinked in surprise, turning around to see the white-haired girl there, "Sorry if I'm interrupting anything…" she apologized in advance.
"Oh no, you're fine!" the young lady assured with a wave of her hand, "You must be Leslie, right?" she assumed, reaching into her shoulder bag, "I was actually just about to head back to the Pokémon Center to see if you arrived," she pointed out, "How did you know where to find me?" she inquired curiously.
"Figured you'd probably be at Aspertia's most famous spot," Leslie answered with a shrug, "It's really beautiful out here…" she noted, looking toward the horizon.
"Oh, yeah!" Bianca agreed, "You could just stay up here and enjoy the view for hours!" she mentioned happily, "Anyways, here you go!" she offered, pulling out a pink-and-white, rectangular-shaped Pokédex, "Your very own Pokédex!" she exclaimed, allowing for the Ketchum girl to take into her hands.
"Sny…" Serpence uttered in amazement, eyeing the device curiously. With a giggle, his trainer activated it, having its second screen pop up above the first one.
"Snivy, the Grass Snake Pokémon," it began in a female voice, "He is very intelligent and calm. Being exposed to lots of sunlight makes his movements swifter. Snivy photosynthesize by bathing their tails in sunlight. When they are not feeling well, their tails droop," it explained thoroughly. Bianca giggled.
"Looks like you've got yourself a working Pokédex!" she pointed out, "So, what are you planning to do here in Unova?" she asked curiously.
"We're gonna get eight badges and challenge the Pokémon League!" Leslie declared in response.
"Ooh, that's a big goal…" Bianca noted, "I used to be a trainer myself before becoming Professor Juniper's assistant…" she recalled, sheepishly scratching at her right cheek, "Ash was really strong from what I remember," she mentioned, "So I've got no doubt that you'll be just fine out here!" she assured, sharing a laugh with the Ketchum girl. Moments later, the two of them started to venture down from the outlook, about to head to the Pokémon Center. However, they stopped upon seeing a pair of people walk toward them.
One was a little girl with dark blue hair tied into a high ponytail with a pink bow. She had a pink dress over a striped blue turtleneck and white slippers. Next to her was a young boy who had indigo hair that was spiked vertically. He wore a red training suit with a white collar and a single stripe running down each arm paired with dark blue riding pants that matched his hair. His accessories included black fingerless gloves, red shoes with black stripes, and a white fanny pack with a red half-circle. He bore an Xtransceiver upon his left wrist. He blinked in surprise upon noticing the Pokédex in Leslie's hand.
"Hey, where'd you get that?" he inquired, making her glance over to him.
"Oh, uh…" she stuttered out, unsure of how to respond.
"It was a gift from Professor Juniper passed from me to her!" Bianca answered, "Are you a Pokémon Trainer, too?" she inquired of the spiky-haired boy.
"Uh… sorta…" he replied, "I still don't have a Pokédex yet myself, so…" he started to say, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head.
"Well, you're in luck!" the assistant exclaimed, reaching back into her shoulder bag, "I just happened to have an extra Pokédex on me!" she pointed out as she held it up, "Of course, I'm not so sure I should just give it away…" she mentioned, glancing up in thought.
"Then how about I earn it by winning a battle?" the boy suggested to her surprise, "In fact, why don't I battle the girl you gave that other Pokédex to?" he offered on, turning to Leslie.
"A battle?" she repeated out of surprise, "Well, if it's alright…" she started to say, looking to see Bianca nod, "Okay, I'll do it," she decided with a grin.
"Yes!" the boy exclaimed, reaching down and pulling out a Poké Ball from his fanny pack. He enlarged it with a press of its button, tossing it up into the air. It popped open, with its light spilling onto a step and taking form, dissipating to reveal a Tepig.
"Tehh!" he squeaked, expelling of puff of embers from his nostrils.
"Oh, a Tepig!" Leslie yelped out, aiming her Pokédex toward the Fire Pig Pokémon. Its second screen deployed, showing off an image.
"Tepig, the Fire Pig Pokémon," it began, "He blows fire through his nose. When Tepig catches a cold, the fire becomes pitch-black smoke instead. He loves to eat roasted berries, but sometimes he gets too excited and burns them to a crisp," it explained thoroughly.
"I raised this little guy from an egg, so we're gonna take you down together!" the boy vowed firmly as he crouched down and petted the Fire Pig Pokémon.
"Pig!" he oinked excitedly.
"Sounds fair to me," Leslie replied, letting Serpence hop off of her shoulder onto the steps, "We won't hold back!" she promised.
"Vee!" her Snivy agreed.
"Are you two actually going to battle here?" the little girl nearby inquired in concern.
"Don't worry, Melody," the boy assured with a thumbs up, "It'll be fun for everyone to watch!" he pointed out with a smile. Both the Tepig and the Snivy glared at each other, standing just a half dozen feet apart. The wind breezed by with some spring leaves floating upon it.
"Serpence, Tackle!" Leslie ordered as she swung her right arm out.
"Sny!" the Grass Snake Pokémon responded, lunging forward.
"We'll do the same!" the boy decided, allowing his Tepig to leap out at his foe. They collided head on, gritting their teeth as they tried to push each other back. All of a sudden, Serpence managed to send his foe flying back as he tumbled over the step. Fortunately, he managed to find his balance, shaking his head to regain himself.
"Piggg…" he growled as the ball-like tip of his tail shined a bright, burning red.
"Use Ember!" his trainer ordered.
"Tehh… pigg!" the Fire Pig Pokémon exclaimed as he unleashed red-orange embers from his nostrils, heading toward Serpence.
"Dodge and use Vine Whip!" Leslie quickly instructed. Her Snivy easily evaded the embers, followed by having small flashes of light appear upon his shoulders. Two vines they protruded from them, which extended out. He swung them to smack his opponent, pushing him back. "Now Tackle!" his trainer commanded.
"Vee!" the Grass Snake Pokémon responded, landing down and lunging out to strike his foe head on. The attack sent him crashing into the side railing as he fell onto his stomach. He was slow to push himself up, gritting his teeth in pain.
"Oh man…" the young boy uttered out of disbelief, looking over to see the grin on Leslie's face. Bianca giggled a little.
"I guess I shouldn't be surprised given who she is…" she noted quietly.
"Tepig, Ember!" the young boy ordered. Making the orb at the tip of his tail glow orange, the Fire Pig Pokémon reared his head back again before firing off more red-orange embers.
"Serpence, dodge it!" Leslie called out. Swiftly and easily, her Snivy flipped over the embers. "Now use Tackle!" his trainer yelled. Upon landing, the Grass Snake Pokémon zipped out and slammed into Tepig again, causing him to tumble down a few steps before landing upon one of the sections in between. Swirls were in his eyes as he groaned in agony.
"Oh no, Tepig!" Melody yelped in shock, while the young boy went over to check on his partner, picking him up into his arms.
"Tehhh…" he groaned out, opening his eyes to see his trainer there. He gave off a relieved sigh. After a moment, he returned his partner to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light. He then trotted back up the steps, seeing Serpence hop onto Leslie's shoulder.
"You're… really good," he complimented, "You'd definitely be someone I could depend on if I could be a legit trainer…" he mentioned sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head.
"Uh… huh?" Leslie uttered in confusion, raising an eyebrow.
"Well, I think you definitely proved you're more than ready to have a Pokédex!" Bianca chimed in, getting their attentions.
"But… I didn't win…" the young boy pointed out.
"Winning isn't everything," the assistant noted as she pulled the Pokédex she had out from her bag, "Having a heart dedicated to understand more about Pokémon is exactly the kind of thing a trainer should have!" she told him, handing him the device.
"Um… thank you…" he said in gratitude, smiling a little.
"Hugh, does that mean you're gonna leave soon?" Melody asked curiously in concern.
"Yeah, sis," he replied, "I would've left two years ago if I finished in the Trainer's School," he recalled, "but I wanted to learn more from experience than a classroom," he mentioned, closing his left hand into a fist.
"Same here," Leslie admitted, getting his attention, "So your name's Hugh, huh?" she inquired as she approached him, "I'm Leslie," she introduced, holding her right hand out to him, "We shouldn't skip introductions if we're both becoming trainers, right?" she inferred with a bright smile. Out of embarrassment, the spiky-haired boy blushed.
"Uh, yeah…" he agreed in response with a chuckle, accepting her hand into his for a firm handshake, "Thanks for the battle," he mentioned with gratitude. And with that, a new rivalry was forged.
X
"So you're from the Kanto Region?" Melody asked of Leslie later at the Pokémon Center, where both she and Hugh had just registered for the league, obtaining their badge cases as well.
"Mm-hmm," the white-haired girl responded with a nod.
"That must be really far from here…" the little girl noted aloud, "Don't you get homesick?" she inquired on.
"I probably will…" Leslie replied as she shrugged, "But I know my family's just as worried about me away like this," she pointed out, "You'll probably feel the same for your big brother," she added, crouching down to Melody's eye level.
"I… guess you're right…" she concurred, seemingly still sad about the news.
"Okay!" Bianca chimed in, causing them to perk up, "You're all registered and set to go, right?" she asked of Leslie.
"Yep," she answered, "Just need to get a few things from the store before starting things off," she noted, reaching into her handbag to grab her wallet.
"Um… where's my brother?" Melody asked as she looked around, not seeing Hugh in immediate sight.
"I think he took off after registering…" Bianca recalled, scratching at her left cheek, "He might already be in Floccesy Town by now…" she mentioned.
"Guess he doesn't know how to really sit still…" Leslie realized.
"Um, can you please wait here, Miss Leslie?" Melody suddenly requested, causing her to blink in surprise before seeing the little girl hurry off. A little while later after she had done some shopping, the white-haired girl exited the Pokémon Center as Serpence was perched upon her left shoulder. She then took notice of Melody running over, having two box-shaped objects in her hands.
"What's all that?" she asked as the little girl approached, panting with exhaustion. She took a moment to catch her breath, standing up straight.
"These are Town Maps!" she responded, "Our mom and dad have a bunch of old ones they don't use anymore," she pointed out, "so I asked if I could give you one, and they said it's okay!" she recanted, allowing Leslie to take the device. She opened it, and a map appeared on the screen, with a red marker indicating her current location.
"Oh, that's so sweet, Melody…" she noted gratefully, "But wait…" she continued, raising an eyebrow, "why'd you bring two?" she asked.
"That other one's for my brother," the little girl answered, "If he's already out and about, then I can't go after him…" she noted sheepishly, "So would you please get it to him for me?" she requested, "I know he said he could depend on you…" she mentioned as she fidgeted in place. With that, Leslie cracked a small smile.
"Of course I will," she assured, causing Melody to smile herself as her eyes sparkled. The white-haired girl took the other Town Map, stuffing it into her handbag before venturing off.
"Vee, sny vee?" Serpence asked, getting his trainer's attention.
"Don't worry," she responded with a shake of her head in reassurance, "I doubt he's that far ahead of us," she noted, "This is a big region after all…" she pointed out before giggling. Not long after, they were trekking down the path of Route 19, with the Grass Snake Pokémon occasionally getting into battle against some of the wild Patrats and Purrloins that popped out from the tall grass.
Leslie was looking at her Town Map, making sure that they knew where they were for the moment. She then noticed a shadow cast over her, glancing to the side and blinking in surprise to see the massive cliff facing her. Her Snivy hopped back onto her shoulder, also staring with awe.
"Well, we're getting pretty close to Floccesy," she pointed out, "Hopefully, we can find Hugh there before he's already too far ahead…" she mentioned with a cheeky grin.
"Hello there, young trainer!" a voice suddenly boomed, causing her to stop in surprise as she yelped.
"Wh-Who's there?!" she stammered out, glancing around.
"V-Vee!" Serpence stuttered, pointing up toward the cliff. His trainer looked over and widened her eyes. Standing there was a tall, powerfully-built man with long flaming red hair tied back in a spiky ponytail, tan skin, and dark eyes. His hair resembled a feathery headdress. He also wore tan cloak-like vestments with a black collar, red and orange trim on the sleeves, and orange and black trim across the middle. He had white pants with ragged ends, and black sandals on his feet. He also sported a necklace of six Poké Balls.
"You must be a new traveler around these parts!" he assumed, hopping down from the ledge and landing in front of Leslie. She shivered in surprise.
'Is he okay?!' she wondered, hoping that he didn't break anything from his descent to the ground. He approached her curiously as she straightened up in surprise. He surveyed her and Serpence, humming as he placed his hand onto his chin.
"Seems like your Snivy is quite a fine Pokémon!" he complimented, gently petting the Grass Snake Pokémon's head.
"Sniii…" he sighed contently.
"Oh, uh… thank you!" Leslie responded in gratitude with a stutter, "Um… who are you?" she asked, arching an eyebrow.
"Oh, where are my manners?" the tall man remarked as a question, bonking himself on the head with his right hand, "My name's Alder," he introduced to the Ketchum girl's surprise.
"Alder… as in Unova's former Champion Master?!" she questioned, widening her eyes.
"In the very flesh," he confirmed in reply, "And you seem like a brand new trainer just starting out," he noted additionally.
"Yeah," Leslie answered, "Just coming in from Aspertia," she mentioned.
"Ah, a wonderful place to start out!" the former champion pointed out excitedly with a laugh, "In fact, I believe the gym reopens there tomorrow…" he recalled, putting his hand onto his chin, "But I'm sure you'd prefer to spend your time training, right?" he assumed with a grin.
"Pretty much," the Ketchum girl responded with a shrug.
"Haha!" Alder laughed again, "Then by all means, follow me!" he insisted, "I'd be happy to help train you up for a gym battle in the times ahead!" he offered as he started to walk off.
"Oh, that'd be great!" Leslie exclaimed, following him. Arriving in the small area of Floccesy Town, the two of them ventured along the streets before making their way across a dirt field to a small building that looked to be a schoolhouse.
"Vee?" Serpence uttered in confusion.
"Is this another Trainer's School?" the Ketchum girl wondered aloud, getting Alder's attention.
"Well, in a way, yes," he answered as he trotted up to the door, "After I stepped down as Champion, I realized that there was more of Unova for me to truly discover," he told her, "And along with that, I found myself wanting to inspire the next generation of trainers to grow as well," he mentioned thoroughly, "Huh…" he sighed, "I do miss the days of old," he admitted, "But sometimes, we have to learn to pave the way for the new trainers starting out," he added, placing his hands onto his hips, "So, are you ready to get started?" he inquired as he turned to face Leslie.
"Uh… actually…" she started to say, causing him to arch an eyebrow, "I just remembered that I was looking for someone who might've passed through here…" she noted, "You see, I've gotta get him this Town Map his sister gave me," she pointed out, taking the device out from her handbag.
"Ah, I see…" Alder said, rubbing his chin curiously, "Hmm…" he hummed, "The person you're looking for might be out by the ranch," he told her, "It's a popular spot for trainers both looking for wild Pokémon and for training," he mentioned, "Go ahead and get that Town Map to your friend," he advised, "I'll still be here to help train you whenever you get back," he assured, folding his arms over his chest.
"Thanks, Mister Alder!" Leslie exclaimed with gratitude, hurrying off, "I'll see you later!" she promised as she waved goodbye.
"Veevee!" Serpence cried out, waving as well.
X
After a little while as the sun was starting to descend, Leslie found herself trotting under the archway into the Floccesy Ranch. It was a vast landscape filled with open fields, bales of hay, and of course, Pokémon roaming about.
"Snyy…" Serpence uttered out in amazement as he looked around.
"Remember, we're looking for Hugh," his trainer noted, getting his attention, "After that, we can worry about finding what else might be here…" she pointed out with a grin.
"Vee!" her Snivy squeaked in response. At that moment, they heard the rustling of grass nearby. They glanced over to see a figure emerge, being none other than a Riolu, who perked up upon spotting them.
"A Riolu!" Leslie exclaimed excitedly as her smile grew, "Okay, maybe we can spend a little time trying to catch one Pokémon…" she admitted. Rolling his eyes with a grin, Serpence hopped off of her shoulder and landed down in front of the Emanation Pokémon, who blinked in surprise.
"Reeoh!" he squeaked, taking on a ready stance.
"Serpence, Vine Whip!" the Ketchum girl ordered. Flashes of light emitted from her Snivy's shoulders before small green vines protruded from them. He swung them out at the wild Riolu, who outlined himself in a white light. He zipped away speedily, avoiding the vines before ramming into his foe, causing him to slide back a few feet.
"Veee…" he groaned out, shaking his head.
"Quick Attack, huh?" Leslie noted, "Yeah, that could be a problem…" she realized, glancing off to the side and narrowing her eyes in thought. She then blinked after a moment, "Serpence, use Growth and then Wrap!" she instructed.
"Sny!" the Grass Snake Pokémon responded. He then had a greenish light shine over his body, followed by a reddish aura flowing up it. Riolu dashed in, readying his right hand as he thrusted it out at his foe. However, he leaned aside to evade him, much to his surprise. He then coiled himself around the Emanation Pokémon, binding him tightly in place.
"Reeohhh…!" he grunted out, gritting his teeth together.
"Nice one, Serpence!" Leslie complimented, "Now Vine Whip!" she commanded. Drawing his vines again, her Snivy lashed at the wild Riolu over and over. However, he managed to palm his opponent with his right hand, sending him flying back in a burst of wind.
"Ree… ohh…" he breathed out heavily, staying in a ready stance. Sparks of electricity crackled around his foe's body as he winced.
"Don't worry, Serpence!" the Ketchum girl assured, readying a Poké Ball in her right hand as she enlarged it with a press of its button, "I'll take it from here!" she decided before flinging the spherical container out. The wild Riolu didn't even have a second to react as it hit him on the head. The Poké Ball opened up as he turned into red light, zipping into it. After it closed, it fell onto the grass, shaking as its button blinked a bright red.
Leslie sweated a little, waiting for the spherical container to stop shaking. Once it did, the button blinked green with the sound of a click. The Ketchum girl smiled brightly, jogging over to grab the Poké Ball.
"We caught a Riolu!" she exclaimed with delight as she held it up in the air.
"Veee…" her Snivy weakly moaned, getting her attention as she looked back to see that there were still sparks of electricity crackling from his body.
"Serpence!" his trainer yelped, quickly going over and crouching down in front of him.
"Sny…" he groaned, sitting himself down.
"Hold on, I'll see if I've got something for that…" Leslie promised, quickly taking her handbag off of her shoulder and opening it. She rummaged through its contents as her partner grimaced from the sparks crackling around him. "Oh, shoot…" the Ketchum girl grumbled after a few moments, "I don't have any Paralyze Heals, Serpence…" she pointed out to his dismay, "We could try to find some Cheri Berries or—"
"Oh, hello there!" a voice greeted, interrupting her as she looked over to see a man and a woman approach alongside a Herdier. Both were wearing overalls, with the former having a red bandana over his light brown hair, while the latter wore a green visor. "You doin' alright?" she asked in concern.
"Uh, actually…" Leslie began, picking up the weakened Serpence and holding him in her arms as she stood up, "my partner here needs a bit of R-and-R…" she pointed out.
"Sniii…" her Snivy groaned again.
"Oh my…" the female rancher uttered in surprise, "Were you battling one of those wild Mareep we usually get out here?" she assumed, arching an eyebrow.
"It was a Riolu actually," the Ketchum girl answered to the surprise of both ranchers, "His Force Palm really did a number on this little guy…" she pointed out.
"Vee…" Serpence huffed, turning his head away in disgust.
"Riolu around here tend to be pretty rare," the male rancher noted, "The fact that you found one is a surprise in of itself…" he mentioned.
"Mm-hmm," the woman beside him agreed, "Anyways, why don't we take this little talk back to our ranch?" she offered, "We'll help fix you two up," she promised.
"That sounds great!" Leslie exclaimed happily. A little while passed before she was out on the front porch of the farmhouse, petting the Herdier's back as he slept contently. Meanwhile, Serpence was chowing down on a red berry, shivering with delight. Just then, the front door opened up.
"Soup's on!" the female rancher declared, carrying a tray with three bowls of vegetable stew, "One for you, one for your Snivy, and one for that cute little Riolu you wound up catching!" she listed off, handing a bowl over to the Ketchum girl.
"Thank you so much," she said with gratitude, "Where is Riolu anyway?" she inquired curiously as she looked around.
"Right here!" the male rancher responded, getting her attention as she turned to see him and the Emanation Pokémon walk out through the front door, "Just gave him a quick fix with some Moomoo Milk," he noted, "but Polly's stew'll put another good skip in his step," he mentioned, winking to his wife.
"Oh, Dale…" she said with an embarrassed blush upon her face. Meanwhile, the Riolu cautiously approached Leslie and Serpence, seeming somewhat nervous. The Ketchum girl gave off a reassuring smile.
"Hey, it's okay," she said, "We're friends now," she added assuredly, "Here," she offered, handing him one of the bowls of stew, "You're probably still a little winded from our battle earlier, right?" she guessed, causing the Emanation Pokémon to blink in surprise, "Well, go ahead and dig in," she insisted. The Riolu looked curiously at the food offered to him, sniffing it. He then took a sip, followed by having his appendages perk up slightly.
"Reeoh!" he yipped delightedly as he started to take more sips. His new trainer giggled at how happy he seemed. She then hummed curiously, placing her left hand onto her cheek as she stared at him.
"Now what should I name you…?" she wondered aloud, causing Polly to perk up in surprise.
"Name?" she repeated out of confusion, "You name yer Pokémon?" she questioned, arching an eyebrow.
"Yeah," Leslie replied with a nod, "It's the best way for me to uniquely bond with them," she explained.
"Sounds like it'd make things easier for you to tell Pokémon apart if ya ever caught two of the same…" Dale mentioned as he sat down beside her on the front porch with his own bowl of stew in his lap, "We got plenty of Pokémon on the ranch from Mareep to Miltank that we can barely tell apart," he admitted sheepishly.
"Not to mention our pair o' Herdier," his wife added, "Although, I think this little one's brother's still wanderin' about…" she noted as she sat down.
"So what are ya gonna name your new buddy?" Dale asked of the Pokémon Trainer. She looked back at her newly caught Riolu, seeing that he had already finished his stew.
"How about… Lucarus?" she offered. Hearing that made the Emanation Pokémon perk up immediately.
"Ree, reeohh!" he pleaded excitedly as went up to his new trainer, ready to accept the new name.
"Hehee!" she giggled, "Lucarus it is!" she decided, "Welcome to the team!" she greeted, allowing the Riolu to crawl over and sit upon her lap. After a few minutes of enjoying a nice little supper, Leslie helped the ranchers do the dishes. The sun hadn't completely set yet, so she still had time to find Hugh before it got too dark out.
"Hon, have you seen Herdier around yet?" Polly asked her husband, getting his attention as he was just toweling off one of the bowls at the sink.
"He still not back yet?" he assumed in reply, "Could've sworn he took off to help corral those Mareep a little while ago…" he recalled, "Maybe one got around the fence or somethin' like that," he suggested with a shrug.
"Your other Herdier hasn't come back yet?" Leslie inquired upon overhearing.
"'Fraid not…" Polly answered, "He's normally never one to skip out on dinner, even if there's a problem…" she pointed out additionally.
"Maybe we can help look for him?" the Ketchum girl offered, gesturing towards herself and her Pokémon.
"Oh no, we couldn't ask—"
"Think of it as a way for us to pay you back for supper," Leslie insisted, interjecting the female rancher.
"Huh…" she sighed out with a smile, "Well, we can't argue with that…" she concluded, "But please, take a flashlight," she advised. A few minutes later, the Ketchum girl went out onto the front porch alongside Serpence and Lucarus, with Dale and their Herdier joining them.
"Our boy couldn't have gotten that far off the ranch…" the farmer noted, turning on his flashlight, "I'll check out front since there's a lot more ground to cover," he decided, "You good with tryin' out back?" he inquired.
"Yep, that's fine," she replied as she nodded. The two split up with their respective Pokémon, with Leslie looking around the fields, seeing the Mareep razing about. But there was no sign of a Herdier. However, she did find something that made her do a double-take. "Hugh?" she uttered, spotting the spiky-haired boy alongside his Tepig and a Pidove. They turned to see her there, widening their eyes in surprise.
"Hey Leslie!" Hugh greeted with a wave.
"Where the heck have you been?" the Ketchum girl asked as she approached, "Your sister said you took right off after getting registered…" she recalled.
"Well…" the spiky-haired boy began, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, "I was gonna try and hit up Virbank City for a gym battle," he told her, "but the road there's pretty tough," he pointed out, "So I thought I'd train out here by the farm for a little while and then stay at the Pokémon Center in Floccesy for the night," he explained, "I even caught a Pidove!" he mentioned, gesturing toward the Tiny Pigeon Pokémon.
"Pee!" he squawked happily.
"Huh…" Leslie sighed as she shook her head, "Well anyway, I was looking for you," she noted, causing her rival to blink in surprise as he saw her reach into her bag, "Melody wanted me to give you a Town Map for you to use," she told him, handing him the device.
"She… didn't have to do that…" he claimed as he glanced off to the side, "I was probably gonna head back to Aspertia anyway once the gym opened back up…" he added as he scratched at his right cheek.
"Sure…" the Ketchum girl responded with a roll of her eyes.
"Ree, reeoh!" Lucarus suddenly yipped, getting her attention, "Oh, oh loo!" he pointed out, gesturing towards paw prints of mud upon the grassy ground.
"Nice find, Lucarus!" his trainer complimented, aiming her flashlight to get a better look at the muddy tracks.
"Wait… you caught a Riolu?!" Hugh inquired out of shock, "And… what's going on?" he asked in concern, arching an eyebrow.
"The couple that owns the farm is missing one of their Herdier," Leslie answered, "We're helping look around for him," she pointed out. Hearing that, the spiky-haired boy appeared to tense up a little. He clenched his fists determinedly.
"Then let's hurry and find him!" he insisted, rushing off into the small wooded area beyond the farm.
"Hey, wait!" the Ketchum girl called out, chasing after him as their respective Pokémon followed. Fortunately, it wasn't dark enough for them to lose each other. They looked around carefully, with Leslie trying to see if there were any other muddy tracks. Unfortunately, it didn't like there were any.
"Vee?" Serpence inquired, hopping onto her shoulder to get her attention.
"Huh…" she sighed, "We can't stay in here much longer, or we're never gonna find our way back…" she noted aloud.
"BWORF!" a voice loudly barked from afar, causing her to widen her eyes in surprise upon hearing it.
"Did you hear that?" Hugh quietly called out to his rival, "Go deeper in!" he advised, "I'll stay behind in case he comes out!" he decided.
"Okay!" Leslie responded, jogging further into the forest with her two Pokémon. In a small clearing, the Herdier growled as it appeared to be cornering a man, who was dressed in a militaristic, black uniform. He had a black mask over his nose and mouth, and a cap with a white x upon it. Over his heart was a coat of arms insignia.
"Buddy, you better let me go before I—!"
"There you are!" the Ketchum girl exclaimed with relief, interrupting the masked man as he and the Herdier looked over to see that she had arrived, "Everyone back at the farm was wondering where you took off to…" she pointed out as she approached the Loyal Dog Pokémon. She then blinked in surprise to spot the uniformed man there. "Who are you?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"What, you don't recognize the outfit, little girl?" he inquired back, "Twenty years ago, we almost reigned supreme in Unova from what we accomplished!" he proclaimed proudly, "The world would've trembled at what we accomplished together!" he mentioned.
"Uh… I wasn't even born twenty years ago, so…" Leslie started to point out.
"Agh, we're Team Plasma!" the uniformed man yelled, "And someday soon, we'll completely come out of the shadows to unleash our grand plan!" he declared, "Until then, you better remember who you've crossed!" he warned before running off into the woods.
"Hey, wait!" the Ketchum girl shouted. Her Snivy attempted to ensnare the masked man with his vines as they shot out from his shoulders, but he had already gotten far enough away.
"Snyy…" he growled out.
"Team Plasma, huh?" his trainer noted, narrowing her eyes in thought. Moments later, she wandered back out from the woods with the Herdier trotting alongside her.
"Oh, there you are!" Dale called out, standing alongside Hugh and their Pokémon. Both Herdier were happy to be reunited, nuzzling against each other. "Thank you much for finding him," he said in gratitude with a slight bow to the Ketchum girl.
"It's no problem," she assured in reply, "I was just happy to help when I had the chance," she admitted with a sheepish grin.
"Sny vee!" Serpence added proudly as he stood up on her shoulder.
"Reeoh!" Riolu yipped. Meanwhile, Hugh looked over with his arms crossed.
"You should take better care of your Pokémon next time," he advised to the rancher, getting his attention and Leslie's as they looked over to him in surprise, "Otherwise, you could never see him again…" he pointed out grimly.
"Hugh…" the Ketchum girl uttered in shock. She then watched as he headed off just as the sun set, with his Tepig and Pidove following him.
"I wonder what that was all about…" Dale said as he scratched the back of his head, "Did he lose a Pokémon before?" he inquired.
"I don't know…" Leslie answered as she shook her head, "But anyways, I'm happy Herdier's back," she noted while smiling.
"You really are something," the rancher complimented, "Did Alder wind up training you?" he wondered, raising an eyebrow.
"Alder?" the white-haired girl repeated in confusion before blinking in realization with a sharp gasp, "I almost forgot!" she yelped, "Um, thank you again for dinner!" she said with gratitude, "Come on!" she beckoned to her Pokémon, hurrying off. Dale blinked out of surprise before laughing, waving goodbye. With the first day of her journey through Unova ending, Leslie was happy as to how things went. But there were plenty of mysteries on the rise…
X
"Lucarus, Force Palm!" Leslie commanded, sticking her right hand out.
"Reeohh!" her Riolu yipped as he launched himself forward across the dirt field, readying his own right hand before palming a Pansage squarely in the stomach. In a burst of air, the Grass Monkey Pokémon was sent flying back, hitting the ground and tumbling across it to a stop in front of a spectacled girl.
"Pannnn…" he groaned in agony as swirls were in his eyes.
"And that's that!" Alder declared as he lifted his left hand up, "Riolu wins!" he announced, gesturing toward the Emanation Pokémon.
"Oh, loo!" he squeaked with delight as he raised his arms in victory.
"Nice going, Lucarus!" his trainer complimented. After finally returning to Floccesy Town and apologizing to the former champion, Leslie happily took on the challenge of training with his students the next morning. He walked over to her, causing her to perk up.
"Here you are, little one," he offered to the Riolu, handing him an Oran Berry. Eagerly, he started eating away at it. "So you managed to catch yourself a Riolu yesterday, hm?" Alder noted as he put his right hand onto his chin, "I have to say, I'm very impressed with how close you two already are!" he pointed out.
"I guess Lucarus just really likes battling," the Ketchum girl concluded, watching as the Emanation Pokémon finished the berry he was eating.
"Haha!" the former champion laughed, "He's a very strong Pokémon for sure," he pointed out, "So," he continued, getting her attention, "are you planning to challenge the Aspertia City Gym?" he inquired curiously.
"The gym?" she repeated out of surprise as she blinked, "I thought it was still closed…" she said, raising an eyebrow.
"It reopened today," Alder told her, "The young man running that gym is a fine trainer himself," he mentioned, placing his hands onto his hips, "I've gotten the pleasure of getting to battle him a couple of times myself," he added with a chuckle, "I'm sure he'd probably give you a run for your money!" he remarked aloud.
"Well, we won't back down from a challenge," Leslie vowed, closing her right hand into a fist, "Right, Lucarus?" she asked of her Riolu, getting his attention.
"Reeoh!" he yipped in agreement with a firm nod. The former champion looked over at them and smiled.
"Then good luck to you both," he said, "Remember, whatever happens, you'll be battling together and having all kinds of fun!" he pointed out with a big grin, "Enjoying the time you spend traveling and learning is exactly what makes a journey like yours all the more memorable," he explained as he looked up at the partly cloudy sky.
"Mister Alder!" a voice called out, getting his attention as he glanced over to see the spectacled girl and a little boy about to head into the building beside the dirt field, "We're gonna get some studying done!" she yelled.
"Alright then!" the former champion replied with a wave, "I'll be happy to help you soon!" he promised, "Take care on the way back, Leslie," he advised to the Ketchum girl, who grinned. A while passed before she finally returned to Aspertia, seeing that the Trainers' School was open. She headed up to the front gate before spotting a pair of figures. One was Bianca.
The other was a tall, slender young man with very pale skin, black eyes, and jet-black hair with a small tuft that stuck up from the top of his head. He had long hair and wore a white dress-shirt, an orange necktie, blue dress pants, and brown shoes. He appeared to be engaged in a passionate conversation with the assistant, who giggled. Leslie walked over, getting their attentions.
"Oh, Leslie!" Bianca exclaimed in greeting as she waved, "Looks like you got word about the gym opening back up!" she pointed out.
"Yeah, I heard from someone in Floccesy," the Ketchum girl confirmed, glancing over to the man beside her, "Are you the gym leader?" she guessed. He chuckled.
"My name's Cheren," he introduced, "It's been a while since we've had a challenger for our gym," he noted.
"Well, you're in luck!" Bianca chimed in, "'Cause not only is she the perfect challenger to help get your gym up and running again," she started to say, "but she's also the same girl I was telling you about!" she mentioned excitedly. The gym leader blinked in surprise, looking back at the Ketchum girl.
"Then this'll be quite a battle…" he realized. A few minutes later, he and his challenger were standing at opposite ends of a dirt battlefield behind the school. Along with Bianca, several students were along the sidelines, watching excitedly and waiting for the battle to begin.
"This gym battle between Leslie the challenger and Cheren the Aspertia Gym Leader will now begin!" the referee on the field declared, "It will be a two-on-two battle!" he decided, "Furthermore, only the challenger will be allowed to make substitutions!" he added, "Now select your Pokémon!" he requested. Both trainers readied their respective Poké Balls, pressing their center buttons to enlarge them.
"Come on out, Serpence!" the Ketchum girl beckoned, throwing her spherical container.
"Patrat, standby!" the gym leader called out. Both Poké Balls they threw popped open, with their lights spilling onto the ground. They took shape, dissipating to reveal the Grass Snake Pokémon and the Scout Pokémon respectively.
"Now let the battle… begin!" the referee yelled, swinging his right arm down.
"Serpence, Vine Whip!" Leslie commanded. Flashes of light came out from her Snivy's shoulders before vines protruded, which he swung out toward his foe.
"Detect!" Cheren shouted, sticking his left hand out. A glint appeared in Patrat's eyes before he easily slid aside to avoid the incoming vines. Serpence tried to hit him again, but found that his foe was easily evading every lash he attempted.
"It's okay, Serpence!" his trainer called out reassuringly, "Switch to Growth!" she instructed.
"Snyy!" the Grass Snake Pokémon responded, retracting his vines. A greenish aura then appeared around his body before a reddish aura flowed up it.
"Patrat, Work Up!" Cheren yelled.
"Raaahhh!" the Scout Pokémon exclaimed as a reddish aura built up around his own form.
'So they're boosting themselves up, too?' Leslie noted inwardly, narrowing her eyes.
"Tackle!" both trainers commanded. Their Pokémon lunged out at each other, colliding head on as they gnashed their teeth. They blew each other back, sliding along the ground.
"Work Up again!" Cheren called out.
"Patrraaaaaaahhhh!" Patrat screeched as the reddish aura appeared around him once more.
"Vine Whip!" Leslie ordered. Vines protruded from Serpence's shoulders as he had them trail toward his opponent once more. He managed to lash him a couple of times.
"Catch the vines with Bite!" Cheren instructed. Patrat regained his composure, opening his mouth as his teeth shined a bright white. He bit onto the vines, causing the Grass Snake Pokémon to grimace as he gritted his teeth. "Now swing him around!" the gym leader advised. The Scout Pokémon did so, yanking Serpence off of the ground and swinging him around before making him crash against the ground hard in a flurry of dust.
"Serpence!" his trainer cried out. As the dust settled, it revealed her Snivy slowly managing to push himself up, retracting his vines. He glared out at his foe, who stared back.
"Now Tackle!" Cheren commanded as he swung his left arm. Patrat launched forward, ready to slam into the Grass Snake Pokémon. However, Leslie smirked.
"Leaf Tornado!" she ordered, thrusting her right fist up. Her Snivy started spinning his body around and flipped around so that he was spinning on his head with his tail straight up in the air. Then, a large tornado of wind with circles of light-green energy spinning around it appeared at the tip of his tail.
The Scout Pokémon and his trainer were completely caught off guard, especially when the vortex caught the former as he was still making his approach. The light-green energy circles of the tornado separated into leaves that spun around with Patrat. Swinging mightily, Serpence slammed the vortex against the ground, resulting in a huge burst of dirt and dust. Everyone had astonished looks upon their faces. When the dust settled, it revealed that the Scout Pokémon was lying upon the ground in a daze, as his eyes were in swirls.
"Patrat is unable to battle!" the referee assessed after a moment, "Snivy wins!" he declared, gesturing toward the Grass Snake Pokémon as he hopped back over to his trainer's side.
"Nice going, Serpence!" she complimented, crouching down to gently rub her teammate's head.
"Vee!" he squeaked happily. Meanwhile, Cheren returned Patrat to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light.
"Thanks for all your hard work," he said with gratitude, putting the spherical container away, "You caught us both off guard with that Leaf Tornado…" he admitted, getting Leslie's attention, "It seems like you've trained for quite a while," he mentioned.
"Only to be the best we can be," the Ketchum girl responded, "Serpence, you good with taking a break now?" she inquired of her Snivy, causing him to perk up.
"Sny," he replied with a nod. His trainer returned him to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light, shrinking it with a press of its button before setting it back onto her belt. She then readied another spherical container as the gym leader did the same.
"Let's go!" she exclaimed, tossing it forward.
"Standby!" Cheren yelled, firing his Poké Ball. Both of them popped open, with their lights spilling onto the ground and dissipating to reveal Lucarus and a Lillipup respectively.
"Reeoh!" the Riolu yipped, taking on a ready stance. Meanwhile, the Puppy Pokémon dug his feet against the ground, excited for whatever battle awaited him.
"Lillipup, Work Up!" his trainer called out.
"Pup!" the Puppy Pokémon barked, having a reddish aura build along his body.
"Lucarus, Quick Attack!" Leslie commanded.
"Oh loo!" her Riolu responded, outlining himself in a bright white light before dashing forward. This time though, Cheren was the one to crack a grin.
"Tackle!" he ordered. Lillipup jumped out, slamming into the Emanation Pokémon just as he approached, sending him flying back as he landed upon the ground on his stomach.
"Lucarus!" his trainer exclaimed in shock, grimacing as she gritted her teeth.
'Work Up's definitely Cheren's main strategy…' she noted through her thoughts, 'If Lillipup gets too strong, neither Lucarus or Serpence could beat him…' she added to herself. But then she blinked upon realizing something. 'That could work!' she concluded inwardly.
"Lucarus, you good?" she asked of her Riolu, who stood back up.
"Ohh!" he yipped in response with a nod.
"Great!" she exclaimed, giving off a confident smile, "Now Force Palm!" she ordered as she stuck her right hand out. The Emanation Pokémon dashed forward again, heading toward Lillipup as he appeared to be ready and waiting.
"Work Up and then dodge!" Cheren instructed. The reddish aura around the Puppy Pokémon reappeared before he evaded his opponent's right palm, hopping to the side.
"Don't let up!" Leslie called out. Her Riolu relentlessly went after his opponent with both palms at the ready. But Lillipup was quite agile, narrowly dodging each attempted strike.
"Now Bite!" his trainer ordered. The Puppy Pokémon had his teeth glow a bright white before avoiding another palm strike from his foe. What followed was him biting onto Lucarus' left arm.
"REEEEOHHHHHH!" he shrieked in agony. Fortunately, he steeled himself, managing to press his right palm against Lillipup and blow him off in a burst of wind.
"Whoa!" one little girl exclaimed out of shock, blinking rapidly.
"Even though Lillipup's weak to that Riolu, he's still winning!" another boy noted excitedly.
"Go for it, Mister Cheren!" a student cheered. Hearing their voices, the gym leader smiled.
"Work Up, Lillipup!" he called out again. The reddish aura appeared around the Puppy Pokémon again, appearing much larger than before. Leslie grimaced.
"Lucarus, Quick Attack!" she commanded. Regaining his composure and ignoring the pain in his arm, the Riolu dashed forward, cloaked in a white outline as he sped toward his foe.
"Tackle!" Cheren ordered. Lillipup was prepared to counter as he leapt out at his opponent, ready to slam into him head on.
"Dodge under him and use Force Palm!" Leslie quickly instructed, causing the gym leader to gasp in surprise. With a smirk, her Riolu ducked down and slid right underneath Lillipup, who widened his eyes out of disbelief. What followed was the Emanation Pokémon palming his foe's belly with his right palm, sending him flying up into the air in a burst of wind as he yelped.
"Lillipup!" Cheren cried out.
"Now Quick Attack!" the Ketchum girl commanded as she pointed forward. With a whitish outline shrouding his body, Lucarus rocketed up into the air and slammed into Lillipup from below, sending him hurdling to the ground. He crashed in a flurry of dust, with everyone watching in utter shock. Once it cleared, it revealed the Puppy Pokémon lying in a complete daze, having swirls in his eyes.
"Lillipup is unable to battle!" the referee assessed, raising his left arm up, "Riolu is the winner!" he announced, "And therefore," he continued, gesturing toward Leslie, "the victor is the challenger, Leslie!" he declared.
"Woohoo!" she cheered happily.
"Reeoh!" Lucarus yipped, jumping into her arms as they celebrated their victory.
"Aw…" most of the students uttered in disappointment, sad that their teacher had wound up losing. However, Bianca gave off a smile, seeing her friend return his Lillipup to his Poké Ball in a beam of red light. He grinned, walking over to Leslie as she went to the center of the dirt field.
"Congratulations," he complimented, "I never thought that I'd have the pleasure of battling such a promising young trainer the first day the gym opened back up," he admitted with a sheepish chuckle.
"Well, I'm glad I exceeded expectations," Leslie remarked, sharing a laugh with the gym leader. The referee then approached, carrying a small tray. Upon it over a small red cloth was a badge shaped like the side of a book. Cheren took the tray and held it out to the Ketchum girl.
"For your victory, I present to you the Basic Badge," he offered. Taking it into her right hand, Leslie smiled.
"We just reached the first step to get to the Pokémon League, Lucarus," she pointed out to her partner with a smile.
"Ohn!" he yipped excitedly, clenching his paws.
"That was awesome, Miss Trainer Lady!" one little girl pointed out, getting her attention as she saw many of the students approaching.
"Hey, what's your name?" one boy asked curiously. Leslie blinked in surprise, but then gave off a small grin.
"I'm Leslie Ketchum!" she introduced gleefully. Her journey had begun with a flurry of events, but she was strong enough to handle them. Only time would tell if things would get too difficult for her…
ENDING
Insert "Flowers" by Asian Kung-Fu Generation
We open on Leslie entering the Floccesy Ranch alongside Serpence. She spots a wild Riolu and gets excited to capture him, but he tries to run away. After managing to catch up, she has Serpence battle the Riolu before catching him in a Poké Ball.
A while passes before she starts training alongside her Pokémon, but they also play with each other, enjoying the nice sunny weather all the while. We then cut over to the Virbank Complex, where Leslie finds a wild Magnemite and a wild Magby, catching them both. They train together as well, but also roam about the complex in awe of the machinery, especially at night.
Out on Route 4, Leslie encounters a wild Sandile, which she also catches. He helps show her around the desert-like route, especially as they head into the Desert Resort in the midst of a sandstorm. In the Undella Bay, Leslie finds a wild Spheal and catches him as well. With his help, she's able to swim across the water quicker during their journey.
We cut to a shot of all of her Pokémon walking behind her in a row, evolving over time as they continue their journey with her. They venture through places such as the Chargestone Cave, Celestial Tower, Strange House, Marine Tube, and finally, the Giant Chasm. Leslie and her Pokémon come face-to-face with Neo Team Plasma and their massive battleship.
They battle ferociously, with Leslie venturing into the deepest part of the chasm with Serpence and Lucarus to find Ghetsis there with Kyurem. The Boundary Pokémon attempts to freeze her entirely in ice, but is thwarted by Lucarus' Aura Sphere and Serpence's Leaf Storm. Leslie smiles gratefully to her Pokémon before commanding them to attack, which they do.
Afterwards, there's a scene of her contently asleep together with all six of her Pokémon, having just saved the world from Neo Team Plasma. They're asleep by a bed of flowers, which wave with the light breeze that blows by.
END ENDING
And there's the first chapter of the five-part story for Leslie's journey through Unova! I had a blast writing this chapter, and I hope you got to enjoy it as well. It reminds me of writing those old Unova stories where Ash and the others were in the midst of tournament battles or such.
But anyways, since this is just a five-part tale, you can expect us to skim over a few things before arriving at key events for this story. All the same, I'm really glad to be doing this. But now it's back to "Mind" for the next update! See you later!