"That boy! The moment I get my paws on him I'll end him!" I growled, cheeks sparkling with barely contained electricity. "What part of stay close does he not understand?! It is the fifth time he has ran away!"
"Wow... I've never seen Uncle so angry before," I heard Riolu wonder out loud from Ash's shoulder, as Lucario, Riley, Iris, and Axew took a couple of steps back.
Now that's a good and well-behaved pokemon, I thought calming down a little bit. He does not run away every time we take our eyes from him. Not like Oshawott... that's it! I am telling Ash to keep him in his Poke Ball from now on! Maybe that will teach him!
"Calm down partner," Ash kneeled down and patted my head with a chuckle. "He is young and excited, there's nothing wrong with that. Not to mention with our aura abilities, finding him will be easy."
"Don't defend him!" I snapped at him, glaring heatedly. "We were suposed to be looking for that Sandile with sunglasses! Not for a wandering Oshawott!"
That's right, on our way to Striaton City, for the first Gym Battle, we discovered this spa resort hotel that has this amazing feature. A natural hot sand pit! Amazing! The guests are given a sand bath by covering them with a layer of sand. I was really looking for that, after all the hard battles I fought back in the islands. However, Dan, the son's owner, told us that it was closed because there's a Sandile wearing sunglasses that appeared one that making the rest of the normally peaceful Sandile act irrationally. Then Oshawott had to ran away... THAT'S IT! YOU DO NOT GET IN THE MIDDLE OF A IRRITATED POKEMON AND HIS CHANCE TO RELAX!
"Oh, there he is," Max said, pointing at a pitfall trap. In it there he was, a crying Oshawott. "I hope he did not get hurt."
Seeing him cry made me feel so good.
That's what you get for running away! I crowed in my head... Since when did I become this sadistic?
"Don't cry sweet boy," Ash told him softly, creating a rope made of pure aura and pulling Oshawott out of the pitfall trap and into his arms. "Now everything is better. There's nothing to worry about."
"Wait! Don't!" I cried out, but it was already too late. Ash had just jinxed us. "Good job, stupid!"
From the ground a group of Sandile came out, the one wearing sunglasses was on the front- clearly the leader.
"So, who is catching that Sandile?" Riley asked the question that everyone was thinking.
"Are they that good?" Iris inquired, as she observed Ash and Max's excitement.
"Why don't you look it up yourself?" Lucario replied, pointing at her Pokedex.
She took it out and we could all hear it's robotic voice: Sandile, they live buried in the sands of the desert. The sun-warmed sands prevent their body temperature from dropping. It submerges itself in sand and moves as if swimming. This wise behavior keeps its enemies from finding it and maintains its temperature.
"Now look up his last evolution," Riley continued for his partner.
Krookodile, a very violent pokemon, they try to clamp down on anything that moves in front of their eyes. They never allow prey to escape. Their jaws are so powerful, they can crush the body of an automobile. It can expand the focus of its eyes, enabling it to see objects in the far distance as if it were using binoculars.
"Wow... they can really crush the body of an automobile?!" Iris exclaimed stunned.
"They do, they become powerful pokemon," Ash commented, crossing his arms over his chest. "However, they can also be very temperamental and violent pokemon. Especially, if they possess the Moxie ability. Having so many of them in one area so close to tourists and civilians is dangerous," Ash pursed his lips and I knew he was already thinking of contacting this area's Ace Rangers.
"I think that I'll leave this to you," Max said slowly, as Ralts nodded his head rapidly. "I already have my hands full with my team, I will not add a pokemon with such a temperament. I do not believe he will listen to a rookie like me."
"Then he is yours," Riley commented. "After all the problems Charizard caused you, I believe this will be a piece of cake."
"Charizard? He caused you problems?!" Iris was aghast by the realization that one of her favorite pokemon from Ash was a troublemaker.
"Problems? He was a menace!" Ash snorted. "Remind me of telling you the story later, for now, Pikachu use Surf and then Thunder!"
I felt a little bit bad for how fast I dealt with the situation... but it was also kind of therapeutic. Releasing all my anger and frustration on the Sandile's. The Water-type move was already a big hit for the Ground-type pokemon, but not even their typing could stop them from fainting against my Electric-type attack. It was too much for the unevolved and untrained pokemon. Ash rapidly threw a Poke Ball to the Sandile wearing sunglasses and took out his Xtransceiver to call the local Ace Rangers. Not before telling the rest of our group to head towards the spa resort hotel and relax. I joined them, I was too damn tired to deal with the ranger politics and procedures. Dan and his dad were ecstatic that the Sandile's were dealt with and offered us a free stay and hot sand bath.
Now this is the life! I moaned internally, as I enjoyed the sand over my body. I looked around to see the rest of my family and friends enjoying themselves. Then the door opened up and Ash entered with a frown on his face, Something had to happen, didn't it? By now I am resigned to this.
"What happened?" I asked him, as he laid down next to me.
"Some rangers did not like an outsider getting involve in Unova business," Ash commented quietly. "I am just beginning to realize how different this side of the world is. Unlike Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh, who tend to lean on each other and have various exchanges, be it academical or pokemon centered. Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Galar tend to keep to themselves and lean on their patriotism. I do not see a sense of community here... not like back at home."
"I am sure that after we kick their Champion's ass things will become easier," I assured him.
Champion Alder and the Unova Pokemon League had invited the upcoming Orange Archipelago League and me to compete in a beneficial event, in which both Elite Four and Champions will face each other off to raise money for the Absentia Natural Park and to publitize our upcoming Pokemon League. Utau and Tsubasa can easily take on Shauntal and Marshal, though Grimsley and Caitlin might be a problem for Lorelei and Drake. Now, normally I would not get cocky and underestimate a Champion. But after bringing Champion Cynthia to her limit, I believe that Champion Alder, who is below Champion Diantha and Champion Cynthia. Well, I believe I won the right to feel confident.
"Or they'll hate us for beating their beloved Champion," Ash countered, making me pause.
Yeah, with our luck that will happen first, I thought gloomly.
"Well, I do not care," I announced, closing my eyes. "I will enjoy my hot sand bath and forget about everything else."
"You know what, you are right," Ash laughed, relaxing beside me. "I will follow your lead this time partener."
He did and we stayed the night in the spa resort hotel, enjoying good food and forgeting about all of our problems. This type of attitude continued until we reached Accumula Town, which is next to Striaton City. There Iris showed us the Battle Club. We were amazed by this place, where pokemon trainers can go to hone their battling skills. They are various facilities all over Unova, owned by Don George and designed to offer trainers methods and apparatus to train pokemon for battles. They have many features inside, like a battleground, gymnasium, and swimming pool. Not to mention, computers that show trainers' information about other trainer and their pokemon, which can be accessed through Xtransceivers, and to ask the other trainer for a battle.
Everything was going incredible, we evenn thought of allowing Max a go to train before his first Gym Battle... then we met Tepig.
The poor Tepig was covered in soot and was very skinny, which I was not surprised by, as he would be unable to eat as with the rope tied around his mouth. Of course, Ash rushed to aid him, but Tepig tried to run away. Unfortunately, Ash has perfect control of his aura these days and easily cornered him. Ash had the rope removed and fed the poor pokemon before carrying him back to the Battle Club. There Don George told us that a trainer named Shamus abandoned him at Accumula Town's Pokemon Battle Club, after losing to a Deerling in battle. He tied Tepig to a post and when Don George tried to untie him, Tepig broke free and began searching for his Trainer, but to no avail.
"And you did not think of calling the rangers of the cops?" Ash could barely contain his rage as he seethed those words, glaring heatedly at Don George.
"My focus was on Tepig and helping him, how can I have the boy arrested without the victim?" Don George stood firm.
I am impressed, not many can handle the weight of my partner's glare, I thought pleased. Charizard is right, I then groaned internally. Ash has a magnet to abused or traumatized fire starters. Charizard, first, then Typhlosion, followed by Torracat, and now Tepig. Who will be next?
"Then pull out the security camera recording, the battle's data, and I'll call my Espeon for a Telepathic interview," the Ace Ranger started giving orders. "I'll have that boy's trainer's licence snapped and put him in juvie or jail, depending his age, for pokemon abandonment and abuse."
"Sir, yes, sir!" Don George smiled evily, he looked very pleased with himself.
No wonder, now that boy won't be able to get away with it that Tepig has the backing of The Saint, I mussed to myself. Not a week in Unova and we already have four new family members. I'll have to tell Ash to take it easy from now on.
Well, it does not matter now. Welcome to the family, Oshawott, Pidove, Sandile, and Tepig!
