"So are you going to explain how you captured that Totodile in between the time you went to bed and we woke up?" Casey asked, seeing Ash up and feeding his Pokemon.
"I'm more curious about this Pokeball of his, did you raid Kurt's storage bin?" Molly asked.
"A, if I told you what happened last night, you'd never believe me, and as to how I got that Pokeball, same story." Ash said.
"Try us." Casey countered.
"A blue spirit came to us last night, wanting us to get the GS Ball from Kurt, Totodile stole it and the spirit took us to the shrine in the woods where it turns out Celebi was in the GS Ball the entire time. Then Celebi said there was a threat and brought us all back in time to fight off some men in masks, and I made two sort of friends Sam and Kurtis. As for the Pokeball, its a Lure Ball that Kurtis made for me." Ash said. "Then we fought off the masked men, freed the stolen Pokemon, and Celebi brought me back to present day where I had to sneak the GS Ball back into Kurt's workshop and try and get some sleep because I have a gym battle today." Ash finished, finally taking a breath.
"You were right, I don't believe you." Casey said.
"Umm, Casey, might want to see this." Molly said, looking at Ash's Pokedex, showing Celebi as fully registered. "Ash isn't lying, at least about holding a Pokeball containing Celebi."
"So are you telling me Celebi is in the GS Ball?" Casey asked.
"Was, after our adventures she stayed behind at the shrine, but I felt keeping her separate from the GS Ball was important." Ash said. "Also she apparently saw everything that's happened, at least since I had the GS Ball, so that was fun to find out."
"Okay, changing topic ever so slightly. You said you were taking on the gym today, have you had any thoughts on what your plans are?" Molly asked.
"Local gym leaders name is Bugsy, they specialize in bug type Pokemon, so I plan on using Houndour as my lead." Ash said, looking at the canine Pokemon eating some food.
"Well then, looks like you have a plan for once." Casey said.
"I always have a plan, just not always a fully flushed out plan." Ash argued.
"That's not a plan then." Casey commented.
"It's a start." Ash said positively. "Come on, time's a wasting!"
Ash ran off with Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Gligar, Houndour and Totodile all racing after him.
"He does understand he can't use all six of them in a gym battle, right?" Casey questioned, as they ran off.
"We should go after him, he left his Pokedex and Pokeballs behind." Molly said scooping them up.
At the Gym
"Welcome trainer, are you here to take on our gym?" A gym worker asked.
"Yes, I'm here to take on Bugsy of the Azalea Town gym!" Ash said as his Pokemon cheered.
"Good to hear, how many Johto League Gym Badges do you have?" A trainer with purple hair asked, walking up.
"This will be my second badge." Ash said with confidence.
"Then we will have a three on three." The trainer said. "I'm Bugsy the gym leader."
"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town." Ash said, shaking Bugsy's hand.
"Well Ash, do you plan on returning your Pokemon before the match?" Bugsy asked with a laugh.
"My, oh." Ash said, noticing all of his Pokemon were out and not in their Pokeballs. "Now where did I put those Pokeballs." Ash said, patting himself down.
"Hey idiot, you forgot them at the Pokemon Center." Casey called Ash out.
"Relax, I remembered to grab them, and your Pokedex." Molly said, opening her bag to show Ash's Pokeballs.
"Alright, everyone return!" Ash called out, recalling everyone but Pikachu. "Alright Bugsy, let's have a battle!"
"Sounds good to me." Bugsy said, leading the group to the arena.
At the arena
"The gym battle between the challenger Ash from Pallet Town and Bugsy of Azalea Town will now begin. This will be a three on three battle with only the challenger being allowed to substitute Pokemon at any time. The match will be over when either sides is out of Pokemon that are able to battle. Trainers, send out your Pokemon!" The gym worker said.
"Come on out, Spinarak!" Bugsy called out.
"Spinarak, what's that?" Casey asked, pulling out her Pokedex.
'Spinarak, the String Spit Pokemon, a Bug and Poison Type. If prey becomes ensnared in its nest of spun string, it waits motionlessly until it becomes dark.' The Pokedex said.
"Houndour come on out!" Ash called out.
"Spinarak use String Shot!"
"Houndour use Ember!"
Houndour's flames were no match for Spinarak's silk, as he was trapped beneath them.
"Spinarak use Poison Sting!"
"Houndour use Smog!"
Houndour coughed up a cloud of smog, obscuring himself as poisonous stingers fired at him.
"Houndour use Bite!"
Houndour bit down and tore apart the silk webs, freeing himself as Spinarak was getting close.
"Spinarak use String Shot!"
"Houndour switch out! Gligar come on out!"
Gligar came out in place of Houndour, easily evading the silky webs as he flew about.
"Gligar use Wing Attack!" Ash called out.
Gligar swooped down, knocking Spinarak into the air.
"Gligar use Double Team!"
Two more Gligar appeared alongside Ash's Gligar as they flew around Bugsy's Spinarak.
"Spinarak use Poison Sting!"
"Gligar use Poison Sting!"
Spinarak sent out a flurry of stingers into the air as all three Gligar pounced down on the bug type, piercing it with their stingers, knocking out the spider.
"Spinarak is unable to battle, the winner is Gligar." The gym worker declared.
"Spinarak return." Bugsy called out. "Come on out Ledian, use Comet Punch!"
A red Pokemon with black polka dots flew at Gligar, striking him with a flurry of punches.
"Who is that Pokemon?" Molly asked, pulling out her Pokedex.
'Ledian, the Five Star Pokemon, a Bug and Flying type. The star patterns on its back grow larger or smaller depending on the numbers of stars in the night sky.'
"Gligar use Wing Attack!"
"Ledian use Swift!"
Gligar swooped at Ledian, getting knocked around by the swift attack and away from his target of Ledian.
"Gligar use Poison Sting!"
"Ledian use Psybeam!"
Gligar swooped back around at Ledian only to be tossed about in the air and knocked into a wall.
"Gligar use Double Team!"
Gligar made two copies of himself before flying back at Ledian.
"Ledian use Swift!"
Both of Gligar's copies were immediately dispersed as he was struck by the flying stars, knocking him to the ground.
"Gligar is unable to battle, the winner is Ledian." The gym worker declared.
"You did great work Gligar, come on back." Ash said. "Houndour, you're up again!"
Houndour took to the arena with a howl at Ledian.
"Ledian use Comet Punch!"
"Houndour use Bite!"
Ledian launched a flurry of punches at Houndour as the dark type jumped over the bug, biting it from behind.
"Ledian use Swift!"
"Houndour use Ember!"
Stars and flames shot across the arena, hitting one for one continuously until a few flames made their way through, hitting Ledian.
"Houndour use Smog!"
"Ledian use Psybeam!"
Houndour was unaffected by the psychic type as he covered the area surrounding him with poisonous smog.
"Ledian clear the smog with a Swift attack!"
"Houndour counter with Ember!"
Flames shot from the smog, striking each star quicker than before, pummeling into Ledian.
"Houndour use Bite while they're recovering!" Ash called out.
"Ledian get out of there!"
Houndour climbed up a rock before sinking his fangs into Ledian, dragging it back down to the ground.
"Ledian is unable to battle, the winner is Houndour." The gym worker declared.
"I'll admit it, I was wrong, apparently the beginnings of a plan are enough to make a plan." Casey admitted, seeing Ledian go down.
"And Houndour hasn't taken much damage, giving Ash a big lead!" Molly cheered.
"Ledian you were fantastic, take a long rest." Bugsy said, recalling the bug type to it's Pokeball. "Now let's even the odds, Scizor come on out!"
A red metallic bug took to the arena, causing Ash, Pikachu, and Houndour to remember the one they encountered last night from their perspective.
"Let's see if we can't learn a thing or two." Ash said, pulling out his Pokedex.
'Scizor, the Pincer Pokemon, a Bug and Steel type, and the evolved form of Scyther. It swings its eye-patterned pincers up to scare its foes. This makes it look like it has three heads.' The Pokedex said.
"Bug and steel, alright! Houndour use Ember!"
"Scizor use Fury Cutter!"
Scizor disappeared in a blur, striking Houndour from the side with one of it's pincers.
"Houndour catch it!" Ash called out.
Houndour turned to try and bite down on Scizor as the bug type seemingly disappeared.
"Scizor use Fury Cutter!"
Scizor reappeared once again in an instant, slamming a pincer into the side of Houndour for even more damage.
"Houndour use Ember full power!" Ash called out.
"Scizor use Fury Cutter!"
Scizor appeared above Houndour, slamming a pincer into the canine for a finishing blow.
"Houndour is unable to battle, the winner is Scizor." The gym worker declared.
"You did your best, thanks for everything Houndour." Ash said, recalling the dark type. "Pikachu I'm counting on you."
"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, running onto the field.
"Let's match their speed with Agility!" Ash called out.
"Scizor use Fury Cutter!"
Pikachu picked up speed and was able to notice Scizor just in time to roll out of the way of it's attack.
"Ash, Fury Cutter only grows in power on consecutive hits! It's back to square one!" Molly called out.
"Got it! Pikachu let's use Agility again!" Ash called out.
"Fury Cutter isn't our only move, Scizor use Metal Claw!"
Scizor flew after Pikachu, swiping at the electric rodent as it dodged out of the way.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt!"
Pikachu leapt into the air, spinning around and sending out a bolt of electricity, causing Scizor to veer off course.
"Scizor use Hyper Beam!"
"Pikachu use Thunder!"
Pikachu sent out a massive blast of electricity, stopping Scizor's Hyper Beam and leaving the bug type open to be attacked.
"Pikachu use Thunderbolt one more time!" Ash called out.
Pikachu sent out another bolt of electricity, knocking Scizor into a tree for massive damage.
"Scizor can you get up?!" Bugsy called out.
"Sci!" Scizor said, pushing itself up with a pincer.
"Great use Metal Claw!"
"Pikachu use Thunder!"
Pikachu waited until Scizor was nearly on top of him before unleashing a massive blast of electricity, knocking the steel type away.
"Scizor is unable to battle, the winner is Pikachu, and the victor of the match is the challenger Ash!" The gym worker declared.
"Great work Ash, it's my honor to present you with this as proof of your victory, the Hive Badge." Bugsy said, holding out a badge for Ash.
"Alright! We just won, a Hive Badge!" Ash exclaimed.
"PiPikachu!" Pikachu cheered in unison.
Ash's Current Team and their Moves
Pikachu: Thunderbolt - Quick Attack - Thunder - Agility
Bulbasaur: Vine Whip - Razor Leaf - Solar Beam - Leech Seed
Squirtle: Hydro Pump - Skull Bash - Water Gun - Withdraw
Gligar: Poison Sting - Sand Attack - Double Team - Wing Attack
Houndour: Ember - Bite - Smog
Totodile: Water Gun - Bite
Authors Notes
Yes I am aware that Scizor has 40 points less speed than Scyther does, but I wanted Bugsy to have Scizor, and they do have the same Base Stat Total in game, plus technically Purugly had more speed than Latios, so I don't think we need to take those stats too seriously when thinking about how fast they can move really.