The Very Best

by God of Sun

What if Ash never overslept? With his brand new Pokémon partner, Squirtle, he is going to go on a journey to become the next Champion of the Kanto Region! However, his journey is not going to be even remotely easy. Ash will have to deal with powerful enemies, new friendships, and to learn how to become someone that is worthy of being called a Pokémon Master!

12. Meeting Of Importance

Welcome back, everyone, to another day where I wrote on the computer instead of being a better person! This chapter, at first glance, may seem like another filler one. I tried my best to make this chapter have much more impact than at first sight. We'll not only see two essential characters down the line but also introduce a plot point I've planned since the beginning.

You are free to skip this chapter but don't act like you don't have ten minutes to waste on a single chapter. I'm on to you! ...Let's start this ding dang chapter already.

The Very Best:

Chapter 12:

Meeting Of Importance

---

Only three hours had passed since Team Rocket had fought them.

All group members were at the town's Pokémon Center, everyone waiting patiently for Nurse Joy to give them some more news on their Pokémon. Even though they were the only ones there, the amount of Pokémon in bad or critical condition required the whole staff to pitch in and take up most of the space.

The Pokémon's injuries ranged from only needing a few hours of rest to being there for over a day to recover. Everyone was grouped and sitting on two of the couches. The only Pokémon released so far were Pyra and Pikachu, though the latter had been sleeping for over an hour to help with the slight pain. Everyone tried their best to be positive during all this.

Green and Pyra had a paper out as the group played Hangman, dealing with a ten-letter word. Red and Brock were the most invested as they looked at the board. They've gotten five letters thus far, but none have been repeated. "Hmm. Is there an 'A'?" Red asked, Pikachu sitting on his lap.

Green happily shook her head, having Pyra draw the second arm. The group only had two chances remaining. "Here's a clue. No more vowels in the entire thing!" She told them, causing them to dig deep into their brain.

Brock looked at May, holding her Poké Doll as she was messing with her hair. "May?" The girl quickly shook herself before looking at the older boy. "Do you want to have a go at this?"

"Um, no, thank you. I'm not that good with these kinds of things." She admitted.

Brock nodded as he looked at Misty. "Want to try?"

Misty looked at the game they were playing, cringing as she glanced at Ryan. "Hey, Ryan," She said, making the boy the center of attention. "Today's your lucky day! You get to guess what letter is on there, and it will only cost you the chance of winning!"

Ryan was surprised as he quickly looked at the paper. "Oh! Uh... I guess I pick 'N.'" He said with an unsure voice.

That was the unfortunate move, as Pyra drew a leg to indicate the wrong answer. Ryan sighed after seeing how he messed up. "Char. Meleon ar," The Fire-type encouraged, making Ryan give a small smile.

Green hummed happily as she looked off into nowhere. "Ash, it's your turn." No response came, making the girl turn with a smile still present. "Ash?"

Ash was on the far end of the couch. The boy had spoken the least out of everyone, often looking off at nothing and nodding to almost everything. The only time he spoke was when Jenny interrogated them earlier, but he just gave simple answers to her questions. Brock gently tapped Ash's shoulder. "Ash?"

Ash snapped out of his thoughts. "Huh?"

"The game. Green wants you to pick a letter to choose." Ash looked at the paper, seeing that five letters were already filled in for him. The boy thought for a moment before answering.

"Are there any I's?"

"Char," Pyra shook her head, having to draw the final line to mark the game's failure. She filled in the rest of the blanks to reveal the whole word was 'Eboulement.'

"I told you guys there were no more vowels."

"Yeah, sorry." Ash apologized as he scratched his head. "I wasn't paying that much attention."

Everyone looked at each other, knowing Ash was taking this the hardest out of everyone. "Do you want to play something, Ash?" May suggested. "It can be whatever you want."

Ash did find this deal tempting but shook his head as he stood up. "Maybe a bit later. I have to go ask Nurse Joy for something." Ash stood again as Misty looked on, feeling extremely bad for her best friend.

Brock felt the same. However, he did his best to comfort everyone. "Don't worry, guys. Ash needs some time, and I think he'll be okay after he sleeps tonight."

Red agreed with this notion. "Ash can be silent or mad when something doesn't go his way, but he always bounces back after a while." He added, looking down at his Pikachu as he petted his sleeping friend. "I just hope that will be sooner rather than later."

Nurse Joy was going through various documents when Ash walked over. "Hey, Nurse Joy." He said, getting the woman's attention. "Is Wartortle and Squirtle still okay?"

Joy sighed, having to say the answer once more. "I know that you are just concerned, but the answer hasn't changed since the last time you asked me ten minutes ago," Joy said, making Ash look down. "I can't make them get better in such little time. Just be patient for a little while longer, alright?"

"... I'll try," Ash promised. "Sorry that I keep bothering you,"

"It's alright. If you want to come see me again, how about waiting thirty minutes this time?" Ash nodded. Joy offered a kind smile to the boy as he walked away from the front desk. As he was making his way to the group, someone else came into the building.

Officer Jenny came inside, looking around as she walked over to everyone. "Hello, kids," She gave a friendly greeting as everyone quickly stood up. "I had a feeling that you would still be here."

Brock quickly stood up as he made himself presentable. "Hello, officer. Is there something you need from us?"

"As a matter of fact, yes," Jenny said, making everyone worry about what happened. "Don't worry. We're not here to interrogate you again or go through all that business. There are two people here that wish to meet you."

This surprised everyone. "Who wants to see us?" May questioned. "Is it about the... you know."

Jenny nodded, putting her hands on her hips. "I know you guys we're trying to help, but what you did there was completely stupid and could've done more damage than your Pokémon being harmed." Everyone became a bit silent at that very direct sentence. Ash stood by as he looked down, not needing a reminder of what had happened.

"You shan't tell us again, Officer Jenny," Red told her, Jenny nodding at this. The last thing she wanted to do to these kids again was force them through a twenty-minute lecture about their mistakes. "Can you at least tell us who these people are?"

"They are two people that have come straight from the Pokémon League."

This answer made everyone surprised. Everyone looked at Jenny as if she was lying, but the woman's face only showed that she was genuine. "People from the Pokémon League?" May thought, knowing how important those people were.

Green got a smile on her face as she spoke up. "Oh! Is one of the guys from the... ah! What was the name?" She tried to think. "The Elite Five?"

"You mean the Elite Four?" Misty corrected, to which Green and Pyra nodded. Misty refused to believe in such an idea. "Of course not. The Elite Four would not come all the way out-"

"She's right," Jenny said with a smile. "An Elite Four member is currently waiting for you seven Trainers."

Everyone thought that this wasn't even reality for a second. One of the most powerful Trainers in the entire region was not only wishing to meet them but also patiently waiting for them to come. Green and Pyra seemed extremely excited. May and Misty were left with open mouths in shock. Ryan was having a brain malfunction from just how overwhelming this was. Brock was calm, but the teenager was passionate about this. Red and Ash were left silent, but excitement grew in the two. Pikachu had finally woken up, having been interested in hearing the Elite Four.

Misty quickly blinked. "I-I'm sorry. An Elite Four member is right outside, waiting for us?"

Jenny chuckled after seeing how much she shocked the kids. "Why yes, that would be correct." Jenny turned around as she signaled for them to come. "If you don't believe me, come outside to see for yourself."

Everyone looked at each other before all of them quickly stood up. Red quickly placed Pikachu back on his head as the Electric-type slowly woke up. Ash had a big smile as he was in front of everyone. Brock looked down, seeing Misty very nervous about this. "Is meeting an Elite Four member scary to you?"

"Um. I don't know what to say to them. I have to be kind, and do they like it when someone is serious?" Misty quickly grabbed a strand of hair. "I think I should redo my hair."

"I want to as well," May said as the girl also felt nervous.

Jenny just smiled at seeing how the girls tried not to make fools of themselves. "You can get your hair done, but I'm not stopping for you." This little warning made the girls have to go the way they were, which particularly stung for May.

Ash looked back at the Pokémon Center. Though he was excited about this, leaving Wartortle and the rest of the Pokémon was hard, even if it was just for a moment. "I'll be quick," He promised them.

Red quickly stepped next to Jenny. "Who is the Elite Four member we are meeting in particular?"

"Pika?" Pikachu was also curious as well.

Jenny decided to play a little game with the sheer excitement of these kids. "I would tell you, but that would be kind of boring. You'll have to guess."

Green was excited at the prospect of this little challenge. "Ok! I'm guessing it's Bruno, just because I can!"

Pyra seemed to be in support of this choice. "Charmeleon!"

"Of course not," Misty said as Green looked at her. "I'd bet a hundred Poké dollars that Lorelei has come to see what has happened."

"You'd go through with that bet?"

"Absolutely," May replied to Brock. "I am easily the biggest Loreli fan out of all of you. Tell me, who else owns the full Lapras Cold magazine line?"

Ryan and Brock looked at each other, deciding to make their bet. "I'm calling it now. It will be Lance." Ryan declared, causing Misty to laugh at the challenge presented to her.

Red decided to come in, but being more strategic regarding this choice. Since there was a 1/4 chance of getting this right, he knew mindlessly guessing wouldn't be the best option. After considering all possibilities, he decided to go with Ryan and Brock's decision.

Here is what the bet looked like: Red, Ryan, and Brock were for Lance being the one. Misty was the only one voting for Lorelei. Green and May choose Bruno, May only picking him because she had no one else to pick. This finally left Ash, with Agatha being the one he picked.

"I'm pretty confident in this one," Ash remarked after being questioned on the choice. "After all, it might be the one that we least expect. At least, that's what I'll assume." Jenny just laughed after seeing the little bet she made with one line.

---

Everyone came outside as Jenny led them to a place far from the Pokémon Center. They eventually came across a massive crowd of people, mostly comprised of civilizations. There were a few reporters here and there as they seemed to circle two people. Questions from both sides were thrown as all the voices were jumbled together.

"Was there any other outside assistance?" A young voice came out through the crowd, a voice that made Ash slightly surprised. The voice was deeper, but Ash swore he had heard it before.

The officer the person was investigating shook their head. "As far as we can tell, it seemed only the trio were there. With that power, I doubt they needed any other help." The younger person wrote down in their notebook, noting how Team Rocket seemed confident in this mission.

The group saw that there were two people that the massive crowd was obscuring. No one could get a good view, especially since everyone kept moving. Brock stood on the tips of toes as he tried to get a good view. The two he saw shocked him. "It can't be..."

"What?" Ryan quickly asked. "Who wants to see us?"

Jenny walked to the crowd, the people seeing her coming and making a path for her and the group. "Lance, sir." She said, getting the attention of the two individuals. "The group is here,"

The group thought they heard wrong when that legendary name was spoken. Two people stepped out of the crowd to face them, still getting bombarded with questions and pictures. A young man offered a kind smile when he saw kids. "Ahh. Thank you, Officer Jenny." The officer tipped her hat. "I was wondering when you would finally step out."

Everyone went still momentarily, believing what they saw was a mere illusion. A twenty-five-year-old man with brown eyes and red hair that stuck out stood quite tall next to them. He wore a medieval-looking navy blue tunic with red-orange trim, a brown belt around his waist, and large black boots with two orange rings around the top of each boot. The cuffs of his long sleeves were black with orange zigzagging trims separating the cuff from the navy-blue part of the sleeve. A long, flowing cape was around his neck. The inside was crimson red, while the outside was jet black.

The man bent down and kindly offered his hand. "Hello, young Trainers. I am Lance," He kindly greeted. "Though you probably knew of that fact."

Ash looked down at the hand as his eagerness got the better of him. He grabbed the man's hand as he smiled up at him. "Hi, Lance!" He tried to be formal for the Elite Four member. He quickly realized what mistake he had just made. "I mean, Sir Lance. Or... uh?"

Lance lightly chuckled at how the boy tried to greet him. "Please. No formalities are required in my presence. Just Lance." Ash nodded as he couldn't believe one of his idols was here.

"I can't believe this," Misty said in shock as she walked over. "You are the real Lance! I'd never thought I would see you in person so early!" Misty was a massive fan like Ash was. Lance offered up his other hand for the girl to shake.

"Misty. Younger sister of the Sensation Sisters. I can tell you're just as pleased with this encounter as I am." Misty began to giggle as she saw the smile Lance was giving them. The man looked up as he saw Brock. "Ah! I was certainly not expecting a former Gym Leader to be here."

Lance ended the handshakes as Broc came forward, slightly nervous at meeting the strong man. "It is an honor to see you, Lance." He remarked as the two shared a handshake. "I must say, it's bizarre seeing you in this more normal setting instead of the Indigo Plateau."

"Wait. You two have seen each other before?" Ryan asked in surprise. The crowd was currently writing stuff down, also taking the occasional picture as they knew this was an important meeting.

"Yes, but it was short-lived," Lance explained as he gazed at Brock. "I can tell by merely seeing you that you have grown stronger, Brock. I am glad you were finally able to go through with that dream of yours."

Brock felt extreme honor hearing that. "Thank you, sir." He instinctively said.

Lance looked down at Ryan and then at May, who had accidentally dropped her Poké Doll in seeing Lance face-to-face. "You two must be with the group. Hmmm. I guess that you are looking for gym badges as well, aren't you?" Lance thought as he looked at Ryan.

Ryan didn't even know what to say. "Um... I-I ye... I." Lance gave a calm smile to him.

"Just nod or shake your head. I often have trouble with words as well." Ryan nodded, trying to stand up as straight as a needle. Lance bent down and held the Poké Doll, handing it to May. "I assume you dropped this." May didn't even speak as she looked at Lance with widened eyes. Her breath became less as she felt her face growing hotter. "May I know your name?"

"Uh... It's April." May realized the stupid thing she had just said. "I mean... it's January. Uh! ...Oh no." She quickly turned away, discouraged at making a fool of herself.

"Her name is May," Red spoke for the girl as he came over. Though Red was still in awe, he still made sure to keep himself calm for this greeting. "Hello, Lance. I'm Red," He brought his hand out.

Lance shook the polite hand. "You seem to possess a level head. Quite a useful skill for a Trainer such as you." Pikachu, who was on Red's shoulder, was allowed to shake the finger of Lance's other hand. Pikachu was horned to have done such an act.

Lance broke the shake as he saw Green and Pyra standing nearby. Unlike everyone else, the pair didn't seem to be stuck in awe or gasping in shock. "Hello, you two. You probably know my name." Lance said as he came to them.

"I do; mostly everyone keeps talking big about it," Green remarked as she wanted to play a game with him. "My name is just a color. Can you guess what it is?"

Lance was not expecting this but played along as he thought for a moment. "Your name is 'Yellow.'"

Green made a noise to show he was incorrect. "Sorry, but it's Green. How could you fail at such a simple question?" She said in a joking manner.

"Ah. Foolish me," He played along. "The answer was just so clear and obvious." He smiled down at the girl. "It is nice to meet you, Green."

Green smiled back. "Well, it's great to meet you!" She exclaimed.

Lance looked at the group as he cleared his throat. "It was nice to meet you all and to hear your names. But I did not call you to hear just a simple greeting, though that was a partial reason. I have asked for your presence to tell you something."

"What do you wish to say, Lance?" Ash asked, feeling that it was about what had just happened.

Lance cleared his voice, ready to give a proper explanation. That was until another voice came from the crowd, the same one that sounded so familiar to Ash. "Lance! Excuse me," He said as he passed through. "Lance!"

Lance realized that someone wasn't with him during all this. "Oh. I am sorry, Goh." He apologized to his assistant. "I was so focused on seeing these Trainers for myself."

Someone finally stepped out of the crowd, breathing after being stuck in the massive crowd. "It seems like you are always focused on something else. Don't worry; I get it." He said as he fully stood up.

Ash couldn't believe who it was.

Who stood there was about thirteen years of age, though his tall height made him look older. His eyes were blue, and his hair was primarily black, though some red highlights were in there. He wore black pants that were tucked into gray boots. He wore a short sleeve hoodie that was gray with red accents. The symbol of the Pokémon League was proudly on his back.

Lance gave a slight frown at the rather dismissive response. "Goh, you know I don't do it on purpose. I just had to meet these people for myself first." Goh just sighed, Lance feeling a bit sad at how his partner was. He then realized that the group hadn't had a proper introduction. "Why don't you introduce yourself to the group?"

Goh just shrugged as he stepped. "What's up? The names-"

"Goh!" Ash finished as he stepped forward. Goh was confused as he saw the fellow Pallet Town kid come to him. "Hey, Goh! It's me, Ash!"

Goh's face suddenly lit up with realization. A smile came across his face as he saw who it was. "No way it's you. Ash," The two childhood friends shared an excellent hug as they made contact for the first time in years.

Everyone was surprised to see these two interact with each other, especially Lance himself. Red was the only one that also seemed excited to reunite with the old friend, though 'friend' may have been a rather generous term. Misty quickly stepped over. "Wait, what? Ash, your friends with the assistant of the Elite Four?" She asked in surprise.

"Yup!" Ash answered as he looked at Goh, seeing him now taller and in his new clothes. "Assistant to the Elite Four, huh?"

Goh just shrugged as he smiled. "I don't mean to brag, but it's a huge deal." Misty and Brock were surprised by just how casual this boy was. "Your... the Sensational Sister's sister, right?"

Misty shook herself when she was called out. "Yes. Name's Misty, by the way."

"Misty," Goh repeated as he looked at Brock. "I remember you. We didn't talk much, but I saw you during the Indigo Plateau."

"I think I remember you too," Brock remarked. "Your hair is recognizable." Goh smiled at that little compliment.

"Dragonite!"

A Pokémon cried out as everyone looked up. A massive draconic Pokémon with light orange skin came down next to them. He had large, grayish-green eyes and a round snout with small nostrils. A pair of long, thin antennae were from the top of his head with a small horn between them. His striated underbelly was cream-colored and extended from the neck to the tip of his long, tapering tail. His thick arms and legs ended with three claws each. His legs were well-defined, while his arms had a smooth, rounded appearance. His wings were hilariously small compared to the rest of his body, with teal wing membranes.

Lance came over to the Dragon-type with a kind smile, something his Pokémon returned to him. "Anything to report?"

"Gonite," He shook his head.

"Nothing on the west side, then." Lance deduced after hearing that an unsure look came across his face. He then noticed how Ryan and May looked at the powerful Pokémon in awe and fear. "Don't be afraid. Despite his appearance, my Dragonite will bring you no harm."

Ryan gulped as he cautiously stepped forward, Dragonite looking down at him. "Um... hi? My name is R-YAN!" Out of nowhere, Dragonite scooped up the boy into a massive hug. The boy was trying to break away as the affectionate Psuedo-Legend hugged him close.

"Hey! That looks fun!" Green and Pyra joined in as they hugged Dragonite. The cute scene caused the audience to have their heartstrings pulled, and multiple pictures were taken at this sight. Ash stepped as he looked up at seven-foot Pokémon.

"You're Lance's Dragonite," He expressed excitedly. "I remember seeing that video of you taking down those three Ice-types!" Dragonite just smiled, recalling that event.

Red pointed Dexis at the Psuedo-Legend. "Dragonite, the dragon Pokémon. Number 181. Evolved from Dragonair. Pokémon Typing: Dragon, Flying. It can circle the globe in just 16 hours. It is a kindhearted Pokémon that leads lost and foundering ships in a storm to the safety of land. This specific Dragonite is male and level 88. The Pokémon has the following moves: Hyper Beam, Outrage, Thunderbolt, Air Slash."

Despite all this information, Pikachu kept a determined look at the Dragon-type. "Pika pi," Red gently rubbed his partner's head.

Dragontie eventually let go of Ryan, and the boy could breathe again. Dragonite saw the boy look up to him as he shakily gave a thumbs up. Dragonite also gave a thumbs-up as well with a smile. "Dragon,"

Ryan slowly walked away as Misty looked with concern. "Are you okay?"

"I'll try to be," He responded.

Ash was allowed a high-five with Dragonite before noticing that the Pokémon had a satchel across him. Something appeared to be poking out from the thing as Ash looked curiously at it. "What's in there?"

"A Pokémon Egg," Goh simply answered as he placed a hand on Dragonite. "He's just carrying it for us. It's still in its case, but I doubt you want to hear about that."

Brock remembered that Lance did need to speak with them. "Sir, you were going to say something to us. What was it?"

"Ah, yes. It's regarding the event that has transpired recently." Everyone became silent as they waited for what Lance had to say. "I'm not here to interrogate you, as I know you've already dealt with that. I'm here to show you something."

Goh stepped forward. "We wanted you here to show you what Team Rocket was here for. Lance believed you have a right to know and was willing to take you."

Everyone was left taken aback for a moment, Red talking first. "Are you sure about this, Lance? We weren't even supposed to be part of this case."

"I know, but I'm still giving you a chance," Lance answered as he turned to them. "For those that wish to know the truth, I suggest you come with me." Everyone agreed with this, as they wanted to know the truth.

The crowd, the one interviewing the two, were still there as many voices began to speak up much louder. Jenny stepped in front of them as she raised her hands. "I know you wish to speak with Lance and Goh, but we must respect their current decisions." Jenny then jabbed a finger into her face. "Any questions or answers can be directed at me."

The massive crowd then began to circle the lone officer as Lance sent a grateful look to Jenny. "Thank you for this, Officer," Goh said as well, Jenny smiling as he saw them off.

"Call me if you need legal assistance!" She said with a wink.

The group began to leave together as Ash went straight to Goh, Red, and Green nearby. "You got to tell us about your job! It has to be so cool working for the Pokémon League!" Green expressed with stars in her eyes.

Goh just smiled at seeing how they wished to know about him. "Alright. I can give you a basic rundown." He shrugged.

May still kept looking at Dragonite. Despite the Pokémon's kindhearted nature, she still felt scared of him. Dragonite looked back and down at the girl, causing her to be afraid and keep her head down.

Dragonite just gave a soft smile as he offered his hand. "Ite," May looked at the hand, then at Dragonite. Her fear was telling her not to do it, but seeing how Dragonite smiled down at her made her doubt her fear.

She slowly brought her hand up to tap it on Dragonite's. She was surprised by the soft Pokémon's scales, even letting her whole hand touch him. "I guess you're okay," She decided, Dragonite laughing in response.

---

Lance led the group personally as his trusty Dragonite stood by his side the whole way. The Elite Four member made them go through some trees in the forest nearby, having to be let through by some police officers that we're standing by. As this happened, Goh was catching up with his old friends.

"Gary got a car?" Goh asked in disbelief. "I swear, that kid is just getting everything handed to him."

Red couldn't help but agree. "He's a little less bratty since you last saw him, but that's not a compliment." May and Ryan were nearby as they were part of the conversation.

"Goh, could you explain your job again? I didn't quite get it the first time." May admitted with slight dejection.

The boy just smiled at how meekly she said it. "Well, I serve as the personal assistant of the Elite Four. I'm the guy who sets up the meetings, makes sure everyone gets their jobs done, and who occasionally gets the breakfast for the group." He explained, coming close to the girl's ear. "If you want, I can tell you what each Elite Four member likes for each meal."

"Uh, I'll pass on that," May replied, uninterested in knowing something that bizarre. "Your job sounds pretty good. I bet you get a lot of respect from the region."

"That's a perk, but not a job you would pick if you wanted excitement," Goh admitted as he looked off. "This job is great, don't get me wrong. I get to be with the best Trainers in Kanto, after all. Sometimes people have slow days, while I have slow weeks."

"I'd still take the position even with that in mind." Ryan gave his opinion. "Standing by the Elite Four is something I can only dream of!"

Goh lightly chuckled. "You sound a lot more enthesitis than I tend to be. How about you take the job? You could create month-long plans and budgets that could cover everything."

"Uhh. I-I think I'll pass for now. I can't even make a schedule for a week."

"Looks like you're in the same boat that I was," Goh remarked, the two boys sharing a small smile.

"Goh!" The older boy turned around, seeing Green look at him. "Do you remember me?"

"...Drat. I forgot your name." Goh said after not being able to remember. "I know you were the girl that always got lost and liked their Fire-types."

Green just smiled at that. "Name's Green, and I am all those things." She said with a wink. "So why did you start your Pokémon journey? Was it to become Champion or something?"

Goh shook his head. "Champion sounds nice, but I'm not much of a fighter." He admitted, recalling when he first realized his dream. He was merely five years old as he looked upon all the unique Pokémon that Oak would show him. "I'm a collector at heart. So, my dream is to collect every Pokémon in the world!"

Ryan and May were left in awe; even Red was caught off-guard by such a goal. "...You're going for something like that?" Ryan's question of shock received a slow nod from Goh. "There's no way that's possible, right?"

"I guess I'll have to figure out if it is possible then," Goh said with a shrug. "I've already made good progress in these three years, catching all the Pokémon in Kanto and Johto, with my Hoenn goal still ten short."

Red was impressed by such progress in so little time. "I doubt I could get all the Pokémon in Kanto alone within a year." He admitted, seeing Pikachu having a hard time wrapping his head around such an idea.

"This job helped with my goal. All those weeks are a good excuse to chip away at my dream slowly." Goh said as he looked down at the four Trainers. "Now I'm curious to hear about what your goals are."

Ryan wasn't sure if he should say his goal. "Hearing your goal makes mine feel so meaningless."

Goh just offered him a smile as he ruffled his head. "How about I hear your goal? Then we can decide if it's meaningless together?" He said in a joking manner, causing Ryan to laugh a bit.

"Does anyone want to hear my goal?"

"Uh. Why not?" Goh said dismissively as he looked at Green. "What is your goal?"

Green smiled. "I am going to go to Vermillion City alone!" She declared, Ryan giving her a weird look.

"Really? I hate to be rude, but she should know that her sense of direction isn't good enough for that." He thought.

Goh just smiled at her. "Well, then make it happen! If you have a goal you are comfortable with, stick it out until you complete it."

Green gave a smile as she fist-bumped the older boy. "Thanks, but I was already going to do that!"

At the front, Lance was calmly walking as Dragonite was by his side, knowing that they were indeed close. "If you wish to say something to me, then you mustn't continue to stare." The Elite Four member told Ash, who had been looking at the man for two minutes.

Ash was a bit embarrassed at being called out. "Sorry. It's just unbelievable that you're here. An Elite Four member with their strongest Pokémon is walking with me, and I'm not even Champion."

"Your quite excited at this ability to meet Goh and me, aren't you?"

"You bet I am!" He proudly agreed. Ash became slightly nervous as he said his following sentence. "Would you be open for a picture after this, if it's not too much of a bother?"

"of course it is, Ash," Misty answered for Lance as he stepped over. She was arguably as much a fan as Ash was; she still kept her manners and boundaries. "Lance is not here to interact with-"

"I wouldn't mind at all. Unfortunately, I don't exactly have a camera on my person at all times." He admitted before he got a fun idea. "Would an autograph be suitable for you?"

"CAN I GET ONE FIRST?!" Misty instantly requested, standing near Lance.

"Hey! I asked first!" Ash quickly cut it as he faced Misty.

"Whatever happened to ladies first?"

"What happened to even Steven?" Ash asked back. "Did you forget how I did all your laundry last week?"

"As if laundry is so hard. Besides, did you not remember when I deep-cleaned everyone's shoes two days ago?" Misty quickly shutters. "I can never unsmell your shoes."

The two began to bicker about who should be the first one. Lance just laughed at seeing them interact, even Dragontie chuckling. Brock quickly went up to the Elite Four member. "Sorry, you had to witness this. I swear, they're more well-behaved than you think."

"It's quite alright. It is quite fun to watch. Reminded me of when I spent time with Clair; we were probably worse than this." He remarked as he turned to Brock. "You've become more relaxed, Brock. I can tell that being with these kids has made you less stern."

Brock sweat dropped as he recalled how mean he tended to be before he went with Ash. "Yeah. I was a bit of a jerk, huh? It's just been nice to be out here and explore. Ash and Misty are surprisingly capable, and I'm impressed by their progress in such a short time."

Lance nodded at what Brock said. The man gazed at the two kids, seeing how they were now shouting. "I'm curious to know how you would describe their relationship. They seem rather close."

"Their relationship?" Brock began to think, a smile as he recalled all the moments the two had. "Misty can be a bit demanding and a clean freak, and Ash is somewhat the opposite, though they're both very hardheaded." He admitted, looking at his two friends. "But honestly, they're probably the closest ones here. It makes sense since they're the oldest members, and they often agree on a lot of things. But moments like these still pop up."

"I see. They seem close, as true friendship means still being close after something like this." Lance gave another question. "How do you personally see them?"

Brock was a bit unsure as to what to say to that. He paused as he tried to give the most honest answer he could, looking back at the group that he had become so close with. A small smile grew as he whispered into Lance's ear. "Don't tell them this, but they're like little siblings to me." He said. "I know they don't think the same way, so I don't want to say it out loud."

Lance smiled after hearing such an honest answer. "If I'm honest, I envy how you obtained a group like this." He admitted as he looked back at the group. "Friends like these are quite rare, but they are the ones you think of when describing friendship."

Brock smiled at the praise he had just gotten, feeling good as he looked ahead. Goh suddenly came to the front as he made everyone look at him. "We're almost there. A minute away, I think." The group listened as they kept moving forward, seeing what Lance and Goh had told them.

And what they saw was something none of them could've guessed.

A frigid gale passed right through them as they looked upon what remained of a once lush, green part of a massive forest. What stood in its place was a gigantic area covered in ice and frost, as if a terrible winter storm had come by. The ice slowly melted under the hotter sun, but the damage was more than apparent. The trees lost all their leaves from the ice as no Pokémon remained there.

Misty had her hands to her mouth in shock. "W-what happened?" She managed to mutter out, fear coming to her face.

Lance remained calm as ever as he looked upon the damage. "Something had come through that caused this ice to form. This ice came five days ago, and it is still trying to melt away." Lance explained. "This would've completely covered the town if it hit there instead."

Ryan quickly shook himself as he tried not to become too fearful. "W-what caused this? Was it a Pokémon of some kind?"

"That was my first assumption, too," Goh replied as he looked ahead. Despite already seeing this, it still unnerved him to see all the ice. "A Pseudo-Legend, or even a powerful Ice-type, could cause this damage. But this ice is something else."

Brock touched one of the frozen trees, quickly bringing his hand back as it hurt to touch. He looked at the ice and then at his hand. "Your right about the ice," Brock remarked as he looked at Lance. "Why would Team Rocket be interested in this, though?"

"You ask as if I know more than you do about this," Lance replied, a bit upset at being unable to answer. "We could only speculate now, but I can say that this damage didn't come from Team Rocket. Although, I can tell that they are quite interested as to what caused this."

Everyone became silent after hearing that. Ash looked on ahead, wondering what Pokémon could cause such a thing. He had never seen a powerful Pokémon, at least one capable of this. The closest thing he could think of was the Kommo-o of Mt Moon, but saying they could do this was a stretch, even for him.

Green, still trying to be positive, went up to one of the frozen trees and looked at it curiously. "Is it true that your tongue will be stuck if you put it on the thing?"

"Uh. How about we don't do that." Goh warned the girl, who gave a massive pout at not being allowed to do it. Pyra guided her to return to her spot as the older boy looked at the Elite Four member. "May we go now?"

Lance nodded. "Yes, we may. There's nothing else for us to see, let alone do." Lance began to guide the group back the way they came. "Come with me."

Ryan saw how Red and Ash seemed to be looking intensely at the ice, thoughts constantly in their heads as to what this was. Red was just as stuck as his best friend was. "What could this mean? Was this a purposeful incident, or something purely on accident?"

"Guys!" Ryan's yell caused them to snap out of it. "Are you going, or will you keep looking at some ice?" Ash and Red quickly got themselves together as they walked with the rest of the group. Red petted his Pikachu as Ash was silent.

"Thank you for showing us this, Lance," Brock told the man in a grateful tone. "It was interesting to know. Odd, but interesting."

"Yes! Thank you, Lance!" Misty quickly said as well, trying to seem grateful to the man. "Can I ask you for something?"

"An autograph?"

Misty was surprised by how Lance could easily read her, but she nodded. "Hey! I want an autograph too!" Ash remarked as he quickly came over.

Misty groaned. "Not this again. As I said, you don't have any paper to give the man."

"That might be because you took all the paper from the group!" Ash accused, Misty just giving a cheeky smile in return.

Lance just chuckled at seeing how everyone wanted his autograph. "You don't each have to give me your paper. How about I write on just one for you to share?" Though this sounded like a good solution, this was not what Misty or Ash wanted. The two then began to fight on who would be the first to get the autograph, Red and Lance giving a sweat drop at this.

Everyone could only watch as Lance tried to calm Ash and Misty as Goh sighed. "Good to know that Ash is still the same." He thought to himself.

---

Lance and Goh had led them back to town as the two sadly had to separate from them. "As nice as it was to speak with you all and getting to know you, we have other matters to discuss with the people here. This is where we must depart ways for today."

Everyone had grown used to these two powerful individuals, but they were still sad about leaving. "It was nice to meet you again, sir." Brock expressed as he shook Lance's hand. "I hope we can see you and Goh again tomorrow,"

"I hope the same, as this whole thing may require an extra day for us here," Lance admitted. "But if we cannot meet, then I wish you a great journey ahead of you. Always be humbled by your strengths and acknowledge your weaknesses."

"Thank you for the advice, Lance," Misty said gratefully, holding the autograph she had gotten. "Glad I was able to get an autograph first. My sisters are going to be so jealous."

Red sighed as he and Ash were forced to comply with Misty's wrath. Even Pikachu was terrified of the girl's anger. "I know that we shall meet again. Whether it will be in my travels or by me being in the Pokémon League." Red spoke as he shook Lance's hand. "No matter what, I eagerly await that moment."

May and Ryan went up to Goh as the girl gave a smile. "It was nice to meet you, Goh. I think your job is cool, and you should see the positives of it."

Goh appreciated the girl's kindness but still tried to keep up his coolness. "I'll consider doing that. Good luck to both of you and never stop trying to be more." He said to the pair.

Ryan went over and gave a handshake. "I still can't believe you're trying to capture every Pokémon as a goal. I wish I could have that kind of dedication and drive."

"It just came naturally to me. As for you, I think you'll figure out what you want during this journey." Ryan gave a small smile after hearing that encouragement. "Just don't expect your goal to be given to you."

Ryan just chuckled. "Trust me. I'm not lucky enough for something like that."

Pyra and Dragonite hugged each other goodbye, the Fire-type not minding the massive hug from the powerful Dragon-type. Green, surprisingly, gave a hug to Lance. "I'm not saying goodbye, because we'll see each other again. How about a see you later?"

Lance smiled as he placed a hand on the girl's head. "Alright. See you later, Green," The girl smiled as she broke apart, offering a high-five to the Dragon-type.

"Don't leave me hanging!" Dragonite smiled as he gently used his massive hand to tap Green's. Pyra joined her Trainer as everyone had grouped together.

Brock and Red looked at the group as they decided what was next. The sky had become orange, and they needed somewhere to sleep off all that had happened. "Let's go find a hotel that can accommodate us." Red expressed as he looked around. "I think I remember seeing a place that way."

Ryan loudly yawned after hearing that. "As long as I get a bed, I'm not complaining."

"Honestly, I wish I could sleep as early as you guys," Goh remarked with slight jealousy. "But we have stuff that requires us to open our eyes." He pointed to the group. "Enjoy all the sleep that you can get."

Lance finally came to Ash. "Ash, I do hope you can reach your goal. Just try to go at your own pace," When Ash didn't reply, the Elite Four member looked in concern. "Ash?"

Ash looked up at him, acknowledging how the man was talking with him. "Sorry, I was just thinking." Ash was silent for a moment before he looked up at Lance. "Lance... can I ask you for something?"

"Well, what do you wish?"

Ash glanced to the side before answering. "Can I ask you for some of your time? I want to speak with you in private."

Lance was a bit surprised at this request. Everyone looked at Ash, wondering what the boy was trying to do. "Ash," Brock called out. "What is this about?"

"I just wanted to talk with Lance. I want it to be just between me, him, and Goh." He answered before looking at the group. "I'm sorry,"

Though the group knew Lance and Goh met no harm, leaving Ash behind wouldn't feel right to any of them. Red, knowing that this is what Ash wanted, began to speak up. "Come on, everyone. Let's give Ash the privacy he wants."

"Pika!"

The main group looked back at Ash. "Just don't take too long," Misty told the boy. "It's already pretty late."

Ryan ruffled Ash's hair as he began to walk away. "You don't have to tell us about it, but it would be nice if you did."

Ash smiled after hearing that. "Don't worry. It won't take that long." The group accepted this answer as they began to walk away. All except two. "Green, Pyra," Ash said as he saw how the two did a terrible job at hiding. "That includes you two."

Green childishly groaned. "Aww. I didn't want to miss out on the fun." Green sighed as she and her Pokémon began to leave. "Later, cape guy and hoodie guy!"

"Charme!" Now the three were alone as Lance and Goh looked at the boy that wanted them to be there. Dragonite watched on, the egg still safely in his pouch, as he gave a curious look.

Ash tried to think of what to say first, suddenly feeling the presence of these two far more than before. "I was just curious... how did you become so strong?"

Lance's face remained unfazed by the simple question. "Well, I didn't get this far in just a few months. It took me-"

"That's not what I meant." Ash interrupted, realizing how poor his word choice was. "I mean... how were you able to accept defeat? How did you remain strong whenever that happened?"

"You're wondering how to deal with your defeat properly?" Ash slowly nodded, Lance beginning to think as he placed a hand on his chin. "I'm unsure if my answer would suit you, as I can only tell you how I deal with it."

Ash still wanted to know. "I'll take any answer. I know it would be better than the way I would do it."

Goh looked at Ash, seeing how serious the boy was about this. Ash being serious was such an oddity to him. "You're still worried about what happened earlier, aren't you? You're scared that you'll have to deal with that again."

Ash said nothing after hearing that, looking down after being figured out. Lance and Goh looked at each other as they saw what this event did to Ash. Lance placed a comforting hand on Ash's shoulder. "You seem to worry about something beyond your control."

Ash sighed as he looked back up. "I just don't want to have to deal with a loss like that again," He expressed. "But that's unavoidable, isn't it?"

"Oh, yes. No one can truly reach their dream without some form of setback," Lance admitted as he gazed into the boy. "And those setbacks may even lead you to question your ability to continue, eventually leading to giving up."

"I'm not going to give up!" Ash said with passion as he looked at Lance with determination. "I just want to become stronger and smarter for my friends so I can reach my goal."

Goh gave a small smile after hearing. "That's an excellent intention, but that's something we can't give you," Goh explained. "I can't train or teach you, nor can Lance."

Ash sighed, figuring as much. Lance looked down at the boy. "You have a good heart; you just seem to let your overconfidence get the better. I can also tell you that you lack being responsible, and you often beat yourself up for not getting the result you wanted. Do I have that right?"

Ash gasped at hearing all this before looking down. "That... sounds about right," Lance pitied the boy, unsure what would ultimately help him. Goh was just as stuck as well.

The teenager merely looked around to see if that would help him think. That is when an idea donned upon him. "Ash," The boy looked up as Goh gave a grin. "You want to become more responsible, right?"

Ash nodded, becoming confused when the boy went over to Dragonite. Goh opened up Dragonite's pouch as the Flying-type was extremely confused. "Ite?"

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing." Goh said as he took out the Pokémon Egg from the pouch. It was still encased as Goh gently held it in his hands.

Lance looked at his assistant with a raised eyebrow. "May I ask what your plan is?"

"I know that you have been wanting someone to take this egg for you, and I know that Ash is willing to take on anything thrown his way," Goh said as he looked at Ash. "So, why don't we give the egg to Ash Ketchum?"

Ash couldn't believe what he had just heard. "...I'm sorry. What?"

Lance was about to object to this idea but paused to think of it. He began to consider the pros and cons of making such a decision. Ultimately, he began to agree with his apprentice's plan. "I believe this may be the thing you need, Ash. This will make you have to be responsible."

Ash asked in disbelief after hearing Lance himself support this. "I've never taken care of a Pokémon Egg. I don't even know how to."

"Brock is with you, and I bet he'd be willing to tell you anything you need to know and maybe even take care of it when you can't," Lance explained as this idea slowly sounded better. "Yes. This may work."

Ash looked down at the egg that Goh was offering him. "I mean, we can't force you to do this." Goh reminded him. "We worry that the Pokémon in this egg may never find a Trainer. I know that this will be a big responsibility, but you said so yourself that's what you wanted. I'm smart enough to see that you want to accept this, and I wouldn't even give you this option if I knew you couldn't handle it."

Ash looked at the egg, placing a gentle hand on the glass. "I just know that there are more suitable people than me."

Goh looked at Ash with a severe look. "The Ash I knew would take this challenge without a second thought. Where's that drive now?"

Ash was left a bit silent after hearing that. Most of his brashness and enthusiasm wasn't present for most of the day, something that even he had noticed when he had met Lance and Goh. Ash's heart was in the right place, and his desire to help anyone grew as he looked at the egg. A question eventually popped up in his mind as the winds gently breezed through: What kind of Champion would he be if he let a simple egg get the better of him?

Ash shook himself as he closed and reopened his eyes, now filled with resolve and confidence. His hand we're placed on the Egg's casing as he looked at Lance and Goh. His voice was passionate and filled with nothing but respect.

"Lance, Goh. I promise to take this egg and raise it until it becomes the Pokémon it was meant to be. I will treat the Pokémon like a friend; to make sure that the Pokémon has a Trainer they will be proud of!"

Lance and Goh shared a smile after hearing his declaration. "The man has spoken," Goh remarked as he saw Ash's open hands. "I believe that this egg is now yours."

Ash grabbed the case, surprised by just how light it was. "Is this thing even ten pounds?" He asked, moving it up and down with relative ease.

"Does it look like I know the exact weight of everything?"

Ash ignored Goh's rhetorical question as he finally saw the egg inside. It was primarily white except for some baby blue-colored spots all over. Ash took a good look inside, seeing how inactive the egg was. "What Pokémon is it?"

"It's a Dratini egg," Lance explained as he gently touched the case. "I found it during a trip to the Safari Zone. This egg was about to be taken from a poacher, but I was in time to stop such a thing from happening. I began to see if its parents were indeed nearby and searching for their child... little did I know that the poacher had gotten rid of the parents to acquire the egg."

Ash could only gasp, looking down at the egg with sadness and pity. "So, it doesn't have parents." He concluded in a low voice.

Goh placed a comforting hand on Ash's shoulder. "Don't think about it too much. What matters now is that egg is your responsibility and that Dratini there will look up to you." He patted the boy's back a bit hard. "No pressure, though."

Ash just lightly chuckled as he suddenly saw Dragonite come to him. The powerful Dragon-type had his big hand gently touch the glass, looking at the egg inside with a sad smile. "Dragon, it gon rag ite." He told the egg bittersweetly, looking at Ash as he placed his hand on the boy's head. "Dragon drag onit?"

Ash gave a reassuring smile. "I promise to protect the Dratini and raise them. You have my word," Dragonite nodded as he joined Lance. Lance looked at Ash, being reminded of someone he knew long ago. He shook himself.

"I know you'll do great with this new development, Ash. But still, we must attend to our business here." Lance said as Dragonite nodded. "We have used our time here."

"Thank you so much, Goh," Ash said as he and the boy high-fived each other. "Can you give me any advice on the egg? Anything at all."

Goh began to think, smiling at Ash as he looked up. "First off, don't drop the thing. I don't think I have to tell you that, but just in case." Goh started. "Make sure to keep it in the case until it starts moving a lot, and then you can take it out."

Ash nodded as he noted all of that. "Thanks'. It was so great meeting the two of you." Ash expressed as he looked at Lance. "I swear, when I see you again, it will be when I have eight badges and fighting to be Champion."

Lance smiled at this notion. "Only the future can prove that. I would be interested in seeing you again." He offered up his hand, letting Ash give a firm handshake. "Farwell, Ketchum."

Goh made a gesture of goodbye as he began to leave. "Stay awesome for me, alright?" Ash nodded.

"Bye!"

Dragonite turned around, waving back with a big smile. "Dragon!" And just like that, the two officially split ways. Ash began to go down the path where he knew the group was. He looked down at the encased egg in his hands as he couldn't believe this was real. He gently rubbed the glass that protected the thing.

"Don't worry. We'll learn how to handle this together."

---

The night and moon were now present as the group had found a motel. Everyone was forced to split into different rooms, meaning that Brock and Ash were stuck together. The eleven-year-old, now in his pajamas, sat on his bed as he looked at the egg in the chair. Ash gave a smile at seeing the new addition with them.

Everyone had a unique reaction to seeing the egg. Misty was happy but worried this may be too much for the boy. Red gave a calm smile at hearing this, Pikachu even giving a thumbs up in full support. May was initially confused by its presence but decided to go along with it. Brock was somehow more excited than Green herself. The teenager began planning and figuring out which gifts to give the Pokémon. Ryan shed tears of joy as he vowed to be the best uncle, Ash glad that he took it so seriously. Green had pure excitement as she had to be restrained from grabbing in by Pyra, who gave a massive smile at the news.

His backpack lay on the floor, now holding Nidoran and Pidgey. The group got some of their Pokémon back from Nurse Joy, but sadly not all of them. Wartortle and Squirtle would need the night to rest. This left May and Red the only ones to have their entire team back; Ryan was a bit jealous that they were the first to get their team back. Ash was just happy at seeing his Pokémon again.

Ash placed a hand as he rubbed the case. "I can't wait to meet you." He thought, already groaning at the thought of waiting for such a long time. Suddenly, Brock emerged from the shower as the boy dried his hair.

The older boy wore beige pants that barely reached below his knees. The boy smiled as he crouched down next to the egg. "I'm so excited to meet the Dratini. What gender do you think it will be?"

"Hmmm. I want it to be a boy, but I'm fine with either." Ash answered as he looked at his egg. "I hope it won't be too hard to care for the egg. It's not like it needs food or water, right?"

"Do not worry. You have me," Brock pointed to himself as he stood up. "Future Pokémon Breeder, expert with kids, and someone who had read plenty about eggs. Didn't I tell you about when I had to care for six of them for someone?"

"Yeah, you did... about three times now." Brock sweat dropped after hearing how he was repeating himself.

"Well, you get what I mean," Brock said as he looked at Ash. "Don't be afraid to come to me for advice. You should know that I'm always here for you guys." Ash nodded; Brock smiled as he went to his bed.

The two decided to turn on the TV, finding a great show after cycling through for a bit. The two were content with watching the show as Ash tried to make himself comfortable. Thoughts ran through his mind as he looked back upon the day, feeling immense guilt at what had happened. He occasionally glanced at Brock and saw the boy simply enjoying the show. A question came to his mind that he thought he could ignore, but he needed the answer before he went to sleep.

"Brock?"

Brock muted the TV as he looked at Ash. "What's up?"

"Can I ask you something?" Ash sat up, a pillow held in his arms. "It's about today,"

Brock sensed that this would be important, turning off the TV entirely as he sat up too. "What is it?"

Ash readied himself for this, waiting for whatever answer would be coming. "Do you guys blame me for what happened today?"

Brock was taken aback, not expecting that question. He saw how Ash seemed to be somewhat down. "No," He said determinedly. "Why do you think that? Did someone tell you that, or is just how you think we feel?"

Ash looked down. "I just feel like I'm the reason for this happening. If I didn't blindly charge in, then maybe we could've been safe. Maybe I wouldn't have put your Pokémon in danger."

"But this isn't your fault." Brock stood up, making Ash look up at him. "Tell me, were you the one to bring Team Rocket here?"

"No,"

"Did you force us to battle, or did we keep going even after seeing our Pokémon faint?"

Ash was silent for a moment, never considering it from that angle. "No..."

Brock sighed as he took a step closer. "You know that we're friends, right? I will admit that you sometimes can be headstrong and not think before acting, but that's not entirely a bad thing. Did you think our friendship would end after only one bad moment?" Ash knew something like this wouldn't ruin everything, but the thought had crossed his mind. Brock offered up his strong hand to him. "Come here,"

Ash grabbed his hand, being caught off-guard as Brock pulled him up to his feet. The boy then wrapped comforting arms around Ash. Ash did the same after some time, the air feeling so calm again. Brock held the boy tight, seeing him as a sort of little brother after all this time. Ash closed his eyes as he felt relaxed, the two breaking the hug.

"Thank you," Ash said in a soft voice. "I just needed to hear that."

Brock patted him on his shoulder. "Sometimes people just need a hug, and I am usually good at telling when they need it."

Ash smiled as he looked at the TV. "Can we watch TV again? That show was just so good,"

"Sorry, but we have to go to sleep. Or rather, you need to go to sleep early."

Ash childishly pouted. "Just one more hour? Come on, you know you want to watch that show too." Brock turned away, hiding a small smile at being figured out. "I see the smile! Don't think you're hiding anything."

Brock began to debate, mumbling a little bit to himself. "Alright, but nothing more." He finally caved in.

The one hour that Brock agreed to stretched into three hours. The two boys' eyes were glued to the TV as they didn't want to turn off the game show, often laughing out loud at points. At 1 AM, the two slept as Brock moved very little, having his sheets look clean. Meanwhile, Ash moved so much that it looked like a tornado had attacked his bed.

---

Morning came, and while the rest of the group was still waking up and only now getting ready for the day, there was a notable exception. Ash, Brock, and May had gotten an extra head start as they prepared and left for the Pokémon Center. On the way there, they wanted to see if Lance and Goh were still there to thank them again for what they did.

Unfortunately, the two had left during the middle of the night. Ash was saddened at hearing he missed their chance at a goodbye, but Brock and May's encouragement helped him look past it. They arrived at the Pokémon Center with a specific reason in mind. This was done not only to check on the Pokémon's progress but also for personal reasons.

Delia yawned as she was on the screen, her pajama robes being her attire. "Thank you for calling me, Ash," She said to her son. "But you could've called later."

"Sorry, Mom," Ash apologized at seeing his mother try to get rid of the tiredness from her eye. "I just had to talk to you. I love you, after all."

"I would hope so after all these years and having to carry you for nine months. I love you too, Ashie." She said in a motherly way. She then noticed how tired Ash looked by just looking at him. "Did you sleep well last night?"

"I did, but I fell asleep a bit late," Ash admitted, knowing he couldn't say otherwise.

Delia frowned. "Always get good sleep. Not only do you need the energy for your journey, but I don't want you to get any bad habits." Ash nodded at this request, making Delia smile as she sipped her coffee. "Anyway, how has everything been."

"It's been... better," He said after a moment.

Delia sensed that something was in her child's mind. "Is something wrong? Did something bad happen?"

Ash could've told his mother the truth, that he had thrown himself in danger, and the group suffered. Ash couldn't bring himself to speak the truth, worried about the reaction. With a deep breath in, he gave his response. "I... just had a bad loss lately. I feel a bit down after it." Ash said, technically not being wrong.

"Ashie! Look at me!" Delia's raised voice made Ash focus on the screen. "Don't be discouraged! No matter how many times you lose, I want you to get up and try again!"

Ash chuckled at seeing how his mother tried to encourage him. "I'll always do that. It's just this loss hit harder than I thought it would. I can't believe I thought I could win at first."

Delia looked at Ash, thinking about how she could lift his spirits. "Tell me, how many losses and wins have you gotten so far?"

This made Ash have to pause, trying to recall all the battles he had done. "I'm not sure how many wins I have, but I know it's over ten. I know I only got one loss and a match that was cut short."

"One loss to ten wins? That's over 90% of victories right there!" Delia deduced with a slight shout. "You see, Ashie? Are you going to let this loss derail everything?"

"...Your right," Ash realized as he gave a smile. "I was down, but I promise to keep trying for you."

"Don't try for me, Ash." Delia smiled at the gesture. "This is your journey, after all." Ash just chuckled at how he got carried away for a second.

"Hey, Ash," May asked from the other computer, popping her head over the divider. "Mind keeping it down? I'm struggling to hear my mom." She kindly asked.

"Sorry. I'll be quieter," May nodded as the two returned to their calls. He saw how Delia was currently in thought. "What are you thinking?"

"That was Misty, right?"

Ash shook his head. "Sorry, that was May." Ash had already revealed May to Delia, who accepted the idea of the girl with Ash.

"Aww, man. It looks like I need a refresher on your group." She admitted with slight defeat. Delia decided to jump to something else. "As for me, nothing much has changed. Leaf got a new plant for her garden, apparently from Paldea."

Ash was interested in the news. "Could you send a picture? I want to see her garden again after so long."

"I'll send it to you. Oak and Seymour are still themselves, so not much to report there." Delia went through a mental checklist. "I think that's about everything,"

"Same here. I'll call you when we reach Vermillion City," Ash promised as he was about ready to end the call. "It was great talking to you."

"Great talking with you too. But before you go, I need to ask something." Ash raised his eyebrow but nodded at the request. "Do you know who you lost to?"

Ash had his eyebrows raised in shock, not even sure what to say. "Ummm... I didn't get their name." He admitted in a lame way.

"Really? They didn't tell you at all?"

"No," Ash shook his head. "He was this guy from... Johto," He decided, figuring as much from the presence of Feraligatr. "And he did a number on my team. He's the reason why Wartortle isn't part of the call."

"I was wondering about that." Delia looked deeply into Ash's eyes, sensing something was off. "Anything else to say? Anything at all?"

Ash kept himself calm as he answered. "No. I've told you just about everything." He calmly said.

Delia kept a deep gaze on her son. "... Alright. I'll believe you on this one," Delia said, trusting her son completely. "I love you, Ash. I'll always be here for you."

Ash gave a tender smile after hearing that. "I love you too." The two shared a smile as Ash went to end the call. "Bye, Mom,"

"Bye," With that, the call ended as a whole. Ash gave a massive sigh of relief, struggling to keep a calm face as he had to lie to his mother. Ash looked at his hand, gazing into his palm as he felt terrible for doing this.

"Should I have done that?" He questioned in a conflicted way. He knew lying was sometimes required, but that didn't mean he had to do it against his mother. Ash tightened his palms into a fist. "She can't be hurt by something she doesn't know abo-"

"ASH!"

The boy screamed as he quickly turned around, seeing that Green surprised him. Ash was trying to catch his breath. "Green! I would've been fine with a simple hello."

"But that's boring," Green replied like it was the most obvious thing. "Also, you should've seen your face. So funny!"

Ash grumbled but was ultimately not mad with his best friend. "Good morning to you too. Is anyone else here?"

"Certainly no," Ryan said as he came by, leaning on the divider with his arm. "The whole group hasn't come here just to figure out where you were and to get their Pokémon back." The sarcasm coated his voice.

Ash quickly stood up as he greeted everyone, but not before noticing that Brock was still on the call. He quickly snuck up to him. "Are you still on the call?"

"Yeah. Just give me a few minutes." Brock said quietly. Ash nodded as he stood back up, seeing that Misty and Red were coming to him. Ash quickly went up to his two friends.

"A note would've been nice," Misty remarked.

"Yeah, sorry. I just had to talk with my mom." Ash explained as the three walked together. "Did we accidentally scare you?"

"I wish that you walking off without warning was considered odd." Ash sweat dropped after hearing that, and Red and Misty smiled. "Anyway, it looks like most of our Pokémon are healed."

"Sadly, Wartortle or Squirtle aren't. They're the only ones that haven't been healed." Ash said, not even considering leaving without having those two safe.

Misty began to think. "What are we going to do with Squirtle? Jenny said that she had no Trainer, and we can't just let her go back to making crime."

"Perhaps you could convince her to join one of you. Although, it's doubtful if she even respects us." Red realized, wanting to scrap the idea entirely. Suddenly, something was pulling on his jacket as he looked down.

A Chansey was there in her nurse uniform. "Chansey," She kindly greeted them. "Chan an cha ey." She told them, signaling for the three to follow her. Red whistled, having Pikachu come to him and rest on his shoulder.

The Chansey led them to Nurse Joy, who smiled upon seeing them. "There you are. Thank you, Chansey." She petted her assistant.

"Chansey," The Normal-type walked away.

"Ash Ketchum, I have splendid news," Joy said excitedly. "Wartortle and Squirtle are finally awake and now in stable condition."

Ash happily gasped as a massive smile grew on his face. "He is? Can I please see them?" He asked without a second thought.

Nurse Joy nodded. "Give me a second." She then walked away and left behind the doors.

Misty gave a big smile after hearing the news. "Would you look at that? Wartortle is more durable than I gave him credit for."

"Probably something he ultimately picked up from Ash," Red remarked, glad to see his friend happy. Ash was confused when he said that. "You know that you always get back up, and I'm guessing your Wartortle picked up on that nature."

"I guess so," Ash replied, never thinking that was why Wartortle was so determined. He looked at Pikachu, the Electric-type merely scratching one of his ears. "What did Pikachu pick up from you?"

"Pi?" Pikachu was initially confused but came up with an answer. "Pika chu pi achu!"

"We share the same relaxed nature," Red said for the Pokémon.

"That sounds about right. Pikachu is a lot calmer since I first met him." Ash commented. Pikachu scrunched up his face, wondering if that was a compliment.

The doors opened as Nurse Joy stepped out, Wartortle and Squirtle standing right by her. "Ash," She called to the boy. Wartortle felt intense emotion at seeing his Trainer after what felt like weeks. "Go to him." She encouraged.

Wartortle sprinted to his Trainer as he felt highly emotional at this moment. "Wartortle!" Ash kneeled, catching Wartortle in his arms as the two were wrapped in a tight hug. Wartortle sniffled as some tears fell down his face. "W-War tort," He mumbled.

Ash gave him a warm smile as he looked at his best friend. "Hey. Why are you crying? I'm right here, and I always will be." Wartortle just let the tears fall, feeling like he was too weak for his own Trainer. Ash gently wiped the tear from the Water-type's eye. "You're okay. We're okay."

Wartortle shook his head as his grip tightened around Ash. Everyone watched as they didn't know what to say or even if they should say anything. Squirtle watched them from afar, feeling her own heart be touched by this reunion. She quickly shook herself, trying not to be invested in this. That was a hard thing to do, as she heard about the stories Wartortle would say, mainly because they were stuck in the same room.

Ash looked up and saw Squirtle trying her best to look uncaring. He took one of his arms and extended it out, surprising the female Water-type. "Come here," Was all he said gently.

Squirtle looked on, a conflicted look as if she was trying to force her body not to agree with this. But eventually, she listened to her thought and slowly walked over with a deep sigh and an eye roll. Squirtle joined in on the hug, feeling how comforting it was. She gave a calm growl, finding this good enough. The two stayed that way as none of the three wanted to let go.

Ash took a deep breath as he broke the hug, looking at the two Water-types, similar to how a parent would with their children. "I know this was hard, but I'm not mad at either of you. I'm proud that you two were able to face off against someone that you were probably scared of." He patted the two's heads. "Thank you,"

Wartortle felt another wanting to escape, but he found the courage to stand tall and wipe it all away. "War," He nodded, ready to resume being the Pokémon that Ash knew and loved.

Ash picked up his Wartortle as he stood up, holding him in his arms as he saw everyone look at him. "Oh. Sorry that you had to see that."

"We don't mind. If anything, I found that sweet." May remarked, sending a smile to Ash and his Wartortle. Surprising Wartortle, May petted him. "Huh? I didn't expect your ears to be so soft."

"War," Wartortle chuckled nervously, not expecting that compliment. He looked down at the female Squirtle. "War tort?"

Squirtle shook her head. "Squir irt." She replied, planning on returning to her life of simple crimes.

Brock stepped forward, getting Squirtle's attention. "So that's it? You're just returning to your life of small crimes and running away after this?" Squirtle hesitated for a moment before nodding. Brock sighed. "If that's what you want, I can't say otherwise."

Squirtle paused after hearing that. She fully expected these guys to turn on her, but they were willing to let her go. She took a few steps away before turning back around. "Squi tle sq?" She asked, wanting to know why they weren't stopping her.

Red looked down at her. "You said so yourself. You wanted to leave and go back to your life." He replied. Red saw how Squirtle went quiet momentarily, realizing what she had said. "Is that what you want, or are you telling yourself that?"

Squirtle wasn't sure what to say to that. "Squirtle," May bent down, trying to be kind to the Water-type. "You probably don't know me, but I know you and what you went through. My own Charmander was left behind as well from his previous Trainer." Squirtle was surprised by this. "Even Ash's Bulbasaur went through the same thing."

"You weren't the only one to go through something like that," Brock added. "We saw those Pokémon hurting, and we gave them a chance at something better. If you don't believe us, you can ask them yourself."

Squirtle wasn't sure what to say to that. She had never wanted a Trainer because she feared they would leave her again. "Squirtle irtle quir." She told them she would be a problem if she joined them.

Ash kneeled to Squirtle. "We're just looking out for you. You may not be our Pokémon, but that doesn't mean we can't help each other." He stated. "I know it would be hard for you if you got a Trainer again," He reached his arm out. "But what's one more try, right?"

Squirtle looked at the hand offered to her, then at Ash. She could see the boy's sincerity, but she didn't understand why. Her face was neutral as she looked at Wartortle, who was giving a goofy thumbs up at her. He looked at the hand as two sides of her were giving two separate answers for what to do. She always believed in trusting your head above all else, but this was a scenario where her heart won.

Squirtle loudly grumbled, yelling to herself for what she was about to do. She took a deep breath, placing her hand on Ash's. "Squir," She said a bit begrudgingly.

"Yay!" Green cheered after hearing this. "It would be awesome to have a Water-type like you!"

"...Squir irt le quir?" She asked if she was now stuck with Green.

Ash smiled down as he saw the future member being with them. "Don't worry. We'll let you choose who you want to pick." He turned to everyone. "Come on! Let's get into a line for Squirtle.

The group made a line for Squirtle, each one facing the Water-type so that she could choose her future Trainer. "Why is Ash part of this? He already has a Water-type?"

"I don't think you should be the one asking that question, Misty," Ryan remarked, Misty rolling her eyes at the fair point.

"I can step out since I do already have a Squirtle." Red volunteered.

"No. This is Squirtle decision, and it's up to her if she wants to go with someone or not." Ash was trying his best to be respectful to the Water-type.

Squirtle was currently thinking. She had already crossed off Ash and Red since they already had a Wartortle and Squirtle, respectively, and Green was crossed out for obvious reasons. She looked at Ryan as the boy tried fixing his little hair.

"Squir," She shook her head, not liking Ryan based on the first impression. May was crossed out because... because Squirtle just felt like it. This left two options, Brock and Misty.

She was looking at Brock, finding him appealing based on his appearance. Brock smiled down at her. "I may not be a Pokémon, but we can still have a good friendship." He said in a way to get her appeal.

This ended up backfiring horribly as Squirtle immediately crossed him off her list. Due to the process of elimination, this left Squirtle walking over to Misty and tapping her on the leg. "Squir," She decided.

"YEAH!" Misty cheered at being picked. "My girl, you have made a wise decision."

Ryan and Green sighed at being not picked as Brock looked at his arm with widened eyes. "Was it what I said?" He asked himself.

Ash just shrugged, knowing to go along with this. "Congrats, Misty. How does it feel to have another Water-type for the collection?"

"Just as great as the other five times." She expressed as she held her new Pokémon. Misty quickly whispered in the Pokémon's ear. "Don't tell the others, but I've always wanted a Squirtle. I might be a little biased towards you."

Squirtle smiled at this, feeling good about her choice. "Thank you for doing all this, Nurse Joy," Ryan said to the kind woman. "I can only imagine how tough it was for you."

"Any job comes with a few struggles." She humbly said, giving out a small yawn. "Although, a small break may be in order." Everyone quickly followed by giving their thanks and showing their gratefulness.

"Thank you so much! I knew you were called Joy for a reason!" Green happily said while accidentally shaking Joy very hard by grabbing her two hands.

"Nnnnnnoooo pprrrrrrroobllllleeem!" She managed to say. Green eventually stopped as the world appeared to spin in the eyes of Nurse Joy. She shook herself as she became composed again. "If you can, tell my sister in Vermillion that I said hi."

"It would be my honor to deliver that message," Brock promised her while kneeling to her. "Rest assured; your message will safely reach your just as pretty sister." Everyone gave a massive sweat drop at this, Joy just chuckling at the display.

With that, everyone left the Pokémon Center. It was tempting to go and get more supplies for them and the Pokémon, but they didn't use a single healing item during the entire battle. Everyone agreed that getting more healing items and supplies would be redundant and decided to continue down the path. Everyone thought they would travel together for some time, but that was untrue.

"You're leaving us?" Misty asked, more in shock than sadness.

"Yup! I promised Goh that I would get to Vermillion City alone, and I intend to keep it!" Green said, giving them a big smile. "Sorry to do this to you like this, but I forgot to tell you earlier."

Ash gave a sad sigh. He knew that Green took her promises seriously, but he was excited at having Green join him for some time. "Well, good luck, Green." He gave a hug to the girl. "It was great seeing you again."

Red also gave a hug to Green. "It was fun being with you. Who knows, you may get to Vermillion first before any of us." Green gave them a massive hug, lifting the two off the ground. Everyone cringed a bit after seeing how tight she held them.

"That's the plan!" She joyfully said, eventually placing them down after thirty seconds. She picked up Pyra as she held her child close to her. "After all, I have Pyra to help me stay on the grid!"

Pyra gave a thumbs up at hearing this, as unfortunate of a job it was for her. May stepped over. "Good luck. It was nice getting to know you, Green."

"You too, May Day." May was initially confused by the weird nickname that she had gotten. "Bye-bye, Rocky." She said to Brock, who just decided to accept that as his nickname. "You! Keep that hair growing!" Ryan nodded at this slight demand. "And you... I was going to say something, but I forgot." Green admitted when she pointed at Misty.

Misty just shrugged, tossing around the Poke Ball that held Squirtle inside it. "How about we agree to both stay awesome?"

"YEAH!" Green said in complete agreement. She gave the group one last smile before giving them a peace sign with her fingers. "Later!"

Everyone said their goodbyes as Green and Pyra ran off from them, intending to keep a promise to Goh. They saw the pair run off in the distance. Ash smiled at seeing his friend go. "...Should we tell her she's going the wrong way?"

"Nah. Let her have this moment," Ash said, seeing as his best friend eventually disappeared. He turned around and clasped his arms together. "Alright. I don't think we should go to Vermillion straight away."

"I agree. After what happened, some training may be for all of us." Brock said, stealing the words right out of Ash's mouth.

May sighed at such a thought. "Hooray. Can't wait to spend hours doing nothing but fighting." She said rather plainly.

Ryan agreed with this idea. "I know my Jangmo-o would like more training. Maybe I can become better too." The last sentence was more for himself.

"We can do training, but don't you guys realize something?" Everyone looked befuddled after hearing that. Everyone began to mutter what Misty was talking about, and none even got close to figuring it out. "We're only two days away from the beach!"

No one was expecting that answer. Brock quickly took out a map, actually finding Misty's statement to be factually correct. "I didn't realize we were that close," Brock muttered.

"The beach," May got excited after hearing that. "It's been so long since I last went, and I've never been to one in the Kanto Region."

"Wait a minute."

Brock began to think of the waves, not having been to a beach in over five years. "Oh. We have to go there."

"Do we have to go now?" Ash asked, making everyone face him. "I mean, our training should be more important than some shoreline."

"You're acting like we're under a time limit, Ash," Misty remarked to her best friend. "What is one day by the ocean?"

"I prefer to get the important stuff out of the way first." He answered with crossed arms.

Red began to think. "The beach does sound pleasant, and Pikachu could enjoy the water." The boy remarked. "Assuming that he isn't caught in the water."

"Chu!" Pikachu took slight offense to that, no matter how accurate it was. Red and Pikachu then walked to be with the rest of the group.

"Not you two as well!" Ash said as he saw his fellow Pallet Town boy join the other side. "But we need to train, guys!"

"We still can, but also, it's the beach," Ryan remarked, now thinking. "Is sand very rough to step on?"

"Not that rough, but it's very coarse and gets everywhere," May explained, having been to the beach about ten times a year. Ash looked around to see if anyone was willing to change their mind.

Seeing that it was two to six votes, Ash was forced to comply. "I guess we're having a beach day." He admitted, causing everyone to cheer at how they manipulated Ash. "Let's just train before that."

"That's fair enough." Misty agreed. "But don't you want to feel the sand on your feet? Or the nice sun on you? Maybe even taking a nice swim?" She tried her best to make it too tempting for Ash.

Ash was able to see through this. "Of course, but I want to make sure I'm strong enough for Team- I mean, Surge." He corrected himself. Surge was the next big roadblock and one that he currently had no counter for.

Red, sensing his friend's distress, wrapped a comforting arm around his shorter friend. "I want to train as much as you do, but let's make sure we enjoy ourselves while we do it."

"You're right, as usual," Ash said after hearing it. He petted Wartotle as Red petted Pikachu. "Let's just make sure we give than a hundred percent effort. Both of us, buddy."

"Wartort!"

"Pikachu!" The two Pokémon we're in agreement. Ash was glad to see they were on board with this idea. The boy looked on ahead as the winds passed through, the Dratini Egg still in his arms. He knew that what happened could never be erased but that what happened before shouldn't affect what comes after.

END OF CHAPTER 12

---

Bet you didn't expect me to reveal an Elite Four member this early into the story. I wanted to introduce the Elite Four before the Indigo League, as I can give them more character and better roles than the anime. As for Goh, I always planned for him to be part of the story somehow. My initial idea was to have him work for Oak somehow, but I decided that probably wouldn't be interesting enough for him. Ultimately, I thought that him being the personal assistant of the Elite Four would probably be a better role for him. If you guys don't like this interpretation of Goh... I'm not that happy either, but I have to work with what I got.

As for the Dratini Egg, a lot of stuff will happen around the future Dragon-type. This egg will be a massive test of Ash's responsibility and patience. Not only will Ash get some growth, but Misty will also from this egg. We'll have to, unfortunately, wait a few chapters to see that. And I know someone will ask. Yes, the group will still get the Togepi egg. I have no plans for eggs outside of these two, and this story won't have Misty be the one to own Togepi. I'll let you decide who should have it, as I'm somewhat split between two members. A lot of exciting stuff in the future.

Edit 07/07/23: Thank goodness I could make this chapter shorter than most. Not much to say, except that I... uh... like trains. Yeah! That should be substantial enough for everyone here. Oh! One last thing. I did have someone ask for May's birthday, and I know I should've told you during the chapter she was introduced. Here we go:

May's Birthday: September 26th

Have a great day, week, or life! I'm not one to judge.

Ash's Team: Wartortle (M), Pidgey (F), Nidoran (M), Bulbasaur (M), Dratini Egg (N/G)

Misty's Team: Starmie (N/G), Azumarill (M), Horsea (F), Magikarp (M), Jigglypuff (F), Squirtle (F)

Misty's Other Members: Seaking (F)

Ryan's Team: Pinsir (M), Butterfree (M), Jangmo-o (M), Oddish (M)

Brock's Team: Geodude (M), Onix (M), Zubat (M)

May's Team: Beldum (Shiny, N/G), Charmander (M)