To my readers-I decided that instead of making 2 huge volumes of A Ketchum's journey, I decided to make them into 4 separate volumes. Volume 1 will contain the Kanto and Johto regions, Volume 2 will contain Hoenn and Sinnoh regions, Volume 3 will contain Unova and Kalos regions, last but not least, Volume 4 will contain Alola and Galar regions. I want each and every one of you to know that if you personally don't like the way I'm writing the fanfic, then you don't have to read it. I will not reach through my laptop to force you to read any fandoms that I write for because you can probably find a lot better fanfics in those fandoms over mine. Even if you can't find what you're looking for and still don't like the way I write it, then I encourage you to write your own. Happy Reading!
I DONT OWN POKEMON. I ONLY OWN MY OC AND THE CREATION OF HER REGIONAL POKEMON TEAMS. ALL REGIONAL POKEMON TEAMS WILL BE POSTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CHAPTERS FOR MY OC.
Shoutouts:
"Pika!" shouted Pikachu as he battled a Beedrill.
Narrator: Ash, Hayley and friends continue their journey to Rustboro City with a quick pit stop so Ash can battle a trainer he met in the forest.
Hayley: And one who has a nice Beedrill.
Meeko: Riol.
"Beedrill, Twineedle!" shouted the Trainer.
"Bee!" shouted Beedrill, knocking Pikachu back with its hand.
"Pika!" said Pikachu, sliding on the ground. "Pika!"
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" said Ash.
"Pika!" Pikachu said, sparks flying from his face. "Pikachu!"
"Bee!" screamed Beedrill, feeling Pikachu's Thunderbolt.
"Oh, Beedrill, come on, get up!" said its trainer, seeing it fall to the ground. Beedrill tries its best to get up, but passes out.
"Beedrill is unable to battle." said Brock. "Pikachu wins!"
"That was great, Pikachu!" praised Ash.
"Pika-Pika!"
"Good work, Beedrill." said the trainer.
"Sss-bee." it said, looking up at its trainer.
"Hey, how's Beedrill doing?" asked Ash.
"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked.
"Just fine." the trainer replied. "And I want to thank you for such an incredible battle, Ash. Put 'er there."
"I should be thanking you." said Ash.
"Hope we get to battle again sometime." Beedrill's trainer said to Ash.
"Me too."
"Beedrill, you and Pikachu did great out there." said Hayley.
"Bee!" said Beedrill, smiling at her.
"Olu!" Meeko said, then starts punching the air. "Riolu, Riolu!"
"Beedrill! Bee, Sss-Bee!" Beedrill tells Meeko, patting her head.
"That battle was totally awesome." said Max. "Wasn't it, May?"
"Yeah." she said to her little brother. "Two trainers ending their battle with a warm handshake. Now, that's true sportsmanship."
"Well, that's what Pokémon battling is really all about….friendship between trainers." said Brock.
"That's for sure." said Ash. "If you're not out making friends, what's the point?"
"You would be a lonely person." said Hayley, jokingly.
"Hayley!" Ash said, annoyed.
"What?" she asked, sticking out her tongue.
"I guess I could see that, but you're wasting a lot of energy in your battling, Ash." said Max.
"Huh?"
"Take the attack you just used." Max started explaining. "If you'd used Quick Attack, you would've avoided Twineedle."
"What are you talking about?" asked Ash. "If I just went charging in…."
"Yeah, well, whatever." said Max. "I have to remember that you're still in training while Hayley gets to capture her Pokémon."
"You know what, Max? If everyone went charging into battling, they wouldn't have their own strategies." said Hayley. "You may never know what kind of strategy Ash can come up with on his own."
"I doubt it." said Max when out of nowhere, something or someone whacks him hard on the head. "OW!"
"Riolu." said Meeko, smirking.
"Your Riolu just hit me." said Max.
"Remember what I said about getting on Meeko's bad side?" asked Hayley.
"That's what you get for making Meeko mad, Max." said May.
"Pikachu and I have learned that the hard way." said Ash.
"So have I." said Brock.
"Pika-Pi!" said Pikachu said, pointing to something up ahead.
"Huh?" The quintet gasped as a Pokémon runs across the road.
"Zigzagoon!" it said.
"And what's that?" asked May.
"A Zigzagoon!" exclaimed Max.
"Zigzagoon?" asked Ash.
"Would someone please get out their Pokedex?" asked Hayley.
"Zigzagoon. Zigzagoon." said Zigzagoon, running out of the bushes. "Zigzagoon."
"Awesome!" said Max. "I never knew that wild Zigzagoon could get so big."
"Hmm? What do you mean, Max?" asked May.
"The average Zigzagoon is only 16 inches tall and weighs only 8 pounds." Max tells her.
"That's a whole lot smaller than that Zigzagoon." said Ash.
"Meeko only weighed 7 pounds when she hatched." said Hayley. "And then we gave her so much food, that she now currently stays at Pikachu's weight."
"Don't even think about it." said Ash knowing what Max was about to ask her.
"Well, I'm sure there are a number of reasons for that, like what Zigzagoon eats." said Brock.
"Zigzagoon!" said Zigzagoon, seeing others like it in a clearing.
"Look at that." May said. "There's about a zillion of them."
"Pika! Riol!"
"But they're much smaller, like normal." said Ash, taking out Dexter.
"Zigzagoon, the tiny racoon Pokémon. Zigzagoon is extremely curious and so ends up walking a zigzag path between things that interest it." said Dexter.
"Zigzagoon!" said Zigzagoon, as they all murmured while looking at something interesting.
"Sentret!" said the Pokémon, popping up in the bushes. In the trees, Pinsir were in the branches.
"Hey, look." said Ash. "Those Zigzagoon are interested in that Sentret and the Pinsir."
"Riol?" asked Meeko.
"Pika." said Pikachu.
"Are they trying to entertain the Zigzagoon?" asked Hayley.
"I don't think so." said Brock.
"Zigzagoon."
"Okay!" said the person, revealing himself to be wearing a Zigzagoon costume.
"Huh?" asked the quintet.
"Zig?" Zigzagoon asked, interested in the boy.
"Ha!" he said, taking off the costume. Everyone but Hayley and Meeko shouted in shock.
"It disguised itself as a human!" said May.
"Guess again, May." said Hayley.
"Yeah! You want to take another whack at that one, sis?" asked Max. "'Cause it really is a human."
"I didn't know Zigzagoon could evolve into humans." said May.
"That's because Pokémon don't evolve into humans, May." Hayley tells her. "'Cause if they did, I would've seen it happen."
"Yeah!" said Max, then glares at her. "Are we really related?"
"Okay, Zigzagoon, time for you and I to do some battling." said the boy. "Mudkip, I choose…"
"See?" asked Max as he showed May that he wasn't a Pokémon. "100% genuine human."
"I need a closer look." said May, then starts feeling his face. "Guess you're right. He maybe a little suspicious looking but he's definitely all human."
"Zigzagoon. Zigzagoon." the small group said as they ran from them.
"Huh? Wait! Zigzagoon, come back!" He called out. The trainer then turns to May and Max, angrily. "Thank you! This is all your fault that I wasn't able to catch that Zigzagoon. What's your problem? Huh? Hey. You guys are wearing knickers too. That's so cool. You're the same as me!"
"What?" asked Max.
"Pika? Olu?" asked Pikachu and Meeko.
"What do you mean they're the same as you?" asked Ash.
"I'm so confused." said Hayley.
"Who are you, anyway?" asked May.
"What's my name? Truthfully, I have many names." he said to the quintet, then goes into his Zigzagoon costume. "Like this one!"
"Pika! Riol!"
"At times I am a Zigzagoon wandering the forest. At other times, I am a Tentacruel riding the ocean waves." he continued saying. "Whee! And other times, I'm a dancing Bellossom. But if you want to know what my true identity is…well, I am Nicholai, Nicholai the Knickerbocker."
"Okay. What's a Knickerbocker?" asked Ash.
"Yeah, I give." said May.
"Pika?" asked Pikachu.
"That's the name for naturalist trainers like myself." said Nicholai. "We thrive on communing with nature while exposing our knees. And obviously you're Knickerbockers too. That's awesome! So tell me…what are your names, you guys?"
"Uh, well, my name is May."
"And my name is Max."
"And my name's Ash. This is Hayley. We're from Pallet Town."
"So that just leaves me. My name is Brock."
"It's really nice to meet you, May and Max." said Nicholai.
"Yeah…we're ignored." said Hayley.
"Uh…." said Ash.
"Yes. Those are two very worthy names for Knickerbockers." he said.
"Uh, excuse me." said May. "Listen, we are not wearing knickers; these are plain old shorts."
"I don't think I want to be called a 'bocker'." said Max.
"Now, now. Calm down." Nicholai said. "There's no use getting your knickers in a bundle."
He starts laughing at his joke as he made Max and May feel uncomfortable. "So tell us…" said Brock, seeing the Zigzagoon costume on the ground. "why were you dressed in the Zigzagoon suit?"
"Last time I saw someone wear a suit like that, it weirded me out." said Hayley.
"I guess you still don't get it." said Nicholai. "I wear it to become one with the Pokémon and to learn their inner feelings. As soon as I know exactly the way they're thinking, it's easy to capture them."
"Riolu, Olu!" Meeko said, shaking her head.
"Yeah…Meeko doesn't want to you to learn her inner feelings. That's what she has me for." said Hayley.
"So you do that to catch Pokémon?" asked Ash.
"Pika?" asked Pikachu.
"Yeah, I want to challenge the Petalburg Gym Leader." Nicholai told Ash. "But first I want to catch a Zigzagoon. They live right here in this forest."
"Petalburg Gym, huh?" asked May.
"Then you're gonna be battling our dad." said Max.
"Your dad?" asked Nicholai.
"Their dad's the gym leader at the Petalburg Gym, so that's who you'll be up against." said Ash.
"Pika-Pika." Pikachu said.
"And once you catch a Zigzagoon, I wish you luck." said Hayley.
"Olu." said Meeko.
"You're kidding me." said Nicholai. "Hey, I have an idea. Let me battle the two of you."
"Huh?" May and Max said, confused.
"If you two are the children of a real Gym Leader, then I'm sure battling you guys would be great practice for me." explained Nicholai. "Besides that, I'd like to check out your skills as a trainer."
"Maybe you should go check out something else." suggested May.
"Don't be modest." said Max. "Show him, May."
"Huh?"
"You're the daughter of the Gym Leader of the Petalburg Gym, so go show him what you can do." he tells her, causing his sister to yelp.
"I'm gonna laugh at this later." said Hayley as Brock and Ash starts to shush her.
"Then that settles that." said Nicholai. "There's a field up ahead. I can't wait to battle! So come on, then. Let's go!"
"Wait a minute, Nicholai." May called out. "I don't think I'll be able to…"
"What's wrong, May?" he asked. "Don't tell me you're afraid to battle with me."
"Me? Afraid?" she asked. "Okay, I accept your challenge."
"Pi…Olu…"
"Uh, hey, May." said Ash. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yeah, it'll be good experience for her." said Brock.
"Pikachu." Pikachu said.
"You're gonna eat your words, Brock." said Hayley.
"Riolu." said Meeko. Out on the field, Brock and Hayley stood as referees.
"Okay, here I am in my first battle." thought May.
"Ready?" asked Nicholai. "Here goes!"
"Too bad it has to be against someone who's such a weirdo." May thought, watching him bring out his Pokéball.
"Hey, May, try thinking about the battle, okay?" Ash asked.
"Each trainer will use one Pokémon." said Brock. "The battle will be over when either one is unable to continue."
"Okay." said Nicholai and May.
"Trainers, bring out your Pokémon." said Hayley.
"Mudkip, let's go!" said Nicholai.
"Mudkip!"
"Pika."
"Cool, a Mudkip." said Ash.
"Pika!"
"Mudkip, the Mudfish Pokémon. Mudkip uses the sensitive fin on its head to take radar readings of its surroundings." said Dexter.
"Ready?" asked Nicholai. "Mudkip, change! Ah, Ah-ah, ah!"
"Huh?" said Max and Ash.
"Pika?" asked Pikachu.
"Riolu, Olu!" Meeko tells Hayley.
"Oh, I'll embarrass you and Pikachu, but never to this extent." said Hayley, pointing to Nicholai.
"Uh…." said May, staring at Nicholai in a Mudkip suit.
"Choose your Pokémon, May." said Brock.
"Oh, right." she said, getting Torchic. "Now, Torchic, I choose you."
"Tor!" trilled Torchic.
"Torchic?" questioned Nicholai. "She's gonna use a fire Pokémon against Mudkip, a water Pokémon?"
"Uh-oh. Wouldn't you know? Her first opponent's got to have a water Pokémon." said Max.
"But she can use good strategy to make up for it." said Ash. "That's what battling is all about."
"And that's why I learn from him and his occasional mistakes." said Hayley, walking over to them.
"This is May we're talking about." said Max.
"Yeah, but remember….in a few years when you go out on your journey, you can make your own mistakes." Hayley tells him.
"It works so far for Hayley." said Ash as Max gave it some thought.
"And now begin!" said Brock.
"Torchic, start attacking!" said May.
"Tor!" squealed Torchic, waiting for May to call out an attack. "Tor? Tor?"
"What are you waiting for, Torchic?" May asked. "Let's go!"
"No, May, tell it what attack to use." said Ash.
"Pika." said Pikachu.
"Ohh…" she said, looking at Ash. "Uh, that's right. An attack. Uh, yeah, I got it. Torchic, Ember!"
"Mudkip, Water Gun! Let's go!" said Nicholai.
"Mudkip! Torchic!"
Aiming their attacks at each other, both Pokémon missed their targets by a few seconds. "Oh! Good!" May said to Torchic. "Now let's give him a taste of your Peck attack."
"Torchic!" said Torchic, running towards Mudkip.
"Agh!" screamed Max, forgetting what Hayley told him. "Whatever you do, don't attack it from straight on!"
"Okay, Mudkip, Water Gun attack!" Nicholai said again, as Mudkip releases Water Gun on Torchic.
"Mud!" said Mudkip, aiming Water Gun in Torchic's face.
"Pika!"
"Oh!"
"Torchic!" May cried out as Torchic landed face down. "Torchic, please get up. Please, Torchic."
Whimpering, Torchic tries to stand up but passes out. "Torchic is unable to battle!" said Brock. "Mudkip is the winner."
"Kip!"
"We did it." said Nicholai.
"Oh, Torchic." said May, looking at her partner. "I am so sorry."
"Pi."
"Olu."
"Torchic okay?" asked Max.
"Its fine." Brock said. "All Torchic needs is a good, long rest."
"Unreal." said Nicholai. "Who knew a Gym Leader's daughter would be so bad? I'll bet getting a badge at the Petalburg Gym will be a piece of cake."
"Mud-Mudkip." said Mudkip.
"Take that back!" Max said angrily.
"But first, I have to catch a Zigzagoon." said Nicholai. "Then once I've bagged that little creature, getting my badge will be a walk in the park."
"Mudkip!"
"So long, my two fellow Knickerbockers." Nicholai said, taking off to catch a Zigzagoon.
"Mudkip!"
Max growled and glared at Nicholai's retreating back. "Is that a Mudkip?" Jessie asked, seeing the Pokémon on Nicholai's shoulder.
"Indeed it is, and behind that cute exterior lies a battling brute." said James. "We could do a lot worse than to cage one of them, believe me."
"You know what'd happen if we brought the boss one of them babies?" asked Meowth. "We'd climb the corporate ladder so fast we'd get rung burns."
"Right." said Jessie. "Stop the lip-flap and start Operation Mudkip Capture."
"Yeah." said Meowth and James.
"Wobbuffet!" Wobbuffet chimed in.
"My very first battle, and it ends in defeat." said May. "And losing to a goofball like him…humiliating."
"Forget about it." said Brock. "Remember, May, you're just beginning, and also, your Pokémon was at a disadvantage."
"And with a little more experience, things will get better." said Ash. "You'll see, May."
"They're right, you know." said Hayley.
"Pika-Pika!" said Pikachu.
"Riol, Riol." said Meeko.
"Knickerbockers." grumbled May. "Naturalist! What is wrong with that guy? He makes me so mad….I can't wait until Dad pounds on him! Right, Max? Huh?"
"Huh?"
"Uh…"
"Hey, May, what's the matter?" asked Ash.
"Pika?" asked Pikachu.
"Max is gone." she tells them. "Max?"
"What?" asked Ash and Hayley.
"Pokémon, change!" said Nicholai, changing into his Zigzagoon suit. "Ah, ah-ah, ah!"
"Za-za-zagoon!"
"No one makes fun of my dad and gets away with it." said Max, watching Nicholai take off.
"Za-za-za." said Nicholai as he stands up and throws out some food. "Za-goon! Za-goon!"
"Look at that." Max said to himself as he watched Nicholai. "Zigzagoon love that fruit more than anything. I know. He's using that fruit to get the Zigzagoon to come out. Ha!"
"Max?" May called out to her brother.
"Hey, Max!" said Ash.
"Max, where are you!" shouted Hayley.
"Answer if you're out there." said Brock.
"Pika-Pika! Riolu!" shouted Pikachu and Meeko.
"I don't see how he could have gotten too far away." said Ash.
"I guess, but then why can't he hear us?" asked May.
"Hey, I've got an idea." said Ash. "Taillow can search from the sky."
"Pika!"
"All this fruit out to attract every Zigzagoon in the whole forest." said Max, carrying the fruit in his shirt. "And that Knickerbocker won't catch a single one. Come on out, Zigzagoon! I got yummy fruit! Zigzagoon?"
Unknown to Max, Zigzagoon walked up behind him, growling. "Guess it won't be long now." said Max, looking over his shoulder for a moment, then looks ahead. "Huh?"
Zigzagoon appeared in front of him, staring intently at the fruit Max had. "Zigzagoon!" the horde growled, hungrily.
"Oh!" Max frightenedly said, surrounded by Zigzagoon.
"Taillow!" shouted Taillow as it soars ahead.
"Taillow spotted something!" said Ash.
"It's Max." said May. "It's got to be him."
"It better be Max." said Hayley.
"Olu!" added Meeko.
"Better hurry." said Brock.
"Pika!" said Pikachu.
"What a mess." Max said as he looks at the Zigzagoon around him. "I didn't realize there were so many of these things. Help!"
"Zigzagoon!" a few Zigzagoon said, jumping towards Max.
"Help!" Max shouted, causing Taillow to hear him cry out.
"Taillow!" Taillow said to Ash and the others. Following in the direction of Taillow, they found Max and the Zigzagoon.
"Ah, hey!" he said to the others.
"Max!" said the others.
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" said Ash.
"Pika!" said Pikachu. "Pikachu!"
Once he released Thunderbolt, the Zigzagoon started to scatter. "Zagoon! Goon!" they said, going in different directions. "Zigzagoon!"
"Max!" May cried out as she ran to him.
"You found me." he said.
"Are you okay?" asked Brock. Around them, Zigzagoon growled as they made their way towards the quintet.
"Look at 'em all." said Ash. "Let's try a Thundershock."
"Pika…" Pikachu said as sparks start flying from his cheeks.
"Wait. Hold on." said Max.
"Hey!" Hayley said, glaring at them causing them to be confused. "Don't you growl at us!"
"Uh, Hayley ….I wouldn't do that if I were you." said Max.
"Yeah…you don't want them to hurt you." said May.
"She's on a roll, you two." said Ash.
"Just let Hayley get it out of her system." said Brock. "It's better for her this way."
"Just because you're mad at this boy, doesn't mean you gotta get mad at us." Hayley said as she pointed to Max. "Now, which one of you is the Zigzagoon leader?"
"Zigzagoon." said one Zigzagoon, stepping forward.
"I've got a bone to pick with you." Hayley tells the leader.
"This is a side of Hayley I've never seen of before." said May.
"Pika-Pika." Pikachu said to May, letting her know that he and Meeko were used to it.
"Olu." said Meeko.
"Oh really?" Hayley asked, listening to what Zigzagoon had mimed out to her. She then turns to Max, who blushed in embarrassment.
"All the Zigzagoon really want are these." Max said, revealing the fruit in his hands.
"Huh? Pika?"
"They just want to eat all the fruit that I brought 'em, see?" asked Max.
"They do?" asked May.
"In that case, let me take care of this problem." said Brock, taking the fruit away from Max.
"Huh?" said Max.
"Zigzagoon…"
"Ah, there, there." said Brock as he held out his hands. "Here's from fruit, and there's enough here for everybody."
"Zagoon!" said the Zigzagoon, kicking up dirt at Brock.
"Agh!"
"Oh!"
"Pika!"
"Riol!"
"Hey, Brock, are you okay?" asked Ash.
"Does it hurt?" asked Hayley.
"I'm fine, but what are those Zigzagoon so angry about?" asked Brock. Hayley crosses her arms and glares at Max.
"Zigzagoon!"
"Maybe 'cause we interrupted 'em just as they were about to eat." said May.
"It's not just that. The Zigzagoon leader told me that Max wanted to keep all the Zigzagoon away from Nicholai." said Hayley.
"Well, we better do something quick." said Ash. "We're sorry. We didn't mean any harm. Really, we didn't."
"Pika-Pika!" Pikachu added.
"Riolu!" said Meeko.
"Zigzagoon!" said the Zigzagoon. "Zigzagoon…"
"Zagoon!" shouted Nicholai, shooting past a couple of Zigzagoon. "Zagoon!"
"Mudkip!" said Mudkip.
"Nicholai, Mudkip…" said Ash as Jordan and Meeko sighed in relief.
"Pika!" said Pikachu.
"Za-za-zagoon! Zagoon!" Nicholai said to Zigzagoon with a smile on his face.
"Mudkip!"
"Zigzagoon!" said the horde as they went after Nicholai.
"The Zigzagoon are following Nicholai." said Ash.
"Nice." said Hayley.
"Let's find out why." said May as she and Max went after him.
"Zagoon!"
"Zigzagoon! Zigzagoon!"
"Zig-zigzagoon!" said Nicholai, bumping into a tree to knock down more fruit. "Zig! Now, Mudkip, Water Gun."
"Mudkip!" said Mudkip, using Water Gun on another tree with more fruit. "Mud! Kip!"
"Yes!" Nicholai said as he opened the hood to his suit.
"Mudkip-mud!" Mudkip said.
"Look, they're all eating the fruit." said May.
"Hmm."
"Well, that should make them a lot happier." said Brock.
"Hungry little things." said Hayley.
"Olu." said Meeko.
"Pika!" said Pikachu.
"Yeah." added Ash. "Thanks, Nicholai. You really helped us out."
"Think nothing of it." he said to Ash. "We all need help sometimes, and us Knickerbockers have to stick together. You know what I mean? Right?"
"Nicholai?" Max asked him. "I owe you an apology."
"Huh?"
Pikachu, Meeko and Mudkip were chatting with the Zigzagoon and their leader with the trainers had their chat. "So you were the one with the fruit." said Nicholai.
"I feel awful sorry." said Max.
"Forget it." Nicholai tells him. "I should be apologizing to you. I shouldn't have said the things I said before."
"Okay." replied Max. "Can I ask a question?"
"Huh?"
"Where did you learn to speak Zigzagoon so well?" he asked Nicholai. "I havent seen anything about it in any of my books."
"You don't need to use words to communicate with Pokémon, Max." answered Nicholai.
"Huh?"
"You just have to say what's in here." said Nicholai.
"He's right." said Brock. "Say what's inside your heart."
"Let me see…" said May. "We have to learn these crazy attacks while speaking with our hearts."
"Then the Pokémon will understand what we say." said Max.
"Right." said Nicholai. "I'll show you what I mean. You, Zigzagoon, there."
"Zig?" it asked.
"Why don't you have a battle with us?" asked Nicholai.
"Mudkip!" Mudkip said in agreement.
"Zagoon!" said Zigzagoon, happy to battle.
"All right!" said Nicholai. "Pokémon, change! Now, Mudkip, Water Gun."
"Mud!" screamed Mudkip, using Water Gun on Zigzagoon.
"Zig! Zigzig! Zigzag!" said Zigzagoon, dodging Mudkip's Water Gun.
"Kip!" squealed Mudkip as it was knocked back by Zigzagoon. "Oh!"
"Don't you give in, Mudkip." said Nicholai.
"Mudkip! Mud!" said Mudkip, getting back up and continues its battle with Zigzagoon.
"That Mudkip and Zigzagoon are amazing." said May.
"Keep it up, you guys!" said Max and Hayley.
"Pika-Pika! Riolu!" said Pikachu and Meeko.
"Mud!" Mudkip said, determined to win the battle.
"Are you ready, Mudkip?" Nicholai asked. "Water Gun, now!"
"Mudkip!"
"Zig-Zig! Zigzagoon!" it shouted as it was hoisted into the air by Water Gun.
"Pokéball, let's go!" shouted Nicholai as he threw his Pokéball at Zigzagoon. Several Zigzagoon watched as their friend was in a Pokéball. "Yes!" Nicholai exclaimed. "I caught me a Zigzagoon!"
"Mudkip!" said Mudkip when out of nowhere, a claw grabs it. "Kip!"
"Huh?"
"Oh!"
"Your Mudkip!" said Ash. Up in their balloon was Team Rocket.
"I'm sorry. Whose Mudkip did you say it was?" Jessie asked.
"Hey!" Nicholai shouted. "Who do you think you are?"
"Prepare for trouble. I know who I am." said Jessie.
"And make it double with your Knickerbocker scam." said James.
"To protect the world from devastation!"
"To unite all people within our nation!"
"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"
"To extend our reach to the stars above!"
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!" said Jessie.
"Surrender now with your exposed knees or prepare to fight!" said James.
"Meowth! That's right!" said Meowth.
"Wobbuffet!" shouted Wobbuffet.
"Team Rocket!" said Ash.
"Pikachu!"
"Next time, I get to mock you!" said Hayley.
"Riolu!"
"Mudkip!" Mudkip crying out to its trainer.
"Hey! Give me back my Mudkip!" shouted Nicholai.
"Not today." said Jessie.
"I wear full-length pants, but I'm still a naturalist." said James. "I'm just naturally dishonest."
"And even though I aint wearing no pants at all, I'm a natural thief!" said Meowth.
"Mud!"
"Pikachu, Thunderbolt 'em now!" said Ash.
"Pi-Pika!" said Pikachu. "Chu!"
"Back at ya." said James, as a reflector gets Pikachu's Thunderbolt and fires it back.
"What?" asked Ash.
"Pika?" questioned Pikachu.
"How's that feel?" Jessie asked.
"The shock is on you this time." said James.
"At least they're keeping up with current events." said Meowth.
"Seriously? Riolu?" asked Hayley and Meeko, waving their limbs around, angrily. "We're gonna get you, Team Rocket! Riol! If it's the last thing we do! Riolu!"
"Mudkip!" squealed Mudkip, wanting to be let out.
"Later!" said Team Rocket as they floated away.
"Not so fast!" said Nicholai. "Pokémon, change! Aipom! Aipom! Aipom! Aipom! Don't worry, Mudkip. I'm coming!"
"Zigzagoon! Zigzagoon!" said the Zigzagoon.
"Hey, all of you Zigzagoon!" said Hayley. "Let's help him out."
"Zagoon!" they said, nodding as they started digging a hole in front of the quintet.
"What do you think those Zigzagoon are trying to do?" asked May.
"They understand how Nicholai feels, and I think they want to help Mudkip, too." said Brock.
"Wow. Amazing." said Max.
"Zig-Zag?" one Zigzagoon asked Hayley and Meeko.
"Sure." said Hayley as they both went to make the hole bigger.
"I get it now!" said Max, seeing Hayley helping out.
"Aipom! Aipom! Aipom!" said Nicholai, then runs off the cliff. "Pokémon, change! Gligar! Jump!"
"Huh?" asked Team Rocket, seeing a flying Nicholai getting Mudkip back and yelps.
"You're safe now, Mudkip. Are you okay?" asked Nicholai.
"Mud!" replied Mudkip.
"No fair!" shouted Team Rocket. "Give us back our Mudkip!"
"No way." said Ash.
"Never, Team Rocket." said Hayley.
"All right, Taillow, use Peck attack!" said Ash.
"Taillow!" chirped Taillow and flies towards Team Rocket's balloon, pecking a hole as Team Rocket shrieks when they went down.
"Huh?"
"Zigzagoon! Zigzagoon!" said Zigzagoon.
"This is a better hole than the ones you four dug." said Hayley.
"Zigzagoon!" said the Zigzagoon leader.
"It's a pitfall trap." said May.
"Uh-huh." said Max. "That's what the Zigzagoon were doing before, using Dig with Hayley's and Meeko's help."
"Hold it. I'll have you know we hold the copyright on pitfall traps, young man." said Jessie.
"And you're looking at a lawsuit!" added James.
"Criminals!" said Meowth.
"Remind me to call my lawyer." Jessie said as they climbed out of the hole.
"Well…technically speaking, you do own the copyright for them, but it doesn't say in the episode storyline that it wouldn't have been done by you." said Hayley.
"Ha-Ha! Loophole!" said Ash.
"How does she know that?" asked Max.
"She and Meeko knows someone who personally knows several people." Brock explained as Hayley showed Team Rocket some documented paper.
"Wow, I didn't know that he knew that many people." said Meowth, looking at the paper James had in his hand.
"You spend way too much time talking to him, you know." said Jessie.
"Yeah, well I thought I was going insane at first but after a while, you get used to it….you weren't there when it first happened, Jessie." said Hayley.
"Team Rocket, you're not going anywhere." Ash tells them.
"Pika!"
"Taillow!"
"Just watch us." said Jessie. "Arbok, let's go!"
"Weezing, you too." said James.
"Sss-arbok!"
"Weezing…."
"Okay, Arbok, Poison Sting." said Jessie.
"Weezing, give them a little Sludge attack." said James. Both Pokémon sent out their attacks.
"Now, Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" said Ash.
"Pika!" shouted Pikachu, dodging Arbok's Poison Sting and Weezing's Sludge attack. "Pi….Ka!" He then knocks them both into one another.
"Huh?" Nicholai said as he and Mudkip ran onto the battle.
"Cha!" hissed Arbok as it fell back with Weezing.
"Now, Pikachu, Thunder Attack! Go!" said Ash.
"Pikachu!" shouted Pikachu, releasing it from his body and made Team Rocket shriek in a whole lot of pain.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" shouted Team Rocket.
"Wobbuffet!" said Wobbuffet as they blasted off into the sky.
"Yay! We did it!" cheered May and Max.
"Taillow!" cheered Taillow.
"Zigzagoon! Zigzagoon!"
"Looks like everything's okay again." said Brock.
"Yep."
"You said it."
"Ash! Hayley!" said Nicholai.
"Uh…." said Ash.
"Whatever it is, he did it!" said Hayley.
"Pika! Pika!" Pikachu said, shaking his head.
"Riolu." Meeko tells him.
"That sure was some pretty slick battling for somebody and their sibling that doesn't even wear knickers." said Nicholai.
"Mud!" Mudkip chimed in.
"Thanks, Nicholai." said Ash as Hayley smiled. "I just wish it went that well when I battled the leader of the Petalburg Gym."
"Come on." said Nicholai. "A trainer as good as you couldn't even beat the Gym leader? Maybe it won't be so easy after all."
"That's right. You won't earn any badges there without a strong fight." May tells him.
"My sister's pretty lame, but my dad is tough stuff." Max said, crossing his arms as May chuckles.
"Am I lame to you?" Hayley asked Ash.
"I wouldn't trade you for all the Pokémon in the world, Hayley." Ash replied, hugging his sister. "You're stuck with me for life."
"I see." said Nicholai. "Well, in that case, how would you like to have a battle with me, Ash? Or you, Hayley?"
"You bet." said Ash as Hayley points to her brother. "I was hoping you'd ask."
"Pokémon, Change!" shouted Nicholai, putting on his Zigzagoon suit. "Let's make it a great first battle, Zigzagoon! Let's go!"
"Zagoon!" it said.
"Zigzagoon!" said a random Zigzagoon, sitting in Hayley's lap.
"How…?" Hayley started to asked when it just comfortably buried itself against her. "You know what, I'm not even going to ask."
"Riolu, Riol." said Meeko.
"It's our first battle too, Taillow, so let's do it!" said Ash.
"Taillow!" said Taillow.
"Zigzagoon!"
"Taillow!"
"Zigzagoon, use Dig, now!" said Nicholai. "Err, uh, Tackle!"
"Zigzag-Zigzag-Zigzagoon!" it said as it ran towards Taillow.
"Now, Taillow, dive quickly….no! I mean, climb quickly!" said Ash.
"Taillow!" Taillow said, flying high into the air.
"Zigzagoon! Zigzagoon!"
"How cool!" said Max. "Since they're both fighting with new Pokémon, it's almost like those guys are having a battle for the very first time ever, huh?"
"Guess that means everyone still has a lot to learn, right?" asked May.
"I know I do." said Hayley.
"Pika-Pika!" cheered Pikachu.
"Riolu!" said Meeko.
"Mud!" said Mudkip.
Narrator: As each battle ends, new friendships are made, and this battle is no exception.
Hayley: And yet, this Zigzagoon got comfy.
Zigzagoon: Zigzag!
Narrator: I think it wants to go with you.
Zigzagoon, arms in the air: Zagoon!
Meeko: Riolu! Olu!
Hayley: Cool!
Narrator: And as our heroes continue their journey toward Ash's entry into the Hoenn league, they will surely be making new friends while parting ways with others along the way.