Ash had been found out. He came to GJ on his journey through Edo Japan as the mysterious and infamous Summoner, but he revealed himself when dealing with Dick and Billy who stormed the Pinwheel as he was resting through his travels. A few people had gathered at hearing the news of the famed Summoner. "Did you hear the news?" a man voiced. "The Summoner is actually here in GJ!" The news made the others around him gasp.
"You mean the famed man who's rumored to have the power to call forth monsters that he can command?" another man voiced.
"Like the dragon with the fiery tail and the phantom with the big, scary grin?" a woman gasped.
"And he's really here!?" another woman hoped.
"He is!" the first man confirmed. "But here's some shocking news about him: He's not really a man!" The detail made the rest gawk.
"Not a man!?" the second man repeated. "You mean to say that the Summoner is a woman!?"
"That's not it!" the first man snapped. "Brace yourself… The Summoner is actually a young boy!" Gasps echoed from the information.
"A boy!?" the second woman repeated.
"Just… a child!?" the first woman realized.
"You're pulling our legs, right?" the second man doubted.
"I wish I was," the first man believed. "A friend of my wife says that she saw him stopping a ruckus happening over at the Pinwheel eatery."
"It's true!" another man vouched. "I saw the whole thing with my eyes!" Now, the others started to understand the occurrence.
"So, the Summoner's really a child?" the first woman started to understand.
"He is!" the third man confirmed. "He's about as young as my 10-year-old son!"
"And his had his dragon out?" the second woman asked.
"Or that phantom?" the first man guessed.
"Neither one, but he did have two of his creatures out," the father informed. "One of them was a yellow mouse that shot out lightning like a miniature thunderstorm while the other was a strange reptile with a plant on its back and grew out vines to thrash around like whips. The Summoner used those two creatures to take down the notorious criminal brothers, Dick and Billy. It was amazing!"
"Jeez, if this boy really is the Summoner and had those two creatures at his disposal as well as the others mentioned…"
"Then just imagine what else he could have," the first woman pictured. News about the Summoner spread like wildfire.
Uncovered! The Summoner's Journey!
Onami, Luffy, Sanji, Omao, Usopp and Ocarrot were surprised to be in the presence of the Summoner himself. Omao held Pikachu in her arms. "I can't believe the Summoner is here, let alone beat me to where I was going," Usopp gulped. Omao itched Pikachu behind its ears, much to its enjoyment. Ocarrot softly gnawed on Ash's ear.
"I didn't want to reveal myself so soon," Ash admitted. "I wanted to simply reach Rayleigh before delivering the scroll to him."
"So, that's what's going on that you wanted to see the commissioner," Luffy pondered. "Considering that you're from the temple, it must mean your master sent you to find him."
Ash nodded as Usopp thought back to the news from the castle that was destroyed.
"So, the castle of Lord Nelson," he recalled. "You were the one that terrorized the place?"
"I saw his soldiers attack and steal from the villagers," Ash defended. "Those villagers had very little to eat, so for those guys to take all of their food like that, I wasn't going to let it go."
"Oh, how very caring!" awed Omao. That's when something bothered Onami.
"Say, that summon you did…" she spoke. "Is Pikachu also a summoned?" Pikachu mulled to the guess.
"He is, but he's a special case," Ash started. "When I managed to perform summons, Pikachu's the first to emerge. However, calling him back to the scroll was impossible. He refused, even after my sensei warned him that he drains my spiritual energy the longer that he's here, but Pikachu's stubborn to stay here. It forced my sensei to enchant a removal of the link between him and my spiritual energy. It does limit me to five summons when I'm at full strength."
"So, you don't want Ash to summon something to make you jealous, is that right?" guessed Omao.
("I didn't mean to, but I like being with Ash,") Pikachu squeaked.
"I'm sure Blue-Nose Sensei can give you an examination," Ocarrot offered. Ash blinked to the name.
"Uh, Blue-Nose Sensei?" he repeated.
"Someone call for me?" a boy sounded. All turned to the entrance where a tiny anthropomorphic reindeer wearing a helmet entered. He wore a red robe and shorts.
"Blue-Nose Sensei, we were just bringing you up!" awed Luffy.
"I bet you were," Blue-Nose Sensei scoffed. "Oh, who do we have here?"
"He's Ash… and he's got a special talent," Omao joked.
("Why not just say it?") muttered Pikachu. Awed, Blue-Nose Sensei turned to Pikachu.
"That's new, and I'm seeing all sorts of citizens in GJ," he giggled. "Can you come down so that I can take a closer look?" Complying, Pikachu hopped down before reaching Blue-Nose Sensei.
("Is there something you want from me?") asked Pikachu. Blue-Nose Sensei smiled to the question.
"Glad you asked," he replied, surprising Pikachu.
("You can understand me?")
"I'm an animal. It makes listening to others easy."
("I guess that makes sense.") Blue-Nose Sensei patted Pikachu in search of any injury.
"If I heard correctly, you're summoned but didn't want to go back to the realm you originated from?"
("I like it here more than back there.")
"I'm just thinking if news got out, there may be people who would want to take you for themselves or maybe for criminal purposes."
("They need to do a lot of work for it.") Ash seemed in awe at how Blue-Nose Sensei and Pikachu connected.
"Pikachu's been known to make friends pretty fast," he shrugged.
"Considering that we became friends ourselves, it makes sense," Ocarrot agreed.
"Yeah, but why are you still gnawing at my ear?" asked Ash.
"Oh, youita know," Ocarrot teased. "I want to make a mark." Blue-Nose Sensei turned to Ash.
"Ocarrot, could you stop for a minute so I can examine Ash?" he requested. Ocarrot accepted and backed away. "This will just take a minute." He put the nails of his hooves together like someone peering through their fingers. "SCOPE!" A hard focus on Ash, Blue-Nose Sensei studied the Summoner. "A good rest is basically what he needs most of all to get back at full strength. So, is this the mana that I hear you bring up when I was passing by? That inner essence?"
"Yeah, I guess if that's what it is I have," Ash shrugged as Onami turned to the door. Music was heard. Entering was a tall raven-haired man in a suit and top-hat holding a flute.
"Is there some sort of business that's being discussed?" he asked. When everyone looked, Ash and Pikachu gasped as Ash brought out a kunai.
"Pikachu, get ready!" he ordered. "Walking dead!" It was a skeleton wearing the suit.
"Well, that's a tad rude to address me like that, even though it is true," the skeleton admitted. Onami rested a hand on Ash's shoulder.
"Brook is actually friendlier than he appears to be," she assured. Ash and Pikachu turned to the redhead, unsure about believing her.
"Are you sure?" wondered Ash. Brook laughed.
"The feeling of new people brings chills to my bones," he joked. "Of course, all I am is bones!"
("That's creepy…") gulped Pikachu as Brook laughed.
"How's your flute playing so far?" asked Omao.
"I still find it surprising how I can play it, even though I have no lungs to blow from," Brook teased. He started blowing into the flute which played with a harmonic tune. Ash and Pikachu seemed surprised to hear flute's pleasant sound. After hearing him play, Ash and Pikachu were all smiles.
"Maybe I'll ask for another song from you," Ash requested. Brook felt humbled to hear of a new fan.
"My heart feels light hearing a new pair of ears praise my music," he cried. "If only I had eyes, I'd be crying them out." Luffy came over to the two.
"Anyway, you wanted to see Rayleigh, right?" he asked. Ash nodded before he reached Brook.
"Sorry about before," he apologized. "It's a first for me seeing a walking skeleton, let alone one that plays an instrument."
"Ah, no bones about it," Brook forgave as they shook bony and human hands. Ash and Pikachu joined Luffy and left.
"So, that's another tab to add," Sanji mulled.
"And a lesser mink for me to wish as a lover," Ocarrot awed. Then, a pause and Ocarrot turned to the rest. "It's not illegal for me to love a lesser mink, right?" Everyone shook no. Outside, Luffy, Ash and Pikachu journeyed with Ash wearing the straw hat again. Suddenly, several kids came out to greet the pair and Pikachu, including the redhead from before. One of the three boys had purple hair covering his eyes but not the freckles around his nose. He wore a black robe with a brown sash and a red bandanna. Another boy was shorter than the first with dark hair and wearing a green robe with a blue sash. The last boy was a brunette with square glasses wearing a yellow and blue striped robe. There was a girl who wore a yellow bandanna that covered her entire head while wearing a brown robe.
"Boss!" they all cheered as they came to Luffy, Ash and Pikachu.
"Hey, you guys!" cheered Luffy.
"Boss, we heard what happened at the Pinwheel!" the purple-haired recalled.
"Is everyone okay?" the redhead asked.
"I also hope no one was hurt," the girl in brown wished.
"Relax," Luffy assured. "Everyone's fine. Dick and Billy were pushovers, but I certainly appreciated the help I got." The kids sighed in relief.
"But is it true?" the brunette questioned. "Did you get a chance to meet the Summoner in person!?"
"Is he really a kid like everyone's saying!?" the dark-haired asked. Luffy flashed a grin as Pikachu sensed Ash's reveal.
"Not only that," Luffy started as he pointed his hand to Ash. "The Summoner is right here!" Ash took off his hat to reveal himself.
"Hey!" he greeted. The kids gasped in awe.
"AWESOME!" the boys cheered. The girls gushed at the sight.
"So handsome!" they cooed.
"Ash, these are my little friends," Luffy gestured, starting with the purple-haired. "Carrot…" Next was the brunette. "Pepper…" Now was the dark-haired. "Onion…" This was followed by the redhead. "Orika…" Last was the one in the brown robe. "And Aisa."
"Well, it's nice to meet you all," Ash greeted. "And this is my best friend, Pikachu."
("Hiya!") squeaked Pikachu. The kids seemed astonished to see a creature in their presence.
"No way!" awed Onion.
"That's one of your creatures!?" guessed Pepper.
"That is so cool!" giggled Carrot.
"IT'S SO CUTE!" the girls cooed. Seeing Orika, Ash recalled seeing her when they met after Ash arrived in GJ.
"Hey, I remember you," he pointed to Orika. "You're the girl who gave me that onigiri when I arrived." Orika blushed at the reminder.
"Ye-Yeah, that was me," she confessed. "Did you like it? I made it myself after all."
"I sure did," Ash surveyed. "It was very tasty. I even shared it with Pikachu and he sure loved it."
("Yummy!") squeaked Pikachu. Aisa came to Ash with a request.
"Can we hold your Pikachu, please?" she requested. "He's so cute!"
"Yeah, I wannt cuddle with him, too!" wished Orika.
"Of course, especially since Pikachu loves to make friends," Ash wanted. "But we don't have time right now."
"Yeah, we're actually on our way to HQ to see Commissioner Rayleigh," Luffy notified. The kids whined that they couldn't hold Pikachu.
"Hey, don't worry about it," Ash promised. "I'm settling here for right now. I'm more than positive we'll meet up again real soon." He knelt to their level. "Tell you what, next time we see each other, I'll not only let you all play with Pikachu, but more of my creatures. Sound good?"
"YEAH!" the kids cheered. Satisfied, Luffy softly slapped Ash's arm.
"Come on, Ash," he urged. "Rayleigh's waiting." Ash nodded, ready to head out.
"See ya, kids!" he dismissed to the kids.
("Bye-bye for now!") waived Pikachu.
"BYE!" the kids waived back. Luffy, Ash and Pikachu left. They soon arrived at a station which they saw an old white-haired man with a brush-like beard and round glasses with a scar on the right eyelid. He wore a white robe with a gray sash. Looking up, he saw Luffy, Ash and Pikachu approaching.
"Luffy, it seems you brought the Summoner with you," he assumed. Ash seemed astounded to be identified.
"You knew I was here?" he questioned.
"Well, how else than when I heard about the fall of Lord Nelson's castle?" the old man remarked. Ash shrugged before he presented a scroll.
"I hardly question the commissioner," Luffy warned. Ash handed the scroll to the commissioner, Rayleigh.
"This is from Sensei Koga," he recognized. Ash gasped as Rayleigh unrolled the scroll.
"Koga?" repeated Luffy.
"Sensei Koga had been training me since I learned how to walk," Ash briefed. "He helped me from magic summoning to Ninjitsu."
"As a matter of fact, Koga and I go way back," Rayleigh mentioned. He read the scroll and awed what it contained. "So, this is the occasion." Ash nodded to Rayleigh's guess. Back at Pinwheel, Ocarrot was at work with more customers when a woman with a straw hat entered wearing a sky-blue robe. As she entered, Onami saw and recognized her as she lifted her head.
"Vivi?" she named quietly. The woman had cyan hair and was as young as Onami.
"I had heard that the Summoner had been in here," Vivi briefed.
"He was," Omao briefed. "We even had a chance to hold one of his creatures." Vivi giggled in amusement.
"I see," she sighed. "Do you know where he is?"
"As a matter of fact," Brook spoke while holding a mug of tea. "He's actually on his way to see Commissioner Rayleigh." The news made Vivi ponder to wait for him or move to the Commissioner's office. What did the scroll contain and how important is it?
TO BE CONTINUED...