The third being raged, raining down bolts of anger.
Ash didn't know what time he finally got to sleep. Later than he meant to at least. The sound of thunder and lightning didn't help when that had started up in the middle of the night.
Talking to his Pokémon about the day had helped though. Once he had been talking for a little bit his worries had faded away and by the time his story was done, he was both exhausted and in a better mindset.
The following day, he was jarred back to consciousness by a pounding on the door. "Good morning! Ash are you up?"
"Grawr." A gurgle of confusion escaped Ash's lips as he sat up. He had never actually gotten around to putting his pajamas on, instead just passing out in a pile with his Pokémon.
He had been leaning on Bayleef with Totodile and Pikachu resting on his torso. Phanpy pressed up against one side with Cyndaquil on the other. Noctowl, ever the vigilant knight, had perched on the sleeping Bayleef.
Ash wasn't sure when Noctowl actually slept now that he thought about it.
The boy's movement set off a cascade of disruption that woke the rest of the sleepers. There were groans and complaints but everyone managed to get to their feet.
"I'm up!" He shouted, "I'm up!"
"Good!" Akari's voice was the one on the other side of the door. "I hope you're ready for your trial! Make sure to give it your all!"
"Definitely!" Ash grinned, he had no idea what it would entail, but he was sure they were ready for it!
The next few minutes were a blur as he tried to go about his daily routine in unusual circumstances. He made use of the water basin to wash his face and brush his teeth (in that order) and did a smell test on his clothes before deciding they were good enough. He didn't have time to wash them anyway.
A part of him wanted to just leave his team out, he wanted their company but the rational part of him (also known as Pikachu) convinced him otherwise.
This was achieved by herding the rest of the team together and rolling the balls to Ash. It did make sense though. Many people he'd seen yesterday had been pretty nervous about Pikachu. Who knew how they would react if he had everyone out at once?
He returned everyone except the electric-type and made a silent promise that he'd let them out again as soon as he had a chance.
It took him a minute to remember his shoes were down on the dirt ground but once he had them back on he was ready to face his first full day in Hisui!
Akari was waiting for him. "We got some good weather today!" She declared. "I was worried last night when I heard the thunder and lightning."
"Yeah, I heard that too." Ash remembered, "it doesn't look like it rained though…"
"The storm must have missed us, maybe the cloudburst didn't happen until it passed us." Akari shrugged. "We shouldn't look a gift Ponyta in the mouth though."
"What's the plan then?" Ash focused on the task at hand. "We're ready to go!" He spoke for both himself and Pikachu.
She didn't quite glare at him but her eyes hardened. "I'd take this a bit more seriously if I were you!"
"I am taking it seriously!" Ash protested as she started leading him toward Galaxy Hall. "I can be excited about something and be serious at the same time!"
"If you say so." He couldn't see her face but he would have bet money she was rolling her eyes. "Captain Cyllene will explain the trial to you, did you sleep well at least?"
Ash's face twisted as he considered. When he finally fell asleep he slept pretty well but it took a while to get to that point. "I had a little trouble but it was alright."
"That's to be expected I guess, you are in a new and strange place after all." She glanced back at him. "I'm still a bit confused about where you are from. Based on what your and Professor Laventon were saying though.."
Akari shook her head. "Never mind, we can work it out later." She muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "If there is a later."
Galaxy Hall was by far the most modern building in Jubilife Village, both on the outside and the inside. It had carpeted floors and even some old-fashioned-looking light fixtures hanging from the ceiling. Ash might as well have walked between centuries as he crossed the threshold.
"The survey corps offices are here on the fi-" Akari started saying when a scream from down the hall interrupted her.
"KEEP THOSE EYES OPEN!" Ash winced at the unexpectedly loud noise. It took a moment for the exact words to process but when they did…
"Is someone badly hurt?" He asked, alarm and concern beginning to fill him.
He heard talking from the direction of the shout, words he couldn't quite make out, Akari just nodded sadly though. "That's Yojiro in there. He's part of the Security Corps. He and his partner got attacked by a pack of wild Pokémon, I saw them bringing him in this morning."
Ash stared at the door the voices had been coming from. That… sounded bad. Really bad. But it also touched a familiar nerve. He glanced at Pikachu and saw a similar look of alarm.
Their worst experience with wild Pokémon throughout their journey remained their encounter with the Spearow flock on their first day. There had been plenty of encounters and dangerous Pokémon since then, but that had probably been the worst.
"How often does that kind of thing happen?" Ash checked, half-hoping that what had happened to Yojiro was not a common thing.
Akari gave him a strange look, she must have picked up on his mood change. "It's not a daily occurrence, but it's not uncommon either. We've had plenty of injuries from wild Pokémon attacks. Usually partnering up a team member with a trustworthy Pokémon helps but sometimes it's just not enough." The girl shrugged helplessly.
Suddenly Ash was feeling a little bit more nervous about this trial. Just a little bit. He was sure he and his Pokémon could handle it but it did make him think they should be a bit more careful.
"You have your Pikachu with you, so you should be alright for the trial." Ash wasn't sure if she was trying to comfort him or just stating a fact. "Most of the bad injuries happen when people go off too far afield on their own. You won't be going off into the wild just yet."
Having said her piece she turned and walked up to the door directly adjacent to the entrance, knocking on it. "Captain Cyllene? Ash is here."
The trainer stood up straight as they went inside, trying to look as capable as possible. After her comment about his age yesterday he felt like he needed to prove he was ready for this. Well, aside from passing the actual trial.
The room was littered with paper, most of it congregating on the desk, stacks that probably would have gone up past Ash's kneecaps piled high into the air.
Cyllene stepped out from behind her desk and stood rigid with her arms behind her back. "Let's get straight to the point. If you wish to join the Galaxy Expedition Team, prove yourself capable by going out into the Obsidian Fieldlands and catching three different species of Pokémon."
She paused and pulled out a small note. "Specifically you'll be catching, Bidoof, Starly, and Shinx."
"Three all at once?" Akari asked. "Isn't that a little much when just starting?"
"Did he not catch three Pokémon yesterday?" Cyllene pressed and turned her gaze to Ash, eyes drilling into him.
Ash opened his mouth to remind her he had only caught two and just asked Rowlet to come back with him but decided against it. He already seemed to be on this lady's bad side and considering she was the one who would be deciding his fate?
Probably not the best idea to give her more reason to dislike him. Just because he wasn't saying anything snarky didn't mean he wasn't thinking it. Would it be too much to ask Pikachu to shock her? Yeah, probably.
"Alright, I just need to catch those three Pokémon!" Ash nodded then stopped, "Uhh, what Pokémon are those?" He'd never heard of any of them before.
"Professor Laventon should be able to give you the specifics. Akari will also be going with you to monitor your trial and judge your abilities." Cyllene elaborated.
"I will?" Akari apparently had not been told about this part. "I mean, yes Captain Cyllene!" She saluted.
"I have one final remark." The captain continued. "Based on my words you may think me too cruel or harsh. But it is my job to look out for the men and women under me. The Galaxy Team does not have the means to provide for those who take without giving. If you want to be allowed to stay you must prove without a shadow of a doubt you are an asset to our cause. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes!" Ash went a little rigid. She reminded him of Lt. Surge a little bit, but with a bit less direct threatening. More in the aura she was giving off.
"Good, now let's get things underway. I noticed yesterday that you have your own bag," Cyllene noted and movement from the back of the room caught Ash's attention.
"I was willing to lend you one of the Survey Corps satchels to make use of during your trial," an Abra floated from the back of the room, carrying a light brown bag that was almost identical to the one Akari was wearing. "You can fit quite a lot in here despite its small size, but if you prefer your bag you may use it."
"I'll take the satchel." Ash accepted the gift. "I left my backpack at my quarters, I have a few other things in there but mostly it's for my clothes and sleeping bag."
"I did wonder what you were using that for." Akari mentioned as Ash fitted the satchel around his waist "Hm, the satchel doesn't really match your strange clothes does it?"
"Form follows function." Cyllene waved off Akari's concerns about Ash's style. To be fair Akari had a point, Ash thought his look was pretty cool and the Survey Corps bag didn't mesh well with it.
"I believe Professor Laventon should be in his office," she gestured to a closed door to her right. "As I said, he'll be able to better explain exactly what you're looking for. He should have sketches of the Pokemon too." Her stoic lips formed a frown.
"That's odd, it just occurred to me he hasn't wandered into my office today to ramble about some obscure research he's added to his already lengthy itinerary. I'm sure it's nothing but make sure he's okay." She glanced at Akari when she said this.
"Yes Captain Cyllene, come on Ash, this shouldn't take long and then we'll head out."
Professor Laventon was in his office.
In fact, he had been there for the entire night.
Although 'office' might have been the wrong way to describe it, the room also doubled as his lab and had various note boards, books, and habitat structures scattered about it.
"Ash, Akari!" He looked surprised to see them, "what are you two doing up so late?"
They shared a worried glance. "Professor… it's morning."
He blinked exhausted eyes at them, the bags only highlighting the lack of sleep. "No, no that can't be. I only wanted to take a few more…" He looked down at the nearly filled notebook in front of him. "Oh."
"Were you up all night?" Ash asked, some concern leaking into his voice.
"Well, so it would seem." The man leaned back in his chair and rubbed at his fuzzy hat. "I didn't mean to, I assure you."
"I'm sure you didn't," Ash responded with lidded eyes, matched by Pikachu. There was some irony here, considering Laventon had been the one to say they all needed a good night's sleep the previous evening. "Why were you up so late anyway?"
Laventon coughed and muttered something and tried (without success) to discreetly push Ash's Pokédex over to him.
Ash snatched up the device and flipped it open. It wasn't dead, yet. But it was down to about twenty-five percent battery. His jaw dropped and he shot the man a bewildered stare.
"How did you get it so low?" He demanded. "I've only had to change the batteries twice since I got it!"
"Pika…" Pikachu muttered and shook his head.
The beleaguered professor twiddled his thumbs, "I figured that little bar in the corner was how much energy it had, it went down the more I used it. It wasn't full when I started and it just kept dropping the longer I had it open."
Ash sighed. "I guess I don't take it out for very long when I do use it. If you were at it all night long…"
"Did you find anything useful?" Akari asked him.
The man tired eyes lit up. "I learned so much." He breathed. "I've spent all night copying down what I can and comparing it to the Pokémon we've recorded here in Hisui! I'd never even seen a Kantoian Farfetch'd before! I mean, I'd read about them but never saw a picture! And the pictures! They look much better than what we have!"
The fact it made him so happy took away a little bit of the sting. "I'm glad you liked it."
"Thank you so much for letting me look at it, my boy." He repeated his thanks from the previous night. "I'm sorry if I drained it a bit too much but I couldn't bring myself to put it down! I haven't had too much time to start cross-referencing exact details with our current records but I've started sorting!"
He stared blankly for a few moments, not saying anything. "Er, Professor Laventon?" Ash waved his hand in front of his face trying to get his attention.
Thankful they didn't need to move onto step two (Pikachu shocking him) because that snapped him out of it, "Sorry, blacked out there for a moment. Where were we?"
"You were talking about Ash's 'Pokédex,' but!" Akari stopped him before he could ramble about it more. "We need to talk about his trial. Captain Cyllene said he needed to catch a Bidoof, a Starley, and a Shinx. Bidoof might not be too much trouble but all three right on top of each other?"
"It doesn't sound like too much trouble to me," Ash admitted, and that was the truth of it. Assuming none of them were rare or anything then he probably wouldn't have much to worry about. It wasn't like he was being sent to catch a Gyarados or anything.
Akari seemed surprised by his words while Laventon guffawed. "Righty-ho Ash! That's the spirit! I'll give you some sketches so you'll know what you're looking for." He started digging through one of his drawers.
"Truth be told, we have quite a bit of information on Bidoof already, unfortunately, we haven't been able to keep them very long. They chew right through wood fences so we can't keep them in pens and leaving them in Poké Balls too long is just asking for trouble." He put a drawing of a squat Pokémon with big teeth on the desk.
"Starly are flighty things, fitting considering they're flying-types. We haven't had much luck with them just because of how hard it's been to sneak up on them." Another picture, this one of a bird that bore some passing resemblance to Pidgey.
"Lastly Shinx. They're a bit more dangerous than the others, aggressive, both to humans and other Pokémon alike. You'll probably have a fight on your hands." Laventon placed a final drawing down, a two-toned Pokémon with round ears and a long tail.
Ash memorized them and glanced at Akari. "Have you run into these Pokémon before?" he asked her.
"Yeah, all three." She nodded slowly. "Bidoof are harmless, I'm not sure they even know what's happening around them. Starly are a bit tricky, you have to be absurdly quiet when trying to catch one. And Shinx…" she rubbed her arm and looked away. "Be careful."
Laventon nodded gravely. "Shinx are electric-types. They can pack quite a punch."
"Don't worry, I have experience," Ash smirked and Pikachu snickered.
Laventon glanced at Pikachu. "So it would seem, nevertheless, there is one final thing. I didn't choose these three for you to go after, these are requests that our dear Captain has seen fit to finally fulfill. I have little say in how your trial goes, that said, I can offer some slight assistance of my own."
He looked toward a structure made of tree branches in the corner of the room and whistled. A ruffling came from near the top and a green shape dropped out of a makeshift nest.
"Rowlet?" Ash recognized the Pokémon as she flapped her way over. The grass-type quickly returned to her position from the previous day, that being the top of Ash's head.
"Rowlet." The Pokémon repeated her name, clearly making some sort of statement.
Pikachu looked up at the other Pokémon and the two seemed to start conversing, Ash meanwhile looked to Professor Laventon for further explanation.
"I've been thinking about what you said yesterday, my boy." The man explained, doing his best to rub the exhaustion out of his eyes. "You're right, I've kept these three Pokémon cooped up for as long as I've been here. I haven't quite worked out what to do about Cyndaquil and Oshawott, but Rowlet took quite a liking to you. If you'll have it that is."
Ash took a brief moment to think about it, he already knew his answer though but wanted to see if he had any reason to say no. The only thing that came to mind was the six-member team limit but since there was no transfer system, and Rowlet didn't even want to have a Poké Ball, that was a nonissue.
"Welcome to the team Rowlet! I'm happy to have you!" He welcomed the grass-type easily.
"Row-let." The Pokémon hooted and Pikachu gave his own little cheer to welcome their new friend.
"Now then, I believe everything is in order. Good luck, and be careful." Laventon told him, his voice turning serious for a moment. "I have faith in you but it's wise to stay cautious."
"Don't worry Professor Laventon! I'll be back in no time!" Ash pumped his fist, eager to get started.
"You seem a lot more confident now Ash." Akari noticed as they walked toward the village gate. It was a different one than the one Ash had entered through the day before, leading away from the ocean and further inland.
"I've met a lot of different Pokémon on my journey," Ash explained. "Some of them were pretty big and scary, but this trial doesn't seem nearly as tough as I was worried it would be."
The girl shook her head. "I don't know what you're saying. Catching three Pokémon at once is going to be tricky! What if all the Starly get spooked and fly off or you get injured by a Shinx?"
"Then I don't let that happen!" Ash nodded, giving Rowlet an unexpected shake. "Oops, sorry Rowlet, I'm not used to having anyone riding up there."
Akari stared at him as he patted Rowlet. "How can you be so comfortable around Pokémon? I just can't understand it."
Ash turned the question around in his head, making a face. He wasn't sure how to answer that, cause he never thought about it before. Pokémon were Pokémon. His very first reaction to meeting Pikachu had been to hug the electric-type because he was so cute. He just liked Pokémon.
"I think it's weird everyone here is so worried about them." He finally answered. "I'm not used to it at all, I've had trouble with some of my Pokémon but I know most would never hurt me on purpose."
"It's the 'on purpose' bit that worries me," Akari admitted. "I don't suppose telling you to be careful again will change anything?"
Ash glanced at Pikachu and grinned. "Nah, probably not."
She sighed, "figures. Come on let's find out if you're just really confident or overconfident. The road is pre-" she was cut off.
"Ah, the noble Survey Corps! Off on another expedition?" A good-natured voice flagged them down.
Akari stopped and turned to face the speaker. She rolled her eyes with a small smile. "Volo, you don't need to make it sound so grand and impressive. I guess this is Ash's trial though so there is a bit of excitement today."
A man in a colorful outfit joined them. A yellow symbol decorated his chest and a yellow and blue cap sat on a mop of blond hair, the bangs coming down to cover one of his eyes. "Apologies Akari, I can't quite help myself sometimes. How are you doing today?"
"I'm alright, it's nice to be out of bed and moving around again."
"Happy to hear!" He turned to Ash. "Oh, now that is a curious getup you have there. I can already tell you're going to be quite the character."
"You're one to talk." Ash pointed out the man's own strange outfit.
"Ha!" He laughed. "Fair enough, it is a tad rude to comment about someone's clothes without even introducing yourself first. I'm Volo of the Ginkgo Guild, the go-to choice for any of your mercantile needs here in Hisui!"
"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town," Ash shook the man's hand, "and this is my partner Pikachu."
"Roo," Rowlet made a sound and Ash blushed.
"Oops, sorry, and this is Rowlet, she's the newest addition to my team." Ash introduced the grass-type as well.
"I take it you're the one everyone's been gossiping about this morning?" He asked but must have noticed Ash's expression. "Oh don't worry, I haven't heard anything too bad. Mostly just questions about where you came from and how you seem to have a unique way with Pokémon."
Volo nodded as he said this. "I think I can see that second rumor is true, which makes me hazard that the part about you falling from the sky might be as well."
"That's what Professor Laventon said." Akari's tone still held some doubt.
"I don't see why he would lie though." Ash pointed out. "I don't know how else I could have ended up here."
"How fascinating! I'd like to hear your tale when you have the time. But I worry we won't have time for both…" he rubbed his chin in thought.
"Both?" Ash pressed.
"Investigating the odd and novel is key to any good merchant's success," Volo took a grandiose stance. "So what say you? How about you and I see how our Pokémon stand up to each other in battle?"
At the word battle, a fire roared to life in Ash's chest.
With everything that had been going on during the previous twenty-four hours, he had barely even thought about battling! A travesty! But he could be excused, he had been far too busy trying to figure out where he was and what was going on!
Come to think of it, the only mention he had heard of battling up until now had been regarding wild Pokémon. Not only that, Hisui didn't seem to have anything like a Gym Challenge or a League either.
How did even you set up a league? Brock would probably know. But Brock wasn't here…
All of these thoughts raced through Ash's mind within the span of a few seconds, but on the outside, Akari and Volo both noticed his eyes positively light up as soon as Volo asked his question.
"Oh my!" The man chuckled, "I take it that you like the sound of that?"
The trainer shook himself out of his thoughts. "Yes! I'd love to battle you! What Pokémon do you have? How many Pokémon do you have? Are they strong? Any rules? Are swaps allowed? What about-"
"Slow down!" Volo was clutching his chest in an overdramatic fashion. "I can't keep up with you! I suppose this solves part of your mystery, quite the battle fanatic aren't you?"
Ash felt his face go a bit red and saw Akari cover her mouth with a hand. The way her eyes glistened made it obvious she was trying to hide her laughter. "Maybe a bit." He looked down and shuffled his feet.
"Oh, there's nothing to be ashamed of." Volo comforted him and stepped back a bit. "Let's just get to know one another a bit better, shall we? I only have one Pokémon with me for now though, so who will you respond with?"
He thought about it. A part of him wanted to send Rowlet out but he realized he didn't know any of Rowlet's moves yet. He didn't want to embarrass himself or the Pokémon by calling for a move she didn't know.
"Sorry Rowlet, I don't know your moves yet, but once we figure that out you can give it a shot?" Ash checked with the grass-type who made a slightly sad noise but didn't protest further. "Now then, who should I use?" His hand hovering over his belt, trying to make a decision.
"Pika-chu!" His partner jumped down and stood facing Volo.
"You want to do it Pikachu? Alright then!" Ash grinned and reached to turn his cap around… but realized Rowlet was sitting on it still. Maybe he should try and find a place for Rowlet to stay that wasn't his head. Maybe she would like his backpack?
"We're ready!" Ash told Volo who smirked and pulled out a Poké Ball of his own. He released his Pokémon onto the ground and Ash found another familiar face in this strange land.
"A Togepi!" He recognized it instantly.
"Oh?" Volo's visible eyebrow shot up. "I'm a little surprised you recognize it, Togepi are fairly uncommon, I found mine purely by the grace of good fortune."
"My friend Misty has a Togepi," Ash explained, not wanting to linger too long on the subject of missing friends. "But her's doesn't like battling much."
"Mine is quite the opposite it would seem!" Volo began the battle. "Togepi use Defense Curl!"
"Quick Attack Pikachu!" Ash called and his partner sped forward at super speed.
Togepi had barely started using the defensive move when Pikachu crashed into him and sent him rolling backward. "Piiii!" The smaller Pokémon cried out.
"To your feet Togepi! Charge forward! Use Tackle!" Volo directed and the spike ball Pokémon raced forward leaving a trail of dust.
"Thunder Shock Pikachu!" Ash directed and the familiar light surged forward and struck Togepi dead on, but the other Pokémon refused to stop.
He collided with Pikachu, not doing an impressive amount of damage but Volo then ordered, "Sweet Kiss!"
"What?" Ash wasn't familiar with that move and was more than a little confused when Togepi quite literally leaned in and kissed Pikachu, but the glowing pink mark it left probably didn't mean anything good.
"Are you okay Pikachu?" He asked his friend and was alarmed to see him rocking and shaking his head, he recognized that reaction.
"Shoot, you're confused." He grit his teeth, time to see if they had any luck. "Focus Pikachu! Thunder Bolt! Let's finish this!"
Pikachu sparked but flinched, failing to use the move properly and Togepi came back around for another Tackle. It wasn't a strong attack but using enough of it would start to wear on Pikachu eventually. Moreso with the damage he would take whenever confusion took its toll.
For now though, "come on Pikachu! You can do it!" He encouraged his friend, unable to do much else.
The electric-type glowed and sparked again, this time the attack worked, and a massive blast of lightning surged from the yellow Pokémon and completely consumed Togepi. A moment later it was over and the Togepi collapsed, clearly knocked out.
"Quite an impressive display." Volo congratulated him, returning Togepi and giving a quick clap. "I thought your Pikachu looked strong, I figured my best bet would be having Togepi brace itself and chip away at you, but it wasn't enough."
"Pikachu is amazing." Ash asserted, checking up on his friend. He rubbed the electric-type's head a bit and picked him up gingerly. The confusion was starting to wear off but Pikachu would still be a bit out of it for a few more minutes.
"I can tell." Volo smiled at him. "Thanks for the battle, I'll consider it payment for these." He handed Ash a few labeled bottles, 'Potions' they read.
"Good luck my sky-fallen friend, I look forward to hearing of your success." The Ginkgo Guild member waved goodbye to both him and Akari, then wandered off, no doubt going about his day.
Akari was looking at Ash with new eyes. "I'm impressed myself!" She admitted. "Not only can you catch Pokémon, but you can lead them in battle!"
"I have a lot of experience," Ash told her, he'd rather avoid mentioning some of his less-than-impressive showings from his earlier days as a trainer.
"I guess so, and such a young age too…" She trailed off momentarily and then shook herself out of it. They approached the gate but Akari stopped them before passing through, instead she gestured at the guard.
"It's not important this time, but keep in mind to let Ress here, or whoever else might be on duty, know where you're going. That way if something happens we know where to look for you." She explained and Ress nodded at them respectfully.
"Let's go, it's time for your trial, onwards to the Obsidian Fieldlands!"
The Obsidian Fieldlands were in a word, beautiful.
Trees paved the way for hilly fields that stretched out for as far as the eye could see. Flowers dotted the ground and Ash could see rivers in the distance.
"This is Aspiration Hill," Akari explained as they looked out over the terrain. "All the Pokémon you need to catch should be here. I won't be interfering much, instead, I'll just stand back and let you get started. I know that Bidoof often shows up just a little way ahead of us."
"Alright, are you ready for this Pikachu?" Ash asked his partner, who had recovered from the confusion by now. "And what about you Rowlet?"
"Pika!" His friend agreed.
"Rowl!" The other Pokémon added.
"Oh!" Akari gasped and reached back to her pouch. "Silly me! Here, take these Poké Balls."
"Thanks." Ash accepted the collection and fiddled behind his back to get them into his own satchel. "I guess I kind of need those."
"Just a bit." She agreed, "I'll be following along just behind you, good luck!"
Akari had been right about the Bidoof, barely a few minutes of walking and one wandered out right onto the path. Before he could get any closer though, a familiar beeping sounded from his pocket.
Frowning, he pulled out the Arc Phone once again. A new icon had appeared next to the map. This one looked like a tiny magnifying glass. Learning from experience, he gingerly tapped it and it expanded to fill the screen.
He blinked as he realized the screen was now acting as a camera, showing whatever was behind it. Ash waved it around it a bit, not entirely sure what its purpose was but when it passed over Bidoof a circle appeared around it on the screen along with a small label that read, 'Bidoof.'
Ash's eyebrows rose and he was aware of Pikachu leaning in next to him. That was interesting, was the Arc Phone like a Pokédex in a way? It would be useful for telling him the names of Pokémon he didn't recognize at least.
He put the device back and continued walking toward Bidoof, moving a bit slower because he didn't want to spook the Pokémon. Bidoof didn't so much as flinch as he approached it. Once he was only a couple of meters away he slowly reached back and took out one of the Poké Balls Akari had given him and threw it at the Pokémon.
Bidoof was sucked into it immediately and it landed with a thump. In short order, it clicked, popped, and smoked just like the ones he used yesterday had.
"One down!" He cheered, racing forward to scoop the ball up. He held it over his head and waved it at Akari who smiled and gave him a thumbs up.
"Nice job! Starly's will sometimes nest in trees along the path up ahead! Remember though, they can be skittish! You might have to sneak up on them!" She reminded him.
It was a bit farther down the path before Ash finally spotted one. He hadn't even realized what it was at first, he had just seen some movement from the corner of his eye. But when he recognized the flying-type from the sketch he'd seen he stopped moving and held his breath.
He wasn't sure if Starly had already spotted him or if had been already been traveling in that direction but his target was moving away from him, hopping across the ground.
Silently, Ash tried to work out how to do this, he looked around. He didn't see any more Starly nearby, but the grass around here was pretty tall. Maybe he could crouch in that and the Pokémon wouldn't notice him approaching?
Getting down on his hands and knees Ash crawled through the underbrush toward Starly, trying to be as careful as possible. Pikachu and Rowlet both held their silence as well, realizing it was a bad time to make noise or distract their trainer.
As the grass began to thin Ash switched into a crouch, his head poking just over the tips of the grass. They tickled his chin distractingly but he forced himself not to laugh or scratch at the feeling.
Starly wasn't moving anymore, it was underneath a tree, pecking at a round shape on the ground. Ash couldn't quite make it out but he bet it was a berry. Biting his tongue, he grabbed another Poké Ball and slowly moved a bit closer.
*SNAP*
The breaking branch echoed like a Rock Smash and Starly was immediately on edge. It looked directly toward Ash's spot and realizing his cover was blown, he made a dash forward and chucked the ball.
Starly turned to run but Ash's aim was dead on and it was snapped up into the Poké Ball.
The boy skidded to a stop and breathed heavily, fingers crossed that he hadn't screwed this up. The ball rocked, each time echoing the pounding of his heart.
He heaved a sigh of relief as the smoke appeared signaling the successful catch. He was really worried he'd messed up there for a minute. Sure he might have been able to find another Starly but there was no guarantee of that.
"That was close!" Akari caught up with him, she had been staying back so she wouldn't accidentally interfere or startle Starly. "I thought it was going to get away for a second!"
"Me too," Ash admitted, glancing back towards the edge of the grass, and the broken branch. "I didn't even see the twig, I was completely focused on Starly."
"You were doing well up until then though. But you have to be aware of your surroundings too. It worked out in the end at least! Still, it's something to keep in mind." She told him, patting him on his free shoulder.
He smiled up at her. "Thanks, Akari, come on, Shinx is next right?"
"Right…" She trailed off and looked ahead, but her gaze caught the tree Starly had been under. "Oh hold on a second, I think this is a berry tree!"
"Is it?" Ash followed her over and now that he was closer he saw several round blue shapes hanging from the branches, and some on the ground. He was right about what Starly had been up to then.
"Yeah, your Pokémon should be able to help out here! Just send them to give the tree a good whack and it should knock down the berries!" She explained to him.
"A good whack huh…" Ash considered his hand lingering between Phanpy's and Bayleef's Poké Balls unable to decide which. In the end, he chose Bayleef, she had more experience with plants after all! "In that case, Bayleef I choose you!"
"Bay!" The grass-type cheered and stretched in the sunlight as soon as sent her out.
Akari gasped and took a step back. "I've never seen that Pokémon! I didn't know you had more!"
"I've got a bunch of my Pokémon with me!" Ash explained. "Pikachu's the only one who doesn't want to stay in his ball though. Well, Rowlet too now."
"Bay?" Bayleef looked up at the Pokémon resting on Ash's head.
"Rooo let." His head sitter decided she wanted a change of scenery and flapped her way over to Bayleef. She tapped the larger Pokémon's back with her foot before settling down.
Bayleef had turned her head and was inspecting her new occupant with curiosity. "Bayleef meet Rowlet. She doesn't like using her Poké Ball like Pikachu. She's been using my head as a seat but I guess she likes you too!"
After a moment his older Pokémon decided that this was an acceptable turn of events and looked to Ash for direction.
"Oh right, sorry got distracted for a second. Bayleef do you think you could knock the berries out of that tree?" He asked her.
His grass-type walked up the tree and around it, inspecting the trunk for a moment. Eventually, she nodded and took a step back.
"Baaaay-leef!" She cried as she headbutted the trunk and made the whole tree shake. Berries dropped out of it one after the other, quickly littering the ground.
"Awesome!" Ash grinned as Akari began gathering the berries, keeping a noticeable distance from his Pokémon he noticed. "Great job Bayleef!"
"Bay!" She grinned and trotted over to him, nuzzling her head into his chest. He accepted her affection and gave her a rub and looked at Akari.
"How's that?" He asked feeling quite pleased with himself, and his Pokémon.
"Great!" She replied. "These are Oran berries, they're used for making medicine! These will be helpful, could you give me a hand gathering as many as possible? Try not to grab the bad ones or the ones that aren't ripe yet though."
A few minutes and twenty healthy berries later they were on the move again. The trees had thinned out by now and rocky outcroppings became more common. Akari had them stop by one as she peaked ahead.
Ash followed her gaze and saw what looked like a torchlit bridge over the river up ahead. But more importantly, a blue and black furry Pokémon wandered the path.
"That's a Shinx," Akari confirmed with a frown. "It's agitated, can you tell?" She asked him.
Ash stared at the fluffy creature as it opened its mouth and let out a squeak. "Not really."
"Don't worry, it'll be easier to notice once you have a bit more experience." That hadn't really been Ash's point. It just looked incredibly nonthreatening. "But this is where your Pokémon become a big help!"
"I get to battle it?" Ash checked, eagerness filling him up.
"Once you weaken-" Akari started but Ash was too excited.
"I know already! Who wants to battle? What about you Rowlet, what moves can you do? I know you didn't get to battle Volo earlier but now's your chance!" Ash looked at his two grass-type Pokémon.
Rowlet roused herself and stretched, flapping to the ground. She paused for a moment and then raised her wings while facing the rock face. "Row-let!" She called and glowing leaves flew out of her wings and crashed into the rock, breaking down part of it.
"Wow!" Ash looked at the damage. "I don't think that was Razer Leaf, was it?" He wondered.
"I think it was Leafage, at least that's what it looked like," Akari added her opinion.
"Alright then Leafage, anything else?" Rowlet tilted her head and made a noise that couldn't be anything other than a Growl. "That's great Rowlet! Ready to take on Shinx?"
"Make sure to keep back!" Akari warned him as he moved ahead towards the electric-type. "You don't want to get hit by anything!"
"Rowlet use Leafage!" Ash called as they approached the Pokémon, who had immediately crouched and started growling at them as it saw them coming.
The grass-type attack pelted Shinx who stumbled backward.
"Shinx!" it cried at them and sparked with the makings of a familiar move.
"Get ready to dodge Rowlet!" Ash warned as Thunder Shock lanced toward the grass-type.
Rowlet barely managed to move out of the way of the attack, and Ash didn't like her odds of doing it again. "Leafage again!" Hopefully, another attack would weaken Shinx enough…
Once again the attack hit Shinx and the electric-type was starting to look a bit woozy. It looked like it was still going to try attacking again though, but Ash didn't give it a chance, instead, he chucked the Poké Ball at it.
Shinx hadn't been expecting anything else to come at it so quickly after the previous attack. It didn't have time to move or hit the ball away or anything. It went inside just like the other Pokémon. A few shakes later and the Pokémon was caught!
"Nice work Rowlet!" Ash cheered at the grass-type who looked mighty pleased with herself. "That was really good!" It may not have been the most exciting or complex battle, but it was a nice introduction for his newest Pokémon.
"That's all three!" Akari confirmed as she walked up behind them. "I admit it, I'm impressed. The way you caught those Pokémon, you weren't even a little frightened!"
"No, I wasn't," Ash agreed. "It's been weird seeing how nervous everyone here is around Pokémon, I did think about it and I guess some Pokémon can be kind of scary but… I don't know, it doesn't sound fun being afraid of everything."
"'Fun' is an interesting way to put it." Akari pointed out. "But results speak for themselves, come on, let's get back to Jubilife Village and give the captain and professor the good news!"
Jubilife Village had pastures set aside from the village where Pokémon could stay when not in the field. It had yet to see much usage but that was apparently where Ash's three acquisitions were going to be staying once they checked in.
It reminded him a bit of the Oak Corral, he hoped his Pokémon were okay back there without him. Except it wasn't there yet, but it was. Or it would be? Time travel was confusing.
Cyllene was reviewing some documents when they arrived back in her office, she barely spared them a glance but nodded as they approached.
"You're back, and in high spirits. I suppose that means we won't have to leave you to die. Good. Just as I suspected." She put the page down as she finished speaking.
Ash glared at her. "What do you mean 'just as you suspected' what was all that talk before about not accepting me until I proved myself?"
"I meant every word of it." She leveled a stare at him. "I had a feeling you were the real deal when I met you. I was doubtful at Professor Laventon's words alone but I think I have become fairly adept at reading people."
"That being said, I am not going to let my feelings overtake my duties no matter how right I think I am. Thus the trial, you passed, and therefore I know I was right about you." Cyllene explained.
"Oh…" Ash wasn't sure how to take that.
"You've impressed me, completing a fairly difficult trial like that. Let me welcome you to the Survey Corps, Abra could you bring the uniform over?" She glanced at the lazing psychic-type and a set of clothes similar to Akari's floated over along with a set of strange straw sandals.
Ash carefully picked them up out of the air and glanced back at Captain Cyllene. "Those are the garments of a member of the Survey Corps. I admit it was a bit tricky finding one in your size but I believe they should do. See Anthe if the proportions are off at all, she should be able to fix it."
"Um," this was a lot very quickly. "Thank you."
"Drop the Pokémon off in Professor Laventon's office, I planned on sending him with you but the man was too exhausted to be of any use. Get changed in the quarters you used last night and then report yourself to the third floor and the commander. These are your first orders, now go!" She pointed and Ash hopped to it.
The clothes were a little strange for Ash to put on. There was an undershirt and underpants and then a mail shirt. It was kind of cool to wear armor but putting on more layers over it made him worry he'd overheat. His quarters had a mirror and he did a little twirl in front of it, taking a look at his new outfit.
"What do you guys think?" He'd let his Pokémon back out while he'd been changing so they could meet Rowlet and get the rundown from Pikachu and Bayleef.
Totodile jumped up and tried to bat at the scarf, making him smile. "Yeah, I think the scarf helps bring it together too!"
Phanpy trumpeted and sniffed at the sandals he'd set to the side. Truthfully he'd prefer his sneakers, but these were a part of the uniform…
"Yeah, I don't know how I feel about those either. But they're part of the set." He pulled the long white socks on and snapped the leather pant cuffs closed over them before putting the sandals themselves on. At least they felt pretty well insulated.
Most of his Pokémon stayed behind now, they hadn't had their normal training today and he wanted them to get some exercise, even if it was limited to his quarters. They should be able to entertain themselves for a bit at least. Rowlet stayed behind too so she could get to know the others better but Ash and Pikachu went back to Galaxy Hall.
"Look at you in uniform!" Akari cheered when he returned. "It suits you well! I'm glad it fits, I still don't know where the captain found one in your size."
Ash grumbled. "I'm not that short." He'd grown a whole inch in the past three months!
"No, but you are a child." Cyllene pointed out as joined them. "Up until now, Akari was our shortest Survey Corps member. Congratulations on your promotion."
Had… had that been a joke? He shared a look with Pikachu and Akari and knew they were thinking the same thing.
"Regarding your accommodations you may continue to use the room you slept in last night." Cyllene continued.
That was good, Ash had kind of been acting on that assumption when he left his Pokémon there. Good thing she hadn't told him he was moving, that might have been a bit awkward.
"You should wear this as well." She handed him a red puffy cap and he stared at it.
He was mature enough to admit he may have been a bit over-attached to his hat in the past. He'd long since realized there were more important things than a hat he had to send in a million boxtops for. But he was still pretty attached to it. Switching it out now felt… wrong.
Still, he wasn't about to flunk in the final stretch. He swapped his beloved league cap with the Survey Corps one and nestled it on his head snugly. Cyllene nodded at him, "now present yourself to the commander!"
Ash and Pikachu traveled up the multiple flights to the top floor, which wasn't much of a floor. Just a landing and a grand doorway to another office.
Inside was a tall man with an impressive mustache wearing traditional robes. He stood with his eyes closed but opened them as Ash approached. "I have been waiting for you!" He declared loudly.
As Ash passed through the doors he noticed a dining table off to the side, all that did was remind him how little he'd had to eat today.
Ignorant of Ash's hunger the man continued. "I am Kamado, commander of the Galaxy Expedition Team!" He introduced himself and inspected Ash. "Hrrrm… so, you are Ash."
"Yes, sir!" Ash stood at attention, it felt like the right thing to say.
"Hrrrm!" Kamado repeated. "I've been briefed on your situation, including how you fell from the rift in the sky."
"That's what Laventon said." Ash agreed.
Kamado didn't seem to expect that. "You don't remember?"
"No, sir," he shook his head. "The last thing I remember is traveling with my friends to Blackthorn City, then it's a bit blurry but I remember being in this void with something glowing in front of me. After that, I woke up on the beach." He explained what he could remember.
"Strange… very strange indeed." He thought for a moment. "Hrrrm. But there will be time to dwell on that later, now then… let's see what you're made of!" Kamado took a wide stance and held his arms out, but made no move to go for a Poké Ball. "Face me in combat!"
It took Ash a second to realize what he meant. "Oh!" It was a human battle then! Not a Pokémon battle! He set Pikachu down on the ground. "Wish me, luck buddy!"
"Pika…" The electric-type looked worried as Ash charged at the larger human.
"Ahhhhh!" Ash shouted a war cry as he ran at him. Kamado grabbed for him and it was only his experience from over a year of dealing with criminals and Pokémon that let Ash grab one of Kamado's arms and hold on for dear life, still screaming.
"Hyah!" Kamado tried to throw Ash off but the boy held on with all his might.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" His scream was now filled with more terror than battle lust.
"QUITE A GRIP YOU HAVE BOY!" Kamado shouted and slammed Ash onto his desk, sending papers flying. It had the dual effect of knocking the air out of Ash's lungs; he momentarily lost his grip on Kamado's arm.
"Hyah!" The man cried again and picked Ash off the desk and threw him across the room and into a wall.
"Ughhh…" Ash groaned in pain. "I didn't know a human could learn Strength." He muttered.
"Hrrm!" Kamado grinned. "You've got grit and vigor, and you think quickly on your feet! Well done. You need to work on your sumo technique, but I do sense some potential…"
After Ash had pulled himself back to his feet and stood in front of Kamado again the man gave him a bit more of a rundown. "Don't expect a warm welcome from everyone. Some will be slow to trust an outsider who literally fell right out of the blue. The superstitious among us might see your arrival as a portent of disaster!"
"What about you?" Ash asked him.
"Me?" He raised his brows, apparently not expecting that question. "I think I don't know enough about you. Maybe you really don't have any idea how you got here, maybe you're a very good liar. Maybe someone else sent you here and you're an unwilling pawn in a grander scheme. I will wait and I will see."
"But for now, you have passed the trial that was put to you. No matter how odd you may seem, you're part of Jubilife Village now." Kamado raised his voice, "Dedicate yourself to the Galaxy Expedition Team and completed the Pokédex!"
"Yes sir!" Ash saluted, and Pikachu made a similar gesture.
"But I warn you, Ash…" Kamado continued, sparing a glance at Pikachu. "Pokémon are terrifying creatures. Keep your wits about you as you work!"
With that final remark, he was sent on his way, a full member of the Galaxy Expedition Team.
And with that Ash is now a full member of the Galaxy Team and we're about done with the tutorial!
There is a bit about crafting left but I won't go into detail for that bit, it's mostly just explaining the game mechanic to the player. Next chapter we'll start the real meat and potatoes of the game, Ash going on adventures in Hisui!
The snowballs haven't quite started an avalanche yet but you can start to see some of the effects in this chapter, as well as some other things being set up. It's a bit tricky knowing when to go off script and when to stick to it but I'll probably be dropping a lot more of it over the coming chapters.
All that said, what did you think of this chapter? The last one was pretty well received if I do say so myself. I hope you all enjoyed this one too!
Speaking of which, time for reviews!
ThePilotArchangel: I'm glad you adored it so much! Still a little slow this time too but they're picking up, the next chapter will start covering some real ground. I will say all of the characters are going to be expanded upon.
Isamaru: I certainly hope I can keep it up!
SnowLabrador: Time Travel is a fun concept! If a bit problematic. You have to be a bit careful with it, thankfully apart from the initial bit there shouldn't be too much in this story.
Reader: Have I managed to keep your interest?
LEGOBRICK13: Woo! Glad to see you reviewing this story too! I knew there were others of Ash being sent to Hisui but I'm not that familiar with any of them and most seem to have a heavy emphasis on shipping… hm. The idea of Ash having a completely skewed perspective of the people he meets in the future is hilarious. Not sure I'll get that far with this, but it's still funny to think about. Fairy-type is… weird. Still trying to figure out how to drop that in organically. The Hisuian variants are going to be interesting to meet, and catch. Not every Pokémon he meets will become a team member in this story, but some of them will! I won't say who quite yet of course. Also PLAsh, that's a good one. There will be some angst from the boy but I (of course) won't go too heavy with it. For now, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!
Fangs of death: Ash is just a form of chaotic good that thinks he's neutral good.
Phaleon: Thank you! I hope you enjoy it!
Emerald the Lynx: Thanks for the story recommendation! I'll check it out!
Luckenhaft: I am not familiar and this joke confuses me I'm afraid.
Eagle10000: Travel to other regions? Easier said than done I'm afraid, but don't worry there's plenty of adventure to have in Hisui!
That's all for now! Have a good one everybody and remember to brush your teeth!
Discord: discord . gg / kESdTfhAwG
~FriTik
R&R