This chapter is going to be based on the games, so there will be some gore scenes. I'll put up warnings for readers who are sensitive for such scenes.

But before that… Something nice will happen!

Disclaimer: I do not own any Pokémon characters! I only own my OCs!

Chapter 12: A Shadow of a Slaughter

We managed to find the main road on Route 33 shortly after Ash caught Cyndaquil, so it took us a whole day to reach Azalea Town. We had to walk through a dry wasteland with the sunlight burning our backs. The sun was setting when we stepped into the flourishing town and got a little surprise. There were Slowpokes in almost every corner, but right now they were heading outside of the town.

"Why are there so many Slowpokes?" Ash wondered.

"Pika?"

"I don't know, but they're so cute", Misty giggled.

"Togiprii."

"Do you want to have a Slowpoke, Misty?" I asked.

"Maybe. I'm not sure yet", Misty replied. "Training one…is a little complicating."

Brock checked his guidebook to read about Azalea Town. "The guidebook says the Slowpokes are considered gods in Azalea Town because of folklore", he explained. "It doesn't say what that folklore is, though. Although, it warns visitors to be extremely careful around the Slowpokes. Do not catch or hurt them, or else the townsfolk will show no mercy."

"Whoa… Then we better heed to that warning and watch where we step", Ash cold sweated.

"Chu…"

"Does the guidebook say where the Pokémon Center is?" I asked.

"Yep, and it's not that far from here!" Brock replied enthusiastically. "I can't wait to meet Nurse Joy!"

"Here we go again…", Misty sweat dropped with a deep sigh.

"What else is new?" Ash commented with a sweat drop.

I looked down at the incubator and saw the Egg wobbled again. It had been showing signs of movement the whole day, so it was probably the sign that it was about to hatch. "We better hurry", I told the group. "The Egg looks like it might hatch any second."

"Yeah, let's see Nurse Joy and ask her to check the Egg!" Brock exclaimed enthusiastically before he ran ahead. "Oh, Nurse Joooy~!"

The three of us, including Pikachu, sighed at our friend's behavior. "Here we go again…", Misty mumbled.

"Togipri."

"I'm getting used to Brock falling in love in every new town…", Ash sighed before he rubbed his head. "But I don't get it. Why does he fall in love with so many different girls? I can only imagine having feelings for one girl and that's it."

"Pika?"

"Does this mean you're interested in a girl, Ash?" Misty asked in surprise.

"W-Well…", Ash stuttered while his cheeks turned a little red and it wasn't because of the sunburn. "Y-You could say that."

"O-Oh…", Misty stuttered as her cheeks blossomed into a pink color. "I-Is it…somebody we all know?"

"Yeah…", Ash replied shyly and moved his cap so it hid his face. "B-But I don't feel ready telling her my feelings yet."

"I see…", Misty sounded a little down and had a disappointed expression. She shook her head and returned to her usual self. "Well, maybe it's the best because you're still too young to have a girlfriend."

"Yeah, I'm only eleven years old", Ash laughed sheepishly.

"And you're too childish", Misty added.

Now that comment struck a nerve in my brother. "Well, I'm not the only kid among us, Misty", he countered. "You're a kid too."

"But I'm mentally older than you", Misty argued.

I didn't feel so nervous about the usual bickering between Ash and Misty. There was no…hostility coming from them, but there was something else that I couldn't put my words into. "Can we go to the Pokémon Center, please?" I asked as I bounced on my feet, feeling a little anxious to go to the Pokémon Center to get care for my Pokémon and the Egg.

"Yeah, we should do that", Misty replied. "I think Togepi is a little hungry."

"Prii…"

"We'll continue the discussion another day", Ash insisted.

"There's nothing to discuss when we already know the truth, Ash", Misty retorted.

"Pika…", Pikachu sighed at the same time as me at the duo.

XXXXXXXXXX

We found the Pokémon Center where Brock was busy flirting with Nurse Joy. It all ended thanks to Misty pulling him away from the poor Pokémon nurse by his ear. I asked Nurse Joy to check the Pokémon Egg while we went to have some dinner. Brock gave us an update about the myth of the Slowpokes in Azalea Town in the middle of the meal while our Pokémon silently ate their dinner.

"I heard from Nurse Joy the reason why the Slowpokes are worshipped is because they saved Azalea Town from a drought a long time ago", the future Pokémon Breeder old us.

"They saved the town from a drought?" Misty repeated to make sure she had heard it right.

"Yeah. Apparently, the drought was so intense the town was close to die when one single Slowpoke appeared out of nowhere and summoned the rain with a yawn", Brock explained.

"To me, it sounds like that Slowpoke used Rain Dance to make it rain", I commented after I took a sip of my cream stew.

"Yeah, but it still saved the people and now the whole town worship the Slowpokes", Brock added. "They live in a nearby well called the Slowpoke Well. They leave that well every morning and return in the evening when the sun goes down."

"That explains why we saw them leave town", Ash munched on some bread. "Did you get some information about the Gym?"

"Yeah, but you probably won't like the news, Ash", Brock said. "The Gym Leader, Bugsy, is current away, but he should be back in a couple of days."

"He's away?!" Ash exclaimed and stood up in shock before he calmed down and settled down. "W-Well, if the Gym Leader is back in a few days, then I think I can wait…"

"Ash, calm down", I told my twin brother. "I know you're anxious to challenge the Gym, but you don't have to be so restless."

"Yeah, I think it's 'cause of my ADHD", Ash laughed sheepishly.

"Huh?" Misty and Brock said simultaneously. They were aware of my autism, but we had never told them about my twin brother's secret. Only a few knew and that was our parents, Professor Oak and even Gary.

"Ash, you've got a neurodevelopmental disorder too?" Brock asked.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't tell you guys sooner", Ash apologized while rubbing the back of his head. "I got the diagnosis at the same time as Ashley. It's strange, though, that we're twins and yet we've got different disorders."

"I guess that explains now your sudden impulsiveness…", Misty mumbled. "But why didn't you tell us sooner, Ash?"

"I guess I forgot about it…", Ash replied in a low voice. "Mom told me that I should tell you because you quickly accepted Ashley's autism, so perhaps…you'd accept me too."

"Ash…", I mumbled softly before I wrapped an arm around him to comfort him.

Misty and Brock exchanged a glance before they both smiled in relief. "It still hurt us a little that you didn't have enough faith in us, Ash", Brock said. "But it must've taken lots of courage to reveal this secret. You're still the same Ash we know and that won't change."

Ash looked up with a surprised gasp just as Ivysaur wrapped one of his vines around his shoulders. I had removed my arm to give Ivysaur space and placed my hand on Ash's clenched hand instead and squeezed it gently.

"So… You two…", Ash mumbled, his voice full of hope.

"Our friendship runs stronger than what you think, Ash", Misty smiled sweetly. "You're still the stubborn and kindhearted boy I've come to learn ever since we first met."

"You guys…", Ash mumbled as a tear appeared at the corner of his right eye. He quickly wiped it off with his thumb and put up his big grin. "Thank you. You're the best."

I smiled too by the scene. Now I felt like we had one less burden to carry. It felt so much better to just tell the truth to Misty and Brock. I never had long-term friends like them. They were literally our best friends and they felt like family.

A ding-dong noise echoed from the loudspeakers scattered around in the Pokémon Center. "Ashley Ketchum, you are needed by the front desk", Nurse Joy called.

"It must be the Egg", I said before I swallowed the last of my stew and got up from the booth. "Come on, guys!"

"Taar!"

"Flaaaffyy!"

"Fuurret!"

"Wait! We're coming too!" Ash called.

We hurried to the front desk where Nurse Joy was waiting for me. "Your Pokémon Egg is about to hatch", she informed me. "Would you like to see it?"

"Yes please", I nodded. "Can my Pokémon, brother and friends join me?"

"Of course", Nurse Joy smiled. "Follow me."

The nurse led us to a private room where her Chansey looked after the Egg. The Egg itself rested on a cushion on top of a podium. It was already glowing, which meant it was going to hatch very soon. This was going to be the third time I'll see a Pokémon Egg hatch in front of my eyes.

Not much was said. We gathered around the podium and watched as the eggshell slowly formed cracks as the Pokémon inside of it was about to hatch. We waited patiently before a light erupted from the Egg that blinded me. I shielded my eyes until I no longer felt the warmth of that light.

I opened my eyes to see a Togepi had hatched from the Egg. It wasn't that big of a surprise because I had already known what Pokémon was going to hatch due to the patterns that were the same as on Misty's Togepi.

"Togiprii!" the newly hatched Togepi chirped happily and wiggled its short arms.

"Congratulations. Your Egg hatched into a Togepi", Nurse Joy smiled before she gently picked up the baby Pokémon to wash it.

"A Togepi…", I mumbled, still on cloud nine by the wonder of witnessing such a wonderful moment.

"Now you get to be the big sister of Ashley's Togepi, Togepi", Misty told her baby Pokémon.

"Prii!" Togepi chirped in response.

"I want to check the data of Togepi with the new Pokédex", Ash said before he grabbed said device.

Togepi, the spike ball Pokémon. Normal-type. The shell seems to be filled with joy. It is said that it will share good luck when treated kindly. A proverb claims that happiness will come to anyone who can make a sleeping Togepi stand up.

"That last part sounded weird if you ask me", Brock said.

"Yeah, it sounds a little rude too", Ash nodded. "Make a Togepi stand up while it's sleeping."

"Pika pika."

"Mm-hm…", I nodded, barely focusing on my friends. My attention was on my Togepi as Nurse Joy and Chansey checked its vitals.

"Your Togepi is in excellent shape", Nurse Joy said before she gave Togepi to me.

"Do you what is its gender?" I asked.

"It's a male", Nurse Joy answered.

"A male…", I mumbled as I stared at Togepi.

"Togi?" Togepi tilted his head to the side with a curious expression.

"Hi, Togepi. I'm your Trainer and this is your family", I told him as I crouched down to my Pokémon. "Say hi to your new little brother, everyone."

My Pokémon greeted the newly hatched Pokémon with soft cries to not scare him. Togepi chirped happily in response.

"What are you going to nickname your Togepi, Ashley?" Ash asked.

"I…haven't decided yet", I confessed. "I have to think about it."

"I hope you'll make a decision soon so we don't end up mixing our Togepis", Misty said.

"I'll tie a ribbon on him so we can tell the Togepis apart", I nodded. "But I'll hopefully come up with a good nickname tomorrow."

"Togipriii!"

XXXXXXXXXX

I had a hard time falling asleep that night. I tried coming up with a nickname, but after an hour of nothingness, I put the thoughts to the side and fell asleep.

The mood next morning was good while we ate breakfast. Ash and I decided to train our Pokémon until the Gym Leader of Azalea Gym came back. I also wanted my Togepi to have some battle experience, even though he was newly hatched.

The battlefield next to the Pokémon Center was free, so Ash and I took one side each to train our Pokémon. After some difficulties at the beginning of my training, I found out my Togepi could use Extrasensory. Normally, a Togepi was unable to learn it. Maybe that was the reason why that Kimono Sister said my Togepi was special?

My Togepi was a mysterious little creature, and that's how I decided his name should be Mystic.

We trained a little over an hour before we retreated into the Pokémon Center to heal our Pokémon. When we approached the desk, we noticed Nurse Joy looked a little distressed. "Oh dear…", she sighed sadly.

"What's wrong, Nurse Joy?" Misty asked.

Brock pushed himself to the desk and grabbed the nurse's hands. "Tell me what's bothering you, Nurse Joy! I'll take care of it for you!"

"I appreciate it", Nurse Joy replied with an uncertain expression. "The townsfolk have informed me the Slowpokes haven't appeared in Azalea Town."

"The Slowpokes aren't in town?" Ash said.

"Yes, which is very unusual", Nurse Joy replied. "The Slowpokes always come to town every day, so it's worrisome. I heard Kurt headed to the Slowpoke Well to investigate."

"Who's Kurt?" I asked.

"He's a Poké Ball creator who makes Poké Balls out of Apricorns", Nurse Joy explained. "He's very passionate about the safety of the Slowpokes, but he's been having problems with his back lately. I hope he doesn't put himself in danger."

"Well, it sounds to me we should go and help out", Ash declared. "If the Slowpokes are in trouble, this Kurt needs help!"

"Pika pikachu!" Pikachu nodded in determination.

"Where can we find the Slowpoke Well?" Misty asked.

"It's around two kilometers from Azalea Town on Route 33", Nurse Joy said.

I picked up my Poké Gear and switched to the map function before I showed it to the Pokémon nurse. "Can you show us where exactly it is, Nurse Joy?" I asked as Brock let go of her hands and moved back.

Nurse Joy swiped her fingertip on the touch screen to check the map and left a mark at the location. "There it is. Just follow the path on Route 33 and you should find a hill with a well outside of the cave where the Slowpokes live."

XXXXXXXXXX

This time we were prepared to walk through the dry land compared to yesterday. Misty, Brock and I got to borrow some straw hats from the Pokémon Center to protect ourselves from getting a heatstroke. Ash even returned Pikachu to his Poké Ball for the short trip and Misty had put her Togepi inside her red duffle bag.

We found the hill Nurse Joy mentioned in around thirty minutes of constant walk. The landmark was really a well with a water pump outside of a cave that currently being guarded by two Team Rocket grunts clad in their black uniforms. We quickly hid behind some boulders before they could spot us.

"Team Rocket's the reason why the Slowpokes haven't come to Azalea Town…?" Misty whispered.

"It looks like that…", Ash nodded. "But why would they target the Slowpokes…?"

I activated my brain cells and tried remembering some valuable information about the Slowpoke species. Brock picked up the book version of the Pokédex while Ash unfolded said device to check the data.

Brock paled when he read something in his book. "Guys… I may have found out the reason…", he stated.

"What is it…?" I asked.

Brock swallowed loudly while his hands began shaking. He even started cold sweating as he read the information. "They're saying that…S-Slowpoke's tail is…i-is a…"

"Are what, Brock…?" Ash asked, demanding an answer.

"A…delicacy…", Brock finished with a frown on his face. He bit his bottom lip like he was holding himself back from throwing up.

Ash and Misty grew pale too while my body temperature dropped instantly. "Y-You mean…p-people…eat…Slowpokes…?" Ash asked while he too held himself back.

Misty started looking green while she covered her mouth. "I feel sick…"

"Me too…", I mumbled as I felt the stomach acid in my throat.

Brock swallowed and continued reading. "S-Slowpoke tails are known for being both nutritious a-and tasty…", he breathed slowly like he was about to faint. "T-Therefore, the Slowpoke tails…are highly sought after and can be sold for a high price on both the open market and the black market…"

"T-This mean…Team Rocket are after the tails…to make money…?" I wondered as I held back the breakfast that wanted to come up.

"Another bunch coming through!"

XxxxxxxxxxWARNING! SENSITIVE SCENE!xxxxxxxxxX

We peeked through the gaps between the boulders to see what was going on. I instantly felt sick when I saw a third Team Rocket grunt walk out of the cave while pulling a trolley. The trolley was packed with freshly cut Slowpoke tails that were still dripping blood after they had cut them off the Pokémon. The blood drops left marks on the dry ground as the grunt with the trolley headed to some sort of transportation.

I heard retching sounds behind me, so I quickly covered my ears and closed my eyes to not throw up myself. I was a little weak by the sight of blood, but seeing those tails and even the bone poking out… It was just too much for my senses. I tried erasing the view I had just witnessed by replacing it with lovely thoughts like imagining all the dragon-type Pokémon that existed on the planet.

"W-We've got to stop them…before they get every Slowpoke…", Ash breathed behind me, voice sounding coarse after throwing up. I slowly removed my hands from the ears and heard no disgusting sounds anymore.

"B-But we don't know how many Team Rocket grunts there are inside the cave…", Misty pointed out. "And we don't know how strong their Pokémon are…"

"I suggest…", Brock began before I heard him drink some water from a water bottle. "…we deal with the guards first and then sneak in. Let's wait for that guy with the trolley to come back and we can knock all three of them out."

"How about we use Ivysaur's Sleep Powder to…knock them out?" I suggested.

"Yeah, that should give us more time to ambush Team Rocket…", Brock nodded.

"Alright…", Ash nodded as he grabbed one of his Poké Balls. "Ivysaur, I choose you…" He kept the capture device in his hand as it opened and released his first Starter Pokémon.

"Saur…", Ivysaur rumbled.

"Ivysaur, we need your help", Ash told him before he pointed at the guards. "See those grunts over there? When a third one with a trolley shows up, use your Sleep Powder to put them to sleep."

"Ivysaur!" Ivysaur nodded determinedly.

We didn't have to wait long until the grunt with the trolley, now empty but still stained by dried blood, returned to the well. Ash gave Ivysaur the signal and his Pokémon quietly fired a cloud of Sleep Powder toward the Team Rocket trio. They breathed in the sweet scent before they collapsed on the ground and fell asleep.

"Now's our chance! Let's go!" Ash called.

We jumped over the boulders together with Ivysaur and ran towards the entrance. I was right behind them when I suddenly sensed something weird, like somebody was watching us. I looked over my shoulder and spotted a figure wearing a black hood in the distance. It seemed it was coming toward the cave. I ignored it and ran deeper inside the cave.

We came across another duo of grunts who were keeping an old man hostage with the help of their Golbats and Raticates. "Intruders!" one of the grunts yelled.

"Contact Executive Proton immediately!" the other grunt shouted.

"Right!" the first grunt nodded as he grabbed a walkie-talkie from a pouch.

"Ivysaur, grab that walkie-talkie with Vine Whip!" Ash shouted.

"Saur!" Ivysaur roared as he extended his vines toward the grunt.

"Not so fast! Golbat, use Wing Attack!" the second grunt commanded.

"Goool!" Golbat shrieked as it flew toward Ivysaur with glowing wings.

Brock threw one of his Poké Balls. "Geodude, attack Golbat with Mega Punch!"

"Geooo!" Geodude shouted before he floated swiftly toward Golbat and punched it in the face above its giant mouth.

"Gaaal!" Golbat shrieked in pain before it crashed to the ground.

The first grunt got distracted by the battle so it was easy for Ivysaur to snatch the walkie-talkie. "H-Hey! Give it back!" he yelled. "Raticate, use Hyper Fang on Ivysaur!"

"Ratiii!" Raticate hissed aggressively as it ran toward Ivysaur with its large teeth reflecting.

"Geodude, stop Raticate with Seismic Toss!" Brock shouted.

"Geood!" Geodude got in between Ivysaur and Raticate and caught the normal-type Pokémon. He then floated up to the ceiling of the cave before heading straight down to the ground. He threw Raticate that got half-buried in the ground by that super-effective move.

"Curses!" the second grunt growled before he and his partner recalled their Pokémon.

Ivysaur gave the walkie-talkie to Ash before my brother told him the next command. "Ivysaur, put them to sleep with Sleep Powder!"

"Saur!" Ivysaur roared and released another cloud of Sleep Powder from his half-open flower. The cloud covered the grunts before they fell asleep seconds later.

Brock took the walkie-talkie from Ash before he threw it on the ground and smashed it into pieces with his foot. "There! Hopefully, they didn't send any secret emergency signals with the device", he sighed in relief before he recalled Geodude.

Misty and I ran to the old man the grunts held hostage and removed the rope they had tied him with. "Are you okay, sir?" Misty asked.

"Kinda… My back hurts…", the old man grunted as he had a hard time standing up.

"Is your name…Kurt?" I asked carefully.

"Y-Yeah, that's me… How'd you know?" Kurt asked before I heard a crack from his back. "Owowow!"

"Easy, sir", Brock told him. "Don't strain yourself."

"B-But I've got to…", Kurt groaned in pain. "T-Team Rocket…is hurting…the Slowpokes…!"

"And we're here to save them!" Ash exclaimed determinedly. "Ivysaur and I'll run ahead to stop Team Rocket!"

"Sauur!"

"W-Wait…!" Kurt called before my brother could run off to deal with the scum guys. "T-They're dozens down in the Slowpoke Well… Y-You can't take them all on… A-And their leader…has powerful Pokémon…!"

"I know that!" Ash insisted. "We've dealt with Team Rocket before, so I know the danger…" He growled deeply through gritted teeth with anger glowing in his eyes. "And I won't allow Team Rocket or anybody else hurt innocent Pokémon!"

"Sauur!"

With that said, my brother ran off with Ivysaur right behind his tail. "Ash!" I called after him.

"I'll carry Kurt out of here! You two follow Ash, girls!" Brock told us.

"N-No…!" Kurt groaned. "I-I need to be there… The Slowpokes…need me…!"

"Then we're going together!" Misty said. "Ash's gonna need help!"

Just then a fast shadow ran past us toward the depth of the cave. "Hey! Who are you?!" Misty yelled after them.

They didn't answer. Instead they kept running. I noticed it was the same person in the black hood I saw outside the cave. A Sneasel ran next to them, so that confirmed that person was a Pokémon Trainer.

"They're not one of your friends…?" Kurt grunted.

"No", I shook my head.

"Let's go before both they and Ash end up in danger!" Brock exclaimed. He picked up Kurt on his back before we ran deeper into the cave.

The cave was damp and water dripped from the ceiling, but I still caught the smell of blood. We reached an open area where I could hear the sounds of Pokémon fighting each other.

XxxxxxxxxxWARNING! SENSITIVE SCENE!xxxxxxxxxX

I thought I was prepared for the gruesome scene, but it still made me sick to the stomach. Slowpokes were lying everywhere in the cave with their tails cut. The damp ground was stained by the lots of blood the poor Pokémon had lost. There were only a few Slowpokes who still had their tails intact. The reason why they were spared was probably because Ash had ambushed Team Rocket with his Pokémon who bravely fought against Team Rocket's Pokémon. My brother and his party were getting overwhelmed, but that mysterious person with the black hood helped him out with their Sneasel and a Croconaw.

"This is…horrifying!" Misty gasped at the sight of the bloodbath.

"We've got to help them!" Brock shouted.

"I'm going…!" I breathed deeply before I ran down a path leading to the battlefield. I was feeling lightheaded by the sight of the blood, but the adrenaline was pumping too high. Seeing the Slowpokes being in so much pain angered me so much.

"More intruders!" a Team Rocket grunt alerted.

I grabbed two of my Poké Balls and threw them after seeing what type the evil guys' Pokémon were. "Mystic, Cedric! Attack Team Rocket's Pokémon with Extrasensory and Bite!" I shouted.

"Taaar!"

"Togiprii!"

My two Pokémon immediately attacked the enemy with their powers. Mystic's psychic powers threw back the Pokémon and Cedric bit them hard to leave dents on their bodies.

"Sneasel, use Icy Wind on the ground!" the Trainer with the back hood called.

"Sneaaaa!" Sneasel breathed the icy wind on the soaked floor and froze it instantly. Team Rocket and some of their bipedal Pokémon got their feet frozen into the ice, which immobilized them.

"Croconaw, use Ice Fang on the Golbats!" the Trainer commanded his evolved Starter Pokémon.

"Naaaw!" Croconaw roared before it jumped up and bit one Golbat after another on their wings. The Golbats got some ice on their wings, which made them difficult to fly.

"Ivysaur, use Razor Leaf of the Raticates! Cyndaquil, use Flamethrower on the Golbats! Wartortle, use Bubble Beam on the Koffings!" Ash shouted.

The three Pokémon of the basic types did what Ash told them and knocked quickly out the opposing Pokémon. The Golbats and Koffings dropped down to the ground like Cutieflies.

"Enough!" a masculine voice yelled from the Team Rocket crowd. The grunts stepped aside and allowed a man in his thirties step toward us. I could feel the aura of authority around him. He must be the leader of this group of Team Rocket.

"Executive Proton! These Trainers are outmatching us!" one grunt reported.

"These little pipsqueaks?" Proton glared before he actually punched the grunt in the face. I flinched by the scene and instinctively covered my mouth in horror. Did the leader really just punch one of his subordinates?

"This is what happens when you don't train your Pokémon enough to deal with such pathetic Trainers!" Proton growled aggressively.

"Pathetic?!" Ash responded angrily, obviously offended.

Proton wiped his bloody hand clean while the fallen grunt got help to stand up by two of his comrades. "It was one thing with the old man trying to stop us, but now there's a whole caravan here!" he glared at each and every one of us, including Misty, Brock and Kurt who stayed behind in a safe distance. "We've got more than enough Slowpoke tails, so we're bailing out of here! Weezing!"

"Wheeezing!" a large Weezing floated up before it released a Smokescreen from its body. The entire cave got engulfed and blocked the view. I quickly crouched down and wrapped my arms around Cedric and Mystic in case Team Rocket was going to attempt stealing them.

"Come back!" a new voice yelled among the smoke before a few set of footsteps ran past me. "I'm not done with you guys yet!"

"Sneaas!"

"Crocoo!"

I held my breath back for as long as I could. I could hear the splash as Team Rocket ran out of the cave with Slowpokes groaning in pain.

I couldn't hold my breath much longer and gasped loudly just as the smoke dispersed. The cave was empty of Team Rocket, but so was also the mysterious Trainer with the black hood. I sighed in relief and looked down at my Pokémon. "Are you two okay, Cedric, Mystic?"

"Laar!" Cedric nodded.

"Togi…", Mystic chirped before he yawned loudly.

"Ash! Ashley!" Misty yelled as she and Brock ran to us, Kurt still on the former Gym Leader's back. "Are you okay?!"

"Y-Yeah, I think so!" Ash replied while he checked his Pokémon. "They didn't hurt you guys, right?"

His three Pokémon shook their heads, assuring my brother they were okay. Brock put down Kurt on the ground before the old man stumbled slowly toward the closest Slowpoke that got its tail cut off.

"Our poor Slowpokes…", Kurt held back a sob as he gently caressed the Pokémon's back. "How could Team Rocket be so cruel and take your tails…?"

"Sloooow…", the Slowpoke grunted as it shook by all the pain it was enduring.

"We need to get Nurse Joy here to treat all the wounded Slowpokes immediately!" Brock stated.

"But Azalea Town is quite far away from here!" Misty pointed out.

"Does anyone of you have a PokéGear?" Kurt asked.

"I've got one!" Ash called before I could answer.

"Give it to me! I know Azalea Town Pokémon Center's number!" Kurt said.

It didn't take long after the emergency call before not only Nurse Joy showed up in the Slowpoke Well but also Officer Jenny and literally the whole town to treat the Slowpokes. That gave me some time to step out of the cave and breathe in fresh air in my lungs. I could still taste the blood on my lips, even though they never got stained by it.

My clothes, however, were a little dirty and soaked by both blood and water. I knew I was going to have a difficult time washing off the stains once I'm back in Azalea Town.

I looked around and noticed there were no signs of Team Rocket. They must have fled quickly so there was no evidence left of them assaulting the Slowpokes, except for the few blood stains on the dry land.

Team Rocket… I knew the people involved with the organization were awful, but I never once thought they would take such extreme measurements to hurt Pokémon. Jessie, James and Meowth were way gentler than them and all they wanted was to steal our Pokémon.

I had a bad feeling this wasn't the last time we encountered those evil people. If they were after the Slowpoke tails to make money, then they were probably planning something huge and they needed money for it.

XXXXXXXXXX

Ashley's party:

Cedric the Larvitar (male)

Trica the Furret (female)

Hikaru the Flaaffy (male)

Mystic the Togepi (male)

XXXXXXXXXX

Ash's party:

Ivysaur (male)

Pikachu (male)

Wartortle (male)

Heracross (male)

Chikorita (female)

Cyndaquil (male)

XXXXXXXXXX

Misty's party:

Goldeen (female)

Staryu (genderless)

Psyduck (male)

Togepi (female)

Poliwag (male)

XXXXXXXXXX

Brock's party:

Geodude (male)

Onix (male)

Zubat (male)

Vulpix (female)