I had so much fun writing this chapter, especially the flirting from Gary and Ashley's obliviousness about his attempts to get her attention.
Disclaimer: I do not own any Pokémon characters! I only own my OCs!
Chapter 38: Extreme Pokémon!
We left Ecruteak City a week ago and were about halfway to Mahogany Town. The route took us through mountains and hills with spectacular views. Wild Pokémon lived freely and didn't show much hostility, so the trip was quite calm. Except for that one time we encountered an aggressive Ursaring and we had to run for our lives.
We were in the midst of a valley with the summer sun scorching us, but the wind blowing around us was cold enough to keep us going. We reached the top of a hill and spotted a town guarded by the mountains.
"Look! A town!" Ash exclaimed in relief.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu cheered happily.
"That must be the landmark that shows we're halfway to Mahogany Town", I pointed out.
"You're right, Ashley", Brock said as he grabbed his guidebook. "This town is called Eggseter."
"Eggseter?" I repeated confusedly. "That's a weird name."
"I just hope they have a nice restaurant 'cause I'm starving", Misty commented just as her stomach growled out loud.
"Same", Ash chuckled as his stomach joined the symphony.
"Your stomachs growled at the same time", I giggled.
"Oooowl!"
Something suddenly howled behind us which caught our attention. An Arcanine was running on the path where we were standing, so we jumped to the side to give way. I saw Arcanine had a collar around its neck that was connected to a rope held by Gary who was skating behind his Pokémon.
"Gary!" Ash and I called out simultaneously.
"Prooth!" Gary shouted to his Arcanine who slowly came to a halt. We rushed to our rival now that we had his attention. "Hey, guys! It's been a while!"
"Yeah, it's nice seeing you again", Ash nodded. "Cool skateboard!"
"Thanks!" Gary replied with a friendly smile.
"Your Arcanine looks great", Misty commented.
"Yeah, I can tell it's well-trained and its coat is groomed to perfection", Brock nodded.
I walked over to Arcanine and held my hand out so it could smell me. It took a few sniffs before it nuzzled my face. I laughed softly at the contact and brushed its thick fur. "You're such a good Pokémon, aren't you, Arcanine?"
"Oowl!" Arcanine barked and gave me a big lick, making me smile and laugh at the affection.
"You like him, Ashley?" Gary spoke up after he cleared his throat. "If you want, I can give you a ride to Eggseter."
I turned to Gary and saw he had a pink blush on his cheeks that weren't there before. Not only that, but Ash and our friends suddenly glared at him like they were warning him for something. I had no idea why they turned so hostile in seconds.
"Excuse me, Gary, but care to tell us some details, huh?" Brock asked, sounding like a protective big brother.
"Yeah, Gary. Do you really just want to give Ashley a ride to town or is there something else we should be worried about?" Misty asked.
"Togi?" Togepi looked just as confused as me.
"W-What?!" Gary exclaimed in disbelief as he acted like a tiny Pokémon being caught in a corner.
"You know I'll never forgive if you hurt my little sister, right?" Ash warned our rival with his eyes narrowed.
"Pika…", Pikachu growled through his gritted teeth.
"It was just a friendly gesture!" Gary shouted back with his cheeks burning red.
"Uh-huh…", Ash mumbled, not looking so convinced. That expression quickly got wiped when he got an idea. "Hey, Gary! How about we have that battle we promised from last time?"
"I'd love to, but I'm busy", Gary responded after the color on his face returned to normal. "My Arcanine and I have to be in our best shape for tomorrow's race."
"A race?" I repeated in surprise as I walked back to my brother.
"Yep!" Gary nodded. "It's the Extreme Pokémon championship."
"Wow, that sounds so cool!" Ash exclaimed before his smile briefly dropped. "But…does that mean Pokémon have to wear collars like your Arcanine?"
"Yep, it's part of the rules and only during the competition", Gary explained. "It's removed as soon as the contest is over. You can get more info in town. I've got to continue training with Arcanine. See ya later!"
"Ooowl!" Arcanine howled before it took off with Gary skating on his skateboard behind his Pokémon. They jumped off a hill and landed safely before they continued going down the grassy hills. There were other Trainers skating with their Pokémon in the valley for tomorrow's race.
"Whoa, this is what you call radical sport!" Brock gasped.
"It looks very dangerous", Misty commented flabbergasted.
"Togi."
"I agree", I nodded as I observed both the humans and Pokémon's expression. "But…it looks like they are enjoying themselves."
"I have mixed feelings about this…", Ash mumbled.
"Pika?"
"Let's get more info in Eggseter and grab some lunch", Brock suggested.
My stomach rumbled at the sound of lunch. "Yeah… I'm starving."
XXXXXXXXXX
We found a restaurant where we ate a delicious lunch. It brightened up my mood, but Ash was still feeling a little down by the contest. "Ash, are you still upset about the collar thing?" Misty wondered.
"Yeah… It just doesn't feel right for Pokémon to wear collars", my brother sighed while hugging Pikachu.
"Pika."
"But Arcanine didn't seem to mind it", Brock spoke up. "And Gary said it's only wearing the collar during the race."
"That's right", a man in his sixties spoke up from a table next to ours. "It's part of the rules of the Extreme Pokémon race. It's the most popular sport here in Eggseter."
"Why is that, sir?" Ash wondered.
"In ancient times, long before we had cars and trains and other transport, humans used Pokémon to ride from place to place", the man explained. "Now it's reserved for the annual competition."
"That makes sense…", I mumbled and rubbed my chin. "Before cars and such existed, the only way for humans to get to different towns fast was by riding Pokémon…"
"What is this competition about, sir?" Misty asked.
"Each Trainer rides a skateboard pulled by a Pokémon in a race to the finish line", the man answered. "The championship takes place tomorrow, so every Trainer who is eager to participate is practicing with their Pokémon in the valley. People love watching the race so we get visitors coming from miles away."
"So that's why Gary's training his Arcanine", Brock nodded.
"Maybe they will win the competition tomorrow", Misty said.
"Not if I join the race!" Ash suddenly declared and stood up from his chair. "If I can't challenge Gary to a Pokémon battle, then I'll beat him in the race!"
"Pika pika!" Pikachu cheered eagerly.
"I thought you didn't want to join the race because of the collar", I commented, surprised by my brother's change of heart. Then again, he loved competing with Gary in every possible way, just like when we were kids.
"But, Ash, you need to practice for the race", Misty reminded him.
"And you don't even have a skateboard or a collar for a Pokémon", Brock added.
"Oh…right…", Ash mumbled in defeat.
"Say, young man", the elderly man spoke up. "Do you really want to join the competition?"
"Of course I do!" Ash nodded determinedly.
"In that case, I can help you", the man smiled warmly. "I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Shellby and I run a Pokémon Daycare here in Eggseter."
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Shellby. My name is Ash and this is Pikachu."
"Pika, pikachu!"
"I'm Ashley, his twin brother", I stood up from my seat and bowed to Mr. Shellby.
"I'm Misty and this is Togepi, my little baby."
"Togipriii!"
"And I'm Brock, a Pokémon Breeder."
Mr. Shellby led us outside to a wagon pulled by a Tauros. Ash and I greeted Tauros before we climbed onboard the wagon that was partially full of hay. The elderly man led us to the outskirts of Eggseter where we saw several Pokémon Daycare.
"Excuse me, Mr. Shellby, but what is a Pokémon Daycare?" Ash asked.
"It's a daycare that cares and protects Pokémon Eggs and the babies that hatches from them until we either put them up for adoption or release them to the wild", Mr. Shellby explained.
"That sounds like a very tough job", Misty said.
"It is, but it's very rewarding seeing the little ones hatch and grow up into strong Pokémon", Mr. Shellby smiled. "Each Daycare center here specializes in different egg groups to make sure it's properly balanced and the peace and harmony remains the same."
That caught my attention. "Is there a daycare here that specializes in the dragon egg group?"
"Unfortunately no because there are only very few dragon Pokémon in Johto", Mr. Shellby delivered the bad news.
It hurt my soul for a second. I had hoped to visit a daycare and see if I could adopt a Dratini. "No…"
Ash patted my head while we sat in the hay. "Don't worry, Ashley. You will find dragons soon."
"Noo…", I pouted in defeat and hugged my legs to my chest.
"It's no wonder why there are Pokémon Daycares here", Brock spoke up to break the ice. "The air quality and fertile soil makes it perfect to breed and raise baby Pokémon."
"That is one of the reasons why there are many nesters here", Mr. Shellby nodded. "The folklore says that before the first car ever existed, when there was a sick Pokémon, humans used their Pokémon to travel fast to the closest town to get treatment. That is how Extreme Pokémon was born."
We pulled up by a cute house with a large garden and a stable. Mr. Shellby removed the wagon strapped onto Tauros and led it to the stable before he led us into his home. "Hi, honey! I'm home!"
An elderly woman around the same age as Mr. Shellby walked out to the hallway to meet us. "Welcome home, darling. I see you brought some visitors", she smiled while carrying a yellow and black Pokémon Egg.
"Hello, ma'am!" Ash, our friends and I greeted the woman who I suspected was Mr. Shellby's wife.
"This young man is Ash and he wants to take part of the race tomorrow", Mr. Shellby nodded at my brother. "Kids, this is my wife Mrs. Shellby."
"You must have come a long way to Eggseter", Mrs. Shellby smiled warmly which reminded me of mom's smile. "Please take a seat while I bring some refreshment."
"Can I help you, Mrs. Shellby?" I slowly raised my hand. I felt like I should help her even though I was a guest.
"Only if you insist", Mrs. Shellby giggled lightly.
Mr. Shellby went outside to get something while his wife led us to the living room. We saw a shelf full of Pokémon Eggs where she put the egg she had in her arms. I followed her to the kitchen and helped her pour some juice in glasses before we brought them out to the living room.
"There are so many different Pokémon Eggs", Ash commented while I sat down on my seat and took a sip of my drink.
"And every one of them has a different pattern too", Misty added.
"The patterns can tell us what the Pokémon inside the egg might hatch into", Mrs. Shellby explained as she gently caressed the shell of the one she carried before. "This one arrived safely yesterday."
"So the Pokémon in the eggs is a mystery for a Trainer who is not used to breeding Pokémon?" I asked.
"Yes, but if you pay attention to the details, you might figure out what the egg might hatch into", Mrs. Shellby said.
A couple of tiny Pokémon walked into the living room and went straight to us. They consisted of Wooper, Aipom, Teddiursa and Natu. They looked so small and young compared to the ones I've seen in the wild.
"Aww, they are so adorable!" Misty said in awe before she crouched down and patted them gently. She even allowed Togepi to play with them.
"It's hard to believe that every Pokémon are once so small and they can grow into large Pokémon", Ash chuckled and smiled at Pikachu. "Like you, buddy."
"Pika!" Pikachu smiled in return.
I got down on my knees and let the baby Pokémon climbed onto my lap. I giggled at their playfulness and gently caressed their soft bodies. Teddiursa's fur was so soft like a stuffed animal. "You are so cute", I told them in a very soft voice and gently hugged Teddiursa. "One day you'll become powerful Pokémon that will rule them all."
"Ursa!" Teddiursa laughed and cuddled with me.
"Are they your Pokémon?" Brock asked the married woman.
"Why, yes, Brock", Mrs. Shellby nodded. "This is our little group of babies."
Mr. Shellby returned to us and wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder. "I've prepared everything, Ash. Come and take a look outside."
"Okay?" Ash said confusedly.
We went outside to the garden and found two skateboards with Pokémon collars and protective gear. They were a little worn and dusty, but it looked like they could still be used.
"My wife and I used these a long time ago, but they are in good shape to participate in the race", Mr. Shellby explained.
"That's so cool!" Ash exclaimed in awe. "Thanks, Mr. Shellby! I'm gonna take a test ride with the skateboard only!"
Seeing the skateboards made me itch for a test ride myself. "Umm… Can I try the other skateboard, sir?"
"Of course you can, Ashley", Mr. Shellby smiled softly.
"Wait! Can you use a skateboard, Ashley?" Misty asked surprised.
"Just watch, Misty", Ash chuckled while he put the protective gear and helmet on. I did the same thing and strapped the elbow and knee gears before the helmet. I grabbed the blue skateboard while Ash took the red one and we got onto them. We took a short moment to trigger the muscle memory before we started skating around the garden.
I was a little stunned that I could still remember how to ride a skateboard. Last time I did it was the year before Ash and I turned ten and started our journey. We would use flattened cardboard boxes and slide down the hills around Pallet Town and enjoy the wind smashing against our faces.
Ash was bolder than me so he did some stunts like jumping with the skateboard and landing perfectly. I tried the same trick, but my landing was quite wobbly.
"Well, I'm impressed!" Brock exclaimed after we finished testing the skateboards. "I knew Ash might know how to use a skateboard, but I didn't expect it from you, Ashley."
"It's actually thanks to Ash that I can use a skateboard", I confessed. "He's bolder than me, so whenever I saw him doing something outside of my comfort zone, I wanted to follow him so I wouldn't be the odd one out."
"Did you ever force her doing stuff, Ash?" Misty wondered with a cautious glare.
"I never once forced her into anything", Ash replied, coming to my defense. "In fact, I'd tell her not try doing some stunts, but she insisted…and sometimes succeeded."
"May I take it that you want to join the race, Ashley?" Mr. Shellby asked.
"Umm…", I glanced down at the skateboard, pondering about the matter. I did have fun using the skateboard, but perhaps it could get better if I participated in the race with one of my Pokémon just to get the experience. "Sure, why not."
"Yes! Then we've got double the chance on beating Gary!" Ash pumped his fist.
"Pika!" Pikachu cheered.
"Let's practice more!" Ash exclaimed and skated ahead.
"Wait for me!" I yelled after my brother before I took chase.
We rolled down a tiny hill to get used to the sensation and see how fast we were going so we could turn and brake in time. Ash went a little too fast and was rolling toward a boulder. "Ash, turn!" I yelled at him while slowing down my skateboard without falling off.
"I caaaaan't!" Ash shrieked as he got closer to the boulder. He didn't have enough time to dodge, so he went straight at it. The collision sent him flying before he continued rolling down the hill toward a chasm where a river flowed through.
"Go, Arcanine!"
Before we knew it, an Arcanine ran up and blocked the path so Ash rolled straight into soft fur. I braked by the boulder and got off the skateboard to grab Ash's before I slide down the rest of the hill on my feet. It turned out Ash's saviors were Gary and Arcanine.
"Ash, are you okay?!" I called out as soon as I reached the boys.
"Yeah, I'm fine thanks to Arcanine and Gary", Ash nodded before he got up on his feet.
"Huh…", Gary mumbled before he saw the skateboards and got a serious glance. "I see you can't turn away from a challenge like always, Ash."
"Nope! And I'm gonna beat you tomorrow!" Ash returned the glance.
"I get it why you would enter the race, Ash, but why are you joining too, Ashley?" Gary wondered. "It's a dangerous sport for girls, so you should sit out on this and watch me win with my impressive skills." He finished the sentence by flicking his bangs.
"Why should I?" I asked. "If Ash can join, so can I."
Gary muttered something that I couldn't hear before he turned to my brother. "If you want to get humiliated by me and Arcanine, feel free to join the race, Ash."
"I'm gonna make you eat my dust, Gary", Ash retorted.
"We'll see 'bout that. See ya tomorrow!" Gary said before he winked at me. "And do your best, Ashley!" He called out before he took off with Arcanine.
"Um… Thanks…?" I tilted my head to the side at the wink. I used to be uncomfortable with it, but now it was okay, even though I didn't understand why he did that to me.
Ash growled deeply from his throat. "I'm gonna make him stop flirting with you, Ashley…!"
"Flirting?" I repeated the word confusedly. "Like…what Brock does to the girls he meets?"
"Exactly!" Ash nodded before he grabbed his skateboard.
"But…Brock's flirting is completely different compared to Gary's."
"Flirting comes in different ways, Ashley. You don't have to pay attention to Gary."
"O…kay?" I still had no idea what flirting and love was about, even though my brother and our friends tried explaining it occasionally in the best way they could for my brain to process and connect the dots.
We returned to the Shellby's garden after a little more training to turn and brake. My muscles already felt a little sore, but it still was nothing. I had a feeling the race was going to be far worse than this.
"Now that you've got the basics covered, you need to choose a Pokémon who you can become one with by character, trust and physical strength", Mr. Shellby informed us. His wife had returned to the house to check the eggs.
"And according to the rules, you're not allowed to switch Pokémon during the race", Brock pointed out.
"Have you two decided which Pokémon you're gonna use?" Misty wondered.
"Hmm…", Ash hummed and glanced at Pikachu who eagerly held the collar even though it was too large for him. "Sorry, buddy, but you're not strong enough to pull me on my skateboard. I need to pick a large Pokémon with lots of physical strength and speed."
"How about Bayleef?" I suggested. "She's large enough and got lots of energy."
"That's it!" Ash snapped his fingers before he reached for his belt. "That's a great choice! Thanks, Ashley! Bayleef, I choose you!"
"Be baay!" Bayleef shrieked in joy before she nuzzled my brother, making him laugh by the tickling affection.
"Bayleef, we're going to take part of a race tomorrow, so we need to practice a lot today", Ash told her.
"Bay!" Bayleef nodded and moved back before she stood ready, knowing it was time to be serious.
"What about you, Ashley?" Misty asked.
"Well…", I closed my eyes and went through my selection of Pokémon in my head. "The only Pokémon I can think of is Axel, but… Are flying-type Pokémon allowed in the race?"
"They are", Mr. Shellby replied.
"Then I'm going with Axel", I nodded and called him out.
"Scytheer!" Axel screeched and stretched his scythe arms.
"Axel, we're competing in a race tomorrow with Ash and Bayleef, so we need to do a last minute practice", I explained the situation for him. "Will you join me in the race?"
"Scytheer!" Axel nodded with a big smile.
"Great choices, kids", Mr. Shellby nodded. "I suggest you start training with your Pokémon for a while before the next phase."
"The next phase?" Ash and I repeated simultaneously.
"In the second part of the race, the Trainers must carry a dummy egg to the finish line", the elderly man explained. "If you drop it, you must pick it up, but your opponent might get a lead if you slow down, so make sure to hold it tight."
"Gotcha!" Ash nodded. "Let's go straight into training, Bayleef!"
"Baay!"
"We can't let Ash and Bayleef down, Axel", I told my partner. "Let's practice as much as we can."
"Scytheer scy!"
Ash and I practiced with our Pokémon for the rest of the day with some breaks in between to hydrate ourselves and feed Bayleef and Axel. After we synced with our Pokémon, we practiced with dummy eggs until the moon was high up in the dark sky. We returned to the Shellby house and ate a delicious dinner before we stayed over for the night. My body was sore after this training, so I hoped it wasn't going to be an obstacle in the race.
XXXXXXXXXX
I was still feeling sore the next day when I woke up early in the morning for the race. Ash and I ate a breakfast full of nourishment cooked by Mrs. Shellby and Mr. Shellby even fed Axel and Bayleef some nutritious Pokémon fodder for extra energy. To make sure our Pokémon wouldn't be too tired by the start line, Mr. Shellby brought us and our friends down to Eggseter before he returned to his house as he and his wife were taking part of the race distributing the dummy eggs to the competitors.
Ash and I were able to enter the race before the registration got closed an hour before the competition. We spent the remaining hours by taking it easy so we wouldn't tire ourselves out physically and mentally. When there was only fifteen minutes left before the competition, we hurried to the start line and set up our gear and prepared our Pokémon just like the other competitors. I double checked the collar on Axel to make sure it wasn't too loose or tight. "Is this okay now, Axel?"
"Sccyt!" Axel nodded.
I noticed there was another Trainer joining the race with his own Scyther, so I was looking forward to see how that contest rival was going to control his Pokémon.
"Ready to beat everyone and win the race, Bayleef?" Ash asked his partner.
"Bay baay!" Bayleef nodded determinedly.
Pikachu couldn't be with Ash during the race, so he stayed with Misty and Brock who sat in the gallery waving to us.
"Huh! So you two didn't back out", Gary spoke up and got between me and my brother with his large Arcanine.
"Owl ooowl!" Arcanine barked eagerly.
"No, of course not!" Ash smirked. "Bayleef and I trained hard yesterday, so prepare for some real competition."
"Not if you guys eat my dust", Gary cackled and put the collar on Arcanine. "And you are really gonna join the race, Ashley?"
"Yes", I replied as I checked my skateboard, feeling the wheels were rolling smoothly.
"Well…", Gary trailed off while I looked at him. "If I win, then I'll dedicate my victory to you."
"Why?" I asked confusedly. "If you win, that's your victory, not mine."
Gary groaned loudly and face palmed himself, which confused me even more. Did I misunderstand something? Ash's reaction of mocking giggles just added more equations that I wasn't able to solve.
Every contestant got into position on their skateboards when fireworks exploded in the sky above us. The race was about to begin.
"Welcome to Eggseter's annual Extreme Pokémon! This year we've got many formidable Trainers and Pokémon who are about to race for the golden Poké Ball trophy! Here are the rules! The course goes through the Eggseter valley and ends at the Shellby Daycare ranch. There the competitors receive a dummy egg they must carry back to the start line that becomes the finish line! If one of the contestants reaches the finish line without the dummy egg first, they are disqualified."
"You two ready?" Gary asked me and my brother.
"Ready as you are", Ash replied.
"Me too", I nodded and kept my eyes on the road ahead.
"Everybody, get on your skateboards because the race is about to start!"
A race lamp lit up its first red light which made everyone, even the Pokémon, tense as we braced ourselves to start racing. I eyed the lamp as it lit up the second and third red lamp before the trio switched color to green.
"GO!" every contestant screamed before the Pokémon took off.
I made sure to have a good grip on my skateboard with my feet so Axel didn't send my flying like with the other Trainer and his Scyther. He literally flew off his skateboard and crashed into another Trainer, which in turn started a chain reaction. Several Trainers and Pokémon knocked into each other, making a huge mess not even less than one-hundred meters from the start line.
"Fly higher, Axel!" I called when I realized we had to fly over the wreck. I pulled my legs up and grabbed my skateboard with one hand so I could jump over the pile of Trainers and Pokémon. It worked out better than I expected and landed safely on the ground with my skateboard, continuing the race with the few contestants who survived that mess. That included Ash and Gary.
We were racing up the mountains and hills of the valley with Gary and Arcanine taking the lead. Ash and I and our Pokémon were actually right behind them, trying to catch up while leaving the other contestants behind several meters from us.
"Heh! Looks like I didn't lose you two in my dust!" Gary laughed.
"Nope! We're here to give you a fair fight!" Ash retorted.
"Let's race to the finish line together!" I smiled, feeling excited by doing something so fun. This must be the first time I actually had fun together with Gary. He really had changed after all the time he used to bully me and kick me out from games whenever I gathered enough courage to ask him and the other kids of Pallet Town if I could play with them.
Arcanine picked up the speed a little, so Axel and Bayleef tried keeping up with him. The race came to an abrupt end when a net was thrown onto Arcanine from the sky. The next thing I knew, Arcanine was lifted up to the sky and Gary crashed onto the ground.
"Gary!" Ash and I called worriedly, coming to a halt next to him.
"Are you okay, Gary?" Ash asked.
Gary grunted as he forced himself up. "Y-Yeah, but what just happened?"
I looked up at the sky and growled when I recognized the Meowth hot-air balloon that had caught Arcanine. "Team Rocket!"
"Yahooo!" the trio shouted from the basket.
"Thanks for the extreme Pokémon, twerp!" Jessie cackled.
"Feel honored, twin-twerps! We don't want your Pokémon today!" James shouted.
"This time, we're taking the big money bag and give it to our boss for a huge promotion!" Meowth laughed.
"Wooobbuffet!" Wobbuffet popped out of nowhere behind Team Rocket who got recalled to his Poké Ball by Jessie.
"No! You can't!" Gary shouted at the evil group.
"So long!" Team Rocket laughed as their balloon started flying away in a faster speed than usual.
"Arcanine!" Gary yelled worriedly.
"I've got an idea!" Ash suddenly called out. "Go, Bayleef!"
"Baay!" Bayleef shrieked and ran after the balloon.
"Ash?!" Gary and I called after him.
I knew my brother could be extreme himself, but this was off the charts. He went flying by using a boulder like a ramp with the help of Bayleef and used the skateboard to puncture the balloon. He held onto the balloon itself as it went out of control and flew like a rocket toward the Shellby Daycare farm.
"Bay baaay!" Bayleef screeched before she started running toward the ranch, worried about her Trainer.
"We must hurry to the ranch fast!" Gary shouted and grabbed his skateboard.
"Gary, get on your skateboard and hold onto me!" I told him. "Axel can pull both of us!"
"'Kay! Thanks, Ashley!" Gary put the skateboard down next to me and got on it before he wrapped his right arm around my waist and grabbed my left shoulder with his left hand. My body reacted on the arm on my waist, but I had no idea why. It was like my skin was getting poked by Gary's touch through my clothes. I couldn't tell if it felt pleasant or uncomfortable. I could figure that out later. We had an emergency to take care of!
"Go, Axel!" I nodded to him.
"Sccytheer!" Axel hissed and took off with me and Gary skating behind him. I threw a quick glance over my free shoulder, seeing the other contestants had almost caught up with us.
Axel picked up the speed with Agility so we could make it to the ranch faster. It was actually forbidden to use moves during the contest, but you could bend the rules when there was trouble like with Team Rocket. I usually followed the rules strictly back when I was much younger until I learned to think on my own and realize it's okay to step outside of the box.
We reached the ranch in time to see an explosion erupt close to the married couple's house and Team Rocket was sent flying far into the sky. "TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"
"WOOOBbufeeet…!"
"Ash!" I yelled as Axel slowly came to a halt before we could crash into the counter full of dummy eggs. Ash was up and running… Well, more like nuzzling Bayleef who eagerly tried hugging him.
"Arcanine!" Gary jumped off his skateboard and rushed to his Pokémon that looked unharmed. "Are you alright?"
"Owl!" Arcanine nodded, his collar still attached to his neck.
"Thanks a lot for saving Arcanine, Ash", our rival said.
"No problem", Ash grinned. "He was a big help defeating Team Rocket."
"Owl!"
"Baay!"
"Is everybody okay?" I asked as I got off my skateboard.
"Yeah, we are now!" Ash nodded with a thumbs up. "Team Rocket tried stealing the real eggs after they crashed, but we got them back!"
"Bay bay!" Bayleef nodded with a big smile.
"Scytheer!" Axel hissed happily by the news.
"Thank goodness no egg came to harm", Mrs. Shellby sighed in relief as she checked the eggs that were in a basket.
"This was the least I expected of the race", Mr. Shellby commented. "But the race must continue."
"Right! I almost forgot about it!" Ash gasped in realization.
"Me too", Gary laughed sheepishly.
"Me three", I giggled sheepishly.
Mr. Shellby grabbed three dummy eggs and gave them to us. "Here you are. Get back to the race and have fun, kids."
"Thank you, Mr. Shellby!" the three of us thanked the adult.
We got onto our skateboards and held the leashes attached to our Pokémon's collars and waited for Mrs. Shellby to send the signal. We could see a cloud of dust in the distance before we heard the stomps of running Pokémon. The other contestants were catching up to us.
"Let the second phase of the race begin!" Mrs. Shellby announced.
"GO!" Ash, Gary and I yelled out as our Pokémon took off to finish the race.
XXXXXXXXXX
The race got so close at the end with me, Ash and Gary in the lead. None of us dropped our dummy eggs and took shortcuts to catch up with each other. At the very end, Bayleef used her big leaf on her head to her advantage at the finish line, crossing it before Arcanine and then I came right after them.
Ash won the race with Gary coming in second and me in third. I wasn't sad for losing at all, not even against Gary. In fact, I was relieved and happy for experiencing something new and quite dangerous. My body had been stiff for almost the entire time, so I was ready to relax for the rest of the day.
XXXXXXXXXX
We stayed in Eggseter for one more night before it was time to continue traveling to Mahogany Town. Gary had also stayed over at the Pokémon Center so we met up with him outside of the facility. Ash had packed his trophy in a parcel that he was going to drop by the mail office and send it home before we leave town.
"That was a great race yesterday, Ash, Ashley", Gary said. "I'm glad you two were my rivals."
"Glad that we were able to race you too, Gary", Ash grinned before he turned serious. "And I look forward battling you in the Johto League."
"Don't think I'll go easy on you both, twins", Gary returned the glare with a smirk. "Next time we meet, I'll crush you."
"We'll see, Gary", I smiled, feeling a lot more confident facing the old bully.
Gary softened his expression and gave me a smile I recognized. It was the type of smile he used to give his fangirls back in Kanto and it nearly made my heart leap in my chest.
"Good luck obtaining the remaining badges. See ya!" Gary walked away with a wave of his hand in the air.
"See you soon, Gary!" Ash called and waved his hand.
"Pika pika!" Pikachu cheered from my brother's shoulder.
"Let's go to the mail office and send the parcel, Ash", Brock told him.
"Right", Ash replied.
It was easy finding the mail office. Ash wrote what the parcel contained for the toll and paid for the stamps before the staff took it to the storage. We then went to the east part of Eggseter where the main road led toward Mahogany Town. To our surprise, the Shellby couple and their Tauros with a wagon were waiting for us. Mr. Shellby even held an egg incubator with a blue teal Pokémon egg inside of it.
"Mr. Shellby? Mrs. Shellby? What are you two doing here?" Ash asked curiously.
"We came to wish you goodbye and thank you once again for saving the eggs from yesterday", Mrs. Shellby smiled warmly.
"This is a special Pokémon egg I selected out just for you, Ash", Mr. Shellby said and held the incubator to my brother. "Please accept it as our token of gratitude."
"Wow! Thanks", Ash said in awe before he gently took the incubator.
"That's your first Pokémon egg, Ash", Brock pointed out.
"That's true", Misty giggled. "Soon you're going to become a father for another baby Pokémon. Right, Togepi?"
"Togiprii!"
"My first egg… I'm almost nervous of dropping it", Ash confessed.
"Now you know how I felt when I carried Mystic's egg…", I commented sheepishly before I patted his shoulder. "But I know you will be very careful, Ash."
"When the egg hatches, use the Poké Ball on top of the incubator to catch it", Mr. Shellby instructed my brother. "You can leave the incubator in any Pokémon Center."
"Thank you so much", Ash bowed his head to the couple. "I promise I will raise the Pokémon well."
"We know you will, Ash", Mrs. Shellby chuckled.
"Good luck with the Johto League, kids. We'll be rooting for you", Mr. Shellby smiled.
With a surprise Pokémon egg now part of our group, we left Eggseter and headed toward the colder parts of Johto where the second to last Gym was waiting for us.
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Ashley's party:
Cedric the Pupitar (male)
Mystic the Togetic (male)
Victor the Houndoom (male)
Axel the Scyther (male)
Lily the Espeon (female)
Queendra the Seadra (female)
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Ashley's Pokémon at the Lab:
Trica the Furret (female)
Wanda the Gyarados (female)
Aria the Lapras (female)
Hikaru the Ampharos (male)
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Ash's party:
Pikachu (male)
Bayleef (female)
Cyndaquil (male)
Croconaw (male)
Shiny Noctowl (male)
Dunsparce (male)
Pokémon Egg
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Ash's Pokémon at the Lab:
Heracross (male)
Tauros (male)
Ivysaur (male)
Snorlax (male)
Kingler (male)
Poliwrath (male)
Wartortle (male)
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Misty's party:
Staryu (genderless)
Psyduck (male)
Togepi (female)
Poliwhirl (male)
Lanturn (female)
Corsola (female)
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Misty's Pokémon in the Cerulean Gym:
Goldeen (female)
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Brock's party:
Geodude (male)
Onix (male)
Crobat (male)
Pineco (male)