Valencia Island was a lot different than the places Asg had visited during his journey through Kanto. For one the buildings were all overly exaggerated according to Ash, like the Pokemon Center having a 'V' over which the model of a Pokeball nestled.

Ash entered the Pokemon Center and remained for a short time to learn the directions to Professor Ivy's Laboratory and contact his mother to let her know he'd arrived safely.

Professor Ivy's Lab was situated closer to the coast compared to Professor Oak's, which was on top of a hill deep into the Town. Ash hadn't found Professor Ivy there, just three children who turned out to be Professor Ivy's aides. They knew Ash would be coming, so they were left there to greet him. The three took Ash to the beach, where a blue Serpentine Pokemon was nuzzled up to a woman in a swimsuit. Ash had never seen that Pokemon before. Maybe it was the first Orange Archipelago exclusive Pokemon he'd met. He quickly took out his Pokedex to record its data.

"Gyarados, the Atrocious Pokemon, evolved form of Magikarp. Once Gyarados goes on a rampage, its ferociously violent blood doesn't calm until it has burned everything down. There are records of this Pokémon's rampages lasting a whole month."

Evolved form of Magikarp…

Ash looked up at the Pokemon and thought about his Magikarp back at the lab. If he trained a bit longer with the Pokemon it would evolve into this destructive Pokemon.

"You must be Ash!" the woman said, now wearing a Lab Coat over her swimsuit. "Professor Oak said you'd be coming. Come, I'll show you the mystery ball."

Xxx

"We have tried everything to try and get it to open, but nothing worked" the Professor explained with a sigh.

Ash was staring at the object of her ire now, a golden Pokeball with an odd carving on the top half that looked curiously like the letters 'G' and 'S'. But Ash couldn't see anything else other than its looks that would suggest it was anything but a Pokeball.

He picked the thing up and pressed the button. No, it was not a button. The round shape at the front seemed to be a design rather than a button. Ash looked at the dividing line between the top and bottom halves. He scratched at it with his nail, much to the complaints of the three aides. The line seemed to be genuine, not a design like the 'button'.

Ash brought out one of his Pokeballs and held it in one hand while the other hand held the golden ball.

"What are you doing?" Professor Ivy asked curiously.

"Trying to see if there's anything inside it" Ash muttered. The golden ball seemed heavier. Ash put the Pokeball away and brought out another that contained a Pokemon. Now the one with the Pokemon seemed heavier.

"And?"

"I have no idea" Ash grinned, much to the amusement of the Professor. "I'll bring this to Professor Oak. But can I leave it to you for safekeeping for now?"

"Aren't you going to return immediately?" Professor Ivy raised a brow.

"No. I'm going to take part in the Orange Conference here. Which was why Professor Oak asked me to retrieve it."

Professor Ivy's eyes lit up hearing that.

"So you're a Pokemon Trainer as well!" she paused a moment, "would you like to have a battle?"

The question made her aides sigh dramatically, but Ash was ecstatic to have a battle. It had been a while since he'd been part of a Pokemon Battle.

Xxx

Professor Ivy led Ash through her enclosure to take him to the battlefield out back, where Ash saw Pokemon he knew that looked different than the ones he'd seen in Kanto. Like a Butterfree with different wing patterns, a tan Weepinbell and Paras with different Mushroom patterns. Professor Ivy told him how the geographical aspects and food habits influence Pokemon and how even Pokemon of similar species differ from region to region.

That was what she researched here, so she was extremely excited to tell Ash all about it.

The battlefield was situated far from the Laboratory and the enclosure, on top of a cliff at the edge of the Island. The field was the rough ground of the cliff itself, the markings drawn up with paint.

"We'll hold a three-on-three battle. No switching is allowed, and we can't use the same Pokemon for consecutive rounds unless it is the last Pokemon in your party. The one with the most Pokemon standing wins" Professor Ivy declared and Ash agreed to the terms.

Professor Ivy brought out her Pokemon first, doing an exaggerated dance as she threw her Pokeball.

"Vileplume, the Flower Pokemon, evolved form of Gloom. Vileplume has the world's largest petals. They are used to attract prey that are then doused with toxic spores. Once the prey are immobilized, this Pokémon catches and devours them."

A grass-type Pokemon still, and he knew just the Pokemon to send. Except before he could, Wartortle popped out of his Pokeball and stood ready to battle.

"A Water Type? You must not know about type advantages" Professor Ivy commented.

Wartortle let out and huff and demanded Ash to let him battle with a look. Ash snorted, before nodding.

Professor Ivy called for Stun Spore and Ash called for Wartortle to use Hydro Pump. The water got rid of the spores and Wartortle immediately followed it up with a Skull Bash. Vileplume skidded back from the hit and Wartortle used Hydro Pump to throw himself far from Vileplume when it used Stunspore again. Vileplume used Razor Leaf and Wartortle withdrew into his shell and tanked the hit. Wartortle used Hydro Pump again and this time instead of using it on Vileplume, Ash commanded him to use it to propel himself while he was still in his shell into Vileplume. The hit made Vileplume stumble back and Wartortle followed it up quickly with an Ice Punch that froze Vileplume's flower. Professor Ivy's Vileplume struggled to thaw itself out but Wartortle's combination of Skull Bashes and Ice Punches knocked the Pokemon out.

"I was wrong about you" Professor Ivy said with genuine glee as both of them called their Pokemon back. Professor Ivy sent out Raticate next and Ash sent out his Pikachu.

Professor Ivy called for a Quick Attack and Ash commanded Pikachu to match it with its own Quick Attack. The Professor quickly switched tactics and ordered Raticate to use Hyper Fang and Ash told Pikachu to use Double Team and continue to use Quick Attack. Pikachu and his clones ran circles around Raticate, chipping away with Quick Attack while Raticate tried and failed to hit the real Pikachu. Ash called for a Thunder when he saw how tired Raticate had gotten and the move knocked it out.

"I haven't had this much fun in a long time!" Professor Ivy said with glee and switched to her final Pokemon, the Gyarados from before. Ash sent out his Charizard, who looked ready for the challenge.

Gyarados started with a Hyper Beam that Charizard countered and overpowered with a Fire Blast. He quickly drew in close and landed a Slash, before flying around the Atrocious Pokemon and landing consecutive Slashes. Charizard quickly finished the Pokemon off with a Seismic Toss.

Charizard looked disappointed by the battle.

Professor Ivy on the other hand looked gutted that she'd lost.

"You are not a good battler," said one of the three aides.

"So you better just stick to your research," said another one.

It only sent Professor Ivy into a depressive spiral and made Ash chuckle nervously. The third aide walked up to Ash with a grim look.

"She'll recover from this, don't worry. It'll take time but she'll be okay" the aide assured him. If you want to take part in the Orange Conference, you should take the ferry to Tangelo Island and register yourself there for the league. We'll keep the GS Ball safe for you here."

"Thank you" Ash smiled at the girl, before laughing nervously when Professor Ivy dramatically fell over.