Project Rabere

by Erk Rauorfox

When a virus outbreak is found rapidly spreading across Kanto, Ash Ketchum, a high school student studying in Saffron City must make the perilous journey back to Pallet Town to reunite with his mother. Battling through infected pokemon and humans, he must mustered up the courage to lead a group of survivors in his hometown and flourish under these dire times. (Harem, incest)

1. Calm Waters

How this degenerate of a story came to be:

So this silly little story piece came after my recent obsession with zombie media and video games. Zom 100 bucket list, Last Stand: Union City, Project Zomboid, No More Room In Hell and of course for the truly cultured people, the Zombie Retreat series. This story is never meant to be serious or grim, other pokemon zombie fanfics have done a better job illustrating the true horrors of apocalyptic like scenario, ranging from it's political implications, to the disease control measurements and societal consequences. No, this story is focused on the more degenerate side of things where Ash gets a harem of girls overtime during an apocalyptical scenario and the various character developments. The build up would be slow as worldbuilding is often needed in a zombie apocalypse setting, but once it takes steam and the ball starts rolling, expect the raunchy plot to begin. A stupid premise for the fun of it is always a good time for writers like yours truly and frankly, I'm excited.

---

The morning alarm clock beeped with every passing second, earning a series of loud groans from the sleeping occupant in the room. He let out a disgruntled sighed and attempted to switch off the alarm clock by blindly slamming his hand against the button adorning on top of the digital clock. Finally, after a series of swipes, he successfully silenced the wretched contraption that interrupted his peaceful slumber. He let out a sigh and snuggled deeper into his covers, completely undisturbed by otherworldly noise or machines.

That was until his starter showed up.

"Pikapi!" The rapid prodding to his cheeks by the fuzzy electric type earned another grunt from the young man. Twist and turn, he finally caved in and tossed his fleece blanket to aside. The blank canvas that is his ceiling stared right back at him, the dawning realization of a Monday morning brought him wide awake. He has class in an hour, no time for lazing around in bed or procrastinating. His hands naturally reached the top of his starter's head and rubbed them softly, earning a content squeak from the adorable Pikachu that he had known for his whole life. Cuddly, determined and ever so cheeky, Pikachu has been with him through thick and thin. In fact, his starter was the only connection and daily reminder of his hometown Pallet Town. As a student aspiring to obtain his trainer license, he like many other of his peers travelled far and wide to study in the prestigious Saffron Trainers Academy, the certified high school in Kanto that allows students to obtain their pokemon license. The academy offers wide array of courses ranging from standard Trainer courses, Coordinator courses and even Performer courses. Located in the heart of the sprawling metropolitan city of Saffron City, the high school is notoriously difficult to get into due to the stringent exams and the high influx of students. For the young man however, life of a big city drastically differs from the quiet and quaint life he knew from growing up in Pallet Town. Certainly, it was a nice change of pace and is far more exciting, but he dearly missed home and of course, his beloved mother.

His pensive mood was soon broken when his starter brought his toothbrush to his bed with toothpaste already squeezed on the bristles. The young man let out a chuckle and patted his head for a job well's done, at least someone was actively looking out for his personal hygiene.

"Thanks Pikachu, come on let's get ready." Satisfied with the headpats, Pikachu leaped of the bed and patiently waited near the door. The high school is quite the walking distance, but the trade off was that the rent was much cheaper and they get to enjoy the beautiful scenery. Despite being labelled as a concrete jungle with towering skyscrapers occupying much of the city's skyline, Saffron has little alleyways and neighbourhood lush with vegetation and parks. It is these little retreats that you would find the most amount of wild pokemon. The electric type's ear twitched to the sound of his trainer walking up to him, he scooped the fuzzy electric type in his arms and opened the door. Dressed in his gray khaki pants, black shirt and stylish blue jacket with sporty white streaks, the young man looked fresh and ready for the day ahead.

"Oops almost forgot." The red hat adorned with a pokeball symbol was firmly placed on top of his head, completing his outfit as a whole. Soon enough, the pair of friends exited the compound of the apartment and made their way towards the school. The row of restaurants and luxury good brands lined against the streets, the road was flooded with cars, lorries and trucks. The symphony of car honks and sirens blaring loudly had become an incredibly familiar process to the duo, completely unfazed by how unruly life of a city can be sometimes.

"Uwah, I hope Miss Roxanne ends the class early." The lament from his trainer earned a nod from the electric pokemon. Miss Roxanne is the well loved homeroom teacher, she is easy going and friendly to all of her students but her impressive knowledge of pokemon and battle tactics truly made her popular among the students. Despite her strong academic background and renowned scholar status, she absolutely despite grading students based on test papers and exams alone, she values the bonds and values shared between pokemon and trainers. To her, it doesn't matter if you are the most brilliant trainer in the world if you can't even properly care or bond with your pokemon.

Stepping into the shade of the sidewalk, the duo finally reached the grand entrance of the school. Students from different social backgrounds can be seen mingling together with their starter pokemon by their side. Technically minors are not allowed to own a pokemon and must be registered under an adult or guardian, but for education purposes, students enrolled in academies are permitted to bring home their chosen starter as a testament to their ability to bond and care for their pokemon. As he reached the large foyer of the school, a familiar figure dressed in black button up shirt and long gray jeans showed up with his stylish sunglasses tucked inside his breast pocket.

"Well, well, well if it isn't Ash Ketchum." The grandson of the esteemed Pokemon researcher Samuel Oak. Gary Oak is considered a prodigy in pokemon battles. Naturally, prestige and privilege comes hand in hand at shaping his character, and while he is considered cocky and condescending to others, he had particularly mellow out in his teenage years where he learned to be more humble and understanding. Now he is easily one of Ash's best friends, the genius and troublemaker of the group, there would never be a dull moment with him.

"Hey Gary, you showed up early." The charismatic young gentleman slipped his hands in his pockets as he walked alongside his childhood friend. Having to obtain his driving license at a young age, Gary is a proud owner of a red sporty sedan, much to the envy of the other boys in school. How he managed to obtain his license at the age of 15 is best not discussed.

"Perks for having a car." Ash narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms briefly.

"Honestly how do you beat the morning traffic?" The young Oak shuddered, the trauma of driving in the big city would forever scar him forever. Petrol ain't cheap and being stuck at the same spot for 20 minutes straight was not a fun experience.

"With determination and a whole lot of patience. Also waking up bright and early also helps." Ash was just thankful that everything in reach is within walking distance. The convenient store is nearby, the clinic and supermarket is just within a 15 minutes walk. Public transport within the city is remarkably cheap and efficient too, which is essential given the city is condensed and overpopulated.

"You excited for the test results?" At the mention of their mock test, Gary scoffed and held his nose up high. He was absolutely confident that he score with flying colours, he is a natural when it comes to pokemon battles and his genius, it's almost frightening.

"Ashy boy you know I'm gonna ace it, Squirtle and I are unstoppable. Not sure about Chase though." Energetic, methodical and chivalrous, Chase is Ash's other childhood best friend who also hails from Pallet Town. His friendly demeanour made him easily likeable if not gullible. He is absolutely ecstatic about his future pokemon journey, it's a once in a life time oppurtunity and he is not going to squander the chance.

"Eh he would be fine, I know he struggled on the theoretical test but he is a natural when it comes to battles." It was a fair exaggeration on Ash's part, but Chase is pretty gifted in his instinct driven battle style. The man's intuition and quick thinking really shines in situation where he is in a pinch.

"He is good I give him that, but no way can't he ever beat me." Passing by the hallways and row lockers, students from different classes socialized and chat with one another. Their starters playfully greet each other or snooze in their arms, it was a sight that you only get to witness in trainer's schools because despite the harmonious relationship between human and pokemon, modern machinery and technology had slowly replaced traditional pokemon roles and work. It has it positives however, many pokemon now act as companions or even substitutes for children, with many working adults now adopting domesticated pokemon.

"You do have the type advantage." The deadpanned tone from Ash was driving Gary nuts, so what he has a type advantage? A-A truly skilled trainer can easily overwhelm the odds and win the battle, sure it inherently gives Gary's Squirtle a distinct advantage over Chase's Charmander, but that should not be counted as an excuse.

"Type advantage isn't everything Ash! We all know that." Pushing the buttons of Gary Oak is what Ash do best and like every annoying friend, he intends to push on.

"That is you just coping right now, you almost lost to him last time." The exasperated look on the normally cool and cocky Gary Oak was hilarious to watch, the young Oak lost his cool for a moment and raised his voice just slight.

"Almost lost to him is different from actually losing to him." Ash merely nodded to him, ignoring the fuming look plastered on his face. Pride and ego, two fragile things in life that Gary so desperately cling onto. In hindsight, it made Ash wonder why Gary cared so much at how people view him, perhaps the prestigious title as the grandson of the great Samuel Oak is not as glamorous as Ash's initially thought.

"Gary!" The sound of a high pitch voice turned heads and raised eyebrows. A girl of their age came running up to Gary with her sleeveless tank top and short mini-skirt earning the attention of many onlookers, particularly males. She gave a cute giggle when she felt Gary's hands wrapped around the back of her waist, dangerously close to her short mini-skirt that flapped with every swung of her legs.

"Hey babe, whatcha doing here? Isn't class starting?" Ash awkwardly crossed his arm as the two star-struck lovers began to held each other intimately. As the single friend who never went on dates or court a girl before, it was another painful reminder to Ash that he is destined to be alone, well until he puts actual effort in dating a girl. His studies is more important right now.

"I wanted to see you~ are we going out to the cafe you promised me?" The pouty expression from his girlfriend earned a chuckle from Gary. He rubbed her back up and down and felt his fingers sinking into the thin fabric of her tank top. His mind rapidly went to the plethora of things they could do after they finish their little date, none of which are worth mentioning for now.

"Yeap, so get ready okay?" The girl squealed in the delight and snaked her arms around Gary's neck, pushing her entire weight of her body against his broad chest. The effects of a pretty girl pinning her warm body to Gary's chest was apparent, and the result was a resounding yes.

"Ah you're the best! Oh I got to go now, love you!" With a quick peck to his cheek, the girl finally released her grip around him and went to her classroom. Gary cleared his throat and averted his gaze from the whispering onlookers from the halls. The envious looks, the flushed expression, and the unfazed eyes, all of it was an incredibly familiar scene to him. Finally, his gaze turn to his best friend whom stared at him with a stoic and calm expression. Clearly, he was used to this.

"What?" The young Ketchum uncrossed his arms and proceeded to walk, causing Gary to quicken his step just to catch up with him.

"Nothing." His lips curled upwards, what he is hearing from Ash is unfiltered jealousy. He slapped on his sunglasses despite being in an indoor environment, yet none can deny that his stylish look outweighed the questionable practically.

"Don't be jealous Ash, it's not my fault for being so handsome and charismatic." The man's ego was larger than life itself, but Ash didn't exactly mind that. It was part of Gary's charm and seeing someone so full of himself made Ash thankful that he still can poke fun at himself time and time again. The man is a living reminder what pride and ego can do to a person, both positively and negatively.

"I will give you guys two months max, how did you two even meet?" As if he expecting the question, Gary effortlessly pulled out his phone from his pocket and double tap the screen with his thumb. The lock screen wallpaper was the predictable picture of him hugging his girlfriend from behind. He unlocked the screen went and click on an online dating app solely for pokemon trainers.

"Online, she was down for some fun and I was too. We happened to match and well, she lives nearby." The track record of Gary Oak was beyond impressive, he had multiple flings and girlfriends in the past. Each never lasting more than a few months or even weeks, yet they were all hot and ready to have a good time. In hindsight, Gary isn't exactly hurting anyone considering everyone he dated so far had always sought the thrill of speed dating, in fact all of them still are good terms with him, in more ways than one. But as the conversation between friends came to an end, Gary finally reached his classroom and bid farewell to his childhood friend and his Pikachu.

"This is my stop. See you Ash, tell me about your test results ya?" The raven haired teenager grinned, friendly competition is a motivator to perform better. The two was always neck in neck in their test and mock battles, so it was honestly a coinflip who did better this time. The young man return to his class, a short walk across Gary's own homeroom class. Ash peered inside briefly and could see everyone was seated with his teacher, Miss Roxanne doing a headcount on the students. He sighed and dreaded being the awkward one out of the class, but he did arrived late and he had himself to blame for enjoying his bed too much. Curse the comfortable fleece blanket his mother specifically bought for him. With a knock to the door, Roxanne turned to the direction and light up at the sight of her student walking in with sheepish smile on his face, tardiness was certainly not something she associate Ash with as he is always courteous and on time.

"Good morning Ash, I was wondering if you would show up."

"Morning miss, sorry I have a little trouble waking up." The rest of his classmates giggle up at his reasoning, though it was all in good fun. The former Rock type gym leader chuckled and waved him off, dismissing him to his sit immediately.

"I bet, thank you for coming despite your troubles, please sit." Always tongue and cheek, Miss Roxanne was absolutely Ash's favourite teacher. Now it wasn't the tight pink pantyhose she always wore that clung to her marvelous figure or the cute twintails that cascade beautifully behind her back, or the captivating deep red eyes that really illuminate in the dark. It was the sweet and kind personality, the willingness to go all the way to help a fellow student, and the friendly demeanour that just make her likable. Intrusive thought regarding his teacher aside, the young man placed his starter Pikachu on the table and patted his head. Reaffirming his position as chief table warmer and mascot, the electric type squeaked and immediately turned to its trainer's deskmate Belle who eagerly scratched its fuzzy ears. The shy girl was honestly an enigma even to a discerning pokemon like Pikachu. The girl was incredibly hard to read and she is quite soft spoken, but despite her introverted nature, she gets on really well with Ash. Her passion and enthusiasm when it comes music, acting and pop-culture was honestly endearing, a trait that Ash himself finds adorable.

"Morning Belle, how are you?" Ash eyed Belle expression, she was quite the cute and dare he say beautiful looking. The maroon framed glasses, amethyst eyes and the long flowy black hair really made her look elegant and sweet. Her tracksuit top was unzipped, revealing her white blouse and impressive bust for a girl of her age. If she was a tad bit social with others, there was no doubt she would be surrounded with friends and suitors too. But Ash didn't mind that, he had a cool and quiet beauty next to her who was pleasant and intelligent to talk to. Her love for dark humor and jokes made her weird to everyone else, but to Ash that was what makes her unique! Not everyone has to conform and fit in with the broader society and Ash can certainly respect people who live true to themselves.

"Good morning to you Ash. I'm doing well, woke up late huh?" Her sakura lips curled upwards, with the strands of her jet black hair obscuring her vision. She pulled the strand of hair behind her ear and smoothed out the side swept bangs that were a little too long for her liking. For Ash this was a mesmerizing sight he was used to, but it was still an attention grabber nevertheless.

"Ah you know, the morning gravity is twice as powerful when you wake up." Pikachu watched in pride at his trainer's ability to make a girl giggle, a fine trait that would served him well when seeking a mate. With Ash being in his prime adolescent age, hormone and carnal desire had now become a frequent occurrence to him. What was once a dense child who is oblivious to the concept of romance and love, had now begun to understand the importance of affection and attraction. There was no doubt his trainer find his deskmate attractive in terms of physical appearances and emotional compatibility, but where they take their relationship is entirely up to them. Regardless of the nature of their relationship, Pikachu would always be supporting Ash!

Seeing that all of her students are present, Roxanne took the pile of test paper in her arms and smirked inwardly at the dreaded look on her students' faces. Oh this brought back many sweet memories of her time in school, the anxiety, the anticipation, everything that she suffered as a student can now be fully applied back to her own students. Payback is ever so sweet!

"Now that everyone is here, I will announce your test results. Would you want me to announce it publicly for the class or-"

"NO!" The symphony of a thousand 'NO' was expected from her student. She merely chuckled at their response as her faithful Nosepass snooze next to her, completely still and content as always.

"Hehe okay, okay. I prefer a one on one session too." And thus, the review of their mid-term has begun. Individual students were called one by one to sit before Roxanne and answer the questions she had for them. It was the evaluation and feedback from the test that is the most important, virtually anything can be improved when it comes to pokemon battle and any room for improvement or failure, is always welcome in a safe conducive school environment.

"Stephen your Blitzle's performance improved dramatically. I understand you have tweak and adjusted your battle strategy to a momentum based one." Roxanne spoke as her eyes darted between the materials her student had submit to her and Stephen himself. He gave an enthusiastic grin and slammed his fist onto his palm .

"Yes miss, Flame Charge and Charge just works too well together. Slowly building up the speed and power as the battle progresses and then WAM! Hit the opponents with the force of a thousand lightnings!" Roxanne was mildly taken aback by the fiery passion in Stephen's voice, but she could see where this is coming from. Stephen is what she calls a Rollout Trainer, named after the move Rollout itself, it grows stronger with every use and as the battle progresses, you become an unstoppable force. However just like the move Rollout, if you cancel or disrupt the initial built up before the ball can get rolling, you effectively cancelled all the initial built up and potentially threw the entire match by wasting your pokemon's energy. Strategies such as this can be applied to Fury Cutter or other moves that requires preparation or momentum, while effective when executed correctly, are prone to repetition which leaves room for exploitation or compromise by your opponents.

"Your enthusiasm is commendable, but uh please refrain from repeating the same strategy over and over again. Terrain manipulation or moves that reduces your ability to maneuver around the battlefield is detrimental to your strategy." Stephen placed a hand beneath his chin, he hasn't really considered that in all honesty. Up until now, none of his opponents or classmates ever used moves that limit his Blitzle's agility. If Smog, Spikes or even Sandstorm were used in the battlefield, his pal Blitzle would have no room to gallop around and gather momentum. Speed based tactics are only good in wide open spaces where they is plenty of room to move around and considering that not every pokemon battle take place in a battlefield, he might need to come up with some strategies to fight against the pokemon in close quarter spaces. Hopefully that day never comes though.

"I will keep it in mind miss, thanks!" Roxanne smiled and signed the final markings on the rubrics sheet.

"You're welcome, here is your test results." Once the test papers were given, Roxanne adjusted the ruler placed on top paper sheet to line it up against the next student on her list.

"Ash Ketchum." The deep shudder went down Ash's spine, he is so not used to people calling by his full name, especially if it is a member of higher authority like his mother or teacher. He gingerly went in front of the class and sat before the teacher's desk. His lips curled upwards as Pikachu provided emotional support by standing faithfully on his shoulders as always.

"Hi miss, how did my test go?" Roxanne flipped the exam papers handed in by Ash, the messy handwriting and the repetition of conjunction words were truly Ash's forte, not that Roxanne minded of course. If she could have it her own way, instead of an three page essay that flows beautifully from one paragraph to another, she rather have her students label them in point form just to highlight the essentials and cut out all the flowery words. Beneficial for students and easier on the eyes when marking too.

"Excellent, you and Pikachu really improved from last time." Ash and Pikachu grinned, giving each other a celebratory high five to mark this momentous occasion. Roxanne didn't resist the urge to giggle, the bonds shared by these two were truly admirable. The electric moue jumped onto the table and waved to Roxanne too with its eyes closed, the stubby little paws and the adorable round cheeks, everything just make him so pinchable!

"Pika!" Roxanne beamed and patted the Pikachu's head, there was certainly a policy when it comes to teacher to student interaction, and physical touches between both parties are strictly prohibited. But Pokemon are exempt from this rule, which mean Pikachu gets all the head pats it wants from Roxanne!

"Hehe, you're welcome Pikachu. Anyway, your essay needs a little more improvement when it comes to team diversification but overall I like your emphasis on the importance of bonding with your pokemon. I think most of your classmates lean too much into the actual strategy and analytical aspects of a pokemon battle, without talking about the pokemon themselves." The young man nodded, he really thinks the core essence of owning a pokemon revolves around the partnership and bonds you developed. Of course pokemon battles are the highlight of a trainer's careers, but so is the downtime when you just want to relax with your partner pokemon. The jet black hair teenager leaned back to the wooden chair, his lips turned downward slightly at the sudden reminder that this would be the last time he ever get to see Roxanne again.

"Thank you miss, man I can't believe that we won't be seeing you for next semester." The downtrodden expression from her student earned a sigh from the former Rock type gym leader. Like many of the teachers in this prestigious school, she was offered a job after retiring from the strenuous life of a gym leader. The pay as expected was out of this world, far more than the average gym leader which already, was generous enough to begin with. Yet after years of teaching both in Rustboro and Saffron, it was time for her to leave the path of education. More exciting opportunities await her and she for one is ready to explore them.

"I know right? I'm sad too, but a life beyond teaching awaits me. Who knows? You might run into me when you travel around Hoenn." The idea of bumping into his teacher after years of graduation sounds fun, maybe he could treat her to a nice lunch or dinner to show his thanks or gratitude to her. Or perhaps show her the new pokemon he caught, whatever it is, he hoped nothing but the best for Miss Roxanne.

"I hope so!" After idle chatter, Ash was dismissed and Belle was called up to the front. He sat back on his desk and leaned the chair backwards with the two legs supporting the entire weight, carefully balancing the chair to ensure he doesn't topple backwards like a fool. His delicate balancing session was interrupted when one of his friends appeared seemingly out of no where.

"Ash." The gruff and broody voice was someone he knew all too well. Ash simply turned and was greeted by a serious expression that was befitting for a strict principal or a war general.

"Paul? What's up?" The purpled haired teen scanned the room and nodded once no one was listening in the conversation. He crossed his arms and gave an eeriely uncomfortable and disturbed look, which for a emotionally cold and aloof person like Paul, screams volumes of the situation that had him unease. Though a jackass and a jerk to others, Paul had become much more kinder and nicer to the people around him. What started as deadly rivalry between Ash and Paul blossom into a friendly one after months of working together, where both sides push each other to the limits. In turn, the young man opened up more and was hospitable to others. A win for everyone if Ash could say so himself.

"Come with me, serious shit went down." Blunt and forward as ever, Ash raised his eyebrows over the urgency in Paul's voice. He had never seen him like this before, so something serious must had happened. The Pallet Town native's eyes darted to Miss Roxanna who was preoccupied with Belle's test result, now was the perfect time to slip out of class unseen or unheard. Without missing a beat, Ash extended his arm to the table and allow Pikachu to run across it, firmly planting himself back on his shoulders. The two classmates exited the classroom, with the disgruntle teenager leading Ash to a place he was familiar with, the rooftop.

"What's going on Paul?" To drag him out of here in the middle of class seems to be dire indeed, whatever the hell cause Paul to do this is concerning if not amusing. They reached the side staircase and reached the door that leads to the school roofs, normally in anime you always see students freely visiting the roofs as they please but in reality, the rooftops are tightly locked with only the security guard or maintenance crew having keys to unlock it. Fortunately, Paul managed to swipe the key from the maintenance crew and made a duplicate copy of it after a brief visit to the local locksmith. Why? Because the boys need a place to hangout and they were tired of hanging around the staircase outside the gentlemen's toilets and blocking people's way.

"Trip would tell you everything, you wouldn't believe this." A twist of his hand and the door was unlocked, he pushed it wide open and was immediately greeted with the blinding afternoon sunlight. Pidgeys can be seen nesting on top, with the high winds blowing against their hair. The two shielded their eyes from the sun using their hand, until a familiar voice called out to both of them.

"Ah you two are finally, great! The gang is all here." Camera in hand, the flamboyant looking teenager wore a black underhoodie and a orange jacket. His dirty blonde hair was left messy with the constant blowing of the wind and his demeanor was frightening similar to that of Gary Oak. Ash's eyes darted around the rest of the roof top, the other friends of his can be seen gathering here with their partner pokemon playing around. Some greeted him with a fistbump, others with a friendly hello. Though they all come from different classes, they were all united by the exhilarating thrill of pokemon battles and disdain for snobby coordinators.

"Let's begin our session." The rather business like statement from Trip was laughable, gathering on top of a roof top to discuss matters of great importance is like every scene you see in a thriller drama or a high school rom com. Ash sighed and perched one hand on his hips, his other friends from Class B such as Tracey, Chase, Gary and Barry seemed to be all gathered here. Rarely would everyone be present in their usual hangout spot, this has to be urgent then.

"Alright Trip which hot girl manage to capture your interest this time?" The dry tone from Tracey earned a few chuckles, none of them were from the teenager in question. His side hobby and part time gig as a freelancer photographer landed him in many jobs, one particular job landed him in the role of a cameraman for a young teenager who really wanted to kickstart her modelling career. Needless to say, Trip's affinity for photography and women go hand in hand. But today, the flamboyant teenager shook his head grimly and gave off a tense sigh, he rubbed his shoulders and sat on the plastic stools that Barry had managed to sneak in from the sport storage room.

"Unfortunately it's not a girl, so the other day I was doing some part time gig at some restaurant. You know promotional stuff and they need someone to take pictures? I overheard the client talking about recent wild pokemon attacks happening all over Kanto." Everyone sat accordingly in one circular formation, processing the information Trip had relay to them. News of wild pokemon attacking human had resurfaced in recent weeks, it was honestly a concerning development as the last well known wild pokemon attack was reported on the news was the famous 2014 Garchomp attack on Lumiose City. A rampaging Garchomp went berserk after a collar on it malfunctioned, wrecking havoc in the city with hyper beams. Fortunately, no casualties were reported as the crisis was swiftly averted when the superhero Blaziken Mask appeared and managed to calm down the dragon type.

"I heard that on the news too, pretty scary really." Trip fiercely nodded to Barry words.

"Right? Like pokemon attack humans all the time, but that is rare in most cases and most of the time, the trainers are assholes who hurt their pokemon so they kinda deserved it. Anyway, so I knew the attacks appeared on the news but I didn't pay too much attention it until the client started talking about it. When I went home I did some snooping around online and asked some of my photographer friends about it, and one of them in the WhatsApp group sent this." The boys pulled their chair closer to Trip and sat next to him, they gathered around his phone that was placed in the center. Their eye widened at the gruesome pictures sent by sender. A corpse can be seen lying on the ground, it's lifeless body seemed to be drained of its life and vitality with only bare bones being visible to the eyes. Judging by the clothes worn, it was no doubt that the victim was hiker since he was kitted out in hiking gear.

"I-Is that a dead body? Why are you showing us this?" Tracey ignored Gary's spooked tone and flipped through the rest of the pictures sent, they were more bodies, each seemed to suffer from necrosis, with many patches of their body being bruised or have their skin peeled off. The white in the victims eyes were hard to see considering the picture was taken from a distance and the quality of the pictures were affected, but there was no doubt to Ash that these poor souls were attacked and killed in a brutal and violent manner. Lacerations and deep cuts can be seen on the victims and judging by the direct attack at the jugular with dried blood from the artilleries splattering all over the neck area, the pokemon went for the kill.

"You sure this isn't photoshopped or edited? The corpse looks decaying." The cautious tone from Paul brought some clarity to the confusion, for all they know someone could send them a random picture just to make stuff up. The era of social media is also the breeding ground for misinformation and fake news.

"That's what I thought but according to this guy, he was walking around the outskirts of Pewter City to capture some scenic forest shots when he came across military convoys and stuff. They walled off the area with barbed wire and fence gates, so it got his curiosity and he sneaked in to find out what's going on. That's how he got the pic, looks you can see soldiers and people in hazmat suits in the background." The numerous pictures shows highly geared soldiers donning gas masks with Machamps and Charizards guarding the area, each dressed in a special uniform to better identify them. As for the people in hazmat suits, the insignia and crest adorned on their uniform seemed to indicate the Kanto Center for Disease Control and Prevention logo. Why a wild pokemon attack falls under the jurisdiction of the KCDC and the Kanto military is concerning but given the frequency of the attacks, it did make sense.

"Okay what else did the guy who shared this say?" Trip scrolled down the WhatsApp chat and showed the rest of the messages. One of the message was tagged with a link to a missing report case found on the Pewter City Police Department website.

"He linked me a recent news report of hikers and campers going missing near Mt Moon that dates back a month ago. I went back to the photo and you can see they are clearly wearing hiking boots and attire. Look some of them even have their hiking sticks." The various camping gear and equipment were indeed present next to their deceased owner's body. Many of their equipment were stained in dried blood, some visible scratches can be seen on the metal pole sticks as well. But while everyone was preoccupied with analyzing the pictures, Gary picked up a subtle clues from what Trip has said.

"A month ago?" The livid in his voice earned a chill down the boys' spine, they slowly turned to Trip and could tell he was uncomfortable with the information too.

"Mhmm, he said he found more news of missing hikers and campers. The pictures he sent recently were the latest ones. Apparently, these attacks have been happening way earlier." For Paul this was concerning, news of pokemon attacks are definitely newsworthy enough to be reported in the news, hell even front page covered. Only recently did the media put a focus and emphasis on these attacks, while in reality these attacks has been happening far longer than their initially think. If these these attacks are all near Mt Moon then environmental factors and human development can be blamed for their sudden agitation, but if sporadic cases start mushrooming up everywhere... further investigation must be done.

"So the guy who sent this think that these poor victims got attacked by wild pokemon and was killed by them?" Barry shrugged from Chase's question, he crossed one leg to another and noted that the sky above was darkening. Looming gray clouds from the distance can be seen marching towards the heart of Saffron. Given it was the beginning of monsoon season, the heavy rainfall is expected.

"I mean- that's not a totally outrageous conclusion given the recent wild pokemon attacks. But to have soldiers and people in hazmat suits? That's a bit much don't you think?" The relax and casual tone from Barry didn't exactly allay concerns. Tracey crossed his arms as his partner Marill sat on his lap, getting comfortable in his trainer's warm body as the winds of the approaching storm are getting stronger.

"I didn't think it was serious until the wild pokemon attacks started to become front page news, and considering these pictures? Man, it's scary. I know not all pokemon are docile and friendly but to go as far as killing humans?" Pokemon killing humans are extremely rare cases, most of the trainers death that occurred during pokemon journeys are due to the elements or illness. Most humans have the hindsight to avoid the path of territorial pokemon and Mt Moon is a renown hiking spot where thousands of international tourists make their voyage to there. The pokemon are well used to human presence, the sudden aggression and brutality doesn't make sense.

"Whatever it is, I don't like it. Wild pokemon randomly attacking humans have occurred in the pasts, either to territorial disputes or human provocation. It is possible that the military is taking the attacks seriously and is just investigating the source of the attack. We have nothing to worry about." The strict and methodical tone from Paul was akin to a stern father rationalizing everything. Besides the information they have is limited and the information that they do have, is dubious at best. For all they know, Trip's friend was just taking advantage of the recent wild pokemon attacks that appeared on the new and played a prank on them. The internet is filled with fools who have way too much time on their hands doing things of no value to themselves, or others.

"Maybe we're overthinking this, it could turn out to be nothing like Paul said. Either way, we won't know until things happen. No point being paranoid over something that won't affect us yet. We live in the city too, not much wild pokemon unless you count the Ratattas and Pidgeys." The boys nodded to Gary's words, if there was any place safe from wild pokemon attacks, it's the city. Wild pokemon are a rare sight here, many of the residents and cityfolks don't even own or learn about pokemon. They only know pokemon that dwell in the city and the rest of their knowledge come from watching TV, online videos or pokemon owned by international tourists. Some even never touch a pokemon before, it's unreal but when you live in a city where everything is provided, you never really need to interact with pokemon.

"Anyway I want to show you guys this just to be alert. You see any wild pokemon displaying aggressive behavior, you get the hell out of there." Trip's warning was well received, it was rare to see him being this concern about them, but it was refreshing. Despite the tough act they all like to maintain, Ash knew everyone here actively look out and care for each other. Many of them are international students who have no friends or family living in Kanto, the friend groups here is as close as they can get to family. Homies have to look out for each other after all and Ash didn't mind that one bit.

"We should return to class, Miss Roxanne would be wondering where we are." Tracey spoke reluctantly, he didn't want to be a mood killer and he loved the roof top scenery, but a student's responsibilities came knocking on their door, not to mention his mother would kill him if she found out he has been skipping classes.

"After seeing that? I can't think of going back to class." The rest chuckled at Chase's expression, Gary swung an arm over his shoulder as they all begin to make their way back to class. Barry glanced at the rows of empty plastic chairs and decided to stack them up and placed them in a sheltered corner to prevent the highs wings from toppling over. Satisfied with his handiwork, he ran back to catch up with the boys, nearly slamming into Paul in the protest.

"Let's go before we get into trouble!" The broody Sinnohian sighed at his countryman's sheninigans, why does he have to be stuck with the hyperactive one? The group descended downstairs, back to the main hallways of the school. They were mildly surprised by the sight of students flooding out of the classrooms with their backpacks, each squeezing in the tiniest of spaces just to get more room to maneuver around. The staircase was absolutely filled with students making their way home, but class had just started and unless it is a fire drill, this was a bizarre experience. Perplexed, Ash hastened his steps to the class and saw that everyone had left, but his backpack and stationaries were neatly placed and organized in his bag. A written note was on his desk, and he immediately recognize the handwriting.

I packed your bags for you, Miss Roxanne just dismissed the class. Btw, I scored higher than you :p

The Pallet Town native's lips curled upwards, Belle is such a sweetheart. Still, it didn't answer his question, he folded the paper and stuffed in his pockets before noticing Stephen being the only one left organizing his bag and textbooks, perhaps waiting for the crowd of students flooding the halls to simmer down before making his way out.

"Hey Stephen what happened? We left class for a moment." Stephen slung his backpack on his shoulder and waved at Ash, he too was caught off guard by the sudden announcement by Miss Roxanne. One moment she was having a one-on-one session with them and the next, she suddenly stood up with a strict expression and abruptly announced that class is dismissed and students should head back home.

"Oh hey Ash, Miss Roxanne just suddenly announce class is over." Chase and Paul finally returned to class after a series of asking around, it seemed the others classes and course all had the same memo, class ended early, go back home. It is suspicious to say the least, this has never happened before and for it to happen so suddenly without any prior notice or warning? Something is not right.

"What caused her to say that?" Stephen shrugged, pushing his chair back into the table neatly.

"A text message? She was looking at her phone and she just went all pale." Paul placed a thumb underneath his chin, all of the teachers must have received the same message then. Perhaps by the school principal in a teacher's group, an emergency perhaps?

"I do not like the sound of that." Chase eyed the surrounding classrooms, hallways that were once brimming with life are now quiet and desolate. The walls and lockers stretched far and wide, with only the mote of sunlight seeping in the windows of the classroom. It is an eerie sight, especially when you know you are the remaining few still in school, a form of liminal space where everything looks normal and nothing out of the ordinary, yet something is just not right. The stillness, the silence, as if something is watching you and your brain's paranoia takes advantage of your feared state.

"Looks like it is a school affair, everyone is getting off class." Knowing they aren't getting answers hanging around an empty classroom, the trio headed downstairs where most of the students can be seen chatting or waiting for their parents or transporters. The hallway to the teacher's office is notably cut off with the security gate firmly in operation. The school security and watcher pokemon, Sableyes and Absols are noticeably on guard and tense. The two pokemon stared at the students for a moment before shaking their heads, denying them entry to the hallways. The three friends narrowed their eyes, tightening of security in school either meant a pokemon from the school enclosure had escaped and is causing havoc, or a security attack on the school had occurred. These had happened in the past before, so it might explain why the sudden dismissal of students. But before they depart, the sound of the school elevator arriving from the other side of the hall caught their attention. Teacher and staffs can be seen exiting the elevator with their bags and purses in hand, one of which the boys keenly recognize.

"Miss Roxanne! What's going on?" The rock type specialist halted her movements for a few moments as the rest of her colleagues continued to make their way to the meeting room. She assumed a stoic expression and spoke hastily, now was not the time entertaining student's questions.

"Class is dismissed that's all. Sorry Ash but I couldn't tell you more." As quick she was to answer him, she simply left without further elaboration. The trio looked amongst each other, that was by far the coldest response they got from her. Whatever is happening has to be serious and confidential, but the boys weren't necessarily too worried about it. As far as they know, it could be an annual evaluation report or a sudden meeting hosted by the Parent Teacher Association group. With nothing to do, they exited the school as the flashes of lightning above became rampant. Indeed, the upcoming storm is fast approaching and there was little time to lose.

"Ash, Chase. I heading home first, I would do some digging around the hiker attack case, something is fishy about all of this." Always one for perfection and knowledge, Paul stuff his hands in his pocket with his Elekid's pokeball clipped to his belt. He glanced upwards at the storm and snarled at the blue flashes of lightning that transferred between clouds.

"Sure Paul, but don't worry too much." He merely grunted in response and make his way back to his apartment. Chase rapidly tapped his phone to reply a message sent by his sisters. He nodded briefly and placed his phone back inside his fanny pack for storage sake, looks like he was on cooking duty tonight.

"I'm going to the grocery to stock up, wanna come Ash?" The arduous walk to the grocery center was not appealing to Ash, not to mention it looks like it's about to rain. So like any good friend, Ash quickly conjured up an excuse to not disappoint his friend while getting him out of the situation.

"Nah I will pass, did my grocery shopping on Wednesday." Chase gave a thumbs up in response, finally he could do grocery shopping alone where no one would judge him for buying an extra snack or two. Often times, his sister would accompany him and the amount of times they got into a heated debate over an extra junk food packet mysteriously ending up on the payment counter was uncountable. He only offered Ash the invitation to join him out of courtesy which thankfully Ash rejected.

"Okay, well we be on Discord tonight, same time as usual?" Ash nodded in response, hanging around Discord while your friend slowly getting into the call was an experience in itself. The unhinged nature of their conversations and topics must not be revealed to the outside world, they are not ready for the true horrors of the unfiltered human imagination.

"Same time as usual." By same time as usual it meant everyone would arrive at different times. The Pikachu trainer watched his friend walking off into the distance, with cars and motorbikes flooding the streets as always. Neighbourhood officers can be seen controlling the traffic with their Arcanines, directing the traffic flow to allow students to cross the road. Now alone, the young man walked along the pavements and climbed up the set of stairs that led to the residential district of Saffron. The narrow pathways were made with red bricks and cobblestone, allowing walking to be the only form of transport. Cafes and patisseries lined against the rows of shops, each unique in it's design and theme. From neko theme cafes, to even maid themed ones, it was a surprising sight to a country boy like Ash.

"Well I'm hungry and since class ended early, why don't we treat ourselves to a few bites Pikachu? We didn't even have breakfast too, thankfully miss ended class way earlier than intended." The electric mouse like the sound of that, the past week has been nothing but cup noodle and convenient store food. The standard meal for a struggling student for sure, but one which would have dire consequences in Ash's later years. The amount of sodium in a cup ramen is enough to turn fresh water into sea water. But finally after much decision making and delaying, his trainer chose a fairly popular cafe with customers queuing up in line. Ash peered over the menu stand and flipped through it, a 20% discount solely for the students? Sign him right up. Without missing a beat, Pikachu and Ash entered the cafe and was immediately greeted by the smell of sweet pastries. Matcha cakes, tiramisu and chocolate forest, all of the usual suspects are all in the elegant display fridge. The two lined up with the rest of the customers, patiently waiting for their turn as Ash admired the cozy decor of the patisserie.

However it wasn't long before something exciting caught his attention. His eyes were naturally drawn to the two beautiful mounds that a beautiful teenager was carrying. Succulent and in perfect shape, his carnivorous and hungry eyes gaze upon the beautiful pair, juicy, delectable and sweet to taste. The sweet liquids secreted from them would send any man to heaven. He was near his limit, from the moment he laid his eyes on those beauties, he must have them for himself. He yearn to taste them in earnest, to cherish them, to consume them in his mouth fully. They were perfect, warm and soft to touch, yet firm and supple, they were truly crafted by the legendries themselves. The two mounds walked closer to him, begging him to give into his primal desires and have his way with them. This was his chance! He must have them now.

"Hello can I get one slice of the chocolate mound please?" The cashier beamed at Ash's order, the chocolate mound cake is certainly popular with the young students aren't they?

"Of course sir, would that be all?"

"Uh a cup of earl gray." Pikachu nodded at his trainer's fine choice, a nice warm tea to cleanse his palate is always appreciated. The electric type yawned and turned to the young woman his trainer was staring earlier, it seemed that his desire for something sweet and savory came from the tray of chocolate round cake the young teenager is carrying on her tray. On closer inspection, she was definitely beautiful and athletic looking. Her busty and voluptuous figure seemed to be the envy of every girl of her age. Her bright red bandana and red collar sport shirt was accompanied by a pair of biker shorts, highlighting her figure and perhaps carefree nature. The perceptive pokemon stared longer, it seemed that she didn't came here alone.

"Sugar Dawn?" A blue haired teenager nodded to her, reaffirming Pikachu's suspicions that they are friends. The bandana wearing brunette placed the tray down and slowly moved the cup of coffees to the table. The sheer concentration exerted by her to not spill any of the liquids on the table was honestly commendable.

"Yes please, thanks May." Dawn was rather pretty looking, at least Pikachu thinks so! She was definitely his trainer's type, and while the electric type is always on a lookout for potential partners for his trainer, even it knew that his trainer must the one who take the first step first. Perhaps one day, he would finally muster the courage to ask girls out for date.

"So how's things going on between Kenny and you?" May spoke slowly, cutting parts of her cake with the fork. Her sapphire blue eyes show concern and worry, but Dawn shrugged at her best friend's question and gave a short and curt reply.

"It's alright." May narrowed her eyes, placing down her fork on the plate momentarily as she crossed her arms.

"Girl, if your man doesn't excites you and only brings out an 'it's alright' response, something is not right." The deadpanned look from the brunette earned a sigh from the Sinnoh beauty. She thought deeper about the question for a moment, her boyfriend Kenny had known her since childhood. In essence, they were childhood friends who grew up together. It seemed natural for their relationship to move beyond childhood friends and to something more. But one night during a deep discussion with her mother Johanna on the phone, she had told her something that really made her reconsider the entire relationship with Kenny as a whole.

"You don't fall in love with someone just because you know them your whole life, you fall in love with someone because you want to spend your whole life with them!"

It was undeniably cheesy, but it did made Dawn stop and ponder about everything. She has simply just accepted the idea Kenny and her should be more than friends without thinking much rhyme or reason, I mean he was her best friend and had stood by her side since she could barely walk, it made sense that they end up together no? In a way, she did wonder if she made the right decision being with someone who clearly thinks they are destined to be together, while she has some doubts on it. The young blunette started back at her friend, patiently waiting for answer from her.

"I mean I like being with him May, but he can get very jealous and clingy. Can't talk to my guy friends without having him giving me the look." May scoffed at that excuse, trust issues in a relationship is a common thing, every couple would go through it. But Kenny had known Dawn for what? 10 years now? He should know that Dawn is absolutely loyal to the one she loves instead of doubting her every five minutes and forcing her to tell him who she is hanging out with. It seems controlling, manipulative even.

"Someone is insecure, you talked to him about it?" She nodded briefly, cutting her cake with the fork to feed her starter Piplup. The lovable blue penguin was sitting on the table with a dapper napkin tucked on his chest, almost like a waiter in a fancy suit! She giggled at his adorable reaction and eyes that screamed delight, someone got a sweet tooth~

"I did, but he just say that he can't help it and that half of the guys in this school has eyes on me. So he is always on edge." May's eyes narrowed, analyzing her friend's facial feature to her body. She peered underneath the table and stare at her legs, tone and slender, seems like her time as a cheerleader really paid off. The pink miniskirt she always wore however was perhaps the highlight of her outfit, May could easily see her undergarments' if Dawn lifts her legs, it was borderline unfair with how much teasing power she wields over everyone.

"He's not wrong, you're seriously hot. Nice ass too." Dawn grinned at the compliment, she's been told by many of her friends in the cheerleading squad.

"Aww thanks, how about you? You got guys lining up on your door too." May sighed and pushed down the cream of the cake to aside, her voice barely above a whisper when replying.

"Dating Drew." Dawn almost had a seizure right then and there, which was apparent because Piplup's eyes widened and went white and quickly went to his trainer's side. He patted her arm with his flipper in an attempt to calm her down which remarkably worked. Quick to stabilize to normalcy, Dawn placed her hand on top the table and leaned forward with an incredulous look.

"Seriously? You two got together again? Didn't you break up with him!?" It was a interrogation at this rate, May looked guilty as she sunk into her chair lower and lower. But almost as if the fiery spirit and bits of pride in her still remains in tact, she picked herself up and argued her case.

"We were on a break." The unamused looked from both Dawn and Piplup screams volume of how much they think of her, even a pokemon is judging her!

"Right, weren't you the one who called me in the middle of the night crying and sobbing telling me you hated him?" May bit her tongue lightly, she does seem to recall that embarrassing moment in her life. High on emotions and down on spirits, she called Dawn up at 2 AM in the morning to launch her unless assault of frustrations and pent up emotions she held for a long time. The break up has been rough on her as Drew was her first and at the moment, only boyfriend she ever had.

"I- I wanted to give the relationship another shot." Dawn felt nothing but sympathy for her, she honestly deserves better than that. Fun, cheeky and sassy, she makes every dull moment super fun and awesome. Yet her loving and honestly motherly nature always resurface whenever one of their friends need comfort and support. Super charismatic and sweet too, Drew is a lucky man, and an even bigger fool.

"May, you deserve better than that. I feel like he is emotionally manipulating you or something." Now May understand why both of them are best friends now, each accusing each other's boyfriends for being asses to their besties, but are too blind to realized they too were in the same situation as each other. Oh, what would she do without her?

"Drew is not- that bad." Still, May defiance and pride was on the line and she still maintenance that Drew is honestly better than people give him credit before. The reason they were on break was because of certain cracks in their relationship that slowly became gaping holes too big to ignore. Once you shut off the communication pipeline, it was all over.

"Uh huh, it sounds like you're on a relapse. It's not that bad, not that bad and then you come back crying to me again." An irritated Dawn was certainly a charming and amusing sight. May rubbed her temples briefly before accepting the truth that perhaps she was too hasty getting back with Drew. One moment she hated him, the next she felt the guilt and fear that he would just leave her. Arguably, it was the consequences from their social circle being entwined with one another that made May guilty. Each friend group seemingly blame the other for faults and clashing one another, lunch tables and group chat conversations was just not the same.

"I know, ugh maybe you're right. I was pretty emotional when I got back with him, maybe I was desperate..." Dawn grinned and finished the rest of her cake, finally May is seeing the light.

"There are so many other guys out there, you have no shortage of hot guys being down bad for you. Drew isn't worth the emotional investment, or anything really." May chuckled at that, it was true that many guys try to date her. Her large busts and tone figure draw many look from others in her class, many boys had followed her social media accounts and liked all the posts she did. Some are harmless, most of them are just pictures of Dawn and her trying new cafes. Others well, let's just say there are days where May wanted to know how hot she really is. But like any bitter wife complaining about how their marriage was on the verge of breaking down, May raised her coffee cup to the pinnacle of the heavens and clink glasses with Dawn's mug.

"Cheers to our luck when it comes to boyfriends then." Dawn chuckled at the cynical tone from her best friend, cheers to that indeed. She sipped on the remnants of her latte and placed it down on her mug before noting her lovable yet mischievous Piplup was no where to be seen. Panic set in momentarily until she heard a voice coming from the table next to them.

"Oh hello little one! Sorry is this seat taken?" Dawn turned and sighed at the sight of her starter sitting on another empty table playing with the utensils. The Sinnoh water type shook his head at the teenager holding a tray and waved its fins at him, an act that was well reciprocated with the young man's Pikachu shaking his flippers with its stubby paws.

"Pika!" After successfully establishing diplomatic ties with the Sinnoh water type, Pikachu attempted to exchange pleasantries when a pair of slender hands whisked the penguin pokemon away from them. Its webbed feet wobbled in the air adorably as it struggled to break free from the very beast that clutch its firm grip on him, only for Piplup to realized that the beast was his trainer, and that he is probably in trouble.

"Piplup come back here, what did I tell you about wondering around? I'm so sorry, I hope he didn't disturb you." Ash chuckled at the adorable reaction from Piplup, completely unamused by the fact he missed out the chance to talk to a fellow pokemon. He sighed but went back to his trainer's table, proudly waving hello from the other side to Pikachu. The two pokemon are very social creatures as they have huge communities and herd, so it was no surprised they are very friendly to one another, birds of the same feather flock together after all.

"It's alright, is Piplup yours?" Dawn smiled at placed her hands on his flipper, like a puppeteer pulling the strings, she controlled Piplups limbs and did a waving motion.

"Yeah he is, say hello Piplup." May chuckled at the sight and placed her chin against her palm, with her elbow directly supporting the head of her weight. She eyed the young man next to her and deduced he was around the same age at them, in fact he looked familiar, probably passed by each other without even noticing.

"Hey you're a student in Saffron Trainers Academy right? I seen you before." The young man nodded, his chocolate mound was right there before him, but formalities and courtesy is important, especially when there are two beautiful girls in question.

"I am, my name is Ash Ketchum."

"Dawn Berlitz!"

"May Maple! Nice to meet you." Finally he took the oppurtunity to slice the cake with his fork, gobbling the portion instantly. The subsequent explosion of flavours that erupted in his mouth began to overwhelm his senses, this was perfect. The texture, the smoothness and the right amount of cream, everything was just right. Amidst his desire to feast on his dessert, he noted the girls were actually interested in starting up a conversation with him but were too shy and unsure at what topic to open up with. He pondered for a moment and wiped the stains on his mouth with a tissue, the gears in his mind spinning in rapid succession to formulate the perfect conversation starter.

"Did class ended early for you guys too?" Dawn and May blinked, clearly not expecting him to start a conversation. But they relaxed their posture and nodded, showing signs of interest as to why all of them got of school so early.

"Yeah, it was so sudden. Everyone in school got off at the same time, kinda scary really." Ash frowned and brought his cup of earl gray his lips, the warm bergamot taste and the fragrant aroma permeated his sense of smell. The calming effects of the tea brought clarity to Ash for a moment.

"Hmm, it is concerning. Have you two heard about the wild pokemon attacks?" Dawn nodded vigorously, she held Piplup in her arms to act as a makeshift pillow.

"Oh my Arceus I saw the news, so many of them keep popping up. It's really scary." It seemed that the attacks are now a concerning news to the public, so it wasn't just the boys being paranoid.

"Yeah, the outside world doesn't look so fun or exciting anymore." May lamented with a sigh, she always dream of travelling around the world with her Torchic, participating in contest after contest, battling other contesters and coordinators in an all out effort to claim the tittle of Top Coordinator. Now with the news of frequent wild pokemon attacks, she might no live to see through the qualifying rounds.

"Just be careful okay? See any aggressive pokemon, get out." May and Dawn nodded, the earnest and concern look from Ash seemed to be expected. Judging by the small badge on his belt, the could tell he is enrolled in the standard trainer course. If push come to shove and they have to battle it out, Ash and Pikachu would surely stand a better chance compared to them. Both May and Dawn are coordinator students, formal battle tactics and strategies courses are only due in the next semester and many coordinator students dislike battling, hence the reason they join the course in the first place. But even so, the two are relatively psych about battles and are considered to be the most knowledgeable in their class when it comes to type effectiveness and tactics.

"My Piplup would keep me safe, right Piplup?" The staunch protector of Dawn Berlitz did a military salute, he is willing give his life for his trainer, so as long she feeds him pokepuffs.

"Plup!" Pikachu chuckled and curled up next to Ash's arm, earning a stroke on his back by his trainer. Dawn and May's eyes lit up at the sight of the cooing electric type and didn't hesitate to headpat the furry little one too.

"Your Pikachu is adorable Ash." Ah a compliment as old as time itself, Ash was used to this many times to win the hearts of other. One of the many tricks he used if he wants to talk to new people, was to have Pikachu act all cute and cuddly to someone and get them invested, before he inevitably comes in to the picture and takes Pikachu back for 'running off'. Naturally the conversation would flow and he gets to know someone on a personal level, a remarkably effective tactic that works wells on girls considering many of them adore the Pikachu line.

"Mhmm! He is super cute~" The Pallet Town teen smiled and leaned behind his chair, holding the cup of tea in his hands to warm it up. He glanced outside the window and noted that it had finally rain, the heavy downpour seemed relentless with the constant battering of raindrops hitting against metal rooftops. The monsoon season has finally arrived and there would be a risk of rain everyday.

"How old are you Ash?" He broke out of his thought and turned to May who clearly took a liking to Pikachu, the electric type was now in her arms, the soft warm fur and the gentle nature of the little one just made it the perfect cuddle buddy. While Ash is undoubtedly envious of Pikachu's effortless ability to cuddle with girls, he did understand that it could get uncomfortable sometimes, thankfully his buddy is enjoying it.

"15."

"Oh same then, we probably graduate together." And thus the conversation flow, it started out from school interest to mainstream pop-culture, then bonding over the niche things they all like. It wasn't long before they found themselves no longer conscious of what topics they should bring up, instead the natural gossip began.

"We were just bitching about our boyfriends." Finally, they have reached the pivotal moment of their discussion. Ash leaned against his knuckles and stared at the two, clearly they were fed up with their partners antics and perhaps mood swings.

"I overheard when queuing up." The immediate cringe and grimaced from the two brought a smile to Ash, they swiftly looked around the patisserie and realized how close the tables and chairs were. Of course people are going to hear them if they talked that loudly!

"Were we too loud?" The whispers from May was too late, she had already revealed her true feelings about her boyfriend to the outside world, a moment where she would never let go.

"A little." The livid and ghostly expression earned a deadpanned look from Dawn.

"Way to go May." Instantly, the fiery passion of May Maple came back and she poked Dawn's sides with a glare.

"Hey why did you blame me? You're part of the problem too!" The two had a stand off, eyes never leaving each other as they waited for the other side to blink first. The intense moment seemed to be never ending, until both of them burst into laughter over each other their antics. They recomposed themselves and turned back to Ash, who was clearly fascinated by their dynamic.

"How about you Ash? Do you have a girlfriend?" The seemingly out of no where question caught Ash of guard, he tensed up immediately and stuttered her answer.

"Oh uh no." Dawn noted the anxiousness in Ash's voice and tugged May's legs with her sneakers, clearly he didn't seemed to be comfortable with the subject which was understandable. She also didn't like it when her aunts visit over during the new years and bombard her questions about marriage and her future. Who were they to decide what she should with her own life? Nothing but distant relatives who doesn't even contribute to her childhood or growth!

"Bit personal don't you think May?" The young Maple shook her hands in the air frantically to Ash, giving off a nervous laughter to hide her embarrassment.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to be direct, I mean a good looking guy like you? Sheesh how has the girls not fallen for you yet?" It was meant to be tongue and cheek, but it was a heck of a confidence boost to Ash even if May was just joking. The young man played it cool and spoke honestly. Which isn't exactly a cool thing to do, but it was what worked for Ash!

"I'm quite shy when it comes to girls." The two girls find it hard to believed, he seemed completely normal. They have met boys who literally can't hold a conversation with them, or were asking questions that were intruding into their personal lives and space. Ash is just a normal guy, talking to them about common interest and made no moves or attempts on them.

"Really? You're talking to us just fine right now." Ash scratched the back of his head and shrugged, he was okay talking to girls in a friendly and platonic manner. But as soon as his intentions is to date and court someone, he falls apart.

"Yeah as friends or classmates but beyond that, I get cold feet. You know how it is." May nodded, considering how harsh and unrealistic the dating scene is, she could understand where Ash is coming from. He didn't seemed to be type who cared for materialistic stuff to or gloat about his achievements, she would have easily picked up from that during their conversations.

"I get you. But don't be afraid to ask a girl out if you find her cute, or you vibe with her, the rejection might be harsh but at least you tried! Better than constantly wishing you had confessed your feelings to her every night before you go to bed." Ash raised his eyebrows, why does that sound so specific and why does he feel so exposed and attacked.

"I would keep that in mind May, but at the moment I'm not interested in anyone." The intonation of his voice seemed to indicate he desire to end the conversation as it is. May respected that and glanced at her time, it was almost 5:07 PM now. The two have stayed far longer than they intended too.

"It was really nice talking to you Ash, you're a cool person to hang around but Dawn and I have to get going." Has it been that late? Ash stated at his imaginary watch before turning onto his phone to look at the time, seems like time flies when you have fun.

"Sure, sorry for holding you guys up." Dawn waved him off playfully, her blue hair was smooth and silky to touch with her radiant smile instantly soothing Ash's worries. Gosh did she looked pretty and adorable like that, Kenny is a lucky bastard.

"Oh no worries, we enjoyed talking to you!" Ash grinned and gave a thumbs up, he escorted the girls outside the patisserie. The rain were still pouring out and the heavens continue to open, he looked around the walkway and scowled at the fact he didn't bring any umbrella with him. Ah no matter, he would just make a run for it.

"Maybe next time I should bring my roomie, you and her have the same vibes." Dawn's sudden statement brought a confused look to Ash, next time? There would be a next time now? He wouldn't lie, he thought this would be the last time they would ever talk again. Also roommate huh, he thought May would be Dawn's roommate, perhaps it is a 3 person deal?

"Mhmm, Misty Waterflower. She couldn't come today because she have to take an emergency leave back to Cerulean City." The Pikachu trainer nodded, Cerulean City is known for is stunning lakes, lagoons and waterfalls. Cerulean Cape is a very popular dating and camping spot, it is said that if a couple were to confess their feelings before the old lighthouse at the cape's edge, their love would be eternal and undying. But the city is also known for its fresh seafood and bustling market place made with custom white marble brick floors and water canals. It is an incredibly beautiful place, which is why tourists often flock to there.

"Well next time then, would like to see Misty too."

"Hehe I bet. See you Ash! Buh bye." Pikachu waved good bye to them, watching the two girls walking into the rain with the umbrella covering them. It seemed the two were prepared and placed it near the patisserie's umbrella stand, why his trainer didn't think of bringing an umbrella with him during the monsoon season is unbeknownst to the pokemon, then again the electric type should also remind his trainer for his tardiness, so can't really blame him can't it?

"Let's make a run for it Pikachu!" Ah it's more fun running in the rain anyway! The electric type grin and began to run in all fours, it leaped over the staircase rail guards and nimbly slide across he sideway to maintain it momentum and balance. Between their race and avoiding bumping into pedestrians, Ash noticed police cars with officers donning tactical gear and heavy armory, wielding SMGs and assault rifles in their arms, it was rather bizarre.

'Quite the heavy police presence, they even have Machamps and Alakazams out. What's going on?' Ash didn't have time to ponder about that, he was busy running away from the rain. He finally reached the sidewalk of his apartment, barely catching his breath as his starter smugly displayed his superiority of winning the race by standing on the doorway. The young man sigh and felt the uncomfortable damp clothing sticking to his skin, he desperately needs a shower right now. After entering the elevator and inputting the correct floor button, the duo finally reached their floor.

"Dry your paws before going in Pikachu." The electric mouse pouted as it was just about to snuggle inside his bed, a cold stormy evening is a recipe for a good sleep. As if that wasn't enough, his trainer spoon the electric type in his arms and lead him into the shower room. Covered in grime and dirt, Pikachu was immediately spray by a gush of water from the shower head.

"Pika!" Ash chuckled at his starter's unamused expression, payback is certainly sweet. The young man dried his starter and allowed it to snuggle on his bed once it was dry and clean. Now that his pokemon hygiene is done, it was his turn.

---

"The number of wild pokemon attacks have soared in recent weeks, experts have warned that human encroachment of their territory and the destruction of the habitat is the reason for their aggressive behaviors. In other news, the annual Pokemon League Conference would be held at the Galar league in the 9th of July, Champion of Kanto and Johto, Lance is expected to attend-" Ash switched off the TV once he decided that the background noise was no longer needed, and the ambient sound of rain was enough. Honestly which teenager watches TV these days? Everyone has turned to streaming services or social media platforms for entertainment. Still, the sudden reminder of the wild pokemon attack gave him a cause for concern.

"I should give mom a call tonight, just to check up on her." His mother would reach home around 7:30 PM and considering she needs to prepare dinner and shower, he decided 9 PM would be a good time to reach her. In truth, Ash is concerned about the wild pokemon attacks. Pallet Town is a peaceful town, in fact it is a haven for wild pokemon who seek refuge from the harsh wilderness. But with wild pokemon attacks becoming more common, Pallet Town's leniency and welcoming gesture to wild pokemon may be their undoing. Ash gripped his phone tighter, if anything were to happen to his mom...

"Pikapi?" His starter's drowsy voice brought him back, right he should start to prepare dinner. Good old spam friend rice and you have yourself a complete meal. A prodigy in all things canned food and unhealthy, Ash can whip up a fine meal at a moment's notice.

"Ah sorry Pikachu, let me prepare dinner okay?" And thus his culinary skills were put to the test, the leftover cooked rice from yesterday would now become today's fried rice. Why? Because freshly cooked rice still have moistures in it while rice that has been a day old and been refrigerated would be dry of moisture, making their texture that much better. With much skills and precision, Ash sliced the spam into cube size bits and prepared the chopped green onions and minced garlics. Once that was done, he immediately combined all of them together and pour bits of soy sauce mixed with sesame oil to add more flavour to rice, cooking all of them in a wok. Twist and turn, he flipped the rice with the spatula to ensure all sides are simmered and cook, instantly the saltiness scent of ham and soy sauce permeated the air.

"Pikachu dinner is ready!" The electric type yawned, it lazily walked to the kitchen but the smell of food brought him back from the dead. It perked up and squeaked when his trainer pour a generous bowl for him to consume, earning a coo and a thumbs up from the electric type. You would think after eating all that cake Ash won't be hungry, but he is a growing boy, his ravenous appetite knows no bounds. It didn't take long for Ash to consume his share of dinner too and before long, the two empty bowls is being washed at the sink. The young man smiled at his handiwork, arguably achieving his independence in Saffron Academy was the highlight of his life. He had long relied on his mother and he would not allow that to happen further. He had begun searching for part time jobs to alleviate the burden on his mother, nothing substantial yet, but becoming a barista or store clerk might just be on the list.

Seeing that it was almost 9 PM, he went to his PC and boot up the video conference application. A tap to his mother's contact and Ash anxiously sat by his chair to patiently for his mother to pick up her phone. It's been a long time since he last called her, he had spend the entire previous semester studying for the mid-term test and he had neglected the basic filial gesture of calling his mom. It made him a little embarrass and guilty, but deciding not to call her right now is foolish. Besides, he really miss hearing her voice and seeing her smile. The repeating beep of line continued until he heard an audible click.

"Ash!" His heart melted at her voice, gosh did he missed her, more than he cared to admit. He hastily tapped the keyboards, inputting his password to connect to the video meeting app.

"Hi mom, can we face call? I really want to see you." The frantic voice from her son earned a sweet giggle from Delia, it seems someone was really excited to see her. Delia pushed aside the loose strands of hair and readjusted her silk black negligee that left her shoulders and thighs exposed. She paused for a moment once she realized how little it covered and revealing it was, she caught her ragged breath and wondered if it's alright if she talks to Ash in this state. But the overwhelming desire to see him again stopped her, and beside it wasn't as if Ash haven't seen her like this before. It just- well talking to someone via video call while wearing such provocative attire made it looked like she was doing some sort of risque online service, despite the fact person in question was her son. She shook her head and looked around the room, a smile formed once she saw her pink night robe that was within arm's reach.

"Of course Ashy, hold on okay?" She took her fluffy night robe and wrapped it around her body, giving her some warmth and security before her computer. She eagerly clicked the connection button and waited for the transceiver to send over, it wasn't long before her adorning son showed up on the screen.

"Mom/Ash!" The two stared each other momentarily before giving off a laugh at their reaction. The young man found his face flushing slightly over how different his mom look, it was weird as he never seen her in this light before, quite literally as the warm nightstand work wonders in a dimly lit bedroom brought on a different vibe to his mother. However, seeing her hair all loosened down and the faint black negligee swaying in motion, it brought up a wide variety of emotion that left him confused and honestly, excited.

"It's been a while sweetie, how are you doing? Is school alright?" Ash grinned and nodded, he eagerly pulled his test results from his bag and proudly showed cased his exam paper. The video quality was frightening good, allowing Delia to get a good look on the comments wrote by his teacher. Her lips curled upwards, his teacher must be really carefree and friendly with the student by drawing emojis to congratulate them.

"Just got my test results today, got an A." She could clearly see that, she in fact very proud of him. He had always been a natural to everything pokemon so to see him working on something he is genuinely passionate with was heartwarming. His future career prospects is really bright and she could envisioned him working in a pokemon related industry. Who knows? He might even become a Champion of Kanto one day! Whatever his goal is, she would be right there to support him every step of the way. Of course it was through her unwavering support for his goals and happiness that allowed him to study in a prestigious school in Saffron, where he is thousands of miles away from Pallet Town, away from her... b-but anything for her son!

"I'm proud of you Ash, you're really working hard huh?" Ash nodded vigorously, he could tell his mother was holding back her emotions. She has always been forward and honest with them, but that was displayed through physical touch or affection. A video screen can only convey so much emotion and Ash knew that his mother was trying her best not to break down. Growing up, she sacrificed much of her time and youth for his sake after their father left them when she was still pregnant, it was a harsh time of their life but thankfully Professor Oak and the nice community of Pallet Town all band together to help her through those tough times. It was a debt that Ash would forever remember, and someday he aims to repay it in its entirety.

"I'll try, nothing compared to you though. Is everything okay back at home?" Delia noted the concerned voice in her son's tone. She beamed in a warm and comforting manner, reassuring her son that everything is fine back home. She was more concern of her son who is forced to live alone in the cold and large city of Saffron, where no ones really talks to each other despite having 37 million people living in city. Delia heard that if you don't go out of your way to make friends, connect with people or form communities, it's possible for you to be completely alone in the sea of crowd. Thankfully, her son is sociable and sweet, the many juicy stories told from him always revolves around his friends.

"It is, house is less livelier but a lot more cleaner without you." The cheeky tone from his mother earned an eye roll from Ash. He is not a complete snob at home, he does a lot of housework too like washing the dishes, bringing the laundry and cleaning his room!

"Oh geez." His mother giggled at his expression, the sweet chorus of her giggles was music to Ash's ears. Perhaps it was long term separation from his mother, but he is suspecting that the maternal deprivation is kicking in right now. Which honestly might be the reason why he looked up to Miss Roxanne so much, she was next to a motherly figure he could have right now. An unsettling thought all things considered. The two mother and son continued to talk, ranging from their daily lives to interesting events that happened in their daily routines. Ash was particularly having a time of his life hearing his mother ranting about her colleagues in her work, it was a side of her he never really seen before and as a kid, he never understood any of it. Now, at an adolescent age he partially understands it and being able to provide advice or little quips to her situation brought laughter and smiles from her. However as the conversations died down and the silence set in, Ash found himself staring at his mother with a frown, the reason of this call started to resurface from the back of his mind. Seeing her son's downcast expression, Delia motherly instincts kicked in immediately and she sat upright with a gentle expression on her face.

"Ash? What's wrong sweetie? Why do you look so down?" The young man nursed a serious expression and crossed his arms, he needed to know if there is any suspicious activity brewing up in Pallet. Chances are, his mother would not know any signs of pokemon aggression, they can be very subtle at times.

"Ah nothing mom it's just, you heard about the wild pokemon attacks right?" Delia nodded and held one pillow close to her. On closer inspection, Ash noticed that it was his pillow left at Pallet Town. It brought a smile to his face but decided not to raise the question to her, it seemed that she really missed him and the pillow provided her some form of security and familiar comfort.

"I did, sounds scary." Ash was near certain that Professor Oak would be on high alert on this, he is always on point when it comes to emergencies or things like this. The strings of wild pokemon attacks can't be waved off as a coincidence either, whether the attacks would happen in Pallet Town is a mystery, but Ash is not willing to compromise or risk his mother's safety. Perhaps a phone call to Oak's laboratory is in order.

"Be careful okay?" Delia sat upright and brushed her hair to aside, placing it directly over her shoulders as she smoothed out the silky amber locks. Her hazel brown eyes were in the lighter shade of yellow, making them really pop out and shine in the dimly lit room. Ash find himself getting uneasy by how attentive he is to his mother, sure she is beautiful, he always acknowledged that. But to see her like this acting all relax and vulnerable, how did he not realized how much of a beauty she was?

"I will be fine Ash! Pallet Town is very safe." He broke out of his stupor, his must have miss his mother so much that he started to take in every intricate detail. However, the statement from his mother did little to put down his worries, Pallet Town only have a population within the 300s, meaning any emergencies or disasters can be devastating to the populace. But before he could continue, his affable starter decided to make it start appearance by popping his head onto the video camera.

"Pika!" Delia squealed at the sight of the adorable electric type waving to her on the camera. Ash chuckled and wrapped his arms around Pikachu and placed him directly on top of his lap, allowing his mother to see the both of them clearly.

"Hi Pikachu~ did you miss me?" Pikachu nodded almost instantly, he loved Delia's warm and sweet presence. Many of his trainer's best traits came from his mother, though he failed to pick up her culinary and cleaning skills, there was still the Ketchum charm to it! The young electric mouse was rescued by Delia 10 years ago when she was returning back home during a thunderstorm, she happened to saw a Pichu curling up a abandoned bus stop for warmth and safety. Seeing the poor thing soaked in the rain and clearly hungry for warmth and food, the single mother decided to pick it up gently in her arms and brought it home. Needless to say, Ash was enamored by the electric type and took great care of it and the two were inseparable ever since.

"He missed your cooking more than anything." Pikachu pouted when his trainer boop his nose, how dare he placed such accusation on him. The electric type genuinely loved Delia, her cooking is just a plus!

"It's been so long since we seen each other Ash, when are you coming home?" Ash pondered for a moment, this semester has ended after the test is concluded, not officially but in reality most of the syllabus is over and the additional learning materials can always be saved for next semester. Because Pallet Town is worlds away from Saffron, it wasn't feasible to visit his mother every weekend despite his earnest efforts to make it possible. So the only time it was possible was during school holiday.

"My holidays are almost here, I can take the bullet train to Viridian and take the bus there." Delia pouted as she leaned forward with her hand supporting her head, she hoped she could see him at least once a week but it wasn't sustainable. The train tickets are expensive and the journey itself would take an entire day, it was better to have him visit during the holidays where he had a few weeks off and he can properly be welcomed and relax.

"Well do tell me when you return home, I want to prepare a welcome banquet for you." Ash chuckled at the thought his mother pulling the red carpet and filling the entire dining table with food, even as a gluttonous fiend there was a limit to his bottomless appetite. Though he won't lie, a nice bowl of tonkatsu, sukiyaki, tai meshi and any other authentic Kantonian food would be a delight.

"Banquet? Mom, there's no need for that. Being with you makes me happy enough, I really miss you." It was a heartfelt moment filled with sincerity and familial love, unfortunately Delia was quick to deflect those sappy words with cynicism to hide her bubbling emotions that threatened to break her at that very moment.

"You miss someone doing the laundry and doing housework huh." Pikachu snickered at his trainer's red flushed face, finally it was his turn to be accused of something not entirely defamatory.

"Uh that's an added bonus." Delia sighed at the reply and grinned at his flustered expression. He was easy to tease and absolutely cute when he avoids eyes contact with you. It had Delia wondering if her son had a girlfriend yet, given his handsome good looks and sweet personality, it wasn't hard for him! Sure as a mother she might have a little bias towards her own son, but rationally and objectively speaking, he is a catch!

"Hmm speaking of which, do you have a girlfriend yet?" Pikachu chuckled at his trainer's livid expression, the subject of Delia asking Ash this question every time they met was almost guaranteed. Though it was always meant in jest, Pikachu wondered if Ash had seriously gave it much thought.

"M-Mom!" Delia held back a wicked smirk, she feigned innocent and assume a more childish tone just to rile him up further.

"I'm just curious, I'm sure there's no shortage of cute girls in your school." The young man cleared his throat, indeed there was no shortage of hot girls in his school. If he had to be absolutely blunt, hand on heart honest, no lies at the nines, Belle was the closest girl he would ever want to ask out. He had a few options, inviting her out to watch a movie together may seemed like the obvious choice considering Belle's love for the big screen. But a casual movie date sounds terrible if he had to be frank, because you just spend the entire date watching a movie in silence rather than bonding over common interest. Still Belle is sweet and nice, a little weird too but aren't we all?

"I don't have a girlfriend, been busy." Delia rolled her eyes, can a student truly be more busy than a working mom? It's all about time management and having strict discipline, but Delia couldn't exactly expect her son to fork out extravagant amounts of money just to go on dates, no he has to earn that himself and that is not easy in the big city.

"Playing video games?" He scratched the back of his head, seemingly being caught red-handed by his mother.

"That too, but I'm just not feeling it." Hearing the faint edge and uncomfortableness in his tone, Delia decided to lighten up a little. She wasn't here to pressure him, she honestly just want to tease him the best way a mother's knows how. She just really misses him and having little banters like these was something she took for granted back when he was still living with her.

"Well don't feel pressured okay? Take your time, if you find a girl you really like, cherish her. I know I joked about getting a gf, but don't ever let my nagging get to you okay? You would find the right one." Ash interlocked his fingers and slowly stared at his mom, his lips quivering at the question he was about to ask. He sighed inwardly and readjusted his sitting, if he was at the legal age of drinking he would have down one can of that right now, he needs the alcohol to get through this conversation.

"I will mom, what about you?" Delia caught the uneasy tone from her son and shuffled comfortably in her chair. She observed his facial feature, the avoidance of eye contact and clenching fists, it seemed that he was disturbed or anxious at what lies ahead. She press onward with the question, it was unlike Ash to be this nervous around her.

"Hmm?" He hesitated for a moment before feeling Pikachu patting his hand, with renew confidence surging within him. Ash stood up and shot his mother a determined look.

"Are you seeing someone?" The silence was palpable, Delia was completely off guard by the sudden question. It has been ages since she went on dates, she had many offers from colleagues and people she met on streets. As a single mother, her priority has always been Ash but with him leaving the house, she didn't really have an excuse anymore. She was simply too scarred from her previous marriage that left her in a sobbing wreck. No, she is capable of flying solo right now. She is a strong independent woman, she didn't need no man in her life! Well, except her dear Ash but that's besides the point!

"I'm not Ash, I have a fair few offers but I declined most of them. I didn't know so many younger men are interested in dating older women, even after I told them I have a son." Ash almost physically recoiled and gagged from that, his highly protective instincts kicked in immediately, his eyes narrowed and his arms crossed defensively.

"Creeps." The voice was venomous and filled with disdain, the unfathomable sight of her little Ash showing signs of actual hatred and disgust to the men who were actively pestering her was half concerning, but half heartwarming. The feeling of knowing her son is actively and constantly looking after her was sorely needed after years of independence. But she would need to temper those negative feelings of his, most of them people who flirted with her were genuinely nice and sweet. There were a few bad apple and the very obnoxious red flags, but overall she didn't mind having people flirting with her, it was a hell of a confidence boost.

"You like older woman too Ash, I've been through your computer before." The dry delivery brought Ash to humbleness and reality, he stammered his response out and frantically defended himself as his mother's smug look was brought up to full display. Why didn't he decide to go incognito mode? Should have deleted his browser history? Why did his mother have to enter his room and the wrong moment!?

"N-No! I- well, I m-mean I like the maturity and stuff but- I will shut up now." Delia was well aware of her son's taste and type, hell she suspected that she partly influenced it. But she always attribute it to Ash seeking comfort in familiarity and finding solace in a girl that can bring the same motherly warmth and love Delia had given him too. She didn't mind it, so as long he doesn't go overboard. She tapped her finger against her cheek slowly, wondering what spur this conversation in the first place.

"Mhmm, do you even want me to start dating? Ready for a stepfather?" She meant it in a joking manner, but Ash's rebuttal was swift.

"No." The harsh tone from him might be more forceful than he intended, Ash quickly pulled his chair forward and force a sheepish smile to hide his embarrassment.

"Uh I mean, if it makes you happy of course! I just- I just don't want you to be lonely that's all." For Delia, she already expected such response. Growing up without a father have adverse effects on a child developments, subsequently Ah developed huge trust issues and is highly protective of her. The idea of having a complete stranger entering their lives and whisking her away from him, of course he is going to be unhappy. She was by far the most important person in his life, even if the person was Mr Perfect, Ash would still find ways to hate him. But the backtrack from him also make Delia realized that he was overall accepting at the idea of her dating someone, even if he was unhappy with it. It was a sign of maturity from Ash, but she knew that it would deeply hurt him.

"Sweetie I'm not lonely, I have many friends and neighbours here keeping me company, but most importantly of all, I have you." If Delia could reached through the screen, she would have gently cupped his cheeks and pulled him into a tight hug. But alas, both of them are confined to her room, hundred of miles apart from one another. Any emotional affection is rendered soulless through the video camera.

"You're important to me too mom." The soft but genuine tone from her son made Delia's heart skip a beat. She groaned and collapse her head on top of her arms, her shimmering and gentle eyes shot through Ash, her sweet pouty face and flushed cheeks were an incredibly adorable sight and Ash was probably the only person who seen this side of her.

"Ugh, I really wish I can hug you through the computer screen right now!" Delia opened her arms widely, her luscious bosom were brought up to full display. The black lacy negligee complimented her smooth pale skin wonderfully, not an day of sag were seen too, which made sense given she was still in her early thirties. Still, Ash was quite uncomfortable with how much he is staring at her now, he used to see her like this all time the time! Arceus, he needs to cool off and maybe watch some videos to blow off some steam. He has been busy and stressed as of late, so maybe releasing some of it through personal means might be the way to go. The guilt soon went away and Ash came up with a rapid reply.

"Hehe same mom." Delia lit up once Pikachu gave a cute yawn and curled on top of the table.

"Well, I will save the hugs for both of you when you two come back home then. I wish I can chat Ashy but I have wake up early tomorrow, work has been relentless lately. End of the month, many deals have to be closed and deadlines to be met." The dreaded worklife made Ash sigh, his mother is a career focused woman. Though Pallet Town does not have any large offices or skyscrapers, the nearby Viridian City is one of the largest cities in Kanto. His mother have to wake up bright and early in the morning just to drive there, it's quite the distance but thankfully not much road traffic. With the hindsight of frequent wild pokemon attacks making it to the news, Ash is quite worried if his mother would be ambushed by wild pokemon near the highways of Route 1.

"Please take it easy and get some rest if you can. Be on a look out yeah?"

"I will Ash, don't worry okay? Good night sweetie. Love you! Bye pikachu!" With that his mother gave a wink and closed the video conference, ending the call just like that. Ash took a moment and stared at the blank computer screen, his mind still processing that his mother had log off. Months of not seeing her and now she is gone again, this does not bode well for him.

"Good night mom, stay safe." As those reluctant words left his mouth, he gave a sigh and leaned backwards. He stretched his limbs and yawned at how tired he was, man and he didn't do any strenuous or physical today. He took his phone from his desk and noticed that he had a few unread messages on the phone, one of them came from the class WhatsApp group chat.

"Huh classes are cancelled until further notice?" The message was as simple and as literal as that, the message was posted by Miss Roxanne and although many of classmate asked why, it seemed that she wasn't entertaining any questions. It was perplexing, in a day where so many things happened, this just adds on another list of concerning things. Determined to get some explanation, he texted the boys WhatsApp group and wondered if they can shed some light on the situation.

Ash: Hey guys I just received a message that classes are cancelled until further notice.

Chase: Yeah, just saw it too. Something is not right.

Trip: I told you that something big is brewing, has to be related to the damn attacks.

Paul: Don't jump to conclusion yet Trip, but I must admit that someone seems to be busy erasing any news of the attacks.

Barry: Wdym?

Paul: Can't access the websites or reports, domain is not found.

Gary: Guys, I just got a call from gramps. He is asking me to return to Pallet Town immediately.

Chase: Did he say why?

Gary: Won't say, just that I must pack my things now and leave.

Paul: If Old Oak is freaking out, then something is wrong.

Tracey: GUYS CHECK THE NEWS NOW!

Paul: What?

Mildly taken aback by Tracey fully capitalized message, he scooped Pikachu up and make their way to the living room to turn on the TV. What was the usual sit-com programs where replaced by a screen that had the Kanto Region Administrative Government logo with the following words 'A National broadcast from the Kanto Health Ministry is starting soon'.

"What the- what's going on?" Patiently, the duo sat on the couch patiently, although Pikachu was not aware what's going on, even he knows that this was serious. Soon enough, a robotic male voice used in emergencies or disasters came blaring out from the speaker.

"We interrupt this program from an important announcement the Kanto Health Ministry." The screen cut to an elderly spokesperson, standing before a wooden podium with a mike on it. The logo and emblem of the KHM can be seen plastered, but otherwise this looks like any ordinary announcement. Nothing out of the ordinary can be see, at least on first glance.

"Greetings Kantonians, this is your health minister speaking. The Kanto Center for Disease Control and Prevention have recently received reports of a potential community outbreak in a farmtown southwest of Pewter City. The situation is currently under control and closely monitored by the authorities, however heightened vigilance and surveillance is advised. Please remain calm and report to your local hospital in the event you are feeling unwell. The public is advised to limit physical interaction with wild pokemon and to report signs of aggressive pokemon behavior to your local authorities. Please stay up to date with the latest development of the news and only trust reliable sources of information, such as official press statements and trustworthy news media. Individuals who spread fake news and create false panic to the public would be punished in accordance to the law. Your cooperation is appreciated, thank you." The short and brief broadcast was then cut, and the usual program was resumed. Ash took a moment to process what went over his head, so there is a community outbreak in Pewter City and is under the surveillance of the authorities, eerily similar to what Trip said earlier. The uneasy feeling within him begin to swell, this was seriously panic inducing. Not to mention that the whole broadcast was less than a minute himself, quick, short and confusing too. His phone soon vibrated with a new message, apparently it came from the WhatsApp group.

Chase: Discord now.

It was a call to action that need no words or explanation, the boys need to assemble. Quick on his feet, Ash rushed to his room with Pikachu next to him, locking the door tight and turning on the air-conditioning. He placed the headphone over him and pulled the USB mic closer, whatever is happening can't be good. Popping up Discord, everyone else seemed to be already online and in the group VC.

"Hey guys."

"We are here okay good, Gary's not coming I think since he is packing stuff." Trip assumed second in command, the audible sound of a can soda being opened can be heard faintly.

"That makes it worse isn't it? Oak is calling him to go home immediately then this shit happens, it's all connected now. I thought Trip was being dramatic, looks like he's not." Paul was quick to start the conversation, though none would disagree with him. Professor Oak has to know about this, it can't be a total coincidence that he immediately demanded Gary to come back home before the broadcast starts.

"We will call him once he reached Pallet, I'm sure Professor Oak knows more about this." Chase voice echoed through the VC, the a familiar feminine voice can be heard behind him, Ash presumed it was his twin sister Elaine. The two always share a competitive but warm bond.

"Yo but what the hell? Community outbreak? Sounds like some zombie virus thing." Barry wasn't exactly wrong, anytime a community outbreak is mentioned most of them immediately think of a zombie plague or an out of control virus. Probably thanks to how popular zombie media is and the amount of games they played, Project Zomboid with a group of friends is always a fun time. The roleplay, the drama, the intensity, everything is so surreal. But this is reality, a community outbreak in a farmtown is mostly likely a poultry based virus like H5N1.

"Right after Trip share with us too, talk about timing."

"Know anyone from Pewter?" Chase's voice was distant, seemed that he is far away from the microphone at the moment.

"Nope, most of us are from other countries. Chase you should know." Tracey added, he hailed from the Orange islands and is has not travelled towards the rest of Kanto yet. Chase is by far the most well travelled person of the group.

"I wish, I really do not like this. It's Pewter City too, near Mt Moon, can't be a coincidence." The close proximity of the location cannot be understated, something is amiss here.

"Miss send an update to the group, uh she said we are having online classes now. Looks like its official?" Barry spoke suddenly between the conversations, the boys checked their phones and indeed noticed that Miss Roxanne stated that all classes would now be conducted online. In fact, she addressed some of the messages and urged for calm, which doesn't do much when you're not giving your student anything to work with.

"I did not travel all the way from Unova to Kanto just to sit in an expensive dormitory to take online classes." Trip was not happy with these arrangements, his parents purposely paid for these fees just to put him the best school their budget can afford them. Now he is stuck at homes listening to online classes that he can easily replicate from watching Youtube tutorials like Khan Academy?! This is a joke, he paid for the resource fees and facilities, not some boring lecture slides that can easily be downloaded.

"We don't have a choice Trip, you saw the news." The Unovian sigh, it was just his luck that a community outbreaks happens in the backwaters of Pewter while he is studying in Kanto huh? Ash rapidly searched for the online newspaper and websites, it was apparent that none of the mainstream media like Kanto Times or Kanto Daily were given a headsup about this. All of them were caught off guard which is very concerning, usually mainstream media are informed before hand and are put in a news embargo, a request or requirement by a source that the information or news provided by them should not be published until told otherwise, or until conditions have been met. It's a common practice, and yet even the major news outlets are kept in the dark from this.

"I'm calling my mom again just to check on her, you guys should do the same too." The rest of the boy agreed with Ash, they know how important she is to him so they let him go off first. Quick on his fingers, he called his mother again and hoped that she wasn't asleep yet.

"A-Ash? Why did you call sweetie?" He beamed and quickly blurted out everything, his mom sounded groggy and sleepy, indeed she was asleep.

"Mom did you check the news?"

"Hmm?" She sounded adorable with how sleepy she sound though.

"A national broadcast just happened, check it!" Hearing the urgency in his voice, Delia sighed and went to her phone, searching the latest news online. Her eyes widened and quickly perked up at why her son suddenly called her, was this serious? A national broadcast by the official government and they decided not to inform anyone that this is being broadcasted this late at night?

"Oh my goodness, this is serious! You okay?" Ash blinked and assumed a deadpanned expression, he was the one who called her about this and she is asking if he is okay?

"I'm fine, I'm more worried about you." Delia sat back on her bed, getting comfortable in her blankets and cover.

"Did your school said anything yet?"

"My teacher said online classes for now, school is cancelled." It was quite the rapid decision, but Delia was glad that school decided to take steps like these. Although it is just a small community outbreak in Pewter, the fact the government feel the need to inform everyone all of the sudden but left out intricate details of the outbreak is raising eyebrows and suspicions.

"This sounds really serious, keep me updated okay?"

"I will, call me every night just to be safe." The authoritative and commanding tone from her son didn't bother her, she knew he was being protective and was very concern about her, but she did a eye roll nevertheless and spoke with motherly authority that reaffirm her status as his guardian and parent.

"I should be asking you to do that Ash, send me Gary's number just incase I can't reach you." Ash nodded, make sense if anything foes haywire and she couldn't reach him, she could still reach his friends. In fact maybe he should send the entire friend group number to her, and ask the others to do the same to their parents. Better be safe than sorry especially when half of the group are overseas students.

"Will do, Professor Oak has mine right?"

"Mhmm, I would ask Samuel about this. He probably know what is going on more than us." Indeed, Gary should be back in Pallet Town on the morrow, maybe he should give him a call too.

"Please be careful mom... I-I love you." The sudden meek voice at the end caught Delia off guard, her faced flushed red and she smiled at how timid and shy her son sound. This was arguably the first time she heard him say this in his teenage years, such a shy sweetheart. Delia bit her lower lip and felt her chest tightened with anticipation, she sorely missed him and she decided to not hold back her emotions anymore.

"I love you too Ash, please look after yourself. Mommy is waiting for you to come home okay?"