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"Butts"- Humans speaking

"Butts"- Pokemon speaking

'Butts'- thoughts

"Butts"-Pokedex entries/TV speech

The Ultimate Test

On the road once again, Aiden flew up in the sky, doing barrel rolls as he savored his new Flying type to the fullest. However, back on the ground, Ash and the others were enjoying the nice lunch, Brock looking over the new egg in excitement as Green turned to Ash, noticing the badges in his vest.

Green: You know, that always confuses me.

Ash: What does?

Green: How you always pin your badges against your vest. Why do you do that? Don't they like, give you a case or something to put them in?

Ash: I… I don;t know. I never got one.

Cobalt: Nothing offensive, Ash. It;s just that… It just seems a bit unsafe with you running around with badges in your vest like that.

Green: And speaking of badges, when are we ever going to get our 7th one? We've been walking for days!

Ash: We have to find Cinnabar Island first, Green. Just be patient.

Brock: *chuckles* Patience trouble, Ash?

Ash: I'm fine. But Green… Not so much. Apparently, he can;t wait for me to get my last 2 badges. And being honest…. I kinda am, too.

Brock: Well, if you want to hurry up and get into the league, why not get admitted?

Misty: Admitted?

Brock: Simple. Take the Indigo League Admissions Exam. I heard the nearest town is holding them.

Ash: Admissions exam? There's a way for me to get into the League without all 8 badges?

Yami: There's an exam for the Pokemon League?

Psi: There are exams for everything nowadays, my phantasmic compatriot.

After packing up lunch, the group made their way to the nearest town as they made their way to a large building, where they spoke to one of the instructors at the desk.

Instructor: Welcome to the Indigo League Admissions Exam. Name, please.

Ash: Ashton Satoshi Ketchum.

Instructor: *types* Ah, there you are. And how many badges have you collected thus far?

Ash: 6. If you don;t mind me asking, sir… What is this about?

Instructor: Well, as you know, trainers get into the Pokemon League by traveling around the region and gathering the region's 8 badges. But here, we evaluate applicants based on a combined written and practical skill exam. *holds up shiny red badge* And those who fully pass the test will receive this badge, automatically qualifying them for the Pokemon League!

Ash and his two released Pokemon looked at the badge in wonderment as the instructor put it down and typed on the computer.

Instructor: And there, you're registered for the exam.

He then hands Ash a sticker, which is green and has the number "7" on it.

Instructor: Take this, it is your registration number.

Ash: *takes sticker* Thank you.

Cobalt: Look at that. Lucky number 7!

Green: You don;t need luck, buddy! You got this in the bag!

Misty: Wow, look at all the people showing up to the exam.

As Ash looked around the room, a man with blue hair is seen talking to an older couple, a woman with a short orange dress and her hair tied into a bun and a man with a bushy mustache and a baggy red hat. Ash might not have recognuzed the man, but we do… Of course we do.

James: Nanny, Pop-Pop, it's good to see you both after so long.

Nanny: It's nice to see you too, Lil James. And in such good health, too.

James: It's not that I'm ugrateful for the reunion… But what are you both doing here?

Pop-Pop: When you told us you were going to take the exam in town, we decided to come over and wish you good luck. Oh, before I forget, I brought something for you.

The man reached into the pocket in his overalls, pulling out a Pokeball before handing it to James.

James: A Pokeball?

Pop-Pop: We thought you'd want an old friend to join you on your journey. You remember him, don;t you? From the Great Marsh?

James: Great Mar….. *smiles* Oh, how could I forget?! *thrwos ball* Go, Carnivine!

The ball opens to release a large flytrap like Pokemon with leafy arms and vine-like tendrils on its bottom half. As the Carnivine looked around, he recognized James in his new disguise, smiling widely before….. Biting down on his very head.

James: *laughs* Ah, Carnivine! Still doing the whole nibbling my noggin act from back then, eh?

Carnivine: *lets go* Only for you, Jim!

Nanny: Well, we best be going. We still got Pokemon to take care of back home.

Pop-Pop: Take care now, sonny. And remember…

Nanny: We love you, Lil James.

James brought the two into a hug before they left, the man driving a truck as James and Carnvine waved them off. Once they were out of sight, James turned to his newly reunited Grass-type.

James: Come on, Carni! We got a league to admit for!

Carnivine nodded as he and James entered the facility. However, as they walked, Ash was seen backing up, accidentally bumping into him.

Ash: Oh, sorry.

James: That's alright.

As the man shook off the scare he got from seeing the boy and began to register, Ash and his friends looked to more of the crowd, spotting a Nurse Joy walking near them.

Brock: *blushes* Oh, Nurse Joy!

Misty: Yeah, but which one?

Cobalt: Hm… Cerulean. That Joy has this one's hair roundness.

Instructor: Oh, and one more thing!... You'll have to leave your Poke Balls with me.

Ash: *nervous* What? Why?

Instructor: sorry, but you're not permitted to use your own Pokemon during the exam. Wouldn;t really be much of a challenge.

Ash looked at the man as his hand caressed the [Pokeballs containing his team. He knew he had to turn them in in order to take the exam but… He couldn't tel if this man could be tested. The instructor took notice of this, gaining a concerned expression as Cobalt and Green comforted their trainer.

Instructor: Is something wrong?

Misty: Sorry, he doesn;t trust many people with his Pokemon… Would it be okay if I took them instead?

Instructor: Well…. The xam doesn;t say anything about that not being allowed…. Sure, go on ahead. *walks away*

After he walks away, Ash gives a silent thanks to Misty as he then passes his Pokeballs to her while Cobalt and Green step over to stand next to her.

Misty: good luck, Ash. Not like you'll need it with how far you've come.

Ash nodded as they went over to join Brock, who was about to be Posion Jabbed by Croagunk. Meanwhile. A familiar magenta haired woman in disguise was finishing her entrance form as James walked up next to her, handing the Instructor his filled-in form.

James: Here's my registration form. Just had to dot the I's and line the Q's.

Instructor: I see. *reads form* So, your name is James?

James: *firghtened grunt* Will you please keep it down?!

Jessie: Is that…?

James: *notices Jessie* Get lost, old bat!

Jessie: *slowly becomes angry* …"Old"..."Bat"?

James: *frightened* What have I done?

The woman growled angrily as she grabbed James by the collar, dragging him outside to the park-like area.

James: HELP ME! HELP! POLICE! STOP THIS MADWOMA- *Jessie drops him* OW!

Jessie glared as James, taking off the glasses she used in her disguise.

Jessie: So, I'm an old bat, am I?!

James: Jessie?!... That outfit is atrocious. Forest green is not your color.

Jessie: I tried. So… What are you doing here?

James: What am I doing here?... Well, truth be told, like most people, I want to become a Pokemon Master. Just like I wanted when I was a boy. I want to live my dream instead of my… *saddened* Unfortunate reality.

Jessie: don;t blame you there, brother.

James: What about you? I wouldn;t pin you as the kind to compete in the Pokemon League.

Jessie: No, I'm more into contests, preferably. But if you must know, I want to add another talent to my extensive resume. As you know, I'm an astounding tea-maker, florist, costume designer, beautician, wine-critic, liscenced Shamasan player, and style consultant. Plus, I make a killer Soufflé. But, the only thing missing is-

Meowth: A Pokemon Master.

The two humans shouted in surprise, not expecting the sudden appearance of their feline partner.

Jessie/James: MEOWTH?!

Jessie: What are you doing here?

Meowth: Looking for you bozos, the ones that had suspicious engagements. *to Jessie* This seems like an odd place for your cousin's wedding.

Jessie: They did get married…. It was just a year ago.

Meowth: Uh-huh sure. *to James* And I thought you had a dentist appointment?

James: I did, I finished an hour ago. *flashes teeth* See?

Meowth: Oh… Well, I saw you talking to some odd couple. Who the heck were they?

James: My…. *looks down* My grandparents.

Jessie: I didn;t know you had grandparents.

James: My Nanny and Pop-Pop have a corrage near Celadon, where I used to visit EVERY summer when I was a lad. Back home, I had a multitude of tutors coming to my house every single day for lessons; 23 in fact. Even when I wasn't studying, I was working! The piano lessons, the violin lessons, the table etiquette- Did you know there are 3 SPOONS YOU USE TO EAT SOUP?! 3!

Jessie: Geez, I keep forgetting how rich yet miserable you were as a kid.

James: Yes, but those reasons were why I couldn't wait to go to Nanny and Pop-Pop and get away from the workaday like I knew. Their kindness towards me was just so…. So incredible! They were the only ones I felt truly cared about me besides Growlie.

Meowth: Wow, that's…. That's really sweet of them.

James: You see, Meowth. This is the reason I want to take this exam and get into the Pokemon League. To show them what a complete success I can become.

Meowth: Hm… Alright, you;re fine… *to Jessie* Now, about you-

Suddenly, Jessie threw a ball of yarn to the side, causing Meowth;s instincts to kick in and chase after it. This was just the distraction Jessie needed as she grabbed James by the wrist and the two ran back into the building, leaving Meowth a giggling mess as he played with the yarn ball.

—-

Inside the building, a massive classroom is filled with students, a couple of them being Ash, Nurse Joy, Jessie, and James, as they each sit in front of a computer and a drawing tablet.

Instructor: Welcome to Test #1 of the Indigo League Admissions Exam. Your first test will measure your overall knowledge of miscellaneous Pokemon, both in true or false and multiple choice formats. You all have 1 hour to complete the test. Ready?... Begin!

Nervously, Ash tapped the power button on his keyboard as the screen flickered on, showing a picture of the Pokemon, Lickitung.

Computer: Lickitung's tongue is exactly twice the length of its body. True or false?

Ash: Hm… I remember a show saying its tongue was longer than twice its body… *taps tablet* False.

Computer: Murkrow evolves into Honchkrow with which type of evolution stone? A. Water. B. Sun. C. Dusk. D. Fire.

Ash: Obviously, it;s a Dark type so… *taps tablet* C.

Computer: Sceptile contains the most vitamins where in its body? A. its back seeds. B. Its tail. C. Its bladder. D. Its amygdala.

Ash: Oh, this is obvious. *taps tablet* A.

Computer: Magikarp's only move at birth is Splash. True or False?

James: *growls* Magikarp… Just hearing that name… Makes me remember how I got scammed and almost died…

Jessie: True.

James: Huh?

He looked over to Jessie, who sat next to him. Much to his surprise, Jessie was just nonchalantly guessing, either picking true or picking option C.

Jessie: True.

Computer: Caterpie is the world's smallest Pokemon? True or false?

Ash: I think I;ve seen smaller, but… I'll go with flase.

Jessie: That's true, too.

James: What in the-?

Computer: Which of these fossil Pokemon were discovered in Unova? A. Kabutops. B. Archen. C. Tyrantrum. D. Armaldo.

Jessie: C. True. C. C. True.

James: How do you know this much?!

Jessie: I don;t. If you pick C or true for every answer, you're guaranteed to at least get 70%. How do you think I passed 4th grade?

—-

Later on, the instructor took the memory cards out of the computers when time was up. Gathering the cards and putting them in a box, he then pulled down a projection screen.

Instructor: Congratulations to all who have made it this far. Now, it is time for test #2. We will record your abilities to recognize Pokemon. Please type the name of the Pokemon into your terminals by identifying the projected silhouette or part of its body projected on the screen here.

The screen then played a black ball symbol, where the instructor then pointed to it.

Instructor: Now, tell me. Who;s this Pokemon?

Ash: Too easy… It;s a Voltorb.

James: Obviously, it's a Poke Ball.

Jessie: Electrode, hands down.

Instructor: The correct anwer is…. *silhouette lights up* A Jigglypuff seen from above…

Jessie: ….Nani?

Instructor: Next question… *screen shows spiral* Which Pokemon displays this pattern?

James: A spiral pattern. Haven't seen a Pokemon with that before… It must be the shell of an Omanyte!

Jessie: An Ekans coiled up!

Ash: Oh, I think I know. It's a Poliwhirl!

Instructor: And the answer is…. Poliwag! If you guessed Poliwhirl, don;t be discouraged. Not many people notice this, but when Poliwag evolves into Poliwhirl, the swirl symbol on its stomach is reversed.

Ash did seem discouraged, but he perked u a little, seeing as how a lot of people didn;t notice the difference either

Instructor: Now, a lot of Fire types have on their tails, correct? Now… *screen displays flame* Which Pokemon has this flame?

Ash: It's too wavy to be a Charizard and too thick to be a Chimhar… Oh, I know!

Instructor: The answer is…. Ponyta!

Ash: Yes, finally!

Jessie: *growls* Can't you ask one question that I know the answer to?!

Instructor: Please take your seat!

Jessie: This whole thing is a damn joke! These stupid questions won't make you a Pokémon master!

Instructor: For your information, young lady, a Pokémon master must understand all aspects of a Pokémon's life in order to achieve oneness with their Pokémon!

Jessie: Oh, really? Says you, Mr. Ambiguous Accent!

Instructor: GET OUT OG MY CLASSROOM! YOU'RE EXPELLED!

Jessie: You can;t expel me! I quit!

She aggressively throws her number sticker onto the floor, slamming the door as she leaves.

Nurse Joy: Oh dear. What a shame.

Ash: That girl's attitude seems familiar, too.

Instructor: *deep breaths* Sorry about that interruption….. 30 minute recess, then we will move on to the final test.

—-

Later on during the recess, an electronic scoreboard of the class's students, with each trainer looking for their placement.

Misty: Okay, so the ones on the right side of the board got the lowest scores while the ones on the left got the highest.

Brock: Look, there's Joy! She's salutetorian!

Green: Salu- Wha?

Ash: She ranked second in the class.

Cobalt: Hey, look Ash. There's you!

He pointed to the middle row, where on the top left of the row laid Ash's picture.

Misty: Nice job, Ash. Though, I guess that second test really knocked you down some.

Ash: Yeah, but maybe I'll do better in the last exam. On the bright side, it's outside so everyone can watch.

Later on, the Instructor stood at a table as Ash and James together looked at many different belts containing 3 Pokeballs each.

Instructor: These are for your practical exam. You must win a battle with one of the small teams laid out here. This is to determine whether a trainer can adaptrefardless of what Pokemon comes out.

Ash: Huh…. And you can;t tell us which Pokemon are in the balls?

Instructor: That's what makes it a test. Don;t worry, these Pokemon wer ebred and trained for the test, so they aren'y dangerous and they'll listen to your commands, plus there is also a leaflet which will read the Pokemon's name and moveset, so you aren;t in the dark.

James: But who do we have to battle?

Instructor: Me.

Ash: Okay… *picks up random belt* I'll take this one.

James: *picks up random belt* Then I will take these.

James was first to battle, but was off to a rocky start as he used a Jolteon against a pokemon called Gligar, which was immune to Joteon's electric moves, but then the man was later expelled due to cheating by throwing two Pokemon out at once. At last, it as Ash's turn as he stepped into the field, standing his ground as he got out a ball. He looked over, seeing Misty, Brock, and his team cheering him on as Yami and Psi held up a large banner with "GO ASH!" written in black paint.

Misty: You can do it, Ash!

Brock: You got this!

Cobalt: Knock 'em dead, buddy!

Ash: Thanks, guys! Wish me luck!

Instructor: Alright, let us begin! I choose….

The instructor throws a ball, releasing a small lobster Pokemon with buggy eyes and three spikes on its head.

?: Hey, hey! Let's do this!

Instructor: The Ruffian Pokemon, Corphish!

Ash: Huh, never heard ogf that one… Alright, I'm counting on you!

The boy then throws one of his own balls… Only to have revealed he released a Weezing with a aforementioned leaflet blowing into Ash's hand.

Ash: Weezing?!

Green: Wow. Talk about irony.

Instructor: It's time to start the battle! Corphish, use Bubblebeam now!

The lobster opened its claws, unleashing a torrent of bubbles which the Weezing narrowly avoided. Knowing that he didn;t exactly have the fastest Pokemon out there, Ash looked at the leaflet in order to create a strategy.

Ash: Okay, I think I got something. Weezing, use Smog!

Weezing then unleashed a large plume of poisonous gas, covering the area and harming Corphish a little.

Instructor: Now Corphish, Shell Smash!

Corphish then begins to glow white as the energy then cracks and breaks off of its body, causing it to glow red.

Instructor: Now Crabhammer!

Ash: Weezing, Smokescreen!

As Corphsih was about to hit Weezing, it unleashed a thick smoke as Corphish hit nothing, indicating Weezing managed to move out of the way.

Instructor: Hey, not too shabby.

Ash: Now, Weezing! Gyro Ball!

With a metallic sheen, Weezing then spun quickly as it rammed into Corphish, knocking him out.

Cobalt: Yeah, Ash won!

Aiden: But how did it work? Weezing isnt that much of a bruiser.

Psi: That would be because of Corphish using Shell Smash. It makes the Pokemon stronger and faster, but Shell Smash has one glaring flaw; it makes the Pokemon more vulnerable to attacks.

Instructor: Very good. Now it is time for round two. And I shall get…

He then threw another Pokeball, releasing a large dark blue rock with orange crystals on its back and three legs, its face consisting of two orange holes with black centers.

Brock: Woah! What a Rock type!

Instructor: Beheld the Ore Pokemon, Boldore!

Ash: A Rock-type, huh?.. Let's see what we have next!

Ash then threw his next ball, releasing…. An Arbok to match with his now returned Weezing.

Azula: Wow, a Weezing AND an Arbok. This seems a bit foreshadowing.

Ash: *reads leaflet* Okay, let's see here.

Instructor: Boldore, use Rock Smash!

Ash: Arbok, you use Glare!

As the Ore Pokemon charged, Arbok glared in its direction as its eyes glowed, causing Boldore to freeze in place.

Ash: Alright, now Poison Fang!

Arbok then lunged ready to bite down onto Boldore, only for it to stop and quietly squeal in pain as it bit down onto the rocky exterior, a single tear fell from its eye as it let go.

Ash: Oh man, I forgot about Boldore's defense! Plus, with it being a Rock-type, Poison-type moves don;t affect it as much!

Instructor: A truly fatal mistake indeed! Boldore, Power Gem!

The crystals on Bldore's back glowed as energy beams hit the cobra, making ti fall voer and faint. Worriedly, Ash came up to Arbok, cradling its head.

Ash: I'm sorry, Arbok…..

Arbok: Don;t be sorry…. Stuff like this happens to me all the time…..

Ash nodded as he returned Arbok, pulling out his last Pokeball as the instructor pulled out his last after returning Boldore.

Instructor: Showing care and concern for your Pokemon…. *smiles* Always a good aspect for any Pokemon Master. Now, for my last Pokemon….

Out of the instructor's ball popped out a small grayihs-blue dragon with a shark fin on its head and a red stomach that came up to its fang-filled mouth.

Instructor: Behold, the Land Shark Pokemon; Gible!

Ash: Alright, now let's see who my ;last Pokemon is!

Yami: I bet it's a Meowth.

From the ball, instead of a Meowth popping out, it was another Wobbuffet, this one for some reason having a pink smudge on its mouth.

Ash: A…. A Wobbuffet? *reads leaflet* These are some really weird moves….. Wait, Wobbuffet can;t attack at all!

Instructor: We shall see about that! Now Gible, Dragon Claw!

Ash: Wait, Gible's using a physical move and this thing knows…. That's it! Wobbuffet, Counter!

Cobalt: Counter?

The Givle slashed Ash's Wobbuffet with its glowing claw, only for Wobbufeet to catch it and strike it with its arm, hitting Gible with double the force.

Instructor: Impressive, but that won;t stop me! Gible, Mud Bomb!

Ash: Now, Mirror Coat!

Wobbeffet covered itself ina rainbow veil as the Mud Bomb hit, only for Wibbeffet to lean forwarda nd sent the bib right back at Gible, once again with double the force. The Instructor was about to call out another attack before a Thunderbolt, Falmethrower, and Vine Whip got in the way of Gible. Both sides looked to see Jessie, James, and Meowth standing in the middle of the battlefield along with a Charizard, Ivysaur, and Pikachu; the Pokemon Kames used in his exam

Instructor: Return those Pokemon immediately!

Jessie: We're not taking any more orders from you, Exam Man! Now, prepare yourself for trouble!

James: And I suggest we make it double.

Ash: ….Of course it's them. Will we ever get a break from you three!? Don;t interfere with my test!

Instructor: Both of you just go home and study! You can take the exam again next week!

Both humans glared at the instructor as they tore off their disguises, revealing their Team Rocket uniforms.

Jessie: Unfortunately, there won;t be a next week for you! Now that we got our actual Pokemon back and we have these ones, it's payback time!

James: Pikachu, Charizard, Ivysaur, attack!

Ivysaur: ….Uh, no.

James: WHAT!?

Meowth: What do you mean you guys won;t attack?!

Charizard: Look, we don't have anything against you, but none of us are personally involved in all of this.

Pikachu: So… yeah. See ya. Good luck.

The three then simply left, going back to the building. Jessie growled as she and James got out two Pokeballs.

Jessie: Well, we have SOME Pokemon who'll fight for us! Yanmega, get them!

James: Carnivine, go!

As both Pokemon were released, Carnivine turned tail, going back to muhing on James's head, much to the other's shock.

James: Now is not the time for your bicuspid levels of affection!

Green: Dear Arceus! What is that thing!? It's hideous!

Cobalt: Green, that's not a very nice thing to say.

Green: Well that's not a very nice thing to SEE! Looks like an upside-down squash had sex with Pac-Man.

Cobalt: I don't know, I think it looks pretty.

Misty: W-what is this supposed to be? I'm confused.

Pokedex: Carnivine, the Bug Catcher Pokémon. A Grass type. Though its biology is more related to a plant, Carnivine has a gluttonous and unruly appetite. It lures prey with a sweet aromait wafts from its mouth, then attacks with its jaws.

Ash: Hey, how come the Pokemon you gave James didn;t listen to him?

Brock: *to Instructor* I bet they obeyed you since you're the one that raised them, right?

Instructor: Exactly.

Green: Need some help, Ash?

Ash: Hmm… No, I think some of my new friends can help. *throws Pokeballs* Arbok, use Poison Sting on Carnivine! And Weezing, use Sludge on Ynamega!

Jessie: Yanmega, counter with Bug Buzz!

James: And Carnivine, you use Bullet Seed!

Ash's Arbok spat out several poison needles that countered Carnivine's seeds, though Arbok was more powerful as some of the spikes hit him. Yanmega flapped its wings ad unleashed several green waves, which hit Ash's Weezing before it got completely covered in sludge, sending it to the groun as Carnivine fell over.

Jessie: How dare you attack us with our own damn Pokemon?! Yanmega, Ancient Power!

Ash: Wobbuffet, use Mirror Coat now!

Yanmega sent several flowing rocks their way, only for Wobbuffet to get in front of Ash and take the hits before sending them right back at Team Rocket with double the force, sending them all flying. Though as they flew, Meowth noticed something.

Meowth: Hey, Jim? How did you know those Pokemon weren;t gonna listen?

James: *gulps* Well, I… Uh, I…. Well….. *sighs* Wait for when we land, guys… I have something I need to tell you.

—-

Back at the exam building, all of the students gathered up at the front esk as the Instructor spoke up.

Instructor: I am terribly sorry to say this, everyone But due to Team Rocket's interference… *holds u charred black folder* And the test's dossier was destroyed in the explosion, everyone will have to take the test again from the very beginning.

The crowd gasped and murmured, obviously annoyed at the outcome as the man looked down to Ash.

Instructor: Well, young man, you did a fine job getting rid of Team Rocket and I must admit, the way you connect with your Pokemon is quite unique. I like that… What do you say to giving the test another try?

Ash: I….. Thank you. But I have to say no. Taking this exam, I think I'll be better off getting badges the old fashioned way. *to Cobalt and Green* Right, guys?

Both Pokemon nodded, Cobalt trapping Ash in a side hug as Green flashed him a thumbs up.

Ash: Plus, it was pretty fun battling with those new Pokemon.

Instructor: I see… Well, thanks to your score in the last exam boosting your grade, you would've made it to the top 8. But though you technically haven;t passed, I would like to reward you in a way.

Ash: Really? How?

Instructor: May I see your Pokedex?

Confused, Ash gave the man his Pokedex as he then plugged it into his computer and typed on it. After a few seconds, he gave the device back to Ash, where a surprise sprung up on his screen. Instead of the dex's default screen being his ID with 6 bubbles showing hiscurrent party… There were 7 bubbles.

Instructor: There, I have increased your party capacity by 1. Though, this will not count for official battles and if the rules call for 6-on-6, you must follow, but you will still be able to have 7 Pokemon with you at all times. Use that spot wisely, young man. I'm sure the Pokemon you catch will be lucky to have you.

Ash: I….. Thank you so much.

And with that, Ash and the gang finally left the exam building, with Ash having a newfound confidence in his battling ability and with Green watching how hard Ash worked, he too learned that it was probably better and more rewarding to get into the league with all 8 badges instead of just a test score. Cobalt however was more excited that a new friend would be able to come with them all the time.

Cobalt: I mean, seriously?! 7 Pokemon?! This is insane! This has got to be illegal, we might as well be in Team Rocket!

Green: Speaking of which… I wonder what's up with them now.

Azula: Honestly, I couldn;t care less.

—-

Meanwhile with Team Rocket, the three were flying off in their ballon, James looking down in shame as Jessie and Meowth looked in shock.

Jessie: So….. You've been able to tak to Pokemon this whole time?

James: Yes.

Meowth: And so far, beside the twerp's Lucario and Sceptile, along with your own team, we're the only ones who know?

James: Mm-hmm.

Jessie: …Why didn;t you tell us sooner?

James: Obviously, you probably would have thought I was crazy. Hell, before I turned 10, I thought everyone did.

Meowth: How did you not know?

James: I thought my parents just didn't care for Pokemon. They only fed the Magikarp when they want to entertain themselves, because they like to watch them fight over the best pellets. They even ignored Growlie whenever he was around. The only other Pokemon I saw were vain and formal Pokemon that never had an interest in talking to a boy who couldn't learn proper manners. My only friends were Growlie and any Pidgey that came to my window. Most of the Magikarp just wanted food, but one would have long conversations with me. He disappeared one day….. Though, that's when I found out we ate him.

Jessie: Oh…..

James: So…. Do you guys…. Are you okay with this?

Meowth: Honestly, I don;t see why we wouldn;t be. It'd be nice not being the only translator for us.

Jessie: Not only that… *sincire* I really appreciate that you trust us rough to tell us this. Thanks, James.

James looked at his two partners, his heart filled to the brm with joy and relief. He was afraid that if anyone knew he could speak to Pokemon, he'd be either shunned or experimented on, but hearing this from his friends, it really meant a lot.

James: No, Jess. Thank you, guys… If you don;t mind, could we make a stop somewhere?

Meowth: Eh… Not like we have a schedule to keep. Just say where.

James: Saffron City, if you don;t mind.

Jessie: Saffron City? Why would you want to go there?

James simply hid a smirk as he lounged back while Meowth drove the balloon.

Meanwhile, at the Saffron City gym, we see Sabrina looking over forms from the Psychic school as the gym doors then opened, a familiar blue haired man walking in as he wore an olive v-neck short-sleeve shirt with pink and green splotches, beige shorts, and a gilligan hat on his head as he wore a pair of sunglasses. Though, he took off the sunglasses as he came into the gym.

James: Excuse me. Are you the gym leader here?

Sabrina: Why, yes I am. May I help you?

The man smirked as he reached into his pocket, pulling out a Pokeball and pointing it at Sabrina.

James: My name is James. And if you wouldn;t mind… I'd like to challenge you to a gym battle….

TO BE CONTINUED…

—-

Ash's Team

Lucario: Cobalt

Sceptile: Green

Alakazam: Psi

Gengar: Yami

Charizard: Aidan

Drizzile: Azula

Rotom: Sparky (at Oak's lab)

Umbreon *shiny*: Blacky (at home)

Misty's Team

Staryu

Psyduck: Perry

Gyarados: Mel (Malestrom)

Squirtle: Loki

Wimpod: Harold

Goldeen: Bella (at gym)

Horsea: Jeff

Starmie (at gym)

Butterfree: Alex (at gym)

Tentacool: Charles (at gym)

Brock's Team

Onix

Geodude

Zubat: Nightwing

Bulbasaur

Croagunk

Mankey: John

Jessie's Team

Arbok

Wobbuffet

Yanmega

Seviper

James's Team

Weezing

Inkay

Growlithe: Growlie

Carnivine