Pokémon Gray

by Carlos Shiny

Pokémon Gray. What if Ash had never traveled to Unova before now? Ash, now eighteen and strongest trainer in the world, wants to take an important step in his journey to become a Pokémon Master. It's not about participating in another Pokémon League Tournament or defeating other champions, but doing something new and completely different.

2. The beginning of a new adventure?

The Beginning of a New Adventure?

«No! No! And no again!» the girl complained, trying to hide under the covers, as if that could somehow protect her from the outside world.
«You're sixteen now. It's the age at which all young people in Unova receive their first Pokémon. You know that very well. You can't miss this appointment, you know!» her mother retorted.
«So what? What if I don't want to become a Trainer? The world would keep turning just the same.» the girl replied, still huddled under the covers.
«Do you think I don't know? I've always seen you watching battles on TV. You watched them with dreamy eyes and seemed to imagine yourself as one of the Trainers. I saw you trying to predict their moves. And how you got flustered every time Ash battled. You called him "the unpredictable Champion." and then... after the battles, you fantasized about what you would have done if you were that Pokémon's Trainer. And now that you can...»
A thick mane of dark brown hair emerged from under the covers, followed by the face of a beautiful girl with blue eyes, a small nose, and thin lips.
«I knew mentioning that boy would change your mind.» the woman commented. The girl didn't respond. Who knows what she was thinking. Undoubtedly, the girl, like almost all young people, Trainers or not, held great admiration and respect for that boy who, having left Pallet Town, a small town in Kanto, with his Pikachu, had managed to become the world's strongest Trainer.
Of course, she didn't know his whole story, only that he had traveled to various parts of the world to achieve his goal of becoming a Pokémon Master. Whatever that meant.
«Imagining something and actually wanting to do it are two different things. Imagining doesn't risk you getting hurt or worse. You know that very well.» the girl countered.
«Did you think you'd stay here forever?» the woman asked.
«I just don't want to become a Trainer.» The woman shook her head at her daughter's words, as if to say she had no other choice.
«Yes, but you're not a Trainer. I don't see why I have to become one.» The woman made a strange gesture.
«You don't know everything about me. I was a Trainer too. And many said I could have done great things, only...»
The girl finally looked at her mother. «Only what?» she asked.
«I made a decision I regret even today.» Noticing the curiosity in her daughter's eyes, who had meanwhile sat up in bed, the woman decided to start her story.
«I have just become a Trainer. I had chosen to start with Tepig, the fire-type starter. I had also caught a Lillipup, which had evolved into a Herdier. We had won two badges. Everything changed when I met a strange guy. He seemed like some kind of preacher or something. He talked about how, in his opinion, humans and Pokémon should live separately. I don't remember exactly what his movement was called, but I think it had something to do with plasma. I, who was your age then, got fooled by his words, and abandoned Tepig and Herdier. Since then, I never went back home. I met your father, and the rest is history.»
The girl's eyes lit up, as if she had made a great discovery.
«Is that why you care so much?» she asked.
«Exactly. And also, that's why you've never met your grandparents. In fact, they don't even know you were born. Or that I gave in to that preacher's words. Or...»
The girl nodded in understanding. «So you want me to become a Trainer to make up for your mistakes? That's not a nice thing.»
The woman shook her head and clasped her daughter's right hand in hers.
«I just want you not to repeat my mistakes. Don't get influenced by bad counselors. Choose well whom to listen to and whom not to. And going on a journey like this is perhaps the best way to do it. You could meet new people and...»
The girl sighed, annoyed. «Fine. But I'm not promising anything.»
The girl got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. Her mother left the room shortly after her. The woman took advantage of the fact that her daughter was showering to bring her a small gift.
A red shoulder bag with metal eyelets. Given the long time her daughter spent in the shower, the woman even had time to contact her friend, Professor Juniper.
The woman answered after a few rings.
«Hello? Jessica? Is everything alright?» the Professor asked. «Why hasn't Anita arrived yet? Ash is starting to lose patience.» The woman was stunned.
«Ash?» she asked. She couldn't believe her ears.
«Yes. Ash Ketchum. In person. I wanted it to be a surprise for Anita. You told me how much she admired him, so, with the help of a colleague...»
The woman on the other end of the phone smiled. «Anita is getting ready. She'll be with you shortly. Since she doesn't know he's there, could you ask him to hide and come out only at the right moment?» The Professor listened carefully.
«Yes. Great idea. I'll ask him.»
While the two women talked on the phone, the girl had managed to take a good shower and treat her long hair with various products.
According to her estimates, she would be back home in less than a week, but even then, she wanted to look good. Sure, if anyone met her.
She entered her room still in a bathrobe with her hair wrapped in a towel. She was terribly undecided about what to wear. She decided to start with the pants. She opened the dedicated section of her closet and started searching through the dozens of pairs of pants she owned.
They were mostly jeans, in different colors, some high-waisted, others low-waisted, some ripped, others not. In the end, she simply took her favorite pair.
She then moved on to the shirt. She picked a white one with light blue sleeves. It had a pink Poké Ball design in the center. Lastly, she chose the shoes. She picked a pair of black and dark pink sneakers. She had bought them recently and hadn't had a chance to wear them yet. To complete the outfit, a black jacket with numerous pockets.
Only then did the girl notice the bag on the bed. On it, a handwritten note. The girl immediately recognized her mother's handwriting.
«With the hope that this gift accompanies you on your journey.» The girl, examining the bag, noticed that all the zippers were open except one.
Almost instinctively, she opened it. Inside, a light pink smartphone.
«Thank you.» the girl said done this, she left her room, went downstairs, and headed to the entrance. Her mother was still on the phone with Juniper.
«Alright, I'm off.» the girl said.
«Okay, let's proceed with the plan.» replied the woman on the phone, catching her daughter's curious glance.
«See you! Good luck!» the woman wished her, trying to cover up what she had said.
Meanwhile, at the lab, Ash and Serena had helped the Professor tidy up the lab. Not that there was much to tidy up; the lab was already quite orderly. They just needed to move some tables, cluttered with delicate measuring instruments, to create a sort of corridor towards the central table, placed against the wall opposite the entrance, where the three starter Poké Balls were deposited.
«Thank you, guys.» the woman thanked them. «Now, however, I'd like to ask you a small favor.» The two turned in her direction.
«Yes?» she asked with a smile.
«I haven't told Anita anything yet. I'm sure she'll be happy; she has great admiration for you, but... I want it to be a surprise. Follow me.» The woman led them to a door and handed them a small tablet.
«From here you can see everything. When you think the time is right, step in.» she explained.
«Alright.» they agreed.
The door led to the small apartment owned by the Professor. Sometimes she worked late and in such cases spent the night there. It wasn't a particularly large apartment; in fact, it was a studio. Inside the small apartment, there was a tiny kitchen, a wooden table with four chairs, and a flat-screen TV hanging on one wall. On another wall, there was a bookshelf filled with numerous scientific publications and a small wardrobe. Opposite this wall, another door led to the bathroom.
From the tablet, the two could see everything. A girl with long dark brown hair, wearing a black jacket, jeans, and sneakers. «Ah, so she is Anita? I thought she would be…» Serena commented. «Would be?» Ash asked. «Younger. I mean, you started your career as a Trainer at ten, I started at twelve. She's at least fourteen, if not sixteen.» Serena explained. «And?» Ash asked, not understanding what the issue was. «I just hope she doesn't get any strange ideas.» Serena replied, trying not to blush. Pikachu, unlike his Trainer, understood what the girl was referring to.
«Good morning.» the girl greeted the Professor. «Good morning to you! I imagine you're excited. Today is a big day. You will finally become a Trainer. I'm a bit sorry that Ivan hasn't arrived yet. In the meantime, you can choose your first Pokémon.» the Professor explained as she approached the table where the Poké Balls were placed. Each one was on a sort of red silk cushion.
From the room, Ash and Serena were watching the scene. «And who would this Ivan be?» Ash wondered aloud. «No idea. Could be a friend or something similar. Which, in some ways, makes him like you. A chronic latecomer.» Serena teased, not taking her eyes off the screen.
While the two were chatting, the Professor opened each Poké Ball one by one, allowing the girl to choose her starter Pokémon. «They are Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott.» she introduced them.
The girl knelt down to get a better look. She started with Snivy, the Grass-type starter. Its appearance resembled a kind of snake. Its head was round with a pointed snout turned upwards. Most of its body was green, while the belly was cream-colored. A yellow stripe ran along its back to the tail. Its large brown eyes were surrounded by yellow markings. From its shoulders sprouted yellow extensions that pointed backward. Despite resembling a snake, it had fully developed limbs. Its short, thin arms were the same color as its body, with three fingers, and its small feet were cream-colored and lacked nails.
Perhaps annoyed by being stared at for too long, Snivy turned its head in the opposite direction from the girl, crossing its arms. «Vih!» it squeaked in an annoyed tone. It was clear that it didn't like her.
Next, she moved on to Tepig. Choosing it meant choosing the same Pokémon her mother had chosen. Despite this, she considered it.
The Pokémon resembled a small pig. Its body was mainly orange, while other parts were black, pink, and yellow. It had large eyes, a reddish-pink nose, and a thick yellow stripe on its snout. Most of its face was black, as were its long, rectangular ears positioned on the top of its head. Its legs were short, with black ends on the front paws. Another black band was present on its lower back and rear. From there, a spiral tail extended, topped with a vermilion red ornament.
Unlike Snivy, Tepig seemed quite happy with the attention it was receiving.
Finally, the girl's gaze fell on Oshawott.
It was a bipedal Pokémon that resembled a sea otter. It had a white, round head with small, dark blue triangular ears on the sides of its head. Its eyes were dark, and its nose was oval and dark orange. Its cheeks were covered in several freckles. Its body was coated in blue fur that bubbled around the neck. It had white, rounded arms, and its feet were dark blue with three toes each. Its tail was dark blue and resembled a rudder. On its belly, it had a light yellow shell.
The girl looked at it intently, expecting a reaction. The Sea Otter Pokémon leaped towards her. She had made her choice. Anita would be its Trainer.
From the room, Serena and Ash had watched everything. «Sure, Snivy is quite a character!» Serena commented. «Yeah, I think its future Trainer will have a hard time gaining respect.» the boy replied. «Do you think it's time to introduce ourselves?» he added shortly after. «Don't be hasty!» the girl scolded him. «Let's wait for this Ivan to arrive. And Belle too.» Ash, who was beginning to get up, sat back down.
Meanwhile, the woman had taken a Poké Ball from another shelf. «Do you have a Smartphone?» she asked the girl. The latter, after rummaging through her bag, pulled out the smartphone her mother had just given her.
«Perfect!» commented the Professor as she opened the Poké Ball. Out of it came a Pokémon resembling a little ghost. It was a Rotom. The Pokémon's body was orange and made of plasma. It seemed to be smiling. It looked like a small lightning rod, surrounded by an aura of blue electrical energy, giving it the appearance of a lightning bolt. «Well, raise your phone so Rotom can enter!» The girl looked at the Professor puzzled. How could Rotom enter her phone? If she wanted to find out, she had to follow the woman's instructions. She raised her right arm, making sure not to overthink the gesture. Rotom quickly approached the girl's phone, entering it.
Due to this, the phone rebooted. A pre-recorded message confirmed that Rotom was perfectly integrated into the phone.
Moments later, someone opened the door, startling Anita and her Oshawott. Instinctively, she held it tightly, with the Pokémon responding instinctively by attacking her with Water Gun.
Luckily, the girl hadn't put on any makeup; otherwise, it would have been a real disaster.
«Take this.» said a voice, not very familiar to the girl. Instinctively, she grabbed the object handed to her. A towel. Anita dried her face and hair.
«So, you chose Oshawott… Well, then I choose you!» The boy pointed at Snivy.
The Pokémon didn't take it well at all. From one of the extensions on its back, a long green vine emerged, hitting the boy's wrist violently. «Vih!» it squeaked in an annoyed tone.
«Ouch! Is that any way to treat someone who wants to become your Trainer?» he scolded, angry.
In response, Snivy turned in the opposite direction to the boy.
That guy with blond hair really didn't sit well with her. And no, it wasn't his simple, sporty attire—jeans, sneakers, and an orange jacket—that bothered her, but his attitude.
«You asked for it. Then I'll take Tepig.» The Professor's concern wasn't so much about handing over Tepig's Poké Ball to the boy, but rather about the injury caused by Snivy. She cleaned it with disinfectant and bandaged it with a sterile gauze. «You have to forgive her. She's a very particular type. You're not the first Trainer she's refused, and you won't be the last.»
From the room, the two teens and Pikachu had followed the scene.
«Doesn't Snivy remind you a bit of Greninja when it was a Froakie?» Serena asked, catching Ash a bit off guard. «I'm not sure. Maybe it's just a coincidence.» Serena looked him in the eyes. «We'll never know unless we go.» she replied.
The two got up from the couch and headed to the Professor's lab. «Good morning!» they greeted. Anita looked at the two. Yes, she knew who Serena was, the finalist of the professional category at the Kalos Showcase and a finalist in numerous Grand Festivals, but her real interest was the boy accompanying her.
Slightly taller than her, with a cap, messy raven-black hair, and brown eyes… Despite being dressed quite well, compared to his usual standards.
He was accompanied by a male Pikachu, perched on his shoulder. There was no doubt. That boy was Ash Ketchum. Had he come for her? The girl couldn't believe it.
The two approached her. She trembled as she moved her right arm to shake their hands.
«N-Nice to m-meet y-you, my n-name is Anita» The girl introduced herself, displaying all her insecurity. «I'm Serena, nice to meet you.» The native of Kalos introduced herself. «The pleasure is all mine! I'm Ash and this is my friend Pikachu!» Said the boy, pointing to the Pokémon perched on his shoulder. «Pika-Pikachu» The electric rodent introduced himself, scaring the girl.
In that scene, although a bit apart, Ivan had also been watching. «It's impossible for you to be afraid of a mere Pikachu! What will you do out there, where there are much bigger and more dangerous Pokémon? Run back to mommy after two steps... pff!» He commented.
He managed to annoy, in one move, Ash, Pikachu, and Anita. Serena and the Professor had a hard time holding them back. Anita couldn't stand being treated that way by a complete stranger, and likewise, Ash and Pikachu had taken it rather personally.
Even Snivy, not yet confined in the Poké Ball, had had the opportunity to witness that scene. And she, like Anita, had an idea of who that boy was and how his friend was not just any Pikachu. She approached silently, until she reached the group consisting of the Professor and the three kids.
Then she extended her vines from the protuberances on her back. With one of them, she gently touched Ash, and with the other, Anita's Oshawott. It was her way of declaring her interest in battling.
She didn't want to face Pikachu. She knew very well that the risk of ending up knocked out would be very, very high. «Huh?! You want to battle with Oshawott?» Asked Ash. «Vii!» Responded the Pokémon with a short, sharp cry. «You don't mind if...» The experienced Trainer asked the new Trainer. «Go ahead. But I don't think this is the right place.» Not that it was strictly necessary to say, but adding details made her feel more comfortable.
The group, including a not very interested Ivan, left the lab and reached the battle field. Ash analyzed Oshawott with his Smart Rotom.
«Oshawott, Sea Otter Pokémon. Water type. Male specimen. Fights with the shell on its belly. Quickly counterattacks after blocking the opponent's attack. Known moves: Tackle, Water Gun, Aqua Jet, and Fury Cutter» Then he moved on to Snivy. «Snivy, Grass Snake Pokémon. Grass type. Female specimen. Possesses intelligence and cold blood. When receiving plenty of sunlight, its movements become very agile. Known moves: Attract, Vine Whip, Leaf Tornado, and Tackle» The boy remained silent for a few moments. «Very interesting. I'd say we can begin!»
Serena, the Professor, and Anita were seated on the only available bench, exactly in that order. Anita considered the Professor, a great friend of her mother, almost like an aunt.
«You'll see, watching Ash battle live is a unique experience.» Serena explained to the two, while she cuddled Pikachu. Meanwhile, the battle was finally beginning. Snivy made the first move. She winked at her opponent and sent several pink hearts his way. «Darn! It's Attract!» Commented Ash. His tone, despite the words used, was rather calm. «Quick! Use Water Gun and spin!» He ordered. The Pokémon obeyed without hesitation. From his mouth came a powerful jet of water that hit all the hearts launched by his opponent, preventing the sneaky attack from taking effect.
Snivy let out a grunt that was hard to interpret. On one hand, she was frustrated because her attack hadn't succeeded, but on the other, she was pleased. Even though Ash was battling with that Oshawott for the first time, it seemed like he had known him forever.
Despite this, she wouldn't give up so easily. From the protuberances on her back, two vines quickly emerged, approaching Oshawott at great speed. It was her Vine Whip attack. Snivy Pokémon were famous for the skill with which they controlled their vines. That's why she felt so confident.
«Come on! Use Aqua Jet to dodge!» Ash ordered. The Sea Otter Pokémon's body was covered in water, and he leapt. «Great! Now move as I say!» The boy shouted. Despite the water veil, the Pokémon was perfectly able to hear him. He moved first to the right, then quickly down, then to the left, then up, then towards Snivy, then in the opposite direction, with the Pokémon struggling more and more to follow that elusive target.
«Very good! Now reach her and use Fury Cutter!» The Sea Otter Pokémon headed towards his opponent. He was brandishing his scalchop and rapidly shaking it.
«I didn't know you could use two moves at once!» Anita commented, captivated by the battle. «Ash is full of surprises. You haven't seen anything yet.» Meanwhile, Oshawott had reached his opponent and, thanks to the momentum given by Aqua Jet, managed to hit Snivy with much more power than a normal Fury Cutter.
Snivy was violently thrown upwards, then fell to the ground. She tried to get up, but couldn't. This meant that the victory of that battle was Oshawott's, to his great delight. He leapt to celebrate, but soon collapsed as well, exhausted from the battle.
The Professor took some revitalizing salts from her coat pocket. Light yellow bipyramids with the scent of lavender and ammonia. The two Pokémon quickly got up, stimulated by that smell. «Good, for now, this will do. Then I'll take you to the Pokémon Center. The closest one is in Accumula Town.» The Professor explained.
Meanwhile, Snivy had considerably approached Ash and, with one of her vines, gently gripped Ash's wrist. «It seems she wants to come with you.» Commented Serena. «You know, Snivy is a very particular case. Usually, Pokémon of her species, like Tepig and Oshawott, are entrusted to young Trainers. As has just happened with Anita and Ivan... who, in the meantime, has decided to leave us. They are usually Pokémon that easily forgive inexperience mistakes and, being Pokémon that evolve twice, they follow their Trainer's growth. But, as I said, Snivy is a peculiar one, she doesn't seem happy with her role as a starter Pokémon. Many Trainers chose her, but then, desperate, brought her back to me.» The subject of the conversation let out a murmur that could be interpreted as a «so what? I am who I am!»
The Professor continued her story. «She attacked them, as she did with Ivan a little while ago. She didn't deem them worthy. And so she started not even letting herself be chosen by new Trainers. Attacking them as soon as they showed some interest in her. And finally, she found you.» She concluded her explanation.
«Is that so?» Asked Ash. The Pokémon responded with an unequivocal nod. Yes. «Very well, then I'll get her Poké Ball. If you'll excuse me.» Since no one objected, the woman entered the lab.
Anita had remained slightly apart, still not entirely at ease. She still wondered why the world champion and a high-level coordinator and performer had wanted to witness such an ordinary moment. The delivery of a first Pokémon to a Trainer.
Meanwhile, the Professor had returned from the lab with Snivy's Poké Ball. Upon arriving, she handed it to the boy. Snivy, with one of her vines, activated the Poké Ball's mechanism, letting herself be absorbed into it. «Yes!» Ash shouted, raising the Poké Ball to the sky. «I have a new friend!» Anita looked at the boy. «He's certainly a very, very enthusiastic guy!» Serena turned to her. «You'll get used to it.» She replied. «You'll get used to it» Those few words echoed in her head.
What did she mean by that? Did she mean that...
Meanwhile, Ash had released all the Pokémon he had brought with him from their Poké Balls. «I'd like to introduce you to some of my friends.» he said to the newcomer. «Here they are, Gengar, Infernape, Noivern, and Lucario.» Ash's Pokémon began to get acquainted with the newcomer, who proved to be quite kind and polite to each of them.
«I think it's time to say it.» Serena said to Ash, further confusing Anita. What was so important that they had to say?
«Ah, right. We haven't explained why we're here.» Ash addressed the new trainer, who was studying his Pokémon a little off to the side. She focused particularly on Noivern and Infernape. She had never seen them before. Before scanning them with her Smart Rotom, she tried to get an idea of their appearance. The first one resembled a huge bat with purple and black colors. Its head was black, while the jaw was purple. It had yellow eyes with light blue irises, a red forked nose, and large pointed black ears with an aqua green interior. Inside the ears, there were also black concentric rings. Its neck was covered by a thick white fur. The chest and limbs were black, contrasting with the purple belly. The front part of the wings was aqua green, with the rear part starting black and ending purple. The wings had two large black spikes on the lower part, while the three fingers protruding from the wings were red. The hind legs had two toes each. The long black tail had two spikes near the end.
Then she focused on Infernape. Its body resembled a chimpanzee, primarily brown with red shades, sections of white fur on the chest, head, and legs, and a large flame burning on its head. Infernape had two gold rings on its chest, spiral markings, gold shoulder pads, kneepads, and wristbands. The markings on its forehead were a bright blood-red color. It had yellow sclerae and blue irises. Its hands, feet, and the inside of its ears were blue. She scanned it with the Smart Rotom. «Infernape, Flame Pokémon, Fire and Fighting type. Male specimen. Final evolution of Chimchar, one of the starter Pokémon from the Sinnoh region. Uses a special martial art involving all its limbs. Its flame never goes out. Known moves: Flare Blitz, Dig, Fire Punch, and Close Combat.» She then scanned Noivern.
«Noivern, Sound Wave Pokémon. Flying and Dragon type. Male specimen. Pokémon originating from the Kalos region. Flies in the dark, harming opponents with ultrasound waves capable of shattering rocks, then finishes them off with its sharp teeth. Known moves: Dragon Claw, Boomburst, Air Slash, and X-Scissor.»
Serena and Ash approached the girl, catching her by surprise. «We needed to tell you something.» Serena began. «The real reason why we came here.» Ash continued her sentence, slightly embarrassing her. «The reason?» the girl asked, increasingly confused.
«You see, my biggest dream is to become a Pokémon Master.» Ash began. «And?» the girl asked, starting to feel a bit more comfortable. «I've realized one of the essential steps to achieve that. And, to do so, I need your help.» The girl mechanically turned her gaze towards him.
«And I, who just became a trainer, how could I help a champion like you?» Ash smiled at her. «You see, I understood that one of the steps to becoming a Pokémon Master is to help someone achieve their goal.» The girl still didn't understand. «I'm here because my mother forced me. If it were up to me...»
Ash was taken aback. He hated the idea of someone being forced to do something. «Then I'm not sure you're the right person. I don't like anyone being forced to do something, even to become a trainer. As much as I love battles, I don't like anyone being forced into it.»
The girl made a small gesture, as if to say stop. «Actually, that's what I thought before. Before I saw you battle with Oshawott. I've often seen you battle on television. But seeing you in person... it's a whole different thing. It seemed like you had known Oshawott forever. I realized that being a trainer might not be so bad.»
Ash smiled at her, as if to say: «That's the right spirit.» «I'm not sure I'm the right person. I'm afraid of failing.» Serena looked her in the eyes. «I've always had that fear too. And I still do, but it never stopped me from believing in myself. That's why I decided to come here with Ash. I want to become the Queen of Unova. I know the Contests here are tough, but I take it as motivation to do better. It's something I learned from Ash.»
A few minutes later, Ash returned his Pokémon to their Poké Balls. «Now, if you don't mind, I'll take you to the Pokémon Center.» the professor interrupted them. The three of them followed her to her car.
She unlocked the doors with a button on the key. The unlocking was confirmed by the flashing of the indicators. Ash, like a gentleman, opened the back door, allowing the girls to get in. After closing the door, he sat in the front seat, next to the professor.
The journey was short, as Gentle Breeze and Four Winds were very close. Just a few minutes of travel. The woman parked in front of the Pokémon Center. Ash got out and opened the door for the girls.
The professor accompanied the kids inside the building. Outside, the building was a simple brick construction, not much different from Pokémon Centers in other regions, but the differences were inside.
Besides the Nurse's counter and the benches where people could sit while waiting to be served or to receive their Pokémon, there was also a small market. A novelty for Ash.
«Good morning!» they greeted. «Good morning to you!» the Nurse replied. «How can I help you?» she asked. Ash looked at the woman. Yes, she resembled all the other nurses he had met, but her uniform was different. She didn't wear the classic pink shirt and apron but a darker pink blouse. The hat, however, was identical to the other nurses. Next to her was an Audino, a Pokémon Ash and Serena had come to know.
«Would you like me to take care of your Pokémon?» she asked almost rhetorically. The three trainers handed her their respective Poké Balls, with Pikachu jumping onto the counter. «It won't take long.» she reassured them.
«Now, excuse me, but I have to go.» the professor said as she left. «Goodbye!» they said to her. After a while, the nurse returned with the Poké Balls and Pikachu. «You're in excellent health. It's clear that you take great care of them.» she congratulated them. The three thanked her and headed towards the exit.
Anita appeared very agitated. Now that the comforting presence of the professor was gone, the girl felt uneasy. She wanted to go home, but for now, the thought of disappointing the champion stopped her from doing so.
As soon as the three stepped outside, they noticed, a short distance from the Pokémon Center, about a dozen people gathered around a strange man dressed in a way that resembled an ancient knight. He was dressed in gray, black, and white. He wore a large hood that covered his hair, with a cross made of black laces on it. He wore a gray robe with wide short sleeves, covered by a white surcoat, held by a black belt. The shirt under the gray robe and the pants were black. He wore gray gloves and boots. The man was standing on a sort of platform. Behind him was a poster, also present on his surcoat:

At the exact moment the three approached, he began to speak. «The Pokémon are tired of being under the tyranny of Trainers! Are you tired of seeing them fight and suffer for the pure pleasure of their Trainers? Then join Team Plasma! For too long, Trainers have forced Pokémon into slavery, making them obey their orders as if they were inferior creatures! And worse, they exploit them to gain unfair advantages over non-trainers! Follow Ghetsis, and together we will bring all of this down! Pokémon will be free from the trainers' yoke!» The three exchanged glances.
«How dare he say such a thing! Being a trainer is the greatest thing in the world! And none of us have ever forced Pokémon to follow us!» Ash's tone was terribly irritating. Pikachu, likewise, was quite agitated. Large electric sparks were coming from the electric sacs on his cheeks.
«What do you intend to do? Let me guess? You'll ask your Pokémon to attack me and throw me down from here!» Trainer and Pokémon looked into each other's eyes. «We were just thinking about it!» the boy replied. «Pi-Pikachu.» confirmed the Pokémon. «This is what's wrong with this world!» he shouted. «Trainers like this boy exploit their Pokémon to fight anyone who doesn't agree with them!» The people around him began to shout, encouraging him.
«What? We're not attacking anyone!» Ash, increasingly agitated, responded. Serena, who knew him well, realized that the situation would soon escalate.
Fortunately, Serena managed to drag Ash away before the situation escalated.
«Wait a minute! Where's Anita?» Serena was quite worried. It was the girl's first journey, and perhaps the first time she had gone out alone.
While the two were desperately looking for her, the girl was approached by a strange guy. A tall, slim boy with long light green hair, wearing a black cap, a white shirt, light brown pants, and green shoes. Around his neck was a pendant that resembled a planet. He also wore bracelets, and hanging from his pants was a sort of Rubik's cube.
«W-Who are you?» she asked, quite scared. «D-Don't tell me you're one of those from Team Plasma!»
The boy with light green hair shook his head. «What does it matter?» This was followed by a brief pause. «Yes, I do believe that trainers oppress Pokémon. I know you're a trainer. Your Pokémon told me...»
Anita made a small gesture to interrupt him. How could Pokémon speak?
«I understand your amazement. Talking to Pokémon is something I've always been able to do.» The boy quickly changed the subject.
«I see you have a Smart Rotom. I imagine you'll use its Pokédex function. And to do that, you'll imprison dozens and dozens of Pokémon in Poké Balls. I'm a Trainer too, but I can't help wondering if Pokémon are truly happy in this state. But I'm curious. Let's hear what your Pokémon has to say!»
Anita was even more confused. Did this boy want to challenge her to a battle? She would oblige him. Or at least try to.
«Go, Purrloin!» The boy sent out a Pokémon very similar to a cat, with large green eyes and fuchsia markings starting from its eyelids and ending at the beginning of its ears. The rest of its body was predominantly purple, with some cream-colored patches on its muzzle, forehead, chest, back, and two on its hind and forelegs. The tail, completely purple, had frizzy fur at the end.
The girl examined it with her Smart Rotom. «Purrloin, the Devious Pokémon. Dark type. Male. It lets the enemy get close by distracting it with alluring poses and then suddenly scratches it while laughing. Known moves: Quick Attack, Shadow Claw, and Scratch.»
The girl put her Smart Rotom back in her bag and took out her Oshawott's Poké Ball. «It's your turn!» she exclaimed as she sent it out.
«We'll start. Purrloin, use Quick Attack!» ordered the boy. The Devious Pokémon started running at high speed towards the opponent, seemingly covered by a white aura.
«Now what do I do?» thought the girl as the Pokémon approached. «Come on... what would Ash do?» By now, the Pokémon was dangerously close. «Dodge!» she ordered. The Pokémon moved at the last second, avoiding the hit. «Let's try this. Use Water Gun!» The Sea Otter Pokémon generated a powerful stream of water from its mouth, which, thanks to the close distance, hit the target directly.
«Come on, let me hear your Pokémon's voice again! Purrloin, use Quick Attack again!» The boy ordered. The Pokémon, knocked back by the previous attack, started running at high speed towards the opponent again. But this time, Anita was less caught off guard. «Let's try Aqua Jet!» The Sea Otter Pokémon's body was surrounded by a layer of water, which completely covered it.
The clash between the two Pokémon was inevitable. Both Pokémon were thrown back by the great energy released from the impact.
Luckily for their trainers, both Pokémon got up, shaking off the dust.
«I like what your Pokémon is saying!» commented the boy. «Purrloin, use Shadow Claw!» he ordered. The Devious Pokémon's claws grew in size and glowed purple as it started running.
«Come on! Use Water Gun!» shouted the young trainer. The Sea Otter Pokémon generated a powerful stream of water from its mouth, hitting the opponent directly, launching it into the air and preventing it from attacking, thereby defeating it.
«I'm sorry to disappoint you, Purrloin, but remember that as long as Pokémon are imprisoned in Poké Balls, they will never become complete beings. It's for them, for the sake of my Pokémon friends, that I, N, will revolutionize the world!»
With that, the boy headed to the Pokémon Center.
«There you are!» Anita immediately recognized that voice. «You made us worry.» added another. Anita turned in the direction from which the voice came. It was Serena, Ash, and Pikachu.
«We thought you had been kidnapped by someone from Team Plasma.» Ash scolded her.
«Fortunately not. Both Oshawott and I are fine, but...» she replied.
«But what?» asked the two older trainers, concerned.
«I met a boy, a Trainer who, like that guy on the platform, claimed that Pokémon are oppressed by Trainers.»
Ash and Serena turned towards her.
«What do you mean?» they both said simultaneously, with Serena feeling slightly embarrassed. Pikachu also confirmed this by touching Ash's neck with one of its paws. The boy, in response, petted it on the head. «Chaa» the Pokémon squeaked happily. It loved affection.
«Do you think Pikachu is oppressed? I do everything I can to make sure it's at its best, and the same goes for all the others!» the boy responded.
«And the same goes for me!» added Serena.
«I hope I can say the same.» Anita joined in, holding her Oshawott's Poké Ball.
«I believe you can do it.» Ash encouraged her with his usual optimism. «Although now, I think we should deal with Team Plasma.» he added.
«What do you want to do? Expressing their ideas isn't forbidden, no matter how extreme.» Serena countered.
Ash tried to argue but then realized that Serena was absolutely right.
«Have you decided what your goal will be?» Ash asked the new travel companion. The girl remained silent for a few moments. «Forgive me for saying I haven't decided yet. Sure, I saw you battle with Oshawott, and you were fantastic. I also had the opportunity to battle with that boy who talked to Pokémon, and I must say, battles are wonderful. But I'm not sure that's what I want to do.»
Ash smiled at her. «No problem.»
Serena joined them. «You could try gym battles and aim for the Champion title.»
Anita turned towards Serena. «Do you think I can manage that?»
Ash was taken aback. «If you start with that attitude, you'll never make it.» he scolded her.
«Yes, but if we have to start such a journey, we'll need supplies, as well as tents and sleeping bags. We won't always be able to spend the night in a Pokémon Center.» Serena explained, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
«What do you mean? We'll be sleeping outdoors?» Anita complained.
«Absolutely. That's the beauty of Pokémon journeys. You never know what might happen.» Ash added, further increasing their new companion's worries.
Serena had taken out her Smart Rotom and opened the map application. «We're lucky; there's a store specializing in camping gear and some grocery stores here in the city.» she explained.
The girl began walking, with Ash following without question. Anita, having no other choice, followed them.
Their first stop was the camping gear store. It was located in one of the many alleys of the city. It occupied the ground floor of a residential building. It had large windows displaying various items, from stoves to canisters, camping cutlery, and plates. On the other side of the window, there were sleeping bags and pictures of tents with various indications.
On one of them, there was a sign that looked like a speech bubble. «Buy two two-person tents and get the second one for half price.» it read.
The three entered the store. «Good morning!» they greeted. «Good morning to you!» replied the clerk. He was a man in his thirties, with orange hair and blue eyes, wearing the store uniform: a brown overall over a green shirt.
«How can I help you?» he asked. «I imagine you're looking for items for a Pokémon journey. But I have to wonder why the World Champion wants to travel like a newbie.» he blurted out.
Ash was visibly annoyed. He couldn't stand people prying into his business. He didn't mind talking about his goals, but he hated being judged.
«If you're going on a journey…» The man changed his tone slightly. «You'll need a bit of everything. But you're in luck; we have some great offers. You've probably seen the deal on camping tents: if you buy two, you get the second one for half price. We also have other promotions. For example, if you buy three sleeping bags, the fourth is free, and we offer bulk discounts on gas canisters, plates, and cutlery.» he explained.
In no time, the three left the store with everything they needed and more. What on earth did they need a fourth sleeping bag for? Or two two-person tents when there were only three of them? That guy was really good at selling.
The three headed to the grocery store. It wasn't far from where they were, about fifty meters on foot. Unlike the camping goods store, it was in a dedicated building and was quite large and well-stocked.
«I don't think we'll need to buy much here.» commented Anita. «Maybe you don't know these two!» replied Serena, trying to stifle a laugh. «They're bottomless pits!»
«Hey! You know very well that to perform well, you need lots and lots of energy.» responded Ash, with Pikachu confirming his words in his own way.
After their purchases, a noise like thunder scared Anita.
«I think it's lunchtime.» commented Serena. «Their stomachs are more precise than any clock.» The girl, using her Smart Rotom, led the group to a fast food restaurant. It was one of the many restaurants of a famous Unova chain. Given the time, there were quite a few people, but the line moved quickly.
Soon it was their turn. When it came time to order, Ash and Pikachu demonstrated what Serena had mentioned. Even Ash's other Pokémon didn't hold back.
After lunch, the three left the restaurant, with all the Pokémon, except Pikachu, returned to their respective Poké Balls.
«Sorry if I'm being nosy, but…» asked Anita. «Go ahead.» replied Ash. «Why do you always keep Pikachu out of its Poké Ball?» The boy turned to his friend and petted him. «He can't stand being inside the Poké Ball. He made that clear right from our first meeting, didn't you?» The Mouse Pokémon confirmed this in its own way.
The novice trainer wondered if she had done the right thing by putting her Pokémon in the Poké Ball without asking it. «Now that our bellies are full, we can get going. Where to?» asked Ash.
Serena had taken out her Smart Rotom and opened the map application.
«The first Gym is in Striaton City. It's not far from here. But I think if we leave now, we'll have to spend the night in tents. The alternative is to leave early tomorrow morning. While I look up information on the Gym, what do you all want to do?»
While the girl searched for more information about the gym, Ash and Anita made up their minds.
«I think we should leave tomorrow.» answered Ash. «Me too.» added Anita.
«As you wish. In the meantime, I found some information about the Gym. It seems to specialize in Grass, Fire, and Water types.» Ash scratched his head, puzzled. «How can a gym specialize in three different types? All the ones I've faced specialized in just one.» He commented. «And besides, you just became a Trainer. Before challenging a Gym, maybe you should do some training. And I think you should try to catch some new Pokémon…» Serena signaled Ash to calm down. «Yes, you're right, but don't rush; we have all the time in the world. Maybe we should go to the Pokémon Center and book rooms for the night.» The three headed to the dedicated building, the same one where they had met Professor Juniper in the morning.
As soon as they entered, they were greeted by the Nurse. «Good afternoon, kids! How can I help you?» she asked. «Good afternoon, we'd like to book two rooms for tonight, if possible.» The Nurse turned towards the key rack on the wall.
«You're in luck. There's one double and one single left. Here are the keys. The one with the green keychain is the single. The one with the white keychain is the double.» the nurse handed a set of keys to the girl.
Serena handed the single room key to Ash. «I have a question. Can we use the battle field?» asked Ash. «No problem.» replied the nurse. The three left the Pokémon Center and headed to the battle field. It was a regular dirt battle field on the right side of the Pokémon Center. Benches lined the long sides of the field for spectators, and the referee's stand was opposite the Pokémon Center.
«You said you've already battled that boy, right?» Ash asked rhetorically. For the experienced trainer, this meant a lot. «You know, I don't like theory. I much prefer practice. If you want, we can start.» Serena stopped him before he could pull out Snivy's Poké Ball. «Don't you think it would be better for her to train with someone closer to her level, if you know what I mean.» Ash got the hint. After all, he'd have all the time in the world to train with Anita. «Fine. But you, too, please go easy on her.» he replied.
Anita wanted to object but restrained herself. Maybe not training right away with the Champion wasn't such a bad idea. After all, she had seen him use some really unconventional techniques and perhaps wasn't ready for that.
The two girls positioned themselves on opposite sides of the field. «Remember, this is a training battle. There doesn't have to be a winner.» explained Serena. Anita nodded in understanding.
«Alright, Pancham! It's your turn!» Serena sent out a Pokémon that looked like a Giant Panda cub. It had ivory-colored fur on its head, except for the ears, around the eyes, and the body, which was black. From the waist down, the fur turned dark gray, and it had an ivory-colored tufted tail. It also had a bamboo leaf in its mouth. Anita scanned it with her Smart Rotom. «Pancham. Playful Pokémon. Fighting type. Male specimen. It tries to appear menacing but isn't taken seriously by opponents. Known moves: Ice Punch, Stone Edge, Arm Thrust, Dark Pulse.» Anita, not having much choice, sent out her Oshawott.
«Pancham, remember they're not very experienced. Don't overdo it!» The Pokémon nodded in understanding. «You go first.» invited Serena. «Are you sure?» asked Anita. «When I battled that boy, he went first.» she added. «Okay. This time we'll go first, but in an official battle, this doesn't happen!» Serena pointed out. «Sure… got it.» replied Anita, not very convinced.
«Alright, Pancham! Start with Stone Edge!» The Playful Pokémon punched the ground, causing large, sharp blue stones to erupt. «Come on, Oshawott! Dodge and then use Tackle!» The Sea Otter Pokémon dodged to the right, avoiding the stones, and then started running toward its opponent. Serena waited. The Sea Otter Pokémon got closer to Pancham. It was almost ready to strike. «Pancham! Use Arm Thrust!» One of Pancham's hands glowed white as it struck the approaching opponent. The blow was quite powerful, sending Oshawott flying backward. «Pancham! What did I tell you?» scolded Serena. «Sorry, but if it doesn't at least fight a little seriously, how do you think it will take it?» Ash chimed in. «Then why don't you battle her?» Serena asked. «I just meant we need to get her used to the fact that battles are serious business. That's all.» he explained. «As you wish.» she replied.
«Oshawott, are you okay?» asked Anita, worried. The Pokémon stood up and shook off the dust. «See?» said Ash. «He wants to take it seriously too.» he added. Oshawott confirmed this. «Alright!» Anita finally agreed. «Use Aqua Jet!» The Sea Otter Pokémon surrounded itself with water and leaped forward, turning into a sort of projectile. «Quick! Defend with Ice Punch!» ordered Serena. One of Pancham's hands was covered in a thick layer of ice, ready to strike the approaching opponent.
«Quick! Dodge!» ordered Anita. The Sea Otter Pokémon slightly changed its trajectory, moving upward. Pancham couldn't hit it directly but struck the water trail it left behind, freezing it.
Oshawott was trapped in its own attack. «Now break the ice with Arm Thrust!» ordered Serena. Pancham struck the frozen water trail in front of it with a powerful hit.
Some of the ice broke, allowing the Otter Pokémon to move again. «Let's continue with Water Gun!» Anita ordered. Oshawott's body was covered in water, which quickly froze due to the ice partially covering it. The small Pokémon had to struggle to manage the different resistance of the ice. «Try telling him to attack!» Ash encouraged her.
«Ah... Yes... Sure... Let's try it! Oshawott! Attack!» The Pokémon, straining immensely, managed to control the attack and hit Pancham head-on, sending it flying through the air.
A few moments later, Pancham fell back to the ground. It was still able to continue, but it was clear that it had taken a hard blow. Oshawott also fell to the ground, surrounded by ice shards.
«He's had enough.» Serena interrupted the battle. «You both did great; your Pokémon fought superbly.» Ash commented. Anita couldn't believe it. Had the Champion just complimented her? «Oshawott really performed a great Ice Water Gun, especially for the first time!» He praised, adding to the girls' confusion. «Ice Water Gun?» They asked, surprised. «It's a technique invented by a friend of mine that Buizel and I perfected. Well, she invented it when Buizel was still hers, then traded him to me, and we perfected the technique, teaching him Aqua Jet.» the boy explained. «If Oshawott ever learns an Ice-type move, I think he could learn the technique and perfect it.» He added. «Yes, but take it easy.» Serena intervened. «Now we need to rest and let our Pokémon rest.» Anita added, noticing her Pokémon staggering from exhaustion.
The next day, the three of them got up early in the morning and, after a hearty breakfast, tried to set off. As soon as they left the Pokémon Center, the three saw a boy, about Ash and Serena's age, calmly walking, accompanied by a male Eevee. He wore a jacket in shades of blue, black pants, a black and blue bag, and red shoes. He was wearing a hat. As soon as he locked eyes with the three, he started running full speed. «What's wrong with that boy?» Ash wondered. A few moments later, the boy got the answer he was looking for. A man and a woman, dressed like the ones from the previous day, were chasing after him. «We can't just leave them to those crazies!» Ash urged the girls as he walked away.
The three moved slowly, not wanting to be discovered by the pair of pursuers. They had no idea where they were heading. They were exploring neighborhoods of the city they had never visited before.
They were all the same urban areas, gray buildings made of concrete, glass, and metal. There wasn't a single tree to be seen for miles.
«Use Swift!» They heard a boy shout. The three could see stars coming out of a dead-end alley. In front of the alley, the two guys were fighting against that boy and his Eevee.
«That's not fair! Two against one.» Ash complained. Before the boy could intervene, smoke began to billow in with the comets. Obviously, one of the guys' Pokémon had used Smoke Screen. Ash and the girls approached the alley where the fight was taking place.
«Darn it! We're too late!» Ash lamented, frustrated. «Maybe we can still find him. They can't have gone far.» Serena tried to console him. Anita was more doubtful. Why should they help a boy they didn't even know?
With no real choice, the girl joined them. The three searched the area, initially finding nothing. Until... «Wait, I think I found something.» Anita bent down and picked up a hat. It was white, red, and black. She immediately passed it to Serena. «This could belong to that boy.» Serena commented as soon as she received it. «But alone, it won't lead us to him.» she added. «Maybe I know someone who can help us.» Ash tried to stay positive. «Just give me a moment.»
The boy took out his Smart Rotom and searched for the nearest Transfer Machine in the dedicated Poké Exchange app. After a brief search and switching to the maps app, he quickly reached the nearest machine. It was about three hundred meters on foot from where they were.
Before making the exchange, however, he had to contact the person concerned. Professor Kukui. In the boy's mind, Lycanroc's keen sense of smell would help in the search.
Contacting him, the boy thought the professor would answer, not his wife, Professor Magnolia. When the woman answered, Ash was initially rather taken aback.
«Hi, Ash, is everything okay? Yes, I figured you were expecting to find Kukui, right? But it's okay. You look good, and Pikachu does too. By the way... this doesn't look like Kanto at all. Did you leave for Unova? Did you happen to bring along any... friends?» She asked. The boy signaled her to slow down. «Can we talk about this another time? We have a pretty big problem right now.» The woman's expression changed abruptly. «What happened?» She asked, quite concerned. «We saw that guys calling themselves Team Plasma, people who believe Trainers and Pokémon should live separately, kidnapped a boy just now. That's why I was asking if you could send me Lycanroc. His sense of smell will surely help us.» The woman smiled at him. «No problem. Do you have any Pokémon with you, or should I send it directly to you?» She asked. «I was thinking of sending one of mine for now.» he replied. They exchanged coordinates, and when everything was ready, they made the transfer. Ash had sent Lucario.
After the exchange, and bidding farewell to the professor, the boy returned to Serena and Anita. «Sorry it took me so long, but I had a little unexpected event. Anyway, I have a friend who can help us. Come on out! Lycanroc!» From the boy's Poké Ball emerged a Pokémon resembling a wolf, quadrupedal in posture, with orange fur, except for the lower part of its legs, which were white, and the tips of its ears, triangular and dark. It had around its neck four dark-colored stones. It had a wide white mane and a thick tail, also white. Its eyes were a beautiful green color.
Anita, intrigued by that Pokémon, could not help but scan it with her Smart Rotom. «Lycanroc. Wolf Pokémon. Dusk Form. Rock type. Male specimen. A mysterious evolution of Lycanroc that occurs only at dusk. In Alola, it's a very rare specimen. Beneath its apparent calmness lies a fierce fighting spirit. Known moves: Stone Edge, Counter, Crunch, Accelerock.» Meanwhile, Ash and his Pokémon had approached Serena. «Good. I think the hat has his scent.» Ash explained. Serena knelt down to the level of the Wolf Pokémon and let him smell the hat.
«Do you think you can find him?» She asked. The Pokémon confirmed. After recognizing the scent, he began to follow the scent trail. The three followed the Pokémon, who, after a few false starts, led them right in front of the Pokémon Center where they had spent the night.
Arriving in the square in front of the Pokémon Center, they heard familiar words. «Citizens of Accumula Town... Ghetsis calls you to action!» A Team Plasma Grunt stood on a table, propagating against Trainers.
Lycanroc ran towards him, growling. The three hurried over to the guy. «And what do you want from me?» His tone was rather annoyed. «You and one of your guys kidnapped a boy. Tell me where you took him!» Ash demanded, rather angry. «You won't stop Our revolution, Champion!» Ash didn't even think about how to respond. «Maybe I won't, but...» At those words, Lycanroc lunged at the man, knocking him off the table, which overturned, sending all the flyers that were on it flying into the air. The Wolf Pokémon was on top of him, with bloodshot eyes and froth at his mouth. He seemed ready to make a meal of him.
«Listen to me.» Ash began, trying to be as tough as possible. Not a characteristic that suited him very well, but in this case, he had no choice. «A boy was kidnapped by you and one of your colleagues. Where did you take him?» The man, pinned down by the Wolf Pokémon, was in a disadvantaged position, so he had to give at least part of the answer. «Yes. It's true. I kidnapped him. We took him to some other colleagues who loaded him into a van, but I have no idea where they took him.» He replied.
Anita took one of those flyers, which was falling by that time. «You will attend the Revelation, tonight at ten o'clock.» She read. «Come on, what's this revelation?» Ash asked, still trying to stay tough. «Nothing that concerns people like you!» He replied. Lycanroc's gaze, as much as possible, became even more threatening. Now he really seemed on the verge of attacking. «Fine then...» The man replied. «No one knows what Revelation is, and as I said, I have no idea where
they took the boy. They only called me to help them kidnap him. I hope I don't find myself on the wrong side of your Pokémon.» Ash took a few steps away from the guy.
Here is the translated text with the requested quotation marks («») for dialogues:
The location of the Revelation was in one of the oldest and most run-down parts of the city, not too far from where that boy had been kidnapped. At night, that place was truly eerie. To gather courage, Serena leaned into Ash. Being close to him made her feel better.
«Look at all these people.» the boy commented in a low voice. «I didn't realize so many people felt this way.» Serena replied, equally surprised. By now, she had moved closer to the boy. The two of them were now walking arm in arm. «This way, we'll attract less attention.» she justified.
They joined the line. At first glance, they appeared to be ordinary people. Men and women, boys and girls, even some elderly gentlemen and ladies.
The line moved swiftly. It didn't take long before it was their turn. Ahead of them stood a burly man. He was over two meters tall, with broad shoulders and a muscular body. He had long mustaches, but otherwise not a single hair on his face. «Do you have the invitation?» he asked, with a cavernous voice. «The invitation?» Ash asked, sounding worried. «Does this say so?» Serena asked, handing him the sheet they had collected that morning. The man looked at it for a few moments before responding. «The Revelation will save humans and Pokémon. Please, Brother and Sister.» he invited them. The two entered. They decided immediately to stand aside. «I didn't know there were so many.» the boy commented.
«Ghecis! Ghecis! Ghecis! Ghecis!» Everyone present chanted his name in unison, sounding like one voice. The two turned their gaze to the stage. Several Team Plasma followers were lined up like soldiers, facing the audience. Behind them were three large banners with the Team Plasma symbol. At one point, several spotlights illuminated the stage's center. Simultaneously, an off-screen voice captured the audience's attention.
«Let's give a warm welcome to the one who will bring a new balance to this world! Gheeeeeeeeeeeeeecccccccccisssssssssssssssssssssss» he shouted!
Meanwhile, from a trapdoor beneath the stage, a man about two meters tall and robust in build emerged. He had long hair of an undefined color, something between gray and green. He wore a white robe covered by an over-vest in purple and yellow. On the purple side, it was decorated with a stylized yellow eye; on the yellow side, with a stylized purple eye. He wore a kind of decoration on the robe resembling the battlements of a castle.
The time to observe him was rather short, to be honest. Soon, the man began to speak. «My name is Ghecis. Ghecis, leader of Team Plasma. Today, I want to speak to all of you gathered here about the liberation of Pokémon! For a long time now, we humans have lived alongside Pokémon. We seek each other, we need each other. This seems to be an idea shared by many. But is it really so? Are we humans the only ones who believe this to be true? Have you ever thought about it? The truth is different! Trainers enslave Pokémon and bend them to their will!» At those words, the audience chorused as one, «TRAINER SLAVERS! SLAVERS! SLAVERS!» It took a few moments before the man could continue speaking.
«They exploit them for all sorts of things. Does anyone have the courage to deny this? Listen to me! Pokémon are creatures entirely different from humans, and they likely possess abilities still unknown. There are so many things we can learn from them. So, what is the only sensible thing we humans can do for them? Exactly! We must free them! And that is what I will do with these slavers! But, since I» The man emphasized the word «I» particularly. «Am a magnanimous man. As much as they are all criminals, I will allow each of them to defend themselves. To keep their Pokémon.» The audience roared disapproval. During the speech, some followers had left, only to return once it was finished. Each of them held a person firmly. Ash and Serena looked at each one. The boy they were looking for was the last in line. Before him were only three people.
«I'll start with you.» the man addressed the man furthest left. He was about forty years old and had a truly ugly face. «Fine.» Ghecis invited him. «You will be first. Send out your Pokémon.» He invited.
The boy, who had by now been released, complied. «Toxicroak! It's your turn!» The man sent out a bipedal Pokémon with dark blue and aqua green colors, resembling a poisonous frog. Its head had a slightly curled point upwards. It had bright yellow eyes, very intimidating, with a small pupil similar to a snake's. The mouth looked like a mouthguard. The upper lip was red and curled upwards. Under the chin was a sort of red vocal. It had three fingers and, on the back of each hand, a large red claw. The forearms were surrounded by two black rings. The legs were muscular. Its feet had three toes. Under the pelvic area were two horizontal white lines. «Oh!» Ghecis commented. «We can begin.» The trainer was taken aback, not ordering any attack. «Why don't you order an attack?» Ghecis asked him. «Do you think I'm unable to defend myself because I'm just a human?» He added. «I'm perfectly capable of attacking and defending myself!» He taunted. «Want a demonstration?» The man's eyes lit up. He raised an arm. This was enough to hurl the opponent's Pokémon anywhere. This was enough to defeat it. Two followers immobilized him, while another searched him. His goal was to take all his Pokémon. The boy had three more. «And now release them!» Ghecis ordered. The Grunt who had searched for the boy triggered the
release mechanism from the Poké Balls, freeing a Watchog, a Tranquill, and a Liepard.
A similar fate befell the next two trainers. «Now they'll do the same with that boy.» Ash commented. Up until then, the boy had restrained himself, albeit with difficulty. But he couldn't bear to see those things happen a single time more. Even if, up to now, those subjected to that treatment had been criminals. But now it was that boy's turn.
He understood what was happening. «Eevee! This is the most important battle! We must win at all costs! Let's start with Quick Attack.» He ordered. As soon as it was in the field, the Pokémon began to run against that guy. It almost seemed like he understood something that no one, until that moment, had understood.
He started running towards the man. He, as he did with the previous Pokémon, stopped him. Eevee struggled to bear those immense powers. Impossible for a normal human being. He gritted his teeth and tried to move forward. Each step was an immense effort. His body glowed with a blue light. His ears lengthened, his body became more muscular and slender. The tail became sharper, as did the muzzle. His eyes became scarlet and his cloak black, decorated with yellow rings. «It evolved into Umbreon!» Ash commented, sotto voce.
«Do you think a simple evolution can disrupt my plans?» Ghecis tried to inflict. «This only means one thing.» The man disappeared into the trapdoor from which he had emerged previously, only to return, after a few moments, escorted by a Pokémon similar to a hydra. He had black wings on his back. Around his neck was a pink collar resembling a flower, which opened from his head. The central head was dark blue and the eyes were brick red. The black hands held a head each, also blue with black eyes. He had two pink lines on the lower body. The feet, bifurcated, had no claws. Even the tail had a pink stripe with a black puff at its end. «A Hydreigon.» the boy commented, sotto voce. «You will have the honor of fighting against one of my freedom fighters!» the man indicated. «Hydreigon! Draco Meteor!» He ordered. From the Pokémon's three mouths, three energy rays with a purple tinge were emitted. As they moved away from the Brutal Pokémon, these took on a draconic shape.
«Umbreon! Dodge and use Swift!» The Moonlight Pokémon moved quickly, darting to the right. It didn't waste any time, jumping and launching a burst of energy towards its opponent in the form of stars. Despite its great effort in the attack, however, the opponent Pokémon did not seem to suffer any particular consequences, despite appearances.
«I don't know how long it can last. I think we'll have to intervene.» Ash spoke softly into Serena's ear, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. «What do you mean to do?» She replied. «We'll figure something out. You'll distract him and then we'll save that boy... somehow.» Serena was a bit conflicted. Not that she didn't trust Ash, but sometimes his lack of plans didn't sit well with her.
«AND NOW THAT HE'S TAKEN CARE OF TOO, IS THERE ANYONE ELSE WHO DARES TO OPPOSE ME?» Ghecis shouted rhetorically, indicating the boy's Umbreon.
Lying on the ground, no longer able to fight.
«Of course. I DO!» Serena shouted. Ash had already moved away, implementing a plan that until then had only been in his mind. He had only asked her to hold off Hydreigon with her Sylveon.
The girl made her way laboriously through the crowd gathered there. Smiling at those present and asking for permission after permission, the girl reached the stage, standing in front of the burly man and his Pokémon.
«Since you have been so brave...» He referred to his opponent. «Since I am a magnanimous man, I propose a pact to you. If you win, that boy can keep his Pokémon. If I win, you must also release yours.»
The girl agreed with a small nod. «Don't take too long.» she said sotto voce. «Sylveon! It's your turn! Fairy Wind!» The girl's Pokémon, just released from the Poké Ball, attacked, generating a powerful pink-colored gust of wind that struck the opponent with immense force. «Hydreigon! Respond with Draco Meteor!» The man ordered. From the Pokémon's three mouths, three energy rays with a purple tinge were emitted. As they moved away from the Brutal Pokémon, these took on a draconic shape. These rays approached the Pokémon, but did not harm it in any way. «But how is this possible!» The man complained. «Try again!» As the two fought, Ash had reached the passage through which they had entered.
The boy looked around and, not seeing anyone nearby, decided to take action. From his bag, he took out some Koffing-shaped balls. An invention by Lem. They were smoke bombs, non-toxic, of course. The inventor had been inspired by Sanpei's ninja techniques. Until that moment, he had always carried them with him, without ever finding a real use for them.
He threw a couple on the ground with some force. They exploded, generating a large quantity of thick black smoke that was spreading into the room. «We need to get him here faster! Noivern, I need your help!» The boy threw the Poké Ball of his Sound Wave Pokémon. «Alright, Noivern, I need your help. You should direct the smoke into this door.» The boy pointed to the door from which they had come out. The Pokémon, understanding what it needed to do, started flapping its enormous wings violently, generating a strong air current that directed the large amount of smoke inside. The boy continued throwing smoke bombs as long as he had them, ensuring perfect cover thanks to the Pokémon's help.
The air in the room had become dark and difficult to breathe. It was almost impossible to see anything. It was part of the plan, at least in Ash's mind.
Serena, her Sylveon, and that boy were still on the stage, along with Ghetsis and his followers. «I knew I should never have trusted you! All you trainers are the same!» He shouted. «Get them!» He ordered. «Sir...» one of the followers objected. «Technically, the girl would have won the battle...» Despite the smoke, the opponent felt the weight of his boss's gaze. But when he tried to intervene, it was too late.
Like his peers, he was thrown against the wall by a very strong air current. The impact was so strong that it knocked him unconscious. «Come on, let's go!» A familiar voice urged Serena. It was Ash. And he was on stage, not far from her. He was escorted by his Noivern.
The two took a few steps, just enough to get off the stage. Ash immediately noticed that the boy wasn't following them.
With no other choice, he had to go back and pull the Umbreon trainer by the arm. «Yes. I get it, I'm coming with you! But then you have to explain why you wanted to save me.»
Ash remained silent. What mattered to him was reuniting with Serena and trying to blend in with the crowd.
Despite some chills, everything went well. The three had run a long distance, quickly separating from the group and reaching a less peripheral and safer area.
«Thank you for saving me, but...» The boy asked, still out of breath. «Who are you? Why would you have to save me? I could have been a criminal like the guys before me, yet you had no problem coming to save me.» Ash and Serena looked at each other.
«Maybe dressed like this, we're not exactly recognizable.» Serena observed. Ash understood the message. He removed his
scarf and hat. Then he moved on to the glasses. Serena did the same.
The boy couldn't believe his eyes. «But you two are... the World Champion and the finalist in how many Grand Festivals? I can't believe it!» He looked at them amazed.
«And who are you?» Ash asked him. «P-Pleased to meet you. My name is Carlos, and I'm the Gym Leader of Striaton City.» The boy introduced himself. «Except that I still can't understand why you saved me. I don't represent anything to you.» Ash turned in his direction. «So what? We saw a boy chased by Team Plasma followers, and with Lycanroc's help, we traced who kidnapped you and...» The boy nodded, understanding.
«I get it. But... tell me, why did you decide to come here to Unova?» He asked. «Long story short, I realized that if I really want to become a Pokémon Master, I have to help someone achieve their goal. I got in touch with a girl who became a trainer this morning and...» Ash explained. «I think I understand.» Carlos replied. «That means I'll meet her very soon.» He added. «I suppose so.» Ash replied. «But for now, it's better to go back.» Carlos bid farewell. «I was supposed to spend the night with a friend, and he'll be very worried.» He explained. «Goodbye!» They said goodbye.
The two returned to the Pokémon Center. It was past midnight, so Serena had to enter the code to open the door. As soon as it opened, she signaled Ash to be quiet, putting a finger to her lips.
The boy walked silently to his room. Serena did the same, trying not to wake Anita, who was sleeping soundly. Pikachu was lying in his bed, which pleased her very much. She knew Pikachu liked her, after all, according to Ash, she was his only friend who had never been shocked. Even in that case, the girl would have to be very careful.
The next day, the three had to get up early. Ash and Serena were still tired from the night before. Tired and traumatized. Both Anita and Pikachu noticed their friends' bad mood. They had gathered and had just sat down at the table for breakfast. «I see you're worried. Did something happen?» Anita asked. «Team Plasma...» Serena began. «It's worse than we could ever imagine.» She tried to explain. «They forced trainers to release their Pokémon. Sure, some of them were criminals, but... among them was also the Gym Leader of Striaton City.» Ash explained. «We managed to save at least him.» Serena added. «Then I don't think you should be so upset. You managed to save someone.» The two shook their heads. «The problem isn't that we only managed to save one person. Nor how many we won't be able to save or not save. The problem is that these Team Plasma guys are very dangerous. Much more dangerous than Team Rocket.» Ash explained. «And, by the way, what happened to them?» Serena wondered.
Anita was quite confused. «And who would this Team Rocket be?» Anita asked. «They were... or rather, they are, although we haven't seen them around for a long time, criminals who steal Pokémon from trainers to sell them on the black market and make money. And we know more than something about it, don't we?» He asked, rhetorically, to both Serena and Pikachu.
«I don't see much difference between them.» Anita commented. «Neither respect the bond between trainers and Pokémon. And now that, in my own way, I've become a Trainer, I can't imagine myself without Oshawott.» She explained.
After breakfast, and with a more relaxed atmosphere, the three left the Pokémon Center and set off. «Sorry... um... tell me. The Gym Leader of Striaton City, what's he like?» She asked. «We'd like it to be a surprise.» Ash replied, without even thinking.
Meanwhile, the three had reached the outskirts of the city; soon they would arrive in open country.
«But... thinking about it, you've become a Trainer recently, you have only one Pokémon with you. Maybe you should catch some more.» He proposed. «Do you think I'm capable of doing that?» The girl wondered, rather hesitantly. «If you don't try, you'll never know.» The boy took out his Smart Rotom and looked, in the dex area dedicated to Pokémon, at the Pokémon present in that area, then approached Anita. «Here. Here are the Pokémon you can catch here. It seems there's a good variety.» He observed. On the Smart Rotom's screen appeared images of various Pokémon, accompanied by their Pokédex number and their name. «Let's see...» The girl commented. «Let's see... Mareep, Riolu, Lillipup, Patrat, Pidove, Azurill, Purrloin... I have no idea who to choose.» Everywhere the three looked, they could observe Pokémon of every species.
However, as soon as they tried to approach, they hid wherever possible. «Of course, it's really hard to catch a Pokémon. Much harder than I imagined.» She tried to speak quietly. «Many Pokémon are easily frightened.» Ash explained. «You have to be very careful.» Serena added. «Thanks for the advice, but it seems that as soon as we take a single step, they all disappear...» Ash corrected her again. «You have to be patient. Sometimes they want to be caught.» The three continued down the road separating the two inhabited centers.
At one point, from one of the many bushes, a Pokémon similar to a light brown puppy appeared. It had large oval-shaped eyes, brown in color, and a red nose. Its face was covered with a thick cream-colored fur. It also had large pointed ears and a tuft of fur at the base of them. Its fur appeared puffy at the top of its legs. On the back of the dark blue fur that resembled a flame. The tail was short and resembled a sort of tuft.
The girl scanned the Pokémon with her Smart Rotom's Pokédex function. «Lillipup. Puppy Pokémon. Normal Type. Female specimen. Faces even the strongest opponents with courage, but its intelligence makes it avoid fights that are too disadvantageous. Known moves Tackle and Bite.» The Puppy Pokémon sat down and began to scratch itself.
«I don't know about you, but I'd like to try catching it.» Anita spoke softly, trying not to startle the Pokémon.
«Go for it!» Ash encouraged her.
«Alright! Poké Ball, go!» The girl grabbed a Poké Ball from her bag, but before she could press the activation mechanism, Serena intervened.
«Not like that. If you want to catch a Pokémon, you have to battle it first. I know it sounds paradoxical, but you have to battle before you catch it.» Serena explained. Anita withdrew the Poké Ball and took out the one containing her Oshawott.
«Alright, buddy. I'm counting on you.» she said as she released her Pokémon.
«See that Lillipup?» she asked. «I'd love to catch it, but I'll need your help.»
«Sha?» the Pokémon responded skeptically.
«I believe you can do it easily. But we have to hurry. It might leave any moment.» Anita instructed.
«Alright, let's try. Use Tackle!» Oshawott charged towards the opponent, still calm.
When Oshawott was close enough, it finally stood up and decided to respond to the opponent's attack, using Tackle in turn. The two Pokémon collided, and due to the violence of the impact, both were pushed back, kicking up a cloud of dust.
«Oshawott! Water Gun!» The Otter Pokémon's body was surrounded by a layer of water, completely coating it. «Alright, now try to move in the most unpredictable way you can!» Anita ordered. The Pokémon moved in different directions, trying to confuse the opponent. Despite jumping in different directions, it couldn't keep up.
In the end, the impact was inevitable. Lillipup was thrown into the air. Soon it fell back to the ground, dazed.
«This is the moment!» Ash suggested. The girl followed his advice, reaching into her bag and retrieving another Poké Ball. She activated the mechanism and threw it at the Pokémon.
It was immediately absorbed by it, transforming into a beam of light. Once done, the sphere began to vibrate, moving left and right. The three watched it move, it was hard to tell whether or not the capture was successful. Although, for Ash and Serena, it wasn't a new feeling, the tension created in waiting to see if a capture was successful or not was always there.
The feeling immediately disappeared when the Poké Ball confirmed the capture. «Now all that's left is to pick it up.» Ash reminded her.
«Oh... yes... of course... right.» The girl bowed and picked up the Poké Ball. «I caught my first Pokémon!» she exclaimed, and Oshawott with her. «Come out, Lillipup!» The girl activated the opening mechanism of the Poké Ball, releasing the Puppy Pokémon.
It immediately approached its new trainer, attaching itself to her leg. «Looks like it already adores you.» Ash congratulated her.
After lunch, the three set off, continuing towards Striaton City. They were proceeding calmly, despite the occasional shiver caused by the wind that occasionally blew.
Their peaceful walk was interrupted when they crossed paths with a boy with blond hair dressed in sports clothes. «Hi, Ivan!» They greeted him. «Well... hi.» he replied, annoyed. His way of answering irritated Serena quite a bit, and she didn't hesitate to point it out.
«I didn't think you'd survive this long.» he addressed Anita harshly. «Maybe to give them a little satisfaction?» Serena and Ash had to hold her back to keep her from laying hands on him.
«Maybe you should settle it with a battle.» Ash suggested.
«As you wish.» Ivan replied. «Three against three?» He asked.
«Actually, I only have two Pokémon.» Anita replied. «Fine... two against two.» he replied, rather annoyed.
Finding a large enough clearing that could serve as a Battle Field, the two trainers positioned themselves on opposite sides of the improvised field. «If you don't mind, I'll be the referee.» Ash proposed.
«As you wish.» Ivan replied, increasingly annoyed. «The battle between Anita and Ivan begins. It will be a two-on-two battle. The winner is the one who manages to defeat both opponent's Pokémon.» Ash announced after explaining the rules.
After explaining the rules, the two trainers sent out their respective Pokémon onto the field.
«Oshawott! It's your turn!» Anita sent out her first Pokémon, and Ivan did the same with Tepig. «Let's begin!» Ivan started.
«Use Flame Charge!» He ordered. Tepig's body was covered in flames as it ran towards Oshawott. «Let's try it! Hit him with Water Gun!» Anita ordered. The Otter Pokémon's body was covered in water, and it leapt. It was a bullet that had gone mad, attached to a trail of water.
The two Pokémon collided halfway across the field. The contact between the two was rather violent, with both Pokémon being pushed backwards by the force of the impact.
Tepig had suffered more damage, but still didn't want to give up. «Use Tackle!» Ivan ordered. The Fire-type Pokémon charged towards his opponent. Anita remained alert. Tepig was dangerously close.
«Now dodge and use Aqua Jet up close!» Anita ordered. A powerful stream of water shot out of the Otter Pokémon's mouth, hitting the opponent Tepig full force and throwing it into the air. A few moments later, it fell to the ground with a thud. «Well! So what are you doing? Come on! Come on! Come on! Come on!» The body of Tepig was covered in flames as it ran towards the opponent. Due to the injuries sustained, it was slower than usual.
«Oshawott! Water Gun!» The Water-type Pokémon was covered in water and turned into a wild bullet that hit the opponent full force, sending it flying. When it fell, the outcome of the battle was obvious. Tepig was on the ground with its legs spread out. «Tepig can't fight anymore. Oshawott wins!» Ash declared.
«Make sure you do less dirt next time.» Ivan withdrew his defeated Pokémon. Ash barely restrained himself from punching him in the teeth, or at least from breaking his face.
«Your Pokémon fought to the best of their abilities. If you keep acting like this, I refuse to referee the match.» Ash warned.
Ivan turned to him. «There's no need for anyone to referee this match. And then the Pokémon are mine. I treat them as I see fit.» he said, leaving.
«In any case, let's wrap this up quickly! Pidove, go!» A Pokémon similar to a pigeon of gray color came out of the boy's Poké Ball. It had large oval eyes and golden eyes. The head was round. On the top of the same there was a kind of three-point crest. The beak, colored black was topped with two small pink bumps. Below it was the belly, with a heart motif, lighter in color than the rest of the body. On the back of the body, at the height of the neck, there was a black streak. On the wings, colored black there was a gray streak. The Pokémon had pink legs with three toes with black nails.
Anita used the Pokédex function of her Smart Rotom. «Pidove Pokémon Pigeon. Normal and Flying Type. Male Specimen. Pokémon that lives in cities. It easily attaches to people, so it is not strange to find it in parks or squares. Known moves Gust, Quick Attack, Razor Wind.» Anita put her Smart Rotom back in her bag. «Well, Pidove! Go for Razor Wind!» The Pigeon Pokémon generated air blades from its wings. It aimed them with surgical precision against the opponent. Despite the attempt to dodge, the Pokémon was hit in the chest. Due to the blow received, it fell to the ground, exhausted. «Oshawott is no longer able to continue.» Ash decreed.
«Now you can rest, buddy, you were great!» Congratulated Anita.
«Congratulations to a Pokémon who has just lost is synonymous with weakness.» commented Ivan.
«Anita didn't respond. «Lillipup! It's your turn!» The girl took out her second Pokémon's Poké Ball from her bag. She pressed the release button and sent out the Puppy Pokémon onto the field.
«Pff... A Lillipup! How mundane!» Ivan commented in a bored tone. Anita simply ignored him. Lillipup had only been hers for a few hours, but she already cared deeply for it and couldn't stand anyone treating them that way. «Lillipup! Use Tackle!» she commanded. The Puppy Pokémon dashed towards its opponent, attempting to strike.
«Come on, dodge it!» Ivan ordered. The Pidove Pokémon took flight, evading the opponent's attack. «Now, use Air Cutter!» Blades of air formed from Pidove's wings, striking the opponent directly. «It's Pidove's Super Luck ability. It has a high chance of landing critical hits.» Ivan explained. «Looks like I've won, haven't I? What are you waiting for, referee?» Ash gave him a stern look. «Ivan wins.» he declared. The victor recalled his Pokémon into its Poké Ball. «Next time, try to be a more worthy opponent. Or should I challenge you, Ash, for a bit of a challenge?» Ash chose not to respond, not out of
snobbishness but because he simply didn't like the guy, just like his Snivy.
A few moments later, Ivan packed up and left. «I don't know about you, but I really don't like that guy at all.» observed Ash. «Agreed. I didn't like at all how he treated his Pokémon. What do you think, having battled him?» Serena asked. Anita didn't respond. «Is everything okay?» Serena asked, sounding concerned. Still, Anita remained silent as the grave.
Serena took a few steps back and found her sitting against a tree, face buried in her hands. She seemed rather upset. As soon as she noticed the Performer's presence, she turned away. «Don't think that by doing this, you'll change anything.» Serena chided her. «Can't you see? You're already the champion of champions! You don't know what it means to lose! I don't deserve to be a trainer! I don't deserve my Pokémon's trust!» she vented.
Ash and Serena sat down in front of her. «No. You can't say that. If every Trainer didn't deserve Pokémon after just one loss, there wouldn't be any Trainers left. Everyone has lost at least one battle. Even the greatest Champions. No exceptions, right?» Pikachu nodded in agreement. «And the same goes for Contests and Performances.» Serena added. «The only thing that matters is always getting back up and learning from your mistakes.» Ash tried to encourage her.
«Do I still deserve your trust?» The girl held her Pokémon's Poké Balls in her hands. She stood up and adjusted her Poké Balls. «But let's get back on track, or we'll end up spending the night here.» Serena reminded them. «I'm not sure I want to spend my first night as a Trainer so carelessly.» Anita replied.
The three set off, speaking little or not at all. «I don't know about you, buddy...» Ash spoke to Pikachu, trying not to be
overheard by the girls. «Pika?» the Electric-type Pokémon asked. «I mean, in some ways, Ivan reminds me of Paul.» the boy explained.
«Sorry if I'm prying, but who's this Pol?» Anita asked. «It's Paul, not Pol. Not the bike rider. Anyway... well, he was a rival when we traveled through Sinnoh. He was, and I suppose still is, undoubtedly strong, but I never liked how he treated his Pokémon. But maybe I'll tell you about it another time. I don't like talking about people who aren't present.» Ash concluded.
Meanwhile, the three had almost reached Castelia City. Or rather, they could see the first buildings. They were the tops of the tallest skyscrapers. The buildings were made of glass and steel, in various shapes.
As they continued walking, they began to reach the first residential buildings, the first terraced houses with gardens, and the first children playing with domestic Pokémon like Growlithe, Lillipup, or Yamper.
Past these, they began to reach the central part of the city. The first taller buildings and shops were starting to be visible, including the modern Pokémon Center.
It was almost dinner time. And although Ash's stomach was growling, their priority was to book a room for the night. And that Pokémon Center was the ideal choice.
After booking their rooms and having their Pokémon checked, they headed to one of the city's establishments. A pizzeria, which, judging by the numerous reviews, seemed to be one of the best places in town. After dinner, the three returned to the Pokémon Center, where they spent the night. Anita still didn't feel ready to challenge the Gym Leader.
The next day, as Nurse Joy was changing shifts with the night shift medical staff, a boy knocked on the door, insisting on coming in.
Noticing his presence, Nurse Joy pressed the button to open the door. The boy, not expecting it, almost fell forward.
«Ah... it's you, Carlos.» Nurse Joy welcomed him. «Why are you here so early?» she asked. «I know the heroes who saved me from Team Plasma. And I didn't have time to thank them.» he replied.
«Right now, all the guests are still asleep. You can wait for them in the breakfast room if you'd like. Help yourself to whatever you want to eat.» she offered. The boy followed her advice, reaching the indicated room and sitting at one of the tables. To find who he was looking for, he had to wait for over an hour.
«As I was saying, if you're not up for Gym battles yet, we can have a training session here. Maybe with Snivy. After all, she's just starting out, and a little training will only do her good.» Ash was discussing their plans. Or rather, Ash was discussing it, with the girls trying to go along.
They were about to choose a table to sit at and place their breakfast trays. Carlos, spotting their table, did the same. He lined up behind them and picked up breakfast. It wasn't exactly his thing, but he did it to thank them, and more. As soon as they sat down, Carlos did the same.
«Thanks again for saving me.» the boy started.
«Eeeeeee... who are you?» Anita asked, turning to him. Serena understood her expression well. But she chose not to say anything. «Well.. You see. They saved me from Team Plasma, and I just wanted to thank them. Sure. We met in the evening, but we separated immediately.» Anita tried to say something about it, but she stopped.
«Sorry. I haven't introduced myself.» the boy started again. «My name is Carlos, I'm the Gym Leader of Castelia City. But if you want, you can call me Charlie or Chili, that's fine too.» Ash looked at him strangely. «But why, if your name is Carlos, do you let people call you so many ways?» he asked. «Well, your name is Satoshi, but everyone calls you Ash.» Serena replied.
Ignoring the question, Carlos continued. «I guess you came here to challenge me.» he referred to Anita. «Yes. She came here for that.» Ash intervened, leaving her stunned. «Maybe she should have said it herself, don't you think?» Serena rebuked him. «It doesn't matter. Ash spoke the truth. We're here for that. It's just that I'm not very sure. I'd like to try, but I'm afraid of failing. Already, it was hard for them to accept my defeat. I don't know if they'll be able to do it again.»
Ash and Serena turned towards her. «We'll always do our best.» Ash replied. «Exactly. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes.» Serena added.
«Sorry if I'm being intrusive, but do you mind if I train with you?» Carlos asked. «Of course not.» Ash replied. «And since you're the Gym Leader, who knows, maybe you'll share some secret techniques...» Ash commented, unintentionally putting Carlos on edge.
After breakfast, the four headed to the Pokémon Center's Battle Dome. «I was thinking.» Carlos began, piquing the curiosity of the other three. «Since Anita is still new, maybe she would benefit from learning from a battle between more experienced Trainers, wouldn't she?» Carlos asked. «Do as you wish. Yes. Maybe I can learn something, but, again, do as you think best.» Anita replied.
The two Trainers positioned themselves on opposite sides of the field, ready to send out their Pokémon. «Umbreon, come out for some training!» Carlos exclaimed, sending out his Pokémon. Anita took the opportunity to analyze it with her Rotom Phone. «Umbreon, the Moonlight Pokémon, Dark type, Male specimen. It is a nocturnal Pokémon. Its large pupils allow it to see clearly even in the deepest darkness. Known moves: Swift, Quick Attack, Shadow Ball, Foul Play.» While Anita scanned the Pokémon with her Rotom Phone, Ash had sent out Pikachu onto the field.
«If you're ready, let's begin.» Ash announced.
Carlos started by ordering his Umbreon to use Quick Attack. Pikachu jumped away just in time to avoid the attack. Ash then retaliated with Pikachu's Thunderbolt. Umbreon quickly evaded the electrical attack, showing off its agility.
«Now, Umbreon, use Swift!» Carlos commanded. The Moonlight Pokémon launched stars from its rings at Pikachu. Despite the unexpected attack, Pikachu managed to dodge most of them, although a few struck him. This gave Pikachu the perfect opening to use Iron Tail.
«Use the Pokémon you just sent out.» Ash ordered. The Mouse Pokémon's tail changed its structure. Due to the intense
energy from its fall, it gained a significant boost. Despite trying to dodge, Umbreon was struck directly.
«I'd say that's enough for training.» Carlos called for a timeout. It had been a short yet intense battle, at least for Umbreon.
«So, that's how champions fight, huh! Imagine if I hadn't stopped the battle. We have a lot to do to reach your level.» Carlos remarked. «I heard earlier that you wanted to train with Anita. Sorry if I've wasted your time.» he added.
«No—no problem.» the girl replied. «It was—It was interesting to see you in action. I hope I didn't make a fool of myself.» Anita replied. «Don't say that. And I think I've already explained. Plus, this is a training battle, for both you and Snivy, Ash replied. Anita nodded in understanding.
The two positioned themselves on opposite sides of the battlefield. «It may be training, but I want both of you to give your best.» Ash encouraged me. «We'll do our best!» Anita replied. «Oshawott, it's your turn!» The girl sent her Pokémon onto the field. Simultaneously, Ash sent out his Snivy. «You can start!» Ash invited. «As you wish! Oshawott, use Water Gun!» Anita ordered.
The Otter Pokémon wrapped itself in water and shot towards its opponent like a bullet. It seemed it could reach it any moment. «Quick, Snivy, dodge it and then restrain it with your vines!» Ash ordered.
The small grass snake leaped just moments before being hit by the opponent. Simultaneously, two vines sprouted from the
protrusions on the Pokémon's back, grabbing and squeezing the Pokémon. «And now, throw it!» Ash ordered. The
Pokémon executed, using its vines to hurl the opponent.
Oshawott was thrown onto the ground, where it hit its head. Despite the harsh blow, it managed to get back up. «Do you feel like continuing?» he asked. Oshawott responded affirmatively.
«Good. Perhaps it wants to teach us that we shouldn't only fight up close. Well... maybe? Let's try it. Use Water Gun!» A powerful jet of water came out of the Otter Pokémon's mouth, initially unable to direct it properly, hitting the ground and raising dust and mud.
«Snivy, use Leaf Tornado!»Ash ordered. The Pokémon jumped and generated a storm of sharp leaf blades, which reached and struck the opponent's attack, destroying it.
«No. Nothing. Not even fighting from a distance helps us attack» Anita commented in frustration. «What if we try using one of its techniques?» She thought. «Let's try it! Oshawott, use Water Gun!» Ash noticed the slight smile hinted at by Anita, returning it in kind. He remained calm, as did Snivy.
Oshawott was about to reach Snivy, still standing still. «And now use Razor Shell!» Anita ordered, earning a smile from Ash. «Defend yourself with your vines!» Ash ordered. With its vines, the Pokémon managed to slow down the opponent's attack, albeit with some consequences. The two Pokémon were on top of each other.
To avoid embarrassment, Snivy used its vines to move Oshawott aside and stepped back. «I'd say that's enough training.» Ash concluded. «I see a lot of potential in you!» he congratulated Anita. «Really?» the girl asked. «I would never lie.» Ash replied.
Carlos had also watched the battle. «Of course, Ash, even though he's a champion, he also works well with inexperienced trainers, I wonder if...» he thought.
His train of thought was interrupted by Anita's presence. The girl was in front of him. Rather close. «Y-you know, C-Carlos. I-I would like to ch-challenge you to a battle at the Gym. If you want, tomorrow too.» she asked.
«Of course! I'm always ready to face new challenges!» he replied.
«See you tomorrow!» They said goodbye. Serena smiled. She had a feeling inside her. She couldn't help but think about her friends and what she felt towards Ash. She didn't want to intrude. After all, she was the first person to know that certain things needed their time.