After the trial and the validation of Hiroshi Amon's arrest, followed by Burgh's release, in a trial broadcast across the Unima region, Asami had decided, with her uncle's approval, to become a Trainer.
A New Journey Begins
The group, now five in total, had spent the night in one of the Pokémon Centers in Nimbasa City. For Asami, who had decided to become a Trainer with her uncle's blessing, it was the first time she had spent the night away from her own estate. Sleeping in such a different place felt rather strange to her just the thought of sleeping in a bed where others had slept before was unsettling. So, she had asked Anita to share the room with her, and the young Trainer had accepted. At least Asami would spend the night in a Pokémon Center in the company of another person, unlike Anita, who had slept with Ash's Pikachu. Sure, Pikachu had been very sweet to her, even watching over her until she fell asleep, but sleeping with a Pokémon was different from having a person in the bed next to you.
In the morning, the five gathered in the breakfast room of the Pokémon Center. Over cappuccinos and pastries, they began planning their day.
«Are you excited? Soon you'll be a Trainer too. Do you have any idea what your first Pokémon will be? You've already met Oshawott and Servine, which is the evolution of Snivy, so that leaves Tepig. I imagine you'll meet him later maybe he'll be your first Pokémon?» Carlos asked Asami curiously. He tried to gloss over the fact that his first Pokémon had been an Eevee, and that his mother had had to fill out the B65 form to give her son his first Pokémon. He also knew that either Ash or Serena, being of legal age, could fill out that form and give the girl her first Pokémon, but he wanted her to obtain it in the traditional way.
«Honestly, no, I haven't decided yet. But I don't want to rush it. I know I'm starting my journey a year after everyone else, but despite that, I want to enjoy it .» the girl replied.
«First of all, we need to contact Professor Juniper .» Ash began. «We don't know if she has any Pokémon available right now, or if she needs to request them. You know how it goes when a Professor hands out a first Pokémon to a Trainer .» he explained.
«Do you always have to ruin everything?» Carlos interrupted, resuming a conversation they had had several times before.
«I'm just saying things as they are .» Ash replied, as he sent a message to the Professor asking if she was available for a video call.
«And getting your first Pokémon isn't enough to start your journey. Your first Pokémon will be your lifelong friend; you'll be bonded forever. You'll also need good equipment for your journey. It's long, and anything can happen. You must always be ready to face any unexpected events .» Ash tried to explain.
Unexpected events. They were perhaps what Asami hated most. Until the day of her father's arrest, her days had been practically the same. On Mondays and Thursdays, she attended martial arts classes, while on the other days, if she wasn't at school or out with friends, always under Manuel's watchful eye, she spent her time at home watching movies. Naturally, only the ones her father allowed her to watch.
Now, without all that supervision, nothing was stopping her from deciding where to go or with whom. On the one hand, this was positive, but on the other, it meant taking full responsibility for her actions a big step.
«Professor Juniper's lab is in Nuvema Town, which is quite far from here. You have plenty of time to decide .» Carlos tried to reassure her.
«That's the least of the problems. We can talk about it later .» she replied. «Besides, you four are all experienced Trainers. Even though it's your first time traveling here in Unova, you know what you're doing… Carlos and Anita are lucky to be traveling with you .» Asami complimented Ash and Serena, who smiled at her kind words.
«I've already explained what I want to do as a Trainer: help all the Pokémon that have been victims of Team Plasma .» the girl said.
«So you won't be battling in gyms or participating in contests?» Carlos asked, intrigued.
«I'm not sure. I've seen how fascinating battles can be, so I don't see why I couldn't challenge the gyms too .» the girl replied.
«I can assure you that Gym Leaders are very strong Trainers. I lost my first gym battle and almost gave up .» Anita explained.
«Luckily, we convinced you to keep going .» Ash added. The young Trainer simply smiled.
«Pastor still works for you .» Carlos suggested.
Asami nodded. «Yes, of course, but I want to travel around Unova on foot, like you. And sleep in Pokémon Centers, like you and all the other Trainers. I don't want to be different from the others.» The four smiled at their friend's words. They fully embraced the spirit of a Pokémon journey.
«I only mentioned it because he could take you to Nuvema Town. Professor Juniper's lab is there, and she'll be the one giving you your first Pokémon .» Carlos explained.
«Well… I could ask him to accompany us, but as I said, I want to travel around Unova like any other Trainer. As I've mentioned, staying in Pokémon Centers and trying to help all the Pokémon freed by Team Plasma, and stopping them from continuing their criminal activities.»
«But you won't always be able to sleep in a Pokémon Center bed .» Ash interjected. «It hasn't happened to us yet, but we might also spend nights in tents.»
«That sounds really fascinating!» Asami replied, but soon realized a small issue: «But I don't have a tent or a sleeping bag.»
Ash waved his hand lightly, as if to stop her. «That's not a problem. Nimbasa City is full of shops; you'll surely find what you need.»
Carlos jumped into the conversation: «And not only will you sleep outdoors, but you'll also need to cook for yourself.»
Asami's enthusiasm faded slightly. «I've never cooked in my life. I'd probably set the kitchen on fire just trying to make pasta!»
Ash laughed. «You're in good company!»
«That's not a problem .» Carlos reassured her in a near-heroic tone. «I can teach you to cook something. Before traveling with them and becoming their personal chef, I worked in the kitchen at the Virbank Gym, which is also the closest gym to Nuvema Town .» Carlos explained.
«I'd appreciate that .» Asami replied.
«Maybe I could teach you how to make Poké Puffs .» Serena offered. «They're sweet treats from the Kalos region. Both people and Pokémon love them.»
«Yes, that sounds like a great idea .» Asami seemed enthusiastic about the proposal.
«Then we can get started. Professor Juniper said she's available, and she's really excited to see us .» Ash said.
Asami jumped up. «I don't want any favors. If getting my first Pokémon means taking it away from someone else, then I can wait.»
Ash responded immediately. «No, I didn't mention anything about you. I just asked if we could video call. I didn't talk about you.»
Asami nodded in understanding. «Sorry, I got upset over nothing .» she said with a small bow.
«Now let's go. The video call devices are right over here .» Ash pointed out.
The five approached the device, a large monitor equipped with a camera, microphone, and speakers. The software was simple to use, requiring only the type of call to be made and the ID of the person to be contacted. Ash activated the device and entered Professor Juniper's ID, which he had copied from the messages.
Moments later, the face of a woman appeared on the screen. She was around forty years old, with light brown hair tied in an unusual hairstyle and light green eyes. She wore red square earrings and was dressed casually. Although the camera's angle only revealed her floral shirt, it was clear she wasn't in her usual lab attire.
«Oh! Hi, everyone! It's been a while since we last spoke! I see you've made some new friends! How's your journey going?» The woman paused before asking too many questions.
«Nice to meet you! My name is Carlos, I'm a Trainer from Levantopoli. You might remember my mother, June. She filled out the B65 form...» The woman thought for a moment.
«Oh! Yes, of course I remember her. How's your Eevee doing now?» she asked.
«It's in great shape! It even evolved into an Umbreon .» he shared.
«I'm so happy to hear that. Eevee only evolves into Umbreon when it has a strong bond with its Trainer. You know, I was a bit hesitant to sign the form, but seeing that Eevee bonded with you enough to evolve, I realize I made the right choice .» she responded.
«Sorry if I'm being nosy, but how did you meet Ash and the others?» she asked shortly after.
«Before I started traveling with them, I worked as an assistant at the city Gym. My goal is to become a better Trainer.» The boy shared a bit about himself.
«Interesting!» the Professor replied, although, at that moment, her attention shifted elsewhere.
«Those eyes! Don't tell me it's true! You must be the daughter of Kara, the fearless Pokémon rescuer. Before that tragic accident where she lost her life, she often shared her research results with me. While treating Pokémon in the field, she frequently discovered Pokémon with unique forms or behaviors we hadn't known about before. She had stunning eyes, and you've got those very same eyes!» Asami felt a bit uncomfortable hearing that.
«Yes... my mother's name was Kara, but I don't know much about her. She died when I was four, because a Pokémon mistook her for one of its enemies .» the girl explained.
«I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to stir up painful memories .» the Professor apologized.
«It's fine, really .» Asami replied.
«I've heard your father was arrested for collaborating with Team Plasma. I'm glad to see you're not involved with them .» Asami gave a small smile in response.
«About that… until my father was arrested, he did everything in his power to keep me away from Pokémon. He didn't even let me touch one. He had a very negative view of Trainers after what happened to my mom .» the girl tried to explain.
«I understand. And now that your father is in prison, you want to become a Trainer like them?» the woman asked. Asami simply nodded.
«Good for you. Besides, I'm sure you would've done the same thing even if your father hadn't been arrested. I know that the more you try to cage someone, the more they'll want to break free .» the Professor remarked.
«And you're in luck. This afternoon, or by tomorrow morning at the latest, two aspiring Trainers will be coming to choose their first Pokémon. Maybe I can let you pick one before they arrive.»
Asami shook her head slightly.
«I can't accept that. I don't want to take away their chance to choose. I'll be fine with training whichever Pokémon is left .» she said.
The Professor simply nodded.
«As you wish .» she replied, then turned her attention to Anita.
«So, Anita, how's it going with the battles? Have you managed to win any badges?»
Anita pulled her badge case from her bag to show the woman.
«Here it is. So far, we've won two badges. I've caught a Lillipup that evolved into a Herdier, a Vivillon, and a Sewaddle .» the girl explained.
«What form is your Vivillon?» asked the Professor.
«Here it is! It's in the Marine pattern.» Anita released the Pokémon from its Poké Ball.
«It's absolutely beautiful!» the Professor complimented her.
Shortly after, the woman turned to Ash.
«Tell me... Ash... is Anita a good student?»
The Kanto native smiled as he replied.
«She's making great progress. She's really smart and learns quickly. Of course, she sometimes gets discouraged when things don't go well.»
Anita felt flattered by the praise and accepted the slight criticism as well.
The Professor changed the topic again:
«And you, Serena, how are things going with the Showcases?»
The Kalos native's expression changed.
«Before the Showcases were suspended because of that attack, my Pokémon and I managed to win just one Princess Key. They're going to resume soon, but there will be a lot of security checks for the audience. Anyway, we've kept training, so we hope to do well .» she replied.
«That's great. I'm glad to see you've all become a close-knit group and that you're succeeding in your goals. As for you, Asami, I'll be waiting for you at my lab. And if the rest of you want to come, I'd be happy to have you.»
With the important matters addressed, Ash finally asked a question that had been on his mind for a while:
«Can I ask what this B65 form is? It sounds pretty complicated...» The boy scratched his head.
«It's actually nothing special. It's a form that allows an adult to give a first Pokémon to an aspiring Trainer. In this case, you just have to fill out the form and submit it to me or Nurse Joy. I'm sure you know that after the Amon ruling, the government decided that no one can prevent an aspiring Trainer from becoming one. Anyway, I should get back to work now, but I'll see you all later!» she said goodbye.
«Goodbye!» they all responded.
After the call ended, the five left the Pokémon Center, giving a polite farewell to the Nurse. Once outside, the group immediately got to work.
«So... where should we start?» asked Asami, who had regained her enthusiasm after the brief talk with Ash.
«We could start by buying everything you need for your journey .» Carlos suggested.
«Since you'll need quite a few things, we could split up and get it done before lunch .» Serena added.
«Ash and I can go buy something to eat, maybe even get the ingredients for the Poké Puffs, so I can teach you how to make them .» Serena proposed.
«Sounds like a good idea!» Asami replied.
The group split into two. Ash, Serena, and Pikachu headed off to buy the ingredients for the Poké Puffs, while Anita, Carlos, and Asami went to the city's commercial district.
Like in Castelia City, Nimbasa City also had an efficient public transport system, allowing people to travel around the city quickly and affordably.
The line for the city market was LB, while the one for the commercial zone was TX. The two buses ran on opposite sides of the street, so Ash and Serena would have to cross.
«So... is this how you usually get around in the city?» Asami, used to being chauffeured by her personal driver, pointed to the large bus that had stopped nearby. From a glance inside, it was clear how crowded it was.
«Maybe we should wait for the next one .» Carlos suggested.
Ash and Serena were luckier. The bus they were supposed to take was nearly empty. Unlike the buses in Castelia City, these ones were white and red. Once aboard, they would have to wait through several stops before reaching the market.
Midway through the journey, Serena requested a stop, piquing Ash's curiosity.
«Why are we getting off here? The market's still far away. What are we doing here?»
«Some ingredients we need to buy at the store. Like eggs, flour, and butter. The rest we'll get at the market, where they're fresher .» Serena explained.
«Alright .» Ash replied.
Shortly after, the bus stopped, and Ash and Serena got off, quickly arriving at one of the few supermarkets in that part of the city.
The supermarket, one of many in the Redson chain, was nestled within one of the neighborhood's apartment buildings. Large windows had been covered with prints of bread and vegetables.
Besides this, there were posters displaying the day's special offers. Offers, however, that didn't interest the two.
Once inside, they quickly headed to the section for baking ingredients, grabbing two bags of flour, as much sugar, two cartons of eggs, and half a kilo of butter.
«That should be enough .» Serena commented after loading the cart. The two went to pay and left the store.
«Now we can go get the fruit at the market .» Serena suggested.
The two had to wait a few minutes before catching the bus, finally heading towards the market. Like before, the bus wasn't very crowded. After a few stops, they finally reached their destination.
The food market was in one of the city's working-class neighborhoods, the kind of area usually overlooked by tourists passing through. After several stops, they finally arrived. A quick glance at the rundown buildings covered in graffiti made it clear that the neighborhood wasn't in great shape. On one side of the road, there were several old, dented cars, the newest of which was probably at least thirty years old.
As soon as they got off the bus, Ash and Pikachu immediately became alert. The neighborhood didn't feel safe at all, and the risk of being attacked was high, so they had to be ready for anything.
«Let's stay as close as possible. I really don't like this place .» Serena commented.
«You're right. Better stick together .» Ash agreed. Instantly, the girl moved even closer to Ash, practically linking arms with him.
The city's market was in a large square filled with stalls and vans, many of which bore the signs of numerous battles. Each stall was packed with every imaginable item.
From stalls selling household items, to those offering toys of dubious origin, and even others with tasteless home decor, there was almost too much to take in.
There were also vendors selling Pokémon accessories, mostly fashion items that were often knock-offs of famous brands. Before reaching the food section, they had to pass by several stalls selling clothes, also imitations of well-known brands. Nothing of interest to them.
Before they reached the food area, they both noticed something unusual: a large group of people gathered around the stalls. However, no one seemed particularly interested in buying anything. Instead, they were focused on something around the fruit and vegetable stalls.
«I wonder if they'll catch her this time!» one of the onlookers said.
«I bet she'll get away, like always .» another replied.
«Look! There she goes!» A third person pointed to a pile of apples that was slowly beginning to move. Meanwhile, Ash moved closer to the group, leaving Serena a few steps behind.
«Excuse me, but what's going on?» Ash asked one of the onlookers, who had been watching the pile of apples shift for some time.
An elderly man, about seventy, with gray hair and a long beard, replied. He was robust, standing at least six feet tall, and wore a white shirt with blue stripes and corduroy pants, along with brown leather shoes.
«You must be new around here .» the man began. «For a while now, every day, the merchants have been dealing with a Pokémon that eats the displayed fruit and causes a lot of financial loss. They've tried everything to chase her away, but nothing has worked. They even managed to trap her and release her in a nearby forest, where a colony of her kind lives, but no luck! Two or three days later, she's back again!» he explained.
Moments later, a small, round head poked out from the pile of apples. Mostly white, it had large black ears on top. Its black eyes sparkled like jewels, and just below were two yellow, round cheeks. «Emo!» it cried before grabbing an apple and taking a bite.
«Catch her!» shouted the stall owner, a woman in her fifties with red hair tied in a ponytail. Her eyes were the same color as her hair, and she wore an apron that partially covered her clothes.
Many of the onlookers tried to rush at the pile of fruit, but before they could, the Pokémon leaped into the air and clung to one of the metal bars holding up the tarp that shaded the stall.
Soon after, the little Pokémon, resembling a small flying squirrel, was in full view. Its fur was mostly white, except for its back and head, excluding its face. Its tail and ears were black. It had two short, pointed black stripes on its forehead, and its fluffy tail was shaped like a lightning bolt. Its ears were round with yellow on the outer part and white on the inner part. Its cheeks were yellow, and it had a tiny black nose and large black eyes. The hind legs lacked visible toes, while the front paws had three digits. A yellow membrane extended from its front legs, which was black on the underside. The Pokémon quickly reached the tarp and was about to jump to gain momentum and glide, still holding a partially eaten apple.
Serena, who had stayed back a bit, analyzed the Pokémon with her Smart Rotom's Pokédex function: «Emolga. Petal Pokémon. Electric and Flying types. Female specimen. Uses its membrane-like cape to glide. Emits electrical discharges that can strike both enemies and allies. Known moves: Charm, Electro Ball, Iron Tail, Thunder Shock.»
Meanwhile, Anita, Carlos, and Asami had boarded the second TX line bus. Unlike the previous one, this bus wasn't crowded, and there were even some empty seats. One of them, however, would have to sit facing backward.
Carlos sprinted like a track star, securing the forward-facing seat and reserving the one next to him for Asami, leaving Anita to sit facing backward.
Their journey would also take several stops. Their destination was the "I Flamigo" shopping mall, one of the most important malls in the city.
After about fifteen stops, the bus finally reached its destination. It had just passed a red brick building and a steel-and-glass structure. Their stop was in front of a section of the building housing the mall, an enormous two-story prefab painted pink.
The first thing that stood out was the logo of a famous fast-food chain, the same restaurant where Anita had first had lunch with Ash and Serena. A little further to the side, in a sort of alcove, was an automatic metal-and-glass door with a large sticker depicting the Synchrony Pokémon.
Carlos and the girls entered the mall. As soon as they stepped inside, they were immediately greeted by a mixture of food smells from the various restaurants and the scents of cleaning products.
Otherwise, the mall appeared as a long corridor, with different shops lining the sides. Looking up, beyond the balconies of the upper floor overlooking the interior, they could see the glass roof, which made the space extremely bright, even without artificial lighting. Hanging from the ceiling were cardboard models of airplanes.
At the beginning of the corridor, there were several restaurants, mostly fast food, but also some more relaxed dining spots. A little further ahead were cafés.
After the food section, they entered the area dedicated to clothing and accessories stores. As soon as Asami spotted the first one, her eyes lit up.
«If I'm starting my journey, I guess I'll need some travel clothes... kind of like yours. Maybe you can help me choose something .» she said, turning to Anita.
«Well... yeah, I can try, but I'm not exactly an expert .» Anita replied, slightly embarrassed.
Carlos sighed. He already knew he'd become their porter.
«You know? This is the first time I'm shopping without someone breathing down my neck. Every other time, Manuel would always rush me. Now I know I won't have that problem with you two.» Carlos swallowed loudly. This shopping session was going to be endless.
Asami pulled Anita into one of those shops that looked like many others. The entrance was in the center, with two display windows on either side. There were three mannequins to the right and three to the left. Three were female mannequins, and three were male, all dressed in sporty outfits. «This should be the right place .» Asami commented. Anita didn't reply as she was dragged into the small store.
Carlos felt compelled to follow them. The shop, with its small floor space, seemed almost suffocating for anyone brave enough to enter. The atmosphere was very dimly lit, and the dozens and dozens of clothes made the place feel even more cramped.
In the middle of the small shop was a table filled with various t-shirts and several pairs of jeans. On the racks behind the female mannequins, besides more pants both jeans and corduroy there were also skirts of different lengths. Another rack displayed jackets, and yet another had shirts.
Since he was there, Carlos decided to buy something for himself, checking if there was anything he liked in the sparse men's section.
«Can I help you with anything?» A female voice startled the girls, who had just approached the table full of t-shirts. Anita and Asami turned around, caught off guard.
Behind them appeared a girl who couldn't have been more than five or six years older than them. She wore a white blouse and a black skirt. Both had a Minccino face sewn on them. She was slightly taller than Serena, with long blonde hair tied back tightly. She had blue eyes, like Serena, and wore small earrings and red lipstick.
«Well… uh… I was looking for some travel clothes .» Asami replied, still a bit surprised. «My friend was helping me, but yes, that's fine.» She added after a brief pause.
«So, you're getting ready for your journey?» asked the saleswoman, turning to the girl with black hair.
«Yes. Actually, I haven't received my first Pokémon yet, but I want to be ready when the time comes.» Asami let out a sigh of relief, thankful she hadn't been recognized.
«You seem like a very elegant girl with great posture and a lovely figure. You could wear anything and it would look good on you .» the saleswoman complimented her, causing Asami to blush slightly.
«I was thinking of something simple and sporty... something for traveling.» Asami tried to explain. The saleswoman pulled a few t-shirts from the pile. They were simple cotton shirts with various prints. Some had text, while others had images. Asami picked a few without paying too much attention to the prints or writing. She also bought some pants and a few skirts.
After sorting out the clothes, she handed them to Carlos, who, as feared, ended up being the pack mule. Luckily, he had the cart with him. Meanwhile, the girls headed for the shoe stores. Carlos, like before, decided to wait outside while the girls shopped.
The shoe store, like the previous one, was rather small and crowded with boxes and shelves. A couple of poufs allowed customers to sit and try on shoes.
Fortunately for the boy, the girls didn't take too long to pick out some suitable shoes. They chose comfortable, sporty shoes.
After buying the shoes, the three finally made their way to the "PriSMart" store, the largest and most important shop in the mall. It was a store where you could find everything from groceries to clothes, including all kinds of technology. Naturally, they also had Pokémon accessories and everything a Trainer might need to start their journey.
The situation for Ash and Serena had suddenly changed. They and Pikachu had almost been trampled by the crowd trying desperately to catch that small Pokémon, who had just glided into the air while still munching on the apple she had just stolen.
As soon as she finished eating, the Pokémon dove headfirst into another pile of fruit, this time cherries. She leaped into the large pile of red fruits and began devouring a great quantity of them, loving their taste.
Once satisfied, just like before, she popped out of the big fruit pile and clambered, not without difficulty, onto one of the metal poles holding up the shade over the stall.
Like before, the Pokémon tried to jump back onto the canopy and launch herself towards a third stall, this one displaying apricots.
In the same time, Serena had stepped away from the crowd. She didn't want to get trampled again. Ash, on the other hand, had joined the crowd, trying to help them catch the little thief. He knew that for a wild Pokémon, survival often required clever tricks.
On the other hand, Ash also knew that Emolga was a Pokémon that typically lived in forests and fed primarily on fruit, which is why he almost justified her presence in a place with so much food.
In the meantime, the Pokémon had started shooting the seeds of the cherries she had eaten from her mouth. Most of the seeds were shot at one person in the front row.
It was a man in his fifties, about five feet nine, with a rather stout build. He was completely bald and clean-shaven, wearing a white polo shirt with stripes and jeans.
Suddenly, the victim of this prank pulled out a metallic object from his pouch that reflected the sunlight. It took Ash a few moments to realize what the man had in his hand. It was a gun. «Desperate times...» the man began to say, clearly intending to take matters into his own hands.
«We can't let him do that! Pikachu! Stop that man from killing that Pokémon with Iron Tail!» The Mouse Pokémon leaped into the air, its tail glowing with a white light.
The big man was hit squarely in the back and fell to the ground, the gun flying several meters away from him. «Don't you think you overreacted? Killing a Pokémon for a prank like that?» Ash reprimanded him.
«And don't you think you overreacted? Having your Pokémon attack me? It seems you don't lack a sharp tongue .» the man retorted. «If I've broken something, you'll pay for it! And what's your solution? That Pokémon is costing the merchants a fortune! They would have seen me as a hero for saving the market from that nuisance.»
Ash replied sharply, «No, they'd see you as someone who killed a Pokémon just trying to survive.» The man, struggling to get back on his feet, answered, «And what solution do you have? And don't tell me we should just take it back to the nearby forest because that doesn't work. We've tried it so many times…» he explained.
«We'll find a way. According to the Pokédex, Emolga is usually a shy Pokémon. This one doesn't seem afraid of people .» Ash responded.
«So what? That doesn't justify its behavior .» the man replied.
Meanwhile, Carlos and the girls had just entered PriSMart, the largest store in the entire shopping mall. «We have a lot to buy .» Carlos began. «So I thought we could split up to find what we need faster. Once we're done, we'll meet up near the registers. What do you think?» he proposed.
«Sounds like a good idea. Anita and I will get the tents and sleeping bags .» Asami answered.
«Great idea. I'll handle getting some food. Maybe I can teach you how to cook something .» Carlos responded.
«Alright .» said the girl as she began heading toward the camping and gear section.
Carlos turned around and exited the mall to grab a second shopping cart. He had left the cart with the clothes with the girls and didn't feel like carrying everything he planned to buy by hand.
Back in the store, the boy rushed straight to the food section, the pride of the chain. A huge variety of food products from every corner of the world.
Besides packaged goods, there were plenty of fresh products with a great variety and excellent prices.
The boy began his shopping in the produce section, where he started bagging various vegetables. He had plans to prepare several sample dishes "samples" only in name, considering Ash's appetite.
While Carlos raided the food section, the girls were busy buying camping gear. They had already put a large backpack, a portable gas stove, and two gas canisters in their cart. The two had just approached one of the displayed tents.
«Can I help you?» This time, the girls weren't caught off guard by the salesman, a blond man in his thirties with green eyes. He was wearing an orange shirt with the supermarket logo sewn on it and gray pants. He also wore work shoes.
«We're looking for a tent. I'm about to start my Pokémon journey and…» Asami began to explain.
«I see .» the salesman replied. «Follow me...» he invited. «Forget about this one .» the man said, pointing to the tent the two girls had been eyeing. It was made of a thin blue fabric.
«It's a toy. We usually sell it to guys who want to play at being the natives of Unova. For more serious use, we have other products. I see you've made a great choice with the stove and canisters .» he explained as he walked.
A little later, the man grabbed a large box with a picture of a pink and blue tent on it. «This is the best product we have. It's made from military-grade materials, combining lightness and strength .» he explained. «It's a two-person tent, so you'll be really comfortable .» he added.
«Uh… actually… I'll be traveling alone .» Asami replied.
«What if you make a friend during your journey… what will you do? Tell her to buy her own tent? At least this way, you'll be able to sleep together! And besides, we only have two-person tents in the more serious models .» the salesman tried to justify.
«Alright! I'll take it!» Asami was starting to get fed up with the pushy salesman. Before she could finish her sentence, the man had already loaded two sleeping bags into the cart.
«We're running a promotion on sleeping bags. If you buy two, the second one is half price. I thought it might be convenient, especially with a two-person tent .» the salesman explained. Asami was becoming more exasperated. If buying that tent and those sleeping bags would make him go away, she'd buy them.
«Do you need any more help?» he asked.
«No, we're all set .» Asami replied. Luckily, the pots, pans, dishes, and everything else were in a completely different section.
«The boy is right!» One of Emolga's victims, a woman around sixty with gray hair and brown eyes, came to Ash's defense. «Yes, Emolga eats our fruit, but she's never hurt anyone. Just a few pranks, like with the seeds...»
The man who had tried to kill Emolga, still upset by both the prank and Ash and Pikachu's reaction, muttered, «Emolga has lived here for some time, but she's only been acting like this for a year and a half, two years at most.»
The woman began to tell her story while Ash and Serena, who had reunited, approached her stall. «You see, Emolga was the Pokémon of one of the market's longtime vendors, Mr. Vladimiros. He was one of the most popular vendors at the market, an elderly and extremely kind man. I've known him for years; he was working here long before I opened my stall, and I've been here for over thirty years.»
The man looked at the vendor with a bored expression. «And so? Now Vlad's dead. No one's bothered to take care of Emolga since.»
The vendor shook her head. «Can I finish?» she rebuked. «Vlad took care of Emolga after he accidentally hit her with his truck. She was badly injured and survived by a miracle. Every day, before going to the market, he would visit her, always bringing the freshest and juiciest fruit. He kept doing that even after Emolga was back in perfect health. Because of this, they formed a strong bond. Vlad never captured her they were just friends. Emolga helped him with deliveries, carrying fruit to all the customers in town. This went on until Vlad could no longer work, and even beyond that. Occasionally, some young people would help him unload the goods and set up his stall. But that's not important. Emolga waited for him here every day, always ready to help with the deliveries, until he no longer could.»
The man was more irritated than ever. «So what? Were you trying to make us cry? This is about BUSINESS! You should know that. And that Pokémon is costing us a lot of money.»
«Do you own a stall?» the vendor asked him sharply, then answered for him: «I don't think so. So mind your own business!» The woman tried to sound as threatening as possible. «And above all, learn to respect Pokémon. Or do you need another lesson?» Ash chimed in, with Pikachu already starting to charge up electricity. The man, sensing danger, slunk away with his tail between his legs.
With the annoying presence gone, Ash and Serena were finally able to speak more calmly with the lady.
«Excuse me, ma'am, but why don't you capture Emolga?» Serena suggested. «You're the only one who's defended her so far .» she added.
«Yes, miss. I've thought about it and tried many times, but it's never worked. I guess I'm just not good enough...» the woman's tone turned resigned.
«After Vlad's death, none of his relatives took his place, but even at his funeral, the adults were talking about how they would divide up his inheritance, while the younger ones hoped to get one of his Pokémon. You can imagine their disappointment when they found out he had never captured one. Sure, one of his nieces, Yara, knew about Emolga. Ever since she was little, she would visit her grandfather to play with her when she wasn't busy with the deliveries. But... well... her parents don't want her to become a Trainer and keep her as isolated as possible. And no, it has nothing to do with Team Plasma .» the woman explained, piquing Ash and Serena's curiosity.
«Sorry if I'm being nosy, but may I ask why?» Ash inquired.
«Well, she's... different, so to speak. And her parents do everything they can to protect her.»
«Protect her from what?» Ash asked.
«Well... she's not like other girls, and her parents try to shield her at all costs.»
«Even at the cost of breaking the law. They think her disability could hinder her or somehow put her safety at risk… especially since Vlad passed away. Since then, her parents have become even more protective of her. When she shows interest in a Pokémon or something similar, they make her feel like it's dangerous. They also try to keep her away from live battles, allowing her to only watch them on TV. They take her to Montevite Park every afternoon, keeping her under strict supervision, even though they know they're breaking the law. I imagine you're aware that the government has decreed that no parent can prevent their child from becoming a Trainer.»
Ash smiled. «Don't worry. We've heard. I understand what you wish for, and we'll do everything we can to help her.» replied Ash.
«In that case, I can tell you how to recognize her. She's about your height.» the woman said, turning to Serena. «She has burgundy hair and violet eyes. Her skin is quite fair, and she has several freckles.» the woman tried to explain.
«Perhaps it's better if I tell you her name on PokéLink.» The woman soon realized she wasn't very good at descriptions. She took out her Smart Rotom and, after rummaging through it for a bit, opened the social network. «Here she is. Her name is YaraVander.» The woman showed her device to the two, so both Ash and Serena could recognize her.
Emolga had been watching the scene for a while. Yes, it did remember her. That girl with the burgundy hair. In fact, it could boast about having watched her grow up. It had known her since she was a child. And, in truth, it hadn't seen her in quite some time. Could these two help reunite it with that girl?
«Are you sure it's the right choice?» Serena asked while the woman was bagging some fruit to give to the two, apologizing for the time she had made them lose.
As the two walked away, carrying their load of fruit, heading toward the bus stop, Serena repeated the question, since Ash hadn't answered earlier: «Are you sure it's the right choice?»
Ash smiled. «I don't know if it's the right choice, but we both know how much traveling can do good.» Ash replied.
«You're right. Traveling is important.» Serena answered. «But we don't know if Yara feels ready, and if Emolga truly wants to join her, or if it just wants to say goodbye.» The girl tried to bring her friend back to reality.
Meanwhile, at PriSMart, Carlos had continued with the shopping. After clearing out the fruit and vegetable section, picking up several packs of mushrooms, not forgetting chilies, garlic, and onions, he had moved on to buy numerous cans of peeled tomatoes, jars of olives in brine, oil, and pasta. He then went to the butcher, where he bought various cuts of meat, including ground beef and sausage. He didn't forget the deli, either, where he got several types of cold cuts and both whole and grated cheese.
Meanwhile, the girls had rushed to the kitchenware section. Various kinds of pots, plates, and glasses they had taken everything they needed and then rejoined Carlos.
They were about to join the checkout line, so they could finally pay and return to base. Carlos would prepare lunch, and after eating, they would ask Pastor for a ride to Soffiolieve, so Asami could receive her first Pokémon.
After paying, the three exited the mall. Before leaving the carts in their designated area, they filled their backpacks with the groceries.
They then headed to the bus stop. They would have to wait about fifteen minutes for the bus, hoping they wouldn't have to wait for the next one.
What the three didn't know was that fate had entirely different plans.
While they were standing, waiting for the bus, more people joined them also customers from the mall, also carrying their groceries. There was an elderly couple, a man and a woman, both at least eighty years old. The man had snow-white hair and a barely noticeable beard. He wore a brown cap, a purple-striped shirt, and brown pants. On his feet were brown leather loafers. The woman, on the other hand, had dark blonde dyed hair, wore a pink shirt, and a black skirt.
In addition to the elderly couple, there were two men in their thirties, both with orange hair. Both had blue eyes. Neither had a beard. The first was dressed in black jeans and a checkered shirt, while the second wore a jacket and a polo shirt.
The third person was a red-haired woman with green eyes. She wore a simple striped shirt and skirt.
Without warning, the two men quickly approached Asami and Carlos, grabbing their arms to hold them still. «Now that we have Hiroshi's daughter, we can demand a prisoner exchange.» commented the man who had grabbed Asami. «And we'll also free the Pokémon from this boy.» added the second.
Anita was petrified. Her friends were about to be guynapped, and she didn't know what to do. She was never in these kinds of situations. Usually, Ash was the one who defended the group. But now he was on the other side of town with Serena. Carlos was trapped and couldn't call out any of his Pokémon.
«And you, girl, what are you going to do? You're not even thinking of defending your friends? It's not even worth freeing your Pokémon. You're probably one of those who will release them when our leader makes owning Pokémon illegal. You clearly don't care about them.» the woman said, addressing Anita.
The girl stood still, like a statue. "What do I do now?" she thought. "I don't want to disappoint them! They're all counting on me!" Meanwhile, the Follower in front of her had sent out a Liepard. «Now that I have a Pokémon, with which I can attack you or your friends, isn't that enough to make you defend them? What more do I need to do?» She hoped to provoke a reaction from Anita, but none came. The girl was motionless, overwhelmed by negative thoughts. She wondered if she was up to the task she was facing. The fear of failing and making things worse was preventing her from acting. On the other hand, she knew she couldn't ask Ash for help either. Her friend was on the other side of the city and would never arrive in time.
«Soon reinforcements will arrive, and we'll have completed our mission, right before your helpless eyes.» The Follower tried to further aggravate the situation.
«Come on! I know you can do it! You almost defeated one of Ash's Pokémon! That Liepard is nothing in comparison!» Carlos tried to encourage her.
«I'm sure you can do it! You've proven you're capable of great things!» Asami also tried to encourage her.
«It's useless for you to try to help her! She's good for nothing. She doesn't have the slightest bit of courage!»
Anita's breathing became heavy. It seemed like the girl was about to collapse under the weight of her responsibilities. "Ash isn't here now. They're counting on me! I must not let them down!" she thought.
«Let's give it a try! It can't get any worse! Come out, Oshawott!» The girl sent out her first Pokémon.
«Oshawott! Use Aqua Jet!» The Sea Otter Pokémon's body was enveloped in water as it launched itself at the opponent with great speed and force.
«Liepard! Dark Pulse!» ordered the woman. The Cold Blood Pokémon emitted a series of large, purplish energy rings from its mouth, which quickly collided with the Sea Otter Pokémon, causing a huge explosion. Oshawott was sent flying several meters back due to the force of the impact.
«Are you okay, Oshawott?» the girl asked. The Sea Otter Pokémon stood up, showing great determination.
«Let's try Ice Beam!» the girl ordered. A freezing beam of energy shot from the Sea Otter Pokémon's mouth, quickly reaching the opponent.
«Liepard! Defend yourself again with Dark Pulse!» ordered her opponent.
As before, the two attacks collided again, generating a massive explosion that sent both Pokémon flying backward.
«Liepard! Use Quick Attack!» commanded the Grunt. The Cold-blooded Pokémon dashed at high speed towards its opponent, ready to strike and send it flying.
«Let's try something different, Oshawott! Use Ice Beam! Aim at the ground!» the girl ordered. The Otter Pokémon obeyed its Trainer, firing a beam of cold energy at the ground, making the surface extremely slippery.
«Clever move, but it won't work!» the Grunt remarked. «Use Shadow Claw on the ground!» she commanded. The Cold-blooded Pokémon's claws grew longer and glowed with a violet light, allowing it to dig into the ice layer, advancing across the slippery surface as if nothing had changed.
Anita was surprised, freezing in place again. Moments later, the Grunt ordered her Pokémon to attack once more.
«Use Shadow Claw!» The Cold-blooded Pokémon's claws grew longer and glowed with a violet light, becoming razor-sharp.
The Otter Pokémon's body was covered in scratches from its opponent, but it tried with all its might to endure.
«And now for the final blow!» the Grunt shouted. «Quick Attack!»
The Cold-blooded Pokémon retreated a few meters from its opponent before charging again at high speed.
Moments later, the Otter Pokémon was sent flying through the air by the force of the attack, crashing to the ground with great violence.
«Oshawott! Are you okay?» the girl ran to her Pokémon, extremely worried.
«Maybe I was wrong. Maybe I shouldn't have let you fight. But I had no choice. Asami and Carlos were counting on us, and…»
The girl tried to apologize to her Pokémon as she reached for a Poké Ball in her bag to recall it and send out Herdier or Vivillon.
But when the girl tried to return Oshawott to the Poké Ball, instead of turning into pure energy inside the red and white sphere, the Pokémon was enveloped in a red light but didn't disappear inside.
«I see. You want to keep fighting! Alright then!»
The Otter Pokémon stood up, gathering its last bit of energy as its body was bathed in a light that was somewhere between white and bluish.
Slowly, its body grew taller and more muscular. Though it remained bipedal and still resembled an otter, its body turned almost completely blue.
It now had small black ears, a sharp crest on the back of its head, a red nose, and long white whiskers that formed a pair of tilted V shapes. It had two pointed teeth. Its front paws had three fingers each. Its feet and flat tail were black. Around its waist was a large dark blue pelt with fringes, and two scalchops were attached to its thighs.
«Deewott!» cried the Pokémon, grabbing its two scalchops and attacking its opponent with newfound, unimaginable power.
It crossed the two scalchops, which were now glowing with a yellowish light, forming an X shape.
There was no doubt! That move was X-Scissor.
Liepard was caught off guard by the immense power of the attack and was sent flying several meters backward.
Thanks to the courage she gained from the evolution of her first Pokémon, Anita was able to give new commands.
«Dewott! Use Aqua Jet!»
The Apprentice Pokémon's body was coated in a thin layer of water as it launched itself toward its opponent. Unfortunately for its foe, Dewott's evolution had given it much greater strength. Liepard was sent flying much farther than it had ever launched Oshawott.
Liepard tried to get back on its feet in vain, but it couldn't.
«Now, Dewott, let's free our friends!» The Apprentice Pokémon grabbed its scalchops and jumped, striking the two Grunts on their backs, forcing them to let go of their captives.
«Now Ice Beam!» the girl ordered. The Apprentice Pokémon fired a powerful icy beam from its mouth, freezing the two Grunts before aiming at the woman, who met the same fate as her comrades.
Moments later, Dewott collapsed to the ground, exhausted.
«Now rest. You were amazing.» Anita recalled her Pokémon to its Poké Ball. «Without your courage, I don't know what I would have done.» she added shortly after, before being embraced by Carlos and Asami.
«You were incredibly brave too. Ash would be so proud of you!» they both complimented her.
After the hug, Carlos called the police to inform them of what had happened. They would probably miss their bus while waiting for the authorities to arrive.
«Unova Police, what is the reason for your call?» a female voice promptly answered Carlos' call.
«Some Team Plasma Grunts attacked me and my friends. They can't fight right now, but I don't know how long that will last.» the boy explained.
«Where are you located?» the female voice asked a moment later.
«At the "I Flamigo" shopping center bus stop, in Nimbasa City.» Carlos replied.
«Understood. You're in luck. We'll send two officers from our local station.» she responded before ending the call.
Five minutes later, the trio was approached by two female police officers, dressed in their usual light brown uniforms.
«Hello, guys! So this is the emergency? Those three ice statues were the Team Plasma Grunts?» one of the officers began.
«Exactly!» answered the elderly woman who, along with her husband, had witnessed the battle.
«The two men grabbed the girl with the black hair and the boy with the hat. The girl with brown hair fought the woman and then asked her Pokémon to freeze them.» the elderly woman explained.
«If I may say so, that girl and her Dewott put up a great fight.» the elderly man commented.
«Alright then…» the second officer added. «We'll take care of them. May I have your contact details?»
The officer asked Carlos and the girls for their names and numbers, which they provided without protest. The elderly couple did the same.
«If we run into any problems, we'll get in touch, but since we have two witnesses, I don't foresee any issues.» the officer explained, allowing the five of them to catch their bus.
Finally, Carlos and the girls were able to board and head to the Pokémon Center to meet up with Ash and Serena.
The two had entered the building while waiting for their friends. As they made their way to the Pokémon Center, someone had been following in their footsteps.
Asami, Anita, and Carlos arrived shortly after. It almost seemed like they were parading her in triumph, though the girl's expression was far from celebratory. She actually looked rather worried.
The Nurse was the first to notice the girl's condition.
«Did something happen?» she asked.
«My Pokémon… it fought so hard, and it has bad injuries, and…»
The Nurse gestured that she understood.
«No problem, I'll take care of it.»
The Nurse tried to reassure her. Anita approached the counter, handing her Poké Balls to the pink-haired woman, who immediately headed to the back room.
«Don't worry, the Nurse will take care of it.» Serena tried to reassure her friend.
«But what happened? Did they try to attack you or…?» Ash asked. The boy seemed quite concerned.
Anita recalled the events that had taken place not long before.
«Team Plasma Grunts. They tried to guynap Carlos and Asami. Oshawott and I tried to defend them, and…»
The girl seemed to feel some pain as she remembered those moments.
«Don't feel bad, you and Dewott did a great job… if it weren't for you two, we would have been in real trouble! You were incredibly brave.» Asami tried to reassure her.
«So Oshawott evolved?» Ash asked, almost rhetorically.
«Exactly! It looked like it was about to lose, but it refused to go back into the Poké Ball, so it got back up and showed just how much it cared for its friends.» Carlos praised the Apprentice Pokémon.
«That's amazing!» Ash commented.
«It's better for it to rest now, though. From what I've heard, it went through a tough battle, but once it's back in shape, I'd love to see what it can do.» he added.
Carlos smiled.
«You'll be surprised.»
A few moments later, the boy checked his Smart Rotom.
«Maybe I should start preparing lunch. Since I'm using the kitchen, I need to cook for all the guests, and it'll take a while. What do you think, Asami? Want to come to the kitchen with me? At least that way I can teach you how to cook something without burning the place down…» he suggested.
The green-eyed girl accepted the offer without protest. After all, if she was going to start traveling, she would need to learn to take care of herself completely, and this was too good an opportunity to pass up.
The kitchen of that Pokémon Center was quite large and well-equipped, reminding him a lot of the one in the Vermilion City Gym, both in its layout and the amount of accessories.
In any case, there was no time to waste; if he didn't start cooking right away, nothing would be ready on time, and Ash would eat him alive. «I'd say we can start. We have just over an hour and a half. That's not a lot of time, so we won't prepare anything too elaborate, but after all, that's how it is when you're traveling. You don't always have the time, and the materials available are limited.» He tried to explain, before pulling out sterile latex gloves from one of the shopping bags. «First thing, let's wash our hands. Then you'd better wear these. You've got nail polish on, and it's not ideal to have it in contact with the food.»
Asami was surprised by this. It was new to her, but after all, Carlos was the expert, so she didn't argue. After they both washed their hands and Asami finished putting on the gloves, they were finally ready to start cooking.
«When you're traveling, it's important to prepare very nutritious dishes. I didn't think so at first, but traveling really burns a lot of energy!» Carlos started. «First, let's prepare some meatballs. Nothing too complicated.» They started by boiling some potatoes. The boy took a couple of potatoes from the produce bag, and after washing them, placed them in a pot of water. «Once they're boiled, they'll be easier to peel.» he explained.
«Since the potatoes will take at least twenty-five minutes, I'd suggest starting a quick sauce and some mushrooms.» «Okay… you're the cook…» replied Asami. Carlos took a large pot and a wide pan from the kitchen's extensive collection. Asami moved closer to the stove where the two large pots were positioned.
«We'll need generous amounts of oil in both.» Carlos began. «Since you're wearing gloves, it's better if I pour it… but this is the easy part, after all…» As for the mushrooms, we'll do a simple sauté with garlic and chili, along with some spicy oil. «Let's start by cutting the mushrooms… beginning by removing the lower part, the one with the dirt.» he explained. Moments later, he demonstrated the process to the girl. In a short time, the two had managed to slice a good amount of mushrooms, all into similarly-sized slices.
Shortly after, the boy took a small bottle from his backpack that contained oil with tiny seeds suspended inside. «This is the spiciest oil in the world. A teaspoon should do.» he explained as he measured the golden liquid. Meanwhile, Asami had started peeling the garlic, which Carlos quickly added to the pan to sauté, along with two chilies. «Sautéing it a bit, even just this would make a great sauce for spaghetti.» he commented. «Add a little more chili or spicy oil, and Anita would go crazy for it.» he added jokingly.
«Oh… so you can make pasta with such a simple sauce?» Carlos just smiled. «Exactly. Easy and quick. Well, unless the pasta is overcooked, of course. And don't forget to cook the pasta in salted water. But if you follow the cooking time on the package, you'll never go wrong. As for the salt, I recommend not adding too much; you can always add more in the last couple of minutes of cooking.»
Once the sauté was done, the boy tossed in the mushrooms to let them cook. «Now we'll just let them cook, stirring occasionally. Then we'll add some salt.» While the mushrooms cooked, the boy started slicing an onion.
«This will be for the sauce. There are so many ways to make sauce. You can keep it simple… use ground meat… chunks of meat, or sausage…» he explained. «There are many other types of sauce, but I won't get into that because there are so many schools of thought…» In the meantime, he started cooking the ground meat. «Once the meat is cooked a bit, we'll add the crushed tomatoes…»
During the hour and a half, the boy suggested several simple and quick dishes to his friend, even for beginners like Asami.
After lunch, the five of them were starting to pack up their things when Ash's Rotom Phone emitted a short sound, notifying him of a message. Ash took a quick look at his device: It was a message from Professor Juniper. The boy hurried to read it:
"Hi Ash, I know we spoke this morning and I promised Asami that she would receive her first Pokémon tonight, but unfortunately, there's been a small hiccup. One of the two guys who was supposed to receive their first Pokémon had a minor issue. Nothing serious. He'll be able to come to the lab tomorrow morning."
The boy, before informing his friends, replied to the message:
"No problem. See you tomorrow!"
Shortly after, he informed his friends: «Sorry… it was a message from Professor Juniper. Nothing major. One of the guys who was supposed to get their first Pokémon today had a small issue, so we'll have to wait until tomorrow.» he explained. «No worries… after all, one more day or less doesn't make a difference.» replied Asami. «We'll take the opportunity to make some Poké Puffs, what do you think?» Serena suggested. Asami accepted the invitation. Anita, on the other hand, approached the nurse's counter.
«Yes, Anita… tell me.» the Nurse responded.
«Oh… yes… sure… could I go see Dewott?» the girl asked. «Yes, come with me, but please be careful. He needs to rest. Luckily, his injuries are less severe than expected, but I noticed he pushed himself quite a lot.»
The Nurse led the girl to the room behind the counter where the Pokémon in recovery were kept.
At that moment, in addition to Dewott, there were other Pokémon being treated, such as a Mienfoo, a Pansage, and a Litleo. The Nurse took her a little further where Dewott's bed was.
He was lying on a kind of cot, his body partially covered in bandages and electrodes that monitored his vital signs. «I'll leave you alone, but please, try not to make too much noise. To avoid any strain, it would be better if you didn't stay longer than ten minutes or at most a quarter of an hour.» the Nurse advised, offering the girl a stool to sit on. Anita simply nodded.
As soon as the woman with pink hair left the room, the girl moved slightly closer to her Pokémon. She began to watch him as he breathed gently. He seemed to be sleeping. Maybe it wasn't the right time to wake him, but the girl just wanted to spend time with her Pokémon.
«Thank you. Really. If it weren't for you, I don't know how things would have turned out. You've done so much. I'm really lucky to have you.» The girl praised her Pokémon.
«Maybe it's terrible to say, but the truth is, I never expected to be here with you. I was afraid everything would go wrong and that by now, I'd be back home. But Ash and Serena made me realize I can always count on them and on you Pokémon. And you, well, you're my first friend. But tell me? Can you count on me? I tried, when I wanted to return you to your Poké Ball, I did it because I didn't want you to strain yourself more than you already had.
And yet, you refused. Maybe I made a mistake? Maybe you thought I didn't trust you? Oh! What a horrible thought! I'm really a mess! The truth is, I wanted to protect you. And I guess you wanted to do the same.»
The girl fell silent for a moment. «The truth is, when I brought you here, I was really afraid of losing you. Afraid the Nurse would tell me there was nothing else they could do… or who knows what else. And I'd never have forgiven myself for that.»
Meanwhile, someone had arrived at the Pokémon Center, and no, it wasn't a person, but a Pokémon. A Pokémon that looked like a small squirrel. Its fur was mostly white, except for its back and head, with the face being the exception. Its tail and ears, however, were black. Its forehead had two short, pointed black stripes, and its bushy tail was shaped like a lightning bolt. The ears were round with yellow on the outer part and white on the inner part. Its cheeks were yellow. It also had a tiny black nose and large eyes of the same color. Its hind legs had no visible toes, while the front ones had three. From its front legs, a yellow membrane extended on the front side and black on the back side.
There was no doubt. It was an Emolga. It seemed like it wanted to enter, but it couldn't. The automatic door just wouldn't open.
Fortunately for it, Ash, sitting on one of the sofas, noticed its presence and approached the door, allowing it to open.
As soon as it entered, the Pokémon immediately approached Ash, looking for the girl who was with him, but not finding her.
And no, it wasn't the girl who had just left the room down the hall. She clearly remembered the girl who had been with her had short hair, and most importantly, it wasn't that dark.
«So you followed us all the way here for her? In that case, I can't say no.» The boy turned to Emolga. «But we better let Serena know.» The Pokémon landed and started following Ash as he headed towards the kitchen.
Serena and Asami were busy preparing some Poké Puffs. In fact, the first batch had just been finished, and the two girls were working on the second while waiting for the first batch to cool down.
«We have visitors!» Ash announced playfully, and just behind him, Emolga peeked out. «So, she decided to follow us... she must really want to see her to have come all this way.» Serena turned to the small Pokémon, who peeked out from behind Ash's legs.
«But I can't go with you. The Poké Puffs won't make themselves, and besides… knowing you all, we'll need to make plenty.» She spoke to her friend, not taking her eyes off the dessert preparations.
Ash sighed slightly. He would have preferred to meet Yara with Serena. Although he got along well with Anita and Carlos, he would have rather handled this kind of situation with her. «Alright then. I'll go with Carlos and Anita. Let's hope we're not too late.» Ash replied. «See you later!» Serena waved goodbye.
Shortly after, Serena satisfied Asami's curiosity by explaining who Yara was and why Ash was so eager to bring Emolga to her.
Ash had to do the same for Anita and Carlos, and the latter was particularly enthusiastic about meeting the girl.
The three of them quickly reached the bus stop, just outside the Pokémon Center. To get to the park, they had to take two buses: the LB line and then the XZ.
«You said she's a big fan of Pokémon battles, right?» Carlos recalled as they waited for the bus. «Yes, but her parents only let her watch them on TV.» Ash replied. «Maybe we could train near her and her parents. They can't kick us out for that.» Carlos suggested. «After all, you and I have a training session overdue.» He added shortly after. «I'm not sure that's a good idea. For now, I just want her and Emolga to spend some time together. We have all the time in the world to train.» Ash replied. Even Emolga, who was now comfortably perched on his hat, seemed to agree with him.
The bus arrived, and without further hesitation, the three boarded. They wouldn't be on this bus for long, just seven stops.
They then had to switch to another bus for about a dozen more stops. Fortunately for them, the XZ line would drop them off right in front of the park entrance.
Escorted by two electric-type Pokémons, the three got off the bus and headed into the park. The green area was separated from the city by tall brick walls, with metal gates allowing access.
Past a small concrete square, various dirt paths branched off, surrounded by trees and grass.
Not far from the trees were benches. Some faced the street, while others, further away, faced the park.
«Now that we're here, I think you should tell me how you plan to find this girl among the hundreds of people here?» Carlos asked. «No problem. I have a picture of her, so it won't be hard to spot her.» Ash replied, showing his friends a picture of the girl from her Poké Link profile.
The three started walking through the park, trying to act as naturally as possible. They had also released some of their Pokéballs. Ash let out his Lycanroc, while Carlos released Umbreon and Houndour. Anita did the same with her Herdier. They walked for a while, passing through various paths that crossed the park.
On the benches, many people were sitting, minding their own business.
As expected, there were people of all ages. On the lawn, some were lying in the sun or playing with their Pokéballs.
There were also students studying at some tables. But so far, no sign of Yara or her parents.
No worries. They might not have arrived yet, or perhaps they were elsewhere in the park. After all, it was enormous, considered the city's green lung.
When the three were about to give up, they finally spotted the person they were looking for. A girl with burgundy hair and violet eyes.
She was wearing a pink t-shirt with a small Krookodile stitched on the upper left side. She had simple blue jeans with a light leather belt and sports shoes.
Sitting next to her were presumably her parents. A serious-looking man in his fifties. He had graying hair and thick glasses. His beard was quite long, but still well-groomed.
His eyes were dark brown. He was wearing a simple branded jacket.
The woman, with burgundy hair and violet eyes like her daughter's, was wearing a long-sleeved green polo shirt and a dark skirt. She had low boots on her feet.
«Is that her?» Ash turned to the Pokémon on his head. «Mo! Mo!» The Pokémon took a small flight, approaching the girl. As soon as the girl saw the little Pokémon flying towards her, she sprang up like a spring, ready to welcome her into her arms. «So, it was her after all.» Ash muttered quietly.
After reuniting, Emolga climbed onto the girl's shoulder, much like Pikachu. Shortly after, the girl tapped her father on the shoulder to get his attention.
The man turned to his daughter and responded in sign language. "What's the matter? Aren't you happy to have found Emolga?" The girl quickly responded, "That boy is the world champion. Can I take a picture with him?" The man looked annoyed. "Don't bother him over something so silly." He replied.
«Yara wants to take a picture with you. Her father doesn't want to; he thinks it would disturb you.» Carlos said to his friend.
«I didn't know you knew sign language.» Anita commented, rather surprised. «I worked as a gym assistant. One of the tasks is to assist challengers with disabilities.» He explained.
«For something like that? I wish everyone were so polite.» Carlos responded to the girl, who, apart from the brief exchange with her father, hadn't taken her eyes off Ash.
"For him, it's not a problem. I hope it's okay if I act as the interpreter. He doesn't know sign language." The parents were quite surprised, unlike Yara, who knew well how Ash always tried to be as accommodating as possible to his fans.
The girl got up and approached the group. She took her phone from her bag and opened the camera, then moved closer to Ash and Pikachu. The boy was happy to take pictures with her.
Ash positioned himself with his back to the girl's parents, with Carlos next to him. In front of them were Anita and Yara, ensuring her parents couldn't see what was going on.
After the photos, Carlos, being the only one who knew sign language, made the introductions.
«Tell her, 'I've heard you're a big fan of Pokémon battles, what do you say if we give you a demonstration?' Use the excuse that we're going to get some ice cream.» Ash spoke quietly, addressing his friend.
Carlos translated for the girl, who quickly replied, "My parents don't want me to. They're afraid I'll get hurt." Carlos, as before, translated for Ash and Anita.
"Don't worry about that. We were planning to get some ice cream anyway. If you want to come with us, you're more than welcome." The girl replied, explaining that she needed to at least inform her parents. She managed to do so, though with some minor difficulties.
Yara's parents felt Ash was going out of his way too much. They understood that, in some way, he had tracked her down and helped reunite her with Emolga, but offering her ice cream, too?
Nevertheless, the girl was persuasive enough, and her parents agreed.
Anita covered her mouth, trying to stifle a small laugh. If Serena found out…
In any case, the four of them headed toward one of the park's cafés. During the walk, Yara started playing with Emolga.
Finally, they reached the café, a hexagonal concrete building. Like all the park's cafés, it also sold Pokémon-friendly ice cream, free of ingredients that could cause allergies.
Ash let his Pokémon out of their Poké Balls and invited Carlos and Anita to do the same.
After the ice cream break, it was finally time for the promised demonstration battle. The four of them headed to a nearby clearing, ensuring they had enough space to battle safely.
«I'd say this is a good spot.» Ash commented. «There's even a bench to sit on.» The boy pointed to a wooden and metal bench not too far from where they were standing.
Carlos, not wanting to be outdone, offered to battle Ash himself. He chose Umbreon for the battle, while Ash sent out his Lycanroc.
«In addition to working on actual fighting, we will also work on dodging and avoiding attacks.» Ash explained. «But for now, I'd say we can get started. You go ahead.» he invited them.
«Alright! Two things at once…» Carlos replied. «Umbreon, use Shadow Ball!» A sphere of dark energy, purple-black in color, formed in the mouth of the Moonlight Pokémon, surrounded by lighter violet electric sparks. Ash stayed silent for a
moment before ordering his Pokémon. «Lycanroc! Dodge with Accelerock!» The Wolf Pokémon's body glowed with a whitish light as it sped forward, causing the energy sphere to crash into the ground, kicking up a decent cloud of dust.
Now the Rock-type Wolf was very close to its opponent. If the Trainer didn't do something, Umbreon would be hit directly. «Come on, what are you waiting for?» Ash encouraged. «Umbreon, do like Lycanroc! Avoid it with Quick Attack!» ordered the boy.
The Moonlight Pokémon quickly moved out of the opposing trajectory, avoiding the hit. «Great.» Ash praised. «But I shouldn't be the one reminding you.» His compliment was followed by a small reprimand.
«Lycanroc, now use Stone Edge!» Ash ordered. The Wolf Pokémon struck the ground violently with its front paws, making gigantic sharp stones shoot up from the ground. This time Ash didn't give his friend any advice. He wanted him to manage on his own.
«Umbreon, try to dodge with Quick Attack!» Carlos ordered, trying to imitate the technique used earlier. «Lycanroc! Use Iron Head!» commanded the experienced Trainer.
The Wolf Pokémon rushed toward its opponent with great speed, as its head's structure changed, becoming as hard as steel. Umbreon was hit squarely and launched into the air. It landed a few moments later, luckily on its feet. Carlos was quite perplexed. «But how? I did what you told me to do, yet Lycanroc still hit me.» Ash shook his head. «You can't always avoid your opponent's attacks.» he explained. «Sometimes you have to face them head-on.» He added.
«Face them head-on?» Carlos seemed confused. «You could've told Umbreon to hit the stones with Shadow Ball or Dark Pulse. At least that way, the rocks would've protected him.» Ash explained. «Sometimes dodging only exposes you to more attacks.» Carlos nodded in understanding. «And it's not over yet.» Carlos nearly jumped. What else could there be? «If Umbreon feels up for it, we can keep going.» Ash prompted.
The younger Trainer turned to his Pokémon: «What do you say? Do you feel like continuing?» The Moonlight Pokémon simply gave a small smile. «If Umbreon's up for it, we can continue.» Ash informed his friend. «You go ahead.» he invited them.
«Umbreon! Use Swift!» Carlos ordered. The Moonlight Pokémon leaped into the air, launching golden energy rays, their shape almost resembling stars. «Defend with Stone Edge! All around you!» Ash ordered. Quickly, the Wolf Pokémon surrounded itself with sharp stones, against which the energy rays shattered without causing any damage. «I'd say that's enough for now.» Ash announced, with Carlos acting as a liaison for Yara. Meanwhile, Emolga had started tugging at the girl's shoulder, which Ash immediately noticed. «I think Emolga wants to battle.» the World Champion commented. Carlos once again acted as Yara's intermediary, explaining the situation.
«Maybe it could be good training for Anita too… what do you think?» The young Trainer was caught off guard, not because she didn't want to battle, but because it felt strange to fight such an opponent.
Yara, for her part, had other doubts, soon made clear by Carlos. «She says she's not sure about battling. She's never done it before and is afraid something might go wrong.» After relaying this, the boy tried to reassure the young girl, telling her not to worry and just have fun spending time with Emolga—a thought that seemed to have also crossed Ash's mind.
Carlos, as always, acted as the go-between so Yara could give commands to Emolga. Both the girl and the Pokémon accepted the arrangement. Anita would battle with her Herdier. Carlos informed Yara of the moves Emolga knew. It turned out to be unnecessary. Although Yara wasn't a Rotom Phone, her phone had the Pokédex app. Since Carlos was going to interpret, Ash offered to referee the battle.
«It'll be a training match, so it doesn't matter who wins. Yara and Emolga will start.» Ash began. As always, Carlos interpreted. «Use Electro Ball!» Carlos gave the order on Yara's behalf.
The Flying Squirrel Pokémon generated a yellow Electro Ball from her tail, surrounded by electric sparks. «Come on! Dodge!» the girl ordered. The Loyal Dog Pokémon quickly moved out of the way, causing the Electro Ball to hit the ground.
«Now use Baby-Doll Eyes!» Anita ordered. The Loyalty Pokémon sped forward as her body became surrounded by a pink aura, before making a big leap toward her opponent.
«Thunder Shock!» The electric squirrel generated a powerful shock of electricity, quickly hitting her opponent and knocking her to the ground.
«Herdier!» Anita cried out in concern, but luckily, the Pokémon was still okay. «Use Iron Tail!» The Flying Squirrel Pokémon charged at her opponent, her tail glowing whitish, much like Pikachu's.
«Get ready with Fire Fang!» Anita wanted to employ a strategy that had won her first badge not long ago. «Bite her tail with Fire Fang!» the girl ordered. Rapidly, Herdier's mouth ignited with large flames as the opponent approached.
Herdier moved quickly, dodging the incoming attack, and then bit the opponent's tail. «Now throw her!» Anita ordered.
With the powerful muscles in her neck, the Loyalty Pokémon hurled her opponent with immense force. «Now use Baby-Doll Eyes!» Herdier ran swiftly toward her opponent, her body enveloped by a pink aura. Quickly, Emolga was hit and launched back into the air, then fell to the ground. «Emolga is unable to battle. Herdier wins.» Ash declared.
After the battle, Yara approached Emolga, who had regained consciousness by then. As soon as the girl reached her, the Pokémon climbed onto her shoulder.
Carlos translated Ash's compliment. According to the Kanto native, Yara and Emolga made a great pair. Despite the compliment, the girl still had many doubts.
«She says she's not sure if she deserves to be Emolga's Trainer. She's afraid she's not enough. She thinks one of us should be the one to catch and train Emolga—especially you.» Carlos said, pointing at Ash. «She also says Pikachu and Emolga would make a great pair.» At those words, Pikachu pretended to faint. No, that kind of thing wasn't for him.
Ash shook his head, but for different reasons. The meaning of his gesture was clear to everyone. «Emolga followed us to the Pokémon Center after hearing us talk about her and planning to have her meet you.» Carlos continued interpreting. «She understands what you mean but isn't sure it's the right choice for both of you.»
«At least we can try. Remember the document your mother filled out...» Carlos nodded. Soon after, he explained it to the
girl, who agreed to the proposal.
«And you, Emolga, do you want to be Yara's Pokémon?» Ash asked, almost in the tone of someone about to officiate a wedding. In any case, the Pokémon seemed quite enthusiastic about the idea.
Carlos explained to Yara that to make Emolga her Pokémon, they would need to fill out some paperwork. Nothing too complicated. They would just need to go to a Pokémon Center.
Fortunately, there was one right in the park. Of course, it was different from the ones Ash and Serena were used to; it looked more like a kiosk or something similar. Seated behind a counter was a young Nurse, assisted by the usual Audino, not far from her.
«Finally, something to do!» the nurse exclaimed, standing up.
«Hello, guys.» she greeted them, trying to maintain a bit of professionalism. «This is an emergency first-aid Pokémon Center, so if it's something urgent, we'll transfer your Pokémon to another facility.» Carlos translated.
«Actually, the reason we're here is because of them.» Ash pointed to Yara and Emolga.
The nurse addressed the girl, communicating in sign language: "You're old Vlad's granddaughter, aren't you? You're a Trainer, right?" The girl confirmed. «And we're here for the B-something document.» Ash explained. The nurse nodded. «I see, you mean the B65 document.» she said, nodding again.
«No problem… I'll print it right away. In the meantime… I assume the Pokémon in question is Emolga? If you haven't caught her yet, go ahead.» Ash took a Poké Ball from his bag and turned to Emolga. «Well, if you want to become Yara's Pokémon...»
Before Ash could finish, Emolga glided down from Yara's shoulder and touched the Poké Ball's release mechanism, opening it and being absorbed inside. The Poké Ball wobbled from side to side several times before finally locking. Ash immediately handed the Poké Ball to Yara, who quickly activated the release mechanism to let Emolga back out.
As before, Emolga perched on the girl's shoulder. Meanwhile, the nurse had printed the document and handed it to Ash,
who gave it to Carlos, who, in turn, handed it to Yara. With her new teammate perched on her shoulder, the girl signed the document, which was then given back to the nurse.
They returned to their meeting spot. Carlos acted as the mediator for the pair as they discussed Yara's future as a Trainer.
Later, after saying goodbye to Ash and the others, Yara returned home, eagerly awaiting what awaited her.
«I understand, but they shouldn't worry. By law, every week, those who are assigned support are given a questionnaire to ensure that everything is going well. So far, the few changes that have occurred were due to personality conflicts.» Shortly after, the Nurse turned to Yara, explaining that she had officially become a Trainer. Once everything was finalized, the four of them walked away, saying their goodbyes.
As they moved away from that strange Pokémon Center, Yara suddenly stopped, startling Ash and his friends. The three quickly closed the short distance between them and the girl, who was standing still, like a statue.
Suddenly, when they were close enough, Yara threw herself at Ash, wrapping him in a tight hug, which left the boy quite surprised. Shortly after, the reason for her gesture became clear to everyone through Carlos. «She's thanking you for the time you spent with her and for allowing her to become Emolga's Trainer.»
A moment later, Anita experienced the same fate, though she was more mentally prepared. In this case, too, the reason for the gesture was quickly explained. «She's thanking you for the great battle with Herdier. She says she won't forget it...» Before Carlos could finish the sentence, he too received the same treatment. Yara wanted to thank him for acting as an interpreter for the whole time.
Ash then attempted to sign a "Thank you" by moving his open hand away from his chin—a rather awkward attempt, which took some effort to understand. Yara wondered what Ash had to thank her for. He and his friends had done everything.
Meanwhile, the four of them had reached the bench where Yara's parents were sitting, still worried about their daughter.
«I see you treated her well...» commented her father. «Otherwise, you would have regretted it dearly.» The man seemed rather tense, something that even Yara noticed, and she immediately tried to ease the situation.
"They were very kind. They even let me meet their Pokémon!" Yara tried to skip over the fact that she had participated in a battle. "And now I'm officially a Trainer." At this, both of her parents looked a bit puzzled. "Tomorrow you'll turn eighteen. We wanted that to be your birthday gift." Yara shook her head. "It never would have been Emolga. Ash caught her for me, and we filled out the paperwork," she explained, leaving her parents quite surprised. They knew that, by law, they couldn't oppose the B65 document.
"What's done is done. But don't take any more liberties. We'll accompany you to every single Gym battle, and we'll catch all the Pokémon you want for you." As always, Carlos acted as the interpreter.
Though Carlos tried to soften those words, he couldn't calm Ash. «Yara can handle herself just fine. If she really wants help, there are organizations that support people like her.» The man was surprised by Ash's words. From watching various tournament broadcasts, he had heard about Ash's stubbornness. Once he set his mind on something, it was practically impossible to stop him.
And how could he stop him? By challenging him to a Pokémon battle? No, that would have been completely pointless. Ash would win without any difficulty. Plus, it would go against his own principles of keeping his daughter away from battles. Well, for a little time he still had to do so.
Challenging Ash's friends didn't seem like a valid option either, not only for the previous reason but also because they hadn't interfered in the matter. The man looked Ash in the eye, then his daughter, and finally his wife. He sighed deeply and then turned back to his daughter. "Alright. We'll contact one of those organizations. You'll try it for two weeks. After that, we'll see how to proceed."
Yara seemed quite excited by the idea. Two weeks would be more than enough to prove to her parents that they had always been overly protective. Yara thanked Ash and his friends again. Only then, before Ash could receive a jealous phone call from Serena, did the three return to the Pokémon Center, bidding farewell to Yara and her parents.
Before leaving, just as they had at the beginning, Ash, Yara, and Anita stood as a shield for Carlos so that he could
explain to Yara that she could contact them at any time if she had any problems. (Read: parents not keeping their promises.)
As on the way there, the three had to take public transportation to return to the Pokémon Center, retracing the same path.
When they arrived at the Pokémon Center, the first thing they saw was Serena and Asami, both busy carrying large trays filled with Poké Puffs.
Seeing the two girls so engaged, Carlos decided to lighten the mood a bit. «Who let the flour escape?» he asked in an ironic tone. Serena and Asami ignored him, inviting him instead to help them, which Ash and Anita also did.
Once all the trays were moved and some of the Poké Puffs were distributed to the guests, Serena and Asami finally took a well-deserved break.
During dinner, strictly prepared by Carlos, the five friends had the chance to share what they had done during the afternoon, with Serena and Asami showing particular interest in their friends' stories. A few hours later, they went to bed. As the night before, Asami and Anita shared the same room. Anita would have liked to visit Dewott before going to bed, but unfortunately, it wasn't possible.
The next day, the five of them got up early. After breakfast, Anita went to the Nurse's counter to ask about her Dewott. Without a word, the Nurse led her to the room where her Pokémon was resting.
Dewott was still lying in bed, connected to the electrodes.
To Anita's untrained eyes, his vital signs seemed significantly better than during the previous visit. «He's doing much better than yesterday. He could come home with you, but make sure he rests for the next few days. It's better if he avoids battles. In a week, he can start training again, but take it slow.» the Nurse explained as she handed back the Poké Ball. Anita simply nodded. She would do anything for her Pokémon.
After thanking the Nurse, Anita rejoined her friends, who were discussing their plans for the day.
Asami had already contacted Pastor, her driver, who would take them to Driftveil City, where they would meet with Professor Juniper.
The girl seemed rather unsure. She was wondering what she would do once she parted ways with her friends. Would she be able to find people to travel with and trust, just as they had?
Part of her wanted to stay with them, but she knew that if she wanted to truly spread her wings, she would have to do it on her own. But it wasn't time yet. After a while, Pastor's minivan pulled up in front of the building.
After thanking the Nurse for her work, the five boarded the vehicle, heading toward Driftveil City. During the ride, Ash contacted Professor Juniper to confirm that everything was in order, which the professor quickly assured him of. According to the GPS, they would arrive at her lab by 11:30, with the meeting with the two young Trainers scheduled for around noon.
Once parked in front of the lab, Pastor let his passengers out, and they headed toward the entrance.
Ash rang the doorbell. Recognizing him and his friends, the professor remotely opened the door. The five entered and took a few steps inside.
As before, the lab's interior was quite organized. A few tables, cluttered with delicate measuring instruments, formed a sort of corridor leading to the central table, set against the far wall, where the three starter Poké Balls were placed.
«Oh! You're finally here! Please, make yourselves comfortable!» the professor invited, motioning for the five to follow her. They arrived at a part of the lab they hadn't visited before, not even Ash and Serena, who had previously waited in the professor's small apartment.
There were sofas along the walls, with paintings of Pokémon hanging above them. On the other walls were bookshelves filled with scientific publications. In front of the sofas was a wooden and glass coffee table.
«I usually use this area of the lab to meet with colleagues, but I think it's suitable for this purpose too.» the professor commented.
Shortly after, she checked her watch. «The two kids who are getting their first Pokémon should be here soon. I hope this won't take long.» The professor began to walk away from that part of the lab.
No one opposed the professor's choice, likely wanting to avoid any awkward encounters with Asami. The news of her father's arrest was still fresh.
For their good fortune, the delivery of the first Pokémon for the two boys didn't take particularly long. They arrived at the Professor's door just a few minutes later. The boys were both sixteen, just like Anita.
One of them had light blond hair and green eyes. He was tall and rather thin. He wore a striped shirt with green, red, and orange checks, ripped jeans at the knees, and white designer shoes. On his shoulders was a large black backpack.
The other boy, shorter and stockier, wore a lightweight gray and blue long-sleeved shirt, a dark blue jacket, and canvas shoes. His hair was dark brown, almost black, with eyes of the same color. Like the first boy, he also carried a large backpack, though his was dark green. As the two exchanged glances, the Professor finally opened the door for them, welcoming them into her lab.
«Sorry for making you wait… I had a small setback.» the woman apologized to her guests, who didn't feel the need to respond. They simply exchanged a quick look and followed her.
«Nice to meet you… my name's Jenson.» the taller boy introduced himself.
«And I'm Victor.» the second one said.
By that time, they had reached the area in the lab where the Professor would give the boys their first Pokémon. Once there, the Professor opened the Pokéballs one by one, allowing the two to choose their starter Pokémon.
«These are Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott.» she introduced them.
The two stepped closer to the Pokémon to get a better look. Jenson made eye contact with Snivy, the Grass-type starter. Its appearance resembled that of a snake. Its head was round with a pointed snout tilted upwards. Most of its body was green, while its belly was cream-colored. A yellow stripe ran down its back to its tail. Large brown eyes were surrounded by yellow markings, and yellow protrusions extended from its shoulders, pointing backward. Though it looked like 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 nail-less. The Grass Snake Pokémon gazed back at the boy, hopeful.
Meanwhile, Victor had set his eyes on Tepig. Tepig resembled a small pig. Its body was mainly orange, with parts that 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 on top of its head. Its legs were short, and the ends of its front paws were black. Another black band covered its lower back, from which a spiral tail extended, topped with a vermilion red orb.
Unlike Snivy, Tepig seemed quite happy with the attention.
Finally, both boys turned their gaze toward Oshawott.
Oshawott was a bipedal Pokémon that resembled a sea otter. Its head was round and white, with small, dark blue triangular ears on either side. Its eyes were dark, and its nose was an oval-shaped dark orange. Its cheeks were dotted with freckles. Its body was covered in light blue fur, forming bubble-like shapes around its neck. Its arms were white and rounded, while its feet were dark blue with three toes each. Its dark blue tail resembled a rudder. A pale yellow shell was affixed to its belly.
Whether intentionally or not, both aspiring Trainers had locked eyes on the same Pokémon.
Sensing the tension between the two boys and the Sea Otter Pokémon, and not wanting to be caught in the middle, Snivy decided to slip away behind the Professor's legs, unnoticed by either boy.
«Go on… take Oshawott. I'll choose Tepig!» Victor encouraged the other boy.
«No! You take it!» Jenson retorted.
«I insist! You'll have the advantage when we battle. Water-types are strong against Fire-types!» Victor added.
«Are you two done yet?» the Professor interrupted. «You've made Snivy run off!» She defended the Grass-type starter, still hiding behind her.
«Who cares! I don't want it!» The two boys immediately eliminated the Grass Snake Pokémon from their choices, making it even sadder. Snivy had even started tugging on the Professor's lab coat in protest. The woman had promised that he, too, would find a Trainer, but it seemed like she wasn't keeping her word.
«Fine… I'll take Tepig then.» Jenson finally gave in after much back-and-forth.
Quickly, the Professor handed the two boys their Pokéballs and summoned two Rotom from two other Pokéballs, ready to transform their smartphones into Smart Rotoms.
The boys didn't even accept the suggestion to battle each other. Both considered it a pointless waste of time that would only determine the temporary superiority of one over the other. Having received their Pokémon and Rotom, the two boys left, saying goodbye to the Professor.
Watching them leave, Snivy breathed a sigh of relief, standing in front of the Professor. Now that those two had walked away, the Grass Snake Pokémon looked more relaxed. However, there was still a hint of disappointment due to the Professor not keeping her promise.
«Come on… follow me! I have a nice surprise for you!»
The Professor invited the Grass-type Pokémon to follow her toward the part of the lab where Ash and his friends were waiting. She still held Snivy's Pokéball and another one containing a Rotom. The Grass-type Pokémon followed her without protest, until they reached the area where Ash and his friends were.
«Sorry for taking so long, but those two just couldn't make up their minds…» the Professor apologized with a slight bow. «And, as agreed, here's your first Pokémon, Asami.» The Professor turned to Asami, stepping aside to let Snivy walk forward.
The Grass Snake Pokémon seemed pleased by those words. The Professor had kept her promise. The black-haired girl, now holding his Pokéball, looked happy to have received it.
Unlike the boys, who had ignored him, this girl seemed thrilled to have his Pokéball.
«Snivy is a bit shy. But I'm sure you two will make a great pair.» the Professor introduced the Pokémon to its future Trainer. «While you get to know each other… I imagine you have a smartphone, right?» the Professor asked Asami. The girl nodded.
«Can you hand it to me for a moment?» the woman asked. «Rotom's eager to get inside and turn it into a Smart Rotom.»
Though a bit doubtful, the girl accepted the Professor's offer. The little electric spirit fused with the phone.
«Now you're a full-fledged Trainer. I know you've wanted this for a long time, but the moment has finally come. I'm sure you and Snivy will get along just fine.» she added soon after. In the meantime, Rotom had integrated with the smartphone, transforming it into a Smart Rotom.
«Thanks to Rotom's integration, your phone now has a Pokédex function. Feel free to try it out. Also, since you're a Trainer now, I'd like to challenge you to a battle.» the Professor proposed.
«Sure… just a moment, I'd like to try out the Pokédex first.» Asami replied, aiming her device at Ash's Pikachu.
«Pikachu. Mouse Pokémon. Electric type. Male specimen. It has cheek sacs where it stores electricity, which it releases when threatened. Males and females differ in their tails. Known moves: Thunderbolt, Quick Attack, Iron Tail, Electroweb.» the device finished analyzing the Mouse Pokémon.
A moment later, the girl tapped on the Pokémon's image, showing the difference between male and female specimens.
«So, the female's tail looks like a heart… how fascinating! I wonder if I'll ever meet one!» the girl commented before pointing her device at Snivy.
«Snivy. Grass Snake Pokémon. Grass type. Male specimen. It is intelligent and composed. When it receives plenty of sunlight, its movements become agile. Known moves: Tackle, Vine Whip, Magical Leaf.»
Shortly after, Asami put the device back in her bag.
«Sorry for the delay. We can go now.» the new Trainer said, standing up.
«No problem at all.» the Professor replied.
The six of them left the lab and, guided by the Professor, reached the battlefield. It hadn't changed a bit since the last time.
Waiting for them on a bench was Pastor, who had been waiting in the car not long ago. Ash, Carlos, Serena, and Anita sat on the same bench. It was a bit tight, but the situation was manageable.
In the meantime, Asami and the Professor positioned themselves on opposite sides of the field.
«If you're ready, we can begin.» suggested the Professor.
Asami exchanged a glance with her first Pokémon, smiling at it.
«Are you ready?» she asked.
In the little serpent's head, those gentle words convinced it to follow her directions.
«I will battle with you! Come out, Minccino!» From the woman's Poké Ball, a Pokémon resembling a rodent emerged. Its body was quite furry, mostly gray. White fur was found on its head, inside its ears, and around its neck. It had large, fur-covered ears positioned on the sides of its head. Its eyes were big and brown. Its limbs were rather rounded and small, and its tail was long and particularly fluffy.
Asami analyzed the Pokémon with her Smart Rotom's Pokédex function.
«Minccino. Chinchilla Pokémon. Normal type. Female specimen. It's a clean freak and can't stand even the smallest trace of dirt. It uses its tail like a broom to clean every surface. Known moves: Seed Bomb, Thunderbolt, Tail Slap.»
After putting the device back in her bag, the girl gave the first command to her Pokémon.
«Are you ready? Let's start with Vine Whip!» the girl ordered.
Two vines quickly emerged from the protrusions on Snivy's back, reaching toward the Professor's Minccino. The woman smiled, almost expecting that move from the young trainer.
«Dodge and use Tail Slap!» the woman commanded. The Chinchilla Pokémon swiftly dodged the vines, reaching Snivy without being noticed.
«Try to avoid it!» Asami ordered. Unfortunately for her, Minccino was too fast, and Snivy was hit multiple times by its opponent's tail.
«No! Snivy!» Asami shouted, worried.
«Snivy!» The Serperba Pokémon, despite the hits, was still standing, ready to continue.
«Alright, if you still want to keep going, let's try this! Use Magical Leaf!» the girl ordered.
The Serperba Pokémon generated a flurry of colorful leaves that were sent flying at the opponent.
«Get rid of them with your tail!» ordered the Professor. With quick tail movements, the small Pokémon easily brushed away all the leaves.
«Now use Tackle!» Asami ordered. The Serperba Pokémon quickly reached its opponent, ready to strike.
«Use Seed Bomb!» From the Chinchilla Pokémon's mouth emerged a gigantic green seed, coated in a yellowish aura.
A few moments later, the seed exploded, sending both Pokémon flying in opposite directions.
The impact was too much for Snivy, who was defeated.
Noticing this, the Professor handed Asami a revitalizing salt, a yellowish crystal shaped like a bipyramid, with the scent of lavender and ammonia.
«One of these should get it back in shape.» the Professor explained. «For your first battle, you didn't do too bad.» she added soon after.
«Now, though, I think it's time to grab a bite, don't you all agree?» Ash proposed, rubbing his stomach.
«Honestly, that doesn't sound like a bad idea.» Asami echoed. «Don't worry. It's on me.» she added shortly after.
«I'll take you there. I know a great restaurant, not far from here. It's right in Four Winds.» Pastor, who had been silent the whole time, joined the conversation. No one objected. After all, it was really late, and options were limited. Now, Asami's last name no longer weighed as it once did.
After lunch, the group split up.
Pastor escorted the Professor to her lab, as she had requested. She had work to do, and lunch had already been an unexpected break. Once he dropped her off, Pastor would have the rest of the day free. Asami had explicitly asked him not to accompany her.
Since her father's arrest, she had finally been able to fulfill some long-held desires, including the wish to spend a night camping. She had even discussed it with Ash and the others. No one objected. For Serena and Ash, it was a nostalgic return to when they had traveled through Kalos with Clemont and Bonnie. For Anita and Carlos, however, it was something new.
After leaving the restaurant, the five began walking toward Nimbasa City. Given the late hour, they would have to spend the night in tents.
«I've been thinking about something…» Asami broke the silence that had fallen.
«Go ahead, don't keep us in suspense.» Ash encouraged.
«I'm not sure how much longer I can travel with you. I feel like I'm a burden to you.» the girl said, leaving her friends stunned.
«You're not a burden at all. You shouldn't even think that!» Carlos reassured her, echoing Ash.
«No, that's not what I mean. I'm just saying that you all have done so much for me… while I've done nothing but follow you and ask for things that are second nature to you. You've all been so kind, explaining everything to me, but I think the time will soon come when I'll need to choose my own path.» she explained.
Everyone was particularly struck by her words, which sounded like a farewell.
«But don't worry, that moment hasn't come yet. I'd be happy to have you all witness my first gym battle. After that, I'll decide what to do.» the girl clarified.
«In your case, you'll have to fight Chili, who specializes in Fire-type Pokémon. He also has another Pokémon, so for your first Gym battle, you'll need to catch at least one more Pokémon.» Carlos explained.
«And you've decided to help all the Pokémon freed by Team Plasma, which isn't easy considering you don't always know where they've been released. I only caught Houndour because Pikachu convinced it to join.» he added.
The girl simply nodded. She knew her goal was difficult to achieve, but she was determined to succeed.
After that exchange, the five remained silent for a long time. No one expected Asami's words, and no one knew how to handle the situation. They walked quietly for quite some time until they passed the city limits and reached the open countryside.
«It's strange coming back to a place we've already been.» Ash commented, breaking the silence that had settled again.
«Remember? This is where you caught Lillipup. It's been over a month, even though it doesn't feel like it.» Serena added to the conversation, addressing Anita, who, like her, had fallen a few steps behind Ash, Asami, and Carlos.
«Over a month?!» Anita seemed genuinely surprised; she couldn't believe it had been that long. She didn't want to believe that her journey had lasted that long.
Meanwhile, the five had reached a small clearing, the perfect spot to set up camp. Ash was the first to shrug off his large backpack, followed by the others.
«Let's set up the tents, then we can do some training. We still have some daylight.» Ash commented while checking the area for a suitable place to pitch the tents. He only needed to move a few branches and rocks, nothing too difficult.
Once the ground was cleared on both sides, the boy focused on pitching his tent. Serena, after thanking him for clearing the ground, began setting up her tent with Anita's help.
Carlos and Asami, however, struggled with Asami's tent. It was the most challenging of the three to pitch—nothing impossible, but it took longer than expected.
Once the tents were up, Carlos started preparing dinner while Ash and the girls moved to another nearby clearing to train.
Fortunately, when they had gone to PrisMart, Carlos, Anita, and Asami had bought some camping lamps. These battery-powered lamps could be recharged at regular outlets, with solar panels, or even with Electric-type Pokémon's discharges. Despite their compact size, the lamps, shaped like parallelepipeds, illuminated a decent area. They weren't needed yet, but they would be very useful when night fell.
«How about a little training before dinner?» Ash suggested, addressing Anita and Asami. Serena, in the meantime, had moved a few steps away to work on her free performance.
Even though she wasn't sure she would debut it, she was working with Lilligant, who, thanks to Sylveon and her Trainer's efforts, had nearly fully integrated into the team.
«That's fine with me. I think Snivy is fully recovered.» Asami replied.
Anita then found herself forced to agree. Of course, she would battle with Sewaddle, the latest addition to her team.
«It's just training, it doesn't matter who wins.» Ash clarified. Anita had gotten used to that mindset, while for Asami, it was still new.
«If you're ready, let's start the training.» Ash proposed.
The two girls took a few steps back, creating enough space to battle without disturbing Serena.
Anita sent out her Sewaddle, while Asami released her Snivy's Poké Ball.
«You two can start.» Asami invited them.
Anita simply nodded.
«Let's start with Tackle!» she ordered. The Sewing Pokémon quickly launched itself at its opponent.
«Try to defend yourself with your vines!» Asami ordered.
Two thin vines shot out from the protrusions on Snivy's back, quickly crossing in front of the Pokémon's body to create a
shield. However, Sewaddle was incredibly fast.
«Duck!» Anita ordered. The green cocoon dodged the vines with a precise movement, hitting the opponent directly.
Snivy, caught off guard by the sudden movement, ended up with its back on the ground.
«Get up and use Vine Whip!» Asami ordered.
In the meantime, Asami and the Professor positioned themselves on opposite sides of the field.
«If you're ready, we can begin.» suggested the Professor.
Asami exchanged a glance with her first Pokémon, smiling at it.
«Are you ready?» she asked.
In the little serpent's head, those gentle words convinced it to follow her directions.
«I will battle with you! Come out, Minccino!» From the woman's Poké Ball, a Pokémon resembling a rodent emerged. Its body was quite furry, mostly gray. White fur was found on its head, inside its ears, and around its neck. It had large, fur-covered ears positioned on the sides of its head. Its eyes were big and brown. Its limbs were rather rounded and small, and its tail was long and particularly fluffy.
Asami analyzed the Pokémon with her Smart Rotom's Pokédex function.
«Minccino. Chinchilla Pokémon. Normal type. Female specimen. It's a clean freak and can't stand even the smallest trace of dirt. It uses its tail like a broom to clean every surface. Known moves: Seed Bomb, Thunderbolt, Tail Slap.»
After putting the device back in her bag, the girl gave the first command to her Pokémon.
«Are you ready? Let's start with Vine Whip!» the girl ordered.
Two vines quickly emerged from the protrusions on Snivy's back, reaching toward the Professor's Minccino. The woman smiled, almost expecting that move from the young trainer.
«Dodge and use Tail Slap!» the woman commanded. The Chinchilla Pokémon swiftly dodged the vines, reaching Snivy without being noticed.
«Try to avoid it!» Asami ordered. Unfortunately for her, Minccino was too fast, and Snivy was hit multiple times by its opponent's tail.
«No! Snivy!» Asami shouted, worried.
«Snivy!» The Serperba Pokémon, despite the hits, was still standing, ready to continue.
«Alright, if you still want to keep going, let's try this! Use Magical Leaf!» the girl ordered.
The Serperba Pokémon generated a flurry of colorful leaves that were sent flying at the opponent.
«Get rid of them with your tail!» ordered the Professor. With quick tail movements, the small Pokémon easily brushed away all the leaves.
«Now use Tackle!» Asami ordered. The Serperba Pokémon quickly reached its opponent, ready to strike.
«Use Seed Bomb!» From the Chinchilla Pokémon's mouth emerged a gigantic green seed, coated in a yellowish aura.
A few moments later, the seed exploded, sending both Pokémon flying in opposite directions.
The impact was too much for Snivy, who was defeated.
Noticing this, the Professor handed Asami a revitalizing salt, a yellowish crystal shaped like a bipyramid, with the scent of lavender and ammonia.
«One of these should get it back in shape.» the Professor explained. «For your first battle, you didn't do too bad.» she added soon after.
«Now, though, I think it's time to grab a bite, don't you all agree?» Ash proposed, rubbing his stomach.
«Honestly, that doesn't sound like a bad idea.» Asami echoed. «Don't worry. It's on me.» she added shortly after.
«I'll take you there. I know a great restaurant, not far from here. It's right in Four Winds.» Pastor, who had been silent the whole time, joined the conversation. No one objected. After all, it was really late, and options were limited. Now, Asami's last name no longer weighed as it once did.
After lunch, the group split up.
Pastor escorted the Professor to her lab, as she had requested. She had work to do, and lunch had already been an unexpected break. Once he dropped her off, Pastor would have the rest of the day free. Asami had explicitly asked him not to accompany her.
Since her father's arrest, she had finally been able to fulfill some long-held desires, including the wish to spend a night camping. She had even discussed it with Ash and the others. No one objected. For Serena and Ash, it was a nostalgic return to when they had traveled through Kalos with Clemont and Bonnie. For Anita and Carlos, however, it was something new.
After leaving the restaurant, the five began walking toward Nimbasa City. Given the late hour, they would have to spend the night in tents.
«I've been thinking about something…» Asami broke the silence that had fallen.
«Go ahead, don't keep us in suspense.» Ash encouraged.
«I'm not sure how much longer I can travel with you. I feel like I'm a burden to you.» the girl said, leaving her friends stunned.
«You're not a burden at all. You shouldn't even think that!» Carlos reassured her, echoing Ash.
«No, that's not what I mean. I'm just saying that you all have done so much for me… while I've done nothing but follow you and ask for things that are second nature to you. You've all been so kind, explaining everything to me, but I think the time will soon come when I'll need to choose my own path.» she explained.
Everyone was particularly struck by her words, which sounded like a farewell.
«But don't worry, that moment hasn't come yet. I'd be happy to have you all witness my first gym battle. After that, I'll decide what to do.» the girl clarified.
«In your case, you'll have to fight Chili, who specializes in Fire-type Pokémon. He also has another Pokémon, so for your first Gym battle, you'll need to catch at least one more Pokémon.» Carlos explained.
«And you've decided to help all the Pokémon freed by Team Plasma, which isn't easy considering you don't always know where they've been released. I only caught Houndour because Pikachu convinced it to join.» he added.
The girl simply nodded. She knew her goal was difficult to achieve, but she was determined to succeed.
After that exchange, the five remained silent for a long time. No one expected Asami's words, and no one knew how to handle the situation. They walked quietly for quite some time until they passed the city limits and reached the open countryside.
«It's strange coming back to a place we've already been.» Ash commented, breaking the silence that had settled again.
«Remember? This is where you caught Lillipup. It's been over a month, even though it doesn't feel like it.» Serena added to the conversation, addressing Anita, who, like her, had fallen a few steps behind Ash, Asami, and Carlos.
«Over a month?!» Anita seemed genuinely surprised; she couldn't believe it had been that long. She didn't want to believe that her journey had lasted that long.
Meanwhile, the five had reached a small clearing, the perfect spot to set up camp. Ash was the first to shrug off his large backpack, followed by the others.
«Let's set up the tents, then we can do some training. We still have some daylight.» Ash commented while checking the area for a suitable place to pitch the tents. He only needed to move a few branches and rocks, nothing too difficult.
Once the ground was cleared on both sides, the boy focused on pitching his tent. Serena, after thanking him for clearing the ground, began setting up her tent with Anita's help.
Carlos and Asami, however, struggled with Asami's tent. It was the most challenging of the three to pitch—nothing impossible, but it took longer than expected.
Once the tents were up, Carlos started preparing dinner while Ash and the girls moved to another nearby clearing to train.
Fortunately, when they had gone to PrisMart, Carlos, Anita, and Asami had bought some camping lamps. These battery-powered lamps could be recharged at regular outlets, with solar panels, or even with Electric-type Pokémon's discharges. Despite their compact size, the lamps, shaped like parallelepipeds, illuminated a decent area. They weren't needed yet, but they would be very useful when night fell.
«How about a little training before dinner?» Ash suggested, addressing Anita and Asami. Serena, in the meantime, had moved a few steps away to work on her free performance.
Even though she wasn't sure she would debut it, she was working with Lilligant, who, thanks to Sylveon and her Trainer's efforts, had nearly fully integrated into the team.
«That's fine with me. I think Snivy is fully recovered.» Asami replied.
Anita then found herself forced to agree. Of course, she would battle with Sewaddle, the latest addition to her team.
«It's just training, it doesn't matter who wins.» Ash clarified. Anita had gotten used to that mindset, while for Asami, it was still new.
«If you're ready, let's start the training.» Ash proposed.
The two girls took a few steps back, creating enough space to battle without disturbing Serena.
Anita sent out her Sewaddle, while Asami released her Snivy's Poké Ball.
«You two can start.» Asami invited them.
Anita simply nodded.
«Let's start with Tackle!» she ordered. The Sewing Pokémon quickly launched itself at its opponent.
«Try to defend yourself with your vines!» Asami ordered.
Two thin vines shot out from the protrusions on Snivy's back, quickly crossing in front of the Pokémon's body to create a
shield. However, Sewaddle was incredibly fast.
«Dodge!» Anita ordered. The green cocoon dodged the vines with a precise movement, hitting the opponent directly.
Snivy, caught off guard by the sudden movement, ended up with its back on the ground.
«Get up and use Vine Whip!» Asami ordered.
The Serperba Pokémon tried to extend its vines from the protrusions on its back, but without any success.
«Now use Bug Bite! Aim for the tail!» ordered Anita. Sewaddle quickly darted forward, targeting its opponent's tail and biting it. Snivy grimaced in pain, feeling its opponent's teeth sink into its tail.
«Try to fight back! Try to toss it with your tail!» ordered Asami, attempting to formulate some sort of strategy.
Gathering its remaining strength, the serpent swiftly moved its tail, launching its opponent into the air. Sewaddle landed shortly after.
«I'd say that's enough for training.» Ash interrupted the session before there was a clear winner. «You both did a great job. This should do for now.»
As soon as Ash called off the battle, Sewaddle immediately released its opponent from its own String Shot. Finally, Snivy could move normally.
Shortly after, Serena also finished her training, quite satisfied with the progress, especially with Lilligant.
«How did your training go?» asked the girl, smiling.
«They both did really well. But I'd say it's dinner time now. I imagine Carlos is already waiting for us.» Ash urged them. The girls and their Pokémon followed him without hesitation.
After dinner, the five didn't take long to go to sleep. They had walked a lot and were pretty tired.
Just like the previous night, Anita shared a tent with Asami, leaving Serena by herself.
If everything went according to plan, this would be Asami's last night with her new friends. She intended to challenge the Nimbasa City Gym and then thank her friends before continuing on her own path. But now wasn't the time to think about that. Now, she needed to focus on getting some sleep to be ready for training the next day.
The night passed relatively peacefully. Carlos, Asami, and Anita had to adjust to spending their first night in a tent—sleeping on the ground, separated only by the thin, soft layer of their sleeping bags. Ash and Serena, on the other hand, were quite used to these conditions, and it was a pleasant return to the past for them.
The following morning, Asami was the first to wake up. After just one night outdoors, she was already missing the comfort of a proper bed.
Beside her, Anita was still asleep, her long brown hair spread everywhere. Asami wondered how long it would take her to fix it.
Silently, she slipped out of her sleeping bag and got changed, trying not to disturb her friend. After putting on her traveling clothes, the girl made her way to the tent's exit, unzipping it as quietly as possible.
What she saw nearly made her scream. Still half-asleep, she mistook the small white creature with a green helmet-like head for a little girl.
«Ral-tsu!» The small creature let out a faint cry but remained still.
It could clearly sense the genuine curiosity of the girl and the strong determination that had drawn her to the Pokémon.
It didn't even flinch when Asami reached for her Smart Rotom from her bag. The Pokémon could feel the girl's great curiosity.
Before starting the scan, Asami turned the device's volume to its lowest setting to avoid waking Anita.
«Ralts: Feeling Pokémon. Psychic and Fairy types. Female specimen. Ralts senses the emotions of people using the horns on its head. It rarely shows itself to humans, but if it senses positive energy from someone, it might approach them. Known moves: Shadow Ball, Double Team, Dazzling Gleam, Confusion.»
The girl returned the phone to her bag, a bit more informed about the little Pokémon.
«So, you're a Ralts, huh… but that's strange… there shouldn't be any Ralts around here...» Asami brought her hand to her mouth, thinking. «So maybe you belong to a Trainer, or perhaps...»
Before the girl could finish her thought, the Pokémon had already slipped into the tent and pounced on her bag, rummaging through its contents and throwing various items at the unsuspecting Anita.
«Hey! What's going on?» Anita woke up suddenly, her heart racing as she nervously looked around.
«Did someone break into our tent?» she asked, still breathless.
«Don't worry, it was just a wild Ralts that...» Asami tried to explain the situation to her tentmate.
«A Ralts? But you don't find Ralts here...» Anita replied, glancing around.
Asami turned toward her bag, where just moments before Ralts had been rummaging. In its place was a closed Poké Ball.
«So it wanted me to catch it. I was foolish not to understand.» Asami scolded herself.
«It must have been released by Team Plasma and sensed that I wanted to help Pokémon like it.» Anita tried to comfort her, though it wasn't easy. She envied Ash in that regard; he always knew the right words for everyone, and that was one of the reasons why she hadn't returned home yet.
Out of courtesy, Asami left the tent to allow Anita to change without feeling self-conscious, though Anita's more pressing issue was her tangled hair after sleeping in the sleeping bag.
Taking advantage of already being outside, Asami woke Serena and the boys.
After breakfast, the group packed up their camping gear and set off toward Nimbasa City.
During breakfast, Ash had planned out the training for Anita and Asami.
After learning about Asami's new capture, he devised a Gym battle simulation to help her understand how Gym battles worked, while for Anita, this mix of training and role-playing, in Ash's view, would help her get into the mindset of a Gym Leader, allowing her to better handle Gym battles.
But first, they had to reach Nimbasa City. According to the map app, they would arrive in the city before lunch, just in time to freshen up.
This meant that Asami would be able to challenge the Gym only the next day, contrary to her original plan. Like her father, she didn't like when things didn't go as planned.
After finally freshening up and changing clothes, and after lunch, the two girls were ready to put Ash's training plan into action.
Both Serena and Carlos were extremely curious to see how the two would handle such a unique training session.
Ash, Serena, and Carlos sat on one of the benches next to the battle field, eager to watch the battle between the two.
To make the battle more realistic, Anita would battle with Vivillon and Sewaddle, simulating a Gym specializing in Bug-type Pokémon, which would also help Anita as she prepared to face Burgh, a Bug-type specialist Gym Leader.
The two girls took their places on opposite sides of the battle field, ready to begin the training.
As soon as Ash signaled the start of the battle, the two sent out their respective Pokémon. Anita sent out her Vivillon, while Asami, as planned, sent out her Sewaddle.
Asami, on the other hand, decided to battle with her Snivy first. She would send out her new capture only later. In her mind, defeating one of her friend's Pokémon was already a big achievement.
«You can go first!» Asami invited her.
Anita simply nodded. «Let's start with Tackle!» she ordered. The Sewing Pokémon quickly charged at its opponent.
«Try to defend yourself with your vines!» Asami ordered.
Two thin vines extended from the protrusions on Snivy's back, quickly crossing in front of its body to form a shield, repelling the bug.
«Now use Magical Leaf!» ordered Asami. In an instant, the Serperba Pokémon generated a massive flurry of multicolored leaves that rapidly struck its opponent, creating a small explosion.
«Let's try something different! Sewaddle, use String Shot!» ordered Anita. Instantly, a thin white thread shot from the bug Pokémon's mouth, nearly invisible, wrapping around its opponent.
«Now pull it toward you!» By moving its neck, the small Pokémon managed to unbalance its opponent, who lay on the ground, unable to move.
«Try to break free with Vine Whip!» The Serperba Pokémon tried to extend its vines from the protrusions on its back, but without any success.
«Now use Bug Bite! Aim for the tail!» ordered Anita. Sewaddle quickly darted forward, targeting its opponent's tail and biting it. Snivy grimaced in pain, feeling its opponent's teeth sink into its tail.
«Try to fight back! Try to toss it with your tail!» ordered Asami, attempting to formulate some sort of strategy.
Gathering its remaining strength, the serpent swiftly moved its tail, launching its opponent into the air. Sewaddle landed shortly after.
«Sewaddle, now that Snivy is immobilized, use Tackle!» The Pokémon moved towards its opponent, ready to strike. Snivy was immobilized, unable to do anything but take the hit.
«And now use Bug Bite again! Aim for the tail!» Anita ordered.
Sewaddle moved swiftly, targeting the opponent's tail as before. The wave of pain was enormous, perhaps even worse than the first time.
«Come on! Try to free yourself again! I'm sure you'll do it this time!» Asami encouraged her Pokémon, and in response to her Trainer's words, Snivy increased its efforts.
Within moments, the Pokémon's body was enveloped in a greenish aura. With strength it had never experienced before, the Grass Snake Pokémon finally broke free from the sticky prison.
«That's Snivy's Overgrow ability!» Ash was surprised by the turn of the battle. «It's the ability of Grass-type starter Pokémon. When they're in trouble, their moves become stronger. Water and Fire-type starters have similar abilities. But not all Pokémon can control it.» he added shortly after.
«Snivy! I'm sure you can control this power. Use Magical Leaf!» The Grass Snake Pokémon generated a massive storm of purple-colored leaves, which rushed toward Sewaddle.
«Try to defend yourself!» Anita ordered. Without perhaps meaning to, Sewaddle generated a huge storm of razor-sharp leaves that clashed with the opposing attack and also struck Snivy, who fell to the ground, unconscious.
«Snivy is unable to battle! Sewaddle wins!» Carlos declared, who, although not asked, had almost involuntarily acted as referee.
Asami had to return her Pokémon to its Poké Ball. As she expected, she hadn't been able to defeat her friend's Pokémon, but at least she had managed to push it to its limits.
«Now rest, Snivy, you did really well.» The girl called her Pokémon back into its Poké Ball, ready to send out her new arrival. «Now it's your turn, Ralts!» She sent out the Pokémon that had joined her team earlier that morning.
As soon as she emerged from the Poké Ball, Ralts immediately sensed her new Trainer's burning desire for victory and would do her best to fulfill it.
«Ralts, are you ready? Use Shadow Ball!» Asami ordered. The Pokémon quickly generated a sphere of dark energy, purple in color, surrounded by lighter violet energy sparks, and hurled it at the opponent.
«Sewaddle! Try to defend with String Shot!» Anita commanded.
From the Pokémon's mouth came a thin layer of sticky thread that tried to envelop the sphere of energy, but without success. The small Pokémon was hit squarely by the attack.
«Sewaddle is unable to battle.» Carlos declared, once again acting as referee. Anita returned her Sewaddle to its Poké Ball, to send out her Vivillon as planned.
Asami soon realized that the real battle had only just begun.
«You can start.» Anita invited.
«Alright… let's start with Shadow Ball!» As before, the Pokémon hurled a dark energy sphere, surrounded by violet sparks, but before it could hit the opponent, the sphere was disintegrated in an instant by a thin, lightning-fast blade of air.
«Let's try Double Team!» In seconds, Ralts created about twenty illusionary copies that quickly surrounded the opponent.
Anita wasn't surprised by her friend's choice; in fact, she seemed to have expected it. Ash had taught her how to handle such situations. To face them, the first step was not to panic. And, besides, her Vivillon was perhaps the best Pokémon to handle this scenario.
«Now, Ralts, use Shadow Ball!» Asami ordered. Each of Ralts' clones worked to launch its attack, aiming for the opponent.
«Use Swift and then dodge!» Anita commanded.
In moments, Vivillon generated star-shaped beams of golden energy that pierced through the opponent's attacks and destroyed each copy of Ralts.
As soon as the attack was unleashed, the Scale Pokémon flew several meters higher, causing the opponent's attacks to collide, generating a powerful explosion that also struck the real Ralts, defeating her.
«No! Ralts!» Although she had expected it, Asami was rather disappointed by the outcome of the battle. She knew well that, despite her friend's still needing to learn a lot, Anita was at a much higher level than her.
The girl immediately returned her Pokémon to its Poké Ball. «I promise you, next time will be better. Battles are fascinating, but they are truly difficult.»
A few moments later, Anita also returned her Pokémon to its Poké Ball before approaching Ash. The brunette was smiling, satisfied with her victory, but beyond the satisfaction of winning, another feeling resided within her. She couldn't describe it, but perhaps Ash could help her understand.
Now, she was only steps away from the bench where Ash, Serena, and Carlos were sitting. Knowing Ash a bit better, she realized she didn't need to use many words to ask him for advice. If he could, he would certainly help her.
«Excuse me... Ash... I want to ask you something.» the girl spoke in a soft voice, almost as if she were afraid of being refused.
«Anything you want. I'm here for you. You know that. If you want, we can talk just the two of us.» Ash offered.
Anita accepted without hesitation. The two walked into the Pokémon Center and into the room Ash was sharing with
Carlos.
Once inside, they sat down on one of the two beds.
«Now that we're alone, you can tell me everything.» Ash invited her.
«I've been thinking about the battle with Asami. Yes, my Pokémon and I won, but I'm afraid I went too far. I did what Ivan did to me when we battled.»
Ash shook his head. «I understand. But no, I don't think you went too far. It was a good battle, and you and Vivillon won because you deserved it.» Ash tried to reassure her. «I've won battles that way, and when it happened to me, I realized how humiliating it is to lose like that.» he explained. «But if every time you win, you think that, you'll never be able to become a Champion.»
The young Trainer seemed quite puzzled.
«We all know what it means to lose, but we also know what it means to get back up. You learned that with Ivan and with Cilan... you know, maybe the best thing is to talk to her and ask how she felt. And remember, a battle between friends is first and foremost a pleasure, as well as the best training.» he suggested.
Anita stood up, followed shortly after by Ash.
Compared to when she had approached the group, she now seemed much calmer. Ash's words had helped her a lot. Almost nudged by him, she approached Asami.
«I'm sorry for the battle, I got carried away. I did what others have done to me; they took advantage of their strength, and…»
Asami turned toward her friend.
«Don't say that. You won because you deserved it. Besides, I've learned how to handle a Gym battle. You probably would have won anyway, but if we battle again, I won't make the same mistake.»
Anita jumped, recalling Ash's words from earlier.
«Ash told me that battles between friends, besides being fun, are the best training. I was afraid I went overboard, battling with a Pokémon that was too strong, and…»
Asami motioned for her to stop.
«It's perfectly fine. In fact, battling you was a pleasure. I've realized how much I still need to learn. But no, I'm not sad about losing. Actually.» she replied. «I'm sure that won't be our last battle. But next time, I'll make sure I'm the one asking for a battle, and I'm sure you won't win so easily.»
Anita smiled. As usual, she had been worrying too much.
The next day, it was finally time for Asami to face her first Gym battle. It was eight-thirty in the morning, and the five were in the breakfast room of the Pokémon Center.
«You seem very calm.» Ash began, addressing his friend. «I, on the other hand, was super nervous. Ash had to force me to eat something, otherwise I would've gone on an empty stomach.»
«And that would've been much worse.» Ash replied.
«In any case... since your first Pokémon is Snivy, you'll be facing Chili, the Fire-type Gym Leader.» Carlos explained. «But don't worry. I'm sure you'll win the badge.» he tried to reassure his friend.
«I admit it'll be strange for me to return to that Gym; it's been more than a month since I last went. I'd like to battle Cilan or Cress; I want to show how much I've improved as a Trainer.» Carlos seemed even more excited than Asami.
They had to walk almost a kilometer before reaching it. They found themselves in a square, slightly smaller than the one in front of the Pokémon Center, but similarly designed.
It was made of large white marble slabs, which reflected the light almost annoyingly. The square also had flower beds, made of the same material, filled with thick vegetation, a magnet for small Grass- and Bug-type Pokémon.
The Gym was a tall, semicylindrical building made of concrete and glass. It was preceded by a few concrete columns, designed to resemble ancient buildings.
The lower part of the building was decorated with lighter bricks compared to the concrete, and on the upper part were six arched windows.
The entrance was a very tall, dark wooden door. It seemed designed to instill fear in visitors. Above it was a concrete balcony, and on top of the roof was a sculpture in the shape of a Poké Ball, typical of all Gyms.
Unlike the first time, Ash didn't try to push the door in vain, but simply rang the intercom.
«Ah, it's you! I was expecting you.» Cilan greeted them before opening the door. An electric noise confirmed the door had been unlocked. Ash pushed it, allowing the others to enter.
The floor was made of fake wood, and there were several tables with chairs in the room. Each table was covered with a tablecloth that almost reached the floor. The walls, in warm colors, were decorated with various fittings, giving the place a classy touch. The ceiling featured several elegant glass and metal chandeliers, also very well-crafted.
Before they could observe further, Cilan approached them.
«Hello, Cilan!» they greeted him.
«Hello, everyone. I imagine you're here for Asami's challenge.» he asked.
«Yes. I can't wait to battle.» the girl replied.
«Great. Then follow me, I'll take you to the battlefield. After the battle, regardless of the result, it's Gym tradition to offer lunch or dinner to those who challenge it and their companions.» he explained.
It felt strange for Carlos to hear those words. Usually, he was the one welcoming challengers, but since his departure, the three brothers had probably been alternating in welcoming them.
Meanwhile, the group had reached the battlefield. As was customary, there were bleachers along the longer sides of the field for guests to watch the battle.
«As I'm sure you know, this Gym specializes in three types: Grass, Fire, and Water. The rule is that I challenge Trainers who chose Oshawott as their first Pokémon, my brother Chili challenges Trainers who chose Snivy, and Cress challenges those who chose Tepig as their starter. Since Carlos decided to travel with you, we've asked challengers to fill out a form to request a battle against us. If I remember correctly, you chose Snivy, so you'll be battling Chili. This is your first Gym battle, and you have two Pokémon. Is that right?» the Gym Leader asked. Asami simply nodded in confirmation.
«Perfect. Then I'll go get Chili.» the Gym Leader began to walk away.
«I'd like to ask you a favor. After the battle between Chili and Asami, I'd like to battle you. I want to show you how much I've improved.» Carlos said.
The Gym Leader turned toward his former assistant. «Our battle won't be official, but I don't see any problem with that. But first, Asami and Chili will battle.» he replied. «Actually, let's make it a little more interesting.» the Gym Leader hinted at a slight smile. «If I win, you'll work here as a waiter for a month. If you win, you and your friends can invite anyone here to eat for free once a month. Do you accept?»
«Yes, absolutely.» Carlos replied.
A few minutes later, the green-haired boy returned with his guests, accompanied by a boy almost identical to him, except for the color of his eyes and hair, which were red instead of green.
«This is Chili. He specializes in Fire-type Pokémon and will be your opponent for this battle.» Cilan introduced the Gym Leader to Asami. The red-haired boy programmed the electronic referee to officiate the battle.
«This is your first Gym battle, you have two Pokémon, and your first Pokémon was Snivy. I'd say, if you're ready, we can begin.» Asami smiled.
«I'm ready.»
«The Gym battle between Gym Leader Chili and Challenger Asami is about to begin! It will be a two-on-two battle. The winner will be the one who renders both of the opponent's Pokémon unable to battle! Also, only the Challenger is allowed to switch their Pokémon. The first move goes to the challenger. Let the battle begin!» the referee declared.
«Snivy! Let's go!» the girl sent out her first Pokémon. The Grass Snake Pokémon was now getting used to the world, and the numerous defeats it had suffered had increased its thirst for victory.
Chili, on the other hand, sent out his Lillipup, a Pokémon identical to the one his brother had used some time ago against Anita's Oshawott.
«Snivy, start with Vine Whip!» In an instant, two thin vines emerged from the Pokémon's back, slicing through the air to reach and strike the opponent.
«Lillipup! Use Tackle!» The Puppy Pokémon composed itself, as if it had never been hit, and quickly launched itself at the opponent.
«Snivy! Dodge and use Magical Leaf!» the girl ordered. The little Grass Snake moved with great agility, gracefully avoiding the opponent's attack, then unleashed a storm of violet-colored leaves at it.
«Lillipup! Use Bite! Aim for the tail!» the Gym Leader ordered. The Puppy Pokémon moved quickly, aiming for its opponent's tail in a manner very similar to Anita's Sewaddle. "It won't go like the other times!" the girl thought.
«As soon as it gets close, hit it with your tail!» Asami ordered.
Chili, probably ignoring his opponent's response, gave no further instructions to his Pokémon, which, with incredible speed, was thrown against the wall separating the battlefield from the stands.
«See? Training against Sewaddle paid off.» Ash commented, addressing Anita. Despite the compliment, the girl didn't respond. She was too focused on the battle.
Meanwhile, Lillipup had managed to break free from its uncomfortable position and, following its Trainer's command, had used Last Resort.
The Puppy Pokémon's body was glowing with a faint brownish light as it gathered the last of its energy. Shortly after, the little Pokémon began charging at its opponent with unprecedented strength.
«Snivy, try to defend yourself!» Asami ordered. The Grass Snake Pokémon leaped just before the opponent reached it, hurling a giant whirlwind of leaves at it.
«Wow! Snivy learned Leaf Tornado!» Carlos commented.
«It's a powerful move, but I'm not sure it's enough to win.» Ash replied.
The experienced Trainer's words seemed to be contradicted by reality. Lillipup was lying on the ground, apparently out of energy. However, shortly after, the small Pokémon got back on its feet, ready to attack again, once more attempting to charge at the opponent.
«Hit it with Vine Whip!» ordered Asami.
Two vines quickly shot out from the protrusions on Snivy's back, moving swiftly towards the opponent and striking it directly, causing a small explosion.
«Lillipup is no longer able to battle. Snivy wins.» declared the electronic referee. «If the challenger wishes, she can substitute her Pokémon.» Asami shook her head. For now, she would continue battling with Snivy.
«But now let's get serious! Pansear, it's your turn!» The Gym Leader sent out a Pokémon that resembled a monkey. Its head was disproportionately large compared to the rest of its body, with orange ears that had small dots on them. The top half of its head was red, its eyes were oval-shaped, and the lower part of its face was yellow. Its nose was small. The upper part of its body and forelimbs were yellow, and its hands lacked fingers, except for its thumbs. The lower part of its body was red, and its tail was curved and shaped like an arrowhead.
Asami scanned the fire-type monkey with the Pokédex function on her Smart Rotom. «Pansear. High Temp Pokémon. Fire type. Male. It is very intelligent and has the habit of roasting berries before eating them. It loves to help humans. Known moves: Scratch, Incinerate, Work Up.»
Chili seemed a bit surprised by the challenger's choice. «Fighting a Fire-type Pokémon with a Grass-type is quite risky, don't you think?» Despite the Gym Leader's advice, Asami didn't switch out her Pokémon.
«I wonder why Asami hasn't switched Snivy. It's battled a lot and is at a disadvantage against a Fire-type.» commented Carlos. «Do you think she doesn't trust Ralts? It doesn't seem like Ralts has much battle experience.» he pondered.
«Do you think Ralts' previous trainer was a Performer?» asked Ash. «Yeah. As soon as I found out Asami had caught Ralts, I did some research and discovered that Ralts and its evolutions are very popular among Performers. Its evolution, Gardevoir, is considered one of the most elegant Pokémon.» explained Carlos. «Now that you mention it, you're right. When it attacked with Shadow Ball after using Double Team, it just surrounded Vivillon. In an exhibition or contest battle, that technique is beautiful to watch, but it's not great in a real fight.» reflected Ash. «And not all Performers are like Serena, who's really skilled in battles, so…»
Serena blushed at the compliment before turning her attention back to the battle. Snivy was on the brink of exhaustion, while its opponent still seemed in perfect condition. Shortly after, the Grass Snake Pokémon was struck by yet another fireball thrown by its opponent.
«Snivy is no longer able to continue. Pansear wins.» declared the electronic referee. «Snivy, return. You did a great job.» Asami said, recalling her first Pokémon back into its Poké Ball.
«Ralts! It's your turn!» the girl sent out her second Pokémon.
«The first move goes to the Gym Leader.» the electronic referee announced.
«Great! Pansear, use Incinerate!» ordered the Gym Leader.
In no time, the fire monkey generated a fireball, hurling it swiftly towards its opponent.
«Quick! Dodge and then try Confusion!» In an instant, the small Pokémon dodged the attack, then focused all its psychic powers into its counterattack.
The opposing Pokémon was enveloped in a pink aura and thrown against one of the barriers separating the battlefield from the stands, landing not far from where Lillipup had been flung earlier.
Despite the hard impact, the fire monkey stood up without any issues. «Now use Scratch!» The High Temp Pokémon ran towards its opponent, its hand sharp, with claws gleaming in the light.
«Ralts! Dodge and use Shadow Ball!» Just before the High Temp Pokémon could land a hit on its opponent, Ralts dodged by a few inches, only to be struck directly by a fireball from its opponent before it could generate a dark energy orb.
«Scratch was just a trap to set you up for Incinerate.» explained the Gym Leader. Asami glanced at her Pokémon, now lying on the ground, clearly on the verge of collapse.
«Ralts! Do you still feel like continuing?» Asami seemed genuinely worried.
Ralts turned toward her Trainer and gave a slight smile. Soon after, its body was surrounded by a blue aura as it began to change form.
The little dress it wore transformed into a sort of skirt, and its hair, once bobbed, grew longer, forming bangs. The single
horn split into two.
«So, Ralts has evolved!» the Gym Leader remarked. «I figured you had some kind of ace up your sleeve.»
Asami took advantage of the brief pause to examine her Kirlia with the Pokédex function on her Smart Rotom. «Kirlia. Emotion Pokémon. Female. Its joyful spirit is the source of its psychokinetic powers. When happy, it spins and dances. Known moves: Shadow Ball, Confusion, Double Team, Dazzling Gleam.»
«Kirlia, now I'm sure we can win this. Use Confusion!» The Pokémon focused its psychic powers, which quickly enveloped its body, then its opponent, hurling it violently against the barrier.
«Now use Shadow Ball!» ordered Asami. The Pokémon generated another dark energy orb, hurling it with great power at the opponent.
«Pansear is no longer able to battle. Kirlia wins. As a result, the challenger wins the match.» declared the electronic referee.
After her impressive victory, Kirlia approached her Trainer. «You were amazing.» the girl praised her. Soon after, she was joined by her friends, who also congratulated her on the win.
Meanwhile, Chili had retrieved the Gym Badge.
«This is the Trio Badge, proof that you and your Pokémon have defeated this Gym. You still have nine more Gym Battles before you can challenge the League. And remember, every time you challenge a Gym, the battles get harder.» he said. Then, the Gym Leader and the girl shook hands.
Asami pulled out the badge case from her bag, a gift from Professor Juniper. It was made of metal and painted black and pink. Inside, it was lined with black foam, shaped to hold the badges.
Before she could even place it inside, the Gym Leader called her back.
«Hold on, hold on. Before you put it in the badge case, we need to take the victory photo.» the girl seemed a bit bewildered. She certainly didn't expect the post-battle ceremony to include this.
She slowly approached the Gym Leader, still holding the newly won Trio Badge in her hand.
Having witnessed the battle and with Carlos unavailable, Cilan took care of the photos, returning shortly after with a large camera hanging around his neck.
Chili approached Asami and invited her to show off the badge to the camera.
Cilan took a few pictures from different angles, but at one point, he stopped. «It's tradition now to take photos with the Pokémon, too.» he reminded them. Trainer and Gym Leader reached for their Poké Balls.
«Come on out!» The girl and the Gym Leader released their Pokémon. Both the Gym Leader's Pokémon and Snivy had regained consciousness, though they were still a bit battered.
After the traditional photos were taken, the girl finally placed the badge in her badge case before putting it back in her bag. Carlos glanced at his Smart Rotom.
«It's still a bit early for lunch. How about that battle?» Carlos suggested.
«No problem. As I said earlier, our match won't be official.» Cilan reminded them.
«No problem. So we can also switch our Pokémon whenever we want, even if it's a two-on-two battle?» Carlos asked.
«Yes, no problem. Just give me a moment to set up the electronic referee.» replied Cilan. A few moments later, the Gym Leader approached the electronic device, fiddling with the various settings for a couple of minutes.
«Now we can begin.» the Gym Leader reminded.
«The demonstration battle between Gym Leader Cilan and challenger Carlos is about to begin. Both Trainers may use two Pokémon. Both the Challenger and the Gym Leader may switch their Pokémon.» declared the device.
The two Trainers took their positions on opposite sides of the battlefield, ready to grab their Poké Balls.
«Houndour! Come out!» Carlos sent out his Dark-type Pokémon, caught some time earlier.
«I'll battle with you! Come out, Maractus!» The Grass-type specialist sent out a cactus-like Pokémon. Its small body had a cylindrical shape. It had a single black foot with three toes. The rest of its body, except for some dark green decorations on its neck, the inner part of its ears, and its hands, was light green. Its spherical hands were equipped with three yellow thorns. The Pokémon had two yellow eyes, a zigzag mouth, and a larger yellow thorn on its forehead. It had two ears similar to Buneary's, each ending in two pink flowers.
Carlos scanned the strange Pokémon with the Pokédex function of his Smart Rotom.
«Maractus. Cactus Pokémon. Grass type. Male specimen. With lively dances and sounds, it scares away its predators, bird Pokémon that eat the seeds from its flowers. Known moves: Pin Missile, Seed Bomb, Spiky Shield, Cotton Guard.»
«The first move goes to the challenger!» declared the electronic referee.
«Let's start with Fire Fang!» Carlos ordered. The Dark-type Pokémon's mouth was engulfed in flames as it charged towards its opponent.
«Use Spiky Shield!» commanded the Gym Leader. The Cactus Pokémon generated a greenish energy barrier in front of itself, coated with darker spikes.
«Cai! Cai! Cai!» The Dark-type Pokémon yelped in pain as it collided with the shield created by its opponent.
«That's the secondary effect of Spiky Shield. Besides protecting the Pokémon that uses it, it also hits the attacking Pokémon, unless it attacks from a distance. But a weak attack like Ember won't have any chance of dealing damage.» explained the Gym Leader. «Now use Pin Missile!» Cilan commanded.
Several golden spikes detached from the Cactus Pokémon's body, launching toward its opponent.
«Let's do what Ash taught us! Defend with Ember!» The Dark-type Pokémon unleashed a light flame from its mouth, incinerating most of the spikes launched by its opponent.
«Attack again with Ember!» Carlos ordered. As before, the Pokémon generated a light flame from its mouth that advanced towards its opponent.
«Defend with Cotton Guard!» commanded the Gym Leader. The Pokémon's body was enveloped in a sort of greenish fluff that covered its body, protecting it from the opponent's attack.
«A weak attack like Ember will never penetrate the Cotton Guard barrier.» commented the Gym Leader. «And I guess Umbreon doesn't know any strong attacks either.» he added shortly after.
«I wouldn't be so sure! Houndour, let's try!» the boy shouted. Without hesitation, the Dark-type Pokémon generated a large, dark purple ball from its mouth, which quickly reached its opponent, penetrating the fluffy barrier.
«That move is Sludge Bomb!» commented the Gym Leader. «It's one of the most powerful Poison-type moves. And...» The Gym Leader turned to his Pokémon. A purplish aura had appeared around it.
«Sludge Bomb can also poison the opponent. You've been really clever.» remarked the Gym Leader.
«Houndour, return!» Carlos recalled his Pokémon into the Poké Ball. «Now, it's your turn, Umbreon!» Carlos sent out his second Pokémon to let Houndour rest a bit.
«Since the challenger has switched his Pokémon, the next move goes to the Gym Leader, unless he decides to switch his Pokémon.» declared the electronic referee.
«I'm staying with Maractus.» declared the Gym Leader. «And now, before the poison completely corrodes Maractus's body, let's secure this victory! Use Pin Missile!» Like before, several golden spikes detached from the Pokémon's body, heading toward the opposing Umbreon.
«Dodge and attack with Swift!» Carlos ordered. The Moonlight Pokémon swiftly moved just before the numerous sharp needles could hit it. They struck the ground, kicking up a huge cloud of dust.
Carlos smiled. He was about to put another one of Ash's lessons into practice. From the cloud of dust, several star-shaped energy beams, glowing gold, emerged and struck Maractus before it could defend itself. The Cactus Pokémon was now at the end of its strength.
«Umbreon has improved a lot since the battle against Snivy.» complimented Cilan. «But I'm not sure it will be enough.» he added soon after. «Use Seed Bomb!» The Cactus Pokémon generated a large, yellowish seed with its upper limbs, coated with a light green aura, which it hurled at the opponent moments later.
«Umbreon! Hit it with Shadow Ball!» The boy smiled, thinking about the many training sessions he had with Ash to hone his Pokémon's move accuracy.
And indeed, the sphere of dark energy generated by his Pokémon struck the large explosive seed launched by his opponent, making it explode in the air, not too far from the opposing Maractus. Moments later, Maractus collapsed to the ground, exhausted and poisoned.
«Maractus is no longer able to battle. Umbreon wins.» declared the electronic referee.
«Honestly, I didn't expect this result, but I can't help but congratulate you. But now it's time to get serious. You'll be facing my strongest Pokémon! Pansage, it's your turn!» The Gym Leader sent out his second Pokémon, his most trusted one.
«Since the Gym Leader has switched his Pokémon, the first move goes to the challenger.» declared the electronic referee.
«Did you hear that, Umbreon? This is our moment! Use Dark Pulse!» Several dark purple rings of energy generated from the Moonlight Pokémon's mouth, quickly heading towards the opponent.
«Try to dodge! Then use Rock Tomb!» the Gym Leader ordered. In a flash, the Grass-type monkey moved out of the attack's path, which struck the ground, raising a cloud of dust.
From the cloud of dust, several large boulders, surrounded by an orange aura, appeared.
«Dodge them with Quick Attack!» the boy ordered. The Moonlight Pokémon's body was enveloped by a thin white aura, allowing it to move at great speed, almost dancing around the boulders.
Everything seemed to be going well until Umbreon was hit by one of the boulders. The impact was so violent that it stopped its momentum and caused a small explosion. Despite the force of the impact, the Pokémon was still able to fight.
«I see Umbreon has become much more resilient since the battle against Snivy, but I'm not sure it will be enough.» commented Cilan. «Pansage! The next attack will be crucial! Prepare with Work Up!» The Grass Monkey Pokémon's body was enveloped in a yellow-green aura as it gathered its strength, ready to make its next attacks more powerful.
«And now use Bullet Seed!» The Grass Monkey Pokémon began spitting out a massive barrage of seeds, yellowish-green in color, aimed at the opponent.
«Attack with Shadow Ball!» From the Moonlight Pokémon's mouth, a large sphere of dark energy formed, glowing with purple hues and surrounded by lighter, similar-colored sparks.
The two attacks collided roughly in the middle of the battlefield, generating a powerful shockwave that forced both Pokémon to step back. «Umbreon, take a break!» Carlos called back his Pokémon.
«Houndour! I'm counting on you!» The boy sent out the Dark-type Pokémon again, though it was still bearing the marks of its earlier battle, much like Pansage.
«Since the challenger has switched their Pokémon, the first move goes to the Gym Leader.» declared the electronic referee.
«Pansage! Use Rock Tomb!» The Grass-type monkey generated a series of large rocks, quickly hurling them at its opponent. Houndour did its best to dodge the oncoming barrage, but no matter how hard it tried, Pansage seemed to be one step ahead.
«Now, go for Bite!» ordered Carlos. The Dark-type Pokémon moved swiftly, dodging each rock one by one. «Clever move, but I was prepared for that... Pansage! Use Scratch!» Sharp claws extended from Pansage's hand, reflecting the light. With impressive speed, the Grass-type Pokémon slashed its opponent, striking Houndour squarely in the face and sending it flying a few meters back.
«Houndour is unable to battle. The victory goes to Pansage!» announced the electronic referee. «Both Trainers now have
only one Pokémon left.»
Carlos recalled Houndour to its Poké Ball, then sent Umbreon back into battle. «The next move goes to the challenger!» the referee declared.
«Let's try Quick Attack!» Carlos ordered. In a matter of moments, the Moonlight Pokémon was speeding across the
battlefield, its body glowing faintly with a whitish light as it charged toward the opponent, who could do nothing to avoid the hit. «Now, follow up with Shadow Ball!» Carlos commanded.
Another sphere of dark energy crashed into Pansage, sealing the victory for Umbreon.
«Pansage is unable to battle. The winner is Umbreon, and the overall winner of the match is the challenger.» the electronic referee declared. Cilan recalled his Pansage to its Poké Ball, then walked over to his opponent.
«I have to offer you my sincerest congratulations. You've improved a lot as a Trainer. And I have to say, you're quite good with Dark-type Pokémon. I wouldn't be surprised if they became your specialty in the future.» the Gym Leader praised.
«Do you really think so?» Carlos was quite surprised by those words.
«I have no reason to lie.» Cilan replied. «And now, I'd say it's time for lunch.»
After a plentiful meal, which included various appetizers, two land-based courses, two seafood courses, a sorbet, and more, the group said their goodbyes to the Gym Leaders, with the promise of a free meal once a month for them and their friends.
As soon as they left the Gym, Asami's expression grew sad and gloomy. She didn't look like someone who had just won a badge; instead, she seemed like someone about to deliver bad news.
«Friends! A few hours ago, I talked about this as if it were the most normal and calm thing in the world, but now that the moment has come, I really don't know what to say. If it hadn't been for all of you, I would never have realized how fascinating and wonderful Pokémon are, and for that, I'll never be able to thank you enough. It's because of you that I understand now. That's why I asked you to watch this battle—I wanted to show you how much I've improved. Thank you for everything.»
Asami ran to hug each of her friends. First Ash and Pikachu, then Serena, Carlos, and finally, Anita. «Next time we battle, I'll win. I promise you that.» she whispered in her ear.
«Don't count on it.» Anita replied with a smile.
"The most beautiful rivalry has begun between those two: the kind between friends who push each other to improve!" Ash thought.
A few minutes later, the Amon family's minivan, driven as usual by Pastor, arrived just outside the Gym.
