Disclaimer: No Ownership of Pokémon or In Another World with my Smartphone
Ash Ketchum: Duchy of Brunhild's Prince
Chapter 1: Storming Out
A building with a large red "P" started to glisten to the sunrise. Inside a kitchen, a tanned young man with spiky brunette hair cooked. He wore an apron over an orange t-shirt and brown trousers. "Nothing starts the day better than breakfast," he smiled. As he cooked, a redhead girl emerged. She wore a yellow half-shirt and denim shorts held by suspenders. She held an egg-like creature with stubby arms and flat feet while the head looked like a cream-colored crown. The shell had spots of red and blue.
"What's on the menu today, Brock?" she asked.
"A special recipe about an omelet I found, Misty," Brock acknowledged as he turned to the redhead. "And… are you letting your hair down for a reason?"
"I just washed it. I'm letting it dry before tying it up."
"Okay, I just thought of asking." Resuming, Brock cooked and let the fragrance of food radiate. It found a bedroom with a yellow mouse asleep on a bed. It had red circles for cheeks. The food's aroma reached the mouse's nose before it awoke, his brown eyes opened. The lightning bolt for a tail swayed, enamored by the scent.
("Smells good…") it happily squeaked. The brown streaks on its back and black tips on its ears, the mouse scurried out of the bedroom and to the kitchen to Misty's view.
"Pikachu!" she greeted.
("Morning, Misty!") it replied. The egg shrilled at seeing Pikachu.
"Togepi sounds excited to see you," Brock teased. "Now, all we need is Sleepy Head to join us." A door opened and in came two people. One was a raven-haired boy in a black t-shirt and red shorts with a young pink-haired woman in an orange windbreaker suit.
"Thanks for joining me in running those few errands, Ash," the pink-haired praised.
"No problem, Nurse Joy," Ash replied. Misty, Brock and Pikachu gawked to the two arriving.
"You were saying, Brock?" irked Misty.
"I thought he was asleep!" believed Brock. Ash and Nurse Joy came to the kitchen.
"That should be enough of a workout before breakfast," he smiled. Joy smiled as well.
"Ash, what's going on that you're with Nurse Joy?" questioned Misty.
"He was helping me with a few errands like bringing some Caterpie and Weedle back out to the wild," Joy explained. Misty gulped to what Ash helped Joy with.
"Bugs…" she shuttered. "Better them than me…" Brock came to Joy with his hands holding hers.
"Nurse Joy, your ability to get the bugs to freedom had my feelers wishing to be held among- AAHH!" yelped Brock as Misty yanked him by the earlobe.
"You're even more disgusting!" she yelled as she dragged Brock away
"Not… the… ear… Misty!" cried Brock. Ash, Joy and the creatures sighed. In a lobby, Ash was on a video phone with a gray-haired man with a laboratory in the background as Brock fed Pikachu, Togepi, a giant gray pinecone with eyes at the top and a large blue bat with an enormous mouth, the teenager now donning a green vest. Misty stared sternly to Ash while conversing as he wore a red baseball cap and a blue short-sleeved jacket with denim trousers. Seeing this, Joy came over.
"Is there a reason you're staring at Ash so much?" she wondered. Misty, her hair tied up in a sideways ponytail, looked to Joy before turning her head away.
"It's nothing," she snorted. Her blushing face gave Joy doubt.
"Pretty big nothing if you're blushing." Misty never faced Joy. "I've been seeing this since you three and your Pokémon came here for the night, and Ash told me that you two were together since Ash's first day as a trainer. Perhaps, it's been a good amount of time that you have developed feelings for him." The thought made Misty shocked.
"Feelings for Ash!?" It was at that moment that Ash hung the phone up. "Please, Nurse Joy… You're being ridiculous. I'm with him because he needs to buy me a new bike. Sure, he got a kiss from a festival maiden down in the Orange Islands, but Ash wouldn't know what love is if it smacked him in the face! There's no way I'd be after someone that blind and stupid to it!"
"Ouch…" mulled Ash. Misty gawked and turned to Ash. "Okay, Misty… I get that you don't like me, but do you have to be that passionate about it? All because of a bike... Sheesh!" He walked away and out of the building.
"Yikes, and I thought it was more than a bike for a minute," Brock muttered. "He was probably going to tell us about what Professor Oak mentioned." Misty palmed her face in anguish.
"Me and my big mouth," she moaned. Ash stood a few feet from the entrance of the building.
"I wouldn't know what love is," he repeated Misty's words. "Misty, I'm not Brock. Why do you think I act like him?" That's when he spotted a pink balloon-like creature with a swirl of hair at the top with pointy ears. It floated down to see Ash. "Jigglypuff?" The balloon-like creature landed and looked up to the glum Ash with its large green eyes and a microphone in hand. "Oh no…" However, Jigglypuff sighed and palmed its body. "Oh, are you hungry?"
("I am…") it replied. Ash felt sympathetic to Jigglypuff.
"Come on in," he offered. "I'm sure Nurse Joy has something for you to refill on." Opening the door, Misty and Brock gawked to the sight of Jigglypuff.
"Oh no!" she shrieked. Jigglypuff whined to the possible rejection.
"Hey, she's hungry," he warned. "Let's get her some food before she goes somewhere to sing." Jigglypuff whined to agree.
"I was afraid to have this, but I do have Pokémon Food for Jigglypuff," Brock voiced. There was a bowl of pellets with sugary confetti. Jigglypuff started to eat and enjoy it with a huge smile. Everyone watched before a net came after Pikachu. He saw and tried to step back, but he slipped on the microphone Jigglypuff laid down to eat Brock's food. The microphone kicked up before it was caught in the net, stopping the charge. Everyone turned to the net.
"What the-!" irked Misty.
"How dare you use Jigglypuff's microphone to get away from our net, Pikachu!" a crimson-haired woman snapped from a hot-air balloon basket. Her hair was as long and stretched out the back of her head. She wore a white midriff with a red R on it.
"It's Team Rocket!" warned Ash.
"Any reason they're using a generic balloon and not the Meowth one?" questioned Brock. A man with ice-violet hair with a similar outfit faced those on the ground.
"We have it shipped to us and will have it fly in a few days!" he briefed.
"James, you didn't have to inform him," the crimson-haired mulled. James gawked and bowed.
"They did ask," he admitted as dark clouds billowed overhead.
"It looks like a thunderstorm is coming," Joy warned. Pikachu became elated to hear of a thunderstorm. A white cat in the basket came out with a bazooka. He had black fur around the ears and a gold oval coin wedged in the forehead.
"How's about a second line!?" it mocked before pulling the trigger. Ash sprinted before grabbing Pikachu and Jigglypuff. The net got all three and the microphone.
"Oh no!" gasped Brock. The balloon started to lift off with the two Pokémon snagged with the trainer. The three in the balloon's basket cackled at what they caught.
"That twerp and the Jigglypuff are extra!" bragged James. "But we got what we came for!" Rain started to pour from the sky.
"Don't worry, you two," Ash whispered. "We'll get out of here. I promise." Lightning lit the sky, thunder boomed the air. Brock had an idea.
"We're not letting Team Rocket get away!" shouted Brock as he brought out a red/white ball. "Onix, go!" The ball opened before a giant gray rock snake with a head fin appeared. "Grab the net!" The rock snake reached for the net with Ash and the other Pokémon inside. That's when a lightning bolt struck between Onix and the bag. It spooked Onix as more lightning ripped the air, not wanting to electrocute Ash through the bravery of the rain. Those in the basket seemed disturbed by the storm getting close.
"Jessie, do ya tink dis was a bad day ta go afta Pikachu?" gulped Meowth.
"Everyday is a good day to go after Pikachu!" the crimson-haired yelled. A lightning bolt ripped by the basket, scaring them. "Though, I can see how this could be an exception." Onix made another attempt at the net, but that's when a few bolts joined and zapped Ash, Team Rocket and the Pokémon. Before anyone could react, there was an explosion.
"ASH!" cried Misty. The smoke cleared before they saw… nothing. "Ash!?" Everyone looked around to find anything related to those caught in the blast.
"Where did they go!?" gasped Joy. Everyone looked all over, but they couldn't find anything. There was a moment of black before eyes opened up. The skies were partly cloudy, white patches among a scenic blue. It was Ash, lying on an open field. Pikachu woke up nearby Ash and Jigglypuff, though the Balloon Pokémon remained out and her microphone laid within arm's reach of Ash.
"We're… alive?" he muttered.
("I think so,") Pikachu squeaked. Ash sat up before they saw hardly anything but trees.
"Where are we?" Neither of the two had an idea of where they were.
("I don't know…") They found Jigglypuff still unconscious. Palming Jigglypuff, Ash felt her breathing.
"She looks to be okay…" Ash picked Jigglypuff up while Pikachu retrieved the microphone. They found a tree where there was shade. "I don't like to abandon Pokémon, but I'm sure she'll be fine. Besides, her singing is pretty powerful." Pikachu laid the microphone by her. "See you later, Jigglypuff." They left Jigglypuff to rest as Pikachu heard something. It pointed to where it spotted a tower.
("Let's go that way.") Agreeing, Ash and Pikachu journeyed to the direction of the tower. They reached a city with women in blouses and long skirts while the men wore shirts and slacks. Ash and Pikachu felt out of place.
"Okay, we're not finding Misty and Brock, Team Rocket might have vanished somewhere else and we might have gone back in time."
("It doesn't tell us why they're staring at us.") The people looked to Ash and Pikachu, curious to the pairing.
"I haven't seen clothes on a young man since Touya," one young woman started.
"Is he related?" a man asked. The chatter among the people started to get on Ash's and Pikachu's nerves.
"I think we came to the wrong neighborhood," Ash murmured.
("Let's just keep going,") Pikachu advised. Along the path, a door opened at a building where a young raven-haired man in a white coat and black uniform stepped out with a tiny white tiger cub with a white mane and black stripes throughout. The raven-haired held some items in a paper bag.
"Hey, I hope I'm around when your wife has her child," he wished. He closed the door before sighing.
"I bet you're thinking about it with all of them back at the duchy," the cub mentioned.
"Come on, Kohaku. When they want to discuss it with me, I'll listen."
"Sure, Master… Besides, they're probably wondering what Null Magic you'll use next." That's when Kohaku turned to see Ash and Pikachu walking by. "Master, look!" Master saw Ash and Pikachu and began to wonder.
"Who might they be, other than lost?" One word made Kohaku blink.
"They? I only see the boy… and what the heck is he wearing?"
"Let's find out by meeting him." They made their approach. "Excuse us!" Ash and Pikachu turned to find Master and Kohaku.
"Oh, hey," Ash realized as Master reached the two.
"I saw you two looking lost," he mentioned. "What's going on?" Ash and Pikachu looked to each other before Pikachu shrugged.
"We're… not sure ourselves. Pikachu and I were with our friends and all of a sudden, Team Rocket kidnapped us before a lightning bolt blasted us to here." The detail made Master cup his chin with his hand.
"A lightning bolt, huh?" 'Did God do that to these two the same way he killed me back in Tokyo?' Kohaku looked up to Master in his pondering.
"Master, is something the matter?" the cub asked. Ash and Pikachu jumped in shock at hearing Kohaku.
"Kohaku, not so abrupt, okay?" the Master warned.
"Wait, that little pet just talked!" pointed Ash. Kohaku realized its mistake before covering its mouth with its paw.
"Oops…" the cub irked. Master sighed to the realization.
("He's got some explaining,") Pikachu believed.
"Okay, let me help with introductions," Master started. "I'm Mochizuki Touya, but everyone calls me Touya. This is Kohaku."
"Hi, there!" greeted Kohaku.
"Well, I'm Ash Ketchum," Ash informed. "This is Pikachu."
("Hi, Touya!") the Mouse Pokémon squeaked. Touya awed Ash and Pikachu as he shook the trainer's hand.
"So… Ash and Pikachu…" he repeated. "Where are you from?"
"Pallet Town, but we've been on a journey throughout to become the greatest Pokémon Master," Ash replied. Touya seemed puzzled to this detail.
"Pallet Town?" he repeated as he brought out a hand-held device and worked on it. The screen popped up, saying "NO LOCATION FOUND." "Weird… It doesn't appear as though Pallet Town isn't among here." Ash and Pikachu looked befuddled.
"Master, I'm not saying they're not telling the truth," Kohaku studied. "But they may have been brought here by the same Null Magic you use."
"You mean like Gate?" guess Touya.
"Most likely," Kohaku nodded.
"What do you mean 'Null Magic'?" questioned Ash. Touya thought Ash and Pikachu needed help.
"I think we need to consult the rest of the duchy about this," he shrugged.
"Good idea," Kohaku agreed. "At least Pikachu will be treated nicely there." Pikachu became curious to the claim.
("What does that mean?") he wondered.
"What's a duchy?" irked Ash.
"Oh, you'll see," Kohaku warned. Touya nodded as he turned away from Ash and stuck his hand out.
"GATE!" he chanted. His hand was aglow before a white vortex appeared. Ash and Pikachu were in shock to see the vortex.
"What the heck!" gasped Ash. Touya saw and giggled at their faces.
"Everything will be explained through here," he offered before he and Kohaku walked through. Ash and Pikachu looked to each other, knowing they were trapped in this land.
"Well, not much we can do," Ash shrugged.
("Let's check it out,") Pikachu urged. Ash and Pikachu entered the vortex. Where they ended up, only Touya knew.
TO BE CONTINUED...