Omarnosian10: Hello readers! *walks in wearing suit*
Ash: What's with the fancy getup?
Omarnosian10: Today is the 3-year Anniversary of Stan Lee's death. I was just coming back from putting flowers onto his memorial.
Ash: Oh. Man, I'm sorry.
Omarnosian10: He was an inspiration not just to me, but billions of people on Earth for what he created.
Ash: So he's like Satoshi Tajiri?
Omarnosian10: For Marvel, but yeah. On with the show.
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. If I did, it would've gone the Yu-Gi-Oh route and had Ash succeeded by someone, given Ash a sensible harem, done Unova better (like anyone would), or a lot of other stuff. All descriptions of Pokémon and most of their moves belong to Bulbapedia. A majority of this chapter before being edited by me belonged to 19jchoi's Unova Journeys.
"Normal"
'Thought'
"Communicating through a medium"
"Possessed"
"Telepathy"
Flashback or Dream
"[Poké-Speech]"
Chapter 2: Enter Georgia!
(Prof. Juniper's Lab)
Sparks of electricity fly everywhere in every direction, just barely coming into contact with everyone. Ash's partner cries out in pain from it.
"Pikachu, no!" screamed Ash.
"[Buddy!]" cried the Land Shark Pokémon.
"The system! It's on overload! The lab could be destroyed!" informed Juniper, typing on a computer along with her fellow Professor.
"All because of that lightning?! Could the legendary Pokémon from Unova be behind all of this?!" exclaimed Oak, looking at the cloud through the window. Noticing his camera is active again, Darwin turned it on and faced it.
"Sorry for the interruption. Just to recap, I was heading to Juniper's lab to get my starter Pokémon, which is a Tepig. Not long after, the guy that chose a Snivy, Trip Shackle, insulted the great Ash Ketchum and challenged him to a battle! What a mistake it was since his Gible totally kicked Snivy's butt! Soon after Trip left, Pikachu started getting sick all of a sudden and starts throwing lightning everywhere! The main suspects appear to be either the Electric-Type of the Tao Trio, Zekrom, or the Forces of Nature trio, Thundurus. The only, but glaring evidence we have is a thundercloud outside hiding a figure with blood-red eyes, and from our sources, this is the second time it happened in the same day. Considering Thundurus' eyes are pale yellow according to legend, this concludes that Zekrom's the cause of Pikachu's illness. Why isn't clear. The question remains, will Pikachu, hopefully, survive this horrifying experience?" asked Darwin, aiming the camera at Pikachu, who cries out again.
"Pikachu! Hang in there!" declared Ash.
"Let me help! (sprints into a desk before typing) Professors, does this lab have a backup generator or any emergency sources of electrical power?" asked Darwin.
"A few, but what are you thinking?" questioned Juniper.
"Maybe if we change Pikachu's electricity to a negative charge—"
"Then the lightning would repel instead of being attracted!" realized Oak.
"That could work!" nodded Juniper. Before they can do anything, the negative electricity suddenly turned blue before dimming, then harmlessly dispersing, leaving Pikachu slumping and taking deep breathes.
"Huh? We're back online?" blinked Juniper, looking around at the completely functional lab.
"But we didn't do anything," added Darwin, mirroring her.
"Pikachu, are you OK?" asked Ash, rushing to his Starter. At Pikachu's nod, he sighed in relief when—
"[BUDDY!]" screamed Gible, clamping onto his teammate like he did Ash a while ago.
"Does Gible do that a lot?" asked Juniper, bewildered like her assistant.
"Normally only to Ash, but yes." nodded Oak, unfazed. At the feeling of sharp teeth around his head, Pikachu, while touched, had one thing to say…
"[Get… off!]" Suddenly, yellow electricity surged from his body, following the wires attached. Everyone backed away from the temporarily charged machines while Gible only blinked, unaffected.
"Was that an Electric-Type Move just now?" asked Darwin, pausing his camera.
"Thunderbolt, to be exact. (looks at computer) And judging by these levels, Pikachu's electricity is back to normal strength, if a tad higher, but nothing to be worried about." relieved Oak.
"Pikachu's back to normal?!" hoped Ash. At the Professors' nod, he whooped before rushing over, hugging Pikachu while separating Gible.
"[You hear that buddy?]" laughed Gible, fist-bumping the Electric Mouse Pokémon.
"[Yeah, Gible. Just… give me a moment…]" gasped Pikachu, paws on knees. At Ash's worried face, Oak waved him off.
"Don't worry Ash. Pikachu just needs some time to adjust to being back to his regular state. Going from practically 0 to 100% in as little time as he did can do that to anyone." assured Oak. Ash nods, keeping a grip on his partner. Darwin felt a warmth in his chest at the sight, being reminded of his sister and her Starter.
'So close… I wonder if Tepig and I'll have something like that?'
(Hours later)
"I've decided that my next journey will be here!"
"Huh?" After Pikachu (and Gible for his battle) got cleared up, Professor Oak invited Darwin to have dinner with the group as thanks for his minor assistance. Having little to no skills in cooking, the new Trainer accepted. Surprisingly, they're dining at a small café. It was peaceful (and lonely) and another person is in their group; a brown-haired woman with the same eyes as Ash who turned out to be his mother. It was when Ash finished his plate that he made his announcement, getting looks from the Kantonians.
"For sure! I wanna meet all the Pokémon from Unova, and I'll make a bunch of new friends, too!" smiled Ash.
"Of course." smiled Delia.
"Huh?" blinked Ash.
"It's been two months since you've been on a journey, Ash. This day had to come eventually." nodded Delia.
"You haven't trained for two months?!" gawked Darwin.
"I did other stuff for future journeys." defended Ash.
"I presume you'll be visiting some Pokémon Gyms like usual?" asked Oak.
"That's the plan! I'm gonna go meet and beat the Gym Leaders, get eight badges, and then, win the Unova League!" smiled Ash.
"Well then, I'll continue to look after your Pokémon back at my lab, if you don't mind. Also, (looks at Gible) I assume you want me to return Gible to Kanto so you can start your journey with Pikachu only?" asked Oak.
"Sorry Professor. (scratches Gible's fin) I'm planning on doing what I did in Sinnoh; keeping my newest catch." smiled Ash.
"You did land in the top 4 there." nodded Oak.
"Pikachu? Gible? Take good care of Ash." pleaded Delia.
"[Definitely!]"
"And call us from time to time. I look forward to hearing about any new Pokémon you've met," suggested Oak.
"Won't you get updates from Ash's Trainer file?" asked Darwin.
"I would, but the system here isn't connected to Kanto's." sighed Oak.
"I can help do that."
"Really?!" smiled Ash.
"Who did you think won Programmer of the Year awards 4 years in a row?" gloated Darwin.
"Oh my, four years?! You must be a genius!" gasped Delia.
"When it comes to software, but I'm not great at hardware…" slumped Darwin.
"I would be delighted!" smiled Oak.
"Darwin… if it's not too much trouble, do you mind traveling with Ash?" asked Delia.
"Really?!" gawked Darwin. Humming, Ash nods.
"The more the merrier! It's always good to travel with friends by your side!" supported Ash.
"Traveling with the Legend Buster Ash Ketchum himself?! I'd be insane not to accept! Oh man, wait till my sister hears… Oh man, Georgia! We were supposed to meet hours ago, but with everything that happened, I forgot to call her! Give me a minute!" freaked Darwin, rushing out. As he did, Ash looked at him, thinking of a previous traveling companion.
'Looks like we found Unova's Max.'
(Prof Juniper's Lab)
"So, here's your Pokédex and Poké Balls," said Juniper, handing Ash the same stuff as the newbies hours ago.
"Don't you already have Poké Balls? I'm not complaining, I'm just asking," questioned Darwin. Ash only shrugged.
"I appreciate it, Professor. (uses red Pokédex) Let me test something first…" hummed Ash, using it on his partner.
Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pichu. Pikachu's tail is sometimes struck by lightning as it raises it to check its surroundings.
After a moment or two, Ash frowned.
"What is it?" asked Juniper.
"Why isn't my Pokédex showing the same stuff Darwin and Trip's did show?" frowned Ash. Humming, the Professor took the Pokédex, examining it.
"That is strange… No habitat data, no gender or Ability, or anything aside from a list of Pokémon known and their present Moves. Darwin, may you examine this?" requested Juniper.
"Sure." Taking the Pokédex, Darwin went to a computer and connected both devices. It didn't take long until… "WHAT THE—?!"
"What is it?!" panicked Ash.
"According to this, your Trainer Profile is somehow sending a virus to any and every Pokédex it's connected to!" said Darwin.
"WHAT?!" Aghast, Ash and Juniper rushed over him.
"Darwin, how long ago was this virus made?" frowned Juniper.
"September 7th, 1998…" noted Darwin. 'That's almost six years ago!'
"Wait, that's the day before I became a Trainer!" realized Ash.
"Oh, dear! And according to the source code, it's Kantonian!" added Juniper.
"And what's worse is that it's contagious, affecting Pokédexes in close proximity within 24 hours or so." finished Darwin. Ash's blood ran cold.
'May… Dawn…'
"Darwin, can you create an antivirus to purge the Profile?" asked Juniper. In response, Darwin turned smug while cracking his knuckles.
"They don't call me the Master Hacker for nothing," smirked Darwin, getting to work. As he did, Juniper took Ash away.
"Are you alright?" asked the Professor.
"Six years… I had my Pokédexes sabotaged for almost six years and I never had an idea." sulked Ash.
"Don't blame yourself or Oak; neither of you is a computer expert, so the virus being hidden was not your fault," assured Juniper. Calm, Ash nodded before looking back.
"Is he really a Master Hacker?" asked the veteran. Much to his surprise, Juniper snorts and rolls her eyes.
"While I can't deny that he has the skills to back the statement up, no one ever called him that." answered the adult.
"Really?" quirked Ash.
"Yes. In fact, it was because of him that I included what Pokémon can be found in which seasons and which ones are commonly found in certain locations." smiled Juniper.
"He did all that?" awed Ash.
"Only the programming; the data he used belonged to my accomplices around the Region." corrected Juniper.
"Done!" Speak of the devil and he walked to them, oblivious to their conversation, and holding Ash's Pokédex along with two flash drives. "One virus-free and protected Pokédex, fresh from the works."
"Really?!" Eager, Ash took his Pokédex and rescanned his Partner.
Pikachu, the Mouse Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pichu. Pikachu's tail is sometimes struck by lightning as it raises it to check its surroundings.
This Pikachu is Male and has the Ability, Static.
"It works!" smiled Ash.
It knows the Moves Agility, Thunder, Iron Tail, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle, and Thunderbolt.
"[Me next! Me next!]" waved Gible, repeatedly hopping on the ground. Chuckling, Ash complied.
Gible, the Land Shark Pokémon. It attacks using its huge mouth. While its attacks are powerful, it hurts itself out of clumsiness, too.
This Gible is Male and has the Ability, Sand Veil. It knows the Moves Dig, Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse, Rock Smash, and Incinerate.
"Sand Veil?" parroted Ash.
"Tap the text and it'll explain," smirked Darwin. Confused, Ash complied.
Sand Veil, an Ability that increases a Pokémon's evasiveness in a sandstorm.
Below the text is a list of Pokémon known to have the Ability. Ash's eye twitched, seeing Gliscor among them and remembering when he had his Sinnoh team and his opponents using Sandstorm.
'This would've been useful to know.'
"Darwin, what do you have in those flash drives?" asked Juniper, snapping Ash out.
"The blue one has a portion of the virus for analysis and the blue one has the antivirus. I figured Oak could get in touch with someone at Kanto that could find the one responsible," explained Darwin. Nodding, Juniper turned to Ash, who returned Gible.
"With this issue out of the way, I can tell you that the nearest Pokémon Gym from where we are is in Striaton City. So, I would think because of that, the best thing to do would be to challenge the Striaton Gym first," explained Juniper.
"Then that's where we'll go." nodded Ash.
"You know, you might even bump into Trip. He left here ahead of you two." teased Juniper.
"Only because Pikachu was sick and— Wait, did he get his Snivy checked on?" asked Darwin.
"His mother's a doctor and knows a thing or two about Grass-Types," answered Juniper. At the mention of the racist, Pikachu's sacs sparked. Ash noticed and pets him.
"Don't worry, Pikachu. Next time I battle him, I'll use you and win! Right, buddy?" smiled Ash.
"[Right!]"
(Next morning)
"Where's your handkerchief? Are your clothes packed? Do you have clean underwear?"
"MOM!" blushed Ash, listening to his mother rant. After having breakfast at the same café as before, the group gathered at the Lab to say goodbye to the Trainers.
"Does she do this every time?" asked Darwin, staring at the spectacle, feeling a mix of envy/relief/sympathy.
"Indeed. (pockets blue flash drive) Thanks again for bringing this to my attention." nodded Oak stiffly; when he was told about the virus, he freaked out for a minute or two before profusely apologizing to Ash, promising to resolve the issue from his side. While the veteran Trainer forgave him easily, the elder felt he didn't deserve it.
"There's a Pokémon Center on the other side of the forest. Stop by there if you need help," explained Juniper, stopping Delia's rant.
"Oh, he'll need help, alright… eating my dust!" laughed Darwin, running off.
"Hey, wait up!" yelled Ash, chasing after the rookie. While the women giggle, Oak rubs his chin thoughtfully.
"What is it, Samuel?" asked Juniper, using the first name. Turning to his fellow Professor, Oak shook his head.
"It's probably nothing, but… yesterday, when Pikachu used Thunderbolt, I could've sworn his lightning turned blue for a moment."
(Route 1)
Pokémon commonly found in Route 1 are; Patrat, Lillipup, Watchog, Herdier, Audino, and Scraggy
"Enjoying the Habitat function?" questioned Darwin, walking beside the veteran after they slowed down.
"Sorry." blushed Ash, putting his Pokédex away.
"It's alright; with yesterday's bombshell, I can see why you're interested." nodded Darwin. Before Ash can ask more about his Pokédex, rustling is heard in a bush beside them.
"Huh?"
"[Over there.]" Pikachu points to the leaves moving. A large dark purple shape constantly moves in the bush.
"A Pokémon?" quirked Ash, taking his Pokédex out for a bit.
Axew, the Tusk Pokémon. Axew marks its territory by making scratch marks on trees with its tusks, which regrow if they fall out.
"That doesn't look like this." noticed Ash.
"Maybe it's a Trainer's? I mean, that looks more like hair than scales, don't you think?" suggested Darwin, hiding a quiver in his voice. Ash shrugged and agreed. Issue resolved, they turned away from the bush and walked away, not noticing the shape poke their head out, feeling like they missed an opportunity to make someone… their *****—
A sudden gunshot and a tranquilizer dart to her hair interrupted her thoughts, making her fall limp and the Axew in her hair fall unconscious.
"Whoa, wasn't expecting an OC to come by." commented a voice. Nearby, a figure shimmered into existence. The figure is wearing a black robe with a hood, shoulder pads, dark gloves, and boots. He wears a reaper-shaped mask to hide his identity. In Sega's world, he would've been mistaken for Reaper from Overwatch if it wasn't for the different weapons in his hands. This is Slayer, an omniversal bounty hunter with a plethora of weapons and gadgets from many universes.
Next to him is a Herdier with a spiked collar. Herdier is a light brown, canine Pokémon with a short snout. Its face has long, cream fur, which forms a mustache and a three-pointed crest. Its ears are large and perked, and it has a black nose. It has shaggy dark blue fur covering its body and a short tail. This hard, thick fur serves to protect Herdier from attacks. It has four short legs, with three-toed paws. Each paw has a dark blue paw pad.
"[Hmm… Strange.]" muttered Herdier, getting his trainer's attention.
"What is it?"
"[The OC smells similar to the Georgia counterparts we met. And no, he's not a male counterpart, I heard him mention a meeting with her.]" answered Herdier. Slayer quickly put two and two together.
"So he's her brother. Haven't seen OC siblings for a while. And Georgia's replacing the dragon ***** so that can only mean one thing. (Herdier looks confused) Confidenceshipping. I'm more of an Advancedshipper, but whatever." shrugged Slayer, watching the protagonists meeting with Ash's potential future love interest. Feeling a buzz, he took out a Scroll from RWBY and saw another bounty. The poster read "Dimension 12381480". He recognizes this dimension as "A Friend in Need" by Maysapphiremaple64. He also recognizes the green-haired boy in the poster.
"[Isn't that the Drew boy you dislike so much?]" asked Herdier carefully. He remembers his trainer calling him "The Bane to Advancedshippers Everywhere", and from what he saw and read, he could see why.
"If by dislike, you mean hate to my very core, then yes. (pumps gun) Let's sink some ships." quipped Slayer, referring to Contestshipping, one of his most hated ships, so much so that he even wipes the bastard from existence every now and then, free of charge. Opening a portal, he drags Iris into it for proof while Herdier carries Axew's and Excadrill's Poké Balls, trainer and Pokémon having the same thought.
'Go get 'em, Ash.'
(With the main group)
'Weird, why do I feel like we dodged a bullet?' thought Darwin before shrugging it off. A nearby bush rustle caught their attention as something walks out of it. It's a small feline Pokémon. She has mainly deep purple fur, with cream-colored patches on its muzzle, forehead, chest, forelegs, back, and back feet. She has green eyes with slit pupils and large angular pink eyelids. It has a blunt catlike muzzle with a small black triangular nose. It has pointed catlike ears and whisker-like tufts of fur on either cheek. It has a sleek, slender body with small dainty paws and feet. Its tail is long and skinny with a crescent-like tuft at the tip.
'Why does that Pokémon remind me of Meowth?' thought Ash. Darwin scans it with his Pokédex
Purrloin, the Devious Pokémon. Purrloin fools people into letting their guard down so it can steal their possessions. When angered, it uses its claws to fight back.
'Oh… that's why.' thought Ash dryly. Darwin sent the Purrloin a blank look, making her pout. He then realizes that this is his chance to catch his first Pokémon.
"Let's go, Tepig!" declared Darwin, taking out his Poké Ball and calling out Tepig.
"[Let's do this!]" snorted Tepig.
"Start off with a Tackle!" ordered Darwin. Tepig charges at the Devious Pokémon.
"[Too slow!]" giggled Purrlion, jumping to the side to dodge. Claws glowing white and slightly extended, she hit Tepig with a Scratch.
"You alright, Tepig? (she nods) Alright, Ember!" ordered Darwin. The orb at the end of Tepig's tail glows orange and she releases a spiraling stream of red-orange embers from her nose at Purrlion pre-Scratch. Off guard, she could do nothing but take the attack, getting launched to a tree. Purrlion frowned before opening her mouth, sending a wave of sonic energy towards Tepig, lowering the Fire-Type's Attack by one stage.
'Growl… haven't seen that in a while.' thought Ash. Come to think of it, why is that the case? Growl's one of the most basic moves most Pokémon can learn, yet he's only seen it a handful of times, especially at the start of his journeys.
"Two can play at the status game. Tepig, Tail Whip!" ordered Darwin. Groaning, Tepig faced away from the Dark-Type and shook her tail side to side, lowering Purrloin's Defense one stage.
"[Didn't Misty's Psyduck know that Move?]" muttered Pikachu, feeling the same as his Trainer.
"[Taste this and squeal!]" shouted Purrloin, claws glowing white with Normal-Type energy.
"That's Scratch! Tepig, keep away with Ember!" ordered Darwin.
"[Make me!]" retorted Tepig. The orb at the end of her tail glows orange and she releases a spiraling stream of red-orange embers from her nose at Purrloin. Getting hit in the face, the Dark-type spat out smoke from the Move.
'Dang, no burn.' sighed Darwin. While he knows the secondary effect of Ember has a 10% chance of occurring, that didn't stop him from hoping. "Quick, go for a Tackle while she's distracted!"
"[Seeya later, Purry!]" insulted Tepig, charging at the Devious Pokémon with her head lowered, ramming her opponent in the gut and launching her a few meters away, weakened.
"Let's go, Poké Ball!" shouted Darwin, throwing an empty one at Purrloin. Once the object struck her in the tail, she started glowing red before turning to energy and entering the open Poké Ball, which then fell and shook on the ground.
*Beep… Beep… Beep… DING!*
"WOOHOO! I JUST CAUGHT A POKÉMON FOR THE FIRST TIME!" yelled Darwin, grabbing the Poké Ball and holding it in the air.
"[With help from me!]" chimed Tepig, hopping onto her Trainer's side. Laughing, Ash joins his side.
"How does it feel for your first catch?" asked the veteran.
"It feels very rewarding… like I'm earning my way into the big leagues." described Darwin.
"I know the feeling. My first catch was a Caterpie from the Viridian Forest." sighed Ash, remembering his first catch. Before Darwin could take out his Pokédex for answers, another voice piped in.
"Mine was my Pawniard." Stepping out from behind a tree is a 17-year-old, short dark-pink-haired girl wearing teal clothes, a yellow panel hat, and yellow gloves. Before Ash can ask who she is, he notices her teal eyes, almost the same as…
"Georgia?! How did you know I was here?!" asked Darwin, surprised.
'Georgia… oh right, Darwin's older sister…' remembered Ash, looking the one-year-older girl over. For some reason, he has a feeling wash over him at the sight, similar to a few photos he looked at around a month ago.
"I had my Vanillite look for you when you didn't get to the meeting spot," answered Georgia, gesturing to the Pokémon floating aside her. She's a small Pokémon with a head covered with something resembling soft-serve vanilla ice cream. Beneath this lies its actual head, which is made of the same icy material as her body. She has dark blue eyes, a dark-blue mouth, and light blue crystals on her cheeks. Her small body is adorned with specks of ice and has stubby arms.
'An Ice-Type?' guessed Ash, scanning with his Pokédex.
Vanillite, the Fresh Snow Pokémon. Vanillite's breath is more than fifty degrees below zero when it exhales, creating ice crystals and causing it to snow.
Ash felt thankful that he packed winter clothing now.
"What meeting spot?" parroted Darwin. His sister crosses her arms.
"The only cave in the mountain closest to Nuvema Town? Does that ring any bells?" reminded Georgia. Darwin only blinked for a few moments before facepalming.
"Da—"
"LANGUAGE!" shouted Georgia, cutting off the potential swear. Ash jumps a bit at her tone.
"Sorry," muttered Darwin. Shaking her head and returning Vanillite, Georgia gets close to him, looking her brother over.
"Forget it, are you alright? I checked the news on my Xtransciever and heard about some freaky storm in town! Do you need bandages?! Ointment?! STITCH—"
"Gia, I'm fine!" stopped Darwin, blushing at his sister's overprotectiveness.
'They are definitely the May and Max of Unova.' compared the Kantonians.
"The only one hurt was Ash's Pikachu and the local Professor said Zekrom made that storm," added Darwin. Georgia clenched her fists at the name.
"A Dragon-Type… like usual, they cause nothing but trouble," growled Georgia. Ash grabbed Gible's Poké Ball protectively, relieved that the Sinnohlian Pokémon has been there all day. Noticing her fellow veteran, Georgia bows her head.
"Thank you for looking after my little brother. He's all I have left." thanked Georgia. Ash felt a heat fill his cheeks momentarily before he looked between the Langleys, taking in her words… and Darwin's scar.
'That explains how Darwin acted…'
"It's no trouble! In fact, for the most part, Darwin helped me!" insisted Ash.
"That's my brother, alright! He gets his brains from our mom!" smiled Georgia, hugging him.
"Gia, you're embarrassing me in front of Mr. Ketchum!" whined Darwin. At the name, Georgia let go, widened her eyes, and looked at the Kanto Trainer.
"Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town?"
"Yeah…"
"The semi-finalist of the latest Sinnoh League?"
"Yeah…"
"The same Trainer that beat two Legendary Pokémon when no one else could?!" gushed Georgia, feeling a little dark satisfaction for the Legendary Dragon/Psychic-Type taken down.
"Yeah…" nodded Ash, backing away slowly. 'Is this how Darwin would've acted yesterday if Trip hadn't said anything?'
"[Look over there!]" shouted Pikachu, pointing to the side. Saved, Ash followed to see a Stantler-like Pokémon spring into the meadow.
"One of the Pokémon from yesterday!" realized Ash, rushing after it, the Langley siblings following.
"Wait up!"
(Meanwhile, in a Cave)
A trio of low-grade villains pant, laying against the rock walls.
"They're… finally… gone." gasped a periwinkle-haired lime-eyed man in a black suit emblazoned with a red R on the chest.
"Next time we choose a cave, let's make sure it's not filled with Woobat… or any other Pokémon." gasped the Pokémon of the trio. He is a small, feline Pokémon with cream-colored fur that turns brown at the tips of its hind paws and tail. Its ovoid head features four prominent whiskers, wide eyes with slit pupils, two pointed teeth in the upper jaw, and a gold koban coin embedded in its forehead. Its ears are black with brown interiors and are flanked with an additional pair of long whiskers. This is Meowth, the Scratch Cat Pokémon.
"Speaking of Woobat…" smirked the magenta-haired, Oran Berry-eyed woman in a similar uniform, only with a skirt in place of the pants. She took out a Poké Ball, spinning it on her finger.
"You caught one, Jessie?!" gawked the man.
"Of course I did James, remember the squinty-eyed twerp's Crobat?" reminded Jessie.
"Who wouldn't?" shuddered Meowth, recalling all the Supersonics and Wing Attacks he suffered.
"Since Woobat is Unova's Zubat, and the twerp is here, I figured we can give payback," smirked Jessie. The idea made the trio laugh evilly, walking through the cave until…
"You shall not pass!" Blocking their path is a blue jellyfish-like alien with white swipes on his body resembling lightning streaks, the main body with three-segmented skirt-like parts for his head, chest, and abdomen, and six long tentacles that function as two pairs of arms and a pair of legs. He has a pair of green, pupilless eyes, and wears a green hourglass symbol on his chest. This is Ampfibian, an Amperi from the planet Tesslos… and the same universe as Sega.
"What da heck is that?! Sone sorta freakish Tentacool?!" compared Meowth.
"The closest I can find is Frillish!" answered James, looking through his cards.
"Whatever it is, it's blocking our way! No one messes with Team Rocket!" screamed Meowth, lunging at Ampfibian with claws glowing.
"Wait, Meowth, Frillish are—" James' warning came too late when Meowth clawed at his foe… only to pass through and faceplant on the other side. "Water/Ghost-Types."
"Let's test my new catch! Woobat, Air Slash that thing!" ordered Jessie, throwing her Poké Ball and bringing out her newest catch. Woobat is a blue, spherical Pokémon. It is covered in shaggy fur and has a large, piggish nose with a heart-shaped nostril. Two tufts of shaggy fur hide its eyes, and its mouth has a single fang in the center of its upper jaw. There are two relatively small, black wings on either side of his body.
"[Yes, Mistress!]" Woobat's wings glow light blue and he crosses them in front of his body. He then opens them up quickly, releasing multiple light blue glowing saw disc-like energy blades from his wings at Ampfibian. The alien responded by swimming through the air, evading the Flying-Type Move with ease.
"My turn." glared the Amperi, surprising the villains with his speech while he takes a gold key-like object and inserts it into the symbol on his chest. Yellow electricity glowed from the Omnitrix symbol as a white light surrounded his body. In a yellow spinning background, a gold bracelet surrounded AmpFibian's entire chest, connecting to the Omnitrix symbol. AmpFibian's arms formed braces at the tip as yellow electrical whips wigged around until we reached AmpFibian's head. AmpFibian's head bloated up and began to change shape.
"Omni-Splicer Ampfibian!"
"Did it just evolve?!" gulped James, stepping back with his allies… only to freeze while glowing pink, their eyes turning dull from psychic paralysis.
"Wow, Paradox was right, this Omni-Splicer power-up rules! (tendril-pumps) Too bad the key he gave me was one-time use only. Gotta give the idea to Azmuth next time I see him." spoke Omni-Splicer Ampfibian out loud. Hovering to his 'victims', his eyes glowed pink, doing the same thing Azelf did with Zekrom.
'Let's see where their obsession came from.'
(With the main group)
"Wow…" Ash felt a mix of awe and nostalgia, watching, from behind a bush, a herd of a familiar Pokémon. It is a Pokémon that resembles a fallow deer fawn. The upper side of its body is green in the late summer. It has a yellow patterned rim, and its underside is peach. It sports a yellow floral tuft on its head and similar yellow coloration on the insides of its tapering ears. The tips of its limbs are colored black and its green tail is small.
"I wonder…" Curious, Ash took out his Pokédex.
Deerling, the Season Pokémon. With the change of season, Deerling's appearance changes as well.
"First time seeing Deerling?" smiled Georgia, catching up with Darwin, the latter stopping to regain breath.
"They're amazing…" breathed Ash, nodding.
"I don't blame him… Deerling and their evolution are not only the only known Pokémon to change Forms depending on seasons… but they're also the first, and so far only, Normal/Grass-Types documented…" explained Darwin, breathing.
"Normal/Grass… Pikachu, want a go at one of them?" asked Ash.
"[Oh yeah!]" nodded Pikachu, excited for his first battle here.
"…What are you waiting for?" asked Darwin after a few moments.
"Another lesson in Pokémon, Darwin; when finding a group of the same Pokémon, wait until something unique about one of them catches your eye so you can know which one to catch," advised Ash. Groaning, Darwin kneeled by him, followed by his sister. They didn't have to wait long until the one that Ash followed glowed a dark pink before rushing to a Berry bush, leaving similarly colored afterimages.
"Whoa, that was Agility!" gasped Georgia.
"I know what the Move is, but why is it so special?" asked Ash curiously. In response, Georgia took out a completely pink Pokédex and typed.
Deerling's potential Egg Moves are; Agility, Baton Pass, Fake Tears, Natural Gift and Odor Sleuth.
"Egg Moves… oh yeah!" snapped Ash, remembering Brock's then-Lotad and what the Breeder told him about how he can know Water Gun.
"What's an Egg Move?" blinked Darwin, curious.
"Egg Moves are Moves that Pokémon inherit from one or both of their parents," explained Georgia.
"It's rare and not so many moves can be passed down," added Ash.
"Huh… wait, where's Pikachu?" noted Darwin, seeing Ash's empty shoulder. Alarmed, the three looked around… until a small stream of water hit Ash's head.
"GAH!" yelped Ash at the chill. Turning to the source, Ash sees no one responsible, but his partner racing to the Agility-capable Deerling.
"What is he doing?" asked Darwin. As if hearing, Pikachu glowed dark pink, seemingly vanishing, then catching up to the Normal/Grass-Type.
"[Hey, you!]" called Pikachu. Stopping his snack, Deerling lowered his head.
"[Who are you?]" asked Deerling. Pikachu was about to send a Thunderbolt until he remembered the Unovan humans' reactions from yesterday.
"[The name's Pikachu, and you're pretty fast, huh?]" greeted the Electric-Type.
"[So what if I am?]" asked Deerling.
"[Wanna prove it in battle?]" dared Pikachu. Deerling chuckled before glaring.
"[Bring it on!]" With that, he galloped a distance away.
"Pikachu, did you just ask the Deerling for a battle?" asked Ash, leading the trio to his Starter. Looking up, Pikachu nodded.
"[So you're trained, huh? That makes this interesting.]" laughed Deerling, pawing the ground.
"Alright, Pikachu, start off with Quick Attack!" ordered Ash.
"[Got it!]" Pikachu started running at his opponent, a trail of white light streaking behind him while he glows the same color.
"[Uh-oh!]" yelped Deerling before jumping to the side… only for Pikachu to redirect and ram him in the gut. "[GAH!]"
"Nice work, buddy!" praised Ash, watching the Normal/Grass-Type stumble before recovering. Glaring, Deerling growled at Pikachu, exhaling a burst of sonic energy that washed over Pikachu, lowering his Attack by a stage and making him cover his ears.
"Oh great, now Pikachu's Physical attacks will be weaker," noted Darwin.
"[Take this!]" yelled Deerling, galloping before charging at Pikachu with his head lowered before ramming the Electric-Type, sending him flying.
"That was Tackle," noted Georgia, watching Pikachu roll on the ground for a bit before standing.
"[One more!]" Deerling performs another Tackle, running at the Electric-Type.
"Pikachu, meet it with Volt Tackle!" yelled Ash, punching the air.
"Volt what?" synced the Langley siblings. To answer, Pikachu runs at Deerling. His body then becomes surrounded by golden electricity, looking black and white inside it.
"[Eat… THIS!]" screamed Pikachu, meeting with Deerling's Tackle, overpowering it within seconds and launching the Season Pokémon into a bush. Landing on a knee, Pikachu flinched, sparks erupting on his body.
"[This… isn't…]" breathed Deerling, stalking out of the bush.
"Man, dude took an electric Giga Impact, and he's still standing." whistled Darwin. Nodding, Ash flipped his hat; a gesture that made Georgia blush.
"That Deerling is definitely tough! Go, Poké Ball!" yelled Ash, throwing the empty projectile. Watching the sphere near him, Deerling only had time to nod before being absorbed into it.
*Beep… Beep… Beep… DING!*
"Yes! (picks up Poké Ball) My first Unova Pokémon! I caught a Deerling!" cheered Ash, raising it to the air.
"[Not a Flying-Type!]" added Pikachu, making a peace sign.
"Nice work A—" Rumbling cut off Georgia. Confused, everyone turned to the side to see a herd of Pokémon charging at them. They are rodent-like Pokémon that resemble a chipmunk. They're mostly brown with a tan stomach and face. They have a large pointed tooth that sticks out of their mouth. They have flat faces, and their cheeks are very round. Their ears are small and pointed. Their heads have a black band that covers the eyes, which have red irises with a yellow ring and black pupils. Their feet are small and black with three toes. Their long tail has a scruffy white tip and is usually standing up straight.
"HIT THE DECK!" shouted Ash, having Tauros flashbacks. It also didn't help that all the Pokémon have their mouths open, dark brown steel trap-like projections covering them in various sizes via Bite or Crunch.
"ON IT!" panicked Georgia, jumping to the side along with Ash. Darwin, on the other hand…
"Oh come on!" He tripped on an aboveground root. Wincing at the pain, Darwin turned upright, watching as the herd nears him.
'This isn't good.' growled Ash, grabbing a Poké Ball.
"Gible, save Darwin!" ordered Ash, throwing it in the air. Appearing in white light, the Land Shark Pokémon looks between Darwin and the herd.
"[I'll save ya!]"
"A Dragon-Type?!" gasped Georgia. Gible ignored her, backflipping into the air before diving underground, his head fin exposed. Racing towards the rookie, Gible circled around him… right when the herd charged over them in a cloud of dust.
"DARWIN, NO!" shouted Georgia, devastated. It soon became unfounded when Gible resurfaced in front of the veterans, claw holding onto Darwin's hoodie. Relief washed over the girl as she rushed to him. "Darwin, are you alright?"
"There were so many… I thought my life was gonna flash before my eyes…" gasped Darwin. Teary, Georgia hugged him, looking at Gible over his shoulder.
"Thank you." Hate is no longer present in her voice, only gratitude.
"Good work, Gible. (looks at fleeing herd) Who were those Pokémon anyway?!" asked Ash.
"Those were Patrat!" growled Georgia, helping her brother up. Curious, Ash took out his Pokédex.
Patrat, the Scout Pokémon. Extremely cautious, they take shifts to maintain a constant watch of their nest. They feel insecure without a lookout.
"Well, looks like we found this Region's Rattata, Pikachu." compared Ash. Pikachu nods, sighing tiredly.
"[Yup.]"
(Later, Night)
After that fiasco, the trio walked a mile or two before deciding to camp out. Ash had Pikachu and Gible forage for food… mainly Pikachu to keep a leash on Gible. The humans were setting up a tent while Ash and Darwin explained what occurred the day before.
"Zekrom nullified Pikachu's Electric Moves?" frowned Georgia after they finished.
"Pikachu must've stored and then let out all of his electricity. Because of all the intense stuff Zekrom was up to… At least, that's what the professor said." nodded Ash.
"Trust her Ash; I've worked under her a few times and know her enough to put my faith in her," advised Darwin. Nodding, Ash looked between the Langley siblings.
"So… did you two live in Nuvema Town?" asked Ash. Pain flashed in the siblings' eyes.
"No… our home was Iccirus City," answered Georgia sternly. Feeling that he was pushy, Ash nodded before taking out his Pokédex.
"Hey Darwin, can you tell me how to mute the details and go to the specific stuff?" requested Ash. Mind off the memories, the rookie nodded. After a quick and simple tutorial, Ash got the gist of it, using the Pokédex on Deerling's Poké Ball.
This Deerling is Male and has the Ability, Chlorophyll. It knows the Moves Tackle, Camouflage, Growl, and Agility.
Ash recognized the Ability from his second Sinnoh Gym Battle and figured it would come in handy. Following his lead, Darwin did the same for Purrloin.
This Purrloin is Female and has the Ability, Limber. It knows the Moves Scratch, Growl, and Assist.
"Assist? What kinda move is that?" wondered Darwin.
"And here I thought you knew every Move out there." teased Georgia. Darwin rolled his eyes.
"Assist is a Move that lets the Pokémon use a teammate's Move," explained Ash, remembering May's Skitty.
"Really?" blinked Darwin. Nodding, Ash grinned while pointing Deerling's Poké Ball at him.
"Wanna test out your first catch against mine here?" challenged Ash. Before Darwin could accept, Georgia stepped between them.
"Not so fast, Darwin! Remember our agreement when I let you be a Trainer?" ordered Georgia.
"Yeah… (slumps) My first Trainer Battle has to be with you," repeated Darwin.
"Don't sweat it, Darwin, we can battle after." waved Ash.
"Right, but before we do, I think we need to let your new catches out to eat," suggested Georgia, nodding at Pikachu and Gible carrying a load of apples and Berries to the camp.
"Right."
(Next Morning)
"The battle between Darwin and Georgia Langley of Iccirus City will now begin! Each side can only use one Pokémon and the battle will be over when one side is unable to battle." narrated Ash, using an abridged version of Darwin's announcement two days ago, and standing on a makeshift battlefield with the Langley siblings on either side.
"Let's go, Tepig!" shouted Darwin, bringing out his Starter.
"[Let's do this!]" nodded Tepig, pawing the grass.
"Beartic, let's go!" shouted Georgia, bringing out her Starter.
"Beartic?" echoed Ash, watching the Poké Ball open and show a Pokémon he hasn't seen before. Beartic is an ursine, quadrupedal Pokémon capable of standing on its hind legs. It has bluish-white fur with a shaggy tuft at its rear. Three spikes of ice hang from its lower jaw, forming a beard. Its face consists of a long snout, beady black eyes, and rounded ears. Its large forepaws have black claws and paw pads.
'Another Ice-Type?' thought Ash. Quietly, he took out his Pokédex.
Beartic, the Freezing Pokémon. Beartic's frozen breath can create fangs and claws made of ice. It lives in frigid northern areas.
"What the frick?! Why aren't you using your Vanillite?!" freaked out Darwin. Normally, Tepig would have the Type advantage, but given the gap in experience and power, it's been nullified.
"You're the one who told me, and I quote, 'Georgia, when I get my Starter, I want us to have a Starter battle'." reminded Georgia. Darwin grumbles while his Starter looks up at Beartic nervously. "Beartic, this is Darwin's first Trainer battle, so go easy on the little girl."
"[Yes, master.]" nodded Beartic.
'How does she know Tepig's a girl?' thought Ash, impressed. Shaking his head, and seeing no more banter, he chops the air.
"Let the battle begin!"
Darwin: Tepig VS Georgia: Beartic
"You first, dear brother." smiled Georgia.
"Alright Tepig, Tail Whip!" ordered Darwin, going on the defensive.
"[Understood!]" Nodding, Tepig faced away and wagged her tail. Following orders, Beartic folded his arms, feeling his Defense fall one stage.
"Beartic, follow up with a Slash!" ordered Georgia, swiping the air. Nodding, Beartic rushed toward the Fire-Type, left claws glowing white and extending.
"Keep away with Ember!" panicked Darwin. Feeling the same, Tepig snorted the Move at Beartic, only for the Ice-Type to take it with nothing but a flinch and striking Tepig with Slash, sending her close to Darwin.
'Dang, we were lucky that didn't turn into a critical hit.' thought Darwin, relieved. "Tepig, run around Beartic while using Ember!"
"[Alright.]" snorted Tepig before running to the side, firing Embers at Beartic.
"Switch to Night Slash to cut through," ordered Georgia. Her Starter nodded, his right claws becoming similar to Slash except purple. As he cuts through the repeated Embers while turning, Beartic suddenly felt his body temperature rise, evident by his body temporarily glowing red after a dozen or so Embers.
"Yes, the Burn effect kicked in! We got a chance!" cheered Darwin.
"Ember can do that?" blinked Ash. He's seen the Move used dozens of times and not once did it happen.
"Rarely, but yeah." nodded Georgia, seeing her Starter wince.
"Tepig, with the Burn affliction, Beartic's Physical attacks are halved in power. Strike now with a Tackle!" fist-pumped Darwin.
"[OK!]" Smirking, Tepig charges at the Burned Pokémon from behind.
"Bad choice, dear brother. Beartic, Ice Beam!" smirked Georgia.
"[Finally!]" whooped Beartic, stunning Tepig for a bit at his speaking before the Ice-Type turned around, opening his mouth, and a light blue orb of energy forms in front of it. He then fires multiple light blue beams of energy from the orb at Tepig.
"Dod—" The Move struck Tepig before Darwin could finish the command, resulting in most of her body in a block of ice save for her head.
"Sorry, little brother, but the battle's mine. End this with Slash!" ordered Georgia. Beartic nodded before running and swiping the Normal Move at Tepig, breaking her out of the ice and swatting her onto the ground in front of Darwin, eyes swirling.
"Tepig is unable to battle! Beartic wins, which means the match goes to Georgia!"
Winner: Georgia
'Let's see how you react.' thought Ash, looking at Darwin.
"Dang it. (sighs, kneeling to Starter) Sorry, Tepig. I should've made the conditions easier for the battle." apologized Darwin, not noticing Ash's smile.
"Good work, Beartic. (takes out large blue Berry) Have this for your Burn." suggested Georgia.
"[Rawst Berry, here I come!]" shouted Beartic, taking the Berry and eating it in one gulp, feeling his body temperature lower back to normal for his kind. Picking up his now-conscious Starter, Darwin walks to his 'mentor'.
"Hey Ash, mind if I ask you a few things?" requested Darwin.
"Sure." shrugged Ash.
"Do you think Pikachu can teach Tepig Iron Tail? Or if Gible can teach her Incinerate?" asked Darwin. Rubbing his chin, Ash turned to his Starter.
"What do you say Pikachu? Wanna take in a student?" asked the veteran.
"[About time!]" nodded Pikachu.
"Anything else?" quirked Ash.
"Why didn't you have your Pokémon teach each other Moves? I get Incinerate since Gible only learned it when you got here, but can't Pikachu learn Rock Smash and/or Dig while Gible can learn Iron Tail?" questioned Darwin. Ash brought up a finger and opened his mouth, about to answer… before lowering it and closing his mouth, thinking with his partner.
'That is a good question.' Come to think of it, while it wouldn't be helpful on Tobias' Latios, it would've come in handy against his Darkrai. Speaking of that Darkrai, if Sceptile knew Sleep Talk too, it would've saved him a lot of trouble and energy. Also, there were plenty of opportunities for Ash and his traveling companions at the time to have their Pokémon teach each other Moves. Finally, when he asked May about how she taught Glaceon Iron Tail, she reminded him of how she watched him train Pikachu that Move… and not Treecko…
"…HOW COULD I HAVE BEEN SO STUPID?!" yelled Ash, surprising the Langleys before he screamed out his frustrations into the air. Following his train of thought, Pikachu did the same.
"Did the thought seriously never cross his mind?!" shouted Darwin, holding his ears with his sister while his mentor vents out.
"I guess not." And to make matters more chaotic, chirping is heard above them when a flock of Flying-Type Pokémon starts going up the air. It is a mainly gray, pigeon-like Pokémon. It has golden, oval eyes and a tuft of feathers atop its rounded head. It has a short, black beak with a bulbous pink cere, and a black patch on the nape of its neck. There is a wide, heart-shaped area of lighter coloration on its chest. Pidove's black wings have a thick gray stripe down the side. It has pink feet with black talons.
"Whoa! What's that?!" Snapping out of his venting, Ash scans the flock with his Pokédex.
Pidove, the Tiny Pidgeon Pokémon. A Pidove flock's cooing can get extremely noisy. Pidove is attracted to shiny objects.
"[HEY!]" Soon, a majority of the flock left from Ash's shout, save for one that is glaring at Ash's Pokédex. "[Who are you to call us noisy?!]"
"…We can finish venting later, Pikachu. Right now, we got a new teammate to catch!" grinned Ash, impressed with the lone Pidove's bravery.
"Careful Ash! Chances are that Pidove's Ability is Super Luck, which—"
"Boosts the chance of a critical hit, I've seen that Ability in action!" Ash cuts off Darwin, thinking of Paul's Honchkrow. "Pikachu, go up the trees near the Pidove and Quick Attack!"
"[Smart!]" approved Pikachu, streaking up the trees before jumping up one and repeating the process. After a few, he smacks into the Normal/Flying-Type.
"Now, Iron Tail while you're close!" Pikachu's tail glows silver before turning to iron and he hits the Pidove with it, forcing her to descend in shock for a moment.
"[That hurt! Take this!]" shouted Pidove, flapping her wings and creating a blast of wind that headed toward Pikachu.
"That's Gust! Hold on, Pikachu!" ordered Ash, recognizing one of the most basic Flying-Type Moves. Straightening, Pikachu rolled backward from the Gust, striking his Iron Tail into the ground.
"He stopped himself from being blown away without a command?!" noted Darwin.
"Another lesson in battling, Darwin; experience is a good teacher," advised Georgia. As if proving her right, Pidove starts diving toward Pikachu while streaking white.
"Counter with your own Quick Attack, Pikachu!" The Electric Mouse Pokémon mirrored the Tiny Pidgeon Pokémon's Move, the former's tail normal again while the latter's momentarily flickering before being pushed away.
"What was that?" blinked Darwin.
"If two Quick Attacks collide with each other, the slower one gives first." taught Georgia. Shaking her head, Pidove ascended before waving her wings in an 'X'-like motion and a light blue 'X' shaped energy is released from the tip of her wings.
"That was Air Cutter! Dodge it, Pikachu!" ordered Ash. Not wanting to risk a critical hit, Pikachu complied, jumping to the sides to evade the Flying-Type Move successfully.
"Good choice." nodded Georgia, seeing Ash's hit-and-run tactics.
"Thunderbolt, now!" Surrounding himself in his type's namesake, Pikachu unleashed it through a bolt at Pidove. The Normal/Flying-type only had time to coo before being hit by the Super-Effective Move, falling onto her side afterward.
"This is it! (flips cap) Let's go, Poké Ball!" shouted Ash, throwing the sphere at the weakened Pokémon. Pidove only swatted the Ball in an attempt to deflect it… only to strike the button, making it absorb her.
*Beep… Beep… Beep… DING!*
"Yes! (readjust cap while picking up Poké Ball) I caught a Pidove!" shouted Ash, raising it to the sky.
"[Yes, we did!]" added Pikachu.
"Is that your signature? Shouting to the world that you caught a Pokémon?" asked Darwin curiously.
"I used to add a pose, but I grew out of that." shrugged Ash, scanning his newest catch.
This Pidove is Female and has the Ability, Super Luck. It knows the Moves Gust, Quick Attack, Air Cutter, and Leer.
'Note to self, scan my other Pokémon from the ranch when I get the chance.' thought Ash, thankful that Darwin linked the Pokémon Storage Systems across Regions.
"Good ca—"
"[What the?!]" Pikachu's startled yell cuts Georgia off, the humans seeing him grabbed by a metal claw before being put into a glass box where a familiar trio is standing on top of.
"Ugh! You guys, again?!" yelled Ash, only to blink at the burn marks on their temples. 'What happened to them?'
Again, the question, so twerpish indeed
The answer to come as we feel the need
Bringing the blinding white light of evil into the future.
Thrusting the hammer of justice down onto the black darkness of the universe.
And carving our names in the rock of eternity!
The fiery destroyer, Jessie.
And with thunderous emotion, I am James.
Wisest of the wise: Meowth!
Now gather under the name of Team Rocket!
"Team Rocket? Who are they?" blinked Georgia.
"And where are their jetpacks?" asked Darwin, astonishing everyone.
"Huh?"
"If you're named after a spaceship, then shouldn't you be wearing space suits, or at the very least, jetpacks?" questioned Darwin.
"Rocket's actually an acronym." corrected Jessie, surprising Ash.
'Wait, did I ever ask what the name meant?'
"It's short for 'Raid On the City, Knock out, Evil Tusks'," explained James.
"Oh… wait, does that mean—"
"They're a group of bad guys who steal people's Pokémon!" answered Ash to the Langley siblings, taking out an older Poké Ball behind him.
"Right. Evil deeds like stealing Pokémon are our stock and trade to rule the world! Because that's what we do!" smirked Jessie. Behind Ash, his Poké Ball opened, summoning Gible.
"And we claim Pikachu as part of our takeover of the Unova region!" added Meowth. Hearing the familiar Pokémon, Gible got the gist of it and silently used Dig.
"Hold on. You must be a Meowth. What are you doing here? Forget about that! How can you talk?!" gawked Georgia.
"Simple. I'm a genius. A Meowth that you only get to hear once in a lifetime." chuckled Meowth.
'And yet, you three don't notice the Pokémon cutting a hole into your box and leading your hostage out.' thought Georgia dryly, seeing Gible do so.
"No, an idiot is what you are." corrected Darwin.
"Excusez-moi!" exclaimed Meowth in a false French accent.
"I mean, if you're such a genius, why bother stealing Pokémon when you can just have people pay for Meowth to teach their Pokémon to talk?" asked Darwin.
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…Team Rocket's leaving for an honest business!" declared the trio as they left, leaving behind a dust cloud.
"[What…]" "[The…]" Both Pokémon look at Ash with 'WTF' faces, popping up from behind him.
"I think… Team Rocket's gone… for good," replied Ash, mirroring his Pokémon. Moments of silence passed, scaring the Langley siblings.
"Are you guys OK?" asked Darwin.
"…WOOHOO!" screamed Ash into the sky. The Langley siblings jump before he started doing cartwheels.
"[IT'S FINALLY OVER!]" screamed Pikachu, firing a Thunderbolt into the sky.
"[BOOYAH!]" yelled Gible, firing a purple energy orb from his mouth into the sky, which quickly split into many more that rained around them.
"Oh man, he knows Draco Meteor?!" gawked Darwin along with his sister. This went unnoticed as Ash ran up to Georgia, grabbed her shoulders, and, much to Darwin's surprise, kissed her straight in the lips!
'What the ****?!' gawked Darwin. Ash didn't notice, releasing a blushing Georgia and cartwheeling around the siblings.
'My… first… kiss…' droned Georgia, tracing her lips. As she processes her first kiss being stolen, she failed to notice bushes rustling behind her, unlike her companions.
"Uh… sis…" trailed off Darwin, snapping her out of her trance as she notices her brother, the Pokémon, and Ash looking behind her. Confused, she turns to see something walk out of the bushes, rubbing its head. It's an upright, meerkat-like Pokémon with large cheeks and a single, pointed incisor sticking out of its mouth. It is mainly reddish-brown with beige cheeks and neck. There is yellow striping on its chest and tail. Its hands, feet, and tail tip are white. Its red eyes have small black pupils and a yellow stripe. Black markings accentuate the eyes at their outer ends.
Watchog, the Lookout Pokémon, and the evolved form of Patrat. The markings on Watchog's body can glow to intimidate its foes. It has excellent vision, even in darkness.
"[Whoever did this is gonna pay…]" growled Watchog, looking around.
"How much do you guys wanna bet that Draco Meteor gave that Watchog his shiner?" asked Darwin, backing away.
"[Sucker's bet.]" deadpanned Pikachu. It was then that Watchog took notice of the group, particularly Gible.
"[…What?]" tilted Gible. Watchog roared before charging, conjuring a familiar, large steel trap-like Move.
"That's Crunch! Gible, move out!" ordered Ash. Nodding, Gible hopped to the side, getting the Normal-Type to miss him… and hitting a tree instead. Ferociously, he pulled his head back, spitting out splinters before glaring at Gible.
"Ash, I don't think a sorry will do any good here." gulped Darwin.
"If it's a battle he wants, it's a battle he's gonna get! Gible, Rock Smash!" ordered Ash, swiping his arm.
"[OH YEAH!]" shouted Gible, Fighting-Type energy coating his fist while he ran at Watchog.
"[Take a nap, little runt!]" growled Watchog, eyes glowing dark pink before sending invisible waves at the rushing Dragon/Ground-Type.
"[I'm… gonna… get… you…]" blinked Gible, slowing down before faceplanting, snoring afterward.
"Oh man, Hypnosis!" groaned Ash, recognizing the Psychic-Type Move.
"[Perfect.]" smirked Watchog, stalking towards Gible before grabbing him by the fin and smacking him onto the ground numerous times.
"That's a lotta Slams." winced Darwin.
"Gible, return!" ordered Ash, doing so right when Watchog was about to Slam for the twelfth time. 'That settles it, I'm having Heracross over one day to teach everyone Sleep Talk!'
"[Where did—]" blinked Watchog before seeing Ash with Gible's Poké Ball. Angry for being cheated out of his revenge, the Normal-Type rushed toward the Trainer, Crunch ready.
"Uh-oh!"
"Beartic, counter that Crunch!" ordered Georgia, taking out her Starter.
"[Yes, master!]" Beartic formed an Ice Beam, firing it at Watchog, only for the Normal-Type to evade and lunge over to him, striking the Dark-type Move onto the Ice-Type's shoulder. Beartic growls in pain.
"[Looks like I'll have to settle for you!]" yelled Watchog, eyes glowing dark pink.
"Beartic, cover your eyes!" pleaded Georgia. Beartic attempted to do so with his free paw; however, Watchog was too close, letting the Psychic-Type Move wash over.
"[I'm… sorry… Master.]" yawned Beartic, falling asleep standing up. Smirking, Watchog released the Ice-Type, only to spin and smack him with his tail via Slam.
"Oh no…" whispered Georgia.
"So that's his battle style… use a Physical Move to get up close, then he uses Hypnosis to put the Pokémon to sleep, and he keeps assaulting them in it," noted Ash.
"Cheap… but clever." frowned Darwin, watching his sister plead for her Starter to wake up while his opponent keeps using Slam.
"They are only two Abilities that counter sleep Moves; Insomnia and Vital Spirit." frowned Ash, remembering Marcel's Vigoroth.
"Insomni—what? (blinks before shaking head) Anyway, sorry to tell you this, but the only Unova Pokémon with Vital Spirit is Lillipup, and there are none in sight." pointed Darwin.
"Well, there's Plan B; we can feed Beartic a Chesto Berry to wake him up," added Ash.
"Oh… (winces) Hate to tell you this, but Berries don't grow in Unova; they're only shipped in and are only available in florist shops." dreaded Darwin.
"OH COME ON!" screamed Ash into the sky, unfortunately not waking up Beartic. Growling, Ash held his head, thinking. Another plan would be to use a Move like Wake-Up Slap or Aromatherapy, but he doubts any of their Pokémon know them. That leaves Plan… D…
'I don't know if this is ironic or planned.' "Darwin, your Purrloin!" shouted Ash. The rookie blinks before nodding.
"Right! Let's Go, Purrloin!" shouted Darwin, calling out his only catch. Forming, the Dark-type smiled, stretching.
"[Ah, this feels nice.]"
"Listen Purrloin, you're the only one of our Pokémon immune to that Watchog's Hypnosis, so get his attention with your Assist!" ordered Darwin, waving his arm. Nodding, the Devious Pokémon held up a glowing white paw.
'Please be Ember, please be Ember, please be Ember.' As if fortune is shining on him, the familiar Fire-Type Move is released from the glow.
"[What the— GACK!]" flinched Watchog, being pelted by Ember before stepping away from Beartic, who Georgia returned. Growling, orange aura covers his body before Watchog charged at Purrloin, kicking her into a tree. If it wasn't for a quick Growl, Purrloin might've lost consciousness.
"[That… hurt.]" panted Purrloin, holding her side.
"A Fighting-Type Move?" gulped Darwin.
"Not just any Fighting-Type Move; that was Revenge!" noted Ash, having seen the Move a few times in Sinnoh.
"Revenge?"
"It's a Move that doubles in power if the user was attacked before," explained Ash for Darwin.
"And what's worse; for Watchog, Revenge is an Egg Move," added Georgia.
"Aw come on!" whined Darwin, returning Purrloin. Chuckling, Watchog looked at the humans before his eyes started glowing.
"Is he really gonna hypnotize us?" frowned Georgia. Before Watchog could start up Hypnosis, Pikachu started running towards him, sacs sparking.
"Pikachu, do—" Ash paused when something amazing happened. The back stripes on Pikachu's back glow light blue with electricity. Pikachu then clenches his fists and his body becomes surrounded by blue electricity with large blue lightning bolts coming off of him as well. Pikachu then lunges at Watchog and slams his body into him.
"[AAAAAHHHHH!]" screamed Watchog, feeling the force of a few thousand lightning bolts, enough to send him flying off into the sky, smoking until he was nothing but a twinkle.
"What. The. ****." gawked Darwin. Georgia was too stunned to reprimand him.
"What was that?" gawked Ash, looking at where Watchog was blasted off. His only answer was his buddy depowering and falling facefirst onto the dirt. "PIKACHU!"
"Let me see. (rushes to Electric-Type, flipping him onto his back) I don't see any external damage, but I can't account for anything internal." noted Georgia. Activating his Xtransciever, a holoscreen formed over Darwin's wrist.
"There's a Pokémon Center a few blocks from here. If we hurry, we can make it in an hour, maybe less." suggested the rookie.
"Right!" With that, the three humans ran off, unaware of a certain Sea Otter having watched the fiasco.
"[That… was… AWESOME!]"
(Pokémon Center)
"Thank you for waiting. I'm happy to say your Pokémon are feeling just fine," assured Nurse Joy. Pikachu, Gible, Deerling, Pidove smile at Ash while Tepig and Purrloin smile at Darwin, and Beartic and Vanillite smile at Georgia while Pawniard can only nod, having no visible mouth. Pawniard is a small, bipedal Pokémon with a vaguely beetle-like appearance. She has a rounded red/black head with a silvery blade extending from the front. Her face is gray with yellow eyes. Four steel spikes protrude from her black torso, two on each side connected by steel ribs. She has red arms that end with knife-like blades instead of hands.
"Oh, I'm so relieved!" sighed Georgia, hugging her Pokémon, whom all hug back. Tepig and Purrloin tackle their Trainer to the ground, nuzzling him.
"That's great, Nurse Joy. Thank you." nodded Ash.
"Hey! Seeing a Pikachu and Gible? That's very unusual." commented Nurse Joy.
"Guess so. See, we're from Pallet Town. This is the first Pokémon Center we've seen since coming to the Unova region." explained Ash.
"Then welcome! And just like Kanto, if your Pokémon ever need help, or you need anything at all, feel free to stop by anytime!" smiled Nurse Joy.
"Thank you." nodded Ash.
"Just remember to keep Pikachu from using any Electric Moves for a few days, OK? (Ash nods) Good, here are the keys to your rooms. Have a nice day!" bowed Nurse Joy, giving the keys. Ash took them, leading the group to the rooms.
"So Nurse Joy thought Pikachu was just using too many Thunderbolts or something?" recapped Darwin, his Pokémon by his sides.
"Yeah. I didn't think it was needed that the new Move was the reason." shook Ash, hugging Pikachu while Gible and Pidove are on his shoulders and Deerling walks by.
"If that Move was what I think it was, that was a good call." nodded Georgia, hugging Vanillite while Beartic and Pawniard walked behind her.
"What was it?" dreaded Ash, he and Pikachu glancing at each other.
"One of Zekrom's Signature Moves; Fusion Bolt."
Ash's Pokémon Team
Pikachu (M): Ability: Static. Moves: Agility, Thunder, Iron Tail, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle, Thunderbolt, Fusion Bolt
Gible (M): Ability: Sand Veil. Moves: Dig, Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse, Rock Smash, Incinerate
Deerling (M): Ability: Chlorophyll. Moves: Tackle, Camouflage, Growl, Agility
Pidove (F): Ability: Super Luck. Moves: Gust, Quick Attack, Air Cutter, Leer
Darwin's Pokémon Team
Tepig (F): Ability: Blaze. Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Ember
Purrloin (F): Ability: Limber. Moves: Scratch, Growl, Assist
Georgia's Pokémon Team
Beartic (M): Ability: Snow Cloak. Moves: Slash, Night Slash, Icicle Crash, Ice Beam, Rock Smash
Pawniard (F): Ability: Defiant. Moves: Metal Claw, Iron Head, Guillotine
Vanillite (F): Ability: Ice Body. Moves: Avalanche, Mist, Icicle Spear, Ice Beam
Omarnosian10: What do you think?
Ash: Team Rocket won't be appearing again?
Omarnosian10: Not those three specifically, since you know, the two-part Rocket VS Plasma and other stuff.
Ash: Eh, I'll take it.
Omarnosian10: Speaking of Team Rocket, another thing. GIOVANNI IS NOT ASH'S DAD IN THIS STORY! I REPEAT, GIOVANNI IS NOT ASH'S DAD! THIS ISN'T STAR WARS!
Darwin: Man, you're passionate!
Omarnosian10: And I have good reason too! I mean, *pulls up images with digital de-aging for Giovanni* The two look nothing alike, they don't sound or talk alike, and in no way, shape, or form do they ACT ALIKE!
Ash: Whoa, calm down.
Omarnosian10: *does so* Sorry for my outburst, but I've always hated the conspiracy of your heritage. And before anyone asks, no, it's not Red either.
Georgia: The videogame guy?
Omarnosian10: None—I repeat—none of the videogame/manga protagonists, save for the ones that were canon in the anime, will appear! No Red, Blue, Gold, Silver, or even Black and White or Hilbert and Hilda!
Ash: This is really feeling like my Kanto journey. Wait, what about my Pokédex virus and how I caught Deerling, unlike canon?
Omarnosian10: There was a theory that because of the electricity you were struck with when Pikachu got overloaded, it affected your brain and Pikachu's, causing you two to 'reset'.
Ash: Man, that's rough.
Omarnosian10: It gets worst. From the same source, it was theorized that a similar occurrence was made at the start of your Hoenn journey.
Ash: But I never got struck by lightning. At least… not Legendary level.
Omarnosian10: No, but you were hit on the head with the stuff attracted to Team Rocket's magnet, potentially giving you brain damage.
Ash: Oh man! Why didn't I get this checked out?
Omarnosian10: You would've gotten out of it and insisted that you were fine.
Georgia: Can we please change topics?
Omarnosian10: Alright, for the virus, it's my own theory and a way to incorporate the new Pokédex mechanics into the story. Am I forgetting anything?
Darwin: What about the exclusion of Pokémon stuff Gen VI and beyond?
Omarnosian10: It's because in this story, Gen VI+ isn't made public yet. I need to account for potential Type changes, new evolutions, new mechanics, and other stuff.
Georgia: So is it like what you said about Incinerate being founded in Unova?
Omarnosian10: Precisely. Gen VI+ will have stuff founded in their first regions. Is that everything?
Ash: For now, anyway.
Omarnosian10: Good enough for me. SMOKEBOMB!
