Omarnosian10: Almost two months… how?!
Ash: To be fair, you had to add a lot of stuff and make the chapter less 'filler'.
Georgia: Plus, aren't you preparing to move soon?
Omarnosian10: Yeah…
Dawn: Cheer up, at least it's out now.
Omarnosian10: Alright… and ON WITH THE SHOW!
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. If I did, it would've given Ash a sensible harem, done Unova better (like anyone would), or done a lot of other stuff. All descriptions of Pokémon and most of their moves belong to Bulbapedia. A portion 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 12: Here Comes the Trubbish Squad!
(Route 3 road)
"How'd you deal with this pain?" It's barely been a day since Dwebble joined the group, with the gang now less than half a week away from Nacrene City. Speaking of the Bug/Rock-Type, having seen Pikachu and Piplup on their Trainer's shoulders very often, Cilan decided to let her ride on his shoulder to try the experience. Suffice it to say…
"[…Are you calling me fat?]" droned Dwebble, a gleam beginning to enter her eyes.
"[Says the woman with a rock on her back.]" retorted Pikachu. Before Dwebble could retort, the Electric-Type's ear twitched. Curious, he turns back.
"What is it, Pikachu?" asked Ash, the gang pausing.
"Do you guys hear something?" frowned Darwin.
"Yeah, it sounds like…" May cups her ear, looking back.
"Little kids?" followed Dawn. True to the gang's ears, coming their way is a group of five children on tricycles, with the lead having a wagon attached to his, and a Pokémon on it. Due to the distance, they couldn't make any details other than a dark green color.
"Whoa… Check it out!" blinked Ash.
"How cute!" squealed the girls.
"Everyone, please! Slow down!" Startled, the gang looks farther back to see a pair of women chasing the children.
"Hey, you all! Help us stop those kids, please!" Before the gang could do anything…
"Enemies sighted! Prepare to attack!"
"Hold on! What do they mean, attack!?" Before Ash could get his answer…
"Mud bombs, ready! And… fire!"
"Yes, sir!" The children began throwing mudballs at the gang. Before they could be pelted, Piplup jumped in front of the gang and conjured a small Whirlpool, letting the Move take their place and absorb the mudballs.
"Good work, Piplup!" praised Dawn.
"[I aim to please.]" puffed the Water-Type, dismissing Whirlpool once the children ran out of mudballs.
"Attack failed! Retreat!" ordered the kid in the front, most likely the leader.
"Yes sir!" At once, the children passed the gang in a blur, but not before the unknown Pokémon could scoop up…
"Ah! Oh no! They've got my hat!" exclaimed Ash.
"[Not again…]" groaned Pikachu. What is this, the hundredth time someone stole his Trainer hat? Before anyone could recover from the sudden attack, the five kids and the strange Pokémon were already escaping.
"I take back what I said about those kids!" snapped Georgia.
"Not exactly innocent pranksters…" coughed Cilan.
"First, a gang of Dwebble, then a bunch of Rugrats? What's next, a crew of ghosts?" groaned Darwin, wiping his glasses from any mud or water. The foreigners shifted their eyes, their experience shining through.
'If only you knew, Darwin.' Before the gang could go after them, the women stopped in front of them, panting from exhaustion.
"I'm so sorry!" The one apologizing has shoulder-length brunette hair with side bangs and a ponytail, blue eyes, and is dressed in a yellow apron with a pink shirt and jeans. She also appears to be in her early 20s. The other, elder woman has similar eyes, platinum blonde hair of equal length, and is wearing a red shirt, khakis, and a stetson hat.
"Those children are from my kindergarten class! Forgive them, please."
(Later, Hedwig Daycare)
As an apology for the trouble the kids did, the caretakers decided to bring the gang to their workplace and show them around.
"Holy crud! So many Pokémon Eggs!" exclaimed Darwin, surveying the ones contained in glass containers. Having sworn once while on the way, the caretakers were about to bring out the soap (don't ask) until Georgia stopped them and finally explained Darwin's swearing habit. He has no idea what most of them mean aside from, in his words, 'grownup terms', like *** for 'butt', ********* (and a few others) for 'jerk', ***** for 'coward', etc. With that, the caretakers relaxed (and have their faith in the next generation restored), with the elder one asking Darwin to use 'kiddie' words around the little ones. Confused, the rookie complied.
"The nourishing spirit I find here warms my heart!" explained Cilan, putting his hand over it.
"Ha ha ha! You're standing in my daycare! The name's Karena. This is my granddaughter, Daniela!" introduced the elder caretaker.
"Hello there. And this is the kindergarten class where I teach!" explained Daniela.
"Hi! My name is Ash! And this is my partner, Pikachu!"
"[Hi!]"
"I'm Dawn, and this is my partner, Piplup!"
"[Nice to meet you!]"
"My name is May."
"I'm Georgia, and my little brother is Darwin."
"Hey, I can introduce myself!"
"And I'm Cilan. A Pokémon Connoisseur!" finished Cilan, bowing formally.
"I'm really sorry about what happened today." apologized Daniela.
"Could you explain to us what happened? And what were those kids doing riding away from you?" asked Ash, feeling suspicious.
"You see, the children in my class found a Trubbish, just yesterday. And they decided to bring it here!" explained Daniela.
"Trubbish? So that's the Pokémon they had with them?" asked Dawn, searching her Pokédex.
"Yes, and they found it in a junkyard, at the edge of town!" explained Daniela. The image that came up is a Pokémon that resembles a full, dark green garbage bag with a knot at the top that acts like ears. Trubbish has oval-shaped eyes and large triangular teeth that resemble broken glass. Its arms look like trash spilling out of small tears in the bag with pink and blue objects protruding out of them. Its feet are dark green and stubby.
Trubbish, the Trash Bag Pokémon. Trubbish prefers to live in dirty places like garbage dumps. It is said they were born when a chemical reaction occurred between an abandoned trash bag and industrial waste.
'Sounds like Mu—Wait!' "My hat isn't garbage!" frowned Ash sternly.
"Hmm… It's a Pokémon with quite a unique recipe!" noted Cilan.
"Unique, yes. When I first saw Trubbish, I was anything but excited," admitted Daniela.
'Why do I feel like I won't like where this is going?'
Flashback
"Oh my… You brought that here!?" asked Daniela, surprised to see the Trash Bag Pokémon. She was just doing some errands around the school when the kids called her to tell her their news. Trubbish seemed excited and happy to see a new human that he could be friends with. But, the kindergarten teacher didn't seem impressed with the Poison Type Pokémon around her.
"Yep!"
"It was crying!" Trubbish contributed to the girl's answers with a nod.
"Hey, teacher? Can we keep Trubbish here with us?" asked the leader, smiling brightly.
"Yeah! Can we? Please?" pleaded a girl, clapping her hands together. Daniela sighed, knowing that she was going to cause a problem, but she knew that it must be done.
"I'm afraid not," answered Daniela sternly.
"W—Why not?"
"Because Trubbish here loves garbage. And we don't want garbage littering up our classroom now, can we?" answered Daniela.
"But we'll clean it up! Promise! Can we keep it? Pretty please?" pleaded the leader. Sadly, the adult is as stubborn as a Bouffalant.
"I said no! Now, take it back to the junkyard where you found it—" started Daniela, stepping forth until the kids began to huddle around the Poison-Type.
"No! We want to keep Trubbish!" demanded the leader, the others following.
"We want to keep it! We want to keep it!"
"I already told you, no!" snapped Daniela, annoyed while picking up the Poison-Type.
"[Aw…]" Depressed, Trubbish sighed, subconsciously letting out a green gas from his mouth. Soon, it spreads around, and the teacher holds her nose at the unpleasant odor.
"Ugh! That stinks! Was that Trubbish!? It smells horrible!" sputtered Daniela. Even the kids plugged their noses, but the leader resisted it.
"Trubbish does NOT stink!" snapped the leader. Inspired, the other kids followed.
"Trubbish does NOT stink!" Daniela frowned even more as she held Trubbish in her arms with her decision.
"Well then, in that case, I'll have to take Trubbish back to the junkyard by myself!" exclaimed Daniela as she walked out of the schoolyard with the saddened Poison-Type.
Once evening came around, Daniela placed the Trash Bag Pokémon back into the junkyard with a sad smile.
"Please understand. I can't keep you in my kindergarten class." reminded Daniela. She then walked off, leaving Trubbish even sadder, as he let out a pleading noise, only to be ignored when the teacher was out of sight.
Flashback End
'*****.' Was the obvious thought of a certain rookie. Less adult, but equal judging thoughts filled the rest of the gang's minds.
"Daniela brought Trubbish back to the junkyard where the kids first found it! But, we both woke up to see something that you wouldn't believe!" sighed Karena.
"…Did they bomb the bathroom with diapers or something?" asked Darwin sourly.
"Wo—No! They're all potty-trained… but if they weren't, they might've done that," admitted Daniela.
"It's slightly better than that. Follow us, and you'll understand." sighed Karena. With that, the caretakers led the gang out the back, showing…
"They brought the junkyard to them…" True to Dawn's words, piles upon piles of junk littered the schoolyard. Thankfully, the stench isn't as bad as Darwin's hypothesis. Also, a majority of junk blocked the way to a tree with a tree fort.
"[Whoa… What in the world is this?!]" gawked Pikachu.
"What is that thing?" asked Ash, seeing that it was more organized than a usual junkyard.
"You see, the children and Trubbish made this awful thing with the junk they found!" explained Daniela.
"It has the recipe of a secret base…" noted Cilan.
"Whoa… A secret base? Man, those kids are good!" exclaimed Ash. The girls giggled at him, happy to see something impress him. Caught, Ash cleared his throat, blushing.
"I'd better do something quick!" replied Daniela, frowning at the junk barrier surrounding the treehouse fort.
"Would you all mind helping Daniela clean this whole mess up?" asked Karena.
"No problem! We'll help clean this up!" agreed Ash.
"[Yeah!]"
"Count me in/I'm in/Me, too!" added the rest of the gang.
"That's so nice with all of you! Thank you all!" thanked Daniela. Before the gang could bring out their Pokémon to help, the tree fort entrance opened up. Curious, they turned to see the leader coming out, quickly followed by the others; all of them wearing box armor and wooden swords, with the leader even wearing Ash's hat.
"Out of curiosity, what are their names?" asked Georgia, watching Trubbish crawl behind.
"The boy in the cap is Avery Hirota (Darwin snickers until May ribs him), the boy on the left is Lucas Barr (Dawn flinches, then blinks in confusion), the… chubby one is Evan McKay, the young lady with the orange bow is Nora Chapple, and the lady with the hat is Maggie Thompson," informed Daniela.
"Look, this is the Trubbish Squad Super Secret Base! And grown-ups aren't allowed to come inside!" glared Avery.
"Right! No grown-ups allowed!"
"Trubbish Squad Super Secret Base?" repeated May, bewildered.
"They're just playing games, of course." defended Cilan. Ash only stared up at the kids, smiling.
"Class! Come on! You need to stop with these silly games right now!" cried Daniela.
"I know. Let me talk to them! (others looked in surprise and confusion) I played games like this all the time when I was little! They were kind of fun! So, I kind of know what they're talking about!" explained Ash.
"Ash, that's a great idea!" smiled Karena. Daniela looked as if she was about to rethink, before her grandmother nodded to her, causing her to go along with it.
"Hold on, Ash. I think Darwin should go with you," noted Georgia.
"WHAT, WHY?!" The rookie did not ask for this.
"I see what you're going with. (nods) He is the youngest of us; therefore, closest to the children's age." nodded Cilan.
"I'M STANDING RIGHT HERE!"
"Are they wrong?" snarked Dawn. Pausing, Darwin groaned, rubbed his eyes, and complied.
"Plus… (shifts uncomfortably) Lucas and Maggie are afraid of Water Pokémon after almost getting drowned by one a few months ago, so I believe it's best that you remain down here," informed Daniela, looking at Dawn and Piplup. She recognizes the latter due to having cared for Sinnohian children.
'Join the club.' May hold Ash's hand, the Temple of the Sea incident fresh in their minds. Dawn and Georgia felt a flare of jealousy; however, seeing their traumatized looks, the rivals conceded.
"OK, so no Oshawott…" Ash nodded before a thought crossed his mind. "Speaking of Pokémon… any chance you have a Transfer Machine?"
(A few minutes later, Secret Base)
"Ah! Intruders alert! Alright then, Trubbish! Go! Attack!" At the sight of the two climbing in, Avery freaked out.
"[Yes sir!]" Nodding, Trubbish leaped toward the duo, arms lit up in white via Double Slap.
"Send it right back with an Iron Tail, Pikachu!" pointed Ash.
"[Take this!]" Nodding, Pikachu lit his tail in Steel before jumping off Ash's shoulder. Swinging the appendage, he struck the Poison-Type, launching him back.
"Can we all just calm down?" asked Ash. He only got Avery glaring at him while the others grabbed mud balls.
"Thanks, Trubbish… Alright, gang! Let's avenge Trubbish! Fire!" ordered Avery.
"Yes, sir!" At once, the four kids called as they all threw their mud balls at the two boys.
"I'll take it from here! Purrloin, use Iron Tail to deflect!" ordered Darwin, bringing out his feline Pokémon.
"[Ugh…]" Reluctant to get dirty, Purrloin complied, shifting her tail to Steel. Unlike Pikachu's, her Iron Tail is much more flexible, letting her bat away the balls easier.
"Watch the fan assault!" shouted Avery.
"Right! Yes, sir!" Evan pressed a button of a fan, turning it on. Looking around, Ash noticed a rope connected to it being pulled, bringing along a large stick holding up a box below—
"Darwin, look out!"
"Huh?" The rookie didn't have time, letting the box he was standing on trip him and almost drop him outside… if Purrloin hadn't used her sustained Iron Tail to grab his arm. "Thanks."
"[Don't mention it.]" Huffing, the Dark-Type pulled her Trainer back in.
"Strike three and you're out!" grinned Ash smugly… only for him and Darwin to get squirted by water guns.
"The two prisoners will stay silent!" demanded Avery. Dryly, Purrloin lunged around, claws lit up white… and the squirt guns fell to the ground, all of them cut in half.
"Hey, I had to save up my allowance to pay for those!" pouted Evan. That only earned him a dose of Fury Swipes.
"Who're the prisoners now?" said Darwin smugly.
"Alright, now can we talk?" glared Ash, looking rarely intimidating.
"Uh-oh…"
(Later…)
"Wow… I'm impressed. Cool!" Fear for the eldest was replaced with pride once the children led the Trainers in deeper.
"[Yeah…]" admitted Pikachu, looking around with his Trainer.
"Did you make this base all by yourselves?" asked Darwin.
"Uh-huh! With a whole lot of help from Trubbish!" smiled Maggie, the Poison-Type nodding.
"Hey! You're not allowed to be friendly with the enemy!" snapped Avery.
"Silence, prisoner!" ordered Darwin, rubbing Purrloin in his arms like a stereotypical villain. This would've been humorous… if Purrloin's glare didn't add an intimidation factor.
"Anyway… (clears throat) Let's get introductions out of the way to start this off," ordered Ash. Hesitant, the children went first, quickly followed by the Trainers. However, when Pikachu's intro comes to…
"Oh wow! I've never seen a real Pikachu before!" exclaimed Nora, the children amazed.
"Pikachu is both cute and cool!" added Evan.
"Is it alright if we pet him… or her?" asked Lucas sensitively.
"First, Pikachu's a boy. You can tell by the end of his tail. (Electric Mouse wags it) A girl's tail would have the end look like the top of a heart while a guy's looks like this. (children awes) Secondly, pet, but do not pull! Otherwise, Pikachu would zap you with one of his Electric Moves." warned Ash. Getting nods, he let Pikachu down, with the Electric Mouse running to the center. Amazed, the children aside from Avery began petting the Kanto Pokémon, heeding Ash's warning.
"What the…" Suffice it to say, Avery was surprised at the 'act of mercy' given by the 'enemy'.
"The thing is, we don't want to be enemies. We just want to talk!" explained Ash. This time, Avery was truly gentle about this situation.
"You mean it?" asked Avery, gentle for the first time the Trainers met him.
"Yeah, it's no secret that your teacher's a giant *— (Ash ribs him) butt," answered Darwin, wincing at his slip-up. Smiling, Avery looked at his friends.
"Um… Would it be alright if I pet Pikachu, too?" asked Avery.
"Sure! No problem!" nodded Ash. With that said, all five kids began to pet the Kanto Pokémon.
"You were kidding about Pikachu zapping them, were you?" asked Darwin lowly.
"No, it happened dozens of times before. Thankfully, those were low voltage." shook Ash. He really needs to warn people of this more often.
"Hey mister, do you have any other Kanto Pokémon?" asked Lucas. Darwin paled, remembering the sparring Primeape's done this past week alone.
"I don't think that's a good—"
"Don't worry Darwin. (takes out Poké Ball) I swapped out Primeape for someone Trubbish would certainly like. (Trubbish and children perk up) Muk, come on out!" declared Ash, aiming it next to Trubbish. Once the Pokémon emerged, it quickly blurred over to its Trainer, smothering him.
"[I've missed you~!]" Ash's Pokémon is a large, sticky, amorphous Pokémon made of living purple sludge. He has two small eyes with beady black pupils. He also has an enormous mouth with a gray tongue and strands of ooze connecting his top and bottom jaws. While he has no visible legs, he does have two arms with three fingers on each hand.
"What kinda Pokémon is that?!" Surprised (and slightly disgusted), Darwin scanned with his Pokédex.
Muk, the Sludge Pokémon, and the evolved form of Grimer. They love to gather in smelly areas where sludge accumulates, making the stench around them worse.
"Whoa/[Amazing]…"
"I've missed you too, buddy. (hugs Muk back before standing) Like I said, this is Muk; one of my friendliest Pokémon. I guess you can call him the… does Trubbish have an evolved form?" asked Ash to Darwin.
"Garbodor."
"OK, thanks— The Garbodor of Kanto." waved Ash.
"[Amazing…]" repeated Trubbish, looking at the senior Poison-Type. Smiling, Muk hugged him.
"I brought him here because it's obvious that you all like Trubbish that much, right?" asked Ash.
"Yeah! We love Trubbish! Yeah!" grinned the kids. Avery walked over, taking off Ash's hat.
"Here, Ash. I want you to have your hat back. Sorry about that." apologized Avery.
"Oh hey, thanks a lot." smiled Ash, taking the hat, and put it on his head. All the kids laughed together as both Ash and Darwin looked at each other with smiles on their faces. Things were starting to look a bit easier now.
"Alright, with the introductions out of the way, let's negotiate the terms. (clears throat, kids turning serious) Out of curiosity, why didn't one of you kids hide Trubbish in your home?" asked Darwin. Ash facepalmed, grateful for Darwin's help now; he wouldn't have thought of that if he was alone.
"I tried, but our teacher told our parents about Trubbish, and hiding him became impossible." sighed Lucas. Similar responses came from the others.
"Especially for me; my mom owns a family inn, and the janitor leaves the place spotless after every check-out." frowned Maggie.
"OK, it's one thing to keep Trubbish out of a single building, but ostracizing him?! What is wrong with that woman?!" groaned Darwin.
"What does Astro—that word mean?" asked Nora.
"It means leaving someone out of something, like a group or business," explained Ash, arms folded.
"Oh… that meanie!" shouted Nora. While the children were voicing their opinions, Ash was scratching his chin, thinking. This can't be a case of Poképhobia since having a Transfer Machine would be counterintuitive and Daniela has many Pokémon Eggs to care for. Plus, they're right about Daniela going too far with extending her opinion to their parents. It's almost as if…
"WHOA!" Evan's yelp caught everyone's attention. Looking, they see him gazing outside. Following, they gather by the entrance and SEE…
"A Sandile?" blinked Darwin, seeing the Ground/Dark-type Dig out of the ground and crawl towards the fort.
"Intruder alert! Everyone, prepare to attack!" called Avery.
"Let's go!" Alert, they all ran to get some of their mud balls. The Trainers remain, catching a glint coming off of…
"Sunglasses… Hey… Isn't that the Sandile from…?" started Ash.
"Yeah… It's that Sandile who came from the spa where Lillipup joined me!" finished Darwin. Curious, everyone climbed down (Ash helping Muk) and faced Sandile.
"[Enemy spotted!]" Glaring at Pikachu, Sandile's back began glowing orange before multiple orbs of similar energy come off it and float in midair. The orbs then take the shape of a circle and spin around in midair. The orange orbs then form into sharp gray stones before being fired at the group.
"That's Stone Edge! Everyone, get back!" ordered Ash, remembering the Move from his time in Sinnoh. All the kids ran off as the Stone Edge hit near the boys' feet. Angry, Pikachu glared at the Ground/Dark-Type, who smirked back.
"[Protect the children!]" Muk rushed in front of the kids, glaring at Sandile.
"Thanks!" Grateful, the kids prepped their mudballs.
"Time for a mud ball counterattack! GO!" called Avery. With that, all the kids threw their mud balls at the Ground/Dark Type, who grew startled by the mud thrown at him.
"[Ambush! Counterattack!]" Glaring at the kids, Sandile fired another Stone Edge… only for Muk to take it, the rocks harmlessly sliding off.
"[If you want the children, you'll have to go through me!]" glared the Poison-Type.
"[So cool~!]" gushed Trubbish.
"If you want a battle, that's what you're gonna get! Muk, use Sludge Bomb!" waved Ash.
"[For the children!]" Hatred filling his heart, Muk opened his mouth wide, letting loose balls of purple mud. Smirking, Sandile remained stationary, expecting the Poison Move to not hurt so much. Imagine his surprise when it exploded and launched him to the other side of the yard, aching his body.
"Whoa, that's cooler than Trubbish's Sludge!" admitted Evan… before feeling glares from the other kids. "I mean—"
"[Can I be that strong someday?]" Trubbish's awe saved the kid, the Poison-Type's eyes sparkling.
"[Sneak attack!]" Growling, Sandile burrowed underground.
"Aw ma—Wait, does Muk know Dig?" shifted Darwin.
"No, but I don't need it. Use Body Slam on the ground!" fist-pumped Ash.
"On the ground?" echoed the kids. Nodding, Muk launched himself into the air (surprising the kids with his height) before crossing his arms. Once he reached his limit, he began falling, his landing causing a mini-earthquake.
"[AH!]" Sandile bursts from the ground, his body close to Muk.
"Wow!" awed the children. Sandile regained his balance in the air and formed Bite.
"Block it." With the simple command, Muk brought up his arm, the Dark-Type Move hitting the appendage harmlessly.
"[Ugh…]" shuddered Sandile, tasting the slime.
"Finish it with Mud Bomb!" waved Ash.
"[This is for my Trainer, his friends, and the children!]" roared Muk, swinging Sandile upwards. Opening his mouth, the Poison-Type let loose mud balls of his own, the projectiles exploding on impact.
"[This isn't over Pikachu! Do you hear me?! I'll be back~!]" wailed Sandile, blasting off. The kids grew speechless at first, but then they all cheered for their victory.
"Yeah! We won!" declared Avery.
"YEAH!" The four kids ran around the Kanto trainer, commenting on how great they were.
"That was awesome, Muk!" complimented Lucas.
"We really did it! Didn't we, Ash?" asked Maggie.
"We sure did!" agreed Ash.
"[YAY!]" cheered Muk, hugging his Trainer and teammate.
"Man, I hope Sandile survives…" hissed Darwin, looking at where the Ground/Dark-Type was sent off.
"Don't worry, I've sent Team Rocket blasting off hundreds of times. If Sandile's as stubborn, he'll survive." nodded Ash, Muk releasing him.
"[Please teach me your ways!]" begged Trubbish, bowing to Muk.
"Look like you have a fan Muk." chuckled Ash. His Poison-Type only groaned.
"[What has my life become?]"
(Meanwhile, Other Side)
"Anyone got 4?" Having decided to wait on standby, the gang decided to have their Pokémon associate with Dwebble while playing Go Fish with the caretakers.
"No/Sorry/Cards, not the number." Various responses came from Dawn's opponents. Sighing, she drew a 9.
"Are you sure your friends can get rid of Trubbish? Also, anyone got aces?" asked Daniela. The gang shielded their faces to hide their frowns at the 'get rid of' notion.
"Sure. (hands two cards over) Also, I know Ash will do the right thing. (looks at cards) I'm looking for a 9." answered May. Grumbling, Dawn handed her newest card over.
"Darwin too, although he might be a bit impulsive in his talking. (looks at cards) Any of you girls and guy got a king?" asked Georgia.
'Perhaps I should've gone with the others,' sighed Cilan, having been on the receiving end of some gender jokes. The regret didn't stop him from handing his card along to Daniela. Suddenly…
"Three cheers for the Trubbish Squad!" Avery's loud voice pierces the comfortable silence the group had. "HipHip—"
"Hooray!"
"It sounds like both Ash and Darwin started playing with those children, too!" exclaimed Daniela, biting her lips.
"What are those two doing that for?" asked Georgia.
"So much for changing their minds…" sighed Cilan. Daniela then stepped up, glaring at the tree fort and the junk barrier.
"And that means… I've got to take care of this myself!" snapped Daniela as she began to walk over to the junk barrier.
"Right, dear." frowned Karena. Returning their Pokémon and putting the cards away, the group walked over to the junk barrier, getting over it.
"Children, we need to talk this over!" called Daniela.
"And—What happened here?" blinked Cilan, looking at the damage Muk and Sandile's battle caused.
"Well, you see… One thing had led to another…" explained Ash.
"[Yeah…]" agreed Pikachu; Trainer and Pokémon nervous.
"It's a sorta long story that we'll explain later." winced Darwin.
"Now, look! How long are you all planning to stay in all this junk?!" scolded Daniela.
"We're gonna stay here unless you say that we can keep Trubbish!" demanded Avery.
"Or at least for any of our parents to do that!" added Nora.
'She did what?!' mouthed the girls and Cilan. The Trainers nod, Darwin glaring at the young teacher.
"I'm very sorry, but that's impossible. Please, just try to understand." pleaded Daniela.
"I will NOT!" screamed Avery.
"And we won't, either!" declared the other kids. Before Daniela could persist any further, she caught sight of another Poison-Type talking to Trubbish.
"What?! Is?! That?!" scowled Daniela, pointing.
"Ash, isn't that your Muk?" blinked May. Turning, Muk smiled and waved.
"[Hello, potential mates of Trainer!]" greeted Muk before going back to talking.
"Ash and Muk? Such an unusual dish." hummed Cilan.
"A Mu— You brought a Poison-Type to my class?!" glared Daniela.
'I knew it,' frowned Ash. Daniela… is a Poison-Type Misty, and by the sounds of it, much worse. Holding his anger, Ash stepped up.
"Come on, Daniela. At least give them a chance to let them what they want to tell you!" suggested Ash, trying the diplomatic route.
"No, Ash! Will you and Darwin please stay out of this!" snapped Daniela. Ash sighed, seeing that this wasn't working well one bit.
"Oh, man…"
"Remember, boys. This is my kindergarten class!" reminded Daniela roughly.
"This isn't just your class, this is their kindergarten class, too!" snapped Darwin.
"It's my job to protect the children at all costs! And that means I've got no choice but to force those Poison-Types to leave!" demanded Daniela, taking out a Great Ball.
"When will you ever learn, witch, that you can't make all the decisions for yourself?" sneered Darwin, the girls snickering. "You have to give your kids a chance to—"
"You be quiet! Sawsbuck, come help me!" called Daniela. Coming out is a brown and cream, deer-like Pokémon with rhomboid ears and darker ear insides. Her eyes have light-orange markings that curve down to the sides of her face. She has a dark-brown nose, and she sports cream fur on her chin and the sides of her face. Light-orange stripes rim her underbelly, and her back is decorated with orange spots. Her limbs are slender and tipped with hooves. She sports a cream tuft of fur on its chest, and the leaves on its antlers are red and brown.
'Is that Deerling's evolved form?' noted Ash, quickly taking out his Pokédex.
Sawsbuck, the Season Pokémon, and the evolved form of Deerling. The plants on Sawsbuck's horns change depending on the time of year, and people often use them to measure the passing of the seasons.
'With what's at stake, Deerling's a no-go.' frowned Ash. 'Especially Oshawott; don't wanna traumatize Lucas and Maggie. Maybe Pidove or Tepig could—'
"[Trainer… (moves to Ash's side) Let me handle this.]" suggested Muk, glaring at the Normal/Grass-Type.
"Are you sure, Muk? You just battled not too long ago." frowned Ash. At his Poison-Type's determined nod, he smiles. "Well, I'm not stopping you."
"Let me join in on the fun. Let's Go, Lillipup!" shouted Darwin, bringing out his canine.
"Ash!? Darwin?! What are you doing!?" shouted Daniela, the kids surprised as well.
"Both Darwin and I wanted to know that we're part of the Trubbish Squad, too!" declared Ash.
"We're not gonna let you force your Poison-Type hate on others!" added Darwin.
"[What Master Darwin says!]" nodded Lillipup.
"Yeah! Let's hear it for Ash and Darwin!" shouted Avery.
"Yeah!"
Daniela: Sawsbuck VS Ash/Darwin: Muk & Lillipup
'Good luck, you two!' mouthed Georgia, the gang behind Daniela to hide their faces.
'We'll be cheering you on!' added Dawn. Cilan only gave a thumbs up.
"If that's how you want it! Alright, Sawsbuck! Use Takedown!" shouted Daniela.
"[Down with the filth!]" Sawsbuck crouches down and a white force field surrounds her body. Her body then becomes surrounded by a white aura. Sneering, she began her charge toward Muk.
"Lillipup, go behind Muk and support with Helping Hand!" waved Darwin.
"[Yes, Master Darwin!]" Nodding, the canine Pokémon leaped behind Muk before lightly stabbing a rainbow-glowing paw into the Poison-Type.
"Block it, Muk!" called Ash. Nodding, Muk braced himself. Once the Normal Move struck, Sawsbuck bounced back, flinching from both the recoil damage and touching a Poison-Type.
"I'll try to keep that girl still. Lillipup, Attract!" waved Darwin.
"[Smart, Master Darwin!]" Winking, Lillipup sent a multitude of white energy hearts toward the Normal/Grass-Type.
"[How dare—]" That was all Sawsbuck got out before the hearts sank into her body. Instantly, her eyes became hearts.
"Snap out of it, Sawsbuck!" shouted Daniela. Sadly, her words fell on deaf ears.
"[Hello~ handsome!]"
"Thanks for the assist, Darwin. Muk, add to that with a Sludge Bomb!" fist-pumped Ash.
"[For my fan!]" Lighting up with a rainbow aura via Helping Hand, Muk unleashed his Poison Moves, the mud balls coated in rainbow auras as well. Once they struck Sawsbuck's chest, they exploded on impact, launching her into the junk barrier.
"[Why…]" Sawsbuck snapping out of her infatuation couldn't come at a better time; evident by the bookshelf above her beginning to fall. Quickly, she caught it with her antlers. While Sawsbuck kept it up, Karena noticed the rest of the barrier shaking.
"Ah! Sawsbuck, don't move no matter what! Otherwise, that mountain of junk might collapse!" warned Karena, seeing the rumbling junk. Immediately, Sawsbuck attempted to hold the junk back more.
"Ash, Darwin, Daniela. Forget this battle at once!"
Winner: 'Draw'
"Ash!/Darwin!" Immediately, the rest of the gang followed Karena into the junk to assist.
"Girls, Cilan, take care of the kids!" called Ash. The four agreed as they ran to help out. Sadly, Avery remained in place.
"This is dangerous! We have to get out of here right now!" explained Daniela, running to her stubborn student.
"NO! I'm going to stay here with Trubbish, and that's that!" screamed Avery, shielding Trubbish from the teacher's sight.
"No, please, Avery. You've got to listen to me— Ah!" pleaded Daniela, until there was another rumbling. Looking around, she gasped at the large bookshelf falling toward both Avery and Trubbish, the two not noticing.
"No! Look out!" yelled Daniela as she ran behind Avery to protect her student. The bookshelf fell on her back, putting pressure on Daniela.
"DANIELA!" Karena gasped at her granddaughter in pain, not noticing a large tire bouncing toward her.
"[Look out above!]" Several mud bombs struck the tire and exploded, launching it away. Just noticing, Karena gasped in fright before looking to see Muk staring at her. Giving him a grateful smile, she went around to help. The deed didn't go unnoticed by her granddaughter.
'That Poison-Type… saved Grandma? Uh, forgot the pain!' "Ugh… Please, Avery. Just do it for me!" grunted Daniela, using all her strength to keep the weight.
"[Everyone…]" Trubbish looked around, seeing that everyone was trying to help and protect the kids and himself.
"Hurry! Get out of here! It's gonna collapse!" grunted Ash, he and Pikachu kept pushing the other bookshelf with Sawsbuck.
"The barrier won't hold for much longer! We all have to move, NOW!" yelled Darwin as he pushed back the junk that was about to fall at the kids.
"Get into the treehouse!" called May. In pairs, the gang helped the kids up; May with Maggie, Dawn with Lucas, Georgia with Evan, and Cilan with Nora.
"Ugh… Hurry!" grunted Karena, helping Cilan with Nora when the latter tripped. The more Trubbish looked around, the more he saw the humans and the other Pokémon helping each other.
"[They're helping my friends… so I need to help them in return!]" Nodding in determination, Trubbish crawled to where Ash, Pikachu, and Sawsbuck were. Inhaling, he spat blobs of purple mud smaller than Muk's, blasting away junk that was about to fall onto the three.
"Hm?" Pausing, Ash looked to his side to see junk rolling away covered in mud. "Was that…"
"Who throws away a full truck battery?!" shouted Darwin, the cracked power unit starting to crackle with electricity below him while he holds up some junk. Sadly, being the physically weakest of the gang, he's going down much faster than the others.
"[Master Darwin…]" Throwing away a buggy tire via Fire Fang, Lillipup noticed the dilemma. Worry flooding him, the canine rushed at the battery, intending to Tackle it away. Imagine his surprise when not only a Sludge blob coated the battery, but his body became surrounded by a white forcefield while being coated in a white aura. Shaking it off, he rams the battery away, the unit exploding on impact with another junk pile. Relieved, Darwin quickly released the junk before rushing to Lillipup's side.
"Thanks, Lillipup. (scratches canine's back) Was that Take Down you used just now?" asked Darwin in awe.
"[Yes!]" flinched Lillipup, the recoil damage settling in.
"Thanks." Happy to help, Trubbish looked around before firing more Sludge, tearing down the barrier more. However, once it reached the junk on Daniela, the mud balls exploded, blowing it farther than before.
"[What the…]" Curious, he did it again with another junk pile, watching it explode.
"Are you OK, teacher?" asked Avery, helping Daniela up. He normally wouldn't have done that, but given what she did just now, he figures she deserved it. Nodding, she stretched her back, watching Trubbish tear down more junk with his exploding Sludge (actually Sludge Bomb weaker than Muk's).
'Trubbish, too, huh?' After several more Sludge Bombs (with Muk's help) were thrown, the junk barrier was nearly torn down, clearing a path for everyone.
"Wow. Thanks, Trubbish! You just saved all of us!" thanked Ash.
"Yeah, if it wasn't for you, Lillipup and I might've been barbequed!" added Darwin, glaring at where the battery exploded.
"YOU MIGHT'VE BEEN WHAT?!"
"Uh-oh." The next thing he knew, Darwin was caught in a tight hug from his big sister.
"[Guess you're not bad after all.]" nodded Sawsbuck, looking at the Poison-Type with respect.
"[Nice work/Thank you!]" thanked Pikachu and Lillipup.
"[Great job, kid.]" smiled Muk sagely, arms folded. Once Trubbish cleared the barrier, he gave a playful salute to everyone. While the Trainers and kids continued to thank him, Daniela looked at him in amazement.
"Trubbish…"
(Sunset)
"I'm sorry!" The kids watched their teacher bow, confusion filling their eyes. The gang hung back, watching after helping to clear the junk (with Muk remaining out and having consumed some of it).
"What's going on?" asked Avery. He and the others were about to apologize first, but their teacher beat them to it.
"Not only was I a horrible listener… I let my prejudice of Poison-Types blind me and turned your parents against you! I'm a horrible teacher!" sobbed Daniela.
"Why do you hate Poison-Types anyway?" frowned Darwin. Cilan, May, and Dawn glanced at him. Given his Dracophobia, it was ironic that he was asking.
"You owe them an explanation, my dear," ordered Karena. Daniela stiffened, hesitant. However, at her charges' gaze, she released a sigh, sitting down.
"It was a few years ago… When I was on a family picnic in Hoenn, my relatives and I was playing some volleyball when I missed a hit. When I went to get the ball… it was cut in half. Figuring there was a dangerous Pokémon nearby, I tried to run… but found myself trapped in a Seviper's Wrap…" shuddered Daniela.
"Seviper?" Blinking, Darwin took out his Pokédex, not noticing the foreigners' frowns. Seviper is a serpentine Pokémon that is usually depicted scrunched up like an accordion. It is mostly covered in black scales, but it has several markings on its body. It has yellow hexagon markings that run from its head to its tail, small yellow bumps where it touches the ground, and various purple scar-like marks. It has elongated red fangs that protrude from its upper jaw and fierce red eyes. Its tail is partially red and has a blade-like shape.
Seviper, the Fang Snake Pokémon. Seviper is known for its angry disposition, immobilizing its opponents by wrapping its body around them.
"Geez…" winced Darwin. Slowly, Daniela lowered her shirt collar, exposing long, vertical scars on the shoulder blades. The sight had everyone gasping, with Darwin covering his scar.
"Before I could scream for help, Seviper cut me with a Poison Tail." sniffed Daniela.
"We heard her cry in pain and found her before chasing Seviper off. Daniela had to be taken to a hospital with how much poison was in her and how much blood she lost." frowned Karena, her granddaughter covering up again. Understanding, the kids began tearing up.
"We're really, really sorry… It's all our fault…" apologized Avery.
"Yes. We're really sorry…" added the others. Daniela could only smile, bringing the children into a group hug.
"It's alright… We might've been both wrong, but you five almost paid the price for my hatred. And Trubbish (he perks up), I'm sorry for judging you so harshly. You're clearly different from that Seviper… (separates, then kneels in front of small Poison-Type) And it would be an honor if… (takes out Poké Ball) You join my kindergarten class… and my team…" offered Daniela. Trubbish only widened his eyes. Daniela hid her nerves, expecting to be rejected…
"[YES! YES! YES! A MILLION TIMES YES!]" cheered Trubbish, tapping the button and getting in
*Beep… Beep… Beep… DING!*
"YAY!" Smiling at the children's cheer, Daniela brought out her newest capture, letting them hug in celebration.
'A Trubbish will stop releasing its smelly breath when it becomes more friendly to people!' smiled Karena. She would've said it out loud, but given her granddaughter's phobia recovery will be a slow process, she kept it to herself, planning to tell her later. Suddenly, Lucas and Maggie 'about-faced' and marched toward the gang.
"What is it?" asked Dawn.
"Do any of you have Water-Type Pokémon?" asked Lucas, surprising the other kids and caretakers.
"You two don't have to—"
"It's OK, Mrs. Myers. If you can be brave, so can we." smiled Maggie. Daniela held tears, pride in her heart.
"Yeah, Dawn and I each have one, but… are you sure?" asked Ash softly. At the Water Poképhobics' determined nods, he and Dawn exchanged looks before smiling.
"Piplup, Spotlight!"
"Oshawott, I Choose You!" Once the two Water Types were out, they prepared to show off… only to see the children gasp and stiffen. Getting serious, the Water-Types calmed down and looked up to them. Seeing this, Lucas and Maggie slowly relaxed, closed their eyes, and took deep breaths. Once they did, they slowly stretched their hands out. Soon…
"[That feels good.]" sighed Oshawott, Maggie's hand between his ears.
"[There's nothing to worry about.]" smiled Piplup, rubbing his head against Lucas' palm. Opening their eyes, the kids looked down and let out joyful laughs, the sight bringing a tear out of Daniela's eye.
'I am so proud of them.'
(The next morning)
"I can't thank you enough, to all of you." After a very long evening of returning junk to the junkyard (Pokémon help included), the gang stayed over for the night while the kids were picked up… although that didn't stop Darwin from watching Daniela apologize to the parents about the lies she made up about Trubbish to keep him away from society. Once the kids came back and everyone had breakfast (with Muk eating some garbage before being swapped for Primeape), Daniela and Karena retreated into the Nursery room and brought out something to give to Ash and Darwin as thanks, Daniela started it.
"Here, Ash. Darwin. It's a thank-you gift for what you've done for all of us." explained Karena. The cream-colored Egg with yellow spots that Daniela's holding was for Ash, while the greyish-green egg with darker ovals Karena's holding was for Darwin.
"Those are Pokémon Eggs!" exclaimed May, looking closer at the two Eggs.
"Of course, you two will have to wait and find out when it hatches!" winked Karena.
"Darwin, taking care of an Egg is a huge responsibility." reminded Georgia.
"Relax, I've been paying attention to Grandma's courses. I know what I'm doing." waved Darwin.
"Thank you so much!" thanked Ash, putting the Egg in his bag.
"Yes. Thanks so much, Daniela. Karena." added Darwin, doing the same… albeit with a bit of trouble concerning the equipment in his bag.
"All that I ask for the two of you is to raise them well!" requested Karena.
"Don't worry, I've raised Pokémon Eggs before." nodded Ash, thinking of Larvitar and his Donphan.
"I've only done it once, but I'll help however I can." nodded Dawn, thinking of her Quilava.
"Same." copied Cilan.
"I've done it twice, so I'll do the same." smiled May, thinking of her Glaceon and… Manaphy.
"We'll be good aunties to the Eggs." smiled Georgia, hugging May and Dawn by their sides. Just as the gang prepared to leave…
"Hey, Ash! Darwin!" Both boys turned to see the kids smiling at them from the window, Avery in the lead with Trubbish by his side. "Come and play with us again someday!"
"Don't forget! The two of you are part of the Trubbish Squad!" reminded Nora.
"Sure… One day, I'll bring Muk and we'll all have a battle someday!" promised Ash. All the kids cheered.
"Just make sure Trubbish doesn't slack off so he won't disappoint his idol, okay?" asked Darwin.
"Alright!" agreed the children.
"[I promise I'll be as strong as Sensei!]" saluted Trubbish. Despite the short amount of time spent, he found himself admiring the elder Poison-Type, hoping to become as strong as him someday. While the children and gang waved while exiting each others' eyesight, Daniela pulled Karena away a bit.
"Was that Egg you gave Darwin what I think it was?" asked Daniela.
"Correct." nodded Karena.
"Why would you choose that Egg out of all the others? You remember what he told us concerning his scar." wondered Daniela, rubbing a covered one.
"I do. (nods) And I am hoping that by raising that Pokémon, it'll help him with his fears." answered Karena, staring at where the gang left off. Her granddaughter only frowned, following her sight.
'I hope you are right, Grandma.'
Ash's Pokémon Team
Pikachu (M): Ability: Static. Moves: Agility, Thunder, Iron Tail, Quick Attack, Volt Tackle, Thunderbolt, Fusion Bolt, Brick Break, Strength, Attract
Primeape (M): Ability: Anger Point. Moves: Thrash, Mega Kick, Mega Punch, Seismic Toss, Cross Chop, Close Combat, Punishment, Dynamic Punch, Brick Break, Strength, Fire Punch
Deerling (M): Ability: Chlorophyll. Moves: Tackle, Camouflage, Growl, Agility, Double Kick, Sunny Day, Faint Attack, Leech Seed, Attract
Pidove (F): Ability: Super Luck. Moves: Gust, Quick Attack, Air Cutter, Leer, Steel Wing, Heat Wave, Attract
Oshawott (M): Ability: Torrent. Moves: Tackle, Water Gun, Razor Shell, Rock Smash, Ice Beam, Attract
Tepig (M): Ability: Blaze. Moves: Tackle, Ember, Yawn, Sunny Day, Heat Wave, Incinerate
At Prof. Oak's
Gible (M): Ability: Sand Veil. Moves: Dig, Draco Meteor, Dragon Pulse, Rock Smash, Incinerate, Flamethrower, Dragon Claw
Muk (M): Ability: Stench. Moves: Body Slam, Sludge Bomb, Mud Bomb
Darwin's Pokémon Team
Tepig (F): Ability: Blaze. Moves: Tackle, Tail Whip, Ember, Odor Sleuth, Incinerate, Sunny Day, Heat Wave
Purrloin (F): Ability: Limber. Moves: Scratch, Growl, Assist, Iron Tail, Fury Swipes, Attract
Lillipup (M): Ability: Pickup. Moves: Leer, Tackle, Odor Sleuth, Bite, Helping Hand, Fire Fang, Attract, Take Down
Blitzle (M): Ability: Lightning Rod. Moves: Quick Attack, Charge, Shock Wave, Attract
Georgia's Pokémon Team
Beartic (M): Ability: Snow Cloak. Moves: Slash, Night Slash, Icicle Crash, Ice Beam, Rock Smash, Strength, Brick Break
Pawniard (F): Ability: Defiant. Moves: Metal Claw, Iron Head, Guillotine, Faint Attack, Assurance, Night Slash, Brick Break
Vanillite (F): Ability: Ice Body. Moves: Avalanche, Mist, Icicle Spear, Ice Beam, Attract
May's Pokémon Team
Blaziken (M): Ability: Blaze. Moves: Blaze Kick, Overheat, Flamethrower, Sky Uppercut, Fire Spin, Shadow Claw, Mega Kick, Sunny Day, Solar Beam, Heat Wave, Brick Break, Double Team, Attract
Swablu (F): Ability: Natural Cure. Moves: Sing, Mist, Round, Double Team, Sunny Day, Solar Beam, Heat Wave, Attract
Dawn's Pokémon Team
Piplup (M): Ability: Torrent. Moves: Drill Peck, Ice Beam, Hydro Pump, Whirlpool, Mist, Brick Break
Togekiss (F): Ability: Serene Grace. Moves: Aura Sphere, Sky Attack, Air Slash, Safeguard, Sunny Day, Solar Beam, Heat Wave, Brick Break
Munna* (F): Ability: Synchronize. Moves: Psybeam, Yawn, Imprison, Barrier, Attract
Snivy (F): Ability: Overgrow. Moves: Attract, Vine Whip, Leaf Storm, Leaf Blade, Sunny Day, Solar Beam
Cilan's Pokémon Team
Pansage (M): Ability: Gluttony. Moves: Bullet Seed, Bite, Solar Beam, Dig, Rock Tomb, Vine Whip, Sunny Day
Dwebble (F): Ability: Sturdy. Moves: Protect, Slash, Dig, X-Scissor, Shell Smash
Darwin: What was Daniela talking about?
Omarnosian10: You'll find out in Scraggy's hatching episode.
Ash: Anyway, it's good to see Muk again.
Omarnosian10: Thank you. I figured with Trubbish this chapter, having Muk for a bit would be good. And before anyone asks; the dubbing error wasn't on purpose. I know Trubbish's Sludge was actually Sludge Bomb in the sub.
Cilan: Then why didn't you correct it?
Omarnosian10: The same reason I had Daniela with a Sawsbuck instead of a Deerling; to show the difference in power.
May: Yeah, that Deerling wouldn't stand a chance against Muk.
Omarnosian10: Exactly. In canon, she only had to worry about Pikachu, whose Electric attacks wouldn't hurt Deerling much. But with Muk, a fully-evolved (at the time, in case of a future evolution) Poison-Type, Daniela knew she had to bring in the big guns.
Georgia: About Daniela, why did you give her scars and hate for Poison-Types?
Omarnosian10: Character development. Given her profession, she should've dealt with rebellious or messy children before.
Cilan: To be fair, she might've been fairly new in canon.
Omarnosian10: Maybe, but given how she was portrayed, I've figured my version would be better than someone so shallow.
May: Good point.
Omarnosian10: And finally, before anyone asks; the Eggs won't be on the team list until they hatch. I think that's all for now. SMOKEBOMB!
