Erika knew what was awaiting her. She heard good things from the professor, albeit she knew Samuel is biased. She heard good things from Giovanni, but she knew he won't speak bad about the ones he sponsors as this would reflect badly on him. She heard good things from Sabrina, which is rare.
The did not expect the kid to beat her team only using his starter and Lampent. Maybe he would be a good fit to replace Agatha. He shows potential and some of the others, including Lance, back him. But she isn't sure if Lance intends to train Asher as his own successor.
Lance (and Champion Cynthia from Sinnoh) consider the position less as a claim to fame but as a responsibility to the region. So does Geeta from Paldea, but that woman's league is only a fancy, over-glorified school club for all Erika cares. The point is, Lance may want that someone who thinks like him takes over the torch.
If gym battles are the right indicator, she doubts. But Asher is an OFTR, he faced a Mindless, he is different. He sure is different to this Poke Tech girl, Giselle. The students of that school are always a headache; their tantrums when battles aren't like their simulations. She sympathizes with Koga's attempts to ban them from the major gyms.
"You did wonderful, Asher! Gold badge for you!" she announced. "Now, your Datrix, she is from Alola, right?"
"Yes! Isn't she awesome?"
"Yes, flying and grass will be useful types." said Erika.
"Well, when she evolves she'll loose the flying type." he corrected her. "Like Trevenant, she will be a grass and ghost type. Well, at least this means I can understand her!"
It was somewhat adorable that he focused on this and not the loss of a good typing. He will be pleasing to work with. If Sakaki, Koga and Blaine don't scare him off. Well, not Sakaki, but Blaine and Koga tend to scare newbies.
A week later, Asher was on the ferry to Cinnabar Island. His seventh gym! But for now, he's on this ferry, he'll enjoy the breeze of the sea. A good break after the non-stop hiking. Laying on a sun chair, his grass types and Lampent with him, he just relaxed.
Until his phone rang.
He expected his mom would call – he send her a pic of the ferry, she was probably jealous at the 'short vacation' but it was Giovanni who called.
"Mr. Sakaki! What a surprise."
'Ash, call me Giovanni.' answered his sponsor, "Sabrina told us about your issues with your father – Lance demanded – is this still bothering you?"
"A bit. Like I told Sabrina, I don't know if I want to punch him or if I want to ignore him like he does my mom and I."
'He would deserve both.' said Giovanni. 'Well, if you choose the later, he would stop to be an issue.'
"I suppose that is true."
The island itself was a holiday paradise. Which means Asher could not find anything. After an hour of searching in the heat, he called out his ghosts. "Everyone, spread out and find the gym of Cinnabar. When you find something, return to me here." He gestured to a hotel. "I wish I was a ghost to withstand the heat. Oh, Froslass stays with me. You're an ice type, this heat could kill you."
"Maybe not kill me…" she said, then followed him in. Datrix instantly took to the sky. Froslass followed Ash to his room after he spoke to the lady at the reception. The room was air conditioned. Froslass kept close to it while Ash just laid on the bed. She wished she would know Rest like the others, she felt her trainer was tired and could need rest.
As she heard snoring, Froslass knew this was not needed.
Drakload followed Lampent to the Vulcan just because he wanted to see a Vulcan. He never got to see one in Galar. They didn't think there would be a gym in there!
"Drak, you tell the others we found it. I return to Ash." said Lampent. "And before you complain that you do all the work, you are a fast flier. I am not."
"Fine." agreed Drakload. He shot off and soon found Datrix. "Datrix! Lamp and I found the gym! It is in the Vulcan.! You go to Asher, I fetch the others."
Datrix gave a hoot and flew a loop into the direction of the hotel. She then flew from window to window, until she found it. There was her trainer sleeping and Fros floating in a cool corner. Said ice type saw her and opened the window.
"Lamp and Drak found it. Should we wake him?"
"Let him sleep, Datrix." said Froslass.
The next one to return was Shuppet. As she flew in, Froslass grabbed her. "Do not wake Ash." she said strictly.
"Okay…" answered Shuppet. "But it is not night!"
"Shuppet, no." agreed Datrix. "Ash needs sleep. Now why don't you keep an open eye for the others?" As she said that, Frillish flew in. "Hello, Frill."
Minutes later, Haunter came in, followed by Trevenant and Drakload.
"What now, we wait for Ash to wake up?" asked Haunter. "I want to battle."
"You're worse than Shuppet." said Froslass. "Lil bundle of energy."
"I won't call insomnia an overabundance of energy." mused Trevenant.
Ash then woke up. He looked to the clock. "Why didn't you wake me!"
"You were tired." reasoned Froslass.
Ash sighed, "Well, I'll feel like I needed the nap. Did you find the gym?"
"It is in the Vulcan." told him Lampent. "The leader seems unhinged."
"Lampent." said Ash strictly, "Do not insult him."
Then someone knocked on the door of his room. Drakload floated out the door and returned with a letter in his claws. He handed it to Ash.
Asher,
I understand you may harbor doubt about Sabrina and mine's suspicion of Giovanni Sakaki, but consider this. If you help us, if he is innocent, he is. If he is at fault, you helped discovering an ugly truth. Either way, you cannot loose.
Sabrina told me you accepted, but with your closeness to Giovanni, I understand if you get cold feet. On that note, if you decide to drop this, please don't reveal us, I ask you at least that.
Stay vigilant,
S.
"A letter from S? I suppose they really aren't Sabrina."
"Could be a ruse." said Shuppet. "My old trainer pulled something similar, he had a secret identity and pushed what he did onto it while pretending he isn't that identity."
"The heck was your old trainer?"
"A scam artist who couldn't win a battle truthfully." answered Shuppet.
"I didn't knew you had an old trainer." said Ash, "I thought you were wild."
"I was wild for a while." she countered. "Now, do we go to the gym?"
"Mm, after we eat something." decided Ash. His Pokemon agreed with this, especially Datrix and Drakload.
Ash was positively surprised that the local eateries cooked a lot with fresh vegetables and even fruits. Apparently an influence from Alola. Datrix sure liked that influence.
Unlike Drakload who wanted meat.
After they were done, Lampent lead the way to the gym. Ash wasn't sure what to think of Blaine's gym being in a Vulcan. Not near one, but in one! "How did the League allow this?" muttered Ash on his way there.
"Maybe the League is not aware the gym is in there." spoke a voice. Looking around, Asher saw Aurore. The blonde was accompanied by her Delphox. "The Kalos League won't allow this, the same goes for Galar and Paldea. Not sure about Unova, but I am sure Sinnoh and Hoenn won't roll with this safety hazard!"
"Aurore! What are you doing here?" he asked happy to see her again.
"I was asked to audit the gyms of Kanto. I don't even have to go in there to write a complaint." answered Aurore. "Would you mind if I watch you?"
"Not at all!" he told her. "I am happy to see you again."
"Aw, I'm glad to see you again as well, Asher. Now come." she said.
Aurore was relieved so Ash being save and sound. She head rumors Team Rocket is after the boy. Looking around, she was sure she saw some of their agents eyeing Asher. 'Change of plans, S. I'll keep an eye on Asher.'
She saw weird behaving Meowth. According to her sources, one of their units has a talking Meowth.
While she found this unbelievable at first, is a talking Pokemon truly that weird in their world? With someone like Asher walking by her side, someone who returned from the dead and could speak to the Ghost types? A talking Meowth sounds so normal compared to someone who beat death.
Soon they arrived at the entrance. Aurore did not miss to take pictures of this gym. Diantha told her Kanto is more lax with their guidelines and rules, but this is just absurd! Asher challenged Blaine who yapped something about having heard of him. Blaine was not bothered by Aurore's presence, even when knowing why she was here. It was as if he wasn't worried about loosing his gym license.
"Mrs. Laverne, I'm retiring soon. The license won't matter in a year anyway." he answered.
"This is no reason to be reckless!" she countered but he ignored her. He focused on Asher.
Asher opened with Frillish. She is, after all, a water Pokemon so it makes sense to use her. However Blaine expected that, as his Magmar knew Thunder Punch. Frillish countered this by being intangible and just attacking from his dead angles.
Asher played into this. He did not command her, instead he listened to her. He answered 'Don't do that yet!' so it was save to assume she told him what she was planning. He just veto'ed her ideas. It was an intriguing way to battle. As for why they were not bothered that the Magmar hears their planning – unless the theory that the types have their own language additionally to the collective Pokemon language – Aurore assumed the plan hinged on Magmar hearing them. Either what Asher said is wrong – which won't match with her actions – or they do it to drive Magmar crazy and paranoid.
After a while, Magmar was fainted and replaced by a Ninetails. At first Frillish repeated the same tactic, then the Ninetails stopped to react. She followed Frillish's voice! Ninetails are rather intelligent, mixed with their hearing, such a strategy may not work on this.
Then Frillish became visible again. Ninetails attacked, but before she could take a bite on Frillish, Frillish vanished into the ground. This continued until the Ninetails was tired. The fire type was as old as her trainer, she doesn't have everlasting energy. Aurore could not understand ghost types, but she had a feeling Frillish was mocking her as the Ninetails suddenly struck Frillish and bit her.
Then Ninetails fainted. Asher commented, "Looks like she ate something poisonous." Despite not being poison types, the Frillish line is toxic. Aurore theorized they have a poison type ancestor. Or a regional variant with the typing may pop up some day. Frillish then glowed. She evolved into a beautiful lilac Jellicent, a shiny.
Blaine recalled her and called out an Arcanine. Like the Magmar, he knew an electric type move. This Arcanine knew Thunder Fang. To her surprise, Asher told Jellicent, "Body it!" Arcanine bit Jellicent with seemed to weaken her greatly. Aurore pondered why would he do that?
"Arcanine, again!"
No Thunder Fang this time, she heard the Arcanine whine. Aurore scanned Jellicent, 'Ability Cursed Body'. This smart cookie. He knew Jellicent could body the attack, so he made her do it to disable Arcanine's worst attack. Strategies like this make battles fun! The creativity!
Jellicent defeated Arcanine, and Asher recalled her. Blaine called out his last Pokemon, Magmortar. Asher fought him with his Shuppet. A tiny little ghostie. She figured Jellicent may want a break, but is Shuppet the right choice? To Aurore's knowledge, this ghostie hadn't seen much action yet, she is weak. But who knows what Ash pulls out his sleeve.
Shuppet copied Jellicent's earlier strategy and kept invisible. Ash closed his eyes. Aurore noted he tracked something. Was he able to see his invisible ghosts? Their aura? Aura Guardians are said to see Aura, maybe the same can be said about Ghost Whisperers? He sure closed his eyes so that his opponents can't track where Shuppet is by following his eyes. Aurore saw Ash smirking, then Shuppet became visible right in front of Magmortar's eyes, using some ghost move into his face.
He was caught off-guard by that surprise and fell on his behind, which allowed Shuppet to soap him with Gunk Shot, Shadow Sneak and Rest. The Magmortar was asleep and Ash smiled. Then one of his Pokeballs vibrated. He recalled Shuppet silently not to wake Magmortar and called out his Haunter. Said ghost then used Dream Eater, ending the battle.
"Wow! Your sneaky way of battles are truly a nice end to my career!" said Blaine. "Not nice as ending my career by winning, but not everyone is Giovanni Sakaki!" He gave Asher his golden badge. "I am sure Agatha will like you, kid!"
"Agatha? The ghost Elite?"
"Please, she is more of a poison specialist!" said Blaine. "Now, you wanna leave, this Vulcan. isn't safe."
"So you acknowledge it's dangers!" said Aurore, "Vieil homme fou!" She stormed out the gym, Asher followed her out. Even if the Vulcan. would be save, he can't stand the heat.
After Aurore left to tattle on Blaine, Asher arrived in Pallet. As he walked to his house, he walked into Gary who was training in preparation of Giovanni Sakaki, the most difficult gym leader in the whole of Kanto. How he compares to the Elites and Lance? No one knows, he never tried. "To be fair, that workaholic is busy enough as is." mused Gary. "I would love it is someone offered me to try out for the Elites."
"Same!" agreed Asher. "Especially since being a gym leader in Lavender got less attractive."
"Why?" asked Gary confused, "Didn't you like the town?"
"I did, but my sperm Donner lives there… yes, I knew." admitted Ash. "I also know of the shrine. Damned a-"
"That much about shielding you from that."
Ash rolled his eyes, "You Oaks don't need to protect me."
"I know, but Gramps says so and I don't feel like arguing." said Gary. "Wanna train?"
"Later, after I talk with mom."
"So, tomorrow. Got it!" Gary then left to his grandfather's lab. Ash continued to his mothers house. He fished for his keys as he stood there, but the door opened.
"I heard you talking to Gary." said his mother. "Come in! I made lunch." Stepping in, he felt relieved in a way. "But before we eat, I want a hug!"
"Sure, mom!"
Delia was so relieved to have her son in her arms again. While nothing of note had happened the last few weeks, she just could not forget the sinking of the St. Anne or the meeting with Team Rocket in Mount Moon. Then Delia felt her shirt getting wet. "Ash?"
"I-I met dad. I-I found out where he lives, in Lavender Town!" he told her between sobs. "Is it bad that I wish he had sunken with the St. Anne?"
Delia knew what she may answer could make her look like a bad parent. "No, I feel the same about Farron." She hugged him a bit tighter. "I think you should spend a few days here in Pallet with me. A break. Your emotions could need it."
"I promised Gary to train with him anyway." answered Ash. "Mr. Sakaki is the most difficult, and I have time until the league. So I'll train here for a week. Or three. Unless I have an OFTR task, that is."
"I would prefer if you stop this, just be a normal trainer." admitted Delia. "But it is your choice."
"I consider it, actually. It is so much. Team Rocket is after me, the Mindless scare me! I am scared of becoming one but…" 'I already promised Sabrina and S. with their investigation of Mr. Sakaki.' "At the same time I want to continue. Admittedly partly to prove dad wrong."
"But he never…"
"Well, then to make him regret he abandoned us!" said Ash, his mood swinging to anger, "I hate him."
His mom still hugged him. "So do I, Ash. So do I." She rubbed circles on his back, she could feel him relax. "So do I. Whatever you choose, I support you."
"I think I wanna sleep." he muttered.
"Then do that, Ash." she said.
Ash got downstairs and let himself drop onto his bed. He felt asleep as soon as his head hit the pillows.
He was not sure what he saw. Then he realized he relived his near death experience. But from afar. He saw a quadruple thing approach him. It was white with a golden ring on its body. Then his point of view switched, to his own. He saw Gary nearby, did he see his friend's view? What was the thing?
Started: 20th July 2024
Edited: 29th July 2024
Finished: 20th July 2024
Uploaded: 2nd February 2025