Chapter 6: Snivy plays hard to catch

"Human speech"

"Pokemon speech"

We join our heroes on their Journey to Nacrene City, the site of Ash's next gym battle, as the group is having lunch. As little did they know it, but someone was watching them.

Ash was eating, as well as Misty Brock and his Pokemon. "Man, that last gym battle was pretty challenging. I wonder what the next one has in store for the rest of the team and me," Ash said while enjoying his food.

"Given that you faced three leaders in one battle was pretty risky, Ash, but it was a good move giving them a challenge that they might not be able to repeat," Brock said.

"Hopefully, the next one is more normal than Cillian was. I don't know what it is about him, but he creeps me out," Misty said. "Given how his understanding of Pokemon and trainer interact and rise was to the point."

"Misty, look, part of what a Connoisseur does is what we saw. He's doing his job. Yes, it is weird, but he's good at it," Ash said to Misty, trying to calm her down even though she had a point. This worked as Misty did calm down from this.

The group was talking, and the Pokemon watching the group had taken a piece of apple from the group's table as they just noticed it was going away from them. And went to find out where it was going as they knew someone was trying to take their food. Ash and the others found the criminal of the theft, a Pokemon they'd seen before, a Snivy.

"A Snivy wasn't expecting one out here and in the wild," Ash said aloud, to which the said Snivy heard him and humphed at this as she wasn't expecting them to spot her this quickly.

"Another trainer who wants me for their team. Let's see what you have, human," Snivy said. Ash could tell what she was saying and sighed at Snivy.

"Look, Snivy, we're not going to try to do anything rash, but if you want to battle, I'm willing to do so," Ash said to the Snivy, which impressed her by his politeness.

Only a few trainers she had met before jumped into the battle without thinking and nodded to Ash. At the same time, she was still wary of Ash given that she had met many trainers before, and to her, they were all the same as Pikachu was used in this fight which Snivy had no experience of battling one but noticed that Pikachu was male and could use that to her advantage. Ash nodded as Snivy pointed to Ash, telling him he could use the first move.

"Alright, Pikachu uses Iron Tail," Ash commanded Pikachu. He attacked Snivy, which she countered with a Leaf blade. This caught Ash off guard as he usually only saw mid to fully-evolve stage Pokemon using that move. She was well-trained and experienced in battle. This made Ash think about something that he was told about not long ago as the two moves clashed Snivy and Pikachu were definitely on even ground strength-wise, that's for sure.

Snivy was impressed by this as not many Pokemon she had battled were even footing with her. Still, she had an ace as she launched the move attract, hitting Pikachu.

"Oh no, not attract," Ash said as he had seen that move and wasn't expecting a wild Pokemon to know that move. Ash noticed that Pikachu was defenseless as Snivy used vine whip on Pikachu while her beauty dazed him. Ash stepped in to protect Pikachu, which stopped the Attract, "You okay, buddy," Ash said as Pikachu nodded at this.

This took Snivy aback, shook her head, and used leaf storm to leave before Ash could do anything else. This reaction was enough to clarify to Ash who Snivy was.

"Hey, Ash, are you okay you took that Vine whip pretty hard," Misty asked Ash, worried about him from the looks of those hits and bruises on his back, to which Ash nodded at Misty and stood up after putting Pikachu down beside him.

"I am Misty, thank you, but I think I might know why Snivy reacted like that," Ash said to Misty and Brock, which made the two of them curious about what Ash meant by this as Ash went to his backpack to look up that list that he was given to from Don George and looked at the list entirely. And spotted what he was looking for a female Snivy released by an abusive female trainer named Amelia, unknown on both.

"I knew it. This has to be the Snivy that we were told about back at the Battle Club," Ash said as he handed the list to Brock, who now realized what Ash meant by this.

Meanwhile, Snivy was panting from getting away from Ash, and the others were holding her arm.

"What did I see, a kind trainer, but that's impossible. All the trainers I've seen don't care about their Pokemon, but this human does. What's going on?" Snivy said. "Was he like that? If so, maybe he'll be the one who can rid me of my past with bad trainers, but can I trust him? Or will he abandon me like other trainers, especially ones like her," Snivy said while looking at her arm, which had a massive scar down her right arm, which wasn't fresh but was terrible to the point that not even water could help it without treatment.

Flashback to several months ago while Ash was still in Shinnoh.

"I can't believe that you have taken that stone first. You lost multiple battles. Now you refuse to evolve and disobey me. It would be best if you were reminded why you should never go against me," said A looking female trainer with blondish-brownish hair. They looked like she was pampered her whole life, told to Snivy with a Pokemon that looked like it was wearing a helmet and sharp claws as it attacked Snivy, causing that said scar on her arm.

Snivy shattered her ball that night, freeing her from her abusive trainer, but knowing Amelia. She wouldn't take that lying down when she woke up, so Snivy ran off before it got worse and has been a wild Pokemon since that day.

End flashback

As Snivy was holding that stone in her hand, it was an Everstone as she's been contemplating whether to get rid of this thing.

"Stupid rock, this thing has been bringing more nightmares than helping me get stronger as I am and not evolving," Snivy said as she noticed a Pidove was spying on her from the sky. "Oh great, that must be one of that human's Pokemon from before," Snivy said as she noticed it was coming down to talk to Snivy and then flying off.

"What do you want? I'm aware that you belong to that trainer with the Pikachu. Aren't you going to fly back to him like a good scout you are?" Snivy said to which Pidove shook her head at her, which made Snivy confused by this.

"To be honest, I was until I saw you hurt emotionally. You okay?′ Pidove told Snivy, who hid the Everstone back into her scales and shook her head.

"No, but I really can't trust you for the time being since we first met, but why are you interested in that Pidove? You're unlike normal ones I've seen, not to mention your trainer?" Snivy asked Pidove.

"Like you, that's my past, but I agree with keeping histories from those you've just met. As for Ash, I've been on his team for the past few weeks. He's been more like family to me than my own family,′ Pidove said while looking down, which caught Snivy off guard, but she stood firm, still having trouble trusting Ash though she finally got wind of what his name was.

"Fair point Pidove but I won't know if he's trustworthy until I know what I saw was really what kind of trainer he is. Please don't take what I'm about to do to him as a rude gesture, but I've seen the worst in humans when it comes to their Pokemon," Snivy said, which made Pidove nod in understanding given that Snivy sounded like she has been through the worst in trainers.

Pidove flew off to where Ash was, as Snivy knew that Ash would be following Pidove to where she was and got ready to lead Ash to her test. And right on cue, Ash and the others arrived at where Snivy was, and Snivy ran into the forest through the part of the upper tree of it, that is.

Ash followed Snivy, and he knew that Snivy was planning something for him just like she was acting. Snivy looked behind and noticed that Ash had taken the bait, but she could tell that Ash was more intelligent than he looked; she did notice that Ash had Pikachu with him, all part of the plan.

"Precepted, I'll give him that. Not many trainers would try their best to catch me even after I beat their best Pokemon in battle," Snivy said aloud, to which Pikachu heard and knew that something was up.

As Ash was about to catch up with Snivy, he managed to land on a branch that was already nearly broken, which made Ash and Pikachu fall into a mud pit that would sink both of them if they didn't do so something quickly. Snivy was watching from the side of the hole, observing Ash to see what he would do to save his Pokemon first or himself.

"Pikachu, save yourself. I would try to find my way out of this pit?" Ash said to Pikachu, who was more concerned about Ash's safety, putting Pikachu on his hat. This was enough for Snivy to see that he was the right trainer for her. She was about to help Ash and Pikachu out of there, but Misty and Brock came to his rescue using a rope from one of Brock's backpacks.

"Pikachu, you can go first. I'll go afterward," Ash said to Pikachu, who did as told, and then Misty and Brock got Ash out of the hole. As Pidove landed beside Ash, worried about him, she realized what Snivy meant by "Testing" Ash for his trust in being a trainer.

Right on cue, Snivy came out and was ready for another battle against Ash to let him capture her, but only with a fight. Pidove was prepared to fight Snivy instead of the rest of Ash's team. Snivy noticing this, nods in agreement to this.

"Okay, Pidove, use Gust," Ash commanded Pidove as she launched a massive gust of wind toward Snivy. She smirked and glowed, blocking the attack and sending it back to Pidove. "Double team now," Ash commanded Pidove as Ash said to Snivy. "Mirror coat? Huh? I didn't expect you to know that either, but we have more moves than Gust that aren't like that," Ash said to Snivy, who had a smug smile at the compliment. He's the first trainer worthy of having that move used against him.

"Now use Wing attack," Ash commanded Pidove, which Snivy was hit hard, sending her back as Snivy tried to use Attract, realizing that it wouldn't work on Pidove as she was also female. As expected, it didn't work. "Now, Steel wing," Ash commands Pidove. Her wings glowed a metallic color as Snivy countered with Leaf's blade.

Both of them were sent back exhausted from this. "Use Wing attack Pidove," Ash commands as it managed to hit Snivy, knocking her down flat Ash didn't try to catch her right away Snivy noticed this and smiled at this and stood up and nodded at Ash, telling him that she was okay with him capturing her now.

Ash tossed a Pokeball, which hit Snivy and sucked her in the ball as it shook the usual three times and then dings confirming that she was captured without issue. Ash sighed at this.

"Man, she's tougher than she looks. Attract, Mirror Coat, Leaf Blade, and Leaf Storm; what has Snivy been doing since she was last reported to the league," Ash said as he held Snivy's ball, gripping it tightly. "I'm getting to the bottom of all this. You wait, Snivy."

With a new teammate added to Ash's team Ash's Journey through Unova has gotten even stranger than it seems. What else is Snivy hiding, and what is Ash planning on doing? As the Journey continues.

Stay tuned