Chapter 11: Enter Bianca and the Cleany Minccino
"Human Speech"
"Pokemon Speech"
We joined our heroes as they headed to Nacrene City, the site of Ash's next gym battle, but that wasn't the only thing Ash had on his mind.
"We are only a day away from Nacrene City if we don't get sidetracked," Brock said while holding the map. "There should also be a Pokemon center nearby that we can stop and eat before we head further," Brock said; however, he noticed that Ash was intensely focused on something. "You okay, Ash? You haven't spoken since we woke up this morning?"
"Huh? Yes, I am Brock. I was thinking about something else?" Ash said to Brock. At the same time, trying not to reveal what he knows about Amelia's location in Nacrene City.
"You can go ahead and tell them, Ash. I know that Amelia lives there and that you plan to battle her by request," Snivy said to Ash, annoyed that he was hiding this from her and the others. "If you want me to be your Pokemon Ash still, I don't think it's wise to hide things like that from me," Snivy scolded Ash.
"Sorry, Snivy, how did you find out that Amelia was in Nacrene City and about that? You were being healed from that battle against Trip?" Ash asked Snivy, who sighed at this.
"I was fully healed before the others and wanted to go to you, but I overheard what Nurse Joy said about the league's request. I agree not to let you use me in battle because she knows almost all my moves, but I want us to hide things no longer, okay?" Snivy said to Ash.
"Sorry, Snivy, about that. The truth is there's another reason why I'm lost in thought. When we were back in the Pokemon center, I was asked to take part in a battle with Amelia in Nacrene city with the league official watching; however, Snivy can't take part in this battle," Ash said to Misty and Brock. Ash was finishing his explanation of what he was told about, only to hear someone coming his way yelling.
"Out of my way, out of my way," A young blonde-haired girl with a hat on instantly ran into Ash, sending him to a puddle beside him. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to do that. Are you hurt?" The young girl asked Ash as Snivy was helping Ash and Pikachu out of that puddle.
"Thanks, Snivy. Is it okay? No worries and no need to apologize as mistakes happen, miss?" Ash asked the young girl's name while recovering from his fall.
"Oh, my name is Bianca. Nice to meet you. I'm from Nuvema Town," Bianca introduced herself to Ash and the gang while bowing. Ash now realized that this must be the trainer Professor Juniper told Ash about that was coming to get her starter and be a trainer.
"Ah, you are the one who was coming to take a starter, Professor Juniper told us? My name is Ash Ketchem. I'm from Pallet Town," Ash said but was interrupted by Bianca.
"Pallet Town, is that a new place here in Unova? I never heard that place before?" Bianca asked as Snivy sighed at this.
"Glad I wasn't chosen to be her starter. She'll drive me nuts with this stupidity," Snivy said.
"No, Pallet Town is in another region called Kanto, as are my friends here, Misty and Brock, who are also the gym leaders from there," Ash corrected Bianca while letting what Snivy said to be, as he had to admit she had a point.
"Oh, I didn't know that 'cause I never heard of that region," Bianca said to Ash while bowing to this.
"Say, Bianca, you want to join us for lunch as we will be having one in a bit," Brock suggested to Bianca, who nodded at this. As the group was having lunch, Ash noticed that Bianca's starter was Pignite, but only Pignite, as Oshawott nearly didn't recognize him.
"Hey Pignite, I see you evolved and got an Airhead of a trainer," Oshawott said to Pignite, who sighed at this and nodded.
"Look, go easy on her. She's got family and confidence issues, so her misunderstanding isn't her doing. She's in a sheltered family father-wise," Pignite told Oshawott and the rest of Ash's team.
"Given that she mistook Ash's home region for being here, I can see why?" Snivy said while giving an I guess expression before turning to Pignite. "So from the sound of it, you are the last one to be chosen as a starter, given that Oshawott was passed by trainers even when Tepig and I were chosen to be starters, and before that," Snivy asked Pignite.
"Yeah. Oshawott had the guts to walk up to Ash and ask him to take him after his battle with Oshawott's old," Pignite was interrupted by Oshawott.
"You know that Servine and I have a rocky friendship, Pignite. I don't need to be reminded about that, but yes, I joined after seeing his smug tail getting handed to him," Oshawott said to Pignite and Snivy. They looked not amused as Oshawott remembered she was not the one to be messed with, especially her personality.
"You forget that I am also smug as well, Oshawott remember. If it weren't for Servine, Tepig and I wouldn't have met you, or have you forgotten about that," Snivy said to Oshawott, who sighed and nodded that he does admit that Trip's Servine did help Oshawott make friends when most of the lab was always picking on him. Ash noticed this and was worried about Oshawott and then turned to Bianca.
"Say, Bianca, I'm surprised that your only Pokemon is Pignite. I guess you have only one badge like me?" Ash asked Bianca, who shook her head, pulled out her badge case, and showed she had already won the Nacrene gym battle. "Wow, how with only one Pokemon?" Ash asked.
"I usually just wait until I use my strongest moves when the time is right or in the second gym battle case her last Pokemon," Bianca said. "As for my team, I just wanted a Pokemon that wants to be with me, not a Pokemon that I want to catch, but I haven't seen one," Bianca said to Ash, who nodded at this.
"You must be doing your best for your family, given that you were the last trainer to get a Pokemon?" Misty asked Bianca, who looked down upon hearing this as Pignite sighed.
"I did warn you about this," Pignite said to the other Pokemon, who was now ready to understand what was happening with Pignite's trainer.
"The truth is my parents are mixed with me becoming a trainer. My mom is fine with it, but my dad, on the other hand, was adamant about me not becoming a trainer and even called me when I just got my first badge when I called to let Professor Juniper know about it," Bianca said.
"I remember that day my Tepig ears were ringing to no end upon hearing one of his lectures and his yelling. I understand that he cares, but this isn't the way, and it's hurting her confidence as a trainer to the point that I am the only one helping her out," Pignite said to everyone.
"Sounds like Pignite cares about you, Bianca. Must be tough for a new ten-year-old trainer," Ash said to Bianca while pointing to his translator in Ash's ear. Bianca was taken aback by this but nodded to Pignite but shook her head at her age.
"Ash, I'm fourteen years old. I was held back for years before becoming a trainer. I feel like now was a good time to be one," Bianca said to Ash, who was taken aback by this. "As for Pignite, he does care about me. He's seen so much of what I am going through, and I hope I can make it far in the league before my father starts to try to get me to go home," Bianca said to Ash.
"I know how you feel, Bianca, about your parents being overprotected by something like being a trainer. But let's let it go and have fun while we are still on this Journey and not worry about it," Ash said before moving on. Ash noticed something had taken Bianca's badge case that she had set down and went missing. "Hey, someone took your badge case, Bianca!" Ash said to Bianca, who looked at where she was sitting and noticed that.
"That's strange. Has anyone seen it? I know that I just put it down for a few minutes," Bianca asked as Pignite shook his head, now worried about this as he worked so hard to win those two badges and was looking around and noticed the badge case being carried by something with a white and peached-color tail.
"Hey, that Pokemon took it?" Pignite said to Bianca, pointing to a chinchilla-looking Pokemon as Ash scanned, and it was a Minccino, a Normal type Pokemon.
"Hey, please give that back. I worked so hard to get those badges," Bianca said as she saw the Pokemon was using its tail on it. As the Pokedex said, Minccino is known for being the type to clean anything dirty. "Pignite, why don't you try to stop it? It might be worth being on my team.
"Come on, I just love doing this, but if you want me, you gotta try and catch me, young lady and whoever else wanted to catch me as well," Minccino said to Bianca and the others giving a bring it paws to them while putting the badge case in the trees.
"Pignite, use flame charge," Bianca commands Pignite, who used its move and charged right in towards the Pokemon who jumped out of the way and used a tail slap attack and then used a tickle attack, making Pignite laugh uncontrollably as it used a tail slap again knocking it out. "Oh man, Pignite return, man, that was rough," Bianca said as Ash wanted to catch this man now.
"Leave it to me, Ash. I know what you are planning, given the voice of the Minccino," Snivy said. Ash nodded and was ready for her to be out on the field.
"Alright, Snivy, Attract now," Ash commanded Snivy, who used the move she is well known for using, hoping that it'll land, but Minccino jumped out of the way quickly. "Not good," Ash and Snivy said at the same time.
"Oh, how cute they have a female on the team? But that trick won't work on me. Who knows all its tricks," Minccino said and used attract on Snivy, which she wasn't expecting, and it was too fast to dodge as she was hit with it as Minccino was making handsome poses to affect her attraction.
"OHHHHHHH HOW HANDSOME," Snivy said, now affected and not wanting to harm this handsome, Normal type who snickered and bent down and launched a hyper voice at Snivy, hitting her and sending her back and into Ash. Sending him hard into the trees was also enough to snap Snivy out of surprise, realizing what had just happened. "Oh no, Ash, you okay? I hope that you aren't hurt badly?" Snivy said, now worried about her trainer.
"Don't worry, Snivy. I've taken thunderbolts like they were nothing. I'll be okay," Ash said to Snivy, who sighed at this Ash was willing to put his neck out for her, even taking that hit. He was indeed the right choice for a trainer for her.
Bianca was about to try to catch it without battling. Still, she instantly dropped a Pokeball on the ground as Minccino's cleanliness personality was winning his desire to clean it minus what it was known for. Bianca picked it up, and the Minccino went up to her shoulders and tried to clean it, only to touch the capsule's open button and was instantly sucked in. It suddenly was caught as if he didn't try to get out even after cleaning the Pokeball. Bianca celebrated her capture in a similar way as Ash used to, which Ash chuckled at as Snivy got the badge case from the trees with her vines. The group got their Pokemon healed as Bianca let out her newest capture.
"Welcome to the team Minccino. I know it was an unexpected capture, but I hope you'll accept me as a trainer," Bianca said to Minccino, who nodded at this.
"I know you have a translator, Ash, so you can tell her what I will say. I overheard what you said about your confidence problems, and this was technically a test to help you, Bianca. While Ash would be a good trainer for me, I would rather be with a Trainer who has little experience but someone I can help as a trainer," Minccino told Ash, who translated to Bianca.
"So you were planning on returning my badge case regardless, huh? While I don't have a translator, I am happy to have another Pokemon to be there for me," Bianca said as Minccin nodded. "Ash? If you don't mind, I would like you to have a battle with me as I want to get stronger, and maybe you could help me out?" Bianca asked Ash, who nodded in agreement to this.
"Ash, I would like to be in this battle with you. I have a new move that I've been learning over the months that I feel ready to use right now if you are okay with it," Snivy asked Ash, who looked at her so-called new move and was taken aback by this.
"How? I thought Snivy can't learn that normally from what I was told?" Ash asked Snivy, who shrugged at this.
"Let's say that I needed a move for one of my weaknesses if I run into a trainer like you, Ash," Snivy told Ash, who nodded at this.
Both Ash and Bianca went to the battlefield outside of the Pokemon Center. Brock being the referee, Mincinno was watching from the sidelines to cheer for his trainer. "
So you two agreed to a one-on-one battle. I see. Well, it's Pignite vs. Snivy. Let the battle begin," Brock announced.
"Pignite, use arm thrust," Bianca commands her starter, who charged at Snivy with his arms.
"Counter with vine whip Snivy," Ash commanded his starter, who was clashing the two moves against each other, not giving an inch as Pignite landed a blow on Snivy as well as Snivy to Pignite. Snivy smiled at this as she had a good battle against a fire type that fights pretty.
"Now, Pignite, use Flamethrower," Bianca commanded her fire starter Snivy nodded to Ash, indicating now the right time to use her new move. Even Ash would use a Mirror coat instead but agreed to the new move.
"Counter with Aqua Tail, Snivy," Ash commanded Snivy Misty and Brock were surprised by hearing this as the Aqua Tail sliced through the flamethrower, hitting Pignite hard-knocking it out.
"Pignite is unable to battle Snivy wins, and the winner is Ash," Brock announced as Bianca returned Pignite as Minccino jumped on Bianca's shoulders.
"Well, Ash, I must admit that I wasn't expecting that move. Here's hoping that the next time we meet, I will be a better trainer," Bianca said to Ash.
"Bianca, you are getting there. Don't let what is going on with your family get you down. I suggest contacting Professor Juniper to see if there is a way to get you a translator. Tell her to contact the league if they aren't busy. That is why I would recommend this to help you out," Ash told Bianca, who nodded at this as she took her to leave with Minccino.
"Hey Ash, why didn't you tell her you are meeting with the league members at Nacrene City?" Snivy asked Ash, wondering why he didn't mention that.
"I'm planning on it after the battle against Amelia, as that comes first. I don't want to tell her I have connections with the league to ruin the surprise. If they agree and see her as a trainer, I'd say she earned it?" Ash said to Snivy, who nodded at this. "If I still had my extra earpiece, I would've given it to her, but I think it was needed elsewhere."
"I must say Bianca deserves it, Ash. She needs all the help she can and overcomes her father's expectations for her and what she wants, but let's get going and discuss this when that time comes," Brock said to Ash, who nodded as the group left.
With a new rival for Ash, the Journey has gotten even better for Ash as the Journey to Nacrene City is now a few days away as the Journey continues.
"Lookout, Amelia. We are coming for you, and it's payback for what you put me through," Snivy thought.
Stay tuned.