Hello again, Mgunnels3 here, and welcome back to Ash's Unova journey, my version. I appreciate all of my readers' support and patients here and on my other account on DeviantArt; my last written chapter has gotten much attention. I do apologize for the lack of updates chapter-wise. Since 2016/2017, life has been busy for me, as you all know. I haven't lost interest in writing this story nor my other story as I put a lot of work into these; I know I sound like I'm bragging, but I'm just telling the truth. Yes, I'm doing paragraph format. Enough talking; let's get this long-overdue chapter going. Also, don't be surprised that some are short; I'm still getting used to writing these this way.
Chapter 26: Sandile and the Ducklet Siblings
"Human Speech"
"Pokemon Speech"
We join our heroes as they train for the next part of their journey to Nimbasa City, the site of Ash's next gym battle, as Ash prepares Sandile for the gym. Little did they know that today would be a day that one of them would remember.
Ash was trying to get Sandile to learn a few new moves, as the gym leader is known for more than just pure electric types.
"Alright, while dig is a good move for the gym battle, I've heard that the gym leader is known for fast and flashy moves, so we need to work on your speed and possibly a new move, Sandile," Ash says as he was using Pikachu as the practice battle, he would've used Blitzle. Still, she needs to get up to Pikachu's speed, and Ash must figure out who he will use. His party is Venipede, Blitzle, Snivy, Dewott, Pignite, Litwick, Sandile, Axew, Scrappy, and Pikachu.
"Okay, Ash, but we need more than just my training, you know," Sandile said though he had that look as if he wanted to fight regardless. As he went in using bite as Pikachu dodged an iron tail hitting him.
"You can't let your guard down. Electric types aren't the types to wait around. You need to keep up and be ready for anything," Pikachu said to Sandile. As Sandile got up, he didn't realize that hit also knocked his glasses off his head.
"Hey, easy on the shades, Pikachu. You know that this means more to me," he said while looking for them. Pikachu got a good hit on the head to the point they were flown somewhere.
"We'll find it, Sandile, but you can't just let them be missing. Be the reason you can't fight any trainer can use that to their advantage," Ash said as he agreed to help look for them, but to no avail as if it just disappeared. Sandile sighed, knowing that those glasses meant a lot to him, and everyone knew it.
"Hey, guys, have you seen my glasses? It just went missing after my practice battle," Sandile asked the other Pokémon on the team, but they shook their heads.
"Maybe a certain electric squirrel took it since she tends to take food from the team as of late," Snivy said as she still harbors problems with Emolga since the incident with Pikachu Emolga was taken aback by this accusation.
"Hey, I only take food, not items, and second, that part of me has been gone, so please stop pointing fingers at someone who also was watching the fight snake," Emolga said with a huff, and she had a point.
"Ugh! Fine, but I'm watching you, Emolga. This isn't over between the two of us," Snivy said as she went off to help find the glasses, as she knew how important it meant to Sandile. Ash, Sandile, Snivy, and Pikachu noticed something moving at the corner of their eye.
"Huh, that must be the one who took the sunglasses," Ash said. As they went toward the movement and saw three duck-like Pokémon, two of them played with the collection of items from types of toys, horns, and balls, to name a few. The other one was just embarrassed. "Huh, what is going on? What are they" Ash said as he pulled out his Pokedex to learn that they were a flying water type named Ducklett.
"I've heard of these Pokémon. Mostly they're found on bridges or near lakes, but why are they here?" Sandile said as he noticed that one of them had his shades Snivy chimed in.
"I think I heard of these two from a few Pokémon I spoke with. They love playing pranks, nothing malicious, but they are the type who isn't the one to reason with easily," Snivy said to Sandile and Ash as the group nodded to what Snivy said.
There might be a trap if they didn't approach wisely though Sanidle looked like he had seen the third Ducklett somewhere, where little did they know it. Still, Emolga watched and heard the entire thing as she whispered.
"One of them will be perfect for Team Rocket. Let's see two boys and a female amongst the three Duckletts, huh? Well, the twerps can have two of them. I'll take one that didn't join," She snickered evilly.
The group decided to move around them, hopefully not making a sound. However, one of the Duckletts heard them coming.
"Hey, you two done it now," the female one of the group said to the two males playing as the youngest of the two said.
"Awe! Come on, sis; we're not doing anything that'll make us regret anything," the oldest of the two brothers said.
"Come now, and you're a party pooper, "The youngest of the three said as she huffed.
"Well, I'm not the one who has a terrible reputation amongst us you two do for taking stuff and either ruining them or destroying them on purpose or accident...Say, where did you get those sunglasses?" she said, noticing them as if she recognized them.
"From some random Pokémon that was wearing them. It fell off his face during a practice battle between him and his trainer," The oldest of the two said it didn't matter, nor did he care, as the sister said.
"Did he look like a Sandile or a ground type, given you two don't like listening to my past's stories," the sister said to the two.
The two were shocked by hearing this, and both said, "Uh..."
"Yes, it's mine, and give it back," Sandile yelled at the two brothers. As the group came out, the two Duckletts screamed.
"AHHHHH, THEY FOUND US!" As the two went to try to escape, if not fight for the stuff they had stolen as they chose the latter as a fight between Sandile and the two brothers happened to the point that it made the group either make a sweat drop or sigh at this these two were desperate to keep their stuff even the glasses. The older sister of the group stepped in.
"That's enough, you two; now you are getting into deep trouble. I thought those shades looked familiar," She said and bopped the oldest head, grabbed it, and returned it to Sandile, who was surprised that she did that as she looked familiar. "Here, I'm sure our old friend wouldn't want this to be damaged, or worse, right Sandile," she said to him as Sandile recognized her.
"Wait a minute, is that you, Ducky, the same one my old friend raised from a duckling?" Sandile said. She nodded and smiled as she was happy that he remembered her nickname.
"Yep, long time no see Sandile; I've seen that you've kept that for a long time," she said as everyone was confused. As Ash broke the silence.
"Sandile, you told me about your former friend. I took that this is the other friend with you that was going to join his team before he left?" Ash said, crossing his arms as this was the second Pokémon on his team that knew Pokémon outside his knowledge. Sandile looked down.
"Yes, this is the one I was talking about when. We had our conversation, Ash; it's just that when my friend left, only the two of us, me and my friend, here we trained together. She's pretty good at battles and a strategist," Sandile said as Ducky interrupted.
"Except I learned it through watching trainer battles. On the other hand, Sandile trained by himself," Ducky said as Sandile blushed and took a bit back by that statement as he put his glasses on.
"Ash Pokémon in the past either knew or been with Pokémon that has a past with them Litwik is one of a few Pokémon I knew outside of Dewott and Pignite," Snivy was interested in Ash, who now understands pretty well what she was saying.
"Okay, but next time let me know if you either recognize a Pokémon or know them. I don't want any surprises." Ash said as Pikachu poked at Ash during this.
"That would ruin a reunion, if any, for the Pokemon themselves, as not many Pokémon want to be captured like the last ones. Who joined the team...ouch Snivy!" Pikachu said just as Snivy gave a slight whack on the head to Pikachu with her vine whip.
"As much as I do agree with what you said, YOU! Didn't need to be so harsh, Pikachu. You said you would stop putting your foot in your mouth, and yet you just did that," Snivy said to Pikachu, who rubbed his head in embarrassment. Luckily, that whack wasn't hard enough to cause damage, but she got her point across.
"Ash, is it right, though you should've told him what type of Pokemon I was so this incident wouldn't have happened," Ducky said as she turned to Ash.
"Huh? Yes, what is it?" He said as he kneeled to her height. She had that look that many of the Pokemon he had seen in the past who wanted a trainer.
"Can I join your team? I wanted to be with a trainer after our friend left, but I won't let you catch me easily," she said as she pointed her wing at Sandile. Ash realizes what she is suggesting.
"You want to battle me with me using Sandile in a battle against you. Is that what you're implying?" Ash asked Ducklett. She nodded.
"Yes, since he joined a new trainer, I want to test what his new trainer is like. You seemed the nicest person if he joined you, so that's one part," Ducklett said to Ash making her demands.
"And the other, Ducky?" Sandile said, walking towards her with a somewhat knowing what she would say next but asked anyway.
"He needs to be strong. When our friend was with us, I was fine as we had planned ahead of us. Now I don't want any trainer; I want a trainer that I can call my own, and I wanted to battle you, Sandile, one-on-one," she said with a smirk.
"I accept," Ash said.
"Me too," Sandile agreed. The three got into a position similar to what a Pokémon battle should be.
"If you win, I'll let you catch me. That's to our agreement; if you don't think you are up to the challenge, you might as well not bother," Ducky said as Ash and Sandile nodded. As she started with a water pulse attack.
"Dodge and bite, Sandile," he dodged nearly at the last second as he went straight for her. As she used aerial ace. As both moves hit, she wasn't holding back as Ducky fired an Ice beam at Sandile at the ground, ensuring he won't use the environment. She knew what she was doing, and it was quickly evident.
'Ugh, she knows what she's doing," Ash thought as Sandile struggled on the icy ground as Ducky mocked him.
"Is that all you got, really, Sandile? I thought you were better than that," she said while flying using brave bird.
"Sandile refocuses what I told you before; focus on the battle, not who you are battling, friend or not," Ash said to Sandile, who nodded. "Now use thunder fang," Ash said as Sandile used it just as she was about to hit him, which not only did it caught her off guard. Still, it got a good shock on her too.
Both were sent back. As both were exhausted, both smiled at each other. As both of them suddenly glowed simultaneously, they were evolving Sandile to a Krokorok and Ducky to a Swanna as Ash, being Ash, scanned her, unaware of what kind of Pokémon she was, and found out that it was her final form as well as Krokorok noticed and adjusted his shades as if it evolved with him.
"Well, all that hard work was for this, worth it," Krokorok said pridefully. Ash looked into his newly evolved Pokémon's moves and noticed that he had learned something new.
"Alright, let's use that. Use Stone Edge" Krokorok launched a massive pile of rocks at her, which she couldn't respond to, knocking her out; surprisingly, that got the win for Ash. Later as he managed to get Brock to heal her before being caught.
"Well, Ash, a deal is a deal. I'll let you take me," She said to him. Ash nodded and pulled out a Pokeball as the oldest brother chimed in.
"Uh...can one of your friends let me join their team? I must admit I have a long way to go, but I'd rather be with someone who's a trainer as well," the older brother asked as Ash translated this to Misty as she noticed that.
"Well, I'm a water-type expert and a water-type gym leader in the region we're from. So sure, I'll be happy to let you join, just no more pranks, okay? I already got enough headaches from Golduck before he evolved," The Duckett nodded.
"Deal no more from me. That's a promise," Ash and Misty caught the Swanna and Duckett for their teams. As the two let them out as Ducky noticed.
"Huh, where's little bro? You'd think he wanted to join us or something," Swanna said to her brother, who shook his head sadly.
"'He rather not join a team, not after that battle. He rather does sad pranks. I'd try to talk him out of it, but he put his webbed toe down," the oldest said as Ducky sighed.
"Once he made up his mind, there's no going back. I wished we could say goodbye, but..."Ducky said as the oldest interrupted.
"I already did for both of us; sadly, he didn't want to hear it from you but for me," the Duckett said to his sister.
"That's a shame he chose that instead of looking up to you two, being proud of you, and seeing you off. I'm sure I would've been happy to let him join my team to make him happy, but I guess there's nothing we can do," Ash said as he translated this to Misty and Brock as Misty added.
"As the youngest of four sisters, I can relate. I, too, wanted to do things on my own to be better than them. However, I still love my sisters. Even if they are a bit bossy." Misty said to the two siblings as Brock also agreed.
"You and me both, given that I was the one who took care of most of mine before my dad came back the day I met Ash here; like Ash, I would also have been happy to have him join my team as I owned a water-type or two in the past," Brock said.
This was a surprise to the two siblings as the two members of the group understood their situation, but right now, little can be done.
With two members added to Ash and Misty, things are getting more intense as their journey to Nimbasa City continues.
Meanwhile, later that night, with the youngest Duckett.
"Stupid brother, I can't believe he is with a trainer. Then continue our time together, big sis. I can understand. Still, he had no connections to that human nor his friends," he said as he was in the same area as earlier. Little did he know. He was being spied on by Emolga, who already liked him more than the other two, as she flew towards him.
"Well, if the rumors about the Ducklett siblings are true, seam's like it's just one doing the pranks?" Emolga said sarcastically as the youngest Duckett noticed.
"Hey, that's mean. Just cause my brother turned his back on me doesn't mean that I can't do things better, and who'd you think you are calling me that?" He said with a hurt tone in his voice.
"Well, he joined a female trainer, a different trainer than your sister. He even gave up pranking to be with her. I'm sure he'd even forget you by the time they leave," Emolga said, making him lower his guard with lies.
"That's not true. They love me and will never forget me. He promises me he wouldn't," he said, holding back a tear.
"'Oh really, cause most human-trained Pokémon I've seen forgotten their families or gave up on them entirely. Those humans are all the same. They don't care about what the Pokémon has in the past. They only care about getting stronger," She said that was the part that hit him the most as he broke down crying. Before he can say anything or realize something is off, Emolga uses a dark Attract on him as it hits him hard.
"Instead of remembering that, why don't you get back at them by joining my team, Team Rocket? That is, you can do all the pranks and more once they're done with you. After all, you're not the only one with a reputation like yours," Emolga said to the now defenseless Ducklett, who stopped crying as he was under her spell and had a grin similar to hers.
"Yes, I'll join and get back at those two for betraying me. They're no siblings of mine," the younger brother Ducklett said as Emolga snickered evilly.
Stay tuned
And done, oh boy, that took a while than expected. Sorry for how long it took to get this chapter out. This was requested as well, and it was for both Ash and Misty, and one of them to Team Rocket was part of the last part of the plan. Hopefully, you all enjoyed it. While I did change the episode entirely, the original was funny in its own right, to the point that keeping the movements would hurt this chapter, as I loved the original episode on which this chapter is based. It's a fan favorite, and the Ducklett line is one of my favorites, minus how their move pull is what you usually see in the water and flying types. I like the design of Swanna and all that. As for this chapter's writing, please go easy on the reviews, as writing paragraph format is challenging on my end. This is the third chapter in two stories that I've written in this style. The best of 3 battles against Trip is. Next, I'll be working on that before moving on to the Charizific Valley chapter in the Johto story. See you guys next time.