Greetings everyone. Mgunnels3 here, and welcome back to Ash's Unova Journey, my version. Let's get this three-parter going, shall we?
Chapter 45: The Promise we made pt1: The Misunderstanding
"Human Speech"
"Pokemon Speech"
Dewott was still taken aback from hearing that Servine mentioned the promise that the two of them made back when they were young. On the other hand, Ash was more curious about this.
"What's it to you, Servine? Haven't you already broken your promise about not telling my secret about me being afraid of seeing underwater? So why should I believe you still kept that promise about evolving?" Dewott said to Servine, who sighed at this.
"Dewott, will you stop trying to blame me already, please, and listen to what I have to say? Look, Dewott. That was my brother who did that? He even confirmed that after my battle against him. And think about it. When did you find out that this happened?" Servine said to Dewott, who was starting to remember that it was the day the two made their promise, and he got up and ran off.
"Dewott? Wait," Ash said to Dewott but was interrupted by Servine.
"Let him go, Ash. Give him some time, and then talk to him. He's not in a good position to be talking with someone right now," Servine said to Ash as Ash turned to Servine.
"Okay, but what is going on? He's been avoiding talking about you and has had issues with you every time you were mentioned?" Ash said to Servine, who looked down and sighed.
"Look, Ash, if you want the whole thing about our promise, you can ask Dewott. As for what is going on, Dewott said it all. My brother almost ruined our friendship by telling the whole secret about Dewott's phobia to the whole ranch, and I got the blame because he's my twin," Servine said as Ash was taken aback by this and looked to where Dewott ran off to.
"Dewott may be stubborn, but he's been more of a brother to me than my brother since he only has sisters. Deep down, I think just the way he reacted there that he knew that must've been the case, but still thought that I had something to do with what happened back then," Servine said to Ash.
"So you two used to look up to as brothers growing up? Huh? And I agree with you there. He has avoided talking about you whenever anyone brings your relationship with him up. Now it makes sense," Ash said to Servine, who nodded. "I'll go and talk to him. Maybe I can talk some sense in him," Ash said to Servine, who sighed.
"Trust me, Ash. I've tried to back then, but if you do talk to him, tell him that even after all of this, I still see him as my little brother," Servine said to Ash. Ash nodded as Ash was walking out of the dining hall, only to run into Misty.
"Hey, Ash, I was hoping to catch you to ask you a favor. But I see that you are in a rush?" Misty asked Ash, who nodded at this.
"Yeah, to talk to Dewott as things about him and Trip's Servine lead him to walk out hurt, and I want to talk to him before choosing what Pokemon I will use for tomorrow. Have you seen him, Misty? Or what way he went?" Ash asked Misty, who pointed to her left.
"Yeah, I saw him walking towards the lake outside the city?" Misty said to Ash, who nodded as he kissed Misty and walked to where Dewott went. "Well, I guess we'll have to talk about one of my Pokemon being used tomorrow, Ash," Misty said to herself.
Meanwhile, with Dewott. Who was holding a stone in upset after hearing what Servine said? "How can I be so stupid? Thinking back now, I had my suspicions about his brother doing that. But Trip's Servine knew about that and still wanted to keep our relationship as siblings, and I don't know," Dewott heard Ash walking towards Dewott.
"Dewott? Are you okay? You want to talk about it?" Ash said to his water starter, who wiped a tear from his eye.
"I don't know where to start, Ash. Though I have taken that Servine told you most of it," Dewott said to Ash, trying to figure out what was happening.
"According to Servine, you two used to see each other as brothers, even mentioning it was 'cause you are the only male of your siblings?" Ash said to Dewott, who nodded at this.
"Y-yeah, that is true. We both wanted an older and younger brother sibling, and well, we used to train each other and play a lot like ones," Dewott said to Ash.
"So what was this about a promise you two made it about? Is this really about evolving Dewott?" Ash asked Dewott, who sighed at this.
"He and his big jaw. I knew that saying that earlier would be the main part of your question, but yes, it is, cause of this," Dewott said aloud but nodded at this before pulling out the stone he held onto in his fur as Ash recognized an Everstone.
"Yeah, I think now's a good time to talk about why I had my reasons for not evolving right away?" Dewott said to Ash. "The truth is the promise that the two we made was to evolve simultaneously as each other. While that didn't happen at our middle stage, as you saw during the training for the rematch against the second gym," Dewott said to Ash.
"Yeah, he was a Servine when we battled his team after Snivy. I mean, Servine joined the group, but like you, he seems like he didn't evolve when you two fought your siblings and won?" Ash said to Dewott, who nodded at this.
"I'm fine with our Servine as she was a very close friend to me through Trip's Servine, that is?" Dewott said to Ash, who nodded, understanding what was happening and how Dewott became friends with Servine and Pignite.
"So she and Pignite became your friends cause of him, not just because they wanted to?" Ash said to Dewott, who nodded and sighed.
"Pignite told me during one of our conversations, and I figured out that now looking back, Trip's Servine always looked out for me even when our friendship was on the rocks," Dewott said to Ash. "But to the question about us evolving? What led to it during one of our training as kids? During this, my Scalchope cut this stone in half. While it was knocked out of my hands by one of Servine's attacks," Dewott said to Ash.
"That explains why it looks like it's half of one?" Ash said to Dewott, who nodded at this.
"Yeah, I found out from my big sister what it was. Then again, she had heard it from Juniper, but it was confusing back than that. Now I understand why it works like that after experiencing seeing it not happening earlier today against my sister," Dewott said to Ash while looking down. "We agreed to evolve that day as friends and brothers fully. But that changed when word about my phobia got around the lab," Dewott said to Ash.
"Did you suspect Matt's Servine, not Trip's? I mean, from how you ran off? Even Servine had a feeling that you knew from the beginning as well," Ash said to Dewott, who nodded.
"At first, I did, and I would confront him, but he left the same day my older sister was chosen as a starter, and many of the Pokemon at the lab said the same thing. A male Snivy told them that" Dewott said to Ash and looked down.
"You assumed it was Trip's because he's the only one who knew, and it didn't seem like Matt was interested in this?" Ash said to Dewott, who shook his head.
"No, if you've seen his older brother's actions, he's had a grudge against me even before I became friends with his ex Snivy. Thinking about it now, Ash. I should've asked Servine than accuse him, but I don't know if it's too late," Dewott said to Ash.
"Even after all of this, I still see him as my little brother even now," Ash repeated what Trip's Servine said to Dewott, whose eyes widened upon hearing this.
"W-what did you say, Ash?" Dewott said to Ash with wide eyes.
"That is what Trip's Servine said to me to tell you? I'm unsure if he still has the other half of the Everstone, but I know he still cares more about you than his older brother. Do you still think about him now, Dewott?" Ash asked Dewott, whose head looked down.
"I, I'm not sure, Ash. Upon hearing, that sounds like what he would say to me, but right now, I want to battle tomorrow against him if he is battling. I want to see if what he said holds?" Dewott said to Ash, looking down, who nodded at this.
"I understand, Dewott but remember. It's not too late to forgive him and yourself. If not, you might make an even worse decision than Matt's Servine did, and now he's with Team Rocket cause of this," Ash said before standing up. "I'm heading back. Don't stay out here too long. Tomorrow's our battle against Trip, and I want you a part of it," Ash said to Dewott, who nodded at this with a determined glare.
"I won't go down that road, Ash. I promise you, Ash, and thanks for the pep talk. I need that and take what you said to heart," Dewott said to Ash, who walked off to find Misty and find out what she wanted.
The next day came, and Ash was ready for his battle against Trip as both Trip and Ash was already at the trainer's boxes, prepared for the queue to send out their Pokemon.
Ash noticed that Servine was next to Trip, knowing his Servine would participate in this battle. Ash also had his Servine, as he picked his Pokemon for this moment in particular.
"Will, both Trainers, send out their first Pokemon," the announcer said to Ash and Trip, who pulled out their Pokeballs.
"Scolepede, come on out," Trip sent out his first Pokemon, the scout he caught back in Castellia city now fully evolved.
"Pignite, come on out," Ash sends out his fire starter.
Trip's Servine now noticed what Ash was doing here, given that Servine and Pignite were now a part of this battle, a special moment indeed.
With the battle club's Semifinals now underway, things are about to heat up between Ash and Trip and Trip's Servine and Dewott as the battle club continues.
Stay tuned.