Et Tu, Unova? Chapter Ten, a pokémon fanfic

Chapter 10

After Tranquill defeats Beautifly, May congratulates Ash and assures him he'll do great in his next gym battle. She opens her guidebook to find that the nearest one is probably in Nimbasa City to the north. Noting that the route between Castelia and Nimbasa is a harsh desert, May drags Ash off to go shopping. He reminds himself to have a funeral for his wallet in the morning.

As the new day dawns, Ash, Jessie, and Shauntal head north towards Nimbasa City loaded with all the gear and supplies they could possibly need (as well as some they definitely won't). Less than a mile in, however, they are met with disappointment. There's been an accident at the construction site and the crew has to clear the debris. Even more, just beyond the workers a fierce sandstorm rages. Shauntal explains that her Golurk is running an errand and her Drifblim couldn't possibly navigate the harsh winds of the sandstorm. She announces that she'll check in with the construction crew to see how long the repairs will take and if she can help.

While Shauntal heads off, Jessie notices a sign for Eerie Lake and decides to spend the day sunbathing at the lakefront. This leaves Ash and Pikachu to aimlessly wander around the construction site. Eventually, they stumble upon a tent from which construction works are exiting, mumbling about the house always winning. Ash enters and sees a card flip table, so he asks if he can play. The dealer, a man cloaked in a robe that completely obscures his features, tells Ash that the game is done for the day, but offers a different game for an enterprising young trainer.

The two walk to an unremarkable patch of sand and the dealer whistles. A Drilbur pops out of the ground and waves before digging back in. The dealer explains that Drilbur loves to dig tunnels, but this one has made friends with the construction crew and will pop out when called. He draws a line in the sand going directly across the hole Drilbur left behind.

"The game is simple. When you think you know which side of the line Drilbur is on, tell me and I'll whistle. If you're right, you win, otherwise I do. Do you think you can beat me?"

Ash stares at the sand, walking around the perimeter to try and find any hints, before picking a side. The dealer whistles and Drilbur pops up on the other side of the line. Ash demands to go again and is right this time. The cycle continues until the score is three to three when the dealer announces the next game will decide it. Before Ash picks a side though, the dealer whistles without warning and Drilbur pops up, the hole it leaves behind gets a passing worker and his Maractus caught in the sand. As Ash runs to go help him, the dealer holds an arm out to stop him.

"Just as with our game with Drilbur, this is about observation. Notice that no other construction workers have passed anywhere near our game - they're all too busy clearing rubble. Beyond that, recall that I mentioned that this Drilbur is friends with the workers. They know where its tunnels are and where to walk to avoid them. The logical conclusion then, is that this man is an imposter."

The trapped man panics at being discovered and has Maractus fire a Pin Missile at the two trainers. Ash jumps to get out of the way, but the dealer has called out his Bisharp who takes the hit without issue and charges at Maractus. Despite Maractus using Cotton Guard, Bisharp's extended blades strike true, knocking Maractus out with a super effective Fury Cutter and extending beyond the Pokémon to cut off the trapped man's construction outfit, revealing the Team Plasma suit underneath.

The dealer calls some workers over to contact Officer Jenny then heads back to the main construction lodge. Ash complains that they never finished their game.

"It doesn't matter," the dealer replies, "I'd have won. I know this the same way I know I'd win any contest against you, be it our Drilbur game, card flip, or even a Pokémon battle."

Ash is furious at the remark and challenges the dealer to a battle on the spot. Under his cloak, the dealer smirks. Until he challenges me to a battle, indeed. They agree on a double battle with the dealer revealing his Pokémon first. He sends out Bisharp and a Liepard, which Ash checks his Pokédex for information. Knowing their typing and high attack power, Ash sends out Tepig and Sewaddle for their type advantage and higher defenses. Immediately after the battle begins, Liepard strikes Sewaddle with Aerial Ace while Bisharp spins like a drill to knock Tepig out with Dig. Ash is stunned by how easily he lost.

"Do you want to know why you lost?" the dealer asks, "You only think one step ahead. It's better than many trainers, who are purely reactionary, but it's not enough. You don't observe to see how your opponent will react to a strategy or even analyze what you know about your opponent to make predictions. Drilbur is friends with the construction crew and moves towards the vibrations caused by footsteps, but its speed is limited. Figuring that out you could correctly predict where it would emerge every time. In our battle, I knew that trainers would likely use Fire-, Fighting-, or Bug-type Pokémon against me, so I had my Pokémon learn strategies to deal with them. Most Pokémon that can streamline their body can learn Aerial Ace and anything that has a way of moving through dirt learns Dig. This is not uncommon: many Psychic-types can learn Focus Blast to repel Dark-type opponents, Flying-types can learn Steel Wing against Rock-type foes, and Electric-types can learn Signal Beam to take on Grass-types who resist their signature attacks."

The dealer releases a Mandibuzz and a Krookodile from their Poké Balls.

"It helps if you have other Pokémon that more naturally learn these coverage moves and can help those that take more effort to master them. Now show me what Pokémon you have with you."

Ash calls out his Tranquill, Oshawott, and Scraggy.

The dealer responds by sending out his own Scrafty. "Fighting-types can often learn Ice Punch, which is quite helpful against Flying-type foes. My Scrafty would be happy to teach your Scraggy the technique. I know a spot in the Desert Resort where the cliffs provide shelter from the sandstorms so wild Pokémon gather there in droves. It's an ideal training spot. Go into that building, heal your Pokémon, and rearrange your team with some that can help those you have on hand learn a coverage move."

Ash goes and does so. When he emerges, Shauntal has approached the dealer. She sighs and says to Ash, "I suppose I should have expected to find you here. Please allow me to introduce my colleague, Grimsley, also of the Unova Elite Four."

Meanwhile, Jessie has arrived at Eerie Lake. Despite the weather being quite nice in this part of Route 4, only a solitary fisherman shares the 'beach' with the ex-Team Rocket member. As Jessie sets out a towel to lie on, the fisherman walks over to her.

"I'd be careful sunbathing at Eerie Lake if I were you ma'am," he cautions her, "rumor has it that the lake is haunted by ghosts."

"MA'AM! You called me ma'am! How dare you!" Jessie rages, "I am not old enough to be called ma'am! Seviper, chase this loon off with Poison Tail!"

As the fisherman runs for his life he realizes that the crazy angry lady may not have heard his warning after his faux pas. Seeing the vicious Pokémon trailing behind him, its tail glowing purple, the fisherman decides she can probably take care of herself. And if not, he no longer cares.

Ash sputters at the reveal that he's been spending the day with yet another member of the Elite Four. Grimsley removes his disguise and gives Ash a sharp-toothed grin.

"I apologize for the deception, but it was necessary in order to draw out the Team Plasma mole. Also, I was very much not lying about the training methods and my offer for Scrafty's help still stands."

"Ash," Shauntal warns, "I would not advise going along with Grimsley's plans. He tends to be quite a bit -"

"Hard on promising trainers," Grimsley interrupts, "It's true, I am. But let's make this another game. It will take at least a week for both the construction site to be cleaned up and the sandstorm to pass, but my Mandibuzz has the ability Overcoat and can fly through the storm with no issues. If you take the day following my training advice, we'll battle tomorrow. A full team of your Pokémon against one of mine. I'll even let you pick which one. If you can win, I'll have Mandibuzz carry your group through the sandstorm lickety-split."

After that, nothing Shauntal says will dissuade Ash. She glares at the colleague she would have described as reckless and self-serving rather than hard on promising trainers, but accepts the plot twist for what it is.

After nearly a full day of sunbathing, it is understandable that Jessie has dozed off. It is less understandable, however, that she wakes up to tentacles surrounding her face.

Jessie attempts to scream, but is muffled by the pink tentacles. In her panic, she manages to open one of her Poké Balls. Seeing its trainer in trouble, Joltik does whatever it can and releases its most powerful Discharge.

As Jessie twitches on the ground, she vaguely hears three shakes and a ding.

The day has long since turned to night and Ash thinks he's ready for tomorrow. He's spent the day in Grimsley's training area, only leaving to follow Scrafty back to the rest house when his Pokémon needed a break. But he seems to have lost Scrafty as he had been deep in thought planning tomorrow's strategy and now he's not entirely sure he's going the right way back to the construction site. That's pretty much confirmed when he takes a step forward and goes skidding before landing on his front. He examines the clear substance coating the ground. Ice? he thinks, No. It's way too hot out for ice. So what's this stuff?

Tapping at the ground Ash realizes that the sand has been turned into solid glass. Slipping and sliding on the glass, he finally stumbles against a crumbling wall. Behind the wall he sees a large, white draconic creature that radiates an intense heat. Its tail looks like a rocket booster and blasts fire as it turns to see Ash. With a curious expression in its eye, the creature examines Ash before blasting the area he's standing in with a jet of bright orange flames. Ash slides away, the flames missing him and converting more sand into glassy terrain.

Ash ducks behind a rock and sends out his Donphan. Another jet of flame starts melting the rock, but Donphan spins on the ground, throwing up sand that forms a wall around them. The wall shatters in the face of the continued onslaught, so Donphan launches a Hyper Beam at its attacker. The mysterious Pokémon retaliates with another jet of fire that cuts through the Hyper Beam as if it weren't there and strikes Donphan. Only a Defense Curl manages to keep Donphan healthy. Remembering something he's learned about move synergy, Ash has Donphan move straight from Defense Curl into Rollout.

The Rollout slides across the slick glass, picking up speed before striking the white Pokémon. The attack sends the Pokémon staggering back despite how it towers over Donphan. Rollout gains power with repeated use, so Ash has Donphan charge in again. By the time Donphan has struck thrice, the mysterious Pokémon is thrown backwards, smashing into one of its own glass walls. It recovers quickly though, and with its tail glowing blue-violet, it strikes Donphan hard, sending it flying and landing on the glass terrain, shattering it to pieces. Ash sees blood leak out of cuts from the glass before Donphan is forcibly called back into its Poké Ball and Torterra pops out. Ash knows Donphan needs help quick and that he can't win this battle, so Pikachu blasts the glass to shards with Thunderbolt and Torterra sends them flying near the attacking Pokémon (but not at - Ash doesn't want to hurt it). Ash recalls Torterra and goes sprinting off with Pikachu, not stopping until he finds Grimsley's Scrafty, who executes a quick Rock Climb to return Ash to the construction site with great haste.

After immediately having Donphan examined by a Nurse Joy, Ash spends the night pacing. Eventually, Nurse Joy returns and tells Ash that Donphan will be okay, but it will need lots of rest - no battles for several months at least. Ash thanks her profusely and makes arrangements to have Donphan recover at Professor Oak's Ranch. Once the morning comes, it's time for Ash's match against Grimsley.

"This will be a one versus six match between Grimsley of the Unova region's Elite Four and Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town. Grimsley will use only his Krookodile, while the challenger may use a full team of six Pokémon and may make substitutions whenever he wishes. The battle will be over when all of either trainer's entered Pokémon are unable to battle," Shauntal acts as referee to the battle while a splotchy-looking Jessie and large parts of the construction crew serve as an audience.

Ash starts out with Scraggy who attacks with Ice Punch. Before the blow lands, however, the blue glow dissipates somewhat and the attack ends up underpowered. Grimsley comments that it's a shame the move isn't fully mastered yet before knocking Scraggy out with Krookodile's Aerial Ace.

Oshawott is next and immediately launches a Water Gun. Krookodile Digs to evade, but Oshawott shoots another Water Gun into the hole, dealing damage and pushing Krookodile out. It's not enough for the win and Krookodile strikes back with Stone Edge, knocking Oshawott out with a single hit as well.

Ash calls on Sewaddle who shoots a Razor Leaf towards Krookodile, who once again responds with Stone Edge. Sewaddle avoids the attack, but its Razor Leaf has been made useless. Trying something new, Ash commands a String Shot from Sewaddle, which strikes Krookodile. It starts by tying together the desert croc's jaws, but continues to make a full mummy out of Grimsley's Pokémon. But Grimsley is known for his risky gambits and commands a Fire Fang. As the string catches fire, Krookodile barrels into Sewaddle, knocking it out. Krookodile is free, but Ash can see it's suffered a burn from its own attack.

Betting on the Attack drop from the burn, Ash sends in Pikachu next. He moves from Quick Attack into Iron Tail and strikes Krookodile hard. Krookodile dives underground with Dig, but is shocked when Pikachu follows with a Dig of its own. They do battle underground and both emerge more wearied than before. Ash looks at his partner and the super effective damage taken and flashes back to an image of Donphan, covered in cuts and bleeding. He calls Pikachu back for Tepig.

Tepig dodges Stone Edge with Flame Charge and covers the field in Smokescreen. Its sight rendered useless, Krookodile dives deep underground to use the vibrations for navigation. Ash sees his opportunity and recalls Tepig. He throws his next Poké Ball directly up into the air as high as he can. When Grimsley sees what pops out, he orders Krookodile to get back to the surface quickly. But it's too late as Torterra lands with a ground-shaking Earthquake, dealing double damage to the underground Pokémon. As the dust settles, Krookodile's head is visible above the ground, but the Pokémon is clearly unconscious. Ash has won the battle.

Grimsley keeps his promise and as soon as Ash's Pokémon are healed up and his team is rearranged, Mandibuzz carries the three trainers through the sandstorm.

Not too long later, Mandibuzz returns to Grimsley's Pokémon clearing the debris from the construction site at a speed that will complete the task in hours. Grimsley apologizes again to the foreman for the delay and has Mandibuzz clear the sandstorm with Defog.

Grimsley pulls out his Xtransceiver and makes a call. A rough voice answers and Grimsley tells him that the Relic Castle and the treasure within have been located, a shard of glass dancing between his fingers.

Shauntal may know narratives and characterization and use them to predict people's actions Grimsley thinks, but he knows odds and gambling. Five minutes after Ash arrived in Unova, Zekrom appeared to him. It was a sucker's bet that sending him wandering around the desert for a day would draw Reshiram out. And okay, it didn't go perfectly. The dragon of truth attacked his hiding Scrafty for its deception, but Ash handled it surprisingly well without any permanent injuries to his Pokémon and Scrafty got him back quickly enough that the rehab would only take a few months.

Now Alder just has to recover Reshiram to keep it safe from Team Plasma. Shauntal's Golurk might even be able to help, but really he doesn't care. He just needed a way to trap Ash between Castelia City and Krookodile's sandstorm for a bit. And he's fixing the construction he tore down, so really there was no lasting harm and Team Plasma suffered a strategic loss, even if they don't know it yet. There's a reason people rely on him for this kind of thing.

Author's Note: Updated 5/12/22. Along with Chapter 5, this is one of the most consequential chapters of this story as far as Ash's character development goes. Will Chapter 15 follow suit? (It will not)