Ash's Team
Styx - Hydreigon
Hemlock - Morgrem
Bane - Zoroark
Mirae - Mytheon
Sagitta - Togekiss
Libra - Hakamo-o
Nettle - Unnamed Evolution
Castor - Krokorok
Polaris - Frogadier
Artemis - Houndoom
Orion - Alolan Ninetales
Ladon - Appletun
'Third time's the charm.' Ash wished he believed that as he stared down at the shrunken Beast ball.
He'd been traveling through Route 7 for three days now, and for the past two nights, he released Nettle.
It hadn't gone well.
Rolling his shoulders, Ash nodded to Styx, Libra, and Orion before tossing the ball in the air. With a flash of light, the UB appeared a few meters away from him, iron-like wings keeping it airborne. Its cyan eyes were narrowed and its head thrashed around, keeping all four beings in its sight. Manacles clacked threateningly and its spindly claw-tipped hands flexed repeatedly.
Ash squared his shoulders and took a purposeful step forward. Nettle didn't seem to like that and shrieked, wings raising menacingly and its massive needle poised. Ash did his best not to flinch from the piercing sound or the threat and instead yelled "ENOUGH-".
Yeah, Nettle really didn't like that.
The beast shrieked again and darted towards him, but his teammates were ready. Ash dove and rolled out of the way as Libra slammed into the UB, wrapping her arms around Nettle and holding it still as it struggled wildly. Orion bounced forward and allowed his eyes to glow blue, the Hypnosis slowly knocking Nettle out.
Ash returned the now sleeping beast and stared at the innocently motionless Beast ball.
It was almost a complete replay of the last two tries. Nothing Ash did was working, and it was starting to sink into his bones. What if nothing worked? What if Nettle was lost to him forever?
Shaking his head, he clipped the ball onto his belt, refusing to isolate the UB from the rest of his team, at least in this sense.
He didn't let his melancholy linger, instead standing tall and thanking Libra and Orion. Styx stomped over to him and rumbled lowly. Ash just shrugged half heartedly and gave her jaws some scratches.
He'd keep trying. He wouldn't leave Nettle. He wouldn't abandon it.
It didn't do anything wrong.
"Fuck it's cold."
Ash grit his teeth and huffed into his gloved palms before sticking them in his armpits. He was really wishing he got one of those absurd looking Wooloo-lined trapper hats. Cursing Marnie for withholding the fact that Route 9 was an arctic wasteland.
He wrapped his scarf around his mouth and nose before groaning.
Ash had been lured into a false sense of comfort. Leaving Hammerlocke, Route 7 was easy, practically boring compared to the Wild Area. The only trainers around were newbies that took Polaris no effort to defeat. He started using Ladon after Polaris's tenth win.
But now, he was freezing his ass off in the tundra trying to get to Spikemuth. Marnie had urged him to visit her brother while he watched over the gym for her. She mentioned he had some friends visiting but to go on ahead.
From what he heard about Piers, Ash thought they'd get along.
But first, he had to fucking get there.
Luckily Outer Spikemuth was short and he'd be there in a few hours. If he was going North to Circhester he'd be much, much more unhappy. And frozen.
He hadn't released Nettle the past two days, knowing the cold would just make everything worse for the new Dragon.
Right now he was alone, not even Orion accompanying him. He liked the silence, how the snow swallowed any sound except for the wind. His thoughts didn't seem so overwhelming in comparison.
The last few days had been horrible for his nightmares. The stress of Nettle's situation transferred over to his dreams, twisting burn scars mixing with puncture wounds that dripped corrosive poison.
He knew he needed to call Grimsley, but that felt like giving up. Logically, Ash knew it wasn't that, but emotion and logic hardly ever coexisted peacefully.
Sighing to himself, Ash promised he'd call Grimsley once he left Spikemuth. He hadn't spoken to the Unovan Elite in a while, not since his second night in the Wild Area. He tried to call one friend every week, but sometimes he got sidetracked.
In their most recent call, Serena told him she had been on a talk show to talk about her last Showcase of the season. She said it had gone well.
Hau and Gladion were in Kanto looking for Hau's father. Hau knew who he was and what he did for a living but was keeping the information close to his chest for some reason.
Gladion had caught a Munchlax while they'd been there after she followed him around for a few days. Hau had caught a Kantonian Sandshrew when they went through Mt. Moon.
Ash had to admit he was surprised Gladion would be away from his sister for so long, especially after having their mother arrested. Then again, Ash never had a sibling and couldn't really tell what was expected behavior.
For some reason, he hasn't been able to get through to Plumeria.
Ash had kept up his once-a-week contact with Giselle. They were talking about Champion Geeta's most recent televised battle and Palafin counters. Ash hardly knew anything about Paldea-native Pokémon, so he was at a bit of a disadvantage, something in which Giselle took great joy.
Her odd team consisted of Glimmora, Palafin, Gholdengo, Arboliva, Espathra, and her ace Kingambit. Ash didn't even know Bisharp had an evolution.
Frowning and pulling his scarf higher, he continued to trek through the snow. He could see the outline of Spikemuth in the distance and forced his legs to move faster. He was relieved that by the time he got back to Kanto it would be nearing spring. He was so sick of the cold.
Finally, after another hour of biting cold and soaked socks, he came to the chain link fence that enclosed the warehouse that was Spikemuth.
Honestly, Ash was fascinated at the fact that an entire city was just one large building. Naturally, Spikemuth was the smallest city in Galar, but it catered to a specific demographic. A majority of the denizens were night shift employees. They'd work in other cities during the night and when they returned home, the dark city was perfect for sleep. Spikemuth had the largest population of trained Teleporting Pokémon in Galar to get workers to their jobs.
The other draw was music. Spikemuth was split into two areas, one for those sleeping during the day, and one was the music district. Piers, upon handing off his title to his sister, returned to his music career and started touring again, but Spikemuth remained the music capital of the world.
Ash had also read that people with horrible seasonal allergies, sight impairments, and gothic leanings also called Spikemuth home.
Rubbing his hands together, Ash scanned his Pokédex on a small touchpad screen attached to the fence. A green light blinked before the fence opened to grant him entrance.
Spikemuth hadn't been built as a warehouse to cater to specific individuals. No, it was for protection.
There were no other towns or cities within a certain radius of Spikemuth because of the huge population of Ice types along with Wailord. The interesting mix of freezing cold and constant Water Spouts caused icicle storms more often than not. These icicle storms brought out hoards of Ice types; thus the industrial strength chain link fence.
Before the fence, a stampede of Mamoswine obliterated a quarter of the city.
It might not look like much, but the metal posts penetrated four meters into the ground and the chain link was tested against rampaging Rhydon.
Of course, the material is highly regulated after Team Rocket got their hands on it and used it for cages and weapons. Since then, the old material had been altered to have an extremely low melting point, giving it an obvious weakness in case it was ever used for nefarious purposes again.
Ash stared at the metal for a long time, mind flashing back to Santalune Forest and scowling. How had Omen gotten his hands on the old alloy?
Shaking his head, he stopped in front of the warehouse doors and tilted his head. He didn't see any door handles or touchpads so he decided just to knock. There was a crackle of sound which drew Ash's eyes to a previously camouflaged speaker.
"Name and ID?" Ash blinked. 'Wow, paranoid.'
"Ashton Ketchum, ID# 11222014" There was another crackle before the sound of a heavy lock clanked and the door slid open. There was a rather intimidating woman that eyed him before nodding and letting him in. "Uh, what's with the security? I thought it was just for Pokémon."
The woman pursed her lips before biting out, "Violent stalkers, for one, but Spikemuth is also where people run when they need to get away from a bad beat."
Ash's face twisted into a sneer. When the woman looked like she was about to punch his lights out, he was quick to correct her assumptions. "Woah I have no problem with it. I was reacting to the thought of the type of people that would make that necessary."
The woman immediately calmed down and nodded. "Yeah, well, it might be a bit overkill, but we have the lowest crime rate in Galar."
It was times like this that Ash was struck with how awful people could be. There was a whole city full of people escaping abuse, stalkers, bad situations, and probably more that Ash never wanted to know. But on the other hand, how wonderful was it that there was a safe haven for those people?
Ash dipped his head in understanding before thanking the woman and heading deeper into the dark city.
There were neon lights everywhere, making it look like a night out in Nimbasa City. He must be in the music district because every street had at least one performer. Ash stopped to listen to one band do an incredible cover of Black Mareep. Another performer had a ukulele doing a heartfelt rendition of Can't Help Falling in Love with You.
Shoving his hands in his pockets, Ash felt his spirits lifting a bit as he walked along the black concrete floors. He was sure he'd have a headache after a few days, but right now the neon rainbow of lights and the chaotic melody of music was making his body flood with adrenaline and dopamine.
He didn't know where to find Piers, but he figured he had time. Instead he walked through the darkened city, skirting away from the daytime bars after memories of a horrible hangover popped up.
There was a florist shop across from a tattoo parlor and a coffee shop across from a bakery. The number of music stores was wild, ranging from vinyl shops, instrument stores, music lessons, and singing classes.
He did notice there were no large vehicles, only mopeds and electric longboards used for transportation. The city was probably the size of Undella Town back in Unova.
While walking, Ash found a little info board. Stopping for a moment, he blinked in surprise when he read that Spikemuth was specifically built here because there were no Dynamax Power Spots within a 50 km radius. The Rosemary family had been outspokenly against Dynamax in everyday battle, Marnie being the first to actively utilize it. She did some of her gym matches at other stadiums.
Ash hummed as he walked away. He had a feeling the Rosemary family were historically paranoid.
Well, except for Piers and Marnie. Spikemuth used to be a Poison gym until Piers took over. The guy was apparently much more laid back but avoided press like the plague. He was the first ever Dark type Gym Leader to be in the Big Eight of a region.
He also had a rather large fan base.
Actually, when he stops to think about it, Galar had some of the most popular Gym Leaders in the world.
Gym Leaders were naturally well-known, but Galar - Chairman Rose - had cultivated them to be celebrities. They had other jobs, which did rankle traditionalists a bit, especially from Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn, where Gym Leaders were a territory's primary protector. But in Galar, when one Dynamax Pokémon could act as a sizable defense, it wasn't as necessary.
Personally, Ash thought that was a bit too optimistic, but Galar has never had an active domestic terrorist threat. Not like Unova with Team Plasma, or Kalos with Lysandre's cult, or Alola with Aether. They weren't targeted by Team Rocket.
They had the Darkest Day, but even that wasn't really in the history books.
So he couldn't say he was surprised Galar had fallen into an overconfident sense of complacency.
Ash peeled off his scarf and gloves as he started to warm up. The bright pink lights of the Pokémon center drew him in and he was quick to hand over Polaris's Lure ball and Ladon's Quick ball. The Frogadier had gotten hit with a surprisingly strong Thunderbolt from a Pincurchin on Route 7 that left an electrical burn on his thin skin.
Renting a room for two nights, Ash deposited his backpack and shed his winter layers. Spikemuth had shockingly good insulation and heat for such a large warehouse. He idly wondered about the electrical bill or if the city had its own team of Fire and Electric types.
If there were no Power Spots out here, he doubted Spikemuth could rely on Galar Particles for energy.
Ash plopped back on his bed and sighed, a few final shivers making their way out of his system. He was trying to think of any reason he had to go to Circhester, hoping to get out of visiting the freezing city.
He thought one of the Skulls got accepted to university there but he couldn't remember.
Sitting in thought for a little while longer, he finally pulled himself to his feet. Gathering his hair in a Ponyta-tail, he changed out of his thick winter gear and into a pair of black jeans and a white long sleeve. Clipping on his belt he headed back into the city. It was late afternoon at this point and he decided to look for Piers.
The gym was all the way in the back of the warehouse, where loud rock music could be heard. A few others were heading that way, all decked out in pink, purple, and black colors. When Ash made it to the shorter fence that surrounded the - what must have been a battlefield and concert floor - he saw a large poster.
Toxic Dusk
Reunion Concert!
1 Week Only!
Ash tilted his head and shrugged. Might as well. Walking through the gate, the music got louder and louder until his bones were vibrating with it. When he finally turned the corner, he stopped dead in his tracks.
'Roxie?'
There up on stage was Virbank Gym Leader Roxie Ramona, shredding her guitar alongside Spikemuth Gym Leader Piers Rosemary. A vampiric woman with short blonde Pignite-tails was behind a teal drum set while a giant man with wavy bleach blonde hair was on bass.
Ah, so that was how she knew Piers.
Ash stayed out of the crowd towards the back, leaning against a wall and enjoying the music. It was a mix of rock and screamo that wasn't too grating on the eardrums. Piers's voice was low and powerful, easily slipping between smooth and guttural. Luckily or unluckily, the concert finished after four more songs to cheers that echoed throughout the warehouse.
It seemed like all of Spikemuth was packed together in the small area.
As more and more of the audience filtered out, Ash crept closer and closer to the stage. He shoved his hands in his pockets and tilted his head back to smile as Roxie chatted with her bandmates. She glanced at him for a moment before doing a double take.
"Ash!" Her grin was slightly manic and she walked to the edge of the stage and plopped down, her legs hanging over and her guitar cradled in her lap. "I'll be damned. How ya been?" She was dabbing at her forehead with a cloth, sweat dripping down her temple and causing mascara to trail down her cheeks. It looked deliberate.
"Well, let's just say a lot has happened since we last chatted."
Roxie tilted her head, spiky white hair falling across her pale skin. "Well, we'll just have to catch up. Oh! You can finally meet Piers! Piers get over here!"
Piers was a sallow-eyed man with the wildest hair Ash had ever seen. Black and white stripes were pulled back in three thick Ponyta-tails with a large chunk hanging in front of one eyeliner coated eye. His entire countenance screamed tired boredom.
He did manage a smirk at Ash and walked away from his microphone stand. "Nice to meet the guy that defeated my sister."
Ash returned the smirk and clasped the former leader's forearm. They shook once before releasing. "I didn't know you two were in a band together."
Roxie grinned. "Oh yeah, we were only teens back then. I used to live in Galar before I moved to Unova. My mum was born here. Yo, Dusk, get over here! You too Todd." The drummer and bassist walked over and waved. "This is Ash. I met him a few months ago when I helped him with his Poison type."
The drummer grinned, artificially modified canines in her mouth. She seemed to have a teal theme going on. "Hey there, I'm Jane, but everyone calls me Dusk." Ash reached over to shake her hand. Her skin was as pale as Jinx's back in Alola. "Oh man, you gotta give me the number of whoever did your teeth." She pulled him closer so she could look at his unnaturally long canines.
Roxie tugged him free.
The bassist gave a rather arrogant smirk. "I'm Todd, all around badass and vegan." Ash raised a sardonic eyebrow but nodded.
"Good to know. As Roxie said, I'm Ash. So why'd you all decide to get back together for a week?"
Dusk crossed her arms and leaned against Todd's beefy shoulder. "It all worked, time wise. I just finished another tour with my current band. Todd here just got dumped by his ex and quit her band, so that happened."
Todd glared so Roxie soon cut in. "I was forced by the League to take a vacation, so here I am! And Piers here has been out of the Gym Leader business for a few months now so we were all free!"
Piers let his head loll backwards to stare at the ceiling. "Yeah, baby sister is all grown up now and I'm washed up."
Roxie rolled her eyes and leaned back on her hands. "Piers, go change. You get maudlin when you're in performance-mode."
Piers 'tch'ed but followed her demand and headed towards a door at the back of the stage. Roxie smiled good-naturedly and turned back to Ash. "Let us get cleaned up here and then we can chat." Ash nodded and leaned his hip against the stage.
As Roxie was shutting all the electrics off, she called over her shoulder, "Oh yeah, Piers's new friend is here, well, she's our friend now too. They should be back right about… now! Hey Plume, meet-"
"Ash?!"
"Plume?"
"Holy shit what are you doing here?"
"I could ask the same about you! Is this why you haven't been taking my calls?"
"I've been here for three weeks!"
"Who's taking care of the Skulls?"
"Well now that Team Aether isn't murdering UBs anymore, we don't really need a team structure. We're all still friends of course, but they don't need a leader."
"Since when are you friends with Piers?"
Plumeria laughed, looking lighter than Ash had ever seen her. Her multicolored hair was pulled back in a messy braid and she had an oversized ripped Spikemuth Gym jersey on and tall black boots. She looked behind her and punched Piers on the shoulder. He was now in a pair of black ripped jeans, a pink studded belt, and a black t-shirt. He rolled his eyes and lightly smacked her hand away
"We met online. We've been chatting for a few months, bonded over having a huge group of people relying on you, and it wasn't until I flew out here that we officially met."
"Woah woah woah, time out. How do you two know each other?" Roxie had her hands on her hips and was glaring at the two. Plume and Ash blinked.
"Remember I told you guys about the whole Aether thing?" Everyone nodded. "Well, Ash was the mastermind behind it." Four jaws dropped as they stared at Ash. He had always been good at hiding his discomfort and this time was no different. He shrugged with his hands back in his pockets.
Plume laughed and nodded. "Yeah, but we actually met when he helped me catch my Salazzle. He met my crew and we all got along swimmingly. A little trespassing and taking out an illegal organization is a great bonding experience."
Ash had to bark a laugh at that and nodded. Roxie shook her head in disbelief. "Well, small world." They all nodded at that. "We can clean up later, let's go get something to eat." Everyone readily agreed, leaving the instruments and wiring for later.
Piers led everyone to a restaurant called Impidimp Dumplings and managed to get a table for six. Surrounded by good food, Ash learned about the musicians in his company. Dusk was now in a band with two other women and all three had gotten permanent vampire fang implants. Todd used to be in a band before the lead singer broke up with him. He quit and was at an impasse at the moment.
"So Ash, what's happened since I saw you? How's Nettle?" Ash visibly flinched and looked away. An awkward silence fell. "Ash?"
He cleared his throat. "Uh, Nettle evolved."
Roxie looked confused. "That's great, isn't it?"
Ash shook his head. "It doesn't recognize me. Keeps attacking me. Had a short stint in the hospital." He cracked a self-deprecating smile and shrugged. Once again gaping faces met him, but these weren't filled with awe. He shrugged again. "Yeah, also got burned by a Houndoom, fought an international criminal, and watched a couple Pokémon die in front of me, so I'm doing great."
Might as well lay it all out on the table, right?
When there was a long enough silence, he shot a sarcastic double thumbs up. The silence was broken by Dusk snorting. The other four stared at her incredulously, making her hold up her palms. "Sorry! It's just, dear Celebi, that's so metal."
Ash chuckled, only slightly strained, and grinned. "There are good times sprinkled between, but yeah." He rolled up his left sleeve to show off his forearm. Plumeria leaned in and tilted her head.
"They look better than last time." Of course she had only ever seen them over videocall, but they were better.
"Experimental treatment." He lied. 'Yeah, all you need is the deity of Life itself.'
There was another bout of silence before Roxie slammed her hands on the now cleared table. "That's it, we need something to lighten the mood. Triple battle!"
"Uh, Roxie, neither Todd nor I battle."
"Double battle!" Everyone gave weak chuckles at Roxie's response to Dusk but nodded. "Let's do Ash and Plume against me and Piers, one Pokémon each. Let's go!" Roxie slammed enough money down to cover their meal plus tip before booking it out of the restaurant.
Piers sighed theatrically and pushed away from the table, his chair screeching against the floors. Dusk forcefully tugged Todd to his feet making him stumble, cackling all the while. Plumeria just threw an arm around Ash's shoulder and messed up his hair with a grin. "It's gotten longer." Ash smiled back as the older teen called ahead.
"Yo, Roxie, do you have a Dark type?" Roxie turned to walk backwards, her eyes furrowed at Plume's question but nodded. Plumeria's grin was decidedly wicked. "I just caught one too. How about an all Dark type double battle?"
"Oh, count me in."
It was nearing 10PM by the time they got back to the gym, but everyone was far from tired. A charge had electrified the air and Ash could feel his heart pounding in excitement. He leaned closer to Plume, "What Dark type? We need to strategize."
Plumeria responded equally quiet. "I got an Alolan Muk. She was stinking up Po Town with a bunch of Grimer. She's tough."
"I'll use my Zoroark, Bane. His illusions are really coming along, and he has good coverage. He'll be the speed, you'll be the defense, sound good?"
Plumeria nodded. "Muk has some Ground coverage with Mud Shot and has the egg move Shadow Sneak for mobility. Minimize, Acid Armor, Screech, and Disable will all be useful."
Ash hummed, "What about Protect?"
Plumeria grimaced. "She knows it, but only has one good shield in her."
"Roxie probably has a Skuntank or Drapion if she has a Dark type. Alolan Muk are taboo after the Rocket Wars so I doubt she has one too. Skorupi are found in Unova so my bet is on Drapion. Do you know who Piers will use?"
"Probably his Obstagoon, he's his starter and ace."
"Okay, so both are primarily physical attackers, Drapion with high defense and Obstagoon with higher speed and its signature move, Obstruct. Bane will be elusive, you focus on building up your defense." Plumeria nodded her assent.
The group made it back and headed to the field, Dusk and Todd taking to the sidelines to watch and record. Piers and Roxie readied their Pokéballs across the field, both sporting slightly more intense expressions than Ash had seen before.
Muk landed on the field, 'Hemlock' beside her and Plumeria spoke lowly to her about her hidden ally. The Poison type huffed but accepted her temporary comrade. Their opponents were exactly as expected; Obstagoon and Drapion.
Dusk she stepped forward and raised her arms "3-2-1 BATTLE BEGIN!"
Something slammed into Obstagoon before anyone could call out an attack, the large Pokémon stumbling back with a laceration across its chest. Piers and Roxie proved their Mastery by not even being fazed, instead continuing without pause.
"Screech."
"Toxic Spikes."
"Acid Armor."
"Taunt."
Obstagoon and Drapion were too well-trained to waste time, so the Taunt didn't strike until after their attacks were fired off, Hemlock could be infuriating on his good days, and Bane had been around him since he was caught. Illusion-Hemlock was almost as exact as the real thing, except for his Prankster ability.
Drapion snarled, obviously a newer capture based on how overcome by Taunt it was. Obstagoon was calmer, but still had a furious gleam in his eye.
"Sludge Wave!" Plumeria threw out a hand, a grin on her face that held even as her opponents dodged the attack. The Toxic Spikes were washed away in the flood. Ash sent her a nod of thanks. "Minimize!" Muk shrunk, melting into the ground as Drapion raced towards 'Hemlock'.
The illusion blinked out of existence, sending Drapion right into the Mud Shot.
"Obstruct!" A dull thud reached Ash's ear, making him frown when Obstagoon remained unharmed from Bane's hidden attack.
"Under!" The hole was expertly hidden, and the Swift that slammed into the Blocking Pokémon's back forced him to catch himself, foot sinking right into the trap. Skitter Smack elicited a roar of pain from their opponent, but one arm flung, claws digging into the cloaked Zoroark.
Bane appeared, struggling in Obstagoon's hold, claws tightening around his abdomen.
"Piers!" The former Gym Leader blinked, blanching when he realized Ash wasn't calling out to him, but to Bane. Obstagoon flinched when his partner appeared in his grip, reflexively dropping Bane, realizing a second too late that the illusion was nothing more than black and white hair around an empty face.
Landing in a crouch, Bane once more faded from view, though the Flamethrower that erupted from where he'd been was destroyed by the soundwave bursting from Obstagoon's maw.
Ash quickly glanced over at the other battle, seeing Drapion trying to strike a small puddle of poison, flinching every so often as the ghostly wisps of Spite sapped its strength. Biting his lip, Ash hoped Bane remembered their studying.
"Rise, Hippowdon!" The looks of confusion on everyone's faces would have been funny if Ash was paying attention, though it was Piers who seemed to realize first as a look of surprised awe came over him.
"Obstruct!"
Plumeria called for Shadow Sneak, a Disable delaying Obstagoon just enough as the battlefield shifted oddly, the ground bubbling like liquid, not looking quite right.
Drapion braced, mandibles clicking, but cowered as a disproportionate Hippowdon appeared to have phased through the ground, maw open wide with too many teeth. Flames erupted from the apparition's neck, bathing the former Bug type in heat. Drapion shrieked, spasming in fear and pain. Hippowdon faded as an Aerial Ace struck where Drapion's head met its neck.
The Poison and Dark type roared, arms coming up to grab at its carapace, feeling but not seeing its assailant. Claws snapped shut with an audible snap as it tried to catch the Pokémon targeting the weak points in its armor.
A massive soundwave tore up the battlefield, hitting Drapion but also dislodging Bane, who appeared and rolled across the field.
Muk was in multiple puddles, slowly reforming, but its opponent was thundering towards its teammate. Plumeria and Ash shared a look. "Give me 30 seconds and then get away." Ash nodded at her words and readied himself to take on two opponents.
"Aerial Ace!"
"Obstruct!"
"Copy Cat!" Piers sneered, the two sound-based techniques sending the two Pokémon stumbling away. Bane would get tired quickly with repeated use, but they had to make due.
"Pin Missile!"
"Stomping Tantrum!"
"Extrasensory, Agility, Double Team!" Bane howled, illusions finally run dry. His eyes flared pink, and suddenly he was dancing around Pin Missiles, light on his feet and jumping between waves of Stomping Tantrum. Bane was panting but graceful even this exhausted. He moved like an acrobat, flipping and weaving before the pink shine to his eyes flickered. His time training with Polaris was paying off.
But Bane couldn't dodge the deluge forever. The Pin Missiles slammed into him, throwing him back harshly. Bane's wimpers made Ash grit his teeth.
"Cross Chop!"
"Cross Poison!"
"Ash!"
"Dig!"
Bane scrambled below ground, Obstagoon quickly shifting into preparation for Stomping Tantrum, but a Shadow Sneak and the echo of "Memento!" had everyone frozen.
Darkness exploded from Muk's body, the Poison and Dark type howling as it seemed the energy was being vacuumed from her body, sinking into Obstagoon and Drapion. The two wailed.
"UP!" Bane erupted from beneath Drapion as Muk was returned. Dagger-like claws sunk between exoskeleton with surgical precision, then Protect flaring outward in a unreined explosion of energy, lifting Drapion and launching it away.
"Obstruct!" The Zoroark turned just in time to block the Cross Chop, sliding into Agility when his opponent broke through easily. Drapion was trying to pull itself to its feet, but lymphatic fluid was pouring from the wound in its abdomen like a faucet. Spasms were shaking its carapace and Roxie finally relented and returned it.
Obstagoon let out a Screech, pulling Bane from his Agility with a jolt. Tripping over himself, Bane barely caught himself in time to dodge the Thunder Punch that slammed into the ground right where his head had been.
Ash's heart was racing, Bane was on his last legs and Obstagoon was still raring to go.
"Swift!"
"Fury Swipes!"
"Skitter Smack!"
"Obstruct!"
"Toxic!"
Bane dove beneath the sound-based protection, rolling with little coordination but managing to spit a glob of Toxic all over the Normal and Dark type's back. Ash grinned, calling for a Flamethrower that ignited the Toxic, the vapors being breathed in, and then Swift to act as cover.
"Scary Face." Bane scrambled back as the terrifying smoky visage of Obstagoon appeared, and Ash was cursing himself for getting caught by Scary Face by both Marnie and Piers.
When Ash looked at Obstagoon, he paled.
Piers was grinning like a maniac.
And Bane was caught.
"Facade."
Guts-powered Facade struck Bane with the force of a rampaging Libra.
Ash didn't wait to return him.
Obstagoon stood tall on the ravaged battlefield, eyes wild with the power-up from Guts. The Blocking Pokémon beat his chest and yelled, forcing all who watched to slam hands over their ears.
Piers walked unflinchingly up to his starter and slapped a hand to his arm, pulling the Pokémon back from his frenzy. Obstagoon snorted and rested his giant head on Piers' hair. "Marnie is gonna kill me." Piers groaned and closed his eyes when he finally took in the extent of the damage. The field was in shambles from all the Digs, poison, and Stomping Tantrums.
Roxie was wearing a huge grin baring all her teeth as they all met in the center of the field. "That was something! I was about to be upset if two regular trainers beat two Masters." Roxie punched Ash in the shoulder. "Still, when did you catch a Zoroark?"
Ash thought for a moment. "Uh, early June. Back in Kanto."
Roxie hummed and turned to Plumeria, who had been talking quietly to her friend. "Gotta say, you handled that Muk well. I don't get to see too many since they're a taboo in my region."
Ash snorted and nodded in agreement. Plumeria bit her cheek. "Yeah, it took about a month before she listened to me. Had to be a lot more harsh than I felt comfortable with to get her loyalty."
Ash grimaced. "I wouldn't call it loyalty right away. Think of it as a partnership until you can be certain."
Plumeria looked skeptical but when Piers nodded along she pursed her lips and dipped her head. She looked a little put out, but Ash couldn't really find it in him to be consoling. Darks weren't something to take lightly.
"That was an epic battle, guys!" Dusk jogged over with a grin, her pointed canines on full display. "You have a League sanctioned Donphan right?" Dusk looked offended when everyone gave her bemused looks. "Excuse you guys, but I worked as a Gym Inspector for the League before I found my new band! Taught me that I hated paperwork." Roxie raised her hands in a placating manner, snickering under her breath.
Piers sighed and nodded. "Yeah, I'll be back." He blew his bangs away - which didn't really do anything - and headed towards the main building of the gym.
Every Gym Leader was given a Donphan to correct torn up fields, a Water Absorb user to soak up floods, Swalot to consume anything left on the field, and a Galarian Weezing to detoxify the air and field to make it safe for the next Pokémon to use it. Depending on the field, sometimes a Meganium was supplied to regrow grass and plants.
Those Galarian Weezing bred by the League had particularly even temperaments.
Ash yawned, realizing how late it was. "Alright, I gotta head back."
Roxie and Plumeria frowned, the former putting her hands on her hips. "How long are you staying?"
"One more night."
"Good. Come back first thing tomorrow."
Ash shrugged at Roxie's words but didn't argue. "Say goodbye to Piers for me." It was nice to be around friends again. He waved at Dusk and Todd as he headed out.
It was very late, but you couldn't tell since Spikemuth was always dark. He made it back to the Pokémon center without issue and dropped off Bane with the night duty nurse. Getting Polaris and Ladon back, he headed up to his room and quickly showered, the poisonous fumes from the battle stuck stubbornly to his clothes and hair.
He knew his teammates would be fine in stasis for a while, so he brushed his teeth and face planted on the bed, quickly falling asleep. His nightmares starred golden Cuffs locking him in place, chains attached and pulled taught, trapping him as a needle speared him through the heart.
He woke too early, too unrested.
The next morning, he was sure to release his team and feed them. Bane was decidedly grumpy from his loss, pouting from Libra's embrace, which made for a highly amusing image. Ash made sure to thank him, going over what they did well and what they could do better.
People weren't used to facing a Zoroark, but that wasn't an excuse for flimsy illusions. Hippowdon looked deformed, Piers hadn't had a face, and he was unveiled much too easily.
But they'd get better.
The rest of his team were happy to be out of the cold, contentedly munching on their breakfast. A couple young adults dressed in all black were sure to compliment Hemlock for his 'style', much to Ash's amusement and the Morgrem's smugness. Hemlock had tossed his hair and curtsied to the group, fluttering his eyelids in an act that made Ash want to gag.
He was getting worried about Nettle, not knowing what the beast needed for sustenance. Did it eat food now? Did it still need to feed off more than just the Beast ball radiation? As a Poipole, it could 'survive' a few weeks within its Beast ball, but Ash wasn't sure how evolution affected it.
There was still so much unknown about Ultra Beasts, no matter how much the League was sifting through Aether research and conducting their own, much more ethical, studies.
Of course, Nettle has only been out of its ball for a grand total of 10 minutes since it evolved, which didn't truly give hunger time to set in, but he was still concerned. Shaking his head, he took the dirty dishes back into the cafeteria and returned his team.
When he got back to the gym, the battlefield was good as new, almost like Obstagoon hadn't thoroughly ravaged it. A couple Gym Trainers were loitering, chatting and yawning in the early morning, their Galarian Linoone, Thieval, Morpeko, Impidimp, and Morgrem 'playfully' wrestling. Though it looked more like a vicious Meowth-fight.
Roxie and Dusk were already up, lazily playing a couple quiet songs on their guitar and drums. Dusk was the first to catch sight of him, not pausing in her movements as she called out. "Hiya Ash!" What she did do was change her rhythm so every one of Ash's footsteps was accompanied by a deep thud of the bass drum.
Ash waved and watched as Roxie whipped her head around and gave him a piercing stare. Her dancing fingers stopped and she set her guitar aside and hopped down off the stage.
"Alright," She cracked her neck, "let's see Nettle." Ash didn't offend her by asking if she was sure; she wouldn't ask if she wasn't. He gave a pointed look around, and Roxie quickly caught on. She whistled loudly to get everyone's attention. "Okay nerds, clear out! About to release a rampaging Pokémon so if you don't want to be impaled, get out!" The seven Gym Trainers didn't need to be told twice, vacating the area with their Pokémon and a single minded focus.
Roxie smiled proudly at her effective warning and turned a smug smile at him. Ash couldn't muster a reaction, instead gripping the shrunken Beast ball tightly in his hand. The Poison Master's grin fell, finally realizing how bad the situation is. She sighed and released one of her Pokémon, a small Crobat whose wings were a blur with how fast they flapped. "He knows Hypnosis and Mean Look, should be enough to keep Nettle in place."
Ash bit his lip before releasing Libra. The Hakamo-o roared, scales clanging together as she shot a look at her trainer. "We're trying with Nettle again." The Dragon huffed but readied herself.
Roxie shook off her awe at the oversized Pokémon and gestured for him to release his teammate.
Nettle appeared with another terrifying shriek, eyes darting around and noting the new person and Pokémon. The beast hissed and braced itself, glowing eyes darting between Libra and Ash.
Ash made to step forward but Roxie stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Return it."
"But-"
"Return it." Ash frowned but acquiesced, returning the aggressive Pokémon to its ball. It didn't occur to him until the Beast ball was clipped to his belt that this was the first time Nettle was returned without being asleep.
"Ash." Roxie's voice was concerning; hard and intense. He turned to her and waited. "Nettle's scared."
"What?"
Roxie's lips were pressed together in a thin line. "Every time it attacks you, who moves first?"
Ash opened his mouth but paused. Thinking back, when Nettle evolved, it wasn't until Ash advanced that it attacked him. Each time the beast was released, it wasn't until Ash tried to assert his dominance that Nettle lashed out.
'Oh Mew.'
He dropped his head and pinched the bridge of his nose, a lump in his throat and self hatred roiling in waves. Mew, he's probably been making Nettle even more afraid of him with his posturing.
"Honestly, I can't believe that's Nettle."
Ash sighed and nodded, lifting his head. "I know."
"What can you tell me about it?"
"Not much. It's a Dragon and Poison type, so I've been proceeding how I usually would with an aggressive Dragon."
Roxie shook her head. "Nah, I think it's still more Poison driven than Dragon. Poison types are the definition of defensive. Not like Steel or Rock types where their skin can brush off attacks, but with how they respond to their surroundings. Most Poison types aren't naturally bulky, so they have to gauge their opponent and decide from there how to react.
"Their toxins are their best defense, but a majority have limited stores of poison. They don't want to waste it, so they wait. Now, I'm not sure why Nettle doesn't seem to recognize you, but I say go with the worst possible scenario. Get to know it again. It'll probably take time. Keep in mind, this Pokémon is from an alternate dimension. It probably won't react how you'd expect to… well, anything really. Is there anyone you can call who's an expert on these uh, UBs?"
Ash took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Yeah… yeah I know someone I can call."
Roxie clapped him on the back. "Do that now. Get it out of the way." Nodding, Ash turned around and walked a few minutes to put some distance between himself and the gym. He found a quiet street with a bench and sat down. He pulled out his Pokédex and stared at the contact for a moment before pressing the call button.
It rang for a moment before connecting. "Ash! Good to see you!"
He managed a small smile. "You as well, Burnet. How's everything?"
Burnet waved a hand. "As well as expected! Oh! I forgot! We've only had two wormholes open up since you left, one was a Kartana, and one was a Poipole!" Ash hummed and Burnet beamed. "I know! They don't stay long, but we've tried to send in a few drones into the Wormholes, but they die almost immediately."
Ash shook his head slowly. "That's odd."
Burnet nodded happily. "Definitely! I've been working closely with the data analysts. We've had a small contingent of scientists figuring out how in the Nether that realm functions. It's an incredible opportunity in interdimensional research, the readings alone are wild! Anyway, enough about what's happening here! What's happening with you?"
Shifting uneasily, Ash looked away. "Nettle evolved."
Burnet's eyes almost fell out of their sockets. "Really?" She breathed, "That's crazy, I didn't know that was possible! From what I've learned, Poipole is like a larval stage. Don't worry! We're partnered with the League and every study is ethical." Ash sighed and closed his eyes. Burnet was quick to add, "But we can look into it! Can you send me a picture?"
Thanking his past self for managing a picture the second time he released Nettle, he quickly found it in his saved photos and sent it to Burnet before returning to the call screen. He heard the ding of her phone and watched as her eyes gained metaphorical stars. "Oh wow…" She was quiet for a moment before nodding to herself. "I'll ask my associates and possibly get back to you by tomorrow, hopefully. I have to ask… isn't it exciting that Nettle evolved?"
Ash snorted without humor. "My friend Roxie asked the same. It's not exciting when they attack you."
Burnet put a hand to her heart and her eyes grew sad. "Oh Ash, I'm so sorry."
"Oak said with how extreme the metamorphosis was, Nettle might not remember me. Roxie also said it's scared, more ruled by its Poison typing than its Dragon typing."
Burnet hummed and nodded. "I've read a few papers about the changes in the brain - and consequently memory - upon evolution. Nettle was such an affectionate being, though, and in my personal beliefs, that doesn't just get erased. I know you'll be able to get through to it."
Ash smiled a bit more genuinely this time. "Thank you, I'll do my best."
Burnet nodded resolutely. "That'll be enough, I'm positive."
The two talked for a little while longer before Burnet had to hop off. It was very late in Alola and the professor looked exhausted. The League has been going through all the information on Ultra Beasts, their official classifications going into the worldwide database. He felt slightly better after talking with the caring woman, and so returned to the gym with lighter steps.
Roxie eyed him but didn't say anything since Plumeria, Piers, and Todd had joined everyone by the stage. He was concerned, however, when Plumeria caught sight of him and gave a particularly devilish grin.
"Can anyone tell me what's one thing we all have that Ashy here doesn't?"
"A sense of humor."
"An easy life."
"A lover?"
Ash kicked Roxie in the shin, to which she responded by just laughing loudly. Plumeria chuckled along but shook her head. "Nope. A piercing."
Paling, his eyes darted around to refute the validity of that statement, but found he couldn't. Piers had a bar through his right eyebrow and he also stuck out his tongue to flash the silver ball in his tongue.
Dusk winked and showed off her two long dangling earrings, and the entire shell of her left ear was covered in black and teal hoops. She had a shiny black septum piercing hanging from her nose. Todd rolled his eyes and just pointed to the single spike through his bottom lip.
Plumeria tapped the side of her nose where a small diamond stud was placed and lifted up her shirt to show her bellybutton piercing. "Also got two more but you don't need to see those." Everyone chuckled when they saw Ash struggling not to flush, instead glaring at the teen that was spearheading this revolution.
"Why is it important that I'm the only one without a piercing?"
Plume 'awed' and messed up his hair. "Don't act dumb, Ash, we all know you're not." Ash bared his teeth at the backhanded compliment. The teen just ignored him and turned to the others. "We're going to corrupt you! So! What should we give him?"
"Woah, woah, I'm all for this, but I'm also all for consent, so we're not doing anything until Ash agrees." Dusk's countenance became very severe as she crossed her arms, not budging in the slightest. Five pairs of eyes drifted to look at him expectantly.
Ash growled a moment before biting out, "Depends on where." Plumeria fist pumped and rubbed her hands together, knowing she won.
"Lip?"
"Gauges?"
"Dimples?"
"Ew, fuck no, Todd."
"Guys, he travels, we need to keep that in mind."
"Piers; always the voice of reason. Okay, so anything that can be difficult to clean is out. Anything easily caught on something is out." Ash just stood off to the side quietly and let the older teens and young adults decide his fate. There were some he was definitely against but that would all come out in time.
He was a little worried he couldn't pull it off, as it would seem like he was posing, but at the same time he trusted these guys to a certain extent. He did trust Plume significantly more so.
The group finally turned around to face him. Plumeria seemed to be the temporary spokesperson for their ideas. "Alright, torn between eyebrow or nose."
Ash pinched between his eyes. "Can we just start with ear lobes?"
"Both ear lobes, one helix?"
"One ear lobe, one helix." Roxie groaned in the background but Plumeria nodded.
"Deal. I have the perfect thing for your helix." Her eyes drifted down to the uncovered Cuff on Ash's arm. "Anyone got something for the lobe?"
Ash held up a hand and took his necklace out from beneath his shirt. He probably had too many things attached to it. The Key Stone pendant, the gold beryl stone from Lillie, and finally Styx's fang she lost as a Zweilous.
He held up the fang that hung from the black chain. He got various sounds of approval, giving him the go ahead to unclasp the chain and ease the fang off.
Piers took the fang and power walked inside without a word. "Grab my gun!" Dusk called after him. Roxie saw his startled confusion and clapped him on the shoulder. "Marnie makes jewelry sometimes so he went inside to transfer the fang to an earring. Dusk also works part time at a tattoo parlor doing piercings"
Ash leaned around Roxie to stare at the drummer. "How many jobs have you had?"
Dusk shivered. "Too many."
"Take care, Ash." Plume squeezed him tightly the next morning and held on for a few long moments. She released him and gave a sincere smile and held his hands as she looked at him proudly. She reached down to rub Artemis' head, then her hand came up to lightly tug on the sharp fang hanging from his ear.
He felt a flick on the cuff in his helix, and ignoring the stinging pain he turned to glare at Roxie. Somehow, Plumeria had a helix cuff that looked similarly to the one glued to his arm. Two thick gold bands that tapered into sharp points wrapped around the shell of his ear.
Ash had tried to graciously bow out of the helix piercing, but Plumeria had been so excited about it, and he found he didn't want to hurt her feelings. Shocking for him.
The white haired rocker stuck out her tongue and roughly slapped him on the back. "Don't get in any more deep shit." Artemis stabilized him with a nudge.
Ash scoffed. "With my luck, highly unlikely." He shook Todd's hand and dodged a 'friendly' punch from Dusk. He turned to Piers and held out a hand. "Thanks for the tips. I'll work on incorporating it into Fade." The former Gym Leader shook his hand lazily but gave a small smile. "Oh, I also had another question. Is Marnie a Dark Master yet?"
If Piers was surprised by the question, he didn't show it. "No, she isn't. She hasn't defeated any Masters yet. The League is giving her a three year deadline to achieve her Mastery since I wanted to step down." Ash nodded in understanding. Seems like leeway was given quite often to Gym Leaders, like with Iris.
Some people complained of nepotism, this loophole being given to Gym Leaders whose gym had been in the family for generations. In Kanto it started as seats of nobility after the fallen matriarchy, with the carryover into the modern day being overseers of territories.
It also worked as a way to have new Gym Leaders already trained in the responsibilities. The League had a backlog of Gym Leader potentials that were in training. Overseeing an entire territory took years of preparation. Having siblings or children entrenched in the Gym Leader role from a young age was efficient.
Not all gyms were passed down, in Kanto it was only Pewter, Cerulean, and Fuschia. But it wasn't uncommon to have 50% of gyms be tied to families. Ash assumed the League wanted to stay in powerful families' good graces, which is where the Mastery Loophole came into play.
Gym Leaders also had some measure of input over who took over their gyms if they were to step down and no relatives were in the process of taking it over. They knew their gyms and territories best, and thus typically had a heavy hand in training their replacement.
Ash was pretty sure Blaine was training one or two grandchildren for the role.
"Come on, we'll walk you to the exit." Roxie linked her arm through his and pulled him ahead, breaking him from his thoughts. Piers and Plumeria dragged behind. Artemis took point, tail wagging as she led them to the exit.
The Poison Master took this time to say lowly, "You'll work it out with Nettle. That professor you know is supposed to call you later today, right?"
"Yeah. I just don't know where to start."
"Well, how would you start with a brand new Pokémon that wasn't a Chaos type?"
Sighing, Ash thought for a moment. "I'd be a lot more relaxed and open, nothing like my typical dominance strategy. I'd make my body language as non-threatening as possible but keep eye contact. I'd speak clearly but softly and make sure my hands were visible at all times." He trailed off when he saw Roxie giving him a look. "What? Oak wouldn't let me only learn how to approach Chaos types."
Roxie coughed into her elbow and it sounded suspiciously like 'nerd' but he might just be thinking too hard. Once they weren't whispering under their breath anymore, Plumeria jogged forward and looped her arm into his free one. "Now that you two are done being all secretive, Ash, open your Pokédex I need to send you the pics."
Ash just looked at her and pointedly looked down at his otherwise indisposed arms. Plume gave a put-out sigh and gave him his arm back so he could fish out his dex. He unlocked it and waited as Plume scrolled through her phone.
Last night after another concert, the group of six went out, Ash being dragged along reluctantly. No one forced him to drink, but he did find a hard cider he enjoyed and nursed for most of the night.
He learned many things about his new friends.
Piers could pole dance, Roxie could down six shots in 30 seconds, Todd could break a table with one kick, Dusk beat everyone at darts but with knives, and Plumeria could knock out a professional athlete in one punch if he slapped her ass.
The number of pictures they took was a little alarming, but at one point they got the bartender to get a couple group photos and there was one that was hilarious.
Roxie had her hands thrown up in the 'rock n roll' sign with a manic grin, Piers had his tongue out, piercing on display, and was draped dramatically against Roxie. Todd was flexing but his eyes were crossed, Plumeria had her elbow resting on Ash's head with a cheeky smirk, and Dusk was lying on the floor in front of the group with her tongue sticking out between the 'V' of her two fingers.
Ash stood in the center pinching the bridge of his nose.
They managed to get a few more functional pics before that. As they were delivered to his dex, Ash snorted as he looked through them a second time. Plumeria hooked her chin on his shoulder and chuckled along with him.
Artemis took a few temporary detours, receiving enthusiastic pets from the people waving at Piers. The Houndoom was quick to return to her spot at the front.
They made it to the exit a few minutes after that. The four made quick work of their goodbyes, sharing hugs and handshakes, and pats for Artemis of course, before Ash checked out with the security guard. Plume called out, "Aiko's at Circhester University! I told her you'd be visiting!" as the doors shut behind him.
Ash groaned as the bitter cold hit him like a flash and he quickly tugged on his gloves, beanie, and scarf. Artemis was quick to lend him her warmth, her training keeping her safe from the cold. He waited a moment for the heavy fence to slide open. Great, he'd have to go somewhere even colder.
Bracing himself mentally, he oriented himself north and started walking.
I'm not sure what it is about this chapter, but it's one of my favorites so far!
Nettle is a scared baby and doesn't know what's happening.
Look at Ash, actually having friends. They grow up so fast.
NOTE: I'm trying to stick to a Monday/Thursday posting schedule