Ash entered Route 1 with uncertainty. Why would his mother see him off? Shaking his head hoping to physically shake off the thoughts, he tried to look on the bright side. He managed to get out of town without any others noticing. He really didn't want to run into Gary. If he was careful, he wouldn't have to. Once he got to Vermillion, he wouldn't be back in Kanto for months.
That was the whole plan, Ash thought as he made his way down Route 1. He had to travel through four other regions to collect the team he wanted. It's not like Kanto was overflowing with the types he needed. He had 18 months to get the badges. If he managed to find a couple more Pokémon before he left, he could manage the first three gyms.
His jumps from region to region were scheduled to take between eight and ten months in total. Leaving him around seven months to get the remaining badges.
Looking at his first Pokémon, Ash pulled out his Pokédex to get a full reading.
Zweilous: The Hostile Pokémon. A Dark and Dragon type. Zweilous has the vigor and energy to eat and bite constantly without stopping. Its heads dislike each other and are very hostile. As a result, the heads often turn eating into a competition. In the wild, this results in one head eating the other. It is a nomadic Pokémon; it migrates once it has eaten all the prey in an area.
This Zweilous is Female and has the ability Hustle.
Known Moves: Headbutt, Work Up, Crunch, Scary Face, Dragon Pulse, Hyper Voice, Dragon Rush, Aqua Tail, and Fire Fang
This Pokémon stands at 5'06" and weighs 302.3 lbs.
Ash nodded to himself. He knew most of this, except for Work Up, that'll be useful as a basis for Dragon Dance. Looking at the long trail ahead of him, the teen decided now was as good a time as ever to let his teammates know the plan.
"Alright you two, here's what's going to happen: we have a month before we have to catch a ship to Alola. It's a tropical region made up of four islands. There are a couple Pokémon I want to try and catch there. Before that, we have the chance to battle three gym leaders. Hopefully we'll stumble across another teammate or two here before we leave for Alola. We'll travel to different regions until we have our full team."
Styx snorted but didn't make any other notions that she was listening. Hemlock looked up with wide eyes at the idea of traveling so much.
"We'll be training every day before dinner five to six days a week. Recovery is just as important as training. Injuries come about from under-recovering, not overtraining. We should get to Viridian by tomorrow afternoon, so we can start training tonight." The Impidimp jumped around in excitement in response to his words. Ash was slightly perplexed. After spending two years with Styx who was aggressive and annoyed 93% of the time, having such an expressive Pokémon was new.
He shrugged and shoved his hands in his vest pockets. The next couple hours were spent walking and listening to the sounds of wild Pokémon. Once in a while, Hemlock would trot over to a bush or into the woods for a few minutes. Ash would hear a shriek, and the Impidimp would come back with a smug grin.
Ash had read that most Impidimp and Morgrem turned on their trainers because they had tried to curb their prankster personalities. You couldn't change the core traits of Pokémon. You could guide and somewhat alter, but demanding a Pokémon to change what pretty much amounts to its identity will never end well.
If Hemlock got too vicious, Ash would have to step in, but he didn't mind harmless pranks.
When the sun was directly overhead, the trainer gestured to his Pokémon to follow him. Within the cover of trees, Ash found a tiny clearing with enough space to make lunch. Removing one of his containers, Ash got out his cooking supplies. Opening his berry stash, Ash contemplated Hemlock.
"Hey Hemlock, do you prefer spicy, sour, sweet, dry, or bitter?" The Impidimp held up one finger. Nodding, Ash pulled out a couple tamato and liechi berries. Styx liked dry, primarily. With his ingredients, he also pulled out his premade Pokémon food. He really only needed three different types of food. Mashing the berries into the kibble, he handed the bowls to his two companions.
He watched them eat with a small smile on his face before he started his own food. He made a giant pot of stew that he could save and heat up for his next couple meals.
As he stirred the steaming soup, Styx headed into the forest to hunt. It was encouraged that Dragon trainers allow their Pokémon to hunt for themselves for two reasons. One, to hone skills and prevent the diminishing of instincts. Two, because they needed the high protein and minerals from muscle and bone marrow.
Ash was happy to let Styx do that on her own. As much as he knew there was a natural food chain, he didn't want to witness it. He'd made it this long without witnessing death.
After their hour to digest, Ash had packed up the rest of his supplies and leftovers and made his way back to the trail. He felt a tug on his pant leg and looked down to see Hemlock holding his arms up.
Bafflement splashed the teenager as he reached down to pick the Dark and Fairy type up. Hemlock scrambled from his arms to pull himself onto Ash's shoulder and plopped down, his wiry legs hanging in front of Ash's left clavicle.
Styx huffed in amusement from the look on her trainer's face before taking point once again.
With a couple hours left of sunlight, the trio veered off the beaten path once more to search for a larger clearing. Finding one that had traces of past use, Ash dumped his bag and clapped his hands.
"Alright, we're going to run through some warm up stretches before diving into conditioning. We'll alternate strength training and cardio days. We'll take a quick rest and do moveset training. Sound good? Alright, Styx, you know the drill, I'm going to walk Hemlock through his warm up routine."
Because Styx was quadruped and Hemlock was bipedal, they had very different musculoskeletal systems. Three of the optional classes before graduation were Pokémon Anatomy and Exercise Science 101, 201, and 301. Definitely helpful.
The two took longer to get through the warm up than Styx, so she went ahead and started her conditioning. Today was an aerobic system focus, so Styx was set to run for thirty minutes three times. The goal was to hit the same distance each time.
Once Hemlock was finished, Ash started his watch timer and they were off. They ran at a steady pace until Ash could see his new partner struggling. He looked at his watch and saw they managed 21 minutes. Not terrible.
Resting for a few minutes, they went again. Ash had to encourage the little Pokémon a few times to help him reach the same distance in 21 minutes the next two times. The trainer made sure to nod approvingly at the Wily Pokémon. He had to hold back a laugh when Hemlock actually puffed up his chest.
Styx made it back shortly after, huffing but content. Ash walked over and roughly ruffled the fur on her heads, making her growl. He watched as black fur fell to the grass and grinned. She was getting close. Maybe another two months or so.
"Don't sit down, we want to make sure you stay warm. Walk around the clearing for about five minutes. Then we'll get started on movesets." Ash walked over to his water jug and poured it in some bowls for the two. Reaching his arms overhead, he tried to get a cramp out of his side.
"Styx, you know what to do, keep working on Thunder Fang. When you hit a snag, work on how quickly you charge the energy Aqua Tail into your mouth. It was a bit slow last time. Hemlock, follow me, I'm going to get an idea of how close to perfect your current moves are."
Ever since that… weird day back in the forest, and Ash had seen Styx channel Crunch into her claws, he theorized it was possible with other energies. Why does Aqua Tail have to be in the tail? Why is the water limited to one region?
Turns out it isn't.
The Zweilous meandered away, used to the routine. Ash had high hopes she'll be able to use all elemental fang attacks at the same time as a Hydreigon, maybe switching one out for Aqua Fang.
Long-term goal was using the practice from gathering water in the mouth to learn Hydro Pump. But it'd be a long while before that was possible.
"Okay Hemlock, first things first, let's see Fake Tears." The Impidimp immediately dissolved into Krookodile tears, hugging himself around the middle and really playing up his small frame. Even Ash wanted to hug the poor thing and he was by no means sentimental.
He snapped and the tears suddenly stopped and Hemlock grinned. Fake Out went well, a slight alteration of how his palms come together to help the strike produce a more concussive soundwave. Draining Kiss was slightly hysterical to watch, especially when the Impidimp played up the puckered lips. He was proud to get a laugh out of Ash.
Sucker Punch was an interesting move, it was a Dark type punch that increased in power if it disrupted another's attack. Hemlock just needed to improve his power output, but that would come with resistance training.
"The first move I want you to learn is Drain Punch. It's almost a mix between Sucker Punch and Draining Kiss except with Fighting type energy. The energy will latch onto the opponent and steal some of their health and give it to you. The hardest part of this will be learning to tap into Fighting type energy." Hemlock clapped as Ash opened his Pokédex and searched for the move. The movedex had accompanying videos and cues as well as the list of Pokémon that can learn it.
Leaning down, the teen showed the screen to Hemlock. He focused on the video of a Hitmonchan utilizing the move. Fighting energy was collected around the fist and as it connected to the opponent's Hitmonlee, the energy seemed to surround it momentarily before being pulled back to the Hitmonchan. The whole exchange only took seconds, yet the Hitmonlee slouched in exhaustion after the move struck.
"A drawback to the move is you have to strike the opponent's core to get the most energy profit. You naturally have the ability to use Fighting energy, you just need to find it. Different things work for different Pokémon. You could meditate, you could observe a Fighting type, or you could repeatedly attack a tree or boulder and focus on what you want to happen. You choose which you prefer."
This is what Styx had taught him; Ash doesn't always know best. Pokémon need to be given freedom to discover their preferences, not have Ash force them into a mold.
Hemlock thought for a moment before holding up three fingers. Ash nodded and gestured towards a rock that was about the size of the Wily Pokémon.
A professional move tutor or a TM would make this process much easier, but this was also good practice for Ash. He didn't want to rely on those things too much or he'd be broke.
Wandering over to Styx, he was proud to see some sparks arcing around both sets of fangs. Ash was extremely impressed that she managed to tap into electric energy already. Keeping his distance, since she got into moods when she trained, he sat down to watch both his partners.
Ash returned his Pokémon as he saw Viridian City in the distance. He knew the disdain and fear Dark types got. As much as he was (mostly) confident in who he was and his own worth, he wasn't ready for that kind of judgment quite yet.
As he got close to the green gates, he saw the police outpost monitoring the entrance. He slowed his steps unconsciously in trepidation.
Before Ash was born, a little over 15 years ago, Team Rocket was a very large terrorist organization that razed five of the eight League regions; Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova. Stealing Pokémon, poaching, killing trainers and law enforcement, desecrating environments, the list went on of their crimes. It took the combined efforts of ACE trainers, Ranger Corps, Gym Leaders, and the Elite Four and Champions to take them down.
Apparently, their leader had been a man named Archer. He and his three admins; Petrel, Proton, and Ariana, were tried and executed. Something that was not decided upon lightly. Their Pokémon, those that couldn't be rehabilitated, were euthanized.
The recorded battle between Champion Lance and Archer was used as a very intense lesson on crime and safety. Criminals did not follow the rules of battle. Their Pokémon would attack trainers, interrupt evolutions, and outnumber opponents.
It also showed the gruesome and harrowing reality of Pokémon. They were beings of immense power and destruction if they chose to be. Or… if they were forced.
And wasn't it so lucky that the Team Rocket Elite's chosen type of Pokémon were Dark types. Ariana with her Honchkrow, Proton with his Sableye, Petrel with his Alolan Muk, and Archer with his Houndoom.
There was a reason none of those four Dark types were considered for his planned team.
It didn't matter that the crime syndicate couldn't truly control them. That only helped them. They pumped the Pokémon full of steroids and synthesized adrenaline and set them loose.
Dark type Pokémon reputations still haven't recovered. Houndour and Houndoom especially. Archer had a practically feral Houndoom that permanently crippled Lance's Flygon. Tore her wing clean off.
In an unexpected outcome of the publicized battle between Archer and Lance, Dragon types' reputation took a beating. The world saw how truly savage they could be. There hadn't been much left of Archer's team when all was said and done.
Dragon and Darks have since been looked upon with suspicion and fear.
If any of the officers decided to check his Pokémon, he was in for some uncomfortable conversations. Ash rolled his shoulders and made sure he looked relaxed as he sauntered up to the outpost. A single officer looked up and tried a smile that didn't really hide his boredom.
"ID and reason for visit?" Ash pulled out his Pokédex and handed it over.
"Passing through. Just started on my journey and headed for Pewter to take on the gym." The officer nodded absentmindedly as he played with the dex. Nodding to himself, the man handed the dex back.
"Everything checks out, kid. Enjoy your time in Viridian. Make sure to stock up before tackling the forest." Ash silently thanked the officer with a nod before entering the city.
His breath wooshed out of him and his shoulders hunched. He got lucky. It was the start of the league season and only rookies traveled to Viridian this early; no one would have enough badges to face the Viridian Gym quite yet.
Now he just had to pass judgment from every single Nurse Joy he ever encounters.
No pressure.
Ash took this time walking through the city to take stock of the tall buildings and impersonal architecture. It was all so cookie cutter. The crowds were also a mark against the likeability of the city. Ash was jostled and bumped and he tampered jealous glares when he saw people walking with their Pokémon.
Styx would ensure he had a wide berth if she was allowed out.
He huffed and kept walking. Once he got stronger and started making a name for himself, he wouldn't have to tread so carefully. What was that term he read in a book? 'Kleos'? Yeah, win enough and no one would mess with him.
After being knocked into more times than he could count, Ash finally separated from the masses to reach the Pokémon center. The automatic doors slid apart and the air conditioning swept over him causing a shiver. The lobby felt wonderful after being in the heat of June.
Luckily, the lobby was relatively empty for midday. The teen walked to the counter and got the attention of the iconic pink-haired nurse.
"Hello, how may I help you?" Ash reached to his belt and placed the two Pokéballs in the offered tray.
"I would like my two Pokémon to get a full check up. We haven't battled, but they had an intense evening of training. I'd also like to register for the League." Ash handed over his Pokédex when prompted and waited a few moments as the nurse clicked away at her computer.
"Alright, you're all registered." Ash placed the dex back in his vest pocket. "Will that be all?" Ash pressed his lips together before speaking again.
"I'd like a room, just for one night. Also… please don't be alarmed by my Pokémon." Nurse Joy raised a suspicious eyebrow and silently went back to her computer. Her eyebrows shot up after a moment.
"Well… as surprising as this is, I took an oath to care for any and all Pokémon when I became a nurse. I hope you know what you're doing." Ash pursed his lips but nodded all the same. He took the card key from the nurse and headed for the stairs. He glanced in the direction of the video phones for a second before looking away.
Bringing up his account balance, Ash pondered his choices. Having the illustrious Professor Samuel Oak as a sponsor, he was given $5,000 to start with. It was up to him to gain more through battle and small jobs.
Coming to a decision, Ash grabbed three antidotes and three paralyze heals to go with his current number of full heals. Seeing a deal on special Pokéballs, Ash threw in a Heal Ball for only $250.
He didn't need much else, since every time he finished one of Oak's numerous books in his library, he would give Ash a potion, or a revive, or something else to "subtly" encourage his studying. He was pretty set with healing items.
Feeling a chime from his pocket, he removed his Pokédex and saw the alert that his Pokémon were ready for pickup.
Once again braving the crowds to get back to the Pokémon center, Ash side-eyed the Viridian City Gym. That would be his last stop before the Indigo League started. He would need every second of the next 18 months to train for the leader.
He was looking down at his Pokédex when a body collided with his own. Ash grunted and stumbled back. Narrowing his eyes, he glared up to hide his discomfort. He had to practically tilt his head completely back.
The man towering over him could have been in the dictionary under Boss; tall, broad-shouldered, black suit, black sunglasses, short cropped black hair. Lips were pulled up in a sneer that looked oddly familiar. Something about him felt familiar in a way Ash couldn't describe. Like the aura he gave off.
Without another word, the man stepped around Ash and disappeared into the crowd. Frowning, Ash shook off the odd encounter and continued on.
He jogged to get to the center faster. He hadn't been separated from Styx for this long since he got her two years ago. It was only early evening by now, and Ash somewhat regretted not just diving into the forest without stopping for a night. He didn't like cities. Or people.
Having to pause for a moment to allow the doors to open, he made his way to the desk and tried to wait patiently, but failed.
The light tapping of his foot was interrupted by the back doors opening and a Chansey appearing carrying a tray. Making his way over, Ash quietly thanked the Egg Pokémon and took his two Pokéballs. He noticed Styx's Dusk ball shaking aggressively and quickly excused himself to head to his room.
Once within the safety of the single-bed room, he finally pressed the release on both Pokéballs. Hemlock appeared with no issues, but Styx appeared with war to wage. Growling violently and shaking out her fur, Ash could only stand tall and let her throw her tantrum.
Hemlock took a few cautious steps away to hide behind his trainer's leg, exceedingly wary of the temperamental dragon.
"Styx, I know you hate your Pokéball, but I could get in trouble if I left you out within a city." That only made the Dragon angrier. Who would give her Heart-Soul trouble? Who did she have to sink her teeth into for his safety?
"Hey." Ash spoke softer this time, gaining her attention. "We won't be in cities long. But being in your Pokéball is a necessary evil until we get stronger. I trust you to protect me, but I don't want to rely on it." Styx grudgingly accepted. Her Heart-Soul was prideful, as was only right for a Dragon, and wanted to tackle his own enemies.
"We are just here for tonight, then we're back on the road." The two looked relieved at that admission. "We're entering Viridian Forest tomorrow. Lots of Bug types and lots of chances for poisoning and paralyzation. But also lots of trainers to battle. Hemlock, this is going to be a chance for us to figure out your fighting style."
The little Impidimp cried out and hopped from foot to foot, rubbing his hands together in a decidedly diabolical manner.
"Right… I also wanted to talk to you guys about how you take direction. I don't want you to have to rely on me to give you every command. If you see an opening, or an attack coming, I want you to use your judgment. Sometimes you will have a better perspective or idea than I will. Understood?" He got nods all around, a smug grin from Styx's left head.
Sliding to the floor so his back was against his bed, Ash crossed his legs and planted a palm on each knee.
"Last thing. I understand as Dragon, Dark, and Fairy types, you are stubborn as all Nether." Ash was amused that he got no arguments. "I want to make sure I don't disrespect you through my commands during battle. What I'm worried about is seeing you get hurt unnecessarily. If I recall you before you have fainted, will that disrespect you?"
Hemlock shrugged non-committedly and sat down beside Ash's leg. It was Styx who he was watching. She seemed to be struggling with herself, and not in the typically 'heads fighting' way. Then the left head nodded and the right head shook her head.
Ash couldn't hold back the startled laugh.
"Alright how about this, I will only ever recall you if I'm worried you'll sustain permanent physical injury, or deal permanent physical injuries to another. Deal?" The left head grumbled before acquiescing. "Good. Now, I'm going to go grab dinner, I'll bring it back here so we can all eat together." Ash grabbed Hemlock under the arms and placed him on the bed.
As soon as Ash was within the cover of the dense foliage, he released his partners. Hemlock immediately climbed up his pant leg and all the way up to his shoulder. Styx slapped the grass with her tail and snorted when the resulting dirt got up her noses.
"We'll be here for about five days. I doubt there'll be anything to catch, but keep your senses open. If you think something dangerous is coming, let me know. Let's get a move on."
The first day was relatively quiet. Bug Catchers laid in wait farther into the forest in hopes the newbie trainers would be worn down.
Hemlock did get some practice with a few of the stronger Pokémon in the forest; Pidgeotto, Butterfree, and even a nasty Pikachu that gave them some trouble. He even got some of the tell-tale orange glow of Drain Punch towards the end of the battle with the Electric Mouse.
Styx satiated her bloodlust when Ash was setting up for camp. It was early evening right before training would begin when he heard a low sound that was similar to slithering. He turned towards the noise in time to see the enormous maw of a Carnivine about to close around his head.
Giving a startled shout. Ash dove to the side and rolled out of the way so Styx could come to the rescue. A blast of powerful violet energy shot down the throat of the Grass type predator. Carnavine's eyes bulged out and it flew backwards; vines going limp on the branch from which it'd been hanging.
It landed in a heap in the grass before snarling and rising. Vibrant jade energy swirled within Carnivine's greatest weapon, but Styx was smarter. Swirls and smoke wavered before her faces before it solidified into a frightening visage that stopped the Grass type in its tracks. Using the delay caused by Scary Face to her advantage, two mouths burst into flame and seized her opponent around its spongy abdomen.
The shriek echoed through the forest.
Shaking it like a ragdoll, Styx tossed the Grass type away with a lofty launch of her heads. Using what energy it had left, the Carnivine pulled itself deeper into the forest.
The Dark and Dragon type trotted over with her heads held high. Still somewhat high from the adrenaline of battle, Ash had to snatch his hand away before the left head bit it. He had a feeling which head was winning dominance before evolution.
After the excitement died down, training started and Ash ran through Hemlock's warm up once again. They missed a day of training yesterday, so resistance training it would be. Ash pulled out the weights Professor Oak got him for his 15th birthday. The harnesses had adjustable weighted attachments, which made Ash all the more thankful for the containers.
They started with plyometrics, working on vertical and horizontal jumping distance, then moving laterally and rotationally with speed. Dodging with low energy output was a must.
A short rest later and they were back at it with increased weight for myofibrillar hypertrophy. It was a little difficult for Styx, but they had managed to target every major movement after varied troubleshooting a while back.
The next day was approximately six times more exciting. After only an hour of walking, they encountered their first Bug Catcher. Styx stayed within the trees to observe, and not scare the poor kid shitless. Styx was taller than most newbie trainers.
"I'm Lyle, let's battle! One on one?" Ash nodded and watched as Lyle set his net down and ready his Pokéball.
"Let's go, Venonat!" The purple fuzzy bug got into a battle ready stance as soon as it materialized. Ash nodded to Hemlock who ran out from behind his leg. The kid's eyes squinted trying to figure out what in the world he was facing.
"I'm not sure what that is, but we can beat it! Venonat, use Poison Powder!"
"Hemlock, use Fake Out." Before the bug could get even a molecule of powder out, Hemlock had slammed two palms together, the soundwave knocking the bug back. While the Bug was recovering from the surprise attack, Hemlock managed to get in a half-powered Drain Punch.
As Hemlock was retreating, Venonat tried to fire off a Confusion, but it dissipated once it touched the Dark and Fairy type. The Bug Catcher frowned in understanding.
"Get close and use Bug Bite!" The Venonat was faster than it looked, and managed to catch Hemlock's arm in its fangs. Yelping out, the Impidimp growled and smashed a glowing fist in one of its large compound eyes. The power stolen from the Bug gave Hemlock an energy boost.
"Supersonic!"
"Sucker Punch." Still being in close quarters, Hemlock landed a inky fist on the Bug's sternum, sending it flying. Landing in a crumpled heap, Lyle sighed and returned his partner.
Hemlock bounced over with two punctures on his arm as his only wound. As Ash pulled out a potion to fix it, he heard the ding of his Pokédex alerting him of his winnings. Looking up, the teen watched as the Bug Catcher gave him a glare of distrust before heading back into the forest.
He sighed while he sprayed and wrapped Hemlock's arm. As soon as Lyle realized his opponent was a Dark type, he got judgy. Standing up and wiping his knees, Ash gave a small smile to the Wily Pokémon.
"That was a wonderful battle, nice work." The Impidimp saluted and tried to sneak a glance at the hidden Dragon to gauge her opinion. The left head scoffed while the right nodded. Hemlock chose to take that as a win.
Hemlock managed to defeat three more opponents that day, until he went against an older trainer with a Parasect. After defeating Jesse's Paras, their Parasect landed a super effective Cross Poison that knocked Hemlock out easily. Returning the Dark and Fairy type for the first time since entering the forest, Ash looked over his shoulder.
Jesse's bemusement turned to horror when they saw the bulky dragon lumber towards their Pokémon. Panicking, they started calling any and all attacks.
"Fury Cutter! Slash! Giga Drain! Stop it!" When Parasect scuttled closer, Styx opened her maws to release a wailing screech that felt like knives to the ear drums. Using the piercing noise to get close, the Dragon coated serrated teeth with darkness and clamped down on the Bug and Grass type's mushroom. As it struggled, Styx let the darkness fade and a violet glowing filled her throat.
From this range, Parasect didn't stand a chance when the Dragon Pulse detonated.
Jesse recalled their fainted Pokémon with a shaky hand. Even though they fled soon after, Ash still got his winnings. Thank goodness for automated payment.
Ash frowned in thought. There was such a huge gap in power levels between Hemlock and Styx that it was almost unfair to his opponents. Almost. He really needed to find another Pokémon. The first two gyms were two-on-two and he didn't want to rely on Styx.
After healing Hemlock and letting him rest in his Pokéball, Ash and his partner continued through the forest. He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but Bug types somewhat creeped him out. For someone who worked with Dark types, it was embarrassing. Cobwebs surrounded him for a short while as he trekked through a Spinarak and Ariados nest. He saw some beady eyes tracking him, but twin glares from Styx kept any attackers at bay.
When he had been planning his future team, he had scoured any and all encyclopedias on existing Pokémon for a Bug type that would work with his team. Unfortunately, Cutiefly and its evolution were the only option.
They could be beneficial teammates in certain situations, but…
He had heard about a Bug and Dark type from Paldea, but Paldea hasn't yet joined the United League Association or opened their borders to foreigners.
As much as Ash was comfortable with his self-image to not care if a Pokémon was considered "girly", that Cutiefly and Ribombee were much more ruled by their Bug nature rather than the Fairy contribution. And as he learned with a run in with a particularly testy Ninjask; Bug types didn't like him almost as much as Ghosts.
So… that put him on the shit-list of Bugs and the 'avoid at all costs' of Ghosts. Lovely.
He couldn't catch a Sableye, Mimikyu were extremely rare, and Dreepy were impossible to raise without a Dragapult around. The chances of running into a Spiritomb are zero, Champion Cynthia had the only one, so he would just have to get by with teaching Ghost type attacks.
Time passed in this vein, thinking of possible teammates if he couldn't find the one's he wanted. Any time a Pokémon scurried or flew by, Styx's left head would growl with the right sighing in exasperation. A curious Pidgeotto lost a few tail feathers when she thought she could get close to the large Dragon.
Ash contemplated his starter. The two heads had vastly different personalities. Whichever head won the dominance battle before evolution would become the primary personality once they fused. From what little was documented on the single Hydreigon ever in captivity, the front two legs got some form of sentience post-evolution to become arms and two extra heads simultaneously.
He couldn't lie and say he wasn't worried once he finally had a Hydreigon. It was going to be an extremely complex couple months navigating how to train the under-studied Dragon. But he was confident in his bond with Styx that they'd be able to figure it out.
Styx went rigid the morning of their fourth day in the forest.
They had gotten up when the first rays breached the thick overhead foliage in order to make good headway. The forest was only just waking up with the sunlight when Ash noticed his starter's tense stance.
Nostrils were flaring and heads were weaving side to side to get the best lock on whatever sound caught her attention. Something must have startled her because she shoved her heads into Ash's gut, launching him into a nearby bush. His gasp was covered by her growl before Hemlock joined Ash within the shrubbery. Trying to peer through the leaves, he saw Styx's tail disappear into another fern.
He masked his confusion until he heard it. Twigs snapping and low gravelly voices broke the early ambiance.
"I can't believe you let it escape! The chances of us finding it in this Kyurem-forsaken forest are practically nothing!" A violent growl escaped a throat. "Omen is going to fucking kill us."
"Excuse me? It's not my fault, it was that damned creepy-looking Pikachu! That thing practically slashed through my leg! And I thought Ekans got trapped! Besides, that thing shouldn't have been able to move with how damaged it was. It couldn't have gotten far." Ash could practically hear the first one roll his eyes.
"We are literally a day from the rendezvous point. We're going to be Ariados food."
"Relax, it's only been 10 minutes since it got out. We'll find it."
"Unless that evil Pikachu finds us again."
The voices got quieter the further away the two men got. Ash caught sight of their backs just as they disappeared behind more vegetation. They were wearing all black with a myriad of weapons on their belts.
One was limping heavily.
He sincerely hoped that whatever Pokémon escaped them was far away. And he hoped whatever Pokémon attacked them was too.
Omen was one of the most wanted Pokémon Poachers in the world. No one knew anything about him, only that he left a symbol at every site he poached. He's credited with abducting some of the most well-known Pokémon in the eight regions. The black Haxorus of the Nature Preserve, the giant white Trevenant of Petalburg Woods, the matriarchal Kindgra of Dragon's Den.
It's unknown if he sells them, keeps them, or turns them into trophies. But he's been working for twenty years. Ash would not get mixed up with that.
He waited until he felt a tug on his pant leg. He shimmied out of the shrub with little decorum and lots of cuts. Hemlock had similar scratches, but he would heal by nightfall.
From where he was seated on the ground, Ash looked up at Styx as she towered above him. "Thank you. They seemed dangerous. I'm proud of you." The left head sniffed and turned away. It wasn't very dignified to hide, but she had learned Ash wasn't quite as sturdy as she.
"Let's get as far from those two as we can." Ash said as he pulled himself to his feet. "Let's walk parallel to the main trail but stay out of sight, best if we- shit!" A root caught his foot and sent the trainer tumbling. Landing on his chest with a sharp thud, Ash watched through squinted eyes as the Heal ball on his belt bounced off and rolled beneath a hydrangea.
A flash of light and a single ding sounded through the forest.
Ash dropped his forehead against the ground and sighed.
Great.
Now he was down a Pokéball and had to release whatever Bug type he caught. Ignoring the sounds of sniggering behind him, Ash hauled himself up and pushed the blue flowers aside to grab the pink capture device.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Ash huffed, "Might as well see what it is." under his breath.
Pressing the release button, the recognizable form of a Caterpie materialized. He frowned in concern when the little Bug didn't so much as twitch.
It was out cold.
Covered in gashes and burns and scrapes, Ash could only stare in horror. Must have gotten away at the last minute from a Flying type. Would have been a strong one to have a Fire type move.
The wounds looked slightly healed, which meant the Pokéball did its job, somewhat. Even Heal balls couldn't completely heal injuries like this. Ash internally fought with himself. He could release it now, but then it would most likely die. Or he could take it with him to Viridian, get it healed, and release it on the edge of the forest.
Shrugging, Ash decided 'why not' and pulled out his Pokédex. Might as well save the little Bug. Flipping the dex open, he pointed it at the knocked out Pokémon.
Zorua: The Tricky Fox Pokémon. A Dark type. Zorua is said to have a timid nature which lead to the development of its illusion abilities, Zorua keeps its true form hidden to ensure its safety, and takes on the appearance of other Pokémon to frighten off enemies. Sometimes it will take the form of a silent child in order to search for food. Zorua is mischievous and loves to surprise others.
This Zorua is Male and has the ability Illusion.
Known Moves: Hone Claws, Fury Swipes, Taunt, Agility, Dig, and Dark Pulse
Egg Move(s): Copycat
This Pokémon stands at 2'03" and weights 21.9lbs.
The Pokédex slipped from lax fingers and clattered to the ground.
Bit of a slow chapter. It'll take a little while before the pace really picks up, so bear with me.
No, I'm not apologizing. I love Zorua and Zoroark.
Due to the Rocket Wars, Honchkrow, Sableye, Alolan Muk, and Houndoom are considered 'Taboo' Pokémon