Ash's Team
Styx - Hydreigon
Hemlock - Morgrem
Bane - Zoroark
Mirae - Mytheon
Sagitta - Togekiss
Libra - Hakamo-o
Castor - Krokorok
Polaris - Frogadier
Artemis - Houndoom
Orion - Alolan Ninetales
Ladon - Appletun
At Oak's
Nettle - Naganadel
"How much?"
The man behind the table laughed, his Maractus shivering in amusement. "Yer a tourist aint yeh? Ev'ry merchant here haggles o' trades. I'm a trader. I'm looking fer shards, pearls, nuggets, o' star pieces."
Ash perked up and pulled his pack around to dig through the pockets. 'Thank you Mirae' he thought as he withdrew the shiny star piece. The merchant grinned widely and happily handed him the soothe bell.
He stared down at the bell lightly chiming in his hand, gripping it tight. Ash sent a distracted "Thank you" to the merchant before he booked it to the tiny post office he'd seen on his way into the town.
Stow-on-Side was a fascinating place. It appeared like the set of an old western movie from Unova. He expected a sheriff to ride in on a Mudsdale any second with a hat tipped down and spurs on their boots.
The entire town was primarily a merchant and vendor paradise. They didn't have to deal with the perilous territory of the Wild Area while getting a steady stream of new customers taking the League Challenge and contest circuit. There was also the must-see ancient mural landmark.
If he could describe the town in three words, it would be 'colorful but quaint'. There was a palpable energy of the town that put a bit of a bounce in Ash's step.
It was quick business packaging and mailing out the soothe bell to Pallet Town. Its purpose would be obvious to Oak.
He was just walking out of the post office when there was an earth-shaking BOOM.
Dust and debris fell from homes and buildings, scattering the ground with piles of rubble. Ash had to quickly catch himself with one hand on the wall of the building as the ground trembled. Everyone ducked or tripped, a couple screams and shouts of confusion were heard. Small cracks spread through the stone buildings, crawling and spreading as shingles fell and shattered. Most of the people outside darted into doorways and Ash had to question their lack of curiosity.
Once upon a time Ash would have hesitated.
Polaris and Hemlock were fast to materialize at his side and follow his lead, jogging behind him. In the distance, he could see a cloud of dirt in the sky, and headed in that direction. It wasn't a minute before Ash realized they were heading towards the mural.
Stairs upon stairs disappeared behind the group of three as they hurried towards the scene. The cloud of dust stung his eyes and pulled coughs from his chest, but it was slowly starting to thin. When he finally made it to the highest spot in the town, Ash had to shiver at the destruction.
Ash wouldn't describe himself as an anthropologist or history lover by any means, but seeing the ruin of what had been a famously ancient mural made a sense of loss well up within his chest.
What had been an incredibly bright and eye-catching piece of art had been reduced to wreckage. A looming black cavern gaped behind the mountain of cracked stone. A group of workers were directing Conkeldurr, Machoke, and a single massive Copperajah to clear chunks of stone. Ash's eyes drifted between piles of rubble, from worker to worker, until they landed on the person in the middle of the commotion.
He was wearing a pressed and tailored suit and a hard hat, unable to look less like a construction worker if he tried. A single thick strand of hair was longer than the rest and kept falling in the man's face. Ash wasn't sure if it was for fashion or not, but it looked ridiculous. Gold rings, gold watch, gold cufflinks; if this wasn't Chairman Rose, Ash would eat his hat.
There was construction tape blocking off the area that Ash and his Pokémon swiftly ducked under as they got closer.
The man in question spotted him and an interesting expression crossed his face. Ash wished he was more fluent in emotion so he could have put a name to it. With a pat to the Copperajah's side, the obviously wealthy man made his way over. A fixed, easy grin was plastered to his face, making his goatee distort.
"Hello! It seems the tape didn't do much good!"
Ash's mind ran a mile a minute trying to figure out from which angle to approach this, what information he wanted from the man. His gut was churning and if possible he was sure it would be blaring red alert alarms.
Remembering his first encounter with Faba all those months ago in Alola, Ash hunched his shoulders slightly, rubbed the back of his neck like he'd seen Hop do, and gave a Mareepish smile.
It felt unnatural on his face.
"I apologize, sir, I must have missed the notice that there'd be demolition today. I was worried."
There was an almost unnoticeable pause before the man lightly slapped a palm to his forehead. "Ah! I knew I forgot something. Well, I admire your courage, young man. But as you can see, there is nothing to worry about."
Ash nodded slowly and let his eyes drift around the area, mind calculating and racing. "I'm a little confused, I thought this place was an ancient mural?" Ash wasn't used to making his voice so light, he was worried it was going to crack.
A boisterous laugh escaped the man. "Yes, well, when you're me, little things like 'history' are easy enough to bypass! Chairman Winston Rose, pleasure to meet you…?"
He almost gave the alias he made up at Aether, Samuel Hill, but knew that a man with Rose's resources would be able to discredit that in a moment. "Ash Ketchum, sir. You must be able to do a lot of good with a reputation like yours."
Rose gave an easy smile. "I'd say so! I'm the leading provider of energy in Galar, and from my scientist's prediction, we'll run out of Galar Particles in a little under 1,000 years! By collecting Wishing Stars, the energy can be extracted and utilized! Our trackers indicated there was a powerful influx of Particles behind the mural."
'Okay, thanks for the long winded explanation.' Ash internally rolled his eyes but made sure outwardly he looked impressed. Why did some adults love expounding on their accomplishments? "You're already preparing for something 1,000 years away?"
Rose was quick to respond, "Of course! Our very way of life relies on these Particles. And after the worldwide blackout all those years ago, it's my civic duty to secure Galar's future!"
Ash was relaxing somewhat with the open expression Rose had. He understood where Rose was coming from, Ash had heard that The Great Wave had been catastrophic and people still didn't know what caused it. "Well, I'm sure the citizens of Galar are grateful to you, sir." He had to hide a scowl when Chairman Rose clapped him on the shoulder. Ash was quick to swallow it down. Even as his skin crawled at the unwanted contact, he put on a polite smile. "Also, sir, can you tell me where to find a Cufant or Copperajah?"
Rose beamed at him. "Looking to catch one, eh? I don't blame you! I got Jasper over there as a Cufant in Bridge Field in the Wild Area. Be careful there!" Rose laughed and patted him on the shoulder again. Ash told himself not to bite the business tycoon. Hemlock and Polaris were obviously reacting to his discomfort and shifting restlessly, the Morgrem's claws flexing.
Opening his mouth to respond, something in his periphery caught his attention. The plume of dust and debris was slowly settling, and deep within the maw of the wreckage a peculiar shape peeked out.
"Well, it was wonderful to meet you, Mr. Ketchum. Run along, and we at Macro Cosmos hope you enjoy Galar."
Ash's attention snapped back, only to see Chairman Rose's back as he returned to his team. The next second, Ash's eyes narrowed suspiciously before he shook his head. Taking out his Pokédex, he snapped a quick picture of the demolition, none of the workers any the wiser, before stuffing it back in his pocket and walking away.
Why did Rose's parting words stand out to him?
This entire situation confused Ash. Chairman Rose had seemed jovial and candid enough, if not entitled, but there was something…
"Let's go guys." Ash muttered to his teammates. Hemlock pursed his mouth while Polaris looked a little lost. Sighing, Ash dragged a hand down his face, shaking off the uncertainty. Was he just paranoid?
Yes, he definitely was, but wasn't it warranted at this point? The amount of shit he'd found himself in, the number of untrustworthy characters and corrupted adults he's encountered, it had him questioning everyone. But then again, he's met plenty of good people throughout his journey.
How many people were 'good' or 'bad' and how many fell somewhere in the middle?
He got some good information though, especially about how Rose didn't give a shit about Galar's history, only its future. Those Wishing Stars are another puzzle piece.
Mew, what was he, a detective? Maybe Anabel was onto something about him and Interpol.
It occurred to him that most people wouldn't think anything of the interaction. Ash would have stayed out of it a few months ago. But to be honest, being vigilant and suspicious has helped him and others. He saved Ultra Beasts and Burnet, he saved Artemis, he saved Volcarona, and he saved Orion and any future Pokémon Omen would have poached.
Made him feel a little bit like a hero.
Not a feeling he was used to, but one he liked.
Then again, he's inadvertently caused distress, too.
He was broken from his thoughts when a particularly pissed off Leader Bea stalked past him. Ash skirted out of her way, and a few seconds later heard a shout, "WHO IN THE BLOODY NETHER IS DESTROYING MY TOWN?"
Chuckling under his breath, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and smiled at Hemlock's cackles. "Let's get out of here."
They'd only been in Stow-on-Side for a few hours, but he didn't really want to stay any longer. He had thought about trying to get a battle with Bea, but she seemed a little preoccupied right now. He could battle Allister, but the poor kid looked like a stiff wind could knock him over.
Ash knew, logically, that the kid was the youngest Master in the history of the League, but still. Allister beat out Leaders Liza and Tate, Bugsy, and Janine by at least a year. He achieved Mastery at 14 and had only been a Gym Leader for a little under six months.
Young Masters were only possible because their parents were Leaders before them, and the children were given special trainer IDs that let them train Pokémon very young.
Nepotism strikes again, but it makes the League's job easier. It's not like they would allow unqualified trainers to run entire cities. Ash knew for a fact Janine's older sister hadn't gotten clearance to be Fuschia City's Gym Leader even though she was strong.
So, with nothing keeping him in Stow-on-Side, he figured he should get a move on. Ash was looking forward to Ballonlea, the city was said to be bewitching. It was situated deep in Glimwood Tangle, a protected National Park that was filled with endangered bioluminescent mushrooms that illuminated the entire forest. It was home to a whole host of Fairy types, notably the Impidimp line, Hattena line, Morelull line, and the highly coveted Galarian Ponyta.
With how large Glimwood Tangle was, it was unknown how herds of Ponyta and Rapidash could go unseen, especially since they glowed when using any attacks.
It might be because people tended to get lost and confused in Glimwood Tangle. Search parties were sent in weekly, always finding at least one person dazed and walking in circles, half starved and horribly dehydrated.
Ash wouldn't be one of them.
See, Fae could sense other Fae. Strength was a great deterrent, and Orion, Hemlock, Mirae, and Sagitta had strength in spades. Ash would be safe - enough - to find his fifth Fairy.
He did make sure to stock up on supplies, a few repels and an extra crank flashlight. He'd be in the forest until he found another Fairy, or at least until he needed to restock.
Ash liked to think he wasn't dangerously overconfident, so he texted Oak, Grimsley, and Plumeria that he was heading into Glimwood Tangle. If he didn't send a text every other day, send a search team. Plumeria was still in Galar so at least one person would be in his general area.
Looking down at his belt, Ash started fiddling with seven of the capsules. There were settings for Pokéballs that gave Pokémon more or less awareness. For all his teammates except his Fae, Ash set them to the highest level of stasis, knowing the forest would be terrible for his Darks and Dragons.
He usually kept them at the middle level, except for Styx since her protective side wanted to know the moment Ash was in trouble.
It was a little unnerving, once Ash got to the entrance to the forest. Stow-on-Side was bright and colorful and lively. Glimwood Tangle seemed to swallow the light like a yawning, gaping mouth. Shaking off the uncertainty, Ash strode into the darkness, the pathway immediately stealing away his eyesight with how dark it was. Polaris was pressed to his side in uncertainty, but Ash could practically feel Hemlock's shiver of anticipation.
This was his first home. This was the only place Impidimp could be found.
Ash didn't know how long they walked before something changed. It could have been 10 minutes, it could have been two hours, but eventually he could see a speck of light in the distance.
How Glimwood Tangle was able to block out 100% of sunlight in the middle of the day, Ash didn't know. He was so tempted to release Mirae, who naturally gave off a bit of light, or Sagitta who was recently taught Flash, but that would be giving up, right? So Ash persevered.
The light turned out to be a rather large blue mushroom sprouting from a wall of stone. It was so perfectly placed, bisecting the two choices of pathways. A flash of light to his left had his eyes darting over, but there was nothing around. The sound of wings above him had his head snapping back, but again, nothing.
Ash frowned deeply, this was going to get exhausting, the sounds, the darkness, the feeling of eyes on him. Closing his eyes, he allowed his 'extra' sense to spread out for the first time in weeks. But he flinched, quickly realizing the forest was one bright blob of light. He couldn't differentiate any living organism from the next. Were the bioluminescent mushrooms one giant entity?
He was going in blind in both senses of the word.
Polaris flattened himself against Ash's leg, finally prompting him to return the frog. Mirae appeared in his place, the subtle glow from his wings and fur offering a bit more light.
Shivering slightly, the Mytheon looked around suspiciously even as his wings glowed brighter. He sniffed the air and shared a look with Hemlock. Ash understood that the two were still susceptible to Fae energy to a certain extent, but their auras were potent and would most likely keep any potential threats away. Sagitta would be released if needed.
Obviously he didn't have a Steel type yet, and Nettle was unfortunately indisposed.
Rubbing his hands together, an unnatural chill seeping into his skin, Ash looked at his two teammates. "Which way?" Mirae's ears twitched and Hemlock sniffed the air before they both pointed to the right. The group of three started walking, eerily soft grasses brushing against the sliver of ankle that appeared with each step. "Remember, we're looking for a Ponyta and Rapidash herd. If you hear or smell anything, alert me."
The next four hours tested Ash's resolve. Every couple minutes ghostly giggles would sound as if they were right beside him. Flashing lights attempted to steal his attention, but Ash was nothing if not stubborn, so the Shiinotic wouldn't hypnotize him today.
He had read that Shiinotic would lead travelers away from the main trail, knowing they followed the bioluminescent mushrooms to direct them to Ballonlea. Morelull and their evolution were decomposers, so naturally they needed dead organisms for sustenance.
Not a great thought.
Now the giggling Ash knew to be Phantump. The theory that the little Ghosts were children who had gotten lost in the woods was a depressing, and rather terrifying idea. It made Ash consider Cynthia's belief in souls and how one could be transferred into something new. People said Phantump remembered their lives from Before, and they wanted people lost. To experience what they did.
From what Ash understood about Ghosts, many were theorized to have been reborn from human souls, and their demise determined what Ghost type they'd become. Children lost in the woods became Phantump, and thus gained nourishment from feelings of disorientation and uncertainty. Once they ensured enough people got lost, they'd evolve into Trevenant, who'd help Phantump by changing the layout of the forests they inhabited.
One of the reasons Ash was fascinated by Ghosts. Unfortunately, they were wary of him in return. It did lend credence to Cynthia's brief lecture about negative emotions.
Ash couldn't tell how close the Phantump got, but if past trends were to be followed, they most likely kept their distance. Even still, the giggles sounded both close and far away.
Mirae and Hemlock were wonderful companions, circling him constantly and making sure he kept on the path if he started veering off course. Sometimes Ash wouldn't even realize he was doing it. One of the reasons he chose Hemlock and Mirae. He'd long since gained the Morgrem's trust, and Mirae was raised by him. Not to say Sagitta and Orion didn't care for him in their own ways, but Sagitta would probably think it funny if he was to get lost in the woods. Orion would let Ash be pulled away just so he could fight whatever it was.
Hours crept by without notice, there was no more or less light than earlier, making it feel like they were in limbo. Ash could understand how people easily got lost in here.
They didn't stop for camp until Ash got tired. He released Orion and Sagitta before he started setting up his tent. The Togekiss ruffled her feathers in delight at the aura that permeated the forest. Orion started prowling the edges of the clearing hoping to pick a fight. Sighing, Ash shook his head and went back to ensuring his - very expensive - tent was completely set up.
Pulling two green cans from his pack, Ash shook them as he walked to the treeline. He sprayed the ground with the repels, circling the camp twice just in case. There were Spritzee, Hoothoot and Noctowl as the only Flying types so he didn't worry too much about something coming in from above.
Fires were a big no-no in Glimwood as something in the air was highly flammable, making fires burn pink and grow too large to control. Instead, berries would be dinner. His teammates didn't mind, viewing the fruits as dessert more than anything else. Sagitta would swoop down every time Ash tossed a berry to a different teammate, catching it in her beak.
She wasn't laughing when she caught a tomato berry. She didn't steal any more after that.
Hemlock took first watch, absolutely living for the forest he used to call home. Orion slept outside knowing Ash would be stoking the heater to life. Sagitta and Mirae got comfy beside each other before Ash turned off his lantern.
His sleep was sporadic; colorful and distorted dreams waking him up over and over.
He might have to rethink this whole 'not leaving until I catch a Rapidash' thing. Scrubbing his eyes free of their grittiness, Ash shook Sagitta and Mirae awake, crawling out of the tent and being completely disoriented when it looked just as it did eight hours ago; no sunlight.
Groaning under his breath, Ash stretched and waited for his two teammates to crawl out before he took down the tent. Hemlock was passed out against a mossy stone, Orion still taking his guard duties seriously by glaring into the woods.
Scratching the fox behind the ear, Ash cleaned up the clearing and nudged the Morgrem into wakefulness. Expertly dodging the swipe of claws, he gave his teammate a tomato berry. Sagitta got wiki berries, Orion aguav, and Mirae grepa.
Soon everyone was ready for another day of searching.
Well, ready for another three days it would seem.
Ash's head was fuzzy and there was a constant fatigue in his bones at this point, his body completely disturbed by the never ending darkness and hypnotic energies of the forest. Ash had to wonder if his run-in with Yveltal made him more susceptible to the energies of Glimwood Tangle.
What gave him a bit of a boost was finding some hoof prints, but they'd lost the trail a couple hours ago.
He was ready to admit defeat and get out of here. They'd found the path to Ballonlea two days ago, and since then have tried to be aware enough to know in which direction it was. Ash didn't feel very confident.
Shaking his head violently to rid it of the cotton-like dullness, Ash slapped his cheeks a few times to focus. He's been planning on capturing a Galarian Rapidash since before he became a trainer. He'd always thought Rapidash were some of the most striking Pokémon, and when he learned there was a Fairy variant? He had promised himself he'd find one.
Galarian Rapidash weren't conventional Psychic types, and Ash had to hope that gave them a certain level of resistance to the aura he gave off. Whether that aura was the one Ultra Beasts liked or the one Yveltal gave him, he hoped Galarian Rapidash could handle it.
Either way, he wasn't going to let a creepy forest deter him.
With newfound resolve, he stalked ahead, Hemlock giving him a pointed look.
From what Ash could decipher from charades, Hemlock said the herd had been close for the past two days, even after they lost the trail. The Morgrem's head whipped around randomly to stare at some darkened patch of forest only to get a confused look on his face and glance away.
Two hours later something changed.
All four of his teammates froze, their ears twitching and nostrils flaring before Orion leapt into the forest. A dull thud and a startled snort sounded. Before Ash could figure out what was happening, the other three Pokémon leapt and collided with something hiding in the trees.
Four days of silence were broken, the familiar grunts and blasts of battle echoing in the tangle. Ash couldn't see anything, his teammates swallowed by the dark of the woods.
Then the ground rumbled, sending Ash to his hands and knees. The grassy loam roiled and rolled, carrying with it his snarling teammates. His Pokémon were dumped unceremoniously beside him, and there was a beat of stillness before a multitude of forms stepped out of the darkness.
The first thing Ash realized was that they were surrounded. The second thing he realized was that they found the herd. Or, more accurately, the herd found them. The third thing he realized was that the alpha mare was beautiful.
All the Rapidash that surrounded them had the powdery white coats they were known for and the manes and tails that shone bright in the gloomy forest. Ponyta foals hid beneath and behind their sires and dams. There had to be two dozen Pokémon surrounding them. Most manes were pastel lilac and teal, but some had pinks and greens and blues streaked within.
Not the alpha mare.
She was towering, at least three hands taller than the rest. Even her horn was longer than others. Her hooves were massive, designating her as a draft breed. But that isn't what stood out about her.
It was her stark white mane and tail.
Her hair shone iridescent white, reflecting every color to look like a shimmery oil spill. Her entire being was angelic, glowing a soft luminance that would make even the most stoic of trainers fall to their knees in prayer.
But Ash's eyes kept getting drawn back to the towering height of the equine.
Ash wanted.
His hand twitched before his rationale came back to him. He couldn't catch the leader unless she had a successor. Plus, there was obviously something she wanted, seeing as she could have kept the herd hidden indefinitely if she wanted.
Ash knew they had been followed, watched and judged.
But the herd unveiling themselves already showed promise that Ash's 'vibes' didn't affect them too badly.
Gesturing with his hand and chin, his teammates slowly closed ranks around him, glaring at the circle of equines that trapped them. The four Pokémon tensed when the alpha mare padded forward, hooves silent on mossy ground. The feathering draped around her hooves glowed softly and moved as if it were underwater. The power around her manifested much like Sabrina's did; hair and fur hovering and undulating.
Tilting his head all the way back, Ash tried not to gape as the stunning Rapidash stared down at him. Eyes shone like the stars on a moonless night as they analyzed him. Those eyes flicked up, staring over his head at something in the distance before she huffed and backed away.
A strong whinny made the rest of the herd plod a few steps away, a shuffle going through the circle as if in anticipation.
Confusion and hesitancy swept through Ash's mind even as he held the mare's gaze. He quickly understood when she braced herself. Oh Mew, this Rapidash was enormous. One kick from her could break his entire body.
Draft breeds might not be the fastest, but they were by far the biggest, strongest, and bulkiest.
But he wasn't one to back down from such an incredible challenge. Ash nodded to Hemlock, the troublemaker more than happy to fight. This would be a very physical battle, and Hemlock would have to watch out for Smart Strike and Play Rough more than anything else.
Luckily any Psychic moves would prove useless.
Without another wasted second, the alpha mare shot forward with Agility, her Psychic abilities keeping her steps light. Her horn started spinning and Ash blanched.
"Holy s- Feint Attack!" Hemlock fell back into the black void just as Rapidash's Horn Drill threatened to knock him out. Ash's heart was beating a wild rhythm in his chest.
This Rapidash was not playing around.
"Shadow Claw!" The alpha mare huffed when ghostly fingers stood out against snowy fur to slice her flank, hardly injuring her more than a flesh wound. Hemlock danced away from a Stomp, a Thunder Punch landing on the equine's nose. Her muscle was so dense the electricity barely spread down her neck.
Tossing her head, the Rapidash jabbed at Hemlock with a sickly Megahorn, grazing the Morgrem's shoulder. Hissing, Hemlock shuddered before his form split into a dozen copies.
Rapidash wasted no time, the same High Horsepower from before spreading through the ground.
"Up!" Right on cue, all the clones leapt into the air as Ash was once again sent to his knees by the Ground attack. Hemlock didn't wait for an order, he and his clones fell from the sky and slammed a Fire Punch right onto the mare's spine.
Once again, the Rapidash brushed it off, instead reared up, sending the real Morgrem into the air. Ash almost bit through his tongue when Rapidash struck out with her hind legs and sent Hemlock flying.
Moss and dirt was thrown every which way as he skidded, a trench forming in the forest floor. Hemlock wheezed wetly as he stood up, and Ash prayed to Mew it wasn't a punctured lung. The Morgrem was holding a clawed hand to his side, unable to move without flinching.
Rapidash plodded over and Ash readied his Pokéball to return his teammate, but paused when she bowed her massive head and breathed a pink mist over Hemlock. The Devious Pokémon shivered as his breathing lost its gurgling quality.
Ash blinked. Huh, he didn't know Heal Pulse could work on Dark types.
Apparently, Rapidash wasn't done with Hemlock yet, backing up and bracing herself once more. Ash shared a glance with his teammate before they both nodded. Rapidash was crazy strong, but she didn't have great maneuverability. They could use that.
"Feint Attack, go for the legs." Rapidash's midnight eyes narrowed when Hemlock faded again, shifting her weight into her forelegs in preparation to kick. But Hemlock appeared directly below her in the next moment, twin Shadow Claws slashing at the ligaments at her knees.
Rapidash whinnied in surprise, all the weight in her forelegs causing them to give out from the attack. Hemlock took advantage, exploding with Burning Jealousy that Ash hoped singed her underbelly before he faded back into Feint Attack.
The mare managed to catch herself before she face-planted in the ground. Her legs shook a little as she pushed herself up. A flash of light pulsed from her, the ground taking on a wavering quality. Ah, Psychic Terrain.
The equine suddenly vanished.
Hemlock reappeared, eyes going comically wide just in time to be plowed over by an enormous Rapidash reappearing with Take Down. Ash shook his head as Hemlock rolled away, spindly limbs trying to stop his momentum.
Rapidash knew Teleport.
Rapidash Teleported again, rearing up on her hindlegs in preparation to crush the Morgrem beneath her hooves. Quite gracelessly, Hemlock flapped his arms before a wave of fire threw off the equine's balance.
She took rapid steps back, still on her hindlegs, the fire startling her enough for Hemlock to dash away. That Heal Pulse only fixed his broken ribs, not doing anything for the bruising or the exhaustion. But Hemlock stood tall, even as he trembled, a few meters away from the mare. She had returned to all fours, tossing her head at the impish look on her opponent's face.
The mare darted forward, picking up more and more speed and Ash waited a beat before shouting, "Dark Pulse!" Aimed at her legs, the wave of Dark energy slammed into her knees. But that wasn't enough for Hemlock, he sprinted after his attack as Rapidash wobbled just slightly.
It was like everything was in slow motion. One of Rapidash's knees wavered just as Hemlock fell to his knees, sliding beneath the mare's chest. Two large Shadow Claws sprung to life, slicing her inner forelegs and traveling on to tear at her underbelly.
Time picked back up with a shaking crash as Rapidash's momentum worked against her, body collapsing onto the ground and skidding before she tumbled over onto her side.
There was silence in the forest, barring Hemlock's heavy breathing. The heap that was Rapidash looked like a fresh mound of snow, her mane and tail looking like quicksilver. The white shifted, light bouncing off of it as the form rose from the ground.
Forelegs were trembling from what Ash could see, but the lead mare Teleported. Hemlock groaned, bending his legs slightly in preparation. But Rapidash reappeared two meters away, tense posture gone. She paused for a moment before leaning down to breath pink mist on one knee, moving to breath on the other. The faint light shimmered over the rivulets of red blood that were slowly trickling from the back and sides of her knees.
The equine stood tall, a deep breath moving her entire frame. Shaking her mane to dislodge clumps of moss, she huffed - almost in amusement - and dipped her head to Hemlock and then to Ash.
He felt a little baffled.
Hemlock glared a little at the mare before slowly making his way over to Ash. Ash silently gestured to Mirae, Sagitta, and Orion to keep an eye on the herd as he rummaged through his bag to get a potion. He sprayed it on the Morgrem's horribly bruised side and chest from taking that Take Down. The Devious Pokémon gobbled up the offered sitrus berry without chewing.
Placing a hand on his Pokémon's shoulder, he stood and turned back to the surrounding group, no one had moved. The lead mare was still watching him intensely. Ash shook the potion, and upon hearing some liquid still inside, looked to the Rapidash. "May I?" He gestured to her still open wounds on her underbelly.
To his surprise, she nodded. Knowing the unpredictable nature of Fairy types, Ash inched forward, guard up, and carefully sprayed the various lacerations that were easy to see on her bright white fur.
The enormous equine barely flinched from the stinging pain, but she did shake out her mane and flick her tail when Ash backed away. He made sure to pack the trash in his bag, knowing there were drop boxes in each city to put used potion containers so they could be recycled.
Rapidash stood tall for a moment before she turned her head and whinnied over her shoulder. The circle of Rapidash broke to allow a small figure to trot through.
"Oh." Ash gasped reverently.
Things clicked into place when the small form of the Ponyta stopped beside what must be its mother.
This Ponyta was different from the others.
Inky black fur covered its entire body, and if not for the mane, tail, and feathering, the Pokémon would have blended in with the night. Dark streaks of purple mixed with stark white hair, giving the Ponyta a rather ghostly appearance. Ash would not have been able to guess that this Ponyta was the child of the alpha.
The dam and offspring duo exchanged a few sounds before the Ponyta bounced towards Ash. Sparkling eyes like its mother, Ash held out a hand for the foal to sniff. Big baby doll eyes shone at him making Ash smile.
Then the Ponyta charged forward and headbutted him in the stomach.
Ash landed harshly on his back, a light wheeze escaping his lips as the Ponyta happily bounced in place, proud of its prank. Hemlock cackled from beside him, earning a pained glare from his trainer. That tiny, dull horn would leave an awful bruise.
The surrounding herd made noises of amusement and Ponyta puffed up from the reception. Ash internally groaned at the thought of another prankster.
He was aging prematurely from Hemlock alone. Not to mention Bane's newly improved illusions.
Mirae helped him return to a seated position by pushing his back with his head. The Mytheon rolled his green eyes and sat beside him.
It was only now he saw the lead mare's exasperated eyes and he thought she was probably at her wit's end with her offspring. He rubbed his throbbing stomach as he sighed, "You were testing me, right?"
Rapidash snorted and nodded, doing her best to gracefully keep Ponyta standing still. The foal was obviously filled with too much energy.
It's been a while since he's had a young Pokémon. "You want them to come with me?" Rapidash flicked her tail and nudged her child forward. Ponyta grumbled but stepped forward to stand before Ash. Lifting an eyebrow, he placed an Ultra ball on the ground in front of him. "Well?" The Ponyta looked insulted, eyes darting between the innocently still Ultra ball, Ash, and its mother. Rapidash looked expectant, eliciting a petulant whinny from the foal.
It threw a short tantrum for a moment, appearing like it was going to Stomp the ball but missing by a hair's breadth each time. After a few more minutes, Ponyta must have felt satisfied they made their stance clear and finally tapped the ball with their hoof.
The Ultra ball shook violently, just to prove a point, before it clicked shut.
The herd visibly and audibly sighed in evident relief. Ash had to wonder what he just got himself into.
Ignoring everyone else for a moment, Ash flipped his Pokédex open to read Pontya's summary.
Ponyta: The Unique Horn Pokémon. Galarian Variant. Psychic Type. Galarian Ponyta can absorb the life energy located in the atmosphere and store it in its mane, which will then become more colorful and potentially release a shining glow if there is a lot of energy to use. The small horn contains a healing power. Ponyta can heal any slight wounds with a few rubs from its horn. By looking into the eyes of a person, it can read the contents of the heart. Should Ponyta find any evil, it will promptly go back into hiding.
This Ponyta is Female and has the ability Pastel Veil.
Known Moves: Confusion, Stomp, Agility, Fairy Wind, Psybeam
Egg Move(s): Horn Drill, Teleport, Shadow Sneak
This Pokémon stands at 2'11" and weighs 57.3lbs.
Hold up, Shadow Sneak?
Ash blinked in absolute bewilderment. How? This was a Psychic type. Who in the world sired this Ponyta? He knew the Ralts line could learn it as an egg move…
Not just that, but One Hit Knockout moves were rare. Very few Pokémon had the power, control, and intent to carry them out. Pokémon had to want the battle to end in one move, want to injure their opponent so irrevocably that the danger was over. The attacks are so charged with power, accuracy takes a massive hit, the Pokémon using it unable to hold onto it for long.
Ash had no illusions that Ponyta would be able to use the technique any time soon. It would take months, maybe even years, to build up to that kind of power and mindset.
Bracing himself, Ash pressed the release button on the Ultra ball, Ponyta appearing and shaking out her mane. She glared petulantly at Ash but perked up when he gestured at her mother. Ponyta pranced over and received a happy nuzzle from the lead mare.
Ponyta proceeded to say her goodbyes to every single member of the herd, which ended up taking a good 10 minutes. Sagitta and Orion were not patient whatsoever, so Ash ended up returning the two troublemakers. Hemlock was snacking on another sitrus berry and didn't seem to be in any rush. Mirae was taking in everything with a wide-eyed gaze and his wings were quivering a bit from excitement.
Sometimes Ash forgot the Mytheon was only eight months old.
At long last, Ponyta was ready to go. She trotted over with her dam by her side and eyed Ash again. Ash had to find common ground with the equine, and went with the first thing that came to his head. "Do you want to become as strong as your dam?" Something sparked to life in the child's eye, making Ash internally sigh with relief. "You watched the battle. I can help get you there. And if you want to play a few pranks with Hemlock along the way… well, I'll pretend I won't see."
Ponyta held her head higher - which didn't really do much - and Hemlock shot her a thumbs up and a high pitched cackle. His newest capture seemed to drop the rest of her reservations and bounced over to Ash. He was still kneeling, so he held out a hand for her to sniff again. Instead, she plopped her chin into his palm. Huffing a laugh, Ash scratched her jawline. "How do you feel about a name? I think I have one in mind."
Ponyta was a little distracted by the scratches but still snorted in what he thought was acceptance. "Wisteria. They're flowers that mean new beginnings." Ash had always loved the name Wisteria. He had been hoping to have a Pokémon that fit the name. There were different colored wisteria flowers, the pink and white meaning romance and purity, which he didn't think fit Ponyta at all. The purple however, like her hair, meant grace and royalty.
The foal gave a light huff but didn't indicate her distaste for the name, so he tentatively figured she liked it.
Wisteria it is.
Releasing her head from his hands, Ash finally stood up, his knees protesting, and brushed the moss and dirt from his pants. He nodded his head once to the alpha mare and got a nod in return. Wisteria whinnied loudly, the herd responding immediately and making Ash want to cover his ears.
'Take care of her.' Ash startled and looked back, but the herd was already gone.
His request of 'Get us out of here' to Hemlock wasn't really accurate, Ash thought as they made their way into Ballonlea.
The town was situated deep in Glimwood Tangle, the same lack of sunlight influencing the area. The buildings were all one and two story tudor style with moss and vines creeping up the sides and covering the gutters. One massive tree, much like Laverre City, was situated in the center; its roots offering natural coverage for the various homes and stores.
Bioluminescent mushrooms littered the area, gifting light in an otherwise dark place. Impidimp sat atop of the tallest mushrooms, waiting for unsuspecting passersby to walk close enough. Hemlock had stared with interest and curiosity. Hattena bounced atop window sills and Spritzee floated lazily between homes.
Ash could see, hundreds of years down the line, how the forest would overcome the small town, swallowing it whole if it was allowed.
What a perilous place to live.
Wisteria looked absolutely awed by the buildings surrounding her. She must have never left the wilds of the tangle before. A few glassy eyed denizens gave her a second glance, but ultimately their eyes became unfocused once more as they continued on their way. Shivering a bit from their empty stares, Ash quickened his pace to the Pokémon center.
Mirae and Wisteria were trailing behind, trotting beside each other, appearing as if they weren't affected by the natural gravity of the world. Mirae had his wings and Wisteria had her Psychic abilities to lighten their steps.
His two youngest teammates were getting along.
Ash had to admit, even without the Fairy typing yet Wisteria was plenty chaotic. The few hours it took to get here was full of the Ponyta charging into the woods to headbutt a Pokémon. He didn't want to see what she was like when she evolved. But that was a long way down the line.
She seemed like a combination of all his Fae; headstrong like Orion, smug like Sagitta, curious like Mirae, and mischievous like Hemlock. But the circumstances of her capture were almost exactly like Libra's.
Ash did feel a bit flattered that three different parents chose him to look after their offspring; Totem Kommo-o, Euryale, and now the alpha mare. All exceptional Pokémon in their own right.
He wouldn't lie and say it was going to be easy to get Wisteria up to par with the rest of his team. Honestly, he was still trying to get Polaris and Ladon on the same level with a majority and then the majority up to par with Libra. Styx was still in a league of her own.
There were plenty of newbies he could battle with Wisteria as soon as he understood how she fought. She certainly had the spunk for it.
Walking into the Pokémon center, he saw a few clear-eyed trainers lounging around. For the first time in days, he felt the thick atmosphere abate and took an easy breath. The others in the center stared at Mirae and Wisteria with dropped jaws, one of them was turning a little green with envy.
Nurse Joy smiled as he made his way up. "Hello! I must say, you have some beautiful Pokémon. What can I help you with today?"
Ash returned the smile with a small one of his own. He returned his two teammates and put the Ultra ball and painted Pokéball in the tray. "My Morgrem had a pretty intense battle so I'd like him checked over. I just caught Ponyta so I'd like a full check up. Also, can I get a room for the night?" He passed over his Pokédex.
All his Pokémon had full medical files in the system that he could access on his Pokédex. When he had the time he tried to get his entire team full check ups. It was how they caught a fungal infection on Polaris that would have started deteriorating his skin.
So yeah, never underestimate the value of full check ups.
Mirae looked disappointed that his new friend was gone. Ash scratched the base of one of his ears that made the Dragon and Fairy type lean into his side. The two walked over to one of the free couches, Mirae ignoring the stares and jumping up to rest half his body on Ash's lap.
He waited, and it only took 30 seconds for someone to approach him. Unfortunately, it was the jealous guy. At least, he was pretty sure it was a guy. He had long, long blonde hair and large round glasses. The weirdest thing was that he was wearing a very tall top hat along with frilly black high socks along with a purple jersey.
Ash didn't want to judge and he was no fashion expert, but yikes.
"Hmph, you've managed to find a Ponyta, have you?"
Inwardly, Ash furrowed his brows. Wasn't that obvious? Outwardly, he merely raised an eyebrow. The guy visibly bristled before flattening his expression. "Well, I'm offering a trade. My Alolan Exeggutor for your Ponyta. Psychic types are notoriously difficult to train, so of course you'll want someone to take it off your hands."
The surrounding trainers were watching with bated breath, and Ash just wanted to roll his eyes. Seriously? Psychic types are difficult to train? They're not even in the top five, those spots go to the Chaos types, Ghosts, and Steel.
Mirae flattened his ears and pulled back his upper lip when he sensed Ash's dislike. The asshole took a hasty step back. "See? Can't even handle whatever that is." Ash narrowed his eyes and put a hand on Mirae's head, quieting him.
"I think you'll find I can handle a Psychic type just fine."
The guy sniffed and wrinkled his nose. "I highly doubt that. How about we test it out? A battle, if you lose, I get Ponyta."
The temperature in the room plummeted with Ash's glare, the shadows in the corner of the room darkening. Mirae hissed and his fur stood on end as Ash stood and stepped towards the blonde. The guy's eyes darted to the side without his consent, a bead of sweat gathering at his temple.
"So you view Pokémon as objects, prizes to be won?"
The guy blanched. "What? I never said that!" He was paling quickly, uncertain if he should focus on Ash or the Mytheon. As Ash got closer, the guy flinched, a gray pallor falling over his face.
Ash took another step forward, Mirae hopping down from the couch to prowl closer, wings flared aggressively. "Of course you did. Ponyta is just a trophy to you, an award proving you're not actually worthless. External validation that you're special and not a no-name, mediocre nothing. Obviously you can't handle a Dragon type, hoping to pass a Pokémon you raised but no longer want onto someone else and getting a rare Psychic type in return. Win-win for you."
When the guy looked away, Ash briefly looked up to determine the height of the ceiling. Definitely tall enough. He allowed his mouth to stretch, baring his teeth much like Mirae. "If you really want to battle, I'll humor you." Fingers pressed against the oldest Dusk ball on his belt, energy coalescing and growing and growing and growing.
The guy stumbled back, tripping over an armchair when Styx appeared, muscles bunched and three mouths of serrated teeth on full display. Various gasps and squeaks could be heard around them, but Ash ignored them.
"Psychic types are difficult to train, huh? I bet my Darks could take 'em." Styx couldn't rise to her full height, but it didn't take away from her overwhelming presence. Her growl spiked adrenaline like it had a direct line to the nervous system. The asshole was splayed out on the floor, blood drained from his already pale face. The next moment, he scrambled over himself, 'eep'ing when Mirae nipped at his heels before sprinting for the stairs leading to the rooms.
Ash scoffed and put a hand on Styx's side. His starter huffed, some smoke escaping all six nostrils. Looking around at the fear on everyone's faces, he had to admit maybe he went a little overboard. But he despised people who viewed Pokémon as some sort of object you could just discard and trade and use as trophies.
Plus, he and Styx always got a kick out of people's reactions to her. He'd never use her like that otherwise.
Ash didn't say anything, casting an intense stare at the collection of trainers around him. Hands flew up, the universal sign of 'peace' as many of the spectators backed away and fled either to their rooms or into the town. Two people stayed, however. Both were around Hop's age and looked star struck.
He let his eyes dart to the front desk and saw that Nurse Joy just looked amused. Huh. Cool. Turning his attention back to the two younger teens, Ash lifted an eyebrow, hoping he looked a bit more inviting than earlier.
Apparently that was a 'yes' because the two bounced over, but left some distance between themselves and the still-snarling Dragons. "That was brilliant!" The girl shouted, brown eyes sparkling. Her hair was short, brown, and most of it was hidden by a green beret. A big gray sweater was covering fuschia pink jeans.
"Yeah, Avery has been dodgy since he got here. You put him in his place! That wanker was sneering at anyone younger than him the whole time he's been here." The boy had a grin on his face, and he looked a bit similar to the other girl. His darker brown hair was covered by a slouchy gray beanie and his clothing looked more beat up than the girl's. His red shirt was patched in some places and his jeans were ripped naturally.
"Glad I could take him down a few pegs. I'm Ash, this is Styx, that's Mirae."
"We know! I'm Gloria, and this is my twin brother, Victor."
Furrowing his brows, he blinked at the first part but then got distracted by the second part. "You two started your journey with Hop, right?"
"You've met Hop?"
"Yeah, we took the Wild Area Training Course together and traveled to Rolling Fields for a day. Saw him again a short while ago in Circhester."
"That prat didn't tell us he met you!" Gloria looked indignant and Victor was rolling his eyes.
Ash kept his frown off his face. "You know me?" Styx rumbled threateningly from behind him, making the two teens shift uneasily. Mirae pressed against his leg, his big jade eyes locked on the twins. Still didn't drain Gloria of her excitement.
"Of course we know you! You were all over the news when you took down Omen!" Ash withheld a wince at the memory.
"Don't lie, Gloria, you started obsessing over him as soon as he started dating Serena Yvonne." The blush that overtook Gloria's face was startling, Ash was a little worried her head would explode from the excess pressure.
The poor girl stammered for a bit, when Ash decided to take pity. "Serena and I were childhood friends, it was wonderful to reconnect with her, but we're not together anymore." Deciding to change the subject, Ash asked, "Are you two here for the badge?"
Both trainers groaned and Victor spoke up. "Yeah, we've both lost once already to Bede. The guy is bloody ruthless, and he's not even a Master!"
"At least we don't have to battle Opal." Both shuddered at that. Opal and Agatha were tied for the longest trainer career in the world. Opal is two years younger, but started her career at age 13 compared to Kanto's 15.
It was a frightening rivalry.
"Here's the thing about Fairy types; they're unpredictable. They might look docile and friendly but they are decidedly not. You have to be aggressive and be just as unpredictable. What Pokémon does he use and what are your teams?"
"We have four badges so he uses a Mawile, Aromatisse, and either a Rapidash or Gardevoir. I have an Inteleon, Sizzlipede, Eldegoss, Meowth, Swinub, and a baby Toxel." Victor counted off on his fingers.
Okay, so Bede's lineup hasn't changed since he helped Hop.
"I'm a Grass specialist, and have a Rillaboom, Gloom, Breloom, Lombre, Ferroseed, and Phantump."
Ash was impressed, some of those Pokémon were difficult to find and train. Nodding to himself he turned to Victor. "I'd recommend using Eldegoss against Mawile." He held up a hand when the teen went to argue. "Yes, I know Grass attacks aren't effective against Steel types. But if you can fill its jaws with Cotton Spore and cover it with Cotton Guard, the Mawile's greatest strength is nullified. If you can teach Eldegoss Sunny Day and Weather Ball, you have a super effective attack. Be prepared for a Fire Fang though."
Pausing to let Victor digest that, he continued. "Now, for Aromatisse. They're not magnificent battlers, but their pheromones are very debilitating. I'd recommend Sizzlipede or Meowth. The heat from Sizzlipede will burn up the scents and Meowth is probably so battle crazed it won't affect them. Is that correct?" Victor nodded absently, a little bit of awe on his face. "Good. Last one and most difficult. Gardevoir or Rapidash are meant to be the true test. Use Inteleon. Its speed is going to be a boon. Gardevoir have notoriously low defense while Rapidash has low maneuverability. If Eldegoss is still able to battle, you can always have Inteleon use Soak and then switch out."
This reminded Ash of how he helped Liam plan against Surge. He might be helping them a little, but it was up to them to carry it out. It would also teach them to expand their thinking. He switched his attention to Gloria who was bouncing on her toes for her turn.
"Phantump and Ferroseed are challenging. Do they listen to you?"
Some of the energy left the girl. "Phantump isn't great at focusing. Ferroseed listens though."
Ash nodded. "Good. Then use Ferroseed against Mawile. Just like with Victor, if Mawile can't bite down, it loses its greatest strength. Steel attacks will still do damage. Try to slow it down with Thunder Wave or Leech Seed. Use Gloom against Aromatisse. Its stench will negate the pheromones. Soak the ground in Poison if you can. Use Ferroseed and Gloom to wear down Gardevoir or Rapidash, poison them if you can. Finish with Rillaboom, it'll be your strongest and can both attack and defend with Drum Beat."
"Thank you." Gloria breathed with her hands clasped in front of her chest.
Victor nodded dumbly from beside her. "You're bloody brilliant."
Ash barked a short laugh. "I appreciate that." He heard his name called by Nurse Joy, so he quickly returned Styx, ignoring her annoyed growl, and excused himself from the conversation to pick up his teammates, Mirae trailing behind him.
"Your Morgrem is all healed up, might be sore for a few hours. Ponyta is healthy, she's a little underweight, but that's normal when catching a wild Pokémon. I'd say she's around six months old. Her coat color is gorgeous, I must say again." Ash thanked the nurse and clipped the balls to his belt, the Ultra ball going where a Beast ball used to sit.
"Oh!" Victor's voice shouted from behind him. "Ash! You should battle Bede!"
Huh, that's an idea.
First off: I don't think anyone had Ash catching a Galarian Ponyta on their bingo cards. There is a bit of lore behind why Wisteria isn't affected by Ash's vibes, but it'll be a while before we get there. Am I taking creative liberties? Yes. I never understood why only a few Psychic types can learn Teleport in the games
Second: apparently certain chapters aren't showing up or the website is bugging sometimes, so be aware I guess? I'm not entirely sure what to do about it
This doesn't count as foreshadowing, but I had a few Rapidash pop up since we got to Galar. It's really interesting to write battles for an equine body-type. I've been trying to have different body shapes/sizes/colors on Ash's team since there's little variability in typing.
Next Chapter: Battle with Bede, and off to Hulbury!