Hello, everyone. ThunderReborn from 2025. This chapter was originally edited by Darklord331. Finally, in April 2025, this chapter was edited again by my current beta reader, Waroyer123. Thank you and I hope you enjoy the story.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, and Studio Pierrot.
Please support the official release.
"Hello." – Normal talking
"Hello." – Ichigo's thoughts.
"Hello." – Zanpakutō speaking
"Hello." – Zanpakutō thoughts.
"$: Hello. :$" – Parseltongue
Chapter 63:
It took Charmander three days to fully recover from the abuse it suffered from its previous trainer. During those days, Ichigo trained with his team of Pokémon. Roselia learned how to create Toxic Spikes, a deadly trap that poisons any Pokémon that steps on them. Pidgeotto, Feebas, Vulpix, and Metang didn't learn any new moves, but they still grew stronger. Ralts and Yami trained in the evening to avoid attention from other trainers. Ralts learned Draining Kiss while Yami learned Ominous Wind.
Ichigo walked to the back of the Pokémon Center and found Nurse Joy removing the bandages from Charmander's body.
"Hello, Charmander," Ichigo greeted.
"$: Hello, new partner. :$" Charmander replied.
Ichigo took out a Poké Ball. "Are you ready to join me?"
"$: Yes. :$" Charmander replied, tapping the Poké Ball with its claw. The Poké Ball opened and captured Charmander. Ichigo pulled out his Pokédex and scanned it.
"This Charmander is a female Fire-type, 2.2 feet tall, and has the Blaze ability. The current known moves are Scratch and Flamethrower. Note this Pokémon has an unusual coloration."
"Hm… Maybe this Charmander was bred to have Flamethrower?" Ichigo thought, recalling the breeding mechanics introduced in the Generation II games. He released Charmander from its Poké Ball.
"How are you doing?" he asked.
"$: Better. :$" Charmander replied, moving its limbs.
"Good," Ichigo said. He turned to Nurse Joy. "Thank you for taking care of her."
"It's my pleasure," Nurse Joy replied. Ichigo and Charmander walked out of the Pokémon Center and towards the Pokémon Gym.
"For right now, I want you to watch," Ichigo said.
"$: Ok. :$" Charmander replied.
They arrived at the Cerulean City Gym.
"Good morning," the front desk attendant greeted them.
"Good morning," Ichigo replied.
"Are you here for the water show or for a gym battle?" she asked.
"I'm here for a gym battle," Ichigo responded.
"Very well. May I see your Trainer License?" she asked. Ichigo presented his Pokédex.
"Ok, Mr. Kurosaki, let me check if any of the Gym Leaders are available," she said. "Feel free to wait in the lobby."
Ichigo nodded and sat down. A few minutes later, the front desk attendant called for him.
"Ok, Mr. Kurosaki, we're ready for you," she said, leading him deeper into the gym. They arrived at a large pool-like area with two floating islands. On the other side, Ichigo saw a young girl with reddish-pink hair.
"This is a new scene," Ichigo thought.
"Let's get this over with," she said. Ichigo walked over to the podium, and the front desk attendant took the referee position in the middle.
"The battle between Gym Leader Lily and Challenger Ichigo Kurosaki will begin. This is a two-on-two battle. Only the challenger may substitute Pokémon," the referee announced.
"Go, Staryu!" Lily threw her Poké Ball, and a brown starfish with a red gem in the center appeared, landing on the platform in front of her.
"Go, Feebas!" Ichigo called, sending out Feebas, who landed in the water.
"My god, that is ugly," Lily remarked, eyeing Feebas.
Feebas looked down, slightly disappointed.
"Hey, Feebas!" Ichigo called out. Feebas turned to him. "Ignore her. Her opinion doesn't matter."
Feebas nodded.
"Begin!" the referee announced.
"Staryu, use Water Gun!" Lily ordered. A jet of water shot out of Staryu's gem.
"Feebas, dodge it and use Dragonbreath!" Ichigo commanded. Feebas dove into the water, easily evading the attack. It leaped out and fired a stream of draconic energy.
"Staryu, use Rapid Spin to dodge!" Lily shouted. Staryu jumped into the air and began to spin, avoiding Feebas's attack. "Now ram into that ugly fish!" she added.
"Get back in the water!" Ichigo shouted. Feebas dove back in.
"Follow it!" Lily ordered. Staryu continued spinning and dived into the water after Feebas.
"When you get the chance, use Dragonbreath!" Ichigo shouted. Feebas heard the command and unleashed a stream of draconic energy that forced Staryu out of the water. It crashed onto the floating platform.
"Staryu!" Lily cried, but Staryu didn't respond. Feebas popped its head out of the water.
"Staryu is unable to battle. The winner is Feebas!" the referee announced.
"Good job, Feebas!" Ichigo cheered. Feebas smiled, appreciating the praise.
"Return," Lily grumbled, recalling the unconscious Staryu. "Stupid, ugly fish," she muttered under her breath. "Go, Starmie!" She threw another Poké Ball, and a purple, ten-pointed starfish with a larger red gem appeared.
Ichigo looked at Feebas. "Do you want to continue?" he asked.
"Don't bother, you ugly fish!" Lily interrupted. "Staryu was my weaker Pokémon!" she shouted. Her words hit Feebas hard, and its mood soured.
"Shut up, you ugly bitch!" Ichigo yelled. He walked toward the edge of the pool. "Feebas," he said calmly. Feebas looked at him. "Come here." Feebas swam to the edge of the pool. "Feebas, do you remember what I said earlier?" Ichigo asked. Feebas nodded. "I'm serious. Ignore her words. She bullies others because she's not confident in her own beauty," Ichigo said. Feebas felt the truth in Ichigo's words. It nodded again. "Now, let's show her your beauty," Ichigo said, his voice full of confidence.
"Fee!" Feebas shouted.
Ichigo walked back to his position and nodded at the referee. "Begin!" she shouted.
"Starmie, use Swift!" Lily ordered. Star-shaped projectiles appeared around Starmie and flew toward Feebas.
"Feebas, dive into the water!" Ichigo commanded. Feebas dove into the pool, avoiding the attack.
"Dragonbreath!" Ichigo shouted. Feebas popped its head out and fired a stream of draconic energy.
"Starmie, dodge it with Rapid Spin!" Lily ordered. Starmie spun its entire body, evading Feebas's attack. "Attack, Feebas!" she shouted.
"Dive!" Ichigo shouted. Feebas dove back into the water. Starmie dove after it. Both trainers stood still, waiting to see what would happen next. Suddenly, Feebas shot out of the water, crashing onto the floating platform. Starmie followed, landing on the same platform.
"Feebas!" Ichigo shouted, concern evident in his voice as he saw his Pokémon on the platform.
"Give up, you ugly fish!" Lily shouted.
"Fee," Feebas groaned, pushing herself up with her fins. She glared at Lily. "FeeBAS!" Feebas yelled as she was enveloped in white light.
"Feebas is evolving," everyone realized. Feebas's shape began to elongate, like a serpent. The white light faded to reveal a new Pokémon.
It was an aquatic, serpentine Pokémon with a primarily cream-colored body. It had red eyes with long, pinkish antennae above them. Additionally, there were long, blue, hair-like fins above its eyes that began thin and thickened towards the tips. These fins extended almost halfway down Milotic's body. A straight spike protruded from the top of her head. Down the sides of her neck were three black dots, similar to gills. Her lower body was covered in yellow and pink diamond-shaped scales outlined in black, and her tail consisted of four large, yellow fins with pink ovals in their centers. Each of the tail fins overlapped the next slightly, creating a fan-like appearance.
"Milo," she said. Ichigo pulled out his Pokédex and scanned his new Pokémon.
"This Milotic is a female Water/Dragon-type, 20.3 feet tall, and has the Sap Sipper ability. The current known moves are Disarming Voice, Dragonbreath, Water Pulse, Life Dew, and Aqua Ring. Note this Pokémon's physical appearance, typing combination, and ability are unusual. Please rescan the Poké Ball to attempt fixing anomalies," the Pokédex read.
"S-Sap Sipper?" Lily questioned, her eyes wide with disbelief. Milotic gave her a vengeful smile. Before anyone could respond, Milotic opened her mouth and fired a blast of draconic energy toward Starmie.
Starmie took the attack head-on, crashing into the wall behind Lily. Everyone turned to see the collapsed Starmie.
"Starmie is unable to battle. The winner is Milotic. The winner of this Gym Battle is Ichigo Kurosaki," the referee announced.
Milotic coiled her body and leaped toward Ichigo. He took a few steps back and braced himself as Milotic landed beside him, coiling around him in a hug. Ichigo chuckled at Milotic's affection.
"Thank you, dear," he said. "But I must get my badge."
Milotic uncoiled from Ichigo, and he turned to see Lily had arrived at his side. She was still staring at Milotic, amazed by her beauty.
"Ahem," Ichigo said. Lily snapped out of her daze and looked at him.
"Sorry about that," she said.
"About what? For being amazed by her beauty or for insulting my Pokémon's physical appearance?" Ichigo asked.
"For both," Lily admitted.
"I'm not the one you need to apologize to," Ichigo said, pointing at Milotic.
"I'm sorry for insulting you," Lily said. Milotic glared at her and turned her head away.
"I guess not," Ichigo said with a shrug. Lily sighed in disappointment.
"Anyways, here's the Cascade Badge," she said, presenting Ichigo with the badge. Ichigo accepted it.
He turned to Milotic. "Return," he said. Milotic returned to her Poké Ball. Ichigo pocketed the Poké Ball and walked out of the gym, followed by his Charmander. They soon arrived at the Pokémon Center.
"Hello again. How was the gym battle?" Nurse Joy asked upon seeing Ichigo enter.
"It was good. My Feebas evolved. Can you make sure she's okay?" Ichigo asked.
"Sure," she replied as Ichigo handed her Milotic's Poké Ball. She walked over to the machine and placed the Poké Ball on the tray. The machine scanned it. She took the Poké Ball out and returned to Ichigo. "Looks like your Milotic will be fine. She had some fatigue and light injuries, which we took care of," she said.
"Thank you," Ichigo said as he left the Pokémon Center.
Scene Change: Route 24
Ichigo crossed the bridge from Cerulean City onto Route 24 and found an empty clearing. He took out all his Poké Balls and released his Pokémon. Pidgeotto, Vulpix, Metang, Roselia, Ralts, and Yami were all amazed by Milotic and Charmander.
"Everyone," Ichigo called out. "This is Charmander. Her previous trainer was an idiot who abandoned her. Please welcome her." All the Pokémon welcomed Charmander. "If you didn't realize it, this was Feebas. She evolved during the gym battle," he added.
"$: Milotic, do you understand me? :$" Milotic's eyes widened.
"$: I can, Master. How is this possible? :$" Milotic replied.
"$: Wait, all this time you could understand me too? :$" Charmander asked.
Ichigo turned to Charmander. "$: Well, of course. You told me that you didn't like your food to be too bitter or sour. :$"
Ichigo looked at Yami. "$: Do you want to say anything? :$"
Yami shook its head.
"Daddy is amazing," Ralts praised.
"Yep!" Vulpix chimed in, using Telepathy.
"Agreed," Metang added, also using Telepathy.
"So, Vulpix, Metang, and Ralts can talk with me using Telepathy, and I can talk with Charmander, Milotic, and Yami through Parseltongue," Ichigo thought. "It sucks that I can't talk with Roselia or Pidgeotto."
"The plan now is for Vulpix and Charmander to get some more training in the morning," Ichigo said.
"Yes, Daddy," Vulpix replied.
"$: Yes, Daddy. :$" Charmander responded.
Ichigo mentally sighed as yet another of his Pokémon called him "Daddy."
"Ralts and Yami will train in the late evening and night."
"Yes, Daddy," Ralts replied. Yami nodded its head.
"If we encounter any difficulty, I'll call for you," Ichigo said.
Everyone else nodded.
Ichigo returned all the Pokémon except for Vulpix and Charmander. "Let's go." As they walked down Route 24, they encountered Caterpies, Weedles, a few Pidgeys, Oddish, and Bellsprout. Vulpix and Charmander easily took care of them. Vulpix's Incinerate evolved into Flamethrower.
As the sky grew darker, they arrived at a lighthouse. The door had carvings of Pokémon on it, and Ichigo noticed a doorbell beside the door. He rang it, hearing a loud ring.
"Hello?" Someone asked from the intercom.
"Hello, sir," Ichigo replied. "I'm a Pokémon Trainer, and I got lost. I was wondering if I could stay here for the night."
"I'll allow you to stay the night if you help me with something," the voice on the intercom said.
"Sure," Ichigo replied.
"Very well then. Come on in." The doors opened by themselves. Ichigo recalled Ralts and Yami before entering the lighthouse. The lights turned on, revealing a large Pokémon standing in front of him.
"Don't be alarmed. This is just a costume I accidentally trapped myself in," the Pokémon said.
"I see… How do I free you from it?" Ichigo asked.
"There's a button on the right next to the red eyes. Click it." Ichigo walked over to the large Pokémon and pressed the button. The back of the Pokémon suit opened, and a man stepped out. He stretched as he stood up. Ichigo could see he was dressed in a white polo shirt and khaki shorts.
"Thank you, young man," the man said.
"No problem," Ichigo replied. "My name is Ichigo."
"Ah. My name is Bill, a Pokémon archaeologist," he said. Suddenly, his stomach growled.
"Looks like someone's hungry," Ichigo said.
"Um… do you know how to cook?" Bill asked.
"I do," Ichigo replied.
"Great!" Bill said as he led Ichigo to the kitchen. Despite the lighthouse appearing old, the kitchen was modern. Ichigo checked the refrigerator and made some burgers for dinner.
"Oh, delicious meat! Oh, how I've missed you!" Bill exclaimed as he devoured his burger.
"Hungry?" Ichigo questioned as he sat down beside him.
"Yeah. My cook's on vacation, and I've been eating sandwiches the whole time."
"I see…" Ichigo said.
"I'm going to sleep first. Could you take care of the dishes?" Bill asked.
"Sure. Just go upstairs, the first room to your left," Bill said, already starting on his second burger. Ichigo cracked a smile as he walked upstairs. He found a guest room with a connecting bathroom. Ichigo took a quick shower and went to bed.
Scene Change: Next Morning
Ichigo woke up, walked out of his room, and saw Bill was still asleep.
"I guess I should make him some breakfast," Ichigo thought as he went down to the kitchen. He quickly made breakfast for both himself and Bill. Bill came downstairs and was amazed by the cooked breakfast.
"Good morning, Bill," Ichigo said as he handed Bill a plate.
"Morning," Bill replied, grabbing the plate and beginning to devour his food. They ate in silence. Ichigo finished his food and washed the dishes. Bill helped himself to seconds.
"Thank you for letting me stay at your lighthouse," Ichigo said.
Bill stopped eating and stood up. "Wait, I got something for you," he said, running up to his room. He quickly came down, holding a Pokémon egg in an incubator. "For helping me get out of that Pokémon suit and cooking for me, I want to give you this Pokémon Egg," Bill said.
"Um… Thank you," Ichigo replied as he accepted Bill's gift. "What Pokémon is it?"
"It's an Eevee," Bill said.
"I see. Once again, thank you for the gift."
"No problem," Bill replied, resuming his breakfast. He grabbed his backpack, carefully placed the incubator inside, and left the lighthouse. Ichigo released Charmander and Vulpix when they were halfway down Route 24. He recalled them after their training, as Charmander's Scratch evolved into Slash, and she learned Dragonbreath and Smokescreen. Vulpix learned Confuse Ray and Will-O-Wisp. Ichigo allowed Metang and Roselia to train. By late afternoon, Ichigo arrived at the Cerulean City Pokémon Center. Metang and Roselia hadn't learned any new moves but had significantly improved their attack strength and speed.
"Welcome back," Nurse Joy greeted.
"Hello. Can I get a room for the night and heal up my Pokémon?" Ichigo asked.
"Sure." Ichigo handed her his Pokédex and Poké Balls. She gave them to Chansey, who walked over to the healing machine. Chansey inserted the Pokédex into the machine.
"Anything else I can do for you?" Nurse Joy asked.
"I do," Ichigo replied. He took the incubator out of his backpack. "I just received this Pokémon Egg and was wondering if you could give it a checkup."
"Certainly. Follow me." Nurse Joy led Ichigo to one of the back rooms. She carefully took the Pokémon Egg out of the incubator and placed it on a machine. After applying a few sensors, she turned the machine on. Ichigo could see various waves on the screen.
"It looks like this Pokémon Egg is in good health. It should hatch in about two weeks," Nurse Joy said as she deactivated the machine. She carefully removed the sensors and placed the egg back in its incubator. She handed it back to Ichigo.
"Thank you," Ichigo said, carefully placing the incubator back in his backpack. They walked out to see Chansey standing with Ichigo's Poké Balls.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy and Chansey," Ichigo said as he took his Poké Balls and Pokédex. He walked outside in the evening to train Ralts and Yami against the wild Pokémon on Route 24. It was late at night when a tired Ichigo returned to his room at the Pokémon Center. Ralts had learned Fairy Wind and Dark Pulse, while Yami had learned Shadow Sneak. Ichigo took a quick shower and went to bed.
Scene Change: Next Morning
Ichigo woke up, used the bathroom, packed his belongings, and checked out of the Pokémon Center. He headed down Route 5, noting that it was cloudy. He released Charmander.
"Let's go," Ichigo said.
"$: Yes, Daddy. :$" Charmander replied.
"Charmander should be close to evolving," Ichigo thought. As they walked down Route 5, Charmander incinerated all the wild Pidgeys, Meowths, Oddishes, and Bellsprouts they encountered. Suddenly, a Pokémon leaped out of the grass and landed in front of them.
"It's a Bulbasaur," Ichigo thought. The Bulbasaur glared at Ichigo.
"Bulbasaur!" someone shouted. Ichigo looked to see a young woman stepping out of the forest. She had blue hair, a pink T-shirt, and red overalls. In her hand was a basket of berries.
"Bulba," Bulbasaur replied as it ran to her. She turned to Ichigo.
"Oh, hello there," she said.
"Hello. I assume that's your Bulbasaur?" Ichigo asked.
"Oh no, he's not mine," she replied.
"Oh?" Ichigo said, raising an eyebrow. Suddenly, rain began to pour down. Ichigo quickly returned Charmander to her Poké Ball.
"Follow me. I have a little cabin close by," she said as she picked up Bulbasaur and ran into the forest. Ichigo followed closely behind. They soon arrived at a small wooden cabin. They entered just as the rain began to fall much harder.
"Thank you for the shelter," Ichigo said.
"No problem. It's what I do," she replied.
"Ichigo," he introduced himself.
"Melanie," she answered. Ichigo glanced around and noticed several Pokémon: an Oddish, a Caterpie, a Weepinbell, two Rattata, and two Geodudes.
"Need help with anything?" he asked, placing his bag down.
"Sure, help me make lunch for everyone," she said.
"Sure," Ichigo replied, taking the basket of berries from her. "Do you have any Poké Chow?" he asked.
"No, I can't afford it," she admitted. Ichigo walked over to his bag, pulled out a container of Poké Chow, and began pouring it into bowls for the Pokémon.
"Which Pokémon likes which berries?" he asked. Melanie explained which berries each Pokémon favored. Ichigo chopped the berries and added them to the corresponding Poké Chow, then placed the bowls down in front of the other Pokémon. They sniffed the food, then dove in and devoured the Poké Chow.
"Looks like they love it," Ichigo remarked.
"They do," Melanie replied. "You're a Pokémon Trainer, right?" she asked.
"I am," Ichigo confirmed.
"You can feed your Pokémon too if you like," she offered.
"Okay," Ichigo said, taking out his Poké Balls. "Please don't be alarmed. Some of my Pokémon aren't native to Kanto," he warned as he released all of his Pokémon. Melanie and the other Pokémon looked surprised at the variety of Pokémon. Ichigo ignored their startled expressions and began pouring the Poké Chow for his Pokémon.
"This is Melanie," Ichigo introduced. "She was kind enough to let us stay here while the rain pours," he explained. His Pokémon nodded in understanding and began eating their lunch.
"What are they?" Melanie asked as they sat down to eat.
Ichigo pulled out his Pokédex and showed her the regular versions of his Pokémon, explaining that some had been subjects of illegal Pokémon experimentation.
"Poor things," Melanie said with a sad glance at them.
"It's all right now," Ichigo reassured her. "I'm giving them a safe home and helping them as much as I can." Suddenly, Ralts stopped eating and looked up. Ichigo noticed her little horn vibrating.
"Daddy, I sense bad people outside," Ralts nervously said. All the Pokémon stopped eating and glared at the door.
"What's going on?" Melanie asked.
Ichigo closed his eyes and gently tapped his food on the ground. "Looks like we've got a few bad guys outside," Ichigo said, locating them. "Charmander and Vulpix, both of you stay here and help defend the cabin."
"Yes, Daddy," Vulpix replied.
"$: Yes, Daddy. :$" Charmander echoed.
Ichigo quickly found a piece of paper and wrote something down. "Pidgeotto, I want you to fly back to Cerulean City and hand this to Officer Jenny." Pidgeotto nodded and took the note. "Yami, use Shadow Sneak and hide in my shadow," Ichigo instructed. Yami nodded and slipped into Ichigo's shadow. "Milotic, Metang, Roselia, and Ralts, you're with me," Ichigo said as he recalled the others.
Ichigo walked to the door, but Bulbasaur walked toward him.
"You wish to come with me?" Ichigo asked. Bulbasaur nodded. Ichigo glanced at Melanie. She gave a small nod. Ichigo picked up Bulbasaur, holding him under his arm, and opened the door. Pidgeotto shot out of the cabin and flew away. Ichigo and Bulbasaur headed into the storm, running deeper into the forest.
"They should be near here," Ichigo thought. After a short while, he spotted them. A group of four Team Rocket members: two grunts, Admin Archer, and a young woman he didn't recognize. She had pale skin, blue eyes, and green shoulder-length hair. She wore a tactical version of a Team Rocket uniform, consisting of a slim black hoodie, black jeans, and combat boots (1).
"How much farther?" Archer grumbled.
"Shut it, Archer," the woman replied. "According to intelligence, he hasn't reached the end of Route 5 yet."
"It looks like Team Rocket is keeping an eye on me," Ichigo thought. He carefully released Milotic, Metang, Roselia, and Ralts.
"Milotic, Metang, Ralts, and I will confront them," Ichigo began. "During that time, Roselia and Bulbasaur will hide in the trees. When you see an opportunity, use Sleep Powder on them." Roselia and Bulbasaur nodded and silently moved into position. "Milotic, I want you to use Dragon Pulse. Ralts, use Dark Pulse. Metang, use Confusion."
Milotic fired an energy ball of draconic energy, Ralts released a blast of dark energy, and Metang sent a psychic wave. The ground around the Team Rocket members exploded as the attacks hit.
"What's going on?!" the woman yelled.
"We've been ambushed!" Archer shouted, tossing a Poké Ball. A Muk appeared. The two grunts threw their Poké Balls, revealing two Raticates. The woman threw hers, releasing a Shiftry.
"Milotic, use Dragon Pulse on the Raticates. Metang, use Metal Claw on Muk. Ralts, use Fairy Wind on the last Pokémon!" Ichigo commanded. Milotic fired another Dragon Pulse at the Raticates before the grunts could react. Metang's arms glowed as it swung them at Muk.
"Muk, use Sludge!" one of the grunts yelled. Muk spit acid at Metang, but Metang continued to punch through, finally knocking Muk unconscious. Meanwhile, Ralts sent a blast of Fairy Wind toward Shiftry.
"Dodge it!" the woman shouted. Shiftry narrowly avoided the Fairy Wind. "Use Payback!" Shiftry's arms glowed dark as it smacked Ralts across the face.
"Ralts!" Ichigo shouted in alarm. Ralts slowly stood, glaring at Shiftry. Suddenly, Ralts began to glow.
"She's evolving," Ichigo thought, noticing dust begin to fall toward Team Rocket. "Good, Roselia and Bulbasaur have started the Sleep Powder." Milotic and Metang regrouped with Ichigo as Ralts's body changed. The light eventually died down. Ichigo saw the new Pokémon—she was at least twice the size of Ralts, maybe up to his hips. She stood on two feet and wore what looked like a black tutu with three ruffles on each hip. Beneath the ruffles, she had skinny green legs with long, pointed feet. Her arms were thin, with two digits on each hand. She had sly blue hair that covered most of her face, reaching her shoulders on either side, resembling two ponytails. Large red eyes were visible on either side of the hair that obscured her face. Each side of her head bore a flat, red horn, resembling a hairpin.
"Daddy, I grew," she said via Telepathy.
"That's good," Ichigo replied.
"You're coming with us," she glared. Her stare softened as she let out a yawn. Her eyes widened when she realized the others were asleep. She turned to Shiftry, who was starting to get drowsy. She slapped it across the face, waking it up.
"Get me out of here," she said, yawning again. Shiftry nodded and unleashed a gust of wind. The sudden blast distracted everyone, allowing Shiftry and its trainer to escape.
"Daddy, should we try and pursue them?" Ralts asked.
"No," Ichigo said, noticing flashing red and blue lights behind him. He quickly recalled his newly evolved Pokémon as Officer Jenny stepped out of her car.
"Is this your Pidgeotto?" she asked.
"He is," Ichigo replied. "Over there are some sleeping Team Rocket members. One of them escaped, though." Officer Jenny turned to her fellow officers. Two of them ran over and quickly detained the Team Rocket members. Roselia and Bulbasaur walked back to Ichigo.
"Good job, both of you," Ichigo complimented. Roselia and Bulbasaur seemed pleased by the praise.
"I'll need you to come with me to the police station for a formal interview," Officer Jenny said.
"Before we go, I need to pick up my other Pokémon and let Bulbasaur's guardian know," Ichigo said.
"Guardian?" she questioned. "That Bulbasaur isn't yours?"
"No," Ichigo replied. "He was abandoned by his trainer. His guardian, who isn't a formal Pokémon Trainer, took him and other abandoned Pokémon into her care."
"I see…" Officer Jenny said, nodding. She escorted Ichigo back to the cabin.
As they entered, Melanie looked up from the table.
"Ichigo, are you okay?" she asked, concern in her voice.
"I'm fine," Ichigo assured her. "Bulbasaur was a great help."
"Good," Melanie said. Ichigo recalled Vulpix and Charmander.
"I need to go with Officer Jenny for a few questions," Ichigo explained.
"I see…" Melanie replied. "It was nice to meet you."
"Ichigo told me you adopt abandoned Pokémon. Is that true?" Officer Jenny asked.
"It's true," Melanie confirmed.
"One of Nurse Joy's lesser-known responsibilities is taking care of abandoned Pokémon. Would you like to join her?" Officer Jenny offered. "It would count as a job, and you'd receive legal status as a Pokémon Caretaker."
"Sure!" Melanie said enthusiastically. "What about the other Pokémon?" she asked.
Officer Jenny pulled out a bag filled with white Poké Balls.
"These are known as Temp-Poké Balls. They're used to temporarily capture wild Pokémon. They automatically release them in 48 hours if they aren't manually released beforehand."
"Sure," Melanie said, taking the Temp-Poké Balls and capturing her adopted Pokémon. Bulbasaur was the last one.
"Bulbasaur, do you want to come with me or Ichigo?" Melanie asked.
Ichigo was surprised by the question. Bulbasaur stood still, thinking it over, then looked at Ichigo.
"Are you sure?" Ichigo asked.
"Bulba," Bulbasaur replied, nodding his head.
Ichigo took out a Poké Ball. A vine reached out and tapped the ball. It opened, and Bulbasaur was absorbed into it. The ball clicked shut, signaling a successful capture.
"Great. Let's head back to Cerulean," Officer Jenny said. Ichigo and Melanie climbed into her police car. They drove back to Cerulean City and stopped at the Pokémon Center. Melanie and Officer Jenny entered the Center while Ichigo took out Ralts's Poké Ball and scanned it.
"This Kirlia is a female Psychic/Dark-type, 2 feet 6 inches tall, and has the Regenerator and Dark Aura abilities. The known moves are Teleport, Calm Mind, Double Team, Confuse Ray, Psybeam, Dazzling Gleam, and Dark Pulse. Note that this Pokémon's physical appearance, typing, and abilities are unusual. Please rescan the Poké Ball to fix any anomalies," the Pokédex read.
"Her moves are much stronger than before," Ichigo thought, putting Kirlia's Poké Ball away. He then took out Bulbasaur's.
"This Bulbasaur is a male Grass/Poison-type, 2 feet 6 inches tall, and has the Chlorophyll ability. The known moves are Poison Powder, Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, Leech Seed, Synthesis, Sludge, Vine Whip, and Razor Leaf," the Pokédex read.
"Hm… looks like Bulbasaur is close to evolving," Ichigo mused.
Officer Jenny returned to the patrol car and drove Ichigo to the police station. They exited the car and entered the station. Ichigo sat down at Officer Jenny's desk.
"This is not an interrogation. It's an informal interview. Your name won't be included in any reports," Officer Jenny explained.
"Will this apply to my Pokémon as well?" Ichigo asked.
"It will," Officer Jenny said, taking out a pad. "How did you know where the Team Rocket members were?"
"One of my Pokémon is Ralts. She was able to sense the bad intentions of the Team Rocket members and alerted us to their presence. She showed me where they were hiding. I had Roselia and Bulbasaur use Sleep Powder while I distracted them," Ichigo explained.
"That matches with what we saw," Officer Jenny confirmed. "This concludes the informal interview."
"Well, I'm heading back to the Pokémon Center for the night," Ichigo said.
"Tomorrow, if it stops raining, let me give you a lift to Route 6," Officer Jenny offered.
"I'd appreciate that," Ichigo replied. He walked over to the Pokémon Center.
"Hello, Ichigo," Nurse Joy said. "A room for you has already been prepared."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy. Please heal my Pokémon," Ichigo said, presenting his Poké Balls to her.
"No problem," Nurse Joy replied. She quickly healed Ichigo's Pokémon and returned them to him.
"Thank you," Ichigo said, heading to his room. He took a quick shower and then went to bed.
Scene Change: Team Rocket Hideout: Unknown Location
The girl and her Shiftry arrived at the group's hideout. She walked up to a terminal and called her boss. The screen flickered on, revealing a man with pale skin, red eyes, and black hair with white bangs that covered one of his eyes. He was dressed in a black t-shirt, black pants, and black combat boots.
"Mission report, Rin," her boss grumbled.
"The mission was somewhat of a failure," Rin reported.
"Explain."
"Our group was ambushed by the target."
"How?"
"I suspect it was Ralts. They can sense the intentions of others, and it likely sensed our ill intentions toward them."
"I see... What else did you learn?"
"I can confirm that our target has the rest of the stolen eggs. During our confrontation, he had an oddly colored Milotic and Metang, in addition to the Ralts. We also have witness reports of seeing the target with an oddly colored Roselia and Vulpix," Rin said.
"Very well. I will report this up," her boss said.
"See you soon, Alexi."
"See you soon, sister," Alexi replied, cutting the feed. Rin sighed, took a quick shower, and went to bed.
Scene Change: The Next Morning
Ichigo woke up, checked out of his room, and left the Pokémon Center. As he stepped outside, he saw Officer Jenny just pulling up in front of the building.
"Good morning," Ichigo greeted.
"Why, good morning to you too," Officer Jenny replied as Ichigo climbed into her car.
"You're here early," Ichigo commented.
"I remember when I used to be a trainer. A lot of us were up as soon as the sun rose," Officer Jenny chuckled. They drove through the Underground Tunnel beneath Saffron City, then emerged to arrive at Route 6.
"Thank you," Ichigo said as he stepped out of the car.
"No, thank you," Officer Jenny replied. "One of those members was an Admin. We got quite a bit of info from them." With that, Officer Jenny drove off. Ichigo sent out Charmander and began walking through Route 6. As they walked, they encountered a few Pidgeys, Meowths, Oddishes, Bellsprouts, and Mankeys. Charmander easily dealt with them, using Flamethrower, Dragonbreath, or Slash.
"$: Daddy, stop. :$" Charmander suddenly said. Ichigo halted. Charmander walked off to the side and found a rock, throwing it in front of her. The rock landed and caused the ground to collapse, revealing a pit. The ground beside the pit shuddered as a Pokémon emerged.
"It's a Squirtle," Ichigo thought, recognizing the Pokémon.
"$: Why did you do this? :$" Charmander growled.
"Squirt," Squirtle replied.
Ichigo couldn't understand what Squirtle was saying, but Charmander could.
"$: That could have harmed me and my Daddy. :$"
"Squirt," Squirtle answered.
"$: I've had enough of your attitude. :$" Charmander growled. She turned to Ichigo. "$: We are going to beat up that prankster. :$"
"Very well," Ichigo replied, accepting Charmander's decision.
Squirtle started with a Water Gun. Charmander leaped to the side, dodging the stream of water, and countered with Flamethrower. Squirtle tucked its head and limbs inside its shell, glowing silver as it spun. The flames didn't seem to affect it.
"Maybe Rapid Spin and Defense Curl?" Ichigo thought. Charmander stopped her attack to catch her breath. Unbeknownst to her, Squirtle had stopped spinning, and its limbs popped back out. Squirtle stood up and fired another Water Gun. The stream hit Charmander, knocking her to the ground.
"$: The pain! :$" Charmander cried out in pain from the super-effective move. She fell to the ground. Squirtle stopped its attack.
"$: Charmander, are you okay? :$" Ichigo asked. Charmander struggled to stand up.
"Squirt Squirtle," Squirtle said. Whatever Squirtle said seemed to motivate Charmander, as she stood up, glaring at the Squirtle with pure rage.
"$: Shut UP! :$" Charmander shouted as she was suddenly surrounded by white light.
"Looks like Squirtle really pissed her off to the point of forcing herself to evolve," Ichigo thought, watching the light fade. Charmander grew a foot taller, her arms and legs became much stronger, and a horn-like protrusion formed on her head. Charmander had evolved into Charmeleon. She was still glaring at Squirtle.
Squirtle immediately shot another Water Gun, but Charmeleon replied with her own Flamethrower. Ichigo noticed that her Flamethrower was much more powerful than before. Squirtle dodged by leaping to the side.
"$: Charmeleon, use the smoke to set up a surprise attack. :$" Ichigo ordered.
"$: Yes, Daddy. :$" Charmeleon responded. She began to spew black smoke from her mouth, surrounding them both. Squirtle's eyes began to water from the smoke. Suddenly, a blast of fire hit Squirtle on the side.
"Squirtle!" Squirtle cried out in pain. Charmeleon rushed toward Squirtle and bit down on its arm.
"Squirtle!" the Pokémon cried out in agony. Ichigo saw that Charmeleon's mouth was on fire.
"Is that a new move?" Ichigo thought. Squirtle struggled to break free, but Charmeleon's claws were surrounded by fire as she slashed Squirtle's chest.
"$: That's enough, Charmeleon. :$" Ichigo called out. Charmeleon let go of Squirtle's arm and glared at it one last time before walking back to Ichigo.
"$: Did I do good, Daddy? :$" Charmeleon asked, her voice filled with pride.
"$: Yes, my dear, you did. :$" Ichigo replied, walking over to Squirtle.
"Squirtle, I give you two options," Ichigo said as he took out a Poké Ball. "You can either join me and grow stronger, or we can leave you here and remain weak." He placed the Poké Ball on the ground and stepped back. Squirtle stared at the Poké Ball, then walked over and tapped the button. The Poké Ball opened and captured Squirtle. It shook three times before stopping with a small flash. Ichigo picked it up.
"$: All right, Charmeleon. Do you get a break? :$" Ichigo asked.
"$: Ok, Daddy? :$" Charmeleon replied in a tired voice. Ichigo recalled Charmeleon and scanned the Poké Ball with his Pokédex.
"This Charmeleon is a female Fire-type, 3.4 feet tall, and has the Blaze ability. The current known moves are Flamethrower, Slash, Smokescreen, Dragonbreath, Fire Fang, and Fire Claw (2). Note: This Pokémon has an unusual coloration."
"So, Fire Fang and Fire Claw were the new moves Charmeleon used on Squirtle," Ichigo thought as he put Charmeleon's Poké Ball away and took out Squirtle's Poké Ball.
"This Squirtle is a female Water-type, 2 feet tall, and has the Rain Dish ability. The current known moves are Water Gun, Rapid Spin, Iron Defense, and Dig."
"Iron Defense was the move Squirtle used to turn silver," Ichigo thought.
He sent out Pidgeotto for the rest of Route 6. Soon, they arrived in Vermilion City. Ichigo entered the Pokémon Center, which was crowded with trainers. Everyone had to take a number and wait in line. Ichigo walked up and took a number: 20. He noticed the current number was 15 and decided to chat with some trainers to learn what was going on.
"You haven't heard?" one trainer asked.
"There's a special tournament on the S.S. Anne in three days," the trainer explained.
"All normal tickets are sold out. But Lt. Surge has 10 tickets left, and he's giving them away only if you beat his Gym."
"I see... What's his team like?" Ichigo asked.
"It's a one-on-one match. He's using his powerful Raichu," the trainer replied. As they talked, Ichigo learned how Lt. Surge had decimated numerous trainers with his Raichu.
"Number 20. Trainer Number 20."
"Looks like it's my turn," Ichigo said as he stood up. He walked over to the counter.
"Welcome to the Pokémon Center. How can I help you?" Nurse Joy asked. Ichigo could tell she was tired from the number of trainers.
"I was wondering if you could give these two a quick check-up and reserve a room for the night," Ichigo asked.
"Sure," Nurse Joy replied. Ichigo handed her Squirtle's and Charmeleon's Poké Balls along with his Pokédex. She quickly returned the Pokédex to him.
"You're in room 7. I'll call your number when I'm done with them," Nurse Joy said.
"Very well," Ichigo said, taking back his Pokédex. He walked down the hallway to his room, entered, and took a quick shower. Afterward, Ichigo sat down on the bed.
"Hm… Lt. Surge will be using his Raichu. He used Thunderbolt on most of the trainers' Pokémon. A few trainers tried using Geodude or Diglett, but Raichu used Brick Break to take them out. Yami and Metang should be able to resist Brick Break. Yami can also resist Thunderbolt, and Metang could ground the Thunderbolt."
"Trainer number 20, please come to the front to pick up your Pokémon."
Ichigo stood up and left his room. He walked to the front desk and took Squirtle's and Charmeleon's Poké Balls. Ichigo walked out of the Pokémon Center and entered Route 11. He released Yami and Metang. Both Pokémon looked at Ichigo.
"We'll train for two days before we challenge the Gym," Ichigo said.
"Yes, Master," Metang replied. Yami nodded. For the next two days, Ichigo had Yami and Metang battle local Pokémon on Route 11, including Sparrows, Ekans, Sandshrew, Drowzee, Digletts, and Dugtrios. Yami learned Dragon Pulse and Shadow Ball, while Metang learned Bulldoze.
After their training, Ichigo returned to the Pokémon Center to prepare Yami and Metang for their Gym battle with Lt. Surge. Ichigo then walked to the Vermilion Gym. As he entered, a trainer rushed out.
"You here to challenge Surge?" someone asked.
"I am," Ichigo replied.
"Good, I'm ready," the trainer said, then looked around to see Lt. Surge standing nearby. He nodded at Ichigo. "I like your eyes, kid. Follow me." He walked toward the battlefield, and Ichigo followed. A referee was waiting on the other side.
"One v one," Lt. Surge said, tossing a Poké Ball that revealed his Raichu.
"Go, Yami," Ichigo said, releasing Yami.
"Raichu, end this with Thunderbolt," Lt. Surge grumbled.
"Rai!" Raichu yelled as it shot a powerful Thunderbolt toward Yami.
"Shadow Sneak," Ichigo called. Yami dove into its own shadow, narrowly avoiding the attack.
"Keep your eyes open, Raichu!" Lt. Surge yelled.
"Rai!" Raichu responded, scanning the battlefield. Yami leaped out from behind Raichu, striking it in the back of the head. Raichu stumbled from the surprise attack.
"Raichu, stand up!" Lt. Surge ordered.
"Use Shadow Ball! Don't let it recover!" Ichigo shouted. Yami fired a ghostly energy ball at Raichu.
"RRAAII!" Raichu screamed as the attack hit.
"Get UP!" Lt. Surge barked. Raichu struggled to get back on its feet as Yami kept hitting it with Shadow Ball.
"Dammit... If this keeps up, Raichu's going to be a goner," Lt. Surge thought.
"Raichu, ignore the pain and land an attack! Anything will do!" Lt. Surge yelled. Raichu's cheeks sparked, and it released a wave of electrical energy that halted Yami's Shadow Ball. This brief window allowed Raichu to stand up.
"Good, now THUNDERBOLT!" Lt. Surge commanded.
"RAICHU!" Raichu cried as it launched another powerful Thunderbolt toward Yami.
"Shadow Sneak," Ichigo countered. Yami dove into the shadow once more, narrowly dodging the Thunderbolt.
"Stop with the cheap tricks!" Lt. Surge yelled. Ichigo shrugged his shoulders, infuriating Lt. Surge even more. "Raichu, use Charge. Charge until that Ghost shows up, then use Thunderbolt!"
"Rai," Raichu responded, beginning to gather electricity.
"$: Yami, you know what to do. :$" Ichigo said. Yami sneaked its tail beneath Raichu's feet, sweeping Raichu off balance. Before Raichu could react, Yami fired another Shadow Ball at it.
"RAICHU!" Lt. Surge yelled. Yami continued firing Shadow Ball at Raichu. Yami stopped when it noticed that Raichu wasn't responding. Ichigo and Yami looked toward the referee.
"Raichu is unable to battle. The winner is the Challenger," the referee announced. Lt. Surge pulled out a Poké Ball and recalled his Raichu. He turned and walked away, grumbling about ghost types and their trickery.
"Sorry about Lt. Surge," the referee said as he handed Ichigo his badge and a ticket to the S.S. Anne. Ichigo shrugged and left the gym. He returned to the Pokémon Center and walked up to Nurse Joy.
"Hello again. How was your gym battle?" she asked.
"I won," Ichigo replied, handing her Yami's Poké Ball. "Can you heal my Pokémon?"
"Sure. Just give me a few minutes," she said. A few defeated trainers approached Ichigo, asking for tips. Ichigo shared the same advice other trainers had told him, careful not to mention which Pokémon he used against Lt. Surge's Raichu. Soon, Nurse Joy returned with Ichigo's Poké Ball.
"Here you go," Nurse Joy said, handing the Poké Ball back to Ichigo.
"Thank you, Nurse Joy," Ichigo said as he walked out of the Pokémon Center and headed back to Route 6.
"According to the anime, Team Rocket tries to steal the Pokémon on the S.S. Anne. Based on how vicious they are in the anime, I should prepare for the worst," Ichigo thought as he released all of his Pokémon at the entrance to Route 6.
"First off, this is Squirtle and Bulbasaur, our newest team members," Ichigo introduced. "Metang, can you explain to Pidgeotto and Milotic how to use the technique?"
"Master, I do not believe Pidgeotto and Milotic will be able to use Metal Claw," Metang replied.
"I know," Ichigo said. "But I'm sure Pidgeotto and Milotic can learn Steel Wing and Iron Tail, respectively." Metang nodded.
"I understand. I'll work with them one at a time," Metang said.
"Okay, then. Start with Pidgeotto."
"Roselia, please teach Bulbasaur Mega Drain and Magical Leaf," Ichigo instructed. Roselia nodded. "Bulbasaur, please teach Roselia Sludge and Synthesis."
Bulbasaur nodded.
"Kirlia, can you please teach Vulpix Double Team and Psybeam?"
"I will do my best, Daddy," Kirlia replied.
"Vulpix, can you teach Will-O-Wisp to Kirlia?"
"I'll try, Daddy," Vulpix replied.
"Yami, I want you to show Milotic how to use Dragon Pulse," Ichigo said.
Yami nodded.
"$: I will try my best. :$" Milotic said.
"$: Good girl. :$" Ichigo replied. Milotic suddenly wrapped Ichigo in a hug.
"$: Oh Arceus. I didn't know you understood me! :$" Milotic exclaimed in joy. Ichigo chuckled.
"$: Milotic, please control yourself. :$" Ichigo said. Milotic slowly unwrapped itself from Ichigo, and he chuckled at her excitement. He then looked at Charmeleon and Squirtle.
"As for you two, both of you will be practicing your speed, reaction time, and building resistance," Ichigo instructed. Squirtle looked confused.
"$: What do you mean, Daddy? :$" Charmeleon asked.
"Charmeleon, you'll start by using Flamethrower at Squirtle. Squirtle's job is to dodge the attack, however possible. After a few minutes, you'll switch roles," Ichigo explained. Charmeleon and Squirtle nodded.
"Begin!" Ichigo shouted, and his Pokémon began training together. Two hours into the training, everyone showed progress. Pidgeotto quickly learned Steel Wing with Metang's help. Ichigo told them to join Yami and Milotic to learn Iron Tail. Roselia and Bulbasaur, as well as Vulpix and Kirlia, were happily working together. Charmeleon and Squirtle took a break. As the sun began to set, Ichigo called an end to the training. He recalled his Pokémon and headed back to the Pokémon Center.
"Today went well," Ichigo thought. "Pidgeotto learned Steel Wing. Yami managed to learn Iron Tail. Milotic learned both Dragon Pulse and Iron Tail. Kirlia learned Will-O-Wisp. Vulpix learned Double Team and Psybeam. Bulbasaur learned Mega Drain and Magical Leaf. Roselia learned Sludge and Synthesis. Charmeleon and Squirtle didn't learn new moves, but their reaction time improved, and Charmeleon built more resistance to water."
When Ichigo arrived at the Pokémon Center, it was mostly empty. He walked up to the front desk.
"I guess Lt. Surge is out of S.S. Anne tickets?" Ichigo asked, placing all 10 of his Poké Balls on the counter.
"Indeed. I believe you were the last one," Nurse Joy replied as she placed the Poké Balls in a tray. Chansey took the tray and placed the Poké Balls in the healing machine.
"So, did you notice any other notable trainers on the S.S. Anne?" Ichigo asked.
"Ichigo, I believe that falls under confidential information," Nurse Joy replied.
"Legilimens," Ichigo mentally cast at Nurse Joy, probing her mind. He saw Lt. Surge enter the Pokémon Center, apologizing for the influx of trainers. He explained that the owner of the S.S. Anne wanted to host a tournament on its maiden voyage. The owner had given Lt. Surge 16 tickets, which would be given to trainers who defeated him. Ichigo continued searching her mind, finding that 14 of the winners had used fully evolved Pokémon, and one had used trickery to overcome Raichu. Ichigo withdrew from Nurse Joy's mind.
"Chansey," Chansey said as it returned with Ichigo's Poké Balls.
"Thank you, Chansey," Nurse Joy said, taking the tray from Chansey. She handed the Poké Balls back to Ichigo, completely unaware of the mental intrusion.
"Thank you," Ichigo replied as he returned to his room. He released all his Pokémon. Milotic carefully coiled its tail to avoid knocking anything over. Pidgeotto perched on the bedframe. Vulpix sat on top of Metang, who was floating in the air. Charmeleon, Squirtle, Bulbasaur, Kirlia, and Roselia stood in front of them, while Yami, now much longer, lay on the ground in front. Ichigo sat down in a chair.
"Everyone, we will be doing something dangerous tomorrow," Ichigo began.
"Dangerous?" Kirlia asked.
"Yes. Do you remember the bad men from the cave and the forest?" Ichigo asked. Many of his Pokémon nodded. "They plan to attack a ship we'll be on tomorrow."
"If we know the danger, why are we still going?" Metang asked.
"For two reasons," Ichigo started. "The first reason is that it's an opportunity for me to see how strong you've become."
"$: And the second reason? :$" Yami asked. Everyone was surprised to hear Yami speak. Its voice sounded much more mature than the others.
"The other reason is that these bad people who will attack the ship, are also the same bad people who did those bad things to your brothers and sisters. They will steal the Pokémon and will no doubt do horrible things to them." Ichigo could see Kirlia, Roselia, Metang, Milotic, and Vulpix becoming agitated. Despite being in their Poké Eggs at the time, their subconscious memories resurfaced.
"Kirlia, can you sense the intentions of people in the Poké Ball?" Ichigo asked.
"Sorry, Daddy, I need to be outside," Kirlia replied.
"What if you're in the shadows with Yami?" Ichigo suggested.
"I'm not sure." Kirlia walked over to Yami. "May I?" Yami nodded. Kirlia climbed on Yami's back, and Yami dove into the shadows. A few minutes later, Yami and Kirlia rose from the shadow. "I could do it," Kirlia replied.
"Good," Ichigo said. "Yami will hide in my shadow with Kirlia on its back. Kirlia will hold onto Metang's and Roselia's Poké Balls. They'll keep an eye on me in case anyone attacks from behind and will use those Poké Balls in an emergency." Yami, Metang, Kirlia, and Roselia nodded in agreement. "I'll have Pidgeotto, Charmeleon, Bulbasaur, Squirtle, Vulpix, and Milotic on hand for the tournament," Ichigo added. Everyone nodded again. Ichigo fed them their Poké Chow and ate his own dinner. Afterward, Ichigo went to bed.
Scene Change: Team Rocket Hideout: Outskirts of Vermillion City
Rin watched as everyone in her group gathered in the meeting room. The screen lit up as Admin Alexi, their boss, and Rin's older brother, appeared on the screen.
"All of you will be participating in the operation on the S.S. Anne tomorrow night," Alexi began. "The Boss has spent many months planning this operation. Everyone has been assigned to a squad. As a reminder, under no circumstances should any member reveal their squad assignment to anyone else." Alexi continued, "Alpha Squad and Beta Squad will be on board the S.S. Anne and disguised as crew members. They'll remain in disguise until Gamma Squad and Delta Squad need assistance. Gamma and Delta Squads will come from helicopters to invade the ship."
"Looks like I'm leading Alpha Squad," Rin thought.
"Make sure your Pokémon are ready, and then get a good night's sleep. Alpha and Beta Squads, you'll have an early morning tomorrow," Alexi said as the feed was cut off. Rin sighed as she stood up and went to her room. She sat down on the bed.
"Should I bring more Pokémon with me on this mission?" she thought, looking at the lone Poké Ball on her belt. She currently only had her Shiftry. "Maybe just one more," she decided, walking over to a small safe built into the room. She opened it, revealing four more Poké Balls. She picked one and attached it to her belt before closing the safe. Rin sighed again as she prepared for bed.
Scene Change: Vermillion City, Pokémon Center
Ichigo woke up to find his Pokémon around him. He went to the restroom to take care of his morning routine. When he returned, all of his Pokémon were awake.
"All right, let me get you your breakfast," Ichigo said, pouring Poké Chow for everyone. After serving everyone, Ichigo walked out to grab a plate of breakfast, then returned to his room to eat with his Pokémon.
"Once we board the ship, those who can use Telepathy will communicate with me," Ichigo said.
"Yes, Daddy," Kirlia and Vulpix replied.
"Yes, Master," Metang responded. After everyone finished eating, Ichigo recalled Roselia and Metang back to their Poké Balls and placed them in a small bag, which he tied to Kirlia's hand. Kirlia sat on Yami's back, and Yami dove into Ichigo's shadow. Ichigo recalled everyone else to their Poké Balls and checked out of the Pokémon Center before heading to Vermillion Port. A large ship was docked, and Ichigo saw "S.S. Anne" painted on the side. He noticed someone sitting beside the bridge to the ship and walked up to the person.
"Good morning," Ichigo greeted.
"Good morning. Are you here to board the ship?" the man asked.
"I am."
"Do you have your ticket?" he asked. Ichigo handed the man the ticket.
"Daddy, he's a member of Team Rocket," Kirlia warned.
The man scanned the ticket in the machine, and it lit green. He handed Ichigo a small bag and a keycard. "This is the keycard to your room, and this is a complimentary gift bag with an itinerary for your journey," the man said.
"Thank you," Ichigo replied as he boarded the ship.
"Thank you, Kirlia. Keep an eye out," Ichigo mentally communicated as he walked down the hallway. Ichigo saw several crew members walking around, cleaning the ship, organizing items, and performing other tasks.
"Daddy, all of them are members of Team Rocket," Kirlia reported.
"Thank you, Kirlia. Keep an eye out." Ichigo reached his room and used the keycard to open the door. Inside, the room was well-equipped with a large bed, two bedside tables, a work desk, and an office chair. Ichigo closed the door behind him and noticed a small closet and another door. He opened the door to find a standard bathroom. Sitting down in the chair, Ichigo opened the gift bag. It contained an itinerary for the journey, a small lanyard with the words 'S.S. Anne Maiden Voyage,' and a small map of the ship. Ichigo placed the itinerary and lanyard in his bag and pocketed the map. He left the room and explored the ship, encountering more crewmates, who Kirlia confirmed were members of Team Rocket. Eventually, Ichigo arrived at a hall filled with booths selling all kinds of Pokémon-related items. One booth caught his eye, it was filled with Poké Eggs.
"Oh? What is this?" Ichigo thought, intrigued.
"Oh, I didn't expect anyone to be here this early," a woman said as she carried a crate. She had blue hair tied in a bun and was dressed in a white t-shirt, faded blue jeans, and red sneakers. A red headscarf was wrapped around her hair, and a matching red apron was tied around her waist. She placed the crate down and turned to Ichigo. "My name is Gabrielle, a Pokémon Breeder."
"My name is Ichigo," Ichigo replied. "What are you doing here?"
"We're giving away free Poké Eggs to every guest," Gabrielle said.
"How come?" Ichigo asked.
"The owner of the S.S. Anne purchased 100 Pokémon Eggs and told us to give them away," Gabrielle explained.
"So, are they all just common Rattatas and Pidgeys?" Ichigo asked.
Gabrielle chuckled and pointed to a sign: '50% chance of Common Kanto/Johto Pokémon Eggs. 45% chance of Rare Kanto/Johto Pokémon Eggs. 5% chance of Foreign Pokémon Egg.'
"As our first customer of the day," Gabrielle said, "you can pick two eggs."
"Thank you," Ichigo said. He closed his eyes, allowing his reiatsu to flow around the Pokémon Eggs. When he opened his eyes, he pointed at two eggs. Gabrielle walked over, picked them up, and placed them in an incubator before handing them to Ichigo.
"Can I see your room key?" she asked. Ichigo handed her the key. She pulled out a sheet of paper, checked off Ichigo's room, and then returned the key.
"Thank you," Ichigo said.
"Have a good day," Gabrielle replied. Ichigo continued exploring the hall. As he walked, he heard a loud horn and a low rumble. He glanced out and saw the ship beginning to move away from the port.
"I guess it begins," Ichigo thought. He continued exploring the hall for another hour before leaving.
"Is anyone here part of Team Rocket?" Ichigo asked.
"Surprisingly, no," Kirlia replied. Ichigo kept wandering the ship, spotting many trainers who had defeated Lt. Surge. He eventually arrived at the Galley. A server noticed him and approached.
"Good afternoon, sir. What can I do for you?"
"I was wondering if I could get something to eat," Ichigo asked.
"I'm sorry, sir," the server began. "But we can't offer a full meal since it's close to the formal dinner."
"I see…" Ichigo said.
"But I can offer you a sandwich."
"Sure." The server hurried into the kitchen and returned with a small to-go bag.
"Thank you," Ichigo said as he walked back to his room. He placed the food on his desk and released all six of his Pokémon. Ichigo poured them their Poké Chow.
"I'm going to accidentally drop a can of Poké Chow under the table," Ichigo said, just as the can rolled off the table.
The can hit the floor and roll underneath. Ichigo ignored it. Then, he glanced over and saw the can had disappeared.
"Thank you, Daddy," Kirlia replied. They ate in silence. Ichigo looked at his itinerary and saw that they were supposed to arrive at Lavender Town tomorrow night. He looked out of the porthole and saw they had crossed under a bridge. Ichigo glanced back at the itinerary.
"According to this, we have a semi-formal dinner tonight, followed by the tournament. Smart of Team Rocket to plan it that way," Ichigo thought.
"What do you mean?" Kirlia asked.
"At the end of dinner, most guests will start to get tired and will want to return to their rooms. Those who remain will pay less attention to their surroundings, especially once the tournament starts. The trainers and their Pokémon will be tired, making them easy targets for Team Rocket."
"Since you'll be participating in the tournament, Team Rocket will only see the six Pokémon you have, not expecting that you have four more ready to go," Kirlia replied.
"Exactly," Ichigo replied. Everyone finished their dinner. Ichigo looked over to see the can of Poké Chow rise from the shadow and return to its spot under the table. Ichigo pulled out his Pokédex and set the alarm clock.
"I'm going to take a quick nap," Ichigo said. His Pokémon nodded as he lay down on the bed and fell asleep. When the alarm went off, Ichigo woke up. He turned off the alarm and saw that all his Pokémon were asleep except for Milotic.
"Milotic volunteered to stay awake while everyone else took a nap," Kirlia drowsily explained.
Ichigo walked into the bathroom to take care of his business.
"Did you and Yami also rest?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes, we did. We felt it was safe since Milotic was keeping watch," Kirlia answered.
"We'll likely need to do something like that if we stay on the ship," Ichigo said as he exited the bathroom. He threw the empty containers in the trash and recalled all his Pokémon. Ichigo walked to the closet and pretended to leave his bag there. Instead, he sent his backpack to his mindscape. With his backpack and Pokémon Eggs secured, he walked out of his room.
He headed to the main ballroom of the ship and saw a check-in table. Ichigo presented his keycard to the staff, who escorted him to a VIP table with four seats. Ichigo noticed he was the last one to sit down.
"My name's Harrison," one of the trainers said.
"Names Corey," another trainer said.
"And I'm Neesha," a third trainer added.
"Ichigo. Nice to meet all of you," Ichigo replied.
"So, how did you beat Lt. Surge?" Harrison asked.
"I used my Rapidash to dodge Raichu's Thunderbolts and then hit him with Flare Blitz," Neesha said.
"Smart. Rapidash can easily outpace Raichu," Harrison commented.
"I beat him with Sandslash," Corey said. "It tanked Raichu's Brick Breaks and used a well-timed Earthquake."
Harrison and Neesha nodded.
"Well, I used my Steelix to take care of Raichu," Harrison said.
"Slightly risky since Brick Break is super effective against it," Corey commented.
"Necessary risk, but worth it," Harrison replied.
Everyone turned to Ichigo.
"What about you, Ichigo?"
"I used my Gengar to hide in the shadows and sneak attack Raichu," Ichigo lied. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Ghost types are some of the most annoying to deal with," Neesha commented.
"Morty was a pain to deal with," Harrison groaned.
The servers began bringing around dinner. Everyone ate and shared stories. They were all surprised when they found out that Ichigo had just started his journey. Eventually, dinner came to an end. One of the servers stepped up onto the stage.
"Good evening, everyone," a female server said. "I hope you enjoyed the wonderful dinner. With dinner concluded, it's time for the main highlight of tonight's itinerary," she continued. "For those who weren't aware, we will have a small single-elimination tournament outside. Participants and spectators, please follow me."
Everyone stood up and followed her into another ballroom, where a Pokémon battlefield had been set up. They took their seats on the bleachers.
"I'm Domino, and I'll be your announcer for tonight's tournament," the woman introduced herself. Four servers walked up on stage, each carrying a long table covered with a white cloth. "All sixteen Pokémon Trainers will get to pick a rare Pokémon from this table!" Domino said.
The servers removed the cloth, revealing several Poké Balls. She picked one up, tossed it onto the stage, and released the Pokémon. It revealed a small red and orange chicken, who looked around with a confused expression.
"This is Torchic, a Pokémon from the Hoenn region," Domino said.
"Yep," Harrison said, catching everyone's attention. "I had a Torchic as my starter Pokémon. It evolves into a powerful Fire/Fighting-type."
"As I said before, this will be a single-elimination tournament, and we'll be going in number order!" Domino exclaimed as a tournament bracket with 16 numbers appeared. "These numbers correspond to your room number, which you can find on your keycard if you don't remember."
Everyone pulled out their keycards.
"Number 1 and 2!" Domino called. Two trainers from different tables stood up and walked onto the stage. Four Hypnos appeared in front of the bleachers, setting up a dome barrier around the battlefield.
"Go, Hariyama!" one trainer called out.
"Go, Honchkrow!" the other trainer shouted.
Ichigo quickly pulled out his Pokédex, letting it scan the Pokémon that had just appeared.
"Hariyama vs Honchkrow," Domino announced. "Let the battle begin!"
"And let the tournament begin," Ichigo thought.
Unbeknownst to everyone else, four black helicopters were slowly approaching the S.S. Anne.
Author Notes:
Both Rin and Alexi are OCs from the user 'Lucifer's Assassin'. He is one of the first people who figured out the next major arc of the series.
Fire Claw is the same as Fire Punch.
Current Team
Species = Gender = Type = Ability = Moves
Pidgeotto = Male = Flying = Keen Eye = Peck, Quick Attack, Feather Dance, Agility, and Wing Attack, Steel Wing
Vulpix= Female = Fire = Flash Fire= Baby-Doll Eyes, Incinerate, Confuse Ray, Will-O-Wisp, Double Team, Psybeam
Metang = Genderless = Clear Body & Heat Proof = Take Down, Confusion, Metal Claw, Bulldoze, Magnet Rise
Roselia = Female = Poison Point = Mega Drain, Leech Seed, Magical Leaf, Poison Powder, Sleep Powder, and Stun Spore.
Milotic= Female = Water/Dragon = Sap Sipper = Disarming Voice, Dragonbreath, Water Pulse, Life Dew, Aqua
Kirlia = Female = Psychic/Dark = Regenerator & Dark Aura = Teleport, Calm Mind, Double Team, Confuse Ray, Psybeam, Dazzling Gleam, Dark Pulse, Will-O-Wisp.
Yami = Genderless = Levitate =Dragonbreath, Shadow Sneak, Shadow Ball, Dragon Pulse
Charmeleon = Female = Fire = Blaze = Flamethrower, Slash, Smokescreen, Dragonbreath, Fire Fang, Fire Claw (Fire Punch)
Bulbasaur = Male = Grass Poison type = Chlorophyll = Poison Powder, Sleep Powder, Stun Spore, Leach Seed, Synthesis, Sludge, Vine Whip, and Razor Leaf.
Squirtle = Female = Water = Rain Dish = Water Gun, Rapid Spin, Iron Defense, Dig
Mystery Egg #1, Mystery Egg #2, and Eevee = TBD