Ash's Team
Styx - Hydreigon
Hemlock - Morgrem
Bane - Zoroark
Mirae - Mytheon
Sagitta - Togekiss
Libra - Hakamo-o
Nettle - Poipole
Castor - Krokorok
Polaris - Frogadier
Artemis - Houndoom
Orion - Alolan Ninetales
Ladon - Appletun
Graphic Depictions of Violence later in the chapter
Day 6
Ash blinked and looked between Mirae and the item in his palm.
"Uh… thank you?" The Dragon and Fairy seemed happy with that and bared his fangs in a smile before trotting away with his tail and wings held high. Ash huffed a laugh and looked down at the shiny red star piece in his hand.
Shrugging, he tossed it in his backpack's side pocket to join the two pearls, three bottle caps, one earring, and various colored shards.
Stony Wilderness had an unending supply of shiny things, much to the Mytheon's delight.
Night 7
The red clouds swirled above the snarling head of the towering Mightyena. The Dark wolf took a threatening step forward, fangs bared and dripping with saliva and blood. A bone-chilling howl was all the warning he got before the beast was charging.
The back of its throat was alight with smoldering, poisonous flames as horns sprouted and curled from its skull.
He stumbled away, arms rising to cross in front of his face as the flames were drawn up to the glinting gold bonded to his arm-
Ash gasped, eyes flaring open and sweat trickling from his temples. His forearms prickled with phantom pain, like the flames had scarred his very soul.
His heart beat a harsh rhythm in his chest, roaring in his ears. Unconsciously, his fingernails tore at his skin, failing to detach the gem-like Cuff from his arm. A soft whine broke through the sound of rushing blood.
Red eyes flicked to the side and he couldn't withhold the instinctive flinch at the sight of the large Houndoom. It took longer than it should have for reality to break through the haze of fear and panic.
Artemis waited patiently from her spot beside him. No one else was woken from his dream, a majority still tired from their battle against the Dynamax Mightyena.
Exhaling slowly, Ash reached his left hand over to run hesitant fingers along a copper muzzle, tracing around coal eyes and ivory horns. Artemis kept still, letting her trainer get reacquainted.
He noted the differences between Artemis and the Houndoom that haunted his sleep. That Houndoom had been a rottweiler breed, thick and stocky and broad. Artemis was a doberman breed, tall and elegant and sleek, with a long snout and long legs.
Ash remembers seeing a pomeranian breed Houndour in a book when he was 12 and he smiled slightly at the memory.
With his heart steady and his mind clearing, Ash reached out to wrap his arms around Artemis's neck to draw her in. She shifted around and came to him willingly. Her soulful onyx eyes stared up at him in adoration from where her head rested on his chest. His fingers smoothed the crease between her eyes, her midnight fur sleek and glossy.
Rather than the sword hanging over his head, the Houndoominite embedded in her chest felt like a promise. One cradled close to her heart.
Each puff of air from her snout allowed a wave of warmth to seep into him. The snores and breaths of his team around him brought an encompassing calm, the last vestiges of his nightmare swept away in the wave of safety.
Leaning up, Ash pressed a light kiss to the bridge of Artemis's nose, a single swipe of her tongue catching his cheek as he moved away.
His smile felt at home on his face and his fingers smoothed down the fur around her neck, right arm tucked away out of sight. The blanket of sleep returned to him, confident in his security.
Day 9
Ash sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, Ladon's legs flailing in the air from where he was stuck on his back.
From sneezing.
Shaking his head, Ash walked forward to help.
They'd have to find a solution to this eventually, this was the third time today.
Day 10
He watched as a stone broke free of the wall and tumbled down, down, down. The fear and excitement were at equal levels within him as he forcefully looked away from the ground that was very far away.
Adjusting his foot, Ash reached to latch on to the next handhold, his sleeve falling enough for the Ancient Cuff to send beams of sunlight dancing in every direction. He heaved his body up another stretch of cliff face.
Styx and Sagitta circled around him, his heavy backpack secured to the Hydreigon's back. If he thought about that image too much he'd start laughing and he was in a somewhat perilous situation at the moment.
But he was so close.
Dusty Bowl was The Place to go extreme rock climbing and Ash wanted to try it out. He heard a whoop from above and glared at the three adrenaline junkies he met earlier.
Steph cheered a few meters above him, her blonde hair held back in a Ponyta-tail and hanging over her shoulder as she leaned over the ledge. Her two companions, Cass and Damian, had very different responses to Ash's struggles. Cass had a beaming smile on her warm-toned face, double thumbs up pointed in his direction while Damian had his arms crossed and a scowl that just made the twelve year old look petulant.
Steph had given him some tips and then bet with her friends on how Ash's first climb would go. Steph was sure he'd need his Pokémon to catch him. Damian had derisively said Ash would be too weak to finish. Cass was the nice one and put her money on Ash completing the climb without assistance, or at least that's what Steph said. Ash didn't know sign language, unfortunately.
Steph and Damian were two very different breeds of asshole.
Snarling, Ash found a foothold and scanned for his next grip. Testing it, the stone held steady and Ash heaved himself even closer to the other rock climbers. Steph's sunglasses were blocking her eyes but Ash hoped she was getting worried she would lose the bet.
Taking three quick breaths, Ash pulled himself higher. His forearms were cramping from the major use of grip strength but he refused to quit. Snarling once more, Ash grabbed onto the ledge and grunted, his muscles screaming, as he pulled himself over and rolled onto his back.
Cass walked over, practically gliding, and crouched down to lightly pat his head. He glared up at her, chest heaving, but she only gave a small smile in response.
"Hmph." Damian scowled and turned away, trying to pretend he didn't care he just lost the bet.
"Damn, I for sure thought you'd get scared and your crazy Dragon was going to have to catch you before you went splat!" Steph clapped her hands together to emphasize the onomatopoeia then gave an exaggerated sigh and frown.
Ash glared and gave the two jerks the middle finger before going back to his panting.
The ground shook with Styx's landing, Sagitta chirping brightly from beside her when Steph took a clumsy step away from the Dragon. The Togekiss hopped over and pecked at his hair - not gently - until he got up.
Skipping over, Steph roughly mussed up his hair, the twenty year old having a good couple inches of height on him. Cass stepped up and signed something, touching her chin and moving her hand away. Her positive expression helped get the point across.
"Thanks." Ash nodded at the black haired woman, her almond eyes crinkling further in happiness. He couldn't tell how long her hair was, with how it was braided and twisted and decorated, similarly to Arya's hair, actually.
"Dami, didn't Ash do well?"
The twelve year old scoffed, "Don't call me that." He then kicked the ground. "If he had taken a different route it would have cut the time down by twelve minutes." Damian's warm brown skin took on a surprising pink tint as Steph laughed. He ducked away from her attempt to ruffle his short black hair much like she had Ash's.
Stretching his arms above his head, Ash groaned and then yelped when Steph roughly thumped him between his shoulder blades. Cass steadied him with a glare at her friend, not even needing sign to get across her disappointment.
Groaning, Steph threw up her hands in the universal sign for 'peace'. "But in all seriousness, for your first time rock climbing, you did… really well. Still slower than us, naturally." She tossed her hair. "You could have been faster without all that bling slowing you down." She acted like Cass didn't have more 'bling' than he did.
Ash bared his teeth. "You only finished 20 minutes before me." He ignored the comment about the Cuff. He'd been able to ignore it for the past few weeks since he's been wearing long sleeves, but it was much too hot for that today.
Steph shrugged and looked unbothered. Ash closed his eyes and got a hold of his annoyance. The blonde shot an impish grin at him and walked away. Pursing his lips, Ash breathed deeply and followed.
Hemlock would get along with her.
Cass put a gentle hand on his shoulder before dancing away and helping Steph remove pots and pans from their packs. They hadn't needed their Pokémon to carry their supplies like Ash did.
The climbers had at least five Pokéballs on their belts, even Damian.
Cass signed something to Steph, and the blonde turned to smile more genuinely at Ash. "Join us for lunch. Cass won the bet so Damian and I are on cooking duty for a week."
"Cooking is beneath me." Damian stomped his foot, but the others just rolled their eyes and ignored him.
Ash wrinkled his nose. "You can cook? Uh huh…" He trailed off meaningfully and inwardly smirked when Steph glowered.
"You little shit…"
Everyone gathered around the fire, the flame smaller than normal from how high up they were. Ash could see miles of Wild Area spread out below them. The Motostoke Bridge stood towering over the Motostoke Riverbank, and the Archway of Dusty Bowl was a massive structure a few hundred meters away. He could even see the Lake of Outrage far in the distance.
Sagitta took the opportunity to fly around, and possibly fight the Fearow that had been eying her. The sound of released Pokémon brought Ash's attention back to the campsite to find the others had their teams out.
Steph seemed to have a team centered around kicking with Hitmonlee, Hitmontop, Tsareena, Lopunny, and what looked to be a newly evolved Cinderace. The Fire type was quick to wrap the blonde up in a hug that she happily returned. Must be a new capture, since he was pretty sure Steph was from Unova with her accent.
Damian seemingly had only recently started his journey, his team relatively young but all were poised and intense in their demeanors. He had a Honedge in his shadow, a Ralts frowning but gripping his shirt, a Galarian Farfetch'd standing like a sentinel, a Rufflet looking like it was three seconds away from attacking the closest teammate, and most interestingly, a Riolu was held in his arms.
Cass was obviously the strongest.
She had a stunning Gardevoir standing shoulder to shoulder with her, the two moving like they were completely one. He wouldn't be surprised if they had the ability to Mega Evolve. To his surprise, she had an Umbreon pressed to her side and a Noivern looming over her, ears swiveling as it stayed alert for threats. Red eyes glared from her shadow and Ash stared back at the Gengar until it hid once more. A small, cuddly Stufful sat at her feet.
A Lucario stood on Cass's other side from Gardevoir, and somehow Ash knew all three were always linked.
"You two are from Rota."
Cass tilted her head while Damian bristled like an angry Meowth. The older woman put a hand on his shoulder but kept her keen eyes on Ash. She eyed him for a long moment before dipping her chin towards Steph.
"Oh, uh, yeah they're both from Rota. Damian is an Aura Trainee, one of the youngest to have an egg hatch for him. Cass is training him."
Ash tilted his head. He was sure Cass had Steph tell him since she probably also had a highly redacted version of events.
Rota was notoriously secretive.
He knew they were a matriarchal monarchy and had 'Knights' that all trained Lucario. But he didn't know much more than that. Riolu and Lucario were only found in Rota, and non-Rota natives only managed to get one of the Pokémon if they were granted permission to visit the isolated nation or by paying an exorbitant price for a Riolu.
Ash heard the eggs only hatched for certain people.
"How come you're in Galar?"
Steph laughed. "Damian apparently needed to 'expand his horizons' since he's such a brat."
"Shut your mouth, Brown!" Damian bared his teeth and tried to advance but Cass held him back without effort.
"How'd you meet?" Ash wanted more information on Rota, Mew knows how powerful the few trainers are that get approval to compete in Leagues. But Ash doubted they'd spill anything new.
But did that mean Arya was from Rota?
All three had warm skin tones, dark hair, unfamiliar accents, and green eyes, and both Arya and Cass had intricate braided hairstyles. The two older women were also covered in golden jewelry while Damian only had a simple gold earring.
It was interesting. Was the jewelry a sign of status? Strength?
"We met in Galar, actually! I came here to find a Scorbunny, and apparently Rota and the ULA have an agreement where they change which region Rota-natives can travel to. We all met in one of the Galar Mines. I knew sign which helped Cass and me hit it off! Damian is an annoying third wheel."
Damian hissed, not really helping the Meowth accusations as he sent Steph a scathing retort. Honestly very similar to Galarian Meowth.
Ash settled down around the fire, and held out his hand when Cass's Umbreon trotted closer. It hardly spared Styx a glance when she growled, the Dark type's pupils dilating when it got closer to Ash's hand. He dodged the bite, scratching under its chin and eliciting a purr.
Cass smiled at him, and Ash wondered how openness and kindness came so easily to her.
Her Noivern spared him a couple seconds of interest before it got back to its constant vigilance.
"You can release your team if you want. We'll have enough food. I'm making four other batches." Ash was startled when Steph spoke, assuming she was still arguing with Damian. Knowing Steph was from Unova made him hesitate a bit, not knowing if she had the bias, but she seemed fine with Umbreon's presence.
One at a time, Ash hit the release on the remaining 10 Pokéballs on his waist. Of his team, Castor, Mirae, and Orion had their hackles raised at the strangers. Polaris, Ladon, and Artemis were quick to press against Ash, Ladon falling asleep with no issue. Libra eyed them all for a moment before shrugging. She had always been the calmer of his three Dragons, though with Ladon's inclusion he absolutely had her beat.
Bane and Hemlock separated to try and flank the three, and somehow Cass's eyes tracked the invisible Zoroark.
Ash shot a concerned look at Nettle when the little UB curled up on the rocky plateau a few feet from him.
He didn't really notice the silence around him until he looked up. Steph had wide eyes and Damian tried not to look envious at the wild assortment of Pokémon. Cass just had her head tilted in thought. Steph leaned towards Cass and fake-whispered "What the fuck." Cass flicked the blonde's ear.
Ash lifted an imperious eyebrow and he was so, so proud of his Pokémon when half of them bared their teeth at the three, even Ladon, though it might have been a reaction to his dream.
"How old did you say you were?" Steph asked. She and Cass were in their early twenties.
Ash looked down and ran a hand down Polaris's slimy back. "Fifteen." He audibly heard Steph wheeze.
Damian was silent, but Ash could see his green eyes grow stormy as they flicked between Artemis and Ash's bare forearms. Ash sighed, closing his eyes for a moment and prepared to tell the story for the thousandth time.
"It was a different Houndoom." Damian's eyes snapped to meet Ash's and his jaw visibly relaxed, though he pretended he hadn't been worried. Ash gave a bark of fake laughter. "Yeah, found a small gang of Rockets when I was in Unova. Got a nice souvenir." Ash lifted his forearms with a sardonic smile. He was pretty sure Steph's eyes were about to pop out of the sockets. Cass just looked sad.
"Are you saying Rockets are still around?" Steph looked more serious than he knew her capable of.
"Yup. Ran into them a few times actually. Twice in Unova and once in Kalos." Ash had realized a while ago that the man he saw running from Narrow Street after ditching the hurt Houndour was a Rocket. He knew he saw a rainbow letter on the man's clothing. It took seeing the man again in the desert for him to understand.
And he only went down that alleyway because of the mysterious boy. Ash hadn't thought of him in a while…
"Aw shit." Steph's knuckles were going white with how hard she was clenching his fist.
Ash didn't ask. Everyone had been touched by the Rocket Wars in some way.
Ash suddenly felt like an outsider and fidgeted awkwardly. Some of his Pokémon picked up on his discomfort and started shifting uneasily and shooting suspicious glances at the strangers. Ash shot a look at Styx, contemplating if he should bolt now.
But then Cass took the ladle from Steph and started dishing out the curry which convinced Ash to stay.
The next half hour was filled with a tension Ash didn't understand. Cass seemed to be holding entire silent conversations with her team. Damian was agitated, his arms wrapped tightly around his Riolu but the Fighting type didn't seem to mind. His Ralts had tightened his trip in Damian's shirt.
Steph tried to keep the atmosphere light with jokes and tales of pranks she's pulled on her ex-boyfriend-turned-best friend, but even her smile seemed tight.
Ignoring the tension to the best of his ability, Ash designated bowls to his team depending on the curry. Steph made a few different options, so his carnivores got their meat.
Ash helped with the dishes, but everyone was still so silent, even Steph had gone quiet.
Knowing it was his time to dip, Ash deposited the dishes and rounded up his team. Sagitta was back in the skies so he didn't bother returning her. He inched backwards towards Styx. "Well, thanks for lunch and for the rock climbing tips. Maybe we'll see each other again."
All three startled and looked at him with varying looks of intensity. Steph was the first to recover, sending an only slightly strained smile. "No problem! It was fun. Good luck."
Ash gave a thin smile and gave a single wave. Styx laid down to let him pull himself up. Sending one last glance at the three interesting trainers, Ash flew away with Cass's gaze searing into his back.
Day 11
"Hmm."
The vendor sighed and shared a look with her Volbeat. "Come on, kid, you've been perusing the TMs and TRs for the last ten minutes."
Ash waved a hand. "I need to be strategic."
"I'll tell you what, buy three TMs and I'll give you three TRs for free if you decide in the next five minutes."
"Deal." Ash didn't even need to think about that, it's a great deal. Even though he could probably afford this whole table of discs, he still wanted to get good deals. He quickly snatched Solar Beam, Hex, and Attract. He'd been meaning to teach Solar Beam to Artemis for a while.
Looking over the one-time-use TRs, Ash had to think a bit harder. Who needed new moves? Many of his Pokémon could teach others, but what coverage did he really need? He had held off teaching his teammates new moves for a long while, worried he was focusing too much on variety as opposed to mastery. Now he felt confident continuing.
Dream Eater was the first to be chosen. Orion would make good use out of it. He skipped over Dragon Dance and Iron Defense, figuring Libra could teach the others. He grabbed Rain Dance for Polaris.
Tapping his chin, he scanned over the last few options. Drill Run and High Horsepower were tempting, but Castor could teach Earthquake. Wild Charge was also tempting, but he shook his head.
He finally decided on Gyro Ball for Ladon.
The vendor, Uma, seemed relieved when he finally had his choices. She tapped the QR code and he quickly transferred the money. Ash shoved the small discs into his jacket pocket and dipped his chin. "Thank you."
Uma rolled her eyes. "Pleasure doing business." The amount of sarcasm in those three words was almost insulting.
Day 12
"Air Slash, Yanmega!"
"Gyro Ball." Ladon, for all his quirks, was quick to roll up tight, a sheen of energy covering his body. The Flying attack glanced off the Steel technique, a dull clang sounding out. The silver coating was quick to fade, the Dragon still getting the hang of the TR.
"Use Signal Beam!" Isla, their opponent, grimaced when the Bug attack once again hardly fazed the Dragon, green scales only slightly scorched even without Gyro Ball.
"Sweet Scent." Ladon uncurled and released a cloying pink scent from the two leaves on his back.
"Silver Wind!" Yanmega was slow to react, some of the enticing smell already reaching the Bug. The following Silver Wind was only at half power, allowing Ladon to easily endure the attack while Yanmega drifted forward, the wonderful scent drawing it in.
Training with Ladon was teaching Ash more patience than ever before. Ladon couldn't work fast or hit rapid fire, but he could outlast almost any opponent. His stamina and difficulty to injure were more than Ash had ever seen before.
Ladon needed a battling style that was the opposite of every other Pokémon Ash had. His other teammates were unstoppable forces; even Libra with her immense defenses.
The Appletun was an immovable object.
Ash watched with laser-sharp eyes until the moment Yanmega was low enough. "Rollout!" Ladon's one claim to speed cracked loudly against Yanmega's exoskeleton. The dragonfly fell to the ground, wings buzzing trying to lift it back up.
The Rollout came back a second time. Yanmega didn't get up.
Ladon unfurled and yawned, the photosynthetic leaves on his back fluttering lightly in the sun. He lumbered over to Ash, headbutting him in the hip and rumbling happily as he curled up on his foot.
Ash smiled and scratched the Dragon's neck.
Day 13
"Alright everyone, we're working in pairs. Orion, you're with Polaris again, both of you work on Hail and Rain Dance; fight for control. After that, Orion will work on Hypnosis and Dream Eater while Polaris practices Mist.
"Ladon and Artemis, work on Sunny Day usage, Ladon I expect you to pick up the basics, then both will work on Solar Beam. You'll be focusing on absorbing heat.
"Castor and Styx, keep working on Earth Power, and Castor make her fight for it, keep control over the terrain.
"Hemlock, you're to practice sensing Bane and trapping him. Bane, don't let him see you, and try to land 10 strikes.
"Libra, hunker down and ride out Sagitta's attacks, randomly try to strike her down with Rock Slide. Sagitta, don't let Libra catch you and try to throw off her sight.
"Nettle, try to trap Mirae. Mirae, you are going to be manipulating Mystical Fire to burn away Nettle's poison. Nettle, I want you staying in one place the entire time."
Ash watched everyone split into their pairs, frowning at the Poipole's fatigue. Before they went too far he called, "Practice Protect after!" and revelled in their groans and hisses.
Day 14
The blizzard was raging, but not enough to make Ash seek shelter. Visibility in Giant's Mirror wasn't terrible, allowing him to just make out the silhouette of Orion on the edge of the small pond near their campsite.
The Ninetales was sitting tall and rigid, staring out across the rippling water as the winds roughly ruffled his fur.
Ash recognized the slight inward curl of his shoulders.
Wrapping his coat tighter around his body, he left the shelter and warmth of his tent and headed through the snow. The few Vanillite floating around ignored him. Orion's ears twitched in time with the crunching snow under his boots, hearing his approach even over the roaring winds.
He lowered himself to sit beside the stoic Pokémon, sitting close enough for his presence to be felt, but far enough that he wasn't crowding the Ninetales.
While neither made a sound, the proud fox lost some of his tension, allowing his head to droop and a low keen to escape his throat unthinkingly. Ash took that as permission to place a hand on the Pokémon's back. He didn't pet or move it, just left it there.
It was then he could feel the minute trembling under his palm.
This blizzard reminded Ash of Mt. Lanakila. How he got stuck and didn't know if he'd ever get back. Following that ghostly Zorua, meeting Euryale and her spitfire kit.
Ash closed his eyes and sent a short prayer to Yveltal in hopes Euryale was resting easy.
He looked over at that same spitfire kit, now almost full grown and mourning his mother. The fox finally gave in and leaned his weight against Ash's side.
The two sat and mourned.
Day 15
The wild Excadrill whirred its drill in an obvious challenge at them, bracing with a widened stance.
Ash and Polaris shared a look before the Frogadier gained an intensely determined expression and started gathering water and energy. The Excadrill took that as its go-ahead and started charging, blades glinting in the sun.
When the Excadrill was a meter away with blades extended, Polaris released the Hydro Cannon.
The mole flew through the air, landing and bouncing and kicking up dirt.
It didn't get up.
Ash and Polaris fist bumped.
Day 16
"Oomph-" Ash grunted as he was sent flying, the breath being forced from his lungs from whatever just struck him in the abdomen. He landed heavily on his back, the light drizzle causing him to blink quickly.
He heard the telltale thud of whatever it was hitting one of his other teammates.
Then he felt something wiggle in his arms.
Two bulbous eyes blinked up at him and a tiny mouth full of razor sharp teeth nipped at his nose.
"Ouch!" Ash's hands flew up to grasp at his lightly bleeding nose, whatever had been in his arms fell to his lap.
Or, it would have if it wasn't floating.
Two more thuds sounded around them, a grumble and a yelp piercing Ash's ears. Looking around the campsite, Ash realized they were overrun.
By Dreepy.
The tiny Ghost and Dragon in his lap floated up, forelegs bent like a Lurantis. There were at least seven others around his camp, drifting around and dodging bites from the more irate teammates (cough Castor cough).
Three were circling Styx in obvious awe, transparent tails wiggling excitedly behind them.
Ash held his breath, eyes darting frantically around the outskirts until his eyes caught them. One Dragapult and three Drakloak watching from a distance. The minute one of these Dreepy got injured, Ash was a dead man.
Hissing quickly to his team, most understood his warning. Those who didn't weren't really at risk of hurting anyone (cough Ladon cough).
Watching the babies float around and explore, Ash cautiously smiled. They were cute, for sure. But there was a reason only five trainers in the world had Dragapult, and that they were all Masters.
Dreepy couldn't evolve unless Drakloak or Dragapult were around, and not just one.
The phrase 'it takes a village' literally applies to Dreepy. The only way for a trainer to get a Dragapult was to catch a Dragapult. And if Ash was reading the situation correctly, that Dragapult on the hill wasn't about to let anyone catch it.
Not that Ash couldn't defeat it. He probably could. But he wasn't in the business of catching Pokémon that really, really didn't want to be caught.
So he enjoyed the Dreepy and their innocent inquisitiveness. These might be the only Ghosts that didn't flinch at his presence.
He'd love to see how one of his teammates did against a Dragapult. If he ever battled Leon, Drasna, Zinnia, Agatha, or Phoebe he'd get the chance. He wondered if Lance would ever train one.
One of the Dreepy pulled on Nettle's tail, the UB glaring and hissing in a surprising show of aggression. The Ghost and Dragon pouted but floated away.
Hm.
Day 17
Ash bit his lip to keep the smile off his face. His teammates were similar, hardly moving as they watched this hilarious occurrence unfold.
He nudged Hemlock when the imp released a snigger but could feel his own grin widening.
See, the team had been relaxing beneath a batch of trees in Giant's Cap, everyone either dozing or lightly sparring. Ash had been woken from his nap when there was a suspicious bark.
So here they were, Bane standing stock still a meter away from another Zoroark.
Well, not truly.
Bane growled and suddenly his form blurred, a Drapion illusion wavering to life where he had once stood. The other Zoroark gave a challenging grin and then its form shined brightly and morphed into a perfectly identical Drapion.
This continued through a myriad of forms; Vulpix, Nidorino, Murkrow, Onix, until Mytheon came up and Bane's opponent tripped up.
The Mytheon that appeared was missing its horns and its wings looked warped.
Bane dropped his illusion and pointed with a triumphant howl. His opponent shined once more before a tiny purple blob with a distinctly disgruntled expression appeared. The Ditto crossed its gooey arms and glared at the Zoroark, their battle of duplicity finally coming to a close.
Ditto had finally met its match.
Day 18
"How do you feel about a double battle?" Ash narrowed his eyes as he looked at his opponent. She had to be only a year or two older than him with the starkest white hair he's ever seen. She was smiling brightly with a whole belt of Heavy and Great balls.
"Sure. Two-on-two or four-on-four?"
"Just two-on-two. I'm Kida, by the way."
"Ash." Kida smiled and tapped something into her Rotom phone before the Rotom drone shivered to life beside her. The two put some space between them as the drone counted down.
They both threw their Pokéballs and Ash took a moment to see what he was up against. A Bronzong and Claydol levitated over the short grasses, their eyes already glowing in preparation.
Ah, she must look up to Pyramid King Brandon. Ancient Trainers were rare, the living constructs difficult to train. He wondered if she had a Golurk, Cofagrigus, Runerigus, or Stonjournr too.
Hemlock and Mirae landed on the field, looking at each other and nodding with matching grins. Kida frowned slightly at the unknown Pokémon but didn't ask.
"Sandstorm, Weather Ball!" Ah, she was definitely an experienced double battler. She would make use of Claydol's Ground attacks while Bronzong levitated in safety. With both being Psychic types they could divert attacks and create barriers.
Right now, Mirae's Magic Guard would protect him from damage, but Hemlock would be vulnerable to Sandstorm until he evolved.
"Double Team." The Rock-type Weather Ball flew right through Hemlock's clone, the field now covered in Mytheon and Morgrem images. Mirae would be easier to spot with Psychic abilities, but Hemlock would remain invisible to their senses.
Particularly well-trained Psychics could detect disrupted air currents, body heat, breathing, scents, or even the lack of detectable brain waves, but that took a long time to master.
"Double Gyro Ball!"
"Disappear." All the Morgrem faded into inky black while the Mytheon dove underground. Silver spinning bodies darted across the field, slicing through sandy winds and clones with ease. But their prey remained hidden.
Kida pursed her lips. "Earthquake!"
"Now!" Ash grinned fiercely. Just as the two levitating Pokémon started plummeting, Mirae and Hemlock struck. The Eeveelution slammed into the Steel and Psychic type with the Ground attack, Bronzong having forfeited its Levitate ability to attempt an Earthquake. Claydol was inches from the ground when Hemlock appeared from behind and slammed the Feint Attack into the ancient Pokémon.
Kida barked, "Catch!" Hemlock slipped from the Psychic hold easily, but Mirae wasn't so lucky. The Fairy and Dragon type struggled, the mental attack making him flinch. Hemlock didn't need any direction, a wave of Dark Pulse freeing his partner from the hold.
Mirae retaliated against Bronzong with extreme prejudice.
Mystical Fire bathed the Bronze Bell Pokémon in enchanted flames. The screech it elicited sounded like tearing sheet metal. Oh, that might have been Metal Sound.
A chunk of earth slammed into Mirae, his wings softening his landing. He reunited with the few clones still on the field. The Sandstorm was still raging, but the Double Team stayed strong. Hemlock was doing his best to ignore the storm, but it was visibly wearing on him.
Morgrem interacted with their surroundings primarily through sight and emotion-detection, their sense of smell above average but not through a Sandstorm.
The Galar-native sent a parting wave of Dark Pulse at the two living constructs before hiding within the storm and renewed clones.
Claydol and Bronzong lazily floated above the wave, but Ash could see them shiver from the energy.
He and Kida paused for a moment, eying each other critically.
"Bulldoze!" Both heavy Pokémon immediately dropped, the massive swell of energy breaking the ground apart. Ash's eyes widened.
"On Mirae! Ride the winds!" Being his second Pokémon, Hemlock was used to Ash's usual level of neurosis. The Morgrem only groaned before leaping onto the Mytheon who was already lifting above the ground.
Mirae has grown much stronger since evolving.
Kida's face was priceless.
"Shadow Swift!"
"Rapid Spin!" Ash grinned. Even with the two spinning, the spectral energy easily cut through the thin Normal barrier. Bronzong and Claydol cried out, sounding like the tolling of bells and the rumble of earthquakes.
Now, Ash didn't know what he expected his two teammates to do, maybe land, maybe put some distance between.
He really should have expected them to dive bomb the two.
Hemlock lept from Mirae's back, landing on Claydol with a screech. A flurry of Shadow Claws sliced at the Ground and Psychic type's eyes.
Mirae barrelled into Bronzong, the growing Shadow Ball held in front of his mouth. Ash slapped his forehead.
"Claydol, Rapid Spin, Bronzong, Gravity and Heavy Slam!" Hemlock went flying, landing heavily on the ground with a bounce. Mirae scrambled back, but he still got trapped by the Steel attack. Mirae screamed, Gravity increasing Bronzong's weight tremendously. The Steel and Psychic type didn't release him though, keeping the Mytheon trapped under its bulk.
Hemlock dashed in to help, but Kida called, "Separate!" encouraging Claydol to intercept with an Earth Power that created a gaping chasm between the Morgrem and his teammate.
Mirae struggled, crying out from where he was pinned on his stomach by the heavy Bronze Bell Pokémon. Ash's irises were surrounded by white in his desperation. Bronzong weighed well over 1,000 pounds without their Levitate. That could shatter bones.
Hemlock was dancing around the field, dodging Earth Powers, Rock Tombs, and the odd Body Press. The imp had a fierce sneer on his face as he wove around and beneath attack after attack.
Gritting his teeth, he called "Sucker Punch, then help Mirae!" Hemlock knew what he meant by the serious determined look that took over his face. It had been months since his use of Fade… but it was necessary.
Mirae snapped his panicked gaze to Ash before a look of fury hardened his green eyes. The Dragon and Fairy type stopped struggling, Bronzong blinking in confusion above him. Violet energy swirled around Mirae, suffusing his body.
Paws slid under his body and pushed, Mystical Fire erupting from his wings.
Bronzong's bell tolled in surprise and pain as it was tipped over, Gravity now working against it. Mirae, still suffused with Dragon Dance, growled and put some space between them as the magical flames wrapped around the Steel and Psychic type.
"Group up!" Mirae huffed but dashed towards Hemlock, leaping and gliding over the chasm. He landed beside his teammate in time to send a Shadow Ball into Claydol's face.
Like he hoped, Bronzong took the bait, canceling the localized Gravity and floating over to join its partner once the fire died down as Mirae's control over it wavered. The Sandstorm was finally petering out, sand falling to cover the ground.
Claydol was looking worse for wear, Hemlock's Master Fake Out doing more damage than Ash expected. He loved that little troublemaker.
On the other hand, Mirae was in much worse shape than the Bronzong. It seemed both Kida and he realized it was time to finish.
"Scorching Sands! Psychic!" All that sand was gathered in Claydol's hold, vibrating and starting to distort the air around it as it gained heat.
Ash gritted his teeth but decided to go for it. "Sucker Punch and Flatter! Maelstrom!" He hated to ask this of Mirae with how exhausted he was, but it was all or nothing at this point.
Sucker Punch got the attention of the two ancient Pokémon just for a moment, but that was all Hemlock needed. He glowed and clapped and cheered, his opponent's looking as bewildered as they could given their lack of faces.
They shook, trying to dispel the confusion, but Mirae was ready.
The Mytheon was braced a few meters away, wings flapping violently, the building Twister stealing the blistering hot sands, Mystical Fire heating them even more. The Twister grew and grew, Mirae releasing a howl as the energy was sapped from his body to feed his own storm.
This is what his training had been for.
First Bronzong, then Claydol were sucked into the raging vortex, Hemlock's hair hooking into the ground and a Protect springing to life around him. He wouldn't be hurt by the Dragon energy, but everything else was free game.
The Twister suddenly shuddered and came to a stop, newly formed glass falling to the ground and flames dissipating in the air.
Taking stock of the field, Ash noticed three things. The first, Mirae wasn't unconscious, but he was as good as. His legs were shaking with the effort it took to keep him upright. The second, was that Bronzong was unconscious. The third, Claydol was drooping, only floating a few centimeters above the ground.
Hemlock slammed a full-bodied Feint Attack into the Pokémon just as Mirae collapsed.
The imp was the last one standing, huffing and puffing but still standing strong. Ash released his hold on his breath, shoulders slumping a bit.
It hadn't been pretty, but Hemlock and Mirae were getting a good start on implementing their training in battle. They obviously weren't used to double battles, but they did well enough. Mirae's hold on various energies was incredible given how exhausted he was, and Hemlock was using his pitchfork more and more which would carry over when he evolved into a Grimmsnarl.
They still had a long way to go, but Ash ran a gentle hand over both of their drooping heads, happy with their progress.
Day 19
Several groans and hisses echoed off rock walls. Castor yelped and glared heatedly at Ash. "Oh hush, you big baby." Ash grumbled and kept wrapping the bandage around the croc's arm.
His team were in varying states of injury, most by now modeling some form of gauze, compress, bruise, or frozen limb. Ash himself was sporting a bandage on his forehead and an instant ice pack on a bruised knee.
They had the unfortunate luck of stumbling upon an entire sleuth of Beartic, who, coincidentally, had just birthed a whole lot of Cubchoo.
To say they were hostile would be an understatement. To say Ash and his team had been outnumbered would be an understatement.
Now, the team was injured, exhausted, lost, and wedged in a cave that hid them from the protective Beartic.
Last Ash knew they were in Giant's Cap, but now he wasn't sure. They ran for a while since Styx couldn't fly in this snowstorm when she was so injured. The dominant Beartic had landed a particularly nasty Icicle Crash that got her in the wing joints before they got away.
They had already been exhausted from training that morning, and the Beartic herd had blended in with the blizzard.
Ash dolled out a round of Ice Heals for Bane, Sagitta, and Mirae. They were lucky to find a large enough cave for all of them, considering Libra and Styx's size.
Libra and Styx were the only two holding flames within their mouths, lighting and slowly heating up the space. The overcast day had been cold and it was darker than normal at this time. Ash sighed, realizing they'd probably be sleeping here tonight.
Once Castor was bandaged, he sprayed Bane's flank with a Super Potion before wrapping it up. The Zoroark shook, withholding a wince, and padded closer to Libra, getting wrapped up in her arms. Ash packed the medical supplies away and pursed his lips.
"Sorry guys, we can't build a fire in here, the ventilation, or lack thereof, would suffocate us. You can either be returned, or get friendly and cuddle in." Ash bit his cheek to keep from laughing at the challenging looks his teammates sent each other.
Getting returned would look like the easy way out. None of them could stand for that.
That night, Ash was smothered in Pokémon.
Day 20
'Oh shit'
Ash figured out where they ended up a little too late.
He was so screwed.
More than half his team was out of commission, there was a torrential downpour, and he was going to get fined if anyone found out he was here.
The Lake of Outrage.
One of two zones for which he didn't have clearance.
But that paled in comparison to the absolute shit-storm he's found himself in.
Ash stumbled back, having not felt this kind of fear since Omen. His eyes were wide and locked on the monster thrashing in the tumultuous water. The unstable sphere of energy gaining power in the serpent's gaping maw grew larger and larger. Blood red eyes were locked on Ash as he stood frozen on the lake's bank.
And red clouds swirled above.
The Dynamax Gyarados was colossal, towering over a hundred feet in the air. One tooth was as large as Libra. The whiskers on its face could have been Milotic for all Ash knew. Each scale was a dinner plate, each fin a boat sail.
The leviathan reared back in preparation to fire when a stone slammed into its jaw. The ground two meters from Ash exploded, the Hyper Beam sending rubble flying and leaving a crater the size of Diantha's Tyrantrum in the ground. Ash fell harshly to the ruined and wet bank, the wound on his forehead opening back up and dripping down his temple, mixing with the rain. He didn't have time to grimace before a wall of gray blocked his view.
A geyser of water exploded against the Protect Libra sprung up as she guarded him. Gyarados roared when Orion darted in to distract the serpent, giving Ladon a chance to send Leech Seeds flying. Styx stayed at a distance and fired off a Draco Meteor, her three healing wings hanging and fluttering weakly at her sides. Gyarados swayed from the force of impact, blue scales cracking and falling from its body, leaving bloody welts of flesh behind.
Nettle floated closer just in time to release a gush of Toxic in the atrocious Pokémon's mouth, following it up with the largest Dragon Pulse the UB has yet managed.
The thing bellowed, a Max Airstream whipping around to catch the slow UB, sending it unforgivingly into the dirt and mud.
"NETTLE!"
The force of that impact…
Gyarados roared even louder as the poison mixed with saliva and dripped from its maw. It sizzled when it hit the water.
Libra and Styx fired off a Rock Slide and Stone Edge as Ash watched the unmoving Poipole. The sounds of fighting and furious Pokémon faded to the background as panic took over. Its scaly exoskeleton looked cracked.
But then the UB twitched.
Nettle kept twitching. Its movements becoming more and more violent and disjointed until the beast looks possessed.
Its skin started bubbling in a horrific replication of thick boiling magma. Each time the beast writhed and its body burbled, scales stretched and separated. It grew and grew and grew, its abdomen swelling like an edema. Then the fuschia and purple scales suddenly split right down the back.
Ash gagged.
Spiny, jagged wings jerked and spasmed as they appeared first, unfolding like cold-stiff hands. Sleek, shiny scales that almost looked like metallic armor pulled free from the empty exoskeleton. More and more was revealed until the UB was floating above its discarded skin.
It was a nightmare.
What had been Nettle was now monstrous; sharp angles, disproportionate limbs, segmented body, and an elongated, meter-long needle protruding from its swollen abdomen.
The beast rose into the sky, thick Crobat-like wings lifting it higher. Shiny mandibles clicked together in front of the wide, glowing, fang-filled mouth. The wail that escaped the beast's mouth was on par with Styx's; demonic and chilling, but with an echoing quality that was unnatural.
Orion and Styx stared with incredulity, Ladon's usually hidden eyes lifted up to show his shock. Even Libra took an aborted step back.
Gyarados roared, unwilling to allow an adversary to recover. A quickly fired Max Geyser was dodged with a swift flap of heavy wings as the beast shot forward, the needle on its abdomen poised to strike as it screamed. Gyarados opened its maw once more.
It was too slow.
SQUELCH
Ash reflexively brought a hand to his mouth when the needle went through the roof of Gyarados's mouth.
The serpent's roar was cut off, eyes rolling up and body going limp. Like a puppet with its strings cut, the Pokémon slipped from the beast's needle, swaying as it fell into the lake with a mighty splash. Dynamax energy exploded outwards, sending them all stumbling.
The serpent's now-smaller body sank below the surface, Lake of Outrage bubbling and churning angrily as it rushed to fill the void. Its head lay limp on the bank, the puddle of blood beneath it growing larger and larger.
What had once been a Poipole screeched a vicious victory cry, body shaking with the force of it, a dark haze of energy coiling up around it. It hovered over the downed serpent, mandibles clicking aggressively.
Ash swallowed down the urge to vomit at the gruesome death of the Gyarados, stepping forward with more hesitance than he ever had before. Libra growled behind him.
"Nettle?" The beast didn't seem to hear him, his voice barely above a whisper. Ash cleared his throat and repeated, "Nettle?" louder.
The insectoid whipped around, cyan eyes narrowed as it took notice of the others. When it didn't immediately move, Ash squared his shoulders and took another step forward.
Many things happened at once.
Something slammed into his side at the same time a searing pain ripped through his left shoulder. Ash was thrown through the air only to land roughly on the muddy ground. Each time he rolled onto his shoulder, his vision whited out in time with his scream. His roll was halted roughly when his back hit something cold, solid, and wet.
The sounds of battle came to him slowly, trying to reach him through the fogginess of his mind. Clutching at his shoulder, Ash turned onto his other elbow to push his upper body upright.
The cold that spread through his body at the sight before him numbed the pain.
It was a savage display, Nettle shrieking furiously trying to slash anyone that got close. Libra had one massive hand pinning the beast's wing to the ground. Dragon Pulses tried to strike Styx and Ladon as they distracted Nettle.
Nettle's glowing blue eyes were wide, frantic, and completely unfamiliar.
Orion looked haunted as he stepped forward, eyes emanating a bright blue. The UB struggled and struggled until the Hypnosis finally took hold. Nettle slumped, all the fight seeping out.
It looked too still on the muddy bank.
Ash braced his good arm on the ground and heaved himself to his feet. He gave a brief glance at his left shoulder, grimacing at the veritable waterfall of blood that fell from the circular wound. Shaking his head he tried to step forward.
He crumpled backwards, his legs giving out and head fuzzy but eyes wide staring at the scene in front of him as his back rested against whatever was behind him.
For a moment, all Ash could do was look at the unconscious body of his 7th Pokémon, unable to consolidate that cuddly naive Poipole with the raging vicious beast it had become.
It was only on muscle memory he was able to return the beast, though his arm almost didn't want to cooperate.
Ash let his gaze drift between the four Pokémon looking at him. He opened his mouth, but the words didn't come. Instead, he felt warmth slash lines down his cheeks, hidden in the rain. His bloody right hand lifted, shaking as it hovered over the Beast ball stowed away in his pack.
He squeezed his eyes shut, not wanting to see his teammate's reaction.
It felt like he just lost a child.
Because that was what Nettle was. The little UB was innocent and loving and curious and now it was gone.
'It's gone it's gone it's gone-'
His hands moved to his hair, gripping strands and shaking his head, ignoring the agony of his mangled shoulder as both salt and fresh water dripped off his chin.
He felt cold.
The muffled sobs turned to breathless gasps, as his thoughts grew fuzzier and fuzzier, his heart beating too fast. His throat was suddenly parched, thirst a blaring alarm in his head. Black started to creep into the edges of his vision, and that's when panic set in.
He felt cold.
Dazed eyes looked down at his shoulder, the cascade of blood unceasing. Desperate hands tried to stop the flow, but his fingers felt slow and uncoordinated, slipping from his damaged shoulder when his muscles gave out.
The cacophony of distressed calls from his team blended together, his mind slowly shutting down except for a pinprick of light that flared like a final, desperate instinct in the back of his mind.
He felt cold.
He was blind and deaf to the happenings around him as his hands unthinkingly reached behind him to that faint pinprick of dying light. Scales made contact against his fingers before he pressed harder into the dying flesh, full palm pressed against it.
That pinprick of light dimmed and dimmed until it disappeared entirely.
The blood flow trickled to a stop as he lost his battle with consciousness, eyes open but mind retreating to his subconscious.
He didn't see how Styx nudged him with all three of her heads. He didn't see how Ladon released a Sweet Scent that forcefully relaxed Ash's muscles. He didn't notice Orion's breath over his wound. He didn't notice Libra lift his limp body into her arms.
He didn't notice it had been the Gyarados he'd been leaning against.
He didn't notice the lifeless serpent's flesh and bone were now stone.
And he definitely didn't notice the war-torn wolf that watched this all unfold from a distant hill.
And the Wild Area comes to a close with a bang.
I made myself sad writing about Nettle's evolution. It was about time Ash had some trouble with a Chaos type. I loved writing the little Poipole but it had to grow up eventually. Gaining a Chaos type upon evolution is much harder to handle than having it from the beginning. The only reason Mirae handled it was because Ash raised him from an egg and Orion swung the other direction towards more depressive emotions.
We'll also learn more about responses to evolution in the next chapter. I'm excited to explore Nettle's development.
There is a disconnect between game and anime technique strength. Twister in the anime is absurd, but in the game it's base 40 power. I pull more from the anime when it comes to battles.
There's going to be disappointment that Ash didn't get a Dreepy, I know.
If you couldn't tell, I really love creating Pokémon teams for the background characters, it's fun.