Ash's Team
Styx - Hydreigon
Hemlock - Morgrem
Bane - Zoroark
Mirae - Mytheon
Sagitta - Togekiss
Libra - Hakamo-o
Nettle - Unnamed Evolution
Castor - Krokorok
Polaris - Frogadier
Artemis - Houndoom
Orion - Alolan Ninetales
Ladon - Appletun
A day late, Burnet finally got back to him.
Ash was making his way up Route 9, he could see Circhester Bay up ahead after a few hours of trekking through snow. Hail was starting up, and he hoped it wouldn't turn into a mini Icicle Crash until after he set up camp.
Orion was bounding along the path, weaving in and out of trees and snow banks while Mirae was working on his cold resistance with a controlled Mythical Fire dancing around him. It wrapped around his wings and fur like undulating Ekans, the pearls adorning his horns and neck charmingly reflecting the light.
In another life, Ash would use him in a contest.
The sound of his dex ringing made him stop, and he quickly found shelter beneath a rocky outcropping that protected the ground from snow. Mirae used the break as an excuse to 'sneakily' crawl into his lap, but Orion stayed out.
He had been concerned when the Alolan professor hadn't called him back yesterday, but it seemed it just took longer to get any information. Flipping open the device, he quickly accepted and the visage of Burnet filled his screen. "Ash! So sorry I'm late, but oh boy, do I have news for you!"
Ash sat up straighter than before, subconsciously leaning towards the screen. Burnet didn't even smile at that, instead diving right into what she learned. "The reason it took so long for me to respond was because the League researchers cross referenced all the existing information on any Poipole that came through the wormholes since they first opened up 16 years ago. Out of the 20 something Poipole, only yours had active draconic genes! All the other Poipole had dormant or inactive genes, but Nettle… Nettle was different! It seems like Poipole used to evolve, but it lost the ability over time. Except for yours! You might have a one-of-a-kind evolution!"
Gaping like a Magikarp, Ash stuttered, "What?"
"This actually isn't uncommon, even in this dimension, many Pokémon and evolutions have been lost to time." Burnet took a quick sip of water before answering. "From what I could gather from my coworkers, mastering a powerful Dragon attack would trigger their metamorphosis. Our guess is that Poipole adapted over time because the metamorphosis was too traumatic, putting them at risk. It was actually safer to not evolve."
Ash swallowed thickly as he digested the information. "Nettle learned Dragon Pulse from my teammates, but it took months to be mastered."
Burnet nodded along. "I'm not surprised, draconic energy is difficult to harness, even for Pokémon with the genes for it like Gyarados and Charizard."
Ash paused for a moment before asking, "What… what kind of species is Nettle now?"
"The League hopped on this fast, Ash. They're already in contact with Oak. They've decided to call it Naganadel."
A whoosh of air escaped his chest and he nodded. He scratched at his healed shoulder and bit his lip. "Did they give any advice?"
Burnet grimaced. "No. Remember Ash, this is new to all of us. This is a newly discovered species. I've been tasked with studying it when I have the chance."
Groaning and dragging a gloved hand down his face, Ash grimaced. "That will probably take a while until I can ensure your safety."
Burnet smiled warmly and nodded. "Don't worry, you have a great many influential people on your side, the League won't be able to barge in and demand to see Nettle." Ash's mind flickered to Oak's jokes about making powerful allies.
"Well, thank you for everything, Burnet, I really appreciate it."
The professor smiled warmly. "Of course, Ash. I wish you all the luck in the world." They both ended the call and Ash closed his dex, letting his head thump against the rock behind him. What to do?
Nettle needed time to get used to its body, but if it didn't trust Ash… Mew, this was a mess.
Mirae rumbled, digging his horns into Ash's chest in an effort to be comforting. Ash lifted a hand and scratched around his ears, sighing. He sat there a long time, looking up at the stone above his head, thinking.
Ash huffed, looking down at Mirae. "I'm going to fly the rest of the way." The Mytheon yawned and nodded, headbutting the Pokéball when it came close. Ash whistled as he stood, stepping out from beneath the outcropping and waiting only a moment for Orion to appear. The Ninetales growled in distaste, not wanting his fun to be cut short. "We're going somewhere similar to Snowbelle." That eased Orion's ruffled feathers somewhat. He allowed himself to be returned, then Ash released Styx.
The Hydreigon shrieked upon release, glaring at the offensive hail before focusing her gaze on Ash. "You good to fly with me?" Styx growled at the perceived transgression, flaring her wings. Rolling his eyes, he smacked her on the snout, eliciting a sneeze. "Drama queen."
Securing his pack and Pokédex, Ash heaved himself on to his starter, making sure he wasn't pulling any of her feathers. The whoosh of her six wings pounded pressure against his eardrums as she took to the air. The two had to endure the harsh hail until they broke through the low hanging clouds.
The air was frigid up here, making Ash grit his teeth. Normally, walking to Circhester from the Bay would take two days. Atop Styx? Maybe three hours. He'd have to suck it up.
A very, very long three and a half hours later, Styx touched down in the middle of Circhester. When the screams of horror greeted them, Ash realized maybe they should have landed on the outskirts. He blamed his numb face.
Styx reveled in their fear, three heads snarling and swiveling around. Ash slid off her back and patted her side even as he rolled his eyes. He was a little worried about the cracking cobblestone beneath her feet, but figured it happened. He held up the Dusk ball, and Styx rumbled, which was her version of a pout. "We're only here for a night, okay?" The Hydreigon harrumphed but allowed herself to be returned. It was difficult clipping the ball back to his belt with how stiff his fingers were.
He raised a bored eyebrow at the people still loitering and staring, which got rid of the rest of the stragglers. Ash internally smiled and shoved his gloved hands in his pockets and went to find the Pokémon center.
Once the incredible heat of the center sunk into him, his fingers were dextrous enough to send a text to Aiko letting her know he was in the city. He put his dex back in his pocket; it was a Wednesday so he figured she was in class.
His Pokémon were in good health, but he wasn't here for that. Ash slid into one of the videophone booths and entered the number he long ago memorized.
"Ash!" Professor Oak's smiling face took up the entirety of the screen.
"Hi Professor."
Wrinkles deepened with the smile. "Good to hear from you, how have you been since we last talked?"
Ash was grateful he tried to avoid where exactly Ash was the last time they chatted. "I'm doing alright, I'm in Circhester. I ran into some friends in Spikemuth, Master Roxie was one of them." A look of understanding dawned on Oak's face. He'd always been sharp. "Yeah, she said… she said Nettle is scared. I also talked to Professor Burnet and she said this evolution should have been impossible. I figure you already know, but they've decided to call it Naganadel. Nettle needs time to get used to its body."
"You want to send it here."
Ash nodded and stamped down on his heartbreak. "Yes. Nettle only ever attacks when I try to posture, so I think it needs time to just exist. To… to just be."
Oak nodded slowly. "Alright, I have a spot that Nettle can use. A trainer from Oreburgh finally took back their Rhyperior, so there's an empty cave and pond available. Do you remember the offer I made?"
"Yes, Burnet said that Poipole possibly stopped evolving because the change was too traumatic. Knowing that, I don't want to scare Nettle more with an X-ray or MRI. Being put to sleep and waking up without remembering what happened must not feel very safe…" Ash trailed off with guilt in his eyes. He wanted Nettle to feel safe, and being with Ash wasn't cultivating that.
It struck something deep in Ash to admit that.
"Okay, Ash, but I want you to do one thing for me." Ash slowly nodded. "I want you to tell Nettle what's happening."
Ash chewed his cheek but ultimately agreed. He was hoping Nettle still knew him in some way, and the old Nettle would be hurt if Ash sent it away without saying anything. "I'll call back in about 30 minutes." Oak nodded before the screen went black.
Breathing in deeply through his nose, Ash closed his eyes before nodding to himself. He flipped open his dex to find the nearest Route before leaving the center, pulling his gloves back on.
He walked through the serene snow covered city for only ten minutes, coming to the thin forests of Route 9. Ash hoped the cold wouldn't be too detrimental to the Naganadel, but it was out of his hands.
Wait, maybe it wasn't.
Artemis appeared and barked happily, bouncing up to Ash and pressing her considerable weight against his hip. Chuckling lightly, he dug his fingernails into the area where horns met fur. The hound pressed harder against him as she sunk into the feeling.
"Can you send off a Sunny Day for me?" Her tail wagged in agreement before she tilted her head back and shot the glowing orb into the sky. Over the course of ten seconds, the area gained 15 degrees.
Ash spent a few more minutes giving Artemis some affection, knowing he was procrastinating. Finally he returned the Houndoom to her ball and swapped it out. The Sunny Day started fading immediately, but the area was still warm enough.
Rolling the ostentatiously decorated ball in his palm he pressed the release button.
The UB screeched upon release, its entire body tensing when its glowing cyan eyes caught sight of Ash. The pang it sent through his chest made him sit down on the cold ground.
In any other situation, it would have been funny how Nettle froze in confusion. But now, in this moment, it struck home how he'd been so, so wrong.
The two stared at each other for a moment, quiet and waiting. Nettle relaxed ever so slightly.
"I don't know if you remember me…" The beast tensed up again as soon as he started speaking, watching him through narrowed eyes. "My name is Ash." He had no idea if Nettle understood him or not, but he continued on in a low, soft voice. "I know you don't feel safe with me. I'm sending you somewhere you can find some semblance of peace. If you ever get bored or want to come ho- to come back here, you let the old guy know."
Nettle didn't outwardly react, but didn't flinch away when Ash raised the Beast ball. The Naganadel returned to the capsule quietly.
Ash didn't know what he expected, but he had been holding out hope that Nettle would want to stay with him.
Guess not.
He tried not to take it to heart, but he was just kidding himself.
It hurt. It hurt so much.
The walk back to the center was a blur, caught in his thoughts as he was. Ash mechanically sat back down at the videophone and dialed Oak's number. The old man must have seen whatever look on his face and stayed quiet. It was a few minutes before Ash came back to himself and read off the ID number of the transporter.
A few moments later, Nettle's ball was gone.
"Professor?"
"Yes, Ash?"
"I.. I told Nettle if it wanted to come back to find you. Just so you know."
"Of course, Ash." Looking away, Ash said goodbye to the professor and ended the call. His hand fell to join his other in his lap, fists so tight his knuckles turned white.
'Failure failure failure failure'
Ash shook his head so hard his neck cracked, forcing himself to his feet and pushing his feelings aside. Like usual.
The nurse looked terrified when Ash asked for a room and he had to wonder what expression he was wearing. She shakily handed him his card key and for manners' sake, he took it gently and nodded in thanks.
When he got to his room, he dropped his pack to the ground and stood for a moment.
The next second a lamp was held aloft, his knuckles white with his grip. Breaths were heaving out of his chest, face flush with a mixture of anger, grief, shame, and sadness. He could feel his arm shaking, his feet planted in preparation to throw the fragile appliance.
Slowly, he lowered the lamp, eyes closed as he tried to get his breathing under control.
Exhaustion pulled at his core.
With a clumsy clu-clunk he dropped the lamp back onto the side table, bringing a hand up to cover his face. The strength in his legs left him and sunk down onto the bed, the heel of his palm pressed to his forehead. A shuddering breath left his lungs and his mind raced.
He'd pretty much just sent Nettle away because Ash wasn't enough. Not good enough to make the UB feel safe, not good enough to bridge the gap, not good enough for Nettle to remember him.
Not enough.
Fists pressed into his eyes, forcefully keeping the tears locked behind eyelids. His breaths were coming in short shallow pants as he tried to gain control over his mind. Skin buzzing, he shakily got his hands and feet beneath him and pushed himself upright.
His clothes felt horribly uncomfortable, and he didn't even wait until he was in the bathroom before he started wrenching them off. Steam quickly filled the room as he methodically scrubbed his hair and body. His brain was as fogged as his mirror when he got out.
Pulling on his comfiest sweats and sweatshirt - his only sweats and sweatshirt - he curled up against the headboard, arms looped around his knees.
If he was being honest with himself, he just wanted to mope.
Ash didn't know how long he stayed in a tight ball, but the next time he opened his eyes, it was dark inside his room. He reached to turn on the lamp before remembering it was unplugged.
Sighing and feeling the creeping sensation of embarrassment at his lapse in rationality, he got to his feet and plugged it back in. The room was bathed in light, illuminating the rumpled state of his room and his hair from how his hands had gripped it as it was drying. Ash collected his clothes and put them in the hamper he'd later take down to laundry.
Ash warred with himself before losing to his own logic. Might as well call one more person. His second speed dial contact was selected and he waited. He wasn't sure what time it was in Unova, but he hoped it wasn't too late (or early).
The call connected and Grimsley's naturally mischievous face took up the screen. "Well well, nice of you to finally call me."
"You could always call me." Ash said it in such a subdued tone Grimsley was immediately on guard.
"What happened? You're pouty." It was very obvious when Ash didn't playfully rise to the bait. Instead he ran a hand once more through his messy hair and looked away. "Red, what happened?" Grimsley asked again in a much softer tone.
"Yeah, we haven't talked in a while."
"Uh huh."
Ash pursed his lips for a moment. "Have you ever raised a Pokémon that was like an innocent child?"
Grimsley didn't question the odd segway and nodded. "Yes, remember Fang my Gliscor? Poor thing was as naive as they came. Had to teach him to fly and everything when he was a little Gligar."
"When he evolved, did he… change?"
"Well, other than the obvious changes, kinda. He got a little more serious, but other than that he stayed the same."
Ash frowned and pressed his chin to his bent knees. "Oh." Grimsley stayed quiet, knowing when Ash truly needed the time to gather his thoughts. "Nettle evolved, almost killed me. I tried to assert dominance three times, it kept attacking me, someone finally told me it was scared, and so I sent it away." He resisted the urge to bury his face in his knees, but gave into closing his eyes to avoid seeing Grimsley's reaction.
He didn't know what he wanted to see. He didn't want pity, disappointment, anger, or even for him to brush it off as no big deal.
"Why did you send it away?"
"I was scaring it. Nettle didn't feel safe with me anymore."
"Ah, I see." That caused him to open his eyes. Grimsley had a look of understanding on his face but otherwise it was blank. "Red, you didn't let Nettle down." The words felt like a physical, jarring force. "One of the most difficult things a trainer can realize is that sometimes they aren't what's best for their Pokémon." A bitter shiver ran down Ash's spine.
"That doesn't mean it's permanent. Training isn't linear, Red, and neither are relationships. Pokémon have different needs, what are the chances that every single Pokémon caught has the perfect relationship with their trainer? It's just not possible, Pokémon and people are too complex for that to be a reality. That's why there are trades and tutors and daycares. Sometimes a Pokémon's needs don't align with a trainer's. But that doesn't mean they never will. Right now, Nettle needs to feel safe. You have a very fast-paced lifestyle. When Nettle feels settled, it'll come back."
Ash rubbed his face with one hand and nodded. It was a hard pill to swallow that no matter what he did, sometimes it wasn't enough. Sometimes he wasn't enough.
Hit a little too close to home. Delia's indifferent face flashing through his mind.
But no matter how uncomfortable, he'd swallow that pill. It might get lodged in his throat, but eventually it'd do its job.
"Thank you, Grimsley."
"I had to call in a Master when Riktor evolved."
Ash's head snapped up. "Really?" Grimsley handled the towering Tyranitar like they'd been together their whole lives.
The Dark Elite smirked. "Oh yeah. I came across him as a Pupitar about two years into my journey, and he evolved quickly. I was nowhere near ready to handle a fully evolved Tyranitar. Honestly, a Pseudo-Legend evolving into its final stage so quickly is practically unheard of. Had to beg Master Mai Naifu to help."
Jaw dropping, Ash breathed, "Her? How'd you get her to help?" Mai Naifu was the youngest trainer to achieve Dark Mastery. She had only been 17. The now 30 year old woman was known for her apathy and severe dislike of anything that wasted her time.
"I proved to her I wouldn't be boring." Grimsley's smirk was a full blown wicked grin at this point. "She actually ended up giving me Blackwell when he was a Pawniard."
"Oh my Mew, was he the offspring of her Bisharp?" Mai's Bisharp was legendary; she never missed a target.
"Yup. But anyway, she was able to kick both me and Riktor into shape. I had to leave him with her for a few months though. To repay the favor, I gave her his eldest offspring when he met a wild Tyranitar during mating season."
Honestly, that did make Ash feel better. He still felt a little like he was failing Nettle, but it wasn't as all encompassing as it was before. "Thanks, Grimsley. It'll take a while to be okay with this, but you did help." It had been hard, initially, to be so open with the psychologist. But after all this time, it was easier.
Their relationship had shifted from professional patient-therapist to Ash just wanting life advice from his 'older brother'.
It was nice.
Ash still kept many things close to his chest, deep feelings one of them, but Grimsley was the exception. Serena and Plumeria had managed to wriggle their way past his walls as well, but not to the same extent.
"I'm glad you called, Red." They bid each other goodbye, even though Ash could see Grimsley was still concerned. He did feel better though, if only a little.
Almost tossing the dex on the bed, he saw he had an unread message, and upon seeing it was from Aiko, he grimaced. He'd completely forgotten. Fortunately, it wasn't too late, so he quickly responded to her request to get dinner with an affirmative.
Changing into a pair of black jeans and his black and violet sweater, he tucked his dex into his pocket. Clipping on his belt and heading out his door, Ash had a thought and turned towards the front desk. It was a different nurse this time, thankfully.
"Is there a Pokémon spa or anything around?"
The nurse beamed and nodded, her dangly hair clips jingling lightly. "Yes! Circhester is known for our Hero's Baths all over the city. One in particular is specifically for Pokémon. A few other spa options are also available. It's right next to the stadium."
"Great, thank you." Ash sent a quick text to Aiko letting her know he was taking a short detour. It was a 20 minute walk to the spa, called Smoochum Spa. He cringed lightly at the name but he understood the Ice theme.
"Welcome to Smoochum Spa! What can we do for you today?" The woman at the desk had the longest nails and eyelashes Ash had ever seen.
"I was looking to drop off 11 Pokémon for a few hours."
The woman - her name tag read Loretta - looked shocked. "Sir, that'd be exceedingly expensive."
Ash kept his face blank and stared at the woman. Did she think he was stupid? Obviously it would be. Though it was nice of her to give him a heads up, he supposed.
"Yes I'm aware. Many of my teammates are rather irritable, so I think a hot spring soak would do them some good." He paused to peruse their list of services. "My Ninetales and Krokorok won't like the hot spring, so if Ninetales could get cryo-treatment instead and Krokorok the sun bed, that'd be great. I'd also like to get them all professionally groomed. I recommend extreme caution."
Loretta looked sufficiently concerned at this point but knew the company would be making a huge profit from this so she didn't argue. She instead pushed a clipboard and some papers towards him. "If you could write down the Pokémon you're leaving with us, their names, and the services you'd like for them, it would be appreciated. We'll have you pay half now and half when you pick your Pokémon up."
Ash nodded and pulled the clipboard towards him. He made sure to make notes next to his more… ill-tempered Pokémon. From past experience he knew Artemis and Polaris enjoyed heated pools, so it wouldn't be an issue. Ladon would love this.
This was a pretty high-end place, so Ash wasn't surprised that the total was $6,600. An hour hot spring soak was $100 per Pokémon and the grooming was another $100-$500 depending on size of Pokémon. It was steep, but Ash could afford it. And, more importantly, his team deserved it.
Ash handed over his Pokédex so she could charge $3,300 to his account. He was just about to hand over his Pokéballs when he remembered something. He held up a finger and released Artemis. The canine looked around with curiosity but boofed at Ash happily.
Kneeling, Ash scratched her muzzle. "Hi sweetheart, you're going to get pampered for a few hours, okay? Make sure you tell everyone to behave or else everyone will have to deal with bland, hyper nutritious pellets for dinner for a week." Artemis's ears flattened against her skull and she dipped her head with a whine. "That's only if they don't behave. Make sure to pass the message along."
Ash gave his Houndoom one more scratch before returning her. Loretta looked a little less worried after she witnessed the interaction. She carefully took the tray of Pokéballs and promised him they'd take good care of his teammates.
Ash jogged to the restaurant, already a few minutes late. The address led him to a tiny ramen place that smelled heavenly. He brushed snow off his hair as he walked in and heard an elated cry of "Ash!"
Aiko was seated towards the back facing the door. She was now standing and waving wildly at him. He was somewhat taken aback at how different she looked. Back in Alola, she had long hair dyed silver, but now it was black with pink tips in a choppy bob that brushed her shoulders.
"Wow, you look like a different person." They fist-bumped and sat down, Aiko pushing a small glass of sake towards him with a smirk.
"I could say the same about you! Long hair, piercings, and you're taller! We all really rubbed off on you didn't we." She said with a theatrical flick of her finger 'wiping' away a tear.
"Don't give the Skulls so much credit, the piercings were from Spikemuth, though Plume did lead the charge."
Aiko lit up and leaned forward. "I went there with a few university friends one weekend, it was wild! Those concerts were crazy, I barely remembered anything the next morning." Ash rolled his eyes.
Their server came over and they placed their orders, Ash also requesting water and glaring when Aiko yawned dramatically at his choice.
"Anyway, how's school going?"
"Oh my Tapu, it's wonderful! I was worried I'd be an outcast, since I was in a gang and from Alola, but the university is so diverse! One of my friends, Luis, was even in juvie for a few months for petty theft."
"What did he steal?"
"Two smoothie machines!" Ash chuckled at that. "But he's chill now, he's studying coding and cyber security. My other three friends are Sam Manson from Hearthome City, she's an eco-goth - don't ask me what that means. Francesca Foster is a Pokémon foster - ironic right? - from Aspertia City, and Mandy Grim is a weird chick from Floccesy Town. We also just met the former Gym Leader of Lumiose, Clemont. He cared more for mechanical engineering than intense battling."
"...You've got some interesting friends."
"I know, it's great!" Their food arrived and they were silent for a few minutes as they ate before Aiko spoke up again. "So, how has your team expanded since I last saw you? When we stormed Aether your Zoroark evolved, and you had your Hydreigon, Morgrem, Togetic, Eevee, Hakamo-o, and the little UB right?"
Ash wiped his mouth and nodded. "Yeah, Since then I've caught a Houndour, Krokorok, Froakie, Alolan Ninetales, and an Applin. Togetic, Eevee, Houndour, Froakie, and Applin have evolved since then." He left out anything to do with Nettle. He's talked about the beast so much today he didn't want to bring it back up.
"Wow! I can't believe you got a Shiny Stone! I don't think I've heard of Applin's evolutions yet."
"Flapple and Appletun are the well-known ones. It's actually a funny story…" Ash proceeded to tell her about his accidental mix up with the apples. Aiko was almost falling out of her seat from laughter by the time he showed her the difference between the two.
"I lo- ha ha, I love Appletun!" She was giggling like crazy and also almost crying because she thought the apple pie Pokémon was so cute.
"Mew, you're like Serena when she found a Snom." That just sent off another round of waterworks because Aiko also loved Snom so much. Ash waited patiently for his friend to recover and wipe her eyes.
"So who's Serena?"
"She's a childhood friend of mine-"
"I thought you didn't have friends." Ash narrowed his eyes and Aiko smiled Mareepishly at her blunt delivery.
"She moved to Kalos a few months after we became friends. She was performing in a showcase I got free tickets to. We reconnected and traveled together for a few weeks." Reaching into his pocket, Ash withdrew his Pokédex and brought up the picture he had of them from their double battle.
"Aww, Ash, you two are adorable! You look so dapper. She's really pretty, good job."
"We're just friends. Neither of us really want a relationship."
"Hey, friendship is just as important, maybe more." Ash rolled his eyes good-naturedly and pocketed his dex.
"Have you caught any new Pokémon?" Aiko looked unimpressed by his subject change but Ash didn't care. He wasn't trying to be subtle.
"You know I only catch Pokémon as pets, right?" Ash shrugged. He knew she had a Stufful and Pyukumuku back in Alola. "I did catch a Galarian Zigzagoon. She's hilarious."
"I just realized I forgot to ask, what are you studying?"
"Biochemical engineering."
"Oh shit, nice."
By the time they left, Ash was feeling better. He was invited to hang out with her friends, but Ash declined. It was great to see her and be distracted from his inner turmoil, but he didn't think he'd be great company much longer. He was reaching the end of his social tether.
They promised to keep in touch, before Ash turned and started walking towards the spa. He was feeling pretty relaxed, and it made him realize he enjoyed social interaction, at least to a certain extent. It should have been obvious with all the new friends he's made on his journey, but he just now realized it.
It was… it was good.
"Welcome back!" Ash had to bite his lip to hide his smile when he saw Loretta. She was missing a couple of her acrylic nails and he was pretty sure she didn't realize one of her earrings was missing. "Here you are, please scan your dex." If he didn't know better, he'd say she was grateful to shove the tray of Pokéballs at him.
Ash raised an eyebrow but scanned his Pokédex to pay the final $3,300. He clipped his team back on his belt and saw Loretta visibly relax. "So, how'd they behave?"
"Oh!" Her voice squeaked and she cleared her throat and tried again. "A few hiccups, but nothing we couldn't handle."
Nodding slowly, Ash bid the woman goodbye and left the building. He couldn't help but chuckle under his breath once he was a safe distance away. He'd have to leave a good review after that.
The Pokémon center was quiet when he got back. He headed straight into his room and changed back into his sweats from earlier. A meal had been included in the grooming package he purchased so he didn't have to worry about feeding his team dinner.
Brushing his teeth and putting medicine on his still healing piercings, Ash fell into bed, exhaling in a whoosh, and fell asleep soon after.
Handing back his card key, Ash tightened the straps of his pack and headed for the sliding doors. He was halfway there when a familiar face appeared.
"Hop?"
"Ash! Hi!" The excitable younger teen was beaming as he jogged up to Ash. "Good to see you! Thanks to you, I got the badge against Bede! Marnie is still away from her gym, so I'll have to wait to battle her. It was still bloody difficult, but we managed!"
Ash smiled a little. "Good job. What were the matchups?" He guided Hop over to the side so they weren't blocking anyone's way.
"It was a three-on-three, he used a Mawile, Aromatisse, and Gardevoir. Joule tied with his Mawile, she evolved by the way! Alloy defeated Aromatisse but was immediately taken down by Gardevoir. Flint also evolved and went toe-to-toe with Gardevoir and took her down! It was incredible! I know Bede's not a Master yet, but he'll get there soon enough under Opal's tutelage." Hop's Corvisquire and now-Cinderace had always been his primary fighters.
That answered his next question about Bede's Mastery status. "Congrats, Hop, seriously. How many more badges do you need?"
Hop crossed one foot over the other and put his hands behind his head as he looked up. "I still need three. Over halfway there!" The optimism was in full force today.
Ash tilted his head. "Aren't there 10 leaders?"
Hop tilted his head before a lightbulb went off. "Oh! Well, yeah, but it was done to spread out the demand of battles, as well as increase the number of people who can compete in the League. I don't know how much you studied up on Galar, but any trainer who wants to compete in the Champion Cup needs a recommendation from someone high up. The Regional Professor, Gym Leaders, the Champion, or even Chairman Rose or his vice president Oleana."
"Is there a limit to how many recommendations they can give?"
"Oh totally, I think they're limited to five. I got my recommendation from Leon, of course, and so did my two friends Victor and Gloria. I don't think he sponsored anyone else."
"Chairman Rose is a big deal, right?"
The younger teen looked shocked for a moment. "Blimey, how do you not know Chairman Rose? He's the president of Macro Cosmos, the biggest corporation in Galar. He's also Chairman of the Galar Pokémon League. He's the one who sponsored Leon!"
Now it was Ash's turn to look surprised. "Macro Cosmos?" After Aether, he's a little wary of 'large and successful' companies. Maybe he should be concerned about Silph Co and Devon Corp...
"Macro Cosmos is the energy company of Galar. They managed to utilize Galar Particles for our entire power grid! Wyndon was built by Macro Cosmos, it's where the Champion Cup happens. I'm pretty sure Chairman Rose also set up the train that travels from Wedgehurst to Wyndon.
"Anyway, were you just leaving?" Hop looked disappointed when Ash nodded. "Oh, can we chat for a few more minutes?"
His earnest yellow eyes were beseeching and Ash couldn't help but think Hop was lonely. He was actually surprised that someone as outgoing as Hop was traveling alone. Pursing his lips, Ash shrugged. Why not?
Hop beamed and held up a finger. "Let me drop off my team first, getting here was rough." Ash nodded and leaned against the wall while Hop dropped off his team. When he returned, Hop waved at Ash to follow him. "Let's go to the Hero's Baths, I came here with Sonia a while back and it's nice and warm there."
Ash nodded and followed. "So, have you caught any more Pokémon since the Wild Area?"
"Yeah! I caught a Snover and a Cramorant since I saw you. They're named Crystal and Scuttle! I think Crystal is close to evolving. She's going to be a real powerhouse."
"That's great, Hop."
"Thanks! What about you?"
Ash sighed but smiled. "I evolved my Applin."
"Cool! I know you were looking to get a Flapple. How is it?"
"Uh, my Appletun is great."
Hop snapped his head around to look at Ash with wide eyes right before he started cracking up. He tried to speak, but a new round of chuckles interrupted him each time. Ash just rolled his eyes and endured it. He knew it was funny. Flapple looked like a battler. Appletun did not.
"How did that even happen?!"
"Got attacked by a Dynamax Steelix and picked up the wrong fuc- uh, freaking apple." Hop seemed too innocent to taint with swear words.
"Mate, you're like a trouble magnet."
Groaning, Ash said, "Tell me about it." The two made it to the covered hot spring, the steam immediately sticking to their clothes and chasing the chill away. The area was rather grandeur, with thick pillars and carvings in the far wall. There were a few people gathered around, some soaking their feet, others fully in the baths.
He hoped they at least had swim suits on.
Knowing Ladon would enjoy the heat, Ash released the large Appletun. He yawned upon materializing, rumbling lowly at the warmth and settling down on his stomach. Ash and Hop took off their shoes and socks to put their feet in the water. Ladon shifted his head onto Ash's legs, eliciting a fond smile from him.
"Blimey Ash, he's huge. Have you battled with him yet?"
Ash grin turned wicked. "Oh yeah. He defeated Marnie's Thievul. Took a full powered Hyper Beam and got back up. We've got some work to do, but he's a tank." Ash scratched the Dragon's chin and got another deep rumble in response.
"Oh yeah, I did see that! You were all over the Battle Network. Marnie's Grimmsnarl is rarely defeated, your Togekiss is something else. Ooh tell me about your favorite battles!"
Man, this poor kid really needed some company.
"Well, I'd say my most difficult was against Champion Diantha."
"YOU BATTLED DIANTHA?!" The hot spring went quiet at Hop's exclamation. The teen blushed and rubbed the back of his head with a bashful expression and waved at the people staring. A pair of old women chuckled before everyone went back to what they were doing.
Hop elbowed Ash, who was chuckling under his breath. "Stoooop. How do you expect me to stay calm after learning that? How'd you get a battle with her?"
"She actually challenged me. Apparently she was shooting to be a Chaos Trainer but couldn't handle Darks. She wanted to see what was different between us and was a bit stuck up about it. It was a full six-on-six and it was exhausting. She used a few lower leveled Pokémon at first. Polaris was taken out by her Vibrava. Nettle actually managed to defeat her Floette." Ash smiled sadly at the memory. The little beast had been so excited.
"Let's see, I forfeited Bane against her Whimsicott after he got caught in a spore mixture. Artemis tied with her Sliggoo by using Destiny Bond, that was awesome but she had a broken leg by the end. Libra was demolished by her Tyrantrum. She had to grow back a majority of her scales. Then it was Styx against her Altaria, who could Mega Evolve." Hop gasped and leaned forward. "She put up a fight, but naturally she didn't win, the Fae energy almost put her in a catatonic state, but that Altaria was definitely feeling that battle the next day."
"Wow…" Hop breathed, eyes wide. "That's the coolest thing. I want to see you battle Leon."
Ash nodded. "I'd love the chance one day, but he seems pretty busy."
"Definitely. What's your second favorite battle?"
Grinning, he said, "My two-on-two battle against Opelucid Leader Iris."
Hop jerked, almost slipping into the water. He smacked Ash on the shoulder. "No way! You battled Iris? She's my cousin!"
Ash blinked. "What?"
"Yeah! Well, kinda," Hop was grinning widely. "our dads are cousins! Not many people have this hair color!"
Ash shrugged. "You're not wrong. That's awesome though. Libra just barely defeated her Druddigon and Styx almost took down her Haxorus."
Hop's mouth formed a little 'o'. "Blimey, that's crazy! If you get the chance, battle her Duraludon. Leon sent her to Iris a few years ago and we want a first hand account of how she's raising her."
"I mean, if I get the chance I will, but I don't know if I'll see her again any time soon."
Hop waved a hand. "No big deal. Leon and I really should visit her, it's been a long time."
Ash was pretty sure Hop was reminiscing at this point, so he let his gaze wander from Ladon to the carvings on the wall. They were weathered and worn and it was hard to make out any shapes. There was a carving of what looked like two Mightyena.
Pulling out his dex to check the time, Ash frowned. He really had to get going. Nudging Hop, he pulled the younger teen out of his reverie. "Hey, I need to get moving." The sadness springing to life in Hop's eyes made Ash uncomfortable. "We can try to meet up in Hammerlocke when you go there for your badge if I'm still in Galar."
His statement chased some of the melancholy from Hop's expression, a grin replacing it. "Sounds good!" The two shared a fist bump before Ash returned Ladon and headed out. Time for Stow-on-Side.
Tilting his head back, Ash basked in the warm sunlight. March had finally arrived, and with it nicer weather. Stretching his arms overhead, Ash squinted his eyes at the hazy edges of Stow-on-Side.
The town - city? - blended in with the sunbaked clay and sedimentary sandstone that made up Route 6. Ash himself stood atop one of the highest rock formations, the ladder behind him discolored by time but it had been unyielding beneath his weight.
Ash had flown over Route 8 and 7 and stopped for the night in Hammerlocke, cutting the travel time down significantly. Walking the four days between Hammerlocke and Stow-on-Side had been fun; Ash often forgoing the numerous ladders to apply the rock climbing tips Steph had shared in the Wild Area.
Route 6 was odd, its rock formations shaped in layers and drops that required ladders or rock climbing equipment to cross its entirety. Skorupi, Helioptile, Durant, and Trapinch scurried up the sheer rock faces without issue, the species found in abundance. Hawlucha could be seen jumping and twisting and gliding between pillars while Torkoal and Heatmor added to the shimmering heat wafting off the stone. The larger, more dangerous wild Pokémon were at the very deepest parts of the route, covered by the shadows created by the towering buttes and spires.
There had been one hulking Hippowdon that was a perfect opponent for Ladon. Both were tanks in their own right, and it was a long battle. Ash's voice had been hoarse by the end of it, the single match going on for at least 45 minutes.
The poor Dragon slept for 16 hours after he won.
Though it did give Bane the opportunity to study a Hippowdon a bit closer.
On their third night on Route 6, Ash had a brief moment of weakness. He had been tempted to catch a Skorupi, especially after seeing Roxie's Drapion. But he refused to betray Nettle like that. He had a Poison type and he only needed one Poison type.
He had to believe his teammate would come back to him. Hope was hard, but he held on with both hands.
The four days on the road were needed, giving Ash the chance to come to terms with Nettle's absence. He knew this was what was best for his Pokémon, and Ash would always put his team first.
Their wellbeing was his priority.
His own wellbeing was a work in progress, but improving steadily. The permanent chill that had seemed to settle in his bones had finally been overcome by the toasty sunlight, he was sleeping better, and his team was more affectionate than ever, specifically Polaris, Artemis, and Mirae in an attempt to cheer him up. Ash had gotten even better at ignoring Yveltal's 'gift' and the Cuff attached to his arm. He could almost pretend he was normal.
But what really did the trick was diving back into training. They kicked it up a notch, having not had a solid session since before Spikemuth.
And he had to make good on his promise in Smoochum Spa. They had 100% misbehaved.
So they trained hard, two and a half hours a day, and then got bland food for dinner.
For one night.
Ash was a sap for Artemis's big, begging eyes.
One thing that stood out to Ash over the four days was that the gap between Libra and Styx and everyone else was slowly but surely narrowing. Sure, it was still a gap, but his team was getting strong. Very strong.
Orion, Ladon, and Polaris were catching up with the rest, their strength and conditioning fundamentals approaching a point where Ash felt comfortable diversifying their training more. Polaris especially was pushing himself to the limit, successfully firing off a Hydro Cannon a majority of the time and wasn't passing out after. He was also losing more and more of his frubbles, signifying his approach towards evolution.
Ladon was pushing himself when Ash could motivate him enough. He was close to mastering Synthesis, Gyro Ball, and Sunny Day and was steadily learning Iron Defense, Protect, and Solar Beam. It was definitely a heavy load for the Grass and Dragon type, but as long as they worked at a steady pace the Appletun was making good progress.
Steady and slow wins the race when it came to Ladon, and Ash had to laugh every time he looked at the Dragon's Quick ball. The irony was hilarious.
Orion's foundational training was plateauing enough for him to start working on improving his cold output and 'cloaking'. He'd be doing something similar to Artemis with manipulating body temperature.
Everyone else was improving. He had the data as proof. Every eight weeks, Ash would put his team through a set of four tests and compare it to previous attempts. It was a big part of training that Ash pushed competition against oneself. His teammates could compare themselves to each other but that wouldn't cultivate intrinsic motivation.
But they could compete against their past selves.
His earliest big purchase was timer gates. He used them for the agility and speed tests. The agility trial tested change of direction, acceleration, deceleration, and overall control. The speed test was obviously timing how quickly one could cross a specific distance. Ash typically went with 50 meters because that was the standard battlefield length.
The other two physical tests he did were vertical jump and timed 5k. He didn't have the equipment for more robust strength tests, but he felt the four he did were enough.
Energy level and stamina were tested every month, like how long they could hold an attack or how quickly an attack could be charged.
Fun stuff.
As of right now, Sagitta was the fastest by a long shot, her training specifically focusing on speed and acceleration. Ladon technically had the best stamina, but it was hard to tell. He didn't have the fastest 5k time, but he was hardly ever breathing heavily when he finished. When they had the time, Ash was going to see how long the Dragon could keep going.
Fastest 5k time was actually Mirae, much to his surprise. The Mytheon had never truly regained the speed he had as an Eevee, but he'd gained massive amounts of endurance. Polaris had the best vertical jump in relation to height, and Bane was the most agile.
When it came to strength, Styx was just barely holding off Libra, the Totem Hakamo-o already having incredible physical power.
One thing was certain, though. Everyone has improved compared to two months ago.
When he was in the thick of testing, he couldn't help but want to compare Nettle's times before and after evolution. It aches when he remembers he can't. Not yet.
One day.
But at the moment, his entire team was scattered around doing their own thing. They had made it to the major mesa on which Stow-on-Side was situated, though they still had about an hour's walk ahead of them. Lunch had already been distributed; tropical curry for his herbivores, bone and bean curry for his omnivores, and smoked Barraskewda fillet curry for his carnivores.
Ash was leaning against the absolutely colossal Dugtrio statue that marked the transition of Route 6 into Stow-on-Side. Chewing his lip, he stared down at the Pokédex in his lap, a contact pulled up that had him hesitating.
One last look around his team showed them distracted, so he finally bit the bullet, electing for a voice call rather than video. Swallowing thickly, he listened as it rang and rang and rang.
"Mr. Ketchum, I must admit I was not expecting a call from you to grace my day."
Ash cleared his throat, "Hello, Champion Cynthia."
He heard what could be considered a fond sigh before her calm, even voice spoke through the small speakers. "Cynthia is more than acceptable. Now, I assume this is not a friendly chat, so to what do I owe the privilege of your correspondence?"
That was the thing about Cynthia. Ash had noticed it back at the Vertress Conference that she was so calm, so collected, that it was almost impossible to tell if she was ever joking or teasing.
"I-" Ash tapped his thigh with his free hand, frowning as he second-guessed himself. Shaking his head, he forged ahead. "You have experience training a one-of-a-kind Pokémon, a species no one else has ever handled. How did you do it? What… what can I do?"
Ash would always put his Pokémon before his pride.
"Hmm." Cynthia hummed and Ash could not pick out a single emotion from it. "Spirit isn't one-of-a-kind." Ash blinked but Cynthia continued before he could question it. "However, no one has ever trained a Spiritomb, so I guess I'm being pedantic." The Champion laughed at herself. "I believe I can assume this is about your Naganadel, yes? Or even your Hydreigon or Mytheon, but the timing is too awry."
Styx and Mirae had always been manageable… obviously not counting those first handful of months where training Styx was a nightmare. He had Oak and Bill to assist with the biological aspects, and Ash himself had a strong grasp on his affinities. But Nettle… Burnet's research was trying to keep up, but there was only so much she could uncover.
Naganadel was other.
Much like Cynthia's Spiritomb.
Spirit the Spiritomb was infamous ever since Cynthia unveiled it in her match against Steven's Metagross in the Master's Eight. It was the first time Steven had been knocked out of the Top 3. It was a complete unknown, but Professor Rowan had gotten the Pokémon quietly cleared with the League months prior.
No one knew when she caught it. She could have been working with it for years for all Ash knew.
That's what worried him.
Cynthia had paused and Ash cleared his throat before responding. "Yes, Nettle." Ash didn't feel the need to go into too much detail about it all. He just wanted to know if Cynthia had any advice.
"I'm unsure how much functional transferable application there is between Spiritomb and Naganadel. What you need to understand is that Spiritomb are emotion. They are emotion bound to physical form and this influences how they are handled. Unfortunately, negative emotions are the most binding and leave long-lasting imprints. You'll find Pokémon bound to objects typically arise from such emotion. Galarian Yamask with vengeance, Unovan Yamask with sadness, Mimikyu with loneliness, and others of course.
"Spirit was created from regret. Training them meant dealing with overwhelming regret at every moment. There would be days where all I did was sit and think and regret past decisions."
Cynthia paused for a moment, almost like she was taking a moment to gather her thoughts. While Ash appreciated the short lesson, he wanted to get back to the matter at hand.
"When training a unique Pokémon, it isn't their biomechanics or their typing or their power that needs focus. Like all Pokémon, what's important is their soul. Their motivations and their values. What is at their core? When you know the soul of your Pokémon, every other aspect of training falls in line.
"Spirit might have been born of regret, but through knowing them, regret became a motivator. Their many, many souls melded because of regret, so I forged myself into satisfaction and contentment so that they could know it. I chased my dreams, my goals, my desires so that regret could have no hold on me. I learned who I was, and lived my life true to myself so that Spirit would know what a life like that could look like through me.
"You need to ask yourself who is Nettle, who are you, and how will your soul touch theirs in a way that makes both of you better?"
Her words seemed to echo from the Pokédex in his hands as it all fell silent. Ash closed his eyes and inhaled through his nose, slowly, and released it in one long exhale.
Cynthia had a way of both simplifying and complicating a single concept. When he asked about training a unique Pokémon, he didn't expect something so… spiritual. Not from someone as grounded and rooted as Champion and Species Master Cynthia Shirona. Something as nebulous as the soul couldn't really be the core of his difficulties with Nettle, right?
When the woman spoke next, Ash could hear the amusement in her voice. "Teenagers never want to hear they have to look inward instead of outward. Action is so much more appealing than introspection. But if you want deathless results, inward is where you will find them. Reaching out to me already shows me a great deal about you, Ash Ketchum. Nettle's soul is in good hands."
"Thank you." Cynthia did not comment on his whisper, instead humming and bidding him goodbye. It felt rather abrupt, but she had left him with much to think about.
He felt like Cynthia gave him the 'levelled up' version of her other advice. 'A trainer's job is to help their Pokémon achieve their own goals. The hope is you'll reach yours along the way.'
This was almost the other side of the coin. By knowing himself and his Pokémon and acting in alignment with that knowledge, he'll live in a way without regrets.
Ash had to admit, it sounded like an unreachable dream.
But even on the off chance it'll help Nettle feel safe with him again, he'd look. He'd scour his soul until every shadow and every jagged edge was known to him.
Shaking his head and rubbing his face, Ash shut his Pokédex and stood, stretching and looking over his team once more. What was at the core of each of them? What did their souls cradle close?
What lay deeper than Styx's aggression and superiority and protectiveness? What did Hemlock's mischief hide? From where did Orion's brutality stem? Did Artemis's naive sweetness conceal something more?
Catching sight of the Houndoom, he wasn't surprised to see her wrestling and tussling with two- wait, two?
Ash blinked at the sight of two green, glitching canines playing with the Houndoom. Both emerald Pokémon were trying to pin Artemis, the Fire and Dark type grinning toothily as she fought back.
Huh, guess there were more than he thought. Once in a while as they traveled the jade and black Pokémon coaxed Artemis, and sometimes Mirae, into a simple game of tag or an easy spar. Ash couldn't tell if it was the same one from Kalos or if there were just more of this unknown Pokémon than he thought.
There had never been two before. Maybe a mated pair?
Ash watched for a long while, unable to stop himself from smiling at Artemis's joy.
Seeing Artemis lightheartedly chasing the other two canines around the camp, he couldn't help but think Artemis was exactly what she showed to the world; sweet and good and passionate.
So, this was definitely more of a filler/transitional chapter; lots of conversations, lots of sad-boy-Ash but he's coming out of his funk! Some questions were answered about Nettle.
In the anime, characters would either temporarily or permanently release/leave their Pokémon because it was what's best for that Pokémon. Ash's Butterfree, Charizard, Pidgeot, etc. Misty's Togetic, Dawns's Ambipom, and so on.
Nettle needs time, but it's not forever.