Veronica’s house really wasn’t anything special, other than a Delcatty that was lounging on the porch. It was a quaint single-story house with light blue siding, close to the road that would take travelers into the famed Viridian Forest.
Amelia rushed up the stairs and knocked on the door. If Delcatty cared it didn’t show, and after a minute or so a woman in her early twenties answered, smiling at the kids.
“Hey there Mel, took you long enough. I thought you were gonna beat my record to Viridian?”
Amelia just frowned. “Well we would’ve, but we decided to fight all the trainers we saw, then we got attacked by a flock of Spearow.”
Veronica just laughed. She was honestly quite pretty, with Amelia’s brown hair and semi-angular features, slightly curvy and in really good shape. Ushering everyone inside, smiling at Ash and Dakota.
He took a moment to admire the quaint little living room/dining room, decorated with all sorts of memorabilia from her adventures. She had her top 16th ribbon from the Indigo Conference the prior year, several paintings, and a couple of beds for her Pokémon.
There was even a Taillow on a perch in one corner, Ash stared at the fierce yet proud bird. Who seemed to take it as a challenge, staring right back. Veronica broke up their impromptu staring contest moments later, her voice grabbing everyone’s attention.
“So, how long are you guys staying here? I want to visit Sinnoh for a bit and see if I can find a Gible. It will be a real surprise at the conference.”
Amelia spoke up.
“Not too long, we were hoping you would be fine with letting us stay here a couple days as we trained our Pokémon for Pewters Gym before going through the Viridian Forest.”
Veronica nodded at that.
“Yeah that’s fine, let me fix dinner for you three. I know how hungry I was for real food after days on the road. Then we can talk about your strategies so you can get started on the right things tomorrow. As you know the season starts in a few days, so many new trainers are already in the area for Pewter.”
Ash’s stomach rumbled at the thought of some real food and not the dehydrated trainer meals they ate on the road. While Dakota & Amelia caught up with Veronica, Ash made his way to the couch and turned on the news station. Seeing what they had missed while out in the wilds of Route 1 the past couple of days.
And officer Jenny is warning trainers to be aware of the Terrorist organization known as Team Rocket. They were last spotted fleeing into Mount Moon after stealing several Pokémon from the Cerulean City Pokémon Center, killing one person and injuring a dozen more in the resulting explosion as they escaped.
In other news, the last flock of Taillow seems to have left the Viridian Forest yesterday on their migration back to Hoenn. Sorry to any trainers who missed their opportunity but there is always next year.
Thank you Viridian for tuning into your most trusted News Network.
“A Taillow would’ve been an interesting catch, definitely a surprise at the conference. Swellow are some of the fastest Flying-types. Few Pokémon can actually match their speed.”
Ash looked up at Veronica as she stroked her Taillow that perched itself on her shoulder. Causing Ash to absentmindedly thumb the metallic Pokéball on his belt that held Eevee in it, he wondered if Veronica would mind if he released her. He already missed his starter's company.
“I actually caught this guy earlier this year, and I hope to use him in the conference.”
Taillow chirped and rubbed its head into Veronica's hand and Ash was slightly jealous that he missed his opportunity for one of the native Hoenn birds.
“Come on Ash, why don’t you join Dakota and Amelia. I'm interested in your plans for tomorrow. It's boring making dinner without conversation.”
Ash got up following Veronica to the kitchen as she made some type of meal that sounded absolutely delicious. Then again, anything that wasn’t dehydrated trainer meals sounded phenomenal at the moment.
“So Ash, what's your plan for beating Brock?”
The rookie couldn’t help the smirk that appeared on his face. He was ready for that question; it was well known that Brock used a Geodude and Onix against zero badge holders at the gym. That type of matchup really didn’t suit Eevee well, as she would have a hard time doing any real damage to the Rock-type Pokémon, but Ash had an idea that should work.
Dakota had an issue as Rock-types resisted flames easily, the only real threat was the heat from being inside the rock carapace in Geodudes' case. But Charmanders weren’t capable of providing that type of firepower this early in their life. However, when Ash informed him that they could learn Metal Claw; it became his strategy.
Amelia had it easy, Bulbasaur’s vines and powders made it easily able to cut through the Rock-type’s hard exterior, and even one sniff of the Pokémons potent Sleep Powder and the fight would be over.
“Well, I read that Eevee are able to learn Dig. So I was thinking that combined with Double Kick would allow me to beat Geodude and then my plan for the Onix is to have Eevee create a bunch of sinkholes as a trap.”
Veronica actually seemed impressed with his strategy, and so did Dakota and Amelia. It was great in theory, its flaws were numerous though, hinging on Brock using the two Pokémon he was known for. Not to mention that Eevee would have to take zero damage as the delicate tunnel network she would have to create would be tiresome.
“Well I’m impressed, I’m sure you will go far Ash. You two as well” she added, looking at Dakota and Amelia.
“With you three sticking together and pushing each other I am sure you will manage to become great trainers and make it far in the conference this year.”
The rookie trainers all grinned at the praise before scarfing down the delicious meal Veronica made. Well, it was delicious to them seeing as they hadn't had a hot meal from their days on the road. Everyone was too busy eating to talk, which Ash thought was just fine.
The Taurous meat was incredibly tender, and the cooked berries surrounding the dish and vegetables complimented it all very well in his opinion.
After finishing his second plate he excused himself for bed, and after taking a wondrous hot shower, made his way to the guest room. He sat his bag with the egg down next to a heating vent before he released Eevee, as he flopped onto the bed, absolutely exhausted.
Once Eevee had jumped up and curled up next to him, Ash drifted off to sleep, ready to start training for the Pewter Gym in the morning.
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The cool crisp air bit at Ash’s exposed skin. He tried to pull his jacket tighter to no avail. He supposed it was the last vestiges of Winter trying to take their hold as Spring came to an end while Summer began, and with it, the start of a new Conference Season.
For some reason, he thought getting up at the crack of dawn was a good idea. Needless to say, he hated that idea now, and it was clear Eevee was in a similar mindset. It made him smile though that his Pokémon was already willing to follow him no matter what.
After another half-hour of walking Ash found a clearing with no grass and a few holes dug up around it, most likely from the Pidgey on the hunt for food earlier in the morning. Deciding that this was as good a spot as any, he pulled out his Pokédex and reread the entry on Dig.
It was a fairly complex move despite its name. Dig was about the Pokémon using their energy to manipulate the ground around them rather than to just dig with tools or appendages. How exactly the Pokémon did that, Ash had no idea, but he was determined to figure it out.
Taking a second to set his Bag with the egg inside along with a few other supplies like lunch next to a tree so it was safe. He then turned to look at his friend who despite the early hour had a determined look on her face. Causing Ash to grin, Eevee was ready to improve, and he couldn’t be happier.
“Alright Eevee, first I want you to go through one of these holes and see if you can feel the ground around you, and then use your power to push it out of the way.”
Eevee nodded before taking off to one of the holes and jumping down it. Ash rushed over to see if any progress was made, pumping his fists in excitement as there was no sign of Eevee in the hole, which curved showing it wasn’t something made by a Pidgey looking for food.
That excitement was short-lived however at the sound of Eevee’s yelp twenty feet away. Ash sprinted over to where he heard her cry, sighing in relief as she appeared from the earth dirty, but otherwise fine.
It didn’t seem like anything to worry about until the earth shifted around his starter and she had to jump beside him. Leaving Ash to just stare at the Pokémon that emerged from Eevee’s tunnel in confusion.
It was orange and looked like a turtle except its head was way larger than its body. It snapped at him and Eevee, causing Ash to jump back in surprise. Spurring him into action a second later. Ash had read extensively about the Pokémon native to the Kanto/Johto region, and this was not one of them.
“Eevee! Get some distance from it before using Quick Attack and follow it up with Double Kick. Be careful around its mouth, it looks strong!”
Eevee rushed into action while Ash fumbled for his Pokédex, excited at the prospect of catching such a rare Pokémon that no one in Kanto or Johto had seen. As Eevee began the combo, Ash scanned the Pokémon.
Trapinch, the Ant Pit Pokémon, is an insect Pokémon that thrives in the arid deserts of Hoenn where this Pokémon was originally discovered. Its jaws are powerful enough to crush boulders, it hunts by making vast pits trapping any prey that falls in its clutches.
This Trapinch knows Bite, Bulldoze, Bug Bite, Dig, Rock Slide, and Sandstorm.
Ash stared at the Pokémon in wonder, ‘What was it doing all the way in Kanto?’
Only to quickly disregard the thought, focusing back on the battle as Trapinch took the Double Kick to the side of its face. Knocking it over and onto its back, immobilized.
Eevee trotted back to her trainer with a pleased look on her face, and Ash smiled, now was his chance. Twisting the bill of his hat to the back so he could see better, he threw his Pokéball!
Only for it to bounce off the Pokémon without trying to capture it, Ash stared at the Pokéball in confusion; everything he learned had said that a Pokéball would at least attempt to catch any wild Pokémon.
The panting of another human drew Ash’s attention to a teenager who stumbled into the clearing, clearly out of breath. They were obviously a trainer based on the Pokéballs on his belt, looking to be about sixteen years old.
“I’m sorry about Trapinch, he keeps wandering off, but this is his favorite spo-”
The trainer stopped talking as he saw the empty Pokéball next to the knocked-over Trapinch and a satisfied-looking Eevee next to its dumbfounded trainer, confused as to what was going on.
Slowly the Trapinch’s owner pieced together a version of events and looked furious, but before it could escalate Ash jumped in, explaining what had happened.
How he had just come here to teach Eevee Dig for the Pewter Gym, when she was attacked by the Trapinch before Eevee knocked it over, ending with his attempt to capture it as he thought it was wild. The unnamed trainer visibly calmed as Ash continued his explanation of what had happened.
Once Ash finished, the trainer smiled, sticking out his hand.
“I’m glad Trapinch didn’t hurt anyone. I’m sorry for getting angry. It's just with all the Team Rocket stuff, I thought you were trying to steal him from me. There have been rumors of a device in Orre that allowed trainers to capture other people’s Pokémon.”
Ash grabbed his hand while blanching at the idea, he wanted one of the unique Pokémon, he wasn’t about to steal one. They sat in silence for a moment before the trainer spoke up again.
“By the way, my name is Andrew. My family are breeders and that’s how I got this guy. We breed varying Pokémon from different regions every year that my brother brings back from his travels.”
“That sounds interesting. What are some of the Pokémon you have?”
Andrew looked contemplative for a moment.
“Well, there is the Trapinch from the two Vibrava my brother caught, then Charmander’s, Mareep, and then Larvitar is what started it all. The Mareep provides us a steady income, but the other three help us make a nice living here considering their rarity, power, and surprise factor for trainers here in Kanto.”
“You said you were trying to teach Eevee Dig right?”
At Ash’s nod, he smiled. “Well, I‘ll help. Trapinch are basically masters of the move, though they would use it differently than an Eevee. It should still help your Pokémon get a starting point to work off of, it’s the least I could do since Trapinch could’ve killed it.”
Ash paled slightly, not realizing the danger the small turtle-like Pokémon held, but was excited to get started. He had no idea where to start with Eevee and any help was appreciated. Andrew carefully rolled Trapinch over and patted its head before standing over by Ash.
“Alright, so, the hardest part of Dig is teaching the Pokémon how to burrow quickly and efficiently. Once that’s mastered the rest is easy, as it’s just manipulating the dirt. Watch, Trapinch use Dig.”
Trapinch cocked its head towards Andrew for a second before it looked down, taking a huge bite in the ground before disappearing in a matter of seconds. Ash was shocked, especially as it burst in front of Andrew moments later. Andrew laughed and pet the Pokémon on the head before looking at him and Eevee.
“Once he was in the ground he moved and compressed the dirt forward with his power, so when he exploded from below, the force of the dirt would push the Pokémon up in the air where it would land painfully while rattling them with the force exerted onto its body.”
Ash nodded as Eevee stepped up, ready to try and Ash grinned, excited for the challenge ahead.
“Eevee, go ahead and try it out! Use Dig.”
Eevee nodded before bounding over to some untouched dirt. Ash watched in awe as Eevee’s paws glowed a light brown as she channeled her energy before taking two powerful swipes at the dirt which exploded around her before going under.
Ash smiled; he figured Eevee’s quick understanding of the move must’ve been Adaptability at work. However, his smile turned into a frown when she didn’t reappear after a minute. Jogging over to the hole Eevee created in a slight panic, only for her to drag herself out, her coat dirty and wet from exhaustion.
Ash sighed in relief, giving Eevee some water and congratulating her on an amazing first attempt. Ash laughed as he could actually feel her swelling with pride at his words. Meanwhile, he contemplated what went wrong, thankfully it seemed Andrew had the answer.
“That was a great first attempt, honestly the best I’ve ever seen.”
Ash felt Eevee’s pride grow even more at a stranger's words.
“I think the biggest issue that we can fix today is precision, Eevee wasted a lot of energy creating the tunnel. Because of that, she was out of energy before she could reach the end of said tunnel.”
Ash nodded at Andrew’s advice, giving Eevee a bit more time to rest before they tried again. He was determined to master this technique by the end of the day, that way the rest of his time could be spent building up Eevee’s endurance with the new move.
Then, while they were in the Viridian Forest, they could work on some possible combos.
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The sun was starting to set by the time Andrew and Ash called it. Both their Pokémon were exhausted and earned some well-deserved rest. Eevee had mastered Dig by about mid-day thanks to Adaptability, and the rest of the time was spent with Trapinch chasing Eevee with Dig.
While Eevee never managed to escape, it was a great endurance activity and Ash couldn’t be more proud of her, which he reminded her of, every chance he got. Because of that, the rookie trainer was sure that he now had an Eevee with an ego the size of a Wailord.
Nonetheless, he was proud of his friend. Ash was broken out of his musings by Andrew calling his name.
“Ash, it’s getting kind of late, and we never stopped for lunch. I still kind of owe you for letting Trapinch off his leash. Why don’t you come to my family’s house for dinner?”
Ash nodded, excited to meet the breeders who breed what would become such rare and powerful Pokémon. Ash had learned that Trapinch eventually evolved into Flygon, which was a powerful Ground/Dragon-type that could also fly.
In fact, he even decided that once the Indigo Conference was over, he would travel to Hoenn and catch one himself as he desperately wanted one. Besides, he was sure that Veronica and his companions wouldn’t freak out if he came in a little late.
After a short walk through a forest that was made in relatively comfortable silence. They arrived at a nice-looking two-story house with a massive backyard that had a white picket fence acting as a property marker that easily stretched for an acre or two.
Ash was sure it was just a marker because after seeing the massive Tyranitar lounging in the field next to a herd of Mareep. He knew that should that Pokémon wish to leave, few things would be able to stop it.
Taking his eyes off the Tyranitar, he saw a couple of Charizards napping in their own section of the field. A little ways from them, a handful of Vibrava were on a tree, they also seemed to be taking a nap.
Andrew’s opening of the door broke Ash out of his reverie of the majestic Pokémon. Following him inside, Andrew called out.
“Mom, Dad, I’m home and I brought a friend! He helped me train Trapinch!”
“In the kitchen dear.” Came the response of a woman Ash assumed to be Andrew’s mother.
Following Andrew to the kitchen Ash was greeted by an older woman in her mid to late 30s and an older gentleman roughly the same age. They looked up as the two young trainers entered and smiled warmly at them.
“Hello Dear, my name is Erin William, and this is Robert William. We’re Andrew's parents, and the most renowned breeders this side of Mt. Moon. What’s your name?”
“Ash Ketchum, it’s nice to meet you, Erin and Robert, Andrew invited me over for dinner. I hope that’s alright?”
“Of course it is dear! Andrew, why don’t you show Ash around while we finish preparing dinner?”
“Okay mom. Come on Ash, I'll show you the Pokémon pen!”
Ash nodded as Andrew led him out of the kitchen and into the hall where they walked outside and towards the Pokémon pen. Almost immediately they were swarmed by the Mareep Ash saw earlier.
“These are our Mareep, they love newcomers, and the Tyranitar watching us is Maddie. She was our first friend, and she has become quite protective over everything here. As long as you're around me you don’t have to worry though!”
Ash admired all the Mareep that came up to him, rubbing his hand across their soft wool, which left his hand tingling slightly as their natural electric current shocked him. Several minutes later, Maddie made her way over at Andrews' behest, wading through the herd of Mareep.
The dinosaur-like Pokémon stood over the two boys, staring Ash down the entire time. She was about average height for her species at a little over 6 '3 so Ash wasn’t much shorter than the Tyranitar, but it was still intimidating.
But with Andrew’s nods of encouragement, Ash was coaxed into rubbing the dark green scales of the Tyranitar. Sighing in relief when she didn’t just kill him on the spot for touching her.
Although when she started lumbering towards another Tyranitar that Ash hadn’t even noticed, he wisely decided not to pursue. Andrew then dragged him over to the tree where the several Virbrava were nesting.
“These are our Vibrava, they are the parents of all our Trapinch! You see, Flygon are infertile and part of the reason why the Trapinch line is so rare is because only Vibrava can lay eggs.”
Ash nodded his head. That explained why he had never seen a Flygon before, not even in the Ever-Grande Conference he watched last year. Although, he will admit, he only saw the Top 16 matches.
After touching one of the Vibrava’s thick but soft scales, Andrew dragged him back towards the house.
“I would’ve taken you to our Charizards, but they don’t do well with people that aren’t Dad. Come on, I'll show you the rest of the house!”
Andrew dragged Ash back inside and through the rest of his home. He showed him the living room, his room, and the egg storage/incubation room that was in the basement. It made Ash realize one thing, being a Breeder of such rare Pokémon definitely paid well.
Shortly after the boys came back upstairs, Andrew's parents called them for dinner. Ash followed him to the dining room and had to stop his mouth from salivating at the delicious-looking food on the table.
There were all sorts of berries, meats, and a few vegetables that didn’t look horrible. They even had Pecha berries. After sitting down, everyone quickly dug into the delicious food, with Ash and Andrew recapping their day to the William elders.
Once the boys finished, Ash asked the question that had been on his mind after seeing the elaborate breeding setup the family had.
“I hope I’m not overstepping here, but how much is it for one of the Pokémon Eggs?”
Robert laughed wholeheartedly at the question.
“Well, I’m glad you waited this long my boy, most don’t, but it depends. Normally if someone wants one of our Charmander eggs, it's $70,000. The Trapinch eggs we are selling for around $95,000, and our Tyranitar eggs are a bit different because the League has very strict rules in place on breeding Tyranitar. However, if you get approved, the lowest we sell one for is $250,000.”
Ash blanched at the price, but he understood it. All of those Pokémon were rare, especially the Tyranitar, considering they were almost extinct, only found in and around Mt. Silver, and known for being uncontrollable to all but the most powerful trainers.
Robert smiled at the young trainer in sympathy.
“We do offer family discounts, but we can talk about that later. You said you were from Pallet; do you know Professor Oak?”
Ash nodded his head. “Yeah! I'm actually one of his lab trainers!”
Robert grinned. “Then you know who has our most recent Charmander! Samuel comes to us for the Charmander when he has a new set of lab trainers.”
“That’s really cool! My friend Dakota picked Charmander. I always thought Charizards were some of the coolest Pokémon. Could you show me the ones in the pen later?”
Robert nodded with a smile on his face, after that the rest of dinner became a more casual affair. With Robert and Erin telling tales of when they were trainers, some of the excitement in breeding, and Andrew & his brother’s adventures growing up. It was quite interesting, and Ash was glad to have made a good friend.
It wasn’t until Robert stopped in the middle of telling one of his stories, quieting the rest of the table and telling them to listen did the mood change. Ash was listening but didn’t exactly hear anything, thankfully Andrew answered his question for him.
“What is it Dad? I can’t hear anything.”
Robert looked at him, grabbing a knife from the counter and whispering.
“Exactly. Normally there is the sound of the Mareep walking around, the Charizards roaring or Maddie’s rumbling as she slept. But there is nothing, not even the Vibrava are humming.”
Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.
The color drained from Andrew’s face before he released his Trapinch and Charmander; Ash quickly did the same with Eevee. Thankfully, Eevee seemed recharged and full of energy. The food that Erin made for her seemed to do wonders.
Robert looked over at them.
“You two come with me, Erin dear. Call Officer Jenny and have her come out here please.”
Erin nodded and with that, Robert led them out of the house with the knife in his hand, the two boys and their Pokémon following him out. They were quiet as they went out into the pasture and Ash couldn’t help but notice none of the Pokémon were in the field, and he seriously doubted they all ran off after hearing how much care the Williams put into their Pokémon.
Ash spotted some footprints and motioned to Robert who nodded and led them that way. After passing through a small forest, Ash came to a sight that he didn’t quite understand. A couple men in black uniforms, with large Rs emblazoned on their chests, were starting to pack up some sort of machine. As three large trucks had all of the Pokémon from the Ranch inside.
Ash didn’t understand how they couldn’t hear the Pokémon’s cries for help, or why the powerful Pokémon didn’t just obliterate everything around them. Then Ash noticed two things, the first was that he couldn’t hear anything.
He couldn’t even hear himself breathe which made him believe the machine the men were packing up was some kind of sound dampener. The second, was the eggs set off to the side but near enough that the ranch Pokémon could see them.
They must have gone through one of the outside cellar doors to grab all the eggs, but how they snuck right underneath their noses at dinner Ash had no idea. One of the Rockets hit the power button on the sound dampener and Rob whispered over to them, practically glowering at the men.
“This must be the infamous Team Rocket. Boys, these are dangerous people. I want you to go back to the house and wait for Officer Jenny.”
At the shake of their heads, Robert just sighed. He saw the fury on Andrew's face.
“I’m not gonna leave you Dad, these Pokémon they are trying to steal are just as much my family as they are yours. You don’t have to stay Ash, we understand.”
Ash shook his head. His mom raised him better than that.
“Thank you guys, but I won’t leave you alone. They look like they are about to leave, and I don’t know if Officer Jenny will get here in time. I’m a lab trainer, remember?”
Robert nodded, while he clearly meant well. The relief on his face was apparent, glad that he wouldn't have to rescue the Pokémon alone.
“Alright boys but be careful. If you or your Pokémon are in danger, leave! Do you understand? We can get the others back, but I can’t accept either of you two getting seriously injured.”
At the boy’s nods, Robert continued with his plan.
“Here is what I need you two to do since you have your teams, I want you to create a distraction. I will slash the tires on the trucks and get the Pokémon Eggs secured. Once that's done, I am sure Maddie and the others will happily help you finish off these scum.”
The two boys nodded again, and Ash couldn't see any glaring faults.
“Alright good, now be careful. I’ve heard these Team Rocket rats can be vicious and will attack the trainer. I don’t want you two to hold back, alright? Just be careful.”
The boys nodded knowing what was at stake, they didn’t have to be told twice and Robert snuck away creating some distance from the rookie trainers. Andrew turned to Ash with a hard look on his face.
“Alright Ash, I’ll attack the two on the left packing up the machine, and you take the one on the right. If we knock them out fast we can help my dad and fight the drivers.”
Ash nodded, ready for the fight knowing Eevee would back him up. Ash whispered to Eevee.
“Eevee, I want you to Quick Attack the guy on the right with the large R. Then Dig and attack the man guarding the eggs but be careful alright. I know the eggs are durable, but a super-strong attack can damage them.”
Eevee nodded her head; Ash was glad that she trusted him so much. He would be sure to clarify why this had to be done later, as he didn’t want her to think it was okay to attack people.
Andrew motioned his head, signifying he was ready, and queuing Ash to signal to Eevee who went into action. Ash watched as the Grunt gasped in pain as Eevee slammed into him with her body, enhanced by her Quick Attack, before jumping off his falling frame and digging underground.
Exploding out of the ground and hitting the other Rocket, just as they realized what was happening. Ash was glad too, as the man was reaching for his Pokéballs at his hip but the strength and surprise from Dig knocked him out cold before he could release a Pokémon.
Ash couldn’t stop the grin on his face as they wiped the floor with the thieves. His excitement was short-lived however as the first Rocket Eevee hit was getting up. Releasing his two Pokémon quickly, once he got his bearings.
A Zubat and Ekans appeared in a flash of light, the Ekans immediately rushed over toward Andrew at the trainer's command, making Ash’s blood boil. He had no time to warn his friend who was fighting a 2v2 against one of the Rockets, having already knocked out the other one.
“Eevee, Quick Attack on the Ekans!”
Eevee was a blur, hitting the Ekans and giving Andrew enough time to realize what had happened. Sending a thanks his way, while his Charmander fired a small Ember at the stunned Ekans, knocking it out.
Andrew turned back to his 2v2 as his opponent's Zubat was zipping around, making it hard for Charmander or Trapinch to hit it. Ash was broken out of his focus as a sharp pain spread throughout his body forcing him to scream out in agony.
Eevee was there in less than a second, tackling the Zubat which had bitten his neck, to the ground. Following it up with a Double Kick before the other Pokémon had a chance to react, making the Zubat drift off into unconsciousness. For a second Ash was afraid Eevee might hurt it more, but once she knew it was out she turned to her trainer, her eyes full of concern.
That was when Ash felt the world starting to spin. The rookie trainer quickly put two and two together and realized the Zubat must’ve poisoned him. It shouldn’t kill him, he was big, and the Zubat was small. Besides, Zubat bites were somewhat common since they inhabited so many caves, and he got his standard round of inoculations after he passed his exam.
Plus, he wasn’t about to run away and leave Andrew without a teammate in such a dangerous situation. Not to mention that Officer Jenny should arrive soon, and she would probably have an Antidote on her.
With his mind made up he looked to his companion, and despite seeing two of her put on his most confident smile.
“Eevee, I’ll be fine, go knock that Rocket out and help Andrew!”
Ash didn’t even realize he was slurring his words until after the fact. Eevee looked conflicted before dashing off, hitting the Rocket so hard that he actually flew back a couple feet landing with a heavy thud. His head smacking the ground so hard, that Ash actually heard it.
Hoping Eevee just didn’t kill a person, but not having the energy to go check, Ash slumped down to the ground. The poison was slowing his body down, and for once he actually felt like he was about to die.
Then a massive roar surrounded the clearing and Ash stood back up, his body’s adrenaline fighting off the poison’s effects for the moment. Eevee nudged his leg and Ash absentmindedly wondered when she had reappeared next to him.
Suddenly two of the trucks exploded as Maddie and the other Tyranitar blew their truck to pieces while the Charizards did the same to their truck. The few remaining Rockets paled but before they could do anything Maddie stomped hard on the ground, creating a giant fissure that swallowed them whole. Ash couldn’t help but wonder if he just witnessed a mass murder.
Robert’s voice beside him assuaged him of that feeling.
“They aren’t dead, I just had Maddie make them an uncomfortable prison.”
Again, Ash couldn’t help but wonder when the man got next to him. A grin was on Robert’s face that slowly morphed into a frown as he saw the blood trickling down Ash’s neck and the red-capped trainer wobbling on his legs.
“Oh no. Fury, get over here!”
Ash guessed his injury was worse than he thought since the tone of Robert's voice was so hard. He felt his vision blackening around the edges as the short-lived adrenaline wore off. He idly wondered if this was how he died. Then one, although it could have been both of the Charizards, landed beside him.
The last thing Ash heard before drifting out of consciousness was.
“Get him to the Pokémon Center NOW!”
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When Ash woke up he was alone minus his Eevee beside him. Who, upon seeing her trainer was awake and well, immediately started licking his face. Causing Ash to laugh and pet his starter calming her down.
“It’s alright girl, I’m okay. I love you too, now can you please stop licking my face?”
His starter calmed slightly and curled back up on his chest. Although Ash couldn’t help but smile as she stared at him with eyes full of concern. There must have been some type of monitor setup to alert Nurse Joy he was awake, because as soon as Ash sat up to move Eevee off him and figure out what happened she came bustling in, smiling at him.
“Hello Ash, I’m glad to see you’re awake. How are you feeling?”
“I’m a little tired but other than that I feel fine. What happened?”
Nurse Joy smiled.
“Good, you had a dangerous amount of toxin in you from the Zubat, that your vaccinations normally would’ve been able to fight off. But, the Zubat hit an artery and the poison spread too fast, combined with the blood loss... Well, it was lucky you got here when you did.”
“We were able to give you an Antidote so you should be good to go in a couple of hours! I’m going to let Officer Jenny in as she has some questions then there are a bunch of people here to see you!”
Officer Jenny walked in as Nurse Joy left and Ash was starting to feel slightly antsy; he never dealt with the police before. Officer Jenny seemed to feel his anxiety and smiled at him to try and calm his nerves.
“Hey Ash, that was a great job back there! I’m glad to see you are doing well. I just want you to retell the events from your point of view and I will be on my way. Don’t worry, you're not in any trouble.”
Ash nodded. He figured he wasn’t but was still relieved, taking a breath he then told Officer Jenny his side of the story and everything that happened. She seemed satisfied by his answer, but before she could leave Ash stopped her.
“Um Officer Jenny, what’s going to happen to those thieves and their Pokémon that we captured? Also, how long have I been out?”
Officer Jenny's smile turned slightly somber. “Well, thanks to you and the Williams, we captured all the Rockets alive and they will get sent to the League prison. As for the Pokémon, the League tries to rehabilitate them, but with the harsh upbringing, combined with the drugs we have found in some of their systems. We’ve had a lot more failures than success.”
“And, you haven't been out long if that’s what you were wondering. It’s only 8 in the morning, you've basically just slept through the night. Also, I’ll inform Giovanni for you, he can be harsh at times, especially when it involves Team Rocket.”
Ash nodded, relieved that she specified they were all alive. All though he was a bit curious about the Giovanni comment. Overall, he was relieved, Eevee and by extension him, weren’t murderers.
Although, the thought of the Rockets and how they treated the Pokémon made Ash frown. Hopefully, the ones from last night could be saved.
His smile returned and even grew as Andrew and his family walked in, as Officer Jenny walked out. The entire family smiled at him, though Robert and Erin seemed to look guilty.
Robert was the one who spoke up.
“Thank you Ash for your help, but I never should’ve involved you or Andrew. I had heard stories of how they fought but to see it... I’m sorry you went through that. Don’t worry about the cost of everything here, we will take care of it.”
Robert put his bag next to his bed and Ash was relieved to see it open and the egg still inside.
“Also if you have the time once you're discharged, come by the house. There is something we want to give you as our thanks for helping us keep our family safe.”
Ash nodded, grateful for their help. While he and his mom weren’t poor, he’d hate to put a hospital bill in her lap.
“Thank you guys, but putting away criminals is part of the reason I wanted to become a Trainer. I want to make the world a better place.”
Robert smiled at that.
“That may be, but we won't take no for an answer. We gotta get back Ash, as you can imagine the Pokémon are a little spooked and we don’t want to leave them long. Besides, some people are waiting outside for you.”
Ash nodded at them as they left, he would stop by for nothing less than to just say goodbye. Ash turned his head as Amelia, Dakota, and Veronica walked in, all of them smiled at him in relief.
Veronica was the first one to speak.
“Thank Arceus you’re okay Ash, I’m pretty sure Delia would’ve murdered me if I had to call and tell her that her son had been killed. Don’t worry, I didn’t call her or Oak, and I stopped Officer Jenny from doing so when they found your emergency contacts on the Pokédex.”
Adding the last part when she noticed Ash’s face start to pale.
“You’re lucky though, had I not been talking to her at the store when the call came in, I wouldn’t have been able to let Jenny know you were staying with me until it was too late. I know how much Oak and your mom can worry, but you need to talk to them.”
Ash nodded his head with a mumble. “I will.”
The young Ketchum then turned to Dakota and Amelia. Wanting to get his mind off of last night for the time being
“So, what did you guys do yesterday?”
He was glad when they accepted the change in topic.
“Well.” Dakota started. “We both caught a new teammate! And Charmander made a good amount of progress with Metal Claw.”
Ash smiled, happy for his friends. “That’s awesome, great work you guys! What did you catch?”
Dakota went first, taking off the Pokéball from his belt and releasing a small Pokémon that was on two legs and had two hands protruding out of its white fur. Ash immediately recognized it as a Mankey and was shocked that it was so calm. He heard that they were capable of going into fierce rampages.
The Mankey sniffed the air a bit before jumping up and down and climbing up on one of the machines before Dakota returned it.
“Sorry, he can get really hyper, I caught him after he interrupted mine and Charmander’s training. We were apparently using its favorite spot.”
Ash laughed at that before looking over at Amelia who released a Pidgey. Once released, the bird immediately began to groom itself. It was pretty average for its species in size but that wasn't a bad thing. Pidgeot were known to be very versatile Pokémon.
“I caught her as I was training Bulbasaur in a clearing close to the Forest. His Vine-Whip knocked her out of her tree, and she attacked us. Bulbasaur brought her down and I caught her!”
Ash smiled congratulating them on their accomplishments before the conversation just devolved into random things and Ash sighed in content, happy for his friends and ready to get back on the road and get Pewter's Gym Badge.
----------------------------------------
Ash knocked on the door of the William’s Ranch, he had been discharged from the hospital yesterday evening and spent time training with Dakota, Amelia, and their teams. They were set to go into the Viridian Forest today and were waiting for him at the entrance. He just wanted to say goodbye first.
Andrew opened the door, his face turning into a massive grin, before shouting behind him.
“Mom, Dad, Ash is here!”
Ushering him inside despite Ash’s protests, since he didn't want to keep Dakota and Amelia waiting a second time.
Robert and Erin smiled at him, and Ash realized he interrupted their breakfast.
“Ash good to see you, I'm glad you stopped by, are you hungry?”
Ash shook his head, although the breakfast looked just as good as the dinner they made him two days ago.
“No, I just ate actually, I was leaving with my friends for Pewter today and wanted to say goodbye.”
Robert nodded. “I remember when Andrew’s brother left to fight Pewter City's Gym. It feels like it’s been years ago at this point. Well come on down to the basement then, I don’t want to keep you waiting.”
Ash followed him downstairs and was just as in awe at the high-tech breeding machines and the room itself, as he was when he saw them two days ago. It was still a large open room with some massive machine in the middle that Ash wasn't sure of its purpose.
In the far-right corner was a Ball Transfer Machine, and then all along the left wall were incubation chambers, a lot of them filled but there were a few empty spots. Robert led him to the corner of the room where a cylindrical shape, with several Pokéballs in it, was set. Picking one of the Pokéballs up and handing it to Ash.
At his confused look, Robert laughed. “In that Pokéball is a Trapinch who hatched about a week ago. We were going to give it to Giovanni, but he can wait until next year.”
Ash stared at the Pokéball in awe. “Thank you, but why?”
Robert looked at him dumbfounded. “Because you saved my family? Without you Ash, none of this would be here. I would have never let Andrew fight all of them alone, as he doesn’t get his trainer’s license till next year. And they probably would’ve caught me trying to slash their tires without both of your distractions.”
Ash nodded, shocked at the gratitude in his voice and that Andrew was a year younger than him. He supposed that having breeders as parents gave a bit of an exception to owning Pokémon before you got your trainers license.
Robert's voice broke him out of his musings.
“If you would like a Larvitar instead, or one of our other Pokémon, that's fine. But none of their eggs have hatched yet, and since you already had one, I doubted you wanted to carry two of them.”
Ash immediately shook his head, Trapinch was perfect.
“No, no, it's all good thank you, I was just in shock. Trapinch is perfect, ever since I saw Andrew’s and started reading up on them, I decided I would travel to Hoenn after the conference to get one and evolve it into a Flygon.”
Robert smiled at him, “Well I’m glad, I also have one other thing for you.”
He walked over to a corner of the room that had a bunch of boxes stacked on top of each other. Ash’s jaw dropped, as he saw Robert pull a mobile incubation unit out of one of the boxes before walking it over to him.
He could hardly believe it, according to his book, mobile incubation units were expensive and the cheapest ones cost upwards of $40,000. Although, they were well worth the price based on what Ash had read.
To keep the egg at a perfect temperature, they had an insanely powerful battery inside that would last for weeks without needing a recharge, and in order to recharge one. The nearest Pokémon Center would do it for free, or the battery would recharge itself after a full day in the sun.
They were also waterproof and extremely durable. The book referenced the durability test that 1 out of every 200 incubation units went into. Which was placing a replica of a Pokémon Egg inside a room with a rampaging Rhyhorn. So far in every test, the incubation unit and the egg were the only things not destroyed.
“I hope you don’t mind but when I went through your bag looking for your ID, I noticed you had an egg and we have a couple spare mobile incubation units, so I thought I would let you borrow one.”
Ash stared at the device like it was gold before thanking Robert profusely, putting his egg inside, and watching as the device turned on. Already modifying the temperature to keep the egg warm.
“Of course Ash, your family now. Let’s get back upstairs, I don't want to keep you from your journey. Erin made an easy nutrition plan for Trapinch and Eevee that you should be able to follow on the road. She also insisted on giving you a book on Poffins, I hope it's not too much?”
Ash shook his head. “No, not at all, thank you all so much for your generosity.”
Once Ash had said his goodbyes, promising to visit, he made his way to the manmade entrance to the Viridian Forest. Ready to meet his friends, now with two full Pokéballs on his belt. But upon seeing a small clearing, decided to take a second and introduce himself to his new companion.
Looking at his belt Ash realized he might have a small conundrum in the future, so he made a mental note to look into the specialized Pokéballs. That way he could tell which ball had which teammate other than their placement on his belt.
With a flash, Eevee was sitting on her haunches, a confused look on her face.
“Eevee, we got a new teammate for our help stopping Team Rocket a couple days ago. We will be meeting them for the first time shortly, and I wanted you to meet them with me.”
Ash smiled at his friend who seemed excited if her wagging tail was any indication. Taking a moment to show her some affection, Ash released his newest companion in another flash of light.
Trapinch looked at its new trainer and the Eevee in confusion, which slowly turned to caution and fear, taking a couple steps back.
Ash, rightly thinking his Trapinch was confusing them for a threat, placed his hand in a placating gesture.
“Hey there, it’s okay we aren’t going to hurt you! This is Eevee, and I’m Ash, your new trainer.”
Trapinch warbled a bit in response but stopped moving backward at Ash’s words. The rookie trainer smiled at his newest teammate, glad that it understood what he was saying. Robert had said that the Trapinch may be hard to control since most of the time they were driven primarily on instinct until they evolved.
But while they gained more brain function after evolution, they also became part Dragon, respecting strength and power. Which meant Ash would need to prove himself to the powerful Pokémon.
“I am on my Pokémon Journey, and the Williams thought you would be able to help me. I want to make you one of the strongest Flygon to exist, so what do ya say? Want to join me on my journey?”
Trapinch gave what sounded like a muted bark in agreement, and Ash smiled, setting a Poffin down for his new companion. Erin was kind enough to give him two dozen Poffins, a dozen for Trapinch and another dozen for Eevee.
The young trainer gave his newest companion some affection, making a mental note of how tough its exoskeleton felt underneath his fingers. He then gave a Poffin to Eevee before standing up and pulling out his Pokédex to get an idea of what he was working with.
Trapinch, the Ant Pit Pokémon. Its large jaws are powerful enough to crush boulders. It can go weeks without water and instead of hunting it makes cone-shaped nests in the ground for prey to get trapped in.
This Trapinch is a male and knows: Bite, Sand Attack, Bug Bite, Sand Tomb, and Quick Attack. Its ability is Hyper Cutter, making it immune to Intimidation that would make other Pokémon wary to attack.
Ash couldn’t help the grin that spread across his face, Trapinch knew some serious moves, although Eevee would need to help teach him Dig. Otherwise, not a lot of work needed to be done to prepare him for Pewter, leaving Ash feeling pretty confident.
He also noted the description was different from when he scanned Andrew’s Trapinch. After making another mental note to ask the Professor about it and seeing his friends had finished their snack, Ash turned to face them.
“I am going to return you both so I can catch up with Dakota and Amelia. I don’t want to tire either of you out as I am sure there will be trainers in The Viridian Forest, alright?”
At both their nods, Ash returned them in a flash of scarlet and secured them to his belt, Eevee in front and Trapinch right behind her. After making sure the magnetic locks were in place Ash started to jog, determined not to keep his friends waiting a second time.
When he finally caught up with the other Pallet trainers, he had a huge smile on his face. The two teenagers looked between each other before asking Ash what happened. Instead of giving them his recap immediately, he grabbed Trapinch’s ball off his belt, enlarging it before releasing his newest teammate.
When the light vanished, Trapinch warbled a bit before taking in his surroundings. Ash smiled at him before introducing him to his friends.
“Trapinch, this is Dakota and Amelia. The ones I told you about earlier. Dakota, Amelia, this is Trapinch.”
Dakota stared at Trapinch moving every which way around it, while Amelia stood off to the side laughing at Dakota’s antics. Finally, Trapinch had enough of Dakota’s observation and snapped at him, causing Dakota to jump back.
“So what is it?”
Ash grinned. “We are Professor Oak’s trainers, remember? Scan him with your Pokédex.”
Amelia frowned. “Mine isn’t working, it has a small picture of Trapinch but otherwise everything is just a bunch of question marks.”
Dakota pulled out his Pokédex and confirmed that Amelia wasn’t alone. Ash thought for a moment before remembering Professor Oak upgraded his Pokédex to include the National Dex and reasoned that was why he was able to. Taking his Pokédex out, Ash scanned his Trapinch for a second time.
Trapinch the Ant Pit Pokémon. Its large jaws are powerful enough to crush boulders. It can go weeks without water and instead of hunting it makes cone-shaped nests in the ground for prey to get trapped in.
At his friend's dumbfounded looks on why his Pokédex worked while theirs didn't, Ash explained his reasoning. Which, after some thought, the duo accepted as the most plausible reason.
Patting Trapinch one more time, Ash returned his newest companion in a flash of scarlet and then released Eevee. Who happily ran up and his leg settled into her spot around his shoulders.
Dakota and Amelia also released their starters as the trio began their journey into the Viridian Forest. Just like they did when they started their journey a week ago at this point, and Ash couldn’t help the sense of Deja vu that came over him.
It wasn’t until they were an hour into the Viridian Forest did small talk resume as the trio got over the serene forest despite the dangers they knew lurked within.
“Robert was telling me that Trapinch can be hard to control, as most are driven by instincts and focus primarily on food and survival. Although when I talked with Trapinch earlier, he seemed to understand what I was saying and was excited to get stronger.”
Dakota and Amelia nodded along as they made their way through the forest, passing several Pidgey, Weedle, and Caterpie. Despite the lax conversation, they were all on the lookout for trainers, and the danger that Rangers warned all trainers to be wary about on the main path.
While the lone Weedle wasn’t a problem, a colony of them or Beedrill spelled trouble. Since Weedle were capable of producing silk that was nigh unbreakable, and with their developing poison, could turn a human into edible goop in hours.
Beedrill were just vicious, and with their poisonous needles, could kill humans easily. The Rangers were able to clear these dangers fairly quickly, due in part to the fact that the League had built three outposts for Forest.
Beedrill attacks were still somewhat common on the main path, just because of the quantity of Weedle in the Viridian Forest. Scyther or Pinsir attacks were less common on the main path as there was so much traffic, and those Pokémon didn’t travel in huge colonies as Weedle and Beedrill did.
“So Ash, what's Trapinch’s final evolution? You said Andrew and his family breed rare and powerful Pokémon. I doubt they’d breed Trapinch if it evolved into Butterfree.”
Amelia looked at Ash as well, no doubt wondering the same thing as Dakota, just not wanting to be so brash about it. Ash couldn’t even really fault their ignorance either considering the fact he didn’t know about Trapinch’s evolution until Andrew told him.
“Well, they evolve into Flygon which are considered Kings of the Desert. The reason there aren’t many around is because Vibrava are the only forms that can procreate, and if their eggs survive, Trapinch are hunted by Sandile.”
“Funny enough though, once fully evolved. Flygon and Krookodiles, the evolved forms of Sandile, usually team up. But because Vibrava are part bug, they usually lay dozens of eggs at a time, thus while Trapinch can be common in certain areas Vibrava and Flygon less so. That’s what the Williams said anyhow.”
The two nodded as they continued along in peaceful silence. Fighting the occasional bug trainer who had spent the last several days in the Forest trying to catch some of the more rare Pokémon that called it home.
After a couple more hours of walking, the little sun that peeked through the canopy disappeared and the once-serene forest turned ominous. The sound of Caterpie and Weedle chattering made Dakota shiver.
“I’m not saying I'm afraid of Bug-type Pokémon, but at night, in a forest they call home... Let’s make camp, yeah?”
Ash and Amelia voiced their agreement at Dakota’s statement and after finding a pretty large clearing, the trio set off into their normal routine. With Dakota off to get firewood, Amelia preparing the food, now with the addition of Trapinch & Eevee’s nutrition plan, and Ash setting up the actual camp.
Not long after Ash had finished setting up his sleeping bag, Dakota returned. Both him and Charmander carrying a sizable load of firewood before dropping it in the stone circle Ash set up earlier.
With a breath, Charmander lit the wood creating a nice warm fire. The group then released all of their Pokémon, letting them dig into the nutritious meals Amelia made. Ash smiled at the chatter as their Pokémon ate happily and talked to each other.
Meanwhile, the trainers themselves ate their meals in comfortable silence, with the occasional battle highlight from the fights they participated in. Dakota was still upset at his only loss because the Metapod had evolved into Butterfree mid-fight.
It made Ash realize that while it was true that they hadn’t been in many battles, they all probably had 4-6 each under their belt; Dakota had the first loss of the group so far on their journey. He couldn’t help but think that maybe there was some merit to Veronica’s statement of them having the potential to go far in the conference, Ash sure hoped so at least.
At the lull in the conversation, Ash took a second to look at his bank account balance. Dakota couldn’t pay the bug trainer, which meant he didn’t have over $5,000 in his account. He hadn’t realized how much money they had won until it occurred to him that they hadn’t even received their first stipend yet.
Checking his balance which read $1,647, a massive smile enveloped his features. Hopefully, as long as Ash didn’t lose any battles, he should be able to afford a Silph Co. bag when they got to Pewter.
Soon, the fire started to die down and the group's Pokémon began to find their resting spots for the night. Amelia’s Pidgey found a perch along with Dakota’s Mankey while Trapinch dug a small burrow by Ash, who patted his companion on the head.
All of them were exhausted, and Ash couldn't really blame them. They had been the ones who battled the most since Ash wanted to train up his second teammate, and Dakota and Amelia followed suit.
The group sat around the fire for a little while longer than their Pokémon, going over their plans and the best route to Pewter through the Viridian Forest. It would take them nearly a week to make it through the massive Forest, and while Ash wanted to try and catch a Hoothoot, he didn’t know if he would have it in him to stay up all night in hopes of finding one.
With their plan for the next day settled, Ash pulled out his Egg book while Eevee curled up beside him in his sleeping bag. They all agreed that since the Viridian Forest was so dangerous and their Pokémon would be exhausted at the end of the day, they would keep watch.
Ash would take first watch, and halfway through the night would wake Dakota up, who would then take watch; Amelia would get a full night's rest the first night and then it would alternate, so she had the first watch and Ash had second.
After double-checking that his bag and Incubator were secure beside him, Ash began to read his book. Absent-mindedly scratching Eevee behind the ears, hearing her purr in content, which brought a smile to his face.
Occasionally looking up from his book for any danger or a Hoot-Hoot. It felt like an eternity until his timer went off, signaling it was Dakota’s turn to keep watch, and after a struggle of getting the man up. Ash found himself passing out soon after closing his eyes.