Ash instinctively released Artemis & Imperial before sprinting over to his Incubator and opening it up, pulling the egg out to set it on the floor. His Pokémon quickly picked up on the events going on and began to voice their excitement at the egg finally hatching.
Remembering the instructions from the Egg book, Ash grabbed a towel from one of the closets to help clean his new Pokémon. Once it hatched from the egg, it would be covered in the embryonic fluid from inside that helped it develop.
After sitting back down, Ash had to shield his eyes as a bright light came from the egg. The young Ketchum couldn’t help his excitement as the light began to die down and he saw the Pokémon Professor Oak had entrusted him to care for.
Its white fur was reflecting the light in his room due to the mucus covering its body, and the Pokémon’s dark blue face and paws were a sharp contrast to its shimmering fur, seemingly sucking in the light around it. He then noticed the blue tail that reminded him of a scimitar, sharp and deadly, just like the scythe-like crescent protruding from its head.
Ash then made eye contact with his newest companion, the Pokémon’s blood-red eyes bore into his and he felt like it was staring into his soul. He had to fight the initial adrenaline spike that hit his system, practically screaming at him to run.
His heart broke as the young Pokémon skirted away from him with a trill, and Ash smothered that panic that hit him. Putting on his most reassuring and confident smile he pulled out his Pokédex and scanned his Absol.
Absol, the Disaster Pokémon. Every time Absol appears before people, it is followed by a disaster such as an earthquake or a tidal wave. As a result, it came to be known as a bad omen, in part to its Dark-typing.
This Absol is female and knows: Leer, Quick Attack, Assurance, and Mean Look. Its ability is Super Luck, which makes this Pokémon extremely lucky
Taking in the information from the Pokédex and deciding to bring up the irony of a Disaster Pokémon being incredibly lucky another time, Ash examined his newest companion. She was tall, at nearly 3’5, and he knew that she would grow some more considering the average was 3’11. Putting his hands in a placating gesture he called out to his Pokémon.
“Hi Absol, my name is Ash.”
Her eyes, which were moving rapidly around the room taking everything in, stopped at his words and focused on him immediately.
“I know you're scared right now, but it will be okay. This is Artemis and Imperial, and we are your family.”
As Ash spoke about his current team, he pointed to each member and they offered their own encouraging smiles and warbles. Absol moved a little bit closer to Ash and his Pokémon, but he could see that she was still scared.
“If you come over here, I can help clean you up.”
It was then that Absol noticed she was covered in a goo-like substance, and hesitantly got close enough to Ash to allow him to dry and clean her off with the towel. It wasn’t long after that he found himself leaning against the bed as Absol lay in his lap, purring in contentment while Ash groomed her fur.
The rookie trainer was startled when Absol suddenly and abruptly stopped her purring, turning to the door alert. Ash was curious about what was happening until there was a knock and Nurse Joy entered.
“Hi, I got a page that there was a newborn Pokémon in this room?”
Ash nodded his head, slowly calming Absol. Who, instead of being skittish, was more aggressive this time around. A low rumbling growl in her throat that began to die down as Ash stroked her back.
“Yeah, Absol here just hatched. I just finished cleaning the mucus out of her coat.”
Nurse Joy smiled. “That’s a great first step. Have you caught her yet? Once you do that we can go down to the infirmary and do a quick checkup to make sure everything is good.”
Ash shook his head before looking at Absol and taking out an empty Pokéball from his pocket, enlarging it. At that action, the Dark-type Pokémon looked alarmed but calmed as Ash explained what was going on.
“Hey there girl calm down, I am going to touch you with this ball okay. Once I do it’s going to put you in stasis and feel weird, don’t fight it. Everyone has been through it, watch. Imperial, return!”
The red beam from Imperial’s Pokéball sucked him in before Ash instantly released him again. Upon seeing it happen, and seeing that Imperial was alright, Absol hesitantly nodded her head.
Ash took the empty Pokéball and tapped her head with it, the Pokéball instantly sucking her inside. The ball shook a couple times before dinging, signifying her capture. Ash immediately released her.
“What did you think Absol, did you like being in your Pokéball?”
Ash laughed as she vehemently shook her head.
“That’s okay, I will keep you out of it as much as possible. Now, let’s go with Nurse Joy and make sure everything is okay.”
Ash was glad that Artemis and Imperial stayed behind in his room to give him this moment to bond with Absol. He glanced down at her as she walked in between him and Nurse Joy and couldn’t help the smile on his face.
Coming up with a to-do list for the morning that involved sending the Incubator back to the Williams, calling Professor Oak, and coming up with a nickname for Absol and Chinchou; Ash was excited for the next day.
Nurse Joy’s checkup was thankfully quick, only taking around twenty minutes, and it left Absol leaving with a perfect bill of health. Nurse Joy thankfully gave him some tips on caring for freshly hatched Pokémon that weren't in his book, along with some vitamins that would help Absol’s immune system.
So, after another ten minutes of talking with Nurse Joy. Ash and Absol were back in his room, and the rookie trainer immediately collapsed on his bed while Absol curled up at the foot of it. Meanwhile, Artemis took up her normal spot beside him, and Imperial found his spot in his own bed on the floor. Ash drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face, ecstatic at how the day had turned out for him.
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The young Ketchum found himself getting up later than usual due to his excursions late last night with Absol hatching. He had initially planned to be up around 7:30am, but a quick glance at the clock on his nightstand showed it was 10: 32 in the morning and let him know he missed his target by a hair.
He chuckled at his own joke before looking at the foot of the bed. Seeing the feline Pokémon still sound asleep brought a smile to Ash’s face as he confirmed it wasn’t a dream, and his egg did indeed hatch.
After taking another moment to enjoy the tranquility of being surrounded by his Pokémon, Ash got up and out of bed. Waking all of his teammates up as he made them breakfast before hopping in the shower to get ready for the day.
The rookie trainer then made his way down to the lobby to retrieve his Chinchou. Struggling to hide his frown as multiple people turned away from him, or chose to go a different direction after catching sight of his Absol walking beside him.
Now he understood what the Professor was talking about when he handed him her egg. Determined not to let other people ruin his mode, Ash continued on to the front desk, grabbing Chinchou’s Pokéball and making his way to the cafeteria.
Finding Amelia and Dakota, whose eyes widened comically at the Absol walking beside him. Smirking slightly, Ash greeted his friends.
“Hey guys, how was your night?”
They gave some incoherent mumbles before Dakota spoke up.
“So, uh, Ash. I thought you caught a Chinchou yesterday? Why is an Absol following you, and shouldn’t we get to cover?”
Ash couldn’t help but laugh at his friend's nervousness. Glad that they didn’t outright fear his newest Pokémon.
“I did catch a Chinchou,” Ash said through his laughter. “It just so happened that when I got back to my room the egg hatched, and Absol was born.”
The duo nodded at that, an air of nervousness still apparent, that Ash vowed to fix as he sat down to eat his breakfast. Meanwhile, Absol sat on her haunches, patiently waiting beside her trainer. The young Ketchum began to absentmindedly pet her head while he and his friends conversed about their plans for their week in Cerulean.
After breakfast, they decided they would go register for their battles. Then, Dakota & Amelia would split off to train, while Ash called Professor Oak before going to train himself. His stipend would hit tomorrow, and Ash decided he would go shopping then.
The trio's conversation was interrupted as Nurse Joy made her way over to them.
“Excuse me, but which one of you is Amelia Green?”
Amelia raised her hand, and Nurse Joy turned to her.
“Mrs. Green, could you please follow me? I have a message that should be delivered in private, it's regarding what you saw yesterday.”
Amelia’s eyes widened slightly along with everyone else's at the table, instantly recognizing what this was about. Ash remembered Professor Oak saying he would let Lorelei know, but he didn’t expect her to reach out so quickly
Amelia spoke up realizing Nurse Joy was still waiting.
“Um, thank you Nurse Joy for trying to be discreet considering the information. But you can deliver that message to the three of us, they already know.”
Nurse Joy returned a joyful smile before delivering the message.
“It’s no problem dear, as for the message. L would like for you to meet her at this Pokémon Center at 4 am in the executive room.”
At the group's confused looks, Nurse Joy elaborated.
“Our executive rooms are hidden from the public eye and reserved for people of her caliber. Everywhere people like her go are put under extreme scrutiny for why they are involved, and what they are doing.”
“Considering the importance of the discovery, L felt it imperative she not be noticed until she has more information. Just come to me in the morning and I will lead you there. Have a great day you three!”
And with one last joyous smile, Nurse Joy returned to the front desk, ready to care for any injured trainer’s Pokémon. With all the new information and the excitement of getting to meet a member of the Elite Four tomorrow, the trio quickly finished up their breakfast before making their way to the Cerulean Gym.
Ash gave a sad smile as he returned Absol to her Pokéball, having explained to her that unless he got League approval. He’d have to keep her in stasis while they were walking around the city, because, she was considered a tier 4 threat to the public thanks to her ability.
Only Pokémon considered tier 3 and lower were allowed to travel freely outside their Pokéballs, and the main difference between tier 3 and tier 4 Pokémon, was whether or not their abilities affected more than just them.
Unfortunately for his Dark-type. Super Luck could affect more than just her, and while he would never be allowed in the Game Corner with her out of her Pokéball. They could take the League’s Public Safety test.
Which, if he passed, would give him authorization to have tier 4 Pokémon walk with him inside City Limits. It wouldn’t be something he could do immediately though, as the test required his Pokémon to show mastery over controlling their ability.
Then, if he wanted to be allowed to have any tier 5 Pokémon walk with him inside city limits, he would have to become a Gym Leader or higher. He didn’t plan on catching any Pokémon in that classification though, as tier 5 was reserved for only the most dangerous and uncontrollable Pokémon.
Which included the likes of Tyranitar, Magcargo, Gengar, Gyarados, etc. Basically, Pokemon in tier 5 could destroy an entire city in a matter of hours, or, their presence alone would cause insane amounts of damage, as in Magcargo’s case.
Thinking of the lava Pokémon, Ash wondered if anyone actually owned one, or even its pre-evolution for that matter. Considering that they were only found at the bottom of volcanos, and were made out of literal magma, he couldn’t imagine they were easy to raise.
Unless they could control their flames and the temperature they exude similar to the Rapidash line that is. Deciding he would look it up later, Ash focused back on the present as the Cerulean gym came into view.
The building was massive, and looked like a giant aquarium, with a huge glass dome encasing the entire building. While outside and around the gym were two beautiful fountains that had Kingdra statues shooting water into the sky and back into the opposite fountain, creating an archway of water.
Walking through the double doors, the trio found themselves in the lobby, and Ash couldn’t stop his eyes from wandering. Directly in front of them was the reception area, and a small waiting section in the corner looking out into the fountains.
But what really drew his attention was the massive wall of water and aquarium behind the reception desk with all sorts of Water-type Pokémon swimming about. Ash even saw a Milotic swim past that Amelia squealed about.
Making their way to the reception desk the attendant greeted them with a smile.
“Hi, and welcome to the Cerulean Gym, home of the Sensational Sisters water show. Unfortunately, we are sold out today but the next show is tomorrow evening, and it will be a real treat!”
Ash had to give it to the girl, she had a lot of enthusiasm. While he planned to watch a show while he was in Cerulean, it wasn’t at the top of his mind.
“Actually,” Dakota started. “We came here to register for our Gym Battles.”
The girl’s smile somehow grew a little bit more at that.
“That’s great to hear! Contrary to the rumors, the sisters love battling as much as their shows, and they’ll be excited to battle. I am full tomorrow, but I can fit you three in the day after next starting at 9am. Does that work? They are back-to-back battles as you each will face a different sister.”
The trio nodded their heads and after the receptionist got them in the system. They each went about their day, Dakota & Amelia going to go train, while Ash made his way to the Center, eager to talk with Professor Oak.
----------------------------------------
It wasn’t long until Ash found himself once again in front of the video conferencing phone calling the Professor’s Lab, keeping his team in stasis to not crowd the already tight space. While he knew Absol didn’t like being in her ball, Ash was hoping that Oak could help him solve that problem.
He dialed the professor’s number, giving the phone a second to register the number as it started the call. The familiar ringing of the phone drowned out, as Ash thumbed Artemis’s Pokéball. Suddenly, the screen came to life as the call connected and the Professor’s face appeared.
“Ash, happy to see you, although I will admit it's a bit sooner than I thought. What can I do for you?”
The rookie trainer smiled at the man, before quickly diving into everything that happened the previous night.
“-nd now I am not sure what to do. I hate that all these people are judging her just because of her species. Plus, she hates being in her Pokéball and while I try to keep my team out as much as I can, sometimes I can’t, like now.”
“Honestly, I just have so many questions. Like do Absol truly bring disaster wherever they go? How do I go about helping her be comfortable in a Pokéball? I never remembered a Pokémon loathing to be in one. Also, how do I stop people from panicking every time they see her?”
Oak smiled in sympathy, as he was bombarded with questions, before trying his best to help his pupil.
“Well, for starters, see about going to the Pokémart in Cerulean. The city is big enough that they should have every type of Pokéball. They will allow your Absol to spend some time in each one before you have to pay so that you can find one she is more comfortable in.”
“As for her species bringing disaster, you are aware that correlation does not equal causation, correct?”
At Ash's shake of the head, the professor continued.
“Okay then, just because something correlates doesn’t mean it's the cause, think of it like this. If a Pidgey is flapping its wings in the air, then one may correlate that in order to stay in the air, the Pidgey must flap its wings, no?”
Ash nodded his head, it made sense to him.
“But that is not the case! A Pidgey can stay in the air without flapping its wings because it is a Flying-type and can manipulate the wind to keep it in the air. A Pidgey flaps its wings for exercise.”
Ash bobbed his head up and down in understanding. Figuring out where the Professor was going with his example.
“So just like a Pidgey doesn’t use its wings to fly, an Absol may not bring danger with it but try to warn of an imminent danger instead. That’s the theory Professor Birch asked me to look into, one that he believes to be the case, but didn’t want to skew the results due to researchers’ bias.”
“He thinks, that Absol’s scythe are actually just extremely sensitive, being able to detect subtle changes that most humans & Pokémon can’t, and that its appearance is them trying to warn of a danger coming, not bringing a danger with it. I am hoping that now that your Absol has hatched, you can look into this for me, which brings me to your next question.”
“Sadly, you aren’t able to change the public opinion, that’s a professor’s job. With your help, and depending on what your findings come up with, we can make an update to the Pokédex on Absol’s true abilities.”
“With that information, only time and marketing will be able to sway public opinion to the truth of Absol’s nature. Lucky for you, you just so happen to know a Professor that has a record of swaying public opinion.”
Ash laughed at the Professor’s compliment. Taking a second to ask him for any tips he may have about raising Absol properly. Of the handful of tips he gave, he also gave a note of caution and something for him to watch out for.
“Absol are rare Pokémon, yes, but it's extremely rare to see one in a trainer's care. You actually become the seventh trainer to have an Absol in your care according to the League database, and of those seven. Only two other people are known to use an Absol in battle, do you know who they are, or why that is?”
Ash shook his head, not being able to recall a single trainer who had used an Absol the more he thought about it. The Professor let out a small chuckle.
“I suppose you wouldn’t since Sidney and Karen haven’t been announced in their respective region's Elite Four trainee programs yet. However, I have it on good authority they will soon. Getting back to my point though, Absol don't like to fight.”
“It’s part of the reason Birch had the theory of them warning about disaster rather than causing it. Most trainers who catch Absol release them soon after, as they are typically unwilling to fight in Pokémon battles.”
The Professor paused for a moment to give Ash a second to process everything he had said before continuing.
“We are unsure why they do this, but both Karen and Sidney have found ways to have their Absol fight for them. I am interested to see if yours will as well Ash, if you would be kind enough to keep me updated.”
Ash nodded his head in agreement. Promising to keep the Professor updated on his Absol's training and thanking him for the advice. He would have to have a talk with the Dark-type when she was a bit older about what she wanted.
“Thank you Professor. Before you go, I caught a Chinchou yesterday and I know that sometimes they have the ability to absorb electricity to make them stronger. Do you know how I can test if my Chnchou has that ability?”
The Professor nodded his head.
“I'm glad you remember your studies Ash. Yes, the Chinchou line sometimes develops an extra electric sack upon hatching that can absorb any excess electricity that enters its body. That sack then converts the electricity into energy for the Pokémon.”
“In the most recent patch, the Pokédex is actually able to scan for this organ. From there, I recommend you talk with Nurse Joy on how to best train the ability, as each Pokémon Center is equipped with the tools to do so.”
“Just be careful, if your Chinchou does indeed have this organ and you put too much stress on it, the sack can burst. If it does, there is no way to repair it. Not even with Ditto cells.”
It wasn’t long after that warning, that Ash bid the Professor goodbye. On the hunt for a secluded area to train his Pokémon and give nicknames to Absol and Chinchou if they wanted them. Making sure to keep in mind the importance the Professor stressed of keeping any experiments as bias-free as possible that way, their results were irrefutable.
Ash began thinking of how he could monitor his Absol and her reaction to disasters. Thinking of her, Ash stroked the Dark-type’s soft white fur as they walked in search of a training area. Smiling as she bumped into him, showing her affection.
After finding a clearing Ash deemed good enough, he released Artemis & Imperial, holding off on releasing his new Water/Electric-type.
“Alright, I am going to release Chinchou in a second, but first. Absol, would you like a nickname?”
Ash looked into her crimson eyes and laughed slightly at her look of confusion, realizing she had no idea what a nickname was. So after explaining to her the premise of nicknames, the feline immediately nodded her head. Thus, Ash began brainstorming nicknames that would suit her.
She immediately disregarded Angel and Abby and after some thought shook her head against Scarlet, which Ash had come up with from looking at her eyes. After another glance at her horn, Ash came up with his new personal favorite.
“What about Eclipse? You are like the moon that blocks out the sun, lighting the way for those lost in the dark.”
Absol considered it for a moment before nodding her head enthusiastically causing Ash to grin.
“Alright awesome, Eclipse it is then! Now, Artemis, Imperial. I am going to release the Chinchou we caught yesterday, I don’t expect any issues but just in case be ready.”
Grabbing Chinchou’s ball off his belt, Ash released the angler Pokémon into the small clearing. Being fully rested, it jumped up and down with its small feet, singing its name. Ash was glad that it didn’t seem like it was struggling on land, he would’ve hated for one of his Pokémon to be reliant on being in a body of water.
While he was certain that Chinchou preferred and probably excelled much more at being in the water, he was glad that they wouldn’t have to always find a pond to let him out. Focusing back on his Pokémon he put on a smile.
“Hi Chinchou, I’m Ash. I caught you yesterday, remember?”
The Water/Electric-type nodded its head, before turning its head up at Ash causing his smile to droop slightly.
“You were pretty strong, ya know that?”
That caught Chinchou’s attention as the angler Pokémon nodded its head and puffed out its chest slightly making Ash grin.
“You care a lot about strength huh.”
Once again, the Chinhou nodded its head, this time letting out a cry of approval.
“Will you let me help you get strong like Artemis? We are going to become one of the strongest teams the world has ever seen and make it to the Indigo League. Stopping evil every step of the way!”
As he said it, he pointed to his Eevee who smiled at the Water-type while Imperial let loose a cry of approval at his mini-speech. Meanwhile, Eclipse watched, trying to understand everything that was going on. Chinchou looked at his Pokémon for a moment before slowly nodding its head.
“That’s great! Would you like a nickname? All my teammates have one.”
Chinchou immediately nodded its head, causing Ash to once again think of a proper nickname for his newest Pokémon. Torrent & Riptide were immediately thrown out. Chinchou seemed too modest to take one by surprise, and Ash didn’t want to copy the trainer who placed second in the Indigo Conference the year prior with a Kingdra named Torrent.
He thought about Maelstrom but that was way too common. He was hit with a lightly powered Water Gun when he suggested Hydra, and after drying his face with his shirt, he came up with the perfect name.
“What about Neptune? He was a powerful Water-type trainer that spent so much time with Water-type Pokémon that he became their king like you’ll be one day. You’ll rule the ocean with your electric attacks!”
Chinchou nodded its head at that suggestion causing Ash to smile. After updating his Pokédex with the nicknames for all of his Pokémon, since he forgot to do it with Artemis and Imperial after he named them. He scanned the Water/Electric-type, realizing he hadn’t when they first met.
Chinchou, the Angler Pokémon. It lives in depths beyond the sunlight’s reach, lighting up the orbs on its antennae to lure and blind prey. When sensing danger, it discharges positive and negative electricity from its two antennae.
This Chinchou is male and knows: Water Gun, Electro Ball, Bubblebeam, Confuse Ray, and Whirlpool. Its ability is Volt Absorb, which allows this Pokémon to soak up electricity and convert it into energy.
Ash whistled appreciatively, glad that his Chinchou had the extremely useful ability, now he just had to figure out how to strengthen it. Putting away his Pokédex, Ash focused on the training he wanted to get done today.
“Alright Eclipse, we are going to wait a week before any sort of training, so for now you are just going to follow me around and get an idea of what we do. Imperial, I want you to continue to work on Bulldoze. Artemis, I want you to keep practicing Swift, but first, we have our warmup.”
Ash turned his attention back to his Chinchou that had stars in his eyes, ready to learn.
“Alright Neptune, we are going to work on your stamina and fighting outside of the water. So I am going to tie some weights to you, and I want you to keep up with us for as long as you can, okay?”
Neptune nodded his head, and Ash attached some training weights to his body. Once that was done, Ash and his Pokémon began to do laps in the clearing, and after about a mile Ash called it on their warmup.
While Artemis and Imperial went to practice their moves, Ash led Neptune over to the pond they found during their warmup. Neptune gave a trill of excitement finally being back in the water as Ash gave him his next set of exercises.
“Alright, I want you to keep the weights on and do as many laps as you can. Then, we will finish with some target practice, okay?”
Neptune nodded his head and Ash made his way around the clearing helping his friends in the best way he could while providing any guidance he thought of. The rookie trainer was sure to mark all of his notes in his Pokédex, so he could show his team the progress they’d made.
After an hour and a half of some intense training, Ash noticed the sun was a little past its peak in the sky and called his Pokémon over for a lunch break. Incredibly happy with the amount of effort everyone put in, and the interest Eclipse had taken to his Pokémon’s training.
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Artemis’s Swift could now summon twelve stars of energy, and Ash was ecstatic with the results. The next step was to focus on his starter’s stamina with the move before working on Shadow Ball.
Imperial had finally managed to make the ground shake, which was great progress in Ash’s eyes, and now they just had to work on increasing its power. The ultimate goal was for Imperial to be able to use the move quickly and easily to throw his opponents off balance.
He also had to give his Chinchou some credit, as the Water/Electric-type was already working hard to catch up with the rest of his teammates. Neptune was exhausted by the time Ash had gotten to him for their target practice, but he was proud when the feisty Pokémon declined his offer to do target practice another day.
So after a short session, where Neptune hit four out of the ten targets despite his fatigue, Ash rewarded him with a hearty lunch. The Chinchou basically inhaled the food before Ash returned him to his Pokéball for a well-deserved rest.
Ash chuckled as he watched Artemis and Eclipse play while Imperial finished eating his food. He was about to return the rest of his team and call it a day when a voice that brought fire to his veins called out.
“Well, Well, Well. If it ain't Ashy boy. Heard you got the Boulder Badge, one more and you’ll be all caught up with yours truly.”
Ash smothered his anger before turning to face his rival. His Pokémon making their way over to him seeing their trainer upset at the appearance of this newcomer.
“What do you want Gary?”
Professor Oak’s grandson responded with a smirk.
“Well, I figured a rematch was due since you and your Eevee got a cheap shot in back at Pallet. What do ya say? Besides, I doubt you’ll be able to beat Surge in time to win a ticket to the St. Anne.”
Ash took stock of his situation, only Artemis and Imperial were battle-ready at the moment and he had faith in his Pokémon. Eclipse was too young to battle, and Ash was pretty certain Neptune had worked himself to exhaustion, so he was out.
Glancing at the six Pokéballs on Gary’s belt his confidence grew a bit. There was no way Gary had trained all of those Pokémon as efficiently as Ash had his team. With a grin the young Ketchum nodded his head accepting the challenge.
“You’re on Gary, we will do a 2v2 as my other Pokémon aren’t really good to battle right now.”
Gary’s confident smirk never wavered.
“Works with me Ashy boy, once I win, I’ll show you how to catch more than four Pokémon.”
Ash took a deep breath as he and Gary made their way to a slightly bigger clearing. Ash only had Eclipse walking with him, having returned Artemis & Imperial to get as much of a rest as possible.
“And I’ll show you its quality over quantity,” Ash smirked as Gary frowned at his retort.
It took a couple of minutes, but once the group finally found a big enough clearing, the rivals took separate sides. Ash released Imperial first to test Gary’s defenses, while Gary did his signature Pokéball twirl before releasing his Pokémon.
“You’re up Pidgeotto! Let’s show this loser what it means to be a real Pokémon Trainer.”
The Flying-type appeared in a flash of light and a cry of challenge, causing Ash to grind his teeth in frustration. So long as it was in the air his Trapinch wouldn’t be able to do a thing.
“Alright, Imperial! Quick Attack, follow it up with Bite.”
Like that, the battle was off, Trapinch put on a burst of speed jumping slightly in the air and rocketing towards the native Kanto bird Pokémon. Gary wasn’t one to be idle though.
“Pidgeotto use Gust to stop it and then Ariel Ace!”
Ash bit his cheek as Pidgeotto managed to use the move in time and stopped Imperial’s momentum, sending him crashing to the ground. Realizing there was an opportunity in this he called out to his Pokémon.
“Imperial, use Dig!”
Gary got a slightly confused look on his face, but that didn’t matter to Ash. Imperial understood what his trainer was implying and used the momentum to burrow into the ground. Then, before Gary could even make a sarcastic remark, Imperial burst from the ground. Getting right back into the air due to his momentum, and hit Pidgeotto square on.
The look on Gary’s face was dumbfounded, and Ash wished he could’ve taken a picture. Gary recovered quickly though, putting Ash back on the defensive; this was a bad match-up and despite scoring the first hit, Ash knew he didn’t have a lot of options.
“Pidgeotto, Aerial Ace! Follow it up with a Wing Attack.”
The red-capped trainer ground his teeth, trying to prepare a plan of attack.
“Imperial, wait for Pidgeotto and use Bite when it’s close!”
What Ash was not prepared for, was for the Pidgeotto that was coming straight at Imperial to suddenly disappear. Reappearing moments later behind his Trapinch and hitting it with the Aerial Ace.
Ash grimaced, as Imperial was knocked into the air from the attack, something that the Flying-type quickly capitalized on, landing an easy follow-up Wing Attack.
Imperial landed with a loud thud causing Ash to grimace at the hard hit, it was one hell of a combo. Once the dust cleared Ash was ecstatic to see Imperial still standing, albeit on wobbly legs, but still standing nonetheless.
“Great Job Imperial! Let’s finish this! Sand Attack, then follow it up with another Quick Attack.”
The sand found its way into Pidgeotto’s eyes before Gary’s call for Gust registered. The Kanto bird then tried to use Gust again to stop Imperial, but it missed, causing Ash to pump his fist in the air in celebration.
Imperial slammed into the bird causing it to screech in irritation, but before Pidgeotto could recover, Imperial used Bite. Latching on the Kanto bird’s wing, dragging them both toward the ground as Pidgeotto was unable to support the additional weight with only one wing.
The duo landed hard, creating a cloud of dust from their impact. Ash felt himself waiting with bated breath for the dust to clear, and once it did, he couldn’t quite believe his eyes.
Imperial was unconscious while Gary’s Pidgeotto was still standing, barely that is. Sighing in defeat Ash recalled his Trapinch, congratulating him on a well-fought battle, while the young Oak did the same for his Pidgeotto.
“Not bad Ashy, I’ll give it to you.”
Ash looked up from Imperial’s Pokéball as Gary twirled another Pokéball in his hand, the always confident smirk portrayed on his face.
“Although, you won't beat Wartortle so easily this time!”
Ash bit back his sigh of frustration, of course his Squirtle had evolved already. Thumbing Artemis’s Pokéball, Ash unclipped it from his belt.
“Artemis, you're up!”
His Eevee appeared in a flash of light with a bark of excitement, which turned to a challenging growl upon seeing Squirtle’s evolution.
“You got this Artemis! Start with Swift, then follow it up with Quick Attack!”
Twelve yellow stars of energy appeared around Artemis’s tail before firing off towards Wartortle, with Eevee close behind them using Quick Attack. Gary’s smirk grew as the attack drew closer causing Ash to frown.
Before he could decipher what Gary was up to, the young Oak reacted.
“Wartortle, Rapid Spin. Then Water Gun!”
Ash grimaced as Swift did little to the Wartortles' hardshell, but the real problem was Artemis’s momentum and being unable to stop in time. His Eevee was sent flying from the Rapid Spin, and before she could recover in the air, she was hit by the Water Gun.
Ash cursed as he watched his starter land with a thud. Frowning when he noticed her trying not to put any weight on her right hind leg.
“Artemis, you got this! Swift, then follow it up with Dig!”
Nine stars of energy appeared this time and were sent toward the Water-type while Artemis burrowed underground.
Gary wasn’t idle though as he stirred his Pokémon into action.
“Wartortle! Bubble to counteract the Swift, then use Rapid Punch!”
Ash was unsure about the second move but bit his cheek as the Bubble collided with Swift creating an explosion and kicking up a cloud of dust. The turtle-like Pokémon then went back to Rapid Spin, causing Ash to grin slightly. It would do nothing to stop Artemis from hitting its soft underbelly.
His grin quickly morphed into a grimace, as once Artemis emerged from the ground, landing a powerful hit on Wartortles underbelly. Gary’s starter emerged from its shell, with a fist covered in ice, that hit Ash’s starter in the side.
Artemis was once again thrown back into the ground and Ash let out a cry of concern for his starter. Immediately making his way towards Artemis, concern evident on his face. She was tough, Ash knew that, but she wasn’t invincible.
He was surprised to see Artemis still standing with a look of fierce determination on her face. Ash took in the way she was heavily favoring her left side, and her labored breath before unclipping her Pokéball from his belt.
He was incredibly proud of his first Pokémon, but every trainer had to know when to call it quits for the sake of their Pokémon’s health, and he wasn’t going to let Artemis get seriously injured because of her pride and his desire to beat his rival.
However, before he could return his starter and concede defeat to Gary. Artemis let out a sharp cry and Ash was blinded by a bright light that engulfed his Eevee. He could feel his jaw drop as he shielded his eyes.
Barely noticing Gary’s shocked expression as Artemis evolved mid-battle, before returning his attention back to his starter once the light died down. Where his Eevee once stood, an Espeon now took its place.
Artemis now stood at nearly 3 feet tall, with a beautiful lilac-colored coat, and red gem on her forehead. Her once bushy tail thinned out and split into two at the tip. Ash was broken out of his revere as he felt the Psychic energy begin to flow off his starter in waves.
He was pretty sure that even the mythical trainer that lived on top of Mt. Silver could see his smile as he congratulated his starter on her evolution. Artemis trilled at her trainer in excitement and Ash pulled out his Pokédex, scanning his new Espeon.
Espeon, the Sun Pokémon. It is said that Espeon’s fur is so sensitive it can detect weather patterns and its enemy’s movement. It recharges its psychic powers by laying out in the sun.
This Espeon is Female and nicknamed Artemis. It knows: Wish, Double Kick, Tackle, Growl, Quick Attack, Dig, Swift, and Confusion. Its ability is Magic Coat, which reflects status ailments and moves back to the user.
Thrilled at his starter's evolution he made his way back to Eclipse who was staring at his newly evolved Espeon in wonder. Once Ash was back on his side of the clearing, he nodded toward Gary and the battle resumed.
“Artemis! Let’s test out Confusion, then Swift!”
Ash watched in amazement as Espeon’s gem glowed with power before sending out a pink pulse that rippled through the air towards Wartortle at an incredibly fast past. Which was quickly followed by a dozen yellow stars that slammed into the Water-type Pokémon.
Gary grimaced, as Wartortle had had no time to retreat into its shell to stop most of the damage. Trying to take back the momentum Gary called out to his Pokémon at the same time Ash did.
“Wartortle, Rapid Water Gun!”
“Artemis, Confusion!”
Wartortle managed to retreat to its shell, even though it was still rocked by the Psychic-type move. Then, before Ash had a chance to figure out what Gary’s game plan was, Wartortle started shooting Water Guns from its shell. Despite not really seeing its opponent, Ash was surprised by the amount of accuracy Wartortle was displaying.
As it forced Artemis on the defensive and to dodge the jets of water coming from every direction. He did notice, however, that every time Wartortle fired its Water Gun it would move in the opposite direction.
But before he could react to his observation, Artemis was forced to land on her back right leg, causing her to cry out in pain. Wartortle was quick to capitalize on the moment of weakness and fired several more Water Guns which Ash’s Espeon was unprepared for.
“Artemis, use Confusion to repel the Water Guns!”
It was too late though, and Ash watched his starter get hit by two of the pressurized blasts of water. Then, when she jumped backward to try and dodge the others, she landed on her bad leg again which gave out under her weight causing her to collapse and cry out in pain.
At that, Ash called the battle, he wasn’t about to put his starter through any more pain and potentially injure her for life. No matter how much he knew she wanted to win, it was his job as a trainer to know when his Pokémon had had enough.
“I forfeit Gary, you win.”
Gary’s smirk deflated at his words, and Wartortle stopped its attacks at Gary’s command. Ash returned his injured starter and congratulated her on a well-fought battle while Gary did the same. But, as Ash went to transfer Gary’s Prize money, the young Oak surprised him.
“I don’t want your money, Ash, you keep it and use it to better yourself and your Pokémon. Because next time, I expect you to give me a better battle.”
Before Ash could even respond to his rival’s words, he was already walking past him. Ash turned to watch the young Oak prodigy leave, before responding in kind.
“You better do the same Gary, because we are tied at the moment, and next time I’ll win.”
Gary didn’t stop his walk, but Ash heard a genuine laugh, one he hadn’t heard since he and Gary were friends in school.
“I look forward to it... Smell ya later Ash!”
With that Gary Oak was gone and Ash was alone in the clearing. Looking down at Eclipse who purred as he stroked her fur. Ash took some time to admire the clearing where he experienced his first loss as a Pokémon Trainer, he knew it was bound to happen eventually, but that could only ease the sting of defeat so much.
Taking a deep breath, the rookie trainer turned to his Absol, as he began to walk back towards Cerulean. Trying to take his mind off his defeat and injured Pokémon.
“What did you think of watching your first Pokémon battle Eclipse?”
His Absol trilled in excitement causing Ash to laugh.
“So, I take it once you're able to, you want to train so you can battle too?”
Eclipse nodded her head fervently causing Ash to laugh once again.
“Alright then! Once you are cleared by Nurse Joy, we will start working on getting you up to speed.”
Eclipse gave another trill of excitement, as the duo continued towards the Pokémon Center. Ash couldn’t wait to train his Absol, and the rest of his Pokémon up to become the best there ever was. Smiling to himself as he looked forward to the coming days, it would be hard, but once they were through, Gary wouldn’t know what hit’em.
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Ash was waiting anxiously in the Pokémon Center lobby for Nurse Joy to come back with news regarding his Pokémon. Upon finding out the injuries Artemis had sustained didn’t heal with evolution, she immediately rushed his starter to an emergency area that he wasn’t allowed to follow.
An assistant had given him the rest of his team back, and all were in great health. Imperial and Neptune only needed rest and Eclipse was growing well. His mind drifted back to Artemis, praying to Arceus she would be alright.
She’d be devastated if it turned out that she wouldn’t be able to participate in the gym circuit anymore. The doors from the emergency room opened up, and Nurse Joy put on a tired smile. Ash jumped up from his seat, his demeanor pleading for answers.
“Your Espeon will be alright Mister Ketchum. Her back left femur bone fractured before she evolved, and while evolution does heal most injuries serious damage remains, and sometimes gets worse depending on the evolution.”
“Thankfully, when Eevee evolves into Espeon their femur bones stay relatively the same size. So her fracture stayed centralized and didn’t grow or worsen. We gave her a Sitrus berry, and potion which healed the worst of the damage.”
“I recommend you add half an Oran berry to her diet for the rest of today & tomorrow, and she should make a full recovery. Here is her Pokéball.”
Ash let loose a sigh of relief he didn’t realize he was holding before thanking Nurse Joy and making his way to his room. Immediately releasing Artemis once inside, she let out a trill upon seeing her trainer, and Ash quickly engulfed his starter in a hug.
Profusely apologizing for almost getting her permanently injured. She nuzzled into his neck and started to pure in content causing Ash to smile. Pulling back with a small grin on his face, taking her affection as an acceptance of his apology before moving on to a happier topic.
“I’m so happy you evolved Artemis.”
His starter smiled and trilled out her agreement. He had so many things he wanted to try and teach his new Psychic-type but did his best to slow his thoughts. The time for that would be later, it was already approaching the late afternoon and Ash had some shopping to do.
He was up to $7,047 from a few battles and his winnings from Pewter, and if the cave was as dangerous as Amelia said. Ash didn’t plan on having his team out of their Pokéballs for long. That meant he had to get a new Pokéball for Eclipse, and while he was at it, he figured he would for the rest of his team as well as long as he could afford it.
With his goal set, Ash made his way to the Cerulean Pokémart with Artemis walking beside him. The duo eventually found themselves in the store and Ash took in what this mart had to offer.
Of the money he had, $3,500 was reserved for his Silph Co bag, and after checking the price of the supplies he would get when they left Cerulean. He was left with around $3,000 to spend on anything. Ash immediately went to the front desk and asked about the Pokéball rehoming process and what that looked like.
“Well,” the clerk started. “It’s $200 for us to process everything and actually move the Pokémon to the new ball, plus whatever the price of the ball is. We allow you to test each ball before actually picking one.”
Ash nodded his head satisfied with the answer, but still slightly disappointed. At that price, he wouldn’t be able to get different balls for his whole team, as each specialty Pokéball was at least $700, if not more. But, at least he would be able to get Eclipse whatever ball would make her happy.
The clerk then led him to a back room before excusing himself to get the test Pokéballs. Ash took the time to release Eclipse and explain to her what was happening, while Artemis sat beside him on her haunches.
The clerk returned a few minutes later with a case of Pokéball’s ranging from Great Balls to Dusk Balls, to even a Luxury ball. Ash was hoping Eclipse would like one, but that hope was shortly crushed, as they spent twenty minutes going through each Pokéball to no avail.
Eclipse hated each one, and Ash was out of options. The rookie trainer sighed as he thanked the clerk before leaving the Pokémart. He had ended up buying two more Pokéballs, bringing his new total to six, a couple Oran berries, and a Water-type Pokémon care kit. He also left a nice tip for wasting the man’s time with the Pokéballs.
In all, he spent about $650 which wasn’t horrible in his mind, but he didn’t know how he would get Eclipse to not hate her Pokéball. Downcast at not being able to figure out a solution, he made his way back to the Center.
And after a quick dinner, Ash found himself back in his room. A small aquarium had been added after he talked with Nurse Joy for Chinchou, but otherwise, it looked the same as he left it earlier in the day.
Setting the items he bought on the small desk, he released his Pokémon so they could relax with him. Smiling as he saw Neptune swim around happily in his aquarium before speaking up.
“Alright team, tomorrow we meet Lorelei, a member of the Elite Four, and head to a cave Amelia discovered. I don’t know if, or how long, I will be able to release you. So I’m sorry in advance.”
His team all gave understanding cries of approval, and he had a mental sigh of relief, glad that his team understood.
“Also, Imperial, Neptune, just wanted to let you two know, Artemis evolved!”
Both his Pokémon let out cries of happiness and Ash smiled, glad that none of them were jealous. He then let his team communicate amongst themselves as he got ready for bed, and the long day ahead tomorrow. His thoughts drifted to Artemis and Eclipse as he got underneath the covers.
He had heard that Dark-type and Psychic-type Pokémon didn’t get along, but he was beginning to doubt that stigma. The entire time they shopped, Artemis and Eclipse were either talking or playing some type of game.
Even now, he noticed they were both fine sleeping not even a foot away from each other, with Artemis beside him and Eclipse at the foot of his bed. It was something he decided he would ask Professor Oak about when he next saw him.
With that thought out of the way, Ash let his eyes close. Drifting off to sleep with the sounds of his Pokémon breathing.
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A bleary-eyed Ash made his way to the Pokémon Center lobby where he and his friends were supposed to meet Nurse Joy, who would then take them to meet Lorelei in the Executive Room.
‘Why did it have to be this early?’ He couldn’t help but wonder.
He would’ve much preferred 7 am, but he supposed Lorelei knew what she was doing. One didn’t make it to the Elite Four by happenstance.
Ash was slightly shocked to see he was the first one in the lobby and was about to take a nap on a chair when Amelia walked in moments later. Deciding to make small talk about the previous day while they waited on Dakota.
“-emis evolved into Espeon?!? That’s so cool, I hope to see her once we get back!”
Ash didn’t know where Amelia had all the energy from, but before he could respond Dakota walked in with a ‘hey’. Then before either of them could react, Nurse Joy came out of her office and greeted them with a tired smile.
“Good morning you three, if you’ll please follow me, I’ll lead you to the Executive Room.”
The tired trio followed Nurse Joy in silence, not wanting to wake up the other trainers with their voices. The group came to a stop beside a wall, and Nurse Joy swiped her keycard underneath a painting to their right.
Ash absentmindedly thought it was funny, as he remembered seeing the same painting at the Pewter Pokémon Center. He had walked by it a dozen times, not realizing it was the catalyst to a whole secret section of any Pokémon Center.
He could only stare in amazement, as a piece of the wall was lifted into the ceiling without even a creak. Nurse Joy ushered them in, hitting a button behind them as they walked, causing the wall to soundlessly fall back into place.
The group soon found themselves in a hallway that had four doors, and Nurse Joy went up to the first one and knocked. A moment later, a tall pale skinned woman walked out leaving Ash star-struck.
He always had a slight crush on the Elite Four member but seeing her up close, Ash could only think she was way more beautiful in person. Her velvet-like red hair cascaded down her back in waves, and she had an air of confidence around her that screamed power and elegance.
Not to mention the black glasses, and her accentuating curves had reignited Ash’s childhood crush for the esteemed Elite Four member. Lorelei faced the trio, giving them a smile that Ash couldn’t help but return.
“Thank you three for being on time, you’d be shocked how rare that is. Now, let’s get a move on, the only Lapras here is the one in my Pokéball.”
The trio laughed slightly at the joke before making their way back to the lobby, and after snagging some hiking bars from the cafeteria, the group was following Amelia’s lead back to the place where she caught her Feebas.
The sun was just beginning to rise by the time they made it to a clearing with a Waterfall. The trip there was relatively uneventful since Cerulean didn’t have many nocturnal Pokémon. Despite that though, Ash spotted a couple HootHoot, Murkrow, and even a Golurk that immediately went back into a cave the group passed.
Regardless of his desire to try and catch a couple of the Pokémon that the group saw as they made their way, to what they had begun dubbing the ‘Cerulean Cave’, he refrained for a couple of reasons.
The first was that he felt it wasn’t appropriate for a trainer to catch a Pokémon while it was sleeping, and the second being that he didn’t want to slow down the group by waking the Pokémon or battling one.
Ash was brought back to the present as the clearing started to wake up and all kinds of Pokémon made their way to the small pond around the crashing Waterfall. Ash saw; Rhyhorn, Pidgy, Nidoran, Ekans, Furret, and a couple Deerling. He even caught a glimpse of a Munchlax and Squirtle.
It took a lot of restraint for him to not try and catch any of the Pokémon, but Ash managed. Following Amelia’s lead as she took them around the clearing and its inhabitants. A couple of Furret and Meowth noticed them, but they paid the trainers no mind.
Ash took note of the small opening in the rock that was just big enough for a person before following the others inside. He was about to turn on a flashlight but stopped at Amelia’s insistence.
“We won’t need flashlights in a minute, there are some crystals that give off light up ahead.”
The group nodded and followed her lead, and Ash had to give it to his companion. She had stumbled into quite a dangerous place and came out not only alive but unscathed as well. Ash spotted several Rhydon and a couple Rhyperior, a pack of Sneasel led by a Weavile, a Bronzong, and even a Walrein with a handful of Spheal accompanying it.
All of those Pokémon were known to be fiercely territorial & aggressive to outsiders, and Ash was glad an Elite Four member who specialized in Ice-types was with them. The group continued in the cave for another couple of miles and Ash had to hold in a gasp when they entered an area where the cave opened up.
The crystals on the roof shimmered and shined with ethereal light, reflecting off the water to create a truly surreal experience. He then noticed a quarter of a dozen blue Eggs off to the side with gray splotches randomly placed across them.
He was about to grab one to study when Lorelei noticed what he was looking at and squealed. Ash was scared for a second that some of the more dangerous Pokémon would be attracted by the noise but was assuaged of those worries once he remembered their traveling companion’s status.
“Those are a Lapras's Eggs without a doubt! Do NOT touch them!”
Ash was slightly frightened by the ferocity of the final words, but quickly pulled his hand away from the eggs.
“This is a HUGE discovery,” Lorelei spoke. “Do you know the last time wild Lapras Eggs were seen?”
The group shook their heads at the question.
“Fifty-plus years ago was when the last wild Lapras was spotted. I want to wait for a bit and see the mother, and so long as she's in good health, we can leave.”
The group nodded their heads in agreement, and not long after they got comfortable. Ash saw his first Lapras in person, it was beautiful. Its skin was a deep dark blue, and its underside was a cream color while the dark, charcoal-colored, shell on its back signified its age. The horn on its head seemed deadly and the curly ears somehow fit its aesthetic.
He went to take a picture of the majestic creature but stopped as his movement caught its attention. Suddenly, he was staring into the Lapras’s deep brown eyes.
It let loose a piercing wail before an Ice-beam, with the size and speed of a missile, headed straight for him. He began to make peace with Arceus when a perfect Protect shield appeared in front of him. Stopping him from becoming a Ketchum icicle.
Before Ash could even wonder what saved him from certain death. The first Lapras began charging up another attack, as another cry entered the room and a second Lapras appeared. This one though looked different, and instead of a blue hide, this one was a light purple.
Ash looked at it in confusion before realizing it must’ve been a shiny Lapras and he couldn’t quite believe his eyes. He took a glance at Lorelei whose mouth was agape in shock. Recognizing they had seconds until the first Lapras started firing at them again Ash spoke up.
“Excuse me Lapras. We weren’t trying to intrude or take your children for that matter.”
At his words, the first Lapras stopped the Ice Beam it was forming and the shiny one stopped, what looked to be a Hydro Pump, that was forming as well.
Ash sighed in relief. “We are here to make sure you, and now your children are safe from harm, and from poachers.”
At the word ‘poachers’ the shiny Lapras let out a cry of frustration, and Ash could understand why. It had probably dealt with them its whole life, or its family had. Being a Lapras was dangerous enough, he couldn’t begin to imagine what a Shiny Lapras would go through.
Although the fact it knew about poachers made Ash wonder how the rare Pokémon found its way into this cave. Ash felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see Lorelei smiling at him.
“I got it from here Ash, good thinking earlier, but I think it's best if I communicate to them through my own Lapras.”
With that, Lorelei’s cornerstone appeared in a flash and Ash never thought he would see three Lapras together at once in his life. He noticed Dakota and Amelia looking at everything going on in awe and was confident he had the same starstruck look.
Lorelei had her eyes closed in concentration while the Lapras talked amongst themselves, and Ash wondered how in she was communicating to her own without any words. That’s when he noticed the Jynx that stood relatively close to his friends, understanding now what saved him from the Ice Beam.
It seemed things got heated for a moment, and the shiny Lapras was about to attack Lorelei’s cornerstone but was stopped by the other. After a few more moments, Lorelei opened her eyes and smiled at the rookie trainers.
“Great news. The Lapras are in good health and are happy with their new home. They believe that we are not here to harm them or their children, and in exchange for protection from the Pokémon League, have agreed to allow a couple researchers to come and monitor them and their young.”
Ash and the group stayed a bit longer and through Lorelei and her Lapras, they learned that the two wild ones had been a part of a pod close to one of the poles until they were attacked by poachers. The Shiny Lapras’s parents ended up being captured while helping her escape.
She and the other Lapras then wound up being all that was left from their pod, swimming for miles until they came across a river that brought them to this cave. After a couple years, the two fell in love, and in fact, the Shiny Lapras had given birth only 3 weeks ago.
Ash was amazed by the story, and with Lorelei’s and the Lapras's permission, took a photo of the two parents and their Eggs. After that, the male Lapras relayed the best way out of the cave and the group was off.
It took another couple hours of walking until they found themselves outside the ‘Cerulean Cave’ with memories of an experience that a majority of the world would never get the chance to have. Once they were back out into the sunlight, Ash realized it was about midday and the sun was shining brightly, reminding him of how muggy Cerulean is.
The waterfall clearing was the same as when they left it, except a few Pokémon disappeared and a couple new ones took their place. Ash turned his attention to Amelia as she spoke.
“Lorelei, so what’s going to happen now that we know there are two Lapras in the Cerulean Cave, and one of them is shiny?”
Lorelei pursed her lips before responding.
“Well, first an Ace Trainer will be put in charge of guarding this entrance and not allowing anyone except for Champions, Elite Four members/trainees, or Professors past.”
“Second, I will lead a team of League personnel through the cave so we can post an Ace Trainer at every entrance. Although, I doubt there's another one above ground.”
“The last thing is, I am going to need you three to keep quiet about this. I hope you understand how dangerous it is for those Lapras and their children right now. This is the first Shiny Lapras in modern history.”
“If anyone finds out where they are, then this place will become a battlefield between poachers, hunters, and the League. When we get back to the Center, we will remove any information that could be gleaned from the location of the Lapras in the photos you took.”
“After that, I just ask you to wait until you're closer to Celadon, before posting anything to your trainer accounts. Most people would believe you posted that information soon after finding them, then they just have to look up your trainer account to see what city you were most recently in.”
The group nodded their heads at the Elite’s words as they continued their way back to the Center. Ash would do everything he could to make sure the Lapras weren’t discovered.
They all then had to sneak their way back into the Pokémon Center so Lorelei’s presence would remain unnoticed. All the efforts of hiding the Lapras would be for naught if people noticed Lorelei in Cerulean and started asking questions.
Once safely back inside the Executive Room, Lorelei turned to her companions.
“Thank you both for helping with this endeavor and being so secretive. Due to the discovery of the shiny Lapras, I am increasing the award amount to $200,000 for you Amelia. As for you two boys’, the League will make an anonymous donation of $15,000 each for your parts in the discovery and assistance afterward.”
Ash was speechless, and a glance at his friends showed they felt pretty similar. Even Amelia’s jaw hanging open like a Sharpedo, couldn't snap Ash out of his shock. He wasn’t about to turn down the generous offer though, and the trio immediately started to profusely thank Lorelei for her generosity.
The Elite Four member laughed at their antics before speaking.
“You three are most very welcome. For the work you’ve done with Team Rocket, and now this, I am more than happy to convince the League of your necessary compensation.”
The group talked a little bit more after that before bidding each other farewell. Lorelei had a lot of work to do regarding securing and protecting the Lapras, and the rookie trainers wanted to make a call to Professor Oak with the good news.
Eventually, the three Pallet Trainers found themselves in front of a video phone and the Pokémon Professor smiling at them. Ash couldn’t help but laugh internally at how often they had talked with the Professor while in Cerulean and wondered whether or not the busy man was bothered by all the contact.
“Hello everyone, I didn’t expect to hear back so soon. Did Lorelei reach out? Also Ash, congratulations on Eevee’s evolution!”
The red-capped trainer thanked the Professor before the group dived into their morning with Elite Four Lorelei. Ash had to hide his laugh as the Professor’s eyes slowly started to get bigger and bigger as they talked to him about their experience.
Once they got to the part about the Shiny Lapras, Ash was concerned the Professor would faint. By the end of their tale, the legendary Oak leaned back in his chair with a sigh and pinched the bridge of his nose. Facing the camera once again after a moment to collect himself.
“Do you three understand the luck you’ve had? Shiny Pokémon are incredibly rare, even finding a Shiny Caterpie is a one-in-a-million chance. Yet you three have found a Shiny Lapras, and their species are nearly extinct!”
“I think you should’ve been paid more for the discovery personally once the Shiny was discovered, but I digress. I just want to make sure you understand the leap forward you’ve made for research on Lapras.”
The group nodded their heads, and the professor was about to say something else when his Pokénav started to ring. He looked at the caller ID and gave out a sigh, before addressing the Pallet trainers once more.
“I have to take this, but thank you for the heads up. Oh and, be careful. I know the League will do its best to keep your names out of it, but there will be a record somewhere, and Team Rocket might be able to get their hands on it.”
“Keep training hard and trust in each other. If you do that, nothing can stop you.”
With that, the Professor ended the call. The last thing Ash heard was a mumbled, ‘Mew protect them’ before the line went dead.
The group looked at each other, and then at the time. Once they realized it was already five o’clock, they unanimously agreed it was time for dinner and then bed after such an early morning and long day.
However, as they were eating dinner Ash cursed himself. Realizing he hadn’t talked to the Professor about why Artemis and Eclipse got along so well. Deciding that he would call the Professor later in the week, he returned to his food and the conversation with his friends.
While in the back of his mind, he hoped the Professor wouldn’t mind one more call while they were all in Cerulean.