Ash grimaced slightly as the overwhelming stench of chlorine filled his nostrils. The battle arena of the Cerulean gym was a large pool at least two hundred feet across and close to eighty feet deep. There were several platforms that non-aquatic Pokémon could stand on, but they would be at an obvious disadvantage.
Ash looked up to meet Violet’s gaze. The middle sister grinned at him as they locked eyes, and Ash felt his adrenaline spike. A smirk formed on his face as the familiar feel of battle enveloped him.
He was the last match since he got to face Brock first two weeks ago. Meanwhile, Dakota and Amelia had fought Daisy and Lily, respectively. Both had been good battles, and Ash was itching to get started with his.
Finally, Violet spoke up. “Welcome Challenger to the Cerulean City Gym. What is your name, and where are you from?”
“Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town.”
His voice carried across the arena as fans for the middle Sensational Sister cheered in the stands.
Violet gave a nod of acknowledgment. “Welcome, Ash of Pallet Town. This will be a two on two battle. A point will be given when either side’s Pokémon is either returned or unable to continue. Are you ready?”
With a nod, the referee signaled the two trainers to release their Pokémon, and Ash felt the crowd's cheering fade into the background as he threw his Pokéball.
“Go, Neptune!”
“Put on a show, Seel!”
Ash had never seen a Seel in person before and wasn’t sure what to expect. It was considered a Water-type even though it lived in colder climates than some Ice-types and had a natural affinity to Ice-type energy.
The sea lion Pokémon clapped its flippers together once the light disappeared, and Ash wasn’t sure what to expect from the creature. It seemed to be a bit aloof and not that interested in battling. That opinion quickly changed as the referee signaled for the battle to start, and it immediately snapped to attention.
“Alright Neptune, start off with an Electro Ball!”
“Aurora Beam Seel!”
Neptune fired off an Electro Ball in a matter of seconds, colliding with the Aurora Beam Seel created. Unfortunately for him, Seel’s attack overpowered the ball of electricity, causing it to fizzle out and dissipate.
Ash quickly realized this battle wouldn’t be as easy as he thought because Chinchou was part Electric-type and worked on creating a new strategy on the fly. The two Pokémon continued to exchange a handful of blows a bit longer until an idea finally came to him.
“Underwater Neptune, use Whirlpool!”
“You know what to do Seel.”
The bluenette’s voice was full of confidence, and suddenly, Ash wasn’t so sure of his new strategy. His eyes quickly tracked Neptune’s body in the water thanks to the orbs on his antenna, but Seel was an entirely different story. It looked to be in its element, swimming faster than he could see and getting out of Neptune's Whirlpools like they were nothing.
Ash glanced up at Violet, who was calm and collected as her Seel broke free of yet another Whirlpool. He had hoped to trap Seel in a whirlpool before having Chinchou electrocute the water it was trapped in.
Unfortunately, Violet’s Seel seemed much more adept in the water than he thought and was too quick for Chinchou to hit. Grimacing as he watched his Pokémon take another hard-hitting Tackle before a new plan came to him.
“Neptune! Create a whirlpool for yourself and then shoot Electro Balls out of it!”
Violet frowned, and Ash felt himself smile. Happy to catch her off guard.
“Out of the water Seel!”
Unfortunately for the bluenette, it was too late, and her Seel took an Electro Ball straight into its stomach. The Water-type grunted in pain at the incredibly effective attack since it had been in the water. Only staying conscious thanks to the blubber that absorbed some of the shock.
The injured Pokémon twitched as it rested on one of the water platforms, and Ash pumped his arms in excitement. It seemed Seel was Paralyzed. Neptune floated up to the surface so that half his body was out of the water, but before he could call for another Electro Ball to secure the knockout. Violet recalled her Pokémon.
“I am forfeting Seel.”
At Ash’s confused look, Violet explained.
“He wouldn’t have recovered from the Paralysis fast enough to dodge your next attack, and there was no need for him to take a hit that would’ve knocked him out. I am impressed by your Chinchou, though. Did you travel deep into the ocean to catch him?”
Ash shook his head as he evaluated his Pokémon. Neptune was huffing and incredibly low on energy reserves since his bulbs weren’t even giving off a faint glow. Still, from the short amount of time he had spent with the dual Water/Electric-type, he knew the stubborn little guy would want to fight till the end.
Turning his attention back to Violet, he answered her question as she pulled another Pokéball from her belt.
“I actually got him here in Cerulean. He was living in a lake near the top of a mountain, and I’m still unsure how he got there.”
Violet nodded as she enlarged the Pokéball in her hand.
“It must’ve swam upstream then, no doubt searching for a way to get to the Power Plant up in the mountains. Let’s see how it fares against Shellder! Come on out.”
Ash watched as the bivalve Pokémon called out its name, a pair of eyes and a tongue the only thing visible inside its shell. Ash took another look at his Pokémon and was relieved to see that Neptune had seemed to recover a bit from his exhaustion.
The referee signaled for the match to continue, and the two trainers immediately issued their commands.
“Shellder, Clamp!”
“Neptune, Electro Ball!”
His feisty Water/Electric type fired off the Electro Ball right at the incoming Pokémon, causing Ash to grin, already imagining the Cascade badge in his hand. Only for the grin to be replaced with a frown as Shellder closed his shell completely.
Allowing the Electro Ball to pass through it like it was nothing before opening its shell back up and clamping onto his Chinchou's side. Neptune let out a yelp of pain, and Ash struggled to figure out how to recover.
“Confuse Ray Neptune!”
A ball of light that seemed to suck in the darkness around it rather than expel it formed between Chinchou’s antennas as his Pokémon struggled to create the attack with the Shellder clamped on his side.
After another second, the Ketchum heir could only watch as the amalgamation of Ghost-type energy was released, leaving purple trails of energy in its wake as the ball slowly made a U shape. Until it sunk into Shellder’s side, causing it to release its hold on his Pokémon.
Ash grinned. “Way to go Neptune!”
It was a short-lived celebration, though, as Violet seemed to know exactly what to do.
“Focus on my voice, Shellder! Bubblebeam.”
To Ash’s dismay, Shellder managed to come to its senses, and a cacophony of bubbles flew from the opening in its mouth. Neptune stood firm as the first wave of the bubbles exploded against his body before falling unconscious as the second wave finally finished off his resilient teammate.
He returned his Pokémon with a slight sigh, whispering words of encouragement as he held Neptune’s Pokéball in his hand.
“You did great for your first battle, buddy. I’m proud of you.”
The ball wiggled slightly, causing him to smile, as he returned the Pokéball to its spot on his belt, thumbing two others as he tried to figure out how to deal with Violet's last Pokémon. Looking up, he could see Shellder’s eyes were still slightly glazed in confusion, helping him decide.
“Alright, Artemis, you’re up!”
His Espeon appeared in a flash of light, landing on one of the floating pads with grace and elegance as she stared at the Shellder. Her split tail swished back and forth as they waited for the referee’s signal.
The flag dropped, and once again, both trainers shouted out commands.
“Alright Artemis, Confusion!”
“In the water Shellder!”
Ash wasn’t sure how the Pokémon would get in the water, considering it had no legs, but his question was soon answered. As the bivalve Pokémon used Water Gun to propel itself toward the water.
Just in time, too, as he could see the air where Shellder was moments ago distort slightly from Artemis’s attack. It didn’t work out quite as planned for Violet, as Shellder’s confusion from Neptune’s Confuse Ray made itself known.
With the Water-type shooting itself past the water and into the wall, no doubt hurting itself. However, Ash noticed Artemis concentrate, and before it could fall into the water, the Shellder was outlined in blue.
His starter then began telekinetically slamming the poor Pokémon into the closest platform before following it up with another Confusion. Ash grinned as, this time, the Psychic-type attack hit its mark.
The Water-type’s shell opened as its mind was ransacked, its tongue rolling out to the side as it fell into unconsciousness shortly after. Ash jumped up in excitement as he congratulated his starter.
“Great job, Artemis! We won!”
His Espeon trilled her agreement, causing him to smile as he returned his starter. Only to rerelease her by his side as he walked down the podium. He met Violet at the halfway mark as she presented him with the Cascade Badge.
“Congratulations on beating the Cerulean Gym Ash. Your winnings of $4,000 will be deposited to your trainer account in the next hour.”
Ash grinned as he accepted the badge. There were a handful of polite claps and congratulations directed his way as Violet gave him his badge, but the majority of the crowd was silent. He had no doubt that the die-hard fans of the Sisters were clearly unhappy with him for beating the Bluenette.
The middle sister lowered her voice, stopping Ash as he headed over to his friends.
“Oh, and Ash, if you ever return to Cerulean, come and say hi. I’d love to show you some of our hidden wonders and have another battle.”
Ash nodded his head, a slight blush blooming on his cheeks as he was asked out by one of the Sensational Sisters.
“S-Sure thing, Violet, I’ll be looking forward to it.”
The bluenette smirked as she sashayed her way over to her other sisters, leaving him starting momentarily as he still got over his shock. Clearing his head, he felt his blush slowly recede as he focused on the future.
With the boost from getting his second badge, his next stipend would be $2,100, hopefully appearing in his account in the next four days. That is, so long as he had the days right in his mind.
That stipend, the money Lorelei said the League was giving him, and the $4,000 he just won. Basically cemented the fact that he would finally be able to get a Silph Co. Bag, making him giddy with excitement.
That excitement only grew once he reached his friends, and Amelia’s words registered in his brain.
“Guys, let’s go celebrate getting our second badge! The money from the League just hit my account, so it’s my treat.”
The two boys quickly nodded, each checking their accounts to see if the money had hit theirs. Only to frown in disappointment not seeing the $15,000 bonus. Figuring that it would arrive later, Ash put away his Pokédex.
Unknowingly mirroring Dakota as the two followed Amelia out into the city. Happy to let their now-rich friend take them out for a celebration tonight.
----------------------------------------
Ash admired the two badges in his Badge Case, taking a moment to polish the Boulder Badge so it shined just as bright as his new Cascade Badge before snapping it shut. Grinning at his starter, who sat on her haunches beside him while they watched Eclipse and Imperial play.
With all three of them getting the Cascade Badge, the trio had set out towards Vermilion the following morning. Eager to fight Surge while the St. Anne tickets were still up for grabs. Ash hadn’t paid much attention to Gary’s words at the time of their battle, yearning to wipe the insufferable smirk off his face.
But once he had gotten back to his room last night, however, Gary’s words echoed in his mind.
“I doubt you’ll be able to beat Surge in time to win a ticket to the St. Anne.”
So, despite being slightly intoxicated from celebrating, he did some research. It turned out that for the rest of the month, which ended in eleven days by Ash’s count, a man was giving out tickets to promising trainers who managed to beat Gym Leader Surge on the first go.
Digging further, Ash realized it was none other than the retired Pokémon Fan Club President Sukizo. Apparently, it was the St. Anne’s maiden voyage, and according to the rumors, Sukizo had been bothered non-stop by the cruise line to be a part of a select few who got a free first-class ticket.
By the fifth attempt, Sukizo was fed up and agreed to go on the ship in exchange for the cruise line to give him one hundred tickets he could give out to people he deemed fit. If they didn’t, he would condemn the voyage.
He had no way of knowing if the rumor was true, but if it was, then Ash could only respect the man for it. Not to mention the valuable lesson of when to take no for an answer, or else you might end up with more or more than you bargained for.
So, with the goal of getting to go on a luxury cruise for free, he and his friends set out for Vermilion the day following their Gym Battles. They had traveled most of the morning along Route Five’s main path before breaking off for lunch and a bit of training.
By his count, they would arrive in Vermilion in four days, which should give them ample time to train and develop a strategy. For now, though, he was content to watch his Pokémon play with each other.
That is, until he spotted a Pokémon he had never seen before, watching him and his friends on the outskirts of their camp. It was small, bipedal, and he could mistaken it for a small child if it wasn’t for the metallic sheen on its whole body.
It had a round head and appeared to be wearing an armored red and gray helmet with a razor-sharp metal blade protruding from its forehead. Something he only spotted because its head reflected just a little bit of the sunlight into his eye.
Casually, he aimed his Pokédex toward the creature, hoping it wasn’t so obscured by the bushes that his Dex wouldn’t be able to get a good read. Thankfully, it managed, and Ash was able to turn off the auto-read feature before it could spout off information and possibly tip off the Pokémon that he knew it was there.
Scrolling through the information the Pokédex provided, Ash couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows in curiosity.
Pawniard, the Sharp Blade Pokémon. From their first day of having a full exoskeleton, one Pawniard will establish dominance over the others through battle. Once it evolves into Bisharp, the other Pawniard will follow its instructions, no matter how dangerous.
These Pokémon are typically only found in the mountains and forests of Unova or Kalos and when they are not hunting, eating, or sleeping. They will constantly sharpen their blades, polish their armor, and generally keep themselves in good condition.
They are considered a Dark/Steel type and typically use river stones to sharpen their blades. Each Pawniard will have its own preferred stone.
Making a mental note to read the Pokédex entries for his Pokémon since it contained a lot more information than when it speaks, Ash whispered to his starter.
“Artemis, can you let Amelia and Dakota know we have a visitor?”
His Espeon gave a slight nod as she stood up, doing a very long stretch after laying in the sun for an hour before making her way to the two other Pallet trainers in the clearing. Once Amelia and Dakota had joined him, he pointed out the Pawniard doing his best to not make it obvious.
But before he or anyone could do anything regarding the creature. An older man with a Nidorino walking beside him spotted their impromptu campsite off the main road and approached them.
“Excuse me, but would any of you happen to have seen a young red and black Pokémon with a red and gray helmet around here?”
“The woman I was watching it for is collecting the troublemaker today, and he snuck past me when I opened the gate to the Pokémon pen. I’m pretty sure he’s just looking for her, but I am sure you three know how dangerous it is in the wild.”
Before the man could continue, Ash hesitantly nodded his head. Keeping an eye on the Pawniard as it slowly lowered itself in the shadow of the shrubbery so that all you could see was its yellow eyes.
The old man must’ve understood the situation somewhat as he continued his conversation but at a much calmer pace.
“I see. Well, thank you both for the time. If you do see anything, please let me know.”
Before he left, the man mouthed ‘where’ to Ash, who motioned his head toward the Pawniard. The old man began to slowly amble in that direction with his Nidorino. Then, when they were right on top of the Pokémon, Nidorino struck, throwing it out into the open.
But before a fight could break out, the old man returned it to a Pokéball, much to the surprise of the teens watching. Although, Ash supposed it made sense to just return the Pokémon rather than risk the health of both in a battle.
“Thank you all for your help, why don’t you join me at my Daycare? I can offer you some supplies for your help. It's the least I can do.”
The trio looked amongst each other before nodding their heads, and after quickly packing up camp, joined the man as he led them to his Daycare. Ash was relieved once he realized that they were heading in the direction of Vermilion and that they wouldn’t be going too far out of the way.
It wasn’t until an hour later that the group came across a tall two-story house, which looked well taken care of despite its obvious age. There was a relatively large backyard with several rocks, a couple of ponds, and dozens of Pokemon that were playing or resting.
All of the Pokémon were first-stage, like Ratata and Pidgey, while some were considered actual baby Pokémon, like Pichu and Azurill. Ash even thought he saw an Eevee playing amongst all the creatures and was about to ask the man how he stopped Poachers or more aggressive wild Pokemon when he noticed it.
Up in one of the trees on the outskirts of the fenced land was a massive Pidgeot, and below it was a gleaming Scizor that watched over the field. Then, he noticed what he initially thought was a rock in the pond was actually a Blastoise inside its shell.
The Ketchum heir was confident that those three alone would be enough to fend off any would-be attackers and was broken out of his thoughts when a young woman who looked almost his age waved her hands at the group from the porch of the house as they approached.
“Hey, Mr. Kido, I came by to pick up my Pawniard, but I didn’t see him in the pen. He didn’t escape again, did he?”
The newly named Mr. Kido nodded his head, waiting until they got a little closer before responding and allowing Ash to get a better look at the woman, who was, by his standards, absolutely gorgeous.
She had shimmering sky-blue hair that went all the way down to her hips, with bangs that stopped at the front of her shoulders. Framing her face and chest in a way that allowed her pale complexion to shine in the shadow of her hair.
Meanwhile, her outfit, which consisted of a gold shirt with black trim and white pants that cut off just below the knee, accented her stunning figure.
She was by far the most beautiful woman he had seen so far on his journey, and that was including his childhood crush, Lorelei. Doing his best to wrench his gaze from the beautiful woman, he noticed a set of golden heels beside her bare feet, concluding that she had been waiting on Mr. Kido for a while.
“Hi Karen, afraid so. Scizor had to leave to take care of a rowdy pack of Mankey, and with Pawniard’s only companion gone, I think he left to go find you. I’ll have something figured out by the next time you need our services.”
Karen nodded, and something about her name and the Pokémon she left at the Daycare rang bells in his head. He felt like he had heard of this woman before but couldn’t quite place where from.
“Thank you, Mr. Kido. Once my team is healed up, I’ll have Absol talk with him. He knows why he can’t always come with us, and I think that’s why he worries.”
At the mention of an Absol, Ash remembered where he had heard of Karen from. She looked quite young to run the gauntlet for an Elite Four position, but he supposed he’d be the youngest Champion if he had his way this year.
“Speaking of Absol. Karen, please meet Ash, Amelia, and Dakota. These three are the ones that helped me find Pawniard, and if you can believe it, Ash has an Absol too!”
Ash seriously regretted introducing himself to the man as Absol’s trainer during their walk to Daycare. Because now, the beautiful girl’s attention was solely fixated on him. Something that, under normal circumstances, would be a welcome experience.
But Karen’s gaze was intense, and Ash felt like he was suffocating. It was like he was utterly alone despite being surrounded by his friends just moments ago. To him, it was just Karen and Ash, encompassed by nothing but darkness. A thing that she appeared to be entirely at home being surrounded by.
Then, it was gone, and he was back with his friends, talking with Karen and Mr. Kido.
“I would love to see your Absol Ash. Tell me, how did you come to catch one? Most of them despise battling and are typically very skittish around humans?”
Karen’s voice sounded intrigued, but Ash could detect the underlying threat. ‘If you trapped & caught this Absol and are forcing it to fight for you... there will be pain.’
Deciding honesty was the best policy in this case, Ash told Karen the truth. Grabbing Eclipses’ Pokéball off his belt as he spoke, releasing the Dark-type.
“I actually didn’t catch Absol. She was gifted to me as an Egg from Professor Oak. She only hatched less than a week ago, so we haven’t done any battling, but so far, she’s told me that she wants to.”
Eclipse nodded her head along with Ash, causing him to smile as he petted and scratched her neck. Karen seemed slightly surprised at his response and Absol’s agreement, giving the rookie trainer another look as he patted his Pokémon.
The teenager was clearly in his first year of training, still having the air of optimism and excitement that all first-year trainers have. Yet, something about Ash still made her want to believe him.
Maybe it was how his eyes shined with determination despite the evident weariness she could see behind them. Or, perhaps, it was the way his Absol leaned into his touch. Dark-types weren’t known to be affectionate unless they were in the presence of the ones they absolutely trusted, after all.
Despite her desire to believe that this rookie trainer was, in fact, pure-hearted and loved his Absol, her past wouldn’t let her. She had seen too much darkness in the world to believe in something so pure and honest.
With her mind made up, she released her own Absol, her second oldest partner and savior. The elder Absol appeared in a flash of light, taking a moment to absorb its surroundings before looking to its trainer for direction.
Her Absol was bigger, but that didn’t prove the teenager’s claim; any trainer worth their salt knew that Pokémon varied in size. She paused momentarily on her Dark-type’s latest scar on his side, a reminder of their most recent mission, before speaking.
“Absol, can you confirm that the Absol over there wishes to be with its trainer and one day participate in Pokémon battles?”
The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Everyone looked incredulously at her, but she paid them no mind. Ash looked up in indignation, words at the tip of his tongue that landed on no one’s ears as Karen cut him off.
“I am sorry, Ash. But I would rather be safe than sorry. I have seen some trainers do horrible things to catch an Absol and, worse, to make it battle for them.”
The trainer deflated as his Absol talked with hers’ and after another moment, Absol nodded his head in her direction, causing an honest smile to appear on her face.
“Thank you Absol, return.”
Returning her Absol in a beam of red light, she focused her attention on the rookie trainer. She expected him to say ‘I told you so’ or simply berate her for questioning his morals as a Pokémon trainer. Instead, he said something that surprised her.
“I understand your skepticism, Karen. Could you help me with training my Absol?”
Once again, she found herself staring at this rookie trainer in a new light. Not once in her entire life had she questioned a trainer’s morality and not had them be offended by it. For the first time since the start of her journey four years ago, she found herself considering traveling with another person.
“Why are you asking for my help in training your Absol?”
“Because,” Ash started. “It’s exactly as you said. Most Absol aren't fond of battle, but Professor Oak said you and someone named Sidney are some of the only trainers who do. I’m not exactly happy that you didn’t believe me about my Absol, but I understand your reasons. Besides, this gives me a chance to show you why you can trust me.”
Karen stared at the teen as she contemplated her options. She hated the words ‘trust me’; it reminded her of him. Despite that though, she found herself wanting to believe the rookie trainer. He had surprised her twice already, after all.
Besides, the thought of Sidney teaching him how to train an Absol made her skin crawl. He was a novice Dark-type specialist compared to her, and she would be damned if she allowed that Hoenn trainer to waste another Absol’s potential.
With her mind made up, she nodded her head.
“I will help you train your Absol. I couldn’t live with myself if you were taught by an inferior Dark-type trainer like Sidney.”
Ash grinned as he turned to his Absol.
“You hear that, Eclipse, we’re going to learn from a master!”
Eclipse yipped at her trainer, matching his excitement. Everyone chuckled at their antics while Mr. Kido opened the door to his Daycare, gesturing for the teenagers to follow him inside.
“Come in, come in. Let me fix you all some dinner to take with you on the road. It's the least I can do.”
No one objected to the idea of free food as they made their way inside. Ash fell in step behind Karen as Eclipse walked beside him, eager to learn from the Dark-type specialist.
----------------------------------------
Ash looked up at the sky in slight concern as dark clouds rolled across the horizon. After leaving Mr. Kido’s Daycare, now with the addition of Karen, the group had made good progress towards Vermilion City.
So long as they kept their current pace, they would arrive in Vermillion with five days to spare for a chance to win a St. Anne ticket. This was perfectly fine for Ash, as he was confident he and his friends could come up with the perfect strategy to beat Surge on the first go.
Especially with Karen’s help, as she had already proven herself an incredible boon to the rookie trainers. Giving them some tips and tricks that helped them set up their tents quicker and figure out where the safest place was to make camp. Not to mention the fact that she was an invaluable resource to Ash when it came to training Eclipse.
While she managed to give everyone some bits of information on their Pokémon, like how to get the most poison out of Nidoran for Amelia or pointing Ash and Dakota in the direction of a move that would allow their Psychic-type Pokémon to hit Dark-types.
It was nothing compared to the wealth of information she had for Ash on training and improving his Absol. That ranged from learning how to best groom her to guiding her on how to access her Dark-type energy to even understanding some of the species' mannerisms for his research.
She even helped him get Eclipse to be okay with being inside her Pokéball. According to Karen, his Absol didn’t like being in her ball because it dulled her senses to an extreme degree.
The way she explained it to him, it was to imagine someone putting blurry goggles over his eyes, ear muffs on his ears, and wrapping him in a thin piece of paper that he could just barely feel through.
The solution she gave him that worked for her Absol was maxing out the tolerance setting on her Pokéball. A setting that affected how much information a Pokémon could receive from the outside world while inside their Pokéball.
It was something that could only be done at a Pokémon Center or via a Pokédex and was automatically standardized to the lowest level for every Pokéball. The reason was that a vast majority of Pokémon preferred to rest in their stasis and wanted as little outside interference as possible.
It was not a very well-known setting of Pokéballs and was something Karen had only found out by talking with the president of Silph Co. herself. Something that she dropped so casually that Ash almost thought she was talking about a close friend, reminding him that Karen was on track to eventually be a member of the Elite Four.
Becoming one of the pillars that unite Kanto and Johto and reflect the Indigo Leagues' strength to all the other regions. While also being the first line of defense for the people of Indigo and a stepping stone in Ash’s goal of becoming champion.
The loud clap of thunder broke Ash out of his musings, making him once again glance wearily at the coming storm, voicing his concerns to the rest of the group.
“We should probably find a cave for the night and collect some firewood now while it's still relatively dry.”
His companions voiced their agreement, and he soon found himself searching for a cave with Karen. At the same time, Amelia and Dakota went off to collect some firewood.
The two walked in comfortable silence for a couple of minutes, enjoying the weather that came before a big storm. Watching as wild Pokémon prepared for the coming weather and hunkered down. It wasn’t until they watched a mama Raticate pick up a Ratata by the scruff of its neck and drag it back to its den Karen broke the silence.
“That was good thinking earlier Ash. Most rookie trainers would’ve never thought to grab dry firewood while they still could.”
Ash glanced at the blue-haired beauty in surprise.
“Thanks? I thought it would’ve been common sense that wet wood is impossible to start a fire with.”
Karen laughed a bit at that before responding.
“Yes, I would say that is common sense, but most trainers don’t have the foresight to think that far ahead. I’ve even seen experienced trainers who’ve been stuck in a situation like that before making the same mistake twice.”
Ash nodded his head at that thought. He hadn’t considered preparing for something a unique skill, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized how many trainers he had faced or talked to who didn’t do any preparation. They were just ‘rolling with the Mach Punches,’ as the saying goes.
He was about to make more small talk with Karen when he spotted the mouth of a cave. Just in time, too, as the storm clouds seemed to be nearly on top of them now. Sending a message to Dakota and Amelia via his Pokédex with his current location, he and Karen made their way up the slight incline toward the cave.
A flash of light was all the warning Ash had before Karen’s Houndoom was beside her. It was an absolute monster of a Pokémon and no doubt the epitome of its species. Its dark fur was pitch black, seeming to suck in what little light remained as the storm clouds covered the sun.
Meanwhile, the bones that accented its figure were a dark gray, with horns nearly six inches long. The heat radiating off the Fire-type was suffocating, and for a brief moment, Ash was terrified.
However, Karen’s Houndoom paid him no mind as it walked loyally beside its trainer. The beast’s eyes constantly scanned the area around them, occasionally sniffing the air to detect things that their eyes wouldn’t be able to see.
Karen glanced at the rookie trainer and gave him a smirk, patting his arm to break him out of his trance.
“It can be scary seeing a Houndoom for the first time. They are apex predators, after all. But don’t worry, you’ll get used to him after a while, and he can be a real softie if you know what you're doing.”
Ash seriously doubted that the hellhound would ever be a ‘softie’ but wasn’t going to argue with the Dark-type specialist. His initial fear at seeing the Dual-type for the first time was forgotten, as his mind started to race with questions for the Blue-haired beauty.
But, before he could ask his first question on how accurate the rumor was about a Houndoom’s flames burning the victim's soul. The Pokémon started to let loose a low and threatening growl as they reached the mouth of the cave.
Not thinking twice, he immediately released Artemis and Imperial. His Pokémon appeared in a flash and were immediately on alert. He tried his best to see what had their Pokémon concerned, but couldn’t see five feet inside the cave.
“Light it up Houndoom.”
Karen’s voice cut through the silence, and almost immediately, the cavern was bathed in light. The room itself was easily big enough for everyone to sleep comfortably and seemed practically dry. Whether or not that was because of Houndoom, he didn’t know.
What he did know, however, was what had their Pokémon on edge. In the corner, there looked to be a collapsed tunnel that no doubt led deeper into the cave. But it wasn’t the dozens and dozens of rocks blocking the passageway that had their Pokémon on edge.
No, it was the human hand sticking out past the rubble, a broken Pokéball clutched between its fingers. Ash had to hold back his vomit once the stench hit him, as whoever had perished in this cave had done so a while ago.
Covering his nose with his shirt, he and Karen seemed to have the same idea as they silently stepped toward the pile of debris, and with their Pokémon’s help, they managed to free the dead trainer.
It was not a pretty sight, and Ash had to hold back his vomit on more than one occasion as they uncovered the body in different stages. Ash could only hope the person died quickly based on the damage, as several body parts were bent at unnatural angles while others were just smashed to pieces and unrecognizable.
Karen managed to find the person’s ID as he collected their Pokéballs. Frowning once he realized they were all broken and destroyed, which meant that the Pokémon inside were dead, just like their trainer.
“At least it was quick and painless, for the Pokémon at least.”
Ash glanced at Karen, nodding in agreement. It was a known fact and why most trainers kept their Pokéballs as close to them as possible. If a Pokéball was destroyed with a Pokémon inside, then it was killed instantly.
On the other hand, if a Pokeball was destroyed without the Pokémon inside, then the Pokémon was ‘released’ and no longer tied to that trainer or ball. Glancing at the ID in Karen’s hand, Ash discerned that the trainer was a boy in the second year of his journey.
His name was Roelio, and he would’ve turned eighteen years old in three days' time. Trying to take his mind off the poor boy’s life, which had been cut short. Ash turned his thoughts to what could have caused the collapse.
Developing a theory as the smell went from rotting to being noxious and acidic as they opened an airway to ensure they didn’t miss any of Roleio’s possessions. It was then that the black and purple rocks they found throughout the debris made sense.
Putting two and two together, Ash figured the lone trainer was exploring the caves until he came across a Koffing and Wheezing den. Roleio then either tried to catch or fight one of the Poison-types before said Pokémon exploded.
Moves like Explosion and Self-Destruct were moves that few Pokémon learned and were used as a last resort, with the Koffing and Voltorb lines being the most notable Pokémon to learn and use the moves.
While it wasn’t unheard of for those Pokémon to use the move on a trainer trying to catch them, it was highly uncommon since it killed the user. In the wild, typically, the only time Pokémon used the move was when their pack or colony was in danger.
Then, depending on the species, either the leaders or the grunts of the group would use Explosion or Self-Destruct. Explosion typically only being able to be used by evolved Pokémon due to the energy output and was a great deal more powerful than Self-Destruct.
In fact, Ash was positive that it was a Koffing that killed Roleio and that it had used Self-Destruct. If it had been a Wheezing that had used Explosion, then the entire cave would've collapsed.
Amelia’s startled gasp broke Ash out of his thoughts as he put the rock that uncovered the airway back. Trying to dampen the noxious and acidic smell before he turned to face his companions. Absentmindedly wondering how he hadn’t noticed the start of the storm, as both Dakota and Amelia were slightly wet.
“We didn’t do it... That probably sounded like we did it, huh.”
The words flew out of his mouth before he could even think, and Karen let loose a laugh from her spot beside him while Dakota and Amelia gave him a deadpan stare that said, ‘No duh.’ With a slight chuckle himself, Ash scratched the back of his neck sheepishly.
“I don’t know what I was thinking. Of course, you two know we didn’t do it. But, um, Karen and I entered the cave and found him underneath the rubble. We were digging him out to get his information and see if any of his Pokémon survived...”
Thankfully, Karen picked up for him as he was reminded that this trainer had died and all his Pokémon along with him. Sensing his troubled mind, Artemis made her way beside her trainer.
Purring as he stroked her fur for comfort. ‘N*t y**r fau*t. W*n’t ha*pe* to *s’
Ash looked up in alarm at the voice, not recognizing it as any of his friends. Only to look around in confusion at not seeing any new people in the cave. He then glanced down at his starter, who was staring at him with mirth in her eyes.
“Was that you?”
He whispered the words to not interrupt Karen, as she was talking through a Pokénav while Amelia and Dakota gathered around her. His Espeon nodded her head, and Ash could only stare in shock.
His starter had communicated with him psychically, which was big. Having a Psychic Pokémon that could communicate telepathically was incredibly useful and relatively rare from his understanding.
It was a given that human psychics and Psychic Pokémon could communicate telepathically, but from the way Professor Oak explained it in Trainer School, that was because the psychic trainers reached out to the Pokémon telepathically first.
As far as he knew, non-psychic trainers have never been able to communicate telepathically with their Psychic Pokémon. Which he supposed would make sense since none of those trainers would want to give away their secret.
Especially since at higher levels, trainers have an idea of how to deal with a psychic communicating with their Pokémon telepathically. At least in Kanto, that is, because of Sabrina.
The powerful Gym Leader only accepted challengers for their fourth Gym Badge and above because she consistently implemented some form of telepathic communication with her Pokémon. Anyone who dared challenge her for Ace trainer points or their eighth badge would find her communicating solely through telepathy.
Karen’s curse broke him out of his thoughts, catching the last bit of her conversation over the Pokénav.
“-rry, but we can’t spare the resources. I have grounded all my Rangers until this storm passes, and once it lifts, body retrieval is at the bottom of our priorities.”
Karen let loose a deep breath before responding to the person over the phone.
“Thank you for the information, Chief Ranger Lee. We will put the body in a safe place and mark it. I’ll then send you the coordinates via an alert. Good luck with the aftermath, and please let us know if we can be of assistance.”
“Thank you, Ace trainer Karen. I’ll be sure to keep that in mind, as I am sure we will be overwhelmed once this storm clears. Lee out.”
Karen let out a sigh as she shut the Pokénav.
“You three are taking this all surprisingly well.”
Ash shrugged his shoulders while Amelia and Dakota shuddered slightly. Seeing his two companions in no hurry to speak up, he decided to enlighten Karen a bit so she didn’t think they were all sociopaths.
“We’ve had some run-ins with Team Rocket, to say the least, and well. We were almost killed by an Executive named Pierce in Mt. Moon. In fact, we probably would’ve had we not been lucky, and Steven Stone was in the area.”
Karen nodded her head.
“I am sorry that’s happened to you, but from what I can see, you three are strong. For what it’s worth, I’m glad you all survived.”
Ash nodded in thanks, running his hand through Artemis’s fur one more time for comfort before standing up and stretching. Making a mental note to look more into the telepathy she had demonstrated when the timing was better.
“I think Roleio died when a Koffing used Self-Destruct, based on the smell I was getting on the other side of the rubble and the purple rock fragments Karen and I found digging him out.”
Karen bobbed her head up and down in agreement.
“I came to a similar conclusion. However, I am not sure why a Koffing would Self-Destruct since, most of the time, they explode to protect the colony. Depending on their poisonous composition, however, a flame might set them off unintentionally.”
“Or perhaps that specific Koffing was just ill. It’s hard to say, but hopefully, the Rangers will be able to discern what truly happened here. I am going to take some of the rocks and create a wall between his body and our campsite. Ash, can you help me?”
The Ketchum heir nodded his head while Amelia and Dakota went to the other end of the cave and started to set up some sort of camp. While it felt weird to have a corpse so close to them, there wasn’t anything they could really do.
One glance at the mouth of the cave was all it took to see the severity of the storm. Despite only being a little bit before dinner, it was incredibly dark outside, and the rain looked more like a sheet of water rather than droplets.
Lightning flashed nearly every other second, and the wind was louder than a Waterfall. He was tempted to say it was a storm sent from Zapdos but dismissed the thought. While the Shamouti Orbs and the museum expert reinforced his belief, he still had doubts about how real the legends were.
With a heave and Imperial’s help, he finally managed to move a large stone in place. Creating a divider that covered half of Roleio’s body from view, only to glance over and see Artemis lifting a stone of similar size telekinetically with ease.
Smiling, he congratulated his starter on her display of power and skill. Helping guide the stone to a good spot before joining Karen and Houndoom in grabbing some more rubble to help solidify the barrier.
He was honestly surprised that no wild Pokémon had joined them in their sanctuary from the storm. Before chalking it up to all the native creatures that knew about the cave, knowing that it was home to a Koffing and Wheezing den.
Dusting his hands off once he put the final stone for the barrier in place. He made his way towards the fire that Amelia and Dakota had set up, releasing Eclipse and Neptune as he got closer to feed them their dinner.
Then, once he and his Pokémon were fed, he quickly turned in for the night. Rolling out his sleeping bag as far away from the corpse as possible. No one was in a talkative mood with the dead body in the corner at the back of everyone’s minds.
Not to mention, the storm had increased in ferocity outside, and it was nearly impossible to hear anyone speak through the wind and rain. Returning all of his Pokémon except for Eclipse and Artemis, he closed his eyes and let sleep embrace him.
The chuckling of a madman had Ash opening his eyes and wide awake quicker than he had ever been in his entire life. His heart was racing as he frantically scanned the darkness. He knew Pierce’s laugh when he heard it, and he was confident the criminal had tracked them down.
‘Roleio must’ve been catching the Koffing and Wheezing for Team Rocket!’
The thought struck him like a ton of bricks. It made sense and explained why a Koffing would’ve Self-Destructed for the betterment of the colony. He called out to his friends and Pokémon. They had to be ready.
“Everyone, wake up! Pierce found us.”
He hoped his voice didn’t come out as panicked as he felt, which only intensified as the seconds ticked down and there was no reaction to his words.
“Artemis! Pierce must’ve gotten everyone else in their sleep. We’ve got to help them!”
He held out hope that the Rocket Executive hadn’t managed to sneak up on his starter. His heart beat faster every second that he didn’t hear her call out in acknowledgment or feel her fur brush against his body.
Fearing the worst had happened, he reached for his Pokéballs, only for ice to fill his veins as dread gripped his entire being. The cool metal wasn’t on his belt, and after Mt.Moon, he always kept his Pokéballs on him.
Pierce was playing with him, and he could do nothing to stop it. He felt true terror as he heard rocks begin to shift and crack before the noxious and rotting smell of Poison-Type’s hit his nostrils.
“You will die here, boy. Your friends have left you to die. Your Pokémon have abandoned you because you lack strength. You are all alone, and no one will save you this time. You’ll end up. Just. Like. Me.”
Ash screamed out in terror as Roleio’s mangled face appeared in front of him, laughing maniacally with Pierce’s voice. The cave illuminated briefly as a Wheezing charged up to use Explosion.
Allowing Ash to see all his friends dead, with blood pooling around their bodies. His starter stared back at him, and Artemis’s eyes, which were once full of intelligence and power, were now lifeless.
With a start, he opened his eyes. His breathing labored, and his entire body was sticky with sweat. A lick on his cheek brought his attention over to his starter, her eyes full of concern. He stroked her fur, thankful that it was just a nightmare.
A nudge on his left side made him smile as he used his other arm to pet Eclipse. His breathing slowed down as he felt calmness wash over him. He wasn’t quite sure what time it was, but all that remained of their fire was tiny embers.
The storm had slowed but not entirely stopped, as he could still hear raindrops pattering the trees outside. Relaxing a bit more as he heard Dakota’s light snores and Amelia’s breaths.
Deciding that he wouldn’t be getting any more sleep for the night, he sat up in his sleeping bag, double-checking that his Pokéballs were still attached to his belt before standing up. Glancing at the corner where Raleio’s body lay, he was all the more aware of the corpse's presence now.
“Can’t sleep either?”
Karen’s whisper startled him as he glanced in her direction. She looked like a goddess in the darkness, her skin shimmering and hair giving off an almost faint glow. It was like she was a beacon in the night.
The glowing yellow circles that pulsed beside her drew his attention away from her enchanting beauty. The Umbreon opened its eyes, sensing his gaze, and Ash was fascinated by the red orbs that stared back at him in the cave's darkness.
He figured that the Dark-type specialist would have had one of the most popular Dark-types, but it still surprised him at how hypnotizing it was to see one in its element.
Realizing he had kept quiet for too long, he mumbled his reply.
“Yeah... Couldn’t sleep.”
Karen’s whispered laugh was bewitching to his ears in the echo of the cave and the darkness of the night.
“I understand, don’t be embarrassed. I know I look good in the dark.”
Ash felt his face heating up as Karen chuckled a bit more.
“It’d be a shame to waste this opportunity. The rain’s practically stopped now, so come with me. I’m going to teach you some tricks.”
Ash tried to not overthink the beautiful woman’s words as he followed her outside into the night with his Pokémon trailing behind him. She clearly meant training and nothing else, but the teenager in him was praying to Arceus that she wasn’t.
Tearing his gaze away from Karen’s backside, he looked up at the sky as they made it out of the cave. It was a half-moon that was obscured almost entirely by clouds. It looked to be at its peak, which, if he had to guess, meant it was close to midnight.
He followed Karen for another five minutes until they came across a relatively small clearing. The cloud coverage chose that moment to unblock the moon, letting it shine down on Karen’s form. Ash felt the breath leave his body and was left speechless at the gorgeous woman in front of him.
The moon seemed to focus on the Ace trainer, leaving her practically glowing. He could see the smirk on her face as she turned to face him and straightened up. He wouldn’t be caught staring a second time.
“So what are we doing out here?”
Karen’s smirk turned into a grin as dark clouds covered the moon’s light once again, her voice the only thing that let him know she was close as it became nearly pitch black.
“Darkness training.”
Ash could hear himself gulp at the timing of her words. Absentmindedly wondering if that was something she did or had just lucked out on the timing of.
“And what does Darkness training entail exactly?”
His voice carried across the clearing, and he nearly jumped when Karen’s laugh came from a different place in the clearing. An area that she had no business being in after being so close to him moments ago.
“It’s simple really. Feel, don’t see. Open yourself up to your Absol, and trust her to guide you. My Umbreon and I are going to attack, and you are going to dodge. Good luck!”
He didn’t quite understand her words but had no time to think about them as he noticed a purple ball of energy coming straight for Eclipse.
“Move Eclipse!”
Eclipse glanced at him in confusion before dashing forward and, to Ash’s horror, got hit in her side by a Tackle from Karen’s Umbreon. He glanced back to where he spotted the Shadow Ball, only to frown as he didn’t see the ball of ghostly energy.
“Did you listen to what I said Ash? Feel, don’t see. Eclipse trusted you to keep her safe, and you failed. Again.”
Karen’s voice was filled with a bit of mirth, but there was a slight edge to it. Ash ground his teeth in frustration. She was right, but he had no idea how to do what she was talking about.
He spotted another Shadow Ball coming for his Absol but kept his eyes open for the yellow rings that signified where Umbreon was waiting. Catching sight of the Dark-type in front of and to the left of his Dark-type.
“Jump back Eclipse, and use Assurance in front of you and to the left!”
Ash grinned, thinking he had it, only to frown as the hand of darkness conjured from Eclipse’s scythe passed through the yellow rings as she got hit by Dig a second after she landed.
“FEEL, don’t see Ash. Trust in your Pokémon.”
“I’m trying!”
He shouted his words out of frustration more than anger, but he was getting pissed. Taking a breath to calm himself as Karen’s voice once again called from a new place in the clearing.
“Good, trust in Eclipse.”
He was about to tell her where to shove it when he felt it. A string in the back of his mind traced all the way to where Absol stood in the clearing. In fact, he felt three more. One went to Artemis beside him, and the other two to Imperial’s and Neptune’s Pokéballs.
He felt a slight tug on the string as Eclipse glanced back at him, her eyes wide. He was about to Ask Karen what it was that he was feeling but stopped himself as he saw the Shadow Ball again coming towards Eclipse.
But he didn’t feel worried. In fact, he wasn’t even concerned about the pulsating yellow rings in front of his Absol or the shifting ground behind her. No, he was worried about the tree to his right and the one above him.
Glancing at said trees revealed an Umbreon in the one on the right and Karen above him. Catching his gaze, she smiled at him. Jumping down with her Umbreon as the Shadow Ball disappeared along with the shifting ground and the pulsating rings in front of his Absol.
“What was that?”
Karen’s smile grew slightly at his words.
“What I’m about to say is something that isn’t taught in any schooling because the League banned it.”
At his confused look, Karen elaborated.
“As I am sure you were taught. Pokéballs connect trainers to their Pokémon, and that’s why if all your Pokémon faint, you, the trainer, feel weak. Possibly passing out or worse, no?”
Ash nodded his head.
“That’s a vast simplification the League perpetrated to keep most trainers from digging too deep. What really happens is a Pokéball connects the Pokémon to their trainer. You draw on their energy, and in turn, some things don't affect you as much.”
“For example, normally, even a Tackle attack from a wild Rattata could break ribs on an adult. But, say that adult has at least one Pokémon; the Tackle attack would now only bruise instead. Now, for most trainers, that’s all that will happen if they manage to figure out the secret The League keeps about Pokéballs.”
“But that’s just a red herring. Some of us are aura-sensitive and can use that connection to empower ourselves, our battling prowess, and our Pokémon as well. That is why The League does their best to keep it a secret.”
“Because if a majority of trainers knew that they didn’t have a chance at becoming the best due to something they were born without. Then the economy would collapse, and we would go back to the way it was when Guardians ruled the world.”
Ash stared at Karen as she spoke, while what she said made sense. It didn’t really explain what he was feeling while touching the... aura string? He didn’t know what to call it, but he understood what Karen was trying to get at.
“I mean, I understand what you're saying, Karen. But, like, what was I actually feeling? Why was I not concerned about the Shadow Ball or the illusion in front of Absol?”
At this, Karen smirked.
“Remember why you had to turn the tolerance level for Eclipse’s Pokéball up? Absol’s horns are very sensitive; they detect a lot, and in turn, they can sense danger almost perfectly. So she knew not to be concerned about the decoys but about where we really were.”
“Each of your connections will be different, depending on the Pokémon. As a trainer, it is up to you to figure out how to use those connections to best help you and your team succeed.”
Ash pondered Karen’s words; it was something he definitely wanted to test out with the rest of his team members, and that made him giddy with excitement. But, before he could rush head first into all the information he had learned recently about his team.
Like Artemis’s psychic communication and being aura-sensitive, he wanted to get some more information while he still had an elite-level trainer with him.
“What do you mean that trainers can empower themselves?”
Karen giggled a bit before she spoke.
“Catch that little tidbit, huh? Well, take Brock, for example. He is a Rock-type specialist who is as immovable as a mountain and unshakable as a boulder. His Aura has gained traits of the Rock-types he trains, and because of it, he can do things like punch through a Boulder or jump off a mountain and still be relatively fine.”
“On the flip side of it, he can be as slow as a mountain as well, like taking a while to make a decision or reacting to a threat quickly. A majority of aura-sensitive trainers become type specialists, but a few, like the current Champion of Sinnoh Cynthia Shirona, are a more variety trainer.”
Ash nodded his head. It made sense, and he was starting to see what Karen was talking about as he pictured the mannerisms and the feats of notable Elite-level and Champion-level trainers. He opened his mouth to ask another question when Karen held up her hand.
“I am sure you have more questions, but it’s almost 3:00 a.m., and we should get some sleep. I am confident tomorrow will be an exhausting day, and you can ask me more about it tomorrow night. But don’t bring it up to Amelia and Dakota. I haven’t figured out if they are aura-sensitive or not.”
Ash nodded his head as they made their way back to the cave. Dozens of questions and realizations swirled around in his mind as he thought more and more about the secret Karen had let him in on.
Despite that, though, by the time he finally returned to his sleeping bag and laid his head on his pillow. He was out like a light, eager to work on everything he had learned and look deeper into Artemis’s telepathy.