Chapter 13: Chapter 13: A Meeting by the River!
Ace stood near the edge of Viridian City, the faint hum of the waking city behind him. The golden light of dawn spilled over the rooftops, but Ace's gaze lingered on the distant Viridian Gym.
'That's Giovanni's base,' he thought grimly. 'Team Rocket's operations are hidden right under the noses of everyone here. And Giovanni...'
Ace's mind flashed to the manga, recalling the chilling presence of the leader of Team Rocket. His godly Beedrill, capable of matching Lance's Dragonite blow for blow, sent a shiver down Ace's spine.
'I'm nowhere near ready to face someone like him. Not yet,' Ace resolved. 'When my team reaches Elite level, I'll come back. Until then, I'm not taking any risks.'
With one last glance, Ace swung his leg over his bike and pedaled away, leaving the city behind. The cool morning air brushed against his face as he sped down the dirt path, the peaceful countryside unfolding before him.
Miles away, a boy about Ace's age trudged along a winding path. His messy black hair peeked out from under an official Pokémon League hat, tilted slightly to the side. His black shirt and blue jacket were dusty from travel, and his light blue jeans were rolled up to avoid the mud. He adjusted the rubber gloves on his hands as he tugged on a rope tied to a Pikachu.
"Come on, Pikachu," the boy muttered, frustration evident in his voice. "Can't you just walk without a fuss?"
Pikachu grunted and turned its head away, refusing to budge.
The boy sighed, his amber eyes clouded with confusion. "Why won't you listen to me? We're supposed to be partners."
Pikachu glanced at him briefly before letting out a small spark, its cheeks glowing faintly. The boy flinched but continued walking, dragging the reluctant Pikachu behind him.
As the morning wore on, Ace's bike screeched to a halt near a serene river stream. The crystal-clear water sparkled under the sunlight, and the gentle rustle of leaves added to the tranquil atmosphere.
'This is perfect,' Ace thought, scanning the area. 'A good place to rest and train.'
He parked his bike against a tree and began setting up camp. His movements were quick and efficient, but his mind wandered as he worked.
'This place looks like the one where Ash first saw Misty, if Misty and Ash are out here somewhere, it means things are starting to align with the anime. Which also means…'
Ace's thoughts trailed off as he remembered the infamous Spearow swarm scene.
'I don't want to be caught in that mess,' he groaned internally.
Just as he finished pitching his tent, a familiar voice called out, startling him.
"Ace? Is that you?"
Ace froze mid-motion, his heart skipping a beat. Slowly, he turned around to see a girl pedaling toward him on a blue bike. Her fiery orange hair was tied in a side ponytail, and her orange jacket stood out brightly against the green backdrop.
'Misty?' Ace's thoughts raced. 'Why is she here? Wait… if Misty's here, that means Ash isn't far behind. And if Ash is nearby, the Spearow…'
Ace mentally braced himself for the chaos to come.
Misty stopped her bike and dismounted, her hands on her hips as she looked at him curiously. "What are you doing all the way out here?"
Ace gave a sheepish smile, scratching the back of his head. "Just traveling. I got my second badge recently and was heading out to pick up a parcel for Professor Cerise."
Misty's eyes widened slightly. "Professor Cerise is sponsoring you? That's impressive!"
Ace chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I guess I got lucky."
The two chatted for a while, catching up as they set up camp together. Misty explained that she was traveling for her own reasons, though she didn't go into much detail.
After a quick meal, Ace decided it was time to train his Pokémon. He reached for his Poké Balls, releasing each of his companions one by one.
"Alright, everyone," Ace called, "time to get to work!"
Flashes of light revealed his team—Scyther, Elekid, Nidoran, Clefairy, Starmie, and Smeargle.
When Starmie appeared, its shimmering gem caught Misty's eye.
"Wait a second," Misty said, her voice filled with awe. "Is that a shiny Starmie?"
Ace smirked as Misty rushed over to examine the Pokémon.
"It's beautiful!" Misty exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "I've never seen one in person before!"
Starmie twirled nervously, glancing at Ace for help. But Ace turned away, whistling innocently.
'You're on your own, buddy,' he thought with a small grin.
Misty released her own Pokémon—a Staryu, a Starmie, and a Goldeen. Her Starmie and Ace's quickly began communicating, telling each other some tips to learn certain moves.
"Nidoran," Ace called, "we're going to work on Peck today. A Flying-type move will be a great addition to your arsenal."
Nidoran grunted in agreement, pawing at the ground eagerly.
Ace turned to Scyther. "Scyther, let's focus on Acrobatics. I want you to improve your mobility."
Scyther nodded, its scythes gleaming as it stretched its wings.
"Elekid," Ace said, "your Thunderbolt is looking great. Let's keep refining it, okay?"
Elekid pumped its fists excitedly, small sparks flying around it.
Clefairy waved cheerfully, awaiting her task.
"Clefairy," Ace said with a grin, "you're already mastered water pulse and you are so close to mastering Charge Beam. Let's get it perfected today."
Clefairy nodded, already forming a faint electric beam in her hands.
Finally, Ace turned to Smeargle.
"Smeargle, we'll keep working on swords dance, Toxic and Venom Drench today," Ace said. 'And I should start looking for the moves that Smeargle has to copy before the league. Those being:Acid Armor, Acupressure, Autotomize, Coil, Take Heart, Tail Glow, Spit Up, Stockpile, Punishment, Stored Power, Power Trip. And that's only the beginning as the status moveset and the annoying moveset I have planned is still in preparation. These are the minimum i want for smeargle to learn first.'
Smeargle wagged its tail, ready for the challenge.
As the day progressed, the sky darkened. Thick clouds rolled in, and the wind picked up. Misty glanced at the sky, frowning.
"It's going to rain soon," she said, reeling in her fishing line.
Ace nodded. "We should finish up quickly."
Just as they were about to pack up, Misty's fishing rod jerked violently.
"Whoa!" Misty exclaimed, gripping the rod tightly. "I've got something big!"
Ace rushed over, watching as she struggled to reel in her catch.
"Careful!" Ace warned. "It could be a strong Pokémon!"
With one final pull, Misty hauled her catch out of the water—and gasped.
It wasn't a Pokémon, but a boy clutching a Pikachu. The boy coughed and sputtered, water dripping from his clothes.
"What the—?!" Misty took a step back, startled.
Ace's eyes widened as he recognized the boy.
'No way,' Ace thought, his heart racing. 'That's him. Ash Ketchum.'
Ash looked up, his amber eyes meeting Ace's. He gave a weak smile, still holding onto his Pikachu.
"Uh… hi?" Ash said sheepishly.
Ace crossed his arms, a small smirk forming. 'Of course, Ash would show up like this. Classic Ash.'
(Pls give me some power stones!)
(Find out next time on Pokemon:Ace's Adventures!)
Weekly Power Status
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