Brock faced Sorrel, "I'm not loosing this time."
Sorrel, "Let the best one win."
Announcer, "Ready? Choose your Pokemon."
Sorrel, "Go Luxio!"
Brock, "Go Vulpix."
Announcer, "Begin."
Brock, "Vulpix will o wisp."
Sorrel, "Thunder shock."
Verity gasped, "That Luxio... Oh!"
Chloe, "What's wrong?"
Verity, "Ah! It's nothing... Go Luxio! You can do it."
Melody hummed, 'There's a story here.'
Ash was sitting with Misty outside watching the screen, "Feel better?"
Misty nodded, "Yeah, I know you warned me about everything becoming loud and bright but.... I didn't think it would be so bad."
Serena rubbed her back, "Well it could be worse."
Gou came holding four cups at that moment, "Here, I got tea for us. It should help you feel better."
Misty, "Thank you."
Tsukki, "Excuse me.. "
Misty, "You are that Lady from the Shuckle shop."
Tsukki smiled, "My youngest Shuckle here wanted to go with you."
Gou, "Oh? With whom, we are a large group."
Shuckle approached Ash, "Shuckle!"
Lucario's shoulders were trembling from laughter, -Shiny magnet.-
Ash didn't say anything and just went with the flow, "You want to go with me?"
Shuckle nodded, "Shuckle."
Eevee, "Vui!"
Abra, -Hello.-
Misty giggled, "At this point I have a feeling the Pokemon are catching Ash not the other way around."
In the screen Vulpix and Luxio were going back and forth with their attacks and were quite well matched. Brock called for extrasensory and called for another inferno while Sorrel called for double team and shock wave. The two canine Pokemon growled as they fought and Misty is pretty sure they were trash talking each other. When she mentioned it Ash laughed out loud saying she was correct about that.
Brock, "Jump on top of him."
Sorrel, "Knock her off Luxio, discharge."
Brock, "Jump and fire blast."
Vulpix jumped to get away from the discharge and shot fire blast at Luxio's face. The attack hit Luxio and knocked him out leaving Vulpix as the winner. They cheered as Brock was announced the winner and Gou and Serena couldn't help but grin as Brock looked like he didn't believe it. The four of them returned to the arena and congratulated both Brock and Sorrel for getting to the finals and winning the competition. Brock grinned holding his new poke egg and Sorrel was holding a Pokemon care kit.
Sorrel, "Next time I will win."
Brock, "Sure I look forward to it."
Sorrel looked at Ash, "Is that a new Pokemon?"
Brock, "Looks like it and it's a Shiny too."
Sorrel, "I can see what you meant by shiny magnet."
Brock nodded, "Right?"
The next day they were back on the road and ran into Gary who was surprised to see them there. He told them he was helping some Rangers out who were dealing with a bunch of poachers who were trying to steal the wild Pokemon. They were catching up and Gary was telling them about his growing interest in Ranger work and Pokemon study. Ash told him that he should follow his dreams and it was alright to have more than one dream.
Gary, "You would know about that, you have so many dreams you are fulfilling."
Ash turned pink, "If I can do it, you can too, you have always been smarter than me."
Chloe eyed him, "A Ranger and a Professor, that will be one for the books."
Max, "I think you'll be awesome."
Melody, "I might consider becoming a Professor myself in the future. Learning about Pokemon is fun."
Casey, "Wait you have other dreams. Out of curiosity what other dreams do you have? You don't have to answer of course."
Ash, "Well, I have a few, one of them is traveling the world. I want to travel to different regions and make my blog, which I'm working on, the Kanto blog is almost complete. It'll be like a guide that everyone can use with a bit of fee payment."
Gary perked up, "It's almost complete? Which platform will you launch it on?"
Ash, "About that I have created a page on the local and international web. So any one can access it by typing Kanto region. The Eight Gym Cities are the main points with the general area for shadow gyms and wild gyms as extra. I think it's mostly high level trainers who would be interested in those more. AJ and Ritchie helped out with it most."
Misty, "Nice, once your blog launches I might do the shadow gym challenge."
Max, "Umm what's a shadow gym?"
Gou, "Shadow gyms are gyms that are officially made for Gym Leaders, high level trainers, Elites and Champions to challenge. They are not as popular as normal gyms because beating even one is extremely difficult. Ritchie defeated three from what I heard."
Chloe, "Yup, if you think Grand Festivals and League finals are intense then these gyms will blow you away."
Casey, "Dad runs a shadow gym, and I still can't defeat his one Pokemon without my full team. That's how strong they are."
Verity, "They take Pokemon coordinating and battling to a higher level."
Max, "So anyone can challenge them?"
Sorrel nodded, "Yes, unlike normal gyms, shadow gyms don't give out badges, they give out money and free use of their facilities."
Max, "So cool, what's your other dreams Ash?"
Ash, "Hmm, you already know I enjoy writing books."
Max shivered, "Yeah, La Llorona... I remember, are you saying you wrote another book?"
Ash nodded, "It's almost finished and it's called The Grudge."
Misty sweat dropped, "Why do I get the feeling it'll be more terrifying than the previous one?"
Ash grinned, "I hope it is."
Gary, "I'm going to get nightmares but... I want a copy once it's released."
Ash, "You got it."
Gary, "I better get back to work, it was good seeing you lot again. Also girls, Duplica is in the next town if you want to meet up with her."
Serena, "Yes, definitely."
Chloe, "Got ya, thanks Gary."
Gary hugged Ash nuzzling him, "Take care of yourself Ash, your last stint almost gave me a heart attack. I don't like seeing you get kidnapped like that."
Ash winced feeling guilty, "Sorry I don't actually mean to get kidnapped and I was kind of distracted by Team Rocket. I'll be more careful."
Gary nodded turning to the others, "Good, keep him out of trouble guys and girls. I'm afraid Ashy can be very oblivious to his surroundings once he focuses on something."
Verity, "Understatement much."
Sorrel, "We'll try our best."
Gary left to join the Rangers and the group journeyed on and met Nario who was returning to his home town. His town was truly crazy about Wobbuffets, considering the variety of merchandise around the place, but then again Wobbuffets were powerful psychic defenders. They brought a few new towels, toothbrush, hair brush, etc, for themselves, Ash saw a couple Wobbuffet and thought about Jessie and James. He grabbed it and packaged it for them, it was very cute after all and soon moved on from the town.
Duplica shrieked, "Misty! Ash! Gou! Brock! Chloe!"
Misty caught her as she jumped, "Hello to you too Duplica."
Duplica, "Serena good to finally see you in person again and you lot must be Max, Melody, Verity and Sorrel."
Serena, "Good to see you too Duplica."
Max, "You got that right."
Verity, "We hear you specialize in Dittos and want to be a Ditto master?"
Duplica grinned, "Yup and guess what Ash I think your luck rubbed off on me. Look!"
Ditto appeared, "Ditto."
Max, "A shiny! How cool!"
Duplica, "Right?"
Misty laughed, "Congratulations."
Duplica, "That's not all. Nurse Joy is looking at another Ditto of mine."
Ash, "You sound worried, why?"
Duplica, "Well, that one is a little.... I'm not sure how to explain it. I'll just show you."
Nurse Joy, "Calling Duplica, calling Duplica, your Pokemon are ready at station five."
Duplica, "Be right back."
Brock, "Should we get our own rooms then?"
Casey, "Hey guys... Don't look now but isn't that Snubbull familiar?"
Ash looked up, "That's Mandy's grandma's Snubbull, isn't it?"
Max, "You are right, I wonder what they are doing here all alone."
Snubbull perked up on seeing them and rushed towards them as Max greeted him, "Snub snub ble."
Max, "What are you doing here little guy?"
Mandy, "There you are! Oh Ash and friends! I am so glad you guys found him."
Casey, "What's wrong Mandy?"
Mandy eyed Snubbull, "This little guy was suppose to go to another person but he refuses everytime. Although I think I can see the reason why now."
Max, "Ah... Sorry I didn't mean to... "
Mandy stopped him, "Do not apologize for bonding with a Pokemon, though I suppose you are already at full four for pre trainer?"
Max nodded, "Yeah, so I don't know if Snubbull Cam stay with me. I would love to have a fairy type Pokemon though."
Snubbull, "snub snubbull."
Melody, "You'll have to send one Pokemon home."
Max, "I don't know who to send though."
Ralts, -Max, Mareep and I would like to go. We have been curious about your mama and her Ampharos and Gardevoir.-
Max, "Are you sure?"
Ralts, "Yes!"
Mareep, "Maaaaer."
Mandy, "Come on I'll help you sort things out."
Duplica, "I'm back, where's Max?"
Misty, "He's getting a new Pokemon and sending home some."
Duplica, "Nice, I can wait till he returns. Oh and I met Gary and Ritchie a few days ago. They were doing great."
Chloe, "We met Gary a few days ago too, though we didn't meet Ritchie."
Max returned with Snubbull, "Guys this try newest family member."
Duplica, "Noice! Noice! Congratulations."
The group congratulated Max before Duplica showed her newest Ditto who seemed very normal till it was time to transform. Ditto changed into the smaller Pokemon just fine but when it came to larger Pokemon well the size was a bit strange. Ash decided to check with his aura and he found something interesting in Ditto. Lucario had explained about Giant and Little Pokemon before and turns out Ditto was a Little. Duplica turned to Lucario and the aura Pokemon explained Little Pokemon were in the past bred as spies but the practice fell out as the war ended and things became peaceful.
Lucario, -I didn't know there were still any left. We will have to tell Riley. He will know the details for the care for this little guy better than anyone else.-
Duplica nodded feeling relieved, "I'm glad, I ran into you guys. I have been confused and thought I was doing something wrong."
Ditto turned to her and shook their head to deny that, "Ditto to ditto."
Duplica smiled, "We'll figure things out."
Ash and the rest went towards Ecruteak City again they walked through the forest and came across a large field of flowers. Misty approached one of the bushes with Araquanid and shrieked when the bush grew legs and scuttled around. Araquanid hissed and stood infront of Misty and shot water gun at the bush which fell away to reveal an Ariados that was glaring at them. A familiar voice called out at Ariados to stop and return.
Casey, "Aya? Is that you?"
Aya, "Huh? Oh it's you guys. How are you guys doing?"
Misty got up, "We are fine, your Ariados surprised us though."
Aya chuckled, "We have been practicing our stealth, I plan on joining the Elite four one day after all. That's quite a protective Araquanid."
Araquanid huffed, "Anid."
Ash, "An Elite huh? Nice."
Aya then explained about the school and Verity, Misty and Serena were interested in the beauty and health class. While Casey, Chloe, Melody, Ash, Max and Gou were interested in the battle classes. Brock and Sorrel were interested in the medical classes and so they broke off into three groups and went to their respective classes. The classes went as expected on the first day with Misty freezing while having to deal with a Spinarak but thanks to Araquanid stayed calm. Brock and Sorrel were taught some of the ways they could use Pokemon moves to help people while the rest enjoyed the battling sessions.
As they were learning a boy called Zachary was having problems with his Yanma who kept breaking things. He had decided to attend the school hoping it would help Yanma calm down but instead he just got more and more excited. Lucario decided a direct talk would be more helpful after the fourth time Yanma drove Misty up the wall with annoyance. Lucario found out Yanma wanted to battle but Zachary was not interested so in order to satisfy the itch he sometimes used his moves at full power.
And Zachary was reluctant to battle because the last time Yanma fought his wings had been burned very badly. Ash proposed Yanma fight his Shuckle then, Shuckle was still new but needed battle experience and not to forget they were both bug types. Zachary nodded reluctantly seeing Yanma be enthusiastic and the battle went on without a hitch. Shuckle won the fight and Yanma calmed down, the head tutor thanked Ash forever the help, he was close to kicking Zachary and Yanma out.
[A. N.: Hope you all are doing well.
Eat well, drink lots of water, wash hands, use masks and stay safe.
Make sure to go for your shots when the time comes. I am still waiting for mine.
Take care my lovely readers, hope you have a wonderful week.]