Ash and the group stayed at Azalea town for one more day and Ash gave his Pokemon a special treat. Kingler, Beedrill and Butterfree were clinging to Ash the whole day and helped him care for the new members. The newly joined Pokemon enjoyed the attention they got from their seniors and Ash gave a sigh of relief. Introducing the new Pokemon to the old Pokemon always went either really well or really bad, so far he had been lucky.
Gou, "Do you think Kurt has figured something out?"
Ash, "Mmmm it's just been two days so no, I don't think so."
Brock, "I'm sure either Professor Oak or Kurt will tell you if they learn something, right?"
Casey, "Yeah, I noticed you called the Professor before."
Max was also looking at Ash curiously and the dark haired teen nodded affirming their thoughts. They traveled throughout the outskirts of Azalea town before entering Ilex forest which led to Mt Quena. Ash had a niggling sensation at the back of his head about it but let it go. As they traveled through the forest they came across a large farm that Casey introduced as Jhoto's charcoal house.
Casey, "They use Farfetch'd and Magmortar line to create environment friendly coal."
Gou, "Oh I heard about this place. Their coal is affordable and always in demand during the cold season."
Max, "Really? It's slightly expensive in Hoenn though."
Ash, "That's probably because of the travel tax that the price increases."
Brock nodded, "And depending on which type of coal you want the price increases."
A boy who seemed to be a similar age as Casey, Ash and Gou approached them, "Hello there. Welcome to the charcoal house. My name is Sylvester and these three are my partners."
Sirfetch'd nodded, "Sir."
Gou, "A Sirfetch'd, how cool!"
Farfetch'd waved hello, "Far far."
Magmortar nodded, "Arrrrrr."
Sylvester, "I caught Sirfetch'd last year or rather I helped him escape from poachers. He has joined my family since then."
Max, "Oh!"
Ash, "I'm happy to note that you are doing well Sirfetch'd."
Brock was observing the Galar variant, 'His feathers are burned. And I don't think it's from work, the burns look deliberate.'
Sylvester, "Would you like a tour?"
Casey, "Why not?"
Ash, "I'm in."
Sylvester first showed them the front fieldd where they collected the log that would be turned into charcoal. There were workers who mostly had Farfetch'd with them helping cut the log up into movable bits and pieces. It was interesting to observe, then Sylvester took them to the dry room where the logs were put out to dry. Workers with Magby was helping the drying process along and in the next area was where the compression took place. It squeezed the remaining moisture out of the wood pieces and the final room was the charcoal room where workers, Magma and Magmortars worked to create coal.
Casey, "This is so cool."
Ash looked at Brock, "Planning on getting one?"
Brock nodded, "Yeah."
Gou, "I kinda want one too."
Max, "What about you Ash?"
Ash, "I would love to have one myself but not at the moment. I'm good with the group I have at the moment."
Chimchar looked at the fire Pokemon with large eyes, "Chim chim chimchar."
Ash, "Huh? Oh you want to join and help them? Is that okay Sylvester?"
Sylvester, "Well as long as he is careful and stays close to one of the workers. This place is a hazard zone at best and life threatening zone at worst."
Ash, "You hear that buddy? We can join them but safety first yeah?"
Chimchar nodded and waited for Ash to change into a safety outfit and move a curious Absol, Eevee and Abra away from the area to Lucario. Gengar appeared from the shadows and puffed his chest as if to say he would watch over the young ones. Ash pat Gengar thanking him before he joined Chimchar and entered the fire zone. The heat made Ash sweat a bit before he moved to one of the workers who waved at him. Ash noticed Gou and Cinderace were with another worker while Casey, Max and Brock stayed outside the area. The worker explained it was all in the control of the fire type attacks, they would use the move overheat in a controlled manner to turn wood into charcoal.
Chimchar was worked up, "Chim chim."
Ash, "Easy buddy. Let's observe first okay?"
The worker nodded at his Magmortar and Magmar and both of them focused and used overheat. The move was used for longer then a minute before it was stopped by the two fire Pokemon who panted. Ash nodded realizing it was not as easy as it looked and told Chimchar to watch them carefully as these Pokemon were Masters of overheat. The little fire monkey's eyes widened and nodded as he turned to talk to the older Pokemon who indulged him. They left the charcoal house around late evening and decided to camp by a spring that Sylvester showed them.
Ash, "We can train here safely too. Do not force yourself too much though okay buddy."
Chimchar nodded, "Char."
Gou, "Cinderace is very pumped up too."
Cinderace, "Ace ace!"
Casey, "The two of them enjoyed themselves today."
Max, "It was fun, Brock even made a friend."
Brock smiled at the baby Magby hanging on to him, "Yeah."
Ash looked at them curiously, "How did that happen?"
Casey grinned, "While you and Gou were with your Pokemon Brock offered to help out read babysit, the baby Magby and that one decided Brock would be his new Meema."
Lucario snickered, -Her actual Meema was exasperated, but didn't stop her from coming, as it was obvious she made her choice.-
Corsula stared at the new baby that joined them, "Cooooor."
Magby, "Bi bi bi."
Corsula cooed before they decided to create bubbles to amuse her, "Sula."
Magby squealed as she played with the bubbles, "Bi bi! Bi bi!"
Abra, -Play, play!-
Eevee, "Vui!"
Absol, "Sol."
Ash chuckled, "Well they are getting along well, and I bet Corsula is actually happy they are no longer the smallest one."
Brock rubbed his nape, "It's a little difficult to not baby them."
Casey hugged her Espurr, "Yeah I know what you mean."
Espurr purred, "Rrrrrr."
They had dinner before going to sleep unaware they were being watched by a group of Pokemon who recognized Ash and Brock from before. The Pokemon who were observing them returned to their group and told the leader who looked in the camp's direction curiously but didn't do anything at the moment. The next day they were heading towards Mt Quena and came across the Ranger canon which was situated there. One of the Rangers who went by Cissnei stopped them from going forward.
Casey, "What? Why?"
Cissnei, "Sorry fellow trainers but there has been poacher activity."
Brock straightened, "Ranger Cissnei I'm a field medic. If you need help I'm willing to volunteer."
Gou, "I'm an OFR for Professor Sakuragi, I'm willing to help."
Ash, "Here are my credentials, I am volunteering too."
Casey, "Ah! Right here are my credentials too, Ranger Cissnei."
Cissnei, "Oh ah, ummm. Let me talk with Head Ranger Axel first."
The blond haired woman went inside what looked like the Head Rangers cabin and came out with a dark red haired man. The man had a deep scar going across his face and looked like he had gone through hell and lived to tell the tale. Despite how he looked his eyes had a fire inside them and a bright smile which made Ash wonder what he went through and yet stay so bright. They greeted him and the man smirked welcoming them and pointing out the medic area and the Ranger area.
Ash, "Sir."
Axel, "Call me Axel kid. As a Champion our positions are at a similar level."
Ash, "Ah! Right, anyway should I go patrol with the patrol group?"
Axel hummed, "I'll be honest, I need someone to go patrolling by the main mountain."
Ash looked at the mountain, "Okay! I will go. I called Charizard to help me. I can't call Venasaur though, he is busy with the hospital taking care of humans who survived an attack on them by the poachers."
Axel narrowed his eyes, "I see, it's okay. I have heard about your Charizard, I'm sure he will be a great help. I need to attend a meeting at the moment with the Gym Leaders. See you during patrol kid."
Ash nodded and flew off with Charizard not without a little drama though. Absol, Eevee, Abra and Chimchar were against him going alone but Ash somehow managed to calm them down. Charizard was smirking at him the whole time before he helped Ash calm the little ones down pointing out Lapras, Tyrunt, Heracross and Chikorita would be with them while Gengar, Pikachu and Lucario joined them. Ash took Lapras, Heracross and Tyrunt aside and ordered them to be on stand by in case the Ranger site is attacked. The three Pokemon gave him a shrewd look and nodded then Ash took Chikorita to the medic cabin and ordered Chikorita to help Brock. The little grass type understood the seriousness of the situation and joined Brock who happily welcomed him.
Ash flew on top of Charizard, 'There is something here. But I can't remember.'
Lucario was with Gengar, -Meema, what is wrong?-
Charizard, -You have been distracted Ashy.-
Gengar, "Geng gengar."
Pikachu cooed, "Pikapi."
Ash, "Well, this place is familiar. I can't put my finger on it but I swear...."
Lucario, -Perhaps it's from your previous life, Meema?-
Ash sighed, "I know it's because of that but that's where the problem lies. I can't for the life of me, remember which and why. It's making me very wary."
Charizard narrowed his eyes, -Perhaps something important happened here?-
Ash, "Perhaps.... Well let's hope nothing goes wrong and keep our senses sharp."
Charizard and Gengar shared a look and nodded as they flew close to each other and kept an eye out. With Casey and Gou, they had teamed up and had allowed Max to join them as they traveled the stream path. They watched the bug type Pokemon fly around the stream and dance together, as the canopy was very think, it allowed the Ledyba and Ledian flying around showing off their light skills.
Max gushed as they left the water area, "That was so pretty."
Gou nodded in agreement, "They sure are."
Casey mumbled half listening, "Yeah."
Max, "What's wrong?"
Casey, "Keep walking."
Gou, "I think I'll catch a Ledian or Ledyba soon."
Max felt unfriendly gazes on him but forced himself to grin, "Yeah, they are really cool."
Gou whispered, "Cinderace and Scyther are close by."
Casey muttered, "Good thing I left Espurr with Brock and the others."
Max bent down, "Breloom, Mareep get ready to fight."
Breloom nodded, "Loom."
Mareep, "Mar!"
A man wearing dark clothes walked out, "Oh what do we have here? Three innocent children lost in the woods~"
Gou raised one eyebrow and drawled, "Who are you? And if we are innocent children, does it mean you are a nosey grandpa?"
The man chuckled darkly, "You have quite the mouth on you, don't you pretty boy. Don't worry, me and my boys will train you and your cute friends out of it."
The man looked straight at Max, "I adore children with glasses. They are cute."
Casey bristled, "You pedophile! What the hell? Are you asking to be beaten to death?"
Max shivered as Breloom and Mareep growled and covered him to hide him from the older human. They saw the dark glint in his eyes and it rubbed them the completely wrong way and they wanted to just jump on him and rip his throat out. Cinderace and Scyther who heard everything above them were downright pissed off. Max was the baby human of the group and no one especially a poacher was allowed to touch him.
Casey gritted her teeth, 'Just what we need a rapist poacher. Well I'm not going down that easily.'
Gou nodded to her, "Go wild."
Cinderace jumped out and attacked the group behind the man with fire punch while Scyther attacked with his blades making them bleed before he clashed with another Scyther. The two bug Pokemon growled and started battling each other to protect their own humans. Casey meanwhile ordered Jolteon to use quick attack and thunder together to paralyse the enemies. One of the poachers took our a Graveller to deal with Jolteon only for Casey's Meganium to take him on.
The man was impressed, "Oh ho! A trainer from Galar. How rare! Must be our lucky day boys."
One of the men behind him grunted, "Shut up Estraneo. You may be interested but the rest of us are not."
Estraneo grinned, "Not in the boys so perhaps that girl."
Meganium bristled and attacked using vine whip, "MEGANIUM!"
Casey fingered her knife, "Stay calm Meganium. We will teach these bastards a lesson. Don't worry!"
Gou was pointing his gun at the enemy, "Make a move! I dare you!"
Estraneo laughed, "See that Mitsu? The boy is such a bright child."
Mitsu growled at the man, "Shut up and do your fucking job, dick head!"
Estraneo, "Come Alakazam, hypnosis!"
Gou, "I don't think so. Hypno disable!"
Hypno who appeared out of Gou's pokeball used disable while glaring at the Alakazam who was watching her in interest. She had been monitoring the area using psychic and had felt the disgusting lust coming from the adult human. She wouldn't allow some bastard to touch her trainer, especially not after Gou had saved her from her abusive ex trainer. She would protect him with her life!
[A. N.: Just got notice my third vaccine dose will be on 28th of June.
Looks like I'll be going loopy again lol]