While on the way to Pummelo Island, Ashlyn and the gang stopped on an island called Rinelo Island. As well as taking a break there, Ashlyn saw this as an opportunity to train her Pokémon before the Orange League. Of course Ashlyn knew what Pokémon the leader of the Orange League would use, so she decided to train her Pokémon and herself to get ready for it. But she wanted Chrystal to have a chance against Drake's Onix, so she'll trade Pokémon when she gets to Pummelo Island. Prof. Oak had told her that Chrystal had been training with some of her water Pokémon and her two Lycanroc's. So she was excited to see how she was doing.
Ashlyn had trained with her other Pokémon a few hours ago. Then she decided to go on a jog with Tesla and Lucario. Volkner and Raichu decided to join them. Misty was fishing in the stream, to see if she could catch more water Pokémon. Tracey was sketching a wild Vileplume.
Mid way during their jog, Lucario stopped in his steps.
"Lucario, what's wrong?" Ashlyn asked.
"(I sensed something nearby.)" Lucario replied.
"Which direction?" Volkner asked.
Lucario pointed towards the trees, "(That way.)"
"Let's go check it out." Ashlyn decided.
"Rai? (Should we?)" Tesla asked.
"Well it could be an injured Pokémon." Ashlyn suggested.
"Raichu (Good point.)" Tesla nodded.
So the four followed Lucario into the trees. As they got closer, Ashlyn felt like something was watching them. Soon enough they reached a clearing with a huge boulder in the middle, but saw nothing else.
"(Odd, I was sure that I sensed something here.)" Lucario said.
"Odd indeed." Ashlyn agreed.
Suddenly, Tesla saw something flash right by them.
Tesla blinked, "Rai? (What was that?)"
Tesla's question was answered when a form appeared from the shadows of the tree line. It was a Pokémon, one that only existed in myths and legends.
"Marshadow." Ashlyn whispered, shocked.
"Rai? Raichu? (Marshadow? Really?)" Raichu questioned.
"(I thought that Marshadow was only a myth.)" Lucario added.
"That's what most people think." Volkner stated.
"Marshadow, is there a reason why you've been watching us?" Ashlyn asked.
Marshadow stared at her, "(You're Ho-Oh's chosen, are you?)"
"Ho-Oh's chosen? Yes, I believe I am. Why do you ask?" Ashlyn asked.
"(I wanted to meet Ho-Oh's chosen. I'm amazed that you were able to save the world from further destruction.)" Marshadow replied, "(Were you afraid?)"
"Truth be told, I was somewhat scared when I had to go to Ice Island. The reason why was because I saw the three Legendary Birds were fighting against one another. But I was able to go because all of my Pokémon and friends gave me the courage." Ashlyn admitted.
"Even though we didn't want you to go, but you had to." Volkner added.
"(I see.)" Marshadow said, "(I need your help.)"
"How can we help?" Ashlyn asked.
"(Follow me)." Marshadow said before it turned into a shadow and went behind the boulder in front of them.
Ashlyn, Volkner, Lucario, Raichu, and Tesla followed Marshadow and went behind the boulder. They were shocked at what they saw: an injured Pokémon. But the strange thing about was that Volkner, Raichu, Tesla, and Lucario didn't recognize this kind of Pokémon. However, Ashlyn knew what it was the mysterious Pokémon was; Type: Null.
"(What kind of Pokémon is that?)" Lucario asked.
"I've never seen that kind of Pokémon before." Volkner replied.
"Me neither. But we have to help it." Ashlyn decided and walked over to Type: Null.
At that moment, Type: Null's eyes snapped open and slowly turned to Ashlyn. It started growling at Ashlyn, Volkner, and the Pokémon.
Ashlyn slowly raised her hands up, showing that she means no harm, "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to help."
Type: Null growled softly and slowly lowered its head. She slowly walked over and knelt by its head. She gently placed her hand on its head.
"Don't worry. I'm going to help you. Just try and trust me, okay?" Ashlyn said.
Type: Null looked up at her and stared. Then nodded. Ashlyn smiled softly at the Pokémon. She quickly took off her backpack and dug around for what she needed. She took out some bandages and Hyper potion.
"This might sting okay? So try to bear it." Ashlyn sprayed the potion on Type: Null's wounds.
Type: Null winced and whined as the potion took effect.
"Hey it's okay." Ashlyn began wrapped bandages. When she finished, she noticed that Type: Null's back right leg was paralyzed and quickly put the spray on it. "There you go. You'll be better in no time."
Type: Null lifted its head up and gently nudged her cheek. She smiled softly at it and petted its head.
"How did this Pokémon get here?" Volkner asked.
"(From a ship.)" Marshadow replied.
"Rai? (A ship?)" Raichu questioned.
"(I saw this Pokémon running away from a group of men that were trying to capture it. But I decided to help and sent those men running for their lives.)" Marshadow answered.
"Poachers." Ashlyn growled.
"How long has this Pokémon been here?" Volkner asked.
"(A few days I think.)" Marshadow replied.
"I see," Ashlyn said, "Those men are the ones who hurt it?"
"(Yes. But it did get attack by a Vileplume. Luckily it only got its back leg.)" Marshadow stated.
"Lucky is right." Volkner commented.
Then Ashlyn went into her backpack and took out an Sitrus berry and handed it to Marshadow who stares at it and takes it from her.
"(Thank you.)" Marshadow thanked her before it began eating it.
Ashlyn smiled, "You're welcome."
"(Ashlyn, what can we do about this Pokémon? We can't leave it here. The Poachers must already know that it's still on this island. They'll just gather more men to capture it. Not to mention that they might sell it to Team Rocket.)" Lucario explained.
"You have a point there. But I don't want to capture it if it doesn't want to." Ashlyn stated.
"(Who's Team Rocket?)" Marshadow questioned.
"Team Rocket is a criminal organization that steals peoples' Pokémon and use them for evil purposes." Ashlyn answered.
Marshadow gasped. Then it seem to ponder on something and an idea came to it.
"(Could you do one thing for me, Chosen one?)" Marshadow asked.
"Sure, what do you need?" Ashlyn questioned.
"(Could you take this Pokémon with you?)" Marshadow requested.
"Huh?" Ashlyn and Volkner blinked.
"(I believe that this Pokémon would be in better in your care. If you're truly Ho-Oh's chosen, I know that you'll take good care of this Pokémon. So will you?)"
Ashlyn nodded, "I will. But it will up to the Pokémon to decide."
Marshadow, Ashlyn, Volkner, and the Pokémon turned to Type: Null who lifted its head up when it saw them staring at it.
"Would you like to come with me?" Ashlyn asked.
Type: Null stared at her for a moment. Then it nudged against her as it growled happily.
"I'll take that as a yes, right?" Ashlyn took out a Premier Pokéball, "I'll name you Talos. Is that alright?"
Type: Null nodded with its eyes in the shape of upside down U's. Ashlyn tapped the Premier ball on Talos and it was sucked inside. It wiggled three times and then 'ding'. A successful capture.
"Don't worry. I'll take good care of Talos." Ashlyn assured Marshadow.
"(I have a feeling you will. But first I have to give you something that might belong to Talos. One moment.)" Marshadow disappeared for a second. Then it came back five seconds later, carrying a metal box, "(Here.)"
Ashlyn gently took the box and knelt down in front of it. She opened the lid and saw another box inside which was a clear one. It had a label on it which read, "RKS System".
"RKS System?" Volkner asked.
"What could that be?" Ashlyn added.
"I don't know. But it could be important to Talos though." Volkner replied.
"I agree." Ashlyn opened the lid and saw a bunch of colorful disks inside, "Disks?"
"Do you think they have something to do with Talos?" Volkner asked.
"Could be. I'll have to talk to Prof. Oak about it." Ashlyn closed the lids on the boxes and then placed the box in her bag.
"(Whose Prof. Oak?)" Marshadow wondered.
"He's a Professor who studies Pokémon in Kanto, the region where I'm from. I'm pretty sure that he'll be able to find out something." Ashlyn explained.
"(You can trust him.)" Lucario added.
"(If you're sure.)" Marshadow said.
"I'm sure." Ashlyn reassured the mythical fighting/ghost Pokémon.
"We better get going. Tracey and Misty might be wondering where we are." Volkner said.
Ashlyn nodded, "Right." Then she turned to Marshadow, "What are you going to do now, Marshadow?"
"(Can I come with you as well?)" Marshadow requested.
"Huh?" Ashlyn and Volkner blinked.
"(I've been on my own for a very long time. I think it's about time that I interact with others. I also want to observe you as a trainer as well.)" Marshadow explained.
"I see. You can come with us, Marshadow." Ashlyn said.
"(But can I hide in your shadow for a while?)" Marshadow asked.
"Sure," Ashlyn replied, "Don't worry Volkner and I won't tell anyone that you're in my shadow. You can reveal yourself when you're ready, okay?"
Marshadow nodded, "(Okay.)"
"But we'll have to tell Tracey and Misty about Talos." Volkner pointed out.
"I know. You won't mind?" Ashlyn asked.
"(If you trust them, then you can tell them.)" Marshadow replied.
"Okay." Ashlyn said.
Then Marshadow absorbed itself into Ashlyn's shadow. Ashlyn, Volkner, and the Pokémon headed back to the cabin.
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Ashlyn, Volkner, and the Pokémon returned to the cabin and saw Misty and Tracey with a Slowking next to them.
"A Slowking? Where did you find one?" Ashlyn questioned.
"I found it nearby and saw that it was paralyzed. Tracey figured that it must have been hit by a Vileplume's stun spore," Misty replied, "So I took Slowking with me. Tracey looked after Slowking while I went to go find salveyo weed. My Poliwhirl's were able to find it. So I took some and went back to cabin to cure it. And now, Slowking is all better."
"That's good." Ashlyn said.
Misty walked up to Slowking. "Hey Slowking," she said, "if it's okay with you, I would love to have you as my Pokémon."
Slowking smiled, meaning it wanted to stay with Misty.
Ashlyn looked at Slowking on the phone:
[Slowking, the royal Pokémon. The evolved form of Slowpoke. It has incredible intellect and intuition. Whatever the situation, it remains calm and collected.]
"You know I find Slowpoke's evolution line really strange," Ashlyn admitted, "I mean Slowpoke evolves into Slowbro when bitten on the tail by Shellder, and Slowpoke will only evolve into Slowking when wearing a king's rock and then bitten on the head by a Shellder."
"A Pokémon's evolution is always full of mysteries Ashlyn," Tracey stated, "and it shows how Pokémon can be truly amazing."
Ashlyn, Volkner, and Misty agreed with that. Then Ashlyn and Volkner told them what they had found and were shocked by it. But they left out the part when they met Marshadow. Ashlyn decided not to let out Talos because she didn't know how Talos would react to other people besides her and Volkner. Misty and Tracey understood Ashlyn's decision.
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Just as the gang were leaving the cabin, to head off for Pummelo Island, Tracey told the wild Vileplume that it could go back to the forest. But Vileplume didn't want to go; it wanted to stay with Tracey. So Tracey caught Vileplume. Then the gang set off for Pummelo Island, with a Type: Null named Talos, Marshadow, Slowking and Vileplume in tow.
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Pokémon on hand: Raichu (Tesla)(F), Lucario (M), Espeon (F), Shiny Charizard (Natsu)(M), Gengar (M), Persian (F), Toucannon (M), Pikachu (Levina)(F), Vaporeon (F), Leafon (F), Dusk Lycanroc (Romulus)(M), Kangaskhan (F), Lapras (M), Zamazenta (Galahad)(M), Shiny Zacian (Athena)(F), Type: Null (Talos)(Genderless)
*Marshadow is living in Ashlyn's shadow
Oak's Ranch:
Snorlax (M), Glaceon (F), Crystal Onix (Chrystal)(F), Bulbasaur (Cedar)(M), Lurantis (F), Lugia (Poseidon)(M), Zapdos (Barak)(M), Shiny Moltres (Enya)(F), Shiny Articuno (Yukina)(F), Shiny Umbreon (Mani)(M), Tsareena (F)