After spending an evening with May and her family, Ash decided to leave Petalburg City and continue his journey. His next destination was Rustboro City, where the first Gym challenge awaited him. So the next morning, Ash decided to depart from Petalburg City. Just as he had expected, May had decided to join them on their journey, after a discussion with her parents, who had granted her permission to travel with Ash and Ashly, confident that their daughter would be in good hands with such experienced companions.
The previous night over dinner, Ash had learned quite a bit about May's background. He discovered that Caroline, May's mother, had once been a Top Coordinator and a well-known celebrity figure in the global Pokémon Contests circuits. This revelation helped explain why May had been so indecisive about her path as a trainer. With such influential figures in her life, May was struggling to figure out whether she should follow in her mother's footsteps in Pokémon Contests or train hard and take over her father's Gym as the next Gym Leader.
Ash also learned about May's younger brother, Max, who was currently attending Naranja Academy, a school located in Mesagoza in the Paldea region. Interestingly, May herself had graduated from the same academy not long ago.
In return, Ash shared stories from his own travels, recounting his journey across various regions like Kanto, Johto, and even the Orange Islands. His stories managed to impress May's parents, giving them confidence in Ash's ability to take care of their daughter on the road. It also provided them with reassurance that Ash had a decent amount of experience to handle most of the unexpected surprises they might encounter throughout their journey.
As the sun rose the next morning, casting a golden light over Petalburg City, Ash, Ashly, and May left Petalburg City, their packs ready for the road ahead. May bid her parents a fond farewell, promising to stay in touch. Soon, the trio was making their way toward Rustboro City, and after a full day of walking, they decided to make camp in the woods just outside the city.
The next morning, they ventured deeper into Petalburg Woods, a dense, sprawling forest and winding narrow paths. The sunlight filtered through the thick canopy, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor as the sounds of wild Pokémon echoed around them. Ashly hummed to herself, enjoying the serene atmosphere.
While chatting, May also told them that this area, known for being home to low-level Pokémon, was a popular training ground for beginner trainers. Sure enough, they spotted a few young trainers battling or catching Pokémon as they ventured along the winding paths.
"This place is so alive!" May exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in the sights and sounds of the vibrant woods. "I've passed through Hoenn before, but I never spent much time exploring Petalburg Woods."
Ash nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it reminds me of the Viridian Forest back in Kanto," he said, smiling as he remembered a certain orange-haired friend of his. "Keep an eye out—there are bound to be lots of Bug-type Pokémon around here."
Ashly, walking beside her brother, grinned with excitement. "Do you think we'll find any rare Pokémon?"
"There's always a chance," Ash replied, his eyes scanning the foliage for any signs of movement. "But we'll probably come across some of the more common Pokémon like Wurmple or Shroomish. Just be careful not to get lost—these woods can be tricky to navigate. I've gotten lost in enough forests over the last three years to know that firsthand," he added with a chuckle.
As they ventured further, the woods became denser, the path narrowing as the trees grew closer together. They caught glimpses of Wurmple crawling along tree branches, Zigzagoon scurrying through the underbrush, and occasionally, the distant flapping of Taillow wings overhead. The sights and sounds of the forest were mesmerizing, drawing them further in.
Every now and then, they encountered other trainers along the path, and to Ash's delight, a few of them challenged him to battles. Ash, of course, accepted all the challenges. His experience quickly became apparent as he defeated four trainers with ease, earning him 400 points in total from the battles and much-needed experience for his Ralts and Larvitar, who he used in the battles.
Much to Ash's pleasant surprise, both Ralts and Larvitar performed quite well in the battle, executing his commands to the best of their ability. Of course, there were some glaring flaws Ash observed during the battle and a few close calls as well, but that was to be expected since these were their first battles.
******
As the trio ventured deeper into the woods, they encountered a peculiar character blocking their path. Dressed in a Zigzagoon costume, he introduced himself as Nicholai the Knickerbocker and challenged May to a battle. However, before May could respond, Ash sensed an opportunity. Nudging his sister forward, he smiled encouragingly. "Actually, why doesn't Ashly take care of this one?"
Ashly froze, her eyes widening as she realized what her brother was suggesting. "Me? B-But I'm not ready for—"
"You've got this!" Ash grinned, giving her a confident nod. "It's time for your first real battle outside of our practice sessions."
Ashly hesitated for a moment. She had always felt nervous about battling, especially knowing that her brother was leagues ahead of her. Sure, they had mock battles every now and then, but she was convinced he'd been holding back. However, now, with Ash and May watching, and this strange guy challenging her, she felt a surge of determination. This was her chance to prove herself.
Swallowing her nerves, Ashly stepped forward. "Alright, I'll battle you!" she declared, pulling out her Pokéball.
Nicholai smirked, clearly pleased. "Excellent! Let's see what you've got! Go, Zigzagoon!" He tossed his Pokéball, and with a flash of light, a small Zigzagoon appeared, its fur bristling as it prepared for battle.
With a flash of light, a small Zigzagoon appeared on the field, its fur bristling as it prepared for battle.
Ashly felt her heart race, but she quickly threw her Pokéball into the air. "Go, Totodile!" she called out, and with a burst of light, her energetic Totodile appeared, bouncing excitedly as it faced off against Zigzagoon.
"Let the battle begin!" Nicholai shouted, pointing dramatically toward Totodile. "Zigzagoon, use Tackle!"
Zigzagoon wasted no time, darting forward at high speed with its head lowered.
"Totodile, dodge it and use Water Gun!" Ashly commanded, her voice trembling slightly with nerves.
Totodile nimbly jumped to the side, avoiding Zigzagoon's tackle by inches. Then, taking a deep breath, it fired a stream of water from its mouth, hitting Zigzagoon square in the side. The Zigzagoon skidded back but quickly recovered, shaking off the attack.
"Zigzagoon, use Growl and follow it up with another Tackle!" Nicholai ordered.
Zigzagoon let out a sharp growl, lowering Totodile's attack power slightly, before charging forward again with another Tackle.
"Totodile, stand your ground!" Ashly called. "Counter with Bite when it gets close!"
As Zigzagoon lunged in, Totodile's jaws glowed, and just as the opponent made contact, Totodile bit down hard, stopping Zigzagoon in its tracks. Zigzagoon yelped in pain, struggling to break free from Totodile's powerful grip.
"Now, Water Gun again!" Ashly shouted, gaining more confidence as the battle went on.
With Zigzagoon still trapped in Totodile's jaws, Totodile released another blast of water at close range, sending the small raccoon-like Pokémon flying backward. It tumbled across the ground, dazed, before finally coming to a stop, fainting.
Nicholai stared in disbelief as the realization dawned on him. His Zigzagoon was down. But then he sighed and smiled at Ashly. "Congratulations on your victory. Let's battle again sometime," he said before leaving, running on all four like a Zigzagoon.
As Nicholai vanished into the woods, still running on all fours like a Zigzagoon, Ash chuckled, shaking his head at the eccentric trainer's antics. "That was... something else," he said with a grin.
Ashly, still riding high on her first official battle victory, couldn't contain her excitement. She turned to Totodile, who had returned to her side, and raised her arms in triumph. "We did it, Totodile!" she exclaimed with a voice that was full of joy.
May, standing off to the side, smiled warmly at Ashly's enthusiasm. "That was awesome, Ashly! You were really great out there—you're a natural," she said, impressed by how well Ashly had handled herself in battle.
Ash clapped from the sidelines. "Great job, Ashly!" Then he walked forward and hugged her. "You handled that battle like a pro," he said. Ashly looked up at him and beamed with pride, recalling Totodile to its Pokéball.
After the excitement of the battle, the trio resumed their journey through Petalburg Woods. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, and camped again spending another night in the woods.
******
The next morning, the trio set off early, knowing they were nearing Rustboro City, and as the sun climbed higher in the sky, the path became wider, and the towering buildings of Rustboro City gradually came into view on the horizon. By midday, they estimated it would only take another hour or two before reaching the city limits.
However, just as they rounded a bend in the road, they saw a man sprinting toward them, his clothes in disarray and his face twisted in fear. He stumbled to a halt in front of the trio, panting heavily.
"Help!" he cried desperately, his eyes darting behind him. "Please, you have to help me!"
The man, who introduced himself as Michael, quickly explained his predicament. He worked for the Devon Corporation and was carrying confidential papers that some dangerous individuals were after. Before Ash or the others could fully process the situation, two men in dark blue uniforms, emblazoned with the logo of Team Aqua, appeared, striding down the path toward them. Their expressions were menacing, and they seemed to take pleasure in Michael's panic.
The grunts didn't seem intimidated by the trio of young trainers. "Hand over those papers, or else!" one of them barked, pointing a gloved finger at Michael. "Or else!"
Michael backed away, hiding behind Ash and the others. Ash stood tall, positioning himself between the frightened man and the Team Aqua grunts.
"I don't know what's in these papers or why you want them, but..." Ash narrowed his eyes. "You're not getting those papers!" he declared.
The second grunt scoffed and reached for his Pokéball. "Get lost, kid! You don't know what you're dealing with." With a swift flick of his wrist, he released a Lotad onto the battlefield. The first grunt followed suit, releasing a Corphish. "But know this, Team Aqua doesn't show mercy, especially not to brats like you!"
Ash glanced at May, who instinctively stepped forward with a Pokéball in her hand. But Ash raised a hand. "May, sit this one out. They've got Water-types, and I don't think it's a good idea for your Fire-types to go up against them."
May hesitated but nodded in agreement, understanding the situation. "Alright, I'll stay back, but if things get dicey, I'm jumping in," she said, stepping back, though she kept her eyes on the grunts.
Ash then turned to his sister, Ashly. "Ready for another battle?" he asked in a calm voice.
Ashly's heart raced, but after yesterday's experience, she had gained a fair bit of confidence so she squared her shoulders and returned her brother's nod with determination. "I'm ready!"
The two grunts exchanged smug grins, clearly underestimating the young trainers. "You brats are about to learn the hard way," one sneered. "Lotad, Absorb!" "Corphish, use Vice Grip!"
The Water-types lunged forward, Lotad aiming for Michael while Corphish barreled toward Ash and Ashly.
"Let's show them what we've got!" Ash called, throwing his Pokéball into the air. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!" With a burst of light, Bulbasaur materialized, ready to defend its trainer.
Ashly followed her brother's lead, summoning her Pokémon. "Totodile, I choose you!" Totodile appeared, bouncing with energy, eager for battle once more.
Ash was quick to react to the incoming attacks. "Bulbasaur, use Vine Whip to intrupt Lotad's Absorb!"
Bulbasaur's vines shot out, lashing at Lotad before it could drain any energy from Michael. The strike knocked Lotad back, preventing the move from landing.
"Totodile, dodge Corphish's Vice Grip, then use Water Gun!" Ashly commanded.
Totodile leaped out of the way just as Corphish's claws snapped down, missing their target. Totodile retaliated by unleashing a powerful jet of water, hitting Corphish square in the face. The Water-type staggered back, clearly irritated by the hit.
The grunts snarled in frustration as they realized the battle wasn't going as smoothly as they'd expected. "Lotad, Water Gun!" one of them ordered. "Corphish, hit back with Bubble Beam!"
"Bulbasaur, use Razor Leaf!" Ash countered. Bulbasaur unleashed a flurry of sharp leaves, cutting through Lotad's Water Gun and landing a direct hit. The Grass-type move proved highly effective, sending Lotad reeling.
"Totodile, use Bite on Corphish!" Ashly called out. Totodile charged forward, its sharp teeth glowing as it lunged at Corphish. The bite landed hard, and Corphish let out a cry of pain as it struggled to break free from Totodile's powerful jaws.
The Team Aqua grunts were starting to sweat, realizing their advantage was slipping away. "Lotad, hang in there!" one grunt shouted desperately. "Corphish, fight back!"
"Bulbasaur, finish this with Vine Whip!" Ash commanded. Bulbasaur's vines lashed out once more, striking Lotad with full force and sending it crashing to the ground, knocked out cold.
At the same time, Ashly called out her final move. "Totodile, Water Gun!"
Totodile blasted Corphish again, and the Water-type Pokémon tumbled backward, fainting from the impact. Both Team Aqua grunts stared in disbelief as their defeated Pokémon lay motionless on the battlefield.
"No way!" one of the grunts growled, clenching his fists. "How did we lose to kids?"
Before they could make another move, two green vines suddenly wrapped around their bodies and mouths, silencing them and keeping them restrained. Ash grinned as Bulbasaur had taken charge of tying them up.
"And that's a wrap," Ash said, sharing a victorious high-five with Ashly. She beamed, her heart racing with pride from another successful battle.
Ash turned to Michael, who was still shaking but visibly relieved now that the grunts had been dealt with. "Are you okay?" Ash asked.
Michael nodded quickly, stepping out from behind them. "Yes, thanks to you! I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't shown up," he said, clutching the papers to his chest. "I owe you big time."
Ash smiled. "No worries. We're just glad we could help," he said with a wave of his hand, having a faint idea about why Team Aqua would want to attack a Devon Corporation employee.
Ashly meanwhile, couldn't contain her excitement, looking at Totodile with pride. "We're getting the hang of this!" she said, feeling more confident than ever in her abilities as a trainer.
With Team Aqua's threat neutralized and Michael safe, the trio continued on their way. Michael decided to accompany them as well for his own safety, and the trio didn't mind since they were going the same way. An hour and a half later, the looming towers of Rustboro City grew larger with each step as they finally arrived at Rustboro City.
******
After entering the bustling streets of Rustboro City, the first thing Ash and his companions did was head straight to the police station to hand over the two Team Aqua grunts they had captured earlier to Officer Jenny. Fortunately, the process went smoothly since they had Devon Corporation's employee, Michael, vouch for Ash and his friends, which spared them from a long and tedious interrogation. With the grunts handed over to the authorities, they thanked Officer Jenny and left the station.
Before parting ways, Michael expressed his gratitude once more. "I can't thank you enough," he said, clutching the papers that had caused all the commotion. "If you're ever around Devon Corporation, feel free to stop by. I owe you one!"
Ash smiled and waved him off. "No problem, Michael. Take care."
After the brief encounter, Ash sent May and Ashly ahead to the Pokémon Center to secure rooms for the night. "I'll catch up with you both later. I need to check on the Gym first," Ash explained and headed straight towards Rustboro Gym.
It wasn't long before he reached the Rustboro Gym, seeing the familiar sight of a mid-sized stadium surrounded by screens. This reminded him of Petalburg Gym, the only difference being that instead of a Dojo, this gym had a Pokémon Trainers' School built next to it.
Entering the Gym, Ash, headed straight to the reception desk and approached a man sitting behind the counter.
"Excuse me," Ash said, leaning against the counter, "I'd like to know about the Advanced Challenge for this gym."
The man behind the desk seemed momentarily surprised but after a brief pause, he composed himself and nodded, handing Ash a brochure. "Here you go," the man said. "Not many people ask about the Advanced Challenge right away. Good luck!"
Ash thanked him and walked back outside, flipping through the brochure as he read the details. His brow furrowed in concentration, and he couldn't help but mutter, "Damn..." as he absorbed the rules laid out in the pamphlet. Then he sat down on a bench just outside the gym, he scanned through the challenge details again:
Rustboro Gym Advanced Challenge Rules:
Rule 1: Both the Gym Leader and Challenger are allowed to use five Pokémon each. However, only the Challenger is allowed to switch Pokémon during the battle.
Rule 2: Neither the Gym Leader nor the Challenger can use healing or stat boosting items during the battle. The only items permitted are held items, assigned to Pokémon before the match begins.
Rule 3: If the Challenger fails to defeat the Gym Leader in the Advanced Challenge, they are barred from attempting the challenge again for the remainder of the league cycle, effectively disqualifying them from earning the Advanced Badge until the next league cycle begins.
Stipulation:
Roaring Sandstorm - During the entire duration of the battle, the weather condition 'Sandstorm' will be applied to the battlefield. The stipulation 'Sandstorm' cannot be overridden by other weather-based moves. However, due to the artificial nature of the stipulation, another weather condition can exist simultaneously with a Sandstorm.
Ash rubbed the back of his neck, deep in thought. "That 50% boost to Special Defense is going to be hell to deal with," he muttered to himself as he got up from the bench. "Looks like I'm going to need a solid strategy for this one," he said, heading back toward the Pokémon Center.
When he returned to the Pokémon Center, May and Ashly were already waiting for him. They had secured rooms for the night and were sitting in the lounge area when Ash walked in, still holding the brochure. "Well girls," he said as both of them looked up at him. "Get comfortable in Rustboro City, because we are going to spend the next two weeks here!"
To be continued...
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