Route 19 - Kanto Pacific Coast - 0931 hours local time - Day 72 of Ash Ketchum's Journey
Ash's idea of booking passage was clear to see once they arrived at the jetty.
"We have to PROTECT the ferry?" Misty asked, looking at the ocean waters between them, the expectant looks on the passenger's faces and of course, remembering that this was the only way to Cinnabar without splitting up. Which was mostly what Misty and Anabel wanted: Janine didn't give a damn, Kyoji had no opinion on the matter and Ash…
Well, he had to think of everyone.
"Well, the captain said there was a school of Shadow Tentacool led by a Shadow Tentacruel," he said, explaining what the agreement was. "And that's kinda… shut down travel."
"It usually does," Janine mused. "So, you offered our services to protect the ferry for travel?"
"He wasn't taking money," Ash said sheepishly. "Then Pikachu spoke up and…"
"Pikachu." 'Electric-type for the win,' Pikachu said, summing up the situation as the captain glared at them from the wheelhouse.
"I think he wants us on board." Anabel said softly.
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Kyoji asked, Ash shaking his head in amusement.
'Kids.' he thought, legitimately able to call them that.
After all, he was in his early thirties, even if his body wasn't.
"All passengers, this is your captain speaking," the captain said about ten minutes after the ferry left, en route to the Seafoam Islands. "We are finally en route to Seafoam. Be advised, I had to be bribed to take you along on this by skilled trainers thanks to the massive amount of jellyfish infesting these waters. And before anyone protests, the guy that bribed me had six badges from the Top Eight. The rest of you probably don't have even one from the minors."
"Cheery," Misty muttered, her Starmie scanning the waters with Anabel's Natu.
"Well, it is true," Kyoji said as Ash's Pikachu made the rounds around the boat with his trainer, who was keeping an eye out for Tentacruel.
"Natu." 'Type-advantage won't be enough, hat-man,' Natu said, hopping on the guard rail. "Tu-Na." 'These are Shadow Pokemon with numbers.'
"And that's why we're going to hit them with psychic and electric power." Ash said. "Against one, they might overcome. But we've got both, with Kyoji's Gible and Pikachu, they'll get zapped into submission and Natu and the psychics will smack them around. Mind over matter, right?"
Anabel looked at him from her position at the rear of the ferry. "That's not how psychic-types handle poison-types, Ash," she said. "They destabilize the poison within the Pokemon themselves, momentarily making their own toxins toxic to them."
Misty looked at Anabel worryingly, to which the lavender-haired psychic blushed and looked away. "Sabrina taught me that before I learned she was going to take over my body like some parasite." she said.
The water bubbled near the ship, Pikachu hitting it with an overpowered thundershock to make it jump and reveal itself, becoming known as a Shadow Tentacool, which was then hit with a telekinetic Confusion by Starmie, the poison in its' body being turned against it before the TK field slammed it into the water, rendering it unconscious.
"Gible!" 'More jellys!' he said before opening his mouth and using Thunderbolt like it was Flamethrower, zapping one Tentacool out of the water after another, leaving them for the Natus to deal with. "Gib!" 'Zap!'
In Ash's younger days, he'd say that was cool, but he'd seen more impressive things in his life.
The boat rocked as a massive jellyfish-like monster surfaced, two jeweled orbs on the top complimenting soulless eyes while the passengers ran into the enclosed spaces of the ferry.
"Tentaaaaaacruel," the Shadow Pokemon yelled before latching onto the aft end of the ship, wrapping tentacles around the railings, making the ship lurch backwards, the passengers panicking inside.
"Hey! Do your jobs and get that fucking thing off my boat!" the captain yelled over the PA.
"We're working on it!" Ash said before Pikachu used thunderbolt on the kraken, the Shadow Pokemon flinching but refusing to let go.
A pop and hiss was heard before the Tentacruel noticed the rain hitting his head, a small raincloud over his corrupted top.
"Sli." 'Gotcha, bitch.'
Ash looked to see Sliggoo, having released himself, charging up.
"Pikachu, Sliggoo, Thunder!" Ash ordered, knowing two would be enough to end this thing. And maybe the water would zap the others into compliance.
"PIKA!" Pikachu cried, sending lightning skyward, which Sliggoo echoed, homing in on the raincloud hovering over the giant jellyfish Pokemon, which only realized the folly of what it had done on impact, the lightning leaving heavy burns on his leathery skin, frying nerves and paralyzing the Shadow Pokemon.
The lightning bolts also passed into the sea, the salt water assisting the conductivity and electrocuting everything within almost a kilometer of the ferry.
And the only things that surfaced were Tentacool and Tentacruel.
"Sweet Palkia!" the captain said from the ship's bridge over the PA. "That's the entire school!"
"Hope you enjoyed that, Captain!" Misty shouted. "We sure as hell didn't!"
"Hey, that's over two dozen Shadow Pokemon floatin' in the water, girly! I'll call in the Navy: they'll fish the little bastards up and real with them," the captain said. "Nice work, kid! You and yours can ride this thing any day!"
Ash chuckled as he looked out to sea, wondering where the Sea Temple was.
He would have to deal with it when he returned to Kanto after Hoenn. Though honestly, he'd just like to blow it up.
Manaphy might be sad, but it was enough to keep it away from that asshole Captain Phantom AND it would prevent him from nearly dying AGAIN.
Drowning was not fun.
Seafoam Islands - 1147 hours local time
"Gabite…" 'Send me home. It's COLD,' Gabite asked as he shivered in the wasteland that was Seafoam West.
In the original timeline, this was home to a booming tourist industry. Now… well, another reason to add to Ash's growing list of reasons to hate this timeline.
It was COVERED in snow and ice, with only a small jetty at one end with a sign on it reading 'Boat to Cinnabar from the west port: 5 PM'.
"Well, that's dandy," Misty said, pointing at the ferry. "And we're not going back with them."
The majority of the passengers were actually staying with the ship for a quick ride over to Porta Vista, which was two hours away by boat, apparently.
"The other side of the island also has a dock according to this map." Anabel said, holding up a map of the island. "But the only way through is…"
"Though that cave." Ash finished, having done this song and dance before too many times to count. "It's always dark caves."
"Biiiiiiiite…" 'Send me home: this place is too cold!' Gabite asked, jumping around to keep warm.
"Gib?" 'It's not that bad,' Gible said. "Gible!" 'I just need my hat and I'm ok!'
"Gab!" 'You're an electric-type mutant!' Gabite replied. "Bite!" 'I'm a dragon/ground-type! I'm four times weak to ice!'
"It's fine, Gabite. I'm not putting anyone through that." Ash said, rubbing the land shark's head. "We'll just-"
"We're NOT staying here for six hours, Ash." Anabel said. "The other boat will be here in three!"
"We don't have winter clothing, Anabel." Misty said. "I might be used to the cold by swimming, but that's too much."
Kyoji then released a familiar form to Ash, that being the psuedo-dragon Charizard. "Problem solved." the Ranseian deadpanned.
"One will not be enough." Janine said, cupping her chin in thought as Ash returned Gabite. "The caves in this place can get to minus 40 below zero. We would have to huddle uncomfortably close to Charizard."
Anabel and Misty blushed at the idea of being so close to Ash for who knows how long before two Pokeballs were opened.
"Qui!" 'Misty!' said a giant honey badger as she walked up to the redhead, happily rubbing her head against Misty's leg.
"Fletch." 'This place is cold as hell," a robin chirped as she nested on Anabel's head. "Ling?" 'Why?'
"Training for you, warmth for the girls." Ash explained. "I think you want to evolve to Fletchinder sometime this year.
Kyoji looked at the bird on Anabel's head. "What the hell is this?" he asked, confused as he got a bit too close for Anabel's comfort.
"Fletchling's a Pokemon from Kalos. Flying/normal-type," Ash explained as she took off and landed on Ash's head. "She'll turn into a flying/fire-type when she evolves into Fletchinder."
"And with all the crazy training they've been doing with your… friend…" Kyoji said, not wanting to touch Serena's status with an AU-long pole for good reason. "You think she might evolve here?"
"Worked for Sliggoo," Ash replied as he smiled, finally eager for an adventure for once. At least it wouldn't get anyone killed.
He hoped.
Meanwhile, half a mile off, actually wearing winter gear, were everyone's favorite idiots.
"James, do you feel like we're unimportant?" she asked her bluenette counterpart.
"Jessie, we're as important as the authors want us to be, same as the show." James said, looking through a pair of binocs while finally doing what Team Rocket did best. "They want us gone, they'll make us gone."
"True." Jessie said before thinking about something. "What about Unova?"
"We're not supposed to talk about dat, Jessie." Meowth said. "We're da TRio from DIS timeline, not the one from the timeline the twerp's technically from."
"But we're breaking the fourth wall! Who cares?!" Jessie exclaimed.
The Jinx you annoyed, maybe.
"Well, sure, but…" Jessie paused before looking behind them, seeing a VERY annoyed Jinx.
"Jessie...you know the Authors don't like us. Why did you have to annoy them?" James asked as the Jinx used Blizzard on them.
Ash didn't pay attention to the explosion of snow some ways off. "So, Quilava, you stick with Misty and Anabel. Flame up: it's cold in there." he said.
"Quilava!" 'Sure! But can we make this quick? I have something to do back at the Ranch,' Quilava said.
"Bulbasaur's working you ragged, probably," Ash said as Kyoji sulked.
"I REALLY want to learn how you do that." he moaned.
"Kyoji, I had ALL of my Pokemon's minds compressed in my head," Ash said. "That had more side-effects than just me understanding Pokemon. I used to be more upbeat and optimistic. Now I'm thinking way too much on the good old days before Cyrus commited universal genocide."
Kyoji blinked a few times before speaking. "I think the proper term is 'omnicide'," he said with a raised index finger.
"Whatever the term is. I just know I think back on those days far too often to be healthy and you don't want to get this the same way I did." Ash said before looking at the girls. "Stick with a fire-type at all times. Keep warm and all that."
"We'd rather stick with you," Anabel said for them both before Quilava's back lit up, flames jetting up and making it like a small campfire, making her feel better.
Ash rubbed the back of his head. "Well, we want to get to the other side of the cave fast. So… can't." he said as an excuse, Kyoji grumbling as he did. "Let's go!"
Oak Ranch - 1212 hours local time
Bulbasaur watched as Gabite and Tranquill got into a fight, trying to make each other evolve, one to get ready for Kanto, the other wanting to just chomp on his trainer's head again, even as Natu hopped away from Muk as fast as she could go, terror in her eyes.
"Bulba." 'Now THIS is chaos I enjoy,' he said before feeling something coil around him.
"Dra!" 'Friend!' said the Dratini as he wrapped around Bulbasaur like an anaconda. This also had the same effect, as he was constricting around the Bulb Pokemon.
"Bul! Bul!" 'Let! Go! Can't! Breathe!' Bulbasaur choked out, the dragon-type letting go.
"Dra?" 'But no one in the Safari Zone minded?' Dratini asked, Bulbasaur coughing as he got air back into him.
"Bulba!" 'You're used to doing that to other Dratini. We're not Dratini,' Bulbasaur said before walking into the sun and laying down.
"Dratini?" 'Why are they fighting? I thought they were friends,' the snake-like Pokemon asked as Gabite used Dual Chop on Tranquill, only to get kicked by Chimchar before using Ember on him.
This was likely confusing for any Pokemon, let alone one so… sheltered.
"Bulba." 'We are battlers, young one.' Bulbasaur answered as the ongoing fight escalated to include Grovyle and Turtwig. "Bulbasaur, Bulb-saur, saur Bulbasaur." 'We spar with each other to train, and fight the Pokemon of other Trainers for the prestige and glory of ours. And, all too often, we end up fighting egomaniacs in order to save the world.'
Turtwig spat out an Energy Ball at Gabite, making the shark roar as he spat out dragonfire at the grass-type.
"Bulba." 'That is why we fight,' he said, closing his eyes. "Bulbasaur." 'It is also in our nature. For thousands of years, we have fought in battles, be it war or simple competition. You simply haven't awoken your fighting spirit yet.'
Dratini looked at Bulbasaur raptly. "Draaaa…" 'Does Ash want us all to fight?' he asked.
"Bulba." 'He doesn't expect anything. When he caught us, he got to know us first. When we expressed interest in battle, then he used us against trainers and even Gym Leaders, the strongest of them all. He brings out the best in us. Look at Gabite,' he said, Gabite getting into a fight with Charizard of all Pokemon, as he finished his recovery and wanted to train.
"Bulbasaur." 'He used to be small, like you. Now he's becoming bigger, more powerful. Granted, it's so he can use eviolite to be a Gible again, but still. I chose to stay as I am. For now,' he said, Dratini nodding as he listened. "Saur." 'With the evolite thing, I might actually evolve.'
"Dra." 'Wow,' the snake said. "Dra!" 'I don't know what I turn into! Do I evolve?!'
Bulbasaur looked at the snake before a form flew over the ranch, landing in a clearing, the orange scales covering a massive body, with whip-like antennae, tiny wings and RADIATING power.
"Bulba." 'You eventually turn into that,' he deadpanned as Professor Oak's Dragonite roared his challenge to the Ash-mons.
Their fighting spirit would not be found wanting.
Seafoam Island Caves - 1213 hours local time
Ash stepped carefully on the icy path. "I can see why no one would go through here." he said, his shoes barely staying where he placed his feet.
"I am tempted to take us back to the entrance." Janine said.
"Come on, Janine, what's the fault in a little danger?" Kyoji asked with a grin. "If we get hurt, we have Ash's fire-types to melt the ice and I can have Charizard fly us out."
The kunoichi sighed. "This is never-melt-ice," she said, quickly pulling out a lit flame and butane fuel source, making it look like she was using 'ninjutsu'. Of course, magic wasn't a thing for ninja: only slight of hand.
Regardless, the flame did nothing to the ice. "It does not melt. It does not even fluctuate in its' coldness." she added. "And there are only two sources for never-melt-ice: Silph Co's artificial manufacturing plants-"
Ash finished for her. "Or an ice-type Legendary Pokemon." he said.
Kyoji winced. "Aw, crap. We're not equipped to deal with a legendary of any kind," he said, knowing it would take more then a bunch of mid and beginning stage Pokemon with one fully evolved one to take on a legendary. "Janine, you know a lot more then I do about Kanto. You got any idea-"
"The Freeze Pokemon," she said, cutting him off. "First of the Legendary Birds."
"Articuno," Ash muttered, remembering the times he ran into one, the most infamous being Shamouti, where the damn thing tried to kill him. "We need to get out of this cave."
"You sound like you had bad experiences-" Misty said before she heard something. "Oh. Shamouti Island."
Ash thanked the astral Misty for once, even as she blushed.
"Wanna fill the rest of us in?" Kyoji asked, not liking being left out of the loop. Ash could relate.
"Basically the second time I saved the world back in the old timeline." he said before stepping forward. "Let's get out of-" he was cut off by the ground giving way, making him slide down a crevasse.
"ASH!" Anabel and Misty cried.
Ash was not worried about the rocks likely bruising the backs of his legs. Bruises would heal.
No, he was more worried about his pants getting torn up. He was down to his last pair, having given the other to Misty to cover her legs and Janine accidentally burned the other four pairs trying to launder them.
It was minus 20: he didn't want to be essentially half-naked in freezing conditions.
"PIIIIIIIIIIIIIKA!" 'I fucking hate this place!' Pikachu cried on his stomach, Fletchling struggling to stay on his head.
After a few minutes, they reached the bottom, which was covered in gravel. Ash could feel the deep cold brushing the backs of his calves.
"Damn it." he muttered as he looked, finding his pants shredded. "That's just great." It was even colder down here.
"Pikachu." 'Fletchling, mind evolving? It's FUCKING COLD,' Pikachu asked the Kalosian robin, who was shivering on Ash's head.
"F-Fletch!" 'Not happening, mouse!' Fletchling said, clearly freezing. "Ling!" 'No convenient evolutions today!'
Ash laughed mirthlessly. "That's great. Lost, freezing and I'm probably going to turn into the Frozen One at long last." he said, joking at his comment back at Shamouti as he walked around the frozen cave.. "If I get out of here, no matter what, winter clothing is a-"
"Kooky!" 'Finally! Food!' cried a Krabby in the darkness.
"I don't think so." Ash deadpanned before his eyes adjusted, seeing the aforementioned crab… poking an egg.
It was blue, with a pattern Ash had never seen. Ash hadn't seen too many eggs before, so there were a LOT.
But he wasn't letting this Krabby end a life.
"Pikachu?" Ash asked his starter, who nodded.
"Pi!" 'On it!' he said to his brother, firing a thundershock at the red crab, making it go flying into the ice, sliding on the frozen water before Fletchling decided to be a bitch, flying ahead of the crab and Pecking the ice enough to make it break.
The look on the Krabby's face was priceless. "Ko-" 'Oh COME-' SPLOOT he went into the subzero water.
"Fletch." 'freeze and die,' she chirped before flying back to Ash, who was not impressed with her.
"He's a crab and a water-type: he'll be fine." her trainer said before walking over and picking up the egg, finding it intact. The Krabby hadn't done anything to it.
Two more were with the blue egg, one looking like flames, the other was zig-zagging shades of yellow.
"Never seen these eggs before." he muttered.
"Pika." 'They've been down here a while. They're covered in frost,' Pikachu said before touching one. "Chu." 'They're still alive, though. Good thing they're Pokemon eggs: they can survive almost anything.'
Case in point: Togepi.
Someone else slid down the hole, making Ash turn and prepare to defend himself and the eggs before finding out who it was. Thankfully, it was just Janine.
"I am pleased you are alright," she said as she came into focus, noticing the eggs. "Pokemon eggs?"
"Abandoned." Ash said, spitting the word. His father was bad enough: Pokemon parents were supposed to be better. "Hope you don't mind-"
"Gladly," she interrupted, taking the blue egg from his hands. "I secured a rope before coming down. We will be able to climb out of here. The eggs will make it more…" she looked at the unwieldy objects. "Difficult."
"I'm not abandoning them here," Ash stressed.
"I did not say that you should. Merely that the climb will be more difficult with them," Janine said, clarifying her words and understanding why he refused to leave them. "I recommend we use our travel bags to send up the eggs first to ease our passage."
Five minutes later, Kyoji looked at the eggs as Misty fed the rope back down the hole.
"What kind of eggs are these?" he asked as he examined the fire egg. "I've never seen any Pokemon egg like this."
"I don't think anyone outside of Pokemon Breeders know what every egg looks like," Misty said somewhat snappishly. Ash was gone longer then she would like and it was starting to show.
"No need to be like that." Kyoji said before Misty finished sending the rope down. Anabel and Quilava looked at the other two, Quilava sniffing them.
"I don't like Ash being out of sight." she said before the rope became tunt, a sign they were climbing back up. "I don't know why Ash would send up Pokemon eggs first!"
"He sees himself in them," Anabel said quietly. "His father abandoned him and his family."
"And this is history repeating itself." Kyoji summed up. "Well, at least we got a way out." while the girls were panicking (Janine was proactive in her worrying; Misty had a Togepi egg to worry about so while she WANTED to go down there, she couldn't) he found the way out.
So once Ash got up here, they could leave. And with his head poking out, that time was now.
"You tore your pants," Janine deadpanned.
"Thank you, I am WELL AWARE," Ash snarked. Apparently, he was still sore over her burning them yesterday.
It was 2:14 by the time they got out of there and none of them were more glad to see the coast then Ash was.
"I swear, I am investing in more pants when we get to Cinnabar." he said, glancing at Janine knowingly. "Hopefully fire-proof ones."
"I apologized when it happened." Janine said, her eyes closed as she followed their footsteps.
"And until I get more pants, I have the right to be somewhat petty." Ash retorted as they came up to the all-but-deserted docks. "Misty, can I have my pants back?"
"Sure." she said before pausing, looking back at her backpack, hurriedly getting it off and removing Togepi's egg from it.
The egg shook, then started glowing. "This didn't happen in the other timeline. This DIDN'T HAPPEN." Ash said, panicking. "The egg just cracked and then out came his head-I think he was a boy, we never found out-"
"Ash." Kyoji said. "Calm the hell down. Please."
The egg disappeared, but fortunately, the form did not. Still wearing an eggshell, with exposed hands and feet with a crown-like thing on the top of the head, the eponymous spikes of the Pokemon's title.
Ash took out his Pokedex, hoping it would give answers.
"Togepi, the Spike Ball Pokemon. Togepi are the first confirmed fairy-type Pokemon outside of Clefairy and critically the first to prove that emotion allows for evolution," the Pokedex said. "Togepi are rare outside of the Johto and Sinnoh regions."
Togepi opened its' eyes and looked at Misty, blinking. "Toge!" 'Mommy!' the spike Pokemon said, the voice being young, but very girly. So Togepi was a girl. Good to know.
Togepi looked at Ash then, seeing a happy smile on his face now that he wasn't panicking. "Toge-pri!" 'Daddy!' she said, much to his horror.
A Pokeball then activated, Kyoji looking behind him - as did Jenine. Emerging from one of the former's Pokeballs appeared what looked to be a Galvantula, however it was a darker shade of yellow - almost brown. But it also had a pair of extra legs on its side, but more importantly its abdomen was brightly colored with a beautiful array of colors, almost like those of a Peacock.
"…is that a Ranseian Galvantula?" Jenine asked, but before she got an answer the Peacock-like Spider pokemon jumped in front of Togepi, who looked at it in confusion. Misty was about to scream as it raised its extra claws, its abdomen rose up…
…and proceeded to dance.
"Oh, one second," Kyoji activated his Pokedex, as accompanying music began to play.
BGM: "YMCA Theme" (for the full experience, watch the youtube video 'Peacock spider dances to YMCA')
Misty was more confused then ever, staring at the spider as he did what he did best.
"I… I have no idea what I should be doing." Misty admitted. "I mean… he's a bug. But… he's…"
"Cute?" Kyoji said, smiling. "Yeah, it's kinda what he does. The Joltiks are just as cute, but TINY."
"I've run into a couple," Ash said as Togepi watched the dance of the spider, clapping along. "I REALLY need my pants back."
"Can't you enjoy the dance for just a bit?" Anabel asked, watching as the Galvantula used more intricate dance moves.
Galvantula turned to Ash, and continued its dance as Togepi clapped in sync to the rhythm.
…Pikachu started clapping with them.
"Pikachu!" he cried, stunned.
"Pika Pi!" 'It's addicting, Ash; I can't stop!'
"Resistance is futile against the dance," Kyoji chuckled - even as he bobbed his head along. Even Misty was starting to tap her foot a bit to the beat.
The big, googly eyes BEGGED Ash to let him continue. And despite everything… Ash was still the nicest guy you could meet if you weren't a member of Team Magma or something.
"…Only until the boat gets here," he said, relenting.
"…That's not for another 45 minutes." Anabel said, the spider BEAMING at this as the dance… continued.
Hands gripped the snowy rocks as the TRio recovered from the Jinxing.
"The authors hate us." Meowth said.
Blame your inability to do your job properly. At least here, you're not screwing up.
"That's certainly true," Jessie groused as she caught sight of… a giant dancing spider. "What the hell is that?"
"A Galvantula." James said. "You know, the bigger version of Joltik. …But they don't do that."
Ranseian ones do.
Jessie couldn't argue with THAT. "…Why is it CUTE?" she asked.
Because the universe has willed it to be so. The Ranseian Peacock Galvantula is the epitome of that which is adorable - rivaled only by Gibles and Natus.
"…What about Pikachu?" Meowth asked.
That goes without saying, dumbass.
The TRio could not argue with that and just waited for the line break for the next scene.
Oak Ranch - 1412 hours local time
"Bulba." You had fun,' Bulbasaur said to Oak's Dragonite as he sported a few bruises.
"Dra." 'I damn well hope I did. They were relentless.' the elder dragon said as Dratini continued to stare at him. "Gon?" 'Newborn?'
"Bulba." 'More or less. I don't think he even knows about Dragonair.' the Bulb Pokemon said.
The elder nodded in understanding. "Dra." 'I will have to correct that,' he said, tilting his head. "Nite?" 'If you don't mind?'
"Bulbasaur." 'Like I could stop you. You're a Dragonite: one step below the legendaries. Just make sure he makes it back,' Bulbasaur replied, Dragonite nodding.
"Dragonite." 'Very well. Come along, young one,' he said, getting up. "Nite." 'I will have to introduce you to your own kind.'
Dratini followed the walking dragon, even as the rest of Ash's Pokemon groaned in pain, some having evolved.
"Grot…" 'I was… avoiding this…' Grotle said as his everything hurt.
"Mon…" 'Fucking… deal with… it…' Monferno groaned as he held his head.
Cinnabar Ferry en route to Cinnabar Island - 1326 hours local time
Kyoji knew it had to be done. He had to convince Ash to get over his problems and accept the girls loved him.
Or rather, convince him that it was right to allow HIMSELF to love them. He had daddy issues: who didn't? But this was unhealthy. No more fake dates, no more deceptions.
"Okay Ash, let me make sure I got this straight," He clapped his hands, as he sat across from Ash. "Your reason for not dating, or going out or accepting the love of those girls… is because you don't want to be like your father and leave them alone at home? Am I misunderstanding this so far?"
"More or less." Ash answered in a somewhat dead tone, knowing he wasn't going to be avoiding this conversation.
"Okay, we have that cleared up," he nodded. "Now, let me ask you something else… aside from your whole… royalty thing - which I am personally indifferent about - and your whole… universe-ending thing, and currently in the process of saving the universe from it happening again… what makes you - Ash Ketchum - any different from the hundreds, if not thousands of other Trainers who do get into relationships - successful ones at that - and still travel about? In fact, many of them travel with their families since the costs of universal healthcare in most trainer nations is dirt cheap, along with accessing medical records at Pokecenters and hospitals alike."
"Stability, for one," Ash answered. "I didn't just go to one region, Kyoji, I went to ALL of them. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola - I bet I'd've gone to that Galar region I've been hearing about, too. I just CAN'T STOP moving. And… I didn't want to do that to anyone. Let alone someone I love." Ash looked at the girls, who were fussing over Togepi, other than Janine, who knew to back off and let them talk. "I am not worthy of them and I know it."
Kyoji glanced at Pikachu with a sly smirk - as Ash just admitted he did love them - which Pikachu did as well. "Well, issue is… there are plenty of Trainers who do that as well," He reasoned, "They hook up, get married on the road, maybe have a kid, and then not long after they get moving again to the next Gym, or Beauty Contest or whatever it is they like to do."
"It's dangerous on the road."
"You have an army of some of the most dangerous and experienced Pokemon in the entire world," he deadpanned. "Not even including the Pokemon of your lady-friends, who are a power house all to themselves. And it continues to grow every day. There are trainers who go along the roads - with their families - with less than what you have, and turn out fine. In fact, the kids have grown up to be exceptionally healthy, and rather cultured since they're constantly going around the world, visiting new places... it's honestly a good life. No one has to stop for anything."
"Maybe, but I know that I can't stay still long enough to enjoy the town I stay in, let alone wait for my spouse to give birth." Ash retorted. "And besides… I'm damaged goods and I know it. I saw the WORLD end. I have died MULTIPLE TIMES. I'm lucky I'm even alive, let alone functioning."
"And yet… here you are." Kyoji shrugged, "If you really were the 'damaged goods' you claim to be, you would be some old, bitter man who cares nothing about anything. A nihilistic piece of shit that just wants it all to end, and let everything burn around you… but you're not - and you know why? Because you still care for those girls, your pokemon, your family… and more importantly, they still love you back… you have herds of Pokemon literally traveling across the world just to come back to you. It's not because of just loyalty - those Pokemon love you, you are family to them… in a way… they're already like having children."
Ash looked at Kyoji, looking… old. His body hadn't aged, but his eyes…
"I'm 31, Kyoji. The body might be 14, close to 15, but I am TWICE their age mentally," he said. "That's just all kinds of WRONG."
"That is in context, and semantics," Kyoji let out a dry chuckle. "The ending of your universe… I can't even begin to fathom what that would be like to experience… but from it, you've been given something that so many people would love to have."
"What's that?"
"A second chance," Kyoji said. "A chance to right your past errors, to do… better than before, with the knowledge and experience you had in your previous life. If a man were in your position, who in his previous life was in love with his childhood friend, got married, had a kid… and was given the chance to start it all over again - a 31 year old in his 15 year old body, with his 15 year old soon-to-be fiance… would they just turn away from it all?"
Kyoji leaned back, with a frown. "Besides…" he muttered. "Not everyone comes to age at the same time to begin with…"
Ash thought about it… and tears fell from his eyes. "It would be so easy," he said. "I wish it was possible for me. But I am a danger magnet. A few months from now, I was invited to an island. I died because of the two most powerful psychic-types outside of Arceus. Three months later, I was thrown head-first into a near-apocalypse that I barely averted. Six months later, the UNOWN of all things tried to kill me." The pallet trainer sighed. "I blunder into situations that have world-reaching consequences by accident. And all of them would have gotten me killed if it weren't for the Pokemon I had with me and dumb luck. That's… that's not something you do to someone you love."
"It is if they're willing to go through hell right alongside you," Kyoji said. "In those instances… were they not there with you? Did they, and their pokemon not help you along the way? Leaping, jumping, fighting and surviving right alongside you, through the worst of times, and the best of times? That is a level of trust and commitment that many can only wish to earn from those they love… and you found it in the hearts of, let's see, how many women? Misty, Anabel, Jenine come to mind, but I've been told about May, Dawn - who sounds super-cute by the way - Serena, and Iris."
"Anabel I met during my Battle Frontier run: she never travelled with me!" Ash said.
"And yet here she is," Kyoji said, gesturing towards her. "Knowing full and well what you've been through, and what you are about to go through… and she's still here."
Ash gave him a look. "She's only still here because she's afraid of someone pulling what Sabrina pulled. I MINDWIPED her when she tried to take ME over," he said. "I accidentally killed a Hypno when he looked in my head. I KILL telepaths that try to probe too deep."
"You sure that's the only reason why she's sticking around?" Kyoji rose his brow. "That she sees you as a means of protecting her? If anything, you'd think being around a psychic-killer would scare her off, find safety within the League - which they could easily provide… but no. She decided… to stay with you - the man who saved her from the Psycho-bitch… who, while she sounds cute, I'd never try anything with given how I don't chase after crazy people."
"It's just not happening. After I deal with Cyrus, MAYBE," Ash said, finally relenting somewhat. "But not now. I have WAY too much to worry about."
"It's better than you were before," Kyoji smiled. "You have so many people that truly love you Ash… don't let that chance go to waste… not all of us are nearly as lucky as you."
"Attention passengers: we are arriving at Cinnabar Island," the captain said over the PA. "Be advised: the Pride of Kanto is in port and the Queen Victoria is also docking, so there will be a slight delay until you are able to depart."
Ash gathered his things, eager to get off the ship. "I hope I don't have to deal with riddles and a gym inside a volcano again." he said, remembering the LAST time he was here. "Battles over boiling lava are NOT fun."
"You kidding? It's invigorating," Jaden chuckled, as Ash gave him a look. "What? Ransei's Ignis gym has you and your Pokemon fighting on the tallest Volcano in the nation to move on to the next Gym."
"I'd like my Pokemon not to have third-degree burns, or worse DIE, in a volcano if I can avoid it." Ash said as he got his backpack back on, heaving for the gangway ramp.
As he left, and Pikachu gave him a thumbs up, he sighed as he looked up to the sky. "…Arceus," he said, "I don't pray all that much, I know you know that… but clearly, this guy is important to the world, and he needs all the help and love he can get… so I promise you that I'll do my best to be his wingman from here on out… both in battle and in his love life…"
He clasped his hands together, "Just… all I ask in return… is at some point in this journey, please show me how to be able to talk to Pokemon like he can?" He prayed, "I'll even give up my doomed attempts at getting a love life if that sweetens the deal, since we both know that's never going anywhere, and this will be a far more productive use for my time…"
Anabel's Natu then teleported away, making her panic before he came back with a very smug look on his face, looking at him briefly before nesting once more.
Kyoji glanced around awkwardly. "…so… was that a yes or a no?"
A horn then blared from the Queen Victoria that was less like a ship's whistle and more like the roar of an ancient, almighty creature as a woman wearing a sunhat and white dress smiled at him from the deck.
"…Amen."
RMS Queen Victoria - Cinnabar docks - 1329 hours local time
Iris slipped her minders, happily running on the boat deck as she looked for a way down that didn't involve those suit-wearing bastards.
"Ax!" her Axew said as he pointed at an empty lifeboat davit, with rope hanging tangled from the crane.
"Nice work, Axew!" Iris said, jumping onto the painted crane, climbing up to the pulley and beginning to untangle the mess. "A lot faster then going with them."
"Axew!" cried the tusk Pokemon before he swung his head at the davit from his perch in her hair. A fun fact: Axews did this all the time to mark territory.
Another fun fact: it was sharp as sin, so it cut the rope, fraying it.
Iris didn't notice until she was falling, the tangles holding her hands to the rope before she fell almost 150 feet, the davit's pulley slowing her down only slightly.
A knot in the rope suddenly stopped her fall, a sickening crack, then pain, informing her she had just dislocated her wrist from the force of the fall.
Iris had suffered worse.
She carefully got her dislocated wrist out of the mess and fell to the dock below, landing on her feet before looking at her hand, which was at an off-angle. She took in a deep breath before closing her eyes before forcing it back into place, wincing as while she had endured worse pain in her life, both self-inflicted and inflicted by others, it still HURT.
"Iris?" said a voice in accented Unovan that was surprised, confused and… knew her?
She opened her eyes to see a young man roughly her age, wearing jeans, running shoes, a black shirt and open blue jacket, with a cap on his black-haired head and a Pikachu, a Pokemon of almost myth in Unova, sitting on his shoulder.
She had never seen him before.
But Ash Ketchum had seen her before.