Route 21, ferry en route to Pallet Town port - 0952 hours local time - Day 79 of Ash Ketchum's Journey
Ash sat at the prow of the ferry, thinking about what to do. Mostly who to take against Giovanni.
Charizard would happily go up against the man that was both Team Rocket's Boss and supposed to be Viridian City's Gym Leader. Ash wasn't happy that Charizard considered it a matter of guilt for the last time, but he wasn't going to bother arguing with him.
Gible gave Misty a headbite, being playful after… expelling all the water before they left. Maybe Gible? …No, he still needed to get used to being a Garchomp.
"Qui?" 'Ash?' asked Quilava, who Ash brought in just in case Blaine had something more. Fortunately, there were only three Pokemon he had to worry about, so he let her out for the trip home.
"What's up, Quilava?" he asked, petting his friend and battle partner's head. She had been acting weird the entire trip, looking straight towards Pallet Town while wandering listlessly.
"Qui?" 'When we get back to Pallet Town, can I… show you something?' she asked sheepishly. "Quilava." 'You'll understand when you see it.'
Ash smiled. "Sure. As long as it's not something world-ending." he said, snorting at a weak joke. What could Quilava have to show him that would make her so nervous?
The Ranseian shinobi and his female Kantoan counterpart were observing Misty, Iris and Anabel. Janine had decided to aid in keeping her new liege lord sane and assist them in getting him and the young women clearly attracted to him together. Serena was just… impossible for her to approach and speak to without getting an explosive bolt to the chest.
"So… plan B?" Kyoji asked, given that Ash was at the front of the ferry, refusing to allow them to make any 'suggestive accidents'. In fact, Ash had gone out of his way to avoid such things.
"Dad's going to take a while." Sabrina said, Janine STILL trying to process the psychic's status as Ash's adoptive child. "Might as well shift to the available ones, right?"
"Yeah, best to take care of the girls, before we focus on the man," Kyoji nodded, "Hopefully that will solve itself once we run into his mother… assuming Giovanni is telling the truth… if not, then this will become a far more difficult uphill battle…"
"If Ash is telling the truth-" Janine started.
"He is," Sabrina interrupted, Janine glaring at her before she continued.
"IF he is telling the truth, he is the leader of Team Rocket. An organization that has committed unspeakable evils in their quest to take control of Kanto and possibly the former URN." the kunoichi finished. "And in Ash's point of view, if Giovanni was lying simply to confuse him, then that is something we must consider. Giovanni would lie to save face, to weaken Ash's resolve, to do anything to win. And Ghetsis was there. Would you tell the leader of Team Plasma anything truly important?"
Kyoji had no idea what Team Plasma was about- 'A political extremist group trying to take over Unova by any means necessary. Team Rocket looks civilized compared to them.' chimed Sabrina in his head. 'Honestly, Ash might be thinking that Giovanni lied because Ghetsis was there and he has a reputation for… blackmail, shall we say.'
"That's assuming Geovanni actually would care about family if that were the case," Kyoji mused, "If he was Ash's father and lied about his mother, he obviously doesn't care two shits about either of them - otherwise he'd be trying to groom Ash to be his successor since day one. But since he hasn't, that means he doesn't care about Ash… but if he's telling the truth, it makes more sense why he'd leave him alone, and only have that weird trio group following us around… in fact, Ghetsis would probably get more blackmail if Geovanni was telling the truth there, than if he were telling what Ash thinks is the truth."
"Delia will have the answers we need." Janine said.
"…at this point, all we can do is cross our fingers, and pray to Arceus that for once, the leader of Team Rocket was being an honest man…" Kyoji sighed.
"We're doomed." Sabrina said almost cheerfully before looking at Misty and Iris having a mild argument. "Any thoughts on dealing with them?"
Kyoji sighed. Shipping was hard.
Pallet Town - Oak Ranch - 1126 hours local time
Samual Oak was an old man trying to make a living that just so happened to improve people's lives.
At his age, he should really just sit down, pop open a cold one and relax all day long. Sadly, that wasn't going to happen as a Xatu teleported in with two preteens, one of which puked on his floor.
"Bulba." said Ash's Bulbasaur, who facevined at the mess.
"Uggghhhh… I hate teleporting…" said Yellow Ketchum as she got her bearings...right before puking yet again, her brother avoiding the growing...area of stomach contents.
"Hey, Professor." said Red, even as he avoided the vomit on the floor. "We… convinced Mom's Xatu to bring us home."
Yellow finally stopped, only to walk through her pool and trail it outside.
"…That is disgusting." Red said, voicing the opinions of all.
"Your sister doesn't like teleporting. But I have good news." Oak said before Xatu glared at the mess and telekinetically flung it outside, splattering it on Ash's Grovyle.
Oak grabbed his surrogate grandson and dragged him to a safer area before aforementioned Grove Pokemon ran into the lab, grabbed Xatu and dragged him outside for a massive beating.
"…As I was saying…" Oak started as Grovyle and Xatu began their fight. "According to the Pokedex transmitter, your brother is on his way back to Pallet Town."
"Really?" Red asked. "It's only been two months. Doesn't it take three to get around Kanto?"
The young man had a point: Kanto, while the smallest of the former provinces of the URN, was still large enough that the typical time to make it from town to town was three months.
That being said, Ash wasn't visiting every town, village and hamlet in Kanto: he sent Pidgeot and Noctowl to make damn sure he didn't get lost. And occasionally send messages to aforementioned towns: he got a letter from those Eeveelution Brothers about the other Eeveelutions, for example. They weren't happy when they learned Espeon and Umbreon were a thing.
Oak, of course, knew why, but he wasn't telling.
"He's just visiting the gyms. And avoided Rock Tunnel AND that nonsense in Dark Town." the old man replied. "When you're not taking in the scenery, it takes just over a month to make your way across Kanto. And your brother doesn't seem to be doing much of that."
"What's the point? He could just fly to the gyms if he wasn't wanting to wait." Red said, knowing Ash and he had something in common: the urge to explore and travel.
"He does have travelling companions," the professor said before Grovyle was slammed into the building by Xatu, who smugly glared at him before Grovyle - stupidly - rushed at him again. "And Pidgeot can only carry two at most."
Red thought about it, then nodded. "Good point. He'd need something like a legendary to cart him and his girlfriends around," Oak gave him a look, curious as to what he meant. "Oh, come on, Professor. He's the Crown Prince of Rota and I know they're allowed. Besides, after the… thing…"
Oak solemnly nodded. "Yes. He certainly does deserve to be happy after all that. Those burns…" he trailed off, both of them shuddering at remembering what happened before Xatu slammed into the building.
Grovyle was pissed.
Viridian City Gym - 1246 hours local time - Day 78
Giovanni stared at his sister and niece, former stating brazenly at the entrance to his gym while the latter was confused.
Hr was on edge and his grunts...one had shit her pants, judging from the smell.
"So… you really are our uncle?" Belladonna asked. Giovanni sighed. Of course Delia wouldn't tell them. No, she wanted to keep any ties to the family that ran the Team secret. She considered them a blight on Kanto. On Nihon in general.
"Yes," Giovanni answered, after debating it. "Giovanni Sakai. Head of Team Rocket and your mother's elder brother." he glanced at Delia, who looked relaxed, if eager to end anyone that started anything. "But not the better trainer."
"It helps that I give a damn about them outside of combat." Delia said, walking deeper into the building, one grunt having a bright idea to shoot her, raising his rifle to blow her brains out.
It was telekinetically yanked out of his hands and shoved into his mouth, breaking all of his teeth and his jaw.
Mimey was not one to leave his trainer's safety in question, even if he wasn't in the building to ensure it.
"If any of you idiots try that again, I will shoot you myself," Giovanni snapped. He and his sister may have had their disagreements, but that was a line he did not cross. "And don't doubt it: I shot Archer in the head."
"Numbnuts is dead?" Delia asked, confused. "When?"
"A month and a half ago. He and Proton attacked the Olympic," her brother replied. "The idiot paid for his stupidity with his life."
"And Proton?" Belladonna asked, having had… history with the admin.
"Dead. Koga killed him, even if he took the bastard with him," the boss answered. "Which took even MORE men from the Team with his stunt."
"I guess they made my job easier," Delia said, chuckling. "You always needed Ariana to keep them under your thumb and she was too interested in avoiding having me after her to hold onto their leash."
"What do you want, Delia? I'm fairly sure with Team Rocket essentially dead, I'm no threat to your son anymore," Giovanni spat.
His sister smirked. "I'm here to referee Ash's battle against you." she said, much to his shock.
"You can't do that: you've been out of the game for almost 20 years!" Giovanni yelled. She hadn't been on the active league roster since Belladonna was in diapers, officially retiring when Ash was born.
"I might have been off the active roster, but I'm still on the reserves." Delia said, to Giovanni's horror. Half the purpose of the League was to prevent a repeat of the Cipher War, after all. The other being bread and circus. A bored population is a mobbing population, after all.
"Tell me you're going back to Pallet Town." Giovanni all but begged. Sakais did not beg.
"Oh, no, big brother." Delia said, smirking with torturous glee. "We're staying here. Ash won't be staying at Pallet for long: enough to check up on his Pokemon, but he'll be here within a couple of days. I think he knows where you live."
Giovanni groaned. This was why he stayed away from his sister. She was insufferable.
Pallet Town Port - 1358 hours local time - Day 79
Ash did not expect to get tackled by his sister once he stepped off the boat.
He still wasn't used to having two younger siblings, feeling a bit guilty that he wasn't there for them. But this, to Ash, just provided further justification that he was right not to get romantically involved, no matter how painful it felt.
"Welcome home, Ash!" Yellow said, glomping onto her elder brother. "We didn't think you'd be back so soon!"
"What she said," said Red before he reached for Ash's hand, struggling to help him up before Yellow got off her eldest brother, Red nearly falling on his rear when she did.
Ash got up, chuckling before Yellow noticed who else was coming off the boat with the crowd, Serena glaring at any of the opposite gender that dared to cop a feel, which made it easier for the other girls, sans Sabrina because she had a reputation, to get off the ship.
"Who are these people?" she asked, looking at them closely. "I know about Misty and Anabel, but… the others?"
Serena, once she got off the gangway, looked at Yellow, not recognizing her and glaring at her for a moment. "Who in the name of-" she started to ask before Ash got to his feet and looked at Serena.
"My little sister." Ash said. "Yellow Ketchum."
Serena blinked, jealousy and anger fading as fast as they came. "You're going to be my little sister-in-law?" she asked, kneeling to her height. "I'm Serena. Ash's fiance." she said.
Yellow blinked as she looked at Serena. "You are very messed up." she said, deciding on something. "You need help. A lot of help."
"And you're starting to remind me of that brat I ran into on the Germanic," Serena said, her eye twitching in annoyance.
"Don't blame me for saying the truth," Yellow replied. "Besides, my brother likes you. He'll fix you."
Ash stared at his little sister in shock. Did… she just…
Serena practically beamed at that last part, Yellow turning and putting her hands behind her head. "All the girls that like my bigger brother are weird." she said, walking towards Iris and Janine, the former trying to blend into the crowd. Yellow, though, found her easily. "You're that ninja guy's daughter."
Janine nodded. "Janine of Fuchsia City." she answered. "You must be Ash's little sister." The younger blonde nodded. "You are more mature than one would assume."
"Are you my brother's other girlfriend?" Yellow asked, looking Janine in the eye, unamused, making her take aback. "I know he's got Misty. And Anabel looks like she likes him."
Janine sighed, knowing that was not an easy thing to explain. "That… depends on Ash. I am sworn to him… it is complicated," she said, Yellow just shrugging at it.
"You'll figure it out," the youngest Ketchum said before looking at Iris. "And you're… Unovan?"
Iris chuckled nervously. "Yes…?" she said.
"You hurt as bad as Ash does. He'll help you if you help him," Yellow said before walking towards Ash and Red, her brothers staring.
"Uh-" Ash started to say.
"Yellow's always like this. Spends too much time with Mimey," Red explained, before looking at his older brother. "Don't you remember?"
Ash held his head, a headache forming almost immediately. He still hadn't remembered everything in this timeline. And when he tried to think back before the day he came back, he got nosebleeds and headaches.
Red, fortunately, decided to drop it. "Well, you've been through a lot." his younger brother said before smirking. "Want to show your girlfriends home?"
"WHY does no one get that I don't have interest in a romantic relationship?" Ash said, moaning as Pikachu cackled on his shoulder.
Oak Ranch - 20 minutes later
Kyoji insisted Ash should go on ahead. The unwilling Crown Prince was suspicious, but Quilava popped out of her ball and urged him to go on. Misty agreed, mostly to attempt to get to know Serena better because crazy or not, they were stuck with each other.
So Charizard flew them to the Ranch, where Ash was then Wrap-attacked by Dratini. Apparently, the dragon was very hug-happy and was now caught up in mass training sessions involving the Professor's Dragonite, which this was the first Ash was aware of them. Quilava was exempt for some reason.
"Qui!" 'Over here, Ash!' said Quilava, taking him deeper into the depths of the ranch as the Dragonite arrived, right before things turned into a warzone with all but Quilava and Pikachu getting involved in what Ash worried was attempted murder. He did voice it, but Quilava waved it off as Monferno (and this was the first he heard of him evolving) was smacked into a pond.
That only made him MORE worried as the battle became more distant. "If anyone dies, Quilava-" Ash warned before Quilava waved it off again.
"Qui, Qui!" 'They'll be fine. That Chansey patches them up,' Quilava said before the arrived in a small quarry, with small bushes growing on the slopes. "Lava." 'We're here. Hang on.'
Ash stopped as Quilava poked her head into a small cave, gently cooing at… something before backing off, as if something was coming out. Pikachu jumped from Ash's shoulder in case whatever it was was a threat.
There was no point, as what came out was small, blue and cream-bellied with a long snort, two short arms and had seemingly always-closed eyes like Brock. In other words, a Cyndaquil.
A… YOUNG Cyndaquil. Very young.
"Aw, did you adopt a Cyndaquil?" Ash asked, the young fire badger hiding behind Quilava at seeing Ash.
"Pika?" 'Ash… that Cyndaquil smells like Quilava. And not because of proximity, either,' Pikachu said, sniffing the air to pick up the Cyndaquil's scent. "Chu…" 'I think… Ok, Quilava, who's the father?'
Ash stared at Pikachu, then at Quilava, then at Cyndaquil, unable to truly comprehend that Quilava was a mother. None of his Pokemon had eggs in the last timeline!
"Qui." 'I'm not telling you,' Quilava said before looking at her child. "Qui…" 'Sweetheart, this is Ash. he's my adoptive brother. That makes him your uncle.'
Cyndaquil looked at Ash from behind his mom, Ash's face speaking of how dumbfounded he was.
"Cynda!" 'Funny man!' said the little fire-type. Ash stared at Cyndaquil, only making him laugh more. Ash just couldn't get mad at him, so he reached for the little guy slowly and gently, picking him up.
"You're as cute as your mom was when she was a Cyndaquil." Ash said as Cyndaquil happily 'quil'ed, his mother looking on in worry before Ash carefully put him down.
"Why keep him a secret, Quilava?" Ash asked, looking at the fire badger. "You know I wouldn't hurt him."
"Qui…" 'Well… I want him to pick his own trainer,' Quilava replied before collecting her child in her forepaws. "Lava." 'I mean, you're nice and all, but… You kinda jump into dangerous situations too often. We're willing to risk our lives to save the world…' Quilava rubbed her head against her child's, making the little guy make a happy 'quil'. "Lava." 'But I am not risking my son.'
Ash kneeled and put his hand on Quilava's head, smiling. "I would never ask you to do that," he said, before rubbing Quilava's head, making her do her own 'qui'.
An explosion caught their attention before they saw Red running into the quarry, screaming his head off. "THAT DRAGONITE IS NUTS!" the youngest Ketchum brother yelled as aforementioned Dragonite flew overhead, being chased by Charizard, all of his flying Pokemon save for Rowlet, as well as Garchomp. The young man slid across the dirt, groaning in pain as his hat landed in front of him.
"You ok, Red?" Ash said as he walked over to his younger brother, kneeling to check on him.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Red said, wincing as he reached for his hat, only for it not to be there.
"Quil!" 'Head thing!' said Cyndaquil as he… wore the hat, stumbling around blind. Ash just stared and subconsciously grabbed onto the rim of his own cap.
"Hey! That's my hat!" Red said before going after Cyndaquil, Who blindly ran around the dirt and rock ground of the quarry. Ash couldn't help but smile. He needed a moment like this, to remember what he was fighting for.
This might not have been his timeline… but it was worth fighting for.
Red finally caught up, removing the hat from Cyndaquil's possession, But the fire mouse just tackled Red, playing with him.
One hour later
Kyoji could not help but go 'aw' at the little Cyndaquil in Red's hands as he took the little guy around the lab, trying to ignore the aerial battle above, even as a Dratini snaked past him and 'attacked' Misty by wrapping around her.
"…Yeah, I have a good idea where that's going." Kyoji said, even as Yellow guided them in, the younger-if-surprisingly-mature girl taking all but one of the girls into the lab.
The sole exclusion… was Serena, who, prior to walking to Pallet, changed into a more practical outfit with a pink skirt and black shirt, her very… poofy dress shoved into a backpack she had refused to allow anyone to carry for her.
That left her with Kyoji, who decided to try and… help her with her issues.
"So…" Kyoji started, getting the somewhat crazy yandere to look at him. "You know Ash… kinda needs a harem? Legal obligation and all that?"
The honey-blonde girl snorted. "I am not happy about that. None of… us… are." she said, clenching her fists. "He is mine. I only got engaged to him because someone discovered his heritage. I would have given up EVERYTHING to be with him."
Kyoji chuckled at Serena's… declaration. "You're committed, I'll give you that," He chuckled, "Though… that whole… split personality thing is kinda… freaky… but, like Yellow said, pretty sure Ash can fix that somehow… however, back on topic: you admit you don't like it, but considering his legal obligations, as well as his own… issues, are you willing to accept him having a harem? You can be like… the head of the harem or something like that?"
Serena thought about it. "That's kinda how they're supposed to work…" she said. "One 'queen', as it were…" she made a noise that Kyoji could only claim was 'lewd and disturbing' later on. "And the others being concubines. So many people don't get that…"
Not untrue: harems, in the traditional sense, weren't simply a 'collection' of girls, as there was some structure to it, a hierarchy. But in more recent days, that was forgotten.
"So that means you're… cool with this, right?" Kyoji asked, looking at her warily. "Are you willing to share a little bit?"
Serena sighed, as if all of the voices in her head were annoyed at the concept. "I won't like it. But I'll do it. Besides…" she said, trailing off before a look that belonged more on a perverted old man's face popped up on hers. "I'm not against… experimenting when the time comes."
And part of her was a perverted letch. That was good to know.
"...just to sate my own curiosity," Kyoji sighed, "...do you have names for each of your split personalities?"
Serena looked at him as if that was a stupid question. "Why would I NAME them? I don't even know why they're in there, other than that psychic bastard trying to make me like him instead of Ash!" she exclaimed. "He got what he deserved…"
"...And what did he get?" Kyoji asked, somewhat weirded out.
"A crossbow bolt to the chest." the heiress replied cheerfully, as if that was the right answer. "Didn't kill him, but he's missing a lung now."
'Note to self: keep away from that self-ratcheting torque bow of hers.' Kyoji thought as Sabrina came back, blushing up a storm.
"Hello, daughter." Serena said frostily, as if unconvinced that was what she considered herself.
"You can just call me Sabrina and I need SOMETHING that isn't Misty's subconscious." the psychic said. "That girl has wet daydreams."
"So?" Kyoji shrugged, "She's a water-type trainer, of course her dreams involve… water..." he trailed off a bit as he put two-and-two together… "…ohhh myyyy…"
"I'm not sure if it's that psychic imprint or just her personality, but…" Sabrina suddered. "I don't want to know if I picked up any of that from her."
Kyoji blushed as he got… impressions… from Sabrina. To say they were perverted was an understatement.
To say he didn't plop Sabrina in Misty's place for those images is also an understatement and he damn well hoped she didn't notice.
From her shaking her head and muttering that Misty was a damned pervert, she didn't.
'Dodged a bullet!' he thought. "Ma'am, do you mind if me and Sabrina… well…" he said, trailing off.
"Just make sure they know I'M on top. In more ways then one…" she said, sounding haughty and perverted all at the same time before going to see what else Ash captured.
"…He's fucked." he said, summing up Ash's situation.
"It depends on your point of view if that's good or bad." Sabrina said before shuddering again. "I'll talk to Iris. You talk to Anabel. I don't think she's ready to deal with… me yet."
"No problem," Kyoji nodded, "Good luck with her, she's still new and all after all."
Sabrina nodded before walking off, then pausing and looking at him. "…I'm not sure who's to blame for THAT: me for leaking out the image or you for putting you and me in their place!" she yelled.
"I'm sorry!" Kyoji said urgently, Sabrina just sighing before shaking her head.
"We'll… discuss it later." the psychic said before walking off. The shinobi looked at his Gible, who was in the ground, digging.
"There goes my luck again…" he muttered.
"Gible-Gib-Gib." said Gible.
"…and once again, I wish I understood what you were saying, little guy…" Kyoji sighed, "Welp… talk to Anabel, and then start digging my own grave for Sabrina…"
"Gib!"
"If she's as mad as I think she is, I'll be lucky if there's enough to send back to Ransei…" he shrugged. "Welp… let's get going… this is what I get for trading my love life luck to give the chosen one a harem..."
Anabel was spending time with Drozee, the occasional Hypno, a whole FLOCK of Natu and a small family of Ralts.
Typical: psychics were more comfortable with psychic-types.
The Natu flock stared at him before his own Natu came out of his ball, nesting on his head.
"Natu." said the bird to his mainland counterparts.
"NATU." replied the flock as one, making Kyoji somewhat nervous before they just kept staring with those unblinking eyes.
Anabel looked back, her own Natu hopping towards her with Eevee on her lap as she sat among the psychics. "Do you need something, Mr. Akamura?" the purplette asked as Eevee snored happily.
"Yeah… I guess you could say I'm taking a survey with Sabrina-" All of the Natus looked at him. "-who opted not to approach you due to your history and all, and she is respecting your boundaries." The Natus all relaxed in perfect sync.
"I see…" Anabel nodded, "I… know she's not the same Sabrina as before, its just… hard to get over is all… what is this survey about?"
"…can't you just… read my mind like she does?" Kyoji blinked.
"I have a bit more control, so I'm not constantly… peeking like she does," Anabel assured. "Not unless you want me too…"
"…nah, having psychic birds and Sabrina poking in my head is enough." Jaden shrugged.
"Natu," his Natu nodded sagely.
"Anyways…" he glanced around. "…let me be blunt: I'm asking you and the other girls about… Ash."
Anabel closed her eyes. "You want to talk about… Ash." she said. "You want to honestly know my opinion of him?"
"Kinda why I'm asking," Kyoji said, shrugging as Anabel's Eevee got up, circling her trainer, who sighed.
"I wanted to live. I didn't want to be that… THING'S next host. Then my Natu brought Ash to the gym," she said, her Natu jumping on her head and relaxing. "He fought so hard for no reason other than to save me… then Sabrina got into his head and mindwiped herself."
"I've heard," Kyoji deadpanned. "Apparently, looking into his head is a bad idea."
"It killed a Hypno when he probed too deep." Anabel said, closing her eyes. "At first...I thought I'd just use him as a shield. Someone to keep other… creatures like Sabrina away until I was strong enough to push them away on my own. But...he tries to do the right thing, helping people. Did you know he rushed into Silph Co to stop Team Rocket, only to get shot for his troubles?"
"I heard," Kyoji nodded, "Sounds like an amazing guy and all… perfect boyfriend material, if you'd ask me…"
"Are you asking if I have feelings for Ash?"
"…putting it bluntly, yes." He nodded. "And, if you do… would you be willing to… well… share the love with the other women he's captivated in his travels?"
Anabel blushed at that. "Misty's past self is a pervert." she muttered.
"…Yeah, going to need context for that." Kyoji said, confused.
"Ash was killed by two of the most powerful psychic-types to exist. When he was brought back, he drew in… residue, you could say, of people. All of his travelling companions might be hanging around him like a cloak," Anabel said, explaining it in the most basic way possible. "Don't be surprised if Iris or Serena start yelling at things that aren't there."
Kyoji officially decided Ash was the weirdest, most awesome travelling partner ever at that moment. Life was never BORING around him.
"Ok, then. As to my question…" Kyoji said, waving his hand around in circles until Anabel sighed.
"I… I think he'd be the perfect boyfriend. I mean, I have no real plans, not yet, so I wouldn't mind being around him." she said before blushing. "I mean, he saved my life twice. And he didn't even ask for anything back. A real knight in shining armor…"
"Or a crown prince." the shinobi joked.
"True. He's just so… giving. He gives and gives and gives." the maiden said. "I think it's time he gets something other than a hug as a reward."
Kyoji counted that as a success. '…Wait a minute…' he thought.
"Twice? If Sabrina was the first time-"
"His Jigglypuff was a Shadow Pokemon: she punched me in the heart with a Thunder Punch." Anabel quickly said.
"…fucking puff balls…" Kyoji muttered, "I never trust those things… shadow or no shadow…"
"Jig!" Kyoji slowly turned to see...the damned balloon Pokemon.
"Natu!" He shouted, as Natu's eyes glowed, and the two vanished in a flash.
Anabel looked at Jigglypuff, who looked back sadly. "Jigglypuff…" she said, ashamed.
"You weren't in control. It's not your fault," Anabel said, but Jigglypuff did not look at her with bright eyes.
Only shame and a longing for redemption.
Kyoji only realized he left Anabel with the thing that nearly killed her AFTER teleporting.
But after a frantic run, he found the puff ball just… ashamed of itself.
Shadow Pokemon didn't feel shame. Or regret. Just bloodlust and rage.
So there were two things to consider. One: this wasn't the same puff, but that was unlikely. Two: Ash SOMEHOW purified the little bitch, which was IMPOSSIBLE after the nuking of Agate Village in Orre.
Cipher purged any data on reversing the corruption process and the only natural location was an irradiated shithole thanks to a 5-kiloton nuke.
"…okay," Kyoji sighed, "I… MAY have jumped the gun on the teleport…"
*Peck*
"I'm getting there!" Jaden countered, before he sighed. "I just… back home, Shadows are… very scary things to deal with, I've seen what they can do to the few that wander around there… and I'm sorry, because you clearly are no longer a Shadow…"
Jigglypuff just sat down, guilt radiating from her.
Ash just became MORE interesting, both to Kyoji personally AND to his superiors. Purifying Shadow Pokemon… that was a literal godsend.
Meanwhile
Sabrina was surprised to see Iris ditch the heavy wool shirt for...well, belly dancer would be the first thing to come to mind.
Her top was basically just a bikini, while she had a pair of red shorts that went down to her knees. The greenette just blinked at the very revealing outfit, even as Iris' Gible orbited his trainer with that music playing.
Seriously, HOW was that possible?
The land shark surfaced, then looked at Sabrina with a 'Gib', getting his trainer's attention as she looked at him, then at Sabrina.
For her part, the gym leader shrugged. "That is not an outfit I'd imagine you wearing." she said, Iris just sitting down.
"It's too hot here. I'm too used to Opelucid," the purplette said as Gible looked at her hair, Axew jumping out before Gible began chasing him. "It's never above zero there."
"And that's why you don't like cold?" Sabrina said, making the girl shiver. "I got that impression from Ash: you don't like ice-types."
"I was left outside a lot. My grandpa couldn't keep an eye on me all the time, so people just kept me from getting home until he locked up." the dark-skinned girl replied, remembering those nights in subzero cold. "He didn't believe me sometimes."
Sabrina feared the worst. "Did he…" she trailed off, Iris getting the hint in abject horror.
"NO!" she yelled. "He… Never! He never judged me for anything." Iris brought herself into the fetal position, quietly sobbing. "He only saw me."
Sabrina wasn't blind to her mistake. "I am sorry. You… painted a pretty bad picture of him." she said before something poked its' head out of the pond they were near.
"Dra." said a Dratini as it moved towards them. It wasn't Ash's: that one was still 'playing' with Misty. If one could call 'nearly Wrapping someone into unconsciousness followed by them running away' could be called that.
Iris looked up, Gible and Axew stopping to see the new dragon-type. "Aw, it's so cute." Iris said, reaching for the serpentine dragon.
"Tini!" cried the dragon before biting her hand, drawing blood.
"Ow!" Iris snapped as she reeled back, the dragon glaring at her. "I gave you a compliment and I get bitten for it?!"
"Dra!" retorted the snake before reentering the water.
"What do you think of Ash?" Sabrina said, deciding to test the waters. In the last timeline, Iris slowly fell for Ash, turning from mild annoyance at his overeager attitude to interested by his kind and caring nature to finally falling for him for his willingness to help whoever he could, regardless of who it was. Like Misty, in a way.
Iris looked at Sabrina, giving her a look that showed that she knew what she was trying to pull. She wasn't an idiot. Still, she looked at her hands and sighed.
"Out of everyone I've met, he's the only one not to judge me for the color of my skin. I don't even think he'd care if I told him my maternal grandfather was a Cipher Peon." Iris said, starting to cry at the end. "He just sees… me. Iris Arajar. A person. Not some reminder of some war fought hundreds of years ago."
Gible rubbed against his trainer, trying to make her feel better. He succeeded in making her pet him. "Maybe I could love him. I don't even know how to start a romantic relationship." she muttered.
"Neither do I." Sabrina replied, making Iris look at her. "But maybe we'll learn."
"Do you…?" Iris said, before shaking her head. "No. You said you were Ash's… daughter. Who's older than he is. How does that-"
"LONG story." Sabrina interrupted.
Ketchum House, Pallet Town - 1834 hours local time
Red and Yellow opened the door to Ash's home, happy to be back after so long. Ash didn't realize how much it changed from the last timeline. The last one was just a 3-bedroom house that was a bit on the small size. Good for a single mother, her only child and the occasional guest.
Here? While still only two stories tall, it was MUCH bigger. The garden in back was covered to protect from the elements and the second floor had six bedrooms. One was Ash's, obviously, another Delia's, and two of them were Yellow's and Red's. Belladonna had her own room as well, but judging from the dust lining the doorframe, she hadn't been there for a while.
"Ok, gotta divvy up the rooms." Red said as he led the group upstairs. "Some of you are going to have to share the guest room. I don't think Bell's gonna mind if anyone uses her bed."
"She doesn't live here anymore." Yellow said morosely.
Red cringed. "Yeah… basically." he said, opening the door, unleashing a cloud of dust, making them all cough. "It's...been a while."
Iris pointed out the problem everyone glossed over. "There's seven of us. Is someone going to have to sleep on that couch downstairs?" she asked.
"The girls can take Belladonna's room." Red said. "Mr Ninja can take the guest room. As for Serena…" he looked at the somewhat nuts girl. "She stays with Ash."
Serena beamed, smiling happily. "Like husband and wi-" she said, turning to Ash...only to find him not there.
"Pika." 'Did you have to run off like that?' Pikachu asked as Ash was halfway to the ranch long before Red took the girls upstairs.
"I knew what he was planning LONG before we even got to the house." Ash said, putting as much distance between him and the house as possible. "I am not sharing a bed with any of them."
Pikachu sighed. "Pikapi." 'Ash, you'll have to deal with this eventually. Running away will solve nothing,' his starter said as they saw the windmill attached to the lab on the hilltop. "Pi." 'What happens when Cyrus is stopped? You keep avoiding it?'
"I'll deal with it AFTER Cyrus is stopped." Ash stressed, stopping to look at his yellow starter. "I can't juggle dating with Pokemon battles, travelling and trying to stop a madman from killing everyone and thing in the universe again!"
That sounded like skewed priorities to Pikachu. Ash was more then ready to befriend them again, but romance, as always, was off the table.
Ash climbed the hill, Dratini sleeping near the lab itself while Bulbasaur cracked an eye open to see him, then closed them again and went back to sleep.
"Pikapi." 'I'm just worried, Ash. You'll burn out at this rate,' the electric mouse said, Ash patting him on the head gently.
"I know. I… appreciate the thought, but… I don't want to be him." Ash said as he came to a stop. "I want to be better." He looked at the stars, wondering what lay beyond. "Just...better."
Pernon Group Viridian Branch building - 2138 hours local time
The Pernon group had a small number of small office buildings in Kanto's cities, no one willing or able to put up anything more fancy then the city gym.
This was a global attitude: even Kalos' Lumiose Tower, a national landmark that could be seen for miles, was not immune, having been converted into a gym during the rise of the International Pokemon League some two centuries prior.
And humble Viridian's gym was large, but plain.
As such, the Pernon facilities in the same city also had to be plain, and were also fairly small… at first glance.
Kyril had larger facilities connected to the 'city offices'… because he embraced something very few people did (aside from the Teams, but even they weren't as prolific as he was):
He was willing to build down.
The head of the company entered an elevator, going down to the basement level before he exited, his workers barely noticing him as he went for the other elevator, hidden cleverly behind a blank wall, taking him down another hundred meters.
Most buildings had a basement, so he had to be careful how to dispose of the dirt, getting the construction materials in without being noticed. It was not easy and took a VERY long time.
But it was worth it as he entered the base, filled with equipment and automated repair units for his armor, Rin waiting for him in the situation room deep within the base.
At its core, the situation room was a hidden control room, displaying the locations of known hotspots in Kanto and the Servi Islands. And all of them showed something odd.
A dam near Celedon had a Pidgeot delivering a message about a Diglett colony. A Noctowl gave a letter to Duplica, a Ditto user about how to make a Ditto look more like the Pokemon it was copying. The Eeveelution Brothers, a trio of brothers, complained about a Pidgeot delivering a small book with descriptions of the other Eeveelutions to their baby brother.
On and on it went. Warnings, bits of advice, little things that all added up.
"Ash Ketchum's been a busy boy," Rin said as she compiled all the reports. "Whenever he's in a fixed place for more than a day, he sends those birds to different locations throughout the region, always with a message and always with a result."
"And there's no signs he's ever met the people he's sending these messages to before?" Kyril asked.
Rin shook her head. "None. Which is the strangest bit of all."
Kyril frowned. "You're understating things, Rin. This goes beyond strange and into the bizarre. It's like Ketchum somehow knows them, without having met them. The only way something like that would make sense is if he were a time-traveler."
"On the subject of time travel, gravitic sensors throughout Kanto, Johto and Sinnoh have picked up distortions." his assistant/girlfriend said, pulling up maps and notes on anomalies. "We're seeing locations where something is warping around like mad, leaving traces where it travelled through time. And there's only one Pokemon we know of other than Lord Dialga that does the time travel thing."
"Celebi." Kyril said, knowing the Time Travel Pokemon did not do things without a reason or for kicks. It wasn't a Mew.
"Exactly. We even have a report from Platinum Berlitz-" Rin said, preparing for the outburst.
"Oh, Arceus, not Johanna's elder daughter." Kyril muttered.
"Yup. She claimed that the Celebi belonged to a trainer… named Ash Ketchum," said his assistant, causing Kyril to facedesk.
Well, if he wanted a simple life, he wouldn't be doing this shit.
"Definitely gonna need to talk to the kid," he muttered. "Need to figure out what it is he's doing and why."
Rin looked at him. "Have you READ some of these reports?" she asked before shaking her head. "Of course not, too busy picturing me in some skimpy lingerie." He stared at her in shock before she looked back. "Never said it was a bad thing. Anyway, his Pokemon killed an entire Rocket attack force after one of those idiots SHOT him. His Pikachu has the highest supposed killcount at 19! They can and WILL kill you if you come out as even a vague threat!"
Kyril nodded. Ketchum's Pokemon showed a massive amount of loyalty for Pokemon he just caught. …Suddenly, the time travel theory had more ground and just from that, he was getting a headache.
"Point. Where's he going next?" he asked, Rin looking through Ash's file to try and figure out where he'd go to get another badge.
"He kicked Blaine's ass and destroyed his gym, per the old man's request. And if the profile we have on him is even remotely accurate, his next conquest is Giovanni." answered Rin. "Of course, he could always go to that fairy-type gym near Viridian Forest. He's surprised us before. For all we know he's got some machiavellian plan to make us all worship the Vorlon god Boogee."
"...Is that something I should-"
"If you don't get the reference, don't ask." she said, going back to the paperwork.
Oak Ranch - 0948 hours local time - Day 80
Approaching the ranch was considered suicide past nine in the morning, for that was when the combat began.
Ash's Pokemon only rested when they were knocked out. Unhealthy, perhaps, but when Chansey said 'no', they stayed out for a few days before beginning the cycle once more. Their motivation was clear: save the world from devastation.
Rocket motto or not, that was their end goal, for that's what Cyrus did last time. Bulbasaur and Pikachu wanted them at Hoennic levels at minimum: if they couldn't be as good as they were in Hoenn before Ash went to Johto, they were doing something wrong.
Janine watched as they fought, Grotle resisting the urge to jump and run, but instead stand and fight like a Torterra. It appeared he was getting the idea. In legend, it was said Sinnoh sat upon the back of a giant Torterra that, when it moved, it shook everything. Of course, this was nonsense: a Torterra could never get that big and it was proven five centuries ago that Sinnoh was fixed to the sea floor.
The point was, when Torterra moved in battle, it was only when it could not simply brush an attack aside. Grotle had much to learn of this.
Her eyes turned to Ash, who was showing his brother the ins and outs of basic Pokemon care. He was no breeder, for their role was not simply to ensure Pokemon bred, but were well-cared for, but he was trained by one. And her eye recognized the hand of Brock Slate.
Ash Ketchum was no mere trainer. She knew this from the start. But after being informed of all the things he had done… He deserved the title.
Blaine called him a Pokemon Master, which Ash denied he was worthy of. Janine disagreed: six years of wandering the world, saving it from threat after threat after threat… he WAS a true master. League victories mattered little: after he defeated the Battle Frontier, he could have won any League. But it appears Cyrus was as petty as he was stupid. No man, no matter how intelligent, could stare into the abyss and have it stare back without it affecting him. He was driven mad, leaving the two creation dragons to kill their sibling and destroy the previous timeline.
And his petty, pointless revenge was to spite Ash until the dragons finally lost it and killed everyone. The Lily of the Valley Conference and this Tobias person, Unova in general, the ridiculousness that was Alain…
Ash had suffered. Continued to suffer. Cyrus would pay for this transgression.
But they needed to be ready. Her own Pokemon trained in the shadows, waiting for the moment Ash gave the word to end the lives of Team Galactic's ranking personnel.
Misty and Anabel had asked 'why wait?' Her answer was simple: they were not powerful enough to contend with Team Galactic's forces. Improvement took time.
One of them refused to wait.
Grovyle was crazy, Charizard had decided. Less then a month into being a Grovyle, he wanted to evolve again. Even Charizard, obsessed as he was with being a Charizard once more, knew it took training, conditioning and most importantly time to evolve. He trained as often as possible to get ready for that day, which came when he needed to save Ash.
He refused to look back on the last time he evolved into Charizard with any form of pride.
The grass-type, on the other hand, was willingly challenging every flying, poison, and fire-type at the ranch, to the point where he was fainting from exhaustion. Even that weird Poipole thing Ash caught was forced into it until Charizard took him away from the fighting and told him to find his place in the world.
The only one of them that he hadn't challenged… was Charizard. This was on purpose: he forced himself to fight Oak's Dragonite instead of his fellow starter whenever the dragon showed his face.
Now he didn't have a choice, as the Grove Pokemon approached him. And this was Charizard's off-day, enforced by Bulbasaur - type advantage or not, power or not, NO ONE fucked with Bulbasaur - and Chansey. Bayleef was optional: disobeying her was painful.
"Gro." 'It's time for us to fight, Charizard,' Grovyle stated, Charizard lazily looking at him. "Vyle-vyle." 'You're the push I need to get back to normal.'
"Char." 'Grovyle, today's rest day for me. I'm not pissing off Bulbasaur or Chansey. It's not worth it,' Charizard replied, unconsciously adopting the same pose he used whenever he ignored Ash prior to that damned Poliwrath freezing him.
(He made a note to ask Monferno how to learn to read and write: he needed to send that trainer and his fighting frog a thank-you note for making him see reason. Arceus, he hated the way he behaved back then)
"Vyle." 'Screw Bulbasaur.' Grovyle snapped. "Grov!" 'You're back to the way you used to be! Back to normal, to the powerhouse you were before we were sent back!'
Charizard opened his right eye to look at him. "Char?" 'Are you blaming Ash for this?' he half-asked, all-threatened. Since he came back, Charizard held himself to high standards for loyalty. He fucked up last time: he would not do so again and sure as shit wasn't going to let ANYONE pull the same thing he did.
Grovyle seemed to get the message. "Grovyle." 'Of course not: anyone with a brain blames Cyrus. But I HATE not feeling like myself.' he stressed. "Vy." 'Male Treecko either stay Treecko or evolve to Sceptile: females only go to Grovyle. I didn't evolve until coming to Kanto because I had no reason until that Meganium bewitched me. Now? There is a war coming and I need to be at FULL POWER!'
Charizard understood that, even as Grovyle's fellow grass-types, sans Bulbasaur, were fighting Froakie someways away, making sure not to get within a hundred meters. (Another Bulba Rule)
"Char." 'I know. I don't blame you. But it took time. You don't want to force this. I evolved too early and still suffer for it.' Charizard said, his wings aching. To save Ash, he risked his health. But that was a small price to pay. And the conditioning he would be doing tomorrow would help get him to Charizard standards.
Grovyle sighed and turned away. "Grovyle." 'Perhaps you're right. But you'll lose your mate if you keep this up.' he said, Charizard snapping his eyes open.
'EXCUSE ME?!' he roared, getting to his feet as his blood ran hot.
Unknown to him, Grovyle smirked.
"Grovyle." 'You heard me. You'll lose your mate if you start lazing about. Maybe that Blaziken-'
Charizard saw red and breathed out dragonfire, attempting to burn Grovyle alive.
Grovyle was right: fuck bulbasaur. This grass-type needed to BURN and BURN he would.
Grovyle ducked and rolled under the hasty Dragonbreath, grinning. "Grov." 'Come on, Charizard. Shut me up.' he mocked.
Charizard roared as he charged, unthinking of the consequences.
Bulbasaur saw the fire and sighed. "Bulba." 'Just ONCE, Charizard. ONCE,' he muttered as he and Chansey made their way over to Charizard's patch of field where he was sunning prior to this.
Minutes later, they saw Charizard and Grovyle locked in battle.
"CHAR!" 'TAKE THAT BACK, YOU OVERGROWN GECKO!' Charizard screamed as he used Metal Claw on Grovyle, the seeming masochist simply grinning.
"Gro!" 'Make me! Maybe your mate will-' Grovyle never finished as Charizard bit on Grovyle's neck, crushing his windpipe.
Bulbasaur scowled. Charizard was hot-blooded, but he could keep his temper. Insult Ash or his mate Charla and he was in a blind frenzy. Grovyle knew this. Everyone did.
…Which was why he did it. Charizard and Pikachu were two of Ash's most powerful Pokemon. And Pikachu was off training with Quilava and Phanpy, so he wasn't going to be zapping Grovyle into a coma.
Instead, Charizard was going to kill him if he wasn't careful, as Grovyle used Leaf Storm to buffet Charizard in the face to get him to let go, dropping him to the ground as Charizard belched fire to burn the leaves.
"Bulba!" 'Grovyle, what the fuck were you THINKING?!' Bulbasaur demanded before Charizard used Fire Blast, the kanji-shaped attacks flying at the archosaurian grass-type as he dodged, narrowly each time, returning fire with Bullet Seed.
Charizard roared in pain and rage as his innate ability, Blaze, activated. This was why he was on a rest day and set for conditioning after that, damn it!
"Gro!" 'Come on, Charizard, surely some weak winged lizard can do better!' he mocked before Charizard gathered what would be his death in his jaws, an orb of flaming energy forming in his mouth.
Grovyle realized he pushed the wrong button as he realized this was Blast Burn. And not the normal match-ending kind: the 'you die' kind.
"CHAR!" 'DIE!' Charizard screamed as he fired the fire-type Hyper Beam at Grovyle, superheated plasma arcing from his jaws, heading for Grovyle.
Another beam of less-intense energy slammed into the Blast Burn, defusing it somewhat before it hit the Grove Pokemon, but not enough for it to not outright kill him.
Charizard snarled, ready to attack whatever interfered before seeing an exhausted Pidgeot slowly falling to ground, Noctowl and Staravia beating their wings to get there to see if she was alright before a water sphere slammed into Charizard's side, forcing him to the ground before he was bound by vines from bound both Bayleef, who had stopped engaging Froakie, and Bulbasaur.
"Bulba." 'I am not happy with you, Charizard.' Bulbasaur snapped. "Saur." 'I can tell you were goaded into doing that, but using BLAST BURN of all moves? You could have killed Grovyle if Pidgeot hadn't used Hyper Beam to weaken it!'
Charizard snarled before his combat haze faded and his rage went away. "Char…" 'I… Sweet Arceus, what have I done?' he groaned, guilt settling in.
"Tile." 'You helped,' said a surprising voice as all of them looked at the source, finding a giant archosaur with a tail that could only be called a flexible pine tree limping towards them. "Sceptile." 'Just… needed that big push to evolve.' The newly-evolved Sceptile slumped on the ground. "Scep…" 'Everything HURTS…'
"Bulbasaur." 'You are an idiot. Good thing you're OUR idiot or I'd leave you to rot,' Bulbasaur spat as he and Bayleef let Charizard free and Chansey looked them over for any injuries caused by the stupidity of both of Ash's powerhouses.
"Bay." 'Neither of you are getting out of this unpunished,' Bayleef said as Charizard nodded, understanding he screwed up, accepting his penance.
"Bulba." 'Sceptile goaded him into it by insulting him and his mate. The pain is punishment enough,' the Bulb Pokemon said before looking at Charizard. "Bulbasaur." 'As for Charizard… he's lucky Sceptile evolved while he was getting plastered with superheated plasma. He's on enforced rest for the next week. He'll endure the boredom as punishment. He's getting off lightly only because Sceptile is alive.'
Charizard nodded. "Char?" 'So… do I just find a rock and sit on it?' he asked, looking at his wardens.
"Bay." 'No flying,' Bayleef ordered, Charizard getting up to begin his march.
"Bulba." 'Ash is going to Viridian in two weeks: his brother and sister want to spend time with him, so he's waiting,' the ambassador said, making Charizard look back at him. 'He told me you're going along with him to face Giovanni. You can work on your flying the day after tomorrow. No moves of any kind.'
"Char." 'I wasn't planning on it,' Charizard said before marching off to find some rock in the middle of nowhere to reflect on his actions.
Sceptile groaned, the Kanto and Johto starters glaring at him. "Bay." 'Don't you start. You got what you wanted. And now you're on rest period for the next week,' she said, vines wrapping around Sceptile and dragging him away, Chansey sighing before following.
Bulbasaur sighed before heading towards where Ash was last. "Bulba." 'This is going to be a pain to explain to Ash…' he muttered.
30 minutes later
If Sceptile wasn't in extreme pain and Charizard not feeling guilty over his actions, Ash would be SCREAMING at them for doing something so STUPID.
"Pikachu." 'Well, you know them. Both have their pride, both were very powerful Pokemon back in the old timeline and…' Pikachu trailed off, even as Red and Yellow watched Bayleef and Chansey do a checkup on Sceptile, finding a who's-who of injuries all related to overexertion.
"That excuses nothing, Pikachu. Charizard nearly killed Sceptile. If he didn't have that evolution...shield around himself, I'd be looking at a dead Grovyle." Ash said, annoyed at both of his powerhouse starters. Froakie was taking his time and Ash didn't care about evolution anymore: if he did, he did and Ash would congratulate him, but he would not force it on them.
Who did he look like? Paul?
"Pika." 'Everyone's trying to get back to normal. They want to be ready to face that asshole in Sinnoh,' Pikachu said, seeing Monferno run off with a set of books. "Pipipi." 'They see what you need to do and want to be ready.'
Ash let out a breath. "I just don't want them to kill themselves doing it." he muttered as something pink floated into the lab, making Ash pale in horror.
If that thing drew on their faces, he was not-
"Jig-gly-puff~" sang the puffball, using Sing to force Sceptile into taking a nap. Chansey wore earmuffs that the professor had left out.
"Damn… that… move…" THUD!
Needless to say, Ash and everyone within earshot of the lab was out like a light, Jigglypuff, for once, not drawing on their faces.
"Puff." 'If I knew I was using the move, I wouldnt've drawn on your faces,' the fairy-type groused, wanting to find a way to allow them to hear her song without falling asleep.
Well out of earshot, Riolu was honing his skills. While he knew how to use Aura Sphere, it was not a normal move for a Riolu to learn.
So he had to earn that power. But the only way he could evolve was to bond with Ash, to share aura for weeks, months even. Ash had the largest reserves of any human any Lucario had ever encountered: in a month, Riolu could be a Lucario!
But Ash did not bring him along all that often. He had to beg to go with the Chosen One every time, to try and boost his spirits and remind him that he was not just to save the world, but to live in it.
Heracross nursed his bruised thorax as Primeape used every punching, jabbing and kicking move he knew to hit Riolu, who just kept dodging. Evasion practice was just as good and valuable as punching practice, after all, Riolu continuing to think on the situation.
Pikachu and the others had mentioned that Ash knew him in another timeline. Riolu didn't put much stock in it, but Ash never considered himself to be Riolu's trainer. He never even thought of catching him: Riolu had to steal the ball to go with the Chosen One.
Riolu had to force the situation. He'd sneak along in Iris' hair: it wasn't like she would notice the extra weight in her hair. Or convince her to take his ball along with her.
The blue and black jackal then used Force Palm on Primeape, shoving him into a rock. The pig-monkey, however, was less fragile then Heracross.
Heracross had potential. Too lazy at the moment, but he had potential.
Riolu just had to beat the laziness out of him. That was another goal he would do, as he looked at Heracross, who got the message that he was going to go through hell. It was for his own good, though.
Ash needed him focused and ready for battle, not looking for his daily dose of Bulba Brew, as it was jokingly called by some.
All Heracross did was weep.