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Melemele Island was one of Alola’s cardinal islands. Most knew it for either Hau’oli city or perhaps the many locals that roamed and reigned under the proud Kahuna Hala and those before him, though away from the city and its world-famous beachfront was a humble home. A home closer to the outskirts and the eastern wilds rather than the more sanitized tourist trap most know Melemele for.

A home, a couple few really, stood near the beach. There before the beautiful Melemele sea on this fine morning were two trainers who fought the dawn’s cold with the heat of battle. One was a young boy with raven hair, a blue-and-white striped shirt, and a red-and-white baseball cap, while the other was a purple haired boy with a hoodie and a stern expression atypical of any child his age.

“Hold on just a little longer, rufflet!”

“End this, elekid! Shock wave!”

A rufflet flapped his tiny wings, trying to stay up in the air as he left himself open for a devastating electric attack from the enemy elekid. Elekid punched his two fists together to form a spark and just flung it as if it were a whip, sending a line of energy right into rufflet upon contact, electrocuting them and sending them to the ground.

“Your dad’s not gonna be able to pick your battles for you. I’m going to show you what battling really is!” said the stern boy. The early morning sea breeze blew in, sending a chill through the rufflet’s trainer. He shivered a bit, though he was still more concerned about his rufflet.

“Rufflet! Are you okay?!”

“R…ruff!” rufflet chirped as he slowly got up. He struggled to stand. The stern boy merely raised a brow, “bird doesn’t know when to quit. This fight is as good as over!”

“Not just yet! Rufflet! Roost!”

Rufflet exhaled as he laid down, recovering a chunk of his vitality.

Normally, a rufflet would not know of such a move. Unless of course it was say… passed on through a parent. Egg moves, they were called. It was still a bit difficult for a young’un such as rufflet’s trainer to really wrap his head around, but his dad said they were quite handy. He’d watched his dad’s braviary use it before on TV and in exhibitions, it was perfect for when he was trapped in a pinch like this one.

Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t the only one with an egg move.

“Elekid! Cross chop!”

As rufflet stayed there, seemingly locked in place as he tried to muster up what health he could gain back, elekid rocketed forward. A miniature lightning bolt zapping right through the cold morning air as he raised his two arms up, crossed his large forearms together, and then smashed right down on rufflet.

“Rufflet!” the boy cried out as sand was blasted out, the shockwave of the hit was enough to blow his cap off.

Right there, elekid stood triumphant over rufflet. Elekid walked back to his trainer as the defeated trainer ran over to rufflet, planting his knees on the sand as he picked the fainted bird right up, cradling him in his arms. 

“Tch, pathetic,” said elekid’s trainer as he threw out a treat which elekid jumped up and caught it in his mouth in midair. He approached and looked down at the defeated trainer, “roost makes flying type pokemon not flying type anymore. Your dad literally told us that. How did you forget?”

“I… I didn’t know you had cross chop,” the defeated trainer looked up at him, his face a mix of frustration, anger, and hurt.

“Tch…” elekid’s trainer looked away from him, his eyes focused on the sea. “Don’t take it too hard. Nobody expects my cross chop coming anyways. Plus you were doomed from the start. Elekid’s an electric type.”

The defeated trainer sniffed as he stood up. “I’m going to beat you one day, Paul.”

Paul looked him right in the eye.

“You’re going to try.”

“ASH! PAUL!” yelled out a womanly voice. The two boys turned to see none other than Professor Burnet. She was there at the top of the rock slope where the beach met the road, waving out to them. “Come on! Breakfast is ready! You can’t grow to be strong trainers if you don’t eat up!”

Paul patted Ash on the shoulder and then ran off with elekid.

Ash just stood there, rufflet rested in his arms. He started walking after Paul.

Then, something. 

A chill. A distant roar far into the Melemele sea. Ash turned around. He didn’t see anything past the morning sea fog yet he couldn’t help but feel the biting cold of-

“Asher Kealaonalani!” Professor Burnet called out to him. “Come here! Or else Paul will end up eating your omelette if you don’t make it in time!”

“Coming, mom!” Ash faced her again and ran after her, rufflet still in his arms.

Breakfast in the Kealaonalani household was a pretty simple affair. They all sat around a big table. Ash sat beside his mom and on the other side of her was his little brother Lei, ready to be tended to on his little high chair. Next to Ash was the family next door, one that also called this portion of the island home rather than reside closer to the city like almost everyone else. They were the Newgate family, consisting of two brothers, Reginald (Reggie for short) and Paul. Their mother was out of the picture and their father was abroad being a frontier brain.

Though as impressed as Ash was that Paul’s father was such, he wasn’t that impressed. Not when his dad was a champion! Paul always argued that frontier brains outranked champions, and the two would bicker back and forth about it. Unfortunately Ash’s dad was never quite clear on it either, something about organizations and whatnot.

Speaking of which, he’d finally arrived at the table.

“There you are honey,” Burnet smiled.

“Sorry for the brief delay. Apparently a bunch of rattatas blocked the road again. They’re getting real bold again I suppose,” said Professor Kukui as he kissed his wife on the cheek and nuzzled Lei before ruffling Ash’s hair.

“Hey! Daaaad!” Ash whined. Kukui merely chuckled as he sat down for breakfast. “Good to see you up so early, Ash. You’re just full of energy, are you? You really can’t wait for your big journey, huh?”

“Yeah…” Ash looked away. Kukui tilted his head, immediately noticing the change in his son. Moreso in the fact that he wasn’t eating his ketchup-covered omelette as enthusiastically as he normally did too.

“Hey Rotom,” Burnet spoke up, with a rotom-infused device floating up to the table with a big smile on its face. “How about we start the day with some news, huh? The celebrity type. Nothing scary.”

“Can do! Bzzt bzzt!” rotom whizzed around as they started rolling out a couple news headlines as the two families had their breakfast. Ash simply munched away at his omelette, his thoughts focused on his first loss and how exactly he was going to get even better, how he and rufflet were going to get even better. He’d always wanted to be like his dad and become a trainer, explore the world and be the very best like no one ever was but… where does he even start?

“Could the tomboyish mermaid actually be tying the knot soon?” buzzed rotom. Ash didn’t pay attention to the news, partially because he was wondering how rufflet was doing and partially because he had no idea who this mermaid was. Were mermaids even real? Well, it wouldn’t be the wildest thing in the world.

“Over in Hoenn, the frontier brain May Emerald was spotted alongside top coordinator Brendan Birch for the annual Contest Coordination Convention being held in none other than Lilycove city!”

“Ooh contests, that reminds me. You can be a contest coordinator too, Ash, if you want,” Burnet commented as she guided a spoon of baby food towards little Lei. The infant was cooperative, at least for now.

“Tch. Yeah. At least you don’t have to worry about losing to me,” Paul said snarkily.

“I’m not going to lose again!” Ash raised his voice at Paul.

“Ash! Shhh!” Burnet shushed her son. “Inside voice!”

“Sorry…”

“Sinnoh iudex Lucas Sakigake was found arguing with a woman, presumed to be Dawn Bando, at the Hotel Grand Lake. Many have gossiped about the rift between the two trainers for the longest while now and it’s likely he approached her to make amends. Then again it’s also likely he is asking her if she knows anything about his missing brother Re-”

“Rotom. I said nothing scary.” Burnet cut the device off.

“Yes of course, sorry,” Rotom buzzed. “Moving on. Unova iudex Iris of Opelucid was spotted in Vertress City today, it’s apparently been quite a while since she came there. One would think being a champion means being able to go wherever you want, but one supposes that being a iudex specifically fills up the schedule.”

“Poor girl,” Kukui commented as he cut into his breakfast, “I can see why that Hilda girl passed the title so quickly. Iudex or not, being a champion is quite some work.”

“You would know,” Burnet purred. Kukui winked at her.

“Kalosian rhyhorn racing champ Serena Yvonne has won the Fleurrh 100 yet again. Serena has continued her dominant streak ever since she joined the competition. She’s on track to potentially win this year’s championship race, adding another year to her monumental reign.”

“Hey dad… rhyhorns are ground types, right?”

Ash ignored the look Paul gave him.

“Yep.”

“Do you know where I can catch one?”

“Sorry sport, Alola doesn’t have rhyhorns.”

“Oh,” Ash looked away.

“Lillie Aether is slated to make an announcement with her brother, Gladion Aether, regarding the future of the Aether Foundation, primarily addressing the increased efforts in the protection of Alola’s biodiversity.”

“Hehe, that Lillie’s really growing into her own woman. Finally taking charge of the Aether Foundation,” Kukui smiled. “She’s become her own mother. In a good way.”

“Ugh, if only she didn’t look so much like her,” Burnet rolled her eyes. “She just had to wear all white and grow her hair out huh?” she then looked towards her son. “Ash dear, promise me that when you grow up you’ll always wear a shirt.”

“Hey!” Kukui whined. Lei giggled at the sound his father made. Ash just smiled and nodded along. His dad did tend to not wear a shirt. Like sure he had abs and he wore his lab coat over it, plus Alola being Alola tended to get pretty hot, but still.

“You used to love me for not wearing shirts…” Kukui grumbled, playfully crossing his arms.

“Still do, dear. Just not at the table, or around other women.”

Paul grumbled at the lovely couple as he put his fork and knife down on his empty plate. “I’m done. Excuse me,” he said as he stood up. Ash put his utensils down as well. “I’m done too. I’m gonna go now, mom. Check out the island.”

Ash stood up and kissed his mom on the forehead before patting baby Lei. Kukui watched his son walk out the door, still sensing the off nature he had this morning. He was already asking where he could catch a ground type. Considering the condition of rufflet outside, it only confirmed what he’d already suspected.

“I’m gonna go check on him,” said Kukui. Burnet simply nodded. Always attentive, her husband was. It was just one of the many things she loved about him.

Kukui stood up, pat Lei on the head, and then followed his son. Exiting his house he was met by a view of another part of the beach, it was just a few houses out here in a section tucked away from the rest of the island. He couldn’t see Paul or his elekid anymore, no doubt having already gone off on some kind of adventure this early in the morning. Ash however was where rufflet and braviary were. The latter had been assessing the former’s battle damage, a mixture of both fatherly worry and instinctual pride overcoming him. That being said, rufflet had eaten up his food and was currently on Ash’s lap, the boy just seated on the ground as he patted the small bird’s feathers.

“Hey there sport,” Kukui walked over to Ash, sitting down beside him. “I couldn’t help but notice a change in your mood earlier today. Is there something you want to talk about?”

“It’s nothing…”

“Oh come on, Ash. I know you’re fierier than that. You were so excited to be a trainer and everything. You wanted to bolt out the door the moment I got you rufflet for your birthday,” Kukui ruffled his son’s hair. “Go on. Tell me. I know you like to discover all kinds of pokemon but I can tell you didn’t just ask me about rhyhorns because you were curious.”

“I lost to Paul.”

“Oh… well, you can’t have a single loss keep you down, right?” Kukui told his son. “Everyone loses, Ash. Even me.”

“Yeah…” Ash leaned onto his father’s side. Braviary crowed as he hopped a little closer and nuzzled rufflet. “What do you do after you lose, dad?”

“Well, you keep going,” Kukui shrugged. “Don’t get me wrong Ash, losing isn’t a good feeling, especially after working so hard, but you’ll never really win if you’re afraid of losing or letting one loss get the better of you. I’ve lost plenty of times before I ever became a champion-rank. Shoot, I lost my first chance at the championship.”

“You did?” Ash’s eyes widened as he looked up at Kukui. Rufflet was much the same.

“Oh yeah, definitely,” Kukui watched as his incineroar walked on over with a bottle of moo-moo milk and Ash’s baseball cap, handing the former to the father and then placing the latter on the head of the son. “Thanks,” he said as he opened the bottle and handed it over to Ash for rufflet to drink. “It was all the way back. I was about… 15 or so? I don’t remember exactly when, it was quite a while ago. It was all the way back in Kanto and they were holding a conference at the ol’ Indigo Plateau. An old practice they called The Proving Ground .”

“The Proving Ground?”

“Yeah. I don’t think they do it anymore, which is funny considering who the Indigo League’s current iudex is,” Kukui chuckled. “The Proving Ground is a tournament held by the Indigo League every year where the winner gets to be a champion without taking on the Elite Four. The catch of course being that they had to defend this rogue title of theirs for a while before being deemed worthy.”

“Was that how you became champ?”

“Nope, I lost that tournament.”

“You what?”

“Yep. The tournament was a double elimination bracket. I lost in the first round to Lance, he went ahead and won all the way to the winner’s finals while I clawed my way back up to win the loser’s finals. Then I lost to him again in the grand finals,” Kukui shrugged. Incineroar whined, he wasn’t fond of that memory one bit. “The fact is, Ash, you have to realize that being the very best takes time. Everyone loses. Everyone. It’s not the lack of losing that makes them strong, it’s the fact that they keep going. I did eventually become a champion fair and square and no one is going to be able to take that away from me, and the same is true for you.”

Kukui pressed a finger on Ash’s chest. “You’re meant for great things, Ash. I know it. It won’t be because of who your father is, it’ll be because you’re you, and you’re special.”

“Daaad…” Ash whined and looked away. Okay now he was getting cheesy.

“What?” Kukui chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. “Are you too big for papa now? Seen the grim realities of the world, have you?” Kukui shook his head. “The fact is, Ash, I know you’ll be cut out for great things, and even if you aren’t, that won’t change the fact that you’re my son. I do however want you to promise me one thing though. The same thing my dad told me when I first started out.”

“What’s that?”

“No matter what, I want you to promise me that you will become a strong trainer for the right reasons.”

“For the right reasons?”

“You’ll figure that out when you’re older,” Kukui shook his head as he took the milk bottle back from Ash. “Now go on, sport. You’ve got a lot of pokemon to befriend and a rufflet to train! You know where to find me.”

Kukui got up and started walking back to the house. He had some breakfast to finish up. Ash and his rufflet looked at each other, gave each other a nod, and then got up.

By the time Kukui got to the door, he felt a pair of arms wrap around him from behind.

“Thanks, dad.”

Kukui smiled.

“Love ya too, sport. Now go get your backpack and put your running shoes on. You’ve got a big journey ahead of you.”

Ash and rufflet roamed up into Route 1. This was it, their journey. He was just some kid, a simple ten years of age, out with his first pokemon to… well… somewhere. At first Ash considered heading straight into Hau’oli city, it seemed like a solid place to start, but he and his mother had roamed Route 1 quite a bunch, assessing all the different pokemon on the field. He had a small attachment to this place and it just felt like the right place to go as his first steps beyond the confines of home.

Plus, Iki Town was just beyond this point! It’ll be a bit of a walk, but he can make it. Hau was likely there, maybe he can show him a cool technique that’ll allow them to beat Paul, or maybe Paul himself was there. He was down for anything really. All he really wanted to do was be the very best , but what did that even mean?

Well, at least for him, it meant being a champion like his dad. Paul certainly wanted to be the very best trainer, and if that tourney he and his parents watched back in Unova was anything to go by, being a champion was, simply put, really cool.

Unova’s Hilda, Paldea’s Florian, and Alola’s very own Luna, they stood where he wanted to stand. Rufflet chirped, breaking Ash out of his trance. “Hmm? What is it buddy?”

“Ruff! Let!”

“You want to soar high up too, don’t you?”

Rufflet chirped as the bird flew up from Ash’s shoulder and up into the sky, flapping his itty bitty wings as the two moved through Route 1 towards Iki town. Ash looked around, noticing all kinds of pokemon in the bushes and the branches, quickly moving. A chunk of them hid from him, unwilling to entertain a trainer, though he couldn’t help but notice a couple curious ones too, no doubt some of them eager to give the training life a try. Living so close to the route, Ash was familiar with the pokemon that called this place home.

Bunearies, caterpies, grubbins, pikipeks, pichus even. Though they weren’t in this particular section of the route. The one he was in had more munchlaxes, pikipeks, and rockruffs. None of them were ground types though, it was clear Ash needed to look a little harder if he wanted a pokemon that can help him take on Paul’s elekid.

“Ruff! Let!”

“Huh?” Ash looked up at rufflet who chirped while up in the sky. Rufflet had soared quite high up, any higher and he might not see him anymore. “Rufflet?! Get down!”

“Ruff! Let!” Rufflet chirped, eyes down on a specific spot further into the forest, clearly able to see something. 

“You see something?”

“Ruff!”

“Well lead the way,” Ash nodded. He tightened his cap on his head. Rufflet flapped on ahead further into the eastern parts of Route 1. Rufflet would guide Ash off the dirt path and into the greenery itself. Ash’s running shoes stomped on some sticks and he tried to not trample on any unsuspecting pokemon that got in his way as he and rufflet moved through the trees and even down a slope. Soon enough they basically cut right through the wilds, landing right on the easternmost path of Route 1, the one closest to the sea.

It was there where rufflet swooped down and showed Ash what he’d spotted from that high up. It was a small green frog with a big green bulb on its back. It entered a defensive stance, alert at the person that suddenly slid in out of nowhere.

“Woah! That’s a… a.. It’s a small venusaur! I…”

“A bulbasaur!” said a rotom, specifically a rotomdex, that popped out of Ash’s backpack.

“Huh? Rotom? Why’re you here?”

“I’m a different rotom! Bzzt! I was part of your birthday gift, remember?”

“Oh.. uh.. Sorry,” Ash scratched the back of his head. “So, a bulbasaur huh?”

“Indeed! Bzzt!” Rotom placed itself between Ash and the bulbasaur, performing a full scan and displaying the info. “Bulbasaur. The seed pokemon! You know it best as the starting form of venusaur, one your dad’s precious pokemon!”

“Well now this is more I like it,” Ash held his pokeball tight and then threw the ball, only for the bulbasaur to quickly lash out some vines from under its bulb and swat the pokeball away.

“Huh?! Hey!”

“Saur! Saur!” Bulbasaur hissed at Ash.

“Your father did say you had to prove yourself to a pokemon before you try and catch them,” Rotom buzzed as it reinserted itself back into Ash’s backpack. “But then again, if that were the case, quick balls wouldn’t exist! Can’t hurt to try!”

“Well alright then, rufflet! I choose you!”

“Ruff!” rufflet landed in front of bulbasaur. Though rufflet’s determined gaze was met with worry and fear as the bulbasaur quickly fled rather than stay and fight.

“Huh? Hey!” Ash called out as the bulbasaur ran for dear life into the brush. Ash and rufflet quickly chased after it, moving through yet more sticks and between more trees until eventually he found himself sliding down a dirty slope that led directly to a narrow and rocky beach.

The beach wasn’t really frequented by anybody. There was no direct path to it and there wasn’t anything to see. There was barely any land to begin with and any land that there was was more rock than sand. Yet as Ash arrived in this specific spot tucked away behind the trees of Route 1, it was here where he saw the place frequented by two mysterious men.

“Saur…” Bulbasaur quietly cried out, looking between the men in the distance and then Ash. Ash looked at bulbasaur and then at the men. In the distance the two men were loading a ship with some pokemon on them. Some trumbeaks, some golducks, gumshoos even. Though the crowning prize was…

A venusaur.

Unlike the others which were caged and all somber in their captivity, the venusaur was still fighting, refusing to be put into the ship, fighting against the two men that tried to push them in.

One of them was a man in black who had a brown tuft of hair and a big brown goatee, sporting a red vest and a menacing iron mask. He commanded an arcanine which was blasting away at the venusaur with flame wheel. The other was a man behind him wearing a long robe that was dark blue and black, with big black glasses on his face and long blue hair atop his head, simply observing the battle.

“Come on and give up already! Darned overgrown varmint!” yelled the iron masked man, “arcanine! Roast ‘em to a crisp with flame wheel, again!”

A dark and unnatural energy surged from arcanine, reddening its eyes as it snarled ferally at venusaur before spinning into a fiery wheel once more and then firing right at venusaur. Venusaur however would manage to stop it by unleashing a sludge bomb, coating the flames in a toxic gunk that stopped arcanine in its tracks as well as poison it.

“Saur!” Bulbasaur said all concerned, still afraid of Ash yet at the same time unable to flee to the struggling venusaur.

Ash watched the entire thing unfold and as it did, it all clicked in his head what was happening. They were poachers, venusaur was their last and undoubtedly most prized target, and this bulbasaur was their friend. Their child even, he wouldn’t be surprised.

Ash knelt down, causing bulbasaur to flinch and move a few steps away from him.

“Saur!”

“It’s okay,” said Ash, holding his hands low and apart from each other. “You need my help, don’t you? They’re trying to take away your friend…”

“Saur…” Bulbasaur looked down. The small frog looked back towards venusaur who was struggling to endure any more damage from what was most certainly a lengthy battle.

“It’s alright, we’re here to help, right, rufflet?” Ash held out his elbow and rufflet perched upon it, giving out an affirmative cry.

But an arcanine, could he do it? He couldn’t even beat Paul. The only people he’s beaten so far are some of the other newly minted trainers at the trainer school. Now he was about to fight a full grown man. A scary full grown man at that. 

Then, his father’s words rang in his mind.

“No matter what, I want you to promise me that you’ll become a strong trainer for the right reasons.”

Ash furrowed his brow as he turned his cap around and put one foot right in front of the other, walking through the rocky beach towards the battle. “Saur?” was bulbasaur’s response as it tilted its head in confusion. Bulbasaur slowly followed the boy, curious as to what was going on. He had them cornered yet didn’t catch them, and if anything it almost seemed as if they were going to help.

The man in blue was first to spot Ash.

“Oh, Vicious, it appears we have a daring little visitor.”

“Hmm? Oh great, witnesses, just what we needed,” the iron masked man, supposedly named Vicious, whined. “Huh? Oh, it’s just some punk kid.” He flung his hand forward, “scram, kid! If you know what’s best for you! This ain’t like one of your hero shows!”

“I’m not going to let you guys get away with venusaur or any of those pokemon!” Ash declared. He stood his ground. As he did, arcanine’s flame wheel hit venusaur right on the head, the heat grinding away at their forehead.

“Saur!” Bulbasaur cried out.

“Saur?” Venusaur’s eyes widened. Bulbasaur had returned! That wasn’t good. She told him to run away! From nowhere but deep within herself, venusaur surged with a newfound desperate energy and killed arcanine’s flames with another sludge bomb, blasting the dog back.

“Dagnabbit!” Vicious growled. “Now this big ol’ mama is really getting on my nerves. You better beat it kid! Or you’re next!”

The man in blue then placed a hand on Vicious’ shoulder. “I’ll handle mama venusaur. She’s tested my patience as well. You rid this area of witnesses.”

Vicious smirked. “Can do.”

Ash gulped, though he maintained his stance.

The man in blue sent out a hawlucha, which had a menacing smirk on his face as he held out his wings and faced the exhausted venusaur.

“Arcanine! New target!” Vicious placed some fingers in his mouth and whistled. “Flame wheel!”

“Rufflet! Wing Attack!”

Arcanine burst free from the sludge before wincing at the sting of the poison that addled it. Still, arcanine was overwhelmed by a dark energy before spinning into a fiery wheel of pure concentrated savagery. Rufflet matched this by having his wings glow as he swooped in to match arcanine’s quick attack.

Unfortunately for rufflet, they weren’t strong enough just yet to handle the raw power of a savage arcanine’s flame wheel. Rufflet fell onto the rocky sand, crying out in pain at having been taken down so easily. 

“Show’s over, boy,” Vicious snapped his fingers. “Ember!”

Ash gasped as fire spewed from arcanine’s lips, blasting a small burst of flame headed right for Ash. Though fortunately, Ash was not alone.

“Ele!”

Elekid dashed between Ash and the ember, intercepting it with a quick attack.

“Kid!” the small plug pokemon landed onto the ground. Ash looked to the side and watched Paul slide down the dirt slope.

“Paul!”

“Oh great there’s more of them!”

“I heard battling and see you out here trying to get yourself killed, how pathetic,” Paul scoffed. “Unfortunately that means I have to save you or else Reggie won’t let me ever hear the end of it.”

“Arceus. Thanks for the words of heroism, Paul.”

“Two brats makes for more targets! Arcanine!” Vicious clenched his fist. “Burn ‘em all down! Flame wheel!”

Arcanine once more spun into a fiery wheel and raced forward, this time targeting Paul’s elekid. Paul however stood his ground. “Cross chop!” he commanded. Elekid stood confidently as he crossed his arms together and matched the flame wheel head on. Elekid would actually stand his ground quite well.

“Rufflet, use roost!”

“No, Ash” Paul cut him off, “rufflet, don’t roost.”

“Ruff?” Rufflet looked at them confused.

“Ash. Doesn’t your rufflet know hone claws?”

“Yeah, why?”

“We’re going to need all the power we can get.”

“But rufflet won’t be able to endure the next hit if we don’t heal up!”

“We won’t be able to beat this arcanine in time for that to matter if you don’t! Get aggressive for once in your life!”

Ash breathed in. “Alright. Rufflet! Hone claws!”

Rufflet brandished his little claws as elekid was eventually knocked back by the flame wheel, though it did exhausted arcanine.

“You useless pokemon! Why the hell do they call you legendary?! Can’t even beat a bunch of kids and their baby pokemon!” Vicious growled as he gripped something in his hand. It was a pokeball but unlike anything either Ash or Paul had ever seen. It was black and had quite some edges, all the while emanating a dark energy that caused arcanine to become even more rabid. “Roast them! I want to see nothing but ash on the sand! Flame wheel!”

Arcanine thrashed about a bit, bewildered by all the pain from both its captivity and the damage from battle. Arcanine stepped forward to gain some momentum, though this was where bulbasaur finally came in, firing out a vine whip to tie arcanine’s front legs together before they could spin, causing them to trip.

“Alright!” said Ash.

“Elekid! While they’re down! Thunder punch, back to back!”

“Rufflet, leer!”

Elekid charged up his fists and rushed arcanine, pummeling them with their thundering fists. All the while rufflet leered at arcanine to lower their defense.

“Ash are you actually serious right now?!”

“We’ve got one shot, right?” Ash replied. As he did, arcanine broke free and kicked elekid away. “Well this is out shot! Rufflet! Wing attack!”

“Ugh. Elekid! Thunder punch!”

“Bulbasaur!” cried the small seed frog as he fired out some vine whips.

All together the three clashed with the savage arcanine’s flame wheel, ultimately overpowering it as the arcanine was blown back, having fainted on the ground.

“Arceus on an acro bike! Are you serious?!” Vicious put both hands on his head. “This is NOT how I want to make my return!”

The man in blue merely chortled. “Oh how the mighty have fallen indeed, Vicious. Oh well. Anywho, hawlucha, dearest, let’s end this. Flying press!”

“Lucha!”

Hawlucha cried out as he leapt into the air, evading razor leaves coming from venusaur as he swooped down onto venusaur’s flower, causing her legs to give in and for her entire body to collapse onto the sand, flattened by the impact.

“Saur!” Bulbasaur cried out as he tried to run to her, only for hawlucha to then jump off and block his path.

The man in blue handed Vicious a max revive. “Make yourself useful and do your magic.”

Vicious grumbled at his humiliation as he dropped what was likely arcanine’s pokeball on the sand and walked over to the fallen venusaur. Ash and Paul watched as a dark energy encapsulated the fallen venusaur, sealing it shut. Ash would try to stop him, only for the man in blue and his hawlucha to cut them off, effortlessly kicking rufflet away before catching both of bulbasaur’s vines, swinging them around and throwing them into the sea nearby.

“How odd to see two children out here playing hero, utilizing pokemon with egg moves no less. You two clearly have some kind of privilege. I wonder if I can leverage that.”

“Elekid! Thunder punch!”

“Close Combat.”

Hawlucha stood there and put his hands behind his back. He would effortlessly evade the first thunder punch, and then the second, before kneeing elekid right in the gut, then kneeing them in the face with the other leg before grabbing them by their plug head, balancing upside down on them for a good second before slamming both feet into them, knocking them away.

“Elekid!” Paul called out, but it was no use. Elekid had fainted. All the while Vicious had used the max revive on venusaur, who immediately tried to break free from the bond placed upon it by a pokeball, only to be treated with a dark and nefarious energy. As bulbasaur returned to shore and coughed up some water, he watched in horror as the dark energy around venusaur turned her rabid and vile.

Vicious, if you will.

“The Iron Masked Marauder’s magic knows no equal!” Vicious laughed. “Looks like we’re done here. Time to get rid of the witnesses and get this cargo off somewhere else!”

The many caged pokemon cried in the boat.

“Venusuar!” Vicious grinned as he stared at the boys. “Razor Leaf.”

“Venusaur!!!!” the large corrupted frog let out a cry as she unleashed a salvo of sharp leafy chakrams at the two, only for the wind to blow in their favor as a bluish blur swooped in and unleashed a shockwave that kicked up the sands and repelled the leaves.

“Ooh, company,” the man in blue said sarcastically as he took off his shades, cleaning them before putting them back on. “I wonder who this time. I sure hope it’s a little girl. It’ll really fill the ensemble.”

“How about someone your own size?!” Kukui growled as he stood there atop his hraviary. “Stay away from my son!”

“Your son was the one meddling in our affairs,” the man in blue said unafraid. “Professor Kukui Kealaonalani. How interesting. If only I’d salvaged the snagtech, I’d have loved to try and capture one of your precious pokemon. Oh well.”

Kukui dismounted from braviary. “Braviary! Sky Drop!”

“Iron Head.”

Braviary swooped in towards hawlucha, grabbing hold of him, though as he tried to take the luchador up high, hawlucha smashed his head right into braviary’s, causing the eagle to let him go as hawlucha got onto the ground. Amidst this, braviary would be bombarded by a sludge bomb from venusaur.

“Braviary, no!” Ash called out, but Kukui would stop him as he tried to reach out.

“Ash! Check on rufflet. I’ll handle this.”

Ash nodded and rushed to rufflet who was all hurt and exhausted. Ash held him in his arms. “It’s alright rufflet, just breathe. Roost.”

All the while, Kukui concentrated on the battle in front of him. Two criminals no doubt trafficking pokemon, both of them more than willing to hurt his son and his friend. They were going to pay. “Braviary! Brave Bird!”

Braviary crowed as he shot up into the air.

Hawlucha however wasn’t one to so easily be overwhelmed. Especially when they had their own trick up their sleeves.

The man in blue revealed a keystone, which allowed a mega stone to manifest from hawlucha’s person.

“Hawlucha! Sky Attack!”

“Lu! Cha!” Hawlucha glowed with energy. He cackled as he glowed with energy, both his own and the infinity energy of mega evolution. With it hawlucha grew larger, his head now a regal mixture of black and gold with a plume of three fine feathers atop his head, as well as a majestic black and gold chestplate adorning his torso.

“No way! I thought you needed to be a good guy to use mega evolution!” said Ash.

“Tch. Such nonsense. Nothing in mega evolution states you need to be a good person,” said the man in blue as mega hawlucha caught braviary as he tried to smash into him with brave bird. “You only need a strong bond, and believe me, my hawlucha and I have quite the connection. Especially when it comes to one thing that matters above all else… Power! ”

Mega Hawlucha leapt into the air, dragging braviary with him as he then grabbed the bird by the neck and spun around, smashing him headfirst into the rocky sand below.

The man in blue laughed. “Heirloom swords always break before tempered steel,” he taunted Kukui. As the sand cloud settled, mega hawlucha stood proudly, placing a foot on top of braviary’s head. A foul snicker came from him as he counted 1, 2, and then 3.

“Rufflet! Wing Attack!”

“Venusaur! Razor Leaf!”

Venusaur unleashed a salvo of leafy chakrams at rufflet as he tried to swoop in under Ash’s command. Rufflet watched as the razor leaves cut through the air towards him, too hurt and simply not quick enough to dodge any of them. Though bulbasaur then appeared, flinging out their vine whips to intercept venusaur’s razor leaf, opening up a path for rufflet to swoop in and save his father.

Though it was of no use as hawlucha simply stepped backwards, avoiding the attack before slamming into rufflet with iron head, knocking them to the side.

“Brave?” Braviary opened his eyes weakly, and there he saw his little rufflet all hurt and tired in the rocky sand. He wasn’t even sure if he was breathing.

That was when he surged.

“Lucha?”

“BRAVIARY!!!”

Braviary got up, renewed with a raging strength. Hawlucha was quick to try and slam into him with iron head, only for braviary to catch hawlucha’s head with his talon and clamp down upon it with crush claw, overpowering the chrome reinforcement and gripping his skull tight.

“Lucha!” Hawlucha panicked before braviary slammed him into the ground. Venusaur would unleash a sludge bomb though she was too slow as braviary flew up to the sky with hawlucha.

“Break free with close combat!” yelled the man in blue.

“Sky Drop!” Kukui called out. He knew braviary wouldn’t let him down, especially with their sons on the line.

Mega Hawlucha would try to fight braviary off and break free, though it was in vain as with braviary’s talon right on his head, braviary held control, able to sway hawlucha, angling his strikes to miss, causing him to look as if he was flailing in midair. Braviary then eyed the corrupted venusaur, a glint appeared in his eye as he spun and threw hawlucha right towards her before then rocketing down towards the two of them.

Braviary’s wing slammed into mega hawlucha as he then slammed the bird into venusaur, causing a large burst of sand and rock to appear as a result. Braviary then quickly flew to rufflet, the bird was hurt and in Ash’s arms now, but still active.

As for Vicious and the man in blue, their pokemon were dazed, too stunned by the raw power of braviary’s attack.

“If you think this is enough to defeat us, you are sorely mistaken,” the man in blue grimaced.

“To beat two, it takes two,” Kukui turned his cap around as he revealed his z-ring. “Ash, I need your help.”

“Huh? Me?”

“Remember that little dance I taught you as a father-son starting tip? Back when rufflet first hatched?”

“Huh? Yeah, why- ohhh….”

“Am I missing something here?” Paul asked as he cradled elekid in his arms.

“Don’t worry Paul, stand back and watch,” Kukui smiled confidently. Too confidently for either man’s liking. “Braviary! To position!”

Braviary crowed as he picked rufflet up, ascended, and then flapped his wings, casting gusts of sand and pebbles to hit both men and their pokemon. The men coughed as braviary tossed his son onto his back, rufflet would hold on tight to his father as Ash stood in front of Kukui. Father and son then crossed their arms, spread them out, flapped them as they moved down before shooting upwards with a single fist to the heavens.

“Blow fiercely, winds of courage!” Kukui called out with all his heart. Braviary let out a crow that no braviary should be able to produce, one which shook the earth and frightened the clouds.

“Oh no…” was all the man in blue could say as braviary’s Flyinium Z appeared.

Kukui and Ash yelled together their ultimate attack.

“SUPERSONIC SKYSTRIKE!!!”

Mega Hawlucha got off of venusaur but struggled to stand. He watched as braviary glowed with a cyan energy. Rufflet felt the power of the winds blow through his feathers as he rode atop his father who flew even higher into the sky, so high he fused with the morning sun as if ready to dismantle it with his fearsome talons.

Then he swooped down at an unfathomable speed.

Mega Hawlucha could not react as braviary and rufflet slammed into him and then into mega venusaur, the galeforce winds blew Vicious and the man in blue back as well, overpowering all of them.

Braviary flapped his wings to instantly disperse the large sand cloud that had formed, and there they saw the man in blue flee with his fallen hawlucha back into the ship.

“Hey! Wait for me!” said Vicious who was pinned under the defeated venusaur. “Ardos! We had a deal!”

“I don’t deal with terrible service!” the man in blue, presumably named Ardos, said as he fled to the boat with several pokemon. Due to the winds several of them were thrown overboard and some were under threat of drowning, all the while others were left still caged and on the boat.

The boat was already running by the time Ash got there, with the push of a lever the boat accelerated, bolting away at max speed.

“Braviary! After them!” Kukui called out. Rufflet dismounted from his father as he quickly flew after the runaway boat. Judging from it, it was a modified seagallop, no doubt the military kind. Braviary was fast enough to be in range of the boat, though as he was, Ardos grimaced as he pulled out another pokeball.

“You’ve been a pain in my side long enough, little birdie,” Ardos tossed his pokeball, revealing his next pokemon to be a ferocious charizard. “Fire Blast!”

Charizard breathed in and unleashed a fiery kanji at braviary, landing a direct hit which singed the bird and sent him plummeting into the sea, allowing for Ardos to escape.

Meanwhile with Vicious, he tried to reach out for venusaur’s pokeball which was just out of reach, though Paul would end up grabbing hold of it, and then hand it over to Ash.

“You’re not harming anyone anymore!” said Ash as he threw the ball down and then stepped on it.

It didn’t break though.

Kukui laughed. “Don’t worry son, I’ll take care of it.”

Kukui stomped the ball into bits.

“Noooo!!!!”

With the dark pokeball destroyed, venusaur was freed. She was still fainted and quite hurt, but at least it was all over. For now.

“Thanks for coming on such short notice, Officer Nanu.”

“Kukui, we’ve gone over this,” Nanu rolled his eyes. Kukui merely chuckled. “Nevertheless, this is quite the catch,” said Nanu. “Interpol’s been looking for this guy, among others.”

“You won’t get away with this!” said Vicious, his signature mask now off his face, confiscated alongside his arsenal of dark pokeballs, apparently called dark balls. Nanu filled them in on what was what. Apparently dark balls are a criminal technology made and utilized by Vicious, who turned out to be quite an infamous poacher a decade ago or so. The dark balls brought out the worst in pokemon and was the stepping stone to some other even darker technology called shadowplay. Basically all they did was bring out an “extra dimension” to the pokemon affected, making them sinister and savage. Ash shuddered at the thought.

Speaking of Ash, he was right in Burnet’s arms, the woman refusing to let him go after hearing of what happened.

“I let you go for one second and you try and get yourself killed!” she cried out when she heard. Reggie was much the same to his baby brother, though Paul was not as receptive to his concerned advances.

Kukui followed Nanu as the cop-kahuna led the cuffed Vicious into the paddywagon. “So… Asher’s finally become a trainer huh? Some way to start his journey, that’s for sure, helping catch a criminal. He’s got your heroic spirit, that’s for sure.”

“Heh. Yeah…”

“That being said…” Nanu slammed the door shut as Vicious got put inside. He banged on it to signify it was good to go. The paddywagon took off, ready to take the defeated iron masked marauder back to prison. “Does he know?”

Kukui frowned. “Not yet, Nanu. He’s too young.”

“The longer you hold off on it, the harder it’s going to hurt. That’s why I told Acy the truth early.”

“It’s not as easy as it sounds for me.”

“Asher deserves to know Delia.”

“You think I don’t know that?” Kukui stepped forward, more assertive now as he stared down the cop. “Ash is young. He’s my son. She entrusted me with him. It’s my call when he gets to know and right now the last thing he needs to know is that Burnet’s not really his mom and I’m not really his dad.”

“You are his dad. In any metric that’s worth a damn, anyways,” Nanu said calmly. “But I trust you. I know you to be a good man. I’m just warning you, he’s not going to take it well when you tell him as a teen, you know how they get it, and Arceus forbid you tell him as an adult. That just sounds terrifying.”

Nanu then started walking away. “Tell Ash K best of luck, Acy and I will be waiting for him. Let’s see what Kukui’s boy has to show the world, eh?”

“Goodbye, Nanu” was all Kukui said as he walked back to where Ash was. There he saw Ash still in Burnet’s arms. He sighed and thought of Delia. He could still hear her voice sometimes. He was sure Burnet did too.

Promise me you’ll take care of him Kukui . Burnet. I’m all he has. You’re all I have.

Ash did eventually break free from Burnet when he saw his father and rushed over to him. “Dad! Dad!” he said. “Can we go see bulbasaur?”

“Hmm? Sure. I don’t see why not. Let’s see how they’re doing.”

The Kealaonalani family moved towards their home, there in front of their home were Kukui’s pokemon. Braviary was simply resting after a hard battle and a sudden defeat, with rufflet simply seated by his father’s side, also exhausted after quite the battle. Incineroar on the other hand merely facilitated the rescued pokemon, overseeing their temporary stay here before the pokemon rangers come to transfer them back to their habitats. Kukui’s venusaur on the other hand was tending to the rescued mama venusaur and her brave little son. 

It was of course odd that a venusaur was out here. The bulbasaur line was not local to Alola in any way, shape, or form. The only ones that did stay here were from dedicated trainers such as Kukui himself. Nanu suspected the venusaurs were likely smuggled. If Kukui’s ears were to be believed, Vicious referred to his coworker as Ardos, an Orretian terrorist that was on the run. Orre of course is known for trying to import pokemon into their virtually desolate region, no doubt Cipher, Ardos’ organization (or at least what was left of it), managed to intercept some shipments and used them for trafficking purposes.

Right now, mama venusaur and baby bulbasaur were doing just fine, enjoying the company of the big strong venusaur that came in to comfort them. The two were delighted to see their saviors appear. Bulbasaur in particular running to Ash. Ash laughed as he knelt down with open arms, catching bulbasaur as he leapt into his embrace.

“Hehe!! Dad, look!”

Kukui smiled as he looked upon his son.

“Can I keep him?”

Kukui gasped.

“Uh… I don’t know about that, Ash. Bulbasaur’s not exactly from Alola and may want to go back home.”

“But we’re friends now!” Ash whined. “And you have a venusaur too!”

“Well that’s only because I went to Kanto. Maybe when you go there you can find your own! You know? Maybe you two can meet again!”

“Please?” Ash gave Kukui little puppy eyes. It didn’t help that bulbasaur matched the expression. Rufflet did too for good measure.

Kukui sighed and then let out a laugh. “Alright, alright, fine. But try not to copy my team! I want you to be your own trainer, okay?”

“Okay!” said Ash.

“And try not to get yourself killed!” Burnet crossed her arms. “I know you did the right thing Ash but you should ask for help before doing such things!”

“Yeah yeah yeah mom,” Ash said as he pulled out his pokeball. Bulbasaur looked at his mom, who simply nodded. It was time, she supposed. Might as well. Ash went ahead and tossed the pokeball right at bulbasaur, storing him right inside.

One shake.

Two shakes.

Three shakes.

Huzzah!

“Alright! I caught…” said Ash as he picked the ball up and raised it in the air, “a bulbasaur!”

Kukui and Burnet merely giggled.

If only Delia could see him now.

Come night, Ash was back at the beach. He looked out into the open sea with rufflet and bulbasaur. He’d had enough battling for one day, they can spend the rest of it tomorrow. Right now, Ash was enjoying his time with the two of them. He was simply seated on a flat stone and watching his pokemon. Bulbasaur had taken to using his vines to try and shape some sand castles, only to find himself trying to push rufflet away as the curious bird tended to try and peck away at it.

Ash looked at his growing team. A rufflet and a bulbasaur. In a way he was just like dad. He could only wonder what his future would be like, being a mighty trainer battling with the world’s finest to determine who the best was. The very best like no one ever was. He could only wonder right now about all the pokemon he’d meet as well. What they’d be like in person rather than through a screen or in books. 

It’d no doubt be frightening considering he’d basically be doing it all alone. He definitely would prefer a travel buddy and there was no way on groudon’s green earth that Paul was going to say yes to that. He was a lone lycanroc on that end. 

There was a girl in the city he’d befriended while back in trainer school. Miette, a Kalosian girl. She wasn’t really the battling type but she liked to explore Alola too, get a tour of the islands while she tried to embrace Alola as her new home after her mother dragged her all the way out here.

Yeah… something about that just felt right. Well, part right. Maybe he should have another. They can move in threes and it’d be fun, preferably someone who can look after his meals. Then again, this was probably the best opportunity for him to eat almost whatever he wants without his mom nagging him otherwise.

Ash looked back at rufflet and bulbasaur who now wrestled followed the collapse of another sand castle attempt. He put his hands between them, “alright alright, knock it off you two.”

“Saur!” Bulbasaur whined.

“Ruff!” whatever bulbasaur was saying, he objected to it.

“How about you two build a sand castle to be knocked down, hmm? It doesn’t have to be pretty, just stack them high. Then you guys can have fun knocking them down!”

Rufflet and bulbasaur looked at each other and then nodded. That was a good idea. The two then got to scooping up some sand and trying to build it up. Ash chuckled as he decided to help out, scooping up clumps of sand. He’s been at this beach countless times before, it was basically his front yard in a way. Some of his earliest memories ever were had here.

He was a little kid with a pail and spade, his mom just helping him form his own little sand castle. Neither of them were any good at it, but that never mattered. He recalled swimming with his father in the open sea, along with him introducing him to the pokemon of the sea that just so happened to pass by. They’d buy him a pichu-pop, a two-sticked popsicle cheese-flavored ice cream and he’d always split it in two and offer them one. He remembered Lei being brought here for the first time too, and how they’d form their own little sand castle. One day mom will be comfortable enough to put Lei in the water too, he hoped he’ll be here when that happens, he shouldn’t be too far away.

Though as for right now, he had a new memory right here in front of him. His first loss and just some quality time with his first pokemon as well as his second ever pokemon. One day they’ll be six, maybe they’ll be more. For all he knew he may even catch them all….

Nah. That’s a bit too much. He’s seen his dad’s snorlax, that thing eats A LOT. Like sure it doesn’t eat for days afterwards, but when it eats, oh Arceus above have mercy. He couldn’t imagine having to feed all the others. Honestly he wasn’t even sure if he was going to be able to mix and match all sorts of different types like his dad was. He’ll probably just have to be a bird keeper that just so happens to have a cool bulbasaur. 

Oh well.

“Bzzt! Bzzt!” Ash’s rotomdex popped out of his bag once again. “It’s 6:30! Your mother’s gonna call you for dinner any moment now!”

“Thanks, rotom,” Ash took off his cap and fanned himself. “Say rotom, you got any idea what pokemon I could catch?”

“Alola is home to an incredibly diverse cast of pokemon!” rotom buzzed. “In fact, you can actually catch at least one of every type of pokemon right here in ol’ Melemele! Though some are much rarer than others!”

“Any particular suggestions?”

“Well, you did mention a particular desire for ground type pokemon, no? Well you’re bound to come across a diglett somewhere here in Melemele! You can also head over to Akala Island to get yourself a sandygast, a permanent sand castle for your team,” rotom buzzed as rufflet and bulbasaur completed their little sand building. The two then knocked it down together in unison. “Alternatively, you can take a page out of champion Luna’s playbook and grab yourself a mudbray, which is found… quite literally any other island but here!”

Ash shook his head. “Looks like we’re gonna have to hold off on that ground type for now I guess,” he shrugged as he put his cap back on his head. He watched as bulbasaur crawled on beside him and nuzzled up to his feet. He petted bulbasaur on the head, “there’s always another day to make new friends.”

Then suddenly, the winds blew. Ash held onto his cap as the waves and sand blew with the sudden shift. Ash looked up and saw… something. Something in the skies. He squinted to try and see what it was but it was camouflaged well under the night. He stood up and walked closer to the edge of the shore, with his rotomdex and his two pokemon following suit. 

There as the waves soaked his running shoes did he watch something land in an islet just off in the distance. 

“Rotom, can you zoom in on it?” Ash asked the floating pokedex. Rotom buzzed affirmatively and placed itself in front of Ash, entering scanning mode as they zoomed in from a distance. The rotomdex’s screen lit up to get some kind of better view of the creature. Though it simply wasn’t enough.

“Activating flashlight!”

“Wait rotom don’t-”

The rotomdex flashed a beam of light into the distance to get a slightly better view of the creature. There Ash was able to see it. It was a pokemon of some kind evidently, but one he wasn’t familiar with. It possessed a sinister visage, which was made only ever more terrifying when the flashlight notified it of Ash’s presence and caused it to let out a roar at them.

The roar sent a gust of wind that knocked Ash, rufflet, and bulbasaur down. Sounds of water then followed as the winds came to an abrupt stop, leaving Ash right on the shore trying to see where they’d gone.

“It seems they’re gone for now, bzzt bzzt,” said the rotomdex as they analyzed the data. “How peculiar indeed, there’s only one potential match for this, but could it be?”

Ash got up, dusted some sand off his pants, and moved farther inland. He glimpsed the distant islet and no longer felt the presence of the mysterious pokemon. “It seems to have swam away. Rotom, what was that?”

“This is a bit of an odd one. It’s locked in the International Index rather than the Alolan Index. Fortunately your father’s loaded me up with the right hardware!” the rotomdex bragged. “If my scans were correct, you might have just encountered a one of a kind pokemon!”

“Really now?”

“For sure. Here, have a look for yourself,” rotom’s screen changed into display mode and revealed the scanned data. It revealed a smooth white pokemon with blue here and there, a large lizard-like entity with enormous wings for arms.

“Lugia. The Diving Pokemon! A psychic/flying type. Often referred to as the goddess of the seasons, lugia is an entity that commands the winds and tide and champions the bond between men and pokemon. It is said that when man caused an almost unforgivable rift in that balance, they - or rather she - flooded the land for 40 days and 40 nights.”

“Hmm… I don’t know if that’s the pokemon we’re looking for, rotom,” said Ash as he held the rotomdex in his hands and started scanning through the pictures. “That pokemon doesn’t look white at all to me. Lugia looks all graceful, this one’s all… shadowy.”

“Well, perhaps this is a question you should ask your father then,” said rotom. “My fellow rotom back in the house had scanned the internet and discovered some odd rumors that may be of interest.”

“No way. The last thing I need is something that convinces mom and dad that the world is too dangerous for me,” said Ash. “We’ll keep this to ourselves for now, capiche?”

“Will do!”

“Ruff!”

“Saur!”

Ash sighed as he turned rotom off and tucked them back in his bag. “Alright guys, it’s getting pretty late. Don’t want mom getting too worried about us, plus dinner’s gonna start soon. So…. race ya there!”

Ash quickly bolted. Rufflet and bulbasaur cried out as they chased after him.

The moon shone bright as mysterious things dwelled in the water and all sorts of friends, opportunities, and threats laid just over the horizon. Ash had a lot to see and a lot to live up to as he entered a whole new world, ready to uncover everything it had to offer.

His journey begins!