Pokémon Ranger and the Vermilion Gate (Pearl/Contest/Poké/Ikari - PG for now)

[Tadashi]

Hi everybody! I bet a few of you are surprised that I'm doing this kind of thing. Truthfully, so am I. I'm far from being a PearlShipper, ask anybody, but believe it or not, I took this up in an effort to stop disliking it ^^; Whoever said I don't make an effort? This fic came about as a request on Encyclopika’s Fic Request Shop [/shameless plug]. The plot that she suggested intrigued me, and so I took it ^^ So, Bubbles18, this is for you!



Disclaimer: I don't own Pokémon, any of the names, games, manga or anime. All those things belong to Satoshi Tajiri & company.


Please note: There are similarities and differences between what occurs in this fic and what occurs in the animé. Any possibly conceivable events that occur in this fic prior to the animé is purely coincidental. Also, I’m using the dang English names, because that's what I'm used to.



Title: Pokémon Ranger and the Vermilion Gate
Author: Tadashi
Archive: you're looking at it
Rating: PG (may float up to PG-13 and beyond as the story progresses)
Genre/s: AU (Alternate Universe), Action/Adventure, Drama, Romance
Pairing/s: PearlShipping, ContestShipping – one-sided PokéShipping and IkariShipping



Today’s Characters! (Thank you, Pokésho! And to Bulbapedia, for the pic of Prof. Hastings)

[img139] http://img376.imageshack.us/img376/8947/chapter1amu8.png[/img139][img139] http://img387.imageshack.us/img387/3913/chapter1bvk0.png[/img139][img139] http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1571/chapter1cae5.png[/img139][img139] http://img186.imageshack.us/img186/9458/chapter1dqp7.png[/img139]

Dawn, Tiffany, Billy, Garrett, Clyde, Prima, Professor Hastings



Chapter 1: Dawn of a New Era


"Hey Dawn, how'd you do on your exams?" a snide female voice rent apart the silence in Dawn’s head; she had been daydreaming again.

"What's it matter to you?" came an equally snide reply.

"That means you failed!" A gleeful laugh, coupled with a toss of purplish-white hair. The girl turned to her friends, her emerald eyes sparkling. "See guys? I told you she wouldn't pass! 'Dawn the Dunce', so dumb she couldn't even pass her final exams. Any instructor who gives you a Pokémon Ranger license would be out of their mind! Better keep on daydreaming, Dawn!" With a group laugh and another toss of her long hair, Tiffany and her friends sauntered away haughtily.

Dawn glared after Tiffany and her male companions as they left the classroom. Dawn had been indulging in a daydream; they often happened when she lost her focus in class. These days, now more than ever, Dawn had been frequently imagining herself with her Ranger license, having fantastic adventures in a far-off land, whilst her fame and fortune brought Tiffany and her posse to the pinnacle of shame.

While she didn’t necessarily look the part, Dawn's heart was seized with the burning passion to become a Top Ranger. A few years back, she had enrolled in a school specializing in training students to become Pokémon Rangers. While there, she learnt the basics on how to utilize a School Styler, as well as undergoing rigorous physical training to be in top shape for potential missions. And while she didn't have much physical strength, her teachers sure noticed her heart and desire.

Training to become a Ranger usually came in sections, where those with lower potential were weeded out from the rest. Dawn had worked hard, pushed herself to the limit, and risked her own personal safety to complete the training. Finally, all her hard work had paid off; she was part of the newest upcoming batch of Rangers to graduate from Ranger Tech, a school located in the region of Kronos.

Now, in her final year, Dawn had just recently completed the final tests for the school to allow her to become a Ranger. There had been the standard pen-and-paper test, as well as a simulated mission to review her qualities to determine her performance out in the world. All that remained was for the instructors to post the results, followed by a graduation ceremony and the reception of a genuine Ranger license as well as a Capture Styler – typically used by most rangers. Which, according to Tiffany, would never happen to Dawn.

Just the thought of Tiffany's snide remarks angered Dawn, but an inquisitive voice roused her from her anger.

"Buneary?"

Dawn turned her attention to the small, rabbit-like Pokémon standing atop her desk. This particular Buneary was Dawn's Partner Pokémon, given to Dawn by her mother upon Dawn’s acceptance into the Ranger school, and thus her most cherished friend. Upon looking at the little rabbit, Dawn made a sudden realization; the classroom was empty, and Dawn had been sitting alone all this time!

"Oh no! I'm gonna be so late!" With that yelp and a loud chair scrape, Dawn hastily removed herself from her seat and ran off to her next class.

---

Upon abruptly entering her next class, Miss Prima, the instructor, clicked her tongue and scolded Dawn for being late. "Punctuality is important to a Ranger, Dawn."

Dawn bowed deeply. "I’m so sorry, Miss Prima! I just got –"

"Lost in thought?" offered Tiffany contemptuously. Her friends, as well as most of the class, snickered at the comment. Dawn puffed her cheeks in anger at Tiffany as she dropped into the nearest chair with a loud thud.

"Now, as I was saying, class," continued Miss Prima, "about Stylers –"

"Aww, Miss Prima, we already know this!" moaned Clyde, one of Tiffany’s cronies. "We've been working with Stylers since day one!" Most of the class nodded in agreement.

"And it's the last day of school," added Garrett, a second crony. "We're all gonna graduate anyway and get a standard Styler."

"Most of us, anyway," quipped Tiffany while eyeing Dawn directly. Dawn fixed her eyes rigidly on the blackboard.

"You know, you are absolutely right, Clyde and Garrett. You've all been using our old School Stylers for your entire tenure with us. Seeing as you’re all so confident in their use, then you certainly won't mind if we give you all an upgrade!"

Amidst the queries and sudden chatter, the classroom door opened and in stepped none other than Professor Hastings. Most of the room made a collective gasp. Professor Hastings, hailing from the faraway land of Fiore, was not only the Ranger Union's chief of technology, but also the creator of the Capture Styler. Dawn stared in awe at the bushy-haired man as he hobbled in with a cane and two assistants with briefcases.

"All right, all right, settle down," grumbled Professor Hastings. The room fell to an awed hush, though occasional whispers could be heard. "Since you are going to be Ranger Tech's next group of Pokémon Rangers, it's high time that you get your Ranger licenses and a Capture Styler."

Hearty chatting kicked up at this point. Even Dawn lit up, her blue eyes shining enthusiastically. She turned to Buneary. "Wow! It’s finally here! I'm gonna get a Capture Styler!" A cheerful reply, "Bun! Buneary!"

"Quiet down, I said!" snapped Professor Hastings, this time quite authoritatively, abruptly shushing the students. "First, you have to pass your exams. And then, we'll see how much you’ve all truly learned."

The students muttered between each other. What could that mean? Dawn looked nervously Buneary, who smiled reassuringly for her Partner.

Professor Hastings cleared his throat. "Right, let's start alphabetically, shall we?"

Alphabetically by first name, students were called up to the front. There, Professor Hastings asked each student a unique question, which depended on a personalized response. Billy and Clyde, two of the cronies, went up before Dawn was eventually called up. Visualizing herself as a Ranger, crusading to save the world, she didn’t hear the first time Professor Hastings called her name. This prompted a louder call from him, causing Dawn blush and apologize profusely, while Tiffany snickered loudly. Heart pounding and hands sweating, Dawn made her way up to the front of the room.

"Well, Dawn, I hear you are quite the daydreamer. Is that so?" Dawn nodded in response to Professor Hastings' question, eyes glued to the floor. "All right, then. Tell me this – if a boy you liked told you a horribly corny joke, ruining a romantic atmosphere, what would you do?"

"Wha-? A boy?" Dawn heard a familiar snicker, and became instantly quiet. While examining the tiles on the floor, Dawn pondered to herself when on earth this kind of scenario would occur. 'I dunno... I'd probably just go with the flow.' Dawn smiled at the conclusion of her idea, and, looking up at Professor Hastings, voiced it. "Yeah. That’s what I'd do! I'd go with the flow! And I'd probably slap my forehead and groan if it was extra corny."

Professor Hastings smiled back. "I'm glad to hear it. Rangers need to go with the flow, and know their strengths. Congratulations, Dawn." With that, he handed Dawn a brand new Capture Styler. She held it delicately and gazed upon its shiny newness. There it was, completely untouched and ready for use. The small screen pinged brightly, startling Dawn yet bringing a smile to her face.

Dawn looked up at Professor Hastings and smiled. "Thank you so much, Professor! You won't regret this, trust me!" She turned on her heels and resumed her seat, still excitedly holding her new Styler in her hands.

Snapped out of her dream world yet again, Professor Hastings' voice was the abrupt cause this time. "Young lady, we still need your School Styler for next year’s batch of students."

Laughter rang through the classroom as Dawn’s face grew hot with embarrassment. "Right! I forgot! ... Sorry, Professor Hastings."



To Be Continued!



So everyone, what did you think? Believe me, this fic is far from over. In fact, I'm just getting warmed up. This will be one long fic, and you may want to murder me over it ^_^; No no, I’m kidding. Don't do that >_> Otherwise, how will you know the delicious end? 8D

Please leave me a review on how you think I did ^^ Like I said, we're in for a long ride, so you may as well strap yourselves in and grab some popcorn.

Until chapter 2,

Later days!

 

[TurtwigFan1]

It's good, but in the beginning you got some of the Go-Rock Squad mixed up. Tiffany is right, duh, but Garret is the one in the white, Clyde is the one playing the bongo and Billy is the one in the black. Besides that, it was a great fic and very interesting.

 

[Mel-Girl]

I thought it was good. Hikari as a ranger, I'd like to see how that turns out. I know most of the shippings here aren't ones you normally support so I say kudos to you for trying out some different shippings. ^_^ I thought it was well-written so good luck with this fic! =D

*reviewer's block omg i fail*

 

[Tadashi]

Hi again, everyone! Welcome back to my lovely fic :3 My God, a new chapter! I know, I know, I'm kinda bad at updating regularly, so, uh, beware XD I'm glad I got some replies, anyway.



No New Characters Today



Chapter 2: Girl, Interrupted


It's a bright and beautifully sunny day in the faraway region of Kronos; just the right day for a freshly graduated Ranger to show the world that she's got what it takes to make it in this big, crazy world.

"Yessss!" Dawn pumped her left fist into the air, exhaling a sigh of mass relief. "We finally did it, Buneary! We're on our way to the top now!"

"Buneary!" the little brown rabbit squealed in agreement and smiled at her partner.

Today was Dawn and Buneary's first day on the job, and Dawn was determined to make it a great one. She had met with the people at Headquarters – or HQ, as it was called. She had the Styler that she received from Professor Hastings in proper working order and, most importantly, she had gotten the rest of her Ranger gear from her mother who wished her the best of luck on her first day.

"No need to worry, mom" Dawn had told her mother. "You'll see, we'll do great!"

"You know that when you tell me not to worry is when I worry the most!" her mother chided in reply.

Dawn smiled at the recent memory, allowing herself to get lost in it. Her determination quickly caught up with her, snapping her out of her daydream.

"No more daydreaming! It's time to be serious and get to work! Come on, Buneary! Let's get moving!" "Bun!" came the eager reply.

The duo dashed headlong on the well-worn trail of a well-known Ranger haunt. Most towns and cities had a place for Rangers to converge in between missions, but this particular building hadn't been seeing much action as of late. Kronos wasn't a noteworthy region for Ranger undertakings, and as such, a lot of Rangers were dispatched to other regions to assist in projects and missions.

Luckily for Dawn, Kronos' HQ was but an hour away on foot from her hometown, Ring Town. Luckily for the Rangers, it wasn't located in any city or town, so they could come and go as they pleased without attracting danger or suspicion to the civilians. There was, however, a forest right nearby.

Unbeknownst to Dawn, she didn't realize the curse behind the blessing.

Trekking towards the Southeast, rather than due East, Dawn was invariably led to the Sunny Forest, a light and bright forest not far off from HQ. It offered some sort of protection, acting as a wall to shield themselves from threats, as well as being kept hidden from the general public. However, it also provides surveillance difficulties, due to the treetops blocking the view of most of the area around them. Such are the issues associated with being a Ranger, Dawn had supposed.

The sun beat down warmly as Dawn continued down the forest trail. It was too nice a day to sit inside HQ for lunch, so Dawn had decided to have a picnic outdoors instead. The air was very fresh and clean, just perfect for working up a hearty appetite.

"Whaddya think, Buneary? Is this spot okay?" The young Ranger had chanced upon a soft hilltop with a sweeping view of a bright and verdant clearing at the base. "Buneary!" the little brown rabbit squealed a happy response.

Dawn and Buneary settled down atop the hill, admiring the view for a moment. The sunlight was being filtered by the trees into brilliant, shimmering golden rays. Coupled with the smell of the air, Dawn suddenly felt a fierce gnawing in her stomach, which let out a hearty request for food.

She laughed apologetically to Buneary, who simply smiled as Dawn produced a few sandwiches and a thermos of water. Buneary took one with a delighted noise and the two of them began to chow down. Dawn closed her eyes, enjoying the moment of pure serenity that had been created. Oh, how easy it would be to simply doze off...

But the piercing shriek of horror ringing through the air had swiftly eliminated that option.

Dawn's eyes snapped open, and she was on her feet in a second. She hardly felt her limbs move as she broke into a jog in the direction of the cry. "Let's go, Buneary!"

"Buneary!"


To Be Continued!



I know, I know... almost a 3-month wait, and I produce something that's less than 2 pages? I know, I am just shameful... but I haven't really been inspired to write this, what with my slight addiction to Platinum, ehe ^^;

So! Who is this mysterious person screaming for help? How will Dawn cope with her first ever Rescue? All will be revealed next time =)

Until chapter 3,

Later days!

 

[Drew'sBaby]

Aww, cute story! I love it! Keep going and great job!

 

[Tadashi]

Well, creativity for this fic is very sparse, and so is the motivation to write. But I'm trying, okay?



New Characters (Thank you Pokésho!)

[img139]http://img25.imageshack.us/img25/5814/chapter3.png[/img139]

May



Chapter 3: Rescue Ranger

Dawn closed her eyes, enjoying the moment of pure serenity that had been created. Oh, how easy it would be to simply doze off…

But the piercing shriek of horror ringing through the air had swiftly eliminated that option.

Dawn's eyes snapped open, and she was on her feet in a second. She hardly felt her limbs move as she broke into a jog in the direction of the cry. "Let’s go, Buneary!"​

Rushing blindly into the forest, barely dodging all sorts of low-hanging foliage, Dawn made an internal prayer as she followed the sound of the terrified scream. 'Please, let them be alright… and don't let me screw this up.'

After what seemed like an eternity of running, the greenery suddenly gave way to a burst of blinding sunlight. Dawn put her hands up to shield her eyes momentarily, then the cry came again.

"Somebody help me! Please!"

Dawn unshielded her eyes, and was met with a peculiar sight. A girl and her Eevee were up a tree, clutching to a branch in horror. Below them, a pack of Houndour circled the tree, growling and barking in anger.

'Huh? Houndour? But what would a pack of Houndour be doing running around during the day?' Dawn wondered. She then counted them – five. There were no wild Pokémon in sight, to use as an assist. It was only Dawn, and one little Buneary.

Things were about to get a little complicated.

"BUNEARY!"

The pack of Houndour turned to face the little brown rabbit, who had boldly called out to distract them. Dawn felt a jab of fear in the pit of her stomach. 'Why did you have to confront them, Buneary?'

The pack pinned their ears back and growled menacingly. Dawn noticed how their teeth glimmered in the bright sunlight… and suddenly, they charged.

Dawn flinched, and the sounds of a short combat were heard nearby. She opened her eyes again, to see that Buneary had effectively knocked two of them out. The remaining three were staring her down. Seeing a smaller threat eased Dawn's nerves a bit. Buneary turned her head, waiting for an order from Dawn.

"Oh, right… Buneary, use Swift!"

"Buuuneary!" she leapt high into the air, and, swinging her head, released a ray of stars.

Two of the three remaining Houndour dodged the attack, and countered back with a Smog attack. Dawn and Buneary covered their mouths and noses, coughing from the acrid smoky smell. From the smoke, a Houndour came flying, clamped down on one of Buneary's ears with Bite, and the little rabbit yelled in pain.

"Use Double Hit, hurry!" there was a note of panic in Dawn's voice.

Swinging her free ear, it flew up and smacked the Houndour on the side of its head, causing the its grip to slacken and let her free. The other hit landed on the other side of its head, knocking it down to the ground.

Seeing the two remaining Houndour gave Dawn a burst of courage. "Ice Beam!" she called.

"Bunnn!" the freezing ray shot forward, freezing one of the Houndour immediately. The last Houndour, though, was far from done. It dodged the beam easily, and came back with a powerful Flamethrower attack. Buneary fell back, landing in a heap in front of Dawn.

"Are you okay?" Dawn asked. Buneary stood up, looking visibly worn down. Dawn knew she had to finish this quickly, before Buneary's strength wore off, or else she'd be out of ways to fight.

"Ice Beam once more!" she called. The ray was shot off again, easily dodged by the opponent. Taking a moment to pause, it began to use Nasty Plot.

"Hurry Buneary, use Swift!" again Buneary attacked, but the attack was easily repelled by a boosted Flamethrower attack. Dawn growled; she was running out of tricks.

Just then, the Houndour began to glow a bright shade of white. The light consumed it, and with a horrible sinking feeling, Dawn realized that it was evolving.

Dawn stood horrified as the newly-evolved Houndoom let out a powerful howl. Its remaining four pals got to their feet and stood at its flanks. Buneary was panting heavily now – she was on the verge of collapsing. Meanwhile, Dawn was staring down the noses of five extremely menacing dogs. Houndoom wore an incredibly smug look, as if to say, 'It's no use, I've already won.'

In one final blitz, Houndoom howled for the release of five simultaneous Flamethrowers. Dawn squeezed her eyes shut and awaited the final blow. 'This is it… my entire life, my short-lived career, gone up in flames…'

"Mirror Coat!"

A strange female voice called the attack, which was followed by a fairly loud explosion and the pained howls from the pack of hounds.

Trembling, eyes still squeezed shut, Dawn waited for the explosion to die down. She could hear Buneary's frightened squeals, and immediately felt washed over with relief. 'Thank goodness she’s alright!' Then, daring to open her eyes, Dawn surveyed the damage.

In the field lay a stretch of scorched ground. Several feet in the distance, the pack of Houndour and Houndoom lay, defeated, in a crumpled heap. To her left, Dawn saw the girl. The same girl who had been stuck in the tree, the same girl who had been terrified of the fiery dogs. She stood firmly and brazenly, glaring at the defeated dogs with well-deserved bravado. Near her stood her exhausted-looking Eevee.

The moment seemed to go on forever. It felt almost surreal, to think that the horror was finally over. The battle had been won in a single, devastating move.

Dawn began to feel tense. Should she say something? What could she say? 'Hi, I’m a Pokémon Ranger, thanks for rescuing me'? The horror…!

But then, "Phew!" The unnamed girl let out a sigh, racked with relief. Then a grin split across her face. "We won… oh my god, we actually won!" She sank to the ground in utter disbelief, joined thereafter by her Eevee. She held her Eevee, and told it, "we won! Eevee, we freakin won!"

"Vee! Eevee!" the little dog grinned just like her owner, and the two of them shared a tight victory hug. "I can't believe we actually did it! That was so great, Eevee!"

'Yeah, it was," Dawn piped up. She felt timid as the girl and her Pokémon looked at her. "I mean… thank you. Really." She extended her hand to the seated girl.

"You're welcome," the girl took Dawn's hand and stood up, holding her Eevee. Dawn took a moment to examine her; she had two strands of brown hair framing her face, and bright blue eyes. 'She’s kinda pretty,' Dawn thought to herself.

"My name's Dawn. I'm… kind of new to this."

"Pokémon?" asked the brunette.

"Being a Ranger," Dawn admitted sheepishly, lifting her right arm to show her the attached Capture Styler.

Both girls then shared a sudden laugh. It wasn't a condescending or embarrassing laugh – it was a genuinely warm laugh. Dawn reveled in the moment. Any kinds of awkward feelings resulting from the battle were completely dispelled. 'I think I'm going to like her,' Dawn decided.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I should tell you my name!" The brunette broke away, and struck a pose with her Eevee. "My name’s May, and I'm a Pokémon Coordinator!"

Dawn smiled at her. Coordinator or not, May was sure to become an excellent friend for Dawn. "It's nice to meet you, May."


To Be Continued!



Aw, yay! Establishing friendships is always a fun thing to write. It took forever to get that battle scene done, because battle scenes are just difficult to write, in general…

Anyway, enough of my babbling. Please leave me a review! Until Chapter 4,

Later days!

 

[Tadashi]

Ow, no reviews for me. Oh well, not like there was much to be had in the way of action =( And that I pay little attention to this fanfic.



New Characters (Thank you Pokésho!)

Ash, Jessie and James



Chapter 4: Close Combat

“Oh, I’m sorry! I should tell you my name!” The brunette broke away, and struck a pose with her Eevee. “My name’s May, and I’m a Pokémon Coordinator!”

Dawn smiled at her. Coordinator or not, May was sure to become an excellent friend for Dawn. “It’s nice to meet you, May.”​

“So, I’ve never met a Coordinator before. What is it that you do?” Dawn asked casually, sipping a cup of hot chocolate.

“Well, I travel all over the world competing in Pokémon Contests. It’s a great way to show off your Pokémon’s inner beauty, and really bond with them,” May smiled as she prattled away delightedly. “But I haven’t gotten very far yet; I’m just a beginner.”

“Oh, have you won any ribbons?”

“None I’m afraid,” May smiled wryly. “Eevee’s my only Pokémon.”

“Is that so?” Dawn gave May’s Eevee a friendly pat on the head. “It sure is a strong Pokémon. Give it time and you’ll surely unlock its potential.”

“Thanks Dawn,” May pat her Eevee in turn. “My Eevee’s a good girl. We may’ve just started our journey, but I’ve already learned a lot about her, and myself.”

Dawn looked up to the sky as she spoke. “Hey, me too. We’re just a couple of rookies, huh? All alone in this big wide world with only a single Pokémon at our sides.”

“Shut up already, you’re depressing me,” the brunette shoved Dawn playfully. The two girls giggled and played until May’s hot chocolate splashed ominously. Then they resumed sipping their hot chocolate in silence.

“Hey, you know, I have a friend who’s also a Ranger,” May piped up.

“Really?” Dawn was startled by this revelation. “Who is it? Maybe I know them!”

May smiled, pulling out a cell phone. “His name is Ash. We met a while ago, when he was on a mission in my hometown, way out in Hoenn.”

“Wow, Hoenn! That’s pretty far!”

“Yeah, it is. You know, Ash is in the area, I think. He said something about visiting Professor Hastings. You want me to call him up? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind meeting a brand new recruit.”

Dawn giggled. “Sure, why not. Call him up!”

---

Meanwhile, stumbling around the deeper wooded area of Sunny Forest was a dark-haired boy. Unfamiliar with the area and searching for the now far away Kronos Region Ranger HQ, this young Ranger scratched his head confusedly.

“Why the heck would they put the HQ right beside a forest? This makes no sense, Pikachu!”

“Pika,” the small yellow rodent agreed sourly.

The Ranger, known as Ash, prodded the screen of his Vatonage Styler again, attempting to bring up a map of the woods. Unfortunately, the area was undocumented. Ash growled in frustration. What else could go wrong?!

Luckily for Ash, he and Pikachu found their way to a shady clearing, ridding themselves of the tangled underbrush.

“Well, looks like we’re getting closer to the exit, Pikachu.”

“Pi!” the little partner Pokémon exclaimed happily.

Ash smiled happily back, but stopped suddenly. He felt a strong sense of foreboding. Like there was something dangerous in the woods, preparing to attack him. He didn’t like it. Pikachu also sensed it, tensing up and pricking its ears.

“Let’s keep moving,” Ash muttered quietly. He began to walk away carefully, not wanting to provoke the wrath of whatever was hiding in the bushes. A twig snapped loudly, and Ash jumped a mile.

“Who’s there? Show yourself!”

“Pikachu,” the little rodent said apologetically. It had stepped on the twig.

Ash groaned and put a hand on his forehead. “You gotta stop scaring me like that, buddy.”

“Pi.”

A quick breeze picked up, then it suddenly became a massive gust of wind. Ash and Pikachu ducked, shielding their eyes from the oncoming threat. Despite the dusty air, Ash could make out a fairly large armored vehicle – upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a small jet.

The door to the jet opened up, and two people stepped out.

“What is this?” Ash demanded through gritted teeth. “Who are you?”

“Prepare for trouble,” a female voice began.

“Make it double,” continued a male voice.

The windstorm quickly died down, revealing the two figures to Ash. The female had long red hair and blue eyes, while the male had short blue hair and green eyes. They both appeared to be in their mid-twenties, dressed in similar black attire and red boots. A red ‘P’ was emblazoned across their shirts. It was clear to Ash that these two were criminals, and they were after him.

Now fully aware of the danger he was in for, Ash spoke up. “Can I help you with something?”

“No, you can’t help us,” drawled the female.

“We’ll just help ourselves,” concluded the male.

“Who are you? What are your names?”

“My, such a demanding little brat, aren’t you?” the female asked patronizingly. “I guess that’s the attitude of a Top Ranger for you.”

“If you don’t tell me who you are, I shall place you under arrest,” Ash stated loudly. Pikachu tensed itself beside him, ready for combat.

“Please, spare us your lectures,” the male waved his hand. “Just surrender to us so we won’t have to do this the hard way.”

Ash raised an eyebrow quizzically. “The hard way, huh? What exactly does that mean?”

“It means no mercy, kid!” the female threw a Pokéball, and out popped a Yanmega.

Her male partner also tossed out a Pokéball, revealing a Cacturne. “Last chance, kid,” he quipped.

“I’ll never surrender to you!” Ash also tossed a Pokéball, releasing a Cyndaquil. ‘There, now we’re evenly matched,’ Ash decided.

“Alright! Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Cyndaquil, Flare Blitz!” Pikachu and Cyndaquil immediately leapt into action, launching their attacks.

“Yanmega, SonicBoom!”

“Cacturne, Pin Missile!”

Pikachu’s Thunderbolt was deflected with Pin Missile, while Sonic Boom knocked Cyndaquil backward. Ash grit his teeth. These two were strong, but he wasn’t about to give up.

“Cyndaquil, use Mimic on Yanmega!”

Cyndaquil’s eyes sparkled, and glowed white. In a flash, Cyndaquil unleashed the Sonic Boom it had copied from Yanmega. The gust was powerful, knocking both Yanmega and Cacturne down.

“Way to go, Cyndaquil! Wrap it up with Flare Blitz!” As it charged, Ash unleashed a second command. “Pikachu, Volt Tackle!”

Cacturne and Yanmega were easily knocked back as Cyndaquil and Pikachu made contact. The two crooks growled as Ash’s Pokémon returned to his side.

“Had enough, you two? Or are you going to make this difficult for yourselves?” Ash gloated, sure of his victory.

The man was quick to reply. “Oh, we’ve had enough… enough of you!” A sudden loud boom resounded, causing Ash to flinch. When he looked again, both Pikachu and Cyndaquil lay defeated, Yanmega and Cacturne standing dauntingly above them. It was over. Ash had lost.

“So kid, your time is up. Might as well come quietly, don’t you think?” The young woman’s cruel, high-pitched laughter rang ominously through the trees, leaving Ash completely at the mercy of the two mysterious crooks.


To Be Continued!



Ooo, a cliffhanger, aren’t I evil? How will Ash escape the clutches of our crooks? Only chapter 5 will tell!

Later days!