Aura Heart Journey Chapter 7 (Patreon)

That's right two chapters of Pokémon goodness in one month! Rejoice friends and fans!

Hello friends and fans, Kairomaru is here with a new chapter of Aura Heart Journey! This chapter we see Ash and Misty training at the Pewter City Pokémon Training Facility, doing another Job, plus a bit more hanging out time between the two and a leisurely ride around the City.

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Chapter 7 – Training Facility, New Job, and Riding

It was the morning of the day after purchasing their new Skiddo that Ash and Misty enjoyed breakfast together before preparing to head over to the Training Facility. After getting their Pokémon back from Nurse Joy the two trainers released their Skiddo and prepared to depart. Before they got onto Skiddo’s back Ash remembered that they hadn’t gotten the Pokémon Center to scan their new Ride Pokémon for Moves or Ability.

“Just a second, Misty, I forgot to check Skiddo’s Moves and Ability yesterday in the excitement.” Ash smiled sheepishly getting a nod from a lightly blushing Misty as she too had forgotten. Ash pointed his Pokedex at his Skiddo before scanning it for Moves.

“This Skiddo knows the following moves: Tackle, Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, and Synthesis.” The Pokedex informed getting surprised looks from both Ash and Misty.

“Wow, seven moves! Breeders really are a class apart when it comes to caring for Pokémon.” Ash breathed out in amazement.

“No kidding, Lawrence said he’d only had them for a few extra months too.” Misty exclaimed her eyes wide as she looked over her own Skiddo. Since her Skiddo and Ash’s Skiddo were brothers that had the same care and were the same age, they likely knew the same moves too.

Pokémon were capable of learning multitudes of moves when properly trained. Most high levelled Trainers had about ten moves that they used during battle and they were usually the strongest their Pokémon knew at the time. It was not to say that Pokémon simply forgot their weaker moves. Only that they had grown so strong that they actually needed to hold back to perform the weaker moves they knew. An example commonly used in school when studying to earn a Trainer License were the moves Tackle and Take Down. Many young Pokémon knew the move Tackle and it was a reliable move when battling. However once those Pokémon got older and stronger, or evolved, the most common move to ‘replace’ Tackle was Take Down. The Pokémon in question could still perform Tackle if told to, but it would have to hold back its speed and strength to perform the weaker move. Most wild Pokémon only knew three or four moves as they spent most of their time foraging, hunting, or sleeping. These moves usually tended to be the most powerful the Pokémon could perform at the time, since they used them to fight off predators or to hunt their prey.

“Let’s check your Ability, buddy.” Ash smiled as he pet his Skiddo; the Goat Pokémon gave a happy bleat as it nuzzled its Trainer’s hand. Ash switched to Ability Identifier mode and scanned Skiddo again.

“This Skiddo’s Ability is Sap Sipper. This Ability allows Skiddo to boost its Attack power when struck with Grass Type moves. This Ability also prevents damage from Grass Type moves.” The Pokedex intoned.

“That’s a super useful Ability.” Misty stated as she pet her Skiddo who nuzzled her back.

“No kidding, total immunity from Grass Type moves and you get a boost in Attack power if an opponent uses one against you. I’m probably going to use Skiddo at the Celadon Gym!” Ash grinned getting another happy bleat from his Ride Pokémon.

“You could use Skiddo at the Pewter Gym too.” Misty spoke as she sat on her Skiddo’s back and got comfortable in the saddle. “The Type advantage would make it a bit easier. Plus since you’re Beginner Level the Gym will probably make it a simple two vs two match.”

“True, but I’ll still need a second Pokémon that can battle at the Gym too. Skiddo is strong but Gym Leaders have tons of strategies for countering their specialties’ weaknesses. A Gym is a test of skill after all, so I can’t expect to win with just a single Pokémon even with Type advantage.” Ash replied as he sat on his Skiddo’s saddle and urged the Goat Pokémon forward.

“At least you’re aware of that.” Misty replied as she urged her Skiddo forward to match Ash’s pace so the two trainers could ride side-by-side. “I can’t tell you how often a Beginner Level or Rookie Level Trainer came to the Cerulean Gym with an Electric Type or Grass Type thinking they were going to get an easy Badge.”

“Can’t most Water Type Pokémon learn Ice Type moves too?” Ash asked since the two Types shared many moves between the various species.

“Exactly,” Misty nodded with a grin. “Some Water Types can even learn Ground Type moves. A sudden Aurora Beam or Mud Shot can devastate a challenger’s Grass and Electric Types. My sisters aren’t known to be forgiving since they usually just want to end the match and go back to practicing their water ballets.” The orangette sighed at her sister’s lack of motivation when it came to running their family’s Gym.

“Well then Riolu and Poliwag are probably my best bet when it comes to the Pewter Gym’s Rock Type Pokémon. Both Pidgeotto and Butterfree have a disadvantage against Rock Types. Pikachu won’t be able to rely on his Electric attacks since most Kanto Rock Types are also Ground Types. I could start training his muscles in preparation to learn Iron Tail but that’ll take a while and I don’t want to stay in Pewter City for too long.” Ash contemplated as he scratched Pikachu behind the ears when he noticed the Electric Type’s melancholy at not being able to help out at the Pewter City Gym.

“True, Pikachu are known for their speed and maneuverability rather than their physical power.” Misty replied as she got her Skiddo to make a turn to head for the Facility. Ash followed her movements since Misty had been there before. It wasn’t long before the two trainers were outside the Training Facility. Both of them were impressed that they’d gotten to the other side of Pewter City in such a short time compared to walking. Skiddo, even at a brisk walking speed, far out-sped humans on foot. Ash and Misty dismounted their Ride Pokémon and proceeded to enter the building followed by the two Skiddo.

The inside of the Training Facility was impressive to say the least. At least two dozen different trainers and their Pokémon were making use of the equipment. There was a large area which contained exercise machines from treadmills and rowing machines to punching bags and various forms of weights. There were two large swimming pools in a room behind a glass wall. There were also numerous indoor battlefields for practice battles. Off to the side there was a sectioned off area with multiple computers and specialized machines where trainers could pay for the use of TMs. Finally there was a large lounge area containing many tables, as well as several large TV screens were trainers could watch the practice battles taking place in the building while they rested from training.

"This is so cool.” Ash grinned as he looked around at everything.

“This is fairly standard for a Training Facility.” Misty responded before leading Ash over to a reception desk.

“How can I help you today?” The young woman behind the desk asked. She was probably in her early twenties and was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt with the logo of the Training Facility franchise emblazoned across it.

“One for the pool area and this is my friend’s first time at a Training Facility.” Misty stated gesturing to Ash. The receptionist nodded as she turned to Ash with a smile.

“First time, alright then, we’ll set you up with an assistant trainer to help you make the best use of the Facility. The first time is free, but if you want the assistant’s help next time an extra five hundred PokeYen fee will be applied.” The receptionist informed Ash who nodded in response. “I’ll call Bradley and he’ll be with you shortly. Until he gets here I’ll take your payments for using the Facility. That’ll be five hundred PokeYen each please.” She smiled as Ash and Misty handed over the money and each got a wristband with a tag on it. The tag merely told the staff that the person wearing it had payed to use the Facility.

“Alright Ash, I’ll be over in the pool area training up Goldeen and Poliwag if you need me.” Misty informed him as she pointed to the glass wall.

“Sure thing Misty thanks for the help.” Ash smiled getting one in return from Misty.

“Goldeen is really close to learning Water Pulse so we’re going to train extra hard today!” Misty exclaimed with her fist held high as she walked over to the pool room followed by her Skiddo. Ash chuckled at his friend’s excitement as he waited for the assistant trainer Bradley to meet him at the desk.

“Hey are you the new guy?” A man in his twenties asked as he approached Ash.

“That’s me, Ash Ketchum.” Ash confirmed as the man shook his hand.

“Nice to meet you, Ash! The names Bradley, but just call me Brad! I’ll show you how to get the most out of the Training Facility!” Brad stated with a grin as he motioned for Ash to follow him. Ash followed after the older guy as he led him towards the exercise machines. “So what Type of Pokémon are we training today?” he asked as they walked.

“I’ve got Pikachu here plus a Riolu, Poliwag, Pidgeotto, Butterfree and Skiddo.” Ash replied as he pointed to Pikachu and Skiddo when he mentioned them.

“So two Flying Types, an Electric Type, a Fighting Type, a Water Type, and a Grass Type. You’ve got a pretty diverse team. Let’s start off with some strength and endurance training.” Brad nodded as he brought the group over to the area with the weights. A quick explanation of how to strap the weights to his Pokémon and all six were given a task to perform. Butterfree and Pidgeotto were to fly laps around the large open space near the ceiling. Ash’s other four Pokémon were all put on treadmills fit for their size and started at a brisk pace. The exception was Poliwag who was put on a slightly slower pace do to the species having notoriously low endurance when on land.

“So this weight training will help Poliwag strengthen its legs so that it can move better on land?” Ash asked as he watched his Water Type slowly walk on the treadmill with a weight strapped to its back.

“It sure will. Poliwag that learn how to walk on land and strengthen their legs before they evolve always have better endurance and overall strength than ones that don’t. Plus Poliwhirl that have better leg strength can actually learn Mega Kick from the TM station over there.” Brad explained as he pointed at the sectioned off area.

“That’s interesting.” Ash mused as he watched his Pokémon work out. “Can I join them? If my Pokémon are going to do physical training to get better I want them to know that I’m with them one hundred percent of the way.”

“Hell yeah! A trainer after my own heart!” Brad exclaimed with a fist pump. “Of course you can join them! Pokémon respond well when their trainer trains with them rather than just barking orders.” With a grin Ash took off his t-shirt, leaving him in just his white tank top under shirt, as he got onto a treadmill next to Pikachu. Brad helped him set the treadmills speed and soon Ash was jogging next to his Pokémon. “Seeing a trainer so dedicated to their Pokémon has got me fired up! I’ll join you guys with my buddy!” Brad grinned as he released a Pokémon from the Pokeball he pulled off his belt. A flash of white light revealed Brad’s Pokémon to be a large Machoke.

“Choke!” The Machoke called out as it flexed its arms.

“Alright Machoke, we’ve got a dedicated trainer here so let’s join him and his team for some cardio!” Brad announced getting a nod from Machoke as both trainer and Pokémon got onto their own treadmills and started at a jogging pace.

“Your Machoke is pretty big.” Ash commented a moment after Brad and Machoke started jogging.

“Yeah I’ve raised him since he was a Machop. He’s about four years old now.” Brad replied as he watched his Fighting Type jog on the treadmill next to him. “He wants to hit his physical peak before he evolves so we work out and train all the time.”

“I heard Machoke take years to evolve naturally.” Ash replied as he continued to jog.

“Oh yeah, five years old is the earliest on record. But it’s more common for a Machoke to be six years old before they evolve. While battle is a big part of a Machoke’s evolution it’s also about time, they need to be strong enough to handle the amount of power they’ll gain upon evolving so they take a while to develop and train. There is a way around the waiting time but most Fighting Type experts don’t recommend it.” Brad said with a shake of his head.

“A Trade Machine.” Ash stated as he looked over at his exercising team.

“Yep, those machines cause certain species to evolve when they’re put through it during a trade. I’m not sure if anyone’s figured out why, but it happens.” Brad exhaled before breathing deeply. “But Machoke wants to do it the natural way so we’re taking it slow.”

“Probably for the best.” Ash nodded as he recalled his father’s Machamp and how powerful it was. If he remembered correctly his dad’s Machamp was around twenty two years old now. The Fighting Type was incredibly strong even by the standards of its species and Bruno’s slow and steady method of training it while raising it up from a Machop had clearly borne fruit.

“I sometimes wonder about those other Pokémon that can be evolved by going through a Trade Machine. How long would some of them take to evolve naturally? I guess I’m just curious since I’m raising a Machoke myself.” Brad chuckled as he looked over Ash’s Pokémon to make sure none of them were getting overworked.

“According to the last research I heard about when in school Graveler take around ten or so years to naturally evolve into Golem. But their diet is supposed to have some effect on the length of time. I’m not sure about Kadabra, but according to old stories and legends a Haunter that lives to be one hundred years old will evolve into a Gengar. Ghost Types have an odd life cycle to begin with and I don’t think anyone has ever confirmed one to have died of old age.” Ash informed the assistant trainer.

“Whew, that’s a long time to try and train Pokémon!” Brad laughed at the thought of trying to be a Pokémon trainer for a hundred years. “Well, that should be enough cardio. Let’s take a quick breather and do some free weights next.”

“Sure thing.” Ash replied as he and his team slowed to a walk before getting off the treadmills. Brad and his Machoke led the group over to the free weights and showed them proper weight lifting technique so that they wouldn’t injure themselves. Ash joined his Pokémon again while watching them work. Pidgeotto and Butterfree were holding onto weights and lifting them without the use of their wings. Both Flying Types were clearly not used to this type of workout but Brad promised it would make them stronger. Pikachu and Riolu were lifting small dumb bells and setting them back down only to lift them again. Poliwag was using his tail to lift a small kettle bell and set it back down. Skiddo had a weight strapped to each leg and had to lift them individually and then set his foot back down before lifting the next leg. Each leg went in rotation to get them worked out evenly. Ash was doing curls while watching Brad’s Machoke do the same. The only difference being that while Ash’s dumb bells were twenty pounds each, Machoke’s were easily a hundred pounds each and the Fighting Type was curling them as if they were ten pounders.

“Alright, now let’s get in some work on the bag!” Brad exclaimed as the group put their weights back where they belonged. Brad showed the Pokémon how to strike the punching bag and had Machoke hold the bag steady for them to take turns striking it. Riolu was clearly in his element as the small Fighting Type took to the exercise with gusto. Pikachu did fairly well hitting the bag with his small fists and even throwing in a tail strike every now and then. Pidgeotto was striking with her wings while Butterfree and Skiddo were performing tackles against the bag. Poliwag repeatedly attacked the bag with his tail during his turn. Through all of this Machoke barely moved at all the Fighting Type displaying the immense strength his species were known for. After working the bag for a while Brad told Ash to let his Pokémon cool down with a swim in the pool room or in Skiddo, Butterfree and Pidgeotto’s case a leisurely walk/fly around the perimeter of the large room. As Ash collected his t-shirt and threw it over his shoulder he followed Brad over to the pool area. 

“Well if you have any questions about the Facility feel free to come and ask me Ash. I have to make my rounds now so I should be easy to spot.” Brad explained as he shook hands with Ash.

“Thanks for the help Brad. I’ll be sure to work the things you’ve shown me into my team’s training.” Ash nodded as the assistant trainer headed off to walk the Facility and help other trainers and their Pokémon. Ash led his Pokémon into the pool area and sat down on a lounge chair while his Pokémon enjoyed their cool down time. Pikachu, Riolu and Poliwag were playfully swimming in the shallow end of one of the large pools while Skiddo wandered over to meet up with Misty’s Skiddo. Pidgeotto and Butterfree were slowly flying around the large room and landing occasionally before taking off again.

Looking around Ash noticed two girls sitting in their own lounge chairs off to the side of the pool. Both were probably around seventeen and were chatting with each other. Noticing Misty’s rucksack next to a lounge chair near the older girls Ash wondered where she’d gone off to. His question was answered when Misty, with her Goldeen and Poliwag, broke the surface of the other pool and swam next to each other. Misty got to the shallow area where she could stand without issue before petting her Pokémon.

“Great work today you two! I’m so proud of you Goldeen; you’ve got Water Pulse down perfectly!” Misty praised her Pokémon getting happy cries from the two Water Types. Recalling both of her Pokémon into their Pokeballs Misty turned around to see Ash sitting on a lounge chair and looking at her. “Hey, Ash, when did you get here?” she asked as she made her way to the pool ladder.

“Just a minute ago, I’m letting my Pokémon cool down from their workout.” Ash replied as he watched Misty climb out of the pool. Seeing water cascade down Misty’s body sent a blush across Ash’s face. Especially considering Misty was wearing a blue bikini and it was the most of the orangette’s body he’d seen so far.

“That’s good; a cool down is healthy after a workout.” Misty responded as she walked over to her rucksack, bent down and pulled out a towel from it. Ash hadn’t been able to avert his gaze from his friend’s body and was now sure that the sight of her firm butt in a blue bikini bottom was going to be etched into his memory for a very long time. Misty turned around and draped the towel around herself as she walked over to Ash and placed her rucksack on the chair next to his. “Watch my bag while I go change, please.”

“Sure thing, Misty.” Ash nodded as he watched her smile at him before turning and walking towards the changing room. Ash’s gaze was once again drawn to Misty’s nice bottom as it moved with the slight sway of her hips as she walked. Just as Misty got to the changing room door she turned back to look at Ash and noticed his gaze. Ash seeing Misty looking at him as he looked at her blushed profusely. Misty’s face gained a hint of pink before she seemed to shake it off and gave Ash a wink. Ash widened his eyes at Misty outright flirting with him when she’d caught him looking at her, but before he could react the orangette had disappeared into the changing room.

“That was too cute!” One of the older girls squealed as she and her friend giggled at Ash. Ash was fairly certain his face was emitting steam at this point as he tried to hide his blushing from the giggling teen girls. A few short minutes later and Ash was helping his Pokémon dry off before returning them to their Pokeballs to rest. Just as Pikachu climbed back up onto his shoulder Ash heard footsteps behind him. Turning around he came face to face with Misty, her navy blue midriff bearing t-shirt and light blue jean shorts from this morning back on, with a grin brightening her face.

“Ready to get some lunch, Ash?” Misty asked her grin still in place.

“Of course.” Ash replied as he turned his face away slightly feeling some heat return to his cheeks. Looking back to meet Misty’s gaze a moment later Ash’s eyes widened again when he noticed Misty’s eyes roving over his tank top clad torso. “Uh, Misty, you alright?” he asked feeling his face flare up again.

“Yeah, I’m good.” Misty replied as she caught his eyes and winked again. “Just getting my own look in, fair is fair after all.” Ash rubbed the back of his head and chuckled sheepishly as he followed Misty towards the door of the pool area with their Skiddo following behind them.

“Sorry if I made you uncomfortable, Misty, I didn’t mean to.” Ash apologized hoping he hadn’t offended Misty or made her uncomfortable.

“You’re not a creep or being perverted about it. So, honestly, I’m sort of flattered.” Misty replied as she waved off his apology. “When you grow up with three older sisters that all the boys consider bombshells you tend to get used to being overlooked.”

“Who could overlook you?” Ash asked without thinking before he could stop himself. He saw Misty’s eyes widen before she graced him with that wonderful, warm and glowing smile he’d seen when he’d given her the Water Stone. ‘I really like that smile.’ Ash thought to himself as he and Misty reached the reception counter and turned in their wristbands. Walking out of the Training Facility Misty breathed in deeply before sighing as she exhaled. Turning towards Ash to see him putting his t-shirt back on she grinned before speaking.

“Well since its lunch time how about we go grab something to eat and then find a Job to get some more cash?” Misty asked as she looked at her friend.

“Sounds good, you just want to grab something quick and ride back over to the Pokémon Center?” Ash asked as they prepared to get on their Skiddo’s backs.

“Yeah, that sounds like a plan.” Misty replied before a smirk came to her lips. “Since you got a little show at the pool I’ll even let you pay for my lunch.” She teased.

“Show?!” Ash sputtered as he looked at Misty his face completely red. Misty couldn’t contain her laughter at the look on Ash’s face.

“Hahaha! Your face, you should see your face right now!” Misty laughed joyfully as Ash turned away from her to hide his blush. “Alright, alright I’m just teasing.” She giggled as Ash finally turned back to look at her. “Let’s get lunch, okay?”

“Alright, let’s go.” Ash responded as they both got onto their Skiddo and urged the Ride Pokémon forward towards a fast food restaurant. Just a few minutes later the two were standing in front of a menu at a burger place and reading over the selection.

“So what are you getting, Misty?” Ash asked the orangette as he decided on his order.

“Hmm, a number one looks good, a classic burger with a one hundred percent Tauros beef patty and fries.” Misty nodded. Ash moved up to an available register and placed both their orders on one ticket. After paying the teen behind the counter Ash collected the receipt and returned to Misty’s side. “Ash! I wasn’t serious about you paying for my lunch!” She exclaimed making to get out her pocketbook and pay Ash back. Ash’s hand on her arm stopped her as he smiled at her.

“Its fine Misty, I want to.” Ash smiled before smirking as he leaned in and whispered into her ear. “Besides, buying lunch is a small price to pay for such a nice ‘show’.” Misty blushed to the roots of her hair as Ash turned her earlier joke against her and playfully swatted his arm in retaliation. Ash chuckled at seeing Misty embarrassed before hearing their number called and going to retrieve their food. A moment later the two trainers were happily sitting outside at a table with their Skiddo lying down next to them.

“Good stuff.” Misty smiled as she took another bite of her burger.

“A good burger is always welcome.” Ash nodded as he held out a piece of lettuce to his Skiddo, the Goat Pokémon happily scarfing it down in short order. The two finished their lunch while chatting and feeding their Skiddo with extra lettuce. After throwing away their trash the two climbed back on their Skiddo and rode over to the Pokémon Center.

“So what kind of job should we take today?” Ash asked as he and Misty looked over the board in the Trainer Lounge of the Center.

“Hey, what about this?” Misty asked as she held up a flyer from the Beginner Level board. The flyer was asking for a Trainer to catch a Jigglypuff for the parents of a local girl. The little girl’s birthday was coming up and the parents wanted to get her a Jigglypuff as a pet. But neither parent had any luck when searching around the rocky grass fields at the base of Mt. Moon for one of the gentle Fairy Types.

“That looks easy enough. Plus we have a few days to get it done if we need it.” Ash mused as he read over the flyer.

“With Skiddo we should be able to get to the areas around Mt. Moon where Jigglypuff can be found in less than an hour. With two of us and a little luck we should be able to finish this up before the end of the day.” Misty stated with confidence.

“Alright then, let’s go catch a Jigglypuff.” Ash nodded as the two quickly headed out the door and let their Skiddo out of their Pokeballs. After mounting the Ride Pokémon the two trainers urged them forward at a moderate speed towards the edge of town and Route Three. A few minutes later the duo had reached Route Three and told their Skiddo to speed up. Ash and Misty were thankfully prepared when both of their Skiddo quickly bolted forward onto the rocky Route. Each of the Ride Pokémon had a top speed of around fifty five kilometers per hour when carrying an average rider. With a pack added on their speed slowed down to around forty five kilometers per hour to account for both weight and the safety of their rider. Since Ash and Misty weren’t carrying their packs, only having Misty’s rucksack with them, their Skiddo were free to bolt along the Route at top speed. It was only a short time later that the trainers found themselves in a mountain grass field.

“This is a preferred habitat for Jigglypuff. Keep your eyes peeled.” Misty whispered as they rode their Skiddo slowly through the tall grass.

“Got it, did you eat your Chesto Berry?” Ash asked as he looked around the large field.

“Yep, gave one to Skiddo too, we shouldn’t have to worry about being put to sleep for the next hour or so.” Misty replied happy that they’d found the berries on a bush just before they’d entered the large grassy area. As the two slowly searched through the area Ash called out his Butterfree and had it start flying above the area to look for the pink coloring of a Jigglypuff. Almost an hour later Ash noticed Butterfree circling a rocky area in the field and motioned Misty to follow him.

Ash and Misty slowly rode their Skiddo over to the area Butterfree was circling. Misty motioned Ash to take the left side of the outcropping while she went around the right side. After circling around the large rocks the trainers came face-to-face with a large, pink puff ball of a Pokémon.

“Jiggly?” The Jigglypuff looked at them questioningly before noticing they were humans. “Puff!” The Fairy Type quickly bounced over the edge of the outcropping and out of sight.

“You’re not getting away that easily!” Ash called out as he urged Skiddo forward. The Goat Pokémon had no issues scaling the rocks and leaping over the other side to chase the Jigglypuff while Misty rode around the rocks instead. The Jigglypuff continued to bounce through the tall grass making excellent use of its body’s elasticity.

“I didn’t know Jigglypuff could move so fast!” Misty called out as their Skiddo closed in on the bouncing Fairy Type.

“It’s actually bouncing instead of running! That’s a pretty smart form of locomotion for a light-weight Pokémon like Jigglypuff!” Ash yelled back as they were almost caught up with the fleeing Pokémon. The Jigglypuff seeing the humans closing in on it resorted to its species default self-defense tactic when cornered, the Sing move.

“Jig~ gly~ puff~ Jiggly~ yy~ Puff~” Jigglypuff began to sing as a wave of Normal Type Aura, invisible to non-Aura users, spread across the field.

“That’s not going to work on us!” Ash called out before giving Skiddo an attack. “Skiddo, use Vine Whip and hold it in place!” Skiddo launched two vines from its leafy coat trying to wrap them around the singing Pokémon. Jigglypuff, noticing the incoming attack, bounced out of the way and tried to flee again.

“Oh no you don’t!” Misty called out as she and her Skiddo cut off the Fairy Type’s escape route. “Skiddo, grab it with Vine Whip!” Her Skiddo also launched two vines at the bouncing Pokémon. Jigglypuff managed to dodge them only to get tripped up by the vines of Ash’s Skiddo behind it. While it stumbled all four vines were quickly wrapped around the Fairy Type and Ash called Butterfree down from where he was hovering.

“Butterfree use Confusion!” Ash called out getting a noise of confirmation from Butterfree before he unleashed the Psychic Type attack on the trapped Jigglypuff. Ash had known that Butterfree naturally learned Gust upon evolving from Metapod. He’d only found out the first morning of their stay in Pewter City that his Butterfree had also learned how to use Confusion. That had been a welcome surprise for Ash and he’d celebrated with Butterfree by buying a small bottle of nectar from the Pokémon Center and letting the Bug Type drain it dry.

After the blue glow of Confusion had faded from around Jigglypuff, Misty had pulled out a Pokeball and tossed it at the weakened Fairy Type. In a flash of red light Jigglypuff was sucked into the ball which proceeded to shake wildly for a few moments. Only after hearing the sound of a successful capture did the two trainers release the breath they’d been holding.

“Great job, Misty!” Ash congratulated his friend with a smile.

“You too, Ash! It was your Butterfree that weakened Jigglypuff.” Misty returned the congratulations as her Skiddo retrieved the Pokeball with its vines and handed it to Misty. Misty smiled at her Ride Pokémon and rewarded him with pets and scratches behind the ears.

“I guess we should head back. With Skiddo we should have plenty of time to turn Jigglypuff over to the new owners.” Ash suggested getting a nod from Misty as they had their Skiddo pick up a good pace back towards Pewter City. Just over an hour later Ash and Misty handed over Jigglypuff’s Pokeball to a pair of ecstatic parents and were given the eight thousand PokeYen compensation. Splitting it evenly had both trainers four thousand richer and in a good mood.

“So what should we do now?” Misty asked as they rode leisurely along a road in Pewter City.

“Well we still have a few hours of daylight. Do you want to ride around and go see some of the sites around the city? You know… together?” Ash asked as they continued to slowly ride through the street.

“Oh? Now who is asking who on a date?” Misty teased Ash with his own words from the Pokemart back in Viridian City.

“So…is that a no?” Ash questioned cautiously not wanting to ruin his friendship with Misty.

“Of course I’ll go see the sites with you, Ash.” Misty responded with a smile getting Ash to beam back at her.

“Awesome!” Ash fist pumped before hearing Misty giggle at his reaction. Turning towards the orangette Ash chuckled lightly as Misty grinned and winked at him before she started leading him to their first destination for the afternoon.

“I’m sure you’ll like this place. It’s the building they built to let people see the remains of the Onix that the founder of Pewter City used to help carve out the beginnings of the City from the mountains. It’s huge even for an Onix; it easily surpasses the average twenty eight feet length of the species.” Misty informed getting a nod from Ash as he listened intently. The two smiled happily as they rode side-by-side towards the area; all the while a warm joyful feeling spread through them. Neither realized that it wasn’t just their emotions making them feel this way, but that their individual Auras had begun to slowly entwine with one another.

-End Chapter-

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So now we see how Ash will be spending quite a bit of his time in Pewter City! Training, Jobs, and spending time with Misty. The Aura thing will be explained in time, but for now speculate and come up with your own theories! I hope everyone has enjoyed this chapter and is eagerly looking forward to the next!

*!*Important Read Below*!*

I'm still accepting Original Characters from my patrons for this story! Most would be one off trainers that Ash or Misty battle along their journey. But others could be Trainers that impart life lessons onto Ash, Misty, or his other travelling companions! Wouldn’t you like your Original Character to teach Ash an important life lesson? Or just teach Ash how to loosen up and enjoy a party? So be sure to submit some characters! If you make them detailed enough I might be able to do a small mini arc with your character and Ash’s group! 

Some Original Characters could end up filling in some of the new Gym Leader spots that will be in the various Regions! 

I've posted a Character Template to fill out so that I have an easier time integrating the OC into this Alternate Universe of the Pokémon World. Gym Leaders for Kanto only have eight Types left to choose from. Ash will probably only challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms and Steel Type and Flying Type are two of them. Steel Type already has an OC planned out but Flying Type does not!

Until I get your reviews, later!