Aura Heart Journey Chapter 27 (Patreon)

Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Aura Heart Journey! Azure Town, time to see the sights and prepare for another Gym Battle! The Gym Leader, Jack, uses Flying Types! Not just any Flying Types though! Unusual Flying Types like the Crobat Line! The Jumpluff Line! Those kinds of Flying Types! How will Ash fair against more uncommon Pokémon that are expertly trained?

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So without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 27 – Azure Town

The morning dawned bright and with clear skies. Ash and Misty shared their normal good morning kiss as they woke up. The couple stretched and got dressed for the day inside the tent. Emerging to check out the weather, both Trainers breathed in deeply the fresh spring air. Seeing Henry’s Meganium and Noctowl out the couple greeted the two Pokémon. Meganium looked like it had just woken up not long ago while Noctowl seemed to be dozing off now that the sun was up.

“That’s smart,” Misty commented noticing the system that Henry had set up for protection. “Noctowl are nocturnal, more often than not, so it keeps watch overnight. Meganium, as a Grass Type, wakes up when its’ leaves are warmed by the sun and takes over watch so that Noctowl can sleep.”

“That is a good system.” Ash agreed seeing the now dozing Owl Pokémon and the fully awake Meganium.

The two began to pack up the tent together and prepare for their continued journey to Azure Town. Shortly after they got the tent packed away they both released their Gogoats. The two large Ride Pokémon both happily bleated at being under the bright sunlight again. Ash and Misty let the two Grass Types graze and fill their bellies, while drinking from the nearby stream, so that they’d be ready for a few more hours of travel.

“Morning you two,” Henry yawned as he opened the camper door. “Noctowl, return, you did great again buddy.” He recalled Noctowl into its Pokéball in a red beam of light. “Since you two provided the food last night, I’ll whip us up some breakfast! Eggs, bacon, and pancakes sound good to you?”

“Sound’s great.” Misty nodded with a smile.

“It should fill us up until we reach Azure Town.” Ash agreed with the breakfast plans.

“Great, I’ll get started!” Henry grinned as he went into the camper to start cooking. In just a few minutes the sound of sizzling could be heard and a great aroma was drifting out of the camper’s open door. Clearly Henry was putting the kitchenette in his camper to good use.

“Let’s check the weather forecast.” Ash flipped-open his PokéGear and turned on the radio function. He scanned a few times before finding the appropriate station for their area.

“It’s going to be another beautiful day today, folks! Sunny with clear skies and a pleasant twenty-three degrees Celsius, or seventy-four degrees Fahrenheit if you prefer! Azure Town is looking lovely as always and the days are still getting longer! Tomorrow is still looking clear, but we could see some scattered showers later this week…” The radio continued but Ash and Misty had heard what they needed to for now.

“Another good day for traveling.” Misty smiled happily at the news. “Maybe we should have some music for the trip?”

“I wouldn’t mind.” Ash chuckled as he watched their Gogoats drink from the stream.

“Breakfast is coming through!” Henry laughed as he brought out a tray with three plates and three cups on it. Each plate had two pancakes, three strips of bacon, and scrambled eggs on it. “The glasses are empty, but I have a few different things to drink. Would you like tea, orange juice, apple juice, milk, or water?”

“Milk would be nice.” Misty requested politely.

“I’ll have apple juice, thank you.” Ash chose and Henry was quick to fetch the two containers from his mini-fridge.

Once drinks were poured for everyone, breakfast began in full. Syrup was offered for the pancakes and chatting began. Ash and Misty explained their plans to travel to Azure Town for Ash’s next Gym Badge. Henry had already told them his plans, but did recommend they check out the beach in Azure Town. Watching the Mantine and Mantyke leap out of the water was a sight to see. Seeing the sparkles in Misty’s eyes, Ash smiled warmly at his girlfriend and made a note to have a date to the beach. Breakfast concluded amid similar talk a while later.

“It was nice meeting you two, Ash, Misty.” Henry smiled at both of the teens. “I’ll be watching the Indigo League Conference this year, so you better make it, Ash!”

“I’ll do my best!” Ash smirked with determination blazing in his eyes.

“You two have a good trip!” Henry waved as he climbed into the coachman’s seat of his modified camper.

“You too!” Misty waved back, along with Ash, as they watched Meganium walk forward. The camper rolled along behind the sauropod-like Pokémon and headed down the Route towards Cerulean City.

“Ready to head out?” Ash asked as their Gogoats stood next to the couple.

“Yeah, let’s get to Azure Town today.” Misty grinned at her boyfriend. The couple mounted their Ride Pokémon and was quickly back on the road, heading north.

The riding was easy as ever, Gogoat had been ridden for centuries for a reason. The Grass Types easily handled the terrain of the Route, whether it was flat, rocky, inclined or sloping. They passed the fork that veered off into Route Twenty Five before noon. The Route ended in a cape that was surrounded by rocks. So there wasn’t much reason to travel down the Route for the couple. A gentle breeze passing over them that smelled of grass and flowers alerted the couple of their approach to the town. They crested a good-sized hill and saw the flat grasslands that led down into the shoreline, Azure Town sat in front of the picturesque landscape. The town was vibrant with flowers and the grasslands were dotted with spots of color from various flowers as well.

“It’s beautiful up here as always.” Misty smiled happily at returning to the place she’d won her second tournament.

“It really is.” Ash agreed as he took in the scenery. “No wonder the Breeders’ Association has their largest facility up here. There’s so much space for Pokémon to roam!”

The couple urged their Ride Pokémon forward and they headed for the town proper. The air was fresh and clean, a river ran through Azure Town and down Route Twenty Four. Looking into the sky the couple spotted multitudes of Flying Type Pokémon. Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Hoppip, Skiploom, Jumpluff, Butterfree, and even Combee! As they rode into Azure Town, the sounds of human life filled their ears.

People were chatting, working, walking, and the like. Pokémon flitted here and there along the rooftops and through the streets. Some Pokémon were assisting with work, like the Tauros the couple saw pulling a large cart full of stone. Flying Types were in abundance on the rooftops, and the scent of flowers filled the air from all of the colorful blossoms that covered the sides of the street and grew in residents’ yards and gardens. Butterfree and Combee especially seemed to love these flowers as the species could both be seen collecting pollen and nectar for themselves.

“Come on, Ash, I know where the Pokémon Center is.” Misty informed as she directed her Gogoat down a wide street that intersected the main thoroughfare of the town. They rode down the street for a bit before Ash saw the signature red roof of the Pokémon Center.

“Oh Butterfree is going to love this place!” Ash chortled as he saw that the Pokémon Center was full of flowers. Surrounding the building was a lovely garden with a path people could walk through. The bushes along said path were flowering wonderfully. The walls of the Center were also covered in blooming vines with bright flowers too.

“Absolutely,” Misty giggled as they both dismounted their Ride Pokémon and let them enjoy the large lawn that surrounded the Pokémon Center. The two Grass Types were given pats and praise for getting them to Azure Town and told to enjoy the sunshine as long as they didn’t leave the Pokémon Center’s property. Twin bleats of agreement were given before the Gogoat brothers trotted off to check out the area.

“Welcome to the Pokémon Center, how can I help you today?” The Nurse Joy on duty asked with a friendly smile.

“We’d like to rent a room.” Ash informed the Nurse as he set his debit card on the counter.

“Of course, that’s not a problem.” Nurse Joy nodded as she tapped the computer screen next to her and then swiped Ash’s debit card. “There we are; a room with one full-size bed for one night. If you want to rent for longer we can set that up now or you can renew tomorrow morning before noon.”

“We’ll renew, we’re splitting the cost.” Misty had a gentle smile on her face and Nurse Joy gave a warm grin to the couple. They were so cute!

“Okay then, here’s your room keys, please enjoy your stay.” Nurse Joy gave a small bow to the teens.

Ash and Misty made their way upstairs towards their room. Finding it quickly, the couple entered and set down their packs. It was a standard room with an attached bathroom, slightly pricier than the normal rooms with bunk beds. The couple didn’t want to use the communal washing facilities though. They couldn’t shower together if they did that! Checking that there Pokéballs were secured, the couple decided to check out Azure Town and get something to eat. Leaving the Pokémon Center, they both recalled their Gogoats into their Pokéballs as they headed out.

“They really do raise all sorts of Pokémon here, don’t they?” Ash marveled at the wide assortment of Pokémon and farms.

“Yep, everything from Ride Pokémon, to farming for material like wool, leather, meat, milk, eggs, poultry, they do almost everything up here.” Misty confirmed as they walked along the edge of Azure Town to take in the sights.

“They have Mareep,” Ash grinned as he saw the Wool Pokémon grazing in a large fenced off field. A few Flaaffy and even two Ampharos were also in the field, watching over the herd of their pre-evolved forms. “My cold weather jacket is lined with Mareep wool.” He mentioned as he watched the sheep graze for a bit.

“Oh, Ash, look! They have a black Mareep!” Misty gushed as she jogged down the pathway a bit to get closer to the particular Mareep. The odd-colored Pokémon was surrounded by its’ normal-colored brethren and grazing peacefully. It glanced up, still chewing, as it noticed Misty and Ash looking at it. After a moment the black Mareep went back to grazing without a care.

“Huh, I thought Mareep’s Shiny coloration had pinkish or purplish colored wool?” Ash remarked as he looked at the Mareep.

“Ah, I see you noticed our black sheep.” A man called out to them with a chuckle. He was older, probably in his forties, with blonde hair and a full beard. He had brown eyes and wore a pair of denim coveralls. Around his neck was a towel for wiping away sweat. He had durable leather boots on his feet to finish his outfit.

“It’s cute!” Misty smiled at the black Mareep. “I’ve only heard about black Mareep before. I’ve never actually seen one in person.”

“Yeah, most think it’s some variation of Shiny coloration, but it’s not.” The man shook his head with a grin. “That little lady is melanistic, or ‘all black’ as it’s sometimes called. We’re hoping we might be able to breed the trait from her and have a section of black Mareep in the future. Unfortunately, much like Shiny coloration, melanism is a very recessive trait and that makes it incredibly difficult to breed.”

“That’s cool.” Ash smiled at the black Mareep as the group of Electric Types wandered off to a new area to graze some more. “Would that affect her evolved forms too?”

“A bit, she’d likely be a much darker-toned Flaaffy and Ampharos when she grows older and evolves. Though her wool production will decrease as a Flaaffy and stop completely as an Ampharos.” The farmer answered Ash with a nod.

“I knew about Shiny coloration and Breeding Traits, I’d also heard of albinism too.” Ash spoke as he watched the, now distant, black Mareep. “I don’t recall hearing about melanism in Pokémon though.”

“Melanism and Albinism are both rare traits,” The farmer explained with a grin. “But they happen a bit less often than Shiny coloration. It’s trying to keep those particular recessive traits that are the bane of Breeders everywhere.”

“Thanks for letting us look at her, she’s cute!” Misty thanked the man with a short bow. Ash followed suit, giving a bow to the kind man for not trying to run them off or something. Ash wouldn’t be surprised if the man had been hounded by people that wanted to buy his black Mareep.

“It is fine; you youngsters were just admiring her, not like those greedy collectors that’ve been by here trying to buy her.” The farmer shook his head with a grimace. “You’d think they’d learn after a few months of being told ‘No’, but they still show up from time to time.”

“We’ll be on our way then, sir. Have a nice day.” Ash waved as he and Misty started walking away.

“You too, kids!” The farmer chuckled as he waved back. “Polite kids, well, back to work.” He headed back towards the barn to continue his work for the day.

The couple walked for a bit, holding hands the whole way, and entered the market area of Azure Town. Looking around the couple was inundated with the sounds of the market. People chatting, haggling, calling out to potential customers, it was a lively place. Misty and Ash did a little window shopping as they walked along, nothing had really caught their interest so far but it was nice to look. A wonderful smell filled the air as they got about halfway down the market street. A ruble from each of their stomachs reminded the two that they hadn’t eaten since breakfast.

“Hungry are ya?” An older man chuckled from where he was sitting. The man was elderly, with a short, white beard and wrinkles on his face. He wore a flat cap on his head and dressed in a white button up shirt with a black vest over it and dark-green pants. He had a smoking pipe in his hand that he’d pulled from his mouth. “That wonderful aroma comes from the Tauros Head restaurant.” The old man grinned at them. “Right down that street, and it’s on the left, big sign, ya can’t miss it.” He motioned towards a street on the opposite side of the marketplace street with his pipe.

“Thank you, sir.” Ash and Misty chorused and gave a nod to the elder.

“I recommend the honey-glazed brisket! They do it properly, slow-cooked and using the natural Combee honey for the flavor; you won’t find that just anywhere.” The old man chuckled softly when he saw both teens practically drooling.

Misty and Ash made their way towards the pointed out street and enjoyed the increasing aroma. It smelled absolutely wonderful! The old man was right; they couldn’t have missed the restaurant. The sign over the door was large and depicted a Tauros charging. Ash held the door open for Misty and the two entered the building. They were quickly seated and given menus. Both ordered the house sweet tea to drink as they looked over the menu.

“Yeah, that brisket sounds good and the picture looks amazing.” Misty grinned at the item on the menu.

“You want to get the sixteen ounce of brisket and split it?” Ash asked his girlfriend with a smile. Misty felt her cheeks heat up a little at the offer, but she agreed without hesitation.

When the waiter returned with the bread rolls, the couple was ready to order. When they ordered the sixteen ounce brisket and the accompanying sides, the waiter nodded as he wrote it down. A lot of travelers came to the Tauros Head restaurant to try their brisket after all!

“One of our most popular items,” The waiter smiled at the teens. “Marinated, slow-cooked, with a honey glaze, the meat is so tender it practically melts in your mouth.”

The waiter wasn’t wrong. The couple had a bread roll each with butter before their order was brought out. The smell was heavenly and they happily dug into the meat. Tender was an understatement, this meat was beyond tender! It might as well have been pure deliciousness made solid!

“Ash, say ‘ah’…” Misty grinned as she held a bite of the brisket up to him.

“Ah…” Ash played along as he let Misty feed him. The meal quickly became the two feeding each other every few bites. After finishing their meal and paying the couple was all smiles as they continued taking in the sights of Azure Town.

The couple noticed a shop as they were walking around that drew their attention. The sign read ‘Shelby’s Charms and Gifts’ and both decided to go inside and look around. The bell over the door rang as they entered, drawing the attention of a woman in her twenties to them. The Vulpix she was petting also glanced at the curiously for a moment.

“Welcome to Shelby’s Charms and Gifts, I’m Shelby; can I help you with anything?” The woman, Shelby, asked as she smiled pleasantly at the couple. “I’ve got just about anything you could want when it comes to Charms and Gifts for people or Pokémon. If there is anything in particular you’re looking for, please, let me know.”

“We’re just looking at the moment, thank you.” Misty replied as she and Ash began looking at the various displays. The items were rather impressive to say the least. All the classic Charms were on display. Oval Charms, Shiny Charms, Catching Charms, Experience Charms, and several styles of Old Charm that were meant to offer protection, luck, health, and multitudes of other things. There were even bouquets of flowers and other assortments of gifts.

“Let me know if anything catches your eye.” Shelby smiled softly. “I’ll explain anything you’re unfamiliar with.”

“Hmm, what kind of flowers are these?” Ash wondered while looking over a bouquet of pink flowers.

“Those are Gracidea flowers, they’re meant to convey gratitude and appreciation to those they’re given to.” Shelby explained happily. “They’re also a favorite of the Mythical Pokémon Shaymin. They’re rarely seen around Azure Town, but there have been enough confirmed sightings, with pictures to back them up in some cases, to confirm that the species does come here.”

“A Mythical Pokémon, really?!” Ash and Misty both exclaimed in near unison.

“Yes, I was lucky enough to see one when I was younger. They’re very cute!” Shelby gushed as she reminisced about the Mythical Grass Type she had seen years ago.

Mythical Pokémon were a class unto themselves. Legendary Pokémon were immensely powerful, forces of nature in their own right. Mythical Pokémon were supposedly of the same origin, the Alpha Pokémon, Arceus. The only difference being that Mythical Pokémon were often less powerful than the ones classed as Legendary. Both were small in number, ridiculously so, and rarely appeared before humans. Those that saw them were always considered incredibly lucky! The title ‘Mythical’ had been applied to certain species because they couldn’t be proven to exist for the longest time for such powerful Pokémon. The title had stuck, even in the modern era where proof was substantiated, and the species with the classification were often protected from capture by Regional Law. Not all the time, but for some that were considered endangered it was absolutely illegal to capture them.

“Wow, it would be amazing to see one.” Misty smiled at the thought. She’d already had an up close encounter with Suicune, a Legendary Water Type Pokémon! It would be amazing to meet a Mythical Pokémon and compare the experiences.

“You just might get your chance,” Shelby grinned at the pair of teens. “With it being spring time, the Shaymin are most likely to appear here in Azure Town. I’m hoping to see one again myself! They have a fondness for flowers and clean grasslands, we here in Azure Town protect the land in hopes of being blessed with good harvests by the Shaymin.” The shopkeeper explained with a bright smile.

“That’s awesome,” Ash grinned at the information. “I knew stories about Shaymin said they purified the land and made flowers bloom. I guess they show their own gratitude when the land is taken care of too.”

“Exactly, they’re sweethearts that show gratitude when it is shown to them.” Shelby giggled with fondness for the Mythical Grass Type.

“They migrate in their Sky Form, right?” Misty asked, only knowing the bare minimum about the species.

“Yes, something about Gracidea pollen makes them shift Forms during the daytime. They use the ability to fly to cross large distances and renew any ruined lands they find. Every spring we have some traveling Trainers that come to try an see them, though a few are hoping to capture one.” Shelby shook her head at the idea of capturing a Shaymin. “I don’t know why they’d want to though. While Shaymin are strong, they’re not really inclined to battle in their Land Form. The Sky Form makes them more willing to battle, but it also increases their desire to migrate. They’re simply not the kind of Pokémon that a serious, competitive Trainer is going to get the best performance from in battle. The little cutie will either not want to battle, or will want to be on the move more than it’ll want to fight.”

“Maybe they’re trying to breed them?” Ash pondered on the reason Trainers would try and capture one of the Mythical Grass Types. “Getting a research grant for a Mythical Pokémon would be pretty lucrative.”

“I believe that was tried many years ago in Sinnoh.” Shelby had a thoughtful look. “It never worked out though, Shaymin don’t seem to breed in captivity.”

“Plus, as a Mythical Pokémon, some people that revere them would probably be really upset if one was locked in a lab while being poked and prodded for research purposes.” Misty brought up the other reason Mythical Pokémon were still not very well researched and documented.

Much like Legendary Pokémon, many of which had Religious followings, quite a few Mythical species were revered in much the same way. Anyone found to have captured one of these Mythical species may very well find a very large amount of people angry with them. That was assuming said species could even be legally captured. Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Manaphy, and Victini would all see the Trainer that captured them fined and jailed for poaching. The Mythical Pokémon in question would be released, of course, but the punishment for the Trainer would remain. Mythical Pokémon like Shaymin, who had known populations, could be captured legally. That didn’t mean that the Trainer that did so wouldn’t be pressured by people to release it again, however.

“Maybe we’ll all get lucky and see one this year?” Shelby proposed with a kind smile.

“Here’s hoping.” Ash smiled as he picked up a Charm and placed it on the counter. “This one please.”

“Of course, thank you for your business.” Shelby rang up Ash’s purchase. Once he’d paid for it and received his change, Ash turned to Misty with a smile.

“Hold out your hand, Misty.” Ash showed her the Charm he’d bought for her. The blue sparkle of the Charm and the four point shape made it clear.

“A Shiny Charm?” Misty questioned even as she held out her left hand and let him place it on her wrist.

“I know some people think they’re just wishful thinking, while other people swear by them, but I think this looks beautiful on you. If it brings a Shiny Pokémon your way too, well then that’s just extra.” Ash gave her that warm smile that she adored as he put the Charm on her.

“Ash…” Misty returned the warm, loving gaze as she pulled him to her lips. The couple shared a sweet kiss for a moment. When they pulled back they both felt their cheeks heat up a little when they saw Shelby pointedly looking away from them and pretending not to notice what they were doing.

“Thanks for talking with us, Shelby.” Ash rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “We’ll be going now.”

“Go on you two, you’re adorable.” Shelby waved them off with a beautiful laugh. The teens were out the door a moment later.

-Back at the Pokémon Center-

“A pretty good day, if I do say so myself.” Ash grinned as they returned to their room.

“It’s about to get better~” Misty purred from behind him as he heard the door lock.

“Misty?” Ash turned to face her, only to catch her as she threw herself at him! They fell back on the bed with their lips connected.

“Let’s get these clothes out of the way and enjoy our afternoon~” Misty breathed into his ear hotly before sitting up. As she straddled him she pulled off her shirt and revealed her bra-clad breasts.

Ash had the biggest grin on his face as he quickly pulled off his own shirt before their lips met again.

-End Chapter-

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Azure Town has been reached! We see the Town a bit, learn more about Pokémon, and even have a chance to potentially see a Mythical?! Well now, this is shaping up to be a fun town, huh?

Do Shiny Charms really work? Maybe, maybe not. I guess we’ll find out!

Being so loving and sweet makes the romance and passion flow naturally! Ash and Misty are going to spend their first afternoon in Azure Town thoroughly enjoying one another! That lucky young man!

Next chapter it’s time for a Gym Battle! How will Ash fare?

Keep reading to find out!

Ash's Current Pokémon

Pikachu – Static – Iron Tail, Discharge, Growl, Quick Attack, Electro Ball, Thunder Wave, Volt Tackle, Double Team, Light Screen, Reflect

Lucario – Inner Focus – Metal Sound, Quick Attack, Blaze Kick, Bulk Up, Copycat, Force Palm, Screech, Detect, Double Team, Aura Sphere

Poliwag – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap, Body Slam

Butterfree – Compound Eyes – Tackle, String Shot, Bug Bite, Harden, Gust, Confusion, Sleep Powder, Stun Spore

Pidgeotto – Keen Eye – Tackle, Sand Attack, Gust, Quick Attack, Whirlwind, Twister

Gogoat – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Double Team, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down, Bulldoze, Seed Bomb, Energy Ball

Teddiursa – Pick Up – Covet, Lick, Fury Swipes, Feint Attack, Sweet Scent, Bulk Up

Phanpy – Pick Up – Tackle, Defense Curl, Rollout, Endure

Misty's Current Pokémon

Staryu – Natural Cure – Harden, Rapid Spin, Water Gun, Recover, Psywave, Swift, Bubblebeam, Camouflage, Signal Beam

Starmie – Natural Cure - Rapid Spin, Signal Beam, Recover, Psychic, Swift, Bubblebeam, Psych Up, Protect, Brine, Thunderbolt

Seaking – Lightning Rod – Peck, Tail Whip, Watersport, Supersonic, Horn Attack, Flail, Water Pulse, Aqua Ring, Fury Attack, Waterfall

Poliwhirl – Water Absorb – Watersport, Water Gun, Hypnosis, Bubble, Double Slap, Icy Wind, Body Slam, Mud Shot, Toxic

Gogoat – Sap Sipper – Growth, Vine Whip, Tail Whip, Leech Seed, Razor Leaf, Synthesis, Take Down, Bulldoze, Seed Bomb

Quagsire – Water Absorb – Water Gun, Tail Whip, Mud Shot, Slam, Mud Bomb, Protect, Water Pulse, Yawn, Toxic

Bibarel – Unaware – Water Gun, Aqua Jet, Headbutt, Hyper Fang, Crunch

Spheal – Thick Fat – Defense Curl, Powder Snow, Growl, Water Gun

Ash will challenge four Gyms besides the eight canon Gyms with Steel Type, Ghost Type, Flying Type and Dragon Type being the four. All four now have OCs planned out thanks to some awesome patrons!

Until I get your reviews, later!