wtwo scowled as he fought off the latest slew of cretins who dared to impede his progress. This ti, it was so sort of alien, black, wire-y ss of electricity.
An Ultra Beast, as he was told — beings akin to Pokemon but more feral and strange in their nature.
“A storm is coming. We should hurry before we lose the trail.” A voice resounded in his mind.
wtwo glared at his human companion. Kyou, the disgraced Elite Four, who was wreathed in shadows to protect his fragile form against the vacuum of Ultra Space.
“If you had deigned to assist in the fight, perhaps we wouldn’t have been unduly burdened by haste!” wtwo countered.
Kyou shrugged. “Rest assured, my contributions will co upon our arrival in foreign lands. After all, you have little experience in tracking and espionage, no?” He said in return, while waving a container filled with Giovanni’s personal effects, pilfered from his quarters before the forr Elite joined them at the bottom of the Infinity well.
wtwo growled at the man’s insolence. “I would still be able to track him down even without the burden of your presence!”
“But not without any degree of subtlety.” Kyou argued. “Giovanni’s first priority upon landing will be rest and recuperation. Which ans he will most likely be deep in hiding as he plots to rebuild his forces and find another avenue of interdinsional travel. Any move you make will only serve to startle the Ekans. Best to keep a low profile before he escapes us yet again.”
The Legendary Pokemon scowled but held back on his reply. He wouldn’t admit to it, but Kyou wasn’t wrong and wtwo knew it. In fact, wtwo’s little excursion with Espy into human society not too long ago had revealed to him just how little he knew of the species and their conniving ways.
“Now then, if you’re done brooding, let us be away.” The insolent human said as he produced a perturbing straw puppet bound to a piece of clothing with talismans and nails.
It was a straw puppet possessed by a Bannete which Kyou was using to track down their target. The forr spymaster had tried to use the voodoo implent to lay down a Curse on Giovanni as well, but to no avail. It figured that the cretin wouldn’t have recklessly thrown himself into the wormhole without at least a few slave-Pokemon at his disposal.
The straw puppet burned as the Bannete’s Ghostly Aura flared and consud yet another portion of the handkerchief pinned to its effigy.
“That one.” Kyou pointed at one of the many gleaming lights twinkling within the void. “He went that way.”
“Then let us be off!” wtwo declared as his Aura flared and the two surged like purple cots in Ultra Space, right as a roiling cloud of energy and chaos subsud the space they were just lingering in.
***
anwhile, back in reality…
Ash nervously reached up to adjust his hat, only to find empty air and the greasy stain of his slicked back hair. “That’s right, I left it with Nina. We haven’t had the chance to et back up yet after she just vanished on .” He groaned, then opted to fiddle with his suffocating necktie instead.
“Pika! Pikachu!” An admonishing cry from Ash’s Pikachu followed, telling his partner to stop ruining his mom’s hard work.
“I know, Pikachu… It’s just—” Ash continued fiddling. “I’m not used to all this… stuffiness.”
The pair were currently in Indigo Village and making their way over to the Pokemon League Headquarters. All around them, the sound of raucous construction could be heard — the result of Team Rocket’s assault on the place and the subsequent repairs.
“Halt! No unsanctioned Pokemon allowed beyond this point! Please return your Pikachu to its Pokeball and subject yourself to a scan before proceeding any further.”
Without realising it, Ash had found himself near the entrance of the League’s headquarters where an Ace Trainer with his Alakazam called out to him.
“Oh.” Ash jolted awake from his ponderings and abruptly stopped in his tracks. “Sorry, erm… But my Pikachu doesn’t like being in his Pokeball.” A sentint that was further echoed by the intimidating sparks dancing around the Electric mouse’s cheeks.
The guy frowned. “No exceptions. If you need to, there’re a number of Pokemon daycares in the village you can go to.”
Ash mirrored the frown and shared a look with Pikachu. “What do you think, Pikachu? Wanna just hang around the village and wait for ? I can have Greninja keep you company?”
“Pika…” Pikachu pouted after glaring sharply at the Ace Trainer, then nodded reluctantly in affirmation.
Ash chuckled and nuzzled his cheeks against Pikachu’s, the familiar buzz of electricity numbing his face. “Alright, stay out of trouble, okay?”
“Pika!” The Pikachu pointed a finger at Ash, as if to say; “Right back at’cha!”
“Alright,” the Ace Trainer nodded after he was satisfied by the duo’s separation, “co this way, sir.” He gestured towards a makeshift security outpost. “Do you have an appointnt with us today?”
Ash nodded with a gulp as he presented an email on his Pokedex. “Yeah, I’m here for an interview.” He followed along obediently, only to shiver at the discomforting sensation of sothing crawling in his spine the mont he stepped into the tent.
“Don’t fight it!” The Ace barked. “It’s just my Alakazam’s Miracle Eye.” The guy explained while gesturing towards the creepy looking pair of eyeballs peering down at Ash. “It’s a new security asure designed to screen for imposters hiding behind an Illusion. I know it can be discomforting to so people but just bear with it.”
Ash clenched his fist, gritted his teeth and nodded stiffly as he stood there and endured the invasive search of his entire being, like Tangelas writhing down his skin.
“Zam.” And finally, when Alakazam was satisfied with what he saw, the Psychic dispelled their Miracle Eye with the wave of a spoon and slumped down onto a cushion with an exhausted huff.
The Ace Trainer then approached his partner with so comforting words and a bottle of Ether in hand before tagging out with another Ace who was on standby. “Miracle Eye’s a very strenuous move.” He remarked. “So don’t think this is any easier on us, either.”
“Yeah, gotcha.” Ash chuckled feebly as he followed the guy through to the other side of the tent where a pair of Porygons and Magnemites attached to so sort of device then ran a circular scan around his body.
“Just to make sure there isn't any contraband or hidden weaponry in or on your person. Which there isn’t.” The Ace nodded. “You’re free to pass. Good luck on your interview.”
Ash wasn’t sure what to say. So he just returned the sentint and made his way to the reception.
***
“Mr. Ketchum? We’re ready for you now.” The secretary called as she held the door open for him.
“Thank you, miss!” Ash said, a little too enthusiastically as his nerves got the better of him. “Calm down, Ash… First job interview of your life. You can do it! Can’t be harder than charging headfirst into Team Rocket’s base, right?”
The idea actually ca about when Ash was hanging with the League’s personnel after the whole raid on Team Rocket. With how ssy the aftermath was, the self-proclaid Pokemon Master had stuck around to lend a hand. Only to find that he was completely devoid of any practical or helpful skills outside of Pokemon battling.
Ash had jokingly said as much when he bumped into Morty and the two began venting about their life’s troubles. Morty had shared his romantic conundrums while Ash spoke about the insecurities he felt towards his future.
“I just… don’t know what to do, you know?” He said at the ti. “All my life, I’ve just been travelling around. Now mom wants to settle down and, honestly, after everything that’s happened recently…” He gazed painfully at the scene of devastation surrounding the well of Infinity Energy, as Nina had coined it. “I’m starting to feel like she has a point.”
“But you don’t know what ‘settling down’ even ans.” Morty continued, eliciting a fervent nod from Ash.
“Yeah! Like I’m not good with anything other than Pokemon…” The young tween lanted. “Sotis, I look at my friends and I kinda regret not learning more from them. Well, maybe not Misty and all her dancing stuff, but Brock is great with all things Pokemon related — the guy’s practically born to be a breeder. ? I can’t even cook a decent al for myself, let alone my Pokemon…”
Morty smiled. “What you’re feeling isn’t uncommon. You’ll see it quite often among vagabond journeyn — the sort of people who get trapped in the maze of wanderlust and can’t see anything beyond those walls.”
The Ghost Master gave his junior trainer a friendly pat on the shoulder. “But you know, even a Pidgeot can’t Fly forever. Everybody’s gotta stop and roost at so point, whether it be a year or ten years from now.”
Ash frowned. “I know. But, like, how though?” He could stick around Pallet Town and help his mom run the diner for a ti, but Ash couldn’t imagine doing that forever. “Heck, just a couple weeks back and I was already plotting to run off again.”
And he was definitely not smart enough to be a Pokemon Professor. That sort of stuff was best left to geniuses like Nina and Gary.
The Ecruteak Gym Leader chuckled at the anguished look on his companion’s face. “I an, you were Pokemon World Champion, right? Ain’t nothing wrong with being one of the best Pokemon Trainers in the world. The Ace Corp is always recruiting for qualified individuals, especially after recent losses. Not to ntion…” Morty leaned in with a whisper.
“With how cursed the Viridian Gym’s reputation has beco. The League’ll be desperate for soone to co in and help salvage it before deciding to abolish it forever.” Sothing that the Kantonian bloc of Indigo would be vehently against since that would create an imbalance in the region’s power.
And so that was how Ash found himself being fast tracked to an interview with the League, to vie for a seat among Kanto’s exalted roster of Gym Leaders.
The mont that Ash stepped into the conference room, he was t with Sabrina sitting dead center on the opposite end of a long table and flanked by a demure-looking woman, which he recognised as being Erika on the right, as well as a surly looking bald guy in a suit to Sabrina’s left — a League official, most likely.
“Hello Ash. Please, have a seat.”
“Hey Sabrina!” Ash chirped, earning him a disapproving frown from Baldie.
Ash winced at his blunder and pulled at the nearest chair, its legs scraping audibly across the floor, further grating on his nerves and adding to his embarrassnt.
Baldie coughed, clearly not impressed by his performance so far. But before he could speak up, Sabrina chid in.
“So, Ash, you’re here to make a bid for the Viridian City Gym?”
“A bid…? I thought this was an interview?” Ash panicked, he definitely did not have the funds to buy a Gym.
Baldie’s frown deepened while Erika giggled. “It’s a figure of speech, Ash. Rest assured that there will be no monetary exchange required on your end. If anything, the Pokemon League provides monthly stipends to the region’s Gyms. Not that I would recomnd relying solely on that pitiful sum as your primary inco, of course. Between paying your staff, feeding your Pokemon and the payout for winning trainers, you’ll find yourself destitute in no ti.”
Ash nodded. It made sense. It was why both Brock and Misty had all that stuff going on outside of their Gym work.
“Enough!” Baldie exclaid. “We are well into Mr Ketchum’s allotted ti. So let us comnce this interview post-haste. The mbers of this panel will now take turns questioning candidate Ash Ketchum on his qualifications for the position of Viridian City Gym Leader. Lady Sabrina, if you would do the honors?”
Sabrina sighed and languidly spread her notes out in the air with her Psychic Aura. “So Ash, what are your motivations in applying for this role? I’m assuming you’re well aware of the stigma surrounding the Viridian Gym by this point?”
Ash nodded with a gulp and gave his tie a pull. “Err… Yeah. I an, I’ve been thinking about my future and what I want to do — what I can do — and, you know? I’m not very good with anything else other than Pokemon… training them and battling with them. And I figured, this seems like the perfect job for …”
Ash would be lying if he said he never once fantasized about being a Gym Leader. It was the sort of thing that everyone dread of at least once in their life. That and becoming Pokemon Champion or a mber of the Elite Four.
Sabrina nodded along, gently encouraging Ash to continue.
“And about the Viridian Gym. The uh… All the bad stuff surrounding it, it’s all just Giovanni isn’t it?” Ash smiled. “I grew up in Pallet Town, next to Viridian City. The people there, they’re so of the kindest people you’ll ever et. I don’t think they should be blad for the actions of a few bad apples.”
Ash sat up straighter, his voice clearer, more confident as he spoke. “I want to help fix things. Make Viridian City a place where people can be proud to call ho again!”
Sabrina smiled, lowered all of her paperwork and gestured for Erika to speak up next.
“Mr. Ketchum,” the young woman in an elegant kimono began, her tone stern and eyes steely, completely devoid of the friendliness in her initial greeting. “I’m sure you’re aware that being a good Gym Leader isn’t rely a question of how good you are in a Pokemon battle?”
Ash sputtered and simply opted to bob his head in affirmation from a lack of words.
Erika frowned but continued to elaborate. “To be a Gym Leader is to represent one’s city and its people in the Pokemon League. For example… look at Viridian City and how impoverished it is!” The woman exclaid. “Crippled industry, lacking infrastructure… All of this can be directly attributed to the impostor Victor’s willful negligence.”
To be leader of a Gym was to assu a position of power and politics. That ant dealing with matters of bureaucracy, welfare and governance. It was the most challenging hurdle that a newly appointed Gym Leader must overco in order to have a long and successful tenure.
“Believe , I would know.” Erika added mournfully. “So tell , Mr. Ketchum, what are your thoughts on the matter? Any plans on how to address these shortcomings of yours?” Because as competent as Ash was as a Pokemon Trainer, he was, to put it bluntly, an uneducated vagabond who ca from a plebeian household in the boonies.
By this point, whatever modicum of confidence that Ash had gained from his little speech completely evaporated as he slumped back into his chair. “I… I have friends…”
“Yes, we are well aware of your friendly relations with Mr Brock Harrison and Lady Misty Mizuhana.” Baldie chid. “Hence why neither of them are in the room with us today.”
“So that’s it then?” Erika continued. “Surely you’re not expecting to simply hide behind your friends every ti you encounter a task beyond your depth?” The woman shook her head, hair pins jingling in the air. “Such codependency would functionally reduce the Viridian Gym into naught but a subsidiary of the Cerulean and Pewter Gym.”
“Is that such a bad thing, though?” Sabrina asked her colleague, allowing Ash so ti to recompose himself and formulate a response. “In terms of proximity, Viridian is closest to Cerulean and Pewter. Perhaps this is exactly what the flagging city needs; so oversight and reinforcent from its peers.”
The Psychic Master looked towards Baldie with a delicately raised eyebrow. “After all, there were talks about folding the Viridian Gym under the League’s direct purview. How would this be any different?”
“The difference, Lady Sabrina…” Baldie responded, his voice stilted. “Is that, under that particular proposal, oversight of the Viridian Gym would be granted to the Morimoto Clan, an established and well respected clan of patriots who have had a long history of serving the region’s interest. Not—” The man looked towards Ash with a pointed glare. “Not so inexperienced novice completely devoid of knowledge and backing, forr Pokemon World Champion or not.”
“And should Ash Ketchum assu the role, it would functionally be either the Harrisons or the Mizuhanas who would assu oversight.” Sabrina countered. “Both well-established legacies as well — families who have had years of success running their respective Gyms.”
Baldie scoffed. “What would happen in that scenario, is that those profiteering Cerulean won would reduce Viridian City into a re vassal — a subordinate to be exploited and fard for resources as opposed to a true peer!
“And don’t even get started on the Harrisons. That family is notoriously inadequate when it cos to all matters pertaining to the governance of their city. The amount of grievances that we’ve had to diate on behalf of their city council over the years…” Baldie twitched. “Seventeen percent! That is the proportion of households in Pewter City still without adequate access to plumbing even after all these years!”
“Might I remind you, sir,” Erika retorted, “that the Morimotos have had their chance with the Viridian Gym before that impostor Victor took over. So pray tell, how would a second stint play out any differently?”
“T-That was a different candidate! And with the presence of Team Rocket’s influence, we can’t completely rule out the possibility of sabotage…”
Ash’s mouth gaped open and close like a choking Goldeen. It was clear to him that the eting had gone completely off the rails, but he wasn’t sure what he could do about it.
“I-I—!” The young man sputtered, a bit more loudly than he had intended, silencing the room as the trio’s gaze returned to Ash, the weight of their attention bearing down on his shoulders like a Snorlax.
Ash gulped and breathed in deep to steady his heart. “I think the people of Viridian City deserve better.” He proclaid, earning him a questioning look from his interviewers. “You’re right, I don’t know the first thing about running a city.” He said to Baldie.
“But! I’m willing to learn, and to try… Try my best to get it right! Even if it ans I have to make a few mistakes along the way.” Ash’s eyes hardened, his pupils shining with that sa determined light as the boy who once swore to beco the best Pokemon Master that ever was.
“The people of Viridian City deserve better. “ He repeated. “They deserve soone who cares. Soone who will prove to the world that theirs isn’t just a city full of criminals!”
Ash huffed and inflated his chest with pride. “I am Ash Ketchum, Pokemon Master, and I will beco the best Gym Leader in Kanto and erase the stain left by Giovanni on this world!”
The silence returned, all three pairs of eyes boring right into the haughty visage of the earnest young man before them. Until that torpor was finally broken by a gentle smile from Sabrina.
“Indeed. Perhaps what Viridian City needs is a fresh perspective — a brand new beginning.”
Baldie sighed and shuffled his papers together. “The Indigo League will… consider your response, Mr. Ketchum, and inform you of the results of our deliberations at a later date. Please keep an eye on your inbox. Thank you for your ti.”
With that, the interview was over and Ash was ushered out of the room feeling like he had just co off a confrontation with the three Legendary Birds of Disaster.
“Urgh… I ssed up big ti, didn’t I?” He groaned.
***
Afterword:
And that wraps up the end of Part Three. Thank you all as always for reading.
But before you click off, just another reminder that I'll be going on a two month break in releases after this.
Also, in lieu of the previous side stories, I'll be releasing a 11 chapter mini Pokefic titled "Junia's Tales of Misfits and Mimikyu" instead during the break in regular releases. But if you want more Into the Unown, advance releases on Flareon is scheduled to resu on June 12th.
Next, for the actual afteword itself... I don't actually know what to write, to be honest.
As I said before, I'm not happy with how I wrote this part of the story for various reasons. In fact, I'm quite upset that I broke my promise of keeping things more consistent this ti around.
Part of what went wrong could be attributed to stress in my work and personal life. But another big part was due to my constantly changing mind on key plot points that I had already mapped out before hand.
An example of this regret is my handling of Giovanni as a character. I had thought that I had a pretty solid image of who I wanted him to be. But as I wrote in my author's note in that chapter, I ended up rewriting it over and over again until I completely lost track of my original vision. To the point where I couldn't even rember what was and wasn't written in the discarded drafts, resulting in an absolute ss of a chapter.
I also regret not giving more space to exploring Ilex Forest in my haste to progress the plot.
Then there was the whole horse girl arc, which was NOT planned.
But by far, the biggest change was the one I made to the ending, and entirely last minute as well, mind you.
I had originally wanted Ash to be the one to dive into the Ultra Wormhole with wtwo. In fact, that whole confrontation between Nina and Ash was written months in advance and was quite the tearjerker if I may say so myself. Unfortunately, repeated iterations resulted in a sowhat half-baked exchange that simply wasn't as emotional as I had originally intended it to be.
It just made sense at the ti. Because Ash had already achieved his goals in this world so, naturally, an adventure loving vagabond like him would go and seek grander heights. And what's more grand than a multiversal adventure across all of reality.
The original intent, in that original draft, was that Ash and wtwo would chase Giovanni across different realities. Then, at so point, Ash would fall and to preserve his life, wtwo would put him into stasis and hide him away to keep him safe.
During his slumber, Ash would dream a perpetual dream, reliving the best years of his life as a forever-ten-year-old (My own take on the Ash coma theory) until soone eventually ca back around to get him.
That soone would be an adult Nina who would eventually confront a vengeful Giovanni and his newly established Team Rainbow Rocket in rescue of an enslaved wtwo. (This was also the flash forward chapter that I asked you guys about last ti, by the way)
But as I was writing the conclusion to Part Three, I just couldn't bring myself to do it.
Ash to , and to many of you, is a childhood hero. I wanted him and his loved ones to have a happy ending. He deserved a happy ending. And separating him once again from his mom and his Pokemon after being lost for such a long ti just seed like the wrong thing to do.
The Team Rainbow Rocket plotline will still happen, by the way, just at a diminished capacity. I'm actually not entirely sure how I would fit it into the story so I'll just have to figure it out down the line.
Anyways, I can't think of anything else to say. So I'll leave it there for now. If you have any questions, feel free to leave it a comnt down below and I'll try my best to answer without spoiling anything.
Thank you all once again and I hope to see you again soon.
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