Erika Twigs Out!
"Wow! This is nothing like back home!" Amber marveled as she and her family entered Jubilife city. The city was a bustling metropolis that seemed to seethe with happiness. No one seemed to be in low spirits. Mana and Slate in particular felt a bit more at home there, having been raised in the cities of the future.
Mewtwo spoke up, "This is where I got your Poketch, Ash. They're quite popular all over this region." Ash looked back at Mewtwo and grinned, "But mine's really unique, isn't it?" The Genetic Pokemon nodded, "Indeed. But what should we do now? When I came here before, there seemed to be no sign of a Gym." Dawn spoke up then, "True. The closest Gym is to the east in Oreburgh city."
Ash thanked Dawn and spoke to everyone. "Since we're just passing through, let's just enjoy ourselves. We'll all meet up at the exit of the city on the east side in two hours." As everyone turned to head off into the city to explore, Ash turned to Neo and said, "How does a little walk sound?" The bioweapon nodded, "I would've followed you anyway. Huh?" Neo looked up slightly to see Mana looming over Ash with a smirk on her face.
Ash noticed his daughter leaning over him and asked, "Uh...you wanna tell me something?" The Salamence giggled a bit and said, "Not really. I just want to hang with my father, if that's OK." Slate had stayed behind and spoke, "You don't have to follow him everywhere, you know. Don't you think Dad gets tired from time to time?" Mana gave Slate a devious smirk and pressed a button on the metal bracelet she was wearing. A small spatial rift opened next to her and she thrust an arm inside. When she pulled it back out, Slate began to sweat in nervousness at the sight of a bucket of water in her hand.
Neo brought a hand to his face as he tried not to laugh. (Old habits really do die hard. These two just won't grow up.) Mana grinned, "If you don't want me to pelt you with this, then you better get moving." Not one to ignore a threat from his sister, Slate turned tail and ran. Only when Slate was out of sight did she place the bucket back in the rift and closed it.
Ash sighed, "Just where did you get that?" Mana chuckled, "I always keep a spare bucket of water in a subspace pocket for the sake of getting my point across to him. Never gets old." Neo frowned, "Don't you think you're taking advantage of his hydrophobia a little too much?" Mana gave him a playful nudge and laughed, "Oh come on, I know you were trying not to laugh!"
As Mana, Ash, and Neo explored Jubilife city they came across what seemed to be a school building. It was then that they heard a bell ring. Ash jumped, "Is that a fire alarm?" Neo pointed over to the school, "Nope, just a school bell." Suddenly, a mass of small children seemed to pour out of the doors. Due to their fairly young age, the school must have been a preschool or kindergarten. But something caught Ash's eye. Among the mass of seemingly ordinary children, he noticed a number of strange kids.
"What's up, Dad? Do you see something?" Mana strained her eyes as she looked carefully. "Oh...my...goodness..." Mana smiled as she saw what Ash was staring at. Among the mass of children seemed to be an Eevee dressed in a school uniform. However, he was standing on two legs and had many human characteristics. She then noticed a Machop child that was also dressed in a uniform. There were also a number of other Pokemon children that seemed more human than most other Pokemon.
"So cute. I remember when I was their age." Mana blushed in awe. Ash looked over to Neo and asked, "I don't have a problem with it, but why are there Pokemon going to that school?" Neo laughed and said, "That's because they have human parents. You do know that humans and Pokemon exist together like never before thanks to your marriage to Latias, right?" Ash blushed and scratched his head, "Whoops. How could I forget that?"
As the three of them proceeded through the city, Mana could feel the jeering stares of many men staring at her. Without turning her head, she looked to the sides and saw quite a few guys staring and whistling. She sighed to herself, (I can't help it if my body is sexy. It's who I am.) Mana glanced down at her breasts. She had never thought much of her figure and was a bit surprised by the size of her breasts under her shirt. They were D-cups at least and bounced slightly with every step she took. She also noticed that her nipples were poking through the fabric slightly.
Neo noticed that they were near the department store where he had picked up Mana's clothes. He then took a good look at himself. He had been wearing the exact same outfit every single day since the day he was created. It was not that he disliked his uniform. The reason that he had been wearing it for so long was because he liked it. But to wear the same outfit for two years was still a bit extreme.
Neo stopped and turned to face his niece and brother. "I'm gonna take a look in that department store again. I'll catch up with you guys later. OK?" Ash nodded, "Sure thing. Just remember that we're heading east." Neo nodded and looked at Mana, "While I'm at it, you want me to pick up a bra for you?" This embarrassed the Salamence to no end as she screamed, "ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! If I want a bra, I'll get one myself!" Neo began to sweat, "Are you sure? You don't know your own size, and I think you could really use one." Mana crossed her arms and growled, "No thanks. I'm not interested in things that 'enhance' my figure. I'm who I am, and I don't want to change that." She then smiled at Ash, "Right Dad?" Ash blushed as he gave her a sheepish grin. Neo nodded, "Natural beauty, huh? Fine, if you don't want one, I won't get it. Now, I'll see you guys later." Once they saw Neo enter the department store, Mana put her arm around Ash's shoulder and grinned, "Now it's just you and me, huh Dad?" Ash blushed a bit.
Just then, a voice asked, "So father and daughter have quite a bond, hm?" Mana looked up and smiled, "Oh, hey there, Uncle Latios." Ash looked up and asked, "What happened? Did you get lost?" Latios smiled and lowered himself until he was in front of Ash. He then surprised his brother and niece by embracing Ash tenderly. "No. I just felt the sudden desire to be with you." Ash could feel the tiny fragment of Latios's soul within his own resonate. Remembering his very special birthday present, Ash tenderly embraced his soul brother.
"You and Uncle Latios look really cute together, Dad. Like two halves to a whole." Without even opening his eyes, Latios replied, "How ironic. You're absolutely right. A tiny piece of Ash's soul now resides in mine, as does a fragment of mine within his. You see, we are soul brothers." Mana grinned, "Is that so? Well, you two really do look good together."
A little time passed before Ash, Latios, and Mana headed towards the eastern border of the city. Latios spoke, "We still have some time before the deadline. Everyone should be heading over there before long." As they came within sight of the gates to the east, the three of them noticed that only Bayleef had arrived. But something was not right. Erika was not with her. Bayleef even seemed to be very distraught about something.
As soon as she saw her husband come into view, Bayleef ran right over to him and cried, "Have you seen Erika?!" Mana asked, "What's wrong? Did she run away?" Bayleef sobbed, "We got here together, but when I looked away for just a moment, she was gone! What if she was kidnapped?!" Ash knelt down and embraced her, "I'll find her. I swear that I'll get her back." Bayleef calmed down a little and sighed, "Thank you.... I think she may have snuck off to the east. At least, that's what my gut's telling me." Ash stood up and spoke, "OK. Latios. Mana. You two stay here while I track Erika down." Mana asked, "But just how do you expect to find a Chikorita between here and Oreburgh city?" Ash smirked, "She's my daughter. I'll find her, and that's a promise."
Not far from Jubilife city, Erika was wandering around in a forest. She had wandered off out of curiosity and was now lost. She had become somewhat worried that she would never see her family again, but tried to not lose hope. She was certain that her beloved father would come to find her. Suddenly, a voice asked, "Hey, you lost?"
Erika turned to face the owner of the voice and saw what appeared to be a turtle of sorts with a sprouting plant on his head. "Uh...what are you?" Erika asked in confusion. The turtle grinned and said, "I'm a Turtwig. And what are you?" The Chikorita smiled and replied, "I'm Erika! Nice to meet you, Mr. Turtwig!" The Turtwig chuckled, "You seem like a sweet lass. But you look a little young to be out here alone. You have any parents?"
Erika frowned, "I got lost after I walked away from Mommy. Now I can't find my way back. I don't know what to do." The Turtwig simply laughed, "In that case, let's look for her together! I was bored anyway." Erika looked at the Turtwig, "Really?!" He nodded, "Yup! I know these woods really well. We'll find your mom in no time." The Chikorita squealed, "Thank you, Mr. Turtwig!"
Ash was making his way through the woods while calling out for his daughter. "Erika! Where'd you go?! Your mom's really scared that something's happened to you!" He eventually came to a clearing and took a moment to check his map on the Poketch. Just then, he felt it start to vibrate. "Sweet! She must be close!" He switched over to the radar function and saw two dark dots approaching him. Hoping that one of them was Erika, he stood his ground and waited. Before long, he saw two small Pokemon emerge from the woods. He immediately recognized one of them. "ERIKA!!!"
The Chikorita looked ahead and became filled with ecstatic joy. But before she could call out to him, Turtwig jumped in front of her. "A Trainer, huh? I'll handle 'em!" Erika was shocked and said, "Huh?! What are you doing?!" The Turtwig replied, "I'm stopping this guy from capturing you!" He then charged at Ash.
Ash stood firm as the Turtwig leapt at him. "What's wrong?! Why are...OOMPH!" Ash staggered back as the Turtwig Headbutt him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. Erika screamed, "STOP IT!!! THAT'S MY..." She was interrupted when Turtwig shoved her behind a tree. "Stay here for a minute. You're out of his reach now." He then jumped back out into view as Erika peeked out from behind the trunk. Ash was puzzled by this strange Pokemon and started to reach into his pocket for his Pokedex. However, the Turtwig thought that he was reaching for a weapon and launched a flurry of Razor Leaves at him!
Before Ash could react, the Razor Leaves slashed by him. "GRAH!!!" He yelled as the leaves cut him in several spots on his right arm. When Erika saw blood leaking from the cuts, she screamed, "THAT'S ENOUGH!!! LEAVE DADDY ALONE!!!" She then sprang forward and lassoed Turtwig with her Vine Whips! "What the?! What're you.....WAAAA!!" Turtwig screamed as the Chikorita raised him high above them and slammed him face first into the ground! But once was not enough as Erika kept repeating the process. "YOU...MEANIE!!! WHY...DID...YOU...HURT...DADDY?!"
As he watched Erika punish the Turtwig, Ash muttered, "The longer you take, the less effective it becomes..." Ash then reached for the Quick Ball in his pocket. "Not much time has passed. This is perfect!" As Erika brought the Turtwig down again, Ash threw the ball so it connected with him just as he hit the ground. After the Turtwig was captured in a flash of red light, the Quick Ball shook just a few times before the ball became dormant. "All right!!! I caught.....uh.....whatever this is!"
As he was reaching for his Pokedex, Ash noticed Erika running towards him. "LEMME AT HIM! I'LL MAKE HIM PAY!!!" Ash gulped and tried to keep the Quick Ball out of her vines. "Erika, quit it! I'm OK now! Really!" The Chikorita did not seem to listen as she tried to climb up her father's leg, only to fall back down. When Ash realized she would not listen to reason, he took off running towards Jubilife city in the hopes that Erika would follow him, which she did.
Brock yawned, "So we're supposed to wait for Ash to get back?" Dawn then shouted, "There he is now!" Everyone looked to the east and saw Ash dashing towards them with a look of panic on his face. Bayleef yelled, "Did you find her?!" Ash replied, "Yeah! Now get ready to use Sleep Powder! She's outta control!" Bayleef leaned to the side a bit and saw Erika just a few feet behind him. She looked absolutely furious for some reason. "OK! Just hold your breath for a moment!" Bayleef then began to wave the leaf on her head, releasing a blue cloud of Sleep Powder.
"Thanks, Bayleef! Now get outta the way!" Ash yelled as he closed in on his friends and family. He blasted right through the plume of Sleep Powder while holding his breath. Just a few seconds after she ran through the cloud as well, Erika began to wobble and fell on her side as the Sleep Powder did the trick. Ash wheezed, "Man, what the heck came over her?" Snow leapt from Frost's arms and clung to Ash's chest. "Are you OK, Daddy? Did Erika hurt you?" Ash petted his tiny daughter and gasped, "Nah, I don't think it was me she was after." Ash then hoisted Snow to his shoulder, her favorite spot.
Mewtwo asked, "I do not believe I have ever seen Erika so enraged. Just what happened?" Ash held up the Quick Ball. "This little guy nailed me with a Razor Leaf and Erika just went ballistic on 'em." Bayleef giggled, "Brings back memories of my days as a Chikorita. I guess she got that from me." Ash blushed, "Now that I think about, you're right! She was acting just like you did when those Quagsire mobbed me!" Brock laughed, "Man, that was a long way back."
"Hey, did I miss something?" Everyone turned and saw Neo with a backpack strapped to him. Mana asked, "What happened? Did you not find any clothes that appealed to you?" Neo chuckled, "Oh, I found some. I'm just keeping them in this backpack until we reach the next Pokemon Center. I'll be wearing this uniform until then." Latias smiled, "It's gonna be different without your green clothes." Neo grinned, "I'll still have these. I'll just stash them in my bag when I'm not wearing them."
About an hour later, the gang had set up camp for the night as the sun had begun to set. Brock was cooking up a wide variety of food, having really stocked up in Jubilife city, and was making sure that there was enough for everyone. Slate was leaning against a tree near the campsite as he waited for the meal to be cooked. Mana was playing a game of Aerial Tag with Amber and Onyx, who were amazed by her dexterity and grace.
Neo noticed Ash tossing his Quick Ball in the air and catching it before repeating the process. "So, I take it you managed to put that to use?" Ash grinned, "Sure did. Worked like a charm." Neo then smirked, "So, what was it?" Ash then tossed the ball towards the ground. "Just wait and see." In a flash, a Turtwig stood in the middle of the campsite. However, he had not yet recovered from the beating he received from Erika.
"What the...where am I?" Neo looked over the little turtle, "A Turtwig, huh? I hear this is one of the three Pokemon that most Trainers in Sinnoh start out with. Pretty ironic that this is your first Pokemon here." The Turtwig noticed Neo's strange presence and growled, "What the heck are you?! Wait a sec.....shoot!" The Turtwig groaned as Erika, who had just awakened, charged at him. "YOU MEANIE! GO AWAY!" But Ash jumped in front of the surprised Turtwig and said, "Whoa whoa whoa, take it easy! He's on our side now!"
Erika came to a stop and said, "But he hurt you! He's mean!" The Turtwig poked his head out from behind Ash and yelled, "I'm not mean! I was just protecting you so I could get you back to your mom and dad!" Erika then screamed, "He IS my daddy!" This floored the Turtwig as his jaw hit the floor. "WHHHAAAATTTTT?! NO WAY!!!" Neo then added, "Not just that. This kid's the Chosen One."
The Turtwig became blue in the face at Neo's revelation. Ash turned around and kneeled down to his new Pokemon. "Are you OK?" The Turtwig then groveled at Ash's feet. "I'm so sorry! If I had known you were the hero that saved us all, I.....I.....I'M SO SORRY!!!" The Turtwig bawled as Erika stood dumbfounded by just how regretful this Turtwig was. Dawn pondered what he had meant when the Turtwig had called Ash a hero, but just shrugged her shoulders, thinking he was just exaggerating. Neo had constructed a translator earpiece for her a short time before to allow her to understand Pokemon speech.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll do whatever you want! Just don't kill me!" Ash laughed and said, "Hey, ease up! I'm not gonna hurt ya! I should be thanking for you for looking out for my little girl here!" The Turtwig looked up at Ash with a look of awe. "You mean...you're praising me?" Ash paused for a moment, and then said, "Well.....uh...yeah." The Turtwig bowed before his Trainer, "I'm honored. Really, I am." Ash then turned to Erika and smiled, "See? He's sorry." Erika sighed, "OK. If he's sorry, I won't hurt him."
Once Ash had sorted things out with Turtwig, Brock finished their dinner. But Mana went off into the woods towards a stream to wash up first; unaware that Erika was following her.
Mana rubbed her hands together in the gently flowing water. "That's nice. I really can't wait to take a real shower once we get to Oreburgh. I can't believe it's been two years since I last bathed with soap. Good thing scales are easier to clean than flesh." Once she had finish washing her hands, Mana slipped her knuckle gloves back on and turned to head back to the campsite. But she stopped abruptly after very nearly stepping on her little sister.
"Huh? Oh hi! What's up, Erika?" Mana giggled as she kneeled down in front of her. The Chikorita replied, "I just wanna tell you something." Mana grinned, "Sure thing. Tell me anything." Erika's voice then became unusually stern, "Don't get with Daddy. Daddy's mine!" Mana was shocked and asked, "Wha...? What do you mean?" Erika then added, "He's mine! All mine! Don't get in the way!" She then turned and ran back to camp, the aroma of their dinner guiding her.
Mana stood aghast at her little sister's outburst. "He's hers'? Just what did that mean?" Mana thought this over a bit, trying to think about what that may have referred to. Just then, Mana's eye twitched as she came to a suspicion. "Oh man..... Could she really....." Mana chuckled a bit as she started back to camp. "Dad, you better watch out. I think Erika has the hots for you."
That night, everyone fell asleep with their bellies filled with a variety of food. The sleeping bags were arranged in a circle around the remains of the campfire. However, Ash was still awake as he looked towards the stars, wondering of what the worlds his allies came from were like right then, 100 years before that dreaded war.
"Pretty night, huh?" Ash turned his head to see Frost looking down at him, the moonlight making her black fur glisten. "Can't sleep? Or are you just waiting for something?" Ash smiled, "Actually, I'm just really glad that I found Mana and Slate so soon after getting here. I think I'm just too relieved to sleep or something." Frost grinned, "Then how about a walk? Just the two of us." Ash nodded and started to crawl out of his sleeping bag.
"Excellent. He's moving away from the rest of the group. And no one seems to know." Missingno chuckled as he watched from the side of Mt. Coronet. "Once I'm done with him, that little green Latios brat will be next. Only then will I set my sights on Guy. Now, what would be the best way to do this?" XD-386 began to brainstorm, trying to think of the best means to do away with his target.
"Hmmmm.....yeah. That'll work." He then held out his left arm. Ice began to creep over it. Soon his arm had become an Icicle Spear. "By combining the sharpness and sleek form of Icicle Spear with the speed and bullet-like precision of Bullet Punch....." He then braced himself, ready to sprint. "I said I would tear out his heart. And that's exactly what I'll do. All that remains is to wait for the proper time."
Ash walked along the path to the east as Frost rested in his arms. The two of them gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. It was then that Frost spoke, "Betcha didn't know Sinnoh is my homeland." Ash asked, "Really?" The Sneasel nodded, "Yeah. I used to live far to the north, near a place known as Snowpoint city. It's a beautiful place that is covered in snow year-round." Ash grinned, "I'd like to see it sometime." Frost giggled, "Oh, you will. Snowpoint city has a Pokemon Gym, so you'll have to stop by there eventually." Ash chuckled, "Then there's nothing to worry about. We just might see some of your old friends up there."
Frost sighed, "I didn't have many friends up there, even before I was captured and converted into a Shadow Pokemon. But I do remember a few of the Sneasel I would occasionally spar with. I think one of them went by the name Chill. A couple others were Inchin and Claws." Ash asked, "Were there any more?" Frost grunted, "Yeah, but I didn't bother to learn their names."
As Ash walked under the stars, Frost asked, "Ash, may I ask you something?" The Trainer smiled, "Sure. What's bugging you?" The Sneasel sighed, "Do you think I'm still.....a monster?" This stunned Ash greatly. "What makes you say that?" Frost replied, "I just can't get the faces of my victims out of my head. I always made them beg for mercy. Made them think that I just might let them live. Only to slaughter them a moment later." Ash remained silent. "I never spared any of my victims. Not one."
Ash sighed, "That was then. And I know that you're trying hard to atone for what you did. You're being a great mom to Snow, and you're always sweet to me." Frost blushed, "Thanks. I've never seen myself as sweet, but I guess I was wrong." Ash held Frost closer to him, "There's nothing wrong with regretting your actions. I know you were in a lot of pain back then. It wasn't even your choice to become a Shadow Pokemon in the first place. The lives you stole are really the fault of whoever forced you into becoming what you used to be." Frost sighed, "You're right. I didn't have much control over myself back then. My body always acted on instinct. But until I'm purified, I will never be able to cleanse my hands of the blood of my victims."
Ash set Frost down and turned around. "Don't you think we should be heading back now?" Ash smiled, "Not just yet. I want to look at the stars for a bit longer." Ash turned to the west and looked at the sky. Frost stood next to him and said, "Not a cloud in the sky, and what a beautiful crescent moon."
Missingno smirked when he saw Ash face the west. "I have you now!" He blazed down the side of Mt. Coronet at nearly supersonic speeds, but staying just under the speed of sound to avoid creating a sonic boom, which would alert Ash to his presence.
Frost felt a sudden chill. "This feeling....." Ash looked down at the Sneasel and asked, "What's wrong?" Frost shivered, "There's something evil approaching..... Something extremely evil." Ash asked, "From which direction?" Frost looked around, "I can't tell....."
Missingno could sense Frost's Shadow energy as he closed in on them. "There's no escape for you now. Vengeance will soon be mine."
All too late, Frost sensed the direction where the evil intent was coming from. "Behind you!" Ash began to turn around to face the east. A familiar voice yelled, "TOO LATE!!!!!" Time seemed to move in slow-motion as XD-386 thrust his left arm forward.
There was a splattering sound, followed by a dull thud. Soon, rain began to pour from the cloudless sky. Missingno stood motionless, a human heart impaled on his ice-encrusted arm. As he sneered in triumph, he muttered, "One down, two to go."
Mewtwo spoke up, "This is where I got your Poketch, Ash. They're quite popular all over this region." Ash looked back at Mewtwo and grinned, "But mine's really unique, isn't it?" The Genetic Pokemon nodded, "Indeed. But what should we do now? When I came here before, there seemed to be no sign of a Gym." Dawn spoke up then, "True. The closest Gym is to the east in Oreburgh city."
Ash thanked Dawn and spoke to everyone. "Since we're just passing through, let's just enjoy ourselves. We'll all meet up at the exit of the city on the east side in two hours." As everyone turned to head off into the city to explore, Ash turned to Neo and said, "How does a little walk sound?" The bioweapon nodded, "I would've followed you anyway. Huh?" Neo looked up slightly to see Mana looming over Ash with a smirk on her face.
Ash noticed his daughter leaning over him and asked, "Uh...you wanna tell me something?" The Salamence giggled a bit and said, "Not really. I just want to hang with my father, if that's OK." Slate had stayed behind and spoke, "You don't have to follow him everywhere, you know. Don't you think Dad gets tired from time to time?" Mana gave Slate a devious smirk and pressed a button on the metal bracelet she was wearing. A small spatial rift opened next to her and she thrust an arm inside. When she pulled it back out, Slate began to sweat in nervousness at the sight of a bucket of water in her hand.
Neo brought a hand to his face as he tried not to laugh. (Old habits really do die hard. These two just won't grow up.) Mana grinned, "If you don't want me to pelt you with this, then you better get moving." Not one to ignore a threat from his sister, Slate turned tail and ran. Only when Slate was out of sight did she place the bucket back in the rift and closed it.
Ash sighed, "Just where did you get that?" Mana chuckled, "I always keep a spare bucket of water in a subspace pocket for the sake of getting my point across to him. Never gets old." Neo frowned, "Don't you think you're taking advantage of his hydrophobia a little too much?" Mana gave him a playful nudge and laughed, "Oh come on, I know you were trying not to laugh!"
As Mana, Ash, and Neo explored Jubilife city they came across what seemed to be a school building. It was then that they heard a bell ring. Ash jumped, "Is that a fire alarm?" Neo pointed over to the school, "Nope, just a school bell." Suddenly, a mass of small children seemed to pour out of the doors. Due to their fairly young age, the school must have been a preschool or kindergarten. But something caught Ash's eye. Among the mass of seemingly ordinary children, he noticed a number of strange kids.
"What's up, Dad? Do you see something?" Mana strained her eyes as she looked carefully. "Oh...my...goodness..." Mana smiled as she saw what Ash was staring at. Among the mass of children seemed to be an Eevee dressed in a school uniform. However, he was standing on two legs and had many human characteristics. She then noticed a Machop child that was also dressed in a uniform. There were also a number of other Pokemon children that seemed more human than most other Pokemon.
"So cute. I remember when I was their age." Mana blushed in awe. Ash looked over to Neo and asked, "I don't have a problem with it, but why are there Pokemon going to that school?" Neo laughed and said, "That's because they have human parents. You do know that humans and Pokemon exist together like never before thanks to your marriage to Latias, right?" Ash blushed and scratched his head, "Whoops. How could I forget that?"
As the three of them proceeded through the city, Mana could feel the jeering stares of many men staring at her. Without turning her head, she looked to the sides and saw quite a few guys staring and whistling. She sighed to herself, (I can't help it if my body is sexy. It's who I am.) Mana glanced down at her breasts. She had never thought much of her figure and was a bit surprised by the size of her breasts under her shirt. They were D-cups at least and bounced slightly with every step she took. She also noticed that her nipples were poking through the fabric slightly.
Neo noticed that they were near the department store where he had picked up Mana's clothes. He then took a good look at himself. He had been wearing the exact same outfit every single day since the day he was created. It was not that he disliked his uniform. The reason that he had been wearing it for so long was because he liked it. But to wear the same outfit for two years was still a bit extreme.
Neo stopped and turned to face his niece and brother. "I'm gonna take a look in that department store again. I'll catch up with you guys later. OK?" Ash nodded, "Sure thing. Just remember that we're heading east." Neo nodded and looked at Mana, "While I'm at it, you want me to pick up a bra for you?" This embarrassed the Salamence to no end as she screamed, "ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! If I want a bra, I'll get one myself!" Neo began to sweat, "Are you sure? You don't know your own size, and I think you could really use one." Mana crossed her arms and growled, "No thanks. I'm not interested in things that 'enhance' my figure. I'm who I am, and I don't want to change that." She then smiled at Ash, "Right Dad?" Ash blushed as he gave her a sheepish grin. Neo nodded, "Natural beauty, huh? Fine, if you don't want one, I won't get it. Now, I'll see you guys later." Once they saw Neo enter the department store, Mana put her arm around Ash's shoulder and grinned, "Now it's just you and me, huh Dad?" Ash blushed a bit.
Just then, a voice asked, "So father and daughter have quite a bond, hm?" Mana looked up and smiled, "Oh, hey there, Uncle Latios." Ash looked up and asked, "What happened? Did you get lost?" Latios smiled and lowered himself until he was in front of Ash. He then surprised his brother and niece by embracing Ash tenderly. "No. I just felt the sudden desire to be with you." Ash could feel the tiny fragment of Latios's soul within his own resonate. Remembering his very special birthday present, Ash tenderly embraced his soul brother.
"You and Uncle Latios look really cute together, Dad. Like two halves to a whole." Without even opening his eyes, Latios replied, "How ironic. You're absolutely right. A tiny piece of Ash's soul now resides in mine, as does a fragment of mine within his. You see, we are soul brothers." Mana grinned, "Is that so? Well, you two really do look good together."
A little time passed before Ash, Latios, and Mana headed towards the eastern border of the city. Latios spoke, "We still have some time before the deadline. Everyone should be heading over there before long." As they came within sight of the gates to the east, the three of them noticed that only Bayleef had arrived. But something was not right. Erika was not with her. Bayleef even seemed to be very distraught about something.
As soon as she saw her husband come into view, Bayleef ran right over to him and cried, "Have you seen Erika?!" Mana asked, "What's wrong? Did she run away?" Bayleef sobbed, "We got here together, but when I looked away for just a moment, she was gone! What if she was kidnapped?!" Ash knelt down and embraced her, "I'll find her. I swear that I'll get her back." Bayleef calmed down a little and sighed, "Thank you.... I think she may have snuck off to the east. At least, that's what my gut's telling me." Ash stood up and spoke, "OK. Latios. Mana. You two stay here while I track Erika down." Mana asked, "But just how do you expect to find a Chikorita between here and Oreburgh city?" Ash smirked, "She's my daughter. I'll find her, and that's a promise."
Not far from Jubilife city, Erika was wandering around in a forest. She had wandered off out of curiosity and was now lost. She had become somewhat worried that she would never see her family again, but tried to not lose hope. She was certain that her beloved father would come to find her. Suddenly, a voice asked, "Hey, you lost?"
Erika turned to face the owner of the voice and saw what appeared to be a turtle of sorts with a sprouting plant on his head. "Uh...what are you?" Erika asked in confusion. The turtle grinned and said, "I'm a Turtwig. And what are you?" The Chikorita smiled and replied, "I'm Erika! Nice to meet you, Mr. Turtwig!" The Turtwig chuckled, "You seem like a sweet lass. But you look a little young to be out here alone. You have any parents?"
Erika frowned, "I got lost after I walked away from Mommy. Now I can't find my way back. I don't know what to do." The Turtwig simply laughed, "In that case, let's look for her together! I was bored anyway." Erika looked at the Turtwig, "Really?!" He nodded, "Yup! I know these woods really well. We'll find your mom in no time." The Chikorita squealed, "Thank you, Mr. Turtwig!"
Ash was making his way through the woods while calling out for his daughter. "Erika! Where'd you go?! Your mom's really scared that something's happened to you!" He eventually came to a clearing and took a moment to check his map on the Poketch. Just then, he felt it start to vibrate. "Sweet! She must be close!" He switched over to the radar function and saw two dark dots approaching him. Hoping that one of them was Erika, he stood his ground and waited. Before long, he saw two small Pokemon emerge from the woods. He immediately recognized one of them. "ERIKA!!!"
The Chikorita looked ahead and became filled with ecstatic joy. But before she could call out to him, Turtwig jumped in front of her. "A Trainer, huh? I'll handle 'em!" Erika was shocked and said, "Huh?! What are you doing?!" The Turtwig replied, "I'm stopping this guy from capturing you!" He then charged at Ash.
Ash stood firm as the Turtwig leapt at him. "What's wrong?! Why are...OOMPH!" Ash staggered back as the Turtwig Headbutt him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. Erika screamed, "STOP IT!!! THAT'S MY..." She was interrupted when Turtwig shoved her behind a tree. "Stay here for a minute. You're out of his reach now." He then jumped back out into view as Erika peeked out from behind the trunk. Ash was puzzled by this strange Pokemon and started to reach into his pocket for his Pokedex. However, the Turtwig thought that he was reaching for a weapon and launched a flurry of Razor Leaves at him!
Before Ash could react, the Razor Leaves slashed by him. "GRAH!!!" He yelled as the leaves cut him in several spots on his right arm. When Erika saw blood leaking from the cuts, she screamed, "THAT'S ENOUGH!!! LEAVE DADDY ALONE!!!" She then sprang forward and lassoed Turtwig with her Vine Whips! "What the?! What're you.....WAAAA!!" Turtwig screamed as the Chikorita raised him high above them and slammed him face first into the ground! But once was not enough as Erika kept repeating the process. "YOU...MEANIE!!! WHY...DID...YOU...HURT...DADDY?!"
As he watched Erika punish the Turtwig, Ash muttered, "The longer you take, the less effective it becomes..." Ash then reached for the Quick Ball in his pocket. "Not much time has passed. This is perfect!" As Erika brought the Turtwig down again, Ash threw the ball so it connected with him just as he hit the ground. After the Turtwig was captured in a flash of red light, the Quick Ball shook just a few times before the ball became dormant. "All right!!! I caught.....uh.....whatever this is!"
As he was reaching for his Pokedex, Ash noticed Erika running towards him. "LEMME AT HIM! I'LL MAKE HIM PAY!!!" Ash gulped and tried to keep the Quick Ball out of her vines. "Erika, quit it! I'm OK now! Really!" The Chikorita did not seem to listen as she tried to climb up her father's leg, only to fall back down. When Ash realized she would not listen to reason, he took off running towards Jubilife city in the hopes that Erika would follow him, which she did.
Brock yawned, "So we're supposed to wait for Ash to get back?" Dawn then shouted, "There he is now!" Everyone looked to the east and saw Ash dashing towards them with a look of panic on his face. Bayleef yelled, "Did you find her?!" Ash replied, "Yeah! Now get ready to use Sleep Powder! She's outta control!" Bayleef leaned to the side a bit and saw Erika just a few feet behind him. She looked absolutely furious for some reason. "OK! Just hold your breath for a moment!" Bayleef then began to wave the leaf on her head, releasing a blue cloud of Sleep Powder.
"Thanks, Bayleef! Now get outta the way!" Ash yelled as he closed in on his friends and family. He blasted right through the plume of Sleep Powder while holding his breath. Just a few seconds after she ran through the cloud as well, Erika began to wobble and fell on her side as the Sleep Powder did the trick. Ash wheezed, "Man, what the heck came over her?" Snow leapt from Frost's arms and clung to Ash's chest. "Are you OK, Daddy? Did Erika hurt you?" Ash petted his tiny daughter and gasped, "Nah, I don't think it was me she was after." Ash then hoisted Snow to his shoulder, her favorite spot.
Mewtwo asked, "I do not believe I have ever seen Erika so enraged. Just what happened?" Ash held up the Quick Ball. "This little guy nailed me with a Razor Leaf and Erika just went ballistic on 'em." Bayleef giggled, "Brings back memories of my days as a Chikorita. I guess she got that from me." Ash blushed, "Now that I think about, you're right! She was acting just like you did when those Quagsire mobbed me!" Brock laughed, "Man, that was a long way back."
"Hey, did I miss something?" Everyone turned and saw Neo with a backpack strapped to him. Mana asked, "What happened? Did you not find any clothes that appealed to you?" Neo chuckled, "Oh, I found some. I'm just keeping them in this backpack until we reach the next Pokemon Center. I'll be wearing this uniform until then." Latias smiled, "It's gonna be different without your green clothes." Neo grinned, "I'll still have these. I'll just stash them in my bag when I'm not wearing them."
About an hour later, the gang had set up camp for the night as the sun had begun to set. Brock was cooking up a wide variety of food, having really stocked up in Jubilife city, and was making sure that there was enough for everyone. Slate was leaning against a tree near the campsite as he waited for the meal to be cooked. Mana was playing a game of Aerial Tag with Amber and Onyx, who were amazed by her dexterity and grace.
Neo noticed Ash tossing his Quick Ball in the air and catching it before repeating the process. "So, I take it you managed to put that to use?" Ash grinned, "Sure did. Worked like a charm." Neo then smirked, "So, what was it?" Ash then tossed the ball towards the ground. "Just wait and see." In a flash, a Turtwig stood in the middle of the campsite. However, he had not yet recovered from the beating he received from Erika.
"What the...where am I?" Neo looked over the little turtle, "A Turtwig, huh? I hear this is one of the three Pokemon that most Trainers in Sinnoh start out with. Pretty ironic that this is your first Pokemon here." The Turtwig noticed Neo's strange presence and growled, "What the heck are you?! Wait a sec.....shoot!" The Turtwig groaned as Erika, who had just awakened, charged at him. "YOU MEANIE! GO AWAY!" But Ash jumped in front of the surprised Turtwig and said, "Whoa whoa whoa, take it easy! He's on our side now!"
Erika came to a stop and said, "But he hurt you! He's mean!" The Turtwig poked his head out from behind Ash and yelled, "I'm not mean! I was just protecting you so I could get you back to your mom and dad!" Erika then screamed, "He IS my daddy!" This floored the Turtwig as his jaw hit the floor. "WHHHAAAATTTTT?! NO WAY!!!" Neo then added, "Not just that. This kid's the Chosen One."
The Turtwig became blue in the face at Neo's revelation. Ash turned around and kneeled down to his new Pokemon. "Are you OK?" The Turtwig then groveled at Ash's feet. "I'm so sorry! If I had known you were the hero that saved us all, I.....I.....I'M SO SORRY!!!" The Turtwig bawled as Erika stood dumbfounded by just how regretful this Turtwig was. Dawn pondered what he had meant when the Turtwig had called Ash a hero, but just shrugged her shoulders, thinking he was just exaggerating. Neo had constructed a translator earpiece for her a short time before to allow her to understand Pokemon speech.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I'll do whatever you want! Just don't kill me!" Ash laughed and said, "Hey, ease up! I'm not gonna hurt ya! I should be thanking for you for looking out for my little girl here!" The Turtwig looked up at Ash with a look of awe. "You mean...you're praising me?" Ash paused for a moment, and then said, "Well.....uh...yeah." The Turtwig bowed before his Trainer, "I'm honored. Really, I am." Ash then turned to Erika and smiled, "See? He's sorry." Erika sighed, "OK. If he's sorry, I won't hurt him."
Once Ash had sorted things out with Turtwig, Brock finished their dinner. But Mana went off into the woods towards a stream to wash up first; unaware that Erika was following her.
Mana rubbed her hands together in the gently flowing water. "That's nice. I really can't wait to take a real shower once we get to Oreburgh. I can't believe it's been two years since I last bathed with soap. Good thing scales are easier to clean than flesh." Once she had finish washing her hands, Mana slipped her knuckle gloves back on and turned to head back to the campsite. But she stopped abruptly after very nearly stepping on her little sister.
"Huh? Oh hi! What's up, Erika?" Mana giggled as she kneeled down in front of her. The Chikorita replied, "I just wanna tell you something." Mana grinned, "Sure thing. Tell me anything." Erika's voice then became unusually stern, "Don't get with Daddy. Daddy's mine!" Mana was shocked and asked, "Wha...? What do you mean?" Erika then added, "He's mine! All mine! Don't get in the way!" She then turned and ran back to camp, the aroma of their dinner guiding her.
Mana stood aghast at her little sister's outburst. "He's hers'? Just what did that mean?" Mana thought this over a bit, trying to think about what that may have referred to. Just then, Mana's eye twitched as she came to a suspicion. "Oh man..... Could she really....." Mana chuckled a bit as she started back to camp. "Dad, you better watch out. I think Erika has the hots for you."
That night, everyone fell asleep with their bellies filled with a variety of food. The sleeping bags were arranged in a circle around the remains of the campfire. However, Ash was still awake as he looked towards the stars, wondering of what the worlds his allies came from were like right then, 100 years before that dreaded war.
"Pretty night, huh?" Ash turned his head to see Frost looking down at him, the moonlight making her black fur glisten. "Can't sleep? Or are you just waiting for something?" Ash smiled, "Actually, I'm just really glad that I found Mana and Slate so soon after getting here. I think I'm just too relieved to sleep or something." Frost grinned, "Then how about a walk? Just the two of us." Ash nodded and started to crawl out of his sleeping bag.
"Excellent. He's moving away from the rest of the group. And no one seems to know." Missingno chuckled as he watched from the side of Mt. Coronet. "Once I'm done with him, that little green Latios brat will be next. Only then will I set my sights on Guy. Now, what would be the best way to do this?" XD-386 began to brainstorm, trying to think of the best means to do away with his target.
"Hmmmm.....yeah. That'll work." He then held out his left arm. Ice began to creep over it. Soon his arm had become an Icicle Spear. "By combining the sharpness and sleek form of Icicle Spear with the speed and bullet-like precision of Bullet Punch....." He then braced himself, ready to sprint. "I said I would tear out his heart. And that's exactly what I'll do. All that remains is to wait for the proper time."
Ash walked along the path to the east as Frost rested in his arms. The two of them gazed lovingly into each other's eyes. It was then that Frost spoke, "Betcha didn't know Sinnoh is my homeland." Ash asked, "Really?" The Sneasel nodded, "Yeah. I used to live far to the north, near a place known as Snowpoint city. It's a beautiful place that is covered in snow year-round." Ash grinned, "I'd like to see it sometime." Frost giggled, "Oh, you will. Snowpoint city has a Pokemon Gym, so you'll have to stop by there eventually." Ash chuckled, "Then there's nothing to worry about. We just might see some of your old friends up there."
Frost sighed, "I didn't have many friends up there, even before I was captured and converted into a Shadow Pokemon. But I do remember a few of the Sneasel I would occasionally spar with. I think one of them went by the name Chill. A couple others were Inchin and Claws." Ash asked, "Were there any more?" Frost grunted, "Yeah, but I didn't bother to learn their names."
As Ash walked under the stars, Frost asked, "Ash, may I ask you something?" The Trainer smiled, "Sure. What's bugging you?" The Sneasel sighed, "Do you think I'm still.....a monster?" This stunned Ash greatly. "What makes you say that?" Frost replied, "I just can't get the faces of my victims out of my head. I always made them beg for mercy. Made them think that I just might let them live. Only to slaughter them a moment later." Ash remained silent. "I never spared any of my victims. Not one."
Ash sighed, "That was then. And I know that you're trying hard to atone for what you did. You're being a great mom to Snow, and you're always sweet to me." Frost blushed, "Thanks. I've never seen myself as sweet, but I guess I was wrong." Ash held Frost closer to him, "There's nothing wrong with regretting your actions. I know you were in a lot of pain back then. It wasn't even your choice to become a Shadow Pokemon in the first place. The lives you stole are really the fault of whoever forced you into becoming what you used to be." Frost sighed, "You're right. I didn't have much control over myself back then. My body always acted on instinct. But until I'm purified, I will never be able to cleanse my hands of the blood of my victims."
Ash set Frost down and turned around. "Don't you think we should be heading back now?" Ash smiled, "Not just yet. I want to look at the stars for a bit longer." Ash turned to the west and looked at the sky. Frost stood next to him and said, "Not a cloud in the sky, and what a beautiful crescent moon."
Missingno smirked when he saw Ash face the west. "I have you now!" He blazed down the side of Mt. Coronet at nearly supersonic speeds, but staying just under the speed of sound to avoid creating a sonic boom, which would alert Ash to his presence.
Frost felt a sudden chill. "This feeling....." Ash looked down at the Sneasel and asked, "What's wrong?" Frost shivered, "There's something evil approaching..... Something extremely evil." Ash asked, "From which direction?" Frost looked around, "I can't tell....."
Missingno could sense Frost's Shadow energy as he closed in on them. "There's no escape for you now. Vengeance will soon be mine."
All too late, Frost sensed the direction where the evil intent was coming from. "Behind you!" Ash began to turn around to face the east. A familiar voice yelled, "TOO LATE!!!!!" Time seemed to move in slow-motion as XD-386 thrust his left arm forward.
There was a splattering sound, followed by a dull thud. Soon, rain began to pour from the cloudless sky. Missingno stood motionless, a human heart impaled on his ice-encrusted arm. As he sneered in triumph, he muttered, "One down, two to go."