Hello everyone!

So. This is my first time doing something like this, and as far as I know, the first time in Fanfiction (not that many stories even got this far in the adventure). It's been a heck of a ride to actually write this with some private life things and being distracted. I really, really blame Dark Souls 3 for being so addicting. It's a fun game.

I'm glad so many people like this story. I've actually started writing this when I got bored and went "Why are there so little stories that go far into the journey?!" when reading other Pokémon Fanfics. I'm not dissing them, but really guys, why do all the amazing ones quit so early? So much potential wasted. *Sob*

I've received reviews, private messages and various OC entries. I've read them all - thank you for sending them. I'm glad you all enjoy the story even if there are a few mistakes here and there… (if not big ones at times? I'm not too sure about all of your opinions).

As usual, I will start writing about reviews and questions in it here. I hope this answers some things. Afterwards, I'd like you guys to read something about the OC entries that I've noticed.

Stanie Clements's review about Ash's aura usage

Answer: The tail was an unfocused usage of aura. It was just made to resemble something to grab, protect or harm. Originally, I wanted to make claws but Ash will learn many things later on. He might learn how to create a sword, but that'll take a while.

Soul D Phoenix's review about a possible Chandelure, Klingklang and/or Aegislash.

Answer: Who knows? There's so many regions, so many adventures left. I'm leaning towards a Chandelure, though. But that's for another region. Possibly Sinnoh.

Jack905's review about "other worlds", or in my words, alternate universes.

Answer: Yes, yes they were. There are an infinite amount of alternate universes and I simply wrote a few about some fanfics written here.

Now I'm going to talk about the OC entries. First off, thanks for submitting so many characters! Many will be used in the tournament that happens during the Orange Island journey.

I just have one, just one complaint. There are too many Royal Species entries and so I'll have to remove some royal entries. I can enter a few of them, but 80% had an honest-to-goodness Royal Species of all kinds of Pokémon. Hold back a little everyone!

For anyone who'd like to submit another, I'd ask you to limit yourself a little. Don't use a team of Salamance, Garchomp, Dragonite etc. in one go. Some trainers can be weaker than others, others simply have a team that works best together. I've even had a Parasect entry and that person got my respect for doing so. Add some unique twists to your teams, please! It doesn't even have to be the strongest but I prefer the uniqueness, the 'outside the norm' entries. Pokémon you rarely see, Pokémon you don't expect.

Well then. I apologize for the long intro of this chapter. I hope you will enjoy this chapter! I've made you wait long enough.

After a very fun trip on Dragonite - although that sentiment was not shared with Brock and Caitlin - the group arrived at an island which had a decently large mountain on it. The top of it was covered in snow, possibly marked by an Articuno as 'in use' because the weather outside was anything but cold.

Ash heard that, however, Articuno reside INSIDE of the mountain, in a deep cave where it can rest and age in peace.

Unlike a normal Pokémon, Legendary Pokémon actually get stronger just by simply aging. An example would be that a newborn Articuno can't win a one on one against a decently trained Pokémon whereas an adult, despite having no training, could blast away any normal Pokémon with a simple gust. That is the power a legendary gains by aging.

This, however, is an extremely slow process. We all know what Ash thinks about slow processes.

Screw those. Instead of being lazy, TRAIN!

If Ash manages to capture Articuno, he would surely kick its feathery behind into training. It would anger him and most likely any serious legendary to see a legendary rot away like that due to laziness and arrogance. Well, if the legendaries actually train themselves that is.

Honestly, it was kind of worrying how the Articuno and other birds their younglings manage to survive without being captured. It really is. If Ash knows where to find one, why wouldn't others?

Then again, Ash had the luck of a Victini… even if he didn't know that.

"Well, we're here," Ash exclaimed with a cheerful and satisfied smile. He swiftly opened his bag and put on the warm clothing be bought at the store before staring at a cloak he received from his mother. He completely forgot about that.

I should make more use of those gifts…

He didn't even use the saddle on his Talonflame, but he'd like to mention that he needs to send that to Professor Oak and request the older man to use all those nuggets the Talonflame brought him in the past to decorate it.

After all, royalty deserves royal equipment!

"Yeah… and I don't want to do that again. At least Falcon flies slowly at the start of a trip," Brock held his stomach before swallowing and then putting on the clothing he purchased. They didn't purchase any clothes like shirts or trousers, so that was alright.

Caitlin in turn let out a huff as she still felt dizzy. Her ankle was already doing a lot better, better than they estimated. It might be a possible side effect from possessing aura as it unconsciously tried to heal the damage.

Self healing. How great is that? Sometimes aura can be such a hack.

Still, she didn't complain. Now that the ankle didn't hurt as much anymore - which she oddly had not felt during the shopping - she could do as she pleased. Well, as long as it doesn't hurt the ankle again… she had no doubt that would hurt. A lot.

Putting on her warm clothing, Caitlin made sure that she was properly equipped for it. Gloves, scarf, boots, extra leggings and a warm jacket. When she turned around, she saw her male friends wearing the same type of clothing except extra leggings and Ash had a cloak around his body.

It was a cloak she hadn't seen before. Interesting.

"Nice cloak Ash, where did you get it?" Brock asked the younger boy curiously.

Ash rubbed the back of his head. Now that they were still outside, it was getting pretty hot. "Mom gave it to me when I left for my journey. I kind-of forgot… I have skates too if that matters," Ash shrugged.

Caitlin and Brock stared at him. ""Why did you…""

The question was left at that as Ash was already walking into the cavern. The heat definitely bothered him and the Dragonite that was looking at them whilst snacking on some treats couldn't help but snicker.

'Kids. How amusing they are. Ah well, time to go to Lance. Hope I can score extra snacks from him for doing this,' thought the dragon before he flew upwards and flew off with the sound barrier breaking. The only questionable thing with it is how that bag the Dragonite wears has no damage to it.

Mysteries like that are better off left alone.

""Ash Ketchum! Wait up!"" Both fellow travelers ran at their younger companion, obviously not amused at the casual exit he made when they wanted to ask a question.

The first impression is always important. It seems this cavern lives up to its name.

There was no need for any light. There were crystals, most likely natural ones, that gave off light. A strange thing to see, but they also looked like they were made of ice. The cold temperature around them definitely attracted Ash's professor mindset but he came here with a different goal.

The entrance was a large tunnel that lead towards an open area. This area was filled with damaged grounds, broken walls and even a humongous hole in the ceiling. This hole seemed to go downwards as well and Ash took a guess that that was Articuno's 'door'.

When the three trainers arrived in the open area, they expected many things. What they did not expect was another bloody swarm. The moment they arrived they saw a bunch of bird-like, bipedal Pokémon. Each looked like they were made to be the next Santa Claus and they all carried a large red bag.

'Is it time for presents?' Ash wondered as he rose an eyebrow. These Pokémon were Delibird. They are one of the rarer flying type Pokémon seeing how they prefer to rest in cold areas and they often hide themselves quite well despite the fact they wear such a bright red it made Ash question the trainers.

Their species is one of the very few Pokémon who know the move Present. Actually, all Pokémon other than Delibird can't learn Present by normal means. It is a very interesting move, yet also a gamble as it can damage but also heal. Guess what they are looking at?

You guessed it! Waaaay to many Delibird… and they didn't look particularly happy.

Nope, not at all. Then again, Ash doesn't know if it's their breeding season or not. Interrupting a breeding season is akin to calling death upon thyself.

Luckily, Delibird are the kinder species amongst the Pokémon. That doesn't mean they're off the hook either. The strongest of the swarm, 3 Delibird, stepped forward and pretty much challenged them in order to chase them off. Ash heard their exclamation though. It was quite a surprise as he'd imagined that they'd attack.

"You trainers attempt to enter our breeding grounds? We will chase you off; but if you win we will allow you access. Consider it a challenge!"

If he was a normal person, then he'd be confused but Ash could understand the language just fine thanks to his past aura experiment. It's still weird to see how some of them actually follow chivalry-like behavior.

"Alright… They want us to battle against them, three against three. You guys up for it?" Ash asked his friends, both agreeing without a second thought.

Pikachu jumped in front of Ash for a battle, simply coming out of the Pokéball and then came Espeon and Ninetales. It seems they got a nice combination going there as Ash thought up a few options.

"Combine moves, or each battles one?" He asked his friends to be sure. It's best to ask it and the Delibird seemed kind enough to wait despite not liking the fact that trainers entered their breeding grounds in order to capture Pokémon.

"Take one each," Caitlin put in her word and Brock seemed to agree with it, making the 'leader' of the group shrug. "Let's go. Espeon! Psybeam!"

The six Pokémon jumped away as moves went towards the Delibird and the attackers followed, making sure they were separated so that they won't make any sudden moves.

Pikachu was running around a Delibird with a speed that would leave many in awe. The Delibird looked quite tough and launched an Ice Beam towards the floor in order to let Pikachu slip, but the mouse was a lot smarter than that.

Using Iron Tail, Pikachu jumped towards the Delibird that was now attempting to circle itself with an ice beam. He was far too fast for the Delibird to catch up, so the bird received an Iron Tail straight to the head.

Delibird couldn't help but let out a cry of pain before throwing dozens of presents around - a surprising amount of them actually - which all began to explode and cause Pikachu to be launched up with a cry of surprise and pain.

Delibird wasn't done as soon after, the Delivery Pokémon launched a Water Pulse to the Pikachu - not knowing the consequences of doing so with this particular one.

Blue eyes opened wide at the sight of a water source and the mouse grinned eagerly, Pikachu's tail twitching as it made its way into the orb and took control of the water before using Aqua Tail in a single twirl, launching the water source back to the shocked Delibird that was launched off of its feet into a boulder.

Pikachu let out a battle cry before launching a massive thundershock towards the Delibird, the yellow electricity forcing itself in a straight path and the Delibird took advantage despite being hurt with Pikachu's surprise attack. Rolling aside, the Delibird took his chance and instantly used Present, the box didn't explode however as it gave off a green light and began healing the Delibird.

'What a cheat,' Ash thought as he looked at that. They could CONTROL that? They fired off 12 before, isn't that a little too much?

He did notice the fact that Pikachu's electric attacks were often done in a straight path. It should be fixed as soon as possible because that is a really bad issue with the moves. They contain tons of power, but it seems that Pikachu barely has any control if it's all done in a straight path.

Delibird jumped on its feet while being fully recovered, the Delivery Pokémon giving an eager look as he fired a Seed Bomb towards the Pikachu who jumped upwards and had to use Iron Tail's weight to dodge sideways as an Ice Beam soon followed him up.

Brock's Ninetales couldn't help but grin eagerly. She'd been waiting for a battle for ages as the pseudo-legends often took away the fun. Right now the space was closed off and her nine tails began to move around in the air with a Will-O-Wisp on each tip.

Brock couldn't help but admire the beauty of the Pokémon. A Ninetales is extremely beautiful and despite that, fierce. The way his Ninetales looked now said enough. Without needing a command, the Fox Pokémon now launched a massive Flamethrower towards the Delivery Pokémon, who jumped sideways to avoid the dangerous flames of the Fox Pokémon.

Delibird instantly launched multiple Water Pulses, intending to finish it as soon as possible but Brock never neglected to train Ninetales for weaknesses.

Nine tails split apart and gained a silver glint, each using Iron Tail with deadly accuracy as they swiped against the multiple water attacks, slamming them away or destroying them immediately. It seems the Fox Pokémon nearly did so without even thinking and launched another Flamethrower despite using Iron Tail at the same time.

So surprised at that sight as Pokémon rarely have the ability to do such a thing, the Delibird was hit head on and knocked out instantly. It seems Ninetales contained a lot of firepower.

Brock scratched his head at the sight. 'Am I feeding them something that makes them too strong? I'm pretty sure Ash's Pokémon are just as strong.'

Ninetales let out a disappointed sigh. It seems this battle wasn't meant for her either.

"Sorry girl, you'll have to forgive me for this," Brock whispered as the Ninetales came back and he stroked her fur.

"I suppose it's can't be helped. The shock must've made the attack hit without any protective means."

Espeon seemed to have a harder time.

For starters, she had no super effective moves against the Delibird. There's also the problem that her target seemed to be much stronger than Ninetales'.

Espeon jumped sideways to avoid a Present and rushed towards the Delibird with an Iron Tail, only to be met with a Power-up Punch that overpowered the Iron Tail and sent her skidding backwards.

Taking the chance as the Delibird is recovering, Espeon's gem glowed brightly and fired a Psybeam, hitting the Delibird in the face.

With a lot of luck, the psychic energy caused the Delibird to get confused and caused the Delivery Pokémon to walk around with swirls in his eyes.

Seeing the chance, Espeon rushed towards the Delibird and launched it into the ground with an Iron Tail, striking with her full weight. This followed up by another Psybeam and then Espeon began gathering huge rocks with Psychic, launching them all onto the Delibird that was on the ground whilst confused.

With a lot of luck, the Delibird recovered after shaking his head wildly and flew upwards to avoid being crushed by the obviously damaging move.

Seeing the chance as the Espeon definitely felt a bit fatigued from throwing the huge rocks, the Delibird decided to launch a full-powered Ice Beam at the Espeon, who became frozen almost instantly. Caitlin's eyes widened at that, her Pokémon lost against this Delibird?!

They're definitely strong.

Ash noticed the frozen Espeon and quickly decided to act. Right now, he couldn't really hold up and it wasn't as if they promised to do one-on-one battles.

"Pikachu! Iron Tail on Espeon!" Ash called out much to Caitlin's surprise. Pikachu noticed the reason and rushed off far too fast for the other Delibird to catch up and smashed his tail against the ice of the frozen Espeon, who became freed.

"Hurry up and use Psychic on my Thunder! We'll knock both out if you control it!" Pikachu ordered the Espeon, who was surprised at being freed already, with a fierce command. While feeling a lot weaker, this should be within her capabilities.

Pikachu took a deep breath before giving a battle 'roar', firing a massive Thunder towards Espeon's opponent - who decided to take a brief rest before helping his friend - and Espeon's eyes and gem began to glow a bright glue that forced the thunder in a blast of electricity. First, it hit the Delibird that was far too surprised by the sudden, extremely powerful attack and then the attack turned towards Pikachu's opponent.

The Delibird that now noticed the massive electric-type attack panicked before launching as many Presents as he could in order to weaken it at least… but it seems that Espeon's Psychic protected the attack from the continuous attacks before it reached the Delibird that also cried in pain.

The two Delibird were knocked out completely by the move and faint electricity could be seen coming from their bodies. Ash saw a chance and grabbed a Pokéball.

'They never said I couldn't capture one of them… besides, they can miss one,' Ash thought with a faint shrug. It was all to help out his mother, but also to have a fellow ice-type for his Glacia. That, and having a fellow flying and ice type outdo an Articuno if he or she wouldn't train would motivate him/her… hopefully. If he manages to capture Articuno. If Articuno is even here.

Throwing the Pokéball, the one that Pikachu battled was captured. Serves him right for healing so many times.

Ash caught the Pokéball before turning to the other Delibird that watched and rose a brow. "Any problems with the capture?" He asked just to be sure.

One of the Delibird shook his head, slowly at that. That meant they weren't intimidated - which is a good sign really, because Pokémon tend to act violent in such a state. "They have battled you and you won fair and square. It is within your rights, and we are witnesses. He was captured after a battle and in the wild, that makes it right."

Ash relayed what he had been told before Brock perked up and decided to capture a Delibird as well. This one seemed to transfer towards Brock's home. Perhaps he placed a limit on his captured team? Gym Leaders were allowed to make their own team limits after all. How curious.

"Seeing how you have won the battle, you can proceed. However, be careful. There resides a young Articuno and it does not like strangers visiting its resting grounds." The Delibird that spoke before, waved an … arm? towards an entrance to a deeper cavern and the trainers nodded in thanks before leaving to the next area.

Best hurry now.

Walking through the cave, Ash couldn't help but think about things. "Weren't you two intending to capture a Pokémon for your team here as well?"

Caitlin shrugged nonchalantly. "I'll see if I can find a lake. I've always wanted a water-type, really."

"I'll just look around," Brock answered and the three trainers noticed that there were multiple entrances to, most likely, specific areas. "I'll take left?" Brock offered.

Ash rubbed his head in annoyance at seeing this. He had hopes it was just a straightforward trip, but it seems he isn't lucky. "Guess I'll go center."

"Fufu, I'll take right. If we finish, we go outside of the cave, alright you two?" Caitlin finished with the two others agreeing. Seeing that they were going apart, each called out a second Pokémon as the ones who battled stayed outside of their ball.

"Tar!"

"Nin-nin!"

"Gardevoir…"

"""Let's go you two,""" the three trainers spoke in synchronicity before going to their destinations.

With Caitlin

Caitlin took a deep breath as she looked around herself and then shivered a little. "Thick skinned men… I have no idea how they endure it," she muttered and her two companions could only look at her in pity.

Well, up until Gardevoir shivered as well and that pity became vengeance. She hates the cold too!

"So where should we go?" Caitlin asked her Gardevoir, who is known for her hidden ability.

"If we walk further, we will reach a lake. At least, the minds that I can scan show a lake filled with various Pokémon." Gardevoir replied curtly and moved on with Espeon. Their eyes looked around in case there is a dark-type hanging around; those buggers couldn't be scanned and it wouldn't be the first time Gardevoir made such a mistake. It cost her a good week of recovery in a cave thanks to a nasty Sneasel. Then again, she was still new to it back then, and a Kirlia.

'Hmm.. That fits what I'm looking for. It's still way too cold… Wonder how the water isn't frozen? Ah.. Wait, I have an idea!' Caitlin smiled happily at the idea she just had and grabbed a Pokéball.

"Come on out, Litleo," She spoke cheerfully as the Fire/Normal type Pokémon appeared and happily looked at her. The cold didn't even bother him, in fact, with his natural heat he was capable of lessening the heat around the area too. A bonus for having a fire-type with you.

Gardevoir cheered up as well and Espeon simply sweatdropped with a single thought, 'I'm supposed to be the new one here and yet, they can't handle the cold…'

Espeon let out a sigh before walking forward and went deeper into the cave, taking the lead of the two pansies and the innocent Litleo.

"We're close to the source of the minds I read," Gardevoir mentioned after a while and they soon noticed an opening.

A lake, so clear that it almost made Caitlin want to jump in and enjoy it. It was so pure she could see the bottom and it looked as if the entire cavern was made of crystals, the ice no longer being spiky. It almost looked… taken care of?

As she looked in the water, she could see multiple Pokémon. Seel, Dewgong, Shellder and in the very distance she could even see a Lapras. A Pokémon so insanely rare it almost made her drop her jaw.

It was so beautiful she wanted to take a picture of it and so she did, taking multiple pictures of the area which drew the attention of the younger Pokémon that curiously looked up and popped around.

Within a few minutes, the group of four were surrounded by at least 10 young Pokémon. A pair of Seel, a Shellder, a young Lapras that is no doubt the child of the one in the back, a rare Bergmite, Sneasel, a Slowbro, a pair of Slowking and lastly, a recently evolved Dewgong that seemed to be the leader of the Seel.

"Oh, hello you all," Caitlin smiled softly at the sight of the curious eyes. They must've never met humans, or at least the bad kind. She crouched down and offered a hand to the Lapras in the water that curiously looked at it before placing her head on it and let it stroke her, faint squeals being heard that she liked it.

That seemed to break the dam as the cute young Pokémon decided to all nuzzle up against Caitlin, who in turn let out a squeal due to the cold but soon laughed at the sensation of being nuzzled and licked by all the Pokémon. Heck, the Slowbro and two Slowking just stood there smiling and turned to the Pokémon with Caitlin, most likely to chatter a little and gain a few tips for some psychic moves. They do recognize the psychic-type energy after all.

The sound, in turn, lured the older ones in and she was soon surrounded by the Pokémon's higher evolutions and/or powers. An older Lapras, most likely the leader of the group, tilted its head in curiosity at the sight of the human girl. One managed to get this deep in the cavern? That is quite a surprise.

The Lapras asked the question to the Gardevoir, who relayed it to Caitlin, "She's basically asking what we are doing here."

Caitlin wanted to roll her eyes. No duh. That's an obvious one.

"I'm here with two of my friends. We're actually looking to have a new family member, or I suppose, new Pokémon in our team. I came here since the way split in three and I found you here."

The Lapras didn't get angry, nor hostile. The trainer was honest about her intentions and didn't hide a thing which is something the Lapras could admire and it nodded.

Speaking again, the Lapras let the Gardevoir translate, "You're welcome to challenge a willing Pokémon."

Caitlin smiled gratefully, "Thank you, Lapras," she'd have to admit that the sight of such a rare and beautiful pokémon was new to even her and she had Entei.

Lapras nodded and swam off to the back again, keeping a watchful eye so nobody would get hurt. As Caitlin turned, she could feel a Seel poking her curiously and making a few cries. It was a young one, no doubt still not used to battle.

"The little one wishes to challenge you if you'd like him to be your family member," Gardevoir translated and Caitlin nodded to one of her strongest Pokémon.

"If you don't mind. Since you're so young, Litleo will be the best choice. Is that alright for you?" She asked the newly captured Litleo. It'd be their first battle really and this must be a good intro. Litleo never had much formal training other than the minor things they did and practice the moves he knew instinctively.

A pair of Dewgong, no doubt the parents, moved to the Seel and seemed to chatter for a while. Eventually, the two nodded in agreement and gave their blessings before everyone backed off in respect for the Seel's first battle. No doubt, interested in how it will go.

Heck, the Seel was adventurous so she'd have loved to join Caitlin either way. By battle, however, is traditional and that is taught to all Pokémon from birth which Seel also followed so she offered no complaints.

The male Litleo let out a battle cry before standing ready and the Seel also turned serious. The battle field was the lake, but the few Ice types offered some help and made plateaus with the use of Ice Beam.

A Pokémon was counting down it seems as a Weavile called out the typical 'Start!' with a wave of his claw. A form of entertainment for the other Pokémon maybe? It'll help them grow at least.

"Litleo! Start with Work Up and follow up with Tackle!" Litleo nodded and his small body gained a faint growth with a red glow around him. The ice under his feet melted a little as the heat increased and Seel also took action by firing a Water Gun straight towards the Litleo, who was boosting himself.

"Dodge to the side!"

Litleo jumped instantly, following his trainer's lead. The Water Gun managed to hit him a bit, but it wasn't that much. The Litleo instantly jumped from pieces to ice to another and reached the Seel with a fast Tackle.

Seel let out a cry of pain before going underwater and Litleo had to quickly get on top of ice again.

"Work Up, again!" Caitlin really forgot how lower level, or equal for that matter, battles worked. She was so used to crushing her opponents, it brought a little joy back to see the challenge in this.

Even if Ash had some crazy growth rate that was gradually reaching her level. He reminded Caitlin of Cynthia, really.

Litleo let out another cry before growing bigger, his fur turning a red shade due to all the gradual increases of power. The small cub decided to take matters in his own hands by firing a few Ember shots, which Caitlin immediately corrected.

"Stop! Don't use fire-type moves on the water!" Really, this is the problem with younger Pokémon. They tended to be rash, but Caitlin was a little too late.

Steam rose as the differences between cold and hot made each other known, the Ember attack causing her sight to become limited. That's quite annoying.

Seel now took her chance by firing a close Water Gun, having reached the Litleo silently and the cub let out a cry of pain as he was launched onto a larger plateau made of ice.

"Litleo!" Caitlin called out in worry before deciding to use a move the Litleo must've learnt by now. At least, she hoped he did even if partially. She really should have trained the cub more, but he wasn't with her long enough to get some actual training in. "Noble Roar!"

While not optimal, Litleo listened and tried his best to use the move that is called their signature attack. Noble Roar, a move that lowers the opponent's attack and special attack. The roar targets the opponent's brain and forces them to become intimidated, lowering their power.

Though in this case, it was half effective. A good thing did happen though as Seel appeared and Caitlin decided to go for the kill. Figuratively speaking, that is.

"Headbutt! End this battle!"

Litleo let out a battle cry and jumped towards the Seel with all his strength, gathering energy around his head and slammed it straight into the Seel's face. The move proved to be a critical hit as Seel instantly floated on her back with swirls in her eyes.

"Go!" Caitlin cried out in excitement - as she threw a Pokéball - at capturing a new partner. Her grin widened when she saw the Pokéball hit the Seel and it got captured in the orb. It began twitching every now and then before finishing and a water-type that was nearby headbutted the ball back to Caitlin to help out.

"Thanks! I captured a Seel," Caitlin thanked the water-type before looking at her Litleo and she leaned down to pet him. "Good job, but! Don't use moves without my commands until I say so, understood, Litleo?" Caitlin thanked and scolded at the same time. It was to keep the big head away too.

Litleo let out a faint whimper.

"Being cute won't help either."

Litleo whimpered more.

With Brock

Brock made sure that his two Pokémon were fine. Both Ninetales and Tyranitar are new to this sort of environment despite having experience in a snowstorm. That one was actually made by a Pokémon so Brock had a feeling it was an adult Articuno.

The air was cold and he could see his breath, his Pokémon exhaling the same as himself. Ninetales, however, decided to warm up the area and used Will-O-Wisp on her tails as she guided them around. It was a lifesaver too as the cavern lit up more, revealing those beautiful crystals made of ice and material Brock wasn't sure what it is. Glowstone, maybe?

Deciding to go for it for his gym, he called for his strongest Pokémon.

"Tyranitar, could you break some of those crystals for me to take with me? The gym might like them, plus I'm sure that dad would like to study it. Even if he hasn't done so in a bunch of years."

"Tar." Tyranitar nodded in agreement and used Rock Smash in a karate-like fashion, breaking a few crystals with utmost care. The larger ones would go to Brock's father, but Brock decided to keep a bunch of the smaller ones. "Keep some for me too. Those will have to be smaller."

Tyranitar nodded and did his job. Ninetales let out a small huff of amusement at the sight of her trainer doing such things. Really, this is the difference between the three trainers. One is mature and wishes to become a healer and a breeder, the other is a mature trainer with a few problems that most likely come due to teenage years but extremely talented at battling and finally there is the elite trainer that could wipe out teams with no problem.

She was happy to be Brock's Pokémon though. He was the best kind of trainer you'd wish for. He pampers you, but doesn't treat you like a doll and trains you to the ground when needed.

Ninetales' sensitive ears picked up sounds of whimpers and growls that made the Ninetales turn her head to the direction deeper into the cave.

"Brock!" which only came as "Nine!" to Brock's ears, but it had the same effect. Brock turned around to see his Ninetales pointing her tail deeper into the cave and Brock frowned slightly at the action. Did something happen there, a dangerous Pokémon or was it something else?

"Tyranitar, let's go," Brock commanded as he listened to his Pokémon. Ninetales didn't look worried, but still cautious as to what is happening.

Ninetales dutifully remained in front of them and let her tails travel through the air, making sure that no spot was left untouched. They, however, arrived at a scene of three Sneasel targeting a Pokémon that whimpered in fear.

A Cubchoo. A Pokémon that isn't seen in Kanto, meaning that it must be rare to find one. Was it abandoned, or did the parents get captured? Perhaps even worse…

Brock, however, did not like the sight of such a young Pokémon - and he could see it since the Cubchoo was thin and his fur wasn't that big yet, meaning it must be cold - being targeted as a toy and later on, a quick snack. No sirree, he'll have to chat with these Sneasel.

"Ninetales, take one out. Tyranitar, take the other two. Show them how it feels, don't hurt them too much but make sure that they'll never do it again.."

You don't target kids in Brock's eyes. Ever.

Tyranitar roared loudly and made the entire cavern shake, scaring the four Pokémon in front of Brock. The Sneasel more because Tyranitar's red eyes were glaring towards them specifically. Roaring again, the Tyranitar rushed off and kicked two Sneasel away for a little 'chat'.

Ninetales just growled menacingly and slammed an Iron Tail against the leftover Sneasel. Now, she got to toying with that one so that he understands how it feels.

While his Pokémon were busy, Brock walked up to the baby Cubchoo with a friendly air around him. He had no reason to be afraid, "Hello little one."

"C-cub…" Cubchoo was thinking it's over when he saw the human, if that is what he is, walk over to him. From what little he understood in his time as an egg, humans capture Pokémon and force them to battle.

"Don't worry. I won't do anything wrong, just eat this. It'll help," Brock offered a Sitrus berry, focusing more on the fact that the Cubchoo may be hungry and hurt. A good sitrus berry fixes most of those problems.

"Choo?" The Cubchoo didn't know how to react, but moved his little arms towards the berry. He knew it was food instinctively because of the aroma of the berry and tried to take a bite with his small teeth. A surprise to Brock because he assumed the Pokémon would not have any yet so young. It seems wild Pokémon grow them at a faster rate in order to survive.

A note for the future.

Brock tried to hold out his hand and pet the Cubchoo, but the Pokémon quickly shied away and ate the berry as fast as it could in order to get away.

Sighing softly, Brock decided to sit down on the cold rocky floor. He looked at the Cubchoo with focus and calm, not revealing any hostility. That's the dumbest thing to do now.

This went on for three entire minutes, as the Cubchoo had a little trouble eating the berry. During those three minutes, the Cubchoo eventually began warming up a little as Brock showed no danger to Cubchoo's being.

Tyranitar and Ninetales eventually joined the two and sat down with Brock giving them a Sitrus berry as well. Seeing that the baby Cubchoo was still hungry, he grabbed a few smaller Oran Berries and placed them in front of the baby Pokémon. "Here, this should help."

Brock did not push the Pokémon any further. The Cubchoo took action as he leaned forward to sniff the berries and carefully chewed on them.

Brock could, however, see the restoring damage done on the Cubchoo's body. Small patches of dirt simply disappeared as the Pokémon gained energy and some small bruises and wounds also did. A faint cut became a scar on the Pokémon's chest, but it's better than having it infected.

Good.

"Ninetales, do you hear or see anyone else around us?" Brock asked to be sure. He didn't like being in the dark where Sneasel were threatening young Pokémon. Some Pokémon might be even more dangerous, though it could just be those three.

Will-O-Wisps were now flying around the area instead of focused on a tail. The ghostly flames made sure to leave no spot untouched and were anything to get close, they'd get burnt. Brock scanned the area to make sure there is nothing wrong and once confirmed that they were alone, outside of three beaten up Sneasel in the corner, he looked at Cubchoo who was now finished eating.

"Are you feeling better?" Brock asked for confirmation.

Cubchoo tilted his head as he looked at the human who gave him food. It tasted nice and those two strong Pokémon listened to his commands. Was he an alpha, a leader? Or is this what humans do?

"Cub..choo," Cubchoo decided to tag along with this human. Whether he'd like it or not, he now gained a Cubchoo and the young Pokémon crawled on top of Brock's lap to sit down.

"Well," Brock mumbled as he looked at his two Pokémon in confusion, "I guess I got a Cubchoo?" He half mumbled half asked.

"Cub!" "Tar…" "Tales!" One cheered, two shrugged in fascination at the actions of the little Pokémon. Guess their trainer really is a mother-type.

..

..

'I feel like someone just questioned my manliness…' Brock thought silently.

Ah well. This place is the perfect place to train for now, it's time to get his fossil Pokémon stronger. They have been complaining that they hadn't done that much yet.

With Ash

"So Pi, any idea where we are going?" Ash questioned his starter to see if he heard anything.

"No idea," Pikachu shrugged and looked ahead of them. He was currently on Ash's shoulder scanning the area.

"I can't see anything either," Hermit commented as he looked around. "I'll scan the area ahead of us with Feint Attack."

"Alright," Ash agreed as he silently wondered how they call that move nowadays. Really, Faint Attack or Feint Attack? Some questions really keep popping up.

Pikachu let out a sigh at the sight of his trainer getting deep into his thoughts. Really, sometimes Ash dozed off.

..

..

..

'Hmm. This area is open,' Hermit thought as he scanned the area. It was beautiful really, and a hole in the ceiling that most likely reached the sky showed natural sunlight. It's still day it seems.

As the Greninja's red eyes scanned the area, he hadn't noticed the Articuno yet. He simply looked at the surroundings for any obvious sights that remain hidden or perhaps, danger for Ash.

So far, he found none.

"Zzz.. Mmn.."

'What's that sound?' He tracked the sound and found something that his trainer would appreciate. An honest to goodness legendary. Yes, they fought the shiny Mew before, but this'll be the first time they'll go for capture.

He hoped that this will go well. This Articuno will no doubt be arrogant and unruly… If he or she is, then Ash will have his hands full of this legendary. The fact that this legendary will be a pain to raise will be there too because they can't train in the open.

The Articuno was small for one. The average ones spotted are usually a few years older and so a lot larger, but this one was still young. It was around 1.5M. That'll be interesting for Falcon, the target will be small.

Yes, he already figured out Ash will send out Falcon and agreed completely. He wasn't ready for a legendary Pokémon yet. None of them were, not even Pikachu. Falcon, however, had that power increase with the fact that he is a Royal Pokémon.

How unfair.

'I'll report this to Ash. Best do so as fast as possible so he can prepare.' Hermit rushed off towards his trainer to report his finding.

..

..

..

"An Articuno's really here huh? Only 1.5M too… This should be possible for Falcon, especially considering the fact that Articuno is still young."

'Though I should be ready to call for Pikachu were this Articuno to be stronger than Falcon. I won't let him get hurt,' Ash thought silently as his red eyes narrowed.

"So you'll send out Falcon?" Pikachu, his starter, guessed. It was a good choice overall.

"Yeah. Articuno's an Ice/Flying type and that means that Falcon has the advantage. I'm not sure what moves an Articuno learns at an early age, but I have no doubt that it'll be a pain. Let's hope this one doesn't know Ancient Power because that move is a nightmare."

"I don't disagree with you there. Ancient Power is a very strong move that increases one's power by using it. Each usage keeps getting you stronger… A shame that we can't learn it," Pikachu shrugged.

"Who cares? I'll train you guys to be the strongest. You all might be entering the elite levels but there's much to improve. An Articuno rarely bothers training unlike regular Pokémon. Heck, didn't you guys notice Mew didn't even master a move? Heck, Pi, you still can't even turn your electricity in various ways after firing a Thunderbolt. Do you understand what I mean? Not just that, but I've been neglecting defense. We're all about power and speed, not defense. I'll work on that before we start the league. We might not win, but we'll go far."

Pikachu and Hermit simply stood by Ash's side as he spoke. His natural charisma helped a lot to tell them about his plans and goals. They all stood by his side and will do so in the future because they can't wish for any better training.

Though Ash lost his focus at the end. It's time to battle Articuno.

"Let's get going Ash! Let's get our newest family member!" Pikachu exclaimed and Hermit smirked as he walked with his now focused trainer.

It's time to see a battle of legends. Ash best call out his entire team for this show.

..

..

..

"Alright… Best get everyone out. If Articuno goes berserk or something, we'll tag team him down. Other than that, one on one," Ash called to his team as he let out aura seep into their Cherish Balls. Seconds later, his entire team stood there. Pikachu, Falcon, Meowth, Hermit, Glacia, Trickster and Valencia. "Falcon, you're going to battle against a legendary Pokémon. Are you ready?" He asked his second Pokémon to be sure. Falcon will always be the powerhouse on the team thanks to his genes, even if Pikachu can win with his electric attacks.

"Heck yeah! I'll be sure to take down Articuno for you, Ash! I won't disappoint!" Falcon made a smirk figure on his beak as his eyes glinted with battle lust and eagerness to help Ash complete one of his dreams.

Ash might not talk about it nowadays, but in the past he had the dream of capturing a legendary Pokémon. He will make it happen for his friend, his brother.

So he'll do his best. He'll make it happen even if he gets injured. Ready for the challenge, the Talonflame walked forward on his feet and let out a cry of challenge.

"Articuno! My trainer and I challenge you to battle! If we win, we may capture you. If we lose, you can decide!" Falcon cried out in battle and woke up the Articuno that instantly looked alert at the sight that it was surrounded by so many powerful looking Pokémon. It heard the challenge before letting out a huff.

"You foolish Pokémon. Did you think you can challenge a legendary? I'll show you where you are with that arrogance," Ash was finding that voice annoying. "Either way… Let us battle. If you lose, which you will, hm. How about I eat that trainer?"

Every Pokémon's eyes began to glow almost red in an instant fit of rage. That Articuno best be quiet before it gets buried six feet underground.

"Bring it," Ash replied for this, "We won't lose against you."

"Hmph. So be it then, you foolish trainer. Let this battle… begin!" Articuno cried out in an -almost- unfair advantage and fired an Ice Beam to finish it early.

That Ice Beam wasn't mastered in the slightest, but they could feel the raw power behind it. Truly, legendaries are scary… however.

Falcon flew up in a blur and dodged it. Its massive size did naught to stop him from being fast. A massive gust of wind flew around the area that surprised the Articuno because it was far more powerful than it assumed from that 'commoner'.

Sadly for Articuno, it will be hit for the first time in its life. A massive orb of flame rushed towards his body followed by at least ten more. All of them are overcharged Ember attacks, forming fireballs thanks to the Talonflame's power.

Articuno cried out in pain as she was blown into a wall from the sheer power of the move before rushing into the air and becoming a blur thanks to its inborn agility. The legendary Pokémon became so fast Ash had trouble to follow it and so became the Talonflame. Blurs kept hitting each other.

"Falcon! Take it into the skies! This isn't your best place to battle in!" That was true, the area was made of ice. The cold worked in the Articuno's favor and the area was smaller than pleasant for the Talonflame to work at its maximum potential.

"Right!" The Talonflame became a bird of flames that almost resembled a Moltres, rushing off to the Articuno with Flare Blitz and instead of slamming the Articuno into a wall or the ground, the Talonflame took it through the hole made for the legendary to enter the caverns.

Articuno couldn't do anything but cry out in pain. The legendary had no training in pain resistance because wild Pokémon did not dare to touch it and neither did its parents ever bother to train it in anything but some moves.

A mistake.

The Flare Blitz lasted for three minutes as the Talonflame rushed up at blinding speed. The smaller Articuno was stuck on its beak that hit the Pokémon straight in its body and once they got there, the Talonflame blasted the Articuno away with a strong Flamethrower.

The result was a very painful experience for the Articuno.

"Speaking of arrogance, where did you learn to battle? You're weak!" Falcon taunted and the Articuno saw red. The skies began to darken as snow fell from the energy that the legendary bird Pokémon let out, changing the battlefield into a snowstorm but the Talonflame did nothing to it.

Nothing but turn into a bird of fire. Ash stared up with his Pokémon as they could see the faint outlines of their Pokémon and Falcon turning his body full of flames, but they had a rough idea when it began to snow. It seems that this time, the Talonflame used Flame Charge.

Articuno didn't know of this move, so it did not know of the dangers of letting it continue. It, in its rage, fired a massive Gust that resembled a tornado but the Talonflame began to fly towards the Articuno whilst spinning in the opposite manner as the tornado. It worked as the Talonflame rushed through it and hit the legendary straight on, but soon got hit by a painful Wing Attack which sent it flying lower.

Falcon's eyes glinted at the challenge. If a Wing Attack and Gust did this, how did its other moves work?

Time to find out!

"Here we go!" Falcon cried out as the wind changed into his favor. Tailwind, a move that the Talonflame loved. Now it used Agility with Flame Charge, boosting its speed to a much, much faster level than the Articuno's.

A blur of flames is all the legendary could see. Its small body ached in pain as in a blur, the entire body was hit multiple times over by the fast Pokémon.

In retaliation, the Articuno began to use Gust around itself to form a protective barrier - it did not even know protective moves. Talonflame noticed this and used Flamethrower, turning the simple barrier of Gust into a tornado of flames… which worked in his advantage.

Readying himself for Brave Bird, he was suddenly pelted by various Ancient Power rocks that the Articuno used. It seems that the legendary got serious and used all it could to take down Falcon…

But the Talonflame knew of pain. It could go through it. It has gone through worse.

Letting out a battle cry, the flaming tornado disappeared and Articuno flew off towards the Talonflame with a charged Wing Attack.

That's when it was also met with a Steel wing. A super effective move that instantly made the Articuno regret choosing that move and its wing began to hurt even more.

"Eat… this!" Gale Wing activated and the Talonflame became even faster. The massive, shiny Talonflame used Brave Bird and hit the Articuno's back and began to fly downwards into the hole. It's time to take down the Articuno completely. Seeing the chance, Falcon began to spin his body and the Articuno did as well and their fall became even faster.

It was almost akin to a Seismic Toss.

Ash and the rest rushed off as they spotted that blur and seconds later, a massive hole was found in the ground with an Articuno crying out in pain and a Talonflame that was panting thanks to the damage of the Ancient Power and the Flare Blitz.

But it seems legendaries have extraordinary amounts of energy. The Articuno noticed its surroundings and began to use Ancient Power continuously and fired rock after rock at the Talonflame.

Falcon had none of it and used Steel Wing, parrying each and every rock. They were massive, a sign of no control. The Talonflame almost became a blur as it flew around breaking the Ancient Power rocks before meeting the Articuno that stood on the ground again and slammed another Steel Wing into its body, this time dragging it with him before launching it off into the wall where it rested closeby.

'This Pokémon… It's strong…' Articuno thought in pain as the Talonflame still remained in the air, ready for combat. Similar thoughts rose in Ash's mind.

Since when did Falcon get that strong?

That was when the Articuno used more energy than necessary. An overcharged Ice Beam flew off into the direction of the Talonflame and one of its wings became frozen. Falcon fell down onto the ground but thanks to training as much as he did, he landed on his claws.

'Darn… Frozen.'

"Falcon, use Flame Charge and focus on that wing. Afterwards, use Brave Bird and slam that wing against Articuno continuously. Keep it up with the speed and take it down!"

Falcon listened to the order, knowing that his trainer knew best. Ash was smart enough to think about such things and Articuno replied by sending multiple Gust tornadoes after Falcon.

The Royal Species Pokémon began to blur and managed to dodge two Gust attacks, but was soon barraged by at least six others. Falcon cried out in agony as his body was being attacked from multiple sides, but the Pokémon did not give in.

Bursting into flames, the Talonflame used his Flare Blitz to finish it. The Pokémon then combined it with Brave Bird, activating its Gale Wings ability and afterwards, all Articuno knew was pain and darkness after the sight of raging flames.

Falcon flew down after that and struggled to stand. He was beaten up quite heavily from supposed to be weak moves. Really, legendaries contain way too much power… but.

"I… I did it! I DID IT!" Falcon let out a cry of achievement and soon afterwards, the entire family of the Talonflame let out cries of cheer and happiness too.

A normal Pokémon had beaten a legendary, even if that legendary was young and untrained.

Ash had a grin of pride. "Good job Falcon! You're the best!" He couldn't be more proud fo his Pokémon. Last time it had taken six Pokémon to defeat a Mew. Now it took one to defeat an Articuno.

Even if Mew is on another scale with power, it was amazing to see a Talonflame defeat an Articuno.

Ash took his chance and threw a Cherish Ball at the Articuno, capturing it despite the struggle. The Articuno would not like it, but the battle was accepted. It was defeated by its own pride, even if the battle had been close.

Honestly, if Articuno knew how to fight… Falcon would have stood no chance.

Ash will have to rectify that problem. Falcon can get even stronger and Articuno has to learn how to battle.

A familiar 'ding!' sound signified the catch and the Cherish Ball soon returned to Ash's hand and he placed the ball on his belt. Afterwards, he rushed to his Talonflame and began to use his aura to heal as much as he could, "I'll return you after I'm done, alright? Rest up. I'll restore you with Brock's healing machine after this."

Falcon nodded before growing sleepy, "Thanks Ash… I'll take a nap now." With that, the massive shiny Talonflame fell down towards the ground and was caught by a Greninja, placing it down more carefully.

Ash simply did his duty as a trainer and began to heal up the Talonflame. His aura healed most internal injuries from the heavy rocks that hit him and small cuts were healed by some small amount of Oran Berry Paste.

The trainer soon returned his Pokémon and his grin was still on his face, "I can't believe we did it you guys!"

"Yeah!" "I know." "It really was an awesome battle." "It showed raw power but no skill. It's best to solve that, Ash." "Heh, that's Falcon for you." "It was amazing!"

Ash wanted to hug his entire team and cheer, but he had to return to the entrance soon or Brock and Caitlin will worry for him. "Let's get back to the entrance. Glacia, you can stay out and enjoy the cold if you want," Ash offered.

Glacia nodded gratefully and the shiny Aurorus bent down as a way to tell Ash to get on. Seeing that, Ash quickly returned his Pokémon other than Pikachu and Glacia and hopped on. Pikachu simply jumped onto Ash's shoulder.

Time for the next adventure… with a new family member. A troublesome one, that is.

The group met up with each other at the entrance of the cave. Caitlin was already dressed for the warmer weather and Brock had his usual outfit on. Ash joined them soon afterwards and the group talked about the results of their little adventure.

Brock began with his tale, "It was empty for me and eventually a dead end. A shame, but I did manage to find a Pokémon to join me. It was being bullied by three Sneasel, who probably intended to eat him afterwards. It's a Cubchoo," Brock began and then shrugged. "Afterwards, I trained my team to resist the cold and let the rock-types eat some crystals in this area for a new experience."

The other two nodded with a smile and Caitlin began, "I ended up near a lake filled with various Pokémon. There were Lapras, Sneasel, Seel, Shellder… All kinds of ice and water types rested at that place. It was really interesting to see. I simply asked for a challenge to see who'd like to join me and met up with Seel. I had a little battle with her and Litleo which was new to me because I'd forgotten the old days where battles were harder… It reminds me that I've gotten a little arrogant and too satisfied where I am. I need to get stronger. I eventually captured Seel and took a rest there, playing with some of the Pokémon and learning a little about the few psychic type Pokémon I could see there."

Ash had a large grin on his face. "Falcon battled a Pokémon I'd captured. It's an Articuno."

Brock and Caitlin's eyes widened in amazement before they smiled happily for their friend. ""Good job Ash!""

"Have you let it out yet?" Brock asked.

Ash shook his head, "I don't think I will until I've gotten to a Pokémon Center. The Articuno is really arrogant according to Falcon and I could see that. My Pokémon expect it to be an uphill battle to even train the Articuno, let alone command it during battle."

"Ouch… Well, at least you know the trouble of us normal trainers now," Caitlin winked in a playful manner.

"Hmph. You filthy commoners can't be as good as me," Ash spoke in a playful, snobbish manner.

Brock chuckled heartily. "Let's heal up Falcon and leave this place. Where to next?" He asked.

Ash thought about it before shrugging. "Pallet Town. Afterwards I will train for a bit and see if I can challenge the Viridian Gym. If it's not open, I'll train at Mt. Silver and ask if Gary and Leaf would like to tag along. You two as well, of course!" Ash grinned.

Brock chuckled, "Sounds fair to me. I'll have to leave every now and then to get supplies though."

Caitlin nodded in agreement with that statement, "I'll have to get my other Pokémon so I can train everyone equally."

Ash thought about it for a moment, "If you do, please call Entei as well. Articuno will no doubt be a pain to raise."

"Sure, Ash." Caitlin gave her friend a smile before looking at Brock, "How about a meal and then recover our Pokémon?"

"Sounds good to me," Brock agreed.

After a healthy meal, some rest and their Pokémon being recovered the group took a smooth ride on Talonflame towards Pallet Town.

The trip, overall, took little time. They were pretty closeby and there were no flying types around to stop them. They landed in Professor Oak's ranch around nighttime when the sky was full of stars. This naturally attracted the old professor's Dragonite, but that dragon smiled at the sight of his 'students'.

"Dra," or in other words, "Yo."

"Hey Dragonite! How're you doing?" Ash greeted as his Talonflame and Pikachu soon walked towards the old dragon. They all began chatting and Ash saw the need to let out his team for a break. They might need to get used to this place too, because they'll eventually come here when he gets over the capture limit.

"Come out everyone," except Articuno, "This is Professor Oak's Ranch. After I get over the capture limit, I might need one of you to stay here and if you do, you might as well find a place to call 'yours'. Why don't you all search for one?"

They all let out a cry of agreement before rushing off.

"Let's go inside you two," Ash called out to his friends as he walked towards the lab. He knew this place like the back of his hand.

"This is a nice place," Brock commented with admiration. Every Pokémon looked well cared for and he could see that this entire ranch had areas for all types of Pokémon.

Caitlin remained silent but admired the sight as well.

The walk was other than Brock asking some questions, silent. They reached the door to the lab and before Ash could even open it, it was pushed open revealing Professor Oak with a giddy face.

"Ash! Ash my boy! You really did it, didn't you, you little rascal! You actually captured a legendary Pokémon!" Samuel Oak exclaimed in joy.

Ash chuckled a little nervously, "I did professor. I don't want to let it out yet though. I can't even scan it at the moment. It's really arrogant and will no doubt react violently if I were to let her out."

Oak's face turned serious before giving a solemn nod, "I can agree with you there. But I know you'll make it happen," out of experience, "Let's get you inside. Your mother will no doubt be happy to see you. Oh, and the Delibird you've captured has been sent to Delia as well. She's smitten with him you know," the professor chuckled.

"Alright. Thank you professor," Ash smiled with joy. The group then began to head to Ash's house. They were all ready for a nice, hot meal that Ash often boasted of and a pleasant sleep. It's a good thing that Ash's house has a few extra rooms for sleepovers.

Home at last. The Chosen One has returned and what will happen next? Will he challenge the Viridian Gym Leader, or will he train and focus on the league? Will something else happen? Perhaps it will - or it may not.

Thank you for reading this far! I hope you've enjoyed the chapter and I'll start working on the next one. It might not be next week, but I'll do my best to make some time to finish it as soon as possible.

Some thought I wouldn't give Ash an Articuno, but I did. It'll be an experience that he needs because Ash, so far in this story, has barely had any 'troubles' with raising Pokémon. Experience makes one grow and this will be a precious one - especially with a legendary. You will each see why in the future.

What do you guys think about Brock and Caitlin's captures? Also, what might you like as a nickname for Articuno? Feel free to tell me!

On another note, I've been writing a bunch of other types of fics. Various anime have been written and I might - might - attempt an upload but I'm leaning to not doing so. This is also something that distracted me from writing this chapter.

I have also written a story about Ash being abandoned as a baby. A baby that was then raised by the wild Pokémon that live in Celebi's forest; you know which one if you're a fan of the movies.

Ash will have no special abilities. He will be a trainer that does his best and learn from his mistakes. He'll be a tough trainer but a cheerful and slightly naive, if not a little on the stupid side, child out of it. He won't be raised by humans making him have a few questionable habits, but that's the interesting part is it not?

He has a powerful team to start with, but decides to make them 'leaders' of his family so that he can capture more and have each of them take care of their future 'group'. He even captured a Celebi! I've finished a few of the chapters and if a friend of mine has read through them, I'd like to upload it. It's a head's up for any who might be interested in proofreading or giving some criticism about that story. If you do, PM me since I'd love some commentary on it.

PS: Giovanni's his dad. He's a cool dad in it.

Now, I'll start working on the next chapter. I need some time to plan it out, but I'll make the wait worth it. I've received a few PMs to help me out while working on this story and I'll try my best to make the experience of reading this story a good one for everyone!

As always, I hope you place a review about mistakes, criticism or a comment if I did something good so I can increase the quality of this story.

Lezaroth signing out!