Disclaimer: I don't own pokémon.

Xxx

The Beginning!

Pallet Town.

The town of new beginnings.

The place where trainers could begin their epic tale when they turned ten.

Before beginning our roller coaster of a ride, we'll delve a bit into Pallet Town's history. Pallet Town was, in fact, a part of the vast wilderness of Route 1. When the renowned Professor Oak, who had been a Champion in his prime, decided to settle down and take the first major step as a Professor, he setup his lab quite away from the busy cities, preferring nature instead.

His lab gave birth to the town of Beginnings, Pallet Town. Slowly but steadily, the population increased and soon it became a Town, being named Pallet Town by its inhabitants.

The town in question was a small one, having a population of a few hundred citizens. It was a very friendly town, pollution free and home to dreams and aspirations. It didn't have much attractions, being a source of food for Viridian and Pewter for one and the major other being the Lab.

The Professor's Lab was gigantic. It had a large corral for Pokémon, both trained and wild, with all sorts of environments for different variety of Pokémon. From deep ponds to grassy fields to forests, Oak's Lab had it.

It housed a lot of rare and foreign Pokémon. Pokémon like Dratini, Scyther, and Eevee could be found residing peacefully. For what would they fear? No poacher would dare feel the wrath of Professor Oak's mighty Charizard or Dragonite. Though past their prime, Oak's Pokémon could give even Champion Lance's dragons a run for their money.

In the lab worked our two protagonists, Ash Ketchum and Cynthia Carolina. Let's have a look at their background as well.

Ash Ketchum was a tan skinned aspiring Pokémon trainer, with messy black haired with chocolate brown eyes. He was a very friendly person and really fun to be around with. Ash loved Pokémon to the core, and would be willing to even sacrifice himself when it came to protecting them.

Ash lived with his Mother Delia Ketchum at the Ketchum Residency. His father was a League Member and came to check on his wife and son now and then but didn't stick around for long. We'll talk about him later on in the story.

Coming to the second protagonist of Conqueror, Cynthia Carolina. Cynthia was a pale tall slender girl, having blonde hair reaching her upper back, with sharp grey eyes. She was born in Sinnoh but later shifted to Kanto after her mother, Sophie Carolina, broke up with her husband.

The blonde shared Ash's love for Pokémon, though not to the extremes Ash took it to. When the blonde first arrived to Pallet Town, she was very shy and didn't really fit in with the rest of the kids. But when she and Ash met, things changed very soon.

Ash helped her fit in with the 'Pallet Crew', a group consisting of Leaf Verdant, Gary Oak, and Ash himself. Cynthia found herself hosting quite a few similarities with Ash, sharing his love for Pokémon, fondness for Leaf, and love-hate relationship for Gary. He was also knowledgeable, something Cynthia adored in a person.

Cynthia would tell him about her home region and stark difference it had from Kanto. Ash would, in turn, tell her about Kanto and its myths and lore. They were the same age as well which helped them relate to each other much better.

Our Duo of Protagonists worked at the lab to prepare themselves for the upcoming journey that they would soon embark on. They got to play with the Pokémon at the corral and learn about them as well, something being a win-win for both.

Now, coming to the present, our protagonists had both turned 10 sometime ago and were impatiently waiting for the batch of Pokémon to arrive so they could begin their journey. The batch this time around had been delayed due to some unforeseen reasons unfortunately.

Now, onto the story…

Ash exhaled in relief as he served the last of the food to the Pokémon, getting up and wiping his brow with his sleeve. It was early summer, winter having passed a few weeks ago, yet the heat still got to them sometimes.

"Hey Ash." Cynthia greeted in her Sinnovan accent as they met on the way. "What's the time?"

"Time for us to get back." Ash replied. "Let's get going." Cynthia nodded and two headed towards the lab, conversing on the way. Reaching the lab, they entered and found their mentor, Professor Oak, sorting through some papers.

"Hello Professor." Ash greeted. Professor Oak looked up from the stack of papers and smiled.

"All done with your work?" The duo nodded. "I have some good news for you too." Clearing his throat, Oak continued. "I have been noticing your progress for the past couple of weeks and I've decided," He paused for dramatic effort. "That it's time you two begin your journey."

It took a few seconds for the two to process that. When they did…

"Really?" Ash questioned in surprise. Oak nodded with a smile on his face. "About time!" He exclaimed in excitement. Cynthia was a bit more reserved but the joy was evident on her pale face too.

"All that is left is your test which will be conducted tomorrow." The test Professor Oak implied was a new rule passed by the League. Every year, hundreds of trainers died, either due to hard luck or due to not being prepared.

To prevent the death toll for rising even further, the League passed a rule that before being handed their pokedex, the trainer would have to pass through a written exam which would test their level of preparation. If a trainer failed, they're journey would be postponed until the next examination.

"Be prepared." Professor Samuel Oak told them. "I have no doubt you both will pass with flying colors but just to be safe." He warned. Cynthia narrowed her eyes a bit at that.

"Don't worry about that!" Ash told him determinedly. "I'm born ready." Oak chuckled at the declaration.

"That you are." Oak looked at the stash of papers in front of him. "Well, you are free to go. All the work's done for today?" They nodded. "Be ready tomorrow. You're beginning your own epic tale of adventures. Meet you two on your big day."

"We'll take our leave now." Ash told him. Cynthia waved goodbye and the duo of soon to be trainers left the famous landmark of Pallet Town. "We're about to become trainers Cynthia." Ash told his blonde friend excitedly, his tone indicating that he was having a hard time digesting it.

"Yeah." Cynthia replied absent mindedly, twirling her blonde hair around her finger. Ash noticed that.

"Something on your mind?" Ash questioned. The blonde nodded.

"Is it just me or was Professor Oak putting emphasis on the being prepared part?" The blonde asked. Ash shook his head.

"You overanalyze too much Cynthia. Not everything has a hidden meaning." Ash told her. "And even if he has something planned, I'm pretty sure he trusts us to pass. And we will."

"Confident are we." Cynthia joked. The two aspiring trainers made idle chit chat before reaching the road where their paths would separate. "See you tomorrow Ash." Cynthia told him. Ash nodded.

"You know the not so subtle rivalry we had in any activity we did?" Cynthia nodded, admitting it finally. "Let's settle this rivalry with the test and begin a new one." Ash told her. "The one with more marks wins."

"Sounds good to me." Ash and Cynthia quickly exchanged a handshake. "Be prepared. I don't like easy wins." Ash grinned.

"We'll see tomorrow." The two exchanged goodbyes and walked to their separate paths. Ash thought about the good news and how excited he was to tell Mom about it. The very thought gave him energy and Ash ran forwards, reaching his home.

The Ketchum Residency was a humble, two story house with a back garden. The color scheme was simplistic, just like Delia, Ash's Mom, preferred.

Entering inside, Ash kicked off his shoes and shouted, "Mom! I'm home!" Delia Ketchum, who had been in the TV lounge, got up and embraced her only child in a hug.

Delia Ketchum was a slender vivacious woman. She was in her late twenties, with long auburn hair mostly tied at the end and brown eyes similar to Ash's.

"Ash!" She exclaimed. "Welcome back honey." She smiled warmly, ruffling his black messy hair. "How was the day?" She asked him. Ash excitedly told her about everything eventful that occurred, including the big news of his journey.

"That's great news!" Delia exclaimed. "I can't believe it! My baby boy is going to begin his own journey." She said proudly. "Wait until your dad hears about this."

"Will he be at my big day tomorrow?" Ash asked. Delia shook her head.

"He's very busy." Seeing Ash's bummed out look, she quickly continued. "But I'm sure you'll meet him very soon! Possibly during your journey." Ash's face lit up at the prospect. "Now Ash. I know you're really excited and all but remember everything Professor Oak and I have taught you."

"I will mom." Ash promised. "What's for dinner? I'm tired." Delia let him to the dining table and, after a good night meal, let him retire to his bedroom.

"Goodnight Ashy." Delia told him. "Never doubt yourself and you'll succeed in your dreams. Stay safe, kay."

"Don't worry mom." Ash spoke up with a determined look. "You'll be proud to call me your son one day. Mark it." Delia teasingly tickled the raven-haired boy making him laugh.

"I know Ash." Delia got up from his bed and walked away. On the way, she closed the door but not before whispering. "Good luck Ashy." She then closed the door and the lights in his room.

Ash immediately entered the dream regions after that.

Xxx

Coming to our second protagonist, she was in her room, revising the notes she had made. Dinner had been served and taken.

"Cynthia!" Sophie called out. "Go sleep! Don't want you all lazy and sleepy on your big day!" Cynthia closed her notebook, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"I will mom!" Cynthia replied. "Just revising my notes!" There was an audible sigh from below.

"Just remember to sleep early." She ordered before going to her room to rest. Cynthia stretched tiredly and rolled her neck to get rid of any aches.

She thought about the test tomorrow and Ash. They would finally begin their journeys! That is, if they passed the test. The League didn't make it unnecessarily hard but they didn't leave it as a piece of cake as well.

"Maybe I'm overthinking things." Cynthia muttered as she quickly arranged her notes and placed them into the drawer they belonged to. Getting up to make sure everything was in her bag, Cynthia nodded before yawning.

Quickly untying her hair, she switched off the lights and collapsed on the bed. Snuggling to her blanket, she entered the dream regions as well.

'I hope that I'm prepared enough.' Was her last thought.

Xxx

The sun shone brightly and the chirping of Pidgey and Spearow made Ash stir in his bed. Yawning loudly, Ash stretched and got up, trying to wake up properly. Then he remembered just how important the day was and scrambled around to get ready.

In the case of our blonde, Cynthia was getting ready after taking a shower. She originally wanted to wear the thick hoodie that suited her but settled for a black shirt and fitting black pants with a black belt.

She won't last two days in the wild during Kanto's summer. Maybe she'll use it in winter…

Over the shirt was a black coat with golden outlines. Cynthia brushed her blonde mane carefully as she repeated over everything she had revised last night.

'Eevee can evolve into eight forms. Flareon, Vaporeon, Jolteon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, and Sylveon.' Cynthia thought over. 'The final typing of a Charizard is Fire/Flying. Blastoise remains pure water while Venasaur is a Grass/Poison from the starting.'

Ash ran downwards, fully prepared in his Kanto Journey clothes. Setting his moderately weighing bag next to his chair, Ash began to eat his food at a slightly fast pace.

"Are you all prepared for the test?" Delia questioned him. Ash nodded. "What's the cure for poisoning?"

"Antidote." Ash quickly answered. "For more severe cases of poisoning, visit the nearest Pokémon Center after applying an Antidote."

"How to know when a Charmander is pushing itself too hard?"

"Check his tail flame." Ash replied. "If it's dim, understand he's tiring. And if its bright, either Blaze has activated or it's really fired up, no pun intended."

"Real reason to become a trainer?"

"To become the best like no one ever was." Ash told her.

"How to treat pokémon?"

"With love and care."

"What to do when you find someone poaching or abusing pokémon?" Ash paused at that question.

"Report the authorities." He answered to delight's Delia. "However, if the scene is too severe in the case of the pokémon possibly dying, intervene." His mom sighed at that.

"Ash." She began. "I know you care a lot about pokémon but I can't let you go on a journey without making sure you're completely prepared. Always report the authorities first and then make your move. Proceed with caution."

"I know mom." Ash said and finished his breakfast. Jumping to his feet, Ash picked his bag. "You coming to the lab?"

"Yeah. I'm coming." She responded. "You go there right now. I have to finish up watering the plants." Ash nodded and, after hugging his mom goodbye, walked out of the Ketchum Residency.

Cynthia quickly checked the time on the clock hung at the wall and found it the time the Professor mentioned. Getting up, she shouldered her backpack and headed for the Oak Laboratory.

'Venasaur is best to incapacitate the opposing foes with its various status moves while Blastoise is a tank with water capable of cutting through metal. Charizard are known for their ferociousness and the savageness normally found in dragon types. If one wants to hurt you, there are many ways for it to achieve it.' Cynthia memorized. "Scary."

On the way, she spotted Ash arriving from his own home and waved at him. Ash spotted her and increased his pace to catch up with her. "You ready for the test?"

"Yup." Ash answered. "I don't think it's anything too hard. It'll be a piece of cake." Ash told her.

"Maybe." Cynthia stressed. "Don't you think Professor Oak put emphasis due to a reason?"

"Eh. You think too much!" Ash chided. "Here we are." The two stood outside the entrance to the lab. Quickly climbing up the stairs, they knocked on the door.

"Coming." Came the reply. The duo waited before the door opened. Professor Oak came out, hair a bit ruffled and posture a little tired. "Hello to the soon to be trainers." He chuckled at his own joke.

"Hello professor." Ash greeted. "May we come in?" Professor Oak stepped aside in response and the two walked in. Professor Oak closed the door behind them and quickly signaled one of the researchers in his lab.

"So, all ready for your test?" The Pokémon Authority asked. Ash and Cynthia nodded excitedly. "Good, sit on separate couches on the lobby. I'm bringing your papers there."

The two nodded and headed for the lobby, sitting on different couches. Ash saw Cynthia chewing on her lower lip and couldn't help the smile spreading across his face.

"Nervous?" Ash called out to the blonde. She nodded. "Chillax Cynth. I know you're prepared. You know I'm prepared. Why be worried about the exam? Unless…" Ash gave her a mock arrogant look. "You're worried about losing to me."

"Oh please." Cynthia rolled her eyes. "I'm not even a tiny bit worried about you." She retorted. "Good Luck Ashy-boy. You'll need it."

"You'll the one who'll need it!" Ash retaliated. "And don't call me Ashy-boy. Jeez, you're starting to sound like Gary."

"Don't know whether to take that as a compliment or insult." Cynthia mumbled innocently. Ash raised an eyebrow.

"Bookworm." Cynthia's eye twitched at the nickname.

"Ashy-boy." Cynthia spoke up with an irritated accent. Ash grinned, realizing he was under her skin.

"Blondie." Cynthia decided not to engage in a losing argument and wisely didn't reply. Instead, she decided to wait for the test. "Heh." Ash celebrated his victory.

The paper came, halting the conversation, and the duo of aspiring trainers were handed the paper that would either begin their journey or halt it.

"Good Luck." The assistant wished them. "No talking and no cheating. If caught cheating, you're test will be cancelled. You have twenty five minutes, one minute per question. Your time begins now."

Ash and Cynthia began, reading the questions and scribbling down answers as fast as they could.

Q: If you fight against an Electric Type and have a Pidgeot and a Rhydon in disposal, who will you send out?

Ash quickly thought before scribbling down Rhydon given its Ground Typing. This one was easy.

Q: Which Pokémon has the most Evolutions? State the evolutions and there typing.

Ash jotted down Eevee and began to write down all of its evolutions. Hell if he'll ever forget that!

Q: If your pokémon is being abused, what is your duty?

Cynthia chewed on the back of her pencil thoughtfully before imagining herself in such a position. She found her answer immediately. She'll intervene and protect her pokémon with her life.

Q: When someone sends out a pokémon nor weak nor strong against your pokémon, what should you do?

This was a bit hard. If someone did that, they must have some reason. So, she wrote down that she might play safe and substitute her pokémon.

The paper was pretty easy. Nothing especially difficult like Cynthia had thought. Cynthia spared a side glance at Ash and saw him writing away. Not wanting him to finish the paper before her, she continued attempting her questions too.

It took the duo almost 25 minutes to finish but with an extra boost, they finished it simultaneously. Ash put the pen down and looked at Cynthia cockily just to see her having finished the exam as well.

"Done?" The assistant asked. They nodded and handed her the paper that would either allow them to begin their journey or postpone it. Taking it, the assistant gave them a quick read and looked at Ash deadpan.

"Ash. Improve your handwriting." Ash gave her a sheepish smile.

"I'm trying." Cynthia rolled her eyes. Oh, she knew exactly how much Ash was trying.

"I'll go check them." She walked away leaving them alone. Cynthia sighed and slumped on the couch, rolling her neck. "How was it?" She asked Ash.

"Easy! I told you not to worry." Ash grinned.

"I wasn't worrying." Seeing Ash's look, she sighed. "Ok, I admit it. I was overthinking." Ash nodded smugly.

"Why don't you admit that I won as well?" Cynthia gave him a deadpan look.

"Don't count your eggs before they hatch." She warned.

"Whatever." Ash decided to switch subjects. "Anyway, I was wondering if you would like to travel with me. We're both new to travelling and could use someone to cover our backs."

"I was actually planning that from the start." The blonde replied. "Why? You were thinking otherwise?" Ash nodded.

"Thought you'll like to travel alone instead. You know, at your own slow pace and all." Seeing her glare, he relented. "Fine, I thought you'll want to travel alone."

"Nah. I'm okay with travelling with you. It'll be better that way. If it doesn't work out, we can always split later on." Cynthia told him. Ash considered it.

"True." The rest of the time was spent in silence as they waited for the results. Despite not really wanting to think pessimistically, Cynthia chewed her lower lip as she considered the worst case scenarios.

"Calm down blondie." Ash told her, recognizing her body language. The assistant returned by then. Judging by the look on her face, things didn't seem right.

"I've checked your exams." She began. "And I'm…" She sighed. Cynthia felt a sinking feeling erupt inside her while Ash looked at her skeptically.

"Mind continuing?" Ash asked bluntly. She did.

"…I'm pleased to tell you that you have both succeeded with flying colors!" Cynthia exhaled in relief, placing a hand on her rapidly beating heart to placate it while Ash grinned. He had expected that much.

"What are the marks?" The blonde asked curiously.

"Ash Ketchum has scored twenty three out of twenty five. A great score I may say." The assistant told him. Ash smirked. He had expected that much. "Unfortunately for him, Cynthia Carolina has scored twenty four out of twenty five!"

Cynthia couldn't bottle the feeling of excitement in her stomach any longer and punched the air, letting out a whoop of thrill. "I did it!" She jumped to her feet, unable to bottle the excitement any longer.

The assistant and Ash chuckled at her enthusiasm, unable to resist the amused looks on their faces. Ash did feel a bit down about his narrow defeat but couldn't care about it at all. Cynthia's reaction was just as good, if not a bit better.

"Well, well." An aged voice chuckled. Cynthia, Ash, and the assistant turned to see Professor Oak walking in, two pokéballs in hand. "Someone's pretty happy."

Cynthia blushed a crimson red at that while Ash barely muffled his laughter. The blonde shot him an angry scowl which he returned maturely by sticking his tongue out.

"Now." Professor Oak began sternly making them stop. "I wanted to offer you the normal trio of starters but unfortunately the delivery is not to come for a while." The statement drained all excitement out of their system. They had hoped otherwise.

"However," He continued seeing the disappointed look on their faces. "Since you two are so impatient to start your journey, I've brought in a few favors and managed to get two pokémon. One you already know."

"Really?" They asked in sync. Oak nodded.

"Make your choice." He threw the pokéballs and an Eevee alongside a pale yellow colored quadruped fox pokémon materialized. The duo knew a lot about the Eevee, having met her a long time ago, but never saw the other fox until now.

"Who's that?" Cynthia asked curiosity evident in her silver eyes. Despite having interacted with lots of Pokémon at the corral, never had they ever seen one like it.

"That's a Fenniken." Oak elaborated. "A Fire Type that evolves into Braixen and later Delphox which is a Fire/Psychic Type. She's one of the Kalos Starters."

"Oh." Cynthia replied, pursing her lips in thought. Kalos, they had a friend over there too. The blonde decided to hold that thought for later and looked at their choices, both Fenniken and Eevee awaiting their decisions.

"Now, who wants to choose first?" Oak asked. Ash and Cynthia exchanged a look with each other at the question. Cynthia recognized the look in Ash's eyes and gave a slight acknowledgement.

"Ladies First." Ash broke the silence. Cynthia nodded and stepped forwards. Acting like she was analyzing both Eevee and Fenniken, Cynthia paused and inspected the foreign Fire Type closely.

She never had seen a Fenniken. It would be a great opportunity to interact with a foreign Pokémon she had never seen or heard about. Cynthia smiled and extended a hand, one which Fenniken looked at before placing her head on it.

"I Choose Fenniken." Oak nodded while Ash shot Cynthia a grateful look. That was just what he wanted!

"Eevee." Ash spoke up, kneeling before the Normal Type. "I Choose You." Eevee yipped in excitement and jumped in his arms, hugging her new trainer. "We'll be the best duo in this world. You ready?"

Eevee nuzzled her face against Ash's making him chuckle. Cynthia picked up her starter, hugging her lightly and enjoying the heat Fenniken radiated.

"We'll have loads of fun together Fenniken." Cynthia promised. Fenniken nodded and climbed up to her shoulder. Cynthia adjusted to the added weight quickly and stood up carefully, not wanting Fenniken to lose her balance.

"First of all, congratulations at officially becoming Pokémon Trainers!" Oak hollered with pride. Our newest trainers cheered with him. "Now, here are your pokedex and pokéballs."

Six pokéballs and a pokedex was handed to the trainers, Cynthia's being a black with golden outlines to match her favorite color scheme while Ash's was a half white color.

"Let's scan you and see how tough you are." Ash pointed his pokedex to Eevee who curiously looked into the camera.

"Eevee the Evolution Pokémon. Possessing an unstable genetic makeup, it can evolve into many different forms depending on its environment. This Eevee is Female and has the ability Adaptability. It knows the following moves: Quick Attack, Sand Attack, Shadow Ball, and Detect. Egg Move is Detect which has not been yet unlocked."

"I'll do it as well." Cynthia murmured and pointed her pokedex towards Fenniken.

"Fenniken the Fox Pokémon. Eating a twig fills it with energy and it intimidates opponents by puffing hot air out of her ears. This Fenniken is Female and has the ability Blaze. It knows the following moves: Scratch, Hypnosis, Ember and Heat Wave. Heat Wave is Egg Move which has not been unlocked."

"Those are some moves." Cynthia muttered in slight surprise. Pocketing her pokedex, she turned to see Oak and the assistant. "Thanks for this Professor."

"Yeah." Ash chimed in.

"No need to thank me. You don't know how much you both helped me these past months." He smiled thankfully. "Now go into the world and show them just how strong my students can be. Make Pallet Town proud!"

"We will." Ash vowed. Turning to Cynthia, he spoke, "Let's get going. We have to show our parents-"

"No need!" Ash and Cynthia turned to see Delia Ketchum and Sophie Carolina rushing towards them, pride shining on their faces.

"Hey mom." Cynthia greeted a small smile on her pale face while Ash enveloped his mom in a hug which she returned tightly. Sophie enveloped her daughter in a hug, running her fingers through her golden hair.

"I know we've not always been on good terms," Sophie whispered. "But all I want you to know is that I've always loved you and always will. Go into the world, I won't stop you, but you need make a promise."

Cynthia was confused at that. "What promise mom?" She asked voice a bit muffled since her face was buried in her blouse.

"That you'll never leave me." A tear slid down Sophie's cheek. Cynthia felt her eyes get wet but forced the tears back.

"I promise mom." She spoke. Sophie broke the hug and kissed Cynthia goodbye on the forehead. "And when we meet next time, you'll see your daughter in a new light."

"For me dear, you're always special." With all the goodbyes done, Ash and Cynthia wiped their face of any tears, spilled or not.

"Now my dear students," Oak spoke, voice filled with pride. "Go into the world of pokémon and mark your names in the Hall of Fame!" Ash and Cynthia bid their final goodbyes walked out of the lab, taking the first steps as trainers.

"Don't worry you two," Oak assured them, seeing the worried looks on the Mother's faces. "I've trained them well. If anything, their foes should worry more about crossing paths with the two."

"I hope you're right." Delia replied, holding a clenched fist near her heart. Sophie was in a similar state too.

Xxx

"So," Ash began as they reached the outskirts of Pallet Town. "What are your first thoughts on becoming a trainer?" Ash asked the blonde next to him.

"Mine?" Cynthia inquired. Ash gave an affirmative. "I'm not sure. Let me think." Cynthia answered, face morphed into a thoughtful look.

"Seriously? All this wait and you don't even know how you are feeling?" Ash exclaimed, surprise evident on his face.

"What? I know how I'm feeling. Just don't know how to put it in words!" Cynthia retorted. "It's a lot to take in!" Ash shook his head.

"Some things never change." Ash commented. Cynthia glared at him to which he replied to by whistling innocently. The blonde then looked at her starter who was busy talking with Eevee.

She reached up, scratching behind her ear just like how Eevee liked it. The Fox Pokémon perked at her touch and growled in pleasure. 'All foxes are the same.' Cynthia noted. Eevee pawed at Ash's face making him scratch her as well.

"That's one jealous starter you have." Cynthia joked making the Evolution Pokémon pout. She let out a displeased growl at Ash who petted her soothingly.

"So is your Fenniken." Ash shot back. Cynthia looked up to see Fenniken giving her the cute eyes. She couldn't resist and pulled her into a hug.

"I think she may have Baby-Doll Eyes as a move." Cynthia commented. Fenniken blew hot air from her ears at the remark making Cynthia wince as they washed over her. The Fox Pokémon wriggled and jumped out of her hold and growled at Eevee who yipped back and leapt down from Ash's shoulder.

Eevee placed a paw on Fenniken and engaged her in a game of tag. The two foxes began running after the other playfully, Eevee winning due to Quick Attack. "They sure are feisty." Our blonde remarked.

"I second that." Ash answered grinning. The next few minutes were spent in silence before Cynthia smiled mischievously.

"So…" She drawled. "About my victory?"

"Yeah, yeah." Ash grumbled. "Laugh it up." Cynthia did as he asked. "You won by one mark! That's barely winning!"

"A win is a win Ash. You should know that." Cynthia countered teasingly.

"Yeah right." Ash rolled his eyes sarcastically. "What about the one who won the most battle simulations?"

"That doesn't matter!" Cynthia hollered. "The test result does!"

"Oh it does matter, especially when it's more than just one pointer!" Ash pointed out.

"A stupid critical hit doesn't mean anything!" Cynthia argued.

"Better than barely winning." Ash scoffed. The two continued their argument, pulling the attention of their starters who looked at him amusedly about it making Eevee and Fenniken look at them curiously.

Fenniken turned to Eevee and questioned whether they were always like this to which Eevee nodded. The Normal Type exclaimed that it was always amusing to watch them argue. Fenniken looked at the arguing duo and noted that it was indeed amusing.

Fenniken's ears twitched suddenly and she looked around. Eevee gave her a curious look before hearing something as well. The two fox like pokémon exchanged looks and then yipped at their trainers.

Ash stopped her and looked at them in confusion. "Something wrong?" Cynthia questioned. Fenniken nodded.

"What is it?" Ash asked. Eevee suddenly ran away, Ash and Cynthia quickly following her. "Wait up!" Fenniken was hot on her heels, the duo reaching before their trainers.

"You hear that?" Ash asked his partner. Cynthia focused and her eyes widened. That sounded like pained yelps and cries, belonging to a Pokémon.

The reached their spots and paused, staring at the scene in front of them with wide eyes. "Oh no!" Cynthia exclaimed as she saw a flock of Spearow lunging at a yellow small mouse.

"That's a Pichu!" Ash gritted his teeth at the situation. "We need to get him out of there but how? We cannot fend off a complete flock off!" Ash thought of a way to get the electric type out.

"Ember!" Ash looked at Cynthia in surprise as she acted. Fenniken howled and unleashed a ball of fire towards one of the Spearow. It narrowly missed him but gained the entire flock's attention. Ash decided to play according to her.

"Shadow Ball!" Ash ordered Eevee. Eevee jumped and unleashed a purplish ball of ghost energy towards Spearow who quickly moved out of the way. Ash smirked a bit at that. Though Eevee's Shadow Ball wouldn't hurt the ghosts due to their typing, it did scare them a bit. "Quick Attack! Cynthia! Give cover!"

The blonde ordered Fenniken to use Ember as Eevee burst forwards. Fenniken inhaled and spat out Embers, aiming not to hit Eevee. The Evolution Pokémon quickly tackled a few Spearow, pushing them away, and, grabbing the Pichu in her mouth, quickly rushed out from the opposite side.

A few Spearow tried to attack her but the embers struck them, the fire making them focus on Fenniken instead. Eevee quickly made her getaway and skid to a stop in front of the duo. "Get away while you still can." Ash threatened boldly as Eevee reached them, standing in front of them.

The Spearow cawed in response and flew towards them making Ash wince. That went well. Eevee and Ash tensed, waiting for them to approach the four. Cynthia, however, had something entirely planned in her head.

"Ember!" Ash gave Cynthia a flabbergasted look as she threw a bottle of repel towards the Flying Types. Fenniken fired off a couple of Embers hastily, one of them managing to hit the repel.

The bottle exploded violently, a stinking stench that made the Spearow recoil spreading in the air. "Great job!" Ash congratulated, shielding Eevee from the shockwave. The duo saw the birds hesitate, not wanting to fly within the smell.

"That was some quick thinking." Ash praised his blonde friend. Cynthia smiled at that before seeing the avian flapping their wings. "Not good."

"Let's go now!" Ash quickly returned Eevee back to her pokéball and, scooping Pichu up, began to dash from the spot. Cynthia followed him a second later after returning her starter.

The duo could hear the birds shriek and scream, trying to follow them. They simply ran as fast as they could, the surroundings a blur for them. Our trainers didn't know how long they were running or where they were heading, just wanting to lose the angry Spearow.

The two sprinted on for how long theirs legs could carry them before slowing down. Some indefinite time later, they paused and collapsed down on their knees.

"Did we lose them?" A heaving and sweaty Cynthia questioned Ash, her posture slumping as she stared at the direction they ran from. Ash considered it.

"I think we might've left them behind." Ash answered. That depended on how much important they were to the birds. He looked at the beaten Pichu in his arms and took off his bag. Pulling out a potion, he began to spray it over his wounds.

"You could've warned me." Ash told Cynthia while tending to the Electric Mouse.

"Direct approach worked better didn't it?" Cynthia shot back. "What else did you think we should've done?"

"I didn't say that." Ash defended, looking up. "I'm just saying that maybe you could've told me about it or at least signaled me or something before proceeding."

"Oh, sorry about that." Cynthia replied, having the grace to be embarrassed.

"We learn from mistakes." Ash told her, focusing on the mouse again. The Pichu in his lap began to stir and Ash placed him down gently on the grass, pulling back. Sitting on his knees and trying to make himself as short as he can in front of the Pichu, Ash smiled.

The Electric Mouse Pokémon stirred, getting up. Looking around, he spotted Ash and cautiously took a step back. "Hey! No need to get all alarmed or worked up." Ash assured him hurriedly.

Remembering the lessons Professor Oak told him, Ash calmly waited for the Pichu to completely regain his bearings. The small yellow mouse sniffed his extended hand carefully, finally remembering the entire ordeal.

He had been exploring the wild happily when the birds began to bully him. Pichu puffed his cheek as he remembered having lost conscious. These two humans must've saved him.

Pichu looked up at Ash, the mentioned trainer looking at him consolingly. He smiled and, deciding that he trusted him, leaned into his hand. Ash grinned and carefully petted him. Pichu grinned and let out a small spark.

The trainer's body seized up for a moment at the shock and Ash fell on his butt making the Pichu and Cynthia snicker. "I think he likes you." Cynthia remarked between chuckles.

"Same." Ash got up quickly and looked at the Pichu. "So, want to come with me on the path to become the best?" Pichu considered it for a few moments.

Ash let out Eevee to get Pichu more comfortable with him. The Evolution Pokémon walked over to Pichu before nuzzling him. The Electric Mouse Pokémon quickly back stepped, sparking up electricity to make himself look intimidating.

Eevee giggled at his rather cute attempt to scare her and walked forwards. She brushed his face with her tail making the mouse giggle at the ticklish feeling.

"Back." Ash ordered. Eevee walked back, leaving Pichu alone. "So Pichu, want to become my first capture?" Pichu nodded excitedly, jumping up and down.

Ash reached for one of the pokéballs Professor Oak had given him and moved it towards Pichu gently. The baby was tapped on the head and sucked inside the sphere in a flash of red.

The ball touched the grass and wobbled twice before dinging. Ash smirked and picked up the pokéball, looking at it proudly. "My first capture," He glanced at Cynthia. "Before you." He added teasingly.

"I'll get my first capture soon enough." Cynthia retorted. Eevee pawed at Ash's pants and gave him a pleading look. Ash released Pichu and the two began to play.

Cynthia released her starter, Fenniken, as well and she joined in on the games. "Let's take a break now and take lunch. My feet are killing me." She told Ash. Her raven-haired friend nodded and rummaged through his bag.

Pulling out two sandwiches, he handed one to Cynthia who, even after politely trying to decline, took it and kept the other to himself. The blonde quickly served the food for their pokémon in return.

Fenniken, Eevee, and Pichu walked over, eating the food at a leisure pace. Everyone except Pichu, that is. The Electric Type ate at a Tauros's pace and ended up chocking.

Ash quickly opened a water bottle and poured some of it down his throat, careful not to drown him, and Pichu managed to down his stuck food.

"Be careful Pichu." Ash chided. "Eevee, help him please." Eevee was glad to oblige and began to tell him how to properly eat. Ash turned to Cynthia and found her staring off into space, biting into her sandwich. "What's up?"

"Just thinking about the question you asked me earlier." Cynthia answered. "What is my reason to become a trainer?"

"Did you get your answer?" The raven-haired trainer questioned. Cynthia nodded, grey eyes shining.

"My reason is to be the best, not just in battling or performing but in studies as well. I want to know the theoretical view behind everything and not just mark it as nature. What is pokémon? How did it come into existence? What is our life? Who is the creator?" Ash listened on intently as she began to explain her life goal.

"Many other questions linger around my thoughts and I want to find them through battling." Cynthia summarized. "Plus, I don't want to get stuck in a lab for my whole life going through notes and data while others enjoy the outside world."

"You know," Ash began. "You're a lot more mature and fragile than you let on."

"What do you mean?" Cynthia questioned. Ash smirked.

"You didn't show much emotion at first but slowly opened up to me." Ash stated. "Plus, you know a lot more about everything than you let on. You're sharp, smart, and capable of making plans on the fly."

"That's…" Cynthia blinked. "An awful lot of observation."

"You're not the only one to analyze someone before acting." Ash winked. "Besides, I learned that method from the best." He gestured to the blonde.

"Please!" Cynthia drawled. "We both learned from Professor Oak so stop sugaring me!"

"I'm just kidding." Ash chuckled.

"You know, you never mentioned this before." Cynthia told him. Seeing Ash's confused look, she quickly clarified. "That you… observed me so much."

"It's not that hard." Ash shrugged. "Besides, the time didn't seem right to say this, didn't see any reason.

"Oh." She muttered. Ash nodded. The rest of the time was spent in comfortable silence as they rested and ate. After some time, Ash decided it was time to move.

"Let's go shall we?" Cynthia nodded and got up. Slinging her bag over her shoulder, she returned Fenniken. Ash did the same with his two pokémon, deciding on scanning Pichu later, and resumed their walk towards Viridian City.

The sun fell and darkness began to spread around, spreading tiredness and a promising sleep to travelers. Naturally, Ash and Cynthia felt just like that.

"I think we should stop." Cynthia voiced her thoughts, tiredness evident in her tone. Ash agreed and spotted a good camping spot a little distance away. The duo quickly reached it and sat on it.

"Today went well." Ash grinned. "Hopefully the rest of the journey goes just like this."

"The chances of that happening are pretty slim." Cynthia sighed while taking off her coat. She pulled out her sleeping bag and spread it on the ground.

"One can dream?" Ash replied. He called out Eevee and Pichu out who were sleepy as well. "Hey guys. Do you want to sleep inside the pokéball or outside?"

Eevee asked Pichu who shook his head and clung to Ash. Ash smiled before his body seized up in another tremor. He looked to see Pichu chuckling with small arcs of electricity bouncing off him.

"Why, you little prankster." Ash growled in annoyance. Eevee yipped in Pichu's defense making Ash sigh. "Not you too Eevee." Cynthia quickly handed him a plate of food. "Thanks."

Cynthia rubbed Fenniken's back with her hand, running her slim fingers in her fur. Fenniken purred at that and happily munched on her food. "I'm calling it a night after finishing." Cynthia informed her travelling partner.

"Me too." Ash spoke. "Walking for a complete day has really tired and burned me out." The nice comfortable breeze of air made Ash's muscles loosen.

Cynthia quickly finished her food and, wiping it with a tissue to make sure it was clean, wrapped it up in a plastic wrapper, and placed it in the food section of the bag.

She and Ash had bags which copied the exact mechanisms of a pokéball to store large quantities of food with much of the weight cancelled. A bit expensive but ideal.

"Good night Ash." Cynthia yawned and slid into her sleeping bag, Fenniken snuggling into it. Cynthia hugged her tight, enjoying the Fire Type's warmth, and began to lightly snore, sleep coming immediately due to the exhaustion of the day.

"Good night." Ash wished back. He opened his sleeping as well and went inside, pulling Eevee and Pichu with him. "Hey guys." He spoke to the sleepy duo. "Do any of you want nicknames?"

Eevee shook her head, declining the thought. She didn't think she wanted one right now while Pichu gave him a confused look. Being in the wild since his birth, he didn't know about the term at all.

"Nicknames means a name that I can call you with. It gives you a separate identity." Ash explained. Pichu nodded immediately at that. "Let me think." Ash thought over. "Bolt?" Pichu shook his head. He wasn't a Steel type! "Thunder? Yellow? Zeus?" Pichu perked his ears up at the last one.

"Zeus?" He nodded vigorously. "Then Zeus it is." The newly nicknamed Pichu cheered before succumbing to sleep. Ash joined him soon after.

Xxx

"According to this," Cynthia read the map on her pokedex. "We are about three days away from Viridian City." Ash looked at her with a questioning look.

"Really? Three days?" Ash asked her with a deadpan look. "No wonder many trainers quit even before their first year."

"The road to success isn't easy." Cynthia chided. "It's filled with hardships, struggles, and sacrifices."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Slow down there philosopher." Ash gestured her to calm down.

"I'm just stating the obvious." Cynthia grumbled. Ash passed her a grin to clarify he was joking. "How are you enjoying the travel Fenniken?"

Fenniken yipped enthusiastically. She loved it! Cynthia turned to Ash's Eevee and found her playing with Zeus. "She treats him like a younger brother."

"Yeah." Ash nodded. "Zeus's really young and Eevee feels emotionally attached to him."

"When did you name Pichu?" Cynthia asked in surprise.

"Last night." Ash answered. "Now, I'm all for training my pokémon a bit."

"Me too." Cynthia absent mindedly twirled a strand of hair around her finger. "We can fight against a few wild pokémon." She suggested.

"I still haven't scanned Zeus yet." Ash realized. He brought out his pokedex and aimed it towards his first capture.

"Pichu the Tiny Mouse Pokémon. It is not yet skilled at storing electricity and. Any kind of shock causes it to discharge energy spontaneously. This Pichu is Male and has the ability Static. He knows the following moves: Thunder Shock, Nasty Plot, and Thunder Wave. Egg Move is Volt Tackle which has not been unlocked yet."

"That's some serious power." Ash blinked. Cynthia besides him looked a little envious.

"He's still young Ash. Imagine how strong he will be once he's fully grown up." Cynthia spoke up. Ash imagined a powerful Raichu standing over formidable foes with his cheeks sparking with electricity.

"That's something." Ash gulped. "So, have you decided on what pokémon to catch?"

"Yeah. I was thinking about one of the Nidoran around. There are many young ones in this season." She looked around in hopes of seeing one.

"I'm pretty sure we'll come across one sooner or later." Ash whistled. "Zeus, are you ready to begin training?" The Electric Type nodded enthusiastically.

"Remember. He's still young." Cynthia chided. Ash sighed in answer.

"I know. If he bites more than he can chew, I'll let Eevee interfere." Cynthia nodded in satisfaction. Ash looked around for an opponent fit for Zeus.

"There!" Ash spotted a lone Pidgey chirping. "Thunder Shock it!" Zeus's fur sparkled before a blast of electricity flew towards the avian. The Pidgey, unaware and caught off-guard, was struck. Shrieking in pain, it dropped to the ground.

"That's some power." Cynthia spoke in a little bit of awe. Ash saw the Pidgey right itself and launch at Zeus in a Quick Attack.

"Thunder Wave to stop it in its tracks!" Zeus gave a growl and another blast left it. Striking Pidgey right in its path, the bird felt its muscles stiffen and couldn't move much at all.

Still, it did collide with Zeus and the two tumbled back. The Tiny Mouse Pokémon accidently let out a discharge which shocked Pidgey further. The damage building up to be too much, Zeus's opponent fainted.

"Great job!" Cynthia cheered. Ash turned his cap behind and threw a pokéball forward. It hit the Pidgey on its head and sucked it in. Cynthia was surprised. Ash wanted to catch another pokémon so soon?

"It was paralyzed and badly harmed. Besides, we can use a Flying Type for Viridian Forest." Ash answered her unasked question. Cynthia nodded in understanding.

The pokéball dinged to signify Ash's second capture. The Palletian happily jumped over to the still sphere and picked it up. "Great job Zeus. Keep it up!"

Zeus chirped happily, panting a little from the electricity it just discharged. Eevee congratulated him which he replied to with a sheepish grin.

"It's my turn now!" Cynthia declared. Fenniken jumped from her shoulder and yipped in turn. "Say Ash. Should I challenge a Spearow?" She asked him jokingly.

"Hell no!" Ash threw his hands up in surrender. "The last time we barely escaped."

"I'm just kidding." Cynthia chuckled, clutching her sides at the look Ash had. It was pure horror. "Hey, do you want to have a battle? One on one?"

Ash finished spraying the Potion over Pidgey and looked at her with a challenging grin. "Why not? Let's mark our new rivalry from here on!" Eevee jumped in front of Ash and yipped challengingly.

Fenniken yipped back, taking a battle posture. "We'll battle when we reach Viridian." Cynthia stopped him suddenly. "Let's not tire ourselves out so fast."

Ash was disappointed but gestured Eevee to stand back. "Your wish." He brought out his pokedex and aimed it at Pidgey.

"Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pokémon. Docile, they avoid fights and usually travel in flocks. Common in Kanto more than any other pokémon. This Pidgey is Female and has the ability Keen Eye. She knows the following moves: Tackle, Quick Attack, Gust, and Sand Attack. Egg Move is Sky Attack which is not unlocked yet."

"That's a nice move set girl." Ash scratched her under the beak. Pidgey cooed in delight. "Don't worry. I'll make you so strong you'll rule the skies. Let's train hard!"

Cynthia chewed her lower lip thoughtfully at how Ash treated her and his pokémon. He wanted to bring the best out of each of them, helping them reach their ambitions while progressing towards his own. He was a true friend. Not many were like him.

"Hello? Earth to Cynthia Carolina!" Cynthia snapped out of her thoughts. "You zoned out for a second."

"That was because I was zoned out!" Cynthia retorted with a roll of her eyes. Ash looked around for more wild pokémon to battle. "What are you planning?"

"Looking for pokémon to battle. Eevee and Pidgey want to battle." Ash told her while his eyes never stopped scanning the area. He spotted a Weedle in the bushes but ignored it. Pidgey could defeat it with ease.

"Can we-" She stopped speaking. In front of them was a pink Nidoran. It was sniffing the ground and seemed to be very hungry. The blonde saw an opportunity to get her first capture. She settled her bag down and pulled out a packet of food.

The blonde placed it a small distance away from them and waited. The Nidoran sniffed the air before finding the food. It made a beeline towards it and, looking around to make sure no one was there, began to munch on it at a fast pace.

Cynthia got an idea. Grabbing an empty pokéball, she opened its mouth and placed a small amount of Pokéchow in it. Then, a few meters away she placed a little amount.

Nidoran was finished with his first helping when he found the second one. Quickly trotting towards it, the Poison Type wiped it from existence. Seeing the pokéball and the food, he walked forward a little slowly and cautiously, sniffing the sphere. Finding it to be harmless, he began to eat the food in it as well.

What he didn't notice was the pokéball activating and hitting him with a red beam, pulling him inside. The pokéball wobbled around before dinging, signifying its capture.

Cynthia did a victory pose, walking over the pokéball and picking it up. "My first capture without any fighting." She beamed happily. "Why fight when you can have a peaceful method instead?"

"True." Ash spoke up. "He seemed pretty hungry. Why don't you scan him?" Cynthia pulled out her black pokedex and aimed it towards the pokéball.

"Nidoran the Pin Poison Pokémon. It's horn drips powerful poison capable of felling the strongest of enemies. This Nidoran is Male and has the ability Poison Point. He knows the following moves: Tackle, Poison Sting, and Confusion. Note: Confusion is an Egg Move."

"He knows confusion?" Cynthia mumbled to herself. "How is that even possible?"

"Must be through some complicated parentage chain." Ash made an exaggerating gesture. "For example, my Eevee knows Detect." Eevee perked up at that.

"The real question is can he use it?" Cynthia looked at the pokéball with a thoughtful look.

"Maybe. Your pokedex didn't mention Confusion being locked or unusable currently." Ash pointed out.

"Ash, can you stand back? I want to make this a bonding experience." The blonde told him, clutching the ball and preparing to call her first capture out.

"Sure." Ash walked a few steps away from Cynthia along with all of their pokémon. The blonde crouched down and released her latest capture. The Poison Type's ears twitched before it spotted Cynthia.

Immediately, its horn began to leak potent poison and Cynthia raised her hand to soothe him. "It's okay." She whispered. She put her clenched fist in front of him, opening it to reveal some more Pokéchow. Nidoran growled at her in a threatening way.

Still, it's hunger flared up and the Poison Type began to slowly eat. Sniffing his food first, the Poison Type continued at a slower pace. Cynthia smiled at that.

"Okay. Taming a poison type is harder than it looks." Ash told the Evolution Pokémon on his shoulder given her skeptical look. "One strike and the poison in your body can kill you. Pokémon have more tougher bodies than humans Eevee."

Eevee shrugged and her bushy tail hit Ash across the face. The Kantonian gave an annoyed look before looking at Cynthia and her new teammate.

He managed to overhear what Cynthia was saying. "Use Confusion on that tree over there." Nidoran concentrated. The tree's leaves began to rustle and Cynthia nodded.

Just as she suspected, the ability to use Confusion was diluted. What Nidoran had was a watered down version of it. That couldn't mean she couldn't train him to use his parentage to build a sort of shield against psychic attacks.

"We'll work on it later on." Cynthia assured him. Nidoran nodded and curled up to sleep. Cynthia returned him to his pokéball and found Ash and the others waiting.

"What's up with Confusion? Even if it was a weak attack from the beginning, never was it so weak." Ash frowned. Cynthia explained to Ash her hypothesis on the current statement.

"That's more or less an accurate guess. We can find out more later when we actually begin to work on their moves." The blonde picked up her bag and the group continued their travel to Viridian.

Xxx

"Let's stop now." Ash told the blonde. Cynthia nodded and sat down near a tree, Ash sitting down there as well. The two quickly took off external layers of clothing, mainly being jackets and any hair accessory, and placed them to the side.

"Travelling is a lot harder than it looks." Cynthia's breathing was winded. Even if they stayed in shape at home, never had they walked for an entire day.

"Good call on not battling. Imagine if we had to face a threat and our pokémon were tired." The duo of trainers winced at the imagination. Their pokémon were long in their pokéballs, resting.

Eating dinner and letting the pokémon eat as well, it was approximately half an hour later they decided to sleep. Their pokémon were out, given their heightened senses.

Ash pulled out his pokedex and began to search for moves he can teach Eevee and his other pokémon for the Pewter Gym Leader. Being a Rock Type Leader, it was hard to just defeat him with Normal moves.

"You're not sleeping?" His blonde companion questioned. Ash shook his head.

"Just checking about the Pewter Leader. Maybe any moves or such." Ash told her. Cynthia hummed sleepily.

"We can worry about that later. Sleep for now." She mumbled drowsily. Ash sighed as all the exhaustion caught up to him. "We still need to reach Viridian. Let's plan there."

"Okay Cynthia." Ash snuggled into his sleeping bag closer. "Goodnight Cynth."

"Goodnight Ashy." Cynthia replied back. Ash grinned at the nickname.

Xxx

"Zeus use Thunder Shock. Pidgey dodge it with Quick Attack." Ash ordered. No use wasting time when they could start endurance training.

He had Pidgey continuously fly in the air while Zeus tried to shoot her down. This way, Pidgey's speed and reaction time would prosper while Zeus could gain better control over his electricity and accuracy.

Eevee was running in front of them, firing Shadow Balls now and then at Pidgey. The avian would have to quickly adjust and thus, more reaction time.

Cynthia was going a bit lighter over her Pokémon's training. She wasn't going to be a hardcore battler so there was no need to train so much. She just wanted to spend a few days in leisure before beginning her Pokémon's training.

"We're just a few hours away from Viridian now." Cynthia checked her map. "We'll reach there by late noon probably."

"Finally!" Ash exhaled loudly. "We can still take a break in between the travels. No need to rush it."

"Off course. Few hours or not, better be safe than sorry." Cynthia spoke. She stretched her sore muscles. "Ugh. Only our third day and we're so tired."

"Imagine the condition we will be in once we go through Viridian Forest." Ash immediately cringed at that.

"We'll think of it when we reach it." He waved it off. "Although I'm more worried about Mt. Moon."

"Really? What's in Mt. Moon that isn't in Viridian Forest?" Cynthia questioned while massaging her sore legs.

"We'll be under a mountain in Mt. Moon. I'm not claustrophobic or anything but what is we get crushed. Besides, the entire tunnel is dark and fatality rate is not that low."

"Viridian Forest has a large variety of Bug Pokémon ranging from Beedrill who can make huge holes in our body to Pinsir who can literally squeeze the life out of us. Not to mention the humid temperature. At least Mt. Moon is more bearable."

"Okay. Let's just agree both are difficult to traverse." Ash reconciled. Cynthia nodded and they sealed the deal with a handshake. "You still up for that battle in Viridian you told me about, right?"

"Yeah. Let's reach their first though." Cynthia shrugged. "I'm not getting up for tomorrow that's for sure."

"Me too." Ash winced. The two continued making small chat along the way before deciding to take a break. After that, they continued until the buildings of Viridian could be seen in the distance.

"At last." Cynthia mumbled. "We made it!" She whooped in the air. The two entered the city borders and found it to be bustling with activity as usual.

"Shouldn't people be at work right now?" Ash questioned.

"It's Sunday, doofus. It's an off day." She reminded. 'After all, it's the only day I used to meet my dad.' He was a huge businessman in Sinnoh and she only met him on Sundays. After her mother and he broke up, she shifted to Pallet Town with Sophie.

"How about we have our battle now?" Cynthia asked. "Get it out of the way." She suggested.

"Okay then!" Ash smiled. "Let's check in and then battle." His stomach growled suddenly. "But let's eat something before that." He blushed.

Xxx

"I'm feeling tired." Ash whined after having eaten his share of food. Cynthia felt the same too.

"Yeah, but Fenniken really wants to battle Eevee." Cynthia replied. Ash stared at her. "Okay, I'm excited too." She admitted, cheeks glowing a rosy pink. Ash cracked his neck and released Eevee from her pokéball.

"Let's do this!" Ash took his position in the battlefield, Eevee standing in front of him. Cynthia tossed her starter's pokéball, releasing the Fox Pokémon. The two foxes glared at each other, daring the other to make the first move.

"I'll take the first move!" Cynthia decided. "Fenniken! Quick Ember!" Fenniken inhaled and spat the Ember which Eevee dodged easily. The Evolution Pokémon closed in on Fenniken who tensed. "Scratch!"

Fenniken raised her paws, lunging at Eevee and slashing at her. Eevee hit her, knocking her back, and tried to capitalize but Fenniken slashed her back.

"Shadow Ball Eevee!" Ash ordered. Eevee quickly found her footing and formed the sphere. Fenniken formed her Ember per Cynthia's command the two impacted each other, exploding against the other.

Eevee rushed into the smoke, jumping in and tackling her foe back. Fenniken stumbled back with a pained yip, trying to slash Eevee who dodged.

"Fall back!" Cynthia called out. "You cannot win in close quarters! Eevee is too strong!" Fenniken snarled and jumped back, creating some distance between them.

"Close in with Quick Attack! Don't let her get away!" Eevee yipped and sped forwards, rushing in on Fenniken.

"Scratch her again!" Fenniken waited for Eevee to close in and then side stepped, dodging the attack, and slashed at her flank. Eevee gasped at the feel and stumbled forwards. "Ember!"

"Shadow Ball!" Eevee turned around and fired off her blast at the same time Fenniken fired off hers. The two impacted and exploded against the other again.

"Quick Attack!" Fenniken leapt from her position behind the smoke, letting Eevee pass through. She yipped and slashed at Eevee again, cutting at her at the side. Ash gritted his teeth at the genius strategy by Cynthia.

"Ember again!" Cynthia pressed. Ash mentally revised Eevee's moves and nodded.

"Dodge into Sand Attack! Blind her!" Eevee quickly rolled to the side, dodging the blast of fire, and, digging up a paw full of dirt, leapt forwards and shoved them in Fenniken's ears.

Fenniken closed her eyes a bit too late. She let out a pained cry and stumbled back. Eevee grinned and slammed into her with Quick Attack, knocking her to the side.

"Keep it up!" Ash cheered. Cynthia bit her lower lip, trying to find a way around this predicament. Fenniken was hit from all sides, knocked around like a ragdoll.

"Fenniken!" Cynthia let out a worried cry. Fenniken managed to clear her eyes of the sand and glared at Eevee who gave her a cheeky smile. "Ember!" Fenniken opened her mouth and unleashed another blast of fire.

Eevee dodged it with ease and lunged in again. "Hypnosis!" Ash's eyes widened.

"Sand Attack!" As Fenniken focused her hypnotizing powers into her eyes, Fenniken dug up dirt and shoved it in her eyes. Fenniken squealed in alarm and Eevee blasted her point blank with Shadow Ball.

"Fenniken!" Cynthia exclaimed in alarm. Eevee panted, tired a bit from running around so much. Cynthia's starter struggled to get up before falling on her side. The blonde sighed in defeat.

"Great job Eevee!" Ash cheered, pulling her into a hug. Eevee yipped triumphantly. "Good reflex there." Ash said, scratching her behind the ear.

"We almost had you there." Cynthia commented. "How did you know I was about to use Hypnosis?" Ash shook his head.

"Me and Eevee were planning the way to battle a few days before. She brought up Fenniken's Hypnosis and how we can counter it. I came up with Sand Attack." Ash smirked. Cynthia grinned.

"That was a close one though." She remarked. Ash nodded.

"You battled exceptionally well there." He commented. "Despite Eevee having an advantage in a physical fight, you managed to keep it even. Kudos." Cynthia blushed a bit, twirling a strand of blonde hair around her finger.

"I had some strategies thought out too." She smiled. "Hypnosis was my last resort. But you managed to beat it too." Cynthia saw Fenniken stir. "Well, Fenniken would like a round to Nurse Joy and I need to rest too."

"Sure. I'm going to hit the hay as well." The two walked inside the Pokémon Center, done for the day.

A new day, a new set of opportunities.

The Journey has officially begun! Ash Ketchum and Cynthia Carolina, two rookies from Pallet Town, take on the world! Will they succeed in their endeavors and conquer or will they be conquered instead?

Only time may tell…

Xxx

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