It's time for the gang's real adventure to get up and running. Those first chapters could be considered as a prologue. This will be the start of something very big, so hold on to your hats and get ready for a wild ride.

Disclaimer: Pokemon is owned by Nintendo. They hold all rights except for the characters and concepts that I have created myself. You know, I wonder if they ever look at the fan fictions that people write about it.

Last time: When Ash has Prof. Oak and his colleagues examine the bracelet that mysteriously appeared on Chellsy's wrist, he and his daughter are brought to another dimension where they are greeted by the creation Pokemon, Arceus. Arceus tells them of the GSC's true intentions as well as the role that both Ash and Chellsy will have to play in order to stop them. After explaining to them what needed to be done, he sends them back to the lab were they go on tell the others what they learned.

Part 12: Setting Out

Location: Pallet Town, 5 days after Ash and Misty's wedding.

Ash was lying on his bed, looking up at the ceiling of his room as he thought about everything that had happened over the last few weeks. His backpack was seated on the floor next to him, filled with everything he thought he would need. This was going to be difficult. He had just come back from the longest journey he had ever been on, not to mention he just gotten married to the girl he had loved sense the first time he laid eyes on her. Now, he was about to leave on yet another adventure, but this one had the fate of the world resting on his very success. He could only imagine how this was affecting his mom. She tried to hide it, but he knew it was painful for her to see her only son continually go off on adventures one after another, and this time there was a very good chance that he might not come back alive.

Ash got up, grabbed his pack, and slung it over his shoulders before heading towards the door. Before he closed it behind him, he took one last look around his old bedroom, the place where 7 years ago, he and Misty had helped set the wheels in motion for what was happening right now. He wondered if this would be the last time he ever saw it. Shaking that negative thought from his head, he shut the door and headed downstairs to the living room, where he found his mother sitting on the sofa, looking slightly downhearted as Mr. Mime brought her some tea.

Ash: Hey mom, are you ok?
Mrs. Ketchum: Huh? Oh, yes Ash, I'm fine. Are you ready to go?
Ash: Yeah, I'm all set.
Mrs. Ketchum: That's good. Ash, listen. No matter what happens on your mission, just promise me that you and the others will come back alive. I can't bare the thought of losing any of you.
Ash: Don't worry, mom. I promise we'll all be back in one piece. I'll make sure of it.
Mrs. Ketchum: Thank you, Ash. That makes me feel so much better. Oh, look at the time! You better get moving or you'll be late.
Ash: Right. I'll see you later, mom. That's a promise!

He gave her one last hug goodbye, and then headed out the front door and onto the main road. Looking into the backyard, he saw Pikachu and Lucario having a friendly sparing match. He wasn't surprised; those two had been best pals sense Lucario had hatched from his egg.

Ash: Hey you two, let's get going. The three of us should have been up at Prof. Oak's lab 5 minutes ago.
Lucario: Right behind you, Ash!
Pikachu: Pi-ka-chu!

The three of them raced thru the center of town. Ash did not want to miss what was about to take place. As they ran, he thought back over what had happened the last few days. After he and Chellsy (along with Pikachu and Lucario) had been returned to their world following their chat with the creation Pokemon, Arceus, they immediately informed everyone of what they had learned. They told them about the Grand Shadow Covenant's plan to release an unknown evil that could destroy all life as they knew it, and about how Chellsy was actually the Child of Destiny, the only one who could put a complete stop to their plans. He then explained about the Destiny Bracelet, the artifact that would help her control the immense power she held within herself, as well as the charms for it that were now being used as power sources for the warriors of the GSC. Lastly, he told them that they needed to destroy those remaining warriors and retrieve the charms so that Chellsy could awaken her full power, and of how he also needed to track down and capture all of the legendary Pokemon to give themselves an edge.

Once he had finished explaining everything, he was immediately (and expectedly) confronted by Misty, who was absolutely against the idea of dragging their daughter into something like this. But before she could strike up a real argument, Chelley stopped her by saying she wanted to do it. Shocked and confused, Misty tried to talk her out of it, but she was defiant, telling her that she had made her decision and that there was nothing she could do to change her mind. Reluctantly, Misty agreed, but she also decided to go along with them. A second later, Brock, May, Max, Dawn, and Jamie all made the same decision. Ash was grateful that they all wanted to help and told them that he had planned on asking them to come along anyway.

The only problem that remained was what to do about Chellsy's friends. They all wanted to come as well, but the others weren't sure that it was such a good idea. Cory had been a big help in gathering information on the GSC, and both Brandon and Maggie refused to let their best friend go on such a dangerous trip without them, but the fact remained that sense none of them were Pokemon Trainers, they wouldn't be able to defend themselves from an attack if they were separated from the others. Plus, their parents would never approve after what they had already been thru. It was Prof. Oak who came up with the answer. He called up the Pokemon Trainer Registration Committee, and after pulling a few strings and favor's, he managed to get the three of them, as well as Chellsy, the chance to become full fledged trainers at an early age. But they first had to get their families consent as well as look over the kids records from the trainer school they attended. It took a little while, but after convincing Brandon, Maggie, and Cory's parents that they would be safe with them, they and Chellsy were officially certified as trainers. And today was the day that they all got to choose their first Pokemon, which Ash had no intention of missing.

As he and his two Pokemon companions reached the stairs that lead up to the labs front door, Ash noticed a group of three very familiar people standing at the entrance gate. Well, two people if you didn't count Meowth as a person.

James: Hello Ash.
Ash: Hey. What are you three doing here?
Jessie: We were just in the neighborhood and thought we'd drop in.
Meowth: Actually, we heard about your mission and wanted to ask you if we could come along, too.
Lucario: You want to help us? After all the things I've heard about you, I find that hard to believe.
Pikachu: Pi-ka! Pi-ka-chu!
Meowth: Oh yeah! Well come over here and say that to my face, you little rat!
James: Meowth! Stop that. I swear that cat's got more anger issues than he does extra lives.
Ash: It's alright, but why do you want to help us?
Jessie: Well, we've done so many bad things to you and your friends in the past that we feel like this is the only way we can repay you.
James: Yeah, so if it's not too much trouble, could we please come with you on this journey. We promise we won't cause any problems.
Ash: Well, what the heck, you can come. The more the merrier. Just make sure to keep Meowth under control, okay.
All Three: You got it!

The six of them then headed inside and up the stairs to the main lab. There, they found everyone else off to one side, watching as the kids gathered around a small table that the professors were sanding by. Misty walked over to Ash and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Misty: I was beginning to think you weren't going to show.
Ash: Come on. I wouldn't miss this for the world.
Brock: Hey, Ash. What are those three doing here?
Ash: I met them outside the lab and, believe it or not, they asked if they could along with us.
Max: Really?
Meowth: Yep. Ash said he was fine with it, but we'll understand the rest of you don't want us around, especially after everything we've put you thru.
Brock: Well, if Ash thinks its okay, than I'm all for it.
May: Me too.
Dawn: Same here.
James: You all mean that?
Misty: Of course. You guys have already shown us how much you've changed. You even saved Ash's life on our wedding day. If my husband is willing to give you a chance than so am I. Welcome to the group.

As the three former members of Team Rocket expressed their gratitude towards the others, Ash turned his attention to the table the kids were standing around. He then noticed that three different Pokemon sitting on top of it, all waiting anxiously to see which child would pick them to be their starter. One was a small green Pokemon with a large plant bulb on its back. Another was a small orange lizard Pokemon with a small flame on the tip of its tail. The last was a small blue turtle Pokemon with a brown and white shell.

Prof. Oak: Alright now, it's time for you kids to pick out your first Pokemon.
Ash: Wait a sec, Professor. We've got four kids, but only three Pokemon to choose from.
Brandon: He's right. One of us is going to get left out.
Prof. Oak: Not to worry, everyone. I've got the solution right here.

Prof. Oak reached inside his lab coat and pulled out a single Poke-ball. Ash took one look at the ball and was overcome by a sudden sense of déjà vu; the top half of ball was emblazed with a small, yellow lightning bolt just above the enlargement button.

Prof Oak: This ball contains the final Pokemon that you will be able choose from. However, I must warn you four that this one may be more difficult to handle than the other three, so unless you're up for a challenge, I suggest that you reframe from choosing it.

Chellsy and her friends huddled up to decide who amongst them would take the mystery Pokemon. As they talked, Pikachu hopped up onto Ash's shoulder and the two of them exchanged nervous glances. The kids then broke out of their huddle and to Ash's surprise, his own daughter stepped towards Prof Oak.

Chellsy: Professor, I would like to take the final Pokemon.
Ash: You sure about that, Chellsy. Like Prof. Oak said, it could be tougher to manage than the others.
Misty: I wouldn't worry about it too much, Ash. Chellsy is always up for a challenge, kind of like you.
Chellsy: Yeah, dad. I don't mind taking in a bit more work. It might even be fun.
Ash: Well, if you think you can handle it, then I won't stop you. Go ahead, Chellsy.

Prof. Oak held out the poke-ball which Chellsy took into her hands. Suddenly, the ball popped open and a stream of light burst forward. It then zoomed onto the tabletop and took on the form of a mouse Pokemon that closely resembled Pikachu, except it was smaller, its ears were more triangular shaped, had a shorter, black colored tail, and was a lighter shade of yellow.

Pichu: Pi-chu!
Chellsy: Oh, wow! It's a Pichu!
May: Ah, it's adorable.
Dawn: I've got to check this out.

Dawn pulled out her Pokedex and scanned Pichu to obtain information on it

Pokedex: Pichu, the tiny mouse Pokemon, and the pre-evolved form of Pikachu. It is capable of storing large amounts of electricity in its cheeks. However, when young, it lacks the ability to control it effectively and will often shock itself as well as others.

Dawn: Oh, now I can see why this little fellow could be a handful.
Prof. Elm: Yes, this Pichu is still quite young, so it's difficult for it to control its electric attacks properly.
Prof. Birch: You had best be careful, Chellsy. You wouldn't want to get shocked by accident. It's not a pleasant experience.
Misty: Yeah, just ask your father.
Ash: Hey!
Chellsy: I'll be alright. Besides, I'm sure Pikachu can teach it a few things, right Pikachu?
Pikachu: Pi-ka-chu!

Chellsy smiled at her father's electric companion before turning back to her new friend.

Chellsy: Hi Pichu. My name's Chellsy. Would you like to be my Pokemon partner?

Pichu let out a squeal of delight before leaping right into Chellsy's arms.

Chellsy: Oh my.
Prof. Rowan: It seems Pichu has taken quite a liking to you, Chellsy.
Chellsy: Then that settles it. Pichu is my new Pokemon.
Pichu: Pi-chu Pi-chu!
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

An hour later, Ash and the rest of his group stood on the road outside of Prof. Oak's lab. All of them were wearing backpacks filled with what would need for there long and her friends stood next to her mother and father, each of them holding their new Pokemon companion in their arms: Brandon had chosen to take Bulbasaur, Maggie had picked Charmander, and Cory had partnered himself with Squirtle. Ash looked around at all the people who had volunteered to come along on this adventure before turning to speak to Prof. Oak and his colleagues.

Ash: Well, I guess this is it. Thanks for all of your help, professor.
Prof. Oak: It was my pleasure Ash, but we're not quite done yet.
Prof Ivy: He's right. We still have one more thing to give you.
Misty: But you've already done so much for us. I don't know what else you could provide us with.
Prof. Rowan: Well, we think this last gift will help you all tremendously. Samuel, would you care to do the honors?
Prof. Oak: Of course.

Ash and his friends watched as Prof. Oak reached into his lab coat and pull out what looked like a small, black box. He then flipped open the cover and pressed a small, red button. Suddenly, Ash heard a low rumbling sound. He then turned around just in time to see the ground behind him sink down slightly then split apart. The others followed his lead, and watched, open mouthed, as a huge, black vehicle rose up from a hidden chamber beneath the road, coming to a halt when the platform it was on reached ground level.

Prof. Oak: May we present to you, the Poketech All Terrain Tactical Defense Vehicle, or AT-TD for short.
Brock: Holy cow!
Max: This thing is humongous!

Max wasn't kidding. The vehicle standing before them was about the size of a large bus, had six wheels, and was a black chrome color that shined in the sunlight. As the group stared at the thing in utter disbelief, a door on the side of the vehicle swung open and two people stepped out: Tracey and Gary.

Ash: Gary, what are you doing here?
Gary: You didn't think I was going to let you all leave without saying goodbye, did you?
Ash: I figured as much.
Tracey: So, Ash, what do you think of the AT-TD?
Ash: I think you all outdid yourselves this time.
Misty: Ash is right. Where did you guys get this thing?
Prof. Birch: Actually, we built it.
Brock: Do you mean you built this thing from scratch in only 5 days?
James: That's got to be a world record.
May: I can't believe you did all of this for us.
Prof. Elm: Well, we wanted you all to have a safe means of transportation. We didn't think it would be a good idea for you to travel everywhere on foot because one, it would be a lot slower, and two, you would be more vulnerable to an attack from the GSC.
Prof. Ivy: So, we called in some of the world's best engineers and technicians, and they helped us put this thing together.
Dawn: Impressive.
Gray: Tracey and I were just putting some finishing touches on the interior. Come on in and take a look.

Ash followed Gary up the stairs and into the vehicle. He then saw that the vehicle's interior looked like the inside of a luxury hotel suite. The door he had entered thru lead into a small, living room-like area situated just behind diver and passenger seats, complete with two sofa's, a coffee table, and a wide screen TV with a DVD player and gaming system. Towards the back on the vehicle's right side was a fully stocked kitchen with a microwave, a stove top oven, a sink, and a dishwasher. On the left side was a dinning area with 3 wrap-around booths that all of them would be able sit at ventured further into the back and found a door with a small, golden plaque that read "Ash and Misty K.". He then opened the door to find a private bedroom at the very back of the ultra RV. He then made his way back up to the front where the rest of his team was looking around, awe-struck at the amazing inner workings of the metal behemoth.

May: This is incredible.
Dawn: I feel like I'm staying at a luxury resort.
Gary: We wanted to make sure that all of you would have everything you could possibly want or need no matter where you guys are.
Max: But I only see one bedroom in here, and it appears to be reserved for the newlyweds. Where are the rest of us supposed to sleep?
Gary: I'm glad you asked that question, Max. Here, follow me.

Gary walked to the center of the room, knelt down, and flipped over a section of carpeting to reveal a small latch. He pulled up on the latch to open a trap door in the floor which revealed a ladder leading down into the lower section of the vehicle.

Gray: Come with me down below. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

One by one, Ash and his friends followed Gary down the ladder into the AT-TD's lower level. Once there, Gary led them thru the door on their right into a large room in the back, where they found six sets of bunk beds, two sets lining each wall, giving them a grand total of twelve beds.

May: Awesome!
Max: What is it with you and the word "awesome", May?
May: Oh, shut up, Max.
Dawn: You know, this is kind of awesome. There's plenty of space down here for all of us.
James: It's certainly roomy.
Meowth: There's even a bed for me!
Gary: Glad you guys like it, but there's still one more room you just have to see.

Gary and Tracey led the group back into the ladder room and over to the door directly across from the bunk room. When the door opened and they saw what was inside, their jaws dropped: Inside the final room was a huge high tech laboratory. A huge computer was set up on the back wall, making it pretty obvious that this was the heart of the AT-TD's operating system.

Misty: Oh my God!
Tracey: Pretty impressive, isn't it.
Brock: "Impressive" doesn't even begin to describe this.
Cory: All I can say is that this computer rivals anything I've ever come up with.
Gray: Not necessarily, Cory. We've made it so that your pal Tectra can synch herself up with the systems in here. That way, she can help keep everything up and running.
Cory: Really! That's great! Thanks Gary!
Gray: No problem.

As Ash continued to look around the room, he suddenly noticed something. Sitting up against the right wall was another bed that had a backpack that did not belong to any of them lying on top of it.

Ash: Uh, guys? Whose pack is that?
Tracey: Oh, uh… That would be mine.
Dawn: Huh? You mean you're coming with us, Tracey?
Tracey: Well, you are going to need someone who knows how to operate all the special equipment this thing has.
Chellsy: But then, who's going to help Prof. Oak with all his work.
Gary: Oh, you don't need to worry about that. I volunteered to take Tracey's place while he's gone.
Ash: Well then, I guess it's all settled. Welcome back to the group Tracey.
Tracey: Thanks, Ash. Glad to be back.
Gray: Ok, let's head back outside real quick. They're a few more things we need to talk.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The entire group made their way back outside to the professors were waiting. When they were all present and accounted for, Prof. Oak stepped forward to speak.

Prof. Oak: Well now, what did you all think of the AT-TD?
Brock: I've got to hand it to you, Prof. You've certainly made one heck of a machine.
Dawn: I agree. It's amazing.

As the group expressed their thoughts on the AT-TD, Prof. Oak quickly glanced at Ash, who he noticed had a somewhat concerned expression on his face.

Prof. Oak: Ash, is something troubling you?
Ash: Huh? Oh, well, maybe a little.
Misty: What's wrong, Ash. Do you not like the vehicle?
Ash: No, of course not. I think it's incredible. It's just that… well, will this thing really help protect us if we get attacked by the GSC.
Gary: Oh come on, Ash. Do you really think my grandpa and the others would build this thing if they weren't sure it would keep you safe?
Prof. Oak: Calm down, Gary. I'm sure Ash doesn't mean anything by that. But, if you really want to make sure its safe, why don't you try having Pikachu hit it with an electric attack and see what happens.
Ash: You sure?
Prof. Birch: Go on. Give it a whirl.
Ash: Okay, but don't blame me if I brake it. Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!

Pikachu leapt into the air and fired a bolt of lightning at the AT-TD. Just before it hit, four long metal rods shot out of bottom of the vehicle and impaled themselves in the ground. When the Thunderbolt made contact, it was instantly redirected thru the rods and into the dirt.

Max: Whoa! Did you guys see that?
Brandon: That was so cool!
Prof. Rowan: Those lightning rods will instantly take any electric attack that hits the armor plating of the vehicle and disperse it harmlessly into the ground. The plating is also completely water and fire-proof and is made of 100% indestructible steel.
Prof. Elm: And, to protect it from damage from unnatural forces, such as Psychic and Ghost type attacks, we had a small amount of Pokeranium mixed into the steel.
Chellsy: Poke-ranium?
Meowth: Never heard of it.
Prof. Ivy: It's a very special and rare mineral that has the power to absorb and reflect the energy of certain kinds of Pokemon attacks.
Ash: Wow! You guys really covered all the bases on this one.
Prof. Oak: There are a lot more features where that came from, my boy, but we'll let Tracey tell you about those when the time is right.
Ash: Well then, I guess we'd better get going.
Prof. Rowan: Just one more minute, Ash. Do you have a plan for dealing with Arceus's requests?
Jamie: He's got a point. How are we going to go about doing this?
Ash: Well, rather than trying to hunt down both the GSC and the Legendary Pokemon, I think it would be best to just focus on the Pokemon and let the bad guys come to us.
May: I'm all for that plan.
Dawn: Me too.
Max: Same goes for me.
Pikachu: Pi-ka!
Lucario: I'm in complete agreement.
Gary: Well, if that's the way you're going to go, I'd suggest that you first go after the legendary bird of ice, Articuno. There have been a lot of reports saying that it's been spotted flying around the mountains on Seafoam Island.
Misty: Hey, that's right nearby.
Ash: Then I guess we know our first destination. Come on everyone, we're off to Seafoam Island.
Everyone: O.K.!

As everyone else piled into the AT-TD, Ash, Misty, and Chellsy stayed behind to say good-bye to Gary and the professors.

Ash: Well, I guess we'll see you all later.
Gary: Good luck out there, Ash. And please, try not to be gone as long as you were on your last adventure.
Ash: He-he-he! Don't worry. With any luck, we'll be back within a year if not sooner.
Misty: I'll make sure he's true to his word.
Prof. Oak. Farewell, you two. And Chellsy, don't overwork yourself trying to master your powers. Just take it one step at a time, and you should be just fine.
Chellsy: Sure thing, Prof. Thank you.
Rowan: You had better get a move on if want to catch Articuno.
Prof. Ivy: We'll contact you if we get anymore sightings of Legendary Pokemon.
Prof. Birch: Bye you guys.
Prof. Elm: Take care.
Ash: We will. Bye!

Ash walked back into the AT-TD alongside his wife and daughter. Chellsy strapped herself into one of the chairs in the living area while her mother sat down in the front passenger seat. Tracey handed the key over to Ash, who then got behind the wheel. He put the key in the ignition and turned it, bringing the massive vehicle to life with a tremendous roar. As his hand moved down to shift the gear into drive, he glanced out the window at his home town, wondering if he would ever see it again. Just then, he felt something light and warm come to rest on top of his hand. He looked over to see Misty gently holding it, a look of understanding in her eyes.

Misty: Don't worry, Ash. We'll be back.
Ash: I know we will. That's a promise.

With that, Ash shifted the AT-TD into drive and pressed down on the gas. The vehicle slowly began to move forward, gradually gaining speed as everyone inside waved good-bye. Gary and the professors returned the gesture, waving and shouting their farewells as the group rolled out of sight.

TO BE CONTINUED…