Setting Out Again

Ashlyn Ketchum was glad to be home. She and her friends were celebrating her victory at the Ever Grande Conference and the Hoenn Grand Festival at her house. Prof. Birch and Misty, along with her Azurill, also decided to come over as well. Ashlyn put her trophies and badges away on the showcases at her house before the party started.

"It's nice for you to be home again, Ashlyn." Delia said.

"Indeed." Ashlyn agreed.

"So Ashlyn, can you tell us of some of your adventures in the Hoenn region?" Prof. Birch requested.

"Where do we even start?" Ashlyn questioned.

During the party, the gang told their adventures in the Hoenn Region. They told about the Pokémon they encountered, how they defeated Team Magma and Aqua, the Hoenn Elite Four members, Ashlyn's gym battles, and the contests that Ashlyn and May participated in. May and Max were put their own input in their stories.

"I thought you did brilliantly in the Grand Festival and Ever Grande Conference, Ashlyn." Misty complimented.

"Thanks, Misty." Ashlyn thanked her.

"So what do you plan on doing now?" Prof. Birch asked.

"Well I want to take a few days off before I make a decision." Ashlyn replied.

"That's a good plan for now." Prof. Oak commented.

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The next day, Ashlyn, Misty and Tracey were going to give Alain, May and Max a tour around Prof. Oak's lab.

"Wow! Look at all the Pokémon!" Max exclaimed excitedly.

"Amazing, right?" Ashlyn asked, smiling.

May nodded, "Yeah."

"Hey, is that a shiny Suicune?!" Max beamed when he spotted Azure sunbathing in the grass.

"Yes, her name is Azure. I raised her from an egg." Ashlyn replied.

"Wow, she's beautiful." May commented.

Alain nodded, "Yeah."

The two siblings beamed at every Pokémon Ashlyn was showing them. Tracey kept sketching at each one they came across.

Also, it seemed that some of her Pokémon's children were interested in Alain, May and Max. Ashlyn let the children decided who they wanted to go with. At first, Alain, May and Max wondered if it was okay to do that. Ember didn't mind at all.

So May got an Eevee, Bounsweet, Female Espurr, Vulpix, Alolan Vulpix, Fennekin, and a Rockruff. Max got a Rockruff, Eevee, Male Espurr, Cyndaquil, and a Totodile. The two were very happy with their new Pokémon. Alain was also given a Rockruff, Growlithe and a Cyndaquil as well.

"Hey, would you two like to see the Viridian Gym before you go?" Ashlyn suggested.

"Sure! That would be great!" Max beamed.

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"Can't believe it's all fixed up now." Ashlyn commented as she stared the newly rebuilt Viridian Gym.

"What do you mean, Ashlyn?" May asked.

"This gym was the last gym I had to get a badge from in order to enter the Indigo League," Ashlyn replied, "Only to find out that the Viridian Gym leader is actually the leader of Team Rocket."

May and Max gasped.

"No way! Really?!" Max exclaimed.

"Yeah. He really fooled everyone." Ashlyn commented.

"The other Kanto gym leaders and I were ashamed that we haven't figure him out sooner." Brock stated.

"I guess you could say that we're embarrassed that we didn't." Misty added.

"Hey, are you challengers?" A female voice called out.

The group turned to the voice and saw an old woman with a wooden cane. It was Agatha of the Kanto Elite Four.

"Hey, are you Agatha of the Kanto Elite Four?" Ashlyn asked.

"Why yes I am." Agatha replied.

"Agatha? As in Agatha the Ghost type expert Kanto Elite Four member?!" Max gasped.

Agatha chuckled, "Indeed I am." She confirmed.

"Wow!" Max exclaimed.

"You wouldn't happened to be Ashlyn Ketchum, would you?" Agatha questioned.

"Yes, I am." Ashlyn answered.

"Lorelei and Lance have spoken highly of you, young lady." Agatha stated, "Lance had told me that you helped him rescue a shiny Gyarados and stopped Team Aqua and Team Magma from destroying the Hoenn region."

"I've couldn't have done it without my friends." Ashlyn said.

Agatha chuckled, "Not to mention that you beat Lorelei's Slowbro." She added.

"Well my Gengar had fun battling him." Ashlyn stated.

Suddenly a red sports car stopped in front of Ashlyn, Alain, Brock, Misty, May, Max and Agatha. A man came out of the car. Ashlyn recognized the man: It was Scott. The one who recommended Ash to challenge the Battle Frontier brains.

"Hi there," Scott greeted the gang, "are you all Pokémon trainers?"

"Yes we are, sir." Ashlyn answered.

"Well I'm Scott and I'm an agent," Scott introduced himself, "What are your names and are you all here to earn the Viridian Gym's badge?"

"I'm Ashlyn."

"I'm Alain."

"May and this is my brother Max."

"I'm Misty."

"And I'm Brock."

"I already have the Earth Badge. Max here don't do gyms; he just travels with us. Brock's the Pewter City Gym leader and Misty's the Cerulean Gym leader." Ashlyn explained.

"Well then Ashlyn, Alain, you two must be very strong trainers," Scott said, "Maybe you two will qualify for the Battle Frontier."

"What's the Battle Frontier?" May asked.

Scott explained to the gang that the Battle Frontier was made up with seven battle facilities all spread out through Kanto.

"But we've been all over Kanto and never heard of the Battle Frontier then." Ashlyn stated.

"Oh that's because I only reveal the Battle Frontier to very strong trainers and not beginner trainers." Scott revealed. He then explained that the battle facilities each had a frontier brain, who sort of like gym leaders but stronger. And if the trainer defeats a frontier brain he would receive a frontier symbol, which was like a gym badge. "The catch is though you will be told where the first six of the facilities are, but you have to defeat the first six first to locate the seventh battle facility. So Ashlyn, Alain, what do you two say?"

Ashlyn and Alain glanced at each other for a moment and then nodded.

"I say the Battle Frontier sounds wonderful," Ashlyn said, "We'll definitely take the challenge."

"Yeah, it will be nice to travel around Kanto with you, Ashlyn." Alain agreed.

"Before I forget, I would like a battle with you, Ashlyn." Agatha requested.

"Sure, that would be great." Ashlyn accepted.

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Agatha brought everyone into the new Viridian Gym. It looked almost like the old one, but better. Brock offered to be referee for the match while the others will sit in the stands.

"Gengar, let's go!" Agatha released her Gengar.

"Gengar!" Gengar appeared on the field.

"Lela, let's go!" Lela howled as she appeared onto the field.

"Gengar, use Shadow Ball." Gengar formed an orb of dark energy and threw it at Lela.

"Lela, slice it with Iron Tail!" Lela's tail glowed a metallic color and she sliced the ball in half.

"Impressive." Agatha grinned, "Gengar, use Double Team!"

Gengar copies of himself that surrounded Lela.

"Shadow Ball!" Gengar threw its Shadow Balls towards Lela.

"Protect!" Lela projected a green colored barrier around herself. Gengar's attacks simply broke apart.

"Now jump and Double Pulse!" Lela jumped into the air and created copies of herself. Then she launched her Dark Pulse attack which caused all of the Gengar's copies to disappear and hit the real one who cried out at the attack.

"Shadow Claw!" Lela launched her attack and sent Gengar tumbling across the field.

"Dark Pulse again!" Lela launched her dark type attack at Gengar who grunted at the attack.

"Gengar, are you alright?!" Agatha called out.

"Gen-gen gengar." Gengar grunted.

"Hypnosis!" Gengar's eyes glowed blue as Lela quickly closed her eyes.

"Double Team, quick!" Lela's created copies of herself which made Gengar confused, stopping Hypnosis.

"Dark Pulse once more!" Lela launched her dark type attack at Gengar, causing a small explosion on the field.

When the dust cleared, it showed Gengar had fainted while Lela was still standing.

"Gengar!" Agatha gasped.

"Gengar is unable to battle! The victory goes to Lela! The winner of this match belongs to Ashlyn Ketchum!" Brock announced.

"Alright!" Ashlyn cheered as she knelt down and hugged Lela around her neck, "You were great."

"Wuf (Thanks, Ashlyn)!" Lela smiled.

"That was quite a battle, my dear." Agatha stated as she walked over to Ashlyn.

"Thank you, Agatha." Ashlyn thanked her.

"I can definitely say that you'll do well in the Battle Frontier, Ashlyn." Scott said.

"Thank you, Scott. I know Alain will have a great time battling them as well." Ashlyn stated.

"I'm excited for that." Alain admitted.

"Well I can't wait to see your first battle then." Scott said.

Soon enough, Scott had to leave. Agatha, Ashlyn, and the others wished well and hoped to see him again soon. Then Ashlyn and the others headed back to the lab.

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The gang got back to the lab and told everyone of their new journey. When they first got to the lab, a Squirtle came across May and instantly got attached to her. The little water type had run away from Tracey when he tried to put him in his Pokéball. Seeing that Squirtle was attached to May, Prof. Oak let her have Squirtle who was happy to go with her.

"Battle Frontier huh?" Delia asked.

Ashlyn and Alain explained what the Battle Frontier is. May also heard that there will be Pokémon contests in the Kanto Region, and she wanted to enter them.

"So what do you guys say, wanna go on another journey with me?" Ashlyn asked.

May and Max, "Absolutely!"

The Pokémon trilled in agreed.

Alain and Brock nodded.

"Thanks, everyone." Ashlyn smiled.

Suddenly they heard tapping at the window. They turned to the source and saw Cobalt (Lucario) standing there.

"(Ashlyn, we have some intruders.)" Cobalt informed.

"Intruders?" Ashlyn asked.

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They walked outside and Cobalt led them to where the intruders were. To their small surprise, it was Team Rocket, frozen in a block of ice. Mystique (Inteleon) stood next it with proudness.

Ashlyn sighed at this, "They tried to sneak in and take the Pokémon again, didn't they?" She asked.

"(Yes. They were easily found by Mystique. So she used Ice Beam to trap them.)" Cobalt explained.

"Alright then, let's send them off." Ashlyn decided, "Tesla, Thunderbolt. Cobalt, Aura Sphere. Mystique, Water Pulse."

The three Pokémon launched their attacks at the block of ice and Team Rocket was sent flying into the sky.

"Why does that sneaky lizard keep interfering with our plans?!" Jessie exclaimed angrily.

"Because we tried to steal the Pokémon." James responded.

"Well our plan hasn't changed, and we still end up blasting off the same." Meowth added.

The trio sighed in defeat.

"TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" The trio screamed before they disappeared across the sky.

DING!

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Two days later, the gang was ready to head off on a new adventure. Misty decided to join them until they reach Cerulean City. Prof. Birch and Prof. Oak gave May a new Pokédex for their new journey. Tracey downloaded all the data for the Battle Frontier onto the PokéNav for Max. Delia had made a new outfit for Ashlyn to wear. Ashlyn wore a purple no sleeve shirt with a white Pokéball design on the front, a black cargo vest over the shirt, jean shorts, and black and purple colored combat boots. She also black open fingered gloves with purple borders. The left glove had her keystone attached to it.

Delia, Tracey, Prof. Oak, and Prof. Birch were there to send them off.

"Be careful, Ashlyn. Work hard on those Frontier battles." Delia said.

"Mime mime." Mimey added.

"I will, mom." Ashlyn promised.

"Remember, you all got goals, so work hard to achieve them." Prof. Oak advised.

"We will, thanks." The gang and Misty said in unison.

"Rai!" Tesla said.

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And so, Ashlyn and her friends headed off on a new adventure in the Kanto Region. Ashlyn and Alain are super excited to face against the Battle Frontier brains. For May, entering the Pokémon Contests.