Nothing but Rocks

Ash and Brock are heading towards Celadon City to meet the Champion, in order to get there, they must pass through Route Seven which is full of nothing but dried up dirt, rocks, and sand. There are no trees or water out there causing the blearing sun to scorch Ash, Brock, and Pikachu to hydration if they aren't careful.

"It's so hotttttt," Ash moans dragging himself through the dirt, "we are almost there Ash don't worry but if we see some shade we should sit down and take a rest" Brock exclaims, "Pika!" Pikachu excited points to a large group of rocks blocking the sun with enough shade to sit and have a rest, Ash lifts his head up and sees where Pikachu is pointing, "Good job Pikachu." The three of them head over to the shade and sit down, Brock sits on the ground and leans against the rock and has a drink from his bottle, Pikachu lies down and rolls in the mud cooling himself off, Ash sits on one of the smaller rocks but the rock moves, throwing Ash off and hitting the ground.

*Thud

"Ow, what was that?" Ash turns his head rubbing his back, "Sand Sand Sandslash!" the rock appears to be a Sandslash, Sandslash angry and annoyed at Ash for sitting on him, "I'm sorry I didn't know you where a Pokemon I thought you were a rock," Ash tries to apologize and puts his hands out telling Sandslash he means no harm but Sandslash is not having it still furious at Ash, "Pika, Pika" Pikachu tries to calm down Sandslash but it's not helping either. "Hey! what are you doing to my Sandslash!" a loud voice shouts in the distance behind Ash and Brock, the figure gets closer and it seems to be a boy, he has Dark green spiky hair tipped with light green, very bushy eyebrows cover his dark brown eyes almost black they look like, under both his eyes he as a zig-zag pattern most likely a birth scar, his wearing a black and red t-shirt with a blue backpack slung over one shoulder, his knees are barley cover by his short blue shorts, his bright red shoes are overly big with dirty socks like he has spent quite a while out in the dried up mud. Ash covers his eyes from the scorching sun to try and get a focus on this boy running towards him, "Isn't that, it is" Ash eyes widening up as the boy gets closer, "AJ! It's me Ash" Ash shouts out to his old friend Aj who runs up to his Sandslash, "Ash? Brock?"

Aj walks up to Ash studying him trying to remember if this is his old friend Ash, "It really is you Ash" Aj says, "yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Ash confused, "well I saw you compete in the Alolan Pokemon league, and thought you'd stay there and become the Alolan Champion like Steven or Cynthia," AJ explains, "Ash isn't really up to a Pokemon Champion yet" Brock chuckles, Ash turns angrily at his friend, "my dream is to become a Pokemon Master, not a Pokemon Champion so I need to travel and discover more," "Makes sense, but hey you were bound to win one eventually I mean you got so close so many times, a lot of people would have given up," Aj kneeling down to check on his Pokemon, "I remember when we first met and you had a tantrum that I beat you, I would have thought you'd give up after Sinnoh, that Tobias with his legendary Pokemon wow" Aj looking up at Ash amazed on how far he has come, Ash looking back a little frustrated that Aj brought up his tantrum four years ago, "Tobias was a tough one, and I mean what's the difference if I give up or not, its either sit at home and do nothing or travel and keep reaching for my dream," Ash says trying to inspire his old friend.

*swoosh

"What the" Aj turns around to see his Sandslash has been captured in a net hanging from a hot air balloon, "who are you?" Aj yells out "So glad you asked," the lady says, "its Team Rocket!" Brock calls out furiously, "Give back Sandslash!" Ash shouts, "now twerps prepare for"

"Sandslash razor claw, break through the net then hyper beam" Aj calls out, Sandslash breaks through the net and uses hyper beam on Team Rocket exploding their hot air balloon, "we didn't even get to finish our entrance" Jessie screams out, "I call unfair" James moans, "we're blasting off again!" Team Rocket shout out as they disappear into the distant sky followed by the sparkle of a star. Aj runs over to where Sandslash is falling, "Sandslash I got you!" he calls out, Aj jumps at his falling Pokemon and captures Sandslash in his arms, hitting the ground and sliding across the dried up mud, "Aj are you ok?" Brock shouts out running towards him with Ash and Pikachu right behind, "Yeah just some dirt on my clothes I'll be fine, are you ok Sandslash?" Aj asks standing up and dusting himself off, "Sandslash," Sandslash replies giving his trainer a thumbs up.

Ash, Brock, Aj, and their Pokemon are sitting down on some rocks having lunch, "So what have you been up to Aj?" Brock asks taking a bite of his jelly doughnut, "Well, right before I started travelling with my Pokemon it occurred to me I don't have anyone to look after all my Pokemon so I headed to Lavender town to find a Pokemon lab," Aj tells Brock and Ash, Ash scratches his head, "Lavender town?" He says confusingly, "Aj looks at Ash surprised he doesn't know, "Yeah it was a new research lab its been running for almost five years now, Tracy runs it, I believe you know him Ash" Aj responds taking a mouthful of his sandwich, "Tracy, wow he became a Pokemon Professor then that's awesome," Ash responds. "How has your travelling been going?" Brock continuing the conversation, "It's been going good, getting a little tough, I've competed in the last three Kanto Championships," Aj explains turning his head to Ash, "unlike you Ash I can only manage one Pokemon League a year, I don't know how you do it two, three Pokemon Leagues a year all that travel, flying to different regions, I mean its a lot." Ash looks up at Aj and smiles, he turns his head to Pikachu "It's our dream to become a Pokemon Masters and when you have friends to travel with its fun." Aj smiles and nods his head, "How did you go in the Kanto Pokemon Leagues?" Brock still interested in the conversation, "My first Pokemon League I struggled to even qualify, just managed to get my eighth gym badge in time and had to rush to get to the Pokemon League in time and then got knocked out in the first round" Aj looks down disappointed, "but you didn't give up did you?" Ash standing up in a hurry with his right hand up in a fist, Aj looks up at his old friend smiling, "no I didn't, the second year went very different, the badges were still hard to come by but I got all eight with six weeks to spare, I manage to get to the first round of finals and came fifteen and then the last one I competed in I got top six and came in fifth." Aj tells his friends proudly, "That's awesome," Brock and Ash congratulating their friend. "But then something changed," Aj tells them looking at his backpack on the ground.

"What do you mean?" Brock asks curiously, "Well after I had been knocked out of the Pokemon League I went back to my room and lying on my bed was this old letter," Aj pulls out the old letter from his backpack, it looks similar to the letters Ash has been getting, "huh!" Ash and Brock stand up in shock, "What's wrong?" Aj looks at them a little scared, "That's the same letter I've got," Ash pulling out his letter from his pocket. "Did an old man give it to you?" Ash asks getting louder, "No, I told you it was just on my bed lying there but the thing is even though I've read it a million times and it has been almost six months I still have no idea what the letter is telling me." Aj looking puzzled at his letter, "Six months, I got my first one the other day," Ash mumbles "the first one? You've received more than one?" Aj, even more, puzzled than before, "What does your letter say? Maybe we can help you out?" Brock offering his help to Aj.

"You must go to the Pokemon gym that got 100 wins and 0 loses there you will find a crack in the ground."

"I don't think there's a gym out here Aj," Ash says, Aj looks at Ash with a dull expression, "I know that!" Aj yells at Ash, "I think it referring to the old gym that I trained at," Aj turning to Brock, "interesting, and you said you received this letter six months ago," Brock trying to work out the riddle, "yeah six months, I've been to the old gym and there's no crack in the ground and I closed that gym four years ago, I don't ever remember battling an old man so maybe someone else dropped off my letter," Aj says pondering what he has to do. "I know," Ash shouts out, "how about we go to the old gym and see if we can find anything, maybe a Pokemon battle will help? If they are referring it to a gym, you do have Pokemon battles at a gym so maybe something will happen" Aj having little to no hope about what Ash is suggesting, "I mean I've got nothing to lose," Aj says under his breath. "It's settled then, let's go." Ash says happily, "Ok, follow Sandslash and me," Aj says a little disappointed that he has to walk back there again, Brock looks on trying to work out what these letters are as he puts his hand in his pocket and pulls the top of his letter out.

They arrive at where Aj's old gym used to be, Ash looks around hysterically, "What happened? Where is the battlefield, it's just lumps of rocks!" Aj slaps his forehead with his hand, "It has been 4 years Ash, the land has changed and covered the battlefield, that used to be here." Ash runs over to the old battlefield, "Hey! You can still see the outline a little bit, come on Aj lets have a battle it might cheer you up." Ash shouts out waiting for Aj to get to his end of the battlefield, "You're right it might cheer me up Ash," Aj smiling running over to his side of the battlefield. "Hey Brock can you referee the battle!" Ash shouts out to Brock who is kneeling down feeling the dirt, "This dirt doesn't seem to be natural to this area like someone has put it here," Brock mumbles under his breath "Brock!" Ash shouts out snapping Brock out of his thought, "Yep coming!" Brock shouts back running over to the old battlefield.

"Pikachu, I choose you" Ash sends out Pikachu as his Pokemon, "Pikachu huh, in that case, come on out and help me," Aj throws an ultra ball high in the air, a burst of white bright light appears and disappears as his Pokemon emerges, "Kangaskan!" Kangaskan appears from the bright light, "a Kangaskan this is going to be fun" Ash telling Pikachu, "All right let's start this off Pikachu," "not so fast Ash," Aj intercutting Ash. Aj pulls out a necklace from under his shirt, it's a mega ring "Kangaskan mega evolve!" Aj calls out, a bright colourful light covers Kangaskan and Aj's necklace, Kangaskan mega evolves as two Pokemon now appear from the light. "How is there two Pokemon, is that allowed?" Ash looking on puzzled, "This is Kangaskan's mega evolved form meaning that even though there are two Pokemon it is still allowed," Brock explaining to Ash, "mega Kangaskan double edge," Aj calls out the first move catching Ash and Pikachu by surprise, Mega Kangaskan comes in fast smashing into Pikachu sending him across the dusty field, "Pikachu!" Ash calls out, Pikachu gets up and shakes off the attack, "you won't catch us by surprise again, Pikachu quick attack go" Ash calling out his first move, "Mega Kangaskan dodge and grab Pikachu," Aj retaliating to Ash's command, Pikachu runs in quickly at Mega Kangaskan and manages to hit the baby Kangaskan but Mega Kangaskan slides out the way and grabs Pikachu by the tail, "No, get wiggle loose Pikachu!" Ash shouts out, Pikachu tries to wiggle out of Mega Kangaskan grip but it���s not working, "Mega Kangaskan Mega punch!" Aj shouting out, Mega Kangaskan stares Pikachu in the eyes whose still trying to get loose, Mega Kangaskan pulls its fist back, it starts to glow and smashes right into Pikachu sending him into the ground and bouncing back over to Ash's side, "Pikachu are you ok!" Ash shouting out lost on how to deal with the two Pokemon "Mega Kangaskan mega kick" AJ shots out giving Pikachu no rest, the baby Kangaskan comes running in with its leg shining a bright light, it runs around Pikachu facing Aj and smashes its leg right into Pikachu's gut sending Pikachu flying over to Aj's side and towards Mega Kangaskan whose leg is also shining, Pikachu bounces off the dirt and gets smashed back to Ash's side by Mega Kangaskan using mega kick as well. "Pikachu!" Ash calls out watching his Pokemon getting beat easily, Pikachu stumbles up to his feet "PIKA!" Pikachu shouting out angry and still ready to keep battling, "that's the spirit Pikachu" Ash calls out, "you're Pikachu has become stronger Ash but it still can't defeat my Pokemon," Aj shouts out across the battlefield, "we'll see about that" Ash whispers under his breath, "Pikachu quick attack get in close" Pikachu runs in fast towards Mega Kangaskan, "that won't work, Mega Kangaskan dig," Mega Kangaskan starts to dig into the ground "Pikachu quick Iron tail where they are digging!" Ash shouts out seeing an opening, Pikachu jumps up and uses iron tail on the ground sending the baby Kangaskan up in the air, "Quick thunderbolt on the baby Kangaskan Pikachu!" Ash shouts out in a hurry, "What! Mega Kangaskan double edge on Pikachu before he hits thunderbolt" Aj shouts out in a panic, Pikachu uses thunderbolt and hits the baby Kangaskan, hurting it badly, Mega Kangaskan burst through the ground flying at Pikachu, "Pikachu grab the baby Kangaskan and use it as a shield!" Ash calls out with Pikachu grabbing the falling baby Kangaskan, "Mega Kangaskan pull up quick!" Aj shouts out in hope but it's too late Mega Kangaskan flies right into the baby Kangaskan and Pikachu sending them into the ground hurling dust-up in the air.

The dust settles, Pikachu on his feet looking strong, Mega Kangaskan kneeling down hurt with the baby Kangaskan next to him badly hurt, "You found a way to make it a one on one battle well done Ash but you still won't win" Aj taunting Ash, "Mega Kangaskan end this, Mega Punch!" Aj calling out what he hopes is the final move, "Pikachu lets do this," Ash pulling out his Z ring from his pocket and putting a Pikanium Z in it, "what's that?" Aj looks on confused, "with the power of an electrifying friendship Pikachu Catastropika" Ash and Pikachu are covered in yellow light, Pikachu lights up in an enormous yellow light and starts running towards Mega Kangaskan, "give it your all!" both trainers shout out looking on as their Pokemon run towards each other, the two Pokemon collide in a massive hit causing an explosion, the dust and dirt get flown-up into the air making it hard to see what Pokemon came out on top, the two trainers look on hoping that their Pokemon was the stronger one.

The battlefield starts to become clear from the dust and dirt, the two trainers trying to find their Pokemon, Mega Kangaskan has been pushed back and is lying motionless next to the baby Kangaskan, a bright light covers the two Pokemon turning them back into Kangaskan, Pikachu is standing tall huffing and puffing. "You did it Pikachu!" Ash yells out running to his friend and hugging him, "wow, they are strong" Aj smiles looking down at his fainted Pokemon, "Kangaskan return, you did amazing" Aj returning his Pokemon, "congratulations, Ash, you beat me that was one tough battle," Aj walking over to his old rival and shaking his hand, "Thanks Aj that was a fun battle you are really strong," Ash complementing Aj. Brock walks over to the two boys, "That was a really good match you both should be proud," the two trainers smile and nod their heads.

The sun is starting to go down and the three of them are still looking for a sign of a crack but no sign of one, Brock looks at the setting sun and turns to Aj whose standing next to Ash, "So what are you going to do now?" Ash asks Aj, Aj looks around the battlefield, "I think I am meant to be here, the letter wants me here for a reason I'm going to find out what it is," Ash and Brock nod in understandment at what Aj is trying to accomplish, "Where headed off to Celadon City so we better get going Ash before it gets dark, it was nice seeing you again Aj good luck with your letter." Brock saying bye to his old friend, "It was a good battle Aj, but Brock's right we better head off before it gets dark, I'll see you around." Ash saying goodbye to his old rival, "You can count on seeing me again Ash, and next time we battle I'll win," Aj challenging Ash to another battle shaking his hand and going their separate ways.

It's in the middle of the night Aj is still looking around the battlefield for a crack in the ground, he turns his head to where Pikachu and Mega Kangaskan collided, he wipes the dirt to the side from the ground and sees a faint light in the ground, "Sandslash, come out and use dig," Aj calls out Sandslash, Sandslash opens the hole so Aj can see further in it, he puts his hand in the hole and his eyes light up at what he has found.