Murcott Island

Sometime after meeting Gastly and Haunter, Ashlyn and the gang arrived at another island on Lapras.

"Thanks for the ride, Lapras." Ashlyn thanked the Transport Pokémon.

"Lap. (No problem.)" Lapras smiled.

Ashlyn returned Lapras to his Pokéball.

Tracey took out his two Pokéballs, "Okay Venonat, Marill, go!" He released his two Pokémon.

"Venonat."

"Marill Marill."

"You seem to be excited to be on this island, Tracey." Ashlyn stated.

"Well I've been wanting to visit this island for a long time, Ashlyn." Tracey explained.

Suddenly a Beedrill flew by and Misty gasped as she fell to her knees.

"What's the matter?" Tracey asked, confused.

Misty pointed in the direction where Beedrill flew off, "That was a Beedrill and a BIG one!"

"That's one of the reasons why I'm so happy to be here, Misty." Tracey smiled.

"What?" Misty asked, confused.

"Murcott Island is home to all sorts of bug Pokémon." Tracey replied, happily.

Misty freaked out when she heard that. "Did-Did you say that b-bu-bug Pokémon live here?" She stuttered.

"Yes I did, why?" Tracey asked, confused by Misty's actions.

"Misty is afraid of bug Pokémon." Ashlyn whispered to Tracey.

"Oh I get it. When it comes to bugs, Misty's a chicken." Tracey teased.

Misty stomped on Tracey's left foot and Tracey yelped in pain.

"Who are you calling a chicken?" Misty glared.

"Did I say chicken? I must have meant that it's a good thing that you're here checking for Bug types." Tracey said, nervously.

Ashlyn, Volkner, Tesla, and Raichu sweat-dropped, 'You probably shouldn't have teased her.'

"Well there's a Pokémon center here. So we can take Misty there first, then we can explore the island next." Ashlyn suggested.

"I think that would be a good idea. We don't want Misty to scare off all the bug Pokémon that Tracey wants to find." Volkner agreed.

Misty pouted at that statement and then sighed. Volkner wasn't wrong about her screaming at Bug-type Pokémon.

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So Ashlyn and the gang went to find the Pokémon Center first. Misty was whimpering the whole way there. Unfortunately for Misty, the gang did spot some bug Pokémon. They spotted Caterpie, Weedle, Pinsir, Paras, Metapod, Venomoth and Beedrill. Misty kept on screaming whenever she saw them. Ashlyn, Tesla, Volkner, and Raichu thought that this was getting ridiculous while Tracey found it a bit hilarious.

Suddenly Tesla and Raichu spotted something. Then ran off in that direction.

"Tesla, Raichu, where are you going?" Ashlyn followed after Tesla and Raichu with the gang behind her.

Tesla and Raichu led them to a small clearing where they saw an injured Scyther. The gang ran over to it at once.

"We need to get this Scyther to the Pokémon center at once." Tracey decided.

At that moment, Scyther opened its eyes and saw the gang. They slightly flinched at the emotion in its eyes.

"It doesn't look too happy." Misty paled.

"I have something that will make you feel lots better." Tracey got out a potion from his rucksack.

Just as Tracey was about to spray the potion on Scyther's wounds, Scyther jumped up and got into battle position. Even though it was very weak, Scyther was somehow able to stand up.

"Amazing, Scyther is still able to stand even when its injured." Volkner commented, impressed.

"Please Scyther. We just want to help you." Ashlyn pleaded, calmly.

"Rai Rai. Raichu Rai Raichu, Rai! (You're injured. If you don't get treatment soon you could possibly get captured easily by some other trainer or worse, die!)" Tesla added.

Scyther stared at the group as if it was examining them. It sighed heavily as it fell to the ground. The gang ran over to it. Volkner and Tracey helped it sit up. They knew that Scyther would be too weak and heavy for them to get it to the Pokémon Center in time.

"Scyther, I have an easier way to get you to the Pokémon Center, but you're not going to like it." Tracey stated. Scyther turned towards him when he took out a Pokéball, "I have to catch you. Once you're healed, I release you, okay?"

Scyther stared at Tracey and then the Pokéball and back at Tracey. Then it nodded. Tracey gently tapped Scyther's forehead and it was sucked inside. It wiggled for a few seconds and then 'ding'.

Then the gang rushed off to the Pokémon Center.

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When the gang reached the Pokémon center, Tracey gave Scyther to Nurse Joy at once. While waiting, Ashlyn decided to send Glaceon and her Crystal Onix to Oak's ranch. She knew that Prof. Oak would be thrilled to study Chrystal, her Crystal Onix. A few hours later, Nurse Joy came out of the treatment room with Chansey rolled out Scyther on a stretcher.

"How's Scyther?" Tracey asked her.

"Well it's very exhausted and needs lots of rest." Nurse Joy informed them.

Tracey knelt down at eye level with Scyther, "Once you're fully healed, I let you go okay? Just rest for a little bit while you wait."

Scyther nodded, "Scyther."

Tracey smiled softly and gently placed his hand on Scyther's head. It tensed for a moment and then relaxed at his touch.

"Chansey, would you take Scyther to Recovery?" Nurse Joy asked.

"Chansey (No problem)." Chansey smiled and pushed the stretcher towards Recovery.

"I wonder what caused it to get so hurt like that." Ashlyn pondered.

"Well I think I might know," Nurse Joy responded, "I've dealt with something like this before. You see as you know Pokémon travel in groups and in those groups there is always a leader to guide them. And when it comes to leaders the Pokémon would fight each other for leadership of the group."

"So I take that means that this Scyther was the leader of its swarm?" Volkner asked.

"From the look at it yes," Nurse Joy replied, "and this Scyther seems to be an old Scyther, so it's quite clear that it got beaten by a younger Scyther."

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Nurse Joy also help check up all their Pokémon and Ashlyn's eggs. After all of their check ups were done, Nurse Joy went back to help the injured Scyther. She gently removed the bandages from Scyther. Suddenly it jolted out of bed.

"What's wrong Scyther?" Nurse Joy asked, rather surprised, "You need to stay in bed."

Scyther ignored Nurse Joy and flew weakly through the window, breaking it. The gang saw what was happening and ran outside the Pokémon center.

"What's going on?" Ashlyn asked, "Scyther hasn't recovered yet."

"Something must be happening in the forest and Scyther is going back to the forest to find out what. We better follow it." Tracey suggested.

Ashlyn, Volkner, and Misty agreed and they all followed Scyther.

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The gang followed Scyther all the way into a clearing where they saw Scyther protecting a swarm of Scyther's who were stuck together with some sticky substance. Team Rocket were petrified of the former leader of the Scyther swarm.

"Leave them alone, Team Rocket!" Ashlyn demanded.

"Oh no the twerps are here!" Jessie yelped.

When the gang saw Jessie's new haircut, they started laughing.

"Hey. Where'd you get that new do?" Misty taunted.

"I have to say that it's an improvement." Ashlyn added.

"How DARE you?!" A vein popped on Jessie forehead, "You insult my hair, prepare for trouble!"

"It used to be there but now it's stubble." James continued.

"To protect my head from humiliation!" Jessie released Arbok.

"Charbok!" Arbok materialized.

"Too bad her hair went on vacation." James released Weezing.

"Weezing!" Weezing materialized.

"My gorgeous hair was my one true love!" Jessie released Lickitung.

"Lick!" Lickitung materialized.

"They went together like a hand in glove." James released Victreebel.

Victreebel materialized and it munched on James.

"JESSIE!"

"James."

"Now my hair's short, but it won't be for long!!!"

"And it won't stop our Jessie from doing what's wrong!"

Meowth jumped in front of Jessie and James, "Hairy!"

"How do they come up with that stuff?" Ashlyn asked, confused.

"I like your new hairstyle a lot, Jessie. Who cut it? A barber or a butcher?" Misty taunted.

"Very funny! One of them did it, and now they're all gonna pay for it!" Jessie pointed at one of the Scyther's.

The gang turned to where the former leader was and saw the swarm of Scyther's in the sticky net.

"That must be why Scyther wanted to come back here." Misty realized.

"Scyther Scyther Scyth Scyther Scy Scyther." Scyther said.

"It said it may not be the leader of the Scyther swarm anymore," Meowth translated, "but it won't let us get away with what we have done."

"Okay then then it's time to fight." Jessie declared, "Arbok Poison Sting! Lickitung use Lick!"

"Weezing Sludge Attack! Victreebel Razor Leaf!" James ordered.

Scyther used Double Team and Agility to dodge the attacks. But then, since it was still very weak, he began to collapse from exhaustion.

"Let's help Scyther!" Tracey released Venonat.

Ashlyn sent out Tesla, Volkner sent out Raichu and Misty sent out Gloom.

"Venonat, use Psybeam!"

"Gloom, Petal Dance!"

"Tesla-"

"Raichu-"

"Thunderbolt!"

All the attacks hit Team Rocket together and saved Scyther. In no time at all the attacks sent Team Rocket and their Pokémon blasting off again.

"TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" Team Rocket screamed as they disappeared into the sky.

After Team Rocket left, Misty had Gloom cut the sticky net with a mixture of Razor Leaf and Petal Dance. Then the Scyther's went into the pond to wash the glue off themselves. The new leader of the Scyther swarm thanked the elder Scyther and then flew off with the swarm.

"There they go," Tracey said, "What about you Scyther? Do you want to fly off too?"

Scyther shook its head and stepped towards Tracey, "Scy Scyther (I want to stay with you)."

"Scyther wishes to stay with you, Tracey." Ashlyn translated.

Tracey smiled. "I agree with that." Then he returned Scyther to its Pokéball. Tracey was happy to catch a new Pokémon.

"Now that that's over, can we please go back to the Pokémon center?" Misty pleaded.

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So the gang went back to the Pokémon center for the night. As as they stepped through the doors, they heard a familiar sound coming from Ashlyn's backpack.

"My eggs!" Ashlyn gasped.

She quickly ran over to a bench and took out the two eggs from their incubators and placed them in her lap. Volkner, Misty, and Tracey stood behind her. The eggs glowed and Ashlyn used her arm to shield her eyes. When the glow went down, Ashlyn was shocked once more at the Pokémon who hatched: Zamazenta and a shiny Zacian!

Ashlyn quickly took out her phone:

[Zamazenta, the Warrior Pokémon. In times past, it worked together with a king of the people to save the Galar region. It absorbs metal that it then uses in battle.]

[Zacian, the Warrior Pokémon. Known as a legendary hero, this Pokémon absorbs metal particles, transforming them into a weapon it uses to battle.

Note: This different coloration indicates that this Pokémon is a shiny Pokémon.]

The two new hatched Pokémon opened their eyes to see Ashlyn smiling down at them.

"Hello little ones, I'm your trainer." Ashlyn greeted the two new Pokémon.

The two stared at her and then nuzzled against her cheeks.

"Wow, you got another set of Legendary Pokémon." Volkner commented.

"And one of them is a shiny too." Misty added.

"Incredible." Tracey took out his sketchbook and started drawing.

"Raichu? (What are you going to name them?)" Tesla asked.

Ashlyn looked to Zamazenta "Galahad," and then turned to Zacian, "Athena."

"Those are good names." Volkner complimented.

"Thanks, Volkner." Ashlyn smiled.

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Pokémon on hand: Raichu (Tesla)(F), Lucario (M), Espeon (F), Shiny Charizard (Natsu)(M), Gengar (M), Persian (F), Tsareena (F), Toucannon (M), Pikachu (Levina)(F), Vaporeon (F), Leafeon (F), Dusk Lycanroc (Romulus)(M), Kangaskhan (F), Lapras (M), Zamazenta (Galahad)(M), Shiny Zacian (Athena)(F)

Oak's Ranch:

Snorlax (M), Glaceon (F), Crystal Onix (Chrystal)(F)