Kanto : Going My Way

Clash Of St. Anne Part 2 : Ashy's Make Over

Ash Ketchum looked at the entrance of the tunnel where he was going to spend this week in.

The cave looked very worn down. So much, that even Ash was a little scared to go in there from the fear of the cave collapsing onto him.

But soon enough, he shook his head and crushed his slight amount of claustrophobia that was evolving in his mind. Ash took a step forward and pushed aside a nearby rock to enter the small cavern. Although he was pleasantly surprised to see an amiable looking chubby man with a beard and a walking stick and a heavy backpack on his shoulders.

The man raised the cap on his head to look at the newcomer in the cavern. The man raised his hand and waved his hand with a smile directed at Ash, "Heya!"

Ash, although surprised to see a stranger waving at him waved back, "Hello."

The mountaineer laughed and approached Ash as he spoke, "Sorry if I startled you. Haha! It's nice to meet a young soul around these parts. Not many dare go through this worn down tunnel after that incident 2 years ago..."

"It's nice to meet you too...I'm sorry but I don't know what incident you're talking about..." Ash replied. Although he wasn't generally the one to mingle with strangers, this mountaineer looked quite amiable. And he was interested in what incident the mountaineer was referring to.

"...You don't know?" The mountaineer questioned curiously before he answered, "...Well I guess I shouldn't be surprised...Yeah...That was one bad stroke of luck...You see young man, two years ago there was a company mining for Iron Ore in this tunnel...But the Diglett in this tunnel apparently didn't like that...The little fuckers dug away the soil near the mines and made the cave collapse with a combined Magnitude attack...People got scared and this tunnel hasn't been seeing any humans for a long time now...*sigh* Those poor miners...They are perhaps still buried somewhere in the deeper parts of this tunnel...May their souls rest in peace..." The man sighed and muttered out.

"...Amen. May their souls rest in peace." Ash agreed with the man to ease the miner's spirits. It was tradition after all.

After a few moments of comfortable silence the mountaineer's sad expression lifted into a smile, "...Anyway, don't let this man's ramblings bore you. Are you going to Pewter too young man?"

Ash shook his head in negative and responded, "No. I'm here just for the sake of training. Oh and I want to catch an Aron. I'll be returning to Vermillion after I'm done..."

The man guffawed loudly which echoed throughout the cavern as he spoke, "Ahahah! Dear god, you're one ambitious fella aren't 'cha? Aron is quite rare to find in this cave...Although, if you like you can always travel with me. I'm sure I'll be able to guide you. After all, Ah Ah!"

The mountaineer soon launched his pokeball into the air and with a bright flash of white light a pokemon emerged. The pokemon was just a little larger than a Rhyhorn. It had a steely skin and grey texture to it. Some iron rims were fitted into its 4 legs and there was a steely glint in its blue eyes.

It was a Lairon.

Ash gasped silently when he saw that pokemon...It was the 2nd evolution of the pokemon he was looking for...It was said that Aron and their evolutionary line communicates with each other with 'Metal Sound' attack...If this Lairon could use Metal Sound then...

'...Lady Luck...You have my gratitude...For all the bullshit you make me go through, you do have your moments...'

Ash Ketchum decided to stick together with the mountaineer. He extended his hand towards the man and spoke, "I apologize for my rudeness. I am Ash Ketchum. It's nice to meet you sir."