Ash's Pokémon Journey

A cold catch on Izabe island

After stopping both Team Aqua & Team Magma, and earning his seventh Hoenn gym badge, Ash went to Izabe island to ask the Nurse Joy there to heal his Pokémon, along with May and Brock's as well. As soon as Pikachu was fully recovered, he noticed a Pokémon, which was called a Snorunt, was trying to take something from Ash's backpack. Pikachu: [Hey!, that's Ash's backpack!] Snorunt: [Uh oh... busted... oh well, catch me if you can!] said Snorunt, before he makes a run for it, with the badge case that has all the badges that Ash earned so far in Hoenn. Pikachu goes after the Snorunt, and it wasn't long before Ash, who saw the theft too, begins to follow, leaving the others behind. Nurse Joy: "Looks like that Snorunt has struck again..." Max: "You mean this has happened before?" Nurse Joy: "Yeah, that Snorunt loves to pull pranks on trainers, like taking the badges, but it always give them back in the end as he loves the chase and all that." Brock: "That's good to hear, though I'm worried about Ash going after Snorunt alone..." May: "What do you mean?" Brock: "I know Ash long enough that he tends to run into big trouble, and there's a chance that Team Rocket could attack him and Pikachu." Max: "You're right, we better go after them." Nurse Joy: "Just don't be out there too long, there's a snowstorm on the way." Brock: "Got it." said Brock, before he, along with May and Max, head outside to follow Ash. At a snowy forest, Snorunt was still running off with the badge case, unaware that he was heading for an edge of a cliff. Ash and Pikachu saw this and tried to warn the ice type. Ash: "Hey stop!, you're heading for a cliff!" Snorunt: [Huh?] asked Snorunt, before he looks ahead and sees that he was right in front of the edge of a small cliff. The ice type lost balance and fell, only for Ash to jump and caught the ice type in his arms, and landed in the snow. When Pikachu climbed down to the bottom, he sees that Ash knocked out, while Snorunt was checking on the boy. Pikachu: [Ash!, are you okay?!, speak to me!] Snorunt: [Oh no... he's not... you know...] Pikachu: [He's breathing... that's a good sign... but he's out cold...] Snorunt: [That's not good... as there's a snowstorm coming... if he stays out here like this... he won't last long...] Pikachu: [Maybe you should have thought of that before you lured him here!] Snorunt: [Hold on!, you don't think I tried to kill him do ya?] Pikachu: [Well you took his badges and brought him here!] Snorunt: [I didn't mean any harm, I was just playing with him, honest... I never wanted anyone to get hurt... or die... I'm so sorry...] said Snorunt, as he began to cry as he felt guilty for putting Ash in such condition, while Pikachu felt less angry and placed his paw on the ice type for comfort. Pikachu: [It's okay... I understand... but now we need to find help and fast..." Snorunt: [I'll go get help, you can stay with the human.] Pikachu: [Good idea... but he has a name, it's Ash.] Snorunt: [Okay, um... can I barrow his hat?] Pikachu: [What for?] Snorunt: [To let someone know Ash needs help.] Pikachu: [Good idea, just hurry.] Snorunt: [Got it, I might like pranks... but I can be very serious when it comes to battles and helping those in need.] said Snorunt, before he takes Ash's hat and runs off to find help as fast as he could. It wasn't long before the sky began to be covered in dark clouds, and Brock, May and Max were still searching for Ash, before Snorunt came over to them, showing Ash's hat. May: "That's Ash's hat..." Max: "Does that mean something happened to him?" Brock: "Snorunt, take us to Ash, quick." said Brock, before Snorunt nodded, and leads the group to where Ash was. By the time he woke up, Ash sees that he was back in the Pokémon center, with Pikachu and Snorunt in front of him. Ash: "Oh... Pikachu... Snorunt... what happened?" Pikachu: [You were knocked out when you saved Snorunt from that fall, and Snorunt used your hat to guide Brock and the others to find you.] Snorunt: [Yeah... I'm really sorry about what happened... I didn't mean to get you hurt... it was an accident... I was just trying to play with you... can you ever forgive me?] Ash: "Sure... I forgive you, I can't stay mad at the Pokémon that saved my life." Snorunt: [Wait... did you... understood what I just said?] Pikachu: [Oh right, I forgot to tell ya that Ash can talk to Pokémon too.] Snorunt: [Really?, that's amazing!] Ash: "Yeah, but it's suppose to be a secret, as if the wrong people knew about it... they could use me for their own greedy plans, at least that's what my mom and Professor Oak told me." Snorunt: [Don't worry, your secret's safe with me... and it's not like anyone would believe it anyway.] Ash: "How true..." it wasn't long before Brock, May and Max came over to Ash, to see if he's okay, before May went to hug him. May: "You idiot!, why did you made us worry like that?!" Ash: "Sorry May... I never meant to worry anyone." Brock: "Well all that matters is that you're okay now, thanks to Snorunt here." this made Snorunt blush a little as he was being praised for his heroic deed. Once the storm was over, it was time to go, but before they left, Snorunt decided to join Ash's team, and once that happened, Ash went to look into his Pokédex to learn more about his newest catch. Pokédex: [Snorunt is the Snow Hat Pokémon, it's said that any home that gets a visit from it would be blessed with good fortune.] Ash: "I wonder if that's really true..." Max: "Well it did save you from that snow storm, so that was a good fortune." Ash: "Yeah... I guess it was." May: "I wonder if we'll get more good fortune too?" Brock: "Only the future will tell I guess." some time later, the group finally made it to Sootopolis city, home of the eighth Hoenn gym leader, who uses his water types. The battle was tough, but thanks to some team work and determination, Ash was able to beat the gym leader and won himself the Rain badge. It wasn't long before the Team Rocket trio showed up and tried to steal the water Pokémon, but Snorunt was not willing to let them hurt Ash in the process, and that was when his body glowed and evolved into a floating ice ball with eyes, a mouth and horns on his head called Glalie. The newly evolved ice type was able to stop Team Rocket and Pikachu uses a powerful Thunderbolt to send them flying once again, leaving the gym leader to thank Ash for saving the Pokémon. After leaving the city, Ash pulls out his Pokédex to learn more about his ice type's new evolved form. Pokédex: [Glalie is the Face Pokémon and the evolved form of Snorunt, it's icy covered body doesn't melt even under a direct flame and can freeze even vapors of air instantly.] Ash: "Yeah... I witness it myself from that battle against Team Rocket..." May: "Hey Ash, with the Rain badge, you got 8 badges now, right?" Ash: "Sure do, meaning I'm finally able to compete in the Hoenn league..." Max: "Hey May... what do you think could be in that Pokémon egg that the gym leader gave you?" asked Max, looking at the Pokémon egg that the gym leader gave to May as a token of gratitude for helping Ash save the water Pokémon of the gym from Team Rocket. May: "I don't know, but I was told it's a Pokémon native from another region called Sinnoh... I'll bet it's a real cutie." and so Ash caught a Snorunt, which has evolved into a Glalie, and has earned his eighth and last Hoenn gym badge, while May got herself a mysterious Pokémon egg. Who knows what could be next for our heroes as the journey continues.