40 Bulbasaur's Mysterious Garden

The gang are headed off to Cinnabar Island where Ashlyn will earn her next gym badge and where Ashlyn and her friends can have their fossils revived by the scientists.

Right now, Ashlyn is in the middle of an important battle.

For some reason Bulbasaur had been adamant about continuing to battle the trainers Ashlyn came across making the girl worry because she 's knew that Bulbasaur was close to evolving. But she also knew that Bulbasaur didn't want to evolve and she won't force him to either.

"Get ready, Bulbasaur." Ashlyn told him.

"Bulba. (I'm ready.)" Bulbasaur said getting in position.

"I wonder why Ashlyn keeps using Bulbasaur and not her other Pokémon?" Misty wondered holding Togepi.

"Its because Bulbasaur wants to keep battling for some reason that not even Ashlyn can figure out." Brock explained.

"Bulbasaur's been acting strange ever since we got here." Volkner observed.

"Something's wrong." Flint said.

"Is Bulbasaur sick?" Misty wondered.

"No, I don't think so. But if he is, Ashlyn will take care of him." Brock smiled.

Tesla was concerned about the grass-type. This weird behavior had her very worried.

"Rhyhorn, use Take Down!" The Hiker ordered.

Rhyhorn charged at the grass-type who stood there looking calm despite the determined gleam in his eyes.

"Jump, Bulbasaur!" Ashlyn commanded.

Bulbasaur used his vines to jump in the air successfully avoiding Rhyhorn's Take Down attack landing back on the ground safely.

"Nice way to avoid that Take Down." Misty complimented.

"Togephrii (Yay)!" Togepi said.

"Sometimes being creative in a battle can be helpful, too." Brock said.

"Take Down again, Rhyhorn!" The Hiker ordered.

"Stop it in its tracks with Razor Leaf!" Ashlyn commanded.

Bulbasaur sent razor leaves in front of Rhyhorn stopping it from continuing its Tackle attack, "Now, Vine Whip!" Ashlyn said.

The grass-type used his vine whips to knock out the Ground/Rock-type Pokémon.

"That's that, Ashlyn wins again." Flint said.

"This makes Bulbasaur's fifth victory, too." Brock tallied up.

Ashlyn bid the Hiker farewell as he returned his Rhyhorn and walked away, when the raven haired teen turned to her Bulbasaur however she nearly panicked, "Bulbasaur!" she ran over the grass-type crouching down to get a better look at her friend.

Bulbasaur was on the ground his bulb pulsating a blue glow; sweat pouring down his face as his little body began to shake, "Bulbasaur. (It hurts...)"

Ashlyn wasted no time picking up her friend, "I'm taking you to a Pokémon center, Brock is there one nearby?"

"There is! If we hurry we can get there quickly!" Brock told them.

They wasted no time in running to the Pokémon center their worry for Bulbasaur fueling them to keep on running so they can make sure their little friend would be okay.

"Nurse Joy help, there's something wrong with Bulbasaur!" Ashlyn cried for help.

Nurse Joy came over and inspected Bulbasaur, "Oh dear, Chansey lets get to work!"

"Chansey! (On it)" Chansey said as they both took Bulbasaur in the back leaving the gang in the waiting room.

Ashlyn was worried, "I knew I should have convinced Bulbasaur to stop battling and get some rest. What was I thinking?"

"Rai raichu. (He'll be fine.)" Tesla assured her friend rubbing against her cheek.

"Don't blame yourself Ashlyn, Bulbasaur's been acting strange lately anyway and besides Bulbasaur himself wanted to keep battling." Brock told her.

Ashlyn sat down still worried, "I guess you're right."

"I wonder what was wrong with the bulb on Bulbasaur's back? It was glowing blue." Flint wondered.

"Guess we'll find out when Nurse Joy's done with him." Volkner said.

It didn't take very long because Nurse Joy brought Bulbasaur right back out, Ashlyn went up to him quickly, "How is he?" She asked rubbing the grass-type's head gently.

"Your Bulbasaur is just fine, in fact you'll be happy to know that Bulbasaur will evolve soon." Nurse Joy smiled.

"Evolve?!" Flint exclaimed.

"That's great news!" Misty smiled.

"Togephrii! (Great news)" Togepi said.

"So that's why Bulbasaur's bulb was glowing blue and he was shaking, it all makes sense now." Brock realized.

Ashlyn didn't share in their enthusiasm and instead kept her gaze on Bulbasaur who didn't seem to be happy that he was going to evolve soon. Tesla was worried for both of them because they were so quiet.

"This is a special occasion because Bulbasaur will evolve at a special festival that's just for the Bulbasaur's." Nurse Joy informed them.

"Guess that means other Bulbasaur's will be evolving soon then too." Volkner said.

"That's right, all the Bulbasaur's go to a secret location that's just for them and once they return they become Ivysaur's now." She said.

Ashlyn didn't care for the conversation anymore because she noticed that Bulbasaur didn't look all that comfortable either. She wondered how he and Squirtle must feel seeing Natsu who evolved into Charmeleon then became a Charizard. She hoped that they didn't feel insecure about themselves because they were still in their first evolution stage. The last thing she wanted was for them to feel that way.

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Everyone decided to stay at the Pokémon center that night and were currently asleep. Suddenly Tesla woke the gang up and told Ashlyn that Bulbasaur was taken by some other Bulbasaur's. The gang quickly got dressed and followed a trail of sparkling pollen which led them through the woods, some tree roots, with some vines thrashing around. Almost like they're alive.

The gang quickly ran through the vines and came upon a beautiful area that was full of flowers. It was the Great Mysterious Garden where they spotted thousands of Bulbasaur's including Ashlyn's.

"This must be it." Ashlyn stared.

"Look at all of the Bulbasaur's." Flint said.

"There's so many of them." Misty stared.

"Hey look." Volkner pointed at a tree.

The tree started to open to reveal a quadruped Pokémon with bumpy, blue-green skin. It had small, circular red eyes, a short, blunt snout, and a wide mouth with two pointed teeth in the upper jaw and four in the lower jaw. On top of its head were small, pointed ears with reddish pink insides. It had three clawed toes on each foot. The bud on its back had bloomed in a large pink, white-spotted flower. The flower was supported by a thick, brown trunk surrounded by green fronds.

"A Venusaur!" Ashlyn gasped and quickly scanned it.

[Venusaur, the final form of the Bulbasaur evolution. This Seed Pokémon soaks up the sun's rays as a source of energy.]

"From that description the Rotom phone makes Venusaur seem more like a plant than a Pokémon." Brock commented.

"Prof. Oak said some scientists have debated about it." Ashlyn said.

"Look, something's happening to the Bulbasaur's." Volkner brought their attention back to the grass-type Pokémon.

All of the Bulbasaur's are happy they get to evolve, except for Ashlyn's Bulbasaur who doesn't look happy about this at all, Ashlyn was about to call out to him but decided against it knowing that she might put her Pokémon in danger if she called out to him all of a sudden. The bulbs on all of the Bulbasaur's backs begin to glow signaling they were about to evolve into their second evolved form, and soon enough one by one they started evolving into a quadruped Pokémon similar to a dinosaur. It had blue-green skin with darker patches. On top of its head are pointed ears with black insides, and it had narrow red eyes. It had a short, rounded snout with a wide mouth. Two pointed teeth protrude from its upper jaw. Each of its feet had three claws on them. The bulb on its back had bloomed into a large pink bud. A short brown trunk surrounded by leafy green fronds supported the bud.

"They're evolving into Ivysaur's." Ashlyn scanned them again.

[The Seed Pokémon, Ivysaur, Bulbasaur's evolved form. The bulb on its back absorbs nourishment and blooms into a large flower.]

"People have always disagreed as to whether Bulbasaur is a plant or an animal. Maybe Bulbasaur are a symbol that all life on earth is connected." Brock explained.

Ashlyn wasn't paying attention to Brock's explanation because she was more worried for her Bulbasaur who was clearly struggling...not to evolve! "Bulbasaur's struggling...he doesn't want to evolve."

"That Venusaur doesn't look too happy about it either, look at its expression." Volkner said.

It was true, Venusaur did not look happy that Ashlyn's Bulbasaur refused to evolve with the rest of Bulbasaur's that were gathered there, and the Ivysaur didn't look too pleased either.

"Venusaur!? (Why do you refuse to evolve!?)" Venusaur yelled.

"What did it say, Ashlyn?" Brock asked.

"He said, "Why do you refuse to evolve?" Ashlyn translated.

"It's upset because Bulbasaur doesn't want to evolve? Why?" Misty wondered.

"Probably because this is considered a sacred ritual and for Bulbasaur to reject it, they probably see it as disrespectful." Brock theorized.

Ashlyn still kept stared at the Venusaur wanting to see what he'd do since Bulbasaur didn't answer him still resisting the evolution. When she saw Venusaur shoot his vine whip at her friend, not even thinking about her actions and what it might cause, she shot out of her hiding spot grabbing Bulbasaur and getting him out of the way of the vine whip landing on her side as she cradled her friend in her arms.

"Raichu! (Ashlyn)" Tesla shot out of the clearing crouching down in front of her friends as her cheeks cackling with electricity.

"Bulba (Ashlyn)!" Bulbasaur cried as his trainer opened her eyes smiling down at him.

"You okay, Bulbasaur?" Ashlyn asked.

Bulbasaur nodded still worried about Ashlyn more than himself.

"That's good," Ashlyn sat up staring Venusaur right in the eye, "I'm sorry to intrude, but I wasn't just going to stand by and let you hurt my friend simply because he doesn't want to evolve."

"Rai! (That's right!)" Tesla agreed.

The others came out hiding at that very moment ready to defend their friend if the situation gets out of hand. Venusaur didn't respond to Ashlyn's words and instead sent some pollen from its back towards a tree that causing it to grow more.

"What's it doing?" Flint wondered.

"Its manipulating nature." Misty said in awe.

Venusaur then looks at Bulbasaur, "Ven, Venusaur Venusaur. (Little one, if you evolve you can do this as well.)"

"Ashlyn, what did it just say?" Volkner questioned.

"Venusaur says that if Bulbasaur evolves he can do that, too." Ashlyn translated still holding her friend.

Bulbasaur jumped out Ashlyn's arms staring Venusaur down, "Bulbasaur Bulb Bulba, Bulbasaur! (I decide when it's the right time to evolve, not you!)"

"Bulbasaur..." Ashlyn said.

"What did Bulbasaur say?" Misty asked.

"He said, "I decide when it's the right time to evolve, not you." Ashlyn told them.

"So Bulbasaur wants to decide himself whether he wants to evolve or not." Volkner said.

Just then a shadow loomed over them, looking up they saw it Team Rocket who arrived in their hot air balloon.

"Team Rocket!" Ashlyn growled.

"How did they even get here?! Did they follow us?!" Flint exclaimed.

Team Rocket did their stupid intro before they started sucking up the Ivysaur's that were gathered there into a bag, and almost got Tesla but Bulbasaur was quicker and grabbed the electric rodent with his vines pulling her back down.

"Bulbasaur, how about we knock them out of the sky?" Ashlyn told her friend.

"Bulbasaur (Sounds good to me)!" Bulbasaur got ready to get rid of those fools.

"Hey, should we capture Bulbasaur as well?" James wondered.

Jessie and Meowth laughed, "As if we need that weak little Pokémon!" she mocked.

"Yeah, I bet it can't even get us at this height!" Meowth laughed.

Bulbasaur then shouted to the sky and the sun rose over the horizon, the sun's rays entered through the opening into the top of the bulb in his back.

"Is that...it is!" Ashlyn smiled.

Bulbasaur gave Ashlyn a look who returned it, "Bulbasaur...use Solar Beam!"

The bulb glowed and a huge blue beam of energy shot out, hitting the balloon causing it to explode. Bulbasaur then used Razor Leaf to free the Ivysaur. Then Team Rocket's basket landed amongst the Venasaur, Ivysaur, and Bulbasaur.

Team Rocket stood up in their basket, then they flinched when they saw the murderous gazes of the Ivysaur.

"Things look bad." James trembled.

"Oh, they're about to get worse." Meowth panicked.

All the Ivysaur, including Venusaur and Bulbasaur shoot their vines at Team Rocket sending them flying, "TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

"Rai! Raichu! (Ha! Take that!)" Tesla said.

Ashlyn smiled and was about to congratulate her friend when all of a sudden Bulbasaur's whole body lit up taking everyone by surprise, "No way...Bulbasaur?"

In the place of Bulbasaur was an Ivysaur, "Ivysaur!"

"Bulbasaur...evolved." Misty gasped.

"But I thought Bulbasaur didn't want to evolve." Volkner said.

"So why did it now?" Flint wondered.

Ashlyn got down on one knee, "You decided to evolve? What made you change your mind?" She questioned.

"Saur Ivy Ivysaur (I wanted evolve...on my own terms)." Ivysaur replied.

"Your own terms?" Ashlyn blinked and then realized, "So you decided that you would evolve after you learned Solar Beam?"

Ivysaur nodded with a smile.

Ashlyn smiled and hugged Ivysaur who smiled in return, "Congratulations, Ivysaur."

Ivysaur then turned to Venusaur, "Ivysaur Ivy Ivysaur Ivy Ivy, Ivysaur Ivysaur Ivy (I don't need someone to tell me to evolve because I decide when it's the right time to evolve, and that time is now)."

Venusaur nodded his head in respect to his decision and stretched out his vine towards the newly evolved Ivysaur who did the same thing. All in all everything worked out okay.

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Having made the choice to evolve itself Bulbasaur, now Ivysaur has gained more than the respect of gathered grass-types around him, but has also forged a more powerful bond with Ashlyn. With that, Ashlyn and her friends were on the road once again.

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Pokémon on hand: Raichu (Tesla)(F), Lucario (M), Pidgeot (F), Ivysaur (M), Shiny Charizard (Natsu)(M), Shiny Gyarados (Rory)(M), Squirtle (M), Pikachu (Levina)(F), Dragonair (F), Kadabra (M), Persian (F), Seadra (F), Dewgong (M), Marowak (F), Growlithe (F)

Prof. Oak's Lab:

Mienfoo (F), Jolteon (F), Flareon (M), Vaporeon (F), Sandslash (M), Butterfree (M), Pink Butterfree (Momo)(F), Gengar (M), Rockruff (M), Raboot (M), Braixen (F), Kingler (M), Magnemite (Genderless), Muk (M), Nidorina (M), Nidorino (F), Cubone (M), Dewgong (M), Vulpix (F), Eevee (F), Kangaskhan (F), Tauros (9), Porygon (Genderless), Shiny Suicune (Azure)(F), Shiny Entei (Searius)(M), Primeape (M), Scyther (F), Clefable (F), Jigglypuff (F), Aerodactyl (F), Boltund (M), Shiny Rapidash (Comet)(M), Shiny Raikou (Thor)(M), Shiny Umbreon (Mani)(M), Espeon (F), Glaceon (F), Leafeon (F), Shiny Sylveon (Parisa)(F), Shiny Farfetch'd (F)