55 Legend of Ho-Oh

Sorrel and Verity were both standing there shocked at what Ash did. He had a carefree and childish personality before but in an instant, he did a full 180 and was now holding Cross into the mud and holding him down as Pikachu held back his werewolf, the only thing missing from this was edgy music and for Ash to call him a dog.

"So then are you going to play nice or will I have to do to you what your father should have done," Ash said still not letting his grip go, the best part was he was not using Aura enhancement this was his natural strength.

Cross didn't know what to do, he couldn't grab his Pokeball and his Pokemon was being held back, he then looked at Damian, "What are you doing you idiot do something."

Damian was also shocked seeing what was happening, he knew firsthand that Cross was not weak and yet he was being treated like an amateur.

"Wow, begging for help from someone you called an idiot, oh how the mighty do fall, well now that we are here how about you tell me how it feels to be on the other side," Ash said mockingly.

He looked towards Bulbasaur who was tending to Charmander, "Bulbasaur status on Charmander."

Bulbasaur looked back at Ash, "Bu-bu," 

"Well, it's your lucky day. It seems like I have better things to do, but before that, Pikachu," Ash said with a snap.

Pikachu already knew, he jumped dodging another attack from Lycanroc, grabbed onto his back, and started lighting up both of them using Thunder wave Paralyzing the wolf and then jumping back to Ash.

"Can't have you doing anything stupid now can we," Ash said releasing Cross as he then fell face-first into the mud.

He then walked over to Charmander and held him in his arms as Bulbasaur went onto his shoulder and held the umbrella, "Oh, and by the way if I find out you try anything that even resembles what you did I promise you'll end up with much more than a dirty shirt."

Ash didn't even look at Cross as he said that and went to his companions, they both almost flinched looking at his face, until he suddenly got his smile back as if nothing happened, "Alrighty let's head to shelter I can do some first aid there."

Ash didn't even wait for their response and just started walking, which they decided to follow since they had nothing better.

Cross just stood there angrily and then looked at the back of Ash as he walked away, he decided not to test his luck since Lycanroc was paralyzed and with the rain his fire type would be at a disadvantage, so with anger, he decided to leave looking at Damian, "Move,"

Damian didn't dare to even look at Cross in the eyes, and they just walked back to the Pokemon center, which was pretty far away.

Sometime later they eventually reached the cave and set some blankets for Charmander, as Sorrel and Verity also decided to set a fire and to set up camp, they all decided to look at Charmander's condition.

Looking at him it was obvious that effectively he had fire-type sickness and his flames were weak, thankfully the way to fix it was simple so Ash went into his 'Bag' and pulled out some herbs and medicine for Charmander, Sorrel helped him mash it together and feed it to Charmander.

Charmander immediately started looking better, "That's a relief, as long as he stays warm he should wake up soon," Sorrel said.

After that Sorrel and Verity released Lucario and Piplup to get some treatment as well, they were both pretty much awake and fine after Ash and Sorrel gave them some medicine.

They set up a makeshift drying rack, Ash and Sorrel took off their jackets to hang, and Verity let down her hair. Bulbasaur kept taking care of Charmander even though being so close to fire made him uncomfortable he continued to tend to him.

Ash relieved him of that Duty and held Chrmander close, which Bulbasaur was thankful for.

As soon as everyone got some time to actually breathe, there seemed to be an acquired silence in the cave, Verity decided to break it, "So you guys are pretty good at taking care of Pokemon, You're both like Nurse Joy at the Pokemon Center."

Ash chuckled at her attempt to break the ice, so he decided to play along, "Yeah, I took some medical classes before leaving on my journey, any trainer worth their salt should at least know basic first aid, after all, Pokemon centers are a Luxury."

"I'm hoping to become a Pokemon professor, and you need medical training for that," Sorrel said, adding to said conversation also releasing he should ask something.

"By the way Ash, can I ask you something"

"You just did." He immediately took the low-hanging fruit.

Sorrel took a second, "Can I ask you two questions."

"You just did it again."

Sorrel was wondering why he was acting so childish, "OK can I ask you four questions."

"Oh well you shouldn't need to ask to go ahead," Ash said with a smile, also Verity was holding back a laugh.

Sorrel had to take a breath, "Ok well at the Pokemon center I heard you talking to a Professor, that wouldn't happen to have been Professor Oak."

"Yes"

Sorrel almost fell over from how bluntly he answered, "Well how do you know the Professor?"

"I knew him for as long as I can remember, I mean I did grow up in Pallet and he was my neighbor, along with giving me this thing," Ash said as he also held up his Pokedex.

Sorrel looked like he was about to fall over while Verity was confused, "What is that, like a fancy phone?"

"It's the Pokedex la Encyclopaedia of all Pokemon, but more importantly it does double as a phone," Ash said like it was no big deal.

It took a second for Verity to realize what he just said, "Wait all Pokemon, like all Pokemon,"

"Wait more importantly you grew up in Pallet Town and you lived next to him," Sorrel asked, Which Ash nodded.

Sorrel and Verity almost sank back into the cave wall as they realized Ash was not normal by any means.

"Hey now that I doxed myself, tell me about you guys why are you out here, no offense but you guys don't exactly look like Kantonian, and your Pokemon aren't much help," Ash said.

"O-oh I'm from Twinleaf Town, but as for what I'm doing, well it's a bit of a long story let's just say I'm sightseeing, what about you," Verity said

"I'm from Veilstone City," Sorrel said, "And I already said I'm hoping to be a professor."

A wind came in from the storm, causing Verity and Sorrel to shiver, "It's so cold!".

Ash grabbed into his 'Bag' and started reaching in acting like he was sorting through it.

"We shouldn't let our Pokemon stay out here in the cold," Sorrel said returning Lucario.

"Well I guess you're right, Piplup," Verity tried to return Piplup but he swiped it away and hugged Verity.

Lucario also forced himself out of his Pokeball, "Well I guess they don't want to leave us out here in the cold."

Ash pulled out some blankets and threw them at Sorrel and Verity, "Here, you guys seem like you need these."

"What about you," Verity asked, seeing that Ash was still the most soaked and didn't have a blanket himself.

"I'm fine the cold never bothered me anyway," Ash said, almost chuckling at himself.

"Well thanks," Sorrel and Verity covered themselves with their Pokemon and started relaxing.

Some time passed until they heard the stomping of a large Pokemon, looking at the entrance of the cave they saw Entei and the Pokemon that abandoned Ash from earlier.

Entei walked past the group looking at them, then kept walking up onto a higher platform and sat down, the Pokemon also followed and laid down next to the fire legendary.

"Seeing the fearsome forces of nature... People and Pokemon are the same." Sorrel said, before looking back.

Sorrel pulled out his tablet and started looking for some stuff, "There's a legend that proclaims Ho-Oh gave life to Entei. 

"You mean it?!" Verity asked, and Sorrel gave a nod.

"You see, around a hundred and fifty years ago, there was a magnificent Bell Tower. And this Bell Tower made it possible for humans to actually make contact with Ho-Oh. But lightning struck the tower, engulfing it in flames."

"Suddenly, a great rain came down, and the flames were extinguished. But three nameless Pokemon succumbed to the inferno. Amidst the destruction, Ho-Oh descended and bestowed life upon them once again, and they were revived. They represented the lightning that struck, the flame that engulfed, and the water that extinguished the tower. Three natural forces made flesh. Raikou, Entei... and Suicune."

As he said in the last part he showed pictures of the three legendary dogs.

"Oh, I just love Suicune!"

"I've heard about it, but it isn't it also heavily implied that the Pokemon that were trapped in the fire were Jolteon, Flareon, and Vaporeon," Ash said, which received a nod from Sorrel.

"There are a lot of variations to the legend, some say that it wasn't 3 Pokemon it was 3 species that were lost in the fire, and some say that no Pokemon died, but no matter what there is one thing that remains the same, the protector Ho-Oh" Sorrel showed them a picture of the rainbow bird.

They all stared at it and Ash Went into his 'Pocket', "Actually I saw Ho-Oh, just when I was starting he appeared before me twice, and on the second time he gave me this." Ash said, pulling out the Rainbow feather.

"No way you got the Rainbow Wing!"

"What's the Rainbow Wing?"

"Few people have ever even seen Ho-Oh, and on rare occasions, Ho-Oh is said to bestow a feather on a human it particularly likes," Sorrel said.

As he was saying this a particular temper tantrum of a Pokemon was watching from Entei's shadow.

"I guess Ho-Oh likes me then, but what am I supposed to do with this then?"

"There's a legend that explains it. It says there is a Rainbow Hero who is led by the Rainbow Wing to seek out Ho-Oh."

"Ok and do what exactly? Battle it, catch it, set it free from some convoluted prison." Ash asked.

"I am afraid I don't actually know," Sorriel said, "Like with all myths the details are foggy on a good day."

This whole time As had been gently using Aura to help Charmander and bond with him, so he started twitching and opening his eyes to look around.

"Well look who decided to wake up," Ash said, looking at Charmander with a smile and putting him down to check his flame, "Your fire is looking good as new, but you must be hungry."

Ash said as he pulled out some Pokemon food that was good for Fire types, the kind you can buy in bulk, and gave it to Charmander, which he ate happily.

"Seems like Charmander is finally healthy again,"

"Yeah and it looks like he was really hungry, I wonder how long he was on that rock," Verity said before a pull on her ear came from a blue penguin who was jealous.

After Charmander ate his fill Ash decided to drop the Donphan in the room, "So Charmander what are you going to do now?"

Charmander looked at Ash then back down sadly, "Char"

"Well how about coming with me, I'd be happy to have you, and I can promise I won't abandon you"

Charmander looked at Ash and thought before nodding with joy, "Charmander Char-Char."

Ash smiled and booped Charmander with an Empty Pokeball which he went in with a 'Ding' and the Pokedex updated.

—

[Charmander (M)]

[(Ability: Blaze → Drought) (Hidden Ability: Tough Claws)]

[Current moves: Metal Claw, Ember, Smokescreen, Dragon Tail, Dragon Breath, Dragon Claw]

[Mutation detected…. Dragonborn]

—

'Well that's a surprise, both of his mega abilities and that mutation, I need to find a way to get this thin to tell me what these Mutations do, it just feels like they are flavor at this point, and yet I still don't know what any of them do well whatever I'll find out eventually.' Ash thought when suddenly his Pokedex started loading something.

[Congratulations on catching the desired amount, the first reward will be given, secondary will be given after the quality of the Pokemon is checked please stand by.]

'Hmm, I forgot about that'

—

Ok, to be honest originally it was going to be when he caught 10 different Pokemon but then I thought it would be more cinematic if he got it after Charmander and here we are.

Also, guess what the rewards will be, A hint is that it will only appear on the Pokedex for Obvious reasons.