{Pokemon League building}
Lance was working on his computer, his main goal at the moment was to try and salvage any trust that he could, although the criticisms of Lorelei went down due to the people she saved giving their testimony on how she led them all to safety causing zero casualties.
The 'new' elite 4 itself was still being criticized for losing a battle against grunts and Admins, even employing trainers to help them. And obviously, that led back to him, since he was the one that chose them to join.
At the moment he didn't have his jacket or his cape on, he just had a black shirt for comfort, he pinched his nose in frustration with the sight of the 5th flying master Lance allegation today.
He mumbled under his breath, 'This job is going to be the end of me'
As he closed his eyes to finally relax now that he had a moment of free time, his computer started ringing indicating that someone was calling him, under normal circumstances, he would hang up, but this was to the champion PC which only a few people know the number to.
So he answered it only to see Professor Oak, there also seemed to be a large bump on his head but he didn't say anything.
"Lance, good to see you, how have you been," Oak said, acting like the bump wasn't there.
Lance built up the strength in his body to answer, "Just spit it out, we both know you don't just call to check up on me, do you need some funding or something?"
Oak chuckled and waved his hand, "Hoho, I see my old tricks don't work on you anymore, you've grown quite cranky."
"Yeah, try going 72 hours without sleep then only getting 6 before getting back up."
"Don't need to," Oak said not even opening his eyes
Lance sighed into his hand, "Oh yeah, I forgot about that,"
"Anyway, about why I'm calling, well one of the trainers from Pallet said he wanted to meet with you saying he has something you may want."
"Did this person say what that is?" Lance said half sarcastically.
"Not really, he just said that you would want it."
Lance rubbed his temple, "Professor, while Normally I'd love to entertain your grandson on some weird rollercoaster ride, I'm a bit busy."
"Well actually, it's not Gary, it's Ash." Oak corrected him
With that Lance stopped rubbing his temple, "Ash, you mean Ash Ketchum right?"
"I don't know anyone else,"
Lance rubbed his chin for a moment thinking about it, "Well I guess I can make some time, I might as well hear him out,"
"Alright, do you want me to ask Alakazam to send him to your office?"
"Sure, why not, I'm done with paperwork and I don't have any meetings today," Lance said as he walked over to his newly installed coffee maker, and poured himself a double shot espresso.
"Didn't you say you're busy-" Oak started but Lance hung up.
—
{Meanwhile}
Ash was face down on a table, he was with the guys after finally escaping, Misty and Jeanette were nowhere to be seen and Yellow stayed with Sabrina leaving only him, Brock, Samurai, and A.J.
Misty and Jeanette actually went out shopping due to a very wise and complex conversation from which both parties benefited.
[5 Minutes ago]
"Man, it's starting to get cold," Misty said using her jacket to try and cover her legs
"I mean yeah it is the Fall, what did you expect?" Ash said sarcastically
Jeanette was also covering herself more with her kimono, "But it seems to have come out of nowhere, just yesterday it was warm."
"How are you guys not cold?" Misty said, pointing at the boys who, unlike them, weren't shivering.
"Well, you see we have this magical device that humans discovered many years ago, CALLED PANTS!" Ash said as the boys nodded in unison
[Back to present]
So yeah they were out shopping for actual warm clothes instead of what they had, leaving the guys to hang out, and Ash was out of it for the most part.
This was actually the 3rd day, yesterday he wasn't able to meet up with them since Sabrina kinda put him under house arrest, but thankfully he was still able to train using the training room in Sabrina's mansion.
But that also meant that Sabrina wanted to 'help' Ash train but he didn't want to, using the excuse that he didn't want her knowing his Pokemon, but that didn't matter to her and she still dragged him away.
The only reason he was able to escape today was that sacrifices had to be made, yes unfortunately Yellow was left behind since Sabrina wanted to train her powers.
There is not a moment that he doesn't regret it, she will be missed….. he'll probably make it up to her somehow.
But as of now he was thinking one thing, he's created a monster, and not a good one, or maybe it is depending on how you see it.'
A.J. looked at Ash's slumped-over body, "Dude you look like crap, what happened."
"It's fine, I just didn't get much sleep last night, Sabrina kinda trapped me in the house with her," Ash said as Pikachu was also slumped over sleeping by his leg.
"Seriously, you're complaining about that?" Samurai gave a blank stare.
Ash's eye twitched, "Don't you start this with me, you're already more downbad than a dog in heat and you're still like this."
"Hey! Just because it's true doesn't mean you have to call it out," A.J. argued
"You know I wasn't talking to you," Ash said with a cocky smirk
"Wa- you-you planned this didn't you," A.J. told Ash accusingly.
"Maybe I did," Ash said not elaborating in the slightest, "By the way I didn't get to ask, why are you guys still here, shouldn't you go to try and get more badges?"
He shrugged, "I mean it doesn't start until February so we still have about 4 months, and besides we have 4 official badges each, meaning we only need to take on 2 more official gyms, and the others can be whatever we want."
Ash shrugged, "Yeah, I always forget that comparatively, we are actually very ahead.
"I'll say," Brock said crossing his arms, "it's been about 4 months since you all started your journey and you each have 4 and Ash has 5 official badges, at this point the norm for the average trainer is to have 3."
Honestly, that may seem like an exaggeration but it isn't, compared to normal trainers who don't have special techniques given to them or a powerful family sponsoring them, they are abnormal, and that includes all of Ash's friends.
Let's take Gary and Green for instance, have you ever wondered how despite Ash being a filthy cheating cheater Gary and Green have been able to keep up with him, well that all goes back to how originally they were better than him.
When they were in school and before Ash turned 8 getting his cheats, everyone and that included Gary and Green was more naturally gifted, the only benefit Ash had was that he knew more than any of them but that didn't help much.
Gary is a battle genius, and Green is a Prodigy in actual training and knows more about evolution than even him, since this isn't behind a screen he actually had to learn to apply his knowledge using this world's logic, and even now he isn't completely good at it.
For instance, if Gary and Ash battled with two Pokemon that were exactly the same, same everything, Ash would lose 9/10 times. And if Green and Ash were given two Pokemon she would evolve hers first, and it would probably be stronger than his even then.
It wasn't until after he turned 8 that he actually surpassed them in 'natural talent', and even then they are still able to keep up, really makes you wonder who has the plot armor around here.
And that brings us back to Samurai, and A.J., they don't have that, well as far as Ash knows they don't, the only one with a strong family behind them is Jeanette and he's still not convinced she's all that good.
But that begs the question, why did they decide to tag along with each other, he's not even sure why Samurai started since it never seemed like he even tried yet here we are, it's all just weird questions for him.
Ash stretched his arm over his head, "Anyway, you want to have that battle?"
"I mean, sure if you want, but aren't you tired?" Samurai said
"Meh, not like I have anything going on today, so-" Ash was cut off when a yellow fox-like Pokemon appeared beside him.
"Eh, an Alakazam?" Brock said as Alakazam walked up to Ash and handed him a note.
Ash raised his eyebrow and took it, "Thank you?"
Ash opened the note and started reading it, the other guys were watching intently since you know, an Alakazam appeared in the middle of a town to deliver a note.
"What's it say?" A.J. asked
Ash didn't answer immediately he continued reading, then a smile crept onto his face, "Nothing, it's just I suddenly have something I need to do, sorry about this I guess our match will have to wait."
As Ash said that Alakazam put his spoon on top of Ash's head, "See ya later"
Then before they could say anything Ash and Alakazam disappeared.
Leaving the boys alone and staying silent.
Brock looked around, "...You guys wanna talk about girls?"
"Yeah!! X2" Samurai and A.J. said in unison.
–
Yellow was sitting in a chair with Chuchu in her lap in front of Sabrina, she looked excited since Sabrina promised she would teach her some stuff.
"Very well, I will teach you how to properly use your psychic abilities," Sabrina said
"Ok, what will I learn first, do I get to teleport, or maybe I can pick things up, oh what if I can help my friends with stuff!" Yellow said excitedly.
Sabrina shook her head and patted Yellow's head, and then a spoon floated over in front of Yellow, "Let's start with bending a spoon."
Yellow took the spoon that was floating in front of her, "Awww, but I want to learn to do the cool stuff you can do."
Sabrina closed her eyes and turned around, "While I am flattered, those are advanced techniques, it took me years to do more than picking up small objects. However, I have confidence that if you stay here with me I will Be able to teach you as much as you-"
"Done!" Yellow said
Sabrina's eyes shot open "What?"
When she looked back the spoon was bent like a pretzel and Yellow was smiling.
"W-what, you Didn't bend it yourself right." Sabrina said, but then both looked at Yellow's literal noodle arms, "Never mind."
"So can I learn more stuff now?" Yellow asked excitedly.
Sabrina coughed into her hand and closed her eyes, "Well bending a spoon is One thing now you must unbend it, this is far more complicated and takes the average student-"
"Done!" Yellow said holding a perfectly normal spoon.
"Why!" Sabrina blurted out, before composing herself again
"Can I learn something else?"
"*Sigh* OK, tell me what you want to learn and I'll see what I can teach you."
"Umm, Ok can you teach meee….," Yellow started thinking, "Oh I know can you teach me how to heal better!"
Sabrina took a moment to process what Yellow said, "What?"
Yellow nodded happily, "Yeah healing, I can do some but I think Ash can do it better, can you teach me to get better at it."
"Umm, Yellow…. Psychics can't heal." Sabrina explained
"What?" Yellow said as she looked at her hands, "Then why can I heal?"