A Champions Beginning

Awaiting The Day Of The Double Challenge!

Pikachu leaped into the air and sent a giant Thunderbolt at Team Rocket, sending them blasting off.

"You did great Fang." Ash knelt down beside the Riolu, "I'm proud of you."

Ash sprayed potion on the pokemon and they set off again, happily talking and laughing as they made their way to Cerulean City.

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Ash and the others arrived in Cerulean city a few days later, passing through Mt. Moon had taken a while since Bonnie wanted to explore it a bit. When they arrived at the city however, they were met by two very familiar faces, at least to Ash they were.

"Ashy boy!"

"Ash!"

Gary and Misty both waved to the group as they walked into the city.

"Gary?! Misty?!" Ash waved back, running up to them, "What're you two doing here?"

"I'm here with my sister and dad for a few weeks to do research." Gary explained, "So Misty and I are taking some time to hang out together."

"And I live here Ash." Misty said plainly, "I'm still the Gym Leader after all."

"Oh." Ash laughed a little at his own dumb question, "Oh! Everyone this is Misty and Gary. Gary, Misty, this is Serena, Clemont, and that's Bonnie!"

"You're the Gym Leader here?" Bonnie looked at Misty, who in turn nodded her head, "I challenge you to a battle!"

Misty sweat-dropped, Bonnie was like a mini-Ash in her opinion. 

"Well," Misty began, "I'm off for the weekend, but after that I'd be happy to face a challenger."

Bonnie nodded excitedly, grinning at the idea of a second Gym Battle.

"Gary," Serena spoke up, "You were at the summer camp when you were a kid, right?"

"Summer camp? You mean my Grandpa's Pokemon Summer Camp? Yeah I went to it." Gary nodded at her, "Why?"

"That's where I met Serena." Ash told him, "I found her int he woods one day. She's was the straw hat girl, remember? Her and I were together a lot after that, until she had to go back to Kalos at least."

"Oh yeah," Gary replied after a moment, "Your little girlfrie-" Ash suddenly slapped his hand over Gary's mouth.

"So your dad's here huh?!" he tried to change the subject, Gary nodded.

"Where?" Ash removed his hand.

"Your hand tastes like dirt..." Gary muttered, wiping his mouth, "My dad's helping Daisy collect data in Cerulean Cave. Since Professor Oak heard a rumor about some sort of underground haven for pokemon. Supposedly there's an entrance in the cave that we could use to go in and study why the pokemon live down there."

"Well then," Ash spun around, "I'm going to Cerulean Cave!"

Ash ran off, Pikachu and Fang running after him as he sprinted toward the cave. The others let out a sigh and followed him.

When they found Ash, he was standing before a tall man with spiky hair that seemed a bit lighter than Gary's. Beside the man was a girl, a little shorted than the man, wearing a lab coat over a green turtleneck with a pair of long tan pants.

"Ash!" the man exclaimed as he grinned at the boy, "it's been a while!"

"Hi Uncle Blue!" Ash grinned at the man.

"Uncle?!" everyone but Blue, the girl, and Gary exclaimed.

"Yup." Gary nodded, "Well not really, but our families are really close so that's how it works I guess."

Ash continued, "I challenge you to a battle!"

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"Well Ash," Blue spoke as they all walked back into the city, "How about we have our battle on the same day as Misty and little Bonnie here."

"Sounds like a great idea to me!" Ash grinned as he pumped his fist, "How about a five-on-five battle then? I can't really let Fang do to much since it just hatched."

"Five-on-five it is then." Blue nodded his head, "By the way Ash, this is from your father."

Blue held out an envelope to Ash, "I saw him the other day and he said to give that to you."

Ash didn't get to see his father very often, since the man was always busy. His father, Red, was the reason he wanted to become a pokemon master; Red was the strongest trainer int he world! Ash only saw him once every few years, but ever since he started his journey he hadn't been able to talk to him.

Ash thanked Blue and they all went their separate ways. And that night, both Ash and Bonnie trained intensely, both Awaiting The Day Of The Double Challenge!