Pokémon: Road to Indigo Glory

Bushido on the First Day

"Hello." Humans

"Pika-chu." Pokémon addressing humans

"Hello." Pokémon addressing Pokémon

"Come on, guys! We can't miss the orientation!" Ash called out as he rushed ahead of his friends.

"Please wait, Ash! The school isn't going anywhere!" Lillie called out, rushing after him with her egg in hand.

"Hold your Rapidashes there, Ketchum!" Isaac called out, following behind Ash with Blaze in tow.

"Come on, you two! We got to give you the full Kantonian experience! Right, Pikachu!?" Ash called back before ruffling his partner's furry head.

"Pika!" Pikachu called out in joy and excitement, obviously eager to get to battle.

As they ran up the main walkway, Lillie and Isaac got a good look at Ichigo Academy. Compared to the more classical and striking forms of many of the other academies, exemplifying their native culture, they were shocked by how… plain it looked. Red brick and mortar gave it an old, but not ancient vibe. They did notice other things, however. Terrariums and greenhouses poked out of various areas. There were tracks and fields for both human and Pokémon-based activities. Arching over the back was the tiered scaffolding of a stadium in the background in almost a baseball style, shaped like a massive Pokéball. It had all the fundamentals and was not lacking in what it provided. It was simply lacking some of the flair they were expecting.

"Were you expecting… something more Isaac?" Lillie asked Isaac after she had to slow down to catch her breath.

"A little. The stadium looks pretty nice though." Isaac replied, seeming a bit let down.

"I guess I was just expecting a bit more styling. Kantonians don't seem to have much in the way of flair…" Lillie said as she redid the wrappings for her egg.

"Maybe they prefer function over style…?" Isaac asked, though not seeming entirely convinced himself.

"Come on, you two! They got signs to the stadium! Let's get some good seats!" Ash called out from the front doorway.

"Charmander-char…" Blaze huffed and puffed out, leaning against Isaac's leg from all the running.

"Figures someone with an Electric type for a partner would be so full of energy…" Isaac grumbled as he picked up Blaze and kept moving.

"He doesn't just hold his Rapidashes. He's harnessing them." Lillie puffed out as she followed behind.

Catching up to Ash, mostly due to him being forced to slow down in the halls, they got to take in the surroundings better. Tan marble floors and rough tiling walls lined the hallways, as many paintings and posters were strung up through said hallways. Windows out onto the grounds showed off further areas, like small woods and various parks previously unseen. In a weird way, it started to feel a bit… homey. Finally, when they reached the entrance to the stadium, they saw entire display cases of trophies and achievements the school had achieved over the years, alongside the stadium commemorating great figures that graduated. They even saw that one of the biggest was a statue of Professor Samuel Oak as they made their way to their seats, as directed by faculty.

"Wow. Professor Oak really is a big shot around here, isn't he?" Isaac asked, impressed.

"Why wouldn't he be? He's world renowned for a reason! I hear he's good friends with the professor of Sinnoh, if I remember correctly." Ash replied, with a grin brimming with pride.

Isaac smiled at that. "Professor Rowan does speak very highly of him. I heard that they even faced off in the finals in the Pokémon League once." he explained.

"Professor Kukui spoke highly of Professor Oak as well. I was there with him once, and the Professor blew him away with some of the knowledge he had." Lillie chipped in.

"Yeah, Professor Oak has a way of doing that. Just when you think you got everything out of him, he blows your mind in a new way." Ash said with a big smile.

"I wish I'd brought my ronin gear. That way, I could make a big entrance in the stadium for my first match in Kanto…" Isaac sighed in self-frustration.

"Attention all students! Quiet down! We thank you all for applying and attending Ichigo Academy this year. Introducing you all to your headmaster! The Battling Monkey Master, four-time Indigo League champion himself! Aether Kong!!!" A teacher, dressed like a gym instructor, said on a mic, before stepping aside on the stage for the real star of the show.

Just then, the stadium went dark as spotlights went up. The spotlights scanned the stadium before settling in the rafters of the stadium. There, up in the rafters, the spotlights were shined upon an older, short man with a team of primate Pokémon standing with him. The man was holding a large, decorative staff with metal ends on each tip in hand. He wore a sharp red suit with white buttons and dark green trim. Whitish grey pants and black dress shoes contrasted with a golden, medal filled sash he wore from his right shoulder across his chest. On top of his head, he wore a crowned headdress in his hair with great feathers likely coming from a Pidgeot.

Around him were multiple Mankey, a Simipour, Simisage, a Primeape, and an exceptionally large and imposing Annihilape. Right next to said imposing Fighting/Ghost type stood a shiny Alpha Infernape, standing at more than twice the size of a normal member of its species. Together as one, the man and Pokémon all leapt from the rafters. Doing multiple flips as they descended, they all landed as one simultaneously. The man then spun his staff over his head as his Pokémon sparred acrobatically behind him, leaping, punching, and kicking at each other. The man then spun the staff around behind his back and brought it down end first onto the stage with a mighty, slamming clang. His Pokémon all then leapt back from each other, and each struck a pose, the Mankey, Primeape, and Annihilape all flexing in different forms as the Simipour and Simisage slicked back the fur on their heads while the Infernape struck a kabuki pose.

The first-year students in the crowd stared in awe at that. They had heard the academies had some eccentric personalities, but this was outright flashy. The old man took the mic from the gym teacher before striking a pose for the audience.

"Heeeeelloooooo students! Your headmaster Aether Kong here, welcoming you all to a new school year at Ichigo Academy!! I hope you all are ready for a wild ride this school year, because the classes this time around are gonna be ones for the record books!! We've got practice and mock battles, study battles, obstacle courses galore, and all kinds of incredible new things to show you all!!! Let's give it our all and put some Kantonian spirit into it!!! Can I get a 'Heck Yeah!?'" the now identified Headmaster Kong called out energetically.

"HECK YEAH!!!" the crowd roared back, as the energy hit them like a tidal wave. Seeing the young crowd starting to get hyped up, the headmaster continued.

"Now that's the kind of energy I like to see, people!! Hope you're all fired up and ready, because we're kicking off this roller coaster of a year right!!! The first two first year students who sign up get to open the new year up with a battle in front of the whole school for all to see!!! Let's light this place ablaze with our passion, everybody!!!" Headmaster Kong roared out to the crowd.

Immediately, Ash not only stood up, but leapt into the air, immediately getting the headmaster's attention. With a smile, he pointed to Ash and addressed him.

"You there, young man! I take it you wanna be one of our debut battlers this year!?" Headmaster Kong called out, addressing Ash.

"You know it! I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet town, and I'm gonna win my first Pokémon battle right here and now!" Ash called out, with Pikachu standing up on his shoulder with him.

Headmaster Kong smirked. "Love the enthusiasm, young Mr. Ketchum! Now who wants to be this fine young man's opponent to open up our new school year!?" he called out over the mic.

Isaac was ready and willing, but before he could, a boy wearing samurai armor stood up in the row ahead of him. This got Isaac into a silent rage as the boy beat his chest and he proclaimed his stance.

"I am Taiho of Kitakami! On my family's honor, my stolid Bug Types shall wage glorious battle in front of my peers!" He called out, swinging a bug catching net like a sword.

Headmaster Kong smiled big at that. "Then come forth, young Taiho and young Ash!! Show your classmates what you can do!! Bring out the Forest Field, the Jumbotron, and get those cameras rolling!!" he announced as the crowd went wild with cheers, whipping into a frenzy.

The stage began to move away from them, locking back into place into the far wall. Soon the sand field began to lower down into the open space. Soon, a new one that resembled an open forest rose up to take its place. Some trees were there, but it was mostly covered in grass. Giving just enough space and vertical options to make a battle interesting. As Ash and Taiho bolted towards their positions, Lillie turned to look at Isaac as he fidgeted and twitched in his seat.

"Isaac? Are you okay?" Lillie asked with concern.

"What? I'm fine! Totally fine! Absolutely not livid that that Taiho kid stole my thunder and got first crack at Ash!" Isaac replied frantically, clearly agitated.

"When you put it like that…" Lillie said, before being cut off by Isaac.

"I'm totally fine, Lillie! It's only a once-in-a-lifetime chance to open up the new year with a bang! No big deal…!" Isaac replied, his eye began to twitch in frustration.

"Blaze… does he usually get like this?" Lillie asked the small fire type, seeing Isaac was not in good state to answer her.

To her surprise, Blaze glared down at Taiho with her eye twitching alongside her trainer. The little Fire-Type Pokémon's tail flame burned large and bright like a bonfire as a fire burned in her eyes.

"I am surrounded by maniacs… I genuinely am surrounded by maniacs." Lillie muttered as she turned her head to look up at Ash.

Ash reached his side of the battle stage, but he was at a quandary over what Pokémon to use. Pikachu, however, unimpressed by his partner's uncharacteristic lack of decisiveness, decided to take action for himself. Jumping up from the ground to press one of the Pokéballs, in a flash of blue light Metapod appeared on the battlefield, shocking everyone with "Ash's" choice.

"And it appears that young Ash has decided to go with his Metapod for this battle!! The boy has spirit, I'll give him that!! How will young Taiho respond!?" Headmaster Kong announced to the crowd.

"Are you sure that I am the best for this battle?" Metapod stoically asked.

"Don't worry about it, Metapod! You'll do great! Remember last week?" Pikachu replied as the two recalled the events of a week prior.

Flashback

Pikachu had an idea. A wonderful idea. One may say a superb idea, that simply could only match his level of genius. With Metapod hefted over his head, he set himself behind where he saw Gary was working pulling out weeds from the field.

"I'm not sure that this is a wise idea Pikachu…" Metapod said, at least attempting to be the voice of reason here.

"Don't worry about it, Metapod! This is gonna be awesome! Now let me focus!" Pikachu reassured him, taking aim at his target: The back of the young Oak's head.

"Target has been acquired. Wind speed is 3 mph out of the southwest." Metapod chipped in.

"Excellent! Initiating launch sequence!!" Pikachu called out, preparing to throw with all his might.

"Hardening procedures engaged. Launch station, you may fire when ready." Metapod answered in his normal monotone voice.

"Five! Four! Three! Two! One! LAUNCH!" Pikachu called out before chucking Metapod with all his strength.

Rocking through the air at the speed of a basic softball pitch, Metapod conked the Oak in the back of the head and sent him tumbling to the ground. However, due to the angle of the hit, Metapod lay on his back, unable to move.

"OOWW!! Who threw that!?" Gary groaned in pain as he rubbed the back of the head, looking for the assailant.

However, by the time he did start looking, Pikachu was long gone…

End of Flashback

"I don't exactly know if that was supposed to be inspiring…" Metapod nervously said.

"Aw come on, Metapod! Gary practically had a concussion from that hit!" Pikachu pointed out with a grin.

"And we're supposed to be proud of that?" Metapod asked in confusion.

"Of course! It shows how tough your defense is!" Pikachu replied optimistically.

Taiho, however, had a quite different reaction, as he started laughing. "You believe you can defeat a Bug-Type trainer with a Metapod!? I would like to see you try!" he laughed while bringing out his own Pokéball.

"A trainer with his Pokémon can stand against anything, no matter the odds! Isn't that right Metapod!?" Ash shot back, before looking at his partner.

"Metapod!" he answered firmly, steeling his resolve.

"Then face the celestial wrath of my Pinsir!!" Taiho roared, throwing the ball.

The comparison could not be starker. The humanoid horned bug towered over Metapod, with nearly every metric Pokémon going in their favor. It was a fact that was not lost on the audience, as murmuring and confusion spread. Yet, despite that, Ash maintained his determination. His friends were not so sure.

"Isaac. What is Ash going to do?" Lillie asked her more battle savvy companion.

"I'm not sure, Lillie. But don't count him out yet." Isaac replied, watching the match intently.

"But aren't Pinsir, on average, stronger than Pidgeotto?" Lillie asked.

"They are. But that Metapod of his is tough…" Isaac replied, nodding.

"Alright, people!! Let's get it on!! Young Ash and his Metapod vs young Taiho and his Pinsir!! This'll be a one-on-one battle with no time limit! LET'S LIGHT THIS CANDLE, BOYS!" Headmaster Kong called out before slamming his staff down into the forest floor to announce the beginning of the match like a gong.

"Metapod, use Bug Bite!" Ash yelled, throwing his hand forward with the order.

"Stand your ground firmly and take it, Pinsir! Use Focus Energy to drive your strikes to righteous victory!" Taiho yelled, defiant against Ash's attack order.

Metapod launched a string of thread into a tree and used it to swing itself upwards. Using the force of gravity, it plummeted down towards Pinsir as it activated its Bug Bite attack. Ethereal green fangs formed in front of Metapod's head as he rocketed down from the trees, biting firmly into Pinsir. Pinsir, however, withstood the hit, and with a show of strength thrust his head forward, sending the Cocoon Pokémon back. Then it slammed its foot down, channeling his energy, before an eruption of orange energy burst forth to show the move Focus Energy had gone off.

The crowd erupted in shocked murmurs. Many of them knew Metapods had attacking moves, but no one had seen one move with such speed and force before. This, however, got a smile out of both Lillie and Isaac, remembering Ash's victory over Pidgeotto. In a week, he had refined the technique to be far quicker to use and strike with more force.

"Such an unorthodox way of using Bug Bite. I shall show you the error of your ways with my own. Respond with Bug Bite in kind, Pinsir!" Taiho roared out, with a matching nod from his Pinsir.

"Counter with Tackle, Metapod!" Ash roared in reply, Metapod giving its own nod.

Pinsir's mouth moved and stirred as its own set of ethereal light green fangs appeared before them, before surging forward in a sprint. Meanwhile, Metapod used String Shot on two trees on either side of the battlefield to create a makeshift slingshot as the crowd muttered in confused shock. Then, after using String Shot behind it, Metapod pulled itself back before releasing the string, launching itself forward at Pinsir for a high-speed Tackle attack.

"And, in a stunning turn of events, young Ash's Metapod literally slingshots himself at young Taiho's Pinsir! What an utterly amazing sight to see!" Headmaster Kong announced as the two Bug Types barreled at each other from across the battlefield like two runaway locomotives.

Before the crowd could react, two said trains collided as the sling shotted Tackle fought briefly against the Bug Bite. However, the maneuver's added momentum made the clash only brief as the Tackle won out, plowing through Bug Bite, and colliding hard enough with Pinsir to land a critical hit as the stag beetle Pokémon cried out in pain, much to the shock of Taiho.

"Inconceivable!" Taiho said in shock, before getting a smirk. "Very well! Use Storm Throw to counter its momentum!"

As Metapod forced Pinsir back, Pinsir grabbed it in a strong grip and stepped to one side. This caught Metapod off guard as the Pokémon was slammed into the stage partially using its own momentum. A loud crunch was heard as the floor was partially damaged, as sparks flew from the blow. An indication to everyone that it was a critical hit. Metapod lay there on the floor, stuck in the partially caved in floor, unable to move.

"Now, Pinsir! Attack with Bug Bite repeatedly!" Taiho called out.

"Metapod, keep using Harden to up your defense and don't stop!" Ash replied.

Pinsir's mouth once again moved and stirred as ethereal green glowing fangs appeared before it. It then began to move to slam the attack down into Metapod, whose body shone like it was made of steel as it shore up its defenses with Harden. The Bug Bite collided with Metapod but did extraordinarily minor damage against its hardened defense. Pulling back, Pinsir began another Bug Bite as Metapod's body shone again to increase its defense even more. The process repeated again and again as Pinsir continually tried and failed to break through Metapod's shockingly durable defenses.

Lillie covered her mouth in horror at watching this. "Oh no…" She muttered in shock, not having expected this from a Pokémon battle as Metapod began getting pushed deeper and deeper into the ground of the battlefield.

"Don't worry too much, Lillie. Look closely." Isaac told his friend firmly.

Lillie looked through the ecstatic crowd, chanting and screaming at the battle before them. Yet, as she looked, she noticed the sweat pouring down on Pinsir. Despite its best effort and putting Metapod in a position where it could not move, it was not as damaged as she thought.

"It's not getting hurt that bad…" Lillie said in shock, holding her egg more securely as if by instinct.

"Exactly. This has become a contest of stamina and willpower. Either Pinsir collapses from exhaustion and can't fight back, leaving Metapod to get loose and get some free attacks in… or Metapod's defense gives out and Pinsir wins. Either way, the deciding point of this match is coming up…" Isaac noted to her.

"This is incredible! Pinsir's attacks are landing and hitting critically, but Metapod's defense isn't giving an inch! The ultimate offense versus the ultimate defense! Who will come out on top of this manly battle of stamina and willpower!? Who will break first!?" Headmaster Kong announced.

"That's all you got Taiho!? We can do this all day!" Ash yelled to his opponent; a smile stretched slyly across his face.

Taiho glared in response. "Do not be so certain of your victory yet, Ash Ketchum! We have yet to play our best card! Pinsir, use Vice Grip! Shatter that Metapod's defense like glass!!" he barked in response.

Reaching down, Pinsir lunged its head forward, horns outstretched. Then the two horns clamped down on Metapod, lifting him effortlessly about its head. The crowd's cheers turned to shock and horror, as if it were not just going to be the end of the match, but the end of the poor little Metapod. Squeezing with all its might, Pinsir tried to crush Metapod's defense. Sweat began to rain down from Pinsir like a waterfall as it put it all into this one move. However, what happened next, no one saw coming.

A cracking sound began to be heard. Most assumed that it was Metapod's shell and paled in concern. However, it proved to be something else entirely as something else broke entirely, Pinsir's horns snapping like twigs on Metapod's super hardened shell.

"THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE!!!" Taiho called out in sheer disbelief at what he just saw, his Pinsir collapsing to the ground in sheer exhaustion as its pincers broke upon its foes' unbreachable defense with Metapod hitting the ground beside it.

"Inconceivable, everyone! Pinsir's offensive power has been crushed!! The ultimate shield that is Metapod's hardened defense proved superior!!!" Headmaster Kong called out in amazement.

As Ash stood there in shock, the crowd began to switch in who they favored. Soon chants of Ash began to come in. At first a few, but growing in a near endless tide, which buoyed Metapod's resolve after the onslaught it had endured. Taiho, however, was left seething and furious with what happened.

"How could this happen!? No defense has ever withstood my Pinsir's Vice Grip!!" Taiho called out in shocked anger.

"Look, I'm sorry that happened. I didn't intend that to happen to your Pinsir." Ash replied apologetically, worried for his opponents Pokémon.

Taking a deep breath, Taiho smiled at his opponent's sincerity. "Worry not, my friend. My Pinsir's horns shall eventually regrow. But not before we defeat you!" he replied firmly.

"And what happens if you don't win?" Ash asked, concerned for its horns.

"Then they shall regrow regardless!" Taiho replied with a grin.

"You have yet to break our defense! Now is the time for your defenses to falter!" Ash yelled, regaining his composure after the news. "Metapod! Get some distance and hit it with another Tackle! Maximum power!!"

Metapod nodded and used a String Shot to fling itself backwards. Shooting more threads, his created another, much tauter slingshot made of steel-hard silk. Slamming backwards into the makeshift slingshot at high speed, Metapod was pulled back. When the silk finally went taut again, Metapod was catapulted at his opponent like a green missile. With shocking speed and power, Metapod slammed into Pinsir as it tried to get up, smashing it through two trees, then a third as Metapod fell to the ground, landing safely. Finally, smashing into and cracking the trunk of a fourth tree, Pinsir collapsed to the ground as the tree fell with a thunderous crash.

The cameras repositioned the video feed on the jumbotron onto Pinsir. To the shock of all present, Pinsir had been knocked unconscious by the supercharged slingshot Tackle. Raising his staff, Headmaster Kong gave a smile. "Pinsir has been defeated!! The victory goes to Metapod!! The winner of this opening ceremony battle is Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town!!!" he announced with a roar into the mic, pointing his staff in the direction of Ash and Metapod.

At that, the crowd roared in applause, giving their thanks for a thrilling and unorthodox fight from the both of them. Ash smiled and ran over, hugging Metapod, who silently basked in the approval. Yet, to Ash's surprise, Taiho walked over to him and bowed deeply before him.

"That was an incredible match, friend Ash. I had never thought that a Metapod could battle in such a glorious way." Taiho announced with joy.

"Hey, your Pinsir didn't make it easy on us. I thought that Vice Grip meant we were goners for a second there." Ash answered with a smile.

Pinsir slowly began to regain consciousness and got back up. Realizing it had lost, it walked up to its trainer's side and humbly bowed in respect to its opponent. Metapod moved the best it could in Ash's arms to bow in kind.

"Let's battle again someday." Ash said as he offered a hand.

Taiho smiled in response as he took Ash's hand in a handshake. "Agreed. However, next time, the victory shall be ours." he replied with a friendly smile.

After the handshake, the two made their way off the stage as Aether Kong dismissed everyone to begin their first day of classes. The thought on everyone's mind being that this year was going to be one heck of a ride. And no one knew where it was going next.