The Ketchum Family

New Kids on the Chopping Block

While Ash and Serena have been continuing their relationship, the three kids Ash gave Pokémon to have been on their journey. They have been traveling all across Kanto and now they are approaching a new gym. Terence is looking to add another badge to his collection. Will he succeed?!

This adventure takes place roughly at the same time as the previous chapter.

This is the start of the sixth story arc. I hope you like this new twist in the tale of Ash and Serena.

After Cyril successfully caught a Geodude, our heroes finished navigating through the treacherous labyrinth of Rock Tunnel. Now, they are continuing north toward Terence's next gym battle and his road to the Pokémon league.

Terence grinned from ear-to-ear as he gazed excitedly into his badge case. The emblems of the Fuchsia and Saffron gyms reflected the bright, mid-day sun as he strode down the road. Soon he would have his third gym badge and be almost half way to entering the Indigo League.

"Boy! Just think!" Terence said in a youthful, jubilant voice. "Once I get my third gym badge, I'll only have five left to go!" He giggled briefly and then continued. "And then, once I get my fourth badge, I'll only have four left to get!"

Gwyn's Squirtle let out an exasperated groan and buried its head in her shoulder as the Pokémon rode atop her backpack.

"And let me guess," Gwyn said in a chiding tone. "When you get five gym badges they'll only be three left to get."

Cyril snorted and then sniggered in amusement.

Terence continued grinning and spun around so he was now walking backward. The other two were a few paces behind him and now he was facing them as they kept moving down the road.

"Exactly!" he said energetically. "And then two badges and then one badge! And then I'll take on the Indigo League! I just gotta win one battle at a time!" He again stared down at his badge case and reveled in the sight of his trophies. He shifted the angle of the container slightly so the badges sparkled in the sunlight.

Gwyn's eyes narrowed slightly. "You know, if you spent as much time practicing as you did polishing those badges, you'd probably already have five of them," she said in a mocking tone.

Terence's eyes widened. "Hey, it's not my fault I didn't know how the Saffron gym worked. Soon as I figured it out, it was fine."

Cyril shrugged and glanced at Gwyn before looking at Terence. "Actually, I think Gwyn's right. You got totally crushed in the Pewter gym twice before you gave up and we went south."

Terence turned his head and looked at Cyril. "I should have won those battles! Everyone knows grass types beat rock types! How was I supposed to know about that Rock Tomb....... thing!"

Gwyn smiled and put her hands on her hips. "Maybe you should read that Pokédex you've got, like Cyril always does," she said.

Terence frowned. "Well, you'll see. Just wait till you see what Bulbasaur and I have been working on. We've got that super Razor Leaf all figured out."

Cyril looked thoughtful. "Another super move," he said cautiously. He then glanced over at Gwyn. "I hope it goes better than how that super shell spin turned out."

Squirtle abruptly looked distressed and, with a whimper, partially retreated inside its shell. The female Pokémon turned a slight shade of green as she remembered the incredibly embarrassing experimental contest move Gwyn had come up with. The only result had been a lot of pointless spinning and then Gwyn's Pokémon losing its lunch in front of the judges and the audience.