Gotta Catch That One

Chapter 55: Rival Determination

As Ash, Serena, Clemont and Bonnie were preparing to set off for Snowbelle City, Alain and Mairin joined them outside the city, where repairs to the the fields were still underway. Alain smiled to himself, seeing so many of Ash's battle-trained Pokemon hard at work, basically doing gardening.

"So Wulfric, the ice type gym leader," Alain said. "He's definitely not an easy one is he?"

"He beat me last time," Ash said, nodding. "This time will be different, though. I'm ready to go."

"Ash, you don't have anyone with you but Pikachu and Greninja right now!" Bonnie laughed. "You don't seem ready to me." She looked happily at the three Pokemon in her bag. It was odd, but nobody seemed bothered that she had both Zygarde with her. The one that Lysandre had controlled was still recuperating and apparently the one Bonnie called Squishy had convinced him the little girl was safe. She'd decided to call the new one, Bluey, due to his blue marking.. They were in one pouch while Dedenne was in another.

"Uh...right," Ash said, looking around for whichever Pokemon he was thinking of. His eyes locked on something and he smiled. "Talonflame! Noivern! Hawlucha!" He turned to Bonnie as the three flying types were making their way over. "We're going with the Kalos team for this one."

"You've only got five of those," Serena pointed out."

"Look behind you," Ash said with a smirk.

"Goodra!" The big, two-legged dragon Pokemon appeared behind Serena and lowered his head and looked happily at her.

"Keanan said that the Wetlands should be fine until the league is over," Ash explained. "Goodra's back."

Alain narrowed his eyes, although with an amused expression. He got the feeling Ash was showing Goodra off to him. A show of power before the league. Alain was well aware that despite Ash's Goodra being quite friendly, in battle it was ferocious. Singlehandedly, he'd cleared out dozens of enemies for Bonnie during the Team Flare battle when he was fighting with her.

"Why aren't you flying?" Mairin asked. "Aren't you running out of time to get there?"

"We'll be giving them a lift in one of Giovanni's helicopters." Alain turned his head and saw Professor Sycamore approaching the group. "I...um...don't think he'll mind. He'll be in the hospital a while longer."

"I couldn't care less about him," Ash muttered. Everyone stared at him in shock. Ash was not usually one to sound so bitter, even about his enemies. Although Alain could sympathize. He likely wouldn't have saved Lysandre if Mairin had actually fallen off of Prism Tower. He barely was able to make himself do it anyways. He wondered how the Team Flare leader was doing right now, under serious security in the Lumiose City prison.

Alain decided to change the subject. "So Ash, why aren't your other friends joining you?"

"They're going to stick around and help with prepares. Gary said he'd help with sending some of my Pokemon back to the lab as things get cleaned up." Ash smiled looking over at something. Alain turned and saw he was looking at the Butterfree army that had arrived at the battle with him. Three Butterfree, one pink, one wearing a yellow scarf and one smaller one, were approaching. "Hey Butterfree," Ash greeted, looking at the one in the yellow scarf.

"That's your Butterfree?" Mairin asked.

"Well sort of," Ash said. "He lives with these two now." He gestured to the two other Butterfree. Alain realized they were the mate and son of Ash's Butterfree.

"The pink one is really quite interesting," Clemont said, adjusting his glasses and peering at it. Sycamore was also quite intrigued. "It must have been a sought after mate for a lot of Butterfree."