Pokemon Moonlight Silver (COMPLETE!!!)

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf;

Episode 25: Pokemon by the Numbers


"It's so peaceful here..." Misty sighed as the group made their way to a forest. "Better than a Mightyena attack at midnight during a storm..."

"I'll say..." Ash agreed, still shuddering at a memory of what had happened a few nights before.

Brock was about to reassure his jittery comrades when a flash of red got his attention. "What was that?" he asked, seconds before he saw what the red blur was: a large red mantis-like Pokemon that appeared to be made of steel.

He nervously reached for his bow and nocked an arrow. "Why would you use an arrow against steel?" Ash wondered as he watched Brock prepare his shot.

"I have no intention of firing--that would anger this Pokemon." Brock explained. "This is meant to warn our visitor away."

He cautioned "If you don't know how to approach an opponent, don't just blindly rush in--as your first move could be your last."

"Stand down, young archer--my Scizor means no harm." a man in a neatly pressed suit began as he joined the mantis Pokemon.

"Our apologies, sir-we thought your Scizor was a wild Pokemon." Brock replied as he stood down.

"He's not--his name is Date, short for Date Masamune, after the famed katana maker and warrior." the man replied.

"But why would you let such a dangerous Pokemon run loose and attack at will?" Misty asked.

"We were only trying to do some secret training in the woods, and nothing more, miss." the man explained. "We already made short work of some troublemakers in the forest--a boy and a girl in R labeled attire with a Meowth that spoke the words of humans."

Team Rocket... Ash winced when he heard the descriptions of the opponents the man and his Scizor had defeated.

"Secret training, huh?" Misty grumbled. "What was so secret about it? How do we know you're not a Team Rocket goon yourself? Cause if you're out to get my friend's Pikachu, you're in for a world of pain! No, more than pain! You're gonna--!"

A whistle got her attention. "Let it go, Misty--this guy doesn't look like a Team Rocket lackey to me." Brock assured Misty.

"I am not even affiliated with those rogues." the man assured the group. "My name is Muramasa, and you've already met my partner, Date."

Ash, meanwhile, fished out his Pokedex to learn about the majestic steel mantis:

"Scizor, the pincer Pokemon. This Pokemon's pincers, which contain steel, can crush any hard object it gets a hold of into bits."

"Wow!" he gasped. "I'll bet he could even crush a diamond if he wanted to!"

Muramasa chuckled. "Judging from how your friend ranted before, you and your Pikachu must be very close."

"Oh yes...we went all the way to the Indigo League together, even if we started out on rough terms." Ash replied.

"Really now?" Muramasa was impressed. "In that case, I believe you are just the trainer I have been looking for!"

He motioned for the group to follow him. "Follow me--Date will clear the brush for you."

---------

"Wow..." the group gasped as they arrived in a large clearing in the forest, where a large skyscaper-like building towered over even the trees.

"What is this place?" Misty asked.

"Welcome to the Silverleaf Trainer's Academy." Muramasa smiled. "Trainers from all over the world come here to train themselves and their Pokémon."

"So...mind if we take a tour?" Misty asked, which got some of the students' attention as they arrived outside for lunch.

"Principal Muramasa is a very talented trainer." a girl smiled as she spread out a picnic blanket on the grass and secured it with some rocks as some of her friends arrived.

"Yeah, his Scizor Date is also known as 'The Crimson Streak' because of his incredible speed and strength." a boy agreed as he settled before the blanket and opened his lunch box.

"Or at least, he used to be." another male voice interjected, bringing the conversation to a standstill as the crowd of students looked over at a dull purple haired boy in a red and black shirt reading a book at a picnic table.

"Who's that?" Ash wondered.

"This is Shingo, the school's top student." Muramasa began as he led the group over to the table. "Why don't you ask him for a friendly match?"

"No need." Shingo replied as he opened a silver laptop and started typing something.

Brock balked at the futuristic logo on the laptop's top. "Whoa...that's a PSUS Zenbook! One of the nicest laptops available for students!"

"Here we go..." Shingo mused as he studied the profile, then turned the laptop to allow Ash to see his own trainer profile! "This is why a battle is not needed--I have information on every trainer in the world here at my fingertips."

He turned his attention to Ash's profile. "As for you, Ashton Grant Ketchum...you are a type C trainer--not the worst of the worst, but still have a ways to go. You prefer to use standard attacks, and rely on your Pokémon's power to win for you. You are also prone to making rash decisions and relying on hunches."

"I wouldn't say Ash has made rash decisions..." Misty protested.

"I'll admit he doesn't think things through sometimes, but Ash knows more than people think he does." Brock agreed. "Sometimes those risky decisions have paid off big."

"You sure you're up to the latest version? I'm a way better trainer than I was before!" Ash protested.

"Really?" Shingo smirked. "You were lucky to get into the top 16 in the Indigo Plateau Conference!"

Ash growled in frustration. "Well if I'm as bad as you say I am, then why don't you battle me to confirm your findings?"

"You have a 85.9% chance of losing anyway." Shingo smirked. "So there's no point in battling."

He cleared away Ash's profile and showed a comparison graph between a Pikachu and a Scizor. "The numbers don't lie--my Scizor has the advantage in every stat except for Special Attack and Speed, and gives 2 EVs in Attack, rather than the two EVs in Speed your Pikachu would give that he doesn't need...that, and he has the max DV's of 15..."

"So...many...acronyms..." Misty groaned at all the technical jargon.

"The only EV I know about is a cute brown Pokemon that can evolve many different ways." Brock agreed.

"I don't care about all that technobabble that predicts I'll lose! I STILL want to battle!" Ash snapped.

"Good luck, man--Shingo told everyone here the same thing, and he beat them all." a boy sighed as Shingo gathered his gear in a huff and departed.

"Shingo hasn't battled in over a year because he believes he can predict any battle with his database of Pokemon and trainers." Muramasa explained. "Many of us agree that Shingo has lost his way, and needs someone to battle him to show him that there is more to Pokémon than just facts, figures, EVs, DVs, IVs, RVs, and TVs."

"I'll find some way to battle Shingo--don't worry!" Ash grinned. "I'll show him that while the numbers may not lie, they're only part of the puzzle!"

"Yeah--you need love, trust, and confidence, too!" Misty agreed.

"You will?" Muramasa smiled. "Thank you--and if you do manage to beat him, I'll give you a personal tour of the school!"

Brock offered a hand to Muramasa. "You've got yourself a deal."

Meanwhile, Kamon watched from a bush as Brock and Muramasa shook hands. A database of every trainer in the world? Maybe now I can learn Wonderboy's secret!

To Be Continued...