Pokémon Technical Institute

The gang were walking down through a fog to Vermillion city, but they saw a light. When they got a closer look, they saw a boy running on a treadmill surrounded by men.

"Ok, what's the name of this Pokémon?" The first man asked as he held up a Pokémon card

"Pidgey." The boy answered

"Very good. Tell us what it's evolved forms are." The first man said

"Uh..." the boy said

"We don't have all day, answer quick or you'll have to run faster." The second man said

Then the boy tripped & fell off the treadmill

"Don't tell us, you forgot." The first man sweatdropped

"Yeah, sorry" the boy apologized

The men sighed

"Geez, you're hopeless. You call yourself a Pokémon Tech student. We wouldn't want to study with the likes of you" the first man said

"Hey, is there a problem here?" Ash asked

"It's nothing" the first man assured "& it's got nothing to do with you. This is a private session. There's no room in our school for losers who don't know anything about Pokémon. We have maintain standards"

"Look, we don't know anything about your school, but if it turns out that people like you, I'd have to say the standards are pretty low. So, you better leave this kid alone or you'll have to answer to us & our Pokémon" Serena said defensively

"Calm down, we don't fight." The first man said

"This isn't the Stone Age, you know" the second man said

"Besides we don't wanna make Pokémon Tech look bad." The third man said

"Anyway, we'll see you back at the school, Joe" the first man said as he & the other men left

"What's their problem?" Ash said

"They're the infamous Tech Students. Pokémon Tech is short for Pokémon Technical Institute, a school for Pokémon trainers." Brock explained as he pulled out a flier "It's a boarding school for serious Pokémon trainer preparation. All students are guaranteed to enter the Pokémon League upon graduation. Pokémon Tech is the educational facility for exceptional students who want to become Pokémon trainers in a very short time without having to travel on difficult badge-collecting journeys.

"But getting into the Pokémon League without badges is too easy." Serena pointed out

"There's more to the story, students' entrance fees & tuition are in keeping with the highest standards set by Pokémon Tech." Brock said

"It's probably one of those snobby private schools only millionaires' kids go to." Meowth said

"Where is this place, anyway?" Ash asked

"You're actually here" Joe said

The fog cleared up & they saw a big school house

"Today's special class, fog battle techniques, has now ended. Tomorrow's lesson will be snow competition secrets." A woman announced through the speakers

"Guess tomorrow will make me into a snowman again." Joe sighed

"Do they always treat you like that?" Serena asked

"my friends are just trying to help me" Joe said

"With friends like that who need enemies?" Brock scoffed

"But they helped me learn about Pidgey & its evolved forms." Joe said

"If you know everything about Pidgey, the why didn't you answer them before?" Ash asked

"Sometimes, I make believe that I don't know all the answers, because if I do, they make the questions much harder. But I have to stay here. My mom & dad worked hard & saved money, so they could pay to send me here." Joe explained as he pointed at a guy with glasses sitting under a tree, reading a book "That guy over there, he's an upperclassman. The classes are so difficult, some students are held back for many years. Everybody's too ashamed to go home without a diploma. He's in the beginners class with me. Beginners have the same qualifications as someone with two badges, the intermediate class has the qualifications of four, & advanced students have the same as six. If you graduate you can enter the Pokémon League without traveling to collect badges. That guy is much older than anybody in my class, no one doesn't bother to help him like they help me."

"What do the teachers say about that kind of help?" Serena asked

"They don't know about it or if they do, they pretend not to." Joe asked

"I want to meet the one in charge of this system" Ash said

Joe took the gang inside the school & led them to a room with lots of computers

"Giselle always practices here by herself. Even if you beat her in a battle, it won't matter to her. At the Tech, it's your skill as a Pokémon trainer that counts more than winning in any battle" Joe explained

"That's what I'm hoping for, because I've got two badges." Ash said

"but Giselle is the top beginner here at the tech. That's better than even having three badges. Even though I'm at the bottom of my class, I'm still stronger than someone with two badges." Joe explained

"Then how about we battle?" Ash asked

On the battlefield, Ash & Joe went into battle position

"Go Weepinbell" Joe said as he sent out a yellow venus flytrap-like Pokémon

"Bell" Weepinbell said as Ash pulled out his Rotom Phone

Weepinbell, the Flycatcher Pokemon, A Grass & Poison Type, & the evolved form of Bellsprout, The hooked stem behind its head lets Weepinbell hang from a tree branch to sleep. Sometimes it falls to the ground during the night

"Meowth, I choose you" Ash said as Meowth stepped into the battlefield

"Time for action" Meowth said with determination

"Weepinbell, use Razor Leaf" Joe said. Weepinbell fired multiple green-glowing leaves from its leaves.

"Cut them up with Fury Swipes." Ash said. Meowth's claws glowed white & extended, & sliced up the leaves into tiny particles

"Now use Aerial Ace"

"Wait a minute, Aerial Ace?" Joe said in shock

Meowth became surrounded by light blue streaks & tackled Weepinbell at fast speed which caused Weepinbell to faint.

"What? But how could I lose to someone who has two badges?" Joe said in confusion

"Because he has more experience than you" a voice said

Joe turned & saw the students with a girl in a school uniform, with brown hair & magenta eyes.

"Giselle" Joe said

"You should've known that by now. You're an embarrassment to the whole school." Giselle scowled

"But Giselle—" Joe said

"No buts" Giselle interrupted "I want to continue to help my classmates be the very best they can be. To teach each other, respect each other, & inside the Pokémon of tomorrow. But you're a weakling. You better get stronger fast or your fellow students will turn their backs on you for good."

"Hey, a true friend wouldn't walk away from someone who needs their help." Ash said

"Pokémon are only strong as the trainer who raises them. A Pokémon that's weaker but better-trained can still win. It depends on the trainer," Giselle said as he turn to Joe "I hope you're learning from this, Joe. A Pokémon's level of training is just as important a factor as a Pokémon's type in deciding a match. A first-class trainer can calculate that."

"There's more to Pokémon training than calculating levels." Ash said

"& how many badges & Pokémon do you have?" Giselle asked

"2 badges & 10 Pokémon" Ash answered

"Hm, not a bad haul, but you're still a beginner. Yet, you let your Pokémon walk free. You haven't been able to tame them yet. Maybe your Pokémon are training you" Giselle smirked

"They're not, my Pokémon are my friends & every one of them has the power of two." Ash said defensively

"If you picked Pikachu as your starter, they can be hard to handle. It's said so in any beginning manual. If you don't let them evolve, they make great pets, especially for little girls" Giselle said

"Then let's battle, right here, right now" Ash challenged her

"For your Pikachu, this should be more than a match. Go Cubone" Giselle said as she sent out a small, bipedal, dinosaur-like Pokémon with a skull on its head

"Cubone" Cubone said as Ash pulled out his Rotom Phone

Cubone, The Lonely Pokémon, a Ground Type, When Cubone mourns for its lost mother, it's loud cries sometimes attract the attention of Mandibuzz, who swoops down to attack. Some think that learning to cope with its grief is the only way Cubone can evolve

"Ready Pikachu?" Ash said

"Pika!" Pikachu said with determination

ASH VS GISELLE

"Cubone, use Headbutt" Giselle said. Cubone charged at Pikachu with its head

"Use Flash" Ash said. Pikachu glowed white & shined in a bright light which blinded Cubone

"Now, use Iron Tail"

Pikachu's tail glowed white & hit Cubone

"Use Leer." Giselle said. Cubone's eyes glowed red & Pikachu defenses got lowered

"Use Bide." Ash said. Pikachu became surrounded by red aura

"We'll finish this once and for all. Cubone use Bonemerang" Giselle said. Cubone's bone glowed white, then Cubone threw it at Pikachu, & Pikachu got hit twice.

"Now, use Bone Club."

Cubone hit Pikachu with its bone

"Alright Pikachu, let it rip!" Ash said

"Pika CHUUUUU!" Pikachu yelled as he fired a white beam which hit Cubone & caused an explosion. When the smoke cleared, Cubone fainted

"What!?" Giselle exclaimed in confusion

"Good job, Pikachu" Ash said as he high fived Pikachu

"But, how can that be?" Giselle said in shock "None of the textbooks ever mention a Pikachu winning by anything other than electricity."

"That's because your school focuses too much on education. You may have the knowledge of a trainer, but you don't have the skill & your bond with your Pokémon. You shouldn't underestimate a traveling trainer who has two badges, because you may never know that the trainer is stronger than you, & if you still think a trainer with two badges is weak than you're plain stupid & arrogant. Pokémon can learn moves that can defeat other Pokémon that have an advantage against them" Ash said as he turned to Joe "Joe, why do you call these people your friends? You shouldn't be friends with them. They don't help you, they're not nice to you, they don't accept you, & they don't even care about you. They're not your friends & it's best that you quit this school, go home, & start from scratch."

"I would, but—" Joe said

"Joe, a while ago you said that you have to stay here. Now, who on earth told you that you have to stay here? Did your parents tell you that?" Serena asked

"No" Joe said

"Listen Joe" Brock said as he put his hand on Joe's shoulder "you'll never become a proper trainer here. Once you travel around with your Pokémon, you'll learn better. We know your parents worked hard to send you here, but this school isn't getting you anywhere"

"You think they'll understand how I feel?" Joe asked

"I'm sure they will" Brock assured

"We know how you feel, Joe. This school is like a prison to you & you feel like a prisoner here, but once you leave this place, you'll be free. Just think about it & make your choice, ok?" Ash said

"I will" Joe said as the gang left

The next day, Ash & Serena were tending to their Pokémon while Brock was reading the paper.

"Hey Ash, Serena, come over here" Brock said

"What is it?" Ash said as he & Serena walked up to Brock

"It says here that Pokémon Technical Institute has been robbed." Brock said as he pointed at the paper "

"Robbed?" Ash & Serena both said

"Yes," Brock said as he read the paper "the Pokémon from the school have been stolen. It says here that the thieves went into the Pokéball storage room & switched the Pokéballs that have the Pokémon in them with empty Pokéballs. The school lost a lot of reputation & caused it to close."

"Wow, I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing" Serena said

"If I didn't know any better I'd say Team Rocket are the culprits" Brock suspected "the news might call it robbery but I call it Karma"

"Are Joe & the other unhappy students' Pokémon stolen?" Ash asked with concern

"No, because it says that before the incident, the unhappy students from the academy decided that they had enough because they were being mistreated & not receiving help when they needed it, so they left & took their Pokémon with them. It was because they were inspired by a trainer with two badges & his two friends when the trainer defeated the headmaster" Brock said

"Hey that's us" Serena said excitedly

"Yeah, guess defeating Giselle was the only way to get the unhappy students to leave that school" Ash said

"You & your Pokémon deserve all the credit, Ash" Brock smiled "because if it weren't for you, they would never had the courage to leave that school"

"Thanks guys" Ash smiled

Hey Everyone, So I decided to have Pokémon Tech robbed & taken down in this story because of how Joe & the other unhappy students were being treated. Stay tuned for another chapter, Morpho Out!