Pokemon: Ace's Adventures!

The sun was high in the sky, casting its warm rays over the vast Grampa Canyon. The group—Ace, his girls, Ash and his friends, and Gary—were all hard at work, digging through the dry, rocky ground in search of fossils. Shovels scraped against the dirt, sweat dripped down their foreheads, and frustration was beginning to build.

Serena let out a tired sigh as she wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. "I swear, if I have to dig through one more pile of dirt, I'm going to lose it."

May, sitting beside her, groaned as she wiped the dust from her Chest. "I didn't think fossil hunting would be this exhausting. I thought we'd just stumble upon them like in books."

Gary, however, was in high spirits. "You weaklings just don't have the determination of a real researcher." He smirked, brushing the dirt off a fossil he had just unearthed. "Now let's see what we got here…"

As he examined the fossil, Ash and Ace peered over his shoulder. Their eyes widened for a second before both of them burst into uncontrollable laughter, falling to the ground and clutching their stomachs.

"Pfft—Hahaha! No way! You actually found a fossil of… of Pokémon waste?!" Ace gasped between laughs, pointing at the fossil in Gary's hands.

Ash rolled on the ground, barely able to speak through his laughter. "Oh man! Imagine reviving that! What kind of move set would it even have? Toxic Gas and Sludge Bomb?"

Gary's face twitched in irritation. "Why you little—! I swear I'm gonna knock both of you out!" He lunged forward, but Brock quickly grabbed him from behind, struggling to hold him back.

"Come on, Gary! It's just a joke! No need to get violent," Brock said, barely suppressing his own giggles.

Ace wiped a tear from his eye and took a deep breath, finally calming down. As fun as it was to tease Gary, he still had a task to complete. With a determined look, he continued digging and, after a few more minutes, unearthed something interesting.

Holding it up to the sunlight, Ace recognized the spiral-shaped structure immediately. "A Helix Fossil, huh? Not bad." He dusted it off and carefully placed it inside a container before storing it in his bag. "This will be perfect for Professor Cerise's research."

Ash, however, was still full of energy, unwilling to give up. "I'm not leaving until I find something good!" He said, furiously digging one small pit after another. His determination was almost admirable—if not a little reckless.

Brock watched the younger trainers bicker and work with a small smile. 'Man… This brings back memories of home. My younger siblings were just like this, always full of energy and causing trouble. I kinda miss those chaotic days…'

Meanwhile, the girls had long since given up on digging. They dusted off their clothes and stretched their sore muscles.

Serena looked at the boys, who were still competing with each other like children, and shook her head. "They're going to be at this all day, aren't they?"

Misty sighed. "Looks like it. Want to start setting up camp?"

With a collective nod, the girls grabbed their supplies and moved outside the digging site, deciding to let the boys finish their competition in peace.

The canyon remained lively as Ace, Ash, Gary, and Brock continued digging, their shovels clinking against rock and dirt. Nearby, May, Serena, Dawn, and Misty had begun setting up camp, preparing food and arranging the tents while the boys remained occupied with their fossil hunt.

High above, hidden from view, an airship hovered silently, cloaked in an advanced invisibility field.

Inside the ship, masked figures moved swiftly through the metallic corridors, checking screens and monitoring various readings. One man, standing before a large console, adjusted his headset and spoke into the radio.

"We have arrived at the target location. Amber genetic rays are being detected strongly throughout the canyon, with the highest concentration deep in the center," he reported, eyes narrowing as he examined the thermal map on his screen. His fingers danced over the keyboard, enhancing the scans. "An underground cave system is present beneath the canyon. The target should be located inside."

A cold, commanding voice crackled through the radio on the other end. "Maintain surveillance. Stay alert for League interference," Hunter J ordered.

The masked operative gave a short nod, even though his boss couldn't see him. "Understood, boss."

With that, the transmission cut out, and silence fell over the control room, save for the hum of the ship's systems.

Meanwhile, back on the ground, Ace and the others had gathered at the camp for lunch. The smell of cooked food filled the air, providing a much-needed break from their tiring excavation. Ash dug into his meal with enthusiasm, while Gary, ever the show-off, made a comment about savoring the taste like a true connoisseur.

Serena chuckled. "It's funny how you guys were all fired up over fossils, but the moment food was ready, everything else became secondary."

"Food is life," Brock said sagely, taking a bite of his rice ball. "A well-fed trainer is a strong trainer."

May giggled, shaking her head, while Misty sighed. "Boys will be boys."

But before the lighthearted moment could continue, a deafening explosion suddenly rocked the canyon. The ground trembled beneath them as a shockwave sent debris flying.

"W-What was that?!" May gasped, gripping the edge of the table.

Panic spread as archaeologists and trainers nearby screamed, scrambling to flee the area. Smoke and dust billowed into the sky from a crater in the canyon, and Ace immediately stood up, his eyes narrowing.

Then, before anyone could react, a metallic whizz cut through the air.

Whoosh!

A heavy-duty net shot from an unseen source, ensnaring Officer Jenny before she could even react. She let out a startled cry as she hit the ground, struggling against the thick ropes.

"Officer Jenny!" Dawn exclaimed, rushing toward her.

Ace, Ash, Gary, and Brock wasted no time, sprinting toward the captured officer. Brock was the first to kneel beside her, trying to undo the net, but the material was reinforced.

"What's happening?!" Ash shouted, his fists clenched.

Ace's gaze snapped upward as a massive shape shimmered into view in the sky. The invisibility field dropped, revealing a colossal airship hovering ominously above them.

His blood ran cold as recognition dawned on him. That ship—he knew it well.

His jaw tightened, and his hands curled into fists.

Pokemon Hunter J…

Ace's expression darkened. He had watched this ship in the anime, during Ash's journeys in Hoenn and Sinnoh. He had seen the ruthless methods J and her crew used to capture rare Pokémon for high-paying clients. And now, she was here, in Grampa Canyon.

Ace took a slow, steady breath, his eyes glinting with determination.

'If she's after what I think she is….'