Chapter 1:
Oak’s assignments
 

“I’ve got the energy ready.”
“Trying to bind it.”
“The power is attempting to get free.”
“Almost there… almost there…”
“I’m losing it.  It’ll explode any second now!”
“Got it!”  And with that, Ash and Misty worked their first tandem spell, binding nature’s energy into a ring.  What they were supposed to do with it was more of a mystery.
“How am I supposed to know what it does?”  Misty shouted for the fourth time.
“You got the energy!”
“You’re the one who shaped it into that ring!”
“I was working improv, the spell said that in order to bind most spells into an item, to work with it until it was that shape.  There’s nothing in here about what to do if the spell happens to be free energy.”
“In other words, you attempted to use arcane magic on a druidic force.  You’re lucky it didn’t turn your chair into a tree.”
“Now have some faith.”
“You can’t even tell me what it does!”
“You’re the one who made the spell, I just pushed it in.”
“The only thing I did was summon nature’s force.  It’s supposed to fuel more powerful natural spells.”
“Then maybe that’s what the ring does.  Why’d you try that one anyway?”
“It was the first thing I could think of that would come in handy.”
“Put it on then, and try a high mana spell.”
“Right then.”  Misty jammed the ring onto a nearby finger, held it up and shouted in nature’s language.  The library table their books were resting on warped and leaves shot out of it.  Twisting the ring and muttering another syllable, the table returned to being a normal piece of furniture.  “Happy now?  You’ve created a druidic spell maximizer.  I didn’t even know that arcane and druidic magic could be put together like that.  You got lucky this time.”
“Balderdash, I knew what I was doing all the time.”
    Misty had only enough time to snort at that before a kid with an official League pin on walked up and said “Master Ash?”
“Yeah?”
“You’ve been requested and required to come to Pallette Town immediately.”
“On whose authority?”
“Professor Oak’s”
“Since when did the professor outrank me?”  Ash murmured.
“Ash” Misty said “being first of four puts you into the highest ranks of the League, but you’re by far not the highest up.  You can write League laws, but those above have to accept them.”
“Yes, yes, I knew that, but I wasn’t aware Oak was one of them.”
“Well, you’d best get over there, he doesn’t sound like he’s kidding.  Summoning you like that must mean he’s got something important to tell you.”
The messenger spoke again “I’m also to tell you that you are to come alone.  This assignment is totally classified.”
Misty shrugged “some extra time for me to practice, and you can visit your mom while your over there.  And remember” she said to the messenger “that I am the second of four, I have access to all classified info, so don’t give me any of that lip.”
“Right, then.”  Ash pulled a pin off his protective robe and threw it up into the air, disappearing in a puff of smoke.
“Showoff.”
    Ash arrived in front of Pallette Town pokelab’s door, and walked in unannounced, calling “Professor?”
“Hi, Ash.  I’ve been waiting for you, sit down.”
“Thanks.”  Ash sat, and waited for Oak to get to whatever it was he wanted to tell him.  He didn’t have to wait long.
“This is rather a delicate topic, but it is one that I think you will ultimately benefit from.  You see, the pokemon mating season has begun, and some of our charges need a little help to get going.”
“I see, and what does this have to do with me?”
“Well, you’ve always been helpful to this lab, and we know that the pay for being an Elite Four member and a gym leader doesn’t amount to much.  It’s why so many of our other members have businesses on the side.  We’re willing to offer you a rather handsome salary for this job.  You see—“
“You want me to help the pokemon mate?”  Ash interrupted.
“Well, in a word, yes.”
“That’s crazy, what could I do that you can’t do ten times better?”
“I’m getting on in years, and I can’t do everything I used to.”
Ash suppressed a laugh “Sir, you’re close to your ten-thousand, one hundredth birthday, I can’t imagine age has much to do with this.”
“I’m not using my powers to help me do this, and believe it or not, I happen to have bad joints.  I am an old man after all, no matter how long I’ve been preserved like this.”
“Fine, how do you expect me to do anything?  I’m not even sure what you’re talking about.”
“To answer that, I’ll call in the person I’ve brought here to help you.”  Pressing an intercom button in the wall, he said, “You may come in now.”
    The doors to the inner lab rooms opened, and Duplica walked in.  “Hey Ashy-Boy, it’s been too long since we worked together in my element.”
“Not long enough, and I think I’m starting to get the picture here, but I still have a doubt.  Why not cut me out and have Duplica do this herself?”
“Duplica is too much a pokemon, she would be detected, and she doesn’t want to have a reputation like that.  You, on the other hand, in your human form, are almost impossible to detect as an identity other than that conferred by Duplica’s copious skill.”
Duplica inclined her head “you flatter me.”
Ash looked up, sighed and said, “Fine, have it your way.  It’s true that we could use the money, and besides” he grinned “it’s not like I haven’t done this sort of thing before.”
Oak smiled “splendid, Duplica and I will just hammer out the details, and we’ll have you at your job in no time.”
“Wait one moment.” Ash said, “I have one more request.  In addition to the money, you are to allow me to keep any implement I use.”
“If you promise to work for me next year as well, it’s a deal.”
“OK, then.  I accept as well.”
    Oak and Duplica walked out of the room, leaving Ash to his own devices.  Once they were far enough away, Duplica turned around, with mischief in her eyes.  “I note that you didn’t tell him the ultimate reason for all this.”
“Since when did you care about Ash’s mental comfort?”
“Never.  I’m just curious to know why you lied to him.”
“I didn’t lie.”  Oak said smoothly “I merely left out a key detail that may never come up.”
Duplica grinned wolfishly “the hell it won’t.  On the other hand, I’ve got to see where this is going.  Ash has always been a great subject, and I must admit to being excited at the prospects.”
“Mind you be discrete, my dear.”
“Always, my lord.”