Ash Ketchum and Tod Vulpes in A Land Without Feelings

A Land Without Feelings is a special episode which has multiple characters from various timelines crossing paths with each other. This special is based on The Care Bears Movie from 1985 (which also somehow beat The Black Cauldron in the box office).

Plot

Bowser and Dio have concocted a new plan in order to try and bring all universes and timelines together while also getting rid of any extra copies, putting Tod at risk more than any point in his life. In his new darkest hour, he comes across Friend Bear and Secret Bear who are trying to help out Chihiro Fujisaki and a time displaced Ash Ketchum. Tod eventually warms up to his temporary team, who reminded him a bit of Angel and Simba, choosing to help the Care Bears out when Care-A-Lot begins falling apart, along with The Order that kept his timeline away from Ash and Pooh's.

All Main Stars

• Chihiro Fujisaki in the role of Kim
• Ash Ketchum and Tod Vulpes in the role of Jason
• Team Rocket make an appearance as Bowser's minions of the week, looking to steal Ash's Pikachu once more
• The Time Skeletons appear as a rival faction to Team Rocket, looking to kill Tod off courtesy of the Evil Spirit

Note: There was a One Hero Per Team rule applied while this crossover was ongoing.

Notes & Trivia

• This adventure canonically takes place after the events of DeltaForce Season 1 and Angel in Wonderland, hence Tod's mastery of his Gunblade and recollection of Swift Heart when they finally meet.
  • It can also be speculated this takes place when Goh was Ash's travel partner (or later) since Dragonite is on Ash's Team.
  • Funny enough, despite the YTS roots for DeltaForce, this crossover was inspired a bit by some members of the YTP Community.
• The Evil Spirit's plan in the original film was implied to be "For the Evulz," however in this adaptation, it was made clear that her motivation was to get into the DeltaForce timeline in order to quickly acquire all the Ancient Sources NOT picked up by the heroes and become more powerful than any other villain.
• Tod's original voice actor in his Adult state is Mickey Rooney.

Versions

The initial release of A Land Without Feelings came out on FANDOM from September 11, 2024 to January 18, 2025 as a serial release. An Archive Of Our Own release of the chapters is planned for February 2025 or March 2025.

Tropes Utilized

Make sure to read the chapters before progressing further. A spoiler warning is in effect. Ready? Here we go!

• Age Lift: Ash is implied to be 16 in this adventure at multiple points. One writer believes Ash canonically lies about his age though is believed to be 16 by the end of his final season in Generation 8. A Non-Pokémon example is of course DeltaForce Tod being 20 (possibly in fox years).
• Canon Splitting: Heavily implied to be the case for Tod and Ash, only coming together due to the Villains' Plan of the Week.
• Trapped in Another World: If Tod wasn't the sole target of this mission, this adventure probably never would happen.
• Shock and Awe: As usual, Ash's Pikachu, but Tod has a bit of it in his Megaflare finisher too.
• Suspicion Aesop: Played with for Chihiro to Ash in Part 1. It can be a mini "Reason You Suck" Speech, though Ash claims he's passed that part of his life. It proves to be the case in Parts 3 and 4 as the two see eye to eye.
• Mistaken Identity: Subverted with Tenderheart and Tod, but played straight with Ash and Tod due to another adventure.
• Unusually Uninteresting Sight: When Tod lifts the trunk via magic to help Nicholas out, Nicholas thought it was just one of Fettuccini's tricks.
• Adaptation Expansion: The spirit claims their motivation is to help Nicholas out, though it's also revealed the Spirit and the Care Bears have had a history with each other in the past. Whether Time Loop shenanigans are at it again or this was during Professor Cold Heart's run, that remains to be clear.
• Ragtag Bunch of Misfits: Tod, Ash, and Chihiro through the story. Tod learns he has friends beyond his own world who can help him out, Ash stops sidelining himself, and Chihiro finds the last step of getting over his own fears is a new group of friends.
• Legion of Doom: Bowser and Dio and their respective trios, even though they appear later than the heroes themselves.
• A Twinkle in the Sky: Done thrice in this adventure. Once with Team Rocket and the Treebot Mecha, and twice with the Time Skeletons using the Eagle Gaikottsu and for trying to take Ash's Pikachu during the Final Confrontation.
• Super Mode: Both rival gangs mechas get a power boost in Chapter 4 which requires strong attacks or calculated planning to take down.
• When Trees Attack: The tree mech Team Rocket pilots.
• Made of Explodium: Wait, that tree just simply falling over causes it to explode?
• Giant Flyer: Eagle Gaikottsu. Its Highlight Attack would've been considered Death From Above if it hadn't been reflected.
• Care-Bear Stare: Partially subverted while still being played straight in Chapter 4. The Time Skeletons were about to take the heroes out, but a combined Double Care-Bear Stare with Pikachu's Thunderbolt and Tod's Megaflare was enough to send the Time Skeletons packing!
• Fridge Logic: Even in Chapter 5, the writers can't figure out how the heroes exited the Forest of Feelings THROUGH THE TUNNEL OF LOVE.
• Villain Song: Look Out! is upgraded to this for Nicholas, angrily chasing Tod, rants about the world being safe for no heroes and villains alike. Even with the two dueling each other magic to magic, Nicholas still manages a "You Can't Stop Phase One" moment in the end.
• Heel-Face Realization: Team Rocket realizes the severity of the situation during the final act, causing them to side with the heroes to stop the Evil Spirit. Bowser and Dio soon find out about this and understand.
• Violence is the Only Option: In trying to confront Nicholas in Chapter 5, Chihiro tells Ash he can't solve this through violent means, but come Chapter 6, in order to fully break free from the spirit, Tod and Ash call upon Gengar to counter the spirit's counterattack on the Care Bears.
• Cooperation Gambit: Team Rocket stops trying to go after Ash and Tod to help them out, but they'll be back to their usual schtick in Ash's next adventure, while Tod hopes they can still get out of their contract with Bowser.
• Didn't Think This Through: This happens to Bowser after he found out Team Rocket helped save Nicholas from the Evil Spirit instead of continue the plan. He didn't expect the Time Skeletons to take the mantle either and try a double cross.
• MacGuffin: Subverted. Tenderheart asks Tod and Ash to hold onto the key he stole from Nicholas in order to lock the spirit away again. Tod eventually just throws away the key to settle matters his own way, unlike in the original where the spirit makes the original key disappear.
• Shoot Out the Lock: A Rare Inverted Variation of the Trope. Tod uses his Gunblade to shoot the lock on the Evil Spirit after having thrown the original key to the side, but instead of permanently unlocking the book, he was using a Lock Bullet in order to permanently seal the book so no one would be able to use it again, thus stopping potential Time Loops from happening. While Ash is quite impressed at how far magic has come, the Time Skeletons are understandably cross and it leads to a Round 2 confrontation with Eagle Gaikottsu Mk. II.
• Curb Stomp Battle: A Z Move, a Juggle Skill, AND a Finishing Move all used one after the other? That's one strong Meteor Move!
• Relieved Failure: Bowser may have failed in his plan to destroy Care-A-Lot and take out the copy of Tod that exists in that timeline, but he's actually okay with letting him live. The reason for it remains unknown. As he said, Tod has his respect but it doesn't make them friends.
• Xanatos Gambit: Even if the Evil Spirit was going to be locked away like before, Dio now knows about a second Tod more powerful than the one he knows, and has a bit more interest in the stories that don't have a Stable Time Loop.
• Honorary True Companion: Tod gets inaugurated into the Care Bear Family, but due to already being leader of the DeltaForce, he's unable to acquire a Belly Badge of his own, instead getting a heart-shaped amulet for his collar.
• Cool and Unusual Punishment: Similar to the Doronbo Gang, the Time Skeletons suffer one of these during Chapter 8.
• The Fellowship Has Ended: Tod has to return home to Angel City and bids Ash and Chihiro one last farewell before returning back to bustling city to reunite with Angel and Simba.