Author's Note- So, when I saw the titles of XYZ 36-39 on Serebii, I couldn't help but freak out. I mean, GATHER, ALL OF MY PASSION?! KALOS LEAGUE VICTORY?! THE ZYGARDE AT THE PRISM TOWER?! I had to tell these stories! This fic, Gathering My Passion! The Kalos League Finale!, will have four chapters-one for each anime episode. I don't own the titles or characters. Though this is inspired by the anime so far and is my prediction of future events based on the titles and some other information released, it is almost certainly going to be very different than the real thing.
Well, what are we waiting for? Let'z Go!
Episode 36: Fierce Fighting at the Kalos League! Gather, All of My Passion!
Narrator- Ash has battled his way into the finals of the Lumiose Conference! But tomorrow, he will go up against Alain! How will he fare in a fight with the powerful Mega Charizard? One thing's for sure- he can't let it take away his sleep tonight!
Tomo. Astrid. Sawyer. Even as the lights of Lumiose City and the occasional Pokemom cry surrounded him, he was thinking about his League battles. Altaria. Absol. Aegislash. And tomorrow, Alain and Charizard.
After the moon had risen and the sandwiches, noodles, Berry skewers, cake, and pastries-courtesy of his inventor and Performer friends-seemed like distant memories, the Pallet Town native was still awake.
I know he has a Metagross as well as his Charizard, but I haven't seen any of his other Pokemon...He had left the hotel room and was now on the balcony.
Greninja is determined to face Mega Charizard again. I can't blame him, I feel the same way! A smile came to his lips when he thought about the amazing battle ahead.
And I can't lose! Not if I believe in my Pokemon! This is my best team yet! Alain, you had better get ready!
"You hear me? I can't lose!" he whispered into the night. "I'm not failing and going to some other region again!" One person in particular filled his mind, as she so often did. "I won't leave her! I know Kalos will be it!
His pacing on the balcony had woken her up, though she didn't hear any of what he was saying.
You know what? Maybe I should talk to him...it's the least I can do.
A soft rustle of fabric broke the silence, and Ash turned around. "Serena?"
"Sorry if I startled you..." The Performer blushed. "Uh...isn't Lumiose City pretty at night?" she blurted out.
Being Ash, he didn't notice her awkward tone of voice. "Yeah!" he replied. "Look! There's the Pokemon Center, and the League battlefields, and Prism Tower, and..." he chattered on about the bright landmarks in the huge city.
She laughed. "They do call it the City of Light! It's the perfect place for a Kalos League victory!"
A wide grin spread across his face. "You're right! My team and I have all been training so hard, and we've finally made it here! Nothing can stop us now!"
It was this dedication, this confidence, this spirit and drive that Serena had always admired. She nodded. "I'm sure you'll win it!"
Ash yawned. "Well, I'm kinda tired now, so why don't we go back inside? Tomorrow's going to be a huge battle...I'm pumped up already!"
"I know what you mean-exhausted and excited! I get that feeling whenever I have a performance!" She followed him back into the room.
"Serena?" He turned to face her, knowing exactly what he wanted to say, but not how to say it. "Thanks."
"No problem. You did the same before my Masterclass." she told him.
Opening theme time! XY & Z or Stand Tall, your choice!
The Kalos League Finals. It was happening at last. A reporter with distinctive pink hair and dark glasses was going over the events of the last few days on TV, but Ash wasn't paying an ounce of attention. "It's finally here...finally...FINALLY!" He was shouting with enthusiasm like a little kid. Serena giggled.
"Don't you have to go register your Pokemon for the battle?" she reminded him.
"Oh, yeah! And after that, I'll have to go straight to the arena..." The raven-haired boy paused, remembering everything he had forgotten in all the excitement.
"So go now!" she insisted.
"If you're late, you'll be disqualified!" Clemont pointed out.
"We'll be cheering for you!" Bonnie finished. Squishy let out a trill.
"All right! See you all soon!" And he ran off to the next fight-the next adventure.
"And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you've all been waiting for! The Kalos League finals! This will be a Full Battle between the competing Trainers Ash and Alain, on a default, empty field. Both have shown their strength by making it this far-but who will be victorious? Battle, begin!" the referee announced.
"Hawlucha! I choose you!" Ash called out his starting Pokemon.
"Weavile." was Alain's simple reply as he tossed out his own Pokeball.
"So Alain's using Weavile..." Clemont adjusted his glasses. "But it's extremely weak to Fighting-types like Hawlucha...I wonder what he's planning."
"Be quiet, Big Brother!" Bonnie hissed. "Ash always says type matchups aren't everything! Just watch the battle!"
"Karate Chop!" Hawlucha dashed toward Weavile to obey the trainer's first command.
"Counter with Ice Punch." The Sharp Claw Pokemon slammed its fist into the approaching opponent, forcing it backwards. It was super-effective.
"Of course...that's his strategy...using ice..." the inventor groaned.
The future Pokemon Master, however, wasn't fazed at all. "Another Karate Chop!" This time, the move hit. In the stands, Chespin, Pancham, Bunnelby, and Dedenne were talking among themselves. As they were the smallest, they had been allowed out of their Pokeballs to watch the match and support Ash.
Squishy, though, was silent. Or that was what the group believed.
My friend, have they hurt you? Where have you been?
"Flying Press! Keep it up!" Ash followed with another attack. His Pokemon leaped up into the air, lifted higher by the wind.
Alain's move involved the same element. "Use Icy Wind, Weavile!" he commanded with a meaningful glance up. Weavile aimed it straight at Hawlucha.
"Dodge it!" Though some of the freezing crystals struck him, Hawlucha was able to get away and continue his descent.
A certain Spiny Nut Pokemon, however, did not have the fight on his mind. A smell had caught his attention. "Ches...pin..." In almost a dream-like state, he slipped away to follow the trail. With all the noise from the final battle and the spectators, no one noticed him go- except for an annoying trio.
"Looks like the twerpish Pokemon has left the twerps!" James informed his partners in crime. They were hiding in plain sight among the audience.
"Forget dat Chespin. Da boss won't reward us dat much if we capture him." Meowth told him.
"You sure? Twerpish Pokemon attract more twerps-including the twerp Pikachu." Jessie pointed out. She kept an eye on Chespin with her pair of binoculars.
If the League was crowded for humans, small Pokemon had it even worse. Hazards such as feet, trash cans, and forks in the road were everywhere, and pushing through a group of people was nearly impossible. Yet the always-hungry Grass-type managed to track the sweet scent...through the stands...out the door...past the gate...He was so absorbed that he didn't notice the Quilava in in his way.
"Laaaava." the Pokemon sneered, looking thoroughly annoyed. And Chespin ran. In circles...straight ahead...a turn there...Finally, he stopped and looked around. No sign of Quilava. But no trace left of the delicious scent, either. And to make matters worse, he didn't know how to get back. "Ches...ches...chespin pin! Ches! Chespin!" he cried out before running some more in desperation.
Then, he picked up another smell. Not nearly as tantalizing as the first, but it would do. So Chespin decided to follow it. In his mind, there was nothing to lose.
It was getting stronger now. He stopped in front of a familiar-looking woman. She was wearing a simple, yet fancy, black hat, pink scarf, and sunglasses. But the only things that mattered to Chespin were the cookies she was eating daintily.
The woman looked at him. "You must be the Chespin from Ash's group! What are you doing here?"
"That-that's HER! The one with all the fans!" Jessie fumed. As this branch of Team Rocket disguised themselves regularly, they were quite experienced at recognizing hidden people-especially celebrities.
"No way! It is!" James watched 'her' hand Chespin a couple of cookies through his own binoculars.
"Dis is PERFECT! A twerp Pokemon and her Mega-Evolved Pokemon! Right there waitin' for us!" Meowth was dreaming of rewards already.
"Uh, Meowth?" Jessie interrupted. "If we blow her cover in front of all these people and take her Pokemon, we'll blow OUR cover too!"
"Jess is right." James agreed. "It's too risky."
Meanwhile, the battle was raging on. Both sides had landed a couple more hits, but the Trainers were too skilled and the Pokemon too tough for either to faint.
"Hawlucha! High Jump Kick!" Serena could see the determination in Ash's eyes as he gave the order. She smiled. And somehow, despite the hundreds of other people filling the stadium, he noticed it and gave her a smile back.
"Ice Punch! Block that!"
For a second, Hawlucha's kick met Weavile's fist. And then the sheer force of the attacks sent them flying to opposite sides of the stadium. "It's a double knockout!" the referee gasped, as if anyone didn't see that already. "Weavile and Hawlucha are both unable to battle, so...neither Pokemon is the winner!"
Serena, Bonnie, Clemont, and their Pokemon cheered. Even though Hawlucha had fainted, he had still taken down Weavile.
But one voice was missing, and it belonged to one of Clemont's Pokemon. "Chespin's gone!" he exclaimed, leaping out of his seat.
"Dedenne, did you see where he went?" Bonnie asked.
"De de ne!" The tiny Antenna Pokemon shook its head.
Her brother was already pulling out a small device from his backpack. "Ha ha! The future is now, thanks to science! This tracker will find Chespin in no time!"
"Then hurry so you don't miss the battle!" Serena said. Alain was already sending out a Pokemon.
"Metagross!"
Looks like it's going to levitate...there's only one choice! Sorry Noivern, I know you really wanted a rematch..but I can't take any chances after that double knockout! "Talonflame! I choose you!"
"Chespin..." Lumiose City's Gym Leader muttered, staring at the screen of his tracker. "Where are you...where are you..." The proximity light was glowing brighter and brighter every step he took. He knew he was getting close. Suddenly, it flashed, then went dim.
The inventor paled. "No...no, no, not again..." He knew what would happen next. Quickly, he stuffed the tracker into a pocket in his backpack to contain the small explosion.
Embarrassed, he glanced around him to see if anyone had seen the unfortunate incident. Luckily, their eyes were all on Talonflame, who was Flame Charging towards Metagross.
A flash of green caught his eye. The invention had done its job of locating Chespin. Panting, Clemont chased after his Pokemon. And then he noticed the woman. They had met multiple times before-for battles and chocolate cake. Diantha? What's she doing with Chespin? But he knew better to ask her aloud.
"Ches! Ches, pin pin!" His Pokemon ran back to him, the Champion's last cookie in its tiny hands.
Clemont sighed. He knew Diantha had a sweet tooth-and so did Chespin. The Grass-type had a knack for sniffing out desserts. "Did he eat them all? I'm so sorry..." he apologized with a respectful bow.
"It's all right. It was only a few. Your Chespin was very polite. Tell your friend I'm excited for our next battle!" she said with a wink.
"I'll do that!" Reunited with his Pokemon, Clemont headed back to his seat.
And not a moment too soon. Ash was calling for a Steel Wing.
"Metal Claw." Alain's voice was dead serious. He straightened his black jacket. The steely Pokemon deflected the attack easily and lifted it's other (hand? leg? limb?) for another attack. Though Talonflame managed to get away before taking huge damage, it just wasn't on the same level.
Ash could see this, and for once, he stopped to think. I can't come at Metagross with Steel Wing. But Talonflame is surely much faster than it. Maybe I could use that to my advantage? Wait...haven't I been doing that all along?
Of course, he was now even more confused. That worried Serena. Automatically, her hand went to her blue ribbon. "He's trying to find a plan...Ash is in trouble."
"But how can you tell that?" Bonnie questioned.
"The look on his face." Serena answered.
"If you say so..." the young blonde girl replied.
Spur-of-the-moment strategy wasn't doing the raven-haired boy any good. He had to act now. "You can do it, Talonflame! Flame Charge!" Metagross is too heavy and slow! It won't be able to dodge!
But Alain just grinned wickedly. "Psyshock."
The stadium went silent. Still in the air, Talonflame jerked up and down from some invisible force- and fell to the ground, exhausted.
"Talonflame is unable to battle, making Metagross the winner!"
"You did well; now have a nice rest." Ash whispered, recalling his Pokemon.
And then he froze as reality set in. I'm behind! My next choice needs to battle extra hard! Not Greninja, I'll need him to go against Charizard! Noivern? I don't know how well his sound waves would work...Goodra? But can his attacks penetrate that hard steel shell? Pikachu, then? I don't know...
He hesitated, his eyes darting around the arena nervously. Everyone was still quiet. Waiting for me.
Eventually, his gaze reached his friends and stopped on the Performer. She was mouthing something at him. It looked like...do gi uh ti oh aa? No. Don't give up till it's over, Ash!
The story of their first meeting ran through his head. And then their next meeting in Santalune City years later. That was followed by the Summer Camp, moments in her Showcases, Coumarine City, the Masterclass, her battle with Jimmy when he had a fever, and ended with their short argument in the Winding Woods. When he had finally realized that he loved her...
Thanks, Serena! I definitely won't! How could I doubt my team? He smiled, reaching up to turn his cap backwards. All kinds of emotion were filling him-tension, excitement, fear, hope, trust, and surprise, but most importantly, passion for his dream. He wanted-needed, really-it all for this fierce battle! I'll go with a Pokemon that tops Metagross with plain strength! "All right! Goodra, I choose you!"
Suddenly, the audience was alive with sound again. Debating how Goodra would do, predicting the first moves...
But they were quieted by Ash's first command for his third Pokemon.
Cliffhanger, I know! A few notes:
1. I know many think that Mairin will be the 'certain someone' who Chespin meets, but I just think it would be fun and interesting to have a disguised Diantha there! Besides, Msairin wouldn't want to leave the sick Chespie, right?
2. Team Rocket may have shown sense and not done much yet, but they're still there. Don't forget about that.
3. Squishy will be important later...(Puni-chan no Uta plays as the ending theme...)
And that's it! My version of XYZ 36! See you next chapter!