AUTHOR's NOTE
Hello readers! Welcome to my first ever Fanfic, but do not fear I am confident that it is going to be a good and a long one (like this note, sorry)! I am an old school Pokemon lover, I'm talking 90's here people, so the glory days of Ash, Misty and Brock are about to be rekindled! Here is a little summary of what you can expect…
Ash Ketchum has become the Indigo League Champion and is now eligible to try and attain the title of Master. However before he gets a chance to do so the Pokemon World is rocked by the biggest disaster it has ever experienced. Teams Rocket, Aqua, Magma and Galactic, who were thought by all to have been disbanded, have formed a deadly alliance and launched a massive surprise invasion of the Pokemon Regions. Caught completely by surprise the Pokemon League must enter a war it is not prepared for in order to defend what is left of the free world. Ash and his friends are caught up in the conflict that brings a whole new meaning to 'Pokemon Battles'. Thrown into the heart of the war, they must deal with death, treachery and a whirlwind of both new and old emotions!
Before I begin I should lay down a few facts. I have never watched any of the Best Wishes series so Iris and Cilan will not appear in this story, my apologies to those who are fans of them. As a consequence, in this story Ash has spent a year re-travelling Kanto after he has finished the Sinnoh League. I have tried to construct a realistic timeline for the aging of the characters before this story takes place, which you can see below, however it is likely to contain a few inconsistencies so I apologise in advance for any errors.
Finally, I have been preparing this story for a long time now so I hope it is accurate, interesting and exciting. I have read many amazing fanfics, however those of AngelicFairy, Texas Longhorn and licoricejellybean have been particularly outstanding and inspired me to write one of my own, so if any of you guys read this story it would make me very happy!
Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon, if I did Ash would be a Pokemon Master by now!
Brief timeline
Kanto – 1 and a half years
Orange Islands – half a year
Johto 3 – 1 year
Hoen 4 – 1 year
Kanto (battle frontier) – 1 year
Sinnoh – 1 year
Extra year around Kanto – 1 year
Total = 7 years
Ages
Ash – 18
Misty – 19
Brock – 23
May – 17
Drew – 17
Gary – 18
Dawn – 16
Paul – 19
Ritchie – 18
Melody – 18
IN LOVE AND WAR
Chapter 1: Born to be a Winner
Don't think, just act. Sense what is going to happen. Use your feelings, your experience, your instincts, like you always have, and there isn't a force in this world that can stop you.
The corners of the trainer's mouth twitched fractionally upwards into a shadow of a smile as the inspiring lines flowed through his mind. It was a phrase he had memorised right from the very first day he had become a Pokemon Trainer and he often used it to spur him through difficult battles and impossible odds, and if there ever was a time he needed to hear those words, it was now.
Sucking in a deep breath of cool air to compose himself, he hastily observed the devastation that lay before him. The immense battlefield that had been immaculately prepared only an hour before now lay in ruins, the effects of numerous attacks scarring its sandy surface as if it were made of butter. However, the vast pitch was not the only casualty of the brutal conflict that had been raging constantly for the past sixty minutes. Five blackened out images below his smiling face on the huge display screen opposite painfully reminded him of his current situation. It had been worth it though, he conceded to himself, as the five dark boxes were mirrored exactly on the other side of the screen below another grinning portrait.
"Wow folks, what a match! With both Trainers down to one Pokemon each, things could go either way!"
The loud metallic voice of the commentator shocked him out of his thoughts and brought his attention back to the matter in hand. Once again his eyes scanned the battlefield, taking in every minuscule detail and factor that he might use to his advantage. Finally he let his gaze slowly come to rest on the one being that at that moment was the most important thing in the world to him.
The small yellow mouse was breathing hard, gulping in great amounts of oxygen as it struggled to regain its breath after the exertions of its previous attack. Its jagged tail glowed brightly and then began to dim as the Iron Tail attack completed itself. He could not be more proud of his little electric Pokemon; it had always performed to the best of its abilities and today was no exception. Yet despite its exceptional efforts and tremendous power he could tell that his friend was struggling and if things didn't end soon then it was sure to succumb to exhaustion.
A movement from the other side of the field caught his eye and he flicked his gaze over to the disturbance. Letting out a deep roar of defiance a Venusaur slowly rose to its feet, causing the ground to shake violently and ripples to form in the sand as it shifted its immense weight. He gritted his teeth and frowned at the sight, frustrated that the giant creature still remained standing after all this time. The grass-type was obviously extremely powerful; it had defeated his last two pokemon and was now threatening a third victory; however his mood lightened a little as he noted its sluggish movements, indicating that it too was near exhaustion.
"Venusaur, use Razor Leaf, now!" The piercing shout came from across the large expanse of the field where his opponent stood defiantly. Upon seeing that his Pokemon had recovered from the Iron Tail attack, which had driven it to the ground moments before, the other trainer launched himself onto the offensive, grinning savagely as he ordered the command.
"Saurrr!" The huge grass-type growled as it arched its back and sent dozens of deadly sharp spinning leaves towards its small opponent.
"Quick Pikachu, use Agility to dodge them." He rapidly hollered the instruction to the electric-type as the twirling green objects flashed towards it.
"Pika!" With a small cry the little mouse crouched down onto all four paws and launched itself into a high-speed blur, vanishing seconds before the leaves ripped into the spot it had been standing on. However that was not the end of the attack as leaves continued to follow the electric-type across the entire field, smashing into the ground with the force of bullets.
He grimaced slightly at the turn of events. Although Pikachu was easily avoiding the barrage with its lightning speed, he knew that the Pokemon could not evade the missiles forever as it would soon start to tire further. In contrast, his opponent's Pokemon was barely breaking a sweat as it casually adjusted its body to aim at the yellow mouse.
He closed his eyes tightly in order to concentrate and began desperately racking his brain for a solution to his urgent predicament. Suddenly he had a burst of inspiration as a daring concept leapt to the front of his mind. It was a risky plan that may not work and instead backfire on him, but that had never stopped him in the past.
"Pikachu, stop and use Thundershock on the Razor Leaves." He bellowed the command across the field so that the ever-moving Pokemon would hear it. Sure enough the small electric-type pulled up out of its Agility and turned to face its attacker. Its small red cheeks sparked wildly for a second and before the Venusaur could alter its aim, Pikachu unleashed its attack.
"Piiiikachuuuuu," the mouse cried as it sent multiple bolts of bright electricity surging towards the incoming projectiles. The two forces collided with a thunderous crack, creating dozens of tiny explosions as the electric currents caused the leaves to burst spectacularly into flames.
The effect was exactly what he had been hoping for. The leaves were no longer a wave of viciously sharp missiles and instead fell directly down to the ground as if the heavens were raining fire. From across the field the giant grass-type cried out in pain as the blazing remnants of its own attack cascaded from the sky and agonisingly scorched its skin. Being weak to fire attacks, the monster began to charge about in a terrified frenzy as it tried in vain to escape the burning downpour.
Sensing his opportunity to strike he called to his Pokemon once more. "Ok Pikachu, it's time to finish this, use Thunder and give it everything you've got." Obedient as ever the electric type darted towards its opponent and after a few large bounds, it launched itself high into the air where it could direct its attack more effectively.
With a horrified expression his opponent turned to his own Pokemon and in a desperate bid to save the situation screamed. "Venusaur use Solar Beam quickly." The grass Pokemon, who was still reeling from the burns it had sustained, slowly heaved its body into position and opened up the six massive pink petals on its back in order to absorb the sun's light. Rays were hastily sucked into it, creating a gleaming ball of energy that began to grow in size as it powered up for the attack.
From high in the sky Pikachu let loose its terrifying electric attack. For a brief moment the battlefield was blinded with light as the crackling bolts of lighting flashed towards the ground. At the same time Venusaur fired its fully charged Solar Beam, the dazzling white energy shooting out as if it were projected from a cannon. There was an ear splitting boom as the two attacks collided with each other and produced a tremendous explosion that rocked the ground like an earthquake and created a shockwave that sent debris flying like shrapnel.
He just had time to shut his eyes as the sand engulfed him in a cloud of swirling angry grains that lashed his face and forced itself into his mouth. The strength of the shockwave ripped the age-old Pokemon League hat from his head and threw it into the raging dust cloud. He clutched at his now-exposed hair in protest, yet his mind remained focused, ready to react to any event that would emerge from the storm that was suffocating him.
Only when it was half safe to do so he whipped open his eyes, ignoring the sting of the sand, and quickly blinked away the tears that formed in order to see what was in front of him. His iron concentration slipped for a second as he allowed himself a tiny smile at the scene slowly emerging from the dust. The small yellow electric Pokemon that he had known for so long was poised on all fours only a few meters ahead of him, its cheeks sparking wildly, evidence of the attack it had just unleashed. However more importantly, across the large stretch of the battlefield lay the Venusaur, its chest rising and falling rapidly with exhaustion and its eyes shut due to unconsciousness.
"Venusaur is unable to battle!" a match official shouted from the sideline, whilst holding up a green flag in his direction, "The match goes to the green trainer from Pallet Town."
For a minute there was silence; complete and utter deafening silence as the last of the sand settled back to the ground. Then as the realisation of what had just happened slammed into him, he broke his concentration and allowed himself a small grin that quickly morphed into an ecstatic smile. Finally as joy overcame all other emotions and senses he punched the air in victory and bellowed out a loud cry of triumph. In a wave of sound the call was taken up by a hundred thousand other voices as they too celebrated his achievement.
For the first time after beginning the match, the trainer tore his gaze from the battlefield and looked up into the numerous tiers of the vast bowl-like stadium that surrounded him. It was filled to capacity with Pokemon lovers from all across the world, who were now standing on their feet, screaming his name and offering a standing ovation.
In response he slowly rotated round in a full circle, holding out one arm and saluting them with his trademark victory sign. They roared their approval even louder at this. He had won a huge following over the past two weeks of battles and now it felt as if every person in the world was behind him.
"Pikapi!" The high-pitched chirp caused him to twirl back around to the pitch. He just had time to open his arms as Pikachu propelled itself off the ground and towards his body as it too joined in the celebrations.
"Pi-Pikachu!" It squealed happily once it was secure in its master's arms. To emphasise its point, it nimbly sprang onto the boy's shoulder and rubbed his cheek with its own.
The trainer laughed cheerfully at his friend's actions before replying, "Yes Pikachu, we did it, we finally did it!"
Their conversation was cut off as the booming sound of the commentators voice came once more from the speakers. "Wow, what a finale! That had to be one of the most amazing battles I have ever seen. Unfortunately there can only be one winner, but what a winner we have! Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you your new Indigo League Champion, ASH KETCHUM!"
For 18-year-old Ash Ketchum the stairway up to the Pokemon League torch was a climb he wanted to last forever. After briefly shaking hands and offering his condolences to his defeated opponent, the young trainer from Pallet Town retrieved his fallen hat. After placing it back on top of his messy black hair he began the walk up to official League balcony that was set high in the stadium and was where Mr Goodshow awaited with the Indigo League trophy.
Despite his euphoric mood, he couldn't help but be slightly intimidated as he made his way through the crowded rows of seats. He constantly had to blink as hundreds of camera flashes blinded him and was forced to stop after every step to shake a hand or sign a bit of paper that was thrust upon him by the crowd that was barely restrained by stewards on either side. To make things worse, he was all too aware that his every action was being recorded and not only being displayed on the large screen in the stadium but also to millions of people on international TV.
Finally he reached his destination atop the League balcony, which provided a commanding view of the entire Indigo stadium. He paused slightly in awe as he gazed up at the flame of Moltres that burned wildly as if it too were cheering him on. Even as he gazed into the flames that were a symbol of triumph themselves, he still couldn't quite believe that he was actually the League Champion.
"Congratulations Ash." A gentle but firm voice sounded to his right. Shaking his head and breaking away from the captivating flame, Ash turned slowly to see two figures standing at one end of the platform. The first was a short man, who despite his grey beard and wrinkled face emitted a pleasant air about him as he smiled excitedly. The second was also a man, but was at least 30 years junior to his partner. His brilliant red hair stood up on end to give the appearance of fire and from his shoulders hung a jet-black cape that lightly brushed the floor. Even if he had not had these imposing qualities, his entire demeanour radiated power, instantly earning him authority and respect.
"Thanks Mr Goodshow." His reply was directed at the first man, as it was he who had spoken, "I still can't quite believe I'm the Champion." The raven-haired trainer grinned sheepishly as he spoke, the roar from the crowd half drowning out his words.
The president of the Pokemon League chuckled at the boy's words before speaking. "Ash, when I first met you over seven years ago, I knew that one day you would stand where you are now. In fairness I didn't think it would be quite so soon, but you'd better get used to the fact that you're number one."
"Yes Ash, you're an extremely powerful trainer, it's no surprise to me either that you're the victor today." This line came from the second man, who as he spoke, stepped forward and extended his hand.
Ash grasped it and nodded in gratitude before muttering, "Thanks Lance."
"Right then," Mr Goodshow interrupted, "Let's crown our Champion." The old man quickly stepped to one side revealing a small table with a shining gold medal lying on it. However it was eclipsed by a large silver trophy that stood proudly next to it. Ash smiled when he saw that his name had already been engraved into its sparkling surface alongside those of previous champions.
In one fluid move Mr Goodshow scooped up the medal and swiftly placed it over the trainer's head, standing on tiptoes in order to reach. He then spun back around and with great delicacy lifted the precious trophy. He did not immediately present it to Ash, but instead turned to face the crowd who automatically fell silent for him. Obviously the president had a microphone hidden upon him as his voice boomed out and echoed throughout the stadium. "People of the Pokemon world, I officially declare Ash Ketchum the new Indigo League Champion."
Fireworks exploded from somewhere within the stands as Ash was handed the trophy. Thousands of voices roared his name as he thrust his prize above his head and in turn shouted with joy. For ten minutes he laughed and waved at the fans as he enjoyed the colourful display that thundered above his head.
When the last bang had died away Lance stepped up beside him and faced the audience as he waited to speak. "Ladies and Gentlemen," he began in his cool, collected voice. The dragon master did not shout nor raise his voice, but the command he carried in his tone was enough to silence the screaming fans. "As the leader of the Kanto Elite Four it is my duty to invite the new Champion to honour us with battle. If he were to emerge victorious against all four members he would be the very best trainer in Kanto and earn the title of Pokemon Master." Here he paused and turned slowly to face the young trainer beside him. "Ash Ketchum of Pallet town, do you accept my challenge and the challenge of my colleagues?"
After a fraction of a second's hesitation Ash broke into his usual overconfident grin and staring Lance in the eye answered simply, "I do."
The crowd erupted again at the confirmation and this time Lance did have to raise his voice to be heard "Excellent," was the Elite Four member's response, "Your matches will be arranged within a week, for now please follow me." On cue a large panel in the wall on the other side of the balcony hissed open, revealing a passageway that led gently downwards. Without another word or a second glance Lance marched into it and with one last wave to the crowd, Ash followed clutching his trophy tightly in one hand.
The pair strolled hastily down the enclosed corridor, their footsteps echoing sharply in the confined space. For a while the silence that had suddenly fallen after the racket of the stadium, remained complete, both trainers busy with their own thoughts. However as the floor began to level out Lance turned his head to the other boy
"Did you know, Ash, that in Kanto a trainer hasn't been awarded the title of Master in 15 years." It was more a statement than a question and although the voice still carried authority, it now included the friendly tone that scarlet-haired trainer had used when they had previously met in Johto and Hoenn.
Ash looked quizzically at the more experienced trainer before replying, "So you're saying that no Champion has beaten the entire Elite Four in all of that time." When his companion nodded the raven-haired trainer added, "So who was the last person to do it?"
"You're walking alongside them," The Dragon Master chuckled at his own response and flashed a smile at Ash.
The younger boy grinned back before fixing a look of determination on his face. "Well I'm going to be the next to do it and place my name in the hall of fame along side yours!"
"Pikachu." From atop its position on Ash's shoulder the small yellow rodent chirped its support at its trainer's statement, the red cheeks on its face sparking with excitement.
Lance laughed light heartedly at the expression on the faces of both Pokemon and trainer alike. "I'm certain you two will give the other masters and myself a run for our money, but just because we are friends don't think I'll go easy on you!" The conversation was cut off as they reached a large metal door at the end of the passageway. From seemingly nowhere, the Elite Four leader produced a small key, which he swiftly inserted into the lock and with heavy expectation, swung it open.
The first thing that hit Ash was the grandeur of the room that now faced him, blowing his previous thoughts away like a Whirlwind attack. The second thing that hit him was his mother!
As soon as her son stepped into the room, Delia Ketchum enveloped him in a tight bear hug that only a mother could produce. When she was certain that he was secure in her grip she spoke into his ear with her sweet and gentle voice, "Oh Ash honey, I am so happy for you; my little Champion." Despite her reference to his size Ash towered at least a head taller than his possessive parent, however what the woman lacked in height she made up in strength as she slowly cut of his oxygen supply.
"Thanks mum, I'm pretty pleased too." The trainer gasped with what little breath he could muster, wincing slightly as the action caused his ribs to ache. Mrs Ketchum glanced up at his strangled reply, concern appearing on her face as she noticed his pained expression.
"Oh my," she exclaimed, "you didn't get hurt during the battle did you, that last explosion looked pretty-"
"Mum I'm fine!" He spluttered, cutting her off in mid sentence.
"Well if you're sure, pumpkin?"
"I'm sure!"
With that she daintily stepped back and reluctantly let go of her son, her chocolate brown eyes, the most evident feature that she shared with the boy, shining with affection and pride. Ash on the other hand stumbled backwards with a lot less grace and after placing his trophy on a small table next to him, bent over with his hands on his knees as he tried to regain control of his lungs. Unfortunately before he could take more than a few breaths he was roughly tackled a second time, this time by two figures that trapped him in a vice-like squeeze.
"Congratulations Ash!" two high-pitched female voices squealed simultaneously with such volume that it felt as if both of his eardrums burst. Glancing down he saw two girls, who were both a little younger than him, latched onto each of his arms.
The girl on his right was slightly shorter than him, with shoulder length mousy brown hair and large sky blue eyes. Her most defining feature however, was the large red bandana she supported on her head that prevented her brown locks falling into her eyes.
In contrast, the girl to his left wore a fluffy white hat that covered most of her head. However what could be seen of her long royal blue hair, matched exactly the colour of her eyes.
As May Maple and Dawn Berlitz released him from their grips, Ash took a step back and stared at his two good friends fondly. Despite having never travelled together, the two girls had formed a formidable friendship and during the two weeks of the tournament they had rarely been seen apart. The trainer, still trying to recover his breath, was about to thank the pair, but stopped short when another figure began to bear down upon him.
"Please not another hug!" Ash practically shouted in protest, shutting his eyes as he prepared to be crushed once more. Instead there came a small chuckle and a hand clapped down on his shoulder, causing him to look back up. He was met with the familiar sight of the slightly tanned skin and spiky brown hair of his best friend Brock Harrison.
The twenty-three year old beamed back at him with his usual broad grin and squinty eyes. Despite the age difference, Ash had finally caught up with the older boy's height so that they eyes were now on a par.
"Relax Ash," The Pokemon breeder said in a casual manner, "you'll have to make do with a hand shake from me." With these words Brock extended his hand, which Ash took in a firm grasp and pumped it up and down with vigour.
"Thanks Brock," Ash replied, his voice brimming with emotion, "and thanks as well you two." the last part aimed at Dawn and May who smiled back in appreciation. Finally he took note of his surroundings, spinning around in a full circle in order to absorb the vast room.
The group appeared to be standing in some large lounge type area, which Ash had to admit, was one of the most luxurious rooms he had ever seen. One wall was completely constructed out of glass, creating a giant window that gazed out upon the Pokemon League Park where thousands of people now crowded after exiting the stadium. From the height upon which he looked down, he guessed that he was at least on the third or fourth floor.
Moving his gaze on he saw that the two walls either side of him were covered in numerous photos and paintings of Pokemon battles and famous trainers, however the wall opposite the glass was almost entirely taken up by an expensive wooden bar. The space in between was filled with leather sofas and armchairs, with small coffee tables dotted in between them like islands. To top it all off, a large electric chandelier hung from the ceiling, the perfectly cut crystals sparkling in the light it produced.
"What is this place?" The raven-haired trainer murmured in awe and looked over his shoulder for an explanation from Lance. However the Dragon Master had either vanished or never entered the room in the first place as his dominating presence was no where to be seen.
"This is the Champion's Suite, Ash, and well done for earlier!" a new, but familiar voice piped up, causing all of the heads in the room to turn towards it. Standing in the middle of the doorway that led to the rest of the building was none other than Professor Samuel Oak. Smiling broadly the Pokemon Researcher strode confidently into the room, followed closely by three other people.
Ash instantly recognised the long dark hair and red sweatband of his good friend Tracey Sketchit who hardly ever left the Professor's side. The new champion vaguely remembered the second person, a woman with red hair and a microphone clutched in one hand. He wracked his memory for a name that went with the face. Martha, Maria, Mary! Yes it was Mary, the DJ from the radio tower in Goldenrod City. The presenter was followed by the last member of the group, a cameraman, who stared at Ash as if he were some sort of god.
Fixing his focus back to his old mentor, he said in a questioning tone, "Champion Suite?"
"Yes." Professor Oak replied enthusiastically, eager to spread light on the topic. "Each year this building is reserved for the League Champion while they wait to battle the Elite Four. It saves them having to go back home and keeps them away from the very nosey public in the Pokemon League Park. The best part is that there is room for friends and family to stay as well, my stuff is already unpacked." Grinning cheekily at this last part, he sat down on one of the sofas and put his feet up on one of the coffee tables, totally at ease.
"So you're saying that we get to stay here for a week!" May gaped at the Professor before staring around the room to make sure it was still as fancy as she thought it was.
"That's the gist of it." The older researcher answered, "The bedrooms are on the next floor up!"
Upon hearing this May turned to face Dawn and as if on cue the two girls let out a high pitched squeal of delight. Without another gesture the coordinators sprinted out of the room in search of the promised luxuries; echoes of "King size beds and hot tubs here we come!" filtering back to the remaining group.
"Professor, I'm sorry to interrupt but we are supposed to go on air in 5 minutes, the Pokemon world is eager to hear from their new Champion!" The red-haired woman said urgently to the relaxed Professor, waving her hand at the cameraman to emphasise her point.
The statement caused the Professor's eyes to widen momentarily and he sprang up off of the sofa and faced the woman. "Of course, I almost forgot," he said a little sheepishly before turning to the rest of the group. "I'm sure you all know, but this is DJ Mary from Goldenrod city and she is here to interview Ash on becoming the new League Champion."
"Interview me!" Ash spluttered incredulously, "On Television!" He automatically took a step away from the cameraman, shaking his head at the same time. "I don't think so!"
"Ash it will just be like the time you went on radio in Goldenrod, besides you were on TV for the past hour during your match." Mary explained in a patient tone, before looking at her watch and frowning at what it displayed.
"Yes but those times I wasn't directly on camera and didn't have to answer questions." The new Champion whined in protest, crossing his arms in a defensive manner.
"Come on Ash," Brock encouraged, "Now that you are the Champion you are going to be doing things like this all the time."
"Exactly," Mary continued, "All you have to do is be yourself, plus we can have your mum answer some questions as well." Despite her cheery tone, everybody could detect a hint of panic in her voice as time quickly ticked away.
Fortunately, Delia Ketchum practically jumped at the idea. "Oh I've always wanted go on TV!" she exclaimed and then, turning to Ash said, "Come on sweetie, it'll be fun." Not even giving her son time to argue she grabbed him by the arm and with surprising strength pulled him in front of the cameraman.
"Excellent!" the red-haired presenter said, letting out a relieved sigh and again glancing at her watch. "We are on the air in 30 seconds!"
"Violet, for the one hundredth time we are not changing the channel!" the orange haired girl practically shouted, giving her sibling a defiant look.
The indigo-haired girl, who had been the victim of the barrage, plonked herself back down into her armchair, sulking over her failed attempt to grab the TV controller. "But we've been watching your programme for like the past hour!" she wailed in a high pitched voice, "Besides, the battle has like finished!"
"Oh be quiet Vi!" A third female voice grumbled as it joined the argument, causing both of the squabbling girls to look at its owner. Their eldest sister Daisy flicked her golden blonde hair over her shoulder before turning an annoyed stare on the pair. "I know it's a total pain, but Misty doesn't get to like watch much TV and you know how desperate she is to gaze at her boyfriend!"
"Exactly and…HEY! HE IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND!" The red head screamed her protest at the top of her lungs, clenching her fists into balls in order to restrain herself from attacking the blonde.
"Like whatever you say sis." Daisy replied nonchalantly, not even blinking at her sister's outburst.
Fuming with rage, Misty turned her head to face the TV and forced herself to shut out her sisters from her mind. Despite her ferocious denial of Daisy's statement she couldn't help but wish that what her sister had said were true. Although she would never admit it to them, the leader of the Cerulean City gym was completely and utterly in love with the trainer that she had not seen for so long. She knew that it was completely foolish to have feelings for someone she was so far away from and might never see again, but her emotions were so strong and had been part of her for so long, she could not imagine her life without them.
She quickly focused her attention back to the large television screen in front of her, which indicated the advert break was now over. The picture quickly cut to an image of a Pokeball with the words 'Indigo League live' written around its circumference and after a short pause it too was replaced by the smiling face of a woman with red hair and a microphone.
"Welcome back to the live coverage of the Indigo League final, I'm DJ Mary." The reporter spoke in a cheery but crisp voice as she addressed the Pokemon world. "Before the break you witnessed one of the most epic battles the Kanto region has ever seen and now joining me from the Official Champion Suite, is the victor of that battle and new League Champion, Ash Ketchum!"
Subconsciously Misty leaned forward on the sofa she shared with Daisy, sliding until she was perched right on its edge. She held her breath as the camera panned agonisingly slowly, almost taunting her with its pace. Finally it came to an abrupt halt as the grinning features of a teenaged boy filled up its image. When the red head saw this she let out a small gasp of air, much to the amusement of her two sisters who smirked knowingly at each other and rolled their eyes simultaneously.
For Misty the face that looked back at her was even more perfect than she remembered. The raven black hair, which filled half of the screen, was still as messy and as wild as she remembered it, if a little bit longer. His face was no longer round and boyish, but more defined, indicating the man he was turning into. However the thing that capture the gym leader most were the deep chocolate brown eyes, which stared out of the screen and sucked her in towards them.
"So Ash, what does it feel like to be the new League Champion?" Mary's voice came from the television, momentarily breaking Misty out of her trance.
At the mention of 'League Champion' Ash flashed a quick smile before answering, "To be honest I can hardly believe that I am finally the Champion, but it does feel absolutely amazing."
"You've won many competitions in the past, for example you were the first trainer ever to beat Drake the Head Leader of the Orange League, how does this compare?" the reporters voice sounded again as she asked her second question.
Ash's face creased into a slight frown as his mind travelled back six years to that fateful day on Pummelo Island. "Yes that was a great moment for me." He replied after a short pause and then turning to face the camera said, "But my ultimate goal is to become the world's greatest Pokemon Master and becoming the League Champion today brings me one step closer to that dream, making this the best day of my life so far. However I will never stop until that dream has finally become reality!" The sincerity and passion he placed behind his words was so touching that for a few seconds DJ Mary was silent.
From her position on the sofa Misty was equally moved by the little speech and quietly muttered under her breath, "Oh Ash." It even looked like her two sisters had been stirred by his words as they too gazed intently at the screen. However the mood in the room was abruptly brought to an end, as at that moment the forth and final sensational sister burst into the room.
"Like did he win?" Lily yelled as she strode into the room, cringing slightly as the door crashed into the wall with a loud bang.
The racket caused the two older sisters to tear their eyes from the TV and glance up at the salmon haired girl. "Yeah he did, his battle was totally amazing." Daisy answered in a casual tone, "He's being interviewed like right now." At these words the three women redirected their attention back to the screen, Lily taking up a position between Daisy and Misty on the sofa.
"That's Ash Ketchum!" Lily said in an incredulous voice as she caught sight of the new champion for the first time. "That's the little kid who like challenged us for a badge all those years ago!"
"The very same," Violet replied, her eyes never leaving the TV screen,
"But he is like…gorgeous" the pink-haired girl stated in a quiet tone, a small blush creeping onto her face.
"I know," Daisy agreed. "But he is like way younger than us plus he is kind of already reserved by Misty." The blonde glanced over at her youngest sister, expecting the red head to explode into her usual tirade of denials. It therefore surprised her when the girl didn't even bat an eyelid, apparently oblivious to what her eldest sibling had said.
"Hey, like earth to Misty," Violet called as she too noticed her sister's vacant expression. However even when the purple-haired woman clicked her fingers sharply next to the gym leader's ear, she still received no reaction. Misty's eyes remained riveted to the screen, her mind lost in thought as she remembered old memories and dreamed of fantasies which involved a certain Pokemon Trainer.
In a large conference room, far away on a discreet island in the Orange Archipelago, the live interview was being displayed on another, much larger TV screen.
"You are the youngest trainer in Pokemon League History to win a League Conference." Mary's voice came blasting out from the device as she asked the last question of the interview, "and in your eight years as a trainer you have achieved far more than many others have in their life time. Some people are calling you the greatest trainer ever, how do you react to that?"
Ash grinned sheepishly at the idea before smoothing his features back into a serious expression. "I don't believe for one minute that I am the greatest." The trainer said in a modest tone, "But I do believe that I have the potential to be the greatest. I'm going to-"
The boy's voice was cut off in mid sentence as the screen was switched off with a faint click. The action plunged the room into darkness, however after a few seconds the gloom began to fade as blinds on three of the four walls began to automatically open, revealing dozens of large windows.
The bright sunlight that was now flooding into the room illuminated a giant oblong table, which filled most of the space. Down each of the longer sides were a dozen chairs, all filled with men and women who were all relocating their gaze away from the display and instead looking towards one end of the giant piece of furniture. At the head of the table a lone chair stood facing the TV screen with its back to the rest of the people in the room. Slowly and ominously the seat pivoted on the spot, turning half a circle so that its occupant was finally revealed.
The man that sat there emanated power and wealth, and was unquestionably the leader of the meeting. He was dressed smartly in a green waistcoat and red tie, which were covered by an expensive orange suit that clung to him so perfectly there was no doubt it was tailor made. His short dark brown hair was immaculately combed across his head with not a strand out of place and his black eyes radiated confidence.
"Well my friends, it appears that we have a new Kanto League Champion, the youngest ever in fact!" he announced powerfully to the table. As he spoke he bent down slightly to stroke an elegant looking Persian that crouched at his side.
"What about Sinnoh, Hoenn and Johto; do they have champions yet?" The comment came from a man located immediately to the right of the first man. He was a lot older than the rest of his colleagues with grey hair and small circular spectacles that were held in place by his large nose.
"They do indeed." The man in the orange suit confirmed, straightening himself back upright whilst crossing one leg over the other he added. "All four regions have finished their respective conferences and will hold their closing ceremonies tomorrow."
"So we can proceed with the plan?" This time the question came from a man with shoulder-length blood red hair who was located half way down the left hand side of the table. The uniform he wore matched his scarlet locks perfectly and had a small letter M stitched into its breast.
The leader nodded swiftly before answering, "Yes Maxie, the plan will be executed at 08:00 hours tomorrow morning, providing everyone is in place." With this he turned his head left and right staring at his associates with a gaze that demanded answers.
"Team Galactic is operational and awaiting the go ahead." The man with spectacles replied in an eager voice.
"As is Team Aqua!" added a large man with toned muscles and a sea blue bandana on his head.
"Like Charon and Archie, I can also confirm that Team Magma is ready." The man known as Maxie finished.
"Excellent." Giovanni said with a smirk, "Now I suggest you head back to your respective locations to prepare. Tomorrow the four regions will be so busy celebrating their new champions, they won't know what has hit them!"
AUTHOR'S NOTE
So what do you think guys? I know it was a long read but I really wanted to get the story going. Please review and give your thoughts!