8 YEARS AGO...

"Pikachu, go!" Ash shouted, sending his pokemon into the arena to face his opponent's Golem.

The announcers voice rang over the speaker, "And Ash Ketchum sends out his last pokemon, Pikachu. With the type advantage leaning heavily toward Brendan, this may be the end for our youngest competitor."

"Hmph," Brendan, a young man with spiked black hair, smirked, "is that all you've got left? He's worthless, his attacks won't do to Golem. Looks like this is it…Golem," he shouted, "Rollout." Golem rolled into a ball and spun toward pikachu at breakneck speed.

"Pikachu," Ash shouted, "jump in the air and use iron tail."

Using his tail as a spring, Pikachu launched himself into the air. As Golem neared, he spun himself over his shoulder and brought his tail down upon the rock pokemon.

Golem skidded to a halt inches from Ash and a silence fell over the crowd. Brendan's jaw dropped as the pokemon uncurled itself and lay motionless on the ground.

The spectators exploded into applause as the announcer's voice came over the speaker, "In a shocking turn of events, the electric Pikachu took out Golem in one hit. Brendan is now down to his last two pokemon."

"Still think he's worthless, Brendan?" Ash shouted across the arena.

Brendan brow arched further down than Ash had ever thought possible, "Golem, return," he said angrily. "You let me down, again."

Ash heard the comment and glared at the trainer. Every time one of his pokemon had been knocked out he resorted to calling it worthless, even after they had taken down some of Ash's.

Brendan shrunk the pokeball and stuck it on his belt. He reached for the next ball, "Don't fail me," he said to the ball. "Metagross, go!" He threw the pokeball to the arena.

"Metagross, use Psybeam."

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt."

The two attacks collided midair causing a huge explosion. The heavy Metagross managed to stay rooted to the ground, but the much lighter Pikachu was thrown several feet back by the force of the blast.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted as the pokemon slowly got to its feet, "are you okay?"

"Pika," he confired.

"Metagross, psybeam."

"Pikachu, agility."

As the attacked approached, Pikachu darted out of the way faster than the blind of an eye.

"Pikachu, use agility to get as close as you can to Metagross."

The pokemon obeyed and darted toward the metal pokemon.

Brendan smired, "Stupid kid, walking right into the lion's den…Metagross, hyperbeam."

Ash smiled, "Perfect" he said to himself, "Pikachu, quick use thunderbolt and get out of there."

Metagross's hyperbeam had just been fired when Pikachu, now only a few feet from its opponent, shot a thunderbolt causing an even larger explosion.

Pikachu was thrown back even further this time, but its last second change in direction minimized the impact of the explosion. It crashed to the earth, but managed to get to its feet. Its injuries were nowhere near as severe as Metagross's.

The metal pokemon had taken the full force of the impact head on and was thrown off its feet and into the arena wall.

"Pikachu, are you okay?" Ash asked his panting and bruised partner.

"Pika," the pokemon nodded.

"This is amazing, folks," the announcer said, "This pikachu has come out on top despite heavy disadvantages. Now, each trainer only has one pokemon left. Who will Brendan choose for this final battle?"

"So weak," Brendan said as he returned Metagross, "losing to a wimp like that, you should be ashamed."

"Hey," Ash said angrily, "why not show some gratitude?"

"For what? Losing? Making me look like a fool? Look, why don't you just be quiet. Once I take you down, everyone will forget about Ash Ketchum— The protégé of Professor Oak; the first trainer to take down the Elite Four at the age of thirteen; the youngest trainer to make it here…to the world championship. There's no room in the world for pathetic weaklings like you, and to prove that I can't allow such worthless pokemon on my team."

Ash glared at his opponent. He couldn't remember ever being this angry in his life.

"Now, Ash, this is the end…Feraligatr, go."

"For his last pokemon, Brendan has choses the water pokemon Feraligatr. Ash's pikachu may have the type advantage, but after the damage it took against Metagross, it may be too tired to hold its ground. But this is it," the announcer shouted, "the final match-up for the finals of the World Championship. Ash Ketchum vs. Brendan Lore. This will be a battle to remember…"

"Pikachu, use volt tackle to take him down."

"Pika" the pokemon charged its body and dash toward its opponent.

"Feraligatr, counter."

Feraligatr took the hit, but used the opportunity to grab Pikachu and throw it to the ground, hard.

"Pikachu!"

"Feraligatr, body slam," the pokemon landed on Pikachu.

Pikachu cried out in pain.

"Come on Pikachu," Ash cried, "get up."

"Feraligatr," Brendan shouted with a vicious smile on his face, "body slam again….."


The television in the waiting room of the Pokemon Center was relaying feedback from the match earlier that day. "The brutality of the fighting seen in the last battle between Feraligatr and Pikachu has caused many Pokemon Rights activists to cite this battle as the largest calling for the necessity of pokemon freedom since the Pokemon League was founded. I'm hear with Aaron Grieve, the leader of PFN: Pokemon Freedom Now. Mr. Grieve, any comments?

*Slap

"You idiot," Misty screamed as she slapped Ash across the face, "what were you thinking?"

Ash stayed silent, not even reacting to the stinging in his cheek.

"You should have called it off. After that counter, Pikachu was out, but you just had to keep going. When are you going to grow up? You're immaturity nearly killed Pikachu. Why did you do it?"

Ash remained silent. He stood up solemnly. He was unable to look his friends in the eye. "It's done….I'm finished." Ash headed for the door.

"Where do you think you're going?" Misty ran infront of him, blocking his path, "you're just giving up…because of this? You owe it to your pokemon to keep going. If you quit because you lost one stupid match, our friendship is over."

Ash stood silent, fists clenched, for some time before saying, "Goodbye, Misty. Tell Pikachu I'm sorry." Ash walked by the shocked girl and out the pokemon center.

"Hey," Brock shouted, but Ash kept walking, "Hey, Ash, wait up," he ran forward and grabbed Ash's arm, "What the hell are you doing? Are you really so childish that you'd give up after one loss? Are you just going to leave your pokemon…and your friends because you made a mistake?" Ash stayed silent, "Look, what you did was horrible, I know you won't do it again. Misty, your pokemon…we don't think any less of you."

"Brock, leave me alone."

Brock felt a drop of water on his arm and realized his friend was crying, "Ash, what happened?"

"You didn't hear what he said. He treated his pokemon like garbage. It's the same thing I heard over and over again with Paul, but this guy….this guy just had to come out on top. He acted like Pokemon were nothing more than tools to suit his own needs."

"Ash, not everyone in this world is perfect. You've seen it before, but it's never gotten to you like this."

"Because none of the others were at the top. I'd seen them lose, or I'd beaten them myself. But this guy….he's the best in the world, Brock. What's going to happen when everyone turns to him for the future of pokemon? The next championship isn't for 4 years. That's 4 years of new trainers looking up to him."

"But that's not the worst of it. I'm no better than he is."

"Ash, don't say that. You'd never…"

"Brock," Ash screamed, "how was what I did any better than how Brendan treats his pokemon? I used Pikachu…. I endangered him to fulfill my own desires. And now I can't even stand myself. Brock, I'm done. The championship…The league…Pokemon Training."

Ash turned to leave. His friend dint follow him. "Oh, one last thing," Ash said over his shoulder, "Don't tell Misty what I told you."

Ash kept walking, leaving everything he had built up in the past 3 years behind.


TO BE CONTINUED….

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