Unexpected Changes
It wasn't long before the group arrived at Ash's house, and boy were they in for a surprise! Expecting a small, quaint home, they weren't prepared for the massive mansion, which stood in an open field that was brimming with pokémon, and within that field was a well decorated garden, complete with a fountain. The field was filled with pokémon of all different types and sizes. Hanging pots with berry vines hung by the door and steps, which led up to the massive oak doors that defined the front entrance. All the girls were awed, this place looked like something out of a fairytale, it was too amazing to believe! As Clemont unlocked the door and walked in, the entire group was awed at the interior design; which was rustic, yet modern as well.
"Well, well, well, looks like Ashy-boy finally settled down and really got things worked out for himself. Surprising since he was such a little-"
"A little what…be careful Gary, I don't take insults to my baby very lightly!" Delia spoke with a threatening glint in her eye, brandishing a spatula from nowhere.
"Nothing at all ! Nope! I didn't say anything!" Gary replied, rapidly inching away from the terrifying mother.
Bonnie ran to the front and faced everyone, "Welcome to the Yvonne-Ketchum household! Please make your way to the living room to start our tour!"
"Yvonne-Ketchum? Who's the Yvonne?" Misty asked Clemont.
"Serena Yvonne. She and Ash designed this house together."
"You make it sound like they're married." May snickered, with Dawn laughing along.
At this, Bonnie and Clemont froze and laughed nervously, "Yeah right, they're not married. Ash and Serena….pshh" Bonnie spoke in between coughs. "Not yet anyway…" she added under her breath.
"Where is Ash anyway?" Trip spoke, slightly annoyed that he wasn't there to greet them.
Delia nodded, "Clemont, where is my baby boy?"
"Ash is at the Battle Chateau, defending his title," Clemont looked at his watch and glanced at the suitcases behind them, "I suppose we can catch his last match. The challenges will almost be over, but we can stay for the coronation."
"Coronation? Title? I'm so confused!" Iris exclaimed while Axew mimicked her.
Clemont and Bonnie chuckled, "If we want to go, you have to change!"
The group stood, dumbfounded. "You can't go in those clothes!" Bonnie yelled, excited to wear her favorite pink dress that Serena had made for her. The girls squealed, yelling excitedly and ran off with Bonnie to get ready. Delia and Max went together, to help the young man into his formal attire.
Gary spoke cautiously, 'What do you mean?"
"The Battle Chateau is a very formal battle club that uses ranks, which resemble social statuses. Your rank is determined by your battles won at the chateau. You gain capes for each different rank, and because there are many formal practices, you can't wear your normal clothes, although Cilan, you may be fine."
"I dress perfectly no matter what I do." He spoke, confident in his daily wardrobe, while Gary, Paul, Trip and Professor Oak simultaneously groaned.
"I didn't bring any tuxedos," Gary spoke joyously, thinking that he escaped the foul dress code, with Paul and Trip nodding along. Professor Oak and Brock, on the other hand, were prepared, and although they didn't like to, both agreed to wear the blasted articles of clothing. They bid the rest goodbye, and were given one of the lower-level guest rooms by Clemont.
The lemon haired boy turned to the three remaining boys, "You guys aren't getting off that easy! Gary, you and Ash have the same build, although Ash is a bit taller. Same for you Paul, but just barely. Trip, you may need to use mine."
"What are you talking about?" Paul asked, dread returning to his body.
"Ash has quite a selection of clothes, especially after Serena redesigned his closet to follow the latest trends. He has at least 4 different tuxes, but they're custom fit for him, so you might find the pants a bit long, or the tops a bit loose, but you'll be fine. Trip is much too short for Ash's clothes, so he'll have to use mine."
"Ash is taller than me?" Gary spoke incredulously, not believing that the midget grew to his height, or even taller than him.
"He's changed, "Clemont spoke neutrally, but a bit of worry laced his tone.
The boys exchanged looks, not knowing how to respond to that. Clemont snapped out of his daze and beckoned them to follow. He led them through a couple of hallways, where Gary found himself asking what all the doors were.
"Well, there's an indoor and outdoor pool, the outdoor one being much larger to accommodate wild or large water pokemon. Then, there's the gym and fashion runway that Serena built to practice for her performances. There are also a couple of battle fields with different environments, for practice. On your right, there are a couple of pokemon care rooms, such as daycares, nurseries and even a hospital wing. Finally, there are Ash's work rooms," his voice took on a darker tone at that. "Don't go in those rooms, not until Ash allows you," he warned, glancing back at them. Finally arriving at the top floor, they opened a large mahogany door, finding themselves in a huge bedroom. A large skylight lit the room with natural light. A king size bed sat in an adjacent room, divided by a sliding door, along with a dresser and vanity, which was filled with beauty products. A balcony stood across from them, and in front of that balcony stood a large desk, with papers strewn all about it. Plush chairs were arranged near the desk, a couple paper balls and envelopes littering the area. Clemont led the three boys to another door, and opened it, revealing a walk-in closet that could pass off as a room, it was big enough to live in! The closet seemed to be separated into five sections; a man's wardrobe, a woman's wardrobe, an accessory shelf, a formal wear section, and shoes. Clemont led them to the formal wear, and picked out two expensive-looking suits.
"There, these should fit you! Be careful, they're as expensive as they look." Gary and Paul looked at each other and gulped, afraid to wear something that costly. Trip snickered, before going out of the large room and into another room, across from the master. Clemont followed, and picked out one of his own tuxes and gave it to Trip. The boys were offered the attached bathroom to change in, and in 20 minutes, four fully dressed, disgruntled boys stood in the hallway, itching and pulling at their collars. They soon found out, that indeed, Ash's suits were a bit loose on them. Gary fixed his hair, before practicing his patented "lady killer" smile in front of his phone camera. Cilan emerged from the room to their left, with Brock coming from the room on the right, both wearing suits as well. Professor Oak lumbered in soon after, combing his graying hair. "Aren't you boys looking dapper?" he snickered, with Brock chuckling behind them.
"Gramps stop, you know how much I hate these things!" Gary snapped at the old man. He was about to continue, but the girls emerged from the hallway, all of them wearing dresses, along with a few accessories.
Paul averted his eyes from Dawn, not meeting her expectant gaze. Gary whistled at Misty, who rolled her eyes. She was dressed in an elegant, viridian-green dress which matched her eyes, and her hair was down and curled slightly. Iris wore a slightly more modest midi-dress with leggings, looking like what she always used to call Ash, "a little kid." Dawn wore one of her contest dresses, with her hair pinned up in its' usual style, but without the beanie. May let her hair down, and wore a floor-length red dress, with her curves showing prominently. Even Axew and Piplup got dressed up, each wearing a little bowtie. Finally, Delia ushered a pouting Max out of the door. The young man was wearing a vest and slacks, with shiny shoes. May laughed at her brother, while the little one's face flushed a little. When Bonnie took his hand, however, his face turned a crimson red, as she led him to the front lawn, where Dedenne was playing with Max's Ralts. The adults looked at each other and smiled, already seeing something special between the two.
Once everyone was accounted for, they called a limo, and piled in when it arrived. It was fifteen minutes later that they found themselves standing in front of a large mansion, which looked like something straight out of a medieval book. An old lady greeted Clemont at the entrance. "Ah, Duke Meyer and young Bonnie, welcome back. Grand Duke Ketchum is about to receive his crown," she paused and looked at the small crowd behind him, and cracked a grin. "So he finally grew some balls, eh?" She spoke, dropping the formal act.
"Yes Martha, he did. Our VIP box, please. I have a feeling that she's going to challenge him today."
"Of course. Please, this way." She spoke to them, and led them inside the building. "The castle itself was owned by a very skilled trainer, who amassed enough money to build this iconic club. He was very interested in old battle practices, and wished to see them recreated, and thus the Battle Chateau was born. Here, trainers fight to climb ranks, and eventually become a Grand Duke or Duchess. Once every year, a prince or princess is crowned, determined by a tournament. A coronation follows the tournament, with all the chateau members attending. Luckily, you made it in time for the last matches of the tournament. Master Ketchum is about to defend his title for the third consecutive year."
"You mean Ash has been the prince for two years!?" Iris exclaimed, astonished.
"Why do you seem surprised? I thought you knew him well?"
"Yeah, but he wasn't this strong when we were travelling with him."
"There are many things that Master Ketchum hasn't told you, then," She spoke, disappointed. The group ascended a staircase, and marveled at the gothic architecture, with its arches and expert stonework. While some were busy admiring the building, others were focused on the windows that surrounded them. They overlooked numerous fields, some even being occupied by battling trainers. Professor Oak and Gary were absorbed by all the different kinds of pokemon, all of them foreign to the two researchers. Other trainers milled around, watching the battles, and May noticed that they were all wearing different colored capes, "What are all the colored capes for?"
Martha excitedly launched into an explanation of how the chateau works, "There are ranks, which Clemont has probably informed you of. You, as a lady, would start as a baroness, and then, as you defeat more trainers, become a Viscountess, then a Countess, Marchioness, Duchess and lastly a Grand Duchess. Then, if you reach the rank of Grand Duchess, you may battle for the title of Princess. The tournament takes place every year and is open to only the Grand Dukes and Duchesses. Even the champion participates some years. The barons wear a white cape, the viscounts wear a blue cape, the earls wear a green cape, the marquises wear a yellow cape, the dukes wear a red cape and the grand dukes wear a purple cape. The prince or princess wears a gown designed by the castle's tailors, with the colors of their choice, and wear a crown designed by themselves. They keep these gifts even if they have been dethroned, as a token of their achievement. I recommend battling once you have reunited with the young master; it is an enjoyable way of testing your skills."
Finally, they were seated in a box, where many people with red and purple capes were situated. Everyone was served drinks, and eventually, Clemont stood and clinked his glass with a spoon, alerting everyone. Soon enough, everyone in the box quieted down and waited for his announcement. "Our dear buddy Ash finally grew some balls, and contacted his friends and family," everyone laughed at that, and Clemont continued, "Now, I present to you, Cilan Dent, Brock Stone, Professor Gary Oak, Professor Samuel Oak, Delia Ketchum, May and Max Maple, Dawn Hikari, Paul Shinji, Trip Shooty, Misty Kasumi, and Iris Hidaka. "
Everyone clapped politely before a woman with slightly darker blond hair stood up. She seemed to be wearing cargo pants and a tank top, with a high-end camera strapped around her neck. "My name is Viola, I'm a bug type gym leader," said Viola, "Sorry Clemont, Ramos couldn't make it today. His Gogoat got a nasty beating yesterday from a challenger," Clemont nodded in respect, while Cilan left with Viola to talk about overcoming weaknesses in the bug and grass typing. Misty visibly flinched at the title, causing Gary to smirk at her. She felt the overwhelming urge to smack him with her mallet, when someone interrupted her train of thought. This "someone" was quite lean, but also muscular. He was darker-skinned, and his hair looked like Groudon itself had built it.
"I'm Grant, the rock type gym leader." Brock perked up at this, and eventually left with Grant to talk about battle strategies, and their onix.
Next, a woman wearing a sort of dress, shorts, and strangely, a helmet on her head, spoke up."I'm Korrina, and I'm your fighting type gym leader!"
After Korrina, came another woman, but this one had a strange kimono on, which made her look like a spritzee. She wore very high heels, and her eyes looked like spilled ink. "My name is Valerie, the fairy type gym leader," With this introduction out of the way, the pair of professors began to question her about the newly discovered typing.
With Gary and the Professor out of the way, another woman stood up. She wore a form-fitting gray outfit, with a cape that looked like it threatened to suck you into outer space. "Olympia. Leader of the Psychic gym."
Finally, a fatter man stood up. He looked older and wiser, with a gray beard, but had a coat around him that always seemed to be blowing in the wind. "Wulfric, Ice type specialist at your disposal."
The group settled down, and continued to converse with the gym leaders, when an announcement crackled through the intercom system.
"Can Prince Ashura Satoshi Ketchum meet his challenger at field C, please? I repeat, can Prince Ashura Satoshi Ketchum meet his challenger for the crown at field C? Apologies for the interruption, and enjoy the rest of the tournament!"
Clemont, sensing the confusion within the group, answered the question on the ex-travelling companion's minds,. "This box overlooks field C, so don't worry, you won't miss him."
They nodded, satisfied, and relaxed in their seats before realizing who the person on the battlefield was. Delia voiced the question first, "Clemont, isn't that Kalos champion Diantha? She's battling Ash?"
Everyone's eyes widened, and Paul whisper-yelled out his opinion, "How is Ash supposed to beat her? She's the strongest out of all the regions!"
"He's way too young and inexperienced for this kind of challenge!" Misty and Gary added.
"Not to mention he's a little kid!" Iris put her own two cents in as well, while the rest sweatdropped at her nickname. The others sat back, interested in what Ash had to showcase in the battle.
A dark figure stepped into the shadows of the trainer box opposing Diantha's. It was a male, which could be told by the strong build and tall physique. When the clouds cleared, and the mysterious trainer was illuminated, half the group overlooking the field couldn't believe who was before them. There, stood a strong and confident man that looked to be around twenty years old. His cheekbones were pronounced, and deep amber eyes glinted with determination. He wore a black cape, with a deep blue embedded within. The cape was adorned with many medals, and was outlined in gold. A gold crown with blue stones sat on his head. He was wearing an expensive looking tux that fit around his frame, perfectly. The z's on his cheeks vanished, as the man brought his lips into a breathtaking smile, which was directed at the champion, who returned the gesture, wholeheartedly. The girls felt themselves get quite attracted to the figure on the field, not believing that it was Ash. The boys were not faring any better, looking at the new Ash with a newfound respect, and even a little fear. Ash had changed, he looked intimidating and downright ferocious, right up until the point that he smiled. The imposing figure melted away, giving a glimpse of who he was in the past. Max was in awe at his old idol's awesomeness, feeling himself look up to Ash once again.
Professor Oak nodded with a smile on his face, knowing that the young man would reach this level eventually.
Clemont and Bonnie smiled at everyone's reactions to Ash's appearance, wanting to see how they were going to react to his powers in, and out of the field. Soon, their smiles slipped a little, thinking about how they were going to react to Ash's job.
Delia had no doubt about it; she had covered her mouth with her hands as she stared at her son, all grown up and strong. There was no mistaking who he was. A mother never forgets.
"Ash…."