Pocket Monsters: The World Tournament Series Volume One
Genre: Adventure, Drama, Family, Action, Fantasy, Science Fiction
Chapter 01: The Unexpected Visitor Part I
"Live here from Lumiose City in Kalos Region is the Kalos League Conference Finals. In this event, we had been going to air this not only in this region but also to other regions around the world as well, like many other league conferences around the world! Right now, it is about the time for the resolution between the two remaining trainers who have dreams to become the Pokemon Champion as only one Pokemon had remained each from both trainers. Who will be the winner in this year's tournament? Will it be either Alain and his Charizard or Ash and his Greninja? Let's find out as another clash for this final battle between these two Pokemon continued." [1]
The date is May 10, 20XX.
In a certain room within such place was a certain male student of Pokemon Medical School who was watching for the Kalos League Conference Finals, Brock, along with Nurse Joy of Johto's Goldenrod City and her Chansey. After all, he does so for an old friend whom he accompanied since the time that friend battled him for a badge when he was the Gym Leader of Pewter City in Kanto until they part ways in Sinnoh when the squinty-eyed lad decided to hone his medical skills in said school - that is, aside from the Orange Region where he decided to become Professor Ivy's assistant for a while. Brock noticeably wearing a doctor's coat.
It's almost there, Ash. I had witnessed your journey since then, so it is worth to see you winning this time after all of your experiences.
He thought as he still witnessed the clash between Alain's Charizard and Ash's Greninja where the former was seen releasing an intense blast of fire from its mouth and attacking running multiple Double Team copies of Greninja. Greninja then fires off its water throwing star towards Charizard.
In one of the rooms within a newly-built stadium for Pokemon Performances called Olivine City Pokemon Showcase Stadium are two certain Pokemon Performers watching for the Kalos League Conference Finals, along with their close friends and their parents who supported them for the event called Pokemon Contest Grand Festival (Female Category) - an equivalent of the Tripokalon Master Class Tournament of the Kalos Region - in Johto even if it means only one of the two Performers will be going to win such tournament. On the television was Ash's Greninja and Alain's Charizard have clashing with one another with Aerial Ace and Dragon Claw with all their might once again, respectively.
"Mega Evolution, huh? That method had become a staple one for Pokemon Battles lately," replied the Gym Leader of Petalburg City, Norman, while felt curious seeing Alain's Charizard's different appearance.
"I agree with you, sire. Even the starter Pokemon from our region and from Kanto Region like Charizard had been capable of doing the method," replied a certain green-haired close friend of Norman's daughter, Drew.
"Huh? Do you mean even my Blaziken too is capable to do that, Drew?" said Norman's daughter, May, who took a turn to her close friend.
"I did tell you about the method itself, didn't I, May?"
"Hmm… Let me think," May acted while scratching her head about the process of Mega Evolution on certain Pokemon, "I... I didn't know about that, Drew!"
Drew just sighed at his close friend's reaction and said, "with that attitude of yours, I hope you could win this tournament, May."
"Wha... What do you mean?!"
But that Greninja… How does it achieve Mega Evolution without a Keystone from Ash? Is there anything else that I haven't asked to Professor Birch?
Norman's mind was rather focusing on his thought alone rather than on stopping his daughter and her male friend from their usual bickering, making conversations about other other Pokemon coordinators going to pursue to become Pokemon Performers like May herself.
Onto the others on the other hand, a blue-haired Pokemon Performer named Dawn, then talked to Johanna, her mother and Caroline, the brunette Pokemon Performer's mother. The two mothers are notably drinking tea as they made conversations.
"Now that Ash had reached the final round of the Pokemon League Conference, I hope he had meet the Kalos Queen there. I am really inspired to do this because of her performances."
"Huh? Do you mean Kalos Queen Elle, Dawn?"
"Yes, you are right, mother."
"I see… So you and May had really decided to pursue this career because of Elle."
"Yes, really."
As the conversation between Johanna and Dawn as well May and Drew's bickering continued, Caroline somehow entered the mother-daughter conversation.
"Kalos Queen, eh?"
"What is it, Caroline?"
"Few weeks ago, I watched the Tripokalon Master Class Tournament in the Kalos Region in our house, where Elle fought against a girl who is the same age as our daughters. That was an interesting battle, if I could think about it."
"What's the girl's name, Caroline?" said Dawn in a slightly loud voice towards Caroline.
"Serena. Her performance along with her Braixen, Sylveon and Pancham is just as elegant and beautiful as Elle's with her Delphox, Aromatisse and Vivillion. Even so, because the winner of the tournament depends on the audience impact, Elle still won the title of the Kalos Queen," said Caroline as she thought about what she remembered.
"Serena, huh? I hope I could meet her too someday and we will be going to make conversations about her experiences in Pokemon Performances in Kalos. But most importantly, to fight her with it elsewhere," said Dawn as she felt determined about having another Pokemon Performer as her rival of sorts, "Is it, Piplup?"
"Pocha!"
The little blue penguin Pokemon on her arms responded to her question. Then her mother asked something:
"You're going to compete against someone that look like you, Dawn. Do you have an idea now?"
"Do you mean Princess Salvia, Mama?"
"Yes, I cannot expect that there would be one like you there."
"Not that I expect her being here either, Mama, ever since I returned Togekiss to her a long time ago..."
Over the course of her journey with a certain raven-haired Pokemon Trainer and a certain brown-haired Pokemon Doctor in the Sinnoh Region, Dawn had met her doppelgänger named Salvia, a certain princess of the Arrowroot Town in said region. [2] At this point, Dawn only felt surprised thinking about her look-a-like being in this competition along with May, especially she had returned the Togekiss to Salvia some time after she left Unova Region where she met Ash and his two companions named Cilan and Iris as the four participated in the Pokemon World Tournament Junior Cup a year ago. [3]
However, May and Drew are still continuing to bicker about things, much to the dismay of others. Then Dawn asked the two of them:
"Hey, May, Drew."
"What is it, Dawn?"
"I am quite curious, May, Drew… Aren't the two of you… dating?"
"A-Ah?! Me dating with Drew?! T-That's impossible! Right, Drew?!"
"Yeah! It's impossible for us to do so! Besides, we're only riv-"
"Yeah, you two are rivals. But that doesn't mean you can't fall in love with your rival." said Caroline, who was now teasing her daughter and said close friend, satisfying on seeing them being embarrassed on the current status of their relationship.
"M-Mama!"
The TV screen that they are watching now shows Charizard using Blast Burn on the ground towards Greninja. Greninja, on the other hand, then responded it by thrusting the Water Shuriken onto the ground, such action releases small waves of water on the ground that will stop the waves of flame energy, defending itself from such powerful attack. As a certain Pokemon League anchor then said:
"Oh! Greninja defended itself against Blast Burn with Water Shuriken! This is going to an interesting final battle for Kalos League!"
As the battle between Charizard and Greninja continued in Lumiose City Stadium, Cilan, Chili and Cress, all 17-year-old young men, are continuing their duties as the waiters of their restaurant, which also served as a Gym in Striaton City, even if they had watched such battle in the large flat-screened television that they had for their building.
You are clearly different from what you were before when I traveled with you, Ash. You fight differently now. It must be the will to become stronger that made you go like that now… Seeing your Greninja's appearance.
Cilan thought while watching the battle, even if he worked for his duties. After all, Cilan had been a companion with Ash and Iris when the aspiring Pokemon trainer traveled in the Unova Region and the Decolora Islands due to its fascination to discover new things in this world.
Speaking of that female trainer:
"Ash's improving, isn't it, Cilan?"
"I know, Opelucid City Gym Leader... We are quite honored to serve you in this restaurant anyway."
"Hey! Don't act like you do not know me, Cilan!"
In a living room of said house, five people and a Mr. Mime are watching the Kalos League Conference Finals match between Alain and Ash. Three of those people happened to be the well-known Professor Oak and his two assistants.
"So Ash was still pursuing to go with different Pokemon Leagues around the world. That persistence, huh?" said Gary, 15-year-old Professor Oak's grandson and a Pokemon researcher.
"I cannot agree with you, Gary. Ash was focusing more on traveling with different regions around the world to discover new Pokemon by himself," said Tracey, a 18-year-old assistant of the Pokemon Professor in Kanto Region, "Am I right, Professor Oak?"
"Hmm… Seeing him like that would made me feel proud. Besides, he might help us, Professors, about a certain Pokemon, Gary, Tracey."
"Huh? What Pokemon, grandfather?"
"I could tell you later after this conference finals. I hope for Ash's win there in Kalos, just like in Orange Region few years ago."
On that time, on the television screen, Ash's Greninja exchanged blows with Alain's Charizard with the former's Cut to the latter's Dragon Claw. Then, Charizard was then seen released a fist made of lightning towards Greninja, who responded it with making its water throwing star as its shield from such lightning fist.
"Yes, I could only hope for his win, Professor," said a certain 15-year-old orange-haired Gym Leader of the Cerulean City.
"Yes, of course, Misty, Professor Oak. Besides, if he lost this one, my son and Serena..." replied Delia, Ash's mother, in a thoughtful manner.
"If he lost in this Pokemon League there in Kalos, I will only think to two things to make him learn his lesson from me."
"... will be having the same fate in Kalos, since they might lost in such crucial battles to their goals." [4]
"Serena? Who is she, madam?"
"Didn't I tell you about Serena, Misty? She was my son's old friend whom we met several years ago in a Pokemon Summer Camp here in Pallet Town. I became an acquaintance with her mother because of my son and her daughter's friendship. But now in our recent video calls by the time he goes in the Kalos Region, she and Ash had been travelling together along with their other friends, pursuing their own goals."
"So, that was just like May and Max in Hoenn with him and Brock." [5]
"Yes, that's also like Dawn and Brock in Sinnoh, or Iris and Cilan in Unova." [6][7]
"So Ash had been really continuing his journey on the other regions, madam."
"I know. Just like Tracey said, he is more interested in seeing Pokemon by himself more than the Pokemon League. What's the problem, Misty?"
"Serena, huh? Is she that person who compete in the recent Tripokalon Master Class Tournament in Kalos?"
"Yes, she is that person- oh, that reminds me..."
Delia eventually sees a certain picture elsewhere around the room and gives it to everyone else for them to know about something in related to the event formed by Professor Oak himself.
"Now, I remember, you have never given me such picture, grandfather," said Gary who was rather annoyed about something, "more importantly, as someone whom I considered a rival once, I didn't even know about Ash's friendship to that cute little girl to the point that the two of them holding hands like that."
"They personally met one another during that Summer Camp when he and Serena got lost in a forest around the camp."
Before anything else happened, a sound of explosion was heard elsewhere, calling almost everyone's attention.
As it turned out though, on that time in TV screen while everyone's attention was on that picture, Charizard then releases another wave of flame energy on the ground, while Greninja was now seen using its most powerful Water Shuriken that it can wield by far and throwing it rapidly towards Charizard.
"Huh?!"
Everyone but one had then take a look back on the TV screen as the final clash had happened between Charizard and Greninja:
"Greninja is unable to battle! Charizard is the victor! The winner and therefore, the Champion for this year's Kalos League Conference, is Alain!"
Hearing the announcement, the crowd on that stadium in Kalos made a loud roar for the battle between such dedicated trainers who are now seen to shake hands to one another...
"This is such a magnificent battle between these two strongest Pokemon trainers in this conference, regardless of the winner. They had given their all in this match. This battle also makes the first time Alain used a full line-up against any opponent in this conference."
"Ash… I hope you do not get down again after losing this conference," said by a worried Delia.
"Huh? I thought he would have won this one this time around," said Gary sighing at the very moment where Ash actually lost the finals, "but seeing that Greninja's appearance... Grandfather, is there any information about that forme of Greninja?"
"I can't say anything. Not every fully-evolved Pokemon is capable of undergoing Mega Evolution process. Not even Greninja can change formes like that..." said Professor Oak with Tracey agreeing with him.
"This would be an interesting research, wouldn't it, Professor?" asked Delia while she is worried on Ash's loss.
Everyone were notably talking about the recent defeat of Ash... Everyone but Misty who was still looking at the picture that had been shown to them by Delia.
Serena, huh? I never knew about her or even someone like Dawn, Cilan or Iris. I see... I haven't seen him for a long while now or I have went to Pallet Town to call for him. It had been my duties as a Gym Leader that made me unable to do that. If only I could able to build a robot that could able to function like a Gym Leader does... I might able to join Ash for a long while.
"Is there something to matter, Misty?"
"Huh? N-Nothing, madam. I am just looking at the picture here."
On the television screen, the Pokemon Champion of Kalos, Diantha, was seen given a certain trophy to the Pokemon Trainer, Alain:
"Alain, I praise you as a Trainer who raised his Pokemon well, forged solid bonds with them, and demonstrated unparallel strength in battle. Congratulations."
"Thank you."
Then Ash was then seen to be congratulating Alain as well.
"W-What is going on?! What is that thing that crawled around the stadium?! Such mystery... What is going on?!"
A certain unexpected disaster happened on Kalos League Conference, much to the shock of everyone who watched the conference, especially Ash's friends and his mother who had been more worried now that danger has covered Lumiose City. Some of them even wanted to go to Kalos to help Ash just like in his previous journey, specifically Misty, May and Dawn. However:
"Ash..."
This was the only word Mrs. Delia had said before she proceeded to put her hands to her heart, praying for the safety of Ash and his friends in Lumiose City on Kalos, similar to someone else's expression before Ash's Gym Battle against Cyllage City Gym Leader, Grant. [8]
I only hope for your safety no matter what. I always have a faith that you can do it, just like everything you have done in the past, she thought as she watched the incident that had happened right now in Lumiose City.
"What are you going to do?"
"I've already decided... Like your father, I'll be exploring more about this world... I might have gone to become one of the best Pokemon Trainers around the world with my own dreams... Just like Pallet Oak."
"That's not easy to do... Especially now that he's here with us... in my arms."
"I know... But don't worry... I'll assure you that I'll be reaching my goal, even if it means taking a lot of time before I could ever achieve such thing."
"It didn't matter. He needed you to be here. After all, he is our..."
"Without becoming a Pokemon Master, he wouldn't be proud of me in the end."
"Fame, popularity, prestige... I also once wanted those things. But now, things had changed. All I want is your love to him."
"Yes... As much as I wanted to stay for him... My dreams with my Pokemon won't come to an end without doing anything here."
"Dreams, huh? If only I couldn't abandon my own for the sake of the life here in this town and... I might have joined you even."
"Then... let's travel together!"
"I'll not going to do that with him here."
"I see... Then, I will be staying here until he decided to become a Pokemon Trainer like me..."
"That's better, my dear."
Sounded better to hear for the person with womanly voice. However...
The next morning, such person spoke to a certain infant crying on her arms:
"He's gone... I'll pray for his return... I hope he'll be safe on his journey... I hope he'll see grow, my..."
The date is May 13, 20XX.
That is, three days had past since the Kalos League Conference [9] - and Lysandre's and Team Flare's intervention in Lumiose City [10] - ended.
For a seemingly short while, it was only complete darkness. However, the setting's changed when that person then opened his eyes to see a certain white ceiling when the skies outside was still dark but with few shades of white.
"W-Where am I?" those are first words of a certain person who had just awaken from such slumber, "was this place... a hospital room?"
Such slumber of that dream within three days, that is.
"Ma...ma."
The raven-haired person woke up slowly and then looked at his surroundings.
On one side of the room, there were a fiery falcon, a pudgy dragon, a small bipedal luchador-like bird of prey and the large chiropteran dragon sleeping peacefully on the floor, with said bird of prey sleeping on the head of the chiropteran dragon.
"Good morning, Talonflame, Goodra, Hawlucha, Noivern."
He then looked at a certain wall clock near them. The time's 6:15 AM.
"Pi-ka-pi-ka-chu... Pi-ka-pi-ka..."
On that certain person's lap, which was covered by a white blanket, was a short, chubby rodent sleeping tranquilly. Said person slowly pats the sleeping rodent's head with his left hand, making sure that he won't disturb said creature. He intentionally wanted to use his right hand first but a little bit heavy object prevented him in doing so.
"G-Good morning, Pikachu." said such person in a voice of low volume.
On the other side of the room, there were a fiery bipedal fox, a young panda, a green hedgehog, a grey rabbit, a black lion and a sylph mammal fell asleep on the floor, with the panda and the hedgehog sleeping with their heads close with one another, and most importantly, a yellow-haired young man and a yellow-haired young girl in a dinosaur suit along with an orange dormouse on a little yellow pouch sleeping as well.
"Clemont, Bonnie."
Notably, Bonnie's eyes was filled with complete sadness for a reason he might have not known.
"Ash."
But most importantly, perhaps, the reason he patted his yellow rodent with his left hand instead of his right one was because of certain young lady's right hand tightly holding his. Said lady was facing towards him, yet her face somehow filled with constant worrying. After all, it had been a long time since he had slept for some reason.
Beautiful...
That was the first thought such person said to the lady as he slowly lift his left hand to touch her face and trying to remove such sadness from her.
"You must have been that worried, Serena... I apo-"
"... Love..."
"Love?"
Said person then stopped doing something else as he heard that word from the young lady.
"I... here until... wake up, Ash... So don't... too long... because..."
Those are the last words of the young lady before she ever continued her sleep filled with peace and sorrow, in his thought, at least.
"Thank you, every-"
"Eh?"
Or so it seems... Ash, immediately realized that the young lady woke up.
"Serena."
The head of the young lady turned away from the patient to the direction of the bed where her head leaned on.
"Ash, are you awake?"
"Yeah, I am, Serena."
"This is not the Dream World, is it?"
"Dream World...? What do you meant about that? I haven't seen either a Cresselia or a Darkrai here... Or so I thought," replied Ash scratching his head and looking up in that white ceiling of the large room.
"Huh?"
"Good morning, Serena."
Serena, slowly turned her head up towards the direction of the patient.
"A... Ash!"
Serena immediately followed that with an embrace - such embrace so tight that she could not do it if she thinks of Ash being her crush.
"Thank goodness!"
Because of Serena's sudden act, Ash was understandably surprised when she did that.
Yet his response to that was a genuine smile.
After all, anything grim had happened towards anyone within Lumiose City, a city known for its landmarks and sceneries - which now turned into a city almost ruined by its destruction.
Continue on: Chapter 01: The Unexpected Visitor Part II
REFERENCES:
[1] Pokemon XYZ Episode 38: Kalos League Victory! Ash's Ultimate Match!
[2] Pokemon DP Episode 171: Togekiss Dance! The Princess's Pokémon Contest!
[3] Pokemon BW Episode 90 - Pokemon BW Episode 93
[3] Compare the results between Pokemon XYZ Episode 20: Elle VS Serena! Open the Door to the Future! and Pokemon XYZ Episode 38: Kalos League Victory! Ash's Ultimate Match!
[4] Pokemon Advanced Generations Main Cast
[5] Pokemon Diamond and Pearl Main Cast
[6] Pokemon Best Wishes Main Cast
[7] Pokemon XY Episode 25: Cyllage Gym Battle! Pikachu VS Tyrunt!
[8] Pokemon XYZ Episode 32 - Pokemon XYZ Episode 38
[9] Pokemon XYZ Episode 39 - Pokemon XYZ Episode 43
