I am so, so sorry that this took a lot longer than I thought it would. This last month has been something of an emotional roller coaster for various personal reasons, and that made it hard to write. Add in the fact that I've had a trip out of town in the past week as well as waiting on my beta readers to get back to me... and there were delays. But I am ultra-thankful that I have people who will read and help me catch my errors!

I also want to thank BellsproutSalad, pokemon fan 1991, FantasyLover88, NaLulover234, ultimateCCC, DrafteeDragon, caitlinelkinparsons, RixSkywalker1405, and EmzyWonder for reviewing as the chapters have continued! I hope this chapter meets your expectations. I like to think that a delayed chapter is eventually good, but a bad chapter is bad forever.

Next week I should be on time! Thank you for your patience!


Chapter 7 - "A Knight's Shield! Ash VS Calem!"

Ash adjusted his hat. Pikachu stood ready to go, and the battle was already really intense. His opponent, Calem, was tougher than he thought a fashion designer ought to be, but those six badges he had weren't for show. With Vaporeon out, with a disadvantage to Pikachu, Ash was mentally psyching himself up for an unpredictable opponent.

But something seemed off. He couldn't quite put his finger on what, but he knew inside that he wasn't as fully focused on the battle like he normally was.

He glanced to the sidelines, and saw Serena frowning there, and it made him frown. Normally when he battled (and was doing well) she was all smiles and cheers. Other than a few comments between rounds, she had been oddly silent. And for some reason, this put Ash off his mood. For a reason he couldn't quite put his finger on.

"Are you ready to go?" Calem asked, still fuming.

Ash stepped forward and nodded. "You bet! Let's get this going, Pikachu!"

"Pika!"

'We're ready for you this time,' Calem thought. 'There's no way such an unrefined guy like you can match our classy battle style!'

"Use Quick Attack!" Ash ordered. Pikachu once more leapt forth, glowing as he sped forward towards the Water-Type.

"Use Aqua Ring!" Calem commanded.

Pikachu leapt into Vaporeon, headbutting him backwards, causing him to skid across the dirt battlefield on his paws. As Vaporeon came to a stop, however, he circled himself with a small, glowing ring of water. As the water spun around him, Vaporeon flashed with a green, healing glow.

"Look! The Aqua Ring is healing Vaporeon!" Bonnie gawked, pointing her finger towards the scene playing before her.

Serena sat there, with a frown on her face. She didn't really want to continue watching this battle, but she felt like she had no choice. Both Ash and Calem were her friends, and she didn't want one to think she was abandoning them. She kept playing through the events of the morning in her head, when Calem accused her of having a crush on Ash. An accusation that was true, she granted, but her feelings for Ash didn't come into her decision to stay with her friends instead of traveling with Calem. And yet, she wondered why that was what Calem had latched onto when he became upset.

"Earth to Serena? Hello?" Bonnie waved her hands in front of the Performer's face.

"Uh! Y-Yeah! I'm watching!" Serena jumped, quickly lying.

Ash nodded at Vaporeon. "Well, Aqua Ring only heals slowly, so let's end this quickly! Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu leapt into the air, his cheeks crackling with electricity. With a loud shout, he sent the arc of electric energy crackling through the air towards Vaporeon.

"Use Dig!" Calem shouted.

Before Pikachu's attack could connect, Vaporeon jumped backwards and rapidly spun, quickly digging a hole and tunnelling underground.

Calem grinned. "Looks like your advantage doesn't mean much when we can strike from anywhere," he said, confident.

Ash bared his teeth like fangs, his own confidence overflowing. "You might think you have us where you want us, but really, you made yourself a target!"

"What?" Calem gasped.

"Iron Tail!"

The image played out before Serena like she had seen twice before. Pikachu leapt into the air, spinning as his tail began to glow. The Mouse Pokémon smashed his tail into the ground, breaking the very battlefield beneath him. The force of the strike, sent rocks and dirt flying all around, and among those rocks and dirt was Calem's Vaporeon, forcibly removed from his underground hiding place.

"Thunderbolt, now!"

Pikachu leapt through the dirt and stones, coming close to Vaporeon, who was still stunned from being knocked out of the ground. He discharged another bolt of lightning into the Water-Type, who screamed out in pain as he fell to the ground. A slight green glow from the Aqua Ring restored a little of Vaporeon's strength, helping the Pokémon to his feet.

Calem clenched his teeth. 'This isn't going like I planned at all…!' he fumed. 'I just want to win! I have to beat him!' "Vaporeon! Can you keep going?" Vaporeon gave Calem a weary nod as he took his battle stance once again. "Use Ice Beam!"

Vaporeon opened his mouth and fired a beam of chilling energy towards Pikachu. Ash held his hand out towards Pikachu. "Use Electro Ball!" Pikachu jumped back, forming the sphere on his tail before tossing it with a flip, towards the Ice Beam. Both attacks collided in mid air, creating an explosion of ice and electricity in the middle of the air.

"Now, let's try Scald!" Calem ordered. Vaporeon glowed green a little from the Aqua Ring, and with a bit of renewed strength, fired a hot jet of water from his mouth.

"Pikachu, dodge it!" Ash called. Pikachu watched for the attack to draw near, but the cloud of ice and electricity hadn't dispersed enough yet, and the scalding water shot through it, hitting him and knocking him back.

Pikachu stood up from the hot water and shook himself dry, but there was a faint red glow around his body. Pikachu clenched his teeth and took a step forward.

"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.

Pikachu leapt forward and launched another arc of electricity at Vaporeon.

"Vaporeon, use Ice Beam!" Calem shouted.

Vaporeon opened his mouth and countered the Thunderbolt with his own move, the two beams struggling against each other.

"Give it everything you've got, Pikachu!" Ash shouted. "Full Power!"

Pikachu growled and poured more and more energy into the Thunderbolt, overpowering the Ice Beam and striking Vaporeon with the powerful move. The attack exploded into the Water-Type, covering Calem's side of the field in a cloud of smoke.

However, as Pikachu landed, he suddenly became enveloped in flames for a moment. Pikachu cried out in pain as the fire drained his energy.

"Wait," Serena said, looking up. "What happened to Pikachu?"

"You see, even though Scald is a Water-Type move," Clemont explained, "it can cause a burn like it's a Fire-Type Move."

"So Pikachu's burned?" Bonnie asked.

He nodded. "Not only will the burn drain Pikachu's energy over time, but also his offensive power is cut. This is not a good turn of events for Ash."

The smoke on Calem's side finally cleared, and Vaporeon was lying immobile on the ground, his eyes dazed over.

Clemont nodded. "Vaporeon is unable to battle! Pikachu wins!"

"Awesome job, Pikachu!" Ash called.

Pikachu raised a weary fist. "Pi… Pikachu!"

Calem recalled Vaporeon to his Poké Ball. "Thank you, Vaporeon." He looked up at Ash. "I don't get it."

Ash blinked. "What do you mean?"

"I just don't understand what she sees in you," he said. "You're nothing special. You're just another rough-housing trainer, more concerned with battles than bathing. You look like a mess, and you only knew each other for a single moment where I was growing up with her." He stepped forward, tears welling up in his eyes, his anger surging forth. "Why does Yvonne like you more than she likes me?!"

That outburst brought Serena out of her mind and she immediately turned and looked at Calem. "Wait… that means…"

Bonnie's jaw dropped. "This is WAY better than I thought it would be!"

Ash and Clemont, however, looked at Calem, totally clueless. "Is this about how she decided to travel with us still?" Ash asked.

"It's about way more than that!" he said, tossing his next Poké Ball into the battle. "Chesnaught, let's fight!"

From the Poké Ball came the intimidating form of Calem's next Pokémon. He stood tall, much taller than Pikachu, and had a huge, cream-colored shell on his back, with huge spikes on it. "Chesnaught!" He roared across the field at Ash and Pikachu.

Serena pulled out her Pokédex and pointed it at Chesnaught. The device sprung to life and displayed Chesnaught's image on its screen. "Chesnaught, the Spiny Armor Pokémon and the final evolved form of Chespin. Its Tackle is forceful enough to flip a 50-ton tank. It shields its allies from danger with its own body."

Serena looked up at Chesnaught with her own eyes. "I guess this is the Pokémon Calem chose when he went to see Professor Sycamore…"

Ash sized up Chesnaught and nodded. "Pikachu, return." Pikachu's ears perked up and he turned to Ash before scampering off the field, still glowing from the burn. Ash kneeled down to his buddy and rubbed his head. "You did a great job, buddy. Rest for a bit before I send you back in."

"Pikachu," he nodded, smiling.

Ash took another Poké Ball out. "Hawlucha, I choose you!" he called, tossing the ball into the air.

The Poké Ball snapped open, and in a flash, Ash's red, white, and green Pokémon appeared, striking a pose. Hawlucha called out across the field, ready for a fight.

Calem furrowed his brow. "Really? Another Flying-Type? Are you supposed to be some sort of Flying Specialist?"

Ash growled, stomping his foot. "It doesn't matter what type they are! My Pokémon are my partners!"

Calem shrugged. "At least it's a Fighting-Type battle. I can't wait to clean your clock." He stomped forward as well, gesturing forward with his hand. "Chesnaught! Rollout!"

The massive Chesnaught leapt into the air before taking a roll forward, glowing green as he spins across the ground toward Hawlucha.

"Hawlucha, dodge it!" Ash commanded. His Wrestling Pokémon leapt into the air, nearly getting struck by the Rollout, but clearing the attack. "Now, Flying Press!"

Hawlucha spun in the air and soared down towards Chesnaught, who was still using Rollout. The two attacks collided, knocking both Pokémon away from each other. Both Hawlucha and Chesnaught skid across the ground on their feet, though Chesnaught moved towards Ash, and Hawlucha towards Calem.

"Hawlucha, get in close and use Karate Chop!"

"Fight back with Hammer Arm, Chesnaught!"

Hawlucha raced towards Chesnaught, his arms glowing. Chesnaught stood still, his own arms glowing, awaiting Hawlucha's approach. Hawlucha struck out with one of his arms, chopping at Chenaught, who blocked with one of his. Chesnaught took a swing at Hawlucha, who slipped back, backflipping.

Ash grinned. "Now! High Jump Kick!"

Calem grinned himself. "Chesnaught, get ready!"

Hawlucha leapt towards Chesnaught, his knee glowing, ready to smash into the Grass-Type.

"Use Spiky Shield!"

Chesnaught's arms grew together, and formed a green shield, covered in raised spines. Hawlucha gasped in shock as his knee smashed into the shield before falling backwards, yelping in pain as he held his knee.

"Hawlucha! Are you okay?"

Serena gasped. "What just happened?"

Clemont adjusted his glasses. "Well, as you know, High Jump Kick is a very risky move, since if it doesn't make contact, the user takes massive damage. In addition to that, Spiky Shield is a move that protects the user from getting hurt, as well as inflicting damage if the opponent makes contact with the shield. That combination means Hawlucha took seriously massive damage." As he explained, the two trainers and Bonnie turned their eyes towards Hawlucha, who was struggling to stand up.

Calem grinned. "I'm really putting this away this time. Use Wood Hammer!"

Chesnaught's arms began to glow with a green aura, forming stumpy hammers at the ends of his arms.

"Hawlucha" Ash pleaded, "get out of there and use Flying Press!"

Hawlucha leapt onto Chesnaught's shoulder, dodging the Grass-Type move as Chesnaught swung through the air. He backflipped off Chesnaught and then spun in the air, making contact once again with Chesnaught's back, knocking the Spiny Armor Pokémon to the ground. The wrestling Pokémon jumped backwards, landing in front of Ash. "Cha! Lucha!" he called, raising his arms into the air.

Chesnaught punched the ground and rose to his feet, turning around towards Hawlucha, an angry glint in his eye. Calem's teeth were bared, and the anger on his face was just as evident as the anger on his Pokémon's. "Wood Hammer!"

Before the Wrestling Pokémon could turn around, Chesnaught brought his huge arms, coated in the green, hammer shaped auras, down on the Luchador, causing an explosion at his feet.

When the smoke cleared, Hawlucha laid on the ground, eyes dazed over, crumpled in a heap at Chesnaught's feet. Green sparks seemed to jump along Chesnaught's body as he towered over the fallen Fighting-and-Flying-Type.

"Hawlucha is unable to battle! Chesnaught wins!"

Ash held up his Poké Ball and pulled Hawlucha back inside. "Great work, Hawlucha. You did an awesome job."

Across the field, Calem clenched his teeth and growled. "We're tied again. I thought you were some sorta hot-shot trainer!"

Ash pumped his fist. "We're in it to win it, Calem!" he boasted. "We don't give up-"

"Don't even say that phrase!" Calem snapped at him. "I hate that phrase more than anything! It just reminds me of my failure!"


Calem Skye sat in his room, alone, packing.

A few days ago, his mother had grounded him for once again taking Yvonne out of Vaniville Town, though it was really her idea. He had just taken the fall for it because Yvonne was his friend. And because Ms. Skye had a better idea of grounding than most parents, she correctly guessed that taking away Calem's computer and video game console would be punishment, rather than just confining him to his room.

With little else to distract him, he had opened his school books and sat down at his desk to write. It was a writing class, and the assignment he (and by extension, his classmate and neighbor, Serena) had been given was to write a short story about you and your best friend.

Calem had an amazing idea. He would be a brave knight, and Yvonne would be a princess in need of saving. He would face down a fearsome Hydreigon and save the day, and her life. She would look at him and smile and thank him, and finally see him as the hero to her he always was. He wasn't sure what Yvonne would write, since he couldn't contact her, but he held hope in his heart that she would write about him, too. That his feelings would be returned, finally.

He didn't realize it as a young child, but as both he and Serena matured, he began to see her in a different way. Instead of just fun, she was beautiful. He couldn't sit still beside her. He wanted to tell her exactly what was going on in his mind, how he ached for her.

But every time he got close to talking to the subject of his tender emotions about the fact that she kept him awake at night, she would always bring up the same person.

Ash from Summer Camp.

It happened that day, too. When they were to share their stories in front of the class, Serena eagerly went first. And she told a story about how she and this Ash lived on a farm, taking care of Pokémon together.

Calem didn't even bother to share his after that.

He hoisted his backpack onto his shoulders. He would make one more attempt, take one more chance on the girl who was training to be a Rhyhorn Racer.

He said one last goodbye to his mother and father, both of them proud that he was finally taking on the path of the Pokémon Trainer like they did in their youth. He stopped by a wooden fence and watched the girl who had unknowingly crept into his heart get bucked around by the Rhyhorn she was attempting to ride. Eventually, Rhyhorn settled down and stared at him, causing the girl with the long, honey-blonde hair to look at him, too.

"Hey, Xavier!" Yvonne said, waving to him. Her face was patched with dirt, and there was a scratch across her forehead. She paused and looked him up and down. "Wait… why are you dressed like that…?"

Calem put on a brave face. "I've decided that it's time for me to go on a journey," he said, hefting his bag as he looked at her.

"You're leaving?" she asked. She tilted her head to the side, as if she wasn't sure what she was looking at.

"Yeah," he responded, pulling on his hat a little bit. "I know I'm not going to become a fashion designer if I stay here in Vaniville Town," he said. "I'm heading to Professor Sycamore's lab to choose a Pokémon tomorrow."

"That sounds like fun," Yvonne said, sighing. "Much better than another day of Rhyhorn Racing…"

"You could come with me," he said, offering her a hand while she sat, staring skyward.

Yvonne looked down at him. "Travel? With you?" she asked.

Calem slipped a hand into his jacket pocket, feeling for a ring. "Yeah! It'll just be me and you on the road together. No parents, no responsibility, nothing but travelling!" His fingers found the ring quickly, and he clutched it. He looked nervously at Yvonne, hoping that she would accept it.

Yvonne, however, was more concerned with other matters. "That almost sounds too good to be true…" she said with a sigh.

Calem smiled at her, anticipation growing. "Well, what do you say?" he asked as he fidgeted with the ring.

"I mean, it's a nice offer, but what would I do out there?" Yvonne asked with a careless shrug. "I seriously doubt that my Mom would just let me go on a journey to slack off. She expects me to be a Rhyhorn Racer."

"Is that what you wanna do for the rest of your life, Serena? Be a Rhyhorn Racer?" Calem's tone was desperate. So much so that he had forgotten to call her by her nickname. He clenched the ring in his fist.

Yvonne shrugged, completely noncommittal. "Well… I don't know what I'm gonna do. It's not like I hate Rhyhorn Racing… Maybe doing it won't be so bad…"

"Yvonne, are you sure?" he asked, unable to mask the desperation in his voice.

Serena shook her head. "I'm sorry, Xavier… I just don't think the travelling is right for me right now."

Baring his teeth, Calem jammed his other hand into his other jacket pocket, while his first hand clenched the ring tightly. "Oh. Well, okay. That's cool," he said, irritation in his voice. "Well… let's keep in touch, okay? If you change your mind, we can still travel together."

Serena smiled. "Okay. If I change my mind, I'll let you know."

Calem, however, had barely heard her when he turned around and began walking away. He took the ring out of his pocket and looked at it. "We could have… I should have…" He stomped his feet once more before walking off.


Bonnie almost shone with glee. "You were going to give her a ring?!"

Serena's entire face was red from embarrassment. "B-Bonnie! That's not-"

"-It's not important!" Ash roared, his fiery gaze locked on Calem. "Serena made her choice and you're just angry about it!"

"I'm not angry at her!" he countered. "I'm angry at you!"

"Me?"

Calem nodded. "I love Yvonne, but no matter how much love I offered her, I could never displace you from her heart! You met her once! I grew up alongside her! Why does she choose you?!"

Clemont put a hand on his chin. "W-Well… there is a theory called the Westermarck Effect…"

Bonnie hopped up. "This really isn't the time for science, Clemont!"

Serena pulled her red fedora over her face. 'I didn't even know Calem felt like that… and now Ash is caught up in this weird love triangle and it's all my fault…'

"She chose me because we're friends!"

Serena looked up, and saw Ash standing there, defiant and angry at Calem.

"Look, I don't really get why you wanted to give your best friend a ring," Ash continued, "but if she didn't want it, you can't make her take it!"

Calem's gaze narrowed. "You naive fool," he shouted. "You really don't understand what's going on here, do you?"

"It doesn't matter!" Ash shot back.

"Oh, it entirely matters, Ash," he said. "You don't really understand Yvonne. If you did.. You wouldn't be talking the way you do. Don't you see that you're hurting her like this?"

Ash paused and looked over at Serena. She was holding her hat in both hands and looking at him with a scared, red-faced expression. "I'm… hurting her?"

"Let's finish this battle!" Calem said. "I will protect her from you! I will be her shield! Face me, Ash!"

Ash's mind was brought back to the battle at hand. "R-Right…" 'Am I really hurting Serena…?' "Pikachu, I choose you!"

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded and hopped out onto the field, still glowing red from the effects of the burn.

"Chesnaught, use Rollout!"

Calem's Chesnaught leapt into the air and began rolling forward towards Ash and Pikachu.

Ash clenched his teeth. "Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu leapt into the air and fired off a bolt of electricity towards the Spiny Armor Pokémon.

"Spiky Shield, quick!" Calem ordered. Chesnaught stopped in his tracks and held up his arms, which quickly grew together and formed the shield with raised spines, blocking Pikachu's Thunderbolt before it made contact. With the attack dissipated, Calem gestured forth. "Use Hammer Arm!"

When Pikachu landed, the flames shot up again, once again draining his strength from the burn, filling Ash's side of the field with his cries. Chesnaught charged forward, raising his arms above the Mouse Pokémon.

"Dodge it!" Ash cried out.

"Pi!" Pikachu rolled backwards as Chesnaught's arms came down, only narrowly avoiding the attack. The Grass-and-Fighting-Type's arms smashed into the ground, giving Pikachu a brief opening.

"Use Iron Tail!"

"Chuu-Pika!" Pikachu leapt up above Chesnaught, his tail glowing with power before he smashed it into Chesnaught's chin, launching him into the air and away from Pikachu. The heavy Pokémon landed with a crash.

As Chesnaught rose from the dust, however, Pikachu was once more engulfed by flames, screaming out again.

"The burn…" Ash said, gritting his teeth.

"You can't stop us, Ash," Calem boasted. "Your Pikachu's at the end of his tiny rope."

"If there's one thing about Pikachu and me, it's that we never give up!" Ash shouted back. "Pikachu, use Electro Ball!

"Hmph. Spiky Shield!"

"Pikapikapikapikapika-" Pikachu chanted, forming the sphere of electric energy on his tail. Chesnaught stood still and used his arms once more to create the Spiky Shield. "-Chupi!" With a flip, Pikachu fired the ball directly into the Spiky Shield. The attack exploded, but Chesnaught was unharmed, sharing the same grin on his face that his trainer did.

"Did you really think that would work?" Calem asked. "You can't break our Spiky Shield with that."

"If one Electro Ball won't work," Ash said, "then we'll just have to try a ton of them! Keep firing, Pikachu! He can't hide behind his shield forever!"

Pikachu began rapidly forming and firing Electro Balls from his tail, smashing into an increasingly surprised Chesnaught's shield. The attacks shook the Spiny Armor Pokémon's body with each strike until Chesnaught couldn't keep the shield raised any longer. His arms fell, and the next Electro Ball smashed into his chest, knocking him backwards.

"They broke through?!" Calem gasped.

"That's how Ash battles!" Bonnie cheered. "You never know what you're gonna get!"

Serena clasped her hands, a smile on her face. 'Oh, Ash…'

"Let's wrap this up, Pikachu! Use Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu once more took damage from the burn, but he leapt into the air all the same and discharged a bolt of electricity towards Chesnaught.

"No! We can't lose! Chesnaught, charge through and use Wood Hammer!"

Chesnaught raised his arms up, forming the green, hammer-like auras around them just as Pikachu's Thunderbolt struck. The electricity coursing through his body, he charged through the attack, roaring with pain and anger as he charged Pikachu. With a mighty swing of his arm, he smacked Pikachu away, towards Ash. Ash's first Pokémon cried out as he hit the ground, slumping over into the dirt.

"Pikachu!"

Ash called out towards his partner before rushing out of the trainer's box towards where he fell. Pikachu's expression was dazed over, unable to continue the battle.

"Pikachu is unable to battle! Chesnaught-" Clemont began to say until Chesnaught's body was overcome with green sparks. The Grass-Type fell to his knees, and then collapsed on the ground.

"Chesnaught?!" Calem shouted, rushing over to his partner.

Clemont raised both of his arms. "Pikachu and Chesnaught are both unable to battle!"

Serena covered her mouth with her hands. "Wait, what happened? Why did Chesnaught collapse?"

Clemont turned his head back towards her. "Wood Hammer is a very powerful Grass-Type move, but it also hurts the user. Chesnaught had an intense battle with both Pikachu and Hawlucha, and I guess that it was at the very limit of its endurance when it used Wood Hammer."

Ash scooped Pikachu up into his arms as Calem recalled Chesnaught into his Poké Ball. "You did great work Pikachu."

"Thanks for working so hard, Chesnaught."

Both trainers looked at each other.

"Just one Pokémon left, Ash. Are you ready to finish this?"

Ash looked back in his arms at Pikachu, who was just beginning to come around. He looked up at Clemont, who stood ready to continue refereeing the match. He looked at Bonnie, who seemed excited to see it continue.

He looked at Serena, whose face was drawn back with worry.

"I… I'm ready to go. Can you get out the Battle Pulse Measuring Instrument?"


"Alright everyone! Let's go together! Towards our next adventure!"

"My battle with Calem enters the final round... there's no way I can lose with everyone watching!"

"Ash, I'll prove I'm better than you are! Absol and I can Mega Evolve together!"

"Well, if you think that's impressive, wait until you see what we can do! Let's go, Greninja! ...wait? What's going on?"

"Next time, Pokémon XY&Z: The ABC's of Love! Conclusion! Greninja VS Mega Absol!"

"Everyone, go catch'em all!"