Appearing as little more than a quiet fishing village, the drop-off destination that Natalie's ship approached for their Kalosian passenger exuded a peaceful atmosphere, in seamless transition between the silky beaches and crystal clear ocean water that filtered in through the settlement's welcoming cove. Serena and her pokémon awed at the foreign region's first impression, returning a wave to the occasional fisherman their vessel passed. Having taken the time to sightsee, the performer realized she had one last task before departing from Natalie's company, motioning for her team to follow as she left the railing.

The researcher's crew was hard at work keeping the deck and other exteriors clean and functional, though made sure to give their guest room to walk past and head for the bridge. Quickly scurrying up the stairs, Serena stepped onto the ship's command deck, immediately spotting her intended target between the two men steering. Natalie was nibbling on a leftover muffin with one hand, the other stuck deep in her coat as usual. Just as she went for another bite, the woman noticed her new friend's footsteps, turning to smile and welcome her.

"Just a few more minutes and we'll be in position to drop you off," she stated, continuing the previously untaken bite of her sweet. Serena nodded in acknowledgement, but this wasn't her reason for seeking the researcher out.

"Is it possible to make a quick call? There's a friend I need to get ahold of." Natalie seemed unfazed, giving a simple nod as she swallowed.

"Of course, please help yourself to the phone. It's just past the mess on your way in." Thanking the woman, Serena proceeded back down to the lower deck, narrowly sliding past a crewmember swabbing the floor, then ducking back into the ship's interior. It didn't take long to find exactly where Natalie had directed her, approaching the video phone and beginning to dial in a number.

She should be there by now…

Taking a step back, the honey-blonde waited as the device rang repeatedly, anxiously awaiting the other end to pick up. After nearly a dozen rings, she finally received an answer, smiling brightly as the friend she'd made back in Laverre City came into view. This was immediately followed by embarrassment as she noticed May was currently stuffing her face with what appeared to be Lumiose Galettes. The Hoenn girl didn't seem to take note of Serena's reaction, but at the very least stopped eating to wave back with an excited grin.

"Serena! How are you?" She took the moment before being given an answer to munch on another treat. The Kalosian chuckled awkwardly before renewing her focus and addressing her friend.

"I'm great! You seem to be enjoying yourself." May's grin widened, finally stopping her feast to step back and perform a quick twirl.

"Absolutely! Lumiose is incredible! The city is gorgeous, the boutiques are amazing, and the food is to die for!" Her voice dipped into a longing tone by the end, which followed with her taking another bite of a gallete, squishing her cheeks in delight. Serena couldn't help but be amused, never having seen anyone react to food like this since Ash himself. As if she'd read the performer's mind, May was suddenly at attention, placing her face to nearly take up the whole screen.

"So how'd it go? Did he miss you? Did you hug him on sight? Did he hug you on sight?" Doing her best to contain a blush, Serena waved her hands in front of her.

"N-no! I mean… I didn't catch up to him yet." Her saddened tone gave away her immense disappointment, though May simply backed away and folded her arms, sighing.

"Yeah, I figured. Always on the move, that one, can't stay in one place." Even if May didn't intend it, Serena was quick to cheer up following the other girl's exasperation, still finding it enjoyable to hear about Ash's quirks from another girl's perspective.

"Alright, so where are you now?" the Hoenn native continued, offhandedly eating her food.

"I'm just about to step foot in Sinnoh, actually. I found out Ash was headed for Sunyshore City and a nice lady I met offered me a ride there. Although, I'm being dropped off at a little town down the coast." May thought hard about the new information, not even trying to start eating another galette. Serena's hopes rose as she saw her friend draw up an inspired smile, holding up a finger.

"Well then you're in luck, girl. A good friend of mine happens to be participating in a contest not too far from there. You just get going to Sunyshore, I'll send word to have her rush over and stall Ash as long as it takes." Though shocked, Serena was quick to decline, thinking it ludicrous to interrupt a stranger on her behalf.

"No way! You shouldn't drag her away from an event just like that." May on the other hand, seemed amused by the performer's good-nature, waving it off.

"Don't you worry about a thing, Serena. She's only there for an exhibition. Plus, once I tell her what this is about, she'll take off in a heartbeat. Now get yourself to Sunyshore, no buts!" Before the Kalosian could interject, despite the brunette's declaration, May had already cut the connection, leaving Serena with nothing but a wink. She murmured nervously under her breath, wishing she didn't have so many people jumping hoops to help her. Her thoughts were abruptly halted when she was startled by the ship's horn, signaling that they were about to make landfall. In a hurry, she quickly recalled her trio to their pokéballs, followed by a hurried dash towards the exit door.

Emerging into the warm sunlight once again, Serena found Natalie already present near the gangplank mechanism, casually leaning on the railing. The woman smiled as her guest appeared, motioning her over.

"This is your stop, Serena. It's been a pleasure having you aboard." The researcher offered her hand to the young lady, who didn't hesitate to accept the gesture in kind.

"Thank you so much, you've done more than I could ever ask," the honey-blonde replied. Natalie kept her hands in her coat as her vessel finally came to a gentle halt along the cobblestone pier, at which point her crew activated the extending gangplank.

"It won't be goodbye for long, I imagine. Once you catch up to your friends, I'd be happy to take you along to wherever you're headed next, provided you meet us in Crown City." Ever amazed by the woman's blooming generosity, Serena gave one final bid of gratitude before turning to exit the ship, briskly clearing the bridge to solid ground. As Natalie watched from the deck, she held up her wrist, watching numerous lines of data across the device always clasped to it. Nodding to no one in particular, she continued to follow Serena's trail until the girl finally disappeared in the mess of fishing huts strewn about the shore.


Matched in speed only by Bonnie, with Brock tailing close behind, Ash made a mad run for the end of the dock, Pikachu clinging tightly to his trainer's shoulder. The two eagerly studied what they could glimpse of Sunyshore after so many years, though in all honesty it was for nostalgia's sake. The city held minor improvements, but was the same solar-powered town they'd visited long ago. Making it a ways on solid ground, Ash finally came to a halt in a nearby plaza, only to have to grab Bonnie by the back of her collar before the girl could trip right into a fountain.

By the time both were standing in one place, Brock managed to join in, entertained by the now two hyperactive trainers he had the pleasure of traveling with.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you've never been here, Ash," he commented with a chuckle. His friend just grinned, throwing out his arms.

"Doesn't matter if it's the first or hundredth; it's always fun to visit again!" Bonnie concurred with him, facing Brock.

"He's right! We passed through Lumiose City four times while going around Kalos, and every time, something exciting happened!" She suddenly placed a finger to her mouth, looking up thoughtfully. "And explosions, usually a bunch of explosions…" Brock sweatdropped, but chose to turn his attention to his fellow Kantonian.

"So, what should we do now? I'm sure you're itching to find a familiar face." Ash nodded in response, opening his mouth to reply, only to suddenly be interrupted by a new voice.

"Well, I'm sure you won't have to search very far."

Stunned, Ash and Brock, along with a curious Bonnie, swung around, witnessing the arrival of none other than Sunyshore City's own gym leader and benefactor. Donned in his usual unzipped jacket, the man waved to the gathered trio and their pokémon, an equally familiar electric type walking beside him. The two travelers from Pallet Town had their eyes beam in joy.

"Volkner! Raichu!"

"Pika!"

As soon as Ash and his partner's exclamations left their lips, the two quickly made their way over to the gym leader, with Pikachu hopping off his trainer's shoulder to greet his evolved form. He and Raichu joined paws and shook vigorously, then swiftly turned their backs and exchanged a few friendly volts between their tails. Ash meanwhile, gave his old acquaintance a firm handshake, instantly recalling the fantastic battle they'd fought in the past.

"I don't believe it! Did you know we were here?" the raven-haired trainer asked incredulously. Volkner grinned, looking back over his shoulder. Following his gaze, the group saw Sunyshore Tower in the distance, reflecting rays of sunlight off its glassed surface.

"I saw the ship coming in from my lookout. There were two large pokémon flying about, so I took a closer look through the binoculars. I definitely didn't expect them to soar down and be recalled to their pokéballs by none other than the trainer who helped me reclaim my spark." Ash seemed somewhat bashful at the comment, rubbing the back of his head with a toothy grin. In the midst of it, Volkner took note of Brock, not that he hadn't spotted him earlier as well. He offered the doctor a handshake as well.

"And Brock, it's good to see you two still traveling together."

The man from Pewter City replied with a greeting in return, before Volkner noticed the third member of their group. Smiling, he curiously studied the awestruck Bonnie.

"Who might you be, young lady?" The Kalosian seemed somewhat frozen to the spot, but still found the voice to answer.

"I-I'm Bonnie. Are you… a gym leader?" Volkner was rather surprised, as it hadn't been mentioned what position he held, though nevertheless nodded.

"Yeah, that's right. I'm Volkner, electric type gym leader of Sunyshore City." Ash and Pikachu seemed none too shocked by Bonnie's intuition, stepping up next to their blonde companion.

"Bonnie's older brother Clemont is an electric gym leader too, over in the Kalos region." Appearing to understand now, Volkner's face expressed definite intrigue.

"Well then, I guess it makes sense you could see through me so easily," he stated with a chuckle. As he did, Dedenne popped out of the young girl's bag, attracted by the commotion. Having never seen such a pokémon before, Volkner knelt down to greet the little one.

"Is this your partner, Bonnie?" the man asked, giving the Antennae pokémon a scratch beneath his chin, earning a pleasing sigh from the mouse. The Lumiose sibling took hold of her first companion and placed him atop her head.

"You bet, my brother caught Dedenne for me when I was little, so he could be my Pokémon when I was old enough." Volkner acknowledged the backstory, watching as Raichu hopped over and waved to the foreign electric type perched on Bonnie's noggin. Naturally, she bent down to admire how cute the larger voltaic mouse was, allowing Dedenne and Raichu to formally greet one another by exchanging sparks. In the meantime Volkner turned back to Ash.

"So I'm guessing Dedenne here is a pokémon native to Kalos?" Just before the younger trainer could answer, his stomach let out a low and quite signature sound, giving everyone a good chuckle. Instantly with an idea, Volkner spoke up again.

"I think you already know the place to continue this conversation." It took a moment, but Ash eventually realized what the gym leader was implying, giving an adamant nod. Turning, he motioned for his friends to follow while his legs began moving him backwards.

"Come on, guys, let's get some foo- whoooa! Ah!"

A moving sidewalk began carrying the fallen trainer away, prompting everyone to worriedly hurry after him before he was lost to Sunyshore's extensive mechanical walkways.

"I forgot about these things…" the Kantonian mused in a daze.


For the better part of a few hours, Ash's group, along with Volkner, spent the time recounting the numerous adventures they'd experienced after parting ways the last time they'd been together in Sunyshore City. Their location of choice: the very same coffee shop Flint of the Elite Four had brought the Kanto trainer and his friends to. Naturally, this meant the rest of the time went towards the gluttonous young man filling his stomach with sandwiches.

What would normally be held as loitering on any other premise was void in the presence of the proprietor, Flint and Volkner's old acquaintance, who casually stood by cleaning glasses as Ash went on about the countless battles he and his team pushed through in both Unova and Kalos. Bonnie showed even more interest than Sunyshore's gym leader, having never gotten the chance to hear of her senior's exploits to such detail.

As Ash absentmindedly munched on the last of his food, Volkner finally progressed the conversation to current events.

"So, based on your movements I'm guessing you'll be headed to Unova?" The raven-haired trainer and his Pikachu both nodded, taking one last bite of their respective food.

"For sure! Can't leave it out just to get to Kalos sooner." While his partner gave a resounding cry of approval, Ash pondered if he'd follow the trend of encountering old friends on his way to the ultimate challenge of his pokémon trainer career. At the same time however, he didn't want Volkner thinking he'd be on his merry way in a flash.

"But there's something I'd like to do here before leaving, if you're up for it." Knowing exactly what the Kantonian was going for, Sunyshore's gym leader grinned.

"I saw this coming a mile away," he insisted. Both he and Ash stood up from the solely occupied table in the shop, with Pikachu hopping up to his trainer's shoulder and matching his new look of determination. The Pallet Town native moved his gaze from the acknowledging expression on Volkner's face to the man's electric partner.

"We never got to battle you last time, Raichu. What do you say?"

"Pika, pika?"

The larger electric type seemed just as wary as his trainer, quickly replying with strong sparks from his cheeks and holding out a balled-up paw.

"Rai, Rai!" With that settled, everyone else took it as a cue that they were leaving, getting up from their chairs and thanking the proprietor for his service and hospitality. He responded by saying it was a shame Flint wasn't around to see the upcoming battle, waving the group goodbye as they exited the shop. Volkner lead the way towards the nearest battlefield, spaciously present in a nearby park.


Serena only realized she'd been running when her lungs suddenly gave her an abrupt pinch, forcing her to stop and catch her breath. Upon taking a closer look at the path ahead, she found that the crest of the hill was fast approaching. The distinct scent of ocean water had also grown stronger, informing the girl that her departure from the shoreline was coming to an end. Confidence brewing, she made a last ditch sprint for the top, all the while hoping for a very specific view to grace her eyes.

Her desire took life, as even before leveling out on the raised earth, Serena's brilliantly blue eyes caught the reflection of several solar panels off in the distance, angled upon the rooftops of high-rises across the impressive landscape of Sunyshore City. Even with her elevated heartrate from exertion, the Kalosian could still feel distinctly powerful beats at the thought that her goal was within sight. In the very town she now stared into were two of her long-unseen companions, unaware that she'd been pursuing them across regions.

With this in mind, her only instinct was to continue running. She had faith in May's friend, but the nagging idea that Ash would still outpace the lot of them wouldn't leave her mind. Unfortunately, her body was quick to remind her of the significant distance she'd already charged through, nearly tripping up on a brief loss of strength in her leg. Grunting, Serena refused to concede entirely, instead opting for as brisk a pace as possible as the city slowly disappeared back beneath the surrounding treetops, leaving the performer with no measure of just how close she'd be getting to her destination.


The dirt crunched beneath Ash's feet as he and Volkner each took position at opposite ends of the outlined battlefield, their respective electric types following suite and entering a stance in anticipation for their clash. Brock and Bonnie chose to hang back near their friend, believing this match didn't require the officiating presence of a referee. As the two pairs stared each other down, a sizeable number of Sunyshore's residents had stopped to wonder what their gym leader was doing having a match in the middle of a random park.

The attention continued to grow, as people stepping off the city's various automated platforms peaked curiosity from all directions. Ash and Volkner largely ignored them, simply out of battling intent. Keeping with his gym leader courtesy, the older trainer finally spoke up.

"Start us off, you two."

More than happy to oblige, Ash threw his hand outward. "Pikachu, use Quick Attack!" With a brief exclamation to the order, the Kantonian's partner blasted forward at great speed, shearing away at the air with a white aura. Across the battlefield, Volkner tightened his fists in excitement.

"No holding back, not against him. Raichu, respond with Giga Impact!" A swirling mess of energy rapidly manifested around Raichu's body, followed by the larger electric mouse charging forward, leaving streaks of yellow and pink in his wake. He and Pikachu didn't flinch as they closed the gap, relentlessly facing the collision that threw out ribbons of high-speed winds. After shielding their eyes, both pokémons' trainers observed the aftermath. Raichu had been pushed back a short distance, while Pikachu back-flipped a fair ways. He seemed subtly shaken, but dispelled the look in a flash.

"Curve around and use Iron Tail!" Hoping to take advantage of Giga Impact's burnout, Ash had Pikachu dash in an arc to catch the recovering Raichu in a tight spot. Realizing this, Volkner calmly watched his pokémon react. As his pre-evolution's metalized tail swung down, Raichu could do little besides hold his arms up to brunt the attack. In the end, he grunted while being pushed back, though kept his stance. Ash didn't let up, ordering another Iron Tail. Volkner seemed better adjusted now, however.

"Double Team!" Pikachu's attack ripped through a copy, harmlessly bashing into the ground as a dozen other Raichu images appeared across the battlefield. Not expecting the move, Ash took a moment to analyze, while Pikachu remained defensive.

"Now it's our turn, use Iron Tail!" his gym leader opponent sounded. Raichu and his indiscriminate clones all ran at their foe, charged with the steel type move to strike their solitary target.

"Knock them all away with your own!" Ash commanded in response. Pikachu was more than willing to listen, charging up his Iron Tail and getting on all fours in preparation to maneuver around the attacks. True to his agile nature, the diminutive electric type was quick to sidestep, hop over, and deflect any incoming swings of Raichu's tail, impressing both his evolved form and Volkner, who believed the sheer volume of attacks and the significant length of his pokémon's tail would grant the reach necessary to land a blow. The Double Team clones were swiftly erased with a single clash of Iron Tails, being no match for the real thing. Eventually through, Pikachu and the true Raichu collided their metal-coated appendages, inciting a lock that negated both.

Above and around the engrossed battlers, heavy chatter was invoked amongst the newly formed audience. Many called out an occasional cheer for their town's gym leader, although some actually shouted some support for Ash. Brock considered how his friend always knew how to truly excite those encompassed by his battles, meanwhile Bonnie and Dedenne jumped up and down crying out encouragement to their two engaging friends.


Emerging from the pokémon center, the man checked his straps, ensuring the pack on his back was tightly bound to his person. Satisfied, he nodded, preparing to take a step forward. This action was halted when a trio of children ran by in a rush, appearing quite excited about something. In passing, he managed to hear a bit of their conversation.

"He's battling some guy with a Pikachu, right in the park!"

"Wow! Volkner must know him or something!"

As the group ran across the already moving sidewalk, the man narrowed his eyes. Holding up his left wrist, he began cautiously fiddling with a watch-like device. Reading through the holographic information it suddenly projected, his grey eyes drifted back towards the direction the children ran off to. Contemplating as his arm returned to his side, the stranger finally made his move, changing direction to follow towards the commotion.


Pikachu ran across the dirt as a Thunder attack chased after him, tearing the ground up and kicking up dust that obscured half the area. Ash eventually ordered his partner to generate an Electro Ball, only to have him allow the Thunder to impact the orb, causing it to grow and begin destabilizing. The super-charged projectile was hurled at the currently airborne Raichu, who did his best to spin out of the way at his trainer's command. Avoiding direct contact, the Electro Ball's detonation nevertheless slammed a wall of air into the electric type, leaving him open to a solid Quick Attack Pikachu delivered seconds later.

After a few tumbles in the dirt, Raichu managed to right himself, still holding a determined expression as he kept eye contact with Pikachu.

"We're not even close to done," Volkner declared with a smile, earning a few cheers from the audience. "Raichu, use Thunder!" On command, the electric type unleashed a torrent of voltage from his body, sending the blast towards his foe.

"Pikachu, meet it with Thunderbolt!" Ash's partner reacted immediately, crashing his own burst of electricity into Raichu's, effectively linking the two between a current of fidgeting lightning.

"Push Pikachu back!" Volkner ordered, aiming to outlast the smaller electric mouse.

"Rai," his partner nodded, slowly beginning to take steps forward and close the gap. Ash gave the same command, enjoying the prospect the gym leader was presenting. Pikachu was no less up to the challenge, pushing through the growing circulation of electricity and approaching his opponent with a grin on his face. Around them, the various citizens cheered for both pokémon, feeling the tension as their linked bolt grew more unstable. The two trainers on either side could suddenly feel the static building up on their clothes and hair, watching the wild volts dance about.

Pikachu and Raichu finally came to near direct contact, though neither was in a position to move anywhere fast, leaving the outcome of the clash to whatever their expulsed attacks decided. To no one's real surprise, this ended with the electricity losing its hold between the two living conduits, consuming the battlefield in a bright flash followed closely by a sharp explosion. Like with the dust before, a cloud of smoke cut visibility to near nonexistence. This time however, Pikachu quickly came sailing out of the blackened fog, an instinctual retreat in an effort to avoid damage. Even so, there were numerous singes present on the yellow pokémon's fur.

Before there was time to blink, Raichu came shooting out as well, right in the airborne Pikachu's direction.

"Pika!?"

"What!?"

Volkner already moved ahead before Ash or his partner could question further. "Now, Giga Impact!" The shell of energy emerged once more, cloaking Raichu's form moments before colliding with Pikachu, sending the poor electric type further into the air with a cry. As Ash watched on in shock, Raichu rebounded and hit the ground on his feet, Volkner giving him a moment to shake off the last attack's recoil. In the meantime, Pikachu had begun falling back to the earth, shaking his head to stay focused. His target in sight, and relatively unmoving, Ash took the opportunity to counterattack.

"Bring Iron Tail down on them!" Agreeing with an adamant cry, Pikachu's metalized tail emerged, followed by its owner somersaulting to build some momentum. Down below, Volkner kept careful watch between both the accelerating opponent and his Raichu, waiting for the signal.

"Rai!" His partner twitched his long tail. The gym leader smirked.

"Quick, Double Team!" No one could quite tell what happened as Pikachu seemingly struck Raichu's figure with Iron Tail, sending out a decent sized puff of dust. The answer came sooner than expected, with a ring of Raichu copies surrounding the earthen cloud before Pikachu's yellow complexion even shone through. Although the pair from Kanto realized they'd been trapped, Volkner already moved ahead with his strategy.

"Giga Impact, once more!" The circle of Raichu all flared to life with the attack's energy, then rushed Pikachu all at once.

"Quick, Pikachu, jump out of the way!" His companion immediately looked up in preparation to do just that, only for him and his trainer to be left in shock as another energized Raichu was seen plummeting towards them like a meteor. Volkner had them completely pinned. In a pinch, Ash desperately combed his thoughts for a solution, going over the tactic his opponent had set up. In the midst of this, he saw his pokémon, with a few sparks of electrify crackling on his red cheeks. Remembering something, he acted.

"Pikachu, send out a few jolts!" His partner didn't question it, no time to do so in the first place. Stray bits of electricity danced around his face, being sent out in numerous directions. Over on the sidelines, Dedenne seemed to react as he sat upon Bonnie's head, his antenna-like whiskers picking up signals. Back on the battlefield, Pikachu's eyes widened, quickly looking over to his trainer.

"Pika!" Satisfied, a grinning Ash acted before it was too late.

"Use Quick Attack to bolster your Iron Tail!" Put into action even before the command was finished, Pikachu effortlessly combined the two attacks. To Volkner and his partner's shock, he then charged, directly at the real Raichu.

"But how?" the gym leader questioned. Regardless of the unknown quantity, Raichu's startled, yet unyielding charge of Giga Impact collided soon after with the high-velocity boost of Pikachu's Iron Tail. As per their previous mutual strikes, this resulted in an obscured blast, which also dissipated all of Raichu's copies. All eyes, trainer or otherwise, awaited the settling dust, anxious to see who had emerged standing.

To everyone's amazement, both electric types were on their feet, though not unscathed. Pikachu stood firm on all fours, panting, his fur covered in dust and a multitude of scuff marks. In front of him, Raichu wasn't as fortunate. Repeated uses of Giga Impact, along with the immensely forceful hit of Pikachu's Iron Tail, left him shaking on his hind legs, his tail flitting about to retain his balance. There was only one thing left to do.

"Electro Ball!" His tail raised, Pikachu generated one last orb of lightning. With simple acrobatic movement, he flicked the projectile at his stunned opponent, nailing Raichu square in the belly. A basic puff of smoke was produced, though quickly swept away by the light breeze blowing through the park. In the end, Volkner's pokémon was left flat on his stomach, swirls in his eyes. Ecstatic, Ash jumped into the air.

"Way to go, Pikachu!"

"Pika, pika!"

The two ran to one another, embracing with a laugh. Around them, the citizens at last reacted to the battle's outcome, whooping and clapping for both trainers. It mattered little to them who won at this point, as the tactics employed by both were as much a spectacle as they were impressive. While Ash carried on praising his hard-working Pikachu, Volkner had taken the time to step over to his fallen partner as Raichu regained consciousness. Though the electric type seemed down at his loss, this was lifted as he felt his trainer pet his head. The gym leader offered his oldest friend a smile.

"I'd say they're ready for someone of Flint's level."

Finally getting a smile in return, Volkner helped his companion to his feet. Hearing someone approach, both turned to see Ash and Pikachu, giving the Sunyshore pair grateful expressions.

"Thanks so much for the battle, Volkner. You too, Raichu." The aforementioned duo gladly acknowledged the Kantonian's gratitude, with both trainers and pokémon shaking hands, and paws. Not long after, the energetic Bonnie came bouncing over to the group, eyes beaming.

"Ash, you and Pikachu were so cool! Volkner and Raichu, too! I guess all electric gym leaders give the best battles." Ash and Volkner had to laugh at that, as did their respective pokémon. Once it died down, it was time to discuss.

"I gotta know, Volkner, how did Raichu manage to bust through that Thunder blast so fast?" The gym leader seemed more than willing to share and further his friend's growth.

"A little trick we came up with. Raichu can anchor himself in place because of the notch in his tail, provided it's coated in Iron Tail first. No one expects to see him fly right at them after an explosion." Volkner raised an eyebrow.

"Your turn. How'd Pikachu know which was the real one?" Ash grinned as he reached over and patted Dedenne on the head, which the Kalosian pokémon greatly enjoyed.

"Back in Kalos, Pikachu and Dedenne learned to track one another by exchanging electricity. I figured, if other electric types are giving off some sparks, Pikachu should be able to find them too. Not that he'd have to battle like that very often, but it's still useful." While Volkner admired the inspired technique, Bonnie grabbed Dedenne from atop her head and rubbed her cheek against his.

"Hear that? You helped Pikachu win without even knowing it." As Bonnie was struck with a Nuzzle she was more or less asking for, Brock joined in, taking a quick look at Raichu's condition, despite the pokémon's insistence he was fine. With the group breaking down into idle small talk, the gradual dispersal of the crowd around them went largely in the background.

The sole unmoving onlooker simply stood where she was for the moment, smiling in amusement. Eventually, the rest had gone about their business before the battle had grabbed their attention, at which point she decided to finally approach the gathered friends. Pikachu was the only one to immediately notice, shifting on his perch on Ash's shoulder to get a better look at the person joining them. His face brightened with mixed surprise and joy upon sight.

"Pikaka!"

Thinking that he'd heard his partner incorrectly, Ash followed the electric type's gaze and discovered, to his upmost disbelief, that it was indeed the friend he'd traversed across Sinnoh with. Standing tall and confident, with a few additional accessories outside her usual attire, Dawn gave the lot of them a brilliant smile and introductory wave.

"It really is Dawn!" Ash exclaimed, instantly making to close the gap and greet his long-time companion, his starter jumping up to cling to his shoulder.

"The one and only," she replied with ease. As Ash drew near, he was quick to raise up an open hand, a cue that his friend knew all too well. Twinleaf Town's resident coordinator success reached out and clapped her hand to that of Pallet Town's pride and joy. The two laughed, overjoyed the tradition endured despite their time apart. In the midst of this, Pikachu hopped across to Dawn, where the two exchanged a far less shocking nuzzle than Bonnie experienced.

"Great to see you too, Pikachu." As the yellow mouse made his way back to his trainer, the rest of the group gathered around the two. Recognizing Brock the most, Dawn turned to the doctor.

"Seeing one of you is amazing enough, but both of you just makes my day," the bluenette commented with high spirit. Brock nodded in reply.

"The same can be said from me."

"Don't count us out!" Ash added. "Pika!" Her smile hardly contained, Dawn sighed, stepping forward.

"Oh, it's been way too long for just that. Come here, you guys." Caught off-guard, both Kantonian's found themselves caught in an embrace from their former traveling companion, with a surprising amount of force from the normally graceful coordinator. Despite that, the boys were happy to return the affection and group hug. Pikachu, though a bit crowded, believed he was safe from any further discomfort from the reunited gang. This was proved false a moment later, as he only heard a very shrill "Luuuup!" before being tackled by a body similar in size to his own.

Finding himself on the ground, the electric mouse happily reciprocated the hug he himself was receiving from an old friend, indulging Piplup's sentimental gesture. As the gang separated, Dawn placed her hands on her hips, grinning at the water type.

"Thought I'd lost you there, Piplup. I'm guessing Togekiss is still stretching her wings?" The girl's faithful starter chirped a positive reply, only to suddenly notice an unknown presence looming over him. Turning, the Penguin pokémon was startled by Bonnie's awestruck eyes.

"You are just the cutest!" she cried. "And your fur is so shiny!"

Predictably, Piplup shifted in a flash from nervous to prideful, puffing out his chest and allowing a few more compliments to be sent his way. Curious of the young Kalosian, Dawn moved to place her attention on her.

"Well hello there, what's your name?" she asked with a friendly expression. Bonnie finally seemed to remember her initial reaction to the Sinnoh native, standing up straight and brightly addressing her.

"I'm Bonnie! And this is my partner Dedenne," she responded, presenting the diminutive electric mouse poking out of her bag.

"Denene!"

Dawn briefly turned to Sunyshore's gym leader, giving a wave to him and his pokémon.

"Good to see you again, Volkner. And Raichu, of course."

The man nodded, while the recovered electric type agreed with a short cry. With introductions out of the way, Dawn turned back to the youngest of the group.

"So how do you know Ash, Bonnie?" The beginner trainer proudly acknowledged her old friend before replying.

"I travelled across my home, the Kalos region, with him, along with my big bro, Clemont, and our friend, Serena." Understanding, Dawn reached out to shake hands.

"Well any friend of Ash and Brock is a friend of mine. It's nice to meet you. I'm Dawn." Even as Bonnie moved her hand to shake, Ash saw an odd look in her eyes.

"You give off so much confidence." She glanced back at Piplup. "Take such good care of your pokémon, and you're even friends with Ash to boot!" Dawn wasn't really sure where she was going with this, but for the most part felt flattered at the Lumiose sibling's words. It wasn't until their handshake turned into Bonnie gently holding hers in both of her own and on one knee that the coordinator became confused. Meanwhile Ash and Brock tensed up.

"Oh boy…" the Pallet Town trainer grimaced.

Stars in her eyes, his Kalosian companion at last went for the clincher.

"You're a keeper! Will you please take care of my brother?"

The usual awkward silence following Bonnie's proposal permeated the area, as Dawn was left wondering what in the world the girl was talking about. Ash didn't realize until that moment exactly how important having the Aipom Arm around was, or at least someone willing to drag the enthusiastic little sister away from the immediate area. To everyone's surprise, this vacancy was filled after enough stale time had passed, as evidenced by Bonnie being gently lifted off the ground by the back of her shirt. Brock's Toxicroak then proceeded to wordlessly turn around and walk off with her.

"Think about it! You two will have plenty to talk about!" she called out, seemingly indifferent to her own ejection. As the entirety of the group sweatdropped, Dawn chuckled after the Toxic Mouth pokémon.

"Evolved, but still an effective 'hook', even Brock aside." This observation was well-timed, bringing everyone back to a lighthearted mood after a good laugh. It was time to catch up.

"So tell me, guys, what brings you back to Sinnoh?" Ash motioned to himself, Pikachu joining him in expressing solid determination.

"We're headed to Kalos, where I'll be taking on the Elite Four." Displaying immense pleasantry in her reaction, Dawn brought her hands together.

"Oh wow! That's incredible! Although I guess I shouldn't be too surprised. Nothing could stop you from climbing towards being a Pokémon Master." Ash held up a fist.

"You got that right. We figured it'd be nice to stop by the other regions on our way there. Hey, now that I think about it, what are you doing in Sunyshore, Dawn?" Knowing she'd eventually be asked, the bluenette was quick to explain.

"I was actually over in Daybreak Town doing a contest exhibition." Brock nodded towards her apparel.

"That explains the fancy scarf and bracelets." Dawn nodded, resuming her tale.

"A friend called me up and said you were here, so of course I hurried over. One little performance isn't worth missing some of my oldest friends." Even though her explanation was solid, Ash couldn't help but wonder who else knew he'd be here in Sinnoh.

"What friend was that?" he asked without hesitation. Unfortunately, all he received in reply was a wink.

"You'll know soon enough. But now's the time for bigger things. You've got to tell me all you've been through since we last met." Always up for recounting his adventures, Dawn knew exactly what to say to get the raven-haired trainer fired up.

"Sure thing, we can talk all about it on our way to the next town."

This reply seemed to momentarily freeze Dawn in her train of thought. Brock noted that it seemed she was shifting gears, trying to come up with something to respond with.

"Already?"

Confused by the choice of words, Ash blinked.

"Well, yeah. We hung out with Volkner, had a battle, met you; time to keep moving forward, right?" It was a little strange to hear practical sense from Ash of all people, but Dawn nonetheless knew what had to be done. Formulating an idea, she folded her arms, almost smirking at her friend.

"A battle, huh? And you're satisfied with that?" Put on the defensive, Ash furrowed his brow.

"What do you mean?" The trainer's old traveling companion seemed to play around with her expression, unnerving him slightly.

"I'd think you'd want all the practice you could get before reaching Kalos. Sure, Volkner is tough, but I still remember how easily Flint's Infernape tossed you around last time." Successfully getting under his skin, Dawn watched as the Kantonian narrowed his eyes.

"Oh yeah? What did you have in mind then?" Not in the least hostile, the two's exchange had progressed into friendly confrontation, with Ash clearly caught by Dawn's challenging statements. One could sense how satisfied she was that her bait was taken.

"Battle you're way out of the city. You'll start with a one-on-one, then work your way up. Each battle is between separate pokémon, and you can't use the same one twice. Interested?" She didn't genuinely need an answer. It wasn't too difficult to hook Ash on a battle, nor did she need to set such elaborate conditions, but this wasn't actually an overblown warmup. She needed to stall him as long as possible.

"You're on," the raven-haired trainer finally answered, looking revved and raring to go. Satisfied, Dawn reached down and took hold of Piplup in her arms.

"Then let's get to it." No sooner had the group turned to leave that an older looking trainer stepped in and blocked their path. He was already gripping a pokéball. The man pointed to Ash as he raised the tightly-held capsule.

"If you're battling more, then I'm game! Seeing Volkner beaten means I have to defend our city's honor!" Volkner himself seemed ready to insist that the man's motivation was unnecessary, though chose instead to give parting words to the Kantonian beside him.

"Ash, good luck in Kalos. We'll be rooting for you. I've got to get Raichu to the pokémon center." The gym leader shook hands with his friend one last time, then waved farewell to the gang, his and Ash's respective electric types exchanging what was likely a similar bid of fortune. Once Volkner was out of sight, it was time to get serious. Ash's latest opponent enlarged his pokéball and tossed it out, from which emerged a battle-ready Skuntank. Acknowledging the chosen foe, he reached down and produced his own.

"Alright, come on out, Unfezant!" The agile flying type cooed vigorously as she materialized before her trainer, eager to fight. By now, Bonnie had been suspended from her 'timeout', quickly taking her place beside Ash's other friends as the young man ordered an Aerial Ace from his pokémon.


Possibly the most demanding walk of her life, Serena was eternally grateful upon finally seeing the first signs of civilization ahead. She'd let out her pokémon soon after clearing the earlier hill, thinking it would at least boost her effort in seeing them alongside her. For their part, Braixen, Pancham, and Sylveon were more than happy to offer support, urging her on every step of the way, but also insisting she take a breather whenever the performer was close to falling over.

In similar fashion to Mauville, people passing the quartet in the opposite direction had to stop and take a closer look, not recognizing any of the three pokémon Serena had with her, whispering to themselves and even some eyes sparkling from the little kids. Had they not been in a hurry, she would've gladly introduced them to the people of Sinnoh. Unfortunately, the Kalosian did end up slowing down, catching her breath once more.

"It'd be so nice if the sidewalks moved on their own for a change," she mused aloud.

"Pan, Pancham cham!" Looking over to her Playful pokémon, Serena nearly did a double-take, watching her fighting type repeatedly hopping backwards to stay in place as the ground belt beneath him moved down the street. More overjoyed than amazed, she was quick to get aboard the mobile walkway, truly studying the city for the first time. There was so much movement, and it certainly looked as though power was never in short supply. If anything, it looked like something a person of Clemont's caliber would build.

Not long after the team had been riding the walkway that Serena felt her wrist being tugged by one of Sylveon's feelers, looking down to see what was the matter.

"What's wrong, Sylveon?" The fairy type used her front paw to point high into the air, drawing her trainer's attention to the sky. "Syl, sylve."

To Serena's surprise, a rather large, winged pokémon was circling above them at a fair distance. It was clear they were the intended targets, as even while the sidewalk carried them along, the unknown flying type continued to adjust its flight to stay close. After a few more seconds of pondering, the group watched the pokémon begin descending towards them, with sublime elegance at that. As mesmerized by its movements as she was its interest in her, the Kalosian at last witnessed their visitor land gracefully before them, even giving a bow.

"A Togekiss? Is there something I can do for you?" The Jubilee pokémon, softly smiling at the four, tucked in its wings and began conversing with Serena and her partners.

"Tokiss, to to?" Though not understanding pokémon language, the honey-blonde could definitely understand the looks of shock on each of her companions' faces as Togekiss asked its question.

"Pan," Pancham replied with a nod. This seemed to greatly please the flying type before them, who gave a graceful cry before speaking again.

"Toge, tokiss to!" Again, Serena easily decrypted the expressions of pleasant awe in her friends. Her trio turned to her, all very excited.

"Braixen, brai!" her starter cried, pointing towards Togekiss. The Jubilee pokémon spread its wings, into the air with a single flap. As it took off at a slow enough pace to keep up with, Braixen and Pancham continued motioning towards it.

"You want us to follow? Uh, ok," Serena managed to say, unsure what could possibly deter her companions from helping find Ash and Bonnie. Even as she hesitantly took a step off the current mobile walkway, Sylveon started dragging her along by her feeler. The Kalosian just allowed herself to be led, trusting her pokémon.


Both Ash and his opponent returned their corresponding battlers, with the latter having fainted moments ago. Bonnie was fully engrossed in watching her friend tear through Sunyshore's trainer populace, as grim as it may have sounded. Dawn had already internally cursed her luck on some account, as it seemed the town was void of any strong opponents that day. At the same time, with Ash's current level, it would have to be someone noteworthy. He'd breezed past three trainers already, having never lost a single pokémon.

Their group stopped by the nearest pokémon center after every match, giving Ash's team a rest as well as swapping out for different battlers. Even with all that, they neared the edge of the city at a rapid pace, concerning Dawn of her plan's fruition. Currently, her friend had one last round with his opponent, who sent out a Gallade as his last resort. Ash wasted no time in letting out his next partner.

"Wartortle, let's do this!"

Even long-time companion Brock was surprised to see Squirtle's evolved form take the field, although the water type had never explicitly denied the idea, unlike Bulbasaur. Regardless, the battle began immediately as Ash's somewhat desperate opponent took the first move.

"No hesitation, Gallade, use Close Combat!"

The Blade pokémon followed the command as asked, dashing for the static Wartortle with fierce movement. As it came close, Ash called out his own order.

"Brace yourself!" A bit surprised by the lack of an actual move being called, Gallade's trainer watched closely as his partner closed the gap between himself and his foe. Within seconds, the fighting and psychic type unleashed a barrage of powerful strikes, hitting Wartortle with everything from punches, to kicks, to slashes with its retractable blade arms. Through it all, the water type endured, holding up his forearms defensively. Even in its current position, the Turtle pokémon acted calm and collected, impressing the onlookers.

As Gallade went for one final blow, Ash smirked on his side of the battlefield. Gallade's fist impacted directly atop Wartortle's head, yet it was the Blade pokémon who seemed to suffer damage, jerking away and waving its hand in pain. Before his trainer could react, Ash already moved ahead.

"Now, Skull Bash!" Thanks to Close Combat's recoil, the stunned Gallade was swiftly struck in the gut by Wartortle launching himself headfirst. The impact blasted the Sinnoh pokémon far away, landing on its back with a grunt. While Bonnie and Brock cheered for the water type, Dawn couldn't help but look to the sky, scanning for any sign of her missing pokémon. In the meantime, Gallade managed to stand, albeit with great strain.

"It's too dangerous to get close, use Psycho Cut!" his trainer called. Agreeing, the Blade pokémon swiped its blades forward repeatedly, generating purplish arcs that sailed towards Wartortle. Ash seemed to be getting pumped, grinning as he motioned forward with his hand.

"If that's how it is, then get in there, Wartortle!" His partner acknowledged, taking a run at Gallade. Along the way, it seemingly without too much effort sidestepped each wave of Psycho Cut thrown at him, quickly nullifying any advantage of long-range combat. With one final dodge, he spun himself into the air, within strike distance of his foe. Gritting his teeth, the opposing trainer responded briskly.

"Bring it down with Leaf Blade!" As his arm blades glowed green, Gallade sprang up towards Wartortle, aiming for the foe's exposed belly. Ash enthusiastically piped in.

"Hydro Pump!"

For once, his opponent felt he had a chance. He was confident Gallade could slice through a Hydro Pump with ease, delivering a super-effective hit on Ash's pokémon and get back in the battle. Then Wartortle tucked in his head and limbs.

In a matter of seconds, the Turtle Pokémon began rapidly spinning, all while gushing out forceful jets of water from every hole in his shell. They quickly coalesced into a surging cyclone, stunning their foes.

"Wh-what kind of Hydro Pump is that?!"

Gallade still attempted to cut through the rush of water, but the all-consuming blast simply had too much mass to slice apart. The Blade pokémon sailed back down, crushed by the weight of Wartortle's attack. Once Ash's companion landed and the soaked area settled, a groaning Gallade was left unable to continue. Sighing, his trainer returned him to his pokéball, then rubbed the back of his head.

"Heh, guess I can't expect any less from a league winner. That was some really fierce battling." Both Ash and his Wartortle gave their thanks, before the Turtle pokémon was also recalled. With a wave, the fourth opponent departed, leaving Ash to return to his friends.

"Wartortle's looking good. Seems evolving didn't alter its battling too much." Brock's point was met with a nod from the aforementioned water type's trainer. With another match complete, Dawn pursed her lips, wondering who'd be next to be swept by her friend.

"Come on guys, the next center is this way. We'll get a new roster and move on." Ash's eagerness was increasing by the minute. His Sinnoh companion half-heartedly gave an approval, joining in behind a bouncing Bonnie. She was sure there wouldn't be much time left. All she asked for was one, just one trainer who could give a proper battle that would buy enough time.

"Move on to what, more fodder?"

The entire gang froze in their tracks. For Bonnie, it was just another stranger, and so the young trainer simply turned around and blinked at the source, wondering what they meant. For Dawn, Brock, and especially Ash, however, the new voice carried a great deal of weight. Brock furrowed his brow as he looked upon the newcomer, sensing the shift in mood. Ash remained adamant, eyeing his likely next opponent with seriousness, while Pikachu seemed cautious. Dawn, for the most part, wasn't sure what to think.

Ok, that'll definitely work.

Paul sat nearby on some stone steps, arms hung over his knees, with his usual near-scowl expression, presumably having watched the previous battle without making himself known. Now, however, the tension between himself and Ash was undeniable. Both of them knew what was coming, and neither was sure of the result.


Well, thanks to Ultra Moon I've realized I've been spelling Kantonian wrong. In any case, its nearing the end of the year, so I hope you're all having an interesting holiday season. I've still got bunches to read and review, though it seems the difficult parts of Christmas are over for me, so we'll see. Also, I have to go change a major oversight from Chapter 5, so that's fun. Anyway, peace!

Amourshiper35: Yeah, her growth is a fun part to write, she's got potential as far as I think. Thanks for the feedback.

Guest: Glad to hear it.

Jambuddle: Visualization is my most important goal, so my gratitude to you for showing the results.

Neo Deadmau5: Battles are long and difficult to write, but I feel it does indeed pay off.

Dault3883 Baron Backslash: Just around the corner friend.

MUTO TOHO: Funny how AoT manages to makes it a main theme of the show.

EquippedSword99: Hopefully sweet, hopefully another soon.

Hope you enjoyed and thanks for any comments/reviews!

next chapter: Elite.5