Disclaimer: I repeat, I don't own Pokemon or any of the characters, except the OC Greg Grassman.
Author's note: Ash's current lineup is: Pikachu, Noctowl, Meganium (Bayleef evolved), Totodile, Cyndaquil, and Heracross.
Chapter 12: Let the games begin!
3 months later, the day before the Johto League Opening Ceremony:
"Wow, Greg, that was amazing." Brock sighed contently, lying back on the grass.
"Yeah, man." Ash agreed, patting his stomach. "We all knew Brock's a good chef, but when did you learn how to cook?"
Greg laughed. "It's funny how far you'd go to avoid eating in the Team Rocket cafeteria. Honestly, the slop there couldn't possibly qualify as food. I mean, there's one thing I'm sure of, and that is: No food should ever be purple. So, I learned to fend for myself, and it became a popular alternative. By my last month there, people drew straws for invitations to lunch in my office. It was really amusing to watch."
"Is there anything you can't do?" Misty teased her boyfriend.
"I can't get enough of your charm." Greg replied seriously, causing her to blush deeply.
Ash looked between the two. "What charm?" he finally asked, smirking.
Greg's answer was drowned out by the noise of a crowd assembling on a hill overlooking their campsite.
"There he is." Someone yelled. "It's the kid who commands legendary Pokemon and who took down Team Rocket."
"Oh, shit." Greg muttered as the mob of people surged down the slope towards them.
Within seconds, the four friends, Pikachu, and Celebi found themselves surrounded by people pushing and jostling each other to get to Greg.
"Can we see all your Pokemon?" Someone asked.
"Are you planning to compete in the Johto League?" Somebody else asked.
"Will you marry me?" Greg heard some fan girl scream. Misty bristled at that one.
"Can we battle you?" A group of young trainers chorused.
Ash heard that and his face darkened. "How come no one wants to battle me?" he muttered, jealous. Somehow, Greg heard him.
"Hey!" Greg yelled, trying to silence the crowd. "Quiet! Shut up!"
Miraculously, the crowd heard him and the tumult slowly died down.
"Ok, if you can bear with me, I can answer your questions." Greg announced. "First of all, no, you can't see my Pokemon. They didn't agree to accompany me just so I can display them at a whim. Second, no, I won't compete in the upcoming championships. I'm planning to follow a different path regarding Pokemon. It's a surprise, so don't bother asking. To the girl who asked for my hand in marriage, I don't even know you, ok? Besides, I already gave my heart to someone else." He explained, motioning to Misty.
This caused the girls in the crowd to glare at her or moan, disappointed.
"Oh, and to the trainers who came here looking for a battle." Greg pulled Ash forward to stand beside him. "I'm not interested in fighting any of you. Instead, why don't you try your luck against my friend here?"
"Pfft." Some kid scoffed. "We didn't come here to fight some newbie. We came here to fight Legendary Pokemon."
Greg scowled at the kid. "Oh, really?" he challenged the guy. "Well, instead of fighting against Legendary Pokemon, why don't you test your skills against someone who actually beat them?"
This caused the crowd to fall completely silent and stare at Ash with newfound respect. It was true, by the way: in a training battle a few days previously, Ash had managed to defeat all six of Greg's Pokemon.
"I still think you're making a fool out of us." The same annoying kid said smugly. "There's no way a wimp like that could beat even one of the Legendary Pokemon."
Greg didn't reply. Instead he looked pointedly at Celebi.
"You see?" the kid crowed. "He's not answering me. That means I'm right. That means…hey! What's going on?"
The crowd gasped collectively as the saw the kid surrounded by blue light and hovering a few inches away from the ground.
"Let me make something straight." Greg stated in a dangerously low tone, while Celebi continued to maintain its Psychic on the kid. "I tend to have a short temper when someone insults my friends."
"Ok, ok." The offender exclaimed. "If you really want to, I'll fight him. Just put me down."
Greg nodded at Celebi and the boy fell to the ground in a heap.
"So, Brock." Greg smirked. "I think we need a referee again." Brock nodded.
A few minutes later:
"This battle between Ash from Pallet Town and Billy from Goldenrod City will now commence. Each trainer will use three Pokemon. The battle is over when all of either trainer's Pokemon are unable to continue. Begin!"
"All right." Billy smiled arrogantly as he threw a PokeBall. "This should be easy. Kadabra, I choose you!"
"Kadabra, huh? Ok, Heracross, let's go." Ash smirked, throwing a PokeBall of his own.
"Heracross, start things off with Foresight, then use Megahorn." Ash instructed the bug Pokemon.
Heracross stared at Kadabra for a moment, identifying him, then flew over extremely quickly and rammed Kadabra with a super-effective attack.
Billy stared in shock as his Kadabra fell to the ground, unable to continue.
I'm starting to have second thoughts about this, Billy thought. Maybe he really did win against Greg.
"Ok, that didn't work." Billy commented, retrieving Kadabra, then selected a different PokeBall. "Crobat, go."
"Heracross, return." Ash switched his Pokemon. "Pikachu, let's go."
This battle didn't last long either, having the type advantage, all Pikachu needed to do was use a couple of Thunderbolts and the crowd watched Billy recall Crobat. The final fight, Pikachu versus Gloom, also ended quickly and in Ash's favor.
"Ok, he's good, I'll give him that." Billy conceded, then added stubbornly, "I still want to fight a Legendary, though."
Greg sighed. "You know what? Fine, but let's make it quick, so send out as many Pokemon as you want. I'll just use this one." He held up a Luxury Ball with a dirt sticker on it.
"Your loss." Billy sneered, then sent out his remaining three Pokemon. "Typhlosion, Rhydon, Cloyster, let's go."
"Groudon, you're on." Greg stated in a deadpan manner as released the Continent Pokemon.
Billy felt all remaining hope of victory leave him as he stared up at the towering behemoth.
"Um, is it to late to call it quits?" he asked Greg, trembling.
"What's the matter?" Ash smirked. "You wanted to fight a Legendary Pokemon so badly, now's your chance. Go get him, champ." He added mockingly.
Greg shook his head at Billy's idiocy. "Groudon, end this fast. Fissure."
Groudon roared and stomped his foot, creating a tremor and splitting the earth under Billy's Pokemon apart, causing all three of them to fall into a narrow crevice.
"Finish with Rock Slide."
Groudon stomped again, causing several large boulders to fall into the crack and knock out all of Billy's Pokemon.
Billy was in hysterics as he recalled them and retreated into the crowd.
"Now leave us alone." Greg yelled. "All of you!"
Muttering, the group slowly dispersed in different directions.
Two days later:
"Ah, it sure is nice to just sit here and watch Ash be in the spotlight for a change." Greg said happily.
The crowd sitting in the stadium roared as Ash and his opponent entered the stadium on opposite ends of the battlefield.
"Let the games begin." Greg commented as the first match of the Johto League Championships started.
