Silence. Everyone stood together, the blunette looking away, not speaking a word. Ash was petting bouffalant, the baby birds chirping for attention. "So, Shadow..." he looked at the squinty-eyed man. "...Well, why... you train with wild bouffalant?" everyone sweatdropped.
"Well...yeah." was all Ash said back.
"Shadow?" he looked at the redhead, rubbing her arm with the purple-haired girl laughing beside her. "...I...uh...well..."
"There's no need to be nervous, I'm just like any other human being." Ash said, shrugging his shoulders.
"But you're not!" everyone looked at the brunette, who's face was now slightly red. "Well...I mean, you're not like anyone else!"
"She's got guts." Hilda whispered to Hilda.
"Sure does. Ten bucks says he-"
"I don't gamble."
"Baby."
"How so, May?" Ash asked, crossing his arms. The girls had to focus on something else, trying not to look at him.
"Well...you know, you're a really strong trainer." she said, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"That's hardly a reason to separate me from humanity." Ash replied.
"I have more. You train yourself with a bouffalant and against your own infernape!" May said, quickly putting her hands over her mouth.
"Don't worry, I already knew you were there. It's not a secret." Ash told her, waving it off as he rubbed the birds' chins.
"You knew? How long?" May asked.
"The whole time you were there."
"Ugh. Anyway, you take pain as amusement!" Ash arched his eyebrow. "You were punched into a tree by a pokemon, and you were laughing like it was a game! It could have seriously hurt you, same as bouffalant!"
"No way." she gave a strange look. "I've been doing that for years, infernape still has a ways to go. Bouffalant here, he's just a big softy." he stroked the bull's horn, the bull smiling and nodding.
"But..." May was at a loss for words. How could he still dismiss all of this?
"You can say what you want, but you can't change a person. Think about that." Ash said, turning away and starting toward his group of pokemon nearby.
"Well, he certainly has an interesting flavor in opinion." Cilan said, stroking his chin.
"And here we go again." Iris sighed, throwing her arms in the air.
"Didn't you hear a word Shadow just said?" Cilan asked.
"Apparently not."
"Well, I'm not getting into this. Hey, Hilbert?" Cilan asked, facing the man.
"Yeah?" he asked.
"I was just wondering something. Since they aren't all Unova pokemon, are all of those Shadow's?" he asked, gesturing to the group of pokemon.
"Yep, every one." Hilbert said, putting his hands behind his head.
"Man, he's awesome!" they looked at Max, who was brimming with excitement. "I'm gonna see them!" Max dashed away.
"Careful!" Hilbert called out, walking after him.
"Careful?" Misty asked, following him as everyone else did.
"Well, Shadow's pokemon are like him. They don't take strangers too kindly." Hilda said, rubbing her head. Once they caught up, they found Max holding his hands up to a typhlosion and gigalith, facing defensively.
"Gigalith, Typhlosion." the two looked back at their trainer, then dismissed it and went back to resting. "You should be more careful when approaching pokemon."
"Sorry, I just haven't seen so many different kinds at once." Max said, rubbing his head sheepishly.
"Just like him..." May thought, smiling faintly.
"Well, I guess it's okay, then." Ash said, giving a whistle. Every pokemon head looked up. "Everyone, these are friends. No attacking." Ash called out, the pokemon nodding then going back to their activities.
"They sure are obedient." Iris said, looking at them all.
"Took a few years, but they all eventually accepted orders." Ash shrugged, looking for one pokemon in particular. He noticed a small yellow figure hiding in Torterra's tree, faintly smiling.
"Hey, Shadow?" he looked at the blunette, still looking away. "I...uh..."
"I have a battle in a few hours, so today would be good." Ash chuckled, getting a punch in the shoulder by an innocent-whistling Hilda.
"Well...I...you look handsome." silence. Suddenly, Dawn ran away in a blinding speed.
"O...kay then..." Ash trailed off, trying to recount what just happened. Suddenly, a blurring streak of blue came through the group.
"Hey, where did Misty and Iris go?" Max asked, looking at the now empty spots. Everyone shrugged, looking around.
"Well...anyway, Shadow." he looked at Brock. "Do you mind if I look at some of your pokemon? I'm a part-time pokemon doctor, and I'd love to see the growth in your pokemon, from what I've heard of your training." he said.
"...Alright, I guess." Brock nodded, beginning to look at pokemon's arms, wings, claws, etc.
"Well, I think I'm heading back to the League." Hilda said, stretching her arms. "I'll make your battle, though, Shadow."
"I think I'm going back to the hotel, but I'll definitely make your battle!" Max said excitedly, then gave a yawn.
"I'll come too, I guess." May added, watching Shadow carefully.
"I guess I'll go with Hilda, I could use a nap." Hilbert said, stretching.
"Of course you'd go with Hilda."
"Shut up, Shadow. I swear, I'll-"
"Hey, Charizard's starting to wake up."
"...Let's go, Hilda."
"I can't get beauty sleep with you nearby!"
"Hilbert doesn't care. His opinion of beauty sleep is your sleeping figure."
"Can it, Shadow!"
"Charizard's awake now, you got two minutes."
"Come on, Hilda!" Hilbert grabbed her arm, dashing into the trees. A few seconds later, they saw a large red eagle emerge from the trees, flying toward the League with the two humans on its back.
"Shadow, I think he thinks you were serious." Max chuckled, looking at the man.
"Yeah...what a joke..."
"This match between Shadow and Kevin will now begin! Trainers, send out your pokemon!"
"Man, the flames...I didn't even get my nap..." Hilbert muttered, looking down at the cloth wrapped around his arm and neck.
"You should have seen it coming." Hilda said, smiling innocently at him. He rolled his eyes, feeling his cheeks heat up as he looked back at the field. Ash stood there calmly, his hands in his jean pockets as he eyed his current opponent of the Grimsley arena. The older man had a mohawk of orange hair, with sunglasses and a handlebar mustache. A blue jean vest over a white t-shirt, navy blue jeans, your ordinary biker gang member.
"Golem, time to destroy!" he shouted, throwing the pokeball in the air. The flash of blue light formed a large circular figure.
"Floatzel, time." Ash said plainly, holding the pokeball out. It opened, revealing the blue flash forming a human-sized orange sea weasel.
"Begin!"
"Golem, Stone Edge!" he shouted, the rock-type forming many small pointy rocks around itself.
"Defend." Ash said, watching the rocks launch toward the weasel. The rocks collided, creating a layer of smoke.
"Yes!" Kevin shouted enthusiastically, pumping a fist.
"Not even close." Ash said, surprising him. When the smoke cleared, Kevin was amazed to see Floatzel standing with its flotation-sack inflated, hiding most of its body and face. "Floatzel, Aqua Jet." the weasel became cloaked in water, darting across the field and crashing into Golem, sending it back to its trainer's feet.
"No!" Kevin shouted, watching Golem get up weakly.
"How did Golem survive that attack?" Misty asked, watching in amazement.
"How long have you been here?"
"You're lucky for Golem's Sturdy." Kevin heard him call out, watching him remain calm and motionless. Ash looked up, smirking. "But I'm afraid it's not enough to get past me. Floatzel, Hydro Pump into Aqua Jet." the weasel fired a large spray of water, quickly following it in a spray of water itself.
"Golem, Stone Edge into Protect!" Kevin called, the rock-type formed pointy rocks around itself and formed a wall, then formed a protective green sphere around itself behind the rocks. The spray of water collided into the rocks, dispersing both in every direction. Suddenly, the water continued into the green sphere, then burst through it and released a smoke layer across the field. "What!" Kevin shouted, waiting for the smoke to clear as everyone heard a cry of pain. Once it cleared, the weasel was standing calmly by Ash, arms crossed and eyes closed. Across the field, the rock-type was motionless in a block of ice. "But...how!"
"Golem is unable to battle! Floatzel wins!"
"Simple, really." Ash called out. "Hydro Pump destroyed Stone Edge, Aqua Jet destroyed Protect, then when the smoke blocked everyone's view, Floatzel zeroed in with Ice Punch." he explained.
"Grr...Golem, return!" Kevin called, withdrawing the block of ice into the pokeball. He gritted his teeth, grabbing another ball from his belt.
"Kevin, there's no shame in withdrawing." Ash called out, still smirking.
"No way! I'm not losing now!" he shouted, throwing another pokeball. The blue light disappeared, revealing a large white figure resembling the abominable snowman. "You don't stand a chance! Your water-type moves and Ice Punch won't affect Abomasnow!" Kevin called, grinning confidently.
"We'll see." Ash muttered, grinning to himself. "Floatzel, start with Hydro Pump, then Ice Beam." the weasel fired the spray of water, immediately followed by a streak of ice, freezing the water instantly in mid-air. "Now, get under it and smash it apart." Floatzel dived underneath the block of ice in a split second, its two tails glowing silver as they crashed into the ice. It smashed apart, sending the many sharp pieces into the air.
"What's he planning...?" Kevin muttered, eying the man instead of the air.
"Now, Floatzel, water spiral!" Ash pointed his arm straight up, the weasel grinning. It got on its back, spinning in a breakdance-like fashion as it released a spray of water that split off in every direction, influenced by the spinning. The water hit each ice piece, spinning it in a vortex of water over the battlefield. "Now, let it fall and defend." Floatzel cut off the spinning and water, inflating its sack again. Everyone watched, a few gasped, as the ice continued to spin in the air, darting down toward the battlefield.
"Abomasnow, dodge it!" unfortunately, the ice was spinning in the air, so it was almost impossible to predict where it would land. Abomasnow started moving in a random direction, but was surprised as a piece caught its head. "I...I can't dodge!"
"An improvised Hail attack. But this, Abomasnow is damaged by." Ash called out, smirking as he watched the ice spears strike all over the field. Abomasnow grunted in pain as it was struck, one after the other repeatedly. Ice crashed into Floatzel, but bounced off its flotation ring.
"Abomasnow, try to use Ingrain!" Kevin called desperately. Abomasnow grunted, punching the ground with green-glowing fists. The ground around it glowed green, then Abomasnow started to, as well.
"Not a chance. Floatzel, Aqua Jet into Iron Tail." the weasel darted in the stream of water, breaking it off as it faced a few feet from Abomasnow. Suddenly, it swung its body around and slammed its silver-glowing tail into Abomasnow's jaw, sending it crashing into the wall.
"No!" Kevin shouted loudly, not believing what he had just seen.
"Abomasnow is unable to battle! Floatzel wins!"
"Return..." Kevin muttered, recalling the snowman-like pokemon.
"He really has no chance, does he?" Dawn asked.
"Not a bit." Iris replied, crossing her arms and shaking her head.
"How long have you been there?"
"No one would disrespect you for admitting, Kevin." Ash called out. The man gritted his teeth, nearly crushing the pokeball in his hand. Everyone waited impatiently for a few seconds, then Kevin sighed.
"...I admit defeat. There's no sense in continuing." Kevin called, feeling weak in the knees. The ref nodded, raising his flag.
"Kevin has forfeit the match! Therefore, Shadow and Floatzel win!"
"Man...I guess I'm not even close to being the best..." Kevin muttered, looking at the pokeball in his hand. "Do I even deserve my friends...?"
"Hey, Kevin." he noticed Ash standing a few feet from him, hands in his pockets. "...Good battle." he held out a hand.
"But...I lost, miserably..."
"I don't care about that." Kevin looked strangely at him. "You fought with your heart, not with anger. You were angry and you forfeit, showing you really care for your pokemon. If you kept going, you might have pushed your pokemon to its very limit." Ash explained.
"...I know...I would never forgive myself...if..."
"There's nothing wrong with giving up. After seeing my Floatzel, you probably thought it was a lost cause." Kevin nodded. "Whether you believe it or not, I didn't have my other two pokemon with me."
"What? But what if you lost Floatzel?"
"That's how much I believe in my pokemon. If I lose one pokemon, it makes me realize how much I still have to go." Ash told him, turning away.
"Hey, Shadow! When we battle again, I won't lose!" Ash smirked.
"I'm looking forward to it." "A simple lie never hurts anyone...oh, wait..." he continued walking toward the exit. Meanwhile, in the crowd, Ash's friends stood silently, thinking individual thoughts.
"Jeez, that guy...Ow, my arm..."
"Ash always acts like the good guy after a battle, I wonder if he's trying to impress someone. Hilbert could actually learn from him..."
"Ash will never lose! And once I'm in battle, I'll show him who's the hard-headed, quick-tempered, annoying girl then!"
"That man sure gives a delicious battle recipe...Huh, maybe Iris is right..."
"How long have Iris and Misty been here? They just snuck up on us, like witches or something...Not like I can see them, though..."
"Shadow is so awesome! I disappoint myself for fangirling over him like this, but that guy...!"
"His pokemon are amazing! But I'm not going to lose to him! I'm a dragon master, and I'll show him no mercy!"
"This guy...I wonder what his type is..."
"That floatzel used the same strategy Ash used...I guess even Shadow has an idol. I bet that trash-talking was just a tough guy act."
"Ohmygosh, Shadow is sooo amazing! I can't believe he wins so easily! He's the best trainer ever! I can't wait to tell him...finally being in his arms...and I saw him with no shirt! His muscular, manly body...ooh, feeling dizzy..."
END