I'm back.
Anyway, here is the next chapter. I'll try to update either in the next three weeks or next month.
That being said, I believe I only have one or two chapters left. It's been a fun ride, hasn't it? I even laugh at my own jokes as I'm proofreading (and as InfernalFox is also proofreading), and that's...pretty sad.
No one got my Kaito 1412 reference from the end of the last chapter, and that was just disappointing. If you couldn't tell from the stories I've been favoriting recently - I doubt you've even noticed, 'cause who checks author bios for fun? (I do) - I've found a great fandom.
You know, I'm really glad Ash's shipping war has died down.
Also, if anyone has a good college essay they'd like to share with me, it'd be very appreciated. Especially if you're going to a school like Rice, Carnegie, Cornell, or Harvard.
(Did you know that you could pretty much figure out where I live from my fanfiction alone? It's pretty creepy.)
(I'll give out one last hint: "The Other Side.")
That...didn't help, did it.
Explosions and shouts decorated the night.
The land was like a war: the people and Pokemon turned on each other and brawled until they passed out. Helicopters stormed the night sky and men in black dropped from parachutes, calling their Pokemon to battle. Kanto rained, hailed, and thundered. Sandstorms raged Indigo Plateau as streams of energy bathed the stadium in an ominous light.
In the middle of the chaos, two Trainers fought, covering each other's backs.
"Aerodactyl, Stone Edge!" Gary shouted, his throat burning. "Umbreon, Shadow Ball! Arcanine, Fire Blast! Blastoise, Hydro Pump!"
Clemont clenched his teeth, pointing at a Team Rocket Grunt and the horde of Zubats that stood in front of him. "Luxray, Thunder! Chespin, Pin Missile! Bunnelby, Dig!"
Lightning arced across the field, electrocuting a Beedrill.
"Good job, Dedenne!" Bonnie complimented her partner, giving the Antenna Pokemon a thumbs-up.
"Bonnie!" Clemont yelled, surprised. "Be careful!"
"I'm okay, bro!"
"Gyarados, Twister!" Misty called out, sending her Water and Flying-Type into battle.
May grinned, pumping a fist in the air. "High Jump Kick, Blaziken!"
Brock squinted at the sight. "Steelix, keep up the Sandstorm!"
"Don't give up, Piplup!" Dawn instructed. "Use Whirlpool! Mamoswine, Ice Beam!"
Serena smiled, standing next to Iris with a confident smile. "Sylveon!" she shouted, striking a pose. "Fairy Wind!"
He was awakened by the desperate calls and summoned by the light.
"Arceus forbid I go shut them all up," Lugia, Guardian of the Seas, grumbled. "What in Regigigas would be going on at Indigo Plateau...in the middle of the night?!"
"Pikapi!"
Light streamed from all sides of his vision.
"Pikapi!"
It blinded him, pulling him from the comfort of the darkness.
"Jeez, Ash, you idiot! You're going to be late!"
A Thunderbolt promptly shocked the Trainer out of his beauty sleep. With a shout of well-deserved pain, the teen fell from his couch onto the wooden floor with a resounding thud.
"Late?" he muttered, mostly to himself. "For what?"
"It's the first day of your new job," a voice that sounded suspiciously like Sceptile rasped. "You're supposed to give a speech at Indigo Plateau."
As Ash opened his eyes, he was greeted with the concerned looks of his Pokemon staring down at him.
Vivi the Eevee bounced lively on the Trainer's stomach, knocking all the air out of the young teen. "I've never been to a speech before! Is it fun?!"
"No," Charizard replied bluntly, crossing his arms and looking away.
"Greninja's already left for Kalos," Gallade informed the Trainer. "Goodra left with him."
Buizel, who had taken residence on the couch that Ash once occupied, looked down from his vantage point at his Trainer. "How? Did they run on water or something?"
"Nah," Pikachu answered. "Greninja insisted on taking the plane. He took the money out of Ash's account."
Ash suddenly sat up, fully awake. "He did what?!"
"Ash, you have a job, now," Sceptile reminded his Trainer. "One that you're going to be late to if you don't get off your stupid b—"
"What happened, by the way?" the teen asked, standing up. It was then that he noticed that his clothes from the Elite Four Challenge were both scorched and covered in soot.
"Pallet Town is...completely burned down," Staraptor reported, appearing through a nearby open window. "Except your house, somehow. We'll…explain that later when you're not doing something important."
"Leavanny's got your clothes for the day," Sceptile informed. "I hope you're comfortable in a tux."
"You also need a shower," Charizard remarked. "I don't think I only speak for myself when I say that you stink."
Ash sighed, letting his head droop. "Thanks, Charizard."
He looked around, his eyes falling on the computer monitor and cup of cold coffee on the nearby desk. "Also, does Gary know we took over his Gym?"
As the Trainer stared at his reflection in the mirror above the bathroom sink, he let his attention be drawn elsewhere. The events of the day before were foggy in Ash's mind, and he had a splitting headache that was figuratively tearing apart his consciousness.
What happened?
A strong knock at the door broke the teen out of his thoughts.
"If you're not at Indigo Plateau in ten minutes, Alola's going to think you're incompetent so they won't trade with us!" Sceptile threatened.
"Yeah, right!" Ash shouted back, adjusting his tie and glaring at his face in the reflective glass.
"Nine minutes!"
Sunny skies and white, fluffy clouds blessed Indigo Plateau that day. A crowd of immeasurable number had gathered at the giant stadium towering above the rest of Kanto. Political figures, celebrities, and Trainers from nearby regions were arriving from the air, dotting the sky as they arrived on their airborne Pokemon.
Lance leaned back in his chair, letting a foot rest on his knee casually as he gazed at the scene from the press box. Today, he was present not as the former Champion of Kanto, but the representative of Johto.
"Whatcha doing?" a feminine voice asked. The Dragon Master turned his head to see Cynthia, dressed in her usual black attire. She had her hands on her hips and a smug grin on her face.
"Relaxing."
"Is that it?" the other Champion asked.
"Yes."
The Sinnohian Champion sat down next to her coworker. "Did you get to see Pallet Town last night?" she asked.
"No," Lance replied. "Kanto fought Team Rocket. So did I."
The Dragon-Type Trainer's eyes followed his fellow Champion's gaze to the press box entrance, where Agatha had entered.
"The Champion is late," she remarked.
Behind her, Bruno laughed heartily. "Cut him some slack, will you? His hometown just burned down. And he got kidnapped."
"What kind of a Champion gets kidnapped?" Agatha asked, scowling.
"Hey, if I just beat the Elite Four, my Pokemon wouldn't exactly be in perfect health, you know."
The Ghost-Type Trainer sighed, letting a rare genuine smile show on her face. "I'm joking. The future of Kanto is in good hands…even if our Champion happens to have a punctuality issue."
The door behind them opened with a creak, and Lorelei walked in.
"Sorry I'm late," she apologized. "Where's Ash?"
"Not here," Lance replied.
"Doesn't the speech start in five minutes?" the Ice-Type user asked.
"Yes."
"Isn't that a problem?"
"Yes," Agatha answered.
"Where's the Champion of Hoenn?" Cynthia asked.
The Ghost-Type Trainer huffed.
"Ah, please don't forget about me!" a voice spoke up. Steven Stone stepped out from behind the door, carrying a confident smile. He was wearing a cuffed business suit with a red tie, complete with a silver pin holding his Key Stone.
"I see that we're all here..." he remarked, "besides Kanto's Champion, that is. Uh, we're still gonna start on time, right?"
"Ash, you literally have one minute!" Charizard yelled.
"What," Pidgeot replied, "You can't get him there in a minute? I can."
"Ouch," Leavanny remarked as he continued his attempt at untangling his Trainer's hair.
"Ouch is right," Ash muttered, wincing and letting his eyes close before they widened in realization. "Oh wait, I don't have a speech prepared!"
Gallade brought the tip of his swordlike arm to his forehead, exasperated. "Bushnoodles! Too late."
"Thirty seconds," Sceptile reminded everyone. "Gallade, go!"
The stadium was filled with people and Pokemon alike. Even when the seats were filled, Trainers rode their airborne Pokemon and sat in the field outside the stadium, watching the event from the outside. Colorful hot-air balloons floated in the sky and picnic blankets spread across the grass. All eyes were on the center of the battlefield, where a stage hosted a podium and a microphone, awaiting a speaker. Behind it, Roxie—the Unovian Poison-Type Gym Leader—and her band played an electrifying tune.
At exactly 10:00, a beam of white light engulfed the stadium. Spectators shielded their eyes, blinded by its sheer brightness and power.
"To everyone: both Pokemon and Humans alike," Ash's voice reverberated throughout the stadium. "Welcome to Indigo Plateau."
As the glow disappeared, the crowd erupted into cheers as they saw the Trainer standing behind the podium, gazing confidently into the stands.
"We share a world," Ash began. "We share it with friends. Family. People and Pokemon. And together, we are tasked to protect. We are given a mission to defend it from the evils of this world: from the cruel, the unjust, and the evil."
"He actually showed up," Misty whispered to Brock. "I thought he'd be resting from that ordeal yesterday."
The former Pewter Gym Leader crossed his arms, letting a sincere smile show on his face. "We should have more faith in him," he suggested. "He is the representative of Kanto."
Ash raised his head to face the audience.
"Everyone has hopes, dreams, and aspirations. We have truths and ideals to protect. We have visions of tomorrow: a better world, a more united community, a brighter future."
He paused.
"Tomorrow, there will be battles. There will be wounds and scars. There will be farewells. But tomorrow is also the home of opportunity. It is a guardian of hope and promise."
"And as the Champion of Kanto, I vow to protect this hope we call 'tomorrow.'"
As the entire region erupted in cheers and applause, Ash turned to his Electric-Type partner, who had climbed onto the Trainer's shoulder.
"How was it?" he asked.
"You have nice improvisation skills," Pikachu complimented him. "I'm impressed."
A grin crossed the teen's face. "Nah. I just rambled, to be honest. Plus, that 'tomorrow' spiel was recycled."
"Oh yeah. You said something like that to Lysandre."
Ash nodded, watching as the Elite Four descended from their posts to shake hands with the new Champion.
"I'm looking forward to working with you," Lorelei spoke up.
"Likewise," Bruno said in agreement.
Agatha smirked. "I'm glad you could make it to your own ceremony, Champion."
Ash shivered involuntarily at the Ghost-Type user's words.
Lance chuckled deeply. "Don't mind her too much. We're glad you're here. By the way, you're going to the reception, right?"
"What reception?" Ash asked.
"Reception?" Pikachu echoed, mostly to himself.
"Seems like you haven't been told much. It starts at six, tonight," the Dragon Master informed, "in Saffron City, hosted by Silph."
"It's not optional, is it?" Ash was almost too afraid to ask.
"Only in your dreams, Champion," Agatha answered.
Kukui felt himself nodding off. He had planned to stay awake to watch that event Sycamore and Juniper were so excited about: they'd ended their video call because the two researchers both expressed a strong desire to watch whatever ceremony Kanto was broadcasting. Oak didn't even show up to the meeting.
But it was okay if he missed it, right?
"Woof!" the Rockruff living with him chirped, jumping on the Pokemon Professor's back and jolting him awake.
"You're right, Rockruff," Kukui muttered. "If even Rowan is interested, there must be something important going on. He's rarely interested in the affairs of other regions, you know."
"Woof!"
In the end, the Professor ended up falling asleep before the television screen, too tired to keep his eyes open. The Rockruff promptly settled on curling up in the tired researcher's lap, watching his future Trainer's speech with excitement.
That afternoon, Ash crashed at the Viridian City Gym and fell asleep to the clacking of Gary's fingers furiously typing on his keyboard.
"Are you sure it was Hoopa?" the researcher was asking.
"I'm positive," Pikachu replied.
"Like absolutely sure?"
"Yes," the Electric-Type replied, exasperated.
"That would be pretty cool if I knew what a Hoopa was," Butterfree remarked, fluttering around the monitor. He turned to Gary with a speculative look in his eyes.
"Wait, you're the guy who vandalized the Cerulean City sign, right?" he asked. "You wrote, 'Gary was here' or something like that. Ash used to complain about you."
"Don't remind me," the Gym Leader replied with a groan. "Just like your Trainer, I had some pretty stupid moments as a rookie."
The Flying and Bug-Type frowned slightly, landing on the couch where Ash was resting. "Is it really true that he made it to the Indigo League?"
Umbreon, who had been curled up in his Trainer's lap, yawned. "Butterfree, he's the Champion."
"That's like, too much for me to handle."
"Hopeless," Nidoqueen remarked.
"No, I'm serious here! Are you sure this is the same Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town?"
"If he wasn't from Pallet Town, he'd be lying to half the people he meets on the streets," Gary spoke up. "Wait, Pikachu. I need clarification: you met a Shaymin that…wasn't...nice?"
"Well, she was a bit of a brat to Ash. But if she heard me say that, I'd be cursed for eternity or something."
Umbreon sat up, blocking his Trainer's view of the computer monitor and receiving an annoyed look from said Researcher. "Has he been to his new office, yet?" he asked, referring to the teen that was currently asleep on the nearby couch.
"Yeah," Pikachu replied. "Sceptile and Garchomp are currently sparring in the training facility in the government building."
"And Charizard?"
"Went back to the Charicific Valley to see his girlfriend, of course."
A loud, resounding ding rang throughout the building. From afar, the Gym Leader could hear a challenger walk—no, skip—in. Loud cheers could be heard from his lobby before a young boy's voice shouted, "I'm here to challenge the Viridian City Gym!"
Gary stood up almost immediately, turning off this computer and causing his Dark-Type partner to fall to the wooden floor with a yelp. "I need Wooper, Golem, Nidoking, Flygon, and Scizor!" he shouted.
Umbreon snickered. "Wait, you actually caught that thing?" he asked, picking himself off the floor. "The crybaby you found in the stadium?"
"Shut up, or you'll be the next crybaby in the stadium."
"Cute," Pikachu remarked.
"It's a pity the Gyms opened an hour ago," Butterfree spoke up. "I thought today was a holiday."
"The inauguration motivates young Trainers to work harder," Gary explained, taking off his lab coat to reveal a black polo shirt and a pair of dark-colored khaki pants. "At least, that's what my old boss used to tell me."
"Ash could change that, right?" the Flying and Bug-Type asked.
"His first day in the office isn't until tomorrow, even though he's considered the 'Champion,'" Pikachu explained.
"Mister Oak!" the challenger called out from afar. "Are you here?"
The Gym Leader sighed deeply for what seemed like the umpteenth time before turning to Ash's two Pokemon. "I'll be going, now. Wanna come watch?"
"So?" Torterra asked. "How did Ash take it? I'm assuming it was a 'yes,' judging from…you know, but still." He paused. "It would be a huge change for all of us."
"It was an immediate affirmative," Infernape replied. "The Tauros are coming here as we speak, ready to Bulldoze the land down."
"And the inhabitants are okay with it?" the Grass and Ground-Type questioned.
"They're actually pretty excited," Servine spoke up, appearing behind the Sinnohian duo. "As long as we don't bother them too much and share the space, they'll be happy to let us stay. Of course, we're making sure that we grow plenty of trees for them as a…sort of payment, I guess."
Next to her, Buizel crossed his arms, examining the blueprint in front of him. "Plus, they're looking forward to sparring with us. Especially the Graveler."
Quilava nodded. "I'm pretty excited as well!" she exclaimed with a genuine smile. "It'll be like camping!"
As she finished her train of thought, a miniature earthquake rocked the forest. Pidgey and Spearow alike escaped from the cover of the trees and ground-dwelling Bug and Grass-Types scurried out of the way of a herd of thirty Tauros, all carrying various bits of communication equipment and/or furniture strapped to their backs.
Daro, who was casually carrying a couch (with a lamp and three chairs String Shot-ed to it), was leading the pack and treading not-so-carefully on the forest floor.
"It seems too soon to face that stupid mountain," he remarked, raising his head to stare at the towering, icy peak of Mt. Silver, bathing in the light of the afternoon sun. "C'mon, y'all. Let's beat up this piece of rock."
"Thank you all for helping me. It's kinda embarrassing when my sisters leave the place so messy and all."
"No problem! We have nothing better to do, anyway," Dawn replied, patting her friend on the back as she walked past.
"You know what? Why don't you all join me at the reception tonight?" Misty announced, beaming. "It's formal and all, but you all should be fine, given that half of you dress up as an occupation, anyway."
Five girls were relaxing in the vicinity of the Cerulean Gym's water battlefield. While the Gym Leader herself cleaned the pool, her companions were leisurely mopping the floor, checking under the benches for bits of trash, and making lemonade in the nearby kitchen.
"You sure?" May asked, poking her head out from behind a plastic seat. "Isn't it meant for like, celebrities?"
"Ha!" Iris exclaimed. The Unovian Dragon-Type Trainer was scrubbing mud stains off the tiled floor. "Don't you consistently appear in fashion magazines?" she asked.
"Yeah," Serena agreed heartily. "You're the 'Princess of Hoenn!'"
"Which makes Drew the 'Prince of Hoenn,' it seems," Dawn whispered not-so-discreetly.
"Dawn!" May groaned, placing her hands on her hips and letting her trash bag drop to the ground beside her. "There is nothing going on between us. Not like you and Kenny!"
"Who's Kenny?" Misty asked, genuinely interested.
The Sinnohian Coordinator seemed a little tense as she smiled awkwardly at her friends. "He's…no one important."
"C'mon!" He practically confessed to you! And what did you do? Instead of going on a romantic journey with him, you went to cheer on Ash!"
"Okay, I had to repay him for cheering for me at my conte—"
"That kid?" Iris suddenly interrupted. "Speaking of the dunce, he'll be at the reception, right?"
"Think so," the Gym Leader replied. "He's probably crashing at Gary Oak's Gym right now, but knowing those two Pallet Town Trainers, Ash'll probably end up being dragged there unwillingly."
Iris smirked, turning to eye a certain Kalosian Performer. "Oh really?"
Serena immediately buried her steaming face in her hands. "IRI—"
"Oh, wow," Misty spoke up. "You like Ash?"
Silence filled the room. Three-fifths of the room's population started to give each other weird looks.
The Gym Leader turned to face her companions. She dropped the pole of the skimmer net, letting the piece of cleaning equipment clang as it bounced on the ground. "You know, Serena," Misty began, trailing off slightly. "Trust me. He's a hopeless cause."
"Don't worry," Iris whispered to the Performer, loud enough so that her voice reverberated throughout the room, "Misty traveled with him years ago. Hardly any competition, eh?"
With that, the Water-Type Trainer burst into uncontrolled laughter, clutching her sides as she fought to regain her balance. "Me, with Ash?! Even Tracey's a better choice if you ask me!"
"Your sisters definitely think you two are dating," May spoke up, grinning. "They told me about that one Luvdisc adventure you had, and I thought it was pretty romantic. Just saying."
"Am I the only one who thought Misty and Ash liked each other?" Iris asked.
"No," Dawn replied. "Brock's told me some cute stories."
"The most embarrassing years of my life," the Water-Type Trainer grumbled before brightening up significantly. "But ironically, also the most fun in my life. I thought I was going to die, like, literally every other day."
A figurative lightbulb exploded over May's head as she jumped up in excitement. "We need to go shopping!" she suggested. "Does everyone have something to wear to the reception?"
She was met with mixed responses.
"Well, even so, we still need to get Serena a new outfit!" the Princess of Hoenn continued. "Ash'll be there, right?"
Misty shook her head, crossing her arms and smiling genuinely. "Hopeless cause, I tell you. Hopeless cause."
"Yeah," Iris agreed. "I mean, how are you supposed to get him to understand? You'd have to…I dunno, kiss him or something!"
Ash woke up in a sweat, shivering.
Dawn tilted her head in contemplation. "Would that even work, though? I mean, he is pretty dense…"
"Golem, Earthquake!" Gary called out, ignoring the countless strategies that made their way into his mind. The kid had three badges, but the Gym Leader had a feeling that the seemingly ten-year-old (not Ash) was not very…proficient against adversity in battle.
"Magby, use Ember!" the challenger—Gary was pretty sure his name was Kelvin (like, the unit of measurement) or something—demanded, crossing his arms flagrantly and pulling his chin upward arrogantly.
Ah, rookies. The Gym Leader felt a twang of sympathy for the kid—he still felt embarrassed whenever his own ten-year-old self was brought up in conversation.
"Stone Edge! Make a wall!" the Gym Leader called out, his face stoic.
The poor Magby ended up slamming its jaw into a mountain of glowing rock.
"Trust your Pokemon a little more," Gary suggested, snapping his fingers. Golem responded with another Earthquake. 'Then maybe, you would realize how easy we're going on you,' was left unsaid.
"But I do trust my Pokemon!" Kelvin protested.
"Go Kelvin! Go Magby!" Candela (the light-skinned and fair-haired girl would be battling the Viridian City Gym Leader next) cheered from the stands. Next to her, an Illumise mimicked her excitement.
"Is he your brother?" a voice asked.
Candela watched as a dark-haired teenager sat down beside her. He was holding an ice pack to his forehead and a weary expression.
The young girl smiled as the stranger sat down. "No," she replied. "We're just friends."
"Ah," Ash replied before turning away to cough into his shoulder.
"Are you sick?" Candela asked.
"Yeah. Something must've happened yesterday. I was up all night, you know, and the logical part of me thinks I got sprayed with some kind of Poison Powder...or something. Had a killer headache in the morning."
"Well, I hope you feel better."
"Thanks," the other Trainer replied, shifting the ice pack on his forehead and leaning back in his seat. "Tell your friend that Brick Break is a good move to learn. And it hurts, too," he added on, rubbing his side and wincing slightly. "Learning new moves really improves the bond between Trainer and Pokemon."
"Really?" Candela asked. She turned to face the battle (where a well-placed Stone Edge was blocking Magby from proceeding to the other side of the field. "Do you have any tips for Illumise, too?"
"I'm not much of a Bug Catcher, but I think Ice Punch and Water Pulse would be good choices," Ash answered. "They may be hard to teach, though, so you might have to go to a Move Tutor to help."
From the field, Gary was walking over the battlefield to meet up with Kelvin, who had a disheartened look on his face (he'd lost...miserably). "Don't worry," he assured the young Trainer. "Back when the Champion and I were rookies, I'd beat him every time we battled."
"Really?" Kelvin asked, eyes widening in awe.
Candela almost jumped out of her seat as the teenager next to her suddenly stood up and pointed an accusatory finger at the Gym Leader. "Fight me, right now!" he shouted, grinning (before excusing himself and slumping back down in a coughing fit).
Gary ignored his childhood friend. "You kind of remind me of him," he added sagely, addressing his Challenger. "Hard-headed, arrogant, loud. But there's one difference: his Pokemon have mellowed him out. Now, it's like he's a different person altogether."
Kelvin looked confused as the Gym Leader continued. "In a battle, Pokemon and Humans work together. You've trained your Magby well, but perhaps it's time to look at what you can improve on. And I'll leave that to you to figure out for yourself. The next time you challenge the Viridian City Gym, I'll be waiting with a stronger team."
As Candela was called up, she recalled her Illumise and skipped happily to the challenger's box. Kelvin ended up sitting next to Ash.
"What time is it?" the older Trainer asked, reaching for the box of tissues next to him.
"Uh, four," Kelvin replied. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. I have somewhere to be at six and it's going to be terrible."
At that moment, a Pidgeot opened the glass doors, walked purposefully up to her Trainer, and dropped the plastic bag of clothes from her beak and was about to walk away when she noticed the tissues.
"You're sick?" she wondered aloud, tilting her head in worry.
"Yeah."
"You've been overworked."
"My work starts tomorrow. It's not possible for me to be overworked."
"I'll ask Meganium to for some medicine," Pidgeot changed the subject. "Maybe she'll have something for you in an hour or so."
"Thanks, Pidgeot," Ash replied, moving the ice pack to the side of his head. "You're the best."
With that, the Bird Pokemon began to awkwardly waddle off when—
"AHHH!" Kelvin suddenly shouted, pointing at Ash's face.
"What?" the Pallet Town-native asked. "Is there something on my—"
"YOU'RE ASH KETCHUM!"
It was around 4:45 in the afternoon and Ash was resting in the forest behind Gary's Gym. The air inside was getting too stuffy for him, anyway, and there were too many people inside that could possibly make his headache more prominent than it already was. He was also on his second ice pack.
"So," he spoke up, mindlessly tapping on the log he leaned against, "who wants to go to the reception? I'm forcing Pikachu to go, but I can take six more…as long as you aren't too big and won't bother anyone else."
"I have a job interview," Garchomp replied. "Sorry."
"Where?" Kingler asked.
"The Day Care, of course."
Bulbasaur looked interested. "I'll go," he volunteered. "It's been awhile since I've stepped outside of the Pallet Town area. And knowing Totodile, he'd appreciate a good party."
"Where is he?" Ash asked.
"Oak's corral. He and Heracross are trying salvage the berry farm."
Buizel looked contemplative. "How about Corphish? Quilava and I'll come with him to make sure he won't break a wall or something."
"Alright. One more, then...what about Scraggy? He's a social guy."
Bulbasaur nodded. "We'll take care of him."
"Thanks," Ash replied. "Uh, let's meet here at 5:45. Gallade can Teleport us to Saffron City from there."
As his Pokemon left the vicinity, the Champion of Kanto crossed his arms and closed his eyes.
"Come out. You've been here an hour too long."
With a dark chuckle and the rustling of bushes, Giovanni appeared, taking his time as he sat down next to the Trainer.
"You flatter me: I've only been here for the past thirty minutes. How are you doing?" the Team Rocket Boss asked.
"Great. What about you?"
"I thought my powder would be more effective," Giovanni replied. "But somehow, it started to work after your ceremonial speech this morning. You're pretty resilient."
"Thanks for that, by the way," Ash remarked. Sarcasm oozed from his words.
The businessman shook his head, smiling. "That was only a test, and you've earned my respect: Kanto supports you, even after all of our efforts. That's why I'll stay out of your way."
"What?"
"As long as you work here in this region, all of Team Rocket's actions in Kanto will be legal."
Ash opened his eyes, cleared his throat, and sat up straighter, suddenly interested. He hadn't expected Giovanni to concede his region so easily. Was he being genuine? Or was it a trick?
"How about the other regions?" he asked.
"We're moving our base further into Johto," the man explained with a triumphant smile. "Kanto's legends don't interest me as much anymore, so I'm expanding the organization. Of course, a Kantonian Champion defending other regions will cause a political uproar."
The teen narrowed his eyes. "I can agree with that."
"And a mere Trainer breaking and entering into my headquarters…I can defend that in court, especially since equipment worth millions was broken," Giovanni continued, "but the Champion of Kanto is another story, isn't it?"
A nod from Ash affirmed the Team Rocket Boss's assertions.
"So that's why you challenged the Elite Four. Smart boy," the businessman complimented, checking the time on his watch. "I'd like to continue our meaningful conversation, but I have a meeting overseas in an hour or so. The antidote to that sickness of yours is in a hole in that tree over there, by the way." Giovanni pointed to his left. "If you want to skip out on that party, you don't have to use it. I certainly would."
"Skip out on the party or use the antidote?" Ash asked.
"Both, I guess."
The young Trainer's attention drifted away from the man as he heard the sound of a helicopter becoming louder in the distance. He looked up, admiring the sleek, black shape crossing the afternoon sky. But as the teen turned back to face the businessman, he found that the Team Rocket Boss was long gone.
That night, Ash enjoyed the reception. He left early, though, because he didn't really feel like answering any more questions on how he caught a shiny Noctowl, why he Mega-Evolved so many of his Pokemon, or how his Greninja worked.
Nerds.
(The answer to all three questions was 'luck.')
Also, everyone from Misty to Iris (he was sure she was there just to insult him or something) and even Brock for some reason—although the Pokemon Doctor kept winking at him the entire evening—refused to talk to him and made the casual conversation he tried to have with Serena more awkward than it needed to be.
But whispering and weird looks aside, Ash began to feel the effects of sleep deprivation catching up on him, so he excused himself, jumped off the balcony, and left for Gary's couch.