Kukui felt completely drained, partially physically, but mostly emotionally. The Alola League had finally started. It was supposed to be one of the best days of his life, but he felt like he was going to be sick. It felt like everything was falling apart, and he didn't know what to do about it.

For so many years Kukui had wished that he'd be able to get a second chance to make things right with Guzma, and now his old friend was competing in his league. This should be just the chance he was waiting for, but it was already going wrong. He had invited Guzma to join the League. He'd meant the invitation, and he still did, but not like this.

Guzma hadn't joined the League because he wanted to have fun, or because he wanted to prove to the people of Alola that you didn't need to use Z-moves to be an accomplished trainer. No, Guzma was competing because he wanted to ruin Kukui's league. This was his form of revenge, and it didn't feel right, and really wasn't fair. This wasn't what his League was for. It wasn't what battling was for.

"Professor?" Kukui swallowed thickly and tried to steel his expression when he heard Ash's quiet, cautious tone. He had freaked out and completely lost himself after his confrontation with Guzma. He'd worried his students enough for today, he didn't want to make Ash any more concerned than he already was.

"What's up, Ash?" Kukui asked.

"I was wanting to ask you that," Ash gave him a small smile. He sat down on the grassy area of the audience seats right next to where Kukui was. "Team Skull was really horrible today."

"They were minor annoyances," Kukui said. "Nothing I couldn't handle."

Ash's smile fell slightly. "So is this all just because of Guzma?"

Kukui let his composure slip. "I don't know what I was expecting from him, but it definitely wasn't this." The hate and raw anger in Guzma's eyes, and the way that it had all been directed straight to him, it hurt. "I feel like if only I had done things differently, maybe-"

"No," Ash said sharply in a tone that just didn't suit him at all. Kukui turned in shock towards his student. Ash's brow was furrowed and he was glaring at the grass, which he was clutching tightly in his hands. "It's not your fault," Ash took a deep breath before looking up at Kukui, the glare in his eyes replaced with an almost sad looking determination. "Please, Professor, even if there was something you could have done to make Guzma not so mad at you, that's not your responsibility."

"For a relationship to work well, it's everybody's responsibility to put effort into it." Kukui pointed out grimly.

"Well, yeah, but that doesn't mean that if Guzma doesn't put effort into it, that you should have to put in enough effort for both of you." Ash said. "That's not how it works, and it's not fair to you." Ash loosened his tight grip on the grass. "I know you really want to make things right with Guzma, but if he doesn't give you a chance that's not your fault, it's his."

Ash was right, Kukui knew that he was, but it was hard to accept. He didn't like the thought that there was nothing he could do if Guzma wouldn't let him. He felt like the only thing he could do at this point was keep Guzma's focus and anger on him. He didn't like how Guzma's anger made him feel, but it was better than if Guzma directed that anger at anybody else. Nobody deserved that undeserving hatred, especially not Kukui's students.

He knew that Guzma was ruthless and unforgiving when it came to battling. There wasn't necessarily anything wrong with that, except that Guzma was so focused on winning that he frequently forgot that the point of a pokémon battle should be to have fun and connect with your pokémon.

Kukui was hoping that his students don't forget what was the most important thing. He wanted them all to do their best and give it their all, but not if it meant losing their values.

Kukui looked over at Ash, his student and ward who cared so much about him. Ash had been so upset and even angry on Kukui's behalf. It was touching, but also a little bit concerning.

"Ash, I want you to promise me something," Kukui said sternly, but not unkindly. This was really important, and he wanted Ash to understand it, but he didn't want to force the boy. This had to be Ash's choice.

"What do you need?" Ash asked quickly. He was eager to please Kukui, which was great, but also part of the problem.

"There's a chance that you might face Guzma in the league," Kukui said. It was complete chance who face who throughout the League. Ash might face Guzma in his first match, or all the way in the finals, but what Kukui had to say was just as applicable no matter what point in the league it may happen. "If you do battle him, I want you to promise me that you won't let your frustration get the better of you."

Ash frowned slightly in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"I know you're upset with Guzma," Kukui said. "And I appreciate that you're upset on my behalf, but I want you to do your best to not let that affect your battle."

"Why not?" Ash asked. He didn't seem completely against the idea, but he definitely wanted to understand why, which was fair.

"Because that's not what I think battles should be for," Kukui said. "Battle for yourself and for your pokémon. Battle to get stronger, not to get revenge."

Ash frowned thoughtfully. "It's supposed to be a pokémon battle, not a fight."

Kukui brightened slightly. "Yes, exactly." Ash got it. "There are situations where defensive anger can be powerful and useful, and even times when a pokémon battle can be appropriately used that way, but this isn't one of those times."

Ash picked at the grass. He was silent for a moment before he spoke up in a quiet tone. "...When Team Rocket tries to steal pokémon, having a battle to stop them is okay. But when someone's just being a bully or a jerk, fighting with them would just be doing exactly what they're doing. Giving in to a bad attitude."

Kukui gave Ash an appreciative smile. "Guzma only joined the League because he's let his anger over the years build up and get the better of him. I feel horrible about it, but I really don't want any of you kids to make the same mistake that he did. Don't let your anger, even your righteous anger, rule your whole life."

Ash smiled at Kukui. "I'll try really hard, Professor," Ash said sincerely.

"I know you will," Kukui felt more reassured than he probably would have if Ash had just promised him like Kukui had asked him to. Ash hadn't given him any guarantees, but he's assured him that he would try his best, and Kukui knew he would. People sometimes let their emotions get the better of them, it was just part of being human. Even if Ash promised he wouldn't, he still might get caught in the moment. But Ash had just said that he would try, and that was honestly all that Kukui could ask for.

A/N: This was a pretty short chapter, but the idea came to me fairly recently as well. Me and my sister were just watching the episode where it was announced that Ash would be going against Guzma in the semifinals. While all of Ash's classmates were telling Ash to beat Guzma 'for Lana', we both wanted Ash to beat Guzma for Kukui. My older sister, who was just casually watching with us, just commented that Ash should win for himself, and *boom*, this baby chapter idea was born.

I should probably give you guys some fair warning. I don't know for sure how many more chapters will be in this story, but at the point that I'm at in the anime, the beginning of the finals, I only have one chapter planned...yeah, just a single chapter. I'm loving this League, but you've got to admit that with all the battles there isn't a whole lot of inspiration. I'm sure that I'll have a few more ideas coming to me once the league itself is over. However, I can't really get inspiration from episodes that I haven't watched yet, so there will probably be a longer break between next chapter and the one after that.