The light of the pokeball seemed to fade in slow motion. A pokemon stood on the field, but it definitely wasn't any Ash had ever seen before. It stood roughly 6 feet tall and had a vaguely humanoid shape. It seemed to be covered entirely in very dark purple hair, save for its face, feet, and belly, which had green skin. Long, pointy ears protruded from the sides of its head and a pointy nose poked from its sharp face. It flexed its claws, which seemed to be covered in hair as well oddly enough, and flashed a leering grin at Charizard.
Who's that pokemon? Ash wondered.
"Ash, meet Grimmsnarl. My most faithful companion. I've had him since I was just a boy."
Ash stared at it in awe a moment longer, then pulled out his pokedex.
Grimmsnarl. The Bulk Up Pokemon. With the hair wrapped around its body helping to enhance its muscles, this Pokémon can overwhelm even Machamp. It is native to the far off Galar region, and is known for being quite mischievous.
"Wow! So he's your first pokemon?" Ash asked eagerly. "And he's from the Galar region..." the name didn't ring a bell, but then again he wasn't great with geography.
Tobias nodded.
"That's so awesome! You two must be really close."
"Indeed."
Ash glanced at Charizard. Heat poured off the dragon-like pokemon in waves, and his tail burned with a pure white flame. He didn't have to say anything to know Charizard had no plans of returning now. He was going out on his terms. "Okay, Charizard. We do this your way."
Through the flames coating his body, Charizard nodded.
With a shout, the referee called for the match to begin.
Grimmsnarl held out his claw and beckoned Charizard.
Charizard never hesitated. The flames wrapped around his body flared up, then began to move, swirling and gathering around his mouth. Within a second, the flames had faded completely from his body. The white fire on his tail dimmed. The air stilled, and the heat that poured off his body seemed to dissipate. His eyes smoldered briefly, flickering like live coals. He swayed for a moment, ready to collapse. Then he steeled himself, dropped onto all fours and opened his jaws. A torrent of fire streamed from them, tore across the field, and slammed into Grimmsnarl, forcing the odd pokemon backward.
The attack seemed to go on for an eternity, yet really only lasted a few moments, as Charizard poured every ounce of his remaining strength into his fire. The attack flickered out, and Charizard's tail flame shrank, then reverted to its usual color. The fire-type managed one last glare at his opponent, then collapsed, utterly exhausted.
"Charizard is unable to battle! Grimmsnarl is the winner."
"Return, Charizard." He held out the ball, smiling softly as the red light enveloped his friend. He glanced up, trying to assess Grimmsnarl. To his dismay, it didn't seem nearly as fazed by the powerful attack as he hoped. It stood tall still, though the hairs on its body were singed. Clearly, this 'Grimmsnarl' was powerful. And with Charizard down, he really only had Pikachu. He opened his mouth, ready to call out his buddy.
A burst of light shot from one of the pokeballs on his belt. Primeape emerged, punching his fists together and grinning. "You want to fight, Primeape?"
Primeape nodded confidently. "Alright then. Pikachu, rest up, cause you're next." Pikachu cried eagerly and nodded. Then Primeape strode onto the field. Despite that he was more than tired from fighting Darkrai, he stood tall, glaring at Grimmsnarl. Grimmsnarl narrowed his eyes, evaluating his opponent. Then he nodded, respect in his gaze.
Ash took a deep breath. Primeape only had the strength for one more attack. Which meant he had to make it a good one. "Okay Primeape, use Focus Blast!"
Primeape shifted his stance and moved his arms, holding his palms a few inches apart. A glowing sphere of light began to form between his hands. The Focus Blast began to form, turning into a dense ball of energy.
"Grimmsnarl, use Spirit Break."
Grimmsnarl flexed his claws. His dark hair uncurled from his claws then formed them into a single whip like protrusion that glowed vivid pink. It whipped towards Primeape. Just inches before it hit him, Primeape rotated to the side, narrowly dodging the attack.
Keeping his arms locked in place, he leaped lightly forwards, landing on Grimmsnarl's outstretched arm. Then, with uncanny precision borne from his long time training, he danced lightly forward and ran right up Grimmsnarl's arm, charging Focus Blast as he moved.
Grimmsnarl cocked his head, as if curious. Then he narrowed his eyes. Growling, he jabbed at Primeape with his other arm. Primeape vaulted over the strike like a hurdle and landed on Grimmsnarl's shoulder. With a determined cry, Primeape unleashed his Focus Blast straight into Grimmsnarl's face.
At nearly the same moment, the hairs on Grimmsnarl's body tensed and spasmed, throwing Primeape to the ground.
In the stands...
"Wait, I don't get it," Iris said. "How could Primeape still use Focus Blast like that? I thought that move has to be charged up and it won't work if they move."
"Hmm..." Cilam stared with narrowed eyes, contemplating. Then he snapped his fingers. "That's it! Focus blast requires the user to hold its arms perfectly steady to charge the attack. Despite moving his legs and body to dodge, Primeape never broke its concentration. Clearly he is so skilled with his footwork from training with pokemon like Hitmonchan and Hitmonlee for the P1 Grand Prix."
"Whoa."
...
Grimmsnarl blinked, half blinded from the blast, and staggered back a step.
"Spirit Break." Through half closed eyes, Grimmsnarl aimed his arm and shot it out like a spear, jabbing Primeape and spiking him across the field.
Primeape thudded into the floor and rolled a few feet before lying still. Ash already had his pokeball ready, and returned him. "Great job Primeape," he said.
Ash took a breath to steady his racing heart. Grimmsnarl had recovered from Primeape's hit and now stood calmly, eyeing Ash with a dangerous curiosity. So. Now it had come down to this. Pikachu vs Grimmsnarl. His first pokemon vs Tobias'. No matter what, he could walk out of the stadium today knowing he had given it all. Win or lose, he'd had the chance to show everyone how strong his pokemon were.
Out there in the stands, Iris and Cilan and the rest of his friends were cheering for him. And back home, he had no doubt his mother and Oak were watching as well. Probably his pokemon at the corral were all crowded around the TV in the lab, cheering for him. He wouldn't let them down. Today, he would give everyone a fight worth watching.
Reaching up, he slowly turned his cap backwards. Then he looked down at Pikachu, a gaze of calm confidence on his face.
"Pikachu, I choose you!"
Pikachu gave a sharp cry and took one massive leap, landing halfway to the center of the battlefield. The little mouse threw a few air jabs and danced from one foot to the other before dropping to all fours, cheeks flashing and a grin of pure excitement plastered on his face.
Grimmsnarl grinned back and took up a fighting stance, his hair flexing and whipping the air as excitement gleamed in his eyes.
"Get ready, Pikachu," he murmured. "We gotta be ready for anything."
Without taking his eyes off his opponent, Pikachu nodded.
"You can have the first move," Ash called.
"So be it," Tobias replied. "Grimmsnarl, Power-Up Punch!" The hair on Grimmsnarl's claws formed into glowing orange fists. Then he took a leap forward and extended his arm across the field, fast as a bullet, towards Pikachu.
Ash and Pikachu tensed simultaneously, in perfect sync, waiting. Just as Grimmsnarl's fist was a yard away, Ash shouted, "Now!"
Pikachu threw himself backwards and landed several yards behind where he'd stood. Grimmsnarl's fist stopped short an inch from Pikachu's nose. "Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted, punching his fist in the air. Pikachu's cheeks flashed and he unleashed a blast of lightning at Grimmsnarl's fist before it could retract, shocking him. Pikachu managed to sustain the attack for a full three seconds, causing the fairy-type to spasm wildly.
As Pikachu let up, Grimmsnarl's face twisted into a grimace and he shook his head as he withdrew his arm. "Spirit Break." In a blur of motion, Grimmsnarl sent a spear of pink glowing hair shooting at Pikachu.
"Dodge it!" A split second before the spear struck, Pikachu sprang to the side, leaving it to jab harmlessly into the earth. Grimmsnarl followed it up with two more frighteningly fast strikes. Pikachu reacted equally fast, springing first to the left, then lunging forwards as another strike passed right between his ears.
"Quick Pikachu, Iron Tail!"
"False Surrender."
Pikachu's tail flashed white and he took two leaps forward before launching himself into the air and slamming his tail into Grimmsnarl's chest.
Grimmsnarl howled and staggered backward, head bowed and hand clutched to his chest where he'd been struck.
For a brief moment hope flared in Ash. Had he gotten a critical -!
The hair on Grimmsnarl's head suddenly twisted into a long, thick whip wrapped in black and red energy. It flicked out at Pikachu and slashed him across the face, launching him halfway across the field. Pikachu gave a screech of pain and shock as he hit the ground and slid several feet before recovering.
"Power Up Punch." Grimmsnarl quickly stood, its hairs curling into fists.
"Get up!" Ash cried.
Before Pikachu could gather himself, Grimmsnarl launched two rapid strikes, hitting Pikachu twice and sending him staggering. An aura of orange power pulsed across Grimmsnarl's body. Tobias smiled, pleased. "Now, Power Whip." Grimmsnarl's fists changed to glowing green vines that lashed toward Pikachu's stunned form.
"Dodge it Pikachu, with Quick Attack." Pikachu's eyes flashed open and he slipped into a blur, narrowly dodging the attack. Visible as no more than a white streak, he shot across the field, a half-step ahead of Grimmsnarl's whips, and headbutted Grimmsnarl in the leg. It grunted and shifted its weight slightly. "Iron Tail," Ash called.
Pikachu landed. His tail flared white again and he spun, striking Grimmsnarl with two rapid hits before ducking between its legs. Almost instantaneously, Grimmsnarl retaliated with a swift Spirit Break.
"Jump and dodge!" From his spot behind Grimmsnarl, Pikachu leaped into the air. Spirit Break missed his legs only barely. "Now use Electro Ball." In midair, Pikachu gathered an orb of electricity on the edge of his tail, then flipped forwards and threw it, striking Grimmsnarl in the back.
Pikachu landed, panting.
"Spirit Break." Tobias called again. This time, the hair on Grimmsnarl's leg whipped out and jabbed Pikachu in the chest.
With a squeak of shock Pikachu fell back and swayed on his feet. "Thunderbolt," Ash snapped out the command. Falling to all fours, Pikachu fired a shot of electricity, shocking Grimmsnarl briefly.
Pikachu paused, gasping. He blinked in shock, as if confused, and Ash mimicked the expression. Compared to his earlier Thunderbolt, Ash could clearly see this one was weaker.
In the stands...
"Hey Cilan, isn't Spirit Break one of those moves that can weaken the pokemon's attack power?"
Cilan nodded. "You are exactly right, Iris. Spirit Break lowers the pokemon's Special Attack, very different from their Attack. There are actually FOUR categories of power for a pokemon. Attack, Special Attack, Defense and Special Defense," he stated, holding his index finger up. "A fact the writers of the show constantly seem to forget," he added.
"The who?" Iris asked, confused.
Cilan chuckled. "No matter, this battle is sure to be a dish to remember!"
...
Ash considered for a second. Spirit Break had to be one of those moves that could damage a pokemon and weaken it. He'd seen those before. This wasn't good, if he kept hitting Pikachu, Pikachu would grow weaker and weaker.
"Power-Up Punch," Tobias called.
"Quick Attack!"
As Grimmsnarl launched his fist, Pikachu darted forwards. The two collided, then bounced backwards, Pikachu sliding a few feet. Another surge of power flowed through Grimmsnarl.
"False Surrender." The hair on Grimmsnarl's arm gathered together and glowed red as it swung at Pikachu.
"Dodge and use Electroball." Pikachu leaped up just as the initial strike passed under him, then swung his tail and sent a ball of electricity flying at Grimmsnarl. At nearly the same moment, the hairs split and one section flicked up, catching Pikachu and knocking him to the ground. A split second later, Electroball smashed into Grimmsnarl's face.
To Ash's dismay, It seemed to shake off the attack with fair ease. Pikachu on the other hand, was looking fairly battered. The few blows he'd received had struck hard.
"Spirit Break!" Tobias shouted again. The spear of hair shot at Pikachu.
"Spin and dodge it!" Pikachu jumped up and spun, spinning past the bolt of hair and landing again, grinning fiercely.
"I applaud your Pikachu," Tobias called. "Very few pokemon are able to dodge so many of my Grimmsnarl's strikes."
Ash gave a nod, a hint of pride growing in him. "Thanks," he called.
Tobias offered a brief nod of acknowledgement before turning his gaze back to the battle. "Power Whip," Tobias said calmly. Grimmsnarl grinned, then flexed its claws. Each of its six fingers grew into green vines, which it sent surging towards Pikachu.
Doding that would be too much, even for Pikachu. "Fight back with Iron Tail," Ash shouted. Pikachu ran to meet the atack, his tail glowing. Just as he batted back two of the vines, two more appeared, landing stinging blows on Pikachu's face. Pikachu fought past them, smacked another away, and swung his tail as hard as he could into Grimmsnarl's arm. This time, it gave a pained howl and jerked away, holding its arm.
Ash smiled. Another good hit.
The tiniest of frown's formed on Tobias' face. "Power-Up Punch." In a blur of motion, Grimmsnarl's fist shot out and struck the tiring Pikachu in the face, sending it flying. Pikachu managed to land on all fours, but swayed dizzily.
Not again. At this rate, Grimmsnarl's attack power would be through the roof. Pikachu now stood just a few yards in front of Ash, facing Grimmsnarl. The fairy-type had barely moved from its starting position on Tobias' side of the field.
Ash could see Pikachu's body trembling from exhaustion. He'd put all his speed into dodging, but there was only so long he could keep it up. Grimmsnarl was incredibly fast, and it had taken all of Pikachu's strength to dodge those blows. This battle needed to be ended. Except... Grimmsnarl was strong. Either it was skilled at hiding its exhaustion, like Primeape, or it wasn't tired. Not that he was surprised. It was Tobias' first pokemon, after all. The best way would be to try and end this with a physical strike.
Ash set his jaw. Grimmsnarl smirked at them, the hairs on his body rippling as he awaited an attack.
"Pikachu, Electroball, straight across the ground." With a cry of determination, Pikachu charged electricity on his tail, then spun and flung it, sending it skimming over the ground. "Use Quick Attack and run after it!" Ash called. Pikachu bolted forwards, streaking after the ball of electricity. In a split second, he caught up, racing behind it.
The electricity from the Electroball began to crackle across his body. Pikachu ran faster, pressing his head forward. The electricity merged into Pikachu's Quick Attack and fused into it, cloaking him in a sparking yellow aura. His speed spiked and he exploded forwards.
Grimmsnarl lashed out with Power Whip in an attempt to stop him, but Pikachu weaved in between the two whips, then slid to a dead stop just under Grimmsnarl. Still cloaked in electricity, he launched upwards.
At the same moment, Tobias cried out, "False Surrender!"
Pikachu smashed into Grimmsnarl's chin just as Grimmsnarl hairs flashed out and stuck Pikachu. Both pokemon cried out simultaneously and fell back, landing heavily on their backs. An instant silence fell over the stadium. Spectators leaned forward in the chair. The referee peered closely. Slowly, both pokemon began to move. Grimmsnarl started to push himself up.
Pikachu rose shaking. His eyelids drooped, but he forced them open. Grimmsnarl sagged forward but then recovered, managing to stay upright. Then Pikachu pushed himself to all fours as, across the field, Grimmsnarl rose to his hands and knees. Ash clenched his fists tighter, his heart drumming in his ears. Come on...
Pikachu tensed briefly, then swayed to the side and collapsed.
A collective gasp rose from the crowd. Grimmsnarl raised his head and smirked, a tired but proud glint in his eyes as he caught sight of the downed Pikachu.
"Pikachu is unable to battle. Grimmsnarl is the winner!" Came the referee's call.
Ash's heart sank. Quietly, he walked onto the field and retrieved Pikachu, who was thoroughly and utterly exhausted. He carried him gently over to his side of the field and set him down. The mouse pokemon's eyes opened briefly and he stared up at Ash. Ash gently patted his head. "It's all right, Pikachu. We really gave them a good battle." With a sigh, he looked back up. He'd given it his all today, and so had his pokemon.
But he wasn't done yet. He calmly retrieved his final Pokeball. He stared at for a second, eyes closed. Then he opened his eyes and tossed the ball straight up into the air. "Krookodile, come on out!"
As the Pokeball soared into the sky, light poured out. It formed into Krookodile's silhouette midair. The crocodile pokemon landed and planted one claw on the ground, then looked up and gave a determined growl, glaring over the rim of his sunglasses at Grimmsnarl. His chest heaved and fell, and soot covered his scales from his burn. He was barely able to remain standing, and Ash knew he didn't have much strength left. Watching him, Ash couldn't help but smile proudly, however. Despite everything the ground-type had been through, he still remained determined.
Krookodile glanced back, and he and Ash locked eyes for a moment.
"We go down fighting, right buddy?" From the sidelines, Pikachu gave a cry of encouragement, as if to say 'I warmed him up for you.'
Krookodile gave a sharp nod, then turned back to Grimmsnarl and roared.
Grimmsnarl, who'd stayed on his hands and knees, rose up to his full height. He stared condescendingly at his opponent, then let out a disdainful snort before dusting himself off and holding his head high.
Rage contorted Krookodile's features at the gesture. Reaching up, he snatched his sunglasses off and flung them across the field at Grimmsnarl. They flew through the air, end over end, then hit Grimmsnarl in the center of his forehead. The fairy-type blinked once. Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he fell backward in a dead faint.
Wild screams exploded from the audience. The announcer began yelling animatedly, while the referee stared, his mouth hanging opening and arms dangling limply by his sides. Tobias was frozen, while Ash stared, confused. Krookodile's eyes were as big as Watmel berries and his jaw hung slack. Then he began to emit a throaty, cackling laugh. Still chuckling, he walked across the field, picked up his sunglasses, the put them back on. Crossing his arms, he flashed a bold smirk, his teeth glinting in the sunlight.
Amidst the still wildly screaming audience and raving announcer, the referee managed to raise a flag. "Grimmsnarl is... unable to battle. Krookodile is the winner. Tobias is out of usable pokemon, so that makes Ash Ketchum the victor of the Unova League."
Somehow the audience got even louder. Ash stared up at the widescreen as his face flashed across it, with the bold print words below it; Winner.
"I... won?" he stammered. He looked across the field at Tobias, who had recovered from his shock. The trainer chuckled and shook his head. "That's Grimmsnarl for you. I could tell that last attack from your Pikachu did a lot of damage. But it seems that it did even more than I realized. I suspect Grimmsnarl was ready to collapse before you even sent Krookodile out."
Ash let out a half-chuckle. Everything still felt surreal. He looked down at Pikachu, who was staring at Krookodile, clearly as surprised as Ash. Pikachu looked up, then met Ash's eyes. Then he gave a cry of joy and sprang up into Ash's arms. Ash hugged Pikachu and laughed, spinning in a circle before flopping onto the ground. Krookodile trundled over and roared happily, wrapping Ash into a hug. His eyes grew just a little bit misty as he looked at his pokemon. After all this time... he'd really made it. He had taken his pokemon all the way to the top, and emerged victorious.
After a minute, Ash pulled himself free. Tobias walked onto the field flanked by Grimmsnarl, and Ash rose and walked out to meet him, Krookodile following. He held out his hand, and Ash shook it. "That was truly the greatest match I've ever had the pleasure of taking part in. Grimmsnarl thanks you as well."
Ash smiled up at Grimmsnarl. "Thank you too, Grimmsnarl! That was an awesome battle!" Krookodile gave a rumble of agreement. The hairs on Grimmsnarl's claws retracted, revealing the smooth green skin underneath. He held his claw out to Krookodile, and the two shook hands. Then he shook Pikachu's paw.
"I could not ask for a more worthy opponent. We'll have to battle again someday."
At that, Ash grinned even wider. "Definitely!"
xXx
Everything seemed to happen in a blur after that. He was ushered off the field and his pokemon taken to the private healing center. A short time later, he was brought back onto the field. A podium had been set up, and Alder stood there, along with Cynthia and Freddie, and a few officials. To his surprise, he noted Iris and Cilan were present as well. When they saw him, both smiled and waved.
Ash waved back and jogged onto the field, Pikachu perched on his shoulder. A lot happened at once. He was congratulated profusely by a very excited Iris, commended by Cilan on his spicy strategies, and applauded by Cynthia and Alder. They presented him with an official League badge that signified his victory. After that, another official showed up and passed off a golden trophy to Alder. With a beaming smile, Alder presented the trophy to Ash.
Trembling with excitement, Ash took the trophy, then held it high.
Then Alder's booming voice announced words Ash had always dreamed of hearing. "I present to you, Ash Ketchum, your Unova League Champion!"
xXx
After everything had died down, the ceremony had ended, and most of the spectators had left, Ash retreated once more to the outskirts of the league grounds. A large grassy hill overlooked the stadiums, and it was this spot that Iris had asked him to meet her. In the distance, the sun was just beginning to set on the western horizon. The distant chirps of bird pokemon and faint cries of bug-types could be heard.
All around him, the pokemon who'd fought in the Unova League with him sat on the hill, enjoying the peace. Pikachu snoozed on his lap, Emboar sat near Charizard, while Swellow and Unfezant perched together. Snivy and Sceptile sat in silence, neither speaking, but comfortable nonetheless. Dewott played with Palpitoad, and his other pokemon enjoyed their well-earned rest.
As he rested in the presence of his friends, he lay on his back and gazed up at the sky. Vivid orange and pink streaked through it, dotted through with indigo clouds. The world was so big, he realized. He'd explored so much and traveled so far, yet he still hadn't seen it all. He looked around him, at all the pokemon he'd befriended. It had been a dream for so long to win a league.
Now that he'd done it, he had a strangely happy feeling that this didn't have to be the end.
The sound of rapid footsteps approaching made him look up. He saw two figures running up the hill towards him. Or rather, one was running while the other staggered behind. Iris ran easily up the hill, Dragonite soaring above her and her Haxorus following, carrying a large basket.
"Surprise!" Iris shouted, smiling. "I planned a picnic!"
Cilan arrived a moment later, huffing.
Iris continued, "I was going to just bring the best kind of food, which is raw berries. But Cilan insisted on bringing some other dishes."
Ash let out a sigh of relief. He never did understand how Iris could eat nothing but uncooked berries. Within a couple minutes, a blanket had been laid out, food distributed, and pokemon food portioned out for all the pokemon present.
"Alright everyone," Cilan said with a smile. "Dig in!"
Everything was, of course, delicious. Ash and all his pokemon ended up having thirds, while Iris seemed content to eat all the berries she'd picked freshly earlier that day. As they ate, Ash told Iris and Cilan very animated stories of the adventures he'd gone on previously, with Iris being especially curious about what the other regions were like. And particularly, what kinds of dragons one could find.
The evening wore on happily, and before Ash knew it, nighttime had arrived. Cilan set to cleaning, insisting he didn't need any help. After all, it was the least he could do for the Unova League Champion and a League Competitor.
So it was that Ash and Iris found themselves sitting a short distance away, with only Pikachu and Haxorus for company. Pikachu rested on Ash's lap, while Iris leaned back on Haxorus, the large dragon curled around her. They sat in silence for a long time, each lost in their own thoughts. Overhead, the stars twinkled and the moon shone brightly.
"So what's next?" Iris asked, breaking the silence.
For a moment, Ash remained silent. It had been a question in the back of his mind all day, and even before that. Now that he'd won the Unova League, where would he go? Back to one of the other regions to compete? His mind returned to his battle with Tobias. "I think I'll go back to Kanto. I want to see my mom and all my other pokemon again. And after that, I'm gonna go to Kalos. I want to see more Mega Evolutions for myself," he said finally. "And there's more gyms over there to battle in and a new league to compete in."
"Wow, that sounds like so much fun! I guess now you'll be bringing a lot of your old pokemon with you too?" she asked.
That made Ash pause. He glanced over. In the distance, he could see Charizard sparring with Dragonite. Garchomp and Krookodile seemed to be explaining something to little Deino, and Swellow was playing tag with Unfezant and Emolga. "I don't know. I had so much fun traveling to a new region and making new friends. Bonding with all kinds of pokemon..." he paused. "I want to keep doing that. Keep meeting different pokemon and getting stronger and stronger." He scratched Pikachu gently. "I think I'll try to catch some brand new Pokemon in Kalos."
Iris nodded slowly. "I think I understand what you mean."
"So what about you? Where are you going to go now?" he asked.
She grinned. "That's easy! I'm gonna keep training to be a Dragon Master! And first on my list is traveling to Johto and battling Clair."
Ash's eyes lit up. "You're gonna battle Clair? Awesome! She's really tough."
Iris nodded. "And after that, I want to catch more dragons! Like a Bagon and a Gible. And I'll keep training Druddigon and Deino, of course."
Ash chuckled and nodded. "Good luck then," he said earnestly. He paused. "Hey Iris?"
"Yeah?"
"What do you think being a Dragon Master means?"
"Well," Iris began slowly. "I'm not really sure, honestly. I think part of it means getting to know all kinds of dragons, and becoming friends with them. But I don't think that's all it is either, you know?"
"I know what you mean," Ash replied. "Being a pokemon master is about meeting and bonding with all kinds of pokemon, all over the world. But I feel like there's more to it too."
Haxorus gave a rumble of agreement. "Maybe... maybe being Dragon Master isn't just my dream. Axew's dream was to evolve and become a Haxorus. And I helped him do that." She stroked Haxorus under the chin, making the dragon purr.
Ash nodded. "Charizard always wanted to be powerful, so I knew I had to let him stay at the Charicific Valley to train."
Pikachu gave an emphatic squeak. Ash ruffled the fur on his head and smiled. "And Pikachu wanted to win on his own terms, without evolving. By working together, we were able to defeat Lt. Surge."
Iris spoke again. "And I think... I think Dragonite wanted a trainer who would try to understand him. He wanted a friend."
Neither one spoke for a while after that. A new sense of peace fell over both of them, an unspoken understanding shared between two budding masters - one of dragons, and one of pokemon. The goal of a master wasn't one shared only by a trainer, but his pokemon. It wasn't just about winning every battle or having a perfect strategy. To be a Master meant to be selfless, to know the heart of a pokemon intimately, and to open your heart to pokemon.
Every battle and every new pokemon would be a step closer to that goal. Becoming stronger was still important to him, and he doubted it would never not be. Yet there was so much more to his dream. Now he understood that becoming a Pokemon Master wasn't something he would ever be 'done' with. It was a pursuit that he intended to go after his whole life. Winning the league today was important, but it was far from the end of his journey. It was just the beginning.
xXx
Several days, and one filler filled cruise ship journey later...
Ash stood in the train station beside Iris and Cilan. The train would be arriving in just a few minutes, taking Cilan and Iris to the Johto region. Cilan planned to travel on his own and learn more about the different cuisines around the world. Given that all he talked about mostly was cooking, and cooking analogies, it only made sense that he decided to hone his chef skills further. Iris on the other hand, planned to travel to Blackthorn City to battle Clair. After that, Ash would leave Vermilion port for Pallet Town, to see his mom again.
He'd miss his two friends, he realized. They'd traveled so far, and done so much together. He'd gotten to see Iris get closer to her dreams and help Axew evolve all the way to Haxorus. No one spoke as they stood together on the platform. In the distance, the train's horn sounded.
Just a few moments later, it cruised smoothly to a stop in front of them. The doors slid open with a faint hiss. "All aboard!" a conductor called, leaning out of one of the cars.
"I guess this is goodbye, huh?" Iris asked.
Ash nodded. "Good luck in Johto. Be careful with Clair. She'd a handful."
Iris chuckled. "I will. I'm already working on some strategies."
With a low growl, Deino popped out of Iris hair and gave a loud cry. Ash and Iris both laughed. "Deino is going to help me too," she added.
"Good luck in Kalos!" Iris said cheerfully.
"And be careful of mega-evolutions," Cilan warned. "They can change a pokemon in unpredictable ways, so stay on your toes."
Ash chuckled again. "You know me! Pikachu and I are ready for anything."
The conductor called out again, and Cilan and Iris moved towards the car. Iris turned back to Ash and held up her hand, to which Ash eagerly reached out and gave her a high five.
"Next time we meet, let's have a battle," Iris declared. "Dragon Master versus Pokemon Master."
"Yeah! I know Charizard would love a rematch. Of course, he'd just win again," Ash added.
Iris snorted. "We'll see! I'm gonna be training hard."
The train's horn sounded again. Iris and Cilan hurriedly boarded. They selected window seats, of which the windows were already open.
The train began to pull slowly away from the station. It began to pick up speed, moving away from Ash. Ash began to jog after it, waving goodbye.
"Bye Ash!" Iris called cheerfully.
"Farewell!" Cilan waved, smiling brightly. "Best Wish-"
Iris clamped her hand over Cilan's mouth. "Don't. You. Dare."
"See you again!" Ash called back. Pikachu cried in agreement, waving a paw as the train pulled out of the station and sped away. Once it had faded into the distance, Ash turned to look at Pikachu. "How about buddy? Ready to go home?"
Pikachu gave a happy cry. With one last look in the direction of the train, Ash turned and headed toward Pallet Town.
The End
Wow. Finally. This is done. 30 chapters, 389 followers, and 5 months later. I never imagined this story would get so big or be so long. It was supposed to be short! Lol. Things got out of hand I guess.
First up, thank you to everyone. If you read this whole thing, thank you. If you reviewed, extra thanks, you motivate me. And thank you for following and favoriting this.
This is the ending I always planned to reach, where Ash grows a better understanding of what it means to be a Pokemon Master. I've always believed it was much more than winning a league.
Next, Tobias and Grimmsnarl. LOOK at Morgrem and Grimmsnarl and TELL ME Tobias wouldn't have one of those? Its perfect for him, imo. Also, a Dark/Fairy type should give you a big clue as to how Tobias caught Latios.
And finally, that ending to the battle. Ha ha! I wanted to have some fun and really do something unexpected. I wanted both Pikachu and Krookodile to shine. So I decided to do it so Pikachu technically scored the finishing hit. But Krookodile also gets to be the last mon standing. And I wanted something a little ridiculous. Plus, a Unova pokemon deserved to win.
To be clear though, between Charizard's Blaze/Flamethrower, Primeape's Focus Blast, and Pikachu's Volt Tackle, Grimmsnarl was destined to go down. Not easily though. Not easy at all.
I think I've said enough. I'd like to move on to addressing final reviews.
If you have any closing comments/thoughts/questions, those will be answered via PM.
As for an epilogue... No plans on a 'proper' one. I'm pretty exhausted of this. Plus, I imagine Ash's Kalos/Alola Journey's progressed mostly the same. However, I may consider a one-shot in the future of Ash reuniting with Iris and a battle with her. Out of everyone, she arguably gained the most.
Now. reviews.
Reader: Thank you!
SatoruRyoma: Hopefully this ending satisfied! I wonder if the anime will ever show us Charizard's Blaze... Anyways, I needed Charizard to do one last all out attack on Grimmsnarl.
As you can see, Grimmsnarl was my pokemon of choice for Tobias. I feel like its typing and weird looks and stuff suit him. I can imagine ten-year old Tobias and a little Impidimp.
Sonicsuperstar: Thank you, I'm exceedingly pleased you agree. I gave a LOT of thought to the logic of my battles and strength levels and such. And as I spoke of above, I could personally think of no better starter for Tobias than Grimmsnarl/Impidimp.
Guest: Glad you are enjoying this, I hope the conclusion was just as good!
TheQuotablePatella: Thank you for pointing out that it was a little confusing, as I mentioned a re edited that to make it clearer. :)
Xavier: Honestly, I love that in anime. Any anime, whether its Dragonball or Pokemon or HunterxHunter or My hero. Its my bread and butter. I wanted to write a fanfic that felt like it was from the show, but with a less stupid outcome *cough cough* Cameron. *cough.*
Its cheesy but I love it, sorry. So I had to throw it in at least once, during the battle with Tobias. Besides, it would be out of character for Ash not to say it, lol.
Guest: Gracias! De nada.
Well, that settles it. This is the end of this story, for now. But as I said, the journey continues. I encourage you to check out my other pokemon story, Legendary Adventures.
I also have plans for some other pokemon stories down the line.
Once again, thank you one and all, for your support. It has been a real pleasure! This isn't goodbye, but 'see you on the next story!'