Chapter 5
Ash is now sitting at the table with the other 9 at the meeting. The number 1 of the Eastern Dorm, Tobias, looks at Ash and says, "Ash, it seems like you have been bringing Grade 1 students to fight the Western, care to explain?"
Ash shrugs and says, "They wanted to fight, I was just satisfied them."
Misty takes out her mallet and hits Ash on the head, "Stop talking like it is nothing! Don't you realize that the teachers are in pain for what you guys are doing? Even if you dislike the Western, you shouldn't do that every time you meet!"
Ash rubs his head and mutters, "As if you can control those Grade 2 students to stop as well..."
"Enough of that." Janine says. "What matters is that the Top 10 tournament is approaching, we want all of you to make sure that your Pokemon are in the best shape so you would win against the Westerns with ease. Are we clear about that?"
"Whatever." Paul mutters as he folds his arms. "I don't think I should be worried about them."
"Looks like you were confident, Paul." Silver says.
"All I care is to become strong, nothing else." Paul says as they continue the meeting.
At the same time, in the Western Dorm, the top 10 are also on the meeting as N says, "First, I would like to welcome Gladion back to the school."
Gladion says, "It's nothing. I just want this to get over with so I can find Lillie and protect her from any perverts."
"You are never changed." Aria sighs. "But then again, that is what an overprotective brother would do."
Alain turns to Serena and says, "So Serena, I want to know why you are fighting those Grade 1 Easterns from time to time?"
Serena shrugs and says, "We have a lot of troublemakers who have been provoking those Easterns, but it is also the fault of the eastern to fall into their provokes.
"That's true." N says, "But Pokemon are not tools for war, they are also living beings, so I suggest that you try to consider their feelings before doing something recklessly."
"I will try about that." Serena says with a sigh. "Anyway, what is this meeting about?"
"It's about the Top 10 tournament, it is a tournament that determines the winner of the whole school. As you can see, all 10 of us are going to compete, and so are the 10 in the Eastern Dorm." Ilima says.
"We have lost two years in a row because of the Eastern Dorm's No.1, Tobias. He has a Darkrai in his team, and nobody except for his brother is able to defeat that."
"That strong, huh?" Gloria says. "Darkrai sure is a pain if it uses Dark Void to put our Pokemon to sleep and using Nightmares."
"That's why we can't ignore this." Serena says. "We have Mega Evolution, Z Moves, and even Gigantamax by our side, and we can defeat them just by using those advantages."
"Do you think they're not having the same advantage?" Gladion asks. "There is also that Ash Ketchum in the other side, and he has mastered all three of them with ease, just like Serena, he is the only First Grade in the Top 10 for some reason."
"You're right about that. Not to mention that Ash-Greninja of his, not even my Mega Charizard can beat him." Alain mutters with a little fury.
"Anyway, we need to talk about some strategies if we want to win this." N says as they start to talk about the plans in the battles.
After the meeting is over, Ash is walking on the road until Chloe decides to find him. "Chloe? What are you doing here?"
"Ash, I have some things that I need to tell you." Chloe says with a little frown. "Ever since Leaf appears in the school, you have been very happy, that is something that you don't do very often ever since you come to this school. I just feel like...are you hiding something from us?"
Ash gives her a small smile and says, "Leaf is a childhood friend of mine, just like you and Goh, as well as Gary were. We are just friends, that's all."
"Is that true?" Chloe says as she sighs, "It seems that I am just overreacting, I heard about the upcoming Top 10 Tournament, so you have to win for us."
"Okay." Ash says as he bids farewell to Chloe as he leaves. But before Ash can sigh in relief, he suddenly hears a voice, "You already have Serena, but yet you are talking to other girls."
Ash turns around and sees Lillie leaning on the wall. Ash asks, "Lillie? What are you doing here? This is the Eastern area and you'll be in trouble if you were found."
"As the saying goes, a sanctuary sometimes resides in the eye of the storm. My brother won't find me here." Lillie says.
"Chloe is just like a sister to me, there is nothing happening with us." Ash says.
"Relax, I am not teasing you." Lillie says, "But you have to be careful, she has been suspicious about Leaf, or Serena in that matter. You do know what will happen if she spreads the news."
"I know Chloe is not a person like that. I trust her with everything." Ash says.
"But then again, aren't you hiding this from her?" Lillie says as she is walking away, "You have to understand what you want to do."
Ash frowns and he says, "I wanted to tell her...but if she knows...then she won't treat me as my friend...what should I do?"
Chloe is sitting in the study room along with the others, Goh walks towards Chloe and asks, "Are you thinking of Ash again?"
Chloe looks at Goh with shock, and she says with a little blush, "Oh, Goh, it's you. Why are you thinking like that?"
"Simple, you always space out a lot when it is related to Ash. Don't tell me you have feelings for him..."
"No, I don't have feelings for him, he is just like a brother to me...it's just...he has been in a headache every time we get provoked by those Westerns. I just want to help him as much as I can...he is the Number 10, but that means a lot of workload puts on his shoulder, I just want to help him as much as I can..."
Ash is passing by as he hears what Chloe is saying to Goh, and he feels much guilty for hiding the truth from Chloe. Ash grits his teeth and heads back to the room, but his figure is noticed by Chloe.
"Ash!" Chloe rushes out of the room, and Goh sighs and says, "Girls...never understand them."
Ash is walking towards the door until Chloe manages to stop him. Ash asks, "Chloe? What do you want?"
Chloe asks, "It's getting late, where are you going?"
"I'm going outside. I have someone that I need to find." Ash says.
Chloe grits her teeth and asks, "It's Leaf again, right? You have been with her during these days, but she isn't even a student here! Why are you seeing her?"
"You're mistaken, I am not going to meet Leaf." Ash lies, and this causes Chloe to ask, "Then who are you meeting?"
Ash takes out a Pokeball and says, "I'm sorry that I have to do this. Lycanroc!"
Chloe gasps as she sees Ash sending out a Dusk Form Lycanroc, and that is a Pokemon that only the person from the West, Calem, owned, Ash says, "Sandstorm!"
Lycanroc does what Ash said and goes for the attack, and Chloe has to block herself from the dust.
"Ash? What are you doing?" As Chloe opens her eyes, Ash is nowhere in sight, so she goes to chase after him.
At the same time, Ash is standing in front of Serena with his Calem disguise, he says, "Sorry I'm late. Have some other things to do."
"It's fine. So what do you want to talk about?" Serena asks.
"Well..." Before Ash can reply, they hear rustling from the bushes and it turns out to be Chloe. "Chloe Cerise? What are you doing here?"
"Calem Xavier and Serena Yvonne? I should ask the same thing!" Chloe says, but deep down she pales as she is now facing two of the strongest members of the West. "I...I was finding Ash Ketchum!"
"Ash Ketchum huh?" Calem says. "Why do you want to find him?"
"I..." Chloe is a little shaken as she wants to run, but a Sirfetch'd and a Dracovish is blocking their path. "We won't harm you until you tell the truth."
Chloe knows there is nowhere to go, as she says, "Ash...he has been hiding something from us for a long time...and there is this mysterious Leaf...Ash was never happy when he was with us...I was worried about him!"
Calem sighs and he turns to Serena, who knows what is going on, and steps behind. Calem says, "Chloe Cerise, your father is one of the Professors, right? You do realize that being a Professor, they are not supposed to hate Western or Eastern."
"I know...but..." Chloe says.
"Ash has never told anyone, but in truth..." Calem suddenly takes off his disguise, much to Chloe's surprise. "He has another identity in the West, and his name is Calem Xavier."
"What?" Chloe is surprised, as she never knows that their leader is also one of the strongest members in the White. "That means...you were dating Serena?"
Ash says, "I hate to admit, but it is true."
Chloe gasps, and then she turns into fury and says to Serena, "What have you done to Ash! How come a person like him betray us like that!"
Serena says, "I didn't do anything. And Ash is not going to betray you guys as well. We...we have been secretly trying to change the world so that there are no conflicts between West and East!"
Ash says, "Enough, Serena. This is my problem and I should be the one that solves it." He turns to Chloe and says, "I am sorry that I hide this fact from you guys, but in the East, you are the only one I can trust. Not even my brother has that privilege."
"Brother?" Serena wonders.
"But why...why would you go this far for your enemy? This is not like you!" Chloe says.
"Not like me, huh?" Ash says, "The Dracovish and Sirfetch'd behind you are my Pokemon, as you can tell, I have stayed at Unova, Kalos, Alola, and Galar for several amounts of time, I don't have any hatred against them. I know the consequences if I am found dating with a Western person, but what I did is nothing wrong."
"Ash..." Chloe looks at him with a little stare, and he says, "Serena is similar to me, she has stayed at Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, and Sinnoh. She is also Leaf herself."
"So you were Leaf..." Chloe says, "I can't believe you would go this far for Ash as well..."
Serena says, "Love has no bounds, if you are Professor Cerise's daughter, please understand what we are going to do."
Chloe doesn't say anything, instead, she stands up and starts punching Ash. Ash is not going to fight back, and he also has Pikachu, Sirfetch'd, and Dracovish to stop interfering.
"You baka...traitor...you said something like being together with Western...how am I supposed to stay like before? I hate you!"
Then she cries as Ash hugs her as a brother would do, Serena can only frown a little as she knows what is going on.
The next day, Ash is walking in the hallway, thinking of how to face Chloe again. "Ash?"
Ash flinches as he turns around, he sees Chloe standing in front of him. Ash asks, "Yes, Chloe?"
"I have been thinking a lot, but as your friend, I won't tell anyone about what happened to you and Leaf." Chloe says.
"Chloe..." Ash feels a little touched, and she says, "Don't think I will forgive you for what you have done, it is just...I want to see it as well, about how you change the world for the better. So you'd better prove to me."
Ash smiles at her, which is something that she yearns to see, a smile that is genuine, and is directed towards her. "Of course. Thank you, Chloe, and I will not waste this chance."
After Gary arrives and asks Ash to play basketball with them, Chloe stands in the hallway and looks at Ash, "Being together with the Westerns...if it is him, he will be able to do it, right?"
And here is a new chapter, as you can see, Chloe also knows the truth of Ash and Serena's relationship. What is going to happen next? I hope you like this chapter.