He looked down. He felt humiliated. He felt... like a failure. A tug of his pants brought him to face a yellow mouse with a zig zag tail. Pikachu tried to give an encouraging noise to his trainer. He admits it was a bit unfair for him, but still he thought they did great for their first League conference. Ash had to admit, it was a great run but the last Pokémon he brought out wasn't exactly a smart idea. Perhaps he should have gone with one of his Tauros to battle at least once since he caught them to break them in. But no, he went with the only Pokémon that was at full health at the time.

Said Pokémon was an orange dragon with a yellow belly and a flame on the tip of his tail. This Pokémon was Charizard... and he was laying on the battlefield not even interested in his smaller opponent, which was another Pikachu with a bit of a spiky hair on his head. He was even sleeping.

Ash couldn't help but frown at the predicament he had endured. His Charizard made him the fool of the match all because he was desperate. His other teams were tired from the ordeal. Bulbasaur and Squirtle were in no condition and Pidgeotto had been tired from the flight over here.

And the next words only added to Ash's guilt...

"Charizard refuses to battle. Therefore Ritchie is the winner by default!"

Cheers erupted from the audience, all for Ash's opponent who felt a bit of pity after seeing Ash's crestfallen face.

Ritchie's Pikachu -named Sparky- hopped on his trainer's shoulder, much like Ash's would, as the trainer walked over to his opponent.

"Hey... um... Ash?"

Ash perked up. "Oh... hey Ritchie... "

"Uh... nice battle."

"Oh yeah. I guess it was," Ash muttered the last part.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's up with your Charizard?"

"Oh," Ash gave a brief pause before answering, "to be honest, I'm not sure. After since his evolution into a Charmeleon, he has been disobedient."

"Huh," Ritchie replied, "Well maybe one day you will get through to him again." He said with hope in his voice.

"I guess so," Ash replied, and returned Charizard to his Pokeball.

Ritchie took off, leaving the depressed trainer on his side of the battlefield. Ash took his turn to find some place for some thoughts.

Unbeknownst to Ash, a shady figure watched his failure... and smiled. The figure had seen his downfall and decided it was time to strike.

To crush this kid's dream entirely and prevent him from throwing any interferences in his future plans.

Ash found himself at a lake, Pikachu curled up in his lap while being petted. Ash couldn't shake the ideas and thoughts of failure, doubt, and over all becoming the best with his dream.

"Why does Charizard not listen to me?"

"Am I a good enough trainer?"

"Why did Team Rocket have to ruin my chances?"

"...What do I do now?"

The ideas and thoughts kept going, doubting his abilities to be a Pokémon trainer. Pikachu, possibly sensing his doubt, let out a reassuring 'Chuuu' to let his trainer know everything is going to be ok. It only helped a little bit.

The electric type then heard footsteps and turned to see five people heading towards him and Ash. Four of the five he knew. It was Misty with Togepi, Brock, Professor Oak, and Delia! They had to be here to cheer him up. But the fifth person... creeped out Pikachu. What was a man like this approaching Ash with his friends and family? Nonetheless, perhaps he was offering something. But the presence it gave off was scary and intimidating to the mouse.

Ash looked up and saw the four people who could possibly help him feel better. He wanted to be alone at the moment but decided they could help him out with his doubt.

"Hey Ash. Great battle today," Misty started off.

Pikachu's eyes slightly narrowed at that statement. Great? Did she not see Charizard blow it for everyone? Ash shared his starter's sentiments.

"What do you mean 'great' battle? I mean I couldn't defeat Sparky..."

Brock spoke up, "But you tried your hardest. That's what manners."

...Huh? It felt like Brock was speaking as if he is controlled.

"Yes my boy. You were the last trainer from Pallet Town to advance into the league, reaching Top 16," Oak spoke, also in a monotone.

That made Ash feel a little better. He has always wanted to best Gary as a Pokémon trainer. But the Top 16 comment made him doubt again.

"It's quite alright son. But you could have done something else with your life. Not be a failure as a trainer."

That comment threw Ash in a loop. Did his own mother think being a Pokémon trainer is for him. She knew that was his dream! Who was she to say that. But again, Ash caught onto a monotone voice.

"Mom, what are you talking about?!" Ash blurted out, "you should know better than anyone that I will not give up on my dream!"

Pikachu also sparked his cheeks in anger. Give up?! How could she say that!

"Yeah! You can't train your Pokémon! If I were becoming a Pokémon master, I wouldn't have used an disobeying Charizard! Ha!" Misty said. It was almost like if she was speaking freely?

The four continued to spout their beliefs of Ash ridicule of Ash's dream. Each insult deepened Ash's doubt. It was bad enough his Charizard's disobedience and lack of battling, his two traveling companions, mother, and grandfather figure insulting him. He was on the verge of tears.

The shady figure was watching with seemed like pure malice. He knew something about the boy that very few people would know. And now he was on the verge of breaking...

At least the figure would if Pikachu had not intervened.

The mouse had been listening to these insults and for what? This infuriated him! He was going to make them pay! Charging up a Thunderbolt loose...

Only for the bolt to be sent into a Pokémon. The Pokémon was a large brown bipedal rhino like body with two horns, orange armor, and a large club tail. Pikachu paled to the size of the Pokémon. Granted, Pikachu has seen a large Dragonite and Tentacruel before, but this one seemed to absorb his electric attack.

"Cute. Rhyperior, Stone Edge."

The newly dubbed Rhyperior slammed one its arms in the ground and sent light blue stones rising from the ground towards Pikachu and Ash. Both were too shocked at the moment and received the attack. The two were sent flying and hit the ground, Ash's body aching in form the impact, Pikachu as well. Ash looked up and heard the sounds of other Pokeballs opening. Brock sent out Onix, Misty sent out Starmie, Oak had sent out his Dragonite and his mom sent out Mr. Mime. Ash knew he would be at a disadvantage with Pikachu here, not knowing what this new Pokémon is, and his other Pokémon not here, even if Charizard wouldn't listen.

"Rock Slide/Hyper Beam/Hydro Pump!/Psychic."

Ash decided to take action himself. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Pikachu did his best to let loose a charge of electricity to defend him and Ash, the bolt was fired but redirected towards Rhyperior's horn. Mimey the Mr. Mime hesitated from using the attack, but unfortunately complied. Psychic restricted Ash and Pikachu and the Rock Slide flew upon them. Ash let out cries of pain, wondering why and how could his own mother and friends do this to him. The Rock Slide ended and the Hydro Pump poured into them. The pressure of the Water type move was extremely harsh and then... Dragonite's Hyper Beam. The normal type move blasted into them and nearly caused them to faint from the impacts. Pikachu was bruised and Ash...

Ash looked horrible. The trainer was bleeding and felt several fractures in his body (enough though he had endured Charizard's Flamethrowers). His vision was going blurry but all he could see was the shady figure and its monstrous Ground-Rock type approaching him... smiling snidely at the fallen trainer. He was almost done...

Until a Hydro Pump blasted into his Rhyperior, managing to push the Drill Pokemon back. A purple Power Whip smacked across its face next, knocking it down. The figure looked to see a man with black hair in red hat and jacket riding a Charizard before swooping down and landing in front of Ash. He briefly saw the Pokémon knocked down but fainted from the sheer pain. A Blastoise and Venusaur emerged from the foliage and growled at the figure and friends. Delia and Oak recoiled in fear, some sense still with them after all this time. "Don't stand there, attack!" the figure snarled, wanting to end the trainer right here and now. The savior readied his team and went to lay waste on the enemies.

"Charizard, Steel Wing! Blastoise, Flash Cannon! Venusaur, Petal Blizzard!" The man shouted. Charizard's wing turned to a metallic sheen and flew straight at Oak's Dragonite and defeated him instantly. Blastoise fired two bright gray energy blasts at of its cannons and nailed Brock's Onix. Venusaur sent a vortex of pink petals at Misty's Starmie, effectively defeating it. Misty seethed in anger, ready to pull out one her other Pokémon...

Only for Psyduck to appear.

"PSYDUCK! GET BACK IN YOUR POKEBALL RIGHT NOW!" Misty roared at the Duck Pokémon. Said Pokémon seemed confused at the moment. The Water type "master" was about to return him, but a dark blur scooped the Pokeball from her hand. Psyduck did return, just not to the proper trainer. Misty seethed again at her predicament.

Mimey was luck not to be hit with any attacks, much to his relief. The Psychic/Fairy looked towards his trainer, waiting for her next command. But to his surprise, she didn't. It was like she was in some sort of daze after seeing this man. Taking the opportunity, Mimey rushed over to Ash. He cared for the boy and couldn't believe the actions he had done to harm the child. He still doesn't remember how Delia could do such a thing. Pikachu, struggling to have open his eyes, finally opened them and saw the traitor Pokemon heading there way. He bared his teeth, but to his surprise, Mimey set up a Safeguard. Pikachu was a bit worrisome of the Pokémon but fell again to the pain.

The shady figure growled and decided to cut his losses from here. The trainer that stood before him was greatly annoying and dangerous at the same time. Pulling out an Ultra Ball, he summoned another new Pokémon. It resembled black owl with multiple eyes, a big head and a short torso with many stumps. "Teleport." The Claydol warped the five of them away...

Leaving Togepi behind.

The man let out a breath. The figure was sure to find him, but he would not allow it. The dark blur landed behind the trainer revealing its true appearance, a Gengar. The man turned to fainted trainer. Closing his eyes, he sensed he was still alive, but slowly losing blood. The some of the attacks were dangerous to be used on humans. Deciding to do something about The man returned his Charizard, Gengar and Blastoise lifted Ash to the best of his ability with his condition and his Venusaur lifted both Ash's Pikachu and Togepi, before hurrying to the nearest Pokémon Center. Psyduck tilted his head in confusion before being dragged by Mimey, who was running to keep up with the man and Venusaur.