This chapter was supposed to be long chapter. It got too long, so I broke it in half. Now, it's the longest chapter of this story.

And that's only the half of it.


The arrangement of tables outside the cafeteria reminded Ash of some outdoor cafes he'd visited in Kalos. The chairs and tables were made of a white wood and the seats were padded with a soft pink cushion. Each table was large enough to sit four people comfortably, but they were typically set for two. Given that every mage had their familiar nearby, the greater seating spread was understandable.

While it was technically still breakfast time, the outdoor seating was being used by students who were eating light refreshments, rather than a hearty meal. Though, after seeing how large of a meal the students were served, Ash wondered why very few of the students looked overweight. Ash knew he was a big eater, but as a Pokemon trainer he burned a lot of energy between traveling and training. Unless mages had an exercise regimen that he didn't know about, there was no way from them to stay slim after eating so much. Then again, what did he know about magic or mages?

Ash wasn't there to question the noble's dietary habits. He was there to serve as a waiter. At least for now. While the raven-haired trainer had no real work experience, he took to the job rather quickly. Between Siesta and some of the other servers giving him tips, and his memories of being served on some of his few visits to high end restaurants, he had pretty much all the tools he needed.

"Two teas with lemon wedges, one parfait for the lady, and a jam on toast for the gentleman," Ash recited as he came to a stop at one of the small tables out on the courtyard grass. After setting down the drinks and appetizers—gently, as he had quickly learned that he was generally too rough when it came to silverware—he spun the tray around the palm of his hand before grabbing the rim and tucking the tray to his side.

The two nobles gave polite applause. "A good show," said the male mage. The duck in his lap quacked in agreement.

"Most certainly," said his female companion. Her hands idly brushed the fur of a black cat that rested on her shoulder, much like Pikachu rested on Ash's. "Tell me, where did Louise find you?"

Ash's expression faltered at the mention of his summoner, but he forced the smile to remain on his face. "Louise summoned me from very far away," he said, whispering conspiratorially.

Polite laughter followed his remark. "He plays into character so well, Genevieve," the boy said.

"He's as fine as any trained performer, Edgar," the young lady agreed.

Ash looked at the two, confusion evident in his features. "Excuse me, but what do you mean by 'character'?" he asked.

The two nobles exchanged a glance, and the burst into another round of tittering laughter. Genevieve pretend to cover her laughter with a dainty hand as she responded, "Everyone knows that Louise the Zero could never summon a familiar."

"Indeed," Edgar agreed with an amused grin. "For a talentless girl like Zero, it would take a miracle of the Founder to have one of her spells work properly.

"But the only miracle she pulled off was managing to sneak you into her explosion for the grand reveal," Genevieve snickered.

"Tell us, how did you pull that trick off?" Edgar asked with casually curious tone.

"There was no trick," Ash stated honestly. "Louise summoned me to be her familiar."

This only sent the young mages into another fit of giggles. "I see," said Genevieve, "she paid you to keep quiet about it. It's a wonder her family insist on protecting her; her failures make the rest of the Valliere's seem incompetent."

"If that's the case, you need say no more," Edgar told Ash, who staring at the two in obvious bewilderment. "I suppose we'll have to pry the answer out of the Zero herself."

The conversation was leaving Ash a bit perturbed. "That's not a very nice nickname," he commented. He felt hypocritical saying so, given he himself had used it to her face less than an hour ago. But despite the problems he had with Louise, he didn't feel right letting her be mocked behind her back.

"That's none of your concern," Genevieve said dismissively. "Zero has earned her title by her failures. It's mage custom, a commoner like you wouldn't understand."

Edgar nodded along, then he snapped his fingers and made a shooing gesture. Ash caught the cue easily, but only barely remembered to bow before turning around and making his departure.

As Ash walked by the tables of students, he began to exam young nobles in a new light. He had thought—hoped—that Louise's behavior was unusually rude for a noble, but it was becoming apparent that such was not the case. While she seemed to be particularly unreasonable with him, her classmates had hadn't proven to be much better. Ash was quickly realizing that the people who gave Louise the title of "Zero" weren't holding themselves to higher standard; they were just bringing her down like common bullies.

Their attitude made Ash suspect that there was more to Louise's outburst. He remembered that when he was summoned, he had seen students pointing in his direction and laughing. At first, he had assumed that the students had been laughing at his appearance. After all, his clothes were radically different from theirs. But now that he thought about it, they may have been mocking Louise, or—more complicatedly—mocking Louise through him. If it was considered "normal" to laugh and insult your classmates, Ash had to wonder if Louise even knew how to treat a person right, let alone someone who wasn't a noble.

"This is entire place is messed up," Ash muttered under his breath. "Ugh, I really need to figure out how to get home before I go crazy." Time travel sucked; he would keep that in mind in the future.

"Excuse me, sir. I believe you dropped this."

Hearing a familiar voice, Ash turned to see Siesta handing a small perfume vial to one of the noble boys. Unlike most of the students who wore their uniform shirts and robes pinned up with a pentagon claps, this young mage wore his shirt open at the top, showing off a portion of his toned chest. The noble boy made a half turn, noticed the vial, and then ran a rand through his tussled blond hair as he turned away. "You must be mistaken, that isn't mine," he said in a haughty voice.

"B-but it fell out of your pocket, sir," Siesta stammered.

A noble girl with long blond ringlets snatched the vial out of the maid's hands. After examining it closely, she slowly turned to the boy. "Guiche," she said tensely. "Why do you have another girl's perfume?" Suspicion was evident in her gaze, causing her fellow blond to sweat nervously.

"My dear Montmorency, you are the only one in my life," Guiche professed. His blue eyes gazed into the matching ones of his girlfriend. "I don't know where this peasant found this perfume, but I can assure you, it did not come from me."

Montmorency's gaze softened, but still held lingering doubts. "Are you saying that you've never seen that perfume in your life?" she asked.

"Never," Guiche swore. He took her hands in his and knelt on one knee. "My sincerity is pure."

Ash was starting to have the sneaking suspicion that this guy was a womanizer. Guiche made declarations that were as over the top as Brock's, one of his previous companions. Their posture and flowery words were a near perfect match, the only difference is that this guy actually managed to get a girlfriend.

And he might be cheating on her.

And lying about it.

Ash decided it was best not to get too involved and jump to conclusions. He considered walking away, but curiosity and a need for a distraction urged him to see the result.

Montmorency leaned in close to Guiche, until their faces were inches apart… and sniffed him. Frowning, she stood up and shook off Guiche's hands. "Funny how your robes smell like the contents of this bottle," she said suspiciously. "Are you having another girl behind my back?"

Guiche was now sweating profusely, which wasn't helping his case. A nervous smile crept onto his face as he spoke, "My dear Mon Mon, you wouldn't seriously accuse me of falsehood and unfaithfulness on the word of a servant, would you? I've pledged my love to you. You're the only girl in my life."

"Guiche," a small voice said in a pitiful whimper. The entire crowd turned to see a brunette girl in a brown robe, looking at Guiche with teary eyes. "Does this mean, you don't care about me after all? Did all our dates mean nothing to you?"

Ash's eyes followed Monmorency's face swiveling to Guiche, then the other girl, then back to Guiche. "You were cheating on me!" she exclaimed, stabbing an accusing finger at Guiche. "And with an innocent first-year!"

Guiche smile twitched frantically as he looked at the two girls before him. One, looking at him in tears, the other, veins popping in rage. Both hurt by the deep sting of betrayal. "You see," Guiche began cautiously. "There's a perfectly good explanation for this—"

The simultaneous slap that followed echoed across the courtyard. Huffing, both girls stomped away, leaving Guiche collapsed on the ground.

Ash winced. Clearly, Guiche deserved what he got, but that still had to hurt. With the show over, the students began to disperse. Some went back to the old conversations, but the majority gave their comments on the affair. Apparently, Guiche's womanizing antics were well known to everyone in his year, but it wasn't often that his actions caught up with him.

Ash decided it as better to not stick around to hear more demeaning comments from the students. With his distraction now over, he turned to return to the kitchen.

"You, maid!"

Ash immediately made a one-eighty as he found Guiche, back on his feet, glaring at a confused Siesta. "What now?" Ash muttered under his breath, exasperated.

"Yes, sir?" Siesta replied hesitantly.

Guiche stood tall and pointed his entire arm in Siesta's direction. "How dare you publicly humiliate me!"

Hushed mutters swept through the remaining crowd of students. Siesta looked taken aback. "That wasn't my intent," she said apologetically. "I-I was just trying to return it to you."

Guiche leaned towards her, prompting Ash to step closer to hear them clearly. "When I told you that it wasn't mine, that was your cue to give it to me discreetly at a later, less public time," Guiche reprimanded her. "Honestly, to think you know nothing of discretion."

Ash's jaw dropped, failing to comprehend Guiche's brazenly twisted logic. While the mage wasn't shouting to the rooftops, he was openly discussing his plans for subterfuge. Not only was that the opposite of discretion, but why did he think Siesta should cover for his lies?

"I'm sorry, sir," Siesta apologized, bowing low. "It was an honest mistake."

"Your 'honest mistake' cost me two fair ladies," Guiche said dramatically.

Actually, now that Ash thought about, everything in the blonde's actions and words were unnecessarily dramatic. The guy was not only a shameless, two-timing flirt, but he was a showboat to boot! Ash now felt remarkably less bad for the gossip Guiche received. While Louise seemed to be bullied solely due to her lack of magical ability, Guiche was more of a pain than Ash's former rival, Gary, had ever been.

"Katie was a cutie, and my dear Mon Mon probably won't speak to me for weeks," Guiche lamented before giving Siesta a sneer. "I think I'll have a talk with the Headmaster about your employment. Commoners who can't follow obvious social cues shouldn't work at such a prestigious academy."

Ash clenched his hands into fists. He knew that jumping headfirst into situations tended to make things worse, but this was beyond ridiculous. What concept of "nobility" did these students have? The strong rule over the weak? That was outdated! Right, time travel. That was how things worked back in the day. But that didn't mean he had to stand for it.

Siesta was trembling at this point, eyes wide with terror. "No, please, I need this job," she said desperately. "I have a family back at home who need the money."

Guiche made a show of shrugging his shoulders. "I don't see why the matters of a peasant should concern me," he said casually. "Especially one that can't even do her job properly."

Every word that dripped from Guiche's lips sizzled in Ash's ears. "That's enough!" Ash snapped, moving to stand in front of Siesta with his arms open wide. "Leave Siesta alone!"

Guiche looked taken aback. "And who are you supposed to be?" he asked.

"Ash Ketchum, a Pokemon trainer from Pallet Town."

"Pallet Town? Pokemon? Never heard of those before," Guiche replied. He gave Ash a scrutinizing look, then snapped his fingers. "Oh, wait, you're Louise's familiar, aren't you? I didn't recognize you wearing your servant clothes. Does this mean Louise has given up on her charade of summoning a human as a familiar?"

"It wasn't a charade!" Ash protested. "Louise did summon me!"

"Right," Guiche drawled as he twirled his wrist lazily. "And what business do you have raising your voice at a noble such as myself? Do you realize that I could have you fired just as easily as this maid?"

"You can't have her fired because you wanted her to lie for you," Ash retorted.

Guiche tutted as he shook his head. "Of course, Louise would get a servant as undignified as herself," he said with a dramatic sigh. "Listen, boy, I'm not in the best mood right now, and I really don't like your master. However…" Guiche's gaze flickered to Siesta before returning to meet Ash's eyes. Lowering his voice, he continued, "I do enjoy the white knight show you're putting on for the lady. Wondrous performance; I respect a young man with guts. But this matter is beyond you. Go run along and do whatever it is your kind do."

Ash had no clue what Guiche was talking about, but he wasn't about to let himself get sidetracked. "Not unless you leave Siesta alone," he said firmly.

"Honestly, boy, I am trying to be merciful here," Guiche said. "But if you insist on standing in my way, you will reap the consequences of your actions."

"Just like you did?" Ash suggested cheekily.

Guiche pinched his lips in a tight frown. "It seems we cannot settle this with words," he said coldly. "Very well, if you wish for me to pardon the young maid, I shall graciously grant you an opportunity. All you have to do is beat me in a duel."

Siesta looked horrified, but Ash, having his back turned, didn't notice. "A duel?" he echoed. "Like, a battle? But I don't have my Pok—I mean, a familiar."

"A duel between familiars? Oh, Founder, no," Guiche scoffed. "A proper duel is an honorable fight between men! Well, noble men, at least. After all, no commoner would dare face a noble in a duel."

"I accept."

Siesta gasped. "No, wait—"

"Oh ho ho, confident, are you?" Guiche said with a sly grin. "Very well, I will be awaiting you at Vestri Court." Guiche turned with a dramatic flair of his cape. "Don't get cold feet now. Though, no one would blame you if you did."

"I'll be there!" Ash affirmed. He glared at Guiche's back as the noble boy walked away.

"Mr. Ash, you can't!" Siesta protested, grabbing the boy's arm. "I'm not worth it."

Ash was momentarily stunned by the sudden gesture of concern, but then gently removed her hands from his arm. "Don't say that," Ash said kindly. "You're my friend, and I never let my friends get pushed around."

"I'm flattered, but this a duel, with a noble," Siesta insisted. "Please, you can't fight him!"

"Don't worry," said Ash with a confident grin. "I know a little bit about fighting, he won't beat me that easily."

Siesta looked into his confident eyes, full of innocence and blissful ignorance. "I'm sorry," she whispered before turning and bolting away.

Ash watched her sprint towards the doors of the cafeteria with a confused look. That was an oddly strong reaction to a simple duel. He supposed that someone who worked at a school wasn't used to seeing people fight. Speaking of which, he had completely lost track of Guiche.

"Excuse me," Ash called out to a nearby student, a pudgy blonde boy. "Where's the Vestri Court?"

"In the west courtyard, obviously," the other boy said with a laugh as he pointed in a direction.

Ash could hear the boy mutter, "This'll be fun," under his breath as he walked away in the direction he indicated. The trainer sighed and followed. After everything he had survived in his travels, he doubted that students who sat around and gossiped all day would be able to easily beat him in a fight. Out of all the student's he'd seen, Guiche was the one of the few who looked physically fit, but given his playboy nature, it was highly unlikely that he would be able to match Ash in a contest of strength, toughness, or agility.

The path to the Vestri Courtyard looped around the central Academy building. It looked pretty much the same as the other courtyards Ash passed. The only thing that confirmed that he was in the right place was the crowd of students gathered the tall, blonde haired Guiche.

Ash moved to enter the crowd, but the sound of someone screaming his name gave him pause. Recognize the voice, he wearily turned around to see Louise, followed by Siesta, running up to him. At least, he assumed they were running. They weren't moving very fast, a jog at best, but both were huffing and puffing as they finally came to a stop a few feet away from him.

"Hello," Ash said neutrally to Louise before giving Siesta a questioning look. He had a lot he wanted to say to Louise—both good and bad—but this was really not a good time.

"What do you think you're doing!" Louise exploded. Despite her heavy breathing, she seemed to have no trouble yelling at him. "I just finished breakfast when this maid—"

"Her name is Siesta," Ash interrupted.

"—comes rushing in saying that you accepted a duel with Guiche and it's all her fault!"

"But it wasn't her fault," Ash denied. "I offered because he was being a jerk."

"Stop interrupting me!" Louise shouted, throwing her clenched fists to her sides. "Is this a joke to you?"

"No," Ash replied seriously.

"Then why in the Founder's name did you think it would be a good idea to accept a duel from a noble?"

"He was blaming Siesta because he got slapped by his girlfriends for two-timing," Ash replied, trying and failing to keep the rising anger from his tone. "Just because he's a noble doesn't mean he can lash out at others just because he's hurt."

Louise winced, making Ash realize that he might have had a bit too much bite in his words. "Maybe Guiche was in the wrong," she said tentatively. "He does have a reputation for being a skirt chaser. But he's a noble, and you are not. You can't tell a noble that they're wrong."

"Because nobles are perfect?" Ash suggested drily.

"Well, no," Louise admitted. "But there is a hierarchy, and you have to respect it."

Right, social class was very important in this era. And currently, Ash found himself on the bottom of the social pyramid. "And does respecting the hierarchy mean I have to forfeit the duel and let Siesta be fired for something she didn't even do?"

"Technically, dueling is illegal on school grounds," Louise replied. "But since he challenged you, it is your right to accept it. That still doesn't make it any less of a terrible idea. You're going to get hurt. Listen, Guiche is arrogant, but that makes him easy to please. If you apologize, I think he'll let you go. If he doesn't, I can ask him on your behalf."

Ash raised an eyebrow. That sounded less like a demand, and more of a concerned request. "But what about Siesta?" he asked. "I'm fighting this duel for her, not for myself."

Louise bit her lip as she looked to the maid who had been silently watching their exchange. "I will be fine Mister Ash," Siesta said. "I have done good service so far, so the Headmaster is unlikely to fire my on the spot. I'll probable only be reprimanded and have more duties for a while." Even as she said this, her legs still trembled, which did not put Ash's worries at ease.

"That's still a punishment you don't deserve," Ash insisted. "I'm going to beat Guiche in a duel, that way he has to let it go."

"You can't," Louise snapped. "He's a noble and you're a commoner. You think you can beat him in a duel?"

"And what makes you so sure I can't?" Ash asked. "You never know unless you try."

"He's a mage!" Louise insisted. "Why can't you get that through your thick skull!"

"And what, him being a noble and a mage means he's going to win?"

"Yes!"

Ash looked at Louise with disappointment and annoyance. "You know, I was going to apologize to you for what happened this morning," he said. "But you're just saying the same things over and over again. Fine! If I can't talk you into changing your mind, looks like I'll have to prove it on the field." He turned away and walked towards the crowd of students.

Louise's foot stamped hard into the ground. "Argh! That stupid familiar!" she seethed. "Is he trying to get himself killed?"

"I'm terribly sorry Miss Valiere," said Siesta, bowing to Louise. "It's my fault that Mister Ash got caught up in all this."

"Yes, if it wasn't for you my familiar would be risking his life fighting Guiche of all people," Louise said absently. The maid visibly wilted. "But his actions are his own, so I'm not going to blame you just because he's an insufferably stubborn oaf." She tsked as she watched the crowd part, allowing Ash to stand alone in the center of the court with Guiche. "I am not going to stand for this." She began making her way to the circle as well, with Siesta following at her heels.

Guiche looked the perfect image of a noble as he stood in the sunlight. His blue eyes were as clear as the crystal sea. His smile overflowed with confidence. The gentle wind ran through his golden hair. The sun gleamed off the portion of his exposed, hairless chest. A single rose rested in hand, giving the final touch of elegance.

To Ash, that rose and stance reminded him of another villainous young man. Their faces were not the slightest bit alike, but their poses were uncannily similar.

"I'm glad you had the courage to show up," said Guiche. "Though it seems your master has some issues with your presence here."

"I mean, I've already accepted, so it would be dishonorable to surrender before we began, wouldn't it?" Ash replied.

Guiche nodded in approval. "You fit the role so perfectly, it almost brings me to tears," he said passionately. "Shall we get started then?"

Ash, still having no idea what role Guiche was referring to, nodded. "Let's do this."

"STOP!"

The two boys paused as Louise burst into the circle and ran up to Guiche. Siesta, who had been following her, remained on the outer edge of the circle, knowing better than to try pushing her way into a crowd of nobles.

"What is this?" Guiche asked mockingly. "The Zero has come to fetch her familiar? I'm afraid you'll have to wait, we're a little busy at the moment."

"Guiche, that's enough!" Louise said sharply. "Duels are forbidden."

"Duels between two nobles are forbidden, Louise," Guiche corrected her. "He is a peasant, a servant. There are no rules that say we cannot duel."

"That's only because no peasant with sense would duel a mage!" Louise retorted. "This is wrong!"

"Louise," Ash interjected. "Thanks for the concern, but that was a bit insulting."

"Indeed," Guiche agreed. "Your familiar lacks tact, grace, and poise, but he has the courage of a man. Using the manners of the noble knight order, he wishes to woo the heart of his maiden. You cannot stop him now!"

Ash blinked. Several times. "I'm starting to think we're not on the same page here," he deadpanned.

"Besides," Guiche continued, as he flung his flower, letting a single petal fly off and fall to the ground. "Both participants are ready, so the duel has begun!"

As the red petal gently landed on the ground, it became surrounded in a white light. Earth surged up, forming a humanoid shape. Grey armor clad most of its body, including its boots, gauntlets, helmet, and oversized shoulder plates. A small white wing adorned each side of the golem's helmet, which covered a near featureless face. The golem was designed to mimic a female body, with two protrusions in its chest plate, and inexplicably thin waist. A white skirt—the only part besides the helm's wings which did not look like it was made from the earth—clothed the golem's legs. In its hand, it wielded a simple spear, made in the same color as the rest of the golem's body.

"What did you do?" Ash asked in surprise. "And what is that?"

A smug smile broke across Guiche's face as he took in Ash's awe. "I suppose I did forget to introduce myself properly," said Guiche. "I am Guiche de Gramont, and my runic name is Guiche the Bronze. As such, my Valkyrie will fight you."

"So cool!" As much as Ash disliked Guiche, he was always excited to see something new. "So, this is what magic can do." Ash took another look at Guiche's golem, and had to ask, "Is there any reason you made your golem a girl?"

"All of my Valkyries are lovely ladies," Guiche replied proudly. "Why?"

"…never mind." Ash was not prepared to go down whatever rabbit hole that conversation would be. "So, what are the rules for the duel?"

"Simple, the first to get their opponent to surrender wins," Guiche replied. "Now, let us begin!"

"Hold on," Ash interrupted, holding up a hand. "I thought this was supposed to be a one on one duel. How come you get to have help?" He pointed to the Valkyrie, which had lowered its spear in preparation to charge.

"I am a mage. And my Valkyrie is an extension of my magic," Guiche explained. "Did you think I would demean myself by using a commoner's weapon?"

"Well, I don't even have a weapon, so that's not really fair," Ash pointed out.

"That's what I was trying to tell you!" Louise shouted. After realizing that the two weren't going to cancel their duel, the pink midget had retreated to the edge of the circle. "A commoner can't beat a mage! You can't win a duel without magic!"

"You should have told me it was a magic duel in the first place!" Ash called back.

Louise's retort died in her throat as her eyes widened in terror. "Behind you!" she cried.

Ash turned and immediately ducked low. The Valkyrie had taken advantage of his distraction to swing a punch at his chest. Ash could feel the breeze the metal gauntlet created as it narrowly passed over his back. Without any respite, Ash was forced to roll out of the way as the Valkyrie's arm crashed down to punish his choice of dodging. A lunge of the Valkyrie's spear was evaded as well as Ash continued to dodge on the diagonal to avoid being cornered. While he didn't have a plan of attack yet, the golem's movements were predictable and not particularly fast.

"Louise's familiar is a nimble little one, isn't he," Kirche commented as she watched Ash avoid the golem's blows with quickly growing ease. The buxom redhead stood with the petite Tabitha at the edge of the circle. As per usual, it was Kirche's forceful suggestion that brought them to watch the latest spectacle of the academy. She was eager to see how badly a commoner familiar would fair against one of the more talented mages of their year. To her pleasant surprise, Ash had managed to go a full minute into the fight without being hit once.

"Not enough," Tabitha commented. The blue-haired wind mage, as per usual, held a small book in her hand. However, she paid it little attention. Her bespectacled aquamarine eyes were fixed on the peculiar familiar Louise had summoned.

"What do you mean?" Kirche asked. Tabitha did not reply right away, giving Kirche the time to reevaluate the situation. "Oh," the taller student said. "I see. That is a problem."

Punches, swings, and stabs came from the golem's fist and spear. Each blow was carefully avoided, but Ash made no move to counterattack. After every successful evasion Ash continued to keep his eyes on his opponent, ready to react to whatever strike came next.

"You're faster than I'd expect," Guiche admitted. "But my Valkyrie will never tire. If you think you can win by running away, your defeat will be slow but guaranteed."

"I already know that," Ash replied cheekily as he sidestepped another swing from the Valkyrie's spear. "I've just been waiting for a good to go on the offense!"

As the Valkyrie swung another punch, Ash made his move. Instead of dodging back and to the side as he usually did, Ash ducked forward, moving towards the golem's exposed side. With the golem's limbs terribly out of position, he seized the advantage of the moment, and landed a solid punch directly at the skinniest part of the golem's waist.

A sharp crack echoed through the courtyard.

"Yeouch!" Ash howled as he took a step back and gripped his throbbing hand. "That hurt!" Thin or not, punching through solid metal had been met with greater resistance than he expected.

"Look out!" he heard Louise cry. Briefly distracted by the pain, Ash turned around just in time to see the Valkyrie swing the blunt of its spear into his chest.

The impact knocked the wind out of Ash's lungs. He was flung off his feet and tumbling over the grass. After multiple rolls, he came to a stop and gave a pained groan.

"And that hurt more," he grumbled as he pushed himself to his feet. By some miracle, his cap had managed to remain on his head, though it now hung at an askew angle. "This is going to be harder than I thought."

"You can't punch a golem!" Louise shouted.

"If you have any ideas now would be a good time," Ash called back, this time keeping his focus fixed on the golem as he talked.

"Commoners can't beat mages!" Louise exclaimed. "That's why you shouldn't have accepted this duel in the first place."

"Well, I already accepted, and I can't go back in time to change that." Ash noted the irony in his own statement. "All I can do is think of a way forward."

"Don't be an idiot! You've already gotten yourself hurt!"

"I've been worse," Ash replied honestly. "Besides, I'm fighting for a friend. I can't give up now!"

Guiche, who had halted the golem's movements to observe the two's byplay, gave a slow applause of approval. "You truly do play the role so well," he said. "If only you were a noble, it would be an honor to have a proper duel with you. Alas, I will have to show you why commoners are inferior to nobility."

"Being born a noble doesn't make you better than anyone else," Ash retorted.

"By the Founder, it does," Guiche refuted. "After all, you can't even beat my single Valkyrie. You should surrender now, while you still have some dignity."

"Not a chance," Ash replied, clenching his reddened hand into a fist. "You're going to be the one to surrender to me, Guiche."

"That is, Mister Guiche, to you," Guiche replied. He threw out his rose-clenching hand. "Valkyrie, finish him!"

Ash threw himself back as the Valkyrie stabbed through the space his chest previously occupied. "It can go even faster?" he said incredulously.

Several of the students were making similar observations. "Of course, that showboat was toying with him," Louise scowled. "Stupid familiar, he's going to get himself killed."

Kirche's expression shifted from excitement to disappointment as she watched Ash desperately dodge the golem's strikes. "Looks like Louise's familiar isn't as good as I thought," Kirche sighed. "What a pity, I was cheering for him. Well, I suppose I was more cheering against Guiche, but the point is moot. Now that he's stopped playing with his food, the little boy won't last much longer."

"Not yet."

"Oh? Is there something I'm missing, Tabitha?" The bluette didn't answer, prompting Kirche to grab her from behind and let her abundant chest glomp the top of the shorter girl's head. "Don't be stingy, let me in on the secret."

Tabitha narrowed her eyes as she carefully observed the face of the commoner who would brazenly defy millennia-old customs. While he had the body and face of a child, there was a keenness to his gaze that gave the battle-hardened mage pause. "Determined."

Ash watched the golem's movements carefully. With the metaphorical kid's gloves off, the golem was almost as fast as he was. Luckily, it wasn't nearly as nimble, but that wasn't enough. As Guiche said, the golem had no exhaustion, and while Ash wasn't even winded yet, he knew that it would only take one mistake to receive another painful hit. With punching the golem not being a viable option, he briefly considered tackling it instead. But he shook his head. He didn't know how strong the golem was, but his odds of beating a walking suit of armor in a contest of strength was little to none.

The trainer's options were very limited, and victory looked beyond his reach, but he couldn't give up. Not on Siesta, and not on himself. As a trainer he had overcome many challenges. Even though he no longer he had his friends and Pokemon by his side, he wouldn't be able to face himself he didn't give this fight everything he got.

He needed some way to get around his predicament. He was facing an opponent that he barely outsped and he couldn't hope to beat in a direct fight. He also couldn't afford to draw the fight out, otherwise he'd get smacked around till he was black and blue. And despite those obstacles, he needed to force Guiche to surrender.

The thought came so suddenly he almost had his head nailed by a Valkyrie's punch. "Of course," he said, a grin overtaking his face. "You're my obstacle," he said to the Valkyrie, "but you're not my opponent!" As the Valkyrie lunged forward with its spear, Ash dove forward.

"Don't!" Loiose screamed as she watched her familiar throw himself at his opponent.

Ash rammed his shoulder at the golem's thin waist. The armored construct was durable, but it wasn't as heavy as it was tough. Its stance was also unsteady, a product of being puppeteer by someone who had yet to master the stance himself. With little resistance, the Valkyrie bent in the middle and fell to the ground.

To the crowd's surprise, Ash didn't try to fight the Valkyrie further. Once the golem's back had hit the ground, he rolled onto his feet and sprinted towards Guiche.

The mage's blue eyes widened in surprise. "Protect me, my Valkyries!" he called hastily, shaking six petals from his rose wand.

With six simultaneous flashes of light, bronze golems rose from the earth in a semi-circle around Guiche. The Valkyries looked identical in build to the first, but each wielded a unique weapon. One wielded a mace. Another a battle axe. A broadsword, a halberd, a rapier, and even a braided whip.

Ash had to slide to a stop to avoid crashing into Guiche's newly formed guards. "You have more of them?" Ash asked incredulously.

"Did you think I would be called Guiche the Bronze if I only could summon one mere Valkyrie?" Guiche shot back, his confidence regained now that he found himself safely protected by his entourage.

Ash gritted his teeth as he reexamined the situation. Precious yards separated him from Guiche. But with six golems in front and one rising to its feet behind him, he was in the worst situation he'd been in since the beginning of the fight.

"How exciting," said Kirche as she teased her tongue over her lips. "With every passing second they manage to up the ante. So deliciously entertaining, isn't it Tabby?"

Tabitha gave an almost unnoticeable nod. "Trapped," she said. "Desperate."

"Any guess what he's going to do?"

"Defeat," Tabitha said promptly. "Too weak."

"True," said Kirche. "Without magic, there's no way for him to bridge the gap. At least it was fun when it lasted. Hopefully Guiche doesn't ruin his cute little face too much." Kirche took notice that despite the short mage's forgone conclusion about the fight's result, she still peered over the edge of her book to watch the combatants. Kirche let an amused grin spread across her face. If Tabitha still was invested in this duel, there was a good chance it wouldn't end here.

Guiche laughed as he had the golems spread out and surround Ash on all sides. While he was confident in his victory, he still made sure that he had three golems close to him, leaving Ash's back exposed except for the lone lance-wielding Valkyrie.

"This has been amusing, but I will end you here," Guiche said dramatically, throwing out his cloak to catch the slight breeze that drifted through the courtyard. "But do not despair, your loss will be remembered as a good one. I will never forget the one duel I had with a commoner with the guts to fight a noble!"

Ash had to wonder if Guiche had to spend every spare moment propping himself up and putting on speeches. While he could call the taller boy out on it, he needed every moment he could spare. Retreat was possible, since only one golem stood directly behind him, with the others covering his front and sides. However, that would mean giving up all the ground he made to approach Guiche. Additionally, he didn't know how long Guiche could puppeteer all seven golems, but it was probably much longer than Ash could dodge their strikes.

He needed something. Anything. A way to turn this battle around.

Breathe in

Ash felt a twinge in his chest. A familiar tug that begged for release.

Breathe out

Ash closed his eyes, searching out the source of that feeling.

Breathe in

He could feel it. A flame. Trapped in a small container.

Breathe out

He poked it. Coaxed it. It flickered in response.

Breathe in

The flame started to rise, growing and filtering out of the container that trapped it.

Breathe out

The flame surged, growing larger and brighter than before.

Breathe in

Sounds entered ears. Light entered eyes. Scent entered nose.

Breathe out

He reached out and felt the world.

Breathe in

His own flame, surrounded by the flames of everyone around him

Breathe out

The world, seen through the images of blue fire.

Breathe in

Figures, weakly flickering with the blue flame of life, rush forward.

Breathe out

Ash's eyes snapped open.


And here's where's we cut it.

This fight has been a joy (and a pain) to write. Every time I tried to rewrite the scene it got another thousand words longer. No joke. This is technically draft 5 of the fight, I started working on this before I even started writing chapter 3. But, I feel pretty satisfied in how this part turned out. Part 2 is about half-written, maybe less. I have a basic idea of how it goes.

Now to answer some questions:

Q: Why was Ash so angry last chapter?

A: While he may not be saying everything on his mind, he is dealing with being ripped from everyone he knows. And, as far in he knows, he's stuck in the past with no clear way to get back. On top of that, the person who dragged him all the way out there treats him worse than most people, even in her universe, treat their Pokemon/familiars. As this chapter showed, he's not completely consumed by rage, but he did lose his composure long enough to act a bit like his bratty Kanto-era self. Don't worry, he's not turning into an emo or anything.

Q: ASH'S POKEMON!

A: Not quite a question, but I'll bite. I have come up with a way to write Pikachu into the story. But it's not happening till somewhere in Season 2 or 3 of the anime. Given that I mess with the timeline of the anime and manga to suit my needs, I can't give anything more exact than that.

EDIT: Looks like Pikachu is coming back before the end of Season 1. Thank you, Ash, for diverting the timeline and accessing a key character early.

Currently, my upload schedule has a three week rotation. This story. Nothing. A new story. This story again. etc. This cycle will continue until I need to slow this down to a monthly upload. Since this has quickly grown to my most popular story, I want to be as consistent and as frequent as possible for you all.

Also, I love reading and responding to your reviews and PM's. Thank you everyone! Please, continue to leave reviews! Remember, reviews are food for a writer's soul!