Welcome, as I introduce you all to my masterpiece!
'Back in Action' has been a tragic romance I was longing to write and one fine day of having had enough of procrastination, I have finally started penning it down. The day May made her final appearance, I had been working on this story. Script after scripts were reviewed. Episodes after episodes were watched. Tragic romantics movies were researched, all because this story was beckoning to be written. I have always believed that even though shipping might not mean something to the writers, it's a strong force for the fans. It is sad that Advanceshipping was never given a conclusion. But I do feel that Ash and May did and definitely should had something between them.
Every genre you seek shall be available from comedy to suspense. From broken hearts to the mending of relationships. Initially, this was to be a fic art where Ash would battle all those trainers he lost against, orderly, but now that we evolve as writers, there will be much more. You will be privileged to see Pokemon World Coronation series a.k.a Pokemon World Championships, Pokemon Contests, a Journey through each and every region, New Pokemon in Ash's possession, Mega Evolution, Z Moves, Dynamaxing, hyper battles, new rivals, everything you ever wanted to see.
The starting point is Ash is the Alola Champion.
Please enjoy!
Ten Years ago, Lake Valor, after the end of Sinnoh Grand Festival,
The petals showed their sympathy one last time before welting away from the bouquet. A breeze blew through his pained eyes, as he saw they embracing together. Today he had lost completely to the green haired Coordinator.
He bled an ocean through his eyes, and his soul felt wafer thin. His body trembled and chilled, as Drew's hands grabbed her tightly. This magnitude of grief was never gonna pass. She was once his sunshine for him he lit every day. He used to feel a frisson of love when the image of her face conjured his smile, he would yearn to dive in those eyes. What he endured was no less than a hurricane, the devastation was absolute, his emotional home leveled, torn apart.
He braved even coldest of winters for her, only to find she no longer needed him.
Defeated, he dropped that bouquet, and dismally turned around, walking right where he had emerged from. Never again, did he wanted to look back. Never again, did he wanted to look at that face. Perhaps, it would be the only way to discover who he really was, the Ash Ketchum, who he purely was. He had these dreams, that he needed to make into reality. Her dreams were so very different and so together everything would become muted and confused, they morphed into some terrible compromise instead of supporting each other as brilliant and vivid individuals with passion and drive. So now he must go, weave his creative magic into this ether they call the world, and he wished her well even though he will always face forwards, moving onwards.
Ten years later,
The world of Pokemon! A spinning globe of wonderment! Home to an infinite array of creatures too varied to fully comprehend. Hundreds! Perhaps Thousands, meticulously fashioned by the forces of nature in all its glory as only Nature can. And no matter what corner of the world you find yourself, you'll find Pokemon there as well! Soaring overhead, skimming the clouds, and riding the currents undersea! Sharing the mountain's majesty and animating our many lush green forests, happily making their homes in fields and grass! Even our sprawling cities are teeming with them.
Humans and Pokemon find the common ground, sharing the goal of victory in the Pokemon Battle, trying to become friends, comrades and Pokemon Master! This story is about one such brave young man, who faced hardships on daily basis. With support of all his Pokemon, he is making a comeback into civilization! Trained hard for years, he's been basked in glorious victories too many times, but his eyes didn't strand from his goal yet..
To be become the World Champion Pokemon Master!
A man slowly makes his way towards the shabby looking circus. He peered up at the large wooden doors in front of him with a huge smile on his face hidden under the hood of his jacket.
''Looks like his Gym is official now. This is be fun, wont it, Pikachu?'' He mused, scratching the rodent's chin who settled on his shoulder, as it nodded in agreement.
"Pika~''
He walked into the circus structured gym, smirking under his hood, at the signboard that read "Pokemon World Coronation Series Rank: 2382!''
''Hmm! That's it?'' Ash japed skeptically. ''That's nothing short adorable.''
''The way I see it, you are gonna help me increase that rank!'' a voice so snide, caused Ash to snicker and turn around to face a tall, muscular heavyweight standing behind him. His face had transitioned into more rough and rugged look. He still had his dark olive green hair well gelled, and those scars that he shared with Ash. He still had that whip in his hand. However, there was no change in his ego.
''I assume you are the clown that runs this circus?'' Ash addressed quickly. ''Do you also happen to be the Gym leader or you just the guy who wears tutus to perform her?''
''I like your irony,'' AJ smirked, unfazed by the insult. ''State your business here.''
''Isn't it obvious? '' Ash asked in an audacious voice, enough to tremble AJ's spine. ''Normally, I don't go to places which are dump.''
''That's it! Nobody calls my gym dump!'' AJ scowled in a sneer voice. ''You don't know what you are getting yourself into! I'm the best trainer around here!''
''By here you mean this dump,'' Ash quipped. "Figures…''
''Grr…You'll regret coming here,'' AJ gritted his teeth, cracking his whip in front of the man, who didn't move a muscle at the action. He turned around to walk towards the exit of the tent.
"Let's have ourselves a battle, shall we?'' smugly Ash suggested. ''I hear you are entering the World Championships as well..''
Ash and AJ stood on the opposite sides of a large ring that the latter had set up out back the large tent and AJ was currently staring at the man in front of him.
As both the trainers took their respective spots, AJ called out, ''Normally I don't give trainers chances to back out, but in your case I can make an exception.'' AJ tried to threaten.
''I'll my chances,'' the trainer sighed.
''Don't say I didn't warn you. We'll treat ourselves to two on two battle!''
''Accepted!'' Ash abided.
A whirling drone hovered above the battlefield, the lemon drone Rotom willing to serve as a referee for their battle.
"You both have been approved for a Pokemon Coronation Series Normal Class Battle!" (displaying a virtual scoreboard with the faces of both trainers) "For today's battle, each of you can choose two Pokemon! Both Trainers are permitted to switch out Pokemon anytime! When both Pokemon of either trainer are unable to battle, that side loses and the opposing trainer will then be declared victorious. As per the League rules, I shall oversee the battle and act as the referee! Trainers please bring out your Pokemon!''
''I'm gonna get over with this quick, so I am gonna go with my best!'' AJ warned.
''Oh yeah…the word on the street is that you own a Raticate,'' Ash snickered, under his hood.
''Make all the jokes you want, but in the end, I'll be the one laughing!'' AJ stripped a Poké Ball from his belt and enlarged it, slinging it out onto the field with a swift snap of his whip. "Solrock, you're up first."
The Sun Pokemon materialized, form greatly resembling the basic caricature of the sun with spiny protrusions it bore about its rounded body, but had the texture and build of a meteorite.
"Sol!'' it hummed, coming to life as viewed through its narrowed eye look.
He only thought about his choice for a moment before closing his fingertips around his own first Pokéball.
"Maniacally I assume,'' Ash drew the Pokeball, swinging it side. "I choose you, Leavanny!''
Solrock hovered down to eye level for a better examination of its opponent. Leavanny looked extremely bug-like. It had a round face with two antennae ending in two half circles protruding from its forehead, and it had a leafy collar cresting the back of its head. The body was mostly coloured different shades of green, but some features like her face where yellow. The arms ended in two leaf shaped hands which looked like something had taken a bite out of each in the centre and it had a large leaf extending from its back, covering its small tail. Its legs had leaf-like armor plating covering them.
"Color me surprised,'' AJ drawled. ''How typical of you to choose a Pokemon with Type advantage.''
"What? Did I puncture all your hot air out?'' Ash quirked a brow.
"Ha, would be too late by then! Solrock, Fire Spin!''
A fiery vortex emerged from Solrock.
"Dodge it!'' Ash swiped a hand. However, the flames twisted and trapped the Nurture Pokemon inside the a ring of inferno. Leavanny was unable to react in time to avoid the Fire Spin and was immediately trapped in its hold. In spite of this, he remained impassive to the trap he was in and the steady damage he was getting.
The first offense was costly for Ash's part, as the bug type whimpered inside the vortex.
"X-Scissor!''
Swiping his leafy appendages hard, a crossed slash was enough to scare the flames away as Pokémon immediately charged forward with sharpened claws. Solrock partially floated back as to avoid a direct hit from the X-Scissor. The swiping trail of the Bug-type attack barely grazed the Meteorite Pokémon as miniscule bits of meteorite dust came off from the slight touch.
"Fire Spin again!''
Seeing Solrock prepare its Fire-type attack was enough reassurance for Ash to issue their hidden counterattack.
"Use Leaf Storm!''
"Leaf Storm?'' AJ furrowed his brows. "What does he think he's doing?''
Leavanny let out a cry, letting loose a potent flurry of energized leaves that headed straight for his cosmic adversary. A brilliant spiral collided with the spiraling pyro. he powerful winds behind Leaf Storm managed to push back Fire Spin quite a bit... But it would only last so long. One leaf after another was incinerated by the flames, slowly eating away the attack in a fierce struggle between the two moves. Finally, the attacks erupted, going off in a deafening explosion. Smoke was thrown across the tent, crossing Ash and AJ with an unpleasant wave of heat.
The flames lingered around Leavanny once again. In spite of being weak to the fire attack, Leavanny strove to not show any signs of wavering as the grass wiped out the flames with furious slashes.
"Steel Wing!''
"Solrock, stop it with Psychic!''
Quickly recuperating from the singes of the leaves, Solrock became steady in the air and sent an invisible telekinetic wave to freeze Leavanny in midair before it could strike. Leavanny was confounded, flailing its limbs with fruitless efforts before being sent hurling along the ground. While it still had control over the Nurturing Pokémon's body, Solrock had Leavanny bounce for additional damage.
"Leavaa…'' the Bug type winced, dropped brutally. Thanks to having a body full of leaves, it wasn't that painful.
Ash grimaced, as it he had been hit by the attack. The bond he shared with Leavanny was very palpable.
"Sticky Web! Quick!''
Body still tensing as it was mind controlled, Leavanny parted his mouth, to spew out a slew of silk that quickly took a patterned form, one layer of the web quickly circling the next. Soon enough it blanketed right into Solrock's eyes, blinding the rock type.
Successfully breaking out of the psychic link, Leavanny leaped on the ground, and regained it's intimidating stance.
"What? Solrock, get rid of it!'' AJ barked. Ethically, he disgraced such dirty moves.
"Steel Wing!''
Swirling through the air upon Ash's command, Leavanny lunged for the antsy artificial sun, one extremity drawn and hardened and whacked the rock type hard, sending it bounding.
The crash was spectacular. A shrill,distorted cry followed, and the bug type's body fell limp.
AJ ghastly squinted, soon discovering Solrock's eyes had been turned into swirls.
"Solrock is unable to battle! Leavanny wins! AJ, please choose your next Pokemon!''
"Solrock, return!'' AJ gasped, returning the Pokemon, immediately tossing forward his next.
With a flick of the ball opening, a light yellow ground dwelling porcupine Pokémon appeared on the field, its claws slashing at an imaginary opponent in the air. ''Slash!'' it cried.
''Let me introduce you to Sandslash, my strongest that's gonna leave your Pokémon in a condition unable to stand again,'' AJ cackled.
''You talk a lotta trash but most trainers who do can't back it up,'' Ash made a comeback, stopping AJ from laughing manically, and give him a death glare. Recalling the bug type, Ash smiled proudly at the capsule before clipping it back.
He took out another, hurling it in the direction of the field, the ball cracked open and took the shape of a monstrous Pokémon with bumpy, blue-green skin and large pink, white spotted flower on it back appeared on the floor, glaring at its opponent as a sign that it was ready to battle
''Pika..'' Pikachu ears fell down, as he was really looking up to this battle. He made a soft mumble, gaining its trainer's attention.
Quickly getting an idea of what might have made Pikachu feel down, he chuckled, by leveling himself down at him ''I'm sorry buddy, but let Venusaur have this one, okay? I promise you as soon as I'm done here...which won't be long, I'll go for some Chinese and you'll get your Ketchup''
Interested in the proposition, the rodent turned away and muttered something which Ash took as a response to be fine. He chuckled at his starter's behavior and stood back up to face the cocky trainer.
''You can go ahead…since I won the last round,'' Ash decided.
''Oh! That's sweet!'' AJ crooned in a lacy voice, and lashed his whip at the ground harshly. ''Very well, don't repent later. Sandslash, use Poison Sting!''
Following AJ's command, the inside of Sandslash's mouth began to glow white and it fired beams of white sharp tips right towards Venusaur, where it stood still, much to AJ's bewilderment. He just stood there watching Venusaur took the needles head on, causing an explosion as the dust began to kick up, clouding Venusaur.
''What? Didn't I give you enough time to dodge?'' AJ laughed loudly, while Ash just continued to stare at him emotionlessly.
As the dust settled, AJ who was hoping it would have been the end, gawked at the sight of Venusaur who simply stood there, unaffected by the attack, lashing its vines on the ground, glaring at Sandslash.
''But how-?'' AJ's curiosity made a smile crept across Ash's lips.
''I'm sorry, were you supposed to be the best Gym Leader like you sounded?'' Ash's cocky voice gained AJ's attention, causing him to realize where he went wrong. ''Funny coz a real Gym Leader would at least know what type is a fully Kanto Starter. What a Joke!''
''You think you are pretty good, don't you? Well, I have seen Preschoolers who battle better than you! Sandslash, Destroy this creep!'' Sandslash was taken aback by the sudden hoarse voice of its trainer, but still decided to obey. ''Fury Cutter!''
With its claw glowing green, Sandslash charged up the power of the bug type move and lunged forward at Venusaur.
''So, you have been taking lesson from kids who sing nursery rhymes? Guess I should have known,'' Ash snickered causing AJ to go rant abuses at him, ''Petal Dance!''
Smiling to itself, the grass starter gave a slight roar, and petals began to float around the flower on its back swirling beneath Sandslash, who was instantly lifted into the air with pink petals, and dropped off on the floor with a series of loud thuds.
''You are better than I thought, but you still don't measure up to me punk, Sandslash, Fury Cutter once again!''
Sandslash flipped around at once and darted off at a blinding speed, leaving white trails behind as its erratic pattern threw off Venusaur as it stopped, to look wildly around its nimble target. Before it could contemplate, it was abruptly in the face causing less than a minor damage as the Grass Type moved a few steps behind. Venusaur could only grunt and feel the bruise on its cheek with one of its vines. Venusaur growled in aggravation turning around to snap at Sandslash, but it was already gone.
''How come it didn't do anything!'' AJ gasped, the whip almost slipping out of his sweaty hands.
Ash just dignified the response with a roll of his eyes. ''Your strategy is painfully obvious. If you think using a move like that is gonna help you win, you are sadly mistaken. I thought you are more of a challenge!''
''Nobody makes Mankeys out of us!'' AJ Scowled, ''Sandslash, show this creep what you can do! Use Dig!''
Mustering up enough strength, Sandslash didn't think twice before spinning itself before diving deep beneath the surface.
''Power Whip!'' Ash commanded in a low pitch.
The Pokémon did just as it was told. Striking the floor with a mighty swing of purple glowing vines, it sent tremors through the arena.
''Whatever you're doing is not gonna-'' AJ couldn't complete his sentence before the shockwave threw Sandslash up out of the ground, clearly caught off-guard. It landed up in front of AJ, still looking a bit disoriented.
''You were saying?'' Ash asked, his lips curing into a smirk.
''I have gotta admit. I do like your style but in Pokémon battles, style doesn't mean anything! Sandslash still has the advantage of speed over Venusaur, thus, this battle will be over in our favour! Sandslash Rollout!''
Sandslash leaped into the air and spread out its limbs, before curling it's body like a wheel and started rolling towards Venusaur on the course and banked a right blow into Venusaur, but unfortunately, Venusaur continued to stand firmly at the same place.
''That aint what you call Speed, pal!''
''Oh yeah! Rollout once again!'' AJ grit his teeth. Ash could clearly read the tension on AJ's forehead.
Sandslash leaped up again, this time quite a height to jump, and curled into a wrecking ball once again. Another blow! Still no luck.
''Nope, neither does that!''
''You maybe on to something but the attack of Sandslash's Rollout has increased in heaps. Rollout one final time! Full Power!''
Sandslash continued the assault, plowing its way towards Venusaur, kicking up rocks and dirt as it did. Only this time, Ash seemed to be ready.
''This is our chance! Sludge Bomb on the field now!''
Like a canon, Venusaur fired several purple toxic blobs of sludge at the field. It worked exactly like Ash had anticipated. The fired barrage of sludge caused the rolling Sandslash to brake dead in its track, and despite its effort, it couldn't accelerate forward.
''Oh no!'' Aj cried, as he couldn't comprehend why the opponent would order his Pokemon to fire a non-effective type move. Now he did.
''Time to finish this! ''Frenzy Plant!'' Venusaur landed on the field hard, stomping all four of its legs on the ground. The earth beneath began to quake and burst open as massive roots covered with thick spikes shot from the ground. The roots structured high, and then curved back, as they boxed Sandslash in. There was a thunderous crash, as the tips of each root, penetrated the ground and buried Sandslash out of sight. An explosion rocked the field and a cloud of dust kicked up. When it passed, Sandslash was lying in a deep crated, knocked out, unconscious.
"Sandslash is unable to battle! Venusaur wins! With both Pokemon of AJ unable to battle, the winner of this battle is AK! The Rankings will be updated shortly!''
Satisfied with the ascension in his rankings, Ash grinned before putting the Rotom Phone away in his pocket.
''Time to bawl your eyes off, tough guy!'' Ash mocked, returning Venusaur back to its Pokéball, and turning on a heel to walk out, with Pikachu boarding the trainer's shoulder. Before he could exit, he halted and turned his head partially, before challenging ''If you want your revenge, I'm ready when you are.''
''That's impossible! How-'' AJ stuttered out as he laid his eyes on his battered Pokémon. Ash looked over to the scoreboard now that was held above the tent now read '' 'Pokemon World Coronation Series rank: 3523!"
AJ dropped to his knees and just stayed there, horrified at his loss. He had never been humiliated like this before. He was curious enough to know the person who gave him the loss he never anticipated, but all he could see a retreating figure out of his tent. AJ just stayed there on his knees, frozen, lost in the crisp memories of this battle that blurred, but the question on his lips remained: ''How?''