Who I Am - Lightning99

Chapter 63:

The Festival's End

When they returned to Malie Garden, Lillie wasn't sure she recognised herself. Perhaps she was running on pure adrenaline or some other, more magical energy source because only something outside of her control would have given her enough confidence to hold hands with Ash all day and even hug him. And she still held his hand and walked as close to him as she could, acting bolder than she ever had.

Perhaps it was none of those things. Perhaps it was just Ash.

Of course, her outward composure wasn't to say she was composed on the inside. She couldn't go a minute without wondering if she had been holding Ash's hand too long or whether he was only doing this for her and not because he wanted to. If he was going along with it, not enjoying it like she was. But she trusted his smile and how he acted, willing those doubts away to enjoy the moment. Because, truthfully, she enjoyed this time she had spent with him more than the festival itself.

Smiling, Lillie glanced at the picture in her free hand.

When she looked back up, it wasn't her doubts that put their moment on hold. The rest of their friends stood around the building in front of them. Nobody was looking their way, and nobody had seen their hands interlocked, but Lillie saw a head of leaf-green vine-like hair, and she let go of Ash's hand rather abruptly. She then inhaled sharply, glancing at Ash, expecting to see some hurt flash across his face. He only smiled at her.

"There you two are!" Dawn said, approaching them. She leant on Ash's shoulder, smirking. Lillie felt a sudden, unusual desire to pull Ash away. "What have you been up to?"

"We were checking out the festival," Ash said.

"Together?"

"Yeah, why?" Ash asked.

Dawn looked between them, then just patted Ash's shoulder and gave Lillie an expression that screamed, 'I'm so sorry'. She said, "No reason. Come on. The fireworks are about to start." She took Lillie's hands, pulling her toward the rest of their friends.

In the next five or ten minutes, the group informed each other of their successes and losses at the festival. Kiawe had a handful of prizes, and Lana had a bagful, which made Kiawe slump forward, defeated. Sophocles' yukata was now emblazoned with a lovely Togedemaru pin, and Dawn had a pink hibiscus in her hair. Clemont and Mallow didn't have anything on hand, but Dawn and Lillie made quite the fuss over how Mallow, despite claiming to have devoured half of the festival stalls, looked as slim and perfect in her outfit as when she had first put it on. When Dawn pointed out that she did too, and Ash agreed – albeit after being coaxed and teased into doing so – Lillie imagined she was as pink as Dawn's new hairpin.

After that, they wandered away from the building. They found a nice patch of open grass near the hill upon which the pagoda stood and sat down. It provided a perfect view across the garden, especially over the lake where Kukui claimed the fireworks would be over. As everyone started chatting around her, Lillie contented herself with scanning the surroundings.

"Lillie," Ash's voice said a moment later from beside her. She wondered where the time had gone that even his sitting close would have startled her. "Mallow was telling me about Malie Library. Have you found anything useful? Anything relating to Nebby?"

Lillie nodded. "I have. There are a lot of interesting books there. I have found myself a little distracted by some of them. Even so, the young lady working there picked out a book for me when I asked about any Alolan myths. I haven't had a chance to read it yet, but that is my next task."

"I see. Would you mind if I joined you?"

"Not at all. But why?"

"If that book has something to do with Alola's myths, then maybe it has something to do with these Ultra Beasts. I dunno. It could be something to look into," Ash said.

"That is a good idea. I don't mind at all," Lillie said.

"Great! Then, tomorrow morning, let's–"

A whistle suddenly echoed across the garden – which was now packed with yukata-wearing people. Lillie followed a red light up into the sky, where it burst, exploding into several spreading lights. When it started falling, another whistle sounded, and a loud, collective exclamation of surprise filled the garden. Then there were several more whistles, they exploded into colours, and Lillie sat back, watching.

The fireworks, as they had been back on Melemele Island, were spectacular and various. Some fizzed into the air and burst into small light clusters, and some slowly climbed the sky and exploded into bigger clusters. Some sparkled, and some zig-zagged. Some were straight, and some spiralled. They all exploded into a rainbow of colours, drizzling down on the gardens.

Sometime during the display, Lillie felt a hand intertwine with hers. She looked to her side, and her eyes met Ash's, and suddenly, there was something much more spectacular to look at than the fireworks. They held that connection for a few more moments until it hit her: a sudden desire to lean in. The desire swelled in her chest and kept growing, but instead, they smiled and looked back up at the fireworks. Lillie didn't feel her heart drop.

As soon as the fireworks had started, Ash had immediately thought of Melemele Island, the day he met Lillie, and when they had sat down to watch the fireworks. And it struck him, at that moment, just how much Lillie had changed since then. But more than that, he realised how she had become a constant in his life, how he had become so comfortable around her, and how close they had become. That was why he slid his hand into hers.

When their eyes had connected, Ash had felt his heart warring against itself, one pushing to lean in, one pushing him not to, stinging a little with the memory of his past. The desire was there, no matter his heart's difficulties, but then something passed between their eyes, he smiled without realising it, and they turned away, looking up at the fireworks, hands still in each other's.

It was then that Ash felt something strange again. Earlier in the festival, it had been a strange, random jump in his heart. This time, it was as if his heart beat twice. He looked about himself but saw nothing.

The fireworks finished shortly after his and Lillie's moment, leaving behind a strange, phantom tint to the air and a faint smell of smoke. He applauded and cheered with everybody else. Kiawe even whistled with his fingers, and everyone proclaimed how amazing, beautiful, and whatever other adjectives they could think of it had been.

And then Ash heard something he hadn't expected. Laughter. It wasn't joyous laughter, as some people were doing in the distance, but something more serious, more cynical. Before he could even look up at the source, Professor Kukui was on his feet, a slight frown dousing his broad smile.

When Ash did look up, he saw a man standing a few feet away. His outfit was simple, consisting of a black jacket and tracksuit bottoms, and a white t-shirt, but it was enough for Ash to determine his affiliations. He didn't even need to see the golden symbol tied to the chain around his neck: Team Skull. Ash supposed the Team Skull grunts around him were telling enough, too.

The man's eyes were as sharp as his clenched jaw, fang-like teeth bared in a vicious grin. His hair was white and fluffy atop his head, but around the sides, it was black and cut almost to the skin.

"Yo, Kukui," the man said, his voice somewhere between mocking and a snarl.

"Guzma," Kukui said, nodding, and his smile returned. "What brings you by?"

Guzma spat a laugh, glancing around him. Ash followed his gaze to the other bystanders, who looked startled – scared, even. "I saw this festival. Thought I'd drop by, y'know? Get in on the festivities."

"I'm sure," Kukui said. He folded his arms. "If you're here for a fight, you're not gettin' one."

"Heh. Now wouldn't that be interestin, huh? You listenin', everyone?!" Guzma asked, raising his voice. "In one corner, we got the Pokémon Professor Kukui! And in the other, we got me, the hated boss who beats you down, and beats you down, and never lets you up… Team Skull's leader, and the toughest guy around, ya boy Guzma!"

Guzma threw his head back, cackling.

"It's not happening, Guzma," Kukui said, more seriously this time.

"I know it ain't. You ain't ballsy enough to do it anyway. I'm here on other business."

Kukui frowned. "Other business?"

"I heard a little somethin' through the boys and girls in Team Skull, and I'm a little worried. See, here we are, Kukui, fellow rejects who could never become trial captains." Guzma shot a glare at Lana, Kiawe, Mallow, and Sophocles. Ash frowned, preparing to push himself to his feet.

"Speak for yourself," Kukui said. "It's not like I couldn't become a trial captain. I chose not to. I had other dreams, see?" Kukui turned his back on Guzma, which made him glare even harder. "I wanted to learn more about Pokémon moves, see which are the best ones for each Pokémon. Turns out, the strongest moves you can use are the ones the Pokémon and the trainer choose together in the heat of the moment when it really counts." Kukui turned back around.

"Whatever ya say. That's all well and good, and I get your intentions. We got all these mouldy old traditions in Alola – the kahunas, the captains, the trials – so there's no doubt we gotta make something new for ourselves. But see, I ain't so sure I want you doin' all that. Making a Pokémon League, I mean," Guzma said.

Ash jumped to his feet. "A Pokémon League?!"

Kukui turned to him. "Yeah, I'm thinkin' of making one here on Alola. It's been on my mind for a while, but lately, I've decided to go ahead with it."

"Who's this?" Guzma spat.

As he looked over at Guzma, Ash tried to control the glare he could feel spreading across his face.

"This is Ash," Kukui said. "Believe it or not, he's why I've decided now is the time to make the Pokémon League."

"What?!" Ash asked again, looking up at Kukui.

"Oh?" Guzma asked, squinting at Ash. Ash glared right back.

Kukui stepped forward. "Tell me, Guzma. Why would you, of all people, not want a Pokémon League? Isn't your thing all about proclaiming that you're the strongest in the region? Don't you wanna prove that?"

"I ain't gotta prove nothin'. I know I'm the strongest around," Guzma said, placing his hands on his hips and hunching his shoulders.

"Are you scared to prove it? Scared to learn you aren't the strongest?"

"Hell no, Kukui. It ain't that, and if you don't know what it is, you never will."

"If that's the case, then battle Ash right here, right now," Kukui said.

"Oh?" Guzma looked at Kukui, then back to Ash.

"I don't mind," Ash said. "I'm ready to go whenever."

Pikachu exclaimed his agreement from Ash's shoulder.

Guzma looked at Ash's wrist. "Kid. You takin' the Island Challenge?"

"Yeah. Why?" Ash said.

Guzma laughed again. "That's the problem, right there. I'll bet you won't be allowin' nobody who ain't cleared the Island Challenge into the league."

Kukui shook his head. "Nope, that's not it. Anyone can challenge this league. Which leads me to my next point. Let's see it, Guzma! Show me your moves and prove you aren't just all talk!" Kukui smirked. "If you really can, that is…"

Guzma grunted. "Anyone can enter, huh? Alright then. Team Skull. We're out." Guzma turned and started walking away. He stopped just as he was, glancing over his shoulder. "Ash, was it? We ain't battlin' today, but you'd better keep an eye out. I'll be watchin', and when I deem it right, I'll beat you down 'till you won't get up again."

With that, Guzma walked away, taking his team and the tension with him.

When he was gone, Ash turned to Kukui.

"I'm why you've decided to start the league?" he asked.

Kukui rubbed the back of his neck, laughing. "Yeah, you are. I was gonna keep it as a surprise, yeah, but it looks like word got out. It was readin' over all your old league challenges that inspired me. I thought, 'this kid is making his dreams come true, so why shouldn't I', you know?"

Ash smiled. "I'm flattered. Looks like I have something else to look forward to after my Island Challenge."

"Glad to hear it, yeah," Kukui turned to the others. "Of course, you're all free to join too."

"Absolutely!" Kiawe said, leaping forwards, his eyes practically on fire. "I will definitely be competing! This has just given me more incentive to train harder!"

"You've gotta let Hau know!" Ash said.

"I will. I will. I'm finalising a few construction things here, and then I'll head back to Melemele and inform Hala about it all. I think Hau's back there for a little while, doin' some thinking," Kukui said.

"Professor," Clemont said, stepping forwards. "Who was that man? He said he's the leader of Team Skull."

"He is," Kukui said. "He's an old rival of mine. We took the Island Challenge together. I completed it, but him… Well, let's just say he didn't. It's complicated. He's a bit of a troublemaker around here. Hence Team Skull being one too."

"It sounds like you have a long history," Lana said.

Kukui rustled his hat around. "Yeah, well, it's true. You wanna hear the story?"

"If you don't mind," Mallow said.

"Not at all," Kukui said. "It all started–"

But Kukui didn't get to tell his story. As if brought to them by the breeze, a distant chatter among the other bystanders grew louder and louder. Ash vaguely heard something about a Pokémon before a cloud of dust formed in the distance. It grew and spread towards them, and suddenly, the chatter was shouting, and people were running. Everyone in Ash's group jumped to their feet as the dust stopped moving. It faded, revealing a creature in the middle of it.

Immediately, Ash knew this wasn't a normal Pokémon. Its entire body was heavily muscled and glowed a mixture of light and dark red. In the centre of its chest, an orange light pulsed. It had four legs, a tiny head with a long white stinger and antennae, and its fists and shoulders were black, the latter spiked. It glanced about rapidly, head snapping onto people and the surrounding flora in an almost robotic motion.

Then, its eyes snapped onto something else. Ash followed its gaze and moved on pure instinct, dashing towards and yanking Lillie's bag on and over his shoulder. He jumped away a moment before the creature lunged, swiping for the bag. While he turned, facing up at the creature, the rest of his friends shouted and scattered.

"Pikachu!" Ash shouted, and his partner jumped down, poised and ready. "Ready Volt Tackle! Iron Tail won't be quick en–"

The creature lunged before Ash could finish, arm outstretched. Pikachu dashed in front of him, countering the creature's attack. They collided hard and bounced backwards, Pikachu travelling much further. Ash once would have thought that was simply because of his weight, but now, he knew better. Volt Tackle was Pikachu's strongest move, which meant that was probably the creature's strongest, too.

The creature lunged again. Ash barely dodged.

"What do you want?!" Ash shouted.

He didn't expect such a shout to work, but oddly, the creature stopped dead, staring down at him and Pikachu. It made a buzzing sound that Ash assumed was its manner of speech, but he couldn't understand anything. All he could go on was the bag, so it was either after Lillie's egg, his Pokéballs, or Nebby. Given his suspicions that this wasn't a normal Pokémon – that it might be an Ultra Beast – the latter seemed the most likely.

Whatever it was, he couldn't let it get the bag.

Asking Pikachu to cover him, Ash twisted, grabbing the first Pokéball he could from the bag. Pikachu did as he said, and even though Ash was facing the other way, he could see Pikachu's movements as if he were making them.

Ash would have grabbed more Pokéballs, but Pikachu's defence gave out, and he had to dodge again. So, he threw out his new Pokéball. His heart stopped for a few beats when Bagon appeared. It was nothing against Bagon, but he needed someone stronger right now. Much stronger. And given that all Pikachu could do was hold it off, maybe he'd need more than one.

Ash made to reach into his bag again, but then the creature was on him, and the resulting blast of it and Pikachu's altercation blew Ash across the grass, causing the bag to slip over his head and away from him. Luckily for Lillie's egg, it didn't roll or hit the ground hard.

Seeing this, Bagon dashed to the bag, taking a defensive position.

"Bagon, no!" Ash shouted, but it was too late. The creature hit Pikachu back and charged at Bagon. Ash half expected Bagon to be hit across the area, but instead, he looped the bag's strap over his head and jumped out of the way, laying it down again nearby.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Bagon, Dragon Breath!" Ash called, sprinting towards the bag.

The two attacks connected with the creature in the middle. On Pikachu's side of the attack, the creature was tilting its shoulder downwards, but on Bagon's, it still moved freely and easily. Sooner than Ash would have liked, the creature jumped away and dashed at Bagon at a new angle.

"Ash! Let me he–" Ash heard Lana's voice and saw her and Kiawe running forward, but he threw his arm out.

"NO!" he shouted, and he saw them stop dead. Because of how quickly he looked back at Bagon, he didn't see the look they gave him.

"Headbutt!" Ash called in a last-ditch effort. The creature reared its arm back, fist clenched, and Bagon dug his feet in, head glowing. The creature attacked from a diagonally vertical angle, so when the attack hit Bagon, it pushed him back. The force dug up the ground behind Bagon, creating a mound between him and the bag. The creature punched again, but Bagon stood firm, probably by sheer determination. It punched again, and Bagon slid back even further. And then it punched again. Pikachu was steps away from intervening, and Ash was steps away from the bag, but Bagon stopped skidding back entirely.

A brilliant blue light exploded from the end of the creature's fist – it jumped back immediately. Within the light, Bagon started changing. His legs and arms grew, his body became more rounded, and when the light faded away, Shelgon stood where Bagon had been, eyes firm and ready for the attack already coming his way. A brilliant green semi-sphere appeared around Bagon, and the creature's fist rebounded. Protect, Ash immediately realised.

The creature jumped back, now eyeing Shelgon was something Ash thought was caution. Ash didn't waste those moments – he finally reached the bag. As he ducked down to rifle through it, a large green semi-sphere engulfed him, and he felt Shelgon tremble as the creature's attack bounced back. The sphere faded, and Ash moved away with a second, hastily-grabbed Pokéball in hand.

After a brief analysis, Ash determined that Pikachu's disadvantage was that his moves weren't super effective. The constant buzzing suggested this thing was a Bug Type, so he threw his Pokéball with as much force as he could and hoped.

When Infernape appeared, his mane flickering, and he cried out, already poised for combat, Ash didn't think relief had ever felt so good. He'd have liked to get Staraptor, too, but the creature was already moving. There wasn't enough time.

"Shelgon, great work! Pikachu, help Shelgon protect the bag!" Ash called, stepping around them to Infernape's side, where the creature was fast approaching.

"Infernape, intercept it with Close Combat!" Ash shouted, throwing his arm out. Infernape's fists shone a brilliant red, and as the creature's fist was about to hit him, he let his fly. His slimmer fists repeatedly slammed into his opponent's, and their sheer force and rapidity caused the creature to lose power. Infernape pushed back, delivering a few blows to the creature's chest before it could retreat.

Ash felt his own knuckles start to sting.

"Don't let up! Flare Blitz!" Ash shouted, opting for an all-in strategy rather than one of endurance. Infernape's defences were already lowered anyways.

Infernape shouted, his body exploding into a brilliant blue inferno. He crouched and then pushed off, soaring at the creature head-first. It crossed its arms in a protective, muscled X, but the moment Infernape hit it, it screeched. Ash, for a moment, saw something his own eyes couldn't: he saw Infernape's view, the flames around him biting at the creature's arms until the force pushed the creature back. His vision fixed itself, and he saw Infernape land, releasing another Flare Blitz that he had only thought to suggest.

Unfortunately, being so close made Infernape vulnerable. The creature raised its arm, they started glowing green, and it slashed downwards, striking Infernape in the chest before Flare Blitz could hit.

Ash's knees wobbled, his hand flying automatically to his own chest.

Infernape hit the ground, and just as the creature was about to follow up, he rolled over, bouncing back onto his feet. The creature punched a small crater into the dirt.

"Thunder Punch, then Flare Blitz!" Ash called out, but Infernape was already in motion. His right fist sparked with electricity, his body igniting with blue fire almost simultaneously. Infernape punched first, knocking the creature's arms aside, then charged in with his head, scoring a direct hit on his chest. The creature flew backwards for the first time, and Infernape bounced back in his recoil, landing just in front of Ash, his fist punched into the ground. He stood, bobbing side-to-side, as the creature climbed back to its four feet.

"We got this," Ash muttered, his breathing surprisingly ragged. He glanced over his shoulder at Shelgon and Pikachu, who still looked ready to fight, then at Infernape. "We've got this."

Infernape nodded, and they looked back at the creature together.

And then Ash's entire body, heart and mind dropped. Another blast of dust formed in the distance, moving closer and closer. It stopped just as the other one had. When it faded, there it was: a second muscled, buzzing creature.

Ash looked between the two of them, both of their eyes now on the bag. They dashed forwards together.

"Infernape, Flare Blitz from one into the other!" Ash shouted. Infernape was fast enough to stop the one he had already been fighting, but all he hit when he bounced towards the second was air. Ash cringed when the second pulled back its fist, and he wondered if Shelgon could endure another hit.

But Ash didn't see if the attack hit. He felt it again: two hearts beating at once, and all of a sudden, as had already happened in the fight, his vision wasn't his own. But it wasn't Pikachu's or Infernape's either. All he could see were trees passing beneath him and fire and dust a few steps ahead. When his vision fixed itself, Ash felt his heart leap.

Something soared out of the trees, dashing straight towards the second creature, two white, stick-like items glowing. It reached the creature before it could punch, slashing at its body with the sticks, right then left, up then down. The creature gradually stepped backwards instead of making contact, and it was only when the creature jumped away, buzzing, that Ash realised what that was. Cut.

There, standing just in front of him and beside Infernape, was the familiar navy back of his Greninja, stood straight, legs together, arms poised in a ninjutsu stance.

Ash didn't wait a second before shouting, "Greninja, Aerial Ace! Infernape, Close Combat!"

His two Pokémon darted forwards, a crisscrossing blur of red and blue. Greninja reached his opponent first, slashing its arms and kicking its body faster than it could retaliate, ducking and jumping over its thick arms. Infernape was next, laying its first punches to the second creature's forearms to knock them away, then getting in close, punching its chest repeatedly. When the two creatures attacked, Infernape and Greninja retreated, swapped opponents, and continued their assaults. And all the while, Ash's vision flickered between theirs and his own.

"Infernape, Flare Blitz! Greninja, Double-Team into Cut!"

Infernape ignited again. Encircled as he was by the creature's arms, the flames bit at them before he even lunged. When he hit, the creature could do nothing to block.

Greninja, on the other hand, split into twenty or so afterimages, forming two white sticks in their hands. They dashed in on the creature, slicing and cutting, and though Ash knew only one of those images was dealing damage, it was an impressive sight, nonetheless.

Soon enough, though, both creatures shone green and lunged at the pair, breaking through their attacks – the creature even perfectly deduced which Greninja was the real one. Infernape and Greninja fell back, skidding, and all afterimages and flames disappeared. And the creatures lunged again, that same green aura around them. This time, they did so in a line.

Ash had only a moment to breathe through the aching across his entire body.

"Infernape, Flare Blitz! Greninja, Aerial Act!"

Infernape, his eyes now red, his mane four times its usual size, jumped in first. The force of Flare Blitz stopped the creature's lunge. In that split-second pause, Greninja lay about ten punches and kicks on the first creature, knocking it aside. Then, faster than Ash could think, he spawned two white sticks, crossing them in front of him. The second creature crashed into Greninja, the force of its lunge against his Cut-defence making him skid backwards. But Infernape was there, his hand pressed to Greninja's back, and together, they stopped the attack. Infernape dashed in then, fists aglow.

"Close Combat!" Ash shouted, and Infernape delivered his blows slightly slower than Greninja, knocking the creature back just as Greninja had.

And then, out of nowhere, Ash saw a third perspective, felt a pressure on his shoulder appear and disappear, and shouted, "Pikachu! Thunderbolt!"

Ash's vision came back to his own. He saw Pikachu in the air, his body alight with yellow electricity, charging and sparking wildly. Then it became a blend of red, orange, and yellow, and he vaguely registered the tips turning purple before Pikachu yelled. The attack hit both creatures simultaneously, filling the area with an explosion of smoke.

Infernape and Greninja slid back to Ash's side, Pikachu landed on his shoulder, and Ash just panted, watching as the smoke disappeared.

When it did, both of the creatures were slowly climbing to their feet. They looked at Ash, at his Pokémon, and turned around, dashing away in a cloud of dust, their bodies looking much heavier than before.

Within the next second, Ash heard his name shouted by several voices. Then he felt two pairs of arms wrap themselves around him. One came from in front of him and the other from behind. The one from in front was Lillie. When he glanced over his shoulder and saw the honey-coloured hair of the person hugging his back, Ash's chest seized up more than the pain running through it had already made it.

It was Serena.

I have had a few chapters in mind ever since I first started planning this story so many years ago. This was one of them, and... well...

I loved writing this chapter.