StarMage: Here's the next chapter. I want to thank all those who reviewed. Now let's get on with this chapter... *cracks knuckles*
Disclamer- I don't own Pokemon... And I don't own any rights to the Golden Sun games. I only say this because I realized that I ended up making the person that Ash fights here sound like a character from those games. If you haven't ever played any of the Golden Sun games, GO PLAY THEM! THEY ROCK!!! Okay disclamer for this chapter over...
Notes-
'thought' "speak" (author's notes) ~psychic communication~ spell
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Chapter Eight- Ash's first trainer battle! Shards of the broken katana!

We meet up with our group of trainers again as they walk on down the meadow path. The sun shined brightly down on all of them. Pidgey chirped in the few trees along with Tallow and Swellow. Magicarp and Goldeen jumped occasionaly from the river, and a soft breeze blew every other while. Yes, it was a perfect day for doing anything but walking to the next town. Something that Ash scorned on such a perfect day.

"Do we have to walk now!" whined Ash. "Can we please stop for today! We can just sit an enjoy ourselves! It's too nice a day to walk to another town! Please!"

Everyone looked to Billy who currently decided everything. Dispite his past, Billy was surprised to see that everyone still gave him a large ammount of respect. With this respect, Billy kind of became head of the whole journey since he knew where to go. Right now, he was in serious thought as to what to do.

"Well, it is a nice day, but we still have a long ways to go before we get to Ember Ridge City. Although, I too would like a break, it is in our best intrest to continue on." declared Billy.

Ash groaned in defeat and continued walking with everyone else. Yet, little did Ash know that soon, he was going to have something to do and a reason to get to the next town.

***One hour later***
Ash, Misty, Brock, Billy, and Pikachu had stopped finally for lunch. They were all sitting on a blanket by the river. Everyone was eating food that Brock made.

"Brock, pass me a rice ball, will ya." said Ash.

"Have you forgoten your manners already, Ash?" asked Misty annoyed with Ash's attitude right now.

Ash only shrugged as he extended his hand to accept the food. Brock was just about to put the rice ball in his hand when something ran by and knocked the rice ball out of his hand and into the river where a Magicarp proceded to eat it.

"Tough luck, Ash. That was the last one," said Brock.

"Grrr! WHAT!! I really wanted that rice ball!"

Ash scanned the area for the thing that knocked over the rice ball. He soon found it in a trainer leaning against a tree not more than five yards away.

"HEY YOU!" shouted Ash as he ran towards the trainer.

The trainer looked at him with mild intrest as Ash ran up to him.

"You owe me a rice ball!" demanded Ash while pointing his index finger at the trainer.

The trainer seemed a bit startled. "Me? What did I do to owe you a rice ball?" asked the trainer.

"You ran past and it ended up being knocked into the river!"

The trainer looked at Ash while deep in thought. "Well, I'm sorry, but I'm not going to give you a rice ball. It's your own fault if it fell in the river."

This only angered Ash further. "Look you! Who do you think you are! Do you think that you can just run around and not make ammends for things that are your fault! Think again! I am not leaving you alone till you give me a rice ball!" Ash stompped his foot and took a stance that indicated that he was prepared to stick around for a very long time.

At this time, everyone caught up to Ash. They were late because they took the time to pack up everything.

"Look, we're really sorry if Ash here has bothered you," said Billy.

The trainer only smilled. "Oh, he was no problem! No need for appologies." he said.

"What! You're younger than me and you think you can wave me off just like that! Why I-"

Ash couldn't continue his speech as Brock and Misty held him down and put their hands over his mouth.

"We're really sorry, kid! Um, Ash here has a bit of a temper," said Misty while still holding Ash back and trying to smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry too. I haven't introduced myself. My name is Ivan."

Ivan then looked at Ash.

"How about this, Ash. Instead of a rice ball, how'd you like a battle! I challenge you!"

Ash finally got out of everyone's grip to respond. "Okay then! How many pokemon!"

Ivan only nodded his head no. "We're not going to battle pokemon. We're going to battle each other!"

Everyone was shocked at this request.

"What! But I thought you were only allowed to battle like that in a gym!" said Brock.

Again Ivan nodded his head no. "It is completely legal for people to battle trainer to trainer outside of a gym. What happens in that battle, is up to the combatants."

"Alright then! Let's go! First one to be knocked outside of a five yard distance from this tree loses." said Ash.

Each went to a seprate side of the five yards. Both drew their weapons. Ash took out his katana and Ivan took out a staff with a cresent shaped piece on it. The staff was conected to it in the middle of the cresent. It kind of looked like a "y".

"Trainers ready!" said Brock. "Battle!"

Ash charged forward, prepared to strike when an opening presented itself. Ivan ran forward a bit and stood his ground. Ash got his oppertunity and attacked viciously. Yet, through it all, Ivan defended himself very efectively. Blow for blow, Ivan blocked and attacked. Ash was going at it very furiously and Ivan maintained a calm state of mind in his defense.

"Amazing... Very impressive... This Ivan kid is really good!" said Billy.

This made everyone not fighting do an anime faint. Misty hit him over the head with her staff.

"Whose side are you on!" she shouted.

"Oww... I'm only saying that Ivan has very impressive skills. Both have an equal chance to win," said Billy while rubbing his head where Misty hit him. 'Yeah, you can really tell that Brian gave her some training...'

All eyes turned back to the battle. Neither combatant had made much progress in moving the other outside the boundary. Both had few injuries. None of those injuries were serious. Ivan then knocked back Ash away from him. He then pointed his staff at him and made his command.

"Silver Cresent Rain!!!" yelled Ivan.

No sooner than when he uttered the attack, silvery cresent shapped energy waves fell from the sky and went towards Ash. Few hit their target because Ash managed to block and run from some.

"I can't keep running." said Ash too himself as he further avoided some more of the energy waves comming down on him. "At this rate, he'll end up hitting me even more... I'll have to make a stand and attack."

Ash then ran through the bunch of energy waves, which stopped when Ash charged at Ivan, and made his own attack.

"Thunder Katana Staccatto!!!" declared Ash.

Ash made a bold charge, electricty flying from the blade, and made his strikes at Ivan. Ivan was shocked at the forwardness of the attack. He blocked as best he could but he was being pushed back. When Ivan was only a foot from the boundary, Ash made his final strike.

"Lightening Finisher!!!"

Ash swung his electricly charged blade as hard as he could muster. Ivan defended and was knocked back out of the boundary. But, he did not go down with out doing some dammage. Ivan used his rod and hit Ash's katana and in the surge of strength in both attacks and the energy going through both weapons, Ash's katana shattered into three pieces. But, the damage was done. Ash had won this battle and Ivan was declared the loser.

"ASH WINS!" declared Brock.

Ivan fell to the ground sitting cross-legged. "I.. I lost... I guess that's okay... Losing is good for a person every once in a while..."

Meanwhile Ash was happy over his victory, but crushed on his destroyed katana. The katana that had won him three gym crests. The katana that Brian had given to him in the way of not only friendship but to defend himself.

"I... I... I can't believe this... My katana..."

Billy then ran over to Ash who was gently picking up the pieces of his katana, his hands tremmbling as he did so.

"Ash, Ash what's wrong?" asked Billy kindly.

Ash slowly turned to face him and showed him the shards of his katana. "This is what's wrong. This is what happened. What am I going to do! I can't afford a new weapon! At least not with the money I have with me! What am I going to do... What to do..."

Billy shook Ash out of his trance. "Snap out of it! Look, Ember Ridge City has a weapon's forge! You can have your katana fixed there! It's okay! It's not like Brian's going to hate you over one katana!"

Ash looked Billy in the eye. He saw that Billy was probably right. But the katana had a sentimental value of sorts. After something like that is broken, it isn't really that valuable anymore. Ash took the pieces and put them in his pack while nodding his agreement to going to Ember Ridge City. As he did this, Ivan walked over to Ash.

"Look, Ash, I'm sorry about your katana... I don't know what to say or do other than say that I am sorry over it. But you won the battle anyway. I'll take my leave now," said Ivan.

And so Ivan did leave slowly. Ash soon got up and yelled to Ivan.

"Hey Ivan! It's okay with the katana! Thanks for the battle!" shouted Ash.

Ivan only waved while smilling and further went on. Ash and Co. soon left afterwards. On to Ember Ridge City on the perfect day that could have been wasted on something else. ____________________________________________________________________________
StarMage: Okay! How was this chapter? I know the battle wasn't that intense, but what can I say? I'm only human! So now, Brian, tell them about the next chapter!

Brian: *Looks annoyed at StarMage* Okay... In the next chapter: The group makes it to Ember Ridge City! This city is no ordinary city. It's got a volcano! Ash desperately searches for the weapon's forge and meets the trainer Reed Flare. What! He's the owner of the weapon's forge! But he's even younger than Ash and the same age as Billy! Wait, that means he's my age too... How can a kid forge weapons! Find out in the next chapter! Ember Ridge City: Meeting the weapon's craftman Reed!

StarMage: Um, so on to the next chapter! *goes off to work on next chapter*

Brian: Just ignore him. Until the next chapter comes out, review please! Or... *takes out sword* You'll have to deal with this! *laughs evily* Okay not really. Just review anyway!