A/N: Ohh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh! I'm unbeatable!
Sorry, I couldn't resist. As you can probably tell from the summary of this one-shot, I've seen JN132, the fateful episode that truly blew the socks off everyone who has stuck with the Pokémon anime up to this point, after all this time. There's so much about that episode that stuck with me, but for the sake of spoilers (at least, those that won't be covered within this one-shot), I am not going to go into the particulars. For those of you who have yet to see the episode, I recommend checking it out! It's truly a spectacle for the ages! It honestly made me cry.
Anyway, yeah. You bet your top Poké Dollar that this new episode has stimulated my creative reserves when it comes to "Pokémon" fics! It has encouraged me to give more of my all into "The Way We Will Be", as well as start exploring other story ideas that could incorporate these new developments in the anime. In particular, I've been entertaining the concept of Lei, the child of Professors Kukui and Burnet, as a new protagonist, which you'll first see here. I've also been seriously looking into revisiting "Judgment's Fall", with a revised, clearer goal in mind.
And this isn't taking into account what Generation IX and the upcoming Scarlet and Violet games could potentially have in store for us when it comes to the anime! I can't wait to see what happens with that!
Alright, enough of this unnecessary rambling! On with the one-shot. ENJOY!
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-Wash hands often with soap and water for 20-30 seconds at a time, and/or use hand sanitizer
-Avoid close contact with people who are sick
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-Eat well, get adequate rest, and exercise regularly
-Get a flu shot if you haven't already and are able to
-Stay informed on the COVID-19 vaccines, get shots if you're able to, and try to get a booster shot if you're eligible
And if you ARE sick (I hope you get better if you are), please be a good sport and save other folks the trouble of getting sick. You can do this by:
-Covering your mouth and nose with your sleeve, elbow, or a tissue whenever you sneeze or cough
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If you already know this, then great! If you didn't know any of this beforehand, please keep that information in mind as we all go through this trying time. It's a realm of unknowns at this point, and I wish myself and all of humanity well.
"Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!"
"Decelerock, Lycanroc! Let's GOOOOO!"
"Piiiiikaaaaa-CHUUUUU!"
"Grrrrr-RRRAAAUUUGGGHHH!"
A single mighty bolt of yellow electricity shot out of the Mouse Pokémon and traveled across the battlefield at high speed.
ZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPP!
Meanwhile, the navy-blue, unusual-looking Wolf Pokémon stood on its hind legs for a brief moment before slamming its glowing front paws down onto the ground, sending a howling shock-wave that ripped the ground apart and sent massive blocks of earthy stone flying in the air.
OOOOOWWWWWOOOOOOOOOO!
These blocks intercepted the Thunderbolt before it could reach its target. This triggered a series of great explosions that blanketed the entire battlefield with smoke.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
"Whoa, what's this?!" the voice of an announcer echoed from high in the majestic stadium. "Lycanroc's Decelerock has stopped Pikachu's Thunderbolt from landing its mark by using the stones that it's brought up like a sort of shield! What an amazing combination of offense and defense!"
The so-called Decelerock move didn't stop, though. The shock-wave continued to powerfully barrel through the battlefield in the opposite direction from which the Thunderbolt came, all the while leaving an animalistic howling noise in its wake. The Pikachu was deep within the Decelerock's crosshairs.
But the Pikachu's Trainer, a young, roguish-looking but handsome man, was undaunted. He took the brim of his longtime signature cap and flipped it to the back of his head. This triggered a massive cheer from the audience in the sidelines.
"Let's do it, Pikachu!" he cried triumphantly. "Dodge, then use the stones as a pathway to Lycanroc!"
On the other side of the battlefield, the Lycanroc's Trainer, a young boy, younger than Pikachu's Trainer by several years, was taken aback by the sudden strategy.
"What?!" he exclaimed.
"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked.
Without further ado, and with the strength of his little paws, the Mouse Pokémon jumped high into the air, high enough to avoid Decelerock's powerful shock-wave. Then, to the surprise of everyone in the audience, Pikachu started leaping on the stones knocked upward by Decelerock before they could plummet back to the earth. He did exactly what his Trainer had ordered, jumping from one stone to another at high speeds.
"Pi, pi, pi! Pi, pi, pi! Pi, pi, pi! PI, PI, PI!"
"Unbelievable!" the announcer declared. "Pikachu is using the stones that Decelerock knocked up as stepping stones to Lycanroc's position! Look at that! He's keeping Lycanroc on its toes!"
Indeed, Lycanroc was struggling to keep an eye on Pikachu, as was its Trainer. The Mouse Pokémon proved to be way too quick for any eyes to stay on his position for more than a couple of seconds. He swiftly jumped back and forth, and from side to side, and up and down, deftly and effortlessly, across many of the plummeting stones. To Lycanroc and its Trainer, Pikachu was nothing more than a yellow blur of doom, always in one spot before they could even register the fact that he was in another spot.
"L-Ly-Lycanroc!" the younger Trainer shouted in concern. He could feel cold dread flowing through his veins. "K-Ke-Keep on th-the l-lo-lookout!"
The Wolf Pokémon tried to follow its Trainer's command, but its confidence wasn't any better. Its pupils darted from side to side, trying its best to keep track of its opponent's current location. However, every time it thought it saw Pikachu, he was darting away just as quickly before he could ascertain a proper location.
"Grrrrr..." it growled with uncertainty.
Then, just seconds after Pikachu had started hopping on the rocks, they all fell to the battlefield. Lycanroc tensed up with anticipation, but it heard its Trainer gasp.
"Pikachu!" the boy cried. "Where's Pikachu?!"
On the other side of the battlefield, the man smiled, lifted a gloved hand bearing a Dynamax Band, and pointed straight at Lycanroc. His auburn eyes were glowing with a fiery, youthful energy.
"PIKACHU!" he hollered at the top of his lungs. "IT'S TIME! USE THUNDERBOLT!"
It was at that moment when Lycanroc's Trainer realized what was happening. With a horrified gasp, he looked up. To his utter lack of surprise, he saw Pikachu hurtling down from the sky, towards Lycanroc, like a missile. Lycanroc followed just a split-second later, but that was all of the time that Pikachu needed to exploit. His red cheeks crackled with powerful and overflowing yellow electricity.
"PIIIIIKAAAAA-CHUUUUUUUUUU!"
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP!
"LYYYYYCAAAAANNNNNROOOOOCCCCC!" the boy screamed.
"And with that, after a long and hard-fought battle, Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu have declared victory over Lei Kukui and his Lycanroc! Therefore, Mr. Ketchum will be keeping his title as the World Monarch!"
The words rang through Lei's head, over and over again, like a taunting mantra. He was silent and sullen while seated on the bench in the dressing room, his head hung low and his hands clasped together. Barely anything in the world mattered to him right now, not even the six Pokémon standing in front of him, watching his every move with expressions of shame over their failure and concern over his well-being.
Not even his Lycanroc. Lycanroc, who he had known since it was a little, adorable Rockruff.
"I can't believe I lost..." he thought somberly. "Again..."
Many memories flashed through Lei's mind, memories that he did not want to bring up even as his brain was forced to.
Being placed in the Top 16 in the Manalo Conference, his home Pokémon League.
Being placed in the Top 8 in the Indigo Plateau Conference.
Being placed in the Top 8 in the Silver Conference.
Being placed in the Top 16 in the Ever Grande Conference.
Being placed in the Top 8 in the Lily of the Valley Conference.
Being placed in the Top 32 in the Vertress Conference.
Being placed in the Top 4 in the Lumiose Conference.
Being placed in the Top 4 in the Wyndon Conference.
Being the runner-up in the second Manalo Conference that he participated in.
And now this...
"No matter what I do," he continued to think, "I'll never be as great of a Pokémon Trainer as Big Brother Ash..."
"Lei?"
The familiar voice brought Lei out of his reverie. Like he had emerged from a dark swamp and was now seeing a beacon of light at the edge of the forest, the boy slowly looked up, wonder and amazement etched across his face. It was exactly the same expression he wore every time he saw him.
"Big Brother..." he whispered sadly.
Ash smiled down at him. Then, with a deep exhale, he sat right next to Lei, with Pikachu hopping off his shoulder and on his lap. Lei promptly looked away.
"That was a great battle," Ash said consolingly. "It all came down the wire. You had me sweating, Lei, you really did." He started patting the boy's back. "You should be proud, Lei. Of yourself and your Pokémon."
"But..." Lei's vision started to swim with tears. "I didn't win, Big Brother... I didn't win..." He started wiping his face with his forearm. "I...I can never win anything, B-Big Brother! N-Not like you!"
Ash's brow became furrowed in concern, but only for a couple of seconds. His bright, ever-so-optimistic smile returned in full force, and he pulled Lei into a one-armed side-hug.
"Hey, now," he said. "Winning isn't everything. It's having fun with your Pokémon that counts. Victory's just a bonus."
"Well, how am I supposed to have fun if I keep losing all the time?" Lei asked sadly.
"Oh, who said you were losing all the time? You know, I've got a compilation of all your World Coronation Series battles, not to mention all the battles you've fought in Pokémon League Conferences. I'd say you've got an excellent track record of victories on your belt."
"But...But I can't win a single Conference..."
"Hey, you do know I was once in the same situation as you, losing Conferences from left and right. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos... My only victories were the Orange League and the Manalo Conference, but the Orange League is super low-profile and the Manalo Conference was Alola's first Pokémon League ever at the time. They felt more symbolic than anything else, Lei."
"But you won your first World Coronation Series tournament and never looked back after, Big Bro! And for me, who just participated in his own first World Coronation Series, to lose just like that..." Lei took a deep breath out of glumness and helplessness, which made all six of his Pokémon recoil in grief at the sight of their Trainer. "Just...Just how can I be just like you if I can't get anywhere in any Pokémon League, let alone one in Alola...?"
At that moment, Ash narrowed his eyes. He broke the side-hug, took Lei's shoulders, and stared at him in the eyes. The Alola native looked away with a heavy sigh of defeat, but the World Monarch just wouldn't have it.
"Hey, look at me, Lei."
With a quivering lip, the boy met his surrogate brother's eyes with shame. Just then, that shame was incinerated under the great, overbearing intensity of Ash's stare. It was not one borne of anger or frustration or disappointment. Instead, it was one of brotherly compassion and protection.
"Is that what this whole thing has been about?" Ash asked. "You being like me?"
"You're the best," Lei replied earnestly, "like no one ever was. You're the inspiration of millions, including me! I've...I-I've always wanted to be like you! To be unbeatable! In the end, though...I can never be like you if you're unbeatable..."
"Don't say that." The man narrowed his eyes, even as the corners of his lips tugged upward into a warm, kind smile. "Lei Kukui, you can never be like me, be unbeatable, because you don't HAVE to be like me! In fact, if I hear that you are still trying to be like me, after this conversation, then I'm going to be very disappointed in you."
Lei briefly recoiled at that. "But...how am I supposed to be like-?"
"Lei," Ash interrupted resolutely, "you may want to be like me, but I want you to be better than me."
"Wait a minute, better than you?" Lei's eyes grew wide with disbelief. "How am I supposed to do that? To be better than unbeatable...?"
"Simple." The World Monarch broadened his smile. "By being you, and no one else."
"By...By being me...?" Lei was absolutely confounded by the advice. "I don't understand, Big Bro..."
"Oh, you will, Little Bro." Ash ruffled the boy's hair, causing him to impulsively chuckle. "You will. After all, once you find that there's no shadow you're shrouded under, you'll also find that the only path to take is one that you carve yourself."
Lei couldn't help but smirk. "You made that one up off the bat, didn't you?"
"Yes, yes I did." But Ash continued to smile. "And you'll find that those words are true, all the same."
"When?" asked Lei.
"Maybe in the next hour, or maybe tomorrow, or maybe next week, or maybe next month." The man casually shrugged. "Whenever you're ready to learn, you'll learn. But in the meantime..." He stood up, and Pikachu scampered up his body to return to his original spot on his Trainer's shoulder. "The only thing to do now is to move forward. Move forward, have fun, and most of all, never give up till the end."
"Pika-pikachu!" Pikachu squeaked in agreement.
"Oh!" Ash added as an afterthought. "And when I say have fun, you do that with all your family and friends! They matter the most, more than being unbeatable. Remember that, Lei! Because they're what'll make you unbeatable, after all!"
Lei's eyes grew wide again, and he looked at Lycanroc and the rest of his Pokémon. With wide smiles on their faces, they all barked and crooned and squawked at him. Even though he couldn't understand what any of them were saying, Lei did not need to.
After all, he knew that they would always be with him and supporting him to the very end, no matter what happened, no matter what the next stage of their Pokémon journey was.
"That's true, Big Bro..." Lei said with a soft nod and a growing smile. "That's true..."
"Awesome! Now..." The World Monarch turned on his heel and started walking off. "Let's go and celebrate our battle! You know, Serena made a nice banquet, just for us! And everyone else will be waiting!"
Lei could already feel his mouth watering badly at the prospect of his sister-in-law's cooking waiting for him somewhere. With that, he followed his surrogate brother out of the dressing room, with his six Pokémon loyally flanking him on both sides. As he looked up at Ash and Pikachu, with nothing but complete awe and admiration swelling in his heart, a single thought passed through the boy's head.
"To be me, and no one else. That is my key to being unbeatable..."
With narrowed eyes of determination, the boy suddenly raised his right fist high in the air, a symbol of impending glory, a sign of inner realization. The World Monarch followed suit, using his left fist as they departed.
A/N: And that marks the end of this commemorative one-shot! I hope it was to your liking, everyone! I thought I should make it a little nice and short this time around. I didn't want to bring in many characters here and just decided to limit all human interactions to Ash and Lei and no one else. I thought it was absolutely adorable for Ash to have a surrogate baby brother in Journeys, so I had no choice but to write about that relationship.
Now, I'm hearing discussions and rumors about Journeys potentially being Ash's final series. I hope that's not true; I've just become too attached to him and Pikachu to really let them go. But with what happened in today's episode, there is just NO WAY they can have Ash continue on his journey in pursuit of a goal that could top the World Coronation Series. It is just impossible. So yeah, I can see where the discussions and rumors are coming from. If it's truly the end for our boy from Pallet Town, then I guess it's for the best. Can't say I'd agree with it, though.
Hopefully he could just return in a supporting capacity in the next series. He could be the Leon to the new protagonist! I would love to see that come to fruition, honestly!
Well, hope you enjoyed this one-shot! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!