Author's Notes: Ash is finally (basically) World Champion in canon now. Is there even a point to this fic anymore?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ash looked at the tournament brackets, trying to find himself. It occurred to him, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he should be better at this by now. He just wanted to see who he was slated to fight first, hopefully they'd be stronger than the last-oh, there he was.

Wait, what?

That was him, right? It looked like him, but where was his hat? Before Ash could think further, a voice pierced his thoughts.

"Wait, what?"

Ash turned, and, as if by the hands of fate, so did the speaking, and it was like looking into a mirror. The two moved without thought, closing the distance between them. Ash came to a half before a strange mirror, casting his reflection back at him in the wrong clothes.

Ash blinked, hard. "I'm not dreaming this, am I?"

So did his reflection. "Who said this was your dream?"

Ash slowly extended his hand. "Ash."

His reflection did the same and- okay, he was real. "Travis."

That name rung a bell, echoing through his memories. Echoing deep, reverberating off another name. "You know someone named Luana?"

"She's my mom, why?"

"She sends her love. Uh, well, she did, years ago."

"Wait, you're that Ash, from Pallet Town?"

"Yeah. She mentioned me?"

"Mentioned you beating her. Then Drake." Travis looked at Ash's face, trying to find something off. "Mom said you looked like me, but she didn't say you'd be a mirror."

"Trust me, you're not the only one weirded out."

At their feet, two Pokémon were looking into a reflection that was...off.

"Pika."

"Rai."

Travis smirked, suspecting the truth already. "Did Mom think you were me?"

"Yep, grabbed me out of nowhere. Not the first time that's happened, actually."

"Sorry. Mom's always a bit...much." He sighed, visibly annoyed. "'Remember to change your shirts, Travis, don't let them get too dirty. Change them every day, Travis, every single day.'" Ash said nothing. Travis had no idea just how good he had it. "Your's the same?"

"Let's just say 'yes' and leave it there."

Travis complied, glancing at the brackets, and the pathway of its lines. "Guess we'll meet at the final round."

"Yeah."

Travis grinned. "See you then."

Ash followed suit. "See you then."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rotom had hooked himself up to an overhead projector. "Before we begin Ash, I should tell you that evaluating Trainers at this level is-"

"Rotom." Ash stood at the table's edge, a building feeling preventing him sitting down. "Out with it."

"Okay. On with the presentation!" The projector began to display, and when did Rotom find time to make this? "I'll start by stating that a large part of my evaluation was based on the fact that you defeated Lance. Therefore, wherever he used to stand in the world ranking we can assume he's been replaced by you. So..." Boxes, boxes like Ash had seen on countless tournament screens appeared, black, with barely-visible silhouettes inside. One stopped, and enlarged, and Ash knew what was coming. "You, Ash, by my not-remotely-official examination, in all the world," The image became coloured, a bright number forming below, "are ranked fifth."

Pikachu jumped from the table, fist pumping high. "PI KA!"

Ash...didn't know what to feel, much less than what he actually felt. Nine years, and this is how far he'd come.

How far he'd come, and how far there was still to go. "Fifth, huh?"

Rotom grinned brightly. "Yes!" The screen flashed with images Ash wasn't paying attention to. "From early on in your career, you had a knack for the unorthodox that paid off more often than not, and I've mapped a gradual curve of improvement over time. Gradual, if slow, for several years. Your progress in more recent years, however, has been quite impressive." Images flashed across the screen, showing pictures from matches he was surprised to realize were recorded by...who, exactly? "You've always had, and maintained a talent for adapting to new techniques and ideas in battle. You mastered Mega Evolution, Dynamax, and Z-Moves in a relatively short time of becoming aware of them. Your application of them has also been quite impressive. At the rate you're going, I expect you to rapidly move up the ranking." Rotom blinked, he'd expected more, expected anything, really. "Ash?"

Ash took a breath, hands coming to rest on the table as he leaned forward, eyes closing.

He'd spent forever moving forward, never knowing where he was, only knowing that he wasn't there yet. All he'd ever known was that he had to move forward, to the next fight, the next step forward, the next thing that would get him closer to Quentin, to their battle, to The battle. His long journey had come to this, he was the strongest in the region.

A region was one thing, the world was another. The further you went up in the world, the fewer could reach you. The stronger you became, the fewer could challenge you. Nobody was coming to challenge him. Nobody was about to suddenly make it past the Elite Four to even try. The only challenge Ash would get, was the one he made himself.

He opened his eyes, took a breath, and stood tall once more.

Time to start planning. "Who am I up against?"

"This is where listening to my warnings is beneficial, Ash. Measuring abilities at this level is tricky to say the least."

"I'll take what you have."

"Alright then." The projection changed, showing a familiar face. "Number four is the Hoenn Champion, Steven Stone." If Ash wasn't already confident in Rotom's judgement, then this would've done it. He'd have made the same call, minus any real research to back it up.

"One of the newer Champions, if we're going by order of appointment. Steven's style can best summarized as methodical. His style lacks what I'll call a 'creative spark', but he's extremely technical. He frequently wins just by use of rather clinical, but highly-effective follow-up attacks. Such attack patterns tend to account not just for type-effectiveness, but also how the attack itself is executed." As Rotom's words came, the projection played back examples of just that.

Methodical. Technical. Clinical. All words that would fail to describe Ash's own method of battling. A method he'd heard eloquently summarized as "bash his skull against a foe until something breaks". There were as many ways to battle as there were trainers to battle. There was more than one road to greatness, especially at this level.

Rotom continued. "Like most of the higher-ranking trainers, Steven hasn't integrated Z-Moves into his battling yet, at least on record. His Aggron is his given choice for using Dynamax, with Metagross being his choice for Mega Evolution. Like the rest of his style, these choices were clearly considered. I surmise that once he picks a Pokémon for using Z-Moves, he'll stick to that set-up, assuming he hasn't already. Steven is the kind of man who weighs many variables, and considers many factors before deciding on how he'll set-up his tactics." This sounded like the exact opposite of the guy Ash met in the mirror every day. "In addition to being the trainer immediately above you in rank, I believe Steven would make an excellent opponent for your next major battle, given the sheer contrasts between the pair of you. It'd be a great learning experience for you."

Ash smiled. "Well ain't that convenient? Whose next?"

Like he had to ask at this point. Like he'd really had to ask at all. He knew where he was. He knew where Quentin was. If he knew that, he knew everyone else in between. Still, if he'd learned anything that wasn't directly about battling; it was that it never hurt to get a second, competent opinion. He saw the screen change to another familiar face. "Sinnoh's Pokémon Champion, Cynthia."

Ash nodded, unsurprised, as the projection showed a picture from years gone by, Cynthia and Garchomp celebrating a victory. "One of the longer-running Champions on this list. Cynthia's primary tactic is to gain control of the battlefield in some way, this serves to give her an advantage both in the battle, and psychologically." Ash could recall her battles at World Coronation, and defences he'd seen, many examples of both coming to mind. Cynthia was an obstacle few could hope to properly challenge, and fewer could hope to overcome. "I can't find any record of her using Z-Moves, but she's shown multiple uses of Dynamax, and is flexible with with Pokémon she uses it with. Her only known Pokémon to use Mega Evolution is Garhcomp, in the instances she's actually forced to. Mega Garchomp has proven an extremely formidable opponent. So much in fact, only two have succeeded in overcoming her."

Ash smirked. "One of 'em recently." He laughed. "If Cynthia's real passion was battling, she might've won."

"Either way, " Rotom continued, "Cynthia extremely strong, and has a wide array of Pokémon to choose form. I've identified a pool of a dozen Pokémon, including Garchomp that she draws from for a given battle. Such a pool makes her somewhat difficult to predict and prepare for. Still, Cynthia is not unbeatable. This brings us to number two."

The images of Cynthia were quickly swept away, but not from Ash's mind. It'd been years since he'd first met Cynthia, and her own reign seemed as firm then as it was now, and with nobody seeming to be a likely candidate to dethrone her. Anyone who pulled that off was gonna find themselves on Ash's list to battle. Someone would come, and, like him, they weren't likely to stop with her. Ash snapped out of his stupor as another face filled the screen."

"World Coronation's reigning Monarch, and Galar's Pokémon Champion; Leon." Rotom smiled, giving Ash a knowing look. "I'm to understand you've already had a match with him."

Ash nodded. "We had a spar not longer after I got to Galar." A match he could recall, vividly. "He's strong."

Pikachu could too. "Pikaaa."

Rotom only nodded. "Extremely so." Silent footage of battles played across the screen, battles of Leon meeting other Champions, defeating other Champions. "He's everything someone shooting for the top can hope to be. He has an endless well of talent, a team of immaculately-trained Pokémon, and a flawless official record. Not a single loss recorded in an official battle."

Ash smirked, recalling a conversation. "He'd had no losses period, he just doesn't count Eternatus as a win, not that I blame him."

"Then his record is truly flawless," Rotom continued "He has great instincts in battle, responding to any situation practically perfectly. His skill is matched only by his sheer enthusiasm for battle, and his Charizard is a force to be reckoned with in the ring. Honestly, I can see why Leon's made the challenge. He's the picture-perfect definition of a top contender."

"Yeah," Ash said, quietly, "he is that." Leon was the contender, and Ash, Ash was just another Champion.

Rotom, seeing Ash's pensive gaze, smiled. "Even with this, at the rate you're going, I believe it's possible you'll catch up to Leon within a year." Ash's head snapped up, and then to Pikachu, who returned in kind, both giving Rotom a the definition of a disbelieving stare. He grinned. "Your progress has been that swift. The stronger your opponent, the more you tend to improve. Once you beat Steven and Cynthia, Leon will soon follow." Rotom's elation passed, as did his motion. "Which brings us to number one."

Ash was still and silent, as Leon's image was replaced, and Ash looked into the eyes of the still image of the man whose face and name he knew better than his own, a name that passed his lips without thought. "Quentin Gelden."

Here it was, the rank Ash had already known, everything he'd already known. He'd been listening only to be proven right.

(It happened so rarely.)

"Quentin," Rotom began, is the only trainer on this list who hasn't competed in World Coronation, or indeed, any other organization in many years." Ash smiled. Finally, someone else noticed, "Since taking his title, he's strictly limited any official opponent to Pokémon League Regional Champions. His record there is perfect."

"Naturally."

"Ka chu."

"Naturally indeed." Quentin's face was joined by another face Ash knew. "He's not been pushed to his limit since his battle with his predecessor, but you probably know that battle better than I do."

Ash chuckled. "Wore out my original tape." He closed his eyes, the battle replaying across his memory, as it had so, so many times. "Probably the greatest battle ever."

Pikachu nodded. "Pika pi ka."

"A common consensus," Rotom granted. "Even in a career as long as his, I've found a line-up of potential Pokémon he's going to bring to a given battle." Deliberately or not, said line-up popped up on screen, details following Rotom's speech, "with some more likely than others", okay, it was deliberate, and Ash saw no surprises. "His partner Pokémon, and his starter Pokémon is Smeargle."

The image changed to a video, of his most recent battle. "This guy's a monster. Smeargle has typically gone last in a battle, and in he's not lost once since long before Quentin took the title. Since Smeargle has Sketch, he's copied list of moves I'm pretty sure I can't complete. What I am certain of, however, is that they train extensively before using a given move in battle." Rotom was clearly moonlighting at this, as the footage lined up just as he made the point. "Smeargle's are known for their painting, and he's turned battle itself into an art."

"He and Quentin both."

"Pi ka chu."

Rotom smiled. "Quite." Rotom continued, footage of multiple battles playing. "Despite a lack of a rival in Quentin's reign, I've been able to detect a measurable increase in his abilities as time's worn on. Some incredible Champions have tried to be the one to beat him." Faces scrolled by, faces of Champions, Champions still reigning, Champions now-retired, all with something in common. "With less than success."

So many faces, so many battles, and still nothing had changed. "Rotom, We can skip this part, I know how Quentin battles. I know how strong he is."

Rotom nodded, clearly unsurprised. "As you wish." A complete lack of surprise passed with a tremble in Rotom's voice. "I'm-I'm sorry to report I can't find a weakness in him. It seems just about everything has been tried on him, and it just doesn't work. His technique, timing, instincts and sheer skill are immaculate. He's- he's-"

"He's Quentin Gelden," Ash summarized. How did one else describe perfection? Describe the man who stood atop the mountain of Trainerdom, forever awaiting a worthy opponent?

Rotom didn't have a way. "A succinct summary. I assume you reached the same conclusion as me about the upcoming battle."

"Reached it before the announcement."

Pikachu nodded. "Ka chu."

Rotom nodded too. "While I'm confident you'll be able to best Leon in a year, Quentin remains unclear. Hopefully, Leon'll push him enough so we can determine a potential timeline for your battle, enough data to formulate strategies, and-" Rotom stopped, Ash's raised hand commanding silence.

"Thank you, Rotom." Ash turned from the table, moving towards the window, silent, for a moment, and another. He'd been told nothing he didn't already know, it'd only been confirmed.

"So," Ash smiled. "Fifth." He shrugged. "Could be a lot worse."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Elevator opened, Ash and Rotom walked out, arriving at the office lobby. Ash stopped. It'd been a while since he found himself with nothing to do.

Rotom kept on moving forward, stopping to turn around. "Well, Ash, if you don't need me, I'm gonna go re-re-re-re-re-re-watch the Detective Laki movie."

"You can get back in the apartment?"

"I left a window open."

"Clever. Have fun, and thanks."

"Happy to help, Ash!"

With that, Rotom turned, and with surprising speed, shot out of the lobby. Anywhere else in the world, a younger man just standing around would be awkward, but nobody was about to question a Champion on his own turf.

He looked around the lobby, finding a door, a door he'd have no reason to care about on any other day.

Today, he had nothing to do. "Ah, what the hell?"

"Pikapi?"

"Come on."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ash wasn't entirely convinced he hadn't stepped into a different building. He entered first door, three cameras. He went down the elevator, another pair of cameras. He left the elevator, cameras and guards.

For a place called "Archive", which housed mostly historical relics, security was pretty heavy.

Then again, some of these relics were probably dangerous. Scratch that, some of it absolutely was. He'd seen enough to know better. Ash entered the Archive proper to find just one person, at a desk. A man a few years older than himself. He didn't even notice Ash had entered, his attention focused on a rock Ash had seen among Rotom's many, many photographs, apparently trying to make sense of the carvings. He pulled back his magnifying lens, seeming to realize someone was there. He looked up, and stood up.

"Pokémon Champion!"

"Hello," he glanced for a name-tag. "Wyatt. I'd like to see the GS Ball."

"The GS Ball?" Wyatt blinked, trying to grasp the surprise request. "As you wish. Can I ask why?"

"We have a history."

Wyatt decided not to ask, and moved from the desk, beckoning Ash to follow. Ash let his eye wander as they went, glancing across the larger-than-he'd-expected Archive.

"Nice to see a Champion taking interest in our department", spoke Wyatt, briefly waking Ash from his thoughts,"we haven't had visitors often since Zeke left."

"Something catch his eye?"

"Never could tell with him."

Ash allowed the topic to die quietly, as he passed something that he pretty sure was some kind of ancient weapon. How much of this stuff was dangerous? Knowing his luck, there was a doomsday weapon locked in here somewhere.

(If that luck held up, he was gonna be the one who wound up setting the thing off.)

Wyatt made a sudden turn, and there it was, inside a square, glass case. Just as he remembered it, from way back when. From way back when, and the occasional dream.

"Remove the case, please."

"Ah, Champion, we don't normally-"

He turned to Wyatt, with a signature lack of patience, and a new grasp on authority. "Am I allowed to touch it?"

That settled it. "Yes, you are."

"Then thank you, Wyatt. And call me Ash."

Wyatt pressed several buttons on a number pad, and the glass folded open. Wyatt left without comment, leaving Ash and Pikachu alone.

Ash picked up the GS Ball. It still felt the same as he remembered. Ash clutched it tighter, he could feel it, the durability of this thing. Regular Pokéballs were no match for a good hammer, but this thing had taken everything short of a literal mountain falling on it. He ran a thumb over the strange symbols. He noticed, idly, that they weren't raised against his skin. Someone went to a lot of trouble to make this thing, what was it for? Why go to all that trouble, and not leave at least a note explaining why?

When he'd first seen it, when he'd left it with Kurt, in dreams since. A story from childhood rest in his hand, still unfinished. Like his own story, really. No matter how long it'd been, the ending was still out of reach.

He placed the ball back, the glass shield folded back into place.

He'd come a long way.

Now he knew just how far there was to go.

Getting there, that was a a question awaiting answer.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Ash had just gotten out of League HQ when. "Ring ring ring, ring ring-"

Silently cursing himself for not knowing how to change the ringtone, Ash held up the phone.

Mallow appeared on screen. "Alola, Ash."

"Alola."

"Pi pikachu!"

Mallow waited a second, before-"Rotom not with you?"

"Nope. He's re-watching the Alolan Detective Laki movie. He's been surfing fan theories again and… Okay, I stopped paying attention after that." Mallow raised a brow, disapproving somewhat, but Ash was prepared. "Remember what happened last time." Ash could see her thinking about it, for a second, before nodding. She set her phone down, stepping back, showing she wasn't alone. The group behind her offered Ash a collective wave. Kiawe, Lana, Lillie and Cilan.

Wait. "Cilan?"

Cilan grinned. "Alola, Ash."

"You're a little far from home."

"I'm on vacation, and there's a culinary festival I just had to attend here."

Kiawe raised his drink, smiling before downing it. "We've also been swapping stories." Ash didn't need to ask the subject of those stories to guess a common character in them.

(Again, Ash wondered how his friends kept meeting each other. Again, it felt wrong to just come out and ask.)

"Anyway," interjected Lana, "we're trying to settle something, and since Sophocles isn't here to settle it with data, I figured we'd ask a Champion."

Ash had to think for a half-second on that one. "Gladion's not available?"

Lille rolled her eyes. "Gladion's not locatable. He's been gone for days. Off training somewhere I think."

Ash just nodded. "Can't fault him for that." Clearly, had to take a few extended training trips himself. "Alright, how can a Championhelp you?"

Mallow clapped her hands. "Okay, moment of truth." She took a breath, Ash pulling the phone closer to his face. "Moomoomilk Ice Cream or Bewear Honey-glazed cakes?"

Ash stopped walking. "What?" He shared a look with Pikachu, had they heard that right?

"Moomoomilk Ice Cream or Bewear Honey-glazed cakes? Which is better? We've been debating this the last twenty-minutes."

"Seriously?" He wasn't sure what was more shocking. That question, or his lack of surprise at it. He sighed. "Moomoomilk Ice Cream. Does wonders in Alola's heat."

"Yes!" Kiawe was on his feet. "I win!"

Ash kept on walking, wondering what else he was gonna have to settle before the call ended. He silently cursed Gladion for not being their for his citizens. Speaking of Gladion... "Hey, Lillie, you know if Gladion's attending the match?"

"He is."

"Good. It'll be nice to meet him as a peer."

Kiawe looked to Ash. "So when are you defending your title?"

He shrugged. "Soon as someone gets past the Elite Four. Or I'm just facing one of them."

Inspiration suddenly swept upon Lana. "You can have Misty challenge you!"

Mallow smiled. Slyly. "Or Lance'll aim for his title back."

Cilan nodded. "A challenge seasoned with a lust for revenge, he'd make quite the opponent."

Ash blinked. He hadn't considered that. He'd been too busy looking forward to notice who was waiting literally a step behind him. Lance had given quite a speech, but if he deemed Ash wasn't doing his job...

Note to self: After the match, I'm going on training trip.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The Box.

It never had another name, it never really had a name to begin with, Ash just thought of it as The Box. He couldn't even remember where it came from. He just knew what he used it for. It was impressive that even when one kept needless possessions to a minimum, one could still gradually accumulate things. A trinket here, a memento there. On his first return home, he'd thrown some items in The Box for later organization. Years upon years had gradually built-up, and item by item and been thrown in The Box for a later date. A day where Ash would finally sit down and go through everything.

That day… wasn't today. Ash's bedroom had become a dump, the contents of The Box thrown around without rhyme, reason, or even regard for personal safety. Pikachu was watching from the bed.

Ash looked into the now empty box, and what he was searching for wasn't suddenly appearing.

"Okay, that settles it."

"Pi?"

"Your Thunderstone's missing."

"Pika!?"

"I wasn't gonna use it!" All he got was a blink, a slow, distrusting blink. "It's just after Valerie asked about it, it got me thinking. It's why I had Mom bring The Box. If it's not here, I really don't have it anymore."

"Ka chu pi ka?"

"Who knows? Can't even remember the last time I actually saw it."

"Pi ka ka pi chu?"

"When we first got it..." Memories rose to the surface of their minds, and words weren't needed. "It forced me to think, find another forward, you know? Could use that about now. Thought a reminder would help." He sighed, turning his gaze to the window. "We got three Champions to beat before we can hope to take on Quentin. We still got a long way to go, buddy."

"Pi, ka chu."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On one of Brock's days off, the group was taking lunch.

"So," Misty began. "Rotom finished teaching you?"

"Yep."

"Already?"

"Yep."

Misty blinked, slowly. "Learn anything interesting?"

Ash was about to answer, when he caught something out the corner of his eye. He looked out a window, everyone else's gaze following him. They saw a woman, who was clearly a teacher, at least if the children following behind her were any indication.

One boy stood out in the group of children. Not so much for any feature unique to him, but for the Pikachu riding on his shoulder. Ash watched them go.

"Wonder what that's about?"

"Field trip," Ash turned to Misty, catching her rolling her eyes. "class from Celadon. Read the memos now and then. It's a tour of Pokémon League grounds."

"Well then," Ash smiled, "I better go say hello. They came all this way, seems fair they get to see someone awesome."

"Or learn how to settle, if 'someone awesome''s unavailable."

"Which is why you're coming too."

Misty returned to her drink, Ash downing the last of his burger in a single bite.

Rotom floated up to Brock, quietly asking. "Is this normal for them?"

"They're not usually this mean, but yeah."

Rotom could not compute. "They have a strange relationship."

Brock smirked. "Truer words never spoken."

Ash stood up, dropping money on the table. "Come on, Misty, we got work to do. Brock, you coming?"

The group quickly left, following the class from a distance. It occurred to Misty that if just one of those kids turned around, then whatever Ash was going for was done for. Ash and Brock had spent longer on the road, and knew how rarely people of any age actually turned around.

The class came to a stop around the apparent centre of the entire Plateau, culturally anyway. The stony visage of Masato stood over the group, as the teacher stood right in front of the plaque that held his name.

"Now, class, can any of you tell me who this man is?"

Ash could see the kids sharing glances, as if expecting someone to answer. Seconds passed, then more, shaking heads finding no student who knew better. Ash couldn't exactly blame them, it's not like he knew at that age.

Ash began walking forward. "I can tell you!"

The teacher looked up, and froze. The children turned, and collectively gasped. The Pikachu among them nearly slipped from his human. Ash made his way through the crowd, catching the awed whispers. Their teacher had come out of her shock just as Ash reached her.

"Sorry to hijack, but it's not often I'm the one who knows his history."

"It's quite alright, Champion."

Ash smiled briefly, his sudden joy reaching his eyes. "Actually, you can check my work." He turned back the class, leaning forward, as if to whisper. "Lance is waiting for me to screw up, kids. So if I do, shhhh." A giggle rippled across the students, yeah, he had their attention. He cleared his throat, and, for an instant, thought with all the concentration he possessed.

Masato, don't let me screw this up.

"The Pokémon League as we know it, began right here in Kanto, with this man; Masato Shiden." He paused, for a second, for effect, and to check for attention. Good. "There were others before, of course, like the Orange League, but even that was different from today. Back then there were as many 'Leagues' as there were places to battle in. In Kanto, and everywhere else, it was the same. Trainers fought wherever there was money, or glory in it, if there was any. But," Ash paused, deliberately, taking a brief instant to let the weight grow. "One thing was true then, that's true now." The children leaned in, spellbound. "People gathered around the strongest, and nobody was stronger than him. He was the Quentin Gelden of his time." That had the exact effect he wanted.

"Anywhere Masato went, people went to see him battle, and he realized if the people would follow, other Trainers would too." He could feel the curiosity rising among them. No wonder Professor Oak's Summer Camps kept going, kids were easy to entertain! "So he brought a bunch of Trainers from across the together, and found a place where he could set up an event, the first of what they'd later call a League Conference." He waited, for a second, and then a gasp, and everyone seemed to realize just where that Conference was.

Ash grinned. "When it was done, people wanted it again. He had a headquarters built right here, and he made it work. Kanto was the first to make his vision official, and, when that worked, Johto joined too. In time, they needed to make Gyms just so there weren't thousands of Trainers per Conference. One by one, in the hundred years since, more regions have joined what Masato started. He was the League's first recognized Master, first Champion, and when more of them came around..." He shrugged. "Well, what else could they call him?" Another giggle spread throughout the class, and he waited for it to pass. "Our entire modern culture of Pokémon Battling can be traced to Masato, and, someday, when some of you go off to become Trainers, it's his footsteps you'll follow."

Ash's words ended, and silence reigned. He had a very brief flashback to his Champion speech, wondering if he'd screwed up, but he knew awed children when he saw them. Behind the crowd, Misty turned to Rotom, so did Brock.

Rotom was still processing something...unexpected. "His information is accurate."

Ash looked across the class. Hey, he wasn't bad at this. "Now, any questions?" All hands shot up, but Ash honed in on one in particular. "You, with the excellent taste in Pokémon."

The boy and his Pikachu grinned. "You gonna take on the winner?"

"Michael!" The teacher admonished.

Ash couldn't even be mad. That age, he'd have done the exact same thing. He should've known better.

"Eventually."

The class was suddenly grinning, passing whispers around. Oh, crap. That was him. He really should know better.

Prompted by Ash's answer, the questions shot forward.

"Who do you think's gonna win?"

"Where'd Zeke go?"

"Is Misty your girlfriend?"

"Who are you battling next?"

Ash raised his hand high, and- mute. Not a sound remained. "Questions about the statue, please."

Silence, silence, more silence, and silence.

Michael's hand shot up again. "Who beat him?"

Ash grinned. Now that was a question. Glancing back and Misty and Brock, an idea dawned on him…

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A short time later, everyone was located far from Masato's statue, in the middle of a wide open space, the children all watching, silently, with an exited buzz filling the air.

"Alright, Pikachu, you're up!"

Pikachu jumped down, getting into position.

Misty reached for a Pokéball, picking one and- "Go, Azu-" POP.

Her Pokéball burst open, a Pokémon emerged, just neither being the one Misty intended. She returned Azumarill's Pokéball, and sighed. "Go, Golduck."

"Gol duck!" He slashed the air twice, taking a stance.

Ash wasn't remotely surprised, just elated. "First time you two've sparred since Golduck evolved, let's see how he does!"

"Pika!"

Brock raised a hand, and struck down. "Begin!"

His hand struck down, a second past, then another. Another, and more.

Ash was waiting to a move Misty was still working up to thinking on. The last time they'd sparred, she was a Gym Leader. Now, she was a member of Kanto's Elite. Even after facing Agatha, even after beating Agatha,Ash's presence was still heavy.

She was a member of the Elite Four, and nothing had changed.

It wasn't anything he was doing, he was just looking, but that was just it; experience was always visible in a trainer's gaze. The span of time she'd known him, she could see in his stare. All the battles, victories and defeats, and the singular, absolute focus that had forged in the spark in his eye. She could see what hadn't changed since the day they met. She could still see that fire.

Ash wasn't the boy she'd met nine years ago. Ash wasn't yet the man he wanted to be. How far away that day was, was not for her to know. Her job was to stand beside him until that day came.

Stand beside him, and keep him sharp. "Golduck, Scald!" She'd start with his reflexes.

Golduck unleashed a sudden surge of steaming water. "Agility! Dodge and get close!" Reflexes passed. Scald struck where Pikachu had been little more than a second before, leaving a burning trail as Golduck tried to hit a moving, approaching target. Golduck ceased firing as Pikachu closed in.

"Iron Tail!"

"Liquidation!"

Pikachu's tail flashed to metal, as Golduck's hands formed swords of water. Pikachu leapt, turned, and metal met water, again, and again, as Pikachu turned, fuelling momentum into his strikes. Golduck held his ground, about all as he could do as the surprisingly heavy blows came down. Again, and again, and, with a final strike, Pikachu slowed, Golduck raised his blade, pushing Pikachu back, a target in the air.

"Aqua Tail!" Golduck's tail shifted, shrouded in water, and he began to spin.

"Block it!"

Water met metal, and "KA!" Pikachu was launched upwards by the force of the torrential blow, sailing higher, and higher. Pikachu couldn't fly, and while it was true they weren't fighting in the water, there were other ways to swim.

One good shot. We're gonna land one good shot!

"Aqua Jet!"

Water burst into being around Golduck, and he shot from the ground, aiming for the rising Pikachu.

"Pikachu, Swift!" Pikachu turned in the air, starting to glow, before he began to rain down shooting stars.

Misty didn't miss a beat. "Start twisting, drown Swift in the water!"

Golduck complied, his tail moving, a pivot which his whole body rotated around, He turned, and so did the water, capturing drowning stars. Misty smiled. A tactic worthy of her station. She saw Pikachu starting to slow, and his cheeks starting to spark. "Shoot right past him!"

Golduck shot up passed Pikachu, and emerged from his deluge. "Psybeam!" Golduck ignited with glowing energy, which compressed up his form, converging on the jewel on his forehead.

"Charge Beam!" Pikachu opened his mouth, a bright sphere forming before him.

Two beams fired, and met in a flash of light, a mass of white growing as the two forces sought to overpower the other, as gravity took hold of their casters.

Charge Beam gave ground, the slightest distance, visible only by the shifting of white. Pikachu bore his fangs, expanded his sphere and-"KA!" His beam widened from the sphere, expanding all the way to its rival beam. Above Pikachu, Golduck's own beam expanded, two expanding powers rushing towards one another.

The two expansions met.

BOOM!

The force shook the air, smoke following the shockwave's wake. From the smoke, two Pokémon emerged, one after the other. First Pikachu, then Golduck, each falling to earth. Pikachu was falling faster.

Misty smiled. This was their shot. "After him, Golduck! Aqua Jet!" Water formed around Golduck again, and he shot downwards.

Pikachu looked up into the oncoming attack, cheeks sparking. "Shock Wave!" Pikachu's form sparked in a surge of power.

"Protect, Golduck!"

Water broke and faded, a green shield formed around Golduck, electricity crashing against it. Shock Wave ended, Protect faded, and both Pokémon were falling to earth.

Just as she'd planned. "Golduck, Shadow Claw!"

"Gol!" Golduck raised his claws, twin shrouds of darkness forming, two claws of darkness descending, like extending hands, intended to grasp Pikachu, who was stuck between two closing gaps.

"Pikachu, Magnet Rise!"

"Pika!" Pikachu's cheeks sparked, a yellow veil forming around him, and before he hit ground he simply stopped. Suspended from the ground, he pushed the air with his paws, and he slid across something, like a flat, invisible, frictionless surface was beneath him. The dark claws hit ground, Golduck following, as Pikachu slid to a halt, both Pokémon back where they'd started. Ash and Pikachu stood still, the latter's form sparking briefly, before his paws met ground once more.

So much for that. t was like back then, in Cerulean, against Gyarados, they'd simply upped their game and responded to her offensive. Just like a Champion.

They'd never had an all-out. They'd had their Gym battle way back when, but that never finished, and Pikachu refused to fight anyway. The Whirl Cup limited Ash to Water-type Pokémon, her speciality. The two real battles they'd really had, and she'd had a handicap. They'd never stood, trainer-to-trainer, and did what trainers did, to the end.

How far was she from him now?

Was this how he compared himself to Quentin? Was this was he'd always compared himself to Quentin? Yes, she concluded before her next breath. Yes it had. There was no way she could see him doing otherwise. How many times had he done so?

Quentin… Part of Misty had expected Ash to make the challenge right away, beating Leon for the spot if need be. A younger Ash would've. She wouldn't say she was surprised he wasn't charging head-on into a battle, but now they'd finally met, and Ash was… quiet. Misty and Brock could (and had) spent hours talking about how Ash would likely react when they finally met. They'd never predicted nothing. Or, what seemed to be nothing.

Quentin, on the other hand, had reacted.

Quentin went out for a battle beneath his attention rather than let Ash do...whatever he was gonna do. Quentin expected something. There was something Ash hadn't told her, hadn't told anyone. For him, that was… borderline unheard of. The only other time she could think of him hiding someone was Rotom doing whatever he was doing to measure the distance between him and Quentin. (She'd offer Ash lessons on subtly, but an Ash able to effectively lie was a terrifying prospect.) Misty took a breath, considering her next move, and a sobering thought.

When did Ash start hiding things from us?

Silently, Brock watched on, keeping himself from nodding. Golduck had adapted to his new body well. Psyduck had always been a wild card, but that wasn't so anymore. He'd evolved, and defeated Gengar outright. In one moment, everything had changed for him and Misty.

"Golduck! Use Ice Beam! Freeze the ground!" Golduck opened his beak, and complied, firing a blue beam that created a surface of ice that spread, rapidly, encompassing the area they'd designated as the arena. Pikachu stepped onto the ice calmly, as Golduck did the same.

Brock had to wonder. He couldn't not. There one was one other Pokémon who could evolve, one who'd put it off even longer...

"Move in!"

The two scrapped the ice, moving forward on sudden momentum.

"Golduck, Cross Chop!"

"Brick Break!"

Golduck crossed his arms, Pikachu readying his paws, both glowing white as they slid towards eachother. They moved, they leapt, Pikachu meeting Golduck's chop with a two-pawed blow, shaking the air with their respective force.

Everything had changed for Golduck and Misty. Everything was waiting to change for Ash and Pikachu. Way back when, Brock had honestly figured Ash and Piakchu would change their minds about evolving eventually. After their battle with Surge, Brock expected it to come up again one day, and for that to be it. They'd use that Thunderstone, and move ahead. It never did, and until just very recently, Brock didn't understand why. Not until Ash and Pikachu stared after Surge and Raichu, lost in thought. Even now, all these years on, their first encounter with a Raichu stuck with them. Ash wasn't about to talk about it, but he'd have to face it sometime. Ash was aiming for Quentin, and however they did it, Rotom had helped figure out how far away they were.

"Headbutt!"

"Zen Headbutt!"

All these years, and those two were still trying to one-up each-other. Skulls met, the air shook, the two parted, seemingly un-phased as they both slid back across the ice. They clawed to a halt, awaiting the next instruction, both trainers taking a moment to consider it, and give the class a chance to catch their breath. Brock would pay to see the day they went all-out. He doubted anyone had illusions about the victor, but he'd pay to see that battle nonetheless.

"Tri Attack!"

"Discharge!"

Three spheres formed before Golduck. Yellow, Blue and Red, as Pikachu was shroud in a growing azure storm. The attacks were built, then cast. Three spheres met a vast wave of electricity, and BOOM. The only sound louder than the collision, was the following cheering of children.

Ash isn't ready. Not for Quentin.

If otherwise was true, Ash would've said something. Just how far away was he?

They wouldn't evolve just to close the gap, but if they didn't, how would they ever close it?

How could they reach their potential, if they kept denying it?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Smile!"

Rotom's camera light flashed, and an image appeared on his screen. An image of a class of children, their students, and three people who would appear out of place, if not for who they were. At the centre of the photo were two Pikachus and their partners, side by side, Pikachus's flashing mirrored peace signs. Misty had been dragged in with the girls, and Brock just got dragged in. Ash wasn't about to have the photo be incomplete.

Grateful that her job had basically been done for her this last while, the teacher spoke up. "Okay, everyone, find your buddy, we're going back home!"

A collective groan met her words, as Rotom sailed above the students. "Line up if you want a copy! I'll also leave one with your teacher, so don't worry!"

Ash repressed a laugh. Rotom willingly sharing with so many Rotom Phones. Either he was showing off, or he'd forgotten the "Rotom" part of the phones every kid seemed to have these days.

(Whatever happened to Pokégears?)

(Oh, Mew, was he old?!)

"Um, Champion?"

Ash was broken from his thoughts, and he turned his attention to Michael. He smiled at the starstruck boy. So this is what he would've been like if he'd met Quentin at that age. "Ash."

"Ash. You-" He straightened his back, forcing himself to stand taller. "You'll beat Quentin one day, I know it."

Speak of the devil… "Thanks."

"I'm gonna become a Pokémon Trainer and-" Michael closed his eyes, briefly, and when they opened, Ash was taken aback. "And I'll battle you, one day!"

Michael's Pikachu mirrored this sentiment, meeting his counterpart's gaze with cheeks sparking. "Pi chu pika!"

The older Pikachu sparked in kind. "Pika chu."

Ash looked into a familiar sight, a sight he'd known nearly all his life. He remembered when he first saw that flame, a long time ago. The fire he saw in the mirror now. Both were waiting for the day they'd be free to light up the world.

"I'll be waiting."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"So in other words," Iris grinned, from the phone's screen, "you're a natural with the kids."

"Eh," Ash shrugged, leaning back into his couch, "I got a tip or two from Alder way back when. I wouldn't call myself 'a natural'."

"Don't sell yourself short," Iris was wagging a finger at him, "it's not becoming of a Champion."

"And you're the expert there."

"One of us has to be."

Ash heard Misty snigger at that one. He made a note to himself to keep Iris and Misty at least a hundred miles away from each other at all times from now on.

"Sooo," Iris began, with grace to rival Ash's own, "you got any plans on challenging someone sometime soon?"

Ash felt Misty and Brock's attention focus hone in on him at that one. "I got names. Times, I'll get back to you on. Right now, I'm just gonna train, and do the day-to-to stuff of a Champion."

"Alright then," Iris began, accepting the answer, apparently, "just keep telling me how you do it. I'm gonna want a cheat sheet."

"Sure thing."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

More days came, and passed, the calendar drawing closer to the big date. In almost no time at all, it was close enough. Close enough that Ash found himself with Brock, Misty, and the rest of the Elite Four, gathered before Masato's statue.

"Well then," said Ash, "to Goldenrod City."

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

End of Chapter

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Author's Notes: You might've spotted that I have a certain fondness for the Orange Island arc.

I'm not explaining it. I'm just admitting it.

Minor thing: Yes, I know what became of the Thunderstone in canon. Gonna be a little different here.