Alright, here it is, the rewrite of the Alolan Champion! Got a bit more of a game plan going forward this time around, and I definitely hope my writing has improved enough to make a difference^^
If you're coming here from the older version, I wanna say thanks for sticking around! I'm gonna try and finish this one, and make it as better as I can! And if you're new here, welcome! Sit back and enjoy the ride, and I hope you can stick around as well!
Some things I plan to change this time around include the pacing, seeing as with my last plan, I wouldn't have gotten to the tournament itself until Chapter 9.
I also want to have more of a set idea for pairings going forward as well, although this'll probably backfire on me by flooding my reviews with guests saying which pairings they want, and nothing on the actual story itself ;)
(Present Day; Malie City, Region of Alola)
It was a late November evening for the region of Alola, a beautiful sunset descending upon the islands, seeping vibrant colors onto the region below, brilliant hues of deep purples, bright pinks, and stunning oranges, shades that would've made even Ho-Oh the slightest bit envious. In most other regions during this time of year, it'd be cold enough to need a warmer set of clothes, but for the tropical climate of Alola, the evening brought little more than a refreshing breeze.
This held true for the majority of the region, including Malie City, the largest city on Ula'ula Island. It was the perfect weather for an evening walk, which was what Ash Ketchum was currently doing, his Pikachu perched along his shoulders. It had been nearly five years since his loss in the Kalos League, and time had certainly treated the raven-haired trainer well.
His hair remained just as spiky as ever, although it had increased significantly in length. Today he was wearing an opened black jacket with long sleeves and a high v-shaped neckline, as opposed to the many short sleeve jackets he'd had throughout his journeys. Under his jacket was a red shirt, a black Z-Ring hanging on his right wrist. Beneath those were simply variations of the gloves, jeans, and shoes he'd stuck with throughout his journey, but the thing that capped off his outfit was the latest of his trademark hats. The hat itself was black with a red brim, resembling the one Ash had in Hoenn with a red Poké Ball design in the shape of a C.
Over the years, he'd gone through a number of outfits, but the one he was wearing today was something that he'd settled on to distinguish himself as the Champion of the region. Champion. Ash couldn't help but smile wistfully to himself as he walked along the streets of Malie. He could still remember the times he'd exclaim that he was going to be a Pokémon Master, so optimistic and determined that'd be able to fulfill his dream.
"If only the younger me from back then could see me now..." Ash let out as he thought aloud to himself, causing Pikachu's ears to perk up. The electric mouse leaned forward from his spot on Ash's shoulder as he cast a questioning glance at his partner, frowning slightly. Ash could tell he was slightly concerned as well, although given how long they'd been together, that was easy to tell.
"Don't worry buddy, I was just thinking about the past, nothing too bad," Ash said, rubbing a gloved head against Pikachu's head. His partner's concerns didn't seem to go away, but Ash couldn't help but understand. After all, it had been five years since that incident as well, and it hadn't been all too easy moving on after that.
'Tch,' Ash thought to himself bitterly, the mere thought of it making him upset, although he did well hiding his emerging scowl from Pikachu. He'd worked hard to prove himself and create a new life in Alola, having new adventures with Pikachu and the rest of his Pokémon, meeting the trial captains and taking on each of their trials, finding both friendship and new rivalries with Sun, Gladion, and Hau, officially forming the Alolan Pokémon League and fulfilling Kukui's dream, and helping out Lillie and Gladion with rebuilding and moving forward with the Aether Foundation. Yet still...
It had been 5 years since that incident, since that fateful day he'd been betrayed by his friends. This time, Ash was unable to stop a sullen expression from falling onto his face, as memories rushed to the front of his mind, like a flood having burst through a dam. It had all started on the day he'd arrived back home from Kalos...
(5 Years Ago; Pallet Town, Kanto Region)
"Hello, Pallet Town!" Ash called out, letting out a cheer as he arrived back at his hometown, smiling widely at his partner before breaking into a sprint towards his house. It hadn't been too long since he'd gotten off of his region flight from Kalos to Kanto, having left the friends he'd made there behind, including Bonnie and Clemont, and especially Serena Yvonne.
Ash couldn't help but blush mid-run as he remembered their goodbye, in particular, biting his lip slightly as he remembered Serena's lips on his, even if it was brief. He couldn't help but want to see her again, maybe explore something with her, but with his desire to keep traveling and her determination to travel the world to further her dream of becoming Kalos Queen, Ash couldn't help but feel reassured he'd see her again. Although maybe this was what Dawn and Misty meant when they used to call him dense...
The raven-haired trainer was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of Pikachu moaning and groaning from his shoulder. The little guy had gorged himself on ketchup halfway through the flight and had gotten himself airsick as a result, rightfully so in Ash's opinion. Still, the young trainer grinned as he felt the warm Kanto sun on his face, continuing his run, eager to see his mom and the rest of his Pokémon again.
Sure, he hadn't won the Kalos League, even though that'd been the first time Ash had made it to the finals. But that didn't matter to Ash, not as much as it might to others. The loss definitely hurt, but there wasn't much Ash could do, especially knowing that both he and his Pokémon had tried their hardest. Besides, using this loss, he was sure that he'd be able to learn from it and do even better going into his next league. He had gotten further than ever before, right? And he'd had his final battle with Alain to show for it, he was proud of the power that he and Greninja showed to the world.
That wasn't to say that Alain didn't give his all either. Ash had a knack for getting a read on people while battling them, and during their battle, it was obvious that Alain wanted to win just as much, if not more than he did. They'd both had fun during the battle as well, which was something Ash had been surprised he could do in such a high-stakes match.
And even though Alain helped out Team Flare for some time, he more than made up for it, along with his Charizard. Knowing that about him, Ash could firmly say that Alain was as sorry for his actions just as much as he was a good guy, even if he didn't show it most of the time. And besides, Alain was a really skilled trainer, and his bond with his Charizard was one to be admired, their ability to Mega Evolve being a testament to that. In the end, the battle could've gone either way, couldn't it?
Reflective thoughts such as these floated through Ash's head, as he wondered where he'd go from here, his Pikachu whining from airsickness and all the swaying from his trainer's running. Oblivious as ever, Ash continued on the way to his house, stopped by a familiar voice.
"Hey, Ash! Wait up, will ya?" The raven-haired trainer turned around to see his old friend, Dawn, running up to him, waving her hand above her head. The blue-haired coordinator stopped just in front of him, smiling as she gave him a huge hug. Ash was thrown off, momentarily, but he returned the hug, pleased to see his old Sinnoh companion.
"Dawn!" Ash said, returning her smile. He shook Pikachu slightly, the yellow mouse quitting his complaining when he saw Dawn, jumping to hug her as well. "It's been a while since I've seen you! What brings you to Kanto?"
"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise but..." Dawn trailed off, teasingly letting her finger trace down her chin, then smiled, her hair bouncing a bit as she did so. "I just don't know if I should tell you!"
Ash groaned, backing out of their hug, though he was still smiling. Although she was teasing, Ash couldn't help but realize just how much he'd missed this, being able to see and talk to her. Going separate ways with his friends was one of the things he never got used to or liked, not since he'd parted ways with Misty and Brock back in Johto. "Come on Dawn, you can tell me, can't you?"
Dawn giggled, embracing the yellow mouse as he remained in her embrace. "Fine, I'll tell you, but only cause you're my best friend, got it?" She said, smiling all the while.
Ash nodded fervently, sweatdropping after seeing Pikachu's reaction to Dawn. "Yeah, yeah, I got it, now tell me already!"
"Well..." Dawn began, setting Pikachu down onto the floor, the electric mouse casting a curious glance up at her. "Let's just say it won't be just me you'll be seeing when you get home!" She grinned, breaking into a run, heading for Ash's home. "Come on, follow me and see!"
Ash groaned out loud, although he was more annoyed than upset, beginning to chase after her. "Come on, Dawn! Get back here!" He cried out, picking up his pace while running after the blue-haired girl, Pikachu running with him.
Running together, the three of them made it into Pallet Town, Ash being wistfully reminded of the times he spent with Dawn in Sinnoh, along with Brock. He smiled to himself as Dawn picked up her pace, getting further ahead of him. Those times had arguably been the most favorite parts of his journey as a whole, and there were times when he honestly wished he could go back to them.
Things hadn't been the same without his old friend, Brock, and he had grown really close to Dawn, closer than he had with May, Iris, or Misty. Serena was someone that came to mind as well, but Ash honestly couldn't tell if he was closer to her than he was with Dawn, and he wasn't quite ready to sort through his emotions regarding her just yet...
He looked back at Pikachu, his feet still running, seeing the yellow mouse enjoying himself as well. His house was beginning to come into view, Dawn already hopelessly ahead of him, still laughing as she stayed ahead of him.
How did she get so fast? Ash absently thought, before brushing the thought aside. Maybe... maybe after this he and Dawn could set out on a journey again, together, along with Brock, finding a brand new region with new Pokémon, and new gym leaders! He'd challenge the league again, catch new Pokémon, and maybe make new friends as well! He'd definitely been intrigued by the Galar region after seeing a traveling ad on the plane, that definitely sounded like a good place to go.
"Yeah, Galar definitely sounds good..." He said to himself, as Dawn had already gone inside his house, he and Pikachu going up to the open doorway, his sneakers creaking on the wooden porch. "I'll ask Dawn tonight and ring up Brock tomorrow, with enough luck we can head off on a plane within the week!"
Grabbing Pikachu in his arms, Ash walked through the door to his house, playfully whining, although he was eager to see what Dawn had wanted to show him, plus, he was more than ready to pop his question to her. "Dawn! How could you just leave me behind like that?"
Walking in, Ash was expecting to probably see his mom and Dawn, and possibly Professor Oak when he walked through the door, but stepping into his living room proved that he was in for a much more pleasant surprise. All of his friends he had met through his journeys, his traveling companions, and even some of his rivals were all there.
There was Brock, Misty, Gary, Tracey, May, Max, Drew (probably invited by May, seeing as Ash never really liked that guy), Barry, Paul, Iris, Cilan, Trip, and even Serena, Clemont, and Bonnie! Along with his mom, Dawn, and Professor Oak, they were all there, smiling and greeting him with a large "WELCOME HOME, ASH!" Well, the ones that were capable of smiling, at any rate. Paul simply waved at Ash, and Trip's grin looked more like a sneer, and that wasn't even mentioning the ever-present shit-eating grin that was on Gary's face, but the gesture meant a lot to Ash all the same.
"Wow!" Ash let out, laughing as he did so, taking his cap off of his head. He went about picking up Pikachu, and holding him in his arms as he did so. "You guys are all here?! I can't believe it!"
His mom came up to him, hugging him as she did so, ruffling his raven black hair, giving him a quick kiss to the head, much to Ash's embarrassment. "Aw, sweetie, I invited them over to celebrate how well you did in the Kalos League! I'm so proud of you, you made it all the way to the finals, and what a battle you had!"
Professor Oak came beside Ash as well, shaking Ash's hand as he came out of his mother's hug, his handshake surprisingly strong for a man of his age. "I'd like to commend you as well, my boy. You showed that you and Pokémon could accomplish anything, especially you and that Greninja of yours. That power you displayed was simply marvelous, you know? I think it could be a power capable of transcending Mega Evolution itself! Do you have it with you, by any chance?"
"Sorry, Professor Oak, he's back in Kalos doing his own thing... And, well, it wasn't just me and Greninja..." Ash said, glancing at Pikachu, who grinned at him appreciatively, and then gesturing to the Pokéballs around his waist, acknowledging his Kalos Pokémon, made up of Talonflame, Hawlucha, and Noivern. "I had Pikachu and the others to help me out as well!"
"Yes, quite. At any rate," Professor Oak said, gesturing to the back door. Ash could tell that the old man had some questions on his mind, but he was obviously putting them off for later, so he didn't put much thought into it for now. "Let's move this party elsewhere, outside will be a better location, don't you think?"
"Outside?" Ash asked aloud, as his friends emptied into the backyard, as he followed close behind. As he got outside, he grinned in delight, seeing the backyard completely decorated with balloons and streamers, taking on a blue, red, and yellow color scheme, reminding him of Greninja and Pikachu, not to mention himself.
"So, Ash," Serena said with a big grin on her face, the honey blonde performer coming up beside him. Ash blushed as she came up next to him, but he smiled at her all the time. "Are you ready to party with the rest of us?"
"You bet!" Ash said, giving her his biggest grin as he stepped out onto the backyard. It was incredibly lucky that he'd gotten the chance to spend time with her again, not to mention all of his friends once again. Maybe he'd even ask her to come along with him to Galar as well if she wasn't stopping by Hoenn anytime soon... "Time to cut loose!"
And for the next few hours, it was an enjoyable party. Professor Oak had even gotten all of Ash's old Pokémon to arrive at the party, much to both his and their delight. Ash couldn't help but play around with them, leading to most of his friends commenting about how immature he was, specifically Iris, Gary, and Max. Ash took it all in stride, of course, shrugging it off with a grin. It wasn't any different from when they all traveled together, but their tone felt a little off to him... Nevertheless, he brushed those thoughts aside, enjoying the party his friends and family had so generously prepared for him.
Seeing his old Pokémon was a treat for Ash, he had really missed them over the duration of his Kalos journey. Professor Oak and his mom had generously allowed his Pokémon to wander the backyard, a thought that gave Ash an idea. He let out his Kalos Pokémon as well, letting them meet his old Pokémon for the first time.
Talonflame found his place along with Ash's other Flying types, engaging in competitive races with Noctowl, Swellow, Staraptor, and Unfezant. Noivern found himself in a sort of big brother-like bond with Ash's Gible, which reminded him of the similar bond he had shared with Hawlucha. As for Hawlucha, himself, he fit right in with Ash's strongest, testing out his skills against the likes of Charizard, Sceptile, and Infernape. Ash couldn't help but wish that Greninja was able to be there along with him, but he was confident in the choice he'd made leaving Greninja to help Zygarde and equally confident that they'd meet again someday.
In the meantime, Ash busied himself with catching up with Dawn, seeing as Brock was demonstrating his doctoring skills to his mom in an attempt to impress her. (Which was a thought that led to somewhere Ash never wanted to explore...)
It was a great opportunity to introduce Dawn to Serena as well as vice versa, even if Ash had figured things would be slightly awkward with Serena. Dawn was more than eager to hear about his journeys in Unova and Kalos after she'd left, and Serena was curious about Ash's other adventures before he'd arrived in Kalos.
It wasn't long before Ash was retelling tales of his adventures to the two girls, both of him engaged and even chiming in if the stories were about them. His first loss at the Indigo Plateau, his rivalry with Paul, his harnessing of the Bond Phenomenon, and even some of his catches and gym battles made up the stories that Ash retold, drawing some attention from everyone outside, some of his friends chiming in as well to give their input. Overall, Ash was having a good time and was getting ready to suggest to Dawn and Serena that they go to the Galar region with Brock on another journey, just the four of them.
Ash might've even done it then, had he not been confident that he'd have plenty of time to do so during the party. Unfortunately, he couldn't have been more wrong.
It was at the peak of the party when things started to go wrong, around 6 pm, just as the sun was starting to set. Ash wouldn't realize until later, but it began when Professor Oak started going around the party, checking in on everyone. It seemed like nothing more than small talk, but at the end of each conversation, Oak would lean in to whisper into most of his friends' ears, going to the next after he was done.
He then made sure to send Ash's Pokémon back to his ranch, Gary and Tracey leading them there. Ash was briefly concerned, but Professor Oak reassured him that they'd be right back, not to mention perfectly fine. Ash still couldn't shake the feeling that something was off, but he got back to talking with Dawn and Serena anyway.
His mom eventually went back inside the house, promising Ash that he'd have new clothes to get back on his journey by the morning, assuring him that he'd love it. Ash took this time to bring up the Galar region to Dawn and Serena, his eyes lit up with excitement as he walked about what he'd heard about it, and the region's sports-like focus on Pokémon battling.
Quite a number of Ash's friends were continuously looking at him with aggression, however, tensions rising as they heard him eagerly talk about the next league.
"Come on, Ash, stop talking shit already!" A fed-up Gary finally said just as Professor Oak finished whispering in his ear, kicking his chair over as he got up from where he was sitting. His voice rang out harshly, startling Ash from his conversation, the young trainer looking over at Gary in disbelief. "Everyone here's sick and tired of you using your ass for your mouth!"
"W-Wait, what did you say?" Ash said, getting up as well, hardly believing what Gary had just said. Pikachu gave his best friend a concerned look from the ground, getting a bad feeling. "What are you talking about?"
"Yeah, what do you mean, Gary?" Dawn said, standing next to Ash, as Pikachu leaped onto Ash's shoulder, the two glaring at Gary, whose cocky grin was starting to look a lot more malicious. "What did Ash do wrong?"
"I wouldn't quite use Gary's language, and he hasn't necessarily done anything wrong..." Misty chimed in, getting up from where she stood as well, frowning slightly as she looked over at Ash, giving him an almost sad look, but her words said it all. "But Ash didn't just lose a Pokémon League? And now he's just gonna go barreling into another one?"
"Hasn't he always done that?" Serena stepped in, taking a stance beside Ash as well, her hand on her chest as she looked over at Misty. "You're one of his oldest friends, surely you know that's just who he is, don't you?"
"Who he is is a horribly dense idiot who doesn't know when to quit, Serena," May said in an offhanded tone as she got up, the Hoenn native casting a glare at Ash. "What's the point of talking about going to a brand new region when you'll just lose again?"
"W-Wait, is that what this is about? Me losing over and over?" Ash said, giving a nervous chuckle as he looked at the faces of the people he had thought were his friends.
Among them, Gary, Misty, Tracey, May, Max, Drew, Trip, Iris, Cilan, Clemont, and even Professor Oak seemed to be looking at him in the same way, either upset or fed up. At the very least, Dawn, Serena, Brock, Barry, Paul, and Bonnie gave him worried and concerned looks, leading him to go on, taking solace in the fact that his mom was still in the house.
"I mean, I've come close to winning some times, remember? There was the Sinnoh league, although that Tobias guy had to have been a phony SOMEHOW, and then I actually got to the finals of the Kalos League, and had a really great battle! If I just keep at it, maybe train some of my old Pokémon like Sceptile and Pignite, I could definitely stand a chance of winning over at Galar-" Ash was cut off suddenly, to his dismay.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," Max said, a smug smile on his face as he twirled a Poké Ball in his hands, the little guy glaring at Ash. "You say that, but you'll just lose all over again, won't you?"
"You don't need to be a battler to see that you're headed for failure, Ash," Tracy said, looking up from his sketchpad for the first time during the party to glare at Ash. "Don't let one Orange League victory get to your head."
"It's getting to the point where I just might be a better battler than you, heh," Drew let out, smirking as he held a rose in his hands, although he got glares from both sides.
"I wholeheartedly agree," Cilan said, an obnoxious smile on his face as he began to ramble about his connoisseur nonsense, something that Ash had found endearing through their travels, up until this moment. "Your constant loss, as well as your needless optimism truly makes for a souring recipe that wouldn't be serv-"
"Yeah, yeah, that's enough, Cilan!" Iris said, much to the connoisseur's dismay, frowning over in Ash's direction, her face frustrated as she looked over at Ash. "The point is, Ash, is that you're not good enough! You're practically a little kid with how weak you are!"
"I'm gonna be real with ya here," Trip said, smirking as he pulled out his camera, taking a picture of Ash's dismayed face, pocketing the camera soon after. "I'm all for you quitting your journey here. Just means one less annoying person to look out for out here in the Leagues."
"You're saying you're going to win over at Galar, one of the regions with one of, if not the most, pride in their battling skills?" Clemont stated in a matter-of-fact voice, his glasses reflecting light to hide his eyes as he looked over at Ash. "I'd say that I'm sorry, but that's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard."
Ash could've sworn he felt something break inside him as he looked around at his 'friends', who certainly didn't look like his friends as of now. His body and voice trembling, he tried for another smile, looking around at those who were obviously against him, trying one last time.
"Come on, guys, you don't mean it, do you?" Ash said nervously, stumbling back a bit. "We've had so much fun on those journeys together, haven't we?"
"Wake up, Ashy boy," Gary said, emphasizing the nickname for his childhood rival, giving him a smirk as he stood beside Misty, despite the uncomfortable look she gave him. "You've been pursuing this childish dream for quite some time, don't you think? Grow up and find a real career, as I did! A Pokémon Researcher is much more sensible than a silly Pokémon Master."
"What I believe your friends are trying to tell you is that you shouldn't pursue your dream of becoming a Pokémon Master any longer. Your Pokémon all agree with us as well, seeing how they left earlier, they'll most likely desert you." Professor Oak said, stepping forward, capping off all of Ash's despair as his father figure openly discouraged him, scorning his dreams. "You should consider pursuing another career, like Gary, maybe a researc-"
"I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS!" Ash said, holding his head in dismay, Dawn and Serena rushing to his side as tears began to flow down his cheeks, Pikachu standing in protection of his trainer, glaring furiously at the traitors. Not only his friends but his Pokémon had betrayed him as well?! "Y-You all were supposed to be my friends! W-What happened to the time we shared together, all the adventures we spent together?! Did that mean nothing?!"
Ash looked at the people who had just betrayed him for an answer, sending them a desperate, but furious glare, but got no further words in return from them, Professor Oak looking at Ash distastefully.
"Now, now, Ash." Professor Oak said as he drew a Poké Ball of his own, his intent to use force very clear. "If you don't comply with what we're asking of you, we'll have to use force to make you. Your Pokémon aren't going to save you, and most of your friends are with me. I wouldn't think about running away either. Have you ever thought about how much power a Pokémon Professor has in their region? Not to mention the power I have? All it takes is a little note about how a certain Ash Ketchum abuses his Pokémon, and... Well, I'm sure you can guess the rest."
"You can't do that!" Serena said, still by Ash's side alongside Dawn, glaring at the Kantonian Pokémon Professor. "Ash would never do something like that, he loves his Pokémon with all his heart! I know you know that!"
"Are the rest of you hearing this?" Dawn pleaded, looking specifically at Misty and May, Piplup looking on worriedly from behind her legs. "Misty, May, you've known Ash longer than I have, you'll let Professor Oak defame Ash just to get him to stop battling? That's crazy!"
"Oh, girls, girls, don't worry too much. I won't have to do that, you know..." Professor Oak said as he let out a Pidgeot, the bird Pokémon letting out a cry as it came out of its Poké Ball. "As long as Ash does what we say, there's no reason for me to lie."
With those words, the people who'd just called him out released their Pokémon as well, varied looks across their faces as they did so. Gary, Misty, Tracey, May, Max, Drew, Iris, Cilan, Trip, and Clemont released their Blastoise, Gyrados, Scyther, Blaziken, Kirlia, Roserade, Dragonite, Simisage, Serperior, and Luxray respectively.
Ash could only helplessly look on as Pikachu, who was quite possibly his only friend in the world, stood off against their Pokémon, attempting to hold back tears. To his surprise, however, Dawn and Serena sent out Togekiss and Braixen to help out Pikachu, the two girls putting themselves between Ash and the traitors.
"We won't let you do what you want to Ash, let alone hurt him!" Dawn said defiantly, Piplup repeating what she said from the safety of her hat, the penguin Pokémon having made his way up there. "If you wanna try, you're gonna have to get through me!"
"We're on your side, Ash!" Serena said, glancing back at Ash before glaring at the traitors, Braixen letting out a small ember as she twirled her stick. "Braixen, let's give it all we've got!"
"Don't forget about us as well!" Brock's voice rang out as he ran up to Ash, along with Paul, and Barry, getting in front of him as the three guys stood off against the traitors as well, sending out Steelix, Electivire, and Empoleon, respectively. Bonnie came running as well, much to Clemont's dismay, helping Ash up to his feet.
"I've been with Ash from the very beginning, how could I just abandon him now?" Brock said, sending an especially hateful glare to Misty, the ginger frowning sadly in his direction. "Don't worry Ash, these guys are nothing!"
"Ash..." Paul trailed off, not making eye contact, instead choosing to focus his hateful eyes on the traitors. "You taught me how to get stronger in a way that doesn't hurt my Pokémon and instead makes me closer to them. I... still have a long way to go, but for that much, at least, I'm grateful to you."
"I don't know Ash as well as some of you, but that's okay!" Barry said, waving his hand impatiently. "If I'm standing by Ash and you guys aren't, what does that say about you?"
"Don't worry, Ash!" Bonnie said, putting a smile on her face as she helped him up, fixing his cap as he got back to his feet. "Your real friends are standing right here, by your side!"
"Thanks, guys..." Ash said, allowing Bonnie to help him up, a defeated look on his face as he gave his true friends a weak smile, before gazing at the traitors. "But they still outnumber us, there's no point in this anymore..."
Nevertheless, Brock, Dawn, Serena, Paul, Barry, and Sawyer continued to stay in place, gritting their teeth as they prepared for battle. The traitors simply grinned as their Pokémon advanced, getting ready to launch their attacks. However, just as they were about to attack, a draconic roar sounded from the sky, as a large jet of fire hit the space between the two groups. Without any chance for speculation, Charizard landed from above in front of the traitors, a furious look in his eyes, several scratches along his body.
"Charizard!" Ash said, light returning his eyes, as he let out a joyous laugh, overjoyed to see that his most loyal Pokémon hadn't abandoned him after all. "You're here! You came for me!"
Professor Oak grimaced as Ash and his friends grew more determined, ready for the battle. "Don't be so hasty, Ash! Charizard could barely carry you through the Johto League and the Battle Frontier, if you battle with him, you'll lose for sure!"
"Yeah!" Gary said, patting his Blastoise on the back, taking a step forward as he sneered at Charizard. "Those Pokémon can't compare to ours! Honestly, it's no wonder that you haven't-"
"Wanna bet on it?" Ash asked, strangely calm, a simmering rage hidden in his voice as he stood with his friends and Pokémon, sending his childhood rival a cold glare, taking a step forward towards the traitors.
"Uh, what?" Gary said, his face confused, not used to seeing Ash with such an expression on his face. "Bet on what, you loser?"
"You all obviously think that I'm weak," Ash said, staring right at the brown-haired trainer. "You said that my Pokémon are as well, that they can't compare to yours. So I asked if you want to bet on it. Cause I'm willing to bet that my real friends and I can take you guys down right here."
"Ash..." Misty let out, but Ash was done talking.
"F-Fine then, bring it on!" Gary shouted, losing his cool under Ash's stare, the Pokémon researcher stumbling back a bit. "Blastoise, bring this fool down with Hyrdo Cannon!"
"Scyther, use Razor Wind!" Tracy called, although he had already gone back to his sketch pad.
"Gyrados, please, Hydro Pump!" Misty let out, a steely look settling into her eyes.
"Pidgeot, Hurricane!" Oak said, determined to keep Ash from leaving.
"Blaziken, use Flamethrower!" May said, with a wave of her hand, her glare still focused on Ash.
"Kirlia, finish this easily with Psychic!" Max called, still smirking.
"Roserade, Solar Beam!" Drew said, disinterested in it all, looking at another one of his roses.
"Serperior, use Frenzy Plant!" Trip shouted, readying his camera for a picture of Ash's defeat.
"Dragonite, Hyper Beam!" Iris called, waving her fist at Ash and his friends.
"Simisage, show them your Seed Bomb!" Cilan said, resisting the urge to go on about connoisseur stuff again.
"Luxray, let's get Bonnie back, Charge Beam!" Clemont called out, fixing his glasses as he glared at both Bonnie and Ash.
Ash's friends stayed right where they were, however, as Ash stood right beside them. They returned attacks, their Pokémon pouring all they had into it.
"Steelix, pour all you've got, Flash Cannon!" Brock called.
"Togekiss, let them have it with Moonblast! And Piplup, assist with Bubble Beam!" Dawn cried.
"Empoleon, let's show them our Hydro Cannon!" Barry shouted.
"Braixen, use your Flamethrower!" Serena called.
"Charizard, let loose with Overheat! And Pikachu, finish up with Thunderbolt!" Ash cried, as his partner fired his attack.
Each side didn't let up, continuously sending attacks at each other, all kinds of attacks flying across the backyard. With so many attacks flying, eventually, they all collided, causing a massive explosion, which blinded all in the proximity of it, traitors and friends alike.
"Ash? Ash are you okay?" Ash blinked as he found himself back on the city streets, Dawn frowning at him with concern, the bluenette carrying an intensely worried look on her face. The raven-haired trainer blushed, unable to help but notice just how much Dawn had grown over the past five years, (although how beautiful she'd become didn't help matters either). She was also crouched down to keep eye contact with him, somehow he had gotten onto the floor while he was relieving those... memories.
"Y-Yeah, I'm good..." Ash let out, running a hand through his hair as he got up, ignoring the vindictive look Pikachu was currently giving him, a bittersweet smile covering his face. "The tournament's coming up not too long from now, and I've kinda got a lot on my mind... Thinking about the past doesn't help much, but I'm better now that you're here."
"I-If you're sure..." Dawn let out, her voice noticeably higher, brushing some of her hair out of her eyes, revealing her reddened cheeks. She got up from the ground as well, placing her hand on Ash's shoulder, the brilliant colors of the Alolan sunset showing on her face as she took on a more serious look. "What they did to you... you shouldn't ever forgive them. But even so, are you sure you're ready for the tournament? To see them again?"
"... I don't know," Ash let out, clenching his jaw at the mere thought of seeing that group again. His fists were trembling as well, Pikachu letting out a whine of concern as he watched Ash become increasingly upset. "You're right, I won't ever forgive them... and I do know one thing. As soon as they step onto this island, they're not leaving the same, I promise you that."
Ash's eyes glanced downward with rage as he said that, even with his voice and body trembling. Stewing in that emotion for a while, Ash caught himself, eyes widening as he looked up at Dawn and Pikachu. "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"
He was cut off as Dawn brought out a white scarf, wrapping it around his neck gently, looking up at him with her kind eyes, melting away the rage that had previously enveloped Ash, at least for now. The scarf was made of soft white material with a red lightning bolt design on each end. It was pretty thin as well, which made it perfect for Alolan weather.
Finishing wrapping it around his neck, Dawn let out a content sigh, the bluenette taking a step back. "Looks pretty cool, right? I made it myself, as a last-minute addition to your Champion's outfit before the big tournament, what do you think?"
"I..." Ash let out, before trailing off into silence, bringing a gloved hand to the scarf, touching it gingerly. "Dawn, I..."
"I don't mind you being upset." Dawn let out, in a startlingly calm voice, locking eyes with Ash. "I hate it when you get like that, sure, but you have every right to be upset at those guys. I'm beside myself with anger and them, and I'm not even the one that they ruined. Just remember I'm by your side, okay? That's a promise, got it?"
"... Got it," Ash let out, nodding as a smile found its way onto his face, Pikachu nuzzling his cheek as he saw that his partner was smiling once again, something that seemed to happen a lot more around Dawn these days. "The scarf is amazing, by the way, almost as amazing as you."
"I try," Dawn said cheekily, giving Ash a thumbs up. "Gonna continue setting up for the tournament today?"
"Gotta meet up Professor Kukui first," Ash let out, already picking up a habit of fidgeting with his scarf as he smiled at Dawn. "You're right though, we've only got a week before the Isle of the Stars event takes place. If they do wind up coming here, I've gotta be ready for them. And ready I'll be. That's a promise."
Alright, that's it for now! Also, can I just talk about how little betrayal stories have Dawn siding with Ash? Heck, I see more with Paul than I do with Ash, and that's upsetting. Put some respect on the best girl's name, lol. Here are some differences you might notice when comparing this to the first chapter of the old story, in an attempt to save you the trouble.
1. Different introduction scene and ending scene obviously, felt like the last one focused too much on the wrong things, and I went for a different feel with this one.
2. Added a few more details on Ash's relationship with Serena, I'm keeping my planned pairings a secret, but I feel it's natural considering the last time they saw each other.
3. Galar namedrop (did you catch it?), and I am planning on adding Galar elements to this story, so look out for that going forward. You may be wondering why Ash didn't just go to Galar and become their Champion, but I'll be explaining that later. If you really want to know PM me, it's not a big secret.
4. Not all of Ash's Pokémon did not return to him during the confrontation with the traitors, mind you. Look forward to what this means going forward.
5. Sawyer isn't mentioned in the flashback, felt like he was a bit unnecessary in this case.
6. Misty's role in starting the confrontation is taken by Gary this time around, and as for her adjusted dialogue... you'll have to wait to see what I'm making of that.
7. Overall, I'm trying to flesh out the traitors that I can besides having them just be "haha, Ash dumb". Besides Max, though. Cause the only good thing about him is his sister, let's be honest. Maybe Cilan too, he was always a gag character to me.
Feel free to review below, and I'll see you guys next time!