Chapter 9

Serena, Miette, and Shauna stood silently as they watched a shirtless Ash press a bag of ice against his shoulder. He'd never admit that it bothered him to have three young women staring at him in his current state, but he focused on testing his range of motion with a gauze wrap around his shoulder. The girls had questions for Ash, but Serena already informed them that now wasn't the time to push for answers.

"Ash, is there anything else I can do for you?" Shauna inquired as she approached him. Ash shook his head as he returned the bag of ice to her.

"Thanks, but I think I'll get going now," Ash said as he gave her a two-fingered salute. It took him some time to get his torn shirt back on, but he managed without any help.

"Are you sure?" Serena asked as she stepped forward. Even though his shoulder was reset and supported by the wrap Shauna provided, he was still grimacing as he put on his shirt.

"I'm fine, you don't need to worry," Ash assured her and he rose to his feet. He was unsteady at first but waved off their concerns as he made his way to the door. With a nod of thanks for their time and help, Ash left and Shauna's apartment was completely silent.

With sighs, both Miette and Serena dropped themselves down onto the couch. No one was in the mood to continue their movie after they spent the last hour looking after Ash.

"What should we do now?" Shauna asked her friends.

"Not sure," Serena muttered with a shrug.

"Shauna, do you mind if I ask you something?" Miette asked as she glanced toward Shauna. She furrowed her brow but invited Miette to proceed. "Earlier when you were talking to Ash, he said 'let's keep this how it's always been, you patch me up, no questions asked.' Has this happened before?"

It was Shauna's turn to sigh, and her face became expressionless. Miette and Serena shared a glance as they saw the change in Shauna's demeanor. It wasn't often that they saw their friend wear a face like this.

"…Yeah, for the last couple of months actually," Shauna explained. "On the first Sunday of the month, he would turn up at my door…well, like what you saw tonight," Shauna admitted. "You know what, no. Recently, he's been showing up like that. It was never that bad at first."

"Are you serious?" Miette exclaimed and Shauna nodded. "Why didn't you tell us?"

"Actually," Serena interjected with a confession. "I knew a little bit about this."

"Huh?" Both Miette and Shauna were looking at her now. "How?"

"You probably don't remember, Shauna," Serena explained sheepishly. "You called me one morning a little hungover back in July, and I remember you were complaining about Ash showing up at your place the night before. I didn't think much of it at the time because, well you know, you were drinking," Shauna felt her cheeks grow hot, unable to recall this little exchange. Serena shook her head as she concluded. "But after seeing him so beat up tonight, I know this isn't something we can just ignore."

"He looked like someone beat the crap out of him. What do you think he could be doing?" Miette asked as she leaned back against the couch. "Well, at least he's smart enough to go to a med school dropout to make sure he's okay."

"Miette!" Serena whispered harshly.

"Serena, it's okay," Shauna insisted as she forced a smile. "You of all people should know that it's really not a big deal to talk about me leaving medical school."

"Well, I don't see any reason to rub salt on an open wound," Serena pointed out with a narrow glance at Miette.

"Don't worry about it. And Miette is right, I'm glad Ash has enough sense to come to see me. He already told me that he doesn't want to go to a hospital or a clinic whenever he's hurt, so while I may not have finished medical school, I can still help him out." Shauna explained, and the girls gave her a nod.

"So, he's coming to you for treatment?" Miette went on. "Have you asked him what he's doing?"

"Uhh…" Shauna hesitated, but as she looked at her two best friends seated in front of her, she viewed this as an opportunity to come clean. "We made a deal. He'd pay me for the treatment each month, and I'd keep my mouth shut about it."

"Ash is giving you hush money?!" Miette exclaimed and Serena clapped her hand over Miette's mouth.

"Do you really have to be so loud about this, Miette?" Serena asked her. Then, Serena grimaced as something touched her palm and she pulled it away from Miette, shaking it furiously. "Ugh, Miette, that's so gross!"

Miette blew a raspberry at Serena in response.

"What did she do?" Shauna asked.

"She licked my hand," Serena muttered as she shot Miette a glare and Shauna stifled a laugh.

"Let's recap," Miette suggested as she looked away from Serena. "Ash gets hurt every month or so, and he comes to you to get taken care of. Then he pays you to keep quiet."

"That covers all the bases," Shauna said. "And in my defense, I couldn't say no to the money. I needed it."

Miette frowned as Shauna said this and asked. "Is your dad still giving you a hard time?"

"He did pay my tuition and he covered all of my bills while I was in school. Of course, he's going to be upset with me for dropping out," Shauna pointed out.

"It's been almost a year though," Miette muttered as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "He really needs to get off your case already."

"It's not a big deal, he'll come around eventually," Shauna assured her. Miette and Serena shared a glance and sighed. They weren't done with this particular subject, but there was something more pressing that needed to be addressed.

"This whole thing with Ash is nuts though," Miette said through pursed lips. "I'm trying to understand what he's doing and why."

Serena bit down on her lower lip. She knew what Ash was doing and she had an idea of who was responsible for his recent injuries. But…should she tell her friends?

"You'll be putting yourself at risk, and Ash at even greater risk."

Ash was putting himself in harm's way, but Brock's warning left made her chest tight. Ash's involvement with the Red Skulls was a threat to his safety and the people around him. With knowledge of this, it was almost like Serena herself was now involved. Did she want to drag her friends into this as well? What would be the consequences if she did tell them?

"Serena, you look like you've seen a ghost," Miette commented and all eyes were on Serena.

"Is everything okay?" Shauna asked.

With a glance at Shauna, Serena was reminded that her friend made the decision to come clean tonight. So…she would do the same.

"Okay, I've been hiding something for a little while," Serena admitted. "When I talked to Brock earlier, he told me what Ash was doing when he got hurt and I know you guys won't like this because I didn't either."

"Don't drag this out, hurry up and tell us," Miette chirped at her.

"Ash is working with…the Red Skulls," Serena breathed out her answer. Shauna craned her neck and Miette leaned into the sofa again, crossing one leg over the other.

"Are you serious?" Shauna asked in a whisper. Serena gave her a nod. "That would explain where he's getting the money from."

"Tch," Miette clicked her tongue. "I knew he'd get caught up in that mess eventually."

"What do you mean?"

"Anyone should've seen this coming. We all know he wants to be a Pokemon trainer, so it was only a matter of time before started doing what all of those trainers do," Miette explained for Shauna.

Shauna lowered her gaze. Despite regular visits from Ash that came with short conversations, Shauna never realized just how far Ash was willing to go to become a Pokemon trainer. The evidence was right in front of her, but she wasn't paying attention.

"Brock said that even knowing what he's doing could put Ash in more danger," Serena continued. "I'm not sure what we can do to help him at this point."

Miette rose to her feet. "We do the only thing we can do. We're gonna knock some sense into that thick skull of his!"

Despite Miette's declaration, Serena still felt uncertain. It was no secret that Ash wanted to be a Pokemon trainer, and attempts from his friends and family to help him choose a different career path meant nothing to him. With Ash charging into such a dangerous lifestyle, what could they do to stop him now?

Monday, October 3rd

Seated on the front steps of her home, Cassidy couldn't help but smile as she watched her two girls draw on the sidewalk with large pieces of colored chalk. Despite the gap in age between them, Casey still adored Macy and loved to play with her.

The two of them would often spend afternoons together as they waited for Ash to return from school or work. It was wonderful to see how well the two of them got along. As Cassidy watched them, she saw both girls look down the block and perk up at the sight of a familiar face.

"Ashy!" Macy exclaimed as she jumped to her feet. She dashed over to him as he approached and latched onto his leg as a greeting. "You're late!"

Cassidy raised her brow as she looked at Ash. He was clearly overloaded by all of the bags he held, ranging from the backpack on his back, a duffle bag on his shoulder, and a pair of brown bags that were overflowing with groceries. Together, Casey and Cassidy came to him to claim one of the brown bags he held and lead him back inside the house.

"It's about time you came home," Casey said as they all went to the kitchen.

"I'm a busy man," Ash retorted as he shot her a grin. When they arrived in the kitchen, Casey set down her bag on the table, and as she removed her hand from the bag, she saw that she left chalk imprints on it.

"Go get washed up girls," Cassidy said and they complied. Casey took Macy by the hand and led her to the upstairs bathroom to complete their assignment.

"I'll be right back," Ash said as he also went upstairs, heading straight to his room to drop off the bags that he still held.

Cassidy remained in the kitchen and she began to dig through the groceries that Ash brought home. As she spread out the items on the counter, she was glad to see that Ash picked up all the essentials. Fruit, vegetables, eggs, milk…he got everything needed and even some snacks for the girls. The fact that all of this fit into two bags was actually astounding, but she wouldn't question how it was done.

"Let's get dinner started then," Cassidy said as she went to retrieve her cutting board.

Once she was set up to begin her preparations, Ash returned to the kitchen to help put away the groceries.

"So how did things go during the weekend?" Ash inquired as he began to stock the fridge.

"It looks like I should be asking you that," Cassidy noted with a gesture toward his bruised cheek.

"It was a little more physical than I would've liked," Ash mumbled and Cassidy frowned at his back. But after having this conversation with Ash a few times, she knew that there were boundaries when to this. Rather, she chose to change the subject.

"Where did you go to get all of this?" Cassidy asked him. The vegetables were especially fresh, practically sparkling.

"There was this little market I found downtown. It was really nice so I splurged a bit," Ash explained as he looked back with a grin. Cassidy smiled softly in return. "I saw they had some sweets that the girls like so I picked up a few for them."

"How thoughtful…and just so you know, Macy missed you the entire weekend," Cassidy pointed out. "She doesn't like it when you're gone for so long."

Ash sighed deeply. "I know, I'll make it up to her."

Cassidy chuckled as this led straight to her next topic. "Good, because I already have something in mind.

"What's that?" Ash asked tentatively.

"There's a block party this weekend, and the girls already have their hearts set on going, so you're going to take them," Cassidy said as she motioned to him with her elbow. Ash blinked as Brock's words came to mind.

"Next Saturday, there's a block party in midtown. I head that N is going to have a battle there."

Ash pursed his lips as he looked into the fridge, his gaze fixated on the lightbulb within it. There was no way he was going to miss N's battle, not if he wanted to continue improving as a trainer.

But…he couldn't let down the girls either, especially Macy. So, his only option…was to do both.

"Yeah, I can take them." He stated.

Tuesday, October 4th

"Morning Ash, are you feeling better today?" Dawn asked him curiously as she stood in front of his desk in Ms. Fantina's classroom. They had a few minutes before their first class of the day started, which afforded them some time to chat.

"Feeling better," Ash furrowed his brow. "From what?"

"You didn't come to school yesterday," Dawn noted. "I just thought…you were sick," Ash shook his head. "Wait, so you were playing hooky?"

Ash stifled a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Dawn inquired as she tilted her head.

"Dawn, I don't think anyone has said 'playing hooky' in like twenty years," Ash said and Dawn puffed out her cheeks with a 'hmph.' "And I wouldn't say I skipped school yesterday, I just had something come up at the last minute."

"Oh, okay," She said softly, unsure of where to go from there. She was under the impression that Ash was sick and spent the last year trying to think of what she could do to help him feel better.

"I hope I didn't have you worrying about me," Ash said to her as they made eye contact. She looked away, but Ash could tell he guessed correctly. As he studied her for a moment, Ash recalled what he went through on Sunday night at Shauna's apartment, and the level of concern he received there. He didn't want anyone else to worry about him. "I'm sorry Dawn, I didn't mean to make you worry. How about I make it up to you?"

"What do you have in mind?" Dawn asked in return.

"There's a block party in midtown this weekend. I'm taking Casey and Macy, my younger sisters," Ash added off handily. "And uh, I was wouldn't mind some extra company."

"I…I'd love to," Dawn said after a moment, and Ash smiled kindly.

"Great, I'll give you the details once I tell the girls we've got company," Ash said as the bell chimed. Fantina called for everyone to take their seats while she took attendance.

Dawn returned to her seat beside May as class was starting, and her friend put on a sly grin as she caught sight of Dawn's rosy cheeks.

"What?" Dawn asked her as she saw May's expression.

"What were you and Ash talking about?" May asked saucily, and her grin widened as Dawn's cheeks reddened.

"Tha-That's none of your business," Dawn said with a scoff.

"He must have complimented you," May said softly, but then she stopped to think about it. "No, you're past the point where a compliment is enough to make you blush. He must have asked you out a date, didn't he?"

"Wha-How'd you," Dawn shut her mouth immediately as she realized that she revealed exactly what took place. May was smiling ear to ear.

"This is like, your third date with him, right?" May asked, but Dawn didn't answer. May continued to speak out loud. Much to Dawn's dismay. "Oh, so that's how you're going to treat me. Well, I'm so glad that you fill me in on everything so let's see…your first date, you said he took you to some kind of party. And then there was our double date, so oh my gosh, this is your third date with him now!"

"Not so loud May," Dawn whispered harshly to silence her friend and Fantina cleared her throat as she looked at the duo. Dawn apologized on their behalf, as she always did, and afterward, when she glanced at May, the brunette stuck her tongue out at Dawn.

"So, when are you going to make it official with him?" May asked in a whisper. Dawn suck in her seat and pursed his lips. She never gave this subject much thought.

"I…don't know."

Wednesday, October 5th

Dawn stood out in front of North Vermilion High where she anxiously waited for her ride. Today, she planned to break her normal routine of returning home right after school, and instead, she would spend some time with someone she hadn't spoken to face to face in a while now. She was rather negligent of keeping in contact with this person, and Dawn wondered if they might have blown her off because of this.

Soon enough, Dawn enjoyed a breath of relief as she saw a silver car come rolling up to her. As it came to a stop, the passenger window was lowered to reveal a young lady that sported a head of short, amber-colored hair with a pair of aviators tucked into her hair.

"Zoey!" Dawn exclaimed as she beamed at her friend. Zoey unlocked the doors and allowed Dawn to join her inside the car. "I was beginning to think you didn't see any of my messages."

"And I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me, Dawn," Zoey retorted as Dawn got settled in her seat.

"I could never forget about you, Zoey," Dawn replied exasperatedly, and she placed her hands together to beg for her forgiveness. "I've just been super busy!"

"Oh, I'm well aware. May has been giving me all the details," Zoey replied and she chuckled when Dawn paled.

"Is she telling everyone about what's going on?!" Dawn exclaimed. "So much for privacy."

"No, it's just me," Zoey replied before she added with a smirk. "As far as I know," Zoey motioned for Dawn to put on her seatbelt, but the bluenette was more preoccupied with other things.

"May, you just make me want to rip my hair out!" Dawn hollered, pulling at her long locks of hair. After a breath, she relaxed and Zoey cleared her throat. With a second gesture to Dawn's seatbelt, Dawn nodded and strapped herself in. Zoey released the parking brake and joined the traffic on the street as they began their trip toward the east side of Vermilion City.

"In your message, you said that you wanted to talk. Just like old times, huh?" Zoey said and Dawn gave her a nod.

Their friendship could be traced back to middle school where they first met, and over the years they got to know each other very well. Dawn could talk to May about anything and know that her friend would be supportive of her decision. However, when Dawn needed an objective opinion, she went with Zoey who was never afraid to speak her mind. Even though they were the same age, Zoey was wise beyond her years.

"What's been on your mind?" Zoey asked as an invitation for Dawn to begin.

"Since Maty has been keeping you up to date," Dawn noted through pursed lips. "I guess you already know all about Ash."

Zoey smirked, though she did her best to keep it hidden from Dawn. Based on everything that Zoey heard from May, she suspected that Dawn would want to talk to her about Ash. Zoey saw the amazing duet piece that Ash and Dawn worked on together, and she heard about how the two of them went parasailing and then jumped down into the ocean. The fact that Ash seemed to bring out a side of Dawn that not even May was familiar with was certainly a surprise. It was obvious that he was tugging at Dawn's heartstrings.

"Oh, you mean your boyfriend?" Zoey teased, but the reaction she expected was not what she received.

The mention of a 'boyfriend' left Dawn rambling about her thoughts. "We're not a couple, or at least…forget that," Dawn muttered.

Zoey dropped her smirk. "Forget what?"

"You see, May was asking me if Ash and I were going to become a couple," Dawn revealed. "But I don't really know what to think about that at the moment."

"Okay…tell me what you would expect if you were in a relationship with Ash," Zoey suggested but Dawn frowned.

"I've never dated anyone before, so I don't really know what I should expect from it," Dawn reasoned.

"Sorry Dawn-y, as pretty as you are, I always forget that you don't give most guys the time of day," Zoey said with a chuckle. "How about you answer this for me…a lot of people treat dating as more of a casual thing. Is that what you want with Ash?"

"I don't think so," Dawn said as she looked down, unsure of what else to say.

"Maybe not the best question," Zoey said to break the silence. "Tell me why you think you and Ash should be a couple."

"I mean, we know each other pretty well now. I've been to his house and he's met my mom, who actually likes him, by the way," Dawn added proudly. "So, it's not like there's anyone that would be against us becoming a couple."

Zoey clicked her tongue. "So that blockhead Nando hasn't said anything," Zoey muttered under breath with the thought of her friend.

"What's that?" Dawn asked her and Zoey stifled a laugh to conceal her previous comment.

"Nothing, it's just that you went in the opposite direction of where I was trying to lead you," Zoey explained. "I don't care that no one is against you becoming a couple. I want to know why you should be a couple. What is it that you like about Ash?"

"He's special," Dawn said after a pause, and a smile formed on her face. "Just being with him makes me feel…well, he acts like he's invincible, and I feel the same way when I'm around him…like I can defy the whole world."

Dawn recalled her parasailing experience with Ash. At that moment where Ash convinced her to release her safety harness and plummet into the ocean with him, she felt no fear. With her hand in Ash's, it was as if she shared his courage and confidence with her, and his assurance that they would be alright was all she needed.

"And then we have similar interests. He's an amazing artist. Saying he's talented doesn't do him any justice," Dawn went on.

Their duet piece was still on display in the main lobby of the school. Students and staff alike were still sharing their admiration for that project with Dawn whenever they crossed paths in the halls.

"But then, he has these moments where it's like," Dawn paused with a frown on her face. "I don't really know how to describe it but it's magical…almost like he's sparkling."

She recalled the first time she saw him really smile among his old friends at the subway station. She remembered his face as he asked her to trust him before they plunged into the ocean. She felt her chest become tight as she saw the moment that Ash shared his goal of changing everyone's opinion of Pokemon.

"I don't know what is it about him, but I just want to be around him," Dawn went on and Zoey snuck a glance at Dawn. The bluenette wore a goofy grin as she talked about Ash. In fact, she couldn't stop talking about Ash.

"Alright, alright, Dawn," Zoey interjected as they came to a stop at a red light. Dawn's endless blubbering came to a stop, although Zoey's next choice of words would cause it to resume. "I'm glad you're in love."

"In love?!" Dawn shrieked and Zoey winced in response.

"It seems that way to me," Zoey concluded with a shrug. Zoey may not have been very well versed in love, but she could see it on Dawn's face.

Ash claimed a special place in her heart as her first love.

Dawn flushed red, placing her hands on her cheeks which burned. Could she really have fallen in love with Ash?

Zoey stifled a laugh as she caught sight of Dawn's expression before she focused on the road as the light turned green. She was happy for Dawn, but that didn't stop Zoey from frowning. Her affection for Ash would come at the expense of someone else who really cared about her.

Saturday, October 8th

"She's here, she's here!" Macy cried out as she heard the doorbell chime. Ash chuckled as he watched her dart over to the front door, anxious to leave.

He rose to his feet and followed her to the entrance of their home. Waiting outside was none other than Dawn, dressed casually for the warm weather with her hair pulled back into a ponytail. Their eyes met briefly and they shared a moment of silence. Then Ash's gaze was yanked downward to Macy who tugged at his cargo shorts.

"She's here, let's go!" Macy declared.

"Go tell Casey we're ready," Ash suggested as he motioned for Casey to retrieve her sister. Dawn let a giggle escape her lips as Macy dashed off in search of Casey.

"She's so adorable," Dawn remarked and Ash agreed without question.

"Macy is really excited. She's been talking about this all week, so I don't want to keep her waiting any longer," Ash explained. "Let me go grab my backpack and we should be all set."

Ash quickly went upstairs to his room where his backpack was waiting on his bed. Snatching it up along with his favorite red and white cap, Ash stepped out of his room and kneeled down beside the small cushion that acted as Pikachu's bed.

"Pikachu, it's time to go," Ash said to his small partner as he opened his bag.

"Chaaa," Pikachu muttered and he scratched at the back of his head.

"I know you're not a big fan of my backpack, but it's the only way that you'll get to see N's battle with me," Ash explained.

"Pi-ka," Pikachu stated and Ash rolled his eyes.

"Fine, I owe you one for this. We'll go over the details later," Ash said and Pikachu snickered before he climbed into the bag. Ash closed it up, though he left a slight opening to make sure Pikachu got some fresh air in there. Carefully putting his bag over his shoulders, Ash returned to the front door where everyone was waiting for him.

"Let's go!" Macy called out as she waited in front of the open door. Ash gave a nod to Cassidy as she came to see them off, and then he kneeled to grab Macy and hoist her into the air. Ash then set her down on his shoulders and motioned for everyone to follow him.

"We'll be back later!" Ash declared as Macy pointed forward as a command for them to move. Casey and Dawn gave Cassidy a wave before they rushed off to match Ash's pace.

"Wow!" The group marveled as they arrived at one of the entry points to the block party. It was an event that spanned the entire perimeter of the city park, the streets littered with decorations, game booths, and food trucks.

"What do you guys want to do first?" Ash asked kindly with a glance back to Casey and Dawn.

"I heard there's going to be a live band at the park," Dawn pointed out and Ash raised his eyebrow.

He was wondering how N would host a Pokemon battle during the block party, but now it made more sense. With all the commotion from the live performance, the battle would go unnoticed.

"I'm not going home without some of the prizes," Casey said as she eyed the stuffed animals that were perched on shelves at the back of the game booths for those that succeeded.

"I want cotton candy!" Macy announced.

"Alright, looks like we've got a game plan already," Ash said with a nod of approval. "We can start with a few games, get some snacks, and then later on we'll head to the park."

The girls agreed to the plan and proceeded into the festivities. With how crowded the streets were, Dawn and Casey held onto the hanging straps of Ash's backpack to make sure their group wasn't separated. As they walked, their eyes were drawn to the sparkling treats and prizes until Macy spotted something that she couldn't do without.

"Ah, Pikachu!" Macy hollered. Ash's heart skipped a beat and he staggered for a moment. Did she somehow realize that Pikachu was hiding in his backpack? But how? "Up there!"

Ash followed the direction Macy was pointing in and he gave a sigh of relief. There was a plush Pikachu doll hanging from the top of one of the booths. It wasn't often that one could find Pokemon merchandise since the market for it was small and often ignored.

"Oh, it's so cute!" Casey chimed in before looking toward Ash expectantly. "Ash, you have to get it for me!"

"No, for me!" Macy interjected.

"Can't you win it for yourself, Casey?" Ash asked her and she huffed.

"I stink at basketball, that's why I'm asking you," She retorted, pointing to the hops that hung at the back of the booth.

Ash stuck his tongue out at her. "Alright, but don't say I never do anything special for you," Ash replied as he lifted Macy from his shoulders and set her down on her feet. As they all approached the booth, Ash began to roll his shoulders as a warm-up. "Let's do this."

Ash adjusted the cap on his head and the young man running the stall motioned to them. "Hey there!"

"You look like you could use some action," Ash commented. This booth was the only one that didn't have people taking part in its attraction.

"Yeah, no one really wants these Pokemon dolls. I told my boss it wasn't a good idea, but what does he know," The young man muttered before he waved off his own comment. "My name's Dayton, do you think you can make a basket? One basket wins a prize."

"Let's find out," Ash said as he fished out his wallet. "How much?"

Dayton looked at each of the girls that accompanied Ash and he smiled. "Three dollars, three shots."

"Perfect," Ash noted as he set down the money on the counter. Dayton snatched a basketball from the shelf and passed it to Ash who took a moment to dribble it.

"I've seen Ash play basketball a few times, are you sure he can do this?" Dawn asked Casey.

"Ashy can do anything!" Macy proclaimed and Dawn giggled. Macy's confidence in Ash was contagious, even though Dawn saw him in action on a basketball court already. It was obvious how much Ash meant to Macy, and he treated her like a princess in return.

All eyes went to Ash as he finished getting a feel for the ball. He looked up to the rim, raised the ball above his head, and flicked his wrist. Their heads followed the basketball as it arched in the air and dropped back down into the next without even touching the rim.

"Hey, not bad," Dayton said. "I didn't think you'd even touch the rim shooting with a backpack on."

Ash glanced at the back and grinned in return.

"First pick?" Dayton asked as he motioned to the prizes above.

"That Pokemon up there, the yellow one," Ash stated as he pointed to the Pikachu doll that his sisters were fighting over. Dayton retrieved the pole from the corner of his booth and used it to unhook the Pikachu doll which he lowered to Ash. "Do you have any more of these?"

"You want another one?" Dayton inquired. There was a collective nod from the group, so Dayton disappeared into the back of his stall to conduct a search.

"Here you go, Macy," Ash said as he placed the doll in her arms.

"Thanks, Ashy!" She beamed at him, crushing the doll in a hug. It was the perfect size for her.

"You had better not choke. I want one of those too," Casey said as a warning.

"You could ask nicely, you know," Ash retorted. "You know, that's exactly why I gave Macy the first one. She's actually nice to me."

Casey merely stuck out her tongue at him and Dawn laughed at the exchange. Dayton returned with a second Pikachu doll in his hands, much to Casey's delight.

"You're in luck, I've got one more," Dayton revealed as he set it down on the counter.

"We'll take it!" Casey said as she reached for the doll, but Dayton raised it to keep it just out of her reach.

"Slow down there, your buddy has to make another shot first," Dayton said as he handed Ash another basketball. Once again, Ash went through his routine of weighing the ball before he took another shot. This time, it rattled back and forth against the rim before it fell through and Casey cheered. With a laugh, Dayton placed the Pikachu doll in her hands and Casey thanked him graciously.

"Wait a second, didn't I win that for you?" Ash exclaimed in protest. Casey turned to him and stuck out her tongue again. "Bah, forget you," Ash muttered before he turned to Dawn who held her sides as she laughed at them. "So, Dawn, what can I get you?"

"Uh…" Dawn glanced down at the two younger girls who were enthralled with their new items. In truth, she found Pikachu to be just as cute as the girls did and she would've been happy to bring home a Pikachu doll of her own. However, she would have to make do with something else. She took a glance at the selection, and one, in particular, caught her attention.

A small blue penguin doll.

"I like that one," Dawn said as she pointed to it. Ash raised his brow as he saw it, but he gave her a nod as a promise to obtain it for her.

"Coming right up," He said and Dayton provided his last basketball. Ash went through his routine once more, lined up his shot, and flicked his wrist. He bit down on his lower lip as he released the basketball. It didn't feel right, and as expected, it hit the side of the rim sharply and flew off into the net at the sides of the booth which caught the ball.

"Ouch, can't make em' all," Dayton commented as he looked back to Ash, and he saw that Ash was taking out his wallet again.

"Ash, you don't need to do that," Dawn said as she put a hand on his to stop him.

"Dawn, it's just a dollar," Ash tried to reason with her.

"True me, it's not that big a deal," She replied. Ash frowned, but Dawn gave him a wink in return to convince him that it was alright. Casey noticed this small exchange between them and she smirked as they all began to follow Dawn.

Macy was placed back on Ash's shoulders as they resumed their travels through the streets, and once again, she pointed out their next destination. "Cotton candy!" A couple walked by with the fluffy treat and Ash knew that Macy would have to be satisfied now that she saw it. "I want some!"

Ash stopped to ask the couple where the booth was located and they explained that it was further up the block.

"How about this, Ash and I will go to get the cotton candy," Casey suggested. "Macy, you stay with Dawn and be good."

Ash furrowed his brow at Casey's sudden suggestion, but Macy complied as she was set down on her feet. Casey didn't hesitate to grab him by his forearm and drag him away to create some separation from Dawn and Macy.

"Whoa, what's the rush?" Ash asked her and Casey slowed her pace now that there was some separation from the girls.

"I wanted to talk to you," Casey asked as she turned to him. "Do you like Dawn?"

Ash raised his brow as he saw Casey's smug little grin. He held this expression until Casey deflated. Clearly, she was in search of some sort of reaction from him, but Ash wouldn't give her that pleasure.

"She's pretty cool," Ash replied as he brushed past Casey.

"Ugh, you can be so lame!" Casey shouted before she pointed at him. "Do you like her or not?"

Ash looked back at her and gave a wink in reply. "She's alright."

Casey groaned.

"Macy, try not to get any of it on my hat, okay?" Ash said to his youngest sister who was seated on his shoulders again with a small cone of cotton candy in her hands.

"O-kay," She answered. Dawn and Casey did their best to hold back a fit of giggles as they saw that Ash's hat was already littered with remnants of Macy's cotton candy, but they would let Ash find out about this on his own.

Ash took out his phone from his pocket to check the time. It was twelve forty-five, which left thirty minutes before the battle started.

"Do you all want to go check out the band now?" Ash offered. "We're pretty close to the park already, so I don't see why not."

"Yeah, I'm fine with that," Dawn said and Casey gave a nod of agreement.

"Onward!" Ash declared as he pointed in the direction they would be going. As they arrived at the street corner, Dawn's eyes widened as she saw the expanse recognized as the city park. It stretched for multiple blocks, filled with lush greenery and numerous historical landmarks.

"What's with that face, Dawn?" Casey asked with a snicker. "Haven't you been to this park before?"

"No, I haven't actually," Dawn confessed. "This is my first time."

"Did you grow up in a box?" Casey inquired, and Ash flicked the side of her head. "Oww!"

"That was rude, Casey," Ash stated before he looked to Dawn. "But seriously, did your parents keep you in a box?"

"Hey, how come you can ask that but I can't?" Casey demanded to know.

"Because I'm older," Ash retorted.

"That's not fair!" Casey proclaimed as she raised her hands in an attempt to flick Ash's forehead.

"Hands off," Ash said as he swatted away Casey's attacks. "Macy, protect me!"

"Casey, stop hurting Ashy!" Macy commanded as she too joined in trying to knock away Casey's hands. Per Macy's request, Casey ceased her assault on Ash, but that wouldn't stop her from planning something to pay him back later.

Dawn laughed as she observed their interactions. They all got along so well, and it made her wonder what it would be like if she had a sibling of her own. But as she considered the idea, she realized May did an exceptional job of filling that role. Nosey, bratty, but loveable.

"Come on guys," Ash said with a motion for everyone to follow him as they crossed into the park. As they followed the main pathway, they could hear the commotion coming from the heart of the area where the band was likely situated.

"It's this way!" A young girl leading her mother by the hand went rushing past them. The group of four followed them and they quickly arrived at a large pond near the center of the park with a large field beside it. A stage was set up there beside the bond, providing ample space for an audience to dance right in front of the stage while others lounged farther in the distance.

"Macy, let's dance!" Casey said as she raised her hands to her sister. Ash kneeled down for Casey to collect her sister from his shoulders.

"Ashy, you come too!" Macy ordered him and Ash agreed with a laugh.

"Alright, but only if Dawn dances with us," Ash said as he glanced to the bluenette. He recalled that Dawn admitted that she wasn't much of a dancer last month, so Ash saw this as an opportunity to get in some more practice.

"I guess I don't have much of a choice," Dawn said sheepishly.

Ash collected their dolls and stored them away in his backpack, and he did his best not to laugh as Pikachu stared incredulously at the dolls as they were placed beside him. "Not much longer, Pikachu," Ash whispered to his partner before he closed up his bag again.

From there, Ash and Casey took Dawn by the hand and led her to the dance area. As they joined the audience, a new song just started that everyone recognized. Together, they all began to clap to the beat before the melody began.

"Alright Dawn, you have to show us something here!" Ash called out to her. She was the only one that wasn't moving at the moment while Ash, Casey, and Macy all grooved to the beat.

Sensing Dawn's apprehension, Ash moved closer to her and took one of her hands. He shifted from one foot to the other in sync with the beat as an invitation for Dawn to mimic his actions. As the audience joined the lead vocalist in singing the lyrics, Ash led Dawn along to the beat. Her cheeks were scorching hot, but she focused on the music and quickly got a grasp of it.

As the song progressed, Ash began to throw in some moves of his own. Then he jumped over to his sisters and took a moment to twirl each of them while he bellowed with laughter. The audience burst into applause as the song ended and the girls asked Dawn if she was having fun. As they spoke, Ash took out his phone again to check the time.

Ten minutes left before the battle, and it would take him at least five to the site from here. Ash reached out to tap Dawn on the shoulder.

"What's up?" She asked him.

"I'm going to run to the bathroom, can you watch the girls for me," Ash said to her. She gave him the okay signal, and Ash took one last glance at the girls. They knew better than to give Dawn trouble while he was gone, so he felt comfortable leaving them with her.

He gave Dawn a two-fingered salute and grasped at the straps of his backpack before he went on his way. Ash couldn't wait to see N in action. This was going to be a learning experience, and Ash wanted to soak up everything he could from it.

Ash used the pathways to cross the park quickly, and he entered the more forested section. He took out his phone one more time to look up a map of the park to see how close he was to the battle site. Then he glanced around the area to make sure no one was watching him before he slipped off the pathway and disappeared amongst the foliage. He pressed forward with nothing but the sound of his footsteps as company, but after some time, he faintly heard some voices in the distance. He was close.

The trees thinned out and opened into a small clearing where Ash saw at least two dozen trainers standing at the edge of the area, accompanied by their Pokemon.

"Whoa, there's a Butterfree…and a Hypno," Ash said softly as he observed some of the Pokemon. Everyone was partially concealed within the bushes at the edge of the clearing as they waited for the battle to commence. Some of them chatted to pass the time but most kept quiet. "Pikachu, it's time to come out."

Ash removed his bag from his back and opened it. Pikachu popped out of the bag with a sigh of relief. "Pi-ka."

"Oh, come on Pikachu, it can't be that bad in there," Ash said and Pikachu pinched the tip of his nose. "It does not smell in there," Pikachu snickered as he then climbed out of the bag and onto Ash's shoulder. "Remember Pikachu, pay close attention. We're definitely going to battle N soon, so we have to figure out a battle strategy for him ahead of time.

"You're going to have a match with N?" A new voice exclaimed, startling both Ash and Pikachu. A young man with spiky brown hair poked his head out of the bush beside them, earning a gasp from the duo.

"Were…you there the whole time?" Ash asked him in return.

"Well yeah, gotta have a good hiding spot in case the cops show up," He replied with a grin.

"Hmm, fair point," Ash agreed. He hadn't even thought about what he would do if the authorities came to break up this battle.

"I'm Richie, by the way," He added as an introduction. Ritchie humorously extended one arm from the bush to shake hands with him.

"Ash Ketchum and this is my buddy, Pikachu," Ash said with a motion to his partner.

"Nice to meet you guys. Now check this out," Ritchie retracted his arm into his bush, and a Pokeball was tossed out moments later. Ash and Pikachu watched curiously as a white flash jumped out of the Pokeball and took shape. Low and behold, he had a Pikachu of his own.

"Pi-kaa!" Ash's Pikachu exclaimed as he jumped down to address Ritchie's.

"I've got one too," Ritchie said as the pair of Pikachu began to converse with one another. "Although, mine goes by the name, Sparky."

"Nice man," Ash complimented him as they watched their Pikachu. The two of them were absolutely ecstatic as they spoke, occasionally nuzzling their cheeks together which caused sparks to fly.

"Earlier you said that you were going to have a match with N," Ritchie said to return to the topic of interest.

"Well, not an official battle. I just want to battle him like any other trainer," Ash said with a sheepish chuckle.

"I wouldn't say everyone wants to battle him," Ritchie noted through pursed lips. "In fact, most trainers want no part of him and his Zoroark."

"Truthfully, we're not that good yet. I heard about this battle he was having, and we came to see what we could learn about how he battled," Ash explained and Ritchie gave him a nod.

"That's the best way to learn, besides actually battling, of course," Ritchie pointed out. "So how long have you been a trainer?"

"I've had Pikachu since I was a kid, but we started training seriously a few months ago. Our practice is usually exclusive to weekends, but I already know that isn't enough if we're going to improve enough to beat N," Ash replied and Ritchie gave him a nod of agreement.

"That's the way, if you want to make it as a trainer, you've got to go all in," Ritchie stated. He knew that all too well.

"And how long have you been at it?" Ash asked him curiously.

"Two years now, best time of my life," Ritchie beamed as he said this. "It gets rough at times, but I know I made the right choice. I'm not sure this will pay off down the line, but I'm having a blast while I'm doing it."

Ash smiled as Ritchie made this remark. He was glad to know that there were trainers out there with no regrets about committing to this lifestyle.

"Hey, I think they're about to start," Ritchie noted as two trainers stepped into the clearing. One of them Ash recognized as he stood proudly beside his Zoroark. N, King of the White Lotus. The other was a young woman with short red hair and bright lipstick, and she leaned against the body of her Rapidash tapped his hooves anxiously.

"Who's the lady?" Ash whispered to Ritchie.

"That's Laura, one the best trainers in the White Lotus," Ritchie replied. "She's like a tier below N as a trainer."

Ash tilted his head as he studied Laura. He never heard of her, but if she was a 'tier' below N, then she must be really good!

"I heard N was going to battle someone else originally, but something went down between the White Lotus and the Red Skulls last weekend. I have a feeling he changed his opponent to send a message to the Red Skulls," Ritchie explained, and Ash sucked in his lips as realized that he might have played a small part in this.

"What kind of message?" Ash inquired.

"Again, this is just my opinion, but I feel like he's asserting himself. The Red Skulls have always been picking fights with them, and I think he wants to establish that the White Lotus can't be pushed around by them," Ritchie explained before he made a gesture to the edge of the clearing. "I think word got around to the Red Skulls because there's a lot of their trainers here."

Ash paid closer attention to the spectators now, and he saw a detail that he failed to notice before. Many of them were wearing red neckerchiefs, the symbol that Ash used to identify members of that Kingdom whenever he met with them. How did he miss that?

"I'll bet that N brought in Laura as his opponent to showcase the skills of other members of the White Lotus. That way the Red Skulls know that not everyone in their Kingdom is a pushover," Ritchie went on. "I mean, it takes a lot of gall to battle out in broad daylight like this. They probably don't even care if the police show up. If they're going all out Ash, you gotta be ready to run at any given moment."

Ash bit down on his lower lip to suppress a grin as he watched Zoroark and Rapidash take their place on the makeshift battlefield. His heart was thumping at the prospect of seeing N go all out in a battle, and if Laura was a worthy opponent, then Ash would get to see two exceptional trainers take the field. He couldn't wait!

Pikachu perked up as he felt the entirety of Ash's focus get placed on the battlefield. Leaving Sparky on the ground, Pikachu scaled Ash's body to his shoulder, his favorite spot. They shared a brief glance and returned their gaze to the field.

"Thank you for coming today, Laura," N called out from across the field. Laura shot him a grin and Rapidash went up on his hind legs, proudly displaying his powerful muscles. "I see Rapidash is ready, so I'll let you have the first move."

"I hope you don't regret that," Laura retorted before she raised a hand to point out Zoroark. "Let's start strong with Take Down!"

"Zoroark, stand your ground," N barked in response and the battle commenced. Rapidash burst forward, quickly gaining momentum as he galloped toward his target. Zoroark widened his stance and bent his knees in preparation for the impact. There were gasps from the audience as the two Pokemon met with a thundering clap, and Rapidash's incredible power pushed Zoroark back several feet. However, the dark Pokemon possessed some fearsome strength of his own as he dug his feet into the ground and brought Rapidash to a full stop. "Now take him down!"

"Flame Wheel!" Laura barked in return as Zoroark shifted his weight to position himself to throw Rapidash down on his side. The fiery horse became engulfed in flames which forced Zoroark to separate himself to avoid being set ablaze. This gave Rapidash the opportunity to pounce at Zoroark who was left unbalanced and exposed.

"Detect!" N said sharply and Zoroark's eyes widened. With his senses heightened, time slowed for Zoroark and he rebalanced himself to then lunge out of the path of Rapidash's Flame Wheel. "And follow up with Shadow Claw!"

Ash leaned forward as Zoroark's arm became ignited in a sinister dark energy. Would this be the first clean hit of the battle?

"Rapidash, keep them away with Fire Spin!" Laura declared as Rapidash came skidding to a stop having missed his Flame Wheel. With the expectation that Zoroark already jumped at the opportunity to strike, Rapidash exhaled through his nostrils and the fire around him expanded briefly into a swirling vortex to halt Zoroark's approached. Zoroark veered over course and stopped a short distance from Rapidash, glaring at him through the flames that acted as a shield.

"Not bad, Laura," N commented. "I see you've been practicing."

"Well, we can't have people thinking that the White Lotus is a one-man army," Laura announced as she looked around at their audience. "There are plenty of strong trainers in the White Lotus!"

Ash felt his chest tighten, a large smile on his face. "Did you hear that, Pikachu? We've got a lot of work to do if we're going to beat all of these strong trainers."

N and Laura reengaged, and Ash was in awe at the display they put on. It was unlike any battle he saw. The few times he witnessed Zoroark in action, it was obvious that Zoroark was in a class of his own. Whether it was a one-on-one or a chaotic battle with over a dozen participants, Zoroark was always the strongest Pokemon present, and it showed as he was able to dominate the competition.

However, in this battle, Laura's Rapidash was in the same realm as Zoroark. You could say that Rapidash was on par with Zoroark…or at least, that was Ash's initial thought. With each exchange, slowly but surely, Zoroark began to demonstrate that he was the superior Pokemon. Rapidash was a step slower, a tad weaker, or a thought behind. It was hardly noticeable at first, but as the battle continued, these slight differences began to add up.

Zoroark was fast, strong, durable…everything that one could want in a Pokemon. With his physical strength alone, he could stop some of Rapidash's attacked, further emphasizing his impregnable defense. A fair portion of Laura's offense was neutralized through Zorark's natural strength, which forced her to commit to heavy-hitting attacks to forcefully create an opening.

But N was a stone wall. He battled defensively, preferring to counter Laura's attacks when necessary. With his defensive efforts, he and Zoroark slowly piled up the damage on Rapidash. It must have been demoralizing to face N and Zoroark. They were forcing Laura and Rapidash to use their most exhausting moves, and responding to each of them perfectly. There was no punch that Zoroark couldn't take and dish back tenfold.

"Wow…" Ritchie muttered as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He, like many of the other trainers present, attended this battle with the hope of measuring the strength of N's Zoroark. However, the battle with Rapidash only seemed to reiterate the difference in overall ability. Not even one of the best trainers in the city could force this Zoroark to go all out or make N change his tactics.

"His Zoroark is awesome," Ash added softly. How could they beat this Pokemon? Zoroark was superior to Pikachu in every conceivable way. Not only that, but Ash couldn't be certain that this was N's true style of battle. All N was doing was reacting to each of Laura's attacks…when he needed to. Was that a preference, or was he so superior that he never needed to assume full command of the battle…?

"Do you really think you can beat him?" Ritchie asked with a glance toward Ash and Pikachu. To his surprise, both of them were beaming as they watched this battle. It was as if Zoroark's dominance only excited them.

"I don't know…but I can't wait to try," Ash said, and his Pikachu gave a nod of agreement.

Ash struggled to contain himself as he and the other spectators sensed that the battle reached its climax. Zoroark and Rapidash went back and forth until finally, the white horse staggered and his knees buckled. Rapidash collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily as he stared across the field at this opponent.

Zoroark stood almost completely still, without a hint of exhaustion to show. Ash would've thought that his stamina was simply greater than Rapidash's, but he also knew that Zoroark was expertly conserving his strength. If this was N's battling style, it was no one he was one of the Five Kings. Even as he faced a powerful trainer in Laura, the requirements to actually challenge Zoroark were absurd…and there was no telling what kind of monster would be awakened if someone did manage to accomplish this.

"Well, it looks like it's come to this," Laura noted through pursed lips, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She went into this battle with the expectation that a loss was inevitable. N never lost. However, her determination was to put on a show for their audience and she fully intended to go out with a bang. "Rapidash, I know you got enough left in you for one last attack. Let's show them what we've got!"

With a snort, Rapidash forced himself back up at her command and his fiery mane blazed. This would be his last attack.

"No holding back, get 'em with your Flare Blitz!" Laura commanded as she extended her hand.

Zoroark raised his brow as he saw Rapidash rise up onto his hind legs once again with a battle cry. The fire from his mane intensified and summoned deep orange flames from the ground up, concealing Rapidash within them. The fire twisted and swirled around his form, lightning the field beneath him. Rapidash went back down on all fours and rushed forward, burning a path across the field as he moved.

"Focus Blast," N stated, undeterred by the sight of the raging fire that approached his partner. Zoroark raised one hand and aimed it in the direction of his opponent. White energy coalesced around his body and gathered into his extended palm. It took on the form of a glowing white sphere that was only a fraction of the size of Zoroark's paw and minuscule in comparison to Rapidash. But as Rapidash collided with this attack, the result left the crowd speechless.

Rapidash was overwhelmed instantly. The sphere ripped Rapidash from his feet and carried him across the field, spiraling the entire way. All heads turned to follow Rapidash as he was thrown into the base of a tree trunk where the Focus Blast began to penetrate the dense cloak of fire that protected Rapidash. Stunned from the blow, the fire that offered Rapidash a brief moment of protection would prove to be his own undoing as his fiery coat burned wildly. Now uncontrolled and hotter than ever, the flames melted away the outer layer of the Focus Blast that contained the raw energy within. With no container, the energy surged outward as though it were a bomb!

The ground shook violently as a gust of wind flew out. Ash and Ritchie placed a hand on their caps to make sure they weren't blown away, and the trainers marveled audibly at the results of the exchange. A cloud of black smoke rose into the air and the burnt tree leaves began to land onto their neighbors, spreading the flames.

Chaos and pandemonium set in immediately.

"Ash, we gotta go!" Ritchie barked at Ash as he raised a Pokeball to call Sparky back to it. In an instant, the spectators scattered to put as much distance as they could between them and the site of this battle. "If the cops catch us, we'll be searched and if they find us with a Pokemon running from something like this, we're definitely going to jail!"

A/N

So, this was a pretty loaded chapter and a bigger one to boot. Glad that I finally got to publish it.

My battles are a work in progress and I hope that I will be much improved by the time we arrive at the more significant battles of this story. They're still very far off in the future, but in the meantime, I'm open to any tips or suggestions, some of you might have.

I just discovered Pokemon Origins and Generations two weeks ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed them! As I've said before, I'm catching up on a lot of Pokemon-related media, and if you haven't seen that movie/videos, please check them out! They do a fantastic job of enhancing the universe that is established in-game, and I must say that I wish the games could get their own anime that's geared toward an older audience.

As always, I have to give a big shout-out to my beta-reader MjrGenMatt as well as those of you who read and reviewed! I'm aiming to upload another chapter in March so be on the lookout for it!

Thanks again and have a wonderful day!