Chapter 26
Brock and Pikachu shared a glance, and they looked toward Ash who laid on his back, staring up absent-mindedly at the sky above them. The group of three was located on the flat roof of Ash's home, waiting for Ash to speak. He hadn't uttered a word since they left the Berlitz Estate, and Brock couldn't convince himself to go home without knowing what transpired during that brief discussion Ash had at the front gate.
Ash had given him one clue on their way to the Berlitz residence. When Brock asked him why they were going there, Ash softly mentioned that he might not get paid. Brock didn't know what to think at the time and assumed that Ash had gone to the Berlitz Estate to get to the bottom of this.
"Pikachu, how long do you think he's going to be like this?" Brock inquired.
"Pika…Pi," Pikachu stated with a shrug. Brock frowned at the answer. "Chu, pi-pika."
"I just have to wait huh?" Brock asked, and Pikachu nodded. "Why don't you head downstairs and watch the girls for now?"
Pikachu agreed with Brock's suggestion, and sent one last look of concern to Ash before he scampered off into the stairwell that led to the roof.
It was just Ash and Brock now.
Brock approached the edge of the roof and leaned against the low wall. He looked down at the street below, watching the kids play outside with various adults stationed out on the front steps of their homes. Hearing them laugh and scream put him at ease as thoughts of his childhood filled his mind. To Brock's surprise, the cheerful activity of these children did prompt Ash to talk.
"It was so much easier back then." Ash noted, gaining Brock's attention.
"What was?" He questioned.
"Everything. It's all so easy when you're a kid," Ash explained slowly. He sighed before he continued. "You have people there to look after you, make you eat and sleep when you're supposed to. You didn't have any problems back then…"
"Yeah, it was nice, wasn't it?" Brock asked him, sporting a small smile at the thought.
"Sure was," Ash muttered. "Who was the genius that decided everything has to be so hard once you're older?"
"Don't ask me. I wish I knew, though," Brock replied. "I'd love to give him a piece of my mind."
"You and me both," Ash groaned as he sat upright. Brock watched him closely as he hunched over and clapped his palms against his face. "I don't know what to do! Just when it seems like everything is going to work out, it all falls apart!"
Brock hesitated, holding onto his response. He sensed that this was only the tip of the iceberg, and Ash just needed to vent for a little while.
"This was supposed to be our big break! We worked our asses off during the last few months to get this far. We were supposed to get the money to pay everyone back, but I shoulda known that was too good to be true! I shoulda known that something was up when someone like Mr. Berlitz agreed to be my sponsor! It was all just a bunch of smoke and mirrors to waste my time!" Ash slapped the surface of the roof repeatedly, until his hands stung, "All I wanted to do was pay everyone back. It's been driving me crazy accepting all of this help you guys, and now I have no way to return it! Damn it!"
Ash flopped onto his back, taking a few deep breaths.
"I have nothing. I've spent almost everything you guys gave me trying to keep up with the hospital bill," Ash went on. "Twenty-five thousand dollars. Almost all of it went to the hospital. All I've got is a little something to go shopping for the girls this week, and then that's it. Once that's gone...I don't know what I'm going to do."
"So, it's true? You're not getting paid?" Brock clarified, and Ash scrunched up his face.
"I don't even know." He mumbled in response. "Mr. Berlitz is gone, and no one wants to tell me where he went. It just feels like I'm not supposed to know because he never intended to pay me in the first place."
"Well let's not jump to crazy conclusions yet." Brock said, earning a narrow glance from Ash.
"Crazy? Everything about what I'm doing is crazy!" Ash proclaimed pointedly. "Instead of hanging out with my friends like a normal high school senior, I've been training with Pikachu nonstop to make the money that we need."
Brock furrowed his brow. It was so obvious that Ash had lost sight of everything due to his frustration.
"I thought you were training with Pikachu to become a Pokemon Master?" Brock asked him.
"I am! But…" Ash stopped and his expression softened. What was he trying to accomplish?
He wanted to be a Pokemon Master.
But he also wanted to take care of his family.
Fortunately, both of these could be accomplished as he worked to become a circuit trainer. It was a tough career, but it would provide him with income, and allow him to make steady progress toward the title he dreamed of. But now, he had no money coming his way.
His path became split.
He wanted to keep training.
But he had to find another way to take care of the girls.
Ash heaved out another sigh and scratched at the back of his head.
"I want to keep going, but what should I be doing?" Ash asked honestly, looking toward Brock for an answer.
"I don't know what to tell you here, man." Brock replied with a shrug. They spent a few moments in silence before Brock posed Ash to a question. "Alright Ash, hypothetically speaking here…" Ash gave Brock a questioning glance. "If you had to choose between the girls and Pikachu, who would you pick?"
All the kids screaming, the aimless chatter from his neighbors, all of it went silent.
An ultimatum had been dumped his lap, one that was he was familiar with.
It felt like someone had placed an ancient scale in front of him, and placed his dream on one side, and the people he loves on the other.
"If you had to choose between the girls and Pikachu, who would you pick?"
Why does everyone keep asking him this? What was he expected to say?
That he knew when to abandon his dream in favor of protecting someone he loves? Or that he was ready to throw away everything he cherishes to make his dream a reality?
He had hurt Dawn and Serena already, but…it was becoming clear now that they wouldn't be the only collateral damage of his pursuit.
"I don't know." Ash admitted, and Brock made a face. He wanted to find the right words for Ash, and they came sooner than he had planned on. Valerie came to mind, and the words she had shared with them some time ago.
"I've never regretted my choice, no matter how hard things became. Spritzee has been my best friend, someone who has been there for me when I didn't have anyone else…as long as I have Spritzee I know I'll be okay.""
If anything, that was the model Ash needed to follow.
"Do you remember what Valerie did?" Brock asked him curiously. Ash paused, searching his memory for the answer, and it became obvious with just a little thought.
"She chose Spritzee over her family…" Ash responded, looking down at his open palms. "The thing is…I don't know if I can let go of them."
"I know. Your circumstances aren't the same, but I think there's something else to take away from Valerie," Brock continued. "She said that Spritzee was her pillar, the thing she needed to keep going forward even when it felt hopeless. I think you need to do the same thing and take solace in Pikachu."
"And what about the girls?" Ash asked quietly, his gaze downcast.
"I'm not saying to let go of them. No, I wouldn't tell you to do that," Brock replied as he shook his head, "But you have to focus. I know it doesn't feel like it, but you're making progress. The Hidden Cove didn't work out, but you're a real trainer now. There are other ways to make money and take care of the girls. It won't be the instant payday you need, but it'll help you keep your head above water."
"I don't want to do this anymore!" Ash wanted to scream this to the heavens. He was tired of it all. Tired of trying to figure out their expenses, tired of leaving early in the morning and coming back late at night. He wanted everything to just go away, to give him a moment of peace. A moment to breathe! But that was too much to ask for.
Everyone expected him to keep moving forward.
No one seemed to understand just how much this drained him.
It was at this point that Brock's mentions of Valerie really started to resonate within Ash. He realized that there was someone who knew what was he was feeling, Brock had named them already.
Take solace in Pikachu.
He was back at square one. No money, no income. All he had was his friends, his sisters…and Pikachu.
Monday, January 2nd
Pikachu opened one eye upon hearing the door creak. Despite the darkness in the corridor, Pikachu's eye adjusted quickly and he saw that it was Ash heading downstairs in the middle of the night. He sprang up to his feet and scurried after him, reaching his trainer as he began to go down the steps to the ground floor.
"Pika?" Pikachu asked, earning his attention.
"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up Pikachu." Ash replied as Pikachu followed him down into the kitchen.
"Pi?" Pikachu questioned him.
"It was just a bad dream…a really bad one." Ash explained as he went to the fridge, opening it to get a drink for himself and Pikachu. Seeing that the fridge was rather barren, Ash was reminded of the nightmare he had earlier and groaned. Snatching the carton of milk from the top shelf, Ash shut the fridge and got a bowl to pour some out for Pikachu.
Taking a seat at the table, Ash placed Pikachu's dish down and watched quietly as Pikachu climbed onto the table to partake of his treat. Pikachu slurped up some milk and glanced at Ash who held a Ghastly like expression.
"Piii, Pika?" Pikachu inquired about his dream and Ash blinked, focusing on his friend.
"Yeah, it was awful," Ash responded as he sunk into his seat. Pikachu sat back and made a gesture for him to continue. "Everything was falling apart. I had no money; the girls were being taken away and…I didn't know what to do. I was scared."
Pikachu studied Ash intently as he continued.
"I still don't know what I should do." Ash added, and Pikachu tilted his head. Then he posed a question to Ash that the young man would never forget.
"Pika…Pikapi, Pika-chu?" He inquired.
Well…what does your heart say to do?
Ash sat in a bewildered silence.
There it was again, that question of his priorities.
"I-I love Pokemon. I love battles, I love all of it to the bottom of my heart…but," He leaned onto the table and placed a hand against his cheek. "I have to take care of the girls."
"Pika…" Pikachu noted, scratching at the back of his head the way Ash would. Ash's sense of obligation toward caring for the girls was impressive in its own right, but it was clear now that it functioned as both a blessing…and a curse.
"…the ones that can't give a battle their all…" Volkner shook his head, his lips pursed in an expression of disapproval. "They don't deserve to be trainers."
"You can't come in with that half-hearted effort and think you'll make it." N stated with a stony-faced expression.
Ash exhaled as these thoughts came to the forefront of his mind. He interlocked his fingers together and dug his nails into the back of his knuckles. Pokemon training required a total commitment to find success, and it was evident in the trainers that made this claim. They were the strongest trainers the city had to offer, so they had every right to make statements like these.
They were absolutely right.
A 'half-hearted effort' wouldn't be enough. Not if he wanted to be a Pokemon Master. And it also wouldn't be enough to provide stability for the girls.
He had to choose.
Pokemon…or his sisters.
Ash felt Pikachu touch his forearm, and he found his partner staring up at him.
"What does my heart say…?" Ash repeated, and he separated his hands, using one to carefully caress Pikachu's cheek.
"Spritzee has been my best friend, someone who has been there for me when I didn't have anyone else…as long as I have Spritzee I know I'll be okay."
Valerie's sentiments stuck out for him. She had been through it all, struggled and toiled, but she held on to her greatest friend. And knowing that Spritzee would always be there for her gave her strength. He knew what needed to be done.
"I choose you, Pikachu."
"Morning." Casey said as she entered the kitchen, finding Ash with his head buried in the fridge to decide what he'd make for breakfast.
"Mornin', is Macy still asleep?" Ash asked her as she got comfortable at the table. Pikachu was perched on the edge, and he approached Casey to greet her cheerily.
"Yup. She's wiped out." Casey replied, and Ash gave a nod of understanding. The last two days had been rather long, not to mention Macy had stayed up well past her usual bedtime on New Year's Eve, so it was no surprise that she was out cold.
"Hmm, okay," Ash noted as he returned to the stove with a pair of eggs in hand. "That'll give us some time to talk."
"Talk?" Casey repeated. "About what?"
Ash didn't answer her as he shifted his focus entirely to preparing their breakfast. In a matter of minutes, he set down a plate of eggs and dry toast in front of his sister and poured her a glass of juice.
Once she was settled and eating, Ash poured himself a glass as well and took a seat beside her. Casey nibbled at her toast, her mind drifting between possible subjects that Ash wanted to talk about. Since he wanted to speak to her while Macy was still asleep, she could only assume that it was a heavier subject.
Perhaps it had to do with the outburst she had witnessed from him yesterday at that mansion. Or maybe he finally got some news concerning Cassidy. She looked toward Ash and saw him staring off at the wall, a faraway look in his eyes.
"Ash?" She said tentatively, and he focused on her. "What did you want to talk about?"
"Uh…I have a question for you, Casey, and I want you to answer it honestly. Don't worry about hurting my feelings or anything, I just need a straight answer from you." He explained, and Casey felt an onset of nervousness. Ash's tone was clear evidence that this was a weighty matter, and Casey gulped.
"Yeah, sure." She replied, and Ash took a few moments before he posed his question.
"Do you trust me?"
Casey blinked, and then without any thought, she gave him the obvious answer.
"Yeah, of course, I do Ash." She stated, but Ash didn't seem to be satisfied with her answer.
"Okay, I'm going to explain something to you, and then I'll ask again," Ash stated, and Casey began to chew on her lower lip, wondering her answer was incorrect. "Things are going to get…harder around here, starting this week."
"Harder?"
"Yeah. We're out of money. I had some money saved up, everyone gave me a little extra to help us along, but now all of its done." Ash revealed to her, and Casey did what she could to maintain a neutral expression.
"So that means…" Casey trailed off, and suddenly Ash's behavior the day before made sense.
He couldn't pay rent.
He couldn't pay for the hospital bills.
It wouldn't be long before there was no food on the table.
"This is the worst-case scenario," Ash continued with a calmness that Casey quickly acknowledged. "I made a deal with a man that if I became a professional Pokemon trainer, he would pay me for winning battles. That deal…didn't work out in the end, so I have nothing now."
"Are you serious?" She exclaimed in a whisper.
"Ye-up," Ash muttered as he wrinkled his nose. "I thought about getting my old job back but," He shook his head because that option wouldn't accomplish anything. "It wouldn't be enough money for us to do anything. It would just be wasted time on my part."
"Well, what can we do then?" Casey asked him, and Ash raised his brow at her.
"I know what I have to do, it's the only option left on the table," Ash explained. "That's why I asked if you trust me. From this point forward, it's an all or nothing gamble. If I mess up, we lose everything."
"Why…why is it an all or nothing?" Casey inquired.
"The only way I can make money is winning battles with Pikachu. With the little bit of money I have left, I have to put it all on the line just to get someone to battle me," Ash explained to her. "In street battles, your opponent has to match the amount of money you put in the pool. As long as I win, I'll get back twice as much, and if I keep winning, we should be okay."
Casey stared at him incredulously. It had been nothing but high stakes like this for Ash during the last two months, and so far, he didn't have a single thing to show for it. How could he keep on going like this?
"There's nothing else you can do?" She asked him softly, and Ash shook his head.
"This is the only way," He said with absolute certainty. "So, I'll ask you again, do you trust me?"
Casey didn't even feel the need to look at him. She could hear it in his voice. Through this whole ordeal, she had witnessed her foster brother display strength and courage that she wanted for herself. Ash didn't have to take on the responsibility of taking care of them. He could've informed foster care that Cassidy couldn't take care of them, and they all could've been relocated to a proper living situation.
But that didn't sound like her brother.
His heart was too big to abandon them.
If there was anyone out there that could will them through this whole ordeal, it was Ash Ketchum. There wasn't a doubt in her mind.
"I trust you, Ash."
He beamed at her. This statement provided him with more relief than she would ever know.
Saturday, January 7th
"I can't believe you!" Giselle barked, causing Ash and Pikachu to wince. She had just arrived at the beach outside of the Hidden Cove stadium, and this was the first time she had seen Ash all week, which was unacceptable as far as she was concerned. "What in the world made you think you could prepare for your second match a couple of hours before it's supposed to happen?!"
"I've been busy." Ash retorted.
"With what?" She demanded to know with a deathly whisper.
What followed was a tale of the last week for Ash, how he went unpaid for his first victory in the underground circuit, and what that meant for him going forward. He shared his plan to her, that he would participate in as many street battles as he could to earn money during the week, and then bet all of it on his circuit match this weekend. Ash related how he begged his landlord for extra time on the rent so that he could follow through with his plan.
Giselle had to admit that she was both impressed with Ash and fearful of what could take place. She had seen trainers bet their life on Pokemon, and fall flat on their face. It took total trust in their Pokemon to make a gamble like this, and now she wanted nothing more than to witness his success.
"Alright," Giselle mumbled, folding her arms in front of her chest. "I'll let it slide that you skipped your training this week."
Ash shot a grin at Pikachu.
"But that's only because you made up for it by getting more battle experience," Giselle said pointedly, causing his grin to disappear. "I was thinking that it was time you started to battle other opponents besides me."
"It was frustrating trying to get people to battle me and Pikachu at first," Ash pointed out as he thought back to the first three battles that he participated in Tuesday night. To get into his first battle, Ash had to double the amount of money his opponent had previously battled for to get him to agree to a match. "But it was still a lot of fun!"
"How many battles were you in this week?" Giselle inquired.
"A total eleven," Ash answered, and he couldn't help but grin before he added. "And we won them all."
"I see, so your name should be getting passed around, at least a little bit," Giselle remarked, but Ash only shrugged his shoulders. Giselle pulled out her phone to check the time, and then she looked toward Ash. "Alright, we've got two and a half hours to make a game plan for your opponent, are you ready?"
"Heck yeah, I am!" Ash replied, pumping his fist. "Ain't that right Pikachu?"
"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, mimicking Ash's action.
Match 2 – 'Blitz' vs 'Quest.' 868/50.
Giselle raised her brow at the sight of the odds posted next to Ash's match. She looked up in thought, unable to recall if she had ever seen odds worse than these. But it didn't take her much time to realize why this was so.
Jordan 'Blitz' McCormick, was currently undefeated in the circuit with six wins under his belt. Compared to 'Island Pete' who had a negative winning rate, 'Blitz' was a superstar. It was like night and day between Ash's first two opponents. Of course, the betting odds would get significantly worse. Ash was facing someone who belonged in the underground circuit this time.
'Blitz' was a twenty-two-year-old trainer from Violet City, Johto. He featured a Ledian as his partner, and after seeing some footage of him, it was clear to Giselle that he could hold his own against most trainers. He wouldn't be a pushover like 'Island Pete.' Ash mentioned to her that he had watched 'Blitz' the very first time he visited the Hidden Cove, though he couldn't remember most of the battle.
They didn't have much time to work with, so Giselle opted for a plan that matched everything Ash had been doing for the past few months.
An all or nothing gamble.
"We're going to target one move." Giselle stated, causing the duo of Ash and Pikachu to look at her curiously.
"What do you mean?" Ash asked her in return.
"It's a strategy I use when I didn't have a lot of prep time for an opponent," She began. "You're looking for a habit that this trainer has, a move that they tend to fall back on. Your goal is to bait them into using it, and counter it to gain the upper hand."
Ash smirked at the thought, his respect for Giselle rising yet another level. Her mind was truly her most valuable asset! He would've never thought of using a plan like this to make up for a lack of pre-planning.
"So, what am are we going to target?" Ash asked, and Giselle donned a smirk of her own.
"His Ledian knows Agility, so he must be pretty fast," She noted before she sent a wink at Pikachu. "Why don't you show him what real speed is like?"
Ash glanced at Pikachu, and the plan began to unfold right in front of him. Misdirection was the basis for their style. They could pretend Pikachu is slower than he actually is…and then surprise them!
"Oh, hohoho." Ash wore an almost devilish grin as he rubbed his hands together. It was a simple plan, but he had always wanted to try and outwit his opponent. He couldn't wait to see this plan in action.
"Alright Pikachu, now we know what we have to do. Are you ready to win our second match?" Ash asked his partner, and Pikachu responded with a firm nod.
Let's do it!
"Whooo, this place is huge!" Tierno exclaimed as he entered the stands of the Hidden Cove stadium alongside Brock and Serena. Tierno whistled at the sight of it all; the blinding lights, the thousands of fans. It was easy to get drawn into the atmosphere.
Serena nervously trailed her friends as Brock led them to their seats. They were in the front row, as close to the action as you could get, but Serena wasn't too fond of it. She could hardly believe that she had agreed to come to this in the first place, but when she thought of Ash's expression, she knew why she was here.
She came here to make up her mind, and hopefully, this battle would show her what she needed to see.
"So, Ash and Pikachu are really going to battle in front of all these people?" Tierno marveled at the audience as the stands were filled to capacity.
"Yup." Brock responded.
"Does he get nervous or anything? I mean this is a lot of people." Tierno added, and Brock grinned at him.
"I do that for him," Brock pointed out, almost proudly. "He just goes out there and puts on a show for everyone."
Serena fought to keep her focus on their discussion in the off chance they wanted input from her, but her thoughts veered back to some old memories. It was no surprise to her that she drifted back to these thoughts; Ash would always do to this to her, albeit unknowingly. She shook her head and focused on Brock and Tierno once again. They were looking past her, and Serena turned to do the same. Approaching them was a stunning young woman, and Serena quickly glanced at Brock in expectation for one of his pickup lines.
"Hey Giselle," Brock said with a wave, gesturing to the empty seat beside him. Serena stared at him, mouth ajar as this 'Giselle' took a seat beside him, earning no reaction from him whatsoever.
"So, who's this, Brock?" Tierno inquired as he extended a hand toward Giselle.
"This is-" Brock began, but Giselle cut him off.
"I can introduce myself," She interjected, and then she greeted Tierno. "I'm Giselle. I train with Ash and Pikachu during the week, so they gave me a ticket to come to see them this time."
"Oh, so you're a trainer too," Tierno noted and she nodded. "Have you ever battled here?"
"No, I'm not interested in the Hidden Cove right now," She replied with a shrug of her shoulders.
"How come?" Tierno asked.
As Giselle began to answer his question, Serena did her best not to gawk at the young woman. She was very attractive, and Ash spent ample time with her almost every day, training their Pokemon. Serena could picture them sweating under the late afternoon sun, and when it was finally time for a break the two of them would find shelter beneath the shade of a tree, sipping from the same water bottle.
Serena's cheeks reddened and she shook her head furiously, gaining everyone's attention.
"Are you okay Serena?" Tierno asked her, and her whole face grew hot.
"Yeah, I'm fine!" She exclaimed, turning away from the group to hide her face.
"By the way, this is Serena," Brock said since Serena had yet to introduce herself.
Giselle leaned over to shake hands with Serena, although the brunette refused to make eye contact to conceal her blush.
"Are you okay Serena?" Tierno asked in response to her strange behavior.
"I'm okay!" She insisted, and Tierno made a face but left it at that.
"How was Ash doing?" Brock asked Giselle, and she glanced at him.
"You know, you worry about him so much that if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were his mother," Giselle commented and Tierno stifled a laugh. Brock pursed his lips and looked at her expectantly. "He's doing fine. You should know better than anyone, except maybe Pikachu."
"I'm just checking. I know he has a lot riding on this match." Brock replied. Giselle gave a thoughtful nod since she knew Ash had put all of his money on this one battle. This was his sink or swim, although even if he won, this was just to stay afloat.
"He's going to do great, there's not much else we can do for him besides cheer him on." Giselle pointed out, and Serena finally found the nerve to take a glance at Giselle.
That statement struck a nerve because…that was what she feared most.
A life where she could only watch Ash from a distance.
But, per Ash's request, she would do that just for tonight.
"Alright ladies and gentleman, we're moving on to the second match of the night!" The MC declared. "So, let's get our two participants out here. Battling in the blue box tonight is a fresh face, only his second match here so give a big cheer for 'Quest!'"
Serena felt her heart leap into her throat the sight of Ash running onto the battlefield with Pikachu mounted on his shoulder. Unlike the two trainers from the previous match, Ash didn't wave to the audience at all as he entered his box. His focus was solely on the battlefield.
"And now for his opponent, we've got a young hotshot with an undefeated record, show some love for 'Blitz!'" The MC hollered, and Ash's opponent stepped out of the opposite tunnel, one arm raised as an appeal to the audience. The crowd roared for him, and both Tierno and Serena were shocked that the crowd responded to him so readily. "I'll hand things over to the referee from here, enjoy the show folks!"
"Let's go, Ash!" Tierno stood up and hollered, waving his arms in an attempt to get Ash's attention. His gesture went unnoticed, as Ash was called to the center of the field by the referee, along with his opponent.
The referee quickly went through the rules and regulations, and the trainers shook hands. They returned to their boxes and the referee made one last check.
"Trainers, your Pokemon." The ref stated with a gesture toward the field. Ash nodded toward Pikachu, and his partner jumped down to the field to take his position. Pikachu stamped his front paws twice, eager for his opponent to join him on the field. Jordan raised his brow at Pikachu's enthusiasm, and hurled his Pokeball into the air where it split, releasing his Pokemon.
Ledian landed on the ground, shaking his head a bit before his eyes became locked on Pikachu. He raised each of his four hands with a shout for battle and looked toward the referee for the signal to begin.
"Let the contest begin!" He hollered, swinging a flag upward.
"Ledian, let's start off with your Comet Punch!" Jordan commanded, and Ledian raised his wings, lifting off from the field. With astonishing speed, he zipped across the battleground, and Pikachu glanced back at Ash for a split second. During this brief pause in time, Ash and Pikachu shared a mutual nod as they exchanged their game plan one more time.
Slow down a little.
Pikachu looked back toward Ledian and tensed his limbs in anticipation for the attack. As he observed the beginning of Ledian's assault, Ash wondered what it was like to command four arms simultaneously. Pikachu skipped backward, performing a few acrobatics in an effort to keep some distance from Ledian, but his attacker was relentless. Not to mention Ledian was clearly a master of aerial mobility as well. The instant Pikachu created some space for them, Ledian would close the gap and unleash a torrent of blows.
"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed after taking a glancing blow to his side. It was enough to freeze his movements for a moment, and Ledian capitalized on this. Pikachu was struck five times, the final blow sending him skidding back toward Ash.
Jordan smirked at this as he pumped his fist. They had the advantage in speed, and that alone would secure their victory.
"Let's really lay it on them now Ledian! Mach Punch!" Jordan declared energetically. Ledian's wings began became a blur as his speed was heightened to a point for the attack. He burst forward, slicing through the air toward Pikachu with two of his hands cocked back.
Pikachu ate a dual punch to the face, that sent him tumbling across the field. Using the momentum, Pikachu began to roll and set himself back on his feet just in time to meet with another Mach Punch from Ledian who began to chain these attacks together, beating away at Pikachu.
"Ash, what are you doing?!" Brock screamed, leaning over the banister in front of the stands. Giselle and Tierno grabbed Brock by the back of his shirt to prevent him from falling over onto the field.
"Brock, relax a bit, the battle is just getting started." Giselle hissed at him. She glanced at the other members of the audience around them as they stared at Brock's outburst.
Being forcibly returned to his seat, Brock aimed a narrow glare at Giselle that was filled with skepticism. Giselle had said one too many times that Ash and Pikachu wouldn't have any trouble battling the trainers at the bottom of the circuit rankings, yet this Ledian seemed to outclass Pikachu in his strongest category. Brock concluded that either Ash was following a thinly veiled plan, or 'Blitz' was another hotshot trainer in the making.
"Is Ledian really that fast, or is Pikachu moving really slow?" Brock asked Giselle who immediately shifted her gaze back to the field.
"What are you talking about?" Tierno asked curiously.
"Well?" Brock pressed, but Giselle didn't answer. She folded one leg over the other and made a gesture toward the battlefield. Brock exhaled and returned his gaze to the field where Pikachu could be seen with his teeth visibly grit as he fought to put some distance between himself and Ledian.
"Come on Ledian, let's go!" Jordan shouted as he threw out a punch. Ledian rushed at Pikachu again, his right hands pulled back to give Pikachu a double haymaker that he would remember.
"Double Team!"
Ledian could see Pikachu begin to flicker before he drove his fists into the electric Pokemon, but Ledian phased right through the after-image Pikachu had left behind. Jordan raised his brow, glad to see that Pikachu could still turn it up a notch. The battle wouldn't be interesting if Pikachu couldn't hold his own against Ledian's speed.
"Ledian, use your Agility and chase Pikachu down with Mach Punch!" Jordan ordered as he saw five after-images of Pikachu appear on the field. Ledian gave a shout as his wings became a blur, vibrating faster than the eye could see. With his speed now at its apex, Ledian went on the hunt. As a red blur, Ledian darted across the field, covering the distance from one after-image to the next at an astonishing pace.
Brock's eyes widened as he saw that Ledian was actually eliminating Pikachu's after-images faster than he could make them. It was only a matter of time before Ledian landed an attack that would shatter Double Team, and with all the momentum he was moving with, it was sure to be a bone-shattering blow.
"Pika!" Pikachu said as he leaped away from Ledian, his last after-image now nothing more than an after-thought. Ledian tracked down where Pikachu had moved to, and turned to close the gap between them for what might be the final time. Ledian went all in, unleashing a flurry of punches, but Pikachu barely managed to escape.
"Go Ledian!" Jordan said now that he had seen how close Ledian had come. If they caught Pikachu in a high-velocity Mach Punch, they could chain it into Comet Punch and the battle would be over from there. Ledian burst forward again, becoming a blur as he approached Pikachu's latest position, but again Pikachu got away by the skin of his teeth. "Keep going Ledian, you almost have him!"
Ledian took off again, but as he drew close to Pikachu, he caught sight of the faint smile that Pikachu had been wearing all this time. Time slowed as Ledian entered his striking range, even as Pikachu attempted to backpedal to stay away. Ledian didn't let this opportunity pass as he lashed out with a number of blows at his opponent, but he whiffed on every single one.
How was this possible? Ledian didn't have any trouble getting close, so how was Pikachu still able to dodge his attacks with such ease? All his attacks had been landing earlier in the battle, and yet the combination of Agility and Mach Punch couldn't keep up with Pikachu.
"I knew it!" Brock exclaimed as he turned to Giselle. "Pikachu was moving slowly on purpose!"
"Bout' time you caught on." Giselle noted.
Brock couldn't believe that it took him this long to notice. This was something that he had taught Ash and Pikachu – how to accelerate and decelerate. Pikachu had been dictating what hits he would take right from the beginning of the battle, and Ledian played right into this. Even as Ledian raised his speed to its highest point, Pikachu had never lost control of the battle.
"Holy crap," Brock muttered in a whisper. Ash had beaten 'Island Pete' easily, but Brock could hardly believe Ash was this much better than these trainers. No wonder Giselle pushed him to challenge Brawly, Ash could've pulled it off. Brock beamed as he jumped to his feet, pumping his fist for Ash. "Go, Ash, let em' have it!"
Down on the field, Ash smirked as he readjusted his hat. A sense of dread fell over Jordan as the reality of this battle set in.
He could see it now as Ledian failed to strike Pikachu yet again. Pikachu wasn't the one struggling all this time, it had always been Ledian. Even at his highest speed, Ledian couldn't land a clean attack on Pikachu. They were outmatched.
Ash felt his chest swell now that he had seen everything needed. Jordan fell for their little ploy, and everything went according to plan. They had forced out Ledian's top speed which provided Ash with time to make a comparison to Pikachu's speed. The evidence was clear. Pikachu was far faster.
"Alright Pikachu, it's our turn to attack." Ash stated, and Jordan felt a chill run down his spine.
This whole time he thought that he had Ash and Pikachu backed into a corner, pressuring them to the point where they could only defend. If they had merely been searching for the best opportunity to initiate their offense, then Jordan knew that this battle would quickly take a turn for the worse.
"Ledian, keep your distance!" Jordan ordered preemptively, and Ledian halted his attack. He looked upward and raced into the air, but Pikachu expected as much and met him halfway. Ledian gasped as he was greeted by Pikachu's tail which sent him back down to the field. Despite the unexpected attack, Ledian recovered quick enough to avoid crashing into the ground, and he rushed off to stay away from Pikachu.
As Ledian zipped across the field, he saw a sight that filled him with respect for his opponent, and fear for what he was about to face. Pikachu was running alongside him on his hind legs...and he was backpedaling! They shared a glance, and Pikachu smiled faintly before he turned forward, and Ledian's eyes widened as Pikachu went on to demonstrate his own Agility.
Ledian was struck six times in a fraction of a second, the blows leaving him stunned in place. Jordan was in awe as he watched Pikachu sprint around the field; his eyes could barely track the movements of the small Pokemon. When he had watched the footage of Ash and Pikachu's first match, Jordan concluded that Pikachu's top speed was something that could only be used in short bursts. But Pikachu's endurance was well developed.
His highest speed was something that could be used throughout a battle!
Jordan looked across the field at Ash, and he saw him take the visor of his cap and turn it backward, beaming as he did so. Ash pumped his fist and gave his first command of the battle with such an earnest form of excitement that Jordan couldn't help but smile.
"Let's go Pikachu! Use Quick Attack!"
Jordan couldn't help but feel foolish. He had been one of many trainers to request a match with Ash based on the testimony Brawly had given concerning Ash's ability as a trainer. It was a poor choice in hindsight of it all. Not because he had just been thrashed by Ash…but because he had become an opportunist. His focus during this battle was to obtain an easy win and a significant payout. He didn't even prepare for his battle with Ash, or view him as a threat. Jordan should've known better than that! He had been the underdog on more than one occasions since he debuted in the circuit. He…He had forgotten the spirit of Pokemon battles for this contest.
If he had prepared in advance, and focused on Ledian like he was supposed to, he would've seen through Ash's plan to disguise Pikachu's true speed sooner. With a glance at Ash, Jordan knew that he had been focused solely on his Pikachu throughout this match, and he had absolute trust in his partner's ability to avoid any significant damage and follow through with their plan.
"Ledian, get as high as you can! Pikachu can't reach you in the air!" Jordan exclaimed, pointing toward the open space above the field. Ledian nodded, and surged up into the air but once again, Pikachu impeded his path to the free space, and slammed him back down to the field. "Geez, man!"
Thankfully, Jordan did get a piece of information out of that short exchange, and it explained how Pikachu could get so high into the air. He was using his tail as a catapult to reach some truly astonishing heights, getting in the air wasn't going to be easy as it should've been for Ledian.
"Leee!" Ledian was struck three more times by Pikachu's Quick Attack, and Jordan knew that staying on the ground was out the question.
They only had one option left.
Ledian grunted as he got back onto his feet, sending a nod of acknowledgment toward Pikachu. Jordan did the same for Ash, causing the young trainer to put on a cheeky grin. Ash and Pikachu had demanded their respect, and their opponents knew now that this duo was deserving of it.
However, Jordan had no intention of rolling over for Ash.
Jordan exhaled, and Ledian mirrored the actions of his trainer. There was an exchange of words between them, and a brief nod marked the end of their discussion as they agreed on the plan.
"Ledian, get in the air again, with Supersonic!" Jordan commanded, and Ash raised his brow at the call for this attack. Was this something new that they had added to their arsenal? Ledian spread his wings, and he silently shut up into the air.
Ash eyed Ledian curiously, unable to detect anything with his eyes that was out of the ordinary. So, he nodded, and Pikachu moved to intercept Ledian's course. Pikachu launched himself using his tail, and he greeted Ledian in the air where he spun to land another tail strike. As the two Pokemon grew close, Pikachu was hit by a sudden dizziness that hampered his attempt to strike down Ledian who caught Pikachu and hurled him down to the field.
"Pi-pika!" Pikachu groaned after his impact with the field. The vertigo he was experiencing left him unable to reorient himself in the air, and his landing was much harder than it needed to be.
Up in the stands, Giselle straightened up in her seat. Supersonic was unexpected, and clearly something that Ledian had just learned. With enough practice Ledian should have been able to launch this sound-based attack at Pikachu, inflicting a powerful vertigo that could immobilize him. But Ledian hadn't reached this point yet, only being able to produce these sound waves with an area of effect around himself. Of course, this still proved to be valuable, since Pikachu needed to get close in order to land any attacks.
"How are you going to deal with this, Ash?" Giselle asked herself softly.
"Pikachu, are you okay?" Ash asked his Pokemon as Pikachu got back onto his feet, wobbling slightly.
"Pika!" Pikachu called in return, shaking off the dizziness.
"What happened up there?"
Pikachu tapped at his ears, and this gesture seemed to silence the audience as Ash looked up at Ledian. That faint buzzing that he heard from Ledian's wings throughout the battle…it was gone now.
"So Supersonic is some kind of sound attack…" Ash noted as he stared up at Ledian. "Are you affected by it down here?"
Pikachu shook his head.
"So, then it's like some sort of defense," Ash concluded as he studied Ledian. It was a great way to deny Pikachu's close-range combat, not to mention Ledian was well beyond Pikachu's reach now. But Ash and Pikachu did have a long-range option. "Well if they don't want us to get close, we'll take them out a different way Pikachu! Use Charge!"
"Pika, pika, pika!" Pikachu cried out as his body became cloaked in an electrical field. It was as if Pikachu had been struck by lightning, and Jordan knew what was going to follow.
"Get ready to dodge Ledian!" He called out, and Ledian nodded as the electrical field around Pikachu dissipated. Pikachu wore a giddy smile as his cheeks crackled.
"Thunderbolt!"
Many people in the audience shielded their eyes as the field flashed yellow. The bolt of lightning pierced through the air, exiting the open stadium where it crashed into the ceiling of the cave, shattering a portion of it. Rocks of all different shapes and sizes came plummeting down onto the field. Ledian had barely managed to avoid the attack, and Ash knew with just one attempt that Pikachu wouldn't be able to land a Thunderbolt from this distance. But a new pathway had opened up for them.
Whether Pikachu intended to destroy a piece of the ceiling or not, it gave them one opportunity. The falling chunks of rock had taken Ledian's attention as he moved swiftly to avoid being hit, but this would also provide Pikachu with a way to get closer for another Thunderbolt. If they missed again Pikachu would have to use Charge once more, and Jordan would definitely use that time to attack.
"Pikachu, jump on the rocks!" Ash ordered quickly, and Pikachu took off to begin his ascent. He bounded from one rock to another, climbing higher and higher until he was within range of his airborne opponent.
"Ledian, look out!" Jordan barked, but Ledian's focus was split. His efforts to avoid being hit by the rocks forced him to abandon tracking Pikachu's location, and by the time he spotted the electric Pokemon, Pikachu was already poised to unleash another bolt of lightning.
"GO!" Ash shouted. Gasps could be heard throughout the audience at the sight of the two Pokemon over the field, and as Pikachu shouted, they disappeared within another yellow flash. A blackened Ledian came crashing down to the field where he laid motionless. Pikachu landed on his feet, and Ash threw his fist in the air proudly.
"That was awesome, Pikachu!"
There were cheers from the audience in anticipation as the referee stepped onto the field, approaching Ledian. His inspection was brief, and he raised the blue flag.
"Ledian is unable to battle, Pikachu is the victor!" The referee declared, and the cheers intensified tenfold. Serena sat startled in her seat at the fervor with which the audience applauded.
"Yeah!" Brock and Tierno roared as they jumped to their feet. The two turned to face each other and bumped chests, getting caught up in the moment as the energy from the audience reached its peak.
"Oh man, that match was awesome!"
"I remember that kid from last week, he looked even better in this battle."
"Yeah, his Pikachu is no slouch on the field."
"Dude, that Pikachu is so quick. I could barely follow his movements!"
"But the part where his trainer said to jump on the falling rocks, that was crazy!"
"Definitely! I can't wait to see their next match!"
Serena creased her forehead at all of the compliments. The fact that thousands of people had gathered tonight for these battles was…confounding. She found it hard to believe that so many people were fans of Pokemon battles, and that they spent good money to come to watch each weekend. But the proof was all around her.
What was it about these battles that these people loved? What was it that Ash loved? The combat? The flashy moves?
Serena looked back to the field where she saw Ash flexing his biceps with Pikachu standing on one of his arms, mimicking his actions.
No, it wasn't that.
Watching Ash battle tonight, she began to understand why he trained constantly with Pikachu. The preparation and practice that he put in wasn't just to entertain the crowd, it was because each and every battle came with its own challenges…and Ash Ketchum wasn't the type of guy to back away from a challenge.
Battling played to his strengths and tested his character, his conviction, his determination. And of course, at the end of it all, Ash was left smiling vibrantly, seemingly sparkling under the stadium lights.
Serena knew without a doubt that this was the place where Ash belonged, and there was nothing she could do about it.
"Oh my, did you see his wings just now?"
"I did."
"They were simply gorgeous."
"…That aside, it won't be long now. Soon he'll begin his ascent."
A/N
Oh man, this was a fun chapter from beginning to end, with a few more secrets slipped in. But as I said in my last author's note, there will be more plot movement going forward. I don't want to spoil the next chapter, but I'm really looking forward to posting that one. It should be up within the next two weeks! This is one of those months where I got ahead so I'll be able to update twice for you guys, enjoy!
In reply to some of the questions concerning Ash's team, I understand you all want to see him with more Pokemon, but we're not there yet. I don't want to give out spoilers, but I will say that it'll just be Pikachu for the time being. Pikachu has hardly been developed so far, and I have plans for him in the future so my apologies if you want his team to grow right away. It's not going to happen for the time being. There are plans for him to add more team members, but as I said before, in the future.
Also, someone pointed out that there has been a distinct lack of Dawn. Have no fear, she will return in the future. When? Well…that's better left unsaid, but believe me, Dawn will be back.
My thanks goes out to MjrGenMatt and his continued support, and I also send my thanks to those of you who reviewed or gave us a favorite/follow! Don't be shy now, spread some love in my review section, or criticism, whatever your cup of tea is.