A/N

Apologies for the double post, I think, I updated and somehow it didn't accept the new chapter as far as I can tell.

Chapter 27

Once upon a time, Ash Ketchum dreamed of standing beneath the blinding spotlights of an arena, under the gaze of a thousand fans as they cheered wildly for him and Pikachu. With a pinch of his forearm, reality set in…the reality he was really was living his dream!

With a glance around the stadium, Ash had to shield his eyes with the visor of his cap. Many people were on their feet as they applauded his performance.

It was surreal.

His dream…a place where Pokemon were not only accepted but valued, cherished, appreciated. He was actually here, and it was sweeter than any ice cream he ever had. The cherry on top was approaching him - a fellow trainer.

Jordan 'Blitz' McCormick returned his beaten Ledian to his Pokeball and crossed the field to speak with Ash and Pikachu. His greeting was a handshake, which became a one-armed hug as he pulled Ash into an embrace. Ash relaxed into the hug and returned it, earning a few cheers for the show of sportsmanship.

Jordan and Ash shared a few words before the referee approached them. He informed the two trainers that the next match would be starting soon, and they would have to vacate the field. They complied and went their separate ways.

As Ash left the battlefield, he glanced over his shoulder once more. The question of his priorities surfaced in his mind, and he hardly needed to think about his answer.

With his faithful partner on his shoulder, his trusted cap on his head, and a fire in his heart, Ash knew that this…felt right.

This is where he wanted to be.

"There he is!" Brock exclaimed, clapping his hands together at the sight of Ash entering the main lobby.

"The man of the hour!" Tierno added as he and Brock rushed at Ash. They began to jostle him as they ignored his halfhearted protests, showering him and Pikachu with praise. Serena watched them from a distance, giggling at how childish they were being.

"That was amazing, Ash!" Brock said as Pikachu jumped to his shoulder, his chin raised high. "I didn't forget about you, Pikachu. I saw you out there too!"

"Pi-ka!" Pikachu said proudly.

"Hey, where's Giselle?" Ash inquired, unable to find the final member of their group.

"Uh, we left her at the betting booth actually," Brock replied with a nod toward the opposite corridor. "She made a bet on your match, and now she's using the winnings to bet on the other matches tonight."

Ash pursed his lips with a raised brow. With Giselle's analytical ability, she could dissect every matchup tonight and determine the winner with relative ease. Ash knew, without a doubt, that she would be walking away with a sizeable sum of money tonight.

"And that reminds me, here are your winnings dude!" Brock said cheerily as he dug into his back pocket to retrieve an envelope. He gifted the item to Ash and watched as his friend's expression morphed into that of a giddy child on the first day of summer vacation. Tucked neatly into this envelope was twenty-nine hundred dollars!

"Nice! I can't thank you enough Brock-o!" Ash exclaimed with a grateful smile.

According to the rules and regulations, Ash was not only too young to place bets on these battles but as a trainer, he wasn't allowed to bet on any battle if he was participating that night. Thankfully, Brock volunteered to place Ash's bet, and he contributed a little money of his own as well.

Ash thumbed through the stack of bills he held, and a sigh escaped his lips. Tierno and Brock eyed him closely, spotting the faint smile he wore.

"Feeling pretty good now, huh?" Tierno asked him with a pat on the back.

Ash's smile grew with his sense of relief. He and the girls would survive another week.

"You have no idea."

It was then that Serena joined them, and made a request to speak with Ash privately. As they left the lobby to speak the connecting corridor, Tierno, Brock, and Pikachu refrained from making comments and shared a glance. Serena led Ash into the corridor, just far enough to ensure that their discussion wasn't overhead. She had spent the last several minutes picking her words carefully because…she had to make a confession to Ash.

They stood in silence, backs against the wall. Ash watched Serena intently, and seeing that her gaze was locked to her feet, he took the initiative.

"So, uh, what did you want to talk about, Serena?" Ash asked her, and her head snapped upward.

"I'm sorry," She began sheepishly as she forced a smile for him, "I'm trying to figure out how I should start this…"

"It's no problem, take all the time you need," He replied, but he shot her a grin before adding, "But you don't need to stress over it. I hardly ever say things right with you the first time. Just start talking and we'll work it out as you go."

Serena couldn't help but snort at Ash's sentiment. She really did appreciate his compassion; it would always leave her feeling refreshed. Ash may not have been the best at communicating his thoughts, but he wasn't shy about saying what was on his mind, or making mistakes as he spoke. This openness is what pushed so many people, Serena included, to speak freely with him.

"Yeah, you're right, Ash," She said with a nod. She shook off her qualms, exhaling as she did so, and proceeded forward with the discussion. "You see, I want to give you an apology."

"An apology? For what?" Ash inquired as he tilted his head.

"For…everything," She noted softly. "It feels like every time we really get to talk, I only pester you about Pokemon and all of that."

"Well, I never really thought of you as a pest, if that helps." Ash said with a chuckle, scratching at his cheek. Serena smiled weakly in reply.

"No, it doesn't," She answered honestly, grasping at the fabric of her shirt. "I haven't been fair to you Ash, in fact…I've never been fair to you."

Ash swallowed his response as he observed Serena intently. She was fussing with her shirt, unable to make eye contact, and biting down on her lower lip. He had seen this before – during their breakup. Wherever this conversation was headed, he knew now was his time to remain silent.

"You've always had this dream, and it was something that I didn't understand. Or at least, that's what I told you," She admitted, her gaze downcast. "But the truth is that I've always understood your dream about Pokemon because…my dad had the same one."

Ash creased his forehead at the mention of Serena's father. The man was nonexistent, as far as he knew, so Ash had assumed there was no longer a relationship between them.

"I've told you before, I used to live in Kalos with my parents when they were still together," Serena began, and her fidgeting came to a stop as she retold her tale, "In Kalos, having a Pokemon is like…almost normal. My neighbors had Pokemon, and my parents had two of them, actually. My mom had this little bird called Fletchling, and she would wake me up in the morning."

Serena smiled warmly at the thoughts of her early childhood and the routine of being woken up by the small, and often twitchy Pokemon. Her forehead throbbed at the memory of Fletching pecking at her in the mornings, but Serena brushed it away with her fingertips.

"And my dad got this Pokemon one day, she was called a Rhyhorn and," Serena needed a moment to laugh at her first memory of the horned Pokemon. She was only three at the time, so of course, she came to the conclusion that Rhyhorn was only stony in appearance. In an attempt to hug the Pokemon, Serena discovered that her rocky hide was more than just for show. Serena burst into tears after scraping her arms against the rugged exterior of the Pokemon, but Rhyhorn was the first to respond licking at Serena's small wounds to calm her down. "Rhyhorn was…she was just the sweetest thing."

Ash fought to suppress a smile, admiring Serena's tenderness as she spoke about these Pokemon. Clearly, they had forged a deep friendship with Serena in her youth, and there was no better time to get to know a Pokemon.

"We all loved her, and she loved us," Serena went on. "My dad got her because he heard about something called a Rhyhorn race that was starting up at the time. So, he started to practice with her, all day, every day."

Serena finally looked up at Ash, and he straightened up in response. She opened her mouth to make a verbal comparison between Ash and her father. The two of them were so alike that it was almost uncanny.

"One day, I'm going to be the greatest to ever…!"

"I'd never seen him so happy." Serena noted, averting her gaze from Ash's, "And he finally got his big break in Cyllage City. We lived in Vaniville Town at the time, so he had to travel across Kalos to participate in the races. He would be gone for months at a time during racing season, and it was hard for me and my mom to get used to that."

Ash frowned deeply. This story sounded awfully familiar, practically mirroring his father's love for Pokemon and the ensuing journey that he went on.

Serena tilted her head back and heaved out a sigh. Years after these events, this story still took its toll on her. But today, it seemed especially weighty. She took a calming breath and forced her gaze back to Ash.

"Once my dad got in, he got to start practicing with professionals. It was a full-time commitment, so he could only come home during the offseason. He said that with all the extra practice they were getting, they would be winning races in no time." She explained, nodding slowly. "And it was just like he said. They started winning in their second season…"

Serena could remember her gleeful exhilaration when she saw her father and Rhyhorn finish in first place on TV.

"Look, mom, he did it! He won, he won!" She leaped for joy as she pointed at their television.

She had never been more proud of her father.

But if she had been more observant that day, she might have noticed that her mother was silent, despite her father's success. Maybe she would've seen that her mother was tugging on the edge of her apron anxiously, and the tightness in her jaw. Perhaps if she had taken note of all of this, she would've realized the questions of her mother's mind, and her unease about what would follow her father's first victory.

"Once he started winning, everything changed. He would be home even less during the offseason, because of promotions and stuff. I hardly saw him after that. He wasn't there when I started kindergarten or first grade," She looked down, "Mom wasn't happy about it…I could tell she missed him a whole lot."

Her father found great success as a Rhyhorn racer. Their life was more comfortable than ever, but even as they lived a more immaculate life, the relationship between them became strained. Her father attempted to temper the situation with gifts. Flower and chocolates came in the mail all the time, but a video call once a week wouldn't suffice for Serena's mother.

Their once playful discussions became filled with questions of when he would find some time to come home, and only broken promises followed. Yet, despite all of this, her father was always smiling. A smile that went from ear to ear because he was following his dream.

"And then we didn't hear from him for a while. He told us that the racer's association or whatever they were called was interested in adding a new Pokemon to these races," Serena went on, and the change in her tone caused Ash frown once again. "It was a Pokemon called Mamoswine. They wanted to use bigger Pokemon to broaden their viewership. My dad was among the first to transition to these Pokemon, and he did alright. He called us to show how big Mamoswine was and…"

Serena shook her head and gulped as she did so. There was a lump in her throat that threatened to snatch her voice away.

"…Then one day, we got a call from his manager. There was a training accident and," Serena shut her eyes and drew in another breath, "He was trampled to death."

The funeral arrangements happened quickly. Friends, neighbors, and colleagues came to give their condolences at the viewing, but such expressions did little to comfort her mother. Her heart was broken, though Serena didn't really understand it until Grace was given an opportunity to say her last words.

Serena witnessed her mother's breakdown. Grace didn't hold back anything as she spoke through her sobs, not that her husband could reply. But there was one point that resonated with Serena to this very day, a comment Grace made about her own intuition.

"I don't know why I didn't trust what I was feeling…" Grace muttered as she stood alongside the casket, her knuckles turning white as she tightly grasped the edge of the case. "Something about it all never felt right to me. I wish I had spoken up and talked you out of it. You might still be here with me…"

She blinked back her tears as she raised her head to meet Ash's gaze again.

"I've always understood your dream Ash," She explained, taking a moment to sniffle before she proceeded. "But after what happened to my dad, I couldn't bear the thought of something happening to you…I've been selfish all this time because I didn't want you to love Pokemon, I-I didn't want to see anything to you because of them."

"Serena, you haven't been selfish at all." Ash interjected as he reached out toward her. In response, she took a step back and shook her head with her lips sucked in. She wasn't finished yet.

"I've been horrible to you Ash, and you don't even know. I threatened Brock, and then there was that huge fight we had…" She confessed, beginning to choke on her words. "And I came here tonight hoping you would fail…and give up on all of this."

Ash paused, and a frown took shape on his face as he lowered his arm.

"I'm…I'm sorry that I couldn't appreciate what you've been working toward. When I saw you tonight, I realized there's no use fighting it anymore," She hiccupped, holding fistfuls of her shirt. Her head dropped as she proceeded, "You look just like my dad when he was with Rhyhorn…as happy as could be…and I know now that I have no right to try and deny you that. But I…I was so scared of losing you that I was willing to forgo your happiness."

"You can stop right there Serena…" Ash said softly, and he took a step past her. Even with her vision blurred by her tears, she could see Ash's feet shuffle past her as he left, heading back to the main lobby.

Serena could only shut her eyes tightly and lean against the wall, letting a sob escape her lips.

She assumed that if she spoke up, she could attain what her mother had lost. But in the end, she would end up just like her mother.

As much as Serena may have opposed the idea, she did have a lot in common with her mother. They both fell in love with men who loved Pokemon, and both of them had no choice but to watch these men chase their dreams from afar.

Serena wrapped herself in her arms, and her knees gave out beneath her as she slid down to her bottom.

Serena knew that she couldn't settle for this, and she lost Ash as a result.

"Here, Serena."

It was Ash's voice, and she lifted her head in shock. She thought that he had left her for good.

"Wha-Why did you come back, Ash?" She asked as he kneeled down beside her, extending a handful of tissues toward her.

"I went to get you some tissues." He stated as if it were obvious.

She could only start at him, mouth agape.

"But I thought that…you left," Serena couldn't even form a sentence, and Ash furrowed his brow at her.

"What kind of friend would leave you when you're crying?" He asked in return. Serena didn't even know what to say at this point, so she began to dab at her eyes to clean herself up a little. "You're not the first person to take a stab at my dream Serena; almost everyone I know has had a problem with it at some point. But I've never thought any less of those people, and that includes you."

Serena relaxed at the sincerity in his voice.

"We're all going to disagree on something, but there's no need to make a big deal out of it. It's all a part of being human," He reasoned with her as he sat down beside her, offering his shoulder for her to lean against. "I think I owe you an apology for the argument we had. I said some things that were outta line too."

"I know you're better than that Serena...You never let people tell you what you should think, so why are you letting them tell you how you should look at me?"

"Believe me, I don't think it's possible for me to think any less of you, Serena, even though I know it's hard for you to accept what I'm trying to do. It's always bothered me knowing that I have all of the guys worried about me all the time," Ash admitted as he lifted his arm and encircled Serena within it. "I know things didn't work out for your dad, but I can promise you that I'll always be alright Serena. I have the greatest friends in the world backing me, so you've got nothing to worry about. I'm not going to leave you…that's a promise."

Unlike the promise they had made to see the ball drop together one day, Ash was certain about this one. Serena glanced up at his face, and she could see it in his eyes. Then he lowered his head to place a kiss on the side of her head. An action to reaffirm his promise.

He wouldn't break it.

Serena relaxed into his embrace and whispered a thanks to him.

The two of them remained in the corridor until Serena had recomposed herself, but just as they were about to rejoin their friends in the lobby, they heard some shouts.

"I said to move it, fat ass!" An unfamiliar voice snapped with ire.

"And who the hell made you queen of the lobby?!" Tierno barked in return.

Ash and Serena looked at each other, and quickly returned to the lobby where they found their friends locked in a stare down with a ginger-haired young man. All of them were unyielding, refusing to give any ground to the other party.

"Look, man, there's a whole room that you can walk through!" Tierno pointed out, motioning to the room around them. They were located near the entrance of the lobby, but the unnamed man continued to insist on walking where Brock, Tierno, and Pikachu stood. His gaze narrowed, and rather than respond to Tierno, he pushed right through him and Brock. Tierno didn't take too kindly to this, so he reached out and grabbed him by the collar of his sleeveless jacket. As Tierno yanked at him, there was a loud pop and suddenly a formless white being was in between them.

Before Tierno could react, his outstretched arm was suddenly in the grasp of a red-furred Pokemon featuring a gaze so sharp that it could cut the newly added tension in the room. Tierno's wrist was bent backward by the sizeable paw of the Pokemon, and a jolt of pain flashed up his arm. Tierno gasped, releasing the trainer as he fell down to one knee.

"Dude, what the hell is your problem!? Call back your Pokemon!" Brock shouted at him, and the escalating altercation now earned the attention of the receptionist in the lobby.

Pikachu jumped to the floor, shouting for the Pokemon to release Tierno. It snarled in response at Pikachu, whose cheeks began to crackle as a warning.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Ash hollered as he and Serena stepped into the path of the trainer, causing him to send a glare in their direction.

"What's it to you?" He asked dismissively.

"You're hurting one of my friends," Ash stated vehemently, sporting a glare of his own as stepped toward the young man. They were face to face with deathly glares. "If anything happens to him, you'll be dealing with me and Pikachu."

"Pika, pi-ka!" Pikachu added, stomping his front paws. The trainer eyed Pikachu for a moment, and then he sneered at them.

"You think that little thing can handle Lycanroc?" He asked incredulously with a few scornful laughs. "It's obvious you have no idea who you're messing with right now."

"No, you have no idea who you're messing with!" Brock proclaimed as he pushed up the sleeve of his shirt.

"Look, this is your last chance," The trainer warned them as he looked toward his Lycanroc. "Back off, before someone gets hurt."

The warning was a cue for Lycanroc, who tightened his grasp on Tierno's wrist. Tierno gave out several pained gasps, and Serena took a tentative step back from the group. Ash was seething, his hands visibly clenched to the point that they were trembling, and a vein bulged from the side of his head.

The trainer looked back toward Ash expectantly, and Ash felt an unmistakable chill as their gaze met. It was as if he was being hit by gale force winds that threatened to sweep him off his feet. How could such…malice come from another person?

"Hold up!" A new voice commanded, and all eyes turned to one of the connecting corridors. Giselle stood in the entrance, and she wasted no time approaching the group. "Do as he says, back off."

"You can't be serious." Ash muttered as he returned his stare to the young man and his Lycanroc.

"I am, just let him go already, we don't want a fight here." Giselle said which caused the trainer to smirk.

"At least one of you has a brain." He commented and gave a nod to his Lycanroc. Tierno was released, and he fell back to his bottom, clutching his wrist.

Ash lowered his head, shielding his eyes with the visor of his cap to spare himself from seeing the smirk on the trainer's face. It took all of his willpower to restrain himself. But before the trainer could leave, two pairs of footsteps echoed through the corridors, and a pair of trainers in uniform entered the lobby accompanied by a pair of Pokemon to get the situation under control.

"Alright, call back your Pokemon. You're all coming with us!" They declared.

The group of six was taken to the security office and detained with the small holding cell there.

"You again!" The head of the security department exclaimed at the sight of Brock. He could only scratch the back of his neck nervously as he remembered the warning that he had received last week. He had already been apprehended at the Hidden Cove, and somehow, he found a way to end up here again the very next week.

Within a few minutes of their arrival, Charles Goodshow arrived to pass judgment on them.

"Cross, I don't even want to know what happened." Charles stated with a gesture for the young man to stand up. Cross merely shrugged his shoulder as the security officer unlocked the cell, allowing him to leave the room.

Once Cross had left, Charles entered the cell to speak with the group that remained.

"I don't have all of the details concerning this situation, but I know that you," Charles pointed at Brock, "Have received a warning about your misconduct here already. I don't want to punish your group as a whole, so I'm revoking your tickets for the night. If you wish to see the rest of the battles, you may do so from the main lobby. Just know that the receptionist there will be watching you for any further misbehavior. That will be all.

With that, Charles left them, and the officer made a gesture for them to leave as well.

"I really hope I don't see you in here again, young man." The head of security said to Brock.

"Yeah, me too." He replied weakly before they vacated the room.

Silence set in as the group began their return trip to the lobby where they would hopefully decide what they would do with the rest of their night.

"Cross…I'm pretty sure I've heard that name before." Brock noted out loud to strike up some conversation.

"He's one of the elites of the circuit," Giselle replied, busy with her phone. She had already entered the PokeHub, scanning through it in search of Cross' profile. "Here, you can check him out here."

She gave her phone to Ash, and Brock joined him in reading the information that was available concerning Cross.

Name: Cross

Rank: 19

Title: 'Axel'

Pokemon: Lycanroc

Record: 56 Wins, 1 Loss

"He's been in over fifty matches, how is it that I've barely heard about him?" Brock exclaimed as he looked toward Giselle.

"Cross has been away for a while," She answered. "Most of his matches were from almost a year ago. Going into last spring, he got as high as Rank 6, which gives you the right to challenge any of the Five Kings to a battle."

Giselle had everyone's undivided attention as she provided more depth to the enigma that was Cross.

"He went straight for the top and challenged N, but he got destroyed. That's the one loss on his record," She explained. "After he was beaten, I heard he went off to Alola for some training, and he just recently came back at some point in December. I'm pretty sure he's aiming for a rematch with N."

"No way," Ash mumbled in disbelief. At this stage, Ash still couldn't envision himself battling N, but the fact that Cross wanted to battle N not once, but twice, forced Ash to give him a measure of respect. This respect, however, was short-lived. The image of Lycanroc crushing Tierno's wrist flashed in his mind.

Cross clearly had no intention of stopping his Pokemon, and there was no telling what he might have allowed Lycanroc to do to them if a fight broke out.

Ash couldn't respect a bully.

"Are you alright Tierno?" Ash asked, glancing back at his friend who no longer needed to nurse his wrist.

"Yeah, it only really hurt when that Pokemon was holding my wrist. I'm all good now!" He assured Ash with a grin, but Ash frowned.

"I barely know that guy, but I can't stand him already," Ash muttered as he began to wring his hands. "I mean, what kind of trainer would willingly let their Pokemon hurt somebody?"

"I'll tell you this Ash, he's a pompous ass, that's for sure," Giselle declared as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "But make no mistake, he's a dangerous trainer. For all of the stupid crap he might say or do, he and his Lycanroc are a ruthless combo on the field.

"Who is he going to battle tonight?" Ash asked, looking toward Brock who took out his match schedule.

"Uhh…he's the main event, actually," Brock answered. "He's battling a trainer named Morris, 'the Admiral.'"

"Oh, I've seen Morris battle before, he's a water type specialist." Giselle commented, and Brock gave a nod.

"So, he should have a pretty good shot at taking down that Lycanroc." Brock pointed out, but Giselle wasn't so sure.

"I don't think so. A type advantage doesn't mean all that much against the best trainers." Giselle responded.

"My thoughts exactly." Ash stated as he looked back at Cross' profile picture on his phone. Brock stole a glance at Ash, and he knew the expression on Ash's face. It may have been masked beneath the frown he wore, but his brow was lowered as he studied Cross intently.

He wanted to see Cross and Lycanroc in a battle.

"Ladies and gentleman! I'd like to welcome you all to tonight's main event!" The MC announced, and the stadium lights dimmed. Two spotlights were aimed down at centerfield, and they separated to light each of the entrances to the battlefield. "Let's get straight down to it! In the blue box tonight, this trainer has participated in a grant total of fifty-seven matches, and he only has one loss to show fit, ranked nineteenth in the circuit, 'Axel!'"

Cross stepped out from the tunnel, a sneer on his face as the audience gave calls for a good match to conclude the night.

"And in the red box, with a record of sixty-seven wins, and only two losses, currently ranked fifteenth in the circuit, give a big round of applause to the 'Admiral!'" The MC roared, and a dark-haired man stepped out from the opposite tunnel with a gesture for the audience to raise their voices.

The two trainers met at the center of the battlefield, shook hands and returned to their boxes.

"Trainers, your Pokemon."

A pair of Pokemon took shape on the field, and they wasted no time to size the other up. Cross' Lycanroc threw his head back and howled, his cry echoing through the stadium. Morris' Floatzel was undeterred by Lycanroc's display and chose to bounce on his toes to build a rhythm for the battle.

The referee raised his flag, and the exhilaration from the audience marked the beginning of the contest.

Neither trainer called for an attack, and the stare down between their Pokemon persisted. Rather than work with the energy of the crowd, both trainers waited for a chilling silence to set in throughout the stadium.

"Hey Cross, I heard you were pretty rusty during your last match," Morris spoke with a smirk, and Cross narrowed his gaze. "We'll do you a favor and give you the first attack."

"I hope you don't regret that. Lycanroc, use Crush Claw!" Cross commanded.

Lycanroc bared his claws in a show of hostility, and then rushed forward to reach his opponent. Without needing a command, Floatzel demonstrated some incredible footwork as he expertly avoided Lycanroc's assault with the smallest of movements. Morris only needed to see this short exchange to know that Lycanroc lacked any sort of forethought to his attacks…he was just wild.

"Floatzel, Low Kick!" Morris barked and in the midst of Lycanroc's relentless attack, Floatzel slipped in a blow. He kicked Lycanroc's feet out from under him, and the feral Pokemon hit the ground with a grunt of disdain. From his newfound position on the ground, Lycanroc looked up and saw that Floatzel wore a smirk, one that he was eager to tear from the sea weasel's face.

"Get up Lycanroc!" Cross shouted.

"Double Hit, Floatzel!" Morris called in return. As Lycanroc pushed himself up, he was greeted by Floatzel's tails. One struck his chin and the other followed with a blow to his body that sent him tumbling across the field.

"Lycanroc, get a hold of yourself!" Cross ordered, causing Lycanroc's eyes to snap open. He drove one of his paws into the field to halt his tumble, and he jumped back to his feet as he emitted a low growl, "Now use Crush Claw once more!"

Lycanroc's claws glistened as he rushed off a second time to engage Floatzel. Their second exchange mirrored the first as Floatzel swiftly moved around Lycanroc, ducking and swaying with ease despite the aggression from Lycanroc. Morris used this time to assess the situation, and he sent a questioning glance at Cross.

Floatzel was clearly superior at close range combat. Lycanroc's lack of restraint left him full of openings as he attacked. At first, Morris thought that this was some sort of trap, but he soon came to the conclusion that perhaps Cross really was rusty. After all, Cross had been away from the circuit match environment for quite some time, and it showed. He was just standing there with his hands in his pockets waiting for Lycanroc to land an attack. Morris shrugged, if Cross intended to play right into his hand, then Morris would gladly let him do it.

"Floatzel, give them another Double Hit!"

Floatzel continued his stout defense against the incoming Crush Claw, but as he evaded each blow, he would slam his tail into Lycanroc's body to further irritate the untamed Pokemon. Lycanroc growled angrily after he received another blow to his side, but according to his memory, he had been hit there before which meant…he could trigger this action from Floatzel.

Cross smirked as Lycanroc glared holes into Floatzel, the contempt in his eyes now masking his analytical gaze. Lycanroc lashed out again, a sideswipe followed by an uppercut. Floatzel ducked and spun to dodge these blows, circling around Lycanroc as he did so. From his new position behind Lycanroc, he raised his tails and attacked but his eyes became wide at the result. A clap resounded through the stadium from the impact as Lycanroc caught both of Floatzel's tails with his back turned to his opponent.

In that instant, there were multiple gasps from the crowd, but the battle resumed.

Floatzel's momentary shock was torn from his face as he heard a growl from Lycanroc.

Gotcha.

"Lycanroc, Brick Break!" Cross bellowed. Lycanroc acted quickly, keeping one of Floatzel's tails in his grasp as he turned and delivered a fearsome punch to Floatzel's abdomen. The body of the water Pokemon arched from the blow, gasping as he was forcefully contorted. "Now use Crush Claw!"

Floatzel screamed as Lycanroc attacked mercilessly, his claws shredding through Floatzel's skin. The open wounds burned as Floatzel grit his teeth and slapped away Lycanroc's wrist to stop the next attack. Floatzel followed by parrying away the next blow, and he struck Lycanroc with his knee to bring his attack to an end.

"Nice counter Floatzel, now follow up with Low Kick!" Morris commanded, and Floatzel went on the offensive.

"Fight back with Brick Break!"

Morris creased his brow and blinked as he watched his partner. Rather than avoid them as he had done before, Floatzel was standing flat-footed, trading blows. He had lost his rhythm!

Lycanroc winced from the kick to his left thigh, but a flimsy kick was hardly enough to stop him from returning the favor tenfold. He drilled his paw into Floatzel's side and a dull thud echoed from the impact. Within his body, Floatzel was certain he heard something crack and it left him hunched over in pain. Lycanroc seized the opportunity as he stood over Floatzel, raising his arm to deliver an elbow to Floatzel's back.

"Floatzel!" Morris exclaimed as his partner hit the ground with a roar of pain.

"Now use Throat Chop!" Cross called out.

"Floatzel, get out of there with Aqua Jet!" Morris yelled desperately. He couldn't believe that they had fallen into Lycanroc's tempo so easily, and Floatzel had taken a beating to show for it. Lycanroc, on the other hand, wore a smirk as he seemed to be relishing their brawl.

Lycanroc raised his right paw, the limb engulfed in a menacing dark aura, and he kicked Floatzel to flip him over and expose his target. Lycanroc lunged downward, aiming for the jugular, but a torrent of water forced him away. Floatzel was airborne by the time Lycanroc had shaken the water from his face, and the water Pokemon put a great deal of distance between them to waiting for his next set of orders.

Morris eyed Lycanroc cautiously. Even though Floatzel was the more refined of the two when it came to close-quarters combat, Lycanroc was winning the duel. Morris pursed his lips and decided that they would avoid fighting at close range for the time being until he could identify the problem there. Besides, he still had a number of options at his disposal.

"You're the faster Pokemon, Floatzel, let's take advantage of that! Use Rain Dance!" Morris shouted as he pointed to the open roof of the stadium. Floatzel let out a howl of his own, commanding to the weather to do his bidding. Whispers filled the audience at the sight of dark rain clouds forming over the battlefield, and to their astonishment, it began to rain within the Hidden Cove.

"Now get em' with Aqua Jet!"

Cross' eyes widened as Floatzel came crashing into Lycanroc almost instantly. There was a fraction of a second for him to react, lifting his arms to take the brunt of the attack. The collision threw Lycanroc off his feet, and Floatzel pursued with a deluge of water surrounding him.

"Swift Swim…" Cross muttered as he watched Floatzel moving at his top speed.

It was an impressive display, but nothing special. Lycanroc had time to brace himself for each hit, and Cross was more than capable of tracking Floatzel's movements with his eyes. However, Lycanroc was still taking a beating from this combination, and there was nothing to be gained from taking the constant damage. They would have to wait it out.

"Lycanroc, shield yourself with Rock Tomb!" Cross shouted, and Lycanroc obeyed. He drove his paws into the field, which caused the ground to shake. Several large pieces of earth shot out of the ground to establish a tight, almost impenetrable barrier around Lycanroc.

"Holing yourself up isn't going to work against us!" Morris declared as he pointed at Lycanroc's defense. "Break it with Hydro Pump!"

Floatzel came down to the field and opened his mouth to unleash a massive jet of pressurized water toward the Rock Tomb. Under the effects of Rain Dance, Morris was certain that an enhanced Hydro Pump could pierce through the slabs of rock that protected Lycanroc. Thanks to the angle of the attack, Cross was in a position where he could see that Lycanroc's defense was faltering. The pressure from the Hydro Pump weakened the front of the Rock Tomb, and it threatened to crumble away.

"Lycanroc, reinforce it with Stone Edge!" Cross called out, the command coming just in time. As the shield in front of Lycanroc shattered, a blue pillar rose in its place. Unlike the Rock Tomb, the new pillars of earth were reinforced and far more capable of withstanding the power from Floatzel's Hydro Pump.

Morris wrinkled his nose with a frown as the Stone Edge uprooted the remains of the Rock Tomb, sealing off Lycanroc within. They would need even more power if they were going to break through Lycanroc's defense before Rain Dance ended.

"Alright Floatzel, we're digging into our bag of tricks now," Morris said as he crossed his arms in front of him. "I want you to combine Aqua Jet and Razor Wind!"

Cross raised his brow at the command, doubtful of what it could achieve. If a boosted Hydro Pump couldn't break through Stone Edge, he knew there was no chance a combination of two weaker attacks could pull it off.

Floatzel mimicked the stance of his trainer, and the blue fins that were attached to his forearms began to glow white. They grew in length, becoming scythe-like weapons that Floatzel smirked at. Morris raised his hand and glanced at the clouds above the field. He could feel the rain lightening already, which didn't give them much time to work with!

"Go Floatzel!" He barked with a gesture to attack.

Floatzel roared as he became surrounded in a torrent of water, launching himself from the field to attack. Cross kept a straight face as Floatzel raced past the Stone Edge, striking it twice with his Razor Wind before he came to a stop behind it. There was a moment of silence, Cross tilted his head and squinted. Through the Stone Edge, he spotted a sliver of light, and suddenly the rocks fell apart to reveal Lycanroc who was down on one knee grasping his chest. There was a deep wound that had been inflicted by Razor Wind, a cut that had broken through his stony fur.

Such pinpoint accuracy and piercing power were to be admired.

Lycanroc turned to glare at Floatzel, his breathing becoming erratic as his eyes began to glow red. Cross smirked; the battle had turned in his favor, and the situation continued to improve as the clouds over the field dissipated.

"Lycanroc, use Swords Dance."

"Floatzel, we have to win with this attack. Combine Aqua Jet and Razor Wind again!" Morris called out. He could sense Floatzel's unease from Lycanroc's unruly presence. However, if they invested any time to use Rain Dance again, Cross and Lycanroc would surely punish them for that choice. They could only gamble on striking down with their finishing combo while he was unprotected.

As Floatzel began the preparations for his combination, Lycanroc raised his head and howled. Members of the audience flinched from the ear-splitting volume, and Lycanroc then began to go through a series of stances that gave him a bright red aura. The fins of Floatzel's forearms glowed once again as they grew in length, and once he was prepared, Floatzel tightened his stance as water cascaded around him.

"Go Floatzel, end this!" Morris shouted, and his Pokemon surged forward.

"Counter!"

Lycanroc tracked Floatzel perfectly. He didn't fall for the initial feint and reacted accordingly when Floatzel attacked. Lycanroc leaned back just enough for the Razor Wind to graze the tips of his fur, then he struck. He planted his knee into Floatzel's stomach during the instant that the water Pokemon was beside him. The Aqua Jet burst and Lycanroc chopped down onto Floatzel's back to smash his opponent against the field.

"Floatzel!" Morris exclaimed, eyes wide, but Lycanroc was far from finished. Standing over his opponent, Lycanroc placed a foot on Floatzel's back and grabbed his right arm, beginning to bend it backward. Floatzel screamed, feeling the stress on his shoulder build-up to the point where he pounded the field with his free hand desperately. There would be no mercy from Lycanroc, and the pain in Floatzel's shoulder intensified to its peak, and it was followed by a deafening pop. Floatzel's mouth hung open as his right arm fell limply to the field at an angle it shouldn't be able to attain.

"Oh my god."

"Damn, that was brutal."

Whispers raced around the audience at the sight of Lycanroc's volatile actions, but Lycanroc stepped off of Floatzel and turned to raise his arms as an appeal to the audience. Cross stared across the field at Morris, whose mouth was left agape in total shock. Seeing such a pathetic expression from his opponent put a crooked smirk on Cross' face as he savored this moment.

But as the duo celebrated, Floatzel's expression darkened as he forced himself up. Razor Wind was still active on his left arm, and he would strike down Lycanroc during his moment of grandstanding.

Whether it was the sound of the air moving beside him or his finely tuned instincts, but something triggered a frightening reaction in Lycanroc. His eyes snapped to the side to see the attack, and he caught the Razor Wind in one paw which began to shred through his fur. With his remaining paw, he grabbed Floatzel by the throat and leaned over, pinning the water Pokemon against the field. Floatzel gasped violently as he felt the pressure against his windpipe, but Lycanroc was more focused on the Razor Wind he had been holding.

His paw had already been slashed several times over, but the damage wouldn't stop him from tightening his grip on Floatzel's fin. Then he began to pull with no remorse.

Floatzel cried out in agony until his eyes lost focus.

"Forfeit!" Morris screeched as he ran onto the field. "We forfeit!"

The referee raised the blue flag, and Lycanroc stepped away from Floatzel. Morris fell to his knees beside Floatzel, examining the injuries for himself. Floatzel's shoulder had been separated, he was covered in several deep cuts and the blue fin on his left forearm had been forcibly removed.

Morris cast a glare in Lycanroc's direction, but the Pokemon was already walking back toward his trainer.

Cross gave Lycanroc a nod of approval for his victory, and Lycanroc merely tossed the fin he had torn from Floatzel's arm over his shoulder.

In the main lobby, Ash stood on his feet, his stomach in knots. He placed a hand over his chest, gradually taking in a fistful of his shirt, and the veins on the back of his hand bulged outward from the tightness of his fingers. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed.

Such…cruelty!

All of his friends, even Giselle, were visibly shaken by the conclusion to the battle.

Where was the showmanship, the competitive spirit? That was nothing but an act of brutality…completely unacceptable!

"Th-That is such a load of crap!" Ash proclaimed as he turned to his friends, "How is that guy a circuit trainer?!"

The receptionist eyed Ash wearily, and Serena quickly took notice. She made a gesture for Ash to control his temper, but Ash had already gone over his boiling point.

"That guy has no business being in the circuit! He shouldn't even be allowed to be a trainer!" Ash hollered.

"Hey!" The receptionist said sharply in response to Ash's outburst. "I don't want to have to ask you to leave."

Ash bit down on his lower lip as he shot a glance at the receptionist, his breath short and his hands trembling. A hand was placed on his shoulder, and Ash found that it was Brock who nodded toward the front entrance.

"Come on Ash, let's call it a night." He suggested to avoid any further problems. Ash exhaled and shoved his hands into his pockets. He was the first one out the doors, but his group of friends caught up to his brisk pace as they went down to the beach where the Mantine was waiting.

Ash's second victory in the underground circuit was but an afterthought. The battle between Lycanroc and Floatzel was fresh on his mind, and he continued to replay it. Lycanroc's actions at the end, going as far as to separate Floatzel's shoulder, and then tear the find of his left arm…it gave him chills. How could a Pokemon be so vicious?

Ash began to wring his hands as he recalled the moment he stared in Cross eyes and felt the rancor and hostility that embodied his Pokemon. It wasn't just Lycanroc…Cross was just as savage as his Pokemon. Ash wished that they had just gone home after his match. They would've avoided meeting Cross, and missed his match. Tierno wouldn't have gotten involved with Cross, and Serena….

Ash looked up at the brunette, who was quietly staring out at the horizon beside them.

His stomach dropped and Ash ran a hand through his hair. All of the effort to convince Serena that Pokemon weren't dangerous, that he would be safe as a trainer…wasted in the span of one Pokemon battle.

"Serena?" Ash called to get her attention. "I want you to know that…what you saw in that battle was completely, and totally unacceptable. That guy," Ash shook his head with a dark expression as he thought of Cross, "He's not fit to be a trainer."

"Damn straight." Giselle muttered with a nod of agreement.

"No one has the right to take a trainer's Pokemon, but that guy doesn't deserve to be a trainer. Not when he's willing to let his Lycanroc injure another Pokemon like that. It's not right!" Ash stated fiercely. "I don't know if Cross is allowing his Lycanroc to battle like that, or if he's pushing Lycanroc to be so cruel, but I can't tolerate something like that! He's making Pokemon battling look like a sham, like we should lock them in a cage and watch them tear each other apart. That's not what a Pokemon battle is about, not one bit!"

Ash looked at Serena and met her gaze. When she saw his eyes, she finally found the answer to the question she came with tonight. In fact, Ash would say the answer to himself.

"I'm going to set that guy straight, and I promise you guys that, one day, Pokemon will never be used like that." Ash declared, and Serena's shoulders dropped as she smiled faintly.

Ash was absolutely convinced that he could change…everything. The determination that drove him was remarkable, one of the many qualities that appealed to Serena, and it caused her chest to swell. She wanted to see it, the world that Ash would create because it felt like he could make that dream of his…a reality.

"Alright, Ash…" She said. "I'm looking forward to it."

Ash then turned to Tierno.

"And I promise you, that Pikachu and I will kick his ass! Because no hurts my friends and gets away with it!" Ash proclaimed, and Pikachu gave a shout of agreement from Ash's shoulder.

"Just let me know when you're going to throw down with him Ash, I wanna be there to see it myself!" Tierno exclaimed, and they bumped fists.

"So, you've got your sights set on Cross?" Giselle inquired, and the mood among them became subdued.

"I do…but I know he's not someone I should battle right now. He's way better than me and," Ash placed a hand on Pikachu's head, sending a look of concern at his partner, "I'd be worried about Pikachu's safety."

"As you should be. He's easily better than Brawly, so he'd be quite the opponent." Giselle noted. "So, what is it, are you going after him?"

"Well…it's like I said," Ash's gaze sharpened, and Pikachu smirked at his trainer's resilience. "Someone has to set him straight, and if I have to, I'll do it myself."

"Alright then, let's start dissecting him." Giselle suggested, causing Tierno and Serena to share a glance, brows furrowed with concern. Brock took notice of their actions and stifled a laugh.

"Giselle does these review sessions with Ash to study different trainers and help him figure out how to beat them." Brock clarified with a grin.

"Tell me, Ash, what did you notice about Cross and his Lycanroc besides the obvious things you've mentioned already?" Gisele asked and everyone quieted down to hear his answer.

"I don't really want to say it, but they do everything pretty well. Their offense and defense were solid." Ash responded.

"Anything else?"

"Um…you know, his Lycanroc has an almost scary battle sense," Ash commented, scratching at his chin. "There were a couple of moments where I couldn't believe it reacted to an attack."

"Yes, that was one thing I wanted to cover with you. I don't know if you dug around the research papers that have been stored in the PokeHub, but they cover all sorts of subjects," Giselle explained. "There was one essay a researcher published on the latent instincts of all Pokemon, and how in combat, some Pokemon can tap into these instincts to heighten their performance. Lycanroc is an example of one of those Pokemon."

"So, does that mean Pikachu has those instincts too?" Ash asked with a glance at his partner. Pikachu scratched the back of his head with a chuckle.

"According to that researcher, all Pokemon possess these instincts, but not all of them are capable of tapping into it. Pikachu might not ever be able to," Giselle pointed out, and Ash shrugged his shoulders.

"That's okay buddy, you don't need any fancy abilities to beat those guys." Ash said to Pikachu, but Giselle cleared her throat to get their attention.

"Lycanroc does possess another ability though, it's called No Guard." Giselle stated, and Ash made a face.

"Wait, but I saw Lycanroc defend himself plenty of times during the battle." Ash pointed out, causing Giselle to roll her eyes.

"Don't think of it literally. Think of it as a…tempo. What No Guard does, is it draws your opponent into a hitting match. This favors Lycanroc's style of battle because of his grit and toughness," Giselle went on. "That was his plan when he battled N the first time. Cross wanted to drag Zoroark into a mud fight where they would be trading hits to wear them out, but Zoroark crushed them in that type of battle."

"Geez." Ash muttered. Lycanroc seemed to take all of Floatzel's hits pretty well, so he could only imagine how hard N's Zoroark must have hit him.

"If you're going to battle Cross, you cannot, I repeat, cannot get pulled into his tempo. Pikachu isn't the type to take the kind of blows Lycanroc can dish out." Giselle warned them, and Ash agreed. He didn't even want to imagine Pikachu trying to go blow for blow with Lycanroc. "This is where I have to give credit to Morris' Floatzel. His pain tolerance was incredible in that battle, I'm still amazed he didn't faint after everything he had been put through."

Ash gave a nod of respect for what he had seen from Morris' Floatzel, and his mind was made up. He and Pikachu would face Cross and show him the true value of Pokemon battles.

The rest of the trip back to the coast of Vermilion City was spent discussing countermeasures to Cross' battling style. From the moment they arrived on the shore, Giselle called out her Cubone, and even though the sun had set already, Ash and Pikachu pounced at the opportunity for more practice.

Tierno was happy to watch them battle, pretending to be the referee to their battle.

Brock and Serena separated themselves from the group per Serena's request. They went up to the parking lot where they could speak privately with a view of Ash's latest practice session.

"Brock, I need to apologize to you too." She began, and Brock looked at her in bewilderment.

"Why? You haven't done anything to me." He responded, but Serena shook her head as she sat beside him on the hood of his car.

"You're wrong about that. I've known you for a few years now, Brock, but I went as far as to threaten our friendship when you wouldn't tell Ash to stop trying to become a trainer." Serena explained, and Brock scratched at his head, unable to recall the instance Serena was referencing. "It's like I was telling Ash earlier, I have no right to tell him what he can or can't do. And it definitely wasn't right of me to treat you like that. You've been such a great friend since I met you that…I'm really upset with myself for trying to throw that all away."

"Hey, apology accepted Serena." Brock stated, and her eyes became wide with shock.

"But…Brock, I did something terrible to you and Ash. You can't just forgive me." She pointed out.

Yes, I can," He said with a nod, "In fact, I'll bet Ash forgave you already. You don't need some kind of redemption story, you made a mistake, like any other normal person. Do you think I've never thought about telling Ash that he's crazy for trying to become a Pokemon trainer at his age?"

Serena gawked like a Stantler in headlights. So even Brock had doubted Ash's dream at some point?

"And Ash thinks its all crazy too," Brock added with a shrug, "But obviously he's going to stick with it. So, I'm just doing my part as his best friend and supporting him as best I can."

"I don't know how you do it, Brock. I'm so scared of hearing that something happened to him one day and that…I might never see him again." Serena replied as she looked down to the sandy battlefield where Ash and Giselle were at work. She took a moment to adjust her bangs, and then she heard a deep sigh from Brock.

"I worry about him too, Serena," Brock confessed, "But…my dad said this to me when I was younger. 'If a man is deprived of the dream that he is living for, then his existence has no meaning.'"

Serena focused on Ash, admiring his broad and vibrant smile as he gave Pikachu another command. She couldn't help but laugh at the truth in Brock's statement.

What would Ash be without his dream?

He wouldn't be Ash…not the Ash that she fell in love with.

"I hate to admit it, Brock," Serena said softly, earning Brock's full attention as she spoke. "I'm starting to believe that Ash was born to be a Pokemon trainer, and there's nothing I can do about it."

A/N

Phew! This chapter got me hyped for a couple of reasons. Not all of them I can say, but I think obviously reason number one is Cross. I'll let you all in on a little secret, he was originally an OC when I was writing the outline for this story because I couldn't find a character in the canon that fit what I needed for this part until I saw the movie 'I Choose You.' There was literally one-line Cross said in the movie that made me pause it, (was watching on Netflix) and say 'THAT'S DANTE!' Dante was the name of the OC I was going to use, but Cross fit the part perfectly, so give him a nice warm welcome to the Wings Universe!

The one thing I think was really missing was a rival who Ash could feasibly compete with. Obviously, he's developing something with N, but Ash never hesitates to say that N is out of his league. Enter Cross, who has a very different style and mindset as opposed to Ash, and suddenly Ash is gunning for one of the best trainers in the circuit! We'll see how this turns out.

Another thing I loved about this chapter was Serena. I binge watched XY/XYZ over the last month and I can say without a doubt that she's grown on me even more now. Once upon a time, I was an Abilityshipper, but Amourshipping has definitely earned a spot on my list now. That aside, Serena has been all over the place in this story because I had a whole bunch of ideas for her, I wanted her to be a static character, but then I wanted to develop her, so on and so forth so she was flip-flopping a lot until we reached this point where we dug into why she's always been challenging Ash's dream. I hope I did a decent job portraying her because I didn't want to take away the strength of her character, but it's still a moment where she's vulnerable. Either way, lemme know what you guys think!

Much respect to MjrGenMatt, he was a tremendous help with this chapter! We basically did this chapter twice because I threw out the first copy lol! That's how hard this guy works to look over the pile crap I give him and turn it into gold!

A big thanks for all of your support, the reviews and messages are really encouraging and I really enjoy talking with you guys! :D Don't be shy if you have questions, I'll keep the spoilers to myself but I'm always happy to talk with any of you.

Leave a review if you'd like, and definitely tune in for the next chapter. Big events are coming up, and I'm sure you guys don't want to miss out on it!

Thanks again everyone, and I'll see you next time!