Caged Wings

by DestinyHead123

There was a time where Ash Ketchum would've considered living a normal life. However, a chance meeting with a girl opened up the doorway that led to his dream of changing the world and the title of Pokemon Master. But to incite a change and achieve his dreams would require a journey like no other. * AU, Prequel of My Wings

34. Bad Blood I

Chapter 34

---

Charles Goodshow leaned back into his office chair, hands concealing the smile on his face. There were many amazing trainers that he had seen in the underground circuit, and while Ash's resume may not have compared to theirs, Charles found himself getting the same chills watching Ash in action.

He turned in his chair to look at the group that had been watching Ash's match with him. Brock had jumped to his feet when Ash was declared the winner, cheering wildly for his friend. Aurea sat in bewilderment, unable to believe that her father lost to a trainer that wasn't even half his age.

Giselle, though, sat with her arms folded and her face expressionless, gleaning what she could from the battle.

"What did you think about that battle?" Charles asked, earning their attention.

"How strong is that kid?" Aurea exclaimed. "I've never seen my dad lose to the trainers around Nuvema and Accumula Town!"

"Ash is no ordinary trainer," Brock answered immediately with a pride-filled smile. "He's going to be Pokemon Master."

"Pokemon Master?" Aurea repeated as she made a face. "That's just some urban legend."

"Just you wait," Brock said as he pointed at her. "It won't be a legend for long."

Aurea raised her brow at Brock, but Charles was more interested in hearing Giselle's opinion.

"Giselle," He called to her. "What did you think?"

She made a face as she thought about her answer. Aurea waited patiently. She knew that if Charles was asking for Giselle's opinion, then she could probably offer some great insight.

"I think Ash is starting to find his own style," Giselle noted, and Charles made a gesture for her to continue. "This was a discussion I had with someone else, but neither of us could predict what kind of trainer Ash would become. Tonight, I felt like I got a glimpse of what style best suits him and Pikachu."

"And what would that be?" Charles asked.

"I don't really have a name for it yet, but he likes to take the initiative and keep his opponent on their back foot. He keeps the pressure on his opponent with a high motion offense and he's smart enough to adjust when he's being countered." Giselle explained, and Charles nodded at each of her points.

"I see, and do you think he could become Pokemon Master with a style like this in his arsenal?" Charles inquired.

"That alone won't get him there, but the scary part about Ash is that he's just starting to realize his potential," Giselle went on. "As of right now, I think he's reached the point where he could challenge the Five Kings and it would be a close match."

"Impressive, I hope we get to see that match up one day." Charles trailed off as he looked down, he looked down at the field once again.

---

Pikachu rested on his bottom; ears drooped over as he panted heavily.

This was the first time since they first developed Quick Attack and Double Team that Pikachu felt so tired after using a combination. The level of focus required to use Spark and Quick Attack was nothing to take lightly, and it drained him of his stamina. Thankfully, Ash came to him on the field and scooped him up.

"You were great out there, Pikachu," Ash said as he beamed at his partner. "Take a good rest."

Pikachu relaxed into Ash's arms and succumbed to the drowsiness. Ash was tempted to return Pikachu to his Pokeball, something he had yet to do since purchasing the device, but he went against the idea. It was only for emergencies.

Ash then looked to Cedric, who had already called back his Dewott. Due to his well-established reputation in the circuit, Cedric was being interviewed by the MC. It almost felt like Charles was the victor of the battle, since the audience was wrapped up in the interview, but Ash didn't mind. Battling Cedric was a great experience, one that he wouldn't forget.

After leaving the field, Ash met with one of the attendants who was waiting in the tunnel for him. He explained that he would be leading Ash up to Charles' private booth where his friends were waiting. There was a small part of Ash that was secretly hoping that N would make another appearance tonight, but sadly the King of the White Lotus was nowhere to be found. However, there was an unfamiliar face in Charles' booth that was the first to address him when he arrived.

"I can't believe you beat my dad!" Aurea Juniper exclaimed at the sight of Ash. "He's one of the best trainers in southern Unova and you made it look easy!"

Ash scratched the back of his head with a chuckle before he found himself in a headlock, courtesy of Brock.

"My man! You just took out a trainer in the top one hundred!" Brock bellowed. "Now everyone is going to know you mean business!"

Even Charles Goodshow had something to say.

"Good show!" The older gentleman stated as he gave Ash a slow clap. "Good show!"

Ash chuckled, wondering how many trainers Charles must have said that to in his lifetime. The comradery continued when Cedric also joined them in Charles' private booth. As it turned it out, the two of them had quite a history that went back almost thirty years. They managed to share a short story before the main event began, and everyone's attention returned to the battlefield.

Ash was paying particularly close attention to this battle. After all, Cross was among the trainers that he wanted to battle most.

"And now for tonight's main event!" The MC hollered. The stadium lights dimmed, and two spotlights were aimed at each of the entrances to the battlefield. "Welcome first, our trainer in the blue box! He has participated in fifty-eight matches so far with only one blemish on his record, currently ranked fifteenth in the circuit, 'Axel!'"

Cross' entrance came with his usual stoicism, but he was greeted by shouts from the audience to have a battle with a proper ending this time, instead of what they witnessed in his match against the 'Admiral.' Cross paid no mind to them as he approached his box and waited for his opponent.

"In the red box, a trainer with a record of thirty-two wins, and only three losses, currently sitting at rank twelve, please give a warm welcome to 'Restraint!'" The MC announced.

Felix 'Restraint' Gonzalez.

A twenty-six-year-old Hoenn born trainer that arrived in the underground circuit almost two years ago. Despite his small record, Felix possessed a record of infamy, and the audience made it apparent. Shouts of displeasure rained down from the rafters as Felix stepped out of his tunnel, but he seemed to relish this reaction from the crowd. As he walked to his box, he raised his arms and motioned for them to continue.

"Kick his ass, 'Axel!'"

"'Axel,' you gotta put this guy in his place!"

Up in Charles' booth, Brock furrowed his brow before he looked to the commissioner.

"I've never heard of 'Restraint.' Why's the crowd rooting against him?" Brock asked and Charles looked away from him.

"He's…a villain, you could say." Charles offered as an answer.

"He's a villain?" Ash exclaimed. "Then what does that make Cross?"

"The lesser of two evils." Charles gave as his disgruntled reply.

Before Ash could press further, Charles made a gesture down to the field. The procedure for the battle was complete, and the trainers were about to call out their Pokemon.

"Trainers, your Pokemon!" The referee said with a gesture to each of them.

Cross and Felix each removed a Pokeball from their belt and tossed onto the field. Cross' signature Lycanroc was the first to appear on the field sporting a narrow gaze that was directed at his opponent. Felix's Pokemon gave a mighty howl as he took shape, beating his chest wildly with his palms.

"What Pokemon is that?" Ash asked as he studied the furry white Pokemon on the field. He was beating the ground with his palms, anxiously waiting for the battle to begin.

"That's a Vigoroth," Cedric answered as he wore a frown. "Among the most unruly and difficult Pokemon to control."

Ash studied Vigoroth intently. He was so restless down on the field, practically screaming at the referee to let the match begin. Despite the feral Pokemon jawing at him, the referee kept his composure and went through the final check with each of the trainers. Receiving a nod from both parties, the referee waved his flag and the battle began.

Vigoroth roared before he tore off in a dash, galloping with both his arms and legs across the field. Lycanroc widened his stance and raised his arms in a cross-arm block to intercept a dual chop, but Vigoroth was deceptively strong. Lycanroc was crushed beneath the blow and pinned against the field. Vigoroth lowered his head down to Lycanroc's and roared, saliva spattering against the face of the rock type. His gaze sharped, but Vigoroth took the initiative and slashed away with his lengthy claws.

Lycanroc grimaced from the attacks. Despite his stony fur acting as a natural defense to physical attacks, the claws of Vigoroth were still breaking through, and the pain aggravated Lycanroc. He blocked Vigoroth's next attack with his forearm and drilled a punch into Vigoroth abdomen with his free paw. The blow forced Vigoroth to pause for only a moment, but this was long enough for Lycanroc to place himself in the position of power.

"Crush Claw!" Cross ordered, and Lycanroc attacked. Vigoroth's skin was tough, but Lycanroc's claws were still effective, cutting through and earning a howl of displeasure from Vigoroth. The struggle from Vigoroth intensified as he drew in a deep breath to muster the strength he needed.

With one arm, he batted Lycanroc off of him and jumped to his feet to pursue. Lycanroc landed on his feet and raised his arms, ready to engage. As Vigoroth entered striking distance, Lycanroc widened his stance and took the first blow with another cross-arm block. He was prepared for the strength of the attack and maintained his footing so that he could return the favor.

The movement came to a stop as the two Pokemon squared off, trading blows back and forth. The type of combat that Lyanroc lived for…but for once, his opponent was looking for the same style of battle. They brawled, the bruises becoming more apparent as they continued, but neither Pokemon yielded to the other. Lycanroc struck Vigoroth's chin, but there was hardly any effect. Vigoroth paid him back with a haymaker, but Lycanroc withstood the blow.

Neither trainer gave a command. Cross spent this time studying the habits of his opponent, while Felix stood nonchalantly, allowing his Pokemon to do as he pleased on the battlefield, and Vigoroth thrived under these conditions.

Cross shot a narrow glance at Felix. The rumors he had heard about this trainer proved to be true.

---

"I wouldn't even call Felix a trainer," Giselle commented. "I've seen him battle before. He's one of those trainers that somehow captured a strong Pokemon, and then lets them run wild against an opponent. I doubt Vigoroth would even listen to him."

Charles raised his brow at Giselle's spot-on analysis.

"You're correct in that assumption," Charles said with a nod. "Felix was recommended to me by a sponsor during a low point. I thought some fresh trainers might help bolster some competition, but Felix is no trainer. Simply a young man that partnered with a Vigoroth. I imagine they had an agreement where Felix would provide strong opponents for Vigoroth by joining the underground circuit."

"And by winning matches, Felix gets a nice payday. A win-win for both of them." Giselle concluded. Ash pressed his forehead against the window of the booth.

"So, you're telling me that they're just using each other?" Ash asked incredulously. "What kind of relationship is that?"

Charles gave a sigh.

"In the end, the underground circuit is a business," Charles answered. "Some people will look at it as a way to develop with their Pokemon. Other people will see it as a means to an end."

Ash bit down on his lower lip. He had used the underground circuit in the same fashion. In fact, he was still using the circuit with ulterior motives.

"Don't beat yourself up about it, Ash," Charles interjected. "There's no one out there that can live without money. It was the reason I built the circuit in the first place. For Pokemon trainers to have a place where they can not only develop their skills, but provide for themselves, and maybe a family, if they choose to have one."

Charles' words helped to ease Ash's conscience, but it didn't improve the group'stheir opinion of Felix, especially in Giselle's case. She found him to be detestable, deserving no respect from any trainer. He was among a very select group of trainers at the top of the circuit that had no business being there. The only reason he made it that far was because Vigoroth was a fearsome Pokemon that could force trainers to concede the match to protect their Pokemon.

Giselle then looked to Cross and the title 'Wild Ones' seemed all the more fitting. Cross and Lycanroc were no different from Felix and his Vigoroth. Two 'trainers' that let their Pokemon run wild.

Despicable.

---

Cross furrowed his brow. The brawl between Vigoroth and Lycanroc was becoming one-sided. Vigoroth was actually dominating the brawl! Trading blows was a strategy that normally worked in Lycanroc's favor, but in this case, they were playing right into Vigoroth's hand.

Lycanroc kept both his arms raised, shielding his upper body from the barrage of Hammer Arm and Fury Swipes that Vigoroth was attacking with. His offense was relentless, howling as he struck Lycanroc over and over again. Vigoroth was no slouch, and the evidence was all over Lycanroc's body. He was covered in bruises, teeth gritting together as he took each blow.

Vigoroth was gaining momentum, as he pounded at Lycanroc's guard until he finally made a breakthrough - an uppercut that forcibly separated Lycanroc's arm, which left his head vulnerable. Vigoroth lashed out with one of his arms and slashed at Lyanroc's eyes. The rock type barely had enough time to sway back to avoid losing half of his vision, but Vigoroth was quick to follow up. He tackled Lycanroc to the field and pinned him down successfully with one arm. Looming over his foe, Vigoroth raised his free arm to aim another Slash attack for Lycanroc's left eye. This time, he found his target.

Lycanroc became unresponsive on the field and Vigoroth paused at the sight. The left eye of the rock Pokemon had two deep scratch marks across it and it remained shut, but Lycanroc's one open eye began to glow an ominous red. Vigoroth sensed danger and acted, raising his arm to strike Lycanroc again.

But instead, his wrist was caught in Lycanroc's bone-crushing grip, halting his claw just millimeters from Lycanroc's remaining eye. Vigoroth winced as Lycanroc squeezed his wrist with a newfound strength that he hadn't shown during the battle. This brief distraction provided Lycanroc with the time plant a punch into Vigoroth's body that knocked him away.

Vigoroth rolled twice to set himself back on his feet, and he looked to Lycanroc, who was now upright as well. That one red eye made Vigoroth's already racing heart beat faster. His blood began to boil and he opted for the one strategy he knew. He screeched and charged headstrong into his opponent, who he intended to beat until they stopped moving.

But Lycanroc wouldn't allow that.

He ducked beneath Vigoroth's first attack and drove a closed fist into the side of Vigoroth's torso. The entirety of the audience winced when they heard the dull thud of the impact and Vigoroth was left doubled over in pain.

Cross smirked at Lycanroc's movements. The weight-shifting, the accuracy of his punch, the glow in his eyes. Now was the time.

"Go Lycanroc, Brick Break!" Cross commanded.

Lycanroc followed up, switching his stance to throw an uppercut into Vigoroth's exposed chin and that hit rocked his world. Lycanroc wasn't done. He had been counting every blow he received from Vigoroth, and he would return each of them with double the 'oomph!'

The assault continued. A fierce liver blow that forced Vigoroth to hunch over in pain. A right hook to the temple that would've knocked Vigoroth clean off his feet if Lycanroc didn't grab his arm and yank him back into a follow-up attack. Another punch deep into his ribcage and this time, Lycanroc felt a bone snap on contact. Vigoroth stumbled backward to get some space, but Lycanroc had no mercy.

The parade of painful punches continued. Vigoroth couldn't regain his composure from these blows. They were different from the hits he had taken earlier, more precise, more powerful…more painful.

Another vicious Brick Break struck his abdomen and Vigoroth bent over, grasping his stomach as he gagged. Looming over his opponent, Lycanroc targeted the area to land the finishing blow. The back of Vigoroth's neck. With a vengeful chop, Lycanroc sent Vigoroth down to the field for one final time and the beastly white Pokemon remained still.

The referee approached to make his judgment and the audience gave a mixed reaction. Some were happy to see Felix lose, but the Pokemon enthusiasts were far from pleased with the battle, if one could even call it that. The qualities normally witnessed in a Pokemon battle; the elegance, the competitive spirit, the teamwork, none of that was present in this battle. These two Pokemon simply brawled with each other as their 'trainers' observed, and hardly anyone in the audience wanted to applaud that.

Up in Charles' booth, the group there had a similar reaction to the rest of the audience, though Charles decided to ask the room about their opinion of the battle.

"That was horrible," Ash stated indignantly. "How can a trainer just sit there and watch their Pokemon get beat up the whole time?!"

"You'll see all sorts of trainers out there, Ash." Cedric injected.

"And you'll see them do all sorts of things with their Pokemon," Charles added causing Ash to shake his head.

"This is ridiculous," Ash muttered. "People like them don't deserve to have a Pokemon. They're not even training their Pokemon to get stronger together, they're just using them."

"I agree with you, in Felix's case," Giselle cut in earning Ash's attention. "He doesn't train Vigoroth or help him in battle. He allows Vigoroth to do whatever he wants on the battlefield, and at first, I thought Cross and Lycanroc were falling into the same category as them. But Cross is different."

"Huh?" Ash exclaimed.

"It's hard to see, but Cross has trained his Lycanroc extremely well. The thing is that he has bought into Lycanroc's wild side completely." Giselle went on.

"I'm impressed you noticed that Giselle," Charles noted with a grin and she gave a nod.

"Lycanroc's greatest strengths are his durability and power. Naturally, Lycanroc would prefer to brawl with those being his strong points, but Cross refined him. It's not just that Lycanroc can hit hard, it's how he hits his opponents and where he hits them," Giselle pointed out.

Ash looked up in thought, recalling the ending to the battle. Lycanroc might have been ferocious, but Giselle was right. Lycanroc's Brick Break was used to target vital areas. The temple, the kidneys, the chin…and not only that, Lycanroc understood how to shift his weight to create compact power in tiny movements. It denied Vigoroth the opportunity to defend himself.

The likelihood of Lycanroc naturally developing such a fighting style was slim to none. Cross must have spent countless hours drilling these techniques into Lycanroc.

"I don't want to admit it, but Cross is an incredible trainer," Giselle said softly. "Unlike Vigoroth who is more or less a wild Pokemon, Lycanroc has something like a…controlled wrath. He taps into his wild side when it's needed, and even when he is relying on it, Cross' training still comes through perfectly. It's a very crude battling style, but it's clear to me now that Cross has met the criteria to beat any of the Five Kings."

"Oh ho!" Charles smiled at her declaration and looked toward Ash. He wasn't the only one who had set their sights on Ash. Brock and Giselle had joined him.

"So, you're saying, Cross is as good as the Five Kings?" Ash asked her, and Giselle gave a nod. "You said he met the criteria to be as good as the Kings, what exactly are you talking about?"

"The requirements to reach the top of the circuit. There are three things I believe a trainer needs to be the best of the best. One, a Pokemon of unprecedented power and skill," Giselle stated causing Ash to think of the strongest Pokemon he had seen.

N's Zoroark. Volkner's Ampharos. They were in a tier of their own.

"Two, a battling style that can either thoroughly dominate the competition, or adapt to overcome any situation," Giselle went on.

Giselle's strategic and analytical style came to mind.

"And third, the proper training to maximize their Pokemon's ability."

Ash had just witnessed this in Lycanroc tonight. Total mastery of close-range combat as he utterly dominated Vigoroth at the tail end of the battle.

Cross did indeed fit the bill. With his current level of skill as a trainer, and Lycanroc as his partner, Cross could be considered among the best trainers in the circuit.

Ash thought about if he met the criteria to be the best of the best. Was Pikachu a Pokemon that possessed 'unprecedented power and skill?' Did he have a battling style that could 'dominate the competition?' What training would he have to do to 'maximize Pikachu's ability?'

As Ash became lost in his thoughts, Giselle fought to contain a chuckle. Even after dedicating the last few months to training with Pikachu, Ash still hadn't realized that he had all the building blocks. She saw it earlier tonight when he faced Cedric. Slowly but surely, Ash was putting it all together and once he did that…Giselle was certain that he would surpass the Five Kings.

---

The beach at the entrance to the Hidden Cove was packed with people waiting for a Mantine taxi back to the west end of Vermilion City. Ash, Brock, Pikachu, and Giselle stood together toward the back of the crowd, where there was some extra space to move about. Many people had come to congratulate Ash on his win, also adding that they couldn't wait to see his next battle. All of the attention was nice, though Ash was distracted.

His mind was absorbed in what sort of training he could add to his regime. With Pikachu sound asleep his arms still, Ash knew one of their top priorities was improving Pikachu's stamina. He had no idea that a combination of Spark and Quick Attack could be so physically taxing on Pikachu, so they needed to build up their endurance.

Brock and Giselle had been chatting quietly when Brock caught sight of a head of ginger hair passing by. It was Cross. He stood at the back of the crowd, a short distance from the trio. Seeing Cross standing so nonchalant reminded Brock of the night they first met.

"It's obvious you have no idea who you're messing with right now."

"Look, this is your last chance…Back off, before someone gets hurt."

Brock still couldn't believe that Cross had no problem with his Lycanroc threatening to snap Tierno's wrist. Not to mention that Ash had told him about Cross' comments when he and Ash had a brief encounter at the Cut. Brock couldn't suppress his urge to make a comment at Cross.

"Hey, Cross!" He barked, receiving his attention. "What do you think of Ash and Pikachu now? They just took out one of the best trainers in the circuit."

Cross snorted and sneered at him.

"If you think beating a washed-up old man and his rusty Dewott makes your friend relevant, then think again," Cross replied, which earned Ash's attention as well. "Your friend is nothing special, so don't expect him to keep winning matches from now on."

Brock didn't appreciate Cross' critique and got right into his face.

"You know, I'm really sick of all the crap that comes out of your mouth," Brock said in a low voice. Cross narrowed his gaze.

"And I'm sick of you, so make a like Weedle with no stinger and drop dead," He stated with a leer, and Brock's nostrils flared. Seeing Brock's jaws tighten, Cross donned a smirk as he continued. "You can call it what you want, but it's the truth. Your friend's career just peaked tonight…as the opening act for the main event. Once someone peaks, the only place left to go is down…back to the place where he belongs."

Cross didn't have a chance to react before Brock's fist met with his jaw. Cross was laid out on the sand with a grunt that drew the attention of those around them. The crowd became hushed as Brock took a step forward with a stony face. But standing over Cross in such a fashion triggered an appearance from his Lycanroc. The Pokeball popped open and Brock found himself face to face with Lycanroc's menacing glare, which seemed all the more threatening in Lycanroc's current condition. He had been to hell and back fighting that Vigoroth earlier, and the battle scars were proof of that.

Brock didn't back down as he stared at Lycanroc. As fierce a front as Lycanroc could put up, Brock knew that this Pokemon was hurting. A low growl was emitted from Lycanroc's maw, and Ash quickly jumped in between them. Cross rose up from the ground, massaging his jaw with his thumb before he took in the situation, then he began to laugh.

"You can get as angry as you want, but the proof is right there in front of you," Cross declared as he pointed at Pikachu's sleeping form in Ash's arm. "His Pikachu passed out from a battle that lasted no longer than ten minutes. Are you really going to tell me that Pikachu deserves to be recognized as one of the best Pokemon in the circuit?"

Cross laughed scornfully.

"Pikachu is unfit for a title like that. He belongs with the rest of the trash at the bottom of the circuit."

Brock stepped forward in an attempt to push past Ash, rolling up the sleeve of his shirt. Ash remained where he stood, doing his best to keep Brock from aggravating the situation any further. Lycanroc stood between them and Cross, and Ash wanted no part of a brawl with this Pokemon after seeing him go toe to toe with a Vigoroth. Between Cross' comments and the sudden appearance of his Lycanroc, all eyes were on them as the conflict neared its boiling point.

Ash looked around and felt a smile creep upon his face.

"Alright Cross, how about this. You think my Pikachu is so bad, prove it. Let's have a battle." Ash offered.

"Hah, you think you're worth my time?" Cross asked him in return as he got back on his feet.

"Why don't you find out?"

Cross shot him a narrow glance.

"No," He stated. "I wouldn't want to be seen in an official match with trash like you two."

"How about a street battle?" Ash suggested.

"Not on your life."

"Well, what if I did bet my life?"

Cross creased his brow.

"If you win the battle, I'll retire from the circuit." Ash declared and there were several gasps from the audience. "If I win, you have to have an official match with me."

Cross hesitated for a moment as he stared at Ash.

"Come on! If I'm trash, then this should be an easy win for you, right?" Ash coaxed him along with a smirk. "What have you got to lose? I'm the one betting everything. Unless…"

Cross' eye twitched as Ash looked up in thought.

"You're scared of me and Pikachu." Ash said and Brock caught on immediately.

"No," Brock exclaimed. "I've never would've guessed that Cross would be a big ol' ch-ch-chicken!"

Giselle stared at Ash and Brock incredulously as they began to crane their necks and flap their arms as if they were chickens. Their actions earned a few laughs from the crowd, but all eyes went to Cross. How would he respond to all of this?

Cross' gaze darkened, and Lycanroc snarled at the duo.

"What could possibly make you think that I would be afraid of you?" Cross sneered in return.

"Then why won't you battle me? You've got nothing to lose!" Ash made a gesture to the bystanders. "Right everyone?"

"Yeah!"

A chant broke out for a match between these two trainers, and Cross shot a glare at their audience. Several people had their phones out to record everything, so he could freely assume that all of this would be uploaded to the PokeHub later tonight. Cross shook his head for a moment and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Ash could tell that the crowd was getting to him. They just needed a little bit more push him over the edge.

"I thought it might be worthwhile to ask you how it feels to be my opening act?"

With a smirk, Ash threw Cross' words right back at him.

"For a supposed 'main event,' I guess he's afraid of one of the 'opening acts.'" Ash pointed out and Cross shot him a glare. Ash looked toward Brock. "So, Brock-o, he's not a chicken, he's a scaredy-Delcatty!"

"Not even, he's a damn Skitty!" Brock proclaimed. Despite their corny sense of humor, it resonated with the crowd. There were laughs, some made faces, and others looked to Cross. His jaws were tight, and a vein bulged on his forehead.

He took a step toward them, moving straight up to Ash.

"Two Monday's from now, I'll show everyone what it looks like when a real trainer has to deal with trash that doesn't know its place." Cross declared, glaring daggers at Ash, who shot him a smirk.

"I'm sure I'll be called worse things by better trainers," Ash responded.

Cross swallowed his response, and stalked off with his Lycanroc in tow.

As Cross disappeared into the crowd, Brock and Ash looked to each other with large grins. But Giselle was quick to put a damper on their merriment.

"Ash, are you sure this is a good idea?" She asked him and Ash gave a nod immediately.

Ash recalled Giselle's statements earlier.

"…Cross has met the criteria to beat any of the Five Kings."

Ash had always been aiming to beat the Five Kings. If Cross was considered to be just as strong as them, then this would be the perfect measuring stick to see how much farther he had to go.

"He's underestimating us, just like everyone we've ever battled," Ash answered, his eyes shimmering. "Just you wait and see, we'll make him look like all the other people who didn't take us seriously."

Giselle raised her brow with a sneaking suspicion that she was included among that group of people that underestimated Ash's ability. But she liked his boldness to not only challenge Cross, but pressure him into the battle as well. It was fitting of him considering his style of battle.

If Ash felt this confident challenging Cross, Giselle was certain that he hadn't shown his full hand against Cedric. So, what else had he gleaned from his lessons with Volkner?

---

Sunday, February 19th

The quiet woodlands of Route 11 were often a sight to behold during the midday. The Pokemon were always abuzz in the sprawling forests, actively moving about as they went through their daily procedure. A flock of Pidgey and Pidgeotto gathered in the canopy, chirping away in anticipation for their flight later in the afternoon. Rattata darted through the underbrush, scavenging for nuts and berries to return to their dens with. Ekans would often lie in wait for a Rattata to stray too far from his pack, marking these as their prey.

Ash could hear all of this activity as he sat on the porch of Volkner's cottage. With a grateful breath, he snatched up the water bottle beside him and chugged half of it. The sun was beating down on them today, though that didn't stop others from continuing their activity. Pikachu and Ampharos were at the edge of the clearing conducting another lesson; the focus of this one being entirely on Electro Ball.

The results of Pikachu's practice with this move was already showing. A downed tree lay several meters from the two Pokemon, the latest victim of Pikachu's Electro Ball. Volkner was hacking away at the tree with an axe, clearing away the branches. Ash had been helping him, but stopped to take a break on his porch. It wasn't long before the heat got to Volkner as well, and he took shelter from the sun beside Ash.

"So," Volkner started up some small talk as he took a water bottle from the cooler and placed it against the back of his neck. "I must say, Pikachu has made some incredible progress."

"Yeah, he practices at home now too," Ash muttered as he shook his head. "He's been giving me a Thunder Wave wakeup call lately."

Volkner couldn't help but chuckle. He had been shocked by Ampharos hundreds of time since they formed a partnership. In fact, Volkner felt as though electric type Pokemon were testing their trainers on such occasions. It was the only way to explain how their lightning bolts would 'accidentally' hit their trainers at least once a day.

"Get used to it. It'll probably be a daily thing for you going forward," Volkner stated, and Ash paled at the thought. "But after seeing all of your matches at the Hidden Cove, I noticed that you two are still missing something, probably the last thing you need to really challenge the top trainers in the circuit. Do you know what that is?"

Ash looked up in thought. As he thought back to his previous matches, it felt like he was missing a lot more than just one thing. But he took a guess since Volkner motioned for him to speak.

"I guess its durability," Ash offered as an answer.

"That's a fair point, but for right now, you can ignore durability if you have a way to end a battle," Volkner explained and Ash caught on immediately. "A finisher."

Ash hit his palm. That was an issue he had noticed months ago, and even with the newest additions to their move pool, they still didn't have a finisher!

"Is there anything Pikachu could learn that could work as a finishing move?" Ash inquired and Volkner raised his brow.

"Ampharos has been teaching Pikachu a combo that was one of our favorite finishers back in Sunyshore City," Volkner answered as they looked to their Pokemon. "It may not be a finisher in the sense that the move itself has the power to knock out your opponent, but if you execute properly to set it up, you can take down almost anyone with this."

"Really?!" Ash exclaimed with starry eyes. "Tell me about it! What combo is it?"

"Electro Ball and Thunder Wave," Volkner stated and Ash went silent, trying to figure out how such a combo would work.

As far as he knew, Electro Ball was merely a dense but fast-moving projectile. It wasn't too farfetched to believe that Pikachu could land the attack without using Thunder Wave to first stun his foe. So, what part did Thunder Wave play in this?

"I don't get it. How do they work together?" Ash asked him with his nose wrinkled.

"This could be a lot to take in, so bear with me," Volkner began as a warning. "One of the first things Ampharos taught Pikachu was how to manipulate his electricity so that he could decide between damaging and paralyzing his opponent."

"Right. So basically, Thunderbolt versus Thunder Wave." Ash said as an example. Volkner gave a nod of approval.

"But what Electro Ball does, is even though it starts out as an external attack, it does its damage to the opponent internally. If the target is already under the effects of paralysis and their immune systems are unable to negate the effects, Electro Ball will not only amplify the paralysis, but target the motor system and shut it down completely," Volkner stated and Ash's eyes widened.

"Wait, with just Thunder Wave and Electro Ball, I can stop my opponent from moving completely?" Ash exclaimed in awe.

"Yup. I won many battles back home with this combo," Volkner added and Ash shot him a narrow glance.

"So why are teaching it to me?"

"You can't use that combo against Ampharos. She'll shut it down, just like that," Volkner replied as he snapped his fingers. "I'm not at all worried about you trying to use this against us."

Ash furrowed his brow as his pride both grew and shrunk in ten seconds. On one hand, it swelled knowing that Volkner trusted him enough to teach him one of his prized finishers. But, on the other hand, that same pride deflated as it was revealed that Volkner was teaching him this because Ash wouldn't be able to use it against him in battle. Even though Volkner was his mentor, for the time being, he was careful not to show Ash the entirety of his arsenal.

Someday, they might be opponents in an official battle.

"So, with Electro Ball, we stand a pretty good chance against Cross," Ash concluded but Volkner merely shot him a smirk.

"I'll let the results speak for themselves," He answered. "But for now, let's focus on making sure Pikachu can actually use Electro Ball in your battle. We have eight days."

"Pikachu!" Ash hollered as he dashed over to his partner and Ampharos. "We got a lot of work ahead of us! Are you ready to grind?"

"Pika!"

---

Thursday, February 23rd

Lightning cracked against the tree bark, and the entirety of the tree burst with a mighty boom. It came toppling over, and Pikachu's audience of three applauded his success. He scratched at the back of his head sheepishly before Ampharos approached him to point out how he could further refine his newest move.

"There's no need to be shy about it, Pikachu," Volkner commented as he and Ash joined them. "You've made some incredible progress with Electro Ball. I didn't think you would be this good with it, this quickly. It's safe to say that you're ready to use it against Cross."

"Awesome! Great work Pikachu!" Ash said as he kneeled down to high five Pikachu.

"Congratulations on completing your first finisher, guys!" Volkner declared, sporting a grin of his own.

Ash recalled that Volkner said he had many more tucked away. It made him curious. If the combo of Electro Ball and Thunder Wave was one of his earliest ones, what else did he develop with Ampharos? In the end, Ash couldn't help but ask, and Volkner gave an answer he wasn't expecting.

"You want to know about my other finishers?" Volkner repeated, stroking his chin for a moment. "Alright then, let's have a battle and I'll show you a special finisher that we've made. This one earned me the title 'Golden Flash.'"

Ash's eyes widened, and a smile broke out on his face. He felt his blood begin to boil at the prospect of seeing this move firsthand.

"And you're not worried about me and Pikachu trying to copy this one?" Ash inquired, but Volkner shook his head.

"This one Pikachu can't learn," Volkner replied as he and Ampharos took some distance from them in the open clearing. "So, I have no problem with you two seeing it."

Ash pursed his lips, perplexed by his answer.

"Why can't Pikachu learn this one?" He asked as everyone took their positions.

"The power requirements are absurd, and I'm not sure if Pikachu can move fast enough to meet them. It's simply easier for an electric type with a power source like Ampharos than it would be for a motion generator like Pikachu." Volkner explained.

Ash was certain that at one point, Volkner had said Pikachu could call on a nearly endless supply of electricity, so long as he was in motion. So just how much power was used for this one attack?

"Treat this like an actual match," Volkner pointed out. "Let's see how far you can get before we set up our finisher."

Ash reached for the visor of his cap and adjusted it so that it was tight on his head.

"We don't want to see how far we can get Volkner, we want to win!" Ash announced which earned a laugh from Volkner. "Right, Pikachu?"

Pikachu agreed as he stood on the field, his cheeks beginning to crackle as he stared at Ampharos. He had learned a lot from her, but this was an opportunity to see how he faired against one of the best tandems in Vermilion City.

"Well I'm glad you guys are taking this seriously," Volkner noted as he made a gesture to them. "I'll let you have the first attack."

"I hope you don't regret that! Pikachu, Electro Ball!" Ash barked out.

A shroud of electricity came to life around Pikachu, and it quickly gathered around his tail. From it, a dense sphere took shape and rested on the edge of his tail. It crackled and roared before Pikachu spun, hurling the sphere toward Ampharos. In response, Ampharos merely raised one of her hands to meet the attack. The instant it made contact with her the sphere shorted out and disappeared into thin air.

"I already told you Ash, Electro Ball won't work on Ampharos," Volkner called out and Ash grinned at him.

"I know, I was just making sure. You might have been bluffing for all I know." Ash retorted, and Volkner nodded his head. It was a fair point.

"Well I hope you don't regret wasting your first move Ampharos, use Discharge!" Volkner shouted as their answering move. Ampharos unleashed a fury of lightning bolts, all of which danced around the field before converging onto Pikachu.

To counter the attack, Pikachu raised his tail so that it stood up straight as a lightning rod. The Discharge attack veered off course and gathered into the tip of Pikachu's tail, absorbing the attack completely.

"That's not going to work on us either, Volkner!" Ash called out.

"I see Pikachu has been paying attention during his lessons," Volkner noted with a nod of approval. Pikachu shot a smirk at Volkner. He had been listening closely to everything Ampharos shared with him, especially her extensive knowledge of how to manipulate electricity. Pikachu may not have been a master at this skill, but he was well versed enough to prevent Ampharos' electricity from affecting him.

They were back at square one.

"Pikachu, let's get to work! Quick Attack and Double Team!" Ash commanded, and his partner flickered. His after-images formed around him on the field before he charged forward. Ampharos met his incessant assault, using her forearms and tail to block Pikachu's attacks, though she now discovered how much of a pest Pikachu could be. He was like a Ninjask that buzzed around her, there one instant and gone the next. Even as she did her utmost to guard against his attacks, a glancing blow from Pikachu would still slip through her guard from time to time.

Ampharos winced as Pikachu's tail bopped her on the back of her head and she spun to lash out with her tail in response. However, Pikachu was long gone before she even turned around, leaving her to fume when she caught sight of him across the field.

"Ampharos, don't get worked up," Volkner said calmly. "Just focus on learning his timing."

Ash called for Pikachu's attack to continue, and Ampharos raised her arms once again in preparation. Months ago, Ash had written a plan in the scenario that he got the chance to battle Volkner. He never imagined that he would have a chance to use it so soon.

Pikachu's quickness is a natural counter to his Ampharos, and it's probably the only advantage we have. Overwhelming them with speed is our only viable strategy, but there's no way Volkner hasn't faced a plan like that already, so I'll bet he has ways to neutralize an opponent's speed advantage…our only option right now would be to chip away at Ampharos, which means it would be a really long battle.

Everything was going according to the plan, though Ash did find it strange that Volkner seemed to have no answer for Pikachu's speed. It gave Pikachu free reign to keep chipping away at Ampharos.

"Alright Ampharos, let's start with Magnet Rise," Volkner called out and Ash narrowed his eyes.

"Pikachu!" He shouted as a warning. Pikachu came to a standstill in that instant, observing Ampharos carefully. The orbs on her head and tail each gleamed before a torrent of lightning burst from them. It flooded on the field, and Pikachu grit his teeth in anticipation to meet and negate the effects of the electricity. But it simply washed over him and he looked around with his ears perked up.

"Pi?" He said with a glance toward Ash.

"No effect…" Ash noted before his eyes drifted back to Ampharos. The electricity was only affecting her, as she gained a yellow glow. His eyes became large as Ampharos ascended into the air a considerable distance from Pikachu. "She can fly?!"

Volkner couldn't help but laugh at Ash's reaction.

"No, she's not flying Ash. With this move she can levitate by altering her magnetic polarity," Volkner explained with a gesture to his airborne partner. She gave Ash and Pikachu a salute from on high, and it was Ash's turn to laugh. He never would've imagined facing a flying Ampharos! Pokemon were truly amazing!

"Let's just knock her right out of the air, go Pikachu!" Ash shouted as he pumped his fist. Pikachu tore off in a dash to build momentum before he leapt into the air in a beeline for Ampharos. Unfortunately, even with Pikachu's ability to cover the distance between them, his approach was telegraphed. Ampharos had no trouble slamming her tail down onto him sending Pikachu spiraling back down to the field.

Pikachu grunted when he hit the ground, but shook off the pain and got back on his feet. Ampharos hovered above him, turning upside down as she smiled at him.

Ash pursed his lips. The advantage of being airborne meant that Pikachu's options to approach had been dwindled down to one. A straight forward attack that Ampharos would have no trouble reacting to. This was the same thing that happened during his second match in the circuit against 'Blitz' and his Ledian. They overcame the predicament by striking the ceiling of the Hidden Cove to knock down a few rocks that Pikachu could jump on to get closer to Ledian. But in their current location, they wouldn't be able to do anything of the sort.

The crackle of electricity caused Ash to look around. The air was still charged from Ampharos' Magnet Rise. This made Ash think of his match against Cedric earlier this week.

"Pikachu, can you run on the lightning again?" Ash asked his partner.

Volkner stared at Pikachu intently and he saw the smirk that Pikachu donned.

The chill that ran down his spine seemed to confirm his suspicions. What he witnessed them do during their battle with Cedric was no accident.

Pikachu closed his eyes, his ears and tail pointing skyward. Casting aside his sight, Pikachu heightened his remaining senses. He heard the electricity coursing through the air. He felt it brush against the tips of his fur as it moved. It was everywhere! While the electricity in the air may have been invisible to the naked eye, Pikachu could sense the direction it was flowing. He tore off in a dash, following it as though it were a pathway.

Volkner's mouth fell open as Pikachu traveled upward, his paws flashing yellow with every step. Ampharos was equally as shocked, but she gathered her composure to attempt to strike Pikachu down as he bounded toward her. With her tail poised to attack, Ampharos failed to conceal her surprise as she missed Pikachu.

He had actually latched onto another lightning bolt to change his course and approach Ampharos from a different angle. She was caught unprepared, and took a blow to her side from Pikachu, who used her as a springboard to continue his attack. Volkner could hardly believe his eyes as he witnessed two land-borne electric type Pokemon fighting in midair. One using electricity to levitate, while the other was physically running on lightning to stay in the air. It was unlike anything he had ever seen!

"Ampharos, focus on memorizing his timing!" Volkner called out. Ash sensed that they were searching for an opportunity to counter.

"Faster Pikachu! Don't let up!" Ash barked emphatically. Hearing Ash's call, Pikachu's determination flourished and his muscles loosened. He had been denying the foreign electricity entry into his system, but now he accepted it. It surged through his small body, webbing its way through his every muscle.

Ampharos gasped as several blows were chained together faster than she could respond to. Pikachu was getting faster by the moment! She couldn't defend against it at all. He was coming from every possible angle.

Volkner tilted his head and scratched at his cheek. He couldn't believe it! He thought that they discovered it by dumb luck battling Cedric's Dewott, but even now they were improving this tactic into something incredible. But he had seen enough, it was time to end this battle.

Ampharos lowered herself to the field, her body now battered and bruised from Pikachu's otherworldly persistence. Ash swung his hand through the air and hollered for Pikachu to keep it up. The victory was close!

Volkner crossed his arms in front of his chest and gave a command that neither of Ash and Pikachu recognized. At the call for this move, a trap had been sprung the next time Pikachu came into contact with Ampharos. Her orbs flashed and Pikachu found himself restrained by the same electricity that he had been using to heighten his speed. Despite his efforts, he couldn't find a way to break the restraints holding him in place.

The blonde trainer on the opposite side of the field called for the finishing move. He raised an outstretched hand toward Pikachu as if to say 'sayonara' to his foe. Just as Volkner had said earlier, the conclusion to the battle was veiled within a golden flash.

---

"Holy crap!" Ash exclaimed as he held his head with both hands. "What was that move at the end there?!"

Volkner laughed as he observed Ampharos providing the unconscious Pikachu with electric therapy. His body was overloaded with the electrically charged ions from Ampharos' final attack that induced paralysis on him, despite his status as an electric type. Ampharos took the time to carefully separate these ions from Pikachu's muscle fibers, steadily curing him of the paralysis.

"We worked on that one for almost two years. It took us longer to perfect this finisher than all of our others combined," Volkner revealed. "Well, all except one. There is one on our list that is still incomplete."

"How come?" Ash asked him incredulously.

"For the same reason Pikachu can't use the finisher we just showed you, Ampharos can't use this one. This move can only be used by an electric type that generates their power while in motion," Volkner explained and Ash was practically drooling.

"Does that mean you can teach it to us?" It was more of a demand than a request that came from Ash. A chuckle escaped from Volkner's lips at Ash's enthusiasm. His hunger for growth for insatiable.

"Yeah, I mean, I don't really have much of a choice but to pass it off to someone who can complete it," Volkner pointed out before he looked toward Pikachu. The small Pokemon still laid unconscious beside Ampharos. "But we'll come back to it another time. It'd be better if you focused on your battle with Cross than anything else right now, especially since you won't have much time to practice after today."

A grumble of disappointment was let out under Ash's breath, but he did agree with Volkner. His top priority was the battle. With the Remembrance fast approaching, Ash wouldn't have the freedom to come back to the cabin every day, so his time to prepare had been whittled down to today, and the following Monday.

"So, what are you going to do during the Remembrance?" Ash inquired and Volkner made a gesture to the several down trees at the edge of the clearing.

"I was getting a little low on firewood. You and Pikachu saved me the trouble of cutting down a few trees, so I'll probably spend the time splitting logs." Volkner explained. "I've heard enough stories about trainers getting arrested during the Remembrance. It'll be easier for me to just stay out here and lay low. What about you?"

"I was thinking about heading down to the beach. I like watching the candle boats head out to sea." Ash replied and Volkner gave a nod of agreement.

"Just don't do anything stupid, alright?"

"Don't worry, I'll stay safe."

---

Saturday, February 25th – The 94th Remembrance

The southern strip of Vermilion City was world-renowned for its sparkling sandy beaches, the impressive shipyards belonging to Malcolm Berlitz, and the populace that regularly occupied it. On most nights, the beaches became a destination for couples to enjoy a romantic walk, and quality time with each other. But on this night, thousands of people gathered down on the coastline.

Ash walked quietly along the beach, hands in his pockets as he slipped in between the crowds. It was just past eight o'clock, and the sun was sliding beneath the horizon. He still had a few minutes to reach his desired location before the solemn event began. Ash took a glance around at the people present. Many of them had a small wooden candle boat in hand, talking amongst themselves.

The Remembrance was a ceremony dating back to the first year following the Great Crisis. It was held on the final Saturday of each February, creating a three-day weekend where work, school and almost any form of business were closed, with the exception of emergency services. While most children didn't understand the significance of the event, the media didn't waste the only opportunity they had to speak of the horrors that took place during the Great Crisis.

The bloodshed, the destruction.

The mourning, the reconstruction.

All caused by Pokemon.

The heavy scrutiny of Pokemon made Ash sick to his stomach.

The Remembrance was far from an event that he looked forward to, in fact he hated it. This was the time of the year where the fear of Pokemon was at its peak.

This was what he wanted to fix…what he wanted to change.

There was no need to fear Pokemon, and he would show that to everyone one day.

Ash raised his brow as he arrived at his destination. There was a sizeable river that traveled through Vermilion City and emptied out into the sea. What made this a special location to Ash was the archway over the river, where he would have an excellent view of the candle boats coming down from within the city.

This was one of the few areas that remained unoccupied, because one would be unable to place a candle boat in the water from up there. But on closer inspection, Ash discovered that one other person was standing on the archway, casually leaning against the railing. He had a head of lengthy mint green hair and a black and white cap.

It was N!

As Ash joined him on the bridge, N took notice and spared him a wave.

"What are you doing here?" Ash asked once he stood alongside him.

"I thought I'd come to see the candle boats go out to sea this year," N responded as he studied the horizon out in front of them. The sea had grown dark now that the sun was gone, and the moon's pristine appearance was shown brightly on the water's surface. "Did you know that each candle boat represents a life, Ash?"

He did, but N continued.

"A life that was lost in the Great Crisis," N went on. "To this day, there has been no greater act of genocide in history. Did you know that?"

Ash didn't answer.

"Human civilization was almost entirely wiped out, across the world. Millions of people died. It all happened in the span of a few hours," N took a deep breath. "Just as soon as the pandemonium began, it all came to an end. It's no wonder the fear of Pokemon became so deeply ingrained in mankind."

"That fear is what stopped them even giving the Pokemon a chance to explain themselves." Ash interjected indignantly.

"There was no explanation," N stated. "I wasn't there to see it myself, but the evidence is clear, Ash. All Pokemon went mad, and in their fury, they turned against mankind, trusted trainers and innocent bystanders, both. Your status didn't matter; if you stood in their path...they cut you down. That is why most people are so afraid, Ash. They're scared of something like that happening a second time. There are still no answers as to why the Great Crisis took place, and when everyone realized there were no answers…the trust was lost, lines were drawn, and barriers went up."

Ash kept silent and leaned against the banister. It was such a weighty subject, one that N could tell Ash struggled with.

"Sorry, it wasn't my intention to discuss this. Today is hard enough for trainers as it is." N apologized, but Ash shook his head.

"It's okay. All this day does is remind me of what I want to change. I know for sure that there will be a day where this whole ceremony will be a thing of the past." Ash replied with certainty, and N cracked a smile.

"How about a lighter subject, then?" N offered, and they relaxed against the railing. "I'm looking forward to your battle with Cross."

Ash gave a narrow glance. Perhaps this subject didn't have the magnitude of the Great Crisis, but it was still a heavy subject for him. He had placed his entire career on the line!

"I am too," Ash said with a nod.

"I've been watching all of your matches," N admitted and Ash raised his brow. He never would've imagined that N had watched his debut match. "You and your Pikachu have made some unreal progress since joining the circuit."

"Do you think we can beat Cross?" Ash inquired and N snorted as he made a face.

"Without question," He stated. "And do you know why?"

Ash wrinkled his brow and shook his head.

"Alright then, tell me this. When you look at Cross, what sort of trainer do you see?"

Ash stopped to think for a moment. He wasn't sure what answer N was looking for, so Ash made a comparison to the other trainers he had seen. When he looked at most trainers, Ash could feel their fiery competitive spirit, their determination in battle because…these feelings were mutual. But when he thought back to meetings with Cross, Ash felt chills.

"He's different…and not a good kind of different," Ash responded which earned a nod from N.

"You're on the right track," N said as he motioned for Ash to go on.

"He's distant from his Pokemon, almost like there's…" Ash trailed off as he thought of Cross' Lycanroc. He had looked into this Pokemon's eyes several times, and malice just oozed from Lycanroc. Ash knew without a doubt that there was trust between Cross and Lycanroc. Their ability to execute on the battlefield was proof of that. But something was missing between them…

"Love," Ash answered and N pursed his lips. "There's no love between them."

"That's an impressive observation, and you are correct," N noted. "A trainer can only unlock a Pokemon's true potential with love. It's why I'm certain you will beat Cross, Ash, because you possess the first and greatest quality of a Pokemon Master."

"Love?" Ash repeated. N nodded once again.

"You have it in spades," N stated with a motion toward Ash. "With it, I'm sure you'll achieve many great things…and make the change you so desire."

As N made this comment, their attention was drawn to the beach. A warm orange occupied the coastline as everyone lit their candles. The crowds stepped down to the shore in bunches, carefully resting their boats in the water, where they were set adrift. The tide pulled them out in the sea, and together they illuminated the surface of the water.

Ash and N turned around together and watched as thousands of candle boats came drifting down the river beneath them. Steadily, they joined the others in the calm waters and commenced their journey out into the ocean.

Ash looked toward N, who was enthralled in the scene before them.

Ash had made it his determination to one day fix the perception regarding Pokemon. But even after many months of extensive training to become a better trainer, he still didn't know how he would fix the problem. All he knew was that with hard work, things would eventually fall into place.

---

Monday, February 27th

7:46pm.

Ash gave an anxious sigh as he sat on his bed. Brock had told him earlier that he was running a little late today since he had to pick up Tierno. But Ash was itching to get outside and practice even if it was just for a little while with Pikachu. They hadn't been able to train at all during the Remembrance, and Ash was beginning to suffer from withdrawal.

Even though his battle with Cross was fast approaching, all Ash could do right now was wait. He would receive a little bit of time to warm up with Pikachu before the battle, but that did little to quell the fire inside of him. He was ready to burst!

With the Remembrance taking place this past weekend, Ash didn't have much of an option but to stay at home. This gave him ample time to wander around the PokeHub, which gave him constant reminders of his street battle with Cross. It wasn't often that a street battle got advertised on the PokeHub, but with two high caliber trainers taking part, it was a way for fans to see a high-quality battle live without having to pay for admission at the Hidden Cove.

Looking back to his phone screen, Ash watched the replay of his most recent encounter with Cross. A chuckle escaped Ash's lips when Brock declared that Cross was a 'damn Skitty!' He was still surprised that a little name-calling was enough to get Cross riled up, but Ash could only shrug at the thought. It wasn't his fault that Cross had a short fuse, and it only added to the drama that everyone was enjoying. The comments section of the replay was littered with people claiming that their street battle was a 'must see!' Others stated that Ash was in for a rude awakening if he battled one of the elite trainers in the circuit.

The mixed bag of responses built upon Ash's growing anxiety, to the point that his legs were shaking. It felt like he was going to explode!

At long last, a text message from Brock arrived.

'Yo dude, do you remember that purchase I made back at the beginning of the month?' Brock asked him, causing Ash to look up in thought.

Vaguely, he could remember Brock making some sort of request. But with all of the money Ash was sitting on as of late, it didn't really matter to him what Brock did with the money.

'Not really. Does it matter?' Ash asked him in return.

'Well, I'm outside with it.'

Ash shot up from his bed. Finally! It was time to get going!

"Pikachu!" Ash called to his partner who was out in the walkway. "It's time to go!"

Ash snatched up Pikachu's Pokeball from his nightstand and tucked it into his pocket. Ash dashed out of his room with Pikachu following close behind. As he drew closer to the front door, Ash could hear the faint sound of loud music from outside. Rather than question it, Ash gave a shout of goodbye to the girls in the living room and jumped into his sneakers.

When he threw open the door, he found the source of all the noise, and it increased tenfold now that he was outside. Parked out in front of his house was a two-door, silver and black classic car with sparkling rims, tinted windows and a large decal job. 'Regal' was printed across the hood and passenger door. As Ash gawked at this car, the passenger window slid down to reveal Brock and Tierno bobbing their heads to the beat.

"You like?" Brock asked after he lowered the music.

"What is this?" Ash exclaimed as he rushed up to the car.

"Our new ride!"

"For what?"

"Well, you're becoming a big shot in the circuit. I figured you needed a car to, you know, flex on a few people," Brock explained and Ash burst into a fit of laughter. Only Brock could concoct a reason like that. "So, what do you think?"

"I mean, it's pretty cool!" Ash said as he eyed the decal job on the hood and passenger door. "But why 'regal?'"

Brock beamed at him.

"It's a title fit for the newest King of Vermilion City!" Brock proclaimed with a gesture toward his friend. Ash pinched the bridge of his nose and gave a chuckle. Once again, only Brock would go to these lengths.

"Whoa, who's car is that?" Casey hollered from the living room window. She and Shauna were practically hanging out of the window as they observed the car, admiring its stylish frame.

"It's our new ride!" Brock hollered in return. "You like?"

"It's so cool!" Casey exclaimed causing Ash to roll his eyes. "Can I go for a ride with you guys?"

"No," Ash answered causing Casey to puff out her cheeks.

"You suck!" She shouted at him. Ash stuck his tongue out in reply, earning a laugh from Shauna.

"Come on guys, let's get going," Ash said as Tierno opened the passenger door to step out the car and slide the front seat forward. "What are you doing?"

"You're the star here, you ride in the back," Tierno said as he motioned to the backseat. Ash raised his brow as he looked from Tierno to Brock.

"You guys are something else," Ash muttered as he complied. He climbed into the backseat, and once everyone was settled, the trio set out for the site of Ash's battle with Cross.

It was a location they were all familiar with. The abandoned subway station that they had seen N battle last September.

---

Ash's arrival was tempestuous.

It was dusk when Brock brought the car to a stop right in front of the main entrance of the station. A crowd had gathered there, most of which were discussing the prospect of seeing two circuit trainers battle each other.

With the bass pumping, all eyes were drawn to their car as Tierno stepped out and made way for Ash to climb out.

Tierno was right to call Ash a star earlier. The crowd swarmed him and wished him luck in the upcoming battle. His trip through the above-ground station was more or less the same. Bystanders would point him out to their associates, whispering their opinions about the matchup. As they entered the corridor that led to the service elevator, the trio spotted the pair of guards that manned the transport. They were both large men with dark sunglasses, but they were quick to acknowledge Ash.

"The man of the night." One of the guards proclaimed as Ash bumped forearms with each of them.

"Make sure it's a good one for us." The other added as he called for the elevator. The doors parted, granting entry for Ash, Brock, and Tierno.

"I think you'll be surprised," Ash answered them as they stepped in. The doors shut behind them and they proceeded down into the depths of the subway station.

The elevator opened up into the main lobby of the station, and a 'full house' was an understatement. The place was overloaded with people, to the point where Brock felt like Ash had pulled in a bigger audience than N did back in September. There was entertainment, food, drinks, everything to make this more than just the site for a battle. This would likely devolve into a party as the night went on after Ash's match.

"Man, why are there so many people here?" Tierno asked, practically shouting over all the chatter for his friends to hear him.

"This battle blew up man!" Brock exclaimed for lack of a better term.

The video of Ash and Cross speaking on the beach of the Hidden Cove went viral on the PokeHub. Every trainer or Pokemon enthusiast in Vermilion City saw it! Ash had made the gamble of his life on this battle, not to mention Cross had taken on the role of the villain with his comments concerning Ash, Cedric and the vast majority of the circuit trainers. Everyone wanted to see Ash win…no matter how unlikely it seemed.

"It got so big that they decided to have a few warm-up battles on the tracks too. Ash's battle is scheduled for nine o'clock, so you've got some time to practice still." Brock pointed out for Ash and Pikachu who gave a nod.

"We're going to head off, then, we'll see you guys at the battle!" Ash declared before he dashed off to find some privacy.

With Ash gone, the logical choice to pass the time was for Brock and Tierno to go watch the warm-up battles. It wasn't quite as congested down on the train tracks, but there was a still a sizeable audience around each of the makeshift battlefields, cheering for the participating trainers. To the duo's surprise, familiar faces were observing these battles.

"Giselle? What are you doing here?" Brock exclaimed as he approached the burgundy haired beauty. However, when he caught sight of her company, Brock didn't feel quite so nonchalant.

Volkner was seated on the edge of the platform, and there was a young man with a scarlet-colored afro wearing some oversized baggy pants. But among these big fish was the biggest of all, a young man with lengthy green locks – N.

"Of course, I would come to see this battle," Giselle responded as she crossed her arms. "I'm surprised you guys are so late."

Seeing Brock struggle to give an answer, Tierno spoke for him.

"We had to pick up something special for Ash, we can show you after if you have some time." Tierno offered, and Giselle gave a nod. It had to be special if it warranted being late to tonight's event.

"S-S-So, wha…what are you guys doing, you know, together?" Brock inquired as he made a gesture to the group of trainers. It was a fantastic collection of big-name trainers, Giselle included.

"I'm here to see this Ketchum kid," The redhead piped up with a hearty grin. "I heard that Cross was going to challenge me next, but Ketchum called dibs first."

"Cross was going to challenge you?" Tierno asked as he tilted his head. "Who are you?"

"Ah, my bad, I forgot that I'm not as famous as the rest of this group," He noted as he shot a grin toward Volkner. "You can call me Flint. I'm from Sunyshore City in Sinnoh."

"He's ranked at sixth currently in the circuit," Giselle added. "Which makes him the number one contender."

"What does that mean?" Tierno asked her.

"When you're ranked at sixth, you're right beneath the Five Kings," Giselle began. "So, when you have this rank, you have the right to challenge any of them to an official match that they can't refuse."

"Oh, I get it," Tierno said with a nod before he looked to Flint. "I only know about two of the Kings. Who were you going to challenge?"

"The same person as last time," Flint replied as he pointed to Volkner. "We go way back. I've been trying to beat him in an official match since we came to Kanto, but I've lost all three times so far."

"If you've lost every time, why do you keep trying to beat him? Wouldn't it make more sense to challenge someone else?"

"Eh, I'm only really interested in beating Volkner. I mean, I've tried battling N, too, but that didn't go so well," Flint explained with a laugh. "But I've been working on something new to take down Volkner, so I hope you're ready for me."

"We'll see." Was all Volkner said in reply.

"You all came to see Ash's battle?" Brock asked them, though he looked at N closely.

"Well I did help him practice for this battle, so I'm a little invested in it." Volkner replied.

"I'm in the same camp." Giselle added with a raised hand.

"I heard Volkner was going to be here, so I thought I'd swing by." Flint offered as his answer and all eyes went to N for his reply.

"I came to see a good battle." He said with a shrug of his shoulders. Volkner gave a snort.

"This isn't going to be a battle," Volkner stated as he wore a smirk. "Don't blink, or you might miss the whole thing."

---

It was finally time.

Ash and Cross took their places on their stage – the main tracks with platforms on both sides, where the audience was piled on top of each other.

The cameras were in place at several locations, already streaming the event to the PokeHub. Brock couldn't help but take out his phone to glimpse at the live stream. His eyes became wide at the number of viewers.

Over seven thousand people were tuned into the stream, not to mention the hundreds that were present for the battle. The chat for the stream was being flooded with comments by the viewers with the majority of them rooting for Ash.

Dylan66: Start the battle already, ZZZZZ

Pokegirl4life: XD

Lex_Machine: Quest has got this! Let's go!

SpadeIRL: I was there when he challenged Axel, this battle is going to be crazy!

Damien32: PIKACHU!

Brock scrolled through the comments and felt his pride swell at all the support Ash was receiving. It gave him the urge to give Ash one last shout of support before the battle commenced. Tierno joined him, and their shouts gained Ash's attention. He and Pikachu glanced back at their supports and gave them a thumbs up.

As Ash looked at Brock and Tierno, he caught sight of the other people with them. His mentors, Giselle and Volkner. And of course, his goal, N.

"A trainer can only unlock a Pokemon's true potential with love. It's why I'm certain you will beat Cross, Ash."

Ash made eye contact with N and the two of them shared a brief nod. After he had given this small gesture to his friends, Ash steeled his expression along with Pikachu. They refused to show any weakness in the face of the hostile stares from their opponents. Cross nostrils flared and his gaze was dark. It was obvious that he was livid.

They had so much to prove.

"Are you ready?" Cross hollered and Lycanroc snarled, which silenced the audience around them.

"Are you?" Ash asked in return as Pikachu jumped down from his shoulder.

Cross didn't give a response and nodded to his Lycanroc, a gesture for him to take his place on the tracks. With the two Pokemon in position, the trainers looked to the young man that was acting as their referee.

"Trainers, are you ready?" He asked them, but Cross halted the process.

"Hold on," He stated with a hand raised. "Let's make this interesting."

The sneer on his face couldn't make it any more obvious what he wanted.

"Let's put some money on this battle," Cross began, reminding Ash of their prior meeting at the Cut. But this time, the situation was more favorable, and Cross' arrogance would be his downfall. "I'll bet ten grand that your Pikachu can't put one scratch on Lycanroc."

The crowd roared at the proposal and Ash licked his lips. Cross wasn't just trying to strip him of his livelihood, he wanted to take everything that Ash had.

"Don't be scared," Cross said snidely after the audience became quiet. "We'll even give you one free hit, just to see if you can do anything."

"Damn, he's full of himself!"

"Get him 'Quest!'"

Cross smirked at Ash. Now it was his turn to have the audience putting pressure on him. Ash eyed the audience and mirrored the smirk Cross wore.

"Double it!" Ash shouted in return and the hype consumed their spectators. They clamored for the battle to begin, and the referee was overwhelmed. He looked to each trainer desperately, as if the audience was going to attack him if they had to wait any longer. Both Ash and Cross gave the confirming nod and the referee threw up his hands.

Cross and Lycanroc raised an outstretched hand toward their opponents and made a gesture for them to attack. Ash observed Lycanroc's loose stance. His arms were lowered to his side and he was studying Pikachu mildly. He wasn't even taking this seriously!

Ash narrowed his gaze at Lycanroc and Pikachu arched his back, ready to explode forward at a moment's notice.

"Alright then, Pikachu let's go with Thunder Wave!" Ash hollered over the audience. Small streaks of yellow began to crackle from Pikachu's cheeks before he gave a shout. A lightning bolt jumped from him, dancing across the train tracks until it reached Lycanroc and enveloped his whole body.

The disinterest on Lycanroc's face faded immediately as the electricity invaded his body, lacing its way through his muscles and locking them. Lycanroc hunched over with a snarl but this did nothing to alter Cross' demeanor.

"Paralysis? That's your big move?" Cross asked them. "I allowed you to land a real attack but you wasted it. Lycanroc, shake it off and use Crush Claw!"

Lycanroc swiped his hands through the air, dicing up the lightning bolt with his sharpened claws. He eyed his target and went down on all fours. Ash ignored the chill on his back as Lycanroc poised himself to attack.

"Pikachu, make them work. Use Agility and Double Team!" Ash called in return as Lycanroc burst forward. Pikachu tensed his muscles and drew in a deep breath as Lycanroc approached. Then as Lycanroc took a swipe at him, he vanished.

There was a gasp from the crowd, who had lost sight of Pikachu. Eight after-images flickered to life around Lycanroc, earning shouts of wonder from the audience. Lycanroc was swarmed from all sides, but he lashed out with his claws to ward off Pikachu's attacks. However, this was to no avail. Pikachu darted around his foe, evading his counterattacks with ease.

Even if Cross wanted to ignore it, he was at a disadvantage while Lycanroc was fighting off paralysis. The movements of his Pokemon were dulled, and he was unable to track down Pikachu in such a state. Lycanroc gasped as he fell to one knee, his body finally failing him. His body was defying him, growing more resistant with every move he made to catch Pikachu.

The paralysis was in full effect and Cross didn't both to conceal his irritation.

"I said to shake it off, Lycanroc!" Cross barked at his Pokemon.

Lycanroc shot a glare back at his trainer and showed his teeth as a warning. Cross clapped his hands and hollered in return, further aggravating his Pokemon who raised one of his front paws and dropped it onto the metal rail of the train track. His paw bent the metal rail out of shape, and the eyes of those who saw it widened in shock.

Lowering his head, Lycanroc's breathing became erratic and Ash was quick to take note. There was no time left. It was now or never!

"It's time Pikachu, use Electro Ball!" Ash shouted to his partner.

The after-images faded away revealing Pikachu's current location where he became engulfed in electricity. Then he raised his tail which became the focal point and the electricity gathered, becoming a dense sphere that rested on his tail. Several meters from him, Lycanroc had managed to force himself back onto his feet, his eyes gaining a dark red glow. Pikachu shivered at the sight of them, but Ampharos' teachings came to mind.

"The key to wielding your power…is confidence. Don't be scared of making a mistake, or scared of your power, or even scared of your opponent. In you is the power to do amazing things, so long as you believe in yourself and trust in your trainer."

Pikachu stared back at Lycanroc; his gaze unwavering.

I'm not afraid of you. Because I have the strongest person in the world with me!

"Let's go Pikachu!" Ash shouted as he threw his fist in the air.

Pikachu smiled at Lycanroc and swung his tail through the air to launch his attack. The Electro Ball howled as it traveled along the subway tracks, racing toward Lycanroc whose eyes focused on it intensely. He raised a hand to intercept the attack with his Crush Claw, but the paralysis struck. Lycanroc remained frozen in place and the Electro Ball came crashing into his torso. It lifted him from the ground and hurled him several yards down the tracks. All heads turned to watch as Lycanroc came tumbling to a stop on his stomach and he remained there.

He shuddered violently as the electricity crackled around his body. An excruciating prickly sensation ran up and down his body, assaulting every fiber of his being. It burned, it stung and through it all Lycanroc was left writhing on the ground, unable to even howl as some form of relief. His vision began to clear as he rested on his side, and the first thing he focused on was his opponents in the distance, Ash and Pikachu.

They were both beaming with pride at the results of their attack, but then Lycanroc saw someone who wasn't happy at all. Cross' jaw was tight, fists clenched and the veins in his neck were bulging.

"Get up Lycanroc!" He shouted angrily.

There was no movement from Lycanroc.

Every part of his body was unresponsive. He couldn't even whimper if he wanted to.

"I said get up!" Cross yelled as the referee ran down to examine Lycanroc.

A low growl came from deep with Lycanroc, causing the referee to stumble backward with a shout. Thankfully, another trainer came to his rescue and approached Lycanroc with no fear at all. His inspection of Lycanroc was quick, and his status meant that not even Cross could question his judgment.

"The battle is over, Lycanroc can't continue!" N declared as he pointed toward Ash and Pikachu. Before he could even proclaim Ash as the victor, the entire audience was going crazy. Brock and Tierno were among the first to jump down to the tracks to celebrate Ash's victory, hounding their friend and screaming their heads off.

Everyone was in a tizzy!

Many people had come rooting for Ash, hoping for him to startle one the circuit's elite trainers and claim an unexpected victory. Instead, they saw Ash and Pikachu win convincingly! And Cross' expression was the cherry on top.

With his lips pursed and brow twitching, Cross stared incredulously at his downed Pokemon. He then looked to Pikachu and his blood began to boil.

That little runt somehow beat Lycanroc?!

No…he couldn't accept this.

The rematch at the Hidden Cove…he would destroy Ash in front of everyone.

Cross raised Lycanroc's Pokeball and called him back. Of course, to get back onto the subway platforms, Cross would have to pass Ash and his friends.

Ash's focus shifted to Cross as he approached the group, a scowl aimed directly at him. Cross' bitterness and animosity took on the form of the same chilling winds Ash had felt before, but he withstood the tempest returned the stare, undeterred.

The crowd became hushed, expecting Cross to give his parting words. But the exchange between the trainers was wordless.

Ash sent a challenge…a declaration that he would prove that he and Pikachu belonged among the circuit's elite.

An assurance came from Cross…that Pikachu wouldn't survive their rematch.

They broke eye contact and Cross continued on his way. Ash gulped, his throat becoming dry as the threat sat in the back of his mind. An inquisitive fear surfaced from the depths within him, forming into a question that Ash had ignored until this point. How far were Cross and Lycanroc willing to go in a battle?

"Hey, where do you think you're going?!" Tierno hollered at Cross who was making his way toward up to the platforms. "I think you owe Ash here some money!"

"Yeah, that's right!" Brock exclaimed. "Twenty grand and if even one penny is missing, you're going to hear it from me!"

Cross glared at the duo and continued on his way.

"And don't forget, we're not done with you!" Brock added as he cupped his hands around his mouth. "Bring your ass to the Hidden Cove so Ash can kick it there too!"

As Cross walked, he raised one hand to make an obscene gesture at Brock, who merely laughed at the sight of it. The celebration continued down on the tracks, but on the platform, a trio of trainers was talking amongst themselves.

"My, that's quite a combo you taught them," Giselle noted as she looked to Volkner. A smirk had been plastered on his face after seeing the results of the battle. The blonde had a smirk plastered on his face after witnessing the conclusion to the battle. It went exactly as predicted. "But how do you think they'll do when Cross isn't underestimating them?"

"Obviously they won't be able to repeat what they did tonight as easily, but I get the feeling Ash will find a way. It's his specialty after all," Volkner replied before he glanced at his old friend. "Flint, what did you think of Ash?"

"Not sure yet, this was the first time I've seen him. But now I can't wait to see the official match! It's gonna be off the hook!" Flint exclaimed and Volkner gave a nod.

He wasn't the only one looking forward to their official match up.

Outside of the station, an older gentleman slid into the passenger seat of a car with a grin on his face. The driver of the car immediately took notice of his expression and a giggle escaped her lips.

"I take it you enjoyed the battle, Mr. Goodshow."

"Very much, Melissa…very much." Charles responded to his assistant as she began to drive.

"I'm happy. It's not often you leave the Hidden Cove, so it must have been quite the show, huh?"

"It was quite one-sided, actually. But the result of this battle means there will be a rematch between them," Charles explained as he thought about the matchup. "I can't wait to see this one!"

Ash vs Cross.

'Quest' vs 'Axel.'

A match that everyone had to see!

Charles had a title for the posters in mind already.

Bad Blood.

---

A/N

My deepest apologies for taking so long with this one, forgive me pretty please xD I know it took a while, but hopefully, the length of this one will make up for it.

This was an absolutely loaded chapter and I have a lot to unpack with you guys! By far my longest chapter and its no surprise really considering I had three battles in it. None of the battles were particularly huge, I want to say. All of them were more build-up than anything else, but I tried my best to make each of them feel unique with the differing styles of each trainer. I think I've gotten a lot better at combat over the course of the last ten chapters since Ash's first 'significant' battle was exactly ten chapters ago. It's hard to believe he debuted just ten chapters ago, but he's come quite a long way in a short time.

I've been playing around with a ton of concepts for different Pokemon, though Pikachu is my highest priority for obvious reasons. This chapter also featured another 'run on lightning' moment, which is something I've been thinking about for a long time. Its full debut is a chapter or two away still, but I'm open to hearing any of your thoughts about it presently.

A big thanks to MjrGenMatt for his constant support. And also, a shout out to all you reviewers and new followers! We'll keep doing our best to deliver high-quality chapters to you all, so all I ask is for your patience. Thanks again, everyone!

Notable Introductions

Flint. This is the fire-specialist from the Sinnoh Elite Four. I'm only mentioning this to you all because Brock's father, who has a few appearances now, is also named Flint, so I just want to make sure we all know that these are two different Flint's. He'll be making more appearances going forward and I'm very excited about his role. But I'll keep my lips zipped for now. ;)

The Remembrance. I'm trying to think of how best to give some extra insight into this without spoilers. In the end, I think N covered all the bases without going too far into this subject. Again, its an observance for those lost in the Great Crisis. What is the Great Crisis? A full exploration of that will come at a later day and I'm really looking forward to it!

In reply to one reviewer who asked about Ash going on a journey, that is definitely in my plans. I can promise you that Ash will travel in the future, but after he completes his 'journey' here in Vermilion City.

That's it for me for now! Peace out guys, be good now!