Long time no see everyone! I know its been a while, hopefully my explanation at the end of the chapter will suffice. In the meantime, welcome to what I consider to be my 'most ambitious' chapter ever! Enjoy and I'll see you again at the end of the chapter!
Chapter 42
Saturday, May 13th
With her wings spread, a lone Pidgeot soared through the atmosphere above Route 6. Even as she flew hundreds of feet above the ground, her keens eyes allowed her to observe every detail of the woodlands below. She locked in on a clearing where she spotted a battle taking place, and trilled with excitement as the Pokemon exchanged attacks at the calls of their trainers. But her great shout went unheard by these trainers as their battle continued.
"We can't let them move around us so freely! Use Bone Club and follow up with Bone Rush!"
"Pikachu, dodge those attacks with Quick Attack!"
Cubone liked talking with Pikachu, but he hated battling this yellow furred nuisance, because…He swung and swung and swung again, but his bone never connected with Pikachu's tiny body. And today was no exception to this rule. He couldn't hit Pikachu!
Giselle devised countless strategies to trap Pikachu, but the difference in speed was simply too great to overcome. They tried all kinds of tricks and developed new moves, but Pikachu was always a blur on the battlefield as he ran circles around Cubone. In fact, as of late, Cubone was having difficulty seeing Pikachu as they practiced.
It was part of the strategy Pikachu would be using in his next battle at the Hidden Cove. He was trying to abuse his opponent's blind spots. This wasn't an easy strategy by any means, but the practice they put in was beginning to show. It was already frustrating trying to battle Pikachu back when he first got the hang of exploiting his speed. But now…it was practically infuriating! Pikachu cast aside his constant use of Double Team now in favor of hiding in Cubone's blind spot.
Not only was Pikachu avoiding every hit, but he also wouldn't even let Cubone see him.
This was the countermeasure that Ash, Giselle, and Volkner developed to combat Aaron's Kadabra. Both Giselle and Volkner described psychic types as some of the most oppressive Pokemon to battle, because their abilities were practically unstoppable.
"Next to poison types, psychics are the worst to deal with," Volkner commented with a groan.
Giselle had no experience battling psychic types since they were considered a rarity in Kanto. Volkner had a little bit of experience, though it was during his youth in Sunyshore City in a sad showing against a trainer by the name of Lucian. So, the trio turned to the PokeHub for more insight into psychic Pokemon.
There were dozens of research papers by well-known Pokemon researchers such as Cedric Juniper and Samuel Oak written in great detail. They proposed theories about the origin of psychic abilities and delved into ancient history to explain the overall development of these powers. The capabilities of psychic Pokemon were truly astounding! According to a paper by Professor Juniper, psychic Pokemon possessed a level of intelligence that was far superior to humans, but as a result, they were not abstract thinkers. They depended on proof and disregarded theory.
"As crazy as this might seem, the intelligence and perceptive powers of a psychic Pokemon can be detrimental at times," Said Cedric Juniper. "They're like us humans…we believe in what we understand. I could only imagine what it must be like for them to grasp concepts like wind and gravity when they're young and impressionable. But the reason I brought this up is that these flaws carry over into combat. Even though their powers are guided by their mind, they depend too much on what they can see."
This became the basis for their countermeasure. They would deny Kadabra line of sight to hopefully limit the use of his psychic prowess. Of course, that alone wouldn't be enough to secure the victory. There was still a lot of work ahead of them, and it showed in Ash's unusual behavior.
Cubone couldn't help but notice that Ash was stricter as they prepared for this battle. He expected more out of Pikachu than Cubone had ever seen before.
"Cubone, don't let up with your Bone Rush!" Giselle barked as she noticed Cubone was swinging away in a predictable pattern that Pikachu had already grown accustomed to as he hid in Cubone's shadow. Cubone's eyes sharpened as he focused, whirling around with his glowing blue bone to strike at Pikachu once again.
Pikachu jumped away to get some space and in reply, Cubone extended his bone to thrust it at Pikachu at range. With fleet-footed movements, Pikachu evaded each attack and even parried away the final one with his tail, but Ash didn't seem too happy about it.
"Pikachu, we can't do that!" Ash hollered from across the field. "You have to stay in his shadow. If you commit to battling in front of Kadabra, we've already lost. Every time he turns, you have to move!"
Despite the difference in Ash's demeanor, Pikachu responded accordingly and redoubled his efforts with fierce determination.
"Pika!" Pikachu said with a nod to Ash, then he looked back to Cubone with a renewed sense of urgency. The weapon-wielding Pokemon felt a chill as he saw lightning bolts begin to course through Pikachu's irises. That was never a good sign, at least not for Cubone.
Pikachu arched his back and surged forward with explosive acceleration. The grass leaned to the side from the gust of wind that trailed behind Pikachu as he raced across the clearing. Cubone raised his bone to meet Pikachu's initial attack, but as expected, the speedy Pokemon feinted and darted to the side. Cubone spun to track the movements of his opponent, but Pikachu denied him even that as he remained concealed in Cubone's blind spot.
Even as Pikachu whizzed around Cubone with great care and decisiveness, Ash bit down on his lower lip and shook his head.
Giselle sat at the edge of the clearing, using their fifteen-minute break to cool off and rehydrate. As summer approached, it was steadily getting hotter each day. Thankfully, the humidity was low in Kanto, producing dry heat in the summer. Giselle couldn't imagine living in a place like Hoenn, where the humidity was off the charts.
She glanced at her side and observed Brock as he doused Pikachu and Cubone with water from the bottles he brought. Both gave content sighs of relief before they were provided some water to drink. Then she began to hear the crackle of a plastic bottle next to her and turned to Ash as he chugged the remainder of his water bottle. Once complete, he let out a deep sigh and wiped the sweat off his brow.
"So how are you feeling?" Giselle inquired and Ash pursed his lips.
"I don't know," He muttered as he leaned back against the tree trunk. "We've been getting ready for this battle for a long time, but it still doesn't feel like we've done enough."
"What makes you say that?" Giselle asked in return.
"Well…we've been practicing Electric Terrain with Volkner and Ampharos, but we haven't figured out what's the next step we could take with that move," Ash explained. "I mean, we've made a little bit of progress and Pikachu has been working on different ways he can control the electricity on the field, but I don't see how any of that is going to be useful against Kadabra and those psychic powers."
"Don't get too stressed over it," Giselle went on. "Pikachu's gotten good at hiding in someone's blind spot and there's still plenty of time to work on other strategies.
"I know, it's hard to stay calm about this. Volkner said that battling a psychic type is like fighting against two opponents at once, them and their powers. I want to make sure I'm prepared for this one."
"Don't start doubting everything you've practiced. You and Pikachu have come a long way, don't forget that," Giselle stated sternly as Ash looked at her. "You practice a lot with Cubone and Ampharos so you may not realize it, but electric types can be extremely oppressive too. There are ways to level the playing field, so don't lose heart."
Ash frowned as he looked out at the field with the same question that he had been asking himself for weeks now. What could level the playing field against Kadabra's psychic powers?
Sunday, May 14th
Sunday morning was typically dedicated to sleeping in for Pikachu. On most Sundays, Ash would make breakfast with Cassidy and spend the morning with his sisters, which left Pikachu with the option of burying himself in the couch cushions to snooze the morning away. However, this particular Sunday wasn't such a case.
Pikachu was tucked away inside of Ash's backpack as the young man walked briskly through the streets of uptown Vermilion City as they closed in on their destination, Brock's house. Ash stepped through the gate when he arrived and dashed up to the front door where he knocked with no restraint. There was an almost immediate answer by none other than Tilly, Brock's youngest sister. She looked up at Ash and beamed, though her expression was short-lived since her mother was a few steps away.
"Tilly, what have I told you about answering the door?" Lola asked with a frown. Tilly stuck out her lower lip in a plea for sympathy which earned a sigh from Lola before they welcomed him into their home.
"Mom, where'd ya go?!" Brock hollered from the living room. "You walked away at the best part!"
Lola shook her head as she invited Ash and Tilly to come to the living room where their entire family was gathered around the television. As Ash stepped into the living room, he found Billy and Tilly at his knees as they asked for Pikachu.
Ash kneeled and set his bag on the floor to open it. Pikachu poked his head out of the bag, much to the delight of the children who smothered him with pats on the head and belly rubs. As Pikachu became occupied with the kids, Ash joined the rest of Brock's family around the television.
"Is everyone here?" Brock asked as he took a glance around the room.
"Yeah, Brock," Yolanda muttered before she added. "Hurry up!"
"Hey, you can't rush a show like this," Brock retorted as he shot her a smirk. "Now check this out!"
Brock raised the remote triumphantly to resume the video and Ash gave a small chuckle as he now understood Brock's behavior. He was showing the recording of their performance on Friday night at the Royal Casino. As the performance went on, Brock crossed his arms with a proud grin as his siblings admired the skills of the Jive Steppers on stage.
"I thought you didn't dance anymore, Ash," Flint noted as he watched the tape. Ash shook his head with a chuckle.
"I don't," Ash replied.
"But it looks like you fit right in," Flint pointed out with a gesture to the screen. Before Ash could answer, Brock, cut in.
"Actually dad, Ash didn't learn a single routine," Brock interjected as he joined their conversation. "He didn't have the time to since he's been practicing for his big match at the end of the month."
Flint furrowed his brow and stared intently at the TV screen.
"Serena was the mastermind behind this," Brock continued. "She studies performing, and this was a trick she learned about controlling what the audience is looking at. Ash didn't learn the routines, so we shuffled him around to keep him out of spots where his lack of practice could be seen. When we were dancing, he was in the background with May. When May was singing, he was in the background with us. It's not something you notice in real-time unless you're looking for something like that specifically."
Flint stroked at his chin and gave a large nod.
"I've never really given it much thought, but there's quite a lot that goes into these performances, huh?" Flint asked.
"We made a few mistakes on stage, but it all worked out," Brock said as he proudly viewed the screen.
Ash stared at the screen, though everything blurred as he focused on himself in the background.
'Controlling what the audience is looking at…'
Controlling what their opponent was looking at…
What Kadabra was looking at! His eyes widened. That was it!
"I've got it!" Ash exclaimed.
"Got what?" Flint asked him.
"It was never about making sure Kadabra couldn't see Pikachu, the way to beat Psychic is to make sure Kadabra is looking at something else!" Ash proclaimed as he yanked his phone out of his pocket. "I've gotta call, Giselle!"
Ash stepped out of the living room as he scrolled to Giselle on his recent contacts. There were two rings before she answered, and Ash didn't even allow her to say hello.
"Change in plans, Giselle. We're not coming to Route 6 today. I know how to beat Psychic, and we need Volkner's help to do it!"
It was eleven o'clock in the morning by the time everyone gathered at Volkner's small cottage in Route 11. Brock, Giselle, and Volkner sat on the porch steps as an audience for Ash as he explained his sudden realization.
"It was thanks to Brock," Ash went on. "We did a show together last week, but it wasn't until Brock was showing a replay of it that I realized what we have to do to beat Kadabra."
Giselle crossed her legs and Volkner leaned back against the staircase, their brows raised in anticipation.
"We're building this whole strategy around trying to make sure that Kadabra couldn't see us, but just hiding in a blind spot the whole battle wasn't going to be enough," Ash said as he shrugged his shoulders. "But Brock made a really good point. If you can get people to focus on something, other things can go unnoticed around them. It's not exactly easy, but if we can force Kadabra to use Psychic on something else, he'll be defenseless against Pikachu's speed."
"And that would compound the effects of your blind spot strategy too. If Kadabra's focus is split, it'll be impossible for him to track Pikachu," Brock added, but when he looked to Volkner and Giselle, they didn't hold Ash's plan in the high esteem that he did. Ash waited, anxious to hear their thoughts.
"I get it, it makes sense in a vacuum," Giselle commented after a moment. "Get Kadabra to block an attack with Psychic, then you swoop in and hit him. But I honestly think you're underestimating psychic Pokemon if you think one attack like Thunderbolt or Electro Ball will be enough to create an opening."
"Well, it won't be just one attack. The plan is to split his focus. We're going to launch attacks from every angle we can," Ash reasoned with her. "If two or three isn't enough, then we'll come back with more," Ash made eye contact with Giselle and she wrinkled her nose at Ash's intensity. "Whatever it takes!"
"It's great that you've got this plan and all, but have you thought about actual execution?" Volkner asked. "The cost of rattling off electric type attacks is nothing to take lightly. Not to mention, Pikachu's isn't the type to be able to fire off attacks rapidly."
"What do you mean?" Brock asked him.
"Electric type Pokemon generate electricity in different ways. Pikachu does it through motion. When his muscles contract, they release electricity. And the friction his fur creates adds to it," Volkner explained as he stole a glance at their Pokemon as they played out in the field. "That's why Quick Attack and Double Team is the perfect foundation for Pikachu. The constant movement will strengthen his next electrical attack."
"But all that power goes into one attack," Brock assumed, and his comment earned a nod from Volkner. "Couldn't Pikachu hold back and keep some of the energy for the next attack?"
"It's not that simple. Pikachu has been practicing restraint from the moment he started training with us back in January," Volkner pointed out. "It's for his safety that he holds back, but in combat, it's a different story. What he builds up has to come out or he could overload during the battle. It's like when you've got gas and you have to burp. There's no holding back," As Volkner said this, he tilted head back to belch.
"Preach!" Brock added with a laugh.
"God, you're such a pig!" Giselle hissed at him as she promptly stood up at took some distance.
Ash remained unamused despite Volkner's behavior. He wrinkled his forehead, deep in thought. What could they do to compensate for how Pikachu functioned at a fundamental level?
"Don't make such a mean face, Ash," Volkner cut in. "I said it's unnatural for Pikachu, but not impossible. That Electric Terrain move that the two of you developed, it changes Pikachu it more ways that we could understand right now, but I've already seen enough to know that it'll enable Pikachu to do exactly what you want to do."
"So, what was that whole spiel for?" Ash exclaimed.
"To remind you about your foundation," Volkner glanced toward Giselle as he said that. "Electric Terrain has been your answer to win your last few battles, but it won't always be the answer. Someone's already beaten it, right?"
Giselle raised her brow and suppressed her smirk. She would have to thank Volkner for tackling this subject so fearlessly with Ash.
"I know," Ash muttered. "I was trying to make some strategies that didn't rely on Electric Terrain, but it looks like we still have some work to do."
"That's okay," Giselle consoled him. "It takes time to build up your foundation. For now, you have a valid strategy to beat Kadabra's psychic defense so we'll focus on that."
"You've got a lot of work ahead of you for this plan to work. You're asking a lot out of Pikachu, and you'll only have a small window of time to pull this off while Electric Terrain is active," Volkner explained and Ash gave a nod.
"We'll make it happen. We're going to beat my dad, no matter what," He stated, and Volkner eyed Ash cautiously.
Those gallant wings behind Ash…they folded against his back.
Volkner sighed. 'The sooner this battle is over…the better.'
Friday, May 19th
Sparks jumped from the blades of grass that filled the field in front of Volkner's home. Ampharos stood at the center of the field where she paid close attention to how Pikachu's Electric Terrain acted today. It encircled her legs as a snare, mimicking the actions of a Tentacruel to restrain her, though Ampharos could comfortably ignore it. The electricity was nothing more than a nuisance to her with her level of electrical mastery. However, against other types of Pokemon, it would be a threat that was on par with Pikachu's Thunder Wave.
"Alright Pikachu, go!" Ash hollered from the opposite side of the field.
Pikachu whizzed by like a lightning bolt and came to a stop several feet to Ampharos' side. A sphere of lightning rested on his tail and it screeched as bolts sputtered from it. Pikachu swung his tail and launched the Electro Ball at Ampharos, but as soon as he released the attack, he darted off as well. In a flash, he was on the opposite side of Ampharos where his cheeks crackle and he gave a shout to unleash Thunderbolt.
The attacks converged on Ampharos, but the timing was off. She raised one hand to bat away the Electro Ball and then turned to use her tail to absorb the Thunderbolt. The sight of this caused Ash to frown as he stomped the ground.
"We've to be even faster than that, Pikachu!" Ash shouted. "Thunderbolt and Electro Ball have to get there at the same time. We can't give them an opportunity to defend against both attacks!"
Giselle and Brock sat on the porch of Volkner's cottage to watch the battle from a distance where they wouldn't get hit by any stray lightning bolts. Five days of constant practice led to some remarkable results. Earlier this week when this first started to practice, accuracy was the biggest issue.
Pikachu was rushing.
Three attacks in rapid succession was a lot to ask of him. Not only did he have to manipulate his Electric Terrain, but then he had to fire Electro Ball from one side, and then attack from the opposite angle with Thunderbolt. With such a small window to pull off their strategy, Pikachu was launching attacks willy-nilly at first. But as of today, that was no longer the case.
He was meticulous, careful to make sure the two attacks met on target. All he had to now was refine his timing. The two attacks could hit their target, but with more than enough time for them to respond accordingly…and to Ash, that was unacceptable.
"You have to cut out any wasted movement Pikachu," Ash explained again as he clapped his hands. "There's no time to check your aim after you've fired. As soon as Electro Ball disconnects from your tail, you have to get moving!"
Giselle studied Ash's expression closely. All week, Ash seemed to be more fierce than usual. His jaw always tight and his nostrils flared. It was unlike him. He was always having fun whenever they were preparing for battles prior. But now he was especially…
"Hasn't Ash been kind of…on edge, lately?" Giselle asked as she looked to Brock beside her.
Brock shifted uncomfortably as he exhaled through his mouth.
"The next match is special," Brock answered after a moment.
"Well it is his dad, after all," Giselle noted, but Brock shook his head.
"It's more than that,"
Giselle looked down as she remembered the announcement that Malcolm Berlitz posted on the PokeHub.
"Right, those special stakes…do you know about that?" Giselle asked in a hushed tone.
"I don't like telling other people's business…" Brock muttered as he looked to her. "But Ash has a lot riding on this battle. It's not like any other battle," Brock went on. "All of his other battles were a 'must-win' for different reasons. Like when he needed money. But this time it's a must-win, for Ash, and nothing else."
Wednesday, May 24th
Cassidy did her best to hold back her little grin as she opened the front door. For the first time in months, she answered the front in a reasonable amount of time from the first knock. It was a small detail but she took pride in it since it marked a noteworthy improvement in her recovery.
She was met with a wonderful smile from one of her favorite brunettes, Serena.
"Cassidy, it's so good to see you!" Serena exclaimed as she studied Cassidy's empty hands. "And no cane anymore?"
Cassidy put on a large grin upon hearing Serena's observation.
"No cane needed. I'm a little stiff, but I can manage on my own these days," Cassidy replied as she invited Serena to enter her home.
"That's great, I'm so happy to hear that!"
As they entered the corridor, Serena poked her head into the living room where she spotted Casey as she rested on the couch. Serena waved to the teenager, but she didn't bother to speak since her voice would be drowned out by the music in Casey's earphones. That small greeting would suffice as Serena followed Cassidy into the kitchen where she found Shauna and Macy conducting a project at the kitchen table.
"Serena!" Macy hollered at the sight of her. "We're baking cookies!"
Standing on one of the chairs, Macy had a small apron tied around her waist and a bandana to cover her hair. Flour was all over her hands, cheeks, and smudged into the fabric of her clothes. It was too much for Serena.
"Oh my god, you're so adorable!" Serena exclaimed in return. "Do you need any help?"
Macy then proudly motioned to her work on the table. Several cookies of all shapes and sizes were placed in the baking pan, ready for their journey into the oven.
"Nope, we're all done!" Macy said as she beamed.
"Awesome job!" Serena replied as she extended a hand toward Macy for a high five. As they exchanged this small gesture, the oven beeped to conclude its pre-heat.
"Alright Macy, here we go," Shauna said as she lifted the baking pan and set it inside of the oven. "They should be done in twenty minutes, so let's get you cleaned up."
Shauna quickly returned to Macy and set her back down on the floor. From there she took her by the hand and led her upstairs to get her in a fresh set of clothes. That left Serena and Cassidy to speak as they cleaned the kitchen table.
"So, what brings you around these parts, Serena?" Cassidy inquired.
"I dropped by check on Ash, actually," Serena answered, and that earned a sigh from Cassidy. "I was texting him over the weekend, but he didn't respond, so I wanted to see how he's doing."
"Now isn't the best time to poke at him," Cassidy commented, causing Serena to raise his brow.
"I had a feeling," She mumbled. "I talked to him after our performance two weeks ago and…he didn't seem like himself. I've been worried about him ever since."
"You're not the only one feeling that way," Cassidy said as she shook her head. "I've seen Ash act in all sorts of ways, so it's hard to gauge him at times. One minute, he's the perfect big brother and the son I always wanted," Cassidy shrugged her shoulders. "Then he'll change into a Pokemon fanatic like his father. He'll say something and sound like he's walked this earth for a hundred years, and in the same sentence remind you that he hasn't even graduated from high school yet. But the way he's acting now…I've never seen him like this."
"What do you mean?" Serena asked softly.
"It's like a combination of things. He's anxious and irritated like he's expecting something to happen," Cassidy commented after some thought.
"Like what though, what supposed to happen at this battle he's going to have?"
"It's more than just the battle. The key is what will happen afterward,"
Serena paused. After? But before she could ask, Cassidy continued.
"Don't ask…" Cassidy interjected. "It's not something I can talk about. There's too much at stake for me to say anything yet."
Saturday, May 27th
The Hidden Cove was abuzz as possibly its largest audience ever stood outside of the stadium, eager to enter and find their seats. Within the network of tunnels that traveled around the stadium, there was a hall dedicated to the history of the Hidden Cove. The merchandise and advertising dedicated to the greatest matches at the Hidden Cove were kept in this hall, and tonight, the hall received its latest addition.
A pair of workers stepped away from the ten-foot poster now that it was held within its glass case. On the bottom of it read 'Regicide,' with a crown as the centerpiece of the artwork. Ash and Aaron Ketchum were on opposite sides of the poster with weary expressions as they faced each other.
"Man, that makes three battles in a row for Ash," One of the workers noted as she admired the poster.
A few places down from this poster was the one that was made for Ash's most recent battle against Flint. 'Proof of Power.' And not only that but close by one the first poster for Ash that joined this hall. 'Bad Blood.'
Both battles received an outstanding reception from the audience on the night it took place, and their view count on the PokeHub was still rising. Many fans went back to watch replays of these matches that were etched into the history of the stadium. No one would forget those battles, and their posters were hung here to memorialize them after the battle took place.
However, tonight was an exception to that rule.
"Charles is expecting a lot from this battle if he's willing to hang a poster here before the battle even starts," The man stated with a grin. "I heard we're expecting our largest audience this year based on the ticket sales online."
"I heard the same thing so I can't wait to see how this goes,"
"The main doors will be opening in three minutes, everyone to their stations," Their walkie-talkies called out to them. The workers spared each other a nod before they went on their way to join in the final preparations.
"Whooo!" The MC roared, though his voice couldn't compare to the audience as they applauded for the conclusion to the semi-final battle of the night. A Heracross stood over his fallen opponent, a beaten and bruised Persian, with his arms raised as an appeal to the crowd. They showered Heracross with praise for his composure despite the crafty antics that Person battled with. Once a calm descended upon the crowd, the MC continued. "That concludes an exciting semi-final battle! It looks like our trainers had Tomato berries in their lunch today because these battles are heated! And our main event promises to be a spectacular finish to a night like this! We're going to a brief intermission, so stretch your legs and go to the bathroom now because you don't want to miss even a second of our final battle!"
From the highest seat in the Hidden Cove stadium, Charles Goodshow peered out of his viewing area that overlooked the battlefield. He bit down on his lower lip, doing his utmost to hold back a smile. While none of the fans could see him, Charles still did his best to appear as a character worthy of admiration, even if on the inside he wanted to jump around like a young child.
Charles was especially excited for tonight's main event. The Hidden Cove existed for more than a decade, and Charles saw all of the legendary matches that took place. The grand debut of 'The Main Event' and his Gyarados, the first and only Gyarados to ever make an appearance at the Hidden Cove. Then there was the 'Matrix' who dazzled the crowd in what was the shortest career out of everyone in the history of participating trainers. After only two matches, she was invited to join the Kalos Circuit where her legend continued.
Despite some incredible matches, Charles felt as if the upcoming battle tonight would be something truly special. He could feel it. There was a little tickle on the back of his neck that made him giddy with anticipation. And Charles' company shared similar sentiments.
Malcolm sat in the viewing area, a crooked grin on his face. He looked down at the tablet on his lap where he viewed the live stream on the PokeHub for tonight's matches. Their viewership was climbing throughout the night, but it spiked partway through the semi-final as people tuned in for the finale. All this exposure would be further exposure for Ash and the Hidden Cove.
Malcolm stretched out his arm so that his watch was visible for him to check the time.
"Well, I'll be stepping out for a few minutes," Malcolm stated as he reached to the side of the recliner that he sat in. Beside it was a dark briefcase which he lifted by its handle as he rose from his seat. "I think it's time that I speak with Ash."
The intermission between the semi-final and the main event was always an excruciating time for the fans present. At times, the intermission could kill the momentum going into the main event since the small-time frame would allow the audience's adrenaline levels to drop. It could even lead to some lackluster support for the main event…but the intermission was done with good reason.
It allowed a pair of Rhydon to come out on to the field and perform some minor repairs so that the battlefield wasn't in total disarray for the final match. Tonight, the audience was simply electric. No amount of time could cool them off. The match of the year was minutes from starting.
From the second highest seat, the nosebleeds, Volkner and Giselle sat together. Their Pokemon accompanied them, though Cubone was forced to sit on Giselle's lap rather than a seat. Even the nosebleed seats were filled! In fact, people were standing on the steps. The Hidden Cove was experiencing some severe overcrowding that could be a significant fire hazard if not for the many trainers with water Pokemon that could fight a threat like that.
Volkner eyed Giselle who sat beside him. She was silent all night. She didn't even bother to critique the other matches like she always would.
"Are you alright?" He asked her, raising his voice so that she could hear him over the chatter around them. Giselle looked around before she shook her head.
"I'm fine…" She replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "Ash and Pikachu practiced as much as they could, so there's nothing I can say. It feels weird this time because there's wasn't much that I could do to help them."
"You can't look after him forever," Volkner stated. "At some point, he's going to leave the nest, so let him go."
Giselle's cheeks became tinged pink as she shot a glare at Volkner.
"Stop trying to make me sound like a mother," She hissed at him. He pursed his lips and looked away. She rolled her eyes at Volkner's behavior, but there she was some truth in what he said. "You're right, it's up to Ash and Pikachu from there."
"Mhmm, and they'll pull through," Volkner noted. "They've got a big crowd, and Ash isn't shy about being under the spotlight."
Ash wasn't the type to crumble under pressure. He had a lot riding on this battle and he wouldn't be shaken, regardless of who was in the audience. Not even if N was in the front row…which he was.
Volkner raised his brow as he spotted the King of the White Lotus. Everyone was here to see this battle.
In the front row, 'Phantom' Koga of the White Lotus shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The front row was far from where he'd prefer to view this battle, but since he accompanied N tonight, he was at the mercy of the young man next to him. With his arms crossed, Koga looked around the stadium once more. He was certain that there were more people in the stands compared to when the semi-final began.
There were so many people here tonight. He already acknowledged Ash as a fantastic talent, but how did he draw in such a massive audience?
"I don't think I've ever seen this stadium so full," N noted as he joined Koga in scanning the audience. "Not even for one of my matches."
"It's not often you'd see a father and a son both lead a career as professional trainers, and then face each other," Koga reasoned, which earned a nod from N.
"Also, I think Ash is one of the few challengers where the audience feels like he has a legitimate shot against the Five Kings," N added and Koga glanced at him.
"Even you?" He inquired. N couldn't help but chuckle.
"Maybe, tonight will be my best chance to gauge Ash at his best," N responded as he looked back to the field. "I'm trying to consider everything, but it's always one surprise after another with Ash. All that is beside the point, this isn't a battle one of the Kings do out of courtesy to show their face around here. Ash is a threat to us and clearly, all these people are thinking the same thing. It's like Malcolm said in that announcement, everything could change after this battle. The little ecosystem we have here in Vermilion City could…get thrown off balance."
Koga eyed N wearily, but any further attempts to delve into that subject was met with silence. In all the time that Koga spent around N, only Ash could elicit such strange behavior from the King of the White Lotus.
"Come on guys, we gotta cheer until our throats are too sore to talk!" Brock hollered as he stood with his arms raised. Tierno mimicked his actions and Trevor quickly took a snapshot of the two of them with his handheld camera. Miette and Shauna looked around the stadium, amazed that Ash was going to battle in front of all these people.
"How could you not tell us about this, Serena?" Miette exclaimed as she and Shauna looked to the final member of their cheering squad.
"I had no idea this was what it was like when Ash goes out for a battle!" Shauna added. "Watching it on those streams doesn't do it justice at all!"
"Uh, well I guess it didn't cross my mind whenever I was talking to you guys," Serena admitted as she looked up. "But this place is packed. It wasn't anything like this the last time I was here."
"Is everyone here a trainer?" Miette asked.
"Nope!" Brock declared proudly. "They're all people who love Pokemon and Pokemon battling! Ash's favorite kind of people and he's going to put on a show in front of them! So come on guys, let me hear your voices. We have to make sure Ash can hear us when he's down there!"
Brock cupped his hands around his mouth and bellowed Ash's name. Quite a few people looked his way, but Brock didn't care. He wore a cheeky grin as looked down at the battlefield that Ash made name for himself on.
After months of grinding, training, and practice, Ash was going to face his father. It wasn't just a battle that Ash was about to take part in. This was a reunion with his father. They would connect in a different way, and Brock hoped from the bottom of his heart that this would give Ash the closure he needed.
The air was chilly and the wind was bracing as it blasted Ash's cheeks. He scaled the rockface slowly. At this elevation, visibility was at an all-time low. The clouds were thick and he could only see a few feet in front of him, barely enough for him to plan each move.
But at long last, he pulled up and broke free from the clouds. He looked to his left and saw the sun as it shined brilliantly, all by its lonesome self. Then he looked up and saw that the mountain peak was a few yards above him.
Just a little bit higher!
Ash gripped the rockface tightly and pulled one last time. He threw his arm onto the flat surface and used the leverage to get his upper body onto the mountain top. It was easy from there as he hauled his legs up and rolled over to rest on his back. He took a few deep breaths, pleased that he finally made it.
He made it to the peak.
Ash sat upright and looked around. To his dismay, there was a thick fog that enveloped the peak. He couldn't see a thing. For all the trouble Ash went through to get there…Aaron should've been here waiting for him. Ash cupped his hands around his mouth and gave a shout.
"Dad?!"
Ash's eyes snapped open and he inhaled sharply. Pikachu's ears perked up as Ash squirmed in his seat for a moment, his face contorted as if he were in pain. They sat together in the waiting room and they counted every second that separated them from the battle.
"Pi?" Pikachu inquired as he eyed Ash closely. Ash took in a deep breath and his vision became focused.
"I'm okay," Ash breathed out in reply. He shook his head and looked around the empty room. He could appreciate the silence now that everyone was gone. It was odd, but this was the first battle he didn't care to speak about beforehand. Most trainers discussed their strategies amongst themselves in the waiting room before their battles. But Ash kept his conversation with the others to a minimum and concentrated on his match as the population in the room dwindled throughout the night.
"Pikapi?" Pikachu pressed as he climbed into Ash's lap to make eye contact.
"I said I'm fine, Pikachu," Ash insisted as he raised his head to look away from Pikachu. "Don't worry about me, focus on the battle."
Pikachu frowned as he lowered his ears, but before he could prod at Ash some more, the entrance to the waiting room was opened. Pikachu's gaze became narrow upon Malcolm's arrival, though he softened his gaze as the man approached them.
"Well, tonight is the big night," Malcolm announced. "As promised, the match with your father."
Ash gave him a nod as he readjusted the cap on his head.
"If I had to be honest, I'm surprised you made it here so quickly," Malcolm marveled with his brow raised. "When I agreed to sponsor you, I envisioned you reaching this point in probably a year or so. But to get this far in five months…you've already surpassed your father," Ash's eyes became wide as Malcolm uttered those words, but his reaction was concealed by the visor of his cap. "Now here's your chance to show him yourself."
Ash nodded slowly as he wrung his hands together.
"I came by to leave this with you," Malcolm continued as he extended the briefcase he held toward Ash. "This is what your father wants. If he wins the battle, you have to give this to him along with the passcode. It's zero-five-one-zero-seven-seven."
"What is this?" Ash asked as he accepted the item.
"Something he's been trying to get for a very long time," Malcolm replied as he wore a smirk. "And tonight, it will continue to elude him."
There was a knock at the door as it opened again, and the attendant poked his head in.
"The main event is about to begin," He stated. "You can head out to the field now."
They all gave him a nod, and Malcolm looked up to Ash.
"Well, I suppose this is it, put on a good show out at there."
Ash rose from his seat and tugged at his cap one final time.
"The only thing we're trying to do tonight is win."
The stadium lights shut off, leaving the crowd drenched in darkness. Everyone began to look around before the spotlights turned on. They traveled around the audience for a few moments before the MC began his introduction.
"And now, for our featured presentation!"
The jumbotron on the stadium wall lit up with an image of the poster for this match.
'Regicide.'
The image of Ash and Aaron vying for the crown earned some 'ooh's and 'ahh's before the spotlights all focused on one of the tunnels that led to the battlefield.
"By now, you all must know this name. One of the youngest trainers to ever battle here at the Hidden Cove, the young hotshot who climbed from the depths of the circuit and claimed the title of number one contender in his most recent battle! Now he stands before one of the Five Kings to continue his conquest! Please welcome to the field, Ash 'Quest' Ketchum!"
The stadium erupted with cheers as Ash stepped out from the tunnel. He didn't even look at the audience as he proceeded to the center of the field, his vision locked firmly on the opposite tunnel. Once he reached his place, the spotlights flew across the field to the next tunnel as the introductions continued, and Ash could see two shadows waiting there. His father and Kadabra.
"And now, I present to you, one of our Five Kings. He boasts an unblemished record through his entire tenure here at the Hidden Cove, but tonight, that perfect record faces the number one contender in a match that is far deeper than a battle between two of the highest-ranked trainers. This is a battle between family…between father and son. It's my pleasure to introduce, Aaron 'Trek' Ketchum!"
Aaron and Kadabra stepped forward into the light, and the audience rallied to support them as they met Ash and Pikachu at centerfield. The referee approached them to share the rules as the lights were turned on, but his voice went unheard by the tandem of trainers. The referee, the audience, the Hidden Cove, all of it was stripped away.
Ash heard faint footsteps and followed the sound until he spotted a silhouette. The fog cleared somewhat and Aaron stepped out of the haze. They were together on the lonely mountaintop.
"I made it," Ash announced.
"I know…I've been waiting for this,"
"Well then," Ash made a gesture around them. "Shall we?"
Aaron blinked, and the temperature changed rapidly. The bracing wind became a soft breeze that tickled his skin. They were no longer on the mountaintop, but on the grassy plains of Pallet Town, behind the small home where they once lived together. Aaron looked back to Ash and his eyes grew wide at the sight of his son.
He was seven years old again, barely reaching Aaron's waist in height.
"Let's race!"
"Shake hands and return to your boxes. The battle will begin on my mark," The ref concluded. Ash and Aaron followed his direction in a show of sportsmanship for the audience and then they turned from each other, leaving Pikachu and Kadabra at the center of the battlefield.
The two Pokemon shared a glance. Kadabra clutched the small metal spoon in his hand while Pikachu went down on all fours, his cheeks beginning to crackle in a demonstration of what he would do.
Once they were in position, the ref performed a final check with each of them. The crowd grew silent as he raised his flags. Time seemed to slow as the referee held his arms up and finally, the motion began.
"Ready, set…go!"
The flags fluttered through the air.
Pikachu bounded backward to create some separation.
"Thunderbolt!" Ash shouted as the first command of the battle.
The charge time was instant and the attack came faster than most Pokemon would be prepared for. But as a psychic type, Kadabra's anticipation and perception were at a higher level. He read the trajectory of the Thunderbolt and furrowed his brow as the attack went awry and struck the field several feet to his right. He looked at the dent the lightning bolt left in the field, but when he looked back to Pikachu, the small Pokemon was gone.
Kadabra whirled around in search of Pikachu, much to the amusement of the audience. Using small bursts of speed, Pikachu read Kadabra's movements and dashed into his blind spot. With no other options, Kadabra heightened his focus and raised his open hand to fire off a psychic shockwave that traveled across the field the surface of the field. But Pikachu was nowhere to be found. He turned and did the same, rattling off multiple blasts that distorted the air but none found their mark. Finally, he kneeled and drove his palm into the field to unleash a circular shockwave to ensure that Pikachu couldn't hide from it.
Pikachu jumped just high enough to clear the edge of the shockwave. As Pikachu hung in midair for that precious moment, Kadabra turned with his hand raised to claim Pikachu in his psychic grasp, but Pikachu's paw touched the ground before Kadabra closed his hand into a fist. The yellow blur darted toward him and Kadabra flinched as Pikachu broke out in a Double Team the rushed past him. It was hard to describe, but Pikachu's run was like smoke that left him disoriented.
Kadabra spun around in search of Pikachu, but he was back at square one. Pikachu was successfully negating his Psychic attack! Aaron held a neutral expression as he watched Pikachu's movements. Clearly, Ash did his due diligence to understand Kadabra's psychic powers, but they already developed a response strategy like this.
Little Ash ran with all his might, and he had a sizeable lead as a result. When he looked back, he saw that his father jogged slowly.
"Come on dad!" Ash hollered. "Be serious!"
Aaron raised his brow at Ash's request, but he complied. And with a few strides, he was well ahead of his son.
"Kadabra, let's use Miracle Eye!"
Aaron's first command of the battle was one Ash was unfamiliar with.
Miracle Eye? What did that move do?
Kadabra stopped moving after he heard Aaron's voice and shut his eyes. Pikachu paused for a moment and raised his ears to detect any changes around Kadabra. But as far as he and Ash could tell, there was nothing of note. If they were going to ignore Pikachu entirely, then Ash decided that they would capitalize on that decision.
"While we've got an opening, use Quick Attack!" Ash commanded.
Pikachu kicked at the field and lunged at Kadabra's back. But Ash felt a chill run up his spine and it was too late to act on that instinct. Kadabra's eyes snapped open, possessing a distinct blue glow and his empty hand shot up in a closed fist. Pikachu became suspended in midair, frozen in place as an eerie blue glow coated body. Kadabra then lifted him higher through the use of Psychic before he hurled Pikachu back down to the field.
"Pika!" Pikachu grunted as he made contact with the ground and the glow around him dissipated. He winced as he forced himself back up onto his feet, his torso sore from the impact. Kadabra turned around to face Pikachu, which earned an instant response from Ash.
"Use Thunderbolt, then break off with Agility!" Ash commanded. Pikachu shouted as he let loose another lightning bolt, those this one was on target to force a reaction for Kadabra. He raised the spoon he held and endowed it with his power to create a barrier that deflected the Thunderbolt off to the side of the field. As Kadabra lowered his spoon, he saw that Pikachu was gone, already hidden away in his blind spot once again.
"Pi? Pi-ka?" Pikachu exclaimed. Even as stood behind Kadabra, his body became frozen, and he was lifted into the air once again.
"But, how?" Ash muttered. That was twice now that Kadabra caught Pikachu in his Psychic attack without seeing him. That shouldn't be possible!
"I see you, Pikachu," Aaron remarked with a smirk and Ash looked across the field to his father. They made eye contact, and Ash saw it. The blue glow in Kadabra's eyes, his father possessed it as well. Ash looked down for a moment and raced through his thoughts.
It had something to do with Miracle Eye. From the moment Aaron called that move, Pikachu was helpless against Kadabra's Psychic attack. Both Aaron and Kadabra's eyes were glowing so…was Miracle Eye allowing them to share their sight? Ash looked from Kadabra to Aaron. It had to be!
Aaron could see the whole battlefield. They had no blind spots now…
"Pika!" Pikachu was slammed into the field once again, but Kadabra didn't stop this time. This was no demonstration. Now they were trying to end the battle.
Little Ash desperately tried to keep up with his father. He needed to be bigger, faster…stronger.
His legs grew longer and his strides matched the change in height.
The gap began to close.
"Pikachu, we're going to our next plan!" Ash hollered as he pointed at Kadabra. "Give them your best Thunderbolt!"
Despite being held in place, Pikachu could still call upon his electrical fury and his cheeks began to crackle. Aaron and Kadabra were already well acquainted with this move since Pikachu had used it twice already. They were more than prepared to defend until they saw the size of the lightning bolt. It wasn't anything close to the first two times they'd seen it. Pikachu was putting everything he had into this one.
Kadabra raised his hand to catch the Thunderbolt with Psychic, but he began to slide backward as he felt the incoming force. His hand began to tremble under and Aaron recognized the struggle. Kadabra wouldn't be able to stop it on his own.
"Light Screen!" Aaron barked and a mystical wall of light dropped down in front of Kadabra to swallow up the electricity. But during that brief instant where Kadabra summoned a Light Screen to hold off that Thunderbolt, Pikachu regained his freedom of movement.
"Go Pikachu, let's create Electric Terrain!"
Aaron nearly lost his footing as he realized Ash was now running alongside him.
Not as that little boy. But as a young man, almost equal to him in size.
Those few moments that were sacrificed for the sake of defense was all Pikachu needed. He raced around the edge of the field, the electricity beginning to overflow from his body as he ran. Bolts of electricity began to jump from the rocky surface as the field became saturated with his electric power and the audience reacted to the sight of Ash and Pikachu's signature move.
It was as Volkner predicted. There would be a few precious moments to activate Electric Terrain. Unlike their first few battles where they needed ample time to prepare it, they sped up the activation time considerably. But the best was yet to come.
Ash gripped the visor of his cap and pulled it down tighter onto his head.
Kadabra glanced around the field as he saw the new addition to the surface of the ground. There were lightning bolts littered the field in small arches, and a considerable amount gathered at is feet. Kadabra's eyes flashed blue as he attempted to manipulate the electricity through Psychic, but he couldn't get a proper hold on it. It was different from the electricity Pikachu used before. It was webbing its way into his body to restrict his movements.
Thunder Wave.
"It's now or never, Pikachu! Let's give this everything we've got!" Ash shouted as he threw his fist in the air. "Electro Ball and Thunderbolt! Go!"
Pikachu came to a stop on Kadabra's right with an orb of concentrated electricity on his tail. He spun to launch the Electro Ball and the moment the attack disconnected from his tail; Pikachu tore off as a yellow streak of light. He was on the opposite side of Kadabra in a split second where he shouted as he fired yet another Thunderbolt attack.
Kadabra saw it all. Both attacks converging on him from opposite sides. The timing was perfect. He could defend against Thunderbolt with Light Screen again, but that would expose him to Electro Ball which was especially potent because the electricity from the field was slowly penetrating his skin. But if he focused on Electro Ball, Thunderbolt would have a very high chance of leaving him paralyzed.
Defense wasn't an option.
"Teleport!" Aaron shouted as the attacks neared their target.
Kadabra shut his eyes and disappeared in a flash of blue light. The Electro Ball and Thunderbolt met at that location which produced a crack of thunder and a flash of light. Many in the audience shielded their eyes from the momentary flash, but Aaron roared as he dropped to his knees, rubbing at his eyes furiously.
All eyes went to the sight of the King of the Red Skulls as he looked around frantically. Everything was gone. All he could see was white.
The distraction bought Ash a moment to spot where Kadabra teleported to and he gave his next command.
"Pikachu, Quick Attack!"
Kadabra's head snapped to the side, but Pikachu was too quick. The little mouse was already in his blind spot and closing fast. Kadabra gave a great shout as he was struck on the back by Pikachu that alarmed Aaron.
"I can't see, Kadabra!" He shouted. "We can't use Miracle Eye, shut it off!"
"Pikachu, don't let up, here's our chance!" Ash shouted after his father's statement. Kadabra was distracted and Miracle Eye wasn't working! It may not have been the outcome that they were looking for, but it still created the opening that they needed. "Quick Attack again!"
Kadabra was struck two more times, and each shout from the psychic Pokemon made Aaron chew on his lower lip.
Aaron bumped Ash and threw his elbow into Ash's side as they ran.
His son remained undeterred as he fended off his father.
Each of their steps was in sync as they ran side by side.
"We're out of options Kadabra, you have to take things from here. Use Psychic Terrain!"
"Psychic Terrain?" Ash repeated as the air around the field changed. The air became frigid and as Ash exhaled, he could see his breath. Kadabra raised both his arms and the blue glow in his eyes intensified as he began to float.
Pikachu rushed in for another attack, but a transparent wall of light similar to Light Screen was dropped in front of him. He ran into it face first and the audience cringed as he slumped to the ground afterward. Five more barriers were placed around Pikachu to contain him, which prompted a call for Thunderbolt from Ash to shatter the makeshift walls. But they stood firm against Pikachu's attack while Kadabra elevated himself over the field.
A blue platform took shape and Kadabra placed himself on top of it as though it were a pedestal. He observed the field from above with an almost 'kingly' air around him. Ash looked up to Kadabra and licked his lips, anxious to see what would happen next. Kadabra made the next move and raised his free hand which caused the walls around Pikachu to separate. Pikachu was given some space to move, but the screens doubled in quantity.
Pikachu looked around nervously, his ears raised as he studied his reflection in each of the glass-like walls. He was surrounded and since Aaron couldn't participate in the battle, Kadabra was calling the shots so they had no idea what to expect.
"Ka!" Kadabra curled his fingers and the blue glow in his eyes became a sinister black. Ash's skin began to sting from the sudden drop in temperature around them, and the walls began to react to the change in Kadabra. Two of them began to glow with a dark aura which caused Pikachu to tighten his stance.
The malevolent energy around those walls coalesced in the form of a dark orb that Ash recognized. Shadow Ball. A pair of them were launched from opposite directions, but Pikachu flashed across the space he had to avoid the attacks. Ash bit down on his lower lip as he looked back up to Kadabra.
He was tempted to call for a Thunderbolt, but he could already picture the result. Between Light Screen and Psychic, Kadabra would have no trouble deflecting that attack away. That left them with…
"Pikapi!" Pikachu shouted as he lunged to the left to avoid another Shadow Ball.
They were coming rapidly now. Pikachu had to stay on the move as the walls around him continued to fire one Shadow Ball after another. Ash watched as Pikachu attempted to escape the area that Kadabra had placed him in, but the walls shifted to block his path. Even with Pikachu's speed, the walls were continued to impede his path, almost as if they were moving on their own.
Forced to stay in the middle of the firing range, Pikachu focused on avoiding the onslaught as Ash examined the situation. They couldn't stay on defense. Electric Terrain would only last so long, so they needed to go…
Pikachu jumped over a Shadow Ball, and time slowed as he looked back to Ash. Their eyes met briefly and there was an immediate agreement on what they had to do next.
"Up!" Ash shouted and as soon Pikachu touched the field, he burst forward with renewed focus. There was electricity in his eyes as he surged onward, zipping in between the Shadow Balls as he searched for an electrical pathway. He spotted a point where the electricity rose skyward, a spot that could be his launching pad to reach the electrical pathways that were higher up.
As Pikachu reached his desired location, he sprang up from the ground and reached out. His small paws latched onto the pathway of lightning the crowd watched in awe as Pikachu sprinted upward. The walls pursued him, beginning to ascend alongside Pikachu as they sent a barrage of Shadow Ball attacks. The crowd cheered as Pikachu neared his target, but that sense of success was short-lived as another wall of light formed directly in his path.
For the second time tonight, Pikachu ran face-first into another Light Screen. He lost his footing on the lightning and went crashing back down to the field with a dull thud.
Aaron rubbed at his eyes and blinked furiously. The blurs around him finally began to take shape. He saw Kadabra's hall of Light Screens that were signature to his use of Psychic Terrain and Pikachu was laying on his side at the center of that attack. With a glance toward his partner, Aaron saw that Kadabra had both his hands raised as if he was the puppet master of a marionette.
"So, you didn't even need me, huh?" Aaron remarked softly as he shook his head. Then he looked back to Ash and Pikachu. How would they respond to this?
Ash raised his hand to tug at his cap once more. Between the repurposed Light Screens and the constant barrage of Shadow Ball, Psychic Terrain was a frightening move in the same vein as Electric Terrain. How could they beat this move when it could successfully restrict Pikachu's movement?
We can do it. We can beat this!
Ash looked to Pikachu and watched as his partner got back onto his feet. Pikachu looked back at him and gave a nod.
But we have to do it together!
The grassy plain they ran on morphed before their very eyes. The air became cold as they were returned to the mountaintop, sprinting toward the edge where a steep drop awaited them.
Aaron stomped his feet and came skidding to a halt right at the edge of the cliff, but Ash didn't stop. Aaron's eyes grew wide as Ash leaped over the edge and went plummeting into the clouds below.
"Ash!"
Kadabra furrowed his brow at the sudden change in his opponents. Up until now, Ash and Pikachu were working together as two separate entities. But now, their auras became intertwined.
Pikachu shook out the dust from his fur and hunched his back. The floating Light Screens remained airborne in anticipation of Pikachu's next attempt, but that didn't deter the small Pokemon. He knew what he had to do, and he could do it because Ash was with him!
"Go, Pikachu!" Ash shouted as he threw his fist in the air.
Shadow Balls rained down from above. It wasn't a typical barrage considering the number of attacks being launched. There was careful aim and consideration in each of them, timed perfectly to strike Pikachu as he dodged a different attack. Under those circumstances, any Pokemon would soon be overwhelmed…but Pikachu continued to slip through the cascade of ominous orbs.
The field was battered under Kadabra's onslaught, but the yellow streak of light continued to flash across the field until finally, it bounced upward. Pikachu climbed up one of the electrical pathways and raced toward Kadabra. But the Light Screens shifted, some to block his path while others moved alongside Pikachu, hurling one Shadow Ball after another.
Aaron admired Pikachu as he weaved his way through the heavy traffic created by Kadabra's Psychic Terrain. He was amazed that Pikachu managed to avoid taking a hit up until this point. But that wouldn't last much longer.
Psychic Terrain would prevail. It always did.
Kadabra developed this move all on his own and even after watching his Pokemon practice, Aaron hardly understood how it functioned. Kadabra blanketed an area with his psychic power to bend reality to his will. They were facing more than just Kadabra now. His oppressive psychic strength was amplified and given a life of its own.
Aaron watched on with mild interest as he studied the airborne combat. Pikachu was desperately racing down his electrical corridor, but ahead of him was a roadblock. Several Light Screens were in place, and half of them began to glow in preparation to fire a Shadow Ball. In the span of one step, Pikachu scanned the area around him in search of an option. He was guided to look down below where one of the Light Screens was traveling beneath him.
Pikachu abandoned his electrical pathway before he was hit by another volley of Shadow Ball. He jumped down to the Light Screen beneath him and it became a launchpad as he sprung off of it. Aaron furrowed his brow as Pikachu's ascent continued, not through the use of his Electric Terrain, but with Kadabra's Light Screen. He jumped from one to the next and predicted each incoming Shadow Ball to react accordingly!
But…that was impossible. There was no way Pikachu could predict the attack pattern of Kadabra's Psychic Terrain by himself. He was making it look too easy! It was like he was seeing every move that Kadabra made. Like he could see the field from…above.
Aaron looked at Ash.
A blur shot out of the clouds and Aaron's head snapped upward to follow its movement.
It was Ash and he was…flying!
His wings stretched out as he rose. He went higher than Aaron's mountaintop.
Higher than Aaron had ever gone before.
Ash's eyes darted around the field, spotting every Light Screen that Kadabra had in place. Only some of them were attacking, while the purpose of others was the block Pikachu's movements. The more he watched, the move evident a pattern became. The 'blockers' moved as individuals that stayed ahead of Pikachu to force him off course. The 'attackers' were always in pursuit as they capitalized on the moments when Pikachu changed direction.
Whenever Pikachu made a significant advance toward Kadabra, the blockers would gather to force him away and even layer themselves to ward off an attack. But Pikachu threw that order into disarray as he began to climb from one blocker to the next. The attackers continued to fire Shadow Ball attacks at Pikachu, which shattered the blockers while Pikachu escaped unharmed.
Aaron and Kadabra had a similar reaction as they saw that Pikachu was suddenly higher than Kadabra. The blockers that kept Pikachu at bay were gone, and the electric Pokemon took full advantage as he moved into position. Lightning wrapped itself around his tail and took the shape of a sphere, Electro Ball. Pikachu performed a front flip and hurled the attack down at Kadabra with a shout of triumph.
Kadabra raised both his hands to summon the 'attacking' Light Screens to attack as a defense against the approaching Electro Ball. But they had no defensive value and shattered immediately under the dense ball of lightning.
"Ka-da-bra!" Kadabra mustered all the strength he could in a Psychic attack to catch Electro Ball inches from his head. But not even he could withstand the pressure as he switched his focus to defending himself entirely. The floating platform that he stood out broke beneath him and the force from Electro Ball began to push him down toward the field.
The air around the field warmed considerably as Psychic Terrain was brought to an abrupt end. All of Kadabra's willpower was dedicated to getting full control of Pikachu's Electro Ball. Without the drain of maintaining Psychic Terrain, Kadabra strengthened his hold on the Electro Ball and swiped his hand through the air to toss the attack aside. This gave him a line of sight of Pikachu who floated above him, and his eyes flashed blue.
Despite being in a free-fall toward the field, Kadabra focused on Pikachu as he thrust his hand forward to grab Pikachu with his Psychic attack. Kadabra retracted his arm and yanked Pikachu down toward him. With his remaining hand, Kababra opened his palm to summon another Shadow Ball which he held out in front of him as he pulled Pikachu straight toward it.
Ash's eyes widened as he saw Kadabra's intense focus on Pikachu. He didn't care about the harsh landing that awaited him. His only concern was ending the battle.
Ash could feel a drain on his chest as Pikachu's Electric Terrain fizzled out. Their time was up. Pikachu used up everything he had to prolong his Electric Terrain to beat Kadabra. That Electro Ball from above was their last-ditch effort…and Kadabra survived it.
They didn't have anything else in their bad to defend themselves. Not while Kadabra had Pikachu caught through the use of Psychic. All Ash could do was watch Pikachu was dragged down to his demise at the hands of Kadabra's Shadow Ball.
No! It's not over!
Pikachu reached outward and Ash followed the path of his stubby arm. He was reaching toward the Electro Ball that Kadabra cast aside moments ago. Ash bit down on his lower lip as he saw it all through Pikachu's eyes. His vision was hazy and unfocused as he fought off the overwhelming exhaustion. His arm wobbled, but still, he extended it toward the Electro Ball that was quickly approaching the psychic barrier that would be raised by the Solosis to protect the audience.
It was the only tool Pikachu had at his disposal. He couldn't move and he couldn't attack. All he had was the trust of his trainer and belief in what he practiced.
This is all we have left! We can win with this!
Electricity coursed through Pikachu's irises as he locked onto the Electro Ball.
"Do you feel it, Pikachu? The lightning all around you. It's untamed but powerful…it belongs solely to you."
Tame the lightning!
Make it your own!
Pikachu felt it, and by extension, Ash did as well. As if a piece of them was floating out there on the field. They took a hold of it together and the Electro Ball froze in midair, inches from the barrier in front of the audience. There were gasps from the nearby observers as the attack was held in place for a mere moment.
Then Ash and Pikachu swung their arms through the air, and the Electro Ball followed their instruction.
Kadabra pulled harder and Pikachu's descent sped up. But even as he came hurtling towards a Shadow Ball, Pikachu stared straight into the sphere of malicious energy with wide eyes. He drew closer and closer…
Fifty feet…
Thirty feet…
Twenty…
Te-
A cloud erupted in front of Kadabra and his focus was disrupted by the force of the explosion. He was thrown to the field where he landed on his back. The ground split partially beneath him from the impact, and he was left helpless from the blow. Kadabra winced as a piercing white noise blocked out all other sounds, and as he opened his eyes, everything was blurred. He couldn't see a thing!
The smoke above him billowed and parted, but all Kadabra could see was a blur a yellow approaching him. He tried to lift his arm as he realized that it was Pikachu, but it was far too late. The electricity that was dispersed from the Electro Ball now gathered around Pikachu's tail as he came crashing down onto Kadabra. A clap of thunder startled the audience as a lightning bolt rose to the top of the stadium.
Aaron stood at the edge of the cliff, watching as Ash flew out into the distance.
His wings shined intensely under the light from the sun.
Aaron shrunk as he glanced downward and his stomach tied itself in knots.
He shook his head and turned, unable to proceed.
Aaron stared at his son from across the field. The outcome of the battle no longer mattered to him.
There wasn't a doubt in his mind…
The referee ran out onto the field to inspect the outcome. Pikachu jumped away from Kadabra who twitched occasionally from Pikachu's final attack. But the verdict was clear.
"Kadabra is unable to battle!"
The arena exploded. Fans jumped to their feet, threw their hands in the air, and screamed. The applause rained down like the thunder that Pikachu called forth moments ago.
It was a chilling experience and Ash's focus was broken by the sheer volume. It was as if the stadium was shaking!
But somehow, Pikachu found a way to ignore it all. The referee's declaration released all the tension in his body. He relaxed and the exhaustion hit him immediately. A discharge of lightning left his body which caused the ref to jump back in fear of receiving something similar to Kadabra, but the amount was harmless. Pikachu wore a grin on his face as he flopped onto his back.
They did it!
Ash and Aaron met at the center of the field, though they were both preoccupied with their Pokemon to start. As Ash collected Pikachu and tucked him into a small pocket he created with his arm, Aaron called Kadabra back into his Pokeball. The looked to each other, and Aaron looked to the briefcase that Ash held.
Aaron didn't look at it for long. He raised his eyes to focus on his Ash's face, and the crowd grew quiet. Aaron came close and the image of the small child he raced with earlier came to mind. But the person that stood before Aaron now was a young man that surpassed him.
Ash held a neutral expression as his father took a hold of the visor of his cap and lifted it from his head. Aaron placed his free hand on the top of Ash's head to ruffle his messy hair and then he pulled him close to place his forehead against Ash's.
"I'm proud of you…we'll talk later,"
They separated, and Aaron raised the cap as a gesture to the audience. They watched on curiously as he turned to Ash again and bestowed the cap on his head.
The regicide was complete. A new king had been crowned!
"What a battle!"
"I saw those videos of his Pikachu running on lightning, but it looks insane in person!"
"The whole part where they were battling in the air was nuts!"
"And that whole mirror trick thing that Kadabra did was awesome!"
Brock stood next to Tierno and Trevor in the main lobby. They listened to the conversations of the passing fans as everyone left the stadium, and Brock grinned like a moron and nudged his friends every time they heard something about Ash's battle.
"Well, someone is certainly happy," Miette noted with a glance at Brock.
"He's happy for Ash," Shauna said in return. "I mean, we all should be, right?"
"Yeah, of course, I'm happy for him," Miette said before she made a gesture to the people passing by.
Serena stood alongside Miette and Shauna. She wanted to share her sentiments but there was something that left her unsettled. Ash's attitude was unsettling for the most part during the past few weeks. It felt like Ash was…lost.
When they spoke on the beach that night, Serena knew that Ash would get something from this battle. She silently hoped that the exchange between Ash and Aaron after their battle ended was what Ash was trying to find. But Serena had a front-row seat. She could see Ash's face as his father walked away from him.
It wasn't the face of someone who'd won a Pokemon battle. Or the face of someone who reconnected with their family. Ash wore a blank expression.
Something was amiss.
"There you guys are!" A voice called out.
A head of golden hair escaped from the torrent of people with his Ampharos and Giselle in tow. Cubone was perched on Ampharos' back to avoid being swept away with the people. Volkner gave a wave as the group gathered together.
"So, what did you guys think of that battle?!" Brock exclaimed, eager to hear the opinion from two experts. Volkner made a gesture for Giselle to go first and she took a moment to get her composure now that she wasn't fighting to squeeze through the crowds.
"There's not much to be said about that battle, Brock," She said as she tucked her bangs behind her ears. "Aaron and Kadabra went above and beyond everything we practiced for. But Ash and Pikachu went above and beyond that."
"Really?" Brock said. "No fancy analysis or anything like that?"
Giselle shrugged her shoulders.
"I mean, the battle was always going be decided by who landed the first big hit," Giselle stated. "Both Pokemon are glass cannons."
Brock looked to Volkner for his insight.
"Anything to add?"
"Nope, Giselle got it all," Volkner replied through pursed lips. "It's one of those battles that you can't really analyze. All their game plans went out the window early and they improvised the rest of the way."
As Brock's friends asked more rudimentary questions about the battle which Giselle handled, Volkner thought back to the conclusion of the battle. There weren't many people that could understand how many things happened in the final seconds of the battle.
The display Ash and Pikachu put on was a master class. The adjustments they made from moment to moment were inhuman. The kind that could only be done when a trainer and Pokemon are in perfect sync.
Not to mention, there was one moment that still left him in shock. During the final exchange, Pikachu was able to take control of his Electro Ball and used it to counter Kadabra's Shadow Ball. However, Electro Ball wasn't the type of attack that an electric Pokemon could continue manipulate once they released it. Volkner didn't have an answer as to how Pikachu achieved that feat in a hopeless situation, but he had a few theories…
Pikachu didn't fit the conventional molds of electric type Pokemon. On the surface, Pikachu was clearly the type that build his electricity while in motion. And endless power supply came with the sacrifice of limited control over it. Yet, at times, Pikachu could manipulate the electricity around him with the finest precision, using it to create runways and trampolines in midair to keep moving. Somehow, he was the best of both worlds…and the only explanation that Volkner had was Ash.
He remembered Pikachu's first overload that he witnessed on Route 11. Pikachu was surrounded by a tempest of lightning, but the bolts weren't yellow. They several different colors, like Ash's wings. It had to be Ash who was responsible for Pikachu's incredible ability.
"Speaking of which, where is Ash?" Volkner piped up.
"He shot me a text after the interview, he's going to meet with Charles Goodshow first and then he'll come to meet us."
The smile on Malcolm's face was unlike any that Ash had seen before.
His lips were curved upward but his brow was low to cast a shadow over his eyes. But Ash could see the glint in them. It was positively nefarious.
"The victor has arrived!" Malcolm announced once of the door was shut by his bodyguard. "Splendid battle! One of the best I've seen! Wouldn't you agree Charles?"
Charles sat at his desk and upon seeing Pikachu resting in Ash's arm, he opened his desk drawer to retrieve a Super Potion. He tapped the surface of his desk as a gesture for Ash to set down his partner for a brief treatment.
"Wholeheartedly," Charles stated as he doused Pikachu with the Super Potion. "I had high expectations for this battle, and you exceeded all of them. When I first met you in November, I never imagined you would progress to this point over such a short period of time."
"Malcolm said the same thing," Ash noted as he looked toward his sponsor.
"The development of you and Pikachu has been remarkable and it has given me full confidence in you," Charles went on as he leaned back in his seat. "To the point where I believe it's time to continue that discussion we had before."
"Discussion?" Ash repeated as he creased his brow.
"After your match with Flint, I spoke to you about traveling around the world as a trainer…" Charles paused for a moment to give Ash a moment to recall their discussion. When Ash gave a nod, Charles continued. "With this victory over your father. I think you should seriously consider this option."
"Well…" Ash scratched at the back of his head. "I mean, it sounds amazing. I would love to travel and battle the best trainers from all over the world but…"
Charles narrowed his eyes as he studied Ash. The wings on his back that were spread so wide as he battled his father, began to fold as Ash spoke.
"I don't think I can leave Vermilion City yet…I'm still looking after my family," Ash stated as and Charles deflated somewhat. "Things are finally starting to look normal for them again and I want to be sure that they'll be okay before I start to think about leaving."
"That is commendable, Ash," Charles said softly and a silence set in.
Malcolm smirked as he seized the opportunity.
"How about something that doesn't involve leaving Vermilion City at all?" Malcolm suggested, and all eyes went to him. "What if we did something to bring all the strongest trainers here?"
"How can we do that?" Ash asked.
"Not we," Malcolm said with a gesture to himself and Charles. Then he pointed to Ash. "It's what you can do."
Charles shot him a narrow gaze from his seat.
"The underground circuit is unstable, at best," Malcolm began as he turned to look out of the window of Charles' booth. "In terms of publicity, our circuit lacks a true champion, a voice that can represent us as a whole. Instead, we have the Five Kings who fight over their little territories in Vermilion City. These petty squabbles reflect poorly on the circuit and we're hardly a destination that trainers would choose to come to rather than Kalos."
"So, what, do you propose, would fix this?" Charles asked him.
"Unification."
Ash felt a chill run down his spine at Malcolm's statement.
"Ash has the ultimate opportunity sitting right in front of him now," Malcolm declared as he whirled around to face Ash once more. "A chance to defeat the Five Kings, dissolve each of their Kingdoms, and unite the trainers of Vermilion City."
"But…the Kingdoms were created as a support system for the trainers, right?" Ash cut in as he looked to Charles.
"No, the Kingdoms were born because the circuit couldn't support itself when we first created it. We now have a foundation to build upon," Malcolm answered. "But so long as there is infighting between the trainers here, the growth of the circuit will remain stunted. If we expect the circuit to continue to expand, we must abolish the Kingdoms."
"What about the White Lotus?" Charles interjected. "They've had your backing for years. You would cast them aside without a problem?"
"I'm not doing anything like that, Charles," Malcolm pointed out as he shook his head. "We're trying to bring the trainers together."
"But, why now?" Charles asked, his tone hushed. "You've had N working for you all this time. He could've accomplished all of this for you."
Malcolm's nostrils flared at the mention of N.
"That fool never had the drive or ambition to complete a task like this…" Malcolm said harshly. "He's no different from the other Kings. Content to just sit around and battle in the streets," Malcolm shifted his gaze to Ash. "But Ash has proven to me that he has all the qualities I'm looking for. He is the one who can pave the way to a better world for trainers and it starts with this."
Malcolm made eye contact with Ash, and he could see that the young man still wasn't convinced.
"Think about it, Ash," Malcolm went on. "The Red Skulls are on the news constantly. Every week, its another report of the damage they did to the city battling the White Lotus. As long as things like this continue, the public's opinion of Pokemon trainers will never change," Malcolm made a gesture toward Ash. "This is your chance to make a difference."
Ash's eyes widened somewhat. A chance to make a difference…
That was what he was working toward. He'd almost forgotten about that lofty goal and as Malcolm said, it was all laid out on a silver platter for him.
Was it right for him to do something like this? Eliminate the Kingdoms to stop the fighting…would that work?
"How does this stop the fighting?"
"It's not quite so easy to see, but the trainers have become dependent on their Kingdoms. They don't understand that the circuit can offer them financial stability. It will take time, but if we force them out of their comfort zone, they will soon realize this fact," Malcolm announced. "And once they do, we'll be one step closer."
Ash bit down on his lower lip as he remembered N's words concerning Malcolm.
"Malcolm has motivated the White Lotus with money and greed…"
Malcolm was trying to bring everyone under his umbrella…but was that such a bad thing? If the trainers weren't fighting each other, there would be nothing to report in the news. That could be a start they needed to create a neutral environment, a haven for the trainers to flock to from around the world.
The first step toward change.
"Remember, not only did you beat your father, but you battled him for the title of King of the Red Skulls," Malcolm pointed out, and Ash's eyes grew wide.
"He bet the Red Skulls on this battle?" Ash exclaimed.
"For that briefcase, right there," Malcolm confirmed with a nod toward the item in Ash's hand. "And now as King, you can make your first decree," Malcolm raised a hand as his lips curled upward. "The fall of the Red Skulls!"
Brock furrowed his brow as his phone buzzed in his pocket. It was an unusual notification because this was rarely triggered. And he wasn't the alone. Almost everyone took out their phone.
It a prompt from the PokeHub to tune into a stream that started.
"Is something happening?" Miette asked as she looked around.
"I don't know," Brock replied as he signed into the PokeHub. "But I guess we'll find out."
Their answer was waiting on the main page. The person broadcasting was Charles Goodshow, and standing in front of the desk was Malcolm Berlitz and Ash Ketchum. Brock raised his eyebrows.
The monitor in the lobby was turned on and it received everyone's attention as they realized it was broadcasting Charles' live stream.
"Good evening," Malcolm began as an introduction. "As I'm sure most of you must have noticed, tonight was a record-setting night in terms of viewership. The Hidden Cove sold out tonight and our stream reached its highest viewing total ever. It's no surprise considering the battle we all witnessed as the main event. This is the first time since one of the Five Kings has been defeated in an official battle, so something special took place as a result."
Ash stepped forward and took center stage.
"The title of King of the Red Skulls was waged in this battle," Ash announced as he held a straight face and looked directly into the camera. "As the winner of this battle, I have now become the King."
"So official," Shauna whispered, but Miette gave her an elbow and a shush.
"And as the king, I've decided to dissolve the group. The Red Skulls are no more," Ash continued and Brock heard several murmurs around the lobby.
"Whoa, I didn't even know you could do that."
"This is crazy…"
"But that's not all," Malcolm injected as he stepped up beside Ash. "He intends to challenge the remaining Kings and conquer their Kingdoms as well. Tonight marks the beginning of his conquest," Malcolm raised a hand to point at the camera. "And when it's over, it will mark the dawn of a new era in Vermilion City!"
N and Koga stood outside of the stadium among the masses that were waiting on the Mantine taxis to leave the Hidden Cove. N mimicked the crowd around him and took out his phone to view the announcement, but even Koga seemed to be more surprised than N.
"So that's it? He's going to abandon the White Lotus?" Koga asked incredulously, nose wrinkled in disgust. N remained silent which irritated Koga. "Are you going to say anything?"
"I knew this was going to happen," N stated after a pause.
"How could you possibly know about this?" Koga asked him. "It doesn't make sense. Malcolm has been supporting the White Lotus all this time. Why would he turn against us with Ash?"
"He's not trying to destroy the White Lotus…or the other Kingdoms. The only people Malcolm cares about are the Five Kings because he couldn't buy us with his money," N explained as he looked down at his phone. It showed a thumbnail of the stream where Ash could be seen standing beside Malcolm. "I really thought Ash was different…but I guess I wrong about him. The reason Malcolm enlisted Ash is because he's willing to do what I wouldn't."
"Malcolm asked you to do this too?"
"Yes…and I refused. This will change things, but not in the way that Malcolm envisions it," N stated as he looked toward Koga. "You and the others should leave Vermilion City…the fallout from this won't be pretty."
Ash sat on the back of a Mantine during his trip back to the coast of Vermilion City. Pikachu was still sound asleep in his arms and Ash was still numb from the events of the night.
It was all too much to think about.
He beat his dad in a battle. There was an agreement that they would talk about…everything.
Then there was also his 'coronation.' He was crowned King of the Red Skulls and he chose to disband his kingdom minutes into his reign.
Ash sighed as he mulled over the events of the night. It was all so much to take in yet…the most significant event still lay ahead of him. He looked down as his phone buzzed in his pocket. His eyes widened somewhat as he saw the listed contact. Hun.
"Hello," Ash said as a greeting.
"That was a bold move," Hun's low voice responded. "I would've been shocked if your father didn't predict something along these lines."
"Predict?" Ash repeated. "What do you mean?"
"He said that if he lost the battle against you, Malcolm would make the next move and eradicate the Five Kings," Hun replied and Ash sat for a moment as he shook his head.
"How could…how could my dad know that this was going to happen?"
"You'll find out tonight," Hun answered immediately. "I'm in the parking lot by the coast. I see your friends waiting for you. I'm parked nearby."
Ash's throat became dry as he swallowed the lump that formed. After a breath, Ash relaxed the grip he had on his phone.
"I'll be there soon, I'm a few minutes away."
"There's no need to rush, we've waited a long time for this night."
Ash reached the top of the sandy dunes of the beach to reach the parking lot that overlooked the coast.
"There he is!" A shout startled Ash. A small crowd surrounded him, composed entirely of his closest friends and mentors. His hat was snatched from his head for the likes of Volkner and Brock to ruffle his hair. Trevor and Tierno joined in as they jabbed at his side with their elbows to congratulate him. As the guys finished greeting him, the girls, except for Giselle, came forward and absorbed him in a group hug.
When Ash looked to Giselle, she shot him a soft smile and a nod of approval. That alone was all Ash needed to see. She didn't have anything to say, and that was more than enough.
"So, Ash, what's the deal with all that stuff you said on the stream?" Tierno asked which caused them all to hush.
"Are you going to challenge the Five Kings?" Brock added as he donned a smile at the prospect. "That would be ridiculous if you beat them all!"
"It would be nice to see Volkner get pushed around for a change," Giselle noted with a snort. Volkner sent a glance at her and she made a face in reply.
"Well, you know I've been waiting for your challenge," Volkner stated as he turned back to Ash. "I'm ready any time."
Despite the abundance of questions that were placed in front of him, Ash ignored everyone. Up ahead of them, Ash saw Hun leaning against the hood of his car. The man was looking directly at him as he stood among his friends.
"I'm sorry guys…" Ash cut in as he looked to Brock. He extended his arm toward Brock to pass Pikachu's sleeping form to him. "Can you take Pikachu back home? There's something that I have to do tonight…"
"You're going to see him, right?" Brock asked as he accepted Pikachu and held him close.
"Yeah," Ash said simply.
Brock sighed as he stepped closer to Ash.
"This is it…I hope this is what you want." Brock added and Ash nodded.
"I need to know."
Ash looked to the group that came to see his battle and thanked them softly for coming to support him. He gave a two-fingered salute as Volkner returned his hat and Ash went on his way.
As Ash approached, Hun straightened up and beckoned for Ash to come close.
"Are you ready for this?"
Ash stared at Hun in a deadpan.
"I'm pretty sure that I've waited long enough…"
Ash frowned at the sight of the west end. It was both inspiring and frightening how fast something could change. This area was regarded as the central hub of activity in Vermilion City during Kanto's reconstruction. But as the rest of the city grew prosperous, the industrial district fell into disrepair and was soon forgotten. It was a fitting place for Aaron to hide all this time.
Seated in the passenger seat of Hun's car, Ash chewed on his lower lip and twiddled his thumbs. He wished that he brought Pikachu so that he could stroke his partner's back as a distraction.
This was it.
His father was waiting for him. The secrets of ten years ago would finally be shared. Ash's heart was thumping against his chest and the apprehension had his stomach in knots.
The car came a slow stop and Ash looked out the window. An abandoned apartment building towered him.
"Go to the top floor and look for apartment ten," Hun stated as he unlocked the doors. "He'll be waiting there for you."
"Thanks," That was all Ash said as he stepped out of the car. With one final nod, he proceeded into the building. It wasn't much of a surprise to him to discover that the elevators weren't working, so he had to walk up every flight of stairs.
He was out of breath when he made it to the floor, but the journey to the top did distract him. It was only as he walked through the corridor did, he realize that there were just a few steps that separated him from the truth.
Apartment eight…nine…
Ten.
The door was partially open. Ash knocked, though the slight contact caused the door to open further with a terrible creak. He cringed at the sound of it, but a voice called to him.
"Is that you, Ash?"
Aaron poked his head out from further inside and made himself fully visible to Ash.
"I'm glad you're here," He motioned for Ash to enter. "Come on in, we've got a lot to talk about."
Ash entered and followed his father into the living room. Considering that Aaron lived by himself, the apartment was in better condition than Ash expected. Everything was neat and had its place, from the décor that on the kitchen counter. As Ash came into the living room, he saw that one wall was barren. No paintings or pictures.
A projector was set up on the center table, aimed directly at the empty wall to use as a backdrop.
"I was going to have some small talk, but then I thought you wouldn't appreciate that," Aaron noted as he invited Ash to take a seat. "Right?"
"I wouldn't hate it," Ash replied after a moment. "When was the last time we sat down and talked?"
Aaron raised his brow.
"You don't have to force yourself," Aaron replied as he kneeled next to the table to adjust the lens on the projector. "We both know what you're here for. I won't make you wait any longer. I'll tell you everything you want to know…"
A/N
PHEW! Man, you guys have no idea how much effort went into this chapter and how much I've been up to during the last several months. I know it must have been hectic for everyone else, we're all living what could be considered 'a different world' now. I did get to keep the new job I got earlier this year, and I was recently promoted. They ask a lot of me and its a new experience so I've been working more than ever before. Of course, I love Caged Wings far too much to ever abandon it. But, I have to beg for your patience with me. I'm working 6/7 days a week currently and it hard to dedicate time to writing since I actually have to balance work and other stuff. I remember I used to scoff at the idea of having a life, but things can change quickly.
Anyway, let's get away from me and back to the story! This chapter was LOADED! From the battle to the announcements and the hidden agendas. You'll get no spoilers from me, but this chapter is the tipping point!
How did you guys feel about that battle? When I wrote AshvFlint, I thought I would never be able to top that battle. But now that this one is over, I'm feeling like this is the best battle in Caged Wings and I'm willing to say that its got a significant edge over AshvFlint. That's just my personal stake in the battle since we've been building up to for a long time. I hope it met your expectations, but I'm more than happy with it!
Leave me a review, send a PM, or just read! I haven't spoken to some of you in a while, but I'll do my best to respond promptly! Thank you for your time and I'll see you all at the next chapter!