Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon.
2. A Challenger Appears
Ash dropped his dirty clothes on the floor next to his bed after exiting the bathroom. He grabbed a pair of shorts, boxers, and a shirt. He threw them on, letting go of the towel that had been hanging from his hips. He bent down, picked it back up, and used it to dry his dark hair.
He sighed, sitting down on the edge of the queen bed in his hotel room. Pikachu came running through the opening of the doorway that lead to the balcony. Ash's oldest Pokemon jumped on the bed and gave his trainer a little nudge. Ash smiled and scratched under Pikachu's chin.
They had arrived late the night before, their flight to another larger island being delayed, causing them to barely catch the last ferry to this island. Thankfully, the conference wasn't until tomorrow. Ash had been too tired for anything other than some late-night room service. Once the food had been consumed, his head had hit the pillow. He hadn't even bothered to change his clothes. He woke up with his shirt sticking to his chest. The night had been terribly humid, thus resulting in a much needed shower.
Ash got up to go to his terrace. He glanced down at the ground below and saw many trainers milling about with their Pokemon. They were all here for this huge conference for young and upcoming trainers. They had come from all over—no region excluded. Ash was meant to give a lecture first thing the next morning, but he still wasn't sure what he was going to talk about. He was still new to this Champion thing. It was more involved than he had anticipated—he had just assumed that all he would be doing was battling Pokemon. He didn't think he would have to give a class.
It was strange, being back in the Orange Islands. The last time that he had been here was when he had been traveling around with Tracey…and Misty. Now there was someone who hadn't crossed his mind in eons. It must have been years since they had spoken last. He wondered what she was up to. Trovita wasn't that far away from here. For a moment, he considered trying to call her, but he thought better of it. It had been much too long.
He doubted that she would even want to hear from him. She was probably happy with Rudy, a thought that perturbed him, though he couldn't understand why. If he called—well that would be disrupting her life. She wouldn't appreciate that. Not to mention, what if she didn't even live there anymore. She could have left by now—with or without Rudy. How awkward would that be in he called for her to be gone. Yeah, contacting his old friend was out of the question.
His stomach growled, jarring him out of the thoughts of the once forgotten red-head whom had once been a permanent fixture in his life. He had slept late that morning, exhaustion taking over his body. It had caused him to miss breakfast, an event that almost never happened.
"Want to go grab some lunch buddy?" He said, looking at Pikachu.
"Pika!" The Pokemon shouted before sprinting to the door, ahead of his trainer. Though it had been a decade since they first met, Pikachu never changed. His appetite was still as big as ever. Ash didn't mind though. He deserved every ounce of ketchup that he got.
Ash grinned at him as he grabbed his red hat on the end table closest to the door. He slipped it on, debating on if he would also need sunglasses. He paused for a moment before opening the door. No, he should be fine without them. There shouldn't be too much press around the island. He opened the door, allowing for the two of them to exit. He proceeded to stride along the carpet, letting go of the door behind him. It closed with a barely audible click as they continued along the corridor. Pikachu jumped on his shoulder as they headed for the elevator.