Authors Notes: Another chapter, and so soon. Could I be up to something here? Could there be a surprise on the way? Could there be a little present incoming for you readers? Could I just be pulling your leg? Keep in mind, I'm a contender for the worlds biggest prick, and that ain't for nothing.
(though at this rate I might actually complete this thing. Hey, maybe I can enter it for "Crappiest Pokémon fic" after all!)
About the last chap:
Chapter 18 really didn't turn out as well as I'd liked, time constraints and procrastination kept me from really going to town on it. It was rather rushed, and wasn't as epic as I'd have liked, just the two trying to constantly one-up eachother, rather than the two (as well and Quentin) meeting on sheer skill. I had literally the entire list of moves ever made in the franchise (save gen 6) and in the end I sold it way, way to short. Smeargle's ability wasn't expanded on much either (I wouldn't be surprised if nobody could guess what it is. It's a cannon ability, though I ignored the cannon of how Smargles normally get it.). Dialogue and such was rather lacking too. I have a few good lines typed in notes I'd have really liked to use, but didn't in the end.
Maybe I'll come back to it one day. Maybe not, in the grand scheme of things, it really wasn't all that important to the plot of the story.
Contest!: Okay, okay. I'll make it a little less vague.
The detail I want is a number.
Soundtrack:
Eminence Symphony Orchestra: Omoide ha Tooku no Hibi (Rough translation: Distant Everyday Memories)
Tenmon: Agarta's Rain
Deadlock: Praeludium II
Axel Rudi Pell: Holy Diver
I'd also like to make a shout-out to Makato Shinkai's works. If you haven't seen his movies, watch them!* Or I'll dip you feet-first in a lava vein!
*At least watch 5 Centimetres Per Second. Best of his works, period. (it's the movie the first song originates from) It'll be one of the best hours your spend away. (compared to the couple or more you've spent on this piece of crap fic*) I also strongly recommend Voices of a Distant Star.)
*Seriously, If I ever make anything even half as good as 5 Centimetres Per Second I will die a happy man. (though if my current works are anything to go by I should just kill myself)
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Not long ago...
The Edge was a vicious place, its weather, its inhabitants and even its landscape were a test of strength to survive, yet one place in particular was dangerous: It's highest mountain. To try climbing it, one would have to be a warrior with unmatched bravery, or a complete fool.
Ash Ketchum had recently moved into the area.
With a savage growl Ash grasped another stone, pulling himself up on his bleeding hands. Below him, he could sense the distance. If he let go now, it was the end. He pulled himself up another length, reaching up higher, and higher, the fading morning rays beating down upon him as the clouds gathered. He pulled harder, rising towards the closing gate to heaven. He unleashed his war-cry, pulling himself one final time.
He touched the top, he hauled his weight up, slamming on steady ground at long last. He took deep breaths, forcing himself to his feet as above him the sky darkened, the oncoming storm in conception. He turned his eyes to the world below, to the distance, where the Wild Pokémon, and recently, his own, had made home. From here, it was like he could see the whole world. Soon, he really would. He would stand above all others, as the strongest. He turned his eyes to the sky above.
The gate had closed.
Ash looked up at the sky, the vast, endless greys that comprised the heavens. Still, yet raging beneath the surface. A mirror of himself inside.
Drip.
Ash felt it, from below his eye something made way down his face, the freezing droplet, his skin the only thing protecting it from the fire inside. The sky quivered, something was brewing, Ash's chest moved in rhythm, growing faster and stronger. They growled. Ash clenched his fist, the air grew denser, the tension building up to their final release. Drip, drip, drip, drip, drip- It came down, and it all came out, from the sky and him.
They roared, their howls echoing for countless miles.
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He looked down from the sky. Such a gloomy thing, how could one be sad, when such glory was just beneath? He chuckled to himself, what was he on? It was just clouds, caused by all the smoke. It'd pass, when-well that didn't matter. The battle would probably be over by then, and then Ash would go wandering on, until the next strong one.
The field still smoked, the countless droplets of lava had almost entirely cooled, but underneath the burning liquid still burned. Every crack was still smoking, the smoke rising to the sky. Would the ground remain stable enough to fight on? Or would every step be a possible hazard? Well, it wasn't like the two couldn't handle it. Pikachu's cheeks continued to shine and crackle. The pint-sized lightning storm was still raring to go, and across from him the ferocious artist was just as eager. That was fine, that was more than fine.
Quentin looked at his opponent, in thought. "As long as he can use Flash Step the advantage is, however slightly, his. I need to remove it." While to some, the obvious answer would be a quick application of Disable, but even assuming it hit the mark, such a tactic was an insult to his pride. He did not become Grandmaster by resorting to cheap tricks! "How can he move like that? How can any Pokémon move like that? It's not a teleport. But at that speed it's easy to be mistaken for one. When he vanishes and reappears..." He'd seen it many times, and not just this day, and one thing was always true..."Why does he always reappear before attacking? At that speed he could take out any target before they know what's going on, yet before every attack he makes sure to reveal himself, but he's not the arrogant type." He pictured the countless uses, trying to find, and finding only one answer. "He can't attack while using Flash Step. It's impossible for most creatures to even see at speeds like that, never mind reacting. He can't see either. He's blind as anyone at that speed."
That fact didn't bother Ash and Pikachu much. "Pikachu, Iron Tail!" He vanished, and in less than an instant-
"Iron Tail!" Smeargle leapt back, his own metal brush-tail striking out like a serpent. Iron met Iron in a screech. He landed, scarcely missing burning ground. Pikachu vanished again, appear-he struck out to his left.
Pikachu ducked the blow, leaping forward, his tail primed to smash Smeargle's skull.
It was Smeargle's turn to vanish. He reappeared, closer to the center of the battleground, his tail waiting for an incoming attack. Pikachu vanished in, reappearing and striking in almost the same instant. Smeargle followed his movements, purely on defense, his face blank as tails clashed, a long whip and single blade. Pikachu vanished, reappearing, vanished again, and again, a series of flashes around Smeargle as-
Pikachu struck, Smeargle blocked, and vanished. Pikachu found him across from Pikachu, waiting again.
Quentin had watched, closely. He had watched the entire battle closely, and the moments that stood out... when Pikachu first used Thunder Wheel..."He can't use it in midair. He needs a solid surface to move from. Well I can't well say 'keep him off the ground', there's no way that'd work forever. I need another way..." He replayed it again, Pikachu always moving around in Flashes, but always in one direction. He'd get to his foe quickly, but it was..."A straight line. He moves in a straight line, and one step at a time. The charge is precise. If compromised in any way..." Quentin smiled. "And this is why I reigned so long."
"The time has come, boy." His smile grew dark. "We're sealing the Flash Step."
"You're lying!"
"Am I?" He anger flared. "I was Pokémon Grandmaster long before you even drew your first breath! You think I can't deal with a glorified parlour trick? You overestimate your own skill, Ash Ketchum. And now you'll pay for it! Behold your own sword! As it strikes the very ground you stand upon!" Smeargle's body sparked into life, sparking with electricity at every inch. "Volt Marking!" He slammed his tail into the ground. "Mark it all!"
And he did. He roared, as from him power shot out in all directions, making slight sparks visible at ground level, Ash and Pikachu felt it, as it passed them, spreading across the entire field, charging everything with electricity. He felt something in his stomach drop, Quentin really had figured it out, at least the most important part. Flash Step required very precise charges to function, and it was vital it was done without interference. Moving Pikachu from start point to end point was a delicate affair, just one error and..."...fuck."
Quentin smiled. "And this fight...is over." He chuckled. "I knew that'd come in handy somewhere down the line." His mirth faded. "Say goodbye to your title, boy, because you'll never touch it again as long as I draw breath. I will ensure my true successor is strong enough to keep. You. Down!" He took a breath, closing his eyes as he breathed deep. "The victories I have achieved in my lifetime... I became the strongest in my homeland, I defeated my Elite Four. I took down my Champion, I became the Grandmaster of the entire league, the strongest to the walk the earth! I've defeated the strongest, time and time and time again! My last great victory will be in defeating yet another Grandmaster. I'll beat you into the ground. I'll bury you so damn far nobody like you will even think of rising up again! Ash Ketchum, this is the end of your reign!" His flared faded, replaced with extreme annoyance. "Shortest yet, and still too fucking long." He put his hands together, his knuckles cracking. "Smeargle! Engage!" He leapt forth. "Mach Punch!" Smeargle's fist shot out.
Pikachu moved his head out of the way, the fist scarcely gracing his fur, he did so again before jumping away. Smeargle jumped after him, punching again! "KA!" Pikachu grabbed his wrist, twisting in the air and throwing him at the ground. He landed on his tail, and was quickly on his feet as Pikachu too hit the ground.
Ash gulped. Shit, he hadn't predicted this. Well, if anyone was gonna stop Flash Step it'd be him. He clenched his fist, and found it shaking. Shaking, but why exactly?
He'd face down challenges before.
Quentin looked on, a brow raised. "You still choose to fight on. Admirable, but foolish. You've lost your only advantage. Your spirit is reduced, though not quite broken. So be it then. Smeargle, his spirit wont break. Let's see if his body is as stubborn. We've indulged them just long enough. Boy, entertain us for a few more moments. Fight back with what little you have left. Then I'll show the world their broken Grandmaster.
"Don't count me out yet. I've kept up with you this far."
"There's a world of difference between victory and defeat. Show him what I mean, Smeargle!"
"Smear!"
"Pika!"
The pair leap forth, Pikachu rushing on all fours. "Bullletseed, Smeargle!" Both Smearge's hands opened, glowing green before they started blasting golden seeds. One hand aimed right at Pikachu, who evaded, the other barrage of seeds right where he was about to-he changed course, stopping for a fraction of a second before he bolted off again. Smeargle ceased firing, re aiming his arms and firing one again. His second hand still glowed, but did not fire. Pikachu rushed forward, waiting for an order...
"Volt Tackle!" Pikachu moved faster, his body glowing brighter and brighter. Smeargle grinned, he had an idea...
Quentin read his mind. "Focus Blast!" The barrage stopped, Smeargle raising his hands as Pikachu closer, and closer and-
Smeargle vanished. Pikachu ground to a halt, and if the ball hadn't emitted such glow he wouldn't have realized where it was coming from. From behind him, the ball was incoming, he turned to face it. "Discharge!"
"Pika-CHUUUUU!" Pikachu exploded with power, streams of it flying towards the incoming sphere of destruction. The ball slowed down, but-
"Pikachu, Move!" He jumped, the ball hitting ground and exploding. Pikachu landed well out of the blast range. "Charge Beam!"
Smeargle looked into the incoming blast. As fast as it was, such a distance... he smiled.
He vanished. The blast shot off the talon, headed...well hopefully not in the pathway of a distant flying Pokémon.
Quentin blinked as Smeargle reappeared before him, before he frowned. "If you insist on continuing this then stop insulting me with such a sloppy performance."
Ash glared, though...Quentin was right. Something was wrong, something he'd forgotten how to deal with. How long had it been since...since this? Since even the possibility of defeat? Even against the Champions, he'd never felt anything but sure, but in the end, even they had known limits, but Quentin...there was a long standing fact about him...
Nobody defeated Quentin Gelden. People tried for quarter of a century and failed. He had told no lies; countless had tried, and the result had never changed. No matter who came before him, the result was the same. There was no test of strength Ash had shown that Quentin had not done before him, and he had done one thing Ash had not accomplished. He had actually dethroned a Grandmaster. Ash had come in, and claimed an undefended throne. Quentin had charged the throne, and ripped the queen right off it. Without Flash Step, without his ace weapon, could Ash break the king?
Something in the back of his head said no, and it was... his hand was still shaking. Quentin's resolve was as clear as day. The man was a zealot, to his core. He was not going to stopp until Ash really was beaten into the ground. That resolve should have found itself met by matching resolve, with matching strength, but...
Where was his strength?
What was missing? What the hell was wrong!? This was, this was perfect! If he lost there was someone stronger left. "I can keep fighting." He could fight on, he'd swing at this with everything he had. Win or lose. If he won, then he'd go on to seek more battles, but if he lost then he knew exactly where to find his next grand battle. "What else is there for me?"
"Smeargle, Bulletseed." Both of his arms raised again, their hands glowing green. Ready, aim...Pikachu got down on all fours...Fire.
Pikachu rushed to the left, a barrage of seeds hitting the ground. Smeargle followed closely, his technique now paced blasts rather than outright rapid fire. He'd fire a barrage, then aim his other hand where Pikachu was aiming for, only for him to move again-dammit he was frigging small! He snarled rushing forward before-"Smear!" He leapt to the putting his hands together, twirling around and-"GLEE!"
A geyser of raining seeds. Pikachu looked around for an instant-still too much heat to dig, but-"PIKA!" He slammed the ground with his tail, pulling up a shard of earth. He jumped away, the shard breaking down under the barrage as he reached the edge of the rain.
Pikachu reached the outside, throwing the remains of his shield away as Smeargle hit the ground. He growled, he was not playing Persian and Pikchu all day-"Pikachu, Electro Ball!" Pikachu rushed away again, evading seeds and gathering speed, forming a sphere as large as he. He slashed his tail, the ball sailing through the air, devouring every seed in its path.
"Shadow Ball!" The sphere of darkness was quickly formed, and swiftly shot.
There was nothing else, for him.
The blasts met, in a flash of light. When it cleared, both Pikachu and Smeargle were still standing. Ash's hand was still shaking, lightly, but he forced himself to ignore it. He'd keep fighting, he'd fighting until the end, even as bitter as it was looking to become.
Quentin, on the other hand... "Withdraw, Ash." His gaze was harder than steel. "You've lost your edge, and not just Flash Step. You're slipping. Just give up, before Pikachu pays the price for your weakness." His feature's flared, into rage. "He wont be the first to meet his death against a Grandmaster, nor the last! He dies and it's on your head! Now quit!"
The darkness flared. "Go to hell."
Darkened eyes met ancient ones, and not even for an instant did the zealot's waver, the world around them grew quiet, grew silent, save for the words Quentin spoke.
"I gave you fair warning."
Ash felt something cold inside him, from the pit of his stomach it spread through his body. They were more than just words...
"Smeargle." Quentin's knuckles cracked as he clenched his fist. "This battle ends, now." Smeargle rushed forward, with an echoing warcry. "Force Palm Wave!" Smeargle's hand glowed, but his tail slashed out first, Pikachu jumped over it, leaping with his own fist crackling. Pikachu struck first. He missed, Smeargle leap over it, sailing into the air, his hand glowing bright as-he thrust, sending a larger-than-typical Force Palm down. Pikachu jumped away, the blast's name displaying its meaning.
It exploded, in a wave of light, blasting Pikachu from his feet and headed right for the damaged claw. He slammed into it as Smeargle hit ground. "Mega Punch!" Smeargle rushed forward, his fist glowing.
He struck.
"Evade!" Pikachu leaned to the side, and Smeargle's fist slammed into the peak. Pikachu grabbed his arm, forcing him deeper into the stone. "Thunder Pulse!" Pikachu placed his paw against Smeargle's chest, and it glowed gold for a second.
There was a flash of light, and Smeargle was launched from his feet, and sent into the air, water coming forth from the hole he'd left behind as Pikachu leapt away. Smeargle's form flipped in the air, first only once, then again and again, faster and faster as he fell back down. He landed perfectly on his feet. "Just keep pushing him. He'll fall eventually." Crack. "Hm?"
The area around the hole was cracking, growing wider and wider as more and more water, like a dam ready to-it broke. The water came forth, spilling over the ground, becoming steam as it cooled the hot earth, pouring into every crack. First came water, then came shards of rocks. Then came...
Ash froze.
The water fell to the ground, bringing with it all which had swam in it. Mostly it was just debris, but one thing was swept further by the water than anything else. It swam on the deluge, coming to a stop between the two sides of the battle.
Pikachu leapt for it, grabbing the object several times his size. He reached into the front of it, reaching for-"Pikapi!"
He threw something, and by instinct, Ash caught it.
It caught him.
Quentin looked at the lure closely. "Are you finally ready to stop running?"
"Sh-!" He shook his head. "Shut up." "I hate-!" He shook harder. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Pikachu! Swift!"
He didn't let it go.
"Pikapi..." A circle of blue appeared before Pikachu, firing a familiar mass of stars.
"Protect." Smearle made a familiar shield, and like shards of glass he stars broke upon it. "You didn't think that one through."
"J-just shut up and fight!" Pikachu's cheeks sparked, weakly.
Smeargle advanced, walking towards Pikachu, his tail dancing in the air. This fight was almost over, without good command, a Pokemon was only so good at fighting. Quentin's voice rang out. "Smeargle..." He got closer and closer, his tail pointing, ready to capture, to strike, to bring this all to an end, when Quentin would give the word...
"Stop. This battle is over."
Smeargle looked back, silently questioning, but Quentin's gaze held no room for discussion. He nodded, turning to Pikachu with a slight bow. He turned his back, walking away from the battle, towards his oldest friend. Pikachu remained in place, was this a trick?
Ash found his voice-"W-what are-" What the hell was Quentin doing? "We're not done yet!"
Quentin turned around. "Yes, we are. This is no longer a battle. You've lost your nerve, Ash Ketchum. You keep going, and at best you'll just lose. You're done." He looked back, his expression a portrait of contempt. "Now when you're ready to admit it just say, I'll take us back and you can finally stop disgracing your station."
He walked, without further word or ceremony he walked, to the edge of the talon, to stare at the world below.
Ash shook. That son of a bitch! How dare he walk away! He was no Grandmaster! He was no real warrior! He was a liar! A coward! He was-!
Drip.
It fell on him, rolling down his arm, headed to that which had already been soaked. Ash's eyes followed...
He was right.
That familiar gaze, though with a smile and wink, stared upon him with accusation. It...it was her, she was stopping him. She was stopping this fight. All he had to do was...was throw her away, throw her off the mountain and this could go on, he just had to let go. Just let go!
He couldn't. He thought about it, he ordered his body to do it, but it refused to comply.
"I HATE YOU!"
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
...Drop.
And this was why. Before him, was the very reason she hated him. "You took him from me." He had taken that boy to the battleground, not this one, but ultimately they were all the same. Somewhere, somehow, Ash had just lost him. He'd lost him, and so many others. "Misty...I'm sorry."
He turned, walking away, his feet dragging him closer and closer to the edge of the mountain. The world below, it was vast, so incredible, so...
Why was he here alone?
His thoughts were met with silence, but he didn't need to hear what he already knew. He looked down at his hand, at her, just..."I'm sorry." His shoulders shook. "I..." He fell, slamming on his knees, but he never turned away, his eyes fixed on her memento.
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Her eyes were fixed on his memento, the hat he'd left behind. It'd been so long since she'd seem him in this hat last. Had it really been so long since they'd really been together? It felt like an eternity, yet still as clear as it had happened only yesterday that she pulled him out of that river, and then so both long later, yet now, somehow at the same time in the blink of an eye she had to say goodbye, but not before learning something that, in retrospect, was rather obvious.
She knew for sure after that day, Ash wasn't always the best when it came to feelings, he had other things he was just too focused on. As much as she didn't like it, it seemed he just didn't return what she felt, or if he did, he just didn't realize it yet.
She found herself oddly okay with that. Ash cared, and that was good enough for then. He was too immature, and too set on his dreams to pay much attention to anything else. She figured she could wait until later, how much so she wasn't sure. Either when he grew up a little, or accomplished at least enough that his mind could broaden a bit. She'd have to wait until Ash could at least pay attention to girls.
Once that happened she could go from there. She was rather hopeful actually. She hoped she wasn't just imagining it, but there were...moments. Rare, and brief that were perhaps the signs of something more. There was nothing certain in them, but perhaps they were the closest Ash was had been capable of showing interest in a girl, her in particular.
Secretly, she'd always had a crazy idea. Well, not so much an idea as a fantasy. Ash would have just been victorious, before the entire world. She'd be running out towards him, and he'd just look at her, either jumping around like a kid of a sugar high or grinning the way only he could, not even remotely expecting what she was about to do to him.
She'd jump him.
She'd kiss him.
She used to giggle to herself when she wondered what the look on his face would be like afterwards, the shock would be priceless! She'd never admit to anyone that she'd secretly hoped that the act would win Ash's heart over. She could then stake her claim on him before the entire world.
(Violators would be dealt with by Mallet.)
It was saddening that she hadn't been there at that golden moment, her fantasy was lost, but now she knew...that fantasy didn't have a chance to begin with. Ash's actions said all she despised to hear. If he had returned her feelings, if he ever would have been capable of doing so, he'd never have let her go.
"Why..." A familiar warmth slid from her eyes. "Why can't you love me, Ash?"
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How had this all happened? How had it come down to this. How had this become his ending? It had all started so well, he'd met the two best people he could have found, and even if the ending was unclear, the story was clear, the three of them and the open road. He'd never wanted it to end. He'd never wanted those distant days to end. His first, his original trio. Most of all, he just never wanted to stop travelling with her. All the wonder, all the glory, everything he had ever seen or done. She was the one he was supposed to share it all with. She was supposed to be there as he became strong. She was supposed to be there as one by one, the strongest fell before him. She was supposed to be there, and there then, when he would face Quentin Gelden down at the Championship, to truly prove himself the strongest.
She was supposed to be there.
When she left, he didn't think, he couldn't. It was impossible, reality was impossible. It was a mistake, which surely would have corrected itself in time. He just kept going, because all that was he knew, he wasn't done, After she'd left, he was never quite the same. Something was always off, about everything, but he'd kept going. He kept going, kept doing what he was born to, but...but something was gone. It didn't matter, because he had to keep going. He'd never have been able to look her in the eye if he didn't, if he'd just given up. He just had to wait, just keep waiting, waiting until the day she'd come back. So he'd waited, and waited...
"Why..." His eyes became like the sky. "Why didn't you come back, Misty? Why didn't you ever come back?"
He let go, the lure hitting the ground with a light clink, even through the handkerchief. His body, it cried out, even as he gave, falling forward on the stone. This was it, this was how it all ended. It all ended on a mountain, in failure, his body ravaged and covered in his sins. He was tired, so tired, maybe he would fall asleep. "I don't want to wake up."
Across the field, Smeargle glanced briefly, as Pikachu was at his trainer's side, a helpless look on his face, and Ash-still alive, Pikachu'd have caused a ruckus otherwise. He looked up his trainer. "Smearegle gle smear smear gle?"
Quentin reached up, taking off his Fedora with heavy sigh, looking up into the darkened sky as more droplets fell on him, the blood being washed from his face by the falling rain.
"I have my duty."
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She wiped her eyes. She'd shed enough tears, it-it wasn't his fault. Ash was, well, Ash was who he was, and humans were oh so powerless to control what they felt, or did not. She...she'd would resolve this another day, right now there was something else, and old tradition...
She knew where he was, who he was going to see. There was no-one else he would, and if she knew him, and hey, she could hope that was true in part. If she did, she knew exactly what he'd do.
He always wanted to be the very best...
She smiled.
"Go get him, Ash."
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"Go get him, Ash."
That...is probably what she would have said to him. He could laugh...if he actually could laugh. Those were words she'd never say to him, not now. But...but he needed to hear them. He needed to hear her telling him to get up, stand strong, and fight on. Yet those were words he wouldn't hear. He could only look at her lure, as it looked back at him, as she looked back at him."Misty..."
He remembered, he finally remembered something...
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Some time ago...
It was dark.
It was cold.
It always was up here, but at least the night's skies were a thing of wonder. From here, it was one could reach out and touch the galaxy beyond the earth. Yet this wonder was lost on one, who was beneath the night's sky, alone with his thoughts.
His thoughts, and a memory, which he gazed upon.
"Misty...I-I don't know what to do." His eyes were only upon her. "I, I'm alone...I don't know if I'm strong enough." How long was it, that had been walking the world alone now? "I can't come home, until I'm strong..."
He would not let it all be for nothing.
"Until I'm the strongest I can't come home." He clenched her tighter. "I wanna come home." His hand started shaking. "Help me." She gazed at-no, her image gazed at him, and nothing more.
"Help me..."
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From that day, he'd carried her in his pocket. He rarely looked at it, eventually almost entirely forgetting she was there, but she was there, always. Through all those battles, he'd carried her. Through all those battles...
His hand moved forward... Through every battle.
"Help me."
His aching body, through it something swept, a spark ignited and lit his senses on fire. "Help me." He'd come so far to become the strongest and he was so damn close!
Through every battle...
He grabbed her.
She'd carried him! "Help me, Misty!" He pushed against the ground. It was not ending like this! He was upon his feet. He was not letting it end, not like this! And he was not going on...like this either. He closed his eyes.
He spread his arms, letting the rainfall wash over his arms. He looked up, letting it wash over his face. He felt it fall down his back, down his legs, down anywhere it could find its way. Below him the water was accruing traces of red.
His eyes were closed, but he could see, and not just her.
Brock.
It shouldn't have gone down like it did, Brock had just brought up a fair point, he didn't deserve what he got for it. Ash was, he was selfish. What right did he have to order them to stay? He didn't go around following them, he wasn't right to expect them to do so for him.
May...Dawn.
He had simply let them walk away, and done the same himself. "Jerk" was putting it lightly. He'd walked out on the pair of them, and like everything else it was without good reason.
Max.
Max he...he just let go. Common conversations became less common, less became rare, rare became scarce, and that had become non-existent. Most would have just dismissed it as growing apart, or Ash driving them away and just being done with it, done with him, but not Max. Even now, he still wanted that battle.
But it wasn't just them..."I'm so proud of you!"
All that...all he had done, all he had thrown away, and she was proud to be called his mother.
"Pi pika chu chupi pi ka." Be the best person I know.
Pikachu still was proud to be his Pokémon, his friend. He still believed in him, and if he lost now, he'd throw that away. If he surrendered now, he'd throw Delia's pride, Pikachu's belief to the fires.
Perhaps..."Maybe...I'm not too far gone..."
"What right to I have..."
It hurt.
It hurt! It was pain he could not describe. Not the pain in his body, his bashed, possibly now scarred body. No, that wasn't the real pain. His heart, that was where the pain lay, and not in its rapid beat, in its desperation to keep his blood levels from falling below what it would take to keep oxygen flowing.
It hurt!
He crashed a hand over his heart, and grit his teeth.
"What right do I have to give up!?"
Pain was just another opponent, and like all who came before, he'd overcome it!
His arms returned to his front. For a moment the hands were in motion. As he did so Pikachu approached, and was the first to see what Ash had done.
The lure was still in his palm, now held tightly there by the handkerchief which had been wrapped around his hand.
He was the first to see, because Ash's eyes had yet to open. For another moment he stood there, his hand clenched tight, occasionally his thumb ran across its face.
His arm fell, returning to his side, and slowly his eyes started to open. The light. The light so recently lost was returning, like the first rays of the morning sun, casting out the darkness.
But that was not the only thing returning. "Pikapi..."
"Pikachu. If you want to fight on, I'm with you."
"Ka Pikachupi?"
"For Misty. For Mom! For everyone!"
Pikachu's cheeks sparked. "Ka chupika!"
The fires that simply longed to fight were gone. Now a new flame burned. One that had not burned truly in a long time. A fire that wanted to win.
He owed them that.
Misty... she had believed him more than anyone, and more than anyone, she'd pushed him forward. To back down now would be a greater insult than any he had yet paid her. To lose was discouraged, but if done honestly, permitted. To give up...That was unforgivable!
He owed them all more.
Misty...oh mother of Arceus how could he even begin to fix that? "It doesn't matter." One way or another, he'd find a way...
She was not the only one owed. "I considered you a brother, Ash." Brock was his brother. By Arceus, Ash would prove that to him.
"May...Dawn."
Though not parts of life by the same amount of time, they were irreplaceable. They were his friends, his...his own legacies. They walked a different path from him, but he had been there to push them forward in their early days. He'd push them further, he would stand behind them, striding forward even through the darkest days. If nothing else, if absolutely nothing else, he had learned how to do that.
And the last owed, the last to be lost. "I still want that battle, Ash!" He was getting it, but to give him 'a battle against a friend', heh...he could do better than that. No, Max was getting something better, infinitely battle. Max would not battle just a friend, just another trainer. Max's first battle would be against the Grandmaster, and if Ash was to be Grandmaster, there was one thing he had to do to...
Drip...drip...drop.
The sky came to the end of its tears, darkness comprised it, but nothing else fell to the earth. Nothing else fell from him. There was no more tears to shed.
He was clean.
The world had never been more clear. It was time to go home, it was time to rebuild. But before that, before that could begin, one thing remained. One thing had to be done.
His had to pay his first debt.
"QUENTIN GELDEN!"
Ash's voice spread across the field, filling the chilled air with fire. The old Grandmaster turned around, Smeargle with him as Ash thrust out his arm, his pride, his very soul in hand. "Forget everything I said before!" He clenched it tighter. "I'm Grandmaster now! And that's how it's going to stay! I don't care if I'm supposed to be a king or god! I don't care if I'm worthy to be Grandmaster or not! I don't even care if this is right or wrong! All I care about are my friends, that wanted me to be the best! And I don't care what it takes, I'm going to do it!" He put them against his heart. "Nobody will stop me from keeping my promise to them! Nobody!"
Those eyes. Quentin knew those eyes. He knew them all too well. "There..." He smiled. "My true successor." He took a deep breath, looking up to the sky. "It wasn't all for nothing, after all. Ash Ketchum. I have waited a long time for you." He placed his hat back upon his head. "Now let's see if it's truly my time to go."
"You understand again. You understand how to put others before yourself. You have found the attribute a Grandmaster requires above all." His smile widened. "Now, let's see if you got what it takes to keep your promise! Prove to me, to us your strength!"
They walked forward, Smeargle faster than Quentin, and he quickly took his position across from Pikachu.
"Come and get me, Ash Ketchum!"
Ash held her tighter...This was it. "But..." Something wasn't right.
He looked at her, trying to find something, something...something she'd look for. She'd know, she'd know what was missing, but she wasn't here to tell him. He had to think, what was it, what was it that he'd do, what would he have done back then? Would would-he gasped. He'd seen it!
He closed his eyes, remembering. He reached for his hat... Ash's hand reached up for his hat. How had he forgotten this?
His eyes opened
...and with a swift pull turned the hat backwards.
He grinned.
Now all was right.
The sky roared. Grandmasters stared one another down, Pokémon stared one another down. There were no words, no signals.
It simply began.
"Here I-!" Ash clenched tighter. "Here we come!" He thrust his arm forward. "Let's go, Pikachu!"
Quentin shot out his arm. "Prepare for battle, Smeargle!"
Two Pokémon charged forward. Two trainers watched them. Their wills one with their partners. Ash and Pikachu stared at the task before them, the challenge before them, their wills at once as one.
Their hearts at once proclaiming...
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
A short time ago...
Ash and Pikachu's roaring pierced the sky, with all their heart and soul they proclaimed themselves onto the world. They reached every wall, every ear, even those watching from far beyond the bounds of the stadium. It reached over their bodies, reaching down, breaking though a metallic shell.
A burst of energy emerged from Ash's belt. First one, then quickly joined by four others. The world seemed to stop for a moment, even Ash and Pikachu did as their comrades stood besides them.
They knew. Everyone knew, and without warning or order they aimed towards the sky.
In one instant, it all happened.
Charizard, Sceptile and Feraligatr opened their mouths. A stream of red, green and blue respectively emerging from their gaping maws up to the heavens. Snorlax did the same, and the streams were joined by a yellow-orange stream. Scrafty was the last to, and a white beam joined them. Pikachu's cheeks briefly crackled, and the entourage of power was joined by a yellow stream, one which coursed over the body of the one who cast it, and he who held him.
Their hearts at once proclaiming...
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
"VICTORY!"
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
End of Chapter
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Author's Notes: Didn't I say this battle was for a good cause?
This is it folks, the final part of the battle. The final blow comes down next chapter!
Next Time: From Beginning to End
(Or I could just cement my role as "World's Biggest Prick" for all time and just abandon the fic now.)
((Don't think I ain't fucking tempted.))
Trivia:
Figuring out decent way to stop Flash Step was hell of a lot harder than coming up with it, ya know. Honestly when I first came up with it I didn't bother deciding how it should work, but I knew I'd have to have it stopped eventually.
I spent a considerable amount of time deciding how to stop it, but when I finally decided to construct how it actually works it just kinda clicked.
True I didn't "stop" it per se, but I have rendered using it a very bad idea. There you go folks, that's how you mess with the Flash Step; electrify the area. Wont negate it, but when using means some face time with a wall (if it doesn't just outright backfire) you might as well have.