Authors Notes: Before we begin, an Omake. Would have put it in last chapter but I wanted to maintain the mood.
Unrelated note: Apparently Pokémon GO is taking over the world (got it myself. Goodbye, updates!). Pokémon's getting a new surge of popularity. Business's are starting to cater to it, even grown-ass adults are going to ridiculous lengths to play it. When Pokémon advertisements start flooding the airwaves, 4kids (or whoever's in charge of dubbed Pokemon these days) are making original music, and every kid is wearing a Pokémon-themed shirt, we'll know Pokemon has truly returned to the popularity of the 90s/early 00s.
(Or, if we judge by the only real measure of a franchise's popularity; We'll know when it's producing the most fan-made porn.)
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Omake
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In the serenity of the night, Quentin and Alivia walked hand-in-hand through the streets, a soft smile on each of their faces as they recalled the night's events. It had, all in all, been a good night, but one particular detail was close to extracting giggles.
It did, Alivia couldn't repress her laughter anymore. "Ash wrecked her bike to get her to follow him?"
Quentin chuckled. "What'll he do when he asks her out?"
They laughed. As they walked through the streets they found they couldn't stop laughing. The few people walking the streets turned their attentions to the pair, most thoughts turning to wonder what their joke was. The pair eventually ceased laughing, and a nostalgic smile found home on the pair for them for a moment.
Their smiles suddenly vanished. They turned to each other, fear breeding in their eyes as they spoke in unison.
"What'll he do to propose?!"
The thoughts that ran through their minds grew only more horrific as the seconds ticked by, the scenarios and events increasing in number and morbidity.
"Wedding vows!"
"First anniversary!"
"Fifth!"
"Tenth!"
"Twentieth!"
"Birthdays!"
"Oh Arceus! They're gonna have children!"
Quentin turned whiter than his hair. "Oh Ho-Oh..."
They just shook their heads, and walked onwards. They were not the interfering type of couple, so they could only keep their thoughts to themselves.
Again, their thoughts were in unison.
"That poor girl."
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End of Omake. Start of Chapter.
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Alone, in his bedroom, Ash sat on his bed, holding a familiar pair of items in his hand, a familiar face.
"I love you."
Why? Before everything else, why? Well, except before… how long? How long had she loved him, exactly? Was it back when they were (younger) kids? When they were travelling together? Oh-oh shit. Now he really felt like a complete ass. When Misty got her bike back, he'd actually called it a good thing. She didn't wanna go! She wanted to stay, she wanted to-he groaned. Not that they weren't important, but getting wrapped up in the little details was going to drive him crazier than he already was. It didn't matter exactly when it started. She loved him, and he left her behind. First, at her gym, then left her out of his life.
"You should hate me, Misty. It'd be simpler if you did." He clutched her image tighter. "I'd get you hating me."
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Brock leaned back in his chair, part of him reeling from what he'd just been told, part of him having expected it for quite some time.
"When?"
"A few days", Misty began, "I need to arrange some things here, then I'm set. Keep it on the down low?"
"Sure, sure." He frowned. "I can't help but notice the timing..." Her reaction was subtle, but he caught it. "What happened?"
The day Misty could hide something from Brock was a distant day indeed. "I told him."
What she told required no name. "Oh..." It didn't take a genius to guess what happened, but why tell him now..."You'd already decided on this before then, hadn't you?"
"Yeah. I just didn't want to have never said it, you know?"
"I get it. Did he, say anything?"
"I think I broke him." She sighed. "That's Ash for you, I guess."
"Wait, he didn't say anything?"
"Couldn't say a word." She smiled, slightly. "Gave quite a speech, didn't he?"
Brock smiled. "We've should've seen it coming."
She laughed at that. "Yeah." Her cheer seemed to dissipate. "I just wish I knew why… Why he left us."
"He did what was done to him." Misty's dissipated joy was replaced by sheer shock. "We've all railed on him, but we never looked back at ourselves." Brock heavily sighed. "We left him too, Misty. We all did. Sure, we kept in touch, but that's not quite the same thing. Calls were occasional, he spent every day and night pretty much alone. He'd rather hang up his hat than ask one of us to drop our dreams, but at the same time, he hated being alone. It wasn't really in him to stop, either. If he asked any of us to join him again, he'd think he was being selfish, putting his wants before ours. It was a no-win situation for him, at least it probably felt like it. His way of dealing with things was not dealing with them. Everything's always been extremes with Ash. He didn't listen to me, when we last spoke. I wasn't listening either." He gave one of his oldest friends a poignant look. "We all left, but you didn't have a choice in it. You more than anyone have the right to be angry at him. Are you?"
She shook her head. "Not anymore. Guess I can't stay mad at him. Um, Brock, I gotta get going. Things to do before, you know."
"Yeah, yeah, bye, Misty. Talk to you soon."
"Bye."
At that moment, both pressed the button to end the call, and both unknowingly said the same thing, with opposing tones.
"Ash, you idiot..."
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That night, Ash found himself in a familiar hallway, in a familiar place.
Ash walked onto the field, the day dark, the crowd silent. Pikachu kept to his shoulder, looking out into the field, the empty field, waiting for Ash's opponent to show himself. Ash already knew who it would be, who else could it be?
Who else was strong enough?
From out the darkness, the sound of footsteps came, his opponent becoming visible-Ash gasped. He'd known who. He didn't know when.
It was then Ash realized, he was not Grandmaster.
He was, and he was alone.
The visage before him was new to him. This one was older, a few more years of life under his belt, and on his face. Yet...how could this one be?
His eyes, he'd seen something close to them in the mirror, but never quite like this. If only he'd had access to a mirror atop the Talon of Ho-Oh, then he'd truly recognize them. The eyes of a shell of Ash Ketchum, which could only be filled by one thing, and one thing only. Ash's eyes trailed to his cheek, where-
That scar. He knew where it came from, the backlash of the opening moments of his battle with Quentin, but-but that cut had healed! Why did he have a scar? His eyes moved to his arms-more scars, the Leaf Storm Blade's lashes, leaving more scar than skin in places. From a glance, it was clear; those scars would never fade.
Scarred. Ash could find no other word to describe this visage. But why? The scarred Ash's hand moved, and Ash mirrored him. Forget the whys, more important things were at hand.
"Scrafty, I choose you!"
The scarred one said nothing, nor did his Scrafty as he emerged. This Scrafty, he was off, he was wrong. A scar across the side of his face was the least of it, it was his eyes, wild, feral. They were much like his scarred trainer. He wanted a fight.
He'd get a fight. "Scrafty, Faint Attack!" Scrafty rushed at his scarred counterpart-and vanished, appearing behind him.
"Head Smash." The scarred Scrafty turned on his feet, smashing head-to-head with his foe. Scrafty was knocked back, only to be grabbed, thrown over his foe's shoulder, and slammed into the ground. "Focus Blast." With a cry of his name, the scarred Pokémon forged a ball several times his size above his head. Several times, and growing.
"Scrafty!"
Ash's cries were lost, as the energy ball smashed into its target and exploded. When the blast finally cleared, one Scrafty was still standing in a crater, smoking, and smiling. His foe was struggling to get back to his feet.
"Outrage."
The scarred Scrafty's eyes turned red, and his kicked his foe to his feet, slamming his other foot into victim's face, sending him soaring. With a savage roar, he followed, smashing his fists against his opponent's form as they reached the darkness, and were gone from sight.
Ash felt a twinge of fear, just like that? Three attacks, and he was down a Pokémon. He reached for his belt
He wasn't giving up."
"Snorlax! I choose you!"
As did the scarred Ash. This Snorlax shared the darkened gaze, and scars around the mouth. Ash felt a chill, were they all going to be like this? "Snorlax, use Ice Punch!"
"Fire Punch." The Snorlax's rushed forward, one fist glowing blue, the other shrouded in flame. Red met blue, and one fist became shrouded in steam. "Iron Head." The flaming fist was followed up with a violent head-butt, pushing its target back, still on his feet.
Ash grit his teeth. "Giga Impact!" Snorlax ground to a halt, and rushed forth.
"Superpower." His Snorlax's body changed, muscles appearing in his rolls of fat. He held fast, his foe closing in-his hand shot out, clutching his target's head and swiping him off the ground, throwing him to the side, sending him rolling across the ground. "Giga impact." As one Snorlax came to a halt, another slammed into him, knocking him off the feet as the pair sailed on to the darkness.
"Weak." The older Ash glared at his counterpart. "Try and put up a fight at least."
"Sceptile!" Two Pokéballs were grabbed, and released at once. The true Sceptile came before a Sceptile whose arms and legs were littered with scars. "Leaf Dual Blade!" Sceptile's arms sprouted neon green blades, and his feet became such.
"Leaf Dual Blade." As did his opponents. Sceptile charged his near-doppelgänger, and slashed.
It was blocked. "I'm surrounded by weaklings." Another block. "No matter where I go, nobody's strong enough to fight me." The scarred Sceptle pushed his foe back, slashing his for across the chest. "Like crushing ants." He kicked at his opponent's head, and was ducked. "The further you get up the food chain, the less there is to eat, but I won't be weak. I won't be eaten!" The true Scpetile jumped back, out of his foe's reach.
"Leaf Storm Blade!"
Each Sceptile's backs exploded with leaves, their arms outstretched as their blade were infused with the power of a storm. The two rushed forth, each launching a powerful slash. One blade shattered like glass, its wielder being blasted in to the air. His foe followed, kicking his opponent to the ground, into the darkness, following with a savage glare.
The older Ash pulled out a Lure Ball. "I'll crush anyone who challenges me."
"Go, Feraligatr!"
This doppelgänger's scar was its skin, not on, but was the skin itself. Like it'd all been damaged somehow. It had healed, but was left roughened.
"Aqua Dance."
With a sudden deluge bursting from both, the Feraligatr's shot fourth, skating their waves, the waves crashed against the other. Ash clenched a fist he'd make his comeback! "Iron Tail!" With a swift spin, Feraligatr's metal tail struck out. The doppelgänger ducked, sliding back across the water. Feraligatr pursued, striking again, and again, only for his smirking foe to dance just out of range. "Ice Cannon!" Feraligatr formed a sphere of water in his mouth, scraping it with glowing blue fangs-
"Waterfall." The cannon fired, and a wide column of water shot up. The blast hit, and was lost from sight. The column grew wider rapidly. "Aqua Jet." A mass of water burst forth, slamming into its target. "Iron Tail." The water dissipated, showing a Feraligatr-smashing his tail against his opponent's jaw. "Aqua Jet." The doppelgänger grabbed his foe, slamming him into the ground, then leaping on him, becoming a mass of water. The pair were dug into the ground, raising the earth as they went across the arena, under it.
Two to go..."Charizard."
At first glance, this Charizard was truly a doppelgänger. Ash couldn't spot the difference, couldn't spot the scars. They were not obvious as its trainers. "Air Slash." His Charizard moved on the spot slashing a wing through the air, and the scars became obvious. This Charizard's back was scarred, as were its wings. The blade of wing shot across the air.
"Charizard, to the air!" Charizard leapt, the blade passing safely under him. "Flamethrower!" Taking less than a second to aim, Charizard released a stream of flame.
"Fire Blast." The scarred Charizard opened his maw, releasing the symbol of a great flame. The Flamethower met it, like waves against the shore, the wall of fire continuing as if nothing was in its way. The stream ceased, its caster diving out the way. "Dragon Claw."
"Charizard, move!" He ducked the first slash, dropping from the second. The third connected with his face, upper-cutting him. The forth knocked him away. "Blast Burn!" Charizard's form ignited, and he fired a minature sun at his foe, who-"YEAH!" Bullseye. The target was lost in a supernova, scorching the air red. When the blaze finally cleared, its target was revealed, still airborne, smoking and-impossible.
Undamaged. "Useless. Steel Wing." He shot forth, slamming his tail into his victim's face. "Crunch." He swept behind his foe, grabbing him by the neck. "Flare Blitz!" Both ignited, sharing a roar as they shot forth into the darkness, their would-be landing lost to the eye and ear. From the darkness, fire was born, spreading, and turning the dark edges into a bright inferno, one that would not move, nor be escaped.
Pikachu jumped from Ash's shoulder, taking his place. The scarred Ash just stood there-wait, where was his Pikachu?
The scarred Ash reached for his belt, extracting-a Pokéball? He casually tossed it, it opening with a flash of light, taking form across from the true Pikachu. His eyes were closed as he stood before his counterpart. He was bigger, more imposing now, but it wasn't that…"No..."
Why in the name of Arceus would Ash ever do this? What would it be that would have to go so horribly wrong in his head that Ash would-"What the hell have you done to him?!"
The mouse Pokémon opened his eyes. They were copies of his trainer. Cold, lifeless, save for that fire that longed to burn. He gazed at his younger self with a hungry expression, and the fires turned, his cheeks crackled. He had found his opponent.
"Rai."
Raichi took a step forward, his entire form sparking, he grinned wide. Pikachu's body sparked too, raising his fists.
"Flash step!"
The pair vanished, reappearing at the middle of the arena. From there, the battle devolved to a swift back-and-forth struggle to strike the other. Raichu threw a punch, Pikachu flashed away, reappearing and swinging an Iron Tail. Raichu vanished, reappearing and firing a Thunderbolt. Flash, Pikachu was far from the-Flash, Raichu's fist was incoming. Flash.
"Raichu, Discharge!"
With a warcry, Raichu released a wave of pure energy, spreading in all directions from Raichu's form. Pikachu paused, there was nowhere to go but-flash
In the air-flash. "Rai!"
Raichu's tail shot out, wrapping around his target, as both made way back to the ground. "PikaCHUUUUU!" The pair lit up as they fell, slamming into the ground. Raichu was smiling. Pikachu was hung in midair, Raichu's tail wrapped tightly around his neck. Raichu seemed oblivious to his prisoner's attempts at escape, his only attention awaiting his trainer's command.
"Thunder."
"RaiiiiiiiiCHUUUUUUUUUU!"
Raichu became a pillar of light, piercing the darkened sky as he and Pikachu were consumed. Ash covered his eyes briefly, as a shadow was walking through the light. The older Ash was walking towards him.
The scared one's arm shot out, sizing Ash by the neck, lifting him off the ground. "Weak. You're weak. Do you know why?" He held tighter. "They keep you weak. Your friends keep you weak." The scar bearer raised him higher, as has as his arm would manage. "That's why you left them. They held you back. If you waste time on them, you'll be weak. You won't be Grandmaster. First time somebody comes along you'll lose." He smirked. "Fastest Grandmaster to fall." He clenched tighter, and tighter, determined to snuff out the weakness before him.
Ash clutched his phantom's arm. "I don't care." He tightened his grip, and suddenly fell to the ground. He landed on his feet. The other Ash's arm had turned to ashes where he'd touched it. This was the part of him that would do anything to fight, the part of him that longed only for strength, to battle. The part of him that took him to the top of the world, and could so easily drag him to the bottom. This was the part that had to be put in its place! He advanced on his phantom, the pillar of light getting brighter, and wider. "I don't care!" He struck, his fist coming back with ashes. "The title cost me them! It's what I'd leave behind!" He slammed against the construct of his own creation, slamming him into the pillar. "I don't care if I lose. I don't care if I fall!" The pair fell into the light, his vision becoming blinded, his world becoming-
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Ash's eyes opened, he shot up. "As long as they're there to catch me."
Pikachu woke up too. "Pi?"
Ash blinked, just a dream, was just a dream. He looked out his window, the new day starting. He got out of bed. "We're headed out today." He'd put this off too long. Today, he was going to start doing what he should have done ages go.
"Pika chu kachu?" Aren't you grounded?
"We're still going."
To hell with the consequences.
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End of Chapter
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Author's Notes: As I mentioned, I have Pokémon GO. So no updates until-actually I'll get back to you, there's an Eevee nearby...