Welcome to the Ikimono League
By Neko (Silver Tru-Neko)
Disclaimer: Still don't own Pokemon. But I do own Articuno's Aura :P (My favorite Pokemon had to have a mention somewhere in the story, lol)
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Chapter 20 – Calm Before the Storm
"You're against him tomorrow. So what's your plan?" Misty asked as she, Ash, and Brock headed back to the Pokémon Centre where they were staying.
"I plan to beat him, that's what!" growled Ash. Pikachu nodded fiercely in agreement.
"And how are you going to manage that?" Brock queried. "Gary's just as good a trainer as you are, if not better, no offense."
Ash whirled on him. "Everyone thinks Gary's so great! I'm gonna show them, I'll show you all, that I'M the best Pokémon master in the world!!" Ash raised a fist in the air dramatically.
Misty sighed. "Right, Ash. Save the victory dance for afterward, all right?"
Ash turned and marched toward the Pokémon Centre. "I'm going to train my winning team! And I don't want either of your help!"
"Wh-what? Wait, Ash, what do you mean!" demanded Brock, rushing after him.
Ash folded his arms. "Look, guys, I really appreciated your help in the past, and I thank you for that. But this I need to do on my own, to prove myself against Gary."
Misty and Brock stared in shock as Ash turned away. "Besides," he shot over his shoulder, "I'm not taking any chances 'cause this victory's mine!"
Misty's face flushed. "Do you really think we'd side with him over you?! What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
Brock calmly restrained her. "He'll be fine, Misty," he murmured. "Just let him go."
Misty glanced up at him, surprised. "But-"
"Just watch," Brock assured her; with a sigh, Misty let it go.
Ash walked away, his only focus the upcoming fight. This time, he vowed, I'll show Gary what I'm made of!
*
Elsewhere, another trainer was preparing for tomorrow's battle.
"I'm facing Ash, huh?" mused Gary aloud. He glanced to Umbreon, seated beside him on the forest floor.
"I'll need a strong team, then," he murmured, before adding, "Umbreon, make sure no one's watching us."
"Bri!" With a nod, Umbreon darted off into the trees to watch for intruders.
Gary smiled to himself, laying six Poké balls out on the ground before him. Let's see… I know Ash will probably use Pikachu, as it's his strongest Pokémon. He doesn't have very many choices other than what's with him now. So that means Charizard, Bayleef, and Lapras are all possibilities.
He saw Umbreon, Nidoking, and Blastoise in the Elemental gym, he argued. But I don't think he's figured out a way to beat Umbreon yet…I'll need Blastoise to counter Charizard…
Deep in thought, Gary switched around his line-up of Poké balls. The sun rose high above him as he formulated strategies and counter-strategies; finally, he smiled and tucked all but two back on his belt.
"Umbreon!" he called, standing gingerly and stretching. "Let's go."
Umbreon came bounding back, nuzzling against his leg. Gary patted its head before setting off for town.
Let's see Ash beat this, he thought with a smirk.
*
Meanwhile, Ash slogged through the afternoon in his enclosed room in the Pokémon Centre. With the door closed and windows carefully curtained, the only light came from the flare of Charizard's tail. Ash sat in the centre of the room, surrounded by his six Pokémon, sweat beading on his forehead due to the close contact and growing heat of the day outside. He went over battle plans with them, encouraging and sparking determination in every one of his friends. As he worked, he began to regain confidence; the problem came when he tried to figure out what Gary would do.
"I only know three of his Pokémon," Ash groaned. "Umbreon, Nidoking, and Blastoise. And according to what Brock said, he probably knows I know and won't use them!" He sighed, wishing he had an advantage.
Something nudged him gently, and he caressed that Pokémon's head. "You're right," he said, turning to take in his proud team. "We'll take whatever he throws at us, and repay it double! Look out –"
A sudden knock on the door interrupted Ash's spiel; he scurried to it, sliding it open just a crack so as to hide his Pokémon from view.
"Ash?" Brock wondered, bewildered by his behaviour. "Er…you all right in there?"
"Doing great, Brock!" Ash supplied. "What's up?"
Brock wondered, "Can I come in?"
"No!"
The older trainer was taken aback by the fervency in Ash's voice. "Well, uh, you've been invited to dinner."
Ash blinked. "What?"
"You're supposed to be at the Articuno's Aura restaurant at six," Brock offered. "It's semi formal, by the way."
"What? Who's inviting me?" demanded Ash, but Brock only turned away.
"See you there," he said, and disappeared down the hall.
Ash half considered running after him, instead sighing and closing the door. He glanced at the clock.
"Gah! It's almost five already!" He ran past his Pokémon, rummaging in his bag and flinging clothes everywhere. "I need something nice, quick!!"
One Pokémon bounded over and helped him select an outfit. With a quick "Thanks!" Ash charged into the bathroom. Moments later came the rush of shower water.
*
Ash was nearly late to the restaurant; running down the main street, he stopped outside the restaurant-hotel Articuno's Aura. The sign swinging above the door portrayed an Articuno unleashing an ice beam. Ash took a moment to slow his breathing, checking his outfit. He wore a white shirt over slightly creased black pants with a tie he'd borrowed from Brock and forgotten to return. He still wore his runners, but had forgone his typical green gloves and hat. His hair, still wet from the shower, was hastily combed into something he hoped was presentable.
"How do I look?" he asked Pikachu, perched on his shoulder. Pikachu nodded reassuringly; taking a deep breath, Ash pushed through the door.
The polished wood hotel lobby lay before him; Ash turned right to see the restaurant off to the side. A low wall separated it from the lobby.
Ash headed to the check-in desk and saw two people already waiting there. He gasped. "Misty? Brock?"
His friends turned, Ash suddenly feeling very under-dressed. Misty wore a sparkly turquoise dress, Togepi nestled in her matching handbag; Brock was imposing in his suit.
"Guys…?" Ash wondered, hardly able to find his voice. Misty blushed, noticing his shock.
"Sorry…when I get nervous, I shop," she shrugged, before doing a little twirl. "Do you like it?"
Ash nodded. "You guys look great," he mumbled.
"Well, you look nice, too, Ash," Misty offered awkwardly. A long moment passed.
"So, you invited me out to dinner to cheer me up?" guessed Ash. It's not working so far, he admitted sadly.
Misty exchanged a glance with Brock. "Actually," she began.
"It wasn't our idea," Brock supplied. "Let's go in, he's waiting."
Ash followed, confused, wondering who 'he' was. He couldn't help but look around in awe, though; the entire restaurant had lights dimmed to an oddly elegant blue glow, candles illuminating the centres of the circular tables they passed. Everywhere Ash looked he saw finely dressed people; he recalled this was supposed to be the only five-star hotel in Turquoise, and could easily see why. The food, too, looked delicious.
"Here we are," said Brock, angling toward a table in the shadowed corner of the room. A candle flickered on the mahogany tabletop.
"I hope we haven't kept you waiting," Brock said, taking a seat. A figure glanced up in the candlelight.
Ash froze to the spot, jaw dropping. "Gary?!"
Gary's eyes flickered to him for a moment before he looked away, bored.
"Hello, Ash," said a pleasant voice. A second figure leaned into the light beside his rival.
Ash, if possible, was even more shocked. "Professor Oak! What are you doing here?!"
"Enjoying dinner with my two favourite trainers," the man said with a smile, beckoning Ash to sit.
Ash sank into the chair on Oak's other side, still in shock. "You're the one who organized this?"
"Of course." Professor Oak offered him the menu, saying, "Since you're both in the finals – yes, I've heard about that, too – I decided to come watch."
Ash just stared wordlessly at him, menu lying closed before him.
"Besides," Oak smiled, "after all you told me about the league, I just had to come see it for myself."
"The league is amazing," said Brock, as no one else was speaking up. "It's revolutionized the idea of a gym match – testing everything a trainer needs to succeed."
"So I've heard," nodded Oak. "Someday perhaps more Kanto trainers will head east, and find the challenges to make them true masters, as Ash and Gary are now."
"Not yet." Gary regarded Ash across the table. "Not until after tomorrow's match."
Ash glared back at him. "We'll see who's the real master!"
"Yes, tomorrow's match will certainly be exciting," Professor Oak interjected, "but for tonight, tell me more about your experiences here in the league."
How does he manage it? wondered Misty, watching as Professor Oak somehow formed a truce between Ash and Gary, listening as each side recounted their journeys in the Ikimono islands.
*
Late that night, Ash tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. His every nerve was taut for the match tomorrow. Every time he closed his eyes, he could picture the battle raging in his mind and snapped awake, nervousness and excitement coursing through him.
"Ash," mumbled Brock's muffled voice from across the room, "go to sleep."
"I can't!" he hissed back.
"You have to. You'll need your strength tomorrow."
Ash lay awake long after that, eventually drifting off as he imagined holding the Canine Cup to the cheers of the crowd…
*
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Ash jerked up in bed, glancing wildly at the alarm clock beside him. Seven AM – he had lots of time.
As the jitters chased sleep from his system, he moved restlessly about the room, dressing and combing his hair, laying out his badges to admire them. He polished his Poké balls, shined his badges twice, and finally put them away on his belt and inside his shirt, respectively. Then he set his hat on top of messy hair and began to pace the room for lack of anything to do.
Brock and Misty, who were both moving too slowly for Ash's liking this morning, finished their chores before finally agreeing to breakfast. Ash stampeded to the cafeteria of the Pokémon Centre, stomach growling.
He stuffed himself to boost his strength, his confidence back this morning. Pikachu mirrored all his movements, eyes blazing; both were ready for an all-out battle.
As the trio approached the Winner's Stadium, Ash began to falter slightly. He shied away from the mass crowding the entrances, following in Brock's shadow to the check-in desk.
"Ready?" the lady there asked him brightly, to which Ash could only nod, feeling ill. He wished he hadn't eaten so much that morning; it felt like it was all coming back up.
The lady pointed him toward his entrance, and this was where he split off from his friends.
"Well…" Misty regarded him a moment, lost for words. "Good luck, Ash." She gave him an awkward hug.
Brock shook Ash's hand. "Keep your cool," he advised. "You know Gary likes to fight with strategy – be ready to counter and don't let him drive the battle. Use your strategy skills, too."
Ash nodded, saying weakly, "Thanks."
Misty and Brock waded away through the crowd, leaving Ash feeling hollow. Pikachu pulled at his pant leg, and Ash smiled down at it.
"I still have you, right? That's all we need." He held out his arm, allowing Pikachu to bound up onto his shoulder. Ash peered out through the doorway; from here, he had a good view of the battlefield and the stands filling with color. The scoreboard was alit, headed with an image of him and then one of Gary. Ash swallowed, casting his eyes away from the stands. Midway down the field stood a referee on either side, clutching official green and red flags. A long table was on the right; Ash assumed it was where the official scorers sat. Indeed, a moustached man sat in the centre, a remote and a microphone lying on the table beside him. On either side… Ash's eyes widened as he recognized the five Ikimono gym leaders.
Suddenly the man raised the mike, voice ringing out over the stadium. "Ladies and gentlemen, trainers and Pokémon, welcome to Ikimono's monthly Canine Cup championship! At this time, we invite the challengers to enter the ring: Ash Ketchum and Gary Oak!"
To be continued...
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