Ch 67: Serious training
Felix was sitting on his bed staring at an old picture. Delia walked in and saw him staring at the picture.
"Felix, you still haven't seen your son after he won his match?"
"Huh? Oh sorry, I guess I have a lot on my mind." Felix said as Delia walked over to him.
She saw the picture was of a 6 year old Felix with Riolu to his left and his father behind him. To his right was a 6 year old Kal with Shelly to his right when she was a Squirtle, behind him was Kal's master.
The two looked extremely happy in the picture, and even had their arms around each other's shoulders.
"This was taken on the day we both started our guardian training. They day we became brothers." Felix said sounding very heavy and sad.
Delia put her hand on his shoulder.
"I know how hard it was for you to have to do it Felix."
"He was the closest thing I had to a brother. It's my fault he ended up the way he did. But it's also more than that."
"More?" Delia asked.
"When Kal died in my arms, he whispered something to me through his aura. I don't really know what it means, but it's been bothering me. Scratching at the back of my head since then."
"What did he say?"
"He said he was like me, that I had to find him. What does that mean?"
"I don't know. If he was dying maybe he didn't know what he was saying."
"Maybe." Felix said before his put the picture down and pressed his hands against his temples.
"I was the one who ended his life, now I feel like I need fulfill what he wanted last. But who is he talking about?"
"You need to stop dwelling on the past Felix. You need to be here. Your son just won the Indigo league, something he always dreamed of doing.'
""Sigh" You're probably right, I need to accept that Kal is really gone this time." Felix said.
The following morning Serena woke up in bed. She yawned and stretched when she noticed Ash was already gone.
"Oh Ash." She said sweat dropping. After finding out Agatha had challenged him, Ash and all his pokemon refused to celebrate their win against Gary.
They immediately started training for their match against Agatha. Serena was disappointed Ash didn't want to celebrate, though he did celebrate with her in another way when he got back.
"Well if he's probably out training already." She said still sweat dropping.
She reached down to the side of the bed and picked up her underwear.
Elsewhere in the Indigo Plateau in front of a lake, Ash's pokemon had been up since nearly 1 in the morning. It was 8:00 and they had been training for nearly 7 hours straight.
All were very sore and covered in so much sweat that they almost couldn't see.
Standing in the center was Ash. He had started training in a full workout outfit. Now he was just down to his shorts. his long work out pants were on the ground and his shirt beside them.
He too was covered in so much sweat that the muscles on his body looked shiny.
"Alright, it's 10:00. We'll stop for breakfast, then we resume training." Ash said.
All of his pokemon shouted out together in agreement. Despite 7 hours of perhaps the most intense training they had ever had, they all wanted to keep going.
That is when Ash's pokemon saw someone behind him.
Ash turned to see Serena standing there, with a less than happy look.
"Oh, morning Serena. I didn't wake you when I got up did I?".
"No, because then I'd know how long you've been up. Which was how long exactly?"
"Well, we started at 1:00 and haven't stopped."
"1:00 AM!? You've been training with them for 7 hours straight!? How have you not passed out!? You got back last night at like midnight, and I know we didn't sleep for another hour after that. You're doing this all on no sleep?"
"I'm an aura guardian, my training and enhanced physical abilities keep me going."
"Ash you're going to hurt yourself and your pokemon. You need to take a break."
"We're stopping for a 20 minute breakfast. Then we're going back to training, we're taking on Agatha of the elite 4. She's also the mentor of Kanto's guardian brotherhood. We've never faced anyone like her before and we need to be ready." Ash said.
"Pika!"
"Blast!"
"Grouu!"
"Grauu!" Ash's pokemon shouted.
Beside Serena was Charla who looked over at Charizard. Despite his exhaustion, Charla saw the intensity in her mate's face.
Not only in his, but all of Ash's pokemon.
She pointed this out to Serena. This made it clear to Serena, that all of Ash's pokemon wanted to train that hard just as much as he did.
She was very worried that they were going to hurt themselves from exhaustion.
"Ash you need to rest." Serena said.
"Serena, I'm fi" Ash started as he motioned forward.
It was at that point, he nearly fell face first when all his muscles ached at the same time and his vision faded slightly. He managed to barely catch himself as Serena also grabbed him and helped him stay up.
"You and your pokemon are getting some rest!" Serena said sternly.
"Grauu!" Charizard growled as he tried to go over and pull Ash away from her so they could continue training.
He also began to loose his footing from exhaustion when Charla rushed over and held him up.
She growled at him, agreeing with Serena.
Serena let out her other pokemon who guided Ash's pokemon away from the lake and back towards the condo.
Spread out around the apartment, all of Ash's pokemon were in a deep sleep. Serena and her pokemon made sure they all had somewhere comfortable to rest. On couches, furnished chairs, cushions, guest beds, pillows.
In the bathroom, Serena climbed out of the shower, Still helping Ash to walk.
"Seriously Serena, we need to keep train." Ash started before she moved the towel over his face.
"You need to rest." She said sternly.
After they got to the bedroom, she locked the door behind them and laid Ash down in the bed before laying on top of him.
"Sleep." She said.
"But."
"Sleep." Ash's exhaustion finally got him and he fell asleep as Serena let out a relief breath.
"I love you Ash, but sometimes you need to tone yourself down." She said before she lowered her head and kissed him.
Nearly 6 hours later, Ash's eyes slowly opened and he saw Serena's irritated face over his.
"Serena." He said.
"So you're up."
"Yes, and I'm feeling very well rested. Now I can go back to."
"Ash! You've never spent 7 hours a day training. I know how important this match of yours is , but you can't drive yourself and your pokemon crazy." She said.
Ash sighed and turned his head to the side.
"Ash, I'm just looking out for you. I'm your wife, it's what I do."
Elsewhere, several of Ash's pokemon had now also woken up.
Lucario, Blastoise, Mightyena, and Pidgeot were quietly trying to make their way over to the bedroom where they could quietly retrieve Ash and continue training.
Unfortunately, Serena's Scyther was standing in front of the door with his blade arms crossed.
He shook his head as the 4 disappointedly walked back.
An hour or so later, Ash woke up and saw Serena had fallen asleep. He considered getting up to continue training. But realized it would only upset Serena.
He sighed , but stayed and kept his arms wrapped around her.
The next day , it was 2:00 PM and Ash was out by the same lake training with his pokemon.
Serena had compromised with him, that he sleep until at least 8:00 AM before training again.
Even with this deal, Ash had not gotten in nearly 6 straight hours of training. Like yesterday, their bodies ached, and they were covered in sweat, but still wanted to continue.
"Alright, let's get some lunch and have a 30 minute break." Ash said.
Elsewhere, Serena was having lunch with Korrina , Red, Brock, and Lucy, Clemont, Shauna, and Bonnie.
"He was up from 1:00 to 8 training?" Lucy said.
"He was on the verge of passing out." Serena said sweat dropping.
"Oh Ash." Brock said.
"He doesn't even want to celebrate his win." Serena said.
"I don't blame him, if I were in his position I'd probably want to do nothing but train either." Red said.
"Well you are his twin brother." Korrina said.
"I'm worried he's going to drive himself crazy or get himself hurt." Serena said.
"Don't worry, we guardians can take much more punishment then you normal people." Korrina said.
"I think she's worried about more than just that." Lucy said.
"I am, we need to get him to loosen up and celebrate a little. Maybe he'll stop going so crazy." Serena said.
"That won't be easy Serena, but we may be able to pull it off." Brock said.
"How?" Serena asked.
"Well, we have Red with us. How would we get him?" Korrina asked.
"What?" Red said.
"How would we get Red?" Serena asked.
"I have some ideas." Bonnie said.
"Huh?" Red said.
Lucario, Pikachu, Hawlucha, and several other of Ash's pokemon were cooling themselves off as Blastoise and Feraligatr used Hydro pump in the air and let the other pokemon sit under the water.
Ash also got under the water and cooled himself off.
"That's better." Ash said before his shorts were now completely soaked from sweat and water from Hydro pump.
When Ash realized how uncomfortable it was, he knew he had to go back and get another pair of shorts on.
"Alright guys, I'll be back." Ash said.
"Grauu!" Charizard growled, telling him to make it quick, that they had to keep training.
"I know Charizard, I'll make it quick." Ash said before he rushed back to his condo.
After getting into the bedroom he was about to change when he heard someone come in behind him.
He turned to see Red in his guardian hooded jacket.
"Red, what are you doing here, and why are you in your guardian jacket?"
"I'm afraid you're going to have to take a break from your training. We have important guardian business."
"What's going on?"
"The rocket officers are trying to bring team rocket back."
"They are!" Ash shouted.
"Dad wants us to meet him at the enclave."
"I need to get my pokemon too." Ash said.
"I sent my pokemon to get your pokemon. Just get in your jacket on and let's go." Ash said.
Outside by the lake, Ash's pokemon were waiting for him to return.
"Grouu!" Tyrantrum roared asking where Ash was.
"Pika." Pikachu said saying they needed to be patient.
"Grauuu!" Charizard roared saying they had to be ready for Agatha and her pokemon, that he would go back and see what's going on.
Moments later they saw 6 of Red's pokemon in front of them behind led by Red's Charizard.
"Grauu." Red's Charizard said.
"Grauu!" Ash's Charizard said back.
"Grauu!" Red's Charizard growled saying it was urgent.
Ash's pokemon reluctantly followed Red's pokemon away from the lake.
Meanwhile Ash had changed into his guardian hooded jacket and put on his hidden blades. He followed Red into the enclave.
"In here." Red said opening a door. Inside he saw Felix, Arthur, and another guardian master.
The guardian looked like he was from Johto, his jacket robe was more eastern styled.
"What's going on with the rocket officers?" Ash asked.
Felix smiled.
"Nothing" Felix said.
"What?" Ash and the Johto master said.
"Sorry Master Aoki, we needed you for the ruse."
"Ruse?" Ash asked.
Red turned Ash over to the side to see Serena and the others waiting for him and all his pokemon.
"What's going on?" Ash asked.
"Ash, you've been taking your training too seriously. You need to relax and celebrate your win over Gary." Serena said.
"Guys, I appreciate this but." Ash started.
"Look Ash, normally I'd be on your side for this , but you won the Indigo league. Something we both wanted to do since we were kids. Take a moment for yourself" Red said.
Ash looked over at his pokemon and felt how exhausted they were.
He sweat dropped and closed his eyes while putting his hand behind hid head.
"Maybe I did get a little overzealous with the training." Ash said.
"Hal!" Hawlucha shouted saying he didn't and that they should get back to training.
"Sol." Absol said to him, saying Ash wasn't the only one who needed to calm down.
"Finally we can celebrate." Delia said.
"Will someone explain what's going on here?" Master Aoki said.
"Sorry master Aoki." Let me explain." Arthur said.
A few minutes later they had set up a table in the room as the pokemon sat around it.
"That was quite a battle you had Ash, I'm amazed at how much punishment your pokemon were able to take." Oak said.
"I've tried to train them to be resilient. It's easier said than done."
"Still, Charizard was awesome. I'm still amazed you taught him Blast burn." Red said.
"It took me months to teach him that one." Ash said.
"Well now you and Red have both won a pokemon league." Korrina said.
"Even if you do make it into the elite 4, you'll still never be able to beat your big bro." Red said.
" We could beat you know." Ash said.
Red smiled.
"Well you have someone else to beat first, Agatha is very excited for the battle coming up. I haven't seen her this excited in years." Arthur said.
"If she's the oldest member of the elite 4 she, must be one of the best members." Ash said.
"I've known Agatha for years, she has always been a serious trainer. When she wasn't being a good mentor." Felix said.
"She was 27 years old when she got into the elite 4. I was still the mentor of Kanto when she did." Arthur said.
"She's a ghost type training. Ghost types are tricky." Ash said.
"You'll figure it out." Serena said.
"So Ash, if you do make it into the elite 4, what happens after that?" Bonnie asked.
"Well if I make it into the elite 4, then I'll be one of the masters of the Indigo league. Elite 4 members oversee tournaments, matches, and other events around their designated region. They also get pitted against other elite 4 members, and other worthy trainers." Ash said.
"Brother, you need to try and get into the elite 4." Bonnie said.
"Bonnie, that's no simple task." Clemont said.
Master Aoki noticed a photo by Felix's right hand. He looked closer and saw Felix beside Kal and his eyes widened.
"Master Ketchum where did you get this picture?" He asked.
Felix turned to him.
"This is the day my closest friend and I became guardians. He's…no longer with us." Felix said.
"That's impossible, I've seen this boy recently." Master Aoki said.
Felix felt his own heart beat when heard this.
"What are you talking about. This man is dead, I know he is, this picture was taken when we were 6 years old. That's over 30 years ago."
"I'm telling you that just a few weeks ago I saw young boy who looked almost exactly like the boy in this picture near Cianwood City. He had a powerful aura too, I pointed him out to the local guild master to possibly recruit him."
Felix grabbed Master Aoki by the collar of his jacket.
"You're telling me, you saw a young man who looked exactly like this!?"
"Yes, calm down." Master Aoki said as Felix stared intensely at the picture.
"I'm not so different from you Felix…You, you have to find him…For me." Felix recalled from Kal's final words.
"By Reduka, he had a son."
Author's note:
So the next chapter we see Ash vs Agatha,
Also I've been doing some more thinking.
Seeing as some time has passed since ORAS has been out, I question how many including my self as still interested in the next story being in Hoenn.
Or if the next story should be pokemon at all.
With the new Star wars film coming out I'll likely be crazy about it if it turns out to be good. Which I hope it does.
I haven't done a star wars story in a long time but if you guys would like me to try something different I'd be more than happy too.
But I'll leave that up to you guys.
I'll leave a poll up if the next story , the long story not the short intermediate story, should it be the third one of this story arc, or change to Star wars.
If I were to do a Star wars story, it would likely be about the events between episode 6 and 7
Once I figure that out I'll ask if you want it to be in Hoenn or not.
So until next time please review, comment, suggest, or ask(via pm) and vote