Author's Comments: so i'm really stupid. When I decided to have Max Maple vs Max from that one episode I just thought it would be a quirky cameo and didn't think about how confusing the battle would be. But we're already here so and I can't think of a substitute so…
Max Maple: Max
Other Max: Max
okay onto pandemonium
Max grinned with self assurance as the match between Susie and Phoebe came to an end, with Susie as the winner with her Wigglytuff. Excitement buzzed through his skin, and the moment his name was called he bolted towards his side of the battle field. Max hadn't changed much visually since he originally ventured with Ash, he had gotten a bit taller with puberty, and became a bit wider in the shoulders, but was otherwise the same visually, even his clothing style was relatively the same, though he now wore stronger material that wouldn't tear easily on his journey, and his glasses frames had been changed to square lenses.
Max took his side of the stage, eagerly looking across the battlefield to look at his opponent. A boy that was all too familiar stood across from him. In comparison to Max, Max had changed significantly. The now 14 year old boy grew his hair out, and bleached the once auburn locks into a stunning white that tapered into pink, and then into auburn at the roots. His glasses were gone completely, and his clothes were that of the Hoenn Pokemon Rangers training outfit. But he seemed to recognise Max, and raised his hand to give him a simple wave, which Max returned.
"The battle between Max Maple and Max Auburn is about to Begin! This is a One on One battle, no substitutions. The winner is decided when one side is unable to battle or the trainer forfeits. Begin!" The referee wasted no time getting the battle started.
"Lets go Breloom!" Max called out, throwing his Pokeball. From the capsule popped out a bipedal raptor like pokemon with a Mushroom looking head. Around its neck was a white handkerchief sitting loosely like an ascot.
"Masquerain, I need your assistance!" Max called out, throwing a green and yellow Pokeball out. A pretty white bug type with wings shaped like a cat's face popped out, buzzing with excitement from its place in the air.
—-
Ash leaned forward in his seat, brown eyes glued to the battle with calculation. He had known both boys before they were even trainers, even though he had met Max just briefly, and he was curious to see how they had grown. While he was curious about Max, he was wearing the outfit for Pokemon Rangers in Training afterall and that alone was a amazing accomplishment, he was even more interested in Max. Before the intervention in Pallet so many years ago Ash would go so far as to consider the boy his little brother, and had honestly been looking forward to the battle he would have requested once he became a trainer, and while Ash was skeptical of the battle still happening, he wanted to know what kind of trainer he had become. Max was a person of strategy, and statistics, which wasn't a bad thing in of itself, however in Ash's experience, relying too much on those things was what caused a lot of losses with those kinds of people, and even with the years of Max traveling with Ash, the boy was still heavily reliant on things like type match ups, if the panicked look on his face due to the Bug/Flying going against his Grass/Fighting was anything to go by.
—-
"Start off with Stun Spore Breloom!" Max ordered.
Breloom bowed his head slightly, releasing a cinnamon colored powder that swept the battlefield, but Max put an end to the attempt swiftly by calling for Masquerain's Whirlwind. Eye patterned wings fluttered strongly, whipping up strong winds that diluted Stun Spore and scattered it to the far corners of the field.
"Now dive in with Aerial Ace!" Max Pointed towards Breloom. Glowing white energy surrounded Masquerain in thick tendrils, wrapping around it as it dove towards Breloom.
"Wait for it-" Max told Breloom, watching as Masquerain got closer. "Now use Thunder Punch!" Red claws cacked with electricity before shooting outwards, meeting Aerial Ace head on. "Quickly grab it!"
"Icy Wind!"
Frigid wind swept from Masquerain's wings, causing Breloom to cry out, but Breloom didn't falter, grabbing onto Masquerain's body and refusing to let go before delivering a close quarters Headbutt on Max's order.
"Bug Buzz to get free!" Max called out. A loud buzzing sound swept the area, with bright red ripples extending from Masquerain, hitting Breloom with painful sound waves that made the mushroom raptor let go and jump away from it. "Now hit it with Quick Attack!"
"Seed Bomb!" Breloom threw his head, large sees flying from his mouth and soaring towards the incoming Bug Type before detonating. Masquerain twisted in the air, trying not to get hit and interrupting its Quick Attack. "Now Thunder Punch!" Static ripped from Breloom's claw before the appendage shot out, striking Masquerain before it knew what appended.
Static pulsed over Masquerain where it flew, stunning it in the air. "Bug Buzz!" Max ordered.
"Jump and use Headbutt!" Max yelled not a second later.
Breloom leapt into the air, his head lighting up with energy as he descended on Masquerain. Red soundwaves swept the stage again, ripping towards Breloom in strong waves, but the oncoming Headbutt powered through most of them, and even absorbed some of its power. Breloom's head smashed into Masquerain and they both fell to the ground. Breloom had taken damage despite Headbutt catching most of Bug Buzz's attempts, and Masquerain was heavily injured due to Thunder Punch and Head Butt. Both Pokemon staggered to stand, grunting as they heaved themselves up. Seconds ticked by, neither trainer daring to call out a move until Masquerain wilted to the ground.
"Masquerain is Unable to battle! The winner of this match is Max Maple and Breloom!" The ref called out just as Breloom crumpled to the ground. Both Pokemon were quickly recalled and rushed to Nurse Joy.
—-
Ash stood from his seat lazily, Raichu taking the opportunity to leap onto his shoulder and brush his plump yellow cheek against Ash's. His movement caused his friends to look up. Kaiwe slammed his hand good naturedly into his back.
"Try not to show off too much." Kaiwe grinned, getting a hand shoved in his face in retaliation.
"Do your best Boss!" Lana grinned impishly before dissenting into wild giggles.
"Good luck Big Brother, Raichu!" Bonnie clung to his side excitedly. "Dene Dene!" Dedenne chuued, extending some electricity to Raichu with a bright grin.
Ash smiled easily at them. "We'll do our best, right buddy?" Ash inclined his head towards Raichu. "Raichu Rai!" Raichu agreed. Gladion gripped his hand momentarily, giving his hand a gentle squeeze that caused a ripple of ease to bleed into Ash's frame. Smiling at his fiance a final time, Ash walked down the hall towards his stage.
Ash knew exactly who he was battling against. A part of Ash wanted to hate him, blaming him partially for his loss in Unova that caused his friends to abandon him. But no. Ash knew it wasn't his fault, they battled, and Ash had lost, that was the long and short of it and misplacing his anger would fix nothing. It was something he had worked on in therapy, and had long since been over, at least he thought he had.
As Ash took his spot on the stage, he came face to face with Cameron. The boy had changed minimally, as he was only a bit taller, his face having less baby fat, but was otherwise unchanged. A tendrel of anxiety and doubt stung Ash in the chest, his mind flooding with 'what ifs' and fear.
"Raichu~" Raichu crooned lowly, coiling his long tail around Ash's wrist, applying a comforting pressure that snapped Ash out of his own head.
Ash inhaled deeply; he was loved, he had friends, and family that loved him and wouldn't leave him. His Pokemon would stand beside him no matter the circumstances. He was loved, and he would be okay.
"Thanks buddy!" Ash smiled at the brown mouse Pokemon and scratched under his chin. His shoulders relaxed, and his smile turned into a determined grin. He raised his hand and waved at Cameron, chuckling when the younger boy lit up with joy and recognition, almost falling from his platform as he returned the greeting with vigor.
"The battle between Ash and Cameron is about to Begin! This is a One on One battle, no substitutions. The winner is decided when one side is unable to battle or the trainer forfeits. Begin!"
"Raichu, I choose you buddy!" Ash held out his arm, and Raichu ran down it with ease, leaping into the air before twisting to land on his tail and floating in the battle field.
"Lets go Hydreigon!" Cameron threw out his Pokeball and a three headed dragon took the field, roaring with all three heads.
—-
"Good, Raichu got him to calm down." Gladion said in relief.
Lily worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "I didn't even think about this being triggering for him." Lily herself had a lot of doubt and anxiety, and Ash and her had bonded over their issues and relied on each other, Mallow was also a large help, and later Gladion. She saw Ash as another brother, and as he was marrying Gladion, he was actually joining her family, something she was overjoyed about.
Gladion reached up and patted her head. "He'll be okay. He always is." he comforted, getting a wobbly smile in return.
—-
Iris giggled in her seat. "This is going to be a quick battle! Ash is going to lose again, what a little kid!"
"Hey Brock, what is that Pokemon Ash is using?" Dawn asked, leaning over the older man.
"Thats a Raichu." Brock informed, eyeing the blue eyed Raichu with intrigue.
May scrunched up her face. "I've never seen a Raichu like that before. How is it floating on its tail?"
Cilan answered this time. "Raichu in Alola become part Psychic type." He explained simply. "And if that's a Raichu, that must mean Ash evolved Pikachu."
"What?!" The girls screeched as they came to the realization.
"So much for not making Pikachu evolve." Misty scoffed loudly.
May shook her head sadly. "Poor Pikachu, Ash has really changed." She shifted uncomfortably at the realization.
"Maybe Pikachu wanted to evolve." Dawn proposed. "He doesn't look too upset, and Ash has always carried a Thunder Stone in case he wanted to. Ah Buneary!" Buneary popped out of her Pokeball at the mention of Pikachu, looking around excitedly until she saw Raichu on the field. Her eyes shaped into hearts and she pulled her fluff up to shyly hide her face. Dawn sighed in exasperation.
"She has a point." Brock chuckled. "If Pikachu didn't want to evolve, he would have just shocked Ash and put an end to it."
"But why in Alola of all places?" Misty steamed.
Brock shrugged. "You'd have to ask Pika-er Raichu that."
—-
"Okay Hydreigon, use Double Hit!" Hydreigon roared, its two arm heads lighting up as it flew towards Raichu.
"Raichu." Ash clicked his tongue and Raichu jumped off his tail to stand on the ground. With grace, Raichu whipped around, his long whip-like tail lighting up and turning to steel, and easily hitting Hydreigon before it could hit him. His tail coiled around Hydreigon's arm, and Raichu's cheeks started to spark. "Raichu!" Bright yellow electricity surged through Hydreigon, causing it to cry out in pain before pulling itself away.
—-
"What?!" Iris flung herself to sit up in her seat, eyes stretched wide.
"Ash didn't even call out a command!" Dawn floundered while Misty silently fumed.
"Raichu must be able to read Ash's mind." Gary supplied, ignoring the fact that even as a Pikachu those two always seemed to be on the same wavelength.
—-
Cameron floundered for a moment. "Hydreigon use Dragon Pulse!"
A blinding ray of dragon infused energy shot from Hydreigon's mouths, the purple, blue, and yellow energy moved swiftly, glowing and rippling with power as it shot towards Raichu. Raichu hopped back onto his tail, floating just inches off the ground. Violet electricity sparked from Raichu's cheeks and shot outwards, ripping through Dragon Pulse and hitting Hydreigon. As Hydreigon was a Dark Type, Psychock did nothing to cause damage, but it did clear Raichu's path. Raichu soared through the air, riding his tail like a surfboard through the air, silver steaks from Quick Attack echoing behind him. As he soared closer to Hydreigon, Raichu's tail started to turn silver, and in a flash, Hydreigon was hit with Iron Tail, sending it hurling towards the ground, where it passed out.
The referee stumbled over his sentence for a moment. "H-Hydreigon is unable to battle! Raichu and Ash are the winners!"
—-
Ash's previous friends started from their seats, watching with open mouths as Raichu floated back up to Ash, who accepted him with open arms, nuzzling their cheeks together in greeting. They couldn't believe it, didn't want to, that Ash, the dunderheaded goofball that they had known, was able to bring a dragon type to its knees with only two hits.
TO BE CONTINUED…
Author's Comments: srry this chapter was short compared to the other ones its just how things worked out given Ash's battle. Tried to make up for it with emotions lol.