Ash Ketchum walked with purpose.

Many were already wary of the newcomer and his group of friends that rode up into town in their jeep, but those suspicions gave way to looks of shock and awe as the raven-haired Champion set foot inside the Duel Square.

In an instant, all conversations hushed.

Ash glanced off to the side to see his friends - plus Chief Sherles - standing a fair distance away, having found an awning to seat themselves under to shield themselves from the harsh desert sun. He was not so lucky as he felt Orre's intense heat already battering the top of his head.

"You look a little lost there, boy." A rough-looking man called out from the other side. He was dressed similarly to Willie, but lacked the vibrant pink hair of Ash's new acquaintance. He brushed away a lock of green hair and gave a greedy grin, his brown eyes surveying Ash. He seemed to be appraising him and his worth. "See, you just wandered into the Duel Square."

"Did I?" Ash asked, playing innocent. He looked around himself, feigning confusion. He looked over at Pikachu, whose cheeks were sparking with anticipation, before looking back at his would-be opponent. "I didn't see a sign."

The green-haired man gave a hearty laugh, which was echoed by some rougher looking characters around the square. "Anyone who's anyone knows that anyone who steps into the ring has to battle."

Ash blinked, trying to digest how many times the man had said the word 'anyone' in a row. "What?"

Ash could swear he saw a tick mark form on the man's head. He almost smirked but decided clueless innocence was the better expression to wear right now. The man regained his composure before donning another cocky smirk. "We're gonna battle, whether you like it or not."

Ash shrugged casually. "Alright. What are we battling for?"

"Hmm…" The greenette hummed, looking up and down Ash. "How about 5,000 Poke? That sound fair to you?"

That was a decent chunk of money. Granted, Ash had plenty more in the bank from his League championships through the years. "Sure, but can I change my bet?"

"Ooh, cocky, are we?" He replied, flicking a green lock to the side of his face once again. "Name your price, newbie."

"Newbie?" Ash asked, again feigning innocence.

"Yeah, lookit that little Pikachu. I bet you're still new to battling, aren't ya?" His opponent jabbed.

Ash could feel Pikachu sparking again. With a subtle turn of his head, Ash signaled his partner to calm down. "I've had a few battles, so I think I'm ready. I entered a Pokemon League conference once."

That was a half-truth, really. He'd entered all of them and emerged victorious twice, but his opponent didn't need to know that.

"This kid's got confidence, I'll give him that!" The man replied, yet again tossing his hair to the side. Ash was already starting to get annoyed. It was all he could do not to rush over there and lop off the troublesome lock of hair himself, but he calmed himself as his opponent continued. "Name's Nover, in case you wanted to know the name of the man who's going to beat you to a pulp. Now name your price."

"Oh, you must be the guy everyone's talking about!" Ash exclaimed, feigning a look of realization. "Can I have your Shadow Pokemon if I win? I've always wanted one of those."

There was a moment of silence through the square, nobody quite sure what to make of the request. People on the sidelines looked at each other uneasily or with looks of incredulity on their faces. Then, almost simultaneously, many of the spectators began to laugh. Cackle, even.

"Hah! Up the price of you losing to 50,000 Poke and you got yourself a deal, kid!" Nover laughed out. "Not like you'll win anyway!"

"I always like a challenge!" Ash said with a fist pump.

Chief Sherles stepped forward to the side of the arena, making sure not to step into it directly. "If it's alright with you all, I'll referee."

Nover chuckled and gave a cocky glance at Sherles. "Of course, Chief. Be my guest."

Sherles shot a brief smile over to Ash, then looked forward. "This is a battle between the challenger and Nover. The battle will be over when all of one side's Pokemon are unable to battle! Trainers, present your Pokemon!"

"Let's do this!" Nover sent out a Scolipede in a burst of light. It landed on the concrete platform, giving off a higher-pitched roar.

"Scoll!"

Ash glanced over at Sora, who merely shook his head.

Nover then threw out a second Pokeball, revealing a Metang. Unlike its teammate, it merely hovered in place and eyed Ash stoically.

"Met."

Ash looked down at the four Pokeballs clipped to his belt. He retrieved one and glanced up again at Sora, who nodded.

So the Metang was the Shadow Pokemon. He'd have to keep that in mind.

Ash gave a nod to his faithful partner, who hopped off his shoulder and stood ready on the field. Almost immediately, Nover started to laugh as he looked around at the spectators gathered nearby.

"Oh, this is going to be a quick fight, isn't it?!" He cackled before looking at Ash again. "Alright, let's see your second Pokemon. What's it going to be, a Caterpie?"

Ash smirked. He expanded the Pokeball in his hand and threw it forward. In a brilliant flash of light came his Pokemon of choice. It wasn't much of a challenge for this Pokemon, but Ash needed to make a statement here.

Charizard.

The Flame Pokemon roared fiercely, causing mostly everyone - his traveling companions excluded - to take a step back at the sheer power presented by the pseudo-dragon. He let loose a Flamethrower into the air, exerting his fiery dominance over the battlefield. He leveled his gaze on Nover himself as wisps of flame licked out of his maw.

"W-what?!" Nover cried out, the panic clear in his voice. "T-that thing's huge! What the hell?!"

It was true. Years of training in the Charicific Valley did wonders for his faithful Fire type. While Charizard may have started as an arrogant, weak member of his species, hard work and dedication had not only given him a calm confidence and the strength to back it up. Oh, he could be cocky sometimes, but he knew his limits now. He'd also grown to be one of the largest of his kind; he was easily one and a half times the size of a typical Charizard, only adding to his intimidating disposition and incredible might.

"You're not backing out, are you Nover?" Ash asked, his innocent demeanor evaporating and a look of confidence crossing his features.

Nover growled in response. "Never!"

Sherles' smirk became more prominent as he looked upon Ash's Charizard. "Let the battle begin!"

"Pikachu, Iron Tail on Metang! Charizard, fly up!"

Pikachu rocketed forward before Nover could even utter a response, bringing his glowing tail down on Metang's head. A resounding clang echoed through the town center as iron struck steel. Pikachu landed on its feet before leaping backward.

"Damn, he's fast! Scolipede, Agility!" Nover cried out, desperate to even the odds. "Metang, Shadow Blitz!"

"Pikachu, Quick Attack to dodge!" Ash shouted out. "Charizard, Flamethrower on Scolipede and keep it up!"

Charizard let loose a swelteringly scorching Flamethrower aimed at the Megapede Pokemon, nailing its side. Meanwhile, Metang began chasing Pikachu around the battlefield, with the electric mouse easily outpacing the Iron Claw Pokemon.

"Don't just stand there, Scolipede!" Nover roared out in frustration. "Hit Pikachu with a Poison Tail!"

"Scoll!" The Bug type screeched, charging forward with incredible speed and intercepting Pikachu with its glowing purple tail.

"Pika!" The electric mouse cried out, flying across the field and landing on his back. He quickly bounced back to his feet, ready for another command.

"Shadow Blitz, again!" Nover shouted, confidence seeping back into his voice. "Scolipede, Rollout!"

"Pikachu, Thunder on Metang!" Ash cried out. "Charizard, catch Scolipede!"

"What?!" Some members of the crowd cried out in confusion.

Pikachu's cheeks sparked and crackled with latent electrical potential and a moment later he shot a bolt of lightning into the sky. Just as Metang was about to collide with him, the heavens above responded in kind as another bolt - this one three times as large as the original - thundered down and struck, startling and changing the Iron Claw Pokemon's trajectory. It kept going, flying past Pikachu and crashing into the ground. Ash could feel the hairs on his arms standing on end from the electricity hanging in the air after such a devastating attack. Glancing over at the audience, those with larger heads of hair were trying to pat down their now-frizzy hair, much to Ash's amusement.

Charizard, on the other hand, landed with a heavy thud and merely held out his hands, bracing for impact. Scolipede's curled form slammed into the Flame Pokemon, who skidded back and winced from the impact but otherwise held his ground.

"Great job, Charizard!" Ash shouted, pumping his fist in the air. "Now Flamethrower, full power!"

"No!" Nover cried out. "Scolipede, get out! Move, damn you!"

Charizard let loose the Flamethrower at point-blank range, the torrenting flames fanning out and curling around Scolipede's rolling form. Within a matter of seconds, Scolipede slumped in Charizard's grip and collapsed onto the platform below. The tell tale swirls in Scolipede's eyes were enough to tell it wasn't rejoining this fight.

Nover scowled and looked at Metang, who was now getting up from the floor. "Get up, you useless Pokemon! Shadow Blitz, again!"

Ash's brow furrowed. Any doubts he had about taking Shadow Pokemon from trainers like this, who were obsessed only with power and results, completely disappeared. He wasn't Team Rocket, who were driven by greed and envy. Ash wasn't stealing them.

He was saving them.

"MET!" Metang cried out, its eyes flaring with rage. It rushed forward towards Pikachu much faster than it had previously.

"Pikachu, watch out!" Ash cried out. "Use your Iron Tail to jump over it! Charizard, Flamethrower!"

Pikachu immediately complied, slamming his glowing tail into the concrete below, cracking it as he was thrown upward in a manner similar to Bulbasaur's vine whip jump. Charizard was right behind him, letting loose another intense Flamethrower right into Metang's face. The Iron Claw Pokemon cried out in pain as it lost control, slamming into Charizard. The Flame Pokemon wasn't quite braced for this impact, and so the two collided and bounced away from each other after an audible crash.

"Charizard! Are you okay?!" Ash yelled out. That collision looked nasty. He already had an inkling as to how powerful Shadow moves were, and Charizard just took one straight to the stomach. His steadfast Fire type slowly rose to its feet and gave a thumbs up before giving one more triumphant Flamethrower to the sky.

Nover simply stood there, dumbfounded that he'd lost. His Scolipede and Metang lay on the ground, clearly knocked out yet he simply stood there. Stunned.

"Scolipede and Metang are unable to battle!" Sherles shouted. "The challenger wins!"

The crowd was silent for a moment before it erupted in cheers. Ash felt at least a little pride welling up. That'll teach Orre to underestimate him and his friends. They were here on a mission, and nothing was going to get in their way.

"NO!" Nover yelled, his gaze snapping over to Ash with wide, almost frantic eyes. "If you think you're taking my Shadow Pokemon, you're sorely mistaken!"

Ash subtly shifted a spare Pokeball to his left hand, getting ready to expand it at a moment's notice. He expected this. The idea that a trainer like Nover would never honor his deal, however crude and cruel it was, was already a foregone conclusion. Nover brought out a Pokeball and returned Scolipede, his other hand reaching back towards his belt.

"I don't think so!" Ash cried out, expanding the Pokeball in his left hand. Almost immediately, the Snag Machine whirred to life, his metallic gloved hand sending what felt like pure energy into the Pokeball grasped in his hand. Without hesitation, Ash launched the now converted Snag Ball at the unconscious Metang.

What happened next was strange, to say the least.

The Snag Ball didn't actually make contact with Metang, like a normal Pokeball would. Instead, it seemed to open halfway between Ash and the downed Pokemon. Five streams of bright energy shot out of the opened capsule, forming an opened hand as the glowing fingers quickly wrapped themselves around Metang. The Iron Claw Pokemon was almost instantly converted to energy and the bundle of glowing light retreated back into the capture device. The Snag Ball closed quickly and fell to the floor with a soft *clack*, as metal made contact with concrete.

Nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

At least two dozen pairs of eyes simply stared at the Pokeball sitting on the ground. It rocked once. Then twice. Then, with a sound that echoed throughout the entirety of Pyrite Town, it clicked.

The silence that followed was broken only by the sound of Nover's Pokeball, which once belonged to his Metang, shattering. The greenette stared forward, wide-eyed, before glancing down at the shards of metal that used to be his Pokemon's Pokeball. He looked back up and gawked at the boy - no, the man - who just stole his Pokemon.

"... Who are you?" Nover squeaked out.

Ash calmly walked forward and retrieved the Pokeball now containing the newest member of his team. He glanced down at it, his face remarkably neutral despite his victory, before he looked back up at Nover.

"My name is Ash Ketchum." He stated plainly. "I've come to rescue Shadow Pokemon from trainers who don't appreciate their Pokemon or care about the pain they put them through. Trainers who know only greed. Trainers who seek power without caring who they use or step on to get it."

"Trainers like you."

Without another word, Ash turned around and left, flanked on either side by Charizard and Pikachu. After a moment, he was followed by his traveling companions, leaving a stunned, gobsmacked, and baffled crowd behind. All remaining eyes shifted over to Chief Sherles, who simply stood there with a grin.

"... Chief?" Nover whimpered out. "You just gonna stand there and let him walk away?"

"Don't look at me. You're the idiot who took the damn bet and put your Pokemon on the line, and you know how the law feels about Shadows." Sherles said as he walked back towards the police station.

"Maybe you'll think twice before you challenge a frickin' Champion."

"THAT. WAS. SO. BADASS!" Bonnie cried out, raising her arms into the air while lying face up on the bed.

"Yeah, it was awesome!" Sora exclaimed, pumping a fist in the air. Even Rufflet let out a squawk, agreeing with his trainer. "You, Charizard, and Pikachu really showed them!"

Ash chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck. He'd gotten so caught up in the moment that now, within the safety of their hotel room, he felt only embarrassment. He'd just made a spectacle of himself, and probably just painted a target on his back if he was being honest.

If Cipher or Team Snagem were watching, or if they even caught wind of that, he and his friends were in for a world of trouble. Ash seriously doubted they would just let something like this slide.

"It doesn't feel like it." Ash admitted. "I feel like I just made things more difficult for us."

"Maybe." Brock stated matter-of-factly as he knelt by Metang, who Ash had brought out earlier to treat its wounds. It was now resting on a few pillows and cushions that the group had set aside specifically for it. Brock sprayed a potion on a section of its body that looked particularly charred. "But maybe it'll make these trainers think twice before using Shadow Pokemon."

"How's Metang, Brock?" Ash asked, looking over at his new Pokemon.

"Better." Brock replied, standing up and stepping back. "Its burns are tended to and it's recovering. A Pokemon center would be ideal, but for now it could use a berry…"

Ash simply nodded and stood up. He made his way over to Metang, who looked at him with a look of exhaustion and apprehension. Ash fished out a Sitrus berry from his pack and held it out. "Hey there Metang. Sorry we hurt you so badly. You don't have to worry about Nover yelling at you ever again."

Metang's eyes seemed to study Ash, but otherwise the Iron Claw Pokemon said nothing.

"I can't even begin to imagine what you're going through, after becoming a Shadow Pokemon." Ash said, his gaze shifting downward with sadness visible on his face. "I want to become your friend though, if you'll let me. I know you might not trust me right now, but I'll make it up to you. I promise."

Metang continued to stare at Ash before it blinked once. It gingerly grasped the berry before ultimately deciding to eat it.

"Tang."

"Just you wait, Metang." Ash said, a gentle smile crossing his face. "Not only will we get stronger together, but I promise we'll find a way to open your heart again."

With that, Ash stood up to let Metang rest a while longer. Suddenly feeling tired, he trudged over to where he was sitting before on the edge of the bed next to Serena. He let out a sigh as his shoulders slumped.

"That was beautiful, Ash." Serena said. He looked up to see her smiling warmly at him and those brilliant blue eyes seemed to be smiling just as bright. "I'm sure you and Metang will get through this together. We'll all be there for you. I… I'll be there for you."

Ash smiled. He was glad Serena was here. She always seemed to know what to say to lift his spirits. Sure, his other female companions were supportive - when they weren't chewing him out for his recklessness - but Serena always held an emotional maturity that the others lacked. Suddenly he felt that he never really ever showed her how thankful he was for that.

Feeling particularly bold, he reached over and gave her hand a quick squeeze. "Thanks, Serena."

Her face flushed for a moment before it settled down. She gave a gentle smile and squeezed back. "Anytime, Ash."

He let go and fell backwards on the bed, letting exhaustion take over. The bed felt really good. Something about today just really drained him. Not physically - he was in plenty good shape, for the most part - but mentally instead. Maybe the stress of rescuing Shadow Pokemon was going to be harder to deal with than he thought.

Before he knew it, Ash drifted to sleep.

"Report."

"Preparations are proceeding as scheduled, sir." The white-clad underling stated, giving a firm salute to the aforementioned elder. "Alpha Squad is ready to proceed."

"Excellent." The elder replied, letting go of his cane and rubbing his hands together. "This next shipment will be sufficient to bolster our numbers considerably. Continue as planned."

"Yes, sir!" The underling replied, scurrying out of the room just as quickly as he came in.

The elder sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. Maintaining this pleasant facade was exhausting, but it was necessary to maintain morale. He would love nothing more than to let loose on these pathetic excuses for henchmen, but that would only negatively impact their schedule and productivity.

He felt a shiver go down his spine and a feeling of emptiness drain into the room from behind him. He let out a grin as he shifted the joystick on his chair around, rotating the levitating throne to face the other side of the room.

"To what do I owe the pleasure? It's not often you visit." The elder asked the dark portal on the far side of the room.

For a moment, no one responded. The elder's brow twitched once with impatience before a dark, hooded figure emerged from the portal. The elder smiled. Hopefully this was something good.

"I trust our methods are to your liking?" The black-robed figure asked, his voice laced with just the subtlest bit of sarcasm.

"Oh yes, indubitably." The elder said, enthusiastically nodding. "The knowledge you imparted about manipulation of the heart was invaluable with XD-001. We're preparing its test flight, so to speak, relatively soon. You're welcome to join us to watch its maiden voyage."

"No, I don't think I will." The robed figure said abruptly. "See, you've got yourself a problem."

"What problem?" The elder asked. He didn't like the direction this conversation was going.

"You have visitors to your region, one of which should be of great concern to you. One of them just made quite the statement this afternoon." The robed one said ominously. "He has a snag machine and has already taken one of your precious Shadow Pokemon in Pyrite Town."

"What a joke." The elder said, dismissing the notion with a wave. "Wes and Rui Leo can't stop us this time. We've grown stronger since those pests defeated us. He can catch as many as he wants, but we're producing them fast enough to offset it. We'll crush him in due time. We have the advantage in this war of attrition."

"I don't think you understand." The robed figure replied, leaning closer to the elder's personal space. "I'm not talking about Wes or Rui."

"What do you mean?" The elder asked hesitantly. "Did that silver-haired bastard retire or something?"

"No." The robed man replied quickly. "A new snagger. He's already shaping up to be much more dangerous, and Wes could still be active for all you know."

"Hrk!" The elder stopped, his throat seizing up for a moment in sheer surprise. "What did you say?!"

"Did I stutter?" The robed man asked. "Between the two of them, you're about to have a problem on your hands. I suggest you deal with it. You already have the power."

"Yes." The elder replied, a sadistic grin adorning his face. "Perhaps we should give them something they can't catch, then."

"Don't get cocky, Greevil." The robed man said, wagging his finger condescendingly. "Just because we gave you this power doesn't mean you're invincible. There's a Keyblade somewhere on this world, so be careful. If its wielder shows up, you're in even deeper trouble."

With that, the robed man opened up a dark portal and stepped through. Once he was through, the portal swirled and shifted itself closed once more.

Greevil, whose manic grin had since shifted to a thoughtful frown, pressed a button on his armrest. "I have a mission for you."

After a moment, a voice answered out of a speaker on the armrest. "What's shakin', boss-man? How can I help you?"

"We have a snagger causing trouble around Pyrite, and I don't mean Wes." Greevil explained with an irritated sigh. "Take care of them before they become a problem."

"You got it, boss-man!" The voice replied eagerly. "Sounds like the perfect opportunity to finish off a pest with style!"

"Just take care of it." Greevil grumbled while gritting his teeth. "I couldn't care less for your dancing, just make sure to use what our new friends gave us. The last thing we need to do is give this new snagger ammunition."

"Ooh!" The voice squealed. "Even better! Some of these cats have got some rhythm to them. I've been lookin' for somethin' to sic them on! You got it!"

A quick beep on the console signaled the end of the call. Greevil sat back in his levitating chair and sighed. If it weren't for the fact that this was his territory and that literally every other admin was otherwise preoccupied, he wouldn't even have to resort to using him. Fortunately, now all admins had an ace up their sleeve that a snagger would be useless against.

He couldn't possibly mess this up.