Volume 2's Winning Shipping: ConfidenceShipping

One-Shot 2: A Dragon Buster and her Dragon

Ash, Iris, Cilan and their Pokémon friends arrived at Iris's home: the Village of Dragons. "This is the Village of Dragons?" asked Ash.

"It is!" confirmed Iris. "I'm home!" Axew also cheered. "I can't wait to show you around!" Axew followed in cheering of his own.

"You two seem excited to return home," Cilan laughed.

"Duh!" scoffed Iris. "You two would come by and marvel at the Dragon-Type Pokémon." Ash giggled, knowing how happy Iris became.

"You and Misty would be fast friends," he believed. Iris irked to Ash and Pikachu who was on Ash's shoulder.

"Does she like dragons as well?" she guessed.

"Not quite, but you two would defend your favorite Pokémon types, Water-Type and Dragon-Type," Ash clarified.

"Oh, that kind of friends!" awed Iris. "Okay, I see what you mean." Someone came by to see the group.

"Iris, is that you?" a violet-haired girl called. All turned to find the violet-haired in a green vest and green skirt.

"Shannon!" she realized. Reaching, Iris held hands with Shannon's.

"How have you been!?" cheered Shannon. "It's been a long time since you left on your journey!"

"I know, and I couldn't wait to come back here after I made progress!" laughed Iris. That's when someone else showed up.

"In what way, Dragon Girl?" scoffed someone else. Everyone heard and turned, finding Georgia just behind them.

"It's Georgia!" gasped Ash. This got under Iris's nerves.

"Hey, no Dragon Busters in the Village of Dragons!" she urged.

"Come on, Dragon Girl!" sneered Georgia. "I'm not going to turn down a chance to challenge a village with such a namesake."

"As if! The elder could easily kick you out of here!"

"Then bring out your elder and see to it!" As they argued, Shannon reached Cilan.

"Is she really a Dragon Buster?" she asked.

"She claims to be," Cilan brought up. "Though, I suspect she has a knack to go just after Iris." Rather than continue an argument, Iris led everyone to town where she met up with the elder of the village and the Opelucid City Gym Leader, Drayden. It was revealed that Iris attended a school and was recommended by the Elder and Drayden that the village girl go on a journey and that Axew was given to her. With everyone distracted, Georgia clasped Ash. He and Pikachu turned to Georgia who had a finger over her lips, wanting Ash to stay silent before she dragged the two away. Arriving far away, Georgia opened up to Ash and Pikachu.

"So, that's what's going on with Dragon Girl," she scoffed. Ash and Pikachu blinked to the Dragon Buster's claim. "She aspires to be the new gym leader of Opelucid Gym and take over the old guy."

"Now, Georgia…" muttered Ash. "We're just learning about what goes on in this village."

"I'm not worried about the village as I am about you," Georgia corrected. Ash and Pikachu irked before she plucked Pikachu from Ash's shoulder. "I still think about you after what happened at Ferroseed Research."

("Oh, that!") realized Pikachu. At a research facility, a new type of moss made by Ferroseed made Pikachu sick. Georgia and Ash did their best to keep Pikachu comfortable while researchers found a cure. Georgia petted Pikachu to his delight.

"Of course, I should also praise you," she added. "I… didn't want to show weakness in front of Iris… Ever since I met you, I had… feelings." Ash seemed rather disturbed by Georgia's behavior.

"Who are you, and what happened to Georgia?" he questioned.

"I know, right? Being nice to you and Pikachu… and I couldn't help but admire you as your advice helped me be better with Vanilluxe… and the rest of my Pokémon." Cheeks becoming red, Ash was somewhat embarrassed with Georgia's confession.

"I don't know what to say."

"Sometimes, you don't need to say a word." That's when she kissed Ash on the lips. "Let your heart speak for yourself." Ash's cheeks were redder than before as a guilty smile formed on his blushing face.

"Can I say something in Ash's place?" voiced Cilan. Georgia, Ash and Pikachu turned to the Pokémon Connoisseur.

"Cilan!?" they gasped. Cilan approached.

"I was wondering why you dragged Ash away," he started. "I had learned that tomorrow, Iris and Drayden are battling." Hearing the briefing, Georgia sneered to the occasion.

"Good, we can see what kind of a Dragon-Type Trainer she's grown up to be," she remarked. "Besides, if that was her goal, why would she need Ash around? Not to mention all of the times she calls him 'a little kid,' even though she's the one acting as such."

"I mean, I made mistakes and owned up to them," Ash admitted.

"Which is more of acting mature than all of the times she made mistakes and blames others," Georgia nagged. "Seriously, why even travel with Ash in the first place when your goals are so similar?"

"I also want to know," Cilan sighed. "All she said is that 'it's a secret' without mentioning anything else." They decided to return to Shannon's home where they saw a pair of Zweilous. Ash brought out his Dex.

ZWEILOUS – DARK/DRAGON – HT: 4'7" – WT: 110.2 LBS – ABILITY: HUSTLE

"ZWEILOUS, THE HOSTILE POKÉMON AND THE EVOLVED FORM OF DEINO," it computed. "BOTH OF ZWEILOUS'S HEADS DO NOT COOPERATE WITH EACH OTHER. AFTER EATING MORE FOOD THAN IT SHOULD, ZWEILOUS MOVES ON TO A DIFFERENT AREA." Iris awed the Zweilous before meeting them.

"I'm amazed that you're able to take care of two Zweilous," Cilan awed.

"I know, and I have my eyes on going on a journey like you four," Shannon wished.

"You know that if you face me with any Dragon-Type Pokémon, let alone one Zweilous," Georgia warned.

"Well, that's not the only thing," Shannon started to confess. "I'm… also in need of talent and motivation… something you four have." Pikachu hopped into Shannon's arms to comfort.

("Don't say that,") he squeaked. Ash came to palm Shannon's shoulder.

"Don't put yourself down so much because of a lack of talent," he started. "Sometimes, talent comes to you when you least expect it." Shannon's eyes grew to the thought.

"He's got a point," Georgia agreed. "In fact, I doubt any one of us had talent before we began our journey." Ash nodded to the claim.

"Maybe going out on a journey will help find you that talent and motivation," Iris concluded. One Zweilous cried out to alert the others.

"Zweilous?" wondered Shannon. The heads of Zweilous turned to see the other Zweilous by the lake. It stood before it began to glow. "Could it… be?" They watched as Zweilous began to morph.

"Zweilous is starting to evolve!" gasped Iris. When the glow faded, Zweilous was now a Hydreigon. It began to fly a little above water.

"Zweilous evolved into Hydreigon!" gawked Cilan. Iris and Shannon were in glee, seeing a Hydreigon.

"This is incredible!" awed Shannon. Hydreigon looked down at the lake. It saw its reflection and shrieked. It flew back a foot.

"Hydreigon, calm down!" urged Iris. Instead of calming down, Hydreigon shot a massive ball of energy into the sky.

"Is that Draco Meteor?" guessed Ash.

"Definitely looks like it," Georgia gulped. The Draco Meteor broke into meteors and showered the village. Blasts startled the villagers and Pokémon there as they ran for cover.

"Hydreigon's out of control!" yelped Shannon.

"It makes me glad I'm here!" sneered Georgia as she released Vanilluxe and Bisharp.

"Georgia, don't!" yelled Iris. "Let me take care of it!"

"Iris, this may be beyond your control!" warned Georgia. "We need to battle it!" Hydreigon saw Vanilluxe and Bisharp and charged at them with Dragon Rush.

"Look out!" yelped Ash before he tackled Georgia as Vanilluxe and Bisharp ducked out of the way. He was on top of Georgia as Iris had to act.

"Dragonite, Emolga, let's go!" she summoned. Dragonite and Emolga emerged. Iris eyed a cliff side. "There! Get that Hydreigon over there!" Her Pokémon attacked, putting a distance between Hydreigon and the village. Cilan looked to Ash and Georgia, finding a large tear in Ash's jacket in the back. Hydreigon grazed Ash in the back.

"Ash, are you okay!?" he asked. Ash rose, seemingly unhurt.

"Yeah!" he replied. "Go and help Iris! Pikachu, you too!" Cilan and Pikachu responded with nods before they came after the Brutal Pokémon. He turned to Georgia, blushing to having Ash on top of her. "I'm going to assume that you're okay."

"Yeah, thanks to you," she acknowledged. Ash nodded before he helped Georgia back on her feet with Vanilluxe and Bisharp worried about their trainer. "I'm okay, guys." They watched as Iris used her Pokémon, including Axew and Excadrill to corner Hydreigon. She jumped on Hydreigon's back, but Hydreigon bucked her off.

"I've got an idea," Ash plotted. "Vanilluxe, I may need your help." Georgia seemed taken back by Ash's planning. "We need to disable Hydreigon's other heads so that Iris would be able to calm the middle one."

"But why Vanilluxe-" she started before realizing how it would work. "Vanilluxe, let's go!" Vanilluxe chimed in agreement before joining. However, the elder came in and was in their path.

"You must not interfere!" she urged. Ash and Georgia gawked to the elder's interference.

"But, Elder!" urged Ash. "Iris is-" Elder threw her hand up as she turned to Iris and the Pokémon around Hydreigon. The struggle intensified. Seeing Hydreigon's other heads go after Iris, Dragonite and Excadrill pinned them to the wall.

"I know it's scary that you evolved!" she tried to ease. "But now you can protect the other Zweilous! Don't you want to do that!?" Hearing the idea, Hydreigon began to calm down. Dragonite and Excadrill began to release the other heads. Hydreigon lowered itself to allow Iris down safely.

"Look at that!" awed Ash. "Iris did it!" Georgia's smug appeared.

"Now I can challenge her to see about her call to be a Dragon Master against a Dragon Buster," she pondered. Shannon praised Iris for calming down Hydreigon.

"Perhaps this is what Drayden saw in Iris that she sent her on this journey," Elder thought.

"That's true," Georgia nodded. Iris came back to Ash and Georgia.

"Well, that was an exciting moment!" she huffed. "I know that the Elder held you back from helping me, but it's better that it wasn't a Dragon Buster stopping Hydreigon."

"Perhaps…" shrugged Georgia. "But it also showed that you didn't need to hang around Ash this entire time." Iris's eyebrow twitched.

"What was that!?"

"The Elder told us. Sure, you've grown since you left this village, but that's all you on that journey. The only reason you traveled with Ash is to throw him under the bus." That made Iris growl. "Besides, why did you hang around Ash if this was your journey the entire time if not ridiculing him?" Iris groaned at Georgia's points.

"Ash, defend me!" Cilan, Shannon and Pikachu separated the pair. Concerned about Ash, Georgia checked Ash's back.

"Looks like it was all cloth," she studied. "And… Is that a scar? It's by your shoulder blade." Ash realized the scar Georgia pointed out.

"That was back in Sinnoh when I was attacked by Zangoose," he mentioned.

"Zangoose? Aren't their claws huge?"

"Yeah…" Georgia swung around Ash.

"That's wild… but not as wild as my heart for you." She kissed Ash in front of the others who gasped, except for the Elder.

"HOW DARE YOU KISS ASH LIKE THAT!" stormed Iris. She wanted to go after Georgia for the kiss, and even Hydreigon had to clamp on her arms to keep her in place. Pikachu wasn't sure what to say. It seemed as though Iris kept Drag-on her feet in her feelings about the boy from the Kanto Region… and it took a Dragon Buster to bust her lies.

END of VOLUME II