Water manipulation is a good start for Torrent. If you can get him to be any good at it than you'll have much better defensive options at his disposal. Right now his only form of defensive technique relies entirely on his extreme offensive capabilities. It's much more dynamic than Ice Storm. I've trained with Wallace frequently enough that I can help, though I'll be sure to set up a meeting with a true expert soon enough. It would also be a great step in being able to properly utilize Rain Dance, which I believe to be an essential step in his development.
Ash's eyes were little more than a blur as he skimmed over Steven's notes. The former Champion had been thoughtful enough to send them over to Ash since they hadn't gotten a chance to discuss them last night. To be honest he thought he preferred it this way. Steven was still acting kind of weird around him. Almost like he was waiting for something in the universe to snap.
But right now that was nothing he needed to worry about. He shifted in Plume's saddle and spared a moment to tighten up the wrist strap binding his PokeNav to him. Ash didn't think Steven would be too happy if he dropped the device – his teacher had gone out of his way to get the device for Ash more than a year ago.
Huh, time really did fly. The St. Anne had only been a year ago and yet it felt like a lifetime ago…then again it might as well have happened yesterday for how vividly those particular memories were carved into his mind.
His vision went black as his eyes squeezed shut. Now wasn't the time to remember the St. Anne. Ash had gotten over it months ago.
Now was probably a good time to focus on the important things.
I agree wholeheartedly with your decision to emphasize Dazed's talents in the mental arts. You've honed her abilities quite well, but her species has evolved to be nearly unparalleled in Hypnosis, mental domination, and manipulation. It would be a shame to allow those skills to atrophy. Remote Teleportation…well, I can say from previous experience that it's an invaluable skill that mitigates many of her current weaknesses on the battlefield.
Well, Dazed would be positively ecstatic to hear that. She already hung off Claydol's every word. He'd have to tease her a bit about getting some more quality time with the clever construct…huh, maybe Lance had rubbed off on him after all. At least he had something to look forward to.
Your decision to focus on Infernus psychically manipulating his flames is a good start. It would cut down on some of the waste he's so fond of right now. That's key to his future growth. I'd rank him as Master-level already. If he can become a tad more focused there should be nothing to worry about – several members of my team would be hard pressed to handle the dangerous combination of his firepower and mobility. Just take care to make sure you understand the effects of using his psychic abilities more frequently. Until he adjusts it will likely weaken his ability to teleport.
Ash squinted at where Steven had emphasized firepower. His stern, no-nonsense teacher had done that on purpose? He turned to look back at Steven, who had lagged behind a bit thanks to Skarmory's inferior speed. It was fast for its species but that didn't mean it could hold a handle to Plume. They weren't too far behind, just a thousand feet or so. It'd have been a bit harder to catch sight of them if Skarmory wasn't basically blinding everything within a mile thanks to the sunlight reflecting off its metallic body.
He looked back at his PokeNav pretty quickly, a light grin on his face. Ash would have to let Lance know about this one. And maybe Blaine – if anyone would appreciate it he would. Plus it might be good for somebody to actually reach out to the crotchety old Gym Leader every once in a while.
Ash decided that the feedback on Bruiser's plan wasn't anything too special as he skimmed over it. Steven basically just agreed with everything he said – master Rampage, expand his elemental range, and basically just get better at what he's already doing. Bruiser was a simple soul and his training reflected that. What was really important right now was making him mentally prepared for evolution. Everything would fall into place after that.
Tangrowth's entry was a little more interesting. Not because of anything groundbreaking but rather because of how little Steven actually commented on his plans.
Talk to me later about Tangrowth. Cradily has a technique that may prove useful.
He raised an eyebrow. Steven wasn't exactly open at the best of time but this was cryptic even for him. Normally the former Champion at least gave him an idea of how to unravel the mysterious little statements he dropped. A clue or key that would make everything seem blindingly obvious.
Then again maybe he had. Ash didn't know much about Cradily, to be honest. It was one of the more mysterious members of Steven's team, always lurking in the shadows and observing rather than really getting involved. The only one it even deigned to spend time around on his team was Tangrowth – how much of that was necessity and how much was due to Tangrowth's forcing it to be friends with him was up in the air.
It was something worth looking into. He'd have to review footage of the few matches where Steven's challengers managed to break past Metagross. Steven wasn't one to advertise his techniques but Ash didn't think it would be too hard to pick out one of Cradily's abilities that would be of use to Tangrowth. And even if he failed he might get an idea of how to develop his friend's talents further. Cradily and Tangrowth honestly had fairly similar styles.
Your ideas for Oz are sound. You say you plan on her forming a sort of team with Infernus and Torrent? I'm interested to see how you're planning on tying her abilities into their disparate skillsets at their present level. Consider me impressed with the idea of using the small pyrocumulus clouds spawned by Overheat and Earth Burn to enhance Oz's electrical abilities…in theory I think she'll be able to manipulate it to her advantage. In practice I think it may prove more difficult than you think. But if she manages to manifest an 'elemental cloak' like what you describe as analogous to the fires Infernus surrounds himself in I believe she'll be a far more formidable opponent. We'll swing by Mauville soon enough. Wattson might be able to provide input on how to achieve your goals.
I'm taking a particular interest in how you develop Oz. She's handicapped without being fully evolved but I believe she holds the potential to be amongst your strongest. I expect when you do evolve her into an Electivire her growth rate will be phenomenal. Metagross went through the same sort of process. As Metang they were formidable. But when my two Metang came together…well, you've experienced the results firsthand.
That he had. Ash grimaced, though a ghost of a grin flickered at the corner of his mouth. He couldn't wait to evolve Oz…in about three months he'd be able to get the Electivire from Surge and give her the strength to challenge Infernus yet again. If she could just struggle through as an Electabuzz for just a bit longer she'd reap the rewards. It wasn't as though she were significantly less stronger than most of his team as it was.
Oz was probably his weakest fighter right now. Ash wouldn't deny that. Dazed could teleport, Plume was uncannily good at avoiding electricity with her raw speed and maneuverability, Bruiser could enhance himself with Rampage, and both Sneasel and Aron honestly just needed more time to train. He couldn't count them.
Then again, wasn't time just what Oz needed as well?
Something to think about, Ash supposed. He'd have plenty of time to do that over the rest of the ride. They were still about thirty to forty minutes out from Slateport if the small map pulled up on his PokeNav was accurate. If it were just he and Plume they'd already be close to landing.
But he could ponder that later. For now he'd rather get through the last of Steven's commentary. He knew the former Champion hadn't written anything for Aron – they'd already been through the little steel-type's training so extensively that there wasn't really anything left to add. Steven had an unsurprising interest in shaping the raw Aron into the best he could ever be.
Ash, I wish you'd told me about the technique you've been working on for Sneasel earlier. I could've gotten Sidney to stick around for a bit longer to help you out. 'Mind Breaker' sounds like a devastating weapon if you can pull it off. Emanating constant waves of Distortional energy to emulate prolonged exposure to a Confuse Ray is fantastic in theory and similar to what many Dark Masters accomplish at a passive level. This is a bit more intense though. I doubt Sneasel will be able to handle it well before his evolution. It sounds like an incredibly draining technique he might not have the stamina for. But keep on practicing – if nothing else the training might enhance his relatively poor control over Distortional energy.
It's important for you to help Sneasel focus less on his base physical and ice techniques if you ever want to have a chance against a powerful psychic like Metagross. His power is in crippling psychics, not leaping at them with his claws from the beginning. That should be his last resort.
He nodded along with Steven's observations. It wasn't far from what he'd expected. Sneasel was having trouble getting a constant flow of his dark-type energy out. Sneasel was pretty much exhausted just from the attempt, let alone actually maintaining the flow.
Oh well, at least he had a second opinion on it now. Ash's lips twisted into a frown when he realized he'd need to get his third opinion from Sidney. It wasn't that he had a real problem with the Dark Master. He just didn't expect him (or that Zoroark of his) to be anything close to a good influence on Sneasel. He'd just gotten his friend to be a functioning member of the team and he'd rather not have all that effort go to waste already.
Ash took a deep breath and took a moment to adjust his goggles. They were a bit tight, though that wasn't really a bad thing. At least this way he wouldn't have to worry about getting anything in his eyes. A little discomfort was a pretty fair trade in his opinion.
The pale green of the forests below – interspersed with more winding lines of blue and darker pools of water than he'd ever see in Kanto – caught his attention. Ash took a few moments to appreciate the sight, silently wishing that he was down there instead of smoothly coasting above. He missed traveling. Training with Steven was great, sure, but it wasn't the same. The strength his friends had gained wasn't enough to make up for the emptiness gnawing at him.
It was so…restrictive. Even if he enjoyed learning more about training in a few weeks than he would learn on his own in months there was an itch he couldn't scratch when he was partnered with Steven. Right now all he wanted to do was land in the forest and walk to Slateport on his own pace. He wanted to appreciate Hoenn and get to know every ridge and every stream as he had Kanto.
Fire, Ice, and Lightning all surged through his veins with their approval. He couldn't help but bare his teeth in a dangerous smile then – for once it seemed like he and all the Birds were on the same page.
He turned his head away. Exploring wasn't something he could do right now. Not with his association with the League. Ash had obligations and that was something that would take getting used to.
The logical answer there didn't really help the void in his chest. He didn't really want to be restricted. His only real consolation was that Steven implied they'd be traveling for real pretty soon instead of just camping out. At least Slateport would be new enough to keep him busy. If their Summer Festival was as good as Lance claimed then he'd be occupied for as long as he needed to be.
Ash slumped a little and hugged closer to Plume as he settled in for the last phase of the ride. She twisted her neck back and chirped (though it was lost to the wind) before the Pidgeot playfully pressed her great wings flush against her sides and shot into an insanely fast dive – Ash's stomach lurched and he yelled out in excitement and fear and glee – that had the whole world blurring around them. Entire flocks of Tailow scattered as they fled before their better.
His heart hammered in his chest as Plume easily spread her wings and glided scarcely a foot over the treetops, her talons dangling so close to the leaves and limbs that they might as well have been touching. Ash dimly noted his knuckles were white but he barely noticed.
"We're so doing that again," he grinned and freed one hand to pat his friend heavily on the slick feathers of her side. She hardly felt it. Instead, Plume just screamed agreement and shot into the sky with a single flap of her mighty wings. Ash barely even noticed the pressure of the acceleration against his body and instead just decided to enjoy the ride. Even the pounding of his headache didn't bother him that much compared to the exhilaration of soaring through the skies.
It loosened the ball of anxiety in his gut more than he could have hoped.
XX
"So…Slateport," Ash said lamely. He glanced around at the strip of soft green grass and rent earth they'd landed on just outside the Pokemon Center. Compared to the rest of the city it was positively barren. Elsewhere there were so many gaudy red and gold ribbons and banners and tents set up that the whole city looked red from the air.
"Slateport," his mentor confirmed. Steven's eyes were a little warmer than usual as he looked out at the streets. They were positively filled with people bustling down the roads and waiting at stands and booths to play games or buy food and drinks.
It made Ash shift nervously. He leaned heavily to his left side as he crossed his arms and looked silently out at the throngs of humans. His eyes flitted erratically from human to human…there were so many in all different shapes and sizes and colors. It was overwhelming.
A pale hand on his shoulder made him realize just how tense he'd become. "Relax," Steven said kindly. He removed his hand and glanced about. Some of the humans were looking at them and Ash swore he saw hints of recognition in a few of their eyes. "Let one of your team out if it'll make you feel better, Ash. There's nothing here to put you in danger."
He knew that. Yes. Nothing around could even threaten him. At the same time he really didn't want to disappear into the hordes of humans drifting about and milling to the side. There was so much energy here. Even the steel jungle of Saffron felt dead and lifeless in comparison, though it was magnitudes larger in both size and population.
Ash had to admit he felt a little better when Bruiser manifested beside him. He was probably the best choice for a situation like this. The Machoke was reliable if nothing else and looked formidable without being unnerving like some believed Hypno to be. He sent an unsteady grin Bruiser's way and received a knowing nod in return. Bruiser thumped his chest with one massive fist and gently pushed Ash after Steven, who'd already walked to the far side of the clearing that would take them out into the city proper.
One deep breath. Two deep breaths. Ash squinted again as he realized just how bright it was out here. Slateport was even hotter than the rest of Hoenn thanks to the paved streets and thousands of extra people crammed in for the festival.
"Let's walk a while – I have the rooms set up already," Steven explained. He seemed utterly at ease heading through the streets. Ash just felt trapped and envied his teacher's ability to seemingly force the dense crowds to part around him without a word. More than a few scurried out of the way with startled looks on their faces after seeing the resident celebrity. "Have you ever been to something like this?"
"Never," Ash shook his head. He had to struggle not to gape. How could so many people fit into one place? The only other time he'd seen half this many people was during the Indigo Conference. At least there they were mostly in the stadiums, organized into neat rows and seating. Here they were utterly disorganized, adrift without any particular aim or direction. Even Bruiser seemed a little suffocated.
Steven sighed. "I might have guessed."
"What about you?"
"I try to come every year," came his answer. Steven looked around fondly. "It's something of a tradition for me at this point. As a young trainer it had everything I needed – powerful opponents, a chance to discover rare stones, and plenty of breeders trying to advertise," his slim fingers instinctively tapped the fourth pokeball on his belt. "I actually found my…well, you'll meet her later."
Ash arched an eyebrow. That sounded ominous. At the same time he knew there was no use pressing – Steven wouldn't let anything slip he didn't want to. His teacher could be frustratingly competent like that.
"Though I had to skip coming the year after I became Champion," the silver-haired man grimaced as they passed a few trainers battling in an arena. They all looked fairly new so Ash didn't pay too much attention. One girl looked to be fairly competent with her Treecko but it would be a while before she would even be able to challenge Sneasel.
"Pierce?" Ash guessed.
"Lance," Steven grimaced. His fingers twitched as though he still wanted to throttle the burly Champion.
He blinked. That wasn't what he expected. Then again…
"What did he do?" He started listing off likely causes. "Blew something up? Got into a battle that wrecked half the city?"
"Close," his teacher rolled his eyes. "He got drunk with Drake to 'celebrate my great victory'. Somehow they ended up turning it into a di – contest to see who's stronger," Steven hastily corrected himself. "I was there to keep some semblance of order so instead of battling they just tried to see who could drink more. I don't think anyone won that night."
Okay that sounded like something Lance would do. Ash filed it away – he'd have to bring it up around Lance sometime. The Dragon Master was pretty much impossible to fluster but maybe this would do the trick. He couldn't be faulted for trying, right?
Steven took them off to the side where they had a clear view of Slateport. They were standing near a rail that looked out over the vast, glistening expanse of blue ocean that surrounded the ancient city. Ash followed his mentor's lead and leaned against the rail. Bruiser was quick to follow suit.
He relaxed as the Song filled his mind, echoing eternally. A flash of silver and navy glistened in the water but he wasn't sure if it was just his imagination. Ash closed his eyes and let the Song flow through his very essence. There was something different about it…was it sharper? It was almost like it was more distinct than usual.
Questions he'd likely never have the answers to ran through his mind. More than ever Ash wished he could just talk to Lugia again.
Unfortunately there was nothing he could do about that right now. Lugia was gone. The only way he'd ever find the Guardian of the Sea was if it deliberately sought him out. He didn't imagine that happening any time soon.
Ash opened his eyes and took a moment to admire the view. It was a nice relief from the heavy thoughts weighing upon his mind.
Slateport was old and beautiful and it showed. The architecture was simpler than most places in Kanto yet still held a sense of firmness that reminded him it had weathered many, many storms. At the same time there was a touch of modernity to Slateport – not many skyscrapers or anything of the sort but plenty of research buildings, shipyards, and high tech vessels littered the area and its harbor.
And that was even without the vast decorations set up for the Summer Festival. It celebrated the end of the Last War and the significance of the event showed – Ash suspected he would've loved Slateport any other time of the year. On paper it was everything he could've wanted: easygoing, quiet, and practically next door to vast expanses of wilderness.
Right now he wasn't sure where he even wanted to go.
Steven picked up on his mood. "See the Contest Hall?" He pointed out an absolutely massive, pentagon shaped building with sharp red angles and spikes. It dominated a fair portion of the city, seemingly acting as its own district. "Normally that's where the Hoenn Grand Festival is held. But for the rest of this week it'll have different events each night. Tonight will be an exhibition contest meant to signal the start to the Coordinating season."
That piqued his interest. Ash hadn't gotten to talk to Daisy in a while. Maybe she was here for the Contest? He'd have to keep an eye out. If he didn't see her around he'd just go to the Contest and see if she was competing. There was no way she wouldn't be involved if she was in Slateport – the Oaks were way too competitive to miss a chance like that.
"I'm guessing we're going?" He asked. It was less of a question than a statement. Steven nodded. "Alright. What time do we have to head there?"
"Get there around five," Steven shrugged. He looked back at the arena. "Technically the event starts at seven but I think you'll enjoy the chance to catch up with a few old friends."
Ash smiled a tad – his teacher looked relieved. It seemed like he'd find Daisy Oak here after all. Then it morphed into a frown. "You make it sound like we're splitting up," he said lightly.
Steven shifted around a little bit, still staring out at the ocean. "We are," he said at last. "For a while, at least. There are a few meetings I have to go to before I can enjoy the festival. Nothing you'd be too interested in," the former Champion was quick to explain at Ash's interested look. "It's mostly just arrangements for our travels. Double checking our route, mostly."
The boy just frowned. What exactly was he supposed to do in the meantime? It wasn't like he'd seen anything too interesting so far. Even Aron was probably overprepared for the young trainers he'd seen in Slateport and he wasn't itching for a fight that bad.
Cynthia's Arbok-bound book flashed to the forefront of his mind. There was an idea…it might let him relax a little bit if he just found a dark corner and read for a while. It had been a while since he'd gotten the opportunity.
"I'll send you a message when I'm done with the arrangements," Steven made it clear he was about to leave as he stepped away from the rail and checked his PokeNav. "Have fun, Ash. Take care."
"You too," Ash and Bruiser turned away from the pleasant view of the city as well. Steven gave one last stiff nod before he vanished into the crowds, surprisingly hard to track despite his distinctive appearance. Ash glanced over at Bruiser. "So, any ideas?"
Bruiser just shrugged and adjusted the Black Belt hanging around his neck. His reptilian face didn't reveal too much as he watched the crowds (many of the trainers passing by at least took a second glance, clearly impressed by the battle scars littering Bruiser's body) but Ash still got the feeling of intense curiosity.
Ash shook his head. He had to admit he could understand it. Bruiser rarely got to see this many humans, let alone when they were close enough to touch. He was calm enough to stay relaxed. That was something Ash envied…something about the whole situation had his hackles raised. His pounding headache and the exhausting heat didn't help one bit.
"We can look around the city later," he offered. Bruiser smiled at him and patted his arm as lightly as he could. Ash still struggled to stand beneath the sheer force of it. Nevertheless he grinned back at Bruiser and started to head into the crowds. How hard could it be to track down a nice, dark corner in Slateport?
XX
It turned out to be quite difficult. They were wandering for the better part of an hour before they escaped the clamor of the festival. By the end of it Ash was just ready to be off his feet – his vision had started to swim nauseatingly and his skin felt a tad clammy. Collapsing in a relatively clean alley was practically the high point of his day.
"You can still see the people from here," Ash helpfully pointed out to his friend. Bruiser nodded and sat down across from the trainer with surprising grace. Seconds later he'd adopted a meditation pose and had allowed his eyes to fall closed. Despite Bruiser's seeming disconnect Ash had no doubt he'd be ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. "I'll get you when I'm feeling better, Bruiser."
Bruiser cracked an eye open and sent a reptilian grin Ash's way before he refocused. Ash just nodded along, pleased enough with the response, and tapped his storage compartment to materialize the massive book his mother had given him months ago. Despite how often he'd read it the tome was pristine – the pages were a little crumpled in places but the Arbok hide binding was good as new.
Ash took just a moment to appreciate the respite from Slateport's bright sun and heat before flipping it open.
This would keep him occupied for a while. He still had close to four hours before he needed to be at the arena.
Might as well do something productive in the mean time.
XX
…and, due to Slateport's favorable trading position in the Hoenn archipelago it remained one of the foremost powers in the region until modern technology made shipping routes obsolete. Despite the crippling blow to the city it remained relevant by exploiting its potential for tourism and nautical research. Several important discoveries have been made by researchers based out of the city, including the existence of the vast trench between Sootopolis, Ever Grande, and Mossdeep.
Slateport doesn't have an active Gym Leader position. Due to being devastated by the Unovan occupation during the Last War it lacked any representatives to the National League capable of filling the role. As such it has been treated as a training ground for the past few decades. Generally protection of the region is split between the Mauville, Petalburg, and Dewford Gym Leaders, though in practice the Hoenn Ranger compound is the first to be dispatched.
One detail of particular interest to archaeologists and historians in these modern times is the abundance of artifacts and remnants of structures that can be found in the harbor and nearby ocean. It is a puzzling question with no easy answers. Some experts, such as noted archeologist Professor Alden of the Oldale Institute, hypothesized that these ruins and items are a result of a collapsed district built upon the ocean in a fantastical feat of early engineering.
Regardless, research is still being conducted. It is unlikely –
"Hey, you!"
Ash's eyes lifted from Cynthia's words and focused on the newcomer. He sighed when he realized it was just some trainer probably a year younger than he was. After a moment he allowed his hand to fall away from Sneasel's pokeball.
"You want something?" He grumbled. Sure he could have been polite, but what was the point? Ash wasn't feeling his best and he'd been pretty interested in Cynthia's preface of Slateport. He'd only gotten to read for about thirty minutes before being interrupted.
"Yeah, why're you out here? It's pretty weird hiding away like this," The boy said. He didn't look like he was trying to be rude, at least. More than anything Ash was reminded of Jonathan – innocently tactless. "You could be battling! Your Machoke looks pretty strong."
Ash let a grin slip at that. "Yeah, he is," he looked at Bruiser fondly. His friend still hadn't twitched. "I'm just tired and trying to relax."
The boy obviously didn't get the hint. "You don't look too bad to me!" He looked Ash over as he cheerfully bounced on the balls of his feet. "Cool scar though. Where'd you get that?"
"Articuno," Ash's mouth twitched. The boy just rolled his eyes in disbelief.
"You're kind of weird, aren't you?" Came the response. The boy didn't sound too put out by it. "What's your name, guy? I'm Leo."
"Ash," he said as he rose to his feet. Ash sighed – it didn't seem like Leo was going to leave him alone any time soon so he went ahead and stored his book away. Bruiser was already on his feet waiting for Ash's order.
Leo looked at him with dull brown eyes. They vaguely reminded Ash of old, dark mud. "So…" he trailed off and looked eagerly at Bruiser. The Machoke peered back. "How about a battle?"
That got a snort from the older trainer. He took in Leo's appearance. Clean clothes, pristine equipment, and only three pokeballs on his belt. "How long have you been training?" Ash asked, though he already knew the answer.
"Just a month!" Leo grinned, tapping one of his pokeballs for emphasis. "I know I'm just a rookie but I'm pretty good! I already have the Stone Badge. Pretty cool right?"
"Yep," Ash shrugged. He paused. Maybe he shouldn't dismiss Leo already. It'd be nice to give Aron a fight he could actually win for once. "You up for a battle? I have a new teammate who could use a workout."
"I can take anything you can throw at me!" The younger trainer looked a bit too cocky for Ash's tastes. He wondered if Leo would be this confident if he released Infernus? It might be worth a shot. Infernus would get a kick out of it if nothing else. "C'mon, let's go find an arean! They're all over the place!"
He pushed off of the dirty alley wall he'd been leaning against. Bruiser stood tall and straight beside him, more than a little interested to see where this would lead. "Lead the way."
This might be fun after all.
XX
Ash took a moment to breathe as he settled into the makeshift arena's trainer box. It didn't have psychic barriers protecting the onlookers so he'd have to be careful. Aside from Dazed standing beside him to at least mitigate any damage all the battlefield really had were crudely drawn lines separating the combatants and trainers from the crowd of young trainers and kids looking on eagerly. Most looked to be friends with Leo if the cheers and calls from the audience were anything to go by.
He didn't mind. Once battle started he'd hardly notice – after the Indigo Conference no crowd was going to put him on edge. And at least this was a bit of a distraction from his concussion. The noise wasn't exactly comfortable and his head felt like someone was driving a railroad spike through it but at least he had something to focus on now.
"Okay guys!" A girl, probably a second year trainer if her confidence and six pokeballs were anything to go by, announced. Ash listened carefully, idly tossing Aron's pokeball up and down in his hand. He was honestly looking forward to seeing what his newest friend would manage to pull off in this battle. "Listen up! This is going to be a…"
"Three-on-one!" Leo interrupted from the other side of the small battlefield. He looked confident, though Ash could tell the boy wasn't sure of how strong his opponent was. "We set it up early, Sam. Trainer accounts synced and everything! Wager of a hundred poké."
The girl – Samantha, he noted – nodded. "Gotcha. Alright, so I'll be the referee for the battle between Leo Head and…what's your name again?" She called out to Ash. He caught her staring at the eleven pokeballs on his belt with wide eyes.
Well, at least somebody here knew what that meant.
"Ash Ketchum," he said. There might've been a smirk involved. And that hypothetical smirk might've become a bit more smug after a number of the kids fell silent and really looked at him. Ash knew arrogance wasn't the best trait but he couldn't help it here. The way that the kids looked at him made him realize how Gary turned into such a prick once he got his admirers.
"—and Ash Ketchum," she finished as she sent Ash a sideways look. At least she wasn't staring like some of the kids were. Samantha glanced over at Leo. "Still up for this?"
He pumped his fist. "Yeah! Let's see what you've got, Ash!"
Ash grinned and released Aron. His little steel-type warbled cheerfully and looked back at Ash with big blue eyes as he materialized on the dirt. Aron's eyes widened and he quickly snagged up a stray pebble near him with his rasping tongue, more than happy to chew on it while he waited.
"You've got this, buddy," Ash murmured. Aron perked up and nodded, turning his domed head to face Leo. The boy seemed a bit relieved at seeing the unevolved pokemon instead of one of Ash's best like Nidoking or Infernus. Maybe he should've sent one of them out first just to see the look on his face…
"Alright, I can handle this! Get out there, Electrike!" Leo cheered as the electric-type appeared in a dazzling flash of light – it looked like he'd spent some time modifying the pokeballs like Daisy said many Coordinators did.
Ash and Aron just waited patiently. Aron wasn't anywhere near fast enough to make a solid first move against something as nimble as Elektrike. Steven had been training him to have a reactive strategy with Aron and Ash would like to see how it worked here. It wasn't something he was used to but it might be what Aron needed.
Aron in particular seemed unconcerned with his first sanctioned battle. He just kept chewing on the pebbles scattered across the battlefield and blinked every now and then. The raucous crowd especially seemed to attract his attention – it was when he glanced over to a particularly loud boy that Elektrike struck.
With a fierce howl the lithe green electric-type shot forward, propelled by a single powerful push from its strong hind legs. Bright little arcs of electricity danced through its fur, concentrated mostly on its hind legs, though its maw glowed a vibrant gold as it prepared a Thunder Fang that would at least stun Aron.
"Rock Tomb," Ash called. He'd be taking a bit more of an active role with Aron. The little steel-type wasn't experienced enough to control the battle himself. Thankfully Aron was quick to respond, erecting a spike of stone a few feet in front of him moments before Electrike would have crashed into him with a blaze of green fur and controlled lightning.
Electrike yipped and slowed as it just barely darted to the side, avoiding the collision by a hair's breath. It drifted from an all out sprint to a steady trot as it eyed Aron with its predatory eyes. Ash could tell it was wary. If it were older it wouldn't have hesitated for a moment before pressing the attack again. As it was the fierce creature just waited for orders.
Leo frowned. "Electrike, let's try to push it! Use Thunder Wave!"
"Rock Tomb," he said once more. Even as Electrike focused some of the static electricity in its bright fur into the crippling wave of electricity Aron had already erected yet another wall of rock. The blue arcs of the Thunder Wave crackled through the air like a lightning bolt, though the blast splashed off uselessly against the Rock Tomb.
If Electrike's stiff frame and snarling lips were anything to go by it was starting to get frustrated. It was obvious it didn't have the raw firepower to pierce Aron's rudimentary defenses…Leo wasn't much better. The boy's face was red and his eyes were like daggers as he stared at Aron.
"Just push it! Don't give it a second to relax, Electrike – you know you're faster than it!" Leo encouraged, bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet again. "C'mon, just like Roxanne!"
"Mud-Slap," Ash whispered, low enough so that only Aron would hear. His teammate warbled, cheerful as ever, and one of the tips of his stubby legs started to shine.
They didn't have long to wait. Electrike was as impatient as its trainer and dashed at Aron almost immediately, little more than a blur – if Ash hadn't gotten so used to tracking Plume he wasn't sure he would've been able to keep up.
Straight dash, loop around Aron's Rock Tomb, attack from Aron's unprotected left flank.
It was a good maneuver, he had to admit. That didn't mean it was going to work.
Electrike yipped and flew back as Aron cried out and kicked a veritable storm of dirt into the canine's face, barely missing Ash. He just stayed cool and watched as Electrike struggled to steady itself, though Aron had rounded about with surprising speed to smash into the electric-type with a sickening thud – he always did have a nasty headbutt.
"Good job, Aron!" Ash grinned. His friend's eyes widened happily as he trotted over his downed opponent. Aron peered curiously at the little Electrike and lightly tapped it with his domed head. The electric-type groaned and just tried to roll away. It was probably pretty nauseous after that hit. Unfortunately Aron didn't get the hint and tried to wake it up with his abrasive tongue, though Leo recalled Electrike before he could be subjected to that. "You're definitely getting some scrap tonight."
Aron lolled his tongue out of his mouth and panted. At least Ash knew he was excited – if his friend didn't know to stay out of the trainer's box he'd have probably been tackled. He took a moment to appreciate that. At least this way he didn't have to keep Aron from nibbling on the pokeballs clipped to his belt.
"Okay, the score is one to zero in favor of Ash Ketchum!" Samantha cried. She pointed imperiously at Leo, who had lost some of his upbeat demeanor in favor of staring calculatingly at Aron. Ash could practically see the mental gymnastics the boy was going through. "Leo, pick your next –"
"Wingull!" His opponent raised his second pokeball. The bird flashed into existence with a loud crack behind that almost sounded like a sonic boom. It flitted lazily about, hovering in a way Ash could only describe as casual. Wingull's wings barely even twitched as it maintained its position several feet above the ground.
Even if Leo didn't have too many options this was a good choice, Ash had to admit. Aron wasn't exactly specialized against flying opponents. He barely had any techniques that could strike something like Wingull. Combined with his complete and utter lack of height and this became an interesting matchup.
"You've got this," Ash reassured his teammate. Aron just chirped back. He just shook his head. Maybe he needed to stop letting Plume mother Aron so much…the steel-type reminded him a little too much of the Pidgeot sometimes.
In the precious few seconds between battles he ran over possible tactics in a frenzy. Wingull was fast and nimble. Throw in its ability to take on Aron at range with Water Gun. Honestly Aron's only real advantage was that they weren't in a favorable environment for the flying-type. The ocean winds weren't strong enough here to let it soar on any updrafts. Wingull were notoriously weak fliers without some kind of help from a breeze. It wouldn't be able to stay up for long.
"Focus on defense," he called out, just loud enough for Leo and Wingull to hear. If they went all out from the get-go Wingull might exhaust itself faster and open itself up to a counterattack.
"Begin!" Samantha announced, stepping back so the pokemon could begin their contest. Wingull struck almost immediately on Leo's orders and fired a surprisingly strong Water Gun that actually pierced Aron's immediate Rock Tomb wall. The shield was left with a perfectly round hole bored through and Aron a tad stunned from the blow.
Wingull's piercing cry struck Ash's ears as it swooped closer and spat another Water Gun to capitalize on Aron's distraction, but Aron was just quick enough to roll out of the way. The high-pressure blast of water shot harmlessly past Ash before being stopped by a small shield shaped by Dazed.
"Get ready," Ash warned Aron as his friend erected several rock walls to shield himself for a while. They were sturdy enough to slow Wingull's offense down, though Wingull had proven they weren't perfect defenses.
Aron squared himself. Right now he could probably take any hit Leo's team could deliver.
What followed wasn't the most exciting battle in his career. Aron would take a hit every now and then, though usually hid behind his rock walls as Wingull grew slower and slower, like tiny anchors of lead were slowly being added. Even Ash found himself a tad bored, though he didn't let that influence his decisions in the battle.
Maybe it was weird to care so much about a battle with some rookie trainer but Ash couldn't really help it. It wouldn't be him if he didn't try his best. Besides that he owed putting in his best to Aron – his friend had worked hard to adapt to the training lifestyle and he wouldn't just throw a battle away because of it.
Aron wasn't getting out of this unscathed, though. Ash winced as another burst of water slammed into Aron. A shrill, metallic rasp hissed from deep within Aron and he stumbled – Wingull shrieked, wheeled around, and Ash saw his chance.
"Protect!" He snapped. It was time to take a page out of Michael's book. Ash had to admit it was more than a little satisfying to see the exhausted Wingull spiral wildly out of control as it blurred into a Quick Attack, expecting to slam into hard metal but finding an even more impenetrable wall of rippling green energy instead.
"The score is two to zero in favor of Ash Ketchum!"
He could see from hear that Leo was grinding his teeth, obviously frustrated as he recalled Wingull's immobile body. Ash just grinned and congratulated Aron. The steel-type hadn't emerged unscathed – no, he'd been beaten up pretty bad. His armor was dented in some places and he stumbled a bit as he walked back to his starting position, leaving little scuff marks in his wake.
That Protect had to have exhausted him. It was a bit of a last resort. Protect was exhausting even for fully evolved pokemon, let alone a tiny Aron who'd been getting pummeled with Water Guns for the last few minutes. Even if it wasn't fully developed (Ash expected a reasonably strong Thunderbolt from Oz would pierce the shield) it was a vast undertaking for Aron.
"I'm proud of you! One more!"
"You're not gonna last this one, Ash!" Leo shouted, a wild grin Ash recognized all too well splayed over his features. The tan boy pointed fiercely as he released a Torkoal. Ash examined the large fire-type curiously – he didn't think he'd ever seen one in person.
Torkoal was a fairly unique fire-type. The orange tortoise held a reputation for being a terror on the battlefield for the unprepared. It shared more than a few similarities with rock-types, namely a level of durability most beginning trainers just couldn't penetrate. They tended to get demoralized when even their strongest attacks were just brushed away like nothing.
The Coal Pokemon wasn't lacking in offense either. If it was well fed on coal it could stand on even footing with powerful pokemon like Charmeleon, Ninetales, and Flareon with little effort. As such it was one of those few pokemon with no natural predators – it just wasn't worth the time or risk to hunt when Spoink were all over the place in its natural habitat of Mt. Chimney.
To be honest Ash was a bit impressed Leo had managed to find one. They were fairly elusive. If he remembered the PokeDex data this one was fairly young – it was a lighter shade of orange than mature Torkoal and its shell was relatively small. He wouldn't put it past six months or so.
Not that that really mattered in the present situation. Torkoal was still a powerhouse in a matchup against a battered Aron. It'd be tough to pull this one off, though Ash though he might manage to do it…he just had to hope that Torkoal's flames weren't especially hot yet.
"Begin!"
Smoke exploded from Torkoal's shell as it lumbered into action and a sound like a locomotive engine split the air. Ash ignored the intimidation tactic but Aron flinched – just what their opponents needed.
"Rock Tomb!" Ash shouted, desperately hoping to regain some momentum even as Leo ordered, "Torkoal, use Flame Wheel and end this!"
Ash grimaced as another engine roar rumbled through the air. Torkoal exploded once more in flames, red-orange glows emerging from the pits in its shell, and charged as quickly as it could.
Okay, so its speed wasn't impressive. Sneasel would've loved to run circles around the fire-type, jabbing with his claws and irritating gusts of Icy Wind. But that wasn't an option for Aron, who was scarcely any faster than the tortoise currently sprinting at him.
Aron was quick to catch on, thankfully, and focused for just a few seconds. Just as Ash feared Torkoal would actually manage to close the distance a spear of stone exploded up directly beneath Torkoal, hurling the heavy fire-type several feet up in the air before the juvenile Torkoal landed heavily, clouded in burning hot steam as it rolled up onto its feet. Ash glanced at Aron, desperately hoping he had the energy to press the attack, but the steel-type was hardly even able to stand by now.
"Mud-Slap!" He snapped. With any luck Aron would be able to get one last attack out before Torkoal reached him and ended the match. Leo didn't seem to be willing to let that happen, though.
"You've got it, Torkoal!" The boy shouted. Ash could see how bad he was shaking (he knew that feeling) even from here. "Use Ember to finish this!"
By the time Leo had actually managed to finish his order Aron had already struck. A veritable torrent of dust and dirt crashed into Torkoal – his teammate had put every last bit of strength he had into that attack.
It wasn't enough. Ash's lips formed a hard, thin line as Torkoal emerged from the blast crippled but ultimately in fair shape. The steam was weaker now and it was even slower, but that didn't matter. Aron was in no shape to play a game of Meowth-and-Pikachu.
"Protect! Just one more time," he said comfortingly to Aron. His friend was dazed, wobbling on his feet, and honestly about to pass out, and Ash couldn't say how proud he was of Aron when he allowed his feet to fall out from under his hard body and manifested a firm shield of protective energy in front of him. It wavered and shimmered dangerously, but it held firm: every bit of the fiery flurry Torkoal belched his way was absorbed.
And then it was over. Torkoal had charged the whole time and slammed into Aron with enough force to send his heavy, compact body flying out of bounds – if Dazed hadn't caught him in a psychic embrace he would've landed painfully. As it was Ash just smiled softly at the unconscious Aron and rubbed his domed head soothingly.
"You did great…" he murmured. Aron blinked his big blue eyes, licked Ash's hand (even that one brush left his skin pink and raw), and prassed out. Ash pet him a few more times before he pulled his hand away. He looked at Dazed. "Can you put him down? I'm going to talk to –"
"YES!" Ash almost flinched at just how loud Leo was. Torkoal joining in with more rumbles and blasts of air and flame from its heavy shell didn't help matters. Still, he couldn't blame the boy. It wasn't like he wouldn't have reacted any differently if he'd pulled off something like that as a newbie trainer. He'd been there just a year ago. "I beat one of Ash Ketchum's team! Did you guys see that?! This is awesome! You're awesome, Torkoal – I can't wait to get Electrike and Wingull back on their feet so I can tell them we won!"
Ash snorted. Well, at least Leo had his priorities in order. He'd have been disappointed if he'd lost to someone who didn't care for their team. As it was he considered the money he'd lost and the bragging right fairly well deserved. Leo would be a good trainer given time. Probably not on Jonathan or Amelia's level but at least good enough to reach the Conference this year or the next.
He walked across the battlefield, easily sidestepping the scattered walls and spires of rock Aron had raised. It looked like one of the trainers hanging around (at least one of the few that weren't staring at him) had their Graveler out to start fixing up the battlefield. Ash sent the girl a nod of thanks. She saved Dazed quite a bit of trouble there.
Leo was practically surrounded by a group of trainers the same age as he was, though they backed off when Ash stepped up. The younger trainer looked at Ash with a wide grin. "Hey, man. Good match, right? That Aron of yours is awesome!"
"He really is," Ash said fondly. He shook his head and shook Leo's hand. "Good job, Leo. Aron's my newest teammate but I have been training him for several weeks now. Not too many rookie trainers could've pulled that off."
"Thanks!" The boy noticeably perked up. "How'd you get Aron to be so strong so fast?"
"It helps having a developed team," he explained absentmindedly. "They can push each other on their own time, plus they've already jumped through the same hurdles. Nidoking is close enough to Aron's style that he can help a lot."
The trainers circling him nodded knowingly, probably filing every word he said into memory. Ash was the same way with Steven – and there was an odd thought. He'd never expected anyone would look up to him like he did Lance or Steven.
But here he was.
"You good?" One of the trainers, a rather tall boy with a Zigzagoon at his side asked. Ash just nodded, though he grimaced as a pulse of icy fire seared through his veins. There wasn't any emotion behind it, though, just feedback.
What was that? Mewtwo wouldn't be interested in this sort of practice battle.
He realized they were starting to stare. Ash shook it off and glanced back to his former opponent. "Your Torkoal is pretty strong. Where'd you find it?"
"She's a gift from my brother," Leo puffed up proudly. Torkoal grumbled from his side, affectionately bumping into the rookie's leg. "He has her dad on his team. Once Mike hatched Furnace here he gave her to me!"
Ash nodded again. Made sense – it seemed like a lot of trainers with older siblings got a bit of a boost from them. It almost made him wish he had a brother or sister of his own. That'd have been interesting if nothing else. Would they be as strong as him?
"So we were thinking, since you don't seem to be here with anyone do you want to hang out with us for the day?" Leo said the words so fast it took a second for Ash to comprehend them.
He didn't answer for a few moments, puzzling over things in his head. Ash paused for a moment as Dazed shuffled up next to them. Only a few of the kids looked nervous. That was something he could respect.
"I mean it's fine if you don't. I bet you're really busy doing strong trainer stuff –"
"Sure."
All the kids brightened. Ash wondered if he was making a mistake. It would be pretty nice to just read his book and spend some time with his team but…
Well, it might be nice to be around people his own age. And if he could help them become better trainers then all the better. If he got tired of them he'd just ditch them. There were still several hours before he had to be at the arena – more than enough time to relax.
"Well let's go! You've never been to the festival before, right? There's a million things here…I figure it's too late to join any tournaments today but we can look and see so many different displays and stuff. Sam and I know this city by heart!" Leo grinned. Ash hesitantly smiled as he recalled Aron. Dazed just watched, more amused than anything.
Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.
XX
It turned out fine, he decided as he stepped into the arena. They were a bit energetic for his tastes but they weren't bad people. He thought they'd be strong in time. Samantha was already fairly accomplished in her second year of training and would probably reach the Ever Grande Conference.
And the others weren't too shabby themselves, though they ran the gamut from acceptable to skilled. Ash, Jonathan, and Amelia would've made short work of the majority even two or three months into their journey but that wasn't a fair comparison. They weren't exactly average.
Maybe he'd manage to get them to plan ahead a little bit. At the very least they'd picked up a few things from Ash: diet plans, avoiding overwork, strategies, and plenty of other tactical decisions. He didn't think they'd be able to pull of his normal tactics but it might open their eyes to possibilities beyond the norm.
But most of all it felt nice to be treated like he was the one in charge. Ash loved training with Steven and getting to know the former Champion better but it could be grating taking orders all the time…those kids looked up to him, respected him. Some had even decided to get their trainer license because of him.
What was he even supposed to say to that?
Ash sighed as he stepped past the threshold. The arena was honestly as spectacular as the Indigo Stadium…it didn't have the same presence and weight to it but there was something magnificent about its elegance and sheer size. Red, sheer walls dominated the sky around him, jutting up like artificial mountains. The amount of time and effort that must've gone into its design and construction was absolutely amazing.
He glanced down at the flyer one of the attendants ushering people into the complex had handed out.
The Slateport Contest Stadium! One of the greatest architectural feats in Hoenn and the largest arena in the world. It can hold upwards of 150,000 spectators and is built around a platform that can be used for Contests, concerts, and other fantastic events!
After that he didn't see the point in reading. It was just a bunch of ticket prices and other information about its history that he didn't really have the time for. He didn't have to pay thanks to his League membership. One of the many perks of the job, he supposed, even though he'd gotten an odd look from the attendant.
All he knew was that he was supposed to be finding Steven in a crowd that could easily number in the tens of thousands. It was hard enough to get through the crowd, even with Bruiser helpfully reminding people that they should probably get out of his way.
"His message only said that he'd be in the building," Ash complained to Bruiser as they stepped into the Contest Hall proper. They skipped right past most people who were milling about or buying food and drinks for the show. It was crazy how many people had already decided to show up…the contest didn't even start for another two hours! "You'd think he could be a little more specific, right?"
Bruiser nodded, looking around at all the people curiously. He seemed a lot more comfortable than Ash was, though Bruiser keeping a powerful hand on Ash's shoulder definitely calmed him a tad. It reminded him he wasn't about to get lost in these crowds, no matter how suffocating they might be.
"I'll call him if we don't find him soon," he grumbled. Ash just barely managed to step out of the way of a 'large' man who somehow managed to carry his entire family's drinks and snacks as well as two small kids hanging onto his shoulders. "I wonder where we'll end up tonight? Steven sounded like he had a plan already –"
He flinched as the video screens that practically covered the walls suddenly flared to life and the lights dimmed. Ash and Bruiser glanced around, though once the lights in the auditorium focused on a small stage raised high above the rest of the massive room (at least as large as the battlefield in the Indigo stadium, he estimated) he got an idea of what was going on.
"Hi everybody! Lisia here!" The slim girl standing on stage with the Altaria he'd seen back in Sootopolis cheered. Ash blinked when practically the entire auditorium stopped whatever they were doing and paid rapt attention. He'd known Coordinators were popular but really? "Me and my Altaria, Ali," the flying-type helpfully chirped and spread its fluffy white wings at its name as Lisia giggled, "have come to Slateport City's Contest Hall for a bit of fun! I'd like to welcome everyone to this year's Summer Festival! I've only been here for a few hours and I'm already having a blast!"
Ash raised an eyebrow at all the cheers. The whole arena practically shook. He really didn't get humans. Lisia seemed nice enough but he didn't get her fans. They were a bit…obsessed.
Despite himself he started slipping through the crowd. Bruiser was just courteous enough to not utterly bowl everyone in his path over. It wasn't too hard with most of the attention being focused on the stage. Soon enough he'd found himself fairly close to it, hoping that Steven might be around somewhere.
It was a slim chance but at this point he figured he had nothing to lose.
"But today I have a special announcement!" She declared, striking a little pose. Ash smirked. Lisia knew how to appeal to her fans if nothing else. Ali preened under the attention. He squinted – was that glitter in its cloudlike wings? Once the crowd had settled she continued. "Today I am going to bring a brand new trainer into the fantastic world of Coordinating! They'll get the chance to compete in the tournament today and have the chance to meet amazing Coordinators like Daisy Oak and my wonderful uncle Wallace!"
He grimaced at the roar from the crowd. Maybe it was time to head into the stadium and contact Steven. This wasn't helping his headache in the least. And for some reason Mewtwo's power was pulsing erratically through his veins, filling his head with rage and…something else. Confusion? Could it be fear?
Ash was a bit more worried by the fact that he didn't even get an acerbic response from the Shade of Mew, though Lisia was able to snap his attention back to her for now.
"So…" Lisia trailed off intentionally, glancing around the eager trainers at the front of her stage. Most people had quieted down, more curious about who she'd pick than anything. Ash was just glad he'd stayed a few rows away from the stage. "Who should I pick? Eenie, meenie, minie…"
"Hey! Lisia!" A painfully familiar voice split the air from right behind him. Ash flinched when he felt his left arm gripped in a soft hand and forcefully raised up in the air. And, even worse, Lisia was looking right at them with a bright smile on her pretty face.
Considering what that meant it was one of the most terrifying things he'd ever seen. Ash looked over at Bruiser, desperately hoping he'd help him out of this. The Machoke just shrugged. It seemed that he wasn't the only one out of his element.
"Hey Daisy!" Lisia chirped. She leaned forward on stage. All eyes were on Ash and Daisy right now and he felt a little sick. "Do you think you've found a good future Coordinator?"
"Oh yeah!" Daisy shouted back, practically basking in all the attention. Gardevoir's willowy shape hung in the air beside her. Ash distracted himself by meeting her sharp scarlet eyes. Was it normal to prefer staring at something that had once threatened to kill him over a few thousand people? "He's right here – I know he'll do great!"
Lisia beamed. "Okey dokey! Come on up!"
Daisy leaned down and whispered into his ear, "Chin up, Ashy. You've got this."
And with that she affectionately stole his hat, ruffled his hair, and gently pushed him forward into the crowd. If Bruiser weren't here to calm him down Ash would've had a far harder time forcing himself to pass through. As it was his heart pounded, his skin grew moist and clammy and itchy, and he was afraid he'd lose some of the sweets he'd been force fed during his outing with Leo and his crew of friends.
He silently cursed Steven for ever suggesting they enter this stupid arena.
A minute or so later he was up on the stage with Lisia. She winked at him. Ash was pretty sure he just looked like he was about to throw up. If he looked half as bad as he felt…well, maybe he'd get lucky and Lisia would choose someone else.
"So what's your name?" Lisia put the microphone up to his mouth and smiled encouragingly at him. Ali chirped too, gently brushing a fluffy wing up against both Ash and Bruiser. Despite himself Ash had to admit Lisia really was pretty.
"Ash Ketchum," he managed to choke out. Why couldn't this be as easy as battling in front of thousands of people? Ash didn't miss the way a lot of heads snapped his way – not everyone knew what he looked like but most had at least heard his name. He'd made waves in the Indigo Conference.
"Thank you, Ash! Have you ever been in a Contest before?"
"Never."
"That's what I like to hear!" Lisia cheered again. She waved to the crowd. "I know you'll do great! You have a fantastic team."
"Thanks," Ash tried to smile. It came out as more of a grimace.
Lisia just patted him on the arm. "That's the spirit! Now, I'd like everyone to give this lucky contestant a round of applause! I know that I just can't wait to see his debut later!"
The applause was a bit more familiar. Ash managed to find himself relaxing just a tad, especially once Lisia finished blowing kisses to her adoring fans and led him down.
"It's fantastic to see you again!" She grinned a bit more normally at him before giving him a quick hug. Ash froze but squeezed back more out of habit than anything. Lisia giggled but stared at him hard for a second. "It's too bad you never called me, Ash. It would have been nice to keep in touch."
Ash winced as she led him and Bruiser through a maze of surprisingly bare hallways. That made him feel like kind of a Gary. "Sorry, Lisia," he said. "I just had some…League stuff to take care of. It's been a busy few months."
"I gotcha!" Lisia didn't seem to be too offended. If anything she seemed more relaxed. "Don't worry about it – I know how busy all of you Elite Four and Champions get! I barely ever have time to see my uncle anymore."
That brought something she'd said earlier to his mind. "Your uncle is Champion Wallace?" Ash asked. He looked at her more closely. He could see the resemblance now that he thought about it – not too many people had hair like that.
"Yep!" Lisia showed him into a dressing room of some sort. It had all sorts of outfits, cosmetics he could only guess the purpose of, and mirrors all over the place. "Okay, here's your room!" She gestured grandly at the wardrobes. "You can check in there and see if there's an outfit you'll like. There should be a few in your size!"
Ash smiled, his nerves finally unwinding. It was hard to stay upset for some reason. "Thanks, Lisia."
"Of course!" She winked and strode over to the door. "I'll give you some privacy! Daisy and I will be back in a few minutes, okay?"
He just nodded and stepped further into the room. It was foreign but that wasn't really a bad thing. Ash sniffed – it smelled so unlike the woods that it almost shocked him. Even his mom's bathroom in Pallet didn't smell so…girly.
"Looks like we're stuck with this," he sighed to Bruiser. The Machoke just snorted and hid a smile. Ash arched an eyebrow as he headed over to the wardrobe. He'd rather not keep the girls waiting. Daisy would be bad enough already with the teasing. He didn't need to irritate her. "Hey, don't laugh. I could always enter you as my pokemon.
Ash smirked when Bruiser shut down pretty quick. The Machoke was curious about humans but that didn't mean he wanted to be paraded in front of them. And that just led into another question…which of his team was he going to enter? To be honest Ash couldn't think of a single member who would actually enjoy this.
Nidoking would be too wouldn't care one way or another but would only do it if Ash asked. He already knew Dazed's opinion on Contests. Infernus…no, never. Seeker was too shy. Tangrowth might accidentally tear down the arena. Oz would just be bored by the whole spectacle. Sneasel might have a little too much fun with the other pokemon in the combat round. Aron wasn't in any shape to enter right now, though he was healing pretty well thanks to liberal application of potions.
He sighed. Plume might be his best bet. The only problem with her would be getting her to slow down enough that the audience could actually see her. If he was going to be forced into doing this he'd at least try and do his best – no point in embrassing himself even more than he had to.
One challenge at a time though. Right now he had to check out these outfits.
Ash sighed and opened up the wardrobe. He blinked as he saw all the gaudy outfits that would be ripped to shreds in about an hour in the wilderness. How was he even supposed to put one of these on? And what was wrong with his normal outfit?
"Crap…"
XX
"It looks ridiculous," he complained. Ash was just grateful only Bruiser was here to see the outfit he'd be using…even the fighting-type looked like he wanted to burst out laughing. He'd even caught the Machoke's shoulders shaking a few times.
"No you'll look cute!" Daisy teased from where she was sprawled out on the couch. She and Gardevoir were perfectly at home in his dressing room and had pretty much appropriated it from Ash and Bruiser. Bruiser just spent his time glaring daggers at Gardevoir – it seemed like news of what she'd done had circulated through the whole team. "I can think of a certain famous Coordinator who'd love to see you right now!"
"Don't talk about the Champion like that," Ash rolled his eyes as he struggled not to claw at his neck. He could tell the stupid shirt was going to be so tight around his neck that it would be almost suffocating – he still hadn't gotten used to the thought of it and it had been nearly an hour since Daisy had barged her way in and forced him to pick this one (which was the lesser of the many evils in Ash's opinion).
It was tight and uncomfortable. The color scheme wasn't too bad – red and black couldn't be complained about. But the artificial fur covering one shoulder and basically everything about how the outfit looked made him feel like an idiot.
"Okay, that's just mean," Daisy giggled. "But touché."
Despite himself Ash couldn't help the slight smile that sprung up. "Did you have to volunteer me?" He grumbled. "I don't even know what I'm supposed to do."
Daisy rolled her eyes. "Stop complaining, Ashy. It was mostly Lisia's idea in the first place. And don't worry, you've got an awesome coach right here!"
"Bruiser does have a lot of Contest experience," Ash snorted as he tried to see if he could angle his hat low enough to hide his entire face. He wasn't having much luck right now.
"Very funny," the older girl laughed. She turned a tad more serious as the door opened and Lisia walked in. For once her Altaria wasn't trailing at her heels. "Hey, Lisia. Where's Wallace?"
Lisia sighed and put her hands on her hips. "I don't know. Him and Steven were supposed to come meet us here but they got a call or something. It sounded serious."
Ash's eyes narrowed as he turned to look at the girl. "What? When?"
"Just now," the Coordinator sighed as she slipped elegantly into a big, fluffy chair. It was covered in clothes and accessories but she didn't seem to mind. "Steven was upset, though. He did that thing where he shuts down and gets really quiet."
He frowned. Ash knew that all too well – Steven had been in that sort of grim mood the entire time they were fighting Hunter J and the Rockets. What was going on? Another attack? Were the Rockets showing their hand?
Nothing so mundane, Storm-Tamer.
Ash's dark eyes flashed to Gardevoir where she hovered gracefully in the air. She hadn't broadcasted that to anyone else. Not even Bruiser. What was going on?
A disturbance. Its nature will be revealed to you soon enough. For now just play along.
He scowled but didn't say anything quite yet. Ash's hand hovered to his PokeNav. There weren't any messages yet. Ash tuned out Daisy and Lisia's idle chatter as his mind flitted between ideas and concerns in a blur…the icy fire of Mewtwo's power had calmed, though the fact that it had been erratic at all was something to be concerned with.
Had Mewtwo sensed something to do with the Rockets? He knew the psychic had a less than cordial history with them, though Ash could only glean tiny glimpses of knowledge from when they'd met and merged on New Island.
Ash took a breath and tried to relax. Steven would've contacted him if it was important. It was probably just something personal – maybe they'd gotten some more news from Pierce? He figured the former Executive was locked up somewhere in Hoenn.
"So, what are you planning?" Lisia directed at him. Ash paused. That was a good question. "We'd love to help you with your performance! Daisy tells me you have a beautiful Pidgeot – it would be amazing to see her in action."
Daisy leaned over to Lisia and muttered something in her ear. Ash just cocked his head quizzically when Lisia's pale face flushed bright red – it was a strange contrast with her turquoise hair.
Ash thought about asking what all that was about but he wasn't sure if he really wanted to know. Especially not with how flustered Lisia looked right now. Sometimes it was just better to ignore things when Daisy was around.
"Plume's probably who I'll go with. I need to release her soon," Ash admitted. To be honest he was glad for the distraction…without Lisia and Daisy around he'd probably be stuck chasing ghosts in his own mind. He just couldn't imagine what had Steven so worried…
"Okay!" The Coordinator grinned. She glanced over at Daisy. "You're the one with a Pidgeot. Will you show him the Feather Flutter? Or maybe –"
"Not now," Daisy grinned. She waggled a finger in Ash's direction. "Sorry, Ash, but I don't think you're quite ready for my secret techniques. They're a lot to take in."
He shook his head, exasperated. "Of course," he said drily. "They're beyond me."
"Naturally," the older girl said sagely. She glanced at Gardevoir. "Want to help him out a little bit?"
Check your PokeNav….now.
Ash frowned even as the alert went off. He waved Daisy's questions away as he snapped the device open, quick to check his messages. His blood ran cold when he saw it was an emergency call from Lance.
This didn't bode well.
"Lance?" Ash's voice was hard and cold. The Coordinators were noticeably unnerved as he seamlessly went from casual to business. Bruiser took his place at his side.
"Ash!" Came the crackled reply. He winced at the noise, though he held the PokeNav as close to his ear as he could nonetheless. This was too important to allow a little discomfort to get in the way. "We need you in Greenfield immediately!"
Greenfield? Fire, Ice, and Lightning flared in unison and his gut felt like it had been switched out for a big block of lead.
"What's going on?" He demanded of the Indigo Champion. Daisy hurriedly flipped on one of the TVs and put it to one of the national news channels, only to freeze as it settled on a frozen, distorted image of a vast wasteland of sculpted purple crystal that seemingly devoured miles of land in an instant. His hands shook with fury as he stared at the shocking picture, though he snapped back into attention when he heard the terrifying roar of a Gyarados, then the roars of a dozen furious explosions. "Lance!"
"Call Bob and get to Greenfield," Lance's voice was short and hard. He sounded out of breath – or injured. The Indigo Champion gasped into the phone, "We need you here immediately Ash. We don't know what this is but it has to be Legendary. Get here at once. I have – shit! Bruno, watch out! Here it –"
The call cut out. Ash stared at the PokeNav's blank screen. He knew his skin had gone far paler than usual – even whiter than when he'd been volunteered for the Contest.
How had he been worried about that? With these new events unfolding it just seemed like a bad, petty joke.
"Ash, what –" Daisy's eyes were still locked on the image of Greenfield…or what used to be Greenfield. It was utterly unrecognizable now. What used to be lush fields of grass and flowers were no more. Instead an utterly alien surface dominated it, dominating what must have been several square miles of land. Even the Hale Mansion was barely unrecognizable – Ash could hardly recognize it as the beautiful home he'd visited as a child. Now it just looked like a crystalline flower more than anything.
He looked away. "Not now," Ash cut the Oak off with a scowl. With the stakes in mind he mentally summoned Bob, grateful when the Alakazam manifested almost immediately in the dressing room. What worried him was that Bob actually seemed uneasy.
Considering the smug Alakazam had hardly been concerned during the cataclysmic clash between the Birds…
Trainee Ketchum. We'd best get going. For some reason the Champion seems to require your talents once more.
At least Bob still sounded as snide as ever. Right now that was something that actually made Ash feel a little better. He quickly recalled Bruiser and tried to relax. Fear and anxiety wouldn't help him now.
"You know what to do."
Obviously. I hope you do as well. If your abilities are on the level of your fashion sense we're all doomed.
Ash looked down and grimaced at the realization he was still holding the stupid Coordinator outfit. The only silver lining was that he wouldn't be barging into this mess with it on. That would've been a nightmare.
But he was missing something…Ash had barely even noticed the feeling before he reflexively caught his hat. Daisy waved at him from where she'd thrown it. He'd almost forgotten that she'd never given it back.
"Fix this," she said, steel in her eyes. Ash nodded.
"Stay safe," Lisia whispered. Ash dipped his head in acceptance. The girl looked like she was about to panic – it was clear she wasn't a fighter.
If you're done wasting time…
"Take me there."
Ash felt a slight tug and Bob's eyes shone with Mewtwo's borrowed power. The girls shied away from the terrible brightness of twin suns burning fiercely in the Alakazam's sockets, Ash grimaced as he shifted through space and time, and he emerged in a nightmare.
Sorry for the cliffhanger! Hope you enjoyed the chapter – I know it's a bit short and also not the Christmas release I'd aimed for but with any luck it's enough to hold everyone over. I ended up scrapping a ton of this chapter earlier today (and by today I mean Christmas) and have basically decided to take this fic in a different direction than I'd planned. With any luck it works out pretty well! Also, please forgive any minor mistakes in the last 10,000 words of this chapter. After I scrapped a bunch of the chapter I was left with just four thousand words or so. The rest I've written over the past ten hours or so.
Thanks for reading! I also have an announcement on my profile for anyone who might be interested in supporting my work through a p at reon.
I'd also like to go back to something I mentioned in the first paragraph: essentially I've not been totally happy with how the fic has been turning out. Don't worry, I'm not abandoning it or going on hiatus or anything crazy like that! I've just been spending a lot of time restructuring the plot for Hoenn to get it back on track. There's a lot of Hoenn I really enjoy and would like to continue (and I will) but I do feel it's been getting farther and farther from its roots. My goal is to blend what I wanted Hoenn to be with what I loved so much about writing Kanto. That's just something I wanted to give everyone a heads up about. I'd be interested in hearing everyone's opinions somewhere in your reviews or PMs.
As always I really appreciate everyone who reads this behemoth. Thank you for supporting Traveler!