Ash Ketchum sat on the porch of his house in Pallet Town, gazing out at the horizon with a heavy heart. The thrill of becoming the Pokémon World Champion had faded, and he found himself yearning for something more. His faithful companion, Pikachu, sat beside him, equally restless.
"Hey, Pikachu," Ash said, breaking the silence. "Do you ever feel like... there's something more out there for us?"
"Pika, pika," Pikachu responded, tilting its head as if considering the question.
Ash sighed and looked down at the flyer in his hand. It was for the 6th annual Street Fighter tournament, a competition to crown the new martial arts champion. The idea of battling in a completely different arena excited him, but it also felt strange. Could he, a Pokémon Trainer, really compete in a martial arts tournament?
As Ash pondered, a shadow fell over him. He looked up to see a tall, slender woman with long black hair. She wore a tiny, sleeveless, cropped white top with pink trim and a green zipper at the back. Black body tapes threaded under the top created a spider pattern that extended down her torso and crotch. For the bottom, she chose unconventional black baggy pants with pink and neon teal trim, featuring a distinctive large crotch cutout that revealed her white tights underneath. The pants also had green zippers on the inner sides of the legs. Her right eye was purple, while her left eye was green.
Her accessories included black fingerless gloves and ankle cuffs, all with thick pink padding. Four black bracelets with neon teal spikes adorned her wrists and ankles, matched by a spiked choker around her neck. Loosely wrapped around her waist was an extra-long black belt with pink trim and a Taiji motif on the buckle. Her fingernails and toenails were painted neon teal. She also carried a smartphone in a light pink case, designed with two horns to match her hairstyle.
The mysterious woman had a grin on her face, eying her new prey. "Well, well, what do we have here?" she sneered. "Ash Ketchum, the Pokémon Champion, looking for a new challenge?"
Ash stood up, his eyes narrowing. "Who are you?"
"The name's Juri," she said, her grin widening. "And I'm here to test the so-called 'champion.'"
Before Ash could react, Juri lunged at him with a speed that took his breath away. She aimed a swift kick at him, but Pikachu jumped in the way, using Thunderbolt to counter the attack. The electric surge made Juri stumble back, but she quickly regained her footing.
"Impressive," she admitted, looking at Pikachu with a hint of admiration. "But not enough."
Juri launched another attack, her strikes a blur as Ash tried to defend himself. Despite his best efforts, her skill was overwhelming. Pikachu did its best to help, but Juri's agility and strength were too much for the small Pokémon.
"You're cute," Juri taunted as she cornered Ash. "Too bad I have to end you."
Just as she was about to deliver the finishing blow, a flash of blue and yellow appeared between them. A woman with shoulder-length blonde hair now stood there. She wore a dark blue sports bra and black yoga pants that reached down to her shins, trimmed with white. Blue hexagonal patterns ran down the sides of each leg like a beehive. She also wore dark blue socks, red calf-high combat boots, and red gauntlets, with her right glove protecting most of her forearm. Around her neck was a black choker with a Delta Red triangle emblem attached to the front. Over it all, she wore a light blue leather jacket with two long sagging straps along the sides, the United Kingdom flag adorned on the back.
The mysterious blonde woman blocked the attack with a powerful kick of her own. "That's enough, Juri," the newcomer said, her voice cold and authoritative. "You won't harm him."
Juri's eyes narrowed. "Cammy. Always the hero."
Cammy stood her ground, her eyes locked on Juri. "Leave him alone. Your fight is with me now."
Juri laughed, a sound filled with malice. "Fine. Let's see if you've gotten any better, Killer Bee."
The two women clashed in a whirlwind of kicks and punches, their movements too swift for Ash to follow. He stood in awe, realizing just how much he had to learn to compete in this new world of martial arts. Juri landed powerful strikes on Cammy, but Cammy shook off the hits and retaliated with her own flurry of moves, matching Juri blow for blow. Cammy managed to execute a few of her combo moves, visibly frustrating Juri.
"You'll pay for that!" Juri snarled, charging at Cammy once more.
Ash and Pikachu watched in amazement as the battle intensified, each woman fighting with incredible skill and determination.
After a fierce exchange, Juri finally broke off, glaring at Cammy. "This isn't over, Killer Bee. That brat will be mine," she spat before disappearing into the shadows.
Cammy turned to Ash, offering him a hand. "Are you okay?"
Ash nodded, still in shock. "Yeah, thanks to you. But who are you?"
"I'm Cammy White," she introduced herself, helping him to his feet. "I'm a member of Delta Red, a special forces unit."
Cammy's introduction left Ash and Pikachu speechless. This was entirely new to Ash, a world beyond anything he had experienced before. "Um, Delta Red?" he said, blinking in confusion.
Cammy chuckled softly before noticing Pikachu. "What a cutie. So that's a Pokémon, huh?"
"Wait...you don't know what a Pokémon is?" Ash asked.
"Pi... Pikachu?" Pikachu chimed confusedly.
Cammy chuckled again and explained, "You could say I come from a place where Pokémon aren't known to us. Their existence is a mystery."
"I see..." Ash replied, still processing the revelation.
Cammy picked up a flyer from the ground and glanced back at Ash, a curious glint in her eye. "So, you're interested in entering the tournament?"
Ash smiled, feeling excitement reignite within him. "Yeah, I saw the flyer and thought I might give it a shot. Do you think I stand a chance?"
Cammy looked at him thoughtfully. "With the right training, maybe. But it's going to be tough. These fighters are on a whole different level."
Ash glanced at Pikachu, who gave him an encouraging nod. "We've faced tough challenges before. We'll give it everything we've got."
Cammy nodded. "Then let's get started. There's no time to waste."