There were eight teams in total, so Ash had to defeat three other students in a single-elimination style to win the entire event.
His first opponent from Johto stepped forward, pokeball in hand.
"Wassup! I'm Ethan Hibiki, your opponent from team Cindaquil!" Ethan introduced himself.
"Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town! Let's have an awesome battle!" Ash responded back with equal excitement.
Ethan did the motion to throw his pokeball. "Let's start off strong, Sudowoodo!" The Imitation Pokemon appeared with a rustle.
"A Sudowoodo…" Serena trailed off as she took in the image of the Pokemon for the first time.
"It's obvious what Pokemon Ash should use against that." Leaf said.
"Unless Ash is literally mentally challenged, he can't mess this up." Gary said with crossed arms.
Ash eyed the Pokemon across from him and made his choice. "Go, Vulpix!" The Fire-type Pokemon appeared on his side of the field.
"Are you stupid, Ash!? Why Vulpix!?" Gary shouted, voicing everyone in his friend group's shock.
"What's wrong with my choice!?" Ash appeared flummoxed. "That Pokemon is obviously a Grass-type!" Ash responded with full confidence.
"No, stupid! Sudowoodo is a Rock-type! Do you even do your homework!?" Gary shouted.
Ash for his part looked sheepish with a nervous smile. He recollected himself again. "T-This is fine. Me and Vulpix can still defeat Sudowoodo even with type disadvantage."
His friends for the most part were skeptical. Gary was irritated but deigned to observe.
Ethan laughed at Ash's blunder. "No way, people still get fooled by that today? Sudowoodo, use Rock Throw!"
"Use Protect!" Ash called out. The Fire-type formed a protective green screen in front of it, blocking the thrown rock from hurting it. "Fight back with Ember!"
"Now, use Sucker Punch!" Ethan said.
Sudowoodo dashed forward and landed a Dark-type punch. The impact sent Vulpix in the air, but its raw determination kept it obeying faithfully to Ash and shot pellets of fire at Sudowoodo.
"Such a weak Fire-type move can't hurt Sudowoodo that much. Especially with its Rock-typing." Leaf noted.
"I hate to say it, but Vulpix doesn't have that many offensive options." Elio grimaced.
"Ash…" Serena watched worriedly.
The boy's smile got wider. "Now use Spite!" Vulpix's eyes glowed and a malevolent wave hit Sudowoodo.
"What move is that!?" Ethan exclaimed.
"Oh, that was an annoying move when I fought it." Gary said. "Spite targets the last move a Pokemon uses and makes it unusable for a few moments after."
"Seriously!? Then Sudowoodo can't use Sucker punch for a while… in that case just throw more rocks at Vulpix!" Ethan gestured with his finger.
"Avoid everything coming your way!" Vulpix diligently swept around as the large stones missed their mark by a small margin. "Use Disable!" Vulpix's eyes glowed red and released a red shock at Sudowoodo, stunning it.
"Now it can't use Rock Throw! Was this your plan?" A bead of sweat fell down Ethan's cheek. "No matter. Sudowoodo, use Mimic!"
The branches on its head glowed yellow and it spat pellets of fire at Vulpix. The attack didn't cause any damage to the fox and instead empowered it.
"Aw yeah! Vulpix's Flash Fire activated!" Elio shouted.
"What happened?" Selene tilted her head confused.
"That Ethan kid took a gamble." Gary spoke. "I'll bet outside of Rock Throw and Sucker Punch, Sudowoodo doesn't have any other offensive moves. With those two moves blocked, he was pushed into a corner and had to use its signature move, Mimic. It copies a random move from its opponent, so he must've wanted either Spite or Disable to take away Vulpix's Ember. However, he got Ember instead, which Vulpix is impervious to with its Flash Fire ability and has boosted the power of Vulpix's fire moves." The corners of Gary's lips rose slightly. "I can't tell if Ethan is unlucky or if Ash is absurdly lucky."
"Take him down with Ember, rapid-fire!" Ash pointed with his finger, and Vulpix spat dozens of boosted fire pellets at Sudowoodo. The Rock-type showed signs of pain from receiving the attacks.
In a few more moments of receiving the attacks, Sudowoodo fell down.
"No way, you took down a Rock-type with a Fire-type…" That stunned Ethan and many of the students watching.
"Type advantage isn't everything. Overcoming something like this should be obvious to anyone who wants to become the best!" Ash's words captured everyone's attention, seemingly gripped by his passion.
Overcoming type disadvantages and winning. It was a novel and unthinkable concept to these kids' young minds.
Ethan came to his senses and returned Sudowoodo to send out his next Pokemon. "Go, Krabby!" The River Crab Pokemon appeared, snapping its claws.
"This time it's a Water-type." Ash said. "Ember!" Vulpix opened its mouth wide and fired orange pellets at Krabby.
"Hit back with Mud Shot!" Ethan's Krabby opened one of its claws to shoot bullets of mud out of it, colliding with Ember.
"Disable!" Vulpix's eyes glowed red and stunned Krabby, locking away its Mud Shot move.
"Grab it with Vise Grip!" Krabby extended its arm and caught Vulpix between its pincers. Stuck like this, Vulpix's movements were very limited.
"Hit its face with Ember!" Vulpix shot more pellets, hitting Krabby's face and making it stagger, but not enough to loosen its hold on Vulpix.
"Keep crushing Vulpix with your Vise Grip!" Krabby tightened its pincers causing Vulpix to cry in pain.
"Tch, use Spite!"
"Bubblebeam, now!"
Vulpix's Spite targeted Krabby's Vise Grip which led to the claws gripping it to loosen, but that left it open to receive the water Pokemon's Bubblebeam, knocking it out.
"You did good." Ash returned Vulpix to their pokeball. "Nidoran, you're up!" The male Nidoran appeared in a flash of light.
"Get close and use Vise Grip." Krabby latched its claws on Nidoran.
"Get Krabby off you by using Double Kick on its face!" Nidoran landed consecutive kicks on Krabby, stunning it and making it loosen its grip for Nidoran to jump back. "Horn Attack!" The horn on Nidoran's head glowed white and he ran forward to strike with it.
"Use Bubblebeam!"
"Avoid the attacks coming for you!"
A barrage of bubbles flew at Nidoran. The Poison-type did as he was told and dodged them, but there were still a few that grazed his body. Nidoran came in front of Krabby and landed his Horn Attack on it.
"Hit it with Metal Claw!" Krabby obeyed Ethan's command and a metallic sheen coated one of its claws.
"Poison Jab!" Nidoran's horn brightly glowed purple and clashed with Krabby's metal claw.
The collision of the two moves halted one another as they struggled to break through. The tension snapped and they landed their attacks on each other, but only Nidoran was knocked out.
"Not good!" Leaf exclaimed.
"Oh no, Nidoran!" Serena cried out.
Ash's friends looked pensive as he returned Nidoran. Until a few moments after, Krabby looked to be in pain and fainted when its body glowed purple for a moment.
"That Poison Jab managed to poison Krabby, and the damage from being poisoned was enough to take it out!" Gary supplied, surprised and relieved like the rest.
"So it's down to our last Pokemon, huh? Let's finish this, Magnemite!" Ethan threw out his last pokeball and released the Magnet Pokemon.
"We're gonna win this, Sandshrew!" The Mouse Pokemon popped onto the field with a cry.
"Nice, this time he's got the type advantage!" Elio said, pumping his fist.
"And Sandshrew won't be affected by any possible lightning attacks from Magnemite with its Ground-typing!" Selene said.
"We're going all out! Use Mud-Slap!" Sandshrew dug its claws into the dirt and swept a bunch of mud towards the floating Magnamite, hitting it and dealing a ton of damage.
"G-Gyro Ball!" Magnemite shrugged the mud off its body and spun its body, launching towards Sandshrew.
"Use Rapid Spin!" Sandshrew counteracted against the incoming Magnemite by curling its body and spinning too. The trade of blows forced both Pokemon back.
"Screech!"
"Avoid it by using Dig!"
Sandshrew dug a hole and hid inside to avoid the horrible sounds Magnemite emitted. With no way to force the Mouse Pokemon out, Magnemite was like a sitting duck, swerving left and right to guess where it would pop out of the ground.
In an instant, Sandshrew burst from the ground and smacked Magnemite down to the ground, leaving it fainted.
"Alright, we won!" Ash smiled and threw his fist to the air. He shook Ethan's hand in a show of good sportsmanship.
"Phew… Ash got through the first round." Serena let out the breath she was holding.
"Seems like not everyone can do what Ash did by winning with a type disadvantage." Selene remarked.
"Maybe Ash wasn't spouting hot air after all. Still not someone that others should follow as an example." Gary argued but his relieved expression could not be masked.
"Oh come on, lighten up a bit." Leaf interjected. "You make it sound like you'd do better."
"I at least would've used Sandshrew at the start instead." Gary responded back.
"Yeah, but Ash didn't know Sudowoodo was a Rock-type. He adapted well going in without that knowledge." Leaf argued.
"Look, his second match is beginning." Elio interrupted the two.
The next opponent flashed Ash a smile and jabbed a pokeball in his direction. "The name's Kris Kiyomi! I'm not like Ethan who can't come up with anything other than basic attacks."
"That was uncalled for!" Ethan cried out from the crowd.
Kris did not react to her friend's outburst. "Go, Growlithe!" The Puppy Pokemon appeared on the field attracting the attention of the girls.
"It's so cute!" Selene and Serena said.
"I love the way it wags its tail!" Leaf squealed.
Growlithe barked proudly from all of the attention.
"Let's do this, Seel!" The Water-type made a silly sound in response.
"Okay, use Fire Spin to trap Seel!" Growlithe opened its jaw and a jet of fire poured out, turning into a ring of fire surrounding Seel. "Flame Charge around the ring to strengthen it!" Growlithe dashed on all fours generating a circling fire around its body. The movement and fire added to the ring's intensity and heat, causing Seel inside to sweat.
"Look, the ring of fire is growing and rising higher and higher!" Leaf said.
"I didn't think you could create such a spectacle with moves like that." Serena watched in awe.
"Quite a pretty show. She's not as simple as I thought. But…" Gary trailed off.
As the ring grew in size into a dazzling pillar of fire, Ash remained composed and smiled. "Aqua Ring!"
Double rings of water coalesced around Seel's body, healing it and buffering the flames flickering around it into mere licks of damage.
"Disperse all of the flames with Brine aimed at the sky!" Seel released a stream of water right above it which rained down to extinguish the flames.
Growlithe was nowhere to be seen when the flames disappeared.
"Where is it?" Ash belatedly remembered the hole previously dug by Sandshrew in his last match. "Shoot Brine into that hole!"
But Growlithe was quicker and it burst out from the ground to tackle Seel.
"Swift!"
"Icy wind!"
Yellow stars rained from Growlithe's mouth which clashed with the blue sparkles of ice blown from Seel's mouth. The stars were frozen solid and then burst into a beautiful lightshow.
"Wow, who knew you had a knack for prettying up a battlefield too." Kris complimented Ash.
"Uh, thanks, though I don't think that was intentional on my part." Ash wryly smiled.
"No matter. Let's continue on with the show!" Kris was about to issue a command, but Ash responded faster.
"Encore!"
"What!?"
Seel clapped its flippers to shoot a white ball at Growlithe and bellowed for it to use Swift again and again. Growlithe became embarrassed with a smile.
"Hey, I think Seel wants to see the amazing spectacle you performed again. Is your Growlithe up for it?" Ash smirked.
"Why you!" Kris knew that wasn't possible with Growlithe locked to being only able to use one move. "You asked for it, use Swift!"
"Shoot Brine to the air again!"
Seel shot Brine over the flying Swift and hit Growlithe with the stream of water. Seel suffered damage from Swift but was able to recover somewhat with Aqua Ring. Kris' Growlithe lurched over and fainted.
"Being pretty alone doesn't get you victories." Gary continued from where he left. "Oh, now I get it. Those moves were like ones used for contests."
"Contests?" Leaf asked the question shared by everyone.
"A type of competition different from pure battling. Contestants train and groom Pokemon to perform moves that are judged by how appealing they are in a nutshell. They originate from the Hoenn region and recently there are rumors of contests being established in Johto." Gary explained.
The idea of contests lingered in everyone's minds as they were drawn to the continuation of the battle between Ash and Kris.
"Butterfree, Poison Powder!" The Butterfly Pokemon appeared and spread poisonous dust in the air.
"Escape into the hole!" Seel dived for the hole dug by Growlithe, avoiding Poison Powder.
Kris smirked at this. "Use Confusion on your own Poison Powder and send it inside the hole where Seel went into!"
"Ugh, Seel, get out of there!"
At the moment Seel came out, it was already poisoned and had an expression of pain.
"Hehe, use Air Slash!"
"Block with Icy Wind!"
The two attacks collided and chilled the air with the dispersal of pieces of ice flying about.
"String Shot at them!" Butterfree followed the command and shot a rope of string, tying Seel in a bundle of them and immobilizing it. "Air Slash!"
"Brine!"
A stream of water struck Butterfree while blades of energy were tossed and pounded on Seel.
"Stay strong and don't let go! Keep using Air Slash!"
"Use Icy Wind on the Strings!"
The ice particles encased the strings in ice and traveled up to Butterfree, dealing a ton of damage. This also froze the blades of wind which landed on Seel, increasing the damage more than usual. Both Pokemon were knocked out as a result.
"Nice, Ash has a good rhythm going. And he's got two more Pokemon that are fresh. Meanwhile Kris is down to her last Pokemon." Elio said.
"You're my last hope, Lickitung!"
"Dratini!"
The pink amphibian Pokemon with a thick body stuck its huge tongue out and Dratini wagged its tail in a happy mood.
"Twister!"
"Ice Punch it!"
The whirling dragon energy was frozen solid by Lickitung punching it with cold energy.
"Use Knock Off on the ice to throw it at Dratini!"
"Dodge it with Aqua Jet!"
Lickitung broke off chunks of the ice at Dratini who narrowly avoided them by flying around in swirling water.
"Water Pulse, now!" Dratini shot the orb of water and it exploded upon contact with Lickitung. And by chance, the attack managed to confuse Lickitung.
"Oh no, shake it off Lickitung!" Kris called in panic. Instead of breaking the confusion, Lickitung swung around its tongue and hurt itself.
"Tackle it with Aqua Jet, then use Wrap!" Dratini flew through the air and collided with Lickitung, then squeezed it with its serpentine body wrapped around. "End it with Water Pulse!" While crushing Lickitung with its body, Dratini shot one last orb of water right at its face. The result was Kris' last Pokemon fainting from all the damage incurred to it.
Ash returned Dratini and expressed his gratitude to it. Kris did the same to her Pokemon and looked up to meet Ash's gaze.
"That was an incredible battle, Ash. When we officially become Pokemon trainers, I'll defeat you if you decide to step into Johto!" Kris declared.
"I look forward to that! But I'm gonna be way stronger than I am now, so beware!" Ash said.
Kris shook her head, then flashed a grin at him before walking off.
The final match was about to begin and Ash felt the tension on his shoulders.
The last camper appeared across from him, Marnie of Galar. Their eyes met and both noted the steel resolve in each other.
"I'm Marnie Baines." She introduced herself. "I plan to become the Pokemon League Champion of Galar in the future."
"The Champion of Galar? Wow, you dream big." Ash widened his eyes. "I dream of becoming a Pokemon Master myself."
"Pokemon…Master?" Marnie tilted her head. "First I've heard of a title like that." She shook her head and regained her focus. "I've been watching you since your battle with your friend. I'm not gonna lie, you're probably the biggest threat in my opinion."
"You really think so? Thanks for the praise." Ash beamed with a wide smile.
"Yeah, so you should know I don't plan on taking it easy. I'm serious about winning." Marnie narrowed her eyes. "I can't afford to miss out on earning Professor Oak's recognition. That'll help me in the long run to raise the name of my hometown."
"That goes for me too. I'll become the first Pokemon Trainer in Pallet Town to win a Pokemon League, become a champion, and then Pallet Town will be a household name." Ash smirked. That managed to make Marnie smile for the first time since the summer camp began with more respect towards Ash.
Off to the side, Ash's friends observed their conversation unfold. "This is the longest a girl has kept Ash's attention and interest in a conversation." Gary remarked.
"Wait, what are you implying with that?" Leaf cautiously asked.
"You should be thankful that they won't be interacting much more after the summer camp is over." Gary didn't elaborate much further which left Leaf feeling unsettled.
The murmurs died down when the battle started when both of them sent out their Pokemon simultaneously.
"Dratini, Water Pulse!"
"Cover the field with Mist, Swinub!"
Whether the orb of water made contact became an unknown when Swinub disappeared behind the mist it produced from its mouth and obscured everyone's eyes from determining its location. Sharp pieces of ice flew through the mist and pierced Dratini. Swinub's Ice Shard, Ash recognized the attack.
To counter the mist, Dratini formed a Twister and blew it away, coincidentally hitting Swinub in its path. That's when Dratini and Ash noticed the bunch of floating stones around the field.
"Good, use Roar, Swinub!"
Swinub sucked in air and it bellowed a deafening roar. This forced Dratini out of the field and back to its pokeball. Ash's second Pokemon, Jigglypuff, was forced out to take its teammates' place. That's when the floating stones dug into Jigglypuff.
"Not bad. She set up Stealth Rock inside the mist to whittle out his team's health each time they switch-in. And she has the option to force that outcome with Roar." Gary explained which caused his friends to worry.
"Jigglypuff, use Sing!"
"I don't think so, avoid it!"
The floating notes missed their target as Swinub swiftly dodged them. The Pig Pokemon sucked in another breath of air. Ash was already aware of Marnie's strategy and called for Jigglypuff to use Copycat.
The two Pokemon deafeningly shouted at each other, removing both from the field. Marnie's Corsola appeared and Ash's Sandshrew on his side of the field, who suffered from the pointed edges of Stealth Rock.
"Rapid Spin!"
Sandshrew curled up and spun its body, generating a gust of wind that removed all of the floating stones from the field.
"Good thinking! That took away her advantage over the field." Elio praised, impressed that Ash remembered Rapid Spin having the effect of removing entry hazards.
"Spike Cannon!"
"Mud-Slap!"
The branch-like appendages on Corsola's body glowed white and from them it shot white spikes. Sandshrew dug its claws into the ground and threw mud at Corsola. The two suffered from the exchange of attacks.
"Bubble!"
"Dig!"
Sandshrew escaped from the large bubbles by burrowing into the ground. Marnie ordered for her Corsola to use Spike Cannon on the bubble hovering above the hole. It popped and the water flowed into the hole. Sandshrew desperately resurfaced due to its intense fear of water thanks to its Ground-typing. This gave an opening for Corsola to launch Icicle Spear at Sandshrew, knocking it out.
"Oh no, Ash lost his first Pokemon!" Selene cried out.
"This Marnie girl is just as skilled as Ash in her commands and quick thinking!" Leaf said with both worry and awe.
Ash returned Sandshrew while in deep thought. He decided to send out Jigglypuff again.
"Rollout!"
"Spike Cannon!"
Corsola shot numerous white needles at Jigglypuff, but they bounced off from the rotational power behind Jigglypuff's Rollout attack. Corsola was sent flying in the air by Jigglypuff.
"Use Bubble to keep yourself in the air!"
Corsola blew a giant bubble and remained inside it, floating in the air.
Ash briefly wondered what she was planning and gave out his order. "Use Gravity, take 'em down!" Jigglypuff's eyes glowed and the increased pressure brought Corsola down quickly. "Rollout!"
"Receive it!" Corsola did its best to hold out the attack and held Jigglypuff in place with its bubble shield having slowed Jigglypuff's momentum. "Bubble again, trap the both of you together inside!" Corsola released another bubble as she ordered. "Explosion!"
Everyone was shocked as the Coral Pokemon glowed white before engulfing it and Jigglypuff in a loud explosion. The two were knocked out from the kamikaze attack.
"Ash is down to his last pokemon, and Marnie hasn't revealed her third yet…" Gary said pensively.
"Let's do this, Dratini!" The Dragon Pokemon returned to the field once more.
"Swinub, finish what you started!" Marnie's first Pokemon appeared again. "Ice Shard!"
The many stakes of ice were avoided as Dratini slithered across the ground. Dratini rushed to wrap Swinub and throw it to the ground.
"Ice Shard!"
"Don't let it, use Wrap to turn Swinub's head!"
Dratini wrapped its body around Swinub again, redirecting the path of the ice being shot from the front of its snot. Dratini formed an orb of water and smashed the Water Pulse against Swinub point-blank, knocking it out.
"Ash managed to even it out." Selene released a breath of relief.
"She left plenty of openings for being too hasty by relying only on super effective moves." Gary said.
"But Dratini appears to be exhausted." Leaf noted grimly. The blue serpent panted lightly.
"Bring me to victory, Houndour!" Marnie threw her last pokeball.
A sleek dog Pokemon with black fur howled upon entry. It rushed forward and made a clean dodge from a Water Pulse to then clutch its jaws tightly on Dratini with Bite.
"Shake Houndour off by using Aqua Jet like a shield!"
Water surged around Dratini, forcing Houndour off it from the harmful splashes. Houndour growled, unsure of how to proceed with Dratini shielded by its Aqua Jet.
"Don't let fear get the better of you, use Thunder Fang on the water!"
Electricity crackled from Houndour's fangs and it punctured the water with them. The electricity surged inside, shocking Dratini into releasing the shield. Houndour attempted another Bite, but was blown back by Twister, causing it to flinch.
"Into the air, Dratini!"
"Shoot 'em with Incinerate!"
Houndour fired fireballs with black highlights to down Dratini flying by means of Aqua Jet.
"Dratini, catch Houndour in the center of your Twister!"
Dratini formed another Twister and surrounded Houndour inside it where the strong winds scratched the Pokemon. To counter it, Houndour used Fire Spin, melding the spinning fire with the Twister and forming a colossal tornado of fire. Being inside it activated Hounder's Flash Fire ability.
"We can't let this continue. Dratini, Aqua Jet straight inside and take out Houndour!"
"Let's end it with Incinerate!"
Dratini coated itself in Aqua Jet and dived down to the eye of the tornado. What welcomed it was several fireballs hovering on standby. With determined eyes, Dratini dive bombed Houndour regardless of the fireballs smashing into its body. The impact exacerbated the tornado as the flames blazed wildly until it faded with a flicker.
Silence consumed the atmosphere at the sight of Dratini lying down on a similarly tuckered out Houndour. Dratini strenuously raised its head and gave a weak cry to indicate it and Ash's victory.
Cheers and applause erupted from the spectacular finale they witnessed and the winner being determined.
"Thank you, Dratini. I'm lucky to have had you on my team." Ash returned Dratini to its pokeball. He looked up to see Marnie walk up to him after similarly returning her Pokemon.
"Well, I should first say, congratulations Ash." Marnie said with her stoic face maintained. She outstretched her hand and Ash caught it in a handshake briefly. "But this won't mean the last time we'll battle. From now on, we're rivals." That's when her lips cracked into a small smile.
"Yeah, having you for a rival, that's something I can take pride in. This battle is already unforgettable for me." Ash widely grinned at her with his eyes closed.
Marnie felt something inside her flutter from it. "Hey Ash, d'ya wanna-"
Leaf appeared from behind Ash and cut their conversation short. "Look at you becoming champ. Awesome job, Ash." She clamped her hands on his shoulders and congratulated him.
"Champion for only this summer camp, let's not forget that." Gary said as he walked in with both hands in his pockets.
"A title that's clearly out of your league, Gary." Ash snarked with an eye roll.
"He's got you there." Elio snickered.
"Congratulations, Ash." Serena earnestly said.
Selene lunged at Ash's side into a tight hug. "Way to go, Ash! I always knew you were the best!"
Ash laughed from all the attention he's receiving. "Thanks you guys. I couldn't have done it without the amazing Pokemon you picked. Especially Dratini, it came in clutch for me."
"Guess you're not that hopeless if you can recognize me as the biggest contributor to the team's victory." Gary nodded to himself, self-affirming his own importance to the team.
"It was Dratini who did the heavy lifting, not you." Ash replied and a chorus of agreement responded back minus Gary.
Everybody continued to converse with each other until Professor Oak proclaimed that judging and announcing the overall winner for the summer camp was about to begin.
In the end, Team Totodile earned third place, followed by Team Scorbunny in second place, the team Marnie belonged to.
When the Professor announced Team Charmander as the champion team, they all celebrated fervently. The rewards for first place was a unique plaque with the names of the members carved on and to be remembered in the summer camp program. And the most important was Professor Oak's endorsement in the form of his name registered on their Trainer IDs when they receive them on the day they would officially begin as Pokemon Trainers.
After that it marked the end of the summer camp. Ash and his friends met up and bid farewell to the other campers they've befriended such as Ethan and Kris.
Serena was about to depart from the group and return to Kalos with her mother.
The group were saddened to see their friend leave them and the region so soon after hanging out for the past few days. As they made their goodbyes, Ash came up and hugged Serena which flustered the girl.
"I…can't come up with any fancy speech. But a 'see you later' fits us better. Anything more would be embarrassing when we meet each other again."
His words and hug warmed Serena. She embraced him back and giggled. "I like to think so too. I wish I had even a little bit of your optimism, Ash." They separated and Serena took a step back. "I want you to know I treasure our time together in this summer camp. Promise me we'll stay in contact with each other."
"Definitely! It's a promise now that we're friends." Ash confidently declared to which Serena smiled.
Their Kalosian friend waved to them one last time and separated from the group as she walked away until they could no longer see her.
"Not to bring the mood down, but how do you plan on staying in contact with Serena?" Leaf asked.
"She gave me her mail address. So that makes us pen pals." Ash answered.
"Really? Serena never mentioned this." Leaf quirked an eyebrow.
"Yeah, first I've heard of this." Selene added.
"Huh…I wonder why she didn't share her mail address with the rest of you." Ash tilted his head.
Gary and Elio glanced at each other and whispered.
"It's so obvious why."
"Dead right it is."
The last person to bid farewell to the group was Marnie who trudged towards Ash intently.
"Ash, you said you'd plan on beating a champion. From which Pokemon League are you taking when you become a trainer?" Marnie asked.
"The one in Kanto, of course." Ash answered.
"Hmm…" Marnie hummed to herself in thought.
"Why'd you ask?"
"Oh no reason. Later then." She waved to him as she turned around.
"See you next time whenever that day is, Marnie!" Ash reciprocated the wave until she was out of his sight.
Gary placed a comforting hand on Leaf's shoulder. "It's gonna get rough for you, huh. Hang in there."
"What in the world are you talking about?" She did not like the sympathetic tone in his words and would like them even less if she learned what he really meant.
Two years had gone by since that summer camp and it was the spring season. Ash's tenth birthday was approaching and so did his graduation from school. Soon enough, he'll begin his journey as a Pokemon Trainer and be declared an adult effectively. Currently, he was cleaning up the family diner after a busy day.
Gary and Elio were much busier these days finding other things to focus their attention on. The only company he had were Leaf and Selene, who had cried herself to sleep and was now resting on Ash's lap.
"Poor girl… isn't it unfair that her and her brother won't be here?" Leaf said with a mix of sadness and indignation.
"I know what you mean. I was surprised too." Ash sighed as he caressed Selene's head.
An hour ago, Selene rushed into the family diner with tears running down her face. She spotted Ash and immediately clung to him, crying intensely. After calming her down for a bit, she explained that her parents had decided they should move out of Pallet Town and live in the Alola Region due to having found a great deal for lodging they couldn't refuse.
Leaf entered the diner after Selene fell asleep and was worried once Ash explained their situation to her.
"They won't even get the chance to be here for our graduation! Not to mention losing their opportunity to become trainers and travel the region with us!" Leaf swung her legs from her seat with irritation.
"I get that…but what are we supposed to do about convincing her parents to stay?" Ash hung his head.
"I…I don't know…" Leaf hung her head defeatedly too.
They sat in silence for a long time. As the sun set and an orange hue colored the sky, Leaf broke the silence.
"Time sure flies, huh? Selene and Elio are going away, and we'll be traveling out into the world on our own soon." She spoke with melancholy. "Nothing stays the same for long."
"Mm…" Ash hummed in agreement so as to not wake up Selene from her peaceful nap.
"Can I tell you something, Ash?" Leaf turned to see him. "I'm becoming a Pokemon Trainer because you and Gary always talk about it. Like how you plan on participating in leagues or becoming champions…I guess I just wanted to follow you two and share your dreams because I didn't want to be left behind. But now that I think about it more carefully, I don't really have a dream for myself." She looked down on the counter.
"You've been hard at thinking, huh." Ash scratched his cheek. "Becoming a Pokemon Trainer seems so obvious to me that I never had any doubts of wanting to become one. But you don't seem to feel the same."
"Don't get me wrong, I'm passionate about Pokemon as much as you and Gary are." Leaf replied. "It's just…I want to be able to have confidence in my choice and the path that I want to follow."
"I see…Well, it's fine isn't it? We're only nine years old. I'm sure you'll find out what you'll really like to do in the future as you learn more about the world when traveling. No need to rush it. And hey, maybe once you challenge the gyms and enter the league, you'll be able to give it your all as a trainer!" Ash reassured her.
Leaf giggled from his encouragement. "You sure have a way with words. You're always so quick to comfort me, Ash."
"Well yeah, we're friends. I'd always be there for you whenever you're down." Ash reaffirmed.
Leaf's smile grew a lot brighter. "That's so you…but I guess you know how to say these things because you say the same things to Selene too, ahaha." She joked.
"Ahaha…"
"..."
"..."
The light from Leaf's eyes dimmed. "Guess you're not gonna say, 'it's not like that' or 'that's not true' and stuff."
"Sorry."
"Don't apologize to me!"
"Did you need something from me, Professor Oak?" Ash asked as he walked into the lab.
"Yes, I did. Thank you for coming when Gary told you."
It had been a month since the sorrowful departure of Selene and Elio from Pallet Town. With those two missing in his daily life, Ash felt more somber these days.
"I was wondering if you'd like to help me in the lab until the day you set off. I'm aware your mother has laid you off from working at the diner, so I thought this would be a good opportunity for you."
Not only was Professor Oak aware of how much free time Ash had, he and Delia were aware of how down he was, so they discreetly hatched a plan for Ash to hang around the lab to help take his mind off the absence of his friends.
"You want me in the lab as your assistant?" Ash was surprised by the proposition.
"Indeed. Knowing your track record, I think it would be alright for you to learn some more and interact with the lab Pokemon."
"My grades aren't that poor." Ash bemoaned.
Professor Oak chuckled. "Oh I don't mean anything of that sort. But I do think you need more experience interacting with Pokemon and how to cherish them."
"…You know what, I'll take you up on your offer." Ash accepted to work as his assistant.
"Good, you'll work together with Leaf during your time here." Professor Oak nodded satisfied.
"Wait, Leaf is here too?"
"That's right. She said she wanted to become closer to Pokemon at any given opportunity." Professor Oak clarified. "What I have available for the two of you is to look after the new batch of starter Pokemons the league provided me."
"Okay, I can do that." Things were looking up for Ash, so he smiled.
Professor Oak made a face as if he was reminded of something important. "Ah, there's also one other unruly Pokemon I'm looking after in the lab." He walked to a podium, pressed some buttons, and a hidden pokeball with a lightning bolt sticker on it popped up.
The pokeball caught the interest of Ash and he was eager to see what was inside.
What was unveiled from the pokeball was a Pikachu with a grumpy expression.
Ash was in awe of the Pokemon, wanting to get a closer look at him. By impulse, he lifted up Pikachu.
"I wouldn't recommend doing that. Pikachu here doesn't trust humans." Professor Oak cautioned hastily.
The warning came too late when Pikachu shocked Ash with Thundershock. Ash fell to the ground in a burnt state and Pikachu hopped off his hands and back to the podium.
"Pika." Grunted Pikachu indifferently. He then widened his eyes when Ash got back up as if nothing happened.
"Wow! That hurt! Pikachu must be really strong!" Ash exclaimed.
Pikachu gawked at the boy's resilience. Even Professor Oak didn't know what to make of Ash's extraordinary resistance to electric shocks. More questions for later.
"I was hoping you can make Pikachu become more friendly to humans. He fell into my hands after being rescued from the mistreatment of poachers. If nothing is to be done, I'd be left with no other choice than to send Pikachu to a nature reserve."
Rarely did Ash express anger, but he was furious to hear of Pikachu being mistreated by others in the past. Pikachu did not like the sympathetic look in Ash's eyes, thinking it was mock pity. So he turned away, not wanting to look at Ash anymore.
"I understand if it's too much for you, Ash. You can stick with caring for the starters like Leaf is if you like."
"Nah…I think I'm going to stick with Pikachu. I'm not willing to give up before trying y'know." Ash grinned with a determination to solve Pikachu's distrust of humans.
A small smile crept up Professor Oak's face. "Very well. Just know that it will take a lot of effort to change Pikachu's mind and earn his trust."
Ash didn't mind. He found the challenge exciting.
For the next several days, he and Leaf worked on their own assignments in the lab. Leaf focused on the starter Pokemon while Ash made himself busy with Pikachu.
He diligently went inside Pikachu's enclosure every day to deliver food. But Pikachu didn't tolerate his presence and kept a strict distance between them. His growls and electricity sparking from his cheeks told enough of his attitude towards the human.
In many cases, Pikachu would get even more aggressive by shocking Ash with Thundershock. The boy's resistance to electricity was uncanny as he didn't flinch at all when it happened, twitching a couple of times before treating it like it was nothing.
But out of the insistence of Professor Oak and Leaf, he had to use precautionary measures when dealing with Pikachu. He wore rubber gloves when having to touch Pikachu and drag him around by tying a rope around him due to his disobedient nature.
Even after so much time, the distance between them didn't feel like it got any shorter. It wasn't all for nothing as Ash learned some things about Pikachu, like how he had a deep-seated revulsion to being inside his pokeball.
One day, Leaf who was watching felt like Ash had done enough. "Ash, why can't you just leave Pikachu alone and look after the starters with me instead?" She didn't think Pikachu was a bad Pokemon, but seeing all of Ash's effort amount to nothing twanged uncomfortably in her heart. She was really worried about his insistence to befriend the electric Pokemon.
"I'm not giving up on Pikachu. I don't want him to continue to live with the idea that he can't open up to humans again. It's too sad to leave it as is." Ash conveyed his unshaken resolve.
"But he's not like the other Pokemon. He's quick to aggression compared to how well-behaved the others are." Leaf argued for him to open his eyes for his own sake.
"You're right, he's not like the other Pokemon." Ash admitted. "That's what makes him even more worth it." Ash smiled and carried on with bringing food to Pikachu.
It flabbergasted Leaf just how stubborn he was. "Ugh, Gary, help me change his mind." She wanted his aid. Their mutual friend was also in the lab reading a book while not acknowledging the two the whole time.
Gary patted his head with the book and sighed. "Seriously, you don't understand, do you?"
"Understand what?" Leaf set her hands on her hips.
"This isn't just about that Pikachu, he's challenging himself."
"Himself?"
Gary spread his arms exasperated. "The Pokemon here in the lab are specifically brought from breeding programs and raised around humans so they can behave when the time comes for them to be picked by trainers starting their journeys. Even the ones from that field in the summer camp we went to interact with humans on a daily basis."
Leaf still wasn't sure where he was getting at, but she remained silent and implored him to continue.
Gary rested his cheek against his knuckle. "However, that Pikachu is a wild Pokemon. Something trainers will run into almost every day. And this one has been hurt deeply by humans and has closed off his heart for them."
"I get that…" Leaf looked down on the floor.
"This means something much more to Ash. If he can't even succeed at saving Pikachu's heart, to him that means he's failed and isn't worthy of being a trainer."
The realization shocked Leaf. "Is that what he's really been thinking all along?"
"Nah, that ain't it." Gary admitted which dumbfounded Leaf. "He's an idiot. He doesn't think deeply about stuff. It's all instinct for him." Gary got up from his chair to leave the lab. "But even I can say that others can learn a thing or two from him."
"..." Leaf had no response to that and dwelled in her own thoughts for a while.
"Professor Oak is gonna kill me!" Ash shouted while sprinting through the streets.
Today he was too careless when tending to Pikachu. He decided from the beginning to leave Pikachu out of his pokeball since he hated it so much. This meant he was almost free to roam the lab when out of his enclosure.
Ash severely underestimated how crafty Pikachu was. Within that time exploring the lab, Pikachu had learned how to unlock the locks and made a break for it when he knocked down Ash by burying him under a heavy amount of lab equipment.
Which led to the present Ash vehemently searching for Pikachu outside with rope in hand.
"Oof!"
"Kyaa!"
In his self-admonishing and distracting thoughts, he was too careless of his surroundings and ran into Leaf who was on her way to the lab.
"Ash!? What's wrong?" Leaf groaned from the ground while rubbing her rear.
"Pikachu! He escaped from the lab!"
"What!?" Leaf bolted up to her feet.
"Yeah, I'm in serious trouble. And he could be in serious trouble too!" Ash grabbed Leaf's shoulders. "You have to help me!"
"Me? But…"
"Please!" He nearly begged her.
Leaf's head was reeling at just how far Ash was willing to go for that Pikachu. It was admirable and honestly stupid in her opinion. Then her thoughts went back to what Gary said.
But even I can say that others can learn a thing or two from him.
She held her breath, hesitating, but letting out a sigh in the end. "Alright, tell me where I should search for him."
"Thank you, Leaf!" It relieved Ash to have his friend's help.
The two split up to cover more ground. Ash was much faster on his feet than Leaf, so he searched around Pallet Town while Leaf searched for the outskirts right before the wilderness.
Ash spared no corners from his search. He arrived at the school, the diner, and even the local streets.
That's when he smacked his own head at his own stupidity. This was Pikachu, he hated humans, why would he ever want to remain around human settlements in the first place? His own hot-headed and impulsive nature might as well have cost him the chance to find the Pokemon.
So he rushed out to the outskirts and stepped into the forest without thinking.
The excessive scrounging around for a single Pikachu caused him to get dirty quickly with leaves and dirt clinging to his body as he trudged onwards.
"Kyaaaaaaa!"
"Leaf!?" Ash snapped his head to the direction of his friend's voice. A chill ran up his spine from the terror behind the scream.
He bolted straight towards where he heard Leaf and arrived at a clearing. He froze from what he saw.
Leaf was down on the ground, paralyzed in fear. Pikachu looked to have been immobilized with wounds scattered across his body. His tail laid limp on the ground as did his ears.
And looming above them was an imposing Arbok, flickering its tongue in the air as it drank in Leaf's fear in her eyes with sadistic glee.
Arbok. A giant Arbok. What's it doing here so close to Pallet Town.
Information flashed through Ash's head instantly from the adrenaline pumping through his veins and brain.
It is rumored that the ferocious warning markings on its belly differ from area to area. The frightening patterns on its belly have been studied. Six variations have been confirmed. If it encounters an enemy, it raises its head, intimidating the opponent with the frightening pattern on its body.
He was never good at retaining what he was taught at school, but now it came flooding into his head so naturally.
Transfixingpreywiththeface-likepatternonitsbelly, itbindsandpoisonsthefrightenedvictim. Withaveryvengefulnature, itwon'tgiveupthechase, nomatterhowfar, onceittargetsitsprey. Tointimidatefoes, itspreadsitschestwideandmakeseeriesoundsbyexpellingairfromitsmouth.
Somewhere deep within the recesses of his mind, something had been unlocked with a click.
Fear. Fear was what allowed for it to happen. Fear from what, he thought to himself.
His eyes were transfixed to Leaf and Pikachu.
If only I looked after Pikachu better, he wouldn't be in danger of getting eaten. If only I didn't drag Leaf into my mess, she wouldn't be in so much fear. If only I relied on an adult, they would've found a better way to find Pikachu. If only I stopped to think more clearly, I would've found Pikachu much faster to avoid all of this. It's all my fault.
And most importantly.
They're going to get killed because of me.
The fear from those two dying brought Ash back to his senses.
The Arbok moved. It leapt for Leaf.
A body cut in between them.
A thick branch was lodged between the Pokemon's jaws.
"A-Ash!" Leaf belatedly realized and acknowledged her savior in front of her.
Ash grit his teeth and stood his ground. The grip on the branch he picked up was firm. He halted the Arbok.
But the biting force of the Arbok crushed the branch in two. For the price of breaking it, Ash lanced a kick at its body.
The Arbok was pushed back.
It didn't immediately register the utter nonsense it felt just now. That boy packed a lot of power in such a small frame!
Ash did not deign to turn around to address his friend. "Leaf, you need to get away from here. Tell Professor Oak, an adult, someone. They will know what to do."
"N-No, you need to come with me!" She argued back in a panic.
"I can't. An Arbok doesn't stop its chase. I have to remain behind." Ash firmly denied her.
No you don't. Because…
Leaf couldn't say it. She didn't have it in her to tell Ash to abandon Pikachu to his fate. It's not like she wanted Pikachu to die either, but no matter how she saw it, they were too powerless to change anything.
Ash inspected the two split branches in his hand. Each had one end that was sharp.
Leaf looked up to his straight back. It was immovable and refused to turn around, she knew that. She wanted to ask anyway.
With a trembling voice, she asked. "Why…"
"Because I made up my mind. Now get going!"
With her limbs still shaking, Leaf got on her feet. She looked down on the ground and spilled her tears, fists clenched.
The girl followed his words and ran the way back.
That's good. I won't have to worry about her anymore.
Ash stared straight ahead.
Pikachu watched it all happen.
Arbok flicked its tongue.
One of Ash's fingers twitched. Arbok reacted immediately and raised its head.
His skin went cold. Beads of sweat dripped down his body. His eyes wavered.
The imposing figure of a larger predator. The ability Intimidate. The move Glare.
Ash could not move a muscle. All of his nerves went limp. The branches fell from his loose fingers.
Arbok turned its head and ignored him. Its eyes fell on Pikachu.
His blood boiled. Heat returned. Grit his teeth and glared. He wanted to snarl.
Move.
In small twitches, his body responded to his will.
Move. Move.
His body felt frozen in time. It didn't matter. Break it. Break his bones if he must.
Move! Move! Move!
Motion returned to him. He moved forward. Gradually, the notion of walking returned. His heavy foot stomped the ground and left an imprint.
Arbok turned to the sound. It was shocked. The boy advanced with his intense glare locked on it.
On instinct, it opened its mouth and released Poison Sting. White needles filled with poison on the tips soared through the air.
They pierced Ash's skin and were embedded on his face and body. The poison seeped into his veins. The continuous barrage of needles was never ending.
But he never backed down. It didn't slow him. His stride became even faster. His expression intensified. He ignored the wounds riddling his body and the pain.
Arbok was shocked to the core. A slight tremble went and gone. It moved back.
Wait…moved back? From this human boy?
For the briefest of moments, the outline of Ash's body glowed blue and the last of the restraints on him was forcibly broken. He had all of his motor ability back and lunged for the Arbok.
Ash tussled Arbok to the ground and pulled out the rope. He went for its back to ride it. The rope captured its body.
Extreme anger coursed inside Arbok with a hiss. With the strong muscles of a reptile, it lifted its body up and fell back down with its back.
Ash was slammed down to the ground. His body felt heavy. He strenuously tried to stand back up. He raised his head and met Pikachu's eyes.
Ash moved his trembling lips, spitting out blood. "Pikachu…you need to run." He softened his eyes to encourage him.
Pikachu's eyes wavered. He thought back to all the times this human interacted with him. The realization that Ash was sincerely trying to connect with him finally hit him. Now, Ash was putting his life on the line to save him. Even though he had never given anything back for Ash's kindness.
He had never felt this much unconditional love from another. Not since Kanghaskan adopted him when he was a Pichu.
He was touched by Ash's kindness and courage. How could he not repay this? He had an obligation and he would never stand for it, or else he'll regret it for his entire life.
The Arbok was going to attack Ash again. Power surged inside Pikachu and refreshed him. He got on all fours and jumped on Ash's back and used it as a platform to jump towards Arbok.
"Pikapiiiiiii!"
Pikachu tackled Arbok and released the strongest Thundershock he ever used.
Arbok reared its body back from the pain and paralysis, but its strength was commendable as it straightened its back with renewed anger.
Pain and weariness wreaked Pikachu's body, but he stood his ground between it and Ash in a protective manner.
Ash didn't believe his own eyes, but he formed a proud grin despite his cheek muscles feeling like lead.
He stood up, his form strong and firm, and jabbed a finger at Arbok. "Let it be known, Arbok. I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town, and I'm the trainer who's going to become a Pokemon Master."
"Pikapi!"
Pokemon Master? Was that what Ash dreamed of becoming? If so, then Pikachu will use all of his power and potential to realize it with him. It was the least he could do.
At that moment, human and Pokemon became one.
"We'll never stop here! We've got our whole future waiting for us! Not even death can stop us!" Ash roared vigorously. He never felt so refreshed before even with all the pain riddled across his body.
And Pikachu answered his resolve with one more Thundershock at Arbok, pouring out all of the electricity he stored in his cheek for this last attack.
The pained yell of a reptile echoed across the entire forest.
Even with parts of its body charred from the electricity, Arbok remained standing unsteadily.
The light from Ash and Pikachu's eyes did not dim in the slightest. They were ready to fight to the bitter end.
A bang echoed nearby.
Something fast and small pierced Arbok. It hissed in pain at the unexpected attack.
Several more bangs occurred and more small objects drove themselves through Arbok.
Ash widened his eyes as he saw Gary walking into view. In his hand he held a gun aimed at Arbok. His face was darkened with the coldest eyes Ash had seen on him and fury marred his face in a scowl that promised hell.
"Look out, Gary!" Ash called out to him when Arbok slithered towards him in anger.
"You bastard…" Gary cursed at the Arbok. He raised his Max Repel and sprayed right at its face when it came right in front of him. Arbok flinched back and hissed in pain when the spray got caught in its eye.
Putting away the pistol, Gary took the Ultra Ball from his belt and enlarged it, then threw it right at Arbok. The violent and voracious Pokemon was sucked in and even after struggling three times, it was caught.
Seeing the situation having finally defused, Ash breathed a sigh of relief. When he relaxed his body, he had never felt so drained before. He had no more strength and lurched forward.
"ASH!? SHIT! DON'T PASS OUT!"
"Pika!?"
Gary shouted at Ash and Pikachu cried in concern, but at that point, he was no longer aware of anything.
Ash blacked out.
Delia had already been present inside the hospital, worried sick as she waited for the return of her son. Similarly, a tear-stricken Leaf was by Delia's side while the older woman was comforting her.
When they both saw the figure of Professor Oak in the distance, a sense of relief came over them before it felt like cold water was splashed on them. Gary next to him was carrying Ash over his shoulder and Pikachu was carried by Oak. Delia screeched at the state her son was in and Leaf covered her mouth with her hands, tearing up even more than before.
The boy and Pokemon were carried away by the doctors for treatment immediately. Gary had an ugly expression when seeing them stuck in those hospital beds.
It didn't help his mood when the two females next to him cried non-stop.
"DAMN IT!" Gary slammed his fist at the glass window. He was aware his outburst was pointless since it wouldn't change anything, but he was too consumed with rage and regret to think rationally.
He watched Ash through the glass window, the boy was excessively bandaged all over to the point his face was obscured. The heartbeat monitor erratically beeped and gave people uncertainty of his state.
"You better not let it end like this! Your journey hasn't even begun yet!" Gary shouted and turned around, not able to bear with the sight of his friend in his broken state any longer. "I won't allow it…!" He walked out of the hospital to catch some air.
A week had passed by since the incident. The first to recover was Pikachu in just a few days. While the Pokemon was discharged and was supposed to be sent back to Professor Oak's lab, he refused to leave Ash's side.
The staff didn't know what to do after seeing the intense loyalty Pikachu displayed for the bedridden boy, so they left it alone as it proved to be harmless during its recovery period.
Every day Ash's friends and family would visit the hospital to check on his state. The one who frequented the most were Leaf and Delia.
Leaf felt the most responsible for leaving Ash in this state because she ran away. Delia admonished her however, saying that if it wasn't for her calling for support, then Gary and Professor Oak would not have arrived on time to save Ash and Pikachu. In fact, she played a vital role in allowing for Ash to still be breathing.
Speaking of breathing, in just a few days, Ash's state stabilized much to the huge relief of everybody. What confounded the doctors the most was his unnatural recovery speed. From their experience and medical expertise, the wounds Ash sustained were so severe and the poison that coursed through his body for so long were determined to be enough to leave him bedridden for months or a few years at worst.
But all of the poison was decomposed in his body and disappeared on the third day as if they were never there. Even the wounds completely disappeared on the sixth day without a trace.
This hadn't bothered any of Ash's friends and family besides Professor Oak, they brushed it off as a miracle and celebrated with joy now that Ash was on his way to a complete recovery soon.
On the ninth day, Ash woke up. Everybody rushed in the room to find him acting like his usual cheery self and greeting them with a bright smile as if the incident didn't leave any lasting damage on him.
Words could not describe just how happy Leaf and Delia were to see him moving, breathing, living, and smiling again. Leaf trapped him in a bear hug the first chance she had, crying out every last tear she had left in relief. Ash responded back awkwardly by patting her back.
Pikachu cuddled up to him and gave cute cries, glad to see Ash was well again. Ash was overjoyed that Pikachu made the initiative on his own to touch another human, him especially.
Gary was back to his casual self, not having any overt reactions to Ash's complete recovery. It even annoyed Ash that he picked up some fruit from the gift baskets meant for him and ate them. He told Ash the Arbok that hurt him and Pikachu was captured by him and sent away to somewhere far away, never to bother them or Pallet Town again much to his relief.
His mother went on to lecture him on how reckless he was and that his actions made her very worried for these past few days that she lost sleep. Ash had no way of talking back to her, so he repeatedly apologized to his mother and that was enough for Delia to let him off with just that.
Professor Oak congratulated Ash on his recovery and went to remind everybody that he needed his own space to relax. Everybody shuffled out except for Pikachu which Ash requested for him to stay, and they all respected his choice.
"I'm glad to see you be so healthy again, buddy." Ash said to Pikachu gently.
"Pika." Pikachu nodded, happy that both of them survived the worst.
"But wow, nine days, huh? I must've missed out on a lot." Ash scratched his cheek, lost in thought.
"Pi-pika." Pikachu separated from him and stood on the bed in front of him. He made some gestures and noises, causing Ash to cross his arms and tilt his head as he mused over what Pikachu was trying to communicate to him.
"You're saying you want to stay with me?" Ash asked.
"Pi-pika, Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded vehemently.
The response brightened Ash's eyes. It felt like all of his efforts were rewarded for this moment. He was so moved that he sniffled a few times to rein in his emotions.
"Of course I accept you, Pikachu! You're going to be my partner from now on!" Ash cheered from the bottom of his heart.
"Pikachu!" Pikachu lifted his arms up in a happy mood too and danced.
During that blissful moment between them, a gentle breeze entered the open window next to Ash's bed. The two of them looked out to see from a distance in the sky a golden figure flying by. It was an unbelievably majestic and noble creature, as if all the rainbows in the world were condensed into that bird's wings.
For Ash and Pikachu, it was like time froze for them to admire the beautiful creature for as long as they wanted.
Their eyes widened when the bird graced them a side-eye before vanishing the next instant like a phantom.
Ash blinked, not really coming to the conclusion of what he just saw was real or not. But in the next moment, a feather fluttered towards him, through the open window, and fell gently on his hand.
He lifted it up to his face so that he and Pikachu could see it much closer.
That confirmed it. It was real beyond a doubt. A moment that was truly special between them and them alone.
Afterword:
If you have any questions be sure to include them in the reviews.