After the strange encounter with Frieren, Ash Ketchum was finally beginning to believe that his life as the Monarch would never be normal again. Two visitors in as many days, each more bizarre than the last, had left Ash feeling weary.

It was now early evening, and the sky outside had dimmed into a soft twilight. Ash sat on his couch, trying to relax while Pikachu and Lucario stretched out nearby. His house was finally quiet, and Ash hoped it would stay that way.

"Okay, no more weird visitors today," Ash muttered to himself, though part of him knew that wish wouldn't come true. "Just one peaceful night, please."

As if on cue, a sudden noise echoed through the house—not a knock this time, but the sound of something small and metallic. Ash's ears perked up. It sounded like…

"Is that the window?" Ash said aloud.

He rushed to the source of the noise and sure enough, saw that one of his living room windows had been opened just slightly. A pair of gloved hands slid through, followed by a lithe, blonde figure slipping through with practiced ease. The intruder was light on his feet and carried a mischievous grin that practically sparkled in the fading light. His tail—yes, a tail—flicked playfully behind him.

"Zidane Tribal, at your service!" the thief said with a dramatic bow. "And it seems I've already found what I was looking for—Ash Ketchum, the Monarch, right?"

Ash blinked, completely caught off guard. "Who… what? How did you get in here?"

Zidane's grin widened. "Through the window, of course. You should really lock those, you know. Not that it would've stopped me."

The young thief brushed off his shoulder, his silver armor glinting faintly under his cloak. His clothing was a curious blend of practicality and flashiness, much like the man himself. He looked relaxed, but there was a sharpness in his eyes that told Ash he was more than just a performer.

"So, you're not here for a fight, are you?" Ash asked warily, still standing near the window.

Zidane chuckled and shook his head. "Nah, not my style. Fighting's fun, but I like a challenge that gets the brain going. I'm a thief, remember? I was thinking more along the lines of… let's say a test."

"A test?" Ash repeated, crossing his arms. "What kind of test?"

Zidane sauntered over to the middle of the room, spinning in place dramatically before pointing a finger at Ash. "I've heard you're the Monarch, which means you've got something valuable around here—something worth protecting. I wanna see if you can keep me from stealing it."

Ash frowned, realizing this guy was serious. "You came all this way to test me by… stealing something?"

"Exactly!" Zidane exclaimed. "Think of it as a game. You try to stop me from taking something important, and if you do, I'll leave peacefully. If you can't… well, maybe you're not as sharp as the title 'Monarch' makes you out to be, huh?"

Ash's eyes narrowed, and his competitive spirit flared. If there was one thing he couldn't back down from, it was a challenge—even one as unconventional as this. "Fine," he said, standing tall. "You're on. But what are you planning to steal?"

Zidane raised an eyebrow. "Hmm, how about that Pikachu of yours?"

"Pikachu?" Ash immediately looked down at his partner, who blinked back up at him, confused but alert. "No way! There's no chance you're taking Pikachu!"

Zidane grinned, his tail flicking mischievously behind him. "Let's see if you can stop me, then."

Before Ash could react, Zidane moved—fast. His lithe form darted across the room in a blur, making a beeline for Pikachu. Ash barely had time to shout before the thief was already halfway there, his agility and reflexes clearly honed by years of experience.

"Pikachu, dodge!" Ash commanded instinctively.

"Pika!" Pikachu leaped into action, vaulting away just as Zidane reached out to grab him. The thief skidded to a stop, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Not bad! But let's see how long you can keep up!"

Zidane's quick movements had Ash and Pikachu on high alert. The thief was already circling the room, looking for another opportunity to snatch Pikachu, his every step light and fluid. Ash's heart raced—this wasn't like any battle he'd faced before. He had to think fast.

"Lucario, keep an eye on him!" Ash called.

Lucario, who had been meditating nearby, snapped his eyes open and stood up, his aura sensing Zidane's presence. Zidane, seeing the steely-eyed Pokémon watching him, smirked. "Oh, two against one now? I like those odds."

Lucario's eyes followed Zidane's every movement as the thief darted from side to side, feinting and dodging as he tried to find an opening. Zidane leaped into the air, attempting to dive toward Pikachu again, but this time Lucario was ready. With a quick motion, Lucario unleashed an Aura Sphere that flew straight at Zidane.

The thief twisted midair, narrowly avoiding the attack, but the blast of aura clipped the edge of his cloak, causing him to lose balance. Zidane landed on his feet, his tail swishing in annoyance.

"Oof, that was close," he muttered, shaking off the momentary stumble. "You guys don't mess around."

Ash smirked. "I've got some pretty strong friends. You're not getting Pikachu that easily."

Zidane's eyes gleamed with determination. "We'll see about that."

With a quick flick of his wrist, Zidane pulled out a handful of throwing daggers, but instead of aiming them directly at Ash or his Pokémon, he tossed them into the air, where they ricocheted off the walls and shelves, creating a series of distractions. The daggers hit objects all around the room, knocking over picture frames, books, and even a potted plant, causing chaos.

Ash tried to follow Zidane's movements through the flurry of distractions, but the thief was already on the move again, slipping through the chaos like a shadow. Pikachu darted left and right, avoiding the falling objects, while Lucario calmly deflected any incoming projectiles with quick strikes.

Ash grit his teeth, realizing Zidane was trying to throw them off balance. "He's fast, but we can still catch him. Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Lucario, use Extreme Speed to cover him!"

Pikachu's cheeks sparked as he unleashed a burst of electricity, filling the room with crackling energy. At the same time, Lucario dashed forward at blinding speed, aiming to intercept Zidane before he could make another grab for Pikachu.

Zidane, however, was already ahead of them. With a fluid backflip, he narrowly dodged Pikachu's Thunderbolt, the lightning crackling just inches away from him. As Lucario sped toward him, Zidane spun gracefully, using his tail to spring off the nearby wall and vault over the Aura Pokémon, landing lightly on the other side of the room.

"Nice try," Zidane said with a smirk, his voice full of playful confidence. "But you'll have to do better than that!"

Ash's mind raced. Zidane was quicker than he anticipated, and his ability to think on his feet made him a tricky opponent. But Ash wasn't ready to give up.

"Alright, if it's speed you want…" Ash's eyes lit up with determination. "Pikachu, Quick Attack! Lucario, let's go with Bone Rush!"

Pikachu dashed forward in a blur of motion, zigzagging unpredictably toward Zidane. Lucario followed suit, summoning an energy staff and closing the gap between them in seconds. Zidane's eyes widened slightly, realizing he was being cornered.

In a flash, Pikachu was on him, aiming for a tackle, while Lucario swung his staff with precision. Zidane, though caught off-guard by their speed, managed to duck under Lucario's attack and rolled to the side just as Pikachu struck.

But this time, Ash had anticipated Zidane's dodge.

"Pikachu, Iron Tail!"

"Pika!" Pikachu spun mid-air, his tail glowing bright silver as he brought it down toward Zidane.

The thief grinned, narrowly dodging again, but as he landed, he found himself face-to-face with Lucario, whose Bone Rush strike came crashing down.

With no time to fully dodge, Zidane was forced to block with his daggers, crossing them in front of him. Lucario's staff hit hard, and though Zidane managed to deflect most of the force, the impact knocked him backward. He skidded across the floor, his usually perfect balance thrown off.

Ash saw his chance. "Now, Pikachu, Thunderbolt again!"

This time, the bolt of electricity struck true. Zidane's daggers sparked as they absorbed some of the blow, but the lightning still coursed through him, causing him to wince in pain. He collapsed to one knee, breathing heavily, but still managed to keep his signature smirk.

"Okay, okay… you win," Zidane admitted, raising his hands in surrender. "I won't be taking Pikachu today."

Ash exhaled, relieved. "You gave us a real challenge, Zidane. You're pretty quick."

Zidane laughed, standing up and brushing himself off. "You're not too bad yourself, Ash. For a Monarch, you're pretty sharp."

The tension in the room finally eased as Zidane's playful demeanor returned in full. Despite the intensity of the "game," there was no malice behind the thief's actions—only a genuine desire to test his skills against Ash and his team.

"So, what now?" Ash asked, as Pikachu hopped onto his shoulder, still sparking a little.

Zidane shrugged. "Guess I'll stick around a little longer. You never know when a good challenge might pop up again."