Author's Notes


Salutations, readers! Been a while, huh?

To explain where I've been for the last... 2 months(?), lemme detail the timeline since the last chapter.

First off, I was job-hunting like crazy. And recently, it paid off and after an interview, they were willing to hire me!
(Engineering is a tough market, kids. Go business for easy mode.)

Next, as you may or may not know, I'm a BIG Hololive fan. So Amelia Watson's departure took a strong hit on my psyche since I was there when Myth debuted.
But since it wasn't a graduation, I can meme on STRONG RETURN. It did bring me down for a while.

Now, the last thing that was dragging on in my head was... Fated's Johto season.

I'll be completely transparent here: Johto sucks. Yeah I said it, fight me!

Idk man, I played HGSS before and lemme tell ya, it was a slogfest to grind.
It made Johto pretty unpopular to me and the only form of enjoyment I got from the games were the Red battle and Frontier Brain.

Now, what does this have to do with Fated?
The fact that I'm afraid I'd never be able to escape this season and move to Hoenn, which is far more entertaining.

Right now, I fear boring you guys and having y'all to wait this long for a chapter that's (in my eyes) lacklustre is pretty shameful.
After this, I wanna speed things along faster so that we can reach Johto's last arc.

So yeah. That's what I've been up to.


Reviews


AsoenixKnight:
Hoo boy, next chapter looks like it's gonna be chaotic as all get-out, and I'm here for it! Out of curiosity, though, seeing as you have Fated!Ash as a tokusatsu fan (an awesomely fun touch, by the way), what would you classify as his favorite Sentai and Kamen Rider series, respectively?


Thanks for the review, Asoenix!

Ash being a tokusatsu fan just make sense for some reason so I added that in.

For Sentai, Timerangers would be his favourite.
As for Kamen, gotta be honest, I've never really followed much on the Riders but based on what my friends had said about them, probably Den-O (cuz who doesn't like trains) or OOO.


perseusdiangelo007:
So happy to see another update in a relatively short amount of time from the last one. Glad to have guessed that bit about Ash inheriting the 3 faces from Zacian and especially happy to pinpoint that his love for Serena is kind of what keeps him sane. Yeah, I agree that Cynthia and Serena are most alike in physical aspects, however, as you said, I did believe that Serena will eventually pick up some things from Cynthia since not only is she learning from her, but they're also cohabiting from time to time. Never thought about it but yeah, the thing with stats really makes it a bit stale since it means you just gotta get a higher stat than the opponent and you basically have them beat.

Daisy really did Ash dirty by having them go on so called "dates" and leaving him oblivious to how that's defined by society. Enjoyed the scene of Ash going to sleep (to train) and having everyone talking about him. Storm Slash really just shows how much you wanna give Ash the Yuuji treatment and I loved how excited he got at the prospect of clearing this quest to get the rewards. Really liked how sweet Ash is with Eri and how he associates her with Blue. Great way to end the chapter (especially Brendan and Misty's reaction), excited for the next one.


Thanks, perseus! Really like you reviews, it's nice to read.

Yeah, gotta hand it to you. Deducing some pretty huge lore bits this early in the story is crazy.
But this is something I can reveal now. Legendaries have traits tied to their powers or legends that may be passed to their Incarnations such as Zacian's 3 Faces.

Serena mirroring Cynthia is also obvious. I'm planning it in a way such that when the two lovebirds meet, the awkwardness and over-the-top reactions would be gone.
It'd be two mature characters flirting back and forth with SO MUCH tension, it'd instead make it awkward for anyone else other than Ash and Serena.
(VERY AGGRESSIVE FLIRTING BTW)

And yes, stat checking is some BS.
You have 68 STR? Well I got 69 in STR, I win. (It's why I tend to avoid PvP in MMOs)

Daisy is basically Ash's foster mom/sister so a lot of stuff he learns is through her, kinda like Goblin Slayer with his sister (without the 'stuff' ofc).
But yes, he gets done dirty by her A LOT more future.

Ash sleeping to train while everyone talks about him is actually also my favourite part to write.
It highlights just how much Ash is the connection between regional friends like Brendan with the Kanto crew (M03) and now Johto crew and Eri through Bea.

Not only that, it is just the beginning of Ash's relationships with others. It gets better in the future when a lot of people Ash has met and befriended meet and talk about him.

[Storm Slash] is basically that one Yuji panel in the manga. Now imagine Ash teaching one of his Pokémon that in the future. Bro is about to job change from Faker to Slasher.
It also makes sense why Ash would be excited since what kid wouldn't, right? Ash shows a lot of childlike behaviour now because it'd get rarer as the years pass.
(Better enjoy it while it lasts...)

Ash does liken Eri to Blue a lot. Even in the future.
Team Star secret founder btw lmao.


Tainan republic:

Ayyyyyy! Third chapter, LETS GOOOOOO!

But damn, daisy really messed up ash but I'm all here for it

the date was cute and the payoff is gonna so good, wonder how it's gonna split off from canon

The last bit was definitely made with cocaine, caffeine, and sleep deprivation and it was overflowing with confidence, nice touch as eri needs that self esteem

And I will say this once again, this is one of the best fanfics I have had the honor of reading. And I'm being real, it hits that itch of good story, writing, character development, and quality( the best) and I'm proud to say that this up there with the anceiverse series

Also, this fanfic among others helps keep me moving forwards as I've been dealing with some mental problems recently (undiagnosed depression, not really sure) and the urge to end it all by suicide, but this fanfic, along with my family, future, and my mom keep me going, so thank you for unknowingly providing an anchor for me, I am truly grateful to be watching it grow and me alongside with it, I truly thank you from the bottom of my heart, and keep cooking, for you are a great writer, o7

P.s The "date" was cute as hell and dammit, Larvitar must be protected at all costs! Pls spare him from the trauma for as long as possible.. pls don't traumatize him

P.s.s Where can I get some of the stuff leaking from the website cuz I'm pretty sure imma need this stuff for my assignments

Update, got diagnosed with depression and anxiety a few weeks ago, got meds, currently doing better, sorry for worrying you


Aww, thanks for the message, Tainan.
Glad you're doing better with depression and anxiety.

I'm not gonna pretend and say I understand depression since I've never been diagnosed with it, but anxiety is something I'm familiar with.
Anxiety by itself isn't uncommon, but combine that with the curse of self-awareness ad you open a whole new can of worms.

Now, since thsi fic is an anchor for you, lemme tell you this:
Suicide is omega cringe, don't do it. You're hurting your family by doing so. (wow, I suck at giving advice)

Ancienverse is top tier, no doubt. Fated's peak probably can't beat it, but hey! If you and the other readers like it, then it's good enough for me.

Fated was never meant to be the next big Amour fic (That's the job for the writers who have experience in writing).
It's just a crazy dude's wish fulfillment for Amour and Fate route.

Anyways, super happy you're doing well and make sure to rely on your family and friends whenever you're down. Or read this fic.


Rajiv A. Rajaram:
Chapter 79: Been a while since I read a chapter but damn you've got it going and did a wonderful job with M3. I'll try and catch up soon enough but it was good. Love the nods to Paldea and even Masters Ex. The battle was intense and I love how you give Ash his hero entrances. Makes my boy a total badass. Keep it up!

Chapter 80: Shorter chapter but I enjoyed the challenge Ash had against Morty and this upcoming battle with Brendan. I see you haven't posted in a couple months so I hope all is well! I'm trying to catch up asap on my end. Cute Serena scenes with her bow btw.


Hey, Rajiv! Man, it's been a long time.

Glad you liked M03, sure was a pain in the ass to write since I had to basically write a whole new script for it to make sense.
Ash getting his hero entrances is good and all, but might I interest you in: 𝓥𝓲𝓵𝓵𝓪𝓲𝓷 entrances in the future?

Basically Ash's entrances in the perspective of the bad guys. Shit would go so hard.

Paldea nods are a given, but turtle boi's lore is kinda wonky to write with the new Horizons and all. And as for EX, you're gonna be seeing some Domain Expansions this chapter.

As for chapter 80, there's actually a running gag that Ash will always be EXTREMELY CLOSE to Mega Evolution but he won't actually see it for himself until Kalos.

Brendan vs Ash will be a sight to see so keep reading.

And as for that chapter being short, it's mostly an info dump on Ghost Types and the Towers history. Not only that, it also shows how versatile an Ability can be like Cursed Body.

In a nutshell, it's all up to the Trainer's interpretation. Just like Froakie's Variation of a bow instead of Misty's inclination towards guns.


And that's about it, see ya.


Chapter 84: Training Quest (3)


"Well, now that everyone's present, let's begin the Tag Battle between our students Terri and Kyle and these… two," Chuck played along.
"Are you two ready?"

The wrestler girl nodded while her partner grinned in response.

"Then let's begin this Standard Tag Battle!"

"Primeape, get ready!" Eri summoned her Pokémon.

"Heracross, I choose you!" Ash followed her lead.

Their opponents sent out two familiar Pokémon to Ash.
A humanoid who specialized in kicks and another with punches.

"Hitmonlee and Hitomonchan…" Eri recognized as well.

From the sidelines, Brendan scanned Eri's Pokémon.

]=[

Primeape, the Pig Monkey Pokémon

It will never forgive opponents who have angered it. Even after it has beaten them down until they can't move, it never ever forgives. When Primeape becomes furious, its blood circulation is boosted. In turn, its muscles are made even stronger. However, it also becomes much less intelligent at the same time. The blood vessels in its brain are sturdier than those of other Pokémon, so it can stay healthy despite its constant raging.

]=[

Then to the other two Pokémon.

]=[

Hitmonlee, the Kicking Pokémon

It has complete control over the ligaments in its legs, expanding and contracting them to double the reach of its kicks. After battle, it rubs down its legs and loosens the muscles to overcome fatigue. If it starts kicking repeatedly, both legs will stretch even longer to strike a fleeing foe.

]=[

]=[

Hitmonchan, the Punching Pokémon

Its punches slice the air. They are launched at such high speed, even a slight graze could cause a burn. When Hitmonchan twists its arm while throwing a punch, the blow will pulverize even concrete. The Pokémon rests after three minutes of fighting.

]=[

"Kyle, let's go!" Terri shouted, a demanding tone similar to an order.

"Y-Yeah!" her boyfriend nodded, following her lead.

'That's the first time I've heard him speak,' Misty noted.

However, before Hitmonlee could join Hitmonchan, a sudden blur of blue intercepted the former's path.

"Yo, Spineless Boyfriend! Let's play!" the raven-haired boy grinned.

'In an instant?!' the two opponents were shocked at the beetle's speed.

But they were wrong.
It was not Heracross that was fast, but a premeditated move.

"Don't wanna interrupt the precious gal time, do we?!"

The unhinged expression on Ash's face unnerved Kyle as Heracross put his claws together.

"We'll make the first move! [Helping Hand]!"

Clap, clap!

Two beats of the claws surged with strength.
But it did not stay with the beetle for long as the transfer began…
…towards his partner.

Ash flashed a nasty smirk.

'A support move! He used 1 of his 4 moves for that?' Terri turned to the boy.

At this, the desert-haired teen realized its effect as she turned back to Primeape.
Hitmonchan was too late to react to a fist racing towards its face.

"[Rage Fist]!" Eri commanded.

A punch infused with spectral energy slammed into its target, sending Hitmonchan staggering back in pain.

BAAAAM!

"Urgh! Hitmonchan!" Terri cried out.

The crackle that followed the fist echoed across the dojo, highlighting the empowered attack courtesy of [Helping Hand].

"Thank you, A- I mean, Imm*rtan Ash!" Eri beamed in delight.

Her partner did not turn towards her, seemingly enjoying harassing Kyle, but still managed to wave back to her as if to say 'No problem'.

Even if his attention was on his opponent, Ash had some degree of awareness towards his partner.

Noticing this were the veterans.

"Huh, so he did learn something," the redhead commented to herself.
'A Trainer like Ash would have his undivided attention to his opponent, a one-tracked mind. While not necessarily a bad thing, it is detrimental in a Tag Battle, especially when coordinating with another Trainer,' she observed further.

"Help her, Hitmonlee!" he directed his kicker.

Before the ovoid humanoid could move, Heracross blocked its way.

"Damnit, [Blaze Kick]!"

A flaming foot prepared to swing in an arc.

'At this distance?' the face-painted boy noticed the large gap between them.

Before its execution, the Pokémon's springlike leg extended, aiming the attack at the insectoid.

'Bet you didn't know about Hitmonlee's spring legs!' Kyle was assured in his sucessful hit.

As a PokéDex holder, it was assumed that Ash would have knowledge about such a thing. However, the boy was not really the studious type so seeing Hitmonlee's surprise gimmick was new to him.

However…

'This…' the raven-haired boy displayed a shocked expression.
'This is so slow!'

After numerous experiences with virtual death, Ash Ketchum's reaction time was nearly indistinguishable from Mind's Eye.

In short…
He was able to react without missing a thought.

As mirroring was the core of their battle style, Heracross surrendered his body to copy his Trainer. Even if he was unable to react, the beetle had faith that his Trainer would be able to.

And it paid off when his body moved involuntarily to match Ash.

No moves were used. Only a slight position change forward.

The swing of [Blaze Kick] was now behind Heracross. But the boy was not finished yet.

Raising his arm, the springlike limb contacted it first before the attack could reach its intended destination.

The raised arm acting as a fulcrum and the elastic nature of Hitmonlee's leg.
Both contributed to the zooming [Blaze Kick] that was speeding towards Hitmonlee.

"Return to sender," Ash chuckled evilly.

WHACK!

The flaming kick landed onto Hitmonlee's ovoid body, damaging it like a cracking whip.
Luckily, as it was the humanoid's own attack, it did not deal as much damage as intended.

"How… How did you?" Kyle questioned.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

An obnoxious laughter cackled.

'Annoying…' Misty grumbled.

'So annoying...' Brendan grimaced.

The raven-haired boy glanced at his partner for a moment.
Seeing as she and Primeape were holding their own, he spoke.

"A pulley. That's basically your trump card," Ash said as bluntly as possible.
"It's a really neat trick but it doesn't matter if your opponent is aware."

'I can't tell him this is my first time seeing this…' he scratched his nose.

"He was definitely surprised just now," Misty eyed the boy suspiciously.

"Yep, he's even scratching his nose," Brendan confirmed.

Those who knew him were onto his lie.

Kyle could only grit his teeth in anguish.

'He's just a kid, but he is definitely someone who competed in the Grand League,' he gulped.
'Our skill differences are like night and day!'

Grab!

"Sawa?!" Hitmonlee felt his leg being pulled.

"Hey, ya didn't think we're done here, right?"

Ash and Heracross' eyes twinkled with mischief.

"Since you're offering your leg…!"

'Is he?!' Kyle widened his eyes in horror.

"It'd be rude to refuse it, right?!"

Like a lasso, the blue beetle began to spin the humanoid using his stretched leg.

"KEHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! THIS ALL YA GOT?!"

The combination of an unpleasant grin and his face paint was really something.

"STRUGGLE MORE!"

The onlookers watched in bafflement at the display of barbarity before them.

'This guy…' they thought in unison.
'This guy's a true demon!'

Bad memories of Falkner's Gym circulated in the companions' minds.

"He's still alright in the head, right?" Brendan asked for assurance.

"Brendan, he's never right in the head…" Misty sighed whilst spinning a finger around her head.

Meanwhile, Terri and Hitmonchan were having some trouble as well.

'Khh! This girl!' the teen expressed her frustration.
'I hate to admit it but she's good!'

Primeape's strikes were fast and strong.
Each [Rage Fist] connected without complications.

If the simian were to notice an impending counterattack, it would simply step back.

'Damnit, and she knows not to overextend…'

Eri recalled the past week with Ash.

"Splitting them?" she parroted.

"Yeah. I'll take care of Boyfriend-kun so that you can focus on Terri," Ash nodded.
"This Tag Battle wouldn't mean anything if I took care of them by myself, right?"

Eri understood what he meant. Underneath the match was a showdown of proof that the Paldean girl was capable by herself.

"But I wonder if this is alright…" the jet-haired girl frowned.

Despite her cryptic words, the raven-haired boy understood their meaning.

"Ah, I guess it doesn't make sense to battle with Pokémon when Terri insulted your skills, huh?" he interpreted.

"Mhm."

"Well you don't have to worry about that. Fighting specialists tend to consider their Pokémon as extensions of themselves, moreso if it's someone trying to prove a point like Terri," Ash explained.
"That's why ya gotta go all out. Make her eat her words."

"[Rage Fist]!" Eri got into stance.

At once, Primeape lunged back into Hitmonchan's strike zone.
But because of the sudden movement, the puncher found itself flinching at the behaviour of the simian.

During the entire battle, Primeape was passive and only attacked when there was an opening. A far cry from its species' pattern.

Naturally, as time went on, the Pig Monkey Pokémon's habits became the norm, slowly removing the thought of Primeape's aggression.

And now, it was punished for it.

Primeape pulled back both of its fists as its lower body spread for stable footing.
Without holding back from playing passive, the anger-filled simian launched a devastating punch with its dominant fist into Hitmonchan's body.

BAM!

The stance it used was all too familiar to the students.

"Oi-zuki?!" Terri gasped.

Oi-zuki. An equal sided punch or lunge punch.
It was one of the first techniques a karate student was taught.
Additionally, it was an iconic stance that could be called the face of karate.

And Terri knew that.
She understood why Eri and Primeape used it with [Rage Fist].

"You said I'm good at karate only because of my body?" Eri glared.

Gone was the demure giantess the desert-haired teen bullied.
Taking her place was an intimidating oni fuelled by vengeance.

"Failing to apply the basics even in a Pokémon battle… can you call yourself a karate practitioner?" she scoffed.

Terri was red in the face with frustration.

But before they could continue, a deranged laughter rang out, interrupting the two.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! C'MON, FIGHT BACK!"

The boy was going crazy as his Pokémon swung Hitmonlee around like a lasso.

"KYLE!" Terri shrieked in terror.

The demonic eyes of bloodred laid upon the intruder.

"How many left, Infernal Eri?" Ash asked.

"2 more!" Eri answered immediately.

Hearing that, the blue beetle nodded as he let go of the spring leg, flinging the kicker into the air.

'He threw Hitmonlee into the air?! Why did he do that?' Terri stared in confusion.

She did not understand why Ash would abandon the upper hand.

But the answer came swiftly in the form of Primeape running towards Heracross.

"Kiek!" the beetle screeched as he placed his claws together into a scoop.

"Oko!" the simian placed his foot onto the claws before being launched into the air towards Hitmonlee.

"That was your plan!" Terri paled.

"Don't think you're off the hook!"Ash switched gears.

The blue beetle skated across the field fleetly, reaching Hitmonchan's side in an instant.

"[Thunder Punch]!" Terri reacted.

A fist of lightning ignited, swinging to the user's side.
But instead of the beetle, it met the wind left by a blur.

Heracross skated once more without missing a beat, already predicting a counter. Finally, he stopped at the other side of the puncher.
A completely different angle.

'Sh- Wait!' Terri turned back before noticing something.

The blue beetle was charging his fist, energy welling up but not attacking.

'This is [Focus Punch]! You idiot!' the desert-haired teen berated.

Everyone knew of the two Focus attacks: [Focus Punch] and [Focus Blast].
As well as their reputation of being arguably some of the worst moves a Pokémon could learn.

'There are a bunch of moves that require charging like [Solar Beam] or [Sky Attack] but what made them useful despite the drawback were their immense power,' Terri thought to herself.
'But the Focus series stand out as the worst of them. [Focus Blast] tends to miss a lot for some reason that it had a reputation of being called [Focus Miss, and [Focus Punch] which is easily stopped when interrupted during charging.'

Her train of thought ended up with an intent:
Stop Heracross from using [Focus Punch].

'But wait…' she gulped upon looking at the accumulating energy within the fist.
'Isn't this way too much and too fast?'

Ash and Heracross had their eyes wide, concentrating intensely as they held their position.

"[Mach Punc-!"

BOOM!

Hitmonchan found itself getting slammed from above by an unidentified object.
But with a turn of the head, it found its partner atop of it.

"1 more!" Eri called out to Ash.

"Gotcha!" the raven-haired boy's expression twisted into delight.

Without any interruptions, the blue beetle finished his charging.

"AU… RA? Like the fairy tales?" Eri repeated the word.

"Yeah, and it's not fictional. Turns out Pokémon moves are infused with AURA," Ash nodded.

The jet-haired girl was mystified. She gasped in wonder at the fact that the AURA depicted in myths and legends was real.

'Wait, how does Ash know about it then?' Eri eyed suspiciously at the boy.

'Damn, she's wondering how I know about AURA…' Ash looked away.

"Ahem, anyways, if my theeeory is correct…" he drawled on the word 'theory' as he struggled to lie as it was a fact given to him by the System.
"It means you can hit a Clutch Critical with minim
al effort."

Heracross focused onto his two targets with immense concentration.
With his fist welled up with power, he struck with all his might.

A [Focus Punch] with extreme amounts of AURA.

BOOOOOOM!

But unfortunately…
The black sparks did not grace the beetle with their appearance.

'Damnit! So slamming it with more AURA than normal wasn't the solution?!' Ash clicked his tongue.

The raven-haired boy's rudimentary solution was disproven right then and there.

As the two Fighting Types were shot back like a pair of baggage, they found themselves staring above after their tumble.
A tumble that faced them towards an incoming [Rage Fist].

Bzzt…

"[RAGE FIST]!" Eri roared.

CLUTCH CRITICAL!

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

The face-painted Ash stared in shock at the black sparks that followed the spectral punch.

"It worked, Imm*rtan Ash!" Eri lit up in delight, smiling sweetly at her accomplishment.

"Ye-Yeah… Congrats…" the boy tried to keep a composed expression.

'Really?! She hit a Clutch Critical but I can't?! Is this thing rigged against me or something?!' his scarred eyebrow twitched.

His thoughts were cut short however, due to Primeape's body beginning to glow.

The simian's structure began to transform within the light.

"Evolution!" Misty gasped.

Unlike everyone else, Eri and Ash were aware of it.

"Ya ever wondered why Eri has only used [Rage Fist] this entire battle?"

16 times.
That was the amount of successful [Rage Fist] attacks Primeape had landed during the training week.

And finally… the remainder was performed in this battle.
The conditions were met and Primeape was given its reward.

The appearance of the simian had changed.
It now had shaggy gray fur that streamed upward and faded to white as it seems to evaporate. Its skin tone had changed to a dark gray.
There were multiple throbbing veins on the left side of its face, with a large pink pig-like snout as well. Its eyes were red as if the creature was in an extreme rage.

"KOOOOONNNNNNOOOOOOOO!" it roared with might.

]=[

Annihilape, the Rage Monkey Pokémon

When its anger rose beyond a critical point, this Pokémon gained power that is unfettered by the limits of its physical body. It imbues its fists with the power of the rage that it kept hidden in its heart. Opponents struck by these imbued fists will be shattered to their core.

]=[

"Holy… I've never seen this Pokémon before!" Brendan gawked at the ghost monkey.

"It's an Annihilape. One of Paldea's signature Pokémon and quite the powerful fighter at that," Chuck added, grinning at the sight.

As the dust settled, both Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan were revealed to still be standing, albeit with difficulty.

"Kiek!" Heracross cried out at the new appearance of his partner with excitement.

"Kono!" Annihilape flexed its arms, seemingly happy with its new evolution despite its angry expression.

The two Pokémon cheered with arms raised as they hopped in circles as their form of celebration. All while Annihilape's expression remained angered even with its clearly jubilant body language.

"It's a bit hard to read its feelings though…" the white-hatted boy could not discern its mood.

Now with a boost from Clutch Critical as well as the temporary increase in power from evolution, Annihilape was overflowing with strength.

"Khh! Just because of an evolution…!" Terri was getting more and more agitated.

"..." Kyle seemed hesitant to continue.

For good reason. He never wanted this.
He tried to voice out his refusal but…

"C'mon, Kyle! We're not letting these pair of upstarts dismiss your hard work!"

'There it was again,' Kyle thought.

Nobody wanted to hear him out.
His mouth clamped shut.

It was always like that, even back in Kanto.

His father never supported him.
Worked him like a slave he did.

Karate? He never had talent for that in the first place.

So why was he here?
Kyle looked to his partner.

'Oh that's right,' he thought to himself.

Terri. His childhood friend and now girlfriend.
Although her intentions were good, it did not matter as she was helping him strive for the wrong thing.

He never asked to be a karate genius, let alone train under Chuck.

But because of Terri's misunderstanding as well as his hesitance to speak his mind, they were in this mess.

Against a young girl who vastly surpassed them in both Pokémon battle and karate…
And the youngest Finalist of the Indigo Grand League.

They were nothing but fodder before them.
That he knew.

Kyle was not an idiot.
But he was a coward, that he was aware.

But even as he wallowed himself in self-pity…

"Hey, you two."

The demon on the other side spared no sympathy.

"Time for round 2!"

His bloodred eyes were that of a bloodthirsty wolf.

Both Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan got up, synchronizing their movements as they closed in onto their opponents.

This time, they did something different.

The kicker vaulted towards the ghost monkey while the puncher sidestepped towards the blue beetle.

They changed targets.

"[High Jump Kick]!" Kyle ordered.

The powerful legs of the kicker sprung high, aiming its foot towards Eri's Annihilape with high accuracy due to the simian's unmoving position.

"[Mega Punch]!" Terri snarled.

A fist of massive power throttled towards Heracross.

'Not even moving?' Kyle and Terri noticed the two Pokémon's similar stance.

As the [High Jump Kick] touched Annihilape…
It phased through, causing Kyle's face to pale.

CRASSHH!

The recoil from the move damaged Hitmonlee greatly.

"Don't tell me… Annihilape is a Ghost Type as well?" Kyle figured, unaware of its new Typing.

The Infernal Eri said nothing, only getting into position as both her and Annihilape mirrored each other.

Meanwhile, Hitmonlee's [Mega Punch] was evaded.
But to the puncher's surprise, its front was devoid of a living thing.

It was as if Heracross had vanished from its sig-
BAAAM!

Its vision was blurred as a painful strike was delivered on its head on the side.

"Learnt this one from Chuck," Ash smirked.

It was an ancient karate move.
By releasing one's knees, the user could easily avoid their adversary's own starting motion. Instead of falling down, this move would instantly guide the user to their opponent's feet. From a lower position, the user could utilize this moment to strike with an upward roundhouse kick.

Officially known as Knee Release, the move was now commonly named…

"[Manji Kick]!"

The disoriented puncher staggered backwards, reeling from the attack.

"Don't mess with us! Kyle!" an enraged Terri yelled.

Hitmonlee recovered from its fall before springing towards Heracross, leaving Annihilape alone.

'Right now, the biggest threat isn't that giantess. It's this brat!' the desert-haired girl concluded.

Although he said nothing, Kyle came to the same judgement as his girlfriend.

Both the puncher and kicker gave no chance for Ash or Heracross to breathe as they rained attacks upon the beetle mercilessly.

Of course, Eri commanded Annihilape to help her friend, but because of how the two Hitmons were attacking Heracross, the simian would find itself farther away from the fight.

This was also part of the opponents' tactics.
They made sure that Heracross would be outnumbered and kept their distance from Annihilape.

"Ash! Heracross!" Eri panicked.

'They're avoiding Annihilape to go after Heracross! Annihilape can't reach them like this!' she thought to herself.

The ghostly simian grunted, feeling the aftereffects of its previous achievement.

Clutch Critical.
Said to be a phenomenon that was a gift to
Pokémon by Time and Space.

A myth once told about the Sinnoh pantheon granting the black sparks to the mortals as benevolence towards the Pokémon's reverence. Their gratitude in the myth was how people used to tell of Pokémon's potential for growth and evolution, capable of rivalling the Gods.

Some said that Dialga and Palkia allowed even the weakest Pokémon the potential to reach godhood.
And the reason for that… was Awakening.

"KONOOOOOOOOO!"

Annihilape's battle cry manifested itself physically as the arena glowed with energetic orange.

"This is…!" Misty and Chuck stood up in complete bafflement.

"A Zone!"

[=]

ATL Entry: Zone

A field effect which affected all Pokémon of its Type, strengthening their attacks as well as a basic boost to stats.

Zone was the first stage to its final form: Territory Creation, a replication of the deities' power, the Reality Marble.

[=]

Heracross was filled with might as he parried away the two Hitmons.
The beetle's eyes glowed with the same colour as the Zone while his Trainer grinned menacingly.

The raven-haired boy entered a state of frenzy. His eyes were predatory, his irises seemingly disappeared, leaving behind a pair of eyes full of bloodred.

"ALRIGHT! NOW WE'RE TALKIN'!"

Getting ganged up was nothing more than an inconvenience as the beetle and simian rushed the Hitmons with renewed fervor.

Not wasting any time, Annihilape and Heracross grabbed their opponents with haste as they threw them towards each other.

The two Hitmons clashed in the middle, their bodies colliding in a world of pain.

Not giving them any room to even think, Ash and Eri synchronized their movements as their Pokémon rushed to said middle, side by side.

With a firm stance of the oi-zuki, their respective moves climbed their powers to great heights.

"For karate practitioners…" the platinum blonde exhaled as she formed a steady fist.
"You guys were lacking!" the fiendish bloodred eyes sharpened as if like knives.

"[RAGE FIST]!"
"[FOCUS PUNCH]!"

BOOOM!

Both attacks caused the Pokémon to be blasted away.

"Our winners: The Infernal Eri and the Imm*rtan Ash!"

The match's conclusion brought the end of the Fighting Zone.

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Chuck's residence, Cianwood City


"Sorry for the week long no-show!" Ash and Eri apologized together.

The two were now in their original attire as they sat in the living room.

"Uh-huh. Y'know any way you spin it, you're the kidnapper here, Ash," the redhead lectured.

"Oh, c'mon. If we trained here, we'd be exposing how awesome our coordination had become," Ash defended himself.

"It's amazing how you can justify kidnapping with a straight face. You didn't even deny it…" Brendan commented.

They talked more regarding Eri's now more confident demeanour and how she achieved it.

"So basically shouting your lungs out at the beach and training until you drop raised your confidence?" Bea recounted.

"It worked a lot! It felt so freeing that I don't get scared easily anymore!" Eri nodded vigorously.

"I see. You can even maintain eye contact as well," the gray-haired teen patted the large girl on the head.

"Oh, Ash and I played a staring contest after every spar. He said that it was the shortest way to get used to eye contact," the jet-haired girl explained.
"But I don't think it was that effective…"

"How so?" Misty asked.

"Well… It doesn't help that his eyes are really pretty," Eri admitted.
"I can't help but think of him as a girl."

"He does sound like one," the white-hatted boy pointed out.

"Wait, where did he go?" Bea looked around.

"Ah… I might've snitched on him," the redhead smirked mischievously.

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Chikorita's [Vine Whip] had wrapped around Ash's torso, preventing his escape while Pikachu and Froakie stood by his side like wardens.

"Hey, this is getting outta hand, you guys. Ain'tcha supposed to be my Pokémon?" the raven-haired boy sassed.

They ignored him, irritating the boy even further.

Click!

The sudden sound brought Ash back to awareness as he found himself before his Bag's screen.
It loaded until revealing a familiar face.

A smiling face that could kill…

"Oi."

"You'll ruin your good looks if you get angry, y'know?" Ash tried appeasing the honey blonde.

"Angry? But I'm smiling though?" Serena feign ignorance with unsmiling eyes.

'You liar!' he retorted internally.

"Haaah… Just so you know, I'm not mad you were out with another girl for an entire week," Serena stressed.

"Eh, really? You're not mad?" the raven-haired boy widened his eyes in surprise.

"Of course. I like to think I know you better than even Gary," she pouted.
"Besides, I'm not that insecure that I'd get angry over something like this."

"O-Oh… Then why're ya mad?" the raven-haired boy prodded more.

"Anyone would get annoyed if they got ghosted for a whole week without prior notice!"

'...I can't deny that,' Ash admitted defeat.

Soon, the room's door slid open.
Eri entered, seeing the sight of a tied up Ash with Serena onscreen.

"Ah! You must be Eri!" Serena beamed.

The two girls began conversing while the Pokémon rolled Ash away to allow the two space.

"Hey, you guys. Aren't you being kinda rude to your Trainer?" the raven-haired boy deadpanned.

"Pika, pika?" the electric mouse gave his partner the stink eye.

"...Fair."

After a while, Ash prepared the Pokémon his cooked meals, something they longed for this past week.

While he was busy, Serena and Eri continued their talk.

"I am truly sorry about Red. His body moves faster than he thinks," the honey blonde apologized.

"It's no problem at all... In the end, he helped me a lot so I'm grateful to him," the large girl waved her hands with a blush.

The jet-haired girl peeked at the screen, slowly drinking in the sight of the honey blonde.

As Serena sipped on her home-brewed beverage, Eri could not help but take notice of her features.

Honey blonde hair akin to mesmerizing gold yellow.
Porcelain skin so soft and white like clouds.
Royal blue eyes that shimmered in the light where they belonged.

'Wow… She's dazzling,' Eri thought to herself.

The raven-haired boy returned with a cup of coffee for the large girl as he began to talk about their recent match.

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"A Zone!" Serena exclaimed.

"You know what it is?" Ash tilted his head.

The honey blonde pulled out a certain book that looked more like a self-made manual.

"It's a field effect where Pokémon of the Zone's Type get powered up," the honey blonde explained.
"So a Fighting Zone like what Annihilape used would buff Fighting Types."

'No wonder I felt Heracross get stronger. And that sudden surge of AURA surprised me for a moment,' the boy mused to himself.
'But feeling that AURA rush in one moment… It felt amazing.'

The raven-haired boy could only imagine what kind of face he was making when he basked in the Zone's AURA.

Little did he know, it was not a pretty one.

"But wait. Wouldn't that mean Hitmonlee and Hitmonchan were buffed as well?" Eri recalled.

"Yes, but from going on what you two told me, it might've been due to the two being already weakened from Heracross and Annihilape's attacks before the Zone," Serena surmised.

The two Pokémon in question were pleased by the honey blonde's words as they cheered along with the other Pokémon.

"Still, it's not really useful if it buffs your opponents as well," Eri said.

"That's because it's merely the first stage to its true form," the honey blonde explained.
"The perfected version of Zone is called Territory Creation. It buffs only the user and changes the terrain dramatically. It enhances all of the caster's attacks, regardless of Type, but uses up a lot of energy."

Ash and Eri were stunned by the information.

"How do you know all this?" the raven-haired boy asked.

"Oh, Cynthia gave me her book as a present! It's something she wrote when she travelled around the world up to becoming Champion," Serena beamed as she showed the book she was reading from.

Ash was visibly envious.

With that, the call ended.

Serena brushed Cynthia's journal, silently thanking the woman for the helpful information within.

Before she placed it back neatly in her bookshelf, the honey blonde caught the sight of an engraving on the cover.

"Cynthia…" she read.
"...B?"

The rest was faded.

'Wasn't her surname Tauropolos? What is the B for?'

A discovery that made her question.

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The next day, Ash and Eri returned to the dojo.

Sure enough, Terri was frowning the moment they entered but stayed silent due to her loss.
However, Kyle was nowhere to be seen.

"Sensei, where's Boyfriend?" Ash asked.

"Hm? Oh, he took the day off. Said he needed to cool his head," Chuck answered.

Hearing this, the raven-haired boy contemplated for a moment.

Pikachu and Froakie, who were on his shoulders, saw the pensiveness of their Trainer's face as well as Eri.

"C'mere, you two," the jet-haired girl beckoned to which the two Pokémon obliged.

Ash looked at his Pokémon who were now perched on Eri's shoulders, staring with confusion.

"You're exactly like how Serena described… Go," Eri urged encouragingly.

The boy broke into a smile before excusing himself for the day, racing to the exit.

But not before stopping next to Terri for a few seconds.

"Y'know, you're a terrible person," he criticized before dashing off before the desert-haired teen could utter her voice of contempt.

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The boy ambled along the coast, finding Kyle sitting on a nearby bench.

An expression of dejection was present on his face, so Ash made his way to the teen and sat next to him.

"Yo," Ash greeted casually.

"...What do you want?" Kyle eyed suspiciously.

The raven-haired boy paused for a moment.
A reminder from the honey blonde rang everpresent in his mind.

"Always think about what you want to convey first before acting, okay?"

And so, with Serena's advice, he did just that before opening his mouth.

"You're Old Man Hamm's son, ain'tcha?"

Kyle shot up in stunned silence.

"How do you know my dad?"

"Well, I was in Saffron City for a while after a certain incident," Ash described, alluding his time with Blue in the hospital.
"Then I was lost on which Gym was the official Saffron City's Gym between the Psychic and Fighting, so I chose one of em at random."

The raven-haired boy recalled how he ended up in the Fighting Gym and was about to leave when he found out it was an unofficial Gym before getting stopped by Master Hamm.

"Back then, I had my strongest team with me so I won pretty easily," Ash continued.
"But after that, Old Man Hamm began telling me about the Gym's history out of the blue."

"Ah, my dad does that a lot. Going on tangents after he loses to distract himself from humiliation," Kyle nodded.

"Right? But against my will, I found out about your family's situation. You wanted to be a noodle chef and open your own restaurant, something your dad dreamt of as well," the boy replied.

"Yeah… My dad used to tell me about his aspirations when he was a kid. But because of my grandfather, he was forced to inherit the Saffron dojo instead of realizing his dream," Kyle looked down.
"I wanted… no, I still want to realize that dream. But… Terri told me I had to honour my family's legacy. That's why I was dragged here to Chuck-sensei's Gym."

"Well, that's why I'm here," Ash got up from the bench.
"Old Man Hamm told me that if I ever see you, he wanted to tell you something."

The grinning child repeated the wizened man's words:
"Just do what makes you happy!"

He did not know this family well but Ash could always agree with the teen's father.

Dreams and aspirations were worth chasing after.
Even if one burned themselves out, the effort one puts into that pursuit would never be a waste.

'That's right. Nothing we do will ever be a waste of time,' he thought to himself.
'Right, Yellow?'

The teen processed his father's words slowly before raising himself from his seat.

"Thank you, Ash. I now know what to do," Kyle thanked with gratitude in his newly-livened eyes.

"I told ya, didn't I? That I'm ya redeemer," he grinned cheekily.
"...Ah! Did I just outed myself?!"

Ash genuinely thought no one other than the ones closest to him would have guessed he was the Imm*rtan.

'Is this kid for real?' Kyle sweatdropped.

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Over the course of the next few days, Kyle resigned himself from the dojo as he thanked the Gym Leader for his guidance.

Normally, it was a process that should have taken only half a day to accomplish, but Terri was the main protest against Kyle's quitting.

However, with both members of the Hamm family's blessing, Terri was named the inheritor of the Saffron Fighting Gym.

Because of this, the two decided to leave Cianwood to return home.

After that…
It was the raven-haired boy's turn.

The two Trainers took their side of the rounded battlefield.

A 1v1 between Machamp and Heracross.
Unrestricted format.

The master and student faced off with a grin on their faces.

"You've been training harder than usual lately."

Record: 0 to 52

"Yeah! All for this day!"

The last battle.

Both Pokémon took their stances.

Bloodred ignited.

"BEGIN!"

Chapter 84: Training Quest (3)

And they were off.