Chapter 1: First Roar.
Ash felt a wide grin appear on his face as his feet landed on the solid branch of the tree that he'd just climbed. He raised one fist into the air, and released a yell of victory.
"Yeah!"
A second later, Iris landed next to him. The tree they climbed was big enough that the branches could easily hold the two of them. Ash couldn't help but chuckle a bit when he spotted the pout on Iris' face.
"Ugh! How did you..." Iris mumbled quietly, "I... I guess that was a good race..." she finally admitted with a sigh.
"It was, Iris!" Ash said, placing his hands on her shoulders, "Now our record is tied! Thank you for climbing trees with me all these years."
A small blush appeared on Iris' face as she looked away for a moment.
"Climbing trees isn't that hard... and don't forget that I beat you a bunch of times in a row before this..." Iris said with a small grin as she sat down on the branch. Ash did the same as he chuckled in good nature.
"But I beat you today! Let's race again when I'm back, yeah?"
Iris became visibly sad when she heard his words, and Ash felt his own smile dim a bit. Still, there was not helping the fact that he'd be taking a bus that night to travel from Opelucid City to Nuvema Town to visit Professor Juniper's Laboratory.
Tomorrow was his first official day as a Pokemon Trainer.
"I wish..." Iris spoke with a sad tone that Ash didn't really like, "I wish that I could go with you as well. I already have Drillbur. I don't know why I still have to wait..."
Ash sighed wistfully. He would love to travel Unova with Iris. She was a brat to him when they first met, but then again, Ash had been one as well. They used to bicker back and forth. Now, though, he couldn't imagine life without his friend. Iris really helped him after his family moved to Unova. She was as important a friend to him as Gary.
But Iris needed to attend school and wait two more years to turn ten in order to be allowed to leave on a journey. Ash fully understood why Iris was sad. He'd waited for what felt like forever to turn ten. He even had to wait another month after his tenth birthday because Unova's Rookie Trainers start their journey a whole month after Kanto's. Gary currently had an entire month over him as a trainer, and Ash was impatient to catch up.
When Iris' eyes remained sad, Ash frowned for a moment before an idea occurred to him, and his smile returned in full force.
"Iris, let's make a promise! In fact, scratch that, let's make two!" Ash grinned to reassure Iris, who looked at him with wide eyes full of surprise, "When you turn ten, let's travel Unova together!"
Iris gaped at him for a moment before responding.
"Even if you'll be traveling Unova this year?"
"That doesn't matter, Iris!" Ash said with conviction, "I doubt I'll be able to see all of Unova this year. Besides, Unova is my home now. Of course I'd love to travel through it no matter how many times."
Iris blinked at him slowly before a smile appeared on her face.
"Wow, that's such a far cry from how you were when I met you..." she spoke softly. There was nostalgia in her voice and eyes.
Ash closed his eyes as he recalled his first days in Unova. Ash had hated the Region, and dearly missed Pallet Town, Gary, and Professor Oak. Back then, he didn't understand many things about moving to a new Region and all that it entailed. However, Ash would like to think that he's done some maturing since then.
"Well, I'm an Unovan now, and there's no changing that!" Ash spoke with a determined smile. "Anyway, that'll be our first promise. Now, for the second!"
...
...
Iris tilted her head to the side when Ash remained silent.
"Yes?"
"Um, let me think for a bit..." Ash mumbled, putting one hand on his chin while he thought, causing Iris to laugh.
"That is so you, Ash. Never change. Really."
Ash smiled when an idea finally occurred to him. It was the perfect thing to motivate Iris for the two years of shcool she'd have to go through.
"Now, for the second promise! Iris, if you do better than me at Opelucid Academy, I'll gift you a Pokemon of your choosing."
Iris' eyes widened so much, Ash feared they'd pop out of her face.
"Any Pokemon that I want?" she asked with excitement, practically beaming at the thought. Ash nodded towards his friend.
"Even if I ask you for a Legendary Pokemon?" Iris asked with a bit of mischievousness in her voice.
Ash blinked, thinking for a moment. He recalled some of Gary's e-mails telling him about how some Legendary Pokemon could be found in the wild, while others were super rare. As in, no one has seen some Legendaries in the past half-century or even longer, that kind of super rare. But he's also heard from Gary that catching a Legendary Pokemon, while not an everyday thing, wasn't an impossible task. Ash could work with that. And even if Iris were to ask him for one of those super rare Legendaries... he'll find a way to do it.
"Yeah, sure!" he responded after a moment.
"Wait, you are serious?" Iris gaped again "I was just kidding, you know?" Ash grinned, full of conviction.
"Of course I'm serious. I'll never make a promise I know I can't fulfill!" he declared with determination.
"All right!" Iris cheered, waving her hands enthusiastically, "You are on, Ash!"
After a moment of cheering, Iris then frowned.
"Wait, so that means I'll have to rank higher than fifteenth place?"
Ash chuckled, holding up his hands in front of him in a placating manner as Iris looked at him with focused and expectant eyes.
He'd be first one to admit he wasn't that book smart, and he found his two years of mandatory schooling to have been a massive pain in the butt. However, he always had perfect scores in Physical Education (being friends with Iris meant he had to do a lot of running around and climbing trees, so he was in good physical shape for his age), all the subjects about Pokemon (perks of his mom being a former student of Professor Oak and his dad being a former trainer), and Unovan History (the people of the Village of Dragons practically knew everything about the subject, and they loved to tell him all kinds of history bits every time he visited).
Fifteenth place out of the one hundred graduating students made his parents very happy, and they threw him a party that Iris attended as well to celebrate his graduation. With the diploma from Opelucid Academy, he was able to qualify for a Trainer's License, and he even lucked out in being able to get a Starter Pokemon from Professor Juniper. Those years of pain and boredom from having to attend school paid off in the end.
After a moment of holding her stare on him, Iris chuckled for a moment before a nervous expression formed on her face.
"I... honestly don't know if school is for me..." Iris admitted in a low tone.
She'd already spoken about this in one of their many conversations. Ash felt for her, because he'd felt the same way when he was Iris' age. Still, Ash could admit that he learned some interesting stuff at Opelucid Academy. Iris simply needed to believe in herself. Ash knew she could do anything if she put her mind into it.
"I don't believe that'll turn out to be true, Iris," Ash spoke kindly, "I know that even if you find school difficult, you are going to try your best and give it your all. Remember what I just promised to you."
Iris' smile was small, but there was a fire in her eyes now.
"Yeah! You bet I will! Get ready, Ash! You are gonna owe this future Dragon Master a Pokemon!"
"I'm looking forward to it!" Ash smiled, full of joy that he'd cheered Iris up and even gave her something to aim towards to, "Besides, you and Drillbur will be staying at my house for the duration of your school years. My parents helped me a lot during mine, and they are really happy to have you both. Plus, you'll eat mom's cooking every day! Honestly, I'm feeling a bit jealous," he added in a playful tone. His mom's cooking was really awesome.
"Man, your parents are so cool," Iris sighed, "I don't think I can repay them for this..."
"What are you talking about?" Ash spoke, frowning slightly, "There's nothing to repay, Iris. Mom and Dad will be be glad to have you in the house while I'm gone," Ash made direct eye contact with Iris, and his next words blossomed from his heart.
"Iris, you are my friend. My best friend here in Unova. I... I was lonely before I met you. I e-mailed with Gary daily, but the other kids here made fun of my Kantonian accent. Some adults in Opelucid even looked down on my family for being from Pallet Town. But you and everyone else at the Village have always been so kind to me and my family without asking for anything."
Ash smiled fully towards Iris, who looked back at him with wide eyes.
"You'll always be my friend Iris. And you'll always have me and my family whenever you need us."
Iris' eyes became watery, and Ash feared for a moment that she'd cry, but then, Iris looked at him with the biggest smile he'd ever seen on her face.
"Thank you, Ash. Just... thank you," Iris words were heartfelt, and Ash blushed a bit before looking away.
"Well, it's the truth. I don't lie."
Iris laughed, and Ash felt the wind being knocked out his lungs when Iris engulfed him in a strong hug that nearly had them fall from the branch they were sitting on.
Ash laughed merrily as Iris' Drillbur scratched his cheek softly before disappearing inside Iris's long hair. The small Mole Pokemon has always been a good friend to him, and a loyal companion to Iris. Ash really couldn't wait to get his own Pokemon, even if he was still undecided on which of Unova's Starters to choose. Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott. They all seemed awesome.
Right now, the three of them were entering the Village of Dragons. Iris had to pack up her belongings so that she and Drillbur could move to his home in Opelucid City, and she also needed to say her goodbyes to the people of the Village and her friend Shannon.
The Village of Dragons was Ash's favorite place to visit. It was small, but it had a lot of charm. The people cared for each other and the Pokemon that lived with them. Plus, Ash always had a large source of Pokemon to play with and learn about whenever he visited.
Just like every time he visited, he couldn't help but look towards the two statues of Unova's Legendary Dragons with awe. Iris and the Villagers have told him everything they know about Reshiram, Zekrom, and the third Dragon that completed Unova's Legendary Dragon Trio.
The legend of the two Dragons said that, a long time ago, Reshiram and Zekrom each had a human that they served with loyalty. Reshiram and its chosen represented truth, while Zekrom and its chosen represented ideals. Ash has wondered many times what that era was like since the first time he heard about it.
What was Unova and the rest of the world like back then? What were the humans chosen by the Dragons like? What were their battles like?
Gary has told him about the legends of Kanto and even a few of Johto's in some of his e-mails, but the tales of Unova's Legends were probably Ash's favorite ones.
Just as he was going to accompany Iris to her home, the Village Elder, an elderly woman that always had an air of strictness, approached them.
"Ah, there you are. Hello, Iris. Hello, Ash," the elder greeted them with a small smile.
"Hello, Elder," the both of them replied in unison.
"So, today's the day..." the Elder spoke in a quiet voice, "You two leave today to pursue different paths."
"Yes, Elder," Ash responded, eager for what awaited him tomorrow.
"Elder, I'm just going to school in Opelucid City, you know? I can visit any time..." Iris said in a flat tone of voice. Ash heard Drillbur make an equal sound of mid-exasperation.
"It is still an important development, Iris," the Elder ignored the sigh Iris released in response, "Now, go pack your belongings, Iris. You too, Drillbur. Ash, accompany me, please."
Ash was surprised by the Elder's instruction. He looked at Iris, who looked away with suspicious quickness.
"Let's go, Drillbur!" Iris and Drillbur took off towards her home, leaving Ash and the Elder standing there. Ash wanted to call after Iris, but the Elder began walking towards her house. With a mental shrug, Ash followed her.
The Elder walked into her house, which was in front of the Dragon's Statues. Ash followed behind as the Elder walked into a nearby, rather large room. There, Ash observed quietly as the Elder made direct eye contact with him.
"Tell me, Ash, what do you think of Dragon Pokemon?" the Elder asked with an enquiring tone. Ash blinked, not having expected that question. He took a moment to think about his answer. Having visited the Village so many times, he knew quite a bit about Dragon-type Pokemon.
"Dragon Pokemon are cool," Ash wondered if his answer seemed simple or childish, but that was what he thought. Dragons were the dream of many Trainers. Iris' dreams certainly had Dragons.
"They are also strong!" Ash said with a grin as he recalled the televised battles that he and Iris loved to watch. They both even once managed to catch a public exhibition from Opelucid's Gym Leader, Drayden, where he fought a Trainer that challenged him. The Trainer didn't do too bad against Drayden, but still lost. The Gym Leader's Haxorus was incredible! So fast and so strong! That'd been a fun evening for the both of them.
"Such simple answers," the Elder spoke, but not unkindly. Her eyes seemed a bit ominous to Ash, "And yet, I can tell that they are spoken from the heart. Tell me, Ash, have you ever given any thought to becoming a Dragon-Type Trainer?"
"Of course I have! But I don't think being a Type-Expert is for me," Ash answered quickly with a smile. He'd honestly fantasized about being a Type-Expert for each of the Pokemon-Types at one point over the years before deciding that focusing on a single type wasn't what he wanted to do as a Trainer. He loved all Pokemon the same.
"Do you want to know what I see when I look at Iris, Ash?" the Elder questioned him suddenly. Ash was taken aback once again by the Elder's question.
"Um, what is it, Elder?" Ash spoke with a bit of curiosity. At the end of the day, the Elder could be called Iris' caretaker or official guardian, and he wondered what the Elder was about to say.
"When I see Iris, I see a skilled girl. Well, in the future, that is," the Elder spoke softly, and there was a genuine smile as the words left her mouth, "I see someone that can reach the highest places that Trainers covet."
Ash took a moment to digest and think about the Elder's words before a smile appeared on his face.
"I think so too! I know Iris didn't always like Dragon Pokemon, but she really loves them now and really understands them. Plus, she and Drillbur are a great duo. I know she'll be great one day and reach her dream of being a Dragon Master!"
The Elder gave a nod, acknowledging his words.
"Yes, Iris dreams of being a Dragon Master. And I believe she can reach that dream one day. Now tell me, Ash, what is your own dream?"
Ash didn't hesitate in his answer. He knew what he wanted, and he believed that he could achieve it.
"To become a Pokemon Master!" he answered with all the conviction in his being. For her part, the Elder remained silent for a moment before her mouth opened.
"And what is a Pokemon Master, Ash?"
This question from the Elder almost sounded to Ash like a challenge. Ash resisted the urge to clench his fists as he answered with resolution.
"I don't know. But in my journey, I know I'll find my answer."
The Elder frowned for a long moment, and Ash began to feel like a cornered Patrat from the intensity of that gaze.
"Interesting answers, Ash. And from what I've come to know about you over your years of visiting here, they are fitting with your character."
The Elder didn't smile fully, but Ash got the strange feeling that she approved oh him, or at least his answers. He released a small breath that he didn't realize he'd been holding. What was this all about?
Before he could talk again, the Elder walked towards a door that lead to another room. She entered it, but came back quickly with a basket. A basket that she turned, showing in it a small green Pokemon with tusks in its mouth.
It was an Axew. A common sight among the Pokemon that lived in the Village of Dragons. Ash blinked when he saw the Axew's eyes. There was... something behind them that made the small Dragon stand out from the Axew that Ash had seen around the Village.
"Meet Axew. He's a descendant of my very own Haxorus," the Elder's voice wasn't loud, but there was strength in it as she spoke next.
"Ash, Iris has asked me to give this Axew to you."
Ash felt his eyes widen to a near impossible degree. His mouth opened, but it flapped uselessly as he didn't know what to say. He knew from Iris about the traditions of the Village of Dragons. Anyone born in the Village that left on a journey received a Pokemon from the Elder. Ash may have been welcomed with open arms, but he wasn't born here.
"You are a good kid, Ash Ketchum," the Elder's voice broke him out of his shock, "You are a great friend to Iris. She's helped you, and you've helped her back without expecting anything in return. You have been welcomed in this village for years, and have never given us a reason to doubt your character."
The Elder's voice then lowered a bit yet remained firm, "But that doesn't mean that I'd give one of our Pokemon to you, much less a descendant of my precious partner."
Ash felt many emotions course through him. Mainly, it was a great deal of friendly affection towards Iris for asking this for him. Happiness that the Elder and other Villagers thought well of him. He also felt the tiniest bit of disappointment at the Elder's words, but after a moment of thinking, he understood. This tradition was very important for the people of the Village, and Ash would never try to break it. Not after years of being welcomed here. Besides, he was getting his own Pokemon tomorrow.
He gave the Elder a small smile, and opened his mouth to tell her that he understood, but she spoke before he could.
"When I said no to Iris, she then asked me to give you this Pokemon in place of the one that she'll get one day."
Ash felt horror when he heard that.
"W-wait!" he stammered, "But that would mean-"
"That Iris won't get a Pokemon from me at the start of her journey?" the Elder interrupted, "That is correct, Ash."
No! That... that was too much. Even if Iris already had Drillbur, getting a Pokemon from the Elder was something important in this place. Iris was born here, and she deserved it. Ash would be a jerk if he accepted this.
"Elder, please!" Ash almost begged, "You don't have to do this. I'll get my own Pokemon tomorrow! Let Iris-"
The Elder raised her hand to stop him, and Ash gulped, feeling tense. It didn't help that the Elder closed her eyes and didn't speak for a long moment. She placed Axew's basket on the floor. Axew jumped out of the basket and slowly walked towards him with his small legs. Ash felt a bit amused when Axew made a gesture that Ash had done a lot as a small child. That is, when he wanted his mom and dad to scoop him up in their arms.
He looked towards the Elder, who gave her permission with a wave of her hand. Ash knelt a bit, wrapping Axew with his hands to lift him up so that the two were making eye contact.
"Look into Axew's eyes, Ash," the Elder commanded. Ash bit his lip slightly, but he did what she asked.
The way Axew looked back at him, with his eyes narrowed slightly but with a sense of calmness... it made Ash felt like he was being judged.
"This one hatched out of his egg less than a week ago. That is enough time for most Pokemon to know what they are, and how to judge what's in a human's heart," Ash blinked slowly at the Elder's words. He had seen other newly hatched Pokemon at Opelucid Academy and around the Village, but none of them had this kind of gaze or air about them.
"Iris didn't hesitate when she still asked me to give you this Pokemon. For that, I'll allow Axew to test you, Ash," the Elder's voice was calm, but her eyes had a fire in them, "Earn Axew's approval, and I'll let you have him. Iris, of course, will also get her own Pokemon from me one day."
Ash had lost count of how many times he'd been surprised in the past couple of minutes. What the Elder offered... it was certainly an opportunity. His parents have always told him that good opportunities don't always come around, and to learn to take them if he could. After a bit of rumination, he decided that he should take this chance. For one, Iris had put a lot on the line for this, and Ash wouldn't let her gesture go to waste.
Now, how to get Axew's approval... Well, perhaps an introduction could be a good beginning. He smiled towards Axew, who tilted his head as Ash carefully sat down on the floor. He placed Axew in front of him, and gave him his brightest smile.
"Hi, Axew. I'm Ash. Ash Ketchum. Pleased to meet you!"
Axew's eyes narrowed a bit before he opened his mouth.
"Ax! Xew! Axew!"
Was that a greeting of his own? Ash simply smiled as he continued his introduction.
"Axew, I'm going to be traveling Unova, and then the rest of the world," his smile grew as he thought of the adventures that awaited him, and all the people and Pokemon that he was bound to meet, "This year, one of my goals is to compete in the Vertress Conference. Do you know what that is, Axew?"
Axew was following his explanation along with focus, but he gave a negative shake of his head when Ash asked the question.
"It's a gathering of the strongest Trainers in Unova!" Ash smiled with excitement "And even some Trainers from other Regions!" The Vertress Conference was something he watched every year alongside Iris as they both cheered for the awesome battles in it. Simply making it to the Conference was a sign that a Trainer was a cut above the rest, especially if they collected the eight Gym Badges from Unova's Major Gyms, which is what Ash wanted to do.
Axew's eyes gained a shine when he heard his explanation. Ash could see that he was interested at the thought of battling strong opponents. Now, to present his dream to Axew.
"I'm going to become a great Pokemon Trainer. The best in this world!" Ash had made this promise many times to himself before, but his conviction this time was stronger than ever, "But my ultimate goal is to become a Pokemon Master!"
Ash gave Axew a thumbs up as he asked, "Axew, would you like to become my Pokemon and travel with me?"
Axew made direct eye contact once again. This time, it lasted for far longer. Eventually, Axew closed his eyes, lowering his tiny head. Ash blinked slowly, wondering what that meant. He was about to ask the Elder when, suddenly, Axew reared his head back and roared.
This wasn't Ash's first time hearing a Dragon Pokemon roar, but it was his first time hearing such a loud and powerful roar from a young Dragon. Ash felt it in his bones. He watched Axew with awe, not having expected that.
"I see," he heard the Elder say. Ash looked towards her with confusion on his face.
"Axew wants to hear your own roar of conviction, Ash," the Elder explained with her gaze focused on him, "Do so, but know that you'll probably only get one single chance to prove your worth to him."
Ash gulped, turning back towards Axew. The small Dragon looked at him with focused red eyes. Axew wanted to hear him roar? Was this a challenge? He thought back to some of the things that he's learned about Dragon Pokemon. A majority of Dragon Pokemon were proud creatures who roared their challenges to other Pokemon. Ash couldn't say that he fully understood why Axew wanted him to roar, but he did understand that he had to make this count.
Ash used his dreams as a motivation. He thought hard about what he wanted to do and accomplish. About how he wanted to train Pokemon, and battle with them against the strongest Trainers. His dream of being a Pokemon Master had been part of him for a long time. Sometimes, Ash thought that he was born with said dream in his mind.
Ash felt his throat rumble, and the sound that he released was born from the core of his very being. He roared back at Axew, using all that he could of his lung capacity to try and convey the kind of human that he was to Axew.
After another few seconds, he stopped. His throat hurt a bit, and he slightly gasped for air, but the deed was done. He'd tried his best and given it his all. Axew was still, and he remained like that for seconds that felt like an eternity, but Ash didn't back down. Not at that moment, and not in the future.
And then, Axew looked down at his own right hand, frowning slightly as his tiny fingers moved. Finally, Axew moved his hand, presenting it towards Ash while giving him a smile that made his tusks turn upward.
Ash blinked, realizing that Axew had mimicked a thumbs up, just like the one Ash had given Axew moments ago. Did this mean that...
"Congratulations, Ash."
The Elder's words confirmed it, and Ash felt that his grin was going to split his face. He lunged towards Axew, wrapping him in his arms.
"Thank you, Axew! I promise that you won't ever regret this. We are both going to be awesome!"
Ash's cheers were answered with an easygoing sound from Axew, who amused Ash by slightly hugging him back with his tiny arms. A loud sigh from the Elder broke Ash out of his excitement, and he turned towards her to catch a complicated emotion on her face that only lasted for a moment before it disappeared.
"Do you want to know what I see when I look at you, Ash?"
Ash blinked, not having expected the Elder to mimic her question from earlier, but now directed at him. He gave a negative shake of his head as answer. The Elder closed her eyes as she spoke.
"I truly cannot see the limits of what you can achieve."
That took Ash by surprise. Did the Elder mean that... that he could achieve anything? The Elder gave a rueful chuckle.
"Ah, but what you achieve will be decided by you, Ash. Well, you and Axew, I suppose," the Elder gave a soft smile towards Axew, who made a determined sound in return.
"He's smart for a young Axew. There's a cunning in his eyes that I've only ever seen on my own Haxorus," Ash heard the nostalgia in the Elder's voice. She gave Ash the most serious look he'd ever seen on her face until now.
"Ash, in your journey, there will be highs and lows," the Elder's words were strong and firm. Ash gulped, knowing that she'd lived for decades, and that the wisdom she was imparting came from experience.
"Don't be afraid to fail, Ash. Failure's an important aspect of growing up. It's okay to fail and learn from said failure to become a stronger and better person. Grow alongside your Pokemon, and you'll achieve anything you wish for."
Ash listened with rapt attention. What the Elder said sounded like great advice, and it was similar to something that his dad once told him. It made Ash wonder what experiences the Elder had had through her life. He released a small breath before nodding respectfully towards her. The Elder had more than earned his respect through his years of visiting the Village, and now for this.
"Thank you, Elder. For the advice, and for letting me have Axew," After a moment of thinking, Ash then added, "And thank you for welcoming me here all these years. The Village is like a second home to me."
The Elder gave him a small yet soft smile.
"There's nothing to thank me for, Ash. That advice is something that I give anyone about to depart on a journey. I hope to impart it to Iris in a few years. It was your words and spirit are what made Axew approve of you," the Elder closed her eyes, "And lastly, you'll always have a place here in the Village. Now, have this."
Ash felt his breath leave him momentarily as the Elder presented him with a standard Pokeball. He stood up from the floor with slightly shaky legs, and Axew still in his arms. He walked slowly towards the Elder, and gently took the Pokeball from her hand. Ash had imagined this moment ever since he understood what a Pokémon Trainer was. Ash looked at Axew, who looked back with intense red eyes. Ash enlarged the Pokeball, and gently pressed it against Axew's forehead.
The sound of the Pokeball opening and engulfing Axew in red energy filled the room. Axew turned into red light and disappeared inside the Pokeball. It shook once in his hand before stopping, and the sound that signified a succesful capture was heard.
Ash observed the Pokeball for a moment, before it truly dawned on him that he now had a Pokemon. His very own starter to call his partner. He grinned widely and raised Axew's Pokeball in the air.
"All right! I got a Pokemon!"
Hello, everyone. First of all, I want to wish you all a very happy new year.
The idea for this fic happened because I recently replayed the Gen 5 games. They are, without a doubt, my favorite in all the franchise. This recent replay made me want to write a fic about Ash in Unova, and this is what I came up with.
As you can see, there's been a few changes to Ash's life. His family moved from Kanto to Unova when he was very young, so he still remains best friends with Gary. He's also best friends with Iris, who is two years younger than him in this continuity.
The Gen 5 anime had some... rough elements, to say the least. But that is the beauty of wiriting fanfic. I can adjust things to my liking.
Thank you for reading this chapter. Until next time.