Iris lay in her bed in the Pokémon Center, staring and smiling at the Poké Ball she held in her hands, containing the Tyrunt she had acquired earlier that day. Her initial high had subsided several hours ago, reverting her to her normal state, but she had still been in an uncharacteristically good mood for the remainder of the night. She felt a little guilty over how she had actually obtained the Pokémon, but there hadn't been any real harm done, so she decided to not beat herself up over it. She definitely owed Ash a debt of gratitude for this, though.
Her four traveling companions were getting ready for bed around her, in addition to packing up their belongings. They had spent a long time in Anistar City, more than they had planned, and it was past time for them to hit the road again. Madison's showcase in Couriway Town was a week away, but she wanted to arrive as early as possible, so that she could have more time to practice her routine with Barrett. Ash was eager to resume traveling as well, even though he didn't have a pressing deadline he needed to meet; he just got antsy if he stayed in one place for too long.
"That must be a deep conversation you're having with that Poké Ball, Iris," Brock joked from his bunk.
"It is," Iris replied, not looking his way. "I'm learning about all of his hopes and dreams. It's very enlightening."
"Why don't you just let Tyrunt out?" Ash asked, sliding into his bed.
"Maybe if we weren't in a Pokémon Center," she answered. "I'm just worried about how he'll behave. I don't want to wake up with him eating my hair or something. I'll take him out of the ball more when we're on the road."
"I'm sure you'll be able to make him less temperamental, with some training," Serena chimed in, as she finished tying up her hair. "Maybe you can get him a barbell to chew on."
Iris smiled gently. "Better that than my arm."
"Exactly." Serena stood up, walking toward the door. "I'm going to wash my face quick." She stepped outside, her phone in one hand and a bottle of face wash in the other, turning toward the showers.
"Can we leave early tomorrow?" Madison asked anxiously. "Barrett's going to be in Couriway Town in two days, and I'd rather not keep him waiting…"
"I bet we can get out of here by nine," Brock responded. "That will let us get a nice big breakfast before we leave. If we move quickly, we can probably get to Couriway in five days."
Iris was about to speak up, but was silenced by two short buzzes from her phone, indicating a text message. As she reached down to pluck the phone from its charger, she felt it buzzing again, and she quickly turned the screen on to see who was trying to talk to her this late at night. Her eyebrows raised as she saw the person contacting her was Serena. She tapped on the message, confused, wondering why Serena was sending texts from the bathroom.
Serena (9:42 p.m.): I wanted to tell you that what you did today was really low. I never thought I'd see you do something like that.
Serena (9:43 p.m.): It was deceitful and underhanded and Ash doesn't deserve to be treated that way. He would never do anything like that to you.
Iris stared quietly at the messages for a few moments, reading them several times, her heart dropping into her stomach and her face growing hot with shame. The latent guilt she had been suppressing all evening was suddenly unleashed in full force, and she felt like a young schoolgirl being scolded by her teacher for misbehaving. Serena had apparently decided she wasn't going to simply let the matter drop after all. So much for no harm done.
Iris eventually reached out with her free hand, navigating around her sleeping Axew, and typed out a quick reply.
Iris (9:45 p.m.): I know
She kept her eyes on her phone, waiting for a response, barely aware that Ash was saying something to her.
"…Could do some training tomorrow, maybe?" he asked. "We could have Tyrunt battle against Mienfoo, or Amaura. What do you think?"
"Yeah, sure," she answered mindlessly, all of her attention still on her phone. The messaging app indicating that Serena was responding, and she waited with bated breath for her reply.
Serena (9:46 pm.): That Tyrunt should belong to Ash. It should be his decision what to do with it.
Iris took a deep but quiet breath as she typed out her reply, her hands feeling a bit weak. Under normal circumstances she would have been more defensive, but all she was feeling was ashamed and small. She couldn't deny the truth in Serena's words.
Iris (9:46 p.m.): I'm not giving it back. I can't
Serena (9:47 p.m.): Why can't you?
Iris drowned out the dying conversation in the room, focused hard on writing out her lengthy reply. She needed to do this right.
Iris (9:50 p.m.): Have you ever had a lifelong dream that you had always hoped would come true, but you knew in your heart that it never would? But then one day you suddenly find out you have a chance, and you have to act on it before it slips away forever?
Iris (9:51 p.m.): Wouldn't you do everything you could to try and make that dream come true, no matter what?
She felt her heart pounding as she waited for Serena's reply. The seconds stretched into minutes, as she wondered if Serena was simply washing her face, or if she was preparing some sort of blistering retort. Finally, after two minutes that lasted an eternity, her response arrived.
Serena (9:53 p.m.): You need to make this up to him.
Iris let out a sigh, feeling as if she had just staged a death-defying escape, as she sent another reply.
Iris (9:53 p.m.): I will, I promise
She waited for another message for a few moments, before the door opened and Serena stepped back into the room, her face and bangs slightly wet. Iris sat up and looked toward her, trying to meet her gaze, but Serena kept her eyes focused on her bed, which was directly under Iris's bunk.
"Goodnight, everyone," she spoke in a quiet but gentle voice, not giving any indication that anything was wrong. Iris lay back and turned toward the wall, her face falling, feeling like she had just driven a wedge between herself and someone who she considered to be a good friend.
Her voice joined in with the chorus of goodnights from the others, as she plugged in her phone to charge. She lay back and covered herself with her blankets, closing her eyes and eventually drifting into a less-than-restful sleep.
After a full day of traveling, the group finally stopped to set up camp in a large clearing, underneath a sky that was just starting to change color. Brock took up his usual role of cooking dinner, while the others started pitching their tents. Once Ash had his tent set up, he reached for his belt and grabbed every Poké Ball on it at once.
"Come on out, everyone!" he declared, tossing the balls into the air. In a flash of red light, Snivy, Growlithe, Absol, Mienfoo and Houndour all appeared in the clearing, looking around for a moment to take in their surroundings. The other trainers followed suit, and soon the field was full of Pokémon of various shapes and sizes, stretching out and taking up space.
Growlithe turned around excitedly, looking around the field for a companion to play with, when a nudge to her side nearly knocked her off her feet. She turned toward the nudge, yipping happily as she saw Serena's Skiddo there, eager to play. The goat Pokémon had grown quickly since he had hatched, and he was already larger than Growlithe was, though only by a couple of inches in height. He bleated at her eagerly, and she responded by leaping onto his back, clinging to him tightly. He began to buck and jump around, kicking his legs as he tried to dislodge her, as part of a game the two of them had invented.
Nearby, Houndour was watching the two of them jealously, not happy that his usual playmate had been usurped by Skiddo. After a few moments, he barked and ran toward them, jumping up and trying to push Growlithe off of Skiddo's back. He was partly joining in the game, and partly trying to end it so he could have Growlithe's undivided attention. Growlithe tried to bat him away with her paw, while Skiddo continued jumping about, not at all bothered by Houndour inviting himself into the game.
The other Pokémon stood back to give the rowdy group some space. Snivy and Delphox watched the fracas with smirks on their faces, an air of maturity about the both of them, as if they were far above such childish games. Absol lay down and relaxed, grooming himself alongside Madison's Roselia and Serena's Sylveon, while Pancham and Axew watched the tussle with great interest, wondering how they could get in on this play session. Mienfoo watched disdainfully, her arms folded, looking entirely unhappy to be here. The other Pokémon mostly stayed away, conversing among themselves and minding their own business.
Ash spent several minutes watching Skiddo, Growlithe and Houndour running about, a wide smile on his face, before turning his attention toward one of his traveling companions. "Hey, Iris! What do you think about a battle? We can fit some training in before we eat."
"Huh?" Iris glanced over at him as she finished hammering in her final tent stake. "Oh, yeah, sure!" She hopped up and followed him to an unoccupied patch of grass, not about to say no to anything he asked. They took up positions opposite each other, and Ash turned his head back toward his tent.
"Hey, Mienfoo!" he called out, catching the Pokémon's attention. "Come on over here! Let's do some battling!" She looked back at him contemplatively for a moment, before shrugging her shoulders and wandering over to the makeshift battlefield, not in any sort of hurry. Once she was in position, Iris reached to her belt and tossed a Poké Ball onto the battlefield, summoning Tyrunt to the battle. Mienfoo sized up her opponent curiously, never having seen this species of Pokémon before.
"Alright, Tyrunt, let's see what you can do!" Iris called out, a wild smile on her face. She was still having trouble believing that this Pokémon was really hers. "Use Tackle!" Her Pokémon let out a high-pitched, adorable roar and started lumbering forward, a bit unsteady on newly-restored feet. Mienfoo stared and watched Tyrunt approach, looking incredulous.
"Dodge it and use Pound!" Ash commanded. Mienfoo grumbled and easily sidestepped the attack as Tyrunt charged on by, but didn't bother retaliating as her trainer had ordered. Ash frowned, worried that he might have an attitude problem to deal with, as Iris called out again.
"Get her with Bite!" Tyrunt turned around a bit awkwardly, still learning to balance with his overlarge head, and opened his jaw to clamp it down on Mienfoo's arm. The ferret Pokémon reached out and grabbed both halves of his jaw, one in each hand, and held him off with little effort. Tyrunt growled and tried as hard as he could to bite down, and Ash could see Mienfoo's arms trembling slightly, but it was still a very uneven power struggle. Mienfoo eventually shifted her body weight and tossed Tyrunt away, and the dinosaur Pokémon needed a moment to get back to his feet.
Ash took a moment to figure out what to do next. He had some experience with disobedient Pokémon, but that didn't make handling any particular one any easier. "Alright, Mienfoo, use-"
Mienfoo didn't wait to listen to his next command. She turned on her heel and walked straight off the battlefield, giving Ash a look of disgust as she strolled past him and toward the forest. Ash, Iris and Tyrunt all stared in disbelief as she began attacking a nearby tree, using a flurry of punches and kicks that looked a lot like Close Combat.
"What a little brat!" Iris exclaimed angrily. She stepped forward and cupped her hands to her mouth. "Sorry that my Tyrunt isn't enough of a challenge for you, your Highness!" Mienfoo paid her no heed.
Ash groaned, rubbing his temple. "Looks like I've got some work to do… I'll talk to her later." He turned toward his bag, which he had set down close by. "I think Amaura will be a better matchup for Tyrunt, anyway."
He reached into his bag and pulled out what looked like a very small cooler, roughly the size of a cereal bowl. Popping the cooler open revealed a Poké Ball surrounded by ice, covered in a thin layer of frost. This was his solution for keeping the Ice-type Amaura comfortable, as the species had lived in frigid locales when they walked the planet millions of years ago. If the Pokémon ever evolved into an Aurorus, it would be more able to regulate its body temperature.
Ash reached in and pulled the Poké Ball out, immediately wincing at the sensation of the ice-cold metal against his skin. "Ooh! Cold! Cold!" He tossed the ball from one hand to another for a few seconds, before he finally pressed the button on the front and released the Pokémon onto the battlefield. The Pokémon that emerged was roughly three feet tall, having the appearance of a sky-blue, long-necked dinosaur, with red and yellow fins atop its head.
"Amaura, do you want to try your hand at a Pokémon battle?" Ash asked. The Pokémon looked back at him and nodded affirmatively, looking much more interested and energized than Mienfoo had been. Tyrunt walked awkwardly back to his initial position, and the battle began for a second time.
"Use Tackle again, Tyrunt!" Iris commanded. Her Pokémon ran forward once again, a little more smoothly this time.
"Slow him down with Powder Snow!" Ash countered. Amaura nodded and took in a deep breath, exhaling a weak wind laced with loose snow, aiming it directly at Tyrunt. The dinosaur Pokémon grunted and slowed down as the snow got into his eyes, but his charge still hit its mark, and Amaura was knocked back by Tyrunt's large head. He skidded along the ground for a few yards, but managed to keep his balance and stay on his feet.
Even though his Pokémon had just taken a body blow, Ash couldn't help but grin. Watching these two newly-revived, unskilled battlers go up against each other reminded him of his earliest days as a trainer. Back when he was one of many new trainers, his battles often went like this, with one unskilled Pokémon floundering its way to victory against another. Now, years later, it was just as satisfying watching a new Pokémon slowly learning the art of battle. He couldn't wait to see how his Amaura developed.
Both trainers issued new commands, and the two Pokémon continued attacking each other, until Serena called everyone over to eat.
Dinner was delicious, as usual, and once the dishes were cleaned up, the group got to talking around the campfire as they often did. Iris was somewhat quieter than usual, still feeling contrite and awkward in Serena's presence. Ash, however, was much quieter than he usually was, and he spent most of the evening with his head down, deep in thought. Pikachu was relaxing on the boy's lap, not yet sleepy but still happy to take it easy next to a warm fire.
"Ash, are you alright?" Serena eventually asked, looking toward him with concern. "You've barely said anything all night."
"Yeah, I'm fine," he responded. "Just been thinking."
"What are you thinking about?"
"I'm trying to figure out what to do about Mienfoo," Ash responded. "I don't want what happened today to keep happening. If it does, it's going to be a big problem."
"She seems kind of stuck-up," Madison chimed in. "She didn't want to be with anyone else earlier."
"I think she's just unhappy," Ash responded. "She didn't want to be caught. I think she might have had a bad experience with her last trainer."
"How do you know she had a trainer?" Serena asked.
"She's too good of a battler for her to not have had one. The way she fights, the way she moves… wild Pokémon don't usually learn that on their own. Maybe her last trainer was just a big jerk, and she doesn't trust them now."
"Whoever it was, they must have been bad, if Mienfoo would rather steal food to survive," Brock contributed. Iris nodded along in agreement, not daring to say a word. Given the circumstances behind Mienfoo's capture, she didn't feel as though her opinions on the subject would be welcome.
"Still, she hasn't tried to leave," Madison offered contemplatively. "So she can't be that unhappy, can she?"
"Yeah… there's hope, for sure." Ash looked down again, mulling this over. The group was silent for a moment, as they sat and listened to the crackling of the campfire, before Ash lifted Pikachu into his arms and stood up.
"I think I'm going to try and work things out with her," he said, turning toward the forest. "It might be a while. Don't wait up for me."
Serena sat up straight, instinctively wanting to follow him. "Ash, where are you going?"
"Just somewhere with a bit more space. We'll probably need it." He gave the group a casual wave with one hand as he started walking away, and everyone watched curiously as he and Pikachu disappeared into the trees.
A few minutes later, Ash came to a stop as he came across a small clearing. He looked over it for a minute, gauging its size, before looking down at the Pokémon he held in his arms.
"This looks like a good battlefield, don't you think?" he asked. Pikachu's face lit up, intrigued by the prospect of a battle, and he quickly voiced his agreement. Ash set the Pokémon down before reaching to his belt, pulling out a Poké Ball and summoning another Pokémon to the battlefield. Mienfoo looked around in confusion as she appeared, not sure why she was being called out deep in the forest, or with so little daylight left.
"Hey, Mienfoo," Ash spoke gently, capturing her attention. "I wanted to talk about what happened earlier today." The ferret Pokémon rolled her eyes, certain that a lecture or a tongue-lashing was incoming, and she wasn't interested in either one.
"You didn't want to battle an easy opponent like Tyrunt, did you?" the boy continued. "You wanted to take on someone at your level." He had to fight off a smile as he saw Mienfoo's eyebrows raise with intrigue. It seemed like he was on the right track.
"Well, here's your chance." Ash gestured down toward the Pikachu at his feet. "Pikachu's the best Pokémon I've got. He's been my partner for years. He's really fast and super strong. If anyone can give you a good battle, it's him. What do you say?" Pikachu was down on all fours, electricity sparking from his cheeks as he stared Mienfoo down, eager for a rematch.
Mienfoo gave Pikachu a careful evaluation as she scanned him with her eyes, thinking back to their brief tussle the day before. She knew that Pikachu's electric attacks were potent, and while he may not have moved as well as she did, she couldn't deny the skill and training he had shown. She eventually dropped into a fighting stance, implicitly accepting Ash's offer for a battle. At the least, she would be able to prove that she was better than whoever Ash currently had.
Ash grinned and called out his first command. "Pikachu, get her with Quick Attack!"
Pikachu shot forward with the incredible speed he was known for, on a collision course with his opponent. Mienfoo stood her ground, her eyes glowing blue, and she smoothly sidestepped Pikachu's attack with the help of Detect. As Pikachu screeched to a halt and turned around, he was knocked away by Mienfoo's Force Palm, which sent him rolling across the ground. He quickly recovered and got back up, minimally damaged.
"Quickly, use Thunderbolt!" Ash called out. Pikachu responded immediately, flexing his muscles and shooting out a powerful bolt of electricity in Mienfoo's direction. The ferret Pokémon clapped her hands together, as they started glowing with a red energy, and she thrust them out in front of her. A red energy shield, the result of a Quick Guard, appeared in front of her to intercept the attack. The Thunderbolt sparked and danced wildly as it hit the improvised shield, which ultimately shattered under the force of the assault. Mienfoo received a healthy zap from the attack, though it was substantially weaker than it could have been.
Mienfoo bristled and leaped forward, dashing toward Pikachu as soon as she could move again. Pikachu yelped and tried to move away, but he was unable to escape the incoming Close Combat. He was battered by a flurry of kicks and punches, hitting him all over his body, leaving him briefly unable to respond. She leaped away after landing the final blow, taking a moment to recover her stamina, as an irritated Pikachu got back to his feet.
Ash had to fight to keep his focus on the battle, proud of how well Mienfoo was doing against his ace Pokémon. Her feet were quick, and her reflexes were quicker. It was a rare Pokémon who could give Pikachu a run for his money in the speed department. Regardless, if Mienfoo wanted to win this battle, he was going to make sure she earned it.
"Use Agility! Run around her and prepare a Volt Tackle!" Pikachu did as he was told, his body glowing as his speed increased drastically, and he began running circles around his opponent, nearly too fast to be seen. Mienfoo tried to keep track of where Pikachu was, but was unable to keep up with his incredible speed. She kept her guard up, her eyes glowing blue again as she anticipated the attack.
After a few moments, Pikachu pivoted and dashed toward his opponent, his whole body sparking with built-up electricity. Mienfoo was barely able to move out of the way, thanks to her use of Detect, though the attack was close enough to make her fur stand on end. Before Pikachu had even passed by her, however, Ash had already commanded a follow-up attack.
"Turn and use Iron Tail!"
As soon as Pikachu passed by Mienfoo, he spun around on his feet and swung his iron-hard tail, still charged with electricity, directly into Mienfoo's stomach. The assault knocked the air out of her and knocked her off her feet, sending her flying through the air and landing on her back. She groaned as she started getting to her feet, struggling to catch her breath and sore all over from the electric shock. Just like the day before, her poor defense was proving to be a handicap against an opponent who had both speed and strength.
"Now hit her with Thunderbolt, full power!" Ash called out. Mienfoo looked up at his words, eyes widening as Pikachu started glowing bright enough to light up the clearing. She tried to form another Quick Guard, but her sore muscles weren't fast enough. She was unable to stop the massive bolt of electricity that shot through the air and struck her in the chest, coursing painfully through her entire body.
After what felt like ages, the shock finally subsided, leaving her swaying on her feet. She tried to focus her blurry eyes on Pikachu, wanting to prepare another attack, but her body wouldn't respond. Her muscles felt like they were made of lead, and her thoughts were slow and hazy. Before she realized it, she was falling backward to the soft earth, and her vision went black as she hit the ground.
Mienfoo was still lying on her back when she woke up a few minutes later, though she was no longer on the ground. She could see trees moving above her, lit by the last dying vestiges of daylight, which confused her until she realized that she was the one moving, not the trees. She turned her head to see Ash's face hovering above her, a neutral expression on his face, and she realized that she was being carried in his arms.
He noticed the stirring in his arms and glanced down, offering her a smile. "Hey, you're awake. That was quick."
She reflexively tried to push herself away, wanting some personal space, but her sore muscles refused to respond properly to her commands, and she ended up squirming ineffectually in his arms. He quickly shook his head to dissuade her.
"Whoa, whoa! Just relax, don't try to move. That Thunderbolt did a number on you. Don't worry, I'll get you fixed up."
Mienfoo grumbled and reluctantly lay back, letting herself be ferried along, not having much choice in the matter. As she lay back, she couldn't help but focus on the sensation of being carried in her trainer's arms, which she had never experienced before. Her previous trainer had been effective at bringing out the best in his Pokémon, but he had also been cold and distant, doing little to create any sort of personal bond with his team. The only human touch she was familiar with was that of Nurse Joy. She wasn't used to the sensation of being held in a pair of strong but gentle arms, feeling the warmth of her trainer's body as she rested partly against his chest, and the steady, calming pulse of his heartbeat.
After a few moments, she let her eyes droop and her body relax, as she sank further into his arms. Looking up, she could see his smile grow, and he glanced back down at her. She immediately turned her head away, not wanting to meet his eyes, feeling heat rising into her cheeks.
She continued looking away as they re-entered the campground, and he bent down to retrieve a Super Potion from his bag before walking over to the campfire, which had been abandoned by the other tired travelers. He took a seat on a log that had been rolled up next to the fire, sitting Mienfoo gently on his leg. Pikachu, who had been walking alongside them, clambered up onto the log as well, sitting on Ash's other side.
"You did a great job in that battle, you know," he began, as he opened the cap to the Super Potion with one hand, holding the Pokémon up with the other. "I can't remember the last time I saw a Pokémon move and evade attacks like you do. You were giving Pikachu a run for his money for a little while." He started spraying her body with the medicine bottle, paying attention to the areas that were more damaged or bruised.
"I want to help you get even better," he continued. "I want you to be the best battler you can be. That's what you want, too, isn't it?" He tried to meet her gaze, but she continued to look stubbornly away. He shrugged and resumed applying the Super Potion, as she held still for him.
"If I'm going to help you, then I need you to help me, too. Not just in battles, but with my team. Training with you, all of them could get a lot stronger. I know they would have a lot to learn from you. All of us can get stronger together. If you do that, I promise I'll find really strong opponents for you to fight." He applied the last of the medicine and set the bottle aside. "What do you say? Does that sound okay to you?"
Ash tried once again to look into her eyes, but she turned away from him as much as she could, hiding her face from him. He sighed with disappointment, certain that she was still angry at him for capturing her. In truth, she didn't want him to see the deep red blush that was covering her entire face. She wasn't about to admit to him, or to herself, how nice it felt to be pampered and cared for by her trainer.
"Well, just think about it, okay? In the meantime, get some rest." He reached down to his belt for her Poké Ball and tapped it against her, returning her to the device. He stared at the contraption for a moment, hoping that he was doing the right thing.
"How'd it go?" Ash started a bit, looking up to see Iris walking over from her tent, dressed in her pajamas.
He exhaled and gave her a weak smile. "Okay, I hope. I don't know if she was really listening… I guess we'll find out the next time we do some training."
Iris took a seat on the log next to him, as Pikachu climbed onto his lap. "I'm sure it'll work out. You're a great trainer, Ash." She smirked playfully. "Almost as good as me."
He chuckled. "Thanks, Iris." The two of them sat quietly for a minute, staring into the fire, as Ash gently scratched Pikachu's head between his ears. The Pokémon murmured dreamily as he melted into his trainer's lap. Beside him, Iris's smile slowly faded from her face, as she allowed her thoughts to catch up to her. Her brief text message conversation with Serena was at the forefront of her mind, as it had been for much of the day.
She eventually spoke up. "Ash, I'm sorry I was such a butthead about Tyrunt. I took it way too far, I know."
"Hm?" He glanced over at her, surprised. He had thought this business had been over and done with. He took a moment to search for some comforting words. "I mean… I get it. You've wanted that Pokémon your whole life, haven't you?"
"Yes, but that's not an excuse," she responded, slumping forward and resting her elbows on her knees. "I could have found some better way of trading. I could have not been so harsh on Absol during our battle. I didn't have to be such a jerk about it. I just… getting Tyrunt at any cost was the only thing I could think about."
Ash's instinct was to offer some reassurance, to tell her that everything was fine, but he found himself hesitating. Everything wasn't fine. Iris had wronged him, and substantially at that. He'd had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity snatched away from him by her scheming. As kind and forgiving as he was, it felt wrong to just let this go.
"…I was really looking forward to raising that Tyrunt," he muttered after a moment, looking away from her. Iris nearly winced at his words, which felt like a knife through her heart. The two of them fell into silence again, one that felt much colder than the last.
"I haven't been a very good friend, have I?" Iris eventually spoke.
"What?" Ash turned fully to face her. "Because of this?"
"Not just this," she clarified. "It's been a lot of things. Teasing, yelling, losing my temper…"
A skeptical look crossed Ash's face. "Teasing, really? That's nothing. And yeah, there may have been some yelling, but you were just trying to-"
"But what about this?" she retorted, speaking a little more frantically. "There's no justifying the whole Tyrunt thing. That's not something friends do to each other." She slid her hand into her hair, holding her temple, clearly stressed. "Maybe you'd be better off if I had left with Shannon after all. Maybe I should-"
"Iris." Ash rest his hand firmly on Iris's shoulder, causing her to quiet down immediately. "Look… the whole Tyrunt thing was not cool, we know that. But think about everything else you've done while you were here! You helped us rebuild the Cyllage City Gym. You helped Serena win her last Princess Key. You saved all those Pokémon at the Chateau. You probably saved Absol's life by flying out to get those Antidotes. You even…" His voice grew a bit more sheepish. "Well, you helped me with those lessons…"
Iris couldn't keep a smirk from crossing her face, recalling her attempts to mold Ash into a better dancer. "Right, those."
"The point is, my journey's been way better because you were part of it." He moved his hand over to her other shoulder, letting his arm rest reassuringly around her, as his voice became more confident. "And even if we have some rough patches, you're still one of the best friends I have. That's something that will never change."
Ash could see Iris's eyes soften and shimmer, and he felt her shoulders relaxing. He smiled and pulled her closer, and she leaned in and rest her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes. "Thank you, Ash. Same to you."
He nodded, turning his gaze back to the fire, as they sat together for several quiet seconds. After letting the silence settle, he spoke up again, with a bit of a smirk in his voice. "You still owe me big time for that Tyrunt, though."
"Trust me, I know," she answered. "I'll find some way to pay you back." She opened her eyes and stood up, and his hand fell back into his lap. "I'm going to get some sleep. Goodnight, Ash."
"Night, Iris." He watched her retreat into her tent, starting to feel tired himself. After staying and petting Pikachu for a few minutes longer, he stood up and extinguished the fire with a bucket of water, before retiring to his own tent for some rest.
The next morning, Ash was washing his face at a stream near the campsite, his stomach grumbling as the smell of breakfast pervaded the air. He began wiping his arm dry with his sleeve before remembering that he had brought a hand towel with him, which he used to finish drying himself off, hoping Serena had not been watching. He stood up and began walking back over to the campfire, when an unfamiliar voice drew his attention away.
"Hey! Aren't you Ash Ketchum?"
Ash looked over, along with the rest of the campers, to see a blond-haired boy waving and running in his direction. The boy looked no older than ten years old, and he had the starstruck look that many young people had when they saw Serena on the sidewalk.
"Yeah, that's me," he answered, causing the boy's face to light up even more. Closer to the campsite, most everyone had stopped what they were doing to watch this interaction.
"Wow! I can't believe it!" the boy responded. "I saw your battle in Cyllage City and I thought it was great! I'm a big fan!"
"Oh! Well, thanks a bunch!" Ash grinned wide, his chest swelling with pride as he studied the look of wonder on the boy's face. It had been a long time since he had met a fan of his, and the idea still felt somewhat surreal. He had to wonder how Serena dealt with this so often.
"My name's Robby! I just started my Pokémon journey, but I've already got two badges!" the youngster continued, the words falling out of him like water from a faucet. "Do you think you and I could have a Pokémon battle?"
This time it was Ash's face that lit up. "You bet! Let's do it!" He turned away and started running toward a more empty part of the clearing, where he and Iris had trained their Pokémon the day before.
"Ash!" he heard Serena call out. "You're not going to battle now, are you? It's almost time to eat!"
"Save some for me!" he insisted, taking up a position at the far end of the clearing. Serena sighed and rolled her eyes, not sure why she even bothered trying to dissuade him.
"How many Pokémon do you have?" Ash asked, as Robby reached down to his belt.
"I've got two so far!" the boy exclaimed proudly. "Can we try a double battle? I want more practice before I battle Olympia."
"No problem!" Ash answered, watching as his opponent tossed out two Poké Balls, summoning his Pokémon to the battlefield. The first was the fox-like Fennekin, which was likely Robby's starter from Professor Sycamore. The other was a bipedal, yellow-and-black Mawile, whose innocent and child-like face contrasted with the large, vicious mouth that hung from the back of its head.
Ash thought carefully about which Pokémon he wanted to battle with. He didn't want to steamroll the boy and crush his spirit, and he had some Pokémon of his own that could use some practice. After deliberating for a moment, he reached down to his belt and sent out his chosen combatants. Growlithe started jumping with excitement as she realized where she was, pawing at the ground excitedly, ready for battle. Mienfoo was much more reserved as she emerged, looking at her partner, then her opponents, then back at her trainer with a skeptical look.
"Bear with me, Mienfoo," Ash pleaded. "I want to see how you do in a double battle, and this one is low-stakes. Can you help me out?" Mienfoo sighed, looking disappointed, but she turned back to her opponents and adopted a fighting stance. Ash let out a small exhale of relief, as Iris walked up to the side of the makeshift battlefield, ready to officiate.
"Alright, you two ready?" Both trainers nodded, and she raised her hand in the air. "The battle begins… now!"
Robby jumped at the chance to make the first move. "Fennekin, use Ember! Mawile, spread it around with Fairy Wind!" His Pokémon complied immediately, as Fennekin spat out a small collection of embers from its mouth, while Mawile summoned a pink, sparkling wind to spread the flaming embers to both of their opponents.
Ash was slightly impressed by the combination attack, but also disappointed. Ember was a weak enough attack on its own, but when dispersed with Fairy Wind it would barely do anything. "Mienfoo, push those embers away with Force Palm! Growlithe, use an Ember of your own!" Growlithe acted right away to push back against the incoming embers, and to his relief, Mienfoo did the same with her glowing palm. The embers were knocked away effortlessly.
Robby quickly issued more commands, not wanting to give Ash the chance to attack if he could help it. "Fennekin, use more Embers on Mienfoo! Mawile, use Bite on Growlithe!" His Fennekin ran forward and spat out a large group of embers toward an unimpressed Mienfoo, who didn't need any help in dodging the assault. Mawile ran in Growlithe's direction, leaping and turning around so its threatening rear jaw was facing its opponent.
"Growlithe, dodge and bite right back!" Ash ordered. Growlithe leaped backward, just as Mawile's massive rear jaw clamped down where she had been, grabbing a bit of grass and soil in the tip of its teeth. Growlithe jumped forward and sank her teeth into Mawile's shoulder, who cried out in pain and struggled to get free.
Robby panicked at the sight of his Mawile in pain, responding reflexively. "Fennekin, use Flame Charge on Growlithe!" Fennekin growled and ran toward the tussle, her body growing hotter until she was surrounded by flames. At such a close distance, Growlithe wouldn't have time to let go and back off before getting hit.
"Mienfoo, protect Growlithe, quick!" Ash commanded. He couldn't see Mienfoo's expression, and he was unsure that she would put the effort into this battle, after their minimal discussion the night before. To his surprise, she leaped into action, clapping her hands together as she ran toward Growlithe and Mawile. She slid in front of them and cast her arms out in front of herself, forming a Quick Guard just before Fennekin made contact. The flaming fox slammed into the shield, straining it but failing to break it, and she bounced off of it and landed in a sitting position, mildly stunned.
"That was great, Mienfoo!" Ash praised, grinning from ear to ear. "Now attack Mawile with Pound!" She spun around to face Mawile, just as the Pokémon managed to shake Growlithe free. She reared her fist back and slammed it into Mawile's side, sending the Pokémon flying. Fennekin growled and barked as she got back to her feet, and Growlithe responded in kind, as Mienfoo kept her eyes on Mawile. Ash was beside himself with glee, thrilled that Mienfoo had decided to listen to him.
"Alright, you two, what do you say we go on the offensive?" Growlithe barked affirmatively, while Mienfoo gave a quick, affirmative nod, taking a moment to bask in the warm, tingly sensation of her trainer's earnest praise. She didn't allow her trainer to see, but her lips had curled up into a smile, for the first time in as long as she could remember.
Both trainer issued new commands, and the battle resumed.
Later that morning, after Ash claimed victory in his battle, all six of the travelers were finishing breakfast, listening as Robby talked about his journey so far. He told them how his older brother had placed fourth in the Kalos League the same year that Ash had competed, and then traveled to other regions in order to become a stronger trainer. Robby was now on his own journey, wanting to follow in his brother's footsteps.
"You're doing a good job so far," Ash encouraged, as he finished off his plate, which had been the fullest of the bunch. "Keep having lots of battles! The more you train your Pokémon, the stronger they'll get, and the better you'll get at directing them. You're going to go up against lots of people with lots of different strategies, and you'll want to see as many as you can so you can figure out how to beat them."
"That's what my brother taught me, too," Robby answered. "I've been trying to develop my own signature style, but it's a lot harder than I thought…"
"It seems a little early for that, don't you think?" Brock piped up. "You're still a new trainer. I doubt you've seen enough Pokémon battles to decide on a specific style, let alone develop one. Once you've battled enough, you'll realize what your strengths are, and your style will decide itself."
"That's what happened with me," Ash added. "I didn't mean to start battling the way I do. I just did what felt right, and played to my Pokémon's strengths."
"Hm…" Robby thought on this for a moment. Being told that he had to walk before he could run was discouraging, but he didn't want to discard advice from more accomplished trainers. He looked back up at Ash after a moment. "Do you think you could give me some tips on battling?"
"Sure!" Ash stood up and stepped away from the table, already fired up. "You guys don't mind if we practice for a bit, do you?"
"Go ahead, Ash," Serena encouraged with a smile. "We'll get things cleaned up here." She stood up and started gathering plates, looking in Iris's direction. "Iris, do you mind helping me with the dishes?"
"No problem!" Iris answered, perhaps a little too eagerly. The two worked together to collect plates and silverware, then walked them over to a wash basin that Serena had set up. They kneeled down next to it and began scrubbing dishes clean, as Ash and Brock began talking strategy with Robby, while Madison listened in.
"That boy has a one-track mind," Serena commented, as she listened to the conversation.
Iris nodded in agreement. "That's what he's always been like, as long as I've known him." The two of them kept cleaning quietly for a minute or so, the sound of strategy discussion filling the silence.
Serena was the one to speak up first, keeping her voice low. "I heard you apologize to Ash last night. I'm glad you did."
Iris froze for a moment, taken aback, before she continued cleaning. "Yeah… you were right. He didn't deserve what I did."
"I remember what you said yesterday, about having a dream that you never thought would come true." Serena grabbed a nearby hand towel and began to dry a plate. "I've had a dream like that, too."
"You have?" Iris looked up at her companion. "What was it?"
A somewhat dreamy smile spread across Serena's face. "I never thought I'd be able to travel with Ash again."
Iris grinned. "Well, that's sweet… and look at where you are now."
"Mhmm. I may not agree with how you went about things, but I understand why you did it."
"Yeah…" Iris looked down again, scrubbing the same plate clean for the third time without realizing it. "I sort of regret it, but I sort of… I know that if he had that Tyrunt and I didn't, I probably wouldn't be able to handle it."
Serena nodded, setting her dried plate aside. "I understand that, too. It was more important to you than I realized."
"It really was. If I want to be a Dragon Master, I need to be able to master every kind of Dragon-type. It's been my goal for as long as I can remember. After this, though… the way I acted…" Iris finally started drying her plate clean. "I just… hope I don't end up losing any friends over it."
Serena gave her a warm smile. "Well, you won't lose any friends over this. Don't worry."
Iris smiled back, feeling a heavy weight lifting off of her chest, and the two of them shifted to another topic of conversation as they continued cleaning the dishes.