Ash leaned against the wall at the Pokémon Center, fiddling with Bane's fur as he tried to adjust the gold beryl clasp. The Zoroark rumbled in amusement as another chunk of fur escaped Ash's grip. His dexterity had never completely returned, some of his burns deep enough to affect the muscle, but luckily it didn't impact him too often.
Lightly flicking the fox's ear in retaliation, Ash finally got the clasp shut around the black and red mane.
"There." Bane didn't step away, instead leaning back into Ash. Smiling, Ash scratched the fox's jawline, earning a pleased growl.
He had a scheduled call with Oak soon to exchange Bane for Hemlock, so he was soaking up this time with the Zoroark before he was sent to the Ranch.
"Take care of Houndour?" Bane nodded once, cerulean eyes resolved. Soon, the Dark type was returned to his Heal ball and Ash walked towards the videophones.
But he was stopped by the flashing lights from the mounted TV.
There, cutting across the bottom of the screen was a flaring red band, the Breaking News a beacon.
Beloved Mt. Lanakila Savior, Euryale, Taken by Notorious Poacher, Omen
Ash's eyes widened as he watched the screen, his steps faltering.
'What?'
A picture overtook the screen, the caption crediting 'Diamond of the Peak' for the still image. In it, a stunning Ninetales sat in the snow, wind catching its sparkling fur and glacial eyes refracting the light like crystals.
Euryale, who had saved his life in the blizzard… she'd been stolen.
The image changed to show a solemn news anchor, lips pulled down at the corners and hands folded neatly in front of them. The symbol for Tapu News, the premier global media outlet for Alola, was nestled at the bottom of the screen.
"Every Alolan knows the legend of Euryale. 'Diamond of the Peak'. Generations of trainers and explorers have been saved from blizzards by this ancient Ninetales. Yet, in the last month, five people have gone missing and have been subsequently found frozen to death atop Mt. Lanakila.
"This unprecedented event sparked region-wide panic, with thousands volunteering to search the mountain for their legend.
"What was found was heartbreaking.
"The scorched bodies of two of her newest kits, and a battlefield of devastation, the calling card of infamous poacher 'Omen' was found." A picture flashed on screen, a spiked skull burned into a frozen tree.
"It is suspected the recently released documentary, 'Diamond of the Peak' which drew worldwide audiences, led to this horrible tragedy. From what the investigative team could tell us, Euryale was taken only two weeks after the initial release of the documentary
"Today, we mourn the loss of a legend, and hope to Solgaleo that she and her remaining kit will be found and brought home safely. I'm Lanai Mahalona with Tapu News."
"Red?"
Grimsley stood behind him, his phone held aloft but pulled away from his ear. His expression turned to one of concern when Ash could only blink in disbelief. He squeezed his fists, allowing the throbbing pain to bring him clarity. He pointed to the screen.
He saw the moment Grimsley read the news, face darkening. He stepped up beside Ash as they watched the news anchor play clips from the documentary.
"She saved my life when I was in Alola."
The Elite's expression tightened and he set a strong hand on Ash's shoulder. "Omen has been on the League's Top 10 list for years, we'll do what we can to get him." Ash shrugged his shoulders to dislodge Grimsley's hand but nodded along to his words.
"I need to make a call." Grimsley sighed, but didn't offer any words. Ash headed over to the video phones, just sitting for a moment trying to wrangle control over his stunned mind.
Ash had never truly experienced whiplash, but he imagined this is what it felt like. Thoughts and body reeling and the world around you moving at an incongruous pace.
He called the lab in a daze.
"Ash! I haven't heard from you in a while!" Professor Oak looked loads better than he had back in the hospital. Amazing what lowered stress could do for your complexion. Though there was still a tightness to his eyes and an automatic downward pull of his lips, like he was thinking of something unpleasant.
"When did you get back to Kanto?" The words that left Ash's lips were monotone and automatic.
Oak sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Only a few days ago. How are you?"
Ash gritted his teeth against the sudden stinging in his eyes. Mew, it seemed like he'd get a little good luck here or there and then his bad luck swooped in and destroyed it all.
He didn't really know Euryale, hardly spent any time with her, but she had saved his life. Ash would have frozen to death atop that mountain if she hadn't shown up.
And that little spitfire kit…
A memory of an injured, burned, wheezing Zorua flashed in his mind, and he didn't want to picture a tiny Vulpix in his place.
"Ash what's wrong?" Jaw clenching, he forced the emotions back, just like always, and squared his shoulders.
"The Alolan Ninetales that saved me on Mt. Lanakila was poached."
Oak's wrinkles deepened as his face fell. "Oh Ash, I'm sorry. The League will do what they can."
Ash scoffed with no humor. "Yeah, sure. That's gone over well the last few years. It was Omen. Bane was… he would've…." Oak didn't say anything, just let Ash deal with the riot of emotions threatening to spill over. But Ash didn't deal, he just pushed through. "Anyway I'm sending over Bane so can I get Hemlock?" Ash wanted to keep the Zoroark in his line of sight at all times, but the fox wanted to go to the Ranch. He wanted to see Houndour.
His team was doing what Ash couldn't, and he would always be grateful to them for it.
He knew Oak was biting his tongue and not asking about Houndour, but that patience would eventually run out. Sponsored trainer or not, Oak would not condone abandoning a Pokémon. But today, he simply nodded and left the chair to find the unruly Morgrem.
A few minutes later Ash got the go ahead from Oak, so he rattled off the transfer ID and set the Heal ball in the divot. Moments later, he had Hemlock's painted Pokéball back on his belt. "Thanks, Professor."
"Of course Ash. May I ask how it's been with Grimsley?"
Ash swallowed down his immediate dismissal. He did want to tell someone about it, much to his surprise. "Grimsley has been traveling with me since the initial meeting." Ash eyed Oak when the man didn't seem surprised, but ignored it. "He's been helping me with exposure therapy. I got to the point of watching his Poochyena play with Mirae."
"Ash, that's wonderful!" The Professor's face was bright and it warmed something in Ash's chest. It pushed dark thoughts away.
"Yeah, I did have a bit of a lapse with Lance's Arcanine." The speed at which Oak's expression darkened gave Ash whiplash.
"Oh, believe me I had some words with that boy." Ash didn't mention Lance was almost in his forties, he was sure Oak knew that.
"He apologized, and gave me a Key Stone." Oak's face was doing the expression olympics with how quickly it was changing.
"Mew above, Ash, you're going to give me a heart attack. I've never sponsored a trainer whose journey was as wild as yours." He felt both exasperation and pride at that.
But he still shrugged. "Yeah, but I need a Mega Stone, and, you know, a Pokémon compatible with it."
Oak brought a hand to his chin. "I can think of a few that will work with your speciality; uh, Houndoom, Tyranitar, Gardevoir, Mawile, Absol, Sableye, Sharpedo, Altaria, Salamence, and Garchomp. But you're right, finding one is about as difficult as finding a Key Stone. Still, you're years away from the age of the youngest trainer to achieve Mega Evolution. Diantha was eighteen, and that made her the youngest."
Ash thought about the Kalos Champion's Mega Gardevoir, probably the most elegant and powerful Fairy type he's ever seen in competition.
He wanted to accomplish Mega Evolution before eighteen. He burned with the need to prove himself. What better way to prove to the wider world that Ash, an aspiring Chaos Trainer, had a heart?
But more than that… Ash wanted to be so intrinsically linked with another that the loneliness that defined his childhood would be a distant memory.
"Well, I am heading to Kalos next, and most Mega Stones are found there, so I'll keep my fingers crossed."
"Did you get your ticket?"
"Yeah, while in Black City. Flying out of Vertress in three days, so on the 29th. I got invited to watch the semifinals and finals in the top box with Lance." A secret smile quirked Oak's lips, and Ash was slightly confused by the look.
"Making some powerful acquaintances, Ash." Hiding his confusion at the fact Oak had just been disparaging Lance, Ash shrugged. The two spoke for a few minutes longer before he got a buzz of his Pokédex. Saying goodbye to the Professor and receiving a 'good luck' in response, Ash ended the call. He felt better after talking to the old man, he realized.
Huh.
He collected his Dragons from the nurse. "They're pretty beat up, so no battles for two days. I fixed the worst of the damage. Make sure your Hydreigon moves her wings every hour to get blood flow to the area."
Thanking her, he found Grimsley on the phone and seated on one of the couches. Flopping down next to him, Ash tilted his head back and closed his eyes.
What a day.
He battled an almost-Dragon Master and held his own and then learned about Euryale. Almost unconsciously, his hand came up to pinch the bridge of his nose as he sighed. Exhaustion pulled at his bones, setting its hooks deep.
Wanting some company, he reached down to release Mirae and with his free hand grabbed a brush from his bag. The Eevee puffed up his chest but quickly submitted to the soothing strokes. He was gaining the pride of a Dragon from Styx and it showed. He was trying to prove he wasn't a kit anymore.
Truly adorable.
So proud.
The wire-tooth comb scraped loudly against the baby scales growing on his chest. Little nubs were also protruding from his back causing Ash to grin. These were the changes Bill told him to look for.
Using one hand, he shot off a text to Bill to update him on this development. The researcher responded with dozens of exclamation points, making him chuckle.
Bill had told him an Eevee's transition period is pretty short compared to other Pokémon species. Their DNA is so unstable they adapt quickly to their environment. It would be another month, and that was being conservative. Trainers rarely saw an Eevee over the age of nine months. If they weren't exposed to an evolution stone, they'd adapt in some other way. Their DNA was so primed to adapt that an Eevee could evolve into one of the Eeveelutions within months of hatching.
Another reason Eevee were so rare was because their DNA was so unstable. Any poor breeding or inbreeding led to disfigured kits or worse. Even with safe and ethical breeding, the survival rate was distressingly low.
He put the brush away and moved to just massaging the base of Mirae's ears, eliciting a pleased trill. The five-month-old was growing so quickly. While Eevee evolved rapidly, many Normal types did as well.
Like Bug types, Normal types grew fast to counteract the dangers of elemental energies, which was why so many trainers had Pidgeot, Persian, and even Exploud so early in their journeys. Probably one of the reasons Liam chose to specialize in Normal types.
"Ready to go?"
Ash looked up to see Grimsley looking at him with a rather soft smile on his face that he'd never seen before. "Yeah. Good call?" The Elite's smile sharpened but didn't offer any details. Ash shrugged and stood up, returning Mirae. "How come you've been able to travel with me for so long?"
Grimsley stood and stretched. "Don't have many duties leading up to and during the conference. We're given time to watch, but I don't really care that much. Only really watch the last couple matches. It's been such a long time since I've traveled, it was a nice change of pace."
Ash was a little shocked by the man's honesty that was stripped of any sharp words. He decided to take it all at face value and nodded. "I appreciate it, you've really helped me."
The Dark Master elbowed him as they walked to the Teleport Services counter. "I'm glad. We Dark trainers have to stick together." Ash smiled and let Grimsley talk with the receptionist. The woman looked to her side and a Beheeyem beeped and flashed its lights.
If Ash hadn't been looking for it, he would have missed the way Grimsley's jaw clenched and his hands formed tight fists. But other than those small tells, he would have never known the Elite had an issue with Psychic types.
The alien-looking Pokémon drifted over, rather hesitant, and set a hand on each arm and within seconds, they were gone.
Teleporting was an uncomfortable sensation, like he was being squeezed through a tube. But it only lasted half a second before he was deposited on hard tile. Blinking open his eyes, he looked to see he was now in a jam-packed Pokémon center.
He turned and only got a quick glance of Beheeyem before it was gone in a flash of light. As soon as it was gone, Grimsley's fists relaxed. He gave a quiet sigh and turned to grin at Ash. Truthfully, he didn't feel reassured that Grimsley was still affected by his trauma so many years down the line. He naively wanted to one day be able to forget Relic Castle ever happened.
But this was his reality, he'd have to deal with it.
A sudden thought came to him and he cursed. "Shit, there'll be no rooms available." Ash scanned the center and knew it was full.
Grimsley chuckled. "Come on, Red, you'd think that asshole would leave you hanging?"
"Uh, yeah?"
The Elite laughed and steered Ash out of the center. "Well, yeah, but not this time. You've got a hotel room under your name. Three nights."
"Oh."
Grimsley just shook his head and chuckled. "Semifinals are tomorrow, finals and the closing ceremony the day after. I think you fly out after that, right?" Ash nodded. "Perfect. I'll show you where the hotel is, then I've got some shit to do. I'll be there in the morning to show you to the top box. You should be honored, an Elite Four member being your own personal escort. My rates are usually higher than this."
Ash wrinkled his nose at the dirty joke, much to the Elite's amusement.
He tensed up when they entered the crowded streets. Vertress didn't have much to offer other than the absolute unit of a stadium. Three smaller battlefields that connected to the center field, but the main one was about twice the size of the others.
Vertress City was really only a performance city; contests, showcases, tournaments, conferences, and other such competitions brought in revenue. There were even talks that a Pokéathlon stadium was being built soon. Hardly anyone actually lived here full time, though.
Every jostle and brief impact with the crowd made Ash grimace as his arms flared up, but soon the two broke through the stream of spectators and tourists to stand before a gleaming white hotel. HOTEL TIPTON was lit up in bold lettering near the roof of the building. Grimsley shoved him into the rotating door and gave him a sarcastic salute before he disappeared back into the crowd.
Ash pushed into the lobby and blinked.
That was a lot of gold gilded decor.
Mew, he felt like a peasant.
He squared his shoulders and headed up to the receptionist. The man lifted a single bushy gray eyebrow but no other outward distaste showed. "How may I help you, young sir?"
"Uh, I was told there'd be a room here for me? Ashton Ketchum?"
"ID?" Ash slid his Pokédex across the counter, and the man's upper lip lifted slightly, his white gloves smudging against the dirt on the weather-worn device.
He could see when the man found his name because he blinked in astonishment and the suspicion cleared to make way for Mareepishness. "Ah yes, booking by Champion Lance Blackthorn. Here is your card key, sir, you'll be in room 826. The elevators are right over there. Breakfast is served between 7:00 and 10:00. Please enjoy your stay."
Ash made sure to flash a too-wide smile and make prolonged eye contact until the man shifted with discomfort. Hiking up his bag, he waited for the elevator and hit the 8th floor. When he found his room and opened the door, his jaw dropped along with his bag.
The room was huge. Floor to ceiling windows let him overlook the stadium. The walls were done in a rich red, two king sized beds had cream and gold embroidered comforters with matching throw pillows. He peeked his head into the bathroom and saw the shower was half the size of his room back in Pallet. The vanity could fit two Styxs side by side.
Dear Mew this was amazing.
Beaming, he tossed his bag on the nice wooden desk and released everyone except for his Dragons. Sagitta, Hemlock, Mirae, Nettle, and Castor looked around in astonishment and wonder. He high fived the Morgrem in greeting before turning to his team.
"This," He threw his arms wide, "Is because a Champion felt bad about triggering me." Sagitta chuckled a little evilly and zoomed around the room alongside Nettle. He'd probably be able to fit Libra and Styx in the room, but he'd let them rest a little while longer in their balls.
"Tomorrow and the next day we'll be watching some all-out battles, so I'm going to want you guys to pay attention. We'll be competing in something like this in a year." Castor and Hemlock shared a challenging look, but luckily didn't move to engage in a fight.
The Krokorok hadn't had the time or energy to challenge Ash, Duvessa the Krookodile had kept him rather occupied. And now with Hemlock back, he'd be even more distracted.
But Ash knew he'd have to find common ground with Castor sooner or later.
Mirae hopped up on one of the beds and curled up, looking tiny compared to the bed. Ash smiled and grabbed a change of clothes before taking a shower. Shaking out his hair, he noticed only a few millimeters of root was showing at the base of the dyed streaks, so he had a while before he needed them touched up.
Pausing, he glanced at his arms. The scars were healed as much as they could be, but he could still see the shadow of bubbled skin and blackened blisters. He had gotten a bit more accustomed to the pain, but every few days he would wake up in a panic, fearing his arms were on fire.
It wasn't fun.
His sleep was disturbed on a regular basis and it was starting to take a toll.
Pushing the morbid thoughts away, he pulled on a new pair of gray sweats and a 'Black City Bisharps' team sweatshirt Grimsley had jokingly gifted him. He'd save his 'nice' outfit for tomorrow.
Flopping down onto the comfiest bed he's ever had, he took a few minutes to soak up the luxury. He sighed and wiggled around until he was resting up against the mound of pillows. It was evening at this point, and he would need to feed everyone soon, but he wanted to enjoy an hour of relaxation.
It's felt like years since he's had the opportunity.
So for now, he welcomed his teammates climbing onto the bed with him, and ignored the sand that spilled from Castor's scales at the very edge of the bed. This was the first time the croc voluntarily came close without violent intent, he wasn't going to put that at risk.
Ash set down his toothbrush and tried unsuccessfully to style his hair. The best he could do was brush back the shorter sides and let the longer pieces flop in his face. Straightening out his violet sweater and black jeans and huffed a self-deprecating laugh.
He looked like a damned bluk berry.
Pushing the sleeves up to his forearms, he didn't really give a shit if his scars were on display. He wasn't going to look like a soft flower child, even if he did dabble in flower crowns.
There would be multiple Champions in the top box, and as much as he hated caring what people thought of him, first impressions were important.
Elite Four and Champions from all over tended to frequent various regions' Leagues. Each Elite Four and Champion were a Master, and it was a good opportunity to see if there was anyone they wanted to take on as an apprentice. He remembered when he was around 10 years old Elite Four Wilkstrom took on Jasmine Mikan after she lost in the Johto League finals. She was now a Big Eight Gym Leader in Johto.
Sighing, he grabbed his bag and returned his satiated teammates. Grimsley would be waiting for him in the lobby. Card key, Pokédex, belt, all check. He put the 'cleaning needed' sign on the outside door handle, knowing sand would be everywhere.
Upon the elevator's opening, he caught sight of Grimsley who was ignoring the fervent looks of awe from other hotel residents. As Ash got closer, the Elite looked up and quirked his lips when he saw his outfit.
Ash hissed, "Shut up." to which Grimsley put his hands up but kept his smirk.
"Aw, Ashy-poo, so nervous to meet the big, bad Champions."
Ash scoffed to hide his embarrassment. "Please, I've already met two, and they weren't all that special."
Grimsley released a loud laugh and clapped him on the back. "You keep telling yourself that, boo. Come on, the match starts in a half hour."
"Who's in the semifinals?"
Grimsley groaned. "No one said there'd be a test!" But he still lifted his hand to count off. "Virgil Turner, Trip Gonzalez, Hilda White, and Rosa Black. All pretty young, only a few years of experience on their belts which is impressive. My money is - figuratively! - on Hilda. She's got a monster of an Emboar. Virgil's family owns a Eevee breeding center, so his whole team is made up of the species. Rosa's good, her Serperior is definitely… superior to Trip's."
Ash rolled his eyes as the Elite cackled at his own joke. The stadium loomed before them, but instead of the main entrance, Grimsley guided him to a smaller door. The security guard gestured at Ash, to which the Elite waved, "He's with me." The guard shrugged and opened the door for the two.
At the end of the hallway was an elevator, and into a coded key pad Grimsley entered a five digit sequence and soon they were rising.
"This all feels super top secret."
Grimsley grinned and shook his head. "Nah, just good security. It was a popular tactic to target groups of Masters during the Rocket Wars. Find out where they're meeting and boom."
"Makes sense." The elevator dinged and the doors slid open into a spacious glass-walled room. Ash withheld his gasp when he saw the room had a perfect view of the main battle field.
"Grimsley! Surprised to see you here." The man with wild orange and red hair waved from a table where he was playing black jack with Marshal Lotto, Lance, and Shauntal Antemia. Ash gazed around and had to stomp down his nervousness when he caught sight of Cynthia Shirona, Steven Stone, and Caitlin Kattlea lounging on couches.
Then he saw the Pokémon. Alder's Bouffalant was a mound of fur beside the Champion. Shauntal's Chandelure was swinging eerily from side to side above her head, casting an unnatural glow on her face and glasses. Marshal's Throh was looking at his cards and gesturing to the Fighting Master. Lance's Flapple was curled up on his lap, looking for all the world like an abnormally large apple.
Cynthia had her Glaceon next to her on the couch with Caitlin's Musharna beside it billowing out pink mist. Steven's Skarmory roosted on a nearby table overlooking the room, every movement eliciting a sharp schlink of metal on metal.
"Yeah, well, this little asshole got invited and I felt left out. Where are Diantha, Kukui, and Leon?" Ash took this opportunity to pinch the man's side, eliciting a yelp and a jump. That earned him a few chuckles from the room's inhabitants. But he did perk up at the thought that he'd see Professor Kukui again.
"Couldn't make it. You must be Mr. Ketchum." Turning, Ash saw Cynthia Shirona herself walking up to him with a polite smile and a hand extended. Ash clasped her hand, unsurprised by her strength, and shook. He saw her gray eyes flash down to his arms and back up.
"It's wonderful to meet you." He kept his sentences short, catering to his own comfort.
"I want to be the first to apologize for the so-called Tempest Master over there."
"Yeah he was a dick!" The room erupted into peals of laughter from Caitlin's sleepy words, Lance hanging his head with an embarrassed grin. "Completely destroyed my villa, I'm allowed to be pissed."
Marshal clapped Lance on the back, his voice booming through the room. "Not one of your shining moments."
"Yes, yes, which is why I'm paying for the repairs and invited Mr. Ketchum. Come on guys, come sit down." Ash forcefully kept his movements loose, not wanting to look stiff or uncomfortable. He sat down on the couch and rested against one of the arms. It was odd knowing everyone in here knew what went down between him and Lance.
The silver-haired Hoenn Champion gave a soft genuine smile to the teen. "We really must thank you for your capture of Domino. It helps us all rest a little bit easier at night, knowing she's locked up." He got a few nods of agreement, even from those invested in the black jack game.
Ash nodded seriously. "Of course. Although it was my teammate that had the wherewithal to trap them."
Steven's eyes gleamed. "Oh yes, I've read everything Professor Oak has on your Poipole, absolutely fascinating." Ash could see the question burning in his silver eyes.
"Is it alright if I release some of my Pokémon?"
Steven's immediate "Yes!" got some looks of amusement before others nodded their assent. Ash thought for a moment before releasing Mirae, Nettle, Sagitta, Hemlock, and Castor. Poor Libra and Styx had been cranky during dinner and breakfast.
Every single person in the room except Grimsley started analyzing his team the moment they appeared. He couldn't really fault them. Mirae looked hesitant as he curled up on Ash's lap. Sagitta and Nettle darted around the room, with only Nettle greeting everyone. Hemlock and Castor slunk around, looking for dark corners to stalk.
"Castor, Hemlock, any one of these guys could kick your asses, don't make trouble." The Morgrem visually deflated and pouted, crossing his arms and looking away. Castor pointed and made a guttural guffawing sound at him, compelling Hemlock to tackle the croc. Ash just sighed.
Everyone exuberantly greeted the interdimensional Pokémon, but Ash's eyes were on Glaceon. The Ice type was gazing at Mirae like he was a puzzle that needed solving. Ash looked at Cynthia, but saw her eyes following Sagitta.
"No luck finding a Shiny Stone?"
Ash withheld a scoff at that, not wanting to be rude. "Nope. Unsurprising, though. I'll keep looking. She really wants to evolve."
Cynthia's smile grew wistful. "Yes, my Togekiss was impatient the entire time he was a Togetic. Took me two years to save up."
Ash's eyes almost bugged out of his head. "You bought one?"
Cynthia gave him a calm grin. "A trainer's job is to help their Pokémon achieve their own goals. The hope is you'll reach yours along the way."
Ash paused to think about that. He found it… sage. It seemed to take the pressure off him, the expectations and self-imposed timeline. If he just focused on helping his Pokémon be the best they could be…
He beamed at Cynthia, and she honestly looked taken aback for a moment before returning his smile with one more spirited than before.
Feeling a weight drop on his head, he reached up to scratch the scaly flank of Nettle, the beast babbling incoherently, but its excitement about the new surroundings was easy to interpret.
"Welcome one and all to the semifinals of the Vertress Conference!"
The cheers from the crowd were deafening. Castor, Hemlock, and Sagitta bolted towards the glass windows to look over the field. The announcer was Alder's grandson, Benga. The young man's hair was equally as wild, the same reds and oranges making it look like fire.
"We only have three more battles of the conference, and then we'll have our Vertress Conference Winner! Now, let's not keep everyone waiting! First battle of the semifinals is between Rosa Black of Aspertia City and Trip Gonzalez of Nuvema Town!"
The two competitors walked onto the field to the roar of the audience. Rosa waved to the crowd with a huge smile on her face, her brunette hair in two large buns with strands hanging down to her ribcage. Trip had a frown on as he walked out, shaggy sandy hair hanging and obscuring parts of his face.
"Trainers, this is a 6v6 battle, substitutions are allowed. There is no time limit. Once all six Pokémon on one side have been defeated, a winner will be called! There will be a break once three Pokémon on one side have been defeated. Green trainer, you will release first!"
Trip pursed his lips and primed a Dive ball. A large male Jellicent materialized, floating a foot above the ground.
Rosa thought for a moment before releasing a muscular Zebstrika.
"3-2-1 BATTLE BEGIN!"
Ash leaned forward in his seat, watching the ensuing battle with focused eyes. He's never participated in a 6v6 and he was looking forward to it. It looked intense.
Zebstrika weakened Jellicent before a Volt Switch called it back, then to everyone's surprise, Rosa released her Heatmor.
Which proceeded to take the Water and Ghost type down with an electrified Fire Lash, but not before sustaining some damage.
Trip scowled and released a male Unfezant, which using a clever combination of Rain Dance and Hurricane, managed to defeat Heatmor. Rosa's next Pokémon was a Swanna, and so it became an aerial battle. Both were obviously well trained, but the previous Rain Dance worked against Unfezant.
Trip's third Pokémon was a Vanillish, which took a few Steel Wings but a well aimed Freeze-Dry finally downed the bird. Everyone was a little surprised when Trip recalled the middle-stage Ice type and released a Lampent against Rosa's Zebstrika.
Even tired, the Zebstrika was a beast. It was fast, and was bulky enough to pack a punch. The two were pretty evenly matched, until Zebstrika released an Ion Deluge and a Hyper Beam.
Lampent didn't stand a chance against the electrified Recharger.
But by then, Zebstrika had used up all its energy and fell to the ground. At half time, it was a perfect 3-3 split for both.
"Is it just me, or do Trip's Pokémon not trust him as much as they should?" Ash's comment made those close to him give various sounds of agreement.
"I noticed the same thing. They're strong, but Rosa's Pokémon push past their limits for her." Cynthia had her chin resting on her interlaced fingers and gazed down at the field with a faraway look on her face.
"Good eye, Ash. I think his Jellicent could have taken down Heatmor if there wasn't so much hesitation in its attacks. They have brute strength going for them, but little else. I must say I'm surprised he's made it this far." Steven shared a look with Ash. The others had finally set aside their card game to give the battle their full attention.
Hemlock and Sagitta came darting over and started talking over one another at Ash, Castor keeping his distance and crossing his arms. Ash was sure his smile was indulgent, but he tried to follow along with his teammates' chatter. He thought it was safe to say they were enjoying the match.
Sagitta took his distraction as a chance to grab Mirae and fly him over to the window, settling down on a table nearby. Ash just shook his head, careful not to dislodge Nettle.
Soon, the challengers were called back to the field and it began again. In a big surprise, Rosa released a massive Sandaconda against Trip's Conkeldurr. Wow, battle of the powerhouses.
When Trip realized Sandaconda's coil strength could immobilize his fighter, he ended up substituting. Vanillish was released and then the battle became a bit more even. Sandaconda could't use its physical strength for coiling, or else it risked being frozen. So instead, it sunk a Fire Fang into the Ice type's body.
A blast of Ice Beam to the face and the Galar native freed the Vanillish. A simultaneous Sandstorm and Hail tried to be induced, but the weather-altering techniques took a significant amount of time to carry out, so both discontinued that avenue. A well-timed Rock Blast finally took down the Vanillish.
By that point, Sandaconda was tired and moving slowly from the cold. Conkeldurr made quick work of the Ground type.
Then it was Fighting versus Fighting.
Ash had never seen a Falinks used in a conference battle before. It was fascinating. Counting as one Pokémon, but technically made up of five individuals, the Pokémon excelled in strategic placement for offense and defense.
And although Conkeldurr got a few good attacks in, strategy trumped brawn. The Galarian Fighting type surged forward and dogpiled Trip's Pokémon and an overwhelming Close Combat later, it was down for the count.
Trip was down to his last Pokémon, and his Serperior was just as majestic as Ash heard they could be. A Leaf Tornado was all it took to take out the brass of the Falinks, and then the remaining four surrendered.
Rosa smiled good-naturedly and returned her fifth Pokémon. Her smile grew challenging as she and Trip made eye contact across the field. She released her own Serperior, and Ash understood Grimsley's earlier comment.
Rosa's Serperior was bigger, sleeker, and had more vibrant colors indicating its good health.
From there it wasn't really a competition. Sure, Trip's Serperior put up a good fight, but Rosa's was stronger, more experienced, and trusted its trainer.
Five minutes later, Rosa was the winner.
Ash fell back against the couch, mind running through possible strategies, techniques, and counters that he could use. There was a fifteen minute break before the last semifinal battle. He whipped out his Pokédex and started jotting down ideas.
He felt an itching on the back of his neck and he looked up, only to find eyes on him. "Uh…"
Steven smiled at him. "It's nice to see trainers study each other's battles. I've known too many who didn't try to learn from others."
Ash shifted and then shrugged. "I'm not going to pretend I know everything, that's just a surefire way to failure." Grimsley clapped him on the back before he got up to pour himself a glass of soda. Ash noted the man purposely kept his gaze away from the bar.
"So Ash, what other Pokémon do you have?" Caitlin was leaning forward, her blonde hair falling around her like a cape. Her Musharna, even asleep, mimicked her body language.
"I have Hakamo-o, Zoroark, a Hydreigon, and a, uh, a Houndour back at Oak's lab." Her eyes flickered down to his arms but didn't otherwise outwardly react.
"Damn, kid, how long have you been a trainer?"
"Almost six months." Various whistles sounded through the room.
Ash did not like being the center of attention, especially when it was in a room of Masters. He couldn't tell if every movement, word, Pokémon, or expression were being judged.
Lance nudged Alder. "His Hydreigon is a sight. Evolved her from a Zweilous all on his own, according to Oak. I'm going to have to take a look at your Hakamo-o, Ketchum, I didn't get a chance to before."
"Why are you acting proud? Fucking two-faced asshole." Grimsley muttered under his breath. Lance pretended not to hear him.
Ash hummed. "Yeah, but they're a little beat up right now. Had a battle against Iris' Druddigon and Haxorus yesterday. It got quite… destructive."
All the Unova Elite Four and Champion widened their eyes. "You don't say? She might not be a Master, but Iris is no pushover. And Haxorus is one of her strongest. How bad was your defeat?" Marshal had his arms crossed and head tilted. But before Ash could answer, Grimsley threw an arm around Ash's shoulders and bared his teeth in a fierce grin.
"Oh, no, none of that. His Hakamo-o took down Druddigon seconds before fainting, and Haxorus was barely standing by the time Hydreigon was taken down. His Hydreigon took a point-blank Draco Meteor and still got up to release one of her own." Ash would forever cherish the sight of Champions and Elite Four alike radiating interest even if their expressions remained carefully blank. They were all politicians afterall.
Ash sighed and leaned back. "As I told Iris, I've had my Hydreigon for almost three years, and my Hakamo-o is a Totem from Alola. They were strong before they were my teammates."
"Don't sell yourself short, Ketchum. You're still able to command them, and they listen. That's a majority of the battle when it comes to Dragons. And having two Pokémon from Pseudo-Legend lines listen to you? That's a feat." Ash blinked at Lance, surprised by his vehemence. Maybe because the topic was Dragons.
"Alright everyone, let's get ready for our last battle of the semifinals! Our first finalist is Rosa Black! Let's find out who her opponent will be! Our last semifinals battle is between Hilda White of Nuvema Town and Virgil Turner of Luxuria Town!"
Hilda was a serious looking woman, probably in her late teens. Her hair was threaded through the back of her hat. Fists clenched in anticipation as she took her spot in the trainer box. Virgil had an easy-going smile on his face and waved lightly at the crowd. His hair was more golden than Trip's, and he stood tall when he made it to the trainer box.
"Trainers, this is a 6v6 battle, substitutions are allowed. There is no time limit. Once one side's Pokémon have been defeated, a winner will be called! There will be a break once three Pokémon on one side have been defeated. Red trainer, you will release first!"
Hilda smirked and tossed out her first Pokémon. An Eelektross floated above the field, its Levitate ability a boon for an Electric type. Ash could see Virgil thinking. Of course there wasn't a discovered Ground Eeveelution, but it's not like it would do much good. He finally decided and released a Jolteon.
Volt Absorb, interesting choice.
"3-2-1 BATTLE BEGIN!"
Jolteon was faster, but Eelektross had better defenses. It was a fast-paced battle, Eelektross able to cut through the air fast enough to give Jolteon trouble. But its movepool was relatively shallow, relying on Crush Claw, Flash Canon, Flamethrower, and Drain Punch, giving Virgil the opportunity to devise counters.
Eventually, Jolteon was struck by a Drain Punch that threw it off course and straight into a Flamethrower that took it down. Virgil's Espeon quickly put Eelektross to sleep and then drained its health with Dream Eater.
Both down one Pokémon, Hilda observed Espeon for a moment and then released a hyperactive Swoobat. Caitlin smiled from her spot on the couch.
The two Psychics mentally ran circles around each other for a long while until Espeon's Synchronize sent its confusion back to Swoobat. Then both Psychics were confused and dizzy. Hilda and Virgil had the same idea and returned their teammates.
The next matchup was an unfortunate one for Virgil. Vaporeon against Ferrothorn. It was a quick battle, the Water type taken out with an overpowered Power Whip.
But then Virgil's Flareon took the field. Hilda gritted her teeth but left her Grass and Steel type on the field for as long as possible before switching it out. The Gigalith that landed on the field made Ash shiver, remembering the behemoth that attacked Volcarona.
Flareon was equipped with Iron Tail and Rock Smash that allowed it to do some damage, but it too was soon taken down by the powerful Rock type. At this point, Virgil had lost three of his Pokémon compared to Hilda losing one. But Hilda only had two fresh Pokémon.
"Yeah, Hilda's got this." Grimsley sounded smug, and this kick-started a debate among the top box inhabitants. Ash stayed quiet and watched in silent awe as Lance threw popcorn at Alder and Marshal glared heatedly at Caitlin. Shauntal's eyes were darting around the room as her pen flew across the pages of her notebook.
Ash absentmindedly scratched Nettle's cheek, who had since moved to his lap, and watched the back and forth with a bemused expression until Benga returned to the field to start the second half.
Hilda's Gigalith landed with a heavy thud across from Virgil's Leafeon. This was an interesting match up, because Leafeon was a strong physical attacker, but against Gigalith's sturdy rocky hide, it would have trouble.
But it still succeeded. A Leaf Blade struck the joints and Gigalith collapsed. Leafeon stood tall, but as soon as Swoobat appeared on the field, Virgil substituted the Grass type for his last unknown Pokémon, Glaceon.
Swoobat was a flurry of movement, but Glaceon had uncanny accuracy and struck it out of the sky every time. Too much punishment led to its defeat.
They were now tied up, each having three Pokémon left.
Hilda's Emboar took the stage.
It was a decimation. Glaceon fell, then Leafeon, and even with the type advantage Espeon fell to the beast.
Hilda won her spot in the semifinals with one Pokémon still unknown.
"I'm kind of bummed it was so easy for her in the end." Ash frowned, but Shauntal shrugged and blinked slowly.
"A strong trainer will use whatever means necessary to win, as long as it's allowed. There are many techniques frowned upon, but if it's legal in a battle, why would you give yourself a disadvantage?"
Marshal huffed and frowned at the Ghost Master. "You're just saying that because you can just Destiny Bond and Perish Song anyone."
Shauntal leered at the Fighting Master. "So grouchy." That devolved into a battle of insults between the two. Alder pinched the bridge of his nose and looked skyward for patience.
"So this means Trip wins third place and gets on the podium." Ash nodded to Caitlin's words, humming under his breath in contemplation. It was unprecedented that someone had a team full of Eeveelutions, and it was impressive that Virgil made it to the semifinals.
Ash stood and stretched, turning to the windows. "Hey guys, time to go." Sagitta picked up Mirae around the waist and flew him over, dropping him onto Ash's head. The poor Eevee slid right off, not having the hat to use for grip. Ash quickly grabbed the falling Eevee, Nettle shifted into the other arm.
"Castor, Hemlock, come on, we'll be back tomorrow." The croc shoved his rival, to which the Morgrem responded by tripping the Desert Croc. His pitchfork hair wrapped around the Krokorok and started dragging him behind. Ash just closed his eyes and sighed defeatedly before returning them.
He could hear the chuckles of the others and couldn't really fault them. "See you all tomorrow." Ash gave a single wave and headed for the elevator. He got various calls of farewell. As he hit the button for the ground floor, Lance slipped through the doors, Flapple still curled up in his arms.
It was rather humorous, Lance looked like he had a two and a half foot tall apple in his arms. Ash lifted an eyebrow. "Guess Champions lose their dignity too."
Lance barked out a booming laugh. "Oh, more often than you'd think. This one is a spoiled brat. She has had some attachment issues ever since… the accident." Ash nodded slowly, remembering what Lance had said about the horrid injury he'd gotten from the Galar Dragon.
The two stood in silence until the elevator doors opened up for them. The Champion purposely shortened his steps to keep pace with the teen. "Do you mind if I see your Hakamo-o?" Ash shrugged, gesturing for the Tempest Master to follow once they exited the building.
Even though he didn't have a room at any of the Pokémon centers, their outdoor training fields were still up for grabs. On their way there, Ash had to hide his frown at the attention Lance drew. Gaping faces and whispered worship trailed in their wake. If his grip on Nettle and Mirae tightened a bit, no one had to know.
One of the many centers in the city loomed ahead and the two trainers banked around back to find a rather empty training field. Ash looked down and pursed his lips, needing his hands but having two sleeping teammates was proving troublesome. Making a split second decision, Ash shoved the two Pokémon in Lance's arms. "Here, hold them for me." He took a moment to bask in the Champion's baffled expression before unclipping the single Ultra ball on his belt.
Libra appeared with a deafening clanging and a prideful roar, startling Nettle and Mirae awake. Her few undamaged scales clacked against each other, but Ash was mostly prepared for the sharp sounds by now. The Totem looked around, then down at her still healing body. Ash stepped up and gently ran his hands over the tender skin and scales.
"Feeling good?" Libra huffed at that, as if she would ever show weakness, but still bowed her head to 'lightly' nudge against Ash's chest. With a tiny smile, he lifted his hands and found the thin scales on her jaw and started scratching. She rumbled deeply and her head grew heavier in his hands. Ash grunted with the added weight. "Oomph, okay okay, there's someone I want you to meet." Libra's eyes slitted open to glare at Lance for a few moments before she lifted her head and stared him down.
Lance's gold eyes were glittering as he stared at the lanky Dragon. Middle stage evolutions had a tendency to look a bit… awkward. "Where did you find her?" His voice was reverent and made the Hakamo-o lift her head higher.
She might be calmer than Styx, but she still appreciated admiration.
Ash patted her arm where her skin wasn't bared. "We were trying to find a Jangmo-o on Poni Island. Styx caught the scent and followed to a chasm. Apparently that was the final Island Challenge spot. The Totem Kommo-o challenged Styx, and she evolved fighting it. Oh! I have the video." If Lance had use of his arms he would have been making grabby fingers at the Pokédex.
The Poipole and Eevee in his arms didn't seem keen on moving any time soon.
Libra, having never seen the video of her parent losing, came around to watch over their heads. The Champion leaned in to watch the long but breathtaking video. He gasped in awe like a little kid watching his first battle. It was weird seeing a Champion so… childlike.
It was almost like he was overcompensating for his earlier behavior by acting as non-threatening as possible.
When the video finished, Lance adjusted his grip on the two Pokémon and leaned back, exhaling heavily. "Damn, Ketchum, you could make money from this, first Zweilous to evolve mid-battle. So how'd you get Libra?" He gestured with his chin toward the Dragon in question.
Ash smiled and shook his head. "Honestly, the Kommo-o made Libra join me."
Lance was silent for a beat before he broke out into laughter, startling Nettle and Mirae. They jumped from his arms, allowing him to bend over and hold his sides while his laughter boomed around them.
Nettle darted around to hide behind Ash's head. Mirae just looked morbidly curious as he stared up at the Champion. Ash shifted and shared a look with Libra. "Uh, Lance?"
The Champion took deep breaths, a few more chuckles escaping, and stood tall. He stared at Ash and shook his head in what could only be disbelief. "You, kid, are fascinating."
Ash frowned. "Uh, thanks?" Lance's eyes bore into his own for a second longer, a complex look in his eyes, a mix between awe and regret and then looked away.
The Tempest Master stalked forward and clapped Ash on the back, almost making him stumble. "Good job." The words felt weighted and Ash watched the man walk away without another word.
"Huh."
Ash cheered with the other three hundred thousand spectators as Hilda shot a fist in the air to revel in her victory, her Seismitoad beaten and bruised but standing proudly. Rosa sighed but smiled as she returned her downed Sandaconda.
Benga ran onto the field and threw out his arms. "Ladies and gentleman, our newest Vertress Conference Champion, Hilda White!" Her grin was fierce and proud but she still walked over and shook Rosa's hand, the two sharing words unheard over the roar of the crowd. Winning a League Conference... it was huge.
Deflating back in his seat, Ash's mind was reeling. It had been quite the battle, neither trainer giving an inch until they were each down to their last Pokémon; Seismitoad and Sandaconda. Rosa had defeated Hilda's beast of an Emboar with a surprise Slowking that took it down quicker than anything before.
The entire match had blood rushing through his veins, second-hand adrenaline making him yearn for a League match of his own.
He looked around the room, seeing the Unova Elite Four's minds already racing to come up with strategy after strategy for their upcoming match with the winner. He shared a glance with Cynthia, lips quirking at the intense focus on their faces.
His eyes drifted to the windows to see Castor and Hemlock once against acting like roughhousing children. It was like Castor brought out all the juvenile traits of Hemlock without even trying. Sagitta was, surprisingly, roosting in Ash's hair while Nettle and Mirae chased each other around the room. Grimsley had released his Poochyena to join the fun, and Ash was proud that his hands barely shook when the little Dark type ran past him.
A little over fifteen minutes later, a gleaming pedestal emerged from the floor, and soon Hilda, Rosa, and Trip were trailing in taking their places. Benga ran out, all hyperactive energy, and grinned wildly at the cheering audience.
"It is my absolute pleasure to announce our third place winner Trip Gonzalez!" The surly teen stepped forward, trying to hide his irritable frown but not quite succeeding. "Gonzalez is taking home $300,000 and five Ultra balls! He also wins an interview with the League for a job of his choosing! Last but certainly not least, Gonzalez wins the super rare Shiny Stone!"
Ash jerked out of his seat, eyes wide and mouth gaping. Sagitta had jumped into the air and was now fluttering next to his head. The two shared an astonished look.
"Holy shit."
"What is it?" Caitlin tilted her head curiously.
Ash opened and closed his mouth for a few moments before finally gasping out, "I need to talk to Trip." His head whipped around looking for his bag, completely tuning out the rest of the award ceremony. A hand on his shoulder finally stopped him. Cynthia was smiling down at him warmly before turning to Alder.
"Alder, is it possible to invite those three up? A Meet and Greet perhaps?" The Unova Champion frowned and shrugged. He quickly grabbed his phone and made a call.
Ash couldn't sit down now, he was too keyed up. The hopeful light in his Togetic's eyes was squeezing his heart. He even prayed to Mew in the hopes that this worked out.
He had to impatiently wait for a half hour before the three trainers filed into the room. Ash's eyes immediately zeroed in on Trip, who was holding an expensive-looking canvas bag. Tapping his foot, he waited another ten minutes for the conference challengers to meet the Champions and Elite Four.
Cynthia was a Mew-send. As she shook Trip's hand she locked eyes with Ash and waved him over. Mirae, Nettle, and Sagitta accompanied him over. "Trip, this is Ash. He's a new trainer who helped out the League around a month ago."
Ash's eyes wanted to twitch at Trip's disinterest, but the third-place winner still shook his hand. He decided to just dive in. "I was hoping to talk to you actually. See, I won a Dusk Stone a few months ago, but don't have a use for it. You just won a Shiny Stone. You have a Lampent, I have a Togetic, so why don't we trade stones?"
Trip's eyes narrowed and took on an interested gleam as they darted over Ash's three teammates. The surrounding Masters had gone quiet, and Trip noticed. His eyes scanned the room and something tensed his shoulders.
"I'll tell you what. We'll battle. Winner gets both stones."
Not a Trip fan
We get an unfortunate callback to Euryale and Omen
The interactions between the Masters feel somewhat shallow, I know. The Unova Elite Four are… hard to write. Only Caitlin was ever in the main anime.
Unova is coming to a close; not as eventful as Alola, but more transformative. Kalos is going to be interesting, so prepare yourselves.
My upload schedule is an attempt at twice a week, but it doesn't always work out perfectly
Ash's Team
Styx - Hydreigon
Hemlock - Morgrem
Bane - Zoroark
Mirae - Eevee
Sagitta - Togetic
Libra - Hakamo-o
Nettle - Poipole
Unnamed - Houndour
Castor - Krokorok