The Ferry finally docked at Trovita Island and both Ash and James sighed in relief and stretched their legs. They were on the ferry for too long and waited just as long to move about freely.
"We should walk to the Pokemon Center and rest up first" James suggested. "And then head for the Gym."
Ash nodded softly and the two walked to the Pokemon Center, where they found the atmosphere a little depressing. The duo healed their Pokemon and then rested in the guest rooms of the Pokemon Center before heading for the Gym.
"None of them would say what happened" James muttered.
"Yeah, it was weird" Ash muttered back. The boy couldn't remember the last time he'd been on Trovita Island, but he was certain that things weren't so depressing last time.
They arrived at the Gym and walked in to find a man wiping the floors with his mop. Probably a janitor.
"Excuse me, I was here to challenge the Gym Leader," Ash said walking up to the man.
The man looked up, his eyes dulled by sadness, and smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, the Gym Leader is taking no challengers now. He's kept badges over there for challengers to pick them and move along."
Ash was too stunned to speak. He could remember battling the Gym Leader for his badge last time!
James stepped forward and placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "You seem sad like the rest of the Island. Can you tell us what happened?" he asked the Janitor.
The Janitor sighed before looking down. "A tragedy" he shook his head. "A few days ago the Gym Leader's sister was out playing in the waters when the Gym Leader was busy with Gym duties. She got swept up by the whirlpool and sucked in. The Gym Leader is off to retrieve her body but so far there has been no news."
"Oh no," James muttered sadly.
Ash could only stand there in shock and horror. Something like this hadn't happened last time, no he would remember if there was a death on his last visit.
Had things been different if he were… a little earlier then?
-x-
The thought had plagued Ash all through Ascorbia and Butwal Island, unable to think of anything else. He hadn't been dallying around in his journey he was certain of it, yet things were so different from last time. It was another blast of realization of how his decisions impacted a wider range of people than just him or his Pokemon.
First Damien joined Team Rocket and now the Gym Leader's sister… What else had his decisions done that he wasn't yet aware of?
If not for Pikachu's Thunderbolt and pep talk, the thoughts would have consumed him entirely.
"You're right… we can't control everything" Ash whispered to his partner, hugging him close.
He and James explored Butwal Island after Ash had gotten back on his feet, meeting a boy named Gulzar who challenged Ash for a Pokemon Battles because Ash accidentally yanked the flowers from his headband. In the battle between Gloom and Dratini, Dratini dominated with her newly learned Ice Beam from Lapras and won the battle for Ash, evolving into Dragonaire in the process.
James was just happy to see his friend slowly going back to the boy he was. He had a feeling that somehow and for some reason, Ash was taking the death of the girl hard and blaming himself for it.
The duo left Butwal Island once the tides had calmed and reached Kumquat Island, the site of Ash's final Gym Challenge.
"Kumquat Island is a luxury island resort," James said as he looked over the little book he'd bought at the start of their journey. "There are mostly hotels on this island, with beautiful beaches and natural hot springs."
"I wasn't to dip in the hot springs" Ash sighed, before being swept up in a pair of arms and having his face buried in a soft chest.
"Travis! Oh, my sweet boy you're finally home!" the woman said happily, hugging Ash's head even tighter.
"Uh ma'am," James said in a panic seeing his friend getting smothered. "That's not Travis!"
The woman stopped her happy mumbling and glanced down. She quickly let go with an embarrassed laugh. "Sorry about that! You just look so much like my son Travis! He also started his journey with a Pikachu."
"It's alright," Ash said with a smile, taking in deep breaths.
"I'm Luana, a local hotelier. But I'm guessing you're not here for the hotels" she added with a knowing smile.
"No ma'am! I'm here for my final Gym battle" Ash answered with a grin. He may not have remembered much of the Gyms in the Orange Islands, but his memory about the final gym was jogged when Luana mistook him for her son.
Luana grinned back in reply.
-x-
"Double Battle… I don't think I've ever heard or seen one before" James frowned softly.
"I heard they are a thing in a region called Hoenn" Ash explained with a shrug.
"Is it? Odd, how come I've never seen one when I visited" James' frown only deepened.
"You have been to Hoenn?"
"My parents have a rest house there and we used to go there all the time when I was young."
"Just how rich are you?!"
James laughed, before falling back on the soft bed. "Rich enough that I could afford this suite easily with my family money. Thank god I had you instead and you look like Luana's son!"
Ash snorted. "Back to the battle. I'm going to use Pikachu in tomorrow's battle. But I'm not sure yet who else to use as a partner."
"Well, maybe you can call back a Pokemon from the Lab since you decided to not use one you already have on you."
"When did I say that?"
"If you did intend it, you wouldn't be in a dilemma right now. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to sleep."
James crawled under the covers and practically sank under before passing out into peaceful slumber.
Ash sat at the foot of the bed and thought about who he was going to pair up with Pikachu.
-x-
The following day Ash and James found themselves walking down a corridor with Pokemon dancing and exercising on both sides behind glass walls. That was part of the hotel's workout gym, the corridor meanwhile led to the indoor Pokemon Stadium that served as the Gym battlefield.
"Our battle will be a double battle where even one fallen Pokemon will mean defeat for the trainer. So I hope you choose your duo wisely" Luana said gently, but with the authoritarian tone of a Gym Leader.
"Don't worry, I got just the two" Ash grinned. He'd visited the Pokemon Center just that morning and picked out which one he was going to use.
"I'm curious to see how I fare against the Indigo League Champion," Luana said with a grin.
Ash grinned back. Of course, she'd know who he was.
The two took their positions on the battlefield once they'd arrived, while James sat in the stands and at a safe distance away from the battle.
Ash sent out his Charizard and Pikachu.
Luana grinned. "I knew you'd be sending those two out" she added, before sending out Alakazam and Wartortle.
The battle began with Pikachu using Quick Attack on Alakazam. Alakazam was a frail Pokemon and physical attacks would do well against it. But Wartortle's Withdraw blocked the attack, before Alakazam's Psychic shot Pikachu into Charizard. Wartortle followed up with Hydro Pump while Charizard used Flamethrower. The clashing of those two moves created steam and smoke that covered the entire field. Charizard took to the air and Pikachu fired a Thunder. The steam in the air conducted the electricity and Pikachu could hear Wartortle crying out in pain.
But not Alakazam.
Charizard suddenly fell from the sky into the electrocuted steam, taking damage as well.
Alakazam floated in the air, using Psychic to draw Wartortle out as well.
Wartortle fired Hydro Pump from the air, weakened by the Thunder but still powerful enough. Pikachu's Thunder cut through it but before it could hit, both Pokemon vanished.
"Teleport" Ash muttered. He remembered Sabrina's Kadabra doing something similar in their battle. "Fine, if you're not going to come down any time soon. Charizard, Fly over Pikachu, Pikachu Thunder!"
Charizard took to the air again and flew right above Pikachu, remaining in position. Pikachu's cheeks sparked before he began to spin and used Thunder. The Counter Shield sent waves all around Pikachu, rising high enough to touch the ceiling. But the only place it did not rise was above Pikachu, where Charizard was. Alakazam and Wartorle teleported around to dodge the waves, but there were too many and both Pokemon got hit by one wave eventually, before move slammed into them continuously. Charizard used Fire Blast, now with a static target for a change. The blast of fire knocked both Pokemon out of the air, both hitting the ground with a thud and being hit by Pikachu's Thunder.
Alakazam slowly got back on his feet.
But Wartortle did not.
With Wartortle's fall, the battle was over. Ash had won his final Orange Crew Gym Battle and Badge.