Ash Ketchum was making his way through Beacon Academy's grand courtyard with Pikachu perched on his shoulder. The architecture amazed him—tall spires, gleaming stone, and an air of prestige surrounded the place. He couldn't believe he was actually here.
"This place is amazing, huh, Pikachu?" Ash said, grinning.
"Pika-pika!" Pikachu agreed, its tail flicking with excitement.
The awe was cut short when a sharp, disapproving voice broke through the air.
"You! What are you doing here?"
Ash turned to see a pale, elegantly dressed girl with icy blue eyes and a flawless white ponytail approaching him. Her stance was rigid, and her expression screamed disapproval.
"Uh, hi!" Ash greeted, trying to stay cheerful. "I'm Ash, and this is Pikachu. We're visiting!"
Weiss crossed her arms, her gaze flicking between him and Pikachu. "Visiting? You're barely old enough to be a student here. How did you even get into Beacon's grounds?"
Ash scratched his head, a bit flustered. "Well, Ruby said it'd be fine, and Professor Ozpin gave me a pass. I'm just here to learn and meet new people."
Weiss huffed. "Ruby. Of course. She's always bringing in strange people. And what is that?" She pointed at Pikachu.
"Pikachu?" Ash asked, confused. "He's my partner, a Pokémon."
"It's… a rodent, isn't it?" Weiss said, stepping closer with a mix of disdain and curiosity. "I can't believe they're letting animals in here."
Pikachu's ears twitched, and it sparked its cheeks defensively.
"Hey, Pikachu's not just an animal," Ash protested, stepping protectively in front of his partner. "He's one of my best friends!"
Weiss sniffed, clearly unimpressed, but her expression softened slightly as Pikachu tilted its head and gave a little "Pika?"
Weiss hesitated. "It's… strangely cute," she admitted grudgingly. She reached out, but Pikachu eyed her warily.
"Try giving him a berry," Ash suggested, pulling a berry from his bag. Weiss reluctantly accepted it and held it out.
Pikachu sniffed her hand before taking the berry. Weiss's frosty demeanor cracked as she let out a soft giggle when Pikachu nuzzled her hand afterward.
"Well, at least it's polite," Weiss muttered, but her tone was less sharp.
Despite Weiss warming up to Pikachu, her opinion of Ash hadn't improved much.
"You're far too young to be in a place like Beacon," she said as they walked through the campus. "This is a school for Huntsmen and Huntresses in training. We face life-or-death situations every day. You don't belong here."
Ash frowned, his fists clenching. "I might be younger than most people here, but I've been through plenty of battles. I've fought powerful opponents and faced danger too."
Weiss raised an eyebrow. "Really? Like what?"
"Ever heard of a Tyranitar? Or Team Rocket? I've been through legendary battles and saved entire regions!"
Weiss rolled her eyes. "That sounds… exaggerated."
"It's not!" Ash said, his voice rising. "And just because you don't know me doesn't mean I don't belong."
Weiss stared at him, surprised by his conviction. She softened slightly but didn't let it show. "Hmph. I suppose even someone like Ruby thinks you're capable if she vouched for you."
Later, Ash and Weiss found themselves in the training arena. Weiss begrudgingly agreed to a sparring match, though she insisted it was to prove he couldn't handle himself.
"Let's see if you're as good as you say," Weiss said, summoning her rapier, Myrtenaster. "But no dangerous attacks. I don't want to be responsible for sending a child to the infirmary."
Ash smirked. "Don't worry, we can handle it. Pikachu, you're up!"
Pikachu leapt into the arena with a determined "Pika!"
Weiss looked skeptical. "You're sending your rodent to fight me? Fine, don't say I didn't warn you."
The match began, and Weiss dashed forward with impressive speed, her rapier leaving icy trails in its wake. Pikachu dodged nimbly, countering with Quick Attack and forcing Weiss to block.
"Impressive," Weiss muttered as she summoned a glyph and sent a flurry of ice shards toward Pikachu.
"Dodge and use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.
Pikachu zipped through the shards and unleashed a powerful Thunderbolt. Weiss barely avoided the attack, her composure slipping.
As the battle went on, Weiss found herself genuinely impressed by Ash's quick thinking and Pikachu's agility. The match ended in a draw when Weiss called a ceasefire, her icy demeanor thawed.
After the battle, Weiss approached Ash, her expression less haughty than before.
"I'll admit, you're not entirely incompetent," she said, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You and Pikachu work well together."
"Thanks," Ash said with a grin. "You're pretty amazing too. That rapier is no joke."
Weiss allowed herself a small smile. "You're still too young to be here, but… I suppose you're not entirely out of place. And Pikachu is adorable."
"Pika-pi!" Pikachu chirped, leaping into her arms. Weiss's face lit up with a rare smile as she hugged the Pokémon.
"I suppose you're… decent," Weiss said, her tone reluctant but genuine.
"Thanks, Weiss," Ash replied. "You're not as scary as I thought."
Weiss gave him a sharp look. "Don't push your luck, Ketchum."