Ash refused to outwardly react to the asshole's suggestion. Trip had taken one look at Ash's three teammates and decided this was an easy win with a huge profit. Nettle, Sagitta, and Mirae were deceptively small, young, and adorable and Trip had a few monsters on his team.
Getting third in a League Conference proved the other trainer was strong.
He was usually pretty confident, but Trip had a few years of experience on him. Styx and Libra were still out of commission from their battle with Iris. Styx's wings were still healing and Libra's scales were only half-way grown back. They were in no shape to battle, and Ash wouldn't put the burden of Sagitta's evolution on their shoulders.
That left Ash with five teammates, and he once again cursed the damned carry limit for taking Bane away. In a five-on-five, Trip would win. Hemlock and Sagitta were well-trained, but frail. Castor had never participated in a major battle with Ash directing him, and Nettle and Mirae were good for their age, but not Conference-level good. Trip's Serperior, Conkeldurr, and Jellicent could win him the match.
Then he got an idea.
He caught Cynthia's preparation to protest and minutely shook his head.
A smooth smirk slid over his face and he relaxed his body language. "Sure. Your Lampent against my Togetic. See how bad they want it." He could feel Sagitta quivering beside him, the air vibrating with the frequency of her wing beats.
This was the only way forward he could see. Lampent was… absent-minded from what he could tell of Trip's semifinals match. It seemed like a more recent capture for the other teen.
Bless Cynthia's soul, she clapped her hands together and beamed. "What a wonderful idea. Let's go find a battlefield, I'd love to watch." Ash blinked at the suddenness of it. They were battling now?
Alder walked over and clapped Trip on the back, making him stumble but also getting rid of his sour expression. "Why don't we use one of the smaller fields of the stadium? I have access, and this seems like a great opportunity. What do you say, Mr. Gonzalez?"
Ash wanted to bask in Trip's pissed expression, because the trainer knew he was trapped. He couldn't use his strongest Pokémon to win him both stones. Ash knew this wasn't a shoe-in, it would still be a close battle, but he had a much higher chance of winning now.
He saw waving out of the corner of his eye and caught Rosa Black giving him a double thumbs up. Huh, guess she hadn't liked Trip either.
Everyone swiftly returned their teammates until only Sagitta was left out. Ash let his mind race with strategies.
Lampent were very fragile, but they were Ghosts, and thus had the ability to go intangible. Their flames were known to be hot and overwhelming, more often than not leaving burns on their opponents. Ash would have to be careful since Lampent had a 360 degree visual field.
The large group split up to take the elevator down. Cynthia and Alder led Trip and Ash around the building to head to the main entrance. Watching Alder request use of the field was impressive, he acted like he already had permission.
Well, he was the Champion of this entire region.
"You might have the pity of the Champions, but you're nowhere near my level." Ash held back a sigh at the harshly whispered words. He let his eyes slide over to Trip's, blood red boring into pale green, until the trainer huffed and averted his gaze. Ash let himself give a lazy smirk. Sometimes people were so easy to unnerve.
They finally walked through double doors to enter one of the preliminary fields. It reminded him of Opelucid gym's battlefield. Bigger than what he was used to, but mostly flat. The group waited a few minutes for the rest of the Masters to join them.
Unova's Elite Four, four regional Champions, and the first and second-place Conference winners surrounded the field. A trickle of nerves settled beside the heightened stakes in Ash's mind.
Time to show what he and his team can do.
Alder clapped once and gestured to the two challengers. "Alright, both of you hand Cynthia the stones to hold on to. I'll be refereeing the match." Ash dug into his bag to take out the right container. The ominous purple stone was glowing as he withdrew it and handed it to the Sinnoh Champion. Trip handed over the starlight-like stone with a frown.
Not wasting time, Ash pivoted and headed for the trainer box. Sagitta fluttered a few meters in front of him. He made eye contact with her coal ones and let all of his faith in her show.
"Sagitta… this is it. This is our chance. You've grown so much, gotten so much stronger. But I need you to know, I will never stop trying to help you become a Togekiss. Even if we lose… I will not let you down.
"But we won't lose. Not today."
Her small beak parted in a grin and she turned back around to glare down her opponent.
Trip's Lampent looked around in confusion, arms rotating around its body like a gyroscope. It first caught sight of Ash and floated back, but then its attention was drawn towards Cynthia. It started drifting closer before Trip whistled. "If you win, you get the stone." Lampent hollowly called back, its body swinging side to side like a pendulum.
Ash scowled slightly at his opponent's sharp words. He saw Shauntal send a cold glare at Trip, her grip on her pen tightening at the way he treated the Ghost type. Whatever. From what he'd seen in the semifinals, Lampent wasn't anything special. Its long-ranged attacks were strong, but it had low defenses.
It was hard to hit, however.
"This is a one on one battle between Trip Gonzalez and Ashton Ketchum. Last Pokémon conscious will get the opportunity to evolve! Trainers, ready your Pokémon! 3-2-1 Battle Begin!"
"Double Team, Safeguard, Shock Wave."
Sagitta split; a dozen copies of her darting around the field and glowing brightly with Safeguard. Burns would not do them in. An electrical charge built around them and fired in a wide circle, the battlefield lighting up in harsh yellow energy.
"Substitute, Inferno." Ash pursed his lips as the Shock Wave rolled harmlessly over the fake.
He waited for two seconds, just until he saw the first blazes of fire to call, "Protect!" He wasn't going to pull his punches with a Shiny Stone on the line. Sagitta cackled and glowed with energy until the raging Inferno subsided, the Togetic looking perfectly healthy.
The Substitute finally faded and Lampent phased up through the field, its internal flame flickering. "Taunt, Fire Spin!"
"Match with Incinerate!" The two Fire attacks clashed, Sagitta's eyes blazing with fury after the Taunt sunk into her. Her own flames were pushed back easily, but that was fine. "Shadow Ball!" The move fired so quickly Lampent went spinning away, much to Trip's consternation.
"Imprison!"
"Damnit." The psionic block sunk into Sagitta, locking away her Shadow Ball and who knows what else. "Spin Cutter!" Sagitta dove at the floating lamp, spinning like a propeller as waves upon waves of Flying energy lashed out.
Lampent was struck by three, spectral energy ripped from its arms, before it phased beneath the field. Ash bit his cheek to hide his sneer. Mew, he hated battling Ghost types as much as they hated him.
He opened his mouth to call his next order, but a sudden spike of burning pain from his arms made him flinch. He clamped his palms over his forearms with a grimace.
Sagitta was shot out of the air by a Shadow Ball before another slammed into her chest, throwing her back. She skidded a moment before her tiny wings beat furiously to get her into the air and away from the third Shadow Ball.
Ash scrambled to get the advantage back. "Air Slash!" Unfortunately, the attack harmlessly struck the ground when Lampent disappeared. He bared his teeth in frustration, cursing the absolute shit timing of his wounds.
Sagitta was getting tired, and his arms were aching. He needed to end this quickly, just needing to get the Lampent trapped in some way… Something moved in his periphery and he snarled.
"Rapid Shock Wave." Sagitta crackled with electricity. The downside was that she's now immobile, but if this worked, it wouldn't matter.
Wave upon wave of thin electric surges spread out over the field. Lampent wove and bobbed and sunk beneath the surface until it couldn't. One of the final waves struck the Fire and Ghost type in its abdomen, sending it careening back.
A fast Payback knocked Sagitta out of the air, but Ash kept his gaze locked on Lampent.
There!
Lampent seized midair as an electric current jumped over its spectral body. Ash thanked the Legends for Serene Grace.
A crack was forming along the colorless glass protecting Lampent's inner flame, betraying its fatigue.
The two airborne Pokémon returned to their spots in the sky, both a little shaky by now. Neither had the stamina for a drawn out battle. But now was his chance.
"Heat Wave!"
"Arrow!"
Sagitta bellowed with the force of her effort.
More Ancient Power arrows than he'd ever seen before were gouged from the field, dozens of holes leaving the field looking like swiss cheese. Sagitta was glowing with the energy she was radiating, her beak doing its best to twist into a furious sneer.
Lampent hesitated.
Sagitta didn't.
The craggy arrows hit their mark with unerring accuracy, like a company of archers had launched their attack instead of a single small Fairy. The stony bolts tore through Lampent's fragile, spectral body, wisps dissipating in the air like smoke. The Ghost was sent spinning, until one of the craggy projectiles struck true.
CRACK
Lampent froze, internal flame sputtering around the arrow that pierced its glass all the way through. The remaining arrows struck the field around it, sparing the downed Lamp Pokémon, but just barely.
The Ghost fell.
Ash's smile stretched his lips, watching as Sagitta turned toward him in dubious hope, their eyes wide in disbelief.
Spreading his arms, the Togetic darted in with a cry of glee. Withholding a wince when her feathers brushed against his sensitive scars, he hugged the little Fairy to his chest as tightly as he could, ignoring their audience because this was momentous. This was what they'd been waiting and hoping for.
This was…
He looked up to see his opponent sneering, boiling rage obvious on his face. Trip stood for a moment before whipping around and leaving the field.
Well, there had been a 12% chance he'd give Trip the Dusk Stone anyway, but if he didn't want it…
Ash smiled when Sagitta pulled away, slowly jogging after her as she zoomed over to Cynthia.
For a moment, he was alone, and his entire body felt heavy with the dawning understanding that his arms will continue to burden him forever.
The moment of dreadful realization was broken when a hand patted his back from Lance and his hair was messed up by Grimsley. He flashed a small smile and pushed the thoughts away. There wasn't time for that now. This was Sagitta's moment.
He was led towards the Sinnoh Champion, who was smiling proudly.
He hadn't noticed she had released her own Togekiss. Sagitta was gazing up at her next stage evolution with wonder, eyes darting rapidly between him and the stone. Cynthia's light laugh broke the spell as she handed the stones to Ash. He grasped them gently and beamed at his Togetic.
"Who would have thought, huh? Only four months with me and already you get to evolve." Sagitta was vibrating with her impatience and was forcefully resisting the pull of the stone. "Alright alright, let's let our family watch, alright?" Sagitta whined but let her trainer release the rest of his team.
Libra and Styx stood tall even as they tried to hide the extent of their injuries and exhaustion. Hemlock and Castor shoved each other in their race to get closer. Nettle and Mirae plopped themselves down on the ground and watched with large eyes.
"Here." Ash held the stone out to his little Togetic and watched as she dove forward and grabbed the stone.
Bright light doused the battlefield with its intensity. Ash squinted and tried to keep his gaze on the growing figure. He had to squeeze his eyes shut a few times to avoid permanent blindness, but after the final flash, it was over.
Sagitta flapped her large wings but underestimated her own strength. She shot higher into the air and teetered unsteadily with her surprise. She was much larger now. Her arms had fused with her wings, and now her wingspan was longer than Ash was tall and he was sure if she was grounded, her head would reach his neck.
Her downy, white feathers were sleek and smooth, the geometric shapes decorating her breast and stomach more rosy and violet, as opposed to the more common crimson and cerulean. He had noticed the triangles on her body as a Togetic were slightly off, but it seemed evolution exacerbated the tonal shift. He wondered if her exposure to Dragons and Fairies induced the change.
The Togekiss's beak was a bit sharper, but still rather short and thick, more similar to a Corviknight than a Pidgeot. Her feet had shrunk, the Fairy energy she emitted easing the demands of flight, though she still had small, sharp talons that could pierce flesh if she desired.
Which she probably would.
Cynthia's Togekiss launched himself into the air and started chirping at Sagitta. Stepping back to watch his teammate's spontaneous flight lesson, he yelped when an elbow dug into his side. Turning to glare, Grimsley grinned unrepentantly and held up his phone.
"I got a video of the whole thing. It's like I'm a proud parent. Is this how it feels? Marshal, you have two kids, what is this warm thing in my chest?" Grimsley thumped his chest with one hand while the other shot out and wrapped around Ash's neck, drawing him into the Dark Master's shoulder.
Ash struggled for a few moments before giving up, letting Grimsley have his moment. The surrounding Masters chuckled and laughed while Marshal jokingly called out "It's pride!"
While he was still held captive, Ash gazed around at the various Masters. Many, including Marshal, Alder, Shauntal, and Lance were watching Styx and Libra in barely concealed interest. Caitlin and Cynthia were watching the two Togekiss with their shoulders brushing while Steven had roped Grimsley into conversation about gathering evolution stones and fossils.
Hilda and Rosa had made their escape as soon as everyone's attention was on Sagitta.
It was… rather astounding really that all these powerful trainers were not only letting him hang around, but also helping him out and congratulating him. They were leaders, and Ash guessed that meant you had to be somewhat approachable.
That was going to be the hard part for him.
He thought about his unnerving eyes, his sharp words, and his morbid scars, and his Darks and Dragons. Could he become a strong leader with so many biases and experiences working against him? Could he look the part? Could he act the part?
Could he win the good opinion of the public when the time came?
A rough ruffle of his hair drew him from his thoughts. Grimsley wasn't looking at him, but he had a knowing expression. Ash shook his head and rolled his eyes, ignoring the warmth in his own chest at the affectionate action. He finally pushed away from Grimsley's half-hearted headlock.
Sagitta was flying a bit more smoothly at this point, following Cynthia's Togekiss through the air. Mirae was watching with rapt attention and Nettle had joined the impromptu flying, arms extended to mimic the two Togekiss. Styx's wings were almost healed, but she still needed another day of recovery. The massive Hydreigon was unenthusiastically pumping her wings to get the blood flowing, looking more like a moping Growlithe.
A moment later Sagitta flew down and just barely stopped herself from painfully impacting the ground. What she did instead was swoop up and crash into Ash's abdomen.
Ash went flying and landed on his back, a breathless oomph wheezing past his lips. He was going to have an ugly bruise from Sagitta's hard beak.
He paused a moment then looked down, seeing Sagitta pillowed on his stomach, her new wings spread wide. Her eyes were alight with Mareepishness and her normal dash of mischief.
He couldn't help himself, he laughed. Her beak opened and she chirped along, pausing to nuzzle at his neck, one of the most affectionate actions she's ever bestowed upon her trainer. Nettle, thinking this was a game, landed on top of the Fairy, eliciting another oomph from their trainer at the impact. Luckily Sagitta wasn't very heavy for her size.
"I'm so proud of you." Sagitta cooed, a soft sound he'd only heard when she was cuddling Mirae.
Cynthia's Togekiss landed nearby, towering over them. He tilted his head with silent amusement before motioning to Sagitta to get up. The two took to the air once more, allowing Ash to pull himself up, Nettle hovering nearby and chittering.
Mirae was racing around in Sagitta's shadow with excited trills, prancing and jumping trying to reach her. Hemlock rolled his eyes and lifted the Eevee, plopping him on the Togekiss' back when she flew past.
A buzz in his pocket drew his attention to his Pokédex, where Grimsley had just sent over the video of the evolution. Ash smiled and saved it to the device.
He was going to miss Unova, he realized with a jolt. It had been a bumpy ride, filled with more downs than ups, but he felt like he'd grown. Matured, maybe. His Pokémon definitely got stronger in the two months they've been in this region.
As the sun started to set, Ash gathered his Pokémon. Sagitta glided over, a bit more graceful this time around, and preened under Ash's warm gaze. He ran gentle fingers down her feathers before returning her. Then it was just Ash and the Masters.
"Thank you all. I have a morning flight so I should get going." He made his rounds, shaking hands and getting clapped on the shoulder. Lance gave him a knowing look while Cynthia smiled serenely in goodbye.
Grimsley wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "I'll walk with ya."
The streets were slightly less crowded, the restaurants and bars full to capacity to celebrate the end of a successful conference. Grimsley either nodded to or ignored all the people who recognized him, keeping his hands in his pockets letting the October breeze wash over him.
Their silence was peaceful, and the walk allowed Ash to fully accept that he'd finally helped Sagitta evolve. It felt like a huge weight off his shoulders. He now had three fully evolved Pokémon five months into his journey. It felt good.
It was visible, tangible progress.
He wished Oak's acquaintance would get back to them about Nettle's possible evolution. He was dying to know if it had a secondary typing.
When the two made it to Ash's hotel, they paused. A slightly awkward stillness fell over them. Ash didn't know what to say to the man that helped him so much. To the person who knew him, probably more than anyone else.
Ash opened his mouth, prepared to wing it, but Grimsley interrupted.
"I, uh, have something for you. Two things, actually. I submitted a recommendation for you to be allowed a 12 Pokémon carry limit. Should be approved within the next few days."
Ash's froze. Many different emotions suddenly rushed through him and he wasn't prepared. He felt relief, appreciation, gratitude, and some other nameless feeling that clogged his throat. For someone to have that faith in him…
Grimsley seemed to gain some confidence back from his reaction, since a sarcastic grin soon replaced an uncertain one. "Yes, yes, you're welcome, you may now pledge your undying loyalty." Ash punched his shoulder, Grimsley flinching melodramatically. "Do you want the second gift or not? Yeah, that's what I thought."
The Dark Master hesitated the slightest bit before reaching into his breast pocket and withdrawing a small red box. He took a bracing breath as he stared at the box. "This… I don't have a use for it anymore, and you- you need it more than me. Think of it as an incentive to keep healing."
Ash took the box from Grimsley, feeling the unspoken weight of the gift through the man's words. A quick look at the Elite showed him staring at the box with an odd sadness in his eyes. Slowly opening the box, Ash gasped.
But…
"Why would you give this to me?" His voice shook with the opposing emotions going to war inside him. Excitement and resentment. Incredulity and bitterness. Confidence and bone-deep terror. Everything and nothing all at once.
Because nestled in the box was a Houndoominite.
Tiny compared to the Key Stone, the orange and black marble taunted him.
"Ash, look at me." He tore his eyes from the innocent-looking stone and stared helplessly at Grimsley, not sure what else showed in his eyes. Grimsley hasn't called him Ash in weeks. Grimsley put strong hands on Ash's shoulders and squeezed urgently. "I'm giving this to you because I know you're going to get past this. You've made so much progress in the short time we've known each other, and I see the guilt in your eyes whenever Houndour comes up. You saved her life. Twice. That's a bond you can't just wish away."
Grimsley paused and looked away, eyes focusing on something that wasn't there. "My Houndoom won't Mega Evolve anymore. He's old and had a pretty nasty injury a while back that makes Mega Evolution too tough on him. I'm not going to replace him, so I don't need the stone anymore. I still have an Absolite for Absinthe. I have planned on giving this to you since I met you. There's something in you, Ash, that I've never seen before. You're magnetic and ambitious and chaotic in all the strongest ways."
Squeezing the hands on his shoulders, Grimsley's cerulean eyes met red. "This is just a small piece to help you get where you're meant to be. You keep fighting to get there, okay?"
Something broke free in his chest, making him stumble forward and wrap his arms around Grimsley. His breaths stuttered with barely restrained tears as he felt hands run through his hair. Everything felt like too much, feelings he couldn't name and aches he's never felt. For once, his arms were numb in the face of such overwhelming emotion.
"Shh, little brother, you're going to be the best."
As his plane left the ground, Ash gazed out his window, fingers running idly over the locks on his Pokéballs. His chest felt hollow as Unova disappeared from view. Every time he left a region, it got harder and harder.
In Alola, he made his first friends. But here… he'd made his first family. Mew, he felt embarrassed just thinking that, but it was true. In the short weeks he traveled with Grimsley, the older man had learned more about him than almost anyone else.
If the Elite hadn't labeled their relationship, Ash would have no idea what he had been feeling. It was so novel, so unprecedented, he felt like the ground should have been shaking to explain his unsteadiness.
He's always had Professor Oak, but Grimsley… he saw Ash and they were so similar.
Ash let the racing view outside his window distract him. The clouds parted enough to see the expanse of the Tao Ocean. A millenia ago, Unova won the right to name the huge expanse of sea between their shores and Kalos. So naturally, it was named after their gods. Reshiram, Zekrom, and Kyurem; the Tao Trio. No doubt if Kalos had won, it would be the Aura Ocean. Tao sounded better.
Ash settled back in his seat, yawning even though it wasn't that early. Kalos was six hours ahead of Unova, so it'd be almost midnight by the time he lands. Unfortunately, that meant he needed to stay awake so he wouldn't have jet lag.
He took this time to plan out his Kalos trip better than he had in Unova. Ash would be landing in Lumiose, where the decorated Professor Sycamore was stationed, so that'd be his first stop. He'd stay in Lumiose for a few days, then head to Laverre City to meet Valerie, the Fairy Gym Leader.
Fairy types were first officially recognized in Kalos, so it was pretty much known as the Origin Place of Fairies. He was excited to explore. He felt a dull pang in his chest, suddenly reminded of Euryale. While she had been Ice through and through, her ethereal nature was undoubtedly Fae.
Pushing the thought aside, he focused on his plans.
He'd travel back through Lumiose to head to Camphrier Town so he could see Parfum Palace. From there he could see Western Kalos and some of the caves scattered throughout. He'd either fly to Anistar or Santalune after. He didn't get to see much of Unova, so he was hoping to change that this time around.
Kalos was said to be a region of beauty, new beginnings, and romance. As much as the last escaped him, he really only cared about the first two.
But beauty…
Beauty had almost become taboo.
Team Flare had torn through Kalos about 15 years ago. Their leader, Lysandre, somehow collected a devoted following with his horrific ideals and dreams; kill all humans and Pokémon. In some psychotic rationalization, he believed that Pokémon were doomed to be used by humans, their beauty snuffed out. Thus Pokémon and humans should be removed entirely to avoid that miserable decline of elegance and grace.
They had almost succeeded.
Someway, somehow, Lysandre had found Yveltal; The Reaper, The Grim, The Apocalypse. Yveltal was the embodiment of Death, and Lysandre found it.
There were rumors Team Flare had uncovered The Ultimate Weapon, a mysterious device shrouded in tall tales. They had attempted to control the Legend and use it to power their machine. It worked… to a certain extent. The League didn't share anything conclusive. Some believed Yveltal caused the following disaster, some believed it was The Weapon.
What is known is that Yveltal was drained to such an extent it had to return to a cocoon.
Lysandre was the first to die of thousands.
When Ash had taken World Legends and Their Conflicts back in school, the Team Flare unit had taken almost an entire semester. They covered how cults arose and what kind of man Lysandre was. How he had over a half-dozen Admins, ones that recruited at-risk youth. There had been rumors Lysandre had an admin in the League, how else would he know where to find Yveltal? How else would The Ultimate Weapon disappear mere hours before the League could seize it?
The League kept meticulous track of any Legend appearances or rumors, though they were few and far between. But they'd had information on a mobile Yveltal. So Lysandre somehow captured the Legend. How he did so is still unknown. But what history does know is that Lysandre drained Yveltal's energy to such a degree that it had to return to sleep.
Be it Yveltal or The Weapon, everyone and everything in Kalos was drained of their life-force. Sudden and unstoppable.
With one man, an entire region had temporarily experienced a total genocide.
It was only because Legends existed to uphold The Balance that Kalos wasn't completely wiped out. Zygarde and Xerneas appeared. It was the first time in centuries that Legends were seen in such a world-changing way. According to the history books, the entirety of Kalos was revived and was subsequently unconscious for a week from the staggering presence of Life, Death, and Order.
Lysandre too was revived, only to be put to death a month later. Team Flare scattered, most getting picked up over the following months.
No one knows where the Legends rest, but it sparked a shift in how the World was treated. More respect for the Earth everyone called home.
But Ash didn't kid himself, he knew Legends weren't inherently good. They just were. They were forces, personifications of concepts. It just so happened that they did something good to maintain The Balance. If Xerneas had awoken and spread immortality, Yveltal and Zygarde would have been there to undo it.
If one day the world became too overpopulated… the Legends would right that wrong.
It was humbling. Humans really didn't have as much power as they thought. It was around this time that the evil of the world, Team Flare, Team Plasma, Team Rocket, all disappeared or were taken down. There had been leaks from Sinnoh that a corporation called Team Galactic had been squashed before they too could gain too much power.
No one truly knew why. Some thought the Teams realized how outmatched they were by Legends. But Ash didn't think so. Evil like that… they didn't just suddenly gain clarity.
Shaking his head, Ash remembered what he needed to do in Anistar City. The Ancient Cuff he found in the Abyssal Ruins needed cleaning and he needed to get something for his Key Stone. Geez, he might end up being in Kalos for three months at this rate.
Ash let his thoughts drift for the remainder of the flight, not feeling the need to do something. His eyelids felt heavy when night fell early on, but if he focused on his burning forearms enough, he'd stay awake.
Finally, after a seven hour flight, the plane touched down in Lumiose City. He was so, so relieved he didn't have a bag to check, only had to give the Pokéball locks to an agent. Ash stumbled out to hail a taxi. He mumbled for the Pokémon center and leaned back in the cracked leather seats.
Ash yawned as he transferred the money, almost missing the alert that approved his carry limit increase. He tripped getting out of the taxi but caught himself at the last second. The nurse manning the counter gave him a pitying look, making sure to only ask questions that needed single word answers.
He doesn't really remember finding his room and falling into bed, but he knows he wakes up refreshed. Ash grimaces when he realizes he fell asleep in his clothes and quickly decides to remedy that.
Shower, shave, laundry, food; in that order.
Ash pursed his lips as he stared at the multiple outfits he'd picked up over the months. His original long-sleeve violet shirt was worn and stained so he threw that in the donation pile. Shorts quickly followed now that the days were growing colder. Nodding to himself, he added clothes shopping to his to-do list.
The next two hours involved laundry, calling Oak to get Bane ("No, no, I'm not ready for Houndour, Professor."), and making sure everyone was fed. Ash smiled as he absent-mindedly glided his fingers over his eight Pokéballs.
Alright, time to explore.
Ash was somewhat overwhelmed with the amount of cafes in the city. Every avenue or plaza he turned down had at least two. He stopped for a coffee at Cafe Gallant, then got lunch at Sushi High Roller, where he got to battle a Pyroar with Nettle. His little Ultra Beast was incredible and pulled through with a Poison Tail head shot.
He stopped at a food stand and got Lumiose Galette for his teammates and explored a museum with Nettle and Mirae. By this point, the sun was setting and his feet were aching. He fed his team dinner as soon as they got back to the center and he fell into bed, content and satisfied.
The next day was much the same. A nearby boutique had what he needed, a pair of dark jeans, white long sleeve, and he found a pair of pink fingerless gloves that he splurged on. He might have gotten a weird look from the cashier, but he couldn't make himself care.
On Vernal Avenue there was a Stone Emporium that honest-to-Mew sold Mega Stones. Each stone was selling for 50 million so it wasn't exactly affordable.
He rode to the top of Prism Tower and took pictures of Sagitta roosting on the railing, all of Lumiose spread out behind her. His hair was a Raticate's-nest by the time they returned to the ground.
It was weird, being alone after spending so long with another person. The ache in his chest was constant, but it wasn't debilitating. He missed Grimsley, he would admit that to himself. But it was also freeing to be on his own again. Free to go where he wanted without clearing it with his traveling companion.
He found a few more trainers willing to battle, letting Bane, Castor, and Sagitta get some tough battles. Castor struggled the most, but he was wildly better than he had been a month ago, and he only disobeyed Ash four times. Styx had, begrudgingly, taught the croc Thunder and Fire Fang to cover some of his weaknesses. He had mastered Stone Edge early on thanks to Duvessa's mentoring.
All in all, Ash liked Lumiose. It was sprawling and busy, but beautiful. And as he sat outside on the terrace of Le Nah, he felt a resounding tranquil contentment suffuse his body. He was doing what he loved; traveling and training. He had a team he could trust and a goal he was steadily reaching.
Obviously nothing was perfect, he had Houndour, his constant pain, and PTSD to worry about, but he felt capable of dealing.
He felt capable.
And wasn't that something.
"Hello, is Professor Sycamore available?" Ash shoved his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels, Nettle and Mirae crying out joyously as they hung onto his shoulders. He tilted his body to the left, then quickly right, trying to hold in the smile that threatened to split his face at their happy trills.
The lab aide let her smile show as she nodded. "Yes, he's here, may I inquire about the nature of your visit?"
"I wanted to talk about Mega Evolution. I'm a sponsored trainer of Professor Oak."
The woman's face lit up. "Oh! How wonderful, yes, head on back, he should be out in the field." Ash tilted his head in thanks and headed in the indicated direction. He didn't know how a Professor could set up shop in such a dense city, where did he find the space to house Pokémon?
The answer came to him when he stepped 'outside'. But really, it was like a giant terrarium, with lakes and grasses and trees, but a glass roof enclosing it all.
"Good morning! Can I help you?" Ash turned to see the famed Professor Augustine Sycamore trotting over. The man's black hair was long and voluminous, and the man had a handsome but professional smile on his face as he stopped a few feet from Ash, eying the Poipole on his shoulder.
"Yes, I'm Ash Ketchum, I-"
"Ah! Oak told me about you, welcome, welcome!" Ash blinked as Sycamore grabbed his hand and shook it enthusiastically, but was still cautious of the burns. Ash withheld his wince. "I'm glad you could stop by. How are you liking Kalos?"
"I've only been in Lumiose for a few days, but it really is stunning. I'm looking forward to exploring a bit more than I did in Unova."
The Professor beamed and gestured for Ash to follow him. "Yes, if there's one thing Kalos can boast, it's our unique geographical and architectural marvels. I highly recommend seeing Geosenge and Anistar. What brings you to Kalos specifically?"
Ash shrugged and looked around. "Primarily building my team. I'm an aspiring Chaos trainer, and Kalos has plenty of Fairy types. Also, I just wanted to get out of Kanto and travel."
Sycamore nodded pensively and brought a hand to his chin. "I'd recommend Carbink or maybe even a Sylveon," he gestured to Mirae, "As much as Leader Valerie will defend Aromatisse and Slurpuff, they aren't built for intense battling. Plus, a Florges isn't probable."
Ash snorted. "Yeah, I just managed to get one Shiny Stone, I doubt I'd be able to find another."
Sycamore whirled on Ash. "Truly?" Ash smirked and pressed the release on the Luxury ball on his belt. Sagitta appeared with a burst of light circling overhead. "Wow…" The Professor whispered as he watched the Togekiss glide down to stand beside her trainer.
"This is Sagitta. She just evolved a few days ago. Caught her in Alola." His partner preened and ruffled her wings, her beak tilted up haughtily. Why were all his Pokémon so vain?
Sycamore didn't get closer out of respect, but he did stare. "She's marvelous, healthy too, and taller than average. Sleek, a build for speed rather than offense. Ah, her coloring is exquisite. You know, a colleague of mine, Lucas Rowan, researches Pokémon physiological variations within species. Of course coloring is the most researched, and while diet and environment are the main drivers of color variability, energy exposure seems to have promise."
Ash widened his eyes in interest, leaning forward.
"Lucas is Professor Rowan's son, and he has access to quite the lab. His breakthrough paper followed purebred Glameow offspring raised by Luxray and found the tips of their tails turned yellow, and some grew a small mane. Of course, this could be mimicry and not energy influence, but Lucas has since termed other such changes 'Acute Evolution' since Glameow's genome actually adapted to produce this new pigmentation."
"Why purebred Glameow?"
Sycamore hummed. "Well, non-purebred Pokémon are influenced by their genetics, of course. We typically see this through Egg moves, but Pokémon can inherit pigmentation and other physical characteristics from their parents. This would influence research, so Lucas has to be very particular about the Pokémon he uses for his study."
"Physical characteristics? Like what?" Ash, in another life, might have loved being a Pokémon Breeder. It was fascinating science.
"Well, take the Froakie I have here as an example. He's not purebred, one of his parents was a Mareanie. He has small bumps all over his body. Nothing particularly significant that influences his capabilities, but that's not always the case. Typically, an offspring only has a small percentage of their paternal DNA and this shows itself in Egg Moves and small, inherited characteristics. In severe cases though…" Sycamore grimaced. "Froakie was one of two eggs, and the other was born with large spikes and malformed limbs that severely blunted her ability to swim, not to mention her speed. She didn't survive long. Pokémon that are negatively influenced by their non-purebred genetics have been given the moniker 'Hybrid Pokémon'."
Feeling the harsh frown on his face, Ash bit his cheek. It rattled him, a bit, that Pokémon could be so terribly impacted purely due to who their parents are.
"Another reason genetic mutations, specifically in coloration, are so rare. If it isn't influenced by diet or environment, alternate coloration can be detrimental to survival. Ineffective camouflage being the prime reason. Catching them is for the best, but breeding practices have been stricter since the League doesn't want these types of mutations to be compounded. It's fascinating actually-"
Sycamore stopped himself, snapping his jaw shut and blushing. "Ah, I'm sorry. I seem to have started on a tangent."
Ash kept his eyes on Sagitta as he gently dragged fingers through the rose and violet feathers on Sagitta's head crest. He tried to ignore what he'd just learned, the sadness he felt at it all. Instead, he focused on what Sycamore had said about energy exposure. Was Sagitta more influenced by Styx than she led on? Was she emitting more Fae energy for Mirae that was altering her coloring?
Sycamore suddenly clapped. "So, what exactly brings you to my lab?"
Ash blinked, taken from his thoughts on Mirae and energy influence. "Oh, yes, Mega Evolution."
The Professor shook his head tiredly. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you where to find the stones."
Ash waved him away. "I already have a Key Stone and Mega Stone, I want more information on the process." He grinned at the professor's gaping mouth and gave him a few moments to get a hold of himself. Sagitta looked bored with the conversation so Ash returned her.
"Ah… alright then. Well, follow me." Ash clasped his hands behind his back, Mirae and Nettle's tails brushing against his wrists. His eyes roamed over the interior of the terrarium and the Pokémon that called it home. There weren't as many as he was expecting.
"Do you not sponsor many trainers?"
Sycamore jerked as he was pulled from his thoughts. "Wha- oh, no. Every six months trainers can apply for a carry-limit increase. Kalos tries to encourage a slow progression of capturing Pokémon. If a trainer catches more than six, the Pokéballs lock indefinitely until their carry limit expands. It's a little harsh, but it really does promote careful planning when it comes to capturing teammates."
Ash was impressed. It was an interesting approach, much more restrictive, but he could see its benefits. But then he wouldn't have three of his teammates right now.
"So what Mega Stone do you have?" Ash internally grimaced. He had been hoping he could avoid the question.
"A, uh, Houndoominite." It didn't wear on his nerves as much anymore when people's gazes darted to his arms. But the pity he sometimes saw still made him grit his teeth. Like now. "It wasn't mine."
The Professor winced, knowing he was caught. "I didn't mean to-"
"I know."
An awkward silence fell until they apparently reached their destination. The gaping mouth of a cave greeted them and Ash tilted his head when Sycamore whistled. Then he felt vibrations run up his legs as something approached.
Oh wow.
The Garchomp that stepped into the light was magnificent. All rough purple scales and streamlined stature built for speed. The Sinnoh Dragon must have been almost as tall as Styx.
The Garchomp stared down at Ash for a few moments before huffing and turning her attention to Sycamore. "Meet Regina. Hello, mon amour, care for a demonstration?" Garchomp bared her fangs in an approximation of a grin. That's when Ash saw the metal band around one of her horns that had a Mega Stone embedded.
Ash's eyes lit up and he took a few steps back. Sycamore held up his hand, his wrist bearing a similar band. Garchomp braced as the Professor pressed two fingers to his Key Stone. Watching with intense eyes, Ash saw the two stones light up simultaneously, nothing obvious, but a sharp glint that drew the eye.
Garchomp's entire body was suddenly engulfed in murky light, muddling its silhouette but looking completely different from typical evolutions. Bit by bit, Garchomp's smudged outline expanded; arms lengthened, spikes sprouted, tail sprouted fins. Then the light burst away and Ash was in awe.
Mega Garchomp was terrifying.
The Dragon was built for offense. Scythes that put a Scyther to shame, spikes that made Lucario's look like dull nubs, fangs that overshadowed a Sharpedo's.
Multiple offensive adaptations all collected by one Pokémon.
Sycamore turned to grin wickedly at Ash. His pupils were different, almost slitted like Garchomp's, and every motion was mimicked by his Dragon. He held his hands oddly, fingers stiff and straightened, his posture was also different, slightly hunched and tense. "What do you think?" Even his voice had gained a rough, growling undertone.
Ash slowly shook his head with incredulity. "I've seen Cynthia's on TV, but it's different in person." He could feel the power radiating off the Pseudo-Legend, could almost see the thread of connection between trainer and beast.
Sycamore bellowed in amusement, the sound layering with Garchomp's roars, all previous awkwardness forgotten. "It never grows old, that's for sure. We're over our battling days, but we still love the change." His speech changed as well, referring to them as one.
"How do you reverse it?"
The Professor and Pokémon pointed to their wrists. "It happens automatically once the Pokémon faints. Otherwise, it's hard to describe. You need to feel like the need for extra power is gone. The thing to remember about Mega Evolution is that it takes a lot of energy from both Pokémon and trainer. It's to be used as a last resort. It's why you don't see Champions lead with their Megas. Also why you can only Mega Evolve once every few days. The trainer and Pokémon will feel drained after. It's a mutual exchange of energy."
Ash pulled out his Pokédex and started taking notes. "I've read a lot about it, the articles highlight a powerful bond?"
Sycamore's expression turned serious, slitted eyes constricting and his sharpened nails flexing. "That's like saying a Legend is strong, it's so much more than that. The trainer and Pokémon need to have such an unbreakable sense of trust, love, and solidarity that it quite literally alters the Pokémon's DNA. Normal Pokémon shouldn't be able to have so much raw power; it's meant for the gods. A normal Pokémon can't control it on its own."
"Oh." Ash felt cold. How could he ever get to that point with Houndour? He had figured the best he could hope for was to eventually get to mutual fondness.
Sycamore paused, looking at Regina, then pressed his Key Stone, breathing deeply and swaying slightly before he walked over to Ash as the Garchomp shrunk. There was a brief moment where Sycamore stuttered in his steps, but he recovered fast. "Ash. It's not futile. It takes work, it takes vulnerability, it takes throwing yourself out of your comfort zone, but it is possible. You just have to try."
He swallowed thickly but still found the ability to square his shoulders and nod to the Professor. The man gave a small grin and turned to his Garchomp. "Thank you, mon amour." Regina grunted and stomped back into her cave. "Want to meet the next batch of starters?"
Before Ash could answer, his two youngest answered for him. They cried out and nuzzled his face from where they were hanging off his shoulders. He sighed and didn't hold back the helpless smile he gave the Professor. Sycamore grinned and started walking back to the lab.
As they got closer, Sycamore spoke up. "As you probably know, Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie are the regional starters. Only those that snag my coveted internship get one." They entered a room that held three Pokéballs. "I have two new interns every six months. Right now I have an excitable girl named Mairin who has already bonded with Chespin and an exuberant girl named Nini."
He walked over and pressed the release buttons on all three. Chespin appeared first, looking around in excitement before deflating upon realizing it was just Sycamore and Ash. Fennekin shook out its fur and sat, looking around before starting to lick its paw. Lastly, Froakie appeared, and it was obviously different from the other two.
For starters (ha) it was big. It had to be at least a year older than the others. It was also much surer of itself, looking around with intense slitted eyes, which soon landed on Ash.
Something sparked in his chest when they locked eyes, but as quick as it flared it was gone.
"Froakie…" Sycamore rubbed his eyes in exasperation. Ash turned a quizzical look at the man, who shrugged Mareepishly. "He's been here for two years, and every trainer that chooses him isn't good enough. He ends up breaking his Pokéball and coming back."
Ash couldn't help it, he snorted. That devolved into laughter and he shot the Water type a wild grin. "Don't settle for less." That earned a snort in return from the Froakie. Sycamore sighed in defeat.
The next few hours were spent bouncing research ideas and expansions off one another and assisting the Professor with caring for the Pokémon. If Ash slipped Froakie a few more treats, that was between him and the frog.
Sycamore returned the starters before they left for dinner at Le Port Bistro. Ash got a few more ideas from Sycamore on places to visit by the time they said their goodbyes.
On his way back to the center, he replied to a few texts from Hau, Plumeria, and Grimsley. Hau and Gladion had just arrived in Kanto, Hau having successfully completed the Island Challenge. Plumeria told him one of the Skulls, Aiko, had been accepted to Circhester University in Galar, which was a huge deal. Grimsley had let slip another former Plasma Sage had been anonymously dropped off at the Vertress Police Department not even a few hours after Ash left.
Cameras picked up nothing, one second the steps to the precinct were empty, the next the Plasma Sage was trussed up and unconsciously lying there. Maybe there were some mysteries that weren't meant to be solved.
He fell asleep quickly, ready to start traveling the region.
The next morning he was packed up and ready to head to Laverre City. The trek through Route 14 would take him a little under a week, so he'd be spending the first week of November on the road.
As soon as he was clear of the city, he released his team. Route 14 was primarily swampland, which didn't make it a very fun walk. Most people got a flying taxi or teleported to the northern city.
By this point, Libra and Styx were good as new, their injuries from battling Iris healed nicely with no lingering issues. Libra's scales, as expected for a Hakamo-o, grew back even stronger than before. Thus, as soon as they were released, the two large Dragons ran and flew off to hunt; Bane and Castor on their tails.
Hemlock huffed, pretending he was happy Castor off hunting, but Ash knew they were becoming fast friends, even if their rivalry was still going strong. Castor was even mellowing his disrespect for Ash due to the Morgrem's influence.
Nettle and Mirae flew off with Sagitta, the Eevee loving the feeling of flight. The nubs on his back have grown a little. Three weeks, maybe.
It was nice, just him and his team.
Sagitta was finally comfortable in her own skin. Ash hadn't realized it before, but the Togetic's flight had never looked effortless, especially compared to now. Sagitta could glide in the air for hours, riding the air currents or relying on her Fae energy. She was almost as silent as a Decidueye, her wings hardly having to flap to stay airborne. She only ever touched down to eat or sleep. The external manifestation of Fae energy also bolstered her defenses against energy-based attacks.
She could finally battle like she wanted; viciously and for a long, long time.
It was like she was finally free. There was a lightness to her that wasn't present before.
That didn't mean she wasn't a mischievous little shit, though. She was just able to get away with it easier now.
Training that night was a bit different, successfully gathering everyone's attention. Instead of working on strength or endurance, they worked on team ups. The last couple years of the Kanto League Conference included Double Battles in the fifth and sixth rounds. It was a skill Ash and his team needed to develop.
First he made pairings that were comfortable with each other; Libra and Styx, Mirae and Nettle, Sagitta and Bane, Castor and Hemlock. It went well, especially for their first time double battling, but as soon as he split up the teams it went downhill to the Nether.
Styx and Nettle were all over the place, Mirae and Libra were extreme opposites, Castor and Bane were unfamiliar with each other, and Hemlock and Sagitta were too busy trying to out-mischief each other.
It was a work in progress.
Three days later, something incredible came out of the training.
Nettle managed a weak Dragon Pulse.
In their free time, Ash had been working with the UB to see if it was possible after his conversation with Grimsley. He would love to have Nettle on one of his official teams. They had been working on tapping into Dark, Fairy, and/or Dragon energy.
He thought it'd be false hope.
Ash had to rub his eyes when he saw the tiny ball of violet energy in Nettle's hands. The little Poipole had been practically hypnotized by the swirling ball before it puffed out into nothing. It then proceeded to zip around in hyperactive excitement, much to Styx's annoyance.
He immediately called Oak from his Pokédex to share the news. The elderly Professor had blinked in astonishment before telling Ash he'd pass along the info to his acquaintance.
What if Nettle could evolve into a Dragon? He knew many Pokémon could learn Dragon attacks and not be classified as the Dragon type, but if so, he'd never complain about his luck again.
Even if Nettle evolved and didn't gain a Chaos typing, this at least meant there was hope it could be on his official Dragon team.
On the fourth evening, Ash switched up the duos. Styx and Sagitta, Bane and Mirae, Hemlock and Nettle, Castor and Libra.
"I'm not going to be directing you. This is all up to you guys!" Ash grinned roguishly and sat down, drawing out his Pokédex. Grimsley had sent him a few new videos of Houndour and Houndoom that he needed to watch on repeat.
The videos showed the canine Pokémon using their fire attacks, causing Ash to have to ground himself by holding his necklace and breathing carefully. He whispered his Houndoom mantra to himself as he rewatched the videos over and over again until his heart no longer threatened to beat out of his chest.
On the sixth day, a couple hours south of Laverre, he got his first and only battle.
"Up for a two on two?" Ash observed the teen challenging him. He was a little taller than Ash with long black hair covered by a red cap. Nodding, the two put some distance between them and readied their Pokéballs. "I'm Calem, by the way."
"Ash." Calem grinned and launched his great ball.
"Let's go, Meowstic!" The male Psychic type landed lightly on the muddy road and looked at the mud caking his feet with disdain.
"Mirae, get ready." The Eevee had been getting a bit more battle hungry every day, and today was no different. The fox practically vibrated with anticipation, not caring that his coat was already filthy.
"Swift!"
"Match it." The dozens of golden stars collided in a burst of light, mostly evenly matched. It might be due to Mirae's Adaptability, but he'd take what he can get.
"Disarming Voice."
"Dig."
"Full Defense." Ash frowned when the telltale flashes of Reflect and Light Screen boxed Meowstic in.
"Up, distract." Before Mirae even broke the surface, a dozen Eevee appeared on the road. Meowstic hissed, but paled when multiple Growls built on top of each other. The feline's ears flattened on his head. "Now."
Inspired by Hemlock's Master Fake Out, Eevee clones darted in, every so often the real Mirae would slam an Iron Tail into the Reflect barrier. All the while the Growls and the Bite held in Mirae's mouth kept the Meowstic at bay.
One last Iron Tail smashed through the Reflect barrier and knocked Meowstic away.
"Payback!" Ash grimaced when the Dark energy sent Mirae flying. Damn, that had to hurt. But his Eevee pushed himself to his feet before rejoining his clones that still dashed around the road. "Psyshock!"
"Under." The real Eevee dove back underground, but his clones didn't have that option.
"Launch!" Just as the ground beneath Meowstic exploded, the Psychic type's eyes glowed blue and in the next second it was flying through the air, gently landing on the opposite side of the road. Mirae looked adorably confused.
"Swift."
"Match it!" Calem grinned and winked when his Pokémon copied Mirae's attack. But Ash didn't care, because Mirae was intuitive, and he smirked when he heard Meowstic's cry of pain.
Calem's shocked shout was music to his ears. Mirae had followed in the wake of the stars to get close, landing a very… volatile Shadow Ball. The Light Screen didn't give much protection, with how faded it was at this point.
"Toxic!"
"Thunder Wave!"
Ash would be a hypocrite if he cursed Calem. The two mammals put distance between them, one paling from poison, the other twitching from paralysis.
"Shadow Ball!"
"Imprison." The ghostly energy suddenly cut off as soon as the pink chains sunk into Mirae's fur. Why did this keep happening with Shadow Ball? First Trip, now Calem.
Shit, Mirae was paralyzed and Swift was also compromised from Imprison. "Hyper Voice!"
"Sucker Punch." Meowstic flinched and coughed, but did as told, dashing the short distance with his fist raised.
"Copycat." He had to grimace when Mirae was just a tad too slow to avoid the attack. The Dark energies both struck their targets mercilessly. The two stumbled back and fell to their knees. Mirae seized with paralysis, but slowly fought his muscles and pulled himself to his feet. Meowstic attempted to do the same, but suddenly paled, swayed, and fell.
Calem sighed and returned his Psychic type. "They probably could have gone on forever if it wasn't for the status conditions." Ash nodded his agreement but turned to his Eevee.
"Come on back, Mirae." But the Eevee snarled and stood tall and defiant. Ash's lips twitched. What a familiar response.
Calen shook his head. "Wow, some Eevee."
"You have no idea."
His opponent grinned but didn't dawdle, releasing his second Pokémon. Ash raised an eyebrow. "One of Sycamore's interns?"
Calem's Chesnaught rumbled as its trainer shot a double thumbs up.
"Alright Mirae, let's go out with a bang." His Eevee bared his fangs and braced himself, the paralysis slowly, very slowly, seeping out of his system.
"Rollout!"
"Dig, Wish." Mirae dove for an already dug hole, already sparkling with the power of Wish. Now he just had to keep Mirae away until the healing move kicked in.
"Fire in the hole!" Chesnaught spun to a stop right on top of the hole, Seed Bomb after Seed Bomb rattling the road. On the other side of the road, Mirae burst through, fur singed and chest heaving, but still conscious.
A sudden stab of pain in his arms made Ash twitch, his eyes squeezing shut.
"Don't let up! Stone Edge!"
"Quick Attack!" Mirae snarled and burst into motion, zigzagging across the muddy ground as he dodged pyres of stone as he closed the distance between them. Just as he took off to go airborne, tail alight with silver, Calem made a call.
"Spiky Shield."
Fuck, his momentary distraction made him forget about Chesnaught's signature move. Ash cursed himself and watched powerlessly as his call for Protect came too late and Mirae collided with his opponent's shell, a single shriek of pain before it cut off as his body was converted to red energy.
Ash clipped the ball to his belt, forearms prickling, and assessed the Kalos starter. Shaking his head to focus, he chose his next Pokémon. Call him stupid, but this'd be a good test.
"Come on, Castor." The Desert Croc appeared with a roar of challenge, not flinching in the face of the towering Spiny Armor Pokémon. "Be on guard, close quarters will be dangerous." Castor snorted but flexed his claws. It was only the threat of Styx's punishment, and a little of Hemlock's influence, that had Castor listening to him most of the time. But Ash had faith in the Krokorok. "Sandstorm, Sand Tomb." Ash smirked darkly as the pillars and storms of sand allowed Castor to fade from sight. Squinting, he could see the discomfort on Chesnaught's face.
"Bulldoze!"
"Power up." Castor was a Ground type through and through, he wasn't worried about a Bulldoze. But this was a battle of patience and strategy; the ultimate test for the croc. Chesnaught had the power advantage, but Ash was confident, even as he shook his arms nervously, attempting to dispel the sharp pain. Hidden from sight, Castor fit in as many Hone Claws as he could.
A glittering light suffused the field. Oh, right, Wish. Well, now Castor would be running around on a sugar high.
"Bulk Up, Rollout!" His opponent couldn't really see where it was going, and thus Ash heard the sounds of Stone Edge pyres cracking and thudding as the Chesnaught ran into them.
"Wait… Counter." Ash heard the raspy roar and then saw a ball of Chesnaught go flying. The Grass and Fighting type unrolled and smoothly lept to its feet, a dark bruise blossoming across its shoulder. A sudden pillar of sand swirled around it as the rest of the Sandstorm abated.
Too much energy to upkeep.
"Okay Chesnaught, enough of this. Vine Whip and Hammer Arm!" Faster than his eye could follow, a vine wrapped itself around Castor's leg and reeled him in.
Ash's eyes widened. "Sand Attack!" Chesnaught growled and lashed out from the sand in its eyes, the blow from Hammer Arm luckily glancing off of Castor's flank. "Fire Fang!" The croc leapt forward and sunk flaming teeth into the unprotected side.
Their opponent screamed, another Hammer Arm smashing down on the smaller Pokémon. Castor grunted as he was forced into the mud. Chesnaught squinted through gritty eyes and raised its arm one last time.
"Power Play!" Castor's eyes burned.
Dark energy only partially hurt Chesnaught, but the force behind a multiple-Hone Claw-powered Power Trip and Foul Play?
Concussive.
Chesnaught fell onto its back, allowing Castor time to back away. Multiple sandy scales had been knocked loose from the force of the Hammer Arm and Castor was swaying slightly. Ash gaped when the Spiny Armor Pokémon pulled itself to its feet.
"Earthquake." Chesnaught stumbled back down to one knee from the attack, upper lip pulled up in a snarl.
"Seed Bomb!"
"Sand Tomb." Crossing his fingers, Ash sighed in relief when Castor understood. The swirling pillar of sand wrapped tightly around the croc in a protective barrier, sending the Seed Bombs off course or making them detonate early.
But they celebrated too early, because a Focus Blast sliced through the cycloning sands and struck Castor right in the abdomen. The Desert Croc sailed across the road, landing with a splash of sand-strewn mud.
Ash's eyebrows furrowed when Castor started glowing. Not with the light of evolution, but a reddish orange light that made his eyes glow with fury.
Oh. Anger Point.
He grinned.
Castor didn't wait to shoot across the field, Chesnaught only having time to stumble back before it took a Foul Play to the stomach and then subsequently pummeled by Thrash.
The Kalos starter managed to get in a Needle Arm and Pin Missile, but Castor completely ignored the pain in his fury. A few moments later, Chesnaught pitched forward, Castor slipping out of the way, and landed prone, limbs sprawled in the mud.
Castor planted his arms on top of his opponent's shell and roared his victory, tail swishing violently behind him. His defeated foe was returned, making the croc snarl heatedly.
"Enough." The croc's head swiveled around, fangs glinting, but then reluctantly dropped his head in the face of Ash's disapproval. Castor slunk over, head still bowed under his trainer's gaze. He blinked when he felt a scratch on his jaw.
"Well done." Castor relaxed and hesitantly leaned into the hand.
Ash heard a whistle and looked up to see Calem approaching looking blown away. "Man, when you sent out a Ground and Dark type against a Grass and Fighting type, I thought you were crazy. But that was some battling. He's a beast."
Scratching the croc's jawline, Ash beamed. He loved when people complimented his teammates. "He's grown a lot in the month I've had him. Should have seen him before." Castor whined, causing Ash to shoot him a reassuring smile.
"Wha- a month?! How? I've had Chesnaught for a year and a half now."
Shooting the gaping teen a smirk, Ash drawled, "Master Grimsley helped me out."
The whispered "Holy shit" was music to his ears. Ash didn't blame the other trainer, Castor got a speed run in training with Duvessa. It would have taken three times as long to get him to this point if it hadn't been for Grimsley.
Ash was pretty confident he was a good trainer, but he couldn't do what Grimsley's Krookodile could. Having a Master-level Krookodile show Castor what he could accomplish? Game changing.
"So who did the other intern choose?" Ash gestured to Calem's Pokéballs. He wanted to know how many trainers that Froakie had ditched.
"Oh, I interned with Serena, the current Kalos Princess. She has a Delphox now. She didn't even know what she wanted to be when she left on her journey! Now she's runner up for best performer in the region! Girl has a fuckin' Pangoro." Ash's eyebrows furrowed before he shook his head.
"Know anything about the trainers who chose Froakie?"
Calem shrugged. "Not really. I was there when the little guy showed back up a few weeks into my internship. Is he still there?"
Ash nodded, causing the other teen to huff and shake his head. "Damn, that's a bummer. Oh well. Anyway, good battle! See ya around."
Watching Calem walk away, Ash stood there for a moment, feeling like he should be remembering something. Shrugging, he scratched Castor's jaw once more before returning him, ready to sleep in a real bed.
Bye Trip! Hope you embody your name when walking down stairs.
And hello Froakie...
A lot happens in this chapter. Major info dump for a lot of things. But the big events are that Sagitta finally evolves, Ash gets a Houndoominite, and Castor gets his first real battle.
Uh oh, Ash's wounds are taking their toll.
Just like animals have variation in characteristics within a species, so do Pokémon. In many cases there's zero impact, but sometimes there is a benefit or severe detriment. Imagine a Gligar bred with a Yanma and the baby Yanma was born with wings fused like a Gligar. Or maybe a Corsola breeds with a Shellder, giving a Corsola shorter branches and more blue pigmentation, and this makes it not as appetizing to Mareanie. Good or bad, it's rare but still happens.
That's all to say, not all Pokémon of the same species look the same!
Next Chapter, Laverre City