Should he agree to Damian's suggestion?
Right now Ash is tied up in knots.
His rational side tells him this is probably one of Damian's traps—someone like Damian definitely has a lot going on in his head.
But emotionally, he's tempted.
If he can get Damian's help, maybe there really is a way to help Lucario let go of its obsession.
And looking at the boy and girl opposite him, if what Damian said is true, those two from Sinnoh are rookie Trainers just like him.
In other words, they only started their journeys this year.
If that's the case, then even if they're prodigy‑level Trainers too, there's no reason he should lose to them, right?
Ash feels like he should be able to win.
He's confident in that.
The problem is—what if?
The air sinks into a long silence.
"So?"
"Have you made up your mind?"
After waiting a few minutes, Damian smiles and asks Ash.
Ash grits his teeth, still stuck in hesitation.
"Damian, if Ash loses, what exactly are you going to make him do for you?"
Brock asks Damian in a low voice.
"Relax. It's nothing bad. And I can promise you it definitely won't go against Ash's principles. If it does, he can refuse. How's that sound?"
Damian coaxes him along, step by step.
"Or what, Ash, you don't have any confidence in yourself? The Kanto prodigy Trainer's scared to battle a same‑age Trainer from Sinnoh?"
"Damn it! That's not it at all!"
Ash explodes the second he hears that.
What's that supposed to mean?
What's that supposed to mean?!
He's Ash from Pallet Town.
How could he possibly be scared of kids from other regions?!
"Bring it on! I'm not losing!"
Hooked~
Damian's lips curl up slightly.
Ash really is Ash.
Just add a bit of seasoning and he can't sit still.
In the end, no matter how talented he is, this is still Ash's first year on the road.
He's nowhere near as mature as he was in Journeys.
"Ash?"
Brock's expression shifts.
Way too impulsive.
"It's fine. There's no way I'm losing to them!"
Ash's voice is rock‑solid.
His eyes lock onto Dawn and Paul.
He's not losing to some out‑of‑towners.
Brock can only feel helpless.
Damian's obviously baiting him.
These two rookie Trainers from Sinnoh were brought over to Kanto by Damian himself and kept by his side.
That alone proves how much Damian values them as prodigies.
Brock knows full well this is going to be a brutal fight.
"You sure are confident. You're starting to look more and more like Red."
Damian applauds and praises Ash.
"All right. Pick one. Dawn and Paul—which one do you want to battle?"
He watches calmly as Ash chooses.
Paul's expression doesn't change.
He glances at Ash.
For some reason, this hot‑headed Trainer rubs him the wrong way.
Dawn blinks.
Emmm—
Such a strong sense of déjà vu.
Dawn gives Ash a sympathetic look.
Back at the Rowan Research Lab she was also tricked into Team Rocket by Lord Damian just like this.
But sympathy is one thing.
If Ash picks her as his opponent, she's not holding back.
She's going all out.
First, because Lord Damian is watching right now.
Second, because Dawn honestly thinks Team Rocket's pretty great.
Damian treats them very seriously and pours resources into training them.
And besides, they don't even know yet what Damian's going to make Ash do, right?
"Which one should I pick…"
Ash scrunches up his face.
His gaze keeps bouncing between Dawn and Paul.
"That girl who looks like a noble young lady—she seems way friendlier."
Misty whispers to Ash.
Dawn's aura is gentle and her face is pure and refined.
No question, she easily leaves a great first impression.
Paul, on the other hand, has a stiff, even slightly gloomy face.
He just looks hard to get along with.
"You can't judge a battle by how people look. Those two are probably both really strong. Ash, just go with what you think."
Brock shakes his head and shoots down Misty's suggestion.
Misty clearly wants Ash to pick Dawn.
But what does a Trainer's strength have to do with how they look or what vibe they give off?
Besides, speaking of that, isn't that Caitlin by Damian's side beautiful and ethereal too?
And she's a monster.
Brock has good reason to suspect Dawn might actually be way stronger than that boy named Paul.
"Then I'll pick this guy. I don't know why, but just looking at him is pissing me off."
Ash's eyes lock onto Paul.
He meets Paul's gaze head‑on.
Ash glares back without backing down.
Paul narrows his eyes slightly.
Brock: "…"
Misty: "…"
You "don't like his face"?
That's your reason?
Still, Ash's instincts are usually on point.
And this is his battle.
They may as well roll with it.
"I pick this guy!"
Ash points at Paul and tells Damian.
"Looks like you're being underestimated, Paul."
Damian can't help a small laugh as he looks at Paul.
Honestly? He expected this.
Both Dawn and Paul have deep ties to Ash in the anime.
They're people who are strongly "fated" with him.
Especially Dawn.
In Journeys she's the only girl who shows up live at the Masters Eight to cheer Ash on, and she gets plenty of screentime as a returning heroine.
As for Paul, there's no need to say more about his history with Ash.
Damian is really looking forward to this match.
"I'll teach him a lesson."
Paul says calmly and walks slowly toward the open patch of ground.
"Man, you're arrogant!"
"Just wait and see who ends up teaching who!"
Ash obviously hears him.
There's no way he's going to take that lying down.
"Pfft~"
Watching the two of them bristle like that at each other, Dawn can't help feeling amused.
They don't even need to go look for a battlefield.
This big open area is perfect.
Ash and Paul take their places at opposite ends.
"I'll ref this match. That work for you?"
Dawn steps up to the sideline and looks at the two of them.
Her fair, refined smile is infectious.
Brock, whose referee switch had just flipped on, just stands there awkwardly.
"I don't mind."
That's Ash.
"Thanks."
That's Paul.
"All right then. Today's match is between Ash and Paul."
Dawn lifts her arm and announces.
"The rules are—"
Right there, Dawn looks over at Ash.
"Full‑team battle. I'm gonna make this guy admit defeat!"
Ash pulls out a Poké Ball.
A full‑team battle—6‑on‑6.
It's the best way to test a Trainer's overall strength and team tactics.
Paul just stands there, hand in his pocket.
He doesn't object.
"Battle rules are a full 6‑on‑6. Both sides can switch Pokémon during the fight. Once one side's six Pokémon have all lost the ability to battle, the other side wins."
"Battle—start!"
Dawn declares the rules, then slowly backs out of the ring, leaving the ground to the two Trainers.
"Dawn's really gotten a lot more outgoing lately."
Caitlin suddenly speaks.
She still remembers when Dawn first joined Team Rocket.
Back then, Dawn was quiet and downcast most of the time.
Her personality was very reserved and shy.
Now she's way more open and bright.
"That's a good thing. In a strict noble household like hers, her real nature was getting smothered."
Damian chuckles.
"Yeah. What do you think? Can Paul beat Ash?"
Caitlin glances at Ash.
She remembers this boy.
He's left a clear impression.
"Who knows."
Damian doesn't answer directly.
On the field—
Ash and Paul are locked in a silent stare‑down.
For Trainers who know nothing about each other, who goes first actually matters a lot.
Paul, though, doesn't care.
He pulls out a Poké Ball.
The ball enlarges in his hand.
But he doesn't throw it yet.
"I don't like you."
Out of nowhere, Paul says it outright.
"Huh?"
Ash thinks he misheard.
When it sinks in a second later, he gets ticked.
What's this guy saying?
"I don't like you. There's something about you that I hate."
Paul's voice remains calm.
It's that exact calm that sends Ash's temper through the roof.
If he hates someone, he says it.
Paul's always like that.
Now he more or less understands why he had such a natural dislike for Ash.
This guy has some of the same "traits" as that "slacker" Brother of his.
"What the hell are you even talking about?"
"You say that like I'm supposed to like you or something."
"You're the one walking around with a permanent scowl. Who're you trying to impress?"
Ash is furious.
This guy walks around with a sour face all day and still has the nerve to say he hates him?
"I don't know what Mr. Damian sees in you. But—"
Paul flicks out his first Poké Ball.
"Drapion. Get ready to battle."
"Grooowl!"
With a low, heavy roar, a huge Ogre Scorpion Pokémon slams down in front of Paul, snapping its claws and growling at Ash.
It's Drapion, the Poison/Dark‑type.
"Drapion, huh. That's a nasty presence. And it's a really bad matchup for Ash."
Brock's sharp brows furrow.
He stares at the brutal‑looking scorpion.
"With that great dual‑typing, its only weakness is Ground. And Ash doesn't have any Ground‑type Pokémon."
Brock is worried.
"It's fine. Just have some faith in Ash. He's not losing to some Trainer from another region."
Misty says quietly.
At this point, all they can do is trust him.
"Drapion, huh…"
Ash sizes up the huge, savage scorpion.
That's a Sinnoh Pokémon.
His first time facing a Drapion.
As a boy who loves Pokémon, he can't help feeling fired up inside.
But—
That guy on the other side just had to go and run his mouth again.
"You should be grateful you didn't pick Dawn."
Paul's steady, calm gaze rests on Ash.
His face never seems to change.
"But the result's the same. You still can't beat me."
Damn it!!
Ash grits his teeth.
This guy is really getting under his skin.
"You jerk!"
"Open your eyes and watch closely—see exactly how I beat you!"
Ash hurls out his first Poké Ball.
"Dragonite! I choose you!"
With a flash of white, a Dragonite flaps its wings and lands in front of Ash.
They're just some out‑of‑towners from Sinnoh.
And an obnoxious one at that.
He's going to win.
~~
Get early access to 160+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
patreon.com/PokemonStoryWeaver
~~~
Every 100 Power Stones = 2 extra chapter