"Are you alright, Ash?" Pikachu asked. They had finally reached the edge of a lake.
"You ok, Ash?" Lucario asked
"I'm fine." Ash replied. "It's just….I can't believe they didn't tell me until now. Just…give me a bit of time to think about this." Although he hated his mum for never believing in him and wanting to tell him to give up on his dreams so he could stay at home with her, she was still his mum and she was the person that had prepared his backpack and clothing every time he goes to a new region, telling him to never give up.
Too heartsick or numb to cry, Ash simply stared blankly at his reflection in the water.
'It's been four years….I wonder what happened to her.' Ash thought. He sighed.
"Moping won't do any good." A voice said cuttingly.
Ash looked up, and was surprised to see his ever-stoic Leader, Pakura.
"What do you know, Pakura?" Ash snapped. What does Pakura know anyway? She doesn't keep in contact with her family, and check how they are doing. Although, she, like Ash, did this by choice, unlike Ash, she never even wondered what happened to her family. He remembered the huge arguments she usually have with his other three Elites whenever this issue arises.
Pakura didn't seem fazed by his tone. "I know that when my entire family died, I certainly didn't mope." Pakura answered blandly.
That startled Ash. Wait, what?
"Your whole family died?" Ash asked in shock.
"When I was 15." Pakura said flatly.
"B-But…" Ash spluttered. "Why did you let the other Elites think you never kept in contact with them?"
"Do you really think I need those idiots' sympathy that my family died while they still have theirs?" Pakura looked at him like it was obvious. "I don't like it when all people do is pity and say comforting words whenever they find what someone has been through. It's pathetic really, since words doesn't help the one who is suffering."
Seeing Ash's stunned look, she went up to him, and grabbed his collar. "And you, you came so far, and are you going to give it all up just because you mother is missing? No! You better show those pigs that they were wrong!" She pushed Ash against the tree trunk, letting go of his collar, and Ash hit the tree, and slid down on the ground.
Pikachu and Lucario scampered to his side to check if he is ok.
"Pakura's right, you know." Pikachu said with conviction, once he confirmed Ash is fine. "I know it sounds harsh, but you came so far without them. We are so close into showing them that we're the best. Why show weakness towards someone who didn't believe in you, who listened to that snobbish rival's words?"
"And how about us, who ditched our Trainers just to follow you?" Skitty added, thumping her tail against the floor. "We followed you because you are not the type to give up on your dreams no matter how many setbacks you faced? We knew you will rise back up despite what they said about you." Skitty was no longer the ditzy and mischievous Pokémon Ash once knew. Though she kept her cheerful and charming personality, she has improved her teamwork tremendously, and has also a serious and mature side to her under Pakura's care.
"You have to show them what the results of your training are. I don't want your emotions to affect your performance, and when they find out it's you, they'll just laugh some more." Lucario nodded, agreeing with Skitty.
Ash looked to the Pokémon and Pakura each waiting for a reply from him. He sighed.
"Yeah, you're right. It's no good to mope, because life always goes on, no matter what happens. We must hold our head up high and prepare ourselves for the future, and not dwell on the past." The Pokémon and Pakura seemed satisfied by his answer.
"Good, now you know. And life goes on." Pakura's Sylveon said. "Let's go back to the Battle Arena."
Ash nodded, and followed the others back to the Arena, which is by then crowded, as Trainers tried to get a glimpse of who are their partners on the board. Among them were the other regional Elites and Champions. He caught a glimpse of pink highlights in Rosaline's hair, and slowly made his way towards her. By then, however, Pakura has disappeared among the crowd.
"Red! Where were you?" Rosaline demanded. "Gary said you ran off, and we were so worried!"
"I just went to get some fresh air, that's all. Thanks for asking." Ash waved her off. "Besides, Pakura went to find me, and brought me here. Where's Gary and Paul anyway?"
"They are already in the Arena taking a seat. They said they'll come look for you again after the matches end." Rosaline answered. "They said their battles are after lunch break." Due to the many matches, there's a lunch break in between for trainers to take a break. For those who finished their battles in the morning, they can choose not to return to watch the afternoon matches. Which is what Ash and his Elites are going to do exactly, since their battles are in the morning.
"Well, that explains why Pakura wasn't with us just now." Phillip muttered. "By the way, where is she? Wasn't she with you?"
"Er…." Ash turned his head to look for Pakura. Where did she go anyway?
"It's Dragon, not Flying!" An irritated voice rang out.
Ash and his fellow Elites turned to see the source of the voice. It came from Lance, and he's talking to….
"She's over there." Ash groaned, pointing to his Leader.
Ash checked the schedule of the battles to take place back in the V.I.P Box. "Alright, looks like Phillip's battle is to be commenced first. Next would be Jude, followed by me, Pakura and finally Rosaline. And it looks like I'm against Misty and Brock." He smirked at the last sentence. "By the way, good luck, Phillip."
"Thanks Ash." With that, he left the VIP Box with his Emolga, Flannery and Roxie.
"He'll be fine." Pikachu assured Ash.
"It's not Phillip I'm worried about" Ash replied. "It's Trip." He pointed at Phillip and Flannery facing off against Trip and Roxie. Although he knew Phillip and Flannery would win, he hoped Trip and Roxie can get their two wins from two other pairs. He wants to take down Trip himself.
And no one is going to stop him.
"Oh, I get what you mean." Lucario growled at the Trip boy. Just then, there were cheering, and Ash spotted the referee, Evan, walking to the middle of one side of the arena.
"Let's get started, shall we?" Evan asked, only to be answered by cheers. "Alright, from the Green side, we have Leader Roxie, and Pokémon Trainer Trip! And from the Red side, we have Elite Phillip and Leader Flannery!" There were louder cheers for the latter pair, mainly for Phillip, their favourite genius.
To Ash, it did not seem like a battle, more like a one sided massacre. Being the third member of the PAL Elite, Phillip is powerful, yes, but to end the match with just his Emolga (with Flannery's help) in a mere 15 minutes is something else as well. It's almost as if their opponents didn't put up much of a fight.
Phillip returned to the VIP Box, and then Jude left with his Purrloin, along with Maylene, Roxanne and Bugsy.
Ash watched blankly as Jude also finished in 15 minutes flat with his Sableye alone, with all three of Maylene's Fighting Pokémon. Ash shook his head. Roxanne and Bugsy didn't really stand a chance against Jude and Maylene….Jude mainly. Since Sableye's a Dark/Ghost Pokémon, it doesn't really have any weakness…except for Fairy. He bet that Jude didn't want to show off his Mega Evolution too early, as Ash noted that he didn't Mega Evolve his Sableye. One-sided battles really gets boring after a while.
Finally, it was his turn.
"So, are you going to go now?" Rosaline asked, when Jude, Maylene, Roxanne and Bugsy returned.
Ash nodded. "Yeah, see you later." With that, he left the V.I.P Box with Pikachu and Lucario, Pikachu hiding in Ash's hood, and walked towards the entrance where he will have to enter the Arena from there.
"Lucario, I want you to watch our matches carefully, alright? This might be useful for training. I know you think you are powerful enough, but there's always room for learning."
"Got it, Ash." Lucario nodded.
"Good luck, Ash." Pikachu encouraged him.
"So, we meet again...Red." A voice said. Ash wheeled around to see Cynthia smiling at him.
"Oh, hi." Ash greeted his partner.
"So, we're partners. Let's work together to make it to the tournament rounds?" Cynthia held out a hand to shake.
Ash smiled. "Yeah." He clasped her offered hand.
'Once today's battles are over, I'm going to try and find Ash.' Cynthia thought. 'Who knows, he might be closer than I think. Maybe I can ask Champion Red for help.'
Ash, whose face is still hidden, sweat dropped. He had the ability to read others' minds via aura, and can tune thoughts off, however her thoughts are too loud for him to be able to tune it off. He turned away so that Cynthia won't suspect that he inadvertently read her thoughts.
"From the Green side, we have Leader Brock, and Leader Misty!" The two Gym Leaders walked out to the Arena waving to the audience.
"And from the Red side, we have Champion Cynthia, and Champion Red, our Silent Hero!" The crowd cheered louder for the Champions, as they walked out and took their places at the marked spot.
"This will be a six-on-six Pokémon battle, as each Trainer can use three Pokémon. Switching Pokémon is allowed, and the first side to lose all six Pokémon loses." Evan explained. "So Trainers, you may send out your Pokémon."
"Starmie, I choose you!" Misty threw a Pokeball and out came Starmie.
"Steelix, come on out!" Brock summoned his Steelix.
"Garchomp, Battle dance!" Cynthia called out her Dragon.
"Leavanny, lend me your aura!" Ash's Pokeball opened to reveal the thin, yellow, bipedal insectoid Pokémon.
"Eww, eww! A bug!" Misty shrieked, ticking both Ash and Leavanny off.
"Hey!" Leavanny exclaimed. "Bug Pokémon can be useful too!"
"Looks like she didn't change." Pikachu mumbled.
"Leavanny, why don't we humiliate her by taking her Pokémon out in five minutes?" Ash whispered.
"I can do it in three." Leavanny replied. "I'm so going to humiliate her for what she said about you and me!"
"Battle begin!" Evan brought the red and green flags he has been holding downwards.
"Steelix, use Dragon Breath on Garchomp!" Brock called out.
"Starmie, use Gyro ball on that bug!" Misty commanded.
Ash twitched. That bug?
"She's so going to get it." Leavanny growled.
"Get her, Leavanny." Pikachu cheered from his hidden position.
"Leavanny, use X-Scissor to deflect the Gyro Ball, and follow it up with Sunny Day." Leavanny used X-Scissor to change the Gyro Ball's direction, and powered up a powerful Sunny Day.
"And look! Champion Red has used Sunny Day! What can he be planning?" The commentator and announcer, Ken asked the question that was in everyone's minds.
"Garchomp! Dodge, and use Flamethrower!" Cynthia commanded. Since Sunny Day is in effect, the Flamethrower is stronger than usual.
"Dodge the flamethrower, Steelix!" Brock called out.
"Starmie, now use Swift!" Misty commanded.
"Use Razor Leaf to counter it." Ash countered calmly. The Razor Leaf overpowered the Swift, and knocked Misty's Starmie to the ground.
"Starmie, get up!" Misty encouraged, or rather, demanded. Starmie slowly, but surely got up.
"Leavanny, use Energy Ball." Ash said. "While it's distracted, you know what to do." Leavanny nodded, and charged up an Energy Ball at a still getting up Starmie.
"Steelix, help cover Starmie by using Nature Power!" The Nature Power turned out to be Tri Attack because the battlefield is a neutral one.
"Garchomp, get in front of Leavanny and use Protect!" Garchomp got in front of a still Leavanny, who is charging up power for another move, and held both its hands out in front of it and a turquoise energy shield appears in front of it, protecting both of them from the Nature Power.
"Thanks." Ash said to Cynthia.
"No problem." She replied. "Garchomp, now use Fire blast on Steelix!"
"Now, Leavanny!" Ash called out. Leavanny jumped onto Garchomp and jumped off it, firing a Solar Beam from above at Starmie. Starmie got hit and it banged against the wall hard, sliding down, unconscious.
Meanwhile, the Fire Blast also directly hit Steelix, knocking it out.
"Starmie/Steelix, no!" Misty and Brock cried out.
"So that's what the Sunny Day was about! It was used to power up the Solar Beam, and it also powered up Garchomp's Fire Blast! Great thinking on Champion Red's part!" Ken exclaimed.