Part 35

Ash returned home not long after his little stroll with his buddy Pikachu and Serena. As he entered the house, his mother Delia greeted him with a curious look.

"Hey, dear. Where have you been?" she asked.

"Oh, I was just taking a little stroll outside to clear my head. I decided to bring Pikachu along with me, and I ended up running into a friend of mine on the way," He explained, taking his jacket off in the process. Delia nodded, not thinking much of it as she walked into the Kitchen.

Ash made his way upstairs to his room to relax. He flopped onto his bed, feeling a bit tired from his walk around the entire town of Vaniville. As he lay there, his thoughts drifted to his older brother, Red, who was still confined in Vermilion City in his home region due to some minor offenses he had committed some time ago. Ash couldn't help but reflect on how his brother's absence had affected his life. After Red was sent to juvenile detention, things seemed to take a slight turn for the worse for Ash.

There had been so much happening in Ash's life since he arrived in Kalos. He had reunited with his older friend, Cilan, and reconnected with his oldest and closest friend, Gary Oak. He had also made new friends, but, most importantly, he had met someone truly special—Serena. At first, he saw her as just an ordinary teenage girl who attended the same school, but as he got to know her better, he realized how much she meant to him. She always seemed to know exactly what to say to motivate him and restore his confidence. However, there were still the looming dangers of Team Rocket in the region, a constant threat Ash tried not to dwell on as he slowly drifted into a peaceful sleep with conflicted emotions.

Lumiose City, Kalos Airport, 2 AM...

Cilan had just returned to Kalos after his brief trip to the Unova region to retrieve the crucial item known as the Meteonite. Unfortunately, by the time he arrived in Unova, Team Rocket had already gotten there first. They had snatched the Meteonite from Desort Resort and quickly fled back to Kalos. Now, Cilan and his two brothers, Chilli and Cress, were back and urgently searching for Team Rocket before they could do something reckless with the artifact.

"So, Cilan, how are we going to track down Team Rocket?" Chilli asked.

"I'll figure it out," Cilan replied confidently. "I'm going to reach out to an old friend of ours—Ash Ketchum. Once we pinpoint where those goons are hiding, I'll get in touch with Ash to help us recover the Meteonite."

"Sounds like a plan," Cress replied. "This kid seems quite promising. Hopefully, he'll be useful to us." He grinned mischievously.

Following Morning...

The morning sun hung low in the sky, casting a warm golden glow over the quiet streets. A light breeze rustled the leaves of the trees lining the sidewalk, and the faint chirping of Pidgeys filled the air. Ash Ketchum, dressed in his usual hoodie and pants, walked with his hands stuffed in his pockets, suppressing a yawn. His dark hair was still slightly messy from sleep, but at least he had managed to roll out of bed in time for school.

Beside him, Leaf strided confidently, her brown hair bouncing with every step. She had a smug smirk on her face, as if she had the world's greatest secret sitting on the tip of her tongue. And, knowing Leaf, she probably did. Once again, she has a very curious expression on her face.

"So, Ash," she started, her tone far too innocent to be anything but suspicious. "How's your love life going?"

Ash nearly tripped over his own feet. "Huh?! What love life?" He gave her a weird look. "Why do you always bring up romance out of nowhere?"

Leaf giggled, twirling a strand of hair between her fingers. "Because it's hilarious watching you squirm, duh." She nudged his arm. "Come on, you and Serena have been spending a lot of time together lately. Any sparks flying?"

Ash blinked, processing her words as if she had just spoken in a foreign language. "Sparks? What are you talking about? We just hang out, that's all."

Leaf sighed dramatically, pressing a hand to her forehead like she was experiencing secondhand embarrassment. "You're so hopeless, Ash. I swear, you could walk into a burning building and still not realize it's on fire." That was terrifying to think of for Ash.

"I mean, yeah, I'd notice the fire," Ash said, completely missing the point.

Leaf groaned. "That's not what I—ugh, never mind. Look, let me put it this way: if a girl goes out of her way to spend time with you, looks at you like you just handed her a lifetime supply of Poképuffs, and gets all flustered when you smile at her, it means something."

Ash tilted his head, frowning slightly. "I mean... Serena's just nice like that. She's like that with everyone."

"No, she's not," Leaf shot back, rolling her eyes. "She's like that with you."

Ash still didn't look convinced. "I don't know, I just don't get why romance is such a big deal to everyone. We've got school, Pokémon battles, and way more important stuff to focus on."

Leaf smirked. "That's exactly why I bring it up. Because you, my dear cousin, are so ridiculously clueless that it's practically a crime. I'm doing the world a favor."

Ash crossed his arms and gave her a flat look. "Yeah, well, I'd appreciate it if you found a new hobby."

Leaf gasped in mock offense. "And miss the entertainment? Never."

As they reached the school gates, Leaf tossed him a wink. "Anyway, just think about what I said, alright? One day, you'll thank me when you finally open your eyes."

Ash let out a deep sigh. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say, romance guru."

Leaf beamed. "That's Mastermind Matchmaker Leaf to you, thank you very much."

Ash shook his head as they walked into the building, already bracing himself for another day of teasing from his ever-mischievous cousin.

Let's skip to Lunch...

The battle club was packed. Students had gathered in a loose circle, murmuring with excitement as the battle between Calem and Alain raged on. The air was thick with tension, the scent of dust and heat swirling around as the two trainers faced off.

Ash had just stepped into the club, a half-eaten sandwich in hand, when he spotted Barry, Trip, and Paul near the front of the crowd. Barry, as usual, was practically vibrating with energy.

"Ash! Finally! Where've you been?!" Barry waved wildly. "Dude, you're missing an insane battle!"

Ash shoved the last bit of his sandwich into his mouth and made his way over, eyes locking onto the battlefield. Calem's Absol stood poised, its sleek white fur gleaming under the fluorescent lights, its sharp eyes locked onto its opponent. Across from it, Alain's Charizard loomed like a beast of legend, wings half-spread, embers flickering at the edges of its mouth.

Trip smirked, arms crossed. "Calem's skilled, but he's in for a rough time. That Charizard isn't just strong—it can Mega Evolve."

Paul remained silent, watching with narrowed eyes.

Ash's eyes widened. "Wait, Alain's here? Man, I should've gotten here sooner!"

Barry practically hopped in place. "I know, right?! This is so hype! C'mon, Calem, make a move already!"

On the battlefield, Calem adjusted his gloves, his usual composed expression unwavering. "Absol, Psycho Cut!"

Absol lunged forward, slashing the air with a blade of psychic energy. The crescent-shaped attack soared toward Charizard, crackling with raw power.

Alain's eyes glinted with focus. "Dodge and counter with Flamethrower!"

With a powerful flap of its wings, Charizard shot into the air, the Psycho Cut missing by inches. A second later, it unleashed a massive jet of fire, roaring as it scorched the battlefield.

Absol barely managed to dodge, skidding across the dirt as the heat from the attack washed over it.

Paul finally spoke, his voice low. "Calem's playing this smart, but he's at a serious disadvantage. If Alain goes for Mega Evolution..."

Trip nodded. "Yeah. If Charizard transforms, Absol won't stand a chance."

Ash, however, watched with burning excitement. He had battled Alain before—he knew how strong he was. But Calem wasn't one to back down either.

Calem adjusted his stance. "Then I'll just have to keep up," he murmured under his breath before calling out, "Absol, use Detect!"

Charizard charged forward, its claws glowing with the beginnings of a Dragon Claw—but just before the attack could land, Absol twisted its body just in time, dodging at the last second.

The crowd gasped.

Alain, unfazed, gave a small nod of approval. "Not bad. But let's see how you handle this."

His fingers hovered over his Mega Ring, the keystone beginning to glow. The moment of truth was about to arrive.

The tension in the air was electric. The battle club was silent, all eyes glued to the battlefield as Alain's Mega Charizard X flapped its mighty wings, its once-orange body now cloaked in midnight black scales, blue flames flickering from its mouth. Across from it, Calem's Absol stood its ground, breathing heavily, fur singed in places, but eyes still burning with determination.

Ash clenched his fists. "This is crazy... neither of them are backing down!"

Barry was practically bouncing. "I told you this was insane! These guys are nuts!"

Trip scoffed. "Calem's just being stubborn. Mega Charizard has the advantage in both power and type. It's only a matter of time before Absol goes down."

Paul, arms crossed, watched intently. "You say that... but look at Alain."

Trip frowned and glanced at Alain, and sure enough, Alain's expression was tense. His usual cool-headed focus was starting to crack.

"Enough stalling," Alain said, his voice low but sharp. "Charizard, Flare Blitz!"

Charizard roared, its entire body igniting in a massive blue inferno as it charged like a meteor. The ground trembled under the sheer force of its approach.

Calem's jaw clenched. "You're getting reckless."

Alain narrowed his eyes. "And you're being too careful."

Calem smirked slightly. "Am I?" He extended a hand. "Absol, Perish Song!"

A haunting melody echoed through the battlefield. Absol's eyes gleamed as the eerie sound waves rippled outward, surrounding both Pokémon.

Alain's expression twisted. "Tch..." He knew what that meant—three turns, and both Pokémon would faint.

"You're really gonna go for a suicide move?!" Alain snapped.

Calem shrugged. "If I'm going down, I'm bringing you with me."

Trip's eyes widened. "He planned this!"

Barry screamed. "THIS IS HYPE!!"

Alain gritted his teeth. "Fine! Let's finish this now!" He threw out his arm. "Charizard, Dragon Claw!"

"Absol, Night Slash!"

The two Pokémon charged at each other one last time.

BOOM!

A massive shockwave erupted as both attacks clashed in the center of the field. Flames, darkness, and raw energy exploded outward, engulfing the entire battlefield in a blinding storm. The watching students had to shield their eyes as the force of the impact kicked up dust and debris.

For a few moments, everything was still.

Then—

Two figures collapsed onto the battlefield at the same time.

The smoke cleared.

Both Mega Charizard X and Absol were down—completely fainted.

A moment of silence.

Then—

Barry lost his mind. "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! IT'S A DRAW?!?!"

Ash blinked, before breaking into a grin. "Whoa... that was awesome."

Paul exhaled slightly. "Not bad."

Meanwhile, Calem and Alain stood across from each other, both breathing heavily.

Alain frowned. "A draw? Really?"

Calem smirked, wiping sweat from his brow. "You can call it 'avoiding a loss' if that makes you feel better."

Alain clicked his tongue. "Tch. Next time, you won't get away with that."

Calem just chuckled. "I'll be looking forward to it."

The battle club erupted into cheers as the referee declared the match a draw. Despite the result, neither trainer looked unsatisfied.

Alain turned, hands in his pockets. "Next time, I will win."

Calem adjusted his gloves. "We'll see about that."

Not a Junior cup match by the way just a casual between two rivals.