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Chapter Text

Running into Dawn while on his adventures throughout the Regions with Goh shouldn’t have felt any different than the time he ran into her in the Unova Region. Running into her should’ve felt like running into any other friend. Dawn, however was same old, same old, down to her clothes and favorite catch phrase. Almost nothing about her has changed from Unova and subsequently Sinnoh. And if Ash was being honest, he was glad she hadn’t changed at all. Out of many of his old travel buddies the friends who have changed the most by the time he was in Alola had to be his oldest friends who visited him in the Alola Region. Brock was studying in university to be a pokémon doctor, going beyond his dreams to be a breeder and miraculously scored a date with Olivia, and Misty was a full fledged gym leader who’s a force to be reckoned with. Nothing should have been different about crossing paths with Dawn again. Then Misty had to drop a bombshell on him while the two of them walked on the Alolan beach together.

“So you said you had something important to tell me?” Ash had asked while they walked, not even looking at Misty, and looking as though he hasn’t a care in the world as he walked across his favorite beach in the Alola Region. Misty hummed to affirm what Ash said, but there was a sing-song tone to it, like it was a secret she wanted to keep to herself, but just had to tell someone. Then she came out with it.

“I’m dating someone now.”

Ash actually felt himself freeze and trip over himself from the unexpected announcement. He thought it’d be pokémon related. Turns out he was wrong.

“Ugh! Is it really that surprising?” Misty asked annoyed at Ash.

“Wha- huh? No of course not! Uh congrats Misty?” Ash stammered out awkwardly. Misty huffed at him exasperatingly.

“Geez, It’s not like I’m getting married.” 

“Uh, then… that’s great to hear Misty. I’m happy for you. After seeing Prof. Kukui with Prof. Burnet, y’know before they got married, they made each other really happy. I hope your boyfriend makes you as happy as Kukui made Burnette and vice versa.” Misty couldn’t help the blush and the sting of tears pricking the corners of her eyes.

“Oh boy…” Misty wiped at the stray tears in her eyes before they could fall. She looked back at him with a smile on her face. “Thank you Ash, that really means a lot to hear.” Ash smiled at his friend as she spoke again. “Aren’t you even gonna ask who he is?”

“Huh? Is he someone we both know?” A hilariously bitter expression fell across Ash’s face. “Look, I know he’s changed and all, but… it better not be Gary, you can do way better than that!” Misty chuckled.

“No he’s not Gary either. He hardly talks to me when he’s around anyway.” 

“Guessing’s exhausting Misty! Just tell me.” Misty continued their walk before finally admitting it out loud.

“Tracey.” I’m dating Tracey.” 

“Huh? Seriously? Didn’t see that one coming.” Misty smiled and gave another chuckle. 

“No one did. It’s kinda what’s nice about it. No high expectations and we move our relationship at our own pace, but my sisters are so, grrr! Annoying! They keep flirting with him even when I’m standing right there!” Misty sighed to calm herself down.

“Well I’m happy for both you and Tracey now. Tracey’s a great friend, and real patient too.” Ash smirked as he said his next statement. “Knowing you and your temper he’s probably had to put up with a lot.” 

“Grrr!” Misty swiped Ash’s hat and smacked him over the head with it.

“Unlike you Tracey knows better than to aggravate me!”

“Sounds like you two are a perfect pair.” Ash said as he gripped his hat on his head.

“Honestly Ash, do you ever grow up? Sometimes it’s like your that same dumb kid who destroyed my bike all that time ago.” 

“Honestly Ash, do you ever grow up? Sometimes it’s like your that same dumb kid who destroyed my bike all that time ago.” 

“You gotta bring that up? I hope you and Iris never meet.”  Ash muttered.

“Who?” 

“Forget it. Why didn’t you invite Tracey here to Alola?”

“He was held up with work at Prof. Oak’s lab. For some reason he thinks Gary compiled so much work for him last minute on purpose.” Misty looked at the setting horizon. “I bet he’d love it here though. Maybe it’d remind him of his home back at the Orange Islands.”

The sun has nearly disappeared behind the waves and it should be time to head back to Ash’s second home. 

“What about you, Ash?” Misty asked.

“What about me? I got my pokémon, training, and upcoming battles to look forward to.” 

“That’s not what I mean. There’s a lot more to life than just pokémon battles you know. There’s no pretty  girl waiting out there for you?” A brief memory of Serena just before he left the Kalos Region flashed in his mind. Ash blinked and shook his head. 

“Well… there was this one girl… back in Kalos.” Ash started awkwardly. He didn’t particularly like talking about these things, and didn’t exactly know how to go about discussing them. Especially when the other person is one of the two most judgmental girls he’s ever met.

“Oh? Tell me all about her!” Misty said eagerly.

“She was… nice I guess, a little on the shy side at first, but she eventually became a really great trainer.” Misty rolled her eyes.

“Of course that’d be the first thing you’d describe about her.” Misty muttered.

“Well it’s true. Apparently we also  met once as kids, but I didn’t remember her at first.” Ash paused, thinking it best to just cut to the chase. “She kissed me just before I left Kalos.” Misty gawked at him.

“Man, she’s ballsy, I’ll give her that.” Misty muttered under her breath. “And, then what? Are you two dating now? I mean, you’re both around thirteen now right?” Ash hadn’t exactly considered he was now at the age where dating could be a factor in his life now.

“No, I’m not dating her. I didn’t even consider it actually.” 

“Ash Ketchum! A girl likes you, kisses you, and you’re just going to leave her hanging?” Misty poked at Ash at almost every word.

“Well she kinda sprung it on me.” Ash defended. 

“Well, I guess it’s not like something like that hadn’t happened to you before.” Misty concluded.

“You think I should’ve done something about it?” Ash asked.

“I don’t see why you shouldn’t have. I surprisingly find it hard to believe that evenwhen a girl spells it out for you, you’re still as dense as ever.”

“It’s not my fault! I just couldn’t force myself to return her feelings.” 

“And you shouldn’t. Forcing yourself could be the worst thing you can do in that situation.” Misty agreed. “It’ll be a miracle if you ever meet a girl who’s just as dense and dedicated to pokémon training as you. She better be someone who can get you’re heart pumping like you’re ready for battle.”

“And someone who I can trust to battle along side me.” Ash added, surprising Misty as he continued for her, “Someone who loves pokémon as much as I do. Who has dreams like I do, so we’d understand and support each other, someone I can be casual with and has a great sense of  humor, and talk battle strategy and combinations with too! Oh man, we had so many of those back then!” Misty rolled her eyes thinking she’d gotten Ash started. Then certain words caught her attention.

“We? Back then?” Misty asked. Ash jumped unable to stop the blush going across his face as he waved his hands in front of himself towards Misty in a stopping motion.

“I-I was thinking of someone else!”  

“I sure hope so. I’m dating Tracey, Ash!” 

“I swear I didn’t mean you!” Ash exclaimed innocently.

“Then who? Apparently this special someone came up with battle combinations with you?” Ash blinked at Misty having not realizing he said that.

“Not exactly with me.” Ash looked at the gentle waves going back and forth over his sandy feet. “I mean we had special combos we came up with together when we double battled. Though I’ve got to admit she kinda influenced a bit of my battling style up even till now.”

“Enough about that. Who is she?” Misty asked eagerly.

Ash at first had been certain he was describing Kukui's and Bernet's relationship. That maybe he could have a similar relatioship as them cause they seem so happy. His mind clearly wandered elsewhere. A brief flash of Dawn’s mischievous face with her Piplup hanging on her shoulder back in Unova appeared in Ash’s memory at Misty's question. He was about to answer when something in the water caught his eye.

“Hey look!” Ash bent to reach his hands in the water and grabbed the shiny thing that caught his eye before it floated away. “Check it out, it’s a pearl!” 

“Oh how pretty!” Misty said now equally distracted. After briefly admiring it for a moment he held it out to her.

“Hm?” 

“Here, you can have it.”

“Why?” 

“Well I don’t need it.” Ash shrugged. Misty smiled, raising her hand up and gently pushing Ash’s hand with the pearl away.

“Neither do I.”

Sometime after Misty and Brock left Alola, Ash didn’t think much of the pearl he found on the beach that evening. He left it on his drawer beside his lamp and that was it. The conversation he had with Misty on the other hand stubbornly lingered on, much like Misty’s stubbornness itself. Just moments before Misty had boarded her plane back to Kanto she took him aside and told him to give that pearl to the girl he had been thinking about.

That’s what made that conversation on the beach stay stuck in his head for a considerable amount of time.  He started spacing out in Kukui’s class a bit more than usual.  Random things here and there would remind him of Dawn. The literal sunrise every day on the beach, the way Lana would have her pokémon use bubble beam, one of Dawn’s favorite moves that made her hair shiny and smooth… not that Ash would know, he’s never touched it.

“ And why would I even want to!?” Ash thought furiously.

 Ash even began to have thoughts that Dawn would be interested in incorporating Z-moves into her contests. Ash tried really hard to shake it off thinking of other really cool things his other old friends would be interested in, in Alola. But when he thought about talking about his adventures and new training experiences he couldn’t help but wonder what Dawn’s opinions would be. Granted his other friends would provide great feedback too, but imagining what Dawn would think he’d remember how supportive she’d be and how fun and funny there conversations would be so it wasn’t so serious all the time. It made him think of her smile.

“Dawn never really shied away from our friendship.” Ash thought. “It’s one of the things I liked most about her. She’s so open, funny, mischievous, dedicated, straightforward, enthusiastic…” Ash stopped that train of thought before it went further and was assisted by Pikachu as he electrocuted him for spacing out in class when Prof. Kukui was calling on him. Ash had no excuse for spacing out and apologized immediately to everyone.

All these whirling thoughts were beginning to drive him crazy one day. He always liked to think about memories with his friends, but thinking about Dawn in excess was beginning to make him sick to his stomach, he felt like he was invading her personal bubble and she was likely three regions away. Or worse he was turning into Brock and not in the best ways. And he 100% blamed Misty for it, and that stupid pearl sitting innocently beside his lamp in his room he was half contemplating throwing it back in the ocean. His stomach growled, he hadn't realized when he'd gotten outside. He and his pokémon needed food.

...

Team Rocket noticed the twerp approaching the malasada truck. The trio got incredibly giddy to think the twerp came to them and they can easily get the drop on him and Pikachu, but they had to play it cool. Just as they were about to trick their favorite gullible twerp they were surprised to see him bang his head against the truck. 

“Six malasadas please.” Ash groaned as he handed Team Rocket cash for the food. Team Rocket startled, looking at the kid then between themselves perplexed. They’d never seen him look like that before. Jessie decided to start.

“Uh… twer-kid, not that it’s any of our business, but…”

“Are you alright?” James finished a little more sympathetically.

Ash didn’t look up at them as Team Rocket silently agreed to take pity on the kid and handed him the food he paid for. Ash didn’t really answer them. All he said was thanks for his food and muttered something about, “Stupid Misty,” as he went on his way. Team Rocket watched the twerp oddly as he walked off.

“The twerp appears to be going through some girl trouble.” James pointed out.

“Really? Is he at that age already? How old is he now?” Jessie asked trying to count how long it’s been with her fingers.

“The twerps grow up so fast!” Meowth popped in as he and wobbufet wiped their eyes with handkerchiefs.

… 

Ash sat down on the beach so he and his pokemon could enjoy their malasadas while they watched the waves crash. He knew it wasn't fair to push his pokémon too hard over personal issues and asked them if they were up for some training with their friends tomorrow. He was glad they agreed cause he could really use the distraction. It was either that or go swimming, hoping thoughts of Dawn wouldn't follow him to the ocean floor.

Kukui dropped by when he noticed Ash have a makeshift picnic with his Pokémon on the beach.

"Got any extra malasadas for one more?" Kukui asked. Ash nodded and gestured at the box beside him.

"Go ahead Prof. Kukui." Kukui sat down, swiping a malasada and asked, "You alright Ash? Ever sense your friends  left you've been pretty distracted. Are you missing home?"

"I love home, but I'm happy here right now so I'm okay." Ash answered.

"Then what's been going through that head of yours?" Kukui asked knocking Ash's hat off and ruffling his hair. Ash laughed and gently batted Kukui's hand away. "Is it your old friend, Misty?"

"Huh?" Ash asked.

Kukui smiled.

"I've seen that look in your eyes on someone else before. The sign when someone special is on your mind." 

"You think so? On who?" Ash asked. Kukui rolled his eyes.

"Me of course, whenever I have thoughts on Burnet." Ash blushed.

"I'm not exactly thinking about Misty, more about something she said."

Kukui raised a brow.

"And what'd she tell you?" 

"She told me she started dating an old friend of ours from the Orange Islands."

"That so?" Kukui asked while mentally preparing to become a shoulder to cry on.

"She more or less asked why I haven't started dating anyone yet." Kukui couldn’t help but chuckle.

"Ash, you don't have to start dating right away, you can move at your own pace." 

"She made fun of me for being too dense around girls." Ash muttered. He didn't sound depressed over it, but still very annoyed at what she said.

"Most boys are dense around your age, there's no shame in it." Kukui said supportively.

"Yeah, but then we got to talking about what kinda girl I'd be interested in, and I accidentally mentioned another girl I know, so Misty kinda put the idea in my head that I might like this other girl enough to ask her out one day, and ever sense then I couldn't get thoughts of her out of my head."

" Wow, what a twist. " Kukui thought with a still raised brow, smiling sympathetically at Ash. "Well, when you put it that way you certainly sound all tangled up." Kukui said.

"That's exactly how I feel." Ash confirmed sounding a little exhasperated.

"Why do you make it sound like it's a problem? There's no shame in liking someone, you know. Just means you're growing up." 

"Well, she's distracting me!" Kukui couldn’t help the slight chuckle. "Don't laugh!" Ash pulled up his knees, snatched his hat beside him and buried his face in it in humiliation. There was a reason he didn't talk about these things often, it was embarrassing and awkward for him. 

Pikachu and his other pokémon crowded around Ash to comfort their distressed trainer. Kukui sighed and wrapped a comforting arm around Ash. "I'm sorry. I wasn't laughing at you. I just found it funny how I know exactly how you feel." Ash peeked up at Kukui.

"You do?" 

"Of course. When I was around your age, dating was the furthest thing from my mind too. Then one day pesky feelings for a girl crept up on me and wouldn't go away."

"How'd you get rid of them?" Kukui held back a laugh at Ash this time.

"You don't. You either let them run their course or you confront them." 

"Confronting them sounds like a challenge, how do I do that?" Ash asked determinedly.

"Well you could tell this girl how you feel..." Ash blushed waving his hands to stop Kukui right there.

"N-no way! That'd be way too weird! I-I don't even know how I feel yet." Ash said.

"Thought you just said that you liked her?" 

"I never said that. I said Misty put the idea in my head that I might like Dawn, and now I can't stop thinking about her." Kukui blinked.

"So, her name is Dawn?" Kukui asked.

"Pika-pika-ka-pi?" Pikachu questioned. Ash froze.

"Pikachu, you're not allowed to tell Piplup or Buneary anything!"

"Pika-chu?"

That includes Pachurisu and the others."

"Ash." Kukui called Ash back to the conversation."So, it's a girl called Dawn who's been on your mind?" Kukui asked. Ash sighed.

"How'd you put up with having a girl on your mind all the time?" 

"Well, Ash there is another way to confront those feelings."

"How so?" 

"You could admit to yourself how you feel first." Ash looked downward.

"I feel like, it's a bad thing to think about her a lot." 

"Why's that?" 

"Well, I don't know... I feel like I'm picking favorites between my friends and that feels a little unfair." Ash made a slightly disturbed face as he voiced his next thought, "It also feels like I'm invading her personal space or something. It feels weird, like I'm giving so much attention to someone who didn’t ask for it, and there's like four regions between us at the moment. Wouldn't she feel weirded out if she knew I've been thinking about her?" 

"So that's what your worried about." Kukui said. "Ash, your feelings for Dawn are perfectly normal, and if you're not ready to tell her how you feel, that's fine too. Besides, any girl should feel lucky, and downright special to have your attention."

"You're really sure it's okay?" 

"So long as you can snap yourself out of getting distracted by her during class, it's fine." Ash cringed.

"Sorry about that." 

"Hopefully talking about this helped clear your head a little." Ash smiled.

"Yeah, I think it did." 

"So?"  Kukui asked.

"So what?" Ash asked.

"Why don't you tell me about her?" Ash leaned on his hands behind him.

"Well... Dawn and I first met when I arrived at the Sinnoh Region. She helped rescue Pikachu from Team Rocket."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu confirmed.

"She sounds like quite the girl already. How'd you repay her?" 

"We fried her bike." 

"What?" 

"It was almost a tradition by that point." Ash muttered.

"Pika-chu..."

Eventually Ash left Alola, and was returning home a champion for the first time. Not just any champion though, a region's first league champion. What an honor! While packing up before leaving the region Ash now considers his second home, he'd forgotten about the pearl that had fallen off the top of the drawer at one point and disappeared behind it. Memories of Dawn and his other friends drifted around his head throughout his time in Alola and for a while the strong feelings that circled around his head about Dawn faded into the background at one point. He still had his goals and dreams to follow, and every now and then memories of Dawn and his other friends became happier distractions. After having that long talk with Kukui about Dawn on the beach he didn't feel so ashamed when he thought about Dawn anymore. Thoughts of her occasionally brought butterfrees to his stomach, but he understood they weren't bad feelings anymore.

... 

After many heartfelt and even some joyful goodbyes were made. Saying goodbye to Burnet and Kukui broke Ash’s heart, but they promised to always be there for him and he was always welcomed in their lives, and Ash promised the same to them. Ash knew Burnet was going to be a great mom, she reminded him a lot of his own. Kukui on the other hand felt a little harder to say goodbye to. For the first time in his life he felt what it was like to have a dad, now he had to say goodbye. Ash believed the professors' kid was going to be so lucky to have Kukui as a father.

"It won't be forever." Kukui had promised him as Ash smiled through his tears while they all hugged goodbye. Kukui and Burnet couldn't let Ash leave without letting him know despite having a baby on the way they see him as a son too and poured those feelings into their embrace, and those feelings would never change. Saying bye to his friends was always hard, but they brought the biggest smile to his face when they all flew up beside his window on the plane with their pokémon to say goodbye. It looked amazing out there and all Ash wanted to do was be out there with them too.

But he reminded himself it wouldn't be forever.

When he started  competing in the World Coronation series and working as a research assistant with his new travel buddy, Goh, it was a nice nostalgic feeling to travel around the regions he'd already been to when the research wasn't urgent. Goh, reminded him a lot of himself from back in his rookie days. They also had their friend Chloe, but she was mostly off doing her own thing be it school or at the moment, traveling.

When Ash and Goh were sent off to Sinnoh to investigate the nightmares plaguing the towns, he didn't think he'd run into Dawn at all. Last he heard she and buneary were doing the whole pokémodeling and competing in the Hoenn and Johto contest circuits. So she had been the furthest thing from his mind when Sinnoh had been mentioned. So imagine his surprise when Goh and Ash stumbled into Chloe along with none other than Dawn herself one evening. Pikachu had been first to react at seeing her with a confused, "Pika?"

While Goh and Chloe exchanged confused words, Ash had been so surprised, he exclaimed, "Dawn?" With a dumbfounded look on his face while his heart didn't know whether to stop or pump faster. Dawn however was instant smiles when she reacted at seeing him again, and...

Bathump-bathump-bathump!  

Ash could feel his heart choosing to pump faster. His legs stiffened up as she approached him saying, "I can't believe it! It's been so long." She sounded just as excited as he felt at seeing each other again. Ash could barely move as he finally smiled at her fumbling through his words as he asked, "Wh-why are you with Chloe?" Instantly Ash felt stupid that had been the first thing he asked her after so long, and he couldn’t contain his surprised stutter either. Dawn hadn't seemed to mind and Goh gave him an odd look while Ash just stared as Chloe asked Dawn how the two of them knew each other. Pikachu and Piplup greeted each other beneath them while the two girls giggled about coincidences.

Ash felt himself stepping closer to ask, "What are you two doing all the way out here?" Dawn had turned back to Ash to answer not realizing how close he was standing in front of her now and the two reunited friends were equally surprised when Goh came a little between them to say, "Hold on a second. Lets settle down and go over things." Ash could barely notice Chloe's surprised face at Goh getting between Ash and Dawn and he also couldn’t decide whether he wanted to feel annoyed his sudden reunion with Dawn was interrupted by Goh or be grateful his friend might've just prevented Ash from making a total fool of himself in front of Dawn.

....

The four kids sat around talking about how Ash and Dawn used to travel together with a brief mention of Brock . When Dawn had expressed her surprise at making a mutual friend in Chloe. Ash said in a happy but slightly awkward tone, "Same to you," at Dawn and immediately turned to the rare pokémon sitting behind them and said in amazement, "And you had Cresselia with you!" Looks like he was no longer the only pokémon trainer who drew in the rare legendary pokémon anymore, not to mention the major coincidence as he and Goh were tracking down both Darkrai and Cresselia at the moment. As the others talked Ash continued to admire Cresselia, being the only thing alive at the moment that could distract him from Dawn. He also wanted to partially turn away cause he was still reeling at the fact he came across Dawn at all and a rare pokémon was a pretty good distraction from her. He was also rather unprepared to see her again. Old feelings he discovered he had for Dawn back in Alola rushed back the moment he saw her and he wanted to supress them for as long as possible. He couldn't imagine himself acting like Brock at the sight of a Nurse Joy towards Dawn, but now he started to somewhat understand why Brock did so in the first place.

Unfortunately during their brief reunion Dawn and Chloe had mentioned running into Darkrai. Next thing they knew a huge Team Rocket blimp came there way to kidnap Cresselia and Darkrai who had shown up to protect Cresselia. Everyone of the kids sent in their pokemon ready to fight and protect the rare creatures as best they could. Eventually the four kids were trapped under a net and Darkrai wound up doing most of the protecting. 

Once the battle was over and Darkrai and Cresselia were well enough to return home the three kids noticed how Chloe had been extremely insightful over the pokemon's feelings. She was the first to have noticed Darkrai's feelings weren't malicious but concerned and his nightmare crusade was just a side effect of his wandering search for Cresselia. It couldn't be helped or balanced out without Cresselia, who was the only one who could withstand his presence and balance his powers with her own. If Ash was being honest, seeing the connection Darkrai and Cresselia shared was pretty amazing to see. They were polar opposites who had an incredibly supportive and protective friendship. If two vastly different pokémon could build a connection that powerful he wondered if two people could too. 

No need to worry.

That's when I worry the most.

Ash smiled in thought the following morning after the whole ordeal he felt himself growing comfortable around Dawn again. The way their friendship should be. They spent some time catching up while Goh and Chloe slept in and Dawn prepared pancakes for everyone with Ash, Pikachu, and Piplup helping. 

Fortunately since Ash and Goh's mission was complete they had some extra time to kill in Sinnoh and decided to accompany Chloe and Dawn all the way towards the contest in Eterna City. It had been a while since Ash had attended a contest and couldn't wait to see how much Dawn had improved. They spent much of their time catching up on their adventures that morning.

"Almost feels like old times. We'll be traveling through the Sinnoh Region together  for a while again." Dawn had said.

"But now with more friends." Ash said sending his sleeping friends a smile. Dawn smiled too, as Ash spoke again, "Sorry I didn't send you a message when I came back to Sinnoh. I thought you were off in Johto or something." Ash said rubbing the back of his head. Dawn chuckled at Ash.

"No need to worry. I kinda just got back home to redo the Sinnoh contest circuit. Figures as soon as we're in the same region again I get pulled into some wild adventure. By the way, May actually decided to redo the Hoenn circuit the same time I was there and we traveled together a while." 

"That's great, has her contest style changed much?" Ash asked.  Dawn nodded.

"Sinnoh's been a big influence over the contest circuits lately and many coordinators are starting to implement similar styles to Sinnoh internationally. The coordinators from Kalos are particularly flashy in the performance rounds though. May picked up some interesting tricks from Johto so I went there after Hoenn and she took on the circuit here. What about you, I've heard lots of insane things about your travels since Unova." 

"Unova was pretty challenging, and I came real close in Kalos. I was the runner up. Then I went to Alola." 

"I heard about Unova and Kalos, Your match against Alain had me at the edge of my seat. I bet it got better from there."

"It sure did! You wouldn't believe what happened in Alola."

"Tell me all about it." Dawn offered. The two finished making the pancakes, handed some to their awake pokémon and prepared to eat while waiting for the others to wake up. Dawn and Ash grabbed some and Dawn sat on a little boulder ready to listen. Ash took a seat on a log next to her.  

"Man where should I even start with Alola? Well, I originally went there on vacation after Kalos, but then this girl called Mallow dragged me all the way to a pokemon school thinking I was a student. I met my friends, Kiawe, Sophocles, Lilie, and Lana there, oh!" Ash pulled out his rotom phone to Show Dawn photos and pointed everyone out.

"That's Gladian, Lillie and Gladion are siblings. I met him a little later."  Ash continued to point at people in the photos, "The principal is Principal Oak, he's Prof. Oak's cousin by the way," Dawn gawked barely able to react as Ash continued. "I got to know everyone there, and I just had to stay. Alola completely drew me in. I met so many amazing pokemon while I was there too. The pokemon I caught there grew real strong." Ash showed Dawn before and after evolution pictures of his pokémon. Dawn smiled seeing how strong they became under Ash's care. "And the professor there was my teacher at the school, Prof. Kukui, he wanted to start his own pokemon league in that region."

"Really? You got to see a whole new pokemon league get formed? What luck!" Dawn and Ash high fived instinctively.

"I know right! There were these island challenges I had to do all over the region instead of gym battles.."

"Wait, but did you travel between islands or go to the school? Which was it?" Dawn asked confused.

"Both actually. I attended the pokemon school regularly and I boarded with Prof. Kukui who helped me get the island challenges. He's a great... teacher and help. I wish you could meet all the friends I made there, you'd get along great with them."

"I bet I would. I'd love to meet them someday. Tell me more about your battles,"

"Oh, right, there was this cultural battle style I learned about there where you use special z-crystals in a z-ring to power up pokemon moves to turn them into z-moves,"

"Can you show me?"Dawn asked standing up with her fists up eagerly. Ash stopped and grinned sheepishly.

"Heh, heh, sorry. I left my z-ring back home. I wanted to start fresh again for the World Coronation Series." Dawn sighed at Ash.

"I can understand. I remember back when you scolded me about building and committing to your team in Sinnoh. How even though you have trained pokemon back home you weren't planning on rotating them."

"I didn't mean to scold you."

Dawn shook her head and smiled genuinely.

"Hm, I needed to hear it anyway. I probably sounded like Paul when I said that. Now I can't imagine ever rotating my pokemon team. When you said that you kinda inspired me."

Ba-thump  

Ash blinked wondering how his heart pounded so hard for a second. He felt his face flush and turned away trying to hide his redening face.

"That's great Dawn... um, I'm glad I inspired you a little." Ash said. Dawn closed her eyes and hummed a laugh and took notice of Ash closing in on himself.

"Is something wrong?"

"N-no, of course not." Ash reassured.

"Your face is all red," Dawn pointed out, "are you okay?" Dawn's hand reached out as if to feel his temperature,

Bathump-bathump!  

and Ash abruptly leaned away and rapidly stood up.

"Uh, uhm, Dawn, I never told you what went down in the Alola League!" Ash exclaimed. Dawn couldn't tell if Ash meant to sound eager or excited, she felt something was a little off though.

"Bu-"

"Trust me, you won't believe it."

"Well... if your sure." She then smirked placing her hands on her hips and said in a challenging tone, "Alright, try me. What's your big announcement Ash?" 

" She's so not gonna believe me. " Ash thought feeling like he gets to pull her leg this time, like she'd done to him in Unova, but this was no joke. He then made a power pose and pointed at himself as he said, "Dawn, your looking at the Alola Region's very first pokémon league champion!"

"Pika-Pika-Chu!" Pikachu leapedinto the power pose with Ash cheering with him.

Dawn didn't react at first still giving him the same look, his words sunk in after a few seconds. Dawn gave an almost inaudible gasp.

"Are you serious?" Dawn whispered.

"That's right! You're in the presence of a league champion, Dawn." Ash spread his hands out as if gesturing to himself. Then Dawn nearly shrieked her next words.

"No way! Congratulations, Ash!" Dawn leaped towards him and wrapped him in a tight congratulatory hug, they swung side to side from the force. "I'm so happy for you! You've really earned this." The embrace had been so unexptected Ash almost froze up. His face had gone red again, and for a second he didn't know where to put his arms, which were still spread out and subsequently frozen in place.

Bathump!Bathump!Bathump!Bathump!  

Ash kind of just wanted his heart to stop at the moment. When Dawn's words finally hit him. He smiled and let himself wrap his arms around her to return the hug.

"Thanks, Dawn."

Pikachu and Piplup had there own little celebratory  dance, before continuing to happily munch on their pancakes as they silently watched they're two trainers.

"Piplup, piplup piplup?" 

" What's wrong with Satoshi. His face is all red? "  Piplup asked. Pikachu tensed remembering how Ash told him not to tell any of Dawn’s pokémon what he talked about with Prof. Kukui about Dawn. Ash talked a lot about his adventures with Dawn and how great she was as a trainer and person, but he practically burried his head in the sand when Kukui asked Ash if he thought Dawn was pretty. Pikachu felt bad keeping this from his best friend, because it concerned his trainer too, but Pikachu had to keep Ash's secret.

"Pika-a... Pi-ka-pi... pika-ka-chu?" 

" Uh... Satoshi... learned a new move? " Pikachu tried. Piplup just laughed.

" He reminds me of  Mimirol  (Buneary )  whenever she looked at you! " Piplup continued to laugh as Pikachu raised the equivalent of a confused brow, wondering what Buneary had to do with anything.

...

A while later Chloe and Goh finally awoke.

"Morning guys! Wanna try some pancakes?" Dawn offered.

"Sure! Thank you Dawn." Chloe said excitedly and ran up to eat. Goh followed silently behind, smiling in thanks.

Once breakfast was through, Dawn, Piplup, Pikachu, Grookey, and Eevee wanted to spend some time playing in the ocean before leaving for the contest. Ash and Goh decided to follow Dawn and the others into the water splashing each other playfully. Ash felt Dawn's hands come up behind him to keep him in place directly towards Goh's splash attack. The three of them laughed as they fooled around for a while. Until Chloe spoke up about the contest Dawn and Chloe were going to attend. They had plenty of time before then and decided to hang out in the water a while longer while Chloe took pictures of everyone having a good time.

The journey towards Eterna City was a lot more relaxing with no one in a rush. As soon as they got there the streets were filled with booths and pop-up stores selling all kinds of treats and items to trainers and tourists before the start of the contest. Everyone went around buying treats for themselves and their pokemon. Dawn was eager to show Chloe some cute pokemon accessories and led the gang towards a pop-up store sellng costumes for both pokemon and trainers.

"Are you sure you won't change your mind about competing alongside me?" Dawn asked Chloe. Chloe had told Dawn some time into the trip she changed her mind about competing. 

"I'm sure. I think it's best I watch from the stands anyway since I have nothing rehearsed."

Dawn looked briefly disappointed then smiled faintly at Chloe.

"No need to worry. You'll see I'll make tonight a real show stopper for you."

...

Meanwhile Ash and Goh browsed around the neat costumes. Pikachu grabbed a few fans and started waving them around with Grookey doing the same with one fan in his unoccupied hand. Ash chuckled.

"Looks like we'll be cheering for Dawn like old times again huh?" 

"You dress up your pokemon to cheer for Dawn?" Goh asked looking at the way Pikachu was dressing up under some scrap cloth to show Grookey how he wears a kimono to cheer. 

"I think Pikachu and I started doing that a little before my friend May's last contest in Hoenn. But when we met Dawn she and her pokemon dressed up as cheerleaders during my first gym match in Sinnoh and I dressed up my pokemon to cheer for her for almost every contest."

Goh's thoughts stayed stuck in one particular detail. 

"She dressed up as a cheerleader?" Goh asked.

"Huh, yeah?" Ash wondered why that detail caught Goh's attention. Ash saw Goh glance over at the girls giggling while helping Piplup dress up Eevee in cute accessories. Goh blushed and turned scratching the back of his head.

"Must've been nice... she -uh, must've looked real pretty." Goh said as he imagined the sight of the two pretty girls in cheer uniforms.    

Ash on the other hand hadn't really thought about it like that before. It hadn't been like when Gary had a hoard of cheerleaders following him around. Ash would admit he'd been a little jealous of him in the begining. Having a crowd of fans following him everywhere sounded amazing. But Ash never knew those girls' names. When Dawn had cheered him on it felt like it meant a lot more to Ash to have his friend who looked up to him for mentoring her cheering him on instead of some paid models.

Ash felt his face flush at the memory. "Dawn did look kinda pretty, now that he mentioned it." He looked behind him to wave his hands frantically over Goh's dazed face.

"She only did that cause she wanted to be nice and supportive, so how she dressed doesn't really matter!"

Goh coughed.

"Oh- ofcourse. Ha ha!" Goh's face might've gotten redder for even thinking about their friends that way. The shame!

"Hey guys." Dawn said as she and Chloe approached the boys who both jumped when they noticed the girls.

"What are you talking about over here?" Goh and Ash looked at one another.

"Nothing."

All four pokemon and the girls looked at the boys in confusion.

Ash, Goh, and Chloe all sat down to enjoy the contest with their pokemon dressed up to cheer for Dawn and Piplup. When Dawn Rushed out onstage for the performance round Ash hadn't expected her new look. He almost thought she'd come in in her pink or yellow dresses. She had a whole new look to match Piplup's water type theme. The blue gradient on the dress reminded him of the ocean waves in Alola, she was covered in moons and stars to establish her experience as a coordinator, and her dress was littered in... pearls. Ash's gaped remembering when he'd found a shiny pearl on the beach back in Alola. Misty had told him...

Give it to the girl you were thinking of. Ash looked down and began patting his pockets.

"I don't have it." Of course Ash didn't have it he hadn't even remembered it until now. It must've stayed behind in Alola.

"Looking for something?" Goh asked.

"Uh yeah." Ash said pulling out his phone. "Thought I'd record and take pictures for Dawn."

"Oh!" Chloe said then turned to Eevee. "Eevee we should do that too. In case we ever think about trying out for contests." However once Dawn and Piplup got started Ash set his phone down forgetting all about recording. Pictures and recordings were nice and all, but nothing ever compared to watching the real thing.

"Dawn was right." Said Chloe getting Ash and Goh's attention. "She said she'd make it a real show stopper. She's so cool out there." Chloe looked down at her Eevee. "What do you think Eevee? Think we'll ever be as great as Dawn and her Piplup in whatever we choose to do?"

"Eevee!" Eevee agreed. Ash smiled as Dawn and Piplup worked in perfectly rehearsed sync sending bubble beams and ice beams up in the air to wow the crowd when Piplup jumped in the air to use drill peck in perrfect accuracy and agility before any of the frozen bubbles hit the ground. Before Piplup himself hit the ground Dawn called out to use ice beam on the ground. Piplup did so to land on top of a tall ice block for piplup to pose on while the crowd cheered. The three kids and their pokemon cheered as loud as they could for Dawn and Piplup. Dawn and Piplup made it past the performance round easily and up next was the battle round. 

The Sinnoh contest battle style was the same as always with coordinators ensuring their pokemon looked good while fighting. Some trainers incorporated some international style like mega-evolution into battles and Of course every coordinator had their own flare to it especially Dawn. 

"That's a pretty strange way for pokemon to battle?" Goh said.

"Huh?" Asked Ash and Chloe.

"Well the whole point of battling is winning isn't it? Why does it matter ading a style to it?"

"I think it's because..." Ash thought for a moment, "how your pokemon act in battle reflects on you as a trainer." Goh didn't really reply back to Ash and chose to go into thought about it.

"That actually makes a lot of sense." Said Chloe getting both boys attention. "All those fancy moves Dawn is showing off with her pokemon show she's creative and resourceful, she certainly showed it when we first met, and pokemon have their own thoughts and feelings of course, but when you see a pokemon listen to their trainer so thoroughly really shows how close of a bond they have." Ash and Goh smiled at Chloe's analysis and cheered hard for Dawn and her pokemon as they reached the end of the battling segment of the contest.

Dawn won with just enough points above her opponent's. She cheered and jumped up and down while Piplup and Buneary ran up to jump on her in celebration. She held onto them both as they nearly tackled her to the ground.

"Oh! You two make me so proud!" Dawn said squeezing her pokemon tight as she spun them around in celebration. She let the two pokemon rest on her head and shoulders as she approached her opponent to shake his hand. 

Dawn was soon awarded her ribbon and reunited with her friends backstage. Ash ran up to give Dawn a high five on sight.

"You did great out there Dawn." Dawn smiled while Ash pet Piplup's and Buneary's heads.  "You guys too." The two pokemon chirped in grattitue and jumped off Dawn to greet and celebrate with Pikachu, Grookie, and Eevee.

Congrats!" Said Goh as he and Chloe ran up to Dawn.

"Let me see." Said Chloe as she approached Dawn to take a look at the ribbbon. Chloe gave Dawn her congratulations and the two girls got to talking about the experience. 

The group went out to grab dinner at a local pokemon center to celebrate. The group talked animatedly about the event. When it was time to get ready for bed Ash found Dawn sitting outside getting some fresh air. He sat down with her and offered his congratulations again. 

"My pokemon have been working real hard, I'm so proud of all of them for helping get so far in the contest circuits." Ash smiled and thought for a moment. 

"You know..." Ash trailed off. Dawn turned to him and noticed him scratching the back of his head. "I had a gift for you."

"Really?" Dawn's face lit up at the thought.

"Yeah... but I left it behind in Alola."

"Oh... what was it?" Dawn asked.

"It's... nothing special. If I ever get it back I'll give it to you." 

Dawn looked at Ash skeptically.

"I promise." 

"Aw c'mon you can't just leave me with that." Dawn joked.

"It's something I found on the beach."

"A seashell?" Dawn guessed optmistically.

"Nope."

"Hm." Dawn puffed up her cheeks annoyed Ash was going to leave it a mystery. Ash burst out laughing at the look on her face. Dawn elbowed him gently in mock annoyance as they both chuckled.

...

The following day Ash and Goh had to get back to Vermillion to report back to Professor Cerise. Chloe still had a couple extra days before her scheduled flight back home and would continue accompanying Dawn a while longer. Ash felt a slight hint of jealousy that he wouldn't be the one accompanying Dawn it felt like Unova all over againwith Cilan and Iris taking up most of Dawn's time. But overall he was glad Dawn wouldn't be alone. 

"I'm glad. Someone's gotta keep Dawn out of trouble." Ash joked. Chloe giggled while Dawn shot back,

"Aw c'mon Ash no need to worry, remember."

"That's when I-" Ash cut hmself off and cleared his throat then gave Dawn a bright smile as she raised a confused brow at him. "Yeah your right." Dawn frowned a little that he didn't respond back with what he'd normally say. He raised a hand up for a high five.

"No need to worry." Ash gave her a genuine smile and Dawn noticed how there was a different look in his eyes. She often wondered what goes on in Ash's head, now was one of those moments. Nonetheless she wasn't about to turn down a perfectly good high five. The two slapped their hands together while Pikachu and Piplup did the same beneath them. Chloe gave Goh a look and Goh shrugged unable to explain the moment that passed between Ash and Dawn.

Ash, Goh, and Pikachu boarded their plane and waved goodbye from the window to their friends. Dawn, Chloe, and Piplup did the same as the plane took off. The two boys and Pikachu watched their friends get smaller and smaller as they flew away out of sight. Goh wanted to broach the subject why Ash acted a little oddily around Dawn but opted not to ask at the moment.   

Sometime after reporting back to Prof. Cerise Ash and Goh traveled to Alola to participate in the Pokemon Capture Adventure Race. As soon as they landed the duo got straight to work on the race and met a pair of twin brothers who immediately recognized Ash as the Alolan League Champion. Needless to say, Goh was very surprised and impressed.

"How'd I forget to tell Goh?" Ash thought as Goh and the twins rambled over this revelation. "I told Dawn, how'd I not tell Goh? ... Wait if I never told Goh that also means I never told Chloe either... whoops..."

...

After Ash and Goh completed the race Kukui and Burnet called up Ash and invited them over for dinner at home.

Ash and Goh were greeted at the door. Where Burnet enveloped Ash in a welcoming hug and Kukui placed a hand over Ash's head affectionately. Kukui handed Lei over to Ash to hold while Burnet and Kukui greeted Goh. Ash let Lei's hands grab around Ash's face as reacquainted himself with his 'big brother.' Ash laughed while letting Lei play around. Ash then immediately handed Lei over to Burnet as he heard the rumbling sound of his Alolan pokemon rushing over to greet him. They dogpiled him in affection and he wrapped his arms around over as many of his pokemon as he can reach while greeting them happily. Ash then let them run over to welcome Goh with as much brute affection as they did with Ash. 

With everyone settled they sat down to enjoy dinner together whle they caught up with each other. When Goh brought up his and Ash's adventures in Sinnoh and started a conversation with Kukui about his first viewing of a contest. 

"Oh I loved watching contests on TV when I was a kid!" Burnet piped in excitedly. 

"Really?" Asked Ash. "Did you ever compete?" 

"Burnet shrugged," I competed in the occasional mock contests here in Alola when I had time, but overall being a researcher was a lot more important to me. I was a pretty big fan of Joanna Berlitz though." Ash gaped at her. 

"That's Dawn's mom!" Ash blurted out. Kukui spat in his drink immediately recognizing the name. Goh and Burnet were too busy looking at Ash both surprised. Goh because he had no idea Dawn was carrying on her mom's legacy, and Burnet because Ash actually knew a famous coordinator through this Dawn character. Burnet instantly grabbed Ash by the hands as she beamed at him while demanding answers. 

"What is she like in person? Did you get the chance to battle her Glameow and Umbreon? Were they too strong for you? What does Dawn think of her as a mom? Who is Dawn, what's she like? How did you meet both of them? Did you even meet Joanna?" 

"Uhhh..." Ash barely registered any of those questions. 

Kukui chuckled while Goh just watched perplexed at the situation. 

"Dear, give Ash a chance to process those questions." 

"Oh geez." Burnet backed away in apology for getting in Ash's face. "I don't even know which question I want answered first anymore." 

"You know I never did hear how you and Dawn met." Goh said. 

"Uhm." Ash kinda shrunk in his seat and he glanced over at Kukui who still had his cup against his mouth like he was trying to hid his face for some reason. Ash didn't mind telling the story, the problem was Kukui already knew the story, even worse, he knew the story with the context of Ash liking Dawn. Telling the story knowing that Kukui knows how Ash feels felt kinda embarrassing now. Pikachu saved him half the trouble when he started explaining in poké-speak was while he made impressions of team rocket and their giant robot. Goh took it upon himself to attempt to translate. 

"So there was Team Rocket?"

Pikachu nodded and continued. 

"They kidnapped you." It wasn't even a question, Pikachu still confirmed it.

"There was an explosion? You got lost. Uhm...?" Everyone got a little lost at the rest of the explanation. 

"You might want to elaborate Ash." Said Kukui as he set his cup down. Ash noticed a hint of a smirk on his face. Ash tried to ignore the embarrassing flush creeping on his face and huffed inaudibly to tone it down. Ash wished that Kukui didn't know now. 

"Dawn was on her first day of her pokemon journey and while she was out catching pokemon she found Pikachu and tried to catch him. When she realized she couldn't Team Rocket showed up and ambushed them and they fought Pikachu into exhaustion, until Dawn fended them off." 

Burnet had a hand hovering over her mouth agape in shock. She reached over to pet Pikachu sympathetically which he appreciated greatly. 

"Dawn then took Pikachu to a Pokémon Center and while I was out looking for him I got a lift from Officer Jenny over to Prof. Rowen's lab where he told me Dawn contacted him that she found Pikachu and was out looking for me." 

"Did you wait for her at the lab?" Goh asked.

"No, I went out to find her myself." Ash noticed the corner of Kukui's mouth shift a little. It wasn't like that back then. Ash hated that Kukui knew. Goh face-palmed and shook his head.

"Didn't that make the search more difficult?" Goh asked. 

"Kinda, I don't regret it though. I ran into my old friend Brock who was hitchhiking on the way and caught my Starley who eventually evolved into my Staraptor. Besides, good thing I went looking cause Brock and I found Dawn, Pikachu, and her Piplup fighting Team Rocket again. We defeated them and that's how we met for the first time and I later found out Pikachu fried her bike by mistake at one point prior to then."

Everyone kinda snickered or snorted at that part, even Kukui who had already knew about it. 

"She was... understanding about it and she asked if we could travel together since we were headed in the same direction for her first contest. I met her mom through video call sometime after that. She was real something. She was proud of Dawn and showed a lot of tough love for her. She worried about Dawn and really wanted her to be the best she can be, and I felt the same." 

Everyone smiled at the story. Ash felt like he floated whenever he talked about Dawn or to Dawn nowadays. Kukui dragged him back to Earth when he said,

"She sounds like quite the girl, Ash."

Burnet was about to agree with Goh ready to confirm it when Ash shot up from his chair startling Pikachu, Lei, Goh, and Burnet. 

"Prof. Kukui, you think we can have a battle?" Ash asked. There was confident determination in Ash's voice, but also an edge to it that vaguely sounded like irritation. Ash and Kukui loved each other like father and son, but Ash will not stand to be made fun of or teased about his crush on Dawn.  Kukui raised a brow, but never lost his smile. 

"It seems I may've teased Ash a little too far." Kukui thought humorously. 

After their battle on the beach Ash and Goh prepared for sleep with Ash reclaiming his old loft. Burnet and Goh were left confused as to why Ash wanted to battle Kukui. They realized for some reason Ash needed to let off some steam and he thought decimating Kukui in battle was the way to do it. Ash won by a hair, but at least he wouldn't be renouncing his title as champion. 

As Ash got ready he decided to take a look around where he slept and wondered if Kukui and Burnet did any thorough cleaning before Lei was born and started looking around the drawer. 

"Looking for something?" Burnet asked climbing the loft to sit on the edge. 

"I might've left behind a pearl around here somewhere." Ash said. Burnet thought for a moment. 

"Oh!" She exclaimed and jumped down and headed towards hers and Kukui's bedroom. 

She came back with something gripped in her hand and Ash sat on the edge so she wouldn't have to climb up again. She passed over what she had in her hand to Ash so he could take a look at it. 

It was the pearl, but with a chain added to it and the sun and moon were inked on the surface with a diamond stud poking out of the center of the sun. It looked really nice.

"I don't think this is the right pearl." Ash said. 

"Sure it is. Kukui found it behind a drawer and gave it to me. So I fashioned it into a necklace." 

"Oh." Ash said sounding a little disappointed. 

"Do you not like how it looks now? I'm sorry Ash." Said Burnet.

"No, I think it looks cool. But if it's yours now..." 

Burnet shook her head. 

"Just take it Ash." She smiled and reached up to ruffle Ash's hair before bidding him good night. 

Ash took a better look at the single pearl necklace with a smile and thought he'd like to hang onto it a little longer until he was ready to gift it to Dawn. 

Chapter Text

The last time Ash and Dawn met they exchanged numbers and started to keep in touch more regularly than before. Ash loved the invention of rotom phones making it way more convenient to interact with friends and the rest of the world. A major upgrade from the old fashioned Pokégear he never got to buy prior to the start of his journey. It was nice to get more recent updates on his friends' journeys and achievements without having to wait weeks or months before catching up again. 

However, the next time Ash and Dawn would meet again were in less-than-ideal circumstances.

Starting in the Sinnoh Region:

Dawn was preparing for her next upcoming contest. She let out all of her pokemon. It was a beautiful morning perfect for training, and it would've all been perfect if her Piplup was among her ready pokemon.

"Huh where's Piplup?" Dawn's pokemon looked around in momentary confusion. Dawn then spotted Piplup resting of all times to be, against her backpack.

"Pipluo? Why are you sleeping now?" Dawn asked. Piplup awoke groggily as Dawn lectured him about the contest and wake up. Piplup yawned and was immediately scolded for not setting a good example for the other pokemon by lazing around and doing nothing. Piplup quickly decided he wasn't having any of Dawn's nagging and bolted away from the group into the nearby woods.

As Dawn chased after her pokemon she spotted someone else holding her pokemon.

"Excuse me!" She shouted, "That Piplup is mi-!" Dawn paused as the other figure turned at the sound of her voice. The shock of seeing what looked to be an exact mirror image of Dawn herself staring bac at her left both girls frozen. Unfortunately that was just enough time for the other-worldly Dawn and her Piplup to disappear right before Dawn's very eyes. 

Dawn was stunned before realizing what had just happened. 

"Piplup?" Dawn's voice shook as she grasped all the events that happened in one single moment. All she could latch onto was the fact her pokemon was nowhere in sight and truly gone as she shouted into the forest, "No! It can't be!"

Dawn felt stuck as she stepped around trying to decide what to do next. 

"Should I wait? Maybe Piplup will reappear. What in the world was that!" Dawn gripped her hat nervously unsure whether she was questioning the portal or the doppelganger. "Why'd it-she take Piplup?" Dawn's eyes widened as she thought about her other pokemon she left behind on the training field. She quickly dropped a poffin where she stood incase Piplup somehow reappeared he'd know she'd come back for him. She then took off to check on the rest of her pokemon hoping to Arceus they were all where she left them.

Dawm's pokemon looked towards where Dawn ran out of the woods looking out of breath and worried. Worst of all there was no Piplup insight. They all approached Dawn concerned over her distress as they made noises to question the whereabouts of their sibling-pokemon. Dawn took a moment to catch her breath as she made a quick headcount.

"Thank goodness you're all still here. Pilpup's been kidnapped." Dawn ignored the confused and concerned cries of her pokemon. "Sorry guys, but this isn't a Team Rocket or Team Galactic incident. I'm going to put you all back in your pokeballs so I can be certain nothing happens to you guys too." With that she returned all of her pokemon and sped back into the forest hoping against hope Piplup could've somehow returned.

When she got back to where she had left the poffin all that was left were crumbs and no Piplup. If Piplup had come back he wouldn't just wander off knowing Dawn was looking for him. Meaning a wild pokemon had taken the treat. Dawn buried her face into her hands as she bitterly sighed in frustration at her own ignorance and thought about what her next move should be.       

Back in Kanto:

Ash and Goh were just called into the lab for their next assignment when Ash's phone started ringing. 

"It's Dawn." Said Ash sounding a little surprised to receive a call out of the blue. Granted they've been in more contact than they had been before thanks to rotom phones, but it mainly consisted of messaging. 

"Who's Dawn?" Asked Prof. Cerise.

"She's my friend from the Sinnoh Region. Do you mind if I answer? This might be important." 

"By all means." 

Ash answered the call never expecting what Dawn had to say. 

"Ash! Thank goodness you answered!" Dawn practically cried. She sounded devastated and scared. Ash was instantly on high alert.

"Dawn are you okay? What's wrong?" Ash tried not to sound too worried to give Dawn a chance to explain her problem. Ash had just agreed with her last time that there was no need to worry, Ash almost thought he should've known better, this was Dawn after all, the girl he worried for the most. She almost sounded frantic on the other side, and she took a moment to try and explain things calmly. 

"I- I didn't know who else to call. Piplup's gone Ash!"

"Is he lost? Was it Team Rocket?" Ash asked. 

"N-no. He's been kidnapped! It was me, but not me! Piplup ran off and, there was a look-a-like of me. She took Piplup into a glowing portal, and now he's gone!" 

Ash's eyes widened momentarily finding that story intensely familiar despite how bizarre he knows it sounded. 

"I know it sounds crazy. Ash, do you believe me?" Dawn begged. 

"Yeah, believe it or not, I know exactly what you're going through." Ash answered. Dawn quickly recounted to him what happened as well as where she was located and he followed up with,

"Uh-huh. Yeah, I've got it. On my way!"

 "What was that about?" Goh asked feeling a bit concerned after overhearing the call from Ash's end. 

"Dawn says her Piplup's been kidnapped." Ash answered.

"Kidnapped?!" Goh exclaimed. 

"Dawn lives in the Sinnoh Region? Doesn't she?" Prof. Cerise asked. 

"Yes sir." Ash answered.

Prof. Cerise then began to explain the reason why he and Goh were called in, in the first place. To deal with this exact problem happening all over the Sinnoh Region. Now they have a prime witness and victim to the events. Ash, Goh, and even Chloe were all determined to get going right away. Ash was honestly glad about Chloe's determination to help; he wondered if she would've if Dawn hadn't been involved. It made Ash happy to know Dawn had so many people looking out for her. Even people she just met. 

Dawn wandered around the forest calling out for Piplup as she waited for her friends to arrive in the next two hours. She was so preoccupied worrying for her pokemon she hadn't thought twice about who she could've called for help. There was Kenny, Zoey, Barry, and Prof.  Rowan himself who could've given some professional input, but something about seeing Ash's name on her contacts didn't make her think twice about calling for his help. Granted he was one of the most recent people she's contacted and alphabetically, his name would be the first she'd see on her list anyway, but instinctively she knew calling Ash would provide her with some much-needed comfort at the moment. It felt kind of selfish on her part to want to rely on him.

"Well, he's a reliable guy." The thought floated in the back of her head as she gave one more final shout for Piplup as she looked around the trees before somberly checking the time and deciding it was time to go back to the park training fields and wait for her friends to arrive.  

...

Once the plane landed in the Sinnoh Region Ash saw a place selling croquettes on their way to meet Dawn and he hoped bringing her something to eat might cheer her up at least a little. After all, going into a search blind with an empty stomach wouldn't do anyone any good. 

When everyone arrived Pikachu sensed waves of worry emanating from Ash as soon as the group spotted Dawn, who was also emanating waves of worry Pikachu could sense from a distance. Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder to approach Dawn right away to check on her. Ash, Goh, and Chloe silently decided to walk up to her carefully to avoid overwhelming her. She looked so lost in thought however, Ash called her name to get her to look up. She looked pretty surprised to see everyone.

"Sorry to keep you waiting." Ash said. 

"No need to worry," Dawn found herself responding automatically before saying, "oh I wish I really felt that way..." Goh and Chloe were quick to sympathize with her, but Ash wasn't about to let her stay sad. They came to find Piplup and he offered up the croquettes so Dawn can fuel up and they can all get started. Dawn didn't quite have the immediate response he expected. 

"Oh, Ash." Dawn began tearing up and Ash internally panicked afraid he'd done the wrong thing, and this was one of those moments where he was being dense again that Misty would probably yell at him about.

Dawn however, saw something else in his actions. Dawn liked to think she knew Ash well enough to know he shows he cares and worries through actions. She couldn't believe how lucky she was to have a friend like him. He immediately believed the most ludicrous story she told him, he then jumped regions to help her, he was even thoughtful enough to make sure she ate something so she could have the energy to get moving. And though Goh and Chloe were being sympathetic she and Ash have been through this before, back when they first met. He also learned very quickly she wasn't the type to give up, maybe for a time she thought about quitting contests, and that compared very little to how she felt now. Ash wasn't about to let her give up like before, and she understood this was his way to say he was going to do everything he can to help. All the feelings of how thoughtful and kind Ash was by supporting her right now began to well up inside her. Before she knew it more tears began to escape her eyes and she sobbed through her next words. 

"This isn't like me, is it? I'm fine!" She then stood up and said what she always said whenever life got her down. "There really is no need to worry!" Piplup needed her to take action right now and thanks to her friends, that's exactly what she'll always remind herself to do from now on. 

...

The group sat down together to eat and discuss the situation more thoroughly. Dawn reconfirmed what she saw was a doppelganger of herself who snatched Piplup. She was still shaken seeing how similarly the other was even dressed to her. Goh and Chloe theorized it was similar to how Chloe met someone who looked exactly alike herself. Dawn had experienced the same thing once with Princess Salvia who gave her, her Togekiss. There was also the Jessie and Jessiebelle situation before that when she and the gang met Jame's fiancee, Jessiebelle who looked exactly like Jessie. But Dawn had a feeling this was different compared to what they had experienced before considering other Dawn and Piplup disappeared into a glowing portal like she wasn't part of this world.

"You mean like an ultra wormhole?" Ash asked. The subject was a little familiar to Dawn considering Ash was able to go into detail about his adventures in Alola with her after exchanging numbers and the topic becoming mainstream, but Dawn doesn't fully know what that is, so she wasn't sure. 

A moment later Pikachu was snatched out of the blue by Team Rocket. Dawn couldn't believe they never gave up, they even out right admitted to following Ash all the way to Sinnoh. Ash and Goh made quick work of them fortunately and retrieved Pikachu back.

Unfortunately, no later than that another gate of light appeared and out entered another Team Rocket dressed in black and far more menacing than their previously defeated counterparts. They made quick work of the kids. They were frighteningly successful in catching both Ash's Lucario and Goh's Enteleon. With a gate opening up right there the gang ran towards it hoping to get all their pokemon back from the other side. However, Ash was impeded when the alternate Meowth blasted at the ground and knocking him over. Dawn and Goh ran past him doing a quick check to see if he was alright and continued their pursuit and managed to get into the glowing gate with Dawn shouting at Ash to hurry before disappearing all together.  When Dawn and Goh vanished with no clue where his Lucario was, other than in the hands of a more dangerous and lethal Team Rocket, Ash shook in frustration unable to believe how easily they were defeated and shouted worriedly for his Lucario.

Meanwhile on the other side of the gate Dawn and Goh lost sight of Team Rocket and Dawn decided to drag Goh along to search for answers in her alternate house.

Dawn's spontaneity and positive attitude despite the hopeless situation of being stuck in an alternate world with no idea how to get back or what was even going on was mind blowing yet familiar to Goh, and he knew exactly where he saw it before. Goh couldn't help his amusement as he said to himself, "She reminds me a lot of Ash." He can certainly see why the two would be so close, although Goh had begun to suspect Ash might feel a little more towards Dawn. Goh was no romantic expert and likely just as dense as Ash but there was definitely something there, he'd thought about asking Ash about it before.

The trip to alternate Dawn's home confirmed the issues they were facing and revealed the more serious problem awaiting the fate of their pokemon at the alternative Prof. Rowan's lab. The only fortunate parts were reuniting Dawn and her Piplup before anything more serious could occur and that alternate Dawn was no enemy, but a victim along with her pokemon. Although Dawn was forgiving, Goh didn't give much of an opinion on her actions outloud. There was no use making either Dawns feel worse than they already do, and they needed to focus on the bigger picture. When Dawn asked Goh if there was anything they could do to prevent their pokemon from suffering the same fate as the alternate Dawn's. Goh didn't think he was qualified to answer that question for Dawn, he could only provide an educated guess that the space-time continuum had been disrupted. There were some pokemon specifically connected to the Sinnoh Region who were known for maintaining that order. The three and their pokemon took a moment to think how it was all related and who those pokemon were, when Dawn announced their names, "Dialga and Palkia!"

Goh figured Dawn would know since she is a Sinnoh Region native, however the look on her face looked so determined as if she knew those Pokemon would solve their problem. Question was, how? 

Ash and Chloe made their way to the Canalave City library to do some research when they came to the same conclusion, Dialga and Palkia were somehow involved with opening the gates to another world. It was only a wild guess Chloe came up with by reading some fictional novel, but it was the best they got, and Ash was eager to follow that lead if it would return their friends and Pokemon back. Besides, Ash had seen weirder than anything any fictional novel could ever provide throughout his adventures. The two came across Cynthia the Sinnoh Region Champion who was also researching the gate phenomena, provided them with extra information on the legendary pokemon. What happened next was a whiplash of Team Rocket appearing in the gate, a battle and Ash throwing himself into the gate with Chloe following directly behind him. He could vaguely hear Cynthia calling out for them to stop. Next thing Ash knew he was on the ground with everyone around them having disappeared and Chloe's weight on top of him.

They were both dazed from the trip, and it took a moment for them to acknowledge how they looked. Chloe jumped off Ash flustered as she apologized. Ash hadn't really registered her discomfort although he vaguely hoped in the back of his mind, Dawn and Goh hadn't landed in this world in a similar position. Ash's first forefront thought about the two worlds was they looked exactly alike. With some minor and major differences, No flowers, the minor, and no pokemon! The major. Now that they were in the same world Ash hightailed it to start their search for Goh and Dawn. He wondered if they had found Piplup by now. Ash caught sight of a resident who he hoped could provide he and Chloe with some help. When he caught up to him the boy turned around at the sound of Ash saying,

"Excuse me!"

However, the other boy was an exact mirror image of himself. Both boys promptly freaked out at the sight of each other. They had the exact same name and face. Ash realized right away they were the same person from different worlds, much like how Dawn described her doppelganger. Strangely the other Ash was quick to brush him off as if meeting his parallel self was no big deal. Ash wasn't about to let him get away if this other blue hatted Ash could in anyway provide any help he was determined to get it. Ash grabbed the blue Ash who reacted in sheer panic at the littlest touch much to Ash's surprise. Chloe eased the situation by describing their predicament and blue Ash, Ash had now taking to calling him, "Blue" in his head understood right away, only to get distracted at the sight of Pikachu. He full on balled as he embraced the yellow mouse. As absurd as the sight was the reason behind Blue's distraught reaction soon made sense when he showed them the egg that was once his own pikachu.

Ash brought out his pokemon to transport him, Chloe, and Blue, to Prof. Rowan's lab. Surely a scientist would know a thing or two about what was going on. As soon as they got there they were met with the sight of alternate Prof. Rowan acting coldly towards a Nurse Joy. Not right, but not particularly out of place for this dimension with everyone's personalities warped and reversed from how Ash knew them. Other people ran out of the building to catch up with the professor and the pleading nurse.

The whole gang was surprised and relieved to find each other safe and sound. After finding Blue, Ash barely batted an eye at Dawn's doppelganger. Instead, Ash was instantly relieved Dawn and Piplup we're reunited and safe. He was certainly happy for them, but it was an even greater relief that original problem had been resolved because the new one they've stumbled into was much worse.   

A car drove in stopping directly behind Prof. Rowan's truck collecting the eggs from the lab and pokemon centers. A second Prof. Rowan stepped out of the car attempting to stop the imposter. Ash vaguely wondered if Professor Rowan from his world stumbled into a gate and came by to help, but he wouldn't have a car here? The crude Prof. Rowen and his assistant taking away all the eggs revealed themselves to be the more sinister and competent versions of Team Rocket. 

Ash and Goh prepared to battle, sending out Pikachu and Cinderace, but Team Rocket's truck released smog to cover their tracks as they escaped, not before Meowth attacked them with a dark pulse and the boys' pokemon suddenly forgot their moves, unable to counter their attack, and next thing they knew they devolved back into a Pichu and Scourbunny. Everyone returned their pokemon to slow down the de-aging process, however Ash had no other choice but to place his new Pichu in his pocket. As dire as the situation was, it was kind of nice to meet his pokemon in this form since he never got the chance to raise him as a Pichu.

Ash and his friends couldn't have thought the situation could get any worse before Prof. Rowan informed them humans were experiencing the backwards flow of time. Their last chance was to contact Dialga and Palkia to get them to fix this issue at Mt. Coronet. Ash's flying Pokemon de-aged as soon as he let them out of their pokeballs. So, Ash and the gang, consisting of the Dawn, Goh, and Chloe he knows and leaving behind Blue and... Deedee. Ash couldn't think of anything better to call the alternate Dawn in his head, other than, 'alternate Dawn,' and that was a mouthful, even in his own head so he resorted to borrowing Kenny's nickname for alt. Dawn. Kenny... that was a thought Ash would have to get back to later after he and his friends fixed this whole mess. Ash and Dawn's doppelgangers would later be picked up by Chloe's and Goh's doppelgangers whom Ash figured when he met them, was everything Goh wanted to be and perhaps nothing Chloe wanted to be. She was still figuring out her path without following in her dad's footsteps.

Ash and his friends arrived on Mt. Coronet where Team Rocket were holding Lucario and Inteleon, but there was a dangerous sight to behold. Dialga and Palkia were locked quite literally in a fight with a red ring surrounding them forcing them into battle. He wondered if the whole situation in Alamos Town or Team Galactic ever happened here. People would know better than to make those two pokemon fight. Pichu on the other hand thought he would get in on the action thinking there was something he could do to stop it. Ash respected the determination, not so much the brave-stupidity Pichu displayed when he jumped off Flygon to headbutt the two legendaries only to bounce off them unceremoniously. Goh steered Flygon on time for Ash to catch Pichu in his arm.

"I gotcha." Ash told him gently noticing Pichu in pain from recoil, but honestly how'd he survive out there as a Pichu if he was this reckless back then?

Ash and Goh got to reunite with Lucario  and Inteleon, but he and his friends couldn't directly do anything about the two legendaries and set their sights on saving their pokemon and getting rid of Team Rocket. They engaged in a battle that sent Team Rocket hurdling towards an open gate to who-knows-where, but the damage was left to continue on as it was. Dialga and Palkia were still locked in a fight creating the time distortion causing all their pokemon to return back to eggs and next thing Ash and his friends knew they shrunk by a couple feet having been de-aged to around five years old. Blue started crying and panicking, while everyone else tried to come up with a plan. Ash realized they were all on their last leg with practically nothing left to lose. So, he thought of the next best course of action. He told his friends to pray to Arceus to save them. Although he technically told them to send out their feelings to Arceus, more or less the same thing. It should work, after all Pokemon are very good at sensing people's feelings, a legendary deity pokemon should be able to from far away as well. He watched Pikachu sense Dawn's worry over Piplup earlier in the day too. Hard to believe this has only been a single day. Ash can't say for certain if he came up with this idea or his childhood mind did. If pokemon can forget moves and relearn old ones, like Pichu and headbutt, what were the chances he and his friends would start to lose their memories and reverting back physically and mentally to this age? Would they forget each other? With no other choice they prayed to Arceus. Little did they know many other people watching over them from the other side of the gates were doing the same to help them resolve this problem.

Arceus did eventually appear putting the kids in awe, their last resort idea worked! Arceus promptly got to work fixing everything, releasing Dialga and Palkia, and sending Ash and his friends where they belong while space and time got put back in order by Dialga and Palkia behind the scenes, making everyone back to the right ages including the pokemon. Ash, Dawn, Goh and Chloe couldn't stay in this world for very long, so they had to go immediately after their ages were reverted back to how they were. Strangely enough Ash kind of grew attached to Blue, he was almost like a twin brother he never had. Would've been nice to have gotten to know the alternate versions of his friends too.

After meeting up with Cynthia to let her know how everything was resolved Ash and his friends needed some down time so they headed back to the park where Dawn had previously been rehearsing for a contest. Chloe needed some time to sit down and reflect on what she learned about her alternate self and how her future might diverge from the cool, confident, intelligent girl she met compared to herself. Goh on the other hand got straight to work on writing the report for Prof. Cerise.

"Hey Goh?" Chloe said. "Think I'll ever be anything like that other Chloe?"

"Hm?" Goh asked. "Why do you ask? It's not like you're interested in research or technology or anything like that."

"What about you? You don't want to be anything like the other Goh?" Chloe asked. Goh shrugged.

"His personality is way too... out there, I guess. I can't imagine myself ever acting like him, even if we like the same things."

"Huh? That's right I guess there were some similarities between us and our doubles. The personalities were the only things that were different."

"Don't forget Dawn's trainer career was different, probably because she had a different personality. We never did find out what the other Ash did as a trainer." Goh said as he continued working on his report.

"What do you mean different?" Chloe asked.

"She placed second in the Sinnoh Leage."

"Eh?!"

...           

"My alternate self, sure was different. I wish I could've asked her some questions about her journey and why she chose gym battles over contests." Dawn said as she and Ash walked around the park while letting their pokemon play.    

"Hm? Oh man I never asked what Blue did." Ash said in realization.

"Blue?"

"It's what I called other Ash in my head." Ash said rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. 

"Would that make you, Red?" Dawn asked as she flicked his red hat teasingly with her fingers, Ash snorted.

"Gym battles huh. Did you notice how none of our counterparts knew each other?" 

"Well except for Chloe and Goh." Dawn pointed out. "I guess that is unfair. Why do they get to know each other but no us, they-them, blegh!" Dawn stuttered getting confused with her own wording, Ash belted out a laugh. 

'Probably because they've known each other since they were kids, they grew up in the same town, maybe it was the same for the other two?" Ash suggested. Dawn nodded in agreement.

"And Team Rocket was still Team Rocket. Worse, but same team, same people involved."

"More or less." Ash said thinking alt. Team Rocket were beyond different from the ones they both knew. "Well, I'm pretty glad I was able to help Blue with that. I wouldn't want to live in a world where I didn't know you." Ash said offhandedly as he continued walking.

"Eh?" Dawn froze mid-walk. She felt her face growing red and she slowly placed a hand over her agap mouth from the surprise. "What was that supposed to mean?" It was a little too sweet to come from Ash, she's noticed his personality has definitely gotten a lot more optimistic lately, but she couldn't help but feel a little flustered from what he said. No one, not even her own childhood friend, Kenny had ever said anything like that to her. Dawn had never been shy around Ash, she can't think of a single time. Well there was the bed-head situation, and Kenny's stupid childhood stories, but that was entirely different! She's over that now. She's not an inherently shy person either. She found herself facing downward trying to hide her reddening cheeks with her hair as she fiddled with her hands in front of her.

"Th-thank you Ash." Dawn whispered, trying to gulp down her growing awkwardness.

"Hm?" Ash stopped a couple feet ahead of her. He had his hands behind his head in a relaxed state he turned to see Dawn looking down with her face beet red while failing to hide her face with her hair. Ash's eyes widened as he realized he probably said something really embarrassing. His face got a little red as he fumbled between words trying to go between explaining what he meant and wanting, but not wanting to take it back.

Dawn cleared her throat as she tried to compose herself from the awkwardness and save Ash from his own humiliation, she looked up smiling at him.

"Really Ash, thank you. I can't believe you came all the way here, after I told you the most insane story."

"Uh?" Ash snapped back to normalcy. "Well yeah. I told you I knew what you were going through. The exact same thing happened to me once." Ash said. Though it was true, what he really wanted to say was he was ready to drop everything he was doing to help out Dawn, it just happened to coincide with an assignment Prof. Cerise sent him and Goh on, but he feels like he's said enough embarrassing things today.

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.

"It was back when I was traveling in Kalos." Ash decided to lean against a nearby tree. Dawn approached him to listen better. "My friends and I came across a place called the mirror dimension. We were surrounded by mirrors and one of my reflections started crying. It was creepy and weird, but then he reached out of the mirror, grabbed Pikachu and vanished."

"That sounds like something right out of a horror movie." Dawn said.

"He was crying a lot...  just like Blue!" Ash said.

"Do you think they could've been the same person?" Dawn asked.

"I doubt it. He didn't seem to recognize me." Ash said. "What is it with my alternate selves who keep crying all the time?" Ash wondered.

"You got me." Dawn shrugged. "I never would've expected the same thing happened to you once."

"Small world I guess." Ash shrugged. Dawn smiled and leaned against the tree next to Ash. 

"Ash you really did a lot for me and the whole world today. I really am grateful." Dawn said. Ash smiled.

"I'm just glad everything worked out." Ash said. Dawn then leaped off the side of the tree to stand in front of Ash with her hands raised i  excited fists.

"So if it's not too much to ask, can I take another guess at my gift?" Dawn asked.

"Huh?" Ash asked of the impromptu subject change.

"You said you found something for me back in Alola. I guessed wrong last time. Can I try again?"

"Wouldn't you rather just, have it?" Ash asked.

"Do you have it on you?" Dawn asked. Ash blushed. He actually did have it on him. He'd been carrying it around sense his last visit to Alola, but he felt like he wasn't ready to give it to her. Misty made it out to be some kind of big gesture. To give it to the girl he was thinking of. Is he supposed to tell Dawn that part? He still wasn't sure, he felt like he needed some extra time to decide on that, like he'll do something wrong if he just hands it to her. It held too much meaning to just drop it in her hand and walk away.

"Yeah, take another guess." Ash said letting Dawn have her fun with her guessing game. Maybe he would give it to her if she guessed it right. Dawn smiled.

"Is it a heart scale?" Dawn asked. Ash blinked wondering why Dawn came to thar conclusion.

"Kenny found one on SunnyShore the other day. He called to tell me about it."

"Oh." Ash said feeling like he was deflating steam. He was both underwhelmed and guiltily felt a pickle of annoyance at the mention of "Kenny" and "heart" in the same topic. He didn't dislike Kenny, but there was just something about the way he acted when Ash was about to enter the Sinnoh League that rubbed Ash the wrong way, maybe not at the time, but now, he definitely feels like something was up that he should probably keep an eye out for. "N-no, it's not a heart scale." Ash stammered out as he rubbed the back of his head with a blush. He wondered if it meant anything if you gave someone you liked a heart scale instead of a pearl.

"Hm." Dawn said, a little dejected she got it wrong. Dawn thought about saying something else when Chloe came charging in at Ash with Goh right behind her. Chloe grabbed Ash by his vest and started shaking him back and forth. 

"Why didn't you ever tell me you were the Alolan Champion!" Chloe shouted in his face.

"Wah! Sor-orry!" Ash's voice wobbled as he was flung back and forth.

"Uh, sorry!" Goh said. "We were talking about how the other Dawn came in second in the Sinnoh League, and it kind of led to me telling her you're the Alolan Champion." Goh said startled by Chloe's reaction. Dawn giggled.

"Ash you never told her? How do you forget these things?" Dawn chuckled out.

"I-I didn't mea-een too!" Ash said as Chloe continued to shake him. 

Meanwhile in another dimension:         

After the alternate Dawn, Ash, Chloe, and Goh said goodbye to their new alternate friends. They were called over to Professor Rowan's lab to discuss what occurred with him along with Prof. Cerise on a video call. When that was done the four kids properly introduced themselves and told each other what their career operations are.

"I plan to become a pokemon expert in a field like Prof. Cerise. Goh said. 

"Well, I mentioned before I design technology." Chloe said.

"I'm Dawn and this is my partner Piplup." Dawn gestured to her finally returned pokemon. "My dream is to become the champion of the Sinnoh League."

"That's great." Said Goh. "What about you?" Goh looked over at Blue/Ash expectantly. He fumbled awkwardly now that all the attention was on him now. His Pikachu tried to encourage him by pressing his paws against his leg as if giving him a little push of encouragement.

"I'm Ash, and I want to be a top coordinator. But, Paul thinks I'm no good and should quit." Ash began to whimper.

"Who's this Paul guy? I want to have some words with him!" Goh said. 

"So do I." Added in Chloe.

"What do you mean you're no good?" Deedee/Dawn asked. "Your pokemon, Pikachu and Infernape from what I saw look great." Dawn said gently.

"Th-thank you." Ash said meekly. "I can train my pokemon when no one's looking, but in front of crowds during the performance stage I freeze up and always let my pokemon down." Pikachu patted Ash's ankle comfortingly and Infernape popped out of his pokeball to bear hug him from behind.

"Gah! Infernape!" Ash said. Everyone snickered and tried not to laugh too hard around him. 

"Your pokemon seem to love you a lot." Goh acknowledged. Ash smiled.

"I'm very proud of them."

"Hey Ash?" Dawn asked.

"Hm?"

"Would it be alright if we traveled together from now on?" Dawn asked.

"Huh? Why?" Ash asked.

"I've been wanting to redo the Sinnoh Leage, and if we travel together, we can train and get stronger together. Maybe it'll help you lose your fear of performing in front of people too if you always have a friend to train with?"

"Well?" Ash looked at his pokemon. Piplup, Pikachu and Infernape were all conversing animatedly with each other. They seemed happy. Dawn looked back at Dawn's gentle eyes and smiled at her.

"I would like that." Ash agreed and held out his hand to shake. 

Chloe and Goh watched on happy to see a new friendship that'll hopefully be as strong as theirs formed.

Chapter Text

"You want us to go to Canalave City?" Ash asked Prof. Cerise as he and Goh were given their briefing at the lab early one morning.

"Yes," Prof. Cerise confirmed, "Canalave City is holding a cultural festival. The event will be full of all kinds of information surrounding the legendary pokemon, Arceus, and after what you two described to me about your last visit, I'm eager to learn more. Unfortunately, I can't leave the lab at the moment, so I'm sending you two to gather as much information on Sinnoh's Hisuian history and its correlation to Arceus."

"Hisu-what?" Ash asked.

"Hisui. It's what Sinnoh used to be called centuries ago." Goh clarified.

"Oh? I wonder if Kanto ever had an old name." Ash thought aloud. 

"I have your boat tickets right here, you two leave in two hours so hop to it." Cerise said as he handed Goh and Ash the tickets. 

...

The boys and their pokemon made it to the docks in the nick of time and got onto their boat to Sinnoh. 

"All that time I travelled through Sinnoh, I never knew much about its history." Ash said as he and Goh leaned against the railing of the deck as the boat began to raise anchor.

"Well, you must've been pretty busy back then." Goh said. "Although, it sure seems like. Sinnoh never catches a break with us around." Goh said as he leaned back on the railing looking at his rotom phone to double check Prof. Cerise's briefing of their assignment.

"Wat'dya mean?" Ash asked glancing over at Goh. He folded his arms under his head for extra support to be a little more relaxed for the conversation.

"Seems like anytime we go except once, Sinnoh goes under some crazy calamity. Maybe that region cursed you or something." Goh thought. 

"What makes you think Sinnoh cursed me? Maybe it cursed you." Ash joked.

"Or maybe Sinnoh itself is cursed." Goh contemplated.

"Don't let Dawn no you said that." Ash teased.

"Er- no offense to her I mean." Goh said a little embarrassed. Ash chuckled and Goh added, "Speaking of Dawn, shouldn't you let her know you're on your way to Sinnoh?"

Ash raised a brow at Goh a little taken aback by the suggestion.  

"Huh? Why? Do you want to see her?" Ash asked. Ash didn't think he was accusing or teasing Goh of anything, but his response sure sounded like he took it that way. Goh blushed as he stammered out,

"Wha- what I mean is she's your friend, don't you want to see her? I barely know her." Goh asked. Ash thought Goh's reaction was weird then contemplated the suggestion for a moment.

"Well yeah, but I don't have to update her whenever I travel to Sinnoh. She could be busy and far away from Canalave City for all I know. I wouldn't want to upset her if I wanted to see her and she couldn't make it for whatever reason. 

"Hm." Goh thought, then shrugged, "Even so, you could just let her know out of curtesy." 

"Well, it's not like you tell Chloe everywhere you go either." Ash said. After another silent moment the thought clicked to the two boys at once.

"Chloe!" They both shouted, startling Grookey and Pikachu who were on their shoulders. 

"Should we have asked if she wanted to go? She seems to really like Sinnoh." Goh said.

"She likes hanging out with Dawn in Sinnoh, and like I said it's not like I can guarantee we'll see Dawn." Ash reinforced his last statement. Although Ash couldn't help but feel a little guilty on the off chance they do run into Dawn and neither boy invited Chloe. 

"That's what Rotom Phones are for." Goh emphasized before conceding. "Well either way it's too late to call Chloe anyway." Loud growling was heard over the crashing sounds of the wives surrounding the ship.

"You hungry?" Goh asked Ash.

"Yeah, lets grab a bite." Ash said as the two boys began to walk towards the dining hall. 

The boat should arrive to Sinnoh within two days. 

...

By the end of their time in Sinnoh Ash had begun to think that maybe the region really had cursed him, and it had all started out so fun that day they arrived too.  

 Dawn and her pokemon had arrived at Canalave City when she heard about a cultural festival taking place there that she wanted to check out.

Dawn had actually arrived a day earlier than Ash and coincidently met up with Cynthia who was there helping to set up and joining in on the festivities for the next day. Cynthia was very welcoming and helped Dawn feel at home amongst the locals and even some far-off merchants who were setting up the area to make it look as authentic as the old style Hisuian architecture as possible. The two talked while helping to set up, about Cynthia's research regarding Hisui's history and tech advancements that helped bring the region to prosperity. They chatted about Dawn's contests, the happenings around the World Coronation Series and How Cynthia hoped Ash works his way up to finally challenge her, and how they've been since that Gate Warp scare.

"I thought it was very sweet of Ash to come all this way to help you when you called him." Cynthia commented.

"Huh?" Dawn said, she then continued feeling a little awkward, "Oh well, you know Ash. He's... reliable."

"Hm? Something wrong?" Cynthia asked. Dawn sighed.

"I just feel kinda guilty for calling him, I guess." Dawn admitted. "I mean I found out later from another friend Ash was going to Sinnoh anyway to investigate the Gate-phenomenon, but I feel like asking him to help me made things worse for him and his friend. First my Piplup was taken away, then their pokemon got kidnapped, I jumped into a gate without thinking about how I would even get back. I feel like I dragged everyone into a whole bigger mess." Despite what Ash had said to her that day that made her blush from her ears to her toeas didn't help ease the guilt she felt when she thought about the whole ordeal after everyone left.

"You know. I may not know Ash as well as you do, but it certainly sounds like the two of you are a lot alike."

"Hm?" Dawn questioned the change of subject and what she meant. 

"As soon as he and his friend Chloe spotted a gate, they dove right in without thinking twice. -Nearly gave me a heart-attack. There was no way of knowing where those gates led to, if there was a way back, or if they even led to the same place as the rest. I doubt Ash has dwelled on the negatives of your last encounter. As you said he's reliable. He cares about you."

Dawn gulped inaudibly trying to smother down the flush creeping up her face.

"Piplup!" Dawn looked down at her pokemon who agreed with Cynthia enthusiastically. Cynthia chuckled in response.

"Ash seemed eager to get to the bottom of the situation and your call must've helped bring him to the forefront of the problem. Both of you act recklessly sure but... with infectious optimism and that's just what any bad scenario needs." Cynthia finished. Without adding, she thought, "I've studied the bond between people and pokemon, pokemon and nature, pokemon and pokemon over and over again, but I rarely come across two people with a bond as robust as Ash and Dawn. Both on and off the battlefield."

...

Cynthia set Dawn up at the Harbor Inn where Dawn gave her mom a call the night before Ash and Goh arrived to let her mom know where she was and about the cultural festival Cynthia invited her to. Johanna had chuckled,

"We sure have quite the history here in Sinnoh don't we? In fact, many of the foods I make here at home during the holiday seasons were recipes invented and passed down by our ancestors who lived during the Hisui era."

"Really? So, this whole time I've been eating traditional Hisuian food?" Dawn asked, "Were any of our ancestors pokemon trainers by any chance?"

"Hm... I don't believe pokemon training was the norm back then." Johanna started. "Pokemon training, I believe came much later, Hisui was more of an era of research and development. If my memory serves me right, I don't think any of our ancestors associated themselves with official pokemon training for another few generations after Sinnoh's establishment, and of course after the Great War." Dawn slouched in her seat a little disappointed at the boring fact, Piplup slumped too empathizing with Dawn. Johanna continued, "However, there was our ancestor, Akari." Dawn and Piplup both perked up at the mention of the name.

"Akari? What did she do?" Dawn asked. 

"She was actually an early professor's assistant, kind of like what you mentioned Ash is doing in Kanto now. Great grandma Akari was a crafter and helped invent a certain type of pokeball. Although the details are a little hazy from there."

"No way! That's so cool!" Dawn cheered leaning into her phone screen excitedly. Johana chuckled at her daughter.

"Well, you had to get your designing skills from somewhere I suppose." Johanna teased. Dawn pouted knowing her fashion design skills are nowhere near compatible to that of a technological invention. "I don't know too much about it. Cynthia might have some extra historical information you can ask her about tomorrow. I can't guarantee you'll find anything on grandma Akari though."   

"Yeah, I understand. I'll be sure to ask her. Bye mom, love you."

"I love you too sweetheart."  

Dawn ended the phone call with her mom and made sure she and Piplup got some rest to get up early enough to enjoy the next day's events as much as possible. 

...

Cynthia wound up waking Dawn in her room at the Harbor Inn the next morning.

"Hey, didn't you say you wanted to get an early start?" Cynthia asked Dawn as she opened the door to Dawn's guest room. 

"Yeah, yeah," Dawn yawned as she sat up rubbing her eyes with her bedhead strewn all over the place. Piplup drowsily got up next to her. "No need to worry I'm up." Dawn opened her eyes a little more to see Cynthia at the doorway only to notice the beyond different look the Sinnoh Champion was wearing, she even had her hair up in a cute ponytail held up by her usual hair pins.

"What are you wearing?" Dawn asked. Cynthia perked up and gave a little spin to show off the outfit.

"Isn't it neat? My grandmother sent it from Celestic town. It's a hand-me-down my family preserved from the Hisuian Era. I actually contracted a team of seamstresses to make replicas of traditional outfits for anyone who wants to wear them too. It helps with the festival's immersion."

"Sounds fun, can I get one?" Dawn asked.

Sure, the seamstress is running a booth outside. You can find her easily. I'll meet you later I have to go check on a project I'm working on." With that Cynthia ran out the door. Dawn got up to get ready to go out. Starting with a need to get some bubble beam in her hair. 

...

When Dawn had gone out to see the seamstress the lady had a variety of tops, bottoms and accessories to choose from. Dawn was excited to get to put together her outfit herself. She found a cute top and matching bottom, all she had to do was pick out some shoes. She felt just about ready only to notice her beanie and hair clips really takes her out of the immersion. She could just take it off, but the thought of her hair hanging down with nothing to add to it felt boring. She spotted a cute white bandana to wrap around her head in place of her beanie and gave herself a ponytail look inspired by Cynthia.

"Piplup what do you think?" Dawn asked showing off her outfit. Piplup chirped in approval. Let's go check out the rest of the festival."

While Dawn had wandered around the area a strange merchant called her over.

"Excuse me young lady."

"Hm?' Dawn turned to see an older looking man running a booth with a big magic carp banner in front of the booth. 

"Have you seen this pokemon?" The merchant holds up a squirming Magikarp from a tank he keeps on the floor behind the stall."

"Uh, yeah?" Dawn said. A little confused and disturbed at the same time. Who hasn't seen a magikarp?

"If you buy this pokemon, you can breed it, it'll make thousands of more carp, enough for you to sell a hundred dollars each. Do the math that'll grant you billions of dollars. Good deal, yeah?" Dawn sweat dropped at the man's poor selling skills.         

Cynthia who was buying ice cream watched the exchange and walked over approaching the man at the booth. "I'd appreciate it, if you didn't try to scam the residents." Cynthia's expression darkened towards the man who sweat dropped and completely backpedaled his appeal in cowardice. Dawn smiled sheepishly in the background. 

"I was just grabbing a quick snack break, when I saw this exchange." Cynthia said as she turned to Dawn sheepishly while holding her ice cream in hand. Cynthia then smiled more genuinely and pointed at a tent not too far away. 

"Stop by that tent if you want to check out the project I'm working on later kay?" Cynthia suggested.

"Sure! Thanks Cynthia." Cynthia nodded and headed back to her tent while Dawn continued browsing through the festival. She walked through a more open area where she spotted someone familiar from the corner of her eye. 

"Huh?" Dawn turned to see both Ash and Goh.

"No way! Ash should really start calling when he shows up here." Dawn said shaking her head, she then shouted for the two boys to hear, "Ash, Goh!"

Bathump!

Yep, Ash was cursed. When Dawn had spotted and called him and Goh over when they arrived at the festival it should've been the first sign. Ash was however overwhelmed with excitement to see his friend again to acknowledge the coincidence at the time. 

Both boys turned to see Dawn dressed in her cultural get up. Pikachu had immediately leaped off Ash's shoulder to greet his best friend, Piplup with a high-five just like their own trainers would normally do. If Dawn hadn't called him and Goh over, Ash doubted he would've recognized Dawn. Yes, Ash has acknowledged this problem. Team Rocket made it clear he lets himself get tricked back in Unova. Otherwise, it didn't seem like anything typical girly Dawn would wear.

"It's great to see you here!" Ash told her when the two boys approached her.

"You should've told me you were coming! Don't surprise me like that." Dawn replied. 

"Told you." Goh whispered from the corner of his mouth to Ash. Ash discretely elbowed him enough for Goh to feel the nudge against his arm and for Dawn not to notice.

"Well, you surprised the two of us," he then turned to Goh, "right?"

"Right!" Goh agreed. Both boys were happy to see Dawn, although they couldn't help but think the exact same thing, "We should've invited Chloe... whoops."   

Chapter Text

By the next time Ash sees Dawn he's had so much to think about throughout his journey. Starting after leaving Sinnoh Ash and Goh had gone to and from Unova and Goh returned home with a Liligant that had Heracross enthralled with her sweet scent. Ash was happy to see the two bonding, however this development had broken Pinsir's heart, It was kind of pitiful, but mostly heartbreaking to watch Pinsir trying to copy Liligant by placing a flower on her own head and feeling dejected when it slipped off.

Chapter Text

Dawn had gone back home to train for her grand festival while watching the Masters 8 Tournament with her mom and pokemon during her breaks on tv since Ash would be competing.

Ash had called her and Brock after the first round of tournament matchups was revealed to tell them about how Paul had found him in Kanto and challenged him. 

Has he changed?" Dawn couldn't help but ask, recalling how cruel and rude Paul used to be.

"He's still not friendly if that's what you're asking." Ash replied. "But yeah, for the most part I think he's changed, He was a lot more considerate towards pokemon in general and his were stronger than I've ever seen them, plus he went out of his way to help me train by using the same types of pokemom I'll be battling during the tournament."

"Well that's nice of him." Brock smiled easily.

"That's a sentence I thought I'd never hear regarding Paul." Dawn thought to herself. She still didn't like the guy all that much, but it's nice to know he might be a little more tolerable nowadays.  

...

Dawn had been a little upset she missed a portion of the live entrance ceremony during her last contest. Time zones. But she went back home to train for the grand festival and watched a recorded version of it, and it was pretty hype. Leon's showmanship can rival that of Wallace and any top coordinator, but he was way more cool. It was nice to see Iris doing well, although she couldn't help but feel a little annoyed over what Ash was wearing. Iris was decked out in some kind of princess dress, Cynthia, Steven, Lance, Leon, and Diantha were in their iconic yet stylish look, and Ash and Alain, well, Alain she couldn't say much on, all she could tell was that it was the same or similar set of clothes he wore in the Kalos league, and Ash was in the same clothes she last saw him in.

Dawn rolled her eyes amused. "Ash is never going to change, huh, Piplup?"

"'Lup!" Piplup agreed heartily. 

...

The first round was Alain vs Leon. She supposed it was cool, although anyone who watched the Kalos League are probably very disappointed there wasn't going to be a public rematch between the previous Kalos League victor and the runner up, Ash, who put up a very good fight back then and now ranks as a regional champion.

There was no way Leon was going to go down so early in the Masters 8. Dawn saw some hype going on online during the match with everyone hoping they would get to see a G-Max Charizard vs a Mega-Charizard-X... Leon demolished Alain, it was borderline disrespectful if it hadn't been a fair fight. 

Dawn knows Ash to be a typically private person, well at least now he is. She remembered Ash being a loud mouthed hothead on some occasions and she's heard a couple funny stories from Brock, May, and Iris about Ash's more comical compulsive antics, she knew him that way too of course, but lately Ash has gotten a lot more private and reserved. Keeping opinions and thoughts too himself more often nowadays. Dawn shrugged it off assuming he was simply growing up in some way. Although if social media had been a big thing three years ago at the start of Ash's journey, which it wasn't, she wondered how Ash would've behaved to feedback from the world on his feats back then. Although after Leon's battle with Alain it seemed that Ash had to vent a little something out into the world for the first time ever.

"Man, I was looking forward to a rematch against @AlainAllIn too. You did great out there!

Ash's brand new social media page blew up online over night.    

...

Lance and Diantha were the next round the following day.  Dawn considered skipping the match and spend the day training, so she did. She traveled between a few nearby towns to get some battles and training in among random trainers, who came few and far between since most people opted on staying in and watching the next match. She wandered a little too far from home that day and wound up staying the night at a pokemon center. It was pretty packed considering other travelers opted on spending the day there to watch the Masters 8 match there. The same match reran the night while dinner was being served and Dawn wound up watching it anyway. It actually helped with providing her some inspiration with all the accurate and traditional strategies on display up until Lance and Diantha brought out their gimmicks. Dawn doesn't incorporate dyna/g-maxing or mega-evolution into her training, so a majority of the match up until that point felt inspiring. Although she did begin pondering if she should start training Piplup and Pachurisu with dynamxing or g-maxing since neither can evolve anymore, or mega-evolving Mamoswine and Togekiss. She vaguely wondered in the back of her mind what a mega-evolved Ambipom would've looked like.

Iris vs Cynthia was the day after Lance vs Diantha.

"Give Iris and Cynthia my best, kay?" Ash heard Dawn's voice through the phone. 

Ash smiled as he replied back, "You bet, they'll be happy to hear from you!"

"How are you feeling?" Dawn asked, "Y'know, since you haven't even battled yet?" Dawn asked. 

"A little antsy. I can't wait till I'm up too!"

"Sorry, you won't be getting your rematch with Alain." Dawn said. 

"S'okay. He saw my post online and said, 'maybe next year's tournament.'"

The match was about to start and Ash had to get going to the stands, not before having Dawn talk to to their friends. Cynthia appreciated Dawn's best wishes, but Iris did most of the talking.

"Hey Dawn, thanks so much!" Iris said into Ash's phone seeing Dawn on video call, Dawn had even complimented her outfit.

"How's little Axew doing?" Dawn asked.

Iris snorted. "You're in for a surprise." Iris said mischievously, leaving Dawn confused.

...  

"You're not watching from the Champion's box?" Dawn asked Ash as he settled onto the stands of the stadium with Goh and his new friend, Hop, Champion Leon's younger brother.

'Nah, I'll be watching with Goh and Hop in the audience. The battles are way better up close and in person."

"Typical Ash." Dawn thought amused, knowing she'd do the same thing. "Who's Hop?" She asked.

"Leon's younger brother, he's a pretty cool guy."

"You've already met Leon?" Dawn asked.

"Yeah, loads of times. He's sort of been like a mentor. His friend Sonia is a professor and she sort of mentors Goh too."

"Geez Ash, if you've been hanging around Leon all this time you'll definitely have no need to worry." Dawn teased.

"Hey, give me some credit, I didn't train with him all the time." 

Dawn laughed on the other end and Ash smiled.

Their call ended and Dawn was once again back home with her mom. She had gotten up early to work on her grand festival performance round routine before heading home to support Iris and Cynthia from the comfort of her home. 

Ash on the other hand was having a blast at Wyndon Stadium watching Iris and Cynthia go at it.

Iris' pokemon have grown incredibly strong, She got the lead early when her Excadrill defeated Cynthia's Gastrodon. Dawn and Ash were excited for Iris, although Cynthia had a formidable reputation and wasn't bound to go down easy. Soon it was Dragonite vs Milotic.

Dawn remembered Dragonite and how it behaved. Not only could it defeat her Mamoswine, but it was practically an unstoppable force of nature. It was the antithesis to Ash's huggable and jovial Dragonite, but Cynthia, as nice as she truly is, was known for striking fear in the hearts of trainers everywhere. Cynthia's Milotic practically humbled Iris's Dragonite. 

Dawn gapped at the sight of Iris sending out her Haxorus. She pulled out her pokedex and the international dex read,

"Haxorus, the Axe Jaw Pokémon and Axew's final evolved form. Haxorus is normally considered friendly. Its body is covered with a tough armor, and its huge tough fangs can even cut through a thick steel girder. Its tusks cannot be broken."

"Axew... a Haxorus?" Dawn was stunned. That cute little pokemon evolved into that beast? She thought of her Swinub who evolved into the colossus that is her Mamoswine. And Haxorus was indeed a beast out there. It took out Cynthia's Milotic in a fell-swoop that made the crowd go wild. Cynthia didn't even flinch when her Milotic flew over her head and plummeted into the ground a few meters behind her.

People online were going wild as much as the crowd at the stadium was. 

Champion Princess! vs Champion Queen! Was trending. Dawn wouldn't know until after the match. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the screen, even her mom was watching intensely. This was their region's champion after all.  

Cynthia unleashed her ace, Garchomp and the crowd went insane. Garchomp is only known for battling fellow champions, elite 4 members or Sinnoh League victors, and the occasional high profile criminal. Iris was a fresh champion still defending her first reigning year from other Unova League victors whereas Cynthia has been ranked #2 behind Leon for six years, since she first earned her champion title at thirteen, much like Iris and Ash. Iris' Haxorus was putting up a good fight against Garchomp and everyone in the world could tell once Cynthia pulled out her key-stone to mega-evolve Garchomp, her ace. She has only ever done so against Leon. 

The whole world held its breath as Cynthia unleashed the monster that was Mega-Garchomp. The creature unleashed a bone chilling roar directly at Iris and Haxorus. Haxorus bravely roared back and Mega-Garchomp charged in mercilessly at Haxorus with dragon claw who blocked Garchomp's attack with psycho-cut. Haxorus fortunately landed a hit with dragon pulse.

Cynthia had Mega-Garchomp unleash a devastating draco-meteor that rumbled the whole stadium.

Ash watched Iris outstretch her hand as if reaching out for Haxorus as they tried one more time to combat the streams of draco-meteor with another dragon pulse. Ash's skin goose-bumped as he couldn't help but wonder if Iris had aura abilities like he did.

Despite Iris' and Haxorus' best efforts, all Iris could do was watch as dust clouds plumed all around Haxorus from each landing meteor strike, and much like Cynthia and her Milotic, Iris held her dignity and didn't even flinch as the earth beneath her shook and the dust cloud concealing Haxorus grew before her eyes. When the dust settled, Haxorus was still shown standing... for a moment. In the end draco-meteor took out Haxorus, and it was over. 

... 

Dawn let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. She felt her mom lay a hand on her back. Dawn couldn't imagine what'll happen when it's Ash's turn to battle. 

...

Ash immediately rushed over to see Iris after the match. Iris handled her loss in front of the audience amazingly well, and when Ash came to see her, he caught her walking down the steps, a look of sheer dejection on her shadowed face.

"Iris... too bad huh?" Ash said once she made it all the way down.

"Ash..." She said as if she hadn't expected her friend to be there. "I lost." She said forcing a smile.

"You did, huh." Ash replied. He could see the tears pricking the corners of her eyes, he knew she was trying to be tough. 

the next thing she said was, "Cynthia's really amazing isn't she?" Her face brightened as she said it, but then a lone tear fell, and that one unleashed the floodgates. Tears began streaming down her face. Iris then whimpered out. "She's amazing! Amazing, but..." She sobbed out that last part so roughly Ash could barely understand what she said. Iris began full on sobbing, all he could do was watch sympathetically. Goh caught up and he came in catching the young champion crying. He also spared her a sympathetic look.

Ash could remember the last time a friend of his cried this hard after losing, and that was May after she lost the grand festival. Everyone laid a hand on her shoulder to comfort her, because she was still in a way a rookie trainer. Iris was no rookie though, a rookie champion maybe, but, he thought about how Kukui told him heartbreak was a first of many obstacles that he may not always have the power to fix for his friends no matter how much he cared. In hindsight Ash supposed Brock had been trying to impart the same lesson whenever he held him back from comforting Dawn during her lows as a coordinator. Ash gave Iris her space to cry and let it all out. She needed that more than she needed comfort.

She wiped her eyes on her sleeve and relaxed with a big elated smile on her face. "Ah! Now I feel better." She may've lost, but it was still the best battle of her champion reign. The title was still hers so long as a Unova League victor doesn't defeat her. She learned a lot, stood her ground, and left her mark, and that had to be enough... for now.     

Ash vs Steven was tomorrow. Iris thanked Ash for supporting her and wished him luck and left to her hotel room for the night.

Ash's battle against Steven felt like a roller coaster in comparison to Iris vs Cynthia. Steven has been at the top of his game since his involvement with the Kalos Crisis last year. So Dawn was left pretty gob-smacked with how well Ash handled his pokemon against him, especially since Steven got the lead early on by defeating Dracovish after swapping out Metagross with Aggron, leaving Ash with a type disadvantage, aside from Gengar's will-o-wisp which left burn damage on Aggron. Aggron then landed a hit with smart strike sending Gengar flying backwards.

Steven attempted to finish Gengar off with rock tomb and Ash countered the attack with dazzling gleam. At first Aggron had appeared unaffected by the counter-attack leaving both Ash and Gengar visibly shaken. Dawn grit her teeth a little nervous alongside Ash. However Ash lucked out Aggron went down via burn damage. Dawn sighed feeling both relieved for Ash and underwhelmed with how anti-climactic that was. Even Iris in the crowd despite being proud of her friend felt taken aback with how well things worked out for Ash, claiming it to be a pretty close win. Sometimes you just get lucky.

Dawn pumped a fist in the air from her couch and whooped for Ash anyway. Her smaller pokemon, Piplup, Buneary, and Pachurisu, were excitedly shaking their pom-poms while cheering for Ash's victory.

Johanna who was watching this round from the kitchen opted not to remind her daughter and her pokemon, Ash can't hear them from here, she doubted they'd listen anyway.

The match was evened for the moment, and Steven sent out his Cradily, who put up a way better fight against Gengar.

Steven's Cradily went into battle swinging a power whip that immobilized Gengar.

Remember that thing about type disadvantage?

Ash couldn't have Gengar use will-o-wisp or dazzling gleam with the pokemon trapped so he went with sludge bomb in attempt to help Gengar free itself despite the fact that Cradily's plant and rock typing isn't heavily affected by poison. The crowd watched Cradily heal itself with ingrain and charged meteor beam, in a last ditch effort Ash called Gengar to use dazzling gleam hoping Gengar would free itself and land a counter-attack. Both moves collided at once lighting up the whole stadium. The blast was so big the ref had to fly out of the way. Gengar was still up and broken free! Ash was looking more confident and commanded Gengar to use shadow ball, however Cradily still had the advantage of using ingrain to heal itself while blocking shadowball and wearing out Gengar with power whip. 

"Oh, Gengar did so well." Dawn said as she saw the pokemon go down on the screen but now the match was down to 2:1 with Steven Stone in the lead. "Look Piplup, Buneary, Pachurisu, Pikachu's up next!" Piplup and Buneary started cheering loudly for their friend and Pachurisu released a couple of excited sparks in honor of her fellow electric type pal.

 Pikachu started by landing a quick attack on Cradily, and ran across rock blast in attempt to dodge it. Pikachu then intercepted power whip with electro web, ran across Cradily's tentacles, and landed an iron tail directly atop Cradily's head. Effectively avenging Gengar's defeat.

Dawn watched the battle proudly while her pokemon loudly cheered for Pikachu. The match was evened again. Finally 1:1. Pikachu vs Metagross. 

Steven Stone wasted no time mega-evolving Metagross. Somewhere, someone online is still out there questioning Ash's champion status from two little known regions and was bitterly posting the logistics of mega-evolving a champion leveled Metagross over a measly Pikachu and in a few moments, Ash and Pikachu were going to indirectly make them eat their words. 

Ash started by commanding Pikachu to use thunderbolt, however much to Ash's frustration Mega-Metagross was able to swiftly dodge every attack Pikachu attempted on the metal behemoth, as it predicted the trajectory of each of Pikachu's thunderbolts, as stated by Steven. 

Steven smiled knowing he had the advantage and had Mega-Metagross land meteor-mash. Pikachu flung backwards. That attack looked ugly. Everyone of Ash's family and friends watching the match gasped at the sight.

Ash tried to land a hit with iron tail, and Mega-Metagross evaded it and attacked Pikachu with psychic by flinging him brutally into the ground. Dawn winced and gripped the edge of the couch. Buneary whimpered at the sight. Dawn turned back to her pokemon.

"No need to worry Buneary, remember Pikachu's tough." Dawn encouraged. Johanna approached the living room to watch mildly concerned for Pikachu. Pikachu was stubborn though, and got back up determinedly.

 The announcer spoke, "An overwhelming attack by Mega-Metagross! Damage is piling up on Pikachu. Steven Stone does not disappoint... he's coolly driving Ash Ketchum into a corner.

Ash grit his teeth in frustration knowing the announcer was right. He did feel cornered. This was his first match and his pokemon were getting pummeled. He felt his heart pound as he thought, "I can't let them down..."

"C*H*A*M*P*I*O*N!" 

Ash blinked wondering where that came from.

"C*H*A*M*P*I*O*N!"

"Go for it, first-ever Champion of the Alola League!" - Hala.

"C*H*A*M*P*I*O*N! C*H*A*M*P*I*ON!"

"Never forget you're representing Alola!"

"C*H*A*M*P*I*O*N! C*H*A*M*P*I*O*N!"

"Use your full power!" -Kiawe.

Ash thought of Kukui, Burnet, and Lei.

...

Dawn watched the screen as Ash suddenly seemed to relax. He grabbed the visor of his cap, gently removed it and threw it into the air, while calling out to Pikachu. Dawn blinked and slightly tilted her head, curiously wondering what Ash was doing. "What's he up to?"

Piplup, Buneary, and Pachurisu all watched in wonder as a bruised and nearly beat up Pikachu happily caught the hat on his head in mid-air.

"Let's use our full power!"

The shout was heard all across the stadium as Ash raised his wrist in the air letting his Z-Crystal shine for the world to see, cementing his status as the Alola Regional Champion. He recalled the day of the Battle Royale and remembered he wasn't alone today. He had a whole region behind him. Defeating Steven Stone was a step to reaching Leon and then become the #1 World Pokemon Monarch. He wasn't going to let down his pokemon who fought so hard to get him this close today and a whole region looking up to him. 

 Ash awed the world with his unique never before seen gimmick on a global stage. He crossed his wrists summoning the energy from the z-crystal as Pikachu flipped, bounding his way towards Ash and the two displayed their z-move routine showcasing their bond as trainer and pokemon and Ash allowed the energy to flow over to Pikachu.

Back in Sinnoh, Dawn listened intensely as she watched Ash perform the move Ash had once told her about in full display. He said, 

"Far greater than a 100,000 volts... 1,000,000 volts! No, way, way greater than that! Our super full power!"

"PIKA!"

"Pikachu! 10,000,000 volts!"

Pikachu let out a cry, a seemingly nonentity pokemon displaying a power so great never before seen from an average Pikachu it could rival the natural skills of a Raikou or Zapdos, perhaps beyond.

The whole world watched as streams of neon volts were hurdled directly at Mega-Metagross, all Steven can do was shout at his pokemon to dodge it knowing an electric volt that powerful would blast his steel type into the ground. He almost felt like a rookie again having said that.

Mega-Metagross made it's way behind Pikachu and Steven commanded it to use flash cannon. Unfortunately for Mega-Metagross it couldn't predict the irregularities of a supercharged shock wave attack that didn't work the same way as any other electric attack and found itself at the mercy of unpredictable electric haywire volts that hit far harder than any electric attack it's ever experienced. However the hits were so precise Steven found himself believing Pikachu was controlling them, when it was just as possible the electric haywire was either simply attracted to Mega-Metagross' steel form or a boosted shock wave known for 100% accuracy. The powerful volts had a bigger impact on Mega-Metagross' form than it normally would, and the force of the attack weighed the pokemon into the ground in exhaustion after attempting to push back to stay in the air.

"Let's finish this!" Ash shouted, Use iron tail!"

Pikachu finally struck Mega-Metagross with a long awaited iron tail. The pokemon went down and transformed back to its normal form. 

Dawn gasped from whiplash with how quickly that ended.

The crowd went nuts. Thee Steven Stone had just been defeated by newbie Champion, Ash Ketchum!

"We did it!" Ash cheered as Pikachu cheered along side him. 

Ash was declared the winner and everyone of his friends and family watching both at the stadium and from the screens around the world cheered and celebrated his victory. 

Dawn hugged her mom in joy. "I can't believe it. He's facing Cynthia next." Dawn said elated. "She's waited for this opportunity for two years. We always knew Ash would make it!" Her pokemon cheered and celebrated too. Pachurisu jumped up and down with her pom-poms in the air while releasing little happy sparks. Pachurisu and Buneary hugged and jumped in joy proud of their Pika-pal. It's possible Buneary was just a little more in love with Pikachu after seeing how powerful he's gotten. The little bunny pokemon always knew her electric mouse was special. Dawn let go of her mom and watched her Buneary who was observing the screen. Ash was hugging and celebrating with Pikachu. She walked over and patted her Buneary's fluffy head.

"What are you looking at?" She teased the love-struck pokemon. Dawn watched as Steven spoke to Ash.     

"The feelings you have for your pokemon... and the feelings of those pokemon, responding to yours with all their might...They came together as one and created an even greater power. And thus, you were able to grasp victory today. A marvelous victory."

Words that'll touch the hearts of trainers from all over the world for certain. Dawn placed her Buneary on her lap as they watched the the World Coronation Series mark the end of the quarter finals and announcing the start of the semi-finals between Leon, Diantha, Cynthia, and Ash. 

"That was quite a move Ash pulled. I've never seen anything like it." Johanna said.

"Ash told me about it once. Though this is the first time I've seen it." Dawn replied to her mom. 

"Imagine what that looked like to the audience in person.' Johanna said.

"Hm..." Dawn agreed thoughtfully. Little did her mom know she just planted the seed of an idea in Dawn's head. 

...

Ash was enjoying a celebratory Galar curry dinner with his friends, Goh, Iris, Alain, and Hop. Leon wanted to take his girlfriend, Sonia on a date so it worked out for everybody. Ash hadn't known those two were a couple, not even Goh who spent the most time with the young professor.. 

"They hide it from the public pretty well to avoid crazy jealous fangirls." Hop had said.

At some point Alain had cracked a joke about how Ash's first online post blew up the day of his defeat. Ash had to double check his phone because he actually hadn't known that. He didn't have notifications on. 

"Only to be immediately usurped by mine and Cynthia's battle trending." Iris jokingly chimed in. Everyone had a good laugh.

"Probably for the best anyway, you don't want any distractions before your battles." Said Alain.

In Goh's honest opinion he thought Alain was going to be as scary as Paul. He was a lot nicer than he looks. Goh mostly spent the dinner talking between everyone about the battles.  

"People are saying you put Alola and the Orange Islands on the map. You should be proud." Said Iris. "Your position is incredibly unique, unlike myself and the others who inherited our champion titles by defeating the previous champions. Your a first ever regional champion and according to Steven and Cynthia not very many first champions get this far into the Masters 8 on their first year."

Ash smiled hoping he made his Alolan family proud. He knows his mom, Prof. Oak, Tracey, and his pokemon were watching, and maybe Dawn too considering her last call yesterday. 

...

With the quarter finals over it was time for Iris, Alain, and Steven to go. They were all catching the last boat off Galar. 

"You're facing Cynthia next, but I'm sure you and Pikachu can win. I believe in you." Steven said to Ash. 

"Ash you better win." Alain told him.

"And some day we'll have our rematch." Ash thought. It was too bad they couldn't this time, but he supposed no rematch against Alain would feel right without Greninja at his side. 

"I'll be waiting to hear you've won!" Iris said excitedly. 

"Yeah! Leave it to me!" Ash promised. Fully intending on keeping it. 

"You can't let your guard down." Goh said. 

"I know that." Ash replied, he turned back to the others, "I'm gonna battle Leon for sure. Right, Pikachu?" 

Pikachu chirped back happily. 

Iris, Alain, and Steven began to depart with Iris bidding to Ash, "Best wishes! Give it your all!"

And that was the end of the quarterfinals. 

Diantha had done so well against Lance, but Leon absolutely decimated the woman. What was worse, it was mostly his Rillaboom, not Charizard, doing most of the work. Ash had been helping Cynthia with a couple of kids who got lost and wound up outside the stadium watching Leon's and Diantha's match on the jumbotron.  Leon looked practically untouchable, it almost sent chills through Ash.

When the day came to finally go up against Cynthia, Ash prepared his keystone on his wrist incase he needed to mega-evolve Lucario. Mega-Garchomp was the threat he needed to watch out for most. Once he got ready he looked to all six of his pokemon who were standing inside the arena entrance with him.

"It's finally time. I'm counting on you all!" 

His pokemon grunted excitedly.

"Now, let's move!" Ash pumped a fist in the direction of the arena and his pokemon cheered behind him. 

...

It's the second match of the semifinals!" The Announcer declared as the event began to broadcast all over the world. 

Dawn watched on screen practically aching to be there in person.

"Ranked 8th in the Master's 8 tournament. Bearing the monumental title of first-ever-Champion of Alola. He has boldly climbed all the way to the semifinals. What sort of battle will he show us today?" The announcer said. 

Dawn smiled. Ash's wrists were decked with every gimmick at his disposal. Keystone, Z-ring, D/G-max. He can only use one per round so he's going in prepared. Not only that, lately Ash's status as first-ever-Champion of the Alola region has been overlooked by the public because of the other longer reigning champions and Iris's champion status over the international powerhouse that was the Unova Region. She's glad the last match put some respect on his status, and the small independent archipelago where he reigns. 

"Next, ranked 2nd in the Masters Eight, Champion Cynthia steps onto the field. As everyone knows she is the champion of Sinnoh. She has the strength and imposing presence of a queen!"

As the crowd cheered on tv, Dawn couldn't help but giggle a little. What the announcer said was true, but the title of, 'queen' was a nickname that came about from fans who simultaneously fear and admire her skills. 

"Who will be the one to battle Champion Leon? Champion Cynthia? Or Champion Ash?" The announcer stopped speaking as the crowd noise died down so the ref could begin to speak.

"The semifinals are 6v6 full battles! There is no limit on match length or switching out pokemon. Whoever makes all six of their pokemon unable to battle will be the winner. Additionally, per match, you are allowed a single use of only one of the following: Daimax, a Z-Move, or Mega Evolution."  

"In the first round Champion Cynthia used Mega Evolution and Champion Ash used a Z-Move. Will they play the same cards in  the semifinals?" The announcer asked.   

Now then," the ref continued, "both battlers, send your first pokemon out onto the field! Three. Two. One!" 

Dawn grinned as Ash was the first to announce his Dragonite's entrance with his voice echoing throughout the stadium.

"Dragonite! I choose you!"

"Tremble souls! Spiritomb!" Cynthia called out.

The crowd, the world was stunned with Cynthia's first choice. People everywhere recalled the first time Cynthia's Spiritomb debuted. No one knew what it was, and no one had known how to defeat it, until Leon. Somewhere in the crowd Hop and Goh were watching, Hop a distraught look on his face at the sight of Spiritomb, as Goh said earnestly, "You can't let your guard down against her, Ash!" As if speaking to him directly. Spiritomb was known for taking out whole teams of Sinnoh League victors' pokemon alone. 

"My Dragonite's not gonna lose, no matter who she's up against!" Ash declared confidently.

"Let the battle begin!" The ref declared loudly.

Ash started strong with Dragonite using draco-meteor only to be interrupted mid-move when Cynthia had Spiritomb attacked with the priority move, sucker-punch. Knocking Dragonite down, not out. Dragonite managed to land draco-meteor, but Spiritomb was unphased.

Dawn listened as the stunned announcer remarked Spiritomb's strength after laughing at Dragonite's attack.

Ash commanded Dragonite to use dragon claw, only for Spiritomb to counter it with hypnosis before Dragonite could land that hit.

Dawn gripped her fists over her knees watching Dragonite fall to the ground asleep and steadily weakened by dream eater until she was unable to battle. It was a disappointing round to witness. Poor Dragonite. She started off so impressive too. Ash had unfortunately spoken too soon. 

Ash recalled Dragonite while apologizing to her, and promised he would not make the same mistake again. He then decided to send in Gengar to make it a ghost vs ghost fight which is simultaneously a better and probably worse decision. Since ghost type pokemon can easily cancel each other out, all that matters is who's stronger, or who can lend the moves first. 

Unfortunately Cynthia had other plans. Taking advantage of limitless swapping, she swapped out Spiritomb for her Roserade to make it a poison vs poison fight. Potentially making the other's moves less effective.   

Ash decided to start off with Shadowball which was countered by bullet seed. Roserade had Gengar in it's mercy with leaf storm and Ash had Gengar fight back with will-o-wisp, leaving Roserade with burn damage. Ash Finally had one good shot, but Cynthia refuses to give up control of the battle and swapped out her Roserade before it goes down from burn damage.    

Spiritomb was sent back in,  but Gengar looked the least bit exhausted by Roserade. Ash had Gengar use dazzling gleam, but once again, Cynthia had Spiritomb counter the attack before it can hit with a super effective sucker punch that knocked Gengar backwards. Spiritomb was still damaged by the super effective dazzling gleam it punched into but had enough health reserved after using dream eater.  Gengar stood back up, only to immediately faint right after.

Dawn sighed sadly.

That's two under Spiritomb's belt. Now the match was 6:4 in Cynthia's favor. Ash was starting to look frustrated with how easily he was losing his pokemon to Spiritomb. He promised Gengar's efforts weakening Spiritomb wouldn't be in vain.  

"C'mon Ash, you can catch up." Dawn encouraged earnestly.  

Cynthia swapped out Spiritomb for Togekiss. She was baiting Ash to send in Pikachu and Ash went into the trap hook lined with not much other choice. Pikachu was the best choice against Togekiss anyway. 

Ash's friends, Goh and Hop cheered for him from the audience, while Dawn watched as Pikachu tried in vain to strike Togekiss with thunderbolt. Only for Togekiss to retaliate with air slash that made Pikachu flinch, and unable to follow through with Ash's command for electro web to counter the zen headbutt. Ash may've had the type advantage, but after tiring out Pikachu Cynthia swapped out Togekiss for her own type advantage pokemon, Gastrodon.     

Gastrodon tried to land an attack with Earth power, but Pikachu managed to dodge it by jumping on the pieces of land in the air. Ash seemed to be getting his groove back once Gastrodon attempted to land an attack with stone edge, by commanding Pikachu to counter the attack by using iron tail to cut the rock and send it back at the ground type.

"That's it! Send em' flying!" He shouted confidently. The counter was super effective and with one final quick attack Gastrodon was out. 

"His will to find opportunity in a crisis, and Pikachu's skill in seizing it... They're both incredible." The announcer broadcasted from Dawn's screen.

Dawn cheered along with her pokemon. Ash finally got a win in this match, however It was the same pokemon who both Ash and Iris took out first in their respective battles so it didn't really stand out to the rest of the world, with the only notable exception being that an electric type got the win over a ground type.  

Cynthia sent out Spiritomb again and...

Bathump!

Dawn's mouth went agape with an inaudible gasp as her pokemon cheered wildly at the iconic familiar sight on screen. Johanna glanced at Dawn's stunned reaction at the sight of Pikachu's counter shield on screen.

Pikachu spun like a hitmontop, releasing an electric whirlpool of thunderbolts to counter against Spiritomb's hypnosis. This was Goh's and Hop's first time seeing this technique. Hop compared it to break dancing. Even Cynthia said, " It's too early for a victory dance."

The counter shield released volts of attacks hence it's name description, blocked hypnosis and landed a good strike on Spiritomb, with a cry of, "Finish it!" From Ash.   

Johanna noticed Dawn's lips tremble into a heartfelt smile. Dawn let out an excited laugh as her eyes glistened at the sight on screen. Dawn had unwittingly developed this concept for Ash during her first Celestic Town Contest battle against her Mom's old rival, Lila. Ash had refined the concept and made it his own to use against the gym leader Fantina to counter her hypnosis attacks. Dawn's heart fluttered seeing Ash use an old move inspired by her during one of the biggest battles of his career. Dawn ached to be at the stadium today and she wondered why she hadn't gone in the first place. Excuses, excuses. She felt goosebumps run along her arms and her Buneary turned back to Dawn sensing strong waves of emotional aura emanating from her trainer. She hopped onto Dawn's lap to be Dawn's warm little water bottle to help her with the strange sudden chill she had. Dawn wrapped her arms around her Buneary smiling gratefully as they watched the screen together.   

"Cynthia, that was a counter shield. We developed this move back when we traveled in Sinnoh!" Ash told Cynthia, although it sounded more like a declaration to the world. 

"I remember it. You showed it off back in the Sinnoh League." Cynthia replied enthusiastically.

"We're stronger than we were back then!" Ash declared. "Pikachu! Electro web!"

Pikachu successfully trapped Spiritomb in an electric web before it can counter with sucker punch.

"Now! Iron tail!" Ash commanded.

"Spiritomb, go ahead!" Cynthia shouted. Spiritomb seemed to know what to do without being expressly told and attempted to shoot a shadowball at Pikachu. Instead Pikachu finished it off with iron tail striking the top of the web and slamming the webbing of electric volts onto Spiritomb.   

Spiritomb's reign on the battle field seemed to be over. But Spiritomb refused to go down alone. Cynthia and Spiritomb had a contingency plan. The world watched as a dark aura rose from Spiritomb's k.o'd form and struck Pikachu.

"What's this?" The ref said. Once the dark aura struck Pikachu and retrieved, Pikachu at the peak of his battle form went down. "It's drag along!" The ref cried impressed. Everyone watched, shocked speechless at the outcome. Buneary, and the other pokemon all whimpered at the sight.

"Pikachu did his best, you guys should be proud." Dawn comforted the pokemon gently. It was a devastating sight, but Ash and Pikachu had held their ground and fought so well.   

"An unbelievable double knockout!" The ref declared. "Now Champion Cynthia has four pokemon left. Champion Ash is left with three pokemon."  

It was almost even. 

'Spiritomb... you truly fought well. Rest yourself." Cynthia said thanking her pokemon. 

Inside the Champion's viewing box, the World Monarch, Leon had a small adrenaline boost perceiving the battle as getting interesting with Ash's ace down. If Ash wins today that would only show Leon Ash's Pikachu was equally strong as Cynthia's Spiritomb who isn't even her ace. If it comes down to the two of them Leon would still have a shot at defending his title. Overall, Leon was more interested in seeing Ash's next move without being able to use is Z-Move.  

Cynthia's strong." Ash whispered in frustration. 

...

Dawn watched as Ash walked across the field to gently retrieve back Pikachu. Pikachu awoke and Ash asked Pikachu to cheer for them during the remainder of the battle since he was now officially disqualified. Ash readjusted his hat then took a deep breath. He was stressed, it was clear. He was at a major disadvantage. 

"C'mon Ash. No need to worry!" Dawn cheered, standing on her feet with her fist up in the air. Her pokemon cheered along side her determined to send as much support to Ash and his pokemon as possible. Johanna smiled seeing Dawn and the others so riled up to support Ash after Pikachu's devastating defeat. 

Next up was Dracovish vs Garchomp. Cynthia had taken out Ash's Ace and now sends hers in. It was a savage move and her fans both at the stadium and online went wild. Ash was wary of her potential use of Mega Evolution. He sent in Dracovish to attack with ice fang, but Garchamp evaded it and went in from behind with a super effective dragon claw sending Dracovish tumbling.   

Cynthia used stealth rock and recalled Garchomp. Cynthia's constant swapping was frustrating for the world to watch, but it was part of what made her a brilliant trainer. She then sent in her Roserade for the type advantage, but the pokemon was still hurt by burn damage. Dawn hoped for Ash's sake Roserade didn't know ingrain like Steven's Cradily. 

Nope, it was worse. Roserade's ability, natural cure healed its burn while away in its pokeball. Now that advantage was out. Dracovish's advantages against Roserade included moves like ice fang. fishious rend, and dragon rush but Dracovish was predominantly a water type, So Ash had to be careful.  

Roserade had clashed with Dracovish's fishious rend using poison jab, making Dawn wince. It wasn't like Croagunk's poison jabs, this was a champion level poison jab. Moments before Dracovish was flung back, it landed a bite on Roserade's other poison jabbed paw. Dracovish was then painfully flung backwards with the pokemon inflicted with poison. The poor thing looked sick. Roserade still took a lot of damage from the bite, so that was a win in itself.    

Cynthia called for a powerful leaf storm, but Ash countered with dragon rush and the water type fossil pokemon powered through the leaf storm and defeated Roserade. Dawn made a noise between a cheer and a scream, her pokemon did the same. 

"That was amazing!" Dawn cheered. raising both fists up in the air as if they were pom-poms. That was an even more impressive type disadvantage fight than before, and Dracovish did it all while poisoned to boot. It kind of reminded her of Infernape vs Electivire. Ash once again came out on top despite the disadvantages. 

Ash noticed his Dracovish not looking too well and attempted to retrieve it. The world watched as Dracovish dodged the pokeball's retrieval energy to power through the next match on an adrenaline spike. It wanted to continue helping Ash, and that not only says a lot about Ash as a trainer to the world, but was also something to be admired about the pokemon itself. Ash supported Dracovish's decision and trusted Dracovish would do well despite its poison affliction.

Cynthia then sent out Milotic, a serious threat as seen against Iris' Dragonite. Ash has Dracovish charge in with dragon rush, but Cynthia counters the attack with disarming voice.

Dracovish was shown struggling to fight through the super effective attack. 

Cynthia instructed Milotic to wrap around  Dracovish. Once the other water type had Dracovish in it's clutches Cynthia commanded Milotic to finish it off with iron head. Dracovish refused to give up as his pride as a water type was on the line.  Dracovish fought back with fishious rend making both pokemon take strenuous damage from the collision, but unfortunately Dracovish had gone down with that last double attack and Milotic wins advantageously against the already poisoned pokemon.

Dawn wondered which of the two would truly win in a more fair fight. 

Ash had no other choice but to send in his next pokemon to the harshness of stealth rock. Sirfetch'd took some minor damage on entry, and Ash had Sirfetch'd improvise their own version of rapid spin using Sirfetch'd's shield to destroy the entry hazard.

"The shield is spinning at an incredible speed, destroying the sharp stealth rock, one after another!" The announcer described in astonishment.       

Cynthia called to Milotic to attack the new pokemon with hydro pump and Sirfetch'd dodged. 

Milotic's next move, ironhead clashed with fury cutter. Milotic took the most damage, but quickly gets back at Sirfetch'd with disarming voice. 

Sirfetch'd took the attack then launched his most powerful attack, meteor assault. Defeating Milotic in the process.

Dawn's eyes widened watching Milotic's image fade from the score board. It was finally evened, 2:2. Ash's Sirfetch'd and Lucario, and Cynthia's Togekiss and Garchomp. 

Cynthia graciously thanked her Milotic, then addressed Ash, "Your stealth rock counter was marvelous. Our battle has lit a fire in me! All the more reason why I want to win this. To win and battle Leon in the finals!"   

"We're gonna be the ones winning this, Cynthia." Ash smiled in determination. "With this battle, I'm gonna surpass you!"

Without further adieu Cynthia sent in her Garchomp.  

Ash was still wary about mega evolution since neither has used a gimmick and Ash was waiting to use his until she did. He has Sirfetch'd charge in with fury cutter and Garchomp counters with scale shot.

Sirfetch'd effortlessly combats the scale shot and exploits an opening to get one in on Garchomp, but Cynthia has Garchomp block the incoming attack with dragon claw.

Garchomp overpowered Sirfetch'd flinging him into the air and Ash calls for detect.

Sirfetch'd evaded dragon claw.

Next thing the audience sees it's the two pokemon going in with their most powerful attacks each. Sirfetch'd 's meteor assault and Garchomp's draco meteor. Smoke blooms throughout the arena blocking everything, even the cameras broadcasting the event.

Dawn tensed wondering what was going on. It took a few moments for the dust to clear and both pokemon were still shown standing. facing away from each other on opposite sides of the field.

Ash's eyes widened as he watched Cynthia's Garchomp falter before him. The movement made the crowd gasp wondering if Cynthia's ace had been defeated. Unfortunately it was nothing more than an exhausted stumble. It was Sirfetch'd left unable to battle. 

Back in Sinnoh Dawn trembled hearing the ref declare Sirfetche'd unable to battle.

"Wha- no. It can't be. Sirfetch'd is still standing!" Dawn exclaimed in confusion.  

"Sirfetch'd passed out still standing!" The announcer explained.

Dawn, Johanna, and her pokemon gasped. It felt like the world froze as the announcer continued. 

"Refusing to hit the ground, even in defeat... what a paragon of chivalry!" 

Dawn's eyes glistened as she watched Ash retrieve Sirfetch'd. That moment really moved her. She'd never seen anything like it before. Ash was an incredible trainer, only to be matched by the incredibility of his pokemon.

 Anyone online was in a frenzy about Ash's pokemon. Pikachu's resilience against type disadvantages, Dracovish's refusal to rest and march on despite being poisoned. and now Sirfetch'd's chivalry in defeat, some were even bringing up Ash's previous battles like the paragons that were Infernape and Greninja in the Sinnoh and Kalos Leagues. His popularity was spiking rapidly and Dawn would know none of it until after the battle. She hadn't been able to tear her eyes away from any of Ash's battles so far.

Sirfetch'd did his part in avenging Dracovish's loss against Milotic and wore out Garchomp to the point Lucario may get a shot at defeating it. Unfortunately Cynthia was not done. Ash may still have Lucario left but she still had her Togekiss at full health. Ready to wear down, or better, beat Lucario before it had a chance to face Garchomp.

Ash returned Sirfetch'd while Cynthia swapped out Garchomp. 

Both Champions sent in their next pokemon. For Ash his final. Cynthia was in the lead again. 

The world had begun to expect Cynthia to finally Mega-Evolve Garchomp. It's what she usually does when she's on her last leg, like Cynthia being down to her last pokemon against Iris, but there was still Togekiss. Cynthia was not on her last leg yet. She had another plan up her sleeve and as much as she respects Ash as a trainer she was going to use any and every advantage at her disposal to take down Lucario.  

Somewhere in the crowd Cinderace jumped out of Goh's pokeball to cheer for Lucario.

Pikachu spotted Goh, Hop, and Cinderace in the crowd excited to see some extra support. Ash and Lucario had spotted the pokemon too.       

"Lucario! Let's make Cinderace proud!" Ash told his pokemon. Lucario agreed happily. 

Meanwhile Cynthia finally sent in her Togekiss. 

"Champion Ash's last pokemon is Lucario." The announcer said. "How will they measure up against Champion Cynthia's Togekiss?"

Dawn and all of her pokemon were up on their feet cheering as hard as their hearts will allow for Ash and Lucario.

"C'mon Ash you got this! Go Lucario Go!"

Johanna could barely understand what Dawn was saying with all her pokemon screeching in excitement too. 

Ash called for bullet punch and Lucario charged in on Togekiss. 

Cynthia called for air slash and Lucario did it's best to combat against the attack. 

Somehwhere in Kanto, Ash's other ace pokemon Infernape, a fire/fighting type was getting riled watching his sibling pokemon, Lucario on screen. he began swinging his fists in every direction in inspiration, just barely missing hitting Prof. Oak beside him. 

Ash ordered Lucario to jump to move in on Togekiss' level.

Togekiss unable to react swiftly enough took Lucario's rapid blows, even as Lucario pounded the pokemon into the ground. 

Lucario leaped away from the plume of smoke surrounding them after finishing its attack on Togekiss.  

Togekiss soon after flew back into the air gracefully, seemingly unphased by the attack. 

"As I thought, you're in perfect sync." Said Cynthia, after having observed the attack. "A move born from the bond that your aura forged."

"I'm not done!" Ash announced. Speaking of aura, "Aura sphere!"

Cynthia called for another air slash from Togekiss and effortlessly countered Lucario's aura sphere, blowing it away all together.

Dawn's heart nearly leaped in her throat watching the pokemon go down on it's knee. Togekiss was beginning to tire out Lucario and there was still Garchomp to go.

"You okay Lucario?" Ash asked.

Lucario reassured Ash, but unfortunately Lucario's sluggish movements had revealed the pokemon had flinched from the attack.   

In the audience Hop had worried Lucario was going to turn out how Pikachu did, but Goh reassured the other boy Lucario would be fine. Grookey leapt out of Goh's lap to send Lucario some supportive cheers.

Cynthia called for one more air slash 

Ash called for Lucario to repel the air slash with bullet punch yet again.

With the anticipation of how Lucario would react the announcer found himself aggressively declaring, "He's not flinching! This time, he completely repels the air slash!" 

The audience whooped in cheers for Lucario's outstanding move! Dawn, her mom. and her pokemon participated in the cheers as well from home. 

"Good job Lucario!" Ash called to his pokemon.

"What an incredible will power." Cynthia complimented. She recalled her Togekiss one last time much to the anticipation of the world. She shifted her hand just enough for Ash to spot the secret weapon up her sleeve. 

"A daimax band!" Ash gasped.

"She's not going to use mega-evolution?" Dawn questioned aloud. Cynthia was anything but predictable. Of course she would want to keep Ash on his toes. He must've gone in preparing to fight Mega-Garchomp and she ripped the rug from under him. "She wants to wear out Lucario before he can fight Garchomp!" Dawn realized.

"Tower over all, Togekiss!" Cynthia summoned as her pokeball began to glow, and grow, and grow... 'Daimax Togekiss!" Cynthia threw the giant ball into the air and a giant Togekiss erupted out of the ball and loomed in the air over the entire battlefield.

The dynamaxed Togekiss left the entire audience shaken. 

"I never thought she'd pass up mega-evolving Garchomp." Hop said.

Cynthia was down to her last two pokemon out of six for the first time in years aside from battles with Leon. She wasn't disrespecting Ash by not honoring him with the sight of Mega-Garchomp. She's a champion, and even champions are still trainers learning and growing with the rest of the world. So she chose to play her most anticipated opponent, Ash at his own game by pulling an unpredictable card. She's honoring him by learning from him.  

"How are you gonna fight back, Ash?" Goh wondered aloud as Cinderace cheered aggressively for Lucario.

Dawn glared at the screen in anticipation. No one knew what Cynthia had up her sleeve this round, and the whole world had hoped for Mega-Garchomp's reappearance. She surprised everyone by revealing her daimax band instead, and there was Ash fully decked out with all of his gimmick's worn on his sleeves. All he had to do was pick one.  

Ash and Lucario were so surprised they had gawked at the sight of a creepily large Togekiss looming above them, but they weren't shaken. Ash raised his fist before himself, letting his key stone gleam for the world to see and confidently shouted, "Let's do this, Lucario!"

"Champion Ash faces Daimax Togekiss with Mega Lucario!" The announcer stated. 

"Lucario, aura sphere!" Ash shouted.

"Togekiss! Air stream!" Cynthia commanded.  

Togekiss launched what looked like an intense twister of air towards Lucario and Ash responded by telling Lucario, "Dive in!"

"He didn't just tell his pokemon to jump directly into an attack, did he?" Dawn wondered. No, the sight was by far more amazing. Lucario had leaped into the eye of the air stream charging across the rapid streams of air around him while carrying the aura sphere. It kind of reminded her of the time she, Ash, and Goh had jumped into an electric whirl pool together to save Heatran.

Dawn felt her eyes gleam with inspiration at the sight. She let out an encouraging cheer for Ash and Lucario as did her pokemon. 

Ash's friends in the stadium were riled up too. 

"He's running through it?" Hop stammered.

"Rush in Lucario!"  Goh along with a noisy Cinderace cheered loudly. 

As soon as Lucario launched the aura sphere towards Togekiss he was pushed out of the cyclone and tumbled into the ground.

Cynthia shouted at Togekiss to swat the aura sphere of all things.

"It swatted Mega-Lucario's aura sphere like it was nothing." Goh gasped. 

Togekiss lit up the arena as it's speed was increased by the air stream move. 

"We're not done yet!" Ash declared. The called for, "Bullet punch!"

Cynthia called for another air stream and Ash commanded Lucario to jump.  

"What a powerful bound! It dodjed the air stream and even jumped over daimax Togekiss!" The announcer exclaimed. 

Mega-Lucario executed bullet punch from behind the daimaxed Togekiss.

"It's super effective!" The announcer practically rared in the excitement. Dawn held her breath as the whole world watched in awe and radical excitement, anticipating the outcome of this attack. 

The cyclone of air stream withered away and daimax Togekiss fell into the field. Clouds of dust ingulfed the fallen pokemon's impact that shook the whole field. . 

Dawn smiled as she watched her screen shake. The cameras broadcasting the moment nearly falling victim to the rumbling of the stadium.   

"We did it!" Ash declared. 

Cynthia waited a moment as the dust cleared before she summoned her pokemon to rise again. 

"Togekiss doesn't falter!" The announcer exclaimed. "What an incredible endurance! Oh and the repeated air stream has boosted it's speed again!"

"Lucario! Charge up your aura!" Ash commanded. 

"Air stream!" Cynthia commanded again. 

"We're not done yet!" Ash grunted.

Dawn began clenching her fists as she watched in anticipation even Ash's friends in the live audience were getting nervous for him. Hop didn't no Ash very well and believed for sure Ash was done for.

"Ash trusts Lucario this isn't going to beat them!" Goh assured stubbornly. Cinderace also piped in to cheer for his friends.

"No need to worry..." Dawn whispered seriously.

Ash worked along side Lucario, transferring as much aura as he could in the moment

With one final encouraging shout at Mega-Lucario from Ash, both trainer and pokemon roared as the Mega-Lucario developed a massive aura sphere in his paws. Mega-Lucario launched the attack and the air stream began to dissipate.

"Togekiss swat it!" Cynthia shouted, although it hadn't come out as confidently as the first time. There was an edge to her voice, whether fear or desperation isn't known. 

"This attack... has gotta... hit!" Ash grunted out still transferring more aura than he thought he was capable of. He felt like he hasn't done this since... flashes of the first two pokemon he's had this connection with flashed in his mind. Sir Aaron's Lucario who introduced him to this ability... he felt his first ever bond phenomena pokemon, Greninja's presence all the way from Kalos... all of those experiences have led to this battle... it was all up to Mega-Lucario now, to make his predecessors proud... to make Ash proud.

"Kyodai aura sphere!" Ash shouted. 

Lucario let out one final roar and launched the aura sphere. It collided directly with Togekiss and the impact erupted smoke from the impact. 

Cynthia had even been caught off guard. As she watched her pokemon deflate from it's daimax form and collapse to the ground. 

Both Ash and Mega-Lucario fell to a single knee in exhaustion. 

Togekiss was on the ground and a flash of boosted speed lit up from its form, and the pokemon promptly shot back into the air, as if completely unaffected.

Dawn gasped at the sight on the tv. Cynthia's plan was working. She was wearing out Mega-Lucario. The pokemon struggled to stand a moment ago. 

"Both sides are still in the battle." The announcer stated, 

Goh and Hop were stunned in the audience. 

"That aura sphere was incredible!" Hop gawked. 

"Yeah... but I can't believe it withstood that move... from Mega-Lucario at that!" Goh grunted. 

"I'm really having fun, Ash, Lucario...' Cynthia said. Her tone almost sounded nostalgic. "Now, Togekiss! Let's heat things up even more!" 

Togekiss began to take full advantage of its speed boosts and began streaming through the air. Practically flying circles around Mega-Lucario. 

"Look at how well Togekiss can move, even after taking such a big attack!" The announcer shouted into the mic. 

"Bullet punch!" Ash ordered Mega-Lucario. No matter how fast bullet punch naturally is, it can't compare to the speed Togekiss had gained from all the air streams.

Goh had started to get nervous while Cinderace kept cheering. 

Dawn didn't know how to react she was starting to feel sweat bead down the side of her face as she glared at the screen. 

Johanna looked at her daughters hands. Her knuckles were white in her clenched fists.

"Now!  Sky attack!" Cynthia called.

"Lucario! Double team!" Ash called. Lucario erupted into a team of shadow clones. Togekiss' attack missed! "Counter with aura sphere!" 

Unfortunately Togekiss glided right through the clones and they all disappeared, leaving Lucario alone. 

"Bullet punch!" Ash shouted. Sweat beading down his face.

Mega-Lucario got a direct hit when Togekiss came right at him with sky attack. Mega-Lucario got a few good hits before finally launching the fairy pokemon backwards. Togekiss hit the ground at Cynthia's feet. Finally K.O'd. 

"Togekiss is unable to battle!" the ref declared. 

The audience erupted in cheers. Even Dawn shot up from the couch to cheer along with her pokemon. Johanna was relieved to see her daughter ecstatic and relaxed again after seeing Ash take the win. However there was still one more pokemon left to go.

Cynthia recalled her pokemon one final time and thanked her Togekiss. After this, there will be no more strategic switches for the brilliant champion. Things still worked out in her favor though. Now Mega-Lucario was equally as drained as her Garchomp. The two pokemon will face off in one final showdown to enter into the finals against Leon on equal ground. 

"We did it!" Ash said. Mega-Lucario looked back at Ash equally pleased. 

"Putting it all into a bullet punch, Mega-Lucario marvelously tucks away the win!" The announcer stated. 

 As the crowd cheered around Ash he found himself saying, "One more..."

"Pi-pika?" Pikachu asked. Wondering what Ash had to say.

Ash clenched his fist. "Pikachu... one more win and we beat Cynthia!" Ash had a serious tone to his voice and determined look in his eye. This was a good win, but he hadn't lost sight of what this round had truly been. A tactic to weaken Mega-Lucario. He can't get too comfortable. 

Cynthia looked at her last pokeball and spoke, "I'm glad we get to battle together once again. Now... dance in the heavens, Garchomp!" Cynthia shouted as she sent out her final pokemon. 

With Cynthia's ace on the field, it gave out a battle ready roar. The announcer spoke again to narrate the beginning of the end of the semifinals.

"Now, Champion Cynthia is also on her sixth pokemon. We've finally reached the climax. Whoever wins this showdown will advance to the finals!"     

"Lucario! This is our last battle! Let's give it all we got, till the very end! 

Mega-Lucario growled in agreement. 

"Garchomp." Cynthia's voice said addressing her pokemon. Her gentle voice echoed across the stadium, but this wasn't an announcement or a command this was a talk between a trainer and her pokemon. "Looking at Ash... reminds me of back when we traveled together."

Garchomp turned his head back to look at his trainer to listen intently. Garchomp knew after defeating Ash today, Cynthia would announce her retirement. Cynthia continued to speak and Garchomp couldn't help but recall the days when they were both much... smaller. Like the boy before them and the Pikachu next to him, but much younger and less experienced.  

"Everything we saw felt brand new... the breadth of the world... and the depth of it's legends awed us... when we were challengers, ever challenging ourselves. What a time it was." Cynthia had closed her eyes recalling old memories too. 

Garchomp responded to his trainer's heartfelt words, he was touched for a moment while she had an aura of nostalgia coming from her, but when she opened her eyes again they were sharp and calculating  almost like daggers and that gentle aura of nostalgic burst into the familiar blaze of determination. Garchomp prepared for her first command, his trainer was gentle and kind and all things good and wonderful, but when her eyes sharpened the way they are now it was time to get down to business.

"We'll be the ones to face Champion Leon! Scale shot!"

Garchomp sprung in the air and released his attack.

"Lucario, jump!" Ash immediately responded. "Bullet punch!"

Mega-Lucario was up in the air in close range of Garchomp's attack and combated the scale shot with his fists.

"Amazing! Amazing! Mega-Lucario it rushes straight in without even flinching!" The announcer cried in awe. 

"This zeal, I've longed for a pokemon battle like this!" Cynthia announced to the world. 

"Good job, Lucario! Follow up with aura sphere!" Ash commanded. 

"Garchomp!" Cynthia shouted.

Garchomp took it as another command to continue enforcing scale shot and launched it directly at Lucario's aura sphere.

"Aura sphere and scale shot cancel each other out!" The announcer all but roared over the blast caused by the two colliding moves.

Cynthia smirked while Ash grit his teeth watching his Mega-Lucario get blasted back onto the field. Mega-Lucario just barely landing in a stumble on his feet. 

"She doesn't let her guard down for a moment..." Ash realized, "she makes every move- every movement purposeful." Ash couldn't help clenching his teeth, Cynthia's calculative moves were starting to make him sweat. "But... if I can beat Cynthia,...I can get stronger." The battle was heating up. 

"Dragon claw!" Cynthia all but roared her command.

"Bullet punch!" Ash called to Lucario. 

The two pokemon charged at each other exchanging multiple blows, with Garchomp landing a few good hits across Lucario's face and Lucario stubbornly attempting to weaken Garchomp by spamming multiple punches on the dragon's chest.

"What an intense exchange of blows! Neither side is budging!" The announcer cried. The man had risen from his seat and nervously gripped his loosened tie watching the intensity of the fight. It wasn't often the world saw a battle of this magnitude, if the announcer was overwhelmed, imagine how the rest of the world felt.

"Imagine how Ash is feeling right now." Dawn whispered to herself.

Johanna turned to her daughter who seemed to have spoken to herself. Dawn was leaning forward, eyes glued to the screen. 

Both pokemon roared as they continued to exchange blows without stopping. 

"Charge!" Both trainers screamed. 

The blows got slower and heavier for a moment and Garchomp landed an effective hit indicated by the glow of his claw as it collided directly against Mega-Lucario. Both pokemon backed away and jumped back to their sides of the field, awaiting their next command. 

"Lucario!"

"Pika-pika!" 

Both trainer and teammate called to Lucario worryingly as he stumbled backwards.

"Garchomp, stay strong!" Cynthia called encouragingly to her pokemon. 

"They're both at their limit." The announcer noted intensely. "It's turned into a fierce battle of attrition!" 

Mega-Lucario was exhausted an clearly in pain. The pokemon dropped to his knee unable to support his own weight anymore. 

Dawn sat up straight feeling this was it. This match was almost over. She clenched and unclenched her fist. Johanna took her daughter's hand and squeezed tightly. Dawn looked at her mom.

No need to worry." Said Johanna.

Dawn felt her pokemon, Buneary, Piplup, and Pachirisu all brace themselves against her legs. Dawn nodded in agreement. 

Cynthia's eye caught onto Mega-Lucario's moment of weakness and instantaneously called for dragon claw one more time! 

Garchomp charged in rapidly with a roar.

"Reversal!" Ash called out to Mega-Lucario.

Despite Mega-Lucario's pain and still on his knee, he charged up the attack with a mighty roar.

Both pokemon let out demonic growls. While Garchomp jumped in with dragon claw, Mega-Lucario hadn't moved from his spot, only moving to swing his fist to execute his attack on Garchomp. Dragon claw landed first atop Mega-Lucario's back while reversal struck second onto Garchomp's torso.

Time froze for a second, and both pokemon fell forward, each in the opposite direction.

Ash felt like time slowed watching both Mega-Lucario and Garchomp fall. 

Dawn felt her breath knocked out of her, She clenched her mother's hand back when both pokemon hit the ground. 

"No need to worry! No need to worry!"

The whole world froze watching the moment. The pride and glory of Sinnoh, #2 in the world... Cynthia's ace, falling before a trainer... who wasn't Leon...

For a tense moment it could've been a draw. Nothing of the sort would've ever happened. Every Masters' 8 trainer canceling each other out before ever reaching Leon? The idea was improbable. 

Then Ash saw it. Mega-Lucario... never de-transformed. The pokemon slowly got up on his hands and knees. Then carefully got back on his feet. Long ears flowed in the wind. Garchomp never got back up. 

The ref glided over to declare, "Garchomp is unable to battle! As such, the winner is, Champion Ash Ketchum!"

Ash was in momentary disbelief. He couldn't believe Mega-Lucario got back up and never de-transformed. He turned to the announcer who declared,

"The semi-finals goes to Champion Ash Ketchum! We have our finalists!"

The crowd was ablaze with loud cheers.

Dawn let go of her mom as they both shot up from the couch in exhilaration. Dawn's pokemon jumped up in loud whopping cheers and Dawn caught them all in an embrace. "He did it! She cried, while her pokemon cheered excitedly. 

Ash could barely comprehend what just happened even as the announcer had loudly declared the outcome of the match into the mic. 

"I won." Ash said dumbfounded, his voice was nearly drowned out from the roaring cheers. 

"Pi-ka-chu!" Pikachu cheered loudly.

Ash turned to look at his pokemon who was jumping up and down in excitement, celebrating without Ash.

"Why is he jumping?" Ash wondered.

"I really won..." and that was when glorious reality finally struck. "Lucario!" Ash shouted in excitement as he ran towards his pokemon. 

Lucario finally de-transformed and Lucario ran towards the trainer who raised him.

Ash practically tackled his Lucario in a hug without knocking him over as he cried. "We did it, Lucario! We beat Cynthia!" Ash couldn't help but laugh from the joy and adrenaline he was feeling from leading his pokemon in today's victory. They all worked so hard. 

Lucario was happy to have made his trainer proud, and wondered vaguely if he had made his predecessors proud today too. 

Garchomp heard the roaring cheers and sat up watching the younger pokemon and trainer up and celebrating and he knew what that meant. He was a little disappointed in himself for having Cynthia's retirement start off with a defeat, but his long time trainer, the woman who raised him approached him and told him comfortingly, "Garchomp... you battled marvelously. Thank you."

For many pokemon it never feels as though their trainers change. They'll always be that wide-eyed rookie in their eyes, but despite having lost there was a hint of childlike glee, a spark in Cynthia's eyes. One he hadn't seen in many years. Like any good pokemon, he would do anything to keep that there. Both Cynthia and Garchomp looked up when Lucario approached them after celebrating with Ash and Pikachu. He held out a paw for Garchomp to grab. Garchomp took it and allowed the younger pokemon to help him up. The two stayed with their hands linked as if formally shaking hands in good sportsmanship. Cynthia decided to do the same with Ash. 

"Thank you!" Ash told her.

"I should be the one thanking you." Said Cynthia humbly. 

"Huh?" Ash asked.

"All the aspects you and your pokemon showed me... you've made me realized that I still have much more to learn. Thank you, Ash. Let's battle again sometime."

"Sure!" Ash agreed elatedly.

Garchomp listened to Cynthia's exchange with Ash, and realized what she meant. He was kind of relieved. despite losing today, he didn't think he wanted to give this up yet. 

The announcer began to close off the semifinals with these final statements. 

"The finals are now all that remains for the Pokemon World Coronation Series Masters 8 Tournament. Ranked 8th in the Masters 8; the first Champion of Alola, Champion Ash Ketchum. His opponent is ranked 1st in the Masters 8; the Champion of Galar. Champion Leon. Now which one of them will reign as the top pokemon trainer? Champion Ash Ketchum? Or Champion Leon? Look forward to finding out!"       

All of Ash's friends, supporters, fans, etc. were cheering loudly in the audience, as well as all over the world. He made it to the finals.

He'll be facing the Pokemon World Monarch.   

Ash defeating Cynthia was an instant controversy. No one but Leon, trainers with far more than three years of experience should've been able to defeat her.

Hours after Ash and Cynthia's match, Cynthia posted an announcement that stirred waves across the world.

"To think I considered retiring after today. I could never quit something so passionate and so fun. I have much to master in battling and in research! I owe it all to you! @AshKetchumall"  

Anyone who badmouthed Ash for defeating a beloved world class champion shut up immediately.

With all the buzz going on online over Ash's pokemon, the nickname, "Kanto-Region-Earthquake" started circulating around the web describing Ash bulldozing his way from the bottom of the WorldCoronation Series, bottom of the Masters 8, winning champ back to back, and now a finalist.

Username: GreenOAkTree, may or may not have coined the nickname.

During that time Ash sent out all of his pokemon to thank them for their hard work that day.

"You were all really cool!" Goh complimented them.

"Next we're finally gonna battle Leon!" Ash declared to his pokemon. 

"We'll cheer you on with all we've got too!" Goh promised.

Cinderace nudged Lucario with his shoulder proud after his win today. Lucario was grateful for his friend's support. 

"We've made it this far, and now we gotta win it!" Ash pumped his fist in the air to boost his team's morale as he shouted, "Let's win this tournament!"

Pikachu led his teammates in a group cheer as he sprung up in the air, still radiating with the same excitement after having watched Lucario defeat Garchomp today.

Dracovish went for affectionately nipping the top of Ash's head causing the boy to laugh.

Today had gone tremendously. To top it off he received multiple messages from many of his old friends who were sending him best wishes, good luck, cheering for you, do your best, we believe in you, and one particular from Dawn that said, "You did it!"   

Somehow, that one stuck out to him the most, and not so much for the usual reasons.